Christmas and Winter Pics

I'm being lazy this time and not messing with facebook to upload tons of pics at this time anyway... it wastes my time I end up babysitting the computer for a whole day trying to get them uploaded so here are highlights. Above is the Kongable family at Linda's sister's Lana's.

Here are all of Grandma Irene's great grandchildren, Grace, Evan, Easton, Mason, Christian, Isabelle and Sutton. The 3 little boys with the matching sweaters are all brothers, about 19 months apart. (brave momma!) Grace, Mason and Isabelle are 4, Easton is 3, Christian is 2 and Sutton is 1. Christian's birthday is april 8th and Sutton's in april 7. Almost an exact year apart.

They both hammed it up for me, good job little cuties.

Mitch made a little fun of his "thweater" but I really liked it on him, I bought it, he's wearing it. :) I really like this picture of the two of them, and they coordinate.

Love this one of Isabelle!! I have a hard time getting her to relax and show her cuteness on camera so I really was glad to have gotten this!!

Christian's first real time playing in the snow, and even that day he ended up getting stuck in a drift and throwing the HUGEST fit ever. He wouldn't let Isabelle help him and his mitten ended up coming off, he was screaming, rolling around in the snow... it was quite the ordeal...

That's all from me for now!

Here Comes Christmas

Before I forget I want to share with you all a couple funny things the kids have said recently.

Isabelle has the issue of making sure she wipes herself good enough after number two. She is always wanting me to check her but I'm encouraging her on how to know on her own she is clean and do it all herself since she wont' have any help next year in kindergarten. She kept coming out of the bathroom for a "check" one day and I kept telling her to go back in the bathroom, she can't be coming out like that and so on. Christian is by the bathroom door as she goes back and says ," hi poopy buns". I think the worst word he knows is poop, so he trys to get away with saying it unnessesarily.... so so much teaching to be done. :)

Onto more cute quotes. Yesterday, that pampers commercial came on with all the sleeping babies to the song silent night. Isabelle said " awww they are so cute. Can we buy one of those sometime? One that can't walk yet?" ( I had to ask her "is that where babies come from??" she then remembered from mommies bellys, just so you all dont' think we tell her the store or ebay or something!) I suppose I could've said, we can't afford one those right now lol.

We had our christmas together just us on saturday night. Christian got tonka trucks and tools which I was very happy he loved them all, I was right on the button with him. Isabelle however was not as thrilled, I thought she would like this little play laptop thing and polly pocket ( which the polly pocket she did like) the laptop thing was kinda lame, the mouse didn't work like a computer like she's used to an it required some reading and it was just, well kinda lame... she hit me with the dreaded " is this all I get??" which I had to lecture her about appreciation and yada yada but I knew if I had gotten her one thing she actually liked and was more age appropiate she would've appreciated it.... what did we exchange for?? something I've been avoiding that she's been begging for and that she is now super excited about... Moonsand, the castle one, it's cool stuff but Christian got into with her while I was gone and Mitch had the kids and it made a HUGE mess, so the rule is, no little boys named Chirstian may play with Moonsand. Good grief this crud even got in our fridge.... I broke the handle off our little sweeper since the kids had turned it wrong while I was cleaning and I went to turn it right and broke it clean off...darned Moonsand... she is at least enjoying it now at the kitchen table while I have Christian trapped downstairs with me. :)

ok last one and I'm still confused

What is Stomach Flu?
Gastroenteritis, also called stomach flu is an irritation of the stomach and the intestines. It usually goes away (by itself) in a couple of days.
The stomach flu is often called the 24 hour flu because it usually goes away by itself within a couple of days.
Germs which cause stomach flu get into your body through your mouth. Stomach flu usually takes several days for symptoms to appear.
Even though Gastroenteritis is often called the "stomach flu," it is not caused by the influenza viruses.
Symptoms of Stomach Flu
Some of the most common symptoms of Stomach Flu are: diarrhea, fever, headache, dehydration and vomiting. Vomiting and fever may or may not occur, but diarrhea almost always occurs. The symptoms of stomach flu usually takes several days to appear.
What causes Stomach Flu?
Stomach flu is caused by bacteria, viruses and certain parasites. The bacteria, viruses and parasites can be found in soil, wild and pet animals including birds, and humans.
The stomach flu occurs when the germs enter the stomach. Germs that cause the stomach flu usually enter the stomach by mouth.
How Can I Avoid Getting a Stomach Flu?
Since the stomach flu is often spread by putting germs in your mouth, washing your hands is the biggest way you can avoid getting a stomach flu.
Darrhea almost always occurs?? several days incubation???? She hasn't had a bm since tues I think, I'm confused... oh well.. I just a had a triple sneeze and need to go blow my nose.

