Starting Christmas

We did a Christmas Nativity, at our ward party. Coop was a sheep, I didn't know. But luckily his jacket is white and fuzzy, and turning it inside out made me look genius.(totally Rachel, our neighbors, idea).

 We met with Santa. Jacks was terrified and wouldn't go near.

I really need some Santa magic this year, so I got in on the fun!

 We all helped Daddy set up the tree!

 And Coop helped me decorate. (Jacks was banished after he dropped his 5th ornament)

 I've been working really hard on my Neighbor gifts and other crafty Christmas-y things. I will show off soon.

 Happy Holiday season!

Significance.

I'm not sure I understand the significance of the magic "6 weeks".

 "6 weeks after having a baby"

 "6 weeks down after surgery"

 "6 weeks on crutches"

 Last week I asked my doctor when I could use my elliptical again, he said."I would like you to wait until at least 6 weeks"

 6 weeks was today.

 Oh man, I am so weak, and probably not ready.

 Baby steps....baby steps.

 And searching for the significance.

Today was..

Day #2 of me being back at work.

And Day # 2 of Nick being home with a sick baby.

Don't ask me why Jacks decided to wait till i went back to work to get to sick to go to Daycare.  So now it is 9:00 and Nick has been at work since 3 (when I got home from work).  I feel like we are back in college.:)

This weekend we have lots of Big Plans!  A trip to Costco, cleaning up the backyard for winter... Oh and putting up all the Christmas decorations!!

Thanksgiving was fun, we drove to Nicks folks.  7 1/2 hours in the car.  We saw a lot of family, and besides a case of In-Car-Vomiting, and everyone getting colds, we had a nice time!

31... Sounds good

So as bizarre as it sounds, I am actually pretty excited to be 31.

 30 did not go so well for me.

 Today was nice. I stayed in bed, my knee above the level of my heart, as per the doctors orders.

 Nickolas got me delicious McDonalds pancakes (mmmm, yummy)

 During Jacks' nap, Coop and Nick went birthday shopping.

 Coop got me a great new scarf and Nick got me a fancy drink dispenser so I can stop borrowing Hayleys'.

They also got me a Costco Carrot Cake. Which is HUGE and tasty, if You want some, I'm sure we'll be eating it for days :)

 We went out for a tasty Texas Roadhouse dinner.

 Oh, and my students gave me an awesome gift too!! My football team won State. It was an amazing game and I am so proud of them.

 Not a bad way to start 31.

 Plus I have Adorable Children

And this is Post #400, Kinda Cool

Birthday

Nick asked me what I want for my birthday. The only thing I can think of, that I genuinely want...is to run. To put on my running shoes and run the trail that is so close to my house.

 Surgery did not exactly go as planned, when they got in there they realized there was a lot more damage then they originally thought. I have lost a lot of cartilage and basically destroyed the stuff in my knee that would make it possible for me to start running again.

That's it, just like that. One stupid fall and I can't run again. Ever.

 So here I sit 3 weeks after surgery, on bed rest to try and get the swelling and pain under control. Hoping for no more Emergency Ultrasounds or CT Scans to check for blood clots.  2 more weeks minimum before I can go back to work.

 My Birthday is tomorrow, and all I really want to do...is run.

Yesterday I did a Walk-a-thon

I know what you're thinking..."Tawny, You can't walk."

True True, than why??

Because it is Important.

Two Years ago on November 8, My High School Family lost, Paula.

Paula was amazing, Paula was also a Mom, with three young kids.

We promised her we, her School Family, would make sure they were ok.

That no matter how tight things got at home, 

K would always be able to participate in Drill Team,

 S could play football, 

and even though N is far away from home she would always have money for her college books.

It is important.

So as I crutched around the track, I wore a sign that said this:

Donate your change

Reasons:

#1 It is a Great cause

#2 You feel a little sorry for me

I think I made $2.

But I got to be there for Paula.

I got to tell her husband that I was there, because it is important. So he knows we miss her too!

Because it is Important

Halloween

Halloween was awesome. 

Started off with 2 seriously Crabby boys though!

Thor the Avenger!

 Cowboy Jacks (wouldn't wear his cowboy hat, and freaked out about the vest attached to his shirt!)

Glad I didn't try for a more complicated costume!!

Because I am not currently working, I got to go watch Coopers very first Halloween parade!!
It was so fun to see him, and all the other great costumes!

We did our First "Trunk or Treat", and it was awesome.  I am so glad this was available as an option for us this year.    Apparently this was the "Best Turnout" they have ever had for our 6th and 13th ward "Trunk or Treat".  It was a lot of fun and the side parking lots and the back parking lots were full!

This was our "Trunk"

It was a beanbag toss.

The Young Men ran it for me since Nick was out of town at a conference.

Most of the pictures from the night were of Jacks, cause Coop just did his own thing, which was great for him, cause we moved pretty slow!

