family pic

family pic

Friday, November 21, 2014

Walnuts and more....


Wow, I have been taking a long time to update my blog! Life just gets slighty busy with 7 kids, plus homeschool, wife, and mommy duties! We have eleven walnut trees on our property and with the rainy weather we have had they are not drying properly. So, Tim and the kiddos have spent hours and I mean hours, shelling walnuts so they don't mold.  As of now, we have three gallon bags of shelled walnuts in the freezer! With quite a bit more to go.. 
Shelling walnuts, family time!
Momma gets to hang out with this little squishy boy while the others are working on walnuts!

At the dentist, they have this big gorilla..

I kept smelling melting plastic and was trying to figure out where it was coming from. After some investigation I found this in one of the heaters! Danger danger! Check your heaters!

My little guys dropping off our shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. They were so excited about tgis!

Friday, September 5, 2014

Random Tidbits From My Hospital Stay!

  1.I was laying there on the operating table and went to look from left to right when I glanced up and saw a sight I have never seen before! In the reflection of the OR lights I could see them working on me!!! I think I may have even saw my uterus at one point in my side to side view change. Not exactly what I wanted to see!! (Maybe the table was positioned just "right"?) 
   2. Abdominal binder, I swear by those things!! With Shiloh, my first c-section, I didn't have one and it hurt to cough etc when he was three weeks old! With Brandt in Peterborough (best birth experience EVER, tho Chase's was a close second) they gave me one automatically, and at two weeks I sneezed and didn't feel it!! This was standing up too! So with Konner and Chase I asked for one... A plus to the binder? It makes you look skinnier! ;) It holds everything all tight so I believe it helps you heal faster! (I have heard of one person not liking them, but me? Would NEVER do without again!)
    3. The hospital bed, love it!! It is so nice to push a button and the head of the bed goes up, another button the foot goes down so it is easier to get out of and go to the bathroom. I know some people don't like them because they get a sore rear. Me? I got more sore sitting on my bed watching a 2 hour movie than I did my whole hospital stay! (Maybe I need a new mattress, hmmm....)
       4. Nurses. I had the best nurse with Chase, she wasn't just my "caretaker", but I feel like I made a friend. We chatted every day about babies, faith, weddings, the best restaurants etc. She had actually lost a baby girl in February and still looked so sad, my heart hurt for her!!
   5.Food!! Tho, the menu options were limited with Chase unlike Konner, it was still awesome to be able to pick up the phone and order food for myself and Tim (his cost money, but it wasn't a bad price at all!) My favorite was the triple berry muffin!!
   6. Pokes and prods! I know that is the biggest reason some people don't like hospitals. Honestly I don't mind, that way I knew I wasn't dying! LOL.. After the first day/night they really didn't bother me much and in fact I TOLD the nurse to come in at night and tell me when it was time for my pain meds. I did not want to go through what I did with Konner and be without anything for over an hour. Then, it hurt so bad I cried, but the crying made it hurt worse, so that was not fun!!
   7. No pressure to cook/clean or anything. I love being able to just lay there and not have to think of anything but my baby. When I am home I can't get out of mommy/housewife mode. If something is out of place or needs to be cleaned it bothers me. So being in the hospital I didn't have to deal with any housework pressure. (Tim says I don't know how to be sick after watching me once try to straighten up when being miserable with the stomach flu! I think he is on to something there!) So in all honestly a hospital birth for me is almost a mini vacation where all I have to do is take care of and bond with my baby! And really what option do I have when I have c-sections? ;)
   I know there are people who would disagree with me, but that's fine! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and this is mine! :) 

Thursday, August 28, 2014

13 Years Ago...

  13 years ago tonight was the beginning of our experience with c-sections! I'm sure most of you are familiar with my story, but for those who aren't well I guess I can tell it again! ;) 
  I was one week away from being due with baby number 4, helping my aunt get ready for her daughter's bridal shower. I was standing on a stool (yes, I was a little young and "thought" I was invincible back then) tacking a balloon in the ceiling when I felt my water break. I jumped (again, the young invincible me) down and went in the bathroom... WELL it wasn't water, but bright red blood. I hollered for my cousin to get her mom and sat back on the toilet where it kept on coming! Seriously, it sounded like a horse peeing!! I couldn't get off the toilet, my aunt called 911 and away I went in the ambulance! A quick ultrasound showed complete placenta previa, which we did not know about as having no insurance we didn't have an ultrasound that pregnancy!! So in to the OR where Shiloh James was born exactly two hours after the 911 call was placed! And that is how my c-section story began! 
  It is hard to believe that my first "set" as I call my older kiddos, are all teenagers!! It is almost like having two families, the big Kiddos and the Littles!!
 

