Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving plans were all over the place this year. In general it was obviously going to be different, not being at home (in N.H.) with all our family celebrating together. The craziness of the day to start the holiday season off. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday...let's face it, it's fun to pig out on all that delicious food. Watching the parade is a MUST! Of course dessert too.... it's just a good holiday!

Originally we were going to just take off...get out of here, go check out someplace else for a few days. The plan was Nashville. Welp...that went out the window when my husband missed the cut off to put in for his pass..MEN! Not totally his fault, he didn't realize the cut off would be so far in advance from the actual holiday. In the end, it made sense to save the money anyway... blah! (for the record, I still want to make it there!) 

Then we decided, well...we can't leave here...BUT there is no pass needed for family to come to us. So we decided to see if his parents would be up for a road trip. They talked about it, and the next day they gave us the good news...they were going to do it! They were going to pack up the car and make the 24 hour drive (WAY cheaper than flying since there would be 3 of them coming, including his sister)  and of course, they could just bunk here with us. WELP... a few days later that plan went down the drain because a storm system making it's way through pretty much everywhere...it had plans of it's own...and it wasn't planning on making traveling very pleasant. :( It just wouldn't be smart for them to attempt a 24 hour drive and get stuck in sleet, freezing rain, or snow when they only had a few days here anyway. They were very bummed...but thankfully, we didn't tell the kids, so it didn't end up ruining anything for them.

In the end, we had a quiet Thanksgiving day here with us. It was perfect too ;) We took our time cooking, A LOT of food....we have TONS of leftovers...but there is nothing wrong with that!! We enjoyed dinner together, and the kids loved it. After dinner we sat around with full bellies for a bit, and then we had some friends (also a flight school family living here on post)  come over and join us for dessert and drinks. It was a good time, with lot's a laughs and playing. So nice to have made some good friends here!

started the day with homemade cinnamon rolls..yummy

 we prepped

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 Mmmmmmm!

 We Enjoyed!!! 

And then we lounged.....with those full, happy bellies....

AND then of course the dessert and playing! 

 She loves her little friend! Talks about her all the time, and was so happy to show "cute baby" her toys! :)

All in all...despite being so far from our families, we really have so much to be thankful for. It was about one year ago that we found out we would be picking up and moving here...big changes... but awesome opportunities. Honestly, we have had some pretty fun family time while here, and even though my husband can't wait to be done with school...I wouldn't change a second of it! It's been a great adventure so far! 

OH!!! And of course "Christmas Charlie" made his yearly debut that night with a gift for the kids. They were pretty excited the next morning!

My Missa is 4

Our little Missa was a princess all day long! She "ate" up every minute of her Birthday, soaking it all in! 4 years ago (on black friday at that) she came into this world fast and furious...and she hasn't slowed down since! She keeps us on our toes FOR SURE!

I felt bad this year, I really didn't have a big party planned...or any party. She has some little girl friends in our neighborhood, it's just such a busy time of year, plus a few of them are moving within the next couple weeks..so I really wasn't sure what to do. I thought about having a few of them over one afternoon for cupcakes and keeping it small.... then the kids were sick... and had school functions going on, and then BAM...it's Thanksgiving, and her birthday. We were going to have some family here for the long weekend for Thanksgiving and I thought, prefect... she will celebrate with them...however a nice storm system full of icy, slushy messiness decided to come in at "the perfect time" NOT! Pretty much making a drive down the East coast...not so fun. So, family will be staying in the north country instead. :(

Really though... Bryn just wanted to be princess for a day. So that she was, she had a cute fuzzy headpiece and we made hot cocoa cupcakes with marshmallow frosting, topped with peppermint mini marshmallows :)

She got to choose what we had for dinner, and she requested PINK, princess pancakes! So that's what she got.

She sat with her sweet, adorable little grin as we sang happy birthday and brought the cupcakes over to her. (everyone had their cameras ready ) ;)

She ate, and enjoyed every single chocolaty bite!

Then despite, the sugar induced craziness going on all around her...she set her gaze on the present sitting in front of her. Waiting to get the "green light" to tear that paper off!

AND then she gets the go ahead....... O.K. Dig in!!!!

She is SO happy to FINALLY have a Nabi tablet of her own!!! No more asking the "Big" kids if she can borrow theirs. She has been waiting for her own for almost a year now. 

So even though she didn't have a big ol' party, she had her family and her crown and she was So very happy :)

Bryn Madeline

November 27, 2009

5:40 am

6lbs 7oz    18 inches

The dreaded Flu

Over the past few years I have been more into homeopathic remedies...vitamins...probiotics.....
It was a little before Bryn was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, however that life change caused me to be more and more interested in "the natural way". I have seen much less gunk since I have changed things, and started using natural remedies...but even more than the actual remedies, I love the precautionary supplements... The immune boosters and my all time favorite...Liquid Silver. Man I use that stuff for everything!

