hospitals, parks, and hospitals?

First things first, We had a weekend with my niece and nephew last week.
Why would anyone have 5 carseats in the car, carrying 6 children you ask? (Elijah taking the picture) 5 kids under the age of 4.....Well Sarah my niece at some black berries....turns out she is alergic! So we went off to the doctors office with 6 children where we had to wait about 1 hour (we had no appt...) Needless to say there were lots of tears, lots of duck duck goose, and even more stares. (Mostly at me I am sure, as I was tyring to entertain 6 children any way possible.) We got some medication, and were on our way....until later. When everything started to swell even worse. Poor girl! She is really allergic!!! So Auntie Kat (being the awesome Auntie Kat that I am spent the night in the Urgent care with her, then up til 4:30 am with a cranky girl. Tori and Tyler playing Castle. One of Toris favorite games!! Jake being jake!! what a good big brother!! Tara being the puppy! 2 extra kids joined the crew for a weekend! My nephew Tyler, and niece Sarah (before she got real bad...) not sure what this face is all about!!! but he is still cute! bathroom break! We have spent the summer playing at the parks in the area (mostly the one next door!) Its so convenient to not have to pack up the kids! Plus with the park next door, we always know we are going to get a clean bathroom...well, most of the time! Sometimes the bathroom gets left for last on my list of chores! Priorities!! Every one wants clean Panties, but nobody wants to do laundry!!

kids running at the park with 100 tress (also known as Mills Park, or Pepsi park if you lived in La Verne back in the early 90's!) Last ditch summer picnic before school starts! Yummy In and Out at the park with cousins. Jake swining at the park! Look at those dirty tootsies!! Little princess loves to swing! Just closes her eyes and soaks it all in!! Last but not least, our little love bug/ pain in the neck :) was hospitalized again last week. Its so hard to get this across to people, who ask, Oh, well she is out of the hospital, is she better? Seriouslly if I get that "oh, so she is better now" after comming home from the hospital one more time I might scream!!!!!!!!! (you have been warned!) NO SHE IS NOT BETTER~She has a serious heart problem. One that does not fix itself, and one that there is no surgery to fix. The only way for her heart problem to be fixed is with a transplant, (which equals a new can of worms meaning no she would not be "better" that way either) or God to give her a "transplant" no cutting required!! The fact is when she comes home from our "tune ups" at the hospital, its not because she is better, but the fact is she can be better managed at home, with our "home" germs versus hospital germs. We have monitors, and medications that we do at home, but sometimes, she needs a bit more supportive care, so our hospital stay will not get any less often until the Lord chooses to heal her completely. (any time now Lord, We are ready!!) She has been admitted 17 times now, in the last 23 months. When talking to the nurses and doctors, they thought that was actually pretty low for someone with her medical history, and condition, so she is doing good with only 17 in their eyes. Its hard, its hard on the family, its hard on her, Its not only her that gets admitted, but its one of us parents, and our other 3 munchkins get shifted as well. Its hard on everyone involved. Our families take on way more then they bargined for, with an extra 3 kids, midnight phone calls, and lots of stress! We are greatful for everyone who helps.

But seriouslly, how cute is she! Tara getting an echo.

Part 2 of Day in the Life....

