Wordless Wednesday

Some Photos

I figured since I haven't posted much in the last two weeks I would post some pictures of what we've been up to around here. With four kids, there is never a dull moment!

My $20.22 Buy Low Produce Deal last Tuesday.

(Sale is over so I won't post details)

My $77 Target/Albertsons Deals two weeks ago

I saved $218.21!!

($42.25 was spent on Diapers/Wipes which doesn't come out of our $300 a month food budget I spent $35.05 on all of the food products, and using coupons got 29 items FREE and 32 items for under $1.00!!)

[These sales, and coupons have expired so I won't list the details]

This is my oldest Son. His face tells all.

He KNEW he was in BIG trouble!

Luckily it wasn't permanent marker, 

AND 

I had stocked up on Mr. Clean Magic Erasers!!

I took pictures of the initial damage, but was a bit angry when I discovered red, purple, yellow, and blue marker ALL OVER MY TAN COUCH about 10 minutes after this was cleaned up, and I told him that it was a "No-No"!!

I didn't take pictures of that

Here is my Husband trying to practice for Spirit West Coast, and our youngest son needing to be in the thick of it.

Just because I think he's the cutest little bug out there!

And here is my one year old, proud that he managed to escape the house wearing only a bib on his head. 

Miss Diva's Frugal Shoe Fix

I must say, my 7 year old Miss Diva is pretty Frugal herself! She decorated her shoes with plastic ties, from a newspaper I think. (?) She takes after her Mommy!

My 5 year old a.k.a. Sweet Pea

Isn't she a doll? I'm completely and totally biased, but she is just about the most precious thing I can think of! This is who you all have been praying for!! And I am SO THANKFUL for your prayers, because now I have a praise report to share!! As of last Monday, (I'm SO late on actually posting this, but I've been working on this since Tuesday...) her liver function numbers have come back down to 1100, which is still pretty high, but much lower than the 2700 it spiked to! Everything else is getting better too! Her appetite is returning and she has put on about 2lbs! (She lost 7!) She is sleeping less, and is actually now fighting all attempts to get her to nap, sleep, and rest throughout the day. Can you blame her though? I would too if I'd been sleeping 16 hours a day for the past 3 weeks!! Most importantly she is FEELING better! Praise God! The Doctor has now dismissed the fear she was holding on to in regards to Lupus. THANK YOU JESUS!! I was trying not to freak out when the Doctor told me that, but I must admit, I was quite the "fretful" mess. I called the Dr. several times last week, but I didn't hear back from her regarding the rest of Sweet Pea's lab results. I'm going off the assumption that "no news, is good news" but I will call again first thing Monday morning anyway to get the final verdict regarding how contagious she is at this point, and whether or not she can start going back to her Step-Mom's house and our "normal" schedule. 

Thank You all so much for your Prayers, Emails, and Encouragement! I know this might be a bit cliche, but you all are truly the best readers, kind, thoughtful, and loving! Everyday I am amazed at all the Lord has done in my life, and this new journey I'm starting out on with this blog, is just another blessing He has given me! Thank you to each and everyone of you, and may you all be blessed greatly!

Frugal Haircuts...

Here's a tip for Frugal Haircuts if you have boys: Invest in some decent clippers! My husband uses the clippers on a bi-weekly basis, and now our oldest son just had his first haircut by Daddy with the clippers. We got our WAHL Clippers about a year ago on sale at Target for around $40. Considering my husband used to pay $30 per haircut not including tip, and now uses the clippers twice a month, I would say that the clippers have MORE than paid for themselves!! If you have boys, and they (or you) don't like long hair, than I highly recommend investing in some good clippers. We love our WAHL clippers!! And in a house with 3 males and 3 females paying for 6 regular haircuts is just out of the question!!

Take a look at our oldest son's first frugal haircut experience!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

With Best of Intentions...

