Spring Break 2015

     Our Spring Break didn't start off too great. Friday, just as I was leaving work, I got the call that Payton's temp was over 103. She had had  a little bit of a runny nose and a low grade temp the day before, but I was hoping it wouldn't amount to anything. We don't ever get that lucky. I rushed to take her to Dyersburg to see Dr. Melton before their office closed for the weekend, and it turns out she had a severe sinus infection. They gave her a dose of tylenol when we arrived, but her temp climbed the entire time we were there, and they were concerned for her so they gave her a dose of motrin once it reached 104 and within a half hour it was down a full degree to 102.9, so they gave her a sinus cocktail shot and a prescription for antibiotics and let us go home.  Saturday morning, she woke up grumpy but her fever was down, so we decided to go to breakfast at iHop and do some shopping. We got her a new Minnie Mouse nightgown, and as soon as we got home, she put it on and she was a brand new girl. Minnie fixes everything!

    Sunday morning, we went to church. The weather was absolutely beautiful, so the girls and I spent the entire afternoon outside. Then Monday, the weather was similar, so we spent another day enjoying the sunshine. I worked on some housework and got some sewing done as well. I love Spring Break! 

     Tuesday, we went to The Children's Museum of MEmphis with Liz and Kaden. Our kids were decked out in green for St. Patrick's Day; no one wants to get pinched! ;)

     We had such a good time at the Children's Museum. Payton got to do so much. I was afraid she'd be too small for a lot of it, but she really wasn't. They learned a lot and had so much fun doing it. I'm glad we've made this an annual tradition!

     Wednesday, Kaden came and spent the day with us. Rylee and Kaden had a blast playing together. Liz and Brandon headed to Memphis for an early birthday lunch for her and to head to the doctor because..... LIZ IS PREGNANT!!! I am so excited to be an aunt again and have another precious baby to love on and spoil rotten! Kaden is going to be an amazing big brother. He is already so excited! After they picked him up, I got my report cards done for next week. That is the only school work I brought home this break and I was glad to only spend 1 afternoon on school work this break!

    Thursday was Liz's 30th birthday, so I brought her over some lunch and we had a little picnic in her living room floor. That was a lot of fun! Then she kept Payton for the afternoon and Rylee and I headed to get our hair done.

     Last Tuesday, Rylee had a substitute at school, and decided to pull a fast one on her and give herself a hair cut. She cut the front of her hair pretty short, and it couldn't deal with it being short in the front and long in the back any longer,s o we went to get it evened out. I cried and cried over it, but it really isn't that big of a deal. She looks absolutely adorable with her new haircut. I think it just made me sad because she looks so much more grown up now. Where did my baby go?!

     After we got our hair done, we headed back to Liz and Brandon's for dinner. Brandon made chicken nachos and the kids decorated the house and made Liz a cake. We laughed and played and sang happy birthday. I think everyone had a really good time.

      Friday, Nonna took Rylee out to the Movies to see Cinderella and the Frozen Fever short movie. Rylee was so excited about her special day and she had a blast. I spent some quality time with Payton Joy,  then when she napped, I got the house back in order and did some more sewing. Have I mentioned I love Spring break?!

    Yesterday, Mary had a little party for her upcoming wedding. While I was gone, Ryan and his dad worked on his lawn mower while Nonna took Payton shopping for some one on one time. Both of these girl love their Nonna so and thoroughly enjoyed their one on one time this week. This morning we went to church, and now we are enjoying our Sunday afternoon together. It has been such a great week off, I'm sad to go back to the really world tomorrow. Only 9 more weeks until Summer Break! ;)

We Got Our Snow!

    Well, we got our snow! We woke up this morning to 6 inches of the stuff, and the girls were THRILLED! As soon as they woke up, we went out to play in it. Payton enjoyed trying to run around in it, while Rylee made snow angels and painted in it and made a snow volcano. It was too dry and powdery to make a snowman, so we went in to let it melt a little before attempting that.

     The girls got their first try of ht cocoa while we watched frozen and enjoyed the morning together. Then Rylee played indoors while Payton napped and Ryan finally got out of bed. He hasn't been feeling well, so he was glad for a snow day to catch up on rest.

     After Payton's nap, we headed out again and we made our family in snow people! It was so much fun!

   The girls were so happy that daddy was able to join us in the fun. Today has been a perfect day, and we get to be off again tomorrow, so yay for an extra long weekend together! :)

Snow Week!

     We got the whole week off of school due to winter weather, and it was a much needed break! After the long hours and hyped-up kiddos last week, I think all the teachers felt like they needed some time away from school. Sunday, we knew a storm was coming, but we weren't sure exactly what we'd be getting, and since Monday was President's Day and we were out of school anyways, some feared we wouldn't even see 1 "snow day" out of it. 