This picture is old, but it's the best I could find. Time for new pictures!!!

Monday, August 25, 2014

Chase Allen





  

        My c-section was scheduled for 12:30 on August 4th. On Sunday the 3rd I woke up in the morning and noticed I was losing my mucuos plug and I was having some contractions. This concerned me a little as I have never gone in to labor early and we were really still one week from being due! I called the Birth Center and they told me just to keep track of the contractions and if they got 5 minutes apart for 2 hours or my water broke then to come in. So we decided to stay home from church and lay low. The contractions lasted all day and night, but were irregular as my labors tend to be. (That's why I havent been able to do a VBAC) During the night they were pretty uncomfortable so me being the nervous person I am, called the Birth Center again. They told me the same thing so I tried to get some more sleep. I did take a shower about 1 AM and that helped relax me. Surprisingly I was able to sleep during the irreularity of the contractions. We woke up Monday morning and I finished getting my last minute things in my bag then headed out the door at 10. We arrived at the hospital and I was all prepped with IVs, blood draws, yucky drink (to clean out my tummy) and all that fun stuff. I did start to feel panicky for awhile there, but I survived!! ;) The doctor was running behind about 20 minutes so we had a little more time to wait. Once I was in the operating room I was nervous, but just recited the Lord's Prayer and 23 Psalm over and over while I got the spinal. Once that was done I felt a lot better, but didn't like the heavy feeling in my chest. That is a normal feeling with a spinal, I just needed a little more time to relax I think! Tim was brought in the room then and I relaxed after that. Then at 1:03 Chase Allen was born, Tim peeked over the drape and told me "It's a boy" I thought to myself "obviously" even though I had thought maybe he was a girl as his pregnancy was a bit different than the others. I'll admit, I was hoping for a girl, but as soon as I saw him screeching away there was no doubt in my mind that he was meant for me!! Then when Tim carried him over to me and I kissed those soft baby cheeks, my heart melted and I was completely wrapped around his little finger!
       Tim was able to leave the OR with Chase while I was stitched up. They gave me a little something to relax me and I slept through the stitching. I am glad I did, cuz I guess I bled a little more than normal and I would have been nervous listening to them deal with that! They wheeled me toward my room where down the hall I could hear Chase crying. We got settled in there and I fed him while doing skin to skin time. That is the most special moment, holding my baby for the first time ever!!!


   
     I ate a little bit of toast and fruit, but ended up puking that up. Not sure what was different, but both boys births that I had here I ended up puking. Maybe a different type of medication?? Anyway our kids all came and of course they all fell in love!! I puked again while they were there and I don't think they liked that very much!! Laban (14) went and hid in the bathroom, he does not like to see any pain or sickness. Floyd and Gloria, Danica, and Janessa came to visit that evening!

Roses from Anya and Kathy
    Tuesday I woke up feeling much better and was able to eat fine! Anya and Kathy came to visit and also Teresa. It was nice to have staggered company so we didn't get restless or bored. Course I was just enjoying my little guy and getting some rest in there too. The kiddos all came to visit again then Tim took them out for supper.



In Love!!!
     On Wednesday Tim had to work for awhile so the kids came and hung out with me, we watched a movie together and they all loved up on baby Chase or "Baby Jase" as Konner calls him!! :) That evening Travis and Sonja came by for awhile! Then on Thursday morning we were discharged and home we went!! It is crazy to think that it was 3 weeks ago today that he was born!!!

Monday, July 14, 2014

36 Weeks...

I am now 36 weeks and baby is scheduled to be delivered via c-section 3 weeks from today!! It is coming up so fast... A few months ago I was so anxious for August to get here, but now that it is closer, I'm not in such a hurry. I think for me the biggest thing that is looming in my brain is "The Needle"... Nothing else really bothers me about a c-section, not the thought of what they are doing, the recovery etc. It is the getting numb that I don't like.. Sitting in the OR hunched over waiting for that pressure of the needle going in. AND without my hubby to hold me up.. I just pray it goes as well as with Konner when I seriously did NOT feel it at all!!! So if you all want to know something specific to pray about for me, there you have it!! (Along with calm nerves, healthy baby etc etc... )
  While we were down for the West Reunion I asked my SIL, Jen, of Windy Ridge to snap a few Baby Bump pictures, so here they are:




                                                         
                                                        

P.S. The shirt I am wearing in the last two pictures is an Eden's Bouquet design.. It was a sample that Jen gave me. So soft and comfy!!
       

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Chicken Coop

We finally completed our chicken coop after working on it for months!! A picture post of the progress:


The beginning stages..


Laban drew up the plans with all the measurements, and Tim did it exactly that way!!

