Cat Quote

"I like to fall asleep while watching animals."


Cat Lyon

Our new nature

From the edge of the beach to the foot of the mountain We are really trying to embrace our new backyard mountain range. Mitzi and Cat are totally into it despite the fact that Cat thinks Mitzi needs shoes to go hiking.



-Posted from the mountain-

Blasted stones!

This must be the year for hspital visits for us, I'm in a sweet hospital room with this view...


Nick just had kidney stone surgery finally after over 8 weeks of dealing with pain! I'm so relieved it's almost over but he is not feeling very well right now...I hope he recovers soon!



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Some Dogs Need Their Privacy

While visiting over mothers day Maverick would always find the most secluded place to do his business which usually meant he would climb into some bushes or shrubery. The first time I saw him do this I thought there was a problem or that he was trying to get something out of the bushes but it turns out he's just a little shy.

A little more polishing

So here is part of a great project I'm working on, a rehab facility renovation...this is a shower room that is being turned into a "spa"...there's still a little ways to go, but in my eyes I can see it already! It's such a great feeling to see what you've been working on and invisioning come to life...stay tuned, finished product to follow, hopefully soon! Ps: I love my job!


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Updates and Surprizes

After a few months of weekly doctor visits and with every visit a stranger result I finally had surgery, thinking this is it, the end. A week after surgery my doctor told me yet another piece of news. The pathology results from my surgery came back saying I had a partial molar pregnancy...What does that mean? Basically there was a fetus and there was a mass, like a twin pregnancy but only one developed into a fetus, the other become just rapidly growing cells, like a tumor but your body thinks it's a pregnancy, hence why my blood count was so high for so long. They said I had to continue with the weekly blood tests and when my count was in the right place we would have to do monthly blood tests for 6 months to make sure the "cells" were really gone. Apparently, if it stays in your body it spreads fast and become cancerous, oh and by they way, we can't even try to get get pregnant during that time. The only way to monitor is by testing your pregnancy blood levels because those cells release pregnancy hormone. So I broke down at the doctor's office, feeling like having a baby was so so far away. I was sad, discouraged and disappointed to say the least. A week later we went to Europe, the best thing we could have done! I feel so much better now and I have a much better perspective. It's all going to be okay! I just have to remember that as much as I want to and I try to hard to plan my own life, it's NOT up to me, go figure...

I wanted to share some of the many pictures and videos we made on our trip, but unfortunately our suitcase was broken into and the hard drive with 95% of our pictures was stolen...such a bummer! We have pictures from our last couple days in Paris, which were awesome and I'm grateful to have those, but I thought I had nothing from London. Then I found this video on my phone, thanks iphone! So here it is...more pics to be posted soon...

BFFs

Since Nick and I got married, Nick has referred to Mitzi, our dog, as his step child/dog, he says that she only cares about me and she pays no attention to him...So it thrilles me to see that after 2 years and a couple weeks of Nick having kidney stones, they are now BFFs!



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Paris Dream Part Deux

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, here are the videos of the amazing park in Paris, where which I intend to reside near by...

Jambon et Fromage & other stuff too

So I really LOVE Paris! I especially love the food, I can't get enough of these jambon et fromage sandwiches (ham and cheese on a fresh baguette) and the endless amazing desserts...I'm really sad to be leaving tomorrow for many reasons including going back American processed food. At the same time,
I'm also excited to go home and be able to speak English with anyone and not worry about my unfortunate French skills...





Most of all I am excited to see Mitzi, there are so many cute dogs here that make me miss her all the time!





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Paris dream...

Today I decided that I want to live in Paris by this park...dream come true...there were children riding REAL ponies, not pretend carossel ones, but real live ponies! Amazing and so beautiful, I love this place! Stay tuned for the video footage...

The begining of the end...or so I hope

So here I am 7 weeks after the miscarriage, after a trip to the ER, weekly ultrasounds and blood test, FINALLY they decide to do a D&C! Not that I'm dying to have surgery or anything, but I so wish they would have done this to begin with. It's crazy that 7 weeks after a miscarriage I still test positive on a pregnancy test. It's hard enough going through losing a baby and everything that goes along long with that, but to be dragged through the mud for this long afterward just creates a whole new issue, all I've wanted to do this entire time is move on and look ahead with hopes of getting pregnant soon, but every time I've gone to the Doc, they just keep telling me to wait another week, it just reminds me of everything all over again and again... Now, with a sigh of relieve I know there is an end in sight, I'll be having a D&C today at noon. They want me to be on birth control for 2 months to protect the lining of my uterus and then we can start trying again, which when I first heard, I cried (as I do a lot these days), but then realized, at least I have a definite date when this will all be over!

On a lighter note, as a perfect cheerer upper, we are going to Europe!!! Yay, London (thanks to my awesome friend Shel-dog for letting us stay at her place) and Paris! It's been a dream of mine for so long and I couldn't go due to my awesome/ridiculous immigration status, but now it's happening and it will be a dream come true, going to Europe with Nick, seriously it can't get better then that! I'm so excited to spend a whole 2 weeks with Nick anywhere, without going to work or everyday distractions, but this will be the best vacation yet! I will update with pictures when we come back. xoxo

Adult diapers

My poor dog has a little infection and she wants to lick so bad...I feel terrible for her but aside from getting her a huge cone on her head this is the best option I've come up with so far, adult diapers... She is not very happy, bless her heart but it's for her best interest...what can I say it's tough being a gangsta!

Killer Kern - 2008

In an effort to share a lot of the media I have accumulated over the years I have been going back through the pictures and video that I have and will be posting these movies and pictures here on our web log.

If there is anything you would like to see that we were involved in let me know and I'll get it up here.

