Loudest House on the Block

Last vacation of the summer....

2011-08-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

We were supposed to travel to California with my daughter's soccer team for the Mustang Stampede, but at the last minute the team decided to withdraw (missing an assortment of players due to all kinds of issues, injury, and one teammate qualifying for the Hershey National track meet). So, I went into scramble mode to come up with a vacation. We spent time at our friend's condo near Government Camp, which was nice as they are abandoning us for drier, warmer weather in Florida. We then traveled to Sunriver, Oregon. It was sunny, with pools readily available, and white water rafting close by. It was amazing. Explaining to our rafting guide that he needed to explain the safety rules to four kids who can't hear was also entertaining ;) That said, Glen, the guide was amazing with the kids.

Fixing the broken cochlear implant.....

2011-07-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

Emily's right implant just quite working out of the blue. This is her favorite implant (which probably makes no sense, but yes, she has greatly preferred her original implant to her "newer" implant). That said, going with the newer implant only for a week has made her adjust to it and she finally admitted that it sounds just like her original one. If there is a silver lining, that would be it. That said, I need to figure out if her old implant is fixable. I have done what troubleshooting I can, and this is beyond me. It is not the head piece, or the battery, or the ear hook. Bummer.

Any thoughts? (This is an AB Harmony processor)

Swim Lessons Today

2011-07-14T15:16:00.000-07:00

Trey is still not completely safe in the pool yet, so we are starting another round of lessons. My sister and I basically grew up in the water, of course in Texas pools are on every corner it (or at least it seems like it). Here where we spend so much of the year wet, you have to work a bit harder to find a pool. That said, we belong to a club that has two pools, and yet, Trey is still not swimming.

It is harder when you have to take off your "ears" to swim. The teaching process gets a little bit harder, so when we find a good visual teacher, we are thrilled. We are back with the swim teacher from last year, but she just told me she is leaving in three weeks- NO!! Let's hope she can work some magic in the next three weeks ;)

** Like that picture? Doesn't it look safe? I'm sure there is no way he could stand on that, fall back and crack his head open.....Yes, those thoughts went through my mind over and over. Such a boy thing.

Texas pics round 2

2011-07-13T14:35:00.000-07:00

Trey's favorite activity

Six Flags: Jake, Delaney, Emily, and Trey

Emily and my niece Ainsley

A bad family picture ;) (missing Rob, he stayed home due to work)

See the love???

Trey

The girls: Addison, Delaney, my sister Laura, Ainsley, my mom, Me, and Em

Delaney and Ainsley

Texas Vacation

2011-07-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of the week we spent with my family in Texas.

This is the kids on the Scream ride.....I would definitely have done just that!

You're never too old for your mom to force you to pose with a life-size stuffed character

Trey with my nephew Connor

Jake relaxing with a book.....this rarely happens at home

This also rarely happens (typically if they are sitting this close they are hurting each other)

Emily and I (not the best pic....)

Delaney and my niece Addison

Trey, my mom, Emily, and I

Emily and Addison

I forgot: I am now officially a teacher

2011-07-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

I had a second interview on Monday with a school principal and was offered the job on that day. I am thrilled!!! Now I have to make the most of this summer and get this house whipped into shape. My new-hire paperwork is in the mail (which once I see it I'm sure I will feel more official.....right now I think I'm still afraid I dreamt it ;)

I am considering this my first full-week of "normal" summer....

2011-07-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

meaning non-vacation, "we're bored, what can we do", kind of days. It has been a bit overcast for the last couple of days, which after the 100 degree heat in Texas should be welcome. Instead it's a bit of a let down. It's summer darn it, and here in the Pacific NW we are owed our warm and SUNNY summers. None of this wet stuff. Emily is partaking in soccer camp at the University of Portland, and despite the rain yesterday is having a fantastic time.

The rest of us are trying to clean, which really means I am cleaning and they are coming up with reasons why they *cannot, possibly* clean anything.

I hope everyone watched the US women play in the semi-finals today....yes, my world now really is run totally by soccer games ;) It was an amazing second half which I thoroughly enjoyed from the elliptical machine at the gym. I found during times when I wanted them to move faster, I tended to go faster- I'm sure anyone watching me was cracking up.

Hello Everyone!

2011-07-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report I graduated with a Masters in Special Ed (FINALLY), so now I can hopefully catch up on blogging. The kids are out of school for summer and immersed in soccer tournaments, sunshine, and downtime. On a bad note, Em woke up this morning and her "favorite" implant is not working!!! No! So, she is wearing her "newer" implant only (four years old, but still the least preferred), and is doing pretty well overall. Maybe it is a blessing in disguise? Who knows. Delaney hurt her knee in the soccer game last night, so we will be heading to physical therapy early this next week to see how long she is out :( She also managed to break her iPhone. Which do you think shook her world more? Yes, the phone.

Anyway- just a quick note before I have to run out the door for another game.

Week three of school....

2010-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

And I'm still playing catch-up from summer. I have loads of laundry, and a million house cleaning projects. Sample paint "swatches" painted on three different walls, and three weeks left of my last class before student teaching. In addition, as nice as it is having some time without the kids, I send the last two off on the bus, turn around and it's 2:00. How??? I haven't quite figured that one out.

Delaney is loving school, but her hearing fluctuations have continued- Bummer. She is still experiencing some ringing, and by the end of the day her hearing is just not as good as it was at the beginning. She has started wearing her implant (yay!), and agrees that it actually *does* help her hear (yes, she's a slow learner ;)

Everyone is doing well in the hearing department (well, as "well" as Emily ever does). She definitely struggles the most.... It doesn't make sense as she has bilateral implants but she definitely has good hearing days and bad hearing days. She's always been a bit of an enigma.

My camera is still broken- I miss it. I've missed eight soccer games, the first day of school, and who knows what else. The rationale side of me knows I have enough soccer pictures to last a lifetime, but who knows when it will be "the" picture. Anyway....I WANT MY CAMERA BACK. Please :)

Back to school (75% of the kids)

2010-09-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

Can you tell which child is not THRILLED???
The picture of Delaney is not from the first day of school (although she *did* wear her hair in braids. And, as a plus she is posing with one of my other favorite girls, my niece Addison). My camera died (see previous post) and her battery was not yet charged so she got out of the traditional first day of school pic. Maybe Trey should have gotten out of it as well (????) He really, REALLY, really wants to go to the neighborhood school. Sigh.

Summer is over.....

2010-09-08T08:56:00.000-07:00

And my children are all back in school. We had a great summer- lots of soccer, some vacation, several roller coasters, and a couple of water parks. I have tons of pictures, but my computer will not let me load a chunk of them, and my "baby" broke (while on vacation), so I had to use my parents' cameras for pix. My Canon DSLR is not working- Big, big bummer. I have a ton of soccer games in my future (like this weekend) and I might miss the perfect shot ;)

Delaney is now an 8th grader (SCARY, last year before high school)
Emily is a 5th grader (Again, SCARY, last year before middle school)
Jake is a 2nd grader (He's just scary- kidding)
Trey is a 1st grader (Hard to believe my baby is in 1st grade).

I will update soon with lots of pictures, but for now here are a couple of the boys....being boys. BTW- the pictures help explain how the boys 'kind of' got wet on their outing with my mom ;)

All boy, all the time....

2010-08-14T16:53:00.000-07:00

that's been our house this week (w/ the exception of me and Maxine, our labrador retriever). When asked if they missed the girls, the boys LOUDLY responded, "Nope...do they have to come home?". Now, that's brotherly love.

We are home from vacation #1- which was centered around (yes, you guessed it) a soccer tournament!

2010-08-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

We all had a fantastic time. Both girls' teams did really well, and I spent so much time shrieking, I mean cheering, the girls on, I'm hoarse. Of course that might have been the huge rollercoasters I was forced, I mean asked nicely, to go on. I've become so much less daring as I've gotten older.

Anyway- I have a full recap in the making and tons of pictures. The girls traveled to Southern Cali. to visit Rob's parents after the tournament, hence it is just the boys. That is my excuse for why I haven't posted pictures or a recap. The girls actually help out a ton.....

They have had a great time getting spoiled by their grandparents, and get to do it all over again in less than two weeks (w/ my parents).

Summer- it's a good thing ;)

The unveiling (although not on Trey).....

