"Change is in the Air"

I have so many post I want to type and even a couple of giveaways, but I have so little time. I am hoping that when Morgan starts preschool here in the next week or so, I will finally find a little time to get to the gym, get a tan, focus on my work, photography and blogging more. We'll see!

I finally got a sitter for Thursday so that I can go and interview the other two schools on my list. I have to tell you though, over the last few weeks I have had mixed emotions about this. Should I wait? Am I ready? Is this really necessary? Am I being selfish? She needs this! This will be good for her. This will be good for both of us. Will she change for the better or worse? I don't want her to go. I WANT her to go. I can wait another month. I want her in there NOW!

You know how the roller-coaster can go, don't you?

Days like these last few days, that roller-coaster is going down fast and I am ready for her to be in preschool part time just so she and I can get a little break from each other. She is really starting to express herself, she is starting to learn how to yell and hit. Throw full blown tantrums. I often wonder it part of it is that she is so tired of being cooped up in this house with me, as I am with her, most of the time.

I find myself in a FUNK. Maybe even feeling a little bit depressed on days. Days like today or yesterday, when she just makes things so hard on me, and I can't get her to preschool soon enough.

I pray harder for more patients, as I am running low right now.

I don't want her to go. I don't want her to grow up so fast. However, changes are coming our way, in many ways and I am starting to feel its weight. The stress, plus going stir crazy of being home with a demanding, fit throwing and very active toddler 24/7 is enough to make anyone go crazy.

Did I mention that today she put a roll of toilet paper along with five tampons in the toilet, all in the matter of a few seconds that it took me to get a pair of jeans out of the closet and put them on.? Ugh!!!

So, although change can be scary, sad and pull at your heart strings. Change can also be fun, wonderful and rewarding. This is just one of the changes taking place...the reality that Morgan is ready and so am I (at times) for the change of her growing up, needing to be around friends of her own age and in an environment that allows her to be how she should be, busy and active. Engaged in fun child like activities and learning, and not home bored out of her mind, throwing tampons down the toilet.

This will probably be one of the easiest changes on our "things are changing" list.

But....

If you would please keep our family in your prayers and Ill be sure to post more on the other changes coming our way.

It is WEDNESDAY.... So we can use this post as His Will Wednesday too. If you have a prayer request please leave it in the comment box and I'll will be your prayer worrier tonight.

God Bless.

My request:

1. My grandmother, as she just found out this past week that she has breast cancer again. Its a Stage II cancer, however, being of the age she is, she does not want to go through chemo and radiation again. I don't blame her. Also, with all her medical conditions it would also not be wise to go through a surgery as big as removing her breast. She will be having a meeting in a week with the doctors to discuss her options, which will be to probably remove the lump as much as possible and hope it slows down and doesn't become aggressive. So please pray for her strength and courage through all of this. No matter what age, this is scary stuff.

2. Please pray for a friend I went to high school with named Tonya. She and her husband so desperately want another child and have tried for so many years. Please pray that God gift her with another child, or if that not be His plans that He gives them some peace and understanding of those plans.

3. Continue to pray for my "anonymous" friend. As she continues to walk through paths of a journey that would not be fun for anyone to walk on. She needs love, support, kind people in her life, forgiving people in her life and most of all faith to keep believing in her creator. Its not a nice world most of the time we live in, but I refuse to turn and focus on all the bad, when indeed there is still so much good and beauty out there. This person is a good thing, thats been through a lot of bad things. So pray that she continues to march on and not look back in her past, but smile with confidence for her future, as God promises to prosper us. I believe he will prosper this friend.

4. Prayers answered: One of the baby's I asked you to pray for went home, healthy. Yea!!!! I love seeing answered prayers.

5. Please pray for baby Brody, a 2 year old that had a pool accident. He is in a coma, not medically induced or anything. He has been in a coma now for 8 weeks. He has brain activity and movement in his hands and feet, but has not opened his eyes. Today he went home to be care for by nurses and his family while still in the coma. A very sweet family they are and this little boy is precious. You can follow him here. Pray for his eyes to open up and that God reveal His power through this little boy with saving grace.

6. Baby Stellan is heading back to Boston on Thursday and it will be discussed for another surgery on him. So many risk, so many things that can take place and we just pray for God's wisdom in these doctors. Pray for steady hands. Pray for peace for his family. Pray for a healthy Stellan to return home to his family soon.

