Our Forever Family

I took Jenna to her one year appointment at the doctor today. She has had a cold the last couple of days accompanied with a fever. She hasn't slept very well with her stuffy nose. While waiting in the room, Jenna fell and hit her mouth. Under her lip that connects with the gums it detatched. She was bleeding pretty bad. I didn't realize it until a few minutes after when her mouth was filled with blood! The dr. reassured me that she would be fine. They don't do stitches when that happens. It probably won't reattach itself though...sad! So while she was calming down I had the doctor look in Cameron's ear. It has always been full of hard wax. We have tried candle sticks, over the counter drops and even bobby pins to try and get it out! It is so gross. The doctor suggested going to the EAR/NOSE/THROAT doctor. He said he couldn't see the ear drum and it was really hard in there. Not a surprise. So I will be scheduling an appt. for him soon. I don...

(Chuck (son) and wife Carol, Debbie and husband, Ron(son)) The week before Christmas we took a quick trip to Kooskia, Idaho to attend David’s grandfather’s funeral. We got to know him really well the last 6 years, while living with David’s parents. I didn’t know him at all before that. We especially enjoyed the last year and a half when they moved to St. George and we got to visit every few months. When we would go visit he would ask me if I was going to make pancakes. He loved pancakes for breakfast! They were a treat for him since that was the only time he ate them. He also always would buy our food to eat while visiting. He loved to go to the grocery store. He didn’t have his license anymore and so someone would take him almost every day. He loved when we came to visit! We will miss him! The funeral was really great. I especially loved the eulogy given by David’s sister, Melissa. The stories were fun and also very touching. I learned a lot about...

My how the time flies! Especially when your whole life is in mostly a whole year! Jenna has been so much fun lately. I will contribute it to the fact that she now has 6 teeth finally in after working on them for the last 6 months! It was been hard work!! And I think a break is needed from teething by her and I! *Jenna has started walking more. She now thinks about walking if she wants something first and then will crawl the rest of the way. *She has the best smile and gets lots of compliments on it. *SPOILED, yes I said it! *Likes to be in where the action is. *Still nurses. I have made it to her year mark and now it’s time to wean. Easier said than done by this point! She is a mommy lover! *LOVES, LOVES, LOVES oranges! If you are peeling an orange for her she will scream letting you know she wants it until it is on her tray. Patience is not her! *Petite. Smallest of my babies. *Likes to be with Daddy. *Still wakes up at least one time. I will say that the ...

The kids decorated the traditional gingerbread house.  This had enough pieces for everyone to decorate a part with out crowding!  Melanie worked on the gingerbread man and woman, Jason the Christmas tree and Alyssa and Cameron decorated the house.  Christmas Eve Grandma and Grandpa Lee started the tradition of pajamas and a book!   They love them and the books are so special with a note inside each one to each one of the kids.  We had fun reading in bed with their new pajamas and excited for Santa’s arrival!  Can I just say that it is so much fun to see your kids on Christmas morning!  I am more excited to see them than I am about getting anything!  After setting up the tree with Santa’s gifts all out and admiring everything with the tree lights on David and I both said at the same time “We are so blessed!”    The kids woke up at 7 am.  So grateful for a few more hours of sleep than I had planned on!  The kids all...

David was up bright and early this morning, 6 am ready for work.  I wished him a happy birthday as he left the room (I was still happily snuggled under the covers) and then it dawned on me, “I know why you are up so early!  You can’t wait to go drive in your new car!”  Grinning ear to ear I knew I was right!  Let’s just say the Swagger Wagon wasn’t cutting it for him anymore!  It’s definitely a family car, not a work vehicle!  Unfortunately we didn’t see David again until right before mutual.  He grabbed his stuff and headed off again.  The kids were sorely disappointed!  They wanted the presents and ice cream cake and festivities to begin!  The kids stayed up extra late tonight so we could celebrate after mutual.  I went easy this year and bought a Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream Cake!  It almost felt like I was cheating by not making a cake! And then the kids could not WAIT to take a drive in the car.  They called me ...

Helpless. Whenever I need to take my kids somewhere, I can't! I have to call the neighbors. Luckily I have AWESOME ones! Boring. It really is! Staying home all day everyday is just that! Uneventful. Not much excitement around here. Jenna is learning to walk and that IS exciting, but I guess I should be glad nothing MAJOR has happened since I would have to call the neighbors, again! Simple. Very routine around here. Laundry, dishes, meals, puzzles, games, internet, diapers, etc. Sometimes I like simplicity. Depressing. By Thursday I want OUT of the house! And Friday is even worse because it is early out day for the kids! To much fighting going on lately...I think they want out to! Frustrating. So many ideas going through my head! Especially this time of year and I can't just jump in the car and GO! Money Saver. Not only are we saving on gas that I would be using, but also the things I would BUY while out! Patience. I have learned to have a lot more of th...

Cameron had his first piano recital Tuesday night. He played Jingle Bells and We Three Kings. He did a great job. He was super nervous for it! But for only playing for a month and a half he did awesome!

