Little bit of this, little bit of that!

The last few weeks have really flown by! I always seem to forget how busy the month of December can be, and here we are three days before Christmas and I still have shopping to do!

But at least we have been trying to have a little fun. Dad, Craig and Scott did a little ice fishing and caught some pretty big fish (almost makes me want to go one time)! Of course dad had to play with his a little!While the men were enjoying a boys day out, Robin and I went out with the girls. The last two years we have headed to the Melting Pot! A little way to spoil ourselves during the holidays.I have been a little overwhelmed with the care of Tanner lately...He had minor surgery on the 11th of December to remove some small bumps under his eyelids. Thought it would be easier, but he has been sporting the "cone of shame" (if you haven't seen UP!, do) since and it has been a bit of a challenge. But on top of that he has been back to the vet 5 times since the 11th, today being one of those trips! He broke a blood clot one day and I didn't know why his eye was bleeding, then he twisted his elbow (bad!) and was not bearing any weight. This was followed by one of his stitches coming loose and rubbing an ulcer onto his eye. Whew!! All I can say is I'm ready for our little guy to be better! I hate seeing him in pain like this. Stitches will hopefully come out Wednesday and as long as his ulcer is healing he will be able to ditch the cone and be a normal dog just in time for Christmas!Davis has been home for a couple of weeks now! He is doing really well and it is so fun to love on him without all of his accessories (feeding tube, oxygen, heart monitor, etc.). Sara even came home for a few days and it has been great to have both my sisters here!! Brotherly love...Both of Scott's sisters were in town this last weekend as well! We finally got to meet little Devyn! Sadly, I took my camera and forgot to get it out. I was having too much fun watching her and playing with Madison! I will have to remember to get pics next time!!

Always plenty to be thankful for...

We had a relatively quiet Thanksgiving week, but it was great to have the family time!

Thanksgiving isn't the same without football, and I have been anxious to get to a Bronco's game this year. I got a great deal on sixth row tickets for the Sunday game against the Chargers. It was a fun day, despite their loss. We were able to get four tickets so Scott's mom and sister joined us and we were finally able to take them to Casselman's after the game!

This same Sunday, the H1N1 restrictions were lifted off of the hospital and Cole was finally able to go meet his little bro! I know Robin and Craig were pretty excited about this! Davis is doing great. He is almost 7 pounds and growing like a weed. He is being a little stubborn though and still only nurses every other feeding or so. As soon as he figures this out he can go home and we are all anxious for that!

Thanksgiving day, Scott and I had a nice day at home alone. Scott cooked one of his pheasant and we napped a lot! It was great to have the day and him all to myself! Then Saturday we headed over to my parents house. Didn't take many pictures but we had a great time. Cole got a little football practice in and played baby with Uncle Scott...

...we enjoyed the company of family. Watched a movie, played the traditional game of Phase 10 and of course ate.

It was a pretty great week! We did take Tanner over to my parents and he came home pretty sore. It breaks my heart to begin to realize that Tanner may just never be able to run and play like he used too. Still think his treatment helped a little, but was hoping for more of a miracle...

Halloween has come and gone, but not before we got to put our brillant (so we think) idea for costumes into work! Every year Scott and I make at least one trip to the Stock show, but generally it is more than that. This year we already have two sets of tickets to the rodeo. And the rodeo is not a show in CO without the Westernaires. So sitting at the rodeo last year with Ernest and Jennette, the Westernaires took center stage and it occured to us that this was a costume we could make happen! I think we pulled it off pretty well, and as a bonus I finally got new boots out of the deal! Whoever said you had to stop dressing up as an adult doesn't know how to have fun! And that is one thing Scott and I really try to do, have fun!! If you couldn't tell from my goofy husband's serious pose...We spent the evening with our neighbors and had a great time! Great news! The day after halloween Robin and Davis were medically transported to a hospital here in CO!! I got to see him and hold him the first time Monday after he was home! He is doing really pretty good. He is almost six pounds and nursing or feeding from a bottle about 2 times a day! He can come home as soon as he takes a bottle every feeding and is gaining weight. I made a deal with him and we shook on it that he would be home by thanksgiving, but I'm not sure he really meant it! :)Tanner finished his last injection last Friday!!! Yay!! I'm so glad he is done, he was not happy about spending so much time at the vets office. But the second and third injection went much easier than the first, he was up and walking the same day, whereas with the first one he could hardly stand let alone walk. I think I was hoping for a miracle as far as this treatment, but am still pleased with everything we have seen. The vet has already noticed significant improvement in his range of motion and resistance, which is great!! We have noticed at home that his little joints don't pop and crack near as much as they did before the first injection. And though he is still sore he has started running again at least a little!! So we think with more time he will be feeling a little better and at least give him a little comfort.

Our vet is amazing! Some may say she baby's me, but I think she is just a great vet! She knew the injections were hard on me and the last one had to be put off because Tanner was sick, which worried me a little. So the day of the injection she texted me all day to tell me he was getting extra TLC and she even sent the following picture! She takes such good care of Tanner and for that I couldn't be more thankful!After his last injection, we had another reminder of winter! Tan was able to enjoy it!! Last weekend Scott spent a night in Joes, Colorado where he got to go Pheasant hunting. It was with our salmon guide from Alaska as he owns both the fishing lodge there and the hunting lodge here. Ernest and Scott seemed to both have a great time, and each brought home a few pheasant.

And now we have the holiday's to look forward to!

Life update...

Life has officially been a little hectic! But definitely not complaining, everything proves to happen for a reason and I am attempting to take things in stride.

