Monday, December 29, 2008

Prayers Please

I am writing you tonight to ask for some prayers.
My mother in law Carol has been sick for about 2 ½ weeks. She went to the dr and they thought it was swollen tonsils type infection and gave her antibiotics. 4 days later on Christmas-eve she went into the ER with more pain and her neck was swollen out like a big soft ball. They did a CT Scan and she had an infection in the fluid around her lymphnods. They gave her IV antibiotics and she went home. She was feeling worse Christmas day and wasn’t able to attend the family Christmas party. By the day after Christmas the swelling and pain were much worse and they took her back to the ER and she went into Emergency surgery to drain and clean out the infection. Her white blood counts were extremely high but have started to come down, but the dr. is still not comfortable sending her home until they come down a bit more.

Today we received a phone call that my nephew Blaker (9yrs old) went into the ER with the same symptoms. High fever, vomiting, and swollen neck. They are sending him to Peoria, not sure if its by ambulance or driving, but they couldn’t treat him in the Quad Cities. I don’t have all the details but Chris said it sounds like he will need surgery as well. This has been very painful for Carol, and now I worry that poor Blaker is going thru the same thing.

Please keep Carol and Blaker in your thoughts and prayers.
Please pray that surgery goes well for Blaker,
and that they both heal quickly.
Thanks so very much,
Shel

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Christmas ornaments

Well, we finally have a tree. Because we were going to move we put off getting the tree, then when we found out we were not going to move we finally went out to get one. Since it was so late in the season we decided to skip the tree farm and just get a pre-cut tree. That was a nightmare since Lowes didnt have anymore and we were stuck getting a road side tree. That wouldnt be so bad, but we just had a terrible ice storm so everything was covered in ice. We brought home the tree and defrosted it in the garage overnight and its now sitting in my livingroom waiting to be decorated.

Last night we decided to go buy new ornaments and they are all sitting on the table waiting to be hung. We have a tradition every year everyone gets to pick out a new ornament. I usually pick out an Angel one in memory of my cousin Adrianne. Last night I was pleased to find the cow ornament our friends Matt and Dawn bought in memory of their beautiful son Kevin. I just had to buy it. I always want to be reminded of the sweet little boy that we were so lucky to have known and loved.

Today I got out my box of ornaments and started going thru them. I should remember that this is a very hard time for me, as some of the ornaments have special meaning to me. The first one that caught my eye was an ornament we were given the first Christmas after Adrianne was taken from us. "Merry Christmas From Heaven." It has a poem that goes with it and it always leaves me in tears. The why's come back and the pain hurts. But I remember that we were lucky to be family for a short period of time and I am greatful for that. Then I saw my Max, and Isis ornaments and the tears began to fall again. Max and Isis were our old dogs that have passed away. So I sat there looking at Kevin's, Adrianne's, Max, and Isis's ornaments and cried. And now I am waiting for Chris to come home so we can put all the sad, silly, funny, happy, and new memories up on the tree and enjoy the wonderful smell of the tree, and the spirit of the holiday fill the house as the kids anxiously count down 4 more days till Santa comes.


I miss you sweet Adrianne and Kevin, but you will always be in my heart, and never ever forgotten. I will celebrate your memory every year when I place your ornaments upon my tree.
Merry Christmas from Heaven
I still hear the songs
I still see the lights
I still feel your love
on cold wintery nights
I still share your hopes
and all of your cares
I'll even remind you
to please say your prayers
I just want to tell you
you still make me proud
You stand head and shoulders
above all the crowd.
Keep trying each moment
to stay in His grace
I came here before you
to help set your place.
You don't have to be
perfect all of the time
He forgives you the slip
If you continue the climb.
To my family and friends
please be thankful today
I'm still close beside you
In a new special way.
I love you all dearly
now don't shed a tear
Cause I'm spending my
Christmas with Jesus this year.
~ by John Wm. Mooney Jr.

Lots of Love,
Shel

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

BAH HUMBUG !!!

WHY !!! Why does it have to be Christmas time? WHY when I am settled into an amazing series. I just bought book 2 last night, well, yeah, I finished the book today. I have NEVER EVER read a whole book in 24hrs. I just couldnt put it down. Now I want to go to the store and buy book 3, but NOOOOO! Chris and Katey wont let me. Chris laid down the Christmas law. If there is something you really really want and its Christmas time, you cant go out and buy yourself said thing. WHAT !?!?! SERIOUSLY ?!?! I want, I NEED book 3. I dont want to wait a whole flippin week to get my next book. So now, I am going to fix a drink, and go pout in my bed and catch up on my soaps.
AND think of Edward.... yummy vampire!

