'Tis the Season...

I know it's been about three months since I've posted anything. I guess I got out of the habit and got busy with other things. Ben has been doing DJ jobs on the side for weddings and corporate parties. I have been working a lot. My new job keeps me very busy. This past week we had a confirmed case of H1N1 with a client. It was interesting to see people walking around with masks and gloves on. The holidays are also keeping us on our toes. I have been doing a lot of Christmas shopping and preparing. My friend and I are in charge of Secret Santa at work so that's been fun. I never really like the Christmas season but this year my view on the holiday has changed. I'm actually enjoying it. Ben and I are going to put up our tree this weekend hopefully so pictures of it will soon follow. My brother gets done with his deployment in Afghanistan next month and is coming to see us in February. I'm very excited about both. Corky and Riley are still as sweet and naughty as ever. Riley has a habit of sitting down wherever he wants, regardless of what he may sit on. Corky's face gets sat on often but he's such a good dog, he always just moves out of Riley's way. Corky ate holes in three pairs of pants this past weekend and I'm sure Riley just watched him do it. They both have their own personalities and mesh well together. Corky was limping pretty badly so we took him to the vet and they originally gave him medicine for arthritis. When that didn't work, we took him back. They ran x-rays and then told us to bring him back to see the orthopedic surgeon. The surgeon said he couldn't find anything wrong with Corky and that he needed to go get acupuncture. We have yet to send him there but he seems to be having more good days. All in all, that's what has been going on in our neck of the woods.

Bullock updates.

Corky is getting so old. He hobbles around, muscles tired and sore while Riley flies off the bed and runs laps from one end of the upstairs to the other. In some ways these two are so similar but their age difference is evident most of the time.

We had a little bit of snow here last week, on the last day of summer. I believe "what the crap?!" was my exact expression when I rolled into work wearing a wool sweater to stay warm. I love fall too much for it to be skipped over and run straight into winter.

Ben's been busy lately with his anime convention. He had a blast and did really well at the dance he DJs for. I wasn't there personally this year, but I hear it was great. He met some really great people there and has been spending time showing off his Rock Band skills for them.

My health has been really good lately (knock on wood) and I haven't been sick in a while. H1N1 has appeared in community corrections, along with some other illnesses but we haven't seen any in our facility yet. We really push good hygiene and I think that helps. One of my co-workers got a new dog (min pin) and she brings hers to work now...so we currently have an English Bulldog and a min pin running around regularly and sometimes a German Shepherd when our supervisor brings her dog to work. I haven't taken either dog to work yet, though I have thought about taking Riley...Ben, however, doesn't want me to because then he will "start liking me more". I think it's too cute that he loves Riley so much.

Hope all is well in each of your worlds!

XOXO

Take me out to the ball game...

...And that's exactly what my friend Liz did yesterday. She took me to my very first Rockies game! I had soooo much fun and got a little sun :) I guess a little farmer's tan never hurt anyone. Our seats were really good. We were right behind first base, 19 rows from the green. It was great!

Remembering Rosie

Remember Rosie the rabbit? She was Riley's favorite toy ever. He would cry if he couldn't find her..take her everywhere with him.












Well all that's left of her now is her ear..

Simple Pleasures

My sister decided not to get married after all, which I can't say that I'm upset about. I'm happy that she's not moving to Washington and she will be near me still. I don't know how some families do it. I could never be that far away from my mom or Elizabeth. Work is going well. I'm still learning and probably will be for a long time...but I like it. It keeps me busy. So busy in fact, that I had to resign from Excelsior altogether. That was kind of sad but also kind of time. I mentally let go of that place a while ago and now it was just time to make it official. The boys are doing well..still spoiled and naughty. Ben has his annual anime conference coming up and is looking forward to that. I'm looking forward to the fall...not that summer has been horrible but I love the fall when all the leaves change and it gets chilly outside at night. It's perfect! Ahhhh...the simple pleasures in life :)

Engagement party

Well it's official...my little sister is engaged. While I was hesitant about this boy in the beginning, I spent a lot of time with him yesterday and must say that I really like him. I think he could be good for Elizabeth. He is in the army and deploys to Iraq in two weeks. They were originally going to get married yesterday but then decided to wait until after he returns from Iraq to get married...so we had an engagement party instead of a reception. Although I'm not thrilled at the thought of her marrying someone in the army and all the moving that entails, I have some time to get used to it.