This first entry was from the summer of 2008/Nate when we went on the annual Kern river white water rafting trip. Now there is no white water rafting because we lost battery power right when things got exciting but there is still some memories to watch.

Please enjoy liberally.

101.2

Cat called this afternoon with news that she had a fever of 101.7. No big deal right, just take some motrine, a couple tall glasses of OJ, and a good night sleep. Except that 2 days earlier the Dr. told Cat that if she had any fever at all to come into the ER. So here we are awaiting the Dr to tell us what they are going to do but from the sound of it this is a crazy fever that most likely will end in surgery... Can you belive we missed the volleyball game for this?

P.S. Thanks for the ride Claire :)

The Latest...

Me at 13 weeks pregnant...
I debated writing about this, but after much thought, I felt like perhaps writing about what's really important to me would be therapeutic and help me move forward. So here it is...
The past few months have been filled with excitement and nausea! In November of 2009 after trying for about 10 months we found out we were pregnant! It was probably the most exciting news of my life, Nick and I were so ecstatic and making plans for our future baby. I probably should have kept the news to myself for a while, but I couldn't contain myself, I started telling close friends and family. I also started feeling really, really nauseous, I got sick from smelling the Christmas tree, my shampoo, any food at all, any physical activity, pretty much everything that had a scent...yikes, it wasn't fun, but it was all okay when we went in for our 9 week appointment and saw the little bean shapped baby and heard the little heart beat, it was real, we really did have a baby! Everything looked really good and normal. After continuing to feel sick and uncomfortable for 5 more weeks, I went in for my 14 week appointment, to my surprise I was getting a second ultrasound. I was bummed Nick wasn't there, but so excited to see the little guy/girl again. As the image became apparent on the screen the doctor mentioned how small it was and I noticed it too, my heart started beating really fast, and my emotions changed from bliss to a shocking despair...after a second ultrasound it was confirmed that the baby had stopped growing at some point shortly after 9 weeks but my body just didn't know, it kept acting and feeling very pregnant, I had no symptoms that anything was wrong. Now I'm still in the process of getting my body back to where it needs to be...I'm ready for everything to be over and very hopeful that we will get pregnant again soon and have a healthy baby!

It's amazing how miraculous the entire process is, the doctors said there was probably a chromosomal problem with the baby, and the body takes care of it early enough to prevent further problems for the baby and the mom. It's definitely difficult, disheartening and disappointing, but it strengthens my faith that somebody else knows what is best for me and that things will work out in His time, when it's best. I have also felt so loved and supported by friends and family, it's amazing how much people reach out with open hearts and are so willing to help and just listen! So thank you so much (and you know who you are), to those who have reached out with so much love and support!

Saturday Mornings in HB

So let me explain how this happened.

One summer Saturday morning a guy from across the alley knocked on our door. This is one of those guys you see and give a courtesy nod to but don't really know if he saw you but he is friends with our neighbor. He came to ask for a ride to pick up his 911 Porsche that had been parked overnight in the City Park parking lot after which explanation I commented "Crazy night eh?" I don't even know if he knew what I was talking about so I asked him why he needed a ride. To make a long story short, because it took a long time for me to get it, he needed a ride to get his car and someone to drive his car back since he can't drive since he is legally blind but he owns this nice Porsche so he can let girls and friends drive him around. Any way it was a weird situation but Cat and I gave him a ride and drove back his car for him and haven't heard from him since.

Right after we got back from the blind guy Porsche experience we get another knock on the door and who else could it be then our old/lives down the street friend Kris Sundberg. Now I know that whenever Kris comes knocking on my door something exciting is going on, that or he needs some tools. With exuberant enthusiasm Kris tells me how he found a BBQ in one of the alleys down the street and we were in luck because he brought the tandem bike with which we could tow the BBQ back to his house down the middle of the street. In my day I have towed some things but never a BBQ with a bike and my skepticism got the best of me because I thought there was no way we could tow a big BBQ with those tiny wheels down these ruff HB streets. Either way I thought it would be fun and maybe we would be chased for steeling someones BBQ or at least make some noise riding down avenue towing a stainless steel BBQ. Anyway the tow was a great success and it was so fun even when we got to Kris's house we kept riding around the block. So this is a tribute to Kris Sundberg who's Saturday morning knock is always music to my ears.

Other days do not apply....just kidding...but serious.

2009 Family Christmas Picture...in February!

So I am the worst blogger, I've been wanting/meaning to post this picture since we took it in December, and here it is finally in February! This was our first Christmas when we had our very own Christmas tree, all pretty and decorated, it was very exciting! So here's our family so far, Cat, Nick and Mitzi of course!

1 Maverick for Christmas

It was 6:00 am pacific standard time. We were awoken from our Christmas slumber by an abrupt scratch at the 110 year old red oak bedroom door to find our new, blind friend Maverick-the Dog. "He's not blind" interjects Cat. "Not really but he hangs out with a lot of blind people...get it?" reply's Nick. Cat is unamused. Nick is also unamused with his laffy taffy/Tyler Kump style pun. Maverick enters slowly and stands at the foot of our semi solid AeroBed from QVC as if awaiting permission to board the already full sleeping area. One paw, then the other is placed gently on the edge of our bed and without making much of a sound or tipping over the delicate glass of wine Mr. Maverick is now curled up in a ball in between Nick and Cat with Ms. Mitzi giving him the "What are you doing on my bed" look. For being a 2 year old black lab guide dog Maverick is quite cuddly and playful but seams to scare little Mitzi when he gets all excited and runs around the house.

Bonnie, Nick's mom, who is legally blind, has had guide dogs her whole adult life and Maverick is the latest addition and is such a great dog who will literally climb on the couch and sit right on your lap just like a little lap dog.