Shingles

In Mid June, I was out at Jacqui's one day and my right side under my bra was starting to bother me.  I came home and checked it out but there was no sign of a rash. But, it was kind of painful to the touch.  The next morning I woke up and there was a small rash.  I applied Hydro cortisone cream, but it didn't go away.  After two days, I showed it to my friend Julie.  After a small discussion, I decided to go into the doctor and see if it was Shingles.  Turns out, it was. I can't believe I came down with Shingles at age 35.  Shingles is for older people! Anyway, the doctor gave me two meds for the inflammation and the rash.  I lived on Advil and Tylenol for the next two weeks straight.  The rash didn't itch, it just hurt the nerves.  I would get these attacks of pain where the rash was located.  After a month, the rash went away and the pain ended.  I am now taking a herbal vitamin that is supposed to help cleanse the body of any viruses like Shingles.  Some events that might have attributed to me getting Shingles are 1. Having a Baby 2. Not taking Vitamins 3. Starting a New Business 4. The Loss of Grandpa Cooper. Next time an emotional event happens in my life, I will make sure I am slamming down the vitamins!

Douglas Family Reunion

This year we had our annual Douglas Family Reunion in Logan, Utah.  Roger worked for Logan City and used to do land maintenance on this piece of property.  Some man used to own this land and he decided to donate it to Logan City.  It was a beautiful spot for camping and for a large family reunion. This year they didn't charge much, because it was their first year to let someone try out the camping grounds. 

The river ran right through the campground which made it perfect for camping and water activities.  The only downside to the camping, was the infestation of mosquitoes.  We got eaten alive, even with repellant sprayed on us. I didn't dare take Parker out much because of this. She hung out in the trailer with me or Dad.  She also spent lots of time with her cute cousins Jade and Jordan.

The river was ice cold but all the kids decided to take a plunge in it one afternoon. Cooper is doing a cannon ball.  I even considered doing it because it looked so refreshing. Clayton really wanted to jump in but he was a little scared. I would dip his legs down in the water.

Easton and Clayton are using their nets to try and catch some fish.  We saw a huge fish and Bryce caught one as well, but other than that, they weren't really biting! I love the sound of a flowing river.  It is so peaceful.  One morning, I got up before the rest of my family, so I grabbed a chair and went fishing on the riverside.  It was so nice and relaxing.

Papa Douglas was up at the campground bright and early taking pictures of his grand kids. He even stole Parker from me for a few minutes. He is such a good Papa and he loves his little ones so much. 

Eli, Clayton, and Tagen had a fun time exploring the campground and nearby river. They had me nervous most of the day because they kept hanging out by the river, throwing rocks, and watching grass float down it.  I'm glad that they have cousins that are their ages.

While they explored the area, some of the adults and older kids played a fun game of kickball.  I love playing kickball because kids of all ages can usually play the game, which helps kids feel good about themselves.  There was a huge grassy field that was perfect for the playing area.  It was fun times until things got a little out of hand and some of the adults and kids starting blocking running paths.  Then it turned into a fight and it was over!

Bryce and his goofy brothers munching on yummy watermelon. Brandon and Jill's family, along with us, stayed over the first night and Sara and Derek joined us the second night.  Carrie and kids, as well as Bruce and Tara, joined us on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.  We went over to the Logan pool on Saturday afternoon to let the kids swim and enjoy the water.  It was also nice to get away from the mosquitoes!