The first snow

Cameron and Morgan were waiting and waiting for Kyle to get home so they could go outside and help him shovel the snow. Since the snow wasn't going to stop anytime soon he decided to wait until tomorrow and took the girls on a ride around the house. It wasn't long before I heard knocking on the door to let them in. Too cold today, try again tomorrow.
Getting on the 'boats' as Morgan called them. She spotted them in the garage this morning and asked all day to get the boats down.

Collection Complete

This year when I unpacked all of the Christmas decorations I found myself unpacking the last box of my nativity scene. Over the past 4 years for Christmas I have been getting a piece of the Willow Tree nativity scene from my mom and grandma. Last year I received that last one to make the collection complete!

Cameron had to pose with it as she helped very intently to get each piece in the correct place.

Stuffed!!

After three Thanksgivings, we are stuffed to the brim. Really feels like I've been eating non-stop for 4 days now! Having a few extra days of 'vacation' was nice but where did it go???

We managed to put up Christmas decorations and the tree up over the weekend (I've learned already with 3 kids I'll be fixing the tree every 5 minutes). Kyle play Clark Griswold and hung the lights on the house. Friday I took the annual shopping trip with my sister, Mom and Grandma to Waterloo. This year we traveled to Waterloo instead of the annual Des Moines trip. I have to say this was the best shopping experience I have had. So many items crossed of my list on the first day of Christmas shopping! I will admit I'm quite proud of the job I did!!! Kyle started his basketball reffing season with a game on Saturday.

Today we did something that I hope to make a yearly tradition. We headed to Des Moines for the Festival of Trees which is a charity event for Blank Children's Hospital. There were so many beautifully decorated trees, activities for the kids and Santa and the money going to help the hospital and children who stay there. In with the path of trees were posters with a child's picture and story about when they were at the hospital. I don't think I read one without a tear...even the one with a story of a broken finger at a girl's soccer game!

It was a good way to end the Thanksgiving weekend and remember just how lucky each one of us really are!

Split weekend

Last weekend we were split between two places as Kyle and I were in Iowa City and the girls were in Ames, both during the Hawks and Cyclone home games.

Kyle was my escort to Iowa City on Friday morning with a pre-sunrise departure time of 3:30 Am from Conrad. We were heading there because I was having my right ear 'fixed'. After my left ear was operated on in April we decided that if I wanted to have the right ear done it would need to be this year...we are looking for BIG tax return in '09...lots of children and lots of medical bills. The procedure was scheduled for a early time of 7:15 Am. A bone in my hear was removed and a piece replaced it so I can hear without assistance. Everything went well, much better than the first one. It is an overnight stay and by the time I was discharged it was about 1 hour from kickoff. Since the hospital is literally a few feet away from the stadium, Kyle had time to locate a couple of friends and join in the Hawk tailgating festivities while I got ready to head home.

Over in Cyclone country was a tailgating party we were sad to miss. My family headed to Ames to watch the proposal of my brother, Marcus, to his girlfriend, Tanya. It all took place at the tailgate party her parents have at each home game.

Marcus posing with Jack (Marcy's son), Morgan, and Cameron.

Plans are now in the works. Congrats to Marcus and Tanya!!!

Happy Halloween

Here is a little glimpse of Halloween at the Bergman's this year.

This was taken of Tinkerbell and Dora before went took them to preschool for the Halloween party.

Parker relaxing comfortably in her favorite bean-bag chair.

Tinkerbell, a UNI cheerleader and a cow were the choices this year. Having a tub full of girl Halloween costumes was great for the checkbook this year. We hope they are this easy every year!!

Morgan practing her spirit fingers before walking around the block.

Parker staying warm while trick-or-treating.

Favorite quote while collecting way too much candy.

Cameron: "My basket is getting too heavy!"

Kyle: "Do you want to put in in the wagon for a while?"

Cameron: "No, Dad, you make such bad decisions sometimes."

Just a little afraid of not getting the candy back, perhaps???

Parker Update

Friday went very well for Parker. Her doctor told us that the surgery went as well as it could have. And well enough that we didn't have to spend the night for observations. The device was put into place to block the open value just like the doctor had wanted. When it was over the doctor showed us the x-ray videos that he used during the surgery to see everything. It is so crazy what technology can do. This morning she is up playing and acting if yesterday never happened!

Here we go...

The end of this month was to bring yet another doctor visit for Parker. Originally we had a surgery date of Oct. 23 to close Parker's value in her heart. I have been wanting this day to get here so that we could get it taken care of and let this chapter be put behind us. Yesterday I received a call from the doctor's office wanting to change the date....to this Friday. I eagerly agreed to the change. My biggest fear was Parker getting sick and we would have to move it around as the cold season is fast approaching.
Very hard to believe that this surgery is an out patient procedure. The doctor will go in a vein in the groin all the way up to the value that needs to be block, insert the 'blocker' and be done. (I'm sure with a bit more detail) Similar to that of an adult patient needing a stint put in a value. If all goes well she will be discharged that afternoon.
And that is what we are hoping for.....