Much too late...

To be attempting this but I have had mucho caffeine today sooo...here I sit :) I have been tinkering with photoshop a bit and learning some more editing techniques, very excited about that! YAY!

I need to quit stalling and get this darn geog paper DONE, it's due in uh 10 days...yep TEN days. Yikes, I need to get on the ball. I do have a topic so that's a start.

Everyone is snoozing of course so it's nice and quiet here...new comp so not even the hum of the computer! We have really just been hanging out at home the past few days. Turkey day was good nothing exciting, pretty typical eat dinner with the family day. We went to Robert's parents house ate, visited, and headed home. Gavin isn't feeling well still so we have just been trying to lay low. Robert's family is having a dinner tomorrow in Jackson...which is TWO hours away. Not too happy about doing that really but I told him it was up to him and he wants to go, so we are probably going to go, depending on how Gavin boy is feeling. If it were just us driving it wouldn't be an issue to drive for 2 hours eat for 1 1/2 and then turn around and come back. Not to mention it's going to be about 15 people trying to visit and catch up at El Chico...yes I think that is a recipe for CHAOS. But alas if it were "my" (they are my family of course but you know what I mean :) ) I would want to go so that is why I left it up to him. We will have a nice time but the drive stinks. Geesh that was a it of a rant...sorry about that! We did get the tree put up yesterday afternoon, the boys were very excited about that! Jakeb kept telling me "Happy Christmas!"

I went to Hendersonville today to visit with my mom for a bit and left the boys with Daddy-o. It's nice to get away alone for a little while. It's always a little odd going to back to Hendersonville for me, I only on a few occasions have actually seen someone I know or recognize and I usually hide! I can't stand those "HEYYYY" [all the while thinking..who is this person again] conversations, so I avoid them like the plague. Robert and I are different in that area because he very eagerly goes up to anyone he thinks he may know from his childhood, I on the other hand run and hide LOL. No uncomfy covo's for me! I did have a nice visit with my ma though!

Jakeb has had several night terrors recently, which is a little concerning. I have read in several places that they often occur from lack of sleep so I am attributing it to that but it's still scary. They also can be from some trauma but since he's had them since he was a little over 2 and at that point he was rarely away from me so I just can't see that being the cause. But it's scary none the less because often he talks and says things like "Mommy/Daddy, nooo" or just stares off behind us saying "noooo" all while he's shaking and whimpering it's just pitiful. Talking to him makes it a lot worse so I try to just get him to lay down and be quiet but that's hard when he looks so scared. Robert has odd sleep habits too so I guess it's hereditary but boy I dont like it!

Zachary is doing VERy well, completely off the steroids now...YAY!!!! We are now trying to get his behavior back undercontrol which is uh yeah not easy he's such a stubborn kid! He had his follow up appt with Neurology last week and they have "released" him and don't need to see him back. I also talked with her about the MRI scheduled in December and possibly giving him some type of sedative before they do the IV and she actually said that it isn't necessary to do the MRI at all because unless he has symptoms of some sort they won't do anything any differently. So we get to cancel that, which is VERY good!

And Mr. Gavin is doing ok, he has another funky cold that has his breathing all wheezy and fast again and that is always so scary esp at night while I am sleeping. I wish he would sleep with me better I would just put him in our bed. He's had a low grade fever today but mood wise and breathing wise seems better so hopefully tomorrow will be even better.

Alrighty...I think this has gotten long enough :) Hope whomever actually reads (and of course those that don't) had a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!



Here are a few pics I have edited...these are post edit and just tinkering around so not perfect but lookin fun anyway :)

Title 1

The kiddo's are out of school for the rest of the week, Zachary had a Thanksgiving meal for families to come to today at his school and they dismissed the kids after that so I let Jakeb have a special treat and have a half day. He thought that was great! We had a busy day though and I am worn out! I took Zachary to school, then Gavin and I hit up Publix for some groceries, then home to unload them and chill for an hour, then off to eat T-day meal with Zachary (which was pretty yummy!), then headed to get Jakeb (and Alex). It was GORGEOUS here today so I took the kids to the park for a bit, then home for a nap for Gavin, then because it was nice and may not be again for a while, I grabbed there clothes for Xmas card pics and we went to Canonsburg (I local historical site) and tried to snap some pics...didn't go so well but I may have a decent shot or two (of the 120+!) . Then my dad came over for dinner, LONG day! So now that you have the entire run down of my day....LOL.
I need to figure out how people manage to get their kids to just magically "pose" for the camera, mine just don't--much less look! Of course it's usually only one kid in the pic and that almost always is doable, but start adding more and it gets complicated!
I have decided that I need to get on the ball with my photography and quit dragging my feet about it, give it an honest effort....eventually LOL...no seriously I keep talking about it and then do nothing, so after graduation that is my plan. We'll see.

I don't believe I have posted yet about my grandmother....we found out last week that her cancer is back. I guess actually it's not the same type of cancer so not sure if it's back or if she just has it again, either way she has Small Cell Carcinoma which from what I have read isn't the best kind (like there is a good kind). We still don't really know any other details as far as prognosis or treatments. They cannot do surgery because of her health and they did a scan today to see if she is a candidate for Radiation along with the chemo. She has lost a great deal of weight so I am nervous about the chemo and all of it. Granted she's 71 but being that we have lived relatively close to them nearly my entire life it's hard to imagine her NOT here. It's hard realizing that she may not be here much longer and just thinking about that is upsetting of course. I am, for now, trying not to think that way until we know what the complete diagnosis is and hopefully we will find out more tomorrow after the results of the scan she had done today are read. My dad was here tonight discussing what to do if/when something happens to her. My grandfather (Pappy) is a parapalegic and she has been his primary caregiver for many, many years. They do have nurses that come 3 times a week but he no longer is able to get out of the bed and in his wheelchair so he has no way of getting around to take care of things that he may need. Because of that he nearly needs 24 hour care, my dad is of course worrying about all of this quite a bit, but for me I am not in on the decision making of that so I don't have too much to offer at this point. And knowing my grandparents it is probably covered but he (my dad) doesn't seem to think so...guess I need to do some digging on that topic, joy! And a fun one at that. I would really appreciate any prayers tossed our way for my grandmother and family in general. Hopefully I will have more details tomorrow.

