The Gang

Morgan - Cinderella (the queen)

Lucy - Princess Cinderella

Logan - Batman

Ethan - Black Ninja

According to Morgan: She is the queen, Lucy is the princess and the boys are thier body guards!

Happy Halloween!

Getting ready for the big night is a long process! It started on Thrusday when I got out the costumes for the kids that I purchased ove the past year and trying them on. Today, Halloween, we were going to carve Pumpkins when we realized Ethan's Pumpkin had gotten moldy. I went out looking for a pumpkin for an hour, while also on the hunt for a Princess Tiara. I successfully found the Tiara, but no pumpkins at 5 stores! When I didn't know what else to do, I did what anyone in my situation would do - I called my mom! Grandma Kanellis saved Halloween this year! She had 2 pumpkins at her house for baking into pies. I told her that Ethan needed one and we would bring it back for her to make pies. Ethan and I went to Grandma's house to pick up his new pumpkin, and him and daddy got it all carved out in the face Ethan picked! Thank you Grandma for saving Halloween for our little monster!

Making Up a Princess is hard work! Especially when you don't normally make up yourself, let alone Making Up a Princess! Morgan is so excited to be wearing some of Mommy's Make Up!

How Time Flies!

I can't believe how fast time is going, since September it has really gone quickly! I have found it was much easier to get more pictures and updates on my blog when I wasn't doing school and it was nice and dry outside. Our family spent a few days in Postville this past weekend to visit Grandma Violet and Peggy. Thursday was a rainy day, during the day we had good visits and just enjoyed spending time together. Thursday evening while it was still drizzling and cold, Jason was walking with Grandma Violet outside, when she lost her balance and fell! Peggy and Jason took Grandma to a hospital in Waukon and they found that she broke her shoulder. They imbolized it and sent her home with some painkillers.

Grandma Violet didn't seem too bothered by her injury, she did rather well. The hospital thought she would be in severe pain, she wasn't - God is Good! She spent the rest of the weekend at Peggy's house with us and is now staying in the nursing home for a short time, as it was her right arm she broke. She will be staying there until she is able to have mobility in her arm and able to move around with more balance (using her walker). Time will tell, she has an appointment on Tuesday with a bone dr., please pray that all will be healing well, and she will be able to leave the home soon. So far, there is no flu at the home, pray that the flu does not reach there. Logan needed his pocket fixed some and since Grandma Violet had a bum arm, Grandma Linda was going to sew it and fix it.

Peggy and I had our own little hospital going on there, making sure everyone was getting the right Medicines at the correct time. It was very busy!

The New "Do"

What does $128.00 get you, it got me a new "do"! Little extreme for my taste - the price that is, but I love the color and the haircut!

Well, Pictures

I have had so much going on lately I haven't been able to post much. We are very thankful that Julienne is doing so well! I have a good friend who also cuts hair, she was able to stop by and trim up Julienne's hair for her. When Julienne was ready to go to the lab the next day, Ethan seen her and said "Your hair is beautiful!" that made Julienne's day!

Monday was her two week checkup after her discharge and her doctor said she is a "Raging Success Story." I must admit the past couple days she has had a headache and had an upset stomach some. Although she is doing very well, for the surgery that she had. Her numbers are all very good and we are planning some time in Postville for a couple days. We are going to have a good visit and have a wonderful time. Here are some misc. pictures from the past week!

Important note: Lucy + Apple Juice and 1 Prune = Disaster! Morgan was the receiver of a big mess, she picked Lucy up off from going upstairs and ended up with the brunt of Lucy's disaster!!

School Time!

The kids have been plugging away with school work, while we are still helping Julienne recover from surgery. Morgan is so happy with herself ~ she learned to write her name in cursive yesterday and she is doing great!

Logan did a spelling pre-test today and got 100% and was pleased that he didn't have to take the final test. I didn't tell him before we started, that he wouldn't have to take the final test until he received the 100%. Both of the kids are doing great, they love to read and they love to be almost done with school work and just thrilled when they get released from the schoolroom!

Fried Green Tomatoes

I have been preoccupied the last couple weeks and have had company to visit Julienne. On Thursday night Peggy and Grandma Violet came and surprised Julienne, she thought they were coming Friday not Thursday. It not only surprised her, but it also surprised the kids ~ it went really well! The time seemed to go so fast that they were here. We, well, I was very busy ~ it seemed like there was always a meal to prepare and somewhere to go and laundry needing changed and folded. I am very thankful that they came, it was nice to have help from Peggy - she helped me get a few things done that I hadn't been able to do for a few months with all of our traveling. Peggy was also very willing to help clean and cook - we really had a great time. On Saturday, before Grandma and Peggy left they made Fried Green Tomatoes for Julienne. (Jason was able to get some picked before the frost) Peggy, Julienne and Linda grew up eating Fried Green Tomatoes, me ~ well, not so much. I must say I did try 3 small bites and gave the rest to Peggy.

