February Fun

February was an interesting month.  We had a lot of fun, but we also got sick, so that wasn't fun.  It's been a long month of no sleep and not feeling good for each of us at different times.  We were thankful that none of us got the flu, but then the middle of February Nyles first picked up some virus that gave him a UTI.  Then we had Nyles take a couple swim lessons, and the next day he wasn't feeling too well.  We're not sure if he picked up the germs from swim lessons or preschool, but he ended up getting pink eye first, then it turned into a cold.  It was a virus though, so we couldn't treat it.  It eventually turned into an ear infection, so we got him antibiotics to treat it.  Nyles started feeling better, then Steve got the virus.  Steve had a sore throat, then it turned into a sinus infection.

We thought we were out of the clear, but then Carter picked it up in March.  He ended up getting a double ear infection from it.  Poor baby!  About this time my throat started to hurt.  Nyles then got another fever.  We wanted to be sure we didn't have strep, so we went and got tested.  The results came back negative for both of us.  The next day though my sinuses started to hurt, so went and got antibiotics to help.  Steve took Nyles back to his main Dr as well, and his ear infection apparently didn't clear up, so back on antibiotics he went.  We had to switch to a different one since Nyles didn't like the flavor and kept throwing it up.  Then this week Carter kept pulling on his ear and seemed to have a fever again, so we took him in again.  He ended up having another ear infection, or it didn't clear up the first time (just like Nyles).  We're all praying this will be the last of this bug for us.  We are ready to be healthy and happy again, and sleep better at night.

Besides being sick, we tried to make the most of it and have some fun.  Here are some highlights.

Aunt Stacie w/ Carter at our family dinner.  Silly Carter eating everything!

Joann, Steve, Cameron, Penny and Nyles making Valentine's Day cards.

Carter playing w/ Steve's hair.  He thinks it's so fun!

Carter eating graham crackers.

Nyles, Carter and I went for a walk while Steve was out fishing.  We went to the elementary school and Nyles played on the swings for a while.  It was fun to get outside and enjoy a little sunshine!

Carter eating cheese (his favorite), and playing w/ Steve's sunglasses.

Carter being cute.  Eating a tractor at Grandma LuDean's house.

I took my birthday off so we could play.
Nyles and Steve decorated with streamers and balloons for my birthday.

Nyles blew up this balloon all by himself.  He was so proud of himself and wanted to hang it up.  We went and ate and Red Robin too.  Free Birthday burger and Nyles loves to get a free balloon.

Nyles teasing Carter w/ his balloon on the way home from Red Robin.  Silly kid!

Carter rolling over now.  Pretty flowers Steve and Nyles got me for my birthday.

Cute gifts from Steve, Nyles and Carter.  Chocolate, my favorite!

Nyles helped me blow out my candle on a brownie.

Steve took a picture of them singing to me during Primary.

Carter has been rolling around more and more, sometimes he gets stuck under our bed.

Carter playing w/ the ball and horse.

Nyles throwing snap pops w/ his super cape on, and riding his scooter.

Nyles being silly and putting on Carter's bib, and showing off his Valentine's Hearts on his door.

       

Nyles and Carter's door full of Valentine's hearts.  Every night Steve and I would write something we love about both Carter and Nyles and put them on their door so they could see it the next morning.  Nyles thought it was a lot of fun to read every morning.

 Nyles told Steve they should build me a bird house for Valentine's Day, so they did!  Nyles wanted to camouflage it so the other animals couldn't see/find it-so clever!  He spray painted it himself.

All done and up in our tree!  Looks awesome!

  

We were supposed to go up to the Cabin, but things didn't work out, and we ended up being sick later.  Instead we went and watched Disney's "Moana" together w/ Dave, Joann, Stacie, Phill, London and Conor.  It was really cute and the music was fun! Ironically Pauline was there at the same time w/ her family and Mother-in-law Leslie watching a different movie.  We walked in at the same time so we got to visit w/ them for a while which was fun!

Cousin London holding Carter at the movie theater and wearing her hat.

 

Nyles on his bike, and climbing up on the playground by Steve.

 

Nyles making a silly face and being cute!  He's getting so good at sitting up now.

He got his bottom front teeth in during February too!

 

Cute Carter and Nyles wearing stripes.

Carter getting Nyles, while we change the sheets on Saturday.

Nyles playing w/ his truck in the snow.  Yes we had snow again!

