(I wanted to post it, and totally forgot! But this is my scrapbook, so... better late than never!!)
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Walking Virus!
Little buddy Harrison has been struggling lately, we just can't seem to get him better. He brought a cold home with him from Utah, and it's been up and down since then! So this morning, after a few nights without sleep and a fever off and on since Christmas, I finally decided to just take him in and have him looked at. I was pretty sure it was a really bad cold and/or an ear infection... turns out it's both, but to my surprise, that wasn't all! He also has strep, which is supposed to be pretty uncommon in kids his age! So, I feel like a horrible mom for making him suffer through it, thinking it was going to run it's course! But the good news... we have drugs now that might actually help! And we can finally get this kid better! (And maybe even get some sleep tonight!)
This is a picture from nap time yesterday! Jackson came out to tell me that Harrison was under the bed. When I got in there, all I could hear was snoring! He crashed pretty hard under there. Fortunately Patrick was home and could crawl under and get him out! (I don't exactly fit under beds these days!)
This is a picture from nap time yesterday! Jackson came out to tell me that Harrison was under the bed. When I got in there, all I could hear was snoring! He crashed pretty hard under there. Fortunately Patrick was home and could crawl under and get him out! (I don't exactly fit under beds these days!)
Saturday, December 26, 2009
MeRRy ChRiStMaS!
The boys got up from naps around the same time dad got home from work! And sure enough, more presents under the tree, they were as excited as ever! :)
The big one caused the most excitement! (Harrison knew it was something to do with a train, so he wouldn't leave the box! It was pretty funny!) 
They got books, games and movies. Jackson was pretty excited about the games, he loves to play and begs to all the time! 
And then there was the train table!!! 
It took a couple of hours to assemble, but was totally worth the it! They didn't leave their room all night! :) 
Jackson is still fighting a cold and poor Harrison had a fever, runny nose and cough all day, but they played as hard as ever and were so excited about everything! It was a very Merry Christmas! And the best gift of all... we got to spend it together this year!!!
The big one caused the most excitement! (Harrison knew it was something to do with a train, so he wouldn't leave the box! It was pretty funny!) They got books, games and movies. Jackson was pretty excited about the games, he loves to play and begs to all the time! And then there was the train table!!! It took a couple of hours to assemble, but was totally worth the it! They didn't leave their room all night! :) Jackson is still fighting a cold and poor Harrison had a fever, runny nose and cough all day, but they played as hard as ever and were so excited about everything! It was a very Merry Christmas! And the best gift of all... we got to spend it together this year!!! Christmas Morning and the "Do Over"!
So the plan had been to have the boys wait until Patrick got home from work around 2:00 pm to open presents, that way he would get to see them do it since he wasn't able to be with us last year! And around 7:00 am, that plan went completely down the crapper!
Jackson came running into our room to wake me up. I was assuming the excitement was over Santa coming. I was wrong. He proudly announced that they had successfully opened EVERYTHING! I flew out of bed as fast as I could thinking (and maybe saying out loud too) "Oh NO! Oh NO! Oh NO!" I hurried into the family room and sure enough... he wasn't lying. (I am not proud of this next part, but it's what happened!) I completely fell apart, I was crying so hard and I couldn't do anything to control it! Mind you, I hadn't gotten to sleep before 2:00 am for the last couple of nights, I am majorly over-emotional right now and Patrick and I had just totally missed our kids Christmas! No pictures or video, nothing! (I felt especially bad for Patrick!)
Poor Jackson probably thought the world was ending, and I could see it on his face! I grabbed him and hugged him and made sure he knew I wasn't mad, just sad cause mom and dad had missed it all. He felt SO bad, which only made me feel worse! It was insanity!
Fortunately, in his trying to make me feel better, he pointed out that in the tornado mess he had no idea what was his or what half of it was! So I quickly grabbed everything and had them help me clean up the paper! I took it all in my room (minus the giant train table, that I covered with a blanket). I explained to them that Santa had left me extra wrapping paper and that I was going to re-wrap them so that dad and mom could watch them open them. And that this way, they would open the right ones! This went over better than expected! (Probably because they didn't want to make me any more emotional than I already was!)
