CASTING

Thursday morning was cast time. It couldn't have come soon enough. The splint was big and annoying. Tori was having to wear my "baby T's" cuz none of her clothes would even fit over the splint.

She looks a little too happy to be getting a cast put on.
Here they are putting on the white part of the cast. Not so cool.
Then the PINK part. TOTALLY COOL!!! She was So excited! She told me that it was warm. The people who did the cast took special efforts to make it comfy for her, squished it "just so" so that it would fit well.
So here she is! The wonderful PINK cast. We are liking it a whole lot more than the splint as this skinny little thing fits under all her clothes. She was So excited to go to school that we too her straight there after the appointment. She is doing really well. Doesn't complain very often about pain. She usually has it in a sling to help her shoulder carry it. The sling is so cute and small too.
She and her little friend "Aria" have matching broken arms. Aria is almost done with hers tho, she got her cast off right as Tori had hers put on. Aria is Left handed and she broke her left hand... Tori Right handed and broke her right. Their poor teacher. :-)

Tori's Grand Adventure

Although they've been told time and time again not to play on the futon mattress, tonight they folded it over and were running over it. The game was called "Wipe Out". And that is just what Tori did......

She fell off the mattress onto some toys near buy and hurt her arm. After some assessing from DR. Daddy, She was off to the hospital. She was being SO brave. I know it must hurt something fierce, but she is such a trooper!
After some X -Rays they determined that her Humerus is broken just above her elbow. Apparently we are lucky that she doesn't need surgery, as it is very close to the joint there and sometimes these brakes require pins etc.. Daddy said she was very brave at the ER. They went to the closest hospital, not the one on post, and somehow Brent still knew the Orthopedic Surgeon that came to look at her arm. :-) Gotta love connections. Dad said she didn't cry at the pain, a ouch every now and then as they put the splint on, but when she asked daddy if they would need to do surgery (before they knew how bad it was) he told her maybe... that made her cry a bit. Otherwise she was so good.She returned home to me like this. In her cute little hospital gown, her splint and her sling. The sweet staff gave her a new barbie "for being so brave". I would like to Thank the staff at Gateway Hospital, and the who ever it was that donated the Barbies, that made the whole trip "fun". She came home around 10pm and ate dinner. (Daddy wouldn't let her eat before she left, cuz he was worried about surgery) She ate w/ her left had pretty well.

Doc says she is to get her cast on Thursday. We are all hoping for a pink one! If it's not, we're painting it! She will need to be in the cast for about a month. So she will be spending her 6th Birthday, and Halloween in a cast. :-( Poor girl.

So her Fall Break has been extended until I am confident that she can handle potty issues etc on her own at School. I may wait till Thursday when i know that the arm can't be bumped by a careless classmate. Poor girl.

Mixed up

I've never ever been consistent in my style. Growing up, I could wear Bermuda shorts one day and a dark red and black plaid vest the next. One week @ the dance I would be wearing my tapered jeans and a polka-dotted black silk top, and the next week a western shirt, boot cut jeans, and cowboy boots. I've done scarves and shawls, boots and sneakers, winter hats and cowboy hats even the occasional page boy hat. I've had long hair(long as I can grow it), Short hair (like pixie cut), curly hair, straight hair, blond hair, red hair, flippy hair, sleek hair. I just don't seem to have the ability to commit. I can't even decide if I like gold or silver. In the summer/ spring, silver, winter fall, gold. So how on EARTH am I supposed to commit to a style for my home decorating??

Brent and I have been married for 15 years, almost 16, and we still don't have a bedroom set. We bought a sofa and love seat right after we were married sold it 5 years later, and didn't buy another furniture set for 9 years after that! When we retired our cute little table for 4 we found a piece of furniture that we both loved. Unfortunately I don't think this table was meant to be a kitchen table. I think it was supposed to be a "dining room" table. We have trashed it in just 4 short years! The kids don't have dressers or cute bed frames either. I've been living in this wonderful home of mine for almost 4 months and the first thing on the wall was a stinking TV, and that just went up a week ago! I've had paint swatches (if that's what they're called) hanging in the dining room for 3 weeks, I still don't know what I want in there!

I need help. I've taken surveys on the computer. One said I liked warm fall colors (I think I answered that way because its' fall) I wouldn't normally gravitate to orange or brown decor) One said that all shades of Green are me. Now I DO like green, but I don't know how that is supposed to help me know what kind of furniture and decorations I am supposed to buy. Another one told me that I like the southwestern (mexico) style. Um, no, not so much. I have no idea where to go. Impulsively I would just purchase things that I like and fit them together, but I fear that they will look stupid together and then I've wasted money. Any one out there that can help... please!!!

Fall Break

Here is the photo that should have been on that post from last week. :-) She was nearly as giddy today as she was last Thursday.

