We're getting ready to go ... Ready to head to FL to spend Christmas with my parents, and Ready for the house to go on the market when we return.

This is our last week of school before break. We get out on Friday at 2:30, are going to pick up Liam, have snacks ready in the car, and hit the highway for the drive to FL. I usually can make it easily in one shot on the way down (about 20 or so hours with stops!). We're staying until January 1st, yes New Years Day, and coming back. On the way back we'll stay at a hotel near Chattanooga to break up the drive - I'm usually BEAT going home! :) We're all looking forward to a nice, relaxing, OK, who am I kidding, crazy busy and fun FL vacation! :) We have some fun activities planned and I'm truly looking forward to my day after Christmas shopping extravaganza! It's my one day I get up super early, get a bagel from Einstein's (not sure if I'll do that this year or not), and wait in Target's parking lot for them to open so I can buy the kids' stocking stuffers for the NEXT Christmas! :) I love all their fun Christmas toys and such, and then I don't have to think about stocking stuffers! :) (Unless of course we were to add to our family before next year.) Then I travel to some other stores to check any deals, try not to spend more than what Santa has given me, and just relax (sans kids). :)

After we return our house will be going up for sale, so we've also been completing odds and ends around the house to be "ready." Now if it will only stay that way! :)

Off to finish some things and then bed for me!

Today was another hospital day for us. Liam had an EEG in the morning, then we met with Liam and Olivia's neurologist in the afternoon. Liam still is having seizure activity in his frontal lobes, especially while sleeping, which is what I was trying to tell them back in September a couple weeks after our visit. When he naps during the day his eyes are often half open, and not rolled back at all. He is also very "jerky" is the way I'd put it, very restless and his limbs often twitch. He upped Liam's evening med dose, so we'll see how that does.

Olivia's other doctors called this morning on our way in to town to ask when we were coming to the neuro appt. She said that Olivia's neutrophil counts were 710 and quite low and they were concerned and thought it could be related to either her seizure med or one of her HIV meds. I was stunned for a moment, because her counts being low is certainly not news. She made it seem like I didn't know about this at all and was basically acting how I thought she should have acted after they first got these results, and before our next three month appt when we first found out, and then again a week later when we confirmed they were still low at this past appt. So strange! I questioned it and she said she had talked to the doctor about it and he was concerned and she wanted to keep me in the loop. OH, so you hadn't talked with the doctor before and now that he's concerned you are too??? OK, whatever. Anyway, she talked to Olivia's neurologist about lowering her seizure med since that could be the one causing it and I was not happy about that. Her counts have gone low before and a med was changed, before she began her seizures. She's been on this med quite some time and it's done wonders for her seizures, plus they have said from day one that this is the best and safest seizure med for her and her type of seizures. ! He is going to cut back her morning dose, and said that he could also cut back her evening one as well if need be, but that's it. I agree. I know I'm "just a parent" but I don't think it's that med. Either something else is going on or it's one of her other meds. I don't like playing with her seizure meds at all, they were bad when this all started and I think we had a year or more of other symptoms before it was diagnosed. I DON'T want her to go back to some of those issues again at all! :( Definately praying for the doctors and for whatever is going on with her counts.

Today is Olivia's rehearsal for her performance in The Nutcracker this weekend. She is a bon bon and is thrilled to death! :) Monday I asked her to get out her dance bag, put her jazz and tap shoes away for now, make sure her ballet shoes were inside, and get her leotard and tights out and ready. She came in a few minutes later, close to tears, to tell me she (for some unknown reason I'm sure) has only one shoe! Are you kidding!? Two days before rehearsal, and too late at night to check the studio's lost and found that night!? Man! So yesterday we drove to the studio after school... no shoe. Luckily our payless has them. For 16.99! I found her tap shoes at our local consignment store, basically free as I had money in my account there from selling items which don't fit me anymore, her jazz shoes for 2.50 at the thrift store, and her ballet shoes for 2.00 at the thrift store. So I REALLY don't want to pay 16.99 for ONE pair of silly dance shoes! :( Since Olivia just got some money for Christmas and bingo this past weekend, she'll be paying for half of them and I told her I'd pay the other half. A big lesson, hopefully learned, about taking care of our things and making sure we get them put where they belong when we're finished! :) At least she can still dance in the show! Can't wait to see her!!!

Today is World AIDS Day. What can you do to spread the news and become involved? How about reading this about product (RED)...



One Color Unites Us: Cities go (RED) on World AIDS Day
On World AIDS Day, December 1st, 2009, cities will go (RED)™.

This includes our millions of supporters, our partners, their products, their thousands of stores, our websites, their websites, our media partners, and, iconic landmarks around the world.

When Bono and Bobby Shriver founded (RED), their intent was to bring the power of consumers, the private sector and the public sector together to eliminate AIDS in Africa. In that spirit, leaders from cities are helping us bring awareness to the AIDS pandemic by turning their cities (RED) on World AIDS Day.

What does it mean to go (RED)? In a show of solidarity, 13 cities are illuminating landmarks the color RED for the day. Here are the cities and landmarks to watch out for. If you’re in the area take a picture and post it on our Facebook wall: www.facebook.com/joinred.

Baltimore, MD: The Washington Monument in Baltimore
Boston, MA: The Zakim Bridge
Chicago, IL: CNA Building. The AIDS ribbon and the words “FIGHT AIDS” in lights on the side of the building
Columbus, OH: City Hall & the Columbus Public Health Building will be (RED) for the entire week!
Dublin, Ireland: City Hall
London, England: the London Eye and the Trafalgar Square Fountain
Los Angeles, CA: the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles and the pylons around LAX airport
Pittsburgh, PA: the City & County Building and the needle on top of the Highmark Building
Providence, RI: City Hall, 1 Financial Plaza, 111 Westminster Street and the Skating Center at Kennedy Plaza
Salt Lake City, UT: The City & County Building
San Francisco, CA: City Hall & Coit Tower
St. Louis, MO: Civil Courts Building
Torrance, CA: Girl Skate Park

Enjoy the (RED) skyline for the night!

Or checking out these awesome laces from Nike...

Today... is World AIDS Day and Nike is stepping up to do their part, recently announcing that they will be joining the (RED) project to help fight AIDS in Africa. Sunday, U2 frontman/global crusader, Bono joined some of the world’s best soccer players to announce the noble endeavor. The first step for the Nike (RED) partnership will be the sale of red (RED) laces, with 100% of the proceeds from each set sold being donated to programs that help fight the deadly disease in Africa. Not only does Nike hope to help financially with the “Lace Up. Save Lives” project, but by using the world football/soccer forum, the brand hopes that the popularity of the sport will help bring awareness for this worthy cause to fans all over the world. Get involved yourself by picking up a pair of the Nike (RED) laces at NikeStore and other select retailers beginning December 1st, and keep an eye out for more Nike (RED) products coming in the near future. Keep reading after the jump for more info and some pics of Bono with some world soccer stars, including the United States’ own Clint Dempsey.