New Toys

This is our "Lake" as Ava calls it. A small man made dirty pond that the cows drink out of from time to time. The new toy is actually the little boat. I have no idea where it came from (Chris found it somewhere on the ranch) but it works....and Ava loves it! Showing off her rowing skills!

Our second new toy is the Trampoline. Ava loves loves loves it. Even Sadie has a good time on it.

And last, but certainly not least (especially in Chris's eyes) is the Motorcycle. Chris has been saying for as long as we've been married that he wants one but I adamantly refused to give my consent. As a way of negotiating him out of it I said that he could buy one but however much money he spent on one I would go spend on clothes.

So what does he do? He goes and finds this old thing in his parents shed and gets it working again. Too bad. I was really looking forward to that shopping spree!

Luckily it isn't street approved so he only uses it on the ranch.

And speaking of using it for the ranch....I mentioned to Chris a few days ago how sad it was that Blue didn't get to go with him anymore because he is always riding his bike instead of taking his 4-wheeler. Chris's reply: "He rides with me on the bike." I had to see it and take a picture to believe it! But here it is. The dog riding as a passanger on a motorcycle.

What We've Been Up To

It's been a (long) while since my last post of any real significance so here is a rundown of what we've been up to!

1. Ava and best friend Oakley hang out and watch on "branding day". 2. We learn that Daddy has an inner sidewalk artist in him.

3. Ava learns to paint fingernails.....sort of. (zoom in for a better view)

4. Mom learns that Ava can't be left alone with the cereal box! (You think the couch is bad, you should have seen the floor!)

5. Ava finds out how much fun it is to play dress up. And apparently learned how to strike a pose!

6. On the ranch it's "take your daughter to work day" everyday!

7. Aaawww. She' just so cute. And needed some blog time.

8. Mom tries to learn, yet again, how to drive stick. (not pictured). And by the way, it is extremely difficult to learn in a truck! I'm just saying.

9. Mom learns new ways to keep the kids entertained.

10. Ava in gymnastics doing "donkey kicks."

11. Ava's favorite thing in gymnastics: "the bar"

12. Ava gets a medal for doing so awesome in gymnastics!

13. Ava and Oakley pose with their medals.

14. Sadie learns how to eat an ice pop.

Also not pictured: Sadie learns to climb the stairs.

SWAGGER WAGON

Yeah, I drive a Swagger Wagon. And proud of it!!

Someone really should teach this girl some manners!!!

It's scary being a parent

Remember This?:

Three weeks ago Sadie got sick and ended up in the hospital with RSV bronchiolitis. This past Sunday, less than two weeks later, I could tell she was sick again. By Monday I knew it was not good. Sadie had a 103.2* temperature and was coughing bad. She was also breathing fast, but I had a previously scheduled 9 month appointment on Tuesday so decided I'd have the doctor check her out then. We came home with this:

An inhaler and plastic spacer for her breathing isssues (wheezing), cream for her exzema, and cream for a diaper rash turned yeast infection. They checked her oxygen level while we were there and said she was doing fine and also checked her ear (she had an ear infection with the RSV) and said that was fine as well. Wednesday I felt like she was getting worse. By Thursday her breathing was so fast I thought I must be counting wrong. I decided I'd better take her in again. We came home with this:

Her oxygen was REALLY low this time. A lot lower than with the RSV so they immediately got her on oxygen. They also found that her ear infection was back so we came home with more antibiotics for that. Not to mention we did an X-Ray which was the most horrible part of the whole experience. The contraption they use for infants literally looks like a torture device!! (If you want to see it go HERE...I laughed when I saw this picture because the kid looks like he's enjoying it but believe me when I say that for a nine month old it was torture!)

We had a follow up appointment today and came home still on oxygen AND with a diagnosis of Pnemonia.

Needless to say the last month has been very hard on Sadie and myself. Hopefully this is the last of it. They gave her some very strong antibiodics that will hopefully take care of the Pnemonia and ear infection at the same time. Please keep her in your prayers! She needs them!

Happy Easter!

I know I'm a little late but here it is. Our Easter.

We started on Thursday by making Easter sugar cookies. Ava helped me decorate by putting on the sprinkles.....and then licking them off!
Aaww! So cute!
Friday was Easter Egg Dying. Ava is still a little young to do it on her own so mostly she just put stickers on after I did the dying (am I spelling that right? You know which kind of dye I mean, right?)
She looks so proud!

Saturday I was hoping for an Easter egg hunt but because of General Conference (a mormon thing) the Primary didn't do one. So on to Sunday.

I, I mean the Easter Bunny, put Ava's basket on the nightstand by her bed so she would find it when she woke up. I listened on the monitor hoping to hear her playing with it but a few minutes after she woke up I still didn't hear much so I went in to her room. I found her sitting on her bed staring at the basket and when I walked in she pointed to the basket and said "I want to play with that." It was so cute. So we brought it downstairs and I let her have at it!

She likes to show her food these days.

Sadie is still too young to get a basket but she had fun trying to take Ava's.

Happy Easter!!

P.S. If you haven't heard the news check out my post below!

have you heard the news?!

That's right. Another pregnancy!

No, not mine! My brother Keith and his wife Natalie are expecting their first! We are so excited for them!

Baby Morgan is due August 29th!

Surviving

The winter of endless colds and being sick finally got us in the hospital.

Sadie has basically been sick all winter long but this past Thursday she started coughing pretty bad and each day it got worse. Finally on Sunday I called the doctor. They had us come down to the clinic and after an examination decided she needed to be hospitalized.

Sadie was diagnosed with RSV bronchiolitis. Her main issue was that she was so congested she wasn't getting enouch oxygen. She also had a fever (that took two days and several doses of tylenol/ibprofun to get rid of), an ear infection, a diaper rash, a rash on her leg, not to mention her 9th tooth coming in. It was not a fun time for her. We were in the hospital for two nights and released Tuesday morning under the condition that Sadie stay hooked up to oxygen.

This was by far the scariest thing thats happened to me as a parent. I am so happy to say that she is doing much better and after a follow up appointment today is now oxygen free. Still congested and coughing a little she is recoving nicely.

Sadie (not happy) in the hospital with her oxygen.

Sadie at home (still with oxygen) but SO much happier. As soon as we got home she was back to being her normal self. It feels so good to be home!!

life right now

For two weeks now the girls (including me) have been sick. A non stop cold with cough that we just can't seem to kick. My energy is zilch, my patience is nada and I am so tired! That is why today:

1.Ava had a St. Patrick's day Cupcake (courtesy of Ashley) for breakfast.

2.Sadie and Ava watched cartoons for a good two hours this morning while I spent all the energy I could muster putting away 2 day old clean clothes that were still on the couch, cleaning the bedrooms which had been severely neglected for days, and a bathroom that had been put aside for weeks (so gross!)!

3. Chris got Mac & Cheese for lunch.

4. He might just get Mac & Cheese for dinner too.

At least he didn't try to put it in the house

If your husband uses coyote skins to decorate......

.... he is a redneck you might be a redneck!!

not to mention the other animal parts on display!