Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Perler Beads anyone...

Have you heard of them? It's the craze right now. The kids love making their own designs and then making key chains out of them. A few weeks ago, our neighbor and BFF's, hosted a Perler Bead Party/BBQ for kids and adults. The company sent the host this whole kit full of packs of beads for everyone, and man they had fun!
They started out slow, taking their time as they went. And then the race was on to see how many they could do, and how many different colors or designs they could make. Even Austin who stated he was "too old for this kinda thing" eventually sat down and made a few.
When your done designing, you then iron all the beads together. They then melt into the design you created. And you then attach the key chain clip and viola'!
It was pretty enticing, even for adults. Some got creative with themes, seen here making a San Francisco Giants one.
Adults and kids alike had a good time. Even though hours later we were finding little beads EVERWHERE! I'm not kidding.

After most of the invited kids went home, the adults then had yummy food and sat around the fire pit all evening enjoying the great company.
XOXO

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Soccer Mom...

Austin has played Soccer since he was 4 years old in his tiny little cleats running in circles on the field and sitting on the ground picking grass. He is now a linebacker 10 years later and mowing these boys down like their breakfast and it's a whole different game watching him play now. He's been fortunate enough to be on the same team all 10 years.
And I've been fortunate (or Crazy) enough to be the Team Mom/Manager for 9 of those years. We've always kept the same 7 or 8 players that come back each year and add in a handful of new ones. We've met and made some great friends along the way. I've had such joy in watching these boys grow up over the years. They all refer to me as "Mama ----" (insert last name here), and when we had sweatshirts made up this year for the team with our names on it, that's exactly what I put on mine. I enjoy it when they refer to me that way, or come up and give me hugs or know they can talk to me about anything. They email me themselves, call me and I know I've left a memory with them of someone who supports and cares for their well being. I make sure they have water at each game or I give them mine. I make sure they stay cool by squirting them down with misters. I make sure they are out of the rain by sitting under my pop-up tent. I make sure they have a place to sit at half time by giving them my chair. And if they are hurt, I am the first standing up checking on them, many times before their own parents.


The boys are at an age now where they are all going off in their own directions as they start High School. Playing High School sports now and not the leagues. Journeys that will take them in all sorts of new directions full of hope and promise. The future is theirs to conquer. I can only hope that they take with them a small part of what they have learned while being a part of our team all this time. That something I said or did will stick with them. That just maybe...these "big boys" will remember their "Mama ----" and think fondly of me. Because I'm gonna miss these boogers. The Stinky, Sweaty, Dirty, lovely little messes they are, I'm gonna miss every one of them.

I wish them all the best on their new adventures!
XOXO

Friday, November 19, 2010

Happy Friday Quote...

"Walk with the dreamers, the believers,
the courageous, the cheerful, the planners,
the doers, the successful people with their heads in the
clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a
fire within you to leave this world better then when you found it."
XOXO

Monday, November 15, 2010

Trick r Treat...

Its funny how the original "Trick OR Treat" has changed with slang to now your lucky to get a "Trick r treat".

The kiddos went out robbing the neighborhood of their goodies and bringing the Yummy little treats home to Momma. What? Oh like you don't go through the loot and snag one or two (or a handful) of your favorite kind!
Anyhoo...Emily went as Alex Russo from Wizards of Waverly Place. I seriously doubt anyone (other then kids) knew who she was suppose to be. But she just "had to have it". And guess what? It was apparently a very popular costume this year. Although I never saw another one dressed as one, every store in town was sold out, and 15 websites I checked were sold out. I was near tears as I tried UNSUCCESSFULLY to convince her to be something else, but she was firm that she "just had to be" Alex. So I googled and googled and clicked and clicked and lo and behold, I found some website I had never heard of that had ONE costume in her size left!!! And it was $5 cheaper then I saw on the sold out sites. Momma scored!!! And the Lil' girl was delighted! Austin decided on HALLOWEEN DAY that he wanted to trick or treat, and needed a costume. I was so mad that he waited til the last minute, that I only went to Rite Aid and told him he gets whatever I find is left on the shelves. Which lucky for him I found this:
Ok, who has seen the scary and gory movies SAW? There's like 7 or 8 of them out now. The latest came out last months in 3D. Imagine seeing a leg getting severed in 3D? No thanks. Anyways, the first 4 or 5 the DH's and I were into. It was a story line that kept you trying to figure out who did it and then why. So even though it was a squeamish for me, I just couldn't stop watching. Then it just got dumb. After all the questions were answered, they had a copy cat killer and it just was lame. But Austin scared allot of adults that night! Most kids didn't know who he was, probably because sane parents didn't let their young kids watch such gore, but all the adults walking around knew! LOL. What's even funnier, is his shirt is a Jeff Dunham shirt that says "SILENCE, I'll Keel you!" hahahaha...

They had a blast.

XOXO

Friday, November 12, 2010

Happy Friday Quote...

"Promise me you'll remember:
Your Braver then you believe,
and Stronger then you seem,
and Smarter then you think."
Christopher Robin to Pooh
XOXO

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Up, up and away...

