Pictures of the kids

So, while we were in Green River we had gotten some grief about not having given Dylan's dad 8x10's of our children. They wanted us to know that all of the other grandkids had their pictures on the wall, but not the ones produced by us. They tried to make us feel guilty by saying that the kids would think that they were loved less because their pictures were not hanging big on the wall. So, this past weekend, Dylan and I took the kids and had their pictures taken just for Grandpa for Christmas. They turned out pretty good, don't you think?

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was a wonderful time. We decided that we would go down and visit Dylan and I's family in Green River. It is an 8 hour drive from Chadron, but we had limited time and decided to make it in a straight trip.

We both got off of work on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and decided to leave that night. Around 4:00 PM we loaded Trenton, Janey and Charlotte into the car and headed off. The kids did surprisingly well. We only had to make one pit stop in Cheyenne for gas, and to go potty. Then we ventured on and made it safetly to good ole GR around 1:30 in the morning.

While we were there we spent an abundant amount of time with Dylan's dad who is fighting cancer, and wasn't given very promising odds. It was nice to see him, but hard because he looked so frail, and we had never seen him that way before. We also were able to spend time with his mom, my dad and some other members of our family.

Our trip was great, however the thing we had to be MOST thankful for came a few days after our return home. Dylans dad had gone to Salt Lake for his round of treatment, and when they did a scan they found his cancer is shrinking. Praise God for such an awesome, and unlikely miracle. It made me so happy to know that there is a very good possibility that the next trip we make to Green River will have his dad healthy and moving around well again.

Happy Halloween!

There are somethings I loved about Halloween being on a Saturday night.

They are as follows:

1. You have plenty of time to prepare for the festivities.

2. You are not worn out from dealing with hyper, costumed children all day at work.

3. You know you don't have to go back to work with children in sugar induced coma, and try to teach them.

4. You don't have to worry when children that are too old, ring your doorbell late and wake up all of your small children because even if it happens you have time to get them back to sleep.

5. You get to let your children sleep off the sugar!

There are some things I hate about Halloween being on a Saturday night.

They are as follows:

1. On Sunday you have to listen to your children beg for candy ALL DAY LONG!!!

2. They still feel it is necessary to live in their costumes.

3. They beg all day on Saturday to wear their costumes and go trick or treating.

4. They beg all day on Saturday to wear their costumes and go trick or treating.

5. They beg all day on Saturday to wear their costumes and go trick or treating.

6. DID I MENTION THAT ON SATURDAY THEY BEG TO WEAR THEIR COSTUMES ALL DAY LONG, AND WON'T QUIT ASKING TO GO TRICK OR TREATING?

For the most part it was a pretty good day. Then kids got dressed early in their costumes and ran around our house like that all day long. It was easier than fighting with them. Around 5 we started to walk them through the neighbor hood and they made a pretty good haul. I was very proud of Janey and Trenton because they used very good manners, always remembering to say thank you to when given a treat. :)

After trick or treating we went to Wal Mart because they set up trick or treating booths around the store. Trenton had a blast, and Janey was a bit scared of the tents they kids had to go into to get candy. So, she and I skipped those while Trenton and Dylan went in.

The one disappointing event of the night was that a good friend Wendy had made special Halloween treats for the kiddos. She texted to let me know she had left time in the mailbox. When we got home our mailbox was open and the treats were gone. Our mailbox is on our house and sits up over my head, so who ever took the stuff out had to be taller than me. My guess is big brothers or sisters taking out their younger siblings. Unfortunate!!!

Hopefully everyone had a great Halloween with all your monsters and goblins!!!

Charlotte Irene's 1st Birthday

In the days leading up to Charlotte's birthday I was getting kind of sad. You see Dylan and I have always taken personal days on our children's birthdays to spend the the day with them. In light of all the sickness spreading around, we decided that we better not take a day this year and celebrate in the evening or on the weekend. I felt guilty about it, but with swine flu spreading through our schools, I knew it was the best thing to do.

Then on the 28th we woke up to SNOW, and quite a bit of it. The forecast was predicting up to 15 inches of snow by the morning of the 30th. Could it be possible that we would get a snow day?My superintendent, and Dylan's as well does NOT like to cancel school, so I wasn't banking on it, but I was praying for it a little. Could I really get to spend the day with my girl Charlotte? By Wednesday I received a call that we were going to have a late start. So, I figured I should just be happy getting to sleep a little extra :).

Thursday morning came, and I went down to Charlotte's room and pulled her out of her crib as she smiled at me. I kissed her sweet, little face and sang Happy Birthday to her. I told her how grateful I was that she was a part of our family. I took her up stairs and put her in her high chair with some cereal. While she ate and jabbered at her daddy, brother and sister I went into the shower. I got out and started to put my hair in pigtails (we were having our Halloween party at school). I had just finished my hair and put my make-up on when I got the call I had been hoping for, we had cancelled school :)! God had answered my prayers. I pulled down my hair and went into the other room to love on my baby because now we could spend her special day as a family.

We opened presents and Daddy had to make her cupcakes because her cake from Safeway was snowed in at Denver (we ended up having 2 cakes). She got to play and be with her mom and dad on her first birthday, which I know doesn't mean a lot to her now, but I did to her dad and I. God answered my prayers and I got to spend the day with my beautiful Charlotte Irene.

Thank you for joining our family Charlotte, you bring sunshine to us even on the cloudy days with your bright smile and dimples. I love you baby girl!!

Well I am Back

I am still trying to figure this thing out, so bare with me!
Today we had the best news I think we could have hoped for. Let me rewind a bit. A day after Dylan's 30 birthday in July we received a call from Dylan's dad, Mike, saying he had adrenal cancer, and the prognosis was not good. They didn't think he would be a good candidate for chemo or radiation, so they were going to try a new drug that has only had a success rate of 10%. Imagine our horror!
Well now, fast forward to October 26 the day his dad gets to have some tests run after he has completed his first "round" of treatment. They come back as saying that his cancer, while still there has not spread at all, and so they are feeling like its working. He begins treatment again on November 9th. All I can say is I know God is a wonderful man for he has blessed our family greatly. I am so happy for my father in law, my husband, and my children. God is good!
Thank you to all of my friends and family who have been praying for our family.

Getting Started

So this is my first blog. I am not sure what I am doing, but I will get the hang of it soon. :P!