pictures

Sicily
Jonah and Calvin
Rannon's secret chest of presents
James secret chest of presents
Key to secret chest :)
James luggage
Jonah's derby car is number 08

Jaden finally sleepy and breathing on her own after recent surgery.

OK so I have been a little lax in my efforts to keep everyone current on the pictures of the kids and all. :) I will get out more later.

Bringing everyone up to speed...

So that last while I have been down with a few ailments, I feel better at long last. I ended up getting the flu and sharing it with half the family.

I got my first paycheck from the publisher... LOL... let's just say that Quint is keeping his job ... for now :)I am still learning so much about how it all works, but know that sooner or later I will understand everything.

Kids are doing well in school, Sicily is in a talent show this month, she will be playing her Clarinet. She is working very hard everyday to do a good job.

Jaden is getting strong and healthy. She is also getting sized for her next set of wheels. POWER is the operative word people, she is gonna be FAST. Her school and therapy is all going well. The aid comes in 5 days a week to help her bathe and prepare her own food. Jaden feels like she is getting more independant, now she just needs a bigger room for all her BIG toys :)

James is still helping out with the kids for me so I can get my writing done :) He is a real champ actually doing much of the kids hands on school stuff for me. It is all so time consuming, (gradeing papers, attendance, ect)

Rannon is all over this half of the school year, finally understanding all the little rules and ways each teacher has of doing things. (sometimes he reminds me a lot of his dad that way) :)

Jonah is rocketing up through the second grade this year, so far it is too easy, so the man is moving on.

Quint is enjoying work and being near family (as am I)

I look forward to being in Oregon April 9th-14th if anyone wants their book signed that will be the time :) Take care and please keep in touch :) S

Jaden

Jaden is looking much better today :) Closer to her normal some what pesky self even :) Her breathing is much improved, and she looks like she will get to go home tonight or tommorrow at the latest. We are all very happy. right now Jaden is painting and enjoying her out of bed time in the play room :) Mom has taken this rare chance to check her emails and get more writing done. thanks everyone for your emails, calls, and prayers they really help. take care and see ya around. s

Jaden

I am happy to report that Jaden is doing better even though she is currently in the I.C.U. she had some trouble with her breathing last night because she had a little to much morphine in her bloodstream. (build up is BAAAD) crisis is now averted and she is being watched over by really great nurses so I can come home and have a shower, and sleep in my own bed... sigh.

Jaden should still be in house for another 3 to 4 days. I'll keep in touch, take care, s

book signing

I am very happy to report that my book signing went well :) several people approached me, and asked great questions, one woman bought it for her son :) i thought that was great. teri, and amelia got signed copies :) (thanks girls you are the greatest) all in all it was a good day. the store wanted several copies signed, they were impressed with the amount of people that came to talk to me, said i was welcome back anytime. The are interested in having me come in for the next book even :) well thanks everyone for the encouragment, really. It means a lot :) s

Family News

Well all of you have pretty patient with us... but it is time to let you know our news :)

Quint's eye is NOT improving unfortunately, he is still fighting the progressive growth of whatever this is. The doctor say that he is to use a different eyedrop as well as the medication and to continue for another 2 months. It has still managed to grow while he has been treating himself so they are definately researching for more information about it. She says though that it is still not scarying her yet... like when he came in at first, but she is VERY aware or his eye and concerned he may need medication for several years... (It is my idea that this strange fluke catcher is the sourch of Jaden's ability to attach herself to strange illness as well, lol)

Jaden is having surgery on Feb 5th. She will be using her galebladder as a shunt drain from then on. This surgery is slightly odd, and if it does not work there are no fast safe options for her in the future so some prayers are in order for the surgeons that are going to take care of her.

Jonah had his first cub scout cerby last night and his care was the coolest :) It was also the slowest... (someone got a little excited with the glue I suspect) But he was thrilled to participate in his fist scouting function, (the whole thing was 20minutes) :)

My book signing is in a couple hours... I have to tell you all that I am really nervous... a couple more hours and I'll know I suppose :)

See ya around. Stacey

Merry Christmas

These pictures are a take 'em or leave 'em type... if I could cut and paste each kid I might have one good picture... so like me after 5 pictures you will have to take'em or leave'em...:) Merry Christmas...

Okay so Jaden is out of the hospital and doing well, tearing up the house and making laundry for her poor over worked mother... :)

Christmas this year is not what we imagined it would be last year. Of course life is never what one plans it to be at least mine isn't.