2010-08-02T17:57:00.000-07:00

It is the Phonak Naida (something, something, UP). His is clear so you can see all the inner workings, and it feels more substantial than the Widex p38. Maybe that is just me trying to justify the investment. He has adapted to it immediately, but he is also just 6. It is very awesome looking, now I just hope it works even better! I will say, the BRIGHT red ear mold that accompanies it kind of kills the supercool, high-tech look of it, but again....6.

Trey gets his new hearing aid today.....

2010-08-02T09:40:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! The kids have had the Widex P38s so long, and they have been a great hearing aid (really powerful, which is great when it comes to fluctuating hearing). Jake has one P38 and one c19, or maybe even a c9. Anyway, after the "Milo incident" in which the hearing aid(s) became a doggie treat, we needed to replace one, so Trey is the lucky winner. Jake's hearing is better, and he does well with his aids, so I gave him our last spare P38. The new hearing aid is so much smaller....and a lot less clunky looking then the Widex aid. Now, let's just hope it works better as well!

If it does work better, we'll be replacing Delaney's P38 (that she has had since she was 3....not bad for a hearing aid, right?). I was told to expect them to last 5-7 years. She's had hers for 10. Which is great as they were not cheap when we purchased them. $4,000 for the pair.

Quick Post: Seattle Tournament

2010-07-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

O.K. I *do* have pictures of the other kids, but Trey is till so natural (maybe not clear from these pictures). He is still quick to grab my hand, quick to give hugs, etc. I realize due to my oldest child that this is fleeting (unless coerced). I hope to win them back, but for now I'll enjoy my "baby's" hand/hugs, etc.

Delaney, my oldest (13+) has moments of great maturity, which give me hope. She will spend days on end being just an amazing child, but then turns on me/us in a second. Those moments of awesomeness (is that even a word) give me such hope. She has hounded me non-stop about working with children in a hospital. Wants to do mission work...anywhere, at any time. She is such a bighearted, caring child, yet she is till a 13 year old girl. I see just glimmers of the wonderful young woman she will eventually be. Yet, it inspires me. EDIT: And then, after writing this post she has turned into the 13 year old alien that is *also* Delaney at times. The one who does not know when to stop talking....sigh. Gotta love it.

FYI- regarding the dog prank (see Delaney's post)-

2010-07-16T16:28:00.001-07:00

I cringed for weeks anytime I saw our neighbors. Fortunately that was 4-5 years ago, and it seems to be forgotten (thank goodness). Their boys have become good friends of Jake's.

On a sad note, we've lost two hearing aids due to the carelessness of two boys, and a puppy. Yes, Milo has eaten two hearing aids. Well,they were not completely consumed for those of you worrying about the effect of the batteries on our puppy's tummy, but certainly no longer useable. They are now small twisted piles of plastic and metal. BUMMER! We had been warned, but our older dog never goes near any of the children's hearing equipment.

What else is new. I believe I should be nominated for Mother-of-the-Year after taking Emily, my 10 year old to the Justin Bieber concert the other night. Picture an entire sports arena filled with 8-12 year old girls shrieking. One of Emily's friends mothers had access to a suite, so Em and I, along with about 12 of her friends/acquaintances and their moms all attended. The look on all of their faces made it worth while, but I must admit I am still not a fan. I clearly do not have the Bieber-fever.

I'm off for now. I have to wash soccer clothes for tomorrow's soccer festivities!

I Did Not Post Because My Hampster Ate My Computer ;)

2010-07-14T22:27:00.000-07:00

So your probably wondering why I havent posted anything, just look at the title and you will understand!

Mother, you so have not won yet. Nice try! I do not find blogging hard at all. Hmm, Is kinda boring though.

Hello people of the world! I'm Delaney's best friend and you can call me Jordan! Me and Delaney go way back. Way back in the old ages when we were silly children! Well me and delaney together equal TROUBLE. So, One time me and delaney wanted to do pranks. So we thought it would be funny to put dog poop on someones front porch and were stupid enough to ring the door bell. Then we were very stupid to sprint back to the house. And what do you know, we got caught! Although now we are much smarter to put the dog poop in a garbage bag and hide in the bushes ;) HAHAHAHA JUST KIDDING.

Jordan and I will be making a post tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Btw ( This means By The Way). We had a great excuse, cut us some slack. :)

Psst....Me again (Melissa, that is)-

2010-07-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

I'd just like to point out that my wonderful daughter Delaney is already letting you all down on day 2 of her 'guest blogging' experiment. She is off at soccer practice, and then going to a sleepover w/ no post for today...I win! Blogging is hard work (or at least a habit that you have to get into).

I hate to say it but juggling four kids, and going back to school for my masters did not help my blogging abilities. I guess I thought I was better (more organized....no, just better) than I was but I'll admit it now. It has been hard juggling everything.

One class left (after this one that I'm halfway through).

It's just me and the boys here right now, and I'm watching my baby (Trey) using his sister's iPod (yes Delaney, I am taking it away in 10 seconds), sharing headphones with Milo. The dog seems thoroughly unimpressed with Adam Lambert ;)

He is covered in dirt (Trey, not Milo), barefoot, tan, and blond. I'd say he's having a great summer, boy-style. That said, a bath is probably a good idea at this point. We've been relying on swim lessons to accomplish this goal-LOL.

Aloha all. It's me Delaney.

2010-07-11T18:41:00.000-07:00

I have this whole blog for a week. Arn't you guys lucky :)My mom claims that having a blog is a lot of work. I am proving her wrong.

I am gonna start of with sharing how our 4th of July went.

My mom and I :) Not many of these :)

Emily. Getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.

Jake

Trey

Jordan (My best friend) and I :)

Hope you all had a great 4th of July and were somewhat safe.

- Delaney

Because I am a highly ineffective blogger these days.....

2010-07-11T18:40:00.001-07:00

I am turning my blog over to Delaney for an entire week. I figure this can go one of two ways. Either she loses everyone who looks at the blog ;), or she wins new viewers-LOL.

Have at it Delaney,
Love,
Mom

Last Day Of School.....

2010-06-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

(Sorry the picture is tiny....I'm working on it)
Not sure whether to celebrate or be scared ;) So far, Trey has spent many days holed up in the house to escape the rain and cold. Come on summer- I've heard you exist.

Just me today....

2010-06-02T08:06:00.000-07:00

I couldn't handle Delaney's lack of proper punctuation (please ignore the triple dots above ;)

Actually, all in all I think she had fun with that. Or at least had fun making fun of her sweet, always nice and loving, mother.

As of right now we will go back to the Audiologist in a week or so. They will continue to monitor her hearing to see if there is continued improvement (of further downward fluctuations). I would say, if I had to take a guess, that she has continued to improve. Her hearing appears to be back to where it was prior to the downward slide.

Our kids have LVAS or EVAS (Large/Englarged Vestibular Aqueduct Syndrome) and are prone to fluctuations in their hearing. Typically if there is a downward fluctuation, and if it improves, it does not return to its previous level. For example, just prior to Emily's 3rd birthday she lost all of her hearing in both ears virtually overnight. We got her in to see our Audiologist who confirmed that she had lost it all. Before the fluctuatoin she had a mild to severe hearing loss.

Jake also lost his hearing in both ears (down to the profound level bilaterally) last Fall. We took him in to see the ENT/Audi right away, and they decided to try steroid treatment. Within two days his hearing was significantly improved. Not exactly where it was prior to the loss, but pretty close. Of course there is no evidence showing that steroid treatment works (or no "reason" it works), but considering we're two for two on recovering significant amounts of hearing w/ LVAS fluctuation I'm all for it. Hindsight is 20/20 but I wonder if we would have had any success way back when w/ Emily?

Well....I need to get the kids off to school. Emily has a field trip to visit Ft. Vancouver (of course it is pouring down rain, as usual of late).

I'll post some new pictures in a bit :) Not of my "white" hair....remind me to get Trey's vision checked.

Guest Blogger: Delaney

2010-05-28T16:30:00.000-07:00

Delaney has been telling me I'm a terrible blogger (which I agree with....I've been too busy, and due to the number of papers I've been writing I'm just out of "words").

