Let the SNOT run!

Well.... all the respiratory "crud" has finally started to filter into our house. Bethanie has had a classmate at daycare go down with croup... and another one with RSV. Now poor little Bethie-Boo has some upper respiratory congestion of her own... and a nasty case of runaway snot! Don't fear though... the nurse in me (and EMT in Tony) means we've already checked: Lungs are clear, no real fever, and she's still happy, playful AND eating!

Aside from that, it has been a rather calm, quiet and uninteresting week. Sorry:) We did manage to get our taxes done and ready to file (YEAH!)... and Devin has spent the week out on job interviews. (Please wish him luck... because in this economy there seems to be about 10 people interviewing for one open position).

Since I have no wonderful words to share right now, and a fellow blogger Kristen has such a great new post... check her site out for a good laugh!

It is supposed to be a wonderfully warm next couple of days... well, for January. So stay tuned for photos or videos or some sort of sign of our fun endeavors!

Shelia

****UPDATE***
(Posted by Tony.. Thats why it's purple)

Since shelia has been bugging me to post on the blog I thought I would add an update to the Snot chapter.

Per the doctor today, Bethanine has an infection in both of her ears. That would explain some of the sleepless nights... but you've probably already read about those. Anyway, she is on antibiotics for the infections, which should also help with the cough she has been having. I guess we nailed two birds with one stone on this one. We'll keep ya updated, or should I say that Shelia will, as I'm still deathly afraid of electronics and anything that comes with an instruction manual.

Tony
(p.s. she doesn't know I did this... Any wagers on how long before she finds out??)

Pet Names and Pictures, Too!

As I stated yesterday... it would be a picture day if the cold weather held out, and it did:(

So, for your viewing pleasure I present the following "Saturday Snapshots"!

Bethanie doing two things she loves...
eating puffs and reading! We bought this
Baby LeapFrog reader for Em's 1st X-Mas.
But I think Bethie has already used it more.

Emmalie... our pianist. She's actually
getting pretty good at "Mary Had A
Little Lamb" (thanks to Daddy).

Emmalie wanted to take pictures, too.
So Bethanie & I got a close-up!
(Sorry for the lack of make-up @ 9:00am)

Emmalie, aka "the Cheese"!

The girls were in rare form after being couped up in the house all day. They played "Mommy & Baby"... each taking turn being the baby. It was so freakin' funny to watch. Bethanie had Emmalie lying across her lap pretending to cry. And Emmalie was wrapping Bethanie up in blankets and singing to her. I so got a glimpse of what Lisa, Kamie & I must have been like in our younger days... SCARY! The most important part of what I got out of this playtime was the realization that I use "pet names" for Tony way too much! How do I figure that? Watch this...!

We have many prayers going out to families & children in need... So I'll close with part of the verse Emmalie picked to be read tonight: "... And Jesus said, 'Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own'..." (Matthew 6:34). May all of you have a blessed week. More of life's wonderful words to come.

Shelia, Tony & the Gang

All's Well in Our World...

Devin & Dalton accompanied me to PaPa's funeral service on Monday. It was a beautiful day, and the cemetery is in such a peaceful location. The only remotely bad part was the drive. (Are you ready for a story?!).

Tony, being the loving husband & father he is, got the directions ready for me and everything. He made a point to tell me it was only going to be a 160-mile drive. No big deal, I'm thinking... the boys have their MP3s, we have the laptop & game stuff with us, the girls aren't coming with us, it'll be an easy trip. YEAH, RIGHT!? Dalton & Devin, being their usual teen/pre-teen selves, had asked about the trip length and were watching the odometer VERY CLOSE! We got to 160-miles traveled when Dalton finally called his Dad up to check (after telling me I must have missed a turn somewhere... which could never be true, until you read further that is!). Tony then re-checked and let me know in his usual calm voice... he had given us "nautical miles" (airplanes use that... NOT actual ground drivers). We had another 35-miles to go. I would've been mad if it hadn't been so darned funny that Tony actually made a mistake! (Although, Dalton & Devin didn't seem to think it was as funny as I did!). THEN... the route Tony researched and sent us on had road construction and detours... which led to us getting lost... which led to more calls to Tony to get us back on track... By the time we got there, frustration had set into all of us! It did make us laugh though... which was welcome under the circumstances.

