We're back...

We spent Wednesday-Saturday in Dallas at the C3 conference (Creative Church Conference) at our former church, Fellowship Church. It was INCREDIBLE!!! I think I took 100 pages of notes! My mom came in town and stayed with our girls so they wouldn't miss school. Lexi's asthma got a little out of control while we were gone so last night I took her to the pediatric urgent care place for them to listen to her chest. I was worried it had turned into pneumonia and she was running a low grade fever as well. She couldn't lay down without coughing so hard that she would throw up. So I took her in and guess what? What do I know??? Nothing apparently! The doctor said her chest sounded clear and she wasn't wheezing (I have news for him...she's going to her regular dr today for that one) and low and behold, she had STREP THROAT and a DOUBLE EAR INFECTION! She has been playing like normal, hasn't complained of anything hurting. The doctor even asked her if her throat or ears hurt and she said, "No". He showed me her throat. I don't know how it couldn't hurt. Her tonsils were so huge and swollen and there was this awful looking red patchy rash back there. Isn't that scary? I know a girl from college who recently died from the strep bacteria. They thought she had the flu so they sent her home with an anti-viral drug. Turns out, she didn't have the flu, she had strep. And if it goes untreated for even just a few days, it gets into your bloodstream and organs and it can kill you. So today, I'm thanking GOD for that annoying cough last night which is what took us to the urgent care place which is where we found out she had strep! So once again, THANK YOU LORD for saving my rear and saving my child!

Not today, because I'm overwhelmed with things to do right now, but another day, I really want to share with all of you what one of the conference speaker spoke about last week. Her name was Christine Cain from Hillsong Church in Australia and her message was just INSANELY wonderful and what so many of us need to hear. I will share it later this week b/c it just really spoke to me in such a profound way. That's my teazer. You'll have to wait for the good stuff!

Good as Jesus

Lexi and the girls are staying with Granny and Nanny while Cary and I head out to Dallas in the morning for the greatest church conference EVER...the C3 Conference at our old church, Fellowship. Cary was talking to Lexi tonight, telling her bedtime stories and asked her, "Are you going to be good for Granny and Nanny while we're gone?" And she replied, "I'm going to be as good as Jesus!"

A Disney Day

We took the girls out of school early today and surprised them with a trip to DisneyWorld! It was a magical day! Incredible weather, not a cloud in the sky, high of 82, breezy, the girls were so well behaved, Daddy was well behaved, it just couldn't have been any better! Here are some pics from our day. Click on the link, no password needed.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=216992&id=834995365&l=1cc5e

Teacher Valentine's

I made these adorable candy bar wrappers for my teacher gifts this year. They go on the huge, jumbo Hersey bars and what teacher doesn't love chocolate? Even if she doesn't love the candy, this little personalized special made wrapper is sure to make her smile and be a small token of our gratitude for all she does! You kind of need to be a digital scrapper or a photoshopper to do something like this. I had a little help from Shabby Miss Jenn's Designs. Or if you bribe me with compliments or...ummm...chocolate, I may just make one for you! It says, "To Ms ____, A sweet treat for a sweet teacher! Be mine...Love, Lexi". I made one for Ashton's teacher too. So cute and so sweet and costs less than $2 bucks!

Last year I made these adorable valentines for the girls to give out to their friends, but I thought that may just be a little too babyish for Lexi now that she's in kindergarten. The bar is high I tell you! So I got the fun dip valentines at Target today. What kid doesn't love fun dip?

Click on these to enlarge the images!

Sorry, the first one's not the best pic, but you get the idea. It's just been printed out, cut, wrapped around the candy bar and I used double sided tape to make it stick. I printed it on cardstock.

All Aboard the Vomit Train...

Chuga Chuga Chu Chu!!! Would you like to come on board too? Come on, the more the merrier! Misery loves company! Okay, so I told you we had company all week last week and that they came with a terrible virus! I really think it's the flu! Oh I felt so awful for my friend Jenny! As if she didn't have enough on her plate right now re-locating from Mexico suddenly and unexpectedly, her husband and her three kids all had the flu and then, she, herself, went down in flames too after a week long struggle and determination to NOT succumb to this awful germ, at least not until she could get her family well. Our houseguests left yesterday and I thought surely our family had survived the fall! Not one of us had gotten sick, miracle of all miracles! I just knew the Lord had so graciously protected my family from this monster germ as a result of my...uh um..."kind and generous hospitality". Ha! That's what I get for thinking I had God all figured out! I wonder if he's saying, "Mwa ha ha, next year GET A FLU SHOT!" Okay, just kidding Lord, no lightening bolts, please!

