Counting my blessings...

I had another event yesterday that put life into perspective again...

Around 6 pm last night Nathan was trying to get on a skateboard at a friend's house so I picked him up leaving the skateboard there (he's one and definitely not ready to skateboard) and began to scream. Now Nate, when he gets hurt or angry, has the tendency to scream one big long scream and then not inhale for 8-10 seconds and then start screaming at the top of his lungs again. So, this is what he began to do and I told him, like I usually do, "breathe Nate, breathe! C'mon Nate! BREATHE!" and then he tensed up and then went limp in my arms. I started yelling hysterically for Thad and we both watched his eyes roll back into his head. I had one of those "oh gosh" moments and I thought that maybe his time was gone. I didn't know what was happening...we laid him on the couch, had the girls call 911, and started breathing into his mouth to try to keep oxygen to his brain. He laid there for what seemed like an eternity lifeless and limp. I wondered if this was really happening to us...finally he came to slowly, but still listless and lethargic, but at least he was breathing. It was the longest 20-30 seconds of our lives.

The police, ambulances and fire department arrived quickly and assessed the situation and then hauled Nate and I to the ER in La Palma. He continued to scream and even turned blue right in front of one of the nurses who began to interrogate me about why I hadn't brought him in for this before! Ugh! It wasn't this serious before! Eventually I got to hold him, feed him, and sing to him and he calmed down (well, of course after they stopped poking him!)
They were very nice to us there but didn't have a pediatric place so they needed to transfer him to a hospital that had a pediatric place and a place that our insurance would cover. We stayed there until 1 am when Kaiser finally came to get us and transfer us all the way to Sunset (all the way in Hollywood), since all of the close hospitals were full, and we arrived there around 1:45am.

It was a long night in a room that had 4 kids in it and a bunch of sleeping parents (we got the floor since all of the chairs were taken) and they kept waking the poor kid up. Sunset was where he had his surgery back in April 2008 but we had a totally different experience this time. We had a hard time getting help from the nurses, the doctor took forever to come see him and it was a nightmare. Finally at noon today a doctor came to see him (besides the one that checked him in last night at 2 am) and told us that they think that it was a Breath Holding Spell, that they're somewhat common (well, not the passing out part) and that it could happen again. He also told us to watch for signs of him having a seizure (even though they don't think that it was you can never be too sure!)

It was a long, no, a super-long, stress-filled night that ended with a healthy kid but two overly tired, grumpy, bickering parents! I am glad that Heavenly Father saw fit to leave Nathanael with us for the time being--I'm not ready to let him go just yet. It makes every second count even more.

The Tree People

Sammy and I met the kids from the school's Habitat for Humanity club down on 6th Street in Long Beach this morning. We met up with the Tree People Group and planted trees. It was a lot of fun and Sammy really enjoyed it. He loved that they had little shovels for kids and was happy to be able to play and wear the gloves too. He got to jump and help compact the dirt and they even named a tree after him (see below). It was a good morning! There are more pics here on SmugMug!

Here we are in front of the new tree they named Sammy!

Here is our group of kids and our tree Pepper (short for Pepperoni since that is what Sam called it after the kids named it Pepper)

Christmas is coming...

I've been really excited since yesterday when I realized that it was DECEMBER! Woo hoo! I wore one of my cheesy Christmas sweaters on it with penguins and snowflakes and even donned some snowflake earrings to match. To my surprise I got a lot of compliments on the sweater and tons on the earrings. Anyway, I digress, the point of this entry is...we decorated a gingerbread house!

We were invited over for FHE to Grandma and Grandpa Marcroft's house for dinner and to make a gingerbread house. The kids had fun playing with blocks and cars and trying to eat everything but it was a good way to begin the month! :) Enjoy the pictures...more at SmugMug.

Sammy began trying to piece it together right away...

Thad was in charge of the glue, I mean frosting. I had to stick the candies on as he frosted!