Shel

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

The house

Well, Chris and I were THIS close to getting a new house.
We found a really nice rent to own and we were all ready to give a deposit and move in this weekend. We had been working out a few small details and one big detail. Because of Ashlyn I cant work out of the home. She still gets sick way to easy and I just cant put her in a daycare center. So the only way I can get any income is if I am the babysitter, and the owners of the home have a strict no business in the home policy. I talked to them and they had concerns with the added liability and wear and tear on the home. I assured them I would take out an additional $500K liability ins. for the daycare and they still wouldnt budge. Chris and I discussed it and this is a nice home, but we are not willing to go thru with it if I can not make an income babysitting. So its off. Im bummed, but we got another plan in motion. Now I can decorate this house for Christmas, and I look forward to my sister coming up for New Years Eve.

But since I dont have to pack, I went ahead and bought the 2nd book of the Twilight series.. Im already on Chap. 5, and Im going to bed to cuddle up with my book.
Lots of Love,
Shel

P.S. My cousin Erin just had a baby girl tonight !!!

Monday, December 15, 2008

The Mom song

HOLY CRAP !!!
This is amazing, I almost stood up to applaud right here at my computer.
You will LOVE this!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Sat. Night

Well tonight is a bummer night for me.
Our really great friends back home are celebrating and having a party, and we couldnt go home. I miss having them all so close. But on the bright side, we will have a HUGE house and will have to invite everyone up to our house for a party some time. We actually meet with the guy tomorrow to get the final draft of the paperwork and will hopefully be moving in next weekend.

Today, the kids were on better behavior and they got to go see Twilight. On a scale of 1 - 10 we gave the movie an 8. The book is definately a 10!!! I had Katey prepared that the movie was not going to be better than the book so she wasnt completly disapointed. We were surprised at the amount of stuff that wasnt in the book, and the stuff that was in the book was rushed. We also felt that in the book Bella wasnt afraid of Edward at all, and in the movie she seemed terrified all the time. BUT, we really enjoyed it, and she already wants to go back and see it again. Im still completly in love with Edward. Katey asked after the movie... "Mom, now that we read the book, and we have seen the movie, do you find yourself wishing you were a vampire?" I laughed and said, "yeah, when we got home and I gave Daddy a hug, I bit his neck." We both laughed, but Chris didnt think it was very funny.

Well, I am off to bed, bummed that we didnt get a single drunk dial.... but hey, its midnight, the night is still young.

Lots of Love,
Shel

Friday, December 12, 2008

My kids are in B I G trouble!

Well about 10 mins before Chris got home the kids decided it would be a great time to get in a fight. My kids usually argue or bicker back and forth, but the do NOT fight. I told them to push the dirty clothes down the stairs to the laundry room, well Brandon didnt move fast enough for her so she took it upon her self to tell him to get up NOW!.. Well now Brandon wasn't moving NOW because Katey is not his boss so he just sat on the couch and watched tv. Now Katey decides he isnt going to watch tv until he helps her move the laundry and she said.... Oh No you dont! you are NOT watching cartoons. Get up and help me NOW. Bran replys with move out of the way Katey, you are not my boss... She then turns the tv off. He turns it back on with the remote. She turns it off again and stands in front of the spot so he cant turn it on with a remote. He yells MOVE KATEY, she says NO, you need to help me or you are not watching tv. Bran growls at her and runs across the room and slams into her and trys pushing her out of the way and this is when I hear that they are actually fighting and not arguing. I come down stairs to see Bran trying to push Katey out of the way, and Katey pushing back to stay in her spot. Neither one saw me there and BAM I swat them both on their asses before they know Im there. They both jump up and turn around and look at me and start to "tattle" on the other one. I am now furious that they were fighting and scream over them.... GET YOUR BUTTS ON YOUR BEDS RIGHT NOW AND I DONT WANT TO HEAR A SOUND FROM EITHER OF YOU! With that they both look at each other and give each other that ugh sound of disaproval that its obviously the other ones fault. I then scream again... I SAID NOT A SOUND, THE MOVIE IS OFF !! YOU ARE BOTH GROUNDED !!! Tears and screams as they go to their rooms, and 5 mins later Chris walks in to a wife who is still steaming mad at his 2 oldest children.

So.... I hope this is not a sign of how the weekend will be.
Shel

Thursday, December 11, 2008

I finished the book

OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG
I Need the next book. I swear the last few Chapters I read without breathing. I know the last few paragraphs I held my breath, and Katey noticed. She said, Man the end must be good.... breath mom, breath!

I told Katey she is staying up late to read. She must read on the bus, she must read at recess, and she must read the second she walk in the door. I want to see the movie TOMORROW NIGHT.

