crazy week but a sweet end to the craziness with the birth of our newest cousin!!!

We have had a CRAZY past week. Work has been busy for both of us, school being underway for a month and a half or so is now in full swing and crazy, we were preparing for Jackson's school's big fundraiser this weekend which is a golf tournament Jon and I both play in and soccer started this past week and it all came to a screeching hault when Wednesday night after soccer practice we discovered both kids had abcesses on their legs that looked infected, eeek. I immediately texted our pediatrician and she called in scripts for both kids which we filled after a two hour go round with Walgreens that night. Thursday am both kids were home to make sure we did not spread this to anyone else and Jack was in a lot of pain and couch bound. Sb responded well to the antibiotics and seemed to improve right away nearly but Jackson was in increasing pain, sending him back to the doctor Friday morning and then we all found ourselves in an orthopedic surgeon's office (that was a first ever) on Friday afternoon getting his leg and knee x-rayed!! Jackson could not bear weight on his right foot as his infection was off to the side of his knee and we were concerned about his joint and bone since he was in a lot of pain and could not walk at this point. The doctor was great and was a fellow Ohioan, from the Cincinnati area (small world wonderful moment) and really was great. He said the joint and bone looked fine and gave us two options: try a stronger antibiotic, and do hot compresses and baths all weekend, or do emergency surgery requiring Jackson's to be put out so they could get in and really clean the wound. Not knowing what to do I said "what would you do if this was your 7 year old, honestly tell us please". He was thoughtful and said, I have three sons, they are all much older than 7, my youngest getting ready to start college...if this was my 7 year old I'd try the meds first." He gave us his cell phone and insisted I text him Saturday morning to confirm how Jackson was doing. We chatted for a while and turns out he only lives a few neighborhoods south of us on A1A and he even offered to make a house call Saturday if we were concerned. Saturday we were to play in teh golf tournament which I had all but ruled out at this point however Saturday morning after the new meds, a long night, several baths, and cleaning of the spot, brought improvement so we did end up playing but were only about 10 minutes away if anything changed. Today we have been through much of the same but Jackson is finally up and about again. He cannot play outside or play rough like a 7 year old boy normally would but he's much better and will definitely be able to go back to school Monday, PHEW!! We went to a farm last weekend and all I can think is the kids got bug bites or got into something that gave them this. What a nightmare but luckily we are turning the corner and we hope the coming week will be more normal!! In more exciting news, our newest baby cousin, baby Benjamin Allen Burrow was born Saturday morning weighing in at just 5 pounds even born at 37 weeks or so! Congratulations to the Burrow Family!!! If I can figure out how to post a picture from my cell phone I will!!!

Disney Dream Cruise 2015

We are back from our power long weekend Disney cruise!!! We had a great time, this was a short but really fun cruise, if you've never been before don't do one this short as while this one was our third, even I was feeling stressed trying to get in all of the extra Disney Magic" on a short itinerary!! We've been on the 5 day 4 night Bahamas on the Dream, the 7 day Western Caribbean on the Fantasy, and most recently the 4 day three night Bahamas on the Dream...all out of Port Canaveral, an hour and a half door to door from our house...SO EASY for us as no flying is involved, I cannot tell you the trips we have been on and by far this is the easiest one. All in all, the 3 day 4 night is too short, the 7 day is too long, the first one we took the 5 day is JUST RIGHT. It was the same cruise we just took, PLUS one more sea day which would have given us the relaxation time that was missing from this whirlwind long weekend cruise but on the third trip, I knew it would be this way and just accepted that and we chose wisely on what we did rather than trying to do it all and feel overwhelmed and disappointed. Highlights of this trip: Sarabeth at 4 is in her Disney Prime! She loves characters (is still a little scared of some though) and loves princesses, shoes, and all things princess including the dresses! We got special tickets to see Anna and Elsa and it was just so much fun to do this stuff with her!!! We visited the famed Atlantis resort (hugest resort I've ever seen) with a day pass for their water park and pools and also their Dolphin Cay where we had a shallow encounter with dolphins booked. The resort is massive, could be a vacation in and of itself so was a little overwhelming for one day but the Dolphin encounter was amazing and something we will all remember. We got a really cool room this time with a "magical porthole" instead of a balcony (same class and price as a balcony) but the balcony rooms were sold out by the time I booked this last minute trip so we went into it a little bummed but came to really like the magical porthole room as the room is LARGER, the space that is the balcony in the other rooms is actual room space in this room, see the pictures, Jack's bed in this room is where the balcony was in the other rooms so we had more space. His bed was a murphy bed that folded up into the wall so the room felt really spacious and we were surprised we did not miss the balcony one bit!! BOTH kids were old enough to go into the Oceaneer's Kid's Club. The last two trips Sb was in the nursery (kids 6 months -two years old go in here) and so this was a first and she did great!!! Also, we did not need a stroller which was a major bonus on a cruise ship with stairs everywhere (they have elevators too but it is just not as easy)!! We also did not have a steady napper with us this time although by Sunday after three days of going strong both mommy and SB did have to boot the boys from the room for a few hours so we could turn on Frozen and take a MUCH needed beauty rest!!! The weather was also a surprising highlight of this trip. We have always taken this trip in late May which while the temps are cooler, less humidity, and no threat of late day storms, the seas were always much rougher and lots more wind. This trip we were treated with hot, warm days, a FLAT ocean, the most beautiful two days in the Bahamas we've ever experienced, you could hardly feel the boat moving at all which was great for Jackson who was green a lot of the trip last time on the Fantasy Western Caribbean itinerary. Jackson and Sarabeth are turning out to be two great little travelers that make traveling with kids as easy as it can be and fun too!! We got up at 6:15 this morning (early after several late nights and fun days) and walked our own luggage off the ship, everyone pulling his or her own bag and we were clearing customs by 7:15 am while the rest of those that checked their bags with the cruise ship the night before and left them outside their rooms were fumbling around in some cattle call on the ship waiting for their designated Disney group number to be called (Disney loves crowd control) so they could go find their luggage in the customs terminal over an hour later! Jon and I learned this trick years ago when we took some cruises just the two of us and it was the first time we could implement it with the kids!!! We were on the road and home with the dogs (after a quick stop to get them in Sebastian on the way home at the vet) before 9 am!!! We were pretty tired but had half a day then at home to get organized for the week, do our homework, pay bills, unpack, do some laundry, etc. before we decided to head out for a boat ride down to the Moorings for the Labor Day fun at the club! I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story. Disney is not cheap...Disney cruises REALLY are not cheap...but they are oh so fun and oh so special! The kids did not want to let the fun end last night and took one last spin in the kids club from 10-10:30 before it was time to collect them up for bed! If you are thinking about booking a Disney cruise...JUST DO IT:) You may return home needing a vacation from the vacation (don't say I did not warn you) but you won't regret it and the laughter and smiles from your kids won't fade from your memory...or theirs.