This past weekend, we had a lot of family come in from out of state due to a memorial that was supposed to be held in honor of Brad's cousin that was killed in a plane crash with Ags Over Texas 10 yrs ago. This was the only article I could find quickly relating to such. But because of all the extensive rain we have received and were receiving at the time of said event, it was cancelled. However, the family was still around, so we got together a few times. Here's an attempt at a 'little kids with Muna' picture. Sorry for my camera phone quality. Imagine trying to get 10 kids 5 and under to sit still and say 'cheese'. ;)
We met up for at the Country Club for a nice luncheon to also honor Tara's bday. She's the big 15 now. Man, how time flies.... So here's the whole crew in one of the reserved rooms. Welllll....ok, actually its not the WHOLE crew. There are a few families missing from the whole crew. This was everyone that was here this weekend though. You know, I'm not sure if I've seen everyone from everywhere in this family in one place at one time. Hmm...
Here's the 'kid table'....
And the 'biggest' kids...Chad, Brooke, and Tristan...
Another attempt at a kids picture? Alli, Tristan, Brooke, Cami, Chad, and Pierce in front. (missing the 'babies' in this one)...
Said babies...Jayden and Brenna...
Tara opening cards and presents...
Brenna wanting more cake...
And talking to Bridwell (her uncle)....This is huge b/c normally she sees him and goes the other way, but she sat with him and had a good 15min 'conversation' with him....
My girls...(horrible picture I know, but I like their outfits anyway)...
The rest of the weekend, we spent outdoors (yes in the above-mentioned rain) mowing, edging, cleaning out the garden, flowerbeds, planting some new stuff, putting up lattice, putting up fencing, and cleaning the garage. I also bought some LED lights and strang them around the top of the outdoor gazebo, so now we have outdoor lighting! It looks nice! We got rained on and didn't care much. It is the only time we have to get things done around here...and even then, our weekends are packed! But we got a lot done and are now in garage sale mode. We have accumulated more stuff than we even know about (where does this stuff come from?!?!?) and have decided we'll try to make some extra Christmas spending money. So, game on. Garage sale this weekend!The girls are doing ok. We have battled and are still battling staph infection. My hands are so dry from washing them and sanitizing them, I can barely stand it anymore. We give separate baths, launder slightly-used towels immediately, use neosporin dramatically and yet still, despite our efforts, both girls have had and have a case of staph infection. Brenna's started as a mosquito bite on her hip. We were able to drain it (reluctantly) at home and have been treated it as best we can. Why you ask? Oh, because we couldnt' take her to the doctor. No doctor we called had any appts available. Any. We called our pediatrician ("yes, um, my 17mo old has probable staph infection and I would like her to be seen by a doctor") and they tell us they are too booked. So, Plan B....we call our Primary Care Doctor, who's never seen her before, and ask the same information. They, are as well completely full and are turning people away. Their recommendation was to go to Urgent Care or the ER. Yea, I don't THINK so. So, we treated her at home as best we could, with gobs of Rx-strength antiobiotic cream we had leftover from MY staph infection months ago. We drained it several times a day (much to her dislike and discomfort.....and that's putting it mildly). We bathed her in warm baths daily for a long while. And now, little Brenna is better. Not 100%, but better. The knot is still there underneath the skin, but the sore spot is showing less and less. I'm still a little concerned b/c of the knot there. Maybe I should call the dr? Oh, why would I do that? Just to get referred to the ER?
