Ill and undergoing treatment.

I have some very sad new to report.
My computer has been diagnosed terminally ill and has been sent to the computer hospital. It will be in surgery for 10-20 days according to the Geek Squad. I will try to post some Christmas soon.

Lochlynn Takota Harned

Lochlynn Takota arrived Dec 20th around 5 am. She is 9 lbs 8 oz and 21in. Tiffany and George, my brother, are very proud parents to this beautiful baby girl. She has a bunch of light brown hair and lots and lots of fun fat rolls. She is really cute and we are excited to have a new baby in the family.

We had to see how the two babies compared since Ashton is still little, and she is going to beat him soon in the size department. It will be so fun to watch as they grow and develope since they are so close in age. Lauren has not met Lochlynn yet but as soon as all three babies are together I'm going to get some great photos.
Congratulations George and Tiffany. Good luck getting some sleep. But enjoy her every minute.

Australia

Can I just say... Huge Jackman is yummy. Went to see Australia with my mom today and loved it. This movie had the best looking Thoroughbred horse in it I have seen in a long time. It almost made me want to ride again. But that didn't last long. The story was very compelling and now I want to find out more about the stolen generation. I love movies that make me want to learn. And a 3 1/2 hr break is good too.

It's a Party

I really miss getting together with friends. Sooooo..... I decided to have a Dessert Tasting party. Bring one or two of your favorite holiday desserts and share with friends. Chat and catch up on what has been going on. Since my house is still not finished and frankly a little crazy, I am taking over my sister's house. No really, Nichole lives just down the road from me and is excited to hang out with friends too. Everyone is welcome , unless you are a creepy stalker, and even you can come if you bring really good chocolate. Call or email me for directions. I can't wait to see all of you.

Thanks Giving Photo Shoot

EGGS?!?!?!

Okay, I thought I was a fairly good mom. I try to be consistent and follow through. I am told often by some that I am maybe too harsh, so you would think I would have some what behaved or respectful children. NOT!!! I got a phone call Monday after work, from Riley, telling me that TJ and Mason had egged the neighbors house. I automatically knew it was the "MEAN" neighbors since why on earth would you not torment people who hate you and would eat you if they could. Well I was mortified. The reactions from the boys went sort of like this:

TJ " I didn't do it"

Mom "Where is the egg that was on the counter?"

TJ "I don't know, Mason told me to do it"

Mason " I did not"

TJ "Yes you did"

Riley "I knew they did it but I just sat and watched TV"

TJ "It was only one. And Mason told me too."

Mason "No I didn't"

I decided that they would all have to go over and tell the Bates (neighbors that eat small children) what they did and clean it off their house. I was so embarrassed that MY kids had done something like this. I know they do crazy things all the time but this! Eggs! UGH!!! I was so mad!! I call one of the city officers to see if he would come and scare them to death but he can't unless it is reported. So I told Chris to call the officer on duty, I was not okay with them (TJ) vandalizing someone else's house. But he didn't understand me so he didn't actually call. Oh well.

I marched them out the door and we were not even down the stairs when Mr. Neighbor started to yell at me. He said that if my kids egg his house again he will call the cops. I told him I had already done that and I was bringing them over to clean it up. He already had it done but I did make them pick up the egg shells.

Well come to find out, this was not the first time TJ had thrown eggs at there house. He also had thrown tomatoes and rocks. NICE huh. I was absolutely furious. They had not told me because they didn't want to cause problems. Now if you haven't already gathered there is quite a history with these people. They are very particular and rake their rocks and wash their asphalt. Enough said. We are not their dream neighbors. But if my kids are doing stuff that harm people, animals or property. TELL ME!!! I can't beat them or fix it if I don't know about it. Maybe they thought I didn't care what the boys did or that I wouldn't give them any sort of a punishment but they were wrong. After a good cry with Heather about how my kids are As#$%, I gave TJ his stiff punishment. And no one got to watch TV.

