Merry Christmas

We had a relaxing Christmas. We did not really do much this year, just spent time with one another since Dedrick didn't have to travel this month. I feel like a bad mom, I didn't take to many pictures this Christmas for some reason. Dedrick's parents drove to see us for a few days after Christmas. The kids loved seeing them and getting to swim in the hotel pool.
For fun I had dental work done on the 23rd of Christmas.

We want to tell our family, that was not here with us, we love and miss them.
Thanks to Uncle Niels for the Lego's, the kids love them to death.

P.S. The kids got grandpa to play Wii:)

Here is a few pictures!

Winner Is....

The Disco!

We have been enjoying the holidays. The kids have been enjoying sleeping in and spending time with mom. Their last day of school was on Friday the 18th, they had a Winter Party with pizza and cookies. We are looking forward to Christmas and spending time with each other as a family!

We wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Outing

Saturday we spent the day surprising the kids from morning to night!

We started by going to Dedrick's work for the Kids Christmas Party from 11-1. They got to sit on Santa lap, facing painting, balloons, crafts, lunch, and bouncing fun.

Then we came home for more surprises!

Dedrick took Aidan and Kaliska to the Zoo! The kids were very happy to be going.

I took Becca to see The Princess and the Frog, with some of her friends and their moms!
She was very excited, she kept jumping up and down. Then when we got home she went to a friends house for a sleep over.

Aidan and Kaliska wanted to go sleep over with Becca, but we did not let them. Instead we took them to the dollar movies, and that made them happy just to spend time with us.

We had a blast just spending time as a family. I am blessed to have such beautiful spirits in my life!

Random Pitures

Dancing Elfs

As a family we could not decide on one or the other. So here is both, Enjoy!

Vote for which one you like in the comments, the winner will be posted on Christmas Eve!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We were able to spend the time with Dedrick's parents Howard and Janine in Texas. We had the big event on Wednesday, because Howard worked Thanksgiving. The kids had fun hanging out and getting into trouble! I was able to help make dinner, I have not made a thanksgiving dinner EVER! We simply enjoyed the wonderful time together.

I am grateful for all the wonderful blessing in my life! I have my three wonderful children, a silly, goofy husband, and supporting family!

Goals

I have been thinking alot about goals! How most of the time I can do them with no problems. Then comes the important ones that I can never finish or give up on! So the over the past month I have been thinking hard on these few and asking myself why are they hard for me? So I the three goals that I give up on are..

1-Daily Prayer
2-Scripture Study
3-Exercise

Prayer is hard for me because it seems that when I pray bad things always happen!

Reading scriptures I have really never done, except when giving a lesson. I never had the opportunity to learn in a broken home. Yeah I was raised in the church, but my parents only cared about themselves and never taught my brothers and I.

Exercise is even a hard one because I am a medical mystery to most doctors. I have a back problem and my right elbow is stuck at an angle. The doctors do not know what is causing any of this and they do not want to do surgery because they do not know what caused the problems to begin with. So they have told me that I can not really to anything.

So I decides to start small and work my why up! With prayer I try at least once a day. Scripture study I read for 5 min a day. Exercise I am doing great, thanks to my wonderful in-laws. They got me a gym membership and I have talk to a trainer. So I go any were from 1h to 2h a day!

I WILL NOT GIVE UP!!!

Leaves

In the new house we have several trees. We have been meaning to rake the leaves up for about a week. Yesterday Dedrick and the kids tackled the front yard, needless to say they played more than raked. Yet they did some raking to get this big pile!

Family Portrait

We had the opportunity to take family pictures today! Last year was to crazy to take any with Dedrick in his last year of school. Hope you enjoy them, the kids had fun taking them. We love our three angels!

Happy Halloween

We had a pretty good Halloween. We did not do much this year, because dad was out of town. The kids didn't want to do anything without him. We went to the Trunk or Treat for our ward. We made orange cupcakes and frosted them. Watched scary movies till about midnight. My kids love scary movies, perfect for this time of year!

