A Day At The Park

Oh my gosh! Was it gorgeous today, or what?? As soon as I woke up and saw the blue, clear sky I was instantly in a happy mood. And the fact that the kids were still asleep and I woke up on my own was gratifying also. Gotta love it when that happens. And as I laid in bed looking out the window, I thought "we can't let this beautiful day go to waste." So once the kids got up, we all got dressed and decided to go to the park. I had done a little research and found a park that we had never been to. It is called Collins Park (off of Cypresswood). It is kind of hidden so isn't too too busy. So we were off. But first I stopped and got us some donuts and kolaches to also enjoy at the park. :) We couldn't go without breakfast, could we??

As soon as we pulled up, Zach automatically gets in a mood (and I don't mean a good one). He says he isn't going to play, that he's just going to watch, he doesn't want to play with anybody else, etc. Well, he has been Mr. Anti-Social lately. Anytime there are other kids around, he won't play or socialize with them!! Kind of frustrating when you are doing something nice for them and they don't even want to participate. As soon as he says this, I feel myself getting frustrated, but then I told myself not to worry about it- at least Sophie will have some fun!

This park has two playgrounds which, I loved. One for toddlers (1-5) and another one for the older kids. This is great!!
Sophie didn't waste any time. She went straight for the equipment and started sliding down. She loved it! And Zach didn't lie...he just stood there and watched. So I started to redirect his attention. There was a hill and I asked him what was on the other side of it. So we went exploring. He and Sophie ran up and down this hill about three or four times. Then they found some leaves and even posed for some pictures for me! Zach's attitude did a total 180!
Once we got back to the playground, he was ready to play. And he even made a friend with Iron Man! This was another little boy (probably around 5) that he started to play with. They were playing like they were on a ship and Zach was the captain (go figure). So everytime that Zach called the other boy "Captain," he would reply, "I'm not Captain! My name is Iron Man!!" It was quite entertaining. :)

We were about to leave, but Sophie decided that she wanted to check out the "big" playground instead. And to my surprise, they both went down a big slide!! It was so much fun!
We didn't stay at that one for very long, it was getting later so it was getting kind of busy and crazy with all of the older kids.

I was quite proud of myself (we all know that I'm not a real "outdoorsy" person), we stayed at the park for almost two hours!!!! The kids loved it! And of course, we all want to go back soon. It was a very pretty day to spend with my kiddos!! I can't wait for more days like this!

Sophie's Funnies

My Baby Girl has been crackin' me up lately. Here are a few of the funnies...


She now tells Zach to "hush!" Oh my gosh! Hilarious!! "Hush, Zach!" is what you will hear when she doesn't want to 'hear' it. Or when she is trying to hear a movie. Lol!

The other day Sophie pooted and she looks at me and smiles.
I asked, "Who was that?"
She replies, "You!" (remember this is how she refers to herself)
I then asked, "What do you say?"
She says, "Thank you!"
"No." (as I am now cracking up)
"Please."
"No."
Then she finally remembers, "Excuse me!" :)

Now when she really wants something she now understands that she must at least say please. Like tonight when she wanted a cookie before dinner...
"Peas?"
"No, no cookies before dinner."
"Peas?"
"No Sophie. Maybe after dinner."
"Peas???" (as she grabs them closer and cocks her head- seriously, where does she learn this stuff?) :)

And no, I did not give in just because she was being cute about it. :)

And of course, now that I sat down to actually blog about them, I can't remember any more! Oh, well. I will save them for a later time. ;)

Favorite Jammies

Enjoying a little television...in his 'old man' jammies in the rockin' chair. :) Have I mentioned how much he LOVES these pajamas?? Oh my gosh... he wants to wear them every night!! They were passed down from Cousin Cole, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it, or not. But Zach does mention that they are soft, warm and comfortable. Hilarious coming from a 4 year old!! Oh, I don't really need to tell him to get dressed for bed anymore. He wants to put them on as soon as it looks like it is getting dark. So funny!

Simple Pleasures

I saw that my friend, Jayne had done a post about simple pleasures 'in life' a couple of weeks ago and I told myself that I wanted to do one also.
So here goes...a few simple pleasures...little things that just make me happy!


