Karen's Coffee Corner..

Kevin and Michelle broke out their old espresso machine and started making their own mochas. It was so funny because right before I went over and saw this I had talked to my friend Jackie who had just gotten back from Cash 'n' Carry and loaded up on coffee flavors. I had thought I should probably start doing the same thing. So great minds think alike! I went to Cash 'n' Carry and loaded up on flavors and got big tubs of chocolate for the Gus family and for us. So Kevin has Kevin's Coffee Company and I have Karen's Coffee Corner... I have more flavors though!

Rev'd up Racing!

We had a nice long (ok way too short) weekend of racing. Saturday Rick raced his late model in Yakima. Besided breaking a transmission during practice, he had a good night. His car was a ton better than it has been so he was excited to finally be moving in the right direction. He finished 6th in the main event. It was a good finish and the car still could be a lot better so thats the encouraging part. He was pleased...just tired!

This was actually from the weekend before but it at least gives you an idea of the field of cars. I stole these pics from Kevin's blog.

This is all I have heard about since Saturday night. Everyone standing back thought it was the funniest thing to see all these bodies laying under the car checking everything out. Left to right you got, Rick, Longton, Langley, Andy and on the other side was Steve. They were REALLY interested in Rick's rearend...poor guys :-)

It was a late night at the big track and then an early morning off to the kart track. Kaitlyn's motor blew up, big time. No fixing this one. Tracy so nicely loaned us their back-up again. Kaitlyn had fast time and won the heat race and had the best main event run she has ever had. She finished 2nd but it was so exciting and she did sooooo good. Trace went off the track and kicked off his chain so Rick had to spend a few laps putting it back on. I think he finished 6th.



Trace getting his trophy from the last race at the drivers meeting...

Seriously he is clean sometimes...not very often but sometimes we do see him without dirt on his face!

Kaitlyn getting her trophy...

She REALLY likes to stick her tongue out at everyone all the time. I think she thinks she is cute or something...


Trace during the heat race...

Kaity during her heat race...

The kids have one more weekend of racing left and I think Rick is done for the season. He got to at least say he raced this season and has a whole winter to stare at a car that is 100% ready to race next year. I'm not sure that has ever happened before.

TRACE IS A-OK!!

We heard from the doctors this afternoon, all of Trace's tests came back negative for diabetes. After consulting with 2 other doctors the official diagnosis is... we have a boy who goes pee A LOT! So where do we go from here?? We have an appointment for Wednesday morning and we will chat with Matt on the pro's and con's of using medication on Trace for an over-active bladder. All 3 doctors feel every indicates that he is healthy and everything is working properly, just a little too well. Thank you everyone for all the support. It meant so much to us!!

Kaitlyn started cheer camp this afternoon. The cheerleaders at her school are offering this camp for the elementary kids and they had a great turn out. They will have 3 clinics and then get to cheer at a football game. In the winter they will have 3 more clinics and cheer at a basketball game. They get full uniforms and a t-shirt. All of this for $65!!! How on earth do you beat that. Here are a few pics of the girls playing a cheer version of simon says while all the moms were going crazy trying to figure out what size of uniform to order for their daughter... fun I tell ya, fun!!

Poor kid...

I took Trace in this morning for his tests. It was horrible. He did so good the last time they took his blood, probably because he had no idea what was coming. Well that was not so much the case this morning. As soon as they pulled out the needle he freaked out. It took 3 people to hold him down. It was the worst feeling ever watching him and knowing how scared he was. Broke my heart!! At least that part is over.

More, more and more...

