Sommers Staycation

Today is the happiest sad day of the year!  Summer is over :( School has started :)  My house is so quiet!  I feel frantic, you know to get as much done as I can with this uninterrupted time.  Then I remember this is my life for the next 9 months.  Summer should never be over till after labor day in my opinion, but it is and I am happy and sad for all of us.  Today was extra exciting because Tevan started middle school!  Holy cow I am getting old!

We ended the summer with a bang!  Due to travel restrictions we had a staycation this summer.  We did have big plans of traveling from here to Utah then to Idaho and Washington to visit our newest twin nieces, then down to Oregon and California with white water rafting trips and lots of yummy food… but there are too many long stretches of nothingness, and I was told that I needed to stay within 30 minutes of a hospital.  I don’t think my doc knows I live 45 minutes away from one :)

 Vacation was heavenly!  We left on Tuesday and made it up to Disneyland just after dinner.  Perfect timing to get a few rides in and see a few shows!  Last time we went the Matterhorn was closed.  So we decided to head to that first.  

I must say, it was just as jerky as before... It was such a fun night with dumbo and Fastamic.  Disneyland is magical at night! 

Radiator Springs is AMAZING!

Highlight of the trip was beating John on the Buzz Lightyear ride!

We ended our trip visiting the Newport Temple.  I can't believe we had never been there.  It was so beautiful!  I think for our anniversary we will plan on staying awhile and visiting inside!

How and When to Use doTERRA Peppermint Essential Oil

Be Prepared

My life and triathlons go together.  It seems every time I go for a ride or hit the water a life lesson is learned while I am working out.   The greatest lessons I have gained as I have triathloned is to Be Prepared!

My first triathlon was filled with a series of unfortunate events that taught me to be better prepared for future events.  It started with the morning of the race, hanging out in the transition area, talking, taking pictures, then finally right before it was time to leave checking my gear… should have done that first.  There was a huge gash in my back tire.  Caused by the blazing dessert sun the day before and the expanding and contracting that occurred.  Always let some air out of tires sitting in the hot sun… that led to renting a bike 3 minutes before transition was closed.  My race was almost over before it began.  Thankfully they had a bike.  Half way through the ride I got a flat…  yep you guessed it, my kit was back on my other bike, and to be honest, there was no CO2 n it so it wouldn’t have done me any good.  Once again, I was saved by a sweet man who was riding the course.  He changed it for me because I didn’t know how.  Without him my race would have ended there!  Finally, I left for the run without my inhaler.  Half way through I had an asthma attack and thought, “great now I will never be an Iron Girl and I will never see my kids again!”  I slowed my pace and crossed the finish line and it didn’t quite feel like I was expecting.  Next time I would be a little more prepared.

 Do you ever go through life, like I went through my first triathlon?  George Elliot once said, “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”

 Each of us is born with great potential we just have to prepare for it, accept it and enjoy the ride.  Life doesn’t have to be hard, difficult yes, but hard no.  If I had learned a simple task of changing tires and the importance of keeping extras with me before my race all that anxiety and worry would have disappeared.  It would have been wise for me to pick the brain of a seasoned triathlete.  They had been where I was going and knew exactly what I needed.  Whatever it is that we are trying to become, triathlete, mother, entrepreneur or fill in the blank, preparation will make the road easier.  So ask an expert and listen to what they have to say.  They just might give you the courage and hope you need!  

Phases of Recovery

 Never having experienced a stroke before, my recovery has been interestingly different then I would have thought.  Not that I had given much thought to having recovering from a stroke before March 15^th, 2012.  But I had given some.  I have a great grandmother who was paralyzed from a stroke in her 30’s and dead from one in her 40’s so I had thought of her struggles before I encountered mine.  Here’s how it’s gone for me:

 Day 1:  I am ordered to stay in bed because of the medication called TPA, I refuse to pee in a pan so when the nurses leave I unhook, jump out of bed, feel very dizzy and try and act like I can walk a straight line.   I begin to think that maybe this was why I was suppose to stay in bed… will take dizzy over peeing in a pan.

Day 2:  I take my first walk around the wing, get back and cry.  

 Day 4:  I am home now.  I have to touch to the wall to walk without running into it.  This feels off and I am still dizzy but I think I might go to church.  (In all my life, I have only missed church a few handful of times and it’s only when I am sick… I try to decide if I am really sick enough) Johnny decides for me and makes me stay home. I realize later that day that that was probably the right choice.  We have over 25 people stop by... I feel so LOVED!

 Day 5: My first day alone again.  I do a load of laundry and then sleep for the rest of the day because I am so exhausted.  I keep thinking, “What the heck!!! I don’t have time for this!”

