Going Pink for Breast Cancer

Sorry picture sucks....Eric wasn't home to take our picture!
Getting It put in!

Today Morgin and I went to a local hair salon to get pink hair extensions put in our hair as a way to support breast cancer research.

When I first got pregnant for Morgin 5 years ago, Eric's step mom Mary was battling the disease and when we told her that we were pregnant was the same day that she found out that the cancer was progressing rapidly and that the only way to cure her was to have chemo. She was dead set against the chemo until 4 hours later when we called to tell her we were pregnant. Mary said that in that moment that she realized that she would fight harder than ever so that she could see her grandchild. I thought that it was a fitting tribute to Mary for both of us to get the extensions and I am glad that we did! They look really cute and it is for such a good cause! Let's all pray that they find a cure soon!

We Love you Mary!!!

The Big Mistake

I have been thinking a lot about the past year and how it has really changed me. I think about friendships lost and friendships gained. The friendships that I have gained are AMAZING but I feel like it has come at such a cost to me. I will not make the same mistakes again when it comes to my friends. The biggest mistake I believe is to not put 100% into everything...and I feel that I do that with friendship and with everything I do in life generally.

My best friend and I had a long conversation on the way to school this morning and it really made me think! We vowed that we would not let what other people say make our minds up about something and that we would ask each other straight up if it was said or not! We also vowed to NEVER teach each others children! We also vowed NO SECRETS!! It was really nice to talk to her today and really made me realize that I admire her as a mother, teacher, wife and friend! I am so happy with the way that things have turned out and I am loving and living life to the fullest!

Funny Conversation

Tonight as I was reading a book to Morgin, we have the following conversation. (We were reading a book about heroes)

Morgin: "Mommy, Your my hero"

Me; "Aww Thanks Morgin! I love you very much!"

Morgin: "Your my hero because you help me find pictures for my school"

Me; "I love helping you with your homework"

Morgin: "Tomorrow can you just do it for me?"

Me: "What your homework?"

Morgin: "Yeah Mommy....I am to smart for that stuff!"

OMG! where does she come up with this stuff? I, of course told her that she will do her own homework! She is getting so smart! She read a whole book to me tonight (a sight word book that I brought home from school for her...but she read it!)

"NO"

Let me take you back a few months ago...Eric and I are laying in bed and I whisper (so that our little man in the room across the hall does not hear me) to him, "I am glad that Brady just shakes his head, No instead of actually saying it"

Fast forward to now, Brady is very fluent in using the word "NO". When we ask him any question the answer we get is "No." Tonight we asked him if he would like some milk. His answer is no..I walk away and he chases after me crying "Milk!!!" I say to him, "You just said No!" He shakes his yes! What a kid!

I do however feel very lucky to have made it to 21 months without him having said the word! Morgin was a 13 month old running around screaming no and hasn't stopped since that point!

I guess this may the start of the "Terrible Two's" which is this the worse we get we are pretty lucky!!

RIP Don

We got bad news this morning. Eric's cousin Jenny's husband Don passed away this morning. We are all very sad. Don was a good man and sometimes life seems so unfair. He was so young and had so much more life to live. Jenny, Tyler, and Joseph are all in our thoughts and prayers.

J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS

My Two Handsome Jets Fans!!!

Boys will be Boys

Sword Fighting with beer in hand

Brad is on the bottom...somewhere!

Erica, Brad and Eva came over for dinner tonight and as always it was a great time! The "boys" started wrestling and then because I am not pregnant I get dragged into it! Erica gets to play the pregnancy card...lucky girl!! It was a great night with LOTS of entertainment! Our kids must think we are nuts!

