My Hippie Chick and Ramona with a smashed raw egg on her head, along with our sweet neighbor, Hermione.

And, yes, Marilyn Monroe lives right next door to us.

New Ping--And, No, I'm Not Talking About Apple

Matching Pings

Elise's new Ping arrived last month after weeks of communication with the manufacturer and the insurance company. It has been so worth it. The new infusion sets allow far more consistent insulin absorption, so we've been able to eliminate the blood sugar spikes we'd been seeing after site changes.

And the meter-remote is great! It's so nice to be able to bolus a moving child without worrying that she's going to pull her site out. As long as she stays within 10 feet of me, that is.

Nine-Year-Old Girl Birthday Heaven

American Girl Doll Store

Our chef with her doll Sprinkles
Not only was the food great, but she special-ordered sugar-free desserts
for us from Whole Foods

Girl talk over lunch

Rebecca getting a new hairdo and pierced ears at the salon

Special thanks go to Nana Stanna for the awesome hotel room. It was so cool that we couldn't talk the girls into going out on the town!

2010 Hailey Family Reunion

Diabetes Camp Year 5

It's so great to reconnect with old friends year after year.

And cool off in the pool

And visit the petting zoo

And climb the rock wall

And if you don't inject insulin and count carbohydrates, for once, you are in the minority.

X-Back Spaghetti Strap Top

I love this top! The binding and straps are made of elastic tape, and the lower hem is a rolled hem. Now to find some colored knits.

Cookbook Look

My sister-in-law, head chef of Mommytown, gave me this book for Christmas. I've been skipping around, perusing it here and there, and really enjoying adding some new, yet simple variety to our meals. The chapter on vegetables is making my mouth water, and it's time I pulled out the pasta machine to teach the girls how to make pasta from scratch.

Flower Overload

We had a fantastic weekend on Lake Buchanan. Can you tell by the look on her face? The wildflowers were amazing, and we had a relaxing 24 hours camping in perfect weather.

A wild turkey came to visit us, but we missed the feral pigs and wild cougars.

86 the Jalapenos

What a morning. It has been one of those nights that dragged into one of those days. The new infusion set on my daughter's insulin pump failed to deliver insulin properly, so she developed ketones at 3 am and again at 9 am. When ketones start being produced in the body, she needs a shot of insulin, water, no exercise, and a new infusion set with fresh insulin.

On the way out the door, I discovered that the washer had overflowed, pouring an inch of water onto the laundry room floor. A dozen towels, or 3 additional loads of laundry later, the floor was dry enough for me to drive to school.

So what does that have to do with my homemade salsa? I was a bit too sleep-deprived while making it to remember the jalapenos. At least I remembered the tomatoes.

Works in Progress

This basketweave knit scarf is my first knitting project. I'm about halfway done.

These peace signs and polka dots are going to be a purse for a very special girl I know. 

The Diabetes Monster Ambushed Us Today

She came in the form of  a 404 blood sugar and large ketones late this morning.

My thoughts when I received the call: Had we forgotten the insulin bolus for the breakfast carbs? No. Had we miscounted the breakfast carbs?. No, one breakfast taco is easy to count. Had we used this infusion set too long (more than 3 days)? No, it's only been 24 hours.. Was the infusion set pulling loose from her body, or was the tubing breaking? No, it was intact.. Was the insulin too old (over 14-28 days)? No, I bought a new vial yesterday. Had the insulin gotten too hot (over 86 degrees) or too cold (below 32 degrees)? No.  Was my daughter getting an infection (which elevates blood sugar)? No, she had no fever and no complaints.

Fortunately, my daughter and the school nurse fought this monster off until I could get there. We won the battle (for now) with a syringe and a new infusion set. So what happened to cause this huge blood sugar spike? Apparently, the cannula (the part of the tubing inside the body) got bent or clogged inside the body and insulin was not fully delivered for a couple of hours.

Until another day....

