Apparently I do not update well.  I will try to do better.

Day 1 since my last blog….just kidding.

I must admit it is difficult for me to remember my last blog and I took a peak at it a couple minutes ago.  How sad….

I’ll start with Nola’s birthday.  We took Nola to Casa Bonita in Denver to celebrate her 16th birthday.  Casa Bonita was a blast.  If I ever download the pictures to the computer (life is busy!!!!), you’ll get to see how great it was.  They have indoor divers at the restaurant, all you can eat enchilladas, chips, rice, beans, tacos, drinks and sol papillas.  (not sure on my spelling).  Sol papillas are a donut without a hole type mexican dessert.  They also have 2 smaller arcades, had a santa, christmas lights, and other skit performers.  They have a marriachi band, too.  The band sang Happy Birthday to Nola and when they were finished, Nola bowed and said “Thank You” in the sweetest most reverent quiet voice.  It was too funny.

After Nola’s birthday, we began the countdown to Christmas.  I offered to help (under the impression it was only one or two things to be doing) with the churches Christmas program.  My friend was in charge, so I should’ve expected to be in charge of everything except music and directing.  I was in charge of snacks for practices, all costumes (including sewing 6 little cheerleader skirts, and creating a shepherd, wiseman, Mary, Joseph, and Angel costume out of a pile of material), the letters some kids were going to hold up during a song (she changed her mind about using them after I had them made -too crowded on the stage), set up and clean up before and after the show, plus getting everyone into costume during the 2 shows.  Oh, and helping iron on 50 iron ons on the t-shirts for all of the performers to wear in the show.  Plus, Damon had a lead part and I had to get him looking like a judge and help him learn his lines.  He stole the show.  People still ask why he doesn’t wear a tie and coat every Sunday, because he looked so great.

Mark’s friend Jamie came to visit the week before Christmas.  He got to see the kids program.  Nola was a beautiful singer in the chorus.  You could see her love for Jesus beaming on her face and in her motions and she was right in the center standing in front of the cross on the wall at the front of the sanctuary.  If I get a copy of the program, I’ll send it to mom for all of you to borrow and see.  At this same time, Mark got sick with an icky cold.

Ok, I have to skip through a few things or you’ll be here forever.  Laura got the cold…finished Christmas shopping…. Christmas evening candle light service was nice….open presents…..eat….eat….eat… stayed up til midnight with the kids on New Years….finished the flooring in the office New Years Day…took the kids indoor climbing…. Nola got the cold….time to go back to school.

Think January 6.  First day back to school and all is well.  January 8 Nola throws up in the morning and has a sore throat and stays home from school with Mark.  Laura comes home from school Jan. 9 with a splitting sinus headache, all achy -must be the flu and Nola is coughing and has the ickiest nose ever.  Jan. 10 Nola and Laura stay home from school.  Monday we all go back to school again, but Nola gets sent home because of a rash on her face and Mark stays home with her in the am and I take the pm.  Turns out she had impatigo and can’t go to school until she’s been on an antibiotic for 24 hours.  Laura stays home with her Tuesday.  Damon stayed home too because of a sore throat.  Wednesday, Damon has bad sore throat, so Mark takes him to the DR.  He has strep.  Mark stays home Thursday with Damon.  Friday, Jan. 16, Mark and I go to school,  Damon stays home and Nola has a 1/2 day so she keeps him company in the afternoon. So far we all have poor attendance at school.  Nola missed 4 days.  Damon missed 4 days.  Laura missed 2  1/2.  Mark has missed 3 1/2.

Jan. 17 -my birthday.  It was so awesome.  Friday night (16th), Nola wrote me a note about being the best mom.  I got to read in the bedroom while Mark and Damon made me a cake and cleaned the entire kitchen which was quite a task after all the craziness of being sick.  Saturday morning Damon serves Mark and I breakfast in bed and kept the kitchen clean.  We got up and he had a message on his Wii (Thank you G and G Heuker for the Christmas money to put towards it) for me.  Happy Birthday!  Your present is behind the tv screne.  He gave me a bookmark.  I also got the dvd Arizona bike workout I wanted from Mark.  I did have to do bills, but it was pretty painless after being treated like a queen.  In the evening, we went out for dinner and Mark had the waiters sing Happy Birthday to me while I wore a sombrerro.  Talk about a great day.  It was the best!!!!

Now,  it is already a week later.  The counter is still looking pretty good.  Monday we didn’t have school due to MLK Jr’s Birthday observance.  Tuesday everyone went to school.  Mark stayed home with Damon on Wednesday, because he was running a fever.  Raise Damon to 5 absences and Mark to 4 1/2.  Thursday morning Yukon (our siberian husky) wasn’t doing so well.  He has a tumor.  We found that out on Monday after blood work and x-rays.  The vet said it is probably attached to his spleen, so he probably has slow internal bleeding.  The vet said he isn’t in pain and could live a year, could live a week.  The vet said to watch his gums.  If they turn white, it means the tumor ruptured and he only has a couple hours to live.  Thursday morning his gums were fine, but his tongue was this pasty white – no pink in sight.  So… Mark does his crossing guard duty, gets a hold of the vet, takes Damon (he wanted to go, in case we had to put Yuk down) and goes off to the vet.  The vet gave Yukon some oxygen and prednizone and sent them all home.  The vet is a relative, so at least we get the family discount.  The new totals:  Nola 4 absences, Laura 2 1/2 absences, Damon 6 absences, Mark 5 1/2 absences.   We’ve only had 13 1/2 days of school so far in 2009.

Needless to say, I went out and bought every anti bacterial everything to clean with, everyone has multi-vitamins, we are eating extra fruits and veggies and drinking 100% juices and all are going to bed early.

Hopefully this brings you up to speed.  I’ll try not to go a month without a good update.  Linds, just remember, you wanted a real  update .

Love to all.