ready...set....GO

Since I am not home and am currently out of town for work, please enjoy another set of pictures of Jayden. We took many many pictures the other day!

Jayden loves to play Ready, Set, GO!

Ready Jayden?

Set!

GO!

He just loves it. We played Ready, Set, GO all the way home on our walk. And he won't walk or run until you play that with him!

walking the dog

Jayden really wanted to walk the dog on our walk. So we let him.

But the dog doesn't walk beside us, instead, he walks way in front of us, usually pulling our arms out of our shoulder socket.
Jayden took several spills, but still wanted to walk him, so we let him. There were several times where we were scurrying after the dog to make sure he didn't run away because the leash was pulled right out of Jayden's hands. Someone should really teach this dog to heel.

And he led us back towards home. Jayden loved walking the dog.

And I think the dog really enjoyed walking Jayden.

1st evaluation

When Jayden turns 3 years old, he will no longer be on his IFSP. We have started the evaluation process to see if he will qualify for services through an IEP. IFSP is for kids Birth-3 years old. An IEP is for kids who are 3 years old and older.

Jayden has received occupational therapy since he was 7 months old and speech for almost 2 years now. Sadly, if he doesn't qualify for an IEP, his speech therapy will stop in February when he turns 3. He still really needs speech therapy, as most of his language is still jargon and very hard to understand to the untrained ear. We have gotten better at home to start recognizing things he says.

Today he had his first evaluation to see if he will qualify for early childhood play therapy. He did really well during the evaluation and only got upset twice. Now, doing really well is good and bad. It made me feel very proud to see how smart he was and how well he could do what was asked. He did things that I didn't think he could do, like matching shapes and colors. Doing bad, so to speak, is bad because you would likely need special ed services. But that's our goal.

He needs speech therapy.

He still has to go through a behavior evaluation for his fits and severe tantrums and also another evaluation for his speech. The lady who was here today felt like he would still qualify, but did say about the time she says that, he won't qualify.

As much as I want my son to not qualify, I want him to qualify because I can see how beneficial the speech therapy is to him.

After the next two evaluations then we'll have a meeting to go over everything and discuss whether or not he qualifies for an IEP and then go from there. I'll keep you posted.

a few pretties

Coming home from Madison the other day, I couldn't help but notice how serene and beautiful the trees were from the earlier fog. Enjoy!

Now, I wonder what the impending "ice storm" will bring us tomorrow.

football

I don't get football. I've tried to get it. I've watched it like I'm interested...well, rarely. However, having a husband who loves the Vikings, I do manage to hear some of the game. Typically I'm sitting with my laptop while he watches the game. Just like now. Which is why I'm tweeting so much and blogging so much.

Want to hear a funny story? I knew you did. If you don't, then don't read it. How's that? Ok, anyhow.


A few weeks ago, I was getting dressed for the day and jokingly asked my husband what color underwear to wear. He blurts out, "purple" because I am! I asked him why purple? And he said he didn't know at one point and then he said because purple looks good on me. Seriously? I remember giving him the look like he was crazy and he was acting really strange.

We headed to a family Christmas and while standing in the kitchen everyone was listening to the Vikings. The place we were at was not a house, but a church, so there were no tv's to actually watch the game. I laughed at him and asked if he remembered to record it. He said, no, but that's ok and started to laugh. I couldn't figure out what was so funny. Well, a few minutes later, he says and you wondered why I wanted you to wear purple underwear! My jaw hit the floor.

Back to football. I'm sitting here on my laptop and my hubby keeps making me "watch this", or "check out this hit". So I look at the tv, and I don't even have a clue which person to watch! Heck, I usually can't figure out where the ball is unless it happens to be someone out in the lead with a few guys following. I think that's a touchdown in the works. Ok, so I'm not totally dumb when it comes to football.

I get more amused by the Cowboys coach who has man boobs, or the facial expressions of the coaches, or when they hide their mouths with a clipboard so you can't read their lips, or just the guys in the tight spandex. Ok, enough about that.

Have I ever told you that Favre is pronounced "Favor" in my world? Yes, I realize this is not correct, but it's so much more amusing to say the names wrong and poke a little fun at him.

