NERF CLUB!

I think it was in April when Cameron said to me, "Should we have Nerf Club this year or Lego Club again?" "Whatever you want Cam!" is how I replied. So, yesterday Cameron and Michael spent about an hour on the computer making their flier, then they got on their bikes and took it around. There were 18 boys invited and 17 came! Quite the turnout! Their NERF WAR is going on as I type...I am 'taking cover' in the kitchen nook!

These are such great boys my kids have the privilege of associating with. They are over here tearing this place apart...couch cushions everywhere...they use these as bunkers or sheilds..haha! Oddly enough I am LOVING every minute of this! I love having boys and love that they like NERF guns instead of real ones...ha!

Sooooo Dellllish!

Okay, so I'm a little tired of writing about things that happened 6 months ago...even though they are important events in our life. I'm just going to put this out there for anyone who happens to browse by this blog...

My friend Stephanie told me about a delicious meal that was so quick, so easy and soooo dellllish! Here goes... Fish Tacos


Tortilla Crusted Talapia ( in a box in the freezer section @ Costco)
- they heat up in just 10-15 min
Cabbage
Corn Tortillas
White Cheese
Yummy Sauce - equal parts of plain yogurt and mayonaise

Serve up with homemade salsa- YUM!

Soooo Good! We told our kids they were "chicken tacos" and then once they gobbled them all up, we told them..."you just had fish tacos!" They were sold!!

Thanks again Stephanie!

More to say.....

I wrote the last post around 1am in the morning so, there are more thoughts I should record....
During the time of the cruise I was so blessed with so much support. Obviously, we had Travis and Andrea on the cruise...thank goodness! They took me out for a treat and of course a Diet Coke every night...really late. It was so good for me to get out...and the people watching was very entertaining. haha... But, I also had my family back home taking care of the boys. My Mom and my brother and sister...they just took over. Making life remain normal for the boys. My sister called our Bishop who called me every other day while we were on the ship and when we got to Miami. We are so fortunate to have a Bishop as amazing as Bishop Breinholt!

Soon after we arrived in Miami, the phone messages, and text messages came in like crazy, with many family and friends expressing their love, their support and their prayers. We really felt so fortunate to have such amazing families and friends and a wonderful ward family offering to help where needed and offering their prayers in Robert's behalf.

It is so apparent that Heavenly Father is completely aware of all of His children and their needs.

October- The Cruise

In October we finally decided to leave our kids more than 4 days and go on a 7 day cruise with our good friends Travis and Andrea. I don't really like to leave our kids for too long. Little did we know that we would be gone 16 days!
A couple days before the cruise Robert was feeling a little sick. He got worse, and he felt like he had bronchitis. The day we left for the cruise he went to the Urgent Care to see if he needed an antibiotic. He didn't, but they gave him one anyway and sent him on his way. They said he was fine. We traveled all night and he seemed weak, but we were all so tired and he felt sick. We boarded the ship and took naps! We were hoping he would feel better when we woke. Instead he felt the same. Travis (being so prepared) gave Robert a Priesthood blessing that I'm sure has a lot to do with the fact that Robert is alive today.
The next morning Robert got up, walked 2 steps and collapsed on the bed, gasping for air. I called the medical and they came and got him. He spent the next 2 days in the ICU on the ship. We were in the middle of the ocean in the ICU...it was crazy! There were 2 Colombian doctors on board. They were great. They ran all the tests they could and thought Robert having lack of oxygen to his heart, was going thru heart failure.
The first night I left him in ICU I called Andrea and Travis and met them on the ship. I remember that I just kept asking them..."What am I going to do?" I'm so glad I had them there.....they were such a support to me. I did go back to my cabin and prayed like no tomorrow. Within minutes, I kid you not, I knew exactly what I needed to do. I emailed Robert's sister Debbie. Debbie lives in Southern California. She is amazing and she gets to the bottom of things and gets it done. The next morning she emailed me back and so did her friend who is a Bishop in her stake and just happens to be the Chief of Cardiology at USD. This man texted me everyday at least 3 times a day on the ship. We sent the test results via email from the ship to him. He diagnosed Robert and had the ship start treating him toward the end of our 7 day cruise. Yes, we stayed in the cabin for the full 7 days til we arrived back in Miami. Poor Robert only saw the upper deck twice. Once, is in a photo above. He is in the wheel chair next to Travis. He was in a wheel chair the entire cruise. Once we arrived in Miami, our new Cardiologist friend had arranged for our arrival. He knew some of the staff there. Within an hour of being there, Robert was diagnosed with Pulmonary Emboli ( mulitiple blood clots to the lungs), just as the Cardiologists had thought. He was immediately admitted. They told us he was in critical condition and that they would need to keep a close eye on him. Robert texted the Bishop of our ward and asked him to fast for him. The Ward ended up having a fast for him and we TRULY felt the power of the fast and Robert immediately started making improvements in his condition. Then, it just so happened that there was going to be an expert in his condition in the hospital that week. It was all so amazing how it played out. The Lord truly placed all of these people in our path and we were able to find them because I prayed and He answered my prayer.
Now, the crazier part.....Every single doctor that treated Robert told him he should not be alive. They had never seen anyone survive that many blood clots to the lungs. One of the clots is quite large and sits in his pulmonary artery. Which should have stopped his heart and the oxygen to the lungs.... but it didn't. He did become quite the spectacle. Everyone wanted to see this guy who survived the PE. I would get on the elevator to go downstairs and medical staff on the elevator would be talking about him. Everyone was really good to us there at University of Miami...we have lots of doctors cell phone numbers and email addresses. One of the nurses told Robert on our last day in the hospital..."I saw your chart when you arrived and I did not want to be your nurse because you were going to die...nobody lives through those Pulmonary Embolisms..."
It turns out that Robert has a genetic blood clotting disorder that has just now manifested itself. So, Robert will be on blood thinners for eternity....at least he is still with us, right?

