Boseman Family Reunion Nebraska Style

Our family must really, really like us.  Do you want to know why?  They all agreed upon Nebraska (aka Omaha) as our family vacation destination this year.  They could have gone to Hawaii.  They could have gone to Disney World.  Nope. They really wanted to come to Nebraska instead annnnndddd they all wanted to drive over 16 hours to get here.  Okay, okay…maybe they didn't necessarily want to come to Nebraska, but awhile back, Cody and I made the decision that we're not putting Jett on a plane anytime soon.  He gets sick way too easily.  Usually we're not the over-cautious parent, but when a simple sickness can land your kid in the hospital, you learn to take some precautions!  Anyway, Cody's family is amazing and didn't want to leave us out so they packed up their cars and buses (if you're Peter) and headed out to Nebraska!

Cody and I called it our "stay"cation.  We were able to feel like we were on vacation, yet we could come home each night and hand Jett off to a nurse.  Cody's parents rented a cabin that is located about 15 minutes north of Omaha.  It was surrounded by horses and a small lake. Who knew that Nebraska had such beautiful countryside?  Since moving to Omaha, I was always looking for that picturesque image in my mind of what Nebraska is supposed to be.  You know…windmills, cornfields, horses, cows, tractors, crop dusting airplanes…that kind of thing.  Well, if you've ever been to Omaha, it doesn't really offer much…just a bunch of freeways and trains.  However, travel 15 minutes north of Omaha and you are in beautiful cornfield country.

We had a blast with Cody's family.  Jett loved hanging out with all of his cousins and was able to spend some quality time with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Amy, and Uncle Peter.  They showered him with cuddles and kisses.  He even got to participate in the "golden ticket" challenges that Cody and Amy planned for the kids.  Prepare for a picture overload below.

Jett helped WIN a golden ticket challenge…go Jett!

Oh ya know…just working on a BOONDOGGLE keychain.  Back in my day, I was the queen of boondoggle.  You can pretty much call me Deb (from Napolean Dynamite)

At the Air and Space Museum, Jett looked like such a big boy in a real stroller.  He loved looking at all of the planes (obviously)…well, shoot, he IS sleeping in this picture.

I found my next winter coat at the Air and Space Museum.  How do you like it?

Boating DAY!  Even Grandma got a turn on the tube.

Little Henry Wyatt (our nephew) was not a fan of the tube.  He shrieked in terror the entire time, yet when he came back in the boat, he screamed out, "I did it mommy, I did it!"

Jett loved the water and it was a good thing that he did.  It was a HOT day!

Our niece, Addie wakeboarding for the first time.  She's already better than I am.

My older nieces (and sister-in-law, Amy) gave me this cute hat for my birthday!

Jett and Daddy doing their "A-Okay" sign

Jett and I roasting, literally roasting, on the beach.  The sun kept moving so we had to keep moving spots.  

The entire Boseman clan (minus Chad's family) sporting our awesome reunion shirts that Cody made.

We loved hanging out at the ranch…Kusaba especially.  He would leave and go on his own adventures and then come back hours later with horse poop all over him.  He was in heaven.

We LOVE our Boseman family! Come on back now, ya hear?

Lake of the Ozarks

While we're in dental school (and yes, I say "we"), we are lucky enough to get an entire month off from school each summer.  It is a much-needed break for Cody and his non-stop studying.  The best part, however, is that Jett gets to have his daddy around 24/7.  I counted down the days to summer break. The day that the break finally started, I'm pretty sure I jumped up and down a few times out of pure excitement! 

Last summer, it didn't feel like much of a break because we were so busy making improvements to our house and getting a feel for our new city and hospitals (unfortunately).  This summer, we kept busy…but had SO much fun staying busy.  If you know me and Cody, we don't like to sit around.  Therefore, we accomplished quite a bit, which included hosting our first Jett Powered event, which you can read about HERE.  Cody also completed some amazing projects, like building a screen printer (to print our Jett Powered shirts) and a light board for Jett's bedroom (below)…

Isn't it pretty?!  Jett now has his very own color-changing light board to look at every night.  The board can flip down right above his crib so that he can see all of the fun shapes and colors.  

I wish I could say that I built some awesome things for our house.  Now that I look back, I'm like, "Okay, what did I do that was cool or awesome?"  Nada.  I'm not creative in that way at all.  However, once Cody is finished with his projects, I love to take credit for them and pretend that it was my idea all along.  Does that count?

But for real, I guess I've stayed busy with Jett (of course!), teaching fitness classes, and starting a new business called Paleo Plate.  You can read all about that HERE if you're interested!

One of my Paleo Plate creations…these are Post-Workout Protein Bites that, in my opinion,  taste like cookie dough.  They are made from all organic ingredients and are super healthy for you…yes, even dark chocolate can be healthy!

Back to our summer break... unlike a lot of our friends, we stayed in Omaha again.  We have been incredibly lucky to have a HEALTHY Jett for a change so the first week of break, we planned a fun boating trip to Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri!  We traveled down with three other couples and rented out a vacation home that sat right on the lake.  There was even a boat slip to park our boat.  

