Appendix or no Appendix

As the adventures in our family seem to go...theres never a quiet moment and usualy we wouldn't have it anyother way, but this week was a bit rough on the youngest Strode.

It all started Tuesday am when she woke me up to tell me her tummy hurt. I ran through the standard questions and she realy couldn't tell me how or why it hurt. As a mom thats one of those signs you look for when determing weather its a real sick or a "I don't want to go to school" sick. No real description usualy means no real illness.

So gave her some tums and got her ready for school, she seemed fine enough. It was 11:00 when the school called (The new appliances for the kitchen remodel arriv at 11:30 and the remodel is suposed to start today) So I run to the school. apparently she had vomited. We both head home and she gets comfy clothes on and lays in bed for a bit. I gave her some crackers, she kept that down, I gave her some soup, she was fine. Paige then wanted to know if she could watch TV? I told her to read a bit first, she did and then watched TV.

about 2 hours after picking her up she is complaining of the pain again. I told her to make sure she made it to the bathroom is she needed to vomit again. I went and helped with the appliance install (My brother Matthew and I were working on it) then there was this blood curdling screaming comeing from upstairs. Matthew and I paused for a moment and it stopped. we proceeded. Then ...there it was again. I went up to check. Paige was laying on my bed just screaming and holding her belly. Of course now I'm aware my assumptions were wrong, but I told her "That screaming is crazy. If you need me call for me, or if it hurts ask for some medicine, but don't lay there screaming like a banshi!"

She asked for an Ice pack. I went down stairs and said "Matt what side of your stomach is you appendix on?" He said "I think Left but I'm not sure." "Ok" I said "She's complaining about her right side.-maybe its growing pains" I got Paige her ice pack and then went to pick up my High school girls. When I got back I could hear the screaming out side the house. Matthew was on the phone with my Dad (Who has some medical background) My Dad was insiting it was an appendicitis(because your appendix is actualy on the right side) He said we needed to bring her in right away. He was concerned that if she had been complaining for a while and it was now getting worse it might have ruptured.

I took Paige into the local ER (on the way her soup lunch was chucked all over the back of the car) and as soon as we got there...no screaming, no crying...nothing! "GREAT" I wanted to pinch her so they would hear her scream! We sat for 30-40 min waiting and she just went to sleep. "URGHHH" Finaly they called us in and did some blood test and pushed on her tummy a bit, got her on an IV drip for the dehydration that comes with tossing your cookies all day.

They said they don't treat children under 12 at that hospital and they also don't want to do a ct

to see the appendix because ultra sound would be better. So they put us in an ambulance and took us to Phx. Childrens Hos. (If Paige hadn't been so drugged up she would have thought that was a blast) We got there and went through all the same stuff as at the ER. They decided it was most definatly an appendicitis and no ultra sound was needed. In the words of the ER nurse, "We are 99.7 percent sure and by chance we are wrong, its not a nessesary part of your body anyway so we will just take it"

OK- so within an hour she was being preped for surgery and I leaned a whole lot about your appendix.

She was in there for about 30 minutes (mean while I tried to find something to eat. Do you believe the cafeteria closes @ 7pm and doesnt open till 10pm)

My mom had been nice enough to clean up the puke in my car and drive it to the new hospital so when we left we would have a way to get home.

The at about 11 we were given a room and set in for a horrible night sleep, however Piage doesnt remember it being so bad because she was on Morphine. While that helped her enjoy her sleep it kept her from enjoying unlimited ice cream and pizza and more.

Not too much of an appetite.

Well - it is currently Thursday and we are still awaiting a discharge time (Here to hoping its today!) She's doing much better nad no longer on the Morphine. She's pretty tough, and is up walking herself to the bathroom. We are hoping for a little more food intake and we are on our way to the play room for a bit!

Thank goodness for good friends who have brought up hair and toothbrushes, clean clothes, my computer and some food (Cause when the cafeteria did open....ick!)

THE HAIR!

Seth was feeling like Justin Beber and rather cool with his long hair.

Of course his military Dad chanted "CUT HIS HAIR"

Then when his Aunt came over I suggested "you might let Katie trim your hair"

He clearly didn't know what "Trim" meant. He thought I was making him "CUT" his hair and then it was done. After he figured out there was a missunderstanding he was ticked, but we are all liking it a bit better!

Mom & Daughter trip

It's a tradition in our family to have a mom & daughter trip in your 14th year to a Temple and just enjoy the peace of the Temple grounds and talk about the blessings of the Temple and staying worthy to go to the Temple.

Tori and I went to Snow Flake AZ.

It is a small town up north, and it was beautiful bursting with spring and melting snow.

Just like our little girl growing up and blossoming to become a beautiful young woman!

Spring Break Project

The Kids didn't like the idea of "Work" and "Spring Break" in the same sentence. The rocks on the side of our house weren't going to move themselves. I know if Dan had been here we would have bought the right tools for the job, but when moms in charge we "do with what we have"...

5 gal. buckets rolled with an old luggage dolly over and over... we did it!

Now we are ready for the cement guys to come and pour the cement.

Brussel Spouts

So my kids asked me if they could have brussel sprouts.
Do you beleive me?
Well its true.
So I felt the wieght of this greatly...one chance to make them unlike 90% of adults in the US who hate brussel sprouts.
I looked up some great recipes and settled on pan roasted fresh brussel sprouts tossed in a cork screw pasta with fresh grated parmesan.

THEY LOVED IT!

