PSU Weekend!

We had a great weekend at Penn State. The girls and I drove up after lunch Saturday and stayed on campus at the Nittany Lion Inn (which is right across from Rec Hall where Emma competed). First stop was the creamery for some Peachy Paterno Ice Cream for me, Emma had strawberry and Carey had chocolate. Then we hung out with her other teammates, went to dinner at the hotel and then went to the PSU Women's Gymnastics meet vs. Cornell, Yale and Iowa. It was great. The girls got to go down to the floor and give high fives to the team as they were announced. We saw a perfect 10 that night from a PSU girl on vault! I've been around gymnastics for a longtime and that was the first one I ever saw live! We went back to the Inn, got the team to sign their poster then off to bed. Up at the crack of dawn to get ready for Emma's meet. She had to be dressed and ready by 7:30! Andy traveled up with Keegan (and it's perfectly clear that we will always get a babysitter or one of us will have to miss the meet) to watch Emma compete. She did great! She got a 4th place medal for vault, 5th place for beam and just missed qualifying for states by .25!! Bummer. But she has 2 weeks to clean up her routines and start hitting some of the skills she needs to in order to qualify. We were very proud of her. We then went to Baby's Diner and had some yummy burgers and fries, went to one of the PSU shops next door and got the girls sweatshirts and Keegan a hat he'll never wear and then the girls and I stayed to watch the next session because we had our Level 8s and 9s competing. Then we headed back in the downpour. It was a fun weekend!

Carey went to her first soccer practice last Thursday. No scrimmaging just some drills for her. She wants to go this Thursday but she has a book report due so hopefully missing practice might be an incentive for her to get it done by Wednesday (it's due Friday and she's not even done reading the book...sigh).

Next weekend...swim meet.

http://theredmondblog.blogspot.com/

January Infusions Done!

Carey had her first infusion treatments on Jan. 11, 12 and 13. We were first told only an hour or two but they were 6-8 hours each day. Carey did very well (don't you love her face in the picture I took. She didn't want me to take it). She had a slight fever Monday and by Wednesday her calcium levels were low which we knew would happen so she received some calcium before she left. They have everything a kid could want in this room...dvd players, Nintendo DS's and their games, movies, crayons, paper, craft items etc. We met many families who have children with cancer and they were receiving chemo. It's very sad to see and we will continue to pray for all of them.

Carey received many gifts from her friends and swim teammates to help her pass the time while she's there. Keegan made an appearance a couple days to cheer her up. The last day all the chairs were taken with kids getting treatments so I didn't bring him in since the room isn't that big to begin with. Her next treatment is February 9th.

Last weekend I took the girls and 3 friends to the Farm Show. We had fun. It was crowded but we got to eat really good food that's bad for you and watch the high school rodeo and some other events. The Farm Show is held in January every year and farmers from all over the state come out for a week long event. You can watch it on PCN.

Emma has a gymnastics meet this weekend in Hanover. No swim meets for 2 weekends but we have gymnastics meets this weekend and next. Our tree is still up and probably will be until after gymnastics and swim meets are over. Oh well.

Hope everyone is well and keeping warm. Today it's up in the upper 40s....a heat wave! Haven't had much snow here since mid-December but it's been very cold and windy. Take care everyone.

Jenn

http://www.theredmondblog.blogspot.com/

Happy 2010!

Well, we have high hopes 2010 is going to be a better year than 2009 was! It started out well with Carey swimming her first meet since February 2009. She did great. She won her heat in the 50 meter freestyle and dropped her time by 4 seconds. She finished 2nd in her heat in the 50 meter backstroke and dropped her time by 4 seconds. 50 meter breaststroke she got tired and did not better her time but we were so proud she finished it! She's come a long way since this summer and we just are beaming with pride and joy for her. I posted the video of her 50 free.

Emma did very well too. She bettered her times in the 25 meter freestyle and breaststroke and competed for the first time in the 25 meter butterfly. She had a great time but we are waiting the official results because the butterfly is stroke that many kids get disqualified in and toward the end of her race she got tired and it was hard to see from the stands but she may have flutter kicked. But the fly is very difficult and we thought she did awesome for her first try! She has 2 big gymnastics meets coming up. January 16 she's in Hanover and then the next weekend at State College on PSU's campus for the Nittany Invitational. We are going on Saturday to watch the PSU women's gymnastics meet, spending the night at the hotel on campus and then getting up early for her meet at 8:30 a.m.

Carey has her infusion treatments scheduled January 11, 12 and 13th. Please pray all goes well, she doesn't get sick from the treatment and that the treatment starts working. Before Christmas we saw her nutrionist and eating disorder doctor and they feel with the A.D.D. medicine switch, her weight gain and her eating plan, she doesn't need to see them (unless we feel it's needed). Yay, one less monthly doctor visit! The eating plan has been very difficult to get right for her, and also to make it fair during meal times...everyone needs to finish their plate, which for Emma when it's a meal she's not too happy with (veggies) it can be difficult. Emma usually eats very well and often so sometimes skipping the veggies or maybe not eating everything wasn't a big deal but Carey is made to finish everything (and we have to log it) she has to also. So dinner time usually isn't pleasant in our house. We've been working on it since September and Carey has gained all the weight she lost this summer back and then some. She's been so strong physically and emotionally even though she has kids picking on her about her cheek.

Keegan is REALLY testing his boundaries. Arching his back and throwing himself down when he doesn't get his way is an hourly ritual right now. He also gets very dramatic and covers his face and buries his head. I taught him to say "We are...Penn State" the other day while we were watching the Bowl game. He continues to talk more and more and loves his new Diego toys from Christmas.

We'll keep you posted on Carey's progress and update you on all the kids activities. Happy New Year!!