Eureka!

I've spent the better part of 3 days trying to get that russa-frussin' flim-flammin' yellow light next to "pattern" to come on, so I had to share when it finally worked. Yes, my job is filled with outwardly boring, inwardly exciting triumphs.

Pollen!

This is my third Spring in Huntsville, and it still blows me away how much pollen there is. This is a pond at my work (Arizonans would call it a lake). The yellow stuff is pollen. It's thick enough on our cars to write in. That stuff is everywhere!

Food Review

Well, the great thing about Weight Watchers is that it's more of a metadiet than a diet. You can adapt it to fit any situation. Need lower sodium and cholesterol, like me? You can make it work. Need to watch your carb intake for blood sugar reasons? You can make it work. Need to make sure you eat healthy while taking in enough calories and nutrients to gain just the right amount of weight for a pregnancy? It works for that too.

So Charla suddenly finds herself with 21 extra Weight Watchers points per day, and sends me to the grocery store for a very specific selection of fruit to help fill the gap: bananas, strawberries, cherries, grapes, and watermelon. While I'm in line at checkout, I see these new Little Debbie 100 calorie snack cakes, and grab a box of each on a whim.

Well, they are every bit as tasty as the high calorie versions. That's because they are the high calorie versions, in super-miniature portions. The picture on the box is about twice the actual size. Not to say I don't still enjoy it after a filling meal, but there are other options that feel more substantial. These won't help your weight if you are unable to hold yourself to just one.

Announcement

We are pleased to announce that Charla is expecting a baby, due approximately November 11^th! It was a very unexpected surprise, but it is most definitely a welcome surprise. We have been the parents of 5 children, but still have not had a normal delivery, so we will probably be the most experienced amateurs at childbirth classes.

I know we'll get questions about this, so I may as well bring it out into the open. Because Charla has had one premature birth, the odds of a second one are above average. However, the prematurity was due to a one-time placenta infection which is not likely to happen again. Also, this pregnancy being all-natural rather than a result of fertility treatments further reduces the risk somewhat, as does the fact that we know what to expect and can mitigate many of the risks. Even if we do have another premature baby, we are extremely experienced in caring for one who has turned out pretty well so far, and we know the good things will far outweigh the bad no matter what.

Backpacking!

Karl, his friend Rob, his brother Kris, and his brother-in-law Kit went backpacking in Georgia for the last night of Spring Break. Here are some photos.

Update on Heather

We found out Heather has MRSA, the resistant kind of staph, but it is contained. They've been treating for it already, but can now focus their efforts instead of treating for everything. Heather got her drain (a suction pump thing that sucks blood and other gooey stuff out of the surgical wound) removed this morning, and should be able to go home Monday morning. She will still have a nurse come by to administer antibiotics intravenously, and will be out of school for a while. Heather is happy for the most part, but a little stir crazy because they won't even let her out of her room to stroll around in a wheelchair for a few minutes. She is also highly suspicious of nurses, but forgives them quickly after the mean stuff is over.

In 30 years of doing this kind of surgery, Heather's surgeon has only seen infections like this twice. Lucky Heather, but that means there is little risk of it happening again when they replace the pump, but they will wait until the summer to make sure every last vestige of infection is gone.

Another Yummy Healthy Treat

We recently discovered another yummy healthy treat: reduced fat triscuits and hummus. One of those snacks that tastes much better than it looks and sounds. Total of 4 Weight Watchers points (around 200 calories) for a very satisfying treat.

Heather's Surgery

Heather got a wound near the area where her baclofen pump was implanted several weeks ago, and it got infected, so she had to get it surgically removed this morning. Heather is obviously uncomfortable, and will have to be on strong antibiotics for a while, but is doing well. Just don't try to take those keys away from her.