The BAM Factor

BAM - The Garden

2011-06-28T19:36:00.001-07:00

Pictures don't do it justice. All the hard work over the past 3 years is paying off this year. Now it's time to start working on the parts of the yard that are bare.

The coral bells are from The Gardener's grandparents' yard.

BAM - Blooms from the Yard!

2011-06-19T18:04:00.001-07:00

BAM - Spring 2011

2011-05-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

It's been a long, long while since The Gardener and The Golfer posted. The Gardener wanted to let everyone know that TGA and TGO are still kickin' and so is their yard.

BAM - The Dog Would Not Cooperate

2010-11-26T16:16:00.001-08:00

BAM - Happy Birthday Birdie!

2010-11-25T07:01:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday to Birdie who turned two on November 23! His favorite part of the birthday celebration? The musical card The Karate Kid gave him...he opened and shut in a hundred times to hear Alvin and the Chipmunks singing Funkytown. This Thanksgiving, RoRo and The Gardener are thankful the batteries on that card will be kaput within 24 hours. :-)

Isi is often found doing this.

Little Boy, Big Gift!

What a difference two years makes!

BAM - November Birthdays!

2010-11-20T14:39:00.000-08:00

Louise turned 95 this year! The Gardener and Gab hosted an open house at the nursing home with the tallest chocolate cake ever and juice. Many folks stopped by and new friends were made. Louise really wanted a poker party (she uses poker winnings to get her hair done) which The Gardener and Gab are organizing for some January fun.

Louise thought a long time about her birthday wish and due to TGA struggling with the camera Louise ended up with three birthday wishes, one for each time TGA and Gab made her blow the candles out. Her first wish was for a 96th birthday, the second was for money, she didn't share the third though TGA could take some guesses.

Louise with our new friend, Mr. Ed Torres.

The Gardener's dear friend J shares a birthday with Weezie. Several years ago The Gardener and J started the tradition of birthday lunch at The Bristol on J's birthday....how blessed they are the tradition continues....another year to celebrate J and another year of friendship!

There's another special November birthday right around the corner....hint: TWEET TWEET!!!

BAM - Halloween

2010-10-25T17:54:00.001-07:00

Guess who is going to be a lion for Halloween?

BAM - Birds in the Backyard

2010-08-03T20:25:00.000-07:00

The Gardener and The Golfer have enjoyed many beautiful birds in the back yard and garden this year; hummingbirds, a pair of yellow finches, and the cutest Birdie of all.....

As you can see, Birdie wasn't too sure about The Big Pool and that tear was fairly constant during his splash time. What a cutie!

BAM - The Big Move

2010-08-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Gardener recently spent ten days in Texas helping Lady Rainbow with The Big Move. BONUS: time with The Mimis. Here's a great snapshot of The Mimis when The Gardener took them to Johnny Rockets for dinner.

BAM - Flowers and First Harvest, 2010

2010-06-28T21:07:00.001-07:00

BAM - Valley of Fire, Nevada May 2010

2010-06-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

BAM - The Kindle

2010-06-02T19:08:00.000-07:00

The Golfer gifted The Gardener with a Kindle last Christmas. It is one of those electronic reader, device thingies that Oprah stated would be the next fabulous thing! As a kind of/sort of reader, TGA was honestly only luke warm but...oh how a few months can change things! How fabulous was it to go to Mexico with just one slim electronic gadget versus hauling 3 books on a plane? PERFECT!

The most recent read has been OPEN, Andre Agassi's autobiography and it's a MUST READ! Seriously, a perfectly beautiful Memorial Day weekend offered The Gardener extended time to 'do her thang' with a shovel, dirt and some flowers, but TGA could not put this book down. Andre is wide open in OPEN. Read it...it will be a life changer for you.

The Spring Garden

2010-04-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

The Difference of a Few Days

2010-04-28T17:54:00.000-07:00

March 21, 2010

April 10, 2010

BAM - Super Bowl

2010-02-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

Cutest Colts fan ever!

BAM - Mexico

2010-02-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

We did it - zip lined in Mexico. Mucho beuno fun!

BAM - The Annual Bake-Off

2009-12-13T16:39:00.000-08:00

Today marked the annual Christmas season BAKE-OFF! Millie's Mom joined The Gardener in the kitchen this year. The Golfer provided back-up support as did The Executive Chef. The EC was *amazing* and baked and baked while in town for a Thanksgiving visit. Those goodies came out of the freezer this morning and were delivered this evening along with items baked today. Chocolate stars and cherries were very popular this year!

Sticking with tradition, The Gardner does the baking and assembly, The Golfer handles delivery. First delivery this year was to John and Diana across the street. Diana said to The Golfer "Where's your Santa hat?" so he pulled it off The Incredible Hulk in the Man's Den and donned it for future deliveries.

Thanks to Millie's Mom and The Executive Chef for all of their help this year. This event takes a lot to pull off, especially for someone not so great it the kitchen. When the Gardener was growing up, The Executive Chef always made treats and delivered them to the neighbors and she made it look so easy and enjoyable. This is HARD WORK! The Gardener needs tomorrow off from work!

BAM - The Karate Kid

2009-12-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday night The Karate Kid stayed over and boy were he and The Gardener busy! He helped TGa wrap Christmas presents and he picked out all the bows! He also did a puzzle with TGa and specifically asked that the photo be posted in that place "where everyone looks at pictures". He may have meant a blog, he may have meant Facebook but one thing is for sure, TGa promised she would do it. Here it is! RoRo - please make sure he sees this posting!

BAM - Update on The Fighter

2009-11-27T20:41:00.000-08:00

The Fighter got great news last week....no cancer in the bone marrow! While normally this would be cause for a celebratory cartwheel, The Gardener is still recovering from the July 4th cartwheel. The Fighter is just that.......a FIGHTER!!! Love you J!

BAM - Guess who turned 1?

2009-11-27T05:57:00.001-08:00

Long time, no post. Busy living our fabulous lives filled with ordinary advenures. Lots to post but of most importance, GUESS WHO HAD A BIRTHDAY? None other than that little guy who gets most of the attention on this blog, Birdman!!!!

Since Birdie doesn't eat real food yet (still has a feeding tube along with oral feeds), to celebrate his birthday, RoRo arranged to have her Dad (a minister) christen Birdie in their home. Much

to The Gardener's disappointment, this event was missed by TG&TG because of a trip to Phoenix booked over the summer many months prior to this being scheduled. A return the Monday before Thanksgiving created big issues in getting on an earlier flight. With all that being said, the pictures from the event are wonderful and here's one to share. Birdie is wearing the same outfit The Karate Kid wore when he was dedicated at church, love the tradition. The Gardener is very much looking forward to celebrating with Birdie, just as soon as this cold/sinus issue/whatever it is goes away.