Catching my breath

These days, the weeks just seem to be flying by. Work is keeping me busier than ever before. I'm working 12-14 hour days and barely have time to catch my breath. One thing about the new job, I'm never bored...and keeping the old job gets harder as my caseload increases. I was so excited I got to set up my voicemail on Friday...Something so simple yet it made me so happy :) The boys are getting adjusted to being home alone more. I'm glad that both Corky and Riley are good enough that I don't have to worry about them being home. However, I am allowed to bring my dog to work. Isn't that the coolest thing ever? One lady brings her English Bulldog daily. He has a pillow he sleeps on in her office and a ball he plays fetch with. Although I would probably never take my dogs because they would either bark or hide, it's great to have the option.

Job update

The new job is amazing. It's even better than I thought it would be. I love it so much already and I know that I'll only love it more once I understand everything. The people there are so great, funny and nice. In some respects, it's vastly different than what I was used to and in other ways, it's very similar. The guys are very nice and respectful. That is a HUGE change from the girls. I'm still working part-time at Excelsior so I'll still get that interaction with the kids that can be unbeatable.

We reap what we sow...

Here is one of the flowers Ben planted for me for Mother's Day. I guess this one was stronger than Riley's wrath!

The countdown begins...

MySpace Countdowns

Lots of NEWs

New #1:

I've developed a new medical issue. My left hand is numb. It first started with the pinky and ring finger and has spread up to my elbow. It's not completely numb but feels like it's asleep and really tight. Anyway, I went to the doctor and they thought it could be a pinched nerve but couldn't figure out where. So I have to make an appointment with my neurologist to get an EMG done (a test to figure out if a nerve is pinched somewhere and the location).

New #2:

I got a new car. Yaaaaaaaaay! I'd had the Toyota for seven years and it was just time to upgrade...especially with all the car deals going on. I don't have pictures yet but I got a Pontiac Torrent and love it! It's great on gas (for an SUV), great for the insurance and great for the payment. This car actually doesn't cost any more than my other car did. WOOT!

New #3:

I got a new JOB. As you all probably know, they eliminated my position at Excelsior and I was having to do some medical transports temporarily until something permanent opened up. I started looking outside the company and found a great case manager position working with adult males in community corrections. I'm so excited for this! It's a great opportunity for growth!

Mother's Day

Well- things have been so busy over here that I haven't updated on my Mother's Day. On Saturday, I went out with my sister for several hours. When I got home, Ben had worked really hard on a flower garden in the back yard for me. I was so shocked! He put a Columbine, Day Lilies, Morning Glories and Snap Dragons in it. He even let me be the first to water it!

On Monday I came home from work to find that Riley dug a lot of my flower garden up. The dirt was everywhere and the remains of the flowers were all over the grass. The Columbine and Day Lilies remained but everything else was pretty much gone. When I told Ben I could hear the defeat in his voice. I felt really bad and that dog can be so destructive!!!! I will fix it when we get back from California and replace the flowers that Riley dug up. My flower garden is still beautiful..It just has some empty spots. I told Ben that it was the thought that counted but I'm not sure that helped him any.

