Vacation time

We are enjoying are vacation very much here in Tennessee. We will be leaving tomorrow to head towards Ohio to spend Wednesday at Geagua Lake. I will post pictures later tonight for everyone to see what we have been doing the last couple of days.

Sleeping with Daddy

Joe had a couple of hard days with Jackson, my Mom was right the 3rd and 4th day were the worst. BUT we made it! Jackson is doing much better and we look forward to being able to travel late next week.

Joe did a great job this week caring for Jackson, picking up the house and keeping Brock busy. Thank you to everyone that helped us this week.

Home on Saturday, but exhausted

We made it home Saturday, the two of us were so tired we went right to the cough. The Tylenol with codeine helped Jackson and the lack of sleep the two nights before pushed me over the edge.

Joe and Brock were wonderful. They were both very quiet and helpful in so many ways. Joe, Brock and I went out for a nice dinner and Jackson't Nene (Lois) kept Jackson for a few hours. On Sunday she kept him again so we could do the first shopping trip. Thank you so much Lois for your help.

Me and my Tonsils

These aren't the best of pictures, but you can get the idea.

This is Jackson's tonsils before...




And now after...

Deer, shhhhh

Joe has taught Jackson the first thing about deer hunting, be quiet.

I actually came home from work a while back to find Daddy and son watch a deer hunting show and before I could ever get through the door to put my purse and bag down Jackson was telling me, "deer Mommy, shhhhhhh". It is the cutest thing.

The deer that we saw on this day were in Lyons, OH. They are family raised deer and at any time you can drive by and see more than 50 deer.

I hope you all enjoy your hunting lesson from Jackson and how excited he gets seeing deer...

WE ARE HOME!!!!

We finally made it home this morning a short time before lunch. Jackson's surgery went well. We was done Friday around 11am and we had to stay overnight in ICU so his vitals and breathing could be monitored. So between the nurses, the medicine, the other noises in the ICU wing and trying to get Jackson comfortable after everyone left it was a very long night. Plus the fact there are never anywhere for parents to get a few "good" minutes of sleep.

Joe and Brock have been great, they let Jackson and I take a couple of naps today when we got home. Jackson's Nene is going to watch him for a bit tomorrow so the three of us can make our first trip to the grocery store to stock up on soft foods.

He should make a fast recovery. The doctors and nurses all commented on what a great little boy he was and how well he listened and behaved. I couldn't hardly get one of the recovery nurses to turn him over to me after surgery...she said he was the sweetest little boy she had ever had and that Jackson took right to her before the surgery started. I'm very proud of Jackson and how well he did, he is growing up so fast.

I will post some pictures in the morning. I took some NyQuil and it's starting to take effect...I have had a cough for a couple of days and I hope to get rid of it quickly.

Wish us luck tomorrow!

!!!Our Little Boy!!!

Jackson is scheduled to have surgery next Friday, the 20th, to have his tonsils and adenoids removed. He has been having problems breathing (more severe the times he was sick) but was told by his doctor that it would get better when he wasn't sick. After a check up with his ENT doctor for his tubes and him looking in his mouth, he discovered that Jackson's tonsils are extremely enlarged and very high in the back of his throat. He also thinks that Jackson may suffer from mild sleep apnea that he thinks may go away once the tonsils are removed.

The surgery will be at the Toledo Children's Hospital and is scheduled to start at 9am. Jackson will be required to stay at least one overnight with the possibility of another night based on how he does in recovery, the sleep apnea and his breathing. We will be on soft foods for two weeks and gradually work back into normal foods the following two weeks. I will keep everyone posted on his progress. I'm sure it will be a long two days for Mom, I know I will not sleep Thursday night before the surgery and then will not sleep while at the hospital Friday night.

If anyone has any good advise for me, I will take it.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery and lots and lots of patience.

Me and My Aunt Shell

Do I need to say anything more???

I couldn't keep Jackson away from his Aunt Shell long enough to get him to eat or change him into his bathing suit so he could splash his Aunt.

We enjoyed the short visit with Uncle Keith and Aunt Shell over Memorial weekend.

We love you and miss you both and can't wait to see you again soon.

Our Family Trip to the Races

We had a long weekend helping run a Barn Sale at my Mom and Dad's so we decided to take the kids to the race track to get away for a bit. The boys wanted to watch the race and Mom watched a picture...we see who was more about the races and who was about the camera.

It was warm out so Joe bought the boys a snow cone...blue raspberry!!! Yes, blue lips, blue teeth and blue tongue's...

I wish Jackson would like the camera a little more!

Carnival rides

Today the three of us went to a mini carnival in Tecumseh with Mom and Dad Ford and GGma Bales. There were a few rides that Jackson liked, but not many. It was nice to only spend $10 and find out he didn't like a lot of the rides than taking him to the fair and spending $40 or so.

