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Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year's

Well I have to say I'm so glad 2009 is going to be over in 1 hour and 45 minutes. It's been a tough year for me, emotionally, physically, mentally. I've been so challenged in so many ways.

The baby weight has not come off like it did my first pregnancy so I'm having major issues with that so I've decided to take the 100 days of Weight Loss Challenge by Linda Spangle. I'm starting on January 4th, and the 100th day will be the day we leave on our trip (too coincindetial if you ask me), must be God's way for showing me the way.

A year ago tonight my dad was diagnosed with Cancer. It's still so hard for me to believe he is gone.

I've become a person I don't like very much. I've become someone I don't even recognize anymore. I look forward to 2010 with open arms.

May the next 100 days be filled with renewal, self discovery, personal growth, and a shrinking body and regain my self esteem. May I look in the mirror and finally accept the person looking back.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

I'm Back....

Well it's been about 6 months since I've posted anything. I have to say life just gets in the way sometimes. I'm making a goal for for 2010 to try and blog at least once a week if not more. Working full time, raising two active boys and sharing my life my with husband and our two dogs, leaves little time for myself...and it shows in my body.

I've put my own needs to the side and have been eating through my depression for the past 6 months. As many of you know I lost my father to Cancer back in March. It's been a rough 6 months, I'm on anti depressants and seeing a therapist (with the holidays it's been a few months) and I can tell I'm slipping as I'm eating to fill the void in my heart/life.

This grief is nothing like I've experienced before and unfortunately I turn to food when I'm sad or upset or just downright bored...I know how is that possible in such an active family? I get so caught up in my family that I just haven't taken care of myself physically the way I need to.

My 2nd goal for 2010 is to get healthy again, lose the weight and find happiness within myself again. Back in 2000 I lost 100 lbs in 11 months doing the PRISM weight loss program, I went from a 16/18 to a 9/10 pant size. www.plwp.com and swimming a 1/2 mile daily.

Well...those are my goals for 2010. Starting January 1st I will begin a 24 week program, it is broken down in to 4 phases, each consisting of 6 weeks. It consists of eating food the way God created it to be, in it's whole and natural state. This means oliminating processed food which shouldn't be hard for me since I have Celiac Disease and shouldn't be eating that type of food. But for me portion control and eating when I'm not hungry are my problems. Obstaining from those foods that are triggers for me. Diet Coke, Chips, Butter, Cheese, and of course Chocolate (became my best friend after being diagnosed with Celiac since it didn't have gluten in it) before that I hated chocolate. Go figure? OH and wine...my stress reliever, my sugar habit, bye bye. At least for now.

The first 6 weeks is about cleansing your body and removing foods from your system.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" Romans 12:2

Today is a new day...it is a celan slate with no mistakes on it.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Happy 1st Birthday Easton

We celebrated Easton's first birthday on Saturday, May 16th, 2009. What a beautiful day it was, we couldn't have asked for better weather.

We have nicknamed Easton "our little monkey" and so I thought it appropriate that we have a Monkey party.

I came up with the idea that I wanted to hang bamboo from our ceiling in our dining room and then have monkey's hanging down (like they were swinging through the jungle)...I found the bamboo at Michael's Arts & Crafts in Green and Brown. I let Brett be creative in how he hung it and he couldn't have done a better job! It looked just like I pictured! (See Photos)

The morning started off with me running all over to pick up the cake, pick up the balloons, etc. Mitchell had a baseball game that morning so Brett was with him, thank goodness for my mom who came down from Oak Harbor and watched the birthday boy for me.

Everything was all set by 1:30 just in the nick of time for people to start arriving to see Easton. In the invite I said Light appetizers...well they were definately not Light and everyone had eaten before they got there (Note to self....just put appetizers and skip the light part in the future).

We had a great turn out of friends and family. Brett's family included his dad Vic and his wife Linda, his mom Ginger and his dad Ted, his great niece Autumn and great nephew Ryan. For me my mom Connie, my step mom Diane, my little sister Meghan and her mom Melissa and step dad David, my cousin Jenn and her daughter Payton.

