Sick Joke!

Ah hmm.....
I would love to know who's at the other end of this VERY disturbing, SICK joke!!!

For you that know me...Matt and I only create in two's. So how fitting!

I think my husband just about had a heart attack when he saw these sitting on our counter. He was sure we had a medical miracle on our hands!!

We did get a good laugh though!

So, because there is NO WAY in hell we'll ever be needing these again, I would love to send it to you!

Please leave a comment about a funny moment you experienced with your baby while feeding.

I will announce the winner (who made me laugh the hardest) on Wednesday, Feb 4th.

Happy blogoversary to me!

Who'd of though ~ 3 crazy years with this stinkin' blog! But I must admit, it has been fun! I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have!

I am here to update some birthday pics. Better late than never, right?

Riley and her new AG doll Chrissa

Riley and ALL her new AG stuff!!

Keegan and his new FAVORITE legos

Happy 6th Birthday Riley and Keegan!

Today my babies are 6 yrs old and I can't even begin to tell you how sad it makes me. 6 yrs old, SERIOUSLY? Where did the time go???

It's hard to believe that they were only 2 1/2 yrs old when Cooper and Carson were born. I do feel like I missed out a bit with them during the 3 - 4 yrs due to the other kids, but man, I would not trade it for the world!

I love you Riley and Keegan and I hope you had a great day!!

Header

Hey~

I am in need of a new picture header for my blog. I was wondering if there was anyone out there who would be willing to help me set one up??
If you are interested, please leave me a comment, or email me at ladybug_wi@yahoo.com.

Thanks much!

Prayers Please

When saying your prayers today, please keep my friend Julie and her husband Jon in your prayers. Julie delivered her SECOND set of boy/girl twins on Jan 10Th - they were 28 weeks.

Their little girl weighed in at 3 lbs and their little boy at 2lbs 3.9 oz.

As parents of NICU babes, we know how hard it is to see them so tiny and covered in wires, and we know the road that they will travel to get home.

We pray that these babes have a smooth road and no major bumps!

Thanks!

Friends, Potty training, TGI Fridays, OH MY!

It was a blessing this past Friday that the kids didn't have school due to FREAKING FREEZING temperatures. It was a blessing because I didn't have to lie to the Appleton school district about why I was pulling my kids out of school on Friday! "HI, I am calling to let you know that Riley and Keegan won't be in school today due to an illness. Thanks" NOT!!! Instead of playing hooky - We had a free pass to head to our friends house in Indiana! It was fun but MAN, the kids have us out numbered! Lets do the math, shall we? TWO Mommies, TWO Daddy's, THREE - 6 yr olds, THREE - 3 yr olds and ONE - 4 month old. Which also equals to, 3 children in potty training mode, 4 children fighting over which transformer they want to play with, 1 baby who eats every 3 - 4 hours and does not sleep through the night, 1 mommy who tried hard not to blow her WW points and one mommy who didn't give a rip. That about sums it up!

Despite all the children, we parents actually had a great time. Things were going so good that we even decided to take our families to the local TGI Fridays during dinner hour and wait for 30 minutes for a table. Oh, and we need 7 children's menus PLEASE!

The kids waited nicely, we had a few scuffles over transformers, but all and all things went as well as they possibly could.

Thanks friends for such a great weekend! We hope to see you guys again soon!!!

I also heard from the Littlest Heroes Project and they connected me to the photographer who we will be working with us http://www.photobyaubrey.com/

I am so excited. Our session will be on Feb 1st in her studio. I am working hard to find fun outfits for the kiddos to wear. If you have any fun picture ideas, or clothes that make great pics, please shout it out! I would love to hear any idea that you have!

What day is it?

Michelle says it is Delurking day!! And you know what? I believe her!!! How fun - Delurking Day! I love finding out who's still reading, and finding new blogs to read! So go ahead and leave a comment!! I will follow you back to your blog!!

Oh what a week

SHHEEZ, time sure flies by when you are busy.

School, homework, and projects, pizza party (with Tom Pease), potty training, swimming lessons, karate class, gym class for Carson and Cooper....... and now it starts all over again!

Potty training has gone VERY well! By George, I think they've got it!! I no long have to ask during the day, "Do you have to go potty?" or "Time to go potty!" The poop part of it, well we are working on that. I think they have come up with a pretty darn good plan I must say. I put them in a pull up for nap time, and when they wake up they've pooped. I guess it's better than cleaning poop out of undies, Right?