Apple Picking 2010

Today we went apple picking with the kids. We didn't make it last year because Brady was sick last year so we were super excited to go today! We drove to Behling's in Mexico and we had a great time! The kids were so stinking cute! They were searching the trees for apples and were excited when they found "a good one." Brady was so funny...he kept saying "Look! Look!" when ever he saw an apple and then Eric or I had to lift him up so he could get it! Morgin was really good at scoping out the trees for "good ones" and we ended up with a ton of great memories! I am so thankful that we are able to provide these opportunities for our children. There is nothing like spending time with the ones that you love the most in the world!

PS). Please keep Eric's cousin, Jenny and her husband Donny in your thoughts and prayers. Donny is in the hospital with heart issues, and he is now incubated to allow his heart a chance to rest. It is a very sad time for our family.

ENT Update

Both of the kids had an Ear, Nose and Throat appointment on Wednesday. In April, Brady got a new set of tubes called Duralast Tubes and they are working great! He has had one ear infection since then and that was actually Tuesday that he was diagnosed with that. They would like to take his adenoids out, so we go back in 3 months (HE WILL BE 2 Then....so amazing!!!) He again had a lot of build up in his right ear so she cleaned his ear out and he was so cute! He kept on rubbing his ear, kind of like, "Wow! I can hear again!"

Morgin did get both good and bad news! Her tubes that she got put in last December have fallen out. There is little movement in the ear drum but her ears have no fluid behind them. They would like us to wait until the cold season and see how she does. Also, her tonsils are extremely large and in 3 months when we bring her back if they have grown at all, she will have them removed (I am so hopeful that she won't have to have that done!) The PA is thinking that Morgin may be at the end of her ear troubles! HERE'S TO HOPING!!!!! Now if we can get Brady to get over his issues we will be golden!

First Test!

Her Score..33 out of 34 points!
Her mistake..she for to X the green pillow

Its hard to believe that only 3 weeks into school and Morgin had her first math test! The unit that they did was sorting objects to tell which did not belong and matching like objects and discriminating which object did not belong. Morgin did AWESOME! She only made 1 careless mistake! She forgot to put an X on an object that did not match! I am so proud of my little girl! She has made so many gains in her behavior since school started and is TOTALLY a different child! The other day we were picking Brady up from Lori's and she went to play with Vincent for a few minutes and when I said, "Ok, Time to go" she got in the car! The best thing that I did for her was send her to school! She is doing an AMAZING job and I am so proud of her!

THE TIME HAS COME!

I am so sick and tired of living here! The past 2 nights we/I have been awoken by yelling and screaming from outside. This morning it was at 3:45 am and I was ready to scream! They fought for 20 minutes and just as I went down stairs to look up the number to the police, the chick yells, "I am done with you!" and walks away. It is pretty sad that I now have the Watertown PD in my cell phone!! Then as soon as I fall asleep, Brady starts wheezing and coughing and then cries! Then 20 minutes later Morgin starts singing Hickory Dickory Dock and BINGO in her room! I seriously do not know how Erica gets up at 4:30 AM everyday! When Eric gets home we are sitting down and getting a plan to get out if here! At this point I don't care if we have to rent for a while until we find something suitable!

YAY!

I found my camera battery charger!!! No more cell phone pics for us!

Wheezing

I am suddenly not a huge of the weather getting cool for one and only one reason....WHEEZING!

Back in April, I was at my wits end when it came to my sweet little man and his wheezing! We went to Syracuse to see a pulmonologist. They diagnosed him with trachialmasia. (Happy Wheezer) Said he should out grow by 2 but that Brady wasn't that bad and 18 months is a better estimate.

We now have a 21 month little boy, who today scared the CRAP out of me and I rushed to Urgent care to be checked out, even though he was seen at the pediatricians today! His wheezing is the worse I have EVER heard from him!

I pray that he out grows this ASAP!! My gut says that he will probably have asthma and it will be responsive to nebulizer treatments...at least that is what I PRAY for!

Until then maybe we will consider moving to Texas with my sister so he can be in warm weather year round and never wheeze again...PLEASE GET BETTER BRADY!