No pictures as I was to busy with puke and blood!!!
While eating hot dogs for dinner With the dog of course right under Tara :) who was sitting in a big girl chair next to Tori thinking she is all that...falls...thats right. Have you ever noticed how much a lip bleeds? Mom of course springs into action knocking off the box of cinnamon toast crunch that was still on the table from breakfast (yes, breakfast. Complain if you must, but there were "incidents" as previouslly stated. Plus if it makes you feel any better my bathrooms are spotless right now, like you could eat off the toilet seat, or at least let the dog drink out of the bowl) while I am trying to take care of fore mentioned blood, the dog starts going crazy with cereal. Eating it all. I am now at a crossroads of sorts....apply pressure with ice, or take the cereal away. Tara is screaming louder, so she wins. I am asking Tori to get the food away from the dog, but she says that its to gross. So I ask Jake. Has anyone ever seen Jake with his food? He doesn't give up, or stop eating very easy.....He finally tries to take the food away with hotdog in hand and Mac grabs that too. Now I have Tara screaming with blood, and Jake screaming with his hand half way down Macs throat trying to retrive his hot dog. Its gone. Jake is now screaming, (possibly lounder then Tara) food is a big deal. I let Jake know he can have mommys hot dog (which only has a few drops of blood on it that I pass off to him as ketchup). He is happy, and Tara starts to calm down, where I can now start cleaning up "the mess" blood off the chairs (seriuoslly white cushions? what was I thinking) the remains of the cereal box (which is pretty much bits and pieces of cardboard and plastic) and within a few minutes I hear Tori let out the blood curtling scream. I think someone is hurt, bad...I rush over to find the largest pile of puke ever known to man....on Tori's lap. Yup, as it turns out puppies can not eat there normal amount of food, and entire box of cinnamon toast crunch, bits of cardboard from box, a sippy cup spout (still intact, I am debating weather to put it in the dishwasher and call it a day? those things are a hot comodity at my house), and half a hot dog. Sitting on Toris lap. Of all kids!! haha! I run over to Tori to make sure my couch is still safe, I mean make sure she is ok...After I realize my couch is barily saved by the tiny little lap we call Tori I get a towel and start on yet another load of laundry after I hose off the big pieces and fish out the sippy cup spout thats now sitting on my counter in a zip loc. I figure I will decide tomorrow when my mind is clear!!
Now, I am off, and I am hungry. Jake ate all my hotdog....
Expect more stories from this weekend. It will be a day in the life of 6 kids and a dog, I have my 1 year old niece and 3 year old nephew all weekend!! Should be fun!!!!

As promised a day in a life!

As promised (well at least the title says it) here is a day in the life of 4 kids and a dog! Did I mention its only 530? We still have dinner, baseball practice and baths, yet there is still so much excitment!
Jake you get your laso (stick off tree) and I will get my gun (toy pink blow dryer) and we will play cops and robbers and find burried treasure. (pirates would work, but mom doesn't want to hinder the play....) Mac could you wake up and help us find the treasure? Maybe Elijah can help us find the treasure?

I wonder how pretty I will be if I use my sisters make up? Now the one with the brush goes where? Maybe if Tori helps? Am I the prettiest girl ever? "mom watch what happens when I slide down the hill on Jakes Tonka truck!" (does this seem like a bad idea to anyone else?)

Well, I can't show you the other pictures, as it involves Elijah running around the back yard half naked because a bee flew up his pants and stung his ummm.... junk....? What do you do when your favorite toy runs out of batteries? PUSH!!!

Dont make me come down there and show you how it works.... I'll show you how this works... maybe if Sarah turns the wheel and Tara pushes?

oops, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to let Tara push... Aunt Lolo had to step up!






Hope you enjoyed our day as much as we have!!!!

Trip to Havasu!

We just got home from Lake Havasu and had such a great time! Lots of boating, swimming, and having fun with friends. My friend Christie and her son Matt (Elijahs friend) went and spent a few days with Jims dad (Jim ended up not being able to go last minute, work takes priority in this market!). I took a friend of ours from church to help with the kids, and give mommy somthing that usually doesn't happen on a vacation...a vacation! We had such a great time together, and loved spending time with everyone! It was good to be home (we all missed daddy) but the kids were already asking me today when we were getting ready for church if we could go back to grandpas house after church to go on the boat!

Elijah and Matt "cought" a fish! With a bucket!! Chirstie and I are swimming behind our boys!

Jay climbing up this cliff! yes he jumped, twice! No I dont have a picture of that! its an over 40 ft drop!!!

Mac was exhausted after such a long day! Had to curl up with mommy!

the birds would take food right from your hand!

Yes, even mommy jumped of cliffs!

Tori loved driving the boat, and if there was a boat within a 1 mile radius, she was going to let them know she was driving! She waved at everyone and anyone! She has this princess thing down!

Grandpa just the way he likes it, with a girl on each knee!

Mac was worn out!!! Lots of fun on the lake!

Elijah was to busy jumping off cliffs to take a nap!

Within minutes of being on the boat everyone fell asleep! My kids were so excited to get on the boat and "take a boat nap"! Even Jay our manny (our nanny, but that sounded a little to girlie) crashed! Somthing about the roar of the motor put them all to sleep! Even Mac had a nap!

had to put this picture in! its just so funny!!!

Guess who is allergic to bees....

Fun stuff first, then the yucky stuff!! We will start off with swimming, end end with the trip to Urgent care at the end of the post!! Suspence......
Tara and Elijah finished swimming.

Princess girl! Just finished lessons (not the practicully dry hair!)

Jake really likes swimming!

Jake "doing it by himself"

This is the best picture of Tara I have in the water. She doesn't like to be there unless mommy is with her!

Elijah the swimmer!

