finally some current pics

We have a pool team from Annie's that plays every Monday night. They decided to skip the Monday that BSU played their bowl game, so we ended up playing on Tuesday instead. Todd Adams called about 6 and asked if Gary would fill in for Kathy because she was really sick. He went down to Declo to play and since I was pretty slow, I closed up and went down too. He did really well for his first ever tournament. He ended up with a score of 30 out of 40! Really not bad considering how shy and reserved he is. I was so proud of him!

This is one of Ellie's first ponytails. You really can't see it in the picture because of her bow. We were heading to town to look for a preference dress for Braquel and we had her so cute. When we got to town, she had pulled the ponytail and the bow out. So for the rest of the day, she had troll hair!

Treven learned to go cross-eyed this last week. Braquel taught him and Gary took the pictures. Some of them are pretty funny, but this was the only one that you could really tell what in the heck he is doing!

This is Ellie's playground. In case you can't tell from the picture, she is in my coffee table. She loves to crawl in there and play. She goes from one end to the other and back. She turns in circles. She grabs your feet as she goes by. She plays peek-a-boo. What a funny kid! Very reminiscent of Braquel at her age: she used to love to play on the shelf in the computer desk at Grandma Lois's house!

Boy do I feel dumb!

This is the child that is costing me a fortune right now! How cute is she, though? I can't not take care of her!

In the last month she has cost me:

$180.00 for new glasses

$18.00 for a birth certificate

$132.00 for drivers ed classes

$1455.00 for her concussion ( plus there will be more charges because our hospital sends x-rays and ct scans somewhere else to be read and I don't have that bill yet!)

$102.00 follow up dr visit

None of that even includes her food and hot water!!!!!!!

I finally got my hospital bill for her concussion. On it, there is a line that says:

m.d. level 1v $249.15

I thought that it was for an IV and I was freaking out. She didn't have an IV or blood drawn or anything else besides a quick looksy and her blood pressure checked twice. So I call the hospital all fired up and ready to kick ass and take name. I ask her about the charge and tell her that no IV was ever done. She laughed at me and said that it is not for an IV, but for a m.d. (medical doctor) Level 4 (1v).

I felt totally stupid! If this is how my week is starting off, I am in big trouble!

Request!

I have an interesting request from anyone that reads this blog. Mom is the only one that ever actually comments, but I am asking for help and it will require a comment!

Every Monday, I make a menu for the next 7 days of meals. Every week I ask the kids what they want and I ask Gary what he wants and no one ever really answers. I am tired of thinking of the same old things. SSSSOOOO- I am trying to put together a master list of at least 300 different dinners. This list will have soups, mexican dishes, pasta dishes, italian dishes, pizzas, everything I can think of. I need everyone out there that reads to help by sending their favorite dinners. You can send just a basic meal name or the whole actual recipe. Doesn't matter- it's all going in a log on my computer.

One of the commentors will get a little blog candy! It will be a surprise so please, please...... send me some ideas!

Some funny pics from last year

We were all sitting around in the den one day being silly and I just started snapping pics. Of all the kids, Mikayla was the most willing to have her picture taken!

We took the kids sledding one day last January. This is Chelsey and Treven as they came down the hill and dang near didn't stop!

This is my belly about a month before Ellie was born!

I had a mini photo shoot of Treven one day. He did about 10 different funny faces, but this was the best!

This is Gary and I on St. Patrick's Day. It's so rare that we get a picture of the two of us together! It's not a really great one, but it's better than nothing!

Working on New Year Goals

In keeping with the post from the other day regarding trying to get more scrapbooking done, I actually completed a few things. Several months ago, I got a free kit from Close to My Heart. It had everything you need to make 16 really adorable cards. I spent all day Sunday working on that project. When it was done, there were still a few embellishments left, so I used the same design from the set to make 6 Valentine cards for Gary and the kids. I ended up with two brads and a couple of teeny flowers left. I did end up using a bit of my ribbon to finish the cards off and I used my own paper for the Valentine's, but overall it was all FREE! LOVE IT!

Well, that didn't get all my craftiness out of my system, so yesterday I put together 4 double page spreads for Ellie's scrapbook! I wish I had time to do more while I am in the "mood", but I had to go to work!

I'm getting really excited for the next scrapbook retreat. We will be putting together some challenges soon and I can't wait to get started on those. It really keeps me focused and in the right frame of mind when I know things need to get done soon! If anyone is interested in coming to the retreat check out www.janstamps.wordpress.com . There is some information there about registering early for a 10% discount. It's already quite affordable for what you get with the cost, but 10% off is an even better deal! We are providing the meals. a project, and the accommodations for the fabulous price of $90.00 (that's if you register early and save the 10%) What a deal for three days away doing what you love!!!!

