A Little Fib

So I have to admit, I made a little fib. When I mentioned (a couple of posts ago) that Tim's airline arrangements had been messed up, it applied to our whole family. I didn't want to post that our whole family was going to be out of town for 9 days (and that there would be a nice empty house to target). So with that being said, we just flew back into Salt Lake this afternoon after spending some much needed time off in Texas.

First of all I have to say we all had a great time. We played at parks, went to the zoo and six flags, went to the Rangers game, visited the stockyards, had BBQ's, celebrated Emily's birthday (which is this Wednesday), and spent a lot of time just visiting with family and friends. The weather was great (with the exception of 1 night of severe storms and Tornado sirens wailing which just added to our adventure). The weather was in the 70's and 80's the whole time and we all got our share of the sunshine. We had a wonderful time.

I can't say that getting to Texas was as much fun. When we were leaving SLC, we had put the 2 older kids in charge of a couple of bags, only to find out while waiting in line to check in that the bags were left in the car. We called my mom to bring back the bags and Tim left the kids and I to go and meet her. I kept on going just to keep things moving along. It took a long time to get through security because they placed the kids and I in a glass box with a security guard while they went through all of our carry on bags. The kids and I finally made it to our boarding gate with literally 1 minute to spare. However, because we were the last ones there, we didn't have any seats on the plane because they had over booked the flight. I seriously about started to cry. Luckily, they were able to get enough people to volunteer to stay behind that we were FINALLY able to get on the plane. It was only after we had our tickets in hand that Tim was able to meet back up with us with the carry on baggage that had been left behind and missed all of the drama. Once we got on the plane, our flight was great. The kids did really well and Ethan slept most of the flight. It's nice to say that our flight home was smooth and there was not much drama.

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who support us and keep up on our day to day happenings. I will post pictures when I am done unpacking.

---Allison

No More Meal Tickets

I've been weaning Ethan from breastfeeding for the last few weeks now. And I have to admit that I've been really looking forward to finally having my body back. I NEVER lose weight while I breastfeed and I try to not take any medications. This has been especially important with Ethan because I didn't want to have any medication interactions between the meds he is already on and any that may pass through my breast milk. Recently, He hasn't been happy about my decreased milk supply which is part of the reason why he has been so fussy at night. However, He was sick a week or so ago which was kind of the clincher as to the decline of my milk supply and the end of our breastfeeding days.

So, anyway, I just got Ethan down for a nap and I think this is the last time I will ever breastfeed him again. You might think this is great news but, surprisingly, I am sitting here in tears. I know, I know, you all think that I am crazy. I've always felt a little sentimental with my other kids when I was done nursing. But there has always been an equal amount of excitement to balance it out. However, with Ethan, you have to understand that not only do we plan on him being our last child (which it's always a little bit harder when you think it's your last), but, when he was born this was literally the ONLY thing that I could do for him. It was so hard when I couldn't hold my baby, I wasn't sure if he knew who I was, he didn't yet know my smell or voice, and I didn't feel I could comfort him in any way. I couldn't even do the small things for him like change his diaper.

I had been told by some of the doctors not to be surprised if my milk never came in due to the stress of our situation. I remember becoming very determined to do this ONE thing that nobody else could do for my baby. I religiously pumped every 3 hours and I would even set the alarm to pump in the middle of the night. I really worked hard to make it happen. It was only after much persistence that his doctors even let me try and breastfeed just a few days before he was discharged from the hospital. Usually heart babies can't breastfeed because they tire too quickly and don't get the nutrition they need. However, I think Ethan and I made a great team. He is (to date) the only HLHS baby to ever be discharged (post Norwood surgery)without a feeding tube.

I promise, I am not one of those le letche--shove it down your throat kind of women. I only breastfed my 1st 2 children for 4 months, and although I did breastfeed Gavin until a year old, it was mainly because HE liked it so much (and it did save us some money). Now, I obviously agree that breastfeeding is what is best for the baby but I completely think it is the mother's choice in what she feels is best for her and her baby. But with that being said, this was VERY important to me to give him the best nutrition possible under his circumstances and to help keep him from getting sick through the winter months and his 2nd surgery.

