Waluigi!

Here is a walk down memory lane with my little Mario lover!

 2009 Mario...

 2010 Luigi...

 2011 Ash from Pokeman...

And 2012 Waluigi!

Big Bird!

I love Halloween!

Here are a few pictures from Halloween's past....

 2009 Hannah Montana...

 2010 Lily (from Hannah Montana)...

2011 Oscar the Grouch...

And here we are in 2012.....

 Big Bird!

It is really hard for me to choose a favorite. 

Kaci makes them all look so cute!

Happy "almost" Halloween!

Vice President

I'm so proud of Kaci. Last week she decided to run for school Vice President! She made these AWESOME posters (and more)to hang around the school before elections. She wrote a speech and recorded it for the announcements at school. Unfortunately, she didn't win. But I am so proud of her for trying. It takes a lot of courage and I am finding that she is becoming braver and braver everyday! 

Way to Go, Kaci-

Love, 

Your Biggest Fan!

In her words....

Here is a letter Kaci wrote- in her own words to help explain her Diabetes.

Hi! My name is Kaci Borchgardt. I am 10 years old and I am in the 5th grade. 

I was diagnosed with Diabetes when I was just 7 years old on July 28, 2009.

It was the year before I started 2nd grade. I was drinking a lot of water and going to the bathroom a lot. I also lost a lot of weight and I was tired all the time. I had to go to the hospital and that is when I found out I had Diabetes. My Uncle also has Diabetes. He has had it for over 28 years. 

Now I have to check my blood sugar with a finger prick before I eat. Each year I have to prick my finger with a needle about 2, 190 times. I also have to take shots with insulin in them each time I eat and before I go to bed. Each year I have to take about 1, 825 shots! Can you imagine that?! Yeah, it hurts. Sometimes I wish it would just "poof" disappear. Some of the reasons I don't want Diabetes are - because the shots hurt and I can't have sweets as much as I used to- unless my blood sugar is low.

If I don't check my blood sugar or take my shots the side affects are blindness, heart disease, liver and kidney failure and even amputation. I volunteer to help raise money every year. I hope that you will too. All the money you, and others raise, will go to the doctors and scientists so they can buy supplies to find a cure!

Thank you for considering making a donation and thank you for keeping me in your prayers!

Kaci

http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?px=1399264&fr_id=1779&pg=personal

Kaci's Krushers!

They are here! They have finally arrived! Look how great our team shirts turned out. I can't wait to wear them all month long!

AWESOME!

It's the little things!

I just love waking up in the morning and seeing these beautiful shells that the kids painted when we were at the beach over Labor Day. It really is the little things....

 I heart picture day....

 because I heart Bailey....

 and I heart Kaci!

Hard to believe they are in 3rd and 5th grade this year. Time flies when you are having fun!

So proud of the Scrappers!

The boys take home another win! Way to go, Scrappers!

I take the BLAME!

Here we go AGAIN! This roller coaster-

Every year when school starts back up – we seem to get back on this same damn roller coaster.

I HATE ROLLER COASTERS!

The change in sleep patterns, eating patterns and overall daily routine really seem to throw Kaci’s blood sugar readings for a loop~pun intended!

Over the last few weeks we have noticed that Kaci’s blood sugars have been “Out of Whack!”

Out of whack on the HIGH side- UGH!Not that “Out of Whack”on the low side would make me any happier....that would be UGH too!

But she has had several readings over 300- those are the readings that make me cringe. When the meter *beeps* and the number on the screen is above 300- it is as if I can hear her body screaming inside!

I hear her eyes scream,” We don’t want nephropathy!”

I hear her kidneys saying, “We don’t want to fail you now. Please don’t replace us!”

Her fingers and toes yell, “Please we don’t want to be amputated! Let us stay!! We like to help you draw and dance!”

And of course her heart is pounding at the thought that it might be ruined by heart disease later in life.

Of course, in my mind, I know that these are just a few readings. That in between the HIGHS there are the good readings of 114, 102 and 136. I know that we have not let her Diabetes get “out of control” I know that we are pricking her finger before every meal. I know that we are adding, subtracting and dividing at EVERY meal. I know that we are taking a shot at EVERY MEAL!  That I am calling the nurse each day to check on Kaci. I know that I emailed all her numbers to the doctor’s office on Monday to get this under *better* control. We have increased her Lantus (night shot) to help make her base level insulin work better with her fast acting insulin. I know that I set my alarm for 2 and 4 to make sure that she is not going low because of this. 

I really miss REM sleep!

I also know that diet and insulin are not the only things that factor in to diabetes control.

I know you also have to think about HOW much you eat, what TIME you eat.

You have to think about how much EXERCISE you are getting....or not getting.

You have to think about your STRESS levels. When you are stressed hormones are released into the bloodstream in order to raise blood sugar levels to give more energy.

You also have to think about being SICK. When you are coming down with a cold or illness, the body produces hormones to help fight the illness.

These hormones can alter insulin production in the body making your blood sugar much higher or lower than usual.

You also have to think about PUBERTY! When kiddos are going through puberty the hormones that are working overtime in their bodies is also working overtime to resist the insulin they are taking.

Well....when I think about all of those things- Kaci’s HIGH reading should make so much more sense.

Her eating and sleeping schedules are COMPLETELY different from summer.

She is my little PERFECTIONIST and 5th grade is bringing on the pressure!

She has been working with a small cough, runny nose and itchy throat for about a week now. –

and well...let’s just say puberty is KNOCKING (very loudly) on the front door!!! 

BAM! BAM! BAM!

All of these things accounted for- I still take the BLAME....

BLAME...

BLAME!!

BLAME FOR WHAT, you ask?

Well – for the fact that her pancreas quit working in the first place...you know I only breastfeed for 6 weeks. I am SURE if I would have breast feed longer her pancreas would be just FINE- NOT!?

Since I am the one that adds her meal carbs together and gives her most of her injections- I must be doing it wrong....NOT!

I should have noticed her sniffles and given her her allergy medicine 3 days ago instead of 2.....NOT!

I should be a BETTER pancreas.....but I am human and I am doing the best I can. 

They AMAZE me!

 They always amaze me...ALWAYS!

Here is how we have spent much of the last 3 weeks at our house. Counting, Tearing, stuffing and rubber banding JDRF Kids School Walk folders. I am so proud of my kiddos! I am also very happy to announce that Kaci and Bailey's school will be participating in the JDRF School Kids Walk this year. I can't wait to present for all the grade levels and raise not only money, but awareness! 

Let's Go Scrappers!

Go Scrappers! After a week and a half of practices- Bailey had his first baseball game this morning at 9. The weather could not have been more beautiful! It was breezy and cool! 

Bailey is looking good as #34!

So proud of the team. They pulled out a 8-7 WIN!

Of course, his number one fan (besides Dad and Mom)

 was there...Pa Pa!

Good job boys~! A well deserved win.