A week of no school

We have a had a week of no school and I really did not know what to expect from the kids, since we would be stuck at home all week due to the snow. Brandon had to drive my vehicle to work everyday and no way was I attempting to get out in it. But, the kids have been wonderful. They have played so well together and I would hear them calling each other "best friend." Made me smile! Keira did miss school, but she enjoyed being at home. This is a girl who loves going to school. Of course, we played in the snow and sled 3 days, by the 3rd day it was icy and they went to fast for me, so I was done with that. Last year, I missed Brock once and it scared me because he was going so fast. We have played everything from Barbie, cars, monster trucks, beauty shop, board games, wii games, read books, and so on. Thankfully, Thursday evening we got to go to Cracker Barrell and then went to Keira's basketball practice, she was so thrilled they had it. The kids are out again Monday for an in-service day, so I am thinking we may have to go to an indoor play facility to burn some energy and let them run. Brock on the other hand is loving that he has not been to school in almost 2 weeks. The Thursday before all the snow came, it had snowed a little and Keira was on 2 hr delay, so I just kept Brock home since his school wouldn't start till 11 and then gets out at 2. He would prefer to stay at home anyway. He doesn't cry when I leave him, but he lets me know that school is "yucky and boring."

In the above pictures, we started out with 1 tent and ended up having to put up another, as each wanted their own. It got a little wild! A good week!

Snow Day

We woke up Monday morning to 4 inches of snow! The kids were so excited and could not wait to get out in it. So, mid-morning the hubby and I bundled all of us up and headed outside. Keira got a sled for Christmas and got to try it out. Brock was absolutely thrilled and loved sledding. After about an hour, we came in and warmed up. Later in the afternoon, Papaw Woody came over and played with us. Papaw and Mamaw Leffew also came up. What a good time the kids had.

More Snow Day

First basketball game

Keira began Upward basketball this past saturday morning. Last year was not a great experience in the city league for her as they play ages 4-6 and just being 4 at that time, it was a little overwhelming for her. This year, and this league, her team is made up of only kindergarten kids and they only play other kindergarten teams. Much better! She seems to like basketball, and dribbles okay for a 5 yr old. She is timid on the court when it comes to taking the ball from the other team and so on. She was not able to score a basket, but put up a great shot and almost banked it it. Just a little too hard!

Keira's first lost tooth

Keira began the new year by losing her first tooth. She had a dentist appointment back in Dec. and he told us she has 4 teeth that are loose. The bottom one has been ready to come out, but she kept saying it hurt when we would try to pull it. We were getting ready for bed and she yells from the bathroom that she just pulled her tooth. Then, she kinda panicked because of the blood, and we got that taken care of. She was so excited!! So, we prepare to go to go to bed and she is ready for her money. Instead of waiting, she goes and tells Brandon she is ready for the tooth fairy. Our kids know we are the tooth fairy, and are perfectly fine with that. Keira would prefer it this way. We have told them all the holiday "characters" are made-up, it is just stories.

Keira and I are laying in the bed waiting for Brandon, and I said just put the money on her dresser, but she was not having it. She wanted it under her pillow. It was so funny! I thought she would want to wait and go to sleep and be surprised in the morning. Losing teeth is just another reminder of how fast they are growing up!!

Christmas 2010

Christmas at our house was good, except Keira was not feeling well. Friday evening, while we were at Wade and Pam's house, she began complaining of a belly ache and then climbed on the couch beside me and went to sleep. It was not long she was running a slight fever. So, Christmas morning we do our gifts and then she feels so bad, she gets on the couch. She really was not interested in playing with her toys. She complained of headache, belly, and fever. As the day went on, she was not improving. The fever began getting high and she kept complaining. At 9:30 that evening, Brandon loaded her up and took off to the ER at Children's. Due to the poor weather of snow, we decided it was better for him to drive. It broke my heart as I kissed her goodbye and she was asking for me to take her. I stayed home with Brock, waiting. By 10:15, they had been in triage and Brandon is texting me with every update. Thankfully, the ER was not busy. They tested for strep,flu, bladder infection, did xray, and a cat scan . The dr. assumed appendix and I began trying to mentally prepare myself for the possibility of surgery. Not an easy thing to do. She had many of the symptoms of appendix at this time. The night goes on and I could not sleep. Of course, all kinds of possibilities run thru your mind at this point. What if's began to come. Finally, morning comes and we are no closer to an answer. My dad comes up and stays with Brock, while Papaw and Mamaw Leffew take me to to the hospital. We arrive just as they are about to take her to a room. I see my little girl, hooked up to an IV, looking so sick, and it brings the tears. We go to the surgery floor, waiting on a surgeon. Mid-morning she arrives and she doesn't think it is appendix. So, more waiting. We see a dr. and she thinks it may be something viral. They noticed something on the xray or scan in her GI tract. So, we are eventually moved to another floor, more testing, etc. . Long story short, we ended up spending 3 nights in the hospital, with a final diagnosis of adenovirus. They told us this is contagious, but thankfully, no one else has come down with this. We are so thankful no surgery or anything else was wrong. Things like this put into perspective for me just how quickly our lives can change.

Thank you, Lord for your protection on my child and for guiding the dr. to the correct diagnosis.

Christmas Eve evening

We went to Uncle Wade and Aunt Pam's house for the Ray family Christmas. What a good time! Henry, who is only 4 weeks old, was passed around and loved on. The kids had a blast playing. Good laughs had by all. Uncle Wade and Brock opened fire with a nerf gun and were blasting us all. I think Wade enjoyed it more than Brock. The only down side of the day was that Keira began feeling bad and went to sleep on the couch. She was running a slight fever and complaining of a headache and belly ache. We ended up coming home earlier than usual to get her to bed.

Christmas Eve morning

All of us worked on the zhu zhu pet playsets.

He loved the dinosaur he got!

Checking out a gift

Papaw Woody and Mamaw Peggy with the kids

We got to my dad and step-mom's home Christmas eve morning and have a wonderful breakfast and enjoy family time up to the afternoon time.

Duncan Christmas 2010

My grandfather, 88 yrs old, cracked his hip over a week ago and is having to stay and rehab at a facility. He was not able to make it home, so the staff let us use a room close to his room inorder to celebrate Christmas. We had a good evening, despite not being at home. Just being together makes it all better. Some of the grandkids and great-grandkids

Grammie playing Simon Says with the kids

Sat. we celebrated Chrsitmas with my mom's family. My aunt and uncle purchased a wedding chapel a couple months ago and they decided to host our get together at the chapel.

We had good food and good company. The kids ran around playing and my mom entertained them. The kids got to open some gifts and were thrilled to get pillow pets. Then, we did photo shoots of all the family and then some of each family. Fun times!

New tradition

Friday evening we had some friends come over (we missed you guys that couldn't come) to celebrate Jesus. We had a birthday party in honor of Jesus. We ate, did some crafts, and then I told the story of Jesus by wrapping "gifts" and letting the kids open them as we got to that part of the story. I went thru the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

We also made up gift baskets for 7 widows. The other moms and I want to establish giving to others early in our kids. So much of our lives are focused on self and the world tells us that is ok. I don't want my kids to be selfish, my desire is that they want to share Jesus with everyone they come in contact with.

We had a wonderful evening and my kids love nothing more than having friends over. Sunday, we plan on giving the baskets out and I hope the kids enjoy this part, too!!