31

It's official I am in my 30's not just 30 not 29 but in my 30's. Turned 31 today. It was a great birthday.

We are in Pennsylvania for a week so for my birthday we took the kids to Hershey Amusement Park. It was so much fun. The kids and Matt gave me my presents first thing this morning and then we headed to the Park. Braden is going to be my ride partner. Brittney was all brave until we got there, not Braden the higher the better, the faster the better. It was fun.

After the park we met a fellow mom that I have been chatting with on one of the moms groups I belong too. That was fun too, and Brittney had to tell the waitress it was my birthday so I got Happy Birthday sang to me.

Back to the hotel to find my sweet thoughtful hubby had arranged for roses in the room. Wow what a surprise.

Planning on taking the kids to the zoo tommorow while Matt works!

Well since it is past 9 pm and with my age advancing I better head to bed!

In Pennsylvania

Home for 9 days from Arizona and now we are gone again.

This is a much different trip, for one it is not medically related so that is nice. Braden is excited no doctors for a week.

I was a little nervous to fly but it really didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. We drove to Dallas on Thursday and flew to Pennsylvania on Friday. After being in Arizona for 5 weeks it makes Pennsylvania seem more closed in and cluttery. Definetly a lot more graffitti and things on the roadways here.

We got in late Friday but still managed to go to Ephrata (we lived there when Brittney was a baby before moving back to Oklahoma). Brittney got to see the house she lived in when she was a baby. Matt and I got to see how much the town had grown. There were talks of them building a WalMart when we left but actually seeing it in the small town (lots of Amish and Menonite) it was weird.

Today we rode the ducks this was a fun experience. Got to see the historic sites and the kids got to have fun so it was a win win situation. We left there went to a small flea market not much at it but the kids did find a few pokemon things so they were happy. Went to Bennigans for dinner we dont have one near us and it had been forever since I had eaten a Monte Cristo so had that. Walked the huge King of Prussia mall, and then late milkshakes at Ruby's diner. All in all a full day.

Tommorow I turn 31, and I will do it at Hershey Amusement park. Looking forward to that, both kids are saying they are going to ride their first roller coaster we shall see how that goes.

I have been very impressed with our hotel here so far the Hampton Inn very nice even have complimentary dinners on Mon-Wed, which we didn't know about till checking in. They have the breakfast every morning, and it was a good breakfast this morning.

More from PA tommorow, if I can remember to write....with getting older!

1974

1974

I found this on blogthings.com and thought it was neat, since I turn 31 Sunday.

You can see what happened the year you were born to http://www.blogthings.com/yearborn.html

In 1974Gerald Ford becomes president of the US

Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run to beat Babe Ruth's record

Impeachment hearings are opened against President Nixon by the House Judiciary Committee

President Nixon resigns

President Gerald Ford issues an unconditional pardon to ex-President Nixon for all federal crimes

Muhammad Ali knocks out George Foreman in the eighth round to regain the heavyweight crown in Zaire

Heiress Patty Hearst is kidnapped by and eventually joins the Symbionese Liberation Army

Dungeons & Dragons officially releasedPeople magazine is published for the first time

Kate Moss, Alyson Hannigan, Penelope Cruz, Alanis Morissette, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Ryan Seacrest are born

Oakland Athletics win the World Series

Miami Dolphins win Superbowl VIII

Philadelphia Flyers win the Stanley Cup

Blazing Saddles is the top grossing film

All the President's Men by Bernstein and Woodward is published

"Killing Me Softly With His Song" wins Grammy for song of the year

Tears streaming

Even though it was Fathers day we decided to get the yard work done. We live in a culdesac and the dogs stay in the fence (1 Chihauhua, 2 that are 1/2 Chihuahua and 1/2 minerature rat terrier). Today they got out and ran while we were mowing. Brittney came around where I was in the front yard looking for Rascal, but I told her that he would come back in a minute he always did.

Well tragedy struck, a lady in a corner lot has one of those wide spaced fences. For some reason little Rascal got in there and the big dog mauled it to death. Oh it was awful. Rascal is Brittney's dog and she love love loved him.

The lady whose home it happened at didn't come to the door, so Matt had to get a stick and go get Rascal's body out of the back yard. The big dog didn't bother him. I dont think it meant to hurt Rascal. But of course a 7 year old doesnt understand that. Our neighbor from across the street was talking to me in the yard when it happened. Her and her daughter care for our dogs when we aren't home and they were both crying. Brittney was crying and talking about Rascal in heaven with my grandfather who passed away 2 years ago. Which got me to boohooing. Matt was doing fine till Brittney started in about Epa Harlen playing with Rascal in heaven and how much she was going to miss Rascal all the while crying. So then Matt got started too.

Been a sad day here. We buried Rascal beneth the shade of a tree in our backyard and I am going to take Brittney to pick out a rose bush or something pretty to plant too.

It is so hard to see her crying and so upset. She is so soft hearted anyway and then this it was just awful, you just want to protect your kid and then this and it was just such a terrible accident. So the tears were streaming from us, the neighbors, even Boots (Rascal's brother and Braden's dog) and Pheobe (the momma dog and my dog) have been laying on each side of Brittney this evening, like they know and want to be there for her.

We had a church program as well tonight and Brittney didn't want to go sing but I talked her into it. She said she would sing to Rascal in heaven. Well during one of the songs she cut her eyes toward the ceiling, no one else knew what she was doing but I did she was singing to Rascal. The tears were flowing from me watching that.

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day to my dad who is great, but a BIG Happy Fathers Day to dear hubby!

Braden colored him a pic, and Brittney wrote him 2 poems all by herself (really cute). I got him two of what I just call "Matt movies"....they are shoot them up Steven Segal movies. His birthday was last week so Father's day was slimmer! The kids also did him a coupon book. Matt loves to watch the news the kids of course scream in agony when it comes on. One of the coupons was for him to be able to watch the news for 30 minutes. Braden promptly informed him that he could only use that coupon 1 time and he had to use it in the bedroom.

Matt is a great father, and sometimes just watching him interact makes me get all tingly.

So, Happy Fathers Day Sweetheart!

A little young

Brittney spent the night with my parents last night. Mom and dad brought her home this morning. Mom asked whose last name is Chronister. I said Dillon (boy in Brittney's class that she calls her boyfriend). Mom said well she asked your dad and I what we thought about the name "Brittney Chronister".

Today was Dillon's birthday party, his mom had to reschedule it because we were out of town on his actual birthday and Dillon refused to go if Brittney wasn't there.

We get to the skating rink today and Dillon's mom tells me he has a surprise for Brittney. He bought it with his own money. Brittney got her first piece of gold jewelry form a boy today. It is a princess necklace and Dillon said it is because Brittney is his princess.

I said this is cute now but I am really dreading the teens if it is already like this when they are just 7!

I am going to save the box too and put it up in Brittney's keepsakes with a note about what was in it and who gave it to her. But I think Matt and I just got a glimpse of our future with Brittney and boys and I dont think either of us like it!

If one more person says...

We were in Arizona for 5 weeks with 5 hour doctors appointments with Braden, come home to a mess, then start the week with me teaching vacation bible school in the mornings and going directly to basketball camp in the afternoons, followed by Braden's speech therapy.

With the above information people can honestly assume that yes I am tired. Why do they keep having to point out how tired I look? That just makes me feel more tired and like wow I must look really bad for them to point it out.

This week it seems at least 5 people a day say "you look like you are tired"...or "you must be exhausted because you really look it".

So apparently I obviously look pretty bad this week. Yes I am tired, I am trying to catch up from being gone for 5 weeks, get my paralegal work done that has piled up and up, organize things to leave home again next Friday for another week away, teach bible school, take the kids to camp, and just general things. As if that isn't enough now I get to hear about how bad I look.

I am like yes I know I apparently look like crap and look tired, because I am, but just comment on my hair that I tried to fix even though I was tired or the 2 pounds I have lost or even better the cool shoes I bought on clearance for the best bargain price ever!

Quiz...How Old Do You Act?

How Old Do You Act?

This quiz was on blog things. I took it and it is pretty close....actually so I guess that means I act my age. Since I have the number 29 maybe I can just keep it through my birthday in a few weeks that is suppose to be 31.

My number was 29

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe.

13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world.

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!

40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

http://www.blogthings.com/whatagequiz/

Extremely busy

Finally getting settled in from the 5 weeks away still more to do but it is starting to get there.

This week is going to be extremely busy, I am teaching vacation bible school this week it is from 8:30 am to 11:30 and then at noon will be taking the kids to basketball camp and it runs from 12:00 to 3:00. Add in speech for Braden at 4:00 each day, and 2 doctor appointments for him as well. Babysitting for a friend of mine 3 days this week, not that I will be sitting much I will be taking her daughter to vbs and camp as well and only be at the house about 2 hours. Also going to be trying to catch up on paralegal work for teh 3 attorneys that I freelance for...5 weeks of mail to go thru as well...ugh getting tired thinking about it.

My kids are excited for the week to see their friends. I am excited to see my friends too! Now if I could just wave a magic wand and get everything organized back in it's place and get meals prepared for the week, and so on and so on then it would be perfect. Since no magic wand seems to be available guess it will just be an extremely busy week.

Home Again...Sort Of

What a trip what a trip.

We ended up leaving Arizona about noon on Thursday. Thinking we will be home Friday evening instead of Saturday and could rest.

Well this plan didn't last...

First off...van trouble...going to have to do a fuel injection thing this week with it. Up hills, down
hills, hitting gas it was cutting out. So Arrggghhhh on that.