Nathan was being super cheesy smiler and kept squinting and smiling super big...here is one of his cheesiest smiles! :)

Cabrillo Beach Tide Pools

Thaddeus had a class assignment to visit the Cabrillo Beach Tide Pools and had to go on a Guided Tour so that is what we did this afternoon. We picked up cousin Jared and headed to San Pedro towards the beach. We got there a bit late but just in time to walk out to the tide pools! The kids had a blast and Jared tried to touch every green sea anemone that he could. We even saw a sea hare, a few star fish, and a sea urchin. Thad kept Nate on his shoulders the whole time (that is a hard task!) and I tried to keep Jared and Sammy from slipping and falling in. When the tide was getting a little too close for comfort we walked back and went into the mini aquarium that they have there--the kids loved that too! Here are a few pics, like always, and many more can be found on SmugMug!

Here is Sammy enjoying the tide pools...

...and Jared touching one of the many sea anemones!

Here's a picture of my boys...

Vroom, vroom and boom, boom!

I hadn't been off-roading since those good ol' days in SE Texas when we'd go muddin' and 4-wheelin' with friends from church. The Pasketts invited us and we decided to go with them for the day and we had a blast. We will definitely be doing this again! We played all day and then when it was almost time for bed we threw them in the car and went home. They fell asleep easily (after playing hard all day) and slept well (staying in a tent or in the trailor wouldn't have been as fun or successful I think), but here are some pics. The rest are here at Smugmug.

First things first--we headed out on the quads! Sammy rode with Thad! It was fun (well, I did get stuck and had to be rescued since I hit a rock and almost went down the side of the mountain--thank goodness for brakes) but I would do it again!

Here is Thad rescuing me (well, he and I carefully switched places)Then we went on the other side of the freeway to a place where they allow you to shoot at targets (not people)...I was a bit scared at first but I knew that Thad really wanted me to at least try it, so I did...

Sammy "helped" Daddy a few times...

...but mostly he played with Teresa!

After a while I got the hang of it and even hit a bunch of stuff! I still can't believe that I held a gun, and shot it, and even enjoyed it!
And here are Thad and Ed trying to hit their targets...and Thad, a lefty, finally was taught correctly how to shoot and was hitting targets left and right (use your dominant hand and dominant EYE!)
and these were our targets...lots of bottles, mattresses, cups and things to shoot at!

Thanksgiving (#2) :)

Last week when the Keens and Becky were in town we had Turkey Day #1 with the Marcroft Clan (Someone else took pics but I don't have any yet, sorry!) On Thursday we had Turkey Day #2 at the Driggs. Yum!

We got there early to put Nate down, so that Thad could play in the annual Turkey Bowl and I could help my mom cook. After the first round of cooking Cath and I walked with the kids to the park to meet the boys (Danny and Thad) at the game. They were done playing but the kids played at the park. When we were done Sammy wanted me to carry him instead of ride his bike home so I opted to drive home with Thad.

We were lazy; we cooked some family favorites (Aunt Anne's fruit salad, Waldorf salad, and the infamous Soda Cracker pie) but Marie Callender's did the rest. While the kids slept played a game and rested and then eventually ate once all the kiddos were up from their naps. I and it was a good day (and tasted delicious!) :)
I'm grateful for all that we have and especially for FAMILY! Enjoy the pics...the rest are at SmugMug (thanks Cathy for taking and uploading them!)

Dad, Mike, and Mom
The Fong Clan (minus a sleeping Lucas)
and then Luke woke up....
and finally, part of the clean up crew :)

An update after a fun filled Family Week!

We had a great, and busy, week with Chris and Jana (and family), and Becky in town! We got to play lots and have fun...They went to Seal Beach on Monday morning and then we went to Bolsa Chica for a bonfire, hot dogs, and smores in the evening--the weather was perfect! I wore a tee-shirt and it was lovely! They took Tuesday off to recuperate and then I played hookie (sp?) on Wednesday and we all went to Disneyland (save Becky who had to be back to work on Wednesday). It was fun to see the kids and Sammy and Nate really enjoyed playing with everyone!