$4 Meals

Ever since I watched Oprah and she had a family that was really thrifty and spent an average of $4.00 per meal, I have been racking my brain trying to figure out dinner for my family for $4.00. I have found one so far, and felt I needed to share. One of my favorite blogs I follow is Pioneer Woman so I'm going to steal her format but just so you all know, I'm not nearly as precise as her. So here goes nothin'.

Your Doggie Floats my Cheezy Potatoe Boat.

Ingrediants you will need:

1 Box of Instant Potatoes $0.50
1 Package Hot dogs $0.89

8 oz Cheddar Cheese $2.50

I buy my cheese in 1-2 lb packages and so you just need a 1/2 pound which works out to about $2.50. Also I didn't figure in the milk or butter. Most of us have those things on hand. Please don't pay attention to the Kool-Aid stains on the cupboard. I'm out of bleach.

Don't forget to clip the Box Tops. Most schools collect them for money. It is a great program and my kids love taking them to school. They get stuff for bringing them.

Make your potatoes by following the instructions on the box.

It says to make sure not to let it bubble over. So a word to the wise, from the unwise,

Don't Multi-Task!

Let them sit and cool for awhile so they thicken up.

Slice hot dogs lengthwise. Making sure you don't cut them clear through. They should sort of fold out to make a boat. Spoon potatoes onto sliced hot dogs.

Slice cheese and place a piece on each boat. Bake at 350* for about 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Add some steamed broccoli and a cute plate and you have a great dinner kids will love for about $4.00. I'm looking for some more dinner ideas for the $4.00 mark so if you have any, send them on over. Also if any of you find some great sales pass it on. We all need some of those.

CSI????

Blood all over the house to make it look like a crime scene. It was in the kitchen, my bathroom, the car seat, walls in the hallway, and the boys bathroom. We didn't need the paramedics cuz TJ had it all taken care of with a roll of paper towels and a rubber band. I did have 3 witnesses that told the same story so we found the guilty suspect. This is what happens when I'm gone for 30 minutes. Mason gets mad at TJ and throws scissors. They were only together for 15 minutes.

Grandpa Dale took him to the doctor and he had to get 3 stitches. I think this is the longest stretch we have went with out a major accident. 10 months. Its a record.

Missing a Moment in History

I guess this is me whining and being a brat so please don't hold it against me.

I don't get to go to the Midnight showing of Twilight. I have been waiting months and months and months to go with my friends to the midnight showing all dressed up like obsessed crazy people. This event will be a moment in Twilight history and I don't get to be part of it. It's like when I ask my mom is she remembers the Kennedy assassination, she can tell me where she was and what she was doing. Or when I think about 3rd grade, I think of watching the Challenger explosion in the Harwood Elementary gym. And when people who were around in 1969 are asked about Woodstock, they either say "I was there and it was the most incredible experience of my life" or "No, I missed that one, but I heard it was great." And in the future when my children ask me, "Did you go to the midnight showing of Twilight?" I will have to say

NO.

Why you ask, will I be missing this incredible experience. Well for starter, I'm old and that is really late and I have to drive 60 kids to school the next morning. (I could take the morning off so that is just a little problem.) The big, huge, monstrous, enormous, problem is that I can't leave my 4 kids home alone while I go to the movie and it is not likely I can find a babysitter to sleep over.

My life is over!!! I want to go soooo Bad!!!! It is not fair!!!! Why me!!! It's not fair!!! Everyone Hates Me!!!! IT IS NOT FAIR!!!!!

Now that my fit has been thrown, I love my children and would never leave them home alone while I went to a movie. I also think they are way more important than a movie. But seriously, it's Twilight.

It 8 o'clock. Do you know where your kids are?

Notice the lovely blockage in the hallway. Now this is the logic of my children. Block the hall so the cat can't get away. I guess the closed door to the bedroom isn't enough to keep Jasper, the cat, from running away. (And yes, I'm a MAJOR Twilight fan)

Apparently this new game they came up with to play (torture) the cat is:

Lock the cat in Mason's bedroom.

Turn the lights out.

With flashlights, search for Jasper.

