Cleaning the toy room

Rad and Cade work so hard to clean up their messes in the toy room. Sometimes I will go in to check it out afterward. I see some fun things like this...

Sweet hand me down

About 3 years ago an acquaintance of mine gave me a bunch of coats for Rad. Rad did not fit into them until this year. The other day while I was hanging up his coat I noticed the name tag on the inside. The coat once belonged to a boy in Berlin. Cool huh?

Baby Bunny Adventure

On the way to the grocery store the other day, Cade and I saw this baby bunny on the side of the road. So what do I do? I park the suburban in the road. I jump out and chase this bunny into the woods. I actually catch it. I take it home and now little Lucky is a happy Hanson rabbit. What happened to me? The "never going to own an animal lady"?

I taught Kindgergarten!

I had my first substitue teaching job! I was able to teach Rad's Kindgergarten class. It was so much fun. I loved it. The kids were, well, 5 and 6 and very well behaved. Can't wait for the next time!

The Handy Hanson's

So Derrick and I both not having full time jobs has been pretty neat so far. We have both had some miscellaneous jobs here and there and we're paying the mortgage, and we are home for the important things. We love it. Last Saturday Derrick, Rad, Cade and I had a painting job. We spent 10 hours painting the interior of a duplex and pulling out all of the carpet and carpet pad. It was some physical labor for sure but we got it done and had a lot of fun doing it. The boys were real troopers. They both got a bit tuckered out as you can see in the pictures but they were so well behaved. They sat on the purple blanket and ate junk and played with toys. After we were all done, we headed to Safeway. It must have been about 9:30pm. We picked out ice cream and on the way to the register, we were dragging our tired feet, covered in paint and filthy from the carpet. I looked at Derrick with tears in my eyes and said, "I am so happy I think I might cry." He reached out to hold my hand and said, "Me too". What a beautiful life. :)

Oh Rad

So I had a bag of York Pieces and the boys each grabbed a zip lock baggie for me to dump some candy into.

Rad holds out his bag like he is trick or treating and says "Trick or treat, I can smell your underwear, I don't care..."

He totally got the whole "Trick or Treat smell my feet give me something good to eat, if you don't, I don't care, I'll pull down your underwear" all kinds of confused.

Really, what a goofy thing to say anyway, but man did he make it worse.

We had a little talk about things that we don't repeat after hearing them in Kindergarten.

Hip Hop Hooray

http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/history-of-rap-3-102811/1365175



The other day Derrick was watching rc truck videos with the boys. One of the videos had some old school hip hop playing in the background. Cade throws his hands up and starts bobbin his head. It was the funniest thing. Derrick looked at me like what?

What can I say? A child after my own musical taste.

You should hear him sing "Hip Hop Hooray...".

Four days of Halloween

On Halloween night Rad decided to switch his costume from a "Black Spider Man" to a dirt bike rider. He said, "On this last night of Halloween I want to be a dirt bike rider." On this last night of Halloweeen... we celebrated this tooth decaying holiday for days.

On Friday night we went to the the Halloween Party that my Mom and Bob did the food for. It was the annual trunk or treat party. Rad said that he didn't want to trunk or treat. He just wanted to trick or treat. He thought that trunk or treating required swim trunks and water... haha.

On Saturday... brain blank...

On Sunday afternoon we went to the local slaughter house where the do an invite only trick or treat event. They brought home quite a haul from there.

Monday the boys went from being a "black spider man" and a football player to a dirt bike rider and a "black spider man" and we hit up the local high school for more trick or treating. Since Rad wore his riding gear, he wanted to use his helmet for his treat sack. Neat idea. Only in his excitement he kept swinging his helmet around and then flinging candy everywhere. The high school kids thought it was hilarious. Rad, not so much.

For Rad's classroom Halloween party I volunteered to teach the kids to make oreo spiders. It was a lot of fun.


So much candy and so much fun... sicknesses and all.

