Way Out Here, Eh? - A June 2019 TR *PTR Link Posted

[SimplyGoofy]

I love your pictures from Scotland! My sister visited her boyfriend when he studied abroad in the UK, and Scotland was her favorite place between England, Ireland, and Scotland. She'd love to go back!

Alex looks great as a Santa stormtrooper!

Goodness, so many good thoughts to you with Landon's upcoming surgery! I can't imagine how scary it must be as a parent (I've had to endure plenty of medical things myself, but I think I'd handle that much better than I would my daughter having a medical procedure!). I'm sure everything will go well and I hope it provides Landon with some relief and a great outcome!

 

[rdkeim]

I'm sure it's hard to live overseas so far from your family but nice that you have so many new places to explore. I would love to visit Scotland - my grandparents came from Glasgow to the US in the 1920's. I still have cousins there. Sending good thoughts for your son's surgery - hope it's successful!

 

[piglet1979]

We have been through a few surgeries with my too. DS's have been minor. Ear tubes and a procedure for curly toes. His tendons in his toes were too tight which made him walk on the top of his toes. They just went in and cut the tendons to these toes. I was a wreak for both. DD had surgery this summer that was more major. They were taking out extra bone and fiber like material that was in her ankle and then took fat from her stomach to put in her ankle to replace what was taken out so it doesn't grow back. I was really a mess for this one.

I know it is scary but everything will be ok. I will be praying for you guys and hope that everything goes smoothly and the recovery is quick. My cousins little girl has had eye surgery twice now and it seems that the recovery is pretty quick.

My DD has 4 different eye conditions that all do about the same thing. Basically her eyes don't work together. She has done 18 weeks of eye therapy for her to learn how to get her eyes to work together more or really to control it. She does gets headaches a lot too. Unfortunately nothing fixes it and you just need to learn in a way to live with it. I have the same as her as well. We will always have glasses with prisms in them and not be able to wear contacts.

 

[Steppesister]

. We've gotten to the point where we take bags and/or containers out with us to bring any uneaten food back with us.

I used to do that too, but too many times we just never got around to eating them.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

Over Thanksgiving break, my family went up to Scotland for a long weekend:

I love Scotland! We went in early September 2018 and I seriously can't wait to go back. It's so amazingly beautiful.

Unfortunately, over the summer the condition worsened and he reached his max strength in prescription glasses. This means that next week he will have surgery to try and repair the issue. It's a fairly basic procedure, and I scheduled it right before Winter Break so he'll only have to miss the last 4 days of school and then have two full weeks of recovery at home.

Oh poor buddy! I'm sure everything will go well but I'll send some prayers and good vibes your way just in case.

 

[missangelalexis]

Sounds like you've been busy with some fun activities!

So sorry about Landon, well wishes to him on his surgery!

 

[pooh'smate]

Scotland!!! I am so jealous. I know you are fellow Outlander lover and I can't wait to get over there one day. Sending prayers and well wishes for Landon and his surgery.

 

[TanzUnited99]

Ooh I love Scotland...glad you had a good time.

Haha Alex looks great as a Santa stormtrooper!

Good luck with the procedure for Landon...hope it all goes well

 

[NJlauren]

So happy Scotland was lovely!
Sending positive vibes to Landon on his surgery!

 

[DLo]

Hoping Landon has a successful surgery and a speedy recovery

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Over Thanksgiving break, my family went up to Scotland for a long weekend:

How awesome is it to have that as an option!

Gorgeous pictures!

The kids saw Frozen 2 yesterday, and we have been forced to listen to Into the Unknown approximately 200 times already...

Send them my way- I've been doing the same lol

I won't lie, giving a Santa Stormtrooper a kiss goodbye was pretty weird!

This means that next week he will have surgery to try and repair the issue.

My thoughts and well wishes are with Landon and your whole family. Hope all goes easily and a quick recovery!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Alex had to work during the base's holiday party, and his job turned out to be pretty entertaining:

I love it!

This means that next week he will have surgery to try and repair the issue. It's a fairly basic procedure, and I scheduled it right before Winter Break so he'll only have to miss the last 4 days of school and then have two full weeks of recovery at home.
This is the first time any of the kids have to had to have any sort of medical procedure, so I'm a little nervous but hopeful this will help alleviate some of Landon's ongoing symptoms. (He's been getting a lot of headaches and blinking a lot.)

Oh no! But hopefully it will help him in the end!

 

[amazingact21]

I love your pictures from Scotland! My sister visited her boyfriend when he studied abroad in the UK, and Scotland was her favorite place between England, Ireland, and Scotland. She'd love to go back!

Alex looks great as a Santa stormtrooper!

