Christmas 2014

Another Christmas has come and gone.  Good times all around.  

Santa took some time out of his busy night to cook our Christmas Eve dinner.  It was delicious.

Ha ha! Nate's the kid in the cafeteria nobody wants to sit by.

 Christmas wouldn't be complete without Grandma Taco's fish pond.

Grandma Taco, Moe & the boys

 Grandpa Bernie, Grammy & the boys

Grandpa & Grandma Squeaker & the boys

We had some pretty spoiled kids this year (one of these years it really does have to stop).  Remember a post or two ago I was making myself very clear that there would be no iPod given to an 11 year old who thought he was the only kid left on the planet that didn't have one?  Well turns out I'm all bark and no bite.  He got a stinkin iPod.  There was one catch though....we couldn't buy an iPod for him and Grif both so we told them they either had to share or pitch in money together to buy a second one.  They very quickly opted for a second one.  Sharing until it gets here has been torture so far.  I'm pretty sure they'll survive.

While these 3 were enjoying the goods Santa left Grif was doing this.....

He wasn't upset with what he did or didn't get from Santa, he was ticked at me. So in all his stubbornness he decided he would rather sulk and prove a point than see what he got.  You're hurting yourself a lot more than you're hurting me buddy.

Once he took a chill pill he realized he got what he had been asking for.  Ask me what it was he wanted.  Not your typical 9 year old request.  A bed.  He wanted a new, bigger bed for Christmas.  Works for me.  Thank you Grandma Squeaker for making a quilt last minute to fit it. 

Notice how quickly my OCD kicked in.  I made my boys take all their Santa gifts to their rooms so we could open the presents under the tree.  Someone teach me to relax already.  In all honesty the 3 year old started cleaning up before I did.  Have I told you lately how much I love that little stink.

Every year we spend Christmas Eve with my fam and Christmas night with Nate's. Here are the Heber happenings

One whole picture!  Go me!  

Let me tell you why I love this picture.  There were several adults on the other side of this telling these 13 boys to hold still and smile.  Don't they all look thrilled and not like they're forcing smiles at all?

Here are some real smiles we were looking for.  

Merry Christmas Everybody!

 

Winner, Winner

The town does a coloring contest every year.  Different stores around town let the kids drop off pictures they have colored and give them a treat for participating.  Then they pick a few winners. Last year my 3 older boys did it and all won.  Our only winner this year was Baylor who won at Macks.  He was so stinkin excited. Me too because I was sure the prize would be FREE ICE CREAM FOR LIFE.  I wish.  He did get a free ice cream cone and a gift card.  That made for one happy little fella. 

He gets credit for trying

Dilon's writing assignment at school this week was to convince his parents to let him have something he was told no to.  This is what he wrote:

Dear Mom, 

I know that you told me no for an iPod but I need one.

If I ever need to text you because I am somewhere and my blood sugar is low I can text you.  If I am at a sport and you are not there I can tell you.  If I am at a friends house and I am low I can tell you.  If I am somewhere you are not and I am low I can tell you.  

A lot of diabetic's have phones or iPod's or something just in case.  Someone in our ward has a phone that he takes to school and other places.  If I am anywhere and I need to text you I can.  It is good that a diabetic has a phone or an iPod just in case.  If I ever need to text someone to pick me up from somewhere, I can.  If I miss the bus after school I can text somebody.  If I am home alone and something bad happens, I can text somebody.

I know you told me no but I probably need one just in case. 

Love, Dilon W.

Oh my dear sweet Dilon.  Nice try buddy.  Playing that diabetes card pretty hard right now. Just in case you don't know what my answer to an iPod is let me clarify:

If you are home alone and something bad happens use the home phone to call this sweet mother of yours.  If someone breaks into the house hide in the closet, cross your fingers and pray.  If the house is on fire there will be no time to find your iPod to text me, get your butt outside.

 

If you miss the bus AGAIN there will be no need to text me.  You know you will be walking home.

