Pampered Chef Party!!

I used to love doing Pampered Chef shows! Haven't done it in years, and decided to host a party to gear up for the fall, and upcoming holidays! So - join me August 14th at 7pm. We'll be learning how to make a few appetizers and fun beverages (non-alcoholic of course!) and spending some time with the gals! You can email me by clicking "Email Michelle" to the left sidebar.

If you can't come, but would still like to order some products you can do so by visiting Deidre Smallwood's Pampered Chef website and entering my name (Michelle Lyons) as your host.

Hope to see you soon!

Photoshoot!!!

Kayleigh, Chase, and Paige got bored this afternoon and decided to do their own photo-shoot - with Chase as the photographer. I was shocked at how fun and good these pictures are!! Not bad for a 9 year old photographer!! Enjoy! I know I did!





The following 3 pictures are others he took that I thought were really good! He took them from odd angles. The first is our backyard from the ground level (yes we need our grass cut!). The second is our trampoline. The last is a tree - looking upwards.

Vacation to Canaan Valley 2008

We had a great time in Canaan Valley, WV - the heart of the Monongahela National Forest. This slideshow should sum it all up! There's also pictures on our Photobucket Shared Files that didn't make the slideshow.

We look forward to the next vacation with the Taylor-Schroeders!! Thanks for the great memories friends!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Kayleigh Turns 14

Saturday was Kayleigh's 14th Birthday. We were traveling home from vacation that day so we didn't get to do a whole lot. She did pick where we ate at along the way - a Shoney's in Bluefield, WV. After we got home we went and got her a chocolate-chip cookie cake (her favorite!) and ice-cream. All-in-all we had a good day and we were sure to repeatedly sing her Happy Birthday!!

She goes with Mike later this week to pick out her first cell-phone. She's super excited to have her own finally!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl! We love you!

Awesome Adventures!

White Water Rafting was AWESOME!!! More later with pictures - but wanted everyone to know that Mike and I took the boys today and we had a blast!!! I think we've may have found a new hobby!!!

Tomorrow's our last day of vacation in the mountains. Weather permitting - we're supposed to go climbing at Seneca Rocks. Do the "no rain dance" with us!! We were supposed to go yesterday but it poured all day!!

More later . . .

Never a Dull Moment!

Not even on vacation do we get a break from medical bills!! Devin bought a new pocket knife at Blackwater Falls on Monday. On Tuesday he was playing with it on the bed in his hand and it snapped open unexpectedly - slicing his pinky finger on his left hand wide open at the knuckle. We knew when we saw a pearly white tendon that it needed stitched!

The problem - where was the nearest emergency room or urgent care!!!??? Took us about 20 minutes to figure out where to go - in the meantime he fainted FOUR times!! We had to drive 45 minutes to Tucker Community Emergency Clinic (smaller than an urgent care, but very equipped). They were very nice and took him right back.

Four stitches later - we were set to go. He still gets to go rafting Thursday afternoon - with a splinted finger wrapped securely in plastic! He's not letting a stitched up finger stop him he said!

V - A - C - A - T - I - O - N ! ! !

By this time tomorrow - we'll be on VACATION!!!

We'll leave early and meet up with very good friend's of ours in Canaan Valley, WV. We've rented a huge cabin/house in Timberline Ski Resort where we can enjoy a week of white water rafting, ziplining, hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, and more! Their kids are the same ages as our kids - and we've been friends for years! I can't wait! The ticker in the top right of our blog has been counting down the minutes fora while now!

I'll try to post at least once while we're away . . . providing we're not exhausted at the end of each day!

Devin's Turn!

Yep - you guessed it. That's Devin at Baptist Hospital this morning! Tuesday afternoon he had some sort of seizure like activity. He remembers feeling "funny", getting up to get a drink of water, then he was on the floor. No one is real sure what happened because he was at teh neighbors house babysitting for a 2 year old and a 5 year old. He suffered from a subictal state (wooziness and confusion post seizure) for about 2-3 hours and was left with quite the knot on the side of his head - presumably where he hit his head on the counter going down.

So - we spent the morning today at Baptist Hospital where he underwent an EEG. His doctor said if the EEG was normal that we'd let it go as a one-time thing and monitor him. But - if it showed any abnormality she'd schedule him with Neurology. Well, he had difficulty with the deep breathing - they make you take deep fast breaths in/out for 3 minutes straight! He also struggled through the strobe lights. By the time it was over he was a bit dizzy, but otherwise OK. We weren't out of Baptist an hour and the phone rang . . . sure enough we're off to neurology.

His neurology appointment is currently scheduled for October 30th at Baptist. He's on the top of the cancellation list because he's a minor - so if an appointment opens sooner he'll take that one. Until then . . . we wait . . . and pray!


