Back in the Saddle Again

 Hi friends!  We're home!  I can't believe it's been so long since I've been able to update, but the truth is I have been going non-stop since the minute we got home.  As it turns out, when you're out of town for two weeks, as glorious as that is, it's incredibly hard to come home and just pick right back up.  From laundry, to the mail, to appointments and grocery shopping, it's an awful lot of work to get up and running again!  But, I'm taking a break this afternoon to get some pictures up and to post a little update. 

In a nutshell, I have blog material for a month after this vacation!  It was SO much fun, we seriously had a great time and I think we would even say that we will do it again someday.  However, that doesn't mean that we weren't without our challenges.  We made a visit to the ER, I had a migraine and we all got on each other's nerves at least once.  So, I think that makes it an official roadtrip!  Ha!  I'll spend a few days recapping our adventures, but today I've just got a few things to share with you.

This little muffin was SUCH a good boy while we were gone.  He slept so well, in 5 different places,  none the less. He had a blast getting to see so many people and he handled all the transition well.  He did have the hardest time (out of all of us) in the car, but I think we expected that.  He just had a few fussy times here and there, but mostly he did great and we learned that Praise Baby DVDs are his magic pill!  He loves them, just like Ava always has, and particularly the lullaby one.  All we had to do was turn it on and he quieted right down.  One of my favorite memories of Carter on this trip, was when we drove through the night both down and back to Dallas.  Each time Carter woke up in the middle of the night, usually when we stopped for gas, and rather than get really cranky, he got the giggles.  I would hear him stir, turn around to look at him and he would burst into hysterics!  We loved it!  At 1 and 2 am we were laughing with him and trying to keep him quiet so he wouldn't wake up Ava.  So hilarious.  I hope I can still hear that laughter in my heart when he's 25 and I'm remembering this trip :)  

This big girl was also a GREAT little traveler!  She was incredible in the car, grooving on her snacks and the endless supply of DVDs we had for her.  We were very proud of her and thankful that she seemed to catch the excitement of going from place to place.  She also slept very well everywhere we went and really enjoyed all her time and attention from family and friends.  I think this was a great trip for the four of us to spend some sweet time together.  Unfortunately, she did have the biggest hiccup of the trip that resulted in us getting to meet some some new friends at the Abilene Emergency Room :)

We don't totally know how she hurt her elbow, we were with her at a play place in the Abilene Mall, but we never saw her fall or run into anyone but Carter.  However, she did do something to her right elbow and she cried all afternoon last Monday, holding her arm and refusing to move it.  After watching her in the afternoon and early evening, we decided to take her to an urgent care clinic.  They sent us to the local ER however, so they could get some x-rays.  She was a trooper but she was not a fan of anyone touching or trying to move her arm. 

The nurses thought she was adorable and got her set up in a room where she could watch the movie, Happy Feet.  She loved that!  She was especially happy when I pulled out some cheez-its to snack on :)

Thankfully, her X-rays showed no visible break, but we left with an uncertain possibility that she may have sustained a growth plate break.

They sent us home to watch her closely and follow up with her pediatrician. 

She was happy to go home, but not willing to move that arm or let us get near it for a couple of days.

Her pediatrician wanted us to immobilize it, so the last few days of our vacation meant we had to try and keep her in a sling.  You can imagine how that went over with a 2 year old! 

She was the cutest darn thing with that sling, but it was not an easy sell for more than a few minutes at a time.  As the week marched on she did start to move it and use it a little more, but her doctor sent us to a specialist at Childrens' Hospital, just to make sure there wasn't a break on the growth plate that an X-ray couldn't detect. 

Yesterday, Ava and I made the trip to St. Paul so that we could go to Children's.  Let me just tell you what a sobering trip that was.  Seeing all those precious kids and their stressed out and heartsick parents made us incredibly sad and very, very thankful for kids who have been healthy so far. To be there for something so minor as a potential broken arm was a good dose of perspective.  Her doctor said her arm looked great and she most likely had a soft tissue injury that corrected itself, but honestly, even if it would have been fractured, I still would have walked out of there with a grateful heart after seeing how sick all of those sweet kids were.  I was choking back tears the entire time and praying for all of those little faces that I saw.  We were wisked out of there so quickly, but a big part of me wanted to hang in the waiting room and hug some Moms and Dads.  I did sit with Ava for a few minutes in the car, telling her about all those kids who were sick and praying with her, thanking God for her health and asking Him to heal those kids and bring comfort and peace to each one of them.  It still makes me teary to think about it, so many hurting people...so many sweet kids. 

I'm thankful that Jesus knows every one of their names, He knows their stories and He loves them more than even their Moms and Dads. 

Look Mom, my arm's ok!

Finally, I'm leaving you with two new things we've been eating around here!

My in-laws made us these incredible grilled cheese sandwiches that we are loving!

Smoked gouda, apples, and bacon...UH-mazing!! 

Even Ava is loving it because that means she gets bacon for dinner! 

Like Daddy, like daughter, she's a bacon lover :)

And finally, I made a dessert that my Mom made when one of my sisters graduated from high school.  I haven't made it for years, but holy cow, we love it!!  It's a Chocolate, Raspberry and Amaretto Tart. 

Do you want the recipe??

It makes a lovely holiday dessert :)

Chocolate Raspberry & Amarreto Tart

1-8oz pkg cream cheese (softened)

1 C sour cream

1/2 C sugar

1/4 C Amaretto

2 T heavy whipping cream

Raspberries (or strawberries)

Mini Graham Cracker Crusts or Chocolate Dessert Cups or Graham Cracker Crust of Oreo Crust

Beat all ingredients until smooth and creamy, pour into the crust of your choice. 

Top with raspberries and drizzle with chocolate OR sprinkle raspberries with amaretto and powdered sugar. Refrigerate and serve chilled. Enjoy!

So there you go!  Hope that helps you for your next party.  We are glad to be home and I am hoping to get back into some kind of blogging routine!  I do want to tell you to stay tuned for a really great giveaway coming very soon!!!  I'm just working out the details from the retailer who contacted me about it, but I think it's going to be really fun and a great product to have, especially if you like photos!! 

Happy Tuesday, Friends!