If you ever need someone to pick you up, hitchhike.  It's totally safe.

It is good for a diabetic to have an apple juice on them, not an iPod.

If you are somewhere I'm not and you're low there is no need to worry about sending me a text.  I am your mother.  I know everything.  I already have something prepared for you to do, you just have to do it. For example, eat the skittles I made sure were in your pack. 

You will probably never be at a friends house and need to text me because lets face it, you're always grounded.  Lose the attitude and that might change.  If you are lucky enough to get to hang with friends I'm sure their lovely mom has a phone you could text me from.

  

If someone in our ward had a python do you think I would let you get one too?

If you are at a sport and low tell your dad.  He is the crazy parent yelling from the sideline.

You do not NEED an iPod.  You need air.  Air is a need, iPod's are a want. I want a pony.  When do I get that?

There is one thing I have decided though, I may throw $5 into your iPod savings jar for creativity.

My kid licks the ketchup

 These two....they make me smile.  However, grocery shopping takes double the time when they want their own carts which wipes the smile right off my face. It is not my favorite place to be.  But it's either listen to them whine and cry for 30 minutes because they didn't get one or shop for an hour with two happy little helpers bumping into any and all things knee high. The downfall of this, I end up with several things at the checkout that I had no idea they snuck in.  Oh well, an extra box or two of fruit snacks and cookies and juice and cereal won't kill us.  The grocery stores know darn well what they're doing when they put the good stuff within grabbing range of a 3 year old.  Well played.

So tell me, on a scale from 1-10 how strange is it that the before mentioned 3 year old licks the ketchup bottle? Does he have a vitamin deficiency that makes him do this kind of stuff?  Plus he's only wearing one shoe.  This is normal right?  It has to be normal.  Someone make me feel better and tell me it is.

 

 He must have learned it from the 5 year old.  

What did he want for lunch the other day?  Chicken noodle soup and cocoa puffs.  I don't even care.

Shout-out to awesome teachers

Can I just give a big old shout-out to teachers who really care and make a difference. 

My Grif struggles in school. He has always been behind in math and reading which makes things difficult.   He does have strong points.....he gets 100% on almost all his spelling tests. In kindergarten he could spell hippopotamus and had the alphabet memorized backwards.  But every year I have heard from his teachers that he can't focus and he is below level on tests but not bad enough he needs to be held back.  I have asked them every year at every parent/teacher conference what I could be doing at home.  Most would give a couple suggestions that didn't really help much .  Last year his teacher said she didn't know what to do with him.  She had no advice for me. I kept getting more and more frustrated.

Well this year has been the first year his teacher has told me nothing but positive things about him.  This is what he has been bringing home 

It's amazing what a difference the right fit with a teacher can make.  Positive reinforcement seems to be making a huge difference as well.  

Thank you, thank you to all the teachers out there who sacrifice so much in their lives to make a difference for these kiddos. This mom appreciates it more than you know.

GUILTY

I can't handle the guilt.  

Dax went to his first real tournament for wrestling on Saturday.  He went undefeated in the city wrestling he was in so we decided to challenge him a little and let him go to these bigger meets with Dilon.  We found out Dil and Dax would be wrestling at the same time in 2 different gyms.  Nate said he could handle it and coach both.  I don't care how awesome he is, he can't be in two places at once.  He missed Dilon's first match to coach Dax then left Dax to help Dilon which left me there coaching Dax alone.  I have many super powers, coaching wrestling is not one of them.  I don't know the first thing about the half nelson or honeymooner (yes I googled those terms).  Ask me to write a 10 page paper and I'm good to go.  Ask me to coach wrestling and you might as well be sending me to the moon.  I did an excellent job of cheering him on though.  

While Nate was there Dax won.  His undefeated status was still in tact. 

