Mom and the Boys at Home

Being a stay at home mom gives me a lot of time to spend with my boys- which sometimes is difficult, but most of the time is rewarding and really fun!  They are frequently in the kitchen with me helping me bake. Kesler cannot keep his fingers out of ANYTHING we are making but otherwise they are great helpers!

Putting the kids in bed every night is always something I look forward to, but watching them while they sleep always erases a lot of the frustration from the day. How could anyone stay bugged at these sweet faces???

Easton takes after Soren in so many ways, but even in his love for gear and mountain climbing. He loves to get dressed up in gloves and hats and coats. He got a new coat in September and although it didn't get cold enough to wear it for months, he sure wore it around the house!

We try to do kids crafts and projects a few times a week- but it doesn't always happen. This homemade silly clay was a fun one to make. 

And we have been known to stop at McDonald's for an ice cream cone every once and a while too. Nothing like a fun place to play and a cheap treat.  

Last Swim

We got in one last swim in September before the pool closed for winter. It sure is fantastic having a pool that we can use so easily- especially since we can often go with my parents or brothers. I can't imagine trying to go swimming without their help! We are totally excited to go again next year!

Time Out For Women

In September I had the chance to drive to St. Louis with my mom and a friend to go to Time Out for Women. We left on a Friday afternoon and made it just in time to go to the opening session on Friday night. We also met another good friend there that had moved to Tennessee. St. Louis was the perfect halfway point for her to meet up with us. We all enjoyed the speakers and the music- and the time away! I picked up a few books for the kids and myself and took lots of notes. 

Friday night we enjoyed late night pizza and talking. There were also events all day Saturday. We were worn out of sitting and listening by the end. I am so out of practice with sitting still for a long time and listening to someone teach. In college I was a pro, but as a mom when do I ever get to do that? I'll admit my attention was not always directed at the presenter! 

It was a long drive home on Saturday evening, but we made it more bearable with a stop at a mall for a little browsing and a smoothie. I was the only one who got a kick out of our smoothies matching our outfits- but how cute is that?

We all had a great weekend away and I came home to an incredibly clean (and reorganized!) living room. Soren typically DEEP cleans something while I am gone and although the rest of the house was sketchy- the living room was clean!

Cody Got His Mission Call!!

In August, a much anticipated event finally happened! After working and saving and waiting for months, Cody finally got his mission call! Friends and family came over to the house to watch him open it and we were all so excited to find out where he was going. He opened it to reveal that he would be serving in the Taiwan, Taipei Mission! Not only was that his number one choice- it is also where his best friend was serving too! Cody and Evan had both taken Chinese in high school and Evan had left a few months earlier. We were all so shocked and thrilled for Cody! He was told to report to the MTC on December 18. He quickly got busy calling family and friends to share the good news!

Shooting

So over the summer Soren really wanted me to learn how to shoot a gun for some self protection. I dragged my feet about it, but we finally went to a range on a Saturday afternoon. Boy- was it a wake up call! Who knew guns were so loud and powerful!?! After my first shot, my reaction was- I never want to do that again! But I had to finish my round and each shot was a little less shocking. I think it will take a LOT more practice to get used to shooting anything, but it was good to have a try at it. Definitely an eye opening experience!

Preschool Co-Op

This year four other Mom's and I started a preschool co-op for the kids Easton's age. We each take two weeks at a time hosting/teaching on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We have an assigned topic/number/letter for each week. About half of the time is spend just playing and the other half is lessons, crafts and snack. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it has been fantastic for Easton. He loves having it at our house and he loves going to everyone else's. I am amazed at how much he learns about different topics and grateful that I don't have the stress of planning lessons on our own each week. 

Kesler and I usually run errands, go to the pet store or the park or spend time at home while Easton is gone. Kesler is always sad that he can't go, but the poor guy has three more full years before he starts school. He won't even start preschool for a whole another year after this. 