IS THIS ONE CUTE MIRACLE OR WHAT?!

Mad Scientist Day

2009-10-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

So, it was Mad Scientist Day at school. These photos are of TG&TG's Godsons that live in Florida. Love these kids! Love their very creative parents! These are the same kids that were "jumpin' the plank" in a previous post.

The Wild Child and The Pianist

2009-10-28T20:01:00.001-07:00

The Gardener was going through old pics tonight and came across this photo from last year of TG&TG's favorite neighbor kids. Now, do they look cute or what?

The Fighter!

2009-10-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

All positive thoughts, prayers and vibes are needed for TG&TG's dear friend The Fighter. After enjoying remission for a while now, some odd stuff is creeping up again and WE DON'T LIKE IT. Prayers, please!

The Kyleman goes to Homecoming...and get's a learner's permit!

2009-10-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

It's official. TG&TG feeling a little...uh....(cough)...old.

BAM - The Good News and the Bad News

2009-09-20T20:44:00.000-07:00

After being out of town for 7 days, today TG&TG were able to catch up with our favorite neighbors, The Wild Child and The Pianist. Here's a part of the catch-up conversation:

The Pianist: "Oh - and I have some good news that's also kind of bad news."
The Gardener (puts hand on The Pianist's shoulder): "What's going on?"
The Pianist: "I got my first zit yesterday. My Mom popped it. I had another one this morning." (Proceeds to show both spots on the face.)

THAT KID IS A RIOT!!!

BAM - The Preacher's Hip Hop

2009-08-31T16:42:00.000-07:00

AH...new hip hop music as the first song on this blog. This is in honor of The Preacher who received a new hip today. At this time, there's no funny story to tell which is proof The Preacher really was sedated. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

BAM - Mistletoe

2009-08-27T21:02:00.001-07:00

One day she was a little babe bouncing on The Gardener's knee and getting nicknamed Mistletoe. A blink and now she's a super-model starting 8th grade. How did that happen?

LOVE YOU HOLLAND!

BAM - India.Aire/John Legend

2009-08-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

The Gardener discovered a couple of weeks ago that her absolute fav singer India.Aire was opening for John Legend in Omaha on 8/21. Funny thing, John Legend was playing KC on 8/22, but without India.

The Gardener hoofed it up to Omaha, picked up The Teacher and off they went for a Girl's Night Out. AWESOME seats at the Orpheum Theater....1st row in the upper section (cha-ching)...a perfect view of the stage (and Mr. Legend when he ripped his shirt off). After displaying respectful stalker behavior (hey - it worked on Derek Jeter) Miss India did give a look up and wave to The Gardener, this tickled TGa and The Teacher. And then it was that moment all admirers/stalkers/crazy people live for - India announced she'd be in the lobby signing autographs before Mr. Legend came out. Sure enough, not only did TGa get a wave from India, TGa MET India, talked with India, shook India's hand, shared how she discovered India, introduced The Teacher and shared that story (and how India's songs Strength, Courage and Wisdom and I am Not My Hair were inspirational) and even received India's autograph! Whew - what a night!

Next mission: to see India as the headliner. Her music was absolutely fabulous live and the meet and greet was such a bonus (as was Mr. Legend)!

Don't know what India sings? Chances are if you just pulled up this blog, you're listening to her right now.

Here's a shout out to The Teacher for a fabulous GNO!

BAM - Birdie and Basketball

2009-08-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

What a great Sunday....The Gardener spent part of the afternoon hangin' with Birdie at his place. Cuddling, a big nap and ESPN Classics - Duke vs. UConn in the 1999 NCAA basketball championship. It was Birdie's first introduction to QUIN SNYDER. LOL! Birdie, Shane Battier, Elton Brand, Quin and Coach K. Birdie thought Quinny had on a very snazzy tie. If only the outcome of the game had been different. It's about the 6th time TGa has watched this game but she let Birdie cheer on the Blue Devils just the same. He loved stretching his arms all the way out and clapping and giving a big "woo hoo" and pumping his fist in the air.

JJ was out of town and RoRo and The Karate Kid went to the market, so it was just TGa and Birdie. Birdie was very well behaved (a.k.a. no alarms from his equipment went off). RoRo's new couch is waaaaaaay comfy. It's a good cuddlin' and nappin' couch. Such a great afternoon with TGa's favorite little man.

BAM - Birdie working on some chops!

2009-08-12T16:57:00.000-07:00

The Gardener has been saying for several weeks now (Ro might even say 3 months) that Birdie is working on teeth. Guess what? Ro confirms he is definitely working on teeth! He remains good natured so far. The Gardener and Ro took the Karate Kid and Birdie to a neighborhood gathering weekend before last - FUN! It's not easy to pack up a kid into a stroller that has oxygen AND a feeding tube, but Ro does it like a pro! TGa is learning about the feeding tube and will have another lesson this weekend. WAY TO GO on those teeth, Birdie!

BAM - Baby Bunny

2009-08-12T16:54:00.000-07:00

TG&TG scared this little bunny out of its home when watering the back yard. We hope it found its way back to the secret hiding spot. We've not seen him since that evening and are a little worried that Floyd (the neighborhood cat) may have sniffed him out.

BAM - So Enjoyable.....

2009-08-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

TG&TG are really enjoying the fruits of their labor this summer.......all that spring work paid off. The back-yard is pretty fab! There's been a lot of rain this summer which is keeping things lush, some a little too lush!

The Gardener always hits the back yard as soon as she gets home from work. On the weekends, dig, dig, dig, trim, trim, trim, pick, pick, pick (stress therapy). Each day brings something new. Here's what was new today.

Here's what was new a few days ago:

BAM - It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a flying tarantula?

2009-08-03T16:54:00.000-07:00

TGa came home from work one night (sans glasses) and thought - there's a bat on the garage! Seriously, this thing was huge! And hairy, very hairy and I don't mean a beautiful brushing of hair on the wings. HAIRY!

TGo threw his hand up so that there's perspective on the actual size....oh my! We were so excited to show the neighbor kids (The Wild Child and The Pianist). Funny thing is, they finally got home and we ran out and lo and behold....they wanted to show us! They'd already checked it out with Six Pack Abs (their Dad). TGo was very interested and looked it up on-line...native moth to Missouri so nothing too exciting afterall. Did TGa mention it looked like a very hairy tarantula?

