October: in Pictures

With fall in full speed, October has been it's usual, busy, self. The weather is getting colder and I havent had to run the air conditioner for the last week and a half! Saving some of that $$$$ before we have to turn on the heat for winter. Everyone's fall festivals are in full swing and people want to be outside enjoying the weather change. Here's some of our October  highlights:

              

I flew out to surprise visit my mom for her birthday, October 2nd. My step-dad helped organize it and picked me up from the airport so she didnt know I was there. Happy '39th', momma :)

My husband and I paid off both of our car loans! We are officially debt free! 

Spent a weekend at my in-laws house, and the boys played with a tennis ball in the road with Bailey, the dog.

The egg toss at Pleasant Grove's Sunday Funday on October 11th. Noah and Kourtney won! 

Micah lead the band in some worship songs

My husband and his dad tried their hands at being lumberjacks :)

 We visited the St. Louis art museum for the first time, to fulfill a project for one of Micah's classes October 17th

We carved pumpkins! Also on October 17th. And I made Chili to go along with pumpkin carving. 

Mine and Micah's finished products

All of the pumpkins: Mine, Micah, Noah, and Kourntey

I made my first pumpkin pie! Apparently it was good. 

Someone destroyed my pumpkin by the following morning, and stole the tealights out of all 4 pumpkins, October 18th. 

One of my pictures got chosen as a label for Jones Soda! 

We went to a Halloween party as Cosmo and Wanda- October 24

And dressed Atti up like a lobster :) 

Throughout the back half of October, I have been fighting some sort of unknown allergy that has made me break out in hives and swell. Mainly in my hands, but has also spread to my feet, face, ears, and sides. I had been seen by doctors twice since it started appearing around October 12th

October 28th I ended up at the hospital on my way to anaphylactic shock. I was dizzy, my throat was swelling, my whole body was swollen for that matter, and the right side of my body ached like it had been run over by a car. I am now the owner of 2 epiPens, and I see an allergist November 4th to begin trying to figure out what is doing this to me. Without the steroids and antihistamines that the hospital gave me, I go right back to swelling up, so whatever I'm allergic to is not leaving my system. 

Throughout all of this, I have still been cleared to run the half marathon I have been working so hard to train for, as long as I carry an epi pen with me. The race is tomorrow, my clothes are layed out, and I'm ready to go. 

I'm more worried about this Monday and Tuesday than I am about the race. The doctor has told me I have to be off of all medications 3 days prior to seeing the Allergist, so the tests can be accurate. Last time I quit taking (ran out) the temporary- fix steroid they gave me, I ended up having an anaphylactic reaction. I'm terrified to go off of them again. The last few mornings I have woken up and my hands had already started to itch and swell up again in my sleep, because it was time to take medicine again. Here's to hoping we can find some answers soon! Also here's hoping I do alright in the race tomorrow and don't have to find out how an epiPen actually works...

Anyways, Happy Halloween 🎃🎃🎃

And I'm looking forward to November! Birthdays, (hopefully) finding out what is wrong with me, Thanksgiving, and some more fun activities are planned :) should be an exciting rest of 2015!