Quint has a new job, since most of you who follow know this I will not get into detail except to say that he is VERY content with it, and while we are not rolling in dough we are keeping up and paying off... all good :) We have enjoyed Idaho for almost a year now. both Quint and myself being near a sister, that has been great, lots of fun stuff including rafting, hiking, movies, dinners, and video game parties.

James has been getting ready for his mission, he is taller than me, thinks himself a comedian dangling things out of my reach and such... I have learned to bruise his shins :) All in all not bad, lol. Really though he is a great kid, and I know he will do such a great job on his mission. He has seen a lot of his biological family the last few years, this year especially. He has enjoyed getting to know them all better and being adored by extra family never hurt anyone :)

Rannon has been enjoying School. He is his science teachers best student, and he looks forward to advanced sciences. Rannon has been writing a book lately, I am impressed that he has stayed with it for so long. We wait to see what comes of it. He has grown 4 inches in the last year, his feet are like giant triple E oars flapping through the water, he is taller than me now I am pretty sure, about 5'7- 8. He loves his new glasses that are tinted in the sun... his pride and joy wearing sunglasses everywhere :)

Sicily is growing into a beauty much to her Fathers concern. He has already begun the threats to lock her in an attic until she is 30 but since we don't have one she has managed to maintain a normal life style for now :) She is doing really well in school, loves Art, and playing her Clarinet. She is very clothes savvy, and is developing a healthy shoe fetish collecting as many as she can winkle out of family who want to spoil her.

Jonah turned 8 this year and is thrilled to become a full member of the church... we are postponing his dunking until March so he can have his Grandparents come to witness the near drowning, all very important rite of passage for one who is 8 going on 50. Jonah knows everything, if you don't know something he will be happy to tell you, he too is doing well in school as one would expect of one so knowledgeable and he has grown 4 inches as well, proudly he stands about 5-6 inches above Calvin's head... now this glory has been a long time time coming, we are supportive of his joy. :)

Calvin, our 5 year old boy... I have a story about this happened yesterday. I was primping in my bathroom getting ready for a night of good food and laughter with the husband and his co workers :) Calvin came into my room holding a hot dog. (this is not uncommon, we go through many around here, he like them cold hence the reason our are ALWAYS precooked) "Mom" he says in a five year old boy voice... very cute :) "I'm so sorry, I wash my hot dowg" and proceeds to turn on the tap water and rinse it. Now I am still unfazed, aren't you entitled to wash a dog that falls to the floor, well certainly you are! I continue my primp.

He is back several seconds later, spitting his hot dog in the trash, and turning on the water again... this gives me pause, what could cause such a reaction? "What are you doing Calvin?" I ask him waiting for his answer.

"I wash my hot dog," now I was given the 'are you feeling alright' look (a relatively new thing to our experience...) and he carries on undeterred, but now he is mumbling something. So I lean down slowly to not appear to nosy, :) to hear...

"It is hot, hot, hot dog." He is very serious, and attempting to wash away the hotness of the dog in his hand. puzzled I walk out of my bathroom.

"Did someone heat Calvin's hot dog" this got me the same 'are you feeling alright' look from two more of my children, of course fearless now I carry on. "you know he likes them cold." I walk into the kitchen and look at the bag he took them out of, then laughed. It seems in my hurry to get out of Walmart with all of my body parts still intact I managed to grab HOT SPICY hot dogs instead of our plain and normal hot dog fare. My dear son the 'hot dog gourmet' noticed this slight problem in my shopping and attempted to wash away the 'hot' bless his heart... so after I told him I WAS SORRY for this gross error I explained the finer points of drinking milk and using ketchup with the offending HOT dog and all was well in his universe.

I think that says it all about Calvin, he walks to the beat of his own drum, and that is good around here :)

Jaden many have already heard about, but she is doing well in her school as well, she has a teacher that comes to the house three times a week and along with her nurse she is slightly spoiled in attention. but I am of the firm opinion that if anyone should be spoiled she is. :)

Myself... well most of you follow, I am officially a writer now :) It is selling already beyond what I imagined and I have my first book signing next month, so far the list gathers of people who plan to attend, I am beginning to wonder if I should throw a party instead and just sign what ever books pass by me... well you get the idea, :) Take care everyone, and know that we are always thinking of you. The Nelson Family.