Baking Day and Other Christmas Preparations

Phew! What a busy couple of days it has been! I'm glad to finally have a moment to sit down and post some pictures for all of you.

Thanksgiving was great. Dad and Aunt Mary did a great job with the meal and we all really enjoyed being together. I ate too much, but that's a whole different story. I managed to get a few pictures yesterday...here they are.

"Can you please pass the turkey?"

Pap and I fooling around with the camera!

Today was "Baking Day" at our house. Earl had to work and since that left me with the kids all day we decided to stay close to home and do some baking. In the past I've not been much of a baker, but my new kitchen lends itself well to cooking in general. McKenna and I planned to stay in out sweat pants all day and bake, bake, bake. However, as most of us know, plans change. I ended up taking McKenna to the doctor first thing in the morning for a cough that's been lingering. That took up most of the morning. But after a quick lunch, we were back on track. I was really hoping that Cooper would take a nice long nap, but again...plans change! We all had a blast.

Take note to how much powdered sugar is NOT in the bowl!

After dinner, Cooper and I packed up and headed for Toys R Us for a little shopping. We returned home, packages in hand just in time for The Polar Express. It's one of our favorite movies and definitely helped all of us to get into the Christmas spirit.

Tomorrow we're planning to go get our Christmas tree. Historically we always seem to pick the coldest day of the year, but I think tomorrow we should be safe. This year should be interesting as far as Cooper and the tree go. Last year he wasn't mobile so we didn't have to worry about him taking ornaments off the tree. I'm thinking this year we won't be so lucky.

I'm really hoping to get a lot of decorating done this weekend. Next weekend starts what I've been referring to as "the busy season". It starts with Nicki's wedding next weekend, then McKenna's birthday. We'll get a little breather before Christmas and a visit from Earl's family. I'm tired just thinking about it!

We'll it's past my bedtime and as I said, there's lots to do tomorrow. I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful holiday with your families.

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ" - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

This was the bible verse that McKenna brought home from school this week. A pretty straight forward verse for 5 year olds, I thought. But then again, those verses probably reach more parents than kids most days anyway.
It didn't take me long to consider those words. All day I've faced constant reminders of just how blessed I am. Then again, that doesn't really take long when you work in a Children's Hospital, especially around the holidays. The weird thing is that I stopped in the PICU today. I rarely do that, since really I don't often have a reason to. But today I decided to stop and see my co-worker who was helping out in the unit for the morning. Her patient was a tiny little guy, not much younger than Cooper. He was on a ventilator and his mother stood closely by his crib. I was introduced to her and as I gazed at her baby watching his chest rhythmically rise and fall, the mother smiled at me. Smiled. I'm sure that she was just being polite, but I couldn't stop thinking, "She's smiling at me." Her baby is fighting for his life and may never wake up again and she's smiling at me. I've worked in pediatrics for a long time now and I've taken care of more than a few dying kids. But some of them just hit you so hard. I had trouble just standing there looking at that baby. All I could think was, "that could be my kid". It was like one of those moments when God was smacking me on the head as if to say - you're so blessed, you're so blessed, you're so blessed. And I truly have been blessed more than I sometimes think I deserve.

My mom and I had a conversation yesterday about the holidays and about the fact that we can't be with everyone in our families on the actual holiday itself. We talked about the fact that every time we're together should be celebrated like it's a holiday. Because really, you never know if you'll be together for another holiday. Standing at that baby's bedside today was just one more reminder of how true that really is.

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow with my family. I know that my Uncle Larry will be smiling down upon us a little brighter tomorrow. His physical presence will be so missed...but I know he will be there.

For those of you who we can't be with (Gail, Loretta, and the kids; Julie, Andy and Hayden)...we will be thinking about you and love you.

I hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Thanks to all of you for continuing to be blessings in my life.

Think Warm Thoughts

I know that I promised lots of fun pictures from yesterday's Penn State game, but the truth is that this is all I got....and I'm even embarrassed to post this one! But our thought was one of who cares what you look like as long as you're warm! The camera only worked sporadically in the cold and so did my fingers!

We all arrived at Beaver Stadium with our new cold weather gear, plenty of hand warmers, layers of clothing, and positive attitudes. We fired up the grill and warmed our hot sausage and mac and cheese, hoping to at least warm our bellies. The sausage stayed pretty warm....the mac and cheese had to be inhaled before it got cold on our plates. We took some time to visit with our friends Amy and Chris (who by the way had a heater!) and then headed up to watch the players come to the stadium.

