Ear Infections

So my last update about Missy's ear infections was that basically at this point we had no other choice than to go ahead with the ear tubes, which is exactly what I've been dreading.

Not long after that post my mom mentioned something my aunt had been researching about milk being a culprit in constant ear infections so I gave her a call and we talked about all sorts of things relating to possible causes of the infections.

I eventually found some information that gluten and dairy could both aggravate an ear infection once it's already happening, but not necessarily the reason they happen.  So now when Missy is sick I go out of my way to cut out as much cheese, butter and cream as I can.  We already drink/use Almond Milk in place of cow's milk so she is free to have her cereal or oatmeal still whenever she wants.

I also read that sugar is a major culprit in slowing down the healing process, if not keeping it from happening all together.  So now you won't find a sweet in our house unless it's for a really special occasion.

And then I found some home remedies that I hadn't discovered the first few times I attempted to heal her from home.  The one that seems to be working great so far is taking a whole onion, cutting it in half, pull out a few of the inner rings to hollow out a space for the ear, placing both pieces in either the oven or microwave for a short period of time (just long enough for it to be warm and get the juices flowing) and then place them over the ears for at least 20 minutes.  I have been doing this with Missy since she ended her last round of antibiotics (which didn't get rid of the infection completely) and she has mentioned ear pain only twice since then (it's been about a week since we've started this treatment and we have done it 6 times so far).

Each time we do this for her she says her ears feel better.  She will ask me for the onions when her ears start to bother her, which makes me so happy! This is something she is ok with.  All I have to do it take a small cloth and I bunch it up under her ear to keep the onion balanced on her ear while she is laying down watching TV and after 20 minutes we switch ears.

I also started washing her hair with a washcloth at the sink instead of in the tub because 1) the first time I washed her hair in the tub once her infection was "gone" she complained about ear pain the next day and 2) with all these onion treatments I have to wash her hair about twice a day to clean up all of the juices that stick to her hair and glue it to her ears and face, and even get matted together.

My aunt also gave me a great idea about putting Missy on a pro biotic because all of these antibiotics she's been on are killing all of the good bacteria in her gut which is creating a viscous circle of infections.  She's not even getting well before she gets another infection because her immunity is completely shot.  The doctors office was no help with this at all.  When they called me back all the Dr had told the nurse to tell me was that acidophilus has not been proven to help in any way but I could give it to her if I wanted.  When I asked about the dosage I was referred to the pharmacist.   I talked to the pharmacist about putting her on the pro-biotic and his eyes got big and said "Absolutely! That could help a lot." and then helped me find the correct one for her age.

She's been taking it for 4 days now and so far only one mention of pain plus the onion treatment and now she's back to normal.  Hopefully it will continue to go this smoothly.

She also has an appointment with a local chiropractor next week.  That was another thing I unearthed while searching for cures.  The number 1 reason children see a chiropractor is for ear infections!  Apparently there is a 70-something% success rate (I didn't bookmark the page and I'm not rooting through the million homeopathic websites I searched to link it).  I did my research on local chiropractors just like I do with all of the Doctors we will be trusting ourselves too and even got some personal recommendations, so I'm hopeful this will go well.

Keep her in your thoughts and prayers.  If it comes down to it, she will have to have the tubes, but I'm going to give these last few avenues a go before putting her under.

BumbleBee

Missy's Snail

Hibiscus

For Aunt Brenda and Momma

Small-Eyed Sphinx Moth

Random Spiney Bug

A week of Photos: Moths

While out during a sprinkly day I would have never expected to come across so many of the - for lack of a better word - bugs that we saw.  Here are some pictures of a moth that I was so excited to get shots of!

A Week Of Photos!

So we had a rainy day over the weekend that was just the right amount of overcast and sprinkle to keep the heat seemingly under control.  I am a sap for photos with large, crisp raindrops that have settled on a flower petal, so I set out to take some photos of anything that caught my eye.  Little did I know when it rains, even the tiniest bit, the most amazing bugs can be found everywhere!!