7. My babies in my prayer roll to the left of my blog!!! Jonah! Ryan! Abby! Kate! Noah! Belle-Belle! Eden! Maggie!

8. Pray for children that are sick, that have been abused, abandoned, neglected and whom are lonely, hungry and scared.

9. For all my current friends and blog friends that are expecting!!! Congratulations! I pray for healthy pregnancies and births for all of you.

10. Pray for all the families that are hurting during the upcoming holidays.

11. I am also praying for BIG PRAYERS that GOD use me in BIG ways to glorify HIM and show people around me HIS kind of love, grace and faithfulness. I know that is a risky prayer, and I pray it with BIG FAITH!!!

12. I pray for "Clicks of Love" to bring many memories out of love to families and children that will are have traveled down a journey no parent should have to travel down. More on "Clicks of Love" soon to come.

13. Pray for a couple of families that I am aware of. Two of which are young new parents, both in which haven't recently given birth to newborns, and both mothers passed away from different causes after the birth of their newborns, leaving the new fathers widowed and a single parent. Also, there are a couple of families that I have recently learned about, that have medical issues and it appears that these ladies do not have much time left on their hands with their children and husbands.

14. Lauren, this amazing young lady only in her teens has cancer and has been told to not expect to make it to Christmas. Pray for her and her family.

Thank you for your prayers in return.

God Bless.

A Different Halloween

It has been an interesting Halloween. One we have never experienced together as a family before, and that's in a good way.

Lets see...

This time last year (ugh, my stomach turns thinking of it)... my husband was not living home and hadn't been living home for the past several months before that. Since June to be specific, so that would be four months of not living home.

I had the kids for Halloween and took them to a friends neighborhood. Every year they put on a haunted house in the garage, and all the kids come over to go in the haunted house. Let me tell you, this haunted house, although small, is very fun and scary for kids of all ages. I loved watching the kids all run around in their costumes, trick-or-treating around the homes and all that Halloween fun stuff. However, there was something missing about that Halloween night, we were missing a member of our pack. A teammate. It just wasn't complete.

The Halloween before that, I was very pregnant with my little girl. I took Hunter to our friends neighborhood again to do the haunted house and trick-or-treating. Mark sat home with a busted up face, from a softball accident he had and again we spent Halloween apart.

The Halloween before that, that puts us back in 2006, Mark and I weren't married yet (so weird to think of). However, we took Hunter, at the time five years old, Hunter-bunter to the trunk-n-treat our church put on for the thousands of kids in the surrounding area. It was a fun time. However, again, we didn't have Morgan with us (so to speak, as she was in my belly) Mark and I weren't yet married, so we were not yet "our" family that we are today.

Fast forward back to 2009 (a.k.a. the preset - ha. ha.), this is our Halloween experience.

As most of you know my kids have had H1N1 Flue (Swine). Hunter recovered from his pretty fast and is doing great. Back to all his activities and being a typical eight year old boy. Baby girl, although her test for H1N1 came back negative, we still treated her as if she had Swine Flu because she had been exposed to it, she was running a high fever and she had the symptoms of it. Keeping kids and myself locked up in the house for almost two weeks, I thought we were finally coming out of the "pigs pin" and over the "oink! oink! flu." And we probably are and have, except that Morgan for the last 2 1/2 days has been acting really fussy out of know where and running a small temp once yesterday morning. While also keeping us up all throughout the night on top of everything.

Trying to figure out if it is still flu stuff, her shots or teething. My guess it was her shots causing the fussiness and her low grade fever, as the doctor said that if the shot where to cause a fever it would be low grade and it would show up around ten days of the shot. Yesterday, exactly ten days from her shot. Go figure.

I went to Hunter's hockey game first thing in the morning. His team won, and he scored the first goal of the game, that I unfortunately didn't get to see, because I was late. That's what happens when you have no sleep what so ever the night before. I was tired. After the game, I go and get my nails polish changed from my 'Lincoln Park After Dark' fall color, to 'Waltz' a light natural color. Its part of my job description for my acting/modeling, natural looking nails. Shooting ten commercial for Toyota today, I had to have the clear nails for camera.

Anyways...

I go home, get baby girl dressed in her costume and I take her to trunk-n-treating at our church. Her first 'real' Halloween experience. This year Hunter had Halloween with his dad, but I was able to do his Halloween parade and class party at school on Friday, giving me a little bit of a Halloween day with him at least. Mark stayed home not feeling well himself, he has a bit of a head cold.

