Grandma Ruth

Today is a sad day for the Ruth family. They put my Grandma (My Dad's Mom) in a nursing home today. She has had dementia for many years and it just continues to get worse. She is 88, almost 89 and my Grandpa is 86, but he's in great health. He just couldn't take care of her anymore. She was in the hospital the last week for complications with her medicine and some pneumonia, but Grandpa and the doctors decided it was best to move her to the "Country Club." They have many friends in the nursing home, but Grandma still wants to be home. This will be a hard adjustment on them both. They have been married for 62 years and have a precious story. I know it's best for both of them, but I'm sure they are both sad. If you think about it, would you pray for them? Thanks, I know they're going to need it in the next few weeks.

Brenley got to meet her Great Grandparents this summer. They loved her!!!

Climbing

Our little 10 month old (as of tomorrow) is climbing up EVERYTHING!!! I bought this slide for Hailey and Christopher to play on. Brenley never cared much for it until the other day she climbed right up the back. She was super fast too. She hasn't had her shoes on for about a week because I lost one of them last weekend (it was found in Sweetwater, we're just waiting for it to come in the mail) and she has become very active without those little shoes. She's walking all over the place, with a walking toy, and yesterday she climbed up the stairs...twice!!! We were having lunch at my parents house and Al followed her right up the stairs. She looked like she had been doing it all the time. She is at a very fun stage right now. Can't wait to see what she gets into next. I love it! Oh by the way, she got her first tooth last week. I can't get a picture yet, but she looks pretty cute!!!

Vaccines

I was "blog-stalking" today and I ran across the blog of this amazing woman of three, with one on the way. She does not name the names of her kids, but calls them by nicknames. So, when you read it, the McDonalds foods she is referring to are her children :) She has an index of all the blogs she has written. I clicked on the ones about vaccinations because that is something I am very interested in. I was pleasantly surprised when I read what she wrote. I am not very good with my words sometimes, so I was excited that she pretty much summed up everything I believe about immunizations. Here is what she wrote:

"This is a learning process for me. I do not know everything about vaccines. I research often and have altered my views over the years.

Big Mac has had the most vaccines of all of our children, MckNugget has had a few (tetanus, the ones that offer some protection against meningitis) and Small Fry hasn't had any. I am fairly certain that we will have our children vaccinated as they grow older and their bodies are bigger. I am not totally against vaccinations! I am, however, against vaccinating 7 pound newborns whose blood-brain barrier hasn't even closed yet!! I am against the routine vaccination of children for sexually transmitted diseases (Hepatitis), I am against the lumping together of vaccines (Like the MMR, etc. You can ask your clinic to give them to your children separately.), and I am against vaccines originated from tissue from aborted babies (the Chicken Pox vaccine). I am against vaccinations for illnesses that themselves cause fewer deaths and hospitalizations in our country than do vaccine injuries from vaccinations for the same illness!

There is certainly a risk in not vaccination our children according to the recommended schedule! But there is (a different, but equal...and bigger in some cases) risk in giving our children all of the vaccines that are now recommended.

I really want to believe that the American Academy of Pediatrics, pediatricians and the government of our good nation are trying to look out for the best interest of all children. Making blanket recommendations may be a great idea for the country at large. But the regimen of vaccines for each individual child holds so many untold dangers! As the parent of my children, I have to do what is best for them and not for the country."

You can check out her blog at: http://www.mycharmingkids.net/

Wild Times in West Texas

This weekend we drove out to West Texas to see family and friends. We stayed in Clyde with Al's parents. We got to see Al's sister Alice, her husband Jason, and their son Dagan. Dagan couldn't wait to see Brenley. He is great with her.

On Saturday we went to Sweetwater for the annual Swater Slaughter. Our friend Dan and his parents put on a big dove hunt every year for all the guys. Al shot his limit in 45 minutes...he was pumped!!! Then that evening they have a huge, delicious dinner for all of us. We look forward to this every year. It's so much fun to see our friends. Al grew up with some amazing guys and they remain really close, and they have all married girls that I love. Most of us live in different places and don't get to see each other much, but we love it when we do. I wish I had taken more pictures, but of course I only got out the camera for pictures of Brenley. Did I ever take pictures before I had a baby???

Al and Brenley & Heath and Madison

Brenley and Madison are 4 months apart and they got to meet for the first time Saturday.

Kelsey and Madison & Angie and Brenley
Jaime with a sleeping Madison and Kelsey getting a break :)
Papa, Granny, and Brenley
We also stopped to see some dear friends, the Burlesons. Jesse was out of state coaching a football game, but we got to see Lois, Marisa, and Lainey. The Burlesons are like family to us. Al and Jesse have been best friends since 4th grade and we all lived in Temple together for 2 years while the guys coached the Wildcats. Wish we could see them more :)

Al and I said we need to spend a week in Clyde/Abilene just to see all the people we want to see. I don't know that we will ever get a week, but we wish we could have spent some time with all of our friends and family there, like my brother...we didn't even get to see him...sorry Danny and Amber, we love you!

How Tough Are We

Al and I were at it again. We sanded and painted the vanity in our bathroom this time. I don't have a before picture, but they were the same honey color as the other vanity.

But don't you just love how we got decked out to sand the cabinets. I know you wish you could look as cool as we do! We look hot! Although we may have gone a little overboard with the head gear, it was much better than breathing in sawdust.

The finished product. Now we need some cute knobs!

Car Seat Shopping

Brenley and I have been all over to Target, Wal-Mart, and Babies R Us looking for a big girl car seat. I'm not sure how much she weighs, but she weighed 17lbs at 7 months, so I'm sure she's getting close to 20lbs. I put Brenley in a couple of car seats and she loved it. She just smiled and looked all around, checking them all out. She loved the cup holders :)

This picture below is one that I thought that I wanted, but I've changed my mind for a couple of different reasons. Now I'm looking at the picture on top. I found it used on Craigs list and the lady said it is spotless, never been in a wreck, of course it's a whole lot cheaper, and it reclines!!! Al is going to go check it out for me tomorrow. Does anyone have any suggestions on car seats? I'm all ears!

Happy girl in the big car seat!!!