November...where did you go?

November sure did come and go in a flash! The month took a crazy turn when my 4 year old got sick and we spent 3 days in the Emergency Room at Children's hospital! They kept sending us home and we kept ending up back in there! The third time we were sent there from the dr's office in an AMBULANCE!!!

Look how sick my poor little guy was...This was day one in the ER

Thankfully....he's healthy now...turns out he had a severe kidney infection which caused a high (105 high) fever and he had a febrile seizure on Wednesday morning...around 5am....His fever went down with meds and they did a chest x-ray and ended up sending us home...Said he had an upper respitory infection of some kind?! He started throwing up in the car on the way home from the hospital and then could not keep anything down so we went back to the ER at 5am Thursday with a 104 fever! Tests....tests...and more tests ensued....They found a kidney infection while doing a Cat Scan on Thursday....urine tests were not showing it. Gave us antibiotics and sent us home...Friday morning follow up at the dr. and he had 103 fever and was super lethargic....Had a stiff neck and could barely move. We were sent back to Children's in an ambulance....I rode in the back with him and I got carsick! I almost threw up!!!

Long story short....he had a rare bacteria causing the infection and the antibiotics they gave him were not working so by Saturday we had him on the correct meds and he was starting to feel better....At the follow up appt on Monday, the dr discovered that he also had Coxsackie virus (aka-hand, foot, mouth)....So the stiff neck had been caused by blisters in the throat that were not visible! He was back to his normal self by Thursday of that week, but it was a good solid week of sickness! It was crazy for my hyper little monster to be so sick and just lay around for an entire week!

 

We did a lot of laying around waiting for tests and test results...I think they need bigger TV's in the ER! If I'm ever super rich...I'm donating them to the Rady Children's ER! 

What I love about Children's Hospital is that every time you have a procedure done they give you stickers! Not just one...but like 4 or 5! Cash came home with a TON of stickers!! He loved that part!

When you drive to the ER before sunrise 2 mornings in a row...You get to enjoy a magnificent sunrise from the parking garage!

Cash's buddy Ashlynn came to visit him when we got home. She missed him!

Finally got him to eat and drink...He downed a smoothie, but as you can tell...he is super skinny!

Chasey missed going to see the sold out Annie on Friday night because I was at the hospital with Cash...My friend's husband and son were kind enough to give up their tickets for the Sunday show so Chasey could see it! It was a junior theater production and it was Awesome!!!

So....as far as "being thankful" in November goes...I realized how truly blessed I am to have healthy children! I'm thankful everyday, but when you spend a few days at a Children's Hospital and see the families that are basically living there day in and day out you truly truly count your blessings!

~Mel

Never a Dull Moment...

I'm posting over here too....so I'm a little absent from this blog...but you can find me in both places...Just thought I'd let you know! (again)...shameless plug for my business...but the blog is mostly personal!

Wanted to share this video from last night with you....Chasey is a rock star....and Cash just cracks me up! He loves to sing Baby Baby by Justin Bieber and I finally got some of it on video! They usually stop doing what they are doing when I break out the video camera...but last night they let me film all the action with my phone!



enjoy!
Mel

Fall is finally here!

I wrote a post over HERE about this cute centerpiece that I made! I love it! 

Reminds me of my "carrots" centerpiece that I made at Easter! (just looked back and realized I never posted it...shoot!)

9/11 - Where were you?

 

(photo from google images)

I can't believe the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 is this Sunday! 10 years? Only 10 years ago? Or seems like yesterday? 

I've had so much happen to me in the last 10 years...it could last a lifetime....A lifetime of joy, sorrow, pain, happiness, struggles and triumphs. I keep reading other bloggers posts about how 9/11 seems like yesterday. Although I remember the day vividly...it really does seem like a lifetime ago.

Where were you on that morning? I don't know one single person that can't tell you the exact moment and place that they were when they heard about the towers. I was living with my ex (he was my fiance at the time) and his mom....Our phone...you know...the old school house phone....rang around 6:30am. We're on the west coast so we were still in bed.  It was my ex's brother...calling to tell us to turn on the tv. Our TV was up in the corner of our room. I can still picture myself standing there under the tv....just staring up at it in disbelief.

I had to get ready for work so I had to peel myself away to shower and get ready....I was getting ready while constantly checking the television. Somehow I managed to get ready and out the door. When I got to work there was a note on the door. "The office is closed...please go home"....or something along those lines. There were still a couple of planes "missing" and my office was only about 10 miles away from the San Onofre Nuclear power plant...and just south of Camp Pendleton Marine Base. I went home and glued myself to the tv.

My aunt was here visiting from Illinois and was supposed to get on a plane that day.....but all flights were grounded so she was stuck here for a few days. It just so happens that she found out she was pregnant the day before she was supposed to leave so I went and picked her up and took her out to lunch. I stopped at the grocery store and bought her a rattle....See...I told you I remember all the details of the day! Being out to lunch was surreal....we went to a restaurant that I used to work at and it was just a strange feeling....like everyone was walking around in a haze. I had a fish kabob and a double salad with ranch dressing.

