Potty Training YIKES!!

Potty training has got to be the worst thing besides cleaning toilets that I DON'T like to do!! Bryson is full of so much life and loves to be doing so many things, potty is not one of them!! We started out drinking lots of chocolate milk, and capri suns, whatever he wanted. We sat the entire morning in the bathroom and he seemed to be getting it. We even got out the party blowers and M&Ms every time he did good. But as you can tell he WASN'T enjoying it!!! So I packed up camp, put the diaper back on and walked away!! :) I have told myself tomorrow every day now for a week and well I have no desire to try again!! So if you have any ideas please send them my way!! ho ho ho off to the bathroom we go!

Austin is now 5!!

Wow Austin is now 5 and so big, he keeps asking me when he is going to get big like me. I keep telling him he is at the perfect age and size and to enjoy it now. All day long he says funny things that I need to take more time to write down!! Life at this age is soo much fun and most importantly simple!! I gave him the option of having a friend birthday party or going to Idaho and having a party with family. He then of course tried talking me into two and I told him he needed to decide that two was tooo many. I told him to think about it and come tell me when he has decided. Well a little while later he said " I have thinked about it and we should go to grandmas house cause her would be sad if I didn't go to her house for my birthday." :) So off to Idaho we went, it was suppose to be Friday night but dad ended up having a really long heart cath that day so we left early Sat. morning. So fun to see the family and spend time with them!

We played lots of fun games for the kids and they had a blast. The fun part about it they were the good ole simple games like pin the tail on the donkey, throw socks into bowls and candy into cupcake tins. Simple yet fun. Of course I loved that it was simple, easy and fun!!

Then of course we opened presents and he got alot of fun stuff! He has already warn his warm up outfit from grandma and played basketball in his room and has played all the other games he received. Even ate that ginormous lollipop while sharing it with his brothers.







Then of course the best part cake and ice cream. Austin wanted a race car cake. Well Colleen(my sister) her birthday is two days later so we made her fav. cake and Austin had cupcakes with cars on top. Didn't get a picture of them because the kids were anxious!! :) We did get one of him blowing the candle. What a fun day it was!!


This was one of the gifts and by far was the most funny and he even wore it!! SOO FUNNY!!

The Monkey has a new home!!!

I feel so blessed to have been able to have met this amazing family!! Tara is the mother of a child with special needs, her name is Chloe and she is the sweetest thing you have ever seen. You have got to visit her blog! http://obyandtarabennett.blogspot.com/ Tara is an amazing writer with many other talents! She also has a blog called KIDZ that is filled with amazing stories and inspirational thoughts and she puts some really fun ideas and stuff on there!! You really gotta go there here is the link http://kidzorg.blogspot.com/ This is how I met her is through the blogging world!! I read one of her posts about how their insurance had denied them the funding for a stander. I knew right then and there we had found a new home for our stander!!

I made some contacts and was able to get in touch with her and yesterday they came and got it. They were soo sweet and so genuine that I was soo excited to be able to help in some small way!! Any of you who have had a child with special needs knows how hard every day is, let alone problems with insurances can be so depressing!! I remember being there and still sometimes we have our challenges. Tucker was excited to give it away also, this thing had held him still for so long at times, he was always ready to get out of it! :) It is always a good feeling when you can help someone else!! We feel like we have made some wonderful friends and feel honored to have been able to have helped them!
Thank you for sharing your family with us and giving our little monkey a good home! We pray for Chloe's continue health and happiness!! She is a gift and you can feel that from her! What a blessing to get to know you better and we will continue to keep in touch and see her progression! You have a beautiful family and I know the Lord is caring for and watching over you!!

So on her blog she has mentioned that we are doing a fundraiser for a sporty wheelchair. A friend of Tucker 's (Riley) is sponsoring it and so if you want to make a donation go to this website and help Riley meet his goal. https://abilityfound.org/speedywheels
Thank you sooo much for even thinking about helping and we so appreciate all the kind hearts out there!

