Family fun

The past month or two has sure helped me better appreciate my family.  Not that I didn't appreciate them, but I love and appreciate them now more than ever.  I try to treasure each moment with them, because it feels like those moments come way too infrequently now that I've started working.  

Even moments like this make me smile...

Yes.  Yes.  That is gum smashed all across my one-year old's head.  Logan got a hair cut after that one.  This little incident was courtesy of Dallin.  

Also, John has now left for TX.  One more thing to help me treasure the time we have together.   His job here was breaking his back, and not paying a whole lot, so after a lot of thought/prayer/stress we've decided to send him to find a job in TX.  He doesn't officially have the job, but has been told the next job opening will be his, so here's hoping...!!  Meanwhile, I will stay behind and work and get the house ready to sell.  The kids and I will be moving in with my parents.  I have to be to work by 4am (sometimes earlier), and getting them up between 3-3:30 am on a school morning just didn't make sense.  And this way, they can have the stability of a constant routine.  On nights that I work late, they will still have dinner at the same time and with the same people.  I appreciate my parents for helping us so much.  

The day before he left I was determined to have some family fun.  We pulled the kids out of school for the day, and just ran errands as a family.  Then, in the afternoon, I dragged a family full of grumpy boys to the county fair.  Once we got there they all cheered up, and we had a blast.  Cory was excited to go on some of the bigger rides with daddy, including the Gravatron!!  Here they are on the ferris wheel, although you can't really see them.  

Dallin and Bryson decided to play it a little safer, and had some fun riding the smaller rides.  

I love this shot!  Brothers having FUN!

My handsome boys!!

The next morning John headed off to TX at 4am.  Dallin woke up first.  He grabbed his little orange blanket, and followed Daddy into the car, assuming he was going too.  We had to tell him he couldn't go.  He went back to bed, and then the older boys woke up in time to all give Daddy a hug before we sent him off to the great unknown.  We'll miss you, Daddy!

Oh Dallin, what entertainment you are!

The other morning, there was a mad rush to get ready on Sunday morning, as there usually is.  I was putting on my make-up when Dallin got out of the bath.  I told him to go put his underwear on, and put on his church clothes.  A few minutes later he came to me, telling me he was all ready for church.  His voice had a hint of mischief in it, and when I turned around, this is what I saw:  

HA HA!  Oh, Dallin, you are so funny.  

Then, the other afternoon I came into our front room, and found Dallin meditating.   Hee hee.

Dallin's 4th birthday

Yay!  Dallin turned FOUR!!!!!  I just can't believe it.  He used to be my baby, it doesn't feel like THAT long ago!!  

I was scheduled to work on Dallin's big day, but my preceptor (trainer) allowed me to switch days so I could be home with my little boy!  THANK HEAVENS!!

So, we started the morning with a special breakfast: pancakes with sprinkles and white chocolate chips, and his own bottle of apple juice.  :)  He was a happy camper.  

So were his brothers.

We sent the bigger boys off to school and had some fun around the house.  He got a batman shirt as his first present (see the first picture), and he was THRILLED with it.  He decided to get ready to go...so he got dressed with his hat, gloves, sunglasses, and two...yes, TWO belts.  

Then he wanted a photo shoot.  He wanted me get his front side...

...and his backside.  :)

Oh, Dallin.  I love you.  You provide ENDLESS amounts of entertainment!!

Just before the kids got home from school, Nanny Goates (my mom) picked up Dallin and took him out for ice cream.  The kid at the table next to him said to his mother "MOM!  That boy has a BATMAN shirt on!"  Dallin felt like cool stuff!  

While Dallin was away, the older boys decorated the house with streamers and balloons.  We picked up a pizza and a cake - yes, store bought.  *shaking head*  That's what being a working mom has done to me.  

We had Nana, Grandpa Tilton, and Jacob over for dinner and dessert.  

Such a handsome group of boys!!!  You can just feel how happy Dallin is!!

Cake time!!!!  Captain America!!  Dallin loved it!

Snug as a bug in a rug!





Night night, little Dallin.  You are my joy.  You are so much fun, you add so much to my daily life.  Thank you for being you.  Oh, and happy happy birthday!!









