Post Thanksgiving

Ah...Thanksgiving is over and it all seemed like a blur! When you have 7 kids, 4 of whom are sick...it is not a warm feeling (unless they are puking from coughing so hard)!

There is not much to be thankful for this year...I really wish there was. Financially, we are not doing that great, the kids, especially Kenny, hasn't been feeling well...not to mention all the problems (developmentally, hearing, lungs and eating) he has. My other kids are feeling tons of stress in our house, which I really want to tell them it will get better...but I need to believe it first. I feel like we are in a dark hole that we cant get out of.

Enough of my depressing babble...

We did, however, make something that I haven't made since I was a little girl...

Salt Dough ornaments! It is very fun...and the kids had a blast! (this was the LAST WEEK) LOL!

The holiday started off pretty well, on Thanksgiving eve the we all sat and cut up bread for the stuffing...it was one tradition that I really wanted to keep from when I was little. The kids were really into it this year. They knew exactly the size to cut the bread...it was very cute.

Then it was onto the pies...we made 4 chocolate and 2 pumpkin...I would have made more, but nobody told me that there was a difference between "sweetened" condensed milk and "non-sweetened"... I got the sweetened and was it thick! Kinda made the pumpkin pies take on an almost candy taste. The kids liked the chocolate pies better anyhow.

Onto Thanksgiving day....

Woke up nice and early (after being up with Gina and Kenny for about 4 hours total) at 6:30...started the stuffing, cleaned the 2 turkeys that we had. We usually get a 22 pounder, but instead, we bought a 12 and a 14 pounder. I was making 2 so one can stay here and one was to go over to my sister in laws house...since that was where we were going to have dinner this year. I was really looking forward to going...had the turkey, the brussel sprouts that we HAVE to have! Tony, my nephew John and his friend went to go to their annual "Turkey Bowl" football game. This was my husbands...I think 16th year...he will never get old...and that is what I like about him. He is always playing around like a kid. Loves football, baseball, basketball....anything that keeps him busy. I wish I had his energy! This is them getting ready to go have fun.

It all looked like everything was going like the perfect Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving I was hoping for...the kids were watching the Macy's Day Parade...my daughter Morgan looks forward to the Rockettes....ever since she was a little 3 yr. old...she had gotten to the point of critiqueing their outfits this year. She preferred last years outfits to this years. LOL! My Niece (John's wife) stayed over and was helping me with the kids. It was perfect....

until....

about a half hour before we were ready to leave, the 4 youngest ones started with the coughing that would not stop! What the heck was going on!

It ended up, that Tony took the 3 older ones to his sisters house while I stayed home with the sickies and made the side dishes for our dinner...which we were going to end up eating here. The kids took naps, and when Tony came home with the kids (around 5:30), Kayleigh and Kenny both had fevers of 102! Oh JOY! Then came the coughing that started the puking...um..can I get off the train yet...please? LOL

So fast forward a couple of days....3 nights from "you know where". Maybe....just maybe...8 hours of sleep TOTAL. It doesn't do a body or mind good.

Friday I took Kenny to get fitted for his hearing aids...It was a bittersweet moment. I know that he will be able to hear, and finally start picking up some more communication skills, but still...he has been through so much in his little life, that he shouldn't have to have a hearing problem. And yes, it is permanent. It isn't just for a short time...it is forever. It is a lot to take in. Anyhow, I picked out an almost indigo-ish color for the part that goes behind his ears, and the part that goes in his ears will be clear.

I also took him to his peds on Saturday morning because, again...all Friday night, he was up coughing and puking (from coughing so much). I was giving him his Pulmicort and Albuterol along with Vicks on his chest and back for his breathing...on a good note, he wasn't(isn't) wheezing...just coughing and breathing fast. The doctor just told me to keep up with the Albuterol for the cough. His pulse ox was 96...which is pretty normal for him...I was very relieved about that...I really thought he was going back in the hospital. I hate the cooler months for this reason.

We are all smooshed in this little house, we cant help but breathe on each other...there is no way around getting sick in here. My husband calls our house a "pathway" house...because there is only one path to walk through! And you know what...he is SO right!

I did put up the tree...we still have a lot of the decorations to put on it, but at least it is up...now to get my but in gear and take the "fall" decorations down from outside...maybe I'll make Tony do it. LOL!

I just want to say one more thing.

I want to thank the people on the site http://www.wishuponahero/, I put in a couple of wishes (under mtomecko)...one of which was for angel ornaments for our Christmas tree, and I have received my first one...It just made my day. You know, with all the bad going on in the world...and in my life, It is so nice to see that people that don't even know you, feel for you...care about you. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

Now if I can get someone to help out with the dream home wish (we could really use a miracle right about now)...LOL

I'm gonna end this post with a few random pics from the last few days...

Can Gina get any cuter!!!! LOOK AT THOSE CHEEKS!!!

My two sick babies!

Our very own swipper the fox...he was hunting for his Thanksgiving dinner...squirrel...we actually have 3 foxes, one is light tan and huge, while the other 2 look like this!

Me...after 2 nights of no sleep...but I did get the tree up though! LOL! Just had to get a picture of Taylor in here.

Happy Birthday to Tony!

I just want to take a few minutes to wish my husband a very Happy Birthday. Hard to believe that I met him when he was a young 23...now, 20 years later, we are celebrating his 43rd!