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to feel like I did something that mattered to him. I will miss feeling like he needs me.

---Allison

Thursday, April 10th

So today started out with a bang. Last night we found out that Tim's flight on American Airlines was cancelled and we were up until 2am trying to figure out his options. (We finally were able to get a flight with Delta the next day.) When we were finally able to get to bed, Ethan woke up. He was very restless, he was crying, and of course he was tossing and turning in our bed for the next few hours trying to get comfortable. I finally took him into the living room around 5 am so Tim could sleep since he had to work in the morning. Ethan was up for about 45 minutes before he and I finally fell asleep on the couch. I then had to wake up 2 hours later to take Emily to the dentist to get a tooth pulled. Which, by the way, she did really well with.

Those who know me know I LOVE my sleep. How long do you think I can keep running on 3, maybe 4 hours of choppy sleep? Now don't misunderstand me, It's not that I can't do it (I've done it many times before) but who wants to? So, the day has just begun and I am already exhausted. I still have to get our laundry started, (which there is a mountain of), go to a 2 hour staff meeting, figure out a way to get Emily to her soccer game while I am gone, and do a service project for Scouts tonight. Also, Lost is on tonight, so I have to make sure there is time for that, Yeah! (I hope it's not another re-run). I am hoping that in between all of this I can maybe catch a nap. Do you think the laundry could wait until tomorrow? Anyway, it's not going to be a bad day (I promise I KNOW what a bad day really is), it will just be a busy day where I simply go through the motions and hope things run smoothly. Wish me luck!

---Allison

Sunday, April 6th

I just wanted to let you know of a sweet little baby who has captured our interest and hearts. Her name is Gracie and she is just over 2 weeks old. She has HLHS just like Ethan but has ran into some major setbacks. She has an amazing family who have kept their faith and have had to make some difficult decisions. Gracie is currently defying all the odds. Although she is not out of the woods by any means, she is currently stable which is a miracle in and of itself. Gracie and her family could use as many prayers in their behalf as they can get. You can read their story through the link titled "Gracie" under our "heart friends".


---Allison

Old Look Again

OK, so as you can see I've reverted back to my original blog look. I still haven't found anyone who can show me how to change my background to a cute one and still keep the sidebar pictures and widgets. Oh well, I guess it really doesn't matter much anyway.

So as far as the home front goes, we are are still just trying to get over the colds that we've all had for the last week. Up until last night, Tim has been superman and hasn't been sick. But it seems that it may have caught up with him and he is now starting to feel a little yucky. I hope we can all get over this soon.

On a funner note, we finally finished our bonus room this week. We got carpet on Tuesday and the kids just love running around in a big open room. It has been really nice because they are off track and get bored easily. It's still too cold to go outside and play, so this is a welcomed new play area for them.

Well, this is my weekend to work, so my entire goal today is to try and get a nap in. It's been a bad week for sleep. With the exception of last night (I got to bed around 11pm), I haven't been asleep before 1am and once it was 2am and one night it was even 3am. The reasons for no sleep are all different but it has usually been because either I was sick or Ethan was sick. It's hard to sleep when you are stuffed up and can't breathe (or coughing, or a sore throat, you get the picture).

I hope that this weekend will be a fun one for you all. Take care.

---Allison

Happy Birthday Tim!

So today is Tim's big 35! (of course I have to point out that he is now halfway to 70, ........ yikes!)

For all of you who know Tim, I don't have to go into great detail about how amazing he is and how well he treats (and spoils) me. He has a sharp mind and a kind heart. He is thoughtful, hard working, funny, balanced, sensitive, patient, and grounded. He is truly one of a kind and I could never have dreamed of having a better husband to share my life with. Happy Birthday Sweetie!!

I love you!!

