For Dallas

The Pink Pig

For the past two years, I've been trying to get David, my train loving son, to the pink pig train. Illness kept us away pretty much every other time we had the opportunity to go. But this was finally going to be the year! Nothing was going to stop us...or was it?

David and I arrived an hour late. It was pouring down rain that morning. It was a Tuesday so I kept David out of school and I was able to arrange for Grandma to watch Wesley (soo glad I had the foresight to do that). It also took me a while to figure out where I needed to go (I turned into Phipps first?!? Then I got lost inside Lenox mall...so not used to big city life). After we finally get to where we need to be, I try to buy train tickets only to find that Priscilla (that's the train's name) was "sick" and they had called the "vet" to fix her. They couldn't tell us how long it would take to fix her or even promise us she would be fixed that day! I was devastated! I knew David would be so disappointed if he didn't get to ride the train. We were hopeful that if we hung around long enough they might have time to fix her, so we headed off to get pictures with Santa and have lunch. Definitely shenanigans with seven kids! David didn't want his picture taken with Santa and I am pretty understanding about that since I was scared of him as a child and I have not had a single picture made with St. Nick. After lunch we checked on Priscilla but she was still not working. I couldn't believe my luck! Of all the days for this to happen!!! Have I mentioned it takes me around two hours to get there? Its not like I could just go home and try again another day. We were told she might be fixed within the hour though so we decided to stick it out. The kids were pretty entertained by a projection screen game on the floor. They would stomp and jump on all the moving objects. More time passed and we checked on the pink pig a third time. We were told it could possibly be another hour (they were beginning to sound like a broken record at this point). There was talk about leaving but we decided to wait it out just a little longer.


We changed the scenery with coffee for the adults and cookies for the kids which helped the time pass a little quicker. The kids were pretty much done at this point. We had been waiting about three hours. We decided to check one last time on the way out...

...and lo and behold she was working again! Whew! The tickets were two for one so the kids got to ride twice.
David held a firm grip on and of course wanted to save his ticket. We also bought a Christmas ornament that is replica of the train. He was so proud to show it to Grandma when we picked up Wesley and Daddy when we got home.

Moral of the story is good things come to those who wait!

Team Diamond Dan

L-R: Elisa, Julie, Andrea, Jason and Charlie Dawg

Thanks to all to supported team Diamond Dan with your donations to the multiple myeloma research foundation. Also thanks to my teammates for getting up so early in the bitter cold to run with me. It means more than you'll ever know. I must have been the 61st participant to sign up online to run the 5K race for research in memory of Dan. Upon signing in I was handed the number 61. Dan was 61 years old when he died. Coincidence? I think not.

Wesley's Woes

Well we ended up having to take Wesley back to the doctor as the first round of antibiotics obviously wasn't helping. Turns out both ears are infected, not just one. A few days ago we started him on a stronger antibiotic and I'm not really sure this one is working either.

Last week David had pictures at school and today siblings could have their pictures taken too. I was going to try to get a few of David and Wesley together and some of just Wesley. Would you believe Wesley is 16 months old now and still hasn't had a professional picture taken yet? I know, that's terrible, right? Well it really doesn't have anything to do with him being the second child. In David's four years he's only had professional pictures taken twice! I guess its just not in my personality to get them done that often. Anyway...poor little Wesley was not in the mood to have his picture taken this morning. It took all of two minutes for the photographer and I to figure out it just wasn't going to happen. He was in too much pain. On the drive home I realized that in his short life (due to his many, many, many ear infections) he has probably spent more days in pain than he has feeling well. Ugh. That is hard for me to digest. Jason and I have even come to the conclusion that his ears are probably the reason he's not walking yet. His sense of balance is way off. At any rate I still really want some good pictures so I have decided I want Caron to come back and photograph my family and any prints I buy can be my Christmas gift this year. But...to keep me happy until then I worked really hard to get these two really good ones today!