Easton was pretty miserable in the morning has he was in the process of cutting three molars. We all proceeded to sing Happy Birthday to him and when it came time for cake he wasn't really wanting it. But he decided to take a taste of the yummy Gluten Free cake I made and my mom iced it for me (since I had no clue how to do this). He liked it for the most part, but wasn't diving into it like most kids who get their first taste of sugar. However, he did decide to run his icing covered hand through his hair and gave himself a mohawk.

After cake we all decided to head for the front yard which was all in shade now and much cooler than our deck area. Brett and I bought him a Radio Flyer ATW (All Terrain Wagon) for his present along with a sun umbrella and an ice cooler for the back of it. The wagon was OVERFLOWING with presents from everyone. He got some great presents. One precious moment is when he got some books from Grandma Diane with Elmo on the front, Easton decided to give him a great big kiss...it was precious. Thank you everyone! I'm hoping to get thank you cards out here soon.

I'll be posting some photos soon, I realized this morning that they are on my laptop.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

My Father Doug Saum Passes Away....


Beloved Father
Dear Dad, I just wanted you to know that I love you and will miss you dearly. I think back to all of our camping trips and how you showed me the love of nature, how to fish, catch squirrels, round up frogs, walking across the river without falling in, driving around at dusk looking for deer, how to shoot a gun, drinking hot chocolate in the early morning while you made me dollar size pancakes, how to build a fire, and playing cards into the night. I will miss sharing those times with you, but I'll never forget them. All my love - Heather

So it has taken me 2 months to be able to post this and even still I'm having a hard time typing this....

Doug Saum, 66, died March 20, 2009, at his home surrounded by his family. He was born March 5th, 1943 in Omak, WA.

When Doug was in the sixth grade his family moved to Whidbey Island where Doug finished school, graduating from Oak Harbor High School in 1961.

Doug went to work for the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Fire Department in 1965, spending a total of 30 years fighting fires in the "Structural" and "Crash" divisions of the department. Doug also became a member of the Oak Harbor Volunteer Fire Department in 1966 and spent more than 12 years serving his community on his days off from the Navy Fire Department.

Doug is survived by his wife, Connie at the family home in Oak Harbor, along with son Pat with wife Renee Saum of Ephrata, WA., son Brian Saum of Anchorage, Alaska, and daughter Heather with husband Brett Webb of Everett, WA. He is also survived by his father Perry "Dick" Cays of Oak Harbor, brother Terry, with wife Monica Cays of Bothell, sister Linda with husband Don Iverson of Montesano, WA., and three grandchildren, Darren Saum, Mitchell Webb and Easton Webb.

Doug's wishes were to have a gathering of family and friends at his favorite place to camp. The family is planning a gathering in his name for later this year where his life will be celebrated. The family suggests donations to the American Cancer Society for Lung Cancer Research. Arrangements were entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel, where family and friends may visit http://www.burleyfurneralchapel.com/ to sign a guest register and leave messages for the family.

**6/14/09**

Service to be held at Lake Creek, Winthrop, WA. up the Chewach River Rd. at 12:00 pm.

Brett and I will be over there from Wednesday, June 10th through Monday, June 15th. If you'd like to come celebrate his life with us, pack up your camping stuff and head on over. You can contact me via email at Heather_Webb@comcast.net for more information/directions.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Easton Update...











Hi Everyone
I justt wanted to update you on Easton. He had surgery yesterday morning at 8:30 and was done by 10 am. Things couldnt have gone better. Since the burn on his hand was so deep they decided not to take the graph from his cute baby bottom....(THANK GOODNESS), they needed all the layers of skin and so they cut a piece of skin from the crease where his thigh and privates meet, they stiched it up and so we will have no wound care so to speak. They said had they not done the graph it would never have healed on it's own.He is in a cast from the tips of his fingers to almost his shoulder, and will wear this for a week, after the week we go back to the hospital and they will take the cast off and see if the graph took. If so they will put a case back on him and let it continue to heal for another week. Then we will go back and they wil take it off and see how it's doing. The arm was healing nicely so they did not do the graph in this area.
Thank you everyone for your prayers, they worked...he still has his cute dimpled baby butt. (patient #412)

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Easton....