So, she is my guest blgger for today. Have at it D.
Delaney what was it like to lose your hearing in your aided ear?
I woke up last Thursday with ringing in my ear, it SUCKED (EDIT, by melissa: sorry, my 13 year old's vocabulary is limited) :)The following day I had an appointment with the ENT and audiologist. I had lost a good amount of hearing in my favorite ear, so the ENT decided to put me on steriods for a week... If that didn't work, I would have to have an injection in my ear...

I have been on steriods for a week, and had my follow up appointment today. I met with the ENT and audiologist again.. My hearing has gotten better, but still isn't as good as it was.. The ENT decided not to have me have the injection directly into my eardrum.. YAYY :)

While we were waiting for the ENT Jake had me cracking up.. He kept trying to do sign language and talking very SLOWLY (Even though i could hear fine)Jake kept saying "I come in peace" while making the peace sign with his fingers.. Since the ENT,my mom, and I were laughing at him.. He got WAY to carried away.. And started getting on my last nerves :)

This morning my mom and Trey were driving to school, and they were talking about what color Milo and Maxine were.. Trey was saying "We have one dog that is black, and one dog this is brown, black, and white" My mom said "Actually Maxine is black and white, because she has white around her nose and mouth" "Why mom?" Trey asked.. "Because Maxine is old".. "Oh she is white and black because she is old, like you mom" "But, I dont have white in my hair" my mom replied.. "YES YOU DO" Trey said.. :)

Hopefully this will inspire my mom to post more often..

EDIT: Melissa again, I also apologize for Delaney's unique use of the period???

Yes, I am a HUGE fan of cochlear implants....but

2010-05-20T19:48:00.000-07:00

I have one hold-out. My oldest....She has never embraced her implant (which does not go over well amongst those of us who love them, and see no wrong). The main issue is her amazing hearing in her aided hear (which does not make sense when you see her audiogram...she should have marginal hearing from her dinosaur of a hearing aid, but no). She does so well. Long story short, that ear has quit on her (which we warned her about, due to our children's anatomy (LVAS....).

More to come tomorrow after many appts. I'm not sure whether to be thrilled (maybe she'll embrace her implant ), or sad, she's 13....change is bad :(

Life and Macaroni and Cheese (or more appropriately lasagna)

2010-05-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

I am experimenting w/ homemade macaroni and cheese tonight. Why, you might ask. Because I am pretending I have some control over events by baking something from scratch. I remember way back when (September 26, 2008, not that I keep track ;), I left the gym to notice that I had several missed calls and messages. I quickly scanned them only to find that several were from my husband's boss....weird! I also (quickly) found out that my husband had collapsed due to sudden cardiac arrest and the outcome was unknown. I did not know what to do, how to proceed. This was not part of the plan. So I called the doctor who had been trying to reach me, then called my sister (to help w/ the kids), called my parents, and called Rob's family. Unsure what to relay, tried to sound like it would all be o.k. but was a wreck.

That's what family is for.....And, I have great family on both sides.

Rob survived, and emerged doing great. But, those meals that were delivered without request, and despite my protests carried me (and the kids, family) through. It seems that more and more we have friends, family, etc. that are in a similar position. At the time I did not realize that those meals probably helped the givers as much as they helped me. I felt guilty over lack of thank you notes.

But now, as I sit and watch another family struggle, the meal is really to make me feel better. One small way I can help, when really there is nothing I can do. What I can do is make sure that it is the best darn macaroni and cheese ever (breadcrumbs, a variety of cheeses, etc.)! And, I'll bring also bring Kraft (already prepared) because lord knows my kids hate mac n' cheese if it isn't bright orange.

Thinking of an amazing family as they embark on a huge journey.....If any of you have great casseroles/freezer meals I'm ready. I'm sure I'll be the bearer of many.

...On a Boat

2010-04-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

but no flippy-floppies in sight (which makes no sense unless you've seen the SNL sketch). We recently traveled to Bainbridge Island for one of Delaney's state cup games. Beautiful place, but I did hear from a "local" that it can be rough living on an island- even if it is connected to land via ferry, and bridge. I don't know, it seemed pretty spectacular to me.

That said, it was a 3+ hour trip (one way) for a 85 minute soccer game. I had to sell it to the kids somehow, so I promised Trey, my sole tag-a-long a boat ride. Of course I also made him promise not to tell Jake (as he stayed home for baseball). First thing out of Trey's mouth...yep, you guessed it "we went on a big, big, boat). Of course, Jake later turned it into a "cruise"- if only!

Hola!

2010-04-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

My daughter tells me I'm a horrible blogger and I'm disappointing everyone (sorry mom, and Laura- my two loyal readers ;) Nothing new going on here. We're smack in the middle of soccer tryouts. One daughter made the team of her choice, although she was really worried, despite the fact that the coach is her FATHER! Emily is also the team's only goal keeper at this point, so I'm not sure why she was worried :)

Delaney has tryouts coming up in a week and a half. Keep your fingers crossed that she too makes the team of her choice (she doesn't have her dad coaching at this point).

Jake has been getting in trouble at school all week for being off task and silly. That pretty much sums Jake up- off task and silly! He is playing baseball and loving it. When his team is focused (when, being the key word) they are pretty good. That said they are no Diamondbacks. This team has 2-3 practices a week and there is NO goofing off. They are hardcore (for pee wee little league).

Trey is playing t-ball and also enjoying it- most of the time. Tonight I can already tell he's going to fight me on practice. It's rainy and cold. I might fight me on practice as well. He is turning 6 in the middle of May- my baby is getting old....

Milo is still peeing (in the house, that is). See, you haven't missed much ;)

Quick update...

2010-04-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

As usual, trying to catch up on life! Rob has been home since last Friday (almost a week), and walked over a mile last night. Not too bad 13 days post heart surgery. I came home just in time for the kids' spring break (hence the lack of updates..we were on the go). I will post a real update w/ pictures shortly.

We've been at the Mayo clinic....

2010-03-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

w/ Rob, for his cardiac procedure (When I say "we" I mean me and Rob's dad, Bob...what a trooper). What a fantastic hospital/clinic/establishment. They were never late with an appointment, the nurses/staff/physicians have been excellent, and he is recovering amazingly well from surgery.

We are very relieved that things went so well, and I'm excited to rejoin the kids (and my parents who volunteered to kid-sit) tomorrow. I'll post a much more in-depth recap tomorrow, but just wanted to let you know where I've been, etc.

Happy St. Patricks Day!

2010-03-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

In honor of my (meager) Irish heritage, I am making corned beef and cabbage. For most of my years I have claimed to not like this dish. Why? I'm not sure. My sister shares this feeling, yet neither of us has a real recollection of ever eating it. The kids are all gung-ho about St. Patty's Day this year so I decided to give it my best shot, and cook the quintessential Irish-american dish. I was planning on Irish soda bread as well, but I had a paper due- it is Wednesday after all (paper due date). It's really too bad....the Irish soda bread, at least on paper, sounds like the most appealing part of the menu (available at Trader Joe's ;) Anyhow, I'll let you know the end result in the morning.

Tomorrow Emily goes in to our much trusted Audiologist to figure out why the heck she can't hear when my back is turned or in the backseat of the car. She's really struggling in the hearing arena right now which is not good for her- she's a bit scattered anyway. More to come on the hearing front. We've had it pretty easy ever since Jake's temporary massive loss (he's still holding steady- thank goodness!).

Also, quick question for the masses (at least those masses that include parents of special needs children). Do you get to weigh in on teacher selection? Just curious as I'm considering doing this next year (at least a bit.) Is that a bad idea? Good idea? Neutral?

No pictures today (at least as of yet, but Trey has t-ball practice later so maybe I'll be inspired).

What I've Been Up To (Since I've Been MIA)-

2010-03-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

Saturday was Emily's birthday party

So I spent all day Friday making party favors....

and baking this obnoxiously green cake! Isn't it bright?

I also dyed t-shirts the same very bright shade of green that the party guests then decorated with massive amounts of fabric paint. I should have bought extra containers of the glow in the dark paint. Who knew that would be the hit of the party? A few of the shirts turned out bright yellow as Delaney forgot to add salt during the dying process- oops! (Sidenote: Thank you to Delaney and Alexa for being my craft helpers. Delaney, next time you shake the paint make sure the lid is CLOSED).