      Sunday morning we went to church and then out to lunch with Nonna and Granddaddy. Then we went over to their house to pick up the girls' Valentines from them. My girls are so spoiled! Then we spent the afternoon relaxing and spending time together as a family.

      Unfortunately, late Sunday night, I woke up with the dreaded stomach virus. Ryan had it last Tuesday, and Rylee seemed to have a small touch of it last Wednesday night, but I thought I had avoided it. I was wrong. I was sick all night Sunday into Monday morning, then I was out of commision the rest of the day Monday. It was so icy, that Ryan was unable to make it to work, and I was glad. I definitely needed him to take care of the kids, so I could rest and try to feel better!

   Tuesday I woke up feeling good as new. Somehow Ryan made it to work, even though the roads were still TERRIBLE. I took the girls outside to play on the ice, and they had a BLAST. Rylee Love hunted icicles and removed them from everywhere she could find them, and Payton slipped and slid all around the yard. We spent the rest of the day playing indoors.

      Wednesday morning, we woke up to a dusting of snow. The girls were so excited to see it, but it was too cold to go out in it. We played inside all day. Payton started getting extra crabby and was refusing to nap or sleep well. I couldn't deiced if she was getting cabin fever or starting to get sick.

    I got my answer Thursday morning when she woke up after a night of barely any sleep and lots of coughing with yellow gunk coming from her eyes and green runny nose. My road and the highways were fine, so I took her to her Dr. The parking lot at her Dr.'s office was a total sheet of ice! It was scary. Rylee loved it though and ice-skated all the way to the door! Payton's Dr. check her out and she had a double ear infection with pus coming from both ears! Poor thing. He gave her an antibiotic shot to jump start the healing process because they were infected so badly and put her on an oral antibiotic to kick the infection the rest of the way.

    Since we were already out and about, we decided to make a day of it, so we headed to our favorite place, Chikfila. The girls ate and played, and it was good to be out of the house for a little while. Then we brought Ryan some lunch and headed to Walmart to pick up Payton's medicine.

   This morning the girls helped me clean up the playroom and their bedrooms. Things were a mess with us being stuck indoors all week, and it had gotten to the point where they couldn't even play because we couldn't find the floor! Then I caught up on housework while the girls did some art. They colored and painted, and when Payton went to nap Rylee Love practiced her cutting and pasting skills to make more art.

    I am so thankful to have had this week off with my silly girls. I love every minute I get to spend with them. We were disappointed we didn't get much snow and we couldn't make a snowman or snow angels or anything like that, but getting this time off to rest and play has been gift enough. Despite me starting out this week being sick, and ending it with Payton getting sick, we have had a great week. Our batteries have been fully recharged, and we are ready to kick next week's booty! :)

Valentine's 2015 & Bailey is 5!

       Tuesday was Bailey Anne's 5th birthday! I can't believe my sweet niece is already 5 years old! She spends her afternoons in my classroom playing with Rylee Love each day waiting on me to drop her off at daycare, and I love getting to spend a little time each day with this princess! I'm going to be sad when this school year ends and I no longer get to see her sweet face everyday! She is such a blessing to our lives and she and Rylee Love are definitely trouble together, but in the best kind of way!

     I had parent teacher conferences until 7 both Tuesday and Thursday this week, so Friday as soon as I got out of professional development, I rushed to picked up my 2 sweeties! When Ryan got home, he came bearing gifts from Granny and Paw Paw. My girls are way too spoiled. After they opened their gifts and I spent some quality time with them, we headed to Mary's house to have dinner and playtime with Mary and Bailey, Grandma and Grandpa and Liz and Kaden.

     Yesterday was Valentine's Day. The girls woke up to their Valentines from Ryan and I. Payton got new balls for her ball pit and Rylee got a stuffed bear and she got to make a stuffed poodle at school on Thursday. I made some raspberry muffins for breakfast and we enjoyed a morning of playtime and relaxation.

     Then we got ready to go to Bailey's birthday party. I made the girls matching Valentine's shirts. I am really loving my sewing/embroidery machine.

    Bailey had her party at the Holiday Inn so she could have a pool party. The kids had a blast swimming in the middle of winter! Payton is such a little dare devil. She was not afraid of the water at all. She kept trying to jump in on her own. We have to keep a close eye on our wild child.

     Bailey seemed to get everything she wanted. She was so happy and thankful for all her gifts. She's such a sweet little girl. Her cousins watched her open gifts and oohed and ahhed over every one. I can't believe how growny they are. After gifts, Payton enjoyed 2 whole pieces of cake, while the others got back in the pool. Liz and I joined the kids swimming. It was a blast!

