Sweet boy

I snapped these pics today while Jeremy was grilling. Of course, Dylan wanted to be right there beside him! He is such a sweet boy, I love him so much!

Doing some painting

One of Dylan's gifts for Christmas was a crayola case with all sorts of markers, paints, colored pencils, paper and more stuff too! He wanted to paint b/c he does it all the time at school! He had so much fun with the scissors and was concentrating so hard on making his picture! I just love moments like these!

Lil Stinker

So, I noticed Dylan was being quiet and when I went in his room this is what I found. Usually, I would get mad but I just looked at him and laughed. I went and got my camera and when I took a picture he said, "Cheese"! So, I started cleaning it up and I he came up right next to me crossed his arms and as serious as he could be he said, "It smells good Mommy!" That lil stinker!

Look what Santa brought!

Dylan's 3rd Christmas!

He didn't know what to think

Diggin in

Loved all his gifts

His favorite

Opening more gifts

Showing MiMi all his stuff

Just a playing

The girls & Booger & all the kids with Poppie

They had so much fun

Merry Christmas

Looks like Santa brought Dylan a lot of stuff! All this kid has been asking for is trucks! MiMi came over to see what all he got and he could not wait to show off his trucks! When he walked in the living room the first thing he went to was his trucks! I just knew he would go right up to the HUGE train table that took of half the room...lol!! It took him a minute but he ended up playing with it the most! He is so blessed! He said, "Thank you Sanna Cwaus!".Poppie came over and saw everything he got too! I am so glad he came over. I can't wait till Nonnie gets home b/c then we will have Christmas with them! We all went over to Stefy, NayNay & Boogers house to see what all they got! They got SO many nice things! The girls favorites were their laptops! They also got bicycles and lots, lots more! Booger got a cool handheld game and a bike! Dylan loved playing with Booger's toys! Then, they all came over to see what Dylan got! Booger liked playing with Dylan's trucks! It was a great day! After that we all went to see Nonnie and she is getting better each day! I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Getting ready for Santa

We made cookies for Santa and Dylan was so excited! His favorite part was putting the sprinkles on the cookies! Then he decides to stick his finger in 2 of them! Santa must have liked them b/c he ate 3 1/2 of them and drank almost all the milk! Dylan was so excited!

Christmas with my family

DD opening his gifts

MG loved her gifts

Maddie Grace got some cute clothes

They had fun

I love my family

We got together a week ago to celebrate Christmas with my family! Everybody came to my house this year and we really enjoyed it! We ate some great food and had a great time! Maddie Grace got So many cute things! She is so blessed! I don't know where they will put it all! Although she got lots of toys that make noise and baby dolls her favorite thing was Dylan's monster truck and tractors...lol! Her Daddy was so proud! Quinn says she is going to buy her a truck for her b'day! I guess she is used to all of Dylan's toys! Dylan got some great gifts too! His favorite was the monster truck that Aunt Quinn got him! He loved opening all his gifts! I love my family so much!

Christmas at Aunt Mel's

Everybody meeting Maddie Grace

Spending time wth Nana

They loved MG

Mary Kate helping Maddie open her gifts

DD loved all his gifts

We all had fun

Last weekend we got together with my Aunt Mel and family! I love getting together with them, I only wish we could get together more often! We started by meeting at the assisted living place where my Nana is. She is doing ok, but it is obvious she is getting older. She was able to open all her gifts and when we asked if she liked them she says, "Yes". My Aunt Mel says that Nana doesn't know who any of us are but she lit up like a Christmas tree when we all walked in so I know we were familiar to her. After we spent some time with my Nana we all went to my Aunt Mel's and enjoyed a tasty lunch! Everybody just ate up Maddie Grace! Mary Kate would not put her down, she was so good with her! All the kids opened gifts and my Aunt Mel did a Disney theme for each child which I thought was very creative! My half sister Heather did a great job too, she got Dylan a cool gift from Snoozy's kids and he LOVED it!! Even though everyone loved their gifts, that part doesn't even matter to me b/c all I look forward to every year is spending time with them! My half sisters husband is in a band called Lavalamp and my Aunt Mel had asked him to bring his guitar so we could all sing Christmas carols. He didn't do that but he did bring cd's that their band had just made and I even got him to sign it for me! He is so funny and I am so glad he got to get together with us this year! We had a great time like we do every year, I love my family!

