Be thankful...today.

I saw this in Acquinnah on Martha's Vineyard Island.....
Be thankful for what you have....focus on  thinking positive live each day to the fullest....try not to dwell on the bad (even though the past several years have been incredibly difficult)....can you imagine if everyone just did one thing in their day to make it better for someone else how much better we all would be...mentally and physically. Love your family deeply.

Happy 3 years.

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TALLY....

HAPPY DIAVERSARY to my baby.

You have made the last 3 years bareable with your willingness to do what needs to be done to keep you healthy.

I could not have asked for more....... you made it a bit easier.

You are a wonderful child.

I love you beyond words.

Thank you.

Mama.
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Starting to enjoy the simple pleasures......

My husband, Matthew on Chappaquidick Island, Martha's Vineyard...I was married in this exact spot on the beach 14 years ago.

Since our diagnosis with juvenile diabetes on September 4, 2007..I can say that..."Life now holds more meaning". Day to day living in the past has been all about getting it done to get to the next project. When Tally was diagnosed I was running three businesses a landscape company, a plant nursery and a well established hot dog stand called Matty's dog shack. It really was three full-time jobs and then I got a fourth...taking care of Tally's type 1....I tried to hold it together until November 2009....that was it...I couldn't do it anymore....the plant nursery closed that fall for good...and our plan was to run the hot dog shack until spring and then sell...all went according to plan...we sold it March 1 of this year.

I felt my shoulders immediately lift....Tally has been with us everyday on every landscape job this summer...we bring her bike, scooter and a bathing suit and towel......its been a good summer....I never had such quality time with my husband and daughter....I count myself lucky that my......... "life now holds more meaning".

Tally has decided to do the JDRF Walk in Boston....

October 2, 2010. She wants to form team tally. She was so excited this morning her father, Matthew (who is a landscape contractor) had to look at a job with Dickie who owns a large construction company in our area....she had me print the sponsor form ...she found herself a clipboard and her trusty pink princess pen. They were on there way at 7am, she was ready....she was gonna get this one. The rest of the story told in the words of my husband...he had to break the ice but as soon as Tal was comfortable she rolled with it and had Dickie as her first sponsor and he generously donated $100.00 to JDRF for team tally (tallygear.com)..way to go Tally.....now the planning begins...she now wants to approach her principal Mrs. Kelly (tal goes to a school which requires uniforms) she wants to ask principal if kids can do a dress down day if they pay a dollar donation toward her JDRF walk. I can't imagine where this will take us but, I am sure it will be down a good road....more to come.

Tallygear at the ADA Expo In Hartford, Ct.

Early spring and tallygear did a American Diabetes Association Expo in Hartford Ct. We were very excited nervous and not just because it was our first venue but also we were to meet Bill Woods from the blog 1 happy diabetic. We had been in contact for almost a year via email but, never actually met....it was so cool....we all talked after the show and promised to stay in touch. It is now several months later and all is well....busy, busy gonna email Bill to say Hi. His blog address is www.1happydiabetic.com take a look, he has been diabetic for a long time and he not only puts a positive spin on diabetes but, also has lots of knowledge. Tally Annese, Bill Woods, Matthew Annese and Donna Annese from left to right.

Tally and I visit the new ALDI "green market"

at which point we meet a fellow diabetic (type 2) in the frozen food section. Tally asked me if she could get some frozen pops...and then proceeded go through "our routine" of checking the serving size the carb numbers (or as we call them the CRABS) and other. Then we decide if its a good choice.
As we are discussing her choice..... a 'fellow' diabetic figures out we are doing and wants to give input on carbs vs. insulin dosage...the gentlemen was in his 30's and insulin dependent and probably 150 pounds overweight, we discussed tal's pump and what we do to care for her diabetes and he was amazed with her insulin pump (he obviously uses needlles). I wanted to tell him that he and my daughter had little in common and that the two diagnosis had nothing to do with one another, but I just couldn't, which is not normally like me as my husband would say. Diabetes at times (most times) is extremely tiring.

Beta Buddies on blogger

I have recently come across a blog that I find very positive and I just wanted to share with you.
http://www.betabuddies.blogspot.com/ I have found that she is a very positive person and she has given me lots to think about. take a look.

Wrapping up all....getting ready for first ADA Expo

So excited to be going to the ADA American Diabetes Assoc. Expo in JHartford this Saturdat April 17, 2010. all details are in previous posts. Hope to see you there , turnout should top 4,000 visited.
Wanting to thank sister Lynney for setting up for Team Tally for the Tour de Cure...you are so awesome. Please see previous posts for all information. Hugs and lots of kisses from Tally.

working on a pack with a window.

had it on my mind for sometime....actually sat down and put a tummietote together with a window....my daughter tally loves it....haven't figured it all out yet. soon....just need more time.

so much to do so little time....

we are in the process of simplifying all....we had a conversation about a year ago....and decided that life had taken us down a different road (when tally was diagnosed with type 1) and that we didn't want to rush anymore. We wanted to take some quality time and spend it with our daughter and family. So we made a big leap and started cleaning house...just about everything is gone....and it feels good....Now we are tying up some loose ends and waiting for spring. March 20th can't come too soon.

Newest You Tube Video

We wanted to show additional pictures of the belt. take a look.

tallygear is now on twitter....

We have started tweeting on twitter.....having fun setting it up and trying to figure it all out. More to come.......

check out....tummietote in action.

We have posted 2 videos on YouTube, here is one of them. It will give you some background and some additional pictures of the belt. We have gotten so much positive feedback in regards to how it works. We are encouraged everyday with what people have to say about the belt. It has changed the way we think and feel about wearing and using the insulin pump. Keeping it positive.

why did we create tallygear continued....

It was on a Sunday, a beautiful day in late November 2008. Tally had gotten her insulin pump several weeks before. I walked out in to the yard and Tally was jumping on her trampoline and she was holding the pump against her body so it would not bounce around. I stood there and watched and I thought how awful it was that my daughter had been diagnosed with this disease and wished it would go away....

so many things that we are working on....

tummietote by tallygear: what I'm hearing about the 'BELT'

tummietote by tallygear: what I'm hearing about the 'BELT'

what I'm hearing about the 'BELT'

It amazes me that there has never been anything designed to carry the insulin pump comfortably. When my daughter was put on her insulin pump November 2008 a plastic clip was given with the pump. We tried to wear it but, she is very active and it was getting caught on lots of things. So then we tried 3 or 4 other clips and none really worked. So we started working on the tummietote belt....more to come.

great news.....

tally's blood glucose numbers have been in range for sometime now....and we will be celebrating her 11th birthday soon...her future is so bright. please donate to www.jdrf. org to help speed the process to find a cure for juvenile diabetes.

finally....the waist sizes have been updated on our site.

check out www.tallygear.com...the sizes have finally been updated on the site. Now we can eleviate that all knowing question "what sizes do your belts fit"?

new belt designs and new website soon...

When we started tallygear we were a little green around the ears...actually we still are. We were in a HURRY to get a website up and running. Although that took much longer than expected also. But realized in the last several months that we are in desperate need for a more workable website. It's being created as we speak and we will have a seperate address from tallygear but, the two will be linked. It will be called www.insulinpumppack.com the shopping cart will be updated so it actually works and we will have the actual waist sizes listed, to eleviate the question? what sizes do they actually fit.....and we will be adding several new designs. we hope you will come check it out.