Recipe Blog

For all of you who have been asking for more recipe posts, I have the blog up and running again. I didn't think anyone really read it or enjoyed it, so I had stopped for a while, but it is back. And, I promise lots of recipes...easy, delicious, fun recipes. Like I have said, I'm not gourmet, just kid and crowd friendly. So, go check it out HERE! And check back often. "Follow" it so that you can be notified when new posts come in. And, feel free to email me with suggestions, favorite recipes, or if you have something specific you want to see.

Much better

I guess Reid is feeling much better (except for the double ear infection I found out he had at his check-up yesterday.) He is back to getting in trouble. In to EVERYTHING. And, I love it. It is so much more fun taking pictures of him like this, rather than the pictures of my last post. (and yes, he is standing up here. He thinks he is a big boy now and stands up any chance he can get.)

I have never had to use a playpen before but this seems to be the only way for me to get anything done in the house. Crazy kid.This is how he crawls. One foot, one knee. He is fast.

What a week. It all started when Reid, who typically sleeps like an angel, started waking up hourly screaming and crying. For about a week this happened. Since he had no other symptoms, I never did anything about it. Then, his congestion came back. And then a fever. So, I brought him in on Wednesday. The doctor told me it looked like he was getting an ear infection and the fact that he was exposed to H1N1 (Bryan's little sister) they went ahead and treated him for it. We went home, did the antibiotics and Tamiflu and he was good. Until that night. He broke out in a rash and spiked a fever of 103. I called the doctor and he said to bring him in in the morning. We figured out that the rash was an allergic reaction to his antibiotic. And, it was a blessing in disguise that he broke out. When I brought him in Thursday morning, he had been vomitting for over 24 hours, not eating well, and his eyes looked like someone punched him. Initially, the doctor was just going to send him to the lab for bloodwork, but after closer examination, he sent him to the hospital. It all happened so fast, that I had no time to process it. Thankfully. We got there, they started the IV, did lots of bloodwork, x-rays, and other various tests. And, he was such a trooper. He cried just a little, but for the most part, just watched everyone as they poked and prodded. He even had to have his IV changed out in the middle of the night, and just layed there and watched the nurses! He was severly dehydrated, but after 12 hours on the IV, he looked and acted so much better. All of the tests for everything you could imagine came back negative. The doctor said, given his exposure to H1N1, and that he had EVERY symptom, they went ahead and treated him for it. He told me that the test they do is only 40% accurate. That means out of every 10 cases, 6 will go undiagnosed! No wonder is was spread so fast! Thank you to everyone for the prayers. They were felt. The nurse he has was amazing. She left us alone most of the time. If he was sleeping, she would wait until he woke up to do what needed to be done. We just spent our time in bed playing with toys, looking out the window, reading, singing...anything to keep him occupied. It was hard, since he is used to crawling all over the place, but we managed. This 2 day hospital stay really gave me a new found appreciation to what we have. I have a new respect for those parents whose children are in the hospital long term. Oh, and the girls had fun with Daddy. Chloe went to work with him while the others were in school. She told me all about the hard work she did (watching daddy dig holes, cut wood, and be a strong daddy). "It was hard work." I think she was a little upset when she couldnt go with him today!

Our Christmas break

I love this smilebox thing! So much easier than posting hundreds of photos. We really enjoyed our Christmas break. It was great to have the girls home from school and Bryan around a lot. We truely are blessed with such wonderful children. I can not express enough how much I love them and Bryan.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Make a Smilebox invite

Merry Christmas!

Love,

The Melick Clan!

All Maddison wants for Christmas is...

(She had Bryan pull BOTH teeth out on 2 seperate nights.)

We've been busy

One of these days I'll get around to making a real post again. But, until then, enjoy this little man who is growing up way too fast.

Dear Santa...

On my list this year....

http://www.madsencycles.com/

I've been good all year!

He makes his daddy proud

oh my little Reider man...

Oh Chloe...

...what am I going to do with you?

My little chunk

All that butternut squash is filling him up!

Longboat Key

We have been blessed to be able to go to Longboat Key for 25 years now. My grandmother has a condo right on the beach. Last week, my sister and her family came down from rainy Washington and we all stayed at my grandmothers place for the week. Since our children have been born, we have never spent that much time together. And, the last two times I have seen my sister have been for family funerals, so this was a wonderful event. As the years have gone by, I have cherished my relationship with my sister even more. As a kid, we were friends, but then as we got into HS/college and beyond, I feel like our differences had kept us apart. But now, that is what draws me to her. The fact that we are so different, yet we are still best friends. I miss her dearly and wish more than anything that we could be closer. How wonderful it would be to just hang out when our kids are driving us nuts!

Anyway, back to the beach. We had a wonderful time. Great food, kids played so we could catch up, beach-turned-catwalk walks, Yahtzee, workout turned to tv-watching nights, Clue (note to self, never play Clue with 5 players. You will never finish the game) saunas, hot tubs that were cold, Facebooking...and much much more. I believe all the laughter and good times made an impact. The day we left, the condo sold, after being on the market since my grandfather passed away over a year ago. It is a sad thing to say goodbye to, but a great healing step for my grandmother.

And now, enjoy just few of the hundred photos taken!

All the kids in their tubes!Mom, Lisa and ICan't go to the beach without hitting up Big Olaf!Sleepy morningLisa and I

I love to get on Youtube and watch the "Momon Messages" from the LDS church leaders. They are always so uplifting and inspiring. Here are just a few of my favorites that I think everyone needs to check out when you have time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLlnq5yY7k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYhDhiojBPA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x_-TQivCx8

This little boy is growing way too fast. He has 4 teeth already. He goes to bed like an angel around 7:30 and sleeps about 12 hours, waking only once around 5:30 or so. Naps 3 times a day. Loves to snuggle. Absolutely loves his cereal. I could not have asked for a better son.

BFF

I met Lisa in the 2nd grade. We have been friends ever since. When I think about it...that is Hana's age now. She could be meeting her best friend for life right now!

Anyway, Lisa and her family, including her sister, came down to Disney for a week. Almost every time they do, we get together. But, normally, we meet somewhere for dinner or a quick lunch and never really get to have time to spend catching up. We are usually chasing after kids. This time, they were able to take an afternoon and come to our house. It was fantastic. The kids played while we talked. We did wander outside for a little while to let them check out all the animals and such. It was so good to have them here. Thank you, Greenbergs! Can't wait to do it at your house next time!

Kristen and Lisa and IAll the kiddos...Reid, Hana, Chloe, Maddison, Emma, Hannah, and Josh!

I wish my scanner was working so I could show the comparison, but he looks just like Maddison at this age in this picture.

Reid - 4 months

17.2 lbs (dont remember the length)

Has 2 teeth in and working on 2 more

He loves to talk and smile, but only if you make a fool of yourself first by trying real hard to get something out of him If you blow raspberries at him, he thinks he is doing it back at you...but, in reality, he just spits everywhereand then laughs about it His favorite thing to do is scoot himself over to Tex and talk to him. Easiest form of entertainment.

Do you read NieNie?

My favorite blogger is on Oprah today! I am in no way an Oprah fan, but I will be for this one afternoon. This girl is amazing. I was reading her blog last year when she was in a plane crash with her husband. This man went into a burning plane to save his wife, the mother of his children. That is love. Read her amazing story of survival, her fight to live, and her journey of recovery here. Or, watch Oprah today! She is truely an inspiration for us all.