FIFTEEN

We have a fifteen-year-old in our household.
We have a soon-to-be-student-driver in our household (Drivers Ed starts in two weeks!)

Our first baby, our Valentine's boy is now a 6'-2" young man (with size 14 feet).

Hendrick is our couch flopping, book worm; herpetologist, Magic the Gathering tournaments, bowling team; chess player, early riser, independent student; laid back, big brother authority, judge; late night lake explorer, critter catcher, collector; fantasy book reader, Minecraft, Lego collector; HS Knowledge Bowl team, baseball card collector, pack rat; deep thinker, impressive fact retention, dominating trivia competitor, Boy Scout; introvert, multiple job working, counter stool percher, movie watcher; board games, coffee drinker . . . 

Happy 15th Birthday Hendrick!

Favorites:

food:  poppyseed chicken casserole

dessert:  Nest coffee (Haunted Heath)

drink:  Nest coffee (Haunted Heath)

fruit:  orange

veggie:  celery

restaurant:  Brew Ale&Eats

color:  olive green

animal:  American Toad

superhero:  Captain America

sport:  baseball

sports team:  Reds

car:  Ford Raptor

movie:  Black Panther

tv:  Stranger Things

music:  "Oh Brother Where Art Thou"

school subject:  science

book:  Hobbit

(currently reading:  The Fall of Gondolin by Tolkien)

indoor activity:  read

outdoor activity:  lake exploring (dip netting)

with friends:  Scouts and gaming at Ultima

with brothers:  watch movies, play board games

with sisters:  avoid them because they're whiny

with dad:  board games

with mom:  exercising at the PACC

outing:  Friday night gaming at Ultima

extracurricular: Knowledge Bowl

vacation:  Outer Banks (although I did really like North and South Dakota)

dream vacation:  Everglades

 career aspiration:  Field Herpetologist

 my life in 25 years:  retired and rich

 favorites from the past year:  Dakota's trip, Turtle Fest, Scout Camp

most looking forward to this next year:  Reptile Convention, driving, Scout Camp

likes:  being alone, reading, taking care of pets, Scouts, KNowledge Bowl, Magic the Gathering, Nest coffee, hotel waffles, watching a good movie

dislikes:  onions, yelling, whining, ketchup, wiping snotty faces and changing poopy diapers, bad coffee, disappointing books, losing money, something new breaking, leopard gecko eggs not hatching

 

for his 15th birthday:

homemade waffles

homeschool co-op

valentine's candy

decorated heart cookies

McDonald's Shamrock Shakes

Knowledge Bowl practice

Nest latte

Brew Burger take-out

"jungle" decorated house with signs

plain giant cookie cake

movie night ("Matrix")

. sports clothes . Dungeons and Dragons . Magic Cards . head lamp . books . 

. Lord of the Rings card game . baseball cards . coffee soda . 

It's been fun to celebrate our Hendrick.  We are so thankful and are impressed with this young man!

SEVEN

Maclaren Pearl, our shy, silly, snuggler; creative artist, Lego builder, messy room keeper; top-bunk sleeper, piano player, bendy tricks, ballerina; kitchen helper, fairness police, work avoider; book illustrator, serious, wants to be one of the big kids; little ones ring leader; "w" r's, deep thinker, cute scowler; swing set swinging, couch jumper, audio book listener; music lover, fruit eater; "small mouth" face, night owl . . . is SEVEN!

Happy Birthday Missy Mac!

Favorites:

food:  poppyseed chicken casserole and Chinese food

dessert:  cake, strawberry cake

fruit:  watermelon

veggie:  tomato

drink:  soda, cherry coca-cola

restaurant:  Chick-fil-A and Wendy's

color:  pink

holiday:  Christmas

book:  Disney princess books

audio book:  The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe 

movie:  The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia)

animal:  dolphin

flower:  daffodil

superhero:  Bat Girl

Disney princess:  Tiana

school subject:  learning how to read

toy:  the game phone (an old iPhone loaded with games)

indoor activity: tea parties, Legos

outdoor activity:  playing in the snowbank ("snow mountain"), build a fort, swinging

with sisters:  tea parties, make-overs

with brothers:  Legos

with dad:  playing board games

with mom:   helping to cook

outing:  Fargo Sky Zone

vacation destination:  the beach

 looking forward to this year as a 7-year-old:  going to the beach, visiting Tennessee, going to the PACC by myself, playing baseball, my dance recital, learning how to knit

place I want to go:  Atlanta 

career aspiration:  artist

my life in 25 years:  Live at the beach with 12 children.  I'll be a super artist.  

