Lane

News of a toddler:

Our baby is no longer a baby! Wow that year went too fast.  He is a card carrying member of the "I can get on my tiptoes and reach EVERYTHING, follow my brothers and do WHATEVER they are doing, toddle here, toddle there, empty a cupboard in under 2 seconds flat, say dad, mom, dog, Wyatt, Conner, milk, ride a bike, and get off the couch" group now and it has been fun to watch all these new experiences for him. He loves music and will bust out his moves anytime there's a song (yep, even the sacrament song); he's a fan of books and often I find a book flung in my way with MOM! saying he wants a story. He loves his older brothers and they are so good to play with him and tackle him and wrestle him (he may grow up to be the meanest kid yet). He loves Toby and anytime that dog barks Lane stops what he's doing and says DOG! Too funny. We love him and are so proud of his accomplishments. What a joy he is!

Conner

News of C-Man:

This has been the year of the C for sure! Conner turned 3 in July and learned to count to 10 by himself, has learned all the ABCs and can sing the alphabet song all the way through (before it was ABC something something QRS something something). He goes to school on Mondays and Wednesdays and while he has a hard time sitting still the teacher (mom) bribes him with snack time and he usually pulls through to the end.  He also learned to ride a big boy bike with training wheels and while I miss the Fred Flinstone maneuvers he used on his big wheels bike it has been fun to hear that thunk thunk thunk from the training wheels again (and it helps me know where that kid is at all times!) He's also really good about doing his chores although making the bed is a mom/Conner chore right now. His biggest thrill for this year? The installation of a bathtub! That's right folks, this kid has been enamoured of bathtubs since forever and now he has one all his own. He requests to bath at night, in the morning, and sometimes during the day. What a kid! (Note: this tub was Lane's and after his bath I found Conner taking his own bath)

He's also doing itty bitty ball this fall and really likes it; he's following his brother in his love of t-ball and asks every day if it's time to play t-ball.

Wyatt

An update on Wyatt:

Wyatt turned 5 this year and with that came a big change for our son and for us. All of a sudden he wasn't so little anymore and that took some adjustment on our part to recognize this all-grown up version of Wy. Brad challenged him in March to learn how to ride without training wheels. Being the wise father he told Wy if he could learn how to ride sans training wheels he'd buy him a new bike. An hour later Wy was riding around the drive way proud as could be and his dad was shaking his head and trying to figure a way to find a new bike (shout out to Aunt Sheri for the great bike she fixed just for Wyatt!).

He played soccer in the fall of 2011 and was cheered from the sidelines by mom, dad, Conner, Lane, Aunt Ria and Lindsay. He loved his team and his coach and best of all his mom really enjoyed practicing with him. He played T-ball in the spring of 2012 and we were informed that this was his favorite sport. He's been talking about playing t-ball for about two years (ever since itty bitty ball really) and it finally became a reality this spring. He had a great time!

My all time favorite memory of Wy this past year was St.Patrick's day. He was so sure that he would see and or catch a leprechaun this year that he painstakingly built a trap in a shoe box, laid some of his "gold" from the party we attended that day inside and went to bed to wait for his leprechaun. He was so shocked the next morning to find the box moved, the gold gone and a "note" from the leprechauns wishing him better luck next year.  He's already planning his trap for March!

His biggest moment came August 29 when he started Kindergarten. I thought I'd be a brave mom and not cry when I left him with his teacher but nope, I discovered I'm not. I'm not okay with leaving him in the hands of someone I hardly know for three hours; I'm not okay with not being there to make sure he doesn't get lost or left outside; I'm not okay with him being teased and made fun of and not being there to take the hurt away (yep already, in kindergarten - thought we'd have a year or two before this began). However after the teary walk away I knew that this was part of his growing up and while I'm not okay with it all I know that he'll be fine and watched over and protected and I'm okay with that.

Trial of my faith

This is a quite a unique photo for this blog. First because I am in the picture (usually I'm hiding behind the camera so as not to appear in any photo-op); second because our dog Molly is featured and little did we know two months later she'd be living on a ranch herding cattle and other animals; and third because I am in this picture and it is taken in the mountains after hiking a bit of a distance. That alone seemed like a miracle to me on that memorial day outing.
One morning in January I got up with Brad to get him ready for work and noticed that my hand wasn't working like it should. I have had arthritis flare ups in my hand before but this time it flared and never left. It was painful. Then the next week I went to get out of bed and I couldn't walk. My feet didn't work; my legs didn't work; I hurt all the way to my bones. I was scared and mad and upset: how was I supposed to take care of my baby who was only 6 months old and still needed more of me than I could give at that time? How was I supposed to take care of my older two boys? I could barely pick Lane up let alone hold Wy and Conner on my lap. It was the saddest day ever that I told them I couldn't hold them, that mommy's legs hurt too bad for them to sit there.  I joked with friends and family about old age hitting so soon but deep down I was just scared.
Then in February, about a month after all this began, I was trying to clean what little I could manage and I kept having the same thought: trial of your faith, trial of your faith. I felt some reassurance in regard to events in our family as Brad was going through interviews for different jobs and thought that the reference was made in relation to that.
As the months progressed and I didn't feel any better and couldn't really walk or do much of anything, I grew angry. Where was the answer to all of this? The many doctors I visited all had an idea but each avenue we tried really brought no relief, a brief repast from the pain but really no relief.  Then I finally turned to the Lord. I gave him my fears, my anger, my faith and I told Him that if this was how my body was going to be from now on that I was okay with that but asked that I be able to do the little things that were important: take care of my children, care for my home, enjoy life and have some peace and comfort. Articles from the Ensign, testimonies and lessons at church and finally I understood that what I thought months ago was an impression for Brad and his job was actually for me. That this was a trial of my faith and if I would only seek out the Lord that he would bring solace to my heart and comfort and healing to my body. I thought it was miraculous on memorial day that I was able to hike along with Brad and the boys and enjoy such a beautiful day; however it is even more miraculous that in the past month I have been able to do the things I have done with little or no pain and have been able to take care of my children, care for my home, enjoy life and have some peace and comfort.
"Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." 3 Nephi 14:7
I testify that Heavenly Father know us; he knows our trials and he knows our suffering and pain. He loves us and if we only seek his guidance and love that our burdens will be lifted.