Sub Title

So I've been thinking. Dan's still in Spain, so it's like we aren't realy here or there.
We are all going back to Spain this summer for a few months, but after that it will be a short while before Dan is deployed again and he won't even be there anymore.
We (The kids and I) will stay in AZ while he's deployed, but who knows what after that.
Thats normal military life, heck-this is normal military life.
Whats normal anyway?

Our blog is 'adventures of the strodes' that's still fitting!
However our sub title of @ Espana.....won't be quite right by the end of the year.
AZ won't realy reflect the whole picture even more so than how Espana doesn't now.
Any ideas? Something catchy?
Well, regardless...the adventures go on!

New in Monterey

So we ate at our favorite resteraunts (Saritas, Chef Lee, Cafe Rustica, Old fishermans Grato,Companios etc.)

and we visited our favorite Friends (Kunz, Thompsons, Hudgens,Wageners, etc.)

Our favorite places (The beach, the warf, the tide pools etc.)

but we did something new... Addisons birthday. Ok Addison isnt new (Infact he's 11 years old)

he isnt even a new friend (Old friends are the best)

His birthday isnt new...he and everyone else have one every year.

But he had us this year to a movie....Mars needs Moms (Very cute)

and to this new little shop in down town Monterey for cup cakes.

YUMMY! Seth had smores, Paige and Addison had cotton candy, I had Bannana Carmel, and Stephanie had Baileys Irish Cream.

SOOO Yummy!

Monterey is great, new and old!

Thanks for inviting us Addison and giving up your bed for the week!

Spring Break..Monterey

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We were so excited to go visit our friends in Monterey. We lived there longer than any where else and its so close to where we live now its a pretty easy car drive.

I had the wierdest feeling that we were returning from a long vacation not that we were going on vacation.

Now, looking over these photos we took, they look oddly a lot like the milions we took over the 4 years we lived there!

It was fun to visit the old stomping grounds and enjoy the cooler weather. The best part of course was visiting with friends. Good friends are hard to find and worth the efforts of keeping.

We have quite a few in that area and were so happy to see them!

Spring Break AZ

We started Spring break off with a little yard work, and a nice outing with our local homey's!

Like Dan and I always like to say..."Take the skin heads bowling"

Fun as usual with the Cowdens!

Missing Fallas

In the spirit of wishing we were walking the chilly streets of Valencia with the smell of fire powder and gasoline and the feeling of being in a war zone.

bunuelos!

Recorder concert

Paige: Mom I have a recorder concert tonight at 6:30.

Mom: I didn't know you were learning the recorder.

Paige's Buddy

Paige made a hairy buddy at school (Although it was bald when she brought it home)

It looks a little scared, but if Paige was your buddy you might be a little scared too!

Pinewood derby part 2

As you remember Dan helped Seth build a Pinwood Derby car in December and in March it was the race day.

Mom had to make sure it was weighted just right, and then we were off the the races.

I have never been to one of these before, & I knew they could be pretty compentative but it made me giggle watching the Dads who are hovering over thier boys and giving tips on the sly. The boys are positioning and greasing and zoom!

They went fast! The ward has a computer program that tracked MPH and rank and races.

Seth took 4th place over all and 1st place for his age group,

but most importantly...He he had a blast! It was fun to watch him!

The saga of the Chairs

So Dan and I shopped around for the finishing pieces for this living room and decided on these chairs. We never imagined how hard it would be to get these cool recliners.

First Dan and I saw them 2 times before we decided. Dan was on his way back to Spain and he sent me off to buy them. He said "get a good deal" so I asked the sales man what kinda deal he could give me. He nearly laughed at me and told me he wouldnt cut a deal for someone spending less than 6k. ooops, sorry didnt realize my money was worthless.

I didnt want to buy them from him after that.

I literaly went all over town looking for something similar....nothing.

I talked myself into going back dealing with the guy and getting what I wanted. Just get it over with.

Luckily he wasnt there. A very nice lady helped me and we got it all figured out.

With the exceptions of her delivery scheduling mistakes....yes....more!

So the delivery guy calls me and says they will be delivering on a day I was already tied up and at the time I am suposed to be working! Great!

Oh no worries, I just need to go back to the store (You know how I love that place) and re-schedule AND....pay the re-scheduling fee!

Oh Im lovin this!

So I call the store and ask to speak to the manager. Im gonna fill him in on the whole thing top to bottom. "He's busy, can he call you back?" "NO, Ill hold" "It will be a while" "Ill hold"

"CAn I get your information to pull up your file for him?" "sure Arlena S-T-R-O-D-E"

"OK Ill have him call you back" (IS my head on fire yet?) "No thank you Ill hold" (Lots of attitude in my voice) "Look Arlena you need to calm down" Yep thats what she said!

"I told you I'd hold, and I prefer you call me Mrs. Strode" (sit down for this next one) "OK ARLENA" Yep she did!

I hung up and screamed at the top of my lungs. Way too much to deal with for some chairs!

I then called 10 times in a row and hung up everytime they told me the manager would call me back until he finaly answered.

He made excuses for his lady at the phone and said he wouldnt understand how I wouldnt want to shop at his store anymore.

REALY???

So today the delivery guys got here 10 minutes before they were to be late (and I was to be late for work) and now the chairs beautifuly sit in my livingroom and I never want to see that store again!

It would be my recomendation to not go into ASHLEY FURNITURE so you dont accidently fall in love with anything ! Its not worth it!