It's Going Around

So I guess this house is full of a bunch of sickies. Ethan started running a fever Wednesday night (101.1 axillary) which really concerned me. His oxygen levels were in his "normal" range but low for him (79-82%). His respiration's were high (60's - 70's) and his heart rate was also high (160's). He had a cough and a yucky nose and just wasn't feeling good. So, I called his pediatrician (at 10:30 p.m.) and she said just to let the dose of Tylenol that I had just given him have a chance to work. She said that if he continued to breath this way when the fever broke or if his fever wouldn't come down, that I should take him to PCMC's ER. Luckily, he responded well to the Tylenol and I just watched the clock faithfully until it was time for his next dose.

Even though he was looking and acting better the next morning, I still took him into the doctor's office just to make sure there wasn't something more going on. I was pretty sure it was just a virus because all of the other kids have had mild coughs, sore throats, and congestion, but none of them have had a fever. So, again, I just wanted to set my mind at ease that there wasn't ear infections or pneumonia or whatever else that could be going on. Well, to say the least, it was just a virus and he seems to be doing better today. He doesn't have a fever anymore and he is just mainly snotty and clingy.

Now, when Gavin woke up from his nap today, he said "I'm not feeling very good" and sure enough he has a fever. Also, Emily came home from school today and went to sleep. I wouldn't be surprised if she too woke up with a fever. I guess we'll see. Hopefully, we can just all get feeling better soon.

So, with all of that being said, our insurance denied Ethan's last RSV shot. They said it is no longer RSV season and they wouldn't pay for his last dose. We did have the "option" (ha, ha) of paying for it out of pocket with a price tag of $2800.00. This really frustrates me because RSV season is NOT over and Ethan has been sick recently with respiratory issues. Anyway, we appealed it and our Dr. spoke with them and they still denied us. I was REALLY wanting to get that last dose which would cover him while we traveled and until the RSV season was officially called by PCMC. It's kind of crazy that the insurance company can over rule our physician and the care she feels Ethan needs. What can I say? I guess I should be grateful that he got the doses that he did.

I hope that all of you out there are doing and feeling well.

---Allison

Gavin, Gavin, Gavin

What a beautiful sight. I sometimes don't know what to do with this precocious (yet very sweet) little child.

We have been finishing our bonus room above our garage and so there have been a few small tools left here and there around the house. I honestly put them "up" when I find them. The only problem is that Gavin is a monkey and will climb (literally) to the top of any shelf. He gets into the pantry, the closets, the cupboards above the washer and dryer, and he can also get anything on the top of the fridge. He also knows how to unlock any door (from the outside). This morning before Tim could even get to work, Tim had already caught him trying to cut the cords to Spencer's PlayStation system. And just yesterday (I think), I caught him putting my keys into the power socket (which by the way, I have protective covers in, he just takes them out).

Well today, I was walking down the hallway when I heard my bedroom door slam shut. Of course, when I tried to open the door, Gavin had already locked it. When I finally got it open, I asked him what he was doing. He proceeded to pull out a screwdriver from behind his back. I took it away and didn't think much of it as I didn't see any immediate damage.

A little while later I had gone outside to get the mail. Upon returning inside the house, I was looking down at the mail and saw some screws on the floor. After further inspection, it turns out he had been taking off the light switch covers in the living room and hallway. Honestly, I am not an absentee mother. I really don't know how or when he does these things.

Well, to say the least, he was put in time out and told to take a nap (see the beautiful picture above) which I think I needed more than he did.

---Allison

Poor Baby

This weekend was my rotating work weekend. My shift went really well and I was excited to come home and get in bed. When I sat down to feed Ethan, I looked at his face and he looked like he had been beat up. I took him in the bathroom so I could see him in the light and he wouldn't open his eyes. They looked like they could be oozing but he also had a crusty nose that the drainage could have come from. Well, I knew that it was most likely an eye infection, but because of his last appointment and all of the small things that were just a little off, my mind began to race and I started to panic a little. They have always told us to watch for puffy eyes and signs of retaining fluid as this could mean he is going into congestive heart failure. Well, these were definitely puffy eyes. So, I called PCMC and talked with the cardiologist on call and they said just to see our normal pediatrician when their office opened and rule out conjunctivitis before we brought him into the ER.

