SNOW IN LA?!?!?!

Again, old news but I have a lot of catching up to do!  This is from December of last year.

When Austin came from school saying that it might snow the next day we thought he was nuts.  We explained to him that it doesn't snow in Louisiana and that one day we would go to Utah in the winter to see snow.  Open mouth insert foot.  The next day at 6:30 am Austin runs into our room exclaiming, "It's snowing!  It's snowing!!!"  I have never seen anything like this in Louisiana and I have lived here almost my entire life.  We got about 3-4 inches!  Of course it melted the next day but we had a alot of cold and wet fun for a day...(we have NO snow clothes!)

Aliyah and Sadie

Mya, a little snowman and Austin

Another Update

At Kristin's request here is another update on our miserable children.  Things got worse after my last update.  Both Mya and Austin starting throwing-up.  Of course they did!  What is a rough week with out a little puking in there??  However, this is the third day that  Mya is off to school!!!!!!!!!  Nose has a little left over yellow bruising, but she is feeling great.

Austin  started running a 102 degree fever on Monday and then he started throwing up.  There were threats from the doctor about going to the ER for an IV so he decided to drink after that.  Today however, he will not.  We are supposedly on the worst days of recovery.

Aliyah has been miserable all week.  We left the ENT's office yesterday with her kicking and screaming about having to leave a baby doll that belonged at the dr's office.  Later we had to run by the store (yes I took them out of the house yesterday because at the time Austin was feeling decent)  she screamed the entire time.  The manager of the store came over to help me pick out some sweet potatoes and another worker offered to help me through the store.  They were sweet but I only needed three things and Aliyah was not going to sit in a cart.   I just carried the screaming banshie throughout the store while Austin and Mya carried the groceries.  Austin said, "Mom you must be really embarrassed!"  I could honestly say I wasn't.  The feeling of complete exhaustion far outweighed any embarrassment that may have come!  Although I have never had a store worker ask if they could help me, much less two!  We must have been a sight!!!

I texted Eric at some point yesterday to say, that I would love to talk to him and give him an update on the kids but I wouldn't be able to do so because we were in the car and the screaming was entirely too bad.  He took a long time to text back.  When he did it said "you have an appointment for 7 pm."  "for what?"  I asked.  "For a massage.  It's an hour."  I was so excited!!!!!  I was starting to have really debilitating headaches  that nothing would cure.  I know it was because I was so tense, stressed tight, etc.  Only problem was that it was 9 hours away!  I did actually make it through the rest of the day until Eric came home to take over.  When the massage girl got to my shoulders she said "OH MY GOSH GIRL!!  You are stressed.  You win the tightest client today by a landslide!" 

 I came home to a quiet house where all the kids were bathed  and in bed and dinner was cleaned up.  I got in the bath because I knew I was going to be sore from the massage. That girl earned her money getting out those knots.  I am sore even this morning but no headaches.  I feel like I can handle the day now.  

To summarize, yes things got worse.  They are still bad for Austin .  I am feeling better and I got some chocolate in the house :).  Mya is feeling great.  Aliyah has only screamed for something twice this morning and Eric wins the award for the most attentive and responsive husband of the year!!

Thanks for caring!  I will have to remember to be more grateful when the weeks are easier!   

Christmas 2008

I know this is late but I told you I was catching up.  We had a wonderful Christmas this past year and felt so blessed to be happy, healthy and together.  I was great about taking lots of video this year but not as many pictures.  Big gifts included a Wii and a basketball goal; both of which have kept us all very entertained.  

Daddy and Aliyah...I think he was trying to keep her from stealing the Wii remotes from her brother and sister!

Modeling the hats my parents had made for everyone.  They say "Heritage Pines" on them which is the name of the land we own in Mississippi.

Mya opening her scooter from my parents.

Need I say more?

New toothbrushes and PJs.  

Daddy Daughter Date

The night before Mya hit her face on the floor was a wonderful night for her!  The Reflections of Christ was open for the last night and it was going to close with a concert from the artist who made the cd to accompany the picture gallery.  I knew I would not be able to go because I would be home with Austin but I did not want Eric to miss it.  He decided to take Mya on a date to go see it since she seemed to be feeling better from being sick all week.  This date was complete with dinner and all!   Mya had requested to go to a "dark" restaurant.  He came to me and said , "What in the world is a dark restaurant?"  I didn't know either so I asked her.  She said "Oh you know, like Taco Bell!"  Eric sighed a sigh of relief that she was not already going to break his wallet at four years old.  I think she mostly wanted to sit down somewhere and not go to a drive through.  She wanted her Daddy's undivided attention for a night.  They had a great time.  She started to not feel great toward the end but Eric said the concert was awesome.  Thanks, Eric, for being a great Daddy!

