Ice Fishing Derby!

Brad and Sam entered an ice fishing contest. So we all decided that was a great family activity, so we loaded up the kids with all of their warm stuff and prayed for a warm day! Well Brad and Sam had it all figured out. They packed tents and chairs, heaters, all sorts of good food, fish finders, snowmobiles and the ranger! They thought the ranger would be good for the kids if it was cold and tents were for them so they could sit in their chairs and put the tents around them so it would block them from the wind. We were hooked up!

Luckily the first day was beautiful, so we did not need any of those things except the food of course! The kids played, pulled each other around on the 4 wheelers, fished and had a great time! Tayahna slept most of the time and did so good! Out of our group, Pete was the only one who could catch anything, which Brad and Sam were not too happy about :) But Sammy and Colby helped real them in and won first and second place for the kids division!

The next day was not so good. So we were grateful that the boys packed all of those things! We put the tents up around us so we could still fish and be blocked from the wind! The kids still played and had a great time! Right at the end, Colby caught that BIG fish! Isn't that awesome ;)

The Joys of Parenting!

We had a great lesson in church the other day! Since that lesson, I have thought about what was said. We talked about alot of good things, but the thing that stuck with me the most was, how we need to be there for our children so they will COME to us in times of need or hurt or sorrow! This made me think of when I was young and how naughty I was and how much I did not want to go to my parents and talk to them, mainly because I new it would disappoint them and I did not want to see the looks on their face if I ever went to them! Looking back, I know they would have listened and helped me through everything if I would have just put my trust in them and actually TALK to them!

My parents were great parents! They were very strict no doubt about it. They put the fear in all of us girls. I was scared to talk to them because I knew I was going to be in big trouble! So how do you find that balance? How do you tell your kids you are there for them and you that you want us as parents to be the first ones they come to but then let your kids know that there are consequences for their actions!

Parenting is so hard and I can't believe that I am thinking about this already when my oldest child is only 3 1/2. But it scares me to death to think that they will grow up and I will not be the one they run to when they need help. It scares me to think that they will (and I am sure it will happen) do things they are not supposed to, but I hope when the time comes Brad and I will be able to be strict in our beliefs and teach them all they need to know in order to live a worthy life that is pleasing to the Lord! I hope that as parents we SHOW by example the best way to return to our Heavenly Father!

Oh dear, what will the future hold for our little family??????

Sad Day!

RSV, for some reason, I was scared to death of. I wasn't concerned about it with my other children, but it seems that this year has been one of the worst years for illnesses. RSV was going around like crazy. My sisters baby had it and her doctor said he was diagnosing 4 babies a day with RSV. So I was so nervous that my baby was going to get it. So what do you think happens...... of course she got RSV. Jaden, Lyxi and Brad were sick when we brought her home from the hospital, so the chances of her not getting sick were very slim.

She was 1o days old and that night she got a fever. She started to cough and you could tell she did not feel well. So the next day I took her in to the pediatrician. I about died when she told me that she had RSV. The doctor said we had to immediately go to the hospital and get Tayahna checked in. Luckily I was in Green River where my family could watch my other kiddos. So we went to the hospital, and I have never seen anything so horrible in my life. They had to do a spinal tap (which they could not get the first three times, yes THREE) I was so sad for her. They did this because babies who get fevers under 6 weeks old they have to check to make sure that there isn't other problems they need to know about. She screamed so hard I could not take it anymore, I had to leave or else I would have lost it. So then they put an IV in, which they had to change later, so she ended up having to get multiple pokes. Then she was put on oxygen because she was breathing at 85% which is not good at all. She got different antibiotics every few hours, which had nothing to do with the RSV, it was just a precautionary thing in case there were other infections. The doctors were mostly worried because of her age. She was only 11 days old. She slowly got better with breathing treatments and oxygen. There is really nothing they can do for RSV because it is viral so it was a waiting game to see how much she would improve and how fast. We ended up staying in the hospital for four LONG days. Brad and I slept on that tiny bed one night, which is actually kind of funny, it was like we were dating again:) Tayahna was such a trooper and did really well in the hospital despite what was happening. Her lungs would just not heal as fast as the doctors wanted. She was still only breathing at 85% after four days. The doctor said there was no reason for us to stay if the only thing she needed was the oxygen. So they let us go home and gave us oxygen to sustain her breathing. She really had no other sick like symptoms when we brought her home other than her lungs. She was doing so much better.

