Happy Birthday Dad!!

Wow! The big 62!! We sure love you Dad & Grandpa!!

We called to see if Grandma and Grandpa would want to meet us for his birthday in Mesquite for a fun buffet! They were game so we met at Casablanca's at noon. The food wasn't really great but good times were still had!! My kids sure miss them all the time! But I guess 2 hours away isn't too bad!

My kids had made him some "shirt" birthday cards! They were really cute made out of 'Happy Birthday' paper and with some folding, cutting, and buttons they looked like a shirt! Anyway--Grandpa googled over them! Love you for that Grandpa!!

Ten things I love about my Dad (and my kids Grandpa)!!

1. He always says I love you at the end of every phone call.

2. He always has time for me--even when he is busy!

3. He gives the best advice.


4. He knows everybody! Anywhere we go he knows somebody!

5. He is a man of service. Always willing to help anybody!

6. He always has a positive attitude and is an optimist.

7. He always gives me a hug--and they are the best!


8. He likes and is willing to have fun!

9. He is a very hard worker--I have always admired him for that!


10. Family is very important to him!

I love you Dad!!

Another YMCA day!

Interesting trip to the YMCA! There was drama, fun, and sun to be had! First--the drama--every hour they have everyone get out of the pool. Probably to switch lifeguards, check the pool, etc. Well--there was a teenager and his father there. The teenager--a big kid, probably 13 or 14 years old--would not get out of the pool. Kind of funny at first, but then as the lifeguards chased him and tried to box him in, it got not so funny! The kid was running up the stairs to the slides--getting away from the lifeguards--and then when he got to the bottom they were right there so he tried to climb up the waterslide! He then got away again and went in the Kiddie area and kept dodging the lifeguards! The lifeguards were pretty frustrated by now and getting irritated! They brought out more reinforcements--upper management--and they tried to get him too! Then he ran over to two girls on the loungechairs and grabbed her hot dog and started eating it!!! She was shocked! Then he went over to the concessions stand and bothered all patrons in line. Okay--now it is getting ridiculous! I wondered why the dad wasn't involved in trying to get him but I guess since he was a really big guy he just couldn't chase him! Lastly--the boy locked himself in the boys bathroom! About 5 lifeguards tried and tried to open the locked door but couldn't! At this point my kids are all scared and want to go home!! Finally--they get the door open and escort him and his father out of the YMCA! Wow!! Swimming and entertainment!!



Footnote--The lifeguards actually came to me and told me I was not allowed to take pictures! It is posted everywhere she says and tells me to put my camera away! Too bad! I snuck a few pictures but was unable to take a short movie of the fun whirlpool they have there! (I guess they had a guy that was coming to just take pictures of the kids swimming!! SCARY!!--Okay--so this location (by the Meadows mall) is a little ghetto but it was really not crowded and the kids had a ball--AFTER the 'show'!! ;)

With Love, From Aunt Carol

My aunt, Carol, is so sweet!! These are the cards she sent my girls! They are beautiful! Even my friend, who is really creative, said "These are great! Where did she get this great paper?" My girls love getting mail and they were so excited to get these!! I love the stamped metal on Taylor's and Madison's and Emerie's had a cute charm that she already took off and put on a necklace! Payton was so excited and yet I am still not sure she knew what it was! ;)

My aunt has been sending very creative cards to my kids for years and now I have a place to show them off!! Thanks Carol!! We love you!! :)

Summer at the YMCA Waterparks!

Okay--I know I have a ton of pictures from swimming at the YMCA but I guess since that is mostly what we have done since school got out I don't have much of anything else! We sure love it there! We have even ventured out to another one a few miles away! It is a little different--bigger kiddie area with a slide, only one large water slide, only 1 diving board--so we plan to venture out to others! In fact, Thursday we decided we are going to the one by Meadows Mall! It is said to have a lazy river too!! I love being members of the YMCA! Lots of benefits!! One being--Park Hopping!! :)

We even started getting snow cones because it is so blasted hot this week!!



Emerie wasn't supposed to be in the heat or the sun for a couple weeks so I tried to keep her in the shade and brought her an Mp3 player to listen to and a leapster to play with! But she eventually got in the pool! She is doing great so I didn't worry too much! Her voice is getting better but it is still 'nasely' is that a word? She talks through her nose!



Madison and Payton, Me and Payton

Laurel, Taylor and Haylee, Emerie

These are pictures from the Durango Hills YMCA. The kids love it! It has grass!! It also looks like a mini-waterpark! I love the beach-entry kiddie area too! I think it has helped Payton learn to 'swim' a little better without floaties (they don't allow anything but life jackets).

Madison, Taylor and Haylee in front of the Kiddie Land water slide!


Madison in the tube, Madison and Haylee

The Cannon Family Visits Las Vegas!

