Happy 11th Birthday, Eli!

Happy Birthday to my little man!


He requested his favorite breakfast in bed, so, that is what he got.
Biscuits, bologna gravy, eggs, and fried apples!

It's pouring rain today, so he will not be outside to play on his new trampoline. Instead, we are heading to the old birthday stand-by...Chuck E. Cheese!

Have a great day!

When Blizzard 2011 Comes In.....

The parents wake up hearing the ice hitting the windows at 4:30 AM, and move into action.

Big nasty farm dogs get to sleep in the laundry room.

10 year old boys sleep in their new birthday sleds, dreaming of snow days, forts, & sledding.

The ice is covering the ground at this point, and blizzard conditions with up to 16" of snow are expected today. I love it!

10 Year Old Boys

Here are a few shots of my Brother, Sister, our spouses & kids during the visit. See the 10 year old? (Eli) No one noticed that he was blowing a bubble in every shot we took together...UGH! There are literally 15-20 pictures like this. Oh well, it will be something to laugh at when I am older.

What Kind of Animal Was That?

Here's an Eli story for you.

We just got home from the Dr., and we ran by Sam's Club on the way. The artichoke hearts called my name and I bought a big jar.

Eli came out to help his dad unload the car. He was carrying in the artichoke jar, and he said to JD, "If one of these starts beating, I'm out of here!"

He thought they were the heart of some kind of animal he had never heard of.

That's my boy!

Here is the leg update, copied from my facebook status.

Dr.'s appt. this AM, still no bone growth on x-ray. However, Dr. is encouraged by the fact that I'm walking w/o pain. He feels that I'm making good progress with soft tissue growth and thinks that we will see bone starting to form by next month. If not, on Nov. 22 he will remove the screw in my leg from the top of the ...rod, to cause pressure on the bone. Please pray with us for bone growth this month!

For My Sister

I have to admit that I have been feeling "in bondage" to the unnecessary bondage post about as much as my sister has. However, I just have not been inspired to write over here. So, here are some of my favorite pictures that my dad took while visiting here last week.

Mail Anyone?

Another homeschooler checking the mail!

Who is it this time?

Eli!

Bloody Murder

The four of us were in the car driving home the other day. We got to talking about babies and how both of my kids were really rough babies. Karlee is oldest and she just does not require a lot of sleep. She never has. She didn't really sleep a solid 8 hours until she was about 5. Her brother came along when she was 2 and 1/2 and he was sick for the first couple of years, so neither one of them were sleeping through the night. Then about the time Karlee started sleeping through the night, Eli started having night terrors. If you have ever had a child with night terrors you know that they will "wake up" screaming but they are not really there. My son would hold his body very rigid and stare at me screaming. (In my family it is called screaming bloody murder) I learned to take him on a drive to bring him out of it. When this started we still lived in the country and I would just strap him in the front seat and drive the dirt roads until he would come out of it. We moved into town and I continued to take him out to my van at odd hours of the night, screaming his head off and drive him until he woke up. My neighbor at the time was in his 80's and didn't really hear very well so I didn't think he probably knew anything about it. Until one day we were talking and he mentioned hearing my son screaming during the night. I apologized to him and tried to explain the night terrors. When I told Eli that his bloody murder screaming woke up an 80 year old, hard of hearing neighbor this really gave him the giggles.

Anyway, I mentioned that story to Karlee & Eli on that drive the other day. A little while later they were being annoying (on purpose) and singing this song they had made up, over and over. J told them that if they said the words yoda, soda, or pop again, when we got home he was going to hold them down and tickle them for 30 seconds each. Of course they could not resist singing the song one more time. Then they began to dread "the tickling" for the last 10 minutes of the ride. When we got home J got a hold of Karlee first and after much laughing and screaming her 30 seconds was over. It was Eli's turn and he was scared! He started running from J, and when J finally caught him he started screaming, "Bloody Murder, Bloody Murder!" I was getting dinner ready and I about fell on the floor laughing. He had it in his head that when we said he used to scream bloody murder, he literally said the words bloody murder!

What Kind Of Gloves Was That?