However...when it comes down to my family getting sick, I know it is going to happen. There is no shield around us just because we use certain vitamins and supplements. As much as I love those things, I am NOT in any way opposed to over the counter meds and prescriptions. I have a good mix of both in my house...and Im not afraid to use them! ;)

The flu has entered our home. Last week, Isabella spiked a fever...I mean SPIKED... like normal to 103.5 out of the blue! WAM BAM fever time. Uggggggg! That stubborn fever refused to break.. it was like clock work with the motrin and tylenol....for  SEVEN days!!!!! Poor kid was home from school on the couch. She was determined to go to school two days in because of a field trip. We pumped her full of everything (no we didn't "drug" the kid) Motrin, Tylenol, vitamins, magic water...aka...liquid silver ;)  and lots of fluids and she went. I wasn't happy about that!!! BUT the temp was lower that day... not gone :( but lower....needless to say, she stayed home the rest of the week.
I'm sure some will think this makes me a "bad" mom... not just because my kid didn't feel 100%, but because I exposed their kids to it. Well first... technically they are contagious before you even know they are sick...and second, I think it makes me a good mom, because my baby was so happy that day. She had talked about this field trip since September, she wasn't missing it! Third...she's still alive, and so are the other kids! ;)

Her's finally broke, no real other symptoms, other than some congestion but not bad. Kale is the next victim...coming home from school the other day with a HORRID cough and temp of 104! His school was having an "Operation Celebration" party that night, we were supposed to all go as a family and make a craft to send to some troops for Christmas. Don't worry, we didn't go to that. He spent the afternoon/evening laying on the couch.

We made it to the Clinic the next day and they tested him for the flu. Honestly I didn't realize they actually did that. I mean, I have heard about it, but non of my kids have ever been tested. Anyway...they put him on an inhaler for his awful coughing fits...and of course...after spending an hour at the pharmacy, they called me to tell me we had to go back to get more meds, because his Flu test came back positive and he actually had a double strain of it. The nurse told me the pharmacy actually called her back asking how sick this patient was!? However, he's a tough lil man, because despite all that, he was acting pretty good.



SO....now we are on the mend...and we PRAY no one else gets it. Not holding my breath on that, but I can pray.

SIX!!

It is true...our little man turned 6! How I don't know....(that's what we always say, right). When you are little, you just can't wait to grow up and when your an adult, you don't want your babies to grow up, but time flies. Not to mention when they are 5 they still get in to some places Free. We went to the National Peanut Festival yesterday, Ryan and Kale went to the ticket window and Ryan said "I have 2 under 5" Kale quickly looked at him and said "DAD, I'm SIX now!!" Thanks for being so honest son  HAHA! It happened to be Military appreciation day, so we still got the deal ;)

We kept it simple this year, not a big party with everyone we know...just simple and he enjoyed every minute. We decided to celebrate with friends, their son turned 5 the day before Kale's birthday. So we all went to Chuck E Cheese. The two boys had a blast! The girls did too of course, but the boys felt pretty special since it was all about them. We didn't do any fancy party reservation...just got tokens, pizza and played.

Before coming back home to have cupcakes (decorated for the Boston Red Sox of course!) We stopped at Academy Sports and let Kale pick out his Birthday gift from us... his new bike! He loves it, his old one was too little. I love the Orange!

We then celebrated out back with our friends who joined us at Chuck E Cheese, and some friends from next door. Popcorn, cupcakes and ice cream...yum!

GO SOX! World Series Champions! (Just had to get that in there) ;)

 Mmmmmm!

We have a little tradition in our family, we always have an ice cream cake with just us on everyone's actual birthday. No special homemade cake or cupcakes...that's for the party. Good ol' ice cream cake for our after dinner family time.

Blowing out his candles for real! It was too windy out back at his party so we had to pretend then ;) 

Then we take some fun family photos....well, the girls wanted to take some, so they took turns snapping these :) 

 Crazy family love

Trick or Treat

Halloween was warm this year. We have had warm New England halloweens before, and we have had halloween canceled and rescheduled due to snow storms.... you just never know. This was definitely the warmest we have experienced in awhile though. Heck you could see their costumes because they weren't hidden under a bulky winter coat and hat ;)

The Crew & their friend (who is also from N.H!)

Missa actually woke up sick (yep.... belly ache....throwing up sick) YUCK! We were afraid she wasn't going to be trick or treating :( We were also afraid the rest of us would be hit soon! Dun-dun-dun!!!!!

Thankfully...after laying down for a good part of the morning and resting, she came around. By the afternoon she was back to her normal self! In her own words..."FOOF!" So glad that was a quick one! Also very thankful no one else was hit with it after that!!!

 Our very own Fort Rucker official Fireman!

 Little Missa Mouse

 Our punk rock vampire

Beautiful Mermaid 

They really enjoyed running around the neighborhood, and meeting up with school friends here and there. They happily went from door to door for almost 2 hours! We have more than enough candy in this house now! 

TOO MUCH CANDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!