I took him into the office as soon as it opened (I've had only 2 hours of sleep at this time since working my 12 hour graveyard shift). I am glad I didn't take him into PCMC because after he woke up and I could see his eyes, I was pretty sure that it was simply an eye infection. They were really red and they were definitely draining icky stuff.

After he was assessed by the doctor, she felt comfortable that it was just an infection as well. (He weighed 19lbs 10 oz on their scale). We were given a prescription for eye drops and sent on our way. I was supposed to go back into work tonight but they were nice enough to take me off of the schedule so I could get some sleep and take care of Ethan (and to also enjoy Easter).

He is so sad to look at. You can tell he just isn't feeling well. He is very fussy and just wants me (and only me) to hold him. I am so glad that I didn't have to work tonight. Tim would have really had a rough night. Let's pray these eye drops work soon!

---Allison

Study Visit

Ethan, Gavin, and myself just got back from PCMC for one of Ethan's follow up visits for the study drug (enalapril) that he is on. It was an easy appointment (no lab draws or x-rays) which is why I even attempted to take Gavin along.

They took his blood pressure which was a little high for him (114/60). It could be high simply because he's outgrown his dose. The study nurse will call us tonight after shes given the cardiologist all of his new statistics and let us know if we need to increase any of his blood pressure medications. One other thing is that his sats were only 83% on room air. We don't have to have him on oxygen unless his percentages drop below 80% but when he is at home he usually sats between 87-89%. I haven't monitored him in a while since he has been doing so good. But, when he wakes up I am going to check his oxygen levels on our monitor and see if it makes a difference or not. Also, at this appointment he weighed 19lbs 5oz and was 28.5 inches long.

*Update- His oxygen levels were 88% on our monitor at home*

I take him in tomorrow to get his last synagis (RSV) shot. I am curious to see how much he weighs on their scale. When he got his last shot (4 weeks ago) he weighed 19lbs 3oz. I am hoping that he is gaining more that a couple of ounces in a month. If he really hasn't gained much weight, it could be because he is becoming more physically active. He has been crawling around now for a couple of weeks and easily pulls himself up on anything. So it may be that he is simply burning more calories. I hope that's the case anyway. I hate to think of the alternative which is that is heart is starting to lose function. There are also times in the last couple of weeks where he will breath heavier and faster. He is not in any distress, but he just seems to be winded at times. I mentioned it to the study nurse today and she said not to worry, that it was probably due to him exerting himself more. Regardless, it is something I will definitely keep an eye on.

As part of the drug study that he is in, there will be another sedated echo when he is 14months old as well as a full developmental testing. I will be anxious to see what the results are. I am hoping that his tricuspid valve is doing OK and that his heart function is still looking good. I guess until then, we will just watch and wait. I hate waiting. When anything is even a little off, my mind starts to wander and I just want to know that everything is OK. Overall, his appointment today was fine, it just bugs me that his pressures are up and that he is not gaining much weight (and that his sats are lower than usual but I will double check this before I get too concerned). Both of these things can be explained and fixed but I just want to make sure that nothing is missed and these aren't pieces of a bigger picture. I guess the moral of this story is that you can't get great news all of the time.

I don't want to sound paranoid. He really is doing great for what he has to deal with. I just want to make sure that nothing goes unchecked. Thanks for all of you out there. We appreciate all of the love and support.

---Allison

Rock Star Material?

We were getting ready to go to my parents house yesterday. Gavin had been told to "go get dressed". Well, he comes walking into the kitchen wearing NOTHING but a mismatched pair of my socks with his sandals. I couldn't stop laughing! I HAD to take a picture. I obviously wasn't going to take any compromising photos, so I had him hold the guitar so I could take his picture. Well, he then started "jamming" to no music which made me laugh even harder.

He wanted me to keep taking pictures, so I had him put on some of his underwear. He was really getting into his guitar groove. (Remember, there is NO music playing). He is SUCH a character. You make me laugh Gavin!

By the way, potty training is going great! He has turned a corner and now only wants to wear his big boy underwear and just last night he even told me that he "didn't want to go poo poo in his underwear" and then he walked himself to the bathroom.