The girls went on a scavenger hunt looking for various green items (beaded necklaces, light-up buttons, etc.) and gold coins (both plastic and chocolate). They then came back and made their shirts, beaded rings, and St. Patricks Day magnets (just included because it was one of the easier crafts....don't magnets scream St. Patricks Day ? ;).

(If you squint you can see the magnets....)

Milo (the non-housebroken puppy) escaped several times

And took great delight in running away from all fourteen party guests, my son, and the adults chasing him down. Those watching from inside the house seemed to find it rather funny. I did not. Right after this I realized we only had 15 minutes left to inhale pizza and cake, and open presents. Mass chaos erupted, but we managed to get it done (giving away extra cake as people departed). And we *still* have green cake. Next year we're bowling.

Happy 10th Birthday Em!

Ways to Procrastinate....

2010-03-10T12:24:00.000-08:00

I'm supposed to be writing a paper on Learning Disabilities and the Classroom, but I'm finding my mind is wandering to a million other things. So, I thought I'd see if any of you can do some brainstorming for me so that I can write a 1,000 word paper asap ;)

We are having butternut squash ravioli tonight and I need some kind of sauce for it. My only caveat is that I do not want it to be too heavy or fattening. I love butternut squash ravioli but always struggle when it comes to saucing it up. For the record, I will be the only one eating this as my family has no taste, I mean prefers standard ravioli w/ cheese (yes, boring). I'm also going to throw in some regular whole wheat pasta w/ basic tomato sauce for those who cannot even handle a square pasta stuffed w/ something (Rob and Delaney).

I also will be visiting one of our local middle schools to sample various dishes prepared by a select group of students (Emily included). It is an annual recipe contest sponsored by the district's nutrition department. We practiced her dish last night and it was pretty good- I would have added a few extra ingredients, but she had to follow the recipe she submitted. She is making a basic tomato and basil crostini. She will have an adult helper to slice the bread (so as to hopefully spare her the loss of a fingertip), but will otherwise do all the preparation/cooking on her own. Maybe she can help cook dinner tonight, right? Nope, forgot she has soccer.

Milo- 5 1/2 months

2010-03-09T12:04:00.000-08:00

Yep....still not housebroken. Yep....still pretty cute.
Definitely getting bigger as well (becoming harder to sit on my lap while I'm on the computer- just don't tell him that).

Emily's Birthday...

2010-03-08T11:07:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Emily's birthday in phases this weekend. I was gone for much of her actual bday (due to a soccer game out of the area), but we managed to have a great night. The next day we went to her soccer game w/ cupcakes, and then went to see "Alice in Wonderland". Emily, Jake, and I really enjoyed it. Trey was kind of scared and didn't like the 3D glasses, and Rob thought it was just o.k. The movie was visually very attractive, and I thought the special effects were great (for what it's worth). It was a nice way to finish the weekend. That said, I needed one more day of weekend to catch-up on life...

We have birthday weekend number 2 coming up. The one in which 20+ girls show up at my house for a Leprechaun treasure hunt, assorted crafts, and food. Have I thoroughly planned it??? NO. But, I have the key pieces such as a couple of pots of "gold", and some lovely silver and green beaded necklaces- o.k. not really lovely, really just cheap silver and green beaded necklaces, but for our purposes we're going w/ lovely.

Now I just need to figure out a few craft ideas before Saturday and we're in good shape. My birthday party partner has left me (my sister) and moved out of state, so I'm on my own this time around. In the past anytime I came up with these involved party ideas I had a helper, which was always needed. This year I'm going to recruit my oldest daughter to help out (whether she likes it or not).

Today is Emily's Birthday (and at some point I will write a typical bday reflection)....

2010-03-06T21:20:00.000-08:00

but we got home from Delaney's soccer game in Redmond about two hours ago and promptly whisked Em off to her birthday dinner (at our local Japanese grill) and then came home to enjoy cupcakes from the cute cupcake bakery in Redmond. Typically I let the kids pick their favorite meal (because that's how we did it in my house) but my mom cooked our meal. Tonight I had to scream "uncle". The japanese grill was a great replacement, and we came home w/ a ton of left-overs.

Delaney did not play today- her coach claimed he didnt' want to injure her prior to state cup, and that could be the case. But, she was heartbroken- she's worked her behind** off to get back on the field, and this was the last regular season game. Hopefully State Cup will be a new chapter in her soccer career (meaning a better one).

**feel free to supply your own synonym :)

My husband and I celebrated (o.k., not really) our 15th anniversary yesterday-

2010-03-05T17:36:00.000-08:00

We didn't really celebrate as Rob was home sick with bronchitis....Which in his case is never ever really just bronchitis. For those who are new readers he has HCM (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy), which makes most illnesses a bit bigger than the norm.

On a good note, he is feeling a LOT better today. Now we just need to keep him healthy for the next month. He will be having fairly major surgery towards the end of the month to help improve his quality of life (i.e. walk and run without being winded, etc.). It's a fairly invasive procedure, but should be worth it in the long run, but for the next 10 weeks this blog may be heavily focused on cardiac issues :)

The good news is that as of this years check-up the kids all show no signs of HCM (which is genetic in our family's case, and is about 50% chance per child). I'm hoping our "beating the odds" in the hearing area means we'll get off scott free for cardiac issues....right????

Bonus Day.....

2010-03-03T09:45:00.000-08:00

So, I don't post forever, but you get two today (I think I'm procrastinating....I have a paper due). Anyway, yesterday I was told that Trey's teacher thinks maybe he needs one additional year in Kindergarten. It was not totally unexpected (we've considered having him repeat a grade as he is young for his grade, but we were planning on doing it when we bring him to our neighborhood school). And, maybe in a grade where they learn more academics.

Not sure what we're going to ultimately decide....
I'll keep you posted (and would love to hear from you if you've had a similar experience :)

Update on Delaney's Knee.....

2010-03-03T09:33:00.000-08:00

Finally I have some good news to share! Delaney was able to attend her first soccer practice (since December) last night. She made it through a full practice with no knee pain :) So exciting!! However, we did have to explore creative treatments to get her there.

For those who don't know the backstory, Delaney tore/sprained her MCL in an indoor soccer game in late December. She was diagnosed with a grade 2 tear (but it could not be fully looked at as she is unable to have an MRI due to her cochlear implant). She was in an immobilizer for several weeks, and then a knee brace- and did physical therapy for several weeks with no improvement. As of a week ago Friday, she was in tears as her knee was no better, and it looked as though State Cup was going to be a no-go for her.

Then we heard of someone here locally who does ARPwave therapy,and he has had some success w/ ACL and MCL tears (among other injuries). So, we gave it a shot. She limped in on a Monday, and by Thursday was running sprints in his facility at 100%, with NO PAIN.

She had another treatment on Monday, and was cleared to go back to practice (but w/ a stern warning that if there was any pain, to stop). Anyway- she'll be working with this trainer for another few weeks, learning better form to avoid future injuries.....

Exciting, right?

My poor magnetic blog....

2010-03-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

This blog was my 'baby' for awhile, and then my kids became 'normalized'...which is good, but I lost my fodder. It's now a magnet for WEIRD random comments. It's not so exciting to type "my child is doing THIS, and THIS", and they are (here is the big BAD word) "normal" . But we are good. That said, our life is now getting interesting again in a crazy, chaotic way, but I think that is our normal.

I'll try to ignore the weird comments and keep posting :)

Delaney is still sidelined w/ a torn MCL....

2010-01-26T15:37:00.000-08:00

It's not fun for anyone. She's bored. And I'm bored of her boredom. This is a girl who typically has practice 2 to 3 nights a week, and a game every Saturday. She has played soccer since she was 3 (she's now 13). She is still going to at least one of the practices so she can watch, and then she sits on the bench during the game. She's not enjoying it. Hopefully she will get the immobilizer off next week and can at least start physical therapy (w/ the hope of getting her back on the field in the next 3 weeks or so). I miss watching her play....

For those of you are worried about us being deprived of watching our daughter play soccer, no worries. We have two basketball games (Emily), and Jake's indoor game to watch. We also will go and cheer on Delaney's team, just to ensure that boredom does not set in. If we're still feelign the need for a little excitement we can throw out one rawhide bone and watch the dogs duke it out ;)

Latest on the puppy front....

