Diaries of a Domestic Goddess

Not the 4th We Planned

But it was still great! We went to a very good friend of ours house and let all the kids run around and play. I, however, spent my time sleeping on their couch. I started to feel really dizzy and light headed. After a few hours of sleeping on their couch, I got violently sick in the bathroom. After I felt fine enough to finally join them in the backyard.

On our way home I started getting sick again and had horrible lower back pain (I thought I was having issues with kidney stones again) and a headache that made me feel like my head was going to explode. D called his parents and asked them to please meet us at our house so he could take me to the ER.

At the ER I was immediately given a room where I laid around waiting for someone to give me something, anything to take the pain away. Finally I was given morphine. Let me tell you…that feeling of floating away was awesome! No more pain and not a single care in the world. Until they came in and started pressing on my stomach. I had a very localized area of pain that when they pressed in and released, it hurt like hell. The ER doc immediately thought “appendicitis” especially since my white blood count was elevated as well as I had a fever they couldn’t break.

Around 4am they brought me barium to drink. It was vanilla flavored and NASTY. And thats probably a good thing. Vanilla milkshakes are my favorite feel good drink…not anymore. I doubt I’ll be able to drink one without gagging. My butt and thighs will surely be thankful!

Anyway, I drank the Barium and then went to have a CT Scan. Nothing showed up on the CT Scan, but the doc said that it could be just the very beginnings of an appendicitis. So I have to go back to the ER tomorrow morning to get rechecked (or sooner if the pain comes back).

We get home to find out that both kids were throwing up all night as well which leads me to think that we all probably had the flu. But I’ll get checked nonetheless.

So not the 4th we planned. Thats for sure! Later I will update with a picture of the cake I made. I hear it was pretty good. I couldn’t eat it though!

Happy 4th (a day late)!

Heart Rate Monitor Watch

4 Jul By Leah Kanaan 2 Comments

Awhile back, I was watching the Dr. Phil show (don’t judge) and I saw a heart rate monitor watch. I was drawn to it because you didn’t have to wear a chest strap. Of course, I forgot to write down the name so I couldn’t remember what it was called. Last week I was at Dick’s Sporting Goods and while I was waiting for my husband and son to finish in the fishing section, I wandered into the fitness section and picked up this watch. In the upper right hand corner were the words I was looking for “As Seen on the Dr. Phil Show!“. After a quick Google search, I read the different heart rate monitor watch reviews and knew that this was the watch I wanted.

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About the Heart Rate Monitor Watch

Now on to the important stuff…the specs for the Mio Motiva Watch:

Accurate heart rate WITHOUT a chest strap
Full featured sports watch with exercise timer, alarm, date, and backlight display.
You have the ability to track the amount of calories you’ve consumed throughout the day

Looks like a pretty good wireless heart rate monitor to me! For me, I want a heart rate monitor so I know if I am working out efficiently. I don’t have a lot of time to spare so spending it working out inefficiently is stupid!

Image courtesy of Naypong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I used the watch today. After entering my weight, age, and sex, all I needed to do to see how many calories I burned while working out was to push start and take my initial heart rate. This started the exercise timer. Periodically during my workout, I took my heart rate. When I was finished with my workout, I pushed stop and it told me how many calories I burned!

I don’t know if I will use it to track my calories consumed during the day. I use My Fitness Pal for that. However, workout wise, I like being able to see how many calories I burned and it is much more accurate than the sensors on the machines. Making the decision to buy heart rate monitor was a good one!

Oatmeal Cookies to Die For!

2 Jul By Leah Kanaan 6 Comments

I found this recipe when my daughter first started having issues with dairy. I never imagined that it would be such a hit! And talk about a nice ego boost when you are specifically asked to bring this item to EVERY get together and they are the first thing to go!

1 cup margarine or butter, softened**
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups oats, uncooked

1. Preheat oven 350.
2. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until creamy
3. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well
4. Add combined flour, baking soda, cocoa, and salt; mix well
5. Stir in oats. Drop onto ungreased baking sheet
6. Bake 8-10 mins (I do 9 mins)

**I use crisco instead of butter or margarine.

Enjoy!

Contact Me!

30 Jun By Leah Kanaan

Do you have any questions or comments or a product you want reviewed? Well if so, you can contact me via email and I will get back to you as soon as possible (usually the same day).

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What I’m Reading Now

30 Jun By Leah Kanaan Leave a Comment

This summer I signed up for a summer reading contest at my local public library. You have to read a book set in each decade (30s up through 2000s), read a book published in each decade, watch a movie released in each decade, watch a movie set in each decade, and listen to a CD with music originally published during each decade. There are weekly drawings, as well as a grand prize drawing.

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So currently I am reading, The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck.

“The story revolves around New Englander Ethan Allen Hawley, who works as a clerk in a grocery store he used to own. His wife and kids resent their lowly social and economic position, and don’t put any value in the high levels of honesty and integrity that Ethan struggles to maintain in a corrupt society. Under this constant pressure, Hawley will eventually manage to get back the store by renouncing his morals, but the new-found wealth will not bring happiness.”

I have only read the first chapter, but I am hooked! I normally don’t go for books by John Steinbeck. I was forced the read The Red Pony in high school and it was torture (no offense to those of you who love that book).

Anyway, if you want to read something different this summer instead of the newest book coming out, I highly recommend you check this book out of your library. It seems like it is a pretty quick read. While you’re at the library, be sure to ask about the different reading programs they have for kids! Get your children reading too! I know our library has a lot of different programs for kids and the kids have a blast!