5

I am thankful for my calling. I just love the kids and getting to teach them and learn from them is the best. I get to be in meetings that can be boring, but I learn so much from those around me.

4

I am thankful for my parents. They are always there to help me and support me. They take my kiddos so I can do my calling and get out of the house while Britt is gone. I was truly blessed with goodly parents.

Thankfuls

I really want to do the thankful thing, but I am super forgetful. I will give it a shot.
1) I am thankful for my hubby. He works so hard for us. Sacrificing sleep, eating and family time so that we can survive.
2) Alexis loving to read. Last night she read for an hour and a half in level 3 books with almost no problems.
3) baptism. We had 4 child of record baptism in our ward today.  So grateful that I can repent and be clean.

Camping Trip

I know another collage but hey I am all caught up so ha! Camping trip to Cove Resort on Fish Lake. You can't swim in Fish Lake so we drove 5 minutes down the road to Lake Wenatchee State Park. Great lake, clean and clear, cold as can be but on a hot July day it was perfect. We had a great time and are excited to go camping again in a month! 

Zoo Field Trip

Kindergarten Zoo Field trip! I am sorry all of these are in a collage, but hey at least they are here finally!

Posing in a dress that I played dress-up in as a little girl!

The rest of the pictures. She is so funny! 

Alexis the photographer 

First friend party

 

 

 

She put her cupcake in the water.

 

 

 

 

Megan turns "2"

 

 

 

 

 

Has it really been since April that I posted? We have had a few changes such as Britt going back to work for KT Auto Transport and Alexis finishing Kindergarten and Megan turning 2. Britt is now working away from home going to California, Utah or Arizona.  They are getting him home every week for Sunday though so it is way better then him being in Alaska all the time.  Alexis' last day of Kindergarten was kind of sad for me and her.  She loves her teacher Mrs. Maloney and I do too.  She has learned how to read from her, write stories, and math. Alexis at age 5 can read almost anything we put in front of her. She is amazing, even reading subtitles during movies(all of them before they go off the screen!) I am truly impressed with her abilities and hope she continues to love reading.  She now helps us read the scriptures and is understanding them better because she follows along.  I have pictures to post and will have to do a whole post or 2 for them of the Zoo field trip and her getting her award. I really am so surprised at how fast these girls are growing up and love them so much. 

Megan at 2
*She says lots of things but her most favorite phrase is "I want__________."
*She also throws little fits when we say no that includes stomping and swinging her arms, screaming and grunting, holding her breath and spitting all while saying what she wants or doesn't want in between each action.  I think it is pretty funny how upset she gets so I usually just walk away or wait until she is done.
*Diapers are not her favorite but then she doesn't want to go potty either. So
She spends a lot of the day running around naked because she has ripped her diaper off and ran away laughing. As long as she doesn't have accidents I consider this pre-potty training.
*Loves outside. Digging in the dirt, playing in water, swinging, riding bikes, climbing in the play house, sliding, running around and playing with the dog.
*injuries. She likes to fall on her head, namely for forehead. Poor little lady seems to always have a bruise or scratches. I watch her run and know why it is her head. She leans forward so when she falls her head leads the way.  It is so sad. She is a petite little thing weighing only 22 pounds and is skinny. I think her head is heavier then her body so it goes down harder too, haha!
*Still loves mommy the most.
*loves climbing the bunk bed and waking Alexis up.
*LOVES BABIES. everything about them real ones, fake ones, pictures, bottles, Barbies, seriously loves them.  She got 3 new ones for her birthday and a stroller, playpen and a highchair/swing. Heaven on Earth for this little momma.
*Loves stories
*Loves candy (threw a fit last night because she couldn't have any!)
*Pushes chairs around to get things off the counters
*Loves yogurt
*Daddy says she is like a cannon ball and just throws caution to the wind and goes with reckless abandonment! This really describes her very well.
*She is so gently to babies and animals
*Calls all animals except horses, dogs and cats animals.  It is really cute.
*Likes horsy rides on daddy
*She is very serious and doesn't go to just anyone. There are is a man in our ward who is in his 30's and has a mental disability, who we just happen to see a lot around town when we shop, on Sunday he was walking down the hall and put his arms out to her and she ran down to him and hugged his legs and then smiled when he picked her up. I was really impressed because she seriously doesn't do that for many people. I hope she always is kind to others especially those people who are kind and sweet to the core like this man is. 
*loves Nursery class.
*Loves to snuggle with me in bed in the morning and gets mad if I sneak out after she falls back to sleep.
*Likes play dough
*helps with the laundry and dishes
I know there are more things she has mastered at age 2 but right now my mind is full of the images I have put down already! We love our little Meggers, Nutmeg, Meggy, Meg and Megan so much!