As I was "coaching" I knew he was winning.  He was schooling the poor little guy he was up against.  Little did I know Dax was holding his hands together when he wasn't supposed to be so he was getting penalties called on him.  Finally he got one too many and got disqualified.  I didn't even have a clue that happened.  All I know is the scoreboard said 15-6 in favor of Dax. I was beaming when they went to hand out medals and then he was given 2nd place.  What?  I know I don't know much about it but 3 wins and no losses should have put him in 1st.  Nate had to go ask the ref what happened and that's when we discovered the little man was doing illegal moves.  It's all my fault.  If I would have known I could have told him to stop doing it and he would be wearing 1st instead of 2nd.  Like I said, I can't handle the guilt. I know it doesn't matter if you win or lose it's how you play the game.  He doesn't seem to care, he was happy with a medal and the fact he got to wrestle.  

What I want to know is if I feel guilty over something like wrestling what's going to happen when I really screw something up for one of my kiddos? 

It's the candy countdown

It's the caaaaandy countdown! (please tell me you hummed The Final Countdown by Europe when you read that.  It makes it so much better)

The Christmas countdown has begun.  The kids have their own candy chain to help these super long days in December of waiting for Santa go a little faster.  Only one kid complained of the candy I bought to go in them.  I've raised a candy snob.  Dilon thinks he has to have chocolate.  Be quiet and eat your taffy boy, it's delicious too.  Well actually I have to agree with him.  Taffy is not that good but it's so much cheaper than chocolate (because it's not that good).  Don't get me wrong, if it's around I'll definitely eat it, it's just not my first choice.

Grif asked every single day in November if we could put the Christmas tree up.  Every single day he was told no, not until after Thanksgiving.  One holiday at a time in this house.  So he passed the time by finding a new hobby

Hello elliptical. First time he did it he pumped out 40 minutes.  Go Gus!  It helps when you can watch T.V. while exercising. Levi's however were the wrong choice, he managed to rub his thighs raw.  But he forgot about it once it was time to finally put the tree up.

Grif's idea of helping was to sit on the couch and tell the other boys which branches went next.  Future leader?

Next item to be checked of the Christmas to-do list---make, cut, and wrap about 1000 carmels.  Excuse me while I go cry now.

Wrestle mania

From the looks of my blog you'd think I fell off the face of the earth or something.  I guess it's been a week or two or three since I've posted anything.  I did write a post a couple of days ago and then deleted the entire thing.  I wasn't sure if sharing about an 11 year old telling me he was getting the puberty, a 5 year old telling me he squeezed his little goods and it hurt so bad, and a 3 year old giggling and yelling boobies as I walked through the bra aisle at Walmart was appropriate.  At least Grif hasn't said anything too crazy or embarrassing lately.  1 out of 4 is progress at this house.

I guess I haven't blogged because nothing is going on around here except wrestling.  Right now we eat, sleep, breathe wrestling.  

So far Dax is undefeated.  He has pretty much pinned every kid he goes up against.  One week Nate told him if he pinned a kid he could get some extra Halloween candy.  He took it very seriously.  I figure it's fine.  He just burns off the extra calories while wrestling, right?  

 The best thing about Dax wrestling is he has a huge grin on his face the entire time.  He loves it.  I wish my camera didn't suck and I could get some good action shots.  A nice camera is on my list of things to get when we win the lotto.

Dilon has been to a few meets already and won 4th, 2nd, and 1st.  

I still don't understand the desire to roll around on a mat with another stinky boy in spandex.  But whatever, I'll just sit on the bleachers and continue to bite all my nails off until the season is over.

It's that time of year again

November has become that month for me.  That month that changed our world forever two years ago. That month that reminds me Dilon will never be the way he used to be.  That month of Diabetes awareness when we try to educate others on this stinkin disease.  So this is me trying to do that.  I have so much to learn myself still but so much that I need others to know. If I don't, I know I will go all crazy lunatic lady on them because they don't know what they are talking about when they think they do. So I'm going to jump on my soap box for a minute and give you a little glimpse of what our life is like while we fight this disease.  Hopefully it will help educate some as well. I'm not trying to be rude, I was completely ignorant on this myself until we were thrown in the arena and had no choice but to fight or die.  I'm going to try my darndest to keep my language from reflecting anything that is not lady-like. I just get so fired up sometimes over this it's a struggle to watch my words. 

