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Friday, July 28, 2017

Oh the humiliation! 🐶 #goldens #goldenlife #goldenpuppy #goldenretriever #goldensofinstagram #dogsofinstgram #dogmom #doggies #blogpost


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Thursday, July 27, 2017

NO!!! Don't do it!!!!!!! Please?!?!? 😳 #fibromyalgia #fibrosucks #chronicillness #blogpost #family #twins #boys #playtime #boyswillbeboys #momlife #mommylife #childhood #childhoodunplugged #steponacrackbreakyourmothersback


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Thursday, July 20, 2017

Now that the surgery is over and we can move past it, my boys have a little (well, okay...maybe BIG) something that they would like to share with the world. In January of next year, they will become big brothers to a sweet little baby sister! We just shared the news with them this past weekend, and just found out about the baby's sex today. They are incredibly excited to become big brothers! Although we had thought our family was complete, apparently there was a larger plan for us. This little baby is 100% A miracle! There is no other way to describe how she came about being. With all that we have going on in our lives with Miracle Man and my health issues, there have definitely been positive and negative emotions about this #Pregnancy, but we are excited about having a new little bundle of sweet smelling #baby to cuddle with! We are thrilled she will be a girl to even out our family...2 girls and 2 boys!! Being of advanced maternal age, I was expected to get genetic testing, which is why we know today that it's a girl. The testing also showed us that there was an indication that she could possibly have #trisomyx Syndrome. Naturally, that is frightening, but I am learning a little bit about it now and the odds are in our favor that she could have little to no symptoms at all. Of course, now I will have to go through genetic counseling, as well. Nobody wants to hear that on the other end of the phone call. But we will figure it out just like we have every other challenge that has been presented to us. #mommylife #momlife #pregnant #pregnancy #preggers #specialneedsmom #specialneeds #family #lovemyfamily #familyadventures #familyofsix #nowwehaveabrood #largefamily #yikes4tikes #chronicillness #fibro #spoonie #twinsplustwo #advancedmaternalage #geneticcounseling #genetics #worriedmom #trisomyxsyndrome #blogpost


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All done and eating his chocolate ice cream 🍦 in recovery!!! 💗 #parenting #momlife #lovemyboy #sweetie #surgery #mommylife #specialneeds #specialkids #parentsofspecialneeds #family #warrior #warriorkids #blogpost


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This handsome guy has no idea he's headed towards his doom. We are on our way to the hospital for another surgery...minor adjustment to the poor kid's weenie. Ouchie!! 😥 On the way to the car he needed to stop and make sure he found a worm! Because...worms! This will be his 7th surgery. He's a tough little guy!! He will be fine. It's just the momma that freaks out a little each time. Although, I have to say that over time it does sort of become kinda ??normal? 😔 #momlife #mommylife #lovemyboy #specialneeds #specialneedskids #surgery #surgeryday #mylittleboy #specialkids #parents #parenting #parentsofspecialneeds #warrior #blogpost #boysloveworms #boyslovebugs


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Friday, July 14, 2017

Kids Vaping

PSA: Especially to parents of tweens and teens:


I'm trying not to freak out at the moment. 


What do you all know about vaping? My 10 year old daughter was peer pressured to try it last weekend at camp!!! Holy freaking crap! 


I've read a few things on the internet so far this morning and it seems like, although people believe it is safe, it's really not. Especially for KIDS! I'm not trying to be an alarmist. Please keep reading or do some research on your own to find out about the seriousness of kids vaping.


So let me break it down for you a little bit so that you can understand some of the basics about kids and vaping. And by the way, I DO NOT claim to be an expert on this topic by any means!!! I'm am merely synthesizing for you all the info I found in my short internet research. It may have been short, but I read a lot from credible sources like well-established organizations. I will post some links in the comment section below.


Anyway, here goes:


There are these liquids called "e-juices" that are designed to taste, smell, and look like candy (cotton candy, sour patch kids, etc.) that are being used in "vape boxes".  Vape boxes are like an e-cigarette, but since they are shaped like a box and do not look like a cigarette, kids see them as less harmful...safe.


The kids who pressured my daughter to try vaping (some older, some the same age) all told her it was safe and that it didn't have nicotine in them. So as a tween, what would you think? "Tastes like candy, not a cigarette, no nicotine...sounds safe alright."


While that may be true that these e-juices do not contain nicotine, and there is no "smoke" going into their lungs, they do contain other harmful chemicals like formeldahyde and acetone, among other things. 


But they are being marketed to kids by their flavors, colors, packaging, etc. The kids (and some adults) believe they are safe...but there are studies/reports indicating that children across the country are being admitted to hospitals with comas, seizures, etc. from trying these things. Some of the chemicals are known carcinogens, as well.


Naturally, being exposed to vaping at such a young age has also been linked to tweens and teens becoming more willing to try other harmful substances like real cigarettes and marijuana. 


So here are my tips to help other parents navigate this new world we are entering with our tweets:


1. Keep an open line of communication with your tween...and try hard NOT to freak out when they tell you they have been offered these things. If they can trust that you won't scream and yell and freak out on them, they will be more likely to continue to share with you what is happening in their world.