I had every intention of posting the Deals at Albertsons, Ralphs, and Stater Bros for the week of 4/1 - 4/8 both last night as well as today. 

However things did not go according to plan!

I received a phone call from one of my nearest and dearest friends at 8:40 p.m. last night. Her water broke, and she asked if I would accompany her to the hospital and stay with her, as her Husband was not able to be with her. 

OF COURSE!

I dropped what I was doing (working on this blog) and ran through the house like a crazy lady getting stuff together for the hospital. Thankfully my Husband was walking in the door from work, so I was able to just leave the kids with him. I picked her up and we arrived at Kaiser Hospital in Irvine around 9:40pm. I must admit I was a nervous wreck! Never before had I been in a Labor&Delivery room, NOT being the woman in labor! So this was uncharted territory for me! 

Let me tell you, my friend is AMAZING! She had about a 10 hour labor, but you never would've known! She was perfectly calm, relaxed, and resting! Granted she did have an epidural, but STILL! Totally opposite of my 4 labor stories! After a VERY LONG night however, I'm proud, and honored to have been able to witness the miraculous birth of my B.F.F's son! 

MICAH DANIEL

4-2-2009

6:51 a.m.

8lbs 8oz. 20inches

A very tired, haggard, yours truly with baby Micah!

Bolt DVD Coupon!

There is a $5 coupon floating around for Bolt that was released this past Tuesday. I've also found a $4 rebate when you buy the DVD and ONE of the following pasta products;  Ronzoni® Smart Taste™, Ronzoni®, San Giorgio®, Creamette®, American Beauty®, Prince® or Skinner®. That's a total of $9.00 OFF of the DVD! So if you have young kids, (or you're like us and love kids movies) make it a pasta night, and go get the DVD!

I'm going tonight to see if I can't get my hands on the DVD, with my handy $5 coupon, and said rebate! Go here to print the coupon, and then go here to print the rebate. There is also a $10 off coupon on the same page if you buy the Blu-Ray instead, stacked with the $4 rebate makes a total $14 off the Blu Ray version!

 Here's a price list for a few stores in the Long Beach, Ca. area according to their weekly ads.

Target: $15.99 (-$5Q=$10.99!) (-$5Q & $4Rebate=$6.99!) <------BEST DEAL I'VE FOUND!

Ralphs: $19.99 (-$5Q=$15.99!) (-$5Q&$4Rebate=$11.99!)

Best Buy:$16.99 (-$5Q=$11.99!) (-$5Q&$4Rebate=$7.99!)

 Happy Shopping!

Please let me know if you've found an even better deal on this!

The Contest

Anyone that has children, or anyone that is a sibling themselves, knows all about sibling rivalry. There is no denying its existence. I for one, was exceptionally competitive, and it seems that both Cassidy and Corinne are steadfast in walking in my footprints. They are nineteen months apart to the day, and their sibling rivalry is very real. I don't remember when it started between them. However, I'm starting to notice a trend with the boys. I wouldn't call it rivalry, rather more of an unspoken contest between the two. Who initiated it? My assumption would be Kai. What might the contest be you ask? Mainly, diaper counts. If one has several wet diapers on any given day the other ends it with more. The more [stinky] trend Richard and I have noticed is the dirty diapers! It would seem that through out the day Kai and Kaleb are continuously trying to one up the other in the poopy diaper department! One day each boy ended with FOUR in less than a 12 hour period! No sooner would I change one, than the other would need changed. Ay yi yi!! With Richard still recovering from his surgery, he is very limited in what and how much he can do around the house, and with the kids. ANY lifting has been strictly forbidden, and I think he's enjoying every minute of it! Well, at least the diaper contest parts!! My goodness! My hope is that the boys won't try to outdo the other in the dirty diaper "painting" contest! Kai is up to two "masterpieces" now. I pray there is no more....

