Update on GG

GG is doing much better now that the infection is under control.  Her confusion almost completely gone.  She is finally getting the pain managed and is able to move around more. She is walking better and able to sit up on her own. We are hoping that by the end of the month she can go back upstairs to her apartment.

GG's surgery

GG finally had her surgery on Jan 30th. She had called Mom and said they had scheduled her for that Friday and she had to go in for her preop on Monday. Mom couldn't take her because she was in Texas for my Aunt Laura's funeral so I took her. They couldn't find that she had been scheduled so that took awhile to get straightened out and then they called her that night and said they moved her to Wednesday instead. So we had to change everything again. Mom just got back into town Monday night and couldn't get off for work so she took GG in the morning because she had to be there at 6:00 and I took over after I got the kids off to school. The surgery went well and took less time than they thought but they were going to keep her in ICU for a day or so to watch over her because of her age. She ended up staying in the hospital until Feb 6th. Not in the ICU but in the regular area because she was getting bad muscle spasms and was in a lot of pain. They finally moved her to the skilled nursing facility at the towers on Wednesday. When Mom visited her that night, GG was very confused and disoriented. The nurses said that was normal for someone her age and she would be better but Scott and I went on Thursday to bring her upstairs to get more clothes and she was even worse. Mom called the doctor and they said she could have a bladder infection. Apparently, confusion is common with the elderly when they have a bladder infection. She does have one and they finally started her on antibiotics this morning but she is still very confused. It is hard seeing her like that because she is no longer our GG. They had to put an alarm on her wheelchair because she kept escaping and last night she fell out of bed because she thought she was at her old home and tried to get out of bed without her walker. We don't know when she is going to be able to come back to her apartment. We took the kids to see her today so GG could watch Jessie open up the present from her since she can't come to her birthday party tonight. She's better in the morning so it wasn't as scary for the kids. Hopefully she will be better mentally anyway in a few days. I will send an update in a few days if anything changes.

Christmas

 The traditional Jesus birthday cake made on Christmas eve.

The socks and garters from Uncle Jim

We went to Chris' for dinner and opened the presents from the kids and the santa hats Pat and Jim gave the boys. It was very loud with three of them going at once. Goldie was afraid of it at first and now she gets all excited when she hears the hat.

 Brandon's Santa gifts

Jessie's Santa gifts

The kids got up at 4AM. I didn't find out until later that they had flashlights and peeked at the presents. I made them go back to bed and they slept until 6:30. They opened stockings and their santa gifts. Jess got a purple ukele and a box for her seashell collection. Brandon got a firetruck pumper and a military jeep. They were very happy. We went over to Mom's to open our stockings and then back to our house for the rest. GG came for lunch and stayed for the gift opening. It was a good day. No one was sick, no arguments, and everyone got what the wanted.

The doll house we made for Jessie. The boys built it and Mom and I painted it and decorated it.

I asked Brandon if there was something he would like us to make for him since we were making the dollhouse for Jessie and he wanted a me to paint him a landscape

 
Mom, Brandon, Jessie and I made a four generation painting with some of GG's paintings.

Christmas

I can't believe it is already Christmas Eve. It has gone by so fast. The last few weeks were rushed because I got behind between helping at the Santa shop at school all day for a week and then with the kids being sick off and on. Santa shop was fun. I love seeing what the kids pick out for their families. We didn't make it to the riverwalk this year because Brandon was sick but we still went to the Electricritters with everyone. We also went to Chris' Christmas party. We were going to go to the nature center but found out that it wasn't much and decided it wasn't worth driving all the way out there. Last night we went to Scott's family and met the two new babies. Get this one of them is named Harrison Jones. Go figure that we would have two in our family. They were really looking forward to seeing babies but didn't much know what to do with them once they saw them.  Tonite we are going to Chris' house for the Eve party and during the day we will read the Christmas story and bake the Jesus birthday cake. The kids figure Christmas Eve is just as good as Christmas because we keep them so busy and they still get to open presents. They both still believe in Santa but I think at least for Brandon it is more of a choosing to because he doesn't want us to tell him it is not so. This will probably be the last year. Jessie is doubting too. In some ways I will be glad because it is so much work making sure they don't find out. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas.

Goldie's blog of shame and other pics

 In case you can't read the sign it says " I got on the counter and Mommy's sugar cookies twice! I also like to steal Daddy's chair and I am not sorry at all." Don't let the look fool you. she just doesn't like having her picture taken. She has been really onery lately. It's like she has two personalities. The shy, I know you are going to beat me one, and the I don't care if I get into trouble, I will do it anyway.

 Here is when she is being sweet. Her and Socks are best buddies. You wouldn't know it to look at her that she tries to eat any other cat.

                                                      Beautiful Colorado sunset

                                   BJ being a good boy pretending to be the sweet one. This will be his second    Christmas and Goldie's first at our house.

Sick kids

Jessie was sick with a real bad cold last week. She was well enough to participate in Thanksgiving but she lost her voice. She is so funny trying to read a story out loud with her squeaky voice. Now Brandon has the cold. We thought it might be strep at first but I don't think so. He is so bad that he had trouble breathing and then gets scared because he feels like he is suffocating. I hate that there isn't more that I can do for him. Jess stayed home today also even though she is not really sick any more but I was to tired to argue with her. She doesn't like riding the bus by herself, so if he is sick, I have to take her to school or she freaks out or makes herself sick. Hopefully I can get them both well and no one else will get this since we have so many Christmas stuff coming up and I am supposed to work the Santa shop at school all next week. Wish us luck and prayers that everyone gets well and stays well. I hope everyone else is doing okay also.

Halloween

The kids were Indiana Jones and a vampire princess this year. Jess decided she wanted to be scary this year. They had their school parties and parade. This year they were both in the afternoon so we only had to go once this time. We came home and spent a few minutes with the dogs then left again to go see GG. They got some treats there and then we went to Chris's neighborhood. It was kind of hit and miss there but they got enough and then we went to Chris' house and ordered pizza for dinner. We went to Rachel's Aunt's house after dinner because they really decorate and have a small spook house. They did a few houses over there but by that time they were getting tired and since it was a school night we called it quits. They still got enough and had fun going around the houses. There were some beautiful houses in Chris's neighborhood.  The kids also had a family reading night that we went to the school and had dinner and learned different things to help with reading. The got perfect attendance certificates at their end of quarter awards ceremony and Brandon made honor roll. He is doing better most of the time. It is kind of hit and miss, one week he does great and the next week he flips cards, forgets homework, does bad on tests. At least it is not a constant bad and we were very proud of him for making honor roll. Jessie is doing really well also and is excelling in class especially reading. So we are very proud of both of them.