BAM - The Best Neighbor EVER

2009-07-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

So, tonight The Neighbors had a party. It's not what you're thinking....it wasn't the Rock Chalk neighbors, it was the other side. Lots of kids running around, screaming, with a big blow-up jumpy thingy (technical term unknown) full of wild ones including The Wild Child screaching at the top of her lungs. Then there were adults, all on the deck, kickin' back, drinkin' and trying to pretend all the screaming children were not their offspring. With good reason, those kids were LOUD. TG&TG think it's a hoot because we smile and enjoy from the privacy of our own backyard where TGa was picking squash and planting and TGo was putting together an Adirondack chair.

Oh how times have changed. The kids were playing make-believe, scary things like "terrorist attack" which just made TGa sad. What happened to aliens?

About 10ish as TGa worked on restoring the heirloom dresser (HA!), TGa mentioned to TGo he should go offer up the left-over "family pack" of fireworks from July 4. We'd planned to shoot them off in celebration of the 21st birthday of The Princess last weekend but after a few margaritas and a sombrero - everyone forgot all about them. TGa continued her "restoration" project and all of a sudden heard some boomers...and then some more boomers. Up and out of of the Man Cave to join in the fun. Out on the drive, kids everywhere with The Golfer and fireworks. Six Pack Abs (Dad of The Pianist and The Wild Child) - no where to be seen. TGa, so liability conscious, freaking out thinking TGo is outside being an instigator, leading this large number of children under the age of 10 down the wrong path into naughty, pyro trouble and the parents are going to be very upset with TGo should injury occur. "Who has signed a disclaimer?" wondered The Gardener. LOL! Six Pack Abs pipes up at that question..Whew! No worries!

A few poppers but not too many because it was so late. Loud, fun, laughing and excited kids everywhere. Then came the classic line, from The Pianist, who is known for his deep thoughts, strong emotions (he cried after his last basketball game last fall, too precious) and great quotes (just check the favorite quote on this blog). He looks at The Golfer, pauses, and then says, very seriously:

"You're the best neighbor EVER!"

Ordinary adventures people....love it!

BAM - Sylvie and Family Visit

2009-07-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

Sylvie and Family came up from Texas for July 4 weekend - FUN TIMES! Here are a few shots.

The Golfer, KyleMAN, Sylv, The Horseman and Mistletoe out at the arboretum.

Sylv and her younger man (couldn't resist Sylv)!

Best buds!

More photos from July 4 to be posted soon. The video footage of the cartwheels is still under lock and key.

BAM - The Surprise....

2009-07-16T19:42:00.001-07:00

Just when things were starting to rot out of the garden from too much rain and too much shade, The Golfer spotted this hiding in the back. The Gardener demanded a photo for proof of the miracle.

Such a beautiful evening so the The Gardener sweetly asked (aka coerced) The Golfer to trim trees, those two are a good team and all went well. The shade problem should be almost solved.

Best of all...the newest neighbor made an appearance....SCOUT! He's a lab puppy that belongs to The Newlyweds!

BAM - The Greatest Trick

2009-07-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

Quote to think about...

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist."

BAM - Ordinary Adventures

2009-07-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

No posts for soooo long because we've been busy enjoying ordinary adventures in our fabulous lives!

Quick updates which explain our absence:
1. 3 weeks ago....very fun Wattsenmeyer (pool & BBQ)
2. Birdie went home on July 4!
3. Sylvie and family came for July 4 - FUN TIMES! It was a melding of friends and deserves it's own post later. Suprise guests from Omaha, too!
4. This weekend the Nebraska forces came for the annual visit and triathlon. Triathlon was a rainout, fear not....we still had an awesome time! This also deserves its own post (complete w/ photos) as The Princess turned 21!

More later in the week when pictures get downloaded to the computer.

Hope you're having a fun summer!

BAM - Birdie is 7 months old!

2009-07-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

RoRo's photographer friend took some awesome pics of Birdie at the hospital. Here are a couple....

Wonderful photo of Birdie...proof that he is still deserving of his nickname.

This picture is The Gardener's favorite!

BAM - Quick Pic

2009-06-16T19:50:00.001-07:00

The Gardener was out of town many, many days in May which is a critical time for a gardener. Alas, The Gardener is really a fake anyway so it didn't matter. The Golfer took a couple of pics in early June of what was happening in the yard. More to follow soon.....

The arbor on the back gate into the yard. Beautiful purple clematis.

Close-up of clematis flowers.

Climbing rose over the garage which is finally climbing!

BAM - The Miracle Bird

2009-06-05T21:42:00.000-07:00

Birdman is still in PICU at the best children's hospital in town. It has been over three weeks since surgery and he's finally off the vent - WOO HOO! When the vent goes, apparently so does a lot of other stuff because he's down from nine IV drips to just one, still has the feeding tube and something else The Gardener is unsure of. Fingers crossed he continues to progress well.

Birdman is a hoot - when TGa goes to the PICU to visit and says very high pitched "Hi Birdie!" he starts to wiggle and get excited; he knows the voice. Last night when RoRo got there....talk about knowing a voice! He must have also known that Mom would finally be able to hold him last night for the first time in weeks. It was so precious. When TGa left, Birdie was snuggled into RoRo's arms. They looked like they could stay that way all night.

The RoRo/JJ/Karate Kid/Birdie family appreciates everyone's prayers, and so do TG&TG.

Birdie on May 21st.

Birdie last night...."Mommy finally gets to hold me again - the first time in weeks!"

BAM - How the Mimis got their Names

2009-05-29T19:38:00.001-07:00

Everyone knows that The Gardener has a nickname for most folks...it's just the way she operates.

When MiMuffa was little, TGa used to sing The Muffin Man (a.k.a. The Muffin Girl) to her and the nickname Muffa was born. TGa had a flashback to her high school and college German classes thinking MY in German was MI (it's not, but TGa sure thought it was). Thus, MiMuffa (My Muffin Girl).

Then came niece #2 and based on her real name which begins with Mc, it was only natural that she become MiMac.

One Mi plus another Mi = The Mimis

After five boys, TGo's money was on more boys...he lost.

BAM - The Mimis

2009-05-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

Here are photos of The Mimis from the Texas Tour 2009.

MiMuffa - this is one of TGa's all time FAVORITE pictures of Muffa. She was having so much fun at Grandma and BB's!

MiMac - this is at her pre-K end of the year program for parents. She was so excited to have Mom, Grandma, Uncle Golfer and Aunt Gardener there. She waved and blew kisses and had trouble sitting still. She eventually joined Grandma in the bleachers. :-)

BAM - Photos of The Nephews

2009-05-25T19:09:00.001-07:00

After not getting the camera out in Dallas for photos of KyleMAN and Mistletoe the super model, TG&TG found it and used it in Houston. As stated in the previous post re: Texas Tour 2009, TG&TG had the goal of seeing The Nephews and all were seen except Jeremy (who is on the mend) and great nephew Corbin...hope to see those two in October. Here are some photos...