Walls going up!!


Painting..

Roofing

And: Complete!!!

As you can see by the pictures it took awhile to get done, but we are pleased with the finished product!! :)

Saturday, April 26, 2014

A Pup Named Loki

One of the things we were all excited about having our own place for was being able to get a dog again.. So we had been keeping an eye on the ads looking for a German Shepherd pup that wasn't too much money. About 5 weeks ago we found some that the father was straight from Germany and close to our price range so we decided to check them out. Well we all fell in love with this little male furball and brought him home for the price we wanted! Even before we got him the kids all had a name for him: Loki! So the training and raising of a dog begins!! For me all the mess and stress of a puppy is worth it as the puppy grows up with your kids and family getting to know them and used to the "attention" of little ones...


The doghouse, Kirsten drew the plans up for and helped build.. Laban, Shiloh, and Kirsten painted it...

Loki 12 weeks old..

Adorable pup!!


As for why a German Shepherd? Well that is what we have always had and we really like the looks of them. Tim was the one a little hesitant this time as they do require more work, but the kids all promised to help train this little guy and take care of him. :) As for me? I didn't want to get a mutt as you really don't know what they will end up looking like or acting like. I know that there are people out there that do not like GSs because they are "mean". Well the reason that you hear about that is because a lot of people don't realize how smart of a dog they are and just treat them like a regular old mutt.. They are too smart to be tied up or kept in a kennel. You have to give them plenty of room to run and play/work with them. I am happy to say we have plenty of land for him to roam and he definitely gets attention!! We love our little pup and he already feels like part of the family.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

24 Weeks!

On Easter Sunday I was 24 weeks along.. A milestone for me knowing that if for some reason baby had to be born there is a big chance of survival with todays technology. I don't know why, but this pregnancy has been more nervewracking like Brandt's was. Could be the miscarriage I am positive I had last July, just getting older and knowing more that can go wrong, or the losses in the family last year. Maybe a combination, but whatever the case, August still seems so far away!!! I do have to get another ultrasound at 28 weeks because baby was being stubborn and the tech couldn't get a good picture of the spine.. AND I have a spot on my placenta that they want to keep an eye on. The doc said it could be a placenta cyst or what is called a placenta pool, which is a pool of blood that isn't contained or something of the sort. As long as baby is growing everything should be fine, and baby sure feels bigger... Anyway I get another look at baby in a month!! :)
A couple pictures taken on Easter:

24 Weeks
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My Littles in their Easter clothes.. The big kiddos arent too into pictures anymore!!

Our House....

I had promised Elisa a blog post with pictures of our house... I know, I know we have lived here almost 5 months, but beings we moved in December and everything looked dead I wanted to wait. Our trees aren't cpmpletely green yet, but they are looking better.I wanted to get the pictures taken and do it after cleaning day so my house would be clean.. Or as clean as a small house can be with two adults, two toddlers, a tween, and three teens can be. BTW what is with all these names? They are all messy and have their challenges, which maybe is a topic for another day.. So without further ado, some pictures!:

Our house!!

These are our walnut trees, the trees you see farther back is the cherry orchard that surrounds us on three sides!!

Laundry room, I couldn't get a good angle tho. The door is coming from the side of the house.. The opening on the right, by the coats is the stairs to the basement, the window opening overlooks the stairs..


Toddler's side of my room!!

My side of the bedroom...
Living/dining area
Kitchen, looking from the laundry room.. counter on the left is the one between the kitchen and dining area.. door straight ahead is my bedroom.


Kirsten's room

One angle of the boys room..

Boy's room from their door..

The older kids rooms are downstairs where there is only 6ft. 2in. celings.. Makes us short people feel tall!! Their floors are bare concrete as the previous owners had to rip it out due to renters leaving a sprinkler going too close to the house (for a week, while on vacation!!) We figured since we will be adding on and remodeling there was no hurry in replacing it now..

P.S. Don't mind the mess in the boys room, please!!

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Brandt's 4th Birthday

After finding out my in laws would be here last weekend, I planned a birthday party for Brandt since I wanted his grandparents to be able to be here for it. Luckily I had already ordered the stuff for the party favors so it worked out well. A picture post of celebrating 4 years of Little Man!!


Cupcakes

An Army take on Dirt Cup

Birthday Boy, I think he was tired of the camera!

Love this!! A little embarrassed at the singing

Singing..

Presents!!

Party Favors (this is what I used on the dirt cup too) Gummy green army men!!

