Fun times....

We've had quite a mix of weather, some wind/rain and some beautiful sunshine :o). Rain or shine, we've been enjoying the lake and family and friends! Reggie and Ainsley are much more into the water and sand this year and have stayed out for several hours at a time :o). Grandma has got them out in the deep water, attempting to work on their swimming skills! We've also explored the woods and went to the creek to make a boat, but it was dried up, so we walked down it and they went through a "tunnel" under the road. They thought that was really cool. Reggie always has ideas of things he wants to build and do and we happened to see a tree house and now he wants to build one of those (the problem is we end up doing all the work!) Let's just say they are REALLY tired at night!

"Helping" grandpa with his back exercises:

Yesterday afternoon, we visited Jane, Lilli and Amelia. It was great to catch up and see how the kids have grown. Amelia was 3 months old last time we saw her, so she has really changed! As usual, the kids had lots of fun and we had a nice time visiting :o). It is amazing how kids pick up right where they leave off (I guess we aren't much different). He's played with all of his friends as if no time has passed! Kellen, Abby, his second cousin, Sarah-they all just love to play.

We stayed at Liha and Wade's last night and the kids are having lots of fun. We took advantage of the high speed internet and video chatted with Ryan this morning. It was good to see his face and Ainsley was in heaven! Yesterday, it was drizzling and they wanted to play in the yard, so we put on their raincoats and Reggie was directing everyone where to go and what to do. They had so much fun and we had so much fun watching them. What goes on in those little minds????? Today, they decided to go "sledding"!

Sledding video: go to arrtwade.blogspot.com if you get this by e-mail

Reggie helping the girls get dressed up:

We are heading to grandma and grandpa's tonight for some more fun with them :o).

Trip back home

Well we made the trek back home all 900 miles worth.... We left on July 2nd around 11:15am and arrived at the Lake around 2:15am the following morning.. The kids were great and they only asked "are we there yet" 50 times or so.. But, really, they did wonderful and we only had to turn on the DVD one time which was right before bed time. We only stopped a few times for much needed gas and also once for dinner. After we got through the mountain pass (Mt. Shasta was so beautiful) we stopped in a small town for dinner.

McDonald's was the choice and the kids were happy to receive their happy meals with their toys.. After dinner Trina took them for a walk/run around the mini mall that we were in to burn off some cooped up energy. I would have joined them but I'm still nursing my torn Achilles.. After dinner the kids put on their pajamas and settled in for a long ride.. From that point the trip went pretty quickly and at 9:30PM they finally went to sleep.. Around 1:00AM we stopped at the 164th street exit just south of Everett to get gas. Of course, both of the kids woke up due to the bright lights in the gas station. They were so excited they stayed awake until we arrived at the Lake. Once we arrived, we hurried into the house threw the kids in bed and went to sleep... JULY 3rd - It was wonderful as we were able to sleep in thanks to Grandma and Grandpa. Aunt Liha and Uncle Wade arrived that morning and cousin Maggie and the kids were so excited to see each other. The 3rd was the day to clean up the house and get ready for the 4th of July party. Everyone was hussling getting things ready except for me as I was still handicapped.

JULY 4th - The Lake was buzzing, the weather was wonderful and we were expecting 50+ people to join us for a great celebration... After we got up and around it was time to go to the Lake Cavanaugh Parade.. Ainsley decided to walk through the parade with her cousin Maggie and Reggie decorated his bike and peddled through...

After the parade the kids got to see their friends as both Cathy and Laura (friends from Kirkland) decided to make the trek up to the lake. Laura just had twins, so to have her up at the lake was special. Reggie got to hang out with Kellen and Abby and Ainsley got to hang out with the twin babies... After a long day of playing in the beautiful weather it was time to hunker down and watch the fireworks show... This year was different for me as I'm usually the one putting on the show. But, because of my situation, I was sitting down watching the show this year. I must say it was great... A big thanks to Keith and Wade!!!! Attached is a video showing the grand finale...

Achilles surgery pic's-not for weak stomach's

Before......

After.....Aren't doctors, along with technology and medicine just amazing!!!

What a week!

Our week started out pretty normal. Reggie participated in a sports camp every morning for 2 hours. They played hockey, soccer, t-ball and basketball. He was very surprised that he enjoyed himself so much. We were watching his friend Hannah and her brother Asher Tues. and Wed. morning and I was thinking it was going to be a big fight to get him to go, but he was fine with it. They are moving back to Virginia and we'll miss them lots :o(.