As we took our seats before the game the snow began to fall. The swirling snow and the excitement in the stadium were very cool (no pun intended) and we knew we were in for a great game. We managed to make it through to half time relatively warm, but after sitting on the cold bleachers with our feet on a sheet of ice and snow we began to feel the chill. The supposed temperature at Beaver Stadium was 25 degrees. With the wind chill factored in it was about 11. No amount of hot chocolate and hand warmers in the world could make a difference. So, I'm sorry to admit that with Penn State ahead by more than a few touchdowns, Earl and I hit the road. It was a great effort, but ultimately my toes won out and I had to retreat to the warmth of the car. But, what a game and what an experience. If nothing else, it's a great day to remember and a great ending to an awesome football season. We're already looking forward to next year!

Think Warm Thoughts

What a beautiful day we woke up to this morning. After getting the kids ready and off to school, Earl and I headed out to do some shopping. Half the day was spent playing Santa and stocking up for Christmas. The other half of the day was spent searching for new boots, gloves, hats, and long underwear for tomorrow's Penn State Game. We also invested in some toe warmers, hand warmers, and body warmers at Wal-Mart. We met a seasoned Penn State football fan who was also gearing up for tomorrow's cold weather in Happy Valley.
We'll be meeting Shane and Eric there tomorrow for some tailgating and our friends Kara and Matt from work. Hopefully we'll also have a little time to see Megan and Jason! We're all just crossing our fingers that we're prepared for the cold weather. And of course, we're hoping for a great game!
Mimi and Pappy will be watching McKenna and Cooper so I'm sure they will have a great time. Hopefully I'll have lots of great pictures to share with you.

Stay Warm!
Em

"Thankful"

It continues to amaze me what a gift it has been join the world of blogging and connect with so many people. I have been touched by so many people, their stories, their testimonies, and their honesty - and yet I have never met many of them.
Tomorrow Earl and I plan to tackle the daunting task of Christmas shopping. And as plan our lists for Christmas and make arrangements for Thanksgiving next week it brings back the realization that there will be special people missing this year. My father-in-law's death and my Uncle Larry's extremely unexpected death occurred less than 24 hours apart. It truly turned us upside down for a little while as we could not even be together in the days after their deaths or for the services. But we would be lying if we said we didn't learn strong lessons from everything that occurred that week. Earl and I have been exposed to untimely death, unfortunate circumstances, and very sad situations throughout our careers. Sometimes I think that in itself has forced us to come to terms with death in ways that we may not have otherwise faced. And to some people we may seem to deal with death at a distance, as we have almost trained ourselves to do in order to survive our profession. But as we come upon the holidays we are painfully aware of the absence of our loved ones and that of so many of our friends and family who have lost someone close to them.
So tonight as I thought about this and got ready to give Cooper a bath, I put on some Christmas music that someone had on their blog. I happened upon a song by Josh Groban called, "Thankful" and the words spoke right to my heart. For so many of us it would be easy to be angry and just plain sad to face the day and especially the holidays without our loved ones. And even though those are okay emotions to experience, we need to continue to be thankful in our daily lives.

Somedays we forget
To look around us
Somedays we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see.
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.

I am so thankful for my family and my friends; for the chance to live this life and serve God in any way that I can. Some days it is downright difficult to find something to be thankful for, or to just remember all of things that we are all blessed with. But my hope is that all of you will take a few moments, as I did tonight, to reflect and give thanks and offer a few prayers for those who will find this Thanksgiving and Christmas particularly difficult.

And to the blogger that posted that song...Thank You!

We're Back

Wow! I can't believe it's been almost a week since my last post. That must be a record. It's not that I didn't think about it or even make an attempt. It's just been busy. Cooper had a case of a sore throat, pink eye, and bilateral ear infections that pretty much put a damper on our weekend. We did manage to get out for a few hours on Friday evening for my birthday but we were both tired so it didn't amount to much. I spent part of Sunday afternoon at the clinic with Cooper. I took him because his eyes looked red and he was terribly crabby. Imagine my shock when they announced the infection in each ear and the sore throat. For those of you who think I have an advantage being a pediatric nurse....I don't. For those of you who are pediatric nurses....you understand. We can be quite oblivious when it comes to our own kids. Well, maybe that's the wrong way to describe it. It's more like when we think our kids are REALLY sick the doctors tell us they're not. When we think it's something small that we can handle on our own and that we're not even sure they should be seen for....WE'RE usually wrong! Turned out this time I was really wrong and they were really right. Sunday night was completely sleepless for me as Cooper cried all night and batted at his ears. After a couple doses of antibiotics and some of Mimi's TLC last night he's feeling much better. And I even have the video to prove it.

