The district sleeps alone tonight

Fred's sleep. Thus far I've tried to be pretty instinctual. I let him sleep when he is tired. I look for cues to know when this is. And he has fallen into his own routines and has remained happy and healthy. He can fall asleep wherever if we are out-day or night-or is happy and well-mannered while awake. He has gone in and out of phases of lots of naps to to 2 to 3 and now seems to be moving toward one long one in the middle of the day. He has gone from going to sleep at night at 6-7 then 8-9 and in the last month around 10 or later (please don't judge me!) This is good and bad. Good cause it means we can go do stuff at night and he doesn't have meltdowns but bad because--he's up! We have to entertain him and keep him out of trouble. We get very little alone or adult time. ETC.
But two nights ago at 6pm he showed tired cues and I went with it! He was asleep within minutes! And we were like....what now!!?? Ah it was awesome. Then last night he went down around 7. It took a little longer to get him to sleep but he was certainly tired and afterward we cleaned, walked around the complex and looked at Christmas lights holding hands(!!!!!) took a long bath with our Lush bath bomb and had adult time. It was so so great. We also got to bed earlier than usual. I can definitely get used to that. Although a con was that Fred woke up around 5:30am and wouldn't go back to sleep. We usually wake at about 8:30 or so- he sleeps as long as I do and I need my sleep in the morning. But thank goodness for a baby proofed room and a floor bed. I locked us both in and slept on his bed while he played and i left boob out and ready for him if he needed. Ha! Sleeeeeep.

Getting creative with mega blocks

I heart you, Frederick.

This morning

Just reading and saying, "bubble," and "doctor," and learning to clap!! Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!!!!!!

Our Christmas Movie List!!!

Starting with Hook!!!!
Also...
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Lady and the Tramp
A Christmas Story
Nightmare Before Christmas
101 Dalmatians
Edward Scissorhands
Year Without a Santa Clause
Little Women
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
It's a Wonderful Life
A Charlie Brown Christmas
White Christmas
Home Alone
Christmas in Connecticut
Angels with Dirty Faces
Mr. Krueger's Christmas





Merry Christmas!

Thanks and four years!!!

Today is Thanksgiving. The past few days have been rough and I'm thankful for the peace and comfort I recieve from family and friends. I'm grateful that I can find answers in the scriptures and can turn to God in prayer. I'm grateful that I have food to eat and that we can pay our bills. We live a happy eventful life. We are so blessed.

Today is also my fourth anniversary! We have been through our fair share of trials and have grown together through them. I am now more in love than ever. I am so grateful for my husband. He is my happy place. He completes me in every way. He loves me; he's positive, intelligent and sees me as his equal. I am grateful for my son. I love being a mother. I love nursing Frederick, caring for him, playing with him and teaching him. I love learning from him. He is a precious miracle in my life. I love our eternal family. I'm grateful for all of my extended family. I am grateful for amazing friends who lift me up so entirely. I am grateful for faith. It gets me through hard times. I see only blessings. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

Poor Montgomery had surgery on his tail. He is okay now but he has to wear the cone of shame. We have to give him antibiotics and clean his wounds every day.





Love my brothers so much.




Freddie in the apron I used to wear when I was his age!

Okay felt so down, crazy, anxiety, negative, scared, disgusted, freaked out. Cant sleep on top of that. So many crazy things going on at once. I'm like life sucks!!!! I say I want to have faith but I don't know how right now. Then a friend reminded me that God won't give me anything I can't handle. Something clicks. I started reading my scriptures and right now I'm reading things like, after much tribulation comes the blessings. After a trial if my faith I will be blessed. And thoughts are becoming positive: he and he and she and he and he and I will be okay. And somehow it will all get paid off. Just keep trying. And more reading: prove yourself to me; receive a witness after trial of my faith,

1 O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?
7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high;
45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

(And my favorite:)

7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

Saturday night lights and broken collarbones

After our fun time at our friends' cabin, we drove home to see Joseph and my dad's last football game of the season (before nationals in Florida.) To cut to the chase, Joe caught a 40 yard pass and was hit out of bounds. The crowd went crazy and then grew silent as we realized he wasn't getting up. Cold fear shocked my body as thoughts of his recent head injury-which resulted in 7 staples-came to me and created a worst-case scenario. I was so scared. Freddie had been nursing and had fallen asleep in my lap. I quickly handed him to Collin and ran to the field. I hopped over the gate and embraced my mom who seemed doubly scared as I was. He was opposite us on the field so we ran to the other side, praying the whole way. There was Joseph and the medics, and someone calling 9-1-1; it was probably a broken collarbone. While I sighed, grateful his head wasn't split open, I gritted my teeth for what happened next. It was one of the hardest things I've experienced to see my 14-year-old baby brother in that much severe pain. He was shaking so hard he could barely talk. Once the EMTs got there, they assessed him and put his arm in a sling but not before cutting off his jersey to get his shoulder pads off. Tears ran down his face. To make matters worse, the game continued and for the first time in 25 games and 2 years, the Thunder lost, 48-60. It was a hard and emotional game.
Joseph was driven to the ER where he was X-Rayed and it was determined that his collarbone was broken severely in two places and was resting on top of itself. It was disconnected from his shoulder and had torn all the tendons and ligaments around the shoulder. He will have surgery Wednesday morning to insert a metal plate that will straighten and keep the bone in place while it heals which will take 6-12 weeks. Joe recently made the 8th grade basketball team but will sit on the bench the entire season. The Thunder will still go to Florida in December for a chance at the National Championship for the 2nd year.
I am so grateful for the atonement which comforts us in all physical and emotional trials. Im grateful for eternal perspective and courage to learn from hardships; and for the resurrection. I know that after we die our bodies will be reunited with our spirits and will be perfected. I love my brother, Joseph. I love his quick resolve and I love my dad's optimism and positive attitude. I'm also very grateful for technology and modern medicine in times of emergency. Please keep Joe and his speedy and well recovery in your thoughts or prayers.

strawberry

Friday night we drove up North with our darling Dyers to stay in their cabin. Once the babies were finally asleep, the party began. The cabin is so cute and nice. the bed Collin and I slept on was PURE HEAVEN. We had so much fun that night and then the next day, talking, eating, walking around, antiquing, buying local honey, and playing games (I won Cash Cab, woooo!!) The boys rode ATVs up the mountain and had the best time. Collin rolled his ankle and is hobbling around but taking it like a champ. Frederick loved being outdoors constantly and especially loved spending time with his girlfriend, Charlie. Those two are SO cute. They really love hanging out! I'm so thankful for Emily and our great talks. She really lifts me up and encourages me. She is so positive and kind. She's a great mom, she's constantly trying to learn all she can to better herself. I'm so fortunate to have her as my friend. Here are some photos from the weekend...

 



 
 



 
 

Hostess is dead apparently. These are the only things of theirs I really ate when I was younger. Well I broke my diet to have em and they were NASTY. Good riddance!

Sampling local honey. delish! We settled on the Cat Claw.



Love Dos Dyers

Freddie was obsessed with it all






He loves black beans so much and ate every last bite of his black bean salad.



playing in a pile of leaves.



 

 



 

I wanted to get this antique toy car so badly but it was $400...





the winding road home.

Collin and I started reading a science fiction book, Jiril of Joiry, by C.L. Moore, the 1930s female author I based my character off in our murder mystery party!


NEMS