A Brave Cowboy and His Old Lady

This year it was just me and Gav for Halloween...again! Last year Daddy had to work and this year he was not even in the same state! We missed Daddy and hopefully he will be able to join us next year. 

 I never really get into Halloween and would never wear a costume, but try telling elementary kids that. I dress up every year just for my students. This year I ressurected my great grandma's mu-mu, spray painted my hair gray, and called it good. By the time I took Gavin Trick-Or-Treating I was a mess, and really just looked like a crabby lady who had been trying to keep her sanity being a single parent to a crazy two year old!

 Anytime we asked Gav what he wanted to be for Halloween he said, "Brave".  He got this notion after hearing my friend's daughter say she wanted to be Merda from the movie Brave. We convinced him to be a BRAVE Cowboy...sheesh! Luckily, thanks to Papa Mike and B-Ma we had all of his costume already. This boy loves his horses!

I loved the neighborhood that we lived in because kids went out Trick-Or-Treating at like 5:30 and were done by 8pm. Not to mention people were giving out things like warm home-made doughnuts.

Leaving

We made it to the land of Oz. Actually we made it about 2 weeks ago, but those weeks have been busy and kinda hard. Taylor has traveled over 80+ hours in the car over the last month. Gavin and I have joined him for about 36 of those hours and it the last 8 weeks I have been a "single parent' for 6 of those weeks. Life can be hard sometimes. I have cried almost every day. I have said silent swear words in my head probably just as many times. I have driven around aimlessly trying to find things for Gav and I to do to fill our days (I'm still adjusting to this stay-at-home-mom thing) and have been going crazy with no internet.

I knew that leaving the Salt Lake area was going to be hard. Having everything within a short 20 minute drive was a blessing I took for granted. We lived in a good sized home in a fantastic neighborhood. I had friends and family close by (and a decent shopping mall!). I left a great job and great friends and was just beginning to feel at home. I always knew Utah wasn't going to be our permanent/raise your kids here place but as we drove across the country, Gavin and I most of the time, I tried to stay positive as to what we heading towards. This really was an answer to prayer: a job for Taylor that he would love. But part of me couldn't help feel like I was abandoning everything for it. I would do it all over again for him, don't get me wrong, but that doesn't make it any easier.

We spent Thanksgiving with my Grandparents in Illinois. After our 20+ hour drive to Kansas, a week later we packed up the car again and drove the 10 hours to my grandparents. I loved being there with them. We played and ate and just relaxed and remembered days gone by. And then we had to leave. Leaving. It seems to be the theme of the last month and it stinks. We drove the 10 hours home and it was longer than I wanted because I knew I really wasn't going "home". The next morning Taylor got up early and left to go on a soccer trip for school. A trip where he left and doesn't know when he'll be home due to if the team wins or not. Again, leaving.

Today I talked to my mom and my aunt on the phone and when I hung up, I burst into tears. I can't even "leave" anyone on the phone. Sheesh. I am such a crybaby! I know that things will get easier. They have to. I'm not trying to complain. I love my little family being back together (well, we have only been together for like a week!) and I love that Taylor is loving his job. I love that I get to spend time with Gavin going to the YMCA, to the library and just hanging out at home. I just don't like the fact that in order to do all of this and have all of this I had to leave so many things. It's a blessing. I keep telling myself that. Maybe I should tattoo it on my forehead. I am clinging to the fact that in 3 weeks we will get to see almost every member of our extended families! And I'm not thinking about the leaving part.

It's about time...

Oh my goodness...where to begin? It's been a LONG time since I posted (like 6+ months) and I racked my brain thinking about how I was ever going to catch up. I came to the realization that I am not going to catch up. Drats. But that doesn't mean that we haven't been doing lots of fun things. Maybe when I have the energy I will post pictures from our 6+ months of fun. 

Unfortunately during those 6+ months of fun there were also many long days, nervous moments, and sleepless nights, I guess that's life right? Taylor and I have always believed that the Lord has a large (VERY LARGE sometimes) hand in our life and just recently our testimony has been strengthened. A year and a half after graduating with his Master's degree, Tay has landed his dream job...only problem: it's back in Kansas. I guess it's not really a problem, but remember that energy I was talking about? I currently have NONE due to the fact that I am a) trying to sell our house and keeping in show condition b) chasing after a 2 year old and being a single mom 3) still teaching 3rd grade. Tay is currently in Kansas working and I am tying up loose ends here at home. I have been humbled and amazed at the outpouring of love and support from friends, family, church members, and co-workers. You can imagine my heartbreak in telling my 33 third graders, and many tears were shed. I just have to remember that this is all in His hands. 

