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.

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!!!

Erik's Birthday Celebration Part 1

Erik celebrated his third birthday this past Friday.   Yea, I know already 3 years old!!!  Here are some pictures of our family get together on Sunday.

Erik's dinosaur cake that Doug and I made for him.

Singing Happy Birthday.

 He really liked his cake!

Erik with Uncle Lehi.  He LOVES his Uncle Lehi!

Erik with Uncle James.

Erik with Grandma.

Erik with Grandpa.

Procrastination

I looked at the date of my last post recently and thought, "Wow, it's been a while!"  So here's my attempt at catching up on what we have been up to.  *Caution:  Long post with Lots of pictures!


At the end of June we drove out West for a family reunion and had a blast.  I was able to meet/re-acquaint myself with Doug's wonderful family in Utah.  Erik and Tristan were able to meet their cousins and loved all the attention they got from their Aunt's and Uncles.  We camped out in the mountains in Hanna.  It was beautiful.  The cabins were so cute!  Enjoy some pics from the trip!

Tristan in the van on our way to Utah.

Erik and Tristan's cousin Kyleigh.

She sleeps with her eyes open.

I love this picture of Tristan that Doug took.

Hanna, Utah where we had the family reunion.

Mountains!

I love the Mountains.

We kayaked, and used paddle boats on this little pond.

Erik and Kyleigh

Did I mention the trip to the hospital?  In short, Erik had a toothbrush 

shoved in his throat and he was in the hospital for a day and a half.

Grandma gave Tristan his very first Oreo.  

By the looks of it he loved it!

The cabin we stayed in.

We climbed a mountain with some of Doug's family 

while we were at the reunion.

This is the Utah State Flower.  When the pioneers

were on the trek out west they ate the bulb

of this flower.  It is illegal for this flower to be picked.

(Doug's Uncle Donald, who happens to be a botanist

enlightened us with this beauty.)

I was able to meet up with some friends that

I haven't seen in a while and we had a great time.

I hiked up the Y.  Not as easy as it looks.

There are 11 switch backs and an old man

passed us up three times.  Twice on our way up and

once on our way down.  Pretty impressive, huh!

After about a half hour we made it!  This is me and

my brother-in-law Anthony sitting at the top of the Y.

Laura, Amanda and me at the top of the Y.

If you look real close you can see the Provo Temple

and the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.  This is part of the Utah Valley.

View captured atop the Y.

My "cute as a button" niece, Marlie!  Yes, I finally got 

to meet her!  She is so cute!

Me and my cousin Kellie, whom I hadn't seen in ten years.

She was glad to have us and my brother and his family

over for an afternoon.

This is London, Kellies daughter.  

Tristan eating bread!

We had a great time and hope to visit Utah again soon!

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.