Second we make it home finally about 4pm Friday...Our neighbors that were so great with watching our house and all had told us that our cats had gotten fleas. Well when we are home we vacumn every day and bath t dogs and cats often and so on and so forth well 5 weeks away we came home to an infestation it was AWFUL we had to take the kids immediately back outside call my parents. My mom who grew up in the country said no way will just bombs and stuff get rid of them (our neighbors had already tried this too for us). So we left the van packed, got it to mom and dads and stayed the night there and met the exterminator at 10 we had to mow and all of that so he could treat inside the house and out. Now we are back in the house. Kids are still at mom and dads. Braden cant come into this until it is all settled vacumed cleaned and so on.

So hopefully by tommorow we will all be settled at home.

I had to get a computer break in though, I was having withdrawels...haha...now I will get back to my brushing of cats, washing of all linens and all that fun stuff.

Still with all above still good to get back home....even if it wasnt quit what we wanted to come home to.

Not as young as I used to be

Looming close to my 31st birthday and I have to say this evening I feel it.

It could have something to do with climbing up ladders, through tunnels, going over bridges and down slides. My hubby and I played like kids with the kids. We went to a place here in Arizona called Makutus Island. http://www.makutusisland.com/

It was set up very neat so that the parents and kids could all climb and have fun. There were some arcade games but they werent the center theme of the place, the main feature was the huge climbing, slides and fun area. I have to say I wore out first, but Matt wasn't far behind me.

This evening I am feeling the sore muscles, and am recalling the Toby Keith song that talks about him not being as good as he used to be.

Playstation mania spreads

My hubby is a playstation addict, and both my kids love it. Me I dont see the point or the attraction. They can have a blast jumping around while they are playing, I like watching them but am not one to get involved in a game.

I am going to blame it on boredom of being in Arizona for the 4th week....but now I am so hooked.

It started out innocent I swear I was just trying to open up some multiplayer games for the kids. See they got Frogger adventure so they could play together but the multiplayer games have to be opened by playing the 1 player storyboard. So I had to help them out. Of course I have no idea how many multiplayer games have opened up because I am too addicted to playing the game to stop and check.

I never thought I would get caught up in it but I am. I doubt it will last once we get back home but for now I am having fun telling my kids "in a minute" and "let me get through this level".

4 Walls

When we first arrived in Arizona for Braden's 5 week treatment plan the hotel room was small but okay. After 2 1/2 weeks I swears the walls are shrinking in on us.

I love my hubby and kids dearly, but 24/7 is getting too me. I am grateful that Matt's job allows him to work basically anywhere high speed internet is. But, I am either taking the kids out of the hotel so he can work without having to hush us while he is on a conference call, or I am taking Braden to clinic, or all of us are getting out in the evening. Basically 24/7 togetherness. I love parts of it but I am not afraid to admit I need some ME time.

Matt would watch them and let me run to look around a store or something but being so far from home I am not 100% comfortable off by myself. Silly but I feel better exploring even if it is just the kids with me rather than me by myself. The kids and I are having fun when it isn't clinic days, and this whole thing has brought Matt and I closer in ways, but still these 4 walls are really starting to get to me.

A lot of it is I am homesick I want my house, my friends, my dog and the ability to say hey I am running so and so be back in an hour, or even the ability to go into the bedroom and SHUT the door (something I can't do here) and just be with me.

Tooth Fairy Part Two

As I posted before my husband had forgot to put the money under my daughters pillow and she woke up in tears.

Well...Yesterday my son lost his first tooth. Which makes me feel all kinds of things because my kids are growing up too fast. Anyway, he lost his tooth so I put it in an envelope with a nice letter to the tooth fairy to please leave the tooth so that I could put it in his scrapbook. My kids are amazed that the tooth fairy will read my notes and leave the teeth for me to save. They think mom is so cool for that..lol.

I fall asleep much faster than anyone else especially since being here in Arizona in the hotel. Well last night I told hubby this is your chance to redeem yourself I put the $3.00 folded up in the side of my purse and he was going to put it under Braden's pillow. I said dont forget...I was met with "I wont forget" and "I know I know" when being reminded...so off to sleep I went.

I wake up to "Mommy the tooth fairy forgot me"...AHHH NOT AGAIN...I gave my hubby a punch in the side and got up to weave my tale of getting up and going to the bathroom in the middle of the night and seeing money laying on the island. I then went on about since it was a fold out couch I bet the tooth fairy couldnt get over there very good and that is why the tooth fairy left the money on the counter. I moved my purse (while slipping the money out of the side pocket without being seen) and was like here it is I knew I saw it when I got up last night.

So that appeased them and they are happy and still believing in the tooth fairy and my husband is so fired...I will either have to stay up or get up in the middle of the night from now on.

On another note regarding the tooth fairy I think $3.00 is VERY good for the tooth fairy but my daughter says we have a cheap tooth fairy. After asking other parents it looks like the prices range from $1.00 clear up to $45.00....I was like $45 for a tooth no way. So the tooth fairy did make the visit last night and my son is happy and so cute with his first missing tooth.

A cool find here in Arizona

Last time we were in Arizona we went to the Pheonix Zoo and we were not that impressed. It was priced high and just wasn't that great to us. Well this trip I had been searching the internet for fun inexpensive things to do and I found a site for a zoo about 30 minutes away that was called the World Wildlife Zoo. It was reasonable gate entry and free parking. I wasn't expecting much but I took the kids today.

It was the neatest Zoo I have been too. I was so impressed. The kids and I got there it wasn't crowded. They had the standard carousel and the kids did that first off. Then we headed to the exhibits they were so neat. It was a very interactive zoo. We rode the sky tram over the zoo exhibits. The train actually went through some of the exhibits. There was a boat ride that was way too hot to be on but still a neat experience. There was a show with reptiles and the coolest thing for the kids they got to feed giraffes. I took lots of pics of course I like zoos but have to say that most of the time I am like okay lets go, this time I was just going around like the kids saying "cool cool cool".

The thing about the zoo is it doesn't seem to be very widely advertised, I had really searched things before I found it. Thank goodness for the internet and the really cool find that led to a really fun time with the kids. Braden had not had a good day yesterday and needed something fun as did Brittney and we certainly had a fun away from clinic day.

Sneakin it in...

The most difficult part of having a 4 wall hotel room for 5 weeks in Arizona. Kids are in the foldout couch directly in front of our bed...so if they arent really good and asleep then there is no speacial "Mommy and Daddy time".

It is pretty bad. They seem to stay up late (I am not a night owl so I am usually crashing before or right when they do), they get up early (I am a morning person so love to sneak in that "Mommy and Daddy time" then.

This morning we did sneak in a little time for "Daddy"...HAHA. Just no fun for "Mommy".

I am determined to out last them soon and stay up late. That worked one night last week. I am not used to this I am used to putting them in their beds they watch a movie and fall out and we get our "Mommy and Daddy time". So if I am crankier than usual this will be my excuse...I am not getting near enough lovin time!

Getting caught up in Kim and Ron's lives

I remember watching Pretty Woman and movies that were rated above a PG.

Those days seem to be gone. Especially since we are in this hotel room for 5 weeks. One TV...I have no idea what is happening on the Bachelor, or Dog the Bounty Hunter since I dont want the kids watching those shows.

Back to watching movies rated above a PG....To watch those I have to stay up later than the kids and I just cant seem to keep my eyes open. Poor Matt I am falling out on him even before the kids are asleep. So instead of grown up movies I get to watch under PG movies.

The sad thing is I really get into some of these movies.

Braden purchased Racing Stripes with his birthday money and I just really liked the movie.

Tonights movie choice...Kim Possible "So the Drama"...pretty sad that I am getting all hooked on if Ron and Kim are going to get together or not.

Friends

Today was one of those days look at me wrong and you risked me breaking down into tears. I hate those days. I miss my friends, sounds childish but I have really good friends.

We have a little group of moms that are pretty close. We may not talk to each of them everyday but we all have kids the same age and have had them in the same classes since PreK.

With these moms I can have a good cry and it's left at that. Matt hates to see me upset so he tries to fix it well you cant fix this sometimes I just need to be a stress case so to speak.

I have my phone ringers set on costum rings (I was bored one day) anyway my friends are all Garth Brooks "Friends in Low Places" and sure enough to day when I was just having one of those moments here comes the ring. Thank goodness, I didnt cry and let it all at that time, because I wasnt in a place where I could do that. But even without saying it she knew and we talked and I felt better.

I am just really thankful for good friends. We tease each other and if you were around on some of our gab sessions you would wonder if we even liked each other with the insults traded, but I know that as we watch our kids grow together so will we, it feels good to know that I have them.

Jem and the Rockers

Does anyone remember the cartoon Jem and the Rockers? Well if you dont Jem had pink hair.

Last night as I looked in the mirror that was my only thought was "OMG I look like Jem".

There was a reason that the hairhighlight kit was on clearance. There was a reason it said do not use on blond hair. But I didnt care about those reasons I had wanted red highlights forever in my blond hair and hadnt been able to find a kit. Well maybe the reason is because the red on my blond hair turned PINK!

My son said it just looked a little silly. My doctor thought it was cool and looked like I drew with a pink marker in my hair.

This is what happens when I have too much time on my hands (being in the hotel with the kids and hubby). I immediately washed my hair and it isnt quite so pink.....still looks a little off to me but hubby seems to like it and I dont feel quite like a punk rocker walking around.