Now, if you know anything about Lake of the Ozarks (which I didn't), you know that it is often called the "Lake Powell of the Midwest" and is known for its beauty and party atmosphere.  Our house was in a calmer (non-party area, thank goodness) and was so beautiful and peaceful.  We spent our days boating, eating, boating, and eating some more.  It was awesome.  Jett LOVED going out on the boat.  He would smile every time the wind brushed through his hair.  He did okay during the nights and mama (that would be me) did okay without a nurse around.  

The Ozark crew!!  We made a deal with everyone that if a baby was conceived during our time at the Ozarks that it's name HAD to be "Ozark".  Tessa and Taylor…we can't wait for Baby Ozark due February 2014.  (Okay, okay…she was already pregnant before the trip, but surprised us with the news while we were there so that has to count)

Me…trying to look cool

Me…a few seconds later, looking super cool

Cody…actually looking cool.  However, I'm not sure how well this trick ended.

Kusaba's first time "swimming" in a few years.  We're pretty sure he almost had a heart attack.  Cody received a million scratches on his chest from saving Kusaba. On a good note, if I'm ever having a bad day, I just have to look at Kusaba's face in this picture and my worries melt away. Is that look not the funniest thing you've ever seen?!

Jett cuddling up to daddy 

The only beach we went to…it was super hot and super sandy.  We stayed about 20 minutes.  Just enough time to coat our body, clothes, and shoes with sand.

Daddy swimming with Jett while Kusaba looked on from a safe distance…with his lifejacket on this time.

Well…Kusaba didn't keep a safe enough distance from the water.  He got thrown in a second time.  We are so mean…well, Cody is mean.  I was trying to save Kusaba the whole time, but had to take a couple pictures first. 

All that boating is hard work for Kyle.  Kayli decided to make a photo opp out of it.

Kusaba enjoyed being in the boat a lot more than being in the water.  Cody, however did not enjoy Kusaba's talons (his toenails) on the interior of the boat…I was constantly being yelled at to put the towel underneath Kusaba. 

Even though the water was a little colder (okay, A LOT colder) than bath water, Jett loved swimming around.  He would close his eyes, put a smile on his face,  and let us glide him through the water.  

Lovin' life!

This was the house we stayed in…what, you don't believe me?  Yeah, you're right, but wouldn't it be cool if we did?  I fell in love with this lakeside property.  Does anyone have a few million dollars they could loan me?

Our First Jett Powered Success

Our first Jett Powered event was held on Saturday, July 20, 2013 and was a smashing success!  Thirty-six amazing athletes showed up to support the foundation and perform an intense workout, appropriately named the "Jett Powered" workout.  Each athlete paid a registration fee of $20.  In addition, some athletes were sponsored for reps completed, which made them work even harder!  

The "Jett Powered" Workout

30 Minutes to complete AMRAP (as many reps as possible)

100 m Run

10 Ground to Overhead (using barbells)

10 Burpees

10 Air Squats

10 Hand Release Push Ups

This workout was intense and was a test of endurance for each athlete.  However, we all thought about how strong Jett is, which gave us all motivation to work hard.  Some even said, "If Jett can power through, WE can power through!"  

Jett was, of course, there to witness the event.  He was so excited about the workout that he fell asleep mid-workout as athletes were dripping sweat and working their hardest! 

Total donations received from this event came to $1700!! That number is still growing! Thank you to all those who made personal donations, bought Jett t-shirts, and, of course, participated in the workout.

This event brought people closer together for a great cause!  We had so much fun joining forces with the staff at Fit Farm Crossfit and plan on doing another Crossfit competition in the future.

And we're OFF!!

Check out all these athletes killing their workout!

Our helpers, Tessa and Taylor…thanks guys!

The FIT FARM Crew and athletes post-workout…and Jett, of course, post-nap!

Summer Days

It has been two months since our last update. Why do I do this to myself?  So much has happened between now and the beginning of June that I get anxiety thinking about making this blog post!  Unfortunately, I cannot get into the nitty gritty details of how good our summer has been, but I will try to write a quick synopsis of the important events.

Chillaxin' next to Lake Manawa (Iowa)

First and foremost, we are LOVING summer in Omaha.  Cody has a month break off from dental school and we decided to stay here rather than travel back home.  A little selfish...yes, but we really REALLY love our night nurses (for Jett)!  We have been able to work on some important projects and have been able to enjoy what Omaha has to offer, which is definitely not cool weather...or mountains, but oh well. We have spent a lot of time with our friends here and even made a little trip to Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.  That trip will have to appear on my next post!

In addition to our great summer, Jett has not had ANY hospital visits.  Can I get a whoop whoop?!  Our little man is doing better than ever.  We have made enormous strides with him the past few months, especially with his feeding tube diet.  He is interacting with us a lot more and is more alert than he ever used to be.  Sure, he still isn't the typical child running around and playing, but I feel that we have done a lot with him to help him enjoy the world around him.