Emily had her doing some standing up in the saddle today, I will be surprised if her legs don't ache tomorrow! It looked difficult.
Alex spent a good 2 hours today playing Paleontologist, I found this excavation kit @ Christmas Tree Shop a LONG time ago, and it has just kicked around and around. Today, he really wanted to do it.
The kit came with these wonderful protective goggles :-) He was sure to keep them on as he chiseled his way through the plaster to his prize. I was amazed at how long it took him and how much of a mess it made. He cleaned it up tho, well mostly. :-)
Alex had earned a "privilege" and chose to go w/ dad skating. Not the easiest of tasks, seeing as how there are no ice rinks here in town. Off to Nashville they went. They had a great time and apparently Alex went around 4.5 times w/o falling. Yeah!!!
And Lastly... poor little Katie, we're just messing her little schedule up. This was a dinner today. She stayed up late with the kids last night, was up at her normal time this morning, and was clumsy and getting hurt all day. Come dinner time, there was no eating. Brent put her to bed. She was asleep by 7 or so. Yeah, at 11:45, she was back up... ready to go to Jump Zone. (she actually asked me if we could go right now!) Crazy girl. She suggested that we could just go in our Jammies. LOL! Poor girl.

Picture Post on St Louis

This weekend we had the opportunity to meet some old pals in St. Louis. We met Meredith in Des Moines IA, 8 years ago. Our boys were just tiny.. Alex still on a monitor, weighing around 5 lbs. He and Nolan grew up those first 2 years together. They of course don't remember, but they matched up like the years had never passed.

Here are Nolan and Alex playing chess. The funny part, the two of them are listening to "flight of the bumble bee" while they play. It was very entertaining to Mere and I to watch these two.

Tori and Avery played a little polly pockets. Avery was a bit more interested in Liza, she was the Cool big kid. :-)

The Hotel we stayed in ROCKED!!! They had an indoor pool, and indoor playground and even a big gymnasium where the kids could run and play.

This is the pool table in the rec area of the hotel. It was an older building with what appeared to be asbestos ceilings, but the rest of it was really cool. For $60 we stayed the night, swam twice and played for hours, all right outside our room. It was great!

Then we found this fabulous place called "The Magic House" !!!!! It was SO cool in there. This is their 'once upon a time' area. Katie found the pig straight away... she LOVES pigs!

Alex found a little putting green to play on. He LOVES golf.

They had a cool bubble area! They even had a spot where you stand in the middle and pull a bubble up around you. Above is the coolest part... this giant bubble screen that you could blow the hugest bubbles in. SOOOO cool

Inside this house they had a childrens size Victorian play house. It was so cool. I wish I had brought a different lens for my camera so that I could have gotten a picture of the whole building. It was SO cool. Here are the girls in the little Kitchen. Perfect size for them.

The found these kitties and hauled them around the whole time we were in this area. They also had a little stream that ran across the village and into a pond where you could "fish". They had big lures that looked like fish w/ metal rings on them, and you caught them with a magnet on a pole. The kids loved this activity too.

Alex was putting a muffler back in the car, such a cool place.

The girls upstairs in the house. Notice the kittens still under their arms. Both put a Ganz kitty on their Christmas list. :-)

Alex and Liza working on the engine now.

Tori, running the pizza place. this place was incredibly clean and well cared for. It is 30 yrs old this year, and kept so nice!

Alex and Tori being reporters. It was really cool, they even had a TV and cameras so that you could see yourself reporting. COOL! (notice the cat)

Tori being a Librarian. (Cat still in her possession. This part made me miss Talia)

Katie in the Grocery Store part. Kitty in basket. She filled that basket with yummy produce. What fun.

Yes, they even had a water area! This is Nolan having a blast!

Perfect little photo spot. Too bad the light sucked and I didn't have my flash!!! This was tucked up in the attic area, and for just a few minutes, no one else was in there.

Did snap this pretty girl in that light by the window tho.

A HAIR RAISING EXPERIENCE!!!

None of my kids would touch the ball, all of them were sure that it would hurt to touch something with Electricity in it. Smart kids... I thought for sure after I did it, that Liza would, but nope. Not a chance. Maybe next time. LOL!

A Great 3 story slide that runs down the side of the building.

Would you believe that we didn't even see the whole place? There was more, but we ran out of time, they closed it up on us. I didn't take any pictures of the whole mystery area and secret passage way and even a chance to crawl through the air ducts to solve a mystery.

Alex with Curious George. After eating Ice creams and getting Free Cookies cuz the treat stop was closing.

Then we headed to Americas Incredible Pizza Company

Spoiled rotten children I tell you!

This is a buffet place like Cici's on Steroids. LOL!! It was incredible.

You pick your food and then pick a theme room to sit in, I think there were 5 themes to choose from. It was HUGE.

There were go carts, and glow golf.

Inflatable for Tori and Katie

A few little rides for the wee ones.

I LOVE Tori's face in this one. Who knew riding a frog could be SO fun??

They even had "mini bowling". 10 pin with little balls that the kids could throw. SO fun! They loved every minute.

Even the Mommas had some fun shooting things up.

Go mommas.

We had the best time. It was well worth the drive to St. Louis and we certainly plan to meet up with our pals there again some time soon.

