Mrdutt Home/Family Updates

I've been asked to post more pictures of how our lawn is doing...tomorrow we will hit the 2 week mark. We are due for a tad more seed and a some fertilizer.



We have also begun "framing" our rooms for pictures that will be used online and on flyers when we list the house Oct. 1st. Our house is just so darn cute, can't you see yourself in it?












You can even see the school in the back to the left. Yes...we are THAT close to the school. :)

Chris and I have been busy with work, minor house projects and trying to keep sane with Mason's latest sleep patterns. He has been waking up at 1:30 or 2:00 in the morning and has stayed up for anywhere from 1 hour - 3 hours. Very frustrating, and we can't seem to find anything that works. He tries to fall asleep and will lay there with us in the bed and get comfy but won't close his eyes. Then, we gets bored, he lifts his arm and smacks it against your face. Funny, Mason. Really funny.
In the morning, as tired as we are, we still laugh at how goofy he was in the middle of the night. The frustration is only temporary. Otherwise, he's been a pretty good kid. He's getting two of his back molars but he's been handling that well. It's been awhile since I've provided an updated picture, so to make it up to you, here's two:

Our Sleeping Angel, isn't he getting long?

We wish you all well during these last few days of August. We are very excited for our busy fall coming up and in case anyone is in the mood for some home remodeling...give us a jingle! :)

Do you see it?

Chris and I are not known for our "green thumbs". However, our 5 hour quick job on our lawn last weekend is actually starting to produce some results:














We're excited to see how green our lawn gets. The weather isn't cooperating as well as we would like, I mean C'MON - this is August? August in Wisconsin, I guess.

We are spending a majority of our weekend at the Mosinee Alumni tournaments. It's so fun to see so many of my high school friends that I've lost touch with. It's too bad my '01 class lost 13-1 against '03. Sorry to say it guys, but I think I could have done better than most of you. :)

Today we're going to do some deep cleaning on the house, cook up some nummies, and watch the Packer game, before heading back to the tourneys. Which reminds me...did anyone see Favre in Purple last night? Did he do well? Did it make you puke a little in your mouth?

Who wants to go to Utah?!

I do! I do!

I got an email today...a notification that the VCFSEF was now a group added on facebook. (Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome Educational Foundation) Obviously, I had to check it out. I went out there, and found out from the site that next year's conference will take place from July 16-18 in Salt Lake City, Utah. We're going. Period. Now to find some airline tickets...

Chris and I have been talking about going to next year's conference for awhile now. And by talking, I mean me TELLING him that we should go. The conference in 2008 that Gramma Mrdutt and I attended was overwhelming to say the least. It was in Detroit and we decided to drive there and back over the 3 day weekend. It was approximately an 8 hour drive.

Most of the conference topics were pretty boring, lots of medical lingo about genetics, etc. But, during the breakfast, lunch, & dinner periods, they had group meetings set up with professionals and each attendee could ask personal questions about their family member with VCFS. Mason was only 6 months and was pre-heart surgery, so we didn't have a lot of questions yet. However, even the small things we learned, we knew would be beneficial in the future. It was my first and only exposure to other kids with VCFS. Some families brought their kids and the kids had their own agenda for the weekend. I know I have mentioned the "look" that VCFS kids have and seeing other kids with it makes me look at Mason a little differently. For those of you that have never seen another VCFS kid, it's hard to know what I mean. VCFS kids are prone to have wider set eyes and broad noses. Once you see 5 or 6 of them, you start to see it. Mason eyes are wider set but I still think he is too young to have the "VCFS look". For you facebook members, go add yourself as a member on Facebook. There is a picture of another VCFS boy out there you can use as a reference. Naturally, I put Mason's picture out there too. :)

It's going to be a busy year, and I'm not sure I will have enough vacation time at work for all these events but too bad...I'm going. Mason and Chris are coming with me.

So July 16th, 2010 it is. Who else wants to go?

Simple is the way to go

I had a great birthday today. Very low-key, and that's the way I like it these days. Our lives have been so busy lately that it was nice to just hang out and relax for a change. It was a busy day at work, both with work and with all the talk of Favre un-retiring and signing with the Vikings. (I have nothing to say about that...except that I hope we cream #4 on Monday Night Football.) :)

Then Auntie Michelle came up to watch Mason and Chris and I went to Chang Garden in Weston. Dinner was pretty good, a little sushi, a little seafood and a little duck (not for me...yuck...I don't like duck. Chris, on the other hand LOVES duck).