He liked the horsey ride and the slide the best. We had a few tickets left that Joe and I had to use together. It was nice to be kids again and ride the big kids rides.

Helping Daddy mow the lawn

Jackson sure is becoming a big boy. He asked for almost one hour to help Daddy, so they started in the front yard and he still wanted to help when it was time to start the back yard.

They were adorable! I don't know who was enjoying it more, Daddy or son.

Hockey Game

Joe and I went to the Detroit Red Wings game last night. I received tickets from a steel supplier for Game 1 of the playoffs against the Dallas Stars. Red Wings won 4 to 1. We had such a great view...from a suite!!! What a different experience watching a hockey game live and then on top of it to be in a suite. We had such a great time and we both made it to work "ON TIME" this morning.

I did not get any pictures because I forgot my camera...I know I'm sorry.

Going to the Races!!!

We tried going to the races tonight, but they were cancelled because of rain. Jackson loves watching the race cars and actually enjoys wearing his ear protection...he had them on before we even headed out of the house. Here's a picture and a video of Jackson explaining what he is going to go watch and what noise they make. He's too cute!!!

Sorry the video is sideways...but you get the idea (still learning the camera and website in's and out's)...

No news is good news...

There hasn't been much new with our family in the last couple of weeks. We'll have some new posts coming soon.

Brock and His TRUMPET

Brock had solo ensemble today and we were able to go and watch and hear how well he is doing. He had two performances today, one was a trio and the other a quartet. They ranked a 2 out of 5 on the trio and we didn't find out the score on the quartet before we left, but they sounded wonderful.

I've put a video of him practicing his trio...we hope you all like as much as we did today.

Jackson's HARLEY

Jackson loves his Harley Davidson that Papa and JuJu got him for Christmas. At first he didn't even know how to steer or how to use to go pedal. But he has been on it just about every time we go over to visit and he now "chases" Papa and JuJu on the golf cart. He knows how to steer and definitely how to use the GO pedal, he just doesn't quite know how to stop. We pretty much have to pull him off because he doesn't want to get off of the Harley. Here are some pictures and also a video of him chasing Papa and JuJu....

Water Park Fun

I didn't get many photos due to the water EVERYWHERE but we had a blast and will be going back for another visit soon.

Here are the two boys walking to the pool together, so cute to see the two of them together.

The next two pictures are of two of the three slides, the first slide was a funnel slide and you get going so fast down the slide that Joe could not snap the picture fast enough. The next slide was another body slide and Brock under the water after coming out of the slide. The third slide was a tube slide that Jackson wanted to go down. He decided after getting to the top that he wanted to go down the slide with Dad. Brock went first and then Jackson and Dad and then I went down. Joe said he screamed the whole way down and when we asked if he wanted to go again, he said YES. We had so much fun.

Brock's 14th Birthday breakfast

First of all, let me just get this off my chest..................OMG, Brock is 14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Next year he will start driving!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get off the roads....I've seen the kid on video games and it's scary!!!!!!

Brock is a huge Tony Stewart fan so Grandma Judy made a special NASCAR cake for him. He of course was able to blow out all of the candles at once and then we ate cake...for breakfast! Actually it was about 11:30, so I guess you could say it was our lunch. We had a lot of people there...Aunt Joyce, Uncle Justin, Nano, Susie, Lois, Brooke, Makayla, Nana, Papa, Aunt Amy, Great Grandma Ford, Great Grandma Poling, Great Grandma Bales, Grandma Judy, Grandpa Don, Dad, Mom Jen and Jackson. Aunt Angie and the kids sent a card ahead of time so Brock had lots of very nice cards to open with $$$$ and a hat from GG Bales and a Tony Stewart blanket for his bed from Grandpa Don and Grandma Judy to go with the TS sheets he received from his Dad and I.

We had a great time with everyone...here's some pictures of the whole group, I had to take a couple of pictures to get everyone in.

We had a wonderful time before we headed towards Ohio to the Holiday Inn "Water Park". We took a few photos...those to come in the next couple of days.

Again...HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROCK!!!! We love you very much and you are becoming a fine young man and maturing very quickly and we are very proud of you. Thank you for a wonderful week.

Visit with Angie, Riley and Brenden

The four of us were able to get over towards Angie's to spend a few hours with her and the kids before we headed home from the holiday. Here are some pictures of the four kids together. If you look closely you can tell that we are headed North and Angie and the kids were headed a little further South...we were so jealous!!!

The Easter Bunny

Here was the best picture of Jackson with the Easter Bunny this year. Jackson is always a precious cutie!!!

Sitting with the Easter Bunny went sooooo much better than last year! It took the first 8 0f 10 photos to get one without tears last year and we didn't cry at all this Easter. We are becoming such a brave little boy.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter spending time with family.