The winner is.... Lucky Number 13!! Jen your family is going to the circus!! I will contact you to tell you how to claim your prize! Thank you to everyone who entered my very first giveaway! Check back, in the near future I will be hosting another circus giveaway! :)

Wishing I could freeze time

Today is one of those morning when I wish I could freeze time. Let me show you what I mean...

First Collin...

Noah...


I am truly blessed to stay at home with my boys and experience these precious moments. Precious moments.

The Circus is COMING to town!

Know how I am pushing away the winter blues?? I am hosting a give away!!

The Circus is coming to town!!! I am happy to partner with MomCentral and host a give away for tickets to the upcoming Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey "Zing Zang Zoom" Circus. The tickets are for the opening night show in Cincinnati, Ohio March 10. Not only will one of my lucky readers win a family 4 pack of tickets, the "All Access Pre-Show" is FREE for all ticket holders and begins an hour before showtime. If you aren't the winner of the give away, here is a coupon code for you! Go to www.ticketmaster.com and enter the coupon code: MOM. The code is valid for four tickets for $44 for Monday-Friday matinee shows (any additional tickets are still priced at $11), and $4 off Friday night and all weekend shows.

Cincinnati Show Dates: (US Bank Arena)

Wednesday March 10: 7:00pm

Thursday March 11: 7:00pm

Friday March 12: 7:00 pm

Saturday March 13: 11:00am, 3:00pm,

7:00pm

Sunday March 14: 11:00am, 3:00pm,

7:00pm

To enter simply leave a comment on this post! The drawing will be held Feb 25, 2010 at 10pm.

*You may enter once a day if you'd like!

*Please include your e-mail address so I can notify you of your win. OR check back here on 2/26 to see if you are the lucky winner.

Where have I been??

Why the Debbie Downer Face?
Well, honestly I haven't been hiding, just processing. I will fill you in, but try to be brief.

Where to begin?? Perhaps a brief summary will do the trick.

For the last (almost) 10 years I have dealt with some pretty extensive back problems. The truth is, I am in pain everyday, but it is part of me and doesn't warrant discussion. In December my back went out. When I say went out, I mean I couldn't walk. I went to the doc, got an script for prednisone (steroid), vicoden, and a shot in the butt of cortisone (steroid). This worked wonderfully at first. In fact I felt better than I had in a long time and enjoyed an amazing Christmas holiday and New Year's Eve. However, that was a gift from God and a couple of weeks ago the pain came back. My leg started hurting terribly and I began to experience numbness and tingling. YIKES! I will not try to explain this pain to you because unless you have personally experienced it, you cannot fully grasp the immense pain that it brings. Last week an MRI revealed a pinched nerve and a worsening of my degenerative disc disease all. My problems are in L4,L5 and S1. I have 2 bulging discs and one herniated and the disc disease is all over that area. So on Wed next week I will meet with a surgeon (again). I have not seen a neurosurgeon since 2002 so I am interested in what he has to say.

So I don't get comments about how this is the LAST resort, I will state what I have done for treatment over the last 9 + years since the onset of my back problems...

*Cortisone Epidural Injections - 2 times, each is a series of 3 injections - under x-ray - with a GIANT needle of cortisone into the epidural space.

*Physical Therapy - 4 different series of PT appt's over the 9+yrs.

*Chiropractics - 4 different docs with different approaches, multiple sessons (all resulting in worsening my symptoms).

*Many massages

*Steroids

*More steroids

*Pain management drugs

*Anti-inflammatory meds

*Muscle Relaxers

*Anti-spasmodic meds

*Yoga

*Pilates

*Weight training

I didn't want to jump into surgery, but honestly I have tried so many things, I am weary. I want to have a healthy back and if that means that I need to have surgical intervention, I am ready. Mentally, emotionally, physically and financially. I will let you know what the surgeon says. I am also prepared for him to say there may be something else he recommends. I covet your prayers and support as we venture into a new phase of this journey. Thanks!!