Farm Life

Derrick and I are still set on being pig farmers. Other than stinking like some serious stink, they are easy, and pretty darned fun to have around. We added one more to total six pigs as of now. But here in a few months our Mama's will be bred and those mama's will have about 12 piglets each birth. We brought home the "husband" last weekend and named him Thor. He is a cute lil guy.
We get the prettiest sunsets here too. When the fog rolls in with the sunset it makes for some pretty cool scenery.

Living on a farm creates the need for a lot of trips to the dump... especially without a garbage man to pick up our trash. The other day the boys and I took a dump run and came back with this cool hotwheels truck that we scavanged out of a trash heap. So cool and it runs!

School Boy Rad

Rad is really enjoying Kindergarten now. I love helping out in his class. In fact, I love it so much that as of November 8th I will be a substitute teacher for his school district. It's a fun change from banking for sure.
He went on his very first feild trip to the local fire station. Cade and I tagged along. The kids were able to hold the fire hose and spray a cone. They thought they were the coolest.


He has started his speech therapy. In his testing, he tested in the second percentile in comparison to his peers. He had a 42% accuracy on the words he was asked to say. The scored his with a severe speech problem and jumped right on it. He is working hard and doing great.
He is getting straight O's everyweek. That is the equivelent to straight A's and I am so proud of him.
He is standing out as a leader in his class and is not afraid to stand up for what is right. He came home the other day and told me that one of his "best friends ever" said a bad word. "He said Damnit mom. He says it all the time when he doesn't catch the ball." I let the word slide and asked him what he says when the friend says that word. "I tell him that it is a bad word and that he should not say it." Good for you Rad! What does this friend do then? "He says that it's not bad because he says it all the time, but I know the Troof!" What a good boy.
He loves to color and every night before bed he makes sure that we read the scriptures. He is really into the story of Nephi.

The many faces of Cade

Cade's Croup Catastrophe

Poor baby Cade has spent the last week being one sick little boy. Rad was sick first, he spent last week out of school and on the couch with a fever and a nasty cough. Cade started out with the same fever and cough but the cough just kept getting worse. On Tuesday he had 3 cough attacks before we left to take Rad to school. At the end of every cough attack it took him a bit to breathe again. It scared him to tears, which scared me, which scared Rad. So I decided to take him in. I scheduled an appointment with a local pediatrics office. We got to the appointment, and explained that without my job, I do not have health insurance anymore. They wanted me to pay cash. I did not have the cash. They sent me away. All the while Cade is hacking up both lungs and from the sound of it... could have been a rib for goodness sake. On the way out of the office they told me to take him to the ER as they are more likely to bill later. I was a bit embarassed. I have a nasty cold/cough myself and was a bit emotional. Cade has to be seen. So I drive to the hospital in tears. Some of those are sad tears and some of those are the darned tears that seems to be constant when I have a cold like this. I take him in to ER and explain that it's not an emergency, just a scary cough, and that I tried the Pediatrics first and they sent me there. The receptionist smiled and handed me paperwork and closed the window. I looked up from my paperwork to see the ER doc throwing a hissy about having to see a "kid with a cough". Which got me upset. My "kid" is sick, and nobody wants to see him. It's not like a was wanting someone to look at his runny nose or a scraped knee for goodness sake. He was having trouble breathing! When the receptionist opened the window I looked at her and said (with sinus tears a flowing) that if it was that big of a deal to see a "kid with a cough" in the ER then I would take him elsewhere. Then I handed her the papers and left. With Cade sacked out on my shoulder and coughing up his other rib and possibly his belly button at that point. I get out to the lawn of the hospital and the hissy throwing doc comes out to chase me down. He's standing there in his scrubs and his stethescope a swinging and yells "Lady! If you're kid is sick we will see him!" I replied (with the dang nasal tears still a flowing) that I understand that he was a busy and didn't need to be bothered with a cough and that I would take him somewhere else. He responded with "There are people in the hospital, in the ICU, with actual emergencies, your kid is not a priority and it will be a few hours, but we will see your kid if he is sick". Hack, Hack, Hack and out comes Cade's knee cap. "Nope" I say. If nobody else can see him then I will come back to you. Then I turn to walk away. He yells something else but I just keep going. Because now I am crying real tears too. I'm still sick, embarassed and worried. I take him to the the third doctor. An urgent care. I start to explain my predicament to the receptionist, lose it and she pats my hand and says "we will see him". Thank goodness. He was diagnosed with a bad case of croup. A bacterial infection that caused a nasty ear infection. Some swelling around his breathing parts and some bruising around his ribs from all the dang coughing. The doctor wanted to know why I took so long to get him in. Um... you are the third doc today that I have tried to see. Anyway, the gave him Tylenol with Codein and a steroid and sent us on our way. Ugh. Stupid day. But so thankful to have something to make him more comfortable. He is still coughing but it doesn't interrupt his breathing as much.
As for the ER doc, I understand that there are people with actual emergencies and I appreciate what doctors do. I never asked for anyone to stop CPR to see Cade or to move Cade to some priority list. I wouldn't have mind waiting. Just don't be a meany.

