Tough Break

This is how Cameron is starting the basketball season... Saturday at practice they had a scrimmage. During that scrimmage Cameron was headed down the court on a fast break and when he stopped to pass the ball his foot rolled. When he called after practice was over he told me we needed to get him from the lock room as he sprained his ankle and couldn't walk. We didn't think much of it.. in basketball this happens all the time. When he got home he showed us where it was hurting and it wasn't his ankle. We had some crutches on hand (we knew Marc's surgeries would come in handy), that is how Cameron was getting around. Finally, Monday with it not feeling any better we took him to the doctor for an xray. Even the doctor said it was unlikely his foot was broken. The xray spoke the truth....BROKEN :( We were immediately referred to an orthopedic doctor.

He came in the room stating he had good news and bad news. My heart about sank when he said he had bad news. After all, we knew his foot was broken... The bad news was just that, his foot was broken. The good news, if you are to break your foot or this bone, Cameron broke it in the right place. Just an 1/2 inch or so and he would have had to get a screw put in it requiring surgery. We thanked our Heavenly Father for the location of the break. Hey, if it has to be broken we would much rather have it broken where it is!

Basketball season started last night. Cameron spent the night sitting the bench, where he will be for the next 6 weeks at least. Cameron getting to play basketball again depends on the foot and how it feels. Now, let's pray for a speedy recovery. Cameron has already ditched the crutches. First step of recovery...CHECK!!!!

Benefits

There are some benefits to having a son get older.... One we took advantage of this holiday weekend was putting up Christmas lights. Marc and I decided to hit the stores and do some Black Friday shopping. What an experience... That is worthy of a post all in it's own. We did not get much sleep but life goes on and Christmas lights need to go up. After Cameron was finished with basketball practice he had a friend come over, Niko Jones. When our kids were a lot younger I hoped our kids would want to hang out here at our home when they got younger. So far, so good... they often hang out here. I am getting a little off track... anyway we had Cameron and Niko put the lights on the house this year. What a hoot!!!! I was laughing at them as they were laughing at themselves. I had no idea putting Christmas lights up on the house could be so much fun. Of course we had to pay them. What better way to pay them than to fill their bellies with a little treat from Dairy Queen.

Thanks Cameron and Niko for putting up the lights and entertaining us all at the same time. We look forward to next year :)

Haircut Funnies

The other day I took Ellie and Emersyn to get their hair trimmed. Ellie wanted her hair trimmed and shaped... Emersyn wanted her hair trimmed and some little bangs. Not straight across your forehead bangs...bangs that are a little longer and hang to the side. Emersyn has been very persistent on getting these bangs. So, we had her bangs cut just the way she wanted them. The next day we were driving in the car and I hear from the backseat, "What..? Where did my bangs go? Mom, they already grew out!!!" The stress and disappointment could be felt through her words and emotions. I had to turn around (when it was safe to) and show her her bangs were there, but had just been pulled over with her other hair. "oh, good!" with a sigh of relief is all she could say.

Halloween Fun

I know that Halloween was a few weeks ago, but I have been so busy running here and there that I am finally taking the time to post these. Aren't they cute????

This is the first Halloween (where she can choose her costume anyway) Emersyn has not been a fairy of some sort. She wanted to be an 80's girl up until a couple days before Halloween. I tell ya, this girl loves to shop!!!! She wanted me to take her to find a different costume. I held firm to this (I am accused of letting Emersyn get everything she wants...I disagree). Do you know how much costumes are these days??? Marc and I were in shock when we went down to purchase costumes. As a matter of fact, I told our kids next year they were going to need to be creative and use the things around the house.

A few days before Halloween our ward did a trunk or treat. It was a good time, but I am happy Halloween is over!!!! I love Thanksgiving :)

Cameron didn't get much of a Halloween this year. School decided to start basketball try-outs on Halloween. You would think because of it being Halloween and I would assume these coaches have children they would have wanted to go home. NOPE!!! Cameron didn't get home unitl 8pm then tried to go hang out with some of his friends afterward. He DIDN'T get any candy. The girls were nice enough to share.