He's definitely all boy. The rougher and the scarier - the more he giggles.

McKenna has been a trooper this week. She's put up with a little less attention as Cooper required a lot of Earl and I. Last night she announced through her alligator tears that she needed a break from school. This was quite shocking for me because she never asks to stay home. (She's like me--afraid she'll miss something and I'm not talking about school work.) So her daddy picked her up early today and took her for a special lunch.

Earl and I are looking forward to Christmas shopping on Friday (well, more me than Earl) and the Penn State game on Saturday (more Earl than myself). But Christmas will be here before you know it so we better get ready! And to those of you who have already decorated...you could come to my house now!

Mission Accomplished!

Mission accomplished...and with minimal trauma, I might add. We left our house at 11am this morning and headed for State College for Christmas pictures. I originally thought I would be going by myself but my friend Kim was able to come along with her two year old. We left the house at 11am and returned home to Lewisburg at 5:30 with pictures in hand. I'm so happy to have Christmas pictures (and Christmas cards) off of my to do list. Last year I was so behind that I actually had to send New Year's cards! I consider this year a true accomplishment!

The kids did a great job considering that they only had a 20 minute nap in the car and then were tortured while we changed their clothes multiple times. We were extremely happy with how the pictures turned out also. You'll have to wait for Christmas cards to see them though. Here's a sneak peek at the kids on the way home. You could say they were a little worn out....and so were we! I did learn one thing today - that Earl is actually right (but don't tell him) that we need to explore bigger vehicles before we consider more children. These kids were literally crammed into the backseat today. That was probably our biggest challenge of the entire day.

And since all good things must come to an end at some point we'll be back to the usual crazy routine tomorrow. But at least the weekend is almost here. Where exactly do the weeks go? I feel like by the time I take a breath it's Thursday already. Earl and I are looking forward to an evening out on Friday and a better Penn State game on Saturday than we suffered through last weekend. And we are all anxiously awaiting Mimi and Pappy's return!

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Please Don't Rush November

Over the past two weeks McKenna and I have been planning for her upcoming birthday. We've discussed the party, ordered the party supplies, and talked about what she might want Mommy and Daddy to get her for her big day. This morning when she woke up she said, "I wish November wouldn't take so long." I actually wanted to cry when I heard her say that because even though I feel like I rush her through the morning routine I DO wish that November would drag on a little longer. I just can't quite get used to the thought of having a FIVE year old. It just doesn't seem possible. I cried for two days when she turned one. I'm sure that this will be no different. I wish I could rewind the years and do them all over again...even the first couple weeks of crying, feeding difficulties, reflux....you name it and I would do it again. I tease McKenna all the time that she's not allowed to turn five, that I only allow four year olds to live in my house. She always smiles and cocks her head to the side and says, "Mom, you have to let me still live here." I suppose she's right. My friends who have older kids tell me that every age is fun and that there is still lots to look forward to. I believe them, but I'm just not ready to let go of the preschool years just yet. I promise not to treat her like a baby, I'll just think of her as one! Well, I guess that won't really work either.
Today on the way home from work I heard a new Darius Rucker song on the radio. That's what really got me thinking hard about McKenna's upcoming birthday. I tried desperately to find it and add it to my playlist but it must be too new right now. So, for today you'll have to settle for the lyrics. Try your best not to tear up. And if you need a tissue don't come to me because I've used mine all up!

