Harms Family News

Well, Natalie is improving, but I finally have some answers as to what was wrong with her. Turns out it was not pneumonia after all. She did end up having a positive test for strep, and the breathing issue, not sure what is causing that, perhaps just her drainage. She is much more energetic today than she has been, and her temperature is NORMAL! It looks like we will be able to visit grandma and grandpa after all at the end of the week. Another excellent thing is that the van is not going to be expensive to fix, it looks like. We took it to a transmission shop, and they couldn't find anything wrong with the transmission. Tim did a little more research and it looks like it's a sensor, which is something he can fix. Praise the Lord! We certainly did not have the $1000+ to fix a transmission! I thoroughly believe God sent the transmission problems in order for us to come home and get Natalie some treatment and let her be home while she was so sick.

Well, we have been having quite the adventure. Natalie's had been running a temp through all of the Christmas festivities. On friday morning before our family picture, I called her pediatrician and they said they've been seeing a lot of strep. There was no way to get her in there before the picture or after we left for Missouri, so I decided to take her to the walk in clinic at Walgreens before our trip. We had family pictures at 10, which turned out great. The large family picture with Tim's whole family is on facebook. After lunch I took her to the walk-in. The Strep test was inconclusive - a bad strip. The lady said she had all of the symptoms so she prescribed the antibiotic. I was very happy, figuring Natalie would be well soon. We left around 4 to head to KC. It was pretty foggy, but it was supposed to get better as we traveled. It did not. It got worse. Then, the van started having serious transmission problems. We got as far as the Iowa 80 truck stop and stopped for...

Here's Natalie playing with daddy in our messy basement playroom. Silly me took the video vertically! Oh well, I thought grandmas and great-grandmas would want to see it anyway.

We've been enjoying a very white December. We got 8 inches Thursday night and another 6 predicted tonight. Natalie made her very first snow angels. She thought the snow was "mmmm, tasty." Here are some pictures. She picked this up and said "This is the Biggest Snowball in the whole wide world!" Megan loved this wrapping paper - it was the foil kind and did not dissolve when wet, so I let her play with it for a while. Natalie enjoyed a birthday party with friends at our local children's museum. Here are some pictures from that. Those buildings are made out of Legos

This morning Natalie told me "I really want my boogers to go away someday." Poor baby! I guess if we were doing Santa in our house that is what she would ask for!

Yes, we are still alive. We're just all a little under the weather. Not sure why, but we seem to be continuing to pass a cold around. It started just after Thanksgiving with Natalie, then she seemed better, but I got it, now she seems a little sick again and Tim is starting to get it and Megan is congested at night. Fun fun! No new pictures, but I am sure many will come as we enter our Christmas festivities. I am dreading Christmas week slightly - it's going to be so busy! On Tuesday we are getting together with Tim's extended family to celebrate his grandma's birthday (90 th ). That is occurring during nap time - yikes. Then Christmas day we do presents and food and such with Tim's sisters and parents. Then Friday we are doing a family picture with everyone (Tim's sisters and parents). Saturday we are leaving for Kansas City so we can see Joey before he leaves on Monday. I am praying we are healthy by then because if we aren't that is going to wipe out my...

I've been tagged by my friend Michelle , and have to follow the rules. Here they are: Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their name as well as links to their blog.Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. 1. I have unrational fears on a regular basis - thinks like my kids being stolen out of my house in the middle of the night. 2. I wanted to be a cheerleader, mom, and teacher when I grew up - two out of three ain't bad! 3. I've always wanted to visit Australia 4. I've traveled all over the world yet have never seen the Grand Canyon or Mt. Rushmore. 5. When my family moved to Massachusetts, I went to six schools in three years - yes, it was bad. 6. I was afraid of my husband when we first met. Guess he got me over that! 7. I'm a complete sci-fi buff. I love Heroes, Stargate (all versions), Star trek, and ...

Today we are staying home, yet again, due to sick Natalie. She's starting to feel better though, and we were putting up Christmas decorations and she found a bucket and stick. She put the bucket on her head and held the stick like a sword and proclaimed herself a "knight." Then she told me a story: "Once upon a time there was a dragon named Brownie. He ate all the teddy bears in his mouth. Then he go to the castle and meet the good knight. The knight tried to find the bears but he chewed them all up in his tummy. The end." here's Megan's first ponytail:

One of my Frugal Mommy blogs is giving away a $100 gift card to Wally World. Check out Common Sense with Money for more information on how to enter.