Choices

Boy, this last week we were faced with a lot of different choices. I know that everyday there are choices. However, most of those choices are not life changing. No wonder I was exhausted this weekend.... Tues evening (later in the evening that is) it became apparent something was wrong with Roxy. She was drooling and pacing the backyard. For those of you who know Roxy, you know this behavior is not normal for her. She is mostly inside laying down while snoring occasionally. Marc and I started watching her a little more closely. After a bit, I told Marc we needed to do something. I was afraid if we didn't we would wake up to a Roxy not with us anymore. Thank goodness the internet was invented all those years ago. As we started googling what Roxy's symptoms were we realized fairly quickly we needed to get to her a hospital. Arriving at the vet they took Roxy right back to examine her. Here is where the CHOICES get difficult. I was told Roxy was critical and needed to stay there for the night. She could also need surgery!! At this point, our CHOICES were to either to pay the LARGE bill presented to us or put Roxy to sleep. I could not make that CHOICE to put her to sleep without giving her a chance to recover. I had to give Roxy the night and re-evaluate her in the morning before I could make that CHOICE. Thankfully, Roxy was doing better and we got to bring her home the next afternoon.

One of my children had a tough CHOICE to make this weekend as well. Actually, I don't think it was actually that difficult of a CHOICE but one "she" was faced with nonetheless. "She" was invited to the mall with some friends. When "she" found out who all was going "she" knew the right CHOICE would be to stay home. I am so proud of her for making this CHOICE and that is seemed so obvious to her. I know our children are faced with lots of CHOICES that could definitely affect their future. I am thankful for at least this one time (and hopefully more will come) "she" had the courage to make the right CHOICE.

What To Do....

Being a mom is one of the hardest things I have done and probably will do. It's especially hard when your child is sick, sad or hurt in some way. These past couple of days Ellie has not been able to go to school. This has devastated Emersyn. She NEEDS that comfort of knowing Ellie is at school, even though they typically never see each other while there. Monday morning, Emersyn kept telling me she wasn't a big girl and she couldn't do it by herself. I made such a big deal of it yesterday when she got home from school. I had a Sonic slushy (not like it wasn't cold outside or anything) waiting for her, gave her a big hug and congratulated her on being a big girl.
During breakfast this morning Emersyn was confident and ready to go to school. Ellie wanted to go, but her throat is not looking well, so it's time to see the doctor. Anyway, Emersyn was ready!!! She KNEW she could do this!!! Then with 10 mins left before it's time to go everything starts falling apart. She no longer likes what she is wearing, she decides she doesn't like the pants I just bought her. I think we changed her shoe strings 3 times, her hair was up then down with the headband going in and out. Nothing was right!!!
We finally get it so she is comfortable with what she is wearing then she starts in on how she doesn't feel well and her stomach feels weird. I told her she is probably nervous and that is ok, but she will have a good day today like she did yesterday. She was upset that Kaelyn went down to meet her at the crosswalk. We finally make it to the school (now a little late). She CLINGS to me, so I walk her to her class. Of course she has to be out in the portables making me walk through the whole school in my pajamas. I pointed this out to Emersyn to help bring a smile to her face. It worked...until we got to her classroom.
This brings me to the question.. what do I do? I wish being a mom was easy sometimes!!

Cameron's Birthday

Cameron turned 15 and sad to say I don't have a lot of pictures to show for it. It's not like when he was little, there wasn't a "party" to speak of to take pictures at. He wanted to go out with a couple of his friends; Truman and Nico. So, Marc took Cameron, Truman and Nico to Barro's for dinner and then to a movie. When the movie was over they came back to our house for a night of video games.

We have started a new little tradition in our house for birthday's. We did (and still do for the little girls) the "birthday fairy" for a long time. Marc and I had to figure out how to end that one. It literally could go on forever since a birthday comes once every year. We decided to tell the kids when they turned 13 and became a teenager the "birthday fairy" would no longer come to decorate their room. These last couple of birthday's for the older kids I have struggled with what to do to take it's place. I finally decided this year it would a "candy bar poster". This is a special poster done for them with a special message for them using candy bars. Now, I don't have to stay up till all hours of the night waiting for them to go to bed to decorate their room. I can put it out before they wake up in the morning. Problem solved :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAMERON!!!!