As mentioned, Cody is out of school for a month.  He took his first round of dental boards at the beginning of July.  Preparing for this massive test is pretty much the worst thing ever.  He is required to remember EVERYTHING that he has learned thus far.  This includes anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and a lot of other subjects that I probably can't even pronounce.  Anyway, he received his scores back the other day and he PASSED!!!  This basically means he is awesome..and that he can continue being a dental student.  I'm so proud of him for working so hard AND still making time for me and Jett.

Check out Jett's new ride (below).  Even though Jett still feels like my baby, he is getting bigger each day and growing out of his car seat and stroller.  It was a few months in the works, but we were able to get Jett his first wheelchair with the help of his doctor and physical therapist.  It is actually pretty awesome.  I thought I would cry and throw myself onto the floor when we finally received it, but I didn't.  I was so excited!  It took awhile for Jett to be excited, however.  He doesn't necessarily like being restrained, so we had to find the perfect fit and I think we found it.  When Omaha isn't super hot, I love taking Jett and Kusaba for an evening jog. Yes, I can jog with this wheelchair, which in my mind, is the best feature EVER.  I still can feel like a normal parent! We blast the tunes from my phone and ride into the sunset.  

As you can see below, Jett like to hold my hand as we bounce along.

I know I have mentioned how much I like my Facebook group for parents of children with PCH (Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia),  but I wanted to share something that came from those connections that I've made online.  In the picture (above) is a family that I connected with and had the privilege of meeting in person.  This sweet family lives about 15 minutes away from us (in Nebraska) and has two children with special needs.  The oldest child (the one I'm holding in the picture) has cerebral palsy and her little sister is undiagnosed, but has the symptoms and behaviors of a child with Cerebellar Hypoplasia and PCH.  It was an honor to meet with them and be able to relate on so many levels.  The mother, Jessica, was a great source of information for me and I really admire her perseverence. We keep in touch over Facebook and plan on meeting up again soon.  

Toward the end of June, Cody and I were able to cross something off of our bucket list.  For the longest time, we have wanted to attend a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver, CO.  Back in March, we found out that one of our favorite bands, O.A.R. was going to be playing there.  We bought tickets in hopes that we would get something worked out for Jett.  Well, we made it work!  Jett was able to stay at Children's World for the entire weekend, which means that he would be under full-time care of nurses.   It was so nice to get away from Omaha for a bit and have some rest and relaxation.

Cody's brother, Peter, lives in Denver with his family.  We enjoyed hanging out with them for a day.  Cody, being the rebel uncle that he is, helped the kids sneak onto this HUMONGOUS bounce house that was being used for a private party. He definitely earned his "Favorite Uncle" badge. 

Annnnddddd…the concert was nothing short of amazing.  The scenery was beautiful and the music was incredible.  Aside from saving a drunk girl from falling to her death twice, Cody and I had the best time together.  As you can see below, we still took Jett along with us. Unfortunately, I feel like we need to add another concert at Red Rocks to the bucket list.  We had too much fun that it needs to be experienced more than once.

The 4th of July did not disappoint this year…although I was completely fireworked out by the time it was over, which is a sure sign that I am getting old.  The day was full of food (we hosted a breakfast and dinner bbq with friends), parades, and the College World Series Home Run Derby that is held in Omaha each year.  If you know us well, you know that we're not fans of baseball.  However, the home run derby is a lot more fast-paced than a regular game, so we actually enjoyed it.  Jett wore ear plugs during the firework show and did amazing considering that he was teething horribly.

The pictures of the food (above) are from my new Instagram account under the tag "Paleo Plate".  Cody and I have started CrossFit together and have been trying to eat healthier as well.  We try to avoid any foods with dairy, soy, or gluten in them…so it's not the simplest way to eat and you definitely have to prepare each day.  However, we love it and have found some great recipes. I set up this Instagram account so that I could save my favorite recipes.  It has been so much fun researching and creating new recipes.  The reason I mention this is because, for the longest time, Cody and I have wanted to switch Jett to a blended diet.  This means that we would blend up real food and put it through his feeding tube.  Jett's little gastrointestinal tract wasn't responding well to his formula and he was always in pain.   Well since Cody and I have felt SO much better after starting this diet, that we felt that we should change Jett's diet as well.  Guess what?  Jett has responded remarkably well!!  He is gaining weight finally and is hardly in pain anymore.  Jett's gastroenterologist and nutritionist were never on board with my idea, but I went forward with it anyway…and I'm so glad that I did.  The changes I've observed with Jett are seriously night and day.

For those interested (mostly my fellow PCH moms), here are some ingredients that I put into Jett's blends using my Vitamix:

Coconut milk, avocado oil, paleo protein powder, sweet potatoes, peas, cooked chicken breast, chicken stock, carrots, pineapple, blueberries, banana, apple, coconut cream, sunflower seed butter, almond butter, and flaxseed.  I rotate different ingredients around daily, but always make sure that there is a nice balance of fats, carbohydrates, and protein.

We hope everyone is having a great summer!