calling all prayer

I wanted to give everyone a little play by play of this past week and ask for your prayers.  "For where two or three are gathered together, in my name, there I am in the midst." Matther 18:20.  This has been a very long exhausting week.  It started on Monday, Lainey started getting sick...which turned into the flu (threw up at the dinner table, lovely!)  The next morning we go in here room to lying towards the end of her bed, flat on her tummy, hands by her side and head in a bowl....literally (it was actually a comical site to see).  When asked what she was doing she said, "I'm sick."  But she hadn't done anything yet!  So she was sick Tuesday, and started to feel better Wed (so we thought).  But Wed after dinner Kylee started complaining that her ear hurt.  I didn't think too much about it, thinking that if if persisted that we could go see the doctor in the morning.  Well, at bed time she wouldn't stop crying because her ear hurt so bad.  Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot you can do for an ear infection, but go to the doctor and get antibiotics.  We tried explaining that she needed to get some rest, but that didn't work.  So we put her in our bed and I stayed in there with her scratching her head (that is the only way I could keep her calm).  About 10:30, I didn't know what else to do because she was just in so much pain so on to the ER we went.  What do you think they told us?  "She has an ear infection!"  After a $150 diagnosis and a prescription that I couldn't fill until tomorrow we went home and she was fine...and all they gave her was Motrin.  She slept for three or four hours before she threw up all over our bed.  So Thursday was not fun.  In pain, with a fever and throwing up four more times during the day...poor thing couldn't stop crying and moaning.  I felt frustrated because even trying to comfort her wouldn't work...it was actually better if I left her alone.  Oh yeah, and at this point Lainey had thrown up again and is still acting sick.  Thank goodness, towards later afternoon she was feeling better...but not Kylee.  Her sleep last night was so off and on and at five this morning she said that her hair was stuck to her ear.  When I felt her ear, all I could feel was wet goo.  I felt sick when I saw what was coming out of it....blood.  Quite a bit of blood too.  I asked her if she had been digging at her ear and she said "yes."  Though I don't know if was really anything she could have done.  So now our poor girl is still in pain from an ear which is now bleeding and a tummy that is still upset.  Praise God that her ENT called yesterday and was able to get us in for this morning (it was originally to go over her new CT scans), what better doctor to see.  Oh, and now Alan says he is starting to feel queasy.  Help!  You may ask, where in the heck am I getting the time to write this....well, because I have been up most of the night, I can do practically nothing to help Kylee and I needed to vent a little before I go nuts.  I don't like seeing all the people I love sick and in pain...and not being able to do anything to help.  Your prayers are so very welcome.  Thanks.

all done

i hope everyone had a wonderful christmas!  the girls did....they got so much stuff i have spent the last few days reorganizing and getting rid of STUFF!  lots of stuff.  the barbies were finally a hit!  i think i have given kylee a barbie every year hoping she would like them...this year it took. now we are on the same playing field.  i know how to play barbies...i am not so good at playing "dog" or "horse,"  mostly because my knees can't take it.  lainey on the other hand was showered with makeup and is loving every single piece....well her cheeks and lips are.  i have never seen so much glitter.  oh my!  

 

four of kylee's teeth are loose.  we tried bribing her the entire week before christmas to pull both of her front teeth out...but she wouldn't take the bait.  the tooth fairy was even willing to pay double if she pulled them before christmas....nope...didn't care.  now one of her front teeth is literally hanging there, it's so gross.  

lainey has been in a MOOD the last few days....whoah!  whiney, whiney, whiney.  i am not sure what is going on.  maybe she is just over exhausted from all the christmas activities.  we're finally going to slow down, so maybe she will too! 

it's quiet now, no i am going to go crawl in bed and read my book!

