February

I have been debating wether to post about our February for awhile.  That's why I am so behind.  Most of February was me crying and me and the kids being really sick.  Who wants to read about that?!?!  But this blog becomes my journal when I turn my blog into a book at the end of each year so here goes February...

Kayzee celebrated the 100th day of school with a dress up party.  Here is what she picked to wear...

Memphis had his wax museum presentation.  He had been working on this project for awhile.  Parents were invited to walk around the classroom and push the red buttons and the students frozen as wax museum figures based on the famous person they chose came to life and shared a little about their famous figure.  It was so fun.  Memphis was Thomas Alva Edison and he did so awesome!

A not so Happy Valentine's Day for us this year.  At the end of January me and Danny decided to separate (that's the crying part mentioned above).  He left January 23rd and it's been a hard adjustment for everyone.  Memphis cheered me up by bringing me home a rose.  So lucky to have this Valentine in my life right now.  Love this sweet boy of mine.

The day before Valentine's day Kayzee got a really high fever and she said her throat hurt really bad.  I thought it was strep so I took her to the doctor.  Nope.  Turns out she had the horrible flu going around.  NOOOOOO.  The doctor said me and Memphis would get it for sure so just plan on being home the next two weeks.  When I heard that I just cried inside.  The kids only ended up missing a week of school each but I missed two.  It's really hard missing school when you are a teacher.  But I am grateful I was able to find subs the whole time and that I didn't get the flu as bad as my kids so I could still take care of them because they were so miserable.  Kayzee missed her class's Valentine's Day party she was so sad.  She kept saying it wasn't fair because she also missed Thanksgiving being sick.  I don't blame her for being so sad.  I love this beautiful girl of mine.

We all snuggled up in my bed for the two weeks.  We didn't get much sleep between the fevers, sore throats, and nasty coughs.

Then the flu got scary.  All 3 of us ended up in the bathroom at 4am because we all couldn't breathe.  The only thing that seemed to help was a very steamy bathroom.  I kept praying that we would get better but we just kept getting worse.  The dr had prescribed Tamiflu and it was supposed to shorten the flu and lessen symptoms if you caught it early enough but apparently it's hard to find in fluid form for kids.  I went to a lot of pharmacies before I found some and it was $60 each!!!

Eventually Kayzee got better which was a relief.  She cried for 4 days straight she was so miserable.  Her throat hurt the worst.  But Memphis only got worse.  One night at 3am he couldn't breathe at all and it scared me so much I rushed him to the emergency room.  The doctor and nurses there said I did the right thing because he was in really bad shape.  As soon as we walked in they could hear him struggling to breathe and rushed him back to a room.  They ran a bunch of tests and took some x-rays.  Gave him some breathing treatments and an IV of fluids and a steroid to open up his airway.  Memphis was so brave and didn't cry at all even when they were putting in the IV.  

So miserable poor guy.  Tests came back and they diagnosed him with quite a concoction of illnesses.  Flu, croup (crazy at his age), bronchitis, and pneumonia.  He was still on Tamiflu but he also got a steroid, an antibiotic, and an inhaler to help him kick all the sickness going on in his body.

I seemed to kick the flu but then I got a horrible sinus infection.  It was horribly painful so I got to the dr and got an antibiotic and a nasal spray.  Whew!  Can we just be done with sickness for awhile?

Through all this and trying to take care of everything while being sick we have been so blessed with wonderful friends, neighbors, and ward members helping us out.  All of their small acts of service were such a blessing and I am so grateful for everyone who came rushing in to help.  We had bags of groceries brought to our door.  So many dinner meals and enough for leftovers for lunches that I didn't have to make anything the whole time we were really sick.  We had men in our ward come give all of us a priesthood blessing.  Some women cleaned my kitchen and some took home our dirty clothes and did laundry.  Like I said...BLESSED!  There are so many wonderful people in my life it makes the hard times easier.  Now I just need to pay it forward!

Memphis had his last Basketball game of this season.  He didn't get to play in the last game because he was still on all his medications and had no energy or breath to play but I am so proud of how much he improved over the two months.  He said he had so much fun and wants to play again next year.  Way to go Memphis!

