Wacky Tacky Day!

When I learned that The kid's school was having Wacky Tacky Day, I was all over it...

She was the wackiest in her class.

Random hair!

Mason is as Wacky as he felt comfortable being.

...I wonder why?

Leah's Wacky Tacky Day 2000

It's Autumn Time

Wyatt, Ali and Mason on the Hay Pyramid

Can I just say, I LOVE THE FALL!!! The leaves, the weather the activities, the FOOD! We took the kids to the pumpkin patch last weekend. We missed our traditional Elmer Family Bishop's trip and went to Fog Willow instead. It is pretty close and the kids really enjoyed it. They all had their first pony rides EVER!

I made Mason say howdy. He looks like a Jack-o-lantern

Ali' Pony was named Hannah and her twin was Miley. Can you say CHEESY! She looked so cute!

Wyatt hanging on for dear life. He was having so much fun but for some reason he kept trying to play it cool.

Jonah did not want to be left out!

OUR 4 BEAUTIFUL KIDS!!! 

Fog Willow had a petting zoo and a hay ride and all sorts of fun. We also tasted their fudge and it was AMAZING! And I am a fudge snob, so that is saying a lot. Here are a few animal pics:

Checking out the animals.

A few animals of our own.

 Although it was warm outside and it felt like the longest day ever with soccer pictures before and a wedding reception after, we had a great time and we will most likely go again next year. We are now thinking of when we can take the kids to apple hill. We need fudge, cider, and caramel apples. Not to mention some pie. I can't wait! We'll post pictures then too! HAPPY AUTUMN EVERYONE!

Alder Creek

So, on the Saturday before Labor Day we took the kids to Alder Creek. It is a really fun spot up 50 that Jesse's family have been going to for years. We all had a BLAST!!! I was still on the mend after spraining my ankle, so I couldn't enjoy the water too much, but it was great to see the kids and Jesse have a good time. Here are some pictures:

Wyatt headed straight for the sand.

A self shot with me and Jonah.

Mason enjoy the sand and water.

Jesse gave each of the kids a turn in the boat and they loved it.

Even Jonah got in on the action.

Mason's turn. Jesse actually took him on a few small rapids. 

I pulled them around by the rope for quite a while. 

My white boys catching some rays.

One last pose on the bridge.

Here is a short video of Jonah in the water. He LOVES water. He goes nuts in the tub. He enjoyed the cold water almost as much. 

New Beginnings...

And NO, I am not talking about the Young Women activity. Life has been filled with so many firsts lately. Jesse Started a new Job! We are so excited to share the news that Jesse FINALLY found a job. He is working for a company out in Roseville called Sibling Systems. He is still doing graphic design, but he will have the opportunity to do marketing (which is what he REALLY wants to do) for them in the not too distant future. He really likes it so far. He found out after, that of the 9 guys that work there, 7 are LDS. So it is a huge change from his Red Robin days when he was one of just a few in a large team of employees.

With Jesse no longer home, I am handling all 4 kids (plus Jim) on my own. I used to be able to go to the store while the little ones were napping, but now if I go, during the day, they have to come with me. I did try bringing all 4 of them with me to Target, and it was pretty much a nightmare. I have learned that if I don't get up and go first thing, than I will not be going until Jesse is home and they are in bed.

Also, the kids and Jesse have started school. It is a new school for both Mason and Ali. Mason is in the 2nd grade and Ali is in Kindergarten. They LOVE their teachers and their classmates. Wyatt loves to come with me to pick up Ali from school, but I think it is mostly because he loves Brodie, a little boy in Ali's class at school and church who I take home in the afternoon. He no longer asks if we can go get Ali from school, he asks if we can go get Brodie. And Brodie is so nice to him, I don't blame Wyatt for liking him so much.

Ali has a thing with taking her hairstyle down before the end of the day.

Ali wearing her Fox hat that she made.

Ali suddenly became a thug. I don't know where she gets that from. I guess what they say is true, you can take the girl out the ghetto, but you cain't take the ghetto out the girl.

Mason and his missing teeth on the first day of School.

I added this one because Wyatt was the only one looking and he isn't even in school! What a good boy!

Jesse is back at Sac State again. He is gone on Monday and Tuesday night. It is NOT easy trying to get dinner on the table and kids bathed and ready for bed on those nights. I'm so glad that he is only gone for those 2 nights. I don't think I would be able to handle a third. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my children, but sometimes it takes 2 parents to get them to bed. They want to stay up. They want to play. They DO NOT want to get dressed or brush their teeth, or say prayer, because all of those things mean bedtime to them. Luckily they are starting to get used to the new daily schedule and hopefully they will be more cooperative.

Lastly, Mason started soccer and is loving it. I'll post more on that later. Right now it is dinner time.

Appen-What?