So, that's what we did. I wrapped it all again while they were napping for a little bit, and I creatively wrapped most of it in different packaging. So while they wouldn't be totally surprised to see it, at least they wouldn't know what they were opening! And luckily a few hours and new presents later, it was pretty much like the morning had never happened! :)
I debated on whether or not I wanted to record this all happening, but this was our morning! And while I was in panic mode for a little while, it all worked out just fine! Which is why... there is another post! :)
Jackson came running into our room to wake me up. I was assuming the excitement was over Santa coming. I was wrong. He proudly announced that they had successfully opened EVERYTHING! I flew out of bed as fast as I could thinking (and maybe saying out loud too) "Oh NO! Oh NO! Oh NO!" I hurried into the family room and sure enough... he wasn't lying. (I am not proud of this next part, but it's what happened!) I completely fell apart, I was crying so hard and I couldn't do anything to control it! Mind you, I hadn't gotten to sleep before 2:00 am for the last couple of nights, I am majorly over-emotional right now and Patrick and I had just totally missed our kids Christmas! No pictures or video, nothing! (I felt especially bad for Patrick!)
Poor Jackson probably thought the world was ending, and I could see it on his face! I grabbed him and hugged him and made sure he knew I wasn't mad, just sad cause mom and dad had missed it all. He felt SO bad, which only made me feel worse! It was insanity!
Fortunately, in his trying to make me feel better, he pointed out that in the tornado mess he had no idea what was his or what half of it was! So I quickly grabbed everything and had them help me clean up the paper! I took it all in my room (minus the giant train table, that I covered with a blanket). I explained to them that Santa had left me extra wrapping paper and that I was going to re-wrap them so that dad and mom could watch them open them. And that this way, they would open the right ones! This went over better than expected! (Probably because they didn't want to make me any more emotional than I already was!)
So, that's what we did. I wrapped it all again while they were napping for a little bit, and I creatively wrapped most of it in different packaging. So while they wouldn't be totally surprised to see it, at least they wouldn't know what they were opening! And luckily a few hours and new presents later, it was pretty much like the morning had never happened! :)
I debated on whether or not I wanted to record this all happening, but this was our morning! And while I was in panic mode for a little while, it all worked out just fine! Which is why... there is another post! :)
Christmas Eve
The boys and I were busy cooking and watching Christmas movies all day, it was the first meal I have ever prepared entirely from scratch! :) We had roast with carrots, oven roasted potatoes and rolls. I was proud of myself for getting it all done and that everything was edible! ;) (I should have taken a picture! haha.)
We ate after Patrick got home from work... and then came the presents! We really did get loaded up by family and friends while in Utah! The boys had both done really well about leaving it all alone, but once they knew they were going to open them, it was like pulling teeth to keep them away from the tree! :)
We were spoiled, to say the least!!! Even the baby had a pile! haha. (That would be Patrick trying to open what he calls "adult proof" toy packaging!)
A BIG THANKS to all of you, we really loved everything! It was a really great night!
We ate after Patrick got home from work... and then came the presents! We really did get loaded up by family and friends while in Utah! The boys had both done really well about leaving it all alone, but once they knew they were going to open them, it was like pulling teeth to keep them away from the tree! :)
We were spoiled, to say the least!!! Even the baby had a pile! haha. (That would be Patrick trying to open what he calls "adult proof" toy packaging!) And of course, we ended the night with new Christmas pj's and hot chocolate! They were so tired and SO wired! :) And they looked really cute! ...We had intended to make Santa cookies, but Mom was pretty worn out, so that is a tradition we will have to start next year! 
Saturday, December 19, 2009
All Aboard!!!