     I am so glad Bailey had an amazing birthday, and I know 2 little girls who had a blast helping her celebrate! We love you Bailey Anne! You fill our lives with such joy and laughter. There is no one quite as sassy, silly, brave, and kind as you are. I can't wait to see what you become, sweet girl!

2015: So Far, Not So Good...

 

     Today is the last day of January, and I am glad to see this month go. January 2015 has not been very kind to me. Our first day back to work was January 5. I had been in inservice for just over an hour, when I get a text that Payton had fallen and hit her head. I didn't think a lot of it until I got a picture of her with a giant knot on her forehead. I called her pediatrician just to be safe, and they wanted us to come in right away. They did a skull xray and a full neurological exam and diagnosed her with a mild concussion. We were told to monitor her closely. Then that Thursday night she began running fever, fever after concussion can be a sign of a brain bleed, brain damage, or meningitis. Luckily, Rylee began to run fever soon after and it was determined to be just a virus.

     Then Rylee began having trouble using the bathroom. She would scream and cry and say it hurt. One day at school, it became too much, and she was sent home sick, so Granny and Paw Paw came to get her and took her to the local Urgent Care. The dr couldn't get a sample from her but diagnosed her with a UTI and gave her an antibiotic. That didn't sit well with me, and the next day after it had been a full 36 hours since her last time peeing, I got concerned and took her to her pediatrician. He was livid that a dr gave her antibiotics without taking a sample, and he did some tests and found she did not have a UTI, she had an irritation in her private area, she was dehydrated, and she was fighting some sort of virus. We were told to do sits baths and give her lots of fluids and she would be good as new. But nothing is ever that easy with Rylee Love. She was diagnosed with situational anxiety when she was 4, and she struggles when something out of the ordinary happens. She got it in her head going to the restroom was going to hurt and began holding in her poop. She would pee a few times a day, but not poop. After a week of this, we had to give her a suppository to make her go. But she is still scared of going and has started going in her pants at night while she sleeps. This all started on the 13th and is still going on. I worry about her and her extreme fear. I want to help her, but I'm not sure how. It is a helpless feeling to watch your child struggle and not have a clue how to help her.

    On Tuesday, January 20, I experienced the worst day of my life. I had planning with my blue wing teachers after school, so I was working late and I didn't have my phone on me. I get back to my phone and I have some missed calls and a text from my sister. I knew something was going on, but I wasn't sure what. Then I finally got a hold of her and found out my younger brother, Ben, was in ICU, he had taken a lot of Tylenol and they weren't sure if he was going to make it. The news hit me like a ton of bricks. We were super close growing up. We are only 15 months apart, so we were best friends and playmates, even as we were grew into teenagers and young adults we were very close. Then some things went down in Fall of 2010 and I let it come between us way more than it should have and we didn't talk much anymore. So many fears and regrets filled my mind and all I could do was pray. If that wasn't enough to deal with, around 9:30 that same night, we heard a strange sound over the baby monitor. Ryan went to check on Payton and quickly called for me. She was struggling to breathe. She was in obvious respiratory distress. We gave her some albuteral that we had at home, but it didn't help much, so Ryan rushed her to the ER. They quickly gave her a breathing treatment and a steroid. She had croup and it had hit all of the sudden and led to her respiratory distress. That was so scary.

     Wednesday, I felt like I was floating outside of my body. My heart hurt so much, but I tried to work through the pain. Thursday was the same until around 4, I got the call I had been dreading. My older brother Josh called and told me we needed to come quick. The doctors didn't think Ben had very much time left, and we needed to get there to get a chance to say goodbye. It was my first time flying and my first time leaving my girls for an extended amount of time, but none of that mattered. We had to get to our brother! When family needs you, you don't ask questions, you just GO. Our time in Boston at the hospital was a roller coaster. We had so many ups and downs it was hard to keep it straight. By the time we left Monday to a avoid a blizzard and being snowed in away from our families, the doctors were "cautiously optimistic" for a full recovery. A lot can change in the blink of an eye. Today I spoke with Ben over the phone and afterwards he got to take a walk. This time last week there was so much uncertainty, it's hard to believe how much has changed. Ben still has a lot of healing to do, but I have faith God has a bigger purpose for this pain and will use it for His glory.

       Coming home to my girls was bittersweet. I love them and missed them so much, but it was hard to be away from Ben in his time of need. I felt like my heart was in 2 places. My girls missed me while I was gone and have been in need of my constant attention since I got back, and me leaving has seemed to make Rylee's anxiety issues even worse. I got back to work on Wednesday, and was busy playing catch-up for the rest of the week. It feels like this week alone has lasted a lifetime.

     Yesterday was our 100th day of school, so we dressed like we were 100 years old. I feel like I am about 100 years old after all we've been through this month, but I know my God is greater. I have faith in His will and His perfect timing. I am also glad tomorrow is a new month!