Austin took his first (that he remembers) plane ride a few weeks ago to go see his Grandma. He flew on a plane when he was 2, but he slept through it all. And his Grandma (My MIL) moved out of state when he was 4, so he doesn't really remember her. Let's just say we aren't that close with the in-laws.
Anyhoo, the MIL's health has deteriorated and she was going in for surgery and we knew it was the last shot that DH's and son would have to go see her. The timing of the trip was the worst ever (just a little thing called hospital visit) but it needed to happen for several reasons, and I knew that. So after the decision was made to go, I thought it was a great idea to take Austin along. One, he really needed some guy time, and two, he really needed a chance to meet his grandma and was old enough to remember her.
We didn't tell her he was coming. She thought it was just DH's. So DH walks in room when he gets there and visits for 5 minutes or so, then says he has to go get something outside. And brought Austin into the room. It was a great shock, once they explained who he was. He had grown so tall and "manly" she was expecting a boy still. The hotel had the coolest Atrium with an indoor pool, cafe area, game area and lounge area.

Austin had a great time. They went swimming at the hotel, shopping at the mall, visiting relatives. It was a short trip but packed with activities.
And DH's took evidence that some pups couldn't run with the big dogs! ;o)

XOXO

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Do you know...

How to Copy and Paste on Blogger? Can someone please enlighten me? This is driving me crazy!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Do you even want to know...

Where I've been? I mean, I don't even want to know. It's depressing, it's exhausting, and its down right no fun!

After getting Emily home from the hospital, the following week was spent scheduling numerous appointments, meetings and tests for her. I spent the whole week on the phone or in meetings. By evening, the pure exhaustion of very little sleep from the week before and the stress would hit and I could barely keep my eyes open by 7pm!

It has been one really long couple of weeks.

And to top it off, they think her seizures are related to the mystery illness of my DH's. So Friday I had to take him to the hospital and he underwent the same testing she did. We are now waiting to hear back on all the reports.

Waiting is the hardest part. I promise to post more later. And I will get around to visiting you all more regularly. I pop in and out when I have a few minutes, but i may not have time to comment. So know I am there! :o)

XOXO

Friday, November 5, 2010

Happy Friday Quote...

"It is good to have an end to journey toward;
but it is the journey that matters, in the end."
Ernest Hemingway
XOXO

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Just a little thing called Hospital visit...

What a week last week was. This week isn't starting off any better. I've been in a mind fog from lack of sleep, stress, pain, heart break and pure exhaustion. Just when I think I'm coming out of it, WHAM! It hits me again.

We took our daughter to a new doctor to be evaluated and LOVE him. He listened, he acted, he reassured. Immediately upon hearing our tale, he ordered a round of tests which we promptly started a few days later.

Last Monday I took her to the hospital to have her hooked up for a 24hr EEG test and brought her home, and returned with her Tuesday morning to have it removed.

Tuesday afternoon we received a phone call from the doctor telling us our daughter was having multiple seizures and he wanted to admit her to the hospital first thing Wednesday Morning.

Imagine the bottom of your world falling out. Imagine a Nuclear bomb going off. That was what those words were to me. I wasn't sure i heard them right. I asked them to repeat it. But the information was going so fast. Bring her here, do this, don't do this, plan for this. All I heard was my heart stop beating.

The doctor had me meet him in the morning at his office (he canceled a big meeting to see me) so he could explain what they found. He then instructed us to go straight to the hospital for a 3-4 day admit for further seizure testing. And she couldn't be left alone, ever. Because of the type of testing, i had to stay with her 24/7.

And just to throw a wrench into the mix, let me tell you the rest of the story. Wednesday morning my DH and son got on a plane and flew to the east coast to visit my MIL who is ill. So I was left alone with Emily and the hospital. I immediately got on the phone Tuesday night and called my support system of family and friends to step in and help. Whether it was to be there physically, mentally, emotionally or a shoulder, I knew I needed help.

DH and I talked forever in what to do. Should he still go, should he stay. The decision was made for them to go and I would stay with help from my family. It was so tough for him to go. His heart was wanting to be here, but his head told him he needed to go. And my heart wanted him here but my head knew he needed to go. And thank goodness for text and cell phones.

It was an excruciating 4 days. She continued to have multiple and major seizures in her little brain. We still do not know why she is having them. They did an MRI and Spinal Tap on her, and numerous blood tests. Now we wait for the results. In the meantime, she is on lots of new meds to stop the seizures and calm her brain down. They seem to be working after having to work through the honeymoon stage of them. The side effects made her stoned. She was loopy and dizzy and said some pretty funny stuff.

She spent 6 days in and out of hospitals last week. I spent countless hours watching her. Endless hours sitting in folding chairs. Few hours sleeping on a cot. Hardly ate, watched no TV or heard any music, and only had texting to entertain me. I had family show up to relieve me so I could shower and change, friends show up to make me laugh, long distance friends reach out to me through text that kept me sane and grounded.

I still don't know where this journey is going to take us. But it is one I am sure she will come out shining like the star she is. She is my hero. Not once a complaint. Not once a whimper. She took it all. The wires, the cameras, the computers, the machines, the needles, the noises, the food, the medicines, she took it all.

And when it was time to go home, that smile that warms my heart to the very bottom of my soul came on her face and she said "it's time to go home mommy, and don't forget to stop for my McDonald's on the way."

XOXO