should have knocked...

on virtual wood.
Well, after I wrote this, my dear Hailey started not feeling well. She didn't even want to eat her favorite Roast Beef sandwich, from Arby's.
I thought this would happen when I was writing. She didn't throw up until this morning, and even then she only threw up once. She hates to throw up, so she closes her eyes and breathes deep. We cuddled all day, as we drifted in and out of watching tv and Ryker ride his hopper, pretending he was the Best Bull rider EVER.
She is feeling better tonight, but still not 100%, hopefully this is over.....
I feel a dun, dun, dun, coming on......

Hopefully, it's a done, done, done.

Too much for paragraphs

Ryker had pneumonia and had to go to the hospital for a "sleep over" ( well him and I). He had a 105.3 fever, I didn't know that was even possible.
It all started with a cold...he came home after one night of observation and not a lot of sleep, at his sleep over.
with IV holes
oxygen- "oxy-dog"
breathing treatments
and three antibiotics
and a pro biotic
he had to get breathing treatments around the clock, so that was on me, mommy nurse duties. I was too worried about him. He really scared us this time.
I keep thinking that I will know how to handle things when they come, and I just kind of float thru them, not realizing what is happening. I know how to work oxygen now, I guess I can mark that off.
I had to miss the kindergarten field trip, it was a sad day. No one felt comfortable in watching Ryker and oxy-dog and I had to explain to Hailey that I really wanted to go, but I just can't. Instead me and Ryker cuddled, not only on that morning, but for a whole week and a half, just cuddling, no running, cleaning, preparing big lovely meals, nada, just reading with Hailey and cuddling.
He is better, and dressing up as soldiers, army anything, and his imagination is going wild. I really missed him, and I am so glad that we ended up taking him to the doctor that night. Believe it or not, I tried cancelling the appointment three different times, and just gave up because I couldn't get through, a sign people a sign.
I prayed for an answer that morning on my long run, "let me know what to do with Ryk, and if we need to take him to the doctor."
He answers. He really answers.
I am so grateful for that, and the spirit, that brings such peace. I am grateful for the priesthood blessing that Mike and my dad gave him. I am grateful for two healthy and happy and very wild little kids. They bring me such happiness, I don't know what life would be like without them, and I don't want to find out.

Highlights this month:
mike turned 33
mike has started his own insurance business, which includes a lot of states, and many different companies, let us know if you want a quote, he saves people all kinds of crazy money.
Ryker is better
Hailey is full on reading and excelling in her class
Hailey has a lot of crushes
we made valentines and she may have told me to put on one I am your cutie pie, and on another one I dig you
i may have done it
i ran 9 miles today and am feeling great
it is 19 degrees but it looks heavenly outside, these are the moments when I tell them Heavenly Father is tricking us, put on your coats.
I love my life. I am getting to the point where I love every part of it, even my pant size, not there yet, but getting more comfortable with me. This is HUGE, I am getting there guys.
Also, I am not a reader, but I have managed since August to:
start and finish all four books of the Twilight series. I know right.
start and finish the first two books of the Hunger Games, and am currently on the third.
we have started to read the Book of Mormon as a FAMILY and we are in Alma.

Running, fantasitc!!

Soooo, on the last day of break for the kiddos, we took it easy. We watched football, ate pizza, got hair cuts, and just relaxed. This weekend I taught the kids chinese checkers, slap jack, and uno. It was a lot of fun, and they love them. They want to play them all of the time.
We don't have any video games or anything like that, so we have family fun time, the old fashioned way. I don't want them in the house and have them obsess over them and then have zombies for kids. I will get them when they are older, but for now, all the games can wait until they are begging me for them. Who knows, maybe that will be sooner than later.
I heard of a good idea though yesterday getting my hair cut- thanks Julie. Let them play for however minutes they read or do homework! Awesome idea..I hope to remember that.
Anyway on to the title of the post. I felt like going for a run yesterday, and the kids wanted to come. I grabbed the stroller, and to my surprise they grabbed their running clothes, and running shoes. I was too excited. We ran for a mile and a half, it took 16 minutes without breaks except for lights of course, they are fast little runners, and just too fun. I hope they will always be my running partners. I loved it, probably one of my favorite memories with them.
I am afraid that they will be faster than me soon though, they will need a better coach soon. I wonder how early is too early for cross country. I would love to watch little kids running....such a healthy thing to do.
They are signed up for a mile run in may, they will do great.
Biggest Loser starts tonight....I am a little excited for it.

A lot of crazy stuff!!

