Crazy Life and Lovin' it!

This school semester, so far, has been interesting.

I found out that I was pregnant a week or so before Thanksgiving.  I thought that I had the flu.  I kept waiting and waiting for it to end.  I took "The Test" and it showed not one, but two bright pink lines.   Yeah, I took 3 more.  All of them had the same result.

I called the Dr. and made an appointment, there was shock on both ends.   We had the first ultrasound on December 27th.  To my great wonder and surprise, there was a creature in there... with a heartbeat.

Ever since then, I have been trying to come to terms with another pregnancy.  Olivia WAS the final child.  Was is such a good word.   We have since found out, through a multitude of Level 2 Ultrasounds, that SHE is wonderful!  There are no flaws to be found.  Her spine and brain are beautiful and normal.  I'm still trying to adjust.

Olivia and all the kids are excited.   I am not worried about Olivia's reaction to having a little sister that can walk.  I'm pretty good with explaining her legs not working.  She knows she has a scar... she knows that others can walk.  She has no problem telling people that she needs help and she can crawl faster than some kids can walk!!!!

This semester, I have not been helping out at the schools.  I have been staying home and enjoying the time that I have left with only Olivia at home.   She's super smart and the school district has said that when she starts preschool, she's going to be in the older class (though she's the youngest).  She'll just barely have turned 3 and she'll be in a class of 4-5 year old children.  Her verbal skills are some of the highest they've seen for quite some time.  She blew them away when they asked, "Does she talk in simple sentences?"  I told them to ask her.  They did and she replied with, "Mom, what is a sentence?"  We laughed and I got to look pretty smug at my smart little child.  Hayden was with us and they watched the interaction between them.  They were really surprised at how well they responded to each other.  She doesn't speak with just one word... unless it's a word that she's repeating to see how it sounds to her!

Alyssa has been having a great time since her friend, Lilli, was able to go to the same school as she does! 

Aaron, got a longboard for his birthday and has not died...YET.

Hopefully, I will get a chance to post things more often.  If I remember.

~Holy Christmas, Santa!~

Oh. my. stars!

I am feeling a little crazy these days and am totally loving this year's Christmas!

I had most of our Christmas shopping done by December 1st!  HOW?  It's easy.  We decided years ago that we were going to whittle our list down to 3 things per child.  The 3 Wise Men gave our Lord, Jesus Christ, 3 gifts and so our children receive 3 gifts from us.   I will explain our Santa in a minute.

These 3 gifts fall in these categories: 1 need, 1 want, 1 spiritual/educational.  They usually choose the big gift to be in the want category.  The big gift is from Mom and Dad.  The want is from Santa and the spiritual is something that we feel they need to increase their faith or education.  Aaron and Alyssa last year received their nice sets of scriptures to use for Seminary in the next few years.  This year though, I think it's going to be a family gift... that's my one gift that's left to purchase.

Our Santa Claus has always been more of a personal shopper and therefore the Parents have to pay Santa to find the gifts.  If it's not in the budget, it's not sent to Santa.   Santa then, purchases the gifts and "Santa's Helpers" (UPS, FedEx, and Postal Service) are the heroes and deliver them.  Then on Christmas Eve, the elves stop by and wrap the gifts (which are already wrapped before they are sent, by the company we purchase from) and Santa pops his head in to make sure they get set out "just right".   It's pretty easy and my kids love seeing when the helpers deliver the presents.   

I am then free to focus on the real meaning of Christmas.  Jesus Christ is the focus in our home and every Christmas since the kids were little, they must watch Mr. Kruger's Christmas, Joy to the World (MOTAB) and Luke 2  before they are even allowed to wake up Mom and Dad.  This way, we start the day with Christ in mind and they remember that it's a celebration of His birth.  

I have found that in our home, we are really focused and there aren't many, "I want..."s, there are more "Can I give...?".