Grandpa Crane

This is old news to us but it will be new for many of you.  My Grandpa makes a yearly trip from Utah to visit with his Great Grandkids every January.  He makes sure to spend at least one evening in each home so the kids can get to know him better.  He said he feels like an animal at the zoo if we take the kids to my parent's house to see him, so he likes to come to see the kids in their own homes.  During his trip we got to see him a lot.  He ate lunch with Mya at my parent's house (less zoo-like because it was one one one), ate lunch with Austin at school, and came to eat dinner and have Family Home Evening with us.  He told the kids stories about when he was a little kid, which they could not get enough of.  I even leaned a new thing about him:  He was the Leader of the first ever desegregated boy scout troop in America.  Austin is very into American history right now so he thought that was awesome.  He also thought it was awesome that Grandpa Crane had flown planes in WWII.  He was sure to let his class know that the next day!  We had a great time with him and look forward to seeing him in June when we go out to Utah.

Not sure why I look so big in this picture!!!

Just an update

We found out today that Mya's nose is not broken, just injured and that Aliyah has an ear infection.  Austin is still miserable but for those of you concerned that he is missing too much school, it is Mardi Gras here and the kids are out of school.

Miserable Days...we are looking forward to next week~

Austin had his surgery on Thursday and the picture Eric took of him at the surgery center pretty much sums it up.  I had planned on having a a fairly miserable kid for the next week or so but I had no idea what was ahead of me!  The day he had surgery he was really in a lot of pain and very groggy.  He only wanted to stay in bed and watch movies on the DVD player we had set up for him.  Anyone with a six year old boy knows that this is not normal!  The pain meds they had him on were really making him sleepy as well. The next day I was ready for whatever came, or so I thought.  Aliyah woke up like a little bear and screamed and cried about, well any and EVERYTHING!  Mya, who had been sick all week, was in a similar mood as well.  Eric wished me luck as he walked out of the door for work.  The screaming, crying and utter misery continued into lunch time.  I was on the phone with my sister-in-law who had called to check on Austin when Mya's screams turned "real".  I ran out to see what was going on and she was bleeding from her mouth and nose.  To make a long story short-er she had fallen and busted her lip, knocked some teeth loose and we are pretty sure broke her nose.  Things are pretty bad right now right?  The screaming continues but now I have two really very miserable children.  Things were better today because Daddy was home from work.  I took an opportunity to run to the store and when I came home my poor little girl with the broken nose is running a 102 degree fever.  Not sure why!  The screaming and crying continues.  Maybe I am a big wimp but I am looking forward to posting about happier days around here.  Oh and I have no chocolate in the house to boot

I asked her if I could take this picture.  I didn't want her to be mad at me!

Going Under the Knife

So Austin will go under the knife tomorrow for his 7th set of ear tubes.  That's right...7 sets!  They will also take his adenoids out for the second time (they have grown back from the first time) and have his tonsils removed.  Best part for Mom-hopefully no more ear infections.  Best part for Austin- potentially two weeks out of school with Mom "home schooling", endless popsicles, a new game boy game and new books.  The doctor told us that we would have to keep him "still" for  almost two weeks....what????  This is going to be interesting.  Stay tuned...

Is That Soap???

I know I am not the only mother who has ever had her kids leave the water in the bath tub and then leave the soap in with it.  This is Aliyah's favorite way to have the soap.  She loves the scrape of little bits with her finger nails and rub them on the wall, in her eyes, you get the idea, places where soap doesn't belong. Usually she does this when I put her in the bath at night and the soap is still soft from the night before. This is the site I found the other day when I walked in on her.  I am not even sure how she got the soap from the other side if the bathtub.  Her hair is totally stiff here and washing that out was tearful and agonizing let me assure you!  Sorry about the rest of the mess in the picture...didn't realize it was so bad that day!

Highlights of My Week so far!

Highlight of my week so far:

1.  Made 8 frozen pizza doughs

2.  Cleaned my house

3.  Took lots of naps (there is a very bad cold going around this place!)

4.  Going tomorrow to pick up our half of a cow that we had butchered .  I know it sounds a little odd but we bought half of a cow from a man in our ward and we have to go to the butcher to tell him how we want it cut.  At $2 a pound for all the wonderful meat, you can't beat it! 137 lbs of meat total!

5.  Neighbor Ms. Mary cooked enough split pea soup for our family to eat tonight and freeze for another night.  She always cooks for us and makes two batches so I can freeze one for another night.  She doesn't even like red beans and rice but know Mya likes them so she will call and tell me to come over with a container for red beans.  She dumps the whole pot into my bowl! She never even eats a bowl of it!!!! She will also call and say, "Go ahead and cook some spaghetti noodles and I will have something for you to put on it in a minute."  She is a great neighbor!!!  

