Sunday, June 24, 2018

And So the Ambulance Finally Had to come

Life is rarely dull and can be full of adventure...
depending on how you want to look at it. 

There are those adventures you experience by traveling the world, 
and those you can only experience by staying home. 

At different points in our life we've been blessed enough to experience the first kind of adventures; now we are currently experiencing those of the latter kind... which can be hard for me sometimes. But it's also my favorite because these are the moments, days, and years that are going to fly by the quickest and be missed the most
(so they tell me ;) 

TRAVIS
He is currently finishing up a month of ICU work; it's longer hours, but has allowed him to make it to the baseball games in the evenings and church on Sundays (which I've missed). 
This week for his Family Home Evening activity he chose to watch the human version of 101 Dalmatians; which Aaron LOVED!!! 
For his Friday Family Movie Night he took us to Incredibles 2 and we had some friends come along too. 
He is currently plotting with our friends for our next Spartan.
He bought another speaker for his truck and enjoys the sound even more now. 
He says his favorite part of the week was yesterday when we went out to Clear Lake for our date. We had pizza at this place called Gejo's, outside on their terrace. It was across from a central park that had an old timy band playing; the weather was perfect. The food was delicious. The atmosphere was just what we could hope for. We then walked around the lake and around the town before driving back to our town and grabbing ice-cream at this old local ice cream shop; it was such a fun date! 

LACEY
I finished another Audio book, Jane Eyre... it was good, BUT I don't quite understand why it's considered an American Classic? 
I'm currently focusing ALL my energies and abilities into being the kindest and calmest mom I can be... while my kids are home every min of the day... and we're finishing up week three of no T.V. 
Some of my children are struggling with mean attitudes and I just don't want to reinforce those natural tendencies by also acting that way and providing any examples other than how we SHOULD respond; it's exhausting having to watch each and every word coming out of your mouth! 
Since Travis already took our date has his favorite moment, I'm going to say that Friday as a whole was my favorite because it was the first time in weeks the sun came out! It was fun to have it shining while I dipped Addie in the pool during the boys' swim lessons. It was fun having her on a blanket with me while we talked and joked with the boys has they washed the car. I loved them eating popsicles outside in the sun. And when we came out of the theater at 8:30pm it was still warm and sunny; I love the sun! I just thrive in its rays! 

MADDIX
His favorite part of the week was going to his friend, Jayden's bday party at Roller City! I can't remember the last time he seemed so excited and open with his excitement; he's normally reserved in that way. He stayed without me and enjoyed the arcade games, skating, prizes, and generally feeling so grown up since I just dropped him off (that was hard for me). 
He pitched another game and almost struck a kid out. He's had some pretty good hits, and typically knows where the ball is supposed to be thrown each play. 
He's loving the Harry Potter books on audio recording to listen to while he cleans, has free time, or does yard work; He's just about to finish the 3rd one tomorrow! 
He enjoyed sitting with his little friend, Lila at the movie. 
He did a cannon ball off the high dive in swim lessons. 
This week he started an Attitude Chart to see if we can't improve the areas that are primarily hard for him to have good attitudes toward (I'm really hoping it works!) 
And he and Aaron worked together to wash the car and earn some $$. While doing this, our neighbor snuck over and got them with the super soaker before being chased away with the hose :D

AARON
He received a card from his teachers and was happy to hear from them.
He and I took a little bike ride around the block the other night before bed. 
After a baptism we attended yesterday he opted to stay in his church clothes with his tie on while we went to the store because he wanted people to know he was from the church (insert hear melting). 
Aaron has become my baking/cooking buddy, but unfortunately got burned and is now a bit timid. 
He likes to share the gospel and looks forward to being baptized. 
He's still enjoying baseball. 
We had a "date" of sorts where we played in the toy room, BUT I couldn't stay awake so it was more like me muttering incoherent phrases in our game and then getting slapped repeatedly by him to wake up! 
He says his favorite part of the week was "being with you, all the times." (Okay, now my heart is bursting!!) 

ADELINE
This girl is so sO SOOO close to crawling. She is up on all four, rocking back and forth. She can pretty much get to what she needs, but isn't officially there; almost. 
She rambles a "dadda-dadda-da" all the time or growls. 
She can eat anything small and soft. 
We've just added some cows milk to her bottles and she's done just fine. 
She's happy, smiley, sweet, friendly, curious, and... 
... Yesterday became my first baby I ever had to have the ambulance dispatched for. 