2010-01-07T12:56:00.000-08:00

While Milo is still the cutest thing ever, he has developed a few bad habits....mainly tearing apart any pieces of paper on the ground, paper towels and toilet paper being the most prized possessions (I think due to their extreme shreddability), and using our house as his personal toilet. He has great days and terrible days. Today, is a not so good day. I've learned that the puppy is scared of wind. And rain. And loud noises. Any of these will distract him enough that he will just shut down and refuse to go to the bathroom outside. Luckily he's cute. Kind of like the kids when they were three/four- Cuteness was the only thing that saved them ;)

To Kindle or Not to Kindle....

2010-01-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

I know I've blogged about this before, but I finally pulled the trigger (for Rob's 40th birthday). I'm not sure he was all that thrilled with the gift choice, but maybe that was my secret plan??? I'll take it if he doesn't use it ;) No, I really was just looking for a gift that he would never by himself, that he might enjoy. He does some traveling and ends up buying books for the plane quite often. I thought this might be a nice solution.

He also was greeted by Emily's soccer team (which he coaches) sporting large white 40's on their jerseys, and received a black soccer ball signed by the team. I think he had a great day (w/ a semi-surprise party coming on Saturday).

The final two of the kids had their yearly cardiology check-ups and they "passed" with flying colors! We are done now until the boys are 9/10, and until Emily is 11. Delaney still has to go back yearly as she is in the prime hypertrophic cardiomyopathy development range (typically is adolescent onset, and this was definitely the case with her dad). I'm so excited to be able to post this update :) When it comes to genetic issues, I'll take the hearing loss anyday!!!

I better jump off now to stop Trey from re-decorating our Christmas tree- I had to keep him home after the appointment seeing as I was so late to get downtown for the Cardiology appointment we left his implant on the charger (yes, BAD....) I couldn't take him to school without his implant, and by the time I drove home, drove him to school, and came back home, I'd have to just turn right around again. So Trey and I are going to spend some time bonding over the laundry.

The Early Christmas Gift...

2009-12-15T09:58:00.000-08:00

Also known as the "gift that keeps on giving" (or at least peeing, etc.) Our dog, Maxine is quite old and we're not sure how many years she has left. We know that the kids are going to insist on getting a new dog once this happens, so we decided to be proactive and get the kids a new puppy for Christmas. Rob went to scout out the puppies and noticed they were sleeping outdoors (in the rain and cold) so we chose to get our puppy earlier than we had originally planned to rescue it :) He is a ten week old beagle puppy, and very adorable. Now we just need to get him potty trained (and remind the kids not to leave hearing aids or implants lying around as puppies *will* chew them).

His name is Milo....

This week has been all about Martha....

2009-11-18T11:04:00.000-08:00

Martha Stewart that is. The 7th graders were asked to complete a "suitcase" biography project, where they select an influential or notable person to focus their project on. After much thought (and realization that many of her first choices were already gone), Delaney chose Martha Stewart. The students had to create a poster board, dress like their person, and compile 15-20 artifacts (complete with artifact catalogues), and would get the opportunity to "become" their person for a night, to present their projects to the parents. Last night was the big night. The school library was packed with several Oprahs, a couple of Mia Hamms, a Stephen Hawking, a multitude of Elvis impersonators-both male and female, some Beyonce's, one Princess Diana, and many others.

Delaney's friends were dressed as Lance Armstrong (and she was very cute....), Dolly Parton (who chickened out at the last minute on wearing the wig and the *larger* balloons, and of course Delaney, wearing an apron and holding a platter of brownies to use as a bribe, I mean a prop ;) The project was a lot of work for child (and MOM), but the night was fun. Now I just need to remember to save all the artifacts and poster board so that Emily can be Martha also in a few years- save us some work ;)

Now I have to go be Martha-like and clean the house, and do some dinner prep work. Today Delaney had a late-start day, and the other kids have early release, which leave no time for me to get anything done...

It is Soccer Saturday (for at least two more weekends)...

2009-11-14T08:31:00.000-08:00

and then Fall soccer is finished. We've made it through with only a few soggy Saturdays, which is great! Today is cold but not too wet, so we'll take it, and it's local (no 3 hour drive).

Jake is hugely improved but not going to soccer (no fever today :)

Here is a sneak preview of our morning

Pumpkin Patch w/ Trey's Class

2009-11-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

Let's just recap the field trip by saying it was REALLY REALLY MUDDY! And wet....did I mention that it was wet? And muddy. And there were pumpkins- wet, muddy ones.

It was actually fun, just very cold!

Long lost pictures from our trip to California w/ Delaney's soccer team

2009-11-13T09:37:00.001-08:00

Overdue Halloween Pictures

2009-11-13T09:33:00.000-08:00

We had wonderful weather for Halloween this year. As usual- too much candy was collected by all (I'm still finding candy wrappers all over the house). Hope you all had a wonderful holiday as well!

You Know It's Been Too Long When You.....

2009-11-13T09:13:00.000-08:00

have forgotten the password to your blog. Sad, sad, sad. New happenings: Jake no longer qualifies for an implant. What? What!, you say. Yes, his hearing has now fluctuated up again (not as good as it started, but good enough that he is hearing pretty darn well w/ his trusty hearing aids). Wackiness, but good wackiness.

I have finished my stint of studying English as a second language, and my final thoughts are "wow, are there a lot of similarities between ELLs (that would be English Language Learners ;), and my four children as they've learned to communicate." The struggles are similar in many ways.

What else is new. Well, I'm smack in the middle of 'helping' Delaney wrap up a huge English project on Martha Stewart. I'll have to let you know how "we" do.

Next post, a boat-load of pictures.

Oh yeah- Child #2 has the flu (meaning he's the second of the kids to get it, not that #2 has the flu, because that would be Emily, and so far she is holding out). Wish us luck, I'm so DONE w/ H1N1/Piggy flu.

Today we have a follow-up hearing test....

2009-10-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

to determine how much improvement there has been. I think he's vastly improved since Friday (it's a night and day difference). That said, I might still keep the MRI appointment on Friday, so that we have that step done in case his hearing takes a turn in the future. Maybe.

I'll keep you all posted (and get some new pictures up).

The main side effect so far is bright red cheeks from the steroid (and being in hazy sun over the weekend). Not to bad!

Jake is now telling me his hearing is almost as good as it was before NH day....

2009-10-11T22:07:00.001-07:00

NH (No Hearing) day. I'm a terrible mom and I keep sneaking up behind him to 'check' his hearing. Checking his hearing entails me yelling his name behind his back, seeing if he'll turn around. Right around yell 15, Jake said, "Mom, I can hear you, I just don't want to listen to you yell anymore".....:)

So, I guess we'll know for sure on Tuesday if he is back to where he started. If so, I'd encourage anyone w/ sudden drops in hearing to give steroids a shot (unless they are a health risk for you or your child). For us, it was definitely worth a shot. And, so far, they seem to be working well.

So, maybe, *maybe* implant avoided (for the time-being.)

Steroids might be working???

2009-10-10T08:01:00.001-07:00

He is definitely better today, and his left ear (which had the drop last Spring) is significantly better- mainly due to earwax removal yesterday ;) So, he can now hear me when talking in a *very* loud voice, and looking at my face. Yesterday he could not hear me even when yelling at the top of my lungs. Definite improvement.

I guess we won't really know until we visit the ENT again on Tuesday, but cautiously optimistic.

I think I saw this coming last Spring....but still. (Jake's future CI's)

2009-10-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

Jake (my almost 'normally hearing' child, woke up complaining that his hearing aids were broken. Not so much- really...just his ears. And, not broken, just in need of some extra sound. After many hours at the ENT/Audiologist, there is no fluid, no "Glue Ear", little negative pressure, but some significant hearing loss.

We're trying steroids....more to come.

So all four kids are now in college.....

2009-10-06T13:51:00.000-07:00

o.k., it hasn't been *that* long, has it? We're here....just busy, as usual.
School is in full swing, and everyone is enjoying their teachers, etc. Soccer is also in full swing (but what else is new ;) We did have an interesting Saturday, w/ the highpoint being a visit from the Camas police department. We let the two older girls stay home while we went to Jake and Trey's game, and somehow Emily "accidently" dialed 911. Then, in a panic, the girls ran down the hill to a friends house (which meant they were not home to answer the return 911 call), which resulted in a personal visit. The police officer was quite nice about it, and Emily remained in tearful apology mode for the remainder of the day.

