Long time...no see!

This picture describes how I have felt lately....Crazy! Summer has flown by and now it's time to start getting back into a routine. I feel bad that I have neglected this blog and nobody probably checks it anymore. I will try to post some more pictures lately but here are a few.

Kylie turned seven a few weeks ago. Where does the time go? She is such a blessing to our family and reminds me daily to be silly and laugh a lot. She is really starting to blossom and turn into a pre-teen. She loves everything makeup, boys, girly, etc. She is very social and has LOTS of friends. She is outgoing and a sweetheart. For her birthday we surprised her with a scrapbooking kit. She has watched me for many years and has wanted to start on her own. She has loved this kit and has made MANY pages.

Eric has been busy doing scouts and coaching tee ball this summer. He also has decided to go back to school and has been taking two classes. Between working 45-50 hours a week, homework, etc he has stayed very busy!

This summer was Tyler's first year of minor league baseball. He improved greatly and had some awesome hits! He mainly played short stop or third base but he loved playing catcher. Here is their team picture minus some boys who left early.

Eric loves to spend time with the boys and do "guy things." This picture is of their daycamp.
Things with my job situation have finally been settled! I am "officially" working 32 hours a week at the hyperbaric and wound clinic in Cache Valley Specialty Hospital. It is a fun job with awesome people. It will be an adjustment working this much but I had to seize the opportunity while I could. Nursing jobs in Cache Valley are few and far between right now. I have to admit it...this past 8 months have really been a trial for me. I left a job that I loved, that paid well,and that allowed me to be home with my kids quite a bit. I left due to Medicare cuts and ever since then it has been a struggle. I haven't had any benefits or any paid time off. I have had 3 different jobs at the same time to try and equal one income. Every pay check was a different amount. Then I got sick and spent four days in the hospital. I was stressed because I didn't know how we were going to make ends meet! Through all of this I have gained such a testimony of tithing. This has been a long lesson for me to learn but I finally "get" it. We have kept being full tithe payers and have somehow made it. I am so thankful that we have lived within our means, had some savings, and have no debt other than our van/house. If not for this we would of been in big trouble! Despite all of our struggles we have been blessed to keep paying extra on our van and will have it paid off in two months! I don't know how, but we kept to our goal. I have learned that it's not toys or having nice things that make us happy, it is being secure with who we are.
I will try to keep more up to date on my posting!

Dance Recital

The girls had their end of the year dance recital last week. It was fun to get them all dressed up and girly. They loved every minute of it! They both did really well and want to do it next year.


Don't I have the most beautiful girls?

Life has been especially crazy lately! I have been working full time at two different jobs and it has been difficult to balance everything! I am working two days a week at the wound clinic and I love it! I am still doing home health 1-2 days a week plus I just got called into scouts with my husband! Tyler is playing baseball 1-2 times a week and both girls are in Tee ball with Eric as their coach. I also am called as an activity days leader to top it off! Eric has been talking about a huge career change that would require a lot of sacrifice on our family financially and time wise. On Tuesday, I pretty much had a breakdown in front of all of my neighbors and friends. I guess when I'm stressed I don't hold it in very well! It has been hard dealing with my job change especially since I didn't see it coming! We have had to take about $1500 a month pay cut while working more hours per week and daycare costs. Just when you think life is going to get easier then you get hit with a curve ball. We have been very blessed though and I know that things will work out!

Our trip to San Diego

I am finally getting around to post about our recent trip to San Diego! I screwed up my unloading of pics so they are in the wrong order! Oh well, that's what I get for not posting for so long:)

The last big thing that we did was go to Legoland! We had a mix up about our go San Diego cards and ended up having to pay extra for it. I am still mad about that one but that is a story for another day! We had fun riding all the rides but by this point the kids were all fighting as well as Eric and I bickering. I think we had just been together too long in such a small space! Isn't that what family vacations are all about?




On Sunday, we went to Oceanside beach. The kids enjoyed putting their feet in the sand and water. We walked along the pier and at the end is a cute 50's diner. We ate there and enjoyed looking at the ocean.