I just finished last night playing piano for the Kindergarteners for the Franklin West Christmas Concert.  I loved these little voices and understand that there were a few (as there always are) kids that were shaking booty, waving to everyone, and goofing off on stage!  As happy as I am that it's done, I will miss these funny little kids waving to me as they pass by the piano!

OH!  I almost forgot, I had a friend tell me I needed to post this on my site!

To backtrack to Thanksgiving, however,  we are building a tradition of writing what we are grateful for on a mirror.  I  have always told my kids, "You are a reflection of the things that you are most grateful for."  This way they are grateful for others' kindness and service, and live to be more kind and service-filled.  This is done on a mirror that is in a prominent place in our home, one that we use most and they see often.  We have had many discussions through the days of how we can be grateful for more than just these things.  Some of the more serious subjects on the mirror are: The Gospel, Jesus Christ, Generosity, Scriptures, Missionaries, and Prayer.   The more fun subjects are: monkeys, turkeys, hot water, gravity, and wifi.   I love to see all of these intermingled and we are so grateful throughout this season to have a constant reminder of who we are and those things that we love.

I hope you all have a very, Merry Christmas!!!!!  *hugs* and *more hugs*

Christmas is coming...

and the goose is getting fat.

I don't know why, but I really love this little song!

I have been swamped for the last few months.

Curt has been adjusting to yet another job change.  His supervisor at Dignity left for a different position and  the new supervisor was someone that I knew from what Curt had relayed was going to be someone difficult for Curt to get along with.  I applied him for an IT position with Banner Healthcare and so he went to the interview and they offered him the job on the spot!  I was so happy.  He works across Country Club and can ride his bike or walk to work and we feel so blessed.

We have found ourselves without a car, but have found that we have a wonderful support system!  We are trying to save up for a car to purchase outright rather than finance one.  It's been a challenge, but we're working on it.  We have found some blessings in this!  We ride our bikes more and a dear friend gave us a bike that he never used!  It's become my bike and I ride it everywhere!  It's been good for us to be forced to exercise and walk a lot of places.  My legs have gotten strong and my kids complain less about being late!  They have to plan how long it will take them to walk/ride to where they need to be!  We also have great friends who, if they are heading to the store, ask if I'd like to come along.  When needed, I can borrow a car from someone.  

I have also been playing piano a lot more often.  I am playing for the Junior High Choir... mostly I assist because they have someone who is MUCH better than I and she's been doing it for years.  I have never played for a choir and it's been a new, frustrating experience! 

Marching band season is over and they kids made it to Super-State and places 10 out 64 bands from all over!  I was so proud of them and yet sad that I wasn't able to go that day.  I went with them to NAU Band Day and loved traveling with all the teenagers!  They have all become very near and dear to my heart!  I love seeing their trials and challenges and being the Mom to them.  I get the best part because I help with the uniforms and make sure that they are all dressed correctly for competitions and games.  It really helps me to know what Aaron is dealing with at school and I can keep track of him, but not have to be an overbearing mom. 

Aaron was happy to have me be there with him.  He's been playing the vibraphone this year, but really wants to play the snare and march next year.  I've been really impressed at his dedication to the band.  The "Pit-Crew" are such a great and wonderful example to him.  They have become really close and the don't want to split for next year.   

Alyssa is happy to have me play for choir and she's also looking forward to starting the winter season of Color Guard.  She loves that I'm there to hang out and get to know some of the kids that she sings with.  They poor girl has shot up and is about and inch shorter than I am.  I don't know what to do with her... she's just turned 13 and she still has a lot of growing to do!  Argh!

The "Littles" (Hayden and Olivia) are still awesome and funny!   They are both doing well and Olivia hasn't had any really big problems lately except for a cold that her and Hayden shared.  This is the only time when I don't encourage sharing, but they do it anyway.  Hayden is now 6 and had a great birthday with a lego cake and lego toys!
Olivia is ready for Sunbeams, but alas, she will have to wait one more year.  She's loving Nursery and her "Nursery Mommies".  Especially Misti Blackhurst and Janet Wood.  She's SO in love with them that when we see them and we're out and about, she's automatically throwing her hands up and yelling, "Hold Me."  She's a chatterbox and has even had to be put in timeout for calling Aaron a, "Butthead".  Yeah, she did.  We're working on that.