EMBARRASSING!

It is quite embarrassing that I have not posted since the 1st day of school and now school is almost over. I started this blog so I would be able to record our life's experiences and our family would be able to look back at them. I also thought it would force me to take more pictures of our life. So, I'm going to begin with a recap from September on.... In September we celebrated my 40th birthday. My amazing husband threw me a surprise birthday party! (with some help of good friends and my family). It was really fun and I honestly had no clue what was coming...I attached a video of the big Surprise! I don't know who was taping this...but they either have the shakes real bad or they were just very excited! :)
It was so fun to have a lot of my friends and family there. He had even invited some of my old friends from school. It was a super fun time! Thanks again babe!

PAAARRTTAAAY!!!

I absolutely LOVE the first day of school! The boys are excited to go. They get up and get ready for school before the crack of dawn. Even before scriptures begin. I need the schedule bad. They need the schedule. Our family functions so much better with a routine. Even if the routine seems to be a little crazy at times. I love cleaning up the kitchen knowing that nothing or noone will destroy it before 330p! Why this matters, I have no idea. I just feel less stressed. I love a little peace and quiet. I love that it's just Ryan and I hanging out. However, I do love when they come home from school. I love to hear about their day. I want to know everything...who they sat by at lunch, who they played with at recess.....and of course what they learned.

This year Brandon has started High School. I cannot believe I have a kid in high school. He is not even nervous, he doesn't have one friend in any class, but yet, he is excited. Seminary. He loves seminary. He came home from seminary and read 5 chapters in Mormon. Who does that? I love it!

Cameron has entered the 5th grade and is in a class with his 2 buddies. He has never been so happy to start school! He had to get glasses this year, but again he was very excited. Here he is on the first day of school with his buddies....
Michael was excited until we got to school...then he became extremely nervous. He told me he was going to throw up. We said another prayer and pushed on. Michael is so crazy and acts like nothing ever bothers him, but things really can. Here he is outside his classroom right before class started. I had to ask him about 10 times to smile before he actually did. Ryan and I are living happily ever after right here in the house. Getting back to the gym after being gone all summer, running errands and doing laundry. All with my little buddy. Preschool doesn't start for a couple of weeks. Next year, I will not be screaming PARTY! Next year I will be crying my eyeballs out as my baby will venture onto kindergarten. I will be on some kind of muscle relaxer I'm sure. It will be too much for me to handle.
Oh the joys and sorrows of being a Mom...I love it!

FLAG FOOTBALL

So we signed up Mike and Cam for flag football this year. I thought Michael in all his aggressiveness would take the field over and dominate. He wasn't quite ready for that. To our surprise Cameron really got into it and did a great job....not that Michael didn't, he just wasn't as into it. :) Anyway, it was fun to watch them both play on the same team. What was not fun to watch was some of the coaches and parents screaming their guts out at these kids... C R A Z Y!!