March so far has been a little bit better.  Can't wait for warmer spring weather and spring break!

January

January has been a crazy month.  Really hard at times (let's just say I have not cried this much in a long time) but so much fun at other times.  The fun times are what I want to remember.  I also want to remember the love and support I have from my friends and family.  I have been so blessed.  

Memphis started 3rd grade Jr. Jazz Basketball.  He complained about not wanting to go for a week before the first game.  But he did awesome especially for having never played before.  He does great every week always improving and making baskets.  I am so proud of him and I hope he sticks with it.

 We went to my best friends birthday party.  Yummy cookie cake.

 Happy Birthday Amy!

 Big year for my kids in Primary.  Memphis is now in Senior Primary and Kayzee is getting baptized!

 Went bowling one day.  Crazy tied score the first frame.  Don't know how we managed that!

 Kayzee took 2nd!!!

 Kayzee is so funny what she picks up on.  One day in the car..."Mom, I can say 'What the heck' but I can't say 'What the stuff that falls from the sky'!"

 My kids love the Virtual Reality store in the mall.

 Love my silly kiddos!

 I am taking an arts integration course at UVU on how to integrate creative movement and dance with the core curriculum in Elementary schools.  Here is one of our lessons on cloud types.  Education can be fun!

 My nephew James is getting so big and cruising around.  Love that smile!

 Me and the kids went to see Auntie Nita's new apartment.  We played some basketball, foosball, and got in the hot tub.  We love you Nita!

 Memphis turned 9!!!  I love his tender heart and I love all the hugs and kisses I get all day every day from my best buddy.  He loves his mommy and I love him!  Happy Birthday Memphis!

 Memphis wanted to celebrate at Classic Fun Center with the Hoge family and his auntie.  The kids got to do some scootering, bouncing, climbing, laser tag, and arcade.

 The Classic Fun Center Party Package is awesome.  They do all the work and provide all the food and treats.  They made it so much fun Memphis said it was the best birthday ever!!!

 The birthday boy got to go into the ticket blaster and spin the wheel for more prizes.

 Lots of presents.  He is spoiled by his family and friends.

 One of Memphis' presents was Pie Face...

Great Memories!

Christmas Traditions

Christmas was wonderful this year.  We had so much fun with all our favorite Christmas traditions.  We LOVE Christmas!

We go to Christmas in Color every year.  It's a light show choreographed to music but we like it because you drive through it so you are nice and warm in your car.  The kids like it because we take our van and we let them stand up through the sunroof!

Memphis had pack mtg where he received his last few belt loops for wolves (he is going into bears soon!) and he was also chosen for the do your best award.  I was taking pictures and his facial expressions were so funny I had to post them.  We are proud of Memphis for all he has done in scouts and he loves going.

We got a couple cookie making kits from friends and family so we made cookies throughout the month.  Some we made for Santa!  The kids loved the ugly sweater cookie kit they got from their Grandma Thorpe.

December 10th marked the day me and Danny met 10 years ago!!!  Golden Anniversary! Crazy to think we have know each other that long.  We went to Arctic Circle that first night so we always go there to celebrate.  We let the kids tag along this year.  I found this picture that I took of the picture in our room.  This was about a week after we met.  So young!

Being a teacher in December is CRAZY!  The kids are so wound up and of course the teachers just want to be done and have a break.  Whew it was crazy but we made it through.

On December 15th my nephew James turned 1.  He is such a cutie.  His blue eyes get me everytime.  They celebrated by going to California and celebrated with his dad's family and my other sister and her little boy Max.  I love the picture they got of my two nephews.  Max and James are the cutest.  Wish we lived closer I am missing them and they are growing up so fast!

Our school had it's annual Christmas Sing.  I love that my kids go to the school I teach at so I can see them.  Kayzee and Memphis did so well singing and Memphis was hamming it up as usual.

Our family friends rented out a time at the city indoor pool to celebrate one of their boys' birthday and they always invite us.  We had fun swimming in the middle of winter.

All Kayzee wanted for Christmas was 'her two front teeth'!  Not really but we loved teasing her about it;)

Every Christmas we go to a family movie.  This year we went to Ferdinand.  Perfect family movie we loved it!