Gerald, Tammye and great niece Kaylee.

Jon, Kristy and great nephew Keagan who at this point was done with TGa and the camera.

Keagan prior to having enough of the camera (TGa can get a little obnoxious w/ the camera...just ask Birdie.)

Charles, Denae and great niece baby Aubrey who will make her appearance around September 22.

Kevin, Heather and great nephew baby Landon.

Parents of these boys and Jeremy and The Mimis - The Speed Demon and Lady Rainbow.

BAM - Suckered in Again

2009-05-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

During the first episode of each season of The Bachelor (or The Bachelorette), The Gardener says (typically from the dreadmill) "I can't believe I'm suckered in to watching this show again." Only one year did TG&TG boycott and not watch at all.

Well, after suffering through Jason's horrid grammar last season (it made TGa cringe and there were several posts about it on ABC's message board) here TG&TG are again watching another season of The Bachelorette. A mere two episodes in and TGa is crnging already. This time the faux pas belongs to ABC. Did any of you catch it? The clue in the kitchen said "If you want to win Jillian's heart, your going to have to lay it all on the line..." AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH

Painful, absolutely painful. YOUR going to have to lay it on the line? Ai yi yi. How did no one at ABC catch this? Clearly they need TGa on their payroll (or better yet, TGa's mother).

BAM - Texas Tour 2009 and Birdie Update

2009-05-23T20:36:00.001-07:00

TG&TG have returned from the Texas Tour 2009 and have lots of stories of ordinary adventures. Let's face it folks, it's just not pretty when the Garmin takes you places you don't think you should be and don't want to go back to. That place happened to be somewhere deep in the heart of Oklahoma. Oh my - that's all we're sayin'.

This post offers no details of ordinary adventures...just a quick overview of Tour stops. Pictures to be posted at a later date.

Stop #1 - Dallas for a visit with Sylvie and family. Mistletoe looks like a super model and the KyleMAN looks like....a man. We had a great time with them all and love playing Cranium with the kids. Girls - next time we must win!

Stop #2 - Houston for a visit with The Golfer's family. This included The Poker Players and Lady Rainbow and family (her husband The Speed Demon and the Mimis). Other family members (all sons of Lady R and The Speed Demon) we were able to see this visit are:
Nephew Gerald, his wife Tammye and daughter Kaylee
Nephew Jon, his wife Kristy and their son Keagan (we were sad to not see their son Corbin)
Nephew Kevin, his fiance Heather and their son Landon (aka Chunkalunk)
Nephew Charles and his girlfriend Denae

WHEW! Unfortunately, we did not see nephew Jeremy who was involved in an unfortunate incident on Friday morning and had to have emergency surgery. He's resting at home now. Without a doubt, there is never a dull moment!

Get well wishes to Jeremy and AB!

While TG&TG were away, Birdie had his open heart surgery. TGa worried to extremes (naturally). The Gardener went up to the ICU to see him just as soon as TG&TG arrived home. There are several towers of equipment, two of which contain 10 IV pumps, 9 of which are working to pump medicine into Birdie. He's back to lots of tubes, the vent, and now has a pacemaker, too. Progress is a little slower than the doctors hoped but Nurse Jennifer told TGa tonight that Birdie had a good day. Birdie also had hernia surgery last week prior to the open heart surgery. Keep saying prayers for this little guy, he needs them.

That's it for tonight. TG&TG are slowly returning to their normal lifestyle. They were greeted in the driveway by The Wild Child who said "you've been gone a looong time!" and then, to TGa "I met another one of your friends." She met The Fighter who was on watering duty. :-) BTW - all of the peonies bloomed while TG&TG were gone and RTS came and opened the pool. WOO HOO - summer has arrived!

BAM - Surgery Postponed

2009-05-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

Long story....Birdman's surgery has been postponed until May 21.

BAM - Softball

2009-05-08T22:27:00.001-07:00

Look out....The Golfer played spring co-ed softball! It had been years since TGo had been on a team and when The Gardener's pals from work needed another guy for their team, The Golfer signed up! The first few games were....uh.....eye opening. After suffering an injury (no need to elaborate) TGo realized he really isn't as young as he used to be and now he understands what "rec league" really means.

Here's the team photo. The ordinary adventures were so much fun that TGo has signed on for the summer season!

BAM - Birdman

2009-05-08T22:16:00.000-07:00

Here's an updated photo of Birdie in his March of Dimes shirt for the walk his Mommy did. Unfortunately, Birdie didn't get to go this year but maybe next year!

Birdman is now 5 1/2 months old and is a crack-up! The Gardener went to visit after work today and Birdie was a little flirt. He's funny and laughs and jibber jabbers; precious!

This coming Wednesday, Birdman has his open heart surgery. Thanks to all who continue to pray for this miracle baby!

BAM - The Heirloom Irises

2009-05-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

The tulips are gone and all it has done for many, many days is rain. The Gardener stepped outside today in very tall grass to peak at what might be happening in the region which shall be referred to as "the experiment". Luck (or perhaps God on TGa's side?)!!! The irises transplanted from The Desert Dwellers' yard in Oz just before they moved to the desert have survived and are starting to bloom!

BAM - Procrastination

2009-04-22T20:57:00.001-07:00

Because it is 11pm and The Gardener is doing the final procrastination measure to NOT have to get on the treadmill (aka dreadmill), you all get the treat of more photos!

Who cares if there are little kids looking for the eggs? The adults were all about being competitive!

Lovely picture of Lady Rainbow and the Mimis.

More pics to come another night, and even a video!

BAM - An Easter Visit

2009-04-20T20:42:00.001-07:00

Lady Rainbow and the Mimis (MiMac and MiMuffa) made the trek up from Texas for Easter. TG&TG had 5 wonderful days with them.
Some of the not so ordinary and ordinary adventures included: Easter egg dying and hunt, Hannah Montana movie, traditional cookie bake and frosting, T-Rex Cafe, sidewalk chalk, visit to The Meyers on Easter and dinner at the plaza, visit out to The Birdman's house where the Mimis played with The Karate Kid for a little bit (while The Gardener got a Birdman fix), walk at the arboretum, Barbies, Justice League, and Clue. The list could go on and on.

The Golfer enjoyed having his sis here and The Gardener and Lady Rainbow got some good girl time in (you're crazy Rainbow - seize the moment!!). TG&TG were sad to see them go. The whole cheek pinching thing makes sense now. Actually, that was realized a couple of years ago with Mistletoe and the KyleMAN although this visit just reitterated things.