As always, I'm trying to do more blogging, but haven't had a whole lot to blog about on a daily basis...we'll see.

Life is good!

I have been feeling very blessed lately.  I'm thinking that there are new doors to open for the better if we just can find them and we have to seek dilligently for them. 

In our last Stake Conference, our Stake President challenged everyone to get off of government assistance if they could.  We felt at the time that we couldn't with Curt's job being in limbo.  Lately, He has been working for Dignity Health (formerly Catholic Healthcare West) and really likes the people he works with.  This has been hard financially for us, however, and we have really lived by the saying, "Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without".  We are used to this and feel that we will be blessed with living super frugal and therefore try to make it on our own.  Things have been really HARD and we've had to have some help along the way.

This last Friday, Curt interviewed for a permanent position with Dignity Health.  They are getting rid of the contract positions and making the IT guys into DH employees.  We are really praying hard for this change. 

A few months ago, we followed our Stake President's encouragement and have ceased help with the belief that we will only accept this if necessary.  This means right now, our family is receiving no healthcare and assistance.  It scares the life out of me, but believe that we will be blessed with help because of our faith.  We have all been pretty well except for a stint of sharing a flu for a few days.  We have learned to eat very inexpensively and use the internet as a source for some great recipes!

I have enrolled Olivia in SSI Disability and Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) and if accepted, this would be beneficial in for her health.  Since we are not on AHCCCS, her wheelchair will be delayed until we receive benefits again.  We are excited, for Curt if he gets the job, but in addition they have wonderful health benefits! 

I really love the 13th Article of Faith: the part that says,"... We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of  good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."



 
We, in our home, have started to make an extra effort to seek for things virtuous and lovely.  We do believe all things, we have endured with hope and we will continue to hope... 

Come what may.




 

First day of school

 Alyssa started 8th Grade at Carson Junior High.  

She's such a smart little thing and was excited to be at a different school than Aaron

Speaking of Aaron, he's in 9th grade at Westwood High School.

This is hard for the Mama who's a Mesa High Jackrabbit through and through.

I'm learning to wear Blue and Orange, but I still bleed Purple and Gold!

I didn't get his first morning picture because he was off bright and early for 

Marching Band Practice.  He's on the Drumline and so far this year they've put him in "The Pit"

So, he's playing xylophone and other fun things!

 Tato started his first day of Kindergarten at Franklin West.

He was so nervous and scared of "the unknown" as he put it.

His teacher, Mrs. Jankunis is super awesome and he really likes her.

 This was on the way to school.  He's happy!  YAY!

Here he is at his desk on that great day!  

I'm so happy that he's in just 1/2 day Kindergarten.

I was nervous to send him to Franklin because he's such a Free Spirit, but he's thriving!

I have Olivia at home with me in the mornings.  It's SO QUIET!!!

Wheelchair Clinic... and a happy girl!

 Olivia had wheelchair clinic last week and she loved it!  She tried the blue one in the corner first and had a hard time maneuvering around.  They brought in this other one and she started cruising ALL over the place.

She's so excited to be getting her chair in a few months. 

She has a mobile stander and I'll post pictures later for that, 

she's speedy and loves running into people (we're going to have to break that!)

Sick Day!

 Today was an interesting day.

Olivia woke up with a fever and runny nose.  Oh, yeah, she was cranky, too!

We cancelled everything we had to do today: PT and piano help for the Jr. High.

I tried to keep her happy until I realized that I have a cold too.  

I just get achy and sweaty, so I hope it'll end soon.

 After Tato came home from Kindergarten, he helped keep her happy.

He spread cereal all over the front yard and had her watch for birds.

They are so cute together.