I filled my card.  Full.  It told me many times.  I had to go back through and find imperfect images and delete them.  And then I would fill it up again in a matter of minutes!

Finally I just needed to come inside and load them onto the computer.

I am more than excited to share these images with you!  I am bursting with a giddiness I haven't felt since Missy's last ear infection.

Because there are soooooo many pictures of so many things I decided to break them up into multiple posts throughout the week.

We'll start with some old photos from a rainy day a few months back that I never got around to converting from RAW form.  This is my first attempt at fixing up a RAW image, so I can see it isn't as bright and cheery as it could be, but it was the best I could do with this Photoscape free photo editor.  Hubby was nice enough to let me use his computer for all of my needs while mine is on the fritz!

I also thought it would be nice to add the "Before" images, so you can see how the RAW images come out and why they need to be touched up.  To be honest, I love these RAW images almost as much as I like the re-touched ones.  Once I get my regular editing software back I think I'll separate the roses from the backgrounds so that I can make the background stand out without sacrificing the detail of the raindrops on the petals.

White Balance

I am definitely doing this next Wedding in August and am actually pretty excited about it.  It's at a gorgeous venue and the families are wonderful, I've gotten so lucky with these weddings!

My new goal in learning how to take amazing photos in going to be learning how to set my white balance manually, and I may even work towards manually setting everything (like the contrast, color, sharpness). 

I'm really excited to be getting into all of that.  And I finally have a wish list of lenses I would love to get my hands on.  It'll probably be next year before I can afford even one of the lenses off of list, but until then I went ahead and made a lens hood purchase.  I need to get some of those cloths for cleaning the lens too.  I think that will be my next purchase, and should have probably been my first!

Hopefully I won't bore you all with my adventures in discovering how to properly use my camera to the best of its potential.  I'm even thinking about adding photos taken with the different settings, so that I can evaluate them for myself and if anyone has feedback, even better!

Yay for being excited about Photography again!

Recipe: Tomato Basil Pasta

The other night I again was at a loss as to what we were going to have for dinner.  So I figured I'd try an old recipe that I liked, but add a few things to it.  In the original recipe You make spaghetti noodles and then toss them with a bit of olive oil and some freshly diced tomatoes.  We really enjoyed that, but I felt like it was missing some flavor.  So here is the re-vamped version!

Ingredients:

1 package pasta, any kind

1 large tomato, diced

about 2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

Parmesan, Basil, Rosemary, Oregano to taste

Directions:

Put water on to boil.  Add pasta.

While pasta is cooking dice tomato.

When pasta is done drain and return to pot. 

Add olive oil and mix so that all noodles are evenly coated.

Add Tomatoes, Parmesan, Garlic and herbs and mix until evenly distributed.

Enjoy!

Photoshoot: Tiny Butterflies

Warning - This post may contain too many photos.

I had just finished washing our car and was on the phone with my mom (as I am many times for long periods of times throughout the day) when I noticed about 9 teeny blue/gray butterflies settling in at the front tire.  As time went on the numbers just grew and grew, I couldn't even tell you how many were gathered by the time I finally went back inside.  At least 20.  Missy was even lucky enough to catch one (not so lucky for the butterfly I'm sure).  They really weren't very shy and were perfectly content wandering around with us literally right next to them. 

**The butterfly she captured was set free at the end of the shoot.  S/He flew away fine on it's own and seemed in tact.  I worried she hurt it and nudged it a bit with my finger and it crawled up my finger, across my palm and then took to the sky!

Bubble Popping

You know how I was so incredibly giddy at the thought that Missy had finally grown out of her ear infections?  After all, it had been days into her cold before the hope started bubbling over.

Well. 

She has another ear infection.

Correction: Another DOUBLE ear infection.

Bahhh! 

I just want to scream at the universe. 

