Good reports

Lex went back for her check up today and all is well.  She still has a tender spot, but Dr said everything was healing just fine.  Mykhal is starting to go without the splint some now so his arm is doing better.  We have a play day tomorrow and we are all looking forward to it.....except for Lex since she is working but she is looking forward to that!  It's been a busy day of errands and in the heat after yesterday's sun exposure we have all tuckered out.  Think it might need to be an early bed night!

Post-Op

Lex did fine in her wisdom teeth removal this morning.  She is resting on the couch with ice on her cheeks.  Her tummy is a bit upset, but maybe after a nap she will feel a bit better.  The numbness is so much that she cannot swallow easily right now.  That will improve with time also.  Her boyfriend wanted to go with us this morning so he could help her get in and out of the car.  He is a sweetie.  Once we got home he left so that she could rest.  Once she is able to swallow we will get some pain meds down her.  For now I'm just glad she can rest some.

ER visit

So yesterday afternoon Mykhal was out working with the neighbor's horse again and suddenly comes blasting through the door holding his left wrist.  (by the way he's left handed)  So I get the ice and start making phone calls.  We finally get clearance to go to the ER and Russ heads to the hospital as well.  He didn't get to work out at the gym like he had hoped to yesterday.  We were very pleasantly surprised at how quickly things moved for us at the ER and we were there only about an hour.  Xrays revealed no broken bones much to our surprise!  So they said it was just a bad sprain and put a splinted brace on Mykhal that he needs to wear for the next 10 days or so.  They gave him Tylenol 3 at the hospital and then a prescription for it too.  He said it just barely took the edge off the pain, but he was eventually able to get a little bit of sleep last night.  This morning his pain level is much less and he has been helping out as much as possible with things I've been working on like clearing the baby things out of the side room and getting our outdoor living space set up.  Everything is really beginning to look nice!  I am thankful he is feeling up to helping!!

moving right along

Russ made it home on Friday night.  He was later than scheduled due to one plane breaking and having to wait for another, but he did make it home and we went for a late dinner at Carinos!  YUM!!  We slept in on Saturday and just had kind of a lazy day.  Though we did work some on the supporting structure of our porch roof extension.  After Church on Sunday we came home to finish it now to decide on the roof material.  We are debating solid wooden roof or a corrugated plastic that would allow light.  We got things figured out for the removable shade wall that I want for the West side of the carport too.  Just need to get the supplies.  Since we don't use our carport for cars (my van is too tall and Russ' truck just barely fits) we are turning that area into an outdoor living space.  The back porch will be a more functional space instead of a leisure space.  It works out well I think. 

Missy, our puppy, is growing like a weed!  She's so much fun though!!  The training is going well and she is learning quickly.  Which is a good thing since she is getting big so fast!  We took her to the park with us on Friday and she had a blast with all the kids around!  They seemed to enjoy her too.  She is one friendly pup!

This week Lex is having her wisdom teeth removed. UGH!  Glad that she can get that overwith though.  Those teeth have been causing her quite a bit of pain.  She is resetting her own personal schedule too so that she is not stressing so much.  She gives herself ulcers!  So things are really going to be better for her soon.

Mykhal is doing great with the neighbor's horse!  She had not been worked with for a couple of years.  With the aid of his riding coach, Mykhal has been able to form a good bond with the horse and was riding her bare back without a bridled bit and still managed to control her!  Last week Mykhal's coach loaned him a saddle, bit bridle, and the rest of the rig needed to ride!!  He continued to give Mykhal helpful tips as well.  So Mykhal got this horse to take the bit again and to tolerate the saddle!  Then he rode and rode and rode!  He didn't work her hard though so it wasn't stretching her endurance yet.  He really seems to be a natural with the horses.

Kerrie is going to be starting to learn piano.  We took the summer off from dance.  She really is an artistic child!!  So much fun to see her enjoying many of the things I have enjoyed through the years too.

All the kids are doing well with schoolwork.  We school year round so that we can take breaks when we want them.  So we will take a short break when they finish this set of curriculum and then begin the next set. 

Life just keeps humming along!

Dripping....