The Crazy Neighbor Kids (who are now famous models...saving that for another post) were terribly excited and could not wait for the MiMis to arrive! Althought time between the CNKs and the MiMis was limited, they certainly made the most of it. Here are just a few pics as it's bedtime and we've not won the lotto yet so have to work tomorrow. More pics will be posted another time.

The Golfer and MiMuffa partner up for egg dying.

The Gardener and MiMac partner up for egg dying.

The MiMis and the CNKs. From left to right:
MiMac (age 5), Wild Child (age 6), MiMuffa (age 7) and The Pianist (age 9).

BAM - Birdman Update

2009-04-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

The Birdman reaches 5 months old this week and has just topped the scales at 10 pounds. He's such a cutie! Birdman's Grandma Betty has been in town for about 3 weeks which is cutting into The Gardener's cuddle time big time. However, TGa is very understanding as GMA Betty lives in DC so she's soaking up every second she can get with The Birdman and The Karate Kid.

The details on Birdman's heart surgery have changed and all surgery will now happen at once. He's got two appointments this week (one today and one tomorrow). Hope to post the latest on him soon. Thanks for all the prayers!

The Golfer enjoyed some cuddle time with The Birdman in February.

BAM - Signs of Spring

2009-04-20T20:27:00.001-07:00

TG&TG are very far behind on blog updating and tonight seems to be "the night". Here's the proof that a gardener really does live amongst us. Pictures really don't do it justice (proof that a photographer does NOT live in this home).

BAM - Transplant Update

2009-04-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

An update on The Cali Lawyer and The Super was published in the Orange County Register.

http://www.ocregister.com:80/articles/sandra-jeff-kidney-2367796-barry-day

BAM - Blogs

2009-04-20T19:47:00.000-07:00

It's official...The Gardener has become a blog junkie. It's amazing all the great blogs out there that can be linked to from other blogs. People are doing AMAZING things through blogs, including awesome charity work and then there are those earning a living by blogging about their ordinary adventures. That would be TGa's dream, to blog about travels and have a great following. Alas, fabulous travel bloggers already exist so the moment has passed. Perhaps the correct term for TGa is blog groupie. Imagine the surprise when one of TGa's favorite bloggers was on Oprah last week! Blogger favorite made it to Oprah - WOW!

BAM - Pirates!

2009-04-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

Spring Break and raining....what to do? Our Godsons in Florida have amazing imaginations and a fabulous Mom and Dad who foster their creativity!

One day they were pirates, superheros (Spiderman and one of the Incredibles) on another day and there's even a video of their "Jonas Brothers" performance for grandma and grandpa!

Great parents, great kids! Love you guys!

BAM - The Proof

2009-04-01T21:14:00.000-07:00

New kidney on Saturday, home on Monday. Lookin' good, Lawyer, lookin' good! Thinking about you and The Super - wishing you both sunshiney days and a speedy recovery.

BAM - Seriously....

2009-03-29T20:17:00.001-07:00

...Did it really have to show 5 inches on the spring garden which is starting to bloom? Mother Nature said YES!

The Gardener enjoyed some cuddle time today with The Birdman. He's now officially 4 months old, 21 3/4 inches long, 8 pounds 10 oz and is showing off non gas-related smiles. Cute, cute, cute! The Gardener can't get enough of him!

The Cali Lawyer is doing quite well. New kidney yesterday, home tomorrow! Modern medicine is amazing. The Desert Dweller who went to support everyone reported in that his color is good and he feels amazing! Now the donor, The Super (aka The Super HERO) is having a bit of a rough go, which is to be expected. The Executive Chef reports the following quote from The Super: "I'd rather have 800 c-sections". One word OUCH! Alas, the pain of The Super is worth the gain of The Cali Lawyer. What an amazing thing, to give you son life not just once, but twice.

BAM - Tears of Relief

2009-03-28T16:21:00.000-07:00

We just got the call that all surgery is over - all is well. The Cali Lawyer has a new kidney, that is already functioning, courtesy of The Super. HOW AMAZING! Surgery went very well and didn't take as long as the doctor anticipated. Now we are praying that there's no sign of The Lawyer's body rejecting this kidney in the days to come. WHEW! Tears of relief! Thanks to all for your continued good thoughts and prayers.

BAM - Kidney Transplant Update

2009-03-28T12:48:00.001-07:00

The Super is out of surgery and her kidney is in transport to another OR for The Cali Lawyer. Surgery for The Super was about 4 hours, the doctors had estimated 4-4.5 hours.

The Cali Lawyer's surgery is estimated to be about 5 hours or so....will post another update as details emerge.

There was a hiccup in what I understood to be tissue matching a couple of days ago; another twist in this big adventure.

BAM - Why the BAM?

2009-03-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

Some think we're Emeril Lagasse fans, some think we're just a little different (we are) and some don't know and won't ask (we know who you are).

Why the BAM? The secret is revealed.....

The Golfer's intial + The Gardner's intials = BAM

Thus the BAM Factor!

BAM - Updated Birdman Photo

2009-03-24T19:39:00.000-07:00

Here's the updated photo of The Birdman that was promised. He's in his new swing which The Gardener thinks is like a roller coaster. Actually, it is more like a Tilt-a-Whirl!

BAM - Birdman Update & Other Stuff

2009-03-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

After a couple of weeks at home, The Birdman managed to catch a cold which had him down for the count and at Children's Mercy Hospital for 19 days. The Birdman went home yesterday with heart surgery scheduled now for May 13. Yet another hole (the third one) has been discovered in The Birdman's heart. Surgery #1 will fix part, but not all. No worries - this little miracle is a fighter.

The Birdman reaches the 4 month old mark this week and is now officially over 7 pounds. He's cute, cute, cute! Watch for a new picture, soon. He can now also be called the Million Dollar Miracle Man - thank God for good medical insurance!

The kidney transplant is around the corner for The California Lawyer and his donor, The Super. Please keep them in your prayers.

BAM - Basketball Junkies

2009-03-24T18:36:00.001-07:00

March Madness - gotta love it! Kansas City was lucky enough this year to host beginning rounds of the NCAA tournament. The Gardener and her friend Eb enjoyed game, after game, after game, after game (yes, that was 4 games!) last Thursday! Such FUN! The Golfer and Mikey-Mike joined Eb and The Gardener for two more games on Saturday. Basketball Junkies!!!

The fun didn't end there....TGo, TGa and Eb went out to a bar on Sunday to watch two more games. Come Monday we were all exhausted but we'd do it all again, and we will do it all again! Eb has the inside track to Final Four tickets (which TGo attended two years ago with Mikey-Mike) but at $800 a pop for nosebleeds and not knowing who is going to be there yet....no can do.