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.. tomorrow morning we will be taking Mr. Trace in for more blood work and more urine samples. He has to be cut off from liquids at 7 tonight. Matt is so great, he was up until 2 am researching last night after speaking to the pediatric urologist about what tests need to be run. They are both trying to save us a trip to Spokane and if we do have to go, these are all tests that they will need anyways. So right now they are looking at the osmolarity of the cells. My UW Bio-Chem major Jillian just explained to me that this is the measure of salt content inside the cell. When I googled it this is what I found:
This test helps evaluate your body's water balance. Your doctor may order this test if you have signs of hyponatremia, water loss, or poisoning from harmful substances such as ethanol, methanol, or ethylene glycol. It may also be done if you have problems producing urine.
Osmolality increases with dehydration and decreases with overhydration.
In healthy people, when osmolality in the blood becomes high, the body releases antidiuretic hormone (ADH). This hormone causes your kidney to reabsorb water, which results in more concentrated urine. The reabsorbed water dilutes the blood, allowing the blood osmolality to fall back to normal.
Low blood osmolality suppresses ADH, reducing how much water the kidney reabsorbs. You pass dilute urine to get rid of the excess water, and blood osmolality increases.

So I guess with my checking around I already know what direction they are going in. We are back at looking for diabetes insipidus. My mom called my uncle last week and this is exactly the direction he went in and said this is a very difficult form of diabetes to diagnose. If this batch of tests does not show what they are looking for they will be admitting him into the hospital to run another batch of tests. I would guess that would be early next week. So please keep Trace in your prayers.

Monday madness....

(A few more parade pics that Rick took)

Aggghhhh another Monday, another morning of craziness. Actually the kids did pretty well getting up this morning and getting out the door. They are both still tired from a late night at the race track (and apparently not waking up until 9:30 and 10:30 wasn't enough sleep for them yesterday).

We had a nice lazy day yesterday. Rick and Trace headed up to my parents in the late afternoon to unload the race stuff. Racing didn't go well, Rick broke some stupid mount on lap one of the main event. Scott was leading and ended up getting together with another car with 10 laps left and spun out. And Steve hurt his motor...all-together, not a great night! But anyways, when they went to unload Kaity and I went grocery shopping. My least favorite task.

(Kole and Trace competing in the big wheel races at the race track...Trace made it to the time trial round but the lady decided to move him back 10 feet not realizing that would mean his time was longer than everyone elses... yep racers!)

Kaitlyn had decided to clean the bathroom (she is really working hard at showing us how bad she wants her own bathroom when we move, haha). She wanted some handtowels to hang up to make it look nicer. So we got those and I just had to walk by the fabric section (gotta love Wal-Mart, ummm NO!). My dear friend Tiffani has a new love of aprons. She has been blogging all about fabulous aprons. So me, yes me the one that does not cook and does her best not to clean, being the silly one I am decided to get some fabric to make a few. Poor Rick came home to a living room of fabric thrown every where and scraps from my cutting, ect. It took a while and boy would my M.I.L. die from my lack of proper technique, really ugly edges and just all around not prettiness on the inside (I surely am not going to be in contention for the next big thing on Project Runway!).... but I think should Kaitlyn ever decide to want to cook she will look pretty darn cute! And I had fun. (notice the gathering in the waist, yep remembered that from my days in 4-H when I think I was about 10!)

Trace has no new developments. All his tests came back fine so we are waiting to hear what the pediatric urologist wants to do. He started an anti-biodic and he had a great day yesterday but it sounds like today has been about the same as last week.

I want to welcome Miss Skylee Ray Seth to the world! Becca delievered at lunch time a healthy 6 lb 14 ounce cutie. It sounds like it was a quick and very easy labor. I can't wait to see her!!!

Benton City Daze

This morning Kaitlyn and Kendall are in the Benton City Daze parade. Mikki arranged for them to ride in a horse drawn carriage. They were sooo excited. Kendall couldn't wait to see what the horse looked like that was going to PUSH the carriage. I got a good chuckle out of that one.

This is the carriage they are riding in...

Getting ready to stage...

Umm, Kendall... are you 'sneaking' some of the candy????????

I got them all set up and then I had to take off to get to work. They had quite the cheering section lined up to watch. I can't wait to hear all about it this afternoon :-) Thanks Mikki for arranging all of this, it will be an experience neither of these girls will ever forget!