maybe I am right

The main symptoms of viral gastroenteritis are watery diarrhea and vomiting. Other symptoms are headache, fever, chills, and abdominal pain. Symptoms usually appear within 4 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus and last for 1 to 2 days, though symptoms can last as long as 10 days. [Top]
Causes
The viruses that cause viral gastroenteritis damage the cells in the lining of the small intestine. As a result, fluids leak from the cells into the intestine and produce watery diarrhea. Four types of viruses cause most viral gastroenteritis.
Rotavirus is the leading cause among children 3 to 15 months old and the most common cause of diarrhea in children under the age of 5 years. Symptoms of rotavirus infection appear 1 to 2 days after exposure. Rotavirus typically causes vomiting and watery diarrhea for 3 to 8 days, along with fever and abdominal pain. Rotavirus can also infect adults who are in close contact with infected children, but the symptoms in adults are milder. In the United States, rotavirus infections are most common from November to April.
Adenovirus occurs mainly in children under the age of 2 years. Of the 49 types of adenoviruses, one strain affects the gastrointestinal tract causing vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms typically appear 1 week after exposure. Adenovirus infections occur year round.
Caliciviruses cause infection in people of all ages. This family of viruses is divided into 4 types, the noroviruses being the most common and most responsible for infecting people. The noroviruses are usually responsible for epidemics of viral gastroenteritis and occur more frequently from October to April. Infected people experience vomiting and diarrhea, fatigue, headache, and sometimes muscle aches. The symptoms appear within 1 to 3 days of exposure.
Astrovirus also infects primarily infants, young children, and the elderly. This virus is most active during the winter months. Vomiting and diarrhea appear within 1 to 3 days of exposure.
Viral gastroenteritis is often mistakenly called “stomach flu,” but it is not caused by the influenza virus and it does not infect the stomach. Also, viral gastroenteritis is not caused by bacteria or parasites. For information about bacterial infections, please see the Bacteria and Foodborne Illness fact sheet from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).[Top]
Transmission
Viral gastroenteritis is highly contagious. The viruses are commonly transmitted by people with unwashed hands. People can get the viruses through close contact with infected individuals by sharing their food, drink, or eating utensils, or by eating food or drinking beverages that are contaminated with the virus. Noroviruses in particular, are typically spread to other people by contact with stool or vomit of infected people and through contaminated water or food—especially oysters from contaminated waters.
People who no longer have symptoms may still be contagious, since the virus can be found in their stool for up to 2 weeks after they recover from their illness. Also, people can become infected without having symptoms and they can still spread the infection.
Outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis can occur in households, child care settings, schools, nursing homes, cruise ships, camps, dormitories, restaurants, and other places where people gather in groups. If you suspect that you were exposed to a virus in one of these settings or by foods prepared on the premise of places such as a restaurant, deli, or bakery, you may want to contact your local health department, which tracks outbreaks.
interesting maybe I am right.. 1-3 days of exposure would rule out walmart :) I'm way too into finding out HOW we get these viruses
[Top]

Darn Mom, you may be right...

well I've been argueing with mom that Isabelle has two virus, stomach virus plus a cold... I said, you can't throw up with actual influenza, she argued the contrary, so I looked it up online and found this.
Think You Have the Flu? What Are Flu Symptoms? Know the FACTS
Fever
Aches
Chills
Tiredness
Sudden symptoms
FluFACTS Information
Flu symptoms can be mild or severe — and if they’re mild can become severe without much notice. Be aware of your body and monitor your body temperature. Flu symptoms can come on suddenly — be sure you know your treatment and prevention options so you can be prepared.
The common symptoms of the flu include:
Fever (usually high)
Headache
Muscle aches
Chills
Extreme tiredness
Dry cough
Runny nose may also occur but is more common in children than adults
Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, may also occur but are more common in children than adults
You don’t need to experience all of these symptoms to have the flu.
Isabelle symptoms:
Fever but wants hot bathes
Headache and said she her body hurts
Tired
Vomitted
Nasal
Sore throat complaints but comes and goes
hmmm and we got the flu shot why???????? It seems like with your traditional stomach virus you aren't nasal with a headache and fevering for over 24 hrs....
any imput anyone??
So you're right Mom. :) I think... :)