Think of how terrified this cat must be. So Sad!!!

Now all of the kids were in the bedroom with the exception to my couch potatoe.

Halloween Night

Super-Riley!
It has been a very long time since there was not snow for Halloween and this year we were lucky. The kids were able to go out by themselves and without coats. It was awesome. Heather brought Jake and her nieces, Hanna and McKayla to join us for Trick-or-Treating. It was so nice to be able to send the kids on there way and not worry about them, too much anyway.

Cute little pumpkin, happy as a clam

Pretty as a Barbie Princess

Grrrrr! TJ as an Alligator

Mason, Are you a Pirate or Clone Trooper?

Who Did It?

I just want to let those of you who are wondering "Who" did the collage of Ashton, I did. I took the pictures yesterday and uploaded them all to Snapfish. There, I edited the photos and created the collage. So easy I'm impressed with myself.

Baby Skin

Food for thought - - - - - - - - -

My wonderful aunt shared this with me and it really struck a cord with me. I had to share.

Through the Window A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.'That laundry is not very clean', she said. 'She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap!'Her husband looked on, but remained silent.Everytime her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments. About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband: 'Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this?'The husband said, 'I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.'And so it is with life. What we see when watching others, depends on the purity of the window through which we look.

Why didn't someone tell me the truth about the laundry?

I never know what I will find when I upload pictures. Apparently Riley is putting on a puppet show for who ever is taking the pictures.

I wonder if Riley the "Puppet Cop" is the "Good Cop" or the "Bad Cop."

I wanted to share will all of you my accomplishments this weekend.

Laundry!!!!!

I really don't know how many loads I had done over the week but I had not folded anything until Sunday. I was too embarrassed to take a picture of that pile but I was proud of the folding. I really HATE laundry. Loathe it actually. I hate all the steps in laundry doing to. I especially hate folding it and putting it away. It is always interesting to see who's pile is bigger because that is the child that never has anything to wear and brings folded, "dirty" clothes to the laundry room. You know the pile of jeans that didn't make it in the drawers but got walked all over and covered with toys and crap so they can't find them when they need them.

I also want to let you know that this laundry does not include Chris, Ashton, or towels. I had started putting some away.

Now notice the floor. That is the piles of clothes that are going to DI or to someone else. They either don't fit, are stained or I don't want to wash again. I just have to say that I am so glad I finally have a laundry room that is not the hallway. Now I can use my bedroom.

Ashton

Our Cute Little Pumpkin We love the big blue eyes.

How sweet is that

Big brothers are great beds.

What would you do?

Yesterday as I was getting my bus ready to pick up kids, I was watching the junior high kids go to class. As a bunch of them came out the door and down the steps, a boy fell. He was laying on the ground and the other kids just stared. Some stepped on him, others just walked by looking at him. No one offered a hand up. He was obviously hurt a little too. I noticed another boy running across the court. It was apparent he was a friend coming to help. Still no one had helped at all yet. They all just stood by and watched. Finally a teacher comes and helps him up just as the friend gets there. I just watched all this progress and wondered why no one helped. What would you have done? Would it be different now since your grown up, or would it be the same as junior high?

Baby Story Nightmare #3

So while I was getting the first pint of blood, all the kids came to see me and we were visiting Ashton in the NICU. My hand with the IV was really hurting and I could see it starting to bruise. Well it wasn't just bruising, the blood was backing up into my hand and filling it up. It looked really gross. The nurses had to put in a new IV but my veins did not want to cooperate. They stuck me 3 times and then gave up and went to get someone else. He stuck me in the puffy bruised arm once and painfully. My arms looked like purple pin cushions. The rest of the night was fairly event less. I hung out with my mom and dad while they finished giving me the blood and I got to go feed Ashton whenever he woke up.

The next 2 days were very much the same. Sleep and feed the baby. Saturday they moved Ashton to the next floor with the other NICU babies that are doing lots better. He was totally off his oxygen and nursing really good. I was just waiting impatiently for the doctors to let him go to the regular nursery so I could have him in my room. My incision was draining alot and my doctor wanted me to stay an extra day. It worked out that Ashton's doctor kept him an extra day too. We headed home Monday.

