We moved

It's been a crazy couple of months.  We searched high and low for a house to buy, finally found one, and yesterday we moved in.  It was the worst move ever!  I don't know why, maybe because we have so much stuff now, and also because we weren't fully prepared even though I started packing a month ago.  We have many many boxes that are just full of stuff we threw in, with no reason or order to it.   We can't find anything.  But we are so glad to be moved, and to have our own house again!!
I would show you pictures but the stuff I need to do that is in one of those boxes.
Now that I'm not so busy I am hoping to blog more.  I feel bad about all the time I missed because this blog is like a family history for us, and I don't want things to be forgotten forever.
The boys love this house!  They ran around all day exploring.  They said it feels like Grandma's house because it's fun, and doesn't feel like their house.  Allie can go outside all she wants now because we have a fenced backyard.  This is her dream come true.  She didn't seem to like the house much last night, though.  She kept waking up and crying, and hopefully she gets used to it soon.
Tyler desperately wanted his own room, but still has to share with Jason.  We have a really big storage closet in one of our hallways, and he spent most of the day in there, and slept in it last night.  He really wants it to be his bedroom.  We would be the coolest parents if we let him.  Or we'd be investigated by Child Protective Services for putting our child in a closet.  One or the other.
We love it here.  It's no mansion, but it's ours, and we're so happy to have it.

Happy Birthday Tyler

This had to have been Tyler's best day EVER. He got Krispy Kreme doughnuts for breakfast, then at school he won an award called "Kids with Character" and at the school assembly he got to spin a wheel and won a prize (a bouncy ball, I think). He brought gummy bears for the kids in his class and they celebrated his birthday. He got a pizza Lunchable for lunch, and lost a tooth at recess, so he got a dollar from the tooth fairy. He didn't have to do chores, had hotdogs, chips and pop for supper. Top it all off with a yummy rainbow birthday cake, a monkey pinata, a new flashlight, play doh, and glow in the dark stars and planets for his room. What a great day!

What a great kid!

Allie's surgery

This girl has to always keep us on our toes for some reason.   A few weeks ago she got sick, and I noticed she had a lump on the side of her head, between her eye and the top of her ear.  I thought maybe it was a lymph node, but it was in a weird place.  So I kept an eye on it for a few days and it never got smaller, so I took her to the doctor.  She referred me to an eye specialist who was also a plastic surgeon.  He checked it out and said he wasn't exactly sure what it was, but it needed to be removed because it was sitting on a nerve, and could damage it.  So the next morning we were at the hospital for her little surgery. 

She did great.  It was easier this time than last time, when she had her hernia surgery, because it's not a big deal for her to go without food anymore.

The little hopistal pajamas fit her better than they did last time.

She had no idea what was about to happen, and I felt bad about that.  She was just sitting there, happy as a clam.  When they took her away she had a sad face and whimpered a little bit, but it wasn't too bad.
















The surgery only took about half an hour.  She looked so pitiful when they brought her back.  Her eyes were really red, and she didn't blink for the longest time.  She had ointment all over her face from them trying to keep her eyes moist.  I could tell she didn't feel good, probably nauseated, and her throat hurt from the breathing tube.  But she perked up pretty fast.  By the time I got her home an hour later, she was back to her usual self.  She didn't even need tylenol, and the stitches haven't seemed to bother her at all.

It turns out it was a "dermoid cyst."  They start during development in the womb when some cells get stuck between some bones.  Since they are skin cells, they continue to grow just like other skin cells.  They are harmless, as in they are not cancerous, but they can cause damage if they press on things like nerves, blood vessels and organs.

I've learned over the years that I have a good mother's instinct.  I know when something is a big deal and I should be worried, and when I don't need to worry about it.  I always knew this was not a really bad thing.  I did have moments of stress during the surgery when my imagination went into overdrive and I thought about the worst case scenarios.  But I really wasn't worried most of the time.
I am glad it's all taken care of though.  I'll be even happier when the stitches are out because that sort of thing kind of grosses me out, and also I like to kiss her there.