Lucky Me! I Got to Visit Mommytown

Visiting Mommytown was a breath of fresh spring air--literally--as both the sun and the daffodils popped out during our visit.  The cousins got to share bedtime stories together, a day at the zoo, and lots of giggles.  

During the trip we played the license plate game.  Wouldn't you know that my daughter found a Hawaii license plate on Capitol Hill?  We found Alaska there, too.

And, perhaps best  of all,  Elise's blood sugar was steady during the trip.  For those of you who don't know, traveling by car presents an extra challenge for T1 diabetics because the reduced exercise and increased adrenaline (from excitement) both raise blood sugar, but there is no way to measure by how much or how it will fluctuate throughout the day. An across-the-board basal rate increase of .05/hr. did the trick this time. What a relief!

Mini Project

I used some scrap fabric from the last project to make a checkbook cover. This pattern is from Heather Bailey's Weekend Sewing.

Placemats Complete!

We've really been enjoying these.  They are an Amy Butler pattern with Alexander Henry fabric.

I definitely plan to make more.

It's A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Middle School Retreat

I just sent my firstborn off on her first weekend church retreat. Why is that SO much harder than sending her to kindergarten or even summer camp? She is missed.

Dear Daughter

Dear Daughter,

It has been 7 months and 22 days since my last post. Thank you for encouraging me to get back on the blogging wagon.

Love,

Mom

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shellysblogger/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Thai Pork Salad with Chili Dressing

Another Cooking Light favorite: we'll definitely make this one again. I love the addition of basil and mint--two of my favorite herbs.

Thai roasted chili paste combines the kick of chili paste with a smoky flavor. It can be found in most Asian markets. If it is unavailable, chili paste with garlic or Sriracha is a good substitute.

Yield 6 servings (serving size: 1 2/3 cups)

Ingredients
2 ounces uncooked bean threads (cellophane noodles)
2 cups shredded napa (Chinese) cabbage
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced seeded cucumber
1 1/2 cups roasted pork tenderloin, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper strips
3/4 cup finely shredded carrot
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon roasted peanut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons roasted red chili paste (such as Thai Kitchen)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Pour boiling water over noodles; let stand 8 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain. Snip noodles with kitchen shears. Combine noodles, cabbage, and next 8 ingredients (through serrano) in a large bowl, tossing gently. Combine green onions and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Pour green onion mixture over cabbage mixture; toss gently to coat.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 231 (22% from fat)
Fat: 5.7g (sat 1.3g,mono 2.5g,poly 1.4g)
Protein: 11g
Carbohydrate: 34.3g
Fiber: 3.2g
Cholesterol: 26mg
Iron: 1mg
Sodium: 861mg
Calcium: 61mg
David Bonom, Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2004

Chicken Salad with Olive Vinaigrette

We enjoyed this room temperature summer recipe. I had to go to Whole Foods for the Israeli couscous. My HEB has nearly everything, but this time I had an excuse to make an extra trip to Whole Foods-always fun!

You can substitute 2 cups cooked chicken or turkey breast for vacuum-packed chicken.

Yield 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked Israeli couscous
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped capers
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 (7-ounce) packages 98% fat-free chicken breast in water
Preparation
Cook couscous according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Combine olives and next 7 ingredients (olives through garlic) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add couscous to olive mixture; toss gently to coat. Stir in chicken just before serving.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 348 (28% from fat)
Fat: 10.7g (sat 1.2g,mono 6.4g,poly 0.9g)
Protein: 25g
Carbohydrate: 34.9g
Fiber: 2.4g
Cholesterol: 18mg
Iron: 1.9mg
Sodium: 929mg
Calcium: 66mg
Jennifer Martinkus and Derrin Davis, Cooking Light, JULY 2003

Pioneer Farms Field Trip

Yesterday we braved the heat and visited Pioneer Farms where we learned about Central Texas Pioneers in the 1880s. Here is the whole gang.

We saw teepees.

And we saw a real live blacksmith.

We're so glad to return to the 21st century.