6.  Made pink rice krispie treats with Mya for her class. 

7.  Got to spend the morning with just Austin when I took him to the doctor.

8.  Went to the Reflections of Christ display that was AMAZING!  

9.  Okay this is in the future but Eric and I are going to a Mardi Gras Ball for his Rotary Club.  We are probably going to sneak out early and go see a movie that we have been wanting to see.

10.  Got blog updated!!!!

In Eric's perspective

I was glancing through my pictures the other day on the computer and found some cute pics from Eric's phone that had been uploaded.  Here is what he has been capturing.  

Aliyah celebrating Eric's birthday at Jason's Deli

Mya waiting in line at her preschool Christmas Party.  They sang to the residents at the nursing home.  Mya went around and hugged as many residents as she could after they were done.  She told them "Have a Merry Christmas".  She brought a tear to my eyes, Eric's eyes and some of the other mothers eyes.  That girl has a big heart!

Hugging Santa at Wal Mart

Austin had all his dreams come true when they happened upon this site at the Toy store on a Father Son outing!

Austin at his school fair.

Aliyah looking at some Halloween decorations.

Me in the rainforest. (Yeah I made the phone!)

 Mya and I at Wal-Mart.  I think she had dragged me back from the checkout line to look for a necklace.

Eric took me shopping that day!

Ward Christmas Party

At our ward Chirstmas party this year all the children were able to participate in one form or another.  The Nursery sang "Roudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer".  Aliyah kept trying to walk off the front of the stage.  I had to join her on stage to keep her from cracking her head open.  Mya was a lamb in the Christmas scene and Austin was a wiseman.  They were very excited to be a part of the festivities!!  The costumes were made by a woman in the ward and turned out so cute! 

Austin as a handsome wise man! (red hat)

Mya on the left as a lamb with Annabelle her cousin and Merrick her cousin next to her.

Aliyah gave up and sat down for a mintue.  I appear to be the only one singing....

Halloween 2009

So I know I am very late on Halloween but I would be in lots of trouble if I did not post about it.  We had a Power Ranger, a Fairy Princess and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. My brother Josh, his wife Elli and their daughter Abigail joined us for some pre trick or treating chili and for the actual outing, which only made the evening more fun!  Aliyah was very funny at the first house we went to.  We went to our neighbor Mr. Lee.  He held the bowl down low enough for the kids to get their own candy.  Aliyah could not believe that he was just going to let her take what she wanted!!  She took some and started to walk away then realized she wanted more so she turned around and he let her sit and dig in the bowl again...she didn't want to leave for fear the dream would end!  So cute.  Austin saw a house that did not have anyone home but had a bowl of candy out and we caught him saying as he bolted for the bowl, "Yes, I love these kind!!!!".  Then we spotted him grabbing multiple handfuls of candy and stuffing them in his bag.  We laughed and explained some Halloween etiquette.   Eric said, "Well that is exactly what I would have done as a kid!"  I am sure it was.  

Aliyah and Abigail.  

Digging in the bowl at Mr. Lee's house.

Time out for Daddy.  You can see our little rascal in the background, Sadie.

Mom getting a little loving from her trick or treaters!

Puerto Rico

So I am alive.  That's good news I guess.  In other good news I am going to catch up on my blogging.  Not saying I am going to stay  caught up, (one thing at a time people) but for now I am going to try to catch up.  Starting in October.  Just before Halloween we took a trip to Puerto Rico as a reward trip for Eric's work.  Also, my parents and my brother and his wife went because they all work together.  We had a great time!  Thanks to everyone who helped out by watching our children, Bonnie Adams, Becky  Bluth and Elli Richardson!  Thanks, thanks, thanks.  Our trip consisted of:

1. Lots of relaxing!

2.  Boogie boarding in the ocean with the biggest waves I have ever seen!!!!

3. A trip to the spa for a detoxing, energizing body wrap and scrub...it was as awesome as it sounds.

4.  A formal dinner for the agents and spouses.

5.  A trip to Old San Juan and San Cristobal castle.

6. Swimming in the pool and relaxing at the beach.

7.  A hike through El Yunque national rain forest.

8.  Snorkeling with lots of jelly fish and jumping off the boat when we decided we were done with that!

9.  Lots of fun and cultural exposure to the "Island of Enchantment".  

It really was s beautiful island and the "resort" side of the island was amazing.  The other side of the island was very poor and run down.  The people there depend on the tourism for their economy.

My parents in the rain forest.

I little lizard we found while going into the rain forest.

At the honor dinner.

A coconut I found lying on the beach.  I wasn't really drinking it here because it was actually rotten!

Eric loved being in the water.

Playing in the waterfall in the rain forest!

Thanks for the trip Legacy Group!!!!