Scott and Dad got home from hunting with no luck, but still seemed to have a good time. Dad did have a scare on the 4-wheeler, rolling it and being trapped under it. He was able to radio to camp and get help and didn't break anything (thankfully!!), but was very sore the weeks following! I'm so glad he is ok, don't know what I would do without him. And I know Cole would miss his Big Papa.

Mom was able to drive out to North Carolina last week and has been there to help Robin so Craig could come home to work. Davis is doing great! Off the ventilator, no IV's, so he is only hooked up to the feeding tube now and started gaining weight back. Can't wait to meet him. And didn't realize at first how hard this would be, but it has made me miss all of my family terribly. Especially this face... Scott and I are excited that within a week of gaining a nephew, we also gained a niece! :) Scotts sister gave birth to a baby girl on October 25th. She, however, wasn't as anxious as Davis to greet the world and was a week late, weighing in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces! Good job Lindy!! Her name is Devyn Lynn, so she now shares the exact initials of DLE with Davis! Kind of crazy that my sister and sister in law had children within the same week and they wound up with the same initials!! Tanner had his first injection about two weeks ago for his IRAP treatment. I am trying to stay optimistic that it helps and I am hopeful it will. He was a little worse off then we expected and was in quite a bit of pain the night of the injection. But he is back to his happy self and feeling pretty good. Still haven't seen any improvement but the vet believes we will have to get through the third before we see much. In this pictures you can see his injection sites on his elbows and where they shaved to take blood for the kit. Cooked for Scott's birthday last night, which went well (surprisingly!) and we are in the middle of Colorado's first major storm of the season! Think that about sums it all up, so until next time...

Tiny fingers and toes...

...but lots of hair!! Little "Rex".And Lindy just checked into the hospital in New Mexico, so it looks like Scott and I are getting a new nephew and niece in one week!!

Davis Lee Eisenreich

He's here!! Very early (two months), but doing well!!! Robin and Craig are in North Carolina with Davis in the NICU. The doctors are still thinking they may be there still for another five to seven weeks while he gets bigger and stronger, he came in at 4 pounds, 17 inches. Robin is doing well. Just dealing with not being close to family, away from Cole, and not being able to bring Davis home. Mom and Robin's office manager are currently on their way in Robin's car to bring a vehicle and Cole. Then we are all going to work to get out there to visit and help out so Craig can come work some of his shifts and so Robin is never alone!

The picture is scarier than it looks, he was off the ventilator within 24 hours, and the CPAP the following morning, so he is fully breathing on his own. I still think he looks like a mini Cole. Can't wait to meet him, even if I don't know when that will be! I will post a new picture in a few days, once mom delivers their computer!

Fall is here...

...which brings snow, and cold, and hunting season! But this year it also brought my 10 year high school reunion!!! Wow, I feel old! I had a really great time catching up with everyone, but it also became very apparent to me that I have kept in touch with those that really matter. Some of them may only be a blog comment here or there, an email or phone call occasionally, others I see much more often. But either way I grew up with some amazing friends, and I'm glad to still call them friends. One thing that happened before the reunion was an overwhelming number of pictures being uploaded to facebook of our childhood and time in high school. However, the elementary and Junior high were more entertaining!The girls our first night at Old Chicago's.The second night with a few more!

It was great to see them, and to see a few people I haven't seen since high school. Made for a fun weekend!

Scott left for hunting on Friday and I am hoping him and my dad both bring home a cow! I know that would make their whole year and they definitely deserve it! They aren't seeing the extreme cold we are seeing down here, which is amazing that we are colder than the mountains. So while he is chasing Elk, I am praying our pipes don't freeze! Before he left we celebrated another year of marriage, he spoiled me again with flowers, I brought home Red Lobster. We joked that I may not be the best chef, but I sure know how to pick up some great carry out! And I think that is the best part of us, we laugh, a lot...And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Lastly, the white dog has been off his medication for a month now. We are about to put him into a study where they use his own blood, harvest it and inject it back into his joints. Ultimately, they believe this will slow the progression of his arthritis down and he may not have to be on his meds as much. I am so hopeful that this works, but so entirely nervous at the same time! I am hoping this brings him some relief but know it will be painful at first. It requires him to go in for three injections directly into his elbows over a month. But if it helps, I am hopeful it will all be worth it. I'm hoping that by December 14th (his 6th birthday) he will be running and playing like his old self, but most importantly pain free!!

Labor Day 2009

Labor day was a great weekend trip for us! Both dad and MOM came!! As well as Robin, Craig and Cole. We had some friends on the trip as well that made it one of the best trips yet! As always, my pictures always tell a better story than I can write!

To start, there is something wrong with this picture...Yes that is one four-wheeler, with three adult men on it! If you had seen the hill, you would understand why! My favorite nephew and I (only have a few more months I can say this! For those of you that haven't heard, Cole will be a big bro in December!).

Robin and I...Missing Sara!

Dad and his puppy!! No words!! :)

Scott's brookie trout!

Cole's caught his first fish!! Love how he is holding it mostly himself! Couldn't get him to look at the camera though, he was very proud of his catch!

Nana and Cole.

Probably the prettiest rainbow I've taken out of Honholz Lakes.

The gang! Shawn and Nikki made it up for the first time, with Ernest and Jennette!

Someone thought it would be fun to run around camp naked...

Hiking with Tanner!

Dirty dog...But still the best dog I know! Poor bubs came home from this trip extremely sore. We are now looking for further treatment of his arthritis. Hoping we can find the right thing!

Uncle Scott and Cole! Male Bonding...

Overall, it was a great way to end the summer! We did a little fishing, a little 4-wheeling, a little hiking, and a lot of visiting!