Impromptu Date

Friday, Uncle Dan reached out to invite Bennett to accompany him to a University of Alabama gymnastics meet against Missouri.  Of course she jumped at the opportunity to go with him!  Our children love some Alabama sports, and love hanging with their Uncle Dan who spoils them like crazy!  When I asked her what they talked about on the way down, she said "I don't know...he asked me about school and I talked for 15 minutes, then I asked him something and he talked for 5 minutes, and then he asked me another question and I talked until we got there.  I guess I talked a lot."

She had a blast watching the pros, and loved getting to meet and take pictures with many of the team members after the meet.  Walker and I were asleep when she got home, but I loved hearing about the fun she had the next day.  She got a ton of autographs, and one of the gymnasts even gave Bennett her flowers (which she quickly put in water).  She had a great time, and we thank Uncle Dan for the fond memories!

Update on Walker's Burns

July 5th - after shower, before bandage

After Walker got burned, he was given strict instructions to stay inside and keep his wounds clean.  The burn unit told us, if we could keep bandages on him for the first 10-14 days, that would be the best case scenario for minimizing infection and optimizing the healing.  We bribed him heavily, and he was thankfully very cooperative.  However, things needed to be adjusted.  He couldn't attend summer school anymore, he couldn't play outside or go swimming, and had to minimize his activity some so the bandages would actually stay on.  Walker did great until his follow-up appointment mid July.  I didn't work, and we just did puzzles, watched movies and colored....A LOT.

Thankfully they gave us the "all clear" at his follow up visit so we could still go on our Midwest road trip.  We just needed to minimize his time outside, and when he is outside, he needs to have SPF 50 on all wounds, and wear a baseball cap to protect his scalp.  Since he had lost all of his hair along his burn, it looked weird anyway, so he happily wore his cap.

July 13th - face healing nicely and still smiling

July 13th - no scab yet

About 4-6 weeks after his accident, the scars on his face were only visible after he got hot and flushed.  And 6 months later, I am happy to not see anymore redness or evidence of the burns on his face, chest and arm.  But sadly he still doesn't have hair growth on his scalp, in fact skin continues to come off when I brush his hair.  I am still hoping to see new hairs, but the doctors said it could take a full year for the healing process to be complete.  However, after speaking to several other doctors, I am not optimistic.  They don't think his hair will regenerate because they think the burn was just a little deeper than originally diagnosed, hence the lack of complete healing.

July 21st - still redness on face and scalp starting to scab

Aug 24th - occasionally bleeding and healing still

Jan 21st - still not 100% and no hair at crown

Whose Birthday Is It Anyway?

This year, Myra's birthday fell on the day of the national championship game (which Bama won).  Since Louis, Dan and Maria all attended the game - we postponed birthday celebrations until the following weekend.  On Sunday, Jan 14th we celebrated the lady in charge of the Mizeranys.  However, coming off Christmas and Walker's two birthday "parties," Walker was obsessed with opening her presents for her.  In fact, he knew exactly what he wanted to give his Mimi!

Sharpie Markers!

Metallic sharpies and the really fat one! 

He was thrilled to find the "flat sharpie markers," the metallic ones and the largest sharpie made that he has been talking about for months.  Walker was confident that Mimi would be so excited to receive them too. (Ha!)  When he got home, he and Steve wrapped them up.  Then as soon as we arrived at her house, he couldn't wait to "help" her open her present.  After dinner, Dan got out the cake and Walker was insistent on "helping" her blow out her candles too.

Though you might have thought it was yet another birthday celebration for Walker, it wasn't.  It was Mimi's 83rd birthday, and we all wish her the happiest birthday!

Happy 4th Birthday Walker!

Every year Walker's birthday sneaks up on us, and we forget to plan a birthday party.  Last year was probably the worst one with Steve, Bennett and Preston home recovering from surgeries.  I vowed to make this year's birthday better.  However, with the big day just 5 days after Christmas, I found myself unmotivated and tired.  We did ask him what he wanted to do though, and tried to make his day special.  Thankfully he is young, with little expectations.


This December 30th, we started our morning by Walker tearing into all of his birthday presents.  Then we sang "Happy Birthday" to him, and allowed him to have chocolate cake for breakfast (because that is what he wanted).  Walker didn't want to share any of his cake, so he was the only lucky one to start off the day with a plate of sugar (which actually made it a little more special)!

Swinging on trapeze

Then we all got dressed and headed to Surge Trampoline Park to get out some of that energy!  The place was dead for the first hour, and the big kids did a great job entertaining him.  He did the trapeze, and jumped and dove off of multiple trampolines.  Walker had a ball!

Diving like a champ!

After Surge, we went to lunch at Chick-fil-A and then came home for a short nap.  That afternoon Miller came over to play with him, and then we headed to Leah & Fletcher Smith's house for a fun dinner!  Even though there wasn't a big party, Walker received calls from those who love him, and he was with friends and family all day.....which to him is all that mattered.  I promised him there will be a party, perhaps this summer when his Christmas presents are old and the weather is warm!  We love our little guy, and he know it.  Here's to an awesome year Walker!  We all love your spunky personality.  You definitely think you are the boss of the family, and your love for sharpie markers and anything art is still going strong!  So glad you received everything to make your office complete!  Happy 4th Birthday big guy!

