New E-mail Address

I have changed my e-mail address. I am preparing now for our move this summer and we will have to change then, so I will start the changing now. My new address is

askjnmlewis@gmail.com

To make it a bit more simple, it's the first letter of all our names in order (Aaron, sassy, Kennie, Jusin, Nate, Maggie and our last name.) If you would please make the change now, there will be less stress (ya right) when we move. I have forwarded my sbcglobal account, so I will still get them!

Thanks!

Another Amazing Moment

Kennie came home today and proudly announced that he won the spelling bee in his class today. He was very excited! (There were 2 kids in the class that correctly spelled every word they have done this year. Kennie and MacKenzie. MacKenzie is his special "girl" friend. He blushes every time he talks about her. He even gave her the T-Rex Valentines day card. She gave him one that said I followed my heart and it led me to you!)

Also, every Friday, they do a timed addition math sheet. The goal is to be able to do all 25 addition problems on their sheet in 1 minute. They started doing this 3 weeks ago. Last Friday, Kennie did 25 out of 25 (and all were correct) and had his pencil down before the minute was up. He found out that in a month, they will start doing subtraction time tests and his goal is to be able to do all 25 the first time they do their time test. Good luck Kennie!

Kennie, you are the best!

Priceless

4 nights in the hospital
horrible hospital food
Lumbar Puncture
4 IV sights
4 am blood pressure checks
2 visits from the kids
1 MRI
1 MRA
3 EKG's
1 pulse they couldn't bring down
1 CT scan
4 antibiotics
1 steroid
4 different pain meds
3 different anti-nausea meds
0 showers (YIKES!!)
1 bouquet of flowers (thanks Megan!)

being at home with my husband and kids: priceless!!

The short story: I ended up in the ER on Sunday night. They decided to admit me because my EKG's were abnormal and my heart was racing and they couldn't bring it down. First, they thought I had Meningitis. So, at 2 am, I had a Lumbar Puncture (ouch!). That came back fine. no Meningitis. So, they thought it was MS. They have since ruled out MS. What now? We have no clue. They finally discharged me Thursday Evening after I told them I could be in pain and nauseated at home with my family. There's the short story.

I need to say thank you to my AWESOME Relief Society Friends. My kids and husband were taken care of and I didn't have to worry about a thing. I am so thankful the Lord has surrounded me with such amazing women. I don't know what I would have done without you. I will never be able to express my thanks enough. Please just know that from the bottom (and top) of my heart, I thank you. Also, thank you for all the prayers on my behalf. I have a firm testimony in the power of prayer. Thank you for all your love and support!!!

Sassy

Smart Kid

Kennie brought home a "Diagnostic Report" yesterday. It was results of some testing the did a few weeks ago. I was pretty impressed by his results, so I thought I would post them. The test measures his reading ability. Kennie is reading at a 2.7 level. What does this mean? He is reading equivalent to a 2 grade 7th month. Is national percentile rank is 94%. What does this mean? He scored greater than 94% of students nationally in the same grade. To be on grad level, right now he should be reading at a 1.5 level to be reading on grade level.

They also gave them a test to test their early literacy skills. Here is how Kennie scored. I put the goal before the end of 1st grade in parenthesis.

• Phoneme Segmentation (click here to learn more) - Kennie scored a 47!! (goal is 35)
• Nonsense Word Fluency (click here to learn more) - Kennie scored 141!! (goal is 50)
• Oral Reading Fluency (click here to learn more) - Kennie scored 127!! (goal is 20)

You go Kennie. He is my rock star!! Keep up the good work!!

My plumbing class

About 2 weeks ago, the Young Men's president in our ward called and asked me for a favor. He needed me to help the Young Men make Valentines for the Young Womens (our AWESOME young men came up with the idea all on their own!). He said he was just going to show up with some scissors and construction paper. Of all things!!

His wife told him he needed to call me. So, he called me and asked for my help. One catch, the young men didn't want the young women to know. So, to create a cover, they told everyone they were going to do a plumbing class. So, he asked if I could teach the Priests & Teachers about "plumbing." Okay. Totally funny.

We did 50, so I needed it to be fast and easy. Totally loved this idea. I got it from Jeanette Lynton's blog. You can click on it under the buisness links. Let me know if you have questions. You usually don't go wrong with suckers and the youth!

Used: More To Adore b&t, Cocoa Cardstock, Hollyhock Cardstock, Cocoa Ink Pad, Dream Big stamp set, Cocoa Ribbon and Cricut.

Have you ever been??

We were on our way to dinner Thursday night and we were playing a different version of our favorite game, "I'm thinking of an animal" called "I'm thinking of a state." It was Justin's turn.

In this story - J (Justin), A (Aaron), G (Grandma B.), K (Kennie) and S (Sassy).

J - "I'm thinking of a state..."
K - "Ohio."
J - Nope
K - "Texas."
J - "Nope"
A - "Utah."
J - "Nope."
A - "What letter does it start with?"
J - "N."
G - "New ...(enter one of the new states)
J - "Nope"
S - "Nebraska"
J - "Nope" Is this getting old to anyone else??? It sure is to me.

We go through all the N states and Aaron says this:

A - "Justin, that's all the N states. Give us another hint."
J - "Someone we know lives there."
S - Getting a clue into a 4 year olds mind, "Is it the North Pole?"
J - "YES!! You got it mom! It's the North Pole?

So, has anyone ever been to the grand old state of the North Pole?

Another funny note, we were dancing to ipod music last night when Aaron says to me, "I dance like a white doctor." (Not intending to be racist, mind you.)

Then my mom, after watching him dance said, "No, you dance like an OLD white doctor." It was pretty funny!!

8 month Maggie Update

Maggie is 8 months old (Yesterday!). Here is my FAVORITE shot of her. I love it!!

Here are some things about Maggie at 8 months

• She is everywhere. I call her the little inch worm. She hasn't totally figured out how to move her arms (although she is close).
• She still has big eyes!
• She loves her mama! (Even more since her procedure)
• She weighs 14 lbs. (below the 5%)
• She LOVES bread. She will eat several slices in one sitting
• She usually takes 2 good naps (1-2 hours) per day
• She still gets up way to much at night
• she can still fit in 0-3 month clothes at her waist but needs the 9-12 months for her length. I bought her 6 month capri's for the summer and the fall right off her waist.
• She wears size 2 diapers (HOORAY!)
• She loves her bath
• She loves Justin
• She gets excited when dad gets home from work!
• Loves to say "BA!"
• Screams like crazy! (Thanks Sol)
• puts everything in her mouth (if you put something in her mouth, she has to take it out and put it back in. Totally funny!)
• Loves to play peek-a-boo - she is REALLY quick to pull something off her head.
• Loves to stand up
• Loves to sit in her high chair and eat the baby puffs and anything we put on her tray!

Seems crazy that in 4 months, my baby will be 1!