At some point I made it to bed that night....but I had nightmares for weeks on end. I just KNEW that there were people trapped in air pockets....people wanting help and still alive, but no one could get to them. I actually had vivid dreams of people stuck. It was horrible...it was hard to sleep. I'm sure....well...I know I was right because there were a few survivors that tell tales of people still being alive after the towers collapsed, but dying after a few hours or days. I wanted to help, but I was on the west coast. If I had the means I would have been on a plane to hand out waters, to feed the rescue workers...anything...just anything....I wanted to help so badly.

Chasey is in first grade now....I'm sure she will ask about it soon. It's history...and I lived it. It was one of the saddest times in my life. It was also the first time that I was truly proud to be an American and I was thankful for the country that I live in. I had a flag in the window of my silver Honda Civic and I was proud to display it.

I will be glued to whatever TV programs are on this Sunday....I really don't want to relive that day....but the lives that were lost deserve our respect and they will never...ever be forgotten!

I'm over here now...

So...I've been busy this summer...working on launching a new online "Eco-chic" boutique Terra Collection! We finally launched last week and I will be writing the blog for Terra Collection. While I of course will have some of our lives on that blog, it will not be my personal blog...I'll still be here sometimes, but most of my time and effort is over there these days!

Hope you are enjoying your summer as much as we have been!

Has your summer been as busy as mine?

We love Spring!...

I just LOVE the ages my kids are at now...if I could stop time and keep them here forever, I would be one happy mommy! They are just so much fun! They are both learning so many things every single day. Chasey is reading now...actually READING on her own. She writes letters and cards to us almost daily. I have saved them all because the majority of the time things are spelled out as she hears them....instead of how they are actually spelled...but it is really the sweetest, coolest thing ever! I will post some of her letters soon!

Cash has grown up so much too! He is still my baby...but he has grown up so much! He talks a ton now...he mimicks everything we say! He will stand next to me, James or Chasey and literally copy every single word that comes out of our mouths....sometimes it's really annoying....but for the most part, I'm just SO thrilled that he is talking so much now! He is the coolest, most athletic, most coordinated little guy I've ever known! He can ride a bike like a pro and can hit baseballs over my head! He's THREE!!! and a half....but still...THREE!

For Easter....that crazy bunny brought the kids 2 really cool kites! Not the kind of kites we had when we were little...but cool....awesome...super huge kites! James put them together for us the other night and we took off to the park to try them out! The park was full of soccer practices....so we walked off into the trails by the lake. It was super fun and so cool to be a part of teaching the kids something that I loved as a kid myself!

True...Pure....Excitement!

DC Twinsies!...haha




Potty Training....when you gotta go....you gotta go!

Many days I forget that I live down the street from such an amazing, beautiful lake, hiking trails and rolling hills! I've been here over 2 years and I am just now visiting the area almost on a weekly basis! Once again...another reason why I love the kids ages...we don't have to take a stroller everywhere we go...and the kids enjoy "finding treasures" (thanks Aunt Vicki for teaching Chasey about "treasure hunts") on our walks and they are enjoying all that nature has to offer! (of course being unemployed and trying to find "free" entertainment all over town helps too! Kind of makes you look at the whole world differently...for the better...for sure!)

xo
Mel

Happy Easter!?...or is it?

This isn't how it's supposed to be...I'm sitting here....on the computer...Easter baskets overflowing with goodies....but my kids aren't here to find the hidden eggs or squeal with excitement over the new Wii that is now hooked up for them (thanks to James who spoils them rotten). A new pink controller in Chasey's basket and a new black controller in Cash's! Just Dance 2 is SOOOO ready to be rocked! I don't even get to see my kids in their new Easter outfits that James and Chasey picked out together! (yes...he took her shopping at the mall for new shoes...and they ended up with new Easter outfits AND shoes! He melts my heart over and over with the little things that he does with the kids)

I'm a huge advocate for it's better to be alone than to be miserable when it comes to divorce....but Holidays can suck sometimes! At least I have James and great friends to spend the day with and we will be over at their house soon...but waking up without my munchkins here really does suck.

ps-I totally know that Easter Baskets and the Easter Bunny are not the true reason for Easter......it's just the fun part when the kids are little and I'm not getting to enjoy it with them today.

Oh well...here's a "Peep" show for a laugh...I needed a laugh and this just came through on my phone while I was typing this post.


Mel

When the Cat's away...

Enjoyed a night out with James and a couple of friends last night in Los Angeles. We went to see his all time favorite band...Queens of the Stone Age...I was mostly there to people watch! and there is some AMAZING people watching to be done in LA I tell ya! I enjoy the live music, but I only knew one song...I'm more of a pop/country girl....it was a fun night out though!

My twin nieces babysat the kids for us last night and I let them use my computer. I was cracking up this morning when I got on and saw all the photo booth pics that they took. At least this explains why there were rabbit ears, heart sunglasses, mickey mouse ears and princess tiaras on the table when we got home! I love to see how much fun my kids have when I'm not home!





xo
Mel

Cash paints his nails....