Before getting there (trunk-n-treat), I did paint Morgan's face and it looks adorable. Sadly, on the way there the sun hits her eyes in the car on the highway and trying to hide her eyes from the bright sunlight, she smeared her face paint all over the place. I get to church and I try to clean it up as best as I could with a wipe, saving the face design as much as possible. Then she poked herself in the eye before even getting out of the car and rubbed her face again. By this time I was getting really mad. Not that should be anything to get mad over, but I was. It was hot out, I was running around all day on NO SLEEP, and I NEED my sleep. I got mad and just took a wipe and wiped all the face paint off her face. After taking a deep breath, getting her out of the car and making our way to all the trunk-n-treat festivities, I then cool down my frustrations, see how cute she looks even without the face paint, and the start feeling guilty I even got so upset in the first place. It was just face paint after all! I just had to stop and whisper in her ear that I was sorry, and that I loved her and told her just how beautiful I thought she looked in her little fairy/butterfly outfit. And she did. Times like that I am so thankful they are so forgiving, knowing good and well she will get me back when in her teens. LOL.

After our time there, it was time to take a very worn out baby girl home. Thinking I wouldn't be the party pooper in our neighborhood, I purchased Halloween candy this year. Our neighborhood for some reason is not a very exciting neighborhood. The kids in the neighborhood don't hang out with each other. The adults don't socialize together and they don't take part in any holiday activities. Meaning no decorations or treats for Halloween for kids to enjoy. No Christmas lights or music. Nothing. So, I made sure I had candy for the treaties knocking on our door. Well, we only ended up having about eight kids total come to our door, and needless to say I still have a bunch of candy sitting in a big bowl next to my front door. Ugh!

Although, I have to admit I was a bit happy with the little amount of treaties we had, as I was SO tired, baby girl became miserable again and hubby was trying to relax and watch the Yankees game. I really needed to get to bed and get my eight hours of sleep because I had to get up early and go film ten Toyota commercials today. I attempt to get baby girl down, it wasn't happening. I take her into Hunters bed with me again, as we did the night before. Still wasn't having it. Finally, hubby came and got her and told me to get my sleep so I can function at my shoot.

I personally didn't think I was going to be able to sleep because I would be worried about baby girl. I was concerned how patient would he be with her if she kept him up all night. However, I ended up falling a sleep and making it through the night to wake up and see my baby girl snuggled up next to daddy in our bed. It was the cutest thing to see. Daddy said she watched the entire Yankees game with him and didn't go to sleep until almost 2AM. Whew...am I glad he took over. Although, he doesn't usually get up with her in the middle of the nights, he did good and came through for me last night so I could sleep. Thanks babe.

However, before I ended up going to bed, hubby was in the kitchen making himself a drink and he looked over at me and said "Happy Halloween Honey." I laughed and said "yea, aren't we exciting folks this Halloween." We both giggled in agreement.

Then I said "well, in truth, this really is the best Halloween we have had as a married couple and as a family. No hospitals, no injuries, no fighting, no living apart... just a happy little family having the best Halloween we can given our circumstances, and I will take that anytime over the past Halloweens we have had."

And it is true.

Although, we only had about eight trick-or-treaties come to our door and our neighborhood stinks with this stuff. Although, Hunter was with his dad on Halloween night. Although, we didn't dress up and make our own rounds to one fun Halloween part after another. Although, our little girl is sick and as fussy as an 18-month could be, as well, messed up her face paint on her face. Although, we were all lacking in sleep. Although, Mark did not feel well. It was indeed a different Halloween and a HAPPY Halloween year... for US!

I assumed we wouldn't do much Halloween this year with Morgan, therefore I never purchased her a new Halloween costume. Instead, I pulled out her costume from last year and went with it. I think it was a brilliant idea because it gave me a chance to compare and see how much my little fairy-butterfly has grown.

{Morgan 6 months and 18 months}

This is my Star Wars Clone. His costume did come with an actual mask, but for his school Halloween party he was not able to wear the mask to school. Which I think is silly. Have a Halloween parade and class party but not allow the kids to wear their mask with their costumes? What fun is that? Instead, we got creative and I just painted his face like his mask. Hunter was a bit nervous about having his face painted, but once he looked in the mirror he thought it looked so cool and said "awesome." On the way to school he asked me "how did you learn to paint faces, did you take a class?" I laughed and said "no, but I have had lots of practice, I practically paint my own face every day." He started laughing and said 'technically.' LOL

I posted more pictures on Facebook if you want to check them out. Click here to view, and you do NOT have to have a Facebook account to view the pictures. Enjoy!