*warning* disgusting fact to follow:
Have you ever heard of those big tumors that have hair and teeth and fingernails and stuff?  While hers was just skin, it's the same kind.  Gross, eh?

Christmas 2012

What a great Christmas!  For the first time ever we felt like we had enough money, even to help out other people, like we've been helped over the years. 

We always knew Jared would have to work Christmas day his first year as a nurse, but we were not prepared for his horrible work schedule; not only Christmas day, but Christmas Eve and the 2 days before, too.  We obviously couldn't make the kids wait a day longer, that is just cruel and unusual punishment, so we came up with a plan: on Christmas Eve we would go out to eat and Santa would come while we were gone.  It was so fun!  It wasn't the same as Christmas morning, but it was still awesome, especially since it was a surprise for the kids (but not for Joey.  He was pretty concerned that dad had to work, and what were we going to do?  So I let him in on the secret).  We decided to go to Golden Corral, but when we got there it was closed (oops), so we drove around and almost everything was closed except Olive Garden, which Jared and I enjoyed, and the kids thought was just ok.  We came home, and found the surprise.

I love their faces in this:  "Santa gave us tothbrushes??"  Santa knows they needed new ones and was fairly disgusted by the ones they have.

Grandma West gave them awesome Transformer Legos

 

Allie got an adorable little microwave and a doll stroller

I made her a beanbag chair, which she loves.

New books



















New handcuffs










They also got blankets, lots of legos, new watches from Grandma Moore, and some wii games.  As for Jared and I, we got our new 50" idol, since the one we had before wasn't granting our wishes well enough. 
And no one mentioned a baby cat.  The magic continues.

I might have ruined Santa

 At our branch party last week Santa arrived, and Tyler made a beeline for him.  He was a man on a mission.  He asked Santa for a "baby cat."  I was surprised because he's never mentioned that he wants a cat before.  I really should have known, though.  This kid loves cats.  He and Dougie play a game called "kitties" all the time.  It's also pretty normal for him to be in his black cat costume from halloween. 

Why did it have to be cats?

Most people know that I hate cats.  I think they're cute and I even like petting them briefly.  But they turn nasty so quickly.  You'll be nice to them and they turn around and scratch you.  They kill birds, mice and snakes (all of which I like), they keep you awake at night, and hide around the corner then attack your legs.  At least that's what our cat did when I was a kid. 

I will not have a cat in my house.  Period.  

I think I forgot to tell Tyler that.  Or maybe he still believes Santa can work magic.

There might be some truth to that because when I heard my sweet little boy ask Santa for a baby cat I knew it really was his hearts desire, and I wavered briefly.  I could see how happy he'd be with a little kitty.  He would be in heaven.  I don't know that there is anything else that could make him happier.  

But I just can't do it.  

Also, I was wrapping presents the other day and by accident I left out the presents from Santa for Allie and Joey (cough cough idiot! cough), and I know Tyler saw Allie's.  So come Christmas morning (or Christmas Eve in this case, but that's another story for another day) I think the magic of Santa may come to an end.  When there are presents he knows mom bought, and no baby cat, he'll know.  He's a smart kid.  I still hate it that he has to grow up.  I just hope he's not heartbroken about the absence of a baby cat.

Christmas dress

Look Mom, it fits!

My mom sent Allie this fantastic Christmas dress.  You never really know what size to get for her because she's 18 months, but still so tiny.  She weighs 17 lbs 14 oz. now, and is the 2nd percentile. 

 But the dress fits perfectly.  It has a ridiculous amounts of ruffles, tulle and glitter (which got all over the bench at church).

 She headed straight for the dirtiest thing she could find.

I tried to get a good one of all the kids but Allie was characteristically uncooperative.

Thanks Mom, she looks adorable.

Allie and the Christmas lights

When we were putting up the Christmas tree Allie was so excited about all the decorations.  Jared was holding her with a string of lights for her to play with, and for whatever reason she decided a good place for them would be up her nose.  So we laughed and took pictures.