Let's end this year with pictures!

I thought I would put some pictures on here that I found on my phone before the year ends.

It is very hard to get an actual smiling picture from the 2 older boys.

This picture of them after haircuts is a little more natural.

Ruger has had a couple of haircuts but this time he got the "short" cut.  He sat still as long as he had that sucker in his mouth.

Ruger met Santa, but most importantly he got a candy cane so that he would sit still long enough for me to take a picture.  As you can see, food is very important to this little boy.  He lovingly calls food "a-mun-a."  We still haven't figured out where that came from.

Hyrum had a choir performance.

He and his best friend, Brooklyn, had to pose for pictures afterwards.

Nanny and Poppy read on the blog that Ruger didn't like being in his high chair so look what surprise we got in the mail today?!  

I want to end this with a little end of the year gratitude.  

I'm truly grateful for my blessings.  They are hard to see sometimes.  That is the reality of life.  You know how I wrote about my rash a few months ago?  It's been a battle.  I've had new things pop up, like sores in my mouth and on my tongue that I literally could not eat solid food for days with.  Random bruises that just popped up out of nowhere.  So tired.  Headaches and blurred vision.  There were times when I worried and times that I was just tired of it all.  But David was so kind through the whole thing.  Doing his best to take care of me.  And the boys helped with Ruger so much.  I was just so exhausted most of the time.  So even though it has been a rough few months, I can't deny the blessings that I was able to see once I looked for them.  I pray that I continue to do that this coming year.  I may not be able to control what is going on with my body right now but I can control the amount of emotional drama I put out for others to have to deal with.

I'm also grateful for extended family that continue to show love for us.  Little things like the seat for Ruger to sit with us at the table was sent because my parents read this blog.  I know my grandparents and Uncle read it faithfully.  I think that Grandma and Grandpa Adams do too.  I know they used to.  Grateful for random funny texts from April.  I miss her.  We all communicate in different ways and that is ok.  I'm not a big phone person but I try to send mail.  I keep this updated.  So I'm really grateful for things like this blog that keeps family connected.  

I'm grateful to hear my children laugh and talk.  Really talk to each other.  Usually silly things but I'll take it!  I love seeing Levi pick up Ruger and take him downstairs with him without me asking him to play with him.  I love the vents in our house that makes it easy to hear Levi and Brigham laugh at night right before they fall asleep (And man, does Levi have a deep voice!  It sounds almost like the TV is on downstairs.  You know, that sound that you feel in the walls?  Yeah, that's it.).  I'm grateful to see Brigham randomly show something to Hyrum on his phone and them just cracking up like its the funniest thing they have ever seen.  I'm grateful for Ruger's random kisses and when he actually says, "Mom!" Because we all know it is usually "Da" or "Brudder."

I am so incredibly grateful that David still loves me.  I am nothing like what he married 15 years ago.  For that I am grateful and sorry.  Grateful I have had the many opportunities to learn things with him.  To love each other through it all.  To witness miracles together and tender moments.  But I'm also sorry I don't give as much to him as he does me.  I do try.  Some people just serve others better.  I do random things for others without being asked.  And I do likewise with David but he just seems to be better at it.  So sincere.  I'm truly grateful for that.  So grateful for the example that he sets for me and the boys.

I'm grateful to see how much David loves his children.  How time and age have deepened that need to care for them.  To protect.  The need he clearly has for them to understand gospel principles but more importantly that they are safe here in our home.  I am coming to see more and more how important that is because that is when things can be taught and received.  I'm grateful that I had the example of my father to know what to look for in a man.  I'm grateful that he looked to his Father in Heaven as a role model.  I see the same in my husband.  I pray each of my sons do the same.

So....here's to a new year.  A new year to continue to grow, learn, and see many blessings.

Christmas 2016

Christmas Eve came as we enjoyed each others presence and gifts, of course :)

 Grandma and Grandpa wanted to know what to get the boys this year but I suggested that they give them money so that G&G didn't have to pay so much in shipping with gifts.  The boys were a shocked to get to so much money!

