Family Update

Erik and Tristan both have colds...it isn't even officially Fall yet!  So, I took him on Monday but his teacher told me he was coughing too much.  I didn't think he was coughing that much, but I guess I have a lot to learn.  Little children have very weak immune systems.  I have been working with him at home out of a store bought preschool workbook and he seems to enjoy doing that.  He also painted some pictures.  I think this is something I am going to have to get used to, him getting sick more often due to him being around other children more often in a school system, at least it will help build up his immune system.

Last week Tristan went and had an EEG done at the hospital to determine whether or not they would wean him off of his anti-seizure medication.  The doctor called me back a couple days ago and told me to start weaning him.  I'll post some pictures at the end of this post.  He enjoyed it from the looks of the pictures but what I didn't capture was him screaming and crying and me comforting him.  In order to get a good reading on an EEG it is best if you are relaxed and that your muscles aren't tense.

This is our last week with Doug before he goes back to school :(  I am very glad that he is going to school but we are going to miss all of the time that we have had with him.  Plus we only have one vehicle so I will be playing taxi cab driver as I drop him off at work and then pick him up everyday. 

As for me I am going to be taking piano lessons this year and I am very excited.  Hopefully next week will be my first lesson, if the kids are feeling better : )  I am also exploring a different way of doing meals for dinner.  I have already made one, but I want to make more.  I want to start making freezer meals since I am becoming more busy driving around and picking Erik and Doug up and with my calling at church I think it would make my life a little more easier.

On a side note I wanted to throw out a completely unrelated tidbit about how I want to use my blog to share my beliefs .  There are a lot of other blogs that I follow that are so well at doing this like http://www.beinglds.blogspot.com Check it out some time she has some amazing talents and some amazing ideas on how to strengthen your family and I love reading her blog.  Anyways, just Go check it out.

Here are the pictures of Tristan:

He was actually laughing as he was being mummified!

 They had to put the towel around his neck to keep

his head propped up and from him being able

to move it around.

Still all smiles!

All hooked up and ready to GO!

Right at the very end of the test I gave him a couple of fruit snacks 

to help him calm down, notice how happy it made him!

 This is after the test is over.  I was unable to take pictures during the test due 

to the screaming and such, he decided he didn't like being wrapped up anymore.

Crazy hair after they cleaned all the goo out.

Here's an Update...

I know it's a miracle.  These "things" don't happen too often, but I feel when I get too far behind on updating it's too much to blog so I want to try and give it a shot.  Slowly I want to inform you about our summer, not that we did a whole lot, which makes it easier, but here goes.  I'll start with what's going on with us now.

I am doing much better with my health, and now can to drive again, yea!  The only thing is we only have one car so I don't get to drive that much.  If I need the car I am able to drop Doug off at work, but for now I am just grateful that I am able to get out by myself, or take my kids to the park or library during the day.  I feel like a free woman!  As far as news for me goes that is pretty much it for myself.

Doug is working a lot and preparing to go back to school at the end of September.  We are hoping all the hard work he has been putting in at his job will give them a reason to give him a promotion of some kind.  He has been doing lots of over-time.  Other than that he has just been enjoying the summer with us.

Erik has had plenty of fun this summer!  He loves being outside riding his bike and car.  He loves playing with his sidewalk chalk and writing his ABC's.  He also loves walking to the parks in our neighborhood.  We have had plenty of picnics this summer.  Going to the zoo and beach is also another thing he loves to do.  When we are inside he loves to play with his Thomas train and Lightning McQueen "race"car as he calls it.   It's the first thing he asks for in the morning.  We find out next week if he got into a preschool we registered him for.  He will be so excited for that if he did.  We love him and he is such a great little boy to be around.

As for Tristan I can't believe how fast he is growing.  He is starting to say more words.  Like Erik, he is a late talker.  Some of the words he says are:  More, ball, choo choo train, car, mama, dada and duck.  He loves to play with puzzles and is very good with them.  He will finally let me read books to him so we do that a lot during the day now.  He loves to say cheese for the camera and is so cute about it.  He loves to do whatever his big brother is doing.  We are so happy to have our little Tristan!

