HO! HO! HO!

Merry 7 days before Christmas! I have been gone from Blogworld for too long. Hopefully tomorrow I can catch up on all your lives. We have had a house of sickies. I have been to the pediatrician 3 times in the past week and go again tomorrow night and on Christmas Eve! We are trying to keep Johnny out of the hospital. They think they have it controlled, but prayeres would be appreciated. His asthma is being aggravated by a cold/sinus infection. He is on 3 meds, Gabe goes tomorrow for a check on his and Caitlin and Luke have viruses. Top it off with Sean and I being sick and you have the makings for one hellish week! ha!

I do have good news to report, though not reguarding my family directly. Victoria and her husband and boys will be moving back to Norwalk in about 3 weeks! I am very excited for this as we have so many plans for fun, nurturing things to do. Plus our kids can get reaquainted and have fun play dates. Look for lots of pictures in a month. Now if I can just convince you southern people that Norwalk is the happening place to be I would be so happy!

I got Cheryl's christmas card so I know that she was not playing a cruel joke! It was worth the trip to the mailbox (all 4 steps to get there, and I didn't tackle the elderly mailman!) and I love the pic of Ryan and the girls!

I have not much else to report as I have seen not much other than the inside of my house lately.

It's rather dirty and since I have to host Harris/Cardman Christmas Eve here I had better get to cleaning!

Hope you all have a wonderful night!!!!!

PS. The kitchen still smells like chicken. why???????

For pete's sake.....

For all of you who can't get enough....

Since we are all such fans of the head shots of me....here is another. Yay! This is one my niece Carmen and I took of ourselves. We have fun together. I am the favorite aunt....of course they only have one other and she lives in Alaska, but I like to pretend otherwise! I need a life.

I have all sorts of sickies here. Johnny and Luke were up throwing up all night and now Caitlin is feeling poorly. Gabe has a sore throat and doesn't feel well either. Tomorrow is the trio's Christmas program so I hope that they are better!!!!

Gabe brought home a 34/35 on his last spelling test. I was so proud of him. He has had a rough few weeks with spelling. Hopefully the extra studying will pay off this week too.

I have nothing overly exciting to tell you all. I have been home with the kids for the past two days and I know you don't care what is going on in Dragontales or Clifford's world! Maybe I will have an adventurous day tomorrow!

Crazy Cousin Rhonda!

Golly Gee my head looks huge in the top picture! Sean says it is because I was holding the camera, I just think I have a huge head!

This is Sean's cousin and my good friend Rhonda. She introduced Sean and I and set up our first date - a double with her and her husband (at the time), Paul. Sean and I hit it off immediately and it was the first of several double dates. Rhonda and Paul stood up for us at our wedding and celebrated with us afterward. We will always be so grateful to her for bringing us together! She is a ton of fun and I laugh until I cry when Rhonda is around! The party this past weekend was at her house. We have a goal to have a party at least every other month! What animals we are!

It's the darndest thing....

So if I use Microsoft Internet Explorer as my home page I can post. If I use Juno I can't. Go figure. I am just thrilled to have it figured out!
I have had a usy day with under the weather kids. I am still going on 2 1/2 hours of sleep and don't forsee an easy night ahead. Johnny just threw up......gotta run.

whoa.....

What is this? I can actually post? I am not sure how this one happened. Maybe my luck is changing. I am just kind of in shock right now!
We had a busy weekend. Saturday we went to the Harris/Cardman and co. Holiday Party. It was a lot of fun. A lot of people. The kids played games and got lots of presents and then the grown ups played pictionary. I won the game for my team with a great drawing for Circus. Okay, it wasn't really great, but it still let us win! There was a ton of food and I went off my restricted diet a little. I am not even suffering for it! I took a lot of pictures, so did the kids. I have about 35 pictures of people's stomachs and the ceiling!
Sunday we played hookey from church and slept in. That afternoon I was a volunteer at Gingerfest from 1:30 - 4:00. It is a Christmas party put on by a local man and his wife that is just amazing. LOGOS kids were free, so Gabe didn't have to pay and everyone else was just a dollar! I took Gabe and Sean stayed home with the trio. They had games, crafts, cookie decorating, writing to and visiting Santa....it was really neat. Kellie and Tanis were there and I think Tanis enjoyed himself. Gabe came home with a paper grocery bag filled to the top with goodies. He loved it!
Last night I was up with Luke who wasn't feeling well and vomitted a couple times. So I went to bed at 4:30 and got up at 7:00 to get clothes out for the kids. Sean got them dressed and off to school so I relazed but couldn't go back to sleep. I have been cleaning and doing laundry. Luke is feeling better, playing in the playroom right now and convinced that he owns a magic wand! The good thing about staying up was I got a fleece Cleveland Indians blanket sewn and beaded for my sister and bro in law. It is about 4 1/2 feet x 7 1/2 feet. I think it looks really cool. Tonight I am working on 2 fire truck blankets. Thanks for the phone help Vic!
I need to go and get ready to pick the kiddos up at school. I hope you all have a wonderful day and enjoy this real post!!!!

