Ari new bike

Here is Ari new bike. She had gotten a bike for X-mas but for some reason it kept breaking. Daddy was going to have a look at it and see why the chain was falling off but he didn't get around to it. Well this Saturday I was going to do my running around and Ari was with me. (She always go with me to the store and what not, she and Zac follow me everywhere and I mean everywhere) Out front of the PX extra was bikes and I told her we would go look and see how much they were. Well not only were they on sale and the perfect colors but it fit perfectly in the Escape so I bought it. She was over the moon to say the least.
As soon as we got home she was off and riding. She had her water bottle and MP3 player. She was worried that she would forget how to ride her bike, but she didn't. After posing for pic, because Daddy had to see "Gem" as Ari named it she was off.
Needless to say I am quite pleased because I got rid of one kid for at least an hour. After thinking out it I decided to also kicking the boys out and informing them that they had to breath outside air and not talk to me for 30 mins. It was wonderful and a great Sunday for everybody.

We are almost done with week thank goodness! I am so tired!

Zac back in the water and his leg is doing so much better. He and Ari are giving swimming lessons twice a week to one of my good friend daughters and even though they have just started this week, they have been going well. The kids have gotten the Olympic games on x-box and they are loving it. They are really excited about the up coming games and I think we are going to host an party for opening ceremonies.

I am redoing our kitchen at the moment and it going so much better then I expected. I decided on the Tuscan theme (even though I hate themes) cuz I live the colors in it and it matches the color themes through out the house. I am about half way done and hope to have it all done soon.

I am also trying to get everyone ready to go back to school. They are now in the the 5th, 7th, and 8th grades and I swear the lists get bigger every year! They also start their swim teams Sept. 2nd. They are excited and nervous at the same time.

Zac heads back to Shriner's the week school starts and well get an idea of when he has to go back.

That pretty much it for this week, we are sooo boring!

Back to the grind

James called and he has made it safetly back to his unit. He went straight on a 10 hour flight from Dallas to Germany. He had a lay over in Germany for about an hour ( this in it self was diffirent since he has been going thru Ireland) and then straight to Kuwait. When I talk to him he was tired and glad to be done flying for a little bit. In 4 months he gets to come home for good!! Well until the Army decide otherwise.



I am back into the full swing at work and got a full house till next month. It busy to say the least. Fun, fun, but it does help the time fly.



The kids are enjoying the last 6 weeks of summer by laying around and hanging out. Everyone is excited but nervous about the up coming school year. I think it will be great. Zac is going into the 8th grade, Dave is going into the 7th, and Ari into the 5th. This is her last year in the Elmemetery school, hard to believe our baby is getting so big.

Zac leg

He up and driving me nuts. No I kid, well not really, but he is on the go.


Well I am happy to announce that we are now walking WITHOUT crotches! He still gets tired and can't walk for long period, but he getting stronger everyday. I am so proud of him. He is bending the knee more everyday. He can't wait till this week-end, he will be able to go in the pool.

Here what we are hoping will go away by next year and the reason for his surgery. We are hoping to get a straight leg (the docs say we have a very good chance of getting it too!! We are soo excited!)

When the leg is straiten we are hoping that it will make the leg longer and even the boy out!

Here we go again

Well today it a blah day. Daddy left this morning at 6:30. It sucks he has to go again but the silver lining we only have 4 months left (if things go as planned). He should be home by X-mas and we are already looking forward to it. We all ready miss him very much.

Zac is doing better, he gets stronger everyday. He can bend the knee at a 5 degree angle and it hardly using the crutch's only during the evening. He will be able to get back in the pool this Friday and he can't wait. It is hard for him to not be able to swim, I swear the boy is half fish. He goes back to Shiners in August and starts practice 5 days a week in Sept, so he is ready for time to fly and get going.

Dave and Ari are enjoying the summer. Ari has had yet another growth spurt (I swear she plans these so she can get all new clothes). Dave is so his dad and showing his age (for some reason 12 is the tough age with our kids). I am amazed they make it past that age.

I am back to work and things are busy, busy. I got to make money for school clothes.

Other then that this are the same old, same old.

Zac Update

Zac went to the docs here at BAMC yesterday because we were concerned that his knee was still swollen and that he could bend it allot yet. They did x-rays and poked about the leg (hubby term, I wasn't able to go). They said that his plates look great and it looks like the surgery was a success!. The swelling and the fact he can't bend like he should is because that leg just takes longer to recover. Needless to say we were relieved and very happy to hear that. He was given some stretching exercising to do and hopefully in a few weeks he will be all back to normal!

Zac Surgery

On Monday the 1st of July we went to Houston for Zac surgery. He was having 2 toggle plates placed on 2 growth plates of the right leg ( the leg with fiber displaysia) to help straighten the leg. It called an Epiphyseal stapling. We decided to go a day early so that we would not have to rush to be there next morning at 10 AM for him to be admitted. We got a room next to Reliant Stadium. That just sent Zac over the moon. He kept looking out the window saying how nice it is! Loon! The night before he went into the hospital we decided to let them swim since that is something he wouldn't be able to do for awhile. They had a ball!
The next day Zac was admitted and we settled in the best we could. We had decided that James would stay in the hotel with the other 2 (so they could get some daddy time) and I would be the lucky one to stay with Zac in the hospital (someone has to be with the child at all time). We tried to make the most of the situation and play pool and video games. Zac had a room mate this time so that was a nice distraction for both boys ( they played game cube all night). That night we were told that Zac would go in to OR sometime before lunch, depending on how the other surgeries go. After a rough night (no one got any sleep) we tried to get time to past as quick as we could ( Zac couldn't eat anything which was hard). Finally they came to get him, he was nervous and scared but was very brave. After the longest 1 and 1/2 hours in the world, they came and said that Zac was out of surgery and everything looked good. After some quick phone calls to moms, we got to go back and see him. After getting him back to his room and as comfortable as we could, he fell asleep and didn't really wake up till the next day (they had great drugs!). We had to wait and see it he could get comfortable enough and stable enough to go home. Last surgery we think we rushed out of the hospital to soon, so this time we were more careful and let him rest. They at last cleared us to go home and Zac could manage at little with his crutches. After hell ride home for all 5 of us, we got home thank god. A week later we got to take this cool picture (caution gross pic):

It was bigger then the had told us it would be, 5 inches each, (Zac said chicks dig scars) and more placed on the knee then talk about but no infection so that good. He up and moving slowly, but can't bend the knee. It swollen and has pain while trying to bend it. This is not a good thing he was suppose to be almost normal by now. In our world NOTHING happens the way is suppose to and this surgery was doing the same thing of course.

James unit was wonderful and were able to give him an extension so we could get to the bottom of what went wrong were and what needs to be fixed. He so big now 5'2" and 100 lbs that he is now to big for mommy to lift and daddy is the muscle so thank god he can be here, even if it is a week. We are always afraid he'll fall and a child with his condition it can have a serve out come ( broken bones, more surgeries, and hospital stays) so getting him on stable foot is a big deal.

So that is were we are now and hope to have this all better soon.

Daddy coming home

After swim camp we got ready for James to come home. Dave also got to go with Uncle Gup and his brothers Mr. Mike and Mr. Chuck to WWE and RAW draft night. Auntie Mel and myself plus our great artist Ari made many posters for them to hold up during the matches. It was a wonderful time had by all and Dave love his wrestling.

As normal James coming home didn't go as plan. (I have come to the realization that NOTHING in my life goes as planned) He was suppose to be home Tuesday the 24th of June but he couldn't get out of Iraq till 2 day later then schedule so he didn't get here till 5 on Thursdays the 24th.. We were very happy to see him and he was happy to finally be home. He couldn't get over all the green (which is funny since we are in a drought and everything is half dead, so I think everything looks brown) and how cool the air was (it was a 100 when he got in). He brought presents for everyone, which is always good. He is currently still home on an extension due to Zac having problems after surgery (next post). He should leave next Tuesday.

Training camp

As everyone knows Zac was able to attend UT swim camp the week after his birthday and he LOVED it. He is full fledged nut about swimming and can't wait to go back. Due to his ability he was bumped up to the second to highest group the blue group. (they break the kids into 4 different groups orange, white, blue, and red)

At 1st he was happy until the the 1st practice, then it was over. The average age range in the blue group was 15 and my poor little guy was just 14 and small little guy. ( man kids now a days are huge!!) He was not use to swimming 3 times a day and then do the dry land exercises. His day was like this:

6:15 get up and run to the car ( I had to drive in which with traffic could be from 30 mins to 1 hour, not good planning on Mom part, sorry)

6:30-7:15 eat, get dressed and brush teeth in car (swimming is great way to burn thru food, all the kid did is eat and sleep)

7:20-9:00 walk 4 city blocks to pool (zac swears it was all up hill) for morning swim practice

9:00-10:00 watch videos on strokes (he said he fell asleep more then once during this)

10:00-11:00 Dry land train ( they did different things for this to include weights)

11:00-12:30 Lunch

12:30- 1:30 more stokes videos

1:30-2:30 walk back to the pool for afternoon swim practice (which was given by guest coach, usually someone who made it to the Olympic team to include his fave guy and we could watch that practice so guess where I was everyday fun fun, poor Dave and Ari, got alot of video though)

2:30-5:00 Social time ( better know as nap time)

5:00-6:00 Dinner

6:00-8:00 walk back to pool for evening swim practice

8:30 go home (eating in car for the long drive back and sleep)

Needless to say that after the 1st day the little man was wiped out and even muscle hurt. He and I discussed going down a level because he was so small and having a hard time. However after I informed him that we (Fix's and Askew's often lose but never quit) he bucked up and gave it his all.

On Thursday was he named swimmer of the day by the head coach for never giving up and working his butt off. (he didn't have much to begin with poor guy) I don't think I have ever seen him so proud. He said they were swimming the mile in morning practice ( which has always been hard for him, he a sprinter not distance guy) and one the last lap he was last like normal (he went from top dog at swim school to bottom of the barrel at camp) and the coach walk beside his lane and started to cheer him on, by the time he hit the end of the lane, the whole group was cheering him. When he hit the wall and was trying to catch his breath the coach decided that he should be swimmer of the day and the group agreed. I had quite the happy boy that evening.

He got to have an autograph session with the Olympians and was thrill to see his fave guy remember him from March. He was to tired to take any pics however.

He is already looking forward to next year. (same deal stand he has to pass all classes and no detention for the year) We are very proud of him! Now he just need to grow! (the coach's kept telling him that) Plus we have moved him to a different swim school that practices more and competes more often. He starts that in Sept. It was great and I will definitely be planning it better, less driving and staying in a hotel. Daddy will most likely miss this too because he has to go to ANOC sometime in May and won't be back in time. :(

^

where to begin

Well it has been awhile since I post on here and tons has been going on. I have been trying to figure out the best way to post it and I think I am going to go event to event. That should work right?
Tabi

Not posting

Sorry I have not posted in a while. It has been soo busy around here. How ever in the next coming day I will post updates on everything.
Tabi

Ladies night 3

Chris and Mel

The group minus me, I took the pic, we had the waiter take agroup one of all of us but I think he messed it up cuz Mel kept telling him he was gay! Next time she needs to wait till we leave

Us again
She a hoot

Ladies night 2

it was a very important point, no really!!
best freinds for almost 20 years, can it get better then that!
The 2 Mels
Mel and Chris

agian the 2 Mels

Ladies night

Our youngest lady, baby Amber
Me and Chris, we had a good time
Barbara, Katina, and Chris one side of our table
Jenifer and baby Amber, she was hungry too.

We had a ladies night out to PF Changs (one of my fave chinese resurant) and then one to see Sex and the City. I was fun and everyone had a good time.

Almost Vacation time

Well were getting very close to the kids and mine vacation!! We all are excited and ready to sleep in!!

This is the last week of school for the kids. Ari is enjoying the relaxed setting allot more. They have had movie day, PJ to school day, and today is her awards day. Zac and Dave are having Finals this week (still weird that they are old enough to have finals) and a big party on Friday. All the kids took the TASK test this year and I am happy to report they did wonderful. Dave got commend performance in Math for the second year in a row! Next year they are talking about placing him in to AP Algebra next year. James and I are quite confused at were the good at moth thing comes from (all 3 of them are really good at it) since neither of us like it at all!

Ladies night was allot of fun, but that a separate post. :)

Next up for us is Austin and Zac training camp at UT. That should be nice, I hope !

As far as everything else, we have had some black clouds lately to sadly. Since this time last year we have had quite a few family member past away. It has been tough for all of us but as Ari points out we got quite a few angels in heaven now looking out for us. It been though on our family (especially for James he has not been able to attend any funerals and has to focus on were he is) but we just make sure no one is forgotten and we miss them very much.


We are getting ready for Zac Surgery on the 1st. I am happy that we are getting on further the path to making his legs better and getting him the ability to stand straight (one leg is still shorter then the other so from the hips down he is uneven) and tall. In the same breath I wish there was another way. This is going to be extremely painful for him and in 18 month to 2 years he will have to go threw the same surgery again plus add the leg lengthening surgery. Just not something I look forward to I guess. He will do great I know because he always rises to theses challenges with amazing strength and the boy is tough. He is so positive and can't wait for his leg to match the rest of his smoking body(his words not mine! I think he looks like a chicken ). Dave and Ari have been greatabout it. They have been asking allot of questions and want to know what they can do to help Zac after the surgery. They are always so helpfully and understanding during these times. We will be fine I am sure, just had to vent I guess.

Quick up date

Well it then end of the week here for us and one more week till the kids are out of school and I am on leave from work. To say we are looking forward to it would be an understatement!

The kids are into their last weeks of school thing. The boys are at the age when they have final (hard to believe they are that big already!) and choosing classes for their next school year.

Dave picked Art this go around (so glad we didn't buy that band instrument) and will be AP everything except English. That kid is scary smart!!
Zac is doing the same and will not have elective again next year so he can have extra study hall. He said that doing this is the reason we have seen such a rise in his grade (he has done soo much better this year) so I am more then happy to see him choose this.
Ari took the TASK test this year and did wonderful in everything except writing which is what we expected. She is looking forward to the 5th grade and will be taking art elective and a drama elective which I think she'll enjoy. Should be a great year for her.

I am trucking along. Tonight is ladies night and we are going to one of my fave PF Chang's and going to see the Sex in the City movie. Maybe if we are up to it dancing later. I am still trying to decided what I am going to wear but have it down to 2 choice. It should be fun.
That what up with us.

Dave 12th birthday party

The boys
We had Dave 12th birthday party today. It was going to see "Iron Man", eat pizza, and play x-box party and I think it went well. We had the ladies in attendance to (Ari and her friends) but they didn't want to take a pic with the boys. It just not done I tell you!! In total there was 15 kids, Auntie Mel (Who made the cake), Uncle Gup ( he helped with making the boys "share" the x-box), Ms. Melanie (who volunteered to go to the movie with the kids, which was wonderful), and Ms. Jenifer who brought the baby for all of us to love on and we really enjoyed Amber and her company. It was a great time for all and every one was really well behaved.
With all the teen age boys in the house even sing "happy birthday" and opening presents was a hoot. Zac brought the coolness factor of course, even if it was in his own head and both boys wore their medals for everyone to look at. The other boys felt that they were supplying all the laughs and one liners. Around here everyone thinks they are a comedian and this party was full of the them! :)
Dave got so many wonderful present and great cards. He is very lucky boy and he certainly felt that way today.
I can't believe my baby is 12. Yuck!

Swim Meet

We are the swim meet!


Today we had the kids first swim meet. They did great!! We are soo proud of them! They lowered their times and showed allot of stroke improvement. It is amazing how far they have come in just a year time.
Ariana had a good meet. She had the largest group with the most swimmer in it. She didn't place for any medals but show good sportsman ship and is really our most improved swimmer. Just last summer she was afraid to put her head in the water and couldn't even swim one lap. Now she can swim all strokes in one lap under 30 secs and can do the I.M.,which is four laps (one of the 4 strokes each), in 2 minutes. I have a feeling she be placing for metals next year!
David had a wonderful meet and was our big surprised. Anyone who knows Dave knows he is slow and steady man. Well not any more, he said that is just for practice. He got the silver in his fave stroke, the breast, and came in a 1/2 a sec behind, to come in 4th on the I.M. He really enjoyed racing and can't wait to race again!! Who knew. Wow!!
Zac had an great meet all around. He got 2 gold and 3 silver (he only had 5 races) and was quite the go getter. His back stroke, a stroke he didn't want to do but coach made him, was 13 sec and he completely control the race in the I.M. He said that this is the start of his metal collection and he not stopping till he gets Olympic gold. Boy got big dreams, go Zac, go.

Well I am off to go and get ready for Dave birthday party tomorrow. It is such a busy week-end here it crazy!

Dave's Birthday today

Dave and Rose, he named her!
Dave is 12 today. I have no idea were the time has gone! :( He is turning into a hansom, smart, and funny little man. He is so excited and can't wait till his party on Sunday. His best friends are coming and they are going to see Iron Man, eat pizza, and cake (Auntie Mel is making an Iran Man cake. He still loves space (if he get all passing grades and no detention he gets to go to space camp next summer) and comic books. If you add pirates it even better. He likes to swim (his breast stoke is killer and his fave) and like to play soccer with friends. He loves video games, is starting to get into computer games and of course board games. He also like to read allot. I can't believe he is get so big, I remember my little brown eyed baby who loved Elmo.

"Dave wake up it time for our close-up!!"

Closer to Friday and our new diet

This week has been busy busy around here. The kids are getting more excited as the summer get closer. I can't wait to have time off to just be with the kids, friends, and so family. It will be nice and well needed.
I have been slowly over the past 3 months (I think) changing our family to mostly organic (with daycare it just cost to much but I do about half and half) and I have to say it has not been as bad as I thought it would be. I did it because I am always worried that they eat to much junk and not enough of the good stuff they need to grow healthy. As they get older they can get their hand on tons of crap at school and all that. Add to the fact I am also try to be healthier and all that good stuff. The kids really love the food and while they always have been really good eaters, now they claim to be able to tell the difference. :) Plus for Z I have removed about 75% of dairy from his diet and added soy in it place. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. He has been complaining for the past year or so that he didn't like milk or yogurt because it upset his stomach but I made his eat or drink it anyways because really needed the calcium for his poor bones. Well on my trip recently my BF told me her doc strongly recommend soy to her for a good source of all that stuff so I got some while on our trip. I was surprised how good it tasted and how much I liked it better. So when I got home I gave it to the boy and he liked it. After that I slowly replaced everything till we are were we are now at only 25% dairy. He is doing really great and to be honest he has been allot calmer this week too, plus no tummy aches either. Wonder if the two are connected? The other two like it to so it all good for me, well until hubby comes home, he sooo not going to like it. Anything healthy and not cheese nips is bad :)

Our update

Well here goes my attempt to update everyone about everyone in one post, fun fun.

We'll start with the hubby, down side first he is currently serving a 15 month tour in Iraq. He has been there since September and we are finally at the 8th month mark, thank god. He should be home Dec sometime, if everything goes as planned, never know with the Army. On the upside, he made his E-7 and I am soo proud of him. He works really hard and is really good at want he does (plus making more money for my shoe and wine addiction too, good man.), he happy and so are we. He will be home on R&R around the 25th of June till about the 18th of July which will be great timing for us. he also re-enlisted so it going to be the Army life for us for at least 8 more years, joy. Other then that he doing good, can't wait to be out of Iraq and back at the nuthouse (I mean home of course) with all of us.

Next about my oldest Z, he almost 14 and man are we all feeling the pain. Got to love how they re embrace the word "No".His upside is he doing much better at school this year and is quite the popular one, good or bad I haven't decided. He LOVES swimming and according to him will be the next Micheal Phelps. He really good so we'll see, you can never aim to high in my opinion. He is getting to go to the Longhorn Training camp for swimming this summer (June) with the Olympic Swim coach and get to swim and be taught by at least 3 Olympic swimmers. To say he excited would be such an understatement. We took him to a meet in March at UT and the boy was in heaven (wasn't bad for mom and Auntie Mel either ;)) so he is ready to go. He in swim practice 2x a week now and will go 4x a week as we get closer so he is ready for the camp. After that he hopes to join the team. He has his 1st swim meet on the 24th of this month (the other two will be competing also) competing in ALL races, so it will be cool. The downside for him is that he will be having his 2 or 3rd (I am losing track, he has had one once a year since we have moved here) surgery for his leg. He was diagnosed with McCune-Albright shortly after our PCS here and that is what has cause the secondary illness (fiber displaysia) in the right leg, hip, chest, and skull. He is a patient at Shiner's in Houston and they have been wonderful. We are going to have metal plates put on the right side of his right leg bones to encourage the leg to grow straight (it is very bowed and add to the length problem). He is very excited about this surgery because he feels ( and it will) it will lead to his leg looking more normal and get him closer to where he needs to be. The docs feel that it could help a lot with the the length problem (one leg is longer then other by an inch and 3/4). Daddy will be home for this so that will help.

My middle one D, has had a busy year also. He is also in swimming and loves it. He will have his 1 st meet on the 24 (day after his 12 b-day) and will be doing the breast, freestyle, and IM. He still loves space and hopefully will be able to go to space camp next year. He was in band this year and had his first x-mas band concert. We even bought the cd! He named his instrument Bob and they were quite the happy pair until D decided he likes art better. He is almost done with the 6th grade and is such a little clone of the hubby it not even funny. His down side was that he got Mono (told him to stay away from the girls) in Dec and it took him a really long time to recover. Add to the fact it took them forever to figure out he had it and that he caught every bug going around, poor guy. Other then that he good.

The baby princess A has been busy this year too. She has been doing great in school (she a perfectionist, fun fun) and swimming too. She doing the back stoke, freestyle, and IM at the meet. She turning into a lady even though her daddy and I are soo not ready for it. We have had boyfriend drama, Friend drama, and brother drama already and I am sure till is just the beginning. She is a clothes horse already and always dress to impress (herself or so she tells me) and is stealing my shoes (kid has big feet). She still loves music and art the most and can't wait till next year when she can take an art and drama course.

I am plugging away as normal. I did get to runaway to Sonoma for a lovely girls get away. Everyone know I love wine and good friends and I got to enjoy both. No kids for 4 days, 3 nights (Thank you soo much Uncle Gup) was wonderful. I have decided I am doing this once a year. So ladies get ready, its on!! Up next is New York City! Other then that life ok, can't wait till hubby comes home this deployment is tooo long. Business has been really good, I have great kids and families. I am taking most of June and the beginning July off for Z training camp (got a house in Austin that has been exciting but stressful to) going to spend our birthday by the pool with wine and cheesecake, and hubby coming home plus the surgery. So it promises to be a busy summer.

Now that I have written a book (sorry) I think we are all caught up :)

1st Blog

I have decided to try this and see if this is a better way to keep in touch with everyone and everyone up to date, without the masive group emails. I will try to up date it on a regular bases (we have so much going on at the moment) and keep everyone in the loop.