check it out

There are lots of pictures! Make sure to scroll all the way down!

ten months

Wow! My baby is 10 months old already! Time goes by way too fast! And in these pictures I can see that my baby doesn't look so much like my baby any more, but more like a little boy.

party like a rock star!

Tyler's school had a carnival & as a room mom I was in charge of a game. Tyler & Adeline came along to help during my shift at the game, and then we had some fun playing around.

easter

much needed update -- March

Ironically, after my technology post our USB cable died, and I couldn't get any pictures off my camera! And then so much had passed that getting pictures off the camera & updating the blog became a daunting task. Don't you love how that happens? So, here are some pictures & video from March.

Every morning after taking Tyler to school Adeline asked to go play outside. When she's outside with out me she is only allowed in the back yard. She loves to ride her bike around on the deck. And McKay loved standing at the window to watch her. I was trying to be sneaky getting a picture of him at the window, but just before I snapped the picture he looked back and gave me a big smile! What a ham!

This is the position McKay gets into when he goes from crawling on the floor to sitting up. However, there are many times when he never tries to sit. He just does "down face dog" for about 20 seconds and then scoots away on his tummy. I may have myself a Yoga partner. :)

This yellow outfit is Adeline's favorite. She would wear it every day if I let her. As soon as it is washed she wants to wear it -- even if she's already dressed and wearing something else!

One of Tyler's birthday presents was a Hot Wheels track with this big black spider. I don't do spiders. Even though I know this is fake -- it looks fake -- I cannot bring myself to pick it up. The kids have to put it away -- all the time. Last week I was cleaning up the toy room & the spider was on the floor. I vacuumed around it. The kids also think it's hilarious to put it on me or chase me around with it. Dallin had the kids pose with the spider for my benefit.

Dallin snapped this picture of Adeline. We just think it's so funny! She looks so forlorn and forgotten.

We had just put the kids to bed, and I was in the kitchen cleaning up when Adeline came wandering in complaining that she was "scared in my bed." So, she chose a less scary place...guarding the front door.

preparedness drill

Our bishop has really been on us ward members to be physically prepared for emergencies. He told us some time ago that we would have preparedness drills. Today he announced that this week is our first drill. We are to go the whole week without doing any shopping -- we can buy gas for the vehicles & water. He said not only will this be a test of our individual families' preparedness, but it will test the ward as well. We are to ask each other for help if we are in dire need of something. Next Sunday the Bishop will call someone from the congregation to give a 3-5 minute talk about his/her week. I am grateful that yesterday was my grocery day for the next 2 weeks. This would have really tested our family because our diet would have consisted of beans, brown rice, canned veggies & fruit and homemade bread. Not too bad, I guess. But not super exciting either.

technology

There have been some changes in our house this month. First of all, we no longer have cable in our home. Our "new customer" package rate came to an end, and something had to go. We decided we could do without cable. Now with only internet and phone we are still paying the same amount as when we had all 3 in our package deal. I don't miss it as much as I thought I would. I think that's because I still have access to the world through the internet. The kids don't ask for it as much as I thought they would. We might get a digital converter, but for the time being I don't miss TV at all. It's also been great to pull out some of the movies on our shelves that have been collecting dust. I'm also grateful that there are no longer nights when Dallin and I flip through 100+ channels with nothing on worth watching!

Our family computer also bit the dust. My sister has offered us an old laptop of hers, and while it will need some work done on it, it will hopefully still cost less than a brand new laptop.

We also bought a wireless router -- yeah! Now I won't be stuck downstairs working on the computer. I can be upstairs watching the kids while they're outside and still get work done. We also splurged on a new printer.

And it is AWESOME! Not only is it a great photo printer, but it is also wireless. I love this thing! And I don't even mind that it is my anniversary, birthday, and Christmas present for the next 2 years! LOL

hope you know

Just wanted to share.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz41YxNiHEg

snow, snow, and more snow

Just thought I'd share some of our snow with those who don't have any. We've had over 60 days with 5+ inches on the ground, and we've had about 54 inches of snow fall since the beginning of the month. Oh, and I found out last week that some of our snow is in Vancouver at the Olympics! That's right. They trucked some of it out of here. Anyone else want some? We should sell this stuff! Talk about rejuvenating our economy.

This is just some snow in our neighborhood.

Some people still have Christmas decorations up. Seriously, though, can you blame them?

Icicles on Tyler's school.

A picture of the playground and the big "mountain of snow" that all the kids think is just so cool!

It's road conditions like these that have given us 10 snow days this year!

Dallin and I just think it's fascinating how there can be clear roads and then just a complete white out all within a few yards!

This is just one of many dug out mailboxes!

Garbage day.

This is the gate to our back yard. We've had knee/thigh high snow there most of the winter.

I just think this view of the sidewalk is neat with the snow so high on both sides.

princess for a day

Dallin bought these for a $1, and Adeline was kind enough to share with me. We both wore them most of the day.