I had Rose, Pauline and their families over for dinner, to celebrate my birthday the last Sunday of the month.  I cooked up a ham and some of the farm's sweet corn, Rose brought salad and rolls, and Pauline brought potatoes.  I also made brownies and cupcakes for dessert.  It was fun to get together.

Penny, Nyles, Chris, Pauline and Ezra- singing Happy Birthday to me (Penny).

Steve, Nyles and Penny- blowing out the candle

After making a bird house, Nyles then wanted to make a bird feeder.  So Steve helped him make one.  We have lots of birds coming to our back yard now eating the feed.

The bird feeder Steve and Nyles made.

Nyles put his fireman hat on Carter.  Steve put a balloon in front of Carter's face and squished his face.  Oh what Carter puts up with from his brother and dad ;)

Nyles helping  flip the crepes.

Nyles building w/ magnets.

Nyles making Carter laugh.

                                          

Carter kicking the ball.

                                         

Carter starting to roll over.

Outings With Dad/Steve

Here we are over half way into March and I haven't written about what went on in February.  Though we struggled with sicknesses and cold temperatures here and there, we still had some fun.  Steve took the boys to different places for a little entertainment and adventure.  Here are a few of the enjoyable outings Steve had with Carter and Nyles this past month.

He took them to a fishing pond close to us in Draper.  They haven't stocked it with fish yet, but they still thought it was fun to see the ducks.

Carter enjoying the ride and change of scenery.

Nyles looking for ducks and fish.

Steve also took the boys and Rob Daniels to the Aquarium.  Rob had the day off and had never been, so he wanted to go check it out.  They all had a good time.

They brought out the snakes, so Nyles had to touch them.  Gross!

Carrie and Lynsie came to visit from Colorado, so they all went to the Aquarium together.  Stacie, Conor, and Dave went also.

Carter just enjoying life.  Nyles, Conor, Stacie, Carrie and Dave looking up at the fish in the tank.

 

Lynsie, Conor and Nyles eating ring pops, being silly kids ;)

Carrie holding Carter, next to Nyles, Conor and Lynsie looking at the exhibit.  

Dave checking the Jelly Fish out.

Carter giving Nyles knuckles, or something ;)

Conor, Lynsie, Nyles and Carter- cute kids.

We also had Nyles take some swim lessons.  He loves swimming!  I guess the pool water was a little cool for Nyles though, so it took him a while to get in.  They also ended up putting him in a wet suit to help.  Once he got going he loved it of course!

Nyles and another boy during the swim lesson w/ their instructor.

 

Carter watching Nyles swim.

Nyles diving to get the rings.

Nyles working on swimming without the instructor.

Steve also met up with Stacie on a sunny day and went over to Wheeler Farm.  The kids had a great time getting outside, playing, and enjoying the sunshine!

Nyles going down the slide, then up the rock.

Carter eating his puffs container.  

Conor and Nyles being silly in the 2 hole outhouse.

  

Playing in the tree house.

Stacie, Nyles and Conor watching/feeding the ducks around them.

Carter watching again.

By the pond.

Having fun w/ Aunt Stacie.

Nyles and Carter taking a ride on the tractor.  Watch out Nyles is driving :)

Now playing on the tractor wheel.

Steve went ice fishing with his dad Dave, and our neighbor Ron Elmen up at Echo Canyon.  They had a good time catching perch.  It was Ron's first time EVER fishing actually!  He enjoyed it so much, he said he'd go again.  Steve may have another fishing buddy now ;)

Ron and Dave enjoyed being warm in the ice shanty while fishing.

Steve loving life!

They brought back some perch and Steve ended up cooking it for Ron to try.  And he loved it!

The next weekend Steve wanted to take Nyles and a neighbor and his boys back up to Echo, but it had melted quite a lot by then, so they continued on up to Strawberry Reservoir.

Steve double checking to see how deep the water was, just in case they could make it on the ice.  It was definitely too deep for the kids, so they left Echo.

Up at Strawberry, Nyles, Ian and Jeramy Alvey.

Nyles being silly while eating his sun-butter sandwich.  Jake loving life!  

(Ironically both Jake and Ian are allergic to peanuts too.  Nyles thought that was pretty cool).

Steve, Jake, Jeramy and Ian in the ice shanty.

One more of Steve.  Steve caught the one fish during the trip, but everyone still had a good time.  Jeramy and the boys had only been ice fishing a couple times, so they enjoyed going out again.  It was their first time using an ice shanty and a heater, which makes a HUGE difference when you're not freezing.  They thought it was pretty sweet!