I am a whole hearted believer in 'everything happens for a reason' and although I prefer home remedies and all natural cures over pharmaceutical ones I also feel that a lot of our progression in medicine is necessary and shouldn't be marked off the list.  But I tend to hold off. 

Some of you may think its not fair to Missy, and that's your right.  I feel the same way when a child has cancer and the parents deny treatment due to their beliefs. 

I'm a hypocrite just like the rest of you. 

So now here we are.  The summer is about halfway over and I hoped not to put Missy under until Summer had passed, give her this time to enjoy the water without worrying about ear plugs and tubes.  But what kind of a summer is she having when this is her second infection of the summer?  And this one was just 4 weeks from the last one. 

They're getting closer together. 

I can't fight tubes anymore. 

This coming week we will discuss dates with the ENT Dr.  

I am scared for a million reasons to put her under and allow them to take her away from me even for such a short period of time. 

Waiting is always the worst part of an ordeal though, isn't it? 

The not knowing, the anxiousness of it all. 

At her last appointment I cried because I knew I couldn't keep delaying the inevitable.  I was a disaster, but I waited until we left the building and we were pulling out of the parking space before I completely lost it. 

And then to top it off my husband wants us to go get taco's.  Not just any tacos, Tippy's Taco's.  He was trying to feed us, it was sweet.  But Tippy's Taco's was in no way going to console me.  So he starts naming off different places to go as I'm just sobbing away and poor Missy is in the back seat wondering what's wrong with Mommy, after all SHE was the one who had blood drawn, and had the Dr poking around in her ears.  All I did was stand there and let them do it, what in the world was wrong with me?

So Hubby is still naming off the list of restaurants and then mentions Chipotle's.  If you've followed me for a while you'll know I have a very large weakness for Chipotle's food.  So in a meak little voice I'm echoing his suggestion of Chiptole's and my Mother-In-Law chimed in and demanded he take me to Chipotle's since it was the only thing that seemed to bring me out of my pity party. 

Is it still called a pity party if you're actually having it for someone else, but they aren't acting as pitiful as you are?

Regardless, After we ate (an amazing vegetarian burrito bowl!) we did some shopping.  What is more therapeutic than shoe shopping?  More shoe shopping probably.  Or craft shopping even.  What am I talking about - Any kind of shopping is therapeutic! 

I started feeling better and decided that at the end of the summer we would go ahead and do this.  But I was being optimistic.  I was praying for a miracle, hoping she would grow into her natural cure.

I am finally accepting that it's just not going to happen right now and there's no point in fighting this still.  I also say that once we put the tubes in I will only allow this to happen once, and I'm hoping that I won't have to go back on that statement.  But hope isn't getting me very far these days.

I know I've just taken you on a roller coaster ride of emotions, and I'm hoping to keep a positive attitude.  Keep Missy in your thoughts and prayers. 

Thanks for staying with me this long!  You deserve a cookie!  Or some Ice Cream or whatever your heart desires!

Nature Photography

I really enjoy getting outside and taking pictures of landscapes, flowers, animals and bugs.  I have a love for all things nature!  And I see things in a completely different light when viewing them through a camera lens.

Capturing a bumble bee in mid-flight as he departs from a flower is a breathtaking, heart leaping experience!

We've all seen a bumble bee  take to a flower, or take off from one.  It's what happens.  We even try to give them space.  I'm all for giving things their space!  Who wants to be stung or end up on the Bee S-list?

Not me!

But once I'm behind the camera it's like personal space (for a person or a flower!) just doesn't register for me anymore.  I'm determined to get that shot.  The one that makes me sit in front of the computer and do fist pumps when I've succeeded in capturing an amazing shot and there is no editing necessary!

I'm beginning to think that what started out as my practice in learning how to use my camera and take good photos has become my passion.  I would love to see some of my garden photos gracing a magazine or a wall. 