Well I guess I am rambling...more than usual...I am beat so I am going to head to dreamland!

I will post a few pics from the kids "photo shoot" soon :)

Pic Post

These are pictures from our trip to Fall Creek Falls from this past weekend.

Alrighty then...

Guess it's just me....

Not much to report really. Working on finishing up the semester and get on past graduation! The kids are doing well, Zachary is MUCH better and I am anxious to get him off the steroids. Next week will be the last week! YAY!
Gavin is a cutie patootie, he had his 18 month check up yesterday and he is itty bitty! Weighing in at 20lbs 6oz and 30 3/4 in tall. That puts him below the 3rd %, meaning over 97% of kids weigh more than he does. Not surprising, I would be more surprised if he was big, he's healthy and active so no concern from me or the doc.
Jakeb is doing very well in school, and told me today he LOVES it! So that's great to hear, although he is looking forward to only having to go 2 days a week next week.
Robert has been off this week which is always nice! Although I feel I have hardly seen him, when he's home I think I end up staying gone a lot because it's just about the only time I can catch up on things I can't do while he's gone. So that kinda stinks I hope that once I am done with school that will ease up.
On a sad note we found out yesterday that my grandmother's lung cancer is back. I guess she said they told her today that it's different from before and this type is "Small cell carcinoma" which after doing a quick google on it, doesn't have too great prognosis. But also depends on the stage in which she is in and that I don't know and don't think anyone does just yet. She goes back in on Tuesday of next week for another more extensive scan to find out more info and then will go from there as far as treatment options. She has been feeling badly for quite some time now so this really comes as no big surprise. But is upsetting none the less, so please say prayers for her and my family. I guess we will find out soon where we go from here.
I guess I am stumped for much else....

KNOCK, KNOCK

Who's There???

Steroids SUCK

Just thought I would let you know that...yes they really stink! Zachary has been such a rotten little stinker, and having patience and understanding is proving to be more difficult as the time goes on. He is in his bed right now saying "nooouh, noooo-uh....nooooooo-uh" in this whiney nasaly voice because well...actually he started out saying "yeessss-uh, yessss, yesssss" because he wanted Daddy to lay down and sleep with him, now it's "nooo-uh" because he was told to stop saying "yessss-uh". I imagine he will fall asleep saying it and there is a good chance that he will wake up saying it like he did earlier this week at nap time. I feel like we have all been walking on egg shells trying not to set him off and I am attributing nearly all of this behavior stuff to the meds because while he could definitely be a stinker before not NEARLY to this magnitude and until he's off the meds I don't want to crack down on it just yet. At least he's not screaming and kicking the walls like he did during a previous stand down we had a week or so ago, that one was AWFUL. I have very little patience for that kind of behavior normally so this has been a challenge and so far I/we are holding up ok. I am just kind of letting him have his fit for now because interveneing too soon seems to set him off even more. And now I think he's snoozing haven't hear "noooo-uh" in a few seconds LOL.

Trick or Treating was a great time. Our neighborhood really does ROCK for holidays esp Trick or Treating, I never went much as a child so I always enjoy taking the boys and of course they love it also. Gavin was so cute this year and was very eager to walk up to every house with his little bag and would say "daydoo" (thank you) to everyone after they gave him candy. We met up with Brian and Hope and their boys and the kids had a great time. Evan and Gavin definitely won for the cute factor IMO of course Jakeb, Alex, and Zachary were cute but not the same cute as the little guys. Zachary wasn't quite as eager to walk around but he definetly had a good time once he warmed up to the idea of it all, and he was VERY excited to go. We went for a little over an hour so we got a good bit of candy and the kids were totally worn out. So onto Thanksgiving...which for me personally is just another one to tackle before hitting Christmas! I am not a big Thanksgiving girl, don't care too much for Turkey nor the hassle and headache involved of trying to work out how to concor making everyone happy by being at their house for T-day when really I would rather stay home and eat Pizza and watch movies! Don't get me wrong I LOVE seeing my family esp the ones we don't see very often but sometimes it can get a little chaotic...as I am sure it does at every Thanksgiving for most families. We do manage to have a good time and leave happy. And we never have the dreaded "family drama" so I am definitely thankful for that!
I met my mom today in Gallatin to do my photog assignment for this next week, we had a nice time. Just wandered around the square looking at the old buildings, most of which are closed or empty. My assignment is structures so it was a nice spot to look at various buildings and old structures. And of course it was nice to get out and visit with my mom sans kiddos! AND nice meeting Robert for dinner and hearing all three boys yell MOMMMYYY!!! when they saw me, that is always nice :)
Now tomorrow I get to go develop and again hang out by myself, this time in the nice quiet darkroom..well slightly lit with orange light. I hope one day I can have my very own darkroom, it is my "dream hobby".
Alrighty that's my update for the weekend. Have a good one!