They tasted like fried flour ~ I opted for biscuits and gravy right along with Morgan. Grandma Violet, Linda, Peggy and Julienne really enjoyed their meal - a small blast from the past.

Julienne really enjoyed visiting with Grandma and Peggy - she hadn't seen Grandma Violet since the Monday before surgery. It was nice for both of them to spend some time together ~ I am glad that everything worked out for them to have a brief stay with us over the weekend.

Good Days

I have seen many have been checking for updates, and there hasn't been one for a few days, now here you have it! We have had some good days, with lots of improvements! Everyday Julienne is getting stronger and has been doing well. Continue to pray for healing and for the pain, she is still very uncomfortable at times. We have been to St. Lukes to get labs done and we have been working on school. Julienne enjoys having the kids do thier reading with her and it has really been helping me out as well! I can start school with one while the other is reading to Julienne. The kids really enjoy having her here, when it is time for her to return to her house, we are really going to miss her! We have conquered a couple things in the past few days that have been milestones as far as recovery goes - it has been very encouraging. Julienne has gotten phone calls from friends, a couple cards and a few visitors, this really lifts her spirits! Thank you all for your prayers they are very appreciated and it is encouraging for Julienne to know she is in many thoughts and prayers! They aren't being taken for granted!

Did I mention we are living with a monster, whom seems to be getting 4 eye teeth all at once! Boy do we love her!

Homeward Bound!

Today I arrived at the hospital at about 10:30am, and was able to spend the morning, noon and part of the afternoon with Julienne, while she was being discharged.

This is the valve that was causing the hemolysis (breaking down her red blood cells). It is very possible that this valve is the oldest Starr-Edward Valve, Julienne had it replaced when she was just 23, 44 years and 7 months ago! The hospital wants the valve back to be placed in thier museum. With the 2 valve surgery behind us we had a house full of kids to look forward too!

She was happier leaving than she thought she was going to be leaving the hospital.

She has been quite a trooper, while getting dressed, waiting for prescriptions, getting changed again and finally getting comfortable in the recliner, with kids gathered round her!

Please continue to pray as she recovers. Julienne is still in pain and has a long road ahead of her. God has gotten her to the peak of the mountain, the rest is going to have hills, but not quite as steep! Thank you for all your prayers, they have helped tremendously and have been very appreciative!

We Keep On A Going!

Well, it has been a couple days since I have visited my blog, but here I am again! In that time, I have visited Julienne again and done a few more days of school! The kids are very good with getting thier school work done! I have been blessed with diligent little people! They know that when thier work is done, they can play! I must say I am a toughy, not only does it have to be done, but I emphasize that it needs to be done decently and in order, just as the Bible says in I Corinthians 14:40, "Let all things be done decently and in order." They must follow the directions and thier work must be to the best of thier ability. Morgan has really taken a liking to cursive writing and Math.

Logan really enjoys Math and Science! He loves to learn what things God has done for us, we are currently learning about the five senses in detail. Being thier teacher is very rewarding, I love to think that God has given me the opportunity to stay home with my kids and teach them! However, the kids also take a couple enrichment classes through our home school assistance program, and they both love it! Logan is taking an art class and studying Australia - he brought home a clay Cookabera Bird he made the past couple weeks. In science he has made a full skeleton out of paper, with the insides included! Morgan has been learning about Tomie De Paola and has enjoyed hearing his stories and seeing his pictures. She has also gotten to make a few different things, last week they made pancakes and did some natural color dying on paper and this week they got to see a video about Tomie De Paola and see his studio where he creates his pictures and his stories! In the video today, it showed Popeyes, a favorite of Tomie's, we had lasagna for lunch and they all wanted thier own Popeye for desert! Morgan asked her teacher if you can make them with homemade bread because it's all we have. - I just love her!

As for Julienne, it seems her discharge date will be tomorrow already and she will be coming to have a stay with us while she continues healing. The kids are all very excited, Morgan especially, she is happy to give up her bed for Julienne, she asked me today if I was going to go to the hospital and bring Julienne home. I told her not today, but tomorrow, the doctor's are going to let her come home. Please continue to pray for her healing, there is quite a bit of pain from time to time and discomfort, as well as loss of strength. Thank you all for your prayers during her surgery and recovery, they mean so much to her as well as to us. It will be fun to blog while she will be here with us during this time of healing for her! I am thankful that I have the flexibilty to help in many ways - God is so Good!