An Update

Yes, we are all still alive if anyone was wondering.  Life has been crazy busy and interesting to say the least.  There have been some ups and downs and lots of changes, but all in all life is good and we are all happy and healthy.

Erik is now in Sunbeams and he loves going to Primary!  He has a hard time when we drop him off but once he's there in sharing time he has a blast and he loves the music and always wants to participate.  He loves learning new things.  He has been teaching himself how to write letters and how to spell words.  He can currently spell the words: Mommy, Daddy, Erik, Tristan, stop, it and up.  He is also writing these words on paper by himself.  I'll have to take a picture and post it.  He also loves music and he is such a happy content boy.

Tristan is getting so big these days and is quite clingy.  He is now 17 months old and will be going into nursery every week for the next month to get used to it with Doug or I.  Yesterday was his first Sunday and he LOVED it!  He did a great job playing with the other kids and I think the transition, once Doug and I stop going with him, won't be as hard on him as it was with Erik.  I love the nursery leaders we have in our ward they do a great job and are very mindful of the structure the little ones need.

As for Doug he is very busy these days.  Between work, school, and his calling at church we pretty much never see him.  He is almost finished with his first semester at Baker College.  He is getting his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science.  Work is keeping him very busy with lots of projects and as well.  We are very grateful for all that he does for our family and the time that we do get to spend with him.

As for me, where do I start...I have had some health issues and I have had some tests done.  I am doing well and am healthy so no need to worry.  I was diagnosed with epilepsy about 10 years ago and was controlled for a long time until this past October I started having seizures again.  I have had an MRI and an EEG done they both came back normal.  Since October I have had 4 Grand Mal seizures.  I am always sleeping when Doug is still here when it happens.  I have never worried about having any during the day.  State law in Michigan says you have to be seizure-free for 6 months before you can drive.

I have had a hard time dealing with not being able to drive and being stuck at home.  I have also noticed that I would be in bad moods all the time.  The frequency in which I read my scriptures and said my prayers significantly dropped and I just went into a depression.  I felt scared and alone and I didn't, and don't understand why after all these years I am having seizures again.  So yesterday in Church I had a major wake up call.  There were a couple talks given on parenting and husband and wife relationships.  I don't remember specifics but I know that it touched me and it made me think that I need that change what I am currently doing.  In Relief Society we had a similar lesson which reinforced that which I learned in Sacrament meeting. 


Needless to say I am going to be making some major changes in my life.  I know that the Lord has a plan for me and I know that He knows that I can get through it.  I need to choose how I get through it.  I need to be there for my children and for my husband.  I can't if I'm wallowing in my own self-pity.  Here's to a new month and a new me!  GOOD LUCK TO ME!!!

Mother's Day

I had a wonderful mother's day and I hope all of you did too!  Here are some pictures from our day.

Tristan in awe at discovering his hands and fingers!

I had the hardest time getting pictures of my boys.

Erik not really wanting a picture.

Tristan teething!  He's getting his fifth tooth!

Erik finally let me get a nice picture of him!

There's my happy boy!

My wonderful hubby!

Me and Doug

I made pineapple salsa and it was delicious!  Recipe to come...

I've been wanting cupcakes for a while so I made them and

they were oh so yummy!

Grandpa with Erik.  They had LOTS of fun playing together!

Grandma and Tristan

Grandma and Erik

Grandma having fun with Erik

Finally got him to smile at the camera!

These are the flowers that I got for my mother, Gerber Daisies!

I love you Mom, you are the greatest mom!

Me with Erik

Me and Tristan!

I just love being a mother.  I love that I am able to kiss boo boo's away.  I love being

able to sing songs at bedtime, even though I am no where close to being

a good singer.  I love seeing the excitement in my children s eyes when they discover

something new or when I make them smile!  I am grateful for my own mother and the

help and advice she can offer to me as I learn in this new calling of mine.    

My Favorite GQ Poses

         

Doug on our honeymoon.  I love this man!

          

            This is Tristan looking oh so studdly!        

                    

So I'm pretty much the worst blogger...

Life has become much more busy since Tristan came along, and I haven't had much time to blog. I am going to try and remedy that by catching up over the next week.

