SPRING BREAK IS OVER :(

This past week was Spring Break for the kids.  Every year I plan surprises for the kids after I pick them up.  We never are able to take the week off so the kids attend Boys and Girls Club for the week.  I feel bad that we can't take the week off with them and in the years past they have not enjoyed Boys and Girls Club so a few years ago I came up with the idea to make the most out of it and give them something to look forward to each day as I give them clues in their lunch boxes about what we will be doing when I pick them up.  Unfortunately this week started off a little rough.  Monday was good because we had the St. Patrick's Day Parade and we were able to spend the day together.  However, Tuesday was not such a success.  It was about 4am and I was getting ready to go to the gym.  I was sweeping the floors before I left and I heard Raelynn say from her room, "Mommy, I don't feel so good."  Within a few minutes of those words she was throwing up.  The poor thing literally threw up about 7 times over the next 4 hours.

I do not think she had ever had the stomach flu so bad.  So it was another day off work for me which was not good because we had a lot going on at work and I had already missed Monday.  By 5pm Raelynn was still throwing up but was definitely doing better.  I spent the night on the couch with her and Wednesday morning at 6am sharp I hear, "Mom, I feel sooooo much better!"  I was relieved to hear those words but knew she would be weak.  She sprang up and ate some breakfast and within about 15 minutes she was back on the couch saying she was so tired.  I guess she hadn't had the flu enough to learn that lesson :).  She spent Wednesday with me at work and by noon was feeling great.  I was very thankful it was just a 24 hour flu.  However, this had thrown our Spring Break surprises off so I had to do a little scurrying around to recover what I could of the week.  So Wednesday night we surprised the kids with a trip to Target to buy Frozen and a little treat at DQ before heading home to watch it.  They were super excited as they had been asking for Frozen since we saw it in the theater over Christmas.  Thursday the weather was beautiful and I took a great chance on my surprise.  I decided we would visit some Nature Trails and go for a little hike.  I honestly had no idea if the kids would think this was fun.  I started with a trip to Orange Leaf so I knew at least one thing would be a hit.  Then we travel to the Nature Trails.  To my relief the kids had a blast.  They ran and climbed and laughed.  It wasn't too far that they got tired but it was far enough to give us a good hour or so hike.  They played and acted silly and we had a wonderful time.

Friday I couldn't decide exactly what I wanted to do when I got a text from our friends to join them at CiCi's for dinner.  We then decided to finish the night at the Lego Movie which the kids had been asking to see.  They were so happy with their final surprise.  It was another fun night and besides Cooper getting ice stuck in his throat, it was perfect.  Yes, our Cooper always keeps things exciting.

So after a fun week and a pretty easy weekend, we are ready for another busy week ahead.  I continue to believe I must be the luckiest person in the world as I listen to my kids play together and even make their own banana splits together.  They are wonderful children and I love them both so much!!!  Between the town of them and Terry, they fill my heart with more happiness than anyone deserves!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY…….

What a day!  We had so much fun in the Lawrence St. Patrick's Day Parade!  We have a float each year for Cooper's Cause Foundation but this year we decided to do an actual float and not just decorate an old pickup.  Terry literally built the whole thing along with Allison.  I am always amazed at what he can do and this was no exception.  He worked very hard on it but it turned our awesome!!!

It was a day full of fun!

We were so lucky to have a couple of the families that we had funded join us this year.  It made the whole day so much brighter to know we had other heart kids right there with Coop and their siblings with Raelynn.  There is literally not enough thanks in the world for those who have made all of this possible!

SO THIS IS THE POST THAT WAS TO BE POSTED FRIDAY BUT SOMEHOW I GOT DISTRACTED AND NEVER ACTUALLY POSTED IT………...

I am so looking forward to this weekend!  My family is coming to town and we are having Steph’s Baby Shower for her friends in this area.  (No fear for those closer to Scott City, she will have one there too after the baby arrives.)  I get so stressed out planning things like this and just want it to be perfect for her.  I cannot tell you how excited I am to meet my new niece.  It’s crazy to remember so well when Steph herself was a baby (remember I was 15!) and now to think that she will have a baby of her own.  My kids are super excited too.  Well maybe I should say Raelynn is excited.  Coop is still in denial however the other day I caught him playing by himself and he was talking away to a baby and was calling her Haddie (our nickname for Steph’s little girl).  I started to laugh and he was instantly embarrassed.  I told him I knew he was excited about her and he said no he wasn’t!  I think it’s a good thing we are done having kids, he might be a little on the jealous side!