**UPDATE**

My MIL is getting a little better each day. She is writing a lot now and can even whisper pretty good. They got her up and walked her around a couple of times and she seems to be doing ok. They should get the results back today from the sample that was taken from the infection. They will do a CT scan tomorrow to see if it is collecting again and if not then she should be able to be put in her own room. Thanks to everyone for all your thoughts and prayers. I will keep everyone posted.

**UPDATE on Christmas Day**

We went to see Nonnie today and she seemed to be doing much better. She looked good and although she still has a trachea in they reduced her pain medicine and is now breathing on her own. She is able to write down what is on her mind and you can even read her lips some of the time. The first thing she wrote down before she could even open her eyes was...Where is my husband?, What day is it? and When can I go home? She then asked how the kids and grandkids were and even more things later on. When we went to see her, Jason (my BIL) was talking to her and Nonnie looked at him and moved her lips and asked where Ashley (my SIL) was. She knew Ashley would explain everything and once she started explaining how serious it was Nonnie got upset. We all told her to relax and not try to be Wonder Woman while she was in there...she just smiled. Then, we had more family come in and they made her laugh too. We all told her how lucky she is and how much we can't wait for her to come home. She moved her mouth and told us all that she loved us. We told her we would bring the video of Dylan this morning so she can see and she is really looking forward to that! It was an emotional day and she still isn't out of the woods yet, but things are looking much better. Thanks to everyone for praying. I will keep everyone posted. Merry Christmas!

Maddie Grace's Christmas pics

I recently took these pics and I have been wanting to post them so bad I can't stand it! Quinn made me promise not to post them b/c she was giving them away for Christmas gifts! Her MIL came into town yesterday and she saw them so I figure I am good to post them now! I think they turned out SO cute! This is MG's 1st Christmas and it has been so much fun with her! I love her so much! Merry Christmas everybody!

Update as of Christmas Eve

We got to the hospital around 6:45 this morning and got to see Nonnie before she went back for her procedure. It just broke my heart to see her like that. We all just gathered around her and talked to her although she wasn't coherent. They found an absess and took her back for surgery to drain it. Once they got in they drained 1/2 gallon of puss from the absess. Some of it drained into her chest cavity and they told us to be nervous for the next couple of days. We are all praying that it doesn't get into her blood stream. They had to put a trachea in and they had to cut a large spot on the right side of her neck. She will be in CICU for at least 4 more days and if everything goes well then she may get into a regular room after that. I wanted to tell you the what happened last night. I was on the computer chatting with my sister-in-law and she is a RN studying to be a nurse practitioner so she knows the severity of this. I guess I just didn't realize just how serious this really was and it all hit me last night as we are chatting on FB. Jeremy & his cousin had gone to see Nonnie and Dylan & I stayed at home. I just broke down and could not hold it in and Dylan sat in my lap and said, "R U sad Mommy?" and I just looked at that precious little face and said, "Yes baby, Mommy's sad" and he said, "Why Mama?" I said "Because Nonnie is sick baby" and he said "But why Mama?" and I said "Because she has an infection". He just hugged me and put his head on my shoulder and patted me on the back and said, "It gonna be ok Mommy". It was the sweetest moment and I will always remember it. My 2 1/2 year old was comforting me, how sweet is that? Then, when his Daddy got home he walked up to him and said, "Daddy, Mommy is sad cuz Nonnie is sick and she cry". I just had to share that story. Kids have such sweet, innocent souls. I thank God for my angel everyday. There were so many people there for us today. Thank you for all your prayers. I will keep everyone posted.