Goodness, so many good thoughts to you with Landon's upcoming surgery! I can't imagine how scary it must be as a parent (I've had to endure plenty of medical things myself, but I think I'd handle that much better than I would my daughter having a medical procedure!). I'm sure everything will go well and I hope it provides Landon with some relief and a great outcome!

I have to say, I think Ireland might be a little prettier than Scotland, but really it's like choosing between chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Both are amazing! I'm so grateful I have gotten the chance to see both countries.

I'm sure it's hard to live overseas so far from your family but nice that you have so many new places to explore. I would love to visit Scotland - my grandparents came from Glasgow to the US in the 1920's. I still have cousins there. Sending good thoughts for your son's surgery - hope it's successful!

We try to take the kids on as many outings as possible to make up for being so far from family. I think this upcoming Christmas is going to be really difficult for the kids. My sister in-law and her new baby will be at Alex's mother's house. And my brother and his three children will be at my mom's house. So both sets of cousins will be with both grandparents, and I am sure the kids will feel excluded.

How fun to have family in Scotland!

I know it is scary but everything will be ok. I will be praying for you guys and hope that everything goes smoothly and the recovery is quick. My cousins little girl has had eye surgery twice now and it seems that the recovery is pretty quick.

My DD has 4 different eye conditions that all do about the same thing. Basically her eyes don't work together. She has done 18 weeks of eye therapy for her to learn how to get her eyes to work together more or really to control it. She does gets headaches a lot too. Unfortunately nothing fixes it and you just need to learn in a way to live with it. I have the same as her as well. We will always have glasses with prisms in them and not be able to wear contacts.

Oh, wow. That's such a shame that there's nothing that can fix the condition besides eye therapy and adapting. Will she have to continue to go to therapy? Or is it a scenario where now that she has learned how to use her eyes, so long as she wears the glasses with prisms, she's set? I know with Landon, he had frequent eye appointments because they told us the eye muscles continue to grow and strengthen like any other muscle in the body. (So they could change at any given time, which is the biggest reasons he's having the surgery now. The muscles aren't strengthening like they should be.)

 

[amazingact21]

I love Scotland! We went in early September 2018 and I seriously can't wait to go back. It's so amazingly beautiful.

I couldn't get over how untouched and pristine the Scottish Highlands are. No litter, not a lot of developed land, not a lot of other people around. It was like the complete opposite of Disney. I feel like I need a visit to Scotland after a WDW trip to decompress from the crowds.

Sounds like you've been busy with some fun activities!

So sorry about Landon, well wishes to him on his surgery!

Thanks! I'm sure he'll be back up and playing in no time.

Scotland!!! I am so jealous. I know you are fellow Outlander lover and I can't wait to get over there one day. Sending prayers and well wishes for Landon and his surgery.

Hahaha, yes! The country was just as beautiful as it looks on the show and is described in the books. I'm hoping we can get back to Scotland before we leave and visit some of the filming locations.
Inside the Glencoe Visitor Centre gift shop, they had an Outlander souvenir display, and Landon went, "Look, Mom, it's all those books you have on your bookshelf. They like them here, too!"

 

[amazingact21]

Ooh I love Scotland...glad you had a good time.

Haha Alex looks great as a Santa stormtrooper!

Good luck with the procedure for Landon...hope it all goes well

It's been fun living in the U.K. and getting to explore the different areas. I think the only place we haven't hit yet is Wales. Oh! And Northern Ireland.

So happy Scotland was lovely!
Sending positive vibes to Landon on his surgery!

Scotland had been on our must-see for awhile, so I'm glad we were able to cross it off!

Hoping Landon has a successful surgery and a speedy recovery

Thanks! At this point, we are all ready for him to have the procedure and see where his eyes go from there. The waiting period beforehand is the worst.

How awesome is it to have that as an option!

It's definitely a big perk to living in Europe. Alex and I never run out of ideas for weekend and holiday trips. It's going to be hard when we move back to the states to not be able to pop over to Belgium or Ireland whenever we want.

end them my way- I've been doing the same lol

Landon loves Elsa and he calls Into the Darkness and Show Yourself...my girl's songs. And shushes Evie until they are over. He's declared marshal law that nobody is allowed to talk through her songs.

Oh no! But hopefully it will help him in the end!

That's the hope! And we have told him it's much better to get it done now rather than when he's older.

 

[suse66]

Unfortunately, over the summer the condition worsened and he reached his max strength in prescription glasses. This means that next week he will have surgery to try and repair the issue. It's a fairly basic procedure, and I scheduled it right before Winter Break so he'll only have to miss the last 4 days of school and then have two full weeks of recovery at home.
This is the first time any of the kids have to had to have any sort of medical procedure, so I'm a little nervous but hopeful this will help alleviate some of Landon's ongoing symptoms. (He's been getting a lot of headaches and blinking a lot.)
But because of this, I have no clue when I'll catch up to this report or remain current on everyone else's. Please bear with me; I'll get there, eventually!

