My Little Barking Seal!

Sarah has croup!!

A week and a half ago it was Natalie and now Sarah. I am praying that Nathan doesn't get it!!

Sarah however landed herself in the ER. She sounded bad but not THAT bad today, and never ran a fever more than 100.5 Later as daddy was on his way home and I was bathing the kids I began to notice some stridor in her breathing. By the time Daddy got home, he felt it was a good idea to take her in to get a breathing treatment and steroids. So, off went daddy and Sarah.

It turned out that she had a fever of 103 while at the hospital. She was given a racemic epi. breathing treatment and steroids(Dex) and some Tylenol. Sweet girl. She didn't like that silly smoky breathing tube. Joe said she cried and cried. She got to drink her medicine and they released them home.

Ah sweet Sarah. She had such a tiny little patient wrist band. Mommy cut that one off for the scrapbook. Her first visit back to a hospital since she was born.

Bring out the vaporizers and the sleeping bags, mommy's having a sleepover in Sarah's room tonight!!

Can't you smell the Vick's????

Watch This!

I am sure most of you have already seen this one. It's a new one to me!! I think it's great!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA

How Crazy Am I???

Crazy!!!!!!

That is what I must have looked like today!!!!!

To no ones surprise I was running a bit late this morning, trying to get two little ones off to different schools with their made to order lunches and backpacks in hand. While waiting in the carpool line at Natalie's school I got out of the van and had to wipe her face which I had forgotten to do and unbuckle her so she would be ready to get out of the car. When it was her turn to get out she resisted and I had to get out again to help one of the teachers help Natalie to her classroom line. After taking her to school and battling with the fact that she wouldn't get out of the car, I headed to Hobby Lobby with Sarah. We made it there early and I leisurely unloaded Sarah and placed her in the cart and made my way to find the things that I needed. I saw several workers and the place was really pretty nice because it wasn't busy at all. I had to ask one worker where an item was located and past several people walking from aisle to aisle. I made my way back to the front of the store and ran into a friend of mine and chatted for a minute or two. I then checked out and chatted with a very friendly and sweet clerk. Sarah and I made our way home, and I even stopped to treat myself to a fountain diet coke. We were at home for a while and I got a snack for Sarah and we played a bit. Eventually, I needed to change her diaper so I took her into her room and lifted her onto the changing table. As I did, I looked down at my shirt.

I looked again.....

MY SHIRT WAS ON INSIDE OUT!!!

I laughed out loud so very hard. Sarah thought I was very funny!

I thought to myself what a totally goober I am. I was in such a rush that I put my shirt on the wrong way??? What???? I never stopped to look at myself because I was walking and dressing at the same time. You mom's know what I am talking about, right?? I then began to recount where I had been and how many people saw me. I can't believe that not one single person, not one said......, "Hey Lady!", "Yeah you!", "Your shirt is on wrong side out!" Is this what happens in your late thirties??? Did people think that I was performing an experiment, or that I was just plain sad??

When Joe got home I told him about it and showed him what the shirt looked like on the wrong way. He laughed!!

Funny!

Baby Cardio!

I have a new idea!!

Here's an alternative to the jog stroller!

There should be something called "baby cardio." Here's how the class would work.........

Every adult attending class would be assigned a baby to chase. Then each pair would be assigned a team color. Each participant would have matching wristbands. After all we have to account for everyone! They would then be placed in an area that has several potential hazards, such as sharp pointed edge to the bleachers in the area. This area would have stairs they could possible tumble down. Plus, cubbies with dirty shoes that the babies/toddlers would keep trying to chew on!! Not to mention the icky sweat laced carpet that the participants would be asked to keep the baby from rolling around on and possibly licking. As well as, keeping them from eating old pieces of fuzz and leftover snacks found under the bleacher and under the tables. Participants would be asked to keep the child safe at all times and make sure that the child is not injured in any way.

The duration of the class would be approximately 45 minutes.

During this time you would be taunted by others, saying things like, "Wow! That baby keeps you busy". or, "You sure have your hands full"! or, "Look at her GO"!

After the 45 minutes are up cool down would consist of retrieving an additional child and making your way down the stairs to a vehicle strapping both kids in to car seats and making it home safely amidst several requests for water and food!