Cupcakes


Frosting




Ghost, Vampire, Pippy Longstockings

Bad Week

When Dedrick goes out of town we give the kids notice. The kids are general very good when it is just them and me. The last two weeks have been the worst! My children, the gremlins have been yelling, hitting, and causing major drama. I usually manage to calm everyone down and try to make everyone content. This week has not been the case, in any sense!

The weekend before Dedrick leaves, I enjoy some me time. That gives me time to just relax and clear my mind. Usually this helps keep my sanity, not this time around. I end up fight with the gremlins and making the matter worse! This week all of us need a time out from each other( I wish)!

Every night this week I have cried myself to sleep! Kaliska & Aidan just ignore everyone who bothers them! Becca just closes off, she wont make eye contact, wont talk, rocks herself!

Becca has Autism! She may look normal, do her best to be normal, and act like a seven year old! Yet, nobody see the struggles she goes thou or her family goes thou. When we have bad days, weeks, months; we are trying to understand her and our selves.

So this week of madness has been really hard on everyone! I hope tomorrow will be better for all of us. The kids do not have school, so we are going out to have lots of fun!

Fall Break

The kids had the 14th to 16th off for Parent Conferences and Fall Break! We decided to see the grandparents in Texas for the break. Dedrick also needed to take some vacation time before the end of the year. It was also time to spend with Dedrick, since he has been traveling a lot this month.

We left Wednesday afternoon, it is a seven hour drive. We got to his parents house a little after seven.The kids were so excited to see grandpa and grandma, they stayed up late just hanging out.

Thursday we got a late start of the day. We hung out at the house playing in the backyard, feeding geese, and watching golfers. Dedrick helped his Dad with a few projects around the house. The kids started to get restless, so Grandma and I took the kids to a park. The kids had fun running around, making friends, and enjoying the two acres of prairie dog reserve in the middle of the park. After playing we went home to BBQ.

Friday morning we went to the Abilene Zoo! It is a small zoo, the most exciting part was getting to feed the animals. That is right, feed the animals! When you buy admission you can also buy the special crackers. The kids had a blast with that, and wanted to stay all day. After the zoo, we met Grandpa and Dad for lunch then went to an Art Museum. After the museum, we went to see "Where the Wild Things Are", it was a good movie. At the end of a good day, we enjoyed some pizza!

Saturday morning, I took the van to get the tires rotated. Why rotate the tires? Well, it was time and they do not have a Discount Tire in Tulsa. Then we packed everything up and said good-bye! The kids were sad to go, but we told them we are coming back in a month for Thanksgiving.

We want to thank grandma and grandpa for everything they did for us. We Love You!

Feeding the Animals

Student of the Month

I picked Aidan up from school one day and his teacher told me he had something special in his backpack. While driving home I wondered what it could be? We got home and I found a note, it told me he was Student of the Month. I was speechless and excited all at the same time. I told Aidan that on the Ninth of October he would be getting an a ward from school for being a good student.

On the ninth, Kaliska and I went to the school for the assembly. I found out that two students from every class were chosen, and that to be chosen from the very beginning of school is the hardest. Aidan was the first to be called to the front of the gym, he was given a medal and a free ice cream certificate. We are very proud of Aidan, he is a smart boy!



Sorry, some of the pictures are blurry!(Kaliska kept pulling my arm)

Maps

Everywhere we go, the kids want to look at a map. Since Dedrick travels a lot for work we bought a big map so we can mark on it to see were he goes. We even got a small book about the 50 states that has fun facts. Dedrick has been going out of town about every other week or so. This month he will be going out a town twice, and then we are going to Texas for a few day as a family.

We are in the process of getting the whole family passports. We told the kids that if we need to move to Canada for one of the rotations, they would need one. We took them to get pictures done, they were excited.

I also keep a Tulsa map in the van so the kids can see were we are at. They want to travel lately because dad does. It has been fun to see the kids enjoy traveling. It will come in handy when we have to move again next June!

Big Map


Fun Book


Random Pics of the kids!