Maybe I feel like it's more of a challenge to catch such a perfect shot with so many variables.  And with a bumblebee or a flower it's not like I can give them direction, I just have to take it for what it is.  Luck I guess.  I'm okay with that.

I really love people, but I find that I've enjoyed these nature photographs far more.  Probably due to how peaceful it is, just you and the birds...er, I mean bees...

Hopefully I'll get excited about doing people shoots again soon since I'm supposed to be shooting another Wedding in August.  If not, who knows!  It just might be my last Wedding.

Photo Shoot: Butterflies and Bumblebees

Comment Spam

A certain devout follower (thanks,  Mom!) is always checking up on my blog.  Guess who checks in on the blog at least once every day, regardless of the fact that I haven't posted for at least 28 days?

That's right, she does. 

And when I'm getting into my no-posting, no-blogging, no-internet phase she gives me a little grief.  Which I appreciate. 

She likes my updates. 

Even though we typically talk for hours at a time almost daily.

I know, I know.  She just loves me.  I must be the favorite! (Hahaha, right.)

So anyway, to the point. 

She comments on so much, and it thrills me to see what she has to say, but for about 4 months now her comments are going into the "spam" section of the comment area.  I keep going in there and removing her and Blogger just keeps putting her right back.  So I am on the hunt for possibly another blog host. 

I really don't want to do this all over again, but little things like that irk me enough that I would gladly put in the time to decorate a whole new blog if it would run a little smoother for me.

I'm also thinking about changing the name.

Hairpins And Chocolate was born at a very un-Godly hour and I chose it thinking it was unique and it is two things I just don't think I could live without.  It encompasses certain areas of my personality which I love, but I feel that the name is just too much and too long.

So though I'm not specifically asking for suggestions (because really my mom will give them anyway and I think there may be another 2 or 3 of you who visit regularly) I would not turn them down!

Recipe: Black Bean and Tomato Pasta

This was a random thrown together meal from anything we had in the pantry.

You know those nights.  You have no idea what you're going to make.  You don't even really feel like cooking, and yet there you are with no ideas and no other options.

I mean someone has to feed all those hungry mouths, right?

And unfortunately for you no one else is volunteering.

So you browse the pantry and the fridge over and over again trying to magically find something new that wasn't there the last time you checked.

And then  BAM  it hits you! Putting these random ingredients together might actually make something exciting and edible!

That is how my black bean pasta was born.  It was awesome, we all loved it!  Hopefully you will too!

Ingredients:

1 can black beans
1 box pasta
1 can Ro*Tel
1 container Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
1 can corn or however much frozen corn you feel is enough


Directions:

Cook Pasta.

Add corn, beans and Ro*Tel.

Add Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup mix.

Mix so everything is distributed as evenly as can be and serve!

You may choose to heat it longer but I just let the heat from the pasta heat everything else and because it was such a hot day anyway I wasn't bothered that it wasn't steaming.

We also put some shredded cheese on top on our second round.  Yum!

Enjoy!

Patriotic Nails

A good friend of mine decided to finally create her own blog, and it's ALL about nail polish!! Seriously, I didn't know I could get so excited about nail polish.  In fact, I've attempted to visit other polish blogs in the past but they got old fast.  Maybe it's just Diana's personality that keeps me coming back to read about the pretty polishes she's playing with that day, but it's really kept my interest and EVEY time I check out the new polish she's wearing I get all excited about nail polish again.

You can visit Diana over at PolishMonster.com, believe me, you'll be glad you did!

Getting me excited about nail polish is a huge deal because I rarely do my nails, which is why this post may be the only polish post ever on my blog.

Thinking about her pretty polish posts got me inspired to do some fancy patriotic polish work for the Fourth of July.  So I did up Missy's and my nails and took a few shots so you can try it out for the next Patriotic holiday, or really any day you're feeling the love of your country!

