Post #100 [Girl stuff]

The ultrasound and fasting glucose test was this morning. Turned out I didn't have to drink something nasty sweet after all-- I felt a smidge like a dummy. :D I guess I got it confused with some other test.

I was ecstatic to find out from the ultrasound that my girl parts have improved greatly since my last ultrasound 2 (3?) years ago. My left ovary shows a few little cysts, but my right ovary looks clear, completely healthy, and appears to be doing what it should. Both ovaries are normal sized; they were very enlarged last time. I was so thrilled I nearly cried! Just to know my body is finally, FINALLY doing what it should is an incredible encouragement to keep going and a huge whoosh of relief. I have an appointment to go over my results with my GYN on March 30, and see what we need to do, if anything.

Groceries are still in their bags in our entryway, so I better get going. Beautiful, bright yellow daffodils were on sale at Hy-Vee and I bought some to put on our table. Oh yeah, today's the first day of spring. How appropriate!

M 22.2

S ?? as usual :-D

Family time and appointments

This afternoon I had the fun annual exam every woman looks forward to. My new gynecologist is wonderful and she makes me want to stay here forever. We spent the majority of my appointment talking about my PCOS and what we need to do now. She was a bit perplexed that the doctor who diagnosed me three years ago didn't run a battery of tests, but just looked at me and labeled me. Friday morning I'm going in for a fasting glucose tolerance test (to see if I am insulin resistant), an ultrasound (to look for cysts on my ovaries), and a cholesterol check (often there are issues in PCOS women). My blood pressure is excellent, and she was very impressed that I am able to lose weight as easily as I am, because most PCOSers have issues there too. All in all, very good! Oh, she wants me off the Tretinoin my dermatologist prescribed since it isn't a good thing to take in case of pregnancy. I am so relieved because that stuff was making a mess out of my face.

I saw the dermatologist yesterday and was informed that thing on my elbow was a type of inflammation with a really really long name. It may or may not go away (he thought it probably won't), but it is harmless. Yaay. I have yet another cream to try starting next week, just to see if it will disappear.

Our visit with Stephen's sister and family was a blast. It was a little crazy at times having a house-full in our little two bedroom apartment, but it was always fun. The adults went out for appetizers and trivia at BWW. "The Game of Things" was a favorite past-time, and we enjoyed a slow, relaxing dinner of fondue. Kristen made an amazing Jello cake that I couldn't get enough of. Agh, I love Jello cake! We gave a Logan a little helicopter like Stephen's for his birthday; he and Stephen flew their little gadgets around a bit Sunday and drove us nuts.

Dad, Tricia, and Erika are coming up Friday. We're planning on having fondue with them too. We might see a movie or go check out a state park if it is nice out (I hope it is... let's see....YES! Dashboard says it will be in the upper 50s-low 60s!) I'm really looking forward to this visit!

Creamy Veggie Fondue

1/4 C Milk
1/4 C White wine (we prefer Sauvigon Blanc)
1 8 oz. block Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 8 oz. block Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/4 C chopped green onions
1/4 C frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 t ground dry mustard
1 t ground cayenne pepper
1 t garlic powder
1 t coursely ground black pepper
lemon juice

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan over low heat, heat white wine first. Then, add shredded cheeses and melt, stirring frequently. Add cream cheese, and cook until mixture is smooth and melted, about 10 minutes. Add milk, stirring frequently. Add liberal amounts of lemon juice to ease stringiness, if needed. Heating the wine, adding the cheeses, and THEN adding the milk prevents the milk from curdling.

2. Stir in green onions, spinach, and spices. Continue cooking until all ingredients are well-blended, about 10 minutes.

3. Transfer to fondue pot to keep warm.

Dipping suggestions:
French bread, 1 inch cubes
Broccoli
Bell peppers pieces
Baby Carrots
Celery pieces
Cauliflower
Ritz crackers
Tortilla chips

Stephen's helicopter

Split Pea Soup

3 qts. water
10 oz. canadian bacon, chopped
1 lb. (16 oz pkg) dry split peas
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 c. canned tomatoes
1/4 tsp. cumin seasoning
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 med. onion, chopped

Throw it all in a crock pot on low. Simmer for 6-8 hours. 

I loved it-- very hearty and healthy. I think I'll add a little bit of shredded cabbage next time. Stephen wasn't thrilled because the soup is tomato based. Ah well, can't please everyone. :D

Week 10

M: 22.8

S: ??

Stephen texted me from work

Bug control is his specialty

My little guy is a big guy!

I used to watch this little guy when he was a baby. Now he is turning three in a few months!

March and LO-LO is 19!!