Rebecca Oh Becca

Conceived in violence, came into love!

Rebecca came into this world fighting. A day after going home, we took her to the ER because her temperature keep dropping. Spent my first Mother's day in Primary Children's Hospital. Becca came home three day later. She hit all the milestones for a three month old baby.

One day I noticed she was having a hard time breathing, took her to the doctor. Her oxygen was at 80%, and rushed her to Primary Children's by ambulance. When I got to the hospital they told me she had pneumonia in both lungs. So we stayed for a week. She did hit all the milestones for a sixth month old.

Things were looking great! She started to crawl by about seven and half months. I noticed something was wrong when she crawled. So I took her to the doctor and she told me I was a first time mom and I didn't know what I was talking about. The doctor said every thing looked fine. At any rate, once Becca started crawling, she did not want to stop! About this time I noticed she was not trying to talk or make eye contact.

When Becca was about eleven months she started to walk, but she was having difficulty. Did that slow her down? No! As she was getting better at walking, I noticed she was limping more and more. I decided to take her to a different doctor. He took one look, said we need to get an X-ray. He called us that night, told us that she had Hip Dysplasia, which means she was born with her right hip out of the socket. We were told to apply at Shriner's Hospital to see if they could do the surgery. The whole process could take about nine weeks. It took one week for all the paper work to go through, and three to schedule the surgery. Poor girl was in a full body cast for seven weeks afterwards.

After everything cooled down a bit, Becca started to pull away from everyone. She stopped talking, making eye contact and did not want to stop running. We took her to get testing and she was diagnosed with Autism. We were able to get her into the Carmen B. Pingree Center for Children with Autism. She was there for three wonderful years. Everyone was the best anyone could ask for, they go beyond what is needed. Becca thrived, and we were able to mainstream this year.

The new school in Tulsa wanted to send her to their sister school for special ed! Dedrick and I told them that we did not want her to go. So they gave her a 30 day trial to see how she would do. She totally kicked butt, so she is in a regular classroom all day. She only gets pulled out for speech two times a week. Just the other day the school called to tell me she is staying for the rest of the year!

Even with all the struggles Becca will have to deal with, she will do so with a smile and a spirit that will not be stopped! She is a great blessing to her family and all those she comes in contact with.

My Little Gentleman

Aidan is my little gentleman, he is my sweet boy. I have been a little sad the last few weeks. He makes sure to tell me that I look cute, opens doors for me, and picks flowers for me. He makes me laugh and not feel sad. He has been in Preschool for three weeks now; his teacher tells me she wishes she had 20 more like him. I love my little man.

Lost

We all get lost! I like getting lost, for some strange reason. When I'm in a new place getting lost is a good way to find your way around. By getting lost, we find out who we are and what we can do.

Everyone gets lost in someway, and must find their way home. We can be children, adults, seniors, inmates, lawyers, etc.. looking for the path to who they are. We try our best to do what our parents want from generation to generation. Sometimes we fall, and can not find the way back. Some have religion, some are alone, some have friends and family.

How do you know who is lost? Can they be a homeless person on the street or maybe the CEO of a big company. We all wear masks to hide from the world. I know I wear a mask because I am always lost and can never find my way back. I did not come from a good home. I was not living, but surviving!

Surviving is not a good way to live, you can miss out on the joys of life. For most people surviving is the only way they know, others live. Getting lost is all they know, how they get through life.

We journey in this life to find answers for who we are, why we are here and find a place for ourselves. I know I am lost, yet I will put on my mask and pretend everything is OK.

By getting lost, I was able to find who I was and live not survive. From my life, I came to respect who I am.

WWF

I was in the kitchen doing dishes, and heard rolling laughter. So I try calling to the kids to see what they were doing. My answer was more laughter. So I went to investigate and found this...



I love my sweet children, they bring me joy beyond words.

Back to School

The kids started school on Wednesday. Aidan is in a all day Pre-k program, he goes from 8:55am to 3:20pm. Becca is in 2nd grade, we decided to mainstream her this year. She will be kept in the regular class room, unless she needs to take a break for a few minutes. The staff at the new school is very understanding and working with us to keep Becca mainstreamed.