Any takers????

Happy 8th Anniversary!!!!!

***Mushy Gushy alert!!

This post is all about my awesome husband and how much I love him, so if you aren't looking to read sweet and sappy, move along!

Today my husband and I have been married for 8 years!!

It is hard to believe that sentence. It seems like it has flown by. The above picture is our engagement picture. We look so young in this photo!! I remember being so excited to take this picture and have it run in the paper to proudly announce I would finally be married to Joe. Three cities, and three kids later, I think about how much has happened in 8 years. I look back fondly upon the anticipation of marriage and spending my life with Joe. I am so thankful for the many blessings God has given me. Especially for my Joe and our children. God has seen it fit to give me the most amazing man to spend my life here on earth with, of which I don't even deserve. A man who loves God, loves me, and loves our kids. My best friend!!

I thought about writing my 8 favorite things about my hubby, but that wouldn't be enough.....

I thought about writing about each city we lived in........

I thought about writing each letter of the alphabet and a little something about him.....

I thought about writing about my favorite memory of him with each of our children.....

I thought and thought.......

I scrapped those ideas!

Here's just a few of the reasons why I'm glad that he is my husband and well........ a few random things about him that I want to remember one day when I am old and gray!!!

He can make me laugh and laugh and laugh!!

He is quite sensitive while looking rugged and manly.

He likes to sing with me in the car and change up all the lyrics to say something really funny.

He is easy on the eyes.

His hugs make me feel so secure.

He loves Jesus.

He adores each of our children, and always thinks of them.

He is responsible financially, and provides for our family.

He thinks of our future.

He is a man of integrity at home and at work, no matter what others do.

He takes his job seriously and does a thorough job... no short cuts. His patients love him.

He's very handsome!!!


He's compassionate.


He loves.


He makes the best chocolate milkshake ever!


He loves me.


He loves me unconditionally.


He has plans for us.


He is not a workaholic and puts us first before career.


He makes the best bananas foster ever.


He can play baseball really well but doesn't show off.


He's a doctor but he'd really rather be addressed as Joe. ( funny story for later)


He gives all the kids their nicknames.


He loves history.


He is a great dancer.


He is patient with me whenever we have tried playing sports together, even though I am terrible at most sports.


He likes to help with the shopping.


He loves animals.


He leads with ease, and without making me feel beneath him.


He wants our kids to know Jesus.


He is wise.


He'd rather be with us at home, than with the guys any day.


He loves sports.


He is a loyal friend.


He thinks things through.


He seems serious to others in public, but will wrestle and play with the kids and do some of the funniest things when it is just us and the kids.


He loves his mom and dad.


He doesn't worry about what other people think!


He lets me ramble on and on about everything going on with me and about my day, no matter how tired he is when he gets home from work.


He likes to get the mail.


He made me a wife.


He made me a mommy.


He doesn't blog but doesn't make me feel silly because I like too!


He's protective.


He is a man of few words.


He is an incredible judge of character when I have been dreadfully wrong, and he never made me feel bad about it.


He gets me!


Happy Anniversary!
I love you babe!

I LOVE PIGS!!!!!!

I love Pigs!!

Yes, that's right.

I love pigs, but not for the reason you are probably thinking. Yes, I can be sweet and say I love Charlotte's Web and I would save a pig too. They really are cute when they are little. However, I think I am too in love with ham, bacon, and pork tenderloin to go vegetarian again. Why are those things soooo good??? I have even witnessed surgeries (in my OR circulating days) for which patients received a new heart valve due to our friend the pig!

No, it is not only for the edible delicacies that I love pigs. Or the sweet children's stories, that warm your heart and have even made me cry at times. Or even the amazing heart valve replacement surgery.

No..... I have a new found reason to love pigs!!

INSULIN

In 1921, a man named Dr. Fredrick Banting ( and his Med student) had a thought. I think I will grind up some pig pancreas and see what will happen if I inject it into a dog. Voila!!! Insulin!!!