Pregnancy News!!!

Is it me or is anyone else feeling the same thing? You know, afraid to get on your computer and type a post on your blog, afraid that something is being spread through the keyboard causing so many women to become pregnant?

Ahhhh.... not what you where thinking when read my post, eh?

I bet you thought I was going to say that I too am pregnant, right?

Well....

I....

am....

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

NOT PREGNANT!

Whew, I feel better now getting that off my chest. I have been wanting to share this news for sometime now, but along with all the other blogging pregnant women out there, I was waiting for the right time. LOL.

Okay, Okay... enough of my silly talk.

No, not silly talk about not being pregnant. I really am NOT pregnant, and I always like to end it with "I have a great goalie, and the goalie hasn't been pulled." (TMI - sorry!)

But, I do find joy in my heart and am blissfully happy for all my pregnant friends, all my pregnant blog friends and all my pregnant blog peeps that I stalk. I mean this is no exaggeration either, about 5 blogs that I read, follow or stalk, ahem.... just announced their pregnancy news in the last 5 days. That is a pretty big number, I don't think I follow that many blogs, do I?

However, sadly, many of these soon to be new moms are people I have grown to really care for through their stories of losing a child. I am so thrilled that God is giving them these gifts of new joys, to ease some of the painful emotions they have been carrying since the loss of their precious child.

So, what is this post really about then you ask?

Well, nothing really.

I just wanted to confirm that I am NOT jumping on that bandwagon of pregnant women. I want to say congratulations to the four personal friends of mine that are expecting, two of them due on my wedding anniversary of February 11th. And the other many women in the blogging world..... to all of you expecting lady friends and strangers and sisters...... CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Now, will you all do me a favor and if there is something being spread among the blog world that can some how magically make a women become pregnant, PLEASE do not send it my way. I am happily content with my family just the way it is. Thank you.

I can see clearly now....

why God put a little girl in my life.....

(click on play button)

.....he knew exactly just how much joy she and all her girly ways would bring to my heart and our family.

Thank you God for this precious gift!

Oink, Oink Flu! {H1N1}

I have to be honest.

Ever think to wonder why people say that when about to say something? In my experience when someone says "I have to be honest...." the next thing out of their mouth is probably something I am not going to like. Well, that isn't the case here so you can take a deep breath now.

Ahem.

Moving on.

I have to be honest.... I am really disappointed about this entire Balloon Boy Hoax. Not only am I disappointed, I had to admit to my husband that 'he was right' and that isn't an easy task sometimes.

Yes, we debated that day it all took place over the news of this little 6 year old boy possibly caught up in a helium home made balloon. He said "its so a hoax, probably looking for attention" and I argued "no, I believe him, did you see the way the dad was really upset and cried while holding his son? And I don't think if you were going to do a hoax, that you would choose your youngest 6 year old boy to be the one to pull it off for you and hide out for 5 hours. On top of that, if the little boy had fallen out or found dead, would that then be the only way they wouldn't be accused of it being a hoax. People these days!!!"

Sure enough, it was a HOAX!! Sigh. People these days!!!

Good news!

That is so not what this post is about. In fact, lets move on to something a little more interesting, like the SWINE FLU (a.ka. H1N1 Virus) or the other way around, but mostly known as the Swine.

Doesn't that sound FUN?

Well, I have to admit (again) that I didn't see this one coming AT ALL. Did I make that AT ALL part clear? Good.

We are a group of four in this home that rarely get sick, and if we get sick, its not bad sick, its just a minor annoyance kind of sick for a couple of days and its over. Hunter, my rock star kid, he has never ever missed a day of school since preschool days (third grade now) for being sick. Can you believe that? This kid {like his mama} would have had perfect attendance every year he has ever been in school, except for missing days for travel sports.

He misses about five days a year for travel hockey at most, but never for being sick.

Until this week.

Until this H1N1 = Swine Flu = Oink. Oink. Flu. = In My Home = In my KID!!!

But I didn't see it coming.

Hunter traveled to Detroit last weekend with his hockey team for a tournament. He came back from the weekend being himself, with having a little bit of a sore throat. He sounded like he was a little horse in his voice, which is common from playing in the tournament all weekend and yelling during the games.

