Ringing in the New Year

WOW ~ 2014 is here!  I can't say I'm disappointed to see 2013 leave, as it had it's fair share of challenges for us.  I can only hope the 2014 year has good things in store of us.  Heading out of 2013 and coming 2014, it is already a rocky start, so to say I'm cautiously optimistic is an understatement.

Danny is now 10!!  Double digits people!! 10 can you believe it!!

On his Birthday (Dec. 23rd) We opened all his cards that he received from his Birthday Card Shower!

 Thanks to everyone that sent him a card.  He just LOVED looking at all the cards and listening to us read each and every one.

Christmas 2013 was pretty low key for us.  Danny got a GI bleed and was feeling under the weather and I am still trying to adjust to living on steroids right now.  My immune system is tanked, I'm so gittery that I think my skin is going to crawl off, and I haven't seen any improvement on my symptoms as of yet.
We went over to my Grandparents house on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day we hung out in our jammies, ate a bunch of snacky food, and enjoyed us being together.
Love these Christmas Elves SO VERY MUCH!

 Nanny (my mom) with all her Grandbabies :)

 I swear I can't take him anywhere....LOL!  Danny why do you let your dad wear your hat?

Christmas Morning !!

 Hmmmm - Santa and I need to clarify being on the "Naughty" or "Nice"  list, LOL

 Danny, are you in there?

Of course there is the "some assembly" required to do.  Dan and Avrianna putting together the gas grill

The weather has been just bitter cold here.  It's bad when Alaska is warmer then it is here.  On Monday it's forcasted to be -10 w/o the windchill and with it is to be right around -32.  Where's our global warming?  There wasn't alot of outdoor playing during winter break with the weather being so damn Cold, but we did get out here n there.
It's so cold everything outside is "fuzzy" with ice.  It is very pretty to look at, from indoors, by a fire, with a hot drink, wrapped up in a blanket LOL

Snow Angels????????  Or not!

 I even got outside to help them with their snowman :)  which ended in a snowball fight provoked by..... ME!

The house was DeChristmasized before the New Year.  What a good feeling it is to have all that done and put away.  It's always so beautiful to have all the lights up and gifts around the tree, but it's also uplifting to not have to worry about it anymore.  Until next year!

New Years Eve we had our friend over for dinner and a movie.  My nephew also slept over so Avrianna was occupied for most of the nite.  We had a wonderful dinner with steak, crab, and twice baked potatoes.....YUMMY.  Did I tell you what a great cook Dan is?  The new grill worked like a charm.  We watched an oldy but goody movie, "Varsity Blues" and we hit they hay before midnight.  I managed to stay up with the kids to watch the New York ball drop but was in bed right after.  The kids stayed up till midnight.  I found them both passed out on the living room couch with the tv still on, when I got up in the morning for Danny's 5am meds.  Too cute!!
My New Years project was to put together a 1000 puzzle.  With some help here n there I was able to get it finished in 1 day :)

We have some serious health new years resolutions to be made in this household for 2014.  Danny's GI bleed turned out to be much more.  He stopped having normal BM's, retaining urine, and was in alot of discomfort.
So there was Alot of this face when he was awake.  Breaks my heart

He slept alot, which I believe is his pain management.  Guess I'd rather see him comfy asleep instead of awake and miserable.

 I emailed his Dr's with my concern and even with them all being out of town.  They got back to me via email and put in orders for labs.  I ran in a specimen for them to check out and low and behold he tested positive for C Diff, which is a nasty bacteria that he has in his gut.  Poor bug!!  Since we started the antibiotic he is starting to come around and we'll even see a smile/grin once in awhile.

Danny continues to have private physical therapy here in the home.  PT Peter came on Tuesday and brought Danny's new AFO's (shoes he wears in the stander).   Here is a picture of them back in the fall of '09 and then the picture of them together on Tuesday.  WOW has he grown!!  I think PT Peter gets more of a "workout" now, LOL  My baby isn't a baby anymore....what a Lil Man

 As I stated before I have yet to see any improvements with my MS symptoms since starting this round of steroids.  I was I could see/feel some benefit ....anything!  It's disappointing.  I can only hope that my MS will be in remission soon, but until then I just need to learn to live with it.  I have looked into some of the new meds that are out there and I have to say my options are not impressive.  I'll continue to fight, don't fret about that, I just have to find the means to do it.
Today Avrianna is back to school from winter break.  I'm relaxing on the couch updating the blog and putzing around on the computer in front of the fireplace.  Dan is in the workshop cleaning out his tool boxes.  And Danny is chilling out being the cool kid that he is.
Here's to a NEW YEAR with new possibilities.  Wishing you and yours a great 2014!