Work changes

Well the time has come that I have to make some hard decisions about my job. It is a real possibility that they may close my department. This puts me in a position where I have to pick another counseling position-none of which are my #1 choices. All of them are a pay cut which is hard since Ben already got one this year. However, the shift that works best for us (not necessarily the hours but the least amount of a pay cut) is a 4 day work week working 3-12 Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays and 9-5 on Sundays. This will still allow me to have various appointments during the day and fits in with my plan to begin my Masters program in late summer as classes are Thursday nights. Plus, I'll still have two days off with Ben-Wednesdays and Saturdays. I have a meeting with the supervisor for this position when she returns from vacation. This will probably be somewhat of a quick transition-even before the final decision is made about Day Treatment. One of the hardest things about this-aside from my coveted schedule is that I wont be working with Becky anymore. We've worked together day after day for the last 4 years and have become such great friends. I know that we will remain friends long after this job but it's still hard not having her there with me.

Lupus walk

I've decided that I'm going to do the 5k Lupus walk this year at Washington Park. I have never done it before but really wanted to last year-it just didn't work out. So far, I've registered and set up our team's page. If you aren't familiar with my Lupus story you can read about it at:

http://donate.lupus.org/goto/MadalinesMessage

Once there click on my name and my page will appear.


XOXO

Happy 5th Anniversary

MySpace Countdown Clocks

We have grass!

Well the time has finally come. We now have grass in our back yard. The doggies LOVE it so much better than those sticker weeds that are so prevalent out here. I'd say it's almost time to BBQ!!!

This is awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRexWE9yBVA

My little sister

Elizabeth just turned 19 this past Thursday. She is growing up so fast. In fact, she introduced me to Twitter! For her birthday, she and her boyfriend went to California for a week to go to Disneyland and Sea World. She had never been to the beach up until last year so this trip marked her independence and she got to do what she's always wanted to-see the ocean and ride the teacups. I pick her up from the airport on Tuesday and I miss her so much. I can't wait to see her!!!!!!! It's crazy how strong our bond is...rain/shine, angry/happy we are connected. Above all else, I'm glad that I have my sister.

Update

Some of you have been asking about the results of the blood work from my Rheumatologist. I forgot that I hadn't updated you all. The blood work came back normal except my ANA was elevated but it's supposed to be in someone that has Lupus...so for all diagnostic purposes, things are normal. However, we are not going to begin the fertility medicine again at this point. There are many things going on here that we need to get a handle on first and although I'm not getting any younger, sometimes-it's just not the right time to add more to the already overflowing plate.



XOXO

Present

One of my clients (15yrs old) drew and colored this for me. Isn't it beautiful?! It has the Lupus ribbon and, of course, butterflies.

Summer travel plans

That's right...Ben and I are going to The Price Is Right! Our 5th anniversary is coming up and we wanted to do something special. We fly into L.A. on May 22nd and take our rental car to the Hyatt in Long Beach. While we are there we are going on a day cruise to Catalina Island and then another day we are going to visit the Queen Mary. I'm so excited! On Monday we have to get up early and drive back to L.A. to wait in line for the Price is Right. We have tickets but seating is a first come, first serve basis so we want to get there early. If we get in, it will be for the one o'clock taping and then our flight leaves later that evening.

It also seems that we are all set for Montana in July. It isn't set in stone yet but we are making every effort to go. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

Finally, my friend Becky and I are trying really hard to go to Las Vegas in September. I want to stay at Mandalay Bay and we are so excited to go...now we just need to find decent deals :)


Love you all!

XOXO

Spring break for adults-yaaaaaay!

It's been a while since I've posted anything, I know. Things on our end of the world have been a little hectic and busy feels like an understatement. The results of my cervix stuff came back that they are two cysts and are nothing to worry about. My Rheumatologist saw me on Tuesday and drew a ton of blood to run tests before we begin taking the fertility medicine again next month. I've had it for a while but have been reluctant to take it for a variety of reasons...but I think if these tests come back okay then we will move forward again and hope for the best.