First Riding Lesson

I SO WISH I HAD A PICTURE TO INSERT HERE!!!!

Yesterday was Liza's first riding lesson. She headed over to Emily's house around 4:30. I left her there with the arrangement to pick her up around 6. During that time Liza cleaned 2 stalls (she told me that horse poop doesn't really stink that much, and that the only down side are the flies that like you after wards cuz you smell like horse poop.), she cleaned bridles (she told me that one of the horses doesn't like the sound of the bridle cleaner... I am guessing it is aerosol), she fed the filly and brushed down Dancee. When I showed up to pick her up, she was being taught how to scrape out the hooves. She also informed me to "watch out, that one likes to give kisses." And sure enough he opened up his lips and showed me his teeth and then tried to lick me. LOL it was too funny. It was fun to watch Liza interact with these horses and get to know them so quickly. Lucky me, I got there just in time for the lesson. I am SO glad that I didn't miss this. Emily showed her how to hold the reins to lead Dancee out to the arena, then handed them to her and said "okay, I'll meet you out there." Oh my, as a girl I'd have paid $$ to scoop poop, clean hooves and brush the horse, but I would have died if they told me to take the horse by myself! Liza proudly led that horse out to the arena, it was adorable to watch. She was wearing her jeans and her red cowboy boots, and a cute western style shirt, which she had carefully laid out for the occasion.

When they got out to the arena Emily showed her how to get up on the horse. Once on, her face lit up like a Christmas Tree. She was absolutely in heaven, I almost cried at the joy on this girls face and Emily stood in the middle with Dancee on a long lead walking him around in circles coaching Liza on how to sit on the horse properly, and where to distribute her weight. Then Emily lifted her whip and Dancee began to trot. Liza giggled with glee. Sheer elation! It was so amazing to witness the joy that this brought to her. I thought she couldn't be happier then when they were walking, but I was wrong, she was ecstatic!! Just to hear her giggle every time that horse picked up speed was SO fun! Through some coaching, she was encouraged to hold only the saddle, so that the reins don't become a handle for her. Emily mentioned as she was riding that eventually she will learn to ride w/o holding on at all. Then Liza put up one arm, and rode around, then the other. She looked like she was flying. Up there, arms out, trotting around on the horse, sitting up so straight, squeezing with her legs, just right. I was so happy for her. So jealous, but SO happy. :-)

Neighbors

No, not another post about the nasty neighbors. This one is about to good ones. :-)

A while back I photographed this little angel. She belongs to a neighbor on the other side of "Mr. Wonderful Personality". It just so happens that she teaches piano. So this coming week, Alex will start piano w/ Miss. Melody. How fun is that? He already sits down to "practice" the piano. (boy do I hope THAT lasts.) Miss Melody also paints backdrops... so I'll be needing her services there as well. :-) Expect to see a lot of pictures of this sweet girl growing up. :-)

Liza is taking flute up at Austen Peay University. Just last week, she and her teacher figured out that we are neighbors! Remember I mentioned someone riding horses around our community? Yeah, just so happens that that was her flute teacher's daughter. Liza's big dream is to ride and care for horses. I understand her desire, as I had the same dream, but we can't afford that! Too expensive to pay a stable to teach her. BUT....... Her flute teacher's daughter owns and/or cares for 7 horses. We went over to meet her yesterday, she offered Liza a deal we can't turn down. If Liza will come to work for her for 1 hour, she will give her a 1/2 hour riding lesson!!! A dream come true.

Whilst we were gazing at the horses, another neighbor came walking by with their 2 dogs. I wondered if it was "Chris". Everyone knows, and talks about CHRIS. He is the pilot that owns the airstrip that is practically in our front yard. Brent has wanted to meet him since the day we figured out that we had purchased a house beside a private airstrip. I boldly introduced myself and discovered that it was indeed Chris. Now, Brent was not there w/ me, but was supposed to come and pick me and the girls up, I tried to keep him there talking to me until Brent came. We chatted about Brent wanting to purchase this plane that is just South of Nashville. Then Brent showed up, they chatted and Chris (who happens to be an airplane mechanic) offered to fly Brent down to this other plane so that he could do a check on that plane and it's records, kind of a "second opinion" on the plane. We asked him what he would charge for this, "A bottle of Jack Daniel's" was his reply. :-)

As Brent said the other day while we were driving around the south of Nashville area. "Man, people in Tennessee are just Living the Dream." There are SO many houses with boats and/or RV's, Horses or Airplanes. It's fun to see.

As an Update on Alex, his teacher has recently invited me to be the "AR mom" which has something to do with reading to the classroom and gathering books for the children to read and get points for reading. :-) I am happy to be getting involved with his room. We haven't heard from the principal yet, but I wonder if this isn't a reaction to that situation. None the less, happy to be involved.

We had a wonderful conference weekend. I hang on every word. The kids were great and listened pretty well.... 8 hours of church on one weekend is a lot for those little guys, but they make it, and they seem to feel the spirit too. What a wonderful blessing the gospel is.