Anyhow, I'm ready for this season to be over. I wonder what will replace football?

snow play

First time in the snow for Jayden this year. He was so excited to go out in it, but became quickly apprehensive about the situation. Stewie was loving the snow.

Jayden did love the paths in the back yard. He ran and ran, then Stewie knocked him down. He got up, brushed off his mittens and said, "I k"!
After a very long time of Jayden not wanting his picture taken, he has finally started posing for the camera and saying, "cheese"! His language has come so far. I will update on his speech in another post.

Posing in the snow. He wasn't too sure about sinking.

i'm slacking

I see I'm slacking in my blog lately. Hmmmm. Guess I should have made it a resolution or something to do better at this. Maybe I'm just pulling a Kathy. Well, except she hasn't been too bad this year. Although there were many times last year that I had to give her a nudge to do some updating. Figured it would be amusing to poke a little fun at her on my blog. Which gives me an idea...maybe some day, I'll actually post some really old pictures of her.

In all seriousness, I've been extremely sore with my DDD (degenerative disc disease) and seeing the chiropractor frequently. It sounds like Monday we will be doing the x-rays to see the progression of the DDD.

I took lots of pictures yesterday and Friday. So I'll sign this post and start some new ones with pictures. Happy Sunday!

degenerative disc disease

I have Degenerative Disc Disease in my C2-C7 vertebrae, which is basically my entire neck. I have known this for about 6 years now. It was actually discovered after a very minor car accident, where I should not have had as much neck trouble as I had. After a continuous 3 weeks of care, I mentioned that minor accident, which then explained everything. X-rays were taken and the obvious was seen...by my doctor, not by me. I mean, after it was explained to me, I vaguely understood it.

What does have DDD really mean? Well, at that time, when I was about 26 years old, I was told my neck was in the shape of a 60 year old woman. Little things can jar it and cause weeks, if not months, of pain and problems.

I have learned to deal with it and I loved my chiropractor, Dr. Scott Munsterman. He was my doctor for about 17 years and he was wonderful. He would still be wonderful, except he no longer is practicing chiropractic because he is running for Governor of South Dakota. So in my new found pain, my new flare up of DDD, I find myself trying to build a relationship with a new doctor and his ways of practicing. And it's not the same.

Yesterday, I was placed in a traction machine which was an experience of a lifetime. I'm sure it would have been ok, but I have a huge history of watching scary/horror movies which have led me to believe that this traction machine could easily be used in one of those movies. I was told to lay on my back and stick my head in these tight side barriers around my neck and then my head was velcrowed down. This machine would literally pull my neck causing a stretch.

After strapping me in, velcrowing me down, and asking if I was comfortable, I was given a button to stop the machine if it caused me pain or I got tired of it. The doctor then explained I could undo the velcrow and I would be out. (I wonder how many people freak out in that machine that they have to tell you how to get out of it??)

Anyhow, as I was laying there, all I could picture is what if this machine goes haywire and keeps pulling and my head comes off? Or how funny do I look with this contraption on my head and my eyes bulging out my head because the velcrow acted as if I had major plastic surgery or botox? Then I would chuckle at myself and think, geez, I need to watch more chick flicks and leave these scary movies alone!

My neck is still stiff and sore. I'm still seeing the chiropractor 3 times a week. At this point, he is talking about doing some x-rays to see how far the DDD has progressed. I've been having lots of tingling in my hands and tough nights of sleep due to the pain. Right now, I'm just doing moist heat with a heating pad on top of my neck, stretches, appointments with him, and traction therapy. We'll see what the future holds.

Pizza Ranch review

My thoughts on our local Pizza Ranch, on my most recent visit.

Positive: Yummy salad bar.
Negative: No cottage cheese for my husband's salad.

Positive: Lots of open space for seating. Our choice of booths.
Negative: Splintered wood on sides of back rest which attacks clothing and rips it.

Positive: Eating lunch together with my husband.
Negative: Football game being broadcast through every speaker in the joint, so loud it was hard to think.

Positive: Delicious chicken.
Negative: Costs an arm and a leg.

