Christmas is about…

unconditional love…

  And boy do these guys have lots to teach me about unconditional love! 

This is our pooch that has been sick. Her ultrasound results are back.  Now our next step is a blood test to prove it is what it seems to be…Cushings Disease.  Athena has most of the symptoms and once we have the definitive, then comes the hard decisions.  I don’t want to even have to think of that yet. 

The most common symptoms  of Cushings include (Athena’s symptoms are underlined):
      • increased/excessive water consumption (polydipsia)
      • increased/excessive urination (polyuria)
      • urinary accidents in previously housetrained dogs
      • increased/excessive appetite (polyphagia)
      • appearance of food stealing/guarding, begging, trash dumping, etc.
     • sagging, bloated, pot-bellied appearance
      • weight gain or its appearance, due to fat redistribution
      • loss of muscle mass, giving the appearance of weight loss
      • bony, skull-like appearance of head
      • exercise intolerance, lethargy, general or hind-leg weakness
      • new reluctance to jump on furniture or people
     • excess panting, seeking cool surfaces to rest on
      • symmetrically thinning hair or baldness (alopecia) on torso
      • other coat changes like dullness, dryness
      • slow regrowth of hair after clipping
      • thin, wrinkled, fragile, and/or darkly pigmented skin
      • easily damaged/bruised skin that heals slowly
      • hard, calcified lumps in the skin (calcinosis cutis)
      • susceptibility to infections (especially skin and urinary)
      • diabetes, pancreatitis, seizures

symptoms taken from this article

Christmas is about…

time with friends….

 

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

Nutcracker

We went to a reading of the Nutcracker recently.  They read the book and then dancers came out and danced different parts of the book.  

After the performance, we got to learn some of the dance moves.

We then got to meet the dancers. 

Ari is intrigued by the nutcracker!!    

       

We really enjoyed this!

Thanksgiving Party

This is a delayed post as I forgot my camera for this party.  My friend Beth hosted this fun party!  There were different stations that each parent setup with activities centered around Thanksgiving. 

 

Indian painting

 

Blessing Mix

Face painting

Indian Dance

 

Indian Game

Nature Walk

Sharing what we are thankful for

A yummy feast

A Thanksgiving Play of the First Thanksgiving (they are in the Mayflower)

Gingerbread Cookies

We made and decorated Gingerbread Cookies today with our dear friends. 

 

Skating on Ice

We went ice skating today for the first time.  Boy am I tired.  Today was the Homeschool Christmas Party at the Ice Skating Rink.  Chris took a half day and went with us.  I am glad he did because I don’t know how I would have done it alone!  I can barely skate on my own(note emphasis) .  I have to hold the wall to stay upright.  I thought we would go this first time and then next month, I could take the kids on my own.  Ha, Ha, Ha!  I now know how crazy that is!!!!  The kids did really well especially for their first time on ice!

    

The kids enjoyed the gift exchange at the rink.  Ryan got an art set and Ari got a tub of cotton candy and lollipop.  Look at that face.