 Night 5:  I know I have to go to the Gym tomorrow.  I have nightmares all night about making it up the stairs to the only thing I think I might be able to do… the bike.  I dream of falling, I dream of making it up and not having the energy to make it down, I dream of collapsing and making a scene!  Worst one of all!!!

 Day 6:  My first trip to the gym.  I am welcomed by Gaynell.  Everyone is so sweet.  I cry because I am embarrassed and because I am scared that my nightmares will come true and because everyone is hugging me.  I wish I had my body back.  A dear friend grabs my arm and we walk up the stairs together.  I make it, bike for 5 and make it down!  Miracle!

 Day 10:  My body still hurts start using Immortelle essential oil and makes a HUGE difference!

 Day 30:  I am making it through the days better.  I only need one – two naps!  Dizziness has faded but still lingers when I am fatigued.  Most of my physical body had reconnected.  I am an emotional wreck!  EVERYTHING makes me cry. 

 Day 56:  I go back to visit Dr. Neil.  I thank him for saving my body and cry like a baby… I ask him if this is normal and he sweetly tells me yes!  I am not crazy!

 Day 59:  I am so thankful that I am here to celebrate my sons 12^th birthday!  He has been so strong through this trial.  I hug him tighter today.

 Day 62:  Sarah turns 8!  I take treats into her class and treasure every moment.

 Day 68:  The In-laws are coming!  I haven’t deep cleaned my house in ages.  I work all day and night and collapse on my bed afraid my tired body will have another stroke.  I am still an emotional wreck and worry that I will cry the whole time they are here.  Desperate times call for desperate measures!  Johnny learns the Aroma Touch massage technique.  I wake up WAY better!

 Day 69:  I catch my first trout!

 Day 70:  One of the greatest days of my life.  Sarah chooses to be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and Tevan receives the Priesthood!  I am one happy mom and I survive the day!

 Day 74:  Johnny turns 36 and we got to Disneyland.  The crowds make me dizzy but I live to tell about it!  It’s the first time all my kids can ride everything and I have to stay off… boo hoo! We do all manage to fit onto splash mountain together and get a perfect picture!  Only cry once that day!

 Day 76:  I turn 34!  I am exhausted.  In-laws are both struggling with ailments and I am barely hanging on. 

Day 83:  I reacquaint myself with my bike.  John goes with me on my first ride and it goes well.  I am slower but love it!

 Day 87: Visit the American Girl doll store with the girls in Los Angeles.  They are in heaven and so am I!

 Day 88:  Last day of school is tomorrow and I still can’t think of anything special for the teachers I love… Crying is now under control but now having anxiety attacks… so weird!

 Day 89:  Last day of school!  So relieved I can have my kids all to myself!  Can’t wait for all our fun pool days!

 Day 99:  Survive Cub Scout day camp and send Tevan off on his first ever week long campout.  How will we make it through the week! More anxiety…

 Day 102:  Visit our storage unit and the white walls make me dizzy.  Realize once again that my brain is still healing in phases.  Anxiety should disappear soon.  Just like all the other issues that have slowly resolved.  Thank Heavenly Father for one more day!

Saturday Steals!

I admit it!  I LOVE garage sales!  For many years I fought internally between the pull of finding treasures in other peoples junk and embarrassment that I was sifting through other peoples junk to find a treasure.  Well, it’s out now.  My name is Mandy Sommers and I love garage sales!

 Today I found the best deal! First of all you need to know that I have never owned a set of fine china… that is until today.  I have occasionally seen a set here or there that was missing pieces but they have never been anything would have chosen out and loved.   Well, today I am happy to say that I got my first complete set of Fine China from Noritake and I love it!  This set came with 12 dinner plates, 12 bread plates, 12 cereal bowls, 12 dessert bowls, 12 saucers, 8 tea cups, a vegetable bowl with lid, a serving platter, a gravy dish, and a serving bowl.  I looked online to see if I could get a general price range of what it was worth if I were to sell it off and found that this set would bring about $645 on ebay today!  I got it for $20!  I just love deals like this!

 Last week we also found a few great deals.  I got a brand new still in the box Pampered Chef Shake, Mix and Pour (already used it and loved it!) for $1.00.  My husband ran into a few bobble heads and finagled a deal with the lady buying both for $15.  We got home and checked them out on ebay and found that one was selling for $45 and one for $59!  We will be listing those very shortly.  He has also needed a travel briefcase and we happened upon two brand new Swiss Gear ones! 

Here are a few garage sale tips:

1.  Leave early!  Most great finds are gone by 8am!

2. Know your brands.  Wal-Mart brands are not as durable as other high end brands.

3.   Look inside the box.  What's on the outside might not be what is on the inside. 

4.  Bring small bills and change.   You don't want to ask them to drop the price from $5 down to $3 and then pull out a $20.  That never goes over well. 

Happy Shopping!