Through it all - he's still smiling. We had to buzz his head last night - his gorgeous hair is now gone! I have to admit I was somewhat sad! Today he even let me take a picture of him with all the wires attached to his head! Although I'm not sure he'll be too happy that I put it on the website for all to see!

Happy Birthday Grandma McMahon

Today would have been Grandma McMahon's 79th Birthday.

I was going through pictures not long ago and found one of the kids sitting with you and "Pap-Pap" in Mom's living room - seems like it was just taken yesterday. You left us so unexpectedly. I will hear the phone ring and expect your voice on the other end at times. I should be calling you to say "Happy Birthday Grandma". We'll say prayers to you instead so the Angels can deliver our love.

Always,

"Shell"

Introducing Jason and Megan Lyons!!!

Mike's brother, Jason, got married June 21 at a Bed & Breakfast just outside of Columbus, OH. The wedding reception was held this past weekend in Payne, OH. We were able to spend both of these weekends with Jason and Megan, and our family. These are some pictures of the two weekends put together.

Congratulations Jason and Megan!

Oops - had to come back in and add this picture that didn't make it on the slideshow. It's one of my favorites!

Ethan, Tricia, Devin, and Zachary

River with the Reinharts

While back home this weekend - we did get a few minutes of R&R after the long drive. Saturday afternoon we made a quick trip out to the river to see Grandma & Grandpa Reinharts new cottage. Thought we were going to get rained out for a while - but the weather held off and it ended up being quite beatiful. Chase especially enjoyed sitting out on the end of the dock - itching to just jump in!

We look forward to going back for a real visit to spend a day boating with them our next visit!

Grandpa Chris, Kayleigh, and Devin

Biker Girl!

Boy are we gonna have our hands full with Paige! Not only does she love rocks, mud, creeks, frogs, turtles, and snakes - but now she loves Harleys!!

Grandpa Chris has a fairly new Harley Davidson that she was itching to get up on while we were home this past weekend. Finally - before we left Sunday - she got to do it! She wanted to ride - but Grandpa didn't have a helmet her size so Mean Ol' Mommy said nope! So - until next time - sitting up there will have to do!

Friday's Favorite Five

After a few weeks of slacking here - figured I'd better do another Friday Five! It's always good to stop and think about the GOOD things that happen during the week - so here I go!

1) My first this week is to my Dad and his wonderful wife! They have been taking care of Kayleigh and Chase for three whole weeks!! I really expected a call after the first week saying "come and get them!". But my Dad is so patient and loving, and his wife has been so accepting of our family - that they've enjoyed every minute of it! When I talk to the kids every night they talk about all the fun things they do. What a memory they will always have of my Dad and Cassie.

2) This week I've also been very thankful for COMPUTERS of all things! My employer suffered a major computer problem that wiped out many of our facilities computers - mine - fortunately - was NOT one of them. However, my sister facility in Greensboro was. I've done a lot of helping out to keep them up to date, getting reports done, etc. for them from my building. Even though my building was not directly affected, I see how affected others are. It's so funny how reliant we've become on technology! They take hours of work on paper and get it done in just minutes.

3) I'm also very thankful, again, for Devin. With Kayleigh and Chase gone - he's been my only help around the house. I've tried really hard to not make him feel like all he's done for 3 weeks is clean and babysit Paige. He's getting involved in youth group, going to friend's houses, and just hanging out in his room by hisself. But - when he has had to help out - he's no griped at all about it and he's done a fabulous job. Paige misses Kayleigh and Chase - but Devin has certainly kept her entertained when Mike and I have been away. I appreciate you, Devin!!

4) We have been blessed with rain!!! Lots of it!!! North Carolina has fought through a drought for the last two years - this year started off fair and then got dry - real dry! But this week we have had rain every single day - pushing the total for July to over 2 inches already. Sounds like a lot - but we are still over 12 inches behind and can certainly use all the rain we can get.

5) Last, but certainly not least, for this week - I'm thankful for all of you who have said a prayer for our little friend Elaina. She is well on her way to proving the doctors wrong and showing great signs of improvement over the last 24 hours. Her sats are up, they've weaned her nitrate, she's being weaned from her vent, and her c-diff is cleared! Any one of these things could have taken this sweet girls life - but through the power of prayer - she is still fighting.

Hope everyone else had a great week with things to be thankful for also!!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Mom,

Today would be your 59th birthday. If you were here, we would be shopping all day with Cassi and ending up at dinner - just us three girls, well - maybe Kayleigh and Sammi too! What a fun birthday tradition we had. It was never about the shopping - more about the girl time.

I know you're with us each and every day. I can feel your spirit around us.

Until we meet again - Happy Birthday Mom!

I love you!

