Wait....did you say Menopause?

As you know I have been having quite a few issues, if not you can read about those here.  I went back to my doctor to get all the results from my Salvia test and blood work last Thursday. As nervous as I was to find out what was going on I was excited to get the results that way we could get them all straightened out.
I was in complete shock at what I heard. Let me go back to last August when I went in for my yearly and as I told her the issues I was having she said that it could be that I was premenopausal and if I kept having issues I would need to come back and we would go from there. So little did I know that when I went to All Seasons appointment it would in fact turn out that my Gyno was right.
She sat me down in her office and she started with the salvia test first. Not only did my results state that I was menopausal it also showed that my Progesterone was really low. Makes sense after seeing all the symptoms of low progesterone. My estrogen and testosterone were not in balance and if these two are not in balance then they will not work properly. Then she moves on to my blood work and it showed that my Vitamin D was severally low. Normal range was 750-1100 and mine was 30. Also my B12 was low and needed to be put back into the normal range. Then the not so shocker occurred and said that my Glucose test was high and she wanted to retest and do one that shows 3 months back. I'm not surprised I've struggled with this ever since my second pregnancy when I had gestational diabetes.

She then moved on to the plan of care:

I will be using the hormone creams, a B12 shot once a week for 10 weeks, a Vitamin D shot once a month for 6 months, B12 tablet once a day, and Vitamin D3 tablet daily. I go back in 8 weeks and if it is working then we will stick to this plan of treatment and if not we will change it up according to my symptoms that are left. I will get the results of my glucose retest next week.

 

I share this not only because I'm overly open but to show some of you that just because we are women doesn't mean that we should feel this way and it is not normal. NO it is not normal! Look up and do a little research on these hormones, vitamin D, B12 all of these things and you might be surprised at what you find. I didn't even know or realize that Vitamin D was important. Also if you are struggling through infertility you may want to take a good look at your hormones. Luckily I have my all my baby making out of the way but as of right now even if I wanted to have another baby I couldn't due to my hormones. I had no clue that hormones could effect it. I've also heard testimonies of this. A lady I know said that was her only way of getting pregnant was to go in get her hormones checked and right then she got pregnant easily so then she had to repeat 3 more times of going in she now has 4 beautiful children.

Big girl Panties for a Big girl Camera

 

I have a love hate relationship with my Canon DSLR camera.

I always shoot it on auto and if I'm going to do that then I might as well use my iPhone, it does the same thing without the heavy weight. I want to learn how to use my Canon in manual mode and thought I would just hop on over to Pinterest and it would teach me these quick easy steps and I would be using manual mode in no time while creating these fantastic pictures. I couldn't of been more wrong. Although I pinned a lot of stuff on my Photography board I still have no clue as what I'm doing. Its a lot harder than I thought or either I need to learn more tricks.

Because it is so much and overwhelming I cant figure out where to start. Does it matter? Do I have to go in order? Even though its scary and I'm in the negative about knowing manual mode I know its time that I must put on my big girl panties and just jump into it. I'm going to take it day by day and each day learn something new and practice that feature then add to it.

 

As I did my research and studying I took all the cheat sheets from my photography board on Pinterest and but them all together to form a Master Cheat sheet for my self. I took the words I knew and understood and the ones I didn't I put it into my terms. I threw it together and here you have it.
When I get more time I'm going to fix me one up really cute instead of thrown together.

 

Here is another one I made to help me understand what the settings mean

 

I am going to play with this sheet and my camera and do some comparison pictures.
I'm hoping this helps.





How well do you know your Camera? What tips do you suggest?

OCD Heaven

As you know I'm OCD and obsessed with organization. I strongly believe that a clean and organized home makes for a clean and organized life mind. I'm also a firm believer in everything has its place and if not then it should be tossed. I'm always looking for new ways to make being organized easy. The busier the kids and I get the harder it makes organizing easy. I have shared the Mega Binder by Happy Organized Life with you and now I am happy to share my newest favorite.

I came across Emily Ley on Instagram and I feel head over heels with not only her cuteness but also her love and need to be organized. She has created being organized while remaining simple. That's the best of both world I have truly hit the jackpot by coming across her. I think I have become addicted and have watched every single video of hers to only realize I think that I found my long lost identical twin. 

 Home Base Binder

I have ordered this and cant wait for it to come in. 

I plan on adding some of the Emily Ley free pintables to it and also some of my Pinterest cleaning schedule pintables such as a morning and night time routine. I'm all about a one thing does all and this way I will not have to go to 3 or 4 different places to gather information. I can see this binder not only making my life easier but it can also be used by the kids.

