Lottie Sue, the Ballerina

Lottie Sue says HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

It's Lottie Sue's first Halloween and she's tickled pink over it

Also, Lottie Sue was feeling bad/inconsolable Monday and it was after hours so our doctor told us to go to the ER. They wanted us to go so they could run tests to rule out any shunt issues. When we left they felt that it wasn't the shunt but were only 98% sure, so we went to visit her neurologist yesterday and as a precaution he admitted her into Children's Hospital for observation overnight. If it was indeed a shunt issue they would have had to operate in order to adjust the shunt settings (WHICH is a very common thing with shunts and we are well aware that someday she might have an issue). But after 36 hours, two CT scans and a set of x-rays to check the shunt they gave us the "thumbs up" sign. They think that Lottie Sue had a virus possibly and that was causing her to feel bad and present symptoms that are common with shunt issues as well. This morning she is back to her normal self so everyone is feeling good about things. We just got home from the hospital and are beat but so very happy Lottie Sue is feeling better!

PS - I still have a ton of photos to upload from the weekend but will post them later.

Dr. Harris, Nurse Cheri and Nurse Nikki

Hi all, just a quick post to let you know that Lottie Sue's appointment with Dr. Harris (her neurosurgeon) went really well today. He said that her head healed up great and that she's looking good, very alert and strong. She'll go back early next year for another check up but when she turns one she'll see him less times per year. So over the past two weeks we've had three great doctor visits - yippee!!!!

After the appointment we walked over to Children's Hospital to visit with our NICU gang. Cheri and Nikki were there and came out to see Lottie Sue. They are her favorite nurses! It was great seeing Nikki and Cheri, they do such good work! They were so great and supportive when Lottie Sue was in the NICU, they mean a lot to us. It was a really rough time and they were really there for our family.

Cheri and Lottie Sue are reunited!

Cheri, Lottie Sue and Nikki - friends 4-ever

And there are two photos I took of Lottie Sue as we walked outside today, she was really happy. If she laughs then I laugh, then she laughs at me laughing at her and so on...

Life is good

Lottie Sue was giggling here, it's so sweet to hear her laugh

OK, I'm off to get things ready for the weekend. The Apples are coming in and it's Becce's birthday - lots of fun on the way! Grandmother's 80th birthday party is on Sunday and we're looking forward to that as well, we'll see out-of-town family!

Blowing Rock Rocks: Gorgeous Scenery, the Linkers and My Crowning Achievement

We had the BEST time in Blowing Rock with the Linkers! Aside from it being gorgeous, we had a lot of good food, quality time with a lot fun and games! We drove up Thursday night and we left late Sunday afternoon, Matt and I keep talking about how much fun we had. Here are a few photos from our vacation, enjoy our photo essay...

This was the view from the mountain home...uh yeah - gorgeous

Matt with Lottie Sue, the star is compliments of Campbell

Jamie and Campbell made this helicopter, Evy was most impressed

Two drowned rats, John and Matt, after a rain-soaked round of golf

Campbell as Princess Aurora making cookies for everyone, and let me tell you - they were delicious

John and Matt made all of the meals - this one was delicious (trout and prosciutto with lemon green beans and risotto) - it's the best meal I've had in a long time and that ain't no joke

Don't ask...we're playing Pictionary here and not a card game

This is John's go at "matador" - for some reason this really cracked us up and we made fun of him for a whole day over it

Sunrise at the house

Another shot from that morning

One more...

Matt with the two babes, Lottie Sue and Evy

Lottie Sue and Evy eating rice cereal together, Campbell was in the background making Lottie Sue laugh

Here we are in Blowing Rock doing a little shopping, sticking the babies in the bjorns

Campbell with her new kitty, Ina

Evy smiles for the camera

Me and Jamie, I'm holding the worst cup of coffee I've ever had

Matt over-acting on the swing, the little girl next to him kept looking at him like he's crazy

John with Evy just a swangin

Group photo, we're at a park on the water with mist rolling in

OK, now let's get into the section I'll call "My Crowning Achievement"...

