Bad Dog

You know it's not gonna be good when you look out on the deck and see your dog covered in mud! All the rain yesterday gave Capone the perfect playground for his mischief making and he took full advantage. I turned my back to go get a towel so I could hose him off and retuned to see this!


I guess he was tired of waiting for me, so he took matters into his own paws. I have never owned a dog that loves water as much as this lovable pooch. Oh well, I guess I just need to keep my eye on him when he is in the yard and has too much time on his paws!

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The Perfect Summer Chick Flick

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Monte Carlo for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you are looking for that perfect girl movie then grab your girlfriends and your daughters and go see Monte Carlo.  The movie opens in theaters on Friday but you can purchase tickets starting on June 29th at Fandango.  The movie is about a girl who is traveling with her friends and ends up becoming an "accidental heiress" while in Paris.  Can you imagine the adventures that ensue?  I mean, isn't it every girls dream to be rich and famous for a day?  I think it would be a blast but since it won't be happening for me any time soon, I can live out my fantasy during the movie!

My daughter is a big Selena Gomez fan but since she is only 4, I will be grabbing some of my friends for a girls night out including dinner and a movie.  You can go to the Facebook page for the movie to connect with other fans and share your thoughts about the movie!  You can also check out the trailer on YouTube by clicking here Monte Carlo!  Check it out and see for yourself that this is a must see movie for your summer viewing!  Well, what are you waiting for?

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No Computer

Yes, I have a computer but I made a promise to myself that I would only be on when business warranted and NEVER on the weekend! So I have not turned my computer in since last Thursday and I am OK with that! I still check email and Facebook from my phone so I know if I need to attend to anything important but for the most part, I am just having fun in the pool with the Diva!

I know, that all too soon, I will be back in editing mode because Senior pictures are starting this weekend and going full force until those last minute folks are scheduled! I am excited to be working again but I have so enjoyed taking a break. When I say break, I mean dentist and doctor visits, running here and there so not really a break at all! I am slowing down a bit after my last SVT episode that sent me to the ER so that is a good thing and no episodes since is great! I go to get the hottest accessory in heartwear tomorrow. I get my holter monitor! I am not looking forward to it but I know it is all part of the diagnostic process.

For now, back to the pool to relax some more! Later peeps!

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Follow up

So I finally got to see my doctor following my ER visit on the 5th.  She is a GP so she just did the same old routine:  take notes, listen to my heart and send me for labs!  Oh, and schedule me for a 24 hour halter monitor!  I am not looking forward to it but know that it can be a great diagnostic tool!  Anyway, in addition, my cholesterol is high (family history) so I am now on meds and on my way to a better diet and more exercise!

Ugh!  Why must we fall apart as we get older?  Just askin!  I am not complaining because it could be so much worse than it is!  So here is to a healthier me in 2011!  Time to get serious!  If you have any tips, I will gladly take them.  I need all the help I can get.

Goal:  Lose 50 lbs and lower my total cholesterol to under 200.  I want to be close to my goals when I go back to the doctor in 6 months!  Let the fun!

Today is a Work Day

Most of my days are spent with the Diva out by the pool or playing at the park or going to lunch but today, I had to actually work!  I had a wedding, a family shoot and a Diva shoot to edit and get off of my plate!  Oh, and the house needed cleaned and the laundry needed to be tamed so I have been a very busy girl!  I don't mind so much since it is a rain day here in the middle of the cornfield.

Last week was spent at the dentist with both kids.  The Moody Teen needed some fillings and even a root canal (yikes)!  His fault for not being serious about his teeth!  The Diva, despite brushing her teeth 6 or 7 times a day, had a few cavities also!  It was so sad to see her after fillings!  Her mouth was all heavy and droopy and she was drooling and crying.  She wasn't upset about the numbness!  She was crying because of her crooked mouth!  Yup, she was afraid her friends would make fun of her and no amount of consoling could convince her that it would go away in a couple of hours and she would be as good as new again.  I should have video taped her because it really was comical!

Oh, well!  I will leave you with a snapshot of what I have been working on lately and some links so you can see more!

You can see more of the Diva here!

You can see more of the Sullivan family here!