My Mom

My Mom is pretty darned fabulous. I consider myself a very lucky lady to have such a Mommy. She is one who has most definitely had her fair share of tough life experiences and she has always come out of those experiences as strong as can be. She is an outstanding grandma/GRAMERI. My boys adore her as does my husband. She works hard at all she does, whether it be organizing a church social, working with Bob at Auto Haus, keeping her home in order, and keeping up with her children and their spouses and their children. She is beautiful and kind and so very thoughtful. She recently gave me a box chalk full of school projects and letters and pictures and report cards, etc from my childhood that she had kept for all of these years. It has been so cool to have and look through and remember. She is so quick to answer my phone calls... frequent phone calls... daily phone calls... hourly phone calls and listens to me vent, or gets exctied when I am excited about something, or to hear the latest funny things that one of the boys said, or to hear my cry about some drama happening. I'm sure it must get annoying... maybe even overwhelming, but she continues to be there for me. While I was working, on those days that went on forever, she would send me home with dinner. She brought me holiday goodies to my work and I was so proud to say that she was my Mom making that special delivery to my paper piled desk. She is the best. She is my Mom and I love her.

Mommy again

I am done at the bank and back to being a full time Mom. I ♥ it. I am already dreading the day when I have to go back to a full time position and that will be sooner rather than later.

I love that I have time to stay caught up on keeping the house in order and cook meals. I love that I am able to volunteer in Rad's class a couple of days a week and I love that Cade and I join Rad for breakfast at school every morning. I love being able to take the kids to their appointments. I love that I am able to have friendships with Sisters in the ward and actually be able to see them.

I love being a mom and wife.

Cade turned 3 on the 21st. He kinda got the shaft gift wise but he did have an AWESOME birthday cake made with love by Aunt V. Thanks V Child!

Rad is doing great in school. He has had to have quite a bit of dental work done recently. He has had 2 little boy root canals in the last week and a half. Poor guy. But he is a Super Trooper! Tonight we are having a movie night at his school. He is so excited.

♥ this

Happy Birthday to Bob and I!

I turned 31 yesterday. I had a fantastic lunch out with a friend and coworker at the Cold Water Creek wine bar. I chowed down on a veggie panini with pepperjack cheese, guacamole, garlic, carmelized onion, etc., etc. So good.

After lunch I headed to my moms where we ate some super hamburgers, sweet potato fries, fried zuchini and deviled eggs. YUM!

Cade helped Grameri pick out a super cake. It was rainbow frosted and topped with pink candles and a red dirt bike. :)

Derrick had a gorgeous cake made at Yokes. The Yokes here in Sandpoint has the BEST pastries and cakes around I think. I actually had a peice of cake for breakfast this morning. Can't have it going bad!

My Mom picked me up the prettiest cuff and earing set from Cold Water Creek. Cade helped pick that out too. He gets his mind set on something and doesn't budge.