To all those other Basketball Junkies - good luck with your bracket! TGa is in 3 and not doing so well. TGo is in 2 and doing just fine! Watch for a basketball withdrawl post in a couple of weeks.

BAM - Simple Pleasures

2009-03-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

A March weekend in Kansas with no snow...simply wonderful! The Gardener even got to dig in the dirt a little bit.

Basketball, basketball, basketball - WOO HOO! Go Blue Devils, Go Tigers! Lots of indulgent baketball watching this weekend.

The Birdman is still in the hospital, but the doctors think he's about to "turn the corner". Hopefully he'll be home soon. TGa helped RoRo give him a bath last night and that little boy felt so much better after the cleaning and the attention from his Mommy.

Happy Birthday to The Welder who turned 38 (again) or was it 39 (again)?!

Shawndra is finally at peace...

BAM - Heavy Hearts

2009-03-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

Birdman is still hospitalized and struggling. After many tests, the doctors confirmed he has a common cold. A common cold in a little boy that is so sick is very serious. When TG&TG visited two nights ago, Birdman was gasping for air and his eyes were rolling in the back of his head while he struggled for breaths. His monitor was sounding quite a bit and the nurses were excellent in getting him comforted and stable, and they upped his oxygen.

Today a lung x-ray was done as he seems to not be getting better (no news from the x-ray yet). Birdman was not stable enough to go down to have it done, so the nurses had a machine brought up to his room. Birdman also had to have a feeding tube reinserted today...RoRo is very disappointed. It seems the past week has been much of the same, steps backward. He's receiving excellent care and will hopefully soon be moving in the other direction. Both TG&TG have managed to get sore throats and the funk again, so we're off limits from another visit until we're better.

Please continue your prayers for Birdman - he needs them. So does Shawndra Turner who has been mentioned previously on this blog. She's a young mother with terminal colorectal cancer and her feeding tubes and IVs have been removed; she's in the last stages of a battle she's fought with dignity, grace, laughter and faith. Through her writings and her courage she's inspired so many people.

Such heavy news but there is a hilarious story out of this household about attempts for a new ISP, which was all about wireless internet. Faithful readers of this blog know that anything in this house that involves TV/internet always involves drama....yes, another ordinary adventure to share next time we post.

Last but not least - CONGRATS to Sylvie for finishing the screenplay!!!!! Now it's on to selling it. We're getting close to wearing our Oscar gowns, Sylv!

BAM - Super Quick Update...

2009-03-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

Oh my - the computer blew up a week ago! TG & TG survived a week without it and are now the proud owners of a new hard drive. :-)

The Poker Stars from Texas came up for a visit. Mother Nature must have known because she showered us with several inches of snow, just for them to enjoy. The Golfer broke out the new snowblower courtesy of The Texans (the other Texans!) and put it to good use. There's an action shot on The Gardener's camera but alas, the photo software is not reloaded on to the computer yet. Three days after the Poker Stars left it was 70 degrees.

The Birdman is keeping everyone on edge. He was transported last week from his doctor's office, via ambulance, to Children's Mercy Hospital where he's taken up residence across the hall from the sweetest, dark-haired little girl who looks like Cristina and likes to wave to The Golfer through the window. Another cardiac issue has been discovered with Birdman and it will require open heart surgery when he's two years old or so. Although this is rough news to hear, we're all elated to hear the doctor reference time for Baby Isaiah two years down the road. That kid is a fighter!! There was a sheet posted at the hospital listing the family member names and the names of other special people in Birdman's life. The Gardener's name was on the list and when The Golfer saw it, he found a pen and felt free to add his name to it. It's safe to say that The Golfer is now also in love with Birdman. Birdman is just over 3 months old and has hit the 7 pound mark!

Speaking of little guys - it makes us think back to when The Kyleman was a little guy. Oh - those days are gone! Kyleman is on the countdown to 15! I think this means he's soon to be behind the wheel of a car, and I'm not talking about with The Golfer in the parking lot of a school on the weekends when no one is there. Mistletoe just hit age 13...seems like we blinked and it happened. We get to see them in May and we can't wait! In April we get to see Cristina and her Mom and Dad to celebrate her birthday...that is another one of those "can't wait" things!

Please keep TG's cousin The California Lawyer and his Mom The Superintendent (retired) in your prayers. The Lawyer gets a new kidney at the end of the month and The Super is the donor. It doesn't matter how many years we've all known this day would come, it's getting closer and closer and although we all know everything will turn out okay, it's still scary.

Signs of spring in the yard....WOO HOO! Old Daffodils are blooming and all the bulb plantings from last fall are showing up.

One last thing before closing off - a great big GET WELL to the Desert Dwellers who are fighting the nasty stuff - again.

BAM - An Oldie but a Goodie...

2009-02-23T20:23:00.000-08:00

Found this picture tonight when cleaning items off the computer. It's TG & TG with the nieces in 2004....such cuties they were....and still are!

BAM - The Ups and Downs of Life

2009-02-23T16:43:00.000-08:00

Many of you have kept our friend J in your thoughts and prayers since her diagnosis with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. J's most recent scan shows that she is still in remission - such amazing news! The doctor has said no next round of treatment (note to The Teacher - they didn't say anything about her port coming out). J doesn't have her next appointment for another 6 months - such a fighter she is! As a matter of fact, perhaps she'll just be referred to as The Fighter from now on.

Some not so great news is that The Fighter's dear mother is very ill and hospice has been called in. The Fighter just lost her father last fall and her heart is so heavy right now.

Many thanks to those that have been so wonderful in praying for her, I know you will continue to do so.

BAM - What's happening.....

2009-02-21T07:29:00.000-08:00

A super-quick post with an update.....

The Birdman has now been home for 7 days. The Golfer met him last Sunday and there's a wonderful picture which should be uploaded soon. The Gardener got a crash course in monitors and emergency procedures last night when RoRo ran out to pick up the Karate Kid. Nerves, nerves, nerves even though all went well. What if those alarms had gone off? Well - TG would have called 911 - that's what would have happened!

There have been two emergency appendectomies in our family in the past 7 days. Wishing Rainbow and The Fabulous Singer a very speedy recovery.

BAM - Little Man, Big Seat

2009-02-13T07:56:00.001-08:00

The Birdman tested out a new seat - how cute is this? The seat was sitting in his NICU room and he sat in it for an hour and tolerated it very well. Today could be the day that Birdman discovers there is life outside of the hospital and the NICU and it's very likely that he'll be outside for the first time, ride in a car for the first time, and sleep at home for the first time. Friday the 13th - bad luck? Not this time!