Your trip to Scotland looked amazing! So sorry to hear about Landon'e eye issues. My oldest son has a rare eye disease called Coats Disease and had a total retinal detachment at 18 months. He had surgery at 21 months and did extremely well. While it is very difficult for us as parents, children handle surgery much better than we do. And the pediatric specialists are so good with them (and us). Sending lots of positive thoughts, strength and prayers to you all.

 

[piglet1979]

Oh, wow. That's such a shame that there's nothing that can fix the condition besides eye therapy and adapting. Will she have to continue to go to therapy? Or is it a scenario where now that she has learned how to use her eyes, so long as she wears the glasses with prisms, she's set? I know with Landon, he had frequent eye appointments because they told us the eye muscles continue to grow and strengthen like any other muscle in the body. (So they could change at any given time, which is the biggest reasons he's having the surgery now. The muscles aren't strengthening like they should be.)

She only did 18 weeks of therapy and she seems good. It has been about 3 or 4 years now. I don't think she will have to do therapy again. I did the vision therapy too but much younger then her and only did some home therapy exercises when she was doing hers. So really once you learn how to work with it you are pretty much good. We don't have to have the prisms in our glasses as I didn't have them until about 2 years ago but they help. I don't get as many headaches from forcing my eyes to focus as much since the prisms will do that for us. When we are tired it is the worst. My eyes won't focus well and for Elizabeth her one eye will start to wonder and if I understand every correctly she is then not using that eye to see. Elizabeth went from having a very hard time reading to reading great after vision therapy.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

I feel like I need a visit to Scotland after a WDW trip to decompress from the crowds.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Love Scotland. Your photos are gorgeous. We were in Glasgow last July for my niece’s wedding and the craic was mighty! We ceildh danced the night away which had us all in fits of laughter. I love the Christmas market there too but absolutely nothing beats the stunning scenery of the highlands!

Alex’s monster hands and Evie’s certain love for soarin made me laugh

Hope all goes well for Landon. I’ll be thinking of you all and will light a candle for a speedy recovery

 

[amazingact21]

Your trip to Scotland looked amazing! So sorry to hear about Landon'e eye issues. My oldest son has a rare eye disease called Coats Disease and had a total retinal detachment at 18 months. He had surgery at 21 months and did extremely well. While it is very difficult for us as parents, children handle surgery much better than we do. And the pediatric specialists are so good with them (and us). Sending lots of positive thoughts, strength and prayers to you all.

Oh my goodness, what a stressful event that must have been for you. I can't imagine how much work went into repairing that sort of condition, and at 21 months, kids have no concept of what's going on. I am grateful that I can sit Landon down and talk through the procedure with him, allow him to ask questions, and even talk to the doctor about his own concerns. Amusingly enough, what's making him feel better is the fact that we are getting this done in the winter versus the summer, since he can't swim or play in sand for 6-8 weeks afterwards... "Oh good, I won't miss any of my summer playtimes."

So really once you learn how to work with it you are pretty much good. We don't have to have the prisms in our glasses as I didn't have them until about 2 years ago but they help. I don't get as many headaches from forcing my eyes to focus as much since the prisms will do that for us. When we are tired it is the worst. My eyes won't focus well and for Elizabeth her one eye will start to wonder and if I understand every correctly she is then not using that eye to see. Elizabeth went from having a very hard time reading to reading great after vision therapy.

What good news that the therapy isn't a continuous necessity and has helped so much! So the prisms are kind of an eventuality, should time and use cause the eyes to tire more quickly?
I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to read beforehand, and I'm sure you all are grateful the therapy helped with that skill. Reading is one of those functions you don't know is so integral until you stop and think about it.

Love Scotland. Your photos are gorgeous. We were in Glasgow last July for my niece’s wedding and the craic was mighty! We ceildh danced the night away which had us all in fits of laughter. I love the Christmas market there too but absolutely nothing beats the stunning scenery of the highlands!

Alex’s monster hands and Evie’s certain love for soarin made me laugh

Hope all goes well for Landon. I’ll be thinking of you all and will light a candle for a speedy recovery

I remember seeing your photos from Glascow; it looked like it was a great time!
Oh, I didn't realize they had a Christmas market. I bet it was happening when we were visiting, and we drove right around the city. Man, I should have paid attention.

Thanks for the well wishes for Landon. The doctor said he would have only had to miss a week of school afterwards (if he wasn't out for winter break) so I am hopeful the recovery won't be too rough. Then again, Landon will milk it for all he's worth. ("Evie can you bring me that toy...Mom, can you make my favorite pizza for dinner...Dad, can I stay up ten minutes later?" )