With sweat!  It was WAY too hot today!  Van said it got to 107 but weather channel said 105.  Either way it was a new record high!  UGH!!!!  We got up early this morning and went to rent the Uhaul truck for the day.  Came home to load up about 1500 pounds of scrap metal from around the property and hauled that into town to a recycling place.  After that we had a little bit of stuff to drop at the landfill.  Then it was off to Lowes though we did stop for lunch at Dairy Queen.  In Lowes we picked up the lumber and hardware needed to  complete the porch roof extension and we also got Russ his father's day present..a new gas grill.  This one is infared with loads of cooking space!  We bought it preassembled so we wouldn't have to mess with that when we got home.  Once everything was unloaded and the truck swept out we returned the truck and came home to grill steaks for dinner.  Russ even cooked the sauteed onions and mushrooms in a skillet on the side burner so we wouldn't heat up the kitchen!  The new grill works GREAT!!  Takes almost NO time to heat up, has a self cleaning feature, and uses less fuel!  Oh and the food cooks faster too!!  I fixed a ceasar salad to go with our grilled meal and we sat down to a very yummy dinner!  Russ leaves tomorrow morning for a few days of training.  Lex leaves tomorrow for a week of Church Camp.  It will be a little lonelier around here without them.  I do have a few projects going to keep me busy though and the kids have school.  And of course we have Missy!!  She is so funny!  We are so enjoying having her as a part of our family.  Training is going well too!!  She's one smart little thing!  She has been appreciative of the pool we have set up for her too.  And she has discovered the shade under the deck and craft building.  I am thankful that she did with as hot as it's been today!  Missy does still think that she ought to be allowed into our "kennel" with us and darts through the opened door faster than lightning!  For now it's easy to pick her up and put her back out.....but at the rate she is growing that won't be the case for long!
Yesterday Mykhal, Kerrie, and I spent the afternoon in Abilene getting to meet one of the homeschool moms I talk to online who also happens to be a military spouse.  It was fun to actually meet in person!!  We got to eat at one of my all time favorite places El Chico.  It was good as always!!  Then her little ones enjoyed the indoor playland in the mall and my two "shopped".  Was a lovely afternoon of visiting!  Then we ordered dinner out last night so I didn't have to cook at all yesterday!  BONUS!!

Missy

We got our puppy!!!  She is just the sweetest, most loving little thing!!  She is stubborn though so training should prove interesting at least!  She is still missing her friends and family out at my friend's house, but I know she will adjust.  She gets LOTS of attention here.  We brought her home on Tuesday and got her shots taken care of yesterday.  She does well in the car by just curling up and sleeping.  I will begin working with her on commands soon.  Letting her get settled in first. Oh and she is NOT a Lab!  Her daddy is Great Pyrenees and her mommy is Mountain Cur.  She will be a wonderful family guardian as well as a sweet companion and gentle playmate.  She will be BIG though!    We got her kennel all set up along with her dog house.  She has quickly learned to be proficient  at tangling the line run though around other objects on the porch we have yet to move.  So we keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't get too tangled!  You can just barely see the cat in the window on the left in the last photo.  That would be Skizzo glaring at his would be playmate!

Newsish stuff

So the younger two kids and I drove to my folks' house last Thursday to help take care of Noel....their Jack Russell.  Dad had his shoulder replacement surgery on Friday and though it didn't happen until later in the day than they thought it would, all went better than expected.  The doc had planned one type of replacement since he didn't think he would be able to make repairs to other parts.  But as it turned out repairs could be made and so a less extensive surgery was performed.  Dad is doing well though the long road of recovery is still ahead.  He is already doing some therapy on his own as instructed though.  While my folks were at the hospital and there was a break in needing to give Noel her meds,  the kids and I went out to see Russ' folks who live just 30 minutes away.  We found out on Thursday when arranging to go visit, that Russ' grandma (who turns 92 this year) was having emergency pacemaker surgery at the same time my dad was having his surgery.  She came through ok and is stable as far as we know.  We got to spend Friday afternoon with Russ' folks and even got to go out for dinner with them and his brother and nephew.  It was a very enjoyable time.  We drove home yesterday and after unloading we went to town to get the supplies we will need for our puppy!  We will go get her today.  I can't wait!  I think I'm more excited than the kids!!  I'm sure I'll have lots of puppy-tales and pics to post soon.