BAM - Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-12T22:04:00.000-08:00

Love...love....love....

BAM - The Birdman

2009-02-05T18:14:00.000-08:00

Someone at TG & TG's home has a habit of giving everyone a nickname. Hmmm, guess that goes without saying really, it's pretty apparent by reading this blog.

Baby Isaiah was initially deemed Baby Bird, but is now officially known as The Birdman. Many have asked "how did that come about?" See below.

BAM - Dreaming of Warmer Times....

2009-02-02T20:50:00.000-08:00

Although TG & TG did just spend 6 days in warmer weather, The Gardener's illness hampered any efforts to really be outside in the sunshine and it feels almost like there was no little get-away at all. While cruising photos, The Gardener found pictures of warmer times....these photos are from last May when TG & TG were in Florida for Craig and Shannon's wedding. Aaaaaahhhh...sunshine, water, sand and family!

The Gardener and Rainbow, enjoying margaritas protected from the sun.

Jerry, Uncle Ben, The Golfer, Uncle Chuck and Glenn....beer, ball, boys and the beach!

BAM - Foxy sighting....

2009-02-02T20:38:00.000-08:00

The Preacher and Millie's Mom were over on Saturday for a little birthday celebration for The Gardener. On the way home, one street over from TG & TG's, they spotted Foxy, cruising the hood. This makes 5 people other than The Gardener that have seen Foxy, which means Paul at work needs to take back his unicorn comment.

BAM - What's new?

2009-01-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

TG & TG have just returned from a little get-away to an undisclosed location, attempting to find some warmer weather. Found it! The Gardener also managed to find a really bad head cold which is now lingering for the 7th day...it's getting really old. Last night it snowed, how quickly our memories of warm weather faded away.

The Gardener cannot go to see Baby Isaiah...too sick. Something new has been discovered with Baby I - a heart problem. Seems there is a hole in Baby I's heart and the doctors aren't sure if this is something new (they think it is) or something that may have been missed while dealing with all the other issues this little guy has/had. Baby I will be having heart surgery, date to be announced. RoRo, JJ (stop laughing Ro) and the doctors must all meet first to pow wow. Everyone has been so wonderful praying for Baby I, thank you. Please also lift up Shawndra Turner in prayer. This young mother is battling terminal colorectal cancer.

BAM - No Ordinary Adventure

2009-01-06T16:16:00.000-08:00

Today was no ordinary adventure, The Gardner held baby Isaiah for the first time. WOO HOO! How peaceful it was and how amazing it was to hold the little four pound miracle man. :-)

Also, the doctor used the word "home" in a sentence with RoRo and JJ. That's all TG will say as I don't want to jinx anything.

Thanks to all those who are continuing to pray for this family.

BAM - Foxy Sighting!

2009-01-03T09:44:00.000-08:00

The orginary adventures of Foxy....

The Golfer is outside taking down the Christmas lights and lo and behold, out came Foxy from the neighbor's back yard-he crossed the street to the golf course. The Golfer came insided and screamed with excitement, then took off to the golf course to try for another glimpse.

BAM - Baby Isaiah Update

2008-12-31T17:47:00.000-08:00

After a rough couple days over the weekend, baby Isaiah seems to be doing much better. The Gardener met RoRo up at the NICU tonight. TG had not been there for two weeks due to cold/flu like symptons that are finally gone.

Isaiah looked very grown up tonight, all 4 pounds of him! He's off the oscilator and the cpap and now has oxygen in the nose. Many of the IV machines are gone although there are still a few around and baby I still has a feeding tube through the nose and and IV in his head (had a blood transfusion last week). Overall, sweet-sweet and much progress. As TG has said to RoRo all along, he's a miracle baby! Still in the NICU, still a long way to go, but he's made such good progress. He even let out a little coo tonight.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

BAM - Christmas,last indulgence...I promise!

2008-12-29T20:47:00.001-08:00

The top of the coat closet in the entry where we displayed part of the Christmas village. The rest went on top of the china cabinet in the dining room.

BAM - Other trees....

2008-12-29T20:32:00.000-08:00

Yes, there were two other trees and I thought I had pictures of them but cannot find them on the computer. One is a silver tinsel tree that had all red ball ornaments on it. The other was a tree in the kitchen and that tree was a REAL one! It was about 4 feet tall and smelled great for about a week. It had kitcheny ornaments on it; an artichoke, ice cream cone, lemon, pickle, pepper, peach, etc. It also had candy canes and purple ball ornaments and was topped with a glittery red star. I know I had a picture of it but technical difficulties (cough, cough) have caused me to not be able to locate it. Besides, I think everyone has had enough of the trees, although some of you asked for it!

Not to be outdone by The Gardener, The Golfer offered up his idea of Christmas spirit as seen here.

BAM - Dining Room Tree

2008-12-29T20:21:00.000-08:00

This is the dining room tree, the one that has all "the pretty stuff" on it. Several years back I started collecting Waterford ornaments and this tree has the Noah's Arc series, the 12 days of Christmas series and the Songs of Christmas series. We were also gifted a Waterford ornament on our first anniversary (thanks Desert Dwellers) and a precious angel from The Gardener's dear friend J. This tree also has other treasured pieces we've collected and many that were gifts from family and friends.

Typically this tree is topped with a Waterford crystal tree topper that TG&TG purchased in St. Thomas with money given as a wedding gift from our grandparents (all of whom are now gone). This year The Gardener was too chicken and was worried it would topple so the red spire went on instead and the crystal topper was displayed in the china cabinet with the Nativity.

This tree has all white lights, red and sage green balls, crystal ornaments, some fancy favorites and even an ornament from Aunt Sandy and Uncle Ron that is engraved with 1972.

BAM - Family Room Tree

2008-12-29T20:13:00.001-08:00

This is the family room tree which I shall call the polka dot tree. This is the tree where we hang all the ornaments collected from our travels as well ones we've treasured throughout the years including ornaments from our alma maters, white balls with lime green polka dots, spiderman, candy canes, snowflakes, soldiers, icicles, etc. It also has a lot of red and white polka dots. Some of the ornaments are from our travels to: Maine, Colorado, Texas, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Curacao, San Juan, St. Thomas, Aruba, Paris and London. It has white and red lights. Once again, pictures just do not do it justice!

BAM - Snowman Tree

2008-12-29T20:00:00.001-08:00

The tree in the blue room is a Snowman tree. It has snowmen and lots of snowflakes, icicles, some santas, even an igloo! It's topped with a snowflake topper. The tree has white and blue lights and pictures just do not do it justice (if I do say so myself).