4 generations

it's still quiet here for a few more minutes anyway, so i thought i should post something.....since my last post was right after thanksgiving.  pretty bad.  i cannot believe that christmas is here!  seriously, it's here....how!  needless to say, i am glad it is here...i love it.  this past sunday we had a forth generation christmas brunch (that is what i am going to start calling it).  it was delightful. my grama, my mom and sister all came out this way and joined us for church (which was wonderful) and then we had brunch at our house.  after we ate the girls opened lots of presents....it looked like christmas morning!  it was really was a lovely time together.  we haven't had a picture taken together since kylee was nine months old.  definitely time!  can i just tell you how nice it is having my own studio downstairs!  no making appointments, no fees, no dealing with a photographer who is not going to do what you (i) want....just walk downstairs...and welcome to pipsqueak photography!

anyway, if i don't post again until after christmas...or new years.......or valentines day, i want to wish everyone a very merry christmas.  i hope you will have a wonderful time celebrating the perfect gift that was given to us...Jesus!  love you all, merry christmas!

buffalo gal

i can just hear jimmy stewart and donna reed singing, "buffalo gal won't you come out tonight, won't you come out tonight, won't you come out to night, and dance by the light of the MOON!" it fit's the season doesn't it?  okay, i was trying to be funny, but have no idea if i succeeded....i just made myself laugh.  anyway, i hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving.  we did...alaina, was definitely having fun (the picture above was her at the end of thanksgiving dinner).  she was cracking up. 
after thanksgiving, we spent some time with my papooh (my dad) at my grandparents house.  it was nice and relaxing....the girls fun standing at GGpa's side discovering a new found treat "Necco's" (my grampa's favorite).  then we went home to decorate the christmas tree.  following suite, this was alaina's first year to actually help hang up ornaments....she did the EXACT same thing kylee did....hung them all in one small area (then she sat there mesmerized by them).  i love this time of year!
the next morning we woke up to snow....so after breakfast we all enjoyed a hot cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows.  it can't get any better than this.

potty princess

every time i look at this picture it makes me laugh...this little girl just makes me laugh in general.  this little girl comes down stairs in the morning...pull ups still on (dry), but before going to the bathroom we have to have our fancy shoes.  what can i say, she thoroughly enjoys being a girl.  what she wants for christmas.....a pink computer (got it), perfume (got it...watered down of course), hairspray (um....don't think so, i just in vision her spraying it directly into her eyes...or all over the dog), pink chair (that one is still up for grabs).  speaking of the dog, that poor thing.  when i get ready for the day (shower, hair, etc) the girls always go into one of the bedrooms taking the dog with them...and holding her hostage (every time i go to check on them the dog tries to bolt out of the room...."save me, save me.")  anyway, today was another day, but i couldn't help but laugh when the dog came bolting out of the room wearing a homemade paper cape with kylee's name all over it.  she never tried getting it off, she just tried to get away from the girls.  i kept wondering how they attached that thing, but kept forgetting to look.  well, when i went to take it off, it turns out that kylee had made a chain of stickers that extended from one end of the paper the next...with a lot of hair in between.  like i said, poor dog!  i can't believe she didn't start crying when i took it off seeing as how it ripped a ton of her hair out.  i went and told kylee that i thought that the sticker chain was a very creative way of attaching it, but that it may not be such a good idea in the future.

lion king

last saturday kylee had her first musical experience.  the "lion king."  what fun!  the costumes were simply amazing...we were able to see them first hand because we were sitting on the aisle watching them walk by.  how anyone came up with that is beyond me.  kylee had a great time.  you know how it goes dark between scenes....well, after each seen kylee would lean over and ask me if there was going to be another one.  i think she really enjoyed the music.  we couldn't tell how well she was following the story line because it has been a year or two since she has actually watched the movie itself.  one other funny thing (and this reminds me so much of me as a kid....darn it....it's one thing i didn't want her to get from me....if you can even inherit this), at intermission kylee leans over to me and tells me that she would really like to go to the "lion store....because they have these things and you buy them."  i thought oh brother, she is talking about the souvenir concession stand.  yep, that's my daughter....that would have been the first place i would have like to go too!  when i told her that coming to see the show was the "gift" in itself and that we didn't need anything else....we had a program...ha!  well, with this she was not too pleased.  she told me she didn't want me here with her because i don't let her do stuff like that...she also proceeded to tell me that she wouldn't want daddy here either because she knew he wouldn't let her either.  i went to put my arm around her to comfort her and to scratch her back...uh, she wanted nothing to do with that either.  a little while later during the show and after returning from sitting on papa's lap she was happy again, cuddling up against my arm.  i am not sure what words were spoken, they must have been sweet nothings.  oh yeah, we left with a nala doll.  what more can i say?