Gratitude February 2017

Here is what we were thankful for/grateful for in the month of February.

Silly family pics.  Carter wasn't sure what to think. 

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	Steve	Penny	Nyles
2/1/17	Mark Gasper's phone call, good friend	Steve did dishes for me.	Go to Grandma McGrath's house
2/2/17	Medicine for his back. Saw and leaf blower.	Steve went to Kohl's for me and got pizza/dinner.	Medicine helps him feel better.
2/3/17	Health insurance.	#1 in SLC powerrank for January.	Went to Dr to feel better.
2/4/17	Got to go ice fishing again w/ Dave and Ron.	Sun was shinning, melted a lot of snow. Nyles, Carter and I went for a walk, Nyles on bike.	Doesn't hurt to go pee (feeling better after UTI).
2/5/17	3 hours of naps, 1 in morning 2 afternoon.	We had all 6 kids in our primary class, enjoyed teaching them the Gospel.	Family party.
2/6/17	Nyles can do his buckles on carseat. Did fireworks w/ Nyles.	3 more days of work this week.	Carter took a good 2 hour nap.
2/7/17	Wind finally stopped.	Steve made yummy dinner (steak) and got me flowers just because and did dished too.	Doesn't have hiccups.
2/8/17	Sun was shinning and got to be outside w/ boys.	Beautiful day, excited for spring to get here!	Went to Wheeler Farm w/ Conor.
2/9/17	Went on a walk to the Draper pond.	Balloons for my birthday tomorrow, was a surprise.	Found his play knife.
2/10/17	For Penny	I was shown a lot of love on my birthday	Brownie's for mommy's birthday.
2/11/17	Nyles enjoys fishing even when it's slushy.	Steve cleaned out and organized the garage, let me sleep in yesterday.	Got to go ice fishing again.
2/12/17	Had Stake Conference and were able to listen.	Beautiful sushine, hearing others testimonies strengthens mine.	Carter and us all had a good nap.
2/13/17	Our 2 boys whom we love so much!	We have been able to write down the past 14 days what we love about Nyles and Carter.	The hearts he's found on his door every morning this month.
2/14/17	Penny is my Valentine.	The cute birdhouse Nyles and Steve made me for Valentines.	The birdhouse we made.
2/15/17	Able to go to the temple.	Prophets to lead and guide us.	Blade got fixed from the fire (pretend).
2/16/17	Had wet suit for Nyles at swim lessons.	Beautiful sunset.	Glad to go to swim lessons and got swim goggles.
2/17/17	Compound miter saw.	Steve started working on the window trim.	Blade helped him up after he fel on the carpet.
2/18/17	Drs. Jeremy came over and helped give Nyles a blessing.	Medicine to help us get better. Nyles had pink eye. Went to movie Moana w/ Dave, Joann, Stacie, Phill family.	Drs and Blade feeling better after crash.
2/19/17	Survived teaching primary by himself.	Went for a quick walk to park as a family.	Piggy and PJs are washed.
2/20/17	Family- has Pauline/Chris over for dinner.	Holidays-paid time off.	Found his toy sword.
2/21/17	Caulk-hides mistakes.	We were taught correct principles growing up	Took a bath, got paint off from preschool.
2/22/17	3 of the 4 window trims are done.	Thankful we got our flu shots this year.	Mom came home a little early from work.
2/23/17	Tax refunds.	Steve helped Nyles make a bird feeder.	Went to swim lesson. Had one on one w/ the teacher.
2/24/17	Good to see and visit w/ Carrie.	It's Friday! Get to spend the next 2 days w/ Steve and boys.	Got to playat aquarium w/ Conor and Lynsie.
2/25/17	Our neighbor Ron-helps us w/ our cars.	We all pitched in to help clean and do laundry, made it go faster. We live close to many stores.	Made road in the snow w/ his truck in the backyard.
2/26/17	Sleep-slept in this morning and took a nap in the afternoon.	The gift of the Holy Ghost, and family/sisters who are close. Rose/Pauline and families came over for dinner.	Medicine.
2/27/17	Sudafed.	Music-makes me happy.	His helicopter.
2/28/17	Birds came to the bird feeder -fun to watch.	Priesthood blessings- Dave came over and helped Steve give Nyles and Carter one.	Pretended to be a fireman, got out all the fires.