Hat for the Picture!

Another beanbag toss.

Taking a break!

We got tons of goodies, every time Jacks would pick up his pumpkin he would kind of lean into it and groan. so funny!

Our pumpkins this year were my Pride and Joy.  First I spray painted them White then painted the faces and stalks Black. 

Jacks calls them Nupkins, and tells us each which Nupkin is ours!

From Left to Right: Daddys' Nupkin, Mommys' Nupkin, Jacks' Nupkin, Bubbas' (Coops) Nupkin.

These moments brought to you by:

LEGO

A tiny case of Toddler Constipation.

Complications from Knee Surgery

I Am Taking Back My Life

I am More than my broken, weak, imperfect Body.

I am Strong and Capable.

I have a very specific skill set and no-one can do what I do!

I can Laugh through pain and embarrassment.

I will handle this challenge with Poise and Grace so when my sons, and my students, face challenges, they will know that they can too.

I Can Do Hard Things

 Today I refused to be the victim of my situation.  I might have overdone it.  I hurt, But I Am Strong.

I got an MRI yesterday, Nick and I have looked at it and we are pretty sure it is a knee... :)
I don't see my doctor till Wednesday, and we will find out how extreme this surgery is going to have to be.

Bunkbed

We are so excited that we got Bunkbeds this weekend.

 Cooper is more than thrilled that he gets the Top-Bunk

We are going to replace the fan though.

it is a little close to Coops head.

 The view from the Bunkbed

Now I just have to finish Jacks Blanket.

I have a lot of bed rest in my future, so I should be able to get it done.

 Jacks is sick tonight, his fever spiked at 102+

he went to bed, (in his new big boy bed) at 7:00

Hopefully he will feel better tomorrow.

Dear..knee edition

Dear right knee
 I am so glad you are feeling better, I'm sorry you have had to work so hard the last couple of days. I'm also sorry that I didn't notice how much you swelling had gone down until your neighbor knee become a cantaloupe. Keep being strong.
Tawny

 Dear left knee
 ..................um yeah I really have nothing to say to you. We might be in a fight.
Tawny

Dear November
I know the goal was to start running when you got here, but I may have to wait a little longer.  I'm sorry.
Tawny

 Dear skinny jeans I will miss you, but your legs just aren't wide enough to accommodate my cantaloupe. Hope to see you soon.
 Tawny

 Dear body image
I know that seeing your leg this way is making you feel bad, try to remember that your knee size is because of swelling, not because of fat, even though it just looks like fat.
Tawny

Dear boys

You are both amazing, thanks for being awesome.
Mama

Dear people who read this blog
Come check in next Saturday for an Exciting Development.
Tawny

Perspective

Yesterday morning, I had a good knee and a bad knee...
 Today I have......two knees.

 I have realized that my right knee is strong and powerful. Even though it is not as strong as I wish it was right now.
 I have realized that my left knee is not infallible, and has finally decided to stop picking up all the slack. 

Yesterday morning, I felt well on my way to being "better".
Today I am revisiting the humbling experience of having to ask for help at every turn.

 I appreciate the amazingness that is my body, and with another surgery possibly looming on the horizon, a little perspective will hopefully go a long way.

My First Ride in a Police Car.

Today I fell.
I slipped on some slip (watery clay) in Ceramics and dislocated my knee....

....no not that knee, the other knee.

I went down,
           there was cussing...sorry.

I had to push the knee cap back on
                                        ...OUCH!

The Athletic director, brought me crutches, wrapped and iced my knee.  Check out my dirty leg!!

The Student Resource Officer drove me to Work Med

(no lights or sirens) :(

Work Med gave me a knee immobilizer, and Brand New Crutches!!
Yeah!

(are you sensing my sarcasm?..good, cause I am laying it on really thick!!)

I have an appointment with a new orthopedic doctor tomorrow.

lets hope for NO surgery, I can't do that again.

A sad thing is I was starting to feel normal again.  My left leg is still weak, but it is doing so much better!! When I fell, my first thought was at least it is not my bad knee, but I am starting to rethink that because, I can't get up from sitting position, or in and out of a car without help because my left leg, just doesn't have the strength to handle it!!

So swollen!!

 The worst part was picking up my boys after school and seeing their faces when they saw my Crutches...
This summer didn't just suck for me, it was also super not fun for my boys!
.......................that's right Crutches, and reintroducing..

The Ogre leg.

I don't think I ever posted a picture of my joyous contraption!!  It is a lot better quality than the one from work med so It has been dusted off and put back into service.

Have I mentioned I am so MAD about this...like LIVID!

We will see what tomorrow brings!

FYI

If I had to make a How To Book on how to have guilt:  This is what I would say.