2. A recent article that made the rounds on Facebook is proving to be extremely helpful for our family. We have devised a plan to help her escape the peer pressure by having her text me a specific emoji so that I can then call her and have her come back to camp/back home when she is feeling uncomfortable. No questions asked. 


3. Know your kids and know their friends!! The kids that are pressuring her to do this are not her actual friends at camp. They are acquaintances. She felt uncomfortable around them anyway. She plans to stay away from them now that she sees them for who they really are. 


4. Be aware that even really smart kids can be peer pressured!!! My daughter is a strong-willed, smart, young lady who has a good sense of right and wrong. But even she was peer pressured! Complacency is not an option in this day and age. EVERY kid is at risk. Every single one. It is up to us as parents to keep our kiddos safe and help them navigate their coming of age. We must be vigilant and not rest on our laurels thinking "my kid wouldn't do that". Peer pressure is a force to be reckoned with!!!


Please feel free to add to this discussion and to share. I am posting this as a public post to help other parents keep their kids safe, too.

Monday, July 10, 2017

Here are some of the pics of the Ancient Glacial Pot Holes. The #kids really enjoyed seeing them and learning about them. They're pretty amazing for sure! You'll never take the teacher out of me! 😜 #bridgeofflowers #shelburnefalls #seasonalcamp #camping #camp #blogpost #summer #sightseeing #travel #family #familyfun #momlife #mommylife #vacationtime #vacationmode #explore #adventure #adventuretime #discoverearth #discoveryourworld #childhood #childhoodunplugged #newengland #berkshires #ancientglacialpotholes


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Here are some of the beautiful #flowers that we're on the Bridge of Flowers. 💗💗 Thought you might enjoy seeing them!! #bridgeofflowers #shelburnefalls #seasonalcamp #camping #camp #blogpost #summer #sightseeing #travel #family #familyfun #momlife #mommylife #vacationtime #vacationmode #explore #adventure #adventuretime #discoverearth #discoveryourworld #childhood #childhoodunplugged #newengland #berkshires #photography #naturephotography


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We tooled around the #berkshires some more yesterday. I had wanted to check out The Bridge of Flowers, but we hadn't really planned on going there in particular. We came across it in our travels, though, and it was so beautiful! The town (Shelburne Falls) was a cute little New England town with bookstores, eateries, and desserts. So we grabbed a bite to eat for lunch and walked around for a little while. We also came across a spot that had glacial potholes, which I will show you in my next #instagramphoto because it was super cool to see, too. Our world really is beautiful! #bridgeofflowers #shelburnefalls #seasonalcamp #camping #camp #blogpost #summer #sightseeing #travel #family #familyfun #momlife #mommylife #vacationtime #vacationmode #explore #adventure #adventuretime #discoverearth #discoveryourworld #childhood #childhoodunplugged #newengland


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#content #summer #thatsummerfeeling My beautiful girl. #mygirl #momlife #mommylife #childhoodunplugged #childhood #kidsofinstagram #kidsphotography #kiddos #vacationtime #vacationmode #seasonalcamp #camping #camp #berkshires #blogpost


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Saturday, July 1, 2017

So I was really rave today!! I took the kids fishing at the lake this morning. 😀We tried to make it in time for the fishing derby, but we were two hours late. 😜 no matter...we still went and had a blast! Miracle Man caught the first fish. It was really small and before I could get a pic, it jumped out of the net (that was on the ground) and back into the lake. My daughter caught the next one. It was much bigger, but it came off the hook, at which point I was shrieking, and then it flipped and flopped on the ground enough to get back in the lake before I could get another pic!! I caught two fish next, which was pretty exciting, too. I did get pics of my two fish, which you can see here. The second was pretty tough to reel in. My arms were so fatigued afterward!! I can't imagine trying to reel in a really big fish!! Poor Chub-Chub. He didn't catch anything. 😔 but he came really close on a couple of nibbles that he almost hooked. He was the most persistent of the kids and left feeling disappointed, but I'm going to take him again in the next couple of days. What an #adventure it was!! We must've looked like the three stooges at first...it was definitely comical to say the least! Where's the net???? Grab the net!!! Wait don't do anything!!! I NEED MY PHONE TO TAKE A PIC!!! oh noooo!! He jumped back in the lake!!! YELP!!! You caught one, Little Miss!!! Get the net!!! Yiiiiiiiikkes!!!Okay wait...let me get my phone!!!! How do I get the hook out??? Wait...I need the gloves first! How do I use all of these tools?? The fish is dying, mommy!! Put it in the water for a minute!!! We are KILLING the fish!!! Get the hook out!!! I can't!! It won't come out!!!.......Excuse me, sir...can you please help us get the hook out? (Naturally he laughed) We did it, though!! Caught four #fish and released them! #childhoodunplugged #adventuretime #nature #momlife #mommylife #camping #seasonalcamp #fishing #fishingwithkids #family #familyfun #familyadventures #wecaughtafish #lakelife #summer #vacationtime #vacationmode #berkshires #blogpost


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