Kaliska and I get to hang out all day together, except every other Friday when Dedrick does not have to work. I am able to get a lot done with just the two of us. I miss the kids when they are at school. I think we are finely settled in and have a routine going.

Here is a the the kids on the first day of school.

End of Summer

Summer is coming to an end, school is starting in a few days. Time flies by when you are having fun. We have had a good summer break, the kids are excited to be going back to school. We have been going to the zoo, aquarium, water parks, Texas, and hanging out at home. Dedrick is enjoying his job, including the traveling. The kids are enjoying the yard, puppies, and the new house.

It is going to be different just having one child home all day. Rebecca is going to be in 2nd grade, Aidan is going into Pre-K. I hope that it will be great bonding time for Kaliska and I. They are going to miss the sleep-overs we have been having when dad has been out of town for work.

I'm hoping that Becca does well in her new school. She is a smart, bright girl; she has a lot to offer everyone who gets to know her. I know she misses everyone at Pingree. I know we were blessed to have such wonderful, kind, patient teachers to work with.

The kids love the puppies to death, they want to take them everywhere we go. We found two dog parks in the area. We are training them to be outside dogs, which is hard. Their favorite toy is the broom, every time I sweep they attack it. Here is a video of them...



Here is the sleep-over pictures, on the new couch.

Pikepass

I went to the temple on Saturday. It is a 2h drive and 121 miles from my home. This was the first time I went since moving. Oklahoma has a lot of toll roads, and I always forgot to put change in the cars. When we got our OK driver licenses and plates, we invested in a pikepass. I am very grateful we did, or I would have spent about fifteen to twenty dollars just going to the temple. I had a total of 8(4 each way) toll areas on my trip to the temple.

The pass saved me from having to carry that much money in the car. The pass is a small box that you attach to the windshield. The toll areas have a scanner that reads the pass and you do not have to carry cash. We just put money on them every month. I am very grateful for the pass and enjoy not having to remember to put change in the cars. Here is some random picture of the kids...

New Additions

No, it is not a baby! A co-worker of Dedrick's had puppies they needed to find homes for. We have been talking about getting one for awhile. After talking to the couple, they still had three puppies and we decided to take two, yes two. We have a female and male, they are mutts, but very cute and loving. We let the kids name them...Shelley and Pluto. Shelley is tan and very shy, Pluto is black and always active. We are very glad to have them in our family, the kids love them to death and always want to be with them. Here is a few pictures....

Aidan's 4th Birthday

Happy Birthday my little man. It is hard to believe he is 4 today! I remember when he came into our family. He was six weeks early and nothing would stop him from coming. The doctors tried everything to stop labor, yet he knew it was time and arrived July 22, 2005 at 2:50am 4lb 15oz 18 1/2in. He is a very smart, fun, loving, handsome, and best pal. We love him very much, and very grateful to be blessed to have him in our lives. Happy Birthday BIG Man! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Poor Aidan

My little man is having a hard two weeks. Last week he woke up complaining about his left foot hurting. When he showed us his foot, 1/3 of it was swollen and red. So we took him to the doctor. The doctor said he must have stepped on something when he was playing outside, and their wasn't anything we could do. They put him on antibiotics for ten days, and the infection is going away.

Yesterday, I had just come back from picking a friend up from the airport and found blood running down his head. Dad was outside doing lawn work, and the kids were playing inside. My understanding of the story is that, they were chasing each other around the couch and Becca tripped on cords. The cord was attached to a speaker and it fell on his head. Took him to the doctor and he needed one stitch. We have to take him back in one week to remove it.

Other than that he is doing good and just being an active (almost 4yr old) on Wednesday!

Pictures

Lately when we go out I forget to take the camera with us or forget it in the car. When we went to Texas for the weekend to hanging out with the grandparents, I didn't take one picture. I feel like a bad mom not taking cute pictures of the kids or the fun things we have been doing. So the last few days, I have been remembering the camera every time we go out.

