***WARNING***

The good news is we are alive! A little techno disconnected for a while, but definitely kicking!  The bad... I'm behind on EVERYTHING! ...Including, obviously, my blog! But we've been having a lot of fun... So brace yourselves.... we are about to start spewing posts.... A whole MONTHS worth!  :)  

And now, you can't say you weren't warned!  hahaha. 

A few ounces lighter!

Harrison got his tonsils and adenoids out yesterday!  He was SO brave!  And SO excited!  hahaha.  Trust me, I didn't sugar coat it, I explained what was going to happen.  But the only thing he cared about was the ice cream and popsicles!  :)  What can ya do?!  Here he is before, in the waiting room! 

Then they called us back, got him weighed and measured and gave him some stickers... He got really excited, he thought he was done!  He showed me his stickers and said "I did so super good!".  Too bad that was the easy part!  It wasn't until we had to put the gown on that he started to suspect this was serious.... he started watching everyone really close... and he hated the gown!  hahaha.

But I explained it again, how things would go, and he seemed to relax a little...

The nurses loved him!  His hair always gets him attention!  But he was putting on the charm!  Singing them songs, giving me lots of hugs and kisses and yelling "I Love You!".  I'm pretty sure everyone in pre-op could hear us!  :)  Too bad I didn't care!  He was happy, and while I felt kind of guilty that he was so excited, I was SO glad he wasn't scared!  He also got to color for a while...

And then they came to get him.  They had him lay back in his bed and gave him a warm blanket.  He looked a little nervous. So I told him to listen and be super good for the nurses and that I'd be waiting for him.  He smiled at me and said "Don't worry, I will be brave.".  It was all I could do not to cry.  Where the heck was my courage!  Seriously!  I kissed him and they were off. 

About 20 minutes later the dr. came to find me in the waiting room.  He said everything went well, he had done so good.  He couldn't believe how big both his tonsils and adenoids were, and infected!  He seemed relieved that they were out, that made me feel tons better!  ...And then I was off to post-op! 

He is awake in these pics, he was just resting.  He didn't cry or panic or anything.  I held him for a little while and then laid him on the bed so he could get more comfortable.  The dr. came over to see him and told me again how good he had done.  He was asking questions and talking their ears off right up until he fell asleep.  :)  I'm SO proud of him!  I know he was scared... I was scared!  But he is tough!  :)

He is doing pretty good overall.  He isn't talking much or anything and he's been kind of sick.  But it's already been hard to keep him down and resting this morning... and it's only 10 am.  And he hasn't really touched those popsicles and ice cream... I'm guessing that will happen as he feels a little better!  ...And so, the recovery begins!  :)    

HaPpY "PaTrIcK'S" DaY!

Patrick got his package from the Chapmans... a day early.... and opened it anyway!  :)  He always gets so excited!  hahaha. (He had just woke up, he really was excited!)   

Him (and Harrison) with all his treasure!  I couldn't believe how much stuff with in there!!  :)

The next day started with a visit from a leprechaun.  He left us a note:

And little green footprints all over our house.  Along with a few lucky clover he lost that the boys had to find in order to get a treat.  They had a lot of fun and they thought it was totally cool that he had been in our house!  hahaha.  There are definitely perks to being a parent... days like this are one of them!  It is SO fun! 

Then we were off to the zoo, it was our closing ceremony for spring break.  I didn't get a single picture while we were there, which is ok we have pics at the zoo.  But we went with some friends, and the kids looked so cute in their green shirts!  Bummer... Maybe next year.

And then that evening we took Harrison out for his "last meal" before surgery.  He chose Red Lobster (with some major pushing from dad and Jackson, all he wanted was mac 'n cheese!  hahaha.)  I got us all shirts, so we were a green family!  :) 

This was the only one we got of Reagan,

...so I got one of her later that night!  

And here are the boys (today), in the shirts they got from Grandma Debi.  We've been wearing green for a few days now!  ;)  Why not?  We can always use more good luck!  :) 

I'm Gonna Getcha!