Texas and meeting Baby Bryson

Aunt Sarah got him looking around
We joked he has "Bear Paws"

This is how he sleeps!

Bryson and I

Look at those cheeks!

Tank for Brady!

Liz and Kyla

On Friday I got up at 4am and headed to Syracuse to catch my plane to Texas. I had a layover in Newark, NJ. Then headed to Dallas. The plane was full of Dallas Cowboys fans. When the captain said we were making our decent to Dallas, they all yelled out "Go Cowboys" It was kind of funny! When I got to the airport I searched for Justin and he was no where to be seen! I called him and he was stuck in traffic. So I sat outside and enjoyed the warm 95 degree air which was not humid at all. It was neat to be in air that warm and not sweat just sitting in the shade. Finally, Justin arrived and we began our 2 hour drive back to Fort Hood. Then we got to their house and I finally got to meet the baby! He was so tiny (as tiny as a 9lb baby can be :-) ) I held him that whole evening and feed him and changed him and gave Mom and Dad a break!

Saturday, I went out with my sister. (Her first time out since his birth). We went to Fort Hood and drove around. I got to see where Justin worked and we went to the PX to get some goodies for Eric and the kids. Then we went to the local mall. Then it was back to the baby! I again held him all evening! I even offered to get up with him at night but they wouldn't let me ;-(

Sunday, I met up with a friend of mine that I used to work with at McDonald's in 1997! We went out to lunch at Olive Garden. I haven't seen her since 2006 so it was nice to see her and her daughter Kyla. Her husband was deployed so I missed seeing him! Then we went on a mission to find baseball cards for Eric. Saturday Liz and Eric were chatting on Facebook and he asked her to tell me that he wanted baseball cards so we bought him some! Then after an amazing afternoon with the Harding's I headed back to my sisters house and made them dinner. Justin and Lyndsey requested Pasta in a Pot so I made that for them and bought them dessert.

Monday was another day of traveling! I headed to Dallas at 6:30 am and finally got home to my family at 7:30 pm. There was a little hiccup in my travels home. I boarded the last and final plane in Newark again and they were missing 10 people from a connecting flight and we were delayed a 1/2 hr...those poor people never made it to the plane and we ended up waiting for them for nothing! They stilled missed the plane! It was a long day but it was all worth it! I am so proud of my sister and her hubby. They are amazing parents and Bryson is an amazing little guy!

*Sorry about picture quality...still can't find camera battery charger!"

While Mommy was away....

While I was in Texas, Eric and the kiddos stayed busy!

Friday: Morgin went to school and Daddy and Brady hung out. Then after school, Eric took the kids to the Sherman playground to past some time.

Saturday: Eric met up with the Stevens' at the Cream Cheese Festival. They had a good time and Eric said it was nice to see them!

Sunday: Erica, Brad and Eva came over to hang out with them and they had dinner and watched football!

Monday: Morgin went back to school and Eric and Brady hung out. Then they went to the playground while they were waiting for me to get home.

Update!

Our Family Project!
He got in the tub before I could undress him!

I am heading to see Lyndsey and Justin and the baby tomorrow and I have to say that although I absolutely LOVE my job..It tends to be more work to be out than it is to be at school. I haven't complained about plans and etc because i am sooooo excited! This will be my first time in a state that is not on the Eastern Seaboard!

Morgin LOVES school! She begs to go to school on Saturday and Sundays and is doing well. This week is Teddy Bear week and she has been able to bring her teddy bear to school everyday. We got to do a family project where we decorated a Teddy Bear. We had a blast! Brady even helped put the eyes on the bear for Morgin. We have quickly learned that as soon as Morgin gets home from school she needs a snack. If she misses that snack we have one cranky little girl on our hands. I am not regretting at all sending her to kindergarten (as much as I toyed with this decision, ultimately I think I would have decided to send her anyway!)

