Watch out!

I absolutely refuse to allow Aislinn to not be well for the cruise. Or anyone else in the family for that matter. So, I've given her Vitamin C and cold and cough medicine. Her cough seems to have changed to the asthma cough so I started her on the nebulizer this morning. When I picked her up from school, she was definitely exhibiting the asthma cough so it was back on the nebulizer for her 2 times this evening and it's working! Yippee! Her cold symptoms are improving and with the nebulizer, her cough is too.

Now on to continuing to get better and praying and hoping that nobody else gets sick. We can hear the ship calling our names.

I knew it!

I got awaken this morning by Aislinn coming to tell me that she is coughing and her nose is running. I promptly hopped out of bed and got her some cold and cough medicine. She didn't feel warm to me so we carried on with our morning.

I did have a particularly hard time finding something to wear, but I finally did and we went.

However, Aislinn layed on Grandma through sacrament meeting and she did not want to go to Primary. I told her that the only way she got to go home was if she took a nap and she agreed. Uh-oh! Knowing Aislinn, her agreeing to that means she really doesn't feel well.

We can't do this right now. The cruise is a week from today. We can't be sick for the cruise. We can't be sick the week before the cruise because we all have way too much to do to be ready to leave!

I'm sure this is just because I don't have enough to stress about.

Carry on.

Below is the wall above our bed in our bedroom. While Chris and I were gone yesterday, the children made us a "Happy 17th Anniversary banner". I'm leaving it because it is important to them...

17 Years!

Chris and I got up this morning and went to the gym as usual. He met with his personal trainer and I cycled. It sure does feel good.
After I took Greyson to a birthday party for one of his classmates at noon and Chris got a haircut and did some home improvement projects, we headed to lunch at Cracker Barrel and then the day at Magic Kingdom.

We didn't leave on our 'date' until a little after 2 and didn't arrive at the Magic Kingdom until 3:30 or so but we had a great time, just the two of us. We looked in the shops on Main Street without 5 kids asking us if they could have essentially everything for sale. We walked leisurely and did exactly what WE wanted to do. It was nice.

17 years. Wow! Where does the time go?

Chris and I commented today that we have yet to take the easy road in our life. But somehow, we have made it and even better, we've made it together.

Bring on the next 17!

Pre-Anniversary Festivities

Friday is date night, so we took advantage of it and went to see a movie and then to dinner even though we had babysitters already set up for tomorrow for us to go do whatever we wanted for our anniversary.
The movie was fine and the dinner was tasty. Especially the fried ice cream at the end...

A winning essay

Brennan wrote an essay on Martin Luther Luther King Junior for school. It was titled One Dream, One Community, One World and his was one of picked from his school to go to the county level.

Brennan found out today that he won $75 for his essay!

Way to go Brennan!

Sad and Happy

Everyone knows, who knows us, that we absolutely love the Carters.

We found out today that President and Sister Carter will be leaving to serve as a Mission President, with Debbie as his companion to a Spanish speaking missing starting July 1.

I have to say that I was not surprised by this. These two people are absolutely amazing. However, it doesn't make me miss them any less. Yes, I know they aren't gone yet, but I can already feel it.

I know that nobody has touched my life like the two of them outside of my family. I love them. I'll miss them. I'll pray for them.

If my sons get a mission president and wife like President and Sister Carter, I will be able to sleep knowing that they are in the best of hands.

On to new and different things for them. On to touching different lives, but know, that you have certainly touched ours.

Dedication

I went to cycle last night even with the crazy storms projected to hit our area. Come to find out, the worst of them hit while I was in my class and I didn't even know it. I think that is great! Want to know what was even better? All was well at home and with all the family.

I got my exercise fix and missed the scary weather. Score!

Haircuts

It was time for haircuts again and since the kids were out of school today because of a teacher planning day, we went and took care of business.

Aren't they cute?

EPCOT, spur of the moment

After a morning at the gym for both Chris and me, we headed to EPCOT with Grandma. We stayed too late, but had fun, none the less.

A great talk

Chris spoke in our ward's sacrament meeting today. He did a great job. His talk was filled with great inspiration and guidance given to us by our leaders. It was nice to have him 'home' and even nicer to hear his talk.

Finally, my new table

After ordering it in October, it finally arrived!

We can all sit together at the table now!

Some of the comments have been so cute coming from the children.

"This table is huge!"

"We don't get in each other's space anymore, isn't that great, Mom?"

Here is my thought:

Wouldn't it be nice if this table could create some peace due to it's larger size? I'll take what I can get.

Office Open House

Tonight was our Open House and Ribbon Cutting. We had a really nice time. Now, the planning and getting ready for it was kinda crazy, but in the end, it was great!

The above shot is everyone but Cindy and Janie who had already left the Open House. Below, you see Chris having a good time. I must admit, I laughed and laughed when I saw this shot.

We had a great turn out and a great time!

Brennan is 14!

You've come a long way baby!

The young man you see here started out on Monday, January 13, 1997 at 7:18 p.m. weighing in at 4 pounds 15 ounces and 18 1/2 inches long.

