December 2012 Part 1

December was a fun month filled with lots of adventuring. We got to go to Zoo Lights with the Grahams which was phenomenal! It was a little on the chilly side but we had a blast. I'm always amazed at what can be done with unlimited amounts of lights, and we weren't disappointed!

Sean and I decided to make homemade vanilla extract to hand out to our HT/VT families and neighbors. I love how they turned out!

On December 20th we got to head up to Enumclaw. That night was Scott's (my youngest sibling) Eagle Court of Honor. All FIVE of my brother's are officiall Eagle Scouts! My parents are amazing at there perseverance and love of the scouting program. Having 3 boys of my own, I hope that I can follow in their diligent footsteps.

The nieces and nephews got to help explain the colors of the Eagle Pin. It was adorable.

Can you tell Mom is so proud?

Group hug! The entire family minus Jenny, Kelsey, and Makenna was there. It was a great experience!

All of my brothers and both brothers-in-law. ALL Eagle Scouts. Isn't that a powerful picture?

Excuse the gross hair. We travelled all day (took us 4.5 hours to get there) and I didn't have time to shower. Ha.

We got to be in Enumclaw for 8 days and with 28 people in 2,000 square feet, we all got to pitch in and help with groceries and dinners. It was a blast to be able to spend so much time together in the kitchen making delicious food!

Mom made homemade bread on the 2nd day we were there, and by the time we had left, I think all it was gone! I think she made 18 loaves. We like bread in our family, especially Mom's whole wheat, homemade, fresh out of the oven, with honey from the Wyoming family apiary!

To be continued...

Everett's 18 Month Stats

I was going through paperwork and found stats from Everett's 18 month appointment that I hadn't posted. So, here they are!

Everett Bradford

Weight: 24 pounds 11 1/2 ounces (27th percentile)

Height: 33 inches (58th percentile)

Head Circumference: 47.75 cm (42th percentile)

The doctor was very impressed with his motor skills (both fine and gross) and his communication skills. Everett was such a ham and was loving the attention from the doctor. Dr. M was laughing the entire appointment. I love the joy tha tEverett continually brings into the lives of all those he encounters. It's definitely a spiritual gift!

Pictures to go with the last post

Somehow the pictures got out of order. Not fixing it :)

My newest niece, Makenna!

Brayden and Everett in the Cheese-mobile

the stuffed mushrooms I made for Thanksgiving. They were yummy!

Brayden running to say hi to his cousins!

Brooklyn, Michael, Tyler

Lorraine's incredible homemade bagels for Thanksgiving

Quinoa Veggie Primavera Salad. YUM

Aaron and Ryan

Everett taking a break

Hi!

I've been trying to blog for awhile but my account is full and it won't let me upload pictures. I decided I wanted to blog anyway, even if it is a picture-less blog, since it has been so long!

November was a fun month for us. We got to go to the Tillamook Cheese Factory with my cousin Kalyn who was visiting from Virginia. She is looking into getting her Ph.D and applied for the program at Portland State. I'm praying so hard that she gets in!  I also got to go play a round of disc golf with Kalyn. It was so much fun and it was nice to get out and do something athletic, even though I sucked at it :)

We had a very fun and enjoyable Thanksgiving at Brad and Lorraine's with Ryan and Heidi and kids, Josh and his girlfriend, and Tanya and Scott and their kids. It was a really fun and relaxing holiday. (I so wish my pictures were working! The food was divine but words don't do it justice.)

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving we went Christmas Tree hunting with Grandma and Grandpa Janeway, and Ryan and the 4 oldest kids. Heidi stayed home with Jordan. It was so fun to get out into the crisp Fall air and run around a nearly deserted tree farm (we were the only family there most of the time.) We ended up not getting a tree this year since we'll be in WA for Christmas, but it was fun to get to help pick Ryan and the Grandparents' tree!

Now for an update on the boys.

Brayden is excelling in school. He loves it and loves doing his homework. He is such a sweet boy and is quick to help around the house. He is an amazing big brother and loves playing with his younger brothers. He  is really good at making them laugh and smile, and is quick to share his toys if it means they'll be happy. Just tonight we went to Brad and Lorraine's for Family Home Evening. We drove around looking at Christmas Lights on our drive home and by the time we were done, all 3 boys had fallen asleep. (After the other 2 had fallen asleep, Brayden said "Mom, my body is telling me that it's really tired so I'm going to let it go to sleep." Within seconds he was passed out.) We got home and I got to carry Brayden inside. His 5 1/2 year old body isn't that small anymore, and it was a little sad to carry him up 2 flights of stairs and realize he isn't a little boy anymore! I laid him on his pillow and he awoke enough to say "My arms don't want my shirt on them" (he normally sleeps shirtless) so I helped him take it off. As I was taking it off he started singing "Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go..." then he rolled over and passed back out. Ahh, I love this little boy!

Asher is an endless ball of fiery energy. He loves watching shows and playing games on my phone but doesn't so much like to do the chores to earn those privileges. It's a constant struggle teaching him that you have to earn such rights. It's like he doesn't remember it day to day. He is loving his gymnastics class and I wish we could afford to keep him in it. It is so fun to see him excel at something that he loves. He loves to climb and jump and practice his head stands. I wish we had a bigger place that was more conducive to his personality, but we make do with what we have... Which means he is allowed to jump off the back of the couch and do a flip roll on to the cushions then the floor. Couches are replaceable...right?

