Princess 'Camper'

It only took a few days before I became tired of Bre's camper under the end table. Joey and I sat out on a mission to find a play tent that we could put in the living room in hopes of Bre taking up residence in it instead of her ready made shelter. After a couple of stores we found the perfect one, it is a Princess castle. She excitedly climbed right in but the funny thing is so did Dylan and Marcus. I honestly didn't think Dylan able to come back out! I didn't get any pictures of him but got a couple of Marcus. I guess it brought back memories for the boys. They each had one when they were small. I can't remember what Dylan's was but I know Marcus's was Blue's Clues.

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

In Her Camper

Can anyone guess?

Can anyone guess what the purpose of this is?

Bre has been begging her daddy to take her camping but with school there just hasn't been the time yet. I guess you could say she took matters into her own hands and Camp Bre was born! She covered up one of the end tables with a blanket and pillow then proceeded to stash her valuables in her "camper". One might think that there would not be enough room for her but this is Bre, master of invention and imagination. In the pictures that I will post later you can see how she makes room for herself.

Soundly Sleeping

and the winner is....

Getting her ribbon

Face Paint

Marcus & Cody in the parade

Here comes the candy!

Harvest Festival 2009

Every year our small community puts on an event called the Harvest Festival. There isn't much to it but the kids enjoy it.
Dylan was excited for it this year because he got to drive himself and some friends there. Marcus was excited to ride the four wheeler with his friend Cody and throw out candy. Bre was excited because, well she is just Bre. She is always excited! Really though she looked forward to picking up candy during the parade. Plus she won first place in a coloring contest so she got to go up on stage to receive her ribbon.
The next few posts with pictures will be about the festival.

Everybody Watch Out!

Yes, he is now a licensed driver. Lord help us!

I've Fallen and Can't Get Up!

Halloween Preview 2009

Sumo

Halloween Preview 2009

Rainbow Princess

Halloween Pog

Dylan found this Halloween neck thingy while shopping the other day. He thought Daisy just had to have it. I told him he would be the one to place it around her neck because I figured she would not like it and probably nip at him. Instead though she actually is strutting around like she is proud of it and you can hear the bells jingle way before you can see her.

These pictures are just cause she wanted her picture taken

Remembering 9-11 and difficult discussions

Eight years ago today Marcus was only 4. He was way to young to understand what had just happened to his country. Now he is 11 and full of questions.
During school today they discussed it being the anniversary of 9-11. Marcus came home talking about it. He is at that age that he wants all the details but still has a hard time grasping the reality of something so devastating.
I have spent the evening answering many questions and trying to help him understand the events of that horrible day. I took out some magazines that are eight years old. I bought Time and Newsweek right after the event. They were placed in a zip loc bag to keep them looking new. I knew this day would come and I wanted the information available for my kids as if it had just happened. We spent some time looking through them and talking about what he seen. It is now almost 8 PM and we are watching 9-11 specials on the history channel and he is still asking questions.

I had another difficult discussion with him the other day, this time about the Holocaust.
He was laughing and telling me about an episode of South Park (yes I let him watch South Park). One of the characters had said something about a stupid Jew. I calmly told him that we needed to talk, that it was time for a history lesson.
I do not even know a Jewish person but I have always had an interest in the holocaust. I really don't know why except that I think it is the worst thing that has ever happened to a group of people-ever. But how do you explain and educate a child about something unimaginable? I done it the only way I knew how to. I was honest.
I am very confident that I will never hear the word Jew in a derogatory way again.

I know I say this almost every day, but man is this parenting thing tough.

Back to school, again

This was Marcus's first day back to school after his bout with pneumonia. I went in to talk to one of his teachers so they would know what is going on just in case he was to get feeling bad again. I told them I would be home, just give me a call and I would come and get him.
Dylan has one minute left before his alarm clock goes off. He starts his home schooling today. We finally have the user name and password so he is ready to go. I just hope and pray this works out. It seems like a very good, challenging program-definitely not the easy way out.

Home

Marcus came home from the hospital yesterday evening. He still isn't completely well but was well enough for us to finish treatment at home. I went and got his oral antibiotic this morning and he is still on breathing treatments.
I cancelled my appointment for today at St. Louis University. I just couldn't leave him when he is still having breathing problems and not feeling 100% yet.

very short post

Marcus is in the hospital. He got to where breathing was difficult so I took him back in this morning and the doctor admitted him.

No Piggy Flu

No piggy flu here (that is what Marcus calls it).
I took Marcus to the doctor first thing this morning. He checked him for both flu types, mono, and strep throat. Tests came back negative for all, but his chest x-ray showed pneumonia.
I should have known cause he isn't running a fever. He has had pneumonia many times, I think this makes the 21st time as a matter of fact, and he never ran a fever with it. If he had other infections along with the pneumonia then his temp would go up but pneumonia alone never caused a fever.
So how is he doing? He feels like crap-his words. He still has a headache, sore throat, all over body aches, cough, nausea, and his chest hurts. He actually can not stand to lay down anymore cause he feels like he can't breathe and there is too much pressure on his chest.
As of now we are doing oral antibiotics with breathing treatments. If he gets worse then it will be off to the hospital. I hope that the medicine works but in the past every time he had pneumonia he had to have even Rocephin shots or IV antibiotics.

Paranoid

I am in major paranoid mode right now.
The swine flu is going around Marcus's school. As a matter of fact a girl in his class has it. Of course given his past problem with his immune system I have been keeping a close eye on him. Today after school he went with me to take back some DVDs and pick up some prescriptions. He was just fine then about half way home he turned pale. I asked him if he was feeling OK and he said no, he didn't feel good. Those words immediately turned me into a freaked out mommy! I think what is worrying me so much is that is how he used to get sick-fine one minute then sick the very next, just boom no warning.
As of now he has a headache, sore throat, body aches, chest pain, and coughing. If he starts running a fever then it is off to the ER tonight. If he gets real sick I am just taking off to St. Louis with him, I will not even fool with these doctors around here.

medical test

http://stephdpenn.livejournal.com/60784.html

boring read with lots of whining-you have been warned