The Ankle

Backposting for Jan 2018

After Christmas, our family went to the playground/dog park one day.  Clyde and Lucy decided to swing while Stephen, Iris and I watched the dogs play.  Shortly, Clyde ran in and told us Lucy had hurt herself very badly.

When we got to her, she was, indeed, in a lot of pain.  We quickly took her to PM pediatrics, where they told us it was just a sprain... a bad sprain, but a sprain.  This is how it looked when we got home.

Then it obviously started looking much worse, and, though we were following instructions, she was still hurting and we were wondering if their diagnosis was correct.

Her entire foot was so swollen, and eventually the bruising crept up to her knee.

After a couple of weeks, I took her to an orthopedist.  It was broken.  Two clean breaks through the fibula.

She was crushed, because this meant indefinite postponement of her surprise 16th birthday gift... a trip with her and two friends.  We had already reserved a unit and bought tickets. 

But she braved up, got a blue cast, and we headed home...

Iris had fixed her a cushy corner of the couch, complete with snacks, covers, books, and nail polish.

She was still able to attend some events, but was struggling with being bummed about being unable to participate. She really had a better attitude about it than I think I would have had.

Kind of hard to play organ in a cast.

By mid April, she was pretty much cleared by her physical therapist to resume regular activities, though the bone had, oddly, not completely healed.  So what we originally thought was a sprain, took 3 and a half months to get over.

New Year's Eve 2018

Backposting for Jan 2018

Our friends had us over for New Year's Eve, and we had a blast!

Lucy arriving, and being assisted by her best Lilly.

Matt, Amy, and fam introduce us to Codenames.  That is a REALLY fun game.  Simple, but it doesn't get old really quick.

I think Stephen and Lucy are guessing here... love Meg's face.

Lu having her hair styled by her best Meg. 

The littles watching Home Alone 2.

The bigs painting nails while Lucy introduces Meg and Lil to Korean dramas.

noodle fight at midnight!!

snuggles

And we parted ways and slept!!

Miscellaneous Pic Dump

Backposting for Oct-Dec 2017

Lucy in pure bliss.  All it takes is a nice set of coloring pens.

 

It's just a bit harder to read when someone keeps scooting closer and closer until they are literally ON TOP of you.

This is the view I woke up to for a few months.  Thankfully, she has sort of stopped doing this.

Lucy and Daddy doing a displaced arm stunt. (we laughed so hard!)

Excuse the unfinished kitchen!  But his hair!  I <3 p="">

Stephen's nap, slowly got addictive.

My guys.

I was the last to rise one morning, and this is what I found.

 These two snuggling is a very common sight around here.  Still chokes Stephen and I up a bit since we didn't think she'd ever get to have a dog.

the cat-snakes all in one basket

Iris took helping us snap beans very seriously.   She set up a station and donned an apron.

Rubik and ramen.  My kids are hooked on Rubik's cubes.

Ladies's Christmas dinner.

I feel like Fleur looks like she's claiming Lucy and not sharing her, and Lucy is totally fine with this.

Mom and Paul hosted a party for the Psych movie!!  EEeeek!  We were all so excited!

This is how excited my kids are when their progress reports arrive in the mail.  I'm not even joking, this is not a staged photo.  They love the little extra comments their teachers write about them.  See Clyde laughing... yeah... that's because of the things his teachers had to say about him.

Lucy pumping gas for the first time, state law requires that you be 16.

When Iris's panic attacks came back, one of the ways they manifested was that showers were terrifying.  This was because of the lack of assurance she had that we were still in the house and alive, due to the noise of the shower.  We are so thankful to God for easing her fear and for this pup!  Fleur was INSTRUMENTAL in helping her heal from this.  She guarded Iris during showers for MONTHS.  She has only recently successfully retired from her position, and none of us no what we would have done without her.  She got to where she would lie down and not move, even if the door was open, until Iris turned the water off.  Showers are now no longer an issue for Iris.  Praise the Lord!!

Victorian Girls

Backposting for fall/winter 2017

Here is just a photo dump of the fall semester of Mrs E's Victorian Girl's class.

This class is the highlight of these girls' school year.  They look so forward to this living history class.  It's a sequence of 4 years, each covering a different era... Colonial, Prairie, Victorian, then Civil War.  Each time they meet, Mrs E provides a craft, snack, music lesson, history lesson, and game from the currently studied era.

I think this semester, I only got outdoor pics :(

Christmas at Home 2017

Backposting for December of 2017

We woke up Christmas morning, got ready leisurely, and then the kids started separating presents into stacks.  It's funny leading up to Christmas, because we get weird about the wrapping paper.  We all want to wrap each person's gift in a paper we think they will like, but not if someone else has already wrapped that person's gift in it.  :P

Kids with Nana :)

 The puppies get their presents.  They lasted about 2 hours.

Clyde reading the comical coffee mug (HE LOVES COFFEE) that Iris got him. 

Lucy was very excited to get her sketching pencils from Clyde.  They had been repeatedly mentioned leading up to Christmas.

Nana opening a gift.

Iris with her My Little Pony inspired eye-shadow from Lucy, and Lucy with her Piano Guys sheet music from Iris. :)

Clyde with his glass putty from Lu and Lu with her drawing pencils again.

Everyone gave Daddy survival stuff!

Lu got a gift card for a break out place.

Iris with her new "grown up" Bible.

Stephen's battery pack to help further his solar power projects.

Iris sees she has a Pandora box... get it??

Clyde's new record player! (packaged with a wand rack)

Displaying her charm bracelet with the newly added charms.

Clyde got Iris a small waffle iron and Iris got him a funny mug.

 Stephen surprised me with a necklace with his initials on it... per some song lyrics we've been singing. (My first jewelry ever from Tiffany's!  I think us girls all kind of swooned over the blue box a little.)

Everyone starts enjoying their gifts for the rest of our lazy day.

Iris coloring with her new markers in her Harry Potter coloring book.

Lu painting and stamping her nails.

Family playing Clyde's new Nefarious game.

 Lucy cracking open her Compilation of Sherlock Holmes from Nena and Papa.

Clyde trying out his new record player with Oak Ridge Boys followed by ABBA.  :D

 It was a great celebration and a great time with each other! <3 p="">