I guess I didn't take any pictures from the reception. bummer it was so sweet. There was also something on the lens that I didn't notice. I can get the spot out if I take the time.

We went on a walk today for FHE. Megan never gets to walk because it takes forever, but tonight we let her try. She tried to go down every single driveway we passed...it was so frustrating.  At every one we would have to pick up kicking a screaming.  We cut through the park in our neighborhood which has a slide that is very Washingtonized(covered in green junk and moss from the winter.) so we hadn't planned on stopping, but Megan had.  We kept walking and she detoured. We tried waving and saying bye which caused her to pause, cry but continue on her way after a few seconds. At one point she was stomping her feet and crying, but she decided to climb the ladder anyways. So Daddy got her down and was leading her to me with his hand on the back of her head.  She kept shaking her head to try and stop his hand from touching her and crying until she got to me.  Little stinker. She is sleeping in a bunk bed with Alexis now.  It is so cute to see her tiny little body in such a big bed. Alexis is on the top bed and is loving bedtime right now.  We still need to switch the rooms around and make the other room a play room.  So far it is working good!  

Hopefully tomorrow I can get pictures up of our spring break. It was great!

Alexis has been saying the funniest things and i kick myself for not writing them down right away. I did tonight though. She got home from school and I checked her lunch since she has to be on such a restricted diet. She didn't eat the chicken. When I asked her why?  She asked if chicken comes from animals. when I told her it did, she said no way am I eating that. Later she was doing her online homework stuff and called to daddy "Come look it is going to crack your life up Daddy."  Megan was trying to grab something off the counter and slipped off the box she was using and kind of cried. Alexis jumped up, ran over to pick her up and then turned on us and asked us in the most accussing voice she could muster "what is wrong with you 2 parents, she is hurt and you didn't even get up to get her." She lovingly brought the injured child to me who promptly stopped crying and got down to run off and play. Haha she got played by  a baby.

we had to take alexis to the ent this week. she had one of her tubes out and one in her last doctor wanted to take the tubes out at the 2 year vmark. this doctor doesnt want to. alexis has a lot of fluid in her ear and the doctor suspects that removing the tube on the other side would cause that ear to collect fluid also. she perscribed a nasal spray for allergies. i am aways cautious when giving meds like this but her chronic runny nose is gone after only 3 days on the meds. the doctor is hoping this helps with the fluid and combined it with an antibiotic. she then did a blood draw to test her to see what she is allergic to. i really dont know how parents who have really sick kids handle seeing them poked and pin cushioned. it was the sadest thing to see alexis so stressed out and upset. she cried all the way home from enumclaw which is about a 30 minute drive. we find out in 2 weeks what this kid is allergic to and then can hopefully aviod it or at least treat her so that she feels better. oh the joys of children. next up is megan to the ent for her ears...that part daddy is going to help with since he had the samething.

Alexis and I were driving to a wedding reception last night and had to stop at the store for the gift.  I asked her what she thought we should get them and she said "we should get them baby clothes because they are going to have a baby now!"  I laughed, knowing the Mom of the bride I almost got a baby item to throw as a joke.  In the end I took the higher road and just did a cookie making kit.  I had seen a gift from another friend, super cute she had this chest that she put about 6 games in, so we bought cookie cutters, bowls and wooden spoon, baking pan, cookie mix and frosting so they can have a fun little night with some friends or by themselves.  I love gifts that give the newlyweds something fun to do outside of the bedroom! 

I am sure that Alexis has felt a little neglected over the last few days.  Megan has RSV and has taken a good amount of my time and energy.  I might be caught up on sleep finally.  Megan fell asleep at 9:15 this morning and I have always prided myself on not being wasteful so I laid down with her.  We woke up at 12!  We must have needed it.  Anyways, last night during our flawless bedtime routine Alexis was being a little stubborn on getting in bed and was being sassy.  I sat down to read her story and she made a snotty comment and I gave her a chance to change her tone and answer.  She then poured the naughty on a little more.  Well she lost her story, which caused tears to flow.  I being the kind mom that I am explained how when she acts like that she looses privileges and story time is a privilege.  When I asked her to pray she first asked that I wouldn't be mean to her.  I prompted her with "Bless me to say kind words to others." She pause for a second and said "Bless my mom to not talk during the prayer." I was a bit taken back but not so much that I wasn't able to check my laughter and have her say the prayer again the right way.  Goodness she is a wild one.  Tonight she is torturing her sister with picking her up and when Megan tries to bite her she hisses at her like a cat.  I will survive and hopefully these children will not be to damaged mentally when they enter adulthood with a crazy mom.

