My Crazy Parents!

My parents work as Hot Shots. Their job is to deliver large equipment anywhere in the U.S. or Canada on very short notice. They got a call yesterday to go to New Mexico. For me this would be stressful in itself getting a call one minute and dropping everything, packing a bag, and leaving that same day or sometimes early the next morning. If you know my dad, he thrives on this sort of thing. He loves a good challenge and is always ready to get up and go. This time is different though. They have had to travel in bad weather in spots, but they have never started the trip in bad weather like this time. So they left this morning about 7 and have been traveling for eleven hours now and still have about four hours to go. Along the way they have experienced several white outs. If you haven't ever experienced a white out, you see nothing but white everywhere. It can be quite scary. This trip in normal weather would take about nine hours. I called them earlier and my mom said they had been going about 40 MPH the entire trip. They have to stop every so often to rest and they sent these pictures to us. I just thought this was kinda neat. I tease them everytime I call and ask them where in the world are Bill and Tamara. I really think they are enjoying the chance to see the world in their Dodge pickup. 

The Simple Things in Life

This week I have realized it is the simple things in life that make me happy. First, a working washing machine makes me happy. Our's has been broken for over a month. We kept thinking we would try to look at it ourselves but just never had the time. Monday we finally had a repair man come and fix it. Total time of repair ten minutes. What was wrong you ask? The drain had a sock stuck in it. I am so happy to have a washing machine again.

Second simple thing: Zithromax. If you have small children you will know that this medicine does the trick when it comes to ear infections (Joel has yet another double-ear infection). Only one teaspoon the first day and one half a teaspoon for days two through five, unlike other medicines that have to be given two or three times a day for ten days, and then at the end of the ten days the kid still has an infection. For some reason the Dr. always tries the Zithromax after about a month and a half of other medicines. This time the Dr. prescribed it first! Love this stuff!

Third: The change of seasons, although not exactly simple makes me happy. It is so exciting to be able to tell my kids that when they wake up in the morning there may be snow. Not to mention the coziness of sitting in front of the fireplace and watching a movie.

Sometimes this time of year I get all wrapped up in who is getting what and how are we going to pay for that, but for this week anyway I am happy with the simple things.

Jonathan's BAD Back

Okay, so we finally know everything (so far) that is wrong with Jonathan's back. We knew before his fatty tumors had come back (four this time instead of two) and that he has arthritus in the same place as the fatty tumors. His back started hurting more so Jonathan went back to the Dr. to get a referal to a specialist. He went and had an ex-ray and the Dr. thought he may have a slipped disc. He ordered a MRI. Jonathan went today to find out what it showed. I am kicking myself now for not going. I just assumed the MRI would show everything we already knew and maybe a slipped disc. I was so wrong! The Dr. told Jonathan he has hemangioma?!?! He said it was a rare find. Jonathan said the Dr. had to explain it to him about eight times. This is what Jonathan got from it; it is a large grouping of blood veins that have formed a tumor on his spine that can cause excrusiating pain at times and other times you can seem just fine. The good news no surgery, and it won't get any worse than it already is. The bad news there is nothing that can be done about it except for pain meds. He also told him the two lower lumbar discs are thinning this means they are on the path to slipping (I think). He also said that this has no connection to any of the other random things wrong with his back. So that's where we are right now. Jonathan is kinda relieved to know he isn't crazy. I am confused. I tried to call his regular Dr. so he could explain it to me and answer some questions, but I think he is out this week. I am still trying to decide if this is good news or bad news.

This picture is just one of the many things Jonathan has been willing to try (some things he is still unwilling to try YOGA) to help relieve his back pain. Needless to say it didn't help. 

 

Jennah's Thanksgiving Feast

Jennah had a school Thanksgiving Feast yesterday. This picture is a family project all the Pre-K kids had to do. They had to dress up Tom the Turkey so he wouldn't get eaten. It was a really fun project. Of course Jennah wanted to dress hers up in a dress so as you can see our Tom the Turkey is dressed like the Little Mermaid. So much fun!

Joel also enjoyed the feast as you can see in these pictures he has a cookie in each hand.

Today was Donuts with Dad day at the school. Jonathan couldn't go this afternoon with Jennah by herself so the three of them went to Jacksen's school this morning. I knew he was going to take them this morning so I volunteered to help in the afternoon Donuts with Dad. The dads had to write their names, their kids names, and their kids teachers names on a paper just so we could see who attended, and it amazed me how many dads didn't know who their kids teacher was. I think probably 3 out of 4 dads had to ask there kids who's class they were in. So when I got home I called and quizzed Jonathan. I was so proud he knew both our kids teachers!

Poor Gravy

Well I'm afraid we are going to have to put good old Gravy down. He got out of our fence last night and almost killed a little dog, of course it was the other dogs fault. This other dog is always out of his fence and comes to Gravy's fence and teases him knowing Gravy can't get out. Gravy has never gotten out before, and all we can think is that some kids must have gone back there to get their ball and forgot to shut the gate.

As I was coming home last night I saw Gravy and the little dog starring each other down. I yelled at Gravy to come to me and he backed up a little and the other dog jumped at him. That was it for Gravy, he attacked. I ran in to get Jonathan to come and break them up. Gravy wouldn't listen to him so Jonathan hit him until he let the dog go. Our neighbors said the dog was okay just sore.

What really scared us was that Gravy wouldn't listen to Jonathan. We have always thought he may have a little pit bull in him and after seeing how Gravy had the dog by the neck we are convinced he does. So we just can't keep him around our children. He has been such a good dog we just hate to do this but we have no other choice. Everyone knows how attached Jonathan gets to his pets (Pride), and I'm afraid Jacksen is going to be the same way. He just cried and cried when we told him what we were going to have to do. So I'm afraid we have a long night ahead of us.

 

 

 

And The Winner Is...

Jennah! Yet again Jennah won our church fall festival costume contest. If you can't tell she was a 50's girl. She loved the skirt because of the beautiful spins she could do with it. Luckily Jacksen was outside playing when they announced the winner or I think there would have been some tears. He tries so hard to think of great costumes, but there is just something about Jennah that wins the judges over.















Here is our little pumpkin Joel. This little outfit was Jacksen's when he was almost two and as you can see it was almost too small for Joel. He loved the trick or treaters that came to our house. He was right in the middle of Jacksen and Jennah handing out candy too.