If you don't already know this is Dilon.  Age 11, sports enthusiast, kind-hearted,  fun loving, full of energy, Type 1 Diabetic (T1D).  That thing attached to him would be his insulin pump.  It is a lifesaver--literally.

**We did not cause this disease.  I repeat, it wasn't us. We did not throw him in a room with a bowl full of candy and tell him to have at it.  NOTHING we did or did not do caused this or could have prevented it.

**Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes are two different things.  While many (but not all--let me be very clear on that) people with Type 2 can help control theirs with diet and exercise, Type 1's cannot.  Dilon could run until his little legs couldn't move another step and eat nothing but fruits and vegetables and it wouldn't matter.  He would still have Type 1.

**Dilon's pancreas (and all Type 1 diabetics pancreas') hate them.  They just decide to be lazy and stop producing insulin and eventually die. You have one stinkin job Pancreas....produce insulin.  It's not that tough.  When it decides it doesn't want to do that job it leaves too much sugar in their bodies causing their blood sugar to rise. This is no good.  In fact, it can be fatal.  That's something every parent wants to hear (still looking for that sarcasm font).

** Dilon will be insulin dependent until there is a cure. Right now there is no cure but there will be.  I feel it in my bones.  For now, that doesn't mean my kid can't eat what everyone else can.  That's why he has his insulin.  We're not paying $230 for a month's supply of insulin just for kicks and giggles (look at me watching my language).

I can't count the number of times people have made a comment to him that he shouldn't eat that candy or ice cream or piece of bread.  Back off, man.  He may only be 11 but he knows what he's doing.  If your life depended on it you would know what you're doing too.

**Please oh please don't complain to me about how much money it cost you to go see the doc because your kid has a cold.  I would love to show you my list of what all these diabetic supplies cost.  Plus doc visits.

This isn't even all of it. I got lazy (just like Dilon's pancreas, ha!) and didn't want to go get the other stuff.

**If you have a T1D in the house you will have at least one closet/cupboard/or drawer that looks like a pharmacy. 

**Don't hate us if your kid is sick and we run from you like you have three heads and are breathing fire.  Sick diabetics can easily end up in the hospital.  Remember me already complaining about the cost of monthly supplies?  If I want to feed all my children we need to keep Dilon out of the hospital if possible.  I'm really not trying to complain about $$$ with this.  We do have good insurance that helps a ton.  We pay a ton for that insurance but whatever.  It's just money...who needs it?

**Love sleep?  I used to, too. If you have a T1D in the house a full night of sleep is like winning the lottery. I have run into the wall at 2 in the morning way more times than a person should be allowed to in their lives.  At least it wakes me up enough to make sure his blood sugar is normal.

**He can do what all the other kids do.  Let him.  Sports, food, etc.  Let me and Nate be the one's to worry about what he is doing.  I know you mean well when you ask if he can have it/do it but if he couldn't we wouldn't let him.  We're smart like that.

**This disease is difficult to manage.  We are never really in full control of it. The damn thing has a mind of its own (so much for being lady-like).  When you ask us if everything is going good with it and we smile and say yes, we're lying.  We are doing everything in our power to keep him healthy and safe but sometimes it is impossible to control.  It is too hard to try and explain that to people who don't deal with it everyday.  It's just so much easier to say things are good, even when they're not.

**Please don't just stare at him like he's an alien when he's checking his blood.  If you want to know what's going on ask him.  He would LOVE to tell you about it.