Okay..... It was a little more complicated than that. Most importantly some of the first insulins were made from pig pancreas. Later, I believe they were a mixture of both pig and steer. And now I believe they are all synthetic. Don't hold me to all the details. It has been a while since nursing school. If you are into all the history stuff check out these links


http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bldiabetes.htm


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/dm22in.html

http://www.jdrf.org.au/publications/factsheets/the_history_of_diabetes_and_the_search_for_a_cure.pdf

Yes, I have been newly reminded of yet another reason for being in love with these pink pudgy little guys.

God made pigs. God blesses man with incredible intelligence to figure out how to create insulin.

Man uses this knowledge, for many years scientist work hard to improve insulin and now today (several times a day) one of my dearest friends can inject a greatly refined potion into her little girls arms and legs, and save her life! Wow!!



I LOVE PIGS!!!

Prayers Please!!

Yesterday my brother-in-law's sister was shot and killed outside of her office in San Antonio. She was an internal medicine doctor, and the shooter was a patient.

I sent many family and friends e-mails personally to request prayer on the family's behalf. I may have missed some, for whom I do not have e-mail. So, if you have found your way here and have not received an e-mail from me please do shower this family with your prayers.

Julie is her name. We have comfort knowing that she was a believer. We know she is with her Lord. However, the suffering that her family is enduring is still very hard. It is all so shocking. So, unimaginable.

I am still taking so much of this in. I will post more about my thoughts later. For now, please pray!!

Thanks!!!!!!!!

Sweet Sayings in Springtime!!!!

This post is really just to remind me of some sweet things that my kiddos said while riding in the car today.

Flowers everywhere!!!!

Spring is my favorite season. All the blooms on trees, the warmer weather ( but not scorching HOT yet) and wildflowers everywhere, are so beautiful. I love that the time change has occurred and that there is more light in the evening to take walks as a family. I love Easter and all the green grass that is coming in on our lawn. We even planted a new pecan tree. Joe's favorite. We have really missed seeing REAL spring in the past years. When we lived in Oklahoma, things bloom and get green so much later. It is just a blink and then the days really heat up!! The one thing that I never really saw in Oklahoma this time of year were the bluebonnets.

The kids and I have been noticing every time we drive somewhere, that the flowers are popping up everywhere. Much to all of our delight, we have had so much fun pointing them out and talking about how pretty they are.

Yesterday, we went to take pictures in them. They had so much fun!! They finally got to touch them and smell them and enjoy the sea of bluebonnets. The display of color is quite amazing. Right there in the middle of the highway. If anyone wants the scoop on a great spot for these pictures let me know.

Back to the point of this post. Today after we picked up Nathan from school, we were again playing "point out the flowers". The following went something like this......


Mommy: look there are a bunch of bluebonnets!!

Nathan: no, mommy those are flowers?!

Mommy: Well, honey those are flowers, but they are called bluebonnets.

Nathan: But they are called flowers.

Mommy: OK, uh, hmmm....... All of those things ( mom pointing along the highway) are flowers, but each color has a different name. Bluebonnets, buttercups, paintbrushes..... But they are all flowers. OK,...... Dogs......there are a bunch of different types of dogs.. we have Labs, and there are Poodles and German Shepherds. But they are all dogs.. Same with trees. See the trees, they are all green but some are slightly different than others and they have different names.



There, I thought, that should really be a good enough explanation. There was silence for a moment.....


Nathan: And Mommy there are roses!

Mommy: yes!!! thinking okay he gets this. He really already knows this right??

Nathan: Yes.... "a rose"..... "just like Jesus did!!!!"....

Mommy: No Nathan different arose!!


They listen to everything and the little sponges think about stuff all the time. I just thought to myself how wordy I can sometimes be when explaining things and what he must think.

Later after we were leaving Natalie's dance class, he pointed out the big wooden cross at the church across the street.


Again .......


Nathan: look mommy there is a cross!!!

Mommy: yes I see it......... What does that remind us of??

Nathan: Jesus dying on the cross!

Mommy: yes, and why did he do that???

Nathan: to save us from our sin!!

Mommy: and what is sin???

Nathan: when you do something bad!!

Mommy: give me an example.

Natalie interjects: when we don't share!!!!


Praise God for ears that listen and hear EVERYTHING we say!!

Need some help!!

Help....

