DavisVillage » Rachel

Growing Daisy

Rachel — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:46:15 +0000

My sister gave me a hard time about why I hadn’t blogged about my dog yet. (I’ve only been blogging for 3 days!) I guess she’s just got more of the animal-loving gene in her than I do. So here it is!
Dustin and I had been talking about getting a dog for a while. We wanted the kids to be able to care for it. We wanted a dog that would be of course great with kids. Dustin wanted something small but I think “yippy.” I wanted a bigger dog. One that I could take jogging…if I ever started. He thought “anoying & hard to manage.” We started researching… labradoodles, all sorts of spaniels…Then we were waiting for right time. A house with a bigger backyard, etc. One day while out-of-town, I got a call from my dad. “I found the right dog.” ………………”a what?” It was a Great Dane. After some discussion and persuasion, we gave my dad the go-ahead to buy her. She was home waiting for us and the kids had no idea. We’d kept it a secret. I just don’t know how something so little can grow so fast!

Daisy was about 9 weeks old when we got her. She’s now 6 1/2 months old. She is so clumsy, sweet & lovable. Between the floppy jowls, weird sleeping positions, and extreme fear of the vacuum (which she tries to hide from but for obvious reasons can’t) she’s brought much laughter to our house, that’s for sure!

But with a name like GREAT, I guess we shouldn’t expect any less!

The Innocent Dane

Rachel — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:46:31 +0000

Have you ever seen that movie the Ugly Dachshund? There was a scene from that movie that I walked into after snow-blowing my ginormous driveway this morning. Dustin was at physical therapy, Gracie and Gehrig were at school, and I started a show for Nolan and Murph…but something else got into their little minds…

Just like the movie…our dog was not to blame. I have two ‘ugly dachshunds’ named Nolan and Murphy. Yes, it’s my fault…I left them alone. But at least this incident gave me a good laugh.

“I didn’t do it.”	The guilty ones.

On the mend…

Rachel — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:15:08 +0000

To give everyone an update on Dustin and Gracie’s health…
Dustin has been cancer-free since his tumor was removed in the Fall of 2010. He’s been seeing his oncologist about every three months and just made an appointment for six months out! He has CT scans about every six months to check for new tumors (which will soon be yearly), but all have looked great. He continues his once-a-day ‘chemo’ pill that is specific for fighting his type of cancer cells. He’ll continue to take these for the next two years…at least. (Every time we go, they change the duration. 1 year, 2 years, now 3). He feels great and is able to do everything a dad his age should be doing, (with exception to the extreme herniated disc in his low back that happened on 12/31/11, but lets not open that can of worms!!!) ;) We’re hoping therapy will help and he won’t have to have surgery. He say’s he’d rather have cancer…no more jumping sports (basketball and ultimate Frisbee) upsets him.

Dustin doing one of his favorite things...holding a sleepy baby.

Gracie is doing remarkably well after being diagnosed with diabetes last February. She’s very smart, and knows her body well enough to know when her blood sugars are getting low. She can even give herself her own shots when she doesn’t have help at school. It’s been and continues to be an adjustment with our eating/snacking habits at home – especially with three ‘starving’ (growing) boys! She hopes to get on a pump this year to help out with ‘snacking’ and less shots, especially at school.

Brielle & Gracie

We’re hoping for a better year concerning our health, but if not, we know that the Lord loves us, knows us, and will help us through anything.

New Blog Design!!!

Rachel — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:16:14 +0000

I’ve been ~~nagging~~ begging Dustin for years to make our blog “pretty” enough to blog on. I was so tired of his ugly ‘tech’ themes. So we’ve spent some good quality time together as he’s been walking me through Photoshop and WordPress. The house was destroyed, the dog ate most of the dessert, our children were neglected and a glass cup full of milk was shattered but our blog makeover is complete! We celebrated with the surviving cookies and ice cream! Even better, we put them together to make…..

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches!

Gracie’s 1st Piano Recital

Rachel — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:53:24 +0000

Gracie had her first piano recital since starting lessons in July. We asked her if she was nervous and she said, “no.” I asked her if her fingers were shaking. She again said, “no.” Her lack of nervousness is something she obviously doesn’t get from either me or Dustin. She played Fur Elise, and did a great job!

Brave Gracie

Rachel — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 01:57:34 +0000

Again…this post is to help update family and friends. It’s just too hard to talk with everyone personally. Gracie hasn’t been feeling so great this past month. First she had an awful flu, and last Thursday she was diagnosed with strep throat. She’s been in and out of school so much. She’s been so lethargic. Her eyes have looked so blood-shot and she just hasn’t been herself. Monday night she was so tired I was helping her get her p.j.’s on. I’ve never been so shocked. She looked like a skeleton. She had been on an anti-biotic for a few days and didn’t seems to be improving. The next morning at her dr apt, to my complete shock and dis-belief, her Dr. told me she had type 1 diabetes. We were sent to primary children’s and have been in the process of regaining her strength, stabilizing her blood sugar levels, and learning, learning, learning. She looks so much better just 24 hours after her first insulin shot. Yes, she’s insulin dependent. Thankfully, this type of diabetes doesn’t limit what she can/can’t eat. Everything just has to be ‘helped’ with insulin. We’ll be going home tomorrow after a couple more classes. Thanks to everyone for your help and concerns. We’re so blessed to have a wonderful support group. Fabulous Grandparents taking care of the 3 bears, fun neighbor visits and phone calls, visits from family, and prayers from family near and far. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

