Gratitude March 2017

As I mentioned earlier, March was a little rough with sickness for our family, but we still found things to be grateful for.  There is always something to be thankful for, we just need to look.  

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to clarity.  It can tun a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend." Mclody Beattie.

Here are some things we were thankful for in March.

Yeah for the sunshine and needing to use our sunglasses!

Cute Nyles and Carter w/ St. Patrick's Day sunglasses.

	Steve	Penny	Nyles
3/1/2017	Antibiotics.  Joann made us dinner.	Joann made dinner for my sick boys-very nice after coming home from a busy day at work.	Doesn't have a fever anymore.
3/2/2017	Has energy back.	Tax refund. Health insurance.	Got his energy back.
3/3/2017	It's Friday and Penny is home for the weekend.	Glad it's Friday after a long week w/ sick boys and a long/busy week at work.	Got his medicine to help w/ his ear infection.
3/4/2017	Ron helped us fix the Corolla.	401k match and profit sharing.	Pez dispenser, got to fix the car, and grandpa came over.
3/5/2017	Got some sleep last night, cough didn't keep him up.	Pinterest/Internet-great places to find new recipes.	His cough has slowed down.
3/6/2017	Only 1 boy is sick (Carter), not both.	Steve took care of sick boys today and made dinner when I had a long day at work.	Wasn't coughing today.
3/7/2017	Boys are feeling better. Penny came home a little early from work/didn't have to stay late.	Steve went grocery shopping for me, even w/ the boys.	New toys and preschool had fire fighter costumes.
3/8/2017	Eric Seamons came down to visit.	Sunshine, longer day light hours.	Got to play w/ two girls (Erin and Abby Seamons) @ aquarium and here.
3/9/2017	Warmer weather.	Our tulips are coming up outside, yeah for Spring. Steve made a yummy pork roast.	Got Moana movie and his fox went to preschool w/ him (pretend).
3/10/2017	The sunshine.	Steve cleaned the house and did laundry so I didn't have to tomorrow.	Excited to go fishing tomorrow w/ dad and use his new fishing pole from Christmas.
3/11/2017	Fishing.	Worked in the yard. Tulips are coming up.	Caught a rainbow trout.
3/12/2017	Carter took a nap so we could.	Got to visit w/ Steve and Lisa Lovell from the ward, had dinner w/ them.	Got to play w/ Tyler and knows how to fix his submarine/magnets.
3/13/2017	Dr. Erickson found Carter had two ear infections.	Carter got meds for his pain, hopefully he'll sleep better now.	Went to the Dr. w/ Carter.
3/14/2017	Extra daylight hour.	Ibuprofen for sore throat.	Went to preschool.
3/15/2017	His mom Joann.  Got a good start on the lawn.	Our yard to play in.	Helped Steve w/ the lawn, rode his bike.
3/16/2017	Dave/Joann came and stayed w/ Carter so we could take Penny and Nyles to Dr.	No strep throat for us. Steve got groceries.	Went to the Dr. w/ Carter.
3/17/2017	Dr. Erickson ordered different meds for Nyles that he'll actually take.	Friday, get some rest over the weekend.	Can open Grandma's gate.
3/18/2017	Got to go fishing.	Got meds for sinus infection. Daffodil starting to bloom.	Got toy cones for taking his meds. Went to the park and ran across the field.
3/19/2017	Nyles fever broke finally.	Warmer weather, went on a walk as a family around the park.	Got a toy lizard for taking his meds.
3/20/2017	Penny's job.	Fresh fruits and veggies.	Conor came over to play.
3/21/2017	Parks nearby.	Chocolate. Videos/cameras on our phones.	Bubble bath.
3/22/2017	The dirt got spread, lawn is coming together.	Our marriage is eternal.	Got to play in the dirt w/ his trucks.
3/23/2017	The dirt was spread out, ready for the rain. Gum.	It's rain not snow!	We got some dirt.
3/24/2017	Got Carter into the Dr prior to his ear infection getting worse.	Got off work early, went grocery shopping together.	Hay-bail for lawn.
3/25/2017	Rain for the lawn.	Got to sleep in. Oven and Fridge are clean.	Got to play w/ Lynsie and fireman mermaid.
3/26/2017	The straw didn't blow away, got a nap.	Women's conference messages. Internet to watch it later.	Cousins are coming.
3/27/2017	Carter doing better.	Barb and Pauline came over for dinner. Deals at Fresh Market-store closing.	Play w/ cousins and then they got to sleep over.
3/28/2017	Nyles went to preschool easy, even w/ cousins here.	Fun w/ Barb's family here.	Got to play w/ cousins again.
3/29/2017	Have family stay w/ us and have room for them.	Temples close by to attend.	Went to aquarium.
3/30/2017	Hang out w/ Dave Thomas and kids.	I found my sunglasses in the Corolla.	Calvin came over to play.
3/31/2017	Went to the ENT Dr today.	Got off work early, got to spend time w/ Nyles. Q1 is finally over!	Found some new rocks for his collection.

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.