I starting writing the post titled "Raisins" last week. However, I finally posted it today. Now it dated it back to when I had started writing it and placed it back on the date I started writing it. This will be confusing to me when I look back at this and too anyone reading, b/c the date references will be wrong. I can't fix it. Can anyone help??? The Raisin post should be dated today Feb. 27th. Can't figure this out.

Raisins!!!

Well....... last week was eventful in our home!

I had just gotten over being ill the weekend prior and finally started to feel better. Monday was a big day full of both a field trip for school and dance class, plus our regular routine. Then, Tuesday came and to my dismay my husband had to leave on a business trip. He went to Tennessee for training in the world of coding, for doctors and office staff. We got all three little ones up really early on Tuesday morning and our little "party of five" drove to the airport to see Daddy off.

I never like it when he travels. I used to really hate the commute he had in Oklahoma. Just too many crazy drivers out there for me!! "They", always say flying is safer, so says my brother-in-law, and other more knowledgeable aviation folks. I guess he knows, he's a pilot in the Air Force. In fact... side note.... he flew into Easterwood last week and we went to see him land and the kids got to look inside his plane. More about that in a later post. Back to my story.....

So, we dropped Daddy off at the airport and went to get Kolache's. We then drove home and prayed for a safe flight for Daddy that would soon be taking off. We hung around the house and had quite a nice day. My usual routine whenever Joe travels or when he used to do in-house overnight calls, is to let the kids play outside late in the afternoon and feed our dogs. Then we come in fairly early and do a simple kid friendly dinner and early baths. Then we usually play a game and read stories and they have an early bedtime. I always seem to need that little extra time in the evening to prepare for another few days without Joe here.

I made Mac and Cheese. The kids were giddy!! They love Kraft Mac and Cheese. Not homemade. The Blue Box. The fake cheese. That is what they love! Anyway, they ate. Nathan decided it was time to use the potty. So in the middle of dinner off he went. I was preparing to feed Sarah. Had the food heating. Natalie decides she would like some raisins since she was done with her dinner. She runs her little Natalie run to the pantry, points, and says, "Please may I have some raisins?". "Sure", I thought.... at least she was asking for raisins and not candy or something else of that nature. I placed the raisins on the table like I had done a million times before. Sarah began to cry. She was in her highchair and unhappy. She was hungry. I then heard a shriek from the bathroom. Nathan needed my help. Do you feel the chaos beginning to emerge?? I was in the bathroom helping Nathan, when I hear a shriek from the kitchen. Natalie was now crying!!! All three for a brief moment were upset. Help me Lord!!! "Help me not to lose it", I thought. I asked Natalie what was wrong. "It stuck", she said. I thought, "oh she got it stuck in her teeth" . I approached the table and she was pointing to HER NOSE!!! Exasperated, I said..... "Natalie did you stick the raisin in your nose?" "Uh, hun", she said in her weepy little voice. I stood still for a moment and thought about the irony that was occurring. My doctor husband is gone for the first night out of town since we moved here and this happens. I quickly searched for a pen light. I have a million of these from my nursing days, and Joe of course does too. However, in one of my mad decluttering days I sent them all to his office, except one. The one in which suddenly the light no longer works. I went into the mudroom and got the flashlight ( the old kind with the huge block of a battery ). It was heavy!! I told Natalie to come lay down, so I could be sure it was REALLY in her nose. Sarah was still crying ready to be fed. Nathan luckily had finished in the bathroom, and was eager to see what the commotion was about. I laid her down and had to let Sarah cry for a bit. I looked. It was hard to see. I needed another hand. I thought, "This would be easier if it were a pink Tic-Tac, I was looking for!! But raisins are dark and her nose is so little. Finally, I enlisted the help of Nathan to hold the flashlight and point it at her nose. I ran and got my tweezers. This of course terrified my sweet little girl. She was sobbing. I looked again. There it was..... a raisin past all those tiny nose hairs. I tried to reach in with the tweezers, but they were too big and not long enough. "Great", I thought. So...... I soon realized I would be needing to go to the ER. I couldn't be positive that she only put one up her nostril and knew I couldn't get it out. I called my parents. They quickly came over and brought some extra long tweezers they had. I am amazed that during the time I was getting us (Natalie and I) read to leave, she was actually happy. She would point and say it hurts but would twirl around and laugh and play with Sarah until Grandmommy and Grandaddy arrived. I called Joe. You can imagine his thoughts!!! "What?" and "Your kidding, right?" ...... he suggested trying again when my parents got there. We did, however the tweezers were big, and every time I would begin to try to put the tweezers in her nose she would jerk. She was really freaked out about it all. The last thing I need was to stab her accidentally with the the sharp end of the tweezers. So, off we went to the ER. My parents fed Sarah and put her to bed and kept Nathan busy. I called Joe when we got to the ER. Of course, we walked in right behind the mom holding her child with her older child by her side holding a trashcan with a liner in it. Not a good sign. "Please God protect us from getting sick", I pleaded. We just got over the respiratory crud. I signed in and called Joe. This is where it pays to know a doctor and really pays to be married to one. Joe called the ER doctor and told him what happened and that he was in Tennessee. Within minutes we were taken back to a break room and his PA, saw us. He whipped out this instrument, which I now must have. Seriously... I think that all Moms should have one. It looks like the loop end of a knitting needle... except fatter. When you press the button on the handle it lights up blue in color. I believe these are really for digging out ear wax. I held Natalie and he reached in and out came a mini grape. The raisin had expanded a bit from and the tears and nasal drainage. He looked again and my little girl was telling the truth only one raisin and none on the other side. She was great. He told me what to watch for and we were done.