So see- nothing has really changed around here. Choas still reigns, I just need to be better about sharing. What I really wish is that I had had my camera available to capture the moment. Hopefully it will be Em's last upclose and personal encounter with a police officer!

Sneak preview of tomorrow's update: Jake's new true love (and his efforts to share his feelings through cookies :)

Emily's Moment.....

2009-09-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

Out of the two girls, Emily has always been the one who is totally accepting of her implant, her deafness, etc. Delaney has probably questioned more because she had more hearing, for a longer period, than Emily. Emily has never once tried to hide an implant, and has always been happy to explain "what that 'thing'" on her head is. Today, for the first time Emily broke down, and told me she wished she was normal. Now, let's be honest. Emily will never be 'normal', but this has nothing to do with her hearing ;). She is spunky and feisty and FULL of fight/exuberance (depending on the situation), which sets her apart from the norm, but I really think she was born that way- it has nothing to do with what she can or cannot hear.

She was at soccer practice, and it was pouring down rain. I came to pick her up and her team manager handed my her cochlear implant (she explained that the battery had died). Emily was fine until the manager left, and she told me how much she HATES that she can't hear like everyone else on the team....she was sobbing. By the time we got home, she was fine, and we sat down to watch "So you think you can dance". Yes...I make *someone* watch with me, and Em was the lucky winner tonight. As fate would have it, there was a Deaf dancer on the show, who was so amazing, and such a fantastic example of letting nothing stand in your way (and this is without the benefit of aids/implants, etc.). It really resonated with Emily. She is now back to being at peace with herself (until next time her implant dies ;) Funny sidenote= the battery didn't actually die. For the first time ever, the CI got so wet it would not function.

You'd think we would have encountered that before living where we live! It's now dry (ish) and working.

Wow- Two posts in one day....not too shabby for an old woman

2009-09-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

Here are the first day of school pictures (long overdue).

Back to School (FINALLY), and September 11th

2009-09-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

I hope to return to my poor, ignored, lonely blog. It was a long summer, and yet it flew by. I accomplished little of what I had hoped to accomplish, but spent loads of time playing with the kids in the sun and the water. They all grew taller, thanks to the aforementioned sun and water (or at least that's what I'm crediting). I think I just grew wider....probably because of my lack of visits to the gym. Oh well. Time enough for that.

Today is September 11th, a day I think I will always remember. It also happens to be my birthday. Such a bizarre day to have a birthday on. It's a day to remember the horrific events of 2001, but at the same time, it's a day I'd like to enjoy. Sometimes it's difficult to do both, and not feel guilty. I gave my sister a hard time for trying to avoid giving birth to my new niece on my birthday, but I do totally get it. Instead beautiful Ainsley Elisabeth was born yesterday- a more neutral day on the calendar.

Please join me in welcoming the newest addition to the family, and my children's new cousin!

We had another new addition, compliments of my sister-in-law, earlier in the summer, but I have yet to post a picture. He's adorable as well!

I'm almost back....school starts WEDNESDAY!!!

2009-08-31T18:11:00.000-07:00

I'm excited, although I have to be honest....the Summer flew by. It seemed like it was just June.

I just got back from Back to School night, and I found out that Jake's teacher has a Masters in Deaf ed. I think this is going to be a good thing! he's really looking forward to having Jake in her class, and she already gets the FM system- YAY!!!

Em's teacher is normally the "Pre-AP" or advanced scholar teacher, so not real sure how Em wound up there ;), but hopefully she'll inspire Emily to reach new academic pinnacles.

Now, off to Delaney's BTS (Back to School). 7th grade....give me strength to survive-LOL.

What we could be doing today....

2009-08-16T07:46:00.001-07:00

if we didn't have four games left in this tournament.

We've been using Sunday afternoons for "Family Day" at the river....

But, we have four soccer games to go (starting in 30 minutes).....

And, it's only going to be 65 degrees....Where did Summer go??

Happy Summer to Everyone

2009-08-14T08:42:00.001-07:00

I'm slowly emerging from *SUMMER*

It's been crazy, fun, hot, did I mention crazy??? I have lots of fun stories to share, but they will have to wait, due to soccer. Yes, tournament number 5 of the summer. Both girls playing in the same location at least. More to come, I promise. In the meantime, here are some glimpses of day two in California, courtesy of the pool at the Marriott ;)

Summer has gotten the best of me....

2009-07-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

So, rather than feel guilty that I've been not posting, I think I'm going to take a two week official blogcation. I promise I'll be back, better than ever! Enjoy the sun :) We'll be back from California around August 13th, and I'll be back on w/ pictures and I'm sure tons of stories....

Emily and XXX, sitting in a tree-

2009-07-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

K-I-F-F-I-N-G.....huh?? That is Jake's version of the old "sittin' in a tree" chant. Imagine his surprise when I told him it was KISSING, not Kiffing.

Pictures from Snohomish.....

2009-07-16T14:44:00.000-07:00

Delaney taking one for the team....

Emily between games.....

Trey enjoying some strawberries (his third basket of the day)

We made it back from our latest soccer adventure. Emily's team traveled up north of Seattle to an awesome town called Snohomish. I truly love this area, and the weather was fabulous one day, and horrid the next. The final day was rainy, 58 degrees, thunder and lightning, etc. But the girls won (actually they won every game by quite a bit, so maybe not quite competitive enough, but we all had a lot of fun).

Kindergarten Graduation Pictures

2009-07-06T10:28:00.001-07:00

The Day in Pictures.....

Jake, checking to make sure we are in attendance.

Telling a Class Story

Leaping into First Grade.

The Aftermath of the Leap

Jake and the Future Kindergartner, Trey

Thank You Mrs. S For a Great Year!

Now onto first grade. I hope the school survives :)

So Much to Write About, So Little of Importance....

2009-07-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

I started this blog to talk about my children and the issues we experience together as a family due to their hearing loss, but lately we've been really pretty much issue free. Or it's that the things that used to seem like issues, are just an everyday part of *our* life, so they don't seem blog-worthy.

We still experience new things: Like, how to send Emily to the river with our new neighbor and safely protect her implant. Short-term solution- leave it in their car while they enjoy the water. But, is there a better solution? Sidenote- I'm sure they just loved that experience. Taking a little girl they don't know all that well to the river, and have her not be able to hear for most of the time...fortunately, the two girls had a great time.

And, how to keep an implant and hearing aid dry while at a water park, or on a head while upside down on a roller coaster???

Anyway- I'm sure the issues will crop up again, especially once school picks back up, but you'll have to wade through my normal everyday life stories in the meantime. It's really nice to be issue-free for awhile.

A sunburn to go over my sunburn....

2009-07-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

I'm cheating and adding pictures w/ red white and blue in them to make my blog more festive.

Are you feeling the patriotism??? I'll try to *really* change the look later....
**********************************************************************************
I finally started fading from the soccer tournament last weekend, and a quick trip to the pool killed me. I'm red on top of my red. But it was fun, and the kids all had a fantastic time! Now we're off to purchase some fireworks (there's nothing quite like our local fireworks anywhere else I've ever lived....it's crazy), and then we'll try to hold the kids off until tomorrow.

Happy Early 4th of July everyone!

Hello, hello, hello

2009-06-30T15:43:00.001-07:00

Talk about MIA. School has only been out for a week, but it seems as though it's been a month.

Nothing new here....just lottsa socca' (yes, my pathetic attempt at rhyming....not so funny). Both girls played in their first tournaments of the season, and both came in 1st. Great weekend for everyone! (yes, missing a picture of Jake, but he was there also ;)

Jake just Graduated from Kindergarten....

2009-06-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

Pictures to come (I promise....). Plus we've been so busy with life, so I have lots of updates, but you'll have to bear with me for the next few days. And then we'll be back :)

Help, I'm Drowning....

2009-06-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

in a sea of end of school year activities, and final papers for my DARN classes. I literally feel like I'm in a race and I stand no chance of catching up. Anyway- I will be back, hopefully tomorrow....or the next day, or the next ;) No really. I'll be back. Trey's been home since last Tuesday, and I think he's talking SO WELL! It's about time :) And, more importantly we have lost no additional equipment....yet.

Never Forget A Friend....