This week is PACKED full of fun activities again, ending with everyones favorite.
Tonight we have swimming lesson for both Riley and Keegan. Tomorrow Carson and Cooper have their little tot gym class. I love it! I drop them off for an hour and by the time I pick them up they are WIPED OUT!! Who wouldn't love that for their HIGH ENERGY, tired of being stuck inside, 3 yr olds????

Wednesday night is karate for Riley and Keegan, and Thursday we will be busy packing for our long, overdue, trip to my girlfriend Molly's for the weekend.

On another note....We are still having issues with Carson and her rocking. She is now rocking so violently that she is shaking all the pictures on our bedroom walls (ours is below her room). We've got an appointment with a good pediatric neurologist in Green Bay. At this point, her appointment is in March, but our pediatrician is trying to decided if she wants it moved up or try and get in at Children's Hospital in Milwaukee. So, I will let you know more hopefully this week.

It is supposed to get to -40 this week here. I guess there is a chance that I may have all 4 home from school this week. Let's pray that doesn't happen!!!

Littlest Heroes Project

Yesterday as I was wondering through some blogs, I found a little girl who suffers from Chiari Malformation and a few other conditions. I was curious and started to read. Her mom had something interesting on her side bar "Littlest Heroes Project" so I clicked it and I came across this:

"The Littlest Heroes Project is a non-profit based organization founded in January 2008, made up of professional photographers nationwide that provide free photo sessions to our nations Littlest Heroes. This is our way of giving back and taking a stand for these children who sometimes feel forgotten because of their illnesses. We are here to let them know that they are heroes to many, and to share their inspirational stories and photos with the world."

I was so touch. The tears slowly ran down my face. It's truly a gift that there are people out there wanting to donate their time, and energy, to families who think twice about photography either because they don't have time, they don't have money to pay a professional, or that they have lost a child.
I read a little more into the story behind LHP and I decided to apply. This morning, my application was accepted and we will wait to here from a photographer.

If you can handle shedding a few tears today, click on the link below to see the most beautiful pictures in the world! Thanks Mylee for introducing me to this project.

Littlest Heros Project

If you have a child, or know of a child suffering from any of these conditions, please introduce them to www.littlestheroesproject.org

*Any child or young person (Infant-21) that is currently fighting or has fought or suffers from any of the following:
Autism, Alopecia, AIDS, Bell's Palsy, Cancer, Chiari Malformation, Cystic Fibrosis, Cerebral Palsy, CHD, Childhood Stroke, Servere Diabetes, Down Syndrome, HIV, Immune System disorders and diseases, Kidney Disease, Muscular Dystrophy, Neurocutaneous Syndromes, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Shaken Baby Syndrome, Sickle Cell Anemia, Spina Bifida, Tay-Sachs Disease, and other serious childhood illnesses and life altering disabilites.

If you are a professional photographer and are interested in joining this wonderful team, please click the link on the webiste.

Thank you.
Thank you

Potty Training HOG style!

Picture of the day

Where would you go?

Question of the day.....

* If you and your hubby had 2 free plane tickets, and you needed a little time away, where would you go?

Please answer on my poll to the right.

2008 in a nutshell

I can not believe how fast 2008 flew by. Can you? It just seems like yesterday that we were ringing in 2008!! Things have got to slow down or my kids will be off to college or worst yet, married before I know it!

So, I thought I would share a little recap of last year:

January:

~Jan 3rd my parents were ready to head off to NJ for 10 days with Carson and Cooper. It would be the first time I was away from them for such a long period of time.

~ Riley had her appointment with the speech pathologist. The results came back that she has a very tiny gag reflux and that she is aspirating liquids/foods. sens Dr. Frim in Chicago.

~ Riley and I started making Chiari bracelets to sell.

~ Jan 17th Riley had her first appointment with Dr. Frim in Chicago and found out she would be needing a chiari decompression surgery.

~ We celebrated Riley and Keegans 5th birthday!

~ And we celebrated the dedication of the Appleton West pool to my dad!

February:

~ We did a LOT of stressing at the beginning of the month trying to prepare everyone for Riley's chiari surgery.