Welcome to the Wooly Worm Festival!

This year was the 30th year for the Wooly Worm Festival, in short it's a festival that's all about the Wooly Worms. They race the black and brown striped worms to determine which one worm deserves the honor of making the winter weather forecast. Tradition says that the black stripes predict cold and snowy weather while brown stripes point toward milder conditions. Over thirty years, the woolly worm has been all or mostly correct eighty-five percent of the time. So anywho, Jamie and I entered the race but here are the pictures that lead up to one of the best moments of my life.

Campbell, Evy and Lottie Sue as Wooly Worms

Matt over-acting as a Wooly Worm

Behind me is the race platform, there are 25 ropes up there for the worms to race up

This is the Mayor of Banner Elk, he officiates the races and dresses all out for the festival in his Wooly Worm attire

Here I am before the big race, I'm feeling good about Coach Fulmer (he's my worm)

Lottie Sue checking out our Wooly Worm

A good luck kiss for Coach Fulmer

Pinkie Dinkie Doo (Jamie and Campbell's worm) vs. Coach Fulmer

I'm in the green sweater and Jamie and Campbell are to my left, this is before the start

Here is Coach Fulmer taking the LEAD, he's at the halfway mark

This is when my worm TOOK OFF for victory

I WON! I WON! I WON! I WON! I WON! I WON! I WON!

Here I am being interviewed by the mayor about my big win, I'm in shock but adjusted well to the limelight

I won a ribbon (that I am still wearing) and $25 CASH - not to mention the notoriety (a little boy was walking towards me and saw my ribbon, he yelled WINNER! WINNER! WINNER while pointing at me, it was awesome)

I can't believe I WON!!! Even now I'm excited about it

Campbell at the festival with her angel and a gigantic lollipop

The best festival in the whole world

I'm sad to say that I came in third in the semi-finals. That race was right after our winning race and Coach Fulmer just didn't have any energy left. He gave it his all and that's all a worm can do. Here's to you, Coach Fulmer (my worm, not the other coach - ah hem, Alabama)! I was on a high all day due to the win, it was so much fun!

So after all of that excitement we went back to the house to watch the Vols, after crying we went to a local park for a scenic nature walk.

The Linker girls at Cone Park during our nature walk

The Linker girls plus John

Here is the Mowrer family at Cone Park

Cone Mansion sits up top, it's often referred to as the Mansion in the Mountains

Campbell and John racing, they are blurry because they are running so fast

Here's a shot of the walking trail, it was truly gorgeous

Here is the Linker family in front of a blazing orange tree

Matt took about 100 photos of this tree

Here is the tree again

And again...

OK, me and Lottie Sue at the tree

Campbell climbing that tree, per Matt's request

Again with the tree, here we are stopping to feed Lottie Sue

Lottie Sue, blinded by the light

Lottie Sue playing in the leaves

Lottie Sue loved the walk, she had a great view (looking up at all of the beautiful trees)

Lottie Sue excited to be there

Oh wait, here is another picture of that tree

Matt walking with Lottie Sue

Too cute, Dad and baby girl

We took the Blue Ridge Parkway home, it was something else - gorgeous

Here we are at an overlook

They couldn't cut through the mountain so they built around it

The trees were so pretty, it was an explosion of colors and none of our pictures do it justice

Me taking a picture of Matt taking a picture

Our own personal driver, Dad

And of course...it wouldn't be right if we came home and didn't find any of these lying around.

Kevin broke into the pantry and stole FIVE health bars, I guess he thinks they just grow on trees or something

OK, that concludes my blog for the past weekend. I hope you enjoy the photos and stories. If you have any questions or want more information about me winning the Wooly Worm race I'm more than happy to answer any questions or sign autographs, just shoot me an email.

1st Place Wooly Worm Race Winner,
Jen