Our Cat

This is Regi. She turned 3 years old this March.

The story of how we got Regi is odd. We were driving home one Saturday afternoon and we saw a lady with free kittens on the side of the road. Ken swore we were just going to look. I have a cat allergy, so getting one was not an option. The next thing I remember is it being a few hours later and we walked in the door of our apartment with a kitten and all the equipment. To this day I have no idea what happened during those few hours.

We were told the cat was male. You'd think we could just peek and tell, but it is not so easy in babies. We took her to the vet a little while later and SURPRISE! we had a girl. By then she responded to Regi and Kenny (not even two yet) called her Regi, so we changed her to Regina.

Regi is a WONDERFUL cat. That is saying a lot from a person who doesn't really like cats. I can't pet her too much or my allergies flare up, but if I keep my hands off, I am fine. She have never had an accident on the floor and rarely does that hair ball thing.

She loves our kids. Even as a kitten she tolerated so much abuse. She has never intentionally scratched either one of the boys (they have been scratched during play.) She lets them pull her tail, yank her whiskers, and try to ride her.

Nathan is the true cat lover between the boys. He adores Regi. His little face lights up like a Christmas tree whenever he sees her. She knows it too. I have seen her purposely walk up to him and lay beside him- knowing full well the abuse she was about to endure wile being "loved on." I am grateful we have such a great pet and my boys are learning how to take acre of animals.

Easter Fun!

The boys had a great time looking for easter eggs. We had to do the egg hunt inside because it is wet and cold outside. It took Nathan a few minutes to get the idea and we had to hold Kenny back a little so Nathan would have a shot.


We went to Eppie's and Pap's for dinner. We had steaks, loaded baked potatoes, asparagus, and a peac/pear cake. David and his fiance' Katherine were there as well. It was a great meal and a perfect Easter.

That Glorious Easter Morn

He Is Risen!

He is risen! He is Risen!
Tell it out with joyful voice.
He has burst his three days' prison;
Let the whole wide earth rejoice.
Death is conquered; man is free.
Christ has won the victory.

Come with high and holy hymning;
Chant our Lord's triumphant lay.
Not one darksome cloud is dimming
Yonder glorious morning ray,
Breaking o'er the purple east,
Symbol of our Easter feast.

He is Risen! He is Risen!
He hath opened heaven's gate.
We are free from sin's dark prison,
Risen to a holier state.
And a brighter Easter beam
On our longing eyes shall stream.

Text: Cecil Frances Alexander
Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints


(Family Easter pictures to follow.)

Winter Blast

This has been a cold year...at least for these parts. Usually at this time of year it is really starting to heat up and in May the unbearable heat starts to roll in. Tonight the temp is in the 30s. A little north of us got snow. The high tomorrow is 50, with rainy conditions. Very unusual weather. I hope my flowers survive. All my roses (I have 7 bushes) have a few dozen buds on them waiting to open. Hopefully all this rain will be good for them and once it warms up, I'll have a slew of beautiful roses.

Nathan is one sick little man. He keeps running a fever. He's not eating much and is taking round the clock medications. Overall, his breathing has improved and we are determined to keep it that way. But even when he feels bad, he sure has a sweet disposition.

Kenny is having a hard time right now. He is in one of his little moods where he is going to see if the rules and boundaries have changed. It has made the last week very challenging (he got sent home from preschool on Thursday). I can't wait until he figures out he isn't going to win and goes back to being his vibrant cute little self.

Here's a classic example of what I mean by testing the limits. He wanted to write his letters and words, so I gave him some paper and a marker. He was doing a great job and I went upstairs with Nathan to try and get him to take a nap (didn't work.) He came upstairs about 10 minutes later and asked if I was going to give him a bath. I turned around while asking him why and saw he had colored himself red. Every bit of exposed skin was colored. We talked about coloring only on paper. About an hour later I was walking through the living room and noticed perfectly formed letters A and H written in RED on the carpet in two different places!! Then it was my turn to turn red, only I didn't use a marker.