We had our first Polar Express PJ Party this morning! There were 7 kids, hot chocolate, cinnamon rolls, lots of playing, the movie and of course some goodies and magic bells. They even got to make their own salt dough ornaments. I survived (Patrick was working, so I was the designated adult supervision)! So by all accounts, it was a success!!! :) And it is Jackson's favorite movie in the whole world, so he was overjoyed to have a party. (It cracks me up that Harrison looks like he fits right in with all those big boys!!!)
Enjoying their food... and Jackson saying every line in the movie as it happens! 
It was a lot of fun! They all seemed like they had a good time. Even being this pregnant and on my own with this many kids wasn't quite the craziness I thought it would be! ;) Although, I am definitely pooped!!! haha. That's alright though, it was worth it!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Flowers.... and Pink
Two things we are not super used to at our house! Jackson has been full of questions as this new baby sister gets closer and closer to getting here! He was watching me sort through the cloths we have been given and put things away. It was a little baffling to him.
J: Why is there so much pink, mom? Pink is a grill color.
M: Because we are having a girl baby, Jackson. I think she will like it.
J: I don't like pink. It's a grill color.
M: That's ok, it is kind of girly. Daddy doesn't like it either. ;)
J: Ya, but this room is kind of pretty awesome mom. Good job Mom.
M: Thanks Jackson.
He makes me laugh. I wish I could have gotten a picture of the look on his face during all of it. ...And the room! For the record, I LOVE it. I don't care that it is a lot of pink! I love it! And I have to say I love it a whole lot more with the AMAZING flowers that Liseanne and Mindy did for me! Oh, I cannot say thank you enough! It really needed something and they are PERFECT! So, as promised, here are some pics. Keep in mind that I am not done decorating and I am horrible at taking pictures of rooms. (They just don't do it justice!) 
There is going to be a shelf on this wall above the changing table. That's why the bald spot is there. ;)
So, with 5 weeks to go (today), I am that much closer to being ready! Thanks SO much to all of you who gave us cloths too, I can't tell you how relieved I was to have cloths to put away! I don't know if it's the time of year or what, but I just haven't been able to buy very much at all! So it really is appreciated SO much more than you know!
There is going to be a shelf on this wall above the changing table. That's why the bald spot is there. ;)So, with 5 weeks to go (today), I am that much closer to being ready! Thanks SO much to all of you who gave us cloths too, I can't tell you how relieved I was to have cloths to put away! I don't know if it's the time of year or what, but I just haven't been able to buy very much at all! So it really is appreciated SO much more than you know! Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Our (Pre) Christmas Vacation
(WARNING: This is going to be a long post!) We packed up the car and headed to Utah for a week! After a 14 hour drive, we finally made it. The ride really wasn't as bad as I expected, the boys did really great. The weather even cooperated on the way up ...coming home was a little trickier! And while it may have very well been the busiest week of our lives, it was REALLY so much fun!
Both Jackson and Harrison would beg to go outside and play as soon as they were dressed! They spent most of their time in the shady spots of Grandma and Papa's backyard where there was some trace of snow! I thought the cold would slow them down, but no such luck! They were really excited to see snow. It made me laugh!
The boys got to go ride too, which they loved, even in the freezing cold!
We got to see so many of our friends too, it was a blast! And there was a lot of playing. Thanks so much to all of you who planned around us so we could visit! It is a busy time of year and we seriously appreciate you letting us invade! (I somehow managed to not get any pictures, that's kind of a bummer!)
We got together with our families too, we spent Wed. night over at Heather's house with most of the Swain family. It was a pizza party! There were lots of kids, so of course the boys were having a blast!
We also had a game night on Saturday at Swain's before we had to pack up. And the boys had spent the night, so they had their own party. 
Thurs. was a fun filled day with the Salisbury family. We got to go with Grams and my sister-in-law and nieces to the Treehouse Museum. (The boys have only been there once before, right before we moved, and Jackson has never stopped talking about it!) They had so much fun! These kids LOVE to play together! And Jackson especially, has missed his cousins! 
