What a difference a day makes....

Our week started like any other.  The ending, however, was not so ordinary.  On Friday, Brad and I went to play in a tournament in Longmont.  We had had our first snow of the year, so it was a little slow going to get there.  Had a great time and went to a fabulous BBQ restaurant with our Ft Collins friends.  Did well in the tournament and planned to play again on Sunday.  Saturday morning began like all Saturdays.  We had coffee, read the paper, rehashed some of our bridge hands and discussed our plans for the day.  Carrie wanted me to go run errands with she and the kids and Brad was going to some  small electrical job. We left the house at 9:30 and he said he was going to try to finish up the job so that he could watch Spencer's team play that afternoon.  Meanwhile, Carrie & I and the kids stopped by McDonald's to pick up their soccer trophies and enjoy a cupcake.

We then picked up Meredith and her kids and made our way to Ft Collins with the intention of getting Halloween costumes for Gabi and Elijah.  Our first stop was the Princess Palace where Gabi tried on several outfits and (reluctantly) chose the "buy 1 get 1 free" off the sale rack versus the one she really wanted for $49... We left there and headed to Party City to look at boys costumes.  Corbin got a picture of the store just as we were parking. We had just unloaded everyone, when my cellphone rang with a man on the other end asking if I knew Brad Simmons. 

I was

startled to say the least!  Anyway, he went on to explain that they had found Brad down at the job site unresponsive and were loading him onto an ambulance as we spoke.  In a not-so-calm manner, we all jumped back into the car with Carrie driving (faster than she should have) to get back to Greeley and to determine where the ambulance was taking him.  On arrival at the ER, the staff was trying to calm him down (he was very combative after his second seizure) in order to get an MRI.  The test showed that there was a mass located in his central brain area that was inoperable (due to location).  That was a scary moment!  The neurologist was undecided as to whether he had a stroke or whether the tumor caused the seizures.  He was moved to ICU and my biggest fear that night was that we wasn't going to wake up. He was given sooo many drugs.  On Sunday morning, after a sleepless night, we (the kids and I) went to see him about 7:00.  I leaned over the bed and said "I love you", and praise the Lord, he responded "Love you too".  It was a really happy moment for us all, just knowing that his language wasn't lost.  It was then that we knew with certainty that he'd not had a stroke.  Later that day, the neurologist (Dr Seigel) and the neurosurgeon (Dr Blatt) came in to tell him what had happened.  He responded to all commands and seemed to understand what he was being told, but unfortunately when Monday morning rolled around (after I'd spent the night with him in the room) he had no memory of that conversation.  So, it was left to Carrie and I who were the first present to tell him why he was there.  A very rough time!  He went through a second MRI to see the tumor after the swelling had gone down and a contrast CT for the rest of his body, to rule out any other situations... Both of those came back with no new findings, and so we were sent home.  We both were exhausted and napped for awhile.  He and I had a long talk last night and although our future is uncertain, I (who have never been an overly religious person) see that God  was so involved in the whole series of events.  There seems to be no other explanation, so for now I am grateful for all I have. My children have been more than supportive and wonderful, as have their spouses and children and so many other family and friends.  We are blessed!

Bippity Boppity....BOO!

Whew! Busy week!  Nancy flew in from California on Thursday for Gabi's birthday and will return home today.  Her visits are always way to short!  I spent much of Friday working on party decor for Gabi's makeup party.  It was quite the event, with 12 six year olds.

The mani-pedi staff with the birthday girl (Emma, Tessa, Mary)

party decor

Self portraits
Saturday evening began with Curt, Amie, Carrie and Spencer going to the Yarnells' Halloween party, dressed as cast members of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  They looked fabulous!

Nancy babysat for the Frost kids and we watched the Simmons kids. 
On Sunday, we headed for the Pumpkin Patch just outside of Ault.  We had a great time wandering through the hay maze, then taking a hay truck out to the fields for some choice finds.

 Just a week later, Grayson was finally interested in the pumpkins!
When we got back, we all enjoyed ( a LOT) Brad's meal of spaghetti and homemade meatballs, baked spaghetti squash, a wonderful fruit salad and garlic bread, all of which was GONE!  Guess pumpkin hunting improves the appetite!
Meredith made pumpkin spice cakes with a caramel topping and we sang "Happy Birthday" once again!

Brrr, it's cold. No, it's rainy. No, it's hot. Oh yeah, it's Fall.

Every Fall, we have some days like we did this past weekend, and I swear I always think it's the first time!  It was definitely coat, glove and hat weather Friday night when we went to watch (Coach) Spencer's team play Eaton.  His team lost, but it was a great night for football.
That evening after we got home, it rained like crazy!  We've been waiting for that type of rain all year...the one that doesn't destroy trees and plants.

 
The next morning, we were ready early to watch the girls play soccer.  The fields were amazingly not that soggy.  Their game began at 9:00, and by 9:30, the rain got going again.  Aunt Heather came from Denver to watch the game and spend time with her niece and nephews.

 Saturday night brought another sporting event for the Frosts and Brad, when they went to an Eagles Hockey game at the Budweiser Center, while Amie and I took the girls to a Princess play at the UCCC, where  we met up with friends, Maya and Camdyn.
I spent much of the weekend peeling apples and making pies, 5 in total.  Thankfully, I solicited the help of Rory to peel with me on Friday, and Grandpa on Sunday.  I think they were worth the effort!

 

On Sunday, Amie and I took her kids to the pumpkin patch.  The weather was perfect....maybe even hot!  I think we found the perfect pumpkins!  We tried so hard to get pictures of Grayson with pumpkins, but the only interest he had was the wagon!

 

Fall Staycation

We closed the office from Wednesday through Friday this week for our Fall time off.  Always a treat to have time away.  I played bridge with Ramona on Wednesday (our yearly bridge game!) and then spent some time making krautburgers, the cabbage provided by our haul at the Miller farm.  On Thursday I drove to Manitou Springs to see my sister in her new home.  It was an exquisite Fall day!  We did some hiking and shopping, and of course ended the day with some wine drinking!

Here we are practicing with my camera timer!

Saturday brought another bridge game for Brad and I in Ft Collins, followed by dinner out with our favorite friends, Beth and Fred, Jeff and Jane.  Good thing we have the friend factor, as our bridge playing was dismal at best!

Sunday arrived with dinner and extras, Dan & Sherri (Brad's cousins) from Denver.  Brad made a huge pot of the family favorite, Winter Soup (chicken, butternut squash, cabbage, chick peas and lots of flavor!) and I made some pumpkin muffins with all of that followed by Meredith's Brownies and mint/chocolate chip ice cream.

The girls started a new puzzle

Sophie and Emma

"and another thing...."

I revamped my mantle....