Mid Winter Break

So normally we would be heading south to Miami and then Key West for some sunshine and R and R but this year Kent county on the universal school calender shortened mid winter break to two days. Now Clint and I could both take personal days and extend it to a reasonable break but we weren't sure how Cae's ears would be resolved and thus we didn't buy plane tickets when they were cheap- so no trip to Florida this year. We decided we would take our break and make our own "tropics in GR". A trip to Fredrick Meijer Gardens, a visit to the aquarium at the zoo, dinner at the Rain Forest Cafe, and finally a stay at a local Ramada hotel advertised to have a water slide and hot tub along with a standard hotel pool. Sounds great right. Let me tell you how many ways the wheels came off these plans. First there is an ice and rain storm so it is difficult to walk to the back of the zoo where the aquarium is. Next we find out the Rain Forest Cafe closed. We still have the hotel and the gardens right? Our hotel has a check in of 4p.m.- that should have been a tip off but hay we hear it is a cool slide and breakfast is included so okay. Advertised newly remodeled rooms- yea in 1982, the hot tub is broken, and the water slide is shut off at 5 p.m. At the same time Clint's mom Rita was taking the other two grand kids on a overnight to a hotel with a pool nearby and she was going to bring them to our pool for a trip on the water slide after we all had dinner together. We came back from dinner to no water slide, and no hot tub- no thank you. We checked out and asked for a refund- at first they balked but when confronted with the facts that the "Castaway Bay" and "Splash Tower" were closed or non- functioning and this is the only reason we came to stay seeing that we live here. In addition the microwave and fridge in every room were also non- existent. They quickly repented and refunded our money. We then headed over to Rita's hotel for a swim in her regular hotel pool. At this point it seemed silly to get a room to sleep in a bed not as good as our own sleep number just to stay in GR so we left Abby with her Grandma and cousins and we took Cae and headed home. Rita took all the big kids to a movie and we watched it snow. Most of the schools were closed the day after break due to snow. So much for the tropics in GR. Next year it's Florida or bust. These are some pictures from swimming in Grandma's hotel pool.

Abbi and Cae hit the pool

Abbi takes Cae for a trip around the pool

Abbi shows Cae how it is done
Bree and Clint watch as Abbi helps Cae splash
Again Cae is the center of attention from two pretty girls

Of course Abbi is his sister and Bree is his cousin
Aren't they sharing nicely?
All of them warm up

Cody warms up in the shower
I think Bree should have to give Abbi a ride don't you?
Trying out the life jacket
Clint helps Caelun "swim"
Abbi gives Bree a tour around the pool



Pam and Cae warm up in the hot tub


Clint whistles a tune while Cae warms up
after being all tuckered out from his swim

February 2008 book- Snow Flower And The Secret Fan

Our February book was Snow Flower And The Secret Fan by Lisa See. This book takes place in 1850's plus China and is the story of two women, Lily and Snow Flower, who are pledged to be "old sames". Lily is the main narrator and she takes you through the story of their lives. You really get a good look into the life of women in China during this period of history. The foot binding stories will make you wince. The story is sad but lovely. Our book club really liked it. We gave it four stars. Again I will attach the discussion questions in the comments.

Sick Kids

So I was going to catch up on all of these posts during mid-winter break -not so much but I will get to that later. This weekend was going to be a weekend to work on Caelun's room and catch up on sleep. Abbi was going to spend the weekend with a friend and Caelun was going to stay with Grandma Mary Saturday night. So how do I find myself sitting in room 607 of Metro Hospital for a second night? Abbi's plans fell through with her friend, so Clint picked her up on Friday like normal. He got her home and she wasn't feeling good. Clint went to bed- he gets up at 5:00 a.m. and I stayed up. She was running a temp. We did Tylenol and it didn't come down. We did Motrin. Her throat still hurt and she was stuffy. We did Benadryl and cough drops and at 1:30a.m. she went to bed. I went to bed. At 2:00.m. Cae woke up with the continuing saga of the stuffy nose we have been dealing with for a week. He was up again at 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. At 8 Clint got up with him and let me sleep. I got up at 10:00 to hear Cae was running a temp- 102.5 that Tylenol wouldn't bring down. No stay a Grandma's for Cae. We did alternating Motrin and Tylenol on alternating kids all day. At 9:00 p.m. As we were looking at Abbi's red, white spotted throat with a flash light, Cae woke up barley able to breathe. After a call to our pediatrician's- emergency line, a stand in the bathroom with the hot shower running, and the recommendation from our friend/ neighbor/and fireman/first responder Brien Velting we packed up both kids and headed to the ER. We decided on Metro Health because we thought it would probably have the shortest wait time and we were correct. It wasn't two minutes from walking in the door that we were in a triage room. Clint didn't even get the van parked. We had planned to take Abbi to the weekend clinic through our GP but since her little brother decided to try to not breathe the ER folks killed two birds with one stone and swabbed her throat. Luckily it wasn't strep. Not so lucky for Cae. He has croup and a reactive airway to boot. At least this I know how to handle- been there done that. Breathing treatments of abuteraol, epinephrine's, oral steroids, - all drugs I was currently carrying in my pocket at the time, for me- and a scalp IV and we are off to the races. We have been sleeping in a cool mist tent. That in conjunction with the scalp IV makes him look like he was wounded in Iraq. This poor kid's baby book is going to be nothing but hospital wrist bands and lists of drugs -drama, drama, drama.

