Not Typical but Funny

We don't really have many students with mullets - okay maybe a few parents though. One of our teachers bet this kid to get one. He looks "good"?????

Front View


Side View:


And the lovely ponytail!!!

Can You Believe It??? - 4 years!

Can you believe that my sweet "little" pickle is almost 4 years old???? We had her party today and what started out as a small gathering ended up being big! Aunt Linda had her grandkids with her which was AWESOME!!! Ally had so much fun playing with her cousin - Abby. At bedtime, she apologized for the BIG mess in her room. Drew was also mad that his "friends" (or cousins Sam and Alex) was gone when he woke up from his SHORT nap. It was a beautiful windy day just like the day ALMOST 4 years ago when we brought her home - except no rain, sleet or snow!

Cool Slideshows

Who Dresses These Kids????

I think that my kids' style comes from their Daddy -

Drew's Bedtime Attire

Ally's Playing School

Wedding Day!

I have neglected to get these pictures up earlier, but here goes. It was a great day. The only bad thing was Jared losing the keys to the car - EVERYONE was looking for them. They finally showed up on the last day of their honeymoon in his backpack which I know that Jason and I both looked in twice! Someday I will get their wedding slideshow uploaded too and you can enjoy lovely pictures of Allison growing up and some "great" picts of Jared too!

Cool Slideshows

Ally is Brilliant???

I never remember all the funny things Ally says, but I love reading about GMan and Sage's funny mommy comments.

This isn't my story, but Jason's and I continue giggling about it....

Jason - Are you pooping?
Ally - Am I making a squeezing face?
Jason - Yes
Ally - Does that mean I am pooping?
Jason - I don't know. few seconds pass, Ally jumps down...
Ally - Tadaaa! Showing him her sucess!

Both of our kids like to show off their sucessessssss!

Opinions???

I have tried to match Ally's belt to the tiny piece of fabric that the kind ladies at the bridemaids dress shop gave Allison. Man you think that could spurge and give them more than a one inch by one inch to go out and match things to since they are spending a FORTUNE there!

The girls' dresses are a deep eggplant color, but I have yet to find any tool that is that color so I have attempted with the light purple (it is not blue like in the picture) and hope that it will match. What do you think of the back bow because I don't want to sew.


You can't see our new ballarina type shoes, but after visiting 5 stores I finally found one that had more than one option. You would think with Easter that white shoes would be everywhere but no! So if you need pretty white little girl's shoes go to Payless and don't bother with Wal-mart, Kohls, Famous Footwear or JC Penneys!

How Many in the Clown Car?

Thanks to our blessed old neighbor, Lori - we have this great $2 car which our kids fit over everyday. They were being kind to each other the other day and wanted to ride together in the Flinestone type car. Ally thought they would fit better if Drew would ride on the inside????

Juice Box Break

Goodness!!! Ally has watched a few episods of Little Einstein. At the end or in the middle of the show they have to take a juice box break. When we were in Wal-mart spending our weeks fortune we had to get some. I think that I am asked at least 3 times a day for a juice box break.

This break consisted of a piece of cheese too - not just in Drew's hand but also on his face!

Another Pleasant Day at Wal-Mart

Do you ever say - my kid will NEVER look like that one? Do you ever wonder why in the world parents allow their kids to dress themselves and promise to yourself that you won't let it happen to you???? Pretty sure that was me several years ago and now - ahhh who cares. I rationalize this by saying my kid is an individual!

The other night we were blessed with TWO kids that felt the need to dress themselves. I wanted a better picture in the house but as you can tell by Drew's face it wasn't working out.

Ally's outfit: Her yellow winter PJs from last winter (2T and she is in a 4T now) which also only go to her mid-calf. Her black princess boots with rhinestones. Her purple coat - still chilly out with her brothers black gloves with skateboarders on them and her RED cowboy hat.

Drew's outfit: He had taken his PJs off and put his regular clothes back on, but wore his black rubber boots with pants tucked into them. He carried a hammer and a VERY holy cowboy hat - (sorry I don't know how to spell).

Jason wanted to dress to the nines also but I wouldn't let him. We looked just like all the other rednecks in Wal-mart that night!

WERD! (backwards)

Drew is WE(i)RD. This little guy always has to have some kind of boots on and a hat. His poor cowboy hat gotten by Jason in Mexico has officially died. We have to figure out a way to sneak it in the trash. I don't think it will be too hard since it "sticks" Drews head when he wears it.