Turning 33 has not made me more graceful....

What an AWESOME day!!!!!

Lura's house in Oct.

What Amanda's kids see....

when she's angry!

A sampling-

Calling all computer savy people....

I'm ba-ack...

Awaiting the Bachelor results...

A new unexciting post.

A pretty smile from Caitlin for all of you...

Don't feel like a title...

I am very frustrated right now.

Tuesday - It's 7:04 pm and the triplets are asleep....

Monday...still can't do a normal post

Sunday

My Aunt Carol died last night.

Gabe Bobbing For Apples

Adventures in Celery?????

Random Thoughts....a Victoriasm

Two fun pictures...

Just had to add some excitement to my dull life!

Hi Guys...not much to say right now. I will post later. Have a great day!

The Happy Couple???!!!

Some of us are not meant to use computers...

A little TMI....and my night.

Just my days news...nothing too wild and exciting.

For Lura...A Couple of Real Halloweenies!!!

Ugh.

The Modified Pirate, Darth Vader and a Dalmation

Little Things Thrill Me....

TRICK OR TREAT!

Amanda, Vic and Kellie

You Guys are never going to believe this one...but it is good news in a twisted sort of way...

I love this picture! All 3 with their bats and Dad with one ball!

Today is a blah day....

Pumpkin Carving

Who needs music?! They had a ball dancing together....completely spontaneous too!

Revenge on Mom

Semi Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday...still not able to make a real post

Where did my upper lip go?????????

Are you sure it doesn't say Kimmy Gibbler's a doorbell?

We are staffed at my house...

Yesterday I gave the triplets their bath and when I was drying Caitlin off I noticed 2 large blisters on her leg. I called the dr., long story short - she has a staph/strep skin infection. Shew is on oral and cream antibiotics that we are praying work for her. We want no more hospital trips!!!! She could have gotten this at a playland, park, school...
UGH!
I am at my mom's sand have no time to type or read. :(
Love you all!

Woo Hoo an actual post!!!!

I had to stop at my mom's so I am taking advantage of her computer. I just wish I could post pictures. Beggars can't be choosers I guess. :)
Last night after I finished my post an alert popped up that said I had used up all my time, so I don't know how frequent these posts will be until my new hours are added. Oh well, I am blessed to at least get those 10 hours!
The trio didn't go to bed until 10:30 last night, had been up since 7 that morning and taken no naps. They were such a wild bunch. Sonya (who called last night and made my night!) can attest to their wildness as I know she heard them. The firemen came to their school yesterday - so around 10:15 I walked into their room and found them sitting with a box of too small clothing putting on as much as they can because apparantly that is what firemen do. They pretended to be firemen all day! Are you aware that if you catch on fire you should "Stop, Rock and Roll" or if your house catches on fire you should run outside and hide behind a tree? I am not sure they got all they could from the talk.
Gabe gets to acolyte at church this Sunday for the first time. I am trying to decide how goofy I'd look if I took a camera to take his picture. I embarass him with everything I do, so I figure this can't make it too much worse. I am so excited for him. I loved being an acolyte. If you are not familiar with the term...basically he carries a long brass candle lighter thingy down in front of the church and lights the altar candles. There are always two and he is paired up with his good friend Sam. Hopefully he won't burn down the church, but there are plenty of trees to huide behind if he doesm and we all know to stop rock and roll!
Saturday is also Gabe's last soccer game. He has improved so much and has asked to be able to try out for the traveling team next spring. I said we'd see and that he needed to keep practicing all winter. We will probably sign him up for indoor soccer in March.
I need to run, I hope you all have fabulous days!!!!

Smile (even a crazy one) and the world smiles with you...

Feeling Sentimental...

Lura is Great!

OK, Amanda asked me to post and let you know that she has used up her 10 free hours of Juno for the month. She will be back in a week or so when she has more Internet time!

