Live from Tormville!

new years eve

We're hanging out
George is playing guitar
There's some cookies, some chips and some chocolate covered peanuts
some coffee -
no soda tho, so if you want that -  ya gotta bring your own

it's casual - but you're welcome to join us in welcoming 2010

A gathering of strings

So, after Wendy got her pink cast and I got my gold crown - we then gathered up the troops and headed over to Uncle George's for a pasty dinner. Drew makes a delicious pasty - and when George called to ask if we'd like to come early and enjoy some - well, you didn't have to ask me twice. We were there! Fresh out of the oven!

 

Dinner enjoyed, the girls then commenced to decorating the, also fresh out of the oven, German chocolate cake with candles.

 

And then we sang.  It's not easy to put 59 candles on a cake, so the girls created the shape of the numbers instead.  Clever, that.

 

And then the strings started warming up. George had been wanting to gather some strings together for awhile - and this worked out well.  It was afterwords that he realized that he planned it for his own birthday.  Bonus!  So who played?

 

Well, there was Justin.  He's George's second oldest - and came home for Christmas.  He's planning to head up north tomorrow - so it worked out well that he was home for his dad's birthday jamboree. 

Drew, George's fifth oldest, is also home for the holidays.  Drew's extremely gifted when it comes to music - and a true joy to watch.  Every time I see him, he's playing something different.  Drew's also headed out tomorrow. Tonight really was the perfect night for a get together.  A last hurrah.

 

Drew strummed next to his cousin Steve  (psssst....Karen.....Steve is Richard's youngest).  Steve just heard about the gathering while at work today, so didn't have his own guitar, but George has a few extra laying around so that was not an issue. 

This is Steve's brother Todd.  Todd used to sing songs about me when he was four - but now he's more of a Waylon man.  Todd also used to babysit my oldest kid and put him to sleep standing up.  He's well aware that I'll never let him live it down. 

This is Curt. Curt is married to Todd and Steve's sister and still makes fun of the way I bowled back in the 80's. He'll never let me live it down. Actually, I still bowl the same way - but Curt doesn't know that. 

 

And this is Curt's only daughter - she's pretty proud of her daddy, I think it's plain to see. 

 

She was also enjoying a bit of chimping, so I got quite a few pictures of her.  I think this one ended up being my favorite.

Her brother wasn't feeling quite as generous with the photo opportunities - but I did manage to snag this one in the moment that he looked up from his Leapster.

 

Back to who was playing - we can't forget the birthday boy.  Normally I photograph him so much, but tonight I just got this shot.  He was completely in his element.

And a good time was had by all.  We weren't the last ones to leave - I'm guessing the party is going on still.  Our Markie got too overtired and we had to head out. The roads were a little bit slick on the way home and we almost witnessed one crash, but they spun their way out of it just before hitting the wall.

It's been a long day and it's time for me to get to bed - for tomorrow is another one.

Be good!
And Happy New Year!

The Cast Report

This morning had us out the door at just after 8am for our 9:20 appointment at St. Joe's in Ypsilanti. We were trying to get somewhere closer to home - but the initial consult had to be done 1/2 hour from home no matter which way we tried to work it.

But that went fine.  That was our first time as a patient as St. Joe's and I have to say it was pleasant.  Get out - Free Parking?  And rooms with windows? 

Wendy wasn't keen on the idea of being dropped off at the door when we got there, so she trekked all the way across the parking lot with her crutches - but was fine when we left, to wait with the cute little lady at the information booth while I got the van.

Our visit also went quick. I had packed for the day - thinking we'd be spending hours at the hospital and rushing straight to my crown appointment in Novi this afternoon - but here I am - at home between visits with enough time to blog and update the grandma's.

She almost escaped the office without a cast - she walked on her foot and wasn't feeling any pain. At first.  She was limping tho - accommodating, and mentioned a bit of heel pain - so the doctor advised a better safe than sorry approach to prevent any further damage. At least with this cast she'll be able to walk and we can put the crutches back into storage. She has a take it off date of January 15th after school. 

I'm sure she'll be playing soccer on the 16th.

She's already devised a way to partake in the skating party she was invited to tomorrow - I'm hearing something about a plastic bag (to keep her cast dry) and a chair ..... I better go see what she's up to now.  It'll take more than a cast to slow this one down.

Good Morning

Scene:  Our Bed 

Brian:  Goooooood Morning!  It's time to wake up!!!!!

Dad: mmmmmm. Let's just lay here for a little bit longer

Me:  mmmmhmmmmm

Brian:  But it's time to wake up

Dad:  It's vacation time - we don't have to wake up

Me: mmmmmhmmmmm

Brian:  Okay - but just for a little bit

Dad:  A little bit is good

Mom (Cracks open one eye and looks at the clock):  Holy Cow! It's 9:15!!! - you guys have to leave for ski club in half an hour!!!

Brian: I told you it was time to wake up!

Flurry of activity ensues
Mom stays in bed until the smoke clears

mmmmmhmmmmm

Officially the laziest Monday of 2009

Good, uh, afternoon.

I slept until 10:30 - which may seem incredibly lazy but really, I was up last night with Markie who was having a string of nightmares. So really, I didn't go to sleep until about 8.

So I'm not really lazy. Really.

But I feel like it.

I began pushing buttons and making phone calls as soon as I came downstairs.  Bathrobe on, coffee in hand and voice definitely still morning gravelly.  I figured by the time I finished pushing all the correct buttons to get the correct person - my voice would have woken up.

Not quite - but close.