Kaleb Pictures

Sorry it's been a while since I've done anything on this blog. I know you all understand though, this past month has been a very long, very busy one for us here in the Wilson household. Kaleb has been doing exceptionally well since his release from the hospital on the 15th. He's quite the little guy! He's a great little eater too! When Kaleb left the hospital on the 15th he weighed about 7lbs 4-5oz. Five days later he weighed in at 8lbs. 4oz. when we took him into the Doctor's to be circumcised. Then this past Monday, another 5 days from the last weigh in Kaleb weighed 9lbs 4 oz! So in 10 days Kaleb has gained almost 2 pounds! Needless to say, I'm not worried about whether he's getting enough to eat! What a little CHUNK!

Anyway here's some pictures from our most recent outing. Richard and I took all of the kids to Seal Beach so the girls could fly kites, for the first time ever! We all had a blast. I think Kai the most though. He sure loved the sand! He liked to crawl in it, roll in it, walk on it, and most of all I think he like to eat it! Enjoy the pics, and I promise I'll try and update this more often!

Look at those hands!

He's a copper head! (Hair)

He's holding his ear in his sleep.



Big Brother Love

Don't do it Kai!

He did it...





Mr. Helpful

He's always taking brother's pacifier

He's OFF oxygen!!

Sorry it’s been so long since the last Kaleb update. I really didn’t mean to leave you all hanging on pins and needles! It’s just that these last 8 days have been EXHAUSTING!! Not only physically, but emotionally, and mentally as well... Not to mention, hectic. Going to and from the hospital visiting Kaleb, and then trying to continue with our regular schedules with the girls and everything. It’s been very trying to say the least!

On to the good news...

Today is day 8 that Kaleb has been in the NICU at Miller’s Children’s Hospital. Everything was still pretty much how I last mentioned until Tuesday. Tuesday is the day that I got to breastfeed Kaleb for the first time, with the much needed assistance of Giselle, one of the hospital’s lactation consultants. Kaleb did really well the first time. He immediately latched on properly, and nursed for about 30 minutes... like a little champ!! Wednesday I also got to nurse, and nursed Kaleb twice. Again, he nursed like a champ! Tuesday and Wednesday, however, Kaleb was still needing oxygen. He was between 25-30% oxygen and still on 1liter per minute.

Today is a whole DIFFERENT story though! Kaleb’s feeding schedule is 8-11-2-5 day and night. I breastfed for the 11-2-5 feedings, and he did beautifully! Up until today Kaleb remained on oxygen, and every time he took a bottle his oxygen saturation levels would drop, so the nurses would have to increase both the % of oxygen as well as the flow. BUT when Kaleb breastfed his oxygen saturation levels did NOT drop, and remained stable. So I decided last night to nurse as much as I could. The 11am feeding went very well. Again with the assistance of Giselle, Kaleb latched on the first time, and nursed very well. At the 2pm feeding, the respiratory therapist removed Kaleb from oxygen all together! (PRAISE GOD!) So for the 2 and 5pm feedings Kaleb was completely OFF of oxygen, and not only did his saturation levels remain steady, but they INCREASED throughout the ENTIRE FEEDING!! Needless to say I will be at ALL of the other feedings to breastfeed, and make sure that he doesn’t get another bottle. I don’t want him to have to go back on oxygen for one second if it’s within my power to do so. Which it is since I’m breastfeeding, and he is doing SO much better with the breast than the bottle!

YAY!!

So today was the best day we’ve had so far. Still no day as to when he will come home, but if he keeps this up, it will definitely be sooner than later! Not only was today a really good day for Kaleb, but for me as well! With the help of Jodi and Giselle, the lactation consultant’s, I was successful in getting Kaleb latched on properly the first attempt at his 5pm feeding, and also found out why I had such a hard and painful time nursing my three others. They have helped me SO much, and I already feel MUCH better, and more confident about breastfeeding with this baby than I ever have before. YAY! I might actually make it to 12 months this time around! That’s my goal. 12 months.