She wants to get the next books for Christmas, and I thought how on earth will I survive waiting till Christmas to get the next book, but if there is any way at all that we will move out of this house next weekend, I cant possibly start the next book.

Ok, I have to do some laundry, do some dishes, and get the muchkins in bed.
Lots of Love,
Shel

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Twilight update

HOLY CRAP !!!
If you are not reading this book you are totally missing out. I have been trying to read and then Chris gets pouty after a little bit so I put it away for the night. So I was only about 2 chapters in and I went to bed early last night to get some reading done.. I only got to Chapter 5 and Chris was wanting to watch a movie and pouting that I wasnt talking to him.. so I put it away. Well tonight I decided to read it while Bran was doing homework. HOLY CRAP !!! Im almost halfway thru the book. I swear I looked at the clock and it was 6:30 and I looked at it again about 5 mins later and its now 8:30. I just dont want to put it down. Katey keeps asking... "what part are you at now?" This book is really great and sucks you in really quickly. This is a must read!!! I cant wait to finish it so we can go watch the movie.

Im off to tuck my kiddo's in bed, and settle down for some more reading.
Oh and for anyone who's read the book.... Im already totally in love with Edward!

Shel

Monday, December 8, 2008

Twilight

Ok, I have to admit, I am going to read the book with Katey.
I have heard way too much hype about how awesome the book is, and how great the movie is. Katey ordered the book at her book fair, and since it is in the house, I am curious, and I am starting the book tonight. Katey is already half way thru the book, and has been hooked every free moment reading. She wants me to hurry up and catch up so we can discuss what we are reading. Then when we are done, we are going on a mommy, daughter date to see the movie. Im really excited and am going to go now, so I can catch up on this book. I'll keep you posted on my progress, or if its as awesome as they say it is, I'll post when I am done. Oh and I am still suffering from a bad cough and I am going to make a follow up appt. with my doctor. I finished the steroids and the antibiotic, but I am still not 100% and this cough is horrible. So my "goal" for Dec, is out the window so far. Im hoping I can catch up, and make up my missed days, but I have to get feeling better first.
Off to relax and cuddle up to Twilight.

Lots of Love,
Shel

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Dec. 7th

Ok, so far December is not my month to blog. Im really sorry!
So far I am behind on my dec. goal of working out. Im feeling better from my pneumonia, and Brandon is feeling better too. I brought him into the dr. on Thurs, because he was still in pain and I didnt know what else to do. The dr. looked in his throat and it was infected. After the emergency surgery they should have prescribed antibiotics but they didnt and the Ped. was pretty ticked off. 24hrs. after starting the antibiotic and Bran was eating everything in site. The boy has more color in his cheeks and his throat doesnt hurt at all. He went to school on Friday and surprised everyone when he showed up with all his long hair chopped off, and 2 missing front teeth. The teacher told him, had he not walked up and said Hi to her, she would not have known who he was.

This weekend was really a nice weekend for me. I took Katey and her friend Krissie Christmas shopping. Katey bought for Brandon, Ashlyn, and Daddy, and Krissie bought for her Mom, and her 3 brothers. Every year Cassie and I buy gifts for our kids and put each other's names on it. This way we get what our kids like, and we dont have to ship it. I called Cassie all excited because I picked up PJ's and slippers from her to my kids, and she giggled because she bought her kids robes and slippers from me... we are so awesome! Then I took Brandon shopping today for Dad, Ash, and Katey. He picked out really nice stuff for all of them, and then we went to lunch. This evening, Chris and I went and got a few things for the kids. I just love Christmas.

The plans for this week are to fax our attorney the papers on the house that we want, and if all goes well we should be moving into the house Dec. 19th. Im not going to get too excited though, because there are some def. things we want changed in the papers and if he's not willing to make those changes then we are NOT going thru with the deal. I figure its a buyers market right now and I am not settleing. But I really hope it all works out.

Anyway, I think I am gonna shower, get PJ's on, and cuddle up with the kids and Chris and watch a movie.

Lots of Love,
Shel

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Dec 2.

Well the 2nd day into the challenge and Im already doomed.
I have pneumonia, great, pneumonia... How does a person work out when they cant breath? I guess I'll have to keep track of how much missed time and make it up another day. Im bummed. Im going back to bed.

Shel

Monday, December 1, 2008

Dec. 1st.. new challange

Well, I did pretty well for 30 days of blogging.
This month I am going to do a 30 mins. of exercising every single day for the month of Dec. I will blog every day to show I actually worked out.
This will be a hard month with Christmas and all, but I think I can do it.

SHEL