Positive: My absolute favorite chocolate pudding.
Negative: Little tiny spoon to dish it up with.

Positive: Lots of pizza to choose from.
Negative: Who eats their pizza anyhow? It's disgusting.

Positive: 3 dessert pizza's to choose from.
Negative: Goes to hips immediately.

Positive: All you can eat, as long as you take a clean plate.
Negative: No people to pick up dirty plates from table.

Positive: A basket of mints as you leave.
Negative: Mints are guarded by an employee.

Enough said.

Shaylee's winter program

I see I've been slacking with pictures. Probably mainly due to the fact that my lens still doesn't work like it should and only focuses when it's having a good day. Yes, my camera has a mind of it's own, much like me. Anyhow, I did manage to take some pictures using my zoom lens at her Middle School Winter Concert.

She is growing up way to fast. Look at that posture. She loves playing the flute. I remember trying to persuade her to play an instrument and she was so mad at me. Just look at her now.

"What mom!"

Shaylee has an amazing voice, a voice so beautiful that I think she could have a career by using it. She was accepted into Honors Choir. In February she will go to the PAC on campus and will practice all day with the SDSU teacher and then perform that night. Only 4 kids were chosen from Sioux Valley and she was one of them. I'm so proud of her.

Those four kids even got to perform during the concert as a group solo. They sounded great.

I'll post more information regarding the February performance when I know more.

grandma's funeral

Well, what can I say. Today was my grandma's funeral. The weather was crappy. School let out at 12:30pm. We're in a Blizzard warning, or something like that. So all in all, today wasn't a great day by any means. But it still came and now it's nearing the end. Thank God.

I walked into the church and could feel my eyes welling up, but wasn't about to lose it that early in the process. I was able to clear my thoughts, dry my eyes before any tears rolled down my face, and talk to family. My mother and father-in-law came too, which was a surprise! A good surprise. I mean talk about a wonderful set of caring people to come to my grandma's funeral.

The final peek in the casket was hard and that's when the tears rolled. Listening to the pastor talk in our family service was initially hard and the tears rolled even more. Death is hard. Like I've said before, I know grandma is in a much better place where she feels no pain, she can see, she can hear, and she came be with the Lord, but it's still our grieving here that is hard, missing her spirit, her smile, her stories and the way she would light up when I walked into the room.

The service was nice. I learned that my dad sported a fancy pair of white jeans and a baby blue shirt way back in the day, for a night on the town....that made me laugh. There were tears of happiness that she had passed to a better place and tears of sadness for missing her here with us.

We went to the cemetery for the burial immediately after the funeral. Only immediate family. The van carrying the pallbearers in the front got stuck rounding a curve. They tried to get out, but ended up backing up out of the way to try to let the hearse through. The hearse couldn't make it up the hill in the cemetery, so the pallbearers got out and pushed the hearse up the hill. Then my uncle Doug's car couldn't get up the hill. More pushing. Lots of pushing. The next few vehicles were 4x4's. They all made it. Finally, the last car just parked in the first aisle and walked through the snow and reversed it to get out of the cemetery. It was a short 10 minute service. Dad showed me the other stones and who's they were and showed me where their plots are.

Back to the church we went and ate a very enjoyable meal with sandwiches and salads. I ate way to much grape salad, but it was so delicious! I visited some more, gathered the flowers I was taking with us, and headed home.

I came home and went straight to bed. I was/am emotionally exhausted and needed a nap. I foresee bed in my near future as well. I loved my grandma and will miss her dearly. But at least now I know she is finally in the place where she has always known she was going someday.

And now, now I'm ready for the New Year to begin and for life to get back to normal. Thank you everyone for your kind words, emails, prayers and cards. It all means so much to me.

Visitation and Funeral

Grandma's visitation is tomorrow and her funeral is on Wednesday morning. The day I found out about her death has been the hardest, but I think tomorrow is going to be even more difficult as it will be the first time I see her looking like her, or at least the her that I remember.

I talked to my dad tonight in detail about her death. That tore me up inside. And outside. The tears flowed as I listened to my dad tell me he was holding her hand while she took her last breaths. And man, is my dad strong. To be able to tell me the vivid details and hold it together was amazing. I hope I can have the strength he does when he or my mom pass.