Nightime Hospital Run

Guess what we did last night!

We were up all night at the hospital with our very sick little boy. I have written about Nathan's weak lungs. Well, they have struck again.

He has croup and pneumonia.

At 12:30 last night, just as I was finally dozing off after a long day and restless night, I heard that distinctive barking cough that indicates croup. I literally ran into his room and took him downstairs to give him a breathing treatment. He has a tendency to go from bad to worse quickly. His arms, hands, legs, and feet we a light blue color from lack of oxygen. The breathing treatment I gave him didn't work, so I gave him another and his prescription cough syrup. Less than two hours later he needed another treatment and he spiked a fever. It was 3:00 am by then and we still had not slept. We called the doctor who sent us to the ER. Eppie came over to stay with Kenny.

We were taken straight back when we got to the ER and saw a doctor with 10 minutes (I love our hospital!) They gave Nathan two more breathing treatments, a steroid shot, and an acetaminophen suppository (that was fun). Then they x-rayed his lungs.

The x-rays came back with pneumonia. His breathing was still of, so he got another breathing treatment and an antibiotic shot. He slept for a little while which was a great blessing. The doctor came back in and said he wasn't 100% pleased with the progress Nathan was making. He said he was considering admitting him to the pediatric wing of another hospital, but he also thought we could do the same thing at home that they would do in a hospital. Lucky for us, he decided we could take him home with a care plan. If he gets worse, we go back and that probably means a hospital admission.

In summary, during a 6 hour time frame Nathan had: 6 nebulizer breathing treatments, x-rays, a rectal temperature taken, cough syrup, acetaminophen suppository, a steroid shot, and an antibiotic shot. And he was diagnosed with croup and pneumonia.

Kenny has a croup like cough as well.

Ken and I didn't sleep all night. He is upstairs napping now and I will get to take a nap in a few hours. Luckily, I am off work until Tuesday for Easter.

We were supposed to go camping tonight. Pretty sure that ain't gonna happen!

Toothpaste Battles

Most couples fight over where the other squeezes the tube of toothpaste. We took the toothpaste battle an entirely different direction.

I got up as usual before the crack of dawn to get ready for work and discovered the toothpaste was missing from our bathroom. Not really a big deal, but I was annoyed. I asked Ken where it was and he groggily said, "In the kitchen." Okay...umm....I had to ask why. "I was in a hurry." Apparently it takes less time to brush your teeth in the kitchen than bathroom. So downstairs I went at 5:30 am to get the toothpaste. I stepped in cat puke on the way down. This did not help my mood. Before I left I asked that the toothpaste remain upstairs in the bathroom. I came home this afternoon and went into the kitchen to make dinner.

The toothpaste was on the window sill!

I thought I had been perfectly clear about the toothpaste staying upstairs so that I would not have to hunt around for it in the dark early morning hours. So I went back and discussed (or demanded) that in no uncertain terms was the toothpaste to leave our bathroom. I hope I made my point. The next step is crying about it. Sneaky weapon to use, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

Here are some photos of my cuties and their new Easter baskets. ( I love the dollar store. Someday I'll post about my dollar store theories. I know...you're antsy with anticipation.)

Something Please Marry Her!

We hung pictures last night (it's only been about a year since we moved in.) I have a picture of me in my wedding dress that was taken in a wooded mountain area. Kenny looked at it and said, "Mama, is that you in a white dress looking for something to marry you lost in the woods?" I said yes, it was a picture of me in the dress I wore when I married Daddy. He responded, "No. You are looking for something to marry you. That's what you are doing lost in the woods."

Sorry honey, but you have been reduced to the something I married.

On an entirely different note, Kenny also put his hand on my shoulder and said in a serious voice, "Mom, you and Daddy and Nathan are my dudes. You are my best dudes." I told him Daddy, and Nathan, and him are my best dudes too.