We were so excited to hear that the Cannon's were coming to Las Vegas! We decided to make it a swim day and camped out by the pool! The kids had a great time! So did the adults--it was so fun to sit and chat! It was as if no time had passed--and yet, Laurel has been gone from Tucson for almost 3 years and we have been gone almost 1 year!

We could not have asked for a better day! The weather was great--even though it was hot! The kids were in great spirits and got a long great! We felt bad Emerie couldn't join in because the doctor is saying 2 more weeks till she can swim! She spent most of the day inside but we made sure and included her in some pictures!!

We made snow cones, had water fights, and rock jumping contests!

I even think Taylor holds a soft spot in her heart for cutie Blake! They kept chasing each other with the water bucket having a great time!









They all took turns jumping off the rocks! They did "Cannon"balls, High School Musical poses, held hands, etc.
Maddie has Allie staying at our house for 3 days while her parents go on Trek so she (and I) were glad she had a friend her age since all the other kids had each other!



Jackson had a great time in the shallow area! He is doing so great as he learns to swim! I was amazed that he can hold his breath and go under water and he is not even 3 yet!! We had to do a slight rescue of him near the end of the day when he ended up in the deep end but he was just fine!!



Little Chase is almost 4 months old! He was so content and we barely heard a peep out of him! Laurel couldn't get enough of holding him! Isn't he just the cutest!! :)



I realized how many good friends I have made over the years and how important their friendships are to me! Stephanie and Laurel are truly great people and such fun to be around! I am so glad we keep in touch--especially through blogging!! :)

New Blogger Template!

I have been wanting to change my template for so long! I have looked and tried many but since I have so many widgets (those little side things: lists, links, labels, etc.) it would always delete them and I didn't want to have to start over! After helping my sister set up a darling blog site (it is much easier to choose a great back ground BEFORE you add all your millions of widgets!) and also seeing Laurel's darling background on her site, I got the bug again!

I found this site and it is so much easier! You don't change your whole template!! You only "add a page element" and then it doesn't disrupt your widgets!! (I just love that word--widget!!)

My last post had some issues with the text color but I think I got that all figured out! (I'm not sure what happened with that particular post because all the other posts looked fine!?)

It didn't let me expand my column widths--I had done that and used more of the space left to right but oh-well!!

Anyway--I hope you like it!! :)

Crazy & Wild Weekend!!

THURSDAY:
Well--since they put me in as the Enrichment Leader the Emergency Preparedness Enrichment Night was scheduled for June 19th. They had to move it a week earlier due to Trek so it was now on June 12th! The night before Emerie's tonsil surgery! Everything was planned but, of course, the day of we had set-up, cooking (of the items we were assigned to bring made from items in your food storage), driving friends (of my kids) here and there, and just the craziness of being in charge!!

I had to do the 5 minute talk on Emergency Preparedness/Food Storage. I HATE giving talks!! But, 5 minutes isn't very long. It went okay and I was just glad it was over! We then had to do the clean-up!

It finally hit Kerby and I at about 8pm that we hadn't received the call from the hospital to tell us what time her surgery was. They do it by age and so they call you the night before, once all the surgeries are scheduled, to let you know what time yours is.

**Footnote** Kerby called me around 11:30am and asked what was wrong with our phones. There must be one off the hook because it rang busy each time Kerby called. I finally found the one off the hook and it said the call time was 194 minutes!! It had been sitting on since before 8:30am! (We figured this might be why the doctor's office didn't get through. We wondered why they hadn't tried later in the day because the phone was back on the hook by 11:30am).

Well--we called the hospital and they stated it wasn't them that would call but that our doctor was supposed to call. We called the after hours line and by 9pm I had our doctor on the phone. He was surprised no one had called but told me Emerie's surgery was scheduled for 9:00am and to be to the hospital by 7:30am.

We still had to pack for the overnight stay so that is what I did as soon as I returned from the clean-up! There isn't much to pack for one night but Emerie insisted on taking certain stuffed animals and such!

I put my camera battery on the charger to make sure it was full for tomorrow! But, of course, in the hustle/bustle of the morning I left it on the charger! So half these pictures are from my phone camera--not a great picture taker! Kerby had to bring my battery to me later that day!

FRIDAY: Well--bright and early we headed for the hospital. Emerie was not allowed to eat or drink anything after midnight. She was in pretty good spirits but still a little nervous. She went to throw something in the garbage and took small drink from the fountain! We about died! In fact the nurse kept asking how much? I guess they could have had to postpone the surgery from this but because it was just water and she just took a sip they should be okay!
Emerie in the waiting room. Holding her Pug webkin, Pal.

Kerby stayed at the hospital until they called us back. That was about 8:00am. Then he headed back to the house to spend the day with the other kids. Then they took Emerie's vitals, asked every question in the book, we met with the anesthesiologist and the doctor and she was finally ready to go. They wheeled her away and told me it would be about 45 minutes! I headed to the cafeteria because I was starving!
Emerie in the surgery area just before surgery. She looks scared doesn't she? They also gave her a little children's hospital info coloring book and crayons.

