Southwest Redemption

Because I am on vacation I have been out of touch with a few things but I did check my email the other day and had a pleasant surprise. For all of our stress and lack of sleep Southwest sent us 3 vouchers for $180 each!!! yahoo, now, I just have to use them by next year about this time. Where shall we go? I really was pleased to see that they compensated us for the fiasco. Kudos to Southwest airlines. They are my favorite airline right now. You can still check 2 bags for FREE with them also.

Year One

Time flies. It's hard to believe our little Cole is already one year old. Since the day he was born he has made our home a happier place. His bright blue eyes and big smile will always make our days brighter. We are so grateful he is our son.

Are we there yet?

Friday about noon we all headed to the airport for our fun adventures in Idaho. Colin helped us with our luggage and they gave him a pass to go to the gate with us. It was great! I was certainly nervous. Our flight to Las Vegas was uneventfull and the kids LOVED it. We landed and were all set to eat some dinner at Pizza Hut then head on over to the kids play area. We couldn't find Pizza Hut on the map so we ate Burger King. I knew it was expensive to eat at the airport but they wanted almost $10 for a chicken sandwich combo. That's how it is though.

After we ate we headed for the play area. We were headed in that direction when I realized we would have to pass security. An airport worker tole me that it would take about 45min just to walk there without kids. We only had two hours. The kids were very dissapointed. We found some moving walkways and Jack was in heaven. I am sure that there were many people who thought I was irreponsible letting my kids run around on them.

Our flight was supposed to leave at 7:30pm. I checked the monitors and it said it was delyed until 10pm. Ahhhh! We already had a 3 hour layover now it was going to be five and a half hours. I was frustrated and the kids were getting tired. Jack desperately wanted to play the slot machines. Imagine how that was going. I toyed with the idea of staying the night but really didn't want to fork out the money so we put a movie on and I got Cole to sleep in the stroller. Well 10pm came and they moved it back to 10:20pm. Thankfully Mia made a friend and she had older brothers so they were entertained. Take off time came and went and finally we took off about 10:45. The kids fell asleep right away with the exception of Cole. He needed a lot of covincing.

At some point late into the flight there was an announcement made about the Spokane airport being closed for construction and all the runways were closed. WHAT??!!! They diverted us to Portland and we landed about 1:30am. Don't forget the time difference. It was actually 4:30am for us. The kids were great. The airline gave us a food allowance and we had to be back by 4am to take off at 4:30. The line was very, very,very long and there were maybe 2 people working. It took about 3 hours to get something to eat. I had many other passengers give me help, watch my kids and more offer their assistance. I was taken care of the whole way by wonderful people.

We got on the plane a little after 4am and got into Spokane at 6am. It was so crazy and it often felt like a dream because I was so tired. I napped 3 times yesterday. I can't believe we survived adn I can't tell you how many times I wished we would have gotten that hotel in Las Vegas. Oh well. We are here now and having fun. The kids are loving being in the country with their cousins and Grandma. Grandpa will be home in about a week. They really love the 4 wheeler! We miss you Colin!

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Observations of a 5 year old

We all have physical flaws that we hate right? It's pretty bad though when your own kids point them out to you! On three separate occasions Mia has pointed out or asked me why my physical appearance is the way it is.
For example: "Mom, why is your belly big like that?" As she pats my stomach. My reaction is a bit defensive and I explain to her that I have had 3 kids that have stretched my tummy out and these 3 kids leave me with no time to exercise to get rid of the belly. She just says, "oh."

Then the other day we are all in the car and Mia plainly asks, "Mom, why are your teeth yellow?" Colin said they weren't. Mia said they were a little bit. I tried to explain to her that that is what happens when you get old and that because I nurse Cole I can't do anything about it right now.

And then there is my adult acne which seems to have been active lately with the heat.
"Mom, why do you have those owies on your face?"

I guess I can stop being self conscious because I think she may be conscious about it enough for the both of us. She is seeing my flaws more and more.

Oh, Sunday I had to take her out of Sacrament meeting and put her in a room by herself. At the end of church my friend asked me if I had seen the note Mia wrote to me on the chalkboard she had been in with her daughter just after Mia. I told her no and asked her if it said "I hate Mommy. " Sure enough, that IS what it said.

Mia is always upfront, that's for sure. She gets that from her Mom. Isn't being a Mom fun?