Derrick, the best husband to me ever, hooked me up with a Kindle and fancy cover, oil paints, canvas and new brushes. Just what I wanted. Thank you sweetheart! You made it such a great birthday!

Bob turned 62! I love sharing a birthday him.

I am really really happy that I did NOT spend my birthday in the ER like last year!

Speaking of the ER... I think I failed to mention in my last post that Derrick was int he ER on Saturday with a burned and lesioned cornea. Dang gasoline in the eye anyway.

pics for the previous post

Thanksgiving Point

Our baby pigs

I love parades with the Kidd Kids

Our variety of eggs

Mike and Cade

Jersey all dolled up

I do not drive so horribly...

Heidi and Kids

Rad on his first day... he HAD to wear his Volcom Hoodie.

Derrick and I heading to the Festival at Sandpoint

Rad scrubbed his bike with Windex before the big race.

Candi and Rad


Candi and Cade

Blue Lipped Monkey that made me giggle

Bikes and Heidi's

Baby Joker

All geared up

A big ol September catch up

We did go to Seattle in May and we had a time. We camped... in Seattle... in May. We came home with viruses, ear infections and pink eye. Cade would wake up in the morning to tell me that he had peed his sleeping bag. Nope. Diaper was dry. The air was just so moist that we woke up wet. So nights not so fun. During the day however, we did lots and made lots of memories. We hit up the zoo and a bunch of museums, we went to the aquarium and ate a lot of peanut butter and jelly. I forgot that there are really campgrounds that don't allow camp fires. We also spent Mothers Day watching a Pro Skateboarding competition and we loved it. They were filming for the Fantasy Factory at the competition and WOW! A bunch of Diva's.

June brought more rain to North Idaho. Not a super exciting month but enjoyable. I kept on keeping on at the bank. Derrick held down the farm life and the kids enjoyed being kids.

July the sun started shining. We had a 4th of July weekend of BBQ's. Rad rode his Honda 50cc for the first time and loved it. Cade tried it out too but it was a tad to big for him still. Shayli rode a DB too and did really well. Shayli also turned 14and Rad turned 5 this month.

August was just a few weeks ago so I have more to type because I can still remember. Rad, Cade, Jersey, Aunt V and I took a rode trip. We stopped in Rexburg to hand with the Daniel Fam. ♥ them. The boys and I met Rebecca for the first time and what a doll! Meri Kate melted my heart with her dimples and big blue eyes. I couldn't get enought of Andrew's snuggles and I loved watching how grown up Samantha was and what a great big sister she is. The boys loved riding bikes with their cousins and I loved watching them have so much fun. From Rexburg we headed to American Fork. I was hoping to spend lots of time visiting with the Moody's and more of the Kidd side of the family. But ended up spending more time at the Dental School and running around crazy. Aunt Candi did an awesome job cleaning all of our teeth and helped to discover that I needed a root canal... which I had done there at the school. The boys are so much better with brushing their teeth. Thanks Aunt Candi Snack! :) We were able to go the Thanksgiving Point gardens and the Dinosaur exhibit. I loved being able to see Uncle Mike with Rad and Cade. They love him, he loves them and is so much fun. He and Candi are going to be such great parents to baby Dallas. I was so thankful to be able to spend time with Papa. I sure love him. Since I have been home I talk to him at least 5 times a week and really really love or conversations. The man is full of stories that I just cherish. At night in American Fork, Rad and Cade would have there night time wrestling matches up in the living room for Papa's entertainment and I do believe that Rad liked Papa's Westerns more than him at times. I didn't feel like it was a long enough visit at all and hated having to leave. From American Fork we headed back to Rexburg for the Rexburg Fair and more Daniel Family time, then headed back home where we have stayed.