I think Brigham's favorite gifts were the headphones and multicolored mouse he got from Nanny and Poppy.

Ruger lasted long enough to open one present before he was off.  Later I found him playing with Nico with a ribbon that was from the one gift that he opened.

I wasn't able to get it in a picture but Uncle Chuck got the boys an XBox One.  They, of course, loved it!  And as always, even his game for it was the biggest hit.

They also got presents form Grandma Helen as well as Grandpa and Grandma Adams.  I'm truly grateful for all the gifts that were sent this Christmas.  It made me think of years past.  Especially while in college.  What family sent was what made the gift giving part of Christmas happen for the boys.  David and I are in a different financial place now but the memory was still there as I watched the boys open all these gifts from afar.

Nanny made each of the boys a blanket.  I kept them in the big boxes that they were sent in so as they were opening them they were excited to find out what they were (being in such a huge box).  I was concerned what the 2 older boys' response would be, well, they are 12 and 14 years old and most their age really don't care about a blanket.  So I warned them that it probably wasn't what they thought they were and secretly was grateful that Nanny wasn't here to watch them open them.  But to my surprise they instantly talked about how soft they were.  David mentioned that Nanny made them herself and that it took a lot of time to do it.  Brigham exclaimed, "Nanny made these?!"  

I was seriously proud of their responses. 

After everyone else's gifts were opened we finally were able to get Ruger to calm down long enough to open the rest of his.

Ruger's favorite show right now is Masha and the Bear and Octonauts.  Nanny and Poppy got him stuffed animals from Masha and the Bear.  Ruger took one look at Bear and said, "Tiddy!"  Tiddy (kitty) is what he calls all animals.  It doesn't matter if its a dog or a horse.  They are all tiddys.  Oh, and all things that fly are bees.

We had to wake up the older boys on Christmas morning because Ruger was awake before them and we wanted them to see Santa's gifts at the same time.  It sure is nice not being woken up super early for Santa.

I think this is Ruger's favorite gift.  MeMaw and Poppy had already decided to get Ruger this before they sent the money and honestly, I'm glad.  He really likes it.

Santa got all the boys one piece pajamas.

Yeah, this was as close as I could get with them all together.

About a week ago, we made gingerbread houses for Family Home Evening.  It has been a daily battle to keep Ruger away from them.

He thinks he is sneaky by hiding under the coffee table, dinner table, and computer stand while trying to eat them.

Christmas dinner was late this year because of church.  Lamar (one of our neighbors) joined us.  We truly enjoyed his presence as he spoke of how the Terrace and the Ogden area used to be.  It was relaxing and just perfect.  

Levi's 14!

On the 20th Levi turned 14.  My boy who towers over all his guy friends his age.  Funny how some of his "girl" friends are his height but not the boys.  Puberty.  And this kid's neck is killing me.  When did his adams apple get so huge?

But back to his birthday.

We picked up him and his friends from school and brought them back to the house.

 It's so fun to watch the boys grow.  How different they are.  How much I didn't expect things to turn out the way they are.  Like Levi and his "girl" friends.  He invited more girls than he did guys.  Which isn't that surprising now that I watch him.  Every time I pick him and Brigham up from school, Levi is walking with girls.  Every time.  Usually just girls. 

I wanted to get this picture in here too.  I was real proud of Brigham that day.  I know he wanted to go so badly with Levi and his friends (later to the movies) but I needed him to stay home for when Hyrum came home from school.  He was clearly disappointed but he did it without attitude.

 But before they left, we had cake and opened presents.

David, Ruger, and I went to the mall with the kids.  We bought their tickets and told them to behave :)  Then I had to let go of my need for David to go with them (no way am I watching a Star Wars movie!).  David and I stayed at the mall and let Ruger run around.  We ran into some friends from church and before we knew it we were taking kids home.

It was a good birthday for him, I think.  He really seemed to enjoy himself.  It was fun watching him interact with his friends.