*a good nap (not too long, not too short, just right) *mom's good cookin' *a nice, cold beer *flip flops *a hot shower *flowers for no reason *mexican food *tight hugs from Zach and Sophie *smooches from my honey *Burt's Bees lip balm *getting my back popped from Gabe *trying out a new recipe and it tastes good *riding with the sunroof open *trips to Target and Hobby Lobby *watching home movies *trips to visit family *time with my girls *getting to go to a movie *a massage *hearing an oldie, but goodie on the radio *cupcakes *looking at open houses (to get ideas for the house) *the lake *hearing Sophie say new words *a clean house *Gap on sale *watching movies cuddled up on the couch with Gabe *blogging *the beach *Taylor Swift's music *hot chocolate *pedicures *sunny, breezy days *watching cartoons with Zach *good hair days *Zach's dimples *Sophie's "cheese" face *live music *Yankee candles *exercising (when I actually do it) *family time


What are your simple pleasures??

Love Is In The Air

I awoke to Zachary's stare. It was pretty funny. I was actually in his bed with Sophie. Zach had slept with Gabe in our bed. The kids had been a little under the weather and not sleeping well, so that is how we ended up. Crazy, I know.
Zach was asking for milk, so I told him to go get Daddy to do it. I figured it was Valentine's, I could stay in bed a little later, right? Zach made the comment that Daddy was leaving. I thought maybe he was about to go get us some breakfast. Then I told Zach to tell Daddy that Mommy does not want any candy!! He starts to leave to tell him, turns around and says, "He's already gone."
Oh!! He snuck out of the house without me even knowing!! Sneaky little guy!!
A little while later, my sweet hubby comes back and the kids are yelling for me to come to the kitchen. And that is what I found (above picture)... a whole bunch of goodies for me!! Flowers, a teddy bear, candy (I know), and a fantastic fruit basket. Yum!! And he even bought his own gifts to give to the kids.
Thank you, Honey!! I love you!!

The kids got lots of candy. Some from me, from Daddy, from Grandma, and then what Zach brought home from school!! Crazy. I also got the kids coloring books and some more accessories to go with their Zhu Zhu pets.

We had a relaxing Valentine's Day- no big plans. Sophie was still running a fever on and off and we definitely all needed a nap due to the lack of sleep the night before.

Hope you all had a very Happy Valentine's Day!! xoxoxo

Sammy Sue & Her Clot

I figured I should blog about my niece, Samantha (aka Sam, Sammy Sue- I will probably refer to her like this throughout this post). Some of you are already aware of what happened to her, but like anything else, this is important and I blog about the important things (sometimes even the not so important)! :)

A couple of weeks ago, I was visiting my sister, Becky and she was telling me that she was awaiting a phone call from Sam telling her what was wrong with her leg. Sam was supposed to go to the doctor and let Becky know the update. Apparently Sam's leg was very swollen and sore. It had been bothering her for a little while, but she didn't think too much of it because she thought that she had just pulled a muscle while exercising.

I decided to leave to go home and I told Becky to call and let me know what was happening and if she needed anything to let me know. No sooner than I walked in the door with the kids, Becky was calling me to let me know what the doctor said. Sam had a blood clot in her leg and the doctor sent her to the emergency room to get an ultrasound. Becky was driving up to Sherman (north of Dallas) and wanted me to go along for support and company. I packed in a matter of minutes and made plans with my parents to drop off the kids with them since Gabe had to work. We left about 5:30 that evening, dropped off the kids with Grandma & Papa, and made it to the hospital at about 11pm.

When we arrived, Sam had already been a room for a little while. It was confirmed by the ultrasound that she definitely had a blood clot in her leg. And she was on bed rest so that the clot would not travel to her lungs. The doctor was already concerned that she might have had a small clot in her lungs because Sam said she had been short of breath at work. They also took an x-ray and an EKG in the ER. Other than that, that is all that we knew. The nurse on duty really couldn't tell us a whole lot. A lot of the paperwork hadn't made it from the ER yet and the doctor wouldn't be in until morning. So, Becky and I decided to leave for the night and go to the hotel.

I think we maybe got 5 hours of sleep that night. We were up by 6am so that we could be at the hospital in time to see the doctor. It was unknown what time he would make his rounds, but we didn't want to take the chance of missing him. Becky obviously had a lot of questions, but she also needed to know if she could leave the country the following day. Her and Dan were planning on leaving for Rome for a full week.