Rad raced in his first MotoX in August and loved it. He received his first trophy and was the happiest kid around. He did a great job and was so in his element that I was the silly mom choked up and emotional in the pits the whole time. I was and am so proud of him. He started Kindergarten on September 6th. It's full day Kindgergarten. He is in school from 7:15am to 3pm. It's a long day but he is adjusting.

Cade is growing quick! He loves to play with Rad and has decided that he wants a Yamaha 50cc to race. He will be 3 in a few weeks... I'm not sure that I want to think he is old enough to race! He has been spending a lot of time with Grameri and LOVES HER.

Shayli started 9th grade on the 6th. She is 14, I am the StepMom, I am SO not her favorite person but hope that eventually she will come around again. Until then, it kinda hurts.

Derrick and I are doing well. Work for me has not been great, I still perform great, but the values in the workplace leave A LOT to be desired. Being there makes me physically sick at times. But what do you do? I have a mortgage to pay, a family to feed, bills to keep up on, etc etc. Well, I was really honest with Derrick about what I was feeling, I told him about what goes on behind the scenes at work and then had to swear him off a 2 mile radius of the bank, but we still depended on my income, so I was stuck. Early last week Derrick sat me down and told me that he had found a painting job that would pay our miscellaneous bills through June 2012. He then told me that he wanted me out of the environment that I walked into 5 days a week and that we would figure something out to pay the bills. I cried, I was so thankful and after I decided to give notice, 30 minutes later, Derrick received a phone call from an old employer and friend offering him some work that should get us through the winter. My last day is September 20th. Life is great, we are crazy blessed and I love my Heavenly Father for loving me so much.

The farm is great. We have 5 new pigs: Hot Lips Hula Ham, Socks, Piglet, Hathaway and Black Jack. Sunny the goat had a baby boy a few weeks ago. He has been named Joker Dirt Bike. Both of our kittens ended up having kittens. We have about 11 cats running around the barn and feild. Trapping those next weekend I hope. We have a handfull of rabbits living wild around the house still and 2 in the rabbit hutch in the barn. We still have Hitch and Jersey. A bunch of chickens and the neighborhood Coyote's and Elk.

Dad

So I had very very vivid dreams of my dad last night. I hesitate posting about it... so I won't. I do want to say how much I miss him though. I still remember what his smile looked like and how he kind of threw his head back when he laughed. I remember his "cowabunga" t-shirt that he would swim in. It had black and white cows on it and they were surfing. He said that if he did not wear it he would look like an albino walrus. And oh the lectures! I hated them and I love them now. I remember him coming home from SLC after his chemo treatments, he and Mom had been gone so long. He saw my dark blue nail polish and looked at me like "What the?", I have not wore dark blue nail polish since. I remember finally breaking down during his viewing and Aunt Roberta being there to hold me. I remember what I wore to his funeral and I always remember how much this hurts. I miss my dad every day and am so thankful for eternal families.

Jared-
In my dream last night I kissed him on the cheek! I love him so much. He lives so much closer now and I rarely see him. That needs to change. He has been there for me so many times. I remember one of the many times that I was having a hard time in my late teens. He brought me a gallon of rainbow sherbet ice cream and I ate it all with a spoon straight out of the container.

Michael-
What a rock. He has always been my silent rock. He has always been such an example to me. His spirituality and his ability to hold fast to the iron rod is so comendable. I love him tons.

Heidi-
Oh Ruthless. If the Relief Society had a mascot, It would be Heidi. What a super woman. I still have and treasure all of the letters that she sent me while living in Utah. She has always been so kind and loved me and told me that she loved me. I am so thankful for that. I love her loads.

V-Child!
I miss her! We are so much a like in some ways, I think. She makes me laugh constantly and every time I picture her in her little black cat costume from when she was 5 I want to squeeze her. I love her bundles.

Shane-
He is my most favorite baby brother. I love that even though he is 19 years old I still want to take care of him like he is my 3 year old baby brother. I love that we fight like we are only 2 years apart, even though we are 12 years apart. I love that I shed tears when they would announce his name over the loud speaker at football games. I just love him.