Jason came home yesterday telling me he wanted his friend Malaki, from preschool, to come and play with his Criss Cross Crash. I said "but you don't have a Criss Cross Crash." He said, "I know but I asked Santa for it for Christmas!" I love the believing and innocence of kids around Christmas time! And it's a good thing that Santa found (after going to THREE different stores) one Criss Cross Crash left on the shelf! Phew!!! And the countdown is on! We have 3 different count down's to Christmas. One from Melanie's class, one from Jason's preschool and then our big advent calendar that we have every year. And you can bet the kids are a lot more obedient when I mention anything about the naughty list!

This morning before church this was what Alyssa was talking about. Imagine it with out the "r" and "l" being pronounced! It was so cute. So instead of "LOVE" it is "WOVE" and "Favowite"! Me: Alyssa, what do you have in your hand? Alyssa: Makeup. I LOVE makeup! It's my favorite. Mom, do you love makeup? Me: No, I don't love makeup. Alyssa: Well, I do! And she BEGGED to take her "wipstick" to church! While cooking dinner tonight Alyssa started talking to herself while sitting on the counter watching me. Alyssa: When I get big I am going to kiss a boy! Me: When? When you get married? Alyssa: No, mom. When I get big! Me: Like how big? Alyssa, quickly changing her mind: No I am not going to kiss a boy! Should I be worried? Makeup and boys at 3! My crazy girly girl! Teenage years should be interesting. I hope I don't get to many gray hairs going through them!

It really is that funny!  Since Saturday night, it has been one thing after another.  It all started at the pool in St. George.  Melanie hit her nose and the blood started to come.  I rushed her into the bathroom and cleaned her off in the shower and then finally got her nose to stop bleeding.  Then later that night I went to change Jenna out of her wet clothes into dry clothes and came back out to the pool and Carol had Jason laying on the ground on his back with a towel covering his nose.  Somehow he got a bloody nose too!  So back into the bathroom with him.  Then Sunday night, 15 minutes before getting home from our long drive back home, Melanie said she wasn’t feeling good.  So I pass back the only grocery bag we had.  And of course she threw up!  Luckily in the bag!  THEN we woke up Monday morning and Jenna and Alyssa’s eyes were both almost glued shut with gunk!  PINK EYE!!  It then got to Jason and Cameron....

For Thanksgiving this year we headed south to St. George.  I was just coming out of the effects of the flu that wiped me out for almost 2 weeks before leaving.  And David was just starting to get it!  He didn’t have the same symptoms as I had and it didn’t last nearly as long, lucky for him!  We had a great time with David’s parents and it was fun to be in their new home!  We didn’t take many pictures while there.  Just us eating!  HAHA!!  The food was delicious and we ate leftovers for the whole time we were there!  Carol stuck with her daily salad.  She has better self control than me!  I couldn’t eat enough of EVERYTHING!!  To much goodness around me!  And Jenna loved her first Thanksgiving feast!        We did some black Friday shopping.  David went to Target for a T.V. for his office.  He waited in line for 2 hours just to buy it.  I went out at 7:30, when David got back....

I BEGGED my parents for glasses as a child and now that I am older, and I’d like to think wiser, I am SO GLAD I didn’t and still don’t have them!  But my poor son, Cameron, is sadly living my childhood wish.  He came home with a note from the vision screening at school saying he did not pass the vision test.  He did mention a few times, mostly when they rearranged their desks, that he had a hard time seeing the board.  But me thinking that he had great eyes because they were like mine in color didn’t think much of it.  Throw that theory out the window!!  So in November I took him to the eye doctor and sure enough he is near sighted.  Or he can’t see things far away.  And it’s hereditary.  Should of known!  David’s whole family has terrible eyesight.  Dang it!!  When the doctor was testing him with the letters on the wall it made me sad.  I could read every letter on there and they were backwards to me and Cameron couldn’t ...

I have been passed out on the couch for the last 4 days! Let me tell ya the couch is getting a nice big broke in spot on the corner of our sectional! So what do you do when you feel nauseous, have the chills, sweaty all over although I am wrapped up in my big fleece blanket, pretty much useless doing anything else but stare. You guessed it, watched a lot of these: Today show, Living in Utah, Rachel Ray, Studio 5, okay I gave the kids a break and let them watch a cartoon, then would resume watching The Talk, The Nate Berkus Show, Oprah and the 5 o'clock news. Thank goodness soap operas don't rule the afternoon anymore. I learned a lot of stuff, which I know I will never use. Maybe one idea sparked an interest. Maybe. My poor kids have been pretty neglected. They are pretty much on their own. Finally at 2 pm today I broke down and ordered pizza and had it delivered. It is definitly time to go grocery shopping! I took myself to the Instacare tonight. I paid $25 for th...

My kids ARE my life. I love being a mother. I love everything about it, minus the fighting, moodiness and worries that come along with it. I do like structure, cleaning and organizing my house and serving my kids. It brings me satisfaction. Jenna is 10 1/2 months old and I guess it’s time for an update. She FINALLY broke through her 4th tooth. Those buggers seem to take forever to come in. Last week I took her in Saturday morning thinking she had an ear infection. She did not sleep good at all the night before and was rolling around not comfortable all night. No ear infection though. But with Saturday night, Sunday night and all Monday of pure fussiness, I took her in to the instacare when David got home Monday night thinking the Dr. Saturday got it wrong. An hour wait and another $15 short and nothing. Just a sad girl! Finally after her 4th tooth popped through a couple days later and I saw 2 more teeth coming down. So that would explain it. Three teeth working their w...