We also have a family game night.  This year we had everyone pick a game.  Memphis chose hide and go seek, Kayzee chose 4 corners, Daddy chose yatzee, and mommy chose trouble.  It was a fun night!  Both kids rolled a yatzee.  Memphis even rolled two! Me and Danny also play a game just the two of us this year we played 5 crowns and I totally beat him by a lot!

Pictures of my twin sisters and their little families this Christmas.

Our Christmas Eve tradition is eating dinner by candlelight.  The kids think it is so much fun.  We also open up new Christmas Jammies from my mom.  She went all out this year and got us matching ones!

 Kids were so excited for Santa to come ha ha!

The kids were good this year so Santa came!

Sorry some of the next pictures are blurry.  Didn't realize I had a smudge on the lens.

Christmas morning...

Memphis and Kayzee asked why they didn't get as many presents as last year.  They learned that the things they want are getting more and more expensive so they will get less because they cost more.  The kids also got gifts that couldn't really be put under the tree (see below) and some other family members sent money so they got to buy more.  Memphis bought Lego Dimensions and Kayzee bought lots of girlie stuff:)

 Family gifts and gifts for me and Danny.

 Me and Danny got our gifts for each other early...I got a new washer and dryer and he got a new gun!

 We also bought a new couch that turns into a bed easily for when lots of family stay over.

 With our Christmas money from family Danny bought a new ice fishing tent (also his birthday present ha ha).  I of course bought more books!  I was driving by the scholastic warehouse and they were having their BOGO sale.  Buy a book get one free say what?!?!?!  I got $225 worth of books for only $58.  I also got a gift card to Barnes and Noble so I bought more books.  So I now have 54 new books to read toward my 2018 goal of reading 100 books!!!

We have had a weird winter this year.  Unseasonably warm and no snow.  Not really any rain either.  Not good for our water levels for summer.  Christmas isn't Christmas in Utah without snow.  I guess a lot of people prayed hard enough because we got a white Christmas!  Not a lot but enough to make a muddy snow man and last for two days.  It's all gone and warm again but the kids enjoyed it while it lasted.

 Christmas Tradition of Danny's home made cinnamon rolls YUM! and we also had yummy dinner and I made my Grandma Thorpe's famous mud pie.

 I love one of the gifts I thought of for my mom this year.  My mom is always wearing an apron so I had to make one for her with her grandkids.  Put the picture we took with all her grandkids together and put my kids' handprints on it and had them sign it and then mailed it to my two sisters to add their kids.  Merry Christmas Mom!

I finished my goal of reading 100 chapter books in 2017!  Some of my favorites...

*The Orphan Keeper (so uplifting)

*The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend (A girl who sometimes like books more than people. That's me sometimes)

*Uninvited (Gave me a new perspective on my relationships with the people around me. What/Who I should focus on to feel truly loved and find what/who matters most in my life at this point in my life being a working mom because sometimes it's just hard)

*A Man Called Ove (I cried I laughed and I loved)

The Christmas present that was not under the tree this year was punch passes to my kids' new favorite place...FUNTOPIA!  I have posted about it before but it's a wall climbing place for kids.  Tons of different themed walls and courses.  Now my kids can go play and burn off some energy whenever they want.

Me and my best friend Amy found a new place for our kids to go play.  Coconut Cove...My kids' loved it so much the first time we went they played for 5 hours!!!  They loved it so much we went back the next day but they only lasted 2 hours ha ha!  I just love that they are running around having fun off screens and burning off some energy during the winter.

Best nine pictures of 2017: Memphis got baptized, spring break trip for my bday to see my family and get grandkids together, strep 8 times in 6 months and found out I had mono, finished our basement, annual summer trip to bear lake, best vacation ever LEGOLAND, finished our front room, read 100 books, bought another car.  I have not been doing well the last couple months so I am trying to reinvent myself and find a new healthy and happier me.

We celebrated ringing in the new year at Danny's brother's house with some of his family.  It was fun to play games all night and hang out with family.  Memphis actually made it to midnight this year.  Happy New Year.  Here's to 2018!