My digital camera is my phone, so the quality of the picture isn't so hot, but Cayden had a cute look on his face. School was delayed a couple hours this morning due to fog, so we had some extra time to enjoy each other's company.

We are heading to Janesville tomorrow to the Circuit Assembly that we missed a month ago due to being sick. We almost would've missed this one since Cayden is just getting over a combo of bronchitis (again) and strep throat. But he's doing better, so off we go tomorrow. Hopefully we don't get any frozen precipitation tonight to hinder our travels tomorrow.

Tis the season...

TO BE SICK!

Ugh, this week has been especially trying with the boys not feeling well. Starting out with a possible case of pink-eye with Cayden, we've moved to a chest/barking cough thing combined with runny noses. Then, last night Cayden started puking. Poor guy! He's such a trooper. Apparently he coughed so hard that he ended up puking all over his bed. I can't believe that I didn't wake up with all of that. He actually came into my room to wake me and inform me that he threw up in his bed. (Sorry, Star for all of this talk of vomit and such. You can stop reading if you need too.) After cleaning up his bed, he fell back to sleep, but was up 25 mins later running to the bathroom. Poor little guy had nothing left in his stomach and we all know how pleasant that feels. He never cried or complained. He just got through each episode and went back to sleep. So he is home today. Kieran is too, since he woke up hacking last night with a fever. My night was spent being nurse back and forth between bedrooms. At least it wasn't tag-team puking, we've been through that before and if I never have to deal with that again, it will be too soon.
Ok, so now everyone is up to date on the health of my family. Lovely story, isn't it? Hope that Daddy doesn't get waylaid with this stomach thing. I need him to get me through this week.
Hope that my next post finds us all feeling much better.....

Not too much going on here...

I figured that I better post a new blog since it had been a while since my last one. Trouble is, I don't have any earth shattering news to share with the world. HMMM....Weather is mild, 40* and very foggy today. Damp and chilly but much better than the -20* windchills of late last week. That was a shot of winter if ever there was one.

Jerod is still laid-off. I told him that if this goes on any longer, he'll be eating bon-bons and sitting on the couch all day. He joked back that by then, we wouldn't be able to afford bon-bons. HA! What a sense of humor! Glad he still has one. Seriously, he did call one of his co-workers and found out that his situation is company-wide. All of the trimmers are out framing and have been for the last 6 weeks or so. Shaw knows that to have Jerod frame is just asking for another worker's comp claim, so I'm sure that is why they haven't called him. There are 2-3 houses on the horizon that should be up and ready in a couple weeks. We'll see. I am thankful for the side work he has picked up. That is getting us through. Plus, my first life insurance commission helped out greatly.

So glad that there is only 13 days til Xmas. Don't you get sick of not being able to watch TV or listen to the radio w/o being overwhelmed with Xmas commercials/songs? UGH!

The end of this month I am hostessing a Stampin Up party. I'm looking forward to that. It is fun to get together, visit, eat, and create. Although, I ran out of invites, so I'm going to have to do some manual phone calls to get to every one on my list.

Congrats to Amanda and Luke Wolf! They got married last Monday in a very small ceremony. Amanda is Jessica's younger sister. I understand that they will be living in Dubuque. I got to wait on them Saturday nite at Arthur's. They came in with Ben and Monica. What a treat that was! Amanda was glowing, apparently married life is going well....

Speaking of weddings, Melyssa and Eric have decided to go with a larger reception than originally planned. I guess it is going to be in Boscobel in the banquet room of the Super 8, or some motel there. I hope the plans keep going smoothly. Clint and Joyce are going to have a big empty house sooner than later. What a strange feeling that is going to be for them.

Wow, I'm racking my brain and really can't find anything else to write about. How boring is my life? Although I could wax poetically on about the huge bag of Tootsie Rolls in my desk drawer that is calling out to me, but I won't.

A painting we will go!

The boys get so excited when Jerod and I talk of painting the walls in the house, so this last time Jerod was able to have them "help". So I had 2 snowmen on my wall inside the side entry door for a while. The boys had a blast! Thanks Dad!

We have lost a tooth!

Nov 29 was the big day! Cayden was at school and wiggled it out during circle time. He was so proud of himself, especially since it didn't hurt like he thought it would.

Funny thing-he insisted on putting the bag with the tooth under his pillow to check to see if there would be a tooth fairy to come and take it. Of course I had had the conversation with him to explain the whole "fairy" thing, but he needed to do an experiment to prove it to himself. Sure enuf, the next morning the tooth was still there and he seemed content with the result of his "test".

Like father, like son...

My Little Hunter Dude!

Kieran went out with Daddy Sunday afternoon for his first deer hunting experience. Mostly it was about Kieran rattling antlers and working the doe bleat and learning to sit quietly, but Dad said he did awesome. He is so cute in his get-up, isnt' he? It'll be several years before he can carry a gun, thank goodness. I'm sure that day will come way too soon....

A BOO!

Peek!

My fearless indian brave - Little Moon!

Kieran made his whole indian get-up at daycare. Isn't it cool? His indian name at school is Little Moon and his vest has a moon drawn on it. They do such neat projects there. I'm going to miss his teacher when she has her baby in January. Yep, Kieran's teacher is PG, too, just like Cayden's teacher. But, I don't think Kieran's teacher will be back. Bummer.

1 little, 2 little, 3 little indians...

Another great group shot of the kids! Ava looks so small next to the boys, but that never stops her! The boys were climbing up a step-stool with 2 steps and jumping down onto a single step stool and then leaping to the floor, and Ava was doing the same exact thing. It was very nerve-wracking, believe me, but no one got hurt.

Isn't she a CUTIE?