It looks better if I apply gel in my hair too, if I dry it and leave it natural it looks a lot more pink. Oh well live and learn I am not meant to have red highlights, but hey it brought back the good ole days of remembering that Jem cartoon I used to watch!

Made it to Arizona

We are now in Arizona.

We left Oklahoma Friday morning, stopped in Amarillo, Texas last night. We ended up leaving out at 3:00.....I had thought ti was 5:00, but then my aunt informed me that the clock that I was looking at kept time wrong and it was actually 3:00. By that time we were already up and dressed so we left.

In our trip from Amarillo to Tempe, Arizona we drove in rain, hail, partly cloudy, sunshine, saw some snow and then got here to VERY warm weather and LOTS of sunshine.

Leaving for Arizona

We leave out for Arizona this morning. We will be gone almost 6 weeks for Braden to do the treatment at the wellness center. Last night we met our friends at Chuckee Cheese, you would have thought we were going off to fight in the war the way the water works started with us all when we were saying goodbye. I had swore I would be fine, but I started getting teary eyed when I hugged the kids bye then the moms I really started in and so did they.

The van is packed and ready. I had to make a few adjustments. My hubby...oh how I love him...but oh how he doesnt know how to pack. Things can be laying around the house 8 months wihtout being used but hey we might need this in the 6 weeks we are in Arizona. In looking in one of his bags I find the 3 hole punch, I am like why are you packing this. His response was I thought we might need it......well if for some reason we need a 3 hole punch I guess I will be running to Target or WalMart because it stayed at home, along with a few other of his "we might need items".

Tooth Fairy Forgot!

snif snif...."Mommy the tooth fairy forgot me"...snif snif....

Oh no...I had worked so much Friday and was exhausted I remembered laying the kids down in her bed and leaving $3.00 on the table so that Matt could put it under the pillow after they fell asleep. I knew I would be out fast. I remember Matt telling me "dont worry I got it"...well guess what, he forgot.

Luckily, we were dog sitting for my mom and dad this weekend so Brittney had her dog and their dog in her bed. So quick thinking I took her into the kitchen and was like look the tooth fairy left the money on the table. She must have been scared of the dog, and luckily Brittney had left a note on the envelope asking for the tooth fairy to let her keep her tooth. So with a little fancy explaining Brittney got all excited about her $3.00 and the fact that the tooth fairy is scared of dogs...whew that was a close one.

I know soon enough she wont believe in tooth fairy, easter bunny and probably even santa...but I want to hold off as long as possible and let her believe in the little magics.

Hubby got a dirty look from me and a few words about forgetting to put the money under the pillow....I dont think we will forget again.

Now Braden has his first loose tooth and he is looking forward to the tooth fairy too....and mommy and daddy will make sure that the tooth fairy visits.

Field Trip

I had the "fun" of going along with 30 kids ice skating today! Doesn't that sound like fun?

Brittney is in the gifted and talented education program and this was a field trip for them. I must say of this gifted and talented group....3 left their lunch boxes at school, 2 kept trying to lick the ice, and yet another couldnt figure out why the floor that he was skating on was so cold...hmmm gifted and talented indeed...LOL.

Braden tagged along too, and I have to say he did really good. Brittney got it in her head before going on the ice that she wouldn't like it and so she didn't....ugh I was so aggrivated with her. She did go around the rink one and half times. I tried prying her arms away from the wall only to get yelled out "No I dont want to bust my head open"...I was like I dont want that either but I want you to try. Braden surprised me he really liked it, my arm will be sore from trying to keep him up but he did pretty good.

I get to brag that I didn't fall...I am sure that wont hold true if we go again, but at least I stayed on my feet today. I will admit to a few close calls though and a few wobbly moments.

Achivement Tests

I know tests are important and they have to measure what the kids are learning, but geesh they put a lot of pressure on kids with these tests.

Brittney who is in 1st grade is already an overachiever and puts way too much stress on herself, so when the teacher tells them this test is to see how much they really know. Oh man my 7 year old is a mess, "mom do you think I did alright", "mom I got a 100 on the practice test, what if I dont on the real test"....and on and on.

Braden who is in kindergarten, personally could care less. I am glad he is not stressed out, but on his I am the one stressing. I think they are expecting too much out of Kindergarten. There is a section on the test that the teacher cannot read to them 10 questions they must read themselves. Brittney could read in Kindergarten, Braden can some easy words but not much. About half of his class is the same as he is. On the practice test one questions was "Which one below is a fruit?"...I know I am 30 but I dont remember having to be able to read those kinds of sentences in Kindergarten.

I know with some of the work even in first grade circling the noun, verb and adjetive, I am very glad to already have completed school because I dont know if I could make it threw again...geesh seems they are expecting more and more younger and younger.

Scrutiny

I have been pretty stressed on financial situations due to medical issues with Braden. Some friends of mine started some fundraising. I knew that there would be more eyes on us, etc, as always when there is help being for someone.

I told Matt I felt like if I met someone at WalMart they were looking in my basket to see what I was buying. Like if we needed help for medical then we shouldn't splurge at all. What a lot don't realize is there is a big difference in buying a $5 treat for the kids and having $4,200.00 up front for medical treatment.

We are also under a lot of scrutiny it seems. Also it seems that if someone helps then they think that automatically means they can question our decisions. What has surprised me most is who is doing the scrutinizing people that I never would have thought. People who are now calling me questioning my decisions, thinking they have a right to do that.

So the fundraising is a double edge...one side a tremendous relief and blessing, the other a pain.

Playstation II

All 3 of my kids seem to be addicted to Playstation II.

Oh wait I only have 2 kids so the 3rd must be my loving hubby!

I should have know it was coming in October when we got the Christmas gift (Playstation II) off of layaway and hubby begged to try it out to make sure it worked before giving it to the kids in December.

Now that they have found a game that 3 can play at once Shrek II the fun never ends. The kids beg as soon as they come thru the door, and Matt had to go back to playing after they went to bed last night to beat a level....he said it was for the kids...but I somehow don't buy that.

I think I could easily become a play station II widow, and I think my kids would gladly ignore mommy for a game.

Losing it.

"You are just so strong"
"I couldn't hold it together like you do"
"I don't see how you do it"

These are comments I often hear from my friends, mostly in regards to things we are dealing with in relation to Braden. Well I don't think any of them will be saying those things anymore.

Yesterday was a tough day. I told Matt it wasn't that there was any more stress than usual but I just lost it. I cried all day, you couldn't speak to me without reducing me to tears several people got to witness my undoing. One doctor got to watch me almost hyperventilate. It was just all the worry seemed to work its way in to yesterday. The worry about Braden's current health, his future, the financial aspects all of it.

I worked on PTA yearbook at a friends house last night with 5 other moms and ended up leaving in heaving sobs when they started asking about what was wrong after getting a round of hugs that only made me sob worse. No doubt to them I am human now and not supermom like they thought who kept it all under control.

But in actuality I feel much better this morning, I woke up at 4:30 and thought I would go ahead and get up and I do feel better. I feel somewhat released like I needed those sobs to get out I needed not to hold it together for awhile. I feel like I can handle the challenges again and it is nice to know that my friends know that even though I say I can handle it that sometimes I need to not handle it.

So losing it was a good thing afterall.

Boy Crazy!

What does the future hold, if in first grade they are already this boy crazy?

Yesterday Brittney informed us that she loves Dillon because he loves her for who she is. Keep in mind she is 7 years old! She has been asking Matt and I why we got married, and how we knew we were in love. Dillon is equally girl crazy and him mom said he goes home crying if he thinks Brittney doesn't love him. Remember....1st graders here.

My friend Lori called me two nights ago to inform me that her daughter Macae is grounded. Why?, because she took a $100.00 bill that Lori had left out and forgot to put up. She took it so she could give it to Clayton so he would be her boyfriend again. Again...1st graders.

I have tried to have the talk about not kissing boys, and that it was for when we get older. I have tried the boys have cooties....nothing stopped it. Luckily it is kissing on the cheek..for now at least. So what I am now doing is that she has to tell me everything, and so if Daniel (another boy besides Dillon that she likes but doesnt love) kisses her she comes right home and tells me. I wish that would last forever...but somehow I doubt that it will.

So if it is this bad in first grade I really dread junior high and eeekkkk highschool and car dating....oh I am getting a migraine thinking about it.

ABC's

I saw this on Mana Babies ( I dont know how to add the http address....have I admitted before that Matt is the computer brain in this household.) Anyway I thought it was cute.

ABC's.................