Well today's the day we find out if Easton will have to endure surgery on his arm and hand. We are both nervous and scared out of our minds. It's almost noon here and I'm sitting at work trying to stay calm and hold it together, I needed to be at work today to keep my mind on something other than Easton's "hand fate". Brett is not so lucky in that he is with him all day.

Last night during "wound care" it appeared that it was healing a bit in places, so we are not sure what the Surgeon will say, we are told that they might want to wait a little longer and see what happens, I don't think Brett and I can keep up this waiting game, it's killing us not knowing Easton's fate.

Brett had a really hard day yesterday seeing Easton in pain. Last night was the worse. Easton was up from 11 pm till 6 am this morning. Needless to say we didn't get any sleep nor did he as he was in pain. Not sure if the medicine is working still or not.

We just pray that our little boys hand and arm will look normal and have full use of his fingers, knuckles and such. We keep seeing photos of his hands before the accident and it breaks our hearts as his hand was just perfect, so small and innocent, soft and "plump" little fingers ready to explore the world.

Brett and I are just mixed with emotions right now, Brett is angry now and me I'm just numb. WE know accidents happen, but it's so hard when it's your baby (child). You feel so helpless and you wish you could just change places so they don't have to be in pain.

The only blessing we have is that Easton is such a happy baby, he's our brave little boy.

Please pray today for us and his future. Pray that we have the strength to get through this. Pray for our friends who are devasted by this incident in their home. Pray that if Easton has surgery that he recovers 100%.

Heather & Brett and Mitchell Webb



P.S. These photos were taken on Monday. The dazed one is Easton on Drugs...LOL....

Friday, January 30, 2009

Baby Easton Hospitalized







Beautiful Eyes...Our Brave Little Man!!!

Well let's add some more anxiety to my (our) life. On Wednesday 1/28 we got a call from our friends Roni & Ronnie who watch Easton on Wednesday's. Easton was burnt. I was at work in Seattle, when the call came in from Brett who was up in Everett at Comcast Arena. We talked and agreed he'd pick up Easton from them and I'd meet him at Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland.

I beat Brett to the hospital by about 15 minutes, I was a wreck since I didn't know the extent of his burn(s). I told the front desk in the ER that our 8 month old was en route with 3rd degree burns (our sitters husband is a Children's Hospital ER nurse and told us it was blistering).

When Brett pulled up I was curbside waiting, I had the door flung open before Brett could get out of the car, the wet towel that was protecting his wound fell down and I saw a partial glimpse of his burn, I freaked. I had to have Brett take him out of the car seat. I grabbed Easton from Brett and ran into the ER. They waved me back to the Triage room, when the whole towel fell off his arm and I saw all off his burns, I went into hysterics and was starting to hyperventilate. They got me called down by reminding me he was gonna feed off of my emotions.

They took his vitals and by then Brett was running in through the ER doors to where I was sitting. They then took us back to wait for the Dr. While we were waiting I had Brett run out to the car to get the diaper bag (since the clothes Easton was wearing were soaking wet from the towel that was protecting his wounds). While Brett was at the car the Dr. came in and took one look at Easton's burns and said we needed to go to Harbor View. He left the room. In the meantime Brett had come back into the room to me crying hysterically again telling him that they wanted us to go to Harbor View... just then the nurse came in and said a ambulance was on the way for him. They drugged Easton up pretty good for the ride and to stop the pain.

Ok...can I say that I was freaking at the point as was Brett. Easton was passed out by the time the ambulance arrived 40 minutes later. Brett followed us to the hospital in our car.

We arrived at Harbor View in about 30 minutes (got to love traffic from the Eastside right at rush hour). We pulled up to the ER....ok for anyone like myself who does not know the reputation for Harbor View, this is the place where the die hard druggies go, the gun shot wounds, etc. go. I walked in through the doors to a lobby full of police officers, ambulance drivers, Doctors, nurses, it was absolutely crazy. I was freaking out once again.

They led me and Easton back tot he Triage room, where I was met by about 7 people all questioning me to what happened, then more people were coming in asking what happened, I felt like a broken record at this point and Brett still had not arrived.