Wednesday morning we will say good bye to grandma. I hope I can be strong. I hope I can fully understand that she is in a better place. That her quality of life was extinct here. I will need prayers to get me through the next two days.

Grandma Ann

If grandma didn't know you, I can guarantee she knew someone you are related to. Grandma always knew my friends or their relatives, even if they weren't from around here. And it seems that many people knew grandma Ann as well. She always got a kick out of that!

She worked at Spies and then Hy-Vee for many years. Grandma loved her grandkids and her great-grandkids with all her heart.
Grandma took great care of grandpa when he was still living and continued to take care of herself and her house for many years before moving into an assisted living center and later, a nursing home.

Grandma's pride and joy was always Shaylee. She always wanted to see her and for me to bring her by. Grandma's friends always told me how much she loved me and Shaylee. Later, Jayden came into the world and grandma loved him too.

This afternoon, grandma went to heaven to be with the Lord whom she had all the faith in. And I'm sure grandpa was waiting for her, saying, "It sure took you long enough!"

I love you grandma. I will cherish the memories you and I had together. Give grandpa hugs from me. I love you.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!

Do you really think I'm up at this hour? Probably not, probably snoozing, but still wanted to break in the new year right!

Year in Review: September-December

September

I visited my grandma in the hospital and cried for hours because she didn't know who I was and it broke my heart to see her in that state of mind. We had fun with some strong air blowing tubes. The kids made lots of funny faces while blowing their hair around.

We went to the State Fair and the kids loved the petting zoo. That's where I fell in love with a puppy and tried giving Mike my own puppy eyes to get it. My car froze up several times on the way to Sioux Falls giving us zero cold air when we really wanted it.
I played with a snapping turtle with my bare foot, not knowing it was a snapping turtle. I was thankful it didn't bite me when I learned how dumb I was for doing that. Volleyball season was under way and the girls were so excited. My cousin got his thumb ripped off in a farm accident, but had it successfully reattached. We had lots of sick kids and I had lots of crabby days.

October

Jayden decided he really hated taking medicine. We attended a wedding. The kids ate lots of chocolate at the wedding. We pulled bushes out of our landscaping and trimmed the tops of the hedges.

I dealt with pilot cars on a daily basis and became so annoyed with them I started taking their picture. We all went to the Hobo Day parade and met up with my cousin and her family and my mom and Craig. It was really cold. The kids ended up getting their picture in the paper.

I made Taco Soup for the first time and it was delicious. I then posted the recipe with pictures on my blog at friends' request. The kids all went to the doctor. Two kids ended up getting glasses, but Joseph lost his within a week and never found them again. Devin had evidence of eating chocolate.

We got new bedroom furniture and a new king size bed. The kids were very sick with the flu and only 3 kids went trick or treating on Halloween. Jayden ended up getting an infection in the scar from his central line causing a late night emergency room trip.

November

I tried finding making my blog private, but ran into many issues with that. I found myself sitting on the toilet and blogging one too many times. We celebrated Joseph's birthday.

On very short notice, I decided to tear the carpet out of Devin's room because it had a terrible odor to it. That ended up being quite the project. Mike spent many days and hours in the field helping his dad on the farm.

Jayden started pooping in the tub on a daily basis and usually it was when Mike wasn't home, so I had to deal with it. I found myself mesmerized by the mirrored landscape.

I found out my employer received an expansion grant which means I have a good chance of getting to Brookings to work. We fell in love with Stewie at the Brookings Humane Society and brought him home as another member of the family.

We hung Christmas lights outside and cleaned the yard up. The kids picked apples up off the ground for hours. I went shopping with Mike on Black Friday, then came down with a terrible cold for the next 3 weeks. We celebrated Thanksgiving with family in Arlington.

December

We went to the kids Christmas programs. We got stuck in Dairy Queen parking lot in a rut. We made several batches of cookies to find them flatter than pancakes.

Shawndra, Devin, and Mike all had birthdays within a few days of each other. We had cake to celebrate all birthdays.

