Can't believe November is over ....

WOW! I am having a hard time believing that November is over! We had a great Thanksgiving, although we missed my mom very much (update below pictures). It was nice to see all the family & get to visit. Berkley didn't dig company & freaked out every time I left her sight. Baby girl loves me! Here are some pictures from our day.

Mommy & baby girl

Berkley with a cute little mouth thing going on.My siblings & I. (L to R: Renae, Lerae, Starla, & me)
Patrick & I with the kids

Patrick's sister & her family

Berkley (7 months) & cousin Skylar (10 months)

I love this picture! Skylar is like, "What you crying for?"

Patrick's parents & all the grand kids

And Black Friday: WOW! I had not bought a thing for Christmas & now I am DONE! Yes, you got it right, DONE! Headed out at 4 A.M & finished about 3 P.M. I wasn't even sure what I was after but found it all. I found some great deals & some cute stuff! I love shopping on the craziest shopping day of the year!

Mom is doing well. She is still sore, which makes the doctors believe the staph infection is not completely gone. This means she will probably be in the hospital a little longer than the 10 day plan. She is sitting up in bed, watching TV, reading & taking several walks throughout the day. She is bored & about to go crazy I am sure. She's not at all used to sitting still & doing nothing. I know she will be glad when this is over, but I also know she wants the infections to be gone before heading home. Please continue to pray for her!

Can't wait for Christmas!
~Patsi~

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL!

Tonight might be my last opportunity to blog before Thanksgiving Day. As many of you know, I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS! I love everything about the holidays: the joy, the kindness of all around, memories made, food, & most of all FAMILY!

I have so much to be thankful for: Patrick, Zane, Berkley, my mother/step-father, my father/step-mother, my 3 sisters, my brother, my in-laws, extended family & friends, health, Pepper Air Conditioning & Heating, Jesus Christ, etc. I am blessed beyond measure. I have seen the power of prayer this year in several situations: mom's cancer battle, Starla's illness, Layton's lung surgery, Michaelman's story, Berkley's pregnancy & birth, Zane's minor surgeries, etc.

I know I take for granted many of lives blessings, an area in my life I am trying to work on. I find myself being thankful, but not thankful enough. God has blessed me more than I ever expected.

I am so very excited for Thanksgiving! Patrick's mom & dad will be in sometime tomorrow (Wednesday), his sister & her family will be here in the early morning hours Thursday, & then my family will join us for a Thanksgiving lunch. I can't wait! I am bummed that mom will not be able to attend. Being stuck in the hospital is miserable, but I am sure it is much more miserable during the holidays. But, when she gets out, she will be over this & won't have to worry about the Staph & Strep reoccuring. Please continue to pray for her while she continues her battle! I pray for an end to this mess.

Speaking of Michaelman, Patrick's 21 month old cousin who had a near drowning on October 15: He is HOME! Yes, he came home one day last week, Thursday or Friday. They have had a few scares with his heart rate & a few other things, but overall seem to be adjusting really well. He also had his first Hyberbaric Oxygen Treatment this week. If you have a chance, visit his site (www.caringbridge.org/visit/lovemichael) & wish him well & continue to pray for this brave little man! I am sure his brothers & sisters are very glad to have him home (and mommy & daddy too)! Keep storming heaven with prayers for a complete healing.

Happy Thanksgiving!

~Patsi~

A weekend on the go ....

Patrick & Zane left town on Thursday evening to enjoy a weekend of hunting. They got a deer & a turkey! WHOOO! Zane was beyond pumped up over the deer. When Patrick got to the deer, it was still breathing so Zane got to shoot it too! Yes, Patrick helped him but as Zane will tell you, "I shot the girl deer with the baby gun (pistol)!"

Here is Princess Berkley getting some of Daddy's sweet tea just before he headed out.

I think she likes sweet tea! The funny thing is, Patrick's glass is the only glass she goes for?
Wonder why? She knows he'll give in!!
Berkley & I did too much running around. Friday I had lunch with my old co-workers at Sanger Middle School. It was nice, but very strange. I didn't know very many people, lots of new staff. Friday evening we went to Starla's to see Nolan since he turned NINE on Saturday. I ate a cupcake (YUM), & he got his card! Saturday we did some shopping at Target to get some needed household items and a few groceries. Then Saturday evening, Sally & I went out for dinner & a movie. Berkley stayed with Karibeth for the few hours I was gone. Then Sunday we headed to church & had lunch with mom.

Here is Berkley just before church. I found this Scotty Dog dress at Dillards. I LOVE Dillards & that is where I find great deals! Notice the itty bitty clippie!
I'll admit, she's adorable!!!

Here is a picture of Berkley I took at the shop last week.
She is such a happy, good baby!

Check back in a few days, I have some CONGRATS to send out!

Have a great week!
~Patsi~

Cute Kids & one of those days

Here are some pictures of my cute kids.

Berkley in her "Heartbreaker" outfit & matching bow.

Cutest thing .... Zane's class at Mother's Day Out made sheep ears & "baaaah"ed all over the room. I thought is was the cutest idea. Here is my little sheep ....
Sheep in action
Berkley sporting her Zebra Bling shirt & matching bow.

