Thanksgiving

We were blessed to have both families home for Thanksgiving. It was picture perfect.

Waiting for James to smile.

No we did not turn off the heat...Liam is waiting for Michael to get dressed to play outside.

Bundled and ready to play.

Me too.

You may stand with grandpas help.

John Paul with his ever constant happy face.

Even James is getting into story time.

Tyler and Alex raked 36 bags of leaves for me! Michael and Liam enjoyed that almost as much as I did.



Michael and James are easily entertained.
 

 

James holding his own with his cousin.



 

 

Not sure who is having more fun here.

Liam's creation...with a little help from dad. 

Call it a ginger bread house or a graham cracker hut it is still delicious.

Dene' gives Michael the stocking she made.

Four happy boys.



Family is what we are thankful for.

James is the happiest of all.

Here is a picture puzzle Tyler and Dene' gave us.

Grandpa time (and no I'm not changing a diaper).

John Paul and his squeaky toy (when Liam isn't jumping on it to make it squeak). 

Are you ignoring grandpa?

That's better.

 

John Paul is a mommas boy (and grandmas boy too). 

 

John Paul seems to be the only grand-boy enjoying this picture session.



May your Christmas and New Year be filled with
Thanks Giving!

 

 

The Days Are Just Packed

  Rehab at home has been going well...if not quite as fast as I would like. The first 2 weeks after surgery I felt such an improvement each day that I thought by week 3 or 4 I would be back to full strength (no way dude). The healing process, while still heading the right direction, has certainly slowed down. At my doctors appointment last week I had X-Rays taken and all was healing well and on schedule. So at this time I have the Right Hip procedure scheduled for Dec 1. We are hoping the timing will work well with all the kids coming home for Thanksgiving and Cindy and I planning on going to the Hills over Christmas.

So taking walks in the neighborhood, reading, lots of football, and eagerly waiting for Thanksgiving, my days are just packed.

A few pictures of my busy days:




The Fall weather has been very nice...until it snowed yesterday.

Feeling well enough to take a few snaps for Peyton Manning.

Just hanging with the guys.

 

Cindy said I looked worried...you would too if you were at the Black Gate.

Birding has slowed down a bit...at lest outdoors.

 

 

 

 

Cindy teases me about my "busy days"...but I'm enjoying them.



Top 5 Reasons to have a Hip Replacement

These last 10 months have led me on a slow and sometimes painful and frustrating journey. After several tests the diagnosis was degeneration and arthritis in the left hip (with the right hip soon to follow). With the diagnosis it took us very little time to decide and schedule the hip replacement surgery. Now in the early stages of recovery I am able to look back and see the positive reasons for this surgery and wanted to share them:

5-  I will no longer walk around like a cowboy who has been on his horse too long. This of coarse
      will be after I progress from walker to cane to being able to bend my leg more than 90 degrees.

4-  This was the fist time I have ever had an overnight stay in a hospital. Three days and two nights
      in a private room, remote control TV, ordering off a menu from a premier restaurant here in     
      town for lunch and supper, and with the push of a button someone at my beck-and-call 24hrs a
      a day. Ok that last one was not so great...a hip replacement patient is a "class 1" risk for falls
      while in the hospital. Which meant I got to wear yellow sticky socks and a yellow band on my
      wrist so in case I had any thoughts of taking a stroll I could be easily identified by the yellow
      sock police. My bed was also wired to set off an alarm if I got up with out help...meaning this
      was the first time since grade school I had to ask permission to go to the bathroom. A little
      humility is a good thing.

3-  Some very nice plants and snacks from Barb and Jeff, Novarits sent a nice plant arrangement,
      and my place of business sent an edible bouquet.

Thanks Barb and Jeff

2-  More time for watching football. I can't drive for 1 month and am restricted from bending at the   
     waist no more than 90 degrees for 3 months. Time frame for going back to work is a little up in
     the air so watching 6 football games on Saturday is not out of the question.

1-  Dene' and James came out for the week of surgery and that was good medicine indeed. We played
     a few games of backgammon in the hospital and because of the meds for pain relief I was on
     Cindy said "He was having a tough time counting to six with much accuracy". I wonder how long
      I can use that excuse every time I lose a game.

Recover time.

 

 

Play time.

Cindy has been a huge help both in doing double duty around the house (while she works full time and keeps up with classes) and helping me stay positive with a sense of humor thrown in. My hip will heal. Cindy and I both keep in our thoughts and prayers all of our family members and friends who are struggling with some very serious and chronic health issues. What helps us the most is trying to live "One day at a time" knowing that  "God gives us the grace for today"...tomorrow will take care of itself.






Alligators, Babies and Clouds

Cindy and I went to Orlando for James Michael's baptism. We were able to spend time with Dene' and Tyler, Jeff and Barb, and Ashley and John Paul...that was a blessing indeed! Orlando was hot and humid...rained almost everyday but that didn't stop us from enjoying our visit (almost entirely indoors). We didn't see Mickey Mouse but we did pick up 12 new birds for our big year. Florida has a lot of water birds, must have to do with 95 degrees and 95 % humidity.  On one of our birding trips we did see a couple dozen alligators (and heard several of them). Here is the picture blog of our trip.

 

 

James is sleeping again!

 

 

 



Cousins.

 

Although we did have some beer John Paul was only teething.

 

 

Wide awake.

Getting dressed for baptism.

 

 
 

Baptism.

 

 

You can't see it here but James was quite vocal.


 

James having some Grandma Barb cuddle time.


 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two great moms.

 

Rained almost everyday. Welcome to Florida.

 

 

Pied-billed Grebe

 

Great Blue Heron



Little Blue Heron



Anhinga





Anhinga

Common Gallinule

Great Egret and Black-bellied Whistling Duck

 

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

 

 

Wet lands park.

Great Blue Heron

One of many gators.

Big and vocal.

Limpkin

Check out the sad face.

 

Grandma Cindy.

So it begins.



The little guy with the two best parents.