Wordless Wednesday {Drumming}

Fiesta Texas

Time to go home!!!

Rylea LOVED this school bus ride!!

We ended up with 3 Batman dolls!

Wanna be cops!

Bugs Bunny!!!!

Ethan, Rylea, Daddy & Rubea in a Wiggles car

Rubea, she loves the rides!

Owen, Kayle, Rubea & Daddy in their Wiggles Plane.

Ethan & Rylea in a Wiggles Plane

We knew that going to Fiesta Texas this past weekend would be the last chance we would have to go for a while. Owen will have a cast after his surgery Wednesday and they won't let you on the rides with a cast. Then the next week Kaylea is having her tracheostomy. The week after her trach, she will have her halo removed and her cast put on. We were surprised and thrilled that they let Kaylea ride all the rides she wanted, even with her halo. We had a great time, but didn't get through the whole park. Hopefully we'll get back sometime later in the fall.

This is what happens when mom and dad have a date night!!

This is Johnathan putting whipped cream on Kaylea's hand

then tickling her nose..... you can hear Rubea saying *Kaylea,

Kaylea*!! lol

She fell asleep in traction!! Poor kiddo!!

Aren't they cute??

Ethan....

Kaylea....

Owen....

Last week when we were at the party, I took a few individual pictures....my kids seem to have a hard time posing! I think we will be working on this :-) When the sun comes out again! lol

Happy Weekend!!

S.T.T.A.R. Party

Rubea....suppose to be Hello Kitty?!?!

(photo taken by Kaylea)

Ethan

(photo taken by Kaylea)

Owen looking annoyed??

(photo taken by Kaylea)

Kaylea with her sparkly blue cross.

Johnathan & John...playing horseshoes

Rylea's rainbow

Rylea & Kaylea

Kaylea telling the clown what kind of balloon she wanted.

Rylea & Rubea looking cute!

(Owen & Daddy, too)

Ethan & Kaylea playing tether ball

We attended the annual STTAR party on Saturday. STTAR stands for Spinal and Thoracic Treatment and Research Center. It is the thoracic group at our local hospital that implanted Rubea's VEPTR rods. This was our first time to attend the party. The kids had a great time! They had swimming, bounce house, tether ball, horse shoes, face painting, a clown with balloons, playground and much more! The kids enjoyed snow cones, popcorn, cotton candy and of course our BBQ lunch!! We also met some great families that we are excited to get to know better. Enjoy the pictures..... (can you believe I took the girls in white dresses?)

Love,

Happy Birthday Ethan

Always being silly....

....and happy.....

...and showing off...

...and goofy...

...and excited!!!!

Dear Ethan,

I can not believe that you are 11. I remember not so long ago when you were just 4!!! You were only 27 lbs and 27 inches! You are such an amazing, confident, strong & funny kid! I love your jokes, your infectious laugh, your smile, the love you show your family, your determination, hugs, strong will and how sensitive you are to others! You are an awesome big brother and a great role model for Owen! I hope you had a great birthday!!! We are proud of you for learning to ride your bike on you own!!
Lots of love,
Mom

Trio....

Check out ThatGirlBlogs... She has a a set of Fisher Price Trio (building blocks for 3-5 year olds) that she is giving away!!! I know my kids would have a blast with these. They look easy to manipulate for those kiddos with hands that sometimes have difficulty working together, like Ethan!! Head on over to her blog and enter....the give away ends on Sunday!!! Tell her Carla sent ya! :o)

8 out of 17 kids

These are 8 of the 17 children between the Hays and Lambert Families!! WOW!!!!

These kids represent 7 different countries!!

Isn't that A M A Z I N G??

A late call...

I called the numbers that the doctor left for John on Wednesday, but was never able to reach a person with a pulse, so I finally left a message. The young man returned my call and let me know that the doctor did want to talk to us today, so he would page her and have her call my cell number. He assured me that she would call today! As I was getting the girls ready for bed, doing laundry, cleaning the kitchen, reading emails and listening to the news, my phone rang. It was a 214 number....I knew the doctor probably had a phone number with that area code. I glanced at the time it was 8:57 pm. She was apologetic, but didn't want us to have to wait until tomorrow to hear from her! Ok.... basically what she said is Scottish Rite is unable to manage Kaylea's airway. Children's is unable to meet her orthopedic needs. Her orthopedic doc is adamant about the trach being placed. She has decided to have a look at Kaylea's entire airway and make her decision based off those findings. So, that will be done in the first week or two in October. If she feels that Kaylea absolutely NEEDS the trach, then she will discuss with us her findings and we'll make a decision at that time. ( She feels like the trach will likely be a safer option for Kaylea due to the nature of issues that she has and the number of procedures she will endure in the next 12 -24 months.) Then the next week she will be moved over to Scottish Rite and have her Halo removed and her cast put on.

They actually have her scheduled for the same day Owen is scheduled to have his first hand surgery as Scottish Rite, so Kaylea's will be pushed back to October.

From the mouth of...Owen....

We were on a little walk this evening and it started thundering and barely, barely sprinkling when the lightening struck! A couple of times and close! The street got pretty bright. We were heading home and the sprinkles were are little harder. We are all chatting and Owen says "It is dripping water or something from the sky!" HAHA!!

Decisions, decisions...

Before I cut her hair for the halo!

She misses having long hair :o)

John got a call from the ENT doctors office yesterday, but he wasn't able to answer. Apparently, according to the message, they (she and the orthopedic surgeon) have a new game plan concerning Kaylea getting a trach. She asked that we call tomorrow to discuss the plan with her. I am anxious to hear what they have come up with now. We are still thinking this is something we do not want to do at this time, but are awaiting an appointment for a 2nd opinion!

To be continued.....

Love,

***REMINDER*** Prayers Needed!!!

I am asking on behalf of a bloggy (Lady blog) friend for many prayers over the next two days!! She is in a very difficult situation right now over custody of one of her sons. Having been in her shoes, I know how she feels! It is a very lonely place to be....even when you have family and friends on your side! Please go and read her blog so you fully understand her situation and say some prayers for her and her handsome son! I know they can use them right now!!

Thanks for you prayers!!