Happy Birthday to Aaron!!

Today is Aaron's real birthday, although he has been celebrating it for an entire month now!

Happy Birthday!

Down to 7 and going strong!

For those who don't know this, I have been dependant on steroids for a LONG time. I was put on them when I got pregnant with Aaron because my arthritis got really bad and it was the only safe medicine to take during pregnancy. The bad thing was, my body got dependant on it. For 10 long years, I have tried to get off it, unsuccessfully. I had to slowly wean myself from it, going to 1 mg every so often. No matter how many times I would go from 8 mg to 7 mg, my body would fail me. You wouldn't think 1 measley mg would cause so many problems, but I would end up in so much pain it was unbearable and I would end up on 10 mg again. Not only do I hate being dependant on medicine, but it is impossible to lose wait while taking steriods.

Well, I made it!

I recently switched from 8 mg to 7 mg and am going strong. YIPEE! I still have a long way to go, but this is hurdle I have been longing to cross. I think I will stay at 7 for a while before trying to go down more. But hopefully this is the path to freedom!

New Hair Cut for Amy Jo

I have been wanting a more updated look for a while, but since I have had the same hair forever, it was a hard move. So, Robb's parents watched Kelbre today and I went to see my sister-in-law Brooke at the beauty school wher she is going to school. She did a great job and I really like it. I need to grow out my bangs now so that she can blend them in. But it's still so much better! Next time she is going to teach me how to wear makeup!

Birthday's at the Johnson's

Aunt Brooke giving the girly treatment to Kelbre.

It's a good thing she's around!

Here are the August Birthday's!

Kelbre, Aaron and Brady

Aaron got goalie gear from his uncles and grandpa.


Kelbre in the birthday chair.
She was telling us all day that she was going to sit in the birthday chair. The problem was that grandma had planned on everything being outside since it was a nice day. We even tried to convince her that there was another birthday chair outside. She wouldn't budge. Then it started to rain right about dinner time. She got her way, yet again.

Kelbre's Chuck E Cheese Birthday

I can't believe it! My little girl is already 4. She is such a delight and we are learning from her every day. Happy Birthday Kelbre!

Robby's Progress

Life is learning..........

.............and surprises.

This has been an emotional week, one where I have been on the lowest of lows and now the highest of highs. When Robby got diagnosed with ADHD 3 years ago, I thought I knew what suffering was. But over the last year I have discovered what true suffering is. He turned in to a different child. After refusing medicine for so long, we decided to try ADHD meds in hopes of finding one that may benefit him, especially for school. He is incapable of focusing on a task for any length of time, which made school a nightmare (mainly for me). The littlest thing, such as his fingers, who preoccupy him for hours. He never connected to you when you spoke with him. He lacked social skills. The psychiatrist summed it up when he said our life was like the movie "Groundhog Day." So, we tried Concerta, then Aderall. We took him to Occupational Therapists, doctors, psychiatrists. We read books, bought every tool out there. By last week my child was so angry and agressive nothing I did would calm him down. He became depressed, started running away, mostly he began hating himself. Of course, the doctors kept giving him more diagnosis. Oh, maybe he also has depression. Or wait, it is ODD.

Finally, I tossed the medicines in the garbage. He calmed right down.

I wanted to give up. I wanted someone to take him away. I wanted someone to take me away. Aaron decided to go back to our neighborhood school because Robby was too hard to live with. I wanted to get a career and leave home. It was starting to affect Kelbre as well. I cried until I coulnd't cry anymore.

Then I took him to a woman at church who specializes in Homeopathy.

Okay, I admit it, I thought she was nuts. I thought all of them people were nuts. Of course, I thought people who homeschooled were nuts too and then I became one of them.

So here we are. I am only a few days into this homeopathy stuff. The first day was a nighmare. Robby was so unfocused and I spent 7 hours trying to get about 3 hours of school done with him. But at least he wasn't angry. He was actually happy. Then I noticed changes. Not only is the anger gone, but he is actually fun to be around. He is noticing the world again. He becomes excited about stuff. He wants to talk your ear off about little things he is learning. He actually got his work done early today. He actually does stuff I ask without question. He still gets upset once in a while. But that is okay. I feel like my son is back, even if just for a while.

So maybe I am nuts just like the rest of them. But maybe, just maybe, we are finally on the right path.

Denver Zoo

This was one of my favorite pictures of Kelbre with her cousin Sariah.

Cotton Candy Beard

We are so thankful to Robb's parents who treated us to the Zoo. They not only paid for me and the kids, but treated my sister and all her kids as well. We had a fun time and made lots of memories.

Rock Climbing

We went with some friends up to Horsetooth Reservoir so the kids could do some repelling with their cousins. The weather was perfect and they had a blast!

Here goes Aaron up the smooth face of the rock.

He makes it to the top!

Robby's turn; He chooses the crevice.
Notice he is climbing in his Karate Clothes; mom forgot!

Don't you just love those Colorado Blue Skies!!

I made it!

What on earth is this girl wearing?

You will notice that she is always in a skirt or dress when hiking.

Okay she is always in a skirt or dress doing everything.

River Trip

The last day that my dad was here, we decided to go up the Canyon and have a picnic near the Poudre River. My dad loves the outdoors so we thought this would be the best way to spend the afternoon.

Here is my dad with all his grandkids. In the back are my sister's kids: Rachel (10), Gary (12), Ben (14), my dad, Sariah (15) who is holding Kelbre (4). In the front is Robby (11) and Aaron (9).

My dad in the Poudre River, about 20 minutes from my house. My dad is Hispanic, having grown up in Spain but Mexican by lineage. I always hated that I didn't get his dark skin. Now everyone knows that I look like my mom who is very white.


Robby decided to take a chance and try to fish the Poudre all by himself, including picking which lure to use. He was the only one that caught anything.



My kids enjoying the river edge.

Hotel Kelbre

We asked my dad if he would build Kelbre a swingset while he was here. Well, anyone who knows my dad knows that his work is usually over the top. He is a faboulous builder. He told me "yours may be a bit bigger than those in the neighborhood." He wasn't kidding. This picture doesn' show it finished; there are swings on the left side and a slide with stairs off the front. Oh, and the roof is shingled. Who has a swingset with a shingled roof? The boys have actually really enjoyed the fort and can't wait to have a sleepover out there. Now if I can only find my camera, I can post a picture of the finished product. My neighbors came over and said "Is Hotel Kelbre done yet?"

Veedawoo

We spent a lot of time exploring nature this summer, as it was the best free activity to do with 8 children. This is a place called Vedawoo in Wyoming. It is pretty much the only mountain near Laramie/Cheyenne and you can climb these monstorous rocks. Not to anyone's surprise, Kelbre made it all the way to the top. No one was going to tell her she was too little. She let us know she was a big kid the whole time the teenagers were here. A couple weeks later we went to the river here in town to take a hike and Kelbre asked "Are we going to climb another mountain?"

$800 Food Bill........

So this is a picture of my kids, neices and nephews (along with one extra "adopted" nephew) who stayed with us this summer. I have never had that many teenagers in my home at once. Let's just say they ate a lot! And they are very busy!! There were 12 people living here at one point! We had a blast though and Kelbre loved being a big kid with all of them. In the back: neice Sariah (almost 15), nephew Ben (almost 14), Ben's friend Chad (14), Neice Rachel (10), Nephew Gary (12). Front: Robby (11), Kelbre (4 next week!), Aaron (8). Having them here would be even better if everyone did't get Walking Pneumonia while here!