Bugs and barks

This past week has just been wild, but then again it is not too different from last week. Busy schedules filled with more things than I seem to have energy to accomplish! However, I must add, since our schedule seems to really worry my dad, that I think everyone I know has been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately and is having trouble keeping up without feeling tired. It is not just me :-)

Sera came down with a nasty virus. I think she may have been coming down with it over the weekend, because she as a bit crabby, but then again she may have just been tired too. She woke Monday morning with 102 temp and it went up from there, even with motrin. The physicians assistant I took her too, since my doctor is out on family leave right now, was great with her and put her on more breathing treatments, steroids, albuterol and antibiotics to keep her from getting pneumonia with the coughing she was doing. He did not test her for H1N1 and said that they only test cases tht need to be hospitalized, she was "healthy" and would get over it. "HEALTHY!!!!" Oh how I loved hearing that!! After all the malnutrition issues, urinary tract issues and frequent bouts of pneumonia, she is now overcoming it all and is considered healthy!! Last year she was at the beginning of the list to get a flu shot, due to her breathing problems with asthma and pneumonia, but this year she has done so much better that she is only on the list because of my profession!

Aubri also came down with it, but knowing that it was a virus, I just kept her home. She only missed band and art anyhow. Well, when she was ready to go back on Friday, I found out that I had to take her to the doctor, because the school would not believe me that she had been sick until she had a Dr note. To say the least, I was not happy with having to take her in and pay a co pay just to expose her to more bugs. Of course, this am she is complaining about a sore throat again and I am praying that she did not get strep while there..

Trying to keep up with school work, getting kids to gymnastics and dance etc... was crazy, but it usually is :-) Even with missing a few things for Aubri and Sera this week, I was still feeling stretched, but that might have been due to being up listening to the nebulizer and coughing going on. Who knows! Anyhow, I just love watching them in gymnastics! Andy is so flexible and can turn himself into such a pretzel, but I most love seeing how he is now able to follow directions, work in a group and do his best without clowning around to get extra attention! Sera is so spunky, when she can go to class, that is, and is laughing and smiling even when she makes mistakes. They have fun and are proud of their accomplishments, which is why I do this!

We went to a fundraiser in the park this past Saturday. The kids had wanted to take our standard poodle, Bella, but we just took our "littles", BaoBao and Bitzi. Our Aztec transported our big dogs well, but this Toyota is a pain when it comes to transporting dogs... No space for a big dog without taking everything, including the kids backpacks out of the back and praying she stays there, since there in nothing to tie her too.

I had not taken a camera. We were not even dressed presentably at all and basically were just out bumming and watching all the cute the dogs as distractions. No one was back to full speed from being ill, except for Andy, who has yet to get sick and I am praying that stays that way! No.. I did not take the kids out to infect anyone, they had been fever free for 3 and 2 full days:-) We basically just walked around and donated a few dollars to the local animal shelter. A photographer decided that he needed take our photo in all of our exhausted glory, though. I was so worried it would be gruesome, but it wasn't too horrible and since we don't have many photos all together, I decided it was OK to share :-)

Yes... my 11 yr old is almost as tall as I am, the photo is not lying!! I cannot believe it!! Oh.... how I feel so OLD!!!

Feeling a bit blue and overwhelemed?

NOT something that happened in Belgium!! I am so envious of those people who witnessed this, but very glad I got to see it! That old "spoonful of sugar" sure does make life more pleasant! Especially when most video footage we see any more does not bring smiles.

Labor Day weekend photos

Our labor day was quiet and without lots of work involved at all! No big picnics or crowds of people for us... I needed some quiet time with my kids and that is exactly what we got! Pop had spent the day with Evelyn and we took off to the pool. I forgot my camera again, but I did grab Pop's on the way out!

Sera has decided that since the water isn't leaking in her mouth now, she is brave enough to try some slides and even try to blow bubbles in the water. BIG change for her!!

Andy has discovered that he is just at the height limit to go down the bigger slide with Aubri and while he was excited to try it, he decided that he would rather practice floating! He looked so little up there and it really made me wish my knee would have held me up at the bottom of the slide.. I could not take him on it.

We did spend lots of time on the lazy river together, though.

Aubri spent most of her time either helping Sera learn to slide or going down the big slide in the deep pool or the high dive. She was so proud that she could do these things without being scared this year!! I was a bit sad, too. My baby is 11 and she is really growing up so fast!! I am OK with her being afraid of a few things and needing me!

It has taken me a week to get a moment to post the pictures, because the following week was definitely very laborious!! Oh, well, it is Saturday again and life is a bit calmer once again. I am so very grateful for weekends!!!

Love Without Boundaries

Love Without Boundaries (helping children in China through medical & foster care) is giving away their gorgeous book, Love's Journey 2. Andy and Aubri's getting to know you story and photos are in this!

I love to look through mine!! So do the kids!

"She Shells Shea Shells by the Sheashore"

Andy is attempting tongue twisters. He thinks he is doing them right and is so proud of himself for getting all the words in the right order :-) Yesterday morning he was singing the above and I asked him what a "sheashore" was. I truly thought he knew. Well, he did, it was not what I expected. He happily told me, " It's a dead EGG, Mom!".

WOW!! I never knew....

I think we will have to check out some beach video... No time or moolah for a trip to the ocean :-)