(ok I love Grey's Anatomy and I totally felt like I was on this TV show, you know when they are waiting outside the doors for an ambulance to come, and it's crazy with people everywhere, etc)

I was then told that this was a "teaching" hospital I made the comment "Oh like Grey's Anatomy" and the cute Pediatrician says "sort of, we are cuter and there's less sex", thank god for humor at this point.

By then Brett had shown up with the "social worker", he was freaking about that. LOL...protocol.
Needless to say the CUTE plastic surgeons (yes they are as cute as Dr. McSteamy)...LOL took a look at Easton and told me what "could" happen, our friend Ronnie also kind of let us know what we might be in for. They told us they wanted to keep us overnight. By this point it was now 8 pm and Easton's arm was still exposed to the element. Nothing was happening so I sent Brett home to take care of the dogs, get Mitchell settled with our friends, pack up stuff for Easton and I and then head back.

By 8:15 we were on our way up the Burn Clinic. We got up to the 8th floor, and were put in a room only to wait again. A nurse came in and FINALLY took care of Easton's burns, they put cream, gauze, and 2 hospital socks taped around so he couldn't put his hand in his mouth.

By 9:15 I was finally able to get into a room and nurse Easton and put him to sleep (they gave him more meds). Brett arrived and kept me company and cried with me till about 11 pm and then he had to get home to the dogs.

We both tried to sleep that night but neither of us had much luck with that.

1/29 - The next morning they came and got Easton and I to give him a bath and do "wound care", this is where you get to see the wound and they show you how to take care of it. She had me "try" to remove the bandages, but I just couldn't do it....when the nurse got it off I was able to give him a bath and see the damage. Once again I freaked as it was worse than the day before and you could see where the 3rd degree burns were (the white part). She showed me how to re bandage him and that too I had trouble with. So she again helped me with that.

They wanted to know if I thought I could take care of it, I was freaking out as Brett still hadn't gotten there. When he did arrive we were told we were going to be discharged around 1 pm. I was like I can't do the wound care, and they overheard me telling Brett this and so they pulled him aside and told him that we could stay as long as we needed to and until we were comfortable with handling his care.

Easton also had slept for 14 hours straight and only had 1 wet diaper in over 24 hrs, so the were concerned that he was getting dehydrated. So we stayed another night. I told Brett he had to be here in the morning (Friday) so he could help me with Easton as I couldn't do the wound care by myself again.

1/30 - Friday morning, time for wound care - 11:30 am...I took the sock off Easton's had and you could see all the discoloration of the wound through the bandages, I carefully pulled the next layer off, to be met with more gauze "mess", and I starting to freak yet again, and Brett was welling up, we removed the next layer, and the next and by then we were both crying. It looked worse than the day before - more white (not pink which is what you want)....

Brett gave Easton a bath while I cried some more and prepped the new gauze to be applied. Brett held Easton while I put the gauze on and the nurse helped show us what to do, I was having a hard time, and so was Brett it just looked so painful for Easton. About 30 minutes later (oh and yes they drugged him to the hilt before all of this), we were back in our room, and I was nursing him until he fell asleep.

They wanted to discharge us today, but Brett and I were so freaked out at the thought of having to do the wound care by ourselves that we told them we wanted one more day and one more day of practice.

We go back to the Dr. on Wednesday next week to determine if Easton will have to have a skin graph. It appears that he will, but we are not Dr.'s or experts. They say children are resilient and that he could heal without it, but they want to wait a week and see how it heals and if they will need to help it along.

We will keep everyone posted hopefully on here or via phone calls. Please pray for him and for our strength to get through this.

Heather & Brett

P.S. We are very greatful that Easton was with "The Roni's" when this happened as he was in great hands, just an unfortnuate accident - he crawled or rolled over to their gas fireplace and his arm got burnt on the glass & vent. Then "Mr." Ronnie went into nurse mode - thank GOD!!!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

DECEMBER 10th, 2008 - Christmas....

Hey Everyone, well you are probably wondering if I fell off the face of the earth? Well I sure do feel like I have. It's been a rough month let me tell you....