**Reality for Dilon:  he may lose his eyesight, he may lose limbs. He will feel like crap so many days of his life.  He has to carry a pack full of supplies everywhere he goes.  He may go to bed one night and not wake up because he dropped too low.  He can have seizures, he can slip into a coma.  He will always have to count carbs before he eats his food.  He will have to prick his finger several times a day just to make sure he is ok.  He will have to give himself shots or wear an insulin pump all the time to get that life saving medicine he needs.  

I truly believe only the strongest of the strong can deal with this disease.  He gives me strength through his example every day.  

I know this post is super lengthy, in reality I could type 10 more pages of what we deal with.  Just one last thing before I jump off my soap box....

Signs that you may have Type 1 Diabetes

-Increased thirst

-Increased hunger

-Increased urination (this is how we figured it out)

-Weakness/fatigue

-Weight loss

-Blurry vision

-Fast, deep breathing

-Slow or confused thinking

If you or your child show any of these signs, PLEASE do me a favor and go get them checked.  I didn't want to because I feel like I'm that mom who is always at the Doc because something is wrong with my kid.  It makes me sick to think of what could have happened if I wouldn't have taken him in.

I can't get over my Disney obsession

Will some Disney loving family please adopt me?  Pretty please?

I sat the four boys down yesterday for a very important discussion. Nate was in meetings so I figured it would be a good time to convince them we should go to Disneyland instead of doing Christmas this year.  Their enthusiasm was nowhere near mine.  I got three no's and one very excited yes from Baylor who has no idea what it is other than Mater, Buzz and Mickey live there. 

Of course they are all for going to Disney if we have Christmas too.  Dax says lets do both in the very innocent way a 5 year old who has no concept of money would.  My reply was we don't have enough money.  As soon as that came out of my mouth Bay went missing.  I figured he was bored of listening to me.  Nope, he came back five minutes later with his shoes and jacket on, holding his piggy bank and my shoes saying lets go mom.  A kid after my own heart.  He was ready to go to Disneyland right that second.  

So for those willing to adopt me and take me on vacation with them I will have a 3 year old in tow as well. We're a package deal.  Speaking of package deals...do you know get away today has a great deal on a Disneyland vacation.  Just sayin.

Merry Halloween

 This year we decided to head to my brothers house so we could Trick-or-Treat with cousins.  Good times.  I think Nate had an even better time.  He had to work too late so he stayed home and did whatever the heck he wanted all night while I got to deal with four small people who ate too much sugar. 

 Those two pull off cheerleaders a little too well.

We were a sight to be seen.  Cousin itt (mike) couldn't see a darn thing so the entire night we kept hearing "manda, which way do I go" "where is elle? I can't find elle.  And jude, does somebody have jude?" "was that a tree.  I think i'm stuck on a tree." People would compliment him on his costume and he would turn the opposite direction and say thank you. He did win best costume at work so that makes up for almost being hit by a car, right?

 My mom and Moe seemed to be slightly confused on which holiday we were celebrating.  It was surprising how many people stopped Mr. and Mrs. Claus and Rudolf for a picture.

Nate and I at our friends party.  Rainbow Brite and Murky

 The boys with their pumpkins for the pumpkin walk.

 Dax's theme was feelings.....this is his very scared pumpkin

Grif's theme was animals.  If I have to tell you what it is then we suck.

Bay couldn't be left out of the fun.  I'm pretty sure he got more paint on himself than his pumpkin.

And Dilon thinks he's too cool for this kind of stuff anymore.  Lame.

Now this is the aftermath of four little boys Trick-or-Treating

 It looks like a 2 year supply of food storage to me.

Happy Happy Halloween!!

Mater doesn't embarrass me

I found a new way to mortify an 11 year old.  Have him get off the school bus with his friends to see this standing there waiting for him.

 Baylor wanted to be Mater today so I let him.  It just happened to be when school was getting out. He loves to stand on the lawn, wave to the bus driver, and wait for Dilon.  I don't see why Dilon was so embarrassed.  It's just a half naked 3 year old waiting for his big buddy to get home. 