You can see more of Mr. & Mrs. Eastin here!

I sure hope you all are enjoying your summer!  I will be checking back in but I will probably be doing it pool side!  Join me if you like!

Store Brand Baby Formula Victorious in Court

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of storebrandformula.com for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

This week a U.S. Circuit Court upheld a $13.5 million false advertising claim against Enfamil maker Mead Johnson.  The case was based on advertising by infant formula giant, Enfamil that stated it was superior to store brands.  These statements were found to be false and misleading since store brand formulas offer the same nutritional value as Enfamil.

“As the litigation history of the parties demonstrates, despite having twice been restrained from disseminating misleading advertising, Mead Johnson continued to do so,” Circuit Judge Andre Davis wrote. “PBM cannot fairly compete with Mead Johnson unless and until Mead Johnson stops infecting the marketplace with misleading advertising. ”

"The Court has made it clear that national brand and store brand suppliers are entitled to fairly compete and advertising abuses will not be tolerated," said Perrigo Chairman and CEO Joseph C. Papa in a statement. "We also appreciate the Court's recognition that PBM could lawfully compare its products to national brand products."

This is a huge victory for parents who are looking to save on their grocery budget yet give their infant the best nutrition possible.  You can be confident that store brand formula is safe and healthy  for your baby.  This is also a huge victory for the makers of store brand formulas, who could not compete with the the major manufacturers of infant formula due to smaller advertising budgets. It is also reassuring to know that the smaller manufacturers of infant formula can win such a huge victory over the giants of this world. We, as parents, still have the right to decide which infant formula is best for our little ones! If you need more information you can check out storebrandformula.com and decided for yourself what is best for you and your family.  Information is empowerment and can help you make the right choice.

My Trip To The ER

I think I jinxed myself! Is it possible? Oh, yes it is! Saturday evening my niece called to say that she needed me to take her to the ER for abdominal pain so I drove 15 minutes to pick her up and brought her back to the ER. While waiting for her diagnosis, we were chatting with a nurse about how many times we are in the ER. My niece has two boys so she had been in quite a few times in the last year and I blurted out that I had not been in since September of 2009! As soon as the words tumbled off my lips, I knew I was in trouble!

After her diagnosis of gall stones, we left the ER to head to our friendly 24 hour Walgreens to fill her pain meds (the good stuff) and then I took her home. I fell into my bed at 4:00 AM. I was never so happy to see my bed!

At 6:00 AM my heart decided that it was going to run a marathon and SVT (SupraVentricular Tachycardia) kicked in. Now, normally when this happens it lasts about 30 minutes (maximum) and then I am back to my normal happy self but this was not the case this time! 4 hours later, I decided it was my turn to head to the ER because my heart was still acting like a machine gun gone wild.

I have to say that when you go into the ER with a heart issue, they jump and you are on your way to getting help quicker than quick! They did an EKG and my p wave was missing (not good), my ticker was beating at 198 beats per minute and I was resting! My heart was so out of control that they could not get an accurate blood pressure even manually. Yup, I was a hot mess.

The doctor started an IV and placed my feet above my head to try to coax my heart back to sinus rhythm but that didn't work. Neither did coughing or blowing into a straw with the end pinched off! Time to bring out the big gun: Adenocard 6 mg. This drug has a half life of two seconds so they had to raise my arm up, push the drug and then massage my arm to get the drug to my heart before my body rendered it useless. The doctor tried to prepare me for the feeling that I was about to experience but NO words prepared me. Even when he told me my heart would stop and then hopefully convert to sinus rhythm.

So we were ready to go with the Adenocard and I have to admit that I was nervous as all get out! They raised my arm, pushed the drug and massaged and then I felt my heart stop and restart! I felt like I had been kicked in the chest by a mule! It took me a few minutes to catch my breath as my heart rate went from 198 to 88 in 2 seconds flat! Wow, what a wild ride that was!!

So what does this mean for my future? Well, I just need to pay attention to any SVT episodes I might have and be seen if it lasts for more than an hour. If it keeps happening, I may need to see a Cardiologist to have the electrical system in my heart checked out to see if an ablation of that pathway is needed. For now it is business as usual. I am eating good, de stressing my life and working out more!