He is now 5 feet 6 1/2 inches and 144 pounds!

This boy almost literally killed me, but he sure was worth it!

Brennan is going to do great things.

Happy Birthday, Brennan!

More looking and talking

After talking to Dr. Montane, Aislinn's nephrologist, both yesterday and today, she and Dr. Rich, Aislinn's urologist, have decided that Aislinn needs to go through the VCUG test again. I really wasn't happy when I heard it. I pushed and pushed for explanations as to why she needed that test again, and after doing all of the asking to Dr. Montane, I called Dr. Rich and pressed his nurse.

The reason that I am not happy about Aislinn having that test is because it really upsets her. She has to get into a gown, lay on a table, and let them insert a catheter into her and shoot radioactive dye into her bladder. After all of that, she has to urinate on the table. We have had this test done several times before with each time being harder and harder for Aislinn to let it happen. First of all, it hurts. Secondly, she doesn't want anyone around her 'private area'. Lastly, she doesn't want to urinate on a table.

However, this test needs to be done to see if the correction of the previous reflux that she had has failed. They are thinking that this could be the cause of her Urinary Tract Infections and why they are so severe. We will see.

Now, I have to call Arnold Palmer and get her test scheduled and try to figure out how I am going to tell her this information.

On to different things

I was released today from Primary Pianist and I was sad. However, I was called to be a Den Leader in Cub Scouts so that will be fun. I did that when Brennan was in Cubs so here we go with round 2. I can't wait to see all the fun that brings. But, I sure will miss Sunday Primary, serving the children and being with my friends. Hopefully they'll let me come back to visit.

Another UTI

Friday night is date night, but this Friday night, Chris and I had a date at the ER of Arnold Palmer with Aislinn. We got there about 6:25 with Aislinn and we didn't leave until 12:30 this morning. She had to give a urine sample, and it did come back with elevated Leukocytes of 100 when the normal is between 5 and 10. She also had some bacteria in her urine. Her fever came back up to 102.7 while we were there and they gave her medicine to get it back down. We did get a renal ultrasound done before we left too and they said that her kidney's looked good but that there was some thickening of her bladder wall. We will see what her nephrologist and urologist say on Monday about the results and what other tests they want ordered.

She did enjoy listening to her daddy read to her though, almost as much as I did.

Emotional

I'm having a rough morning. Aislinn was complaining yesterday after school that her legs were hurting, then about bath time, she perked up. I thought it was just muscle cramping or something, maybe her just even wanting attention, or a virus, and so I gave her Motrin and some TLC and she went to bed last night acting like normal, sassy Aislinn.

She woke up about 4:15 this morning saying she was thirsty, which she does when she is running a fever. I took her temp and it was only 100.4, which isn't much, and I gave her Motrin. She then went to drink more, but was doing it too fast, so she threw up a little.

She wanted to sleep in our room on the floor and I was glad to have her do it. After about 45 minutes she went back to sleep. I had to wake her up around 7:30 to get her dressed and I also gave her some Tylenol. We talked and she had no fever, and after she got dressed, she said she was feeling fine and gave me a kiss and thanked me for taking care of her.

She wanted to go to school and because she didn't really have what I thought was a fever and because she has absolutely no complaints of anything hurting and no symptoms, I let her go to school. I told her to tell her teacher if she started to feel bad and that I would come and check her out.

But now, I sit here and worry. I worry that it is her kidney issues again because this is how it starts and she never has any symptoms.

I have a friend

Her name is Mary Gronlund and today was her birthday! She was 48 today and she'd be okay with me telling you that because she looks like she's about 38. She is an amazing woman, mother, teacher and friend and I am blessed to have her in my life.

To celebrate, I took her out to Chili's tonight. Danette, Debbie Carter and Debbie Clayton came too. We partied, Mormon style, like it was 1999!

Love you Mary!

Back to school

I overslept this morning by 15 minutes so my normal rush around the house getting ready was even more frenzied. But, we made it. Everyone got to school safely and I hope they all had good days.

I have to say that being out sure has its positives. I like not being rushed in the morning. I like that we don't have homework.

It also has its negatives. I can't work the way that I need to since all the kids are there. (However, they are doing much better at home without me). I also spend more money doing things with them, but it sure is fun.

Our last day

The kids and I met up with Mom and Holly and her family at Cracker Barrel for lunch. Yes, I love that place. Anyway, the food was tasty and the kids were really good. Following lunch, we headed to Gilbert Park to play.

After playing at the park, we headed to one of the kids' favorite ice cream stores to eat some ice cream. I wasn't the least bit hungry, but I ate like I was.

The kids hugged and said goodbye to their Aunt Holly and her family. I get to see them again tomorrow since I get to help drive them to the airport. Why do their visits always seem so short?

Hurry back to the states. We miss you.

Happy New Year 2011

Mark, Thomas and Kylea headed back to Virginia this morning and Chris, the kids and I headed over to Mom and Dad's. We are celebrating Christmas and New Year's in one!

May this year be even better than the last!