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New job

So - as many of you know I started a new job this last week.  I wanted to load a picture of me in my scrubs here, but I'm always in a rush getting out the door, and by the time I come home, I just look nasty.  So, no visual aides for this post, sorry.  To clarify, my motive for going back to work is not to fill some need to "keep my sanity" or to pursue a career I felt I missed out on,or put on hold while having kids.  I keep getting the comment "Good for you, going back to work!" and it just puzzles me.  There is one reason, and one reason alone: money money money, stupid stupid money.  Or maybe I should say "bills bills bills.  Stupid bills."  Well, that and John's back - we're hoping him not being the sole "bacon bringer" will ease some of his burden, so his back doesn't end up with permanent damage.  So, we're keeping our fingers crossed for that.

So, what's the job you ask?  I work as a patient care technician at a dialysis company.  I will be working 40+ hours per week, and my responsibilities will include caring for 4 patients at a time, checking blood pressures, reacting to dialysis alarms, connecting patients to the dialysis machine (Yes, that means I'll be putting in large needles into frail veins), administering some forms of medication, etc.

I'll only work 3 days a week most weeks.  Sure there will be some long (like 15 hour) days - which will likely start just before 4am, but the other 4 days I will be home with my family.  Since John usually gets Friday and Saturdays off, this means I only have to find a sitter 2 days a week.  The company provides full benefits, bonuses, frequent raises, etc.  It really seems like a good job.  Something to carry us through until John gets done with school.

I've now worked 3 days (in a row).  It's going good, I think.  Usually training is like 10 weeks, but they're hoping to condense it into about half of that because they are so short-handed.  To someone who has no previous medical experience, it definitely feels more than a little overwhelming.  Plus I miss the kids horribly.  I could lie and say that it's not that bad, but it is.  I hate leaving them.  It completely breaks my heart.  I'll have to work on Dallin's 4th birthday on Tuesday and so that's just salt in the wound.

As for your next question:  Who's watching the kids?  I have to divide them up during the week.  One of John's coworkers lives just a couple streets away, and she takes the older kids before and after school both days.  She also takes the younger ones during one of the days (all day).  The other day, Dallin and Logan go to my in-laws house.  It makes for some early mornings for the kids, being dropped off just before 5, and on a school morning!  Ah.  Once again, breaks my heart.  But what else can I do?

So, that's the scoop.  It's a good job, in fact it's fascinating.  I've learned a lot.  I like the people I work with, they all have been nice.  Just kind of a bummer that I have to leave my babies...

Back to School 2011

First of all, LOOK WHO IS A STANDING MAN!!!

He's taken a few steps.  First to Daddy.  I love it!!!

And now, let me introduce my sons.  Cory, a third grader, and Bryson, a second grader...

And here's Dallin with the big boys, so wishing HE could go to school TOO!

Yes, there are a lot of smiley pictures, but here's what REALLY happened once we got out the door...

but the boy can sure turn on the charm once he knows I'm taking pictures...

(love you, Cory.)

But once we got to the bus stop, they were eager to go.  Never even looked back once the bus came.

Dallin wasn't that sad when they left...

...but Logan was a bit sad to see them go.

We had lots of fun with just the three of us home.  I couldn't believe how much smoother the day went.  It was just so nice.  Somehow I didn't think the big boys going back to school make THAT big a difference.  Boy oh boy was I wrong.  It's just so nice and calm and quiet with "JUST" two.  :)

This one deserves its own post.

Caught you.

Just a bunch of kidlette shots

 I just love my four beautiful boys!

 Here's Bryson riding his bike around our back yard.

Yes, that's a mohalk on my son's head.  And I love it.  

I just love this picture.  My crazy kids.  That's all I can say.

Yup, Logan is his father's son.  Tee hee hee!!!

Silly Logan being goofy!!

I just LOVE LOVE LOVE this shot of Bryson!  What a handsome boy!

And my sweet Cory!  What a special kid.  And I mean "special" in a good way!!!  :)

And you can't forget Dallin!  ha ha ha!  What a nut.

My and my baby, who's not as much of a baby these days.