NICU

As some of you know, my oldest son was born at 23 weeks 5 days. He wasn't expected to make it and if he did make it he wasn't expected to have a high quality of life. Cade is truly my miracle baby. I watched him grow and I witnessed miracles. I also experienced heartache and heartbreak. It was a roller coaster experience of emotions. Cade was in the NICU for 119 days, so of course that means I was there for that time too. One of my very best friends was there much longer than me and she left but she had to leave without her baby, Luke. This happens all too often in the NICU and it easily could have been me in that position.
I also have another friend whom I met online before Cade was born. She also had two NICU babies. I am posting a link to her blog so that you may read her story. She is also planning on a doing something so wonderful for NICU parents, especially those that leave the hospital without their sweet babies in their arms.

http://forgrievinghearts.blogspot.com/2011/08/brief-introduction.html?spref=fb

This such an amazing thing. I hope everyone will be able to contribute in some way, shape, or form.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Now that school has started it seems like we are ALWAYS busy! My week was exhausting to say the least. Larry had to work out of town on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday so I had to take all three kids to school. That meant me getting everyone up and ready and still being on time for work myself. Plus, those 19 beautiful 1st graders in my classroom are still learning the rules/routines and of course pushing to see how far they can.

This weekend we decided not to do too much other than the usual fun stuff around the house. Haha! I cleaned on Saturday and did most of the laundry. Colin was running a fever all day so we couldn't really do much anyway. Today, I have finished up the laundry and been LAZY! Colin is still running a fever. It always makes me nervous when my babies are running fevers. I am hoping he is done with this really soon.
Here are a few pictures of the boys from the weekend!
I took out the camera to take a quick picture of Colin and this is what I got!
Cade, of course had to join in the fun, so then I was able to get this one!
And funny faces are a MUST at the end of a photo-shoot!
This morning when Cade woke up, he crawled into the living room. We asked him why and he told his foot was asleep. So, after about thirty minutes I told him to come in the kitchen to eat breakfast. He told me he couldn't walk because his foot now hurt. I was so worried. I sent Larry a text to let him know that we might need to take him the doctor. For about two hours he laid on the couch and "milked" the hurt foot.
Then of course Colin had to join in on the fun! Pretty sure Cade's foot wasn't really hurt! He has been up the rest of the day running around and jumping!
Daddy went golfing this morning. He was home about an hour, long enough to eat lunch. I noticed while I was putting the last of the laundry away that he wasn't anywhere around. I looked in the living room and look what I found...
Such an exhausting life...

Random Sunday

The weekend has been nice! I looked forward to it all week because, well, teaching 1st grade at the beginning of the year is a little exhausting. Ok, who am I trying to fool, teaching 1st grade is exhausting, PERIOD, but at the beginning of the year it is even more exhausting if that is possible.

Here are few pictures from the week, the weekend, and volleyball!

Cade had his first homework assignment. They received a poster for All About Me at school. They had to fill in the facts about themselves and then color a few things. We also chose to use a couple of pictures on Cade's poster. Not only was this homework assignment it was also used for Show and Tell and it will be used again for Star Student of the Week!
I can't seem to get a normal picture of this little guy ever! Haha! He loves saying "CHEESE" and giving this smile! I can hardly see his eyes most times.
I caught him in mid-cheese on this picture!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE cooking in the crockpot. Chicken and rice is a favorite around here. It is so easy and quick so we decided to have it during the week .
This is NOT Colin's plate. He ate all of his, had thirds, and then got Cade's plate!

And this guy was there to catch anything that fell on the floor!
Marissa and I went shopping last weekend and this is one of her favorite outfits that she picked up at Gap Outlet.
It really does look great on her and she has such a great eye for fashion!

I know I just said I love to cook in the crockpot and I am not kidding I really do! However, Cade was begging for pizza and I didn't feel like cook so I declared Friday Pizza Night! Cade was so excited! A Little Caesar's just opened here (there was on here about 15 years ago). The pizzas were cheap so we thought why not try it. It was okay and a cheap meal. I was more excited about the Crazy Bread than anything else!
Marissa had her very first volleyball tournament as a Camden County Wildcat! She was so excited. Here a couple of pictures from the tournament. She is number 13!
I really can't believe the weekend is almost over. I am not sure I am ready to get back to the work week. I am already trying to figure out a vacation for October!

The Help

I read this book about six months ago.

I LOVED it! I could read it again and again. There are not many books that I can say that about. Last night, Larry and I went to see the movie together. I wanted to go last weekend, but it just wasn't possible. The movie was almost as amazing as the book! I LOVED the movie! I laughed, I cried, I laughed, I made those crazy shocked noises, I laughed some more, and then I cried and cried! I will watch this movie again and again and AGAIN! If you haven't seen it, you should! I have already told my husband that this would be a wonderful movie for my stocking this year at Christmas. I have to have this movie! I need it! I love it!
As much as I enjoyed it and loved it, my husband also enjoyed it. He has talked about it all day today. He keeps making references to it - funny and sad parts. So, really I recommend you see it and enjoy your time watching it!