~ Feb 10th Nana and Papa took Riley and Keegan to see Mama Mia at our PAC.

~ We started a bathroom remodeling project that lasted longer than planned!

~ Feb 12th Matt, myself and Riley moved into the RMDH in Chicago

~ Feb 13th Riley went into surgery at 12:45p and was out at 5:45p.






~ And who could forget THE SPONGE?

~ I also tried to blog 30 friends in 30 days to keep my mind off things but it didn't last too long!

March:

~ Brett Favre left the Packers.

~Keegan had an MRI to look for Chiari.

~We put a new roof on the house instead of going to Disney.

April:

~ Stood in line for Deal or No deal tryouts.

~ We had Carson and Cooper's MRI sent to Dr. Frim to check for possible Chiari's.

~ Celebrated my 34 th birthday.

~ Found out that Carson also has Chiari Malformation and Cooper does not.

~ Keegan went in for a swallow study.

~ Cooper had a repeat MRI.

~ Carson had a spine survey MRI.

~ Friends of ours gave us a patio set for my birthday!

~ Even had time to squeeze in a few play dates!

May:

~ Riley goes back to school after her surgery!

~ Me, my mom and dad take all 4 kids to Chicago to see Dr. Frim for an appointment.

~ I had trigger finger surgery on my right hand.

~ I took Carson to see Dr. Jensen in MIL. Will have a ICP probe placed in the next month.

June:

~ Took a family trip to San Antonio Texas for a family reunion! ~ Keegan learned to ride a 2 wheel bike!

~ Carson had her ICP probe surgery.

~ My friend Debi did a Discovery Toy fundraiser for us.

~ And to top this off, Keegan fell off his bike and broke his arm.

July:

~ Went to the rodeo in Manawa

~Spent some family time at the lake

~ Went to Discover Camp and battled the mesquitos.

~ Saw Dr. Jensen and decided it was time for Carson to have a repeat CVR surgery.

~ Went to the movies to see Mama Mia

August:

~ Brett Favre is a JET!

~ My mom, dad, and I drove out to NJ with all 4 kids. Stopping at my MIL's in Indiana, My dear Friend Kaci's in Ohio, and my cousin Jocelyn's in PA along the way.

~ The Summer Olympics - Michael Phelps!

~ Matt's Birthday.

~ Celebrated our 8 yr anniversary.

~ Carson CVR surgery.

September:

~ Riley and Keegan's first day of Kindergarten!

~My dear friend Molly delivered her 3 child - A little girl, Marin!

~ Carson was diagnosed with kidney reflux.

~Spent a lot of time up at the lake!

~ Quarry Quest

~ Our walk for Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

~Keegan swallowed 2 pennies.

October:

~ Carson's MRI post cranio surgery.

~ Our HUGE scare with SCABIES!

~ Cleaned, cleaned, cleaned and NO scabies! I think I was punked! Can laugh about it now, right?

~ Riley's Swimming lessons and Keegan's Karate class.

~ 24 hours stomach flu.

~ Trip to Indiana / Trick or Treating at Nana's

November:

~ Riley lost her first tooth!

~ SNOW!

~ Trip to Chicago to see Dr. Frim. Riley: MRI and Spinal tap - Appointment with Frim, Carson: Spinal tap.

~ The kids received the "Beads of Courage". For every prick, poke, NPO, Scan, you name it, they get a special bead. Riley is leading our pack with 33 beads!

Tally:

1 orange - picc line

4 blue - office visits

1 tortoise - lumbar puncture

1 purple -morphine

5 black - pokes

8 Lt green -tests (MRI etc)

1 aqua -foley tube

5 yellow - inpatient

3 dk green - NPO

2 stars - surgery

AND

2 Act of courage beads (1 for the sponge)

~Carson has 15 beads, and Keegan has 8.

~ Carson and Cooper's 3rd birthday!!!

~ Black Friday!

And Finally December!

~ Carson back to Chicago to see Dr. Frim. She had a second LP and a MRV. Surprise visit from Brain Urlacher and Greg Olsen.

~Anonymous donation of over $1000 in gift cards.

~ Riley lost her second tooth!

~ And Christmas!

Fewwww, it's been a long year! Here is to things that went by so fast that I forgot, and to a happy & healthy New Year!

Thanks to you of you for sticking by me these last 12 months!