Friday, September 28, 2012

What the doc should have made more clear.....

Today I had RF Ablation done on my lower back.  What the doctor told me was that in general the pain relief will last longer, which I am happy about.  What was not stated clearly was that it can hurt much worse after the procedure before it feels better.  Thankfully, I have an awesome husband who let me take a couple pain pills and sleep most of the day.  It is starting to feel better, so for that I am grateful.  My stomach is a bit unhappy about the sedation/pain med combo, but I am hopeful that I will feel fine in the morning. 

If you have low back pain you know that at some point you will try anything to get rid of the pain.  After I don't know how many years of living with this (at least twenty), that is where I am at.  On the plus side, those years have not all been as bad as it currently is, instead it has progressively gotten worse.  That of course is just the way it works. 

I really am hopeful finally.  I have a doctor who understands how I feel and what I want from life.  He too has the same back problem, and he also has little ones at home.  I am hopeful that in the next couple months I will be able to keep up with my kiddo as she rides her bike down the street, perhaps even riding my own bike again!  :-)

Can't say it enough, YAY FOR MY AWESOME HUSBAND!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Camping Fun-with a serious note about poverty and hunger

Last weekend I had the joy of going to Girl Scout camp with big L.  We had a very good time.  Mixed in with the fun was a serious workshop for me on Global Action, and a fun workshop for her, that was more her level.  Obviously they did not discuss hunger as in depth for her nor did they discuss sex trafficking. 

However, let it be known that when the girls get older they are shown the world how it is so that they can make it change and become what they want it to be.  A group of girls in our Girl Scout council are truly inspirational.  They created this website: GS Gems, and they do amazing things to raise money and bring awareness to issues women face.  Is this because men aren't important?  Of course not, but women and children make up the majority of people who live in poverty and are susceptible to giving in to trafficking to help their families.  These girls are doing great things, and to think it all started when they were in high school.  Can you imagine the change they can help create as adults? 

This weekend we focused on poverty and hunger, and sustainability.  For lunch on Satruday we all sat down for our family style meal.  One girl from each table went to the kitchen to get the food for their whole table.  One girl came back with a feast, the others came back with one dish which had to be split 15 ways.  This was quite a learning lesson for our girls, on what it means to be poor, to not have enough for the whole family, to worry about what you will get to eat next that will satisfy you.  Most of our children who attended camp have never had to think about where mom or dad will get there next meal.  They have never gone to bed hungry because there simply was no more money to buy food with.  Some girls cried.  The most poignant comment came from the table with everything.  When the situation was pointed out to the kids in the room, one girl said, "I didn't even notice."  Wow. 

I turned to my daughter and said, "sorry, but if we were this poor you would probably die of hunger.  we would not be able to buy the food you are able to eat."  I think it kind of hit home, but after awhile all of the tables got all of the food to eat, so the girls did not walk away hungry.  What would have happened if we had let them walk away without eating the full meal?  

We also talked about education and the fact that women everywhere do not have access to education.  Some families only send the boys to school.  The statistics show that when girls are educated they are empowered to make more choices.  They marry and have babies at a later stage in life.  They get jobs that enable to them to support their family which allows them to raise daughters who follow in their footsteps, instead of into poverty. 

I am trying to figure out to show my troop as a whole some of these issues.  Some will have to wait until they are older.  We talked about fair trade this weekend, and while my girls would be able to play the game we did at this age, watching a video on the horrors that go on in cocoa farming is probably not on the to-do list for awhile.  I am not showing them the video about the 14 year old who had a baby and had to sell her body to feed her family; not yet at least. 

This weekend got me thinking, which was the point.  I try to explain to my child that she is lucky.  That has no impact.  I think it may be time to slowly start showing her.  I don't sugar coat things usually.  We talk about dying, not going to a happy place in the sky.  We talk about how some family's don't even have as much money to spend on food in a month that we spend in one week.  Her eyes get big when we talk about it, but she hasn't connected it to actual people yet.  I think this may be the age to start going to food kitchens and volunteering some time.  I think she may be ready to put faces to social problems, but I could be wrong.  I could be doing this before she can psychologically process this. 

In the meantime, my troop is going to be doing some service projects to learn about how other people live this year.  Hopefully I don't anger any parents. 

What do you think?

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Cute little tank

The first item I made for big L out of the book Sewing Clothes Kids Love was supposed to be the easiest.  I am just struggling with the measurements, and with the fact that what I measured is not coinciding with the pattern measurements, but I will get it!

This turned out pretty cute, but I may need to make it a bit bigger. 

It was a very easy pattern, and is modifiable.  Next time I will make it a bit longer (I am not a belly showing momma), and add a little more embellishment. 

Monday, September 24, 2012

Stuff Buckets

I moved my Girl Scout meetings back to my house again this year.  It is much easier on me, because I don't have to lug everything back and forth to the school. 

However, my troop has grown to 13 girls, and I have limited seating available.  I do have lots of floor space for us though, so that is great.  I also needed a place to organize all of their books, crayons, pencils etc. 

The council newsletter had a craft a year or two ago and I saved the directions.  Needed:  1 five gallon bucket, foam, and fabric.  The bucket doubles as organizer and sit upon.  The girls got to decorate their own, and they love them.  When I hear, "Where is my....?" I just have to say look in your bucket!


The best part is our local Paul's Ace Hardware donated the buckets, I just had to buy the lids, foam and fabric!

Friday, September 21, 2012

A skirt for me! Charmed I am sure.

This is like big L's "charm" skirt.  It was for me though, so I took fat quarters and quartered them.  Then pieced them together and voila, my own skirt.  I have enough leftover, I will eventually get around to making one for L.  Matching skirts :-), never knew I would be so corny. 

Easy and fun, and I am getting much better at RUFFLING!


Thursday, September 20, 2012

Pants!

I have always been a bit afraid to make pants.  Apparently rightfully so!  Pattern I used is from Sewing Clothes for Kids.

It was only my second time tracing out my own pattern and adding allowances, etc.  I did not do such a great job!  I ended up having to fix the pants after they were done.  The crotch was too long!

However, they are fixed and she loves them.  Unfortunately it is too darn hot to wear them still so she will have to wait a bit!





Front

Back
They are a little long still so I made it so the cuffs have a cute fabric to fold up!  Very much big L.