Our girls

Sunday morning I had to grab a picture of the girls matching! My heart is overflowing with cuteness! Of course Carter wanted a turn holding Vivie too. 

Date Night

We went bowling with our friends the Randal's Friday night. It was so fun! It included yummy fries, a full rendition of the little mermaid song by Adam, a cute baby Vivian, and lots of laughs. It's so nice to go out together. The kids had a new sitter Jessica Ashby who lives down the street. She was so cute with them, brought a box of toys and even made cookies with them. How fun! 

Snow Day, again!

We woke up to tons of snow! I mean at least a foot likely more and it has kept snowing all day. Adam snowblowed before he left. My neighbor came about 11am with his plow and I just went out with a shovel to another 3 inches or so at 3pm. Huge big flakes falling fast! This is so pretty but means winter will keep on, keeping on. Bitter sweet!

The kids loved playing in it for about 30 minutes, except Dayton stayed out a long time.

Now that is a snow day, third one this year so far. WOW! They never do snow days in Cache Valley but this winter has really been a mess. 

Crash

On his way down to salt lake to get poisoned (aka treatments) in order to stay alive; Adam hit black ice going 75mph. He slid sideways down the freeway, lost total control, spun around, luckily crashed into the middle cement barrier instead of heading off the right side which would have definitely caused him to flip and roll. The truck is likely a total loss, we will see what insurance says tomorrow. To add to the big scare our little Dayton boy was in the back seat. I know that Angels were watching over them. The drivers side was hardly touched, the side they were both sitting on, the rest the truck is well... In bad shape. Adam said he saw dozens of others off the road, many tangled up in other vehicles. I just read about a wreck in the same spot today resulting in deaths. We are blessed that no other cars were involved and neither of them were hurt. When I got the phone call this morning the first thing I did was drop to my knees and thank God that my two boys were saved. Hug your babies! Hold your loved ones tight! Stop chasing after bigger and better and more and more in this world. Today I was reminded of this. 

Side note, do we wonder why I have stomach ulcers? No, no we sure don't. #stressedtothemax Glad the newborn and I were not in the truck. Glad D had a seatbelt.

Winter Stinks!

Since winter sucks, and it's been below freezing for weeks, we have had to get creative with our time inside. The kids each took their own money and Rach and Dayton picked out these 3D/4D coloring books from the dollar store. Yes, they were $1. You download an app and scan the picture in once it's colored and they come out like this. It's been a huge hit! The kids are enjoying coloring and seeing their pictures come to life. Thank you for cheap entertainment dollar tree! 

I don't know if it's the newborn phase that is getting to me this winter or the fact that Adam has infusions in January, or just the freezing temps and stir crazy kids but gee whiz this winter is lasting forever! I want mid March to hurry up and come. Too bad we have 2 months to go. Ugh, waaa, boo! I wish we were on a beach, stress free, and not getting treatment again. Today I'm just bummed out. 

Vivian almost 4 months

She is wearing vintage Gymboree and she looked so adorable today I couldn't help but take 50 pictures. Those cheeks and those thighs, awe!!!!

Movie night

After Sunday games, one of which was go fish which D and Rach loved, we cuddled up to a movie together in our bed. This makes my heart overflow! 

It's that time again...

Infusion time for Adam. He had to get an extra infusion this time for his gamma globulin levels that was last Thursday and two days ago Thursday he got round one of four with Retuxin. So far he is feeling pretty well, and seriously taking it like a champ!

Joe and Susan volunteered to have the kids sleepover Friday night at their apartment. The kids were all excited. At 9:00 pm I got this picture. How fun!

I can't wait to hear all about it later today. Apparently they watched Monsters vs. Aliens so Carter thought there were monsters in the kitchen. Ha! I gues Joe and Susan really did get to experience being parents for a night.

Thanks so much to my sweet brother and his wife. Love them!!! Can't believe in 6 months they will be gone to Kentucky for dental school. 

Dayton

Right now Dayton is such a good kid! He always has been but I find myself enjoying him a lot lately. He is just so big and smart. Other than how he loves and insists on pestering his sister he is doing awesome. The pestering I think is a requirement for a big brother but boy does it make us all mad. Anyway, moving on.

Right now Dayton says amazing prayers. He thanks Heavenly Father for his body, heart, spirit, that we can pray to talk to him and repent. He thanks Jesus and always says "I love you" in his prayers. He blesses all the people all over the world. Even the people who live where it's nighttime when it's daytime here. He asks for blessings on all of us, his teachers, his friends. Honestly, his prayers are likely more real and felt than my own. He touches my heart every time. 

At school he is reading above grade level. Not like a third grade reading level or anything but his DIBELS score is great and he can read most things now with a good effort. He has been working more on focusing at school, he loves to talk. He has been finishing his self starts on time in the mornings and earning a reward from home when he does five self starts in a row on time. He is working hard on this. He loves music time and often comes home singing songs from school. He walks to and from school on his own almost every day. Originally I kind of felt bad but I think it has given him an opportunity to be independent and big. At least I hope so.