At our house even the princesses have to work!

100 days of school

Tyler FINALLY had his 100th day of Kindergarten on Wednesday! I say finally, because it was postponed a few times due to all the snow days.

His shirt has 20 hand prints -- all the kids in the class did a print. And the writing says, 100 fingers for 100 days. His necklace has 100 Fruit Loops divided into groups of tens -- he ate those soon after this picture.

And, yes, he is wearing shorts underneath his shirt. I couldn't get him to put on pants. Eh. That was a battle I chose not to fight.

happy birthday, tyler!

I was beside myself worrying that Tyler still feel like it was HIS day despite McKay's health problems. Tyler told me the morning following his birthday, "Mom, I had fun yesterday on my birthday." Tender mercies. Seriously.

Tyler also had a great party with his friends this last weekend.

what a week!

Last Monday I took both Adeline and McKay to the doctor; Adeline had complained that her ear hurt, and McKay had a cough that just sounded awful, and I wanted to make sure it wasn't something too serious. The doctor examined Adeline first and said Addie had infections in both ears -- no surprise there -- and then she examined McKay and said, "OK. He has pneumonia." What?!?! She sent us over to the hospital -- thankfully our doctor's office is connected to the hospital -- to get chest x-rays. But before we did that a nurse gave McKay a RSV test, and she showed me how to do a breathing treatment with him using a nebulizer and she tested his oxygen levels. Thankfully his oxygen levels were relatively normal. After getting the x-rays we headed back to the doctor's and I was told that McKay had pneumonia in both lungs and RSV. She gave us a prescriptions for Adeline's Amoxicillin and then antibiotics, steriods, and medication for the nebulizer for McKay. Then she said she wanted to see him 1st thing in the morning.

Our appointment that afternoon was at 2:15. I did not pick up Tyler from a friend's house until about 6:00. We got home about 15 minutes later. That would be bad enough, but it was also Tyler's birthday last Monday. And we were having his family party that night. I managed to control my emotions about the whole thing until Dallin came home at 6:30 that night. I told Dallin what had happened, and I just broke down crying! Tyler opened presents while the macaroni cooked, and we finally sat down for his birthday dinner at 7:00. Then we quickly had cake and ice cream and sent the kids to bed! LOL Thankfully, Tyler was so excited about his Nerf dart gun that I don't think he minded that most of our attention was on McKay that night. The next day McKay saw the doctor again and we had his oxygen levels checked again, she taught me how to check his breathing to know if he was breathing too fast, and she instructed me to give him a steam bath every 4 hours. She said he didn't need to be hospitalized, and in fact, 90% of breastfed babies who contract RSV do not end up in the hospital. Thank goodness for breastfeeding!

Long story, short -- it's been a very long week of wrestling children to take medicine, watching children then vomit said medicine, changing clothes -- frequently, and giving either a steam bath or breathing treatment every 2 hours, and middle of the night breathing treatments. After seeing how healthy McKay looks now makes me realize just how sick he really was. He will be more susceptible to respiratory problems after this...but at least he will be alive.

7 months old

I can't believe McKay is already 7 months old! We're on the other 1/2 of his first year! Seriously, where has the time gone?!?! And he is just so DARN cute!!!

december updates

Well, now that it's almost February, I am finally posting Christmas pictures! What can I say? We spent Christmas vacation in Dubuque with my family. And except for Alan who is serving a mission in Chile, we were all together. All the kids, grandkids & spouses. We had such a wonderful time, I didn't want to come home!

Christmas Eve our little family got new p.j.s.

Then, little and big kids alike participated in our nativity.

Christmas morning.

Family memories.

Sledding fun.