*UPDATE*

Here is the latest...my MIL is going to have a procedure in the morning @ 8:00 where they will cut open her throat to see exactly what it is. There will be 3 specialists in the room while it is being done. If it is an infection like they think then they will wash it out and put something in to drain it out for the next 1-2 weeks. If not, then we will go from there. Our Christmas has been put on hold until Nonnie gets better. I will keep everyone posted after we get back from the hospital tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for your prayers.

Please pray

I wanted to give everybody an update on my mother-in-law. She has been sick for over a month now. It all started with her not being able to swollow and she stayed in the hospital for almost a week. Her blood cell count was high and so was her blood pressure. She came home and never really felt much better although she did make this Polar Express trip b/c she planned this for so long and wasn't going to miss it! She was on 8 prescriptions for an infection in her esophagus. She went to the ER Sunday night and they sent her home although her blood cell count was high again. She went back in the hospital yesterday and isn't doing good. They told her she has a secondary infection and her throat is so swollen that they can't do the upper GI. The next step is to try a feeding tube and if they can't get it in then they will have to put in a trachea. She has been moved to CICU. Please put Sheila Scoggins on your prayer list, she really needs it. We are so used to her being the strong one and always on the go. It is really hard to see her struggling like she is. We will all have some comfort in knowing that people are praying for her. I will keep everyone posted.

Fun times with friends

The other night Jeremy's best friend came over. I was so excited b/c Cathy & Kyleigh came too and I just knew that Dylan & Kyleigh would play and have the best time! Quinn & Maddie Grace were here too and Kyleigh just loved her! She kept hugging her, it was the sweetest thing! Dylan & Kevin had fun building blocks! We all laughed watching Kevin, he was like a little kid! It was nice having them all over, we had a good time!

Meeting Layla Avery!

So, today Quinn, Maddie & I went to meet Layla! When we got there it was almost time for her feeding. Because Layla was 6 weeks early she has been in the NICU. Only 2 people can go in per visit. So, I was the lucky one that got to go in with Laci today. They had to put Layla in an incubator b/c her temp was low. It was so pitiful to see all those precious babies in the NICU. Layla was one of the bigger ones and is doing great! Although she won't get to go home with Laci & Anthony just yet, she should be coming home before long. It is so sweet to see my best friend become a mother and when I asked her, "You've never felt love like you do now, huh?" She started crying and then I started crying! It was such a special moment to share with her. I just wanted to share these precious pics of Layla Avery! I snapped a few with my phone. She is the best Christmas present anyone could ask for!

Polar Express '09

So, I am finally getting to post the pics from out wonderful experience at the Polar Express! Dylan has been looking forward to this, he watches Polar Express EVERY night! He could not wait to ride the choo-choo! The best word I can use to describe it was...magical! There were about 20 of us and we got to sit on the upper deck on the train! It was so much fun and I think the adults enjoyed it just as much if not more than the kids did! It was neat hearing the narrator read the story then we arrived at the North Pole and Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus came on board. It wasn't easy to get a pic of the kids with them so I did the best I could! After the left we all got cookies and chocolate milk. Then, the elves gave out gifts! As we were leaving the North Pole Dylan started waving at Santa saying..."Erry Rismas Sanna Cwaus"! It was the sweetest thing! Once we left Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus everyone on the train sang Christmas carols, it was so much fun! This was such a memorable experience and the best part was it was with the whole family! Merry Christmas everybody!!

Layla is here!!

I just got a call from my best friend! Layla Avery is here and she weighed 5lbs 11oz! Laci did great and said she only pushed for about an hour. Layla is about a month early and has a little bit of congestion in her lungs so she is in NICU. She is doing good and isn't on oxygen so hopefully she will get to go home with Mommy & Daddy on Tuesday. Everyone is doing good and Quinn & I are going to see them tomorrow! I will post pics then! Please keep them in your prayers!

Laci's baby shower

These are pics from my best friends baby shower a few weeks ago! Laci got so many nice things! Little Miss Layla is so blessed! It was so good to see everyone! Although Laci isn't due until January 28th, I got a call from her around 11:00 this morning that her water broke and she had dilated 4cm. They had just given her Potosin, so now I am just waiting to hear that Miss Layla has made her grand appearance! Keep them in your prayers!