Accent - Oklahoma--Okie with a little Texas twang thrown in still.
Bra size - I keep telling my hubby all my daughters friends mommies are getting boob jobs and I want them too but the oh but all my friends have them doesnt seem to be working. Of course if he ever said yes I would never spend that much money nor actually go through with it oh well.
Chore I hate - Vacuming which is why I will never leave my hubby because he does this chore without complaint! (thanks honey)
Dad's name - Jerry
Essential make-up - Mascara
Favorite perfume - I have bottles sitting under my cabinet that are rarely used but I like Elizabeth Arden's True Love and Victoria Secrets A Little Sexy. I mostly just use the scented body washes.
Gold or Silver - Gold
Hometown - Was born in Dumas, Texas and I still go back to that area not that exact town though to visit family, but we live now in Pocola and will stay (I have to say that since we built this house my hubby says the herse or the rapture are the only ways he is leaving)
Interesting fact - People tried to set my husband and I up before we accidently met in a cafeteria at the hospital, but we didnt know that until we had started dating and put two and two together and were like oh you were the one that lived in that apartment and so on.
Job title - Busy Busy Mommy
Kids - Brittney 7, and Braden soon to be 6 on May 5th
Living arrangements - 4 bedroom brick house in a new housing division built towards the outskirts of town. When we moved in we were like wow all this room now we have stuff in the attic and a storage building out back!
Mom's Birthplace - Fort Smith, Arkansas
Number of apples eaten in last week - None this week, I bought grapes, apples and bananas and I prefer the grapes.
Overnight hospital stays - When kids were born 7 days with Brittney and 4 with Braden, once with my heart a few months after Braden was born.
Phobia - Flying...my hubby is suppose to be making me fly this summer...already getting high blood pressure from the thought. I have flown before 9/11 without too much fear but just something about it now that I just get so nervous.
Question you ask yourself a lot - Why did I agree to do this for so and so?
Religious affiliation - Baptist
Siblings - Younger brother who is 25
Time I wake up - Around 6:30 during the week when I have to set an alarm and then make the kids wake up but on the weekend it is 6:30 because they are jumping in bed with us, why dont they need waking up on the weekend? It's just not fair!
Unnatural hair color - My hair was really blond when I was younger, then got darker and is more of a reddish blond. I have dyed it red red before and I loved it hubby has only seen pics and said no way no way and since I hate it when he grows a mustache I cant argue about!Vegetable I refuse to eat - Any kinds of seaweed looking greens, turnip greens, spinach..yuck
Worst habit - Not telling people no and then griping to myself because I have too much to do.
X-rays - I break bones so easily, or at least I used to knock on wood havent in about 6 years so had lots of xrays and lots of ultrasounds Matt worked at a hospital during my first pregnancy and I got lots of ultrasounds!
Yummy food I make - Enchiladas or for dessert I love making cute cakes
Zodiac sign - Cancer

Another busy week

Been a busy week, but then again that is nothing new.

We found out this week we will have to take Braden back to the clinic in Arizona in May. We had to get special permission to take the kids out of school 2 weeks early. We will leave May 6th and come back around June 12th. So trying to get everything done and organized now, that includes getting all PTA done, things for home bills and so on for the trip. Our neighbor will take care of our dogs and cats.

We also had to get rid of our bird this week. Braden's bird, poor thing ended up having an allergy to it. It was a slight allergy but we just cant risk it. He has had it over a year. I was surprised that he is not allergic to dogs or cats. So we still have 3 dogs and 2 cats.

I have to drive to Muskogee tommorow a little over an hour one way to take Braden to an appointment. We do this once a week from now till May.

He is also on meds every hour from 7am till 9pm so we are definetly keeping busy. Braden is such a little trooper hardly ever complains. We are hoping for big results after we are able to spend the 5 weeks in Arizona and actually complete a treatment program.

Brittney is working on a project for her extra program called G.A.T.E (Gifted and Talented Education). It is a board program on Pennsylvania so we are getting lots of things together on that.

We had a little more drama from the so called grown woman in PTA. But my hubby had a talk with her and told her that I had enough on my plate to lay off....(My hero...thanks hubby)!
Basically she just wanted to throw herself a pity party and when we didnt respond she decided to have a fit and that didn't work either.

That is a short synopsis on my week so far. Having a yard sale Saturday hopefully it will stay pretty.

Rainy Easter

Behind the couch cushions, in the folds of curtains, sitting behind my lighthouses....eggs...eggs...and more plastic eggs. As seems to be a tradition it is pouring rain this easter weekend. So the egg hunting has moved into the living room. Not near as many places to be inventive on hiding. But oh well at least the kids are getting the treats and to them that is what counts. This morning I made them listen to the true meaning of easter before I let them go get their baskets that had been filled overnight by the mysterious bunny. I hope it sank in. Trying to keep them cleaned and spiffied up until time to leave for church. Now we get to go outside and try to keep Brittney's white shoes white through the rain and mud. Just another fun rainy Easter!

Some parents don't deserve kids!

This morning I stopped at the WalMart Neighborhood Grocery, when walking in I noticed a little boy playing on the mechanical vehicle outside the store. No parents in site, I thought well maybe they are checking out and he ran out, I still thought he was too young, but I went on inside.

I shopped about 20 minutes and checked out. On my way out the door the little boy is sitting in the little mechanical van crying. I looked around and saw a WalMart employee gathering carts so I motioned for him.

I go over and ask the little boy what is wrong. He replies "I used all the quarters up that mommy gave me to play with while she was in the store". I asked him his age and he proudly held up 4 fingers. Four years old and mom gives him quarters to play on a toy that is outside of the store while she shopped!

I was livid, the WalMart guy was upset as well, he is like I will take him in and alert the manager. I thought about it all day I was like that cute little boy out there all by himself at the mercy of anyone that could have came along. I am mad at myself for not saying something when I was walking in. I mean I thought it was odd and I would never ever let my kids do it but I thought well maybe they are right in at the registers or something.

Anyway so I have been on my "There should be a test before you can be a parent" kick all day!

A great time

This has been a tough week. I haven't blogged much about it, but basically things aren't progressing the way we had hoped with Braden's medical issues and some decisions need to be made. Financial concerns of course weigh in heavily with the decisions. There has been more drama from the 29 year old woman in PTA that acts like an eighth grader. Lots of things going on with PTA that I am in charge of, busy here at home, you get the picture just a busy week emotionally and physically.

So when mom and dad wanted to take the kids to spend the night since they hadn't got to spend much time with them over spring break, I didn't argue. The kids love to spend the night at nana and papa's and I was really looking forward to some time with hubby. We discussed what we wanted to do all day and finally decided to splurge and go to the Japanese steakhouse for dinner.

Well hubby made it even more special.

I was totally surprised when they led us to the big table and the lady said you have to sit on that side (I was like okay there are 8 chairs and we were the first ones there so usually you sit where you want). Then I noticed the dozen red roses with my name on the card. Just because from Matt. It was so sweet. My mind only went to oh no what charge card did he use for a minute, then I was back to enjoying our stress free fun night out.

It was a fun night, dinner was wonderful the flowers were a great surprise, we enjoyed talking and laughing. We still discussed the stressful issues but it was just more relaxed. I called my daughter after dinner to tell her daddy surprised me with flowers, only to be told "I knew it mom"...oh well excuse me...LOL...my daughter is a princess and she knows it and if you don't know it when you talk to her she will let you know it.

After dinner we were stuffed, we made it to the car after hearing how pretty my roses were from everyone (I loved them can you tell..LOL). The next part of the evening was not probably what most would do on an evening alone but hey you have to do things when you can...so to home depot we went. Found the perfect swingset for the kids...going to get it for Braden's birthday. It was nice to walk the store and look at things, discuss ideas, without the "I want to go now" chorus being sung.

Then it was home to the quiet house and some wonderful time together!

So I had to brag on my hubby. He can read this post and remember it for when I gripe about him later on...because I am sure that will happen as well..LOL.

Where is the break?

This week is Spring Break. I was thinking time to take the kids to the park, time to take them for some spring clothes shopping, a break in general.

But no break, this week is as busy as ever even busier because kids are out of school so I can get them to more appointments and more so. Tommorow continues with taking Braden to the eye doctor, speech and grocery shopping.

Maybe after the kids start back to school I will get my break. I can dream at least!

Sunshine

Sun is shining! Hubby is home from his business trip it is a great day!

It is 77 degrees here today, sun is bright, wind is blowing clean air into the open windows of the house. We have been outside most of the day. Actually got to come inside and lay down for a nap (I will admit I was the only one who fell asleep good thing hubby is home). Just a nice relaxing sunny day. Going to set up our new Kroquet (sp?) set in the back yard in a few minutes and play a game with the kids before dinner.

It is suppose to be sunny and high 70's again tommorow. But the weatherman is trying to dampen our sunshine by warning us of cold weather returning next week and rain rain rain. But until then I am headed outside to enjoy the sunshine!

Heartbreak

I think I actually felt my heartbreak last night. As you know if you know us or have read my blog my son Braden is 5 and has had serious medical issues and has a significant delay with his speech. While being tested he is so smart it is the articulation or pronunciation that comes out somewhat garbled.

Anyway to last night.

I am sitting watching cartoons with the kids and Braden crawls on my lap and says "Mom I am weird". I said no your not. Brittney then pipes up and says "Mom I told him to talk to you because he said he is weird cause he cant talk good"...(have I mentioned before my 1st grader is way too smart). I thanked Brittney for telling him to talk to me and I took Braden in the office to sit on the couch in there. His eyes look like he is about to cry. I asked him why he thought he was weird. He said "Colton says I cant talk so I am weird". I wanted to cry, yes he is very hard to understand especially if you are not around him, for example he doesnt say the t sound so pick up truck is pick up uck and so on and on with other letters too.

I tried to explain to him that he wasnt weird but that he was special because of how sick he used to be and how much better he is getting. I tried to tell him that he was so smart and that he was getting better and talking everyday.

He seemed happier when we were done, but I sat there a while longer after he went back to his cartoons just thinking. I know kids are cruel I knew in my head that this time would be coming as he got into school but my heart wasnt ready to see those tears and try to ease his hurt.