Wednesday my wonderful sister took me and Ashton to our doctor's. Since he had had a hard time, his doctor wanted to touch base with us to see how things were at home. He gave him an "A-O-K". That was a relief.

When we got to my doctor, the plan was to see the doctor that did my surgeries and have her remove my staples. Some how they didn't get my appointment into the computer and I didn't have one. We waited awhile and they kept moving me from room to room. Finally I got to see the PA that assisted in surgery but the wound was so yucky she wanted me to wait and see one of the doctors. I was so tired and felt miserable. When they weighed me I was 15lbs heavier than I was the day before delivering Ashton. I couldn't fight the tears back. I had had so much fluid in the hospital that I was retaining water really bad. I had kankles. When Dr Robinson came in and removed the staples he saw how bad the incision really was. I still had a open hole in my stomach. He immediately sent me to Wound Care.

I felt like death as I walked into the hospital. Nichole was such a trooper. Loren was tired and ready to go home and Nichole never once complained. She just keep helping me. The physical therapist cleaned and bandaged me up and sent me on my way. I had to return the next morning, and keep coming everyday for the rest of the week. I couldn't drive since I was taking pain meds. The tears came again as I began to worry about how I would get there and not be a total pain in the ass for everyone else. Luckily I have a great sister who sincerely was worried about me and volunteered to drive me when I needed.

Over the next few days the Physical Therapists decided a Wound Vac would be the best option for healing me quickly. They ended up putting it in/on that Saturday. Over the next 2 weeks I continued to go to wound care 3 days a week. Nichole graciously took me every day. After the first couple days with the vac, my culture test came back showing that I had MRSA Staph infection and another bacteria. The doctor broke the news to me that the medicine I had to take was harmful to children and kept me from nursing while on in. I was okay with that since I wanted to get better but I cried every time I had to pump and everytime I had to give Ashton a bottle. I cried everytime he threw up too, since it was because of the formula. I just kept telling myself it was only 11 days. I didn't think this crap was ever going to end. I was still all poofy and retaining water. My legs were the same diameter all the way down to my feet.

I really started feeling better once on the antibiotics but the 11 days drug on forever. My wound was healing fast too. That was untill the smell. I kept smelling poop. I knew someone had poopy pants. I made Chris check Lizzie, nothing. I thought for sure then it was him. NOPE it was me. My wound dressing was nasty. Come to find out I had yeast growing in the wound and around it. It was so gross. I guess it is common when air can't get in. And the vac dressing was water and air tight. Not only did I have a vacuum hooked to my stomach but I smelled like a poopy diaper!!!! It was awful.

Well they got the yeast under control and the vac was doing it's job I was actually starting to feel better. Last Friday, the 4th, I went to wound care and told them to take the vac off. I was so sick of it. When I would open the oven it would fall in, when I got up I would forget it and get caught. The wound had healed so much it was only superficial and the vac was ready to come off. Now I have just been going to have the dressing changed 2-3 days a week and on Monday they told me I may be done Thursday.

YEAH!!!!!YEAH!!!!!!!YEAH!!!!!!!

I am finally getting back to normal.

Princess Tea Party

Lizzie's Princess Tea Party was a blast. She is turing the big "4" .

Lizzie's cake was this adorable tower of "pink" cupcakes. They were so fun to make and taste as good as they look. She loved them and loved the sprinkles.

Since she is the only girl, I had to endulge her (and me) with a Princess Tea Party. The girls loved all the little finger foods.

Blowing out the candles was the high light of the party. There is nothing like being the center of attention. Especially since it was someone else besides her brothers.

Beautiful Girl

Just wanted to share with you how beautiful my girl Lizzie is.