Kool-Aid anyone?

Today Mia wanted to do a Kool-Aid stand. I was hesistant and didn't really want to put the time in but Colin did most of the work. I helped with the poster. We just got the table, kool-aid and cups out and she already had 2 customers. We only charged 10 cents but one guy paid her 25 cents and the other lady gave her a dollar! She was very excited and the people kept coming. She wanted her friend to come over so I went and picked her up. I was glad I didn't have to sit there. Colin even got the deck umbrella out for them. They still got a bit of sunburn. They stayed out for a few hours. One customer came and got just two cups of kool-aid and gave the girls $5 and wouldn't take any change. It was crazy. All together they made $21. I did take $5 to go get more cups and ice. They want to buy games for their Leapsters. (If you are interested I found them at Target just last week for $35 for the original Leapster. It was $15 offon clearance. Hurry if you want one. I got them for our upcoming travel. Spoiled kids, I know.) We will be having another kool-aid stand on Thursday. I wonder if it will be as successful.

Dayton

A few weeks ago, over Father's Day weekend, we spent some time in Dayton with our great friends from medical school! The trip started out a bit crazy!!!! I was driving and I missed my exit. Instead of going to Dayton we were headed to Cincinatti. When we tried to find where we were and how to get back to where we needed to be we took another wrong road, then another. What should have been a 3-31/2 hour trip ended up being about 6 hours. Colin and I were at each others throats, the kids, mostly Mia, kept asking if we were almost there, Bailey had to make a potty stop. Man, that was not a fun experience! We got there and headed off to a baseball game. It was hot, hot, hot!!! The humidity was very high and we were all sweating like crazy. The guys were having a great time but the kids, Kashia and I were not. We walked about 2 blocks to this place where the water shoots up out of the ground. We had no swimsuits or towels but the kids did not care. They also have a laser show over the river. All of a sudden I couldn't find Jack, surprise. Maybe 10 seconds later the lights went OUT!! I was in a huge panic, yelling Jack's name!! We were all looking as fast as we could. There were 6 adults. My mind raced, there were lots of kids and it was very dark! I almost ran to the people putting on the show to bring the lights back on. About 1 minute later, the minute I felt was forever, he came wandering up from the steps leading down to the river. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!!! That boy thinks he can go anywhere and do anything he wants. If I thought the Target incident earlier this year was bad this was that times a million. After that the light show was great, we got to Ted and Kashia's after 10:30pm!!!

The next day was Kylee's baptism. Jack LOVES Kylee because she gives him so much attention and she is so patient with him. Her baptism was so wonderful!! She is a special girl with a wonderful spirit!

We are so glad we were able to catch up with our friends and be there for Kylee!

June 13, 2009 Kirtland, OH
Photos taken by Angie Penrose

Sweet Relief

Well, for two days in a row Cole has been his happy sweet self again! I couldn't be happier! My cough is about gone, no more goopy eyes for anyone. I just wish We were done with the antibiotic for Cole. He poops out 2x a day, guaranteed. I am so grateful for good health!!

recap of last week

Sunday - Father's Day. We went to Dayton the day before for the weekend to see some friends from med school. Their daughter was getting baptized. We had loads of fun but Sunday morning I did not feel well. I started aching and sweating. Cole's eyes had been goopy and green since Saturday. He had weepy eyes anyway so I didn't think much of it. We got home Sunday night and I was completely exhausted! I still didn't feel well and we were all tired.

Monday - Mia had Saftey Town. She got to learn all about ways to be safe. Hence the name. I still didn't feel well. I ached, would sweat and had a bit of a fever. Mia was supposed to be there at 10am. I knew this. I even reminded my friend that it was at 10. Well, I was just loading the kids up at 10:10 thinking that I was doing well. I would get there at 10:30, right on time. Ahhhh, I realize at that moment that we were supposed to be there at 10. I had no mind. We go Mia there and she still had a great time. Cole's eyes were getting worse and by the time I picked Mia up at 12 his eyes were getting pink. I asked a friend who is a nurse who's kids have had pink eye in the past and she said she was sure that Cole had it. Jack's eyes were getting pink too. Before I left the parking lot we had doctor's appointments for both boys. Sure enough they both had pink eye and, as is common, Cole had a double ear infection along with it. Poor baby! they thought Jack may have had strep but the swab came back negative. Mia's throat was red also. Cost $20. We picked up the prescriptions, $35, and later went to the pool. Hind-sight says we shouldn't have! By the time we left both Jack and Mia were crying. I knew they were tired. Poor kids. That night I was feeling better so I tackled the super messy kitchen. Ahh, I love a clean kitchen!

