Christmas Eve

Christmas Day!

slowly improving

Here are a few updates:

Camden has improved enough to go back to school and cause major havoc around the house (in other words, he is back to normal). He still has the nastiest thickest stuff in his nose, so he is on round 2 of antibiotics. His surgery has been moved to the first week in January, due to us having much better insurance starting on the 1st.!!! Woo-hoo!!! But that also means that I now have another week to try to keep him well. UGGHHHHH!!!

Noah went down with a terrible ear infection over the weekend. He literally screamed and cried all Saturday night. We were all in pain with him. He says the pain is better now but he is wheezing and has the same yucky stuff in his nasal passages. So, he is on an antibiotic and fighting me everyday about blowing his nose! Have I ever mentioned that he HATES to blow his nose. It takes an act of congress to get a Kleenex near him!!!

Well, you can guess what happened next. I came down with same 2 week virus that the rest of my family and the DFW area has. I feel horrible. Tons of coughing, rumbling in the chest, etc... The doctor said I might feel better by Christmas, we will have to wait and see.

I am just about finished with my shopping, I only have 3 gift cards to buy! YEAH!!!! Almost everything is wrapped and under the tree. Brian hasn't even started shopping and since he only has one person to shop for, ME, I am not real thrilled with him waiting until the last minute. Oh well! We will be starting our Christmas with family this Saturday night and the kids are soooo excited. We are looking forward to getting together with Mark and Tiffany, exchanging gifts and baking cookies.

I am off to lay down and rest for a few minutes.

Still sick

Camden has improved but still has a very nasty cough. Noah has come down with a fever and a very ugly cough that we can't seem to get under control with the Nebulizer. Of course, neither his Ped. or his Pulmonologist are open today!!! This is week two of illness with at least a week to go since Noah just started with symptoms.

Today, Brian stayed home and I was able to get out and exercise and attend my Christmas lunch at work. I love that I am able to stay home with my kids, but the walls have been closing in on me over the last week and half of being in the house constantly.

Please keep my kids as well as so many others who are struggling right now with illness.

Preparing for Christmas

I haven't had much time to update with Camden being sick. He went back to the Dr. on Friday and he confirmed early Pneumonia. He had a really bad night last night reacting to an oral steroid. There wasn't much mom and dad could do to help him, we are praying that it leaves his body quickly. He is improving with the Pneumonia, but slowly.

Here are some pictures of the kids singing at church and a Gingerbread house that we made. It was our very first time to make one and I think they did a great job. However, no one will be enjoying eating this house due to the fact that Noah coughed all over it and Camden licked every one of his candies before putting it on the house.



Finally, we did venture out over the weekend to ride the North Pole Express in Grapevine. One word... Magical. I don't think Camden ever realized that we weren't really on the Polar Express. When the conductor asked to punch his ticket (like in the movie) the look on his face was priceless. Santa also made a visit on the train ride and the kids just stared in awe! They made an ornament and went up stage to sing with all the other kids "Jingle Bells" as loud as they could. Noah and Camden each took a turn in the microphone singing "Rudolph". There were some really great memories made that night that my kids won't soon forget.

Under the weather

Camden is one sick little boy at the moment. 103 degree fever, coughing and wheezing, maybe RSV the Dr. said but didn't test him. I am hoping the antibiotic is going to help. Please keep him in your prayers. He also is going to have surgery after Christmas to have his tonsils out... we ask for prayer in this situation as well.

So, we have been taking it easy the last couple of days. Camden and Noah have been watching the Christmas classics on T.V. (Rudolph, etc.) Camden is eating very little and Gracie (the dog) has helped herself to his breakfast and lunch so far today. Great, now I will be up tonight with a sick dog as well!!!

We are decorated for Christmas and have even been out to look at a few lights. If Camden is feeling better, we are going for a ride on the North Pole Express this weekend. The kids will wear their P.J.'s for the train ride and drink hot chocolate...just like on the Polar Express. They are excited.

I have done very little Christmas shopping and am starting to panic about when I will even get to start. Brian is playing in a musical every night this week and with a sick child, it looks like it will be the beginning of next week before I can get out. I don't like to wait and am considering doing all of my shopping online this year.

Since Thanksgiving, we have been busy visiting with Brian's mom and Ross who were in town for almost two weeks. Then we were involved with Dickensfest at our church last weekend and Noah sang in our Chrismon service on Sunday. With soccer games and birthday parties there hasn't been a whole lot of time to blog about our adventures.

Story time

Last night before bed, Noah read Camden and I the story "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". It was a total role reversal from the days I would read to him. It has been amazing watching him learn to read. He has picked up reading very quickly and has very little trouble with even big difficult words. We are so proud of him!

Brian and I do not remember learning to read. Do you?

A dino-mite birthday party

For Noah's 6th birthday party we went to the Heard Museum to see the life-size animatronic dinosaurs. We walked along a 1/2 mile trail and saw about 12 dinosaurs. The weather was awesome with the temperature in the 80's that afternoon.




A group picture beneath T-Rex.







The look on Camden's face is price-less in this picture as he waits to see what the dinosaur is going to do. Noah, Colin, Tate and Aayush all know that it is going to spit water on them and they can't wait!




Noah blowing out his candle on the cake Mommy made for him.




Noah opening presents and Camden waiting patiently for the right time to "borrow" one of the "prizes" for a while.




Noah on his new scooter.