As I carried her to the car, she said in her sweet little precious girl voice, "I did good mommy". I laughed and said, "Natalie you were a brave girl". Then I thought, "of course we would not be at the ER if you didn't snort the raisin!"

While I was driving home, I gave her the talk about how we will never put things in our nose. Then I thought to myself, "Laurie, if you had gone to Hope Group this would not have happened." And, " I should have called the Bacak's, I bet they had something to help get the Raisin out!"

Back at home my parents and Nathan welcomed the brave princess and my parents reminded me (as they secretly like to do) that when I was close to this age, I too, placed items in my nose. I however, chose 5 dried pinto beans. My mom had them out to cook and after seeing my brother playing with these, I couldn't resist. He would place one in the tip of his nose and close the other nostril with his finger and blow. The bean would shoot across the counter. I thought he was a genius!!! I too, however ended up in the ER.

Raisins!!! Who knew they make for such eventful memories for mommys'!

Recipes!!!

Hello out there in the blog cyber space world!!!

I need some help!!

I am just simply tired of our same old recipes and meals around here. I need to shake it up a bit.

I have some very picky eaters on my hands and I would love to have some new recipes to try out. They need to be family friendly and easy on the preparation level scale. I know I could go to food network and a million other websites, or go buy the latest cookbook, but I would also have to sift through the pages and then try them out. Too time consuming, and maybe expensive if I were to make it and no one likes it. There is one cookbook I did want to get about how to hide nutritious things in daily cooking. I believe that Jessica Seinfeld wrote one and another unknown lady did as well. We plan on buying the unknown lady's version. Don't get me wrong I love Seinfeld comedy. I just thinking they are doin' alright and Joe and I felt we should support the underdog.

So, please fellow bloggers share some recipes to your favorite meals. It will be fun to see what everyone else is cookin'!!!

Okay... I give in. I am joining the world of blogging!!!

I have a confession.



For quite some time now, I have been blogstalking other people's blogs.



I was quite surprised just how many people have a blog. I never really felt I had all that much to say. And really........ I am just not an eloquent writer. I am much more of a math and science kind of person. I guess that is why I am a nurse. I don't practice nursing anymore. At least not outside our home. I am a stay-at-home-mom / domestic engineer. Wouldn't trade it for my former career. However, I do have many stories from my workin girl days(hey there's an idea for a future post). And when I say workin girl I mean... time card, clock in, paycheck thing. I do still work, it is just different now.



But back to blogs....



I never really thought that I had all that much to say and journal about. Most of the time I just check friends and new friends blogs and I realized that every so often, I wanted to comment. I actually created an account to try and win a contest on an old friend's blog. I made my first two comments. I was hooked. Oh, and I didn't win.



I am still trying to figure out how to work everything and that is taking me some time. Hopefully soon I can figure out how to add pictures and other fun stuff.



So, here is my first post.



Happy Valentine's Day!!