Brady has been enjoying his time with Daddy! They go to the farmers market and to get groceries for us. He is having a hard time when he goes to Lori's (Just drop off). He cries for sis! He misses her a lot when she is not here and at times will go to the bottom of the stairs and yells for her! It will be an adjustment for him to be home with out her but he and Eric are making the best out if it!

Eric had a golf tournament on Monday and was happy to get away for a day! He is enjoying his time with his little man! He once told me that the house can get awfully quiet with out us girls in it!

We are LOVING LIFE right now!

Bryson pics!!

I can't wait to snuggle with him! So in love already!!!

I AM AN AUNT!!!

WELCOME TO THE WORLD LITTLE MAN!!

BRYSON ROBERT CAMPBELL

BORN 10:36 AM (TEXAS TIME...11:36 OUR TIME)

9LBS 0OZ.

20 3/4 INCHES LONG



MOM AND BABY ARE DOING GREAT!!!

I can't wait to meet you on Friday!!

Train Show

Watching a Train
They were mad I made them get a picture in front of this!

His New Hat!

Today we packed the kids and headed to the train show in Clayton. Brady was in his glory! He was pointing up a storm at all the trains and kept saying, "Choo-Choo" It was so cute! Morgin also had a great time! She was able to try and hammer in a spike into a railroad tie. It was really heavy! I can't imagine having to do that all day! I bought each of the kids a conductor hat! They looked so cute in them!

Spending Time with our "Family"

This weekend Eric has to work so I decided that I was going to go and do something today so that we were kept busy. I decided that I had a coupon that I needed to use at NY&Co. and I originally was going to take the kids to Syr to shop, but my friend Lynn suggested that I bring the kids down to Utica, so we went to Utica. We met at Toys'r'us for a Thomas the Train play date. The kids got to listen to a story and then color a picture and play with the train table (The same one we bought for Brady for Christmas!! At least we know he will LOVE it!) Then we went to lunch with the kids, stopped at the mall (so I could buy myself some clothes) and then we took the kids to a park for 2 hours! The kids played and played and were utterly exhausted! Kaedin kept saying your not my friend Morgin, your my family! It was so cute! The both fell asleep on the way home and I had about an hour of quiet time! It was great to see the Stevens and we really miss them! Eric and the kids will be meeting up with them next week at the Cream Cheese Festival in Lowville and I will be in TEXAS meeting my nephew (hopefully he makes his entrance tonight!!! They are the hospital now!)

On a side note...on the way home from Utica I was following a couple of motorcycles and all of the sudden they slam on their breaks! I come to stop and see what the problem is...there are 2 chicks standing in the middle of the road yelling and screaming at one another. One girl was holding a bottle of something and she chucks it at the motorcycles, then she punches the other girl. That girl lands on her butt, gets back up and punches the 1st girl! Then 2 guys come from the party and drag them off the road! It was so funny!

*I didn't take any pictures because I cannot find the camera battery charger*

KINDERGARTEN!!!

Mommy and Morgin
Brady had to get in on the action!

Goofy girl (check out Brady in the window)

Daddy and Morgin

So Cute!

Outside her classroom

Doing her morning work

After her 1st day!

The day has finally arrived! Morgin is now a kindergartener. She has studied and learned all of her letters and knows quite a few of the 21 sight words for kindergarten! We have worked hard all summer and now our little girl is ready to go and apply herself! I am AMAZED at how fast time flies!

She had gym today and she loved to play on the playground at recess! She said she fell asleep during quiet time today and they read The Kissing Hand and did a little project!

How did Mom and Dad hold up? We made it through with flying colors. I left before she left for school and on my way to school I got a little sad but no tears! Eric said he almost lost it but she wiped his kiss off and that made him laugh and he was able to hold back the tears!

The Night Before Kindergarten

Bath is done...check
Lunch is packed...checked

book is read...check

Note from Mrs. Valvo is read...check

Confetti is ready...check!

Confetti is under pillow...check

Our BIG Girl is ready for bed!