Here are some of our favorite pics! (more at SmugMug)
Aunt Addie with Sammy... :)

And Sammy and Nathan playing in the sand...
Brakeman Sammy on Casey Jr
Chris and Jana Keen
And their girls...somehow I can't find a picture of big brother James!
Nate and I on Buzz Lightyear; somehow Thad's picture never comes through!
and Sammy being Sammy! :)

Girl's Night Out -- Twilight!

Cathy and her book club gals were going to see Twilight last night and they invited me! It was fun to get out but I really wondered how the movie would be since I enjoyed the book so much. There are so many books that I love that have been awful movies or just stray so far from the book that they're hard to watch!

When I first looked at Stephanie Meyer's website when they announced the actors/actresses I couldn't imagine "Cedric Diggory" as Edward or Bella looking like she did...but about 15 minutes into the movie I got comfy with them (well, all of them except for Jasper--he just looked freaky the whole time--I don't know why they made him look like that?! I know that he is a new vampire but he looked like a ravenous wolf on some kind of drug!)

All in all I enjoyed the movie. Some parts were definitely cheesy, some parts were definitely DIFFERENT than the book, but I was able to leave the theater happy.

Not another food blog..

Okay, so I admit that some time is spent looking at food blogs and recipes (especially at my favorite site allrecipes.com but this isn't turning into a food blog. I do, on the other hand, feel a responsibility to share a recipe when I find one that is soo good and super easy! Here are two favorites from this week, both super easy, and super yummy! The Chicken Tortilla Soup tastes as good as the restaurants and is much healthier (and I threw it in before church on high for one hour and then on low for another three and the house smelled soo good when we came home.) The corn dog muffins are yummy and fun for kids (and adults!) and they were definitely a hit at the ward party! ENJOY! :)

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

"A quick, no-fuss version of chicken tortilla soup! All you do is put everything into the slow cooker, and turn it on. Then garnish with baked corn tortilla strips!"

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken (I threw 7 frozen tenderloins in!) 1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed (I used diced) 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce (I used red) 1 medium onion, chopped 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups water 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken

broth 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 bay leaf 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 7 corn tortillas vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
2.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3.	Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
4.	Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Corn Dog Muffins

"A quick, easy way to recreate a fun, family favorite from the state fair."

INGREDIENTS:

2 (8.5 ounce) packages cornbread mix 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese 9 hot dogs, cut in half

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease muffin tins. (I used mini loaf pans - it made 12 mini loaves)
2.	Stir together the cornbread mix and the brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Fold the eggs and cheese into the dry mixture until moistened. Spoon mixture into muffin tins until 2/3 full. Add 1 hot dog half to each muffin.
3.	Bake in a preheated oven 14 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

It happened to me...

I feel like I'm reading Parents magazine and I just read a story about someone's kid who drank something that he wasn't supposed to and they had to call Poison Control and rush him to the hospital...oh wait! That happened today!

Somehow when we threw the jack-o-lanterns out the oil candle didn't get thrown out and Thad found Nathan sucking on it this morning. He called the doctor (per the directions on the candle), then poison control center, and then rushed him to the hospital. Ed came over to watch Sammy until my mom could arrive and as soon as I got the message at school my friend's took turns covering my classes and I headed to the hospital (yes, I have GREAT friends at my school).

It didn't burn his throat on the way down but they weren't sure how much he'd had or if it had gotten into his lungs. It contains petroleum and the big worry with that is that it gets in the lungs and can cause pneumonia. He was coughing and lethargic when he got there but then he rested and woke up happy and healthy! They kept him for 6 hours for observation (the magic number of hours before the pneumonia is supposed to show up), took chest x-rays (that was fun to try to keep him still) and then sent us on our way!

