The Surprise and the Zoo

The other day I was looking out the window while folding laundry.  I saw some people coming toward our door.  It was the weirdest feeling as they approached because it was my son Alex, Ivy and Weston.  I did not know they were coming and it totally caught me off guard.  I dropped my laundry ran to the front door and was filled with such delight.  That is the kind of surprise mamas love.  Danika heard me squealing and ran to the door, also quite shocked and overwhelmed.  It was so special.  The kids all ran to the door and it was wonderful.

Alex and Ivy's needed a new car and my hubby is supper at finding good reasonably priced cars.  He found them a car and we went and picked it up.  I was very concerned about how we would get them the car and tried to solve the problem.  David kept assuring me that they were adults and would figure it out.  I really didn't want them to have to drive here and then one of them drive back with the baby and no one to watch the baby, because both of them would be driving separate cars.  But here they were on my doorstep.

It was a great day, and we quickly threw together a BBQ.  We were already keeping August, because it was Brent and Latisha's anniversary (3 years, wow) and they were going out.  My parents and nephew did get to join us and we had a great time.  Alex had to head back the next day, but Ivy and Weston were able to stay a couple more days.  What a blessing.  My mom drove back with Ivy so they wouldn't be alone and it all came together smoothly.

On Monday we were able to have a zoo day.  I got some fun pictures.  Such a happy place.  Here are some fun pictures.  God bless and have a great day.

Alicia

The BBQ

Weston showing an interest in dessert

August loved running around

 

The boys

Our crew at the zoo

It is way too tempting not to climb

The zoo had a classroom set up and Cassandra wanted to be the teacher

They played along

Isn't he sweet

Happy Boy and auntie

look at this little man

Time with Family

Last week we were so blessed to have my cousin and her three adorable kids stay with us.  We have a little mother in law suite at the end of our house so they were able to stay there, although the kids were together with mine almost 24/7.  They all seemed to have a great time and it was so good to reconnect.  The last time we were together was three years ago and the boys were little babies.  My cousin is six years younger than I am and I used to just adore her.  She was so sweet and had this beautiful long blonde hair.  I called her my "little LaNae." Then as she got older she moved to the same town we lived in, and she was actually at Sierra and Danika's birth.  So it was so good to spend a week together and it seemed as if we picked up were we left off.  Her little girls share that same sweet spirit and that beautiful long hair, and her little boy is absolutely adorable and a bottle of energy.  Aidric was so thrilled to have someone his size and a boy at that, to play with.

We had to make things a little exciting for them.  They got to see the good, bad, and ugly of our family.  The good being fun times and everyone working together, the bad, tired over stimulated children, and the ugly, Isabella had a seizure.  David had headed out of town for the weekend, which signaled Isabella that she should have a trip to the hospital.  We tease her that it is her way of making it so Daddy never wants to leave.  Sunday morning, she woke up with signs of a seizure and acted very out of it.  She would try to stand but would fall down, she lay there and get drooling, she would start to jerk, but seemed to be fighting it off, and her eyes were having a hard time staying alert.  After about 1 1/2 hours of this Sierra and I took her to the hospital, I figured she was about to have a seizure and had probably had a couple small ones, but I just wanted a doctor to check her out.  As we were checking her in at the er, she went into a full blown grand mall seizure.  The stupid seizure reared it's ugly head and they got us to a room quickly where there was a flurry of people working on her, connecting her to monitors, struggling to hold her arms still to start an IV, and trying to give her medicine to stop the seizure. I was so thankful of how LaNae took care of things at home, and was even able to get the rest of the kiddos to church on time.  When we got home for the hospital, LaNae and Danika had everyone happy and taken care of.  Isabella slept until evening, but was still pretty tipsy.  She would try to walk but couldn't walk straight and would walk into the wall, where we quickly intervened and laid her back down.  No fun.  But today she is better and mostly back to normal.  So the very good, the somewhat bad, and the quite ugly, but that is life and God is here with us through it all.  We thank God for the good, pray for guidance through the bad, and hold on tight to him through the ugly.  God is good.  Have a blessed day.
Alicia

The kids at a local park

The kids at the zoo, picking a penguin

going down the giraffe slide

feeding goats

Add caption

a local shopping center

little Isabella after seizure, wiped out for most of the rest of the day.
The other kids were running around her having a great time and she was out cold

Headed out on the next leg of their trip.

Sledding

We have been having a lovely winter.  Most of the snow is on the mountain but we have had enough on the ground to make it a white Christmas.  New Year's eve we decided to take the kids sledding.  It has been a while since we got to go sledding and I believe it was Aidric's and Isabella's first time.  They had a great time.  Isabella is not one to enjoy the snow.  She loves going outside but has a hard time walking in the snow and really I just think she doesn't like the cold.  So, I was thrilled to hear her giggle and giggle every time she went down the hill.  The hill was at our local park and quite small which was perfect.  We could go up and down with out getting tired and Isabella actually went by herself a couple times.  Aidric also really enjoyed himself and wanted to go again and again.  It was very chilly that day, 20 degrees, but they all really had a good time. So good in fact that the next day we did it again with Brent and Latisha and August who went sledding for his first time.  I am not sure he appreciated the cold but he was totally happy when sliding down the hill.

Here are some fun pictures.  I hope you enjoy.  Have a great day.
Alicia

The sledders are set and ready to go

Cassandra having a great time

On you mark, get set, 

gooooooo...  Some sled are a bit faster than others

Isabella and Sierra

Aidric getting a lift.  Life is good

Danika loves the cold

Isabella absolutely loves the ride

Such wonderful sisters

our cuties

David giving Isabella a gentle push and off she goes, clapping all the way

We like doing things together

David and I got our turn too

The next day, still cold but great fun

Latisha and August going for a ride

Look at our cute little man

Soccer

So many choices in this life.  There are so many good things to do with your kids but only so much time.  When Alex and Latisha were little we lived in a smaller town and they did soccer twice a year for fun.  Then we moved here and soccer went to a new level.  We began serious club soccer.  It was nice to see people appreciated our children's soccer ability and wanted them on their team.  But as time went by it became more and more consuming.  Out of state games, high fees, and lots and lots of practices.  It was fun but then it became overwhelming.  When they began high school we took them out of club and stopped the madness. :)  In our state homeschoolers can play on the school teams.  Alex played all four year and was even the team captain his Senior year.  Latisha played varsity level her freshman year, got her letter and that was enough.  She didn't really care for the attitude and conversation of the girls.

Then what to do with the little ones behind them.  Soccer is a good sport.  It is important to exercise and learn team work, but it can also take over your life.  We were very content to step back from it for a while.  Occasionally the girls will ask about soccer or some other activity and we will allow them here and there but we have definitely learned moderation.  I really enjoy the kids being involved in church activities and that keeps us quite busy.  This fall we decided to have Cassandra do soccer.  She has really enjoyed it.  David is her coach and has his hands full with these girls.  It is for fun and for her first year she is doing great.  We really enjoy watching the girls and we just keep laughing along with them.  Danika also wanted to do soccer.  She hurt her leg but she has enjoyed it this year.  She has a fun team and although they haven't won a lot of games they too are having fun.  It is good to keep things in perspective and non club is fun and good for us at this stage of life.  Anyway here are some fun pictures.  God Bless
Alicia

Latisha giving Aidric a few pointers

Such concentration

Half time

Isabella a little hot, silly weather

Danika