Tues. night we headed to Bill and Stacey's house for dinner. Summer has finally arrived here and it was in the 90's most of last week and 108 today!!! So, it was very nice to be able to go in their pool. We had a very nice dinner and visit. Ainsley was spoiled by all 3 girls and she ate it up! Reggie had fun in the pool with Donovan (Ryan's co-worker/friend's little one).

Wed. we went back to San Ramon for Ryan's softball game with his work buddies. That was when the week took a turn for the worse. The game was almost over and Ryan hit the ball way out in center field and he was rounding 3rd, going for a home run when he fell down. He was crawling/rolling to get past home plate, but the Umpire called him out. He was not happy about this and said he got hit by the ball, but the catcher was holding the ball. There was a bit of confusion, but Ryan finally realized he hurt his leg. It was really quite comical. They all carried him to the car and I think everyone knew this might end his season. We went home and iced it and I looked at the back of his leg and touched it and it was very soft. I couldn't feel his Achilles tendon at all, so we decided he needed to go to the Emergency Room. The doctor there confirmed that he had ruptured it. The doctor was a bit perplexed because where it attaches at the bottom didn't hurt and Ryan wasn't in very much pain. He recommended Ryan see an Orthopeodic Surgeon right away. So, Thursday morning, he headed to the clinic where the Oakland Athletics go. The doctor had never seen anything like it. Usually when the Achilles snaps, it is from the bottom or top, but his tore apart in the middle. He had an MRI because the doctor wanted to see what it looked like before he recommended treatment. Unfortunately, he recommended surgery. Ryan pushed back a little because we are supposed to leave for Washington on Thursday and he didn't want to change that. I guess he showed the MRI to all the doctors in the clinic and they all agreed he needed the surgery. So, that is what we did on Friday. It all happened so fast and I felt really out of the info. loop. I couldn't even go back with him before his surgery to get any info. about what was going to happen. So, I had to kill some time. It was lunch time, so I went to get a sandwich at Safeway and they were having a blood drive for a woman who worked at Home Depot. She is a single mom of a 16 year old and has terminal cancer and needs several transfusions to extend her life :o(. Made me feel a little better about my situation. I gave blood and then headed back. I met some really interesting people in the waiting room. One lady's son was the chef for Tom Hanks. She had lots of stories :o). It made the time go a little faster.

Dr. Sal finally came out and gave me an update. He said everything went really well and was very glad we did things so quickly because sometimes the dangling tendons don't have good blood flow and they have trouble reattaching them or they have to cut the dead part off. He was pleased that he could use the entire tendon. Then the nurse came and got me, so I got to go back and see Ryan. He looked tired, but seemed to be in good spirits. The nurse took pictures per Ryan's request, so that was super interesting to look at. Hopefully, she'll send them and I'll post them on the blog. We went home about 1/2 hour later. How crazy is that??!!

They put a block in his nerve, so he didn't feel anything in his leg until about 2 a.m. and then he was in PAIN. Yesterday he had to lay down and elevate his leg most of the day because it hurt so bad. Today, he has made progress and has been up and around a little more and had a lot less pain. He stopped taking the prescription pain killers and has been doing tylenol/advil. Hopefully, we'll still make it out of here in 4 short days!

I keep telling Trina that we will be making it out of here in 4 days but we'll see what my post opp appointment reveals on Wednesday as we'll be talking with the doctor... Wow is all I can say to describe these last few days... I started the game going 3 for 3 with a bomb, double, and single and was having a great time... When I was up to the plate I decided to slap one out to right center as they we're playing me deep.. The outfielder dove and over shot it and that's when I turned the wheels I have on.. looking back I should have held up at 3rd but I was listening to my base coach waiving me in.. That's when it happend. Planted my left foot as I made the turn and felt the "ball" hit me in the back of the leg. Trying to take a few more steps, I fell and rolled the rest of the way to home plate thinking I still had a chance.. Now thinking back, I'm not sure how I even took a couple of more steps/yuck.. Here my achilles is snapped in half and I'm still trying to run. What's done is done and now I have to move on and take care of this unfortunate circumstance.. I've been asking God why this had to happen. The church sermon was about slowing down and taking care of what is important.. We are always moving to fast in life and as I was rounding 3rd I was moving to fast for my own good. This is a lesson that I will learn from. I can't be a "Super Hero" all of the time and especially for my wife and kids I need to know my boundaries. This experience has made me realize that I need to take care of myself, so that I can take care of them long term.. My wife has gone above and beyond the call of duty and I want everyone that reads this to know that she is such a special person.. She's waited on me hand and foot, gotten my ice, fed me breakfast, lunch, and dinner, made sure I'm taking my pills, washed my back, and most of all shown me that she loves me and would do anything for me... As a family, we know that God will not give us anything that we can't handle and with this experience we will continue to grow in the Lord and in each other... I love my wife and kids and I wouldn't be me without them...P.S - I have to give a shout out to my little boy Reg... He's been daddy's little helper when Mommy's not around. Reggie has gotten me pillows, breakfast, and handed me my crutches and many other things. He's a good little boy and Daddy loves him dearly.. Thanks everyone for your prayer's and thoughts and I'll see many of you in a few days.. Wish us luck on our way home..