Tori loves her brother!

Now onto the not so fun stuff!!!

Guess who is allergic to bees.....

Yup, couldn't be any other child!!! Just the one with CHF. Thats my girl!!! No anit-histamines here (heart babies can't take that stuff...), no epi-pens, just a trip to the ER.

How it all started you ask?

Tara was playing in the back yard (as usual!) We are back there all day long. I think I might bring my laundry out there to be folded, as it seems silly that I am outside and its waiting to be folded on the couch! I guess we will get to it in the winter when its to yucky outside to play!! Until then the laundry is on the couch, find your own clothes!! So Tara took her shoes off (at some point, not sure when) and she is walking around singing twinkle twinkle (in her mamamamamamamam) toon to twinkle twinkle, then all of a sudden a scream comes out of her. She walks over to me screaming Yiyah (meaning Elijah) and I try to convince her he didn't do it. I figured she stepped on somthing so looked at her foot right away, there it was (the bee included as she stepped on it so it smooshed in her) so I got a credit card and swept it away took her inside washed her up and applied baking soda. (we are no stragers to bee stings this year, Jake thinks he should catch them!) few minutes into the baking soda, and I see her foot is getting BIG! not just little swollen, but big! I also notice this hard as a rock white line forming from the sight of the sting about 3 inches up her anckle. Not good I know! So I call the powers that be (you know cardiology, and PCP) and there we go off to Urgent Care! Urgent care was great, and treated her very quickly. They lanced it to keep the swelling down, and cut open the area of the sting to get out any left of stinger, also checked all of her vitals, twice! Depending how it looks tomorrow she may need antibiotics in a few days, but they were willing to wait on that.

Because she has the worst timing ever...We are going to Havasu tomorrow. (we happen to know where the Urgent Care it there!!) We are looking forward to the time away, and cant wait to spend the day on the boat!

Can I get a what what!!!!

Or a yipee! Or a woot woot! Or a high five? My boy is stoked! The medium boy! Well, as some (or none) of you know, Elijah missed all but 4 games of his little league season. With the fractured finger after the first game, and mono after the 3rd. Its was a ruff season to say the least! Elijah is a great athlete. (takes after his mother!) he can pick up any sport in like a minute, and within a matter of about 2 mintues have it mastered!!!! Well, at the end of last season there was tryouts for a travel ball team. (about 75 of the best kids try out ) and earn 10 open spots. Well, It was awhile ago when he tryed out, and we had not heard anything. We figured he didn't make it. He was not at the top of his game for tryouts, as he was still techinically (I am glad his doctor doesn't read this....) not able to play yet. We tryed out anyways because the coach asked him too. He did ok at tryouts, but I was there, not in the top 10, or face it even top 25 at the time.
well...........
HE MADE IT!!!
WE got the call last night (well, we got the message, as I was out, and Jim doesn't anwser the phone...ever!) Elijah is so super stoked, and as of Tuesday practice starts. I do have some logistics to plan, as we are planning on going to Havasu on Tuesday with some dear friends of ours, then Elijah was suppost to go to his Grandmas house for a week after that. Hopefully the coach will let those slide as they were planned, but from what I hear, travel ball is tuff, and competitive. So we will see. Yippee, Yippe, The boy is so incredibly stoked. Cloud nine for sure! So much fun!!

In other news......
Taras 2nd birthday party is comming up! We are really excited about it. And after 16 hospital admissions in the last 2 years, it is well deserved. We are going to have it on September 5th (labor day weekend) and combine it with Jim Dears birthday as well (his is the 2nd). It should be fun, and if it all works out, I have some great stuff planned. I will give my 2 faithful readers a sneak peek at what it is...Blood drive!!! I really hope it works out, but this is the plan. Tara as my 2 readers know, got so many blood transfusions I lost count. I am guessing? 60? So my goal would be to put at least the back into the blood bank. We have so many AMAZING friends and family, that I dont think it should be that hard. So if you are a faithful blood giver already (I am) dont go give blood anytime soon, wait til Taras party. Plus instead of getting a cookie and OJ after you give how about bbq chicken, potatoe salad, and birthday cake? Can't beat that!!! So save the date of Sept. 5th and know all is welcome weather we know you personally or thru bloggy world. Our house is open for over night visitors, and if you confirm your reservation early you might even get a bed instead of the floor! (I do have plush carpet so its not horrible....You may get stuck on the floor from juice or cookies, but no biggie). We love you all, and can't wait to see you at the party!
Kathie