We sat with Sam all morning trying to keep her entertained and comfortable. She was hooked up to an IV which was a blood thinner medicine. Her leg was really swollen- all the way down to her ankle. And that didn't seem to be getting any better. One of the nurses had a good idea- let's measure it so that we can track it. Her good leg measured at 17 inches and her swollen leg measured at 21 (if I remember correctly). The doctor came in finally at 2:15! He was very thorough and answered all of our questions before we could even ask them. According to him, the clot was most likely caused from her birth control since there was not a family history of clots and that she was so young. He suggested that she stay in the hospital till Friday (this was Wednesday), stay on the blood thinner medication, and on bed rest. Over the weekend however, she would have to stay in bed and give herself injections of another blood thinner medication. Luckily, Sam has a really good friend whose mom offered for her to stay at their house until she got better. This made Becky feel a little more comfortable with leaving. The doctor also ordered another ultrasound to track the progress of the clot. The nurse was to call Becky once she got the results back.

So, we decided to leave. It was hard to leave though, knowing that Sam didn't have any family there to take care of her - I can only imagine how Becky felt. It was still 'up in the air' as to what her and Dan were going to do about their trip. They decided to make a final decision once they got the test results back that night.

We met my parents again to pick up the kiddos. As usual, they had a good time at the lake with Grandma & Papa. We then continued on our way home. The nurse called while we were driving through The Woodlands. They did confirm that a small piece of the clot had traveled to Sam's lung, but the doctor felt confident in his original plan. Most likely she would still be discharged on Friday. Becky dropped me and the kids off at about 8pm that night (what a long day) and she said she would be in touch with their decision on what they were going to do.

Overnight, they decided to cancel their trip. They figured if anything should happen... well, you know how that goes. I think we have all been there before. When I called Becky that morning, they were already on their way back up to Sherman.

Day 2 in the hospital: A new doctor comes in and decides that a specialist should see Sam. Her leg and ankle were still really swollen and at times getting bigger! The specialist decides to run tests to definitely make sure what caused the clot. They also have to watch her INR level. Not sure what that stands for, but the target number to be discharged is to be between a 2-3. Hers was at a 1.6. To check her INR, she has blood drawn 1-2 times a day!

Day 5: The nurse had trouble finding a pulse in Sam's foot. They gave her an EKG and hooked her up to a heart rate monitor which they watch constantly. She also had a MRI to look at the clot to rule out a few things. Left untreated, Sam would have a lifetime of problems with this leg. It could even result in loss of a limb. But the procedure that they were recommending would be to prevent future problems. The results from the MRI came in. She was diagnosed with May Thurner Syndrome. Here is Wikipedia's definition:

May-Thurner syndrome in medicine is the name given to the situation in which deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the iliofemoral vein is caused by compression of the left common iliac vein by the overlying right common iliac artery.^[1][2]

This was something that she was born with. So the clot was not caused by the birth control.

Day 6: Sam has the procedure done. The doctor went in and used a stent to 'prop' open the vein, he also inserted a filter so that none of the clot would travel while he was doing the procedure, and he cleaned out the clot (100 cm) which went from her belly button to the top/mid of her thigh. She would have to stay in recovery for 24 hours.

Day 7: Sam got out of ICU and everything looked good. She was cleared to be discharged for Wednesday morning! Only a week later!!

Day 8: Sam was discharged from the hospital and they packed up and drove home.

She is still taking blood thinner injections (I think only once a day) and she still has to have her blood tested every few days to make sure the medicine is working. Other than that, the swelling has gone down and she is feeling fine. She has been home for about two weeks to recuperate. And she has a follow up appointment tomorrow in Sherman. I will be sure to leave an update when I know something. I know she is anxious she get back to work and her friends!

Cute Pic

I couldn't resist this photo. Wearing her 'heels' and playing with her new doll house! Girls are so much fun!! :)

Open Wide and Say AHHH

Who knew that my husband had an interest in orthodontics? Lol, just kidding! After Sophie's party, the kids were enjoying some of the candy from the pinata. And her cousin Cole discovered that he had a little problem. One of his baby molars (which was attached to his permanent retainer) came loose!! Obviously, with the retainer being permanent, there was no way to get the tooth out unless the retainer is cut. So, who else to save the day?? Uncle Gabe!! In the picture above, notice the wire cutters on the counter. Gabe had to use those to cut the retainer! It was crazy! Poor Cole though. He had had a rough day all around. Earlier in the day, he had a basketball game, in which he got hit in the face with the ball. My sister took him to the emergency room to make sure there was nothing broken in his nose. Luckily, he was okay. His nose was just really sore and tender. We think that that is what caused his tooth to come out so easily while he was eating the candy.
Cole's dad was out of town for the weekend. Sandra said, "All of the exciting stuff happens when Stacy isn't here!" I think he had a little bit of a guilt trip awaiting him when he got home though. :)
Look at the determination on Gabe's face. Too cute. :)
And to think that I almost forgot to blog about this! Definitely blog "worthy."