BAM - Sunflower Tree

2008-12-29T19:58:00.001-08:00

This sunflower - gardening tree is down in the Man Cave. The Gardener made all the ornaments on it, incuding the sunflower topper. It has bird houses, bees, ladybugs, watering cans, stars, etc. Fun!

BAM - Christmas at our home....

2008-12-29T19:50:00.000-08:00

This is the third attempt at posting some pictures of Christmas spirit in our home. Computer glitches thwarted previous attempts so fingers are crossed it works this time. Ut oh. I already know it's not working, so I'll post what I can.

The Gardener finally had good success with amarylis bulbs!

BAM - Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T07:49:00.001-08:00

From our home to yours, Merry Christmas!

BAM - Bah Humbug!

2008-12-22T20:00:00.001-08:00

BAM - The Nieces (new pics)!

2008-12-21T21:59:00.003-08:00

BAM - Visit from the Desert Dwellers

2008-12-19T21:05:00.001-08:00

This is a long overdue post with pics from Thanksgiving weekend. The Desert Dwellers (a.k.a. The Executive Chef and The Candyman) came back to the midwest for a Thanksgiving visit, what fun! November starts the busy time of year for TG&TG and we didn't get as much time with The DDs as we'd hoped, but very much enjoyed the time we had. They split their time between our home and Millie's house.

Another ORDINARY ADVENTURE...The Candyman decided it was time to take his Model T back to the desert. A rented U-haul, a brillant mind, a hill by a skating rink and the The Golfer and The Preacher for assistance..no doubt it was going to happen!

The roadster leaving The Golfer's house.

The hill, and the strategy.

Testing the two by fours.

The Candyman showing confidence.

He drove the roadster right in!

BAM - Baby Isaiah, Day 26

2008-12-19T07:25:00.001-08:00

Day 26 was a magical day in the life of Baby Isaiah. Mom got to hold him for the first time!

This was no small feat and required much assistance and machine moving by Nurses Amy and Larry. Isaiah is very sensitive to all movement, except the movement into Mom's arms! He was so content and Dr. Holcomb wants Ro Ro to hold him all the time, said he could hook up a catheter for her. :-)

What a wonderful blessing!

BAM - Foxy came for a visit...

2008-12-16T15:53:00.001-08:00

The Gardener was working at home this morning at the kitchen table and caught a glimpse of someome's dog out in the pool area. TG could not figure out how a dog that big got into the locked area but then, woah, what a tail! It was no dog, it was Foxy!

BAM - The difference of 12 hours.....

2008-12-14T21:44:00.001-08:00

11:00 am - 60 degrees with a nice spring breeze.
11:00pm - 11 degrees with a windchill of 18 below.

Kansas baby, Kansas!

BAM - Busy Season!

2008-12-14T10:20:00.000-08:00

I'm overdue for a blog post and I have lots to share, but no time to do it!

New photo of baby Isaiah...still very sick but still fighting! RoRo was able to change his diaper yesterday, her first real interaction with the little man. :-)

BAM - Christmas Cuties!

2008-12-07T15:16:00.000-08:00

Great nephews Corbin and Keagan. Cute!

BAM - Introducing Isaiah Brandon

2008-11-29T07:31:00.000-08:00

Ro Ro and JJ's baby has a name - Isaiah!

The Gardener took her first trip to the NICU on Friday evening. Little Isaiah had a good, "stable" 24 hours.

The NICU was just as TG thought it would be, including all the tubes and machines baby Isaiah has. The tubes are teeny tiny - straight pin tiny.

Amy was yesterday's nurse and she was busy, busy, busy tending to Isaiah who wiggles and wiggles when he hears Ro Ro's voice. Out would pop a leg, out would pop an arm and then that arm would look like it was going to pull a tube out and Amy would tuck it back in. She did this over and over and over. Amy reminded TG of the very sweet Las Vegas Jane which was comforting.

It's still one day at a time on this little guy but as TG has told Ro Ro all along - THIS BABY IS A MIRACLE! He continues to be and still needs your prayers, so keep them coming.

BAM - Welcome Little Babe

2008-11-23T08:15:00.001-08:00

When Ro Ro's doctor said be prepared for an early delivery, he wasn't kidding! Nine weeks early to be exact...

It's a boy! Baby boy arrived around 3:46am on 11/23/08. The baby is 3 lbs. 15 oz. with a head full of hair. Ro Ro was amazing and she's doing well.

As expected, a team of neonatal specialists was on hand to welcome this little guy into the world and he's currently in the neonatal intensive care unit.

The picture was taken right before Baby Boy was wheeled off to the NICU. The hand with the green bracelet is Ro Ro's. This was her first bonding moment with her new son.

Baby Boy had a procedure to remove fluid from his lungs this morning. There also appears to be some fluid in his head, but no confirmation of that yet.

Many thanks to those who have been praying for this family - keep the prayers comin'.

Ro Ro Baby Update

2008-11-19T19:06:00.000-08:00

Ro Ro has been going to the specialist weekly since the issues with Little Babe were discovered. Last week, it appears as if the stent was not working at 100% and today's appointment confirmed this. There may be a kink in the tubing or Little Babe might be blocking it, although this does not appear to be the case. The doctor told Ro Ro to be prepared to deliver early! We don't want it to be too early however (fingers crossed), plus, their new house is still under construction!

Thanks to all who are keeping Ro Ro, Little Babe, The Karate Kid and JJ in their prayers.

BAM - The SOS Call to Sylvie

2008-11-18T18:06:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year...TG&TG are both incredibly busy at work plus the holiday season is here! In years past, The Gardener would have all the Christmas shopping done for the "out of towners" wrapped and packed and ready to be shipped the day after Thanksgiving. Plus, all the Christmas cards would also be mailed the day after Thanksgiving. Oh how times have changed....it just does not work that way anymore and it's not because there are kids in the house.

The Gardener has been on super-stress overload for the last two weeks and last Tuesday she placed the SOS call to Sylvie. Three days later Sylvie left Coach, The Kyleman and Mistletoe and hit the road driving the 8 hours alone from Texas. She pulled into the driveway in the pitch dark at 8:30pm after writing a hit song (Rebounder - that's all I'm saying) along the way. TG did the dance of joy in the garage - literally.

Sylvie contributed in every way she could from (just to name a few) moving furniture to cleaning closets, from some Christmas shopping to sitting at TG's office and making tabs for file folders, and (of all things) decoupage. Best of all, she coached TG back from the edge of insanity. There's no therapy like Sylvie therapy. And yes, we also managed some retail therapy.

Four days later, just this morning, Sylvie took off back home - mission accomplished. THANK YOU SYLVIE! The Gardener is stable once again and The Golfer is very thankful.