waiting

we are literally in the car as we speak waiting for kylee to get out of school.  the weather is so crappy i thought we would go ahead and wait in line at school (to get a front spot you have to be up here at 2:50 pm...it's pretty silly).  so i thought i would bring my computer with me so i could work while waited...and low and behold they have free wireless....so what am i doing?  yes, blogging....not working.  i guess i better sign off and go do that....while i listen to alaina in the back seat CRUNCHING on chips ( a little treat from papa).  oh, i almost forgot i have a funny little lainey story.  several christmas's ago kylee got a play kitchen and she played with it for a time, but the last year or so it has been neglected so to say so i thought...hmmm craigs list could really help out santa this year. well last night a guy came to pick up the beloved kitchen...after he left lainey, frozen in the entry hall, lip out and tear filled eyes says, "he's taking our kitchen," in the saddest little voice.  mind you i am looking at this child getting ready to bust a gut because she is standing there wearing her new foofy glittery skirt, floral shirt and shower cap (she reminded me of steve #4 from the movie multiplicity)....serious as the day is long.  not two minutes later she is in the kitchen still fretting about the kitchen saying, "i am so frustrated at the man, he took our kitchen."  this lasted until bed time.  what a hoot!

new day

it's a good day...despite all that satan would love to do (and is trying) to keep me from relishing in God's peace...and trying to keep me from our church's women's retreat tonight.  thank you to everyone who has been praying for me...i feel them.  i am so grateful for new mercies everyday! you like my self portrait....ha, what a dork! 

God's promise

(thanks donna for calling to tell us about the rainbow....even though you can barely see it in this picture)  i really needed to see that this morning.  it is a beautiful reminder of God's promise to us. especially in light of where our country is headed.  last night i went to bed with my mind racing and my heart heavy....i woke up feeling the same.  i don't want to start some weird political thing, but i do feel like i should share my feelings.  i want to have the same peace that others do about this election, but as of now i don't...so i am continually praying for that.  i am scared for this country....for my family.  where things are headed, i do not know for sure, but it doesn't feel good (and this is not just based on feelings, it based on all the information i have read and heard).  i am scared for this country, for our future, for my kids future....wondering if my husband will have a job a year for now...what kind of medical coverage we'll have...how much we will have to pay in taxes...the list goes on and on.  i know that i am not supposed to worry, and honestly i am praying constantly...trying to let go, but is so hard sometimes.  after seeing this rainbow it helped calm my spirit a bit ;).  it reminded me that God is in control, that he loves us so much...he has a plan for our future, plans to prosper us and not harm us, to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).  i am going to cling to that verse...and cling to him, because i do believe that we are headed for very hard times and if i don't cling to him and his promises the fear and worry will consume me...and how can that bring Christ glory?  how could i ever have peace?  i am going to trust in believe in the maker of heaven and earth, and keep repeating Jeremiah 29:11 until i turn blue in the face....reminding myself that God is good and he wants good for us because he loves us that much!