Last night, the big man himself, Daddy-o, fell and he fell hard. They're dropping like flies around here I tell you! I wish I could tell you that my nurturing, compassionate maternal side kicked in and that I held the trash can while he puked in it! But I would be telling a big fat lie! No, quite the opposite occured. The selfish germaphobe Heather peeked her ugly monster head out, pulled the sheets over my head and slid UNDER the pillow and said, "Hey, can you at least go throw up in the already contaminated side of the house??? And while you're at it, sleep in there too just in case this thing is airborne!" Okay, well, I didn't say it quite like that. I did add a little sugary sweet "Please" to my request. You see, the girls were still sleeping on the floor in our room since I hadn't had time yet to strip their bed linens. So I mean, logically speaking, if this was airborne, we would ALL be going down in just a matter of time, right?

Today, Daddy has been very week and still tied to the bathroom all day. I have at least been able to clean and bleach and sanitize one half of the house, the half he's NOT in, so we can at least have one germ free side at all times I guess! The girls are, so far, flu free. My hands are so dry, they're peeling from all the germ ex I've used the past week. No lie! I've been cleaning like a mad woman all day because my tummy has been making some strange and peculiar sounds this afternoon and I'm a little worried that the Queen B herself is about to get run over by the vomit train! Chuga chuga chu chu! All aboard!

Genius Things Lexi Said Today

Tonight at dinner, Lexi informed me that when I was her age, she was in Heaven waiting on me to get older so that God could put her in my tummy. And then she said, "But he forgot to give me some clothes when he sent me down to Earth cause I was born naked."

She saw some old photographs (in black and white) on the wall at Dairy Queen and asked, "Why did the people back then have grey skin?"

On the way home from dinner she asked, "Why do we have to have a moon?" And I stumbled, "Uh, duh, uhm...hmmm....I think that sounds like a daddy question!" Obviously she didn't get her geniusness from me!

Soccer Tryouts

Today was the girls' first time to try out for soccer. Come to think of it, today was the girls' first time to TOUCH a soccer ball! Ever! Lexi is about half way through basketball season and we decided we would just try every sport and see where her talents are. She also takes gymanstics and has done ballet (but the girl had a little too much rhythem in her groove for ballet). We know she is very musically inclined and are on the hunt for a piano! As long as she's having fun at it, what's the harm? We never push her, but just to go out there and give great effort and have a great time! Today at soccer tryouts, Ashton kept begging to try out too. I thought she was too young, but turns out, they have teams for 3 and 4 yr olds. So I thought, what the heck! I turned and looked at the coach and asked, "Have you ever had a kid try out with a paci in their mouth?" And he said, "Nope." And I said, "Well, there's a first time for everything." Ashton TORE IT UP on the soccer field. OMG! She scored higher than Lexi. She's so little and fast. So I'm excited to see what April and May will hold for us on the soccer field with 2 little soccer players.

A Friend Returns!

You may remember in August or June or July or some time a while back, I mentioned that Lexi's best friend, Caroline, was moving to Mexico as her family was going into the mission field with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Sadly for them, but greatly for us, they are back! Their visa situation did not work out with Mexico's immigration office and they could no longer stay in Mexico. So they returned on Sunday and have been staying with us since then. We were all so excited about their return, especially Lexi. Unfortunately, the kids have not had much play time this week because their entire family has been ill. They have three children and all three have been running fever, vomiting, and now have the congestion part so they haven't much felt like playing. But we're just so glad to have them back, we know there will be plenty of play time in the coming weeks and months! Fortunately, so far, knock on wood, the Lord has shielded my family from the illness. And I hope it continues b/c I just got them all well about 2 weeks ago after 2 months of being sick! So we've had a very full and busy week with our houseguests. They are house hunting and school hunting. Have I mentioned how excited we are to have them back? Oh and in case you missed it on facebook, Jenny, my houseguest, caught Cary and I having a lovefest in the kitchen last night. Just a weee bit embarrassing!

Tummy Ache

Yesterday after school, I brought Ashton home and made us some hot roast beef with swiss sandwhiches with homemade guacamole and we sat at the kitchen table together to eat and watch the rain. When it's just the two of us eating lunch at home during the day, Ashton likes to scoot her chair up as close to me as possible and while she's struggling to move her chair she always remarks, "I like you Mommy." Everyday! So sweet! And I say, "I like you too." And we eat and eat and drink and drink and snuggle and snuggle. Heavenly! Yesterday while we were eating together and snuggling together over homemade guacamole, Ashton said, "I want a baby sister." And I said, "Well if Mommy had a baby, then I couldn't hold you all the time." And Ashton said, "No, I just want the baby sister to be in your tummy." And I said, "Well, eventually the baby would have to come out and play." And she said, "Cause why, you have tummy ache?" To say the least!