Scouts Raingutter Regatta

What a fun time Tyler and Tj had getting Tyler's raingutter regatta boat ready!  Tyler's boat was the best looking boat there.  I didn't get to make it to this pack meeting because I had a NAVY pre-deployment brief I had to speak at (YUCK!). 

 Tyler earning his pins and beltloops.

 Blow, blow, blow!!!

 In the end Tyler's boat didn't win.  He was not too happy about that.  Better luck next year!

First day of 1st and 3rd Grade!

The kids were very excited to start school Monday.  They got lucky and got to see daddy before school - they were both very happy about that!

 Waiting at the bus stop.  Most parents take their kids in on the first day of school.  I don't do that for a lot of reasons (I didn't even do it for the first day of Kindergarten last year).  A) there is TOO many cars/people there - it's a nut house! B)My kids are both so independent they prefer me not to go with them C) I don't want to waste the gas driving there D) I don't want to cry.

 In fact, my neighbor took her little girl into first grade and she told me she saw Brena walking into school with her head held high looking like she was on a mission.  Brena said "Hi Ms. Dawn!"  and Dawn said "hey Brena - do you know where you're going?"  Brena said "YEP!" and was on her way.  There were kids crying and holding on to their mom's hands.  But, not my little girl - she's one tough cookie :)

Oh my sweet kids.  I miss them!  I have to say that it is nice to go to lunch with friends, get a hair cut, grocery shop, etc. but I'd rather have them home with me any day.  Here's to a great year!

After school that day Brena ran to the car jumped in and said in a very excited voice "MOM!!!!! I LOVE SCHOOL!!"  That made my day :)  Even Tyler who rarely shows any emotion said school was great.

Speaking of sewing...

Check out this cute dress my mom made Brenalee for her birthday:

I wish I'd gotten these skills!  I love this dress.  She also got some really cute skirts I have yet to take a picture of.  Thanks grandma!

Sewing

Lately I've been having a hankering to sew.  I saw this tutorial and figured I'd give it a shot.  My sewing skills are very beginner.  It's taken me a little longer than the hour it said...more like 2 days so far and I'm still not done. 

 But, I have high hopes for myself!

Happy Birthday Brenalee!

I know I probably say this on every birthday post I do of the kids.  But, how is my baby 6 years old??!!  This is ridiculous! 

Brena's birthday fell on a crazy day for us.  TJ wasn't going to be coming home until very late and I had church youth group.  I knew she couldn't go all day without opening her presents, so we woke her up early and let her open them before TJ went into work.  She was thrilled to say the least.

 She was so excited about her fake nails from her cousins.

And she loves shoes.  So these awesome{wink wink} white bling high heels from her other cousin were just her thing.  She is wearing them everywhere.

We did cake later.  Happy birthday my Brenalee aka Brena, Bren, Ben, Benanator, Ben-Ben, Pumpkin Pie, Princess Peach, my sweet, funny, crazy, one of a kind girl!

Post Surgery

Well, it's done.  We went to the hospital at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday 8/4.  It took FOREVER to get her into surgery.  I guess just all the paperwork, anesthesia and all that.  Everything went really well.  The doctor said she did great and she didn't have any bleeding which was really good.  We went right back after they took her out of the OR.  She wasn't awake yet, and I wanted to cry looking down at her sweet little face with the oxygen blowing on it.  She had big red marks on her cheeks from where they had to tape her eyes shut.  She woke up about 2 minutes after we were brought back.  She just kept moaning.  They had to give her some more morphine.  But after a bit she drank some gatorade and even ate a popsicle.  Then we were sent back up to another room to let her recover some more while they checked her vitals every 30 minutes. 

This is the room we waited in for some of the morning.

This was just outside the OR.  We waited here the longest...TJ couldn't get out of work that morning, so he didn't come until she was in surgery.  I was glad he got to be there when she woke up.  I felt bad Tyler had to wake up that early with us that morning and sit and do nothing all day.  But, he survived.

Right after this photo was taken, they kicked us out and we went to the waiting room while they put her under the anesthesia.

 And, this is a while after she had been up, back up in the original room.  This was her second popsicle of the day :)

She did really well and is healing great.  She is a little trooper and never took any pain meds, even though we had like a gallon of codeine for her.

They're coming out! YIPPEE!!!

Well, after too many sicknesses, these babies are comin' out!  I have been so excited for this day to come.  Now, I'm freaking out.  I am letting my baby have surgery?!  What if something happens, what if they do something wrong, what if, what if, what if???!!!

I know that it is what needs to happen, and I know she will be ok.  I just hate it when my kids are in pain and I can't do anything about it.

Grandma made her some adorable hospital pj's with a matching pillow case she can take to the hospital with her - she has been living in them for the past couple of days.

 They also came with a note of strict instructions: