next house for us?

I'm thinking this will be all we can afford when this whole ordeal is said & done.

It has potential.

Was listed under 'mansions; redneck'.

Look at the nice bench in the front yard.

Cute.

Want a good laugh??

Madison & I made recordings of ourselves on the webcam doing funny stretchy-faces. Hope it makes you laugh as hard as we did!!

scott loves the webcam

What is that?!

I made beef & bean burritos for supper tonight.

The beans came in a can.

CAN you tell? (get it? haha 'can' you tell? i crack myself up)

"You're Fired!"

Yes... it's true....

I've been 'let go' from Manatron based on my 90-day performance review.

My last day will be 3-14-08.

Could life get much worse....?!?

webcam snapshots

We can take picture snapshots of the people we are talking to. Here is my brother's family on Saturday night. Handsome bunch, aren't they? This is the picture my brother took of me & then sent it to me. Nice one, Madison.

webcam love

Hi Dad!!

Surgery update

Scott's surgeon will call the insurance appeals board on Monday to talk about over-turning the denial for surgery.

We'll let you know what we hear.

Please pray for a good convincing conversation between the surgeon & the insurance company.

last one... I promise

Yes, we have officially become Stony Point rugby fanatics! Here is Jared squatting down into a scrum. Listen to what the ref says: "Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage" (the first word you barely hear).

Injuries weren't too bad this week! Dillon's leg got caught by someone's cleat....

And Jared got a nasty sunburn.

sooooo close.... again

Well.... Scott's surgery was cancelled by the insurance company. Again, he was sooooo close.....

The surgeon called us at 6pm to tell us the insurance notified him that Scott's operation scheduled for Monday was denied. He tried all day to contact the insurance co. but they did not return the Dr's calls.

This morning Scott got through to the insurance company & they said they cancelled for 3 reasons:

1. Possibility of staph infection returning
2. Surgery may not provide adequate pain relief
3. Scott needs to go through pain management

They said the surgeon needs to contact the peer-to-peer review board to contest the denial. Gee... if they'd return his calls then maybe we could get on with this!!

Our responses are: Scott has been tested by an infectious disease specialist to prove the staph is gone.... Scott has been coached that he will have considerable pain relief - NOT 100% relief - and the surgery is our FINAL alternative... he's already been through pain management; physical therapy, drug therapy, epidural injections, steroid injections.... the surgery was our last choice.

PLEASE keep Scott in your prayers!

Not only is he physically hurting, but mentally he is crushed... his family from Iowa that was supposed to come visit & stay for the surgery will not be coming at all.... the thought he may have to simply 'endure' the pain is like prescribing a life-sentence of misery. He has had to sell his company assets because he physically cannot work....

Call him with some encouragement if you feel so inclined.... :(

high school orientation

Tonight is Madison's parent/child orientation to high school. I can't believe she'll be a freshman next year. Wow! All my kids will be in high school! They won't be in the same building most of the day... there are too many kids (1400 freshmen in Dillon's class this year) to fit in one place so the 9th grade campus is next door to the main high school.
Madison has decided to enter the 'Health & Science' Academy at Stony Point. This means she'll take electives which will help her get into a COLLEGE Health & Science program when she graduates. Boy, they make kids grow up so fast anymore....

A violent Rugby game

Here are some highlights from Sunday's home Rugby game:

Here is Jared (facing us in the middle) getting ready for a 'throw-in'.

The next 2 pics are of the 'scrum'. Dillon is nearest us in #13. The 'scrum' cannot touch the ball with their hands, but have to use body force to move the group & kick the ball. See how Dillon sets up & then gets down into 'scrum' position and push with his body.

This is a picture of Dillon with a busted lip leaving the Rugby game last Sunday. We also thought he might have broken his foot - x-rays on Monday confirmed he did NOT break it.
Jared was taken out of the game by the ref & coach. He was the victim of a huge tackle that conked his head on the ground pretty hard & knocked the wind out of him. We watched him for signs of a concussion - but I think he's going to be ok.


You have to watch closely but the guy who gets thrown into the air to catch the ball is Dillon! This is called a 'Throw In' (or as dillon lovingly puts it... major-wedgie-time).

Texas vs Iowa reality check

This picture was posted on my sister-in-law's blog.... I am in disbelief of all the snow. I've forgotten how much there can be!! Oh My.... This weekend we went to a rugby game & got sunburnt. I am amazed at the differences. It looks like fun to play in the snow, for maybe one or two days. I actually do miss the beautiful white snow & the grey-white sky. Looks pretty. But cold. :)

A pot of gold in our neighborhood?!

These were so bright & looked so close this afternoon!

new favorites

Here are some of the things we've been doing lately that are our 'new favorite' things... This is Scott & Madison talking to Scott's dad via the web-cam on the laptop. My brother got us a web-cam for Christmas & it's become our new favorite thing to do.

This is the 2nd weekend in a row that Jared & Dillon have had paintball wars at our house. Today was a rainy day but that didn't stop them.... some would say they are 'die-hard' paintballers. The boys were so muddy that they de-robed in the street (another good reason to live on a sparcely populated street) and left all their muddy crap outside. Boys, mud and guns... let's just say they had fun. Lots of fun.

Rugby tradition

Jared & Dillon have been participating in a Stony Point Rugby Team tradition... they all meet at the 'Tilted Kilt' Irish Pub before a game. Yes... they're all under age.... No.... they're not drinking... (better not!) I think they're just getting into the 'Rugby Spirit'. Or maybe it just has to do with the Pub. Ummmm... yeah, that's probably it.

I can't remember all of it!

Ever feel like you just can't keep everything straight? Like there is so much going on that if you don't write it down or tell someone that you just know you're going to forget something?
Here's what we've got going on:

• Madison is having Brittany, Kelsey & Amber spend the night tonight... arriving @ 6pm.
• The company buying Scott's TV Truck has sent 2 guys to retrieve it. They'll be here this afternoon & leaving later tonight or in the morning. they'll be staying with us.
• We didn't know they were coming until yesterday... so Scott, Jared & Dillon cleaned the tools out of the truck last night (about 2000 lbs worth!). Right now the truck is getting the brake pads replaced & something else... the rotors? Scott & Dillon repaired some damage to it this morning. We have to get that truck back before the people from IA get here!
• The boys have rugby practice at 8am tomorrow & a game at 2pm on Sunday. At home. Good.
• Scott has a Dr. appt Wed. with the vascular surgeon & Thurs. with the neurosurgeon.
• We have homework for our small group; EVERYNIGHT we're supposed to be reading a chapter from Mark... or was it Hebrews...? Ummm....
• Scott's Mom & Dad, Brother, Sister & niece are coming next weekend. I need to find where all the pillows went.
• I need to get some bills paid... my paycheck was deposited today so I need to take time to pay stuff while before they become delinquent.
• My sister-in-law's birthday was on Feb 4th... everyday I look at the gift we bought her... and everyday I think "I need to get that sent". I'm seriously going to do that.... this weekend? Next week?
• We're out of paper plates.
• And kleenex.
• Almost out of butter & milk.

Alright. I feel better. I'll look to back here if I can't remember what I'm supposed to. There wasn't anything else was there? Remind me if I've forgotten something you know of. Thanks. :)

Cleaning out the truck

Scott, Jared & Dillon were cleaning out the TV truck & Dillon found this hard hat. He thinks it makes him look burly. hahahahahhahahahha I mean, gee... you're right Dillon it sure does. :)

FINALLY!

Scott is scheduled for back surgery on Monday, February 25 @ 7:15am.

He has experienced 'maybe' 3 - 5% pain relief from the epidural injection he got on Monday. This is considered NOT successful.

Please keep Scott & our family in your prayers. I'll post more later!

Update on Scott

We're home from the hospital!! Scott had his epidural injection this morning! FINALLY!

Here's how the morning went:
7:15 - left house
7:45 - stuck in stand-still traffic - slight panic about being late to appt
8:10 - arrive 5 min early!
9:00 - Scott goes to a room - they give him private room because of MRSA scare (nice!)
9:40 - Scott begins an IV drip of a strong antibiodic
10:45 - Scott has a sensitivity reaction to antibiodic; they call it 'red man syndrome' because his face & back became flushed & he began getting itchy (weird). But his vitals were fine so they weren't too worried.
11:15 - They take Scott away for injection
11:45 - DONE! Scott is resting in his room
12:20 - We leave the hospital to go home!

Couple of really good things to point out....
The doctor was able to get the injection needle through a point in the spine instead of using a catheter! So Scott only has one small needle-hole in his back (any of you women who had this for childbirth knows what I mean).

Also, the doctor decided NOT to use a general anesthesia - they used an IV narcotic drug which lef thim awake but lessened the pain (wish I had that for the epidural I was given for Dillon's birth) - some people go to sleep with this drug, but Scott said he remained awake. And yes, he did feel pain.... it was not a 'pain-free' procedure. (... can you say ouch...)

So we'll know the full effect of this epidural within 3 days. Scott has a follow-up appointment in 10 days; they'll decide if he needs another injection using the catheter.
In the meantime he will meet with the surgeon on Wed. to see about getting his fusion surgery on the schedule. Hopefully soon! *sigh*

where did those come from?

I found these green beans in the microwave the other night.... at 8:42pm.
I remember making them for supper, at like, 6:30pm.
Why didn't anyone remind me?! I love green beans! And this is a very big waste of an entire can! Someone call CRIMESTOPPERS!!
Oh yes... now I remember... "Ewww, Mom! Why do you have to make those? We hate green beans". I think I know why they didn't remind me. Shameful. Very sad.

what you get

Jared & Dillon worked outside ALL DAY Saturday making paintball barricades. Because the weather was so nice (upper 70's) they didn't think they needed to wear shirts - and this is what happens.... luckily I know where the aloe gel is. The boys made a really nice paintball area on the 3 empty lots next to our house. They each had friends over yesterday afternoon & they shot each other until their little hearts were content (that didn't sound quite right?). Then we grilled fajitas. What a great day!

A few funnies

On the way to Madison's Regional Choir Concert Dillon was concerned about his hair getting messed up from the air whipping through the open windows.... little girl.
They say everything is bigger in Texas. Look at the size of this prickly-weed-thingy growing in our backyard. Ouch!

we win!! sortof...

The boys were supposed to play rugby in San Marcos today - but the other team forfeited... so I guess that means we win!! Right? Here's what we think the game might have looked like if we really did get to play today. Do you like that? Go Jared! :)

Scott is on the schedule!

Okay, I'm trying not to get too excited for Scott.... mostly because he's been this close to pain relief before and, well, something always seems to come up (MRSA... work schedule...etc.).

So... he went to the consultation appointment this afternoon with the pain management Dr. & he's on the schedule for next Monday @ 8:15am.

The doctor is an anesthesiologist who specializes in back injections. The Dr educated Scott as to the complexity of this injection.... Scott has no direct path to the spinal column where the shot needs to go. This is because there's too much bone from previous fusions in this exact spot. So.... the injection will have to travel up through the spine to get to it's destination.
Basically.... this is more complicated than your average epidural injection. They'll have to give Scott general anesthesia. I'll have to take off work to get him home from the appointment.

The Dr also warned him that there may be as little as 5% relief or as great as 85% relief.

Congrats to Madison!!

Madison tried out for Regional Choir yesterday.... there are 16 other middle schools who sent kids to audition. Madison was one of 9 that made it from her school. Yay!!

Hula Hut... again.

We liked the Hula Hut so much when Linda was here last week that we decided to go today after church. Scott thinks this is going to be our new Sunday hang-out. I just hope they get some more water in the lake!

Dillon entertained us by trying to spell his name with the cheese from one of his nachos. Good try... D i l

Madison stayed at a friend's house last night so she missed out. :(

This is perfect

You can tell we're from "The North". We were so excited that the weather was this nice.... 81 on February 3rd??!!
Dillon wore flip-flops out to eat... yes it's that warm. If you'd like to be this warm in February.... we DO have an extra room... (hint, hint).

Beautiful Saturday!

Here is a sight you'll rarely see....

It's a clean car!! Oh my!! The boys took advantage of the 75 degree day & washed the car. I barely recognized it (it was worse than filthy).

Car Dancing with Dillon & Scott

One of my favorite things to do when the weather is nice is to cruise around with the windows down & listen to music. The boys obliged me today. Scott.... we gotta work on that routine.... :)

Forever Friends

I've been emailing with my friend from Iowa City, Pam. We've been friends since, like, um... I think 7th grade? Anyways she gave me a gold pendant several years ago that says "Forever Friends" and I wear it on a chain that has a gold cross on it. Whenever I wear this chain I think of her. So I just wanted to let her know that I'm thinking of her! :)