tink and wonder

i had a little while before i put on my costume, so i thought it was as good a time as any to post a few pics of the girls.  it has been a long crazy day, but definitely worth it.  it is so fun watching them.  kylee had a blast tonight because we met up with her friend kolbie and they trick or treated together.  lainey was a bit dazed....early morning + no nap = sleepy kid.  now they are off to papa and ohie's and alan and i (and uncle cam) will soon be in costumes too.  i can't believe i am doing this, it has been years...i have to admit, i'm a little excited.  i used to love dressing up for halloween.  my friend and i had a theme (from saturday night live) every year in middle school.  i'll let you know how it goes...and if you're lucky you may see a picture or too.  happy halloween everyone!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

happy halloween from all of us and the spooky dog!!!  i'll post later when wonder women and tinkerbell make their appearance.

i am wondering if i should give up this blog thing....i have gotten to be terrible about keeping up to date with the day to day lives in the rimbo household.  it's just been insane.  no better way of putting it.  the only nights i seem to get quite a bit done is when i am up all night at work....but should i be doing this at work????  probably not, but i need something to help me stay awake.  

the girls have been doing great....getting all ready for halloween.  lainey already had her school party.  she loves her tinkerbell costume (that ohie made, i might add).  she even prances around when she wears it.  it has been so hard on kylee to have to wait all week to wear her costume.  "mommy, is it halloween after this night or another night?" (she has stopped calling me "mother."  i am once again mommy:)  kylee is busy with school and homework...yes, homework in kindergarten believe it or not.  tonight she was writing math problems on a piece of paper (1+4=5).....what!!!!  i was blown away.  it amazes me so how much and how fast these kids have to learn things these days.  but it is really exciting to see all that she has learned in the two and a half months she's been in school.

lainey just makes me laugh everyday.  she is such a goof.  she is getting so big.  i know i keep saying that, but it's true.  the time goes by too fast.  it makes me a little sad.  i am trying to take advantage of every hug and kiss, because they soon become few and far between.  just thought i'd say hello to the blogging world, but i really need to get back to work.

who couldn't love this face....my baby is a big girl now, what am i going to do?

kylee's kindergarten class.....

best buddies (they are together everyday, play soccer together and are in sunday school together....do you think they'll get sick of each other?)  they have so much fun!

it has been too long....again.  what can i say, time just slips away.  fun things have been happening 'round these parts and i need to share.  first let me say HALLELUJAH!!!!  we are finished with diapers!!!  anyone else feel like doing a cheer.  alaina is officially potty trained.  two sundays ago i decided that it was time...so the diaper fairy came and took all of our diapers away "oh my."  i put her in a pair of panties and sent her off to sunday school.  yes, sunday school (i actually put a pull up on her during that time period and just took them off as soon as we picked her up...she actually went on the potty for her sunday school teacher).  that afternoon was the only accident she had.  she has done amazing!!!!  i am so relieved to be rid of stinky diapers....so is our garage.  our girls are growing up so fast.  

today, kylee had her first field trip...the the KC pumpkin patch.  it was so much fun watching her in her own element.  the little social butterfly that she is.  she was so excited about her trip to the pumpkin patch.  actually, i think she was more excited about riding the bus.  i even got to ride the bus...how cool is that?  not really, it was actually a little frightening, since the bus driver didn't seem to know what he was doing.

 

what else....hmmm, oh yeah, we painted our kitchen (we meaning toni and i).  it really needed to be freshened up a bit, and the color is very fitting for fall.  i love it.  next up is our bedroom!  as soon as the lawn loses it's need to be mowed, alan has already been hired to be my painting buddy!  i know that there is more, but it is 2:30 in the morning and i am getting too tired to think....it's a real good thing that i'm at work, huh?

beauty school drop out

morning bed head...this kid has the worst!  she woke up the other day and her hair was going every which way but down, so i had to take a picture.  after seeing this one too many mornings i thought is was time to take her somewhere to get her hair cut.  So us girls and Ohie went to run some errands, then get lainey's haircut.  

her she is....ready for the cut,

afterwards (and after a nap i might add)....by the way, can anyone scream BRACES!