We had a huge snowstorm blizzard over Christmas causing Mike to work 12-15 hour days. Several celebrations were postponed. I made soup with my dad for the first time. I continue to wait on the dreaded phone call of my grandma's passing. I find out I am coming to Brookings to work for sure, starting in February.

Year in Review: May-August

May

We took the kids to the zoo in Sioux Falls and took over 300 pictures, managing to get a decent family picture. Then we took some more pictures with the camera resting on an electrical box and the wind caught it causing the camera to fall while still taking pictures.I faced the reality that Shaylee and Jayden were both likely going to have surgery the same day. Then a few weeks later, we found out the cause to Shaylee's stomach problems were due to something that didn't require surgery.

We woke up one morning to find blue paw prints all over the counter. The culprit was a kitten with a blue paw from walking through the wet paint.

Shaylee graduated from D.A.R.E. I gave a lesson on Twitter on how to use Twitter for the sole reason of Jayden having surgery the next day. I swore I would never have Twitter. Jayden went into surgery to have his Mic-key button removed.

When he woke up we had another shock of our lives. The surgeon came to visit with us about the size difference in his legs, which we had already noticed. We were told after numerous drawings, phone calls, and visits that as long as he keeps using his leg and it keeps growing in length, not to worry.

Jayden moved up to a twin bed, instead of his toddler bed. We spent a day at the lake, the cats killed birds, and I had strange phone calls with random people.

June

In June we got mass amounts of rain, flooding our street. Jayden's tantrums continued to get worse. We talked about doing some brush therapy on him during OT. I had a huge rummage sale, the girls started softball, and I went to Washington DC for a week to a National Conference. The very hour I arrived in DC, there was a major fatal accident on the Metro that caused my entire family to worry about my safety. Mike and I traded the van off and got a suburban.

July
We spent the 4th of July at the lake enjoying the water, family and good friends. I experienced some medical problems that required many tests and some very expensive medication. We were quite surprised at the results of everything, which I never did disclose to my bloggy world. The kids enjoyed having the pool on the deck with the slide in it.

The kids played with GOOP for the first time and became addicted to how fun it was to play with. Joseph especially liked it on his head.

We redid our deck, which was a huge process of sanding, replacing boards and painting. My step-mother almost killed me on the highway coming home one day.

August

The girls finished up their season of softball. We found mold and a plant growing in the girls room in their carpet and had to move everything out to shampoo in there. I continued to take lots of pictures of nature and things I found pretty. I bought Jayden underwear and took pictures of him in a pair, even though he wasn't ready. We celebrated Shaylee and Dalton's birthday. I made up the word tunaie. I convinced Shaylee to play the flute in band. The kids started school and Devin colored on her wall in black permanent marker. Mike experienced a welding burn to his eyes and there was a bomb threat in Volga.

Year in Review: January-April

January

I started out the year making two resolutions. I swore I would lose the extra body fat, just as I say I will do every year. And secondly, I was going to maintain my Project 365, which is where I take pictures every day and blog about it. I realized quickly into the project it was going to be a lot of work.

I received some Sage and Cinnamon from Jordan from a family I see here in Madison. It's not the same spices as here, but this is what they put in their tea.

I encountered some very nasty driving conditions and seen many cars in the ditch on my adventures home from Madison.
While in search of things to take pictures of, I found crazy ice and snow sculptures. I have yet to decide what this one actually is.
I also found apartments that are built in the ground, except for the door and roof, which are above ground. And I was involved in a 4 car accident by a very crazy driver on local streets with my boss.


February

We got new furniture. The first stuff I hated, which is what you see here and the second set I loved and we kept. Jayden turned 2 and we spent the weekend at the Ramada in Sioux Falls. The kids had a blast.

My best friend lost her house and most of her personal belongings. I helped her take Inventory of all of their stuff. It was cold with holes being burned through the walls and obviously no heat. We all put on Sean's smoky smelling socks over ours to try to keep our feet warm.
I also acquired a rock chip in my windshield that was bigger than a quarter.

March

I started realizing what a great pictures Shaylee could take when she got a hold of my camera and snapped pictures at any given chance. I received my diploma from SDSU in the mail, making it feel so official to be done with school.