6 months

the latest

Last night we had our first black out in this house. Both Dallin & Tyler had work/school canceled because of the ice storm, and yesterday afternoon, about 3:30 we were grocery shopping -- rather quickly because Dallin was meeting up with the Elders later -- and Dallin suggested getting something to eat for dinner on the way home. The kids thought that was a great idea, and actually opted for Subway over McD's. I was so proud! We got the food to go, and then headed home to get our groceries in the fridge. We sat down to eat about 4:30 -- early, I know, but apparently EVERYONE -- except me -- was STARVING. As we ate the lights slowly dimmed, and then everything went dark. I pulled out some tea candles -- I really need to invest in some large candles (unscented) and candlesticks/holders -- the kids thought it was really neat to eat by candle light. Adeline kept singing Happy Birthday to someone. And I mentioned to Dallin what a great idea it was going to Subway, because dinner would have otherwise been rather interesting. Dallin had to leave shortly after to meet with the Elders. So, I had 3 kids by myself in the dark with not a whole lot to do! McKay also needed to be fed right then, so the 4 of us piled up on our bed and I fed McKay and read stories to the others. The power came back on about an hour after it went off and I used that opportunity to get the kids to put their clean clothes put away and get ready for bed -- and gave McKay a bath. Just as I got McKay in his P.J.s the power went out again. Dallin came home not long after that, and he and I got ready for bed as well, and back on our bed we went and read books for awhile. Slowly the kids drifted off to sleep, and we put them in their respective beds. Dallin fell asleep around 9, and I ended up reading by flashlight until around midnight. It is a really good book -- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer. It's a fictional book about people living in the Channel Islands during the German Occupation there. Really fascinating. Anyway. The power came back on around 3:30 or so -- don't ask me how I know this. And school is canceled again today. Our school district has used up all their scheduled snow days and then some this year. Right now the last day of school is June 7. They may do what they did last year and make up the days else where during the semester. Hopefully they do that. So as of right now we may not leave for Utah until June 8. On a more somber note, last week Dallin came home and told me that the principal had told the teachers that they were going to have to cut some positions. He told them in 2 or 3 days he would know who was leaving. The teachers were unsure if this meant they lost their jobs immediately -- they all have a clause in their contracts that says this is possible -- or if it just meant they wouldn't be back next year. Last Friday was day 3 of this waiting period, and all the teachers stayed after school waiting to hear what was happening. After waiting for about an hour the finally called the secretary and asked her to go into the meeting the principal was having with the CEO of the school and ask them if they had made any decisions yet. The principal came out and said they were surprised anyone had stayed. They thought everyone would have gone home at 3. WHAT?!?!?! Long story short -- they hadn't made any decisions yet, and hadn't even really discussed it yet. Again, WHAT?!?!?! They told the teachers they would have an answer for them on Monday. Super. On Monday everyone found out that they are "safe" until the end of the year. This is good news because it means Dallin will get paid until August. Contracts are supposed to come out in March. We don't know if we will find out before then what our status is. Dallin did mention that the principal met with Dallin and told him that Dallin is one of the most versatile teachers out there. And then asked if Dallin would be willing to teach the GED recovery class. Uh...yeah. Dallin was also asked if he thought people would be willing to give up their Special Ed bonuses to help keep a few jobs. Dallin said he would be willing to. And I'm thinking, especially if it's HIS job they're saving! So that is where we stand right now. The kids are doing well. Oh, I have to tell you this, too. A little background first -- 2 years ago Dallin applied and had an interview for a teaching/coaching job in Cherokee, Iowa -- that's about 2 hours west of where we are now. While we were waiting to hear back from the school I had a dream that we were told to move to Fort Dodge. I remember in the dream being upset and insisting that we were moving to Cherokee. A week or so later Dallin got the interview here and then a job offer. And now we live in Fort Dodge. Last week Tyler had a dream that on his birthday our family moved back to Dubuque to live with my parents. This amid all our worry about Dallin's job. He is so insistent that this is going to happen that on Monday when we went to the library he refused to get a movie and books because he insisted that we would be moving before they were due. I've started planning for Tyler's birthday party in a couple weeks and Tyler always makes sure I know we have to have the party before we start packing up. We'll see what happens I guess.

updates are coming

I know I haven't posted in a while. Our computer finally bit the dust just before Thanksgiving, so the only computer I have to work on is Dallin's work computer. And I only get that for a limited amount of time in the evenings & at night. That means I have to do all my computer work in a short amount of time. Going through pictures and what not takes up A LOT of time! That being said, the pictures are cropped and sorted, and I will have some up by the end of the week! Yeah! Be prepared for a picture/update assault!

food storage giveaway

Food storage binder giveaway at Modern Molly Mormon!

a gold star day

This morning as she was getting dressed Adeline said she wanted to wear underwear. This was not surprising as she's had underwear for about 6 months now and will sporadically announce she's going to wear them. We usually end up going through about 3 pairs of clothes and underwear by lunch time and by then, well, I'm just tired of cleaning up after her, so I convince her to wear a diaper again. So this morning I told her she could wear her underwear and I fully expected her to be in a diaper by nap time. But guess what? She surprised me by keeping her pants dry (minus 2 poop accidents) ALL day! She was even dry after her nap! Yippee! I cannot tell you what a relief this is! She has not shown any real interest in the whole potty thing. She wanted to wear the pretty underwear, but that's about it. It wasn't even until this last weekend that she would even do anything while on the potty. That is an entire day's worth of diapers we just saved!

McKay also had a great day today. He took 2 one to two hour naps today -- WITHOUT HAVING TO BE HELD!!! Most times if I make him fall asleep on his own he doesn't stay asleep very long, and I end up holding him for most of his naps just so he actually sleeps in order to be awake enough to eat well. His first nap was during Adeline's nap, and I was able to clean a bathroom and sort craft project supplies for kids to use at the ward Christmas party. During his second nap I was able to make and eat dinner without interruptions from him.

Today the 3 of us had a gold star day! And really, it's the little things that get me through the day.