I cant explain to him that he is 5 and that he has beaten the odds since he was born 11 weeks early, he has beaten them when a mass was found in the brain, then not just one mass but 4 and all removed, he has beaten them by being one of the smartest and brightest kids in his class while having 30 to 50 staring out seizures each day. He has beaten them by being happy and his dimple smile that melts hearts. But he is 5 and doesnt understand this all he understands is another 5 year old boy says he was weird. Yes my heart definitely broke a little with this conversation.

beep....beep....beep

Beep...beep....beep....since 2:30 this morning. As if I am not a bad enough sleeper when my hubby is gone anyway this morning 2:30 our security alarm decides to malfunction. Since 2:30 am it has beeped every 2 minutes. I got up and reset it and I turned it off and back on. Nothing it says 04 is open well we only have 3 doors so I dont know what it is talking about. The only way to get to talk to someone is to set the thing off and wait a minute until they call, which waking the kids up as well as myself didn't sound appealing. So instead I am awake and have been since 2:30 when it is wake up time where hubby is in PA I am going to call and see if he knows what is going on with this stupid thing. I was already going to have a busy tiring day without being up since 2:30, I am sure I will be in a delightful mood today...not.

Drama

When my kids started school I was so excited to get out of the house more and meet other moms.

Last year I got involved in PTA and was voted president, I have loved it. But as with any group I guess there is that one person...well tonight was elections for next year offices. I was elected president again and am excited about it. The vice president office changed, well you would think we were back in highschool and not a group of grown women.

It became a drama, a talk behind back, a try to get something started and a aren't you my friend night. Ugh these are grown women not teenagers. I was so shocked about the behavior. I was thinking I actually wanted to get out more and get more involved and this is the outcome. I thought highschool was well behind me.

Tommorow night is a yearbook planning meeting at my house and the drama queen is expected to be here, so we shall see but for tonight I have had enough drama. I will now go spend some time with my 7 year old who is still awake and at this point acts more mature than the 29 year old woman did tonight.

junk junk and more junk

Matt left for his week long business trip.

The kids and I went to a birthday party this afternoon. It was a skating party. Very cute watching the kids skate (well if you count hanging onto the wall for dear life) but they did make it around the rink once. I opted out of skating this time, I did last time they had a party but I was tired already today.

The kids are in the living room having a sleepover and I have started my cleaning. I always clean when Matt's gone. I started in his office and closet (he is probably reading this say oh my god what did she do...lol). My husband is the biggest pack rat I have always said this, but I will say now that I am afraid he is rubbing off on me. I still ended up with a black trash bag full but I have to admit that I kept a lot more than I used to. Did we need it? No it is probably just junk, but what if? or what about?.....so my cleaning is going but I am noticing that I am not getting as much out of the house as I thought I would. I have to say that Matt's desk looks better just being dusted and I can actually walk into his walk in closet in the office.

Back to getting rid of my junk!

Friday night

My exciting Friday night has consisted of packing my husbands clothes as he is leaving for a week in Pennsylvania on business, counting money for a PTA fundraiser and making banana splits with hubby and kids.

Matt leaves in the morning for a week in Pennsylvania and I am already dreading it. It never seems to fail that everything that I am keeping juggling in the air somehow crashes down while he is away. Several times a sickness either the kids or myself, other time car problems, something at the house...always seems to be something happens. I told my sons aide at school today that Matt was leaving tomorrow, and she was like no he can't. She knows to the way everything seems to go haywire.

We plan on getting up and going for a big breakfast at Golden Corral and then taking Matt to the airport. Tomorrow the kids have a birthday party to go to. Hopefully the week will pass fast and uneventful. I do tend to get more cleaning done while he is away so that is a plus.

Why does everyone ask me?

I do paralegal work, I have done it for years, got my certification years ago. I sometimes think if I knew how many people would ask me legal questions (instead of forking over the cost of a lawyer consult) I might have changed my mind. I do freelance work for several attorneys and am in the process of adding a few things where I can do more homebased work. Anyway, because I do have some legal knowledge it apparently makes me free target. That added with the fact that I have an my inability to say no to people (my hubby says I don't have a problem saying no to him so I should work on it with other people...hahaha).

This week is one of those weeks, a friend of mine who has a daughter in a wheelchair got sued for a medical bill, well it was not a justified lawsuit and I know they can't afford a lawyer so I did a few letters and took care of it. I was not even done with doing that and the neighbor across the street, whom I just think the world of is having a problem....so I spend about 5 hours this week trying to help them. Friends ask me to do things but actually this week helping both with such big issues is rare.

Family on the other hand drives me insane. Without going into too much detail my brother has been in and out of trouble since he was 15. Big trouble at times little trouble at most others. My parents constantly bail him out (figuratively and literally). It is a spot of contention for me. Last night I get a call he has lost his drivers license again. He probably doesn't need one anyway since he has had two wrecks in a week in my dad's new truck (which dad should no better than to loan him, but hey I am just the daughter what do I know). But low and behold my mom the queen of guilt calls and wants me to appeal the license suspension. UGH...if I do it I feel like I am bailing my brother out which I don't think he needs, if I don't do it then I guilt the mom supreme guilt trip.

I told hubby last night I don't want to be a paralegal anymore, give me a part time job where no one has any interest in what I do that I can still do from home, and in no way can what I do be of service to them. Does that sound selfish? I am really not a selfish person but I feel that Matt and I have so much going on with Braden's health and Brittney, school, PTA, just making our own ends meet, getting our own time together, so and on and so forth that all this "help" people are asking for is pulling me in too many directions. I know I should just say no, but if you knew me you would know that is probably the hardest thing in the world for me. I hate to disappoint, I hate to let down, I hate not to help.

So I guess I will do like I did this morning get up at 4:30 am to add some more time to the day. Of course I probably could have done some of my to do list in the time that I have blogged but as I commented in another blog this morning, it is much more fun to blog.

Wacky Wedding

Wacky Wedding....

Okay first let me set the scene for you. SIL (Sister in Law..adding that because my hubby says not everyone knows abbreviations) anyway she is crazy...literally nuts, 5 years ago February 5, 2000 she marries Matt's brother Eric in a small ceremony and didn't invite anyone. Well she said then that they were going to renew their vows at 5 years. Which I guess would be fine if the marriage was still fine, but they have been on the brink of divorce the last 2 years, I was also privy to too much information as SIL informed me they have only had sex 3 times in the last 2 years. So you get it that this isn't couple of the year, they have two kids, lots of bills (partially because SIL is hypochondriac and also recently diagnosed with addiction to prescription pain pills). Anyway this year is the 5 year mark and for the last year she has been planning this WEDDING, she doesn't call it a renewal of vows it is referred to as the wedding or her day. Eric who has no back bone went along with it.

Okay now the wedding day. The wedding is held in a church and 70 wedding invites have been sent out. I arrive early to help out (because I am a complete sucker and cant say no). The colors for the wedding are 3 shades of purple and bright yellow. I have pics I have to get developed because let me tell you if you cant picture it it was so clashing. She had bows tied on all the pews which were fine and pretty. She had ordered a 85 serving wedding cake and a grooms cake even though she only had 1 RSVP. She gave Brittney (my daughter) her basket for flower girl but instead of rose petals she was throwing shaved purple soap because it was prettier and smelled better than rose petals (whatever was my minds response at this time).

The brides dress.........now I am not saying she should have had the white dress I mean she is married and has 2 kids with her husband but if you are going to call it a wedding and hold it in a church then lets have some taste or decorum. Well if you knew SIL you would know this is a lost cause. Her dress plum colored strapless gown that was so tight the fabric started getting runners in it before the ceremony and she had to put it on and then have the strap re-sewn on. It frankly looked tacky but apparently not tacky enough because then she had to go buy a white wedding veil and dye it purple (a totally different shade of purple than the dress) and wear it.

The groom, Eric wore a purple tshirt and a black suit jacket, same with the best man. The other groomsman was suppose to be Matt's dad but at the last minute he boycotted the festivities so they had to have a man from their church stand up.

Braden and I watched the ceremony since Brittney and Matt were both in it, we were among the total of 15 other guests that showed up. Needless to say cake was taken home by all...and pictures are being passed around with the saying "Can you believe this.....look at this...and this..."

At least the wacky wedding is now over, but that wont end the drama as after the ceremony SIL called and cussed out FIL which will make those tense (and thankfully infrequent) family gatherings even more fun.

Mom guess what I learned...

I picked up the kids after school and like everyday I asked what they learned.

Brittney (7 and in 1st grade)..."Mom I learned what sex is"

After I righted the car back to the road, I asked "Did Mrs. Cox teach you this?"...as my hand is on the cell phone ready to call the school if by some chance this was taught in class. But the reply was "No mom I learned it on the playground from a girl in Mrs. Bannon's class (another 1st grader".

I figured I better know as much as my daughter, so I asked "Okay Brittney what do you think sex is?"

As my 7 year old sighs like her mom is the stupidest person alive she tells me. "Mom when you get married you take off all your clothes and kiss...that's what sex is mom (drawing out the word mom so that it takes her 5 syllables to say).

Okay I am starting to breath again even though not the conversation I want for on the way home from school this definition is not near as bad as some I was coming up with in my head during the last 2 minutes. Hey I like the married part if I can just keep that ingrained in her head I would be fine...alas I am sure the definition will grow and other kids will tell much more as will I when I feel she is old enough but I guess for now I can live with this definition.

I did have the little talk that it was a big grown up word and not something to just say to anyone. That she could always always tell me any words she learns or has questions about, but that this wasn't something we could just talk to anyone about. I was already envisioning her telling the cashier at WalMart and oh my I can just imagine my mother's expression when her granddaughter informed her what sex was.