what's special about me:  God made me

likes:  staying up late, dancing, drawing people, my whole family, Valentine's candy, painting class, spending time with mom, going out to eat, having soda, ice cream, milkshakes, swimming at the PACC, watching crabs on the sand, salt water taffy, doing my hair myself

dislikes:  when it's not fair, when the boys don't let me in their room, when people take all the food before I even eat, when Addy loses my Legos, stinky diapers, when Kota pees, going to bed (because you don't ever let me stay up with the big kids), doing school, doing chores

 Her 7th birthday:

french toast casserole and bacon breakfast

Mass

pancake and sausage brunch at church

making her own cake

(double-layer round Rice Krispie treat cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles)

swimming at the PACC

tea party, play performance, and make-overs

pizza dinner at Zorbaz

balloons and streamers decorations

cake and gifts

(princess Legos, reading books, Lego Friends, clothes, coloring book, princess dress, Art kit, Goose Gang candy)

Hospital Stay

Our sweet Dukes came into our lives with quite the history of breathing problems.  He's our boy.  In these past 8 months, we've been honored to get to know him - His sweet, funny personality, and the ins and outs of his health history.  We're learning how best to care for him and working to understand what complications he faces. 

Dukes has been diagnosed with Asthma.  Before he joined our family, in his first year, breathing issues resulted in 5 extended hospital stays.  It's certainly our prayer that he will be healed from breathing problems, but we also must learn to be his experts and advocates.  Knowing his history, not being familiar with asthma in young ones, and wanting to do everything I can to best care for him (and being prone to worry), I've always worried for him - When is it a problem?  When is the wheezing too much? 

We give him regular nebulizer treatments (the big kids have been such a big help), and working with our family doctor, we've traveled to visit specialists (Allergist and ENT) to determine what factors might be affecting his breathing.  

This past week we had our first real breathing scare. 

His breathing is always more labored when he's congested.  Dukes had had a cold for a few days.  Friday morning he was wheezing more than normal.  We gave him a second breathing treatment.  Waking up from his nap, he was hot to the touch, lethargic, and his wheezy breathing was very rapid.  When the third breathing treatment made no difference, Hiwot and I rushed him to our local clinic.  Initial testing showed his oxygen level at 80%.  We were taken immediately to the ER.  Dukes' temperature was 103.5 and he was taking 55-60 breaths per minute. 
I am so thankful for the team of doctors and nurses who surrounded us and quickly worked to find what was going on with our boy.  An X-ray showed he had pneumonia and Dukes tested positive for RSV.  Our fussy and floppy boy was kept overnight to monitor his rapid breathing and oxygen levels - Mike joined us late in the evening to spend the night with Dukes.  It was such a relief to see him the following morning.  His sweet, silly personality was back!  He was charming all his nurses, waving and running up and down the halls in his "sleepy tiger" hospital gown.  By the afternoon his breathing had slowed, his fever was down, and his oxygen levels were excellent.  Praise God!  We were able to bring him home!    

With each doctor visit, each specialist visit, and yes, with each complication, we're learning.  We're becoming more intimate with the needs of our child and the steps we need to take to best care for him. 

We are so thankful to have this amazing boy in our world and as our son. 

So do not fear, for I am with you:

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  

Isaiah 41:10

Working Hard

Shoveling snow is a never ending chore.  We're thankful for lots of helpers who work hard to keep our driveway and walkways clear . . . and our awesome neighbor helping us achieve clean edges with his snow blower.  

Unfortunately snow is not nearly as much fun when it means more work.  As beautiful and fun as fresh snow can be, they kids are  beginning to dread the shoveling - especially when it's a deep heavy snowfall.  

Hard work is good for kids.  Working outside in the fresh air is good for kids.  Ideally they're learning valuable lessons with their hard work - work hard, play hard.  We'll see . . . 

The kids are talking of pooling their money together to buy a snow blower  ;)

SNOW

Our yard currently has 2-3 feet of snow, with 3-4 feet on either side of our driveway.  We've had snow since early November.  It's too deep for the littles to get out and play.  We waited for a day with above zero temperatures (it was nearly 10 degrees Fahrenheit) and bundled them up for a quick snow experience - they only lasted 15 minutes!

We've only made it out to the big sledding hill once this season.  Our windchill has been well below zero for weeks.  We are hoping for a weather warm up soon so we can more comfortably enjoy our winter wonderland.    

(We haven't been tracking our snowfall totals this season.  It's probably around 4-5 feet!  Our neighbor predicts a 7-foot snowfall season!)

Sky Zone

Traveling to Fargo several times this winter for swim meets and doctors appointments, it was a bonus to happen upon "Homeschool Hop" at Sky Zone (half-price admission for homeschool families!) . . . we might have to make this happen again next month!