I can't even come up with a title!

Oh, where to begin....
how about a little recap... last time I blogged we had just returned from California, Miles' back was terrible, Davis left for South Dakota, Lincoln started potty training, we got a dog, and it was too hot for the kids to play outside.... well, some of that has changed! Some of it hasn't!

Warning! If you continue reading there are LOTS of pics to follow!

First, some things I don't have pics of... Miles' back. It is doing a lot better. So far we have avoided surgery, thanks to a wonderful chiropractor and weight loss!!! Lincoln is nearly potty trained... nearly! Just when I think we are in the clear we have an incident... like painting on his bedroom carpet with his poop!! Enough said!

Okay, on to the fun stuff... pics!!!
This has been a terrible summer for Wichita and most of Kansas. Hot, Hot, Hot!!

Amelleah has loved the water time when she has been able to be in it... keep reading!
And when it has been too hot (which has been most of the summer)...
we are talking 100+ temps...
we have spent A LOT of time playing inside!

Windee has made herself at home. She rings a bell on the back door when she needs to go out. She sleeps in a crate and LOVES the kids. She has been a wonderful addition to the family!

On July 3rd we hosted the first of six "eatin' church" gatherings. Our church has single service Sundays during the summer for 6 weeks when our Sunday School classes don't meet so we decided that 6 weeks was too long to go without that fellowship. We just happen to have 6 families in our class so we decided to get together after church those weeks at a different families house each week... sadly, this is the only pic I have from our house! But it has been a lot of fun and a lot of great fellowship!

4th of July!
We had all the necessary supplies to last nearly 2 1/2 hours!
Tons of fireworks, baby monitor (Amelleah and Linc were already asleep),
flashlight, water, and cold adult beverages!

And now the big story... Amelleah's surgery and subsequent hospital stay.
For those of you who don't know, Amelleah was born with a hemangioma (vascular birthmark) tumor on her inner thigh near her groin. It was just a red mark when she was born. At a month old it began to grow and continued to grow to be about the size of a spherical quarter (if that makes sense). Well, early in July she began crawling!!! That crawling resulted in her diaper rubbing on the hemangioma, which caused it to become ulcerated. After a couple weeks, we (us and the pediatric surgeon) realized that the ulceration probably was not going to heal and if it did it would only re-ulcerate. So she had surgery on July15th to remove the hemangioma.

Here is are a couple pics for you to get an idea of where the hemangioma was located.

In the hospital, waiting to be sent down to pre-op.

In pre-op, Mom was a wreck!
Our first child to have surgery.... and she was only 8 mo. old!!!
Daddy was awesome at comforting her!
Waiting in pre-op...... "oh the waiting!"Post-op... Mommy to the rescue!!!!She woke up from anesthesia in a great mood... smiley and happy!
She surprised all the nurses who said that most babies wake up scared, mad, and crying... sometimes for an hour! "Yikes!"
So very thankful that she didn't do that!

On the way back to her room.

Lots of vital signs and lots of fluids!

Lots of snuggling too!

After a few hours, we are ready to go home... hemangioma free!!!This incision/bandage is what we went home with.
The incision ended up being larger than the surgeon expected because the hemangioma
ended up being deeper than expected.

All was well... for 6 days.
Then recovery and healing took a turn.
The incision began to open up.
Thankfully we had an intensive care nurse/friend who came over to help us mange it...
for a couple days.
This was a common position... keeping the incision dry. The heat from the lamp helped to keep it dried out.

Steri-strips helped to keep the incision closed...
for a couple days.

Eventually it began to look pretty bad...
infected and the steri-strips weren't keeping it closed.

So we ended up back at the hospital...
for FIVE days!
Here is a view of baby jail, i.e. hospital crib.

Despite having an IV and a hole in her leg, she was in great spirits most of the time!
The child-life team brought a play mat and plenty of toys to our room.
And we even got to go for walks!!!
So we have been home for a little over a week now and she is doing great!
We are still having to pack her wound, which is looking better AND smaller everyday.
She is getting used to sleeping in her own bed again and thankfully putting herself to sleep!!

So while Amelleah was in the hospital Sydni left for church camp... for the first time!

She had a wonderful 4+ days and was excited to see Amelleah and Mom pick her up!

And after Davis spent SIX weeks in South Dakota and Wyoming with Grandparents...
he came home 2 days after Amelleah's surgery!!! He did a lot of fishing, boating, running, playing
outside (it was in the 70s & 80s), and visiting family! Everyone was happy to have him home!
Well, I think that is it... in a nutshell :)
I'm still having issues with the video camera and obviously haven't had time to figure it out!
School starts in less than 2 weeks... I'm guessing that will be the next post!
We will have 3 kiddos in school full-time.... "WooHoo!"