Next year we plan to continue with the kids and do it for 3 hours instead of 2.5. We'll try to follow more of a kindergartner prep course and see if we can get them school ready. I can't believe that Easton will be starting summer school in June 2014!

Kilee's 26th Birthday

My birthday this year was one of my favorite birthdays that i can remember. I wasn't expecting much and hadn't planned anything myself. (Which is so unlike me!) We had planned to go to my Mom's house for just cake on Sunday night and open presents. My Mom totally rocked it with an amazing Snickers and whipped cream chocolate cake. It was so delish. 

The boys were so fun to have there because birthdays are one of their favorite things ever. They helped with the candles and eating plenty of cake. 

My parents surprised me with a pair of floral jeans that I had been coveting from Target. They are fantastic and the perfect gift for me. I knew they would get plenty of references to a grandma couch, but I wanted them anyway. 

After gifts, Soren started acting super weird and told the boys to tell me happy birthday and goodbye. They were going to spend the night at my Mom's house and Soren and I were leaving. I was so confused! The kids had never slept at my parents before and where on earth were we going? I love surprises, but it is rare that I don't suspect anything at all! We got in the car and started driving. I was excited but full of questions which Soren wouldn't answer. 

We ended up downtown and drove to the Westin Crowne Center Hotel. We checked in (just the two of us!!) and went to our room. I was so happy that I had dressed up for my family get together! Turns out sparkly high heels and a blazer wasn't over dressing that night! Soren finally told me that my parents were taking the kids for the night and then the next day we could go do some shopping at the Plaza with my birthday money and eat lunch together. Uh, dream come true!! 

What about all of my stuff? Well Soren had tried to sneakily pack it all. He had driven separately from me to my parents and packed madly after I took the kids over. He had no clue what all I would need, but he gave it his best effort. Thankfully he brought me a TON of clothes to choose from and my toiletries. (Except for my make up!) We had a great night and in the morning he did run home and get the few things he forgot for me while I lounged and painted my nails. (More dreams coming true!)

We shopped and had a great morning the next day. Then we ate lunch at my favorite place, Brio. They have a steak salad that is to die for. 

We ended up picking up the kids that afternoon and they were happy to see us. It was a fantastic surprise that was made up of all of the things I enjoy. I totally felt spoiled and loved. What a great way to turn a year older!

More Summertime Fun

Legoland opened in Kansas City this year and we went with my parents and brothers in August. It was pretty pricey but fun for a one time experience. Kesler and Easton loved playing with all of the Legos and building race cars.

 

 

The 4D movie was really fun. You get to feel the rain, snow and wind while watching the movie in 3D. Kesler and Easton both LOVED it.

 

We ate lots of ice cream this summer. It was a great family date every couple of weeks for us.

Soren also discovered the joy of 100% fruit popsicles. We went through many boxed of coconut, lime, strawberry, and mango fruit bars. They are SO good. The coconut and lime are my favorite.

 

We had Soren's best friend from high school and his family drive through and visit. They live in Las Vegas so we rarely see them. It was a lot of fun to have them stay the night and stay up chatting with them. I really love having company come and visit!

More Injuries

My lovely injury to tell about started while we were on vacation as well. I started to get a hang nail infection and didn't think much of it. I kept Neosporin on it and it seemed like it was getting better. While we were in Provo my friends and I had our nails done at a beauty school and I still didn't worry about my finger until it kept getting worse! After vacation it was still really hurting and even burning. My finger was swollen and red and gross.

 

I finally went into the Walgreens clinic and was told I might have to get my fingernail drilled to let out the pus, but she couldn't do it there. (Gross, I know!) Luckily later that day when I went to the Urgent Care clinic the doctor told me that I had a Staph infection.  No drilling required, just a few antibiotics to treat the infection. I was so relieved!

 

 

Within a few days my finger started to feel and look better, but what didn't look better? Um, ALL of my skin! I was breaking out in hives and itches and swollen rash everywhere. Lovely- an allergic reaction. I went back into the clinic and a steroid and anti-Itch meds for the hives. Bummer.