Jackson had to build a leprechaun trap as a school project.  They worked on it all last week and then he turned it in on Friday to be set over spring break... in hopes of catching one on St. Patrick's Day.  He'll find out Monday if he was successful.  :)  But here they are hard at work.
Painting:

Gluing:

Test run:

 The finished product!  He is SO cute!  He worked hard and he was very proud!  :)  It turned out awesome!

S'MoRe Please!

Mmmmm... smores!  :)  We made them the other night for family night... they were microwaved, but still VERY good!  :)  Lots of gooey fun! (I made 4 just for me after they went to bed!  hahaha.)  Jackson was in heaven!  haha.

Harrison does NOT like to be sticky.  hahaha.  I have no idea where he gets that from, definitely not from me!

And Reagan got a new highchair!  (Thanks to our friends the Youngs.)  She LOVES it!  She loves throwing things off of it, pounding on it and the fact that she gets to sit right up there with the rest of us!  :)  I love that it's smaller, easier to clean, and it forces her to sit up!  (Maybe this could promote other things like sitting in a grocery cart or in a highchair at a restaurant. Keeping my fingers crossed!) 

I don't know why, but my kids all seem really BIG in these pics!  That's kinda freaking me out, not gonna lie!  Where does the time go?  Love 'em to pieces!

Running on FUMES....

After a week of feeling (and looking) like death, I am finally feeling more up to snuff!  I still have the remnants of a naggy cough, but it's good for my abs, so whatever!  ;)  I am way behind on about 15 projects... I got paint the day before I caught the "suck the life out of me" virus that drained my tank... so there is more to come.  But here is some of the catching up I have been doing!  :) 

Birthday Decor:

Birthday Boy/Girl Chair Covers!  (I am still debating on ironing on some "Birthday Boy" "Birthday Girl" fun, we'll see.)  The fabric is cuter in person, I promise.

Fun pocket for cards/surprises.

And the Table Runner.  Our table is square, so the runner is square.  I was going to do a table cloth, but this was cheaper... and I think.... cuter. (The pretty flowers are from Patrick... and the boys!) 

The Living Room end tables:

Reminder of before.

And NOW!  I LOVE them! 

I am going to get the ottoman/coffee table done next.  I am SO excited!  I also have paint for my kitchen/family room so keep a look out for that!  And I have a fun door/divider project I am hoping to get done in the next week or so!  Sigh, it's SO nice to feel like me again!  :) 

Whaaaaat?

On Sunday, the miraculous happened!!!  It SNOWED!  (Even weirder.... it's 80 degrees today!  hahaha.)  But when the Elams invited us to tag along for some snow time fun, we jumped!  :) 

It's not the Utah snow we are used to, it was VERY wet!  But they totally didn't care! 

They came back frozen and soaking wet... they had SO much fun!  :) 

Reagan and I hung out at Tom and Donna's house while they had their adventure. :) And I didn't remember a camera, so these are from Patrick's phone.  But Kerri got some of them, so when I get them, I'll post some more!  :) Thanks for the fun Elam clan!

A Day in the Life...

of Harrison.  :)  He is our middle child, between the one in school and the one with needs.  Which means he is sometimes not the one getting as much attention as he deserves!  It makes me feel so bad!  Because this kid... is amazing!!  He is my sweetheart, mommy's little buddy for sure!  He tells me "screecrets" that usually include telling me "You are beautiful mom!" or "I love you!".  :) He's so good at playing with his sister, and she thinks he is hilarious!  He LOVES to be outside with his scooter and Oakley and the "cranky".  :)  He is a good helper and an all around good boy!  I love him SO much!  ...Even if I don't comb his hair everyday!  :) 

I have A LOT of pictures of this kid eating!  It is his favorite thing to do! ;)

Trains... it's either these or dragons!  haha.

Um, how cute are they?!  Mom has been sick, so there has been a lot of relaxing this week!  I have such good kids!

He is our Show-Boater!  It's not about speed or winning... it's about Presence!  haha.  And he LOVES that scooter!  :)

Just thought he deserved his own post!  :)  And he is pretty cute, so a few extra pictures of him doesn't hurt either!  :)  LOVE you my big little boy!