So for now just another day of trying to instill values and property in my kids, and praying that the other kids on the playground don't undo all that my husband and I try to instill.

Trying to get healthier

I think the universe is against me. I really do. I am trying to get my family healthier and at every turn it seems something is trying to thwart it.

Eating healthier...well one the cost of organic food...wow..much higher...but okay we can suck it up and save in other areas so I buy the organic food. Preparation...ugh not near the convenience of that stuff that clogs our arteries and slows brain function. So trying to prepare menus ahead of time. Looking at the ingredients a 30 minute trip to WalMart can now take over an hour...as there are all kinds of different names for ingredients such as MSG we know that is a bad ingredient but did you know if it has less than a 98.8 % concentration they can call it Natural Flavoring. I don't know about you but if I see the word natural I am thinking its a good thing....well no it isn't. As MSG slows your brain functions and this is especially critical with Braden so have to watch for the Natural Flavoring and let me tell you it is hard pressing to find something without Natural Flavoring. So at least if I can find it at the end of the ingredient list that is a little better.

Then there is the McDonalds factor...my kids want it my kids love it, other moms let their kids eat it. So okay for a treat we will once every 2 weeks...I can bend after all they are kids.

Then the exercise just when I get on a roll, I get a headache, whatever machine I am working on breaks, something much more fun comes along I would rather do. The kids I will get them riding their bikes and then it turns cold, video games are so much more fun than exercise.

So getting healthier takes a lot more than just saying okay we are getting healthier. It takes planning, and lots of coming up with ways to make it fun.

This is the goal and I am committed not just for my son who really needed to be off several of the ingredients in some foods, but for all of us. My husband and I are now both in our 30's (even though he is more into them than me...lol...by 3 years) and we need to be thinking about being healthy. I see kids so overweight and teased and miserable I don't want that for my kids and I think by instilling the good habits now we are ahead of the game.

Time Alone

After two weeks of traveling and staying in 4 wall hotel rooms with the kids, and the medical issues we have been dealing with last night Matt and I finally got some alone time.

Much needed and much loved alone time. My parents who had missed the kids terribly while we were gone took them to spend the night last night. My mom was a little nervous with Braden's new meds but they were all excited. Matt and I were excited too. He was on call but thankfully we were not disturbed. It was one of those perfect nights of fun and love that I think every married couple should induldge in regularly.

Kids should be home soon and we will have basketball, errands and the routine weekend things....but I have some very nice moments to remember as the weekend and week gets busy.

Planning my week...busy busy...fits

Matt keeps saying he will help take the stress off of me...but I honestly don't know how to relinquish. Some of the stuff is because in the past when I did relinquish things happened from little mistakes and I just don't want to risk those mistakes. My husband is wonderful and helps so much around the house so I have nothing to complain about, but right now with Braden's medical and just all around things I feel so overwhelmed. Today I sat down to plan out my week......

Monday I will be at the school all day probably taking the kids in and catching up Brittney's teacher, then taking Braden to class his teacher left as of Friday to have her baby so there is a sub and with all his issues I want her to be caught up luckily he does have an aide with him Tiffani who is wonderful but I also have to update her! Then the school nurse because she will also have to give some of Braden's supplements. Then have a meeting with vice principle/special ed director to update them make sure they know what Braden can do at school, cant do and can and cant have as far as allergies go. I will have to consult with the janitors on cleaning ingredients because Braden is allergic to so many we have found out. I figure this will take all morning and the valentines party for Braden's class starts at noon and Brittney's at 1:00 so I figure Monday is at the school. After school Braden has a doc appointment and speech. Also have to follow Matt sometime to take the van into the shop.....drove all the way to Arizona and back no problems...get home yesterday it breaks down fuel pump has went out on it...we were definitely being watched over on our trip. Going to cook a nice dinner for Valentines Day and give kids their presents..Matt is on call this week so we are going to have a private celebration tonight after kids get in bed for our Valentines.

Tuesday I have to go into the law office the secretary said my inbox got so full she had to get a box and start putting my work over into it, ugh so going to be lots of catching up to do on that front. Usually I can do my work from home I pick it up and bring it home and it takes a few hours but after missing 3 weeks I am afraid of all that will be behind because nothing is done on those cases unless I do it including important deadline issues...yet another stresser. I also have two other attorneys I do freelance work for and both have work for me that of course needs done right away. Braden will have speech and Brittney basketball practice.

Wednesday I have to go to town to do some shopping my SIL and BIL are renewing their vows (they hate each other and fight all the time but SIL (who is also nuttier than a fruit cake) didn't have a real wedding first time so after 4 years of marriage and two kids under 3 has decided she wants one so is spending money they don't have and throwing a terribly tacky wedding (example she is wearing a black and purple lace dress down the aisle..enough said) on the 26th) anyway I need something to wear to the blessed event..(eyes rolling..LOL). I also am working on Brittney's costume for her rise and shine program at school on the 25th where she is to dress as a book character she is going to be the Cat and the Hat have to find the hat.

Thursday and Friday are not yet planned I do have to call the dentist this week and get in to get my crown permanetly put on as my appointment was suppose to be last week but of course we were gone and my tooth is really bothering me and I will have to plan some more time to do some of my paralegal work. Braden will have speech Thursday and another doc appt on Friday so Thurs and Friday will fill up soon enough. Also totally adjusting the way we eat and it takes time to plan menus make sure lunches are healthier need to go around town find some more organic shopping places and so on.

And with the above I also have to do the mail, bills, medical, work, the basic household things....I know that Matt is willing to help but I honestly fear cleaning up the mess more than the stress of doing it myself. It's me not him, I know that, I have to learn to let things be a different way than the way I perceive that they need to be done....I just have to get that mentality into my head and live with it and so far I cant quite get to that point, until then I will just vent about being busy busy!

Leaving Arizona tomorrow!

Tomorrow we will be heading for home. We have been in Arizona since February 1st. It was a long trip and we are ready to go home.

We are driving to the grand canyon it is only 45 minutes out of our way and that way we can say we have been there. We plan on being home sometime Friday. I am so ready to cook a meal and have something that isn't microwaved or restaurant.

All in all it was a good and informative visit a little disheartening because if we would have pushed doctors 2 years ago instead of us letting them brush us off things may have been different. But as hard as it is I wont second guess myself, we did what the doctors thought was best.

Basically Braden has severe Mercury poisoning from his vaccinations some of the highest levels this doctor has ever seen.

He does not have an underlying seizure disorder basically what happened is he developed the fibromal seizures with fever because his brain was not functioning where it should have been due to the metals then when he started staring out and they thought those were seizures they put him on seizure medication which was not needed which then caused him to have seizures. Confusing I know.

Anyway this trip and doctor was wonderful.

Today was good we got to clinic at 9:00 and met with Dr. Brimhall he is so nice. He said that he wants to see Braden back in 3 to 4 months. He scheduled a phone conference in 2 weeks to check progress and he will have the results of the hair analyze by that point. If we are not seeing progress like he projects then he may push the appointment back to 6 months but if we aren't then he will push it up to 2 to 3 months. Dr. Brimhall gave me and Braden hugs and told me that I was doing good and doing what needed and that I was a good mom, sometimes nice to hear especially from someone like him. We will continue the med, supplements, suppositories, and new diet as well as exercise program.

A wonderful note of improvement....Braden always walks up or down stairs by using his right foot then putting both feet together then the right one down again he doesn't use left foot right foot pattern. Well today we were leaving the hotel for the clinic and I noticed the last 4 steps he did right foot left foot and he had never done that before so I was excited and mentioned it to Dr. Brimhall and he said it was a VERY big step because it means he is breaking those patterns. He has done it right foot left foot all the way up and down the stairs each time we have went somewhere today.

He is still not releasing the metals like they want him too but he is slowly releasing them.

Arizona

Hope for Braden and his medical issues seems to be in Arizona, so what can we do but go to Arizona. Tommorow afternoon we will be leaving for the 18 hour drive to Mesa, Arizona. We will be there a minimum of 1 week. I am very hopeful but then trying not to get overly hopeful a fine balance there. We are taking Brittney out of school to go with us. If we have to stay longer than one week then her and Matt will come back and Braden and I will stay longer. Whatever needs to be done, it is just such a feeling of hope to have someone think they can help.

No clue...

I have blogged some about Braden before, basically he is 5 years old, sweet sweet happy little boy. He has some health issues (seizures but they cant pinpoint what kind or where in the brain, severe speech delay, and some developmental delays. Within the past few weeks some small issues have begun steadily getting worse. The doctors "think" it may be seizures coming from deep in the brain, but as one looked me in the eye and said, "We dont know what it is but we know something is causing a problem".

Okay I respect that he told me he doesn't know but dang it find me someone who does know. You ahve to understand this has been an ongoing battle they try to treat the symptoms but have no idea of the cause.

Today I pick him up from school and his teacher is like I am so worried his staring out (seizures) were almost constant today.

I just lost it, I am so sick of doctors not knowing what is wrong within the last 3 weeks he has had a weakening on his left side, his left eye is turning in we have had to have glasses this is how fast it is getting worse 3 weeks.

