Casey and I

Me (happily preparing cupcakes to put in the oven: "What did I ever do before I discovered Pampered Chef?"

Casey: "Well.... you had less dishes to wash...."

Tommy and Abby are just so cute all day. Tommy was playing teacher and reading to his sis.


Here they are making a crappin book. (That's what Abby calls a scrapbook)

This is what I have to look at while I'm making soup. I do miss Adam while he's away at school, so I appreciate that he likes to hang out in the kitchen with me.

An Ode

I love to get cards in the mail. Who doesn't? I received a card today from my best friend. She doesn't just send a card, she pours her heart and soul into just the right words...

(this is printed with her permission just incase you wondered)


An Ode to the "Stone"
(by Jennifer LaBo)

Oh you horrible, painful thing
Oh what a disaster you bring!!

Desperate to get you out
So much so, it causes a shout

Causing pain wherever you go
Oh how we loathe you so

So happy everyone will be
When we see you swirling out to sea.

Field Trip

Today I went with Rachel's class to the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum at S.V.S.U. You are not allowed to take pictures inside the museum, but outside I was able to snap a few. This is the only sculpture that they are allowed to touch.


We got to go upstairs and look down into the sculpture museum. They really liked this part. The sculpture of Jesus on the cross is 28 feet high, so when you look to the left in this window his head is right there, it's huge!

A little catch-up

This was cute because Adam was "reading" to Tommy and Abby. He loves this book with the song This Old Man, he played one... he will sing the whole thing! Adam is really changing. He will work at the table and sing songs that he makes up and then say, "Do you like that one, mom?"


Brothers are such pests!

I keep telling Anna that there is no rush, she doesn't need to be standing, but her father just keeps pushing and pushing her. :)


Here are my little princesses getting all dolled up.

Today's Observations

Life is taking it's dear sweet time to return to normal. I am still having some kidney pain, I think that last stone is putting up a good fight in leaving my body. Motrin is my friend and I feel some relief if I stay on it.

Now on to some observations from the day...

*Ellen DeGeneres is now a Cover Girl. That's just weird for some reason.

*Why did the bulls in the movie "Barnyard" have udders?

* Cottage cheese and peaches make for a tasty snack.

*I only ate 2 oreos out of the entire package. That tells you I was really sick.

*My Christmas tree is still up. My mom said, "So are you leaving that up until spring?"

*Abby's shirt can stand on it's own at the end of the day from all the dried snot on the sleeves.

*I am reading "The Shack". I just got to the part where he meets God. Huh. That was interesting. *eye roll***

Just when you thing it can't get any worse...

it does. I got to visit the ER this morning.

I woke up in the middle of the night thinking I had the start of a bladder infection. Well, by 6am I was rolling around on the bathroom floor with terrible pain in my back, left side. The pain was so bad it was making me throw up. Good ol' Phil Luter came over so Casey could take me to the hospital. It takes my mom an hour and a half to get here, I could not wait that long.

It felt almost exactly like being in labor with no epidural, which I have done 5 times. I actually think this was worse, and there was no cute baby to hold in the end, just a little grain to pee out. You guessed it- KIDNEY STONES! They medicated me pretty well since I was writhing all over the bed. The first dose did nothing. The second dose of something much stronger sent me to la la land. Apparently the nurse came in a bit later to find me all tensed up and purple. I really don't look good in purple. She rubbed on my chest several times to get me to come to. My poor husband was by me the entire time. After I had settled down they took me for a CT scan (I think that's what it was) where it was revealed that I had passed one stone, but one more was still in my kidney. They sent me home with instructions to take motrin when I felt the symptoms coming on again. Oh brother. So needless to say, I THINK I passed the other stone, I was in pain here at home several more times, but nothing like it was at the hospital.

My mom is spending the night tonight, I really needed help with the sick kids. Abby I think is getting better. She has an appointment tomorrow to check her eye. And Anna got sick last night- high fever, snotty nose. So that's my story today.

Have any of you had kidney stones? This has probably been the worst day of my life.

Abby Update

My poor little peanut. I took Abby to the dr. today because her eye is just not getting any better. The tissue surrounding the eye is purplish and swollen, the eyeball itself looks fine. The dr. said if it looks worse tonight to take her to the ER and they would have to administer IV antibiotics! So she started on augmentin this morning, and she needs to see the dr. again tomorrow morn.
So please pray for Abby to get better!

More Complaining about Sickness

Here is Abby exactly a year ago- sick.


And here is Abby today. Rachel is sick, too. I am really having unpleasant thoughts about the whole month of January. We are always sick. Can't we just skip to February? At least we have birthdays to look forward to there.


We entertained ourselves this morning by making paper snowflakes. And laughing at Adam's clothes.


Here's Humpty-Dumpty hanging out by the kitchen. Casey lowered the crib yesterday because she was starting to pull herself up. I want my baby back!!!

It's NOT the most wonderful time of the year

It is cold. Really cold. There is ice on the inside of the sliding glass door in the kitchen. We leave the curtain closed all day because it is so cold by this door.

It got me to thinking about happier times, warmer times, and times when we were never sick. Here are some photos of things that we miss about summer...


Sunning ourselves by the flowers!


Muddy little feet!


Popsicles! Green grass!


Giving birth! Just kidding- I think we're safe to say this will be a birth-free summer.


Scooter/wagon rides!

On the Mend

We have had sick boys off and on for a week. Adam came home sick last Wednesday, then Tommy got it on Saturday. He fell asleep on me which NEVER happens!


This is how Tommy looks when he's feeling better. It makes me a little nervous.