I am sitting here with a feverish baby who is shoving raisins and crackers in my mouth, not gently I might add.  I have been thinking a lot about the last 7 months with Britt gone working in Alaska and how grateful I am for the trails that come our way.  I would never in a million thoughts had imagined how our year was going to go last year.  We had a great paying job, pretty good insurance and were not preparing as we had been counseled for years.  I look back and think about how foolish we were and the Primary song has a renewed meaning.  I guess I always thought it didn't apply to me.  The Lord has ways to help us learn and grow and we needed it.  I can't say how things are going to go for the rest of this year.  We have chosen to put our family being together first and so Britt is coming home in a week unemployed again.  I am oddly not nearly as stressed or worried as I was in July 2011.  I think because we were so caught up in making the same amount of money that we couldn't see the reality of what life could be like.  Now we just want to be together.  We have had some very frustrating experiences and very tense moments when it felt like it was too hard to keep trying.  We have come so far in seeing how our marriage was lacking and our spirituality was less then bright.  I love my husband and am so anxious for him to come home that I wish he would just hop on the next plane and be here already.  I am ready to face our next chapter head on holding hands with my husband.  I have 2 great kids who fight and scream, laugh and cry, hug and kiss, and make me so happy and so frustrated that I want to laugh and cry(at the same time too).  Today Alexis whispered in Megan's ear and Megan whispered back.  It was so sweet and perfect.  Life is good, even if it is the golden platter we envision it to be.

Family Goal

Last night for FHE we had a lesson on how the disciples were blessed because they followed Jesus Christ.  At the end I asked Alexis if we could change one thing that we do that would bless us.  She replied that we could take a treat to everyone in our church(I clarified with her that she meant ward, because the whole church would be near impossible).  I thought about it and decided since the next day was Valentine's Day that it would be fun to take a treat to some people.  So we decided the families and this morning I baked a ton of mini cupcakes and brownies.  After School we loaded up in the car and started delivering them.  Alexis giggled after every delivery.  It was the sweetest thing to see my daughter give to others without once asking if she could have one or complaining how many more houses.  She was sad when I called it quits at 8pm.  So our goal for the year is to "Treat Our Whole Ward."  Did I mention our ward averages over 300 every week for sacrament.  We have the biggest ward I have ever been in.  It is going to be fun and a little nutty.  I am excited to make these memories with my girls and to make giving a part of who they are.   I already have some fun ideas such as for Easter we can "egg people" with candy filled eggs!  We may even ding dong ditch some people.  I did put a limit, we are not doing this everyday, HA that is what she wanted. 

Alexis is such a crack up, seriously the things she thinks up are awesome.  The other day we were making dinner and she decided it was time to talk about Uncle Jon cutting his hair(he had longer hair then I do).  See Aunt Stephanie had told us earlier that day he cut his hair and this must have been a big deal to Alexis.  She starts by telling me that he doesn't look like a girl anymore because he has short hair.  I agreed that long hair is usually on girls.  She then tells me that he looks handsomer.  Haha I love her little words.  I then tell her that daddy is the most handsome in the world.  She is quiet for a few minutes thinking and then says mom you will hurt peoples feelings if you say that.  I smile, you know that all knowing mom smile, and tell her that it won't because all those other people have some one telling them they are the most handsome in the world.  That satisfied her that everything is fair in the world.  

Today while doing her homework she is given 2 endings and then has to make words with them using certain other letters.  The endings were in and ig.  She is writting pin and for some reason she writes pis and then proceeds to sound out the word.  I am waiting for her to catch it before she says the whole word, but alas she doesn't and says it.  I silently laughed and she moved on without another thought and erases the s and writes then n.

She is a sleep walker big time.  The other night she came out walked around into the kitchen to the garbage can opened the lid and pulled her pants down.  She was so asleep that she didn't even notice my hysterical laughing while I helped her to the bathroom.

Megan has only intensified her NO.  If she doesn't agree with me she says no and will hit something or someone.   I love this stage even if it means wrestling her to put a diaper on.   She doesn't waste words on gibbering.  When she speaks it has a purpose and I love it.  Megan is a people watcher and is super smart.  She understands most of what I ask and can do 2 and 3 step activities.  Such as the other day she wanted in Grandma's room, that is where the licorice is, so I told her to go and get grandma's hand and ask her to come get you licorice.  She ran her little feet to the other room and did it exactly.  Granted licorice is pretty awesome, but to not get distracted along the way and to remember to bring her to the bedroom is really good for a 19 month old. 

I love my job!

got the picture

Funny little onry girl.

