Nathaniel and Annabelle reading in the hammocks...a place we've spent a lot of time this summer!

Biking at Minnesota River Valley State Park the day before Nathaniel's surgery.

Nathaniel on his surgery day at Children's Hospital in Minneapolis.  Nathaniel needed to have his adenoids removed.

Suited up in the "hospital jammies" waiting for surgery to begin.

More waiting...things were running behind.

In the "induction room" where Nathaniel had  anesthesia.  That is me holding his hand.

Nathaniel after the surgery.  He was not feeling well at all...very sick to his stomach from the anesthesia.  The adenoidectomy was a breeze...just the nausea from the anesthesia.

Nathaniel feeling better the next day...his first food in over 36 hours...mashed potatoes and hard boiled eggs.

Annabelle with Katherine - our favorite librarian!  This was Annabelle's 3rd year of book club with Katherine.

Annabelle's belated 11th birthday party - a sleepover with 4 friends. 

We made homemade pasta for dinner...

More noodle-making.

Dinner on the deck....

Somehow this is the only picture we have of the cake when we serenaded the birthday girl!

Making chocolate truffles.

Breakfast after a mostly sleepless night.

Annabelle getting her hair done by castmate, the Queen.

Annabelle as the "Magic Mirror" (a tri-mirror, with mirrors on each side that say some lines with her).  Seen here with the Queen.

Backstage before the show.

8/9/09...My last day with braces on.  The elastic bands were in place until the bitter end.

A last "brace face" grin.

8/10/09...The braces are off!

After ...1 year, 4 months of braces

April 2008...my teeth before braces...with the upper central very crooked and parts of the top row behind the lower teeth.

I have a bonded retainer on the top and soon will have one on the bottom too.  I have to wear clear Essix retainers for a while.  They are clear plastic that snaps over my teeth really tightly.

Close up of the Essix retainers...my teeth don't touch with them in place because the plastic is too thick.  But my bite is perfect with them off...the main reason I got braces!