Finally an update

It looks like 16 will look alot like this picture.

I have not been updating here much. I feel like what I have to say is redundant. Yep, Hayley is still not getting good grades in school. I can't seem to find anything to motivate her. She came home from school last week crying. She refused to tell us why. After finally making her tell us we found out that the medical academy director told her that if her grades didn't improve she is out. I have been telling her this for months now. It only seemed to hit home for her when someone else told her. She has two weeks left in this quarter and I am worried about her. Then it is spring break and the end of the grading period.

With our new schedule at work the weeks seem to be flying by. We are both working about 50 hours per week and it seems to consume our lives. It doesn't leave much time for anything else. I dream about renting cars and trucks at night. On Thursday nights we stop now on the way home for dinner and a glass of wine and try to decompress. It gives us something to look forward to.

The weather here is beautiful. 85 degrees everyday. My allergies have been out of control with the blooming flowers. I am constantly taking medicine and my eyes sure have been itching.

Colton has a new job mowing and pulling weeds with a friend every week. She pays them $25 a week which they split. This person was paying $200 a month with a landscaping company. They decided to hire Colton and his friend and save $100 a month. Colton is going to try to get into the business academy in high school next year. I will keep you posted.

It broke my heart last week to read of a little girl who passed due to sepis as she was being treated for neuroblastoma in Vermont. She had started to respond to treatment. Ny had told her to take her home on hospice prior to this. Her counts were low from chemo, she got an infection and very quickly it took over her body and she passed. I can not imagine the pain her parents feel. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/madisynbenoit. Reading these stories about these courageous young children reminds me whats really important in life.

Visit from Boston

Here's a photo from Chris sisters recent visit during Hayley's birthday. I have become engrossed in facebook. So what little time I have left of my spare time I have been on facebook reconnecting with friends from high school. Not too much excitement right now in our lives. That's a good thing.

Officially Sweet Sixteen

Sixteen years ago today Hayley Marie entered this earth weighing 7 lbs 9 ounces at 6:49 pm. She was 20 inches long. I remember this day like it was yesterday. I had called my friend Brenda saying I thought I was having contractions but they seemed to be sporadic and I wasn't really having any pain. She drove me to the doctors office and the doctor checked me for dilation. He turned to me in disbelief and said I was dilated 6 cm and to go immediately to the hospital. Luckily the hospital was within one mile from the doctors office. I still wasn't experiencing much pain. I was at the doctors office about 2:00pm-3:00pm. We made it to the hospital and I immediately requested an epidural. They said that it might be too late for that. Luckily I was able to get one after stating I was not having the baby without the epidural. They then broke my water and after that the pain was unbearable. Brenda had been calling everyone to let them know I was in labor. Half of Budget car rental was in the waiting room and people would drift in and out of my room. Finally it was time to push and after just a couple of pushes Hayley came right out. It was a very easy delivery but the doctor should have cut me and I tore so I was very sore for the next couple of days. Hayley's apgar score was 8 and 9. Scott was at work and by the time Brenda reached him I had all ready delivered. He did come to the hospital that night. Since I was in pain they gave me some drugs to help with the pain. I don't know if it was percocet or vicodin but whatever it was I never want it again. It gave me an anxiety attack. I remember Hayley's first night home from the hospital she cried all night. I am thankful my mom was there to help me with her. I don't know what I would have done otherwise. Now sixteen years have passed and I am so thankful for the person that Hayley has turned into. She has such a loving heart.

Hayley Age 3

This week will be all about Hayley. Here Hayley is age 3. Not that she's not beautiful now but she sure was a cute little baby and toddler. I can't believe how blonde and silky her hair was here. I always had their pictures taken for Ident a Kid each year at school. I'm taking a new tactic with her. She can now earn an hour each night to play Wii or be on her computer but only after her room is clean and her homework is done and she has shown me her homework. She is really looking forward to her party this weekend. Chris sisters are flying in on Thursday. It will be a busy weekend. I can't believe she is going to be sixteen years old. Where has the time gone? I will try to share a picture each day of her. I am working open to close Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with Friday off so not sure how possible that is going to be.

It's SuperBowl Sunday

The countdown continues! 8 more days until Hayley turns 16. Chris took her and got her hair cut and colored. She has Auburn highlights under the blonde. I really like the look. Then Chris took her to Ross and TJ Maxx and got her a new outfit. We went to Bravo for dinner.

I worked all day and was exhausted. Today I have spent the day taking many small naps. I can't get enough sleep. We have been pretty busy at work so that is always good. Our company is putting so much pressure on all of us and it is driving me crazy. Nothing is good enough for them and they want more and more. We made it through the first month of the year meeting our numbers so we won't get a "letter". Basically if we receive a letter we will be on probation and if we don't make our numbers the next month they will give us a 30 day notice and replace us.