Back at Home...nOT aBLE TO POST!!!!

visitors

mommy and johnny
johnny and auntie kellie
christian
cousin rhonda, johnny and christian

Afternoon at the hospital

I have a child actually laying still! This is a huge deal for me. He has been up and running around as far as his oxygen tube will let him - sometimes farther too! Yesterday he spent a lot of time hiding in the little closet, today he has been making a fort out of the curtains and hiding from people. So far his oxygen level is stable. I am awaiting semi patiently the next reading.
We had a bout of vomitting earlier which meant Johnny got to take a shower. He sprayed down the whole bathroom with the hose. He is keeping the staff entertained. Not so much his mother!
I have been trying really hard to keep my sense of humor about things...most of the time I am succeeding and others, well..... I am worried about my little boy, worried about finances, where we are going to live, winter's coming and that brings a whole nother group of worries. I know we will be fine. I just think that being here is giving me too much time to think about our situation. I am trying not to pity myself (that does no good, although I usually end up laughing rather than pitying) I am trying to be realistic about things and that can get depressing!

My mom is coming to stay with Johnny tonight while I take Gabe to soccer and spend a little one on one with him. I have already had time with Luke and Caitlin today so I am getting a little time with all my kiddos. I will look for the cable to download pics when I run home. I have some nice ones of me and Johnny that we took ourselves. Oh boy.

Have a peachy day!

An actual post...

I don't understand why I can post here and not home. I have decided it must have something to do with having dial up at home. I tried Kevin's suggestion but couldn't make it work. Go figure. Thanks you anyways!
Johnny and I are at the hospital still. He is not able to keep his oxygen level up. They won't accept anything lower than 93% and he has been sitting in the mid 80's. They cleared him of pnemonia, but can't give us a solid explanation as to what is causing this. The dr. has labled him a jr. wheezer. But it is too early to diagnos him with asthma. He is now acting perfectly fine, which puzzles them, apparantly kids with a low pulse/ox should be lethargic.
Good News....Crys you will be especially happy/proud of me. I have a working digital camera. Johnny and I have snapped some goofy shots. He keeps hiding in the closet! What a goofball. I just have to find the cable now to download them to the computer.
Gosh, I can finally post and now can think of nothing to say....isn't that how it goes.
Oh, Gabe brought home his interim report and it was all A's and B's! We are so proud of him. He worked hard to get them. The teacher gave him good comments too! Go Gabe! He also did fabulous at soccer on Saturday. I took some pictures that I might be able to post someday. You all know that the downside to a working digital camera is no more of my drawings... I know, you are all devestated.
That's all for now. Look for more posts later.
Love ya guys!

A real post...Thanks to Lura's computer.

I may have difficulty posting this as someone's husband is standing behind me helping me to write this by contributing his thoughts in belch form. I know, gross.

I came over to Lura's house to bring some comfort food and we stayed to help eat it. I think I know why she bought all that Mylanta now. I don't thing one thing that I made turned out the way it was supposed to. While I was sauteeing onions and had my back turned, Caitlin dumped half a bottle of pepper into the chicken salad. Luckily I could kind of scoop it out. We will let you know if anyone gets food poisoning.

Luke is standing screaming at me so this will be really short. I spent a large portion of my day filling out and hunting up papers for the lawyer. What fun. I think we will be able to take them up on Monday and start the process. I talked to an assistant on the phone who was really helpful, but it doesn't make it easier. I want this all to be over with and again I don't. I don't like not knowing where we are going to live.... I don't like uncertainty. But God will have the perfect place for us.

Okay, since Tim is pacing behind me I am going to close and go type nasty things on his blog.
I will talk to you all later. Lots of love.....

Please read post in comments

Check my comments for the post. This is so dorky!

I don't get it...I'll try a post in the comments

This is a test!

I don't know why Amanda's computer won't let her post. It is working on mine. See?!

Since she can't post, I will put that she had a great day and it got even better when Lura and the boys stopped over around 2. Then she got the privilege of watching the boys while Lura ran to the store.

I'm sure if she ever gets her computer working right, she will tell you "the rest of the story". Ha ha.

This is pathetic!

Aarrgghhh! Still nothing! I don't know why I can't post anything. This is worse than when I couldn't do titles!!!

Still unable to post comments...but I am trying to catch up on all your lives...I've missed you!

I can only type titles..it won't let me post!!! love you guys

Prayer Request

Amanda has surgery on Tuesday. She does not know what time yet. In addition to praying that the surgery goes well, please pray that they will be able to get the IV into her easily. Anyone who knows Amanda, knows that this is never an easy thing for them. They pull out all the stops when getting an IV in. It takes numerous people, special procedures, etc. Let's all pray that it goes in the first time with no complications. From past history, this would truly be a miracle!

Also pray for Amanda to have peace about the whole situation. Her mind tends to jump to the worst possible scenario.