Next in Ashton's Story

While in the recovery room, Chris and my mom went to see Ashton. I hadn't been told anything and was getting really concerned. Anyway since he had not taken a big breath when Dr. Merrill pulled him out he had alot of fluid in his lungs and he had a heart murmur. He also had these funny little cuts on the back of his head. The pediatricians were overly concerned and ran a ton of tests. Come to find out the breathing and heart thing all had to do with the delivery and the cuts were just "one of those things". We called them Vampire bites. Since Ashton scared every one with all these problems, he got to stay in the NICU. They were having a hard time getting his oxygen level to stabilize, every time he was given a bottle it would drop. Well as soon as I was in my room and able to stand I was wheeled down to Ashton. It was the first time I got to see him. He looked so much like Mason did. His big blue eyes and little round head. They had him in a warmer and was hooked up to bunch of cords. It was sad to see him like that and I had to ask to get to hold my own baby.

After awhile, back in my room, I was ready to go see him again. The nurse and Chris were helping me stand up again and I started bleeding. At first we thought it was normal and then Chris realized it was coming from my incision. I had some how started to hemorrhage and had ripped open the cut. With in an hour or so I back in surgery to get put back together again. When I came out of surgery and was back into my room, the nurse informed me I would not be able to go to the NICU for at least 12 hrs, to give my incision time to heal a little. I was so upset. I felt so detached since I hadn't been able to bond with Ashton like I had with the others. I just cried.

The next afternoon I finally got to go see him. The pediatricians had told me they were really concerned about how his oxygen level dropped when they fed him. I hadn't been able to nurse yet but I really felt that if I was able to, he would be fine. So as soon as I got there I started to nurse and sure enough his oxygen was fine. My goal was to go to him when ever he needed to eat to get him out of the NICU.

As for me, the doctor had said they were watching me to see if I would need a blood transfusion. When I almost passed out while with the baby , they decided I need 2 pints of blood.

To be Continued.......

Welcome Baby Ashton Wayne

Okay, so it has been soooo long since I wrote anything. I can give you the excuse that I have been waiting for my camera but I have decided that is a stupid reason not to blog. So I have a story to tell you about bringing our new addition into this crazy world. I will have to give it to you in a few installments. Yeah that crazy.

After a great fall on Sunday, Aug. 31st, Ashton decided head down was over rated and flipped himself Breech. We found out when we went to the doctor on Wed. Sept 3rd and when she checked me, she felt feet. Now on Sun. I had been checked and was dilated to a 4 and fully effaced with head down. And by Wed. I was a 2 and not even soft at all. How I had gone backwards was shocking to me, until the ultrasound. He had wedged his head up under my ribs.

I was given 2 options. Schedule a C-Section for the next day or try to turn him and schedule a c-section for back up if he didn't turn. Chris was voting for the c-section so I could get my tubes tied and he could escape the dreaded vasectomy. (I'm not a speller)

Thursday morning, Chris and I headed to EIRMC. After sitting for awhile and getting this crazy medicine that felt like speed, Dr Merrill came in and started to turn him. I don't know if any of you have ever experienced an Inversion, but it was so painful. His feet were way down in the birth canal, and she had to dig to get them. It was awful.

Since he wouldn't budge a c-section was in my near future. Now once in the operating room, which was a total Ice Box, I got my spinal and they started the process. It all went really fast, Chris was taking pictures and talking to me. The doctor showed me the baby and within a few seconds, I heard a CRASH.

Chris had passed out. All the nurses were all panicking since he fell in my blood and he had hit his head. They didn't know if he was bleeding or not. It took some time to get him to come to and he was not breathing. So they rushed him to the Emergency room. I was left alone without a husband and without a baby. Apparently they take the baby right to the nursery and I didn't know that. They don't do that on the Baby Story. Who knew. So I had one of the nurses call my mom to come cuz I was way out out of the loop. She got there really quick and shortly after, Chris returned from the ER. He had a nice shiner on his eye and forehead. The doctor told him since he hadn't eaten or slept, that is probably why he passed out. Chris also said it is alot different seeing your wife's blood than seeing some strangers. Bless his heart, he took all the teasing like a man. Our kids couldn't believe that their "Super Dad" had passed out.

To Be Continued.......