Sickly Days Are Here Again

Well, Christian and I ended up getting Mitch's cold. Last night was the first night in 4 days that I slept decent without a cough drop in my mouth... (yes I know I sleep with it my mouth, my throat gets too scratchy so I'll risk my life for some sleep) So yesterday I thought I was getting another cold and indeed today I'm sneezing, running and watery eyes... But the real sickness updates lies with Isabelle. Tuesday night she complained of her ears itching, I thought, great the cold... the next morning we set off for groceries and we did fareway and once we got to walmart she said her eyebrows hurt aka she had a headache and was too tired to walk, she rode in the cart through walmart laying her head on the cart. She said it helped to lay, I hurried, she sat by the cart when I loadedup the sacks. I asked her if mcdonalds for lunch sounded good she said yes, but when we got home she went straight into her bed too tired to eat. I asked if she wanted to eat her food in bed, she did so I brought it to her. I went into the kitched to her a drink and she was crying in her room... she had thrown up in her bed "I'm sorry mommy, I didn't mean to" she was running 101 degrees and threw up again an hr later... poor thing, she took and hr nap, which as many of you know, she is not a napper. Anyway she slept through the night but has been couch/bed bound since. I finally got her to take tylenol an hr ago, she said her head hurt...she still had 100 degree fever this morning and has been having a low grade fever since. This is her first stomach virus. So that's our status, this has been ONE SICK year so far... and we hardly go anywhere!!!!!!!! I'm perplexed as to how she caught this virus, unless she picked it up while shopping the wed before but that's a long incubation time....

oh yeah KATIE C. this is for you, it's about TIME you read your BFF's blog. :)

Whoa... Christmas Is Almost Here?

Well we are back in Iowa, we left the red, orange and GREEN trees of Texas for rolling snow covered hills last week. We have not been home a week yet and I've been catching up this whole time!! Paperwork, unpacking, you know the drill of the household duties. Anyway so it was one heck of month in Kansas in November. A lot going on!! Tom and Mara got to stay a few days for Grandma's funeral and that was wonderful to get to spend time with them!! ( Isabelle said yesterday after looking at pictures from the wedding, I want Uncle Tom to come stay at our house for a long time) It was really fun getting to spend time with Bethany this month too we had really never gotten to just do nothing ( or horrific saturday walmarting :)) together. Oh yeah, they (dan and bethany) were married Novebember 30th in TX. :) Her dad is a pastor and married them. He also did Tom and Mara's ceremony and those were my favorite wedding messages and vows I have ever heard, very touching and biblical. I'm a big baby and yes I cried. I'm working on pictures, dial up you know...I am wanting to find highspeed internet for under 30$ a month that stays at that price, I don't want phone or cable tv though. If anyone has any suggestions let me know... maybe I've missed some of my options. I'm sitting here not really knowing what to type because it would be too much info... we got through the trip with no puking yea!! We crushed dramamine and put it in pop or juice for Isabelle and that seemed to do the trick. A lot of driving.. 11 hrs from Hutch to TX where the wedding was. The Lord's hand certainly did carry us through each day because it was a lot of work traveling but there was no way I would miss my brother's wedding!! Mitch has a nasty cold he came down with Friday night... one of those that didn't really get bad till Sunday morning. I can't believe how fast time is going!! When we left after halloween things were green and we weren't wearing coats... we get back and it's full force winter with snow on the ground and lows in the single digits and Christmas is 2 weeks away????????? Mitch will deer hunt the 2 saturdays before Christmas then Christmas extravaganzing begins....why can't we space this out into Jan and Feb?? It's overkill junk going on then nothing in Jan and Feb, except my birthday, our anniversary, and valentine's. But those dont' involve driving south. :) I'm having quite the random thoughts here so I apologize if I'm all over the place. It was really sad for me to leave, I wanted to go back home and you know be a wife ;) but it was hard leaving my parents and family....it doesn't get any easier, I pretty much just relegate myself to the fact that I will be hugging my parents while crying when saying goodbye. It was hard for me to initially step foot out the front door for the last time for a while...Mom had to say " you can do it" :)
So if you all could just pray that all of my family and extended could move to Iowa that would be great. :)
Wedding Pictures