Camping Out At Camp Lejeune*

This past weekend David I got to go see my high school friend Dallas and her daughter Sutton. Husband/Father Jay is a marine and currently in Afghanistan. We left Friday morning and got to North Carolina around supper time that evening. David and Sutton didn't miss a beat from their visit to us in June. In fact, David ended up "camping out" for a sleep over in Sutton's room for two nights! I bought him his first sleeping bag before we left and he was really excited to use it. Instead of sleeping in her bed Sutton slept on the floor right next to him.

They were so cute together the next morning. Just laughing, talking, and playing...

...and KISSING??? Yes, this was David's first kiss. Hum...will he be scared for life that his mama got a picture of it? We had a leisurely morning at their home *(okay so technically they live in officer housing at New River airfield, but its still on base just down the street from Camp Lejeune). After lunch we headed to the children's museum in Wilmington.

We spent most of the day there just watching the kids be kids! Here they are performing on stage. Sutton definitely had her act down!

I enjoyed watching them pretend camp the most. As soon as we walked in the room, David said "hey look its a kayak!" and he jumped right in.

Then Sutton joined him and they pretended to catch some fish.And then cook them...

...and eat them!

Upon leaving the museum we had planned on shopping and eating dinner in downtown Wilmington. However, shortly after we exited the building the heavens opened and in a matter of minutes we were all soaked! How is that for no rain in the forecast? We decided just to just pick up some fast food and go home for the evening so we could all get in some dry clothes.

The next day the bowling alley on base was open so we took the kids. That was David's first time bowling and he had a blast! I can't wait to take him again.

Monday morning it was time for us to pack up and go home. The weekend went by too fast. Thanks sooo much for having us Dallas and Sutton. We look forward to our next visit together! I just have to share this story of an event that happened Sunday night. David has had a dry cough for about a week. Before we left I kept asking him if his throat was sore and he kept saying "no". Sunday evening he starts coughing up a storm and then he points to his throat and says his "neck" hurts. He kept coughing so much he almost lost his voice. Then I start poking around his ears asking if that hurt and he said "yes". With that I decided to take him to an after hours clinic. At 7:30 pm we called to make sure they were still open and we were told that as long as I got there by 8 pm we would be seen. When we arrived I was surprised to find the doors locked. I knock at the door. The receptionist sees me, looks at the clock on their wall which reads 7:50 pm and then continues to file paperwork. I continue knocking and she never leaves her desk. I call Dallas and have her call their office to let them know I am waiting outside. They won't answer their phone. At this point I am pretty upset. I'm out of town, my child is sick, its late at night and this lady doesn't even have the decency to come to the door to talk to me?!?!?!? Frustrated I decide to leave and wait until I get home the next day to take David to our doctor. Once in the car David asks why I am so sad and I respond with "I'm just upset that those people weren't very nice". David says "Its okay mommy. I won't let anything bad happen to you." How about that? David went into "I'm the man and I'll protect you" mode instinctively! I was so proud of him I couldn't help but smile at the gift of my son. Turns out his throat and ears are red and inflamed but since he hasn't had a fever they don't know if its bacterial or viral. They prescribed some antibiotics just in case.

Also a special thanks to Grandma who watched Wesley for me the driving days, Friday and Monday. I knew that Jason and Wesley would get some good father/son bonding time this weekend, I just didn't know it would be at the doctor's office. Poor little Wesley has yet another ear infection. His tubes have been clogged ever since they put them in his ears. Ugh. Back to the ENT we go. Two sick kids=no fun.

Wesley's Favorite Pastime

For about a week now, I've been trying unsuccessfully to upload some video of David putting together a puzzle of a map of the United States. I've just about given up, but its so darn impressive to me that at age four he knows almost all of his states and where they go that I keep trying just one more time. Hopefully one day I'll get it posted...until then, enjoy these pictures of Wesley during his favorite pastime; taking a bath!