My Baby is 2!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my sweet, sweet baby girl!! I can't believe that you are 2 already!! Mommy & Daddy thank God everyday for having such a wonderful, smart, little girl that makes us laugh uncontrollably!! xoxoxo

We had Sophie's party on Saturday. I think it was a success. We had a Strawberry Shortcake theme this year. No, she didn't pick it, I did. But I figured that she would trust my decision. Lol! Sophie was a pro at opening her gifts. All I had to say was "Let's open your presents," and she was off! She ripped through each present so fast, that I could barely keep up with her. She got lots of cute spring/summer clothes, some more toys (including the famous Zhu Zhu pets), and the cutest lamp for her room. The cake was awesome! Estelle pulled it off again, but we knew she would. When it came time to sing Happy Birthday, Sophie slowly sank down behind the counter to hide from everyone! It was so funny!! But she quickly recovered to blow out her candle. Which by the way, she was also a pro at. We had a strawberry pinata that the kids all had a good whack at. And this year, Dallas let us borrow her toddler size moonwalk and the giant, blow-up slide. The kids had a blast! Zach has already asked if he can have one at his birthday. :)
Thank you to everyone that came and made Sophie's day so special. And thanks for all of the neat gifts!! We really appreciate it! xoxo

Things That Make You Go Vroom!

While at Dane's party, the kids played with his truck that he got for Christmas. They looked too cute to not take a picture! :)

Dane Turns 2!

Happy Birthday Dane!! Sunday was Dane's actual birthday, but Saturday was his Big Construction Birthday Party!! Jayne had everything decorated and set up so cute!! We munched on yummy food and devoured the "dirt" cake! Yum-o! The kids had a good time- they got to play and jump in the mini-moonwalk. Which is right up my kids' alley!! Oh, and I think we get the prize for the best gift... once Dane opened it, nobody else could touch it. It was hilarious... Dane & Gage were fighting over the present and Sophie was just standing there watching. Priceless!

Zach teaching Dane how to play with his new toy.

Sister's Inc. (or are we now the Fab Five?) :) Ashley, we missed you!

Sophie passed out on the way home...the party wore her out!

Happy Birthday to Dallas!

For Dallas' birthday, Jayne & I met her for lunch in Katy at the Rainforest Cafe. It's perfect, because Katy is about as close as halfway between Cypress and Weimar as you can get! :)
We had a good time visiting, eating and catching up. We surprised her with a great present- but first I need to preface the story...
On our last get-together Dallas noticed that Jayne & I had on the same style and color of shoe. And made a comment that she was the odd man out. So we got the bright idea to buy her some black converse just like ours!! We were so excited to give her the present and almost couldn't contain ourselves through ordering our food because we were anxious for her to open it.
And... she loved them!! Yea!!
We enjoyed our afternoon together, but let me tell you...don't get tricked into buying a yummy, pretty drink in one of their souvenir glasses!!!! When ordering a beverage, I specifically told the waitress that I would like a "regular" glass. NO, I did not get a "regular" glass. I got a Rainforest Cafe glass that I HAD to end up buying!!! I couldn't believe it...even after talking to two managers about it, I still did not get anything! Needless to say, we may never go back there again. :)
Happy 24th (we still feel that young, right?) Birthday Sister! xoxoxo

M.I.A.

Yes, I have been missing in action lately. Well, now that I type that, it's actually just been a tad boring around here. Now, don't take that as me saying that the kids are boring- because we all know that that could not possibly be true. They are definitely keeping me on my toes. It's funny, they get SO hyper around each other. When I just have one of them at a time, they are so calm- it's so peaceful. I can hear myself think. I appreciate that every once in a while, but then again I appreciate having Zach to entertain his Sister too. It's just the yelling, screaming and fighting that I don't miss! Lately the fights have been about Zachary's Nintendo DS. Sophie thinks she knows how to play it, so now she always wants a turn. It gets frustrating- Zach will be the first to say he wants to play it, goes to get it, but then Sophie will then want it. I have to explain to her (every time) that it is Zachary's toy, she has to wait her turn until he's done. *Sigh* But back to what I was trying to get at: January always seems to be that way though- boring. Don't know why. Maybe it's coming down from the holiday "high." Lol, I'm not sure- but that's what it feels like.
So, I'm back... with a few posts in tow! :)