Catching up, part 2

I'm still working at catching up after Halloween week.  Am I the only one that was exhausted after all that craziness?  We were busy every night and by Friday it caught up to Hunter.  He is feeling better now, but ran 102 fever all last weekend.  His body just isn't ready to go nonstop.  This week he switched to twice weekly physical therapy instead of three times a week.  Now that he's graduated occupational therapy, he is only at West Texas Rehab two hours a week, which is a big improvement from the seven hours he's been going for the last six months.  That's one more morning a week he can be at work.

We had trunk or treat at church on Wednesday, and last minute we decided to decorate our trunk.  I love a good family theme!  Bonus when you have all the costumes already and don't have to buy anything!  Props to Erinn for her duct tape work on the field and her shirt, and also to Honey for the ACU football costumes that got a lot of use this year:)   

2015  Go Wildcats!

Itty bitty Toy Story boys 2011

Duck Commanders 2012

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2013

We also hit up the pumpkin patch between school and soccer practice.  Nana got the boys pumpkins, and they were feeling like posing, as long as they were in charge!  

Sadie was doing lots of loving on poor Hank!

This may not look like much to you, but Hunter finally brought his boots with him to therapy to learn how to put them on with his decreased ankle strength and mobility.  I had tried just about every pair he owned multiple times without success.  I'm guessing that this would only be a therapy issue in Texas!  Hunter was so happy he even agreed to a picture;)

It's the little things!  He said his boots had been missing him.

Hunter is still working on balance and coordination at therapy.  He looks a lot better than the last time he tried this exercise! 

 He's been having trouble firing his right glute (hiney) muscle when he walks.  His back and hip are stronger and have just taken over the job of lifting his leg.  Jodi figured out that his nerve was the problem, so they've been doing exercises specifically to target this muscle and retrain it to work properly.  It's already improved!

one legged hip raises

Benton has been asking to go to a high school football game.  We haven't been to a game since we graduated high school.  Our friends had a "win and you're in" to the playoffs, so the boys and I sat down in the stands with our nachos, frito pie, and pretzels only to have the game delayed for storms in the area.  We had a little picnic dinner in the back of my car, but eventually the boys got too wild and we left.  Hunter was already home sick, and I just had to laugh at our adventure.

 Saturday morning I attempted to put together a gingerbread haunted house for the boys to decorate that I had on hand from last year.  After multiple wall collapses, they all just had a little section for themselves.

 Then we attempted to carve our giant pumpkins.  Hunter got out of bed for a few minutes to join us.  These were seriously the hardest pumpkins ever.  It took me forever to get the tops off.  Hunter carved Clayton's request then had to go back to lay down.  Caleb refused to get dirty from the guts and abandoned ship, but Benton really wanted me to carve his.  After sawing for about 10 minutes I had to break it to him that it wasn't happening.  I finally convinced him to paint his, but then none of the paint I had would cover.  By the time the evening rolled around, we are all frustrated by our attempts that didn't work out. #reallife  

 I sent the boys upstairs to the costume bucket, and they were all very happy with their choices of a hot dog, and 2 spidermen.

1st stop, Honey and Poppa's.  Harper the old lady was hilarious!

Then on to my grandparents, 

Aunt E's neighborhood, 

and on to the fire station to see Uncle Michael.

I'm sad to admit this, but I was ready for the boys to go to school on Monday!  Right before I picked them up from school, I watched this youtube video posted on a friend's facebook wall.  It stopped me in my tracks and changed my attitude of what's really important this holiday season!  This video is in Spanish, but it has subtitles and is well worth the two minutes!  Our week was so much better.  

 We did a lot more of just being together doing the simple stuff this week rather than the "Pinterest" kind!

 I got to tag along with the twins on a field trip to May Farm.  We had the best time on the hay ride, feeding and holding the animals, and riding the horse.

Precious memories!

 We have also enjoyed the fall weather!  These boys were cracking me up.  They gathered all the acorns they could find from our front yard, then put them all on the trampoline and bounced all around. I asked if it was hurting their feet, but that didn't stop them one bit!  Boys will be boys!

This weekend has been circled on Hunter's calendar for a long time.  Not because of Benton's soccer tournament, but rather opening of deer season.  In fact, in our family it could be considered it's own holiday.  I've packed our bags to spend the "holiday weekend" at Nana and G-Daddy's to celebrate.  All kidding aside, we have much to celebrate and be thankful for this year!  Please continue to pray for Hunter's nerves to heal, and for his pain to resolve!