Snowy Day and Mom Update

It snowed here today. Well, just a dusting really, but snow none the less. Living in a place that usually doesn't see a lot of snow means that when we do see the white stuff, we get really excited.

Snowy Rooftops

The snow looked like powdered sugar on our yard.

Pretty even for just a little while

I took those photos this morning and now, mid-afternoon, when I look our at our yard, it is almost all melted. A fleeting glance of winter.

I have an update on my mom today. She has developed an infection and was transferred back to The Oklahoma Heart Hospital this afternoon for treatment. The doctors have not pinpointed the source of infection, but are suspecting it is centered around her chest incision. For those who do not know, or who wish to be caught up to speed, here's a recap the last 71 days in my family.

2010

November 2: Mom admitted to the Heart Hospital for open heart surgery. Aortic valve replaced, mitral valve repaired. Stayed one week in critical care unit, then moved to a regular room.

November 9th: Diagnosed with pneumonia

November 13th: Moved back to critical care, place on a bi-pap machine, given a second round of powerful antibiotics, given a feeding tube. Said to be critical.

December 5th: put on a ventilator, a tracheotomy, and a peg tube in her stomach

December 14th: started to improve

December 29th: transferred to Integris Hospital to the Jim Thorpe rehab facility to work on physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Tracheotomy is removed!

2011

January 1-8: making great progress, walking better, breathing better, discharge date set for January 14th.

TODAY: woke up with a fever and pus coming from her original chest incision, transferred back to the Heart Hospital to be under the care of her cardiac surgeon.

I would be lying to say I'm not a little worried, but I am confident in the care that she is receiving and hopeful that this is a minor setback. She is so ready to go home. Please keep us in your prayers!

Right Now In My House

Banana and Bee 1.9.11

Right now in my house.....

* Two cats and one little boy are napping

* A fire is glowing

* Twin girls are playing

* The view out the window is grey and cold

* A cake is baking

* Music is filling the room

* A comforting dinner is being planned.

* A book is waiting on my nightstand to be finished.

* I am loving this Sunday afternoon at home.

I hope you are enjoying your day too!

The Case of the Missing Forks

No, this is not the title of a new Nancy Drew book, but rather a real life mystery playing out in our very own home. Over the 11.5 years that Mike and I have been married, we have acquired two different sets of silverware. One set (my favorite) was the set we registered for way back when we were engaged. The other set we purchased somewhere around year 5 or 6 of our married life when we saw it on clearance at Target one day. With both sets combined we used to have plenty of knives, spoons and forks. Bring on the dinner parties, the family meals, the holiday spreads-- we had silverware a plenty!

But somewhere along the way, the forks have been disappearing. Their numbers have been steadily dwindling until now before every meal, we have to go searching for the few that we have left. First I look in the drawer, but inevitably the fork spots are empty. Then I have to search through the sink or dishwasher and wash them so that we can eat our meal. And having guests over? That's another story. Usually someone ends up using a spoon. It is pathetic really.

So where have the forks gone, you ask? That is the million dollar question. I. Don't. Know. Did we accidentally scrape a few into the trash while clearing off some dirty plates? Did Lucas get a hold of a few and stash them in an obscure place? Did they sprout legs and just run away? Was it Colonel Mustard in the study with the revolver? The situation keeps me up at night (not really). It is quite annoying though.

I guess I will just have to go buy some more. Until then, if any of you come eat at our house be prepared to use a spoon. Or perhaps we'll just switch to plastic silverware instead.

January Park Day

We have been having some fantastic weather for January. Yesterday it was 60 degrees with bright blue skies and very little wind. So after school, we headed to the small playground down the street from our house. The kids wasted no time swinging, running, jumping, and sliding. I think outside play is so very important for kids. There is the physical benefit of playing outside, but also they get to use their creativity, interact with others, and explore the natural world! We stayed for about an hour and came home pink cheeked and refreshed.

Leah swinging

Hold on, Brother!

Upside down Hannah

My sweet Bee

Squealing in delight!

The weather forecast is showing that we are going to get some nasty looking stuff this weekend and into next week-- ice, sleet, freezing temps and possibly snow. It is supposed to move in on Sunday, but until then, we can enjoy a few more beautiful spring-like days.