We don't have much, but we have each other...and tons of kids...lol!!!

I love you honey! Happy Birthday! Here's to another 43 years!

November 2008

I am running on fumes...lol! I figured I'd update...it's about that time again.
Well, first off, is it possible that a person can function on coffee? Lots and lots of coffee! 7 kids, doing homework with 4 of them, a 4 month old who likes to eat every 2 hours, the same one loves to wake up at night just as much! A 18 month old (who is more like an 8 month old) who has 2 different breathing treatments 3 times a day, pt/ot every week...on top of me working with him every day, him waking up at 3:00 am EVERY night since coming out of the hospital., coughing..and staying up till 5 then by that time Gina is up again, so I just stay up and get the kids school stuff together. I feel like I am in the movie Groundhog Day...it just keeps repeating and repeating! UGH!!!!
Yeah...I am SO ready for a weekend away...yep...anyone willing to watch 7 kids for a weekend? I don't think so! LOL
I love and hate this time of year... I love the first snow fall (which btw, already happened). I love putting up all the decorations, listening to Christmas music, the smell of pumpkin pies, cinnamon, apples and evergreens. Buying or making gifts for people, and watching all the holiday shows. I also just put up our tree...yes I know it's a little early, but...well...I needed a little change from the last couple of Thanksgivings...see, It was 2 years ago that Taylor asked me "mom...if you had twin boys, what would you name them"...2 weeks later, I got a positive on a pregnancy test...then a month after that...was one of the happiest, most exciting times...I found out that I was preggers with twins...my Nick and Kenny. Then last Thanksgiving, I got a positive on another test! This Thanksgiving (NO I am NOT pregnant again), I have a beautiful new daughter, Gina, and my Kenny is working on getting stronger every day. I was hoping that the pain of losing Nick would have gotten easier, but that is not the case.
My days are so busy, I barely have time to breath. I can only hope that it will be worth it in the long run.
I also want to say R.I.P. to Father Robert Hoban. He was the Pastor of our church. He was a wonderful person who cared for everyone. He helped my oldest son, work through the death of Nick. He was also the priest that buried Nick. Who would have thought that a year and a half later he would not be here, but with Nick...probably holding him. He went through so much with the cancer he had, I am praying for his family...what a horrible time of year to lose someone...well...I guess it is never a good time to lose a loved one, but the holidays...so, so sad.
Lets see...my kids are doing very well. Tony, Taylor, Morgan and Sydnie are loving school this year! There is just SO much homework! As they are growing up, I love seeing their personalities come out! Tony is very persistant..LOL...Taylor, well she is a very artistic little girl who really doesn't like makeup, but love dolls. Morgan LOVES makeup, fashion and teen magazines...yup...I'm in trouble with her! LOL. Sydnie is the brainy one...she is only 5 and in kindergarten, but her teacher told us that she should be in first grade! GO FIGURE! Kayleigh is an in between of Sydnie and Morgan, she loves makeup, but also is a little smarty pants...for only being 3! Kenny is the love bug...he loves to be loved and loves being played with. And finally, Gina...She loves to be held and giggles at everything.
Kenny is now getting hearing aids in both ears because he has mild to moderate hearing loss in both ears. It should be interesting to see how he does keeping the aids in the ears. I learned some signs to start doing with Kenny...Mom, Dad, milk, all done, finished, and thank you. I never for the life of me ever thought that I would have to learn sign language. He is also still on 1/8 liter of oxygen at night..which he really doesn't like to keep in! Developmentally, he is crawling on on his forearms and is able to pull up to a kneeling position. I am still real sad that he is still REALLY behind, but we are working with him. I think that once he gets his hearing aids, it will help. I just pray every day that when Kenny starts school, that the kids dont make fun of him and how he talks (because of his hearing loss) and of his aids. I know how cruel kids can be.
Gina, our newest is now 4 months old. She weighs in at a hefty 13 lbs. and is perfect and right on(developmentally) for her age. If we can just get her to sleep through the night now! LOL!!
We had Gina and Kenny baptized a couple of weeks ago. It was beautiful. My sisters were the Godmothers and Tony's friend and brother were the Godfathers. My sisters surprised me with a beautiful sash for Kenny to wear with his name on one side and Nicks on the other...such a nice way to remember Nick on this special day! The outfits that my sisters got for Kenny & Gina were so beautiful. The whole day was very perfect. My twin sister even surprised me by coming in with her whole family from Alabama! I miss them so much! Her kids and mine are as close as sisters and brothers...even though they live so far away from each other!
On a side note...I can use every one's prayers that we either win the lottery or that somehow, someway we come into some money to buy our dream home. We have found it. Tony and I have had our eyes on it for 2 years now. It is everything that we every wanted AND need in a house. It is new, so that means that it is very clean...for Kenny's sake, that is very important. There is no drafts, dust, old paint, mold...well...everything we have in our house now. There is enough space for all of us to live comfortably...it is just perfect...the only problem is that it is very expensive. I have posted on the site wishuponahero.com for prayers...so I will ask all of you for the same. We need some happiness and a miracle. These last 2 years has taken a toll on Tony and myself.

Here is our dream home...(so please say some prayers that somehow we can get it)

Well...let me get going. The kids are starting to get crazy...