Scrapbook

Today is my day off, so I am finally catching up on some scrapbooking. Now I didn't get all of these done today just 3 and tweaked 2, but I am happy to finally have something to post, maybe looking at these will motivate me to finish out 2013 {this is pretty hit and miss} and get through this summer fun. It's good to have goals. :)

{August 2013}






{September 2013}


{October 2013--1 page for each kid}




{November 2013}


{Christmas 2013}






{January 2014}


{February 2014}

Weekend

Man this has been one sick weekend. And I don't meant the fun kind of sick.
Who am I kidding the whole past week was a hot mess.
Lo started it all off with pink eye last Monday. Which she kindly shared with her brother by Wednesday which he affectionately shared with me Thursday morning. I haven't had pink eye since I was a kid. I remember waking up and I couldn't pry my eye open to save my life. It actually looked sick {the cool kind. :) } Sort of wish I took a picture since I can't wink unless my eye is glued shut.

Moving on. MW is not getting better he looks more and more pathetic, I should have trusted my mommy gut and just went in on Friday {BEFORE the long holiday}, but decided it was just allergies and he would have to suck it up.

Saturday he wakes up from his nap SCREAMING!!! He won't let anyone near him, or touch him. Not even me, the one who gave him life, the one who is loves more than anyone {unless Grandma Rachel or Papa is around then I can pound sand.} This worried me. Finally I asked him---tell me what hurts little buddy. My FROAT {throat}. Crap...he could have strep---he was running a high fever off and on since Thurs.

So for the first time ever I packed us up and went to minor emergency. I hate going to the regular doctor's office, so for me to take him there meant I was concerned. It actually ended up not being too bad of an experience.

Here we are waiting...

They swabbed him--NEGATIVE. Great what the H is wrong with my kid...once the ARNP got in there she checked him out and found an ear infection! This sounds so bad, but thank God it was something. She even let me look in his ears with the otoscope. I thought that was cool. Then due to his severe congestion she gave him a breathing treatment which he LOVED. He sang Let it go the whole time. Nut. 

I promised him if he was good we would go to QT and get slushies for our throats. Because mine was on fire. However, I don't get strep--like ever. You could swab me with a live culture of it and I probably still wouldn't get it. I just chalked mine up to post nasal drip.

Sunday came and my throat was horrible. The pain I was experiencing was horrific. I felt like I had swallowed shrapnel. I couldn't eat, I could barely swallow a thin liquid. I went to the BBQ party anyway and talked way more than I should have...it kept my mind off the pain, until I got home. Then I died. Again due to the holiday I couldn't get into my doc until Tues where he said if I waited another day or two I would have given myself and ear AND sinus infection along with my laryngitis. AWESOME.

Now I am all about being crunchy and using Essential oils etc etc. But sometimes you have to call in the big guns. And my doc gave me a z-pack. Oh how I heart z-packs. You know within 12-24 hours you WILL feel relief, he even boosted it with steroids. {WHICH I HATE, they make me nuts, but at this point I will take nuts, over not being able to eat, drink, talk and swallow!}

I raced to Target and didn't even get out the doors before for slugging back my pills!

I then attempted to go to work and coach 3 yos with no voice. Thank God my boss is a jewel and helped! I was fading fast. I came right home took codeine cough syrup and passed out in my bed for 4 hours....I woke up at 9p when Chad brought the kids inside. {Ah, summer nights have started} And then proceeded to sleep until 6a this morning. I FEEL so much better. Still no talking---but that will come.

My sweet sister felt sad for me and brought me my favorite vanilla chai latte. I love her. That was sweet!!

In other boring news my sister and I have started working out again. It feels so good. I haven't worked out in nearly 7 months since I got my coaching job. It is just hard with my kids and kidzone time allotments, plus I am there so much I hate going back. HA! But my body needs to tone up a bit again---after all it is swimsuit season...so here goes nothing. I need this and I need to make it a priority again. Sweating feels good.

I also found time to get a few projects done, like scrapbooking {YAY!} and finishing a pillow for MW that I have wanted to do for 2 years.

He has this navy blue body pillow and all I wanted to do was put the word HERO on it. That's it. So I finally get around to it and go to iron them on and in pinterest fail burned a hole right through the pillow. Geez.

So then I now get to make a navy pillow case for it since apparently navy pillow cases are in style or something...what was suppose to be a quick project how now turned into a longer project.

But here's the finish product. I still have to sew the letters on for extra support, but I am happy.

1 project down 99 more to go.

And that my friends is my long weekend.
Hope yours was better.

Thanksgiving Week

Thanksgiving week.
Started with packing up our operation Christmas Child boxes.