Isn't she a doll?!

Today has been a loooooong day. One of those, "Wish I were teaching days". Berkley has been so very fussy, but only in the evening times. I have pushed her bedtime up to 7:00. She is so ready for bed, she doesn't even move after I lay her down. I hate this because Patrick works late so on most nights only sees her for a few minutes. Zane cut his shirt today, climbed on everything, got into anything he was told not to, etc. Today was trying!

This staying at home stuff is hard work! I am telling you, teaching was not this tiring! It seems like everytime I try to sit down, it is constant. I literally have to be upstairs on the computer in order to get a sit down break. Patrick has not been at all understanding. I know he is tried, but geeezzzzz! With Berkley teething & Zane coughing, I am up several times during the night. I know it is just part of being a mom, but it would be nice for Patrick to at least pretend he understood. I do love being at home with the kids. I get to see their every move. I get to see & appreciate my baby girl doing things I didn't get to see first hand with Zane. I get to see Zane do things like count, his ABCs & see his excitement over various things. It is fun! Today was just one of those days.........

~Patsi~

Favorite Foto Friday #15

The theme for Favorite Foto Friday was "Favorite Family" photo. I decided to add our newest. I was tossed between our very first family photo, in the hospital when Berkley was born or these. The following win since most of you have probably seen the others through e-mails. Here are our new photos taken October 19th with Kids @ Home Studios. (My actual favorite was posted earlier, our family walking along the lake. See blog history.)

Cassidy Family - October 2008

Zane - 3 1/2 years
Berkley - 6 months

Zane & Berkley

Berkley & I have been running all day today! I am exhausted & of course with our strict schedule, she has been out for hours. Patrick & Zane went to the deer lease. Zane LOVES to hunt & do his thing at the deer lease. But boy, I miss that little rascal when he's not here. I can't wait for them to get home tomorrow! I helped with a baby shower of a dear & old friend who is expecting in December. I can't wait to meet their little Kennadi!

Sweet little Michaelman (Patrick's cousin's son) came through his tracheotomy & g-tube surgeries yesterday. From reading his site, www.caringbridge.org/visit/lovemichael , he is recovering well. If you haven't had a chance, check out his page & put a face with a prayer. He is seriously one of the cutest little things I have ever seen! Please continue to pray that his recovery goes well, that he continues to make improvements, & that he will get to come home! Yes, his mommy, daddy & 6 siblings are ready for him to come home! I am sure he will make great strides at home with the familiar environment, being with his brothers & sisters, & just being HOME! Pray, Pray, Pray!

I have become quite the little prayer warrior lately. Recently I felt as if I have really fallen in my relationship with Christ. Not totally fallen, but I have not been attending church on a regular basis. My relationship with Him is no where close to where it used to be. I was raised in church, & I mean every Sunday & Wednesday! At the time I may not have appreciated it, but I surely do now! (Thank you mom!) I can't remember a youth camp or trip during my years of being in the youth group that I missed. Patrick & I have talked & talked about finding a new church home. We have visited several places, but seem to get out of the habit of attending. No, I do not believe that you HAVE to go to church in order to have a relationship with Christ, BUT I do believe it enhances your relationship with Christ to fellowship with others who share your beliefs. Yes, I still read the Bible & pray, this will never change. I read Christian based books. But it is not the same. I need to be more involved & more importantly, my children need to be involved. God blessed me with them for a reason. We have attended church the past 3 Sundays & even though Patrick & Zane are out of town & I am exhausted, Berkley & I will be there tomorrow!

With that being said, I must head to bed! Of course, not before reading a few chapters in my newest obsession, Eclipse. Oh yeah, & my exercising is out the door! I only lasted 4 days & have taken a short break! HA!HA! I hope to begin back on Monday!

God Bless
~Patsi~

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Butterfly Berkley's 1st Halloween!

The kids had a wonderful time trick-or-treating! Zane really got into it this year. He even wanted to go trick-or-treating again today :D

Pirate Zane Arrrrrr!

Butterfly Berkley

Our Pirate & our Butterfly
Our 1st stop - The Roberts' houseZane trick-or-treating

Berkley picked a sucker & LOVED it!

Flying Butterfly

I loved this picture!

Mommy with her pirate & butterfly

Jack & BerkleyHow cute is this? They are touching on another!

It is hard to believe that October is over! Time is really flying by. With November here, it means we are so very close to my favorite time of the year - Thanksgiving & Christmas! I LOVE the holidays! Lots of family time & some good FOOD!

~Patsi~

Favorite Foto Friday #14

Posting my favorite photo of the week.

We had our family pictures & Berkley's 6 month pictures taken with Kids at Home Studios out of Denton, Texas. Here is a peek at one of my favorites! I have ordered some on a CD & will be posting them as well.

Layton (KD & Stephanie's 2 year old) came through his lung removal surgery very well, better than expected. The surgery lasted 1 hour & 45 minutes. Praise GOD! Pray that all continues to go well for him & he is back to himself in no time!

I have not had a chance to post Halloween pictures. Stay tuned! They are coming! It was so much fun trick-or-treating! Zane really got into it this year. (He loves candy!)

~Patsi~