On top of that he had complained about his back 'hurting' in couple of places. Again, I assume it is sore from the weekend in Detroit.

Then Wednesday morning he went to school. With in a couple of hours of being there the phone rang and its the school nurse. "Hunter is fine, he is here in my office with a headache, can I give him some Tylenol? she asked. I told her that she could, but that I also wanted her to make sure he drank some water. He has been a bit lazy lately with drinking proper amount of fluids {Ahem. Like his mama} and I assumed he was a bit dehydrated. The nurse agreed 100% and gave him the Tylenol, made him drink water and sent him on his way.

Hunter isn't a complainer either, so all of my know it all assumptions, sort of make me feel guilty.

The next thing I know, I am at the park with my little butterfly as we often do in the early evenings, and I get a call from Hunter's dad saying that Hunter says he doesn't feel good and can he drop him off to me (its his night with Hunter). He had tickets to the Panthers game and Hunter wasn't feeling well to go with him.

The next day, Thursday, Hunter was to attend a really nice and formal awards ceremony. As I mentioned a week ago here, Hunter's art project was chosen to receive a high honors award at this ceremony.

I was very excited about this and while I was out running around looking for him a nice shirt, tie and pants, his dad drops him off at the house with Mark.

By the time I got home, he was curled up in bed asleep. I feel his head and face, instantly I knew he had a fever. Got the thermometer and sure enough it was 102.7. I give him some Tylenol and a cool clothe to his forehead and let him go back to sleep.

The next morning after Mark leaves for work, Hunter crawls in bed with me and is on fire.

(in my bed)

I check his temp, it was 103.5. Okay, this is not good. He is missing his FIRST day of school for being sick. I know that some of the boys on his hockey team were also sick, and that a couple of the boys had siblings that had the H1N1 flu. However, I really didn't think that to be Hunter's case. However, something inside me said to not assume, get answers and off to the doctors we went. Not even have fed them breakfast, as the doctors office is down the street.

This is him as we wait on the doctor.

Lethargic.

While waiting, Morgan is getting bored and playing around, when all the sudden she falls face flat on the floor and starts screaming. I knew she was hurt by the way she fell. I pick her up and blood starts to pour out of mouth onto my shirt where she is crying and burying her head in my neck. I try to get a better look as it almost appeared that her bottom teeth went through her bottom lip.

Sigh.

I guess if there was a place to fall and bust your lip, may as well do while sitting in the doctors office. (I have heard that before.... ??)

It turns out she did put a hole in her lip on the inside of her mouth, therefore the blood we saw. The outside of the lip just had to dent marks, where here lip was flattened between her teeth and the floor. Thankfully it wasn't that bad and she soon got over it with a teething cookie I happened to have in my purse.

They ran three test on him; blood, throat and nose swab.

Doctor comes back in to say that test #3 for the H1N1 was positive. POSITIVE!!!

Hunter's poor face.

He looks over at me and I notice he has now turned pale and looks frightened, as his eyes well up with tears.

I wasn't expecting that either.

I asked him what was wrong and he asked "I have the Swine Flu?"

I said "yes honey, but why are you so upset about it?"

"People have died from the Swine Flu in Mexico, mom" he replied. Just in case I didn't watch the news or know of such deaths.

The doctor and I spent the next three minutes trying our best to explain to him exactly what the Swine H1N1 Flu was and meant, and assuring him he wasn't going to die.

I told him "honey, do you think if you were going to die that I would be sitting her not crying with you? I promise you are not going to die."

As I am being given instructions on what to do next. While, I am also told to go pick up the medication and to be prepared to search out a couple of places, because a lot of places are out, as this is the 5th positive case just this morning at this office.

As I drill him with all the questions as to what this meant to the rest of us, especially Morgan, as she was just there yesterday getting her 18 month shots. He being my friend and doctor said to try to avoid as much close contact with Hunter, but for the most part just see what happens, because although we caught it so early only on (thank the Lord), we still probably have already been subjected to it and it was already in our system if going to get there. Not much more to do and no need to get vaccinated at this point.

Off to the store I go with a sick lethargic boy and a fat lip toddler.

While driving, all the of the sudden a fever blister appears on my mouth out of no where.

You guessed it, I was expecting that either. Sheesh! I can't recall the last time I had one.

Now I am driving to my third stop looking for a place that could fill his prescription. Driving a lethargic boy, a fat lip toddler and now starring at my lip feeling the tingle of this quickly approaching fever blister.

