Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to ME!

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to ME.

The Earth is Saved for One More Day

Isaac and his buddy are keeping themselves entertained (saving earth) during Jackson soccer game. This was a few months ago, but I laugh everytime I see these photos pop up on my screen saver. I thought it might give everyone else a good smile. Boys and their imaginations:-)

cooking lessons are in session

The kids took turns helping me with the rolls and pie crust for Thanksgiving dinner.

Jackson's looking better

Jackson today at the Turkey Bowl wishing he could play.

Jackson yesterday after his bath and before we put his bandages back on.

Turkey Bowl

Jeremy and the guys from Mckinney 2nd ward got together and played a little football. All of us wives came to watch, I mean only this wife (ME) Where were you all:)

I always love going and watching when I can.

One last quick story

I know I've posted like 10 posts in 10 minutes (catch up time)

Makayla and Isaac have had a hard time watching Jackson be misreable the last few days. Everytime we have to change and clean his bandages and nose the kids leave the room. They both cry along with Jackson everytime. This picture was taken Saturday after Jackson had to have his nose cleaned and Isaac started crying. They're all hugging after all the craziness had calmed down.

Thursday when Jackson got home from surgery, Isaac kept bring him toys, blankets, and drinks of water. He even started crying when dad was trying to get Isaac and Makayla to go to dinner with him. Jeremy was going to take them to mcniel spirit night at Chic-fil-a and Jackson and I were going to stay home and watch T.V. Isaac started crying and said he didn't want to go. "What if something happens and we aren't here to help mom take care of Jackson" it was really sweet.

Isaac and soccer

Isaac last minute joined a indoor soccer team. The Blackhawks. He's so excited to be playing indoor soccer. They won their first game on Saturday 3-0. Isaac score the first goal! It's amazing to me how much he loves soccer. He's always been quick, but this last season his foot work has gotten so good. He's so much fun to watch. I love watching him play.

A typical Sunday morning (Everyones ready for church but Mom:-)

This morning, I was taking pictures of Jackson and everyone decided they wanted to be in on it. Of course the camera is always out when my hair and makeup person is out of town.

The Last Few Days

Jackson has been amazing the last few days. As you can see in the pictures, it's been rough. This is so typical Jackson, you can see he's upset and then he tries so hard to be happy for you and then as quick as the tantrum started it's over and he's back to what he was doing.

It breaks my heart. Those big crocadille tears coming down his face. He hates it when we have to change his bandage, clean his nose, and spray his nose with saline. I mean he hates it. He puts up quite the fight. It breaks my heart everytime. I'm so bad. I only make him clean and spray it about every other or even every third time I change the bandage.

Sunday Morning (three days after surgery)

Saturday afternoon (two days after surgery)

Saturday Morning (two days after surgery)

Friday afternoon (one day after surgery)

Friday Morning (day after surgery) or Thursday (the day of surgery) I can't remember

Cabo San Lucas!!!

Jeremy and I at the marina in Cabo.

The catamaran that took us snorkeling on Tuesday.

My big buff Honey

These are the only pictures I have from Cabo. All the others are trapped on Jeremy's phone. When we figure out how to upload from our phone to computer, I'll share some more. Maybe even the video of me getting completely taken out by a huge wave:)

I don't know why everything is underlined!!!!!!

We had such a good time in Cabo. The weather was amazing. The water was warm. It was great.

There were a few highlights: Jeremy being a hero and saving someone, riding the public bus, and repelling. Oh yeah and sleeping as much as I wanted:)

Have I ever said how much I love love love Halloween

Jackson laid down on the ground and didn't want to get up, he was to tire to go on. Even with candy waiting at more doors, he was done.

Makayla went back to Grandma and Grandpa Schultz's because she was afraid there might be dogs at the homes we were trick or treating at.

Pumpkin patch in the Tri-Cities

Some of the cousins we went out trick or treating with

We spent halloween weekend in Washington. It was a little cold for me, but I loved it so much. Makayla was Hermione Granger, from Harry Potter. (my kids are inlove with Harry Potter, they let me start reading it to them this summer. We're on Book 3) Isaac was a skeleton, because it was on clearance two years ago. Jackson was a green Power Ranger, because Power Rangers are soo cool, and Isaac wore it four years ago:)

My Sister's Funeral

My Sister Rochelle and her family (husband) Ryan, Cole (13), Kamden (9), and Carter (6)

My sister Rochelle's funeral was today. What a perfect day. From the cute boys in pink ties, to the pink balloons, and the wonderful sun shining down on us all day. The weather couldn't have been nicer.

How do you know Mom's been gone?

So my precious wife has been gone for her second extended trip back in WA helping her sister who is in her last days of her heroic fight with cancer. I would STRONGLY encourage you to visit her sister's blog to meet this courageous woman @ http://www.rolumpybreast.blogspot.com/ (or just click on the tag towards the bottom on the right of our blog list). It's great that Chauntel can be there with her family and serve her sister and her sister's family at this time. We have been praying for Aunt Rochelle in every one of our family prayers over the past 5 years, and the kids have great faith that the Lord hears and answers prayers. We have seen many miracles that we directly attribute to the power of a simple prayer, with simple faith, and how that simple act can change the course of life.