Warning-you will see a little boys butt...I don't know how to edit video! It's the cutest little butt though! :)

Spring Break!!!

This is the first year that we actually have "Spring Break" around here. Now that Chasey is in school, we really enjoy the time that she is off and we get to sleep in (she does...Cash doesn't let me), go to the beach, park, whatever we feel like and we are not on a time schedule...
Love it!!



One of my best friends from high school and her family are staying in Newport Beach for the week so we went up and stayed a couple of days with them. She has 4 kids so my kids were in heaven with so many people to play with!



We spent the first day at the pool, made smores by the firepit at night and spent all day yesterday at the beach...and then the pool! Now THAT is a vacation! Even if it was only for 2 days!!
Were back home...it's sprinkling and everyone is napping! It's a great day!

I'm Pregnant, Getting Married...and I'm in Jail!

Some of my favorite Aprils Fools jokes to play on my mom....I don't do it anymore though because she would be so excited about the first 2 (she LOVES...LOVES James)...and the last one is just mean! Why are moms SO EASY to play April Fools jokes on?

Are you playing practical jokes on anyone today?

Happy Aprils Fools Day! Off to the gym! Ha...I WISH I was kidding about that!

Another gorgeous day in the "hood"! Happy Friday my friends!



Melissa

What's in your bag?

I've seen a few other bloggers write about the contents of their purse/bag on any given day...I thought it would be funny to dump out my purse on the kitchen table and see what lurks in there!! Interesting...at least it gave me a chance to clean it out!



1. My beloved Custom Tylie Malibu purse...It says "CHASEY" on the strap...yes...I got it BEFORE Cash entered my life and I still carry it...every...single...day!
2. Crappy....only here until my birthday....cell phone! I'm getting the Iphone for my birthday...either from James...or I'm buying it for myself! I NEED to enter the world of "apps"!
3. Groupon to Barnes & Noble!
4. Coupon Organizer...I use coupons religiously
5. Paint Color Samples and Idea book...looking to re-do the bathroom and master bedroom
6. My old phone...I carry it because my phone numbers didn't transfer to the new (old) one and I need to look up numbers every now and then
7. Checkbook
8. Wallet...I won't even begin to look at what is in that thing...it doesn't even shut!
9. H&M reusable grocery sack
10. gum...always an assortment of gum in my purse for my 2 little gum monsters
11. Motrin, Tylenol, Aleve...there is an assortment of headache medicine in that little bottle...for days when the kids just push me over the edge! (or...days that mommy drank too much wine with her friends!)
12. You know....stuff for when "Aunt Flo" is in town
13. dental floss...my mom will be proud that I carry that with me!
14. Purse Hanger...it's super heavy and weighs down my purse, but I use it all the time at restaurants!
15. 3 pens
16. Assortment of lip gloss, lipstick and chapstick
17. Chasey's dress-up rings
18. Really old bottle of visine...Not sure if I've ever even used it
19. too much change...another reason why my purse is sooo heavy
20. "Easy Chops" or whatever they are called....little plastic things that turn chopsticks into kid chopsticks in a snap!
21. Spy sunglass bag
22. Pair of Chasey's socks? Not sure why those are in my purse
23. little green man
24. safety pins...never know when you will need one of those
25. Wristband from Zehnder's Waterpark in Michigan...went there over Christmas break and its STILL in my purse?!
26. Pretzels...yes...pretzels were floating around the bottom of my purse.

So...there you have it...I'm a hoarder! Obviously!

The things I learned at Disneyland....

Always...ALWAYS....stop to take a picture at the Mickey head made out of flowers when you first walk in....

$50 worth of face painting for three little munchkins is SO worth it because it makes them SOO SOO happy!

A day at Disneyland with your cousin is going to be one of your lifetime favorite memories! (you may not know that yet...but mommy does)

I am SO very lucky to have a little boy that will take a nap ANYWHERE and can be transferred a thousand times during that nap and stay asleep!

I STILL get excited when I get to see Mickey!

After 1 full day at Disneyland...even little ones need a pick me up before the 2nd day!

The Jersey Shore likes Disneyland too!

Cash is now tall enough for almost every ride and he is going to be my little brave one!

I will NEVER ride the crazy ferris wheel at California Adventure again...yes...it looks like we are having fun...and we WERE...but I felt super carsick by the time it was over!

Margaritas are a MUST after getting rained out on your last day at Disneyland! (my brother Dougie and his wife Tanya)

and...My absolute FAVORITE picture of the trip! My niece Kylie was not a big fan of that ferris wheel that I was talking about either!

Grocery Store...UGH!!!!

There is really nothing I hate more than taking both kids to the grocery store alone!! One at a time is fine...but together, they are complete terrors!! The rule is that they have to both sit IN the cart.....but that doesn't always work out so well for me either!






(Right about now...I should be in Fantasyland with the munchkins....thank you "time stamp")