Sweet Vivian Kitty

Our sweet Vivian kitty lost her battle with cancer today.  We had the stinkin' tumor removed in December and it looked like we had fixed the problem.  Well, the stinkin' tumor was lymphatic (is that the right word?) and had already moved into her lymph nodes.  About a month ago the tumors came back AGGRESSIVELY.  We were watching her closely the last couple of weeks because they just kept growing.  We had some nausea and pain meds to help her cope.  Well, this morning she didn't look all that great and when she got up to walk we could see why.  She couldn't walk right.  The doctor thinks the cancer had probably made it's way to her brain (poor girl). 

She went peacefully and as prepared as Wayne and I were this time around it still completely sucks. 

She was a special kitty girl and we will miss her tons!

There are a couple pictures here http://theogdens.blogspot.com/2009/01/vivian-update.html and I will try to post more soon.

Emily is finally feeling better ....

She's been out of school since mid-day Thursday!  Looks like she will be able to go back tomorrow.  I don't know if I really want to send her back since Cathy called and said 5 kids in Emily's class were out sick today - YIKES!  Poor thing ... Emily was feeling better on Monday and we thought for sure she'd go back to school on Tuesday, but she woke up early Monday morning complaining of an ear ache so we took her back to the doctor.  Yeppers, she has an ear infection ... I guess the flu bug couldn't just leave quietly!  She slept ALL DAY yesterday ... but finally looks "normal" today.  Hopefully she will make it through tomorrow OK!

Let's see, what else is happening in our world?  

Elliot is about to be 2 ... which is just plain crazy to think about ... time is zooming by too fast!  

Wayne is going to start working part time at Mighty Fine Burgers in March/April (they are building a new one in Round Rock)... Emler is GREAT, but he needs more hours than they can offer.  Plus I am secretly (OK, not so secretly if I am blogging about it huh ... HA) hoping maybe this will land him a full time gig job and I can take a work break ... at least for a little while.  If I quick working I could take a full time school load and finish MUCH quicker!

Speaking of school I am waiting for my books to get here so I can start my class ... good thing it's a correspondence class huh?

I need to post some pictures and will try to soon!

The flu ... UGH

It's a LONG weekend and we should be having fun ... instead ... we are stuck inside with the flu. Well, so far only Emily officially has it ... but Elliot is showing signs. We are doping everyone with Vitamic C and Zinc (and something from People's Pharmacy) but the doctor says it's too late to treat Influenza A ... if she would have had the B strain we could have doped everyone up with tamiflu, but no such luck!

The doctor perscribed fluids, rest and lots of movies ... she's taking the movie thing very seriously - HA!

Getting back to normal ....

Emily is back from her visit in Winnie and is learning the meaning of the word "no" again - HA!  

Today was the 100th day of school and they made a 100 day snack filled with a hodge podge of snacks.  Each kiddo had to count out 100 different snacks for the 100 day snack.  Emily could only remember the Mike and Ike's that one of the kiddos brought.  She brought some Cheese Its.

This week she has her Valentine's Day party ... she made a pretty Valentine's Day box in Winnie and all that's left is for us to write out her Valentine's.  We need to work on that tomorrow (because they are due on Wednesday - ooops!)

Today she started swimming lessons again ... Wayne said she was a bit rusty but did good.  Hopefully she'll remember everything again real soon.

Wayne started Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University

Hopefully he'll learn how to fix our financial woes.

Speaking for financial woes - HA - I signed up for my first class at Texas State (well, it's still Southwest Texas to me!)  

The first class I am re-taking is British Literature.  

I just need to order the books and I'll be on my way. 

As you all know I LOVE to read but I am so not a writer ... so it'll be interesting for sure!   I also have to re-take Political Science (both of them YIKES) and a Marketing class.  There is one other I need to re-take, but now I can't remember - good thing it's written down somewhere.  After the re-takes I'll finish the few basics I need (between ACC and Tx State) and I'll start the teaching block once those are done and I get my GPA up to a acceptable level (I only need a 2.5)

Those are the updates for now ... tomorrow I will be 37 and for some reason that feels really old today!

A week is a long time ... !

Emily has been in Winnie since Saturday and we realized that a week really is a long time! It'll be good to have her home!
The only BAD thing about her going to Winnie (or San Antonio!) is she comes back spoiled rotten. I think Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles forget how to say NO when mom and dad aren't around ... HA! OK OK, I know that's how it's supposed to work!

Anyway, Wayne and I didn't get anything accomplished while she was gone once again ... we always have grand plans and then all the sudden the week is up! When she goes to San Antonio over Spring Break we (OK, Wayne) is painting their rooms ... ! Poor Elliot has been in a pink play room long enough.

Other than that ... I have nothing to report. I feel like a boring blogger lately!

Emily's Late Birthday Party ...

trying to pick out colors

painting her penguin
Elliot's pallette ... he broke all the rules ... HA

Emily's finished product (pre-glazing, firing)

Elliot thought it was pretty fun too!

We had Emily's birthday party on Saturday. We had told her she could invite 5 friends to paint pottery at Ceramic Lodge in Round Rock. It was such an easy party. We did cupcakes, snacks and the girls painted some great looking pottery pieces. We learned they put them pieces in the kiln for 36 hours before we get to take them home (wild!!) I can't wait to see the finished products.

I felt kind of like a bad mom because I didn't do goodie bags this year and the kiddos didn't have anything to take home ... they will get their cool pottery pieces next week, but I sort of feel like I broke some serious party rule - HA

Kid-less in Cedar Park

Wow ... Wayne and I are ALL alone this weekend!  

Elliot is in San Antonio for his first overnight trip and will be home Monday. 

Nana and Grandfather have reported that he is doing really well!   

It must be fun for him to be the center of attention.  Usually Emily is around to boss him around HA!

Emily went to hang in Winnie.  We will pick her up in San Antonio at the rodeo on Saturday.  LISD is out Monday-Wednesday for a big teacher conference.  She'll miss Thursday and Friday but it sounds like a lot of kids miss Thursday and Friday after the conference.  Maybe going forward we can plan our family vacations around this conference and miss the crowds! 

Unfortunately we didn't get to sleep in because this was Wayne's weekend to set up the church and I woke up at 4am because that's about the time I hear Elliot yell "MaMa, DaDa" over the monitor. 

We did have fun last night ... Wayne's been craving Asian food, so we went for Thai with Chris and Trina.  After we made a stop at Spec's for some adult beverages and came back to our house to play games and visit.

Wayne is making some snacky food for the super bowl (wings, little smokies, homemade french fries) and I am trying to get some pictures downloaded ... I'll do my best ... 

It is strangely quiet with no kids in the house!