Erik is now 2 years old and is very active. He likes to keep me on my toes. He doesn't pay much attention to Tristan, but when he does he'll say " Tri, Tri,". Today when we got home from church Tristan started crying and Erik came up to him and started imitating his crying, it was pretty cute. I have been teaching Erik his Alphabet, and numbers 1-10. He also knows all his farm animals and some jungle ones too. I can't believe how much he is talking now a days. He hasn't started speaking in sentences but he sure does love to talk! He also really likes Mickey Mouse, since he's been watching the Disney Channel in the morning. He knows all the characters on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He is such a happy boy and he loves to help me around the house.

Tristan will be 2 months old tomorrow. He is such a good baby. He has been sleeping through the night for the past 2 weeks. He doesn't cry very often and he is always so happy. He has started to smile, although I haven't been able to catch a picture of one just yet. Tomorrow he goes to the doctor for his 2 month check-up. Last check-up he weighed 9 lbs., so I'm curious to see how much he has grown since then.

Doug has been fairly busy with work and his calling at church. He is the financial clerk in our ward and since we've started Tithing Settlement he has to be at church every Sunday and Tuesday Night, and right now we have afternoon church, from 1-4pm then he has to be back to church at 6 pm. It will only be for the next 4 weeks. At work he works in the Tech department, which consists of him and another person. He has been able to help the company alot since he started with his new position. He recently wrote up a new program for calculating shipping costs. It should have taken about 3-4 months to write up but he got it done within a month. He is also looking at Bachelor programs at Baker College. He is looking at taking either a Computer Science degree or a Computer information degree.

As for myself, I've been getting used to having a new little one and a new 2 year old! We are also gearing up for the Christmas season. We already have our tree up, we still need to decorate which we will be doing tomorrow night, yay! I want to get some Christmas cards out start making some Christmas cookies. If anyone has any good recipes please post them as a comment on this post. We have most of our Christmas shopping done and I just want to do a little cleaning around the house. Besides getting ready for the holidays I have been wanting to renew my crafty skills, which aren't many, by re-teaching myself how to knit and crochet. I also want to make Tristan a stocking for Christmas, although I don't think he'll have it till next year. I have lots of pictures to post from Erik's birthday and such just have to wait till I get copies of them from my dad. Until next time enjoy these few pictures of my boys.

Erik enjoying his birthday cake

My boys!

Tristan at 2 months

What's going on with us...

I decided it's time for a little bit more than a photo update, so here goes. We have had a few things happen in the last little while, for one I'm not working anymore. What happened you might ask? We got a e-mail from our Relief Society of this family who was looking for a full-time babysitter for her 6 month-old and preschooler. I jumped right on it and e-mailed her back that I was VERY interested. It would be more profitable for us since we wouldn't have to pay a babysitter ourselves. She got back with me and we set up an interview. I went for the interview and everything was perfect they wanted me to take a cpr and first aid class and check some other things out. Next day I go to work and put my 2 week notice in. A couple days later I get a call from the husband ( I usually got the calls from the wife) saying that their temporary babysitter fell in love with the kids and decided to snatch the full-time job. I was very disappointed. Although I was hurt I hold no grudges and I hope the best for their family. I just wish they would've clued the temporary in on the details of them looking for a full-time babysitter to "replace" her with. Oh well. So things have been extra tight financially this month for us. We're still trying to figure out how we're going to get Christmas gifts for everyone. I know things will work out in the end, i'll cross my fingers. I just know I'm going to have to get a little creative this year!
On another note Doug is on his 2nd to last semester of school before he graduates with an Associates degree in Web Development. He already has a couple places he's looking to apply for a job at. Besides school, work is the only other thing that Doug has been up to.
Erik is doing very well, he's getting 2 molars and one eye tooth in. He's holding up pretty well. Some cute things he has been doing lately are, whenever it's bath time he'll come in the room with me and when I start the water filling he'll try to climb in the tub even though I still need to take his clothes off, it's very cute. He also likes to try and get us to feed him our food even though he already ate. He's learning how to drink out of a sippy cup, he climbs the stairs now, so we have to make sure and put the gate up for him. Well we hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We will be going out to Arizona for a couple of days to visit family so the next time I update I'll have lots of pictures!

Daddy and Erik