Michelle

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Update on Little Elaina

Earlier this week I made this post asking for prayers for a little girl named Elaina. Elaina is showing some very slight signs of improvement, but doctors are still not convinced she'll make it through this ordeal. Lots of prayers and faith have gotten her through the past weekend and this far. Hollie is not giving up on her sweet little girl. Please - continue to pray for Elaina, her mother Hollie, and her brother Ben.

Dear Kayleigh and Chase,

I miss you soooooo much! Staying here with Devin is boooorrrring! He doesn't make me laugh like you do, Chase. And Kayleigh - he won't brush my hair or let me put ponies in his hair! Mommy took this picture of me talking to you on the phone last night. I told her I can't go to bed until I say goodnight to Kayleigh and Chase! It drives Mommy and Daddy crazy because they just want me to go to sleep!

Daddy bought Mommy a new camera since you dropped hers in the creek and it doesn't always work right. I love it when she takes my picture! It makes me feel like a model and I pose for her every time.

Oh and every night before bed Mommy reads to me out of my new Children's Bible. It talks about Gabriel telling Mary she was going to have a baby, and Baby Jesus being born and sleeping in hay and straw, and Jesus grows up and gets lost when he was 12. Oh - and last night we read about his 12 people ... what are they called again? Oh yeah - disciples!

Can't wait to see you both on Saturday at the wedding party. I'm going to give you both hugs and kisses over and over again. Well .... maybe only about 8 times!!

Love you both

Paige

Play Date!!

Paige spent Sunday afternoon at her friend Cassie's house. The girls were looking forward to spending time together all week - driving Kristen (Cassie's Mom) and I crazy!! ("How many more days till Cassie's house"!!) The girls spent the majority of the time in the pool! They managed to get out just before the storms hit and played games the rest of the time.

Cassie and Paige went to pre-school together and were best friends from day 1. Us Moms have tried to keep play dates occasionally so they can remain friends. They'll go to different elementary schools - but we will surely keep the girls in touch.

You can check out more of Paige & Cassie on Four Hens and a Rooster (the Daukus family website). Kristen has some cute pictures and videos from their pre-school graduation on her site.

Thank you, Kristen and Steve, for having her over!!

Who Needs Fireworks . . .

When you've got Daddy's attention all to yourself and 6 boxes of sparklers!

We attempted to go see fireworks last night. First the rain and storms came, then all at once people flooded downtown Lewisville when it broke. We decided it wasn't worth the mess and stayed here. We ended up being able to watch them from the cul-de-sac and then Paige got bored. So - we came back down to our house and got out the sparklers.

Our only child home went through SIX boxes of sparklers! She absolutely loved them! At first it was one at a time - but when she figured out they couldn't hurt her - it was one in each hand! Then - Daddy got silly lighting them with an end of the sparkler in his mouth! What a kid he is!!

We did have company over for the festivities. Our friendly neighborhood toad sat in the middle of the driveway the entire time watching Paige! Too funny!

Hope all our blogger friends & family had a great holiday!

A "Heart Buddy" Blogger Friend Needs Prayers Now!

I have a small group of blogger friends that all have a child - or children - with various cardiac conditions - some like Chase's - other's MUCH more serious. Hollie's little girl Elaina had open heart surgery last week at only a few months old. She posted this earlier today:

"Now, the not so positive parts of the day. The broviac is in Elaina's left femoral vein. Her left femoral artery is the one that was damaged by the art line earlier this week. Her circulation is very poor in this leg. We still can't find a pulse in her ankle or her foot and her foot is very dusky with sluggish capillary refill. It was warmer tonight than it was this afternoon, but it's still got a long way to go. THEN, I was given “THE talk” by the doctors and Palliative Care. If the procedure that was done in Cath Lab is not successful, if her oxygenation does not improve, there is not much that can be done to make things better. Elaina is currently on full support on the ventilator. They could possibly go a little higher on the nitric oxide, but it probably wouldn’t make a significant difference. There are still 2 collaterals that they were not able to coil. I’m not sure if this is because they were too small or if it’s because they are in a spot that the catheter couldn’t get to. Right now, they are not much of an issue, but if the blood flow “plumps” them up we could be right back where we are now. Also, because of all of this, they are concerned that there is just too much stress on her heart and they want me to think about what I want to have done if her heart stops. I also need to think about what I would do if this procedure doesn’t work and her saturations continue to drop. There were no surgical interventions offered to me. So, I may possibly have to make the hardest decision of my life. Needless to say, most of my day was spent in tears and in prayer. I would like to ask everyone if they would be willing to have a special fast for Elaina on Sunday. I know that God can work miracles. I know that He can heal the sick. Please join with me in her behalf on Sunday."

Please keep little Elaina in prayers tonight as well as Hollie. She needs all the strength and support she can get as a single Mom of little Elaina. You can also follow her story on your own at Walking the Fine Line.

Thank you!