Happy New Year To Everyone!!!

Tonight we are having our big annual New Year's Eve party. There is usually almost as many kids as there are adults. And by kids I mean under 6 years old, and around 15-20 of them. :-) We eat food, play games, sled, visit, eat more food, drink coffee...it's a great time! I'll try to post some pictures tomorrow. Have a happy and safe New Year's Eve, everyone!

I finally have my car back. After 10 days, when they said it would be 2....anyway, that is a sore subject, so I won't get into it. All I will say is that the 4 wheel drive now works, and we are happy!

Brett seemed to have a flu bug last Saturday, but recovered in about 24 hours. No one else got it, so we thought we were in the clear.

Until Christmas morning, that is.

Brett woke up with a slight fever. After opening presents, his fever was gone and he looked much better. So we decided we wold stick to our plan of visiting family all day. He slept in the car on the way there. No big deal, right? It was nap time, after all. Well, once we made it to Jesse's dad's place, Brett just laid on the floor and slept. Then up to his mom's, and same thing...on the tile in grandma Marcy's kitchen. Of course he was right in the way. But what can I say? She has a wood cook stove there and he was enjoying the heat! Friday, Wyatt had the slight fever/sore throat. Saturday Mya threw up. And just when we think everyone is better, Wyatt started throwing up today. So, who knows how long this will hang on. Olivia and Jesse and I have yet to get it.
Unfortunately.
And we're supposed to be hosting a big New Year's Eve party at our house.

As I re-read this it really sounds like a gloomy post. Really, we did have a good Christmas, and hopefully everyone else did as well! Okay, I have to run check on Wyatt.....

Venting...

Today is my 6th, yes sixth! day without a car. Very inconvenient, to say the least. Especially these last days before Christmas. I live over 30 minutes from "the big town", so I cannot just walk or anything. We found out that the 4 wheel drive did not work on our suburban. Of course we discovered this wonderful thing when we needed it. Anyway, it is supposed to be fixed today, but we'll see. As of yesterday they had not received the part yet, and it's an all day job to put it back together. We can (thankfully) all fit in hubby's dodge. But, there is no room for anything extra. Hardly room for a diaper bag. So we are praying our car is done before Christmas and all our travels to see family (1 hour away).

So, you might think this is a wonderful opportunity to finish all my holiday baking etc. BUT, I am out, yes out, of butter. Almost out of flour and sugar and eggs....do you see a problem there? So even if our car does get fixed today, we will not be able to get it till this evening. Which means I'll be out there with all the other last minute shoppers (which I am not...or never have been before) and will have time to be really stressed about getting the baking done.

Okay, I am, hopefully, done venting and complaining.

P.S. to Wyatt's birthday...

I was interrupted (imagine that!) when I was writing about Wyatt being in the hospital. I forgot to mention that we do not know exactly what went wrong. The closest the doctors could come up with was that when he was born, the mucus was very thick. This made it so he could not breathe. When we "bagged" him with air, that pushed the mucus into his lungs, causing pneumonia. Or that's the best explanation we have. Anyway, the important thing is that he is okay and perfectly normal. He was never without oxygen.

Welcome to my world of snow

Out my dining room window....

And the kitchen window....
And Wyatt sledding....


And my living room view.....

Amazing, isn't it?! At our house we are all crazy about snow. In fact, as I write this, all the boys are out finishing putting daddy's snowmobile together so we can go for a little ride. Maybe I'll get some good pictures....

Happy Birthday Wyatt!!!!

Wyatt's birthday was Tuesday...and he is now 5! How does that happen??? I can't believe I have a 5 year old!

Let me tell you a little about Wyatt (this is the short version). He was born 10 months after we got married. When he was born he was not breathing. They had to "bag" him to give him oxygen, but he still couldn't get enough on his own. Jesse helped keep oxygen on him, but if you took it away, he would turn blue. Anyway, I he was born at home, so we had to transport to the local hospital. After being at this particular hospital for a few hours it became apparent that they could not keep him alive. So, they called the lifebird helicopter and Jesse and Wyatt headed North to the "big city". I went back home to get a few things, then my dad drove me to the hospital (about 2 hours away). There were moments we did not know if he would live or not. But we had many, many people praying for him. I talked to every doctor in the NICU and they all said that had he been born in the hospital, the exact same thing would have happened. They were all impressed with my midwife. Many times you do run into problems with midwives with no medical background etc. But how reassuring to know she did everything perfect! Anyway, here he is in the hospital. So tiny, with needles and tubes everywhere. He ended up staying in the hospital for 10 days. Our first Christmas was spent in the hospital with our sweet baby boy.

Monday night was really sweet. I asked for a hug before bed. My last hug from my 4 year old. He looked a little sad and gave me an extra long hug! Then he told me that he would give me a huge hug in the morning from my 5 year old, and it might be an even bigger one!!!

Here are all the kids with Grandma Marcy

And with Great Grandma Rita

100 things about me...