I did Missy's first.  I got the idea from an old nail polish book my mom got me when I was in Middle School I think.  It showed all white nails with red and blue "triangles" on the tips.  So that's what I did.  My niece and nephew also wanted their nails painted (not pictured, they picked theirs off soon after the job was done) but my niece wanted red nails with blue and white tips.  It was gorgeous!  So I decided I would be different too and alternate the base colors in the red, white, blue pattern.

 The red base with the blue and white tips is still my favorite!

Obviously I'm not great at the whole nail painting thing, and I also decided to do house work before getting these pictures, but at least you get the gist! So cute and so much fun to do!  It took me almost 2 hours to do all 4 of our nails but they turned out so cute it was really worth it.  I think once I was just focusing on my own nails it only took about 20 minutes to complete (without a top coat because by then I was over the whole painting my nails thing). But we all did get a pretty glitter coat!

I found a wild animal

I was out taking pictures of the pretty flowers in our garden when I heard a rustling in the wild weeded part that I am slowly working on....

And there I saw it! A furry slithery creature!

Our little nosey huntress, Gypsy.  Doesn't she look downright frightening? ;)

Fourth of July

What an eventful day!

We had such a blast.  My niece and nephew were over which really made Missy's day.

A nice cookout, bonfire for roasting hot dogs and marshmallows (maybe my favorite thing to do!) with good friends and happy kids made for such a great night.

I got the kids some sparklers which they loved.  I even rigged them with a little arm shield that I found through none other than Pinterest.

http://love2dreamdoyou.blogspot.com/2012/06/sparkler-shield.html

There seems to be a lot of controversy over whether or not this is a smart idea or not.  

It occurred to me that the cup might melt from the heat, but then why would this mother post and allow her child to use it?  So I made them and let the kids have at it.

It was their first time using sparklers so they pretty much stood there with their arms extended wondering what to do.  Which made it a little easier on me since no one was running around or swinging their sparkler too close to anyone.

We didn't have any trouble with this and there are no marks on the cups other than the hole I poked through the bottom.  You would never know I used them to shield their hands and arms from sparklers.

Once the kids are a little older, I won't be using this method mainly because I think there's some learning to be had when you're playing with a hot sparlker that is only getting closer and closer to your hand.  

It's hot and it might even hurt a little.  Strike a little fear of fire into their little impressionable hearts.

So after the sparklers they chased fireflies and watched the neighbors light big fireworks.  And then it was into the bath and into pajamas! 

Such a fun day :)

Cold, Cold Go Away!

Missy is sick again!  I just can't keep this kid well.  She got my bad immune system and it's already whooping her butt. 

We both came down with colds at the same day, within the same 24 hour period.  How coincidental is that?  It's usually one and then the other, not both at once.

So far it's been 2 days of snotty noses and no sign of an ear infection *Knock on Wood!*

I am getting cautiously optimistic really fast now. 

I don't want to hope that she won't get another infection just to be severely dissapointed, but I am so giddy at the thought that just maybe she's out of the woods, and just in the nick of time!

Keep your fingers crossed for her and send healthy, healing thoughts and prayers her way, please!

Stormy Weather

If you live on the East Coast you've probably experienced some of the nice storms we've had lately. 

When I say nice I mean terrifyingly awful.

The wind was howling and threatening to bring down our trees.  Missy's room is closest to the mature trees that were swaying uncharacteristically so I had her jump in bed with us Friday night.  And then a little while later our electricity went out.  Yay!!

Thankfully it came back late Saturday night though.  Phew, it was too hot for everyone to lose electricity!

I know a lot of people are still waiting for theirs to come back, and apparently there have already been a few deaths associated with the heat this weekend.

Three kids (and I mean small kids, like ages 3-6) have already passed away due to the heat this weekend.

That's too many lives lost.

I hope the rest of you are keeping hydrated and remembering to keep your kids hydrated!

Here's hoping we don't get any more stormy weather any time soon!  I wish I could make it head West where it's more needed.

Maybe in another life I will have super powers that awesome.  Maybe.