Well, I am off to finish baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies! Have a blessed day!

Another close call

We had another close call with one of the kids last night. I was working and the phone rang- I answered and Mikayla said, "Mom, Garrity's mom wants to talk to you." I said ok and just thought maybe she needed a ride home or something. Michelle got on and said that there had been an accident and that she thought Gary or I needed to come and get Mikayla and take her to the emergency room. Of course I'm immediately freaking out. Apparently she and another girl from the other team crashed and Mikayla fell hitting her head really hard on the gym floor. Michelle said it sounded just like a watermelon hitting the ground. I told her I would see how close Gary was and if he wasn't able to be there quickly, I would leave work and come get her. He was going to be a half hour so I got my sweet neighbor to tend bar (she's 75!) and I left to Declo. I was about a mile away and Kim ( a teacher at Declo and also married to my cousin) called and asked if I wanted her to take her in because she was getting worse and worse. I told her I was almost there and we decided they would meet me at the gym doors so I could just head straight out.

I got to the gym doors and noone was there. I left the car running and went inside to find them. Noone seemed to know what was going on and finally a lady came out and told me to follow her. I get into a coach's room and Mikayla is laying on the couch almost completely out. They had oxygen on her ( thank heavens several moms in the audiences had medical training and were so good to jump in and help). Anyway, she just couldn't even wake up. Her eyes wouldn't seem to open. Michelle said she had called ahead to the emergency room and they knew we were coming.

I called Braquel to meet me at the school so she could ride to the hospital with me. I needed someone to keep her awake and talking so I could drive. We got her to the hospital after what seemed like forever. Dr. Campbell was on-call and came in and asked her to spell her last name. She just kept telling him JONES. She couldn't spell it. She finally started saying one letter at a time, taking 5 minutes or so to spell it out. We were there for about 2 hours and when we left, she still didn't know her birthday, She kept telling me it was the 15th of March instead of the 13th. They did a CT scan and also xrayed her hip because she said it was hurting pretty bad, too. Apparently nothing was abnormal because they told her she could come home. Said she had a pretty decent concussion, though. I took her to get something to eat and she immediately started making sense as she talked. When we got home, she even knew her birthdate.

I checked on her a couple of time through the night and she is staying home from school today. Dr. said no basketball for about a week (which is like torture for her) She still wants to go to practice so she can keep up on the plays so we'll let her do that. No playing, though at practice or at games.

I'm hoping all of our bad luck is over for the year now. I'm not sure how much more my heart (or our checkbook) can take!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful New Year! We celebrated at Annie's and were so busy it was crazy! I really miss spending the night with the kids like we used to, but New Year's Eve is the busiest night of the year at a bar. The kids all had other things they wanted to do anyway. Braquel spent the evening with Keven and Chelsey went to babysit. Mikayla wanted to go hang out with Kage's family, but we needed someone here for Treven and Ellie so she stayed home.

I did not make a resolution this year because I don't ever really keep them anyway. I just hope that I become a better wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend. and person with each year that passes. I want to spend as much time with my family as I can and do something good for my community. That's about it an a nut shell. With that in mind, I do have a few goals in mind for the coming months. Hopefully, I will look back next year and most of the goals will be accomplished! Here is my list:

1. Redecorate our master bedroom. Fresh coat of paint, new curtains, new bedspread, maybe some fun pictures on the walls. And of course, a little better organization in the closet area!

2. Finish the red wall in the dining room. I have something fun in mind for the wall and I want to get that finished. Also some window treatments.

3. Get back into the scrapbooking mode. I buy all this paper and stuff and then I put off actually scrapbooking because I feel like I don't have enough time. If I could even get a few pages per month done, it's better than leaving the pictures in the box.

4. Spend more time with family and friends. Whether it's BBQing or fishing or just scrapbooking, I would like to really focus on my relationships with others. I would also like to let people know how much they really mean to me.

5. More organized for Christmas 2010. I already have a skeleton list of what needs done and I intend to work on it all year long and not be so frazzled at Christmas next year. I bought the wrapping paper for next year already and I will be working on ornaments to match all year!

6. More charity work. We did Secret Santa for a family this year and it really made me think about not just giving at Christmas. Why can't it be all year long?

Well, I'm going to stop there or I will never accomplish these things. Any more and I would be overwhelmed! I will try to keep posting on the blog as things get done!! Have a Happy New Year!