---Allison

Happy Birthday Gavin!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Today Gavin turns 3! We had a party for both Gavin and Spencer last night. This is such a fun age for birthdays. Gavin was SO excited to open his presents. He woke up wanting to play with all of them this morning.

Gavin is a one of a kind kid (aren't they all). He is my most physically strong and athletic child. He is very smart, very sweet, very precocious, and VERY busy. When he gets into trouble he just looks at you with those big blue eyes and then flashes you one of his flirtatious little smiles. He knows how to charm you out of a punishment and becomes very offended if it doesn't work. He really looks up to Spencer and wants to do everything that his brother does. Gavin has a very special place in my heart as well as in our family.

Just like I did for Spencer, I created a short montage in honor of Gavin. You can watch this by clicking on the "play" button. The song in the montage was Gavin's "song" when he was just a baby.

Happy Birthday Gavin. We Love You!!

---Allison

A Big Day

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Today is Spencer's 11th birthday. It is also my 12th wedding anniversary. I don't know how it happened (well, I know HOW it happened, but that is not what I am talking about) that Tim and I were married at 1:00pm and 1 year later we gave birth to Spencer at 1:01pm (1 year and 1 minute after we were married, crazy!). But it did happen and now this means that today is a very special day.

So because today is a special day, I just wanted to let you all know how lucky I am to be married to such an incredible man. He is handsome, intelligent, sweet, patient, loving, and supportive (I could go on and on but you probably would get jealous, he-he). Now, I don't have my head in the clouds, I am also fully aware of his not so nice qualities (Love ya stinky!). But the truth is, we compliment each other very well. He knows the REAL me and loves me in spite of my many, many shortcomings. He is an AMAZING man and I am extremely lucky to call him my husband. I love you sweetie!

Also, I am very lucky to have Spencer. He is a grounding force in this family and has always had such a good heart and soul. I made a montage as a tribute to him for his birthday. I don't have a scanner and digital cameras weren't around when he was little. So, there aren't too many small pictures of him. It's really too bad because he was such a CUTE kid. Anyway, if you are interested, you can click on the link and watch his montage.

---Allison

Is Change Good?

OK, so I tried to get a cute template but I can't figure out how to do it without erasing everything from my sidebar (pictures, maps, etc.). In the process of doing this, I messed up the one I had been using. So anyway, by the end of my quest for a cute blog, this is what I ended up with. It is very basic and I am not sure if I like it. So, what I need from all of you is either your opinion or your expertise (or both if you have them). Your expertise would come in handy if you know how to get a new template without having to start all over with the widgets on the sidebar. Your opinion is needed because, frankly, when you visit our page, you have to look at it too. So my options are going back to the original "dots", leaving it how it is now, or finding someone smarter than me. Anyway, please help!

---Allison

Look Who's Big!

Gavin has finally decided that potty training is not the end of the world. A few days ago, Tim had bought him some Twinkies for when he would go potty in the toilet. It did the trick. We don't want him to have more than 1 a day, so I also bought some small treats to motivate him throughout the day. So far, he has done pretty well. Yeah Gavin!!!

Gavin LOVES baths and will do almost anything to have one. On this particular day, it meant having a cold one. He got undressed, found a few toys, and then ran the water himself. He did have the concept of both hot and cold being turned on, however, the hot was not on enough. But by the looks of it, he didn't seem to mind. My little guy is getting too big. I can't believe he turns 3 in just 1 week.

---Allison

He's Almost Crawling

Ethan LOVES to stand up. Just after I took this picture, I set him down on the floor while I left the room and he FREAKED out. As soon as I stood him back up, he immediately stopped crying.

Here he is trying to get up and crawl. He's almost there.

He still prefers to roll around and do the army crawl to get to where he wants to go.

However, sometimes he becomes very frustrated when he gets stuck on all fours.

Keep trying Ethan!

----Allison

He's Up?

