Ear infection

In 2 1/2 years of life Cole has never been on an antibiotic.  He has been sick here and there but usually it is just allergies or a small virus.  Valentines week Cole started feeling bad.  We thought it was allergies because we were all fighting them.  On Thursday of that week we decided to take him in.  He had a double ear infection.  Our doctor put him on an antibiotic for 10 days.  That 10 days ended on Sunday.  Monday he was pretty whiny again and Tuesday little things made him cry.  Around 2 AM this morning he woke up with a 101 fever.  He also had a rash on his leg before bed that then moved to his bottom - it didn't spread it moved.  Michael took him back into the doctor today and he has a double ear infection.  She said it could be that it was a really bad infection and the antibiotic wasn't strong enough to kick it. Or in the 2 days that he was off his antibiotic he caught another infection.  She also told us that the moving rash was hives.  So we are on round 2 of antibiotics - a stronger one. And as of right now we are treating the hives with Benadryl.  We are praying that this round kicks the infections butt!!!

Photo dump

Claire has her first loose tooth. This made me very sad.  But she is very excited!

Our Gracie is growing like crazy!!!

Allergy season has hit about a month early :(  We are all sneezy and the kids are in allergy fogs

Our sweet friend Addilyn and Claire were color opposites at church last week.

Cole loves to show off his muscles these days

Claire's adorable tooth pillow for when that tooth finally falls out! Our sweet friend Darla made this for her.

Apparently the 2nd graders are learning the "augh" spelling pattern this week.  This made me giggle so hard!!!  I had this little boy last year and had his sister for kinder and 1st grade.  It is also the family we got Gracie from which is why it says roof!

Cole plays dress up

Gracie wants to do what ever the kids are doing.  She's watching Cole play daddy's iPad.

Rock and Worship Road Show

Friday night we took a group of our youth to the Rock and Worship Road Show.  This is a concert put on by Mercy Me that cost $10 to get into and seating is first come first serve.  We have been to this for 3 years or so.  This year they offered a $15 ticket for reserved seating so we didn't have to get there at 3 for good seats.  The line up was excellent - Mercy Me, Jeremy Camp, Kutless, Tadashi, Family Force 5, and a few other bands.  It was a fun night to hang out with our youth and worship the Lord.  Here is where things get a little crazy.  There was a youth group sitting in front of us.  They were very much coupled up and very handsy with each other which drives me nuts.  About half way through the concert I felt the Lord nudging my heart.  I kept hearing the phrase "Tell him to flee from the thing that is entangling him.  Tell him to run tonight."  I was confused.  There were several boys around me - including some from our own youth group.  I started to pray and that phrase just kept playing in my head over and over again.  At some point I see the big youth boy in front of me (who had had his hands ALL over the girl next to him) start to cry.  When I see him start to cry I really felt God say "him!"  About half way through Mercy Me, the kid sat down and was just looking all around and looked physically upset.  I am an encourager.  I HATE confrontation.  I am also very shy around people I don't know.  So, the thought of telling a teenage boy something that did not sound like a happy message from the Lord was NOT exciting to me.  But when he sat down it was as if God pushed me towards him.  I tapped him on the shoulder, and when he turned around I just said "you don't know me, but I feel like the Lord wants me to tell you something.  He is saying to flee from the thing that is entangling you. He wants you to run from it tonight."  At this point the color drained from the boys face and this big boy started to cry.  Not a little cry, but head in his hands shaking cry.  The part that was so crazy to me is I will never get to know what is going on in that guys life.  I will never get to know if he was obedient.  I am ok with that.  I physically saw God move in his life.  It was a very moving time in my life.  I know God would have used someone else if I hadn't been obedient to Him. But, I am thankful that I was. 

Valentines Day 2013

Today has been an awesome day.  Nothing spectacular happened - it has just been great.  God is so good to our little family.  I posted on facebook last night the following verse - Psalm 23:1 "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing." No matter what storms come our way I am so thankful that the Lord is my shepherd!!!  Party days at school are CRAZY for me.  I used to think they were crazy when I taught kindergarten and first grade...BUT, they have nothing on Pre-K parties.  I do 2 parties...with 4 and 5 year olds.  It is a sugary, hyped up, insane 45 minutes - but it is fun :)  So today, I conducted my AM party, cleaned up and jumped in my car to head over to Claire's school for her party.  Thankfully it is less than 5 minutes from my school.  Claire's class did 3 songs, they each said a memory verse, ate lunch, and decorated cookies.  I was so thankful I was able to go spend time with my sweet girl.Came back from Claire's party, served my PM kids lunch and had party number 2 of the day!  I will be sleeping great tonight!!

I found out today that Claire is the slowest eater in her class.  We have noticed that some days her lunch comes home with only a few bites out of it.  Apparently it is because everyone else is finished and ready to go on and Claire is still going!!  That girl is going to have to speed it up for kindergarten next year :)

My sweet valentine!

Claire and her BFF Tara

Mean while, while I was with Claire, these two snuck in my room to leave me flowers!  I was surprised to find the flowers when I returned and this picture on my phone.  LOVE THESE TWO BOYS!!!

Cole has been running a very low grade fever - 99.9-100.1 for 3 days.  Michael took him in to the doctor today and the poor baby has a double ear infection!!  This is his first time on an antibiotic.  We have been so lucky to have very healthy kids for the most part. He fell asleep in the chair around 4 and 2 hours later he is still asleep!

Not only did Michael give me flowers but he gave Claire flowers and a box of chocolates.  She is super excited about these flowers.  She told me - Mommy, my flowers are better than yours because yours are just roses and are all red. Mine are daisies and are pink, hot pink, and white.  

Valentine Cookie Party

I love having a cookie party for Claire around Christmas with all her friends.  But, this year Christmas was insane and it just didn't work out for us.  The week we could have had it we all got the stomach flu so I was super thankful we didn't have it then!  So we told Claire we would have a cookie party at Valentines.  Jump forward 2 months and it snuck up on us.  Claire kindly reminded us last week about it.  So I quickly sent out an invitation knowing it was last minute.  We were going to have 3 girls but several got sick today so it was just Claire and her sweet friend Emma.  Which turned out great - very low key and manageable.  Also, that allowed Cole to join in on the cookie fun! 

My window decorated

Mantle

The table

snacks!

Snacks

undecorated cookies, icing, sprinkles

having fun!!

sweet friends

Cole's finished cookies

Emma's finished cookies

Claire's finished cookies

Making butterfly wands

Finishing off the day with 3D Fairy of the Wings