Phew. Note to self (and other busy moms out there) check daily for things that could be dangerous to kids even if they don't look like candy or something that they would normally grab and chew/suck on! I'm grateful that he's okay. We feel very blessed that it wasn't more serious!
p.s. Here is a cute photo of him at the hospital! Everyone loved him and kept coming by his spot and playing peek-a-boo with him. This was taken right after he woke up and was feeling much better!

Halloween 2008

Halloween was a new, and a little more tiring, experience for us. This was the first year that Sammy, I mean, Buzz Lightyear, knew what was going on. There are a few funny stories about Sammy from before Halloween. I knew that Nathan was going to be a pumpkin since I had a costume from when Sammy was that age, so I decided that Sammy could be a ghost and it would go with the theme so I started prepping him to be a ghost, and that he could say boo, etc.

A short time later I decided that since he loves Buzz Lightyear so much that I could probably get him a Buzz costume and that he'd be super excited to be him for Halloween. I got one used and then we asked him what he wanted to be. He quickly responded, "a ghost". Then we asked if he could be anything that he wanted to be, maybe even something/someone that flies, who would he be, and again, without missing a beat he said, "a bat. That's scary!" LOL. I dropped it and didn't ask anymore questions but you should have seen his face when the Buzz Lightyear costume arrived. He was sooooo excited! He immediately put it on and was in heaven! He loved the stripes on the wings (he always mentions those and has been known to put stripes on imaginary wings for people), and immediately came up with functions for the pretend buttons on the front of his costume. One made him go frontwards, one made him go backwards and the third one made him spin around. We even sat down to watch a little bit of Toy Story 2 and he said with amazement, "that's me!"

Nathan was still going to be a pumpkin until I started my hunt for the perfect (and decently priced) Buzz costume. I went to the disney store online and found that it was on clearance but not in his size (bummer) but that is when I noticed a Mary Poppins costume and a little penguin and before long I had decided that I would be Mary Poppins for a few years and that Nate could be my penguin this year. (It was also on clearance and then I had coupons for 15% off and $5 shipping!) Thad approved and I sent my order off to cyberspace with delivery guaranteed before Halloween (and it arrived with 2 days to go and I got the Buzz costume off eBay for $24 shipped too!)

Man...that is all pre-halloween stuff. :) I guess that is where most of the cute stories are...

Halloween came, and it was a trying and traumatic day. The boys got up late and their schedules were off from the very beginning. Nate's naps were late, and Sammy screamed and told us that he didn't want to take a nap, or be Buzz Lightyear, or go trick-or-treating (even though it was mostly just the nap thing). Eventually they both passed out, and slept until we got them up to get dressed. While they were asleep I carved the pumpkins from our garden by myself :(. We did a trunk-or-treat at the church which was fun and then came home to go around the block. It was fun, definitely more tiring (having to carry my penguin who didn't want to keep walking--he wanted to play on the steps of each house) and then my Buzz Lightyear got tired too and we still had the whole block to walk back up! Phew! Luckily Jennielee and Emily Paskett were with me and I took turns with Jennielee holding the kids. What a night! Mommy, I mean, I was definitely glad that it was a Friday and that I didn't have to work the next day!

This is a picture with Thad's grandma...Sammy loves his Great Grandma Marcroft! More pics at SmugMug!

Pa's Pumpkin Patch

On Wednesday night the boys and I went to Pa's Pumpkin Patch in Long Beach with Grandma Driggs and with the Fongs :) while Thad worked on tiling my back splash in my kitchen. It was a bit pricey but the boys, especially Sammy, had a blast. There were bounce houses, giant slides, bumper boats, a petting zoo, a carousel, a train and more! Here are some of the highlights!

Nathan :)

Danny and Lizzie
Thank goodness Grandma came too!!
Sammy and Jared

On the train (after rode this Sammy kept trying to break back into the ride!)

Nathan and I
Cathy and Lucas
Sammy in "mococycle" heaven
And here are some pics at the petting zoo...(sorry my lenses got dirty)
The rest of the pics (mine and Cathy's) can be seen on Smugmug!