Apparently Bay was flashing everyone his unders.  That I did not know.  Who cares, they are lightning mcqueen so at least they matched.

Who could possibly be embarrassed by that little face?

Fall break, baby!

Fall break...how I love you this year.  I am getting weak in my old age.  If you know me or have read my blog you know I am a person of order.  I love love love routine.  I love a schedule.  Well this old age thing has made me throw my schedule right out the window.  I've actually kind of slept in the last couple of days. It is almost 10:30 and I am sitting in my pj's blogging instead of getting dressed and cleaning...I feel like such a rebel.  I didn't get dressed until 10 yesterday either.  10 o'clock.  Me.  It was like my own little mini vacation.

Speaking of vacation, all of you who went on one over fall break and keep posting pics on Facebook and Instagram need to stop doing that now please.  Especially those of you who are now,  have recently gone, or are soon going to Disney. I am having serious Disneyland withdrawals.  I need a Disney fix really bad but Nate seems to think we need money to go.  What does he know anyway?

The boys are loving fall break as well.  The think they need to veg all day because their lives are just so darn tough.  It is nice to have them home despite the fact that I have heard mom said so many times this morning I'm about ready to go buy ear plugs.  In the last minute alone Bay has said it 47 times.  Grif is a close second with 36 times. Dilon thinks he is going to die because it is almost 11 and I haven't let him turn on the playstation yet.  And Dax, well Dax is MIA.  Wish me luck with whatever I discover when I actually find the boy.  

Here's to 3 more days of sleeping in and being lazy.  Nate and I are even going on a real date tomorrow.  Thanks Grandma Taco for offering to take the boys so we could go out.  She must have known we need it.  

Life doesn't get much better than this....except for being at Disneyland.  Nothing beats Disneyland.

It's always my kid

So if you read my previous post you saw that my Grandma Lou passed away last week.  It's been a tough one for me.  I go about my daily routine and the thought will cross my mind  I should go say Hi to grandma today and clean the house, then it hits me.  

I'm happy for her.  She lived 95 fantastic years. 

Yesterday was her funeral.  We laughed (I will get to that in a minute), we cried, and I said one final toodle-loodle-loo.  I will see her again and I know that.  I am grateful I know that.

So back to the laughing part.  It's a funeral.  You shouldn't laugh, right?  

We gathered all the family in the room for the family prayer but before that the funeral director asked all of the little kids (great grands) to come up to the casket.  They had their backs to all the adults in the room.  Grif is one of the bigger kids so he was in the back which basically means all of the adults could see him. The funeral director was talking to them about death and how her spirit isn't in her body anymore. The room was silent and reverent and perfect, until Baylor decided to walk over to Grif and give him a big old smack on the butt.  

Numerous adults had to stifle a laugh.  I just put my head down and tried to pretend the entire room wasn't staring at me.  I could feel my face turn many shades of red.

I've said it a thousand times before and I'm sure I'll say it a couple thousand more....why is it ALWAYS my kid?

Today heaven is a better place

Heaven gained a new angel today.  It's such a bitter sweet thing. Grandma Lou has been such a huge part of my life.  I have so much to say about her but the words won't come. 

Grandma, I'll drink a Pepsi for you if you squeeze grandpa's pinky for me.

Love you!

My baby is 3

I have decided I have to put this picture on all of Baylor's birthday posts.  It helps me remember how blessed we are to get to celebrate his birthday.  He's healthy and happy and my heart is full. 

Yesterday my miracle man turned 3.

  He loved the attention, the dollar presents (which I am grateful for since older brothers think they need things like ipods as presents) and nasty McDonalds for his b-day lunch.  

He was extra special and got 2 cakes this year

Here he is "helping" me make cake #1

I think he liked the finished product

cake #2 courtesy of Grandma Squeaker

Take a look at Dilon.....this is the reason I have to hide the lighters.  

Happy Happy Birthday Baylor Von!  I love you, you spunky little thing.