Austin is turning 5

This little boy really has never seemed little to me!! He is always one step above the game! I feel like he skipped so many stages, because I had 5 years of slow progression with Tucker that when he came everything moved so quickly! Then to top that off, when he was 15 months old I found out I was pregnant with Bryson. It was not what we expected but are very glad! They are great buddies because they are so close!! I was sooo busy with a son that was needing special attention. Tucker was going to kindergarten, and I was busy with a newborn, that I didn't spend as much time with him as I would have liked too!! He has always been very independent and has learned things quickly, it is amazing to me! I have loved every minute with him! I am seeing here lately how sweet he can be!! He is a very good helper and friend to his brothers. But he definitely has the middle child syndrome! :) Austin is always busy helping me in the kitchen, watering the plants around the house, cleaning the windows, cleaning his room (including putting all his clothes away), matching socks from the sock bin, and bringing the laundry to the laundry room. He loves to surprise us by making every ones beds. He loves to draw pictures, play with playdough, build with blocks, dress up as his favorite heroes, and play with friends. He honestly loves everyone and is a good kid!! He is a peacemaker in our home. He helps Tucker, and also gives Bryson whatever he wants just to make him happy! I love his kind heart and his determination.
I will never forget when we moved here a couple of years ago, he was 2 and he wanted to ride a bike. I had not tried to teach him because we were unpacking and Bryson was 7 months old, and into everything. My hands were full!!!! Well, he said "I'm just going to be out back." I looked out the window and, there he was trying very hard to ride this little bike we had gotten for Tucker. We hoped he would be able to ride it, but never did. He tried for 10 minutes and had figured it out came running in and said "look mom come see, I can ride my bike." I went out to see and couldn't believe it. He then practiced trying to go in circles and mastered that. He was sooo excited and I was sooo proud!! That is just an example of the many things that he has accomplished so quickly! Austin loves to be outside! He is always up for going places and seeing new things. He especially loves our families in Idaho. He misses them when we haven't seen them for awhile. He is a joy to have around and has been my little helper and I have really appreciated him!! We love you Austin and wish you a Happy Birthday!!

Challenges, ReNewing, and Enjoying the Journey

Ok So I have this amazing friend who is one of the sweetest people I know, (well that is hard to say because I have a lot of amazing friends) but she has challenged me to pick a word that sums up what I would like to work on this year. Over the last week I have really been contemplating it and wondering after looking at my list of things I want to work on what that word should be. This is one word that is to make you a better person, one that will help me keep my focus for the year. So I have picked it and it is "Selflessness" . I thought this will help me in my goals with my children, with my husband, with my calling, and with myself. The definition is . . . having, exhibiting, or motivated by no concern for onesself; unselfish. Putting other people's interests before ones own. I looked it up and was reading some amazing thought provoking things that I wanted to share. So I can reflect on it again and again throughout the year. Where I was reading was explaining how most animals and species learn this quickly and they say that humans are some of the last species still to learn selflessness in all creation. True devine selflessness in an instant end of all differences between poor and rich, weak and mighty, old and young, . . . True divine selflessness creates eternal and infinite benefits for all involved. This is what I am going to be working on this year. Please call me on it if you see me being the opposite of selfless; you know the horrible word "selfish" :) I am excited to try this and I am ready to give alittle more of my time, alittle more service, a little more happiness, alittle more hugs, alittle more love, and alittle more of my heart. I am ready for the challenge, I want to challenge myself , renew my slate and enjoy my journey!!

Tucker started this season of wheelchair basketball today!

Another year of fun for Tucker!! He loves to play basketball with other kids like him!! I will never forget the first time we went to the gym when he was 5 and he saw a gym full of kids just like him in wheelchairs!! His face lit up and he was so excited to see others. So often he is the only one in a wheelchair. He has been able to play now for three years and it goes for three months of the year and it is by far his favorite time. I have seen his self confidence grow each year by playing. The kids are so kind to each other and are so positive with each other it has been an awesome experience for him and us also!! I can't even begin to tell you how blessed we have been by him!! I can't wait to sit on the sidelines every Sat. and cheer him on!! Last year he was able to meet Mike Schlappi (a paraolympic gold medalist in wheelchair basketball) one of Tucker's heroes!! We are looking forward to another fun year!!

Christmas Eve reading the things in Jesus stocking that we gave to Him!

Bryson and Austin in their cowboy get up, they were soooo cute!!

The kids having so much fun riding on the sleds!!

All the grandkid in their pj's from Grandma Searle