Tuesday - I woke up with a right goopy eye. I knew I had pink eye too. I started drops right away and threw away my contacts. Case and all. I didn't feel that great again but had sick kids to take care of. Cole was doing much better and Jack too. It was a long day. We stayed in. That night we were putting the kids to bed. Both Mia and Jackson had fevers over 101. What now? I could see Mia's eye was getting pink so I started drops for her too. Now everyone but Colin had pink eye.

Wednesday - With the fevers I suspected strep so I took Mia in. I didn't want to pay for for two co-pays again. The nurse practioner took a swab to send off to Pittsburg of all places! I kept thinking, " we live in a medical metropolis. Why Pittsburg?" Whatever. She thought it was just a virus upon virus and just told me to treat symptoms with Tylenol and Motrin. I couldn't believe they were so sick and there was nothing bacterial. $10 more.Mia had to miss saftey town. I couldn't let her expose her friends to pink eye. Yikes! So we fought fevers all day and I was feeling worse! I was so very glad when Colin came hom at 5. We put the kids to bed early and I think I went to bed at 8:30pm. I did have to get up a few times, Jack was having a very hard time, but I slept until 6:30am, I think. I can't remeber the last time I slept that much. I felt a bit better. Oh yeah, Jack napped for about 3 hours and went to bed at 7 still.

Thursday - Jack still didn't feel well. Cole was looking great! I was very concerned about Jack. I asked him to run around with Bailey and he went over, laid on the couch and said he couldn't, he was too sick. I knew he felt horrible. By that night he was feeling better. I let him watch an incredible amount of TV and movies but what else could I do. At least he wasn't whining! He didn't want to eat either. We made it through Thursday and I stayed up to get things going to go camping. I was feeling a lot better and was happy to stay up to make potato salad, cookies do laundry and be by myself and in the peace and quiet! I have to admit, it took some yelling to get the kids to stay in bed but I had things to do.

Friday - I got all the camping stuff packed by myself and loaded in the car. I was pretty proud of myself. Colin took Jack and Mia to swim lessons. It seemed we were on the out with the sicknesses. I had developed this cough that would keep me up at night! That was so annoying! We got to the camp site and had a ton of fun!! We all had a good time, ate great camping food and stayed up late. Why is it when you go camping you have to get up like twice in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom? Maybe that's just me. It was a long night of coughing and such.

Saturday - Cole was up at 6:30 with a fever. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? More sickness? We dosed the baby with Tylenol but he was tired, uncomfortable and fussy. His eyes were getting goopy again by the minute it seemed. I thought the antibiotic may not be working. I was back to feeling not very well either. I slept all the way home as well as the kids. The kids actually slept from 3-5:30. They did not want to go to bed. I went to bed about 10pm. Early for me. I woke up coughing so hard I threw up 3 times but felt better. Less coughing. Gross, I know. I knew Cole and I would be missing church the next day.

Sunday - Jack hates going to church and was throwing a fit so he stayed home with me. Cole still had a fever and so I took him in again. $10 more. This was getting to get old. I felt okay but was very tired. Jack and Mia were well again thankfully. Cole's right ear was still red but a second opinion from the doctor and apparently it looked and was healing like it should. They then looked in his mouth and there were little blisters on his throat. He had hand, foot and mouth. WHAT?! One more virus? After telling Colin via text message at church he put two and two together and concluded that that is what Jack had, possibly Mia, hence the fevers, and now Cole had it. Just treat the symptoms. My baby is just gettng hammered with sicknesses. I got a two hour nap too. I think I am getting better.

Monday - Today he was happier but doesn't want to eat, just nurse. That's okay by me, it's actually easier and it makes him happy. Jack and Mia are better and went to swim lessons again today. Cole stayed home with Colin. We went to the park, had FHE and put kids to bed. Now I am going to bed. I hope so much that this is the last of it. A few more days and we should be out of the woods.

I have been counting my blessings however. At least they are not throwing up!! That I cannot take!