Pray for Tysons

Mike Tyson's 4 yr. old daughter is currently on life support from getting hung by a cord on a treadmill! This could have been us 2 weeks ago! This hits home big time! Please pray for this family and this little girl to make a recovery!

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30932524/

My Sweet Kids

"God sends children for another purpose than merely to keep up the race - to enlarge our hearts; and to make us unselfish and full of kindly sympathies and affection; to give our souls higher aims; to call out all our faculties to extended enterprise and exertion and to bring round our firesides bight faces, happy smiles, and loving, tender hearts. My soul blesses the great Father, every day, that He has gladdened the earth with little children." ~ Mary Howitt
I look in the sun room today, while making lunch, and see all my babies snuggling together on the couch. Aren't they so sweet! They love each other so much and take such good care of each other. God knew the exact combination for our family!

And little Dennis the Menace is back to Normal!

The great thing about kids is how resilient they are!! While what happened to Harper has scared me for life, he is back to living life normally!! The beginning of the week we actually were getting publicity from Harper's death deifying trip down the slide - front page of the Monroe paper and being on channel 6 news at 4:15, 5:30, and the next morning - and we also had a visit from the police officer that came first to our house (the kids absolutely loved getting in the police car and turning on all the lights). Now things have settled down and we had a nice quiet night at home - well as quiet as it can get here - that is, until bath time! I put Harper in the tub and then came in the kitchen to get the girls. They were finishing their cookies and I told them to get undressed and get in the tub. I go back there and they are out of the tub. I said, "Girls, why aren't you in the tub?" The girls replied, "Mom, there are cookies in the tub!!" I look and there Harper is sitting in the tub after doing a number 2 and just smiling!!! So out he goes, and I am stuck sanitizing the tub and the girls are still talking about the cookies!!! And the best thing is - I get to enjoy doing all this because I have my healthy Harper Banks!!!

Harper with the "peace man"

"Peace Man Car" - He loved the blue lights

Here is Carly telling Chloe how many lights she had switched on - they loved this car!

Here is all his publicity (can't post the newspaper article):
http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/vitindex.html
http://www.unioncountyredcross.org/

One Horrible Experience

On Thursday, May 14th, was the worst experience I have ever gone through! Harper was in a terrible accident, but with God's amazing grace he was able to pull through wonderfully!! I am so thankful for God's strength He gave me during the whole ordeal and the wisdom and knowledge he gave me so I knew how to react. I will try to explain this to the best of my ability. The kids were on the swing set playing and I came inside to throw Matt's potatoes in the microwave (the back of the house has a lot of windows so I watch the kids the whole time they are out there). Well, we have a rope tied to Harper's swing and the girls must have brought it up to the tree house with them. (I did not see this, I am just thinking this is what happened). Here is where it gets hard to tell this story without crying. Well Harper went down the slide and the rope was still attached to the swing and pulled through the top of the tree house and then the rope got wrapped around his neck. I looked out at this point and saw him on the slide. He had basically hung himself and was lifeless with the rope around his neck mid slide. I ran out there (I have no clue how long he was out there like this - not long - but long enough) and he was solid blue/purple and totally hung. I was home alone and neighbors were mowing so they couldn't hear me screaming. I got the rope off of his neck and had to get to the house to the phone. His body was like a doll so limp and floppy and he was not breathing, blue, and unconscious. So I kept him as flat as I could while I ran and was giving him cpr. I laid him on the floor and called 911 while giving him cpr. I had him awake and breathing by the time the paramedics got here. (all that lifeguard training finally paid off) They gave him oxygen and we were taken to CMC main. Luckily Matt was on his way home - but he was greeted with a street full of police and paramedics. The girls were so awesome during the whole thing and I was able to explain everything that was going on and they were such good helpers. They did not cry - they were so brave and knew Harper had a boo boo, but when I finally called them inside he was awake so they never saw him the other way. He was put on a little body board and we were taken by ambulance to the hospital. Harper was given xrays and monitored through the night. He has a really bad rope mark around his neck and is very spotted - looks like he is covered with freckles - kind of like Dennis the Menace. He is such a great boy!! The whole ambulance ride he laid still and quiet. He did not talk the entire time. In the ER I was rubbing his head and kissing on him and he whispered the best three words in the world, "I love you!" Talk about an amazing God or what!!!!! He had my precious baby boy in his arms the entire time and gave him the best personality in the world to make this horrible thing a million times better. He is eating and acting just like Harper - very tired though since we didn't get a room until 11 and then we were woken alot. So, we are home and everyone is doing well - of course I am having the hardest time because I had the worst situation burned into my memory and I keep seeing his little lifeless body at the end of that slide. I was very worried he may have brain damage, but the Dr.'s all said he was acting so wonderfully that they highly doubt that. We think that he actually dreamed of what happened last night. Harper is a great sleeper and he woke up screaming uncontrollably and we couldn't calm him down until we turned the lights on and he realized we had him and he was ok. Poor guy! He must remember it somewhat to have done that. Anyways, please pray for our continued recovery and praise God for the miracles he performs everyday!!
Here I am explaining to him that the IV had to stay in his hand - we were in the Children's Er.