Chris and I also went to Best Buy to look at TV's. Our bedroom TV upstairs is dying...sometimes you have to hit it to get the static to stop. Plus, our living room TV is the TV that Chris bought when he went to college...so we are in serious need of an upgrade. To think that I was considering dropping $500 on the Vikings vs. Packer game to watch Favre get his butt kicked when we could use that money to buy a new TV and watch his butt-creaming happen comfortably in our own home. Thanks Mom for the new philosophy I need to follow: Think about your purchase for at least 24 hours and then call you for approval. I didn't even need to call you. :)

So all in all a simple day. I love simple days sometimes. I know I can be a drama queen but sometimes less is more. :)

What a weekend!

This weekend was one of the busiest but most enjoyable weekends of the summer. On Friday, Mom, Michelle and I went out to celebrate "Mom's last night out". It was a good time, chatting about what's going on in all of our lives, with our kids and with our friends. It's nice to share your opinions with people that truly understand where you're coming from. You know how it is...you share a story with someone and try to portray your excitement and they kind of just look at you with that "big deal-nice story" kind of look but when you tell someone that really knows you, they find it just as hilarious as you did when it happened to you. That's how it is with my sisters and my Mom. They just know me...and connecting with those people in those moments is a neat feeling.

I'm sure some of you were wondering why I said "Mom's last night out". It was hush hush for awhile so I hope I'm not spoiling any surprises...but MOM AND DAD RENEWED THEIR VOWS YESTERDAY! Their first wedding took place at Pinewood Supper Club in Mosinee, WI 28 years ago. They were married by a justice of the peace, and always wanted to get married in a church. Well yesterday, at the church they have belonged to for awhile now, renewed their vows with Father Louis. It was a very simple, but amazing event.

Afterwards, we went to Pinewood Supper Club, just our small group of my two sisters, their hubbys, grandpa & grandma and Father Louis. Dinner there was awesome...I had the crab stuffed salmon. The drink I consumed at dinner (Raspberry Truffle Martini), however, got me buzzed at dinner and hopefully I didn't do too many embarrassing things. Everything else was great...the company, the atmosphere and the cake. :)


Earlier in the day, we installed our new lawn. The dirt was delivered at about 10 am and we spent the next 5 hours spreading the dirt, seeding the lawn, raking the seed, throwing out straw/hay and setting up the sprinklers. Then we really watered it last night. Today's weather was not what we expected, so hopefully the inch of rain didn't wash away all of our seed. I am excited to watch the progress...but here is where it stands currently:

I really hope that this lawn turns out, because our deadline to list the house by Oct. 1st is coming up fast!

We plan to re-seed later this week, depending on what comes up with the seed already out there.

And can you tell our fence really needs to get stained too?!


This morning everyone was slow to wake up, except for me, who was up with Mason at 5:30 am. Luckily, I decided to spend the night at home after dinner, unlike my siblings that were out until bar close. It sounds like I missed the fun though, especially after my husband accidentally "butt-called" 9-1-1 from his pants. They called to check in twice and make sure it wasn't a real call. Apparently, when your phone is in lock-mode, even though you don't actually dial 9-1-1, the phone can make an emergency call just by hitting one button twice. Oops.

Today we're just hanging out inside, catching up on those icky household chores like laundry and dishes. I'm not a fan of household chores, but we try to get as much of them done on Sunday as we can so that we're set for the week. So I'm going to go work on those now, then have a glass of wine and cuddle with my two boys.

Cheers to a fantastic weekend!

You found it!

I know. I know. We're totally indecisive. First we're here, then we move here and now we're back. There really is a reason for all our madness. With our first blog, we intended to stay connected with our family during the birth of our son. The first blog was only intended to be used for a week...tops. When we discovered the depth of Mason's medical issues, we went back to that blog to keep our family up to date on his progress. About 6 months in, just before Mason's heart surgery, we decided that we should use a caring bridge site. I LOVE caring bridge. Their purpose is so sincere. It really opened our eyes to both the seriousness of Mason's syndrome but also helped us to realize how lucky we are to have a fairly normal child. There are so many people out there where each day is a hurdle to overcome. Our days have become pretty normal since Mason's serious heart issues have subsided. I got to a point where I felt I had to "justify" the need to use caring bridge as our connection with family. Mason's issues aren't so serious that daily/weekly updates are necessary on a site like caring bridge. Therefore, we're back here.

I'm a little excited to start this new family blog. And by little, I mean a lot! It means that Chris and I get to brag more about things going on with us! :) We are both so lucky to have the things we do. Our jobs....we love our jobs. Our family...we have a great one. Our friends...none better. Our son is our life. Plenty of this blog will contain our rantings and ravings about how absolutely fantastic our son is and how blessed we are to have him. And I know everyone out there reading this loves to read about him too. :)

I hope you enjoy it. I hope I'm good at it. If I'm not...tell me. I have tough skin. Chris, I'm sure, will want to make his updates now and again...probably to brag about the 6 ducks he tagged on opening day or something cheesy like that. (And I'm sure he will yell at me for only saying 6).

But hey...it's our blog and we can do what we want!

Glad you found our new blog...good job!