A Cause That's Close to My Heart

Once again I humbly ask for donations for a good cause. However, this one is different as it is near and dear to my heart. On November 1st I will be running the multiple myeloma research foundation's race for research in honor of my late father-in-law Dan. I know that during Dan's battle with this disease he most certainly benefited from the research MMRF has done and continues to do for so many others. Despite this being a "rare" form of cancer, we know three other family friends who have also battled this disease, two of whom have already passed as well.

Click here and here to learn more about Dan.

MMRF gives 93% of every donation towards research so be confident that your money is going towards a cure. Click here to view my team page. Feel free to sign up for my team and join me in running and or walking. Thanks so much and God Bless!

Brett Favre System - This Is SportsCenter

Goodbye Summer...Hello Football Season!

Here are a few good pictures from this summer that never made it to the blog...

David had his first day back to "school" today. So summer is officially over for us. But...fall is my favorite time of the year, not only weather wise but its also Football Season!

GO DAWGS!

The Dirty Thirty

This past Friday was my 30th birthday. Earlier this year I wasn't sure I would even make it to my birthday (after my hospital stay due to kidney failure). Anyway...I was in the mood to really celebrate this one! We planned a kid-free weekend with some friends at Lake Chatuge.

Jason and I on Deacon Bob and family's pontoon boat-thanks for letting us use it for the weekend. It really made the trip soo much more enjoyable.

Jason brought his bass boat too and did some fishing on Saturday morning. Matt is on the family Jet Ski which we also got to use for the weekend!Christy catching up on some important reading-gotta be on her toes to keep "schooling" those students of hers about Georiga football ; )

Ryan and Kristin
Joel and Julie
Matt and Jason


Christy and Becky

Enjoying the upper deck of the dock.

Jason and I lounging on his boat.

A special thanks to the babysitters (aka grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles) of all our kids. We soo appreciate you letting us have some much needed R & R!

Our Beach Vacation

Well, its been awhile, huh? Sorry about that. I do have an excuse for one week of my absence...our beach vacation to Panama City! First we stopped to see Mr. Wesley and Miss Kriss in Bainbridge for a few days.

David felt right at home with Charlie's Dawg's daddy Chip!

While there, David caught his first Striper Bass. Oh how his grandaddy would have loved this picture. His best friend and his grandson together holding up the latter's prize catch ; ) Trip-thanks so much for taking David fishing. Please come visit/stay with us if you make it to a UGA game anytime soon.

Then we were given the keys to their beach condo and told to enjoy our week. How generous they are! We are so blessed to have them as friends.

We visited the beach and the pool 2x a day every day for a week. In between naps and feedings of course ; ) We lathered the kids up with sunscreen so many times that I grew tiresome of it. David must have too though because he asked "why don't we just put sunscreen on the sun?". I like his logic!

Little Wesley much preferred the pool to the crashing salty waves of the ocean!
His future's so bright...
We had many a morning coffee and an evening drink out on the balcony.
When at home on the lake David likes to play this game called "Daddy can your boat pass that boat"? Well, David got to ride jet ski's twice on the trip. Once with Mr. Wesley in the flint river and once in the gulf. When he was riding with Jason in the ocean he wanted daddy to try to catch up and pass the "Sea Screamer" boat (this kid is destined to get speeding tickets in twelve years) Unfortunately the jet ski's just weren't fast enough.

A few days later Jason decided to take him on that infamously fast Sea Screamer boat. He said it was money well spent.
I'LL SAY! They got to see Dolphins up close!

These next two pictures are for you Grandma...
David had no fear going to the "tip top top" twenty third floor and peering over the balcony. I'll admit even my knees were a little weak!

The last night just before sunset I decided to try out the timer on my camera. We were able to get two decent family pictures.

What a relaxing vacation it was. Thanks sooo much Mr. Wesley and Ms. Kriss. Hard to believe it topped our last trip there, but it most certainly did! That is the longest vacation Jason and I have ever had! Jason anxiously awaits his next quail hunting trip to Bainbridge.