Fall Break with Mimi and Katie

Things we did:
hugged, kissed, swam,visited Build a Bear,rode the carousel and train----short pause in activities for Jack's hospital stay---- Children's Museum, cooked, Zoo, crafts fair, pumpkin patch, fireside fun, fall walks, bike rides (wagon rides for Jack), puzzles, Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, deer watching, leaf hunting, and eat lots of ice cream!
Things we didn't do:
have enough time with Mimi and Kate. They had to leave too soon and now what we do is miss them. Come back soon!!!

Ambulance rides, surgery, and hospital stays oh my!

Jack decided that he had been away from hospitals long enough and was ready for another visit. So while playing with his Mimi, cousin Katie and sisters outside he fell from the monkey bars breaking every bone in his arm. Mimi was thankfully outside with him and got him inside while she called the poor boys neglectful mother who wasn't even home. Sometime between calling me, 911 and my return home he went into shock because the screaming stopped and he was whiter than Casper. I just beat the ambulance and Joel home to find my poor broken baby. Having a husband in orthopedics proved handy and Joel called a surgeon we know who met us at the hospital. I have to say one of the most helpless times in my life was driving behind an ambulance carrying Jack all the way across Memphis in 5 o'clock traffic with my gas light on. Jack had already gotten some morphine in the ambulance so he was a bit more himself when I met them in the ER. After xrays we discovered Jack had broken the top of his arm off his elbow, shattered some elbow and broken both lower arm bones at the wrist. Dr. Heck later told us he was 3 skin cells away from an open fracture and was surprised his skin held- Mimi is very thankful it did or Gracie would have been making the phone calls after Mimi would have fainted dead away. So we waited for an OR to open up and began our quest to get even more Morphine for this brave boy. "Jack it's ok to cry"- "Mommy, I'm not going to cry." He didn't but the whimpers got a little loud at times. He did discover that the ER would be a good time to ask for the new Indiana Jones movie which was waiting for him when he got home the next afternoon. He could have had anything, thankfully he didn't realize this. We went back to surgery and got a cammo, three pins in the arm, and a long painful overnight hospital stay. After a few days he started to move around much better and even got himself a Tim Tebow Gator orange and blue striped cast. Pins come out Friday at 8am- we either go back to surgery or do it in office. Joel is pushing for in the office- I think he's hoping to help. I say office is fine as long as I can bring the tequila and Valium for me. Please pray it's healing well and that I survive.

I Love Halloween- We are the Batts After All

Here are some oldies but goodies!!!

Don't you just love the tacky lights hanging from the fireplace and the display of cords?? Not to mention Jack's Superman hair.

Trick or Treating is hard work. Jack fell asleep in the middle of the foyer.

Last Year's Cast of Characters. What will they be this year- stay tuned- though guessing who Jack will be should be pretty easy by now.

And last but not least it's Jesse and Jesse's girl (and if you don't understand that reference you need to take a trip back to the good 'ol 80s- back to the days of Auqanet, banana clips,the GoGos, leggings-oh wait they're back- Just about anything worth remebering comes from the 80s) So here are me and my rockstar in all our glory. Happy Early Halloween!!!

Grandma Visits!!!

Grandma got to come up for a fun and all too short visit at the end of September. Joel took her to the Gibson Guitar Factory- I know it's a shocker I sat that one out but I have zero musical ability and those two are way too talented to be around ( they also sat around and played guitar most of the nights Grandma was here- I have nothing to offer so I just listen while I read in bed) Ann got to go to the kids Funis Runis fundraiser at school and it was such a treat for the kids that she was there. They are used to not having any "extra" family here and were very happy to get to show off Grandma. Saturday was gorgeous so we headed to the zoo, had a picnic and walked and walked and walked. What do three hot tired kids do after the zoo? They come home and do this- Just long enough for Grandma to get a quick picture and then they convince her the waters really not too cold and she just has to get in.

Thanks for coming Grandma!!! Please come again soon and bring some more "extra family" with you :)

The lessons of our fathers

My husband is a wonderful Daddy. He reads to the kids, plays games with them, writes songs for them, talks to them and lucky for them doesn't spank all that often. He's a natural teacher. The teaching didn't stop Saturday. As far as Joel is concerned - If you build it they will jump. He couldn't help himself and for someone who hates being cold or even close to a chilly pool the temptation was just too much. Let the teaching begin-

Quick learners...

Just kidding Mimi, it was from the bench not the top- at least this time.

We have Water!!!!!

July 28- September 6. It's Saturday and we are filling the pool. What does any good native from Polk County Florida do if there is a hole with some semi-clean water in their backyard do? They all JUMP! (Worry about the dirt and grass later since the pumps don't start til Monday)

Lily jumps. Gracie jumps. Jack jumps.

As far as form and skill go I think the Olympics are calling our names. Jack did tell me he was Michael Phelps today (maybe we watched too much Olympics).

Rain doesn't stop Indy

August 31, 2008

Whipping is serious business and skill. It requires much practice, even in the rain. Look at that face, notice the determination and dedication. The weather can't stop Jack. The post office is already sending recruiters. The rain boots are because my yard is still a huge mud pit- and Jack says he needs them for whipping, "cause they're my adventure boots". I know you love the mismatched jamas too- but hey he dresses himself and that's ok with me.