2009-06-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

It was so fun to watch the girls reconnect w/ their very first best friends this past weekend. I do not yet have the pictures of Delaney with Bryce, but I have lots of Em with Ashton. They were shy for literally a minute, and then were best friends yet again.

Wordless Wednesday (pictures from our trip)

2009-06-10T14:27:00.001-07:00

We Made It!

2009-06-08T17:23:00.001-07:00

23 hours of driving (between the two trips) for two days of "vacation". Very tiring, but we did manage to have some fun. I will have pictures and updates up soon. A few issues involving the crappy CI battery chargers we got with the last three implants (I only brought one, and unbeknownst to me it only had one working charge slot????). We had to 'share' between the implants- ugh. Anyway. More to come, just tired right now!

Oh Yeah....

2009-06-03T18:26:00.000-07:00

Forgot our big news:
We have a new family member. Drumroll please......

Emily conned me into adopting her class science project, a crayfish, now named Addie. Sorry Addison, cute little niece of mine. Your name has been borrowed for a rather aggressive crayfish (crawfish, crawdad). We're not even *that* sure it's a girl, but I'm certainly not checking, although Emily did ask. I'm a nice mom but not THAT nice. Hopefully Addie makes it through the weekend- she/he will be in good hands- Addie #1 and Connor will be crawfish sittin' for Emily.

We're Heading Back to Our Former "Home"

2009-06-03T18:22:00.001-07:00

Just for the weekend (for a soccer tournament). We left California for Utah, and thought it was going to be two years. It turned into eight, and while I really missed certain aspects of the West Coast, I found the weather to be FANTASTIC, and the people to be so welcoming. That said, once the Pacific Northwest was dangled in front of us, we jumped ship. We have had no opportunities to go back. Until now. Thank goodness Delaney made the ODP team. It is the perfect chance to go back and see those that we left behind (dwindling numbers that they are). I found that many 'transplants' in Utah did not necessarily stay for the long haul, but we do have a small group that are still there and loving it.

I'm sure I will return with loads of pictures of the girls and their distant BFFs, and lots of soccer pictures, and hopefully no stories of missing implants/hearing aids, etc. Keep your fingers crossed for us :)

I'm So Glad to be Back....(Not that I Went Anywhere, Necessarily)

2009-06-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

but I definitely have not been "here". My in-laws came to visit, and we dragged them to a grand total of seven soccer games, one t-ball game, and Trey's birthday party. In addition, Rob and/or I went to an end of year soccer party, and a more professional level soccer game. These numbers do not include the two additional pre-tournament scrimmages on Wednesday and Thursday.

My in-laws survived the weekend, sunburn and all. We put them on the airplane home last night at 7:00 pm and I'm sure they went straight home to bed.

I cranked out my reading journal, and a paper on "Educating Special Needs Children" today, so that I could be caught up and ready to tackle this week's work.

Again- It's SO NICE to be back (and caught up on life.....for now)

MIL and FIL are here visiting from California....

2009-05-28T16:04:00.000-07:00

and we've been on the go doing many 'projects' (like my weed, I mean "flower" beds). It has taken me away from the laptop and out into the sun. I will be back tomorrow w/ a better update, but just know that I'm up to my eyeballs in bark dust :)

Happy Memorial Day Weekend....

2009-05-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

Half of the time here the weather does not necessarily cooperate w/ my plans to play outside all day, but definitely no complaints this weekend.

Delaney had four games, so we had a busy soccer weekend. The boys and Emily had a great time inhaling Jamba Juice smoothies, and playing in the creek (drainage ditch???). We bbq'd a lot, and didn't get nearly enough sleep as all of Delaney's games were on the early side, but still a lot of fun!

We also had Trey's IEP yesterday....

2009-05-22T17:05:00.001-07:00

He has made amazing progress, but he is still on testing at 28-30 months of age. He just turned 5. He's got a lot of catching up still to do. It was a great meeting, and our local school district did attend. They will be taking a crack at his IEP as well, and hopefully we can all *really* work together to do what is right for Trey**.

**And, I'll solve the world peace issue, and worldwide hunger at the same time. Sometimes I just like to be an idealist....even though it is not practical, and ultimately sets me up for disappointment.

Preview of our weekend...

2009-05-22T16:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day Weekend to those here in the U.S.A.!

We'll be heading an hour away tomorrow for an 8:00 am game (which means we have to arrive by 7:00 am), WAY TOO EARLY. But, it's supposed to be sunny and beautiful, and as long as the other three have lots of snacks, and grass to play in, it should be a great time! We'll also be bbg'ing, and playing in the water, etc., just to fully appreciate the sun. We really try not to take it for granted here :)

For those who are observant, and wondering where Trey's hearing aid is....

2009-05-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

that was the question of the weekend. He had a loaner aid as his was sent in to Widex due to distortion, etc., and it somehow fell off his ear. The ear mold was still securely tucked into his ear, but the aid was no longer attached. We scoured the neighborhood but had no luck. So, now we get to purchase Trey's school a new loaner. And to add insult to injury, he got hit in the ear with a basketball breaking one of our large batteries on Monday. Today Emily's headpiece stopped working. They say bad things come in three's, right???

Happy Wednesday!

Where I've Been.....Picture Post

2009-05-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

Trey turned 5 on Monday! My baby is now not so much a baby....Can you tell how excited he is??? We had to wake him up to open presents and eat cake. (Edited to include a picture w/ the "missing child", who is now missing all of those ugly bruises!)

What is a weekend for us without soccer? Delaney had a scrimmage against the other ODP team to prepare for the ODP tournament this weekend. Not the best picture, but that's where I was all day Saturday and Sunday.

Trey dressed himself on Saturday morning (at 8:00 am) for Jake's t-ball game. Lovin' the boots.....

And, here is Jake at 8:00 am on a Saturday for t-ball. Isn't that a wee-bit early for baseball?? Or is that just wishful thinking on my part- maybe that is a perfectly reasonable time.

I Got to Visit Trey's School as an Independent Observer Today....

2009-05-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

Part of this class I am currently taking requires 15 hours of teacher observation, and our local school district did not call me back, so I visited our trusty private school. It was such a great visit! They were gracious and accommodating (which is good, because I've only done 5 of my 15 hours at this point :) But, the kicker of the day was when Trey's classroom ceiling started raining worms of some sort. Yes, actual larvae fell from the ceiling......now THAT'S a day for ya!

I'm Waiting for Delaney to Get Home After a .....

2009-05-14T22:57:00.000-07:00

soccer game (ALS?). Our local city's club, and basically I'm not expecting her until close to midnight. That is way past my bedtime, so I thought I'd *finally* watch the season finale of LOST. I've been waiting all day. It's two hours, which is great, but not great at the moment. I know myself, there is no way I'll make it up until 1:00 am to see it all, and if I do? Even worse, I'll be way too tired tomorrow.

And, on top of that, my husband has the stomach flu. Keep your fingers crossed that I quarantined him soon enough.

On a sidenote, did you know that salt is considered a poison? I didn't. And, (fortunately for me, not so much for my sis), it actually *wasn't* one of my kids that ingested the salt- yes, shocking, right? That is definitely something that would happen to one of mine....just because. But no, it was my poor nephew- the cute little guy in the previous pictures. Somehow he (and friends) had the great idea to ingest salt, and he ate a good amount. And, then quickly threw up. Which was good. Because, as I now know, salt is pretty dangerous, and can be used as a poison. So- there is my new public service announcement. Avoid salt, especially in large quantities :)

The Medical Mystery Continues....

2009-05-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

Our fantastic pediatrician is at a loss. Her platelet count is great, and most of her other coag. numbers are good (which is good). But, what is causing the weird bruises?? We've been asked to consult with a pediatric hematologist (who we've already been forewarned is also at a loss). Her white blood cell count is slightly low (which can indicate an infection, or virus), and her platelet size is slightly below the norm. But, this is the same child who at age 2, ceased walking for a day, had a high sedrate, and had a wacky white blood cell number (high I think), and it all resolved a day later.

Weird. As much as I like playing the "House" game, I don't like mysteries when they involve my children. Thank goodness she is acting like nothing is wrong (except for the ugly purple bruising up and down her arms. I even checked to make sure she wasn't giving herself self-induced "hickies", but there is just no way she could pull some of the positions off, not to mention the spontaneous appearance of the second arm in her sleep.