For example, we meet a wonderful lady on the plane heading back from house hunting in May. She invited us to call anytime when we got settled in Oklahoma. So we called, she invited us to hang out for the 4th of July. The kids played in the pool for about 2 hours, did I take any pictures...no. Then Kaliska jump into the pool, and landed into a floating ring in the dead center. Picture NO. We did tones of fireworks, the kids had sparklers and poppers...again No pictures.

So here is a few picture(24 to be exact)of some of the things we have been doing!

Traveling

It is hard to believe we have been in Oklahoma for a month. Time seems to have flown by very quickly. Dedrick is getting used to working full time and traveling a lot. By the second day of work he went out of town for two days. The following week he was out of town for three days. He is getting to know the company, has three different jobs he does now. He is in the company's PDP (Professional Development Program), and will be doing work with groups focusing on Process, Integrity and Measurement. His boss has suggested that a focus on Measurement would be a great way to become very valuable to the company and the industry. He is learning so very much and loving every minute of it.

The kids are enjoying the zoo and aquarium, and we have memberships to both. The aquarium you can feed turtles and sting rays. They have a shark exhibit you can walk into and the sharks swim over you and around you. The zoo is on 84 acres and has tons of different exhibits; they all very interactive. They LOVE the parks, every park here has big water areas. I have to bring the swimsuits every time we go out just in case we end up at a park.

I am doing pretty well. Getting the hang of driving on many freeways, I am used to one highway. I used to think Utah drivers were bad. Now I know better! I feeling a little sad or unfocused lately. I found out I was pregnant and a week later miscarried, it has been very hard. Then my father got out of prison this fathers day, I do not know how I feel about this. Other than that I hanging in there making it day to day.

I have to give a big Thanks to my wonderful in-laws. We took a weekend trip to Texas to see Dedrick's parents. They gave us a much needed washer/dryer, BBQ, freezer, bookcase and some misc items. Thank you so much for everything you have done for us. Here is some pictures from Texas.





Sorry, some of the pictures are not loading will post later!

Night Visitor

Dedrick and I were watching a movie last night before bed, when Kaliska came to ask for a drink. The lights were out in the kitchen, so Dedrick turned on the lights. To our surprise an Opossum was sitting on one of the kitchen chairs eating off the table. The opossum got scared and ran into the laundry room, were it hid behind our empty boxes. We do not have a washer/dryer yet, so we have nothing to cover the vent, and that is how the opossum got in and were he was hanging out.

We called animal control to come and get it. They were going to charge us $135 to come and catch it. Dedrick decided to call the landlord. She asked how the opossum got in and we told her. She told us how we could get the opossum out of the house without harm to either party. So Dedrick slowly moved the boxes out of the laundry room into the kitchen and created a barracked. We left a few boxes for the opossum to hide till we got everything ready. We opened the garage door and turned off the lights.

Once we had everything in place; Dedrick moved the last few boxes and sacred the Opossum out the garage door and into the front yard. Once we got him out, we blocked the dryer vent with three heavy boxes. We should be getting the washer/dryer next weekend, so we won't have this happen again. So that was the encounter with the our night visitor.

The Opossum was about 8in long, it's tall was just has long. Here is the picture we got before we chased it out...

Settled

We have been in the new house for about two weeks now. We are getting thing settled and a routine going. Dedrick has been working at the new job for about a week. He loves the new job and the environment he is in. He has gone out of town already to work, and we found he is going again next week. I was telling him I will have a 5 day husband(jokingly).

We have a wonderful new ward and have made many new friends. My kids have made a ton of new friends. We are getting use to the heat and humidity. It is strange to be during yard work after living in apartments for so long. I can DO not have a green thumb. I can mow and water just fine, maintaining the flower beds and landscaping is not happening very well. I try, but all I can manage to do is make it worse.

We are doing good, and enjoying the new journey of our lives. Here is some random picture of the kids on the drive down...












Little Boy's doing what need to be done!


Outside the New house!