Appendectomy! That is right! My baby boy had to have an appendectomy! Last week (Monday) Wyatt showed symptoms of the flu. He had diarrhea and vomiting as well as a low-grade fever. We took him in on Tuesday to urgent care. The doctor checked him out and said that he most likely had a virus and that it would go away, along with the usual recommendations on flu care. By Thursday he had not gotten any better in fact, he started complaining about abdominal pain. So, we made an appointment with another doctor at our pediatrician's office and this time she listened and checked his abdomen. Since Wyatt cried the entire time he was in the office, she assumed that he was just sore from the diarrhea and vomiting. So, once again, we took Wyatt home and continued to treat his flu symptoms. Saturday was a horrible day for him, he kept crying and holding his stomach. All day long, the pain would come and go. It was coming mostly when he had to urinate, so we assumed that he might have a UTI. The last straw was right around 6:30pm, Wyatt was in so much pain that he was curling up into a ball. We knew that we needed to take him to the ER immediately. This behavior was NOT normal and neither of us could stand by any longer and watch him suffer.

Jesse took him to the Mercy Folsom ER. He got there at 7pm. They checked his blood (which nobody had done before this) and noticed that his white blood count was higher than it should be. They checked his urine and did an ultrasound which was inconclusive. Bless this ER doctor. I could hug him. In a conversation that he had with the nurse, that she reported to Jesse, he said "I normally would avoid doing a CT scan on such a young child, but there is something special about this one." I feel so strongly that the Spirit of God impressed in his mind that he needed to look further. I am so grateful that he listened. So, although they try to avoid CT scans on toddlers and the elderly due to radiation, he scanned Wyatt and the results were incredible. Wyatt had a perforated appendix. In English: there was a hole and a slow leak. Wyatt was transferred to the UC Davis Children's hospital in Sacramento. By this time it was 4am and his surgery was scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

I am so thankful that my mom was able and willing to drive out to Folsom to come get my babies at 3:00 in the morning. I tell you, that woman is a SAINT! Knowing that my other children were taken care of, was such a weight off of my shoulders.

Before his surgery, we spoke to the surgeon and asked as many questions as we could think of, including: How long have you been doing this? It was a relief to know that the man who would be operating on Wyatt had been removing appendixes for 20 years. He explained to us that what most likely happened, was that pieces of hard stool entered into the appendix and over time calcified and became as hard as bone (there were 2 "stones" in his appendix). This caused a blockage of the secretions from his appendix and eventually the back-up caused it to tear. He said that Wyatt also had a large puss-filled abscess around his appendix that needed to be drained/removed.

Wyatt 5am Sunday Morning after being in the ER since 7pm the night before.

Daddy 5am Sunday Morning

Wyatt went into surgery at 2:00pm and by 4:00pm he was in recovery and we were able to go in and see him. This is what he looked like:

It was heart breaking to see my baby with a tube in his nose and a drain tube coming out of his tummy as well as a catheter and an IV. The first 24-48 hours were a nightmare. I stayed with Wyatt overnight and every 2 hours he would wake in pain and was given morphine to help with the pain. At one point I crawled in his bed next to him and cried. I prayed with all my heart that our Father in Heaven would comfort our little one. That he would feel peace and that he would heal from this quickly. I felt such gratitude that this was caught early and that his surgery went well.

A quick side note/story: Jesse had been looking for a full-time job for a while. (He is self-employed, but there is a lot of work involved with that and also not a consistent pay, so we needed to make a change.) he had interviewed with a few different companies with only one job offer. For some reason, Jesse felt that he should not take that job. We were frustrated and our trip to Oregon for his family reunion was no longer a possibility. We did not want to spend money on a trip when we don't have a consistent income. Needless to say, we were disappointed, but we felt that were were praying and receiving direction for our family from the Lord. As I spoke to my mom, she gave me great advice (which mothers often do) and that was to change my attitude and trust in the Lord. As I did this I was able to recognize this miracle in our lives. Instead of being in Oregon we were home when Wyatt needed an emergency appendectomy. Instead of being at a new job without the ability to get time off, Jesse was home, and I was able to have him by my side, and not go through this alone. Sometimes we don't recognize these tender mercies from the Lord, but when they happen, it strengthens my testimony that God is real. He has given us the ability to pray and receive personal revelation. As we follow His guidance, our lives (although not always easy) will be directed in ways we might not understand, but that are for our benefit and our happiness. I have felt strengthened by his spirit as I have been coping with the pain of my child. How blessed I am to KNOW that I can trust Him with my life and my family.

The first 48 hours went the same, Wyatt had what they in the pediatric department called "no-nose" bands on his arms. The were basically braces that prevented him from bending his elbows and ripping out his nose tube. Wyatt was not allowed to eat or drink anything. They needed to give his digestive system time to heal and catch up. The tube in his nose went all the way down to his stomach and drained all of it's contents. He remained asleep during this time waking every few hours in pain, which was treated with morphine.

Tuesday Morning, they removed his catheter. Wyatt struggled for at least the first few times that he passed urine, but once that happened, things started to progress quickly. Tuesday night, they removed his nose tube. They started him on clear liquids on Wednesday Morning. The first thing he had was a red Popsicle. His smile came back rather quickly after that. And Katie (the nurse who gave him that Popsicle) quickly became his favorite nurse. It was as if my boy was finally returning.