He is a good boy.  A real good boy.

Hotel Weekend

Bruh

Um, the above word is what happens when you leave the computer for a few seconds to go get something to drink.

Brigham.

Ok, back to our weekend!  

Because David stayed in a hotel all summer for his job, except for the weekends, he accumulated a lot of valued customer points.  So we used some of them this weekend and got 2 free hotel rooms in Salt Lake City.  We were only a few blocks away from Temple Square.  After we checked in, we drove by Temple Square to get a peak at the Christmas lights there.  We were planning on walking over there later but it was so very crowded so we just looked from the van.  Ruger loves Christmas lights and is very animated about it.  He points and says, "Oh, Wow" all the time.  It never gets old.

 We stopped at a Chuck-A-Rama (The older boys LOVE buffets).  Ruger wants to be big so bad.  He really isn't liking his high chair at home right now, because he wants to be at the table with us so badly.  So going to Chuck-A-Rama where the high chair comes right up to the table had Ruger in heaven!  I made him a plate and he wanted to do it all himself with no help.  I even caught him taking a piece of meat and dipping it in Hyrum's gravy at one point.

 Ruger kept whining at Hyrum's icee and like the loving brother that he is, Hyrum gladly shared.

 We then went to The Tree of Life in Draper.  

 It's really hard to get in a picture just how amazing this lit up tree really is.

 We then went back to the hotel and spend some time in the pool.

 After checking out, we went to the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum.  We had some friends from church give us the tickets to get in and it was so worth it.  Ruger could not get enough!  If we lived close enough, it would be completely worth it to buy a membership.

 One part of the museum is all about Sid the Science Kid.  It was perfect for Ruger's height.  He had never seen the TV show before but once he saw the live Sid, he would not leave him alone!  He kept walking up to him and doing fist bumps with Sid.  And he wasn't just cracking up us.  Even other parents were laughing as Ruger would turn to go away just to come right back and want another fist bump.

We had been to this museum before but it was years ago.  I remember the 2 older boys getting bored after a while so I was wondering how this would go.  Levi was so helpful with Ruger.  When Daddy wasn't helping Ruger with something, then Levi was.  Later the older boys found this race track.  Building their own cars out of legos occupied them for a while.  Hyrum never got bored.

It was a wonderful little short trip to Salt Lake City.  No rush and lots of family time.  But as always, going home is always the best.

We love our little home.

Robbing the Cradle

 When your husband looks like he's 12 when he shaves, sometimes you have to give him a fake beard to make him recognizable again.

For the month of November, David didn't shave his beard.  Him and some guys at work did it as a challenge to raise awareness for cancer in men.  When it came time for David to finally trim it, I convinced him to just shave it all to see how the boys would react.

Ruger didn't do anything, which really surprised both David and I.  But the other 3 boys were pretty funny about it!  They weren't fans but we got a good few laughs out of it.  

We all agreed for him not to do that again.

It was fun telling the boys about my own experience with my Dad and him shaving.  For years he had a mustache.  When he shaved his off, I remember not liking it at all!  It felt like he had replaced his face with someone else's.  And that is exactly how I felt when David walked in the room after shaving the other night.  It felt like he was wearing someone else's face!  But a familiar face.  Because I did see in him the guy I dated before marrying him.  Still, I like him better with his neatly trimmed beard.

Plus, it just feels like I'm robbing the cradle or something.

SomebodyTurned 2 today!

On November 17th Maddie came over with presents and a mini cake for Ruger, thinking it was his birthday.  It was, however, the one year mark for when we adopted him so I think it was perfect timing!  So we celebrated anyways with her.

 Today, November 26, is his actual birthday.  For some reason I knew that I didn't want to have a birthday party with friends over.  I know that we did that with some of the other boys when they were his age but as the years have went on, we know that these birthday parties for babies are pretty much for the parents.  Honestly, the child could care less!  Plus, being invited to so many birthday parties (especially this time of year) can be so expensive.  So I thought I'd save my friends some money.  Ha!