Now, I realize that this may not sound like a huge accompishment, but every little milestone just seems bigger with Ethan. I was sitting on my bed yesterday with Ethan at my side when I realized he was sitting next to me. It seemed odd, because had I guessed, I would of said that I layed him down on the bed. Well, of course I had to rule out if I was in fact going crazy or not. So I layed him back down, and sure enough...............he sat up all by himself! I've been trying not to get too concerned with his physical skills but I have to admit that it still has been bugging me that he is not crawling yet. I was relieved to see that he is still developing and is not just in some rut. However, I do think that he will be crawling soon. He gets where ever he wants go by rolling or by a modified army crawl and he has even been trying to pull himself up to a standing position while in his crib. So, maybe he just needs a few more weeks and then I will be wishing he would stay in just one place. Be careful what you wish for, right?

---Allison

A Day At The Park (in February)

We decided that although cold, it was sunny enough yesterday to take Ethan and the kids to the park. Ethan, as you can see, LOVED the swings. He giggled, squealed, and grunted the entire time he was swinging. This is actually one of the first times he's been out of the house this entire winter. We were only at the park for about 10 minutes but it was so nice to feel the sun on our faces. In the 2nd picture you can see Ethan's silly single top tooth. The good news is that just this morning, his 2nd top tooth finally broke through. I am sure he will be feeling much better now. He has been working on that one for quite a while.

---Allison

I Can See The Light!

Last night, Tim stayed home with the kids and I went out to dinner with my friend Jody. I had a GREAT time. The icing on the cake was that on my way home I was able to talk with my friend Carie who just moved to California. I have to say, it was just what the doctor ordered. I can't tell you how much visiting with them filled up my bucket. This winter (and staying cooped up with Ethan) has really taken it's toll on both my mental and physical health. I've gained weight and have had the blues. I have tried to stay positive and keep things in perspective (because believe me, I KNOW what a bad day is like). However, it is hard to stay motivated and get anything done when you feel so isolated. But, with that said, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The days are getting longer and the weather is slowly getting better. In fact, when I was at work this last weekend, I weighed myself (fully expecting to have gained who knows how much) and was pleasantly surprised to find that I had lost 5 pounds without even trying! (I guess that just goes to show how much I actually have to lose). Anyway, today the weather has been great! I opened my blinds to let the sunshine in and just that alone gave me some energy to try and get the house clean. Now I am not unrealistic. I realize that it is going to take a little bit more than the sunshine to get this house in order, but it's a good start.

Today was Ethan's 9 month check-up and immunizations. It was by far the best check-up we've had thus far. He had a huge growth spurt and weighed in at 19 lbs 2 oz. As far as percentiles go (compared from his visit just last month) he went from the 20% in weight to the 90% and from the 25% in height to the 75%!!!! His head even grew and went from the 55% to 75%. It is good that he grew in all 3 areas because this shows that it is "true" weight and not just "water" weight (which would be a sign of congestive heart failure). I went into this appointment worried that he hadn't been getting enough to eat or that his heart may have not been functioning as well as it should be because I've been noticing that his legs have been looking skinnier. I guess it just turns out that he was just growing (and stretching). He grew 2 inches in this last month. I don't think I will ever stop worrying.

It is so hard sometimes to be a mother of a child with a such a serious and chronic health condition. With all of my other children, I never been nervous about well child visits and in fact, didn't think much of them at all. But with Ethan, I am always nervous that although he may be looking and acting well, that one of these days someone is going to pull the rug out from underneath me and my world will again turn on it's head. I realize that this is my own struggle and doesn't make a lot of sense, but I feel like I constantly have to remember all of the lessons that I learned when Ethan was born or else something bad will happen to remind me. I am SO grateful for Ethan and his progress and feel like I need to continually prove I am worthy to keep him here with me on this earth. In my mind I WANT to celebrate the good days (like today) but I hesitate letting myself get too comfortable with his good health and try not forget that he is sick. Please don't get me wrong. I LOVE it when I forget that he is sick or different from my other children. But I fear that if I get too good at blocking out all of my fears, that God will mistake that as me mastering my challenge and need to give me another one. I completely realize that this is irrational and logically makes ZERO sense but the fact is, is that I would do ANYTHING to keep him here with me and somehow I guess these mind games make me feel like I have some control in this situation. I just need to try and find a balance of enjoying the good days when we have them and yet be realisitic about the cards we have been dealt. I guess I just have to accept that being his mother means that I will constantly worry about him and that I will always feel indebted and blessed to have him in our home.