All in 1 year

I know it sounds trite but wow did the last year really get away from me! So many events and happenings have come and gone in our lives and I'm not sure I can adequately chronicle them all (and probably shouldn't or this could/would be one long post!).

Thus I will begin where I left off: Fall 2011

September found us in the midst of change. Wyatt began attending preschool and rode the bus twice a week much to his intense enjoyment. He became quite the little scholar and really challenged his teacher to come up with new ideas and new things for him to learn. I was able to go in and help in the classroom throughout the school year and really enjoyed being part of the hands-on element of his education. He also played soccer and had a blast learning to kick, block, and his favorite: score! I worked with him on how to dribble the ball & how to steal the ball from his opponent (see I do remember some things from my youth!) and will always remember those fall days in our yard kicking the soccer ball with my little boy.

Conner went to preschool with me twice a week and while it was really hard for that rambunctious kid to sit still he tried his hardest to learn the ABCs and numbers. I believe that his favorite part of the 2 1/2 hours was snack time! However by the end of the year he could count to 10 by himself so I figure letters and colors will come eventually!

Lane was doing what every other baby does at this age: smiling, crying, laughing, playing, and bringing additional joy to our boy-filled family.

Brad began a new aspect of his job and switched from the water side to being a pumper. This brought big change to our family as his schedule changed from 7 days on/7 days off/7nights on to a straight Wednesday to Wednesday with no night shifts - did you see that NO NIGHT SHIFTS! It was confusing for the boys to see their dad home every night but they soon got over it and were thrilled to know dad was around at night. Conner started sitting outside waiting for dad's truck to roll on in and would race to the gate to greet him. Most days both boys were out there ready to help dad carry in all his stuff from work. Nothing cuter than seeing two little boys carrying dad's big cooler up the stairs, excitedly telling him about their day.

I started teaching preschool and much to my amazement I really enjoyed it. I always thought teaching younger kids was for someone besides me but it was so much FUN! Those little kids were adorable and their enthusiasm for learning was so refreshing from the older kids I was used to teaching. Thanks to my friend for suggesting this new path for me and to my hubby who agreed to the idea. I had a great year.

Halloween:

 

 Our family dressed as characters from the Wizard of Oz: Mayor of Munchkinland, Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, Tin Man, & Dorthy

                                                                    Christmas:

The perfect tree

                                 Grandpa & Grandma cooking bratzles

All decorated

                                Ready to open stocking & gifts!

                                              

Christmas 2011 was super special as both sets of grandparents came to visit during the Christmas season. Grandpa & Grandma Teuscher brought the bratzle iron I got when I was a nanny and gifted it back to me (not because I'm the best daughter ever but because they bought a newer one) and so we made yummy bratzles and although Brad thought not we shared with neighbors and friends.  This has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember and it just wouldn't be Christmas if there weren't bratzles. Now we don't have to wait for family to visit to bring them to us, we can make them ourselves.

                                                            

                                                                 Spring 2012

Chillin' with the Easter Bunny; the 9 month old wasn't scared but the 2 year old was (notice he's not in the picture?).

                                      Check out this crew! We have our own little biker gang.

A quick trip to Boise and a haircut from Aunt Sheri. It is tradition that Aunt Sheri give all the boys their very first haircut. She is the bestest!

                                                                       Summer 2012

                                          Paradise Reservoir Memioral Day 2012

And of course our summer was spent outside as much as possible, up in the mountains enjoying God's beautiful country, and cutting wood to prepare us for the upcoming winter.  Along the course of the year we celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, new babies, new church callings, new friends, old friends, weenie roasts, family road trips (with bonus excitement packages: blown tire, 3 hour roadside picnic, 4 cranky boys, 2 dogs).  We experienced happiness and sorrow; trials and successes. We watched our boys grow in the gospel and add to their testimonies from faith building opportunities. We are truly blessed and are truly grateful.