This House has need of helping hands…

Rachel — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 04:12:42 +0000

This project has been in the making for 3 weeks now. I admit, I underestimated the time it would take to get them done (something my husband is always telling me). “Take the time you THINK it’s going to take, and double it!” He’s always right. I was searching for ways keep my kids interested in their chores and I came upon this site. It’s a chart using a board, LOTS of laminate countertop samples from the hardware store, small hooks, and all your free time during nap time. In fact, it took so long, that Gehrig began refusing to do any chores until his chore board was done!

Anyway, I thought the idea was so cute that I went shopping right away! I was so excited about it that I remembered (or should I say forgot) it was early day while shopping at Roberts Craft. My kids were getting off the bus that very second. Good thing my mom lives close, she was home, and is willing to make up for what I lack as a mom!

For their names, I used full sheets of clear labels so you can still see the paper underneath. So here’s the end product! When they finish a job, they flip their card over! Now that they’re up, I don’t know how I’m going to keep Nolan from loosing his chore cards!

If only I had a ‘locker room’ area where they can hang their backpacks and coats when they get home from school. It would be the perfect place to hang these! For now, the hallway will have to do.

Again, thanks to my mom for all bags of extra ribbons and jars of cute buttons she saves for things like this. (Usually meant for her projects though)

Gingerbread service

Rachel — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 02:39:37 +0000

For our first FHE for the month of December, I knew we were going to be making gingerbread cookies for the treat. When I was talking to my mom about this, she had an idea (again) for the lesson to ‘go with the treat.’ Yes, it’s backwards thinking, but it turned out great! As I was leaving, my mom remembered that she had all the cut-outs to the story. (My kids listened a whole lot better because they had something to hold) I first told the story of ‘The Gingerbread Man,’ then related the story to a ‘secret service’ game we were going to play for the month. My mom lent me a little bean-bag in the shape of a gingerbread man. Starting with Dustin, he’d find something he could do for someone else in the family and would leave the gingerbread man on their pillow. Then that person gets to choose a person to serve and so on and so forth. It’s been working out pretty nicely. The kids are having fun. Hopefully we can make it last throughout the entire month!

MegaPUKE!

Rachel — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:08:13 +0000

Last night was Gehrig’s special one-on-one time with me. I took him to go see Megamind. (not one I’d recommend seeing twice) Half way through the movie he asked if we could go home. He said it was too long. I thought he was just anxious about his new desk that Dustin was putting together while we were gone. After the movie, as we were walking out of the theater, he began throwing up! I started rushing him out the door as he was throwing up in the lobby, stopped again in the foyer ticket-purchasing area and he threw up some more, then I rushed him outside to the flowerbeds where he finished. It was all over his coat, pants and shoes. I thought about how I was going to get him home without another episode happening in the car, found some garbage sacks and told him to do his business in there if he felt the urge. After starting the drive home, driving as fast and as safe as I could, I realized his car seat was directly behind me! I prayed the whole way home I wouldn’t end up with puke down the back of my neck! I was lucky, still am. He hasn’t thrown up since. Happy 1st special time with mom, Gehrig! I’m sure I’ll never forget it!

Divided into Fourths

Rachel — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 19:20:36 +0000

With so much going on at our house lately, Gehrig has started acting out a little bit. A new baby, a sick dad who can’t do the things that boys and their dads usually do, (wrestling is Gehrig’s favorite) a a big sister who just turned eight, and a sick little side-kick has left him feeling a little upset and he’s reacting in naughty ways. He’s become a SUPER big tease causing more problems (than usual). Last week a note was sent home with him from school. It’s his turn to be the ‘student of the week.’ Knowing all that’s been going on, his teacher called and asked is she should have waited until things settled down at our house. I thought it would be good for him and we got right to work on his poster ‘all about him’ which he was so proud of. Monday he came home with a ruler that said, “Gehrig Davis Rules” and a book of notes and pictures from his classmates with things they liked about him. Although this doesn’t solve the whole problem, I hope it helps. I wonder what he’ll bring home today!

This problem has worried me ever since I was about to have my second child. “HOW do I divide my time between each child so that each feels loved and needed and knows that they are a special part of our family?” With each addition to our family, that question has become more and more of a concern. With each child, every responsibility seems to double. And after seeing the need for more attention from Gehrig, I was talking to my mom about what more I can do. She suggested a date night each week with one child. I thought this was a great idea!It may be with just mom, just dad, or even both! Maybe every 1st Thursday is Gracie’s special day, the 2nd Thursday is Gehrig’s, the 3rd Thursday is Nolan’s and the 4th Thursday eventually Murphy’s special day. We could take them to a movie, out for ice cream, to the park to play/practice their favorite sport etc., but they know and can look forward to that one-on-one time with their parents. Here’s hoping for a good outcome!