We're BACK!

Literally and figuratively we are back. It has taken a couple of weeks, but I am finally getting back into a routine. We made it through back surgery and Jeff is recovering well. The pain that was originally there and the reason for surgery is gone and he now is just dealing with slight post-surgery pain and looking forward to getting back to work and continuing to rehab.

We both now have a new perspective on dealing with pain and the slow recovery process that surgery entails. The first day he attempted to walk at the gym he was getting passed by old women. It was pretty humbling to say the least. We joked that he was getting smoked by old women. He has progressed nicely and last week was able to walk a brisk 3 1/2 miles around the track. There are still a lot of things that he can't do, but there are a lot of things that he can now do that he wasn't able to do just 3 weeks ago, like drive. I don't know if he missed driving as much as I missed him driving, but I am definitely glad that we have another set of wheels in the family again.

As for the rest of life, it keeps moving on. The girls are in the middle of basketball season and both are doing well. Now if you ask them, Bayley will say she doesn't like it and Kendal will say that she loves it. However, Bayley is hanging quite while with the 4th through 6th grade boys that she is playing against. She is a great rebounder and a great defender. I have been very impressed with her effort and know that if she decides to try again that she will only get better and probably like it even more....even though I am pretty sure that she would never admit liking it. She does however definitely like the concession stand that awaits her after each game. Kendal is getting the hang of the game. She has scored a couple of times and definitely gets excited when she is on the floor. Basketball takes up our Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings, but it sure is fun watching them play.

Kendal shooting a free throw

Bayley playing with the guys!

Kendal showing off her cute smile! She won't be toothless much longer.

Trey continues to enjoy preschool. He loves to write and will attempt to copy just about everything he sees and does a pretty good job at it. He can be the best of boys and the worst of boys all in the matter of minutes. He definitely is struggling with the I want it now and I don't care what you say attitude. I know eventually he will figure out who is boss...and realize that it is not himself.

Trey striking a pose!

I am loving Adison at this age. She is so much fun and so funny. She makes the best facial expressions. She knows what she wants and is pretty relentless at letting us know exactly what it is and when she wants it. She still isn't talking very much, but who needs to talk with 5 other people willing to help you out at any given time. Being the youngest in a busy family has made poor Adision have to adjust her schedule to ours more than we adjust ours to hers. Because of this, last week we finally drove her to exhaustion. Jeff was feeding her dinner, when he left the room to help one of the other kids and returned to find her passed out in her high chair...a first for one of our kiddos. She is trooper though and does a good job of being pretty flexible most of the time. She definitely has acquired her older sister's sweet tooth. She loves desserts just as much as Bayley....those two are going to have fun together.

Exhausted!!!

Just a few of her expressions! We love this girl!

Despite all of the goings on, I have very few pictures to show for it. February is bound to be better, right?

The girls trying to make the best of our icy snow day a couple of weeks ago. There wasn't really snow, just ice. The got out boogie boards and cardboard and had fun sliding down the hill.