My sister said I should tell another Eli story. It involves her son D.W. My nephew D.W. is a full blown boy. The kind where you never know what is in his pockets or on his fingers. Well he has had a cold this week and when he gets a cold the normal, gross boy stuff is multiplied by, oh about, 1000. I was asking Eli yesterday if he would like to have D.W. over for awhile to play. Eli immediately went to the drawer where I keep the gloves for scrubbing toilets and other gross jobs, and said, "Okay, but I want him to wear these antibiotical gloves".

Ya'll have a great weekend, ya hear! (the kids and I are watching The Beverly Hillbillies right now)

Heather Kay

The Tin Foil Guy

I put the Wizard of Oz on for the kids to watch. When Eli saw one of his favorites come on the screen he excitedly exclaimed, "Look, it's the tin foil guy!" This will forever be the Tin Man's nickname in the Arnold household!

The Rest of the Story

Tuesday, before we went to the Antique Malls, J & Big Man went to get hair cuts. I stayed home getting ready to go, and while blow drying my hair, I noticed that I had not put earrings in for quite some time. I have had my ears pierced many times, starting when I was 12. I had never made it through the 6 week healing period to even change them. I had tried every kind of metal and stud, hoop, etc. with no success. Last year, I took one more stab at it, and amazingly I was able to have earrings!! The first several months, I had so much fun changing them every day and gathered up quite a collection. Then, I got lazy and Tuesday when I decided to wear them I could not get the earring through my right ear. I really got upset about this! I kept trying and trying and by the time J got there, I was a sweating, frustrated mess. I asked J & Big Man to pray and tried a few more times, I could not get it through! J offered to try for me and I thought why not, I really didn't think it was going to budge. Well, he very patiently worked at it until he got it through. I know this seems like a really little thing, but I don't know if I've ever loved him more. You see, I was supposed to be ready to leave and instead of being frustrated with me and trying to get me out the door, he slowed me down and did exactly what I needed. (he was rewarded with many kisses)

While I'm bragging on my men, I have to tell what Big Man did. He had earned $4 for extra chores the day before we went and J and I gave him an extra $6 just for fun. He was VERY excited to have that much money to spend. The first antique shop we stopped at, while looking to spend his money, he came across the "perfect gift" for his sister. He came to J & I, with his big green eyes shining and said he had to buy this PEZ dispenser for Doodle. It has a smiley face, which she loves, the base was bright green, her favorite color, and it came with some PEZ candy, she loves her some sugar. He found some other things that he loved for himself, but by far he was most excited for his sissy to come home, so he could give her his gift. He had this so built up that I didn't think she could possibly react big enough.

Well she did me proud and he was thrilled with her reaction. Below are some pic's of the gift giving. He wrapped the gift himself. He is such a sweet little guy!




I know that I am not much of a photographer, but if you ever want to see a photo better you can click on them to enlarge.

Have a fabulous Friday!

Heather Kay

Tutta Cannon Ball

Here is my little Tutta Rican doing a cannon ball at the pool today. We had a great day! I even made my chocolate cherry cake ,and after a day at the library, and pool, we played wiffle ball tonight until dark. I am exhausted, but it is a good exhausted.

Blessings!
Heather Kay

Well, God Gave the Tutta Rican's the Good Looks

This was taken this winter

Several years ago at Branson...So Cute!

Dad & Son

Father's Day morning my son came in with his card for J. He had his usual morning clothing on...nothing but a pair of silky shorts. (and hopefully some underwear) J's grandfather is a full blood Puerto Rican and we always say Eli got his tan from his grandpa. He stays brown all winter long and gets very dark in the summer, even with all the sunscreen I apply. J admiringly said, son I will trade you your tan skin for my white skin. Eli looked lovingly at his dad, and said very sincerely, "Well, dad, God made me this way, He gave me the good looks, and He made you good at everything else, that is why you always beat me at all our games." I about fell off the bed laughing.

Several months ago, during the winter, someone commented on Eli's tan skin. He replied with full knowledge and his best Hispanic accent, "That's because I am a Tutta Rican!" All this time when we were calling him a Puerto Rican he thought we were saying Tutta Rican. We have had a lot of laughs with our little Tutta Rican!

Have a great Wednesday!
Heather Kay