 

Followed by an adenoid surgery on Tuesday for Sass. She snores. Bad. She sleeps horrible. This is something I have been meaning to bring up at her well baby for years. I never remembered and didn't think it was dire. However we are undergoing insurance changes and wanted to take full advantage of our deductible. :) So I took her in to an ENT, he said her adenoids were very large in her tiny face. He thought this was affecting a lot of things--even bed wetting at night. Say what?! I didn't even mention it, he just said it at random. 

Anyway, she is a worrier. She gets it from her dad's side. The worry and obsessing they do over things makes me look like a cool cumber. She asked question after question. Obsessed over every detail. Each night I would pray over her Zephaniah 3:17.

The Lord your God is with you

He is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you; 

and will quiet you with His love

and rejoice over you with singing.

Tuesday arrived and we were off. She was composed and "excited" once we got there. I think the anticipation was the hardest part. Here she is dressed and ready. 

 

They took her to get a little lovie, a rainbow whale she named Minnie Mouse. HA! And then led us to a playroom area where she could watch Disney channel and roam around. It was so nice. When MW had surgery it was horrible trying to keep him content and entertain. This was so much better.

Then they came for her. She walked off so big and brave. Hardly said good-bye. 1 hour later she was back in my arms in recovery. {It was just she and I, so no pics.} She was pretty alert, but complained about her throat a LOT. :( Then she came home to see daddy and we took her to a special lunch at Chick-fil-A. Followed by a rest on the couch.

With Daddy. Be Still My Heart.

Thanksgiving Day. 3 Things you should know.

1. We always spend it with my Father in law's side.

2. We always get the perfect family picture on a timer. Every time.

3. Micah and I hate the food and daddy and Lo love it.

Some practice runs with the timer.

After we got our perfect picture in 1 take. We move on to silly pics.

And this is what I am MOST thankful for. Our crazy, awesome family.

We are Blessed Beyond Measure.

{2013}

A Flash back

{2009}

{2010}

{2011}

{2012}

{2013}

Over the weekend we celebrated with my MIL. She and Lo put out baby Jesus. Just look how motherly my little Sass is. She is going to be a great mom someday. I just love her.

At some point my MIL broke out her accordian and the kids played. It was a hoot.

And the of course an impromptu leaf jump before we went home.

We have so much to be thankful for. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

The result of our Tree of Thanksgiving 2013

                         

Good-Bye My Friend, Good-bye

I didn't wake up this morning expecting today to be the day.
The truth is I was just starting to believe the day wouldn't be for many more years.
I guess my blog about Toby recovering was just one big jinx. Part of me had been putting off saying how well he was doing for that reason, I guess I was right. Shortly after I hit "publish" things took another nose dive. I have no idea what went so wrong, but they have. He is no longer responding to meds and back on all sorts of narcotics, muscle relaxers and pred to keep him comfortable?!?! I use the term loosely since I am not sure if that is true. He has taken to crying out in pain all the time. Even when he is just lying there still. I wish  I could convey the cry he makes, it is shrill, it is heart-breaking, it pierces your heart, your mind and your soul. It is a desperate, painful cry. I want to make it stop.

I love this dog so much and because I love him, I must choose to let him go. I am not "more" ready this time, but I grieved hard 3 weeks ago when I thought that was the day, and now I have the peace that I was waiting for back then. I KNOW I did EVERYTHING I could physically, mentally and financially do to make it better. And I failed. I failed. My heart is broken.

This morning as he slowly and cripply walked into my room to greet meet, like he does every morning because he still loves me so much in spite of his tremendous pain {my God what love a dog gives!!} I picked him up and held him. I looked deep in his eyes and his eyes said "mom, I love you, but it is time. You have to let me go. I hurt and I want peace and rest. But if you need me to stay I will."

I cried. I told him how much I loved him.
Toby, you were the BEST dog. Your love got me through some rough times. Your snuggle kept me warm at night. I loved how you loved the kids. How you let them pull your ears and your tail and never once got grumpy. I loved how every night you would go to sissy's room to protect her while she slept. You were good to us. I hope you know how much we all love you. And now we offer you your freedom. Freedom from pain and suffering. I believe that all dogs go to heaven. And there is a big fluffy chair with a cozy blanket waiting for you to snuggle up on, with a big beautiful picture window for you to look out of. You deserve it buddy. We won't ever forget you!

Love your family.

Then I got up and told Lo the news. She was devastated and cried and cried. She is a planner and possess ingenuity  well beyond her years. She was planning ways to "fix" Toby, what we could do better so he could get better. That was heart-breaking.

So tonight we grieve.
We grieve a loss of a family memeber.
Thank you all for your love and support during this time. You have NO IDEA what it means to us.

Farewell my love puppy! You were simply the best! {even if you did pee on stuff.}