With all of that crazy talk being said, this week from February 7-14th is the national week for CHD (congential heart defect) awareness. There are so many children and families that have been affected by this disease which can manifest itself in many different forms. With that being said, we are very lucky to be a part of a local on-line support group which gives us encouragement and many people to talk to (who may have the same crazy and conflicting emotions that I have) who have been through many of these same experiences. This is a new group, and although it is growing very fast, it is still trying to get up on it's feet. This week has been full of fundraising by individual members of the group which will go towards helping other families of heart kiddos with meals, gift bags, and supplies while hospitalized as well as to aid in financing a summer camp to meet other families and heart patients within this group. There is a website for this group (http://www.intermountainhealinghearts.org/) which has the ability to take monetary donations (in honor of a specific heart kiddo if desired) to aid in this endeavor. This group is non-profit and is completetly volunteer based by the families themselves of heart children. Any donations would be greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. Please consider (and then make, ha ha!) a dontation.

---Allison

I Love My Weekends!

I love having some weekends off! Since the turn of the year, I have changed my work schedule and I am now only working every other weekend. This is the first time in 6 years that I haven't worked EVERY single weekend (except for special requests). It is so fun to be home with Tim and the kids.

Tim and Emily went on a "date" on Friday night. She and Tim had a fun time going to dinner at her favorite resturaut and shopping for some new clothes. (We told her not to expect the shopping part when she gets older or no one will ever want to take her out on dates.) She then was invited to sleep over at her Grandma Karen and Grandpa Gary's house with her cousin Bailee. They had a great time doing crafts and playing. When she came home on Saturday, she took a LONG nap. I am sure she needed it.

Spencer of course was asking when he and I can go on a date. I think in the next week or so I will take him to a fun Japanese steak house for dinner. He has never been to one and I think he would really enjoy it. He is such a good kid. When Emily was at her sleep over, the rest of us stayed up to watch a movie in my room. Tim fell asleep about 11 o'clock and Spencer and I stayed up to finish the movie. We then were up untill about 1 a.m. just talking about all sorts of stuff. We talked about everything from the importance of good friends to nuclear bombs. I love that he feels comfortable to talk to me. I really think he will grow up to be an honorable young man. He is a special boy.

Gavin is still keeping me on my toes at all times. It was just a few days ago he was climbing on the counters to get a cup and fell off. He fell on his shoulder and got a big bonk on his head when he hit the tile floor. He is fine, however, he also must of hit a cup on the counter on his way down because he has a circle bruise that looks like the ring of a cup brim on his upper arm. He is so fast and strong and I wish that he wasn't such a monkey. I can't wait untill the weather gets warm and I can take him outside to get some of his energy out at the park or riding bikes.

Tim and I are doing really well. The weather has been very cold and Tim's skin is rebelling. I decided to give him a "facial" on Saturday to exfoliate some of the dry skin on his forehead. This was in the form of a scrub and clay mask that he had to keep on until it dried. I of course had to ambush him and take a couple of funny pictures in his green mask. I was very tempted to post the pictures because although he had voiced his disapproval he also promised that he would not be mad. However, after some consideration, I have decided that although it would only be in good fun, I sure do love that man of mine and shouldn't exploit him for a good laugh.......sorry. (I love you Sweetie!)

One of my best friends, Carie, moved to California on Sunday (for a BOY!). We had a going away party for her on Saturday night with a bunch of gals from work. It was so much fun to have a crazy girl's night to send her off (not too crazy, of course). I am sure going to miss her. I have always said that when it comes to my friends, I don't have quantity but I for SURE have quality! (I miss you too Jody!)

So, all in all it was a fun weekend. We went to my parents house last night for the Super Bowl. We ate more than we should of and had a fun time watching the game and enjoying each others company. The only bad thing is that now I am sitting here in a messy house that I have to clean because it didn't get done this weekend. So, off I go. I hope you are all doing well. Have a great week!

---Allison