Hayley promised me she would really buckle down and do a better job this quarter. I looked at her grades online and she had missed three assignements in History and Geometry wasn't much better. I am very disappointed after everything we are doing for her birthday. I don't know how to get through to her.

As you can tell by the pictures it is once again freezing here. This whole week the highs are in the low 60's and the lows in the low 20-30's. Since I moved here in 1988 it has never been this cold for so long. I am dreaming of the Bahamas in April.

Temps in the 20's

Since I have lived in Florida (1988) I can not remember it ever being this cold here for such an extended period of time. We have had several nights with temps in the 20's. When I came to work yesterday the cars were covered in a deep frost. I thought I had left that behind in Wisconsin. The worst part is that if it's going to get that cold it could at least snow. I do miss that first snow. Snow reminds me of peace for some reason.

We have been preparing for Hayley's sweet sixteen on February 9th. She is actually having her party on February 7th. She has invited 25 girls with eight of them invited to stay overnight. Chris has really been planning alot of events to make this a special birthday for her. He is taking her to the salon and she is getting her hair colored and getting a new style of hair cut. Also at that time she is getting a manicure and a pedicure. At her birthday party he hired a palm reader to come over to our house for an hour to read the girls palms. He is going to cook on the grill hamburgers and hotdogs and then on our tv we will hook up the Wii and they will play games. We also have a pool table for their enjoyment. It should be everything that she could wish for.

On the other hand Colton and Chris have not been getting along. Colton is in that teenager land. Very lazy not doing his chores, expecting everything but giving nothing in return. He got an F in Science this last quarter and his behavior has been bad in that class. Chris tried to work with him on a paper and he had misspelled all the words, penmanship was atrocious etc. Colton was laughing which infuriated Chris and all I heard was alot of screaming. Hayley was in the room and told Chris enough defending Colton. After it was all said and done everyone apolozized but both Colton and Chris are still holding grudges. Chris feels like Colton doesn't appreciate everything he does for him and Colton thinks Chris is hard on him all the time. I am in the middle. Colton doesn't show appreciation, do what's asked of him etc and Chris is hard on him but only because he wants to help him succeed. So where do we go from here. I don't know. One day at a time I guess and I try and be the buffer in between. Just what I don't have time for.

Last night Chris and I met Geoffrey at the little Italian pizzeria restaurant that he works for after we had gotten off work. Geoffrey was proud to show us where he works. Chris and Geoffrey were going to the Orlando Magic game afterwards. Unfortunately, the Magic played horribly against the Celtics. He didn't get home until around 11:00 and had to get up for work at 5:00 am. I felt bad for him but I sure needed today off. I have to work tomorrow.

I just love this picture of Colton. I wish I could go back in time. Now that I am older and wiser I would do some things differently with him. I did the best I could at the time. He will be a success but I know the next four years are going to be trying. I will post pictures of Hayleys new hairdo when she gets it done.

Where have I been

Wow, lots to catch up on since I last wrote. I spent the week of Christmas sick with a cold and then my allergies were horrible for the next two weeks. Nothing seemed to work. I tried sinus medication, allergy medication, I thought I would never get better. But then a cold front came through and whatever was in the air has cleared up and I can finally breathe!
On the work front things are not good, not good at all. My company is on the verge of bankruptcy. We have tremendous pressure being put on us to sell and if our numbers aren't where they want them to be they will replace us. My only day off right now is Sunday with no end in sight. At least Chris and I still have a job for now anyways.
I haven't officially heard from his mother but I read on another website that Jack Brown the boy that I collect money at from work and match any donations has relapsed. Neuroblastoma comes back more ferociously each time. I am so worried for him and his family they have been through so much. This week alone three children that I follow have died from neuroblastoma. Many more are really struggling. We need a cure for cancer. I can not imagine losing my child and what these parents go through every day fighting for their lives.

Happy New Year

Sadly, Chris and I did not make it to midnight. We got off work about 3:00 pm yesterday and then went out for appetizers at Timpanos. They had a "special" menu for the night. Not really what we wanted to eat but we made do. Matthew is in Orlando and he met us for a drink. Strange to be drinking with him in a bar. We came home and took some dessert to our neighbor Steve who is still recovering from his seaplane crash. We had a few glasses of wine with them and then I was out by probably 10:30.

Colton partied it up with the Brits across the street. They are here from England for two weeks. He pretty much spends all his time over there while they are in Orlando.

Today it is a day of rest even for Molly our puppy.