Anyway, sorry...I'm on a bit of a soapbox b/c I am still in shock of being turned away by not one, but two doctors for staph infection for a baby! Universal health care here we come! Oh gee. Can't wait. (note sarcasm)
So then, despite all our preventative, somehow Brooke still managed to come up with a staph infection of her own. However, hers is in a much worse spot. Let's just say its not a good spot to have a staph infection for little girls. So, she is four. She can't be carried into the bathroom unknowingly to be tortured for minutes on end. So, we settle for a dr's appt with our PCP a day or two later (after we were once again turned away by the pediatrician). We went in today and let me tell you..... That is not something I care to repeat anytime in my lifetime! Basically the doctor had to drain (by applying severe pressure and squeezing) the spot. I've already mentioned its in probably THE most sensitive spot a little girl can have. THE most painful. THE most embarrassing..esp at four years old. Let's just say the whole dr's office knew we were there and what was being done to my precious little girl. It was awful! But, he did get it to drain. He sent us home with oral antiobiotics (2x/day), more Rx strength cream (3x/day), and instructions to give two warm clorox baths a day (1/4cup clorox to a bath). All that together and he hopes we will be able to avoid having to do any more draining. Praying for that!
Now, for some not-so-depressing news....
I have one day left in my 30day challenge (which is really only 20 days?) on the Wii Active. My review? It is not all its cracked up to be. I felt like it has done nothing. I am not sore. The workouts for the most part are not hard or enduring. There are a few that are challenging. For instance, my body is not meant to jump at this age. So any workout involving jumping? Not for me. But the rest of the workouts are relatively easy. The upper body workout is pitiful. And nothing to work your abs? So, not impressed. But my goal was to complete the challenge and so I will.
But afterwards, I will be doing the Wii Fit Plus. It is the sequel or add-on to the Wii Fit. We've always been big fans of the Fit. I like how it is much more sensitive to your movements (as opposed to the Active, which is hard to get to recognize your movements). We bought the Plus this weekend and it is not only loads of fun, it gives you a good workout too! I haven't done much with it yet, but Brad says the chicken flap game leaves him extremely sore. I like the marching band one myself, but hey...I'm biased. I like that now, it has added in a calorie counter and you can build your own workouts! But for the fun stuff, it now lets us create profiles for our four-legged family members. Hehe. Here's Brad weighing Bailey in....
And next was Barkley's turn...haha!
So now, as Brooke would say, "Our whole family is on there!" Even the cat! And for just some cute pictures to end on... here's Brooke and Brenna in their new matching nightgowns...
And riding the 'horse' to bed...
Brooke is still doing well at school of course and Kindermusik and ballet class. She is living the high life, because she has as she says, her "two best friends" in both her classes. One in ballet and one in Kindermusik. Her Kindermusik teacher told me today (during Brenna's class) that Brooke is doing well and participating very much so in class so that makes me proud. The other day she was supposed to bring something to class that kept a steady beat. She really wanted to bring the car blinker, but kept getting frustrated b/c I told her we couldn't take the whole care into Kindermusik! So finally she said, "I know! I just won't take anything and then, when its my turn, I'll just breathe, b/c I can breathe to a steady beat!" True. Very true. Here's a picture of Brooke holding the picture of her house that she drew. Pretty good, eh? I thought so!
Brenna is talking little bits more and more. She tries to imitate even really big words. She loves handing me things and loves playing with her castle shape sorter. So she'll bring me a piece and I'll tell her the correct color. She tries to repeat it and is getting pretty good at it! The other day she figured out how to make us laugh and she kept doing it. Brad was telling a silly story to Brooke and at one point, covered his mouth and talked (as if to imitate a muffled sound). So Brenna turned around and started doing the same. She had the whole table cracking up, so now, that's her funny 'joke' she does to make us laugh. Here's Brenna in her pillow fort... isn't she a cutie?
So, that's it for my batch update. I'll try to be better about posting as things happen, but no promises.
Brenna is talking little bits more and more. She tries to imitate even really big words. She loves handing me things and loves playing with her castle shape sorter. So she'll bring me a piece and I'll tell her the correct color. She tries to repeat it and is getting pretty good at it! The other day she figured out how to make us laugh and she kept doing it. Brad was telling a silly story to Brooke and at one point, covered his mouth and talked (as if to imitate a muffled sound). So Brenna turned around and started doing the same. She had the whole table cracking up, so now, that's her funny 'joke' she does to make us laugh. Here's Brenna in her pillow fort... isn't she a cutie? So, that's it for my batch update. I'll try to be better about posting as things happen, but no promises. 
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