The Doctor said it was critical for us not to go anywhere until she was completely better because if she got any other kind of illness it would be detrimental to her health. So we were home bound. We thought she would only need the oxygen for a few days, but she ended up needing it for over a month. She was just so little that she needed that extra oxygen for her to get better.
It is scary to think how sick she really was. I am so grateful that she is doing much better and is her happy self again! I am grateful to my Heavenly Father that she had the strength to endure what she did and that I had the strength to deal with it and not freak out!
Tayahna Faith, mommy and daddy are so glad you are doing much better. You touched our hearts the moment we laid eyes on you. We were so sad to see what you had to go through, but are so glad that we could get you the help that you needed. We LOVE you so much!

Ahhh, LOVE!

Every Valentine's Day growing up my mom always made the cutest breakfast. She decorated the table so cute, she made us pink heart shaped pancakes, and got us Valentines gifts. Growing up with four sisters, as you can imagine, we loved it! So we all carry on this tradition.
Jaden being goofy!


Lyxi being the princess. Doesn't she look like one?????????


Tayahna not liking that mommy is making her do this!

Brad refused to be in the picture. I don't know why, he always looks SO good in the morning ;)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Lyxi Lou!!!

Alyxis is a crack up! I hardly go a day without laughing out loud at something she does! She is at the age where she needs to be "confined" as my brother in law would put it! Haha! She leaves a trail of crap everywhere she goes! I can tell exactly where she has been. She has a mind of her own and is very stubborn. She is going to be the death of me, I swear :) She keeps me on my toes that's for sure. But I love her and she brings so much happiness into our home.

She was at my sisters house and she got the dog bowl and one scoop at a time emptied the toilet water completely. I have no doubt that she probably drank a little as she went too! EEEEWWWW! She will even tell you that she is "The Boss" and says, "I'm a mess" and "I'm cute." But we love her, we just have to keep our eyes on her!

She is getting used to the fact that she is no longer the baby. She actually loves to hold her and kiss her, which is pretty cute. She is going to be a great big sister. She absolutely loves her Daddy, it melts my heart to see! I can't wait to see what the year ahead will bring us! We love you Alyxis!

Ice Cream Sanwich!

My dear sweet Jaden is so adorable! This is his funny story.............................

We were all downstairs and we asked Jaden to go upstairs and get three ice cream sandwiches in the outside freezer. Jaden who jumps at the chance to have ice cream ran upstairs. We thought nothing of it and went on with our business. After about ten minutes I told Brad to go check on him and make sure he wasn't locked outside. So Brad goes upstairs and yells for me to do the same! I thought something was wrong, so I run upstairs. We find Jaden with the tub of ice cream and two slices of bread! He was literally making an ice cream sandwich! Haha! We were laughing so hard. We told him to go get an ice cream sandwich and that is what he did. You forget that kids don't get the "slang" so to speak! The funny thing is, he actually ate the sandwich, eeewwww! But he is so funny.

The other day Brad asked Jaden to go get a butter knife and an apple for him. He comes back with actual butter on a knife and an apple. He is so clever. Jaden sure knows how to bring laughter and joy into our house! He has such a sweet heart and shows that he loves us every day! He is actually being quite the BIG brother now. He will take care of Lyxi if she is hurt and give her hugs and kisses when she needs them. He also sings to Tayahna and lays with her and tells her how much he loves her. It is heart breaking how cute it is! Thanks Jaden for being the protector over your sisters and for being the best brother a sister could ask for!

Thanks!

I feel the need to express thanks to everyone who has thought, prayed and helped us out these last couple of weeks. It has been a rough go around but I think everything is on the mend. Until recently I don't think we have ever NEEDED as much help as we have received lately. So I am very grateful for everyone!

I am grateful for my wonderful husband who has never been as much help as he has been right now. He is so much fun to have around the house. He lightens the mood whenever he is around! Believe it or not he has been, I don't want to call it sensitive (because that will hurt his manhood), but he has been in tune to what I need and has been there to do it for me. He has even got up in the night to help with the kids, which I am so thankful for. I love this man so much and don't think I say it enough! He is a great man that is devoted and a great father. So thanks babe, I love you so much!

I want to thank my parents as well. With Lyxi's arm, me having the baby, and then Tayahna getting RSV, my parents were there every step of the way. They watched the kids for us, they drove to help us, they stayed with us, they cooked for us, and most importantly, they supported us through everything that has gone on. I just want to tell them how much I appreciate their help and love that they have shown us. I love you guys.

An update: Tayahna is doing much better. After 4 days in the hospital, they sent us home with oxygen and a nebulizer. She is still on oxygen and it has been over a week since it started, but she is definitely recovering and feeling much better. My heart breaks for her because that was the scariest thing that has happened to our little family. She couldn't breath, she was poked and had a spinal tap (which they had to poke her 4 different times because they couldn't get it), she had to have multiple IVs, breathing treatments, blood work and the list goes on. I am just so grateful to my Heavenly Father that she is doing much better. I could not have done it without the prayers and support from everyone, so thank you! More pictures to come!!!!!