Each Home Base Binder comes with a kit of 82 pages (printed on luxe art paper) and 6 gold foil detailed dividers ready to be completed and put to great use. Inside your Home Base Binder, you’ll find:
Section 1: Family - Perpetual calendar, Emergency information
Section 2: Contacts - Home & repair contacts, Family & friends contacts
Section 3: Projects - Planning pages (12 – one for each month)
Section 4: Meal Plan - Weekly meal planning / grocery shopping pages (52 – one for each week of the year)
Section 5: Finances - Monthly spending plan pages (12 – one for each month)
Section 6: Heart - Family bucket list


The Home Base Binder from Emily Ley

As if this awesomeness isn't enough there is also The Simplified Planner that I have marked in my phone calendar to alert me on September 3rd so I can order.
The Simplified Planner from Emily Ley

That was last years planner and she has changed it up just a bit and added 2 more designs. But I'm still loving the strip one and that's the one I will be ordering come September 3rd.

I am interested in seeing the difference between my Erin Condren Life Planner and the Emily Ley Simplified Planner. When I get the Emily Ley planner I will do a comparison post.

Happy 8th Birthday Mauri Laken



I can't even believe that's it been 8 years today that you have entered and changed our lives for the better. You are very soft and kind hearted, shy until someone gets to know you, selfless, and a rule follower. I love your huge and many hugs. You may be small and wonder why your younger brother weighs more than you but I can promise that when this age doubles you will love that your younger brother weighs more than you. So complaining that you weight 57lbs and Rhett weighs 71lbs will no longer be an issue. Now on the tallness I cant help you out, I think you are going to have my lack of height and for that I am sorry. I love that you have the kindest heart and truly care about others. You love to write letters, make cards, or doodle for others. You also have envelopes with everyone's names on them and their birthday and you fill them up and have them ready. By now you have everyone's Christmas letters done, that's how you are...advance, a planner, and OCD. You have really got into art and love all things crafty. You are still into babies and being a Mother hen to any baby that comes near. You are a peace keeper and love to have everyone all together. You're not much on going, you would rather stay at home. You're usually the one Rhett and Maci go to when they need something sibling related. They know you will help them out or get it figured out because you are the Mother hen of the bunch. Watching you with them and how you treat and react to others I know you are going to be a wonderful Mother one day. Reading is another passion of yours and the books you are into are Juney B Jones, Amelia Bedelia , Ivy and Bean, and Hedi Heckelbeck. This year has been a lot for you and you have shown you can handle breaking out of routine every once and a while. You played PeeWee school softball and received a special award for most improved. Second base was your base and you killed it. You also continued to play softball for the city then got picked for all stars. You went away to your first camp. Kings Camp isn't that far and even though I see you everyday while there due to having to pick you up and take to practice and back its still a big deal, its your first camp experience. You also received your first Valentines gift from a boy other than you Daddy and said you had your first date with him to the Angola Rodeo.  As of right now when you grow up your name is going to be Mauri Laken Hogan because you are going to marry Scout.
Your OCD of cleanliness and organization from your Mother and your drive and determination like your Daddy will take you far and as much as I would love to freeze you I know that growing up is part of Gods plan. I pray for you daily that you will be who you are today and carry those traits into the coming years. Happy 8th Birthday Darling we love you so very much.

 

 

Hope you have an awesome 8th birthday runt

H5 critter crew

I have been wanting to play with my Camera and start shooting on manual mode instead of auto so I decided to take it out on the Ranch and try it while doing a critter check. I have put my camera on the back burner and in the habit of just using my phone. Its time to break back out my camera.   

 

Vegas, our 21 toed cat with thumbs is showing how he feels about the kids being out for summer and this hot humid weather.

 

Doing an afternoon cow check and this cutie has to be all nosey and check it all out.





 

Who needs a lawn mower when you have these?

 

Enjoying her some green grass also

 

The Longhorn we are watching to see how she is progressing.

As you can tell she is expecting soon.



 

On my way to getting back to Normal

 

As women I know I always thought if and when we have hormone
issues we just have to suck it up due to being just that...Women.
But I was very wrong.

As you might or might not know over the last year I haven been experiencing these crazy hormone effects and didn't know it. It started last March when I started having bad acne and at 31 years old I was like what in the hell? I have never had any acne trouble as a teen so why now? I haven't changed any makeup of face wash so what is going on? I went to an esthetician to see what she thought it could be? We did a few different facial options and it would help but within a month it was right back. I knew I couldn't keep spending the money every month for pricey facials, chemical peels, and treatments. I made an appointment with a dermatologist and she couldn't figure it out and said sometimes you can develop adult acne. She gave me a prescription for some cream to use each night and if that didn't help she could put me on medicine. The cream worked and it cleared up my face and so I thought it was adult acne and now we got it under control.