Guess Who??

Have you forgotten who we are??
Well, I hope not :)
It has been nearly 2 months since my last post and I have a ton of stuff to share with you.. pictures and maybe even some video!
Lots to talk about... sickness, surgery, hospitalization, cars, new pet, reunion, weather...
I am hoping to get you caught up VERY soon!!

California made us Crazy!

Amelleah made her first trip to California at the end of May. All the other kids stayed home with Salyna's parents! Then Davis went home to South Dakota with them for a few weeks! He was VERY excited to get away. I don't blame him!
The California trip started off with LOTS of rain and a delay leaving Wichita. But we made up time with our 4 minute layover. First time we have ever got off one plane, nearly ran 4 gates away, and boarded the next flight.... not our ideal day of flying!

She was a great flyer!

We were greeted by some very excited grandparents! And we headed straight for some good mexican food!

Amelleah also met her only Great-Grandma for the first time!
(Salyna's Grandma)

We had a very short but sweet visit!

Miles' good friend Todd is a new, first-time Daddy! It was so fun to see his family! Although the quality isn't very good, I love this pic!

Another short visit... but what a wonderful time we had with
The Powers Family... aren't they cute?!

We spent some time at Pt. Loma where we put my mom's ashes over 2 years ago.
It was a BEAUTIFUL morning!

We had some great family time with Miles' Dad & Grandpa.
We took flowers to Grandma's grave and Grandpa cleaned up her headstone like he usually does.

Great-Grandpa!

And we spent some time ALONE!!!
Amazing!
And because I get complaints about not posting pics of us ...
here are 2!

Our favorite tattoo artist, next to cousin Joe that is,
is in San Diego!
We finally paid him a visit after several years!
Here is the proof that is on Miles' forearm.
So this is where you learn about the title of this post,
"California made us Crazy"
The morning of our return Miles woke up and could hardly walk. He was in a lot of pain from his back and down his leg, all the way to his foot. So I was able to drug him up and get him home, but he was in very bad shape. After xrays, an MRI, and an epidural steroid injection he is doing much better. He is not 100% but he is functioning much better although still on pain meds.
He has 2 herniated discs, one of which he has already had surgery on 8 years ago.
So, in two weeks he goes back for a 2nd epidural injection.
We are hoping this works well enough and long enough for Miles (and myself) to lose some weight and be able to strengthen his core and AVOID surgery. If not, surgery will be the ultimate outcome.
So as if that were not enough....
we adopted a dog!

Meet Windee!
She was in a shelter in Oklahoma that was damaged by a tornado then she was moved to our shelter here.... hence the name... Wind-ee :)
She is 1 yrs old, housebroken, sweet, and a great addition to our family!
So why not just ONE MORE thing.....
notice anything odd, other than the obvious, about this pic??
Lincoln is wearing underwear!!!!! I finally gave in to potty training! *sigh*
I still am not totally thrilled about it, but I decided I shouldn't pass up the opportunity with him so interested. So....

Ok. That's it!!!
OH WAIT...
It's 100 degrees and my kids won't play outside!!!
OH AND...
My video camera and computer are still not communicating and I can't figure it out!

Technical Difficulties

I apologize for the lack of posting... especially the pics & videos.
We are having technical difficulties.
Please check back in June when I will have A LOT of California stuff to post!!

I really don't have much to post right now anyway... we are really busy with the end of school activities & field trips, doctor appointments, house & yard projects, and on the 25th part of our family will be taking off for California. Miles & I are taking Amelleah to meet the rest of the family for a long weekend. It should be fun!!!

Videos... bouncing & chainsaws!

Amelleah hs started this weird wiggle type thing to get of a position she isn't particularly fond of... here is a super cute example!

Amelleah loves her bouncer and she finally started figuring it out although it looks more like swinging here

Now this is bouncing!

Even though Miles grew up in San Diego I always knew he was a true redneck...
he LOVES his chainsaw!
And has a perfect reason to use it,
this dead pine tree in our yard!!!

Of course I've always secretly wanted to try the chainsaw,
so when he said "you wanna try it?"...
I said "yes!"

Easter

Here are some cute pics from Easter Sunday. I LOVE picture editing... wish I had more time to do it more often!



Okay... so take 5 kids, 3 of which are boys, and get them in a group for a picture...
and well, it doesn't always work out the way you want it to. So while Miles was calling out names and making obnoxious, look-over-here noises I had a vision of an old movie reel running through all these pics....
So a made a little movie of all the pics!