Harper loves his Daddy so much! He gives him great comfort at this late hour while we were waiting!

Here is Harper enjoying his breakfast - pancakes, french toast, and milk. He thought he was so big eating in bed. He also liked looking out the window at all the cars - he named every car - "Black one, White one, blue one."
Of course breakfast wasn't complete unless elephant joined him. So he put him on his shoulder and fed him too!!
Laying down relaxing a little bit while we wait for the Dr.'s to come and discharge us. It had been a long 20 hours!!!

Pampering for the Big Day!

Can you believe that Carly and Chloe are going to be 4 on Saturday??!! It is crazy how fast they grow up. So, in order to be ready for their big day, I decided to take them to a day at the spa! We went to Sweet and Sassy and the girls were so excited (unfortunately Harper had to tag along - he didn't mind too bad because I brought him a big bag of Cheerios to occupy his time - but I did not take his picture so I wouldn't document this humiliating experience at the girly store). Here are a few pics of their exciting morning:

Here is Carly relaxing after soaking!


Chloe getting painted and taking it easy with Carly

The final product - pink toes with a purple flower and a pink butterfly toe ring!! The girls absolutely loved their day at the spa! Carly kept saying, "I love getting my toes painted!"

Discovery Place

Yesterday was a very chilly and rainy day, so Matt and I decided to take the kids to Discovery Place. They really enjoyed playing and exploring the museum. It was very quiet, so we were able to explore by ourselves. We even got to see a real snake - I touched it and Carly and Chloe held my wrist while I pet it - little Chickens. Afterwards, we decided to walk downtown to get lunch. We found a Quiznos and boy was it weird being downtown with all those business people at lunch time. There were so many people walking around getting their lunches all dressed in white shirts and ties. It was definitely an experience!

Here are the kids learning about pulleys. They were lifting 23 pounds.

Here is Harper being a monkey in the children's discovery area - he is so cute!

Here I am trying to show the girls that this air chair is fun. You sit in the chair and push two buttons and the chair lifts in the air. Then it slowly comes down.

Here is Harper doing the chair!! He actually got it up off the ground and he liked it. We couldn't help him because it wouldn't work with us in there. Did Carly and Chloe do it?? Of course not!! But as soon as we got in the car they wanted to go back and do the chair - UGH!! Wishy Washy Women!

After Discovery Place, Matt had to get something at some government office for work so the kids and I were playing in the back of the car. Here is Carly loving on her buddy, Harper. These kids absolutely love each other! (She has a neck pillow around her head because she said she was getting sleepy).

Here are my sweet boys. Matt is so funny when he gets dressed to go somewhere. He says, "what color is Harper wearing." Now, he had seen Harper, actually he dressed Harper this morning, so he answered himself, "blue." Look what the man dresses himself in!!! It is the exact opposite of Harper!!! They sure are cute though. Hey, when I do the shopping for my boys, I know what I like!!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was a very nice day for me with my kids. The girls woke up that morning and made me breakfast in bed. The put bread in the toaster and they got a knife and put butter on it for me! That was a big thing for them and they were so proud that they made me breakfast, so proud in fact that they decided to EAT my breakfast with me in the bed (they ate the majority of it!) Then they presented me with a butterfly they made me. Matt had gone online and looked up Mother's Day projects and then had the girls make it for me. They came out so cute and they wrote I love you and their names on the back - super sweet - great job Matt for working so hard with them to make me something special. They also got me a book. Matt went and got Harper out of bed and he came in so excited to give me the card he made for me that he chucked it at my head!! It was cute - he colored it and Matt traced his hands. Then our Sunday morning rush kicked in and we were out the door by 8:15 to get to church. Matt worked all day so after church the kids took a nap and then we just hung out at home. We made some cookies and enjoyed eating them together. Then when Matt came home that night, he surprised me with some Croissants from Cheddars - YUMMY!!! So all together, I am one lucky mother!!! I have amazing kids and a very thoughtful husband. I wouldn't trade these days for anything in the world. Spending every moment while these days are slipping by are priceless! I love beginning this relationship with my children totally together! God couldn't have given Matt and me any sweeter and loving kids than these 3.