Hmmm…..Camping

That was a lot of work for one night. I’d say that next time we should make it worth all the work and stay longer, but I think the only one on board would be Reggie. Ainsley was asking to go home before dinner (we didn’t even get there until 3!) and Ryan was probably ready then too! I’d forgotten how dirty camping is. Ainsley was filthy after the first 10 minutes and we were trying to figure out what happened to her. There’s just so much dust :o(. We had an awesome dinner and of course, the kids enjoyed smores! The weather was great, not too hot, not too cold (except it was in the 40’s at night). We were nice and cozy in our tent and everyone slept pretty good :o). My back was acting up in the middle of the night, so I got up to get some medicine and took a walk to the bathroom. It was a beautiful night and lots of stars were out…reminded me that I need to stop and look around more often and just enjoy my surroundings. We get so consumed with getting from here to there and I know I miss out on a lot of enjoyment, so although it was a long, gimpy walk to the bathroom, it was good :o). The Bliss boys woke up at sunrise (5:45) and thankfully our kiddos slept until 6:45. It was surprising that they slept because I could hear everything that was going on outside our tent. We had a nice father’s day breakfast, chocolate chip pancakes, eggs and fruit :o). I think both Dads were ready to take a nap by 9 o’clock! Ryan took a snooze for a few hours later in the day, so he did have a nice Father’s day. We went to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner, so he was in heaven :o).

Reggie's first squirt gun....that was a big hit!Happy Father's Day!!! What makes Ryan such a great dad:
He plays with the kids-take-out is a favorite
He gives them all of his attention

Even though he's tired at the end of the day, he gives them 110% when he gets home
He tell them crazy stories at bedtime
He jumps in when I’m out of gas
He gives them baths and brushes their teeth
His face lights up when he comes home and is greeted by them
He loves to please them
He works so hard to provide for them
He wants to give them the best of everything
He loves to hear about their day
He makes them laugh a lot :o)

Vacation Bible School

Reggie went to VBS all week last week and had a great time. Ainsley missed the age cut-off by about a month :o(. It was interesting just having her, we were really productive and she was able to do things that Reggie usually does, like push her mini shopping cart at Trader Joe’s. Turns out she is a good helper too!!!
Reggie had a great time and we stayed for the first ½ hour for songs and returned early for the wrap-up. Ainsley participated much more than Reggie. There personalities are so funny :o).
Wednesday night we went to watch Ryan play softball with his work team. I was thinking I’d be chasing them the entire time, but they played on the bleachers and were very manageable, so I actually got to visit and watch the game. How great is that! The kids were very excited to see Dad play :o). There team wasn’t good last year, so they decided to go up a couple divisions and play some better teams…hmm. For whatever reason, it seems to have worked. They scored 23 runs in the first inning. Ryan hit for the cycle and was running pretty hard. He was a little sore, but not as bad as I thought he’d be!
We’ve also been enjoying some awesome fruit! We got a half flat of organic raspberries for $6 last week at the market and an entire flat of raspberries/blackberries for $10 this week. We are all in fruit heaven. And we’ve eaten a few plums from our tree :o). I’m very excited for August because we have a whole bunch of grapes coming in. Last year we didn’t have any and someone told me this year to trim them back and they are already getting big!!! We also might be getting a second round of oranges. We have a lot more than this winter…I hope they actually grow big and juicy!

Rodeo!

Cute picture at the zoo:

The rodeo is “the” event in Livermore, so we had to participate in all we could. We went to the parade on Sat. morning and saw horses, high school bands, cool cars/motorcycles and that was about it. It was very similar to the Christmas parade we went to, so I think we’ll only go to one next year.

