Updates 08/31/12

Been a while since I did any updating on the girls.  So I figured while I was sitting here at work getting paid, what better time to do it.  :)

Allie Rai has continued to improve greatly. Her stomach issues are rarely even mentioned anymore.  She is gaining weight and is doing great in Gymnastics.  She reached level 3 (Competition Level) and is excited about her first Gym meet.  I would love to give you the date, but I don't know it.  I'll post that later when I ask the Mrs's.  School is going good for her and she loves the additional homework that 5th grade hands out in comparison to 4th.  That is not entirely true, she not excited at all about it. 
We took a trip to Atlanta last weekend to watch our high school football team play in the dome.  That night we took the girls along with Jessica & Shaun (Sister and Brother-in-law) out to Hard Rock Cafe Atlanta.  Well a certain song comes on, and Allie Rai starts dancing in her chair.  The waiter see this and asks her if she wanted to dance, and this kid jumps up, runs out in front of the entire restaurant and literally just breaks it down.  Other waitress's all came over and Allie Rai brought the house down.  When she was done she was given a standing ovation from the crowd.  I have this on video and will load it soon to post.  However i have a picture I can post now...  She is her daddy daughter!!!!




Allie Rai showing off her moves infront of Atlanta

 


Dawn is doing great.  We are a freshman now 9th grade.  Yaa! Cheerleading has started and I believe their first game is next week.  She will be cheering for 9th and 10th grade this year.  Won't be long and she will be cheering for Varsity Packers. 
We have another boyfriend.  Again, I can't begin to express my excitement there.  He seems like a nice kid.  This one is year younger.  I like that.  He also seems easily intimidated.  I like that too!  I really like that.  If the relationship makes it past the 3 week mark then I will pull the "DADD" speech out of my box to speeches and hand him one.  I will explain to him that it is in his best interest to hold on to that speech, and learn it, live it, love it.  Because I only give nice ones once. 

Mandy is going great.  Still hot and still putting up with me.  Nothing new there..

Other news:  Mandy and I will be flying out to Idaho Sep 19th to check out the area.  We are still on the fence about what we want to do.  I feel like a trip out there will probably give us a better idea of what we are facing.  I will give updates on this at a later date.  This should be interesting.  Neither of us has ever flown.  We will be flying out of Tallahassee to Atlanta, from Atl to Salt Lake, then from Salt Lake to Idaho Falls.  I'm sure I'll be fine.  Mandy on the other hand.. well that is to be determined.. 

Pictures from Atlanta last weekend.

Allie Rai & Dawn



Dawn, Ava (My Niece) and some good looking fella..



Dawn & Mandy

 

Sports Forum

For those of you that are big high school sports fans, I have created a high school sports forum for all Georgia Sports.  Several members have joined so far from Colquitt, Coffee, Valdosta/Lowndes & Tift areas.  Good place to find out some info on your teams or rivals.  Check it out or register for free and join the conversations. 

      http://www.gahighschoolsports.net/

Bragging A Little!!

Just wanted to say that Allie Rai received the "Overall Best Cheerleader" at the end of cheer camp today.  The top award.  But seriously, who is surprised.  She is her daddy's daughter. 

Allie Rai Update 06/04/12

Allie Rai's fever finally broke around Thursday late.   We are assuming the Doctors must have gotten it right the first time this time.  Her energy level really came back Friday morning as well as her appetite.  She was so tired of being in the house and so anxious to get out and do something we took her out to eat.  Probably not the smartest thing to do on our part but we did it anyway.  You could tell she was back to her old self again.  Thankfully the virus didn’t aggravate her IBS “much”.  By the end of the weekend she again at 100%.  You can always tell with Allie Rai when she is feeling good because you can NOT get a word in edge ways.  Yap Yap Yap Yap Yap.. (She gets that from her mother). 

Sunday After Church, Feeling good at the Cracker Barrel

Allie Rai Update

The past year Allie Rai has had little to no flare ups with her IBS.  It's amazing how soon you get comfortable in not having to think about doctor visits nearly all the time.  Last night was a reminder to me how lucky we have been in the last year with her. 