At church he started a new year with a new teacher. Sister Donelle Speth. I think she will be much better for him. The theme his year is choose the right and the kids are all asked to memorize a scripture each month. Dayton is super motivated by this and already has the first scripture for January memorized and passed off. He is now working on the February scripture. Wow!

He excels at skiing, big time! He goes down the real slopes. Green trails and Dad says sometimes blue ones too. He is super coordinated and loves sports. He especially enjoyed basketball from last fall. Soccer is coming up this spring but for now skiing will get to be his extra curricular. 

Dayton is still my lover, snuggler, tender hearted boy. He cries and has real feeling and passion about things. He tries his best to be good and sometimes his little siblings mess up his stuff but almost always he handles it in an okay fashion, sometimes there are big tears and maybe yelling, but it's rare. He is growing up and I am amazed. I just hope and pray Adam and I are doing all we can do for him. 

We started saving a certain amount each month for his mission fund. I know we should have started long ago, which we had when he was about 2 years old, but because of Adams health and our huge medical bills we stopped just to get by. Well now he is 6 years old, almost 7 years old. We only have 11-12 short years. So we are getting back to it. It will just require we are even more diligent with our budget. We started saving for Rachel and Carter and a little for Vivian too. We figure when Dayton drops off we can save more for Vivian. 

Dayton we love you! Please keep being the boy you are! Always willing to help and caring about others. Being the silly, talkative, fun friend to all you see. You are special! 

Vivians Favorite

This is how Vivie likes to be carried. She almost always falls asleep in this position while being walked around. It's adorable! Just look at those cheeks! I want to remember her this tiny (or rather young) forever! She is growing so fast!

Health

This month it is time for more infusions for Adam. He has Hypo Gamma Globulin Anemia, which means the protein levels in his plasma are too low. He is unable to fight off infection. That explains why he hasn't been feeling well for the last 2 to 3 months and has always been sick. So he needs something called IVIG. It is an infusion where they replace those plasma proteins. Then they will check his levels a week after and if they are high enough, range 700 to 1600, then he can get his normal Rituxin infusion that is his maintenance drug for his NMO. He just got his IVIG on Thursday, so far no negative effects. Yay! We will see if his levels are up enough by next Wednesday to start his Retuxin. We are praying that they are, so treatment isn't delayed longer. We are blessed that he has a great doctor in Salt Lake, Dr. Foley, that takes great care of him. We are blessed that Adam is doing as well as he does. We have had miracles, his lesion being healed which never happens is number one! His sight always all coming back is number two. And many many more!

My health has been poor. I have been having severe abdominal pain that radiates into my back for a month. It comes and goes. The first week I thought I just had a bug, tummy issues. After it kept continuing I realized it wasn't the flu. Right after Christmas I went to Dr. Call our family doctor and he tested my blood and specifically my pancreas and said my levels were normal. So he suggested I take Prilosec for heart burn and acid levels in my tummy for a week. To just see if it'd improve, it didn't. So I called back and he was out of town, so I saw Dr. Harris who is the other doc in his office yesterday. He ordered more blood work and gave me an oral litiocane to take next time I have an attack. He said it will "rule out" stomach ulcers. He said next time I have an attack to drink it fast. If it helps we know the problem is somewhere between my mouth and stomach cause it would numb the pain. He also ordered an ultrasound for Monday. I had my gallbladder out after Rachel so it can't be that but another idea is it is a stone in the duct or leaking into my abdomen. Anyway, we will see what they find out. Likely I will go to a specialist after getting ultrasound results next week. 

I am praying even though the pain is real and a lot to handle. Plus dibilitating to my day and being a mom that whatever is causing it is minor and easily fixed. 

Goals

Well it's that time again...

I usually have many goals but this year I am super overwhelmed and so I am keeping it simple. My goal is "good, better, best."

In all things this year I am going to keep this mantra. There are so many good things like serving on the PTA or as relief society secretary. There are many things that are better than that like attending church or doing fun outings with the kids.  Then there are things that are best. Like taking care of my kids, being am aware and in tune mother and a good caretaker and wife to Adam.

This year in all things that I think I should do I am going to consider this idea first. Is it good? What's better? And what is best? I am a doer! It's my personality. But with Adams health and four kids and running two preschool classes and selling Gymboree clothes online to pay the medical bills I am hurting. My health hasn't been good and I wonder if it's partly due to stress. That info in another post. 

Happy new year!!!

Growing up

Vivian can...

Hold rattles

Look at books

Coo and squeel

Shove her fists in her mouth

Kick

Sit in the walker for 30 minutes and push with her legs.

Giggle and smile

Hold her head up well when being carried

Sleep through the night

Drink formula from a bottle with rice cereal 

She is growing so fast!!!

Rachel Ski's

This girl hit the slopes with Dad at Beaver for night skiing this week. She did great! Her toes were freezing which caused tears but other than that she was a champ. Adam showed me a short video and she made it down the bunny hill without falling, wow Rachel! I'm so proud of her for trying something new even though it was challenging. 

Dayton also went skiing on his own the bunny hill the whole time, even made a new friend. That boy enjoys skiing. 

Winter walks

Vivie all bundled for her winter walk tonight. 

Carter is a Sunbeam

Carter is a sunbeam! And he loved it and has great teachers! What a big boy!