How We Swim & Pump (& Shop!)

I got to hear from such kind friends this weekend as they toured our home.  Even if they hadn’t already been over to visit with us personally yet!  It takes a very sweet God-loving heart to say such nice things about someone else’s house, don’t you think?!  I have to say it was awesome getting texts and messages from my friends, and I hope I can return all the kindness!!

If you aren't familiar with Ann Voskamp..check her out.  Pure heart and gratitude to God.

Honestly, what a humbling experience this has all been.  Our air conditioner upstairs has frozen a couple of times this summer, and I’ve called to get it fixed, and they basically told me to turn it off since it’s frozen up, let it thaw out, and turn it back on in the morning.  So, all Saturday night and Sunday morning (3:30, 4:30, 6:15, 8:10, and after..) I’ve been checking on the temperatures in the house (our Nest thermostats have an app!), and it was definitely frozen.  It was 88 degrees at ten last night when Leigh was there!  I’m so glad she told me though, so I could turn it off and let it rest.

 

Inspiration when I was trying to decorate the office/craft room.  Beautiful!

Today it is actually working..though not holding at the temperature that’s set.  The realtor there told me there are just lots of people and high humidity (and I’ve heard all the lights are on..so that heats it up too!).  Hopefully we’ll get it worked out! : )  (as of 5pm it’s all over, and the air is finally all cool, haha, my life!)

 

American Girl, Dallas!

Carter loves the bike!  And Julie's little VW Bug! : )

Meanwhile, we’ve been having fun in Dallas, Texas!  We hit all our favorite spots: American Girl, World Market, The Container Store, Ikea, ahh..fun!  I’d wanted to go to iSky to learn to (indoor) skydive!  The kids were excited..and then I remembered that Clay shot the neighbor’s glass basketball goal with his beebee gun, and he was supposed to use his trip money to replace the backboard..and it’d be plain mean to skydive (with him on the outside) watching us.  I decided it just wasn’t the right time.  We’ll catch it next time though!

 

Isn't this lovely?!  Makes me want to wrap gifts (and never buy another gift bag, haha!)

And we passed on Dave & Buster’s due to our missing children experience last time!  Think of something that a crazy family might do?  Yep, we’ve done it.  Lost children?  Yep, that’s us.  Swallowed a penny and admitted for surgery to get it out?  Yep, done it.  Killed your own snake?  Done it.  Drank expired milk?  Done it.  Let your baby pee in a cup on the open highway sans bathroom?  Done it.  Daddy accidentally drank it?  Yep, that too.  (Ok, that was a few years ago..he just won’t let us forget it!!)  Put a swing in your living room?  Yep, that too.  People, we’re living on the edge over here!

 

The Container Store is heavenly.  In a boxy way.

I just want to do my closets.  And pantry.  And my shelves.

These would be amazing in a pantry!  They are airy bins that attach to the shelves, then roll out!  Bags of chips would be good..30 potatoes, maybe not so much?

PDA (Practical Diabetes Advice or Public Display of Affection-for my kids with Diabetes, haha!):  Diabetes is totally growing up on us.  I’ve learned a few little things over the years..and I thought I should start sharing some of it.  I’d have really appreciated some of this a few years earlier!  If you aren’t into the Big D..just skip it! : )

 

For all our meter and site supplies? : )

..When the kids swim (like at the hotel this weekend!), they have to take their pumps off (no water-proof-o).  And going without insulin can tend to..oh I don’t know..drive your blood sugar up?! : )  When they reconnect, we always refill the cannula (tubing under the skin) to start fresh.  I have them check their blood sugar, correct if they’re high, and we usually add a .5 to get us started since they’ve been without insulin for at least an hour, and they get more than that an hour as a basal.  If you have a waterproof pump..obviously it doesn’t apply to you, ha! (consider this a little crazy tongue-sticking-out face!)

 

Make your own paper holder!  And then wrap up those lancets and gift them to others.  Ha, ha! Ok..more like strips! : )

We see lots of friends with swimming highs, and I think it’s going without insulin (well, duh!).  If they plug in every hour (my kids drink/eat almost that often when they are playing hard!), give a .7 to fill the cannula that got flushed out in the pool/water, then a bolus for food plus a .5 then my kids do okay.

I don’t think you need to freak out and get a waterproof pump just for summers.  These kids will get wet showering all winter too.  Well, at least once a week.  Ha!  They will survive.

The other thing we do when the pump is off their bodies, at any time of year, is make sure the pump tubing is capped or pointed upward (clipped to a towel bar or lamp).  We actually have a hanging wooden bear on a lamp, and we use his arms to wedge/hold the tubing end up!  Otherwise, insulin drips out the tip, and you end up giving your child a bolus of air rather than insulin for the first few hours!

Ok, that’s my two cents today.  For the betterment of your swimming experience. (or your sanity in the hours afterward, ha!)

Hope YOU had a great weekend and enjoyed a very *cool* house!  Hugs!

 

My baby loving this chair and puppy at IKEA.  He wouldn't get up.  Seriously.  Like 20 minutes.  Right here.  If we hadn't already gotten him a Strider bike..we might have had two ounces of room left in the van.  But no.

He has made everything beautiful in its time.  Ecclesiastes 3:11