 So I thought about it a lot.  What would Ruger want to do?  It is his birthday after all.  It turns out silly string really isn't his thing....  

 But there were no tears and we made up for it with everything else!  We got some pizza and breadsticks (Ruger is really liking bread right now) and went to a park.  We kicked around balls.

 The boys climbed.

 ALL the boys climbed!

We played on playground equipment and literally did what he led us to do.

It seriously felt like a perfect birthday.

 As we were heading home, we noticed some of the roads in Ogden closed.  I then remembered that there was a Christmas parade.  Normally, I really am not a fan of parades.  If they are in the summer, it's to hot.  Winter parades I don't mind as much because I like the cold but it is always so crowded and with little ones it just always makes me nervous.  But this was Ruger's birthday and he likes lights so we braved it.

It was certainly worth it for Daddy as he got to show the boys Rock Crawlers lit up in the streets, making their loud noises and showing off.

 And as you can see from the lack of coats, it really was a pleasant night.  We passed by a popcorn place and decided to splurge a little and what do you know?  We found birthday cake popcorn! 

  Afterwards, we came home and had some actual birthday cake.

And Daddy and Hyrum played with Ruger and his new toys from Uncle Chuck.  (We already opened up the mini trampoline that Grandma and Grandpa Thatcher sent and he will be wearing some of the things Nanny and Poppy got him tomorrow).

Something kinda funny that we realized tonight.  Last year, for Ruger's first birthday he got Thanksgiving.  So an amazing feast for his birthday.  This year he got a parade.  Hmmmm, what will next year provide?

Rashes and the Atonement

On Halloween night I ate way to much candy and so when I ended up having heartburn I figured it was because of that.  It was still weird to me though, because I don't deal with heartburn.  Sure I felt it a few times while pregnant but it was mild.  This was very uncomfortable though.  So much so that I not only felt that acid stuff coming up my throat but I also felt pressure on my chest.  This went on for a few days.  The heartburn, however was quickly forgotten as I broke out in a rash.  This itchy rash was all over my hands, arms, and legs.

It was frustrating me after a few days because, well, being itchy all the time is just frustrating!  I really thought it was the candy and so I cut out sugar.  But it wasn't making a difference.  In fact it was getting worse.  So eventually I went to the doctor.  He thought it was a bad case of eczema and gave me some oral steroids for it.  I always deal with eczema but I have never had it bad enough to have to take oral steroids.  

   

 I did notice a difference but by the time I finished the medicine it wasn't completely gone.  A few days went by and it came back but this time it was everywhere on my body except for the bottom of my feet and hands.  Luckily the only thing that creeped up on my face was this weird patch under my left eye.

At this point it had been past 2 weeks of having this rash and it finally dawned on me that it might be this pill I was taking before working out.  It coincided with this rash so I looked up the side effects and sure enough there were people on the internet complaining about heartburn and rash!  

So I went back to the doctor, showed him my new level of rash awesomeness, and told him about the CLA I was taking.  He thought I was probably right and gave me a prescription for more steroids.  He was surprised that I asked if I could please have a shot as well.  It's hard to explain how irritable one gets when they itch all the time.  I just wanted it gone.

As of now, I'm still on the steroids and I'm watching it slowly disappear.  The shot did wonders because even with my first round of steroids, the itching part never went away.  This time, it was significantly reduced by the next day after receiving the shot.

Well, I was thinking the other day about this whole thing.  It's almost been a month now of dealing with it.  I've tried my hardest not to let it get to me but wasn't always successful.  Obviously trying to fix it on my own (many lavender bath to soothe the itching, bandaging up the tips of my fingers because they eventually got so bad that they just cracked open and bled, ointments, and pretty much anything you can think of) wasn't working.  I finally "gave in" and went to the doctor who gave me medicine to help heal me.  But unfortunately, I went back to taking those pills unknowingly,  making it worse. 

Isn't sin like this?