Drop the medicine off, they say it will be about 1/2 an hour, so I decided to head to Chick-Fil-A to get this miserable and banged up bunch some food.

Go back to get the medicine, I pile up on all of these goodies......

$35.00 doctors co-pay

$99.00 medication

$45.00 other meds and supplies

=$179.00 Thursday morning......

Yeap, didn't expect that!!!

Home we go!

First thing I do is get Hunter in bed, set up his room with the trash can and puke bucket next to his bed. Get him comfortable with pillows under his back and under his legs. Hand sanitizer set up, and meds laid out.

I am not taking any chances.....

This is pretty much how the entire day Thursday went.

Once hubby got home, just to get a little fresh air ourselves, I took baby girl on a bike ride. Its not as easy to stay home and be cooped up when you have to be. Agree?

The Motrin started to help a great deal with the fever, but not completely.

Friday morning he was already looking a little better. Still running fever, but we were keeping it under control enough that he wanted to eat and could walk around a little.

I mostly made him stay in his room. We call it the "quarantine room". If I went in I wore a mask and sanitized my hands when leaving. If he came out he wore his mask etc.

I got him and baby girl down for a nap at the same time, while I was able to do some cleaning, laundry and sneak in a little nap myself.

By the afternoon he was a little more mobile as you can see here. Still complaining of a headache, although he is drinking his fluids like a champ.

But this was nap time for him.

Last night we all came together as a group and watched Chronicles of Narnia, had Chili's to go and popcorn during the movie.

(40 Toes and 4 Paws)

Today although still running a very low grade temp, he is a new kid. Well, a new kid from the norm over the last couple of days anyways. He has energy, he has an appetite and was playing with his sister a little bit (with mask on).

His dad came over to say hi, bringing everyone pizza. Thanks dad.

While also surprising Hunter with a "get well soon" gift of a huge Star Wars lego box. As if that wasn't awesome enough, he also hands Hunter a new hockey stick.

What's so cool about a new hockey stick?

I am glad you asked.

This isn't just any new hockey stick, it's the same kind and make of his favorite hockey player #88 from the Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick Kane. Oh yea, now that's cool. It is to an eight, almost nine year old little hockey player boy anyways.

Needless to say that made his day and put a big smile on his face....

(stick yet to be cut and sized!)

(with a kids cool gel sticker on his head for headache - these are pretty cool)

(Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick Kane)

While I am thinking.... "wait a minute, you drop him off, I nurse his Swine Flu and you get to be Disney dad and show up with goodies?" LOL!

I wouldn't have it any other way!!!

My baby was home with ME, being nursed exactly how I would want him to be nursed!!! Beside we all know babies/kids want their mommy when sick. Smart daddy he is.

And we got free pizza out of it and my son had a huge smile on his face.

Although, still running these low grade fevers, hopefully come tomorrow they are gone for 24-hours so he can return to school on Monday, while the rest of us stay on the healthy track and then get back to our real normal. So far so good.....

We have had some awesome prayer worriers and we have an amazing God who continues to just totally and abundantly bless this family, and sometimes I don't even feel that we are worthy enough for such grace and love. Boy am I thrilled that He is the one making the choices on all of that stuff and He is just rocking our world with all this grace and love. Thank you heavenly Father.

Now can we get back to talking about other things, like hairy legs or something? As if the President declaring a National Emergency for the H1N1 and announcing the death of a child in San Francisco wasn't enough.

PS: With the risk and other diagnoses on the hockey team, all games and practices were canceled for the boys till next Wednesday.

And although Hunter wasn't able to attend his award ceremony. Let me explain how special this award is. Several schools in the area participated, and from each school only 22 students from that entire school would be selected for this award. Hunter's art project labeled 'Patriotic' was selected by the Coconut Creek Government Center for this award, and as well will be displayed in the center for many months.

His art teacher accepted his award for him and sent us this digital picture of it. I don't have details yet as to what it was made out of, but I think its as patriotic as it can get and a fabulous job done by a third grade little boy. I am so proud of him.

Although, it would be a nice picture if Hunter was standing there in his nice shirt, tie and pants next to it. We will gladly take this digital image and a healthy boy just fine!!!

Get better big guy.

You are loved!!!

Now shoo-away SWINE FLU before we turn you into bacon.

Speaking of bacon....

Never mind, I won't tease you with the amazing breakfast honey made the family this morning.