Easter Saturday

We traveled to Winston-Salem to visit with Danny's dad, step-mom, sister-in-law and cousin the Saturday before Easter. They always treat us to a wonderful meal and the kids look forward to hunting for eggs, playing the piano and going down to the pond. I love the special memories the kids make with their grand parents and we love getting to catch-up with everyone!

Easter egg Dyeing

Every year I have to google "How to boil eggs"and this year was no different. I'm going to link the site I used this time for future reference...HERE

Holmes Educational State Forest -- 1st grade field trip

I love getting to stay home with the kids and one of the many perks and reason for doing so is to be able to volunteer at their schools and actively participate in their learning. I'm not sure at what grade Owen will not want me to tag along on his field trips, but I am so glad he still wants me to be there with him!

Just before Easter, his class took a day trip to Holmes Educational State Forest and his teacher sent an e-mail asking if I'd like to come along. I was able to talk Danny's grandmother into driving up to watch Audrey and Ben so I could go.

It was such a fun trip and the park rangers did such an amazing job teaching the children how to make paper, how to catch species from the creek and determine what they are and how to tell how old a tree is without actually cutting it down.

We had a nice picnic lunch in a big open field, went on a short hike with "talking trees" and then ended the trip with a quick look at the forest service helicopter.

Kindergarten ready!

Ben was a little nervous about kindergarten registration ( I think he was afraid he was going to have homework, ha!)

 after he went back and got to play some games and see some of our neighbors and fellow t-ball friends, he was all smiles and was ready to go to school!

Now that he is ready, I have to actually convince myself that I am ready to send my sweet Ben off to the real world.

Audrey goes for Surgery

So my sweet girl had a rare case of "kissing tonsils." Her pediatrician  referred us to Dr.Moore at Asheville Head, Neck and Ear and we went in for a consult and scheduled her for surgery. He said they typically only see 1, maybe 2, cases like hers a year. He noticed fluid in both of her ears and suggested with have tubes placed as he felt pretty confident she also had mild hearing loss due to the fluid and then suggested removing her adenoids as well. The trifecta! 

The morning of her surgery was rough on her since she couldn't eat or drink and she started to get a little frustrated with us.

Thankfully the surgical center provided lots of toys and coloring pages for her to help pass the the time.

 The giggle juice helped lighten the mood once they finally gave it to her.

 Her surgery went well and lasted roughly 45 mins. The Doctor came out and talked with us and then a few mins later they called us back to step down to see her. We were not certain where step down was and ended up waiting  for a while at the wrong door and by the time we got to see our girl, she was screaming and mad. It was a side of her neither of had seen and her poor sweet voice was in pain. She kept pulling at her IV and the nurses were doing everything they could do to comfort her.

Thankfully she wanted to drink plenty of fluids and had an appetite. She ate mini pancakes and popsicles day one!

when we arrived home from her surgery, her friend Willa had come by and left a sweet gift on the porch for her. It was perfect and so thoughtful! A coloring/sticker book, princess crayons, a doll that looked like her that she now sleeps with every night, and a cup with a straw (which was the only cup she would drink out of after her surgery)  and a balloon.

My mom and Ben spent the day together and came home with Kitty Hello head phones and a frozen doll for her and she received several cards and a cute baton from her friend Ellie. Everyone made her feel so special and loved!

 Her healing white spots (and a little popsicle residue :/)

Thank goodness that is over! My girl is healthy, happy and no longer snores or stops breathing in her sleep and her stridor breathing has stopped completely!