Dear Noah,

I can't believe how big you have gotten in such a short time. You amaze me with how fast you can run and how strong you have become. I am so proud of how well you are doing in school and am often left speechless when I watch you read and re-tell what you have learned that day. You are a very compassionate, helpful and loving young man. You are such a wonderful big brother to Camden and I love how you make sure he is always included in what you are doing. My heart fills with joy when I hear you talking to God and asking questions so that you can get closer to knowing him. I love you so much!!!

Happy birthday big guy!!!

Love,
Mommy

Noah's 6th birthday celebrations

Noah celebrated his birthday at school last Thursday with juice boxes and dinosaur cookies that Mommy had made for his friends. He was soooo excited when he got to stand on a chair ( a total no-no any other time) and have his friends sing Happy Birthday to him.

Giving Thanks

Today, I had the pleasure along with my dad, of joining Camden at his schools Thanksgiving dinner. The teachers provide the turkey and the parents bring the sides. This year I took a pumpkin cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory and it was delicous! Camden made his placemat and Indian headband along with a noodle necklace. It was a wonderful time to sit down as a family and with other families at his school.


My wild Indian...

A lazy Monday

Yesterday, both kids were home sick with sinus infections. They have been brewing and building in intensity for several weeks and I finally decided to take them to the doctor. Noah had kept us up Sunday night coughing and I was starting to worry that this was the beginning of "asthma season" for him. To my surprise, Noah sounded clear and open and Camden was the one doing the wheezing. So, the Nebulizer a.k.a. the cloud machine, is running at our house several times a day for a few days. They are both starting to feel better with antibiotics running through their systems.

While at the doctor's office, I asked if there was a shelf life for Nebulizers because ours smelled like it was going to burst into flames at any moment when running. So, now we are the proud owner (with a large price tag) of a new, much quieter cloud machine. YEAH!!!

It was nice to just be lazy yesterday and watch movies and cuddle with my boys. One of those days that I will cherish.

Prayer request

Please keep one of Brian's students in your prayers. Her name is Meera and she is a 6th grader who has been at Children's the past five weeks on a ventilator due to a condition she has struggled with all her life. This past weekend plans were being formulated to fly her by Air Force or other military aircraft to New York sometime during the middle of this week so she can be put on a list for a heart-double lung transplant. Please pray that she will be strong enough to make the flight and then be a candidate for this surgery. Please pray God's will will be done in this situation.

Our Hawaiian Tourist

Weekend wrap-ups

Fall soccer is officially over. Friday, Camden had his end of season party at McDonald's. His team was the first ever undefeated team for his coach in 12 years! The kids played great and most importantly had fun.



Saturday, Noah had his end of season party at his coaches house. The kids had a great time playing in the back yard, eating pizza and cookie cake. We are proud of how much he has grown in his skills as a player. Way to go Noah!!!


Yeah!!!! We have finally completed the fence project we started 3 months ago. After I finished power-washing, Brian stained the old fence and it looks as good as new. My new project is stripping the wall-paper off the hall bathroom walls and then texturing and painting. Who knows how long this project will take. It is difficult to get much done with constant interruptions.

Happy Hallowwen

What a beautiful day that we had in Texas for Halloween! The weather was in the 80's and high 60's for trick or treating. We started the day off with pumpkin shaped pancakes and finished with pumpkin pizzas for dinner.


Camden finally decided that he was going to Captain Feathersword for Halloween. Whew, glad that decision is over. We met up with my brother and sister-in-law at their friends house and went trick-or-treating in their neighborhood. The kids sat down and decorated their own candy apples with lots of good treats like, Reece Pieces, chocolate chips, almond slivers, butterscotch candy and peanut butter/chocolate chips.



After decorating apples and picture taking we headed out with a total of 5 families and started running for candy. The boys ran as fast they could to every house. It was tough keeping up with them. Camden, who had to wear his eye patch, couldn't see where he was going. He would trip over small trees, miss the steps on the porch or just trip over the grass trying to run as fast as he could. Each time, the bucket of candy would be spilled everywhere. He would get up and we would start this process at the next house. Today, he is covered in scrapes and bruises. He is not complaining, he had a great time!!!



Here is daddy, I mean Handy Manny helping Camden with his candy bucket.



Noah is studying his apple, trying to get his pattern of chips just right.



When it was all over, the kids put on their spider Halloween jammies and counted their loot. 82 pieces in all for each of them. With in minutes of their heads hitting their pillows, they were sound asleep. Happy Halloween everyone!

What will he be???

Camden has been a clothes-horse lately and is driving me nuts with all of his outfits changes! This has carried over into his Halloween costume as well. He can't decide what he wants to be. So, after his party at school he came home and dressed up as Captain Feathersword for the rest of the day. What will he be on Halloween??






Camden had his Halloween parade and party yesterday at school. He made a bat hat and dressed as Diego. Everyone looked so adorable in their costumes.






This is our front porch decorated. The kids loved hanging the spider web and stuffing the scarecrow.

An indecent pumpkin & other Halloween preparations

If you look closely, my "Happy Fall Y'all" pumpkin is indecent to say the least. Her sign has fallen off the dowels located in the middle of her chest and she is in need of quick repair (or a brazier).


Trunk or Treat at our church. Brian won first prize with his entry "Be a straight shooter with God". I don't have a picture but you shot the water gun at the head of a scarecrow, which was a carved pumpkin and you had to shoot out the candles in the eyes and nose of the pumpkin. Way to go Brian!!!







Carving the pumpkin.