Enjoy your weekend!

Combined Top Ten Movies on Repeat (and A Guest Blogger!)

Have you ever been flipping through the channels on a lazy Saturday afternoon when you come across a movie that you have seen 100 times, yet you stop and watch it again for the 101st time? Maybe it is the witty screenplay or the beautiful cinematography that draws you in each time. Or maybe it is because it is filmed in an era that intrigues you. Or perhaps it is simply because you have a good memory attached to when you first saw the film (first date, a fun night out with friends, being snowed in one winter afternoon, etc..).

Mike and I both love movies. Well, I love movies and Mike LOVES movies. He studies them, and would someday love to direct one. It's more than his hobby, it's sort of a passion of his. With this in mind, he and I were discussing our lists of the top ten movies we could watch over and over again. No matter what time of day, no matter how many times we've seen them, these are our combined top ten movies we could put on repeat and not get tired of them.

EMILY

1. The Sound of Music: How could you not get tired of this film? I love the story, I love the songs, and I really love Julie Andrews. Back before the days of Netflix and DVR's, I couldn't wait for it to air on television once a year. My mom would let me stay up late to watch the entire thing.

2. You've Got Mail: Mike and I both love just about any movie filmed in New York City, but this one is special. I like the chemistry between Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. I think it is cleverly written, and have seen this movie so many times that I can just about quote the entire thing. I want to own the Shop Around the Corner bookstore.

3. The Shawshank Redemption: My very favorite movie ever. Who wouldn't love a story about freedom, friendship, hope, and enduring through difficult circumstances. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are perfect for the lead roles. And it produced the line, "Get busy living, or get busy dying." Love it, love it, love it.

4. The Wedding Singer: I think Adam Sandler movies are usually just OK, and I am not a huge fan of Drew Barrymore either, but for some reason I LOVE this one. I laugh every single time I watch it. I think it is the combination of the 1980's cheesiness along with the humor that I love. Oh it's ladies night, oh what a night!

5. Dan in Real Life: I want to go live in Dan's family. Seriously, does it not look like a lot of fun to go stay in their family home in Rhode Island? I think this is both a funny and poignant film. Even though some of the lines are completely silly and overwritten, I still like it. I think it is a sweet love story. And the soundtrack by Sondre Lerche really makes this film for me too.

And now for my guest blogger of the day, please give a lovely, cyber welcome to my husband, Mike Galloway.....

MIKE

1. Alien: I love the production design of Alien. Whenever I watch it, I feel like I'm watching a movie that was made way ahead of it's time. It's storytelling at its best. Genuinely scary and sophisticated. For the most part, I think the special effects could pass for today's standards. There is just something cool about seeing what the future looked like using the design aesthetics of the 60's and 70's. I also love 2001. Fast Forward through the monkey scene and start when Dr. Heywood is traveling in the Pan-Am Space Concorde to the space station. Look at the design of the food containers, the flatware, the space station chairs. I love that stuff.

2. The Aviator / Catch Me If You Can: I love movies about airplane culture from a historical aspect. I love these movies because of the time periods. The early 20's into the late 40's as well as the early 60's. The attention to detail in both of these movies is astounding. I love the design in both movies but particularly in CMIYC. Set in the 60's, the production design just comes to life. I like the fact that we used to get dressed up to fly on an airplane, and airplane food was at one time really, really good. I also love the use of the old TWA terminal at JFK. Besides, it's Scorcese and Spielberg.

3. You've Got Mail: I have to agree with Em on this one. I went to art school in NYC and lived on the upper west side, where most of the film takes place. The best time to watch this film is in late October. It makes me want to go home every time I see it.