Family Updates:
Bethanie has FINALLY progressed to all 12-month sized clothes! I thought this day would never come with her finicky eating habits, reflux, and luck of inheriting her Daddy's metabolism (because she sure as **** didn't get it from me or she'd be wearing 18-24 month clothes by now!). She's been much better since we put her back on her Prevacid... well, until the nasty "T" word came back up... TEETHING! Yes, our precious little Bethie-Boo is trying to get both of her top 1-yr molars in. Can you say OUCH? Or, more appropriately... Where are the earplugs? (For those of you that haven't had the liberty of witnessing... Bethanie has this aweful, heart stopping, blood-curdling cry when she's in pain that ressonates through the entire house).

Our Little Miss Priss, Prim & Propper is becoming even more "girlie" every day! Emmalie has now learned to put her own hair in a ponytail! - guess now Tony's off the hook on days I work & he doesn't!

Dalton made the Honor Roll for his stellar first semester performance in Middle School... Straight A's! I hope he can continue that trend... especially since he's still playing basketball & baseball practice starts this weekend, too. We aren't too worried about it at this point because Dalton works hard at both... and, it doesn't hurt that he has set his mind on keeping A's so he never has to worry about being "ineligible" for sports next year!

Devin also finished his first semester well... He's sitting over 3.0 and that passes! A little note about Devin: He is a VERY smart kid and figured out early in his freshman year that if you don't do any homework, participate in daily activities, and pay attention enough to get at least an 88% on all of the tests... the lowest grade you can get is a "C" (passing). So he likes to push that point so he has his after school time for more important things... right now, that's interviewing for jobs!

I've finally finished reading my newest book.... Jodi Picoult's "My Sister's Keeper". It was such a good book but, then again, I have enjoyed all of her books thus far. If any of you have the opportunity to read this book, it is a must! (I'm even willing to loan mine out!).

As for Tony... he's working too much, staying as calm and easy-going as ever, and fixing everything in the house that needs fixed. So, really, nothing has changed with him!

That's about it from ladybug & bulldog land! I'm sure I'll have pictures or something to post soon... especially being stuck inside due to the winter weather forcast here over the next 48-hours!

Shelia, Tony & the Gang

Sunshine on A Cloudy Day

It's been a long, cold week here in the midwest. To end it all... our loving PaPa passed away late in the day on Thursday. It's nice that he is no longer suffering, but he'll be greatly missed by all who had the joy of knowing him. Lucky for us, the girls have been our "sunshine" amidst the clouds of sadness though.... SEE!

More wonderful words of life to come....

Shelia, Tony & the Gang

In Loving Memory of PaPa Murphy

Happy Birthday Mommy

Many years ago our Mommy was born (she'll not like us much if we tell you how L-O-N-G ago that was). Today we are celebrating her day...

Mommy as a baby... The colors say 70's!

Can you say chubby cheeks?

We were sure this was Bethanie at first!

Our Mommy these days

Happy Birthday Mommy. We love you!

Emma and the crew

Such a Nice Day to Play...

Today was the "bright spot" in the weather for this week! There was plenty of sun and warmer weather to enjoy all around. (Which is great because when we left to go to Dalton's basketball game yesterday morning I about froze my *** off!). The boys played hoops out front for a good share of the morning... Now Dalton's at hitting camp for baseball... YES! You read this right... He's doing things related to two different sports on the same JANUARY weekend! Crazy, huh?

As for Em, Bethie & I... We attended church, a baby shower, read some books, and still found time for this...

We went for a walk...

well, Mom walked & the girls rode!

Bethanie loves to ride in her car

& try to race Emma on her bike

We started out with the coats & gloves on since I wasn't sure about how cold the wind gusts would be to the girls... but we lost those pretty quick!

Emma before church looking at ducks on the back pond

Bethanie in her new "play area"

(The toybox is a great place to sit & see outside)

Bethanie's 1st piece of art...