You know you want one of these at home

A room with a view- and oxygen please

Dad says "the room is nice but the pool is disapointing"

It's okay mom dorks get all the chicks!

It's a sympathey thing.
Even sick and full of tubes he is our smiley boy

Bandage boy helps mommy order lunch
A view through the vent in our cool mist tent

IV is out and we are charming the nurses

Spike the dinosaur and Cae cruise the hall waiting to see

if more rebounds are comming

Hay cutie going our way?

Mandy's Shower

Clint's sister Mandy - For those keeping score at home, Mandy is Clint's step-sister on his dad and step-mom's (Mary) side. Mandy is in the Air Force and is stationed in Florida. She flew home for a long weekend so we could throw a shower. Missy- my sister-in law, Grandma Hall, Aunt Linda- Mary's sister, and myself were the "party throwers". Mary Mandy's mom also did a ton of work- though not an official hostess- etiquette. We were all s excited to see Mandy and have a chance to celebrate with her. There are an inordinate amount of pictures of Cae and Cae's cousin Bree- that's because it is my blog. Abby didn't come, and if she had I still wouldn't have as many pictures of her- she is going through that phase where she doesn't want her picture taken.

Mandy gives Cae a snuggle

pretty bride
Cae "helps"
the bride opens presents
the gifts
so many pretty girls- so little time

so many people
Caelun "helps" with the gifts
Pretty girls
Bree plays a game while Cae is entertained by Missy
they are just to cute

Grandma Hall chats
Mary- Mandy's mom helps with the games
Mandy's sister, step-mom, aunt, grandma, and aunt -her dad's side
So many folks to wish her well
Mandy greets her guests with Aunt Linda in the pink

Caelun and Bree Hang out
Linda made a beautiful cake
Missy gives Cae a snuggle
Mary made this for Mandy
The bride with Bree and Cae

And The Walkin' Man Walks...

Caelun walked Friday! We have it on video so you are all to be subjected. Clint is two for two. He has Abby's first steps on video as well. Abby's video is of course actual video so once I figure out how to get it digitized you will all have to watch that as well.

I have so much to catch up on. I have pictures from an improv speech a couple of weeks ago that I promised my students I would post and Clint's sister Mandy got engaged and is getting married in June. I have her anouncement and now she just flew home for a wedding shower and I have pictures upon pictures. There is also February's book club book as well as the book for March, which is the One County One Book -book. I will try to ge caught up on our break.

Happy Belated Birthdays

We FINALLY got to celebrate my parents birthdays. Between being sick back in December, Caelun's ears, and now all of the snow we managed to miss both of my parents birthdays. Actually we missed Rita, Clint's mom's as well and we still owe her a celebration. We will get there- it might be the spring thaw but we will get there! Any hoo- my dad Bob, turned 82 back on December 3oth and my mother Adelma, turned 72 on the 4th of this month. Usually we have them over and I cook some favroites for dinner, but this time we went to them so Clint could fix a problem with dad's e-mail and give him a tutorial. Aunt Loweta, Uncle Lester, Aunt Barbie, and cousin Beth, I think we have him set. Try sending e-mail again and see if you get a response. At any rate I got off easy. My dad made dinner and Clint did the computer training. I just bought the cake and my mother's plants/flowers. Caelun was, of course the entertainment.









Happy Valentine's day to all. We went out for Chinese food. We took Caelun with us, as usual. He is eating everything and anything. He really seemed to like fried rice and egg drop soup. I guess I haven't been very good about the stats- he has two teeth, the two bottom incisors and is working on the top incisiors. He weighs just under 18 lbs. He is in the bottom of the bottom on the size chart. He is crawling- mostly the swimmy slodier on the beach crawl, and standing by him self. He signs mom, dad, milk, and more. He says lots of words that don't mean anything- dig, dog, dirt, duck, da dee, ma mee, kit, kick, Bob, bee, bit, buck, bug, beg, ba ba, mug, Meg, muck, tuck, truck, gray, gay, git, grit- there are lots more but I am not convinced that any of them have any real meaning. He puts them together in weird strings- Dig, dog, dirt is one of his common "sentences". For Aunt Linda he has, all for the plosives- vocalized and unvocalized and the nasals. I think you can see the pattern. Our peditrition tells us all the time his language development is WAY ahead not even considering the pree- mee status. Clint just laughs and says "look who his mom is." Dr. Sue thinks it is because I read to him, and talk to him - he is copying me. I do have Good Night Moon memorized. Who knows. Maybe it is just genetic- heaven help you all.