Date weekend

or as I call it "Laura's Sanity" saver.  My blessed husband loves to take me away.  We would do it more often if it was easier to cobble together childcare.  He seems to be traveling a ton with his new ventures. 
We both had been missing each other and I needed a get away to spend time decompressing from running the household solo and to really visit with Rob.  During this busy season of life sometimes it really takes removing ourselves from the normal to get a fresh perspective. 

My wonderful sister April agreed to watch the kids Friday afternoon thru Sunday evening.  God Bless her!  She is pregnant and did most of it solo, Mark came up for a bit on Saturday.  He had to work some of the weekend in DSM. 
She didn't even sit around the house.  She took the kids for donuts, to the park, to play in the sandbox, to see the butterflies at Reiman Gardens and then on a picnic, made a butterfly craft and out to eat for dinner and to the arcade with Mark.  She even took them bowling on Sunday, SOLO!  I am scared to do that!  She is gonna make one great mama come this fall.  The kids had a great time and keep asking for her, or mentioning something that they did together. 

I loved my time away.  I ate, drank, read a book, swam, held hands with my husband, walked a ton, window shopped, ate and drank some more, watched some basketball, ran into an old friend, slept in, watched Rob park his big old truck in tiny - unbelievable spaces perfectly and connected with my best friend. 

It was such a great weekend.  Thanks April!

 I love how Emily's book shelf is changing

 This tub of water and bubbles bought me 1.5 hours to work with Emily

 trying on his Easter digs, I bribed him with a lolly, and - no he didn't wear track pants to church

 Kansas City date selfie

 Yep, I am that strong, and I regret not spending $150 extra on the new fridge for an ice maker

 Easter Eggs

 Spider Man wears a dress.  Her favorite dress, she wears this dress every other day

 Final day of Em's co-op, class picture after they did an outdoor trip learning to use a compass

Driving the '57, Noelle snuggled up with Rob

More winter pics

 Emily working on a drawing of her basketball team

 Easter bunny crafts

 One last (attempt) family picture with the '57

 Emily always stands by the tallest boys while getting rewards at piano recitals!

 Basketball Cy

 Father-daughter Hoe-down dance

 We convinced the Dr. that a ride in a wheel chair would cheer him up after his big shot

 

words you don't want to see on the clinic sheet...

You were diagnosed with:
Unspecified hearing loss - primary
Adenoid hypertrophy
eustachian tube dysfunction
chronic otitis media

What a lovely list. Hoping we can clear some of these up for Dallas.  The poor kid just can't catch a break!  Luckily his wheezing tendencies have been so much less this winter.  We have only used the nebulizer a couple of times on Dallas.  
He has had an ear infection in one or both ears for a month and a half now.  We are on our 3rd different 10 day antibiotic run, this doesn't include the week break where he had to get two injections of Augmentin (antibiotic) straight to the thigh! 

We are currently trying to teach him "auto-inflation" (pop your ears).  If we can get his ears to pop and drain naturally we might be able to avoid surgery.  The ENT also could not guarentee that a post surgery Dallas would sleep better.  For now we are trying to get him to pinch his nose and blow/swallow 5-10 times a day and we go for a recheck in April. 

snapshots of March

 Noelle ate the black snow

 my kids don't like bread, even Jimmy Johns bread

 This opened a store in Ames, we tried it and were disapointed, its Dutch Oven donuts for us

 We met some friends for dinner and more importantly dessert!

 He has been tired

 These friends waiting patiently for their ice cream

 They dug a t-rex jaw bone out of the "dirt"

 We have visited "Sue" at the Science Center of Iowa

 She still sleeps like this

 Rob put chains on the snow blower

 Special treat to ease the pain of the "hugest shot ever" put in his thigh

 Popcorn party while watching Wreck it Ralph

 Getting in gear for the Cyclones Big 12 matchup

Crazy Hair night at Awana, Em had spray on glitter on her hair

being sick

The little guy has been sick lately.  His right ear drum keeps rupturing.  We have had several ear infections in the last couple of months, that have never quite cleared.  This earned Dallas a big old shot of Augmentin and a trip to see his old friend Dr. ENT. 
Everyone but Rob has had a cold the past week or so.  Dallas and Noelle have needed some breathing treatments.  I have had a sore throat, and Emily has had the coughs.  I am finally feeling a little better today.  I am glad Rob was spared during this round, he usually gets every virus that enters this house.

Father - Daughter Dance

This has become an annual party at our church.  Emily and Rob love it, and this year Noelle joined the fun.  This year the theme was Hoedown.  I tried to channel Laura Ingles or pioneer girl since only Rob owns cowboy boots.  Emily got braids and Noelle pigtails, I tied with red gingham cloth.  We had made the t-shirts that week for Valentines.  We used a heart doily as a stencil.  I think they had fun.  Rob has actions shots on his phone, so I will try to get those loaded.