Things are moving right along in 2014.  It is hard to believe it is already March but I am soooooo ready for Spring.  This weather has been so cold this year and I DO NOT do cold.  Raelynn and I went to a baby shower for one of my good friends last weekend in Missouri.  On our way Raelynn had asked if we could please stop by the mall to get her another pair of jeans on the way home.  She had to be back home by 7pm so I let her know we would try but would just have to see.  We ended up having time so we stopped and shopped.  The afternoon was amazing.  We laughed and shopped with each other and had a little treat.  We left a little late and were rushing to get back for her Brownies meeting.  We get back and rush inside to get her stuff gathered and had to return home 3X because she kept forgetting things.  You would think this would be annoying but we were just laughing.  When I finally dropped her off at her meeting she grabbed her stuff and then started to shut the car door.  She paused and turned around, with a smile on her face she said, “Thanks for taking me shopping today Mom, I had fun, and thanks for going back and getting my stuff 3X too!”  I smiled and told her I had a great time too and loved her.  She finished shutting the door and ran inside.  I just sat there for a moment, thinking how much that thank you meant to me.  Things are so good with her right now.  She is maturing but it’s more than that.  I feel like she is starting to understand things like why manners are important and why we love each other and make sure we tell each other and all the other things you hope you are teaching them.  Now I know this “phase” won’t last forever, but I am so going to cherish it why it’s here. 

She and Terry had a Daddy Daughter Date Night last weekend.  It is sponsored by the Parks and Rec and it is a dinner and dancing for Fathers and their Daughters.  Raelynn had a great time and I think Terry had fun too.  They didn’t get home until well after 10pm and she was all smiles.  Terry was ready for the couch, hahahaha!  It was a special night for her and I am just so thankful that I have a husband that will step out of his comfort zone to make sure his daughter got to go…..even if it did take 2 years of asking J!

 Raelynn is also sporting some new glasses.  She doesn't have to wear them always, but mostly in school, while reading etc.  She looks adorable in them!

Coop and I had our own little date night……………along with 2 of his friends.  When I asked Coop what he wanted to do, thinking he and I, he said “I want to invite my friends and do something.”  That something ended up being bowling which was pretty fun.  One of my friends joined us so we got to catch up too!  A fun night with friends is always awesome!

The kids also got to visit their wonderful doctor last week too.  It started with Coop on Tuesday with a sinus infection and ear infection  and Raelynn on Friday with left over symptoms from strep we didn’t even know she had.  So the antibiotics were plentiful in the Keefer household but everyone is doing great now.  Coop has also presented a couple unusual symptoms lately.  One morning as he was getting dressed he said, “Uh Mom come here.”  I asked him what he needed as I was getting ready myself.  He said I needed to see his feet because they were yellow.  I told him he was fine and to get dressed.  He is my diddler and drives me crazy in the mornings so I gave him little attention.  He replied, “Uh no Mom you need to come here and see this.”  Still thinking he was just messing around I told him if he wanted me to see them he needed to come to me.  He walks in my bedroom and says, “See.”  I looked down and instantly stopped doing my hair.  Had he said his feet were purple or blue I would have came running but yellow meant nothing to me until I saw them.  They were yellow like a dead person’s skin.  As I pushed on them there was absolutely no perfusion.  I asked him if they hurt or tingled or anything and he said no.  I asked him if he felt ok and he said yes.  So in normal Kristi style I laughed and said, “Ok then go get dressed.”  Inside I was a little concerned.  Coop presents the weirdest symptoms often and sometimes they are related to his heart defect and sometimes their not and sometimes who knows?! But yellow dead peoples feet were new.  We went to school where I have his portable oximeter (Tests the Oxygen level in his blood) and his SAT level was down to 85-87 which was not good.  He used to be in the 70's but since his 3rd surgery he has been 98-100.  Anyway with this new symptom and the common headaches he has been having, I am guessing that little by little we approaching his next procedure but we'll let the doctors determine that.  For now we will just appreciate his fun loving personality!

Tuesday Terry got to spend the day with the kids being a Watch Dog.  The kids love this day with him!!!

Today I got to surprise Coop for lunch!  He was so excited and so was I.  I had been trying to have lunch with him for over 2 weeks but there was always something come up at work that I couldn't take my lunch early.  Finally on Friday there was nothing that kept me from going early and I actually had a client coming in when I usually took lunch so knew I couldn't go then.  Coop and his friends were great.  Tonight Raelynn is at a birthday party and we are waiting the arrival of my family!  Let the fun begin!

SO NOW STARTS THE POST I ACTUALLY INTENDED FOR TONIGHT………….

We had Steph's Baby Shower this weekend and it was too much fun!  I love my family and it is always great to have them here.  It was also great to be celebrating the arrival of Hadley.  I cannot wait to meet her!  The baby shower went great.  I was so happy my Mom and Sisters were here to help with the food and wrapping things up.  Sherri and I spent Friday night finishing the diaper cake that I had been stressed about for weeks.  It turned out pretty cute!  I will share more pictures once I have my camera back that I left at Steph's.

While we were at the shower, Coop had his last soccer game.  I was super sad to miss it but he gave me a full report afterwards!  His team won and he had fun!  That was about the sum of the report!

After the shower we headed to Steph's to celebrate Cody's Birthday.  There was a fun group there with Cody's family too.  

Then Sunday morning we were up and headed to celebrate Chandler's Birthday!  She is getting sooooo tall!  Raelynn is very close to Chandler and I love watching them grow up together.

All in all another fabulous weekend!!!!!!!!  WOULD LOVE TO HAVE JUST ONE MORE DAY!