This last weekend, we spent some time with old friends that we hadn't seen in years. It's crazy how time gets away from you. I also hung out with some friends from high school so that was fun. It's been snowy here but this week it's supposed to be much warmer. We are still not sure about going to the family reunion in July. It's something that we have to think about. I also got a new tattoo over my break on my leg. I never thought I would be someone that liked tattoos but the two I have, I just love-maybe it's because they are full of symbolism. Anyway, that's the general update on our end. I'll try to be better about keeping up to date :)

XOXO

Silly cervix

Well for those of you who have been waiting for the follow-up to my dr visit from Monday, here are the results. I have two spots on my cervix. They could be just cysts or they could be two masses. I'm banking on the first. My doctor took more blood and is ordering my charts from my family doctor and Rheumatologist for review. She will call me after that. Then on Tuesday, my Rheumatologist's office called and said they wanted to see me as soon as possible. I told them I was feeling fine and didn't think that was necessary-they did, however. So after rearranging my schedule, I'm going in a little later this month. I vacillated on whether to tell anyone out of fear of their concern...but I'm trying to get better about dealing with issues head on instead of hiding from them-so there ya go.

On a more positive note, my doggies are the cutest things ever. Sometimes I'll find myself longing to be snuggling with them when I'm supposed to be working :) My sister got a guinea pig. His name is Theodore. I have yet to meet him but hear he is adorable.

Life changes a little on Wednesday.

I love Wednesdays. Wednesdays are my day to come home in the middle of the day and spend time with Ben. This week has been exceptionally hard at work (and it's not even close to being over)...so I jumped at the chance to leave today and come home to see Ben and the doggies. It's funny how the simplest things can get us through the hardest times. Growing up, home was the last place I ever wanted to be and now I consider it my sanctuary. I have such a great husband and even though my life feels hard sometimes, I'm grateful for all that I have.

Thankful for employment but can I just get a 'Thank you'?!

I have been so sick lately with random ailments. Many of which are too personal to go into detail here. However, I have an ultrasound scheduled in a little over a week to check on some things and they ran some blood tests when I was at the doctor on Tuesday. I'm not really sure what my OB will be looking for but I'll let you know when I know more. Today I was supposed to be working from home. As always, I love to procrastinate and put that off as long as possible. Ben and I watched Price is Right, played with the doggies, hung out with my neighbors in their new hot tub, etc. Then about two I started feeling so tired I was shaky. I thought a nap was in order. About 4:30 I pulled myself out of bed and felt worse than when I first layed down. I rarely take naps and that is why-I don't feel like they help most of the time. So it's 7pm and I'm writing this blog instead of reports...awesome :) But let's face it, this is much more fun!

Work has been really hard the last few weeks. Both Becky and I are burnt out and it shows. Not to mention, we both have tough caseloads combined with being pulled many different directions because everyone in every department needs help. I'm all about teamwork but it's hard to be excited about helping out when my job isn't getting done because I don't have the time to do it and it feels like the "higher ups" don't see all that we do. I do feel grateful, however, to have a job and sometimes I just have to remind myself how lucky I really am. I also try to keep in mind that in my field, verbal abuse is rampant and none of us are in it for the pay, rather the difference and the impact we can make.

Becky and I have been such close friends for the last four years. In that time we have learned to balance each other out. When I'm having a bad day, she takes the lead and vice versa. Now that we are both burnt out, nobody is taking the lead and the kids feel that...SO we have decided that we needed a girls day. Next Saturday we are going to get our toes done and go to this place that Elizabeth and I discovered last weekend called Bath Junkie. You can custom blend your lotions, body wash, shampoo, etc. I LOVE my lotion and I love the fact that unless someone decides to mix the three scents I mixed together, nobody will smell like me! I know, I find happiness in some of the smallest things :) Nothing lifts my mood like a soft fragrance!

XOXO

Hello from Riley.

Hello-

Since I'm still new to the family I wanted everyone to get to know me. My mom often calls me Prince Riley but simply Your Highness will do.

I Am - Riley Bullock.

My nicknames-bad dog, no.

My age-1 year old.

I Want - love, food, sleep and someone to play with me.

I Have - an older brother, Corky.

I Wish - my parents could stay home and play with me all day long.