4. No Country For Old Men: Sound and Cinematography. The Coen Brothers are great storytellers. I could watch their films over and over. Especially Fargo. Usually, I would say that their biggest strength is their characters but in No Country, I would say it's cinematography and sound. My favorite shot is the reflection of Javier Bardem on the TV in the trailer home. To this day, I still wonder if that shot was planned or just a happy accident that someone noticed while on set. The sound of the wind blowing out on the Texas prairie truly fits the photography. You are in West Texas. I also love The Wrestler for a lot of the same reasons: the sound and cinematography. The documentary camera wrangling is incredible. I grew up in Elizabeth, NJ, where most of the film was shot. I could smell it, when I watched this film. My favorite scene is when The Ram is sitting in the VFW, signing autographs. I entered an art show once in 11th grade. I won and went to accept the award at the local VFW. That scene... I can't describe it, it just felt like Jersey. Everything feels dirty in this movie. It's as if there was no set dressing, they just picked an actual trailer home and gave them a $100 and asked if they could film in it.

5. Band Of Brothers: While not technically a movie - I could watch it over and over. Purely story driven. Due to it's length, 10 hours, you really get to know these characters. In a way you understand the power of brotherhood and realize, that it's only because of that connection, that these guys could make it through such a terrible event. If you have not watched this mini-series, you need to call out of work tomorrow and go buy it.

What are your favorite movies that you could watch over and over? I'd love to hear about it! Or better yet, blog about it and let me know!

Back to the Grind

Today all of us are getting back into the daily grind. The girls are back at school. Lucas is at Mother's Day Out. Mike is back to setting up "normal" business hours in his home office, and I head back to work this afternoon. In some ways I have missed the routine, but I really liked having a break too. It was nice not to rush around in the mornings making sure everyone is dressed, fed, lunches packed, backpacks ready to go. I think I've discovered that I am officially not a morning person. My mom wakes up every day at 6:00 with a smile on her face, ready to tackle the new day bright with possibility. I did not inherit this trait. I look at my bedside clock and want to cry when it is time to wake up. Not because I don't enjoy my days with my kids or family, but because I wish I could sleep for just a few more hours. Once I am up and have had a glass of orange juice and a hot shower, I'm good to go. Although going to bed earlier these last few nights certainly has helped my mornings go a little smoother too!

Leah Bee and Hannah Banana acting silly the night before school started back.

Yesterday, I made a trip to Target to pick up a few things to help me with some of my new year's resolutions.

I scored a coupon organizer from the $1 section (to help with my organization in meal planning)! Also I picked up a women's multi-vitamin, a calcium supplement, and a big, honking water bottle to carry around with me. It has a cool part in the middle that you can stick in the freezer to keep the water extra chilly. Now if you see me running to the bathroom all the time, you will know why. As much as I know I need to drink more water, I have the world's smallest bladder! Too much information? Sorry about that.

Do you enjoy having a routine?

**Cool side note from yesterday: Mike went to Starbucks to pick up some coffee for us. When he got up to the drive-thru window to pay, he was told the car ahead of him paid for our coffee! Wow! What a great act of kindness. My mocha tasted even better because of it. :)

The Little Man's Haircut

This little guy was in need of a haircut yesterday. Actually, he has needed one for a few weeks, but yesterday I couldn't take it any longer. Mike and I thought that perhaps we'd save the $10 it costs at our nearby barber shop and just do it ourselves. I mean, we own a pair of clippers, how hard could it be to cut a little boy's hair anyway?

Lucas yesterday pre-haircut

Now I admit that in the above photo his hair does not look that bad, but I promise if you were to get a full 360 view, you would see uneven parts and crazy sideburns. We set up our bathroom as if it were a salon, carefully laying out the clippers and attachments, bringing in a chair and towel and a broom to sweep up the hair from the floor. When all was said and done, I sat in the chair with Lucas on my lap, trying to hold his arms down while Mike came at him with the buzzing clippers. After all of the setup, it took about 30 seconds to realize that this was not going to work at home. The buzzing noise scared him and he started squirming and crying like a crazy man. Mike tried to make a pass, but in fear just clipped the air. Oh well. It was a valiant effort.

Lucas standing on the counter in what he thought was a victory over the clippers. (Don't worry, Mike is just outside the photo frame keeping a close eye on him so he wouldn't fall.)

Instead of accepting defeat, we loaded up the car and took everyone down to the nearest walk-in salon. Lucas took it like a man and got his hair cut just fine. I think it is actually a little too short, but I won't complain. We will be able to go a lot longer between cuts this way. And I do admit that I love to rub his head now, just like a Buddha's belly.

New hairdo