Apparently in the land of bloggers, once you get to 100 posts, you are supposed to post "100 things about me". So, here we go (in case you're really interested)...and they are not necessarily in any particular order. :)

1. I love God

2. I love my family

3. I drive a suburban

4. My house is teal on the outside (not by choice)

5. I love to bake

6. I have 4 kids

7. I have many favorite colors

8. I love snow

9. Coffee is wonderful

10. and so is chocolate

11. I wear contacts

12. My hubby is my best friend

13. My sister is my second best friend

14. I have 9 houseplants

15. I am addicted to email

16. Every room in my house is a different color

17. Did I mention I like color? (other than teal on the outside?)

18. I am a stay-at-home mom

19. and LOVE it

20. but do occasionally miss working

21. We plan to homeschool, so Wyatt is in preschool this year

22. My oldest, Wyatt, turns 5 tomorrow

23. I am making his cake today

24. I love my friends

25. We have 2 dogs

26. and 1 cat

27. We go 4-wheeling for family fun/quality time

28. I like to read

29. and cross-stitch

30. and sew

31. I had "morning" sickness pretty much all day, the whole 9 months of pregnancy.

32. I play the piano

33. I play the mandoline

34. I am a planner.

35. I don't especially like shopping.

36. I have, for most of my life, had short hair

37. I have a VERY low tolerance for noise

38. I will generally do everything possible to avoid an uncomfortable situation.

39. I have only ever lived in 1 state, and 1 county.

40. but I have moved many times, within a 10 (or so) miles.

41. Each of our children have been born in a different house

42. I hang all our Christmas pictures that we receive on our fridge.

43. And leave them there for the whole year so we can see and pray for our friends all year.

44. I got married when I was 18

45. I like order, and can't stand clutter

46. I sweep my floor many, many times a day

47. I drink coffee (with cream) every day

48. but rarely buy it in the coffee stand

49. that is a luxury I have tried to give up since I quit working

50. Olivia is sitting on my lap, pressing buttons while I type

51. I used to work for a dentist

52. then an oral surgeon

53. then an eye doctor

54. last year I did bookkeeping from home

55. I love to work, but raising my family is much more important

56. sometimes I get lonely being home all the time

57. This is incredibly hard to come up with this many things

58. I have naturally semi-curly hair

59. I used to be blond

60. I love to decorate my home.

61. Our first 2 houses we completely remodeled

62. Remodeling is addicting

63. My husband can do *almost* anything

64. I started running this year

65. It is the first time I have ever enjoyed it

66. I can see how that could be addicting as well

67. I grind my own wheat

68. for my bread that I make

69. I am thankful for all my friends

70. Are you sick of reading all about me yet?

71. Someday I want a professional propane range

72. I cannot stand debt

73. I love to plow snow with the 4-wheeler

74. It is also addicting

75. trying to see how smooth you can get it

76. I am wondering if I have an addictive type personality?

77. I have always wanted to go to beauty school

78. I love coloring/cutting/doing hair

79. I love flowers

80. We have our own orchard

81. and pond

82. I just started knitting a green scarf

83. I love to watch my kids learn

84. Our favorite restaurant is Mexican

85. I have 6 sister-in-laws

86. and 4 brother-in-laws

87. My great grandma is still alive

88. but she lives in Kansas

89. I do not like slush/mud

90. We enjoy camping

91. but especially the camp fire

92. I do not like being dirty

93. Jesse and I read the bible and pray together every night

94. I pray and hope that people see Jesus reflected through my life

95. I care (sometimes too much) what people think of me

96. I try to clean my bathroom every day (believe me, it needs it)

97. The highlight of my day is when Jesse gets home from work

98. I do not like being alone

99. I love to fly

100. I love to come home, too!

Olivia update...and a few others.....

To back up, on November 17th the girls went and had their ears pierced. Yes, we did it. Actually, Mya didn't even cry!
Then on December 5th, my niece Anne Marie was born!

December 6th we went out and cut down our Christmas tree.

And on December 8th Olivia took her first step!!!!! Quickly followed by 2 more. She has been practicing more every day and is quite excited about it. She has always had a fear of being hurt. So she will not do anything unless she is sure to be in control. But last night she was spinning in circles, holding the coffee table to the couch, for a very long time and wasn't the least concerned about falling down.

And also on December 8th we put beads in Olivia's hair. (ignore all the stuff on the counter. The was the place where she held still the best) She was so pleased. Come to think of it, maybe that's why she walked.....gave her that much more confidence? Anyway, I ordered more beads and snaps. Her hair is SO SO thick, I only had enough snaps to do 1/2 of her head! (and that was 24 snaps)

We've even put beads and snaps in Mya's hair as it helps keep it out of her face, plus she doesn't feel left out then.....but, didn't get any pictures yet.

December 9th we decorated gingerbread houses/trains. And ate lots of candy. Lots and lots...

Pray with us...

This morning I found out that The Field Family from our agency, lost their little girl. She was 2 months old, and is now with Jesus. They are unsure what was wrong, but believe she may have had a heart condition. Please join us in prayer for this hurting family. They recently adopted a 3 yr old boy and were in Ethiopia to pick him up the week after I left. I just missed meeting them, but did get to meet their adorable little boy.

Thanks for reading,
Ashley