Strawberry Fields Forever

Monday of this week I took Gabriel to pick our own Strawberries. We went to Jackson's Farm Market in Xenia and what a great time it was!! This was my first time to pick strawberries (that I can remember). I just smiled the whole time while juggling my camera, backpack, bucket for Strawberries, and a 17 month squeshing strawberry toddler named Gabe. The staff at Jackson's Farm were super helpful and friendly. They said to come back from Memorial Day to June 15th for the prime picking season - we will be back so Nathan can come with!!

17 months old and so silly!!

My first Strawberry

Part of our pickins...Gabe would sneak up behind me

and squeeze the Strawberries and then throw them.

Helping me pick out the best ones

Another 1st

So this past weekend we took Gabriel to the ER and crossed off another 1st for us! Nathan and I have been beyond blessed with a very healthy child!!! He has never been to see the Dr. except for the regular check ups, he has never been sick, and I can count on one hand all the times he has run a fever - which we believe was all teething (don't care what Dr. say about temps and teething). Well except there were those 4 days of battling Rotavirus. Even then we were blessed because it only lasted 4 days.

Since this previous Sunday he has been sick. Had a fever the first couple of days but the rest of the time it has been lovely green, runny snot, coughing, and not being able to sleep at night. Move forward 5 days to Friday night and for over an hour he was in his room not able to sleep and hacking up both of his lungs. Called Mommy Pager and wa told to go to nearest ER since he is not able to breathe.

9pm we changed out clothes and off we went. Ended up at Dayton Children's since the Base ER was packed. Our total wait time at Children's wasn't really bad just 2 hours. However in those two hours we had one very, VERY, overly tired and cranky child. He screamed, he cried, he pitched a fit, but he screamed, cried, and coughed up all the junk that was in his nose and chest.

Dr. comes in, takes all of 5 minutes, and declares him healthy. She said yes he might have a Upper Resp. Infection but because of his age no meds or treatment available. In my mind I think, we can cure cancer but there is nothing to help my son be able to breathe and so I can get some sleep!!!!! Normally I'm not for giving medicine. I am a huge believer in letting the body do what it does best, naturally build its immune system and fight off illnesses. However almost a week of this crude and I wanted it gone!! I let the Dr. know that we knew this isn't a real emergency per say but battling this for over a week and tonight was the straw that broke the cammels back.

Skip to today and I think (repeat "think") we are slowly on the mend. He is able to sleep now but still coughs and we are going through Boogie Wipes like there is no tomorrow. Oh!! this whole time Gabe is sick, I have been sick as well. So sick that I got up Tuesday and went in to the Dr. which made Nathan do a double take because I NEVER go to the Dr.!!!! She put me on 10 days of antiboitic and Mucinex. I think I am on the mend as well. Even if Gabriel and I are not, I am getting out of this house because last week about killed me.

How Do I

delete blogs that I chose to no longer follow. When I started blogging I went into this mode that I must follow everything I come across. The problem is, I just went through my "follow" list and I have 4 that haven't blogged in over 6 months. Time to clear them out!

I know it is probably easy but at this moment I have 17 month child climbing up my arm wanting me to pay him sometime attention - at least until daddy gets home and then he could care less if I was in the room or not ;) So drop me a comment when you can and let me know how to delete blogs that I do not want to follow anymore.....THANKS!!

Pictures Might Be Nice....

Really meant to post some of my pictures from our Florida Vacation - WOOPS....here you go!!

Beautiful Florida Sun

Boardwalk from campsite to private beach

The Private Beach (mile long)

The nights were cold and we didn't bring socks

so Grandma is putting Grandpa's socks on Gabe

Gabriel

Holding daddy's hand

My fabulous mom

neither knew I was taking their picture!

Last picture I took on this trip

It is my FAVORITE!!!!

It's Been a Month....Oh What a Month

It has been a month since I blogged. I tried to blog a couple of times but I have been never felt like I had anything worth while to say or when I did, I didn't know how to get the words to flow from my brain, to finger tips, to the computer. I guess I just needed a sick kid and a sore throat of my own to get me blogging again. So here I go.....all the while wishing I drank because a shot of whiskey could really help my throat....at least that is what my grandmother has told me before.

This past month has been the most emotional month for me! I have been the happiest and the saddiest in this month than I have been in a long time. Think I will start with the happiest....we took a family vacation to Pensacola and Destin, Florida to visit family. Nathan's mom and grandparents live in Pensacola and it was wonderful to see them for a few days. Then we drove over to Destin to camp with my parents in Henderson State Park. For those of you who have never been to Destin, you must truly go!!! The water and beaches are a slice of Heaven. In the past we have always stayed at various condos along the beach but this time my parents pulled their 5th Wheel down from Louisiana and we went camping. It was AMAZING!!!!

This was Gabriel's first time camping and he did fabulous! What surprised us the most is how he did not freak out by the beach and ocean. Mom said she was expecting for Gabriel to be scared by the overwhelming newness of the sand and water but not Gabriel!!! He played and played, for hours in the sand. He did make my heart stop a couple of times when he would take off running into the water and try to "swim" with the waves. The hardest part of this trip was saying goodbye and going back home to Ohio.......however we had such a wonderful time that mom is looking into camping again at Henderson next year :)

Then comes the saddest part of this month....we have received offical orders to move. Yes I know I am an Air Force Wife and moving is one of the conditions but man these orders just break my heart!!!! One reason is I am not ready to leave Ohio. Nathan and I have really made a home here and we LOVE this place. When I first moved here I was pregnant, knew no one, and was stuck indoors several months because just gave birth and it was winter.

However Spring came and two years later I have the greatest group of friends that I have had in a long time. These women are so unique, loving, funny, smart, and I am just not ready to leave them yet. Not to mention Gabe and I love, LOVE our playgroup!!!

Nathan was accepted into Aeromedical Evacuation and I am very proud of him!!! I didn't think he would get in so soon with what rank he is and the fact that we have only been here in Ohio for two years. With this new career we knew we would be going to 1 of 4 bases - Scott (St. Louis), Germany, Japan, and Pope (N.C.) I joked and told Nathan that I will go anywhere with him except Pope. Well people, always be careful for what you say or it will come and bite you in the arse!!!!! Our orders are for Pope aka No Hope Pope (not my nickname but a nickname I have been told by countless people when I am reading/researching about Pope).

So there I said it...I am sad, slightly depressed, and don't want to go. Tomorrow I truly have to get over these feelings, move out from underneath the dark cloud that is over my head, and find POSITIVE things about Pope. I started an amazing Girl's Group which has also lead into a great PlayGroup so I can do it in Pope...right?!?! Maybe this is why we are going to Pope....God wants me to help change No Hope Pope into...........yep I need my friends to help me come up with a positive nickname.......