Sometimes we do things that we think are ok.  We don't really think hard about it.  It just sounds like a good idea.  Not really thinking there would be consequences.  

Sometimes sin is like that.  Maybe we aren't close enough to the Spirit because of things we are or are not doing in our lives.  It's hard to hear the Spirit try to direct us in a certain way if we aren't really paying attention.  Sometimes sin can come in forms that we didn't necessarily realize we were heading toward.  But we do recognize that something is wrong in our lives.  It just doesn't feel right.  And before we know it, we are hurting.  And we just want it to stop.

So we seek out a healer.  Physically or Spiritually we turn to something or someone that will ease the pain. 

Just before going to the doctor, the second time, I received a Priesthood blessing.  The most important thing to me that I was told was that I would learn from this and would be compassionate to others dealing with similar things.  That night is when I realized the timing of the CLA pill I was taking.  A few days later is when I was able to realize, in a new way, just how important the Atonement truly is.

So I want to bear my testimony that I believe Jesus Christ is a healer.  He heals our wounds.  He and the Father want us to be close enough to the Spirit so that we can have happy lives!  Listening and doing as the Spirit directs can truly lead to joy. 

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you" (John 14:27)

My Hyrum

Hyrum is obviously cute.  Just look at that face!

And I've spoken of his tender heart many times.  This heart of his isn't just good on Sundays after church.  He amazes me (like this pumpkin that he carved a CTR in, for halloween) with his ability to want to be good just about all the time.  

I want to share a few experiences so that I don't forget in the future.  

A few weeks ago his class in 4th grade was encouraged to bring books to school on a specific day.  On this day, they would be spending hours reading.  Do you know which book he decided to bring?  His Bible and only his Bible!  When I told him that I was impressed that he would choose to bring his Bible his response was, "I just want to be blessed."  

Ruger gets real excited when his brother's come home from school.  All the boys are so good to him in giving him attention when they get home.  There is no way that this child couldn't feel loved, thats for sure!  But something that Hyrum lets Ruger do always makes me smile.  Almost the second Hyrum walks through the door, Ruger takes Hyrum's shirt (or jacket, if that is what he is wearing), grabs it and drags Hyrum to Ruger's room.  Ruger is ready to play with Hyrum!  And Hyrum lets him do it every time.  Instead of getting on electronics, like I'm sure Hyrum would really like to be doing, he lets his little brother drag him into his room full of toddler toys.

Hyrum is sensitive to my emotions and can often tell when I am stressed.  When he notices it, sometimes he will ask me about it.  Sometimes he will just start tickling my back.  And sometimes he will just ask me if I'm hot.  Hahahahaha!  Because he knows that if I'm hot, I don't want to be touched.

Our Primary Program is next week.  Our Primary President asked each child about a certain subject.  Hyrum's class was asked about the temple and which one was their favorite.  This is what he said, "My name is Hyrum and we go to the temple to welcome Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost to Earth.  We can prepare to be in Christ's house by helping others and not saying bad words.  I like the Ogden Temple because I got to go through it and be sealed to my baby brother."  These were his words.  How wise this little 9 year old is in essentially saying that we are ushering Christ's return by going to the temple.  And I love how he spoke of the Holy Ghost too.  To often I fear that I don't give enough credit to that great being.  The Holy Ghost.

I love my tender Hyrum.  I love how close to the Spirit he is on a daily bases.  I love that he is teaching me to think of others before myself.

I'm truly grateful that Heavenly Father sent Hyrum David Adams to me.

Update 11/25/2016:

The other day I was in my bedroom reading the Ensign when Hyrum came in and asked what I was reading.  I told him it was an article about preparing for Christ's return.  He said to me, "I wonder if Jesus is going to have a surprised look on His face when He comes back because of all the temples and churches that are here now?"  Besides that just being cute and sensitive of him, it was also interesting to me.  It was interesting because I had just finished the paragraph that talked about preparing us to receive Jesus Christ by going to the temple.
"Preparing A Place For The Lord by Bishop Gerald Causse"