So there’s the long overdue update people! Thank you so much for ALL of your prayers, good wishes, and support! We really couldn’t have done this by ourselves, and in our own strength, and for that we are ever so grateful! Not only do we have an AWESOME GOD, but we have awesome friends and family!

THANK YOU!!!!!

Kaleb Update

Ok, here's an update on the latest news of our little baby boy.

Kaleb is still in the NICU at Millers Children's Hospital at LB Memorial. He is still having respiratory distress. He is NOT however CRITICAL in ANY way! (The best news of all! Praise Jesus!) His turns for the worse are NOT a matter of life or death, but a matter of more days in the hospital. Kaleb is still receiving 4 liters of oxygen but is down from 100% oxygen to 50% oxygen. (For now. He keeps going back and forth between 100% and less) He's still having rapid breathing patterns with chest retractions, which basically means that he's having to work twice as hard for every breath. He is now starting to have a hard time under any sort of stress. (Which means touch essentially...) When he is touched, moved, or held he starts to stress, which puts him in more respiratory distress. So our contact with Kaleb right now is very minimal. He was given ADVAN (sp?) over the night to calm him, because apparently he became so agitated that he was unable to calm down and was in a lot of distress. He is still on IV fluids, and has not had any milk yet. (The hospital has my colostrum and milk stored for when the time comes.) We have not been given a time frame as to when Kaleb will be coming home since there are so many variables involved. His breathing must be completely unassisted and stable for a specific amount of time before they will introduce milk. Then, they must monitor his milk intake, and tolerance closely to see how well he does. Then and only then will they consider releasing him. However we don't know how long it will take for him to gain control of his breathing, and for it to become stable. The good news is that he IS breathing voluntarily and is not intubated. The other good news is that there are no signs of any type of infections, and his chest x-rays have been coming back clear. All in all he is doing well, is healthy, and the best news of all is that he is in the Lord's hands! Who better than THE GREAT HEALER?

Additional Update:
Richard and I went to the hospital this afternoon around 4:00. Kaleb was doing okay, no big upsets throughout the day really. However shortly after we got there his Jaundice results came back and per the doctor's orders Kaleb was started on light therapy. When we got to the hospital Kaleb was still receiving 4 liters of oxygen per minute but it was down to 40%. By the time we left it was back up to 65%. He wasn't too happy about the eye mask he had to wear for the light therapy. We were also finally given a name for what has been going on with Kaleb. It's called Respiratory Distress Syndrome. (aka RDS) It is most common with preemies, but apparently it can also affect full term babies. The short of it all is that his lungs were premature at birth (even though he was a full term baby....) There is no time frame for when they get better, and leave the hospital. However his symptoms all seem to fall in line with Moderate-Severe RDS... which usually means a longer recovery, which means a longer NICU stay. But who's to say he won't be better in a few days? It's all in the Lord's hands....

Pray that the LORD would guide the doctor's actions and decisions, and that the LORD's healing hand be upon Kaleb. That starting from birth, Kaleb will be a testament of GOD's power, healing, and love! That Richard and I would NOT lose focus, or take our eyes off of GOD during this hard emotional time, which is NOT easy, let me tell you!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support! Richard and I could definitely go this alone!

He's Here!!

KALEB SETH WILSON

March 9th 2008

7:45 PM

7lbs 7oz 19 1/2 inches

Proud Mommy and Daddy!

It's like looking at Kai...

When Kai was born, and up until a few months ago he looked EXACTLY like Richard's baby pictures. Then around 6 or 7 months he started to look more and more like Richard now, and more like ME as a baby. Here's a few baby pics of mine, that when I see them, it's as if I'm looking at Kai... he doesn't look 100% like me, but expressions and such, there's a definitive resemblance!

Especially this one. He makes this EXACT face!!

The kids are back!