Last week I volunteered to take a meal to a new Mom...Today I forgot. (Guilt)
so I had to run to the store to grab some food.  Thats right,  the store, on Sunday (Guilt)
So there I am at the store, with Whip Cream, Tortilla Chips and Oreos and guess who walks by.......

Thats right!

It was Sione.

Of The Biggest Loser!

Now lets be honest, he didn't care that I had bad-for-me-food.  And I didn't even look in his cart, but still, seriously, it was SIONE, SO COOL! (Guilt though)

On slightly Related news,

 Jacks is so much fun to watch when he eats Oreos.

And in Completely unrelated news. 

 I have been working really hard on my Range Of Motion.

Now look what I can do!

This is huge for me, and I may be REALLY Excited about it!!

Next step:  Still working on Pain Management,

and someday...running again?

The Curse of the Monkey...Bread

We have been camping ALL Weekend.  We left Friday after work, and got home at lunch-time today.

We went with some good friends and their baby and their BIG dog, and they had some Friends from up north come too.  They have 4 kids so we were quite the group.

On Saturday Morning, after Breakfast, We Took the kids on a walk..  They were so cute.

 While we were walking we saw some cool Mushrooms, and some weird ones.  One of them we stepped on and it emitted copious amounts of green dust.  We rushed the children away fairly quickly.

But the adults all decided to see what happened if we breathed in the dust.  There were whirling lights and little space people that carried us away on a rainbow cloud!   (That was for Nick, we did nothing of the sort, but because I didn't have a picture, apparently I needed to liven it up a bit.)

But here is an Honestly Adorable face!!

 I thought for sure, that Jacks was going to Biff it on this "Walk"  because he wouldn't walk, and watching his little legs blur on the downhills was fairly disconcerting.

Here is Coop, kind of looks like he was singing, but alas, probably only yelling after the dog.

He dragged the stick for most of the walk.  Most of the kids did.

 Here is Jacks, Walking with Dad, (so cute) and his Stick, that Nick carved for him.

 And here is Jacks when the walk got too long for his tiny little legs

 We walked to the Santa Clara River Walk, and the adults sat while the kids played: ie: Climbed around and threw things in the water.

 Love. love, love this picture!

 Later that afternoon, the lady rangers and their horses stopped by.

  I let Coop go and pet the horses...then I remembered he is allergic, just like me.  Luckily I packed the bendryl!  I felt so bad for him! To bad he loves animals.

Later that afternoon, I had to go back to town for a Former students' Wedding Reception.  I took Jacks with me and we stopped at the grocery store to get more rolls for Sunday mornings' Dutch Oven MONKEY BREAD.

Sunday morning I couldn't find the sugar for the MONKEY BREAD.  AHH, so we ate Cold cereal and Yogurt (Stupid Monkey Bread).

Here is Coop hanging out with Hawkeye.  This trip was great for Coopers confidence around dogs.  He had a run-in with a very excited  puppy when he was 2, and has been Super Chicken since, but luckily Hawkeye is super Chill!

 Here is dad B and his delicious baby B.  I was sicky all weekend so I did not get nearly enough sweet baby cuddles, but it was so neat to watch dad B and mom E lovin on their little boy!  They are such a great family, and we are so sad because they found out on Wednesday that B got transferred, and they are moving. :(

After our rather pathetic Breakfast (Stupid Monkey Bread), we drove back home to shower and go to church.  My Primary kids are supposed to be singing in church next week.

After church we headed back up the mountain.

 It wouldn't be a true Outdoors Experience without an I-Pad!

 Then i discovered that 2 of my 5 Pop-cans of biscuits had prematurely popped (Stupid Monkey Bread).  so there would not be enough for everyone in the morning, so Nick volunteered to go check the tiny country store for some more (Stupid Monkey Bread).

While he was gone we roasted marshmellows.  Check out the Perfection  that Tyson achieved.  His roasting stick... a broken off golf club (Genius)  Those huge new marshmellows kind of flop on the traditional roasters.

 Cooper, and all the kids, of course loved roasting over the fire.

 Next genius idea.. E.L.Fudge cookies for smores.  Coop was a HUGE fan.

 Hawkeye even got in on the action and grabbed a dropped marshmellow.

 This little doll is an adorable/crazy angel who is being adopted by her family.  they are so incredibly generous to have opened their home and hearts to her and I know that they are making a huge difference in her life.

At around 8 o'clock I started to worry, because Nick and Jacks weren't back yet.  At about 9 everyone else started to worry too! (Stupid Monkey Bread).  So Texting (cause we had data, but couldn't call) we found out that Jacks had puked all over the back of the car and Nick was on the way home to clean him up.  (Stupid Monkey Bread).  We decided they should sleep at home and come up in the morning, so Coop and I stayed in the tent without them.

Nick and Jacks arrived at 7:30 this morning and we finally made the Stupid Monkey Bread.  Then packed up and said Good-bye.  It was an awesome weekend!!