I was at Jess and Shane's yesterday and got a couple cute shots of little Ava eating a chocolate chip muffin. This picture doesn't do justice to the chocolate all over her face and smeared on her jammies. What a crack-up!

Won't the sun EVER shine?

I think I can count on one hand the number of sunny days we've had in the last month. Yuck. Today Jerod left for Oconomowoc to work the rest of the week. Won't be back til Friday aft. I'm already missing him something awful. I'm such a wuss. PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, GIRL!
Kieran got to spend the day with Nana since he woke up through the night howling, crying and complaining that his ear hurt. It was so heartbreaking! As a parent you feel so helpless, trying to rack your brain for something you can do to just take away the pain. I gave him kid's ibuprofen, some garlic drops in his ear, and a lukewarm washcloth to press against his ear. I held him and rocked him until he calmed down. After he calmed down, it was probably only 3-4 minutes b/4 he fell back to sleep. Poor baby! He slept fine the rest of the night and was still sleeping when I left for work. He's been great for Nana all day, which I knew he would.
I'm listening to "High School Never Ends" by Bowling for Soup. The lyrics are funny and so true. Interesting take on today's obsession with Hollywood and the stars found there. It's one of those songs that make you smile and nod your head, like "that is so true". Like that "Sunscreen Song" from the late 90's by Baz Luhrmann. You got to hear it, so here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZgUTApyGU4 Enjoy! Thanks to the friend who send this song to me! It was an awesome blast from the past!

Cayden's Kindergarten teacher

Cayden's teacher, Mrs. James, is so awesome! She also is 8 months PG, due around Xmas. But she has been so great with the holiday issue and willing to work with us. I really appreciate that as a newcomer to this whole parent/teacher world. This was from the school's open house night that we attended. Kieran looked pretty spiffy since we were headed to the Thursday night meeting right afterwards.

Bubbles and lots of bubbles!

Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to flip this. Don't get a krink in your neck!

They are always cute sleeping or in the tub!

What a cutie! He looks so angelic here, so I know he is capable of being good. (I just wish it happened more often)

It must be genetic!

Look closely at his eyes-if that isn't a Jerod Silvers look, I don't know what is!

New Tile & Circuit Assembly update!

Sorry it's been a few days since my last update. Our modem at home is not working and Verizon tech support is clueless as to what the problem may be. So here I am using my work computer to update the world on what has happened in the Silvers' world lately.
First off, I have a new tile entryway! Many thanks to Micah Rochon and little bro Shane for their help! Not sure how the pics will show up, but it is really beautiful! Jerod still is technically unemployed, so the sheetrock work should be done this week, I hope. Although I'd much rather him be at work at a real paying job. Not sure how much longer we can lean on state unemployment and the good graces of friends finding odd jobs for him to do.
The last couple of weeks we have been dealing with bronchitis with both boys. Cayden had gotten to the point where he was up several times through the nite with his coughing fits. Dr. informed us that he had a rather severe case of bronchitis and put him on Azithromicin. After about 3 days he was doing phenominally better. Just in time for Kieran to start up with the same horrible cough. By now mommy was sleeping downstairs so I could get some sleep. Last Friday I took Kieran in and got him on the same antibiotic. Friday nite was pretty rough, so we ended up missing the 1st day of our Circuit Assembly. I was totally bummed. Seems as though the last few things I had planned and was really looking forward to had all been cancelled or fell through. (i.e. Riley's visit, local high school musical, assembly) Oh well. We at least made Sunday morning and through lunch until Kieran got himself in a bad coughing fit and puked all over himself and Jerod. That cut our assembly short and we left immediately. Needless to say, Jerod didn't smell too good on our ride home! HA! Of course after we got home, Kieran was ramroding around with his big brother and doing fine. Well, Riley's assembly is Dec 23, 24 so we will probably go then.
But for the short time we were there, I sure enjoyed seeing and visiting the friends. It warmed my heart to see Larissa and her hubby Joe and daughter Jade. I talked to her mom, Colleen who is pioneering and she told me the Larissa and Joe are being used in demos at the KH and really doing well spiritually. That's so awesome. Kim Haesler was also there and seeing her made me cry. She has moved back to Madison and is making spiritual progress-going to meetings and such. I hope to talk to her very soon!
The whole program was amazing! I especially appreciated how the circuit overseer referred to the time remaining before the end of this system in "weeks" not "years". He did this twice in his talk. Really made me stop and think of the seriousness of what is going on and what me and my family need to do to improve in our spiritual routine. He is privy to more info than we are, and so his comments can't be ignored. What if we really do only have "weeks" left? Wow. Puts things in a different perspective, huh?
In a different note, Cayden's first "big boy" tooth has popped through, although his wiggly tooth hasn't come out yet. It's kinda wierd-the tooth is coming in behind the baby teeth. Now my thoughts are kinda paranoid about this, since my dental history includes some not-so-nice incidents at a very young age. (my first tooth pulling happened when I was 6 and pretty much goes downhill from there) I really hoped my kids wouldn't have my crowded mouth issues, but instead would have their father's big mouth (sorry honey) and my healthy teeth. I guess I shouldn't freak out yet.
Oh, and one last thing. We got snow again Friday night. Enough to let Cayden and hubby build a snowman. Ick.

Here's Papa and the boys! As usual, Papa was in rare facial expression form. I get a kick out of the looks on Papa's face in most of the pictures he's in. But any picture I get with him the the boys I think is precious.

Technology is great...when it works (SIGH)

Ok, I've been trying to post pictures here for the last 3 days and I can't! I'm a little more than upset and frustrated cuz I have some really cute ones to share. So I am going to continue to perservere and hope for the best.