This was yesterday- note Adam. He looked almost gray. Ewww. He has slept a lot and watched many cartoons. Casey took him to the Dr. on Monday because I was worried about his kidney problem flaring up again, but the dr. said his urine looked fine- yay! When you're a mom you can get excited about those things.


Anna likes the blocks in the boys room.


Casey is up to his old tricks. He has done this will all our babies.


Adam is looking a lot better today, he has been playing with Abby and Tommy , and he even had a bagel this morning.

Church Etiquette 101

If it takes more than 60 seconds to unwrap that old cough drop/peppermint candy in the loud crinkly plastic wrapper that's been at the bottom of your large purse for the past 2 years, just give up. Someone sitting next to you might have a quieter alternative.

Boys are Funny

I just remembered something I was going to blog a couple days ago...

Adam: "Mom, why don't you ever clean your room?"

Me: "Well, um, uh....."

Adam: "You have a lot of toys under your bed."

Me: "Those are your toys, I think you put them there."

Tommy: "Maybe the stunk put them there."


The children have been obsessed with skunks ever since they saw one at church going behind the dumpster. And Tommy calls them "stunks". I'm sensing that this story isn't nearly as funny to read as it was hearing it, but I'll go out on a limb.

Val

Since Laurie started the care page for Val through St. Mary's, I'll let her post the updates there. If you would like access to that page and Laurie doesn't have your email yet, feel free to leave it in my comment section- she checks them regularly.

Of course we still covet your prayers for Aunt Val. She has a tracheotomy in now so they could take the uncomfortable tubes out of her mouth. But nothing else has really changed much with her condition. Her stroke was a week and a half ago.

Sickness and More Soup

Oh that's better, we have happy faces again. Well, minus Adam...


My poor Buddy came home from school sick yesterday. He was really warm, achey, and tired. And no appetite- he has no fat to spare so as a mother I always worry. He wanted to be by me, but I had stuff to do in the kitchen, so he got his pillow and fell fast asleep on the cold floor behind me. He stayed home today and slept off and on again.


Here is today's lunch- Zuppa Tuscana and soft homemade bread sticks. This is one of Maude's favorites. It wasn't as fantastic as Olive Garden's, but she would never tell me that. :)

A Simple Recipe

Here is a recipe from Country Woman magazine (May/June 2006) that I just dug out the other day. It was super easy since it's meatless, which is just fine by me. Rachel and Abby had a little, but it was a hair spicy for their taste buds. Oh well, more for me.

**Spicy Tomato Soup**

8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
1 can (46 oz) tomato juice
1 can (15-1/4 oz) whole kernal corn, drained (I just throw in some frozen)
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed an drained
1/4 cup salsa
3 tsp dried oregano
1-1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional (I think this is what put it over the edge for the kids)
Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, optional

1. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the tomato juice, corn, beans, salso, oregano, garlic powder, basil, cumin and pepper flakes if desired; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes. I did add a bit of water because the tomato juice just seemed to thick for me.

2. Drain macaroni; stir into the soup. Garnish with cheese if desired. Yield 8-10 servings.

Really?

My blog is worth $3,951.78.
How much is your blog worth?

I'll Give You Something to Cry About

Today didn't start out half bad. I was in my pajamas until lunch time. Amanda called and that is always worth a few laughs. But then things started to spiral downward from there... the afternoon was full of crankiness. Here is Anna. This is typical. If she sees me she cries. I don't know if I should take it personally or not.


We all know that Tommy loves Anna. But he hogs her.


This is what happens when Tommy has to be separated from Anna so others can enjoy her. Go ahead, you can feel sorry for him if you want.


All I wanted was a picture of her cute hair cut. Boy, that was a lot to ask for after a hard day at school. Yikes.


Abby was telling me, "NO NO!" About what, I'm not sure.

Just another day in the life.

Valerie

Marsha (my mother-in-law, Val's sis) was able to attend Adam and Rachel's Christmas program today at their school, I think the distraction was good for her. :)

She said that Val's tracheotomy was postponed until tomorrow. They are hoping the skin infection in that area will be better by then.
Apparently Gaylord and Petosky both have facilities that could take Val in the near future. One of the gals that works at the hospital is rooting for Gaylord, so we will too. It is close to Sarah, which is comforting.

Aunt Val

I talked to Laurie today. The doctors have decided to do a trach since this is most likely going to be long term. Her surgery for that will be on Monday. I pray that she will be more comfortable with that than with all the tubes coming and going from her mouth. I still haven't seen her, hopefully this week I will get up there. Laurie is amazed at all the visitors Val has had, everyone has really shown an outpouring of love.

A couple days ago they had backed down on her sedatives, and she was much more alert yesterday. However, Val had quite a full day today with getting her hair washed and that sort of thing and they ended up upping her meds again.

So that's today's news. I was designated by Laurie to keep everybody up to date, so there are some new visitors to my blog. Welcome. I will post away as I get news. Keep praying that everyone's faith will remain strong, this is a long hard road. God has a plan and we have no clue what that would be right now. We love you all.

Aunt Val update

My mother-in-law is feeling a little encouraged today, she and uncle Dennis met with the doctors, and they said they could keep her at this hospital for up to a month, then she would need to go to a different facility. She is totally ventilator dependent and can only blink to respond to questions. Nobody is ready to pull the plug (including Val), so it's just nice to have some time.

Casey's whole family was in town to see Val, so everyone came over for lunch today, and we got to sing Happy Birthday to Liam and eat some cake! I wasn't really prepared to make a one year old's birthday cake, so we improvised and used a cactus candle that Jenny had sent me from Arizona. It was great. I'll post pics later.