So it's back to Kansas for us.  Part of my soul always knew we'd be back. So I have come to the decision to make this blog public again, and to try to be a better blogger so that our friends and family can keep up with our Kansas adventure.  But don't worry, "There's no place like home". 

Gavin's ready to drive to "Tan-sas" today! 

Christmas in Boise

We spent a glorious Christmas in Boise with Mom and Dad and the Tanners. The only thing that could have made it better was if Elder Peterson could have joined us. It was so fun to have both Gav and Will there and they got along just fine. Sadly, these are the only photos I have on my computer, but don't let the lack of photos mislead you. We had buckets of fun! 

 The boys in their traditional matching Christmas jammies. Gav still wears these to bed in July! I love them!

 Gav got a Sit and Spin from Mimi and Papa McFarland and thought he'd show Will how to ride it. 

We are looking forward to Christmas 2013 when we finally will all be home for Christmas (fingers crossed!) 

It's hard Being the Oldest

In October we went to Denver to see the Tanners.  The main reason we went to Denver was so Gav could spend some quality time with his cousin Will. Being exactly one year older (to the day) Gav took it upon himself to show will how all of his toys worked. 

 "See you just do this, and then it makes this noise." 

 "Mom, this kid is a know it all. Who the heck is he anyways?" 

 A quick moment to tell Gav that he can not lay on his cousin. 

 We also took the boys swimming at our hotel. Gav didn't mind that the water was freezing. Will on the other hand wasn't too sure about this idea of a big cold bathtub. 

"See Will, it's not that bad. So what if you loose feeling in your fingers and your toes turn to icicles?" 

After church Gav got to go on a bike ride with Daddy and Uncle Grant. I knew he was tired when they left, but I didn't know he was THIS tired. 

"Being the responsible older cousin really wears me out."

Getting In Tune with Nature and Our Inner Pioneer

You can't go to Denver without getting in a little nature. We just didn't know we were going to get THIS close to nature! 

 Luckily we were in our HUGE Nissan Armada (that's a story for another day), our modern day ship of war, and we were safe. I mean don't those deer look frightening? 

 Taylor caught up on his reading while stopping for a "milking" break. 

 I wrestled Gav into the stroller WAY past nap time. Open spaces equal one wild child. 

 Will tried to take it all in. It's hard to be 3 months old. 

 We walked, and we walked, and we began to feel like pioneers. I mean we were pushing that stroller on the gravel path. That is the last time I take a stroller on a hike! 

 Gav slept and he slept and he even almost fell out of the stroller. 

In the end we were smiling because 1) We had enjoyed nature and 2) we had a sleeping baby who we didn't have to chase over a mountain. 

Red Rocks

We had the chance to go to the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater. It was incredible, after I recovered from the hike up there. Nothing like a straight incline to test the lungs in the Mile High City! 

"Uh, mom? I don't know how I feel about being up so high!" 

 Will was obviously loving it. 

 Even though we were up so high Gav wanted to RUN AND RUN. Mom's worst nightmare: child going over the cliff. 

 The McFarland's

 The Tanners

Happy to have seen the amazing amphitheater and happy to be headed back down the mountain! 

Why Do I Do This To Myself?

Sad..that's the only word to describe my lack of blogging in the past few months. No excuses. Busy? Yes, but not too busy to sit on the couch from 7-9pm every Monday night to watch The Bachelor. So here we go. Here is an attempt (no promises) to catch up this sad and sorry little blog. 

A Flying First Haircut

Gavin was WAY past due for a haircut but I put it off as long as I could. I knew once I cut those curls off they would never come back! After our fun night at the hospital we spent the evening as a family and we decided that the time had come to say goodbye to the ever-growing curly mullet. 

At this point I still don't think he knew what was coming. He sat down in the little airplane, got all excited and even left the cape on (he hates bibs and will not leave them on). They had a little movie playing right at his station, but that didn't entertain him for long. 

 I got a little sad when the cut off the curls. Don't worry, I have them in a little baggie. 

