Slowly Stepping Into Summer

Finally an update.  It has been busy and a bit stressful with all of the goings-on.  Not much time for blogging until now.  Dad/Grandpa Randy's surgery last week was successful, removing two pieces of spinal bone shards that were pressing on his nerves.  His recovery is slow but getting more manageable day by day.  He and Mom have home and nursing/physical therapy care coming in daily and the guys and I have been helping with chores, grocery shopping, and dinnertime meals.  We are taking things a day at a time.  

Last Sunday we had our first community band concert of the summer season at noon downtown.  The concert went well but it was very hot in the sun!  I found out where I missed with the sunscreen.  OUCH!  Sunburn!   I also found out that my iPad which holds all of my music does not like the heat.  It shut down right before the concert.  So I hopped into the seat next to Ashton as his music was all in print.  (New rule, print all music for outdoor concerts!).  

Ashton volunteered with the community band to help showcase the flute at an instrument petting zoo for kids.  He did a great job!  (He looks so much like my brother Greg in these pictures.)

Last week Curie spotted a young porcupine while Zach and I were taking her on an evening walk around the neighborhood.  So cool!  We would have never seen it without Curie's keen senses.  

More crocket- Prickly Pear cuteness.  

At the recommendation of my dentist after complaining of gum sensitivity and jaw pain, I underwent a sleep study wearing a ring sensor at night for two nights while sleeping.  Turns out I have mild/moderate sleep apnea which, after review of dental and cranial x-ray scans, comes from an underdeveloped jaw and narrow esophogeal region as well as narrow nasal passages.  This may also be contributing to my higher blood sugar and other symptoms that my doctor was chalking up to menopause-- -crappy sleep causes high cortizol which causes blood sugar spikes.  ANYWAY--- I am going to be fitted with a Vivos device which I will wear at night for 1-2 years which will help change and strengthen my mouth/jaw to alleviate and hopefully cure the sleep apnea without surgery and CPAP.  I will get the device in 1-2 months after it has been built from pictures that were taken of my head last week.  In the meantime, I have started using nasal dilators at night (as it turns out that I have a deviated septum in my nose and very thin nasal passages)- and my breathing is so much better! and frankly I already feel better-rested.  Anyway- the fun never stops.  I thought I was done with orthodontia type stuff a long time ago.  Oh well....  to be continued....

The guys are doing various yardwork tasks.  Projects hopefully to be completed this summer to regrade our yard, etc.  And yes- new neighbors moved in across the street.  We have not met them yet.  

New bedspread--- trying out a cooling weighted blanket to help me with sleep quality and stress reduction.  So far- not perfect but very comfortable!

Summer outfits!  Because it is fun!