This past month has been crazy busy-in a good way. We have done a lot, and have gotten a lot done. We have served a lot and have had service done to us in secret. We went to see the new chipmunk movie, even though Ryker was throwing up on Thursday night, we decided he was okay to go, but to be honest he just cuddled the whole time, and had a little fever. We went to a buffet dinner after that, he ate soda crackers and a roll. He did have a good time though. I have to say though, I never knew that I depended so much on my car. Mikes car is down as of Monday, and he has taken mine, which has been hard, getting kids ready at the perfect time to get to the bus, and pray for the weather to be bearable, not a blizzard. We were lucky that this week was a short week, and that we have been home bodies lately. We have had to plan rides and ask people to help us out, which is not a strong point, I love to help someone, but I feel embarrassed to get help. My mom had to take us to the concert, and I had to go grocery shopping at 10:00 one night, because the kids were asleep, mike was home, and I had a car, and lastly we needed food. It has just taken a lot more planning. I am fine without a car when it is not winter, I ran everywhere for 8 months, in the summer and fall time. I just have issues running with the jogger in snow, maybe I need snow tires!!!
I am grateful that it happened this week, and where it happened, (in the garage), nothing too busy and not to hard of a week to share a car. I was just tested and thrown off a bit.
Hailey has been going to choir and got a speaking part in the concert. Well, the concert was on wednesday and she nailed her part. "His eyes how they twinkled, his dimples how merry, his cheeks were like roses his nose like a cherry, his droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard of his chin was as white as snow."
She got a little nervous at first then she did great. She had to do it in front of the whole school and the parents, needless to say a lot of people. I had teary eye proud eyes, I was thrilled to watch her, she had a great time.
Then that night......the fun began. She threw up more times than I could count, it got everywhere. I did three loads of laundry, from midnight to three in the morning. We ended up going to sleep on the couch, just us, wondering when I would have to hand her the bowl. She ended up throwing up like every half an hour all night long. Poor thing, nothing left was in her, it was hard to watch.
Then we started getting things to stay down her, I prayed sooooo hard, I just wanted her to be able to keep down fluids, and go to the bathroom. I didn't want a doctor visit. My mom was nice enough to bring her sprite, and 7-up, and some medicine, thanks for helping us mom. She still had a fever last night, but we made it the whole day without throwing up. She did so great. I slept out in the front room with her again, just in case she needed anything.
This morning she is better than before. Lots of energy, lots of playing and even getting noisy, which if you have kids is so nice to see after they are not moving, and making weird noises all night and all day. She for sure has her health back. I am so glad that we didn't have to go to the hospital for dehydration, or to the doctor and run a strep test, she hates that test. Did you moms out there know that little kids normally throw up with strep throat, I have found this to be so true.
Anyway, nothing the the 24 hour flu to make you feel so grateful for your kids health, and that seeing them move and talk is amazing. I would like to give a shout out to my washer and dryer, you have worked over time, and I thank you. Also, to my little Lysol sprayer (Ryker), getting all the germies out, he has been great. I just hope we can keep them away!
I hope you all have a healthy and merry christmas.

Ryker is 4!!

Ryker is 4 today! I can't help but think that the first blog we did was introduce him to the world. I cannot believe how fast time has gone, I know everyone says that, but I remember everyday with my kids and I can't believe we have had so many of them together.
Ryker wanted an ice skating party this year. On Saturday night we had both sides of family over, we went ice skating, and we had dinner, cake and cream puffs at our house. I cannot believe how comfortable he is on the ice! He was flying around the ice, in his hockey outfit. I really need to get him back into his hockey classes, and let him enjoy it. He was falling and smiling the entire time. He had sooo much fun with his cousins and aunts and uncles, and mom, and dad even tried. I was so glad we got to do something he loves too much.
Ryker is so kind, and sweet. He has a wrestle side that comes out when he is around any adult male, and loves sports of any kind. He always tells me, "I am Ryker and I play all sports." Heavenly Father knew to send him to me, because he is so kind, and loving towards me. He loves to hug, cuddle, and give me kisses on the cheek. He tells me all of the time, "I love you to the light", we read that book, I love you to the moon and back, and I guess his ceiling light is far away in his eyes.
He really protects his sister Hailey, and really misses her. For his birthday today, he wanted to play with her at recess, so I took him up there. He had so much fun with her, and it was fun to surprise her. I took him for a cinnamon roll, to chick fil a and to get ice cream. He is for sure mine, he shares my love of food.
We love you to the light and back, Ryker. Happy 4th birthday!!!!
love-mom, dad, and howie

Wow, my life is taken over.....

by KINDERGARTEN!!! between taking her to and from the bus stop, and volunteering, and halloween parties, i just need to remember to breathe! i would not change it for anything though. i have been on field trips and to the school and am so grateful that she has good friends and a wonderful teacher. i have ryker in school on wednesdays and he loves it. i don't know what to do with my time, really, i don't. the first time without both of them, it felt wierd running without them, really odd. i am so grateful i am a mom and that i get to be invloved in their little lives!
so much has gone on:
halloween came and went. ryker was bumblebee the transformer and hailey was ariel. they were so cute, and loved trick or treating.
i have to go and be a mom now, but i will update again, sometime soon, hopefully.

challenge!

I challenge you to a week of no TV, we did it, and it was great and hard. The first day, the kids asked me like 20 times to plug it in, the next day it was cut in half, and by the end of the week, they knew that a no in the morning was a no all day. It was great, we played more, talked more, and we imagined together. I really got to know what goes on in their heads. I took on the challenge too, no late night nothing for me. I missed a lot! Or did I? I got some sleep, and I was refreshed. I tell you, after Haileys party on Saturday, the BYU game was on and I hated to hear the noise! What a crazy thing.
Also, why did we do this? My kids love tv, and I love it too, but we needed to see that we can really function without it. I have been thinking about doing a no check blog week or Internet week. I feel that electronics have just taken over, I don't even have video games, I can only imagine that being a huge problem.
Parents: I would love to hear your comments on this, do you ever just want to throw everything out the "window", facebook, my space, blogging, tv in general, wii, playstation, x box, kinect, there are probably more, but I don't know of them. How much time do we all spend on these fun/relaxing things.
Just a thought.