After eating I waited in the waiting room until they called me back again. This time it was to meet Emerie after the surgery. She was crying and coughing (I guess the anesthetic makes them cough). She was happy to see me but still in pain. They gave her the pain medication of Tylenol with Codeine but she just threw it up. It definitely has a different taste than regular children's Tylenol.

She asked the nurse to see her tonsils so the nurse went looking but they were already gone. The doctor did say they were gigantic! We already knew that though.

I can't believe I wore a white shirt! What was I thinking? Oh well--bloody snot and cough phlegm is what you get being a mom, right?
Emerie in her room at the hospital.

We finally got our room and they wheeled her up. She was sleepy so she slept most of the day. Kerby and the girls came to visit around 2pm. They brought her a balloon and the other Webkins Grandma had sent to comfort her during surgery. The nurses were so cute and brought everyone a popsicle! Payton loved it!
Emerie's friend, Paige, and her Mom and siblings came to visit about 4pm and by then Emerie was really tired again. She was pretty much in a daze and actually fell asleep before they left! They brought her a balloon also and a coloring book and crayons. Emerie loved them!
Emerie, Paige, and Leah.

I brought a couple books to read, a fun romance novel, and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. I read quite a bit Friday because Emerie was watching Disney Channel or Nickelodeon or sleeping. I hope to finish the Dan Brown book soon because it is due back at the library June 19th! It is really good but long!

Emerie sure loved the automatic bed! She kept moving up the head part. Then she would lift up the feet part. Then she would do both. Up, down, up, down...

They let the kids do all sorts of stuff. They brought in more coloring books and crayons, they gave her a little bag that had a craft to do in it, and they also let her paint! It was a mess but she sure had fun! She got it all over the blanket and the gown and the sheets! The nurse looked a little perturbed but...she's the one that lets them paint, right?

The night was pretty horrible because they come it so much and check vitals. Since she had sleep apnea she was hooked up to monitors and these keep going off all night! I don't know how Emerie slept through them! They actually hooked up the oxygen for her about 3am because it kept dipping too low. She got up a few times to go to the bathroom and I had to help her because she was hooked up to all those wires.

Saturday:
I was thinking they would discharge her by 9am or 10am but I guess since it is a Saturday they took their own sweet time and checked on her about 12pm. They decided to watch her for a few more hours since they had to give her oxygen during the night. They took off the oxygen 1pm. They watched her vitals for the next few hours, she was eating more, drinking more, and not as much in pain. So they discharged her at about 7:30pm.


This was also part of the healing. They wanted her to get up an move around. They told her if she took her medicine (Tylenol with Codeine) then they would let her go to the playroom (Tylenol with Codeine actually tastes awful and she would usually try to spit it out!). She really wanted to go so after much coaxing she took her medicine, had a popsicle, and went to the playroom.


We packed up her stuff and she was ready to go--after one more popsicle (like she hadn't had enough already)! She even got to ride in the wheelchair down to the car!

Once home she asked if she could sleep with Mom so Kerby took Madison's bed and Madison moved to Taylor's extra bed. (Musical beds I'd say!)

Power Wheels, Gotta Love 'Em!

We had been kind of keeping our eyes open for a cute little pink Barbie car or jeep for Payton for her birthday. Used, by the way, because new is just too darn expensive! We just missed out on getting a cute pink jeep in our neighborhood (when they were having the neighborhood yard sales) by about 5 minutes! The person just before I walked by bought this cute jeep for $20!! I mentioned this to Laurel and she said she had a jeep--kind of boyish colors--at her house that has been sitting for a long time that we could just have! We were so excited!! We didn't care what color it was! She and Seth dropped it by and lo and behold it was a cute quad with a little trailer! The only thing we needed was a charger! So we went and purchased a $30 charger and came home and--well--the charger has little lights on it that tell you whats happening. Red solid--charging, green solid--done charging, flashing green--ready but not fully charged, and flashing red--bad battery. The light was flashing Red. So, we now went looking for a new battery. Two Wal-Marts were out of them so we went to a third one and they had about 8 of them!! The new battery cost $50! Maddie was so excited to have something to drive that she said she would put $20 towards it! Taylor had about $6 and excitedly said she would contribute! I couldn't just hand it over, right--they gotta contribute since they are the ones riding it, right!? So we bought the battery and went home to charge it! Well--it said it needed a full 18 hours to charge the first time! It was now going to be another day of waiting! They were still excited and washed it and dried it and shined up the 'rims'! :)

It was a great $80 investment!! The kids haven't stopped 'taking turns' all day!! Thanks goes out to the Beisners!! :)

Here is Madison riding it with Payton sitting in front of her! Payton loved it!!



Here is Taylor riding it: (Taylor's a maniac!--She uses the Power Boost all the time!)



Emerie did really well--she finally has something that she can drive herself!!