Birthday Wishes!

My aunt is now 56 and we went to IT'S GREEK TO ME to celebrate. I love greek marinated chicken. YUM!!!

Happy Birthday TIA!

Mike and Jenni come to visit...

We have two wonderful friends, Mike and Jenni. Dan met Mike at work and after two years, Dan was in their wedding and we have been great friends ever since. Mike and Jenni don't have any kids so I think our kids are still "great" to them. They come over, hang out with us and our kids, it's really wonderful. So with all the Camryn drama we have missed them dearly and arranged some time on the calendar. When they came over Camryn was having a good night and she couldn't stop the twenty questions game with Jenni, and I must say, he was a better sport than I would have been :)



We had chocolate cake that I really need to go pick up another one of because it was to die for!


At about 9, Jenni and Mike needed a smoke break, since the kids were asleep, we decided to go out and join them(no, we don't smoke). It was raining at the time, but we figured it was a sign of spring. The next time we went outside the rain turned into this. Since Mike is a weather buff he informed us that it was supposed to turn over to snow at 3 am. 6 hours early. I hate Mother Nature some days.

The interesting part of the evening was still to come. Dan and Mike each had their own 12 pk of beer, not an uncommon thing, Mike had a sober cab so it's no big deal, right?

Well 11 beers, 3 rounds on the wii of tennis and the night turned quickly. Mike went out for another smoke break after midnight and when he came back in he looked confused. When the lights were turned on, it revealed some scrapes and some blood. Except Mike didn't look so good. After he puked, and I cleaned up his scrapes, wrote down directions for Jenni to get them safely home, they were on their way. Mike later informed us that he did hit the concrete, slipping on the stoop (again, sometimes I HATE mother nature!!!) and got a concussion. YIKES! He's doing better now, his eye isn't swollen shut anymore :)

We do love hanging out with them, but next time, ONE twelve pack for the TWO of them.:)

New Possibilities

So this really great scrapbooking board that I belong to has been helping me with things to do when I can't sleep at night. There are swaps, challenges, and other group activities that are already pushing my capabilities. I love getting to know the ladies as well and hope that my scrapbooking goes to a whole new level.

So there is a rule that you have to join 1 swap a quarter (I have already joined 7, he he!)and the first one I joined was a paper kit swap. Everyone contributes to the group, some buy paper, embellishments, fibers, and then a full kit gets delivered to all those who participate. Well I was giddy to get this stuff on my door step :)


Thanks Ladies! I'm havin' a ball!

3/29 Photo Shoot Practice

So I have this new camera, I really want to make sure I understand how it works manually. So every weekend (aside from my daily practice) I will be taking shots around the city to try some cool places with cool backgrounds. This is my first try, and these photos are condensed versions to make sure they fit on here. Also, these are unedited. Going to give that a shot first, then I will work with my photoshop when we have 30 hours in a day(actually, post quarter end :) )

A trip to the Neurologist's new office!

have I mentioned how much I love our neurologist? He's great at what he does, a great staff, and we put up with the old facility because they were worth it. All those years of horrible entry problems with their builing, they have moved. The facility is great. Aside from the staff, they brought my favorite thing with them...

Yeah, that's right, starbucks in the lobby. LOVE IT!!

Camryn was trying to measure her height, it was too cute not to photograph!


She was totally game for trying a different shot, I wanted something architectual in the background, but couldn't get the right angle. I still like the outcome ;)

Camryn's beautiful friend!

Though pale, she looks like she feels better, it's been a while since we've seen this. Her levels will tell us more, but the doctors think she looks pretty good, so we are going to enjoy it while it lasts! I wish this picture would have turned out, but the sun was going down already... More pictures tomorrow!

True Generosity Still Exists...

Things have been tough with Camryn, I'm not gonna lie. I can't tell you how we get through it, aside from putting one foot in front of the other. I can tell you we get our strength from somewhere, from those around us who remind us with one generous act at a time that people out there are generally good. With the price of everything going up lately and everyone paranoid that their job is next on the chopping block, everyone is tightening their belts. Well last night, Dan's co-worker Rhonda brought over a gift, from his team at work. 12 people who thought of us before themselves. A truely selfless act. Dan was excited about the gift and how it will make things a little easier for us in taking all those trips down to St. Paul to help her get better. Me? Excited about the fact that 12 people thought of us in our challenging times when they are I am sure facing their own. And the creative one inside me of course, LOVING the card! Lovely work Rhonda!

Melt snow, MELT!

I really can't wait for spring!

One little tube...

This little tube means so much. Do you know where that fluid was 2 minutes before that picture was taken? In my daughter's brain. Crazy, huh?

Camryn's surgery went well, she did well after, until the 48 hour mark. She started getting headaches, stomachaches and couldn't do much more than sleep. We were concerned, so we took her to the NP and had her culture her CSF fluid (yes, that's what is in there!) after checking the setting (normal) and tapping her shunt (good flow), so that we can try to come to a solution or at least get some answers as to what is going on. It has been so scary waiting for those results, Saturday can't get here fast enough!

...and people think she's so cute!

This is the Elli we know after a long day. Look at that expression!