Poor little Cate

Upon our return from Texas on Friday after Thanksgiving both of our kids were starting to get sick.  Ashton started to have a croup cough and Cate got a fever.  We took them to urgent care on Friday and they gave us medicine for Ashton and told us they both had a virus.

This virus knocked them down pretty hard.  They didn't have much of an appetite and Cate continued to have fevers.

Ashton was very exhausted

On Wednesday I took Cate into the pediatrician and her oxygen levels were below 88% and she was wheezing.  The doctor gave her 2 albuterol nebulizers while we were in the office.  After the treatments her lungs didn't sound any better and her oxygen was still low.  She told us that we had to go straight to the ER to have her evaluated.  So we headed over to the ER where they hooked her up to oxygen, gave her more breathing treatments, and gave her steroids.  After being there for about 4 hours Cate wasn't improving so they decided to admit her overnight.

As you can tell by this picture it was a rough stay at the hospital.  Cate was put on nebulizer treatments every 2 hours so you can imagine how much sleep we both didn't get.  

The next morning Cate was starting to feel better and even wanted to color some pictures.

As the day went on she kept feeling better and better.  She was able to stay off oxygen for most of the day.  The doctor told us that if she took a nap and didn' t need oxygen during the nap then they would let her go home.  After a one hour nap she she remained off the oxygen and they said that we could take her home.  

It was a really tough time for our family but we had such amazing support from our friends and family.  Cate is doing really well at home and she be completely better in a few more days.

Thanksgiving in Texas

For Thanksgiving we headed to Cypress TX to visit the Harkless Family.  We had such a wonderful time with them.  The kids got along really well and had a great time playing with each other.  We spent a week down there and did a lot of different activities.  Here are some pictures from our visit:

We went to the zoo one of the days

The kids had a great time playing on the swing set in the back yard

Playing hide and seek

Jenn and Toby prepared an amazing Thanksgiving dinner for all of us.  

After Thanksgiving dinner we decided to take some family and group pictures

Cate's 5th Birthday

Cate celebrate her 5th birthday this weekend.  She had such a great time celebrating her birthday.  Here are a few pictures from the birthday activities:

Aunt Steph sent Cate some My Little Ponies and some princess plates and cups.  Cate was so excited to get the ponies!!

Grammy and Grandpa Rlowe gave cate a piano that you step on and a dance mat.  The kids are having a blast playing on them.

making "music"

We celebrated Cate's birthday at a the gymnastics place they the kids go to.  We had about 12 kids come to the party.  They all had such a great time running, jumping and tumbling.  They gymnastics place was the perfect place to have a kids birthday party.  Cate had a wonderful time playing with all of her friends.

Here is a picture of Cate with her friends Reagan, Jordyn, Lexi, Mia, and Ava.  

On the balance beam

Listening to Coach Malorie:  Lexi, Cate, Ava, Ashton, Mia, Cody, Jordyn, Camilla, and Connor.  

Ashton swinging like Tarzan

The favorite place for most of the kids to play:  The Foam Pit

Ashton was in gymnastics heaven.  He ran and jumped non stop for 1.5 hours.  He was so exhausted when we got home.

Here is a video of the kids singing to Cate

Once we got home from the party Cate got to open presents from Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Pat, Uncle Don, and Uncle Q

Reading her birthday card with Grandma.  Grandma and Grandpa gave Cate a slide that hooks on to her bed.  We put it together today and she is having a blast on it!

Aunt Pat and Uncle Don gave  Cate a Rapunzel barbie doll.  Cate has been carrying her around with her all day today.  

Aunt Stephie sent the kids new dishes.  She gave Ashton a construction dish set.  The utensils are trucks and the plate is a construction zone.  He wants to eat every meal with his new dishes.

Cate posing with her new princess dishes

Trip to NJ

Last week Eric and I took the kids to New Jersey to visit his cousin and her family and to attend his Uncle Charlie's surprise birthday party.  We stayed in NJ with his cousin and her family.  She has 3 boys and all the kids had a great time together.  It was so fun seeing them get to know one another.  Eric and I had a wonderful time hanging out with his cousin Cris and Sean.  They are so much fun and great to be around.  Here are some pictures from our trip:

The morning of our arrival a friend of Cris offered her a free bouncy house.  Of course Cris accepted and the kids had a blast playing in it.

I was lucky to get a picture of Braden who does not like getting his picture taken

The little kids hanging out with Sullivan who is 10

The front room at the Grace family's house has been designated the wrestle room.  Cris and I watched Eric take on 5 kids.

Sullivan playing legos with Ashton

All I can say about this photo is "kids and electronics"

Braden and Cate got along very well and Braden enjoyed teaching Cate how to play games on the iPad

Cris is a phenomenal cook and we ate like Kings and Queens while we were there.  We all hung out on the deck and ate her homemade guacamole and salsa.

I think this is a very cute picture of Devin

Sean and his boys

Cris marinated ribs and chicken wings for dinner one night and Eric was in charge of grilling.  The food was amazing.

 The reason we went out east was because Eric's Aunt Janice planned a surprise 70th birthday party for Uncle Charlie in Brooklyn.  We had a great time at the party and Charlie was completely surprised.  Cris brought a bunch of things for the kids to do so they wouldn't get bored.  One of these things, which was a huge hit, was balloons for making balloon animals.

Our best attempt at getting a picture of all the kids at the party

Cate playing rainbow with Aunt Rita jean

Cathy also brought games for the kids and one of them was pin the party hat on Uncle Charlie.  The kids thought this was funny.


We had a great time out east and will have to do it again soon.  We loved seeing the kids get to know one another.  Family is so important and we are so blessed to have such a wonderful one!