So this last weekend Cassidy, Corinne, and Kai went to Big Bear with Grandma and Grandpa. They got back yesterday evening, worn out, burnt, and a scrubby as can be, but it was more than worth it's weight in gold! Not only for the kids, but for Richard and I too. Richard and I not only had an entire weekend kid free, but Richard didn't have to work at all, and we were able to spend our entire kid free weekend with just each other! WOW! Needless to say it was amazing! We so enjoyed spending the time with each other, SLEEPING IN, (at least on his end) and not worrying about bottles, diapers, naps, practices, bills, NOTHING! It was a true gift, especially with baby #4 coming in about 3 weeks or so. Who knows the next time will be when we are kid free, but we will always have this past weekend...

The kids had a blast too! They got to go to the mountains, like they have been wanting too, and as an added bonus the snow was still there! They played in the snow constantly! Except for Kai that is, apparently he didn't like any part of the snow. The girls had a blast though. They went inner-tubing, tobogoning, had snowball fights, and all other sorts of fun. They even brought home snow from the mountains in the cooler, and were lying in wait for Richard and I outside of my parents house last night when it was time to go. As soon as we got out of the house we were bombarded with snowballs, and let me tell you, Cassidy has good aim! Kai even joined in on the fun last night in front of my parents house, and was feeding me snow.

Oh and id I mention, that Cassidy has lost not only one but BOTH of her front teeth? Richard worked only Thursday, and Friday last week, and was home with us the rest of the time with us. (Praise the Lord!) So last Tuesday we took the girls to Disneyland, and before we even made it to the gates her remaining front tooth was barely hanging in there. (pun intended) So Mommy, being the ever cruel and less sympathetic parent than Daddy, got a napkin and ripped it out. (With all of the drama of course, Cassidy screaming and crying...) But it came out the first good tug. So now Cassidy has a big gaping whole in the front of her mouth, and boy does it look strange!

I will post pics as soon as I have them available!!

Blessings

Our three beautiful blessings!

Gymnastics Holiday Show

The girls had their annual gymnastics Holiday Show in early December. All three girls were in the same show, and all did three different routines. They were all pretty adorable. We have video of all three girls, but they aren't ready to be posted yet. I'll post them at a later date. Here's a couple pics from the show though. 

Cousins

Kai wasn't so interested in taking a picture

Fun Times

Sportin' his first mohawk...

Always in the middle of it!


 

Dress Up Days...

Corinne does not look like a little girl in this picture!

Where did my babies go?

Throw Back to the 80's

If he only knew...

Horse Riding Lessons

Cassidy started horse riding lessons in November. Her Grandpa Steve signed her up, and takes her to her lessons which are located at the El Camino Ranch in Redland, Ca. Quite a long drive, I know. He chose that place because that's where Cassidy's Aunt took lessons as a young girl, so it's sentimental to him. She was so excited! Every little girl loves horses, what's greater than learning how to ride them? Here's some pics he took at her first lesson. 

Seeing her horse for the first time. 

It's name is Cherry.

Grooming is one of the more important parts of her lessons.

She has to groom Cherry before and after each ride.

She doesn't mind it at all.

Mounting Cherry for the first time.

Riding Cherry around the arena BY HERSELF 

during her very FIRST lesson!

She was so proud of herself, and so was Grandpa!

Cassidy's Spooktacular meet...

Cassidy had her second competition her birthday weekend, and she did pretty well, for only her second time ever to compete! It was the Spooktacular meet which is more of a fun meet, than a season meet, so there's not as many gymnasts competing. Cassidy had a lot of fun, and placed 3rd in the vault, 4th on the floor, 4th on the bars, (which was fantastic considering this was her first time EVER doing the whole bar routine!) 4th on the beam, and 4th All Around. She got 4 medals, and was so proud of herself!! I'm proud to. She's worked her little butt off and has rarely missed a practice. She deserved to be in the limelight.

Cassidy and her teammate showing off their team's 2nd place trophy.

Cassidy's first 5 medals

Cassidy and Corinne