Wendy's appointment with the orthopedic surgeon is first thing this coming Wednesday morning.  Wish us good driving weather.  I was trying to get something closer to home, but the initial consult has to be done 1/2 hour from home no matter which way I work it.  We're going to try St. Joe's this go-around because variety is the spice of life and all that. It'll be interesting to compare, even though this injury is different than Brian's femur break two years ago. Our follow-up care will be closer to home which I prefer this wintry time of the year.

She's still in good spirits, but has the darndest time just sitting in one place. I'll go out this evening and get her some projects. I just got home from the library where I got about seven books on CD for her - that'll slow her down for a good many hours.

So right this minute....

Wendy's listening to her book
Brian's on one couch reading a book
Mark's on the Lazy Boy doing the same
Pa's out in the cold blowing winter snow fixing the brakes on the jeep
Allan's at a neighbors
and I'm pondering how lazy my day should be

Hunger

We had all sorts of discussions while trying to distract and pass the time at urgent care last evening. One discussion revolved around food, of course.  Wendy was starving.

Mom:  If you could wish for any food in the whole wide world and have it drop in your lap right now, what would you wish for?

Wendy: Chips, Ice Cream, Dr. Pepper, Sprite and Hi-C

Mom: Three different drinks??

Wendy: No - I'd want them all mixed together

well, you know, things were getting a little quiet around here anyway

*sigh*

I told the nurse that I wish there was a manual or some guidelines so that we, as parents, could know when it's a sprain and when it's a break. I always feel like it's a coin flip.

At about 3:00 today, Wendy - in a fast paced game of cops (her little brothers) and robbers (her), escaped capture by taking a flying leap off the icy deck railing onto the hard ground.  She did all this while her mother was gesturing madly from inside and trying to get the iced shut window open (for hollering stop purposes) to no avail.

After laying on the ground in pain for a bit, she did stand up and walk into the house - but also said her foot hurt.  I told her to just rest it for awhile and we'll see how it goes.  Then the husband and I went out and showed our camper to an interested cousin, because her foot really didn't seem so bad. 

When we got home - we were no closer to figuring out if it was a sprain or a break or what.  It was swollen, and it was painful - but on a scale of 1 - 10 she was only giving it a 6. 

I was in a 'better safe than sorry' mood so I brought her in.  If you're ever wondering - the urgent care is busy the day after Christmas because they are closed on Christmas day and therefore have backlog - plus it's icy out so they've been doing lots of x-rays.  Just in case you were wondering.  It was a long wait for that particular office.

Anyway.

The diagnosis is that she fractured the growth plate on the outside of her foot. The x-ray actually shows that her growth plate separated too far from her foot - and you can see that it matches up with the swell/bump on her foot. She's in a temporary cast right now - can't walk or put any weight on it for one to two weeks, and we have to get her in to see an orthopedic surgeon.

Wendy's our one to get giggly and chatty when she's nervous, so there was a lot of giggling while we waited. It was when we got home that the tears began to fall.

Tomorrow will be about finding her some projects, possibly running to Michaels to get her some crafts, cleaning her room to make it crutches safe (we just happened to have some crutches her size laying around - lucky us) and turning it into a positive.  For instance, on the bright side - she doesn't have to worry about trying to go to the bathroom at school this week.

Tonight - is about getting some rest. 

Today

(photo of an impromptu cookie making session at 8:00 on Christmas Eve - because weather and a sick kid kept us home, unplanned)

• I am not the picture of perkiness
• It's snowing - after the rain melted all our snow (and ice candles) yesterday
• It's 27 degrees
• My husband and Allan took advantage of the Museum Adventure Pass Program and are on their way down to the Ford Rouge Factory Tour.
• My husband made me a delicious omelet for breakfast and I gained five pounds
• Getting dressed is optional
• I slept until 9
• Someone just picked up the toddler bed off our front porch. I love freecycle, and the boys love their bunk bed. Although neither one of them fell asleep in it last night.
• Leftover ham and cheese potatoes for dinner
• I promised Wendy I would help her with her new Easy Bake oven. So I'm obligated. There's no way around it.
• I need more coffee to focus.
• I'll start picking up the pieces.  Slowly.
• Very.very.slowly......

Christmas share

Brian found the pickle
So he got to open the first gift

We woke up at 7:30

The hubby went to morning service with Allan and Brian
Wendy and Mark played quietly at the table
I made dinner
While listening to the service via speaker phone
It was completely calm and relaxing

My dad and brother came for dinner
Ham, potatoes, rolls, veggies and applesauce
and lots of cookies and treats for dessert
The bakery all needs to go

I gave my dad his gift
and I opened up a beautiful bowl from my sister.
photos later

The weather is rainy and 37
All my candles are melting
I'm watching the temperature before I trek in
for evening services

The boys like their bunk bed
Wendy likes her easy bake
I like my new cookbook, Pa likes  his new mp3 player
And Allan is enjoying his new gifts

I took an hour nap under our new living room blankets
and deemed that they work splendidly

Time to raid the fridge for leftovers

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours

Because we had a sick kid yesterday, today we are laying low (she's better today - but still....)

We're making Christmas cut-out cookies
Planning on shrimp for dinner (having shrimp for dinner is like Christmas come early for my lot)
taping Christmas cards to the wall
enjoying hot cocoa
making more candles
sipping Christmas coffee
waiting on a delivery of fresh homemade rolls
enjoying long distance phone calls
Tracking Santa
wrapping last minute gifts
addressing the last of the Christmas cards (don't judge me)
playing board games
and enjoying this Christmas Eve

Wishing you and yours a safe and happy holiday!