I Survived....

A weekend trip with my kids. Actually, it was a lot of fun. Boys had a blast and Cate was perfect. In fact, I don't remember her crying a single tear. Our parenting style of keeping to zero schedules really paid off this weekend. We didn't have to plan anything around Cate's naps because she adapts so well with whatever we're doing. Carter had four soccer games in three days, so we had a lot of down time to hang out at the hotel and enjoy the city.

We're on our way

Cate fell asleep within ten minutes of being on the road

Playing baseball at a rest stop...the boys can't go two hours without throwing the ball around!

Cate hanging out at the rest area

Entertaining everyone with a game of "Where's Cate?"

Eating dinner Friday night...Zack, Logan, Carter, and Zach

They found a girls soccer team :) Lord, help me. I'm not ready for this!

Getting ready to swim..the ground was really slippery

Carter making another bad decision.

Game #1 We won 2-1

Cate seriously played with her stroller throughout all of the games. Best money I ever spent!

Game #3 We won 3-1

Kyle and Carter with the dance team girls at the Wizards game Saturday night.

Hunter, Bennett, and Brady enjoying pre-game activities

Daddy and Cate waiting for Carter to come out onto the field

Carter's team received Wizards uniforms and were introduced with the team and stood with them during the National Anthem...very cool

Playing in the hallway. The hotel was super nice and they put our entire team on the same floor. We didn't have to worry about bothering our neighbors and the kids ran around and played soccer all night.

Miz Nosy pulling her suitcase to see what Brady was mad about

Helping with the luggage...or not

Championship game. It rained the entire game...very sloppy field. We lost 4-2.

Waiting for his second place trophy. Soaked and filthy..makes for a great ride home.

Brady didn't stop talking the entire ride to KC or home...he finally fell asleep 10 minutes before we pulled into our driveway!

We're Outta Here

Well, at least for the weekend. Carter has a soccer tournament in Kansas City this weekend. We are packing up the van and heading out. Hopefully the four-hour car ride won't be too painful. We are waiting to leave until Cate is tired and she'll probably sleep at least 2 hours in the car. The boys have their movies, IPODs, DS's...whatever will keep them entertained. Soccer games are Saturday and Sunday and if we make it to the finals, the game is Monday morning...so, we have no idea when we'll be home. Hopefully in time to make it to the pool before closing Monday night...we have never missed opening weekend at Paddlers!

Wish us luck. GO SCOTT GALLAGHER!!!!!!!!!!

Cate helping me pack

Carter Passed 6th Grade!!!

Ok, enough with the dramatics. He actually finished the year with 5 A's and 2 B's...very very good grades. We were just sweating the behavior issues...thought he may end up in a BD (behavior disorder) class next year..or juvie. I have been going through my fifty boxes of pictures and ran across this classic picture of Carter. Age 4. FYI, it's a candy cigarette..his favorite candy when he was four..why wouldn't it be?!?! This makes me laugh every time I look at it.

Backyard Fun

Probably not my best parenting moment, but they were having so much fun! No wonder we've had so many emergency room visits!!! The two videos are very funny...especially when Brady finally explained why he has a hole in the butt of his shorts!

Carter, Bennett, Zack, and Brady bouncing Cate

This is Carter's signature pose..what a dork

Cate loves to be on the trampoline

Bennett and Carter jumping out of the tree...Scott was not thrilled with this

Brady jumping (not out of tree)...apparently, I need to take a camera class!

So funny!

Carter and Zack..they can climb almost to the very top

I Spoke Too Soon....

We were back at Children's Hospital last night...blah. Brady woke up at 10pm whimpering a little bit and when I checked on him, there was blood everywhere. It was running out of his mouth and was all over his pillow, blanket, and sheets. I immediately called his pediatrician's after- hours service and they told us to head to the hospital. After an hour wait in the waiting room, we were given a room. The ER doctor took a look and said the wound had clotted and there was no evidence of more bleeding. They called in the ENT (I'm sure she was thrilled..she looked like she just rolled out of bed) and she thought it would be best to admit Brady for observation and stay overnight...double blah. Diagnosis: severe dehydration. They put an IV in his arm to administer a drip of fluids. Of course Brady didn't cry when they stuck him with the needle..in fact, he watched the entire thing. The nurses were once again amazed with our Brady :) Around 3am we were moved to the 10th floor and Brady was able to get a good 5 hours sleep. Scott and I weren't as lucky. The room was huge..one recliner, one couch, two tv's, bathroom..it was loaded. Treated like kings on the 10th floor...Brady kept calling it a "hotel". The Dr. was in at 7am and said they would keep him for the better part of the day and watch for more bleeding. Bennett and Cate visited for a bit and they all got a surprise visit from Louie the Blues mascot. (Brady was hoping Albert Pujols would visit next!) Ben and Brady each got pucks and a headband. Very cool. We were finally discharged at 5pm. Brady is feeling better, but still has a very sore throat. He has eaten much better tonight and I'm hoping he'll get a good night's sleep. Scott is already asleep (its 9pm) and I don't think I'll need my sleeping pills tonight!!

Getting his IV...I like to think his tolerance is due to all of the episodes of "Trauma:Life in the ER" he watches with me :)

Scott trying to get some sleep

Don't feed the animals.......

Bennett reading a Star Wars book to Brady

Cate right before she pulled everything out of all of the drawers

Blues mascot Louie delivering gifts...he took Ben's hat and ran down the halls with it!

That's one nice headband. We worked on puzzles all day.

Our view of Forest Park

Cate and I enjoying the view

Finally, we're home and can play outside!!

What a Week!

The past seven days have been the longest ever. I can't believe Brady's surgery was only last week...its seems like forever ago. Everyone always says that a tonsillectomy is so much easier on younger children...but, this can't possibly be true. It certainly isn't easier on the parents and Brady has been miserable. At least when I had my tonsils out at age 23, I was able to walk around drinking from my bottle of heavy narcotics. But, I think he's finally starting to feel a bit better and I'm hoping he regains the lost 5 pounds quickly..he looks puny!

Our weeks schedule was jam-packed with baseball and soccer, some of which were rained-out. This would seem like a welcomed relief for me, however, nothing is ever rained out til the last minute and by then, I've already done the hard part...uniform cleaning, equipment finding, bags packing, etc. Sitting at the games cheering is the easy part! The rain-outs last night allowed us to attend Annie's soccer game...they beat E'ville..YAY!

Bennett was supposed to be taking action shots of Annie...typical Bennett

Annie fighting with a rival player..she's pretty mean on the soccer field!!

Cate pushed her stroller most of the game

Bennett, Zack, Carter, Cate, and Brady taking a break

Carter had ISS (in-school suspension) on Thursday and Friday. We're so proud. He was caught writing "Elks Soccer Sucks" in a friends yearbook. Of course this was just the straw that broke the camels back..he had been in trouble several times over the past few weeks and they finally stuck it to him. ISS is served in a classroom at Coolidge but high school delinquents also serve their time there. Leave it to Carter to think ISS was "cool". He finished all of his school work in the first 30 minutes then was able to draw pictures (Lord only knows of what) for the remaining five hours. He also got to eat lunch at the high school...soda, chips, french fries..anything he wanted. Oh, and the best part?? He made a new friend...a high school kid who was in ISS for chewing tobacco in class...suh-weet! So much for teaching him a lesson.

My favorite juvenile delinquent pitching a great game

Had a few great hits too

Perfect wagon weather!