On Saturday was the big wedding! We went to San Diego because Eric's cousin was getting married. It was beautiful and so nice to get to see all of Eric's cousins, Aunts, etc. The reception was at the Hilton with the Torrey Pines golf course. It was so gorgeous! The kids loved the reception, especially dancing. I couldn't believe how much Tyler liked to dance and be crazy with the other boy cousins. Kylie danced until midnight and got to sleepover with Grandma. She loved it and says that was her favorite part of the whole trip!








After we saw the Padres stadium and lunch we took a tour of the USS Midway. It was extremely crowded due to a special event but it was still interesting. It's hard to believe that men stay on those boats for 9 months! I was surprised at how big the ship is and they have everything that we have! A barber, movie theater, etc. Tyler especially liked to look at the different airplanes.





The second day we went to the Padres Stadium per Eric's request. We did a behind the scenes tour and it was really interesting! We got to go in the press box, dugouts, and even by home plate! I think Eric was in heaven the whole time! We walked in the Gaslamp District and ate at a really cool Spaghetti Factory.





The kids were so excited to see Grandma Pat and be in San Diego! Our first full day we went to the Wild Animal Park. It's kind of like a zoo but it has animals more in a big habitat. We enjoyed seeing all different kinds of animals and our favorite was a 25 minute long safari ride!






We left on a Tuesday after the kids got out of school and me off work. We thought it would be better to drive to Las Vegas and stay one night rather than drive it all in one day! We ended up not getting to our hotel until 11:30 because the wind was blowing so hard against us the whole way down there! When we woke up the next day we went to the M &M store, walked around the block on the strip, saw the little circus show, and let the kids play carnival games. It was actually kind of fun! I am not a huge fan of Vegas but early in the day it was a lot better! After lunch we drove the rest of the way to San Diego!




Ever since we got home it has been crazy! The kids will be out of school soon, Tyler is starting baseball, the girls have a dance recital, the kids need to take swim lessons, and I have started training at the hospital. I have trained in the wound clinic and the medical/surgical floor. It is different then what I am used too but that is good. I am still working at home health and I am just trying to balance it all until a permanent position opens up. I am hoping it will all work out!

Easton's Birthday

This past week has been a busy one, like usual. Easton turned the big 4! I know I always say this but I can't believe how fast he has grown up! He is such a sweet, affectionate boy, loves to wrestle and get dirty, will play house with the girls, and loves to follow Tyler around. He is the only one of kids that wasn't breech and was a easy baby. He still loves trains but has expanded his obsession to include SpongeBob and Cars. He loves to play the Wii and is better than me! Ok, that isn't very hard but still! His favorite food is mac n' cheese but he also loves banana's and apples. He is just a special child and we are so lucky to have him in our family!

Easton was so excited to celebrate his birthday with his best friend and neighbor Bridger. These two love to play together and we are so sad that they are moving next month!


I love this pic of him. It says it all!

Just an update on my job situation: I am working in home health at SST Homecare but it has been slow so I got a job prn (as needed) at the Specialty Hospital on the Medical/Surgical floor. I am also prn at Alpine(my old job) and am just helping out here and there. So that is 3 jobs but none of them have set hours! I also interviewed at another homecare for part time yesterday and I feel like it went really well. I did apply to another job at the hospital as a operating room nurse and I would REALLY love to do that! So who knows! I am praying that something steady will come along! Besides all of this we have been trying to get ready for our vacation to San Diego! We are so excited and are very ready to do some relaxing and fun stuff!

Easton

Easton

Easter and such

I have FINALLY got around to posting about Easter. The past few weeks have been a blur and I think I lost some time while being sick. I have just started to feel like I am getting better but I still feel weak and not able to do all that I want. During all of my illness was Easter. The kids had fun finding their baskets, dying Easter eggs, and doing a Easter egg hunt outside.









The kids got candy, little purses, glow sticks, bubbles, etc, etc. I love Easter because it doesn't take much to please and I love that!

Tyler got to "rock the halls" at school. I was not well enough to make it but Eric went and supported him. Tyler had earned enough AR points from reading to run around with a bunch of kids and the principle. They got a medal and a tee shirt. We are so proud of him! He is a silly, annoying boy most times but a good kid!
We are looking forward to our big trip to San Diego at the end of the month! We are going to Legoland, SeaWorld, Eric's cousins wedding, Las Vegas, and just hanging out. We are excited to get out of town for a little bit and have some fun!