Christmas 2017

Uncle Dan with all grandkids

Like previous years, we celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve with the Mizeranys.  We went over and ate dinner, and then we all gathered around the tree and began tearing into all of the presents once Maria got off work.  Walker racked up, with a ridiculous amount of presents (because everything was individually wrapped).  He loved opening them, almost more than the contents.  Bennett got a new American Girl doll, the first boy doll, and all of the accessories for him, and cash from Mimi and Papa.  Preston got more baseball and football cards, games for his xbox and Nintendo ds, a Tom Brady jersey and cash.  Walker got a couple of Star Wars costumes, with all of the accessories, a nerf gun (so he can fight Preston), a variety of markers and cash. 

Of course, Uncle Dan was more than generous with all us, and Michelle and Goo spoiled all of our kids.  Our children had a great first round of Christmas, and had to open their gifts there!  Here are some of our favorite pictures.

Dr Mizerany giving Maria a shot

Once we got home, the children dispersed their reindeer food, and hit the bed.  

Christmas morning started nice and early like every year.  As we always do, we make the children all wait together until everyone is awake and we are ready.  Around 8am, my parents, Steve and I went into the living room and recorded the kids opening their gifts.  They all seemed genuinely excited with what Santa brought them. 

autographed Derrick Henry football card

super excited with her new chromebook!

What was Santa thinking, a trumpet?!

We didn't give them much under the tree, since we are taking them skiing in Park City in February.  However, we did send them on a little scavenger hunt...

They were SUPER excited to learn they are going to Disney for a couple of days, and then a Disney cruise with the Bantas next Thanksgiving.  A long way away, but they get to get passports and now have two trips to look forward to in 2018.  Christmas, part 2, was a success!

"Captain Underpants" wasn't naked, though it appears that way.

Our final Christmas, with my side of the family, started when Brian and his family all arrived shortly before lunch.  Having all of the kids together is always fun.  My parents really wanted each child to take turns opening presents so they could see everything they were receiving, but that went out the window after Walker opened his first present.  Being so young, he has no patience, and wants to keep opening all presents once he get started.  We were all in a sea of wrapping paper, and everything was opened within 20 minutes!  It was very hard to get pictures because it all happened so fast, and I was trying to see what our kids were receiving too.  Once again, they were spoiled by my parents and the Banta family.  Walker received more costumes, light sabers, more art supplies, a new bike helmet, sled and cash.  Bennett received a children's cookbook, a monogrammed apron, a Starbucks gift card (she loves their frappuccinos), some clothes, a sled and cash!  Preston received more games for his xbox and ds, another football jersey, a basketball, sled and cash.  The Bantas gave each child a special date....Pres is going to the lake for the weekend to learn how to wakeboard with an instructor and all, Bennett is going to lunch and getting a pedicure with Aunt Shannon, and Walker gets to show off his mad art skills at Do it Yourself Crafts!  They will all have a blast, I know....and they will have memories to last them a lifetime. 

how cute are they?  hiding from the big kids during nerf gun fight.

laughing while dancing to "Just Dance"

enjoying their electronics!

We enjoyed a lovely dinner (beef tenderloin, mac and cheese and a salad).  The day was so nice.  We are so incredibly lucky to have all of our family with us over Christmas!  We all had a blast, and the kids have so many new items to enjoy for months, and sweet memories of spending time with their grandparents and cousins.

Christmas Came Early in Birmingham

One weekend it was 70 degrees, and five days later it snowed 3 inches in Birmingham!  You have to love the weather in the south.  The weatherman said there was a chance, so the schools cancelled school the night before (just in case).  There was lots of excitement from the kids knowing they now had a three day weekend (even if it didn't snow).

Friday morning, Steve and I were still in bed when the kids came running into our room at 7am saying it snowing.  The snowflakes were huge, and it was beautiful.  We watched it start to accumulate from inside, and after a couple of hours there was enough for the kids to really play with, and they were dying to go outside.  Thankfully we have a basement full of ski clothes, so everyone bundled up and headed out.

The kids beloved PE Coach even came over to play with them outside.  All of the neighbor kids were out too.  The group had a blast sledding on a neighbor's small hill, building snowmen, making snow angels, throwing snowballs and eating lots of snow.  The kids went in and out a couple of times, warming up with hot chocolate and sitting by fires, but sadly all of the fun only lasted one day.  Saturday the temperatures rose and the snow melted.  However, we all had fun and are already looking forward to our next unexpected "snow storm."

Beckham loved the snow too!

Pretty impressive for Alabama

Pitiful hill, I know, but the kids had a ball

Leyton and Bennett

Girls with Coach Christian

I loved the snow on the tree branches

Beck catching a snowball