Photos for your viewing pleasure.....Check out the SUN

2009-05-12T12:25:00.001-07:00

Jake High-Five'ing his cousin Connor
My nephew at bat

Jake being a goof

Trey enjoying the weather

I'm back! Paper due, website difficulties, and Emily's mystery bruising is back

2009-05-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

which meant a surprise appt w/ the Dr., and a whole lot of blood drawn (and now sitting and waiting). At least this time they are not throwing around Meningococcal disease and no IV antibiotics. In fact, I took her back to school after her rather large blood donation (w/ a subway sandwich in her lunchbox as a consolation for the stick in the arm).

My university's website had major issues last week, so I'm playing catch-up right now. I have 500-700 more words to write before midnight tonight.....

I'll post the pictures of Emily's weird arms later to see if anyone has seen the likes of it. Can't hurt! She's now officially a medical mystery.

We Are Anxiously Awaiting the Arrival of a New Nephew and a New Niece

2009-05-07T15:13:00.000-07:00

The boy from Rob's sister, and the girl from my sister. Name suggestions are being discussed by all, including an *outstanding* conversation I had with my sweet niece Addison this morning. Addison informed me that she thought her new sister should be named "Rainbow". Hmmm....definitely unique? But, she was a little perplexed as to why her mom rejected her first suggestion- Cinnamon. I'm so going with Cinnamon! That's a name that people will remember :) Whatever her real name eventually is (she's due in September, right around my birthday), she will always be Cinnamon to me.

Big Ear Day: New ear molds, new(ish) hearing aid....

2009-05-06T19:20:00.000-07:00

and a whole new ability to hear. I'm so glad we have the 2nd hearing aid back, it has made a huge difference. I had every intention of taking pictures of Jake's beautiful new ORANGE ear molds :)

And, Emily made the premier soccer team (So proud)...yes, her dad is the coach, but he said she would have been one of his top picks anyway.

Soccer tryouts - Bring On The Rain

2009-05-05T06:23:00.001-07:00

Day one of soccer tryouts is over. The turnout for the club was fantastic, the girls were all in high spirits, and there was over an inch (maybe two) of standing water on the tryout field. I don't know that Em's cleats will be dry in time for tonights tryout :)

I've heard newspaper tucked inside will help...seems a bit hopeless right now. However, she'll be back out there tonight, ready for day two. I definitely have to purchase some of the great suggestions I received regarding sports and hearing aids/implants, in terms of keeping the equipment dry. I'm surprised her CI is working after last night. She looked as though she jumped fully clothed into a lake!

Emily's Last Recreational Soccer Game

2009-05-03T08:54:00.001-07:00

Emily had her last game of the spring season yesterday, and she gets to enjoy a (short) break before tryouts....tomorrow night! I think she has a good shot at making a premier team (especially as my husband is coaching a team). You'll notice Emily only wears one of her two implants for soccer. She spins around, jumps over the ball, and generally just moves too much to manage to keep two on her head. Any suggestions? At this point we've used toupe tape, a huggie, and sweat bands. It sure would help her ability to listen to her coaches give her instruction....then again, maybe she's better off *not* hearing that well. She'll probably have more fun out there than the girls that can actually hear ;)

General Ear Update :)

2009-05-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

Rock: Removed....very little pain and anguish, but as my ENT descibed it, "a small piece of dried lava like material". Huh? How? As he pointed out, he's a boy. 'Nuf said.

Jake: Still missing important decibals, but totally unconcerned due to his fantastic hearing in the other ear. Which will also keep him from being an implant candidate at the present time.

Emily: Hears great with two implants, pretty crappy w/ each separetely. Good or bad= depends on what the final outcome is. If bilateral hearing is the goal, she is doing great.

I'm tired, it's been a long week, and I haven't even started my final paper for school. I'm going to splurge with a beverage, a movie which requires no thought whatsoever, so that I can wake up at the crack of dawn and write my next masterpiece (defitely said w/ great sarcasm:) Happy Friday, and good ear health to all!

Just to Cap Off the Great Ear Week We're Having....

2009-04-30T15:09:00.001-07:00

I was informed that Trey has a ROCK in his ear. Yes, a dark colored rock appears to be wedged in my son's ear canal.

Is it Friday yet?

Preschoolers at the Art Museum....

2009-04-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

What an experience. I'm not sure what I envisioned. Maybe the children all walking around, holding onto their adults hand, commenting on the use of color and light? O.K., not really. But I certainly didn't picture the little boys running around yelling "booby's" everytime they saw one in a painting. And, I won't even mention how loudly they described the nude male anatomically correct sculpture. It was all I could do not to laugh out loud after the tour guides all frowned in our general direction.

I don't think the world of art was ready for Trey's class.....

Houston, We have a Problem....

2009-04-27T12:07:00.001-07:00

Jake, the hearing 'wonder' in our family (which isn't sayin' a whole lot) informed me this morning that his hearing aid was broken....which is kind of a bummer, except it wasn't actually broken. Jake's ear is what is not working. We've been there, done that, with all of the other kids, but Jake was our stable child. The one with the mild to moderate loss, who we've never really had to worry about (at least from a hearing perspective). Our wonderful audiologist got him in first thing this morning, and I was sure there was some negative pressure in the ear, or something. But no- no pressure issues, no fluid, and no hearing (well at most frequencies). He ranges from roughly 70, at the two lowest frequency ranges, and drops to 90-110 at the rest. I think 8000 bump up a little bit. We need his new ear molds now to help with the horrific feedback. Fun Fun Fun!

Just a Picture...

2009-04-23T11:45:00.000-07:00

so I can feel like I posted today :) Trey's the lucky winner...he was so cranky this morning, I decided to post a non-cranky picture so I can remember why I love him :) I'm busy running all over town today, but I'll try to post tonight, after Delaney's physical therapy (she fell down our slope and mildly sprained her back- that's why we call her 'Grace'), and Jake's t-ball.

Too Much of a Good Thing....

2009-04-21T10:26:00.001-07:00

It has been absolutely beautiful here! Sunny, 78-80 degrees, and everything is blooming. But, the kids and I are paying the price: Allergies are out.of.control. Emily got up this morning, and her entire face was swollen. Her eyes were teeny little slits. Jake looked at her and said, "Emily you look different. I think you need a LOT more sleep or something." What she really needed was a hefty dose of Benadryl. So I loaded her up, managed to get her eyes as least partially open, and sent her on her way.

Gotta love Spring flowers!

7 Hours of Driving and a Tough Loss....

2009-04-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

The first game of the day....Emily's team played really well. They played through fog, mist, and then bright sunlight (all within an hour).

The boys always manage to entertain themselves at soccer games- sticks and all.

THE FINAL SOCCER PICTURE FROM THE U12 SEASON

Delaney's soccer season is officially over for this season/year. I'm sure I'll have a profound update tomorrow, right now we're all just tired from a whole lot of driving, and exposure to that big yellow ball in the sky (which has made rare appearances up until now). The girls played really well, gave it their all, and lost by a goal. Such is life, or at least the game of soccer. The boys came home filthy dirty, coated in mud, and are soaking in a warm tub. Not together, as that spells disaster.

I better go towel them off, and start working on the bedtime process- I am hoping to be shortly behind them.

We Now Have One Child No Longer On An IEP

2009-04-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

How does that sound? One less meeting each year, one less think stack of papers to review. Sounds great, doesn't it? I guess... I'm just not completely sold on taking him off of one. He will be on a 504, which will still provide Jake with an FM or soundfield system, and I have the district's assurance that they will check his speech/articulation, etc. several times throughout the year.

Here's my concern. Every time we have taken a break from speech (doesn't matter which child, you name it, it's happened), their hearing has tanked. So I'm somewhat hesitant.

I'll keep you posted.....

Jake No Longer Considers the Dentist his Friend....

2009-04-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

Let's just say we had a costly dental month, and I think Jake has learned the value of *really* brushing his teeth. As he walked out of the dentist's office sobbing, I thought back on my own dental experiences, and could definitely relate! The dental hygenist said he was not as 'friendly' this visit, in fact I think the actual word she used was 'obstinate'. What can I say? There's some family lore that says I punched a dentist once....can't really lecture him too much, can I!