Many days we are lucky to get out of the house without a fight on wearing tennis shoes instead of Ally's princess boots or our rubber farm boots. Usually whatever hat is desired goes to school with us - either the hard hat or the cowboy hat.

Baby Shaelynn Update

I haven't posted all of what has been going on with this precious baby, but here is an update. I talked to one of her aunt's on Friday after she went home. I am sure they are exhausted. Please continue to pray for them!

March 04, 2007 at 04:25 PM CST
Shaelynn is sleeping now and has been all day. She has been given a lot of drugs and after the seizures that can really wipe a person out. She was also low on her blood counts so she had a transfusion this morning and she is already looking more pink. They think a combination of all of that could have caused these seizures. She has had no more and she did have another fever about 2 hours ago so that is good that no seizure was with it this time. They feel that they have gotten her levels at a therapeutic level so that she will not have anymore fevers but we are still watching her carefully.
Please pray that she won't have anymore and that her left side will regain all of its strength. She did move her left leg and cross it over her right and she has moved her hand and arm a little bit but weaker than what was usual. That is all expected though.
Thanks for all the prayers. We will be here for sure until Monday just because they have to grow out cultures in her blood and nasal secretions at 24, 48, and 72 hours to make sure she does not have a serious infection.
We will try to keep you all posted.
Love and In Him who holds us STRONG,
The Kelly's


27 March 03, 2007 at 07:11 PM CST
There's been a slight bump in the road. Shaelynn had to go back up to the University of Iowa Hospitals and be readmitted today at about 3:30 p.m.. She started running a temperature at around 1 p.m. that wouldn't break and she was acting very sleepy again. When they got to the hospital she had a seizure that lasted a couple of minutes. She is settled in now and is on seizure medicine. Her fever has been going down since they arrived and they are taking cultures to make sure she doesn't have a major infection. Praise the Lord that the seizure happened at the hospital, not at home, and that she has a private room at the hospital so that Sam, Drew, & Shaelynn can get some good rest tonight. She will be in the hospital for at least another 3 days. Please pray that Shaelynn doesn't have anymore seizures and that all the cultures come back negative. Also pray that her fever breaks and doesn't come back. Hopefully they will all be home soon with Shaelynn feeling better.
Aunt Calie


26 March 02, 2007 at 01:07 PM CST
Some more great news, we get to go HOME!!!!! Shaelynn got her stitches out this morning and now we're just waiting on prescriptions and teaching. We will hopefully be home by late afternoon.
Talk to you all soon and maybe see you soon.
Love,
The Kelly's
PS: Prayers could be for Drew and I to know exactly what Shaelynn needs and symptoms once at home and for the chemo to be effective. She will get another CT scan on March 13th.


25 March 01, 2007 at 09:53 PM CST
A BIG THANK YOU!!! We are continuing to receive cards daily from family, friends, and even people we barely know or don't know at all. We are truly amazed and thankful at everyone's generosity with money, gift cards, and especially the sweet prayers of little children praying for our family and Shaelynn. We are totally seeing God at work through all everyone is doing and he is continually providing for us in ways that we could never have imagined.
Thanks to ALL!!!
We are blessed to have a loving family, loving friends, and a loving community (all over the globe).
Love and good night,
Drew, Sam, and Shaelynn Sue
PS: Shaelynn is sleeping very soundly this evening.


24 March 01, 2007 at 01:27 PM CST
Hooray!!! Shaelynn has her ventriculostomy out. It came out around 11:30 and I have been holding her ever since. It is now 1:25 and she is down in her bed again trying to take a nap. They are going to watch her now in the PICU I think for at least 24 hours and then I think tomorrow possibly if she does well we could go to the regular Peds floor for at least 24 hours and then hopefully home. This all depends on how she tolerates everything.
Have a great afternoon.
PS: Drew has left the hospital with a friend, Brian Stone, and his wife Patty is here with Shaelynn and I. This is Drew's second time getting out so it is great that he is gone for a bit.
Loves,
The Kelly's

Ally's Pretty Dress

Allison and Jared's wedding is in less than 2 weeks!!! I have finally taken picts of Ally's dress. Mom and I are talking about what we can do to spiff it up. I have to change the belt - red wouldn't look good with bridesmaids dresses that are eggplant. She loves to spin and fall on the ground in a heap of tool!