G-free for me!

Many of you know Will has been experiencing stomach issues for the past 2 years. His symptoms have gotten worse in the last 6 months. When he began withdrawing, not wanting to play outside, not wanting to go to school, etc.., I decided to take charge. I found a wonderful GI doctor, Dr. Ulmer, who was very pro-active in finding out why Will was so sick. After some tests, she found he has Celiac Disease. It is genetic, so there is a great chance Ben and Ann Phelps may have it. I have two cousins who have it, so I have some great support. It is overwhelming at this beginning stage. I have been reading everything available to help me better understand what I need to do to keep Will g-free! To me, no matter what it takes, I will do it if it means Will will be able to have a better quality of life. The last two years have been tough! God has blessed us with an answer and a diagnosis we can handle! I am posting a picture of what Will's lunch looked like today - fresh fruit, carrots, and polenta! He has really gotten on board with a new diet - he has started asking me, "Mom, will you look up ___ and see if it is gluten free?"! Poor thing, he is probably excited to be eating food that doesn't make him sick!

MMO Picnic

Ben is trying to walk back to the

doorway- see the fear on his

face!!

Ben goes to Mom's Morning Out at Crossgates Baptist Church in Brandon twice a week. Will did the same thing when he was two! Each year they have a Spring Family Picnic. Families can come and have a picnic while the kids sing songs they have learned. Ben is my shy child. I saw him in the doorway before his class walked in and he was smiling and waving. BUT, the minute he walked in and saw a room full of parents (strangers) he immediately started crying! The picture doesn't begin to show the shear panic he was going through. I had to sit with him while his class performed their songs! We didn't even stay and have a picnic - he wanted to leave as soon as he could!! Ann Phelps on the other hand will have no problem performing! She clapped and danced to every song!!

T-ball

Rhyne mentioned in a previous post that Will is playing t-ball this year! Because of the Bon Jovi concert, Rhyne and I missed his first t-ball game (don't feel sorry for him, both grandmothers and Pap were there)!! Today was his second game. I know he is only four, but I really think he is going to take after me in the coordination department - which isn't good!! I never played softball because I do much better at sports that don't involve hand-eye-coordination - like track! He is so cute because no matter where he is on the field, he finds me (and today it was Mar-Moo and Dee Dee too) and waves to me!! Wow, I just can't believe he is old enough to be playing t-ball! God is so good to us! After the game, Rhyne had to leave for a boys weekend so me and kids went to Wal-Mart and bought a swimming pool! Ann Phelps missed the swimming because she took a good, long nap!

Living on a Prayer

Ok this post will have no pictures! But it is worth documenting! Rhyne has been an 80's rock fan for forever! When we began dating in 9th grade (17 years ago), he introduced me to all of the classic 80's stuff! He has many favorite bands, but Bon Jovi has been the band at the top of his concert wish list! Being the great wife I am (ha), I surprised him with Bon Jovi concert tickets for Christmas! Not only was this for him, but me too - getting away with my hubby without the kids is always a treat!! We went to Dallas last Friday (April 9) to begin the weekend. My cousin Chase and his sweet wife, Rachel, took us out Friday night to dinner and a Texas Rangers baseball game. The game seats were awesome - front row behind home plate! Rhyne got to talk to Ken Griffey,Jr. every time he came up to bat (he plays for the Seattle Mariners, but our seats were at the fence by the "on deck" for the visiting team)! It was very sweet of Chase and Rachel to treat us to a fabulous night!! Saturday we shopped until the concert at 7:30. All I can say is "wow" about the concert! I am not a huge concert fan, but Bon Jovi was awesome. I think I liked it so much because the songs took me back to when Rhyne and I were crazy "in love"! Their song, Living on a Prayer, was our theme song! It is always good to get back to just us- me and Rhyne. We felt young again. I will not go into detail (Rhyne can post about it b/c he can make it sound soooo much worse), but I fell after the concert in the street in front of everyone. I was trying to take advantage of not carrying around kids, so I bought some high heels to look really cute for my husband and feel like a woman instead of a mom - let's just say I should stick with the flip-flops! I guess I couldn't walk in the heels! I came away with a nasty scrape - the waiter at the hotel after the concert saw my leg and felt so sorry for me, he went and found me a band-aid!! Despite that, it was such an awesome trip! It makes me realize we need to get away more often!! Oh, we don't have pictures worth putting on the blog because we used Rhyne's cheap camera - I didn't feel like carrying my big camera around! We will have memories, though!!

First of Spring/Easter 2010

Having a picnic


Happy Birthday, Dee Dee and Nell-Noo

swinging at Dee Dee and Pap's

helping Pap get the ground ready to plant sunflowers

planting sunflowers

dying Easter eggs with Dee Dee

Will and his Easter eggs

Ben saying "ta-da" with his eggs

Ben's "apple mud pie"- I love

it when the boys get to be

true boys and play in the mud!

Hunting eggs at Dee Dee and Pap's with Boots

Ben's stash

Seeing what the Easter bunny brought

Ben's Easter prizes

AP's brothers helping her

look at her Easter goodies

Sweet girl

Easter morning- couldn't get a good pic

Ben flying a kite with Grandmother

Hunting eggs at Grandmother and Pop's

Ann Phelps hunting eggs

AP and her basket

Getting help from Daddy

Off to find eggs

Flying a kite with Pop

At the end of March, we celebrated Dee Dee (my Mom) and Nell-Noo's (Eleanor) birthdays. Then we moved on to Easter. No matter how hard I try, I cannot get a good picture of all three of my kids together, so I take what I can get. Don't blame the photographer for the not-so-good pics, she tries!!!