Carly and Chloe's Butterflies

Harper's Card with his hands

Exciting Time!!

Ok this summer is so jammed packed with exciting things, I just can't control myself! Last night Sarah (one of my best friends) got engaged!!! I am so happy for her I can't stand it! Tim got her a beautiful ring and we spent the afternoon wedding dress shopping! She looked gorgeous in everything she tried on, but we found a couple styles that were awesome. It was so fun to see how happy she is and can't wait for her big day (probably in October)! We have been praying for Sarah and her "future man" for a long time and it is awesome to see God's hand on these two and can't wait for their amazing life that is about to begin. Also this summer, another one of my best friends is getting married, Amber! She lives near Cary, NC and she is getting married in July. I am so excited for her too!! Amber and I went to college together (for a year) and finding her "right guy" has been fun, but Scott fits the bill!! I hate that I can't be there with her to do all the "wedding stuff" but I can't wait to be apart of their special day! Oh, and did I mention that I will be having a BABY in between these weddings!!! I can't wait to meet our new member of the family. She is already loved so much!! The girls have felt her kick now and they think it is so neat to feel their sister. So this summer is pack full of new beginnings! New lives that will be joined together and a new life altogether! What a happy summer: family, friends, and love - this can't get any better! Oh and I also have 2 cousins getting married, Stephanie and Cayanne - both in NY one in July and the other in August. I won't be able to go to these due to being pregnant, but am happy for them too! I just had to blog, partially because Matt is closing tonight and the kids are asleep so I have no one to be excited with, but I wanted everyone to know all the exciting things that are about to happen!

Zoo Party!

This past Sunday we celebrated Carly, Chloe, Harper, and Reilly's birthdays at the NC Zoo. (This picture was of the sea lions - they were pretty funny and all the kids loved them). We did one big combo birthday for them since there are just way too many birthdays for kids in my family. Connor, Kaitlyn, and Reagan's party will be in July. It turned out to be a great day! The weather looked hairy, but it worked out perfect. The sun stayed behind the clouds and the rain never came! So it was warm, but not miserable. The kids all loved seeing all the animals and they did great walking the entire zoo! Then we went to the picnic pavilion and had cupcakes and opened presents. It was a great day to celebrate the births of all these wonderful babies!!

Carly

Reilly

Chloe

Connor

Reagan

Kaitlyn

Our 3 babies are getting bigger!

Reilly excited to open her presents!

Bows

Hey everyone - I am entering a contest to win some cute hair bows, and part of that contest is to post a blog entry. So, if you like the bows that the girls are always wearing in their hair in all these pics, then go to www.sarabethbows.blogspot.com. She does a great job!!

Strawberry Picking

This morning we took the kids strawberry picking. They were so excited to go on a "strawberry hunt" as Carly kept saying. They had no clue what it really was all about, but it sounded fun I guess. We picked our row and we went over the art of berry picking with them. They picked about 2 each and then we showed them that you can eat them. Well . . . . that was it!! They stood while Matt filled their buckets and just ate berry after berry. Chloe wouldn't even let him put a berry in her bucket with the green tops on at all, so it was easier for her to eat them. Carly started crying as I was putting berries in her bucket. I think she thought she had to eat everything in the bucket, so she was getting upset that she wasn't going to be able to empty out her bucket! It was so funny how upset she was that she wasn't going to be able to eat them all. So needless to say, Matt went strawberry picking and Carly and Chloe ate strawberries. Harper picked some too. He would take one bite and then throw it. So he probably ate about 2 whole strawberries the entire time if you add up all the little nibbles out of each one!

Grandpa brought Reilly too, so she was working very hard filling her bucket. They all had a great time. My kids were so tired they all wanted to go to bed when they got in the car (Harper fell asleep) - all that eating wore them out!