March is a bit more packed than usual. Each weekend we have someone coming into town for a visit, and then there's my birthday in thirteen days. Stephen's sister Kristen and her family are coming in this Sunday through Tuesday. My dad and stepmom are coming in next Friday-Sunday, and then my mom and stepdad are coming the next weekend. 

I started a hot yoga class yesterday, and went again today. It's 90 minutes of sweat-'til-you're-wrinkled slooooooww poses in a 105 degree, 40% humidity room. For those 90 minutes, it's excruciating-- your limbs tremble, sweat drips off every pore and soaks your mat, you feel like you're going to fall over dead, but afterward you feel amazing. It's called "Bikram yoga" if you're in a Googling mind.  I plan to go as much as possible, at least until my 20 days for $20 is up

. :D BTW, I burn 1823 calories each session! (approximately).

Stephen is still tooting along at work. I wish I had more to say other than he's really doing well at his job, and doesn't leave much to be desired. His boss is impressed, I'm impressed. He will have many opportunities in the future. He likes what he does. Nothing new, but still wonderful!!!

HAPPY 19 LOGAN!!!!!!!!!

For your birthday, I present you with these:

Yummy gummy goodness that does not put your loved ones at risk of  willful asphyxiation ;-)

Enjoy!!

F to the R to the E to the E

Because the Papillion Alltel store is buddy buddy with management of the new Buffalo Wild Wings, Stephen and I were treated to a FREE 3-course meal last night. The experience was divine. We were the first to put our mouths on their forks (so shiny. so scratch-free.) Stephen was the first winner of their trivia game. I think we even received our food first on the bar-side of the restaurant. Free food tastes fantastic anyway, but our wings were perfectly dripping in sauce. SO YUMMY!

S: 14

M: 21.2

Catch-up picture post

Two weekends ago, our good friends Luke and Kim came up for a visit. We had the most excellent time, and I think they did too; it was much needed on both ends. Luke made his bean dip, we played Guitar Hero, shopped, saw Paul Blart: Mall Cop (very funny, but I suppose you have to be in the right mood for it. Thankfully I was!), played "The Game of Things" for hours, sang karaoke, and drank a little. Stephen introduced Luke to whiskey sours, and by the end of the weekend, whiskey sours and Luke were well-acquainted. 

Last Wednesday, Stephen had the day off for a doctor's appt, but was feeling a bit on the ill side, so he skipped. Instead we shopped for a bird feeder, new work clothes, enjoyed the GORGEOUS weather and ate out Chinese. Yeah, it didn't make sense to me either, but it was fun! 

For the last 18-24 months, I've had a red, raised, irregular patch on my elbow. It doesn't itch, burn, hurt, or otherwise cause me discomfort.   In fact, I forget about it until someone says, "Hey what's that thing on your elbow".  I showed it to our family doctor, and she referred me to a dermatologist, who I showed it to Tuesday. He thinks it is something called "pigmented purpura", completely harmless, but ordered a biopsy anyway. I am proud to say I handled the procedure gracefully, and I did not cry. **yaay** (I hate needles... blood... cutting... ) We will find out the results at the very latest St. Patrick's Day when my sutures are removed, sooner if it is something "unexpected or serious". I'm generally not too concerned about this case specifically, but I am somewhat uneasy about the fact that I am fair and have had many, many blistering sunburns as a kid, despite being lathered with sunblock. 

This last picture was taken last night at Ruby Tuesdays. Garden Bar+Lost=Happy Meghan.

In other news, a new concoction was invented by Kniethe & Co called "G-Whisk", and I am looking into joining a yoga school.  This month will be happily busy with my birthday and visits by Kristen/family,  Dad and Tricia, and maybe Mom and Stan. Next month is Easter (crazy.) w/ my side, and we are heading down to see Mark and Candy, but we haven't decided on a date yet.

LOL FUN!! Future Little Knittels would look like:

Ok, now I'm going to bed. :-)

Less of us, more of birds

Old Navy had some great buys, so I got a lot of shopping done for myself for this spring/summer. I discovered I am down 1 shirt size! My pants/jeans are getting looser, and I even have a pair of jeans that I should've stopped wearing long ago because they sag from the butt down. Not quite ready to buy smaller ones just yet, though. Stephen tried on the pants and shirts we bought for work last Wednesday, and found out he is down a pant size! Pant shopping has been so hard for him in the past, bless his heart, because he has rather short legs. Now we can find his size pretty much wherever we go. This is great! A little costly, but so much fun, and more encouragement to keep going.

The birdhouse has attracted a multitude of feathery, plump friends over the last few days. Yesterday morning, they left tracks in the snow all around the feeder, and this morning both Howie and Zoe were hunkered down as close to the floor as possible, watching, waiting, absolutely enthralled with the new visitors on the other side of the sliding glass door. 

Today is our 5th engagement anniversary. Today is also the day Stephen's dad would have turned 59.