Everett is officially in Nursery. He's been in a couple times and...it's definitely a work in progress. If he could have gone in at 16.5 months he would have been great. But right before he could go in he started getting a little clingy to Mom and Dad. We'll get there :) He is still such a joy to have in our home and is this constant light. He is always making all of us laugh and smile, except when he is throwing food and making deliberate messes. But Everett's sweet spirit is alive and well and is definitely the best medicine for any type of ailment. That kid could cure cancer with his smile! He is talking a lot more, and goes to bed and naps really easily most of the time still. He loves to dance, and loves to be held

I start EMT school in January. I'm really excited but it's the accelerated course which means it's going to be a 10 week whirlwind, but then *hopefully* I pass and it's over with and we will have all survived.

Sean is such an amazing father to our children. He loves to play with them, read to them, teach them... just today Brayden was doing his homework and was struggling to understand the seasons. Sean got out the duplos and explained that there are 12 months, and 4 seasons, which means each season is 3 months. He had it all in visuals and by the end of it, Brayden was a pro. Sean is so patient with them, and so good to us. We definitely are lucky to have him in our family! And I am so grateful that he has 3 boys that look up to him and love him. He truly is adored!

October Update

October has been a busy month for us, which hasn't left much time for blogging! This post is October in a Nutshell.

Asher turned 4! These pictures were of him before he got to open his present. He makes me laugh.

For his birthday he got a Captain America costume, and we went to the zoo with Baron. The weather was beautiful, and Captain America got tons of attention, which he soaked up!

 Everett had a blast playing in the dirt... directly after we applied sunscreen. Not our best move ever.

Sean picked a billion grapes from his parent's house, and also from our backyard neighbors, Pat and Renee's bush. He went to town and made delicious grape juice. Without adding any sugar, it was the most delicious grape juice EVER. I'm so glad he loves figuring this stuff out.

We really enjoyed the beautiful weather we had throughout the entire month of October. We got out and enjoyed it a lot!

Brayden was showing me how one of his baby teeth didn't grow in. He loves telling people that. We'll see how much he (and we!) like it when he needs braces!

We went to the Pumpkin Patch with the Grahams. I think we've gone with them 3 years in a row now? Definitely considered a tradition at this point.

This was the best Everett would give us. He was not a fan of the camera then!

Grandma and Grandpa Harston and Uncle Will came to visit us for the weekend to come see the Primary Presentation in Sacrament meeting that Brayden and Asher both participated in, that I was in charge of. They came to Grandma and Grandpa Janeway's with us and carved pumpkins with us. It was a blast!

Brayden got halloween makeup from Grandma J and went to town. She let him bring it home...

and this is what he looked like after washing it off! What a goober.


Uncle Will stayed an extra 4 days after G & G Harston left, and we took him to Pump It Up. I can't tell who's having more fun!

Asher is in a Gymnastics class and is loving it. His teacher tells me every week how impressed she is with his abilities, and she absolutely loves having him in her class. He is a fast learner and is definitely coordinated!

We went to the zoo again when Uncle Will was here. We went with the Grahams and the Bushman's this time. It was so fun to get all of these boys together!

We went Trick or Treating out in Banks with Brooklyn, Tyler, and Aaron. We were out for about an hour and the boys got tons of candy. Thank goodness for the red food dye allergy that allowed me to throw over half of it away without them complaining!

Another thing that happened in October, was Ryan and Heidi's precious baby Jordan was born. He was born on October 3rd, 2 days over his due date. The delivery went well, but they could tell something wasn't right. Jordan went to the NICU and still, 6 weeks later, is there. Long story short, the nerves in his neck and throat didn't fully develop. His vocal chords, swallowing muscles, and tongue were partially paralyzed. His ears are shaped a little differently, and he has a hole in his heart. We also recently found out that his kidneys aren't functioning properly. Over the past 6 weeks, his vocal chords have started working, and I think his swallowing muscles as well. The doctors are hopeful that the tongue will follow suit. At the beginning of November, Jordan had a Tracheostomy done. Before this was done, his vitals kept dropping, and the nurses had to keep sucking secretions out of Jordan's throat that he couldn't manage on his own. He struggled breathing through these...it was like breathing with one nostril under water. The trach allows Jordan to breath below the secretions, allowing him to spend his energy on healing, not just surviving. He has made great progress since getting the trach put in, and is scheduled to come home Tuesday. YAY!

He will have surgery on his heart when he's a toddler, and it is possible that Jordan will get the trach removed around his first birthday. It's also possible that the trach could be in his whole life, but we are praying and hopeful that that isn't the case. He is being fed through a peg and aren't sure how long that will be in either.

This boy and his family have been so blessed with miracles, blessing, and outpourings of love from family, friends and ward members. The amount of people that have come out of the wood work to bring that family meals, dessert, and other tender mercies is astounding. I am so very grateful for this Gospel and for the Love of Christ that bring people together in a time of hardship to buoy those that need buoyed.

Get better soon Baby Jordan!