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Perspective is an interesting thing.  6 months ago a job in Everett or Spokane was so far away.  Now I would give anything to have Britt working that close.  We have made a huge decision in the moving/job front.  We decided that being together is the absolute most important thing.  Alexis has started school, we can't sell our house without taking a loss, and Alaska isn't paying enough for us to fly and visit let alone making the move.  So trusting in the Lord Britt put his notice in and is coming home.  I am honestly not as scared as I was when this whole thing started.  I am at peace that we have come through some serious fires and are going to be stronger then ever.  I know there will be more fires and that the coals are still hotter then ever.  He currently doesn't have an offer for work, he will be able to collect unemployment still though.  We have started putting applications in and are praying that something good will come through soon!  I can't wait for the next few weeks to go bye and we can be reunited.   Perspective.

favorite word

I have a 19 month old.  Can anyone guess what word we hear the most?  Please, I love you, Thank you....no.  Really NO is all that cute little girl says.  Megan do you want___________?  NO and she purses her lips out and crinkles her nose.  She also makes that face to fake cry and when she is throwing a fit.  I haven't been able to get it on camera yet, but will try really hard tomorrow.  She is also really into throwing herself down if things are not going her way.  When it comes to dressing her she is slippery like a wiggly fish.  I may just let her run around naked for a week it is so exhausting to put clothes on her.  She is even fighting going into her car seat.  I try and gt her attention and ask her did you see that? or where is that?  or did you hear that?  It works 75% of the time.

Alexis delights me with her writing.  It is so fun seeing her sound words out and write them down.  She is coping a lot too, which I think it great because it gives her practice on writing her letters.  She is trying so hard to be a good example for Megan and I love seeing them play together.  I have been trying to make changes in my parenting and it is so wonderful to see how much it helps them play better together! 

Ice Storm

We have had the worst weather this week. It started with a little snow which had us all very excited. Then we got more snow and they canceled school Tuesday. Wednesday around 5am it started snowing and we got 8 inches within a few hours(this is a lot for us). By the evening these pictures showed what would prove to be the worst storm we have had ever. Freezing rain is very dangerous add to about 10 inches of snow and you have a recipe for disaster. We went to bed that night and woke up early to no power, low temps and branches cracking and falling. It was honestly scary. It sounded like a gun going off as tops of trees snapped, huge branches broke off and whole trees fell over. At one point a tree branch broke off and the whole tree leaned dangerously far right over the house and in line to fall on Alexis sitting at the table. The whole day was un-nerving. Power was still out, but we were warm at my parents house sleeping in the family room with the wood stove burning hot! The whole day was filled with ice falling dangerously from trees like torpedo's. Getting hit by them was painful and made leaving the house difficult. We went to our church building with the Fox family to cook a good dinner and let the kids play since the building had power. 8pm the church loses power. Still no power when we went to sleep. 1:46am the printer starts up and lights pop on. I jump off the cot and turn lights off and the printer. I fall back to sleep so happy that the power is on. 2 hours later I wake up to Kevin putting wood on the fire. I start to tell him he doesn't have to do that when I realize the power is out again. Then the winds started, 45 mph ones, which started huge ice chunks and more tree branches falling on the house. This made for a really bad nights sleep (2 nights in a row but who's counting). Saturday we went to the Ursenbach's home to shower and eat a hot breakfast, we spent most of the day there trying to feel normal. We went to dinner at Applebees for my brother's birthday and picked up a few things at the store. Jenn texted me telling me the power was on. I didn't dare believe her and every second it took to drive from Target to home. The moment our neighborhood was in view and we could see our street lights on we began to celebrate. Alexis was so excited to get to go home. We went back to my parents home and waited for our house to warm up because it was at 50 degrees. When we got home we got ready for bed and during prayer Megan began throwing up all over Alexis's bed. After getting the beds and her changed they went to bed. Megan threw up a short time later. While I was changing her she began throwing up again. It was so sad. Turns out my mom was sick also, she had given Megan some of her chicken. Food Poisoning. Poor thing just didn't feel good today but didn't throw up again. Thankfully she only had a small piece of chicken. Church was short today only Sacrament meeting, sadly a few people in our ward still don't have power and thousands around the area are out still also. This storm was made so much worse for me because Britt is gone. I wish I had taken more pictures, my mom did so I will get them from her. Hopefully we can move on with mild weather and get the area cleaned up and over being declared a State of Emergency. We would really like some spring hints coming our way.

It was shocking to drive around on Thursday and see the damage, the power lines we covered in ice with at least an inch on the top and icicles hanging down 2 and 3 inches. Not just some but all lines were like that the entire length. This storm was the most damaging I have seen. Even more then our crazy winds we get. Although we have been without power for longer due to wind storms, but I had Britt who held everything together and did all the survival things. Him being gone has forced me to do things he is awesome at. He is way better at this stuff then I am...I cried a few times and a tree leaning over Alexis sent me into a ridiculous panic that caused her to be traumatized. I can't wait to have him back.