I called my primary care physician and basically she doesnt want to refer me anywhere different even though I told her Little Rock has said they dont know what the problem is. So her answer drive the 3 hours to Little Rock and set in the Hospital ER and make a doctor see him. we have an appointment on February 28 in Little Rock but things are getting continually worse daily and there has to be a reason I dont want to wait till he is convulsing in the floor and not able to breathe before we decide he has to be seen. I went ahead and called the nueo on call and she said that she would talk with the doctors tommorow and they may admit him for testing and MRI's etc at Little Rock Childrens. After talking with Matt we are going to give Little Rock one more chance we will be seeing a new doctor an Epitologist, but if we put Braden through all this testing and we still dont have a diagnosis or a reason then I told Matt I will fly to Pennsylvania I will fly whereever, but I would not just sit idle. If our local pcp wont refer us I willg et a new pcp I have reached my breaking point this is my son and "we dont know" is no longer acceptable.

Okay I guess I have vented enough for one blog session but that is where I am at with BRaden medically today.

Ready for the week.

I am anticipating at least a somewhat easier week than last week.

I have worked most of the afternoon on preparing for the week.

Tommorow we will get Braden's glasses and at this point he is looking forward to them. Ask him and he will tell you "I am going to be a handsome dude"...LOL.

Will be having lots going on in the evenings this week but I can keep it all going with a goal in site. Friday night my parents are taking the kids for the night and Matt and I are going on a date. I received a $50.00 gift card to a Japanese steakhouse from the lawyer I helped out last week as a little extra on top of payday which wont be till the 31st. Anyway Matt and I are going to get to go out together so even if it is a stress filled week I can look forward to some wonderful hubby time. The kids will also be looking forward to going to nana and papa's for the night. They get spoiled rotten when they are there. Example it had been 6 days since my parents had seen the kids and you would have thought it had been 6 months.

Involvement in kids school.

Friday night...yeah...my week of working at the office is over.

This morning I met to work on the elementary yearbook before going into the law office. The yearbook is one of the responsibilities of PTA, and since I am president of PTA this year I am in charge. Our school is not huge but good size the elementary has 465 enrolled. Out of this there are about 20 parents involved in PTA. Trying to get more parents involved we have sent home notes about working on the yearbook and scheduled both an evening and a day time to work on it to accommodate both working schedules. This morning there were 5 total. This is after sending home 465 notes to parents about this mornings time and Monday evening's time. I was talking to one of the PreK teachers that had my kids the last years and she said parent involment is down very low she has maybe 2 parents that are involved at all in a class of 18 kids.

I notice the difference in my two kids classrooms in my daughters class there is a group of us we request the same teacher each year and have gotten close and the rooms are always packed with parents on party days and maybe 5 kids don't have parents there out of the 20 kids in the room. In my son's class there about a total of 5 parents or guardians. I understand that not everyone can take off work but there are so many other ways to be involved in your kids school and with their activities. I just think it is sad that there is so little involvement. Of course I am on the opposite end and can't seem to say no so I am volunteered for everything...and tend to almost drive myself crazy. But all in all I wouldn't change it I would rather be pulling my hair out because I am trying to get stuff done than not be involved.

New perspective

This week I am filling in for a friend and running the office at my friend's law practice. I normally do freelance paralegal work and bill approximately 20-30 hours a week. This week I am putting in 30-40 hours in office. Let me tell you though it is really taking a lot out of me. Only a few more hours, but the fact is when I am billing I can do the work anytime, 3am cant sleep type a demand letter, 2pm have twenty minutes before getting kids dictate a complaint...you get the idea. But this week I have to be there certain hours and do things on that time frame. Add on top of this the juggling of kids, hubby, house, PTA and other projects and you have one tired juggler!

I am always very thankful for the things in my life, but after this week I am even more thankful for the flexibility of my normal work schedule.

Braden is not happy.

Took Braden to the eye doctor today for his left eye turning in and she put him in glasses. He is not happy. I tried bribery, I tried you will look like mommy, I tried using his best friend who also has glasses...no avail...we dont want the "stinky glasses". We got them ordered and they will be in Friday or Monday so we have till then to talk these glasses up and make him excited....somehow I think it is going to take a lot to get him excited but we are going to try. He has to wear them all the time. Of course Brittney wont be happy either because she was WANTING glasses and her eyes were fine...ugh...just cant get the right kid with the right problem...LOL...so probably going to have to go to the mall to Claire's and get a pair of $5.00 fake glasses for her to wear around...and then fight with her brother to wear the $150.00 pair!

A different kind of busy

This week is a different week for me as I am working in the law office basically full time hours. Normally I do freelance paralegal work that keeps me busy but I can do it from home and at 4am if I need to. This week however a very good lawyer friend of mine and his secretary also a good friend needed in office help as the secretary is out for gallbladder surgery. So with the help of hubby we have juggled kids, doctors appts, etc., so that I could be in the office quite a bit this office and at least open the office for them each morning. Yesterday I was there all day, well normally all I do is personal injury paralegal work I work for several different attorneys and this is my specialty...well yesterday I did a little of everything family law, criminal and just being at the office all day it wore me out. I am used to running here and there and having Braden at two different places during the day and so on, but I was so wore out last night. I think a lot of it is that I had to put up with the attorney one on one for a long period of time and usually I dont have to do that. I like him he has always been a good boss, but dealing with him when I am the one that actually knows more than him as it is on the personal injury cases and dealing with him when he expects me to know it all are two different things. I have not done criminal paralegal work in 8 years since I worked a regular paralegal job so it is taking some getting used to. So this week will prove to be busy and a little different.

Tommorow Braden goes to the eye doctor so we will see what they say. He is actually going to go into work with me for a little bit in the morning before the appointment. Luckily the attorney doesnt care and Braden can watch tv and play his game boy.

A laid back day

It was nice didn't do much today. We went to church this morning came home to lunch done in the crock pot, cleaned up and got organized for the week. Mostly just rested watched the kids play their playstation II...watched hubby play it too (I now am positive that I should have counted that as one of his Christmas gifts instead of one of the kids gifts...lol).

Nice to have these laid back days sometimes, especially knowing this is going to be a busy week.

Too many opinions

My son Braden is 5 years old he has a severe speech problem, and has had seizures and masses in the brain and many other issues enlarged tonsils, right side of his heart enlarged...some of these issues he has overcome but the one thing he has never had is a diagnosis. Talk about frustrating. It seems every doctor has an opinon and each is of course a little different than the last but no one knows for sure what the cause.

Last week we started him on a seizure medication for over a year we have been concerned about staring out spells Braden is having but they said his EEG during the staring spells were normal except for these bursts that mean a seizure could occur but didnt so it was not neurological. Now after months and now Braden is starting to have weakness in his left side and some small issues that were found by his physical therapist now they say um maybe they are neurological and are just coming from so deep in the brain that is why the EEG just showed bursts but not actual seizure activity. The key is "maybe"...ugh I think I could fight this so much better in my mind if I knew what I was fighting give me a word a name I almost dont care if they made it up...well I do but you get my drift I want a word to associate.

I have to say that Braden is our blessing daily as is our daughter Brittney. With Braden from birth (premature born at 28 weeks) he has been a fighter. He has had procedure done on his brain and then used the recovery room bed for a trampoline. He is a fighter nothing gets him down he has a dimpled smile that melts your heart and even though his speech is delayed he can still get his point across and basically let you know what he meant even if he just meets you.

It is just frustrating because I feel that they just have a checklist of maybe's and are crossing them off as they try a new med or a new procedure that doesnt work. Last week's try at medicine had a severe allergic reaction so we are back to the drawing board. As of February we will have a new doctor involved but I am afraid it wont be an answer just another opinion.

As soon as...

As soon as school starts I will have more time...
As soon as I get PTA lined out I will have more time...
As soon as we get in a routine with Braden's speech and doctors I will have more time....
As soon as Brittney's birthday party is done I will have more time...
As soon as Thanksgiving is over I will have more time...
As soon as the Holidays are over I will have more time....

All the above "as soon as" have passed and I still don't have more time. I keep thinking things will lighten up but I just seem to have life on super speed and can't slow it down. Between helping with things at the school, doing freelance paralegal work, Braden's medical and just the daily running of things it never slows.

My dear hubby has been attempting to take things off my plate and I know a lot of my busy schedule is my own fault because I dont delegate well, but I like things done a certain way and it just really gets me if things arent done that way. I try to be flexible but I like organization I know this at times drive hubby crazy.

I am going to try to give him more to do (he may regret asking)
I am going to try to be more flexible and once I give things to him forget about them.
I am going to try to say no to projects from teachers and ect that I really dont have time for.

Of course my "I am going to try" list may turn out like my "as soon as" list and just be that a list....but...I am going to try...as soon as...things slow down!

Too Young!

This afternoon my husband took our son to speech so that I could groceries put away start dinner and do homework with Brittney.

I am cooking dinner and she is helping and starts talking....about....boys! She is 7 and is boy crazy kissed a boy in PreK and another one since. Even came home one day telling me that she kissed one at recess and I said she shouldnt do that. She replied with "It's okay mom we go behind the tree so no one saw us". Thankfully these "kisses" are pretty chaste kisses but oh it is too much of a preview of the future for my liking.

This evening she was telling me about yesterday she had wore a new shirt to school that she had wanted for Christmas. Well apparently Cody (The 1st grade hottie) whistled at her and then came into her classroom and hugged her. But she said she isnt getting to serious about Cody because Morgan loves him and Ronnie (another boy) loves her and she is thinking she might love him back. It is so funny because she is so serious and sincere.

I dont even want to think about when she is 13! I will probably be longing for these chaste kisses and declarations of love that change daily.