Around mid-morning yesterday Mandy gets a call from the YMCA saying that Allie Rai had started throwing up.  Mandy gets her and keeps an eye on her most of the afternoon.  When I got home from work Allie Rai's temp had reached 103.2 and off to the ER we went.  We arrived at the hospital around 6:00pm or so.  Her temp was still hanging around 102.5 at this time.  They immediately give Allie Rai an I.V....
 (as a side note, they bring in a second nurse when sticking I.V.'s in children.  I assume this is in case the child goes nuts one of the nurses can help to hold them still.  They were completely amazed when the nurse stuck Allie Rai and asked if she was ok and Allie Rai smiled at her while watching them put in the IV.  They bragged and bragged and couldn’t believe how well she takes IV.  To them it’s amazing, to me it’s just plain sad.  This kid has had so many IV's in the past years that it’s almost second nature to her to have to have them.  I don’t find that amazing at all.  It just breaks mine and Mandy's heart.)
 
Anyway after urine cultures and blood work they are "saying" that she has come down with a very bad virus.  They allowed us to go home around 10:30 or so, however during the night her temp spikes again.  She is having trouble keeping her Gatorade down, constantly in the bathroom, and running high fever.  Mandy is with her today, as I will be tomorrow if her condition does not improve.  I am hoping they are right the first time and it will only be a virus.  However it makes me nervous and I'm hoping this doesn’t aggravate her IBS.  However she is starting to complain of abdominal pains.  I will keep updating as I see necessary.

You never get use to seeing this....






What else can you do?



Keaton Beach Fishing Trip 05/20/12

My brother-in-law bought himself a new boat a few weeks back and asked if we would join them to test it out on his maiden voyage.  We loaded up and headed to Keaton Beach.  Surprisingly everything went pretty smooth.  Boat ran great and no children were lost at sea.  I wish I could tell you about the massive number of fish we caught, but neither Shaun (Brother-n-Law) nor I had ever fished there.  One fish was brought into the boat.  A 6" rock bass caught by my 4yr old niece Ava.  Dawn had the same (little bigger) but decided to hold it over the side when she got it to the boat and it got off.  Her expression and temper that followed losing her fish makes me nervous that she might not be a happy fisherman.  Either way we had a great time.  Made a few good pictures and look forward to the next trip. 

Headed Out! 

Capt "No Find Fish"

Allie Rai & Ava enjoying the ride.

Dawn fighting that missive 1 1/2 lb Rock Bass.



Hott Momma




Dad trying to explain the art of looking good while fishing.



Allie Rai

Dawn and Daddy!

 

Dawn on American Idol (Maybe)

I don’t know how much you guys keep up with American Idol.  If you’re like me your wife and kids take it a little more serious.  However, I have to admit I have kept up with it a little more this year than before.  The one guy "Phillip Phillips" from Leesburg is the family favorite.  Dawn adores him and Mandy would probably leave me for him.  Ha.  Don’t know why that’s funny.
Anyway, he made it to the finial 3, this is where the remaining 3 singers left get to go home to what they call a "hero's welcome".  They throw parades; have a concert and people from all over come to see this. 
Dawn and Mandy head out around 8:00 am.  There hopes are to avoid the parade and go straight to where his concert will be held at the high school football field.  On the way they hear him on the radio.  Mandy pulls over gets directions as they are entering Albany and shoots over to the radio station in hopes to see him up close.  Well they make it in time and get closer than they had expected.
Dawn not only gets his autograph but is standing at the window of his limo, talking to him with an American Idol camera pointing dead in her face filming it.  See photo below....



If you notice, that is Dawns head in the bottom of the photo talking thru the limo window, Phillip signing autographs and if you look to the right you will see the camera filming it.  I must add that the 450lb body guard / bouncer was the only one able to remove Dawn before she had finished her conversation.

After the "Oh My Goodness I can't believe that just happened you have to call dad and everyone we know in Moultrie and tell them oh my oh my oh my" moment they had they then start to the concert site.
Here again, they are hoping to at least get to where they can see him perform.   Well as luck has it for these two googly eyed chicks, they somehow make their way to the front of the crowd and are now right in front of the stage. 
After the show had begun, there was a quiet moment where they were handing him an award or something (this is what I'm told) Dawn decides to break the silence of the crowd to yell "PHILLIP I LOVE YOU"!!!!!  To which everyone in the crowd and on stage stop and turn towards Dawn.  Again, this is another possible opportunity for Dawn to be recognized on Television.  I can't begin to tell you how proud I am. 

Anyway, Dawn and Mandy hope (and dream) that this Wednesday they may be shown during the show as they are showing the homecoming for all the singers.  So keep an eye out for Dawn and Mandy if you check out the show Wednesday night. 
This could be Dawns debut on national Television.  So she hopes.