that 'fire marshall bill' smile just makes me laugh.  i absolutely love it!  anyway, the following day i come walking down the stairs to see alaina standing at the kitchen counter with a comb up to her head.  i asked her what she was doing.  she said, "cutting my hair."  my first reaction was, "oh, she is pretending with the comb again....no big deal."  uhhhhhhhh, that is until i walk over to her and see a pile of hair lying on the counter and all over the stool she is standing on.  god was with me at that moment because all i could do was just laugh.  (it still makes me laugh thinking about it).  while trying to contain my laughter i told her she should never cut her own hair.  i told her not to move so i could get my camera....she didn't like this (i think she was embarrassed or something) because as soon as i walked away to get the camera, she quickly dusted the stool off, removing all evidence!  do you think she knew that it would soon become available for the whole world to see....hmmmm.  she is a pretty smart girl you know.....just not a very good beautician (at least not just yet).  mommy loves you sweety, it will be fun to look back on this an laugh together one day:)  JUST DON'T DO IT AGAIN! :)

hello again....we're back

i can't believe that it has taken me this long to post. we've been back for four days now and i've wanted to do this everyday, but life after a vacation....what can i say "back to reality." i had actually planned to blog while we were away, but time got away from us...we were having too much fun and too tired at night because of the time difference. i don't think we really started adjusting until the night before we left.

we had a wonderful time. nine glorious days away with my husband. i had so much fun with him. we haven't been alone like that for six years. i enjoyed every second. here was a typical day in the life on maui.....wake up 5:30/6:00 (10:30 KS time), take a walk on the beach, have quiet time, then breakfast. eight thirty grab our chairs and head for the beach, read a little, sleep a little, then snorkel, then lay out some more. We would do this until 11:00, then head up to the lawn area because the trade winds would pick up (it's not so much fun when the sand is blowing in your face). Have lunch around noon, then go back down to the lawn (the lawn overlooked the beach), read and sleep for a few more hours (i must say that alan did a lot better then i thought he would because he gets so darn antsy....he can't just "lay out"). Then we would go back up to the condo, clean up then have an afternoon cocktail.....alan became a pro at making Mi Tie's. yummy....but i would only have one! then around 5:00 i would start making dinner, we'd open a bottle of wine and have dinner on the lana'i. we'd watch the beautiful sunset and just hang out. it was wonderful.

it was the first time in a long time where i think we both just completely relaxed. no work, no stress, no worries.....just paradise. i will post pictures to flickr so you all can see (even though i didn't take as many as i thought i would...and the pictures look kinda crappy because t tried resizing them for easier download....well, it didn't save to a new file, so now i have to re-download all my pictures so they have better resolution, oops).

we missed the girls so much, talked about them all the time, but we still had a hard time leaving. i wish we could have more time like that. we are just so blessed to know that we will be back. mom and dad, we can't tell you enough how grateful we are that you allowed us to stay there. mom you did an amazing job redecorating the place....it is AWESOME! we also want to thank both grandparents for taking such wonderful care of our girls. they had a wonderful time. it sure is good to have them back. i missed their little hands and sweet kisses and hugs. anyway, i need to go back to work. with any luck i will post again soon:)

mmmmmsch!

i love this little girl.....she makes me smile so!  tomorrow she is starting KDO (kids day out).  she is so excited....."i'm going to school!"  although i think she would rather be in kindergarten with kylee.  she sure speaks well enough!  though she is only two this girl can speak...everyone always asks how old she is because she does not speak like a typical two year old.  how can this be.  our kids are growing up too fast.  this girl, from the moment she was born has been on the move.  she has kept us on our toes that is for sure.  right now she is currently known around here as the "bag lady."  she is constantly walking around the house with her princess high heels on, three bags on her shoulder (filled with STUFF), pushing her grocery cart.....and talking on the phone (always calling the doctor)!  she really is a hoot.  

look for this photo, it will be making it's appearance on my new website soon (spite her naptime hair....i absolutely love this picture)!