Her new daycare did this "ice painting" with her!

I found out Friday night that Bethanie may be the baby of the family, but she has a ton of "pull" to get her way... or should I say SCREACHING SCREAM that gets things her way! We were watching the Graf Quads site (it was Pius' Day) and Bethanie pushed until she took over the laptop. (I know, my husband would refer to me as being a push-over right about here!). I think she watched the video clip 5 or 6 times... but by the end I was LOL at how she enteracted with the computer screen. Here's a bit of it... (Don't worry, I didn't include the clip of her screaching while trying to turn the computer back on!).

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

That's about it from this end... More wonderful words to come, I'm sure!

Shelia, Tony & the Gang


P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GANNON! We love you! (Auntie She's card is late, go figure!).

OH NO! Not Again!

It has been a long week already and it's not over yet....! We've had birthday parties to attend, Emmalie's first day of preschool, to survive Bethanie starting her new daycare, and the boys returning to school after a much too long winter break.

To top it all off, today was Bethanie's 15-month check up. Tony got the joy of taking Bethanie in and holding her while she received her latest round of immunizations (such a joy to NOT be the bad guy this time!). Bethanie is up to 18 lbs, 3.5 oz once you pile off the winter clothes (and 18 lbs, 7 oz if you keep the clothes on)... either way, she's still falling well below the growth curve following at about the 1% mark. Her motor skills are following the age of an 18-month old (fine & gross). Her language skills are also on an older age level... her newest thing is putting together the words "want" and "Daddy".... GET IT!!!

BUT... Bethanie has started to have troubles with her reflux again. So, after three weeks off of the Prevacid, we started it back up tonight. Needless to say we're back to scheduling Peds GI doctor visits and preparing for a longer battle with Bethanie's reflux than we had initially planned. She is amazingly healthy otherwise. I like to believe that Bethie has just decided on staying small a little longer so Mommy & Daddy can enjoy having their "baby girl" around since she's our last. (YEAH! RIGHT!?).

Well, half-time is over... So I'm off to finish watching the National Championship game. More later from our crazy world.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TYLER & RYAN!

Shelia, Tony & the Gang

I've Turned into My MOTHER!

Have you ever woke up, gone about your day and then done something that makes you stop and think... "I've turned into My MOTHER!"? Well that has happened to me.

Don't get me wrong, my Mother was the absolute most wonderful woman that ever graced the face of this Earth. But, like most young girls, I swore I was never going to be just like my Mother. BOY! Am I glad I was wrong! She taught me so much that has been useful in life. Not to mention she has been the most influential woman in my life thus far.

Well, Emmalie came up to me after Christmas and wanted another new princess dress. I stood solid with my emphatic... "NO! You just got a new one". Emmalie proceeded to ask me to make her one. So she tucked some of her Christmas gift money into her pocket and off we went to Hobby Lobby. She picked the material out all by herself (as you'll see, I would have NEVER put these two color choices together), she paid for it like the big girl she's trying hard to be these days, and then Em even helped to design the darned thing. How weird is the feeling of having a 3-yr-old tell me how to design a dress!?

The best part (scary because I did the same exact thing to my Mother years ago)... Emmalie demanded that her dress be done before she went to bed! Okay, just so you all get the big picture here... this was at 8:00pm and even if I let her stay up until 10:00pm there still wasn't going to be enough time to measure, cut and sew the entire dress for her. Then I remembered that my Mother would've done it for me. She even actually DID stay up all night designing and sewing new birthday dresses and such I "had to have" when I was younger. To make a long story short, Em's dress had everything but the bows on it and she was able to try it on before she went to bed. (A HUGE thank you goes to my patient and wonderful husband who totally took over all child care and bedtime rituals so I could appease Emmalie!).

Here is Emmalie in the finished product... (yes, K-State purple w/rainbow colored accents!).

But isn't she beautiful!?

Hope you all are having a good start to your new year. That's it from the land of ladybugs & bulldogs. More wonderful words of life to come...

Shelia