I love the rodeo!!! Last Sunday we went to the rodeo and it was so much fun. I used to watch it late in the evenings when I was younger (only had a few stations at the lake and it was Denver t.v., but for some reason it seemed like the rodeo was always on!). So, it was great to see it live! They had the barrel racing, bull riding, bronco riding, cow milking, roping and steer wrestling. We laughed a lot :o). Here’s some pic’s and video.

A relative in the lead......

The bull rider is from Ellensburg and he was 1 of 3 who actually stayed on the bull the entire time….go Washington!

Back and neck pain

Well, my back pain has been pretty consistent now for the past few months and I finally decided I should see a doctor. She took some x-rays and called a couple days later to make an appt. to go over the results….never a good sign. I actually felt good when I went to see her the first time, but when I went back my neck was really bothering me, so she decided to do some x-rays of that too. Turns out my lower back has some sort of Arthritis and my upper back/neck was also a mess (lots of medical mumbo jumbo). I had to call to get some clarification, but essentially the two are linked which most likely means I have Ankylosing Spondylitis. I’ll see a Rheumatologist in about a month and a half, so that should shed some light on treatment options. We always knew this was a possibility with my eye flare ups and my positive HLB-27 gene, but for the past five years, I just didn’t get it together to take care of myself. Hopefully, not too much damage has been done and Ryan won't have to wheel me around in a wheelchair! Although it is not good news, at least my issues will have a name.

Family night at the Rodeo

What fun we had tonight :o). The cowboys did some roping and cow milking. I didn't quite understand the cow milking, but when I saw it, I couldn't stop laughing. It was hysterical. We met up with a couple other families and the kids enjoyed hanging out (now that school has been out for a couple weeks) and watching the show. I snapped a pic. of Ainsley and Reggie watching and from their expressions, I think they were wondering what was going on!Here's a video of the cow milking:

Here's a video of the roping (a husband and wife team):

Grumpy kids and the Circus!

We had a grumpy week last week :o(. I kept asking Reggie if his throat hurt and he kept saying no, so I had no reason to drug him! He was waking up every night for about 5 nights because the motrin/tylenol wore off and he was in pain, so maybe it was that? Or maybe the withdrawal of t.v. and popsicles/juice? Ainsley was right there with him, so maybe it was just being out of our routine or being couped up and not being able to exert any physical energy while Reggie was healing. Anyway, we are very glad that week is behind us and attitudes are much better these days :o).

We did finish the week off with a trip to the circus. It was a smaller one, which was nice because we could see everything. Ryan thought it was Ghetto and wanted to leave at intermission, but the kids didn't agree. I'm glad we stayed because we would have missed the trapeze! They had all the usual circus acts, but you could ride elephants and camel. Ainsley said she would go with me and then she changed her mind, so they spent intermission in a bounce house and going down a big slide. Overall, they both really enjoyed it and Reggie is already talking about being a clown for Halloween. It sure was long...2 1/2 hours and the kids were melting down because it was way past dinner time (the cotton candy probably didn't help!).

Silence is strange

We can't hear Reggie breathing anymore!!! Even though things are still swollen, he seems so much more comfortable already :o). He told me he could breathe much easier through his nose, so even he can tell a difference. He threw up a couple times yesterday, so we stopped the tylenol/codeine and are just alternating tylenol and motrin and it seems to be working great. I already had to tell him to slow down, so he's feeling really good. Today he gets to have ice cream and things that are a little more substantial, which means he'll probably have more energy and it will be even harder to keep him down. Last night he told Ryan he was done with t.v. Words I never thought I would ever hear him say! Thanks for all your prayers!!!!

God is good.....so far, so good!

Things went very well this morning. The Dr. said his tonsils/adenoids were very large, so it was good we did it. Right afterward, it was a bit rough because he felt like he couldn't breath or swallow and he said he was scared :o(. He was coughing a lot and did have some blood, but not too bad. Once his throat started to feel normal (it was numb), he did a lot better. We've been home about 45 minutes and he's had 2 otter pops and is working on a popsicle, while watching Toy Story II. Now, we just have to pray that the tylenol/codeine doesn't make him sick.

Good night sleep….perfect for our busy day!

