Terrible & Terrific 2's, 4's, 6's, ...

8's, 10's, 12's for that matter.

At any given moment, on any given day, I have been yelled at, hit, poked, hugged, kissed, kicked, etc. etc.
All my kids are a wonderful challenge. Different kid, different problem, different joy. I love each of them for a million different reasons. I also struggle with them, for a ton a different things each day.
The two youngest are in what we refer to as the terrible two's. Gage is into everything. He makes a mess of anything he can these days. books, movies, toys, toilets, you name. Luckily, he is a very happy boy. I will take the messes, if he keeps his happiness.
Austin is almost three, and is into everything also, but in a different way. He climbs on everything, he rips, spills, throws, pushes, screams, cries, passes out due to being upset.
Last week, he was climbing at the park, fell, hit his mouth first on a solid bouncy thing and pushed teeth back, (only slightly), and bled, a lot, screamed a lot. He is fine, still a little sore, still a little crazy, still a little wonderful trouble maker. :)
One thing though, they are both cute.

Big Day

We had a big day today. First off, Gage went in for a MRI. He has some developmental delays, which until a couple weeks ago we thought were just due to his prematurity. ( He was born 10 weeks early). The pediatrician was concerned that he was too far behind and that we needed to see a neurologist. It is a long process, because any pediatric specialists that we will need to see come from Primary Children's hospital in SLC. and they usually only come once a month or even less, once every three months. So we had to fill out an application and then get an appt time, and hope it is a day we can work with. Anyway, we saw the neurologist and after an exam he decided that he thought he knew what was wrong but he wanted to do a MRI to make sure. So that was today. Gage had to be sedated, so we got there at 6:30 am, got a weight, and height and then put on a cute little hospital gown. After about a 15 minute wait, they took him into the MRI room. I went and tried to get myself lost in the hospital. And when I finally found the waiting room I found out they moved the vending machines, and so I sat there reading a book and starving. When they got all done about an 1 1/2 later I had him back in my arms. He had a breathing tube (which they took out before coming back to see me) and also an IV. He hates IV's. After I got him, it was only about 30 minutes before we were able to leave. He did really well. He came home and napped, and when he woke up was a super happy boy.(Like always) We should find out in the next couple weeks (I hope) the results of the test and I will fill you in.

We have more great news. Tanner and Kathryn both received awards today in school. This is so awesome. i am so proud of them. All the kids are doing really well in school and loving their teachers, and classes.

Tanner received the Hero Hunt award for Responsibility. His teacher said this,"Tanner has shown to be responsible in many ways. He obeys the rules, puts things where they belong, cooperates with others and the teacher. I know I can count on him to do the right thing. Your doing an excellent job! Keep it up!" For those of you who have known Tanner through his 6 1/2 years of life, this is an awesome accomplishment. Way to go Tanner!!!

Kathryn received the Super Scholar award. That means she is doing great in her school work, and behaviors. AWESOME Job Kathryn!!

We went to a celebration dinner. Which is tradtion when one or more of the kids gets an award. It's our way of saying Great Job!

Right after dinner, Jared went to SLC to do work. He took Cori with him to be his helper. Its great since this is the end of the pay period and he is doing extra work. I am okay with him being gone. It is only 2 or 3 days, as long as I don't have to leave the house with the boys alone, I will be happy. Unfortunately, I will probably go to church alone. which is managable, but not enjoyable. Hope you have a great weekend.

You Can Do It!!

Thanks to Cherie-a friend of a friend, I found this awesome website. Check it out. and just remember You are Awesome! You are important! You are mighty! You Can do anything you set your mind to. Go For it.

Enter this into your browser bar thing- yourname.youaremighty.com
so I would enter andi.youaremighty.com
go on, check it out, and turn your speakers on.

Have a great day.

what's on the menu?

I am trying to organize my recipes and menus so cooking won't be such a crazy time at our house. I am sturggling with meal ideas for breakfast. So What are you having for breakfast this week? and what are your kids eating? and your husband? At our house breakfast isn't the same meal for everyone. Cori leaves at 7, Jared at 8, the elementary kids at 8:30, then the 3 boys and I are home for the remainder of the day. any thoughts? I see all these blogs with dinner ideas but no breakfast or lunch for that matter. But I will focus on breakfast today.

I'm "IT" again

I've been tagged "IT" again. I thought this would be hard for me, but it ended up not as hard as I thought.
The idea of the game is this
1. I write 8 random facts
2. then tag 8 other bloggers to do the same
3. have fun

so here goes.

1. I absolutely hate the dentist. I would much rather go through all the labors, deliveries, c-sections and recoveries all over again, before having work done at the dentist. I hate that little pokey thing they use.

2. I really want to go to hair stylist college. I am so hair illiterate that I would love to go and learn, and I don't need to get a job after either. just so I could do cool things with the girls, and my hair.

3. I have an almost obsession with a clean and organized house. But you wouldn't know it by the way things look. and that is because I have 7 little people coming behind me making messes. and that is the way it is supposed to be.

4. I love to go to the batting cages or to hit softballs. I get such a rush hit the ball as hard as I can. which isn't much, because I am a wimp but I love it.

5. I love paper. printed, colored, stripes, polka dots, flowers. I love it.

6. I love to walk through model homes. I love the way they are perfect and decorated with pictures on the wall, beautful furniture and decorative things and that they are so clean!

7. I love fruit. Lots of different kinds. most days I would take a strawberry or mango over chocolate and diet dr. pepper.

8. I love to do the "Molly Mormon" things. Sewing, getting food storage, canning, cooking, family history, I would love to have a garden, and fruit trees, and I would love to freeze, or can the fruits of our labors. I am not all that good at any of it. but I love to do it just the same.

okay so I thought of a funny #9

(. I love to watch Richard Simmons workout videos. I only have one, but I think they are so great and fun. Jared thinks I am nuts for wanting to watch it, but I think they are great.

okay, so if you got this far, and have a blog. TAG YOU'RE IT

YEAH!!

I hit my first 10% weight loss goal. and a little more. 21.6 pounds. So now on to the next 10%. 10% is easy. I can do it. Just little baby steps, every day.
yeah for me, and my family, and friends. Thanks for the support.

Great brothers

It all began when the kids started riding their bikes to school. I would go out to the front and yell goodbye, I love you and Be safe. It is about a 10 minute ride to the school. Not bad, but there a good amount of cars that go on one of the roads. So anyway, Logan and Austin started running out with me to say goodbye. Recently, Austin started yelling "Be Safe" all on his own without me saying it first. Today, we all yelled (at different times) We love you, Be safe, have a great day. It is the cutest thing to hear these little boys expressing their love, and concern for their siblings.

and today Gage decided to join us.

Snow Canyon

We had a great and tiring day today. We took the kids out to Snow Canyon State park. We hiked 3 hikes and had a picnic. Fun family time. Its been too long since we did something like this. The kids were all troopers. Jared was He-Man. He had Gage on his back and Austin on his shoulders at one point. The rest of the time Austin was holding my hand. It was so cute that he wanted to walk with me and hold my hand.

Isn't he so cute. He is carrying one of those

water packs on his back.

doesn't she look so thrilled? She didn't

want to go in the first place. but we made her.