200 Koolaid Jammers!!

I have 200 koolaid jammer packets laying on my cabinet. Why? You ask. Well I will tell you because I cant stand to dissapoint my 7 year old even though when I found out what she had told her class I wanted to wring her neck!

As I walk into get my daughter from class yesterday I am greeted by one little girl with a hug around the legs and a thank you. I dont know what she is thanking me for but I give her a hug. Mrs. Cox the teacher comes over and says they are all excited since Brittney told them you were making them all purses and wallets. Okay this is news to me. For those of you who are not in on the craze that is definetly swept our area....you take koolaid jammer, capri sun drink packets and they make things out of them wallets, purses. I have even seen them on sale on ebay. They are quite cute. Well turns out my daughter has promised one to everyone in her class.

I gave her quite a lecture on the way home about not telling people mommy will do things until we talk to mommy. In the end what could I do but rinse out all the packets (the teacher had been nice enough to save them for me from snack time so that I would have enough as it takes about 10 each for a purse and 2 each for a boys wallet). This weekend I will attempt to start sewing them all together.....and see hwo far I get or how many times I think of wringing my daughters neck..LOL.

Kelli

New Years Resolutions

That time of year again and since I have insomnia tonight and have been up since 3:15 thought I would share mine.

1. Healthier eating and not just for me but for hubby and kids too.
2. Devotional time more with the kids, myself and hubby.
3. Say no more often to all those can you do this or do that.
4. Say yes more often to special little moments with hubby.
5. Excercise all of us I want the kids to start off on the right foot too and never have to struggle to start an excercise program.

Kelli

Holiday Craziness!

I did good on blogging for about a week but as my husband recently reminded me it's been over a month!...My excuse....HOLIDAYS! Just crazy, I finally think I am done with all the shopping and I think of something else that would just be perfect with this or that or for this person or that person. Add to that the baking, the school parties, the 4H parties, the work and family obligations and my November and December are blurs of activity! The unfortunate thing is I dont see it slowing down much already next week my daughter is having a slumber party, I am babysitting for a friend, and New Years Eve is lurking too be planned! Maybe soon it will calm down, the kids are out of school till the 3rd and so at least I wont have teachers saying..."Oh Mrs. Cole do you mind doing.....so and so.

Lots and Lots of Treats!

We finally closed the door and turned off the porch lights. We took the kids to a few houses in the neighborhood then took the kids to the Halleluijah night that the local churches put on at the school it is so neat it is all free the kids got the neatest lunch boxes with a little prayer on them all the kids got those and then both got a bag full of goodies all the games pop and popcorn are free so they had a blast. There are now two huge bowls of candy and snacks on my table and lots of little junkie toys around! Came home and passed out candy. While we were gone I had left a bowl on the porch with a sign saying take some and when we came home it was almost empty so then we started handing out I ended up using chips from the kids lunches too..lol. Last year Braden was 4 and Brittney 6 and she was a cute little care bear and Braden was a skunk that was just adorable well no more cutesy costumes for my too. Brittney had purple and blue hair and makeup and an outfit that made her daddy think too much about what we will be dealing with in the years to come...haha..and Braden has been punching people all night! Now its time to get my Punk Rocker and Power Ranger ready for bed. Kelli

Insomnia

I got up at 4am this morning I have had an awful cold and it is making sleeping hard. I keep waiting for it to go away but so far it is lingering. And of course this is just the start of cold season. Too add to not feeling well this time of year seems especially hectic, with Brittney turning 7 yesterday, Matt coming home from a business trip, holidays around the corner. Seems I am juggling more balls in the air than usual. I do have most of the birthday loot put away now. Last night was a 4H Fall party and I had several moms ask if there was anything left to buy Brittney for Christmas. My reply was not much after that birthday! This week will be crazy as well because I have to take my son Braden who is 5 to Little Rock for a 8 hour EEG, for ongoing ruling out of health issues. Well I should try to get some other stuff done since i am up at this wonderful hour.

Birthday Party Madness

Yesterday my little girl turned 7! I think I also got a minimum of 7 gray hairs just from running around like a crazy person. This year I decided I was going to do simple....yeah right...anyone who knows me knows this is an impossibility. I started about two months in advance we decided to do a magic theme and hire a magician and since she is getting older and wanting to invite more people we decided to go rent a room at the Park Community Center. Somehow even with all my organization a notebook, planning ahead still 3 hours before time I am dashing from here to yonder like a chicken with my head cut off. But at last I can look back and say it was a good party both kids and adults seemed to really enjoy the magician. My daughter was spoiled rotten and loved every minute of it. So now I can start on my son's 6th birthday...which is in May...and I have no doubt that even though I start early I will still be running around like a crazy person 3 hours prior! Tis the way birthday madness goes!

Handeling things while hubby's away

I always miss Matt when he is gone on business trips but this past week I have felt like a swimmer about to be dragged under. Before Matt left on Tuesday our son Braden started getting sick...when he has fever he has fibromal seizures so this started on Tuesday with Matt due to leave out Wednesday. Braden did have some seizures and missed all week of school. Brittney started getting sick on Saturday and me on Monday. Tommorow is Thursday and Matt will be back home. In the midst of all of us being sick inlaws decide to add some things for me to deal with. As well as receiving some news regarding Braden's health and some upcoming doctors visits. So I ask why does everything seem to fall apart when Matt is away. One good thing it always makes me see how much he really does, because I tell you I am hopping when he is away. Tommorow he will be home and I will be soooo glad.

Getting into the blogging.

When my husband first started the blogging he was like Kel you have to start this you would love it. And it does sound like something I would love, but I just to this date have not gotten into the habit. I love reading them, my husbands blogs are great and sometimes I even learn things I didnt know like why there was bird litter all over the garage! I also read some that he has on his list and I enjoy keeping up with them. So why does it seem like keeping mine up is a chore, I think some of it may be that it was my hubby that started the idea and not an idea I had on my own. Not that I dont love his ideas but since it wasnt something I started it seems harder to keep up. Makes no sense I am sure but I am going to try to keep it up more, because I do think I will enjoy once I really get into it and keep it up.

The main things that have been going on around here is taking Braden my son off dairy products and seeing the tremendous change, but still having to argue with our regular pediatrician because to her nothing out of the main scope of medicine is worth trying. Very frustrating.

Brittney is in first grade and is so boy crazy she says "mom I kissed Daniel today"..I am like sweetheart you shouldnt be kissing boys...to which she replies "Dont worry mom we go behind the trees where no one can see us"...UGH..that was suppose to make me feel better as far as she was concerned. She has been excepted into the GATE Gifted and Talented Education program and we went to our first meeting last week and it seems like it will be a fun program with lots of activities. She is wanting to start playing basketball this winter so we got a little break from tball being over but it is all about to start again with basketball.

Kelli

School starts back

I am not very good at keeping my post up...as my husband reminds me often.

Just a little about my great weekend, my parents took the kids to Texas with them for my cousin's wedding. So Matt and I had time alone, we missed the kids but oh it was SO nice. We got to go out shopping, we went to dinner, ordered pizza with all the toppings not just pepperoni, slept in. It was great, but by Sunday afternoon I was ready for my kids to come home! Now they are home and whining and I am ready to send them back...LOL.

The kids start school Wedensday this is another one of those things where I am glad to see them start but will miss them at the same time. Both kids start school Brittney in 1st and Braden in Kindergarten. I had a meeting at the school today to put emergency procedures in place for Braden (he has special needs and seizures). It went well, but I will admit the elementary principle just really rubs me the wrong way. We have heard this is her last year so we are hopeful. I am PTA president this year so that will be different.

Tommorow night the kids will go to bed early, we already have clothes laid out as we made little tags to go over their hangers for everyday of the week.

Kelli

Missing Matt

My dear hubby is away on a business trip for one week. He just left yesterday but I already miss him. I will say this though when he is away it gives me a great respect for all he does do around the house. I am very blessed in that he does a lot of the household chores when he sees that I am busy or soemthing needs done. Anyway, also gives me a greater respect for single parents as well just a week of being only caregiver and I am exhausted!

While he was in flight yesterday I cleaned like a madwoman, nervous energy I guess but I get a lot of deep cleaning done while he is gone.

Last night his first night away I ended up with 2 kids and 3 dogs in bed with me so needless to say rest was not that easy!

Hopefully the week will go by relatively fast.

Busy busy busy

This is one of those weeks where I will look back and ask myself how we got it all done.
Taking my son to speech 5 days a week, preparing to cater a wedding on Saturday and leave right after for one week away from home a mixed medical trip/vacation trip. My son has a procedure appointment at Austin CHidlrens this will be his last one so that is WONDERFUL news. We also plan some fun going to Schliterban in New Braunsfel Texas and Sea World in San Antonio and some outlet mall shopping on the way home. I had been hired to cater the wedding months ago and didnt know we would have to have Braden in Austin on the Monday so it just all happened to hit at once. Today I will be starting my cooking and doing the last of the shopping, running errrands and getting stuff ready frot he trip and hopefully getting packed tonight. So I will be ready for some rest next week for sure.
Kelli

New Carpet!

After having some really bad cheap carpet that the contractors had put down we were finally able to get new carpet it was one of those deals that just worked out we werent looking for it but it was just there! So now our house has all new carpet and I just love it and feels so good too.

We are preparing for a trip to go to SanAntonio on July 10th so have to get the planning moving ahead on that my son is going to have to go to Austin Childrens Hospital for a short appointment. We are also making the trip fun too not just medical. We plan on going to Schliterban a big water park in New Braunsfel and to Sea World.

Kelli