It Won't Be This Way For Long

He didnt have to wake up

He'd been up all nite

Lay'n there in bed listen'n

To his new born baby cryHe makes a pot of coffee

He splashes water on his face

His wife gives him a kiss and says

It gonna be OKIt wont be like this for long

One day soon we'll look back laugh'n

At the week we brought her home

This phase is gonna fly by

So baby just hold on

It wont be like this for long

Four years later bout four thirty

She's crawling in there bed

And when he drops her off at preschool

She's clinging to his leg

The teacher peels her off of him

He says what can I do

She says now dont you worry

This will only last a week or two

It wont be like this for long

One day soon we'll drop her off

And she wont even know your gone

This phase is gonna fly by

If you can just hold on

It wont be like this for long

One day soon she'll be a teenager

And at times you'll think she hates him

Then he'll walk her down the isle

And he'll raise her vale

But right now she up and cry'n

And the truth is that he dont mind

As he kisses her good night

And she says her prayers

He lays down there beside her

Till her eyes are finally closed

And just watch'n her it breaks his heart

Cause he already knows

It wont be like this for long

One day soon that little girl is gonna be

All grown up and gone

Yeah this phase is gonna fly by

He's try'n to hold on

It wont be like this for long

It wont be like this for long

"Bubble" and Other New Tricks

Of course you're probably wondering why I'm posting a picture of Cooper in the bathtub. Aside from the fact that he absolutely loves to be in the tub, I wanted to share his the latest word he has added to his vocabulary...Bubble! He seems to be learning and growing at an alarming rate these days. But maybe I've just now slowed down enough to notice all the things he can say and do. We had trouble with him screaming a lot when he was a little younger so we had taught him a few simple signs which has really helped. It also helps that they sign at school. It works really well...except when someone else is watching them and we forget to warn them about the signs! He's also quite interested in the computer. Notice he even put his sippy cup there on the desk with him. I wish I could say that I "posed" him for this picture, but the truth is that this is where I found him after his bath.

This weekend was great, with the exception of the Penn State game. We're still drying our tears, but I think we'll survive. I know all the other fans out there can feel my pain! We're still looking forward to a great time at the Michigan State game in two weeks!

We're looking forward to another very busy week. Back to a full work week for me, gymnastics tomorrow and two nights of overtime for Earl. Wednesday I'm going to attempt the unthinkable and take the kids to State College for Christmas pictures...something I've never attempted alone. I'm sure we'll be fine, but I'm going to make sure to wear extra deodorant! We're all looking forward to my mom and dad coming back. It's pretty lonely around here without them. Plus, we're really jealous that we didn't get to go along!

Hope everyone has a great week!

It's Tradition

Yesterday when we returned home in the afternoon we were greeted by a big box from Grammy Musial. She's famous for her boxes that arrive at our house periodically and McKenna couldn't wait to find out what was inside. The biggest surprise of all were the 2 small shirts tucked inside. They had obviously been worn lovingly over the years and now were being passed on to McKenna and Cooper.....they were Daddy's special Cleveland Brown's football shirts from when he was little. In honor of Brady Quinn's first official NFL start tonight McKenna has worn the special shirt. We hope it brings good luck (because anyone who follows football knows the Browns will need it). Thanks Grammy Musial for passing these along! We will wear them proudly....at least inside the house!!

Lessons From A Scarecrow and A Spider

Nothing is really new around our house tonight, but I wanted to recommend a cute book for those of you with kids. My mother in law sent a book today called, The Scarecrow and the Spider. It seemed like a simple book where a scarecrow makes friends with a spider, but it has a great message. In the story the scarecrow scares away the birds who intend to eat the spider for lunch. When the spider realizes what the scarecrow has done for him he dances around and exclaims, "Oh, I knew God was watching out for me!" He goes on to explain to the scarecrow that "God is always with us! Everywhere you go and in everything you do, God is there-even when you feel alone!" McKenna loved the story and completely understood the message (which was the important part). And it's a nice reminder for us as parents too!

A Few Photos From the Weekend

I almost forgot to share a few pictures with you from the weekend...

We start them early at our house. Some of you might remember a picture of McKenna at this age studying anesthesia with her Dad!

Halloween went off without a hitch, despite previous pictures that might have led you to believe we were going to be minus a giraffe.

Dreaming of M&M's!

Home Sweet Home

We finally made it! We're all moved into the new house. We couldn't have done it without the help of Kyle, my parents, and our good friend Dave. They worked tirelessly Friday and Saturday to move all of our stuff....and boy did it seem like we had a lot of stuff!
The kids have adjusted better than I could have ever imagined. I think that they were used to us being out here every couple of days so to them it was no big deal. I worried the first couple of nights that McKenna might have an accident trying to find her way to the bathroom in the middle of the night but she seems to have no problems. The stairs are a constant battle with Cooper and it's been difficult to find gates that will fit properly so we continue to work on that. Tucker has probably had the hardest time adjusting. I spent the first night camped out in the living room with him as he cried and whimpered. I'm glad to report that last night went much better and he seems to be getting used to his new environment.
Earl has worked constantly all weekend to move everything and put stuff together, etc. I honestly don't know how he did everything that he did. I know he must be tired but he keeps plugging along.
I feel like a thousand pounds has been lifted off my shoulders now that the house is done and the moving part also! I hated having that looming over my head for the past few months. And I must say that I would rather unpack boxes on this end!
We're still waiting on some of our furniture to come in and as I type tonight I'm sitting on my knees. I'm extremely glad to finally have the TV and internet hooked up! I was starting to feel disconnected from the rest of the world.
We're excited for our friends and family to come visit now that we have a new place and lots of space. So, if you're in the neighborhood (or even if you're not) feel free to stop by.
Happy voting tomorrow!