Thanks!
-Lura

Fair Entry

I'm posting this for Amanda. This is her fair entry and her red second place ribbon! -Lura

Quick news...

I had my first doctor's appt and I don't know much new news. I didn't expect to at this one. Thursday is the one where I should know something.

Tuesday...August 14, 2007

I thought I would share a few pictures with you all.

The far left are a few more from the triplets party. The top one is Sean lighting the canles, middle is Caitlin loving on Old Grandma, Tanis, Old Grandpa, my mom and Jonathan. The bottom picture is Jonathan, Luke and Caitlin with the cakes Grandma made.

On the right is Gabe and some of the Bible School Boys from my class, the bottom is Gabe coming down the big slide at the wrap up picnic.

Have a good day!

Monday you can fall apart...

I couldn't think of any other song lyrics for Monday except those. Today was a good day for the most part. I took Gabe, the triplets and my nieces Carmen and Scarlett to Kellie's house. We played, swam in the pool, had lunch and tortured the dogs. Apparently one of the trio used Hot Pink chalk and colored one of the pug's bottoms. I think that we will still be allowed to go over and play, but I am not sure.
When we got home the kids played outside while I got dinner ready and Sean mowed. They had fun in the sandbox and I think most of it stayed in the box too! After dinner we ran a few errands and the kids went to sleep between 8:30 and 9:30. I was hoping they would drop off around 7:30. I was dreaming! Sean and I are running on only about 3 1/2 hrs. of sleep, so we are pretty tired.
Gabe is feeling much better today. He sounds congested, but is breathing just fine. Praise the Lord! Tomorrow I have the first of my dr.'s appts. this week. Yippee. I am nervous, I think moreso that they will tell me that there is nothing they can do. I want this taken care of once and for all!!! I don't want another year of surgeries!!!!!! I think they just like me, so they drag things out.
I got great stickers in the mail Saturday...Thanks Char!!!! The trio loved the Clifford stickers. My therapist didn't return my call to reschedule. I am sure she knows I start to get paranoid wondering if she wants to drop me as a patient. I think she enjoys torturing me. Maybe I should check her credentials next time I am there....if I get to go back! She owes me a sticker.
My mom's watercolor won a blue ribbon and Best of Show in the fair today! My cross stitch has been judged...we'll see what happens. This was another try of stepping out of my comfort zone. I don't care if I win, I'd like to, but I put myself out there to be judged and face rejection. This is a big step for me. Kind of like my statements.
Well, I am going to post this and go to bed...Have a great night everybody! Sleep well!!!

Late Night Fun at the ER

Last night we put the kids to bed and Gabe started coughing and saying his tummy hurt. He uses this all the time to get out of going to bed, cleaning his room, etc. so I told him to stop whining/faking it and go to sleep. He kept coughing, some obviously forced and complaining, so I finally said to come and sit with me on the couch. When he did we could see that his chest was moving really funny. I don't know how to describe it, He wsa really having to work to breathe and when he take a breath his chest wouldn't move much, and when he'd exhale it would kid of pop out, but he wasn't releasing all the air he took in, just really weird! So Sean called the pediatrician who said he needed to go to the ER asap. My mom got here to watch the trio and we took him out. It turns out he was having something like a bronchialspasm (?). His "breathing tubes" were spasming and he wasn't getting enough air. They gave him some breathing treatments and steroids and an inhaler to use if it starts to happen again. The dr. said that it might be a once every 5 years type thing or it could happen more often. Sean has asthma and it is hereditary, so we just have to watch and we will talk to the pediatrician of course. The medicine made him so incredibly hyper!!! He was feeling 100% better by the time we came home, stopping by McDonald's for a diet coke of course. When we got home I remembered Lura's post about the meteor shower, so we went and stood in the backyard. It was about as disappointing as the space station night, although we saw one really bright one. Then nothing...
Gabe is doing just fine this morning and we are going to go and play at Kellie's. I wonder what other fun is in store for us today??? Hopefully no more hospital trips!

Kellie and Brian's Party

Here are Pictures from our day at Kellie and Brian's end of summer party. You should all recognize my 4, Lura's 2 and Kellie's 1. I think my 30 lb. weight gain from the darn steroids is incredibly noticable and gross, but I am publishing the pics anyway. Go Me again!! We had a ball and I think the kids would have stayed all night if Kellie would have let them. I am taking my 4 and my two neices back tomorrow to play. Brian grilled amazing bbq chicken, as always. I didn't even look at the other meat as that is my favorite. They had a sno cone machine and cottom candy maker there that the kids loved! Okay, the adults might have loved it a bit more. I wish you could have all been there, it was so much fun!