You'd think after those years of calling 911 for Aaron's seizures, he'd be the first, but they were never actually dispatched; he always came to just before they sent one. Yesterday, however, I was making a bottle for Addie when I heard that choking cough. I came in to find her choking, but on what I couldn't imagine. I swiped with no luck. I put her in the baby Heimlich. No luck. I quickly called Travis; no answer. I kept trying to swipe what I could now tell was a plastic wrapper, but each time I tried it pushed the wrapper slightly further down, so I stopped and just kept at the Heimlich. As she went blue I called 911 and they were in there a matter of minutes. 
Before they arrived though she puked it up and never passed out (Thank you to my Heavenly Father). The assessed her and said I did what I should do and she'd be just fine, which she was. But I was a little shaky the rest of the day and so were the boys. 
We all picked up the floors a little closer, and are determined something like this WON'T happen again! 
One scary and expensive granola bar
























Sunday, June 17, 2018

Week 2 of no T.v.: CrUsHeD!

Maddix has this grand plan to make tons of money this summer, and surprisingly $5/week to obstain from T.V. has been the easiest! We are about to start our third week with only watching a Friday Family Movie night, and instead we've been filling our times with Harry Potter Audio books. 
Seriously, audio books are a glorious invention that I thank Heaven I have in my life! I Just finished And Then There Were None, and Jane Eyre on my one. And as a family we just finished Harry Potter number one and are about 3hrs off of accomplishing the second own; and I should say it's really just Maddix that has blown through them! He's incredible at listening to them. 
He and Aaron weeded in the garden for 1 1/2hrs last Monday while listening to the book while I mowed the lawn. When I came back, he was so excited to tell me they'd just finished the book. 

Aside from our tremendous love for books and reading now that none of us have school, we also have a great love for baseball. And with all these storms, we've been blessed that baseball games have been uninterrupted with only one complication. The games are a little hard for me to sit through between my sore tailbone, a bored baby, and annoying bugs... but I LOVE watching the boys play. And I LOVE that Travis has been making it to the games. 

This week we had the pleasure of having some friends over to play. 
We went to ZooMan! That's a real highlight for us here.
We got haircuts (Maddix requested to have his hair cut to look like his Uncle Garett)
Travis and I went on a date to Tai Bistro
I ran to the gym, did a rigorous workout and then ran home in the rain; and loved it. 
Had some really, REALLY trying parenting moments --> Ever feel like you're fighting a losing battle with your littles? 
We got to go to Clear Lake and have a Beach day with some friends. It was so windy that the water even crashed against the sandbar like the beaches we're used too. Little Addie was in her element. She is a water lover. Has a Beach bum soul. She just watched the waves and was completely at peace!  

~Father's Day~
Maddix was over the top excited to surprise Travis with the gift he gave him (Maddix bought a model firebird to paint and build together)
Aaron was SOoooOO excited to get to wrap his by himself (Art work and a Jeep Mug full of candy)
Addie didn't know what she got him, but she knows shed give her daddy anything because she LoVeS him (She bought him a new Mets cap) 
And I gave him a grill (that we actually purchased a month ago as an early summer gift) 

For breakfast we had sprinkled/strawberry buttermilk pancakes and bacon
At church I spoke about the blessings of the Priesthood in my life and instead called some of the important men in my life and asked for their memorable stories then shared them in my talk, which I feel went well. 
For dinner we made Travis beef enchiladas (his mom's recipe), spanish rice, and I tried my hand at homemade salsa (not bad). 
And I really put my skills to the test by making his Mom/Grandma's homemade chocolate sauce to go  on top of brownies and mint ice-cream; it was disgustingly good and I hadn't eaten sugar all week so it really did me in. 
Happy Father's Day, Trav! 
Too many good things to say about you. But you know them. 
And you know I'll always tell them to you. 
We love you! 


Aaron got mad and essentially exploded a bottle baby powder on
Maddix and in the entire room...



While getting haircuts, the car died.
Daddy came to save us quickly in between patients!
Thank you Travis! 


There were 700 people at this first show! 

Maddix was lucky enough to be
picked to receive "snake huggies;"
Which he later deemed had "turned his day right around!"







Multiple times this week Aaron has broken out in
hives and we can't figure out why.
The only thing that is apparent is that it's upon
contact when they keep happen?? 


While walking off our meal, we decided to put forth our best
modeling efforts; clearly we could be professionals ;) 

My Beach Baby!!!! 






What it means to be Daddy



THIS melted my heart.
I needed to see this moment happen on its own.
They've been rough this week.