 He was smiles the whole time. He did try to grab the scissors, but I held his hands down and he didn't seem to mind. Here you can see just how long the top was! He had some crazy long pieces! 

 The guy who cut it put some gel in it and he looked so old! I always said I'd never give my kid a "faux hawk" but he looked so cute! 

 When he was done daddy let him play on the playset, until mommy came over and saw how much hair was on it. That ended the playing pretty quick! That night as we peeked in on him before we went to bed and saw the straight hair line on the back of his neck, it reminded us just how big he is getting. He isn't our baby anymore. We have succumbed to the fact that we actually have a toddler now!

One Scary Night

On July 21st Taylor's brother Jon came over for dinner and a movie. We put little man down to bed for the night and settled in to enjoy our evening. About two hours after we put him down he woke up crying, which is pretty normal for Gav. It usually just means he can't find his binky. I sent Tay up to help him, but then realized his cry was not normal. I ran up the stairs after him to find Gav in Taylors arms having a seizure. The next 10 minutes are kind of a blur, but he did have two more seizures, his eyes were rolling around and he was gray and unresponsive to our voices. We called 911 and an ambulance came. Within seconds of the ambulance arriving we had like 30 people from the ward outside our door. As I got in the ambulance with Gav, the bishop talked to Taylor and told us to keep him updated. (I love where we live!). We made it to Riverton hospital in a few minutes and were taken to the ER Room. After about an hour of observations and numerous tries to give Gav an I, they admitted him due to the fact they could not figure out why he had his seizures. He wasn't sick, he wasn't on medication, and he was totally normal when he went to bed. 

We finally got up to the pediatrics unit at about 1:30am. I was exhausted and so was poor Gav. Riverton hospital has a satellite unit of Primary Children's Hosptial, so I felt very taken care of. Gav was the only patient in the whole unit that night so we got the 5 star treatment. We spent a very short night, and then were discharged in the morning with prescriptions and an order for an EEG. 

In the morning, as we waited to get discharged, Gavin got to play in the amazing toy room. We also enjoyed the warm summer sunshine coming in through the huge windows. We still don't know why Gav had his seizures. We pray that he never has anymore. The EEG was normal and the neurologist from Primary's said that sometimes this just happens, but he was puzzled that he had 3 consecutive seizures. It taught us to never take a day for granted, to live each day to it's fullest, and even when he is whiny and hard to handle, to love on our little G-man every day! 

Throw a party, have some fun, My baby boy is ONE!

This is the face of a very happy one year old. He woke up at the standard 6:30 am and we started the birthday celebration early. It was so fun to watch him because he actually knew what to do with the wrapping paper.

He loved his crayons and Taylor and him colored while I got his special birthday breakfast ready.

"I can't believe this is my present..."

He loves this gigantic bubble blowing machine. We saved the rest of his presents for his actual birthday party a few weeks later. He also got a few new books, clothes, and a little lawn mower. I had one when I was little and it's fun to watch Gavin mow the lawn with Daddy.  He also had a special birthday breakfast of bananas and pancakes. The rest of the day was filled with doctors appointments, a trip to the park, and dinner out (which was really celebrating Taylor and I keeping him alive for a whole year!) We love our little G man. He truly makes us so happy and we can't wait to see what the future holds for him. As long as that doesn't come too fast!

Summer Recap

After I realized that I haven't posted pretty much all summer, and seeing some friends do a summer recap on their blogs, I couldn't let the summer go without documenting it in pictures. I didn't take very many pictures, and am still waiting on some from other people, but here is what we have so far. 

 We played in the new sink after meals that got particularly messy

We took lots of naps....and learned how to sleep through the night! 

 And woke up with some crazy bed-head! 

Gavin had his first popsicle and loved it (as you can tell). He didn't even mind holding the freezing cold popsicle. 

 Took  a few naps in the car sans clothes because it was just too darn hot! 

 Enjoyed an anniversary dinner as a family and someone got to try ribs for the first time thanks to Daddy! 

We also: bought a new house, traded in the Mazda, taught summer school, Tay worked 3 jobs and bought a little business, we went to Boise for a little bit, went to DisneyWorld with the McFarlands, got a new nephew born on Gavin's birthday, went back to work and the babysitter, had an overnight stay in the hospital, had a birthday party for a little one year old, and just LOVED our crazy busy summer together.