On Wednesday afternoon, Wyatt POOPED! I think we had never been happier to see poop in all our lives! This was a sure sign that his GI tract was healing properly. They removed his belly drain tube and cleared him for solid foods. He had chicken nuggets and fries for dinner on Wednesday night and had his favorite drink: CHOCOLATE MILK!!! The doctors say that he should be able to come home in just a few days. He is playing in the play room and with toys, books, and coloring books that have been brought by sweet family members who have come to visit him and cheer him up.

I want to thank everyone who has helped us. Mom and Dad who let us stay at their house since it was closer to the hospital, my sister who watched my kids for the first few days, my brother who helped calm me in the beginning by answering my questions and giving me advice on what I should ask the doctors. To my sister-in-law who made us yummy dinner, my mother-in-law who let us use her car and came home from her trip earlier than planned to make sure that Jim's care was off of our plates and for her visits to the hospital. Our friends, Ethan and Nathalie who stayed with Jim all day Sunday and cleaned our house (you didn't have to do that). And a big thank you to countless others who have prayed for us and called, texted, messaged, and emailed us to offer assistance in anyway possible. I feel so blessed to have such a great circle of friends and family who are ready and willing to help if ever we are in need. And finally to our children who have been so patient and well behaved through all of this. WE LOVE YOU ALL!

CREEPY Family Trait

So, our little Wyatt has been sick and I feel so bad for him. But as he has been laying and sleeping on the couch, we have discovered that he has inherited one CREEPY family trait-sleeping with his eyes OPEN! My father and my brother, Sam have both been known to do this. I know, it is weird, but I think it has something to do with big eyeballs. I sure hope that he feels better soon, he is completely miserable and EXHAUSTING!

We're Baaaack!

I stopped getting complaints about my blog not being updated and that made me realize that NOBODY was checking anymore. I must confess that the main reason why I stopped updating the blog was because it was under Jesse's email, so every time I wanted to post something, I would have to log out of my account and into his. All of the logging in and out and in again was irritating. So, I just stopped messing with it. I know what you all are thinking... "How LAZY!" and you are RIGHT! So, here is the second attempt at having a family blog. I cannot promise that it will be updated weekly, but I am going to try to update at LEAST monthly. We will see.

For those of you who were reading my old blog, I am sorry to say that I will NOT be picking up where I left off. I just looked and my last post was OCTOBER 2009!!! That is way too much to fill in. I am planning on starting fresh. However, here is what is going on with us now:

Mason: Mason is doing well. He is 7 and will be starting the 2nd grade next month. Soccer starts in just a few weeks and this will be his first experience with a team sport. I have a sneaking suspicion that there will be a lot of crying from him. He does not understand the concept of sportsmanship, but that is why we are putting him in soccer. Maybe he will learn something.

Ali: Ali cannot wait to start school . She will be in Kindergarten this year. She has been carrying around her Hello Kitty backpack in preparation. She spent some time in preschool last year, but after Jonah was born, she needed a little bit of mommy/home time. We took her out and I think that helped her quite a bit to prepare for Kindergarten this year. I am going to miss my little girl while she is at school, but I am happy that she has this opportunity to grow and learn.

Wyatt: Wyatt loves nursery at church. He enjoys his leaders and is always excited to go, HOWEVER, he hardly ever speaks to them. They keep asking me if he talks at all. I guess he is like Jesse- he only speaks when he has something to say. At home he is totally different. He sings and talks like a normal child, but at church they can hardly get him to put 3 words together.

Jonah: Jonah is ADORABLE!!! He is growing so fast, I can hardly stand it at all. He is starting to crawl now which is fun. He totally has "the worm" down. So far, he is my pickiest eater. He LOVES fruit and will spit veggies out all over you. He does the cutest thing when he gets excited. He shakes like an excited little puppy. It cracks me up. I've tried to record it, but he doesn't really cooperate. I'll have to keep trying.

Jesse and Leah: So, this past year has been a happy and trying one for Jesse and I. We were hoping and planning on buying a house last year. Right as we were making this decision, Jesse's sister, Lindsey, and her family, moved out of Kathy's house. (Kathy is Jesse's Mom.) Kathy asked that Jesse and I move in to help with Jesse's dad, Jim. For those of you who do not know, Jim has a disease called FTD. Here is a link to find out what that is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP4PoUkVy0U&feature=relmfu

The bottom line is that he needs to be cared for during the day when she is at work. We prayed about that and knew that we needed to move in with Kathy. So, we packed up our apartment, and moved it to Folsom. (Most of it is still in the garage.)

Right before (or soon after) we moved, Jesse lost his job and decided to go back to school full-time. Life has NOT been easy, but we realize that this inspiration was just another tender mercy from the Lord. Although watching Jim and living in someone else's home are hard things to do, there are a few things that we could not accomplish otherwise. First Jesse can finish school in a timely manner and without excessive debt. And second, i can still stay at home with our 4 great kids. I am thankful for the inspiration that we received to move here. Sometimes it takes a trial of our faith to realize just how blessed and loved we truly are. By the way things are going, Jesse should be done with school in about a year (maybe a little over). So, Jesse is still doing freelance graphic design work and I still get to be mommy, which is truly a WONDERFUL blessing.

I think that is enough for now. Enjoy the videos of the kids, and I'll post again... when I do.

Leah