Oh my goodness, both kids slept through the night 2 nights in a row and didn’t wake up until after 7 (only one day)!!! It has been months since we’ve enjoyed a full night of sleep (besides our trip). And then to have them wake up so late…I thought they were dead! They’re probably getting sick or maybe we’re turning a corner??? Whatever the case, we’ll take it :o).
Reggie had his pre-op appt. yesterday morning and we learned all about what to expect on Friday. The bad part was that they had to do a blood draw. He was crying and nervous from the time I told him it was going to happen. When the time finally came, he was fighting us with all his strength and completely hysterical. After 2 trips to the bathroom and 20 minutes of heavy persuasion, we got it done and the actual procedure was much easier than the wait to get it done. From there, we had to stop at the dollar store to get him a toy.
Then, we went right to Reggie’s school. It was his last day yesterday and they did a little singing program and we had a nice lunch. It has been such a big year for him at school. He has gotten so much more confident and even started to raise his hand to participate during circle time. He absolutely loves school and we can only hope that continues indefinitely. We got a nice book of his artwork, which he has already taken a few things out of and hung up on the walls in his room. It couldn’t have been a better year for him!!!!

From there, we went home, had a little quiet time and then went to Ainsley’s last day of school. She also has come a long way this year. She never moved during circle time, didn’t sing any songs or get up to dance, never even cracked a smile. Now, she’s a maniac. She knocked someone over a couple weeks ago as she was jumping and flailing to the music! She has really enjoyed all the artwork (and Reggie too) and has made a friend. Next year will be really fun for her…she’s already talking about going to Reggie’s school :o).

Its days like these when I’m reminded that life is going fast and I have to enjoy each day, tantrums and all. We are so lucky to have such good kids, who know right from wrong and choose right most of the time. Just today, Ainsley was freaking out, wanting me to get her something and I told her that she needed to get it herself. She cried and cried and then her big brother showed up with what she wanted. How sweet he is :o). Ainsley reciprocates, but not as often and usually she is the one who made him upset, but we’ll get there. She is sweet in her own way, helping clean up or giving me big hugs and kisses :o).
Reggie’s surgery is tomorrow, so please pray for him! I'll try to give an update sometime tomorrow.

Grandma Pam’s visit

We had a very nice, relaxing time with Grandma Pam! She played with the kids and got to learn how to play Mario Kart on the Wii. Reggie has gotten quite good and didn’t hold back. By the end, she was able to beat Ainsley :o). We also biked to school and that was a fun adventure for Aunt Pam (it had been several years!!!)-I only wish I had my camera. She was a bit wobbly at first, but what they say about riding a bike is true, it comes back fast. The kiddos were asking her to stay, so it is good we’ll be heading back to Washington soon!

Video of Reggie/Grandma Pam playing Wii (click http://arrtwade.blogspot.com/ if you get this via e-mail).

Grandma Peggy’s visit!

We headed off to the airport bright and early on Friday morning and the stars were aligned…..no traffic at 8 in the morning??? I think lots of people were taking 4 day weekends :o). We hung out most of Friday. Grandma read and read and read! We did go to our favorite place to eat Friday night, Sweet Tomatoes. It is an all you can eat soup and salad restaurant and we all left nice and full.
Sat. we went to Six Flags and froze! It was windy and chilly. We were somewhat prepared, but left a little early because it was freezing :o(. It was a bit crazy because of the 3-day weekend, so we didn’t get exploring until 4 o’clock and most of the animal shows were over. The sea lion show was at 5, so we decided to check it out and it was so much fun. Everyone loved it. Then, we went on a few rides (Reggie's first time on Harold the Helicopter and he loved it! He's been too nervous in the past) and saw the parade with batman and his batmobile.

Reggie has been wanting a stuffed snake for a couple years and Grandma did what Grandma’s do and let him get one :o). He had to do the strong man hit and he almost set the bell off, but not quite. He was guaranteed a prize, so he got his snake and one for Ainsley too.

Sunday was pretty mellow, church and just hanging out. Ryan and I went golfing and then to a movie. We saw Angels and Demons and it was really good. It is always nice when just the two of us can hang out. Reggie and Ainsley were having lots of fun, watching cartoons and bowling on the WII (and I think having a little ice cream treat!).
Ryan took Peggy to the airport early this morning and Reggie and I decided to go through his toys and donate some and he’s going to sell some on Craigslist to buy new toys. We’ll see how that goes! He is REALLY into crafts and I thought it would be nice to move the kid table and some art supplies into his room, so he can do something he really likes during quiet time (which I’ve extended to 1 ½ hours). Last week he made a book about Buzz and Zurg :o). It will be fun to see what creations he comes up with.
Tonight, Grandma Pam is coming for dinner and she’ll stay until tomorrow :o).

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