I washed and dried my kitchen curtains for the first time and realized after I hung them up that they had shrunk immensely.

We had another appointment in Sioux Falls with the GI doctor and went home to put Jayden back on the feeding pump after not using it for more than 8 months. Shaylee made an awesome Covered Wagon for school with much help from Mike. Jayden fell in love with my pink exercise ball and I was glad someone was getting use out of it because I sure wasn't. I also stumbled upon a restaurant that is similar to a hospital. I became more honest with myself on my blog and our heating element went out in our water heater.

April

We attended the boys' spring concert and also brought home two little kittens who we ended up naming Macie and Allie.

The weather warmed up and I climbed up on the roof to clean out the gutters. The kids picked up leaves that had been left on the ground all winter. We went to an Easter Egg Hunt and Jayden threw himself down in the middle of the hunt to have a tantrum. We transferred Jayden out of his crib into a toddler bed made from his crib. A wild turkey came into our yard and was walking all around letting me take pictures of it.
Devin finally got a big girl bike that we had saved from when Shaylee was little. She was thrilled.
Shaylee got very sick with stomach aches and had to see lots of specialists. It ended up being treated with some over the counter medicines after many doctor visits.

still here

I'm still here. I just haven't been much in the blogging mood lately. Lots of things are changing in the new year though. I'm finally moving to Brookings with my job and am very excited about that. No more 35 minute commute one way.

I'm also still waiting for the call about my grandma. Although, I understand it is coming very soon. Her temperature is up to 102 and her color is changing. Tonight could be the night. I've shed some tears. Wondering if I should have gone to see her again. But she wouldn't have a clue I'm there. I just hope I don't regret this later.

My cousin had her baby today. He was a big baby boy, weighing in at 9 pounds 13 ounces! Wowzers! My uncle cracked me up though by saying the baby is already wearing a size 1 diaper and is walking around the hospital. LOL. The baby doesn't have a name yet.

I'm ready to tackle my tree and get it put away. Seems every year after Christmas I'm ready to put it away right away, but this year, I just haven't gotten it accomplished yet.

I'll be back soon...maybe in a better blogging mood. For now, it's time to put my jammies on and veg out for a bit before bed.

Christmas or what should have been

UPDATED:
My dad and Mary were able to get plowed out and Christmas happened! It was a wonderful evening and I'm so thankful everyone could be together. Mike even got home after another 14 hour day, just in time to eat. :)

ORIGINAL:
Christmas has come and gone and the Blizzard of 2009 has started to leave our vicinity. Or at least I hope so. I have become all too familiar with how to run the snow blower, which I have never done in the past. I have also learned what it's like to pretend like Christmas Eve is just a regular day.

Or at least until my husband came in from a 15 1/2 hour day plowing. Then we quickly opened presents and sent the little ones off to bed. Christmas Eve was supposed to be the day to celebrate with homemade soup and dumplings, but due to the weather, it was canceled. Instead, we had frozen fish sticks and fruit.

Christmas Day was almost canceled and probably should have been, but thankfully my mom and Craig live on a busy road that leads straight to the HWY. So they made it. Volga was tricky and they got stuck numerous times trying to get out when we were done, but did make it back to Brookings. We did enjoy one of the best tasting turkey's I think I've ever had. It was so tender and so full of flavor. Everything we ate was delicious.

Today, we were supposed to try our homemade soup and dumplings Christmas again, but from the sounds of it, that won't be happening either. My dad and Mary are still waiting for the plow to come to the lake and plow their road. So far, nothing.

My husband has been working many, many, many hours plowing this Christmas break. Enough to where it really hasn't felt much like Christmas to me. Bah Hum Bug.

I'm hoping to go to Wal-Mart tomorrow. That will probably seem like a wonderful vacation by the time I get there.

Here's to hoping this weather settles down, the wind fades, and the stars appear.....

coming to Brookings

I had a transition interview yesterday and was informed that I will be coming to Brookings. My employer has decided to add 3 additional positions that are identical to mine in three towns, one of which is Brookings. The first or second week in February I will be employed in Brookings. It will sure be nice to be close to home again!