Then later that night we all packed on the layers to go to SLC for dinner and the lights at Temple Square. I totally regret to say that I have never taken either of my kids to see them, and now that we live 2 hours from the nearest temple, I am kicking myself! It was the one thing I really wanted to do while we were there! We rode tracks from dinner to the lights, which made Harrison's year! 
And then we hurried to see as much as we could, it was like 18 degrees outside! haha. Jackson could have seriously walked around forever, he really loved it! He was super excited to see where his mom and dad got married. (He has been learning about eternal families and temples in Primary.) It was great, freezing cold, but exactly what I had hoped for! 
Both Jackson and Harrison would beg to go outside and play as soon as they were dressed! They spent most of their time in the shady spots of Grandma and Papa's backyard where there was some trace of snow! I thought the cold would slow them down, but no such luck! They were really excited to see snow. It made me laugh!
Patrick got to go rope for the first time in like 3 or 4 years. Saying he misses it would be an understatement!!!
The boys got to go ride too, which they loved, even in the freezing cold!We got to see so many of our friends too, it was a blast! And there was a lot of playing. Thanks so much to all of you who planned around us so we could visit! It is a busy time of year and we seriously appreciate you letting us invade! (I somehow managed to not get any pictures, that's kind of a bummer!) We got together with our families too, we spent Wed. night over at Heather's house with most of the Swain family. It was a pizza party! There were lots of kids, so of course the boys were having a blast!
We also had a game night on Saturday at Swain's before we had to pack up. And the boys had spent the night, so they had their own party. Thurs. was a fun filled day with the Salisbury family. We got to go with Grams and my sister-in-law and nieces to the Treehouse Museum. (The boys have only been there once before, right before we moved, and Jackson has never stopped talking about it!) They had so much fun! These kids LOVE to play together! And Jackson especially, has missed his cousins! Then later that night we all packed on the layers to go to SLC for dinner and the lights at Temple Square. I totally regret to say that I have never taken either of my kids to see them, and now that we live 2 hours from the nearest temple, I am kicking myself! It was the one thing I really wanted to do while we were there! We rode tracks from dinner to the lights, which made Harrison's year! And then we hurried to see as much as we could, it was like 18 degrees outside! haha. Jackson could have seriously walked around forever, he really loved it! He was super excited to see where his mom and dad got married. (He has been learning about eternal families and temples in Primary.) It was great, freezing cold, but exactly what I had hoped for! We got to have a game night Friday with the Salisbury's too! It was a lot of fun to hang out like that again. I don't have any pictures, but Patrick finally won at Settlers, so maybe it won't be like pulling teeth to get him to play next time! haha.
We seriously had to plan down to the minute, and we stayed busy and running all week! But it was SO worth it! Exhausted and sleep deprived, we headed home on Sunday morning for another 14 hour drive... this time in the snow! Yuck! Our car hasn't been this dirty in a year! 
This was I-15 in Utah County, nice I know! I was afraid the stress was going to cause labor! haha. So I tried to sleep through some of it! (The first 4 or 5 hours of the drive looked pretty similar!)
But we made it, safe and sound and without any major issues! It was bittersweet to leave. We missed our home and our beds, but it was really hard to say goodbye again! And while the timing wasn't ideal with the holidays and being 8 months pregnant, I'm SO glad we got to do it!!! Plus we got loaded up with tons of baby cloths and Christmas presents! :) We have the very best family and friends! Merry (early) Christmas everyone, we love and miss you all!
This was I-15 in Utah County, nice I know! I was afraid the stress was going to cause labor! haha. So I tried to sleep through some of it! (The first 4 or 5 hours of the drive looked pretty similar!)But we made it, safe and sound and without any major issues! It was bittersweet to leave. We missed our home and our beds, but it was really hard to say goodbye again! And while the timing wasn't ideal with the holidays and being 8 months pregnant, I'm SO glad we got to do it!!! Plus we got loaded up with tons of baby cloths and Christmas presents! :) We have the very best family and friends! Merry (early) Christmas everyone, we love and miss you all!
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