With all of this going on, it has been left up to me to run the Logsdon home in the way that Mom has always done. But we have learned that Dad is not Mom, and there is no one that can quite replace our Mom and how she does things. I have come up with some ways that I can tell that Mom has been gone for an extended time. Here they are:

*The magic clothes hamper must be broken, because usually I just throw stuff in there and it washes, folds itself, and makes it's way back into my closet within 48 hours.
*I can go directly to where peanut butter is in the different grocery stores without having to ask for directions.
*I now have Papa Johns Pizza in my phone under "Pizza it is"
*I find myself standing very close to, or just hugging soft things. My wife is soft.
*The kids' teachers ask, "has Mom been out of town?"
*I have learned what my priorities are. Kids' bedtime is at 8:00; unless of course I have my flag football playoffs that night. Bedtime is then at 10:13 on those nights.
*One of the lady's at the game says to her husband, "Chauntel must be out of town b/c Jackson still has the tags on his jeans."
*Jackson tells me the other morning when he wakes up, "Dad, I forgot what brownies taste like" as he's looking at the pan on the counter. I didn't want him to forget how the goodness of brownies taste, so we indulged together.
*I never realized the volume of paperwork that comes home with the kids, and in the mail. It's just all in a pile in the kitchen. I don't know where she puts it all, so in a pile it sits.
*Not as much reading is getting done at night to the kids, but they can tell you the batting order of the TX Rangers.
*Stimulating conversation consists of things like "Guess what? Chicken butt!" and stuff like that.
*The kids can actually take on responsibility and do things they otherwise may not be asked to do. Such as the other night when I didn't know what to make for dinner, so I just told Kayla that she was in charge of feeding us that night. We went to the store and she picked out dinner and made it for us: ham and cheese rolled in crescent rolls, corn on the cob, watermelon, and brownies (that she made). Picture above.
*I find myself thinking about what vegetable goes well with Italian chicken? And then I remember that I don't know how to make Italian chicken, and then we go to Sonic.
*I carry my phone around in the evening from room to room "in case she calls". It's like I'm in the 8th grade and I'm hoping that hot girl in my Science class calls me, even though she doesn't have my number.
*I'm bummed when I get a text and it's not from my wife.

These are just a few of the sure-fire signs that Mom is gone from our home. We are cetainly survivors. We can do it. When the moments do roll around of panic, I just reassure myself that Papa Johns has lots of coupons online, Carla Shields down the street has offered to fix Kayla's hair whenever she needs it, Jackson can sustain himself on cereal alone, and Isaac can actually go 4 days without a bath and still feel great about himself.

We love you Mom and are so happy that you can be with your sister at this time. We miss you a lot!!! I look forward to seeing you (all of you) really soon!

My Sister Rochelle

I spent two weeks at the end of Sept. visiting and taking care of my sister's family. She's been battling cancer for over four years now. She has fought long and hard and is ready to rest. I've been here for a week now again and now we're just trying to make her as comfortable as possible. It has been a HUGE blessing to have Jeremy home with the kids and being able to be here with my family. This picture was taken yesterday, it's all my beautiful sisters together. It's been a few years since we've all been together. You can barely see, but we're all wearing crazy striped socks.

We have seen sooo many miracles in the last four years. There hasn't been a day that my kids haven't prayed for Aunt Rochelle and her family.

Here's a picture from the last time we were all together.

Jackson just told Isaac "You're not following the gospel!"

QVC Shopping Spree!!!!

Some joker this last week decided to have a QVC shopping spree, curtesy of Jeremy and Chauntel, totaling $1950.00. They must have bought some really amazing merchandise and must have been pretty excited for it be delivered right to their doorstep. But have no fear, their early Christmas was cancelled and reimbursed to our account. Life would be really easy if you could just buy stuff all the time with out really having to pay for or not worring about who will have to pay for it.

Jackson's TEETH!!

Jackson finally went to the dentist. He's been needing major work for about a year, but we weren't able to get someone to do it and insurance figured out. They put him completely under this morning and had to have 6 baby route canals and silver caps. Then they had to pull one of his old capped teeth, because it was rotten all the way through the jaw bones. Poor buddy, he's never once complained of his teeth hurting. They put a spacer in the place of the pulled tooth, to keep the space open for his permanent tooth to come up. Major work!!!

So, for the last year we've had a prize sitting on our fridge. We've been telling him for a year that he'd earn it after his next dentist appointment. We definitely didn't think it would take a whole year for him to get it.

HE'S BEEN PLAYING WITH IT ALL AFTERNOON:)

Kendall and "The Boys"

Kendall and the boys came to visit this last week. We loved having them here. My kids LOVE having family come and visit. We took the boys to The Dallas World Aquarium. I think they loved it as much as I did:)