Sick bugs...

It has been a hard few weeks for Cole.. He has woken up so sick the past two Sundays, (not this last one..) The first Sunday I took him to Instacare because I was certain he had Strep.. He did.. It took him four or five days to recover from that.. The following Saturday night (just a few days later) he was up all night, saying he had a headache.. I was thinking maybe still the strep.. Sunday he just laid on the couch, burning with fever, headache and oh so sad... By 5:00 pm he was so hot and just crying about how bad his head hurt.. So it was off to Instacare yet again.. They were concerned about Meningitis, but after some checking thought it probably wasn't that, but that he was dehydrated. They told us to watch him really close, and if he got worse to take him to the hospital... So I sat up all night with him (lost count as to how many times we did this) just to make sure he was going to be OK... Still sick Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.. Thursday felt better and went to school.. Thursday night he said he didn't feel well and had a cough... Up all night Thursday with fever and cough.. Never moved off the couch all day Friday... His birthday was Saturday and he was OK, but still not Cole.. I had bought him a strawberry bouquet, and he didn't even want any.. That's when you know he is not OK... He didn't want to open his gifts or anything.. He did muster up some energy to go bowling, that was it... :) Sunday was better, and hopefully we are back to the old Cole.. :) NO MORE SICK BUGS!!!! And through all of this with Cole, Jaden and Ryker managed to get Croup... Jade lost his voice (which was nice for a few days) and that was about it.. Ryker on the other hand was so so sick.. It was so sad... Poor baby.   We are ready for summer and healthy kiddos.. :)

Week 9...

2/27/2012 - Something you ate.. These little eggs are so evil.. You can never just eat one!!!

2/28/2012 - Money.. Or in this case, lack there of.. :)


2/29/2012 - Something your listening to... One of my new faves.. :) Love the Tobster!!

3/1/2012 - Up... I love this baby!!

3/2/2012 - Fruit.. This did have fruit in it, so that counts right... Lemon and Strawberries.. YUMMY..

3/3/2012 - Your neighborhood.. Well this is my favorite view of the neighborhood. :)

 3/4/2012 - Bedside... Eh...

A new journey...

A year ago today, my sister made a decision that would forever change her life, and ours... FOR THE BEST!! She entered rehab...  I watched for years as she unraveled and spiraled down a dark and horrifying path.. She went from being my sister, the one I loved, trusted, adored, laughed with... To this lifeless, lying, stealing, cold and dark stranger... Oh but I didn't stop loving her, NO WAY!! There were so many times we saw her at deaths door, and begged God to give her one more chance... He did... The last year has been anything but easy for Whitney... I cannot even begin to imagine the loss, the hardships, the loneliness she must have felt.. But never, not once did we leave her side.. We got through the first year, but most importantly SHE got through the first year...

Today for her "Birthday," we attended an AA meeting with her.. She was going to be getting her one year chip.. My mom and other sister had been to one before, I had not. This was my first.. It was very humbling and very touching... Men and women, just like me and you... Just like the ones you see at Target, just like the ones you see at church, just like the ones you see at the grocery store... For some reason I had always pictured "addicts" to have a certain "look.." They don't... My heart ached for those men and women, for their stories of what they had been through.. And admired them them for being there and willing to share their stories... There was not one person in the room who was not in awe at the support that Whitney had sitting next to her.. That made my heart hurt.. I kept thinking how on earth could they do it alone? How could somebody not love them enough to be there for them.. There was another woman there, getting her one year chip, not one person there for her.... That made my heart hurt... Some of them had been going there for many many years, for some it was their first meeting.. I was beyond proud when Whitney went up to get her chip... My heart was full, was happy, was humbled.. She has had an incredible journey, and in doing so is the Whitney I had longed for to come back. The Whitney I had missed for so long.. Today SHE'S BACK!! She is doing amazing.. I could not be more proud of her... However this is a battle she will fight daily, she takes life day by day. Thanks Whit for another 24!!

Nothing beats dinner at the Cheesecake Factory... This was mine and my moms dessert..

Nancy & Whitney's Red Velvet Cheesecake...

That brings us to the tattoo parlor.... We had always said that "when" she reached her one year we would all get a tattoo in honor of it... Well she showed us all... A good friend of ours is a tattoo artist, he said he would be honored to do it.. The saying is Latin and it means "she flies with her own wings.." Kinda fitting for the occasion... What a fun night... Lots of laughs... A night to remember that's for sure... Here are a few pics of my mom and sisters getting inked.. As to the question did I get a tattoo?? We decided that what happened at the tattoo shop will forever stay at the tattoo shop... ;) Thanks Mom, Nancy and esp Whit for letting us celebrate your continuing journey... Love you all!!

Miss Whitney went first..

Time for Madre... :)

Then Nancy... I was worried that she was going to pass out, she was as pale as a ghost.. :)

The finished work.. Whit's. Nancy's. Mom's..  

Week 8...

2/20/2012 - Handwriting... No this is not mine, but my favorite font right now.. LOVES.. ;)

2/21/2012 - A favorite photo of me... I love this one of me and Cole. Taken at my Grandparents Christmas party..

2/22/2012 - Where I work... Well my creative outlet of work..

2/23/2012 - Your shoes.. These are my favorites today... They are almost worn out, then breaking out the Toms!!!

2/24/2012 - My bathroom cabinet... Nothing exiting eh??

2/25/2012 - Green... A St. Patty's Day wreath I made for my front door.. :)

2/26/2012 - Night.. Got to capture two planets and the Moon.. :)

Say yes to the dress....

Took Courtnee up to meet my sister in law and niece to find a dress for Miss Kylee's wedding... Courtnee is so excited and honored to be Kylee's Maid of Honor.. This fabulous and gorgeous dress was what we left with... A great day.. :)

Week 7...

2/13/2012 - Blue.... This is my favorite thing in the world.. Although I love my big camera, I am so in love with my point and shoot... I keep with me at all times.. You never know when a photo op may arise. :)

2/14/2012 - Heart... This is what I gave each one of my kiddos... I fell in love with the sock monkeys and every kid needs a little chocolate, right??

2/15/2012 - Phone.. Although this is not the coveted IPhone, it is my right arm.. I love my phone, and everything in it.. :)

2/16/2012 - Something new... I have been swooning over Toms for some time now... I finally bit the bullet and bought me a pair... I am so giddy, I haven't even worn them yet, because I don't want to get them dirty... (Toms by the way are shoes, my mom had no clue..)

2/17/2012 - Time... I almost never ever have one on one alone time with this little guy.. So tonight everyone was at different places, and so me and Jade had fun night together.. He quite loved doing the pictures.. Silly kiddo.. Love him..

2/18/2012 - Drink... As if I would put anything but this.. :) Loves my DC..

2/19/2012 - Something you hate to do... Dishes... I think I am the only one who knows that this is not the proper to do the dishes... This picture represents my family's way of "doing dishes..." Good times..

Week 6...

Another week down.... :) At least it is some form of blogging.. Right??

2/6/2012 - Dinner.. Mine consisted of a shell with cheese and a Diet Coke.. :)





 2/7/2012 - Button... The cutest and my most favorite button of all is on a baby.. :)

2/8/2012 - Sun... Love this song.. Stock used to always sing this when he was a little guy, love it.. :)

2/9/2012 - Front door... Simple.. 

2/10/2012 - Self portrait... Friday nights, I am beat.. IT shows.. :)



2/11/2012 - Makes me happy.... Need I say more.. :)

2/12/2012 - My closet.. Not the cleanest or most organized, but it works.. :)