Taking Stock in Motrin

I took Olivia to the doctor again this morning for her 15 month check as well as an ear recheck. To bring some of you up to date Olivia has literally been congested since I started school the last week in August. I assumed it was just a cold but she spiked a fever about 2 weeks ago so I took her in. She had a double ear infection. We started medicine and a week later (last week) she still had a fever so Steve, bless his heart, stayed home and took her to the doctor. The doc thought she had a virus on top of the ear infection because her ears were starting to look better.

Okay that brings me to today. I explain to the doctor that she is still VERY congested. Sometimes a runny nose and other times just deep congestion that prevents her from breathing well. He looks at her ears and of course...she has another double ear infection. AHAHAH I went through this with Braden so really shouldn't be surprised but it certainly doesn't make things any easier.

On my way home from the appointment I called Children's Hopsital Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic to make an appointment with the doc that Braden saw. It's in two weeks. I'm sure that come appointment time she'll be totally healthy - perfect ears and no congestion but at least they can take a look and let me know what they think. In the mean time we'll continue to single handedly keep the company that makes Motrin in business! Poor thing. Please keep her in your thoughts!! She's pretty miserable today.

Take me out to the ball game!

Steve, Mike, Matt, and Kelli went to the Brewer game today.  I stayed home with the kids and switched between the less than stellar Packer game and the AMAZING Brewer game. WOW!  Steve said it was THE most exciting game he's ever been to which if you knew the number of games Steve has been to - you'd realize that it must have been pretty spectacular!  He's got tickets to the playoffs so hopefully they'll keep going for a while.  It's really fun to live in a community that gets so excited about a team.  You can feel the spirit everywhere you go.  GO BREWERS!! 

A Busy Auburndale Weekend!

We traveled up to Darryl and Judy's this weekend for Steve's 15 year high school reunion. It was too quick as our weekends away always are but it was really nice to be back. We haven't been there for quite some time as a whole family.

Saturday Judy and I took the kids to the zoo and then on a nature hike. It was beautiful outside - perfect fall weather! Steve and Marc helped Darryl cut down two trees in the yard. Marc had brought up a big lift to help so we all went for rides. Braden said we were, "higher than a transformer," aka - REALLY high in the sky!

Saturday night we visited Grandma Grete and then went into Marshfield for Steve's reunion at the Elks Club. It was a fun night catching up with friends that we hadn't seen for a while.

We left EARLY this morning so that we could get back in time for Steve to go to the Brewers game and what a game it was!

Trip to the Zoo

We met the Wroblewski's at the zoo today!  Charley and Braden had wonderful time zooming around and studying all of the animals.  The best part was hearing the lion roar!  Henry and Olivia were troopers, sitting in their strollers the whole time.  It was fun to catch up with Sarah! We love comparing mommy notes and I always walk away feeling like we are kindred spirits.  We have more in common than not I think!  It was a beautiful day to spend part of it outdoors - thanks Sarah, Charley and Henry.  We can't wait to see you again.

World's Greatest Family Invention...The Meal Co-op

If I haven't already told you about it ... listen up!  I am involved with something that I think is the greatest thing since sliced bread.  It has saved hours upon hours of time each week and has taken away loads of stress from our household.  We thought it might save on our grocery bill which it hasn't as of yet but that's besides the point. It's definitely not more expensive than what we were doing previously.  

Sara brought the idea to me in August and we decided to give it a try. We invited Kristin and Stacy to join us thinking that four families would be a good number.  Sara, Kristin, Stacy and I met at Alterra to discuss parameters, expectations and came up with a chicken/beef/pasta/potpourri rotation. Each week a family is assigned one type of meal.  

We grocery shop and cook for four families.  We then meet on Sunday nights (rotating houses) at 9pm for an exchange.  We visit quickly, praise each other on amazing meals from the week before, talk incessantly about how awesome this co-op is and then head home with 4 full meals for the week, and a small dose of girlfriend bonding! The meals inevitably provide leftovers so I haven't made but one additional meal each week since we started.

I can't tell you enough how wonderful I think this has been for our family.  I feel so fortunate that Sara brought the idea up and included us.  Not only does it alleviate the stress of having to cook on busy weeknights but I know I am providing my family with healthy home-cooked meals almost every night.  

While not saving money on our grocery bill, we have saved money on not eating out!  Who wants to eat out when they have a beef tenderloin with mango salsa waiting at home for them?  I would encourage any of you working mommies who think you might have others interested to give it a try.  I'd be happy to tell you more about it.

Just a sampling of our meals from the last two weeks.... Buffalo Chicken Pizza, Artichoke-Tortellini Pasta with bread, Beef Chili with cornbread muffins, Vegetable Calzones, Cheeseburger Soup, Grilled Tandoori Chicken with Red Onion Skewers on rice, Vegetable Lasagna, and Italian Beef Sandwiches.  Sound delicious?  It is!

Buddies

Braden and Evan have grown up together.  Evan is as close to a brother as Braden has right now and they have the same love/hate relationship that all siblings do! Today after preschool they had a picnic in the swingset house.  They had a surprise lunch waiting in their superhero lunchboxes when we got home and truly enjoyed eating outdoors, up off of the ground.  The lunch ended in Braden having a time out as he thought it would be funny to start throwing his food off of the swingset but hey - it was fun while it lasted!   

Movie Night

We had to cancel our plans to have Dick, Naomi, Peter, Chris and my mom here last night due to Olivia's sickness.  She is hanging in there but is still pretty miserable at times.  That stubborn fever pops back up as soon as her tylenol/motrin wears off.  We had a very low key day which turned out to be nice.  

After she went to bed, I asked Braden if he wanted to make some popcorn and he decided we should have a movie night and watch Cars!  We cuddled on the floor and ate yummy popcorn!  I love those snuggly moments.  

He is wild and crazy much of the time but then can be so sensitive and have the biggest heart the next.  He was explaining to me how he felt bad for Sally when she missed Lightening.  He doesn't like it when shows are sad or scary and will ask to turn them off.  He truly feels for them - so sweet.  Ironically he doesn't seem to mind when Olivia is sad...oh siblings!