I Hate - that stupid baby gate. It always gets in my way...and hello?! I'm not a baby. I also hate brushing my teeth...that toothpaste tastes nothing like chicken!

I Fear - strangers.

I Hear - the train, Rosie squeaking and mom and dad talking to me.

I Search - for anything to chew.

I Eat- poop.

I Wonder - why people always tell me no.

I Regret - peeing on the carpet.

I Love - my family and aunt Elizabeth.

I Ache - for love and attention.

I Always - give kisses to express my love.

I Usually - am a handful.

I Am Not - a night owl.

I Dance - around when mom gets home.

I Sing - the batman song in my head.

I Never - sleep past 7am.

I Rarely - leave food in my bowl.

I Cry - when mom and dad put the baby gate up and go where I can't see them....or when they get in the shower and I can't see them.

I Am Not Always - calm. I love jumping, biting, chewing, barking, kissing, peeing, eating, walks and being held. I am fascinated by bath water and can stare at it for hours.

I Lose - my mind sometimes and run all around at high speeds.

I'm Confused - When people don't realize how handsome and fantastic I am.

I Need - to be the center of attention.

I Should - pee outside.

I Dream - of playing with cats and rabbits.

Introducing Rosie

My birthday was great as was Valentine's Day. Spending time with my friends and family was the best part about it. The worst part about it was that I was really sick. Last Monday and Tuesday I was sick in bed instead of at work. I made it to work the rest of the week but it was hard when I felt so horribly. The doctor said that I had an upper respiratory infection and gave me medicine to help with the cough. He felt that if I could get the coughing under control then I would stop throwing up. That medicine didn't do anything for me but I'm getting better anyway.

Corky and Riley got new toys this week. Corky shredded his green clover and Riley is so attached to his pink bunny...so attached we named her Rosie. Corky doesn't like the squeakers so he shreds the toy to get the squeaker out of it. Riley, on the other hand, loves the squeaker and has been squeaking Rosie constantly...annoying Corky to no avail. Since giving Rosie to Riley, he can't be without her. He sleeps with her, carries her around the house and growls at Corky when he tries to take her away. Once, he couldn't find her and started crying and running all over the house, frantically looking for her. He is such a cutie.

Ben got an email from Front Range this past week that really seemed to encourage him. They emailed him to ask why he wasn't pursuing his degree when he is so close. Apparently he has less than 12 credits to complete before he has his AA. We didn't know that he was so terribly close to achieving it...and was beaming when he told me this. That's the first time I've seen Ben so excited about anything having to do with education.

Update

Adjusting to a family of four has been chaotic. I know I talk about my dogs as though they are kids, but sometimes I feel that they are just as much work. I do feel lucky though not having to change diapers or get up in the middle of the night :) Riley is so cute but so crazy. It feels like a zoo in here sometimes because he has to be the center of attention and will do whatever it takes to get that attention...then I try to not leave Corky out and Riley bumps him out of the way while I'm petting Corky...and it goes on and on.

As most of you know, Ben was informed of a 2% pay cut last week. That's a significant amount of money for us during these tough times. I recognize that it's better than getting laid off but it still sucks. On the plus side, I still have a job. For a while, I wasn't sure what I was going to do or if I would still be employed as our census has decreased dramatically. The schools are implementing new programs to keep kids from having to attend treatment centers unless they really need to. While that can be a good thing for kids and their families, it has been concerning for us. I have faith that things will work out as they should, it's just the waiting that is hard.

I haven't really been feeling like myself lately, hence minimal blogs. However, I think this about covers the 411 in our world.


XOXO

Matching shirts!