I was also so tired but at night I could not sleep, I am a planner and very OCD at it too could get remember things and would just fly by the seat of my pants so to speak. I could care less if I wrote it down or not. When it comes I will worry with it then. I am a very what you see is what you get kind of girl but for the most part I was always polite. I am a people please to say the least but that changed also and I could care less what you thought or what I said to you, put on your big girl panties and deal with it. You asked and I told you and sometimes you didn't ask and I still told you. I started to loose the lac to tolerate stupid and would fly off the handle very easily. My mom was in town staying with me and we were ordering at sonic and we gave the lady our order and I said that's all please....she replied would you like a 99 cent shake its on special today...I lost it...NO I don't want a shake if I wanted a 99 cent shake I would of told you when I ordered. Just small stuff like that would get to me. My mom then decided to tell me that she has seen a change in me and if anything was going on. Nope I replied why? I honestly was like what is she talking about? I really didn't see it until now. I was tired because I couldn't sleep, I was all kinds of crazy, my period didn't know if it wanted to come or go, I was moody, no patience, anxious, had no energy after lunch time, my skin has turned from oily to dry even my lady part (TMI sorry) also my face turned into a teenager, then the thing that sent me to a whole another world and made me see the light.....my HAIR 

 My hair is my thing I don't know how to describe it but some people love pedicures, purses, shoes, clothes, I love these all but my hair comes first and foremost. It is the slowest growing thing I know. It took me years to grow it out. All of a sudden it started to break off in random spots and I also going bald in the back of my heard where my crown was. I bleach and color my hair since I was 15 and it had never done this. When I worked at a hair salon in high school we would do a new color or bleach it once a week so what the hell? I bought all kinds of deep condition treatments I was already taking Biotin. It just kept getting worse and eventually my bangs where no lie half an inch long and the right side of my head on the top layer was breaking off that length as well. Ok now it is time to do something. I went back to my Gyno to see if she would run some tests and figure out what the crap is wrong with me. She said it looks like I was pre-menopausal. She explained although it could happen and does this young she just didn't want to write it off as that until I had more tests done. She suggested that I go to a hormone specialists and go from there. I didn't really know what to think as she has already put me on Estrogen last year when I was having my face problems and I quit because nothing happed after 4 months. I went ahead a made the call because it couldn't hurt. When I made the call to All Seasons I was surprised they were able to get me an apt in 3 weeks. I went to see them and was surprised as to what I found out. All the craziness that was going on was to due with my hormones and she seemed to think that my hair was a Thyroid issue. She also caught several other things that I didn't know it was a problem just thought it was part of being a woman. She told me she would like to do some blood work to check my Thyroids and also for a Vitamin D deficiency. Why would I have that I've always had an olive skin tone and tan easy and loves the sun. She enlighten me that some people need more than others and actually tan skinned people have a harder time getting it through the time due to tan skin harder to go into as to light skin can go straight into. Hmm learn something new everyday. Then I was told that I also need to due a salvia test for my hormones.

 I had to fill a tube full of spit 19 days after my cycle.
It was then sent off to the lab and I go back for the results on June 25th



She explained to me that a woman's hormones is like a marble sitting on a see saw in order for them to properly work right they needed to be all balance it would work if all were good but one was off and to think of it what it is...you life....When you hormones are balance so is you life. Just talking with her and learning about hormones and how they work and what they do and treatment afterwards has excited me.
I cant wait to go back and get the results. I know I am so over all of this that's going on and I want my see saw back balanced.

 
I encourage you to look up hormones and all the different ones and look at signs and symptoms you will most likely be surprised to find out that your hormones are not balanced either and instead of feeling like a running chicken with your head cut off you can to get back to normal. 
They have came along way with the treatments now, no more creams that are sticky.

No Makeup Monday

I've seen a few of these no makeup post and I was like why? But now I think I really get it. Beauty does not define me! I'm confident with my self with or without makeup. The truth is while I love makeup and have so much I don't use and still keep buying more I only wear makeup if I am going some where. On most days I'm not wearing any at all. I can probably tell you that I wear it less that I don't wear it. If that makes any sense.

Just keeping it real even with my big blemish



 

This looks more like a MugShot



Well there you have it.

Getting my DIY on

Ill be the first to say I'm not a crafter or artsy person so when it comes to DIY I'm usually out. I've been recently doing Anne Sloan chalk paint and I have fallen in love with it. At first I was so scared and was praying it would come out. I was surprised by how easy it was, I've painted my hutch and also another piece of furniture in my kitchen as well as my pantry barn door. I've had this trash can ever since we got married, almost 13 years. My papaw made it for us. It was stained then painted black and needed to be touched up again so I thought I would join in w my chalk paint obsession and paint.

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 I was wanting to do something with this H that was on my mantle it wasn't showing up so I spray painted it turquoise. I was wanting a chalk board for my kitchen and was trying to figure which one I should order off etsy and then I thought why don't I make one. I went to Wal-Mart and got an 8x10 frame and Chalk board spray paint. This is my spray paint table I've had it almost every color. Instead of covering the table I just leave it open then when finished I spray paint it back black. Its an iron outside table so touching it up always makes it look new. 

 

I took the glass out and began to spray it. Believe it or not I only used one coat.

Here is the finished product and I am pleased how it turned out.

I really didn't know what to put but I didn't want to leave it blank so I wrote I love you because and then next time I came by the hubs filled it in. The kids love it and we are writing all kinds of fun stuff. Who knew this one little project would be so fun. 

 

I'm thinking of getting a smaller frame for our room and can write tonight or not tonight if you know what I mean..wink wink