December 10th, 2008
Brett and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. We went to dinner at our favorite restaurant "Scott's" (no pun intended) in Mountlake Terrace. It was sooo good! Brett gave me an early Christmas present...front row seats for two to watch the Seahawks against The Jets ( my BOY BRETT FAVRE!!!!)....and I got my own Green Bay Packers Jersey!!!

Sunday, December 21st, 2008
The day of the game the 21st of December, it was snowing like a B***H here! I took "Brett's Jamie" with me, we drove in with Brett (he worked the game) and had breakfast and then the stadium opened up at 11 am. We got to our seats just as my Boy Brett was warming up...then all hell broke lose...I got the dreaded phone call.....

My office was raining!!! Mitchell had gone into the office (which we normally keep locked from him when we are not at home) and saw the water pouring out of the ceiling... We had three pipes burst in our brand new office (my side only) and the garage....thank god I have the best nieghbors and friends ever...and they came to our rescue...thanks Andy, Shahram, Dave, and Brett's childhood friend Ryan (burst pipe fixer!!!)....

Since Brett was working we couldn't get home...I tried really hard to enjoy the game but my mind was elsewhere thinking of my poor scrapbook room, photos, albums, etc. I had just got my office complete and had posted it on "Rate My Space" http://www.roomzaar.com/rate-my-space/Girls-Rooms/My-Scrapbook-Haven/detail.esi?oid=1439130

After we got home - around 8 pm that night....we had to face the music. I didn't want to go in there as I was afraid of what I'd find. Luckily my photos/albums were not touched - thank god my laptop was upstairs (see the photos of the office - where the laptop sits is where the water was pouring in) - I would have lost my computer....

I tended to the office with the carpet cleaner sucking up water, it was no use it kept coming and coming - 10 buckets later and it was still a few inches of water in the carpet. Brett tended to the garage (I did not go in there) until the next morning.

We were up till midnight doing damage control.

Monday, December 22nd, 2008
The next morning Brett went and rented a UHAUL moving van. It was my first time in the garage and it was worse than I expected. All the sheet rock was saturated and all of our shelving completely full had ripped out of the walls and everything came crashing down to the middle of the garage, everything was soaking wet....

My mom had just brought hers and my real dad's china to me and it was on the floor in the garage and a few pieces got broken (40 years old) I was devastated...I lost it I started to cry hysterically....the more I dug in, the more damage I found. My first task - get everything out of that garage, the top shelf had not crashed yet and we had about 20 gallons of paint on that shelf and if it came crashing we'd have lost everything.

Bless our neighbors Ronnie and David who were gracious enough to come help us load everything into the moving van - did I say that we have the BEST neighbors!!!!

That night Service Master sent a crew out for damage....they set up I think 9 blowers and 2 dehumidifiers, to dry everything out. Those were set up 24/7 for 1 week (so excited to see my power bill)

So now we are two days out from Christmas....we have 12" of snow on the ground.

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008
Brett had a Dr. Apt scheduled for his hernia and to go over his results from his Colonoscopy that he had on the 18th...the hernia had gotten worse due to him moving everything into the moving van...she wanted to do surgery right away....

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008 - CHRISTMAS EVE
6:00 am we are on our way to Northwest Hospital for Brett's surgery...Yep...we spent our Christmas Eve in the hospital, Brett made it with flying colors. He was released around 1 pm and I was freaking out all morning that I was going to have to drive in the snow (which I DO NOT DO) and thank goodness it was raining and the roads were clear!


Thursday, December 25th, 2008 - CHRISTMAS
Easton's first Christmas, I wish I could say it was the best holiday ever but it wasn't. I was extremely depressed over the water damage, my house looked like a missile had gone off in it, I had spent 3 weeks cleaning and preparing for family to arrive (which they didn't due to the snow) only to have to deal with the pipes, Brett's surgery and spending the holidays without my extended family and I hate clutter to no end to the point I get anxiety about it.

We tried to make the best of it, but we got another 8" of snow that night and so we were in lock down all day. I made breakfast for the boys and we watched movies and hung out. I still could not shake this depression I was having or the anxiety.