 

 

The rash went away within a few days and my finger kept improving. I did lose my fingernail though. This is a picture of the beginning of the loss. It is November now and it still hasn't fallen off all of the way although new nail has grown in behind it. 

 

 

What a random and more than a little frustrating experience. Ca-razy.

Dino Exhibit with Grandpa

One of our summer outings was to go see the small dinosaur exhibit at Crown Center. My Dad works across the street so he met us there and we brought my brother Thompson with us too. The kids had a great time running around and showing Grandpa all of the dinosaurs. They got to climb on them and dig for bones.

 



 

We all ate lunch together after and it was a really fun morning activity. Its so fun to live near family and get to meet up for little things like this.

Our Story of the Year

On our drive home from Utah, Soren's ear started to bother him. We thought it was just the altitude changing or a cold coming on. It went away when we got home and we thought nothing of it. A few days later his ear started to fill up and really hurt again. At 6 pm I got him some Tylenol and we still didn't think much of it. At 10 pm the pain was really getting to him and we made a few calls to find some stronger pain meds. Soren decided he would be okay and I went to bed.

 

At 3 am he wakes me up in a panic telling me that he has been up all night pacing because the pain was so bad. He was at his wits end and wanted to know who we could call or what we should do. I didn't know what to do so we called the ER and the receptionist told me he should come in if the pain was that bad. I stayed home with the kids and sent Soren to the hospital, which is only about 5 minutes from our house. I went back to bed and thought he would be good as new when I heard from him next. Well at around 6:30 he calls me and tells me that they haven't done anything for him at the ER and that he is still at a level 10 of pain. They had ordered him a cat scan and given him a shot of some kind, but nothing was helping. (I later found out they had given him Atavan (sp) to calm him down because he was so worked up in the waiting room). He told me he would call me back.

 

I had a chiropractor appointment at 9 and so I left the kids with a babysitter and went to that. On the way home I called Soren again, still expecting him to have been fixed up, and he was still NOT fixed up. He said they had admitted him and he was going to have to stay. The pain was still terrible and had not changed. I was LIVID. Was I crazy to think that if he went to the ER by himself with a pain problem that they would fix him up and help him???? I thought I was sending him to the best place we could have found for taking care of things and fixing them. Now I see that I really needed to be there to be his mediator and get things moving.

 

Needless to say I drove straight to the hospital and marched up to his room. When I got there the nurse was talking with him and Soren was literally in tears. I have NEVER seen him in any kind of pain even close to that. I laid into the nurse and let her have it. What the h*ll is going on here and why is he still in so much pain????? I still don't understand why they didn't put him out of his misery sooner except that they are likely used to people being in pain and it doesn't phase them. My Mom met me there and the Bishop and another man came to give Soren a blessing.

 

They finally gave him one of the strongest drugs they had and within about 20 minutes of me arriving the pain started to lessen. His ear drum also ruptured which probably helped the most because it released all of the pressure causing the pain. We saw two doctors and one said he could have ruptured the ear drum himself to relieve the pain. I thought, "Where the h*ll were you a few hours ago??" Soren has a high tolerance for pain and pain meds so the lower dosage drugs they had tried didn't touch the pain. Too bad I wasn't there to tell them that beforehand. Likely they wondered where I was too. The drug that ended up working was the strength that they only send home with dying cancer patients.

 

Anyway it turned out to have been an acute ear infection. Soren had to stay overnight in the hospital for monitoring and I brought the kids up to visit him. We ate pudding and Soren acted wacky from his drugs. He is a funny person on drugs. Thankfully the infection healed up in a few weeks and although his ear still fills up sometimes, things are mostly back to normal for him.

 

This was definitely a list of first for us: first time for Soren to be in the hospital, first time I've seen him in that kind of pain and first time dealing with this urgent of an emergency. Lets hope those are all lasts as well.