big "K"

i can honestly say that i cannot believe that this day has arrived!  today we went to kindergarten.  i just got home from dropping her off.  yep, the mom who doesn't cry when her kids get shots shed tears this afternoon.  i didn't think that i would, and i'm not sure that i am conscious of the reasoning behind it....probably because i am so excited for her.  alan makes so much fun of me because i loved elementary school (he says he sees the brown on my nose).  i know she is so excited too!  all morning it was, "mother, is it time yet?  when can we go?  is it time yet?  i'll get the keys!  is it time yet?"  (yeah, do you like that i used "mother" instead of mom....she no longer calls me mom or mommy, just "mother.") i just hope she has a very fulfilling year, learning new things, making friends and having fun.  kylee you are such a great kid, we love you so much and hope you are having a great day at school....you BIG KINDERGARTNER YOU!

it's only 2:37 am

i am sitting here at 2:37 in the morning at work....extremely tired, when i thought, why not blog.  i haven't done it in a while, and for those of you who still check it might like to see a nice picture of the girls.  about the picture...this is one of about three or four pictures that actually turned out.  i am a photographer and i photograph other peoples children all the time, yet when it comes to mine (hmmmm...alaina) it just doesn't seem to work out so well.  no kylee on the other hand is my ham.  it wasn't too long ago that she asked me if i would take pictures of her in a field so she would have them for her kids one day....seriously?  alaina my dear if you ever wonder why you were not in very many pictures (except the ones aunt d takes...for some reason she is the only one who can capture her in any light) it's because you have the worst case of "ants in the pants" i have ever seen...and bribes don't seem to help either.  

i know every mother out there has had there share of "grouchy" days, when all you seem to do is bark at everyone....especially the kids.  well, today was like that for me.  as i was driving to work tonight, i was looking back on the day and i felt my heart just sink to the floor.  i don't think i said one nice thing to my poor kids all day long.  i just barked, nit-picked and nagged.  to top it off, right before i left for work i let lainey know how mad i was that she lost my necklace, then demand that she look for it......have i forgotten that she is just two, man, what a crab!  after being at work for half an hour or so the gals at work tell me that there are two little girls coming up the elevator to see me.  kylee had looked so hard for my necklace after i left and found it.  my dear sweet husband brought both girls up to work so kylee could give it to me.  my heart melted.  i hate days when i am like that, and it seems to be more frequent than not.  so girls, mommy is sorry.  i love you both so much....no matter what.  please forgive me when i am being a big ol' crabby patty!  (alan, thank you for bringing the girls up to see me, it made my night...only 4 1/2 more hours to go). 

quick update

most of you knew that this morning kylee had her sinus surgery so i wanted to give everyone a quick update.  she is doing AMAZING!  i can't believe it.  i thought we would have a long day sleeping....nope, not this kid.  the only time she slept was on the ride home from the surgery center.  she didn't close her eyes the entire afternoon.  she only complained a handful of times that her throat and nose hurt, but that was when it was time for more codeine (i think the codeine has the opposite effect on her...it winds her up instead of knocking her out).  her major complaint was hunger.  it started the minute we walked in the door.  i swear, nothing can come between her and food.  so after lots of flavor-ice's, jello and milkshakes....it was time for dinner french toast with strawberries and bananas (as i am writing this i just realized that i wasn't supposed to give her anything red....so it can't be mistaken for blood...oops).  anyway, we'll see how she does tonight and tomorrow morning.  thank you everyone for thoughts and prayers they were well heard and felt!

long awaited

mom, i know that you really didn't like the idea of this picture being public, but this is such a momentous occasion that i just had to.  you are finally back home!  what has it been, ten years? too long i must say.  we are so excited, there are hardly words.  this is going to take some adjusting to.  we're so used to you coming for a week or so and seeing you most of that week....but now you are here for good.....you may see a lot of us the first few months.  it may take a while for the girls to understand that you don't have to leave anymore.  except for the occasional worldly excursion:)  anyway, just wanted to tell you how happy we are to have you back.  you may get sick of us!  love you tons!!