Saturday, March 15, 2014

A "Little" Bit of Excitement

I have told the story in bits and pieces on FB, have had people text and ask questions so I figured I would blog about it and you can get the "rest of the story".. So without further ado here we go:

It all began as a pretty much normal day, I walked to the store with the kids where we had ice cream bars for a snack. Tyrel and Laban biked so on the way home Tyrel took a different road and headed to Trent's house.. Later when I had supper going I text Danica to see if Tyrel was still there and to let him know supper would be done soon. She replied that they were still down at the river so I figured he probably wouldn't make it home to eat. Being down at the river was a common thing for the boys, they explored and did whatever teenage boys do so I wasn't concerned, just figured he would show up after awhile. I was eating supper with the kids (Tim was working late) when my phone rang. It was a strange number so I was curious. The caller was a man and he asked me (the conversation is kind of foggy so I am ad libbing a little, but this is the gist of it!!) if I had a kid who would be stuck out on the island... Oh boy, um ya that would probably be my kid. "They are on the second island and were holllering for help and gave me this number to call"... I told him I would call Gloria and see if Floyd was there so he could go down to the river and find out what was going on. (Remember Tim wasn't home yet) I called her and then after quickly cleaning up supper I headed to their house. Meanwhile Floyd had gone down to the river to see if he could help them, but there was no way he could without some type of boat. I suggested calling the Fire Department right away, but they were worried about being charged tons of money and it sounded like somebody we know had a canoe. So Floyd got a hold of Wade to bring a canoe out there. At that time Tim was on his way home so he headed there too. It was getting darker and I didn't like the idea of them attempting to rescue them if the water was that rough.. Gloria and I watched out their window as it looks down on the river and you can see where the guys and our other kids were standing.. All of a sudden we see flashing lights go by, fire trucks and ambulances!! I thought they must have decided to call 911 since it was dark, but nope they hadn't. We aren't even sure WHO called, but I just said God did as it would have probably been dangerous for the guys.. They ended up calling in the Dive Rescue team as it was too far to get to them. So they launched a boat from upriver and plucked them off the island at about 8:30 PM. The girls said the rescue boat was going sideways in the current so I am very thankful that the guys didn't attempt it!!  They checked the boys out in the ambulance and they were fine. Temperature was good which was the one thing I was worried about and then they were released to their dad's care!! The marine sheriff told Tim and Floyd that we were lucky not to be planning funerals as that river's currents are dangerous and they have a couple drownings a year!!  

The boys side of the story: They were down at the river and have wanted to check out the second, bigger island for some time now, so what do they do? They get the crazy idea to swim out to it. The started upriver and headed across. I guess about halfway there they started having second thoughts and the closer they got to the island the rougher the current. Trent made it to land and Tyrel had a few panicky moments, but was able to get to shore. Once there they didn't know how they were going to get back. (Probably should have thought of that a little sooner, hey?) They attempted a raft that actually did float, but there was no way to control it to get back across, so that idea was abandoned. They did get back in the cold (40something degrees) water twice to try swim, but thankfully gave up on that idea. They talked about building a shelter to sleep in if they had to. Then a guy was walking his dogs and they hollered, got his attention, and that is where we come in!!

I see God's hand in protecting them, from Tyrel making it to the island in his moment of panic, (also the fire chief did not believe they swam as it is to hard), their decision to not swim back, the guy walking his dog as he had actually come back to get the leashes that he dropped, and the neighbor (we don't know who for sure) who called 911 as I think of what could have happened if the guys took a canoe out there. I told Gloria that God is not finished with these boys yet, He has a plan for them!!!

And there was even an article in the paper about the rescue, with a few things wrong, but ya know how that goes!!: Article

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

A family Getaway!!

I knew the 9th of March would be a hard day and I didn't want to spend it doing "normal" things.. So one Sunday when Chad and Anya were visiting I told them we should take off for the night with the kids and take them to a cat zoo we had read about. That's exactly what we did!!! Saturday morning we met at their house then headed north to Spokane. After a quick lunch we visited Cat Tales Zoological Park. They have all kinds of wild cats and even a bear. We then headed to our hotel where the kids enjoyed swimming for awhile. After a supper of pizza we went back to the hotel and relaxed. Sunday morning we checked out and went to Cabela's just over the Idaho border (didn't get any pictures on my camera from there tho!!) We had lunch at Red Robin and then headed home. It was a much needed mini vacation for all! And now for a few pictures!! :)
Lion.. still a baby, only 2 years old!!


Looking at the lion


Tigers


Leopard.. I found it funny that this leopard is the same age as Tyrel (aprox) and the huge lion is the same age as Konner!!

Checking out the cats..


Strolling..


Cougar!!


Brandt


One of his favorite things there!! LOL


Some Goofy Boys!! :)

Momma and Konner Lee


Bubbles!!


Littles enjoying swimming!!