After Corky's surgery, the vet told us to put a baby shirt on Corky to keep him from scratching his stitches and ripping them out. So yesterday I went to go get a baby shirt from the dollar store. It was hard to find one big enough for him! He is a BIG boy!!! Anyway, I finally found one and then I thought I didn't want Riley to feel left out so I got a smaller one for him. My dogs are adorable!!! When I got the shirts home, Ben was disgusted and said "I never thought we would be the kind of people to dress our dogs." I think it's cute and it's not something we will do forever...just until Corky's stitches come out. Babies have smaller arms than both my dogs so I had to cut slits in the sleeves so their arms would fit through. Just another day in the lives of Ben and Rachel :)

Unprepared is an understatement

Corky went in for surgery yesterday. When we set this up, the vet made this surgery sound like no big deal. I knew it was surgery and he would be unconscious but I pictured something minor since he wouldn't be required to stay overnight. Ben took Corky in at 8am and we were able to call the vet to check in on him at 2. I was in a meeting at work so Ben called the vet and they said he was just waking up and we could pick him up between 4-6. I also had to work late so Ben picked him up. When I came home, I see Corky looking ROUGH! His incision is huge, he has a big cone around his head and looks horrible. Again, I expected for him to be in some pain but I was not prepared for this. Last night was tough..he can't climb stairs or jump on the furniture so Ben moved the futon to the living room and we all slept there. Corky woke me up groaning and crying at 2am so I gave him a pain pill. That took some time to kick in and then he needed to go outside. With his cone, he doesn't fit through the doggie door so Ben took him out. My alarm went off way too soon this morning. Ben had to work 1/2 day today so Elizabeth came over and dog sat to make sure Riley didn't try to roughhouse with Cork and to make sure Corky doesn't jump on anything and can be let out. Had I known that this was going to be such an ordeal, I would've scheduled it when I was off work for two weeks...So now, Ben has had to take time off this afternoon and tomorrow since I can't and we are both off on Monday. Hopefully, Corky will be feeling significantly better by Tuesday.

Butterflies

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything. Since I've been back to work, things have been so chaotic. Corky has to go in for surgery on Wednesday. He is getting his teeth cleaned, a lump on his side removed and three cysts in his eyes taken out. The vet assures me that all of these things are simply annoyances and nothing to worry about but wants to get it all taken care of while he unconscious. I also became a new aunt to a big baby girl this week-that was exciting! I have yet to meet her but I will soon I'm sure. Since putting up my photography website, I have been asked to do several photo shoots and am excited but feeling the pressure to practice my skills. I wanted to go up to Boulder Falls this weekend to take pictures but it's been a little too chilly to justify the trip. Sooooo, we went to my favorite place in Colorado instead...the Butterfly Pavilion...you all know that butterflies are my thing so being able to be in a place where there are tons of them flying around and landing on people is like heaven to me. Ben was game to go but after we had been there for about an hour and a half just watching me take pictures of them, he was done. When we came home, we took our boys for a walk to give them a release for all that bottled energy. A new week awaits and all of my socks are dirty, so I'm off to do laundry!


XOXO

Happy 2009!

We had a great New Year's celebration with the family. Laura, Gable, John, Ashley, Mom and Dad came over for the festivities. I made cookies, we watched the slideshow Christina put together of the reunion and waited for midnight. Mom and Dad left early, but the party kept going until 2am (or so I'm told). I, on the other hand, barely made it to midnight. Riley has been waking me up every morning so early (he's like a toddler) and I was "on the go" all day yesterday so last night I passed out right after the countdown. This morning was Ben's day for dog duty so when Riley woke me up at 6:45, I handed him to Ben. Ben took him downstairs and put the baby gate up so he couldn't come back upstairs and leave little smelly presents. Riley didn't like that too much and head butted the baby gate over and over until there was a hole big enough for him to fit through. He then came barreling up the stairs and laid on the bed with me. So we were all able to go back to sleep until about 9. It was so great!!!!!!!!!!! Ben and I lounged around most of the day and then set out on an adventure to Walmart, Home Depot and Petsmart. Tonight, Ben got to bond with Riley and finally Riley started warming up to him. He has proven to be quite the lap dog and Corky doesn't really like that but he is good and puts up with him. My vacation ends soon and I return to work on Monday. It will be interesting to see what sorts of things I come home to each day. Here is the most recent picture of our cuddle bug.