Easter Weekend

We had a great Easter weekend. It started early when my sister and her family came to visit us on Wednesday. They stayed through Saturday and we had a great time with them. My sis and I even snuck away to see, The Last Song...it was ok, but we had high expectations because we both LOVED Dear John so we were a little dissapointed (mostly with Miley's acting ability!) We also got the chance to go to the flea market which is literally about 1 mile from my house and is so awesome. Check out my friend Kirras blog for some great pics (kirrasue.blogspot.com) (I obviously need a tutorial on how to show a blog so that you can just click on the name...i am a bit slow.) We said goodbye to ker and clint and then headed to church on Sat. night. It was such an awesome service, a great time of celebrating our Risen Savior! Sunday morning we hung out at home as a family and then spent the afternoon at Brandon's parents house. The kids had a great easter egg hunt and ate way too much sugar...and so did I!!! Here are some pics of the boys on our front porch Easter morning.

Macalan Justin

Ok. This post is for Tiffany who has been complaining about my lack of bloggage. Here's the thing, lately, I feel like I haven't had much to blog about. I don't take amazing photos, I don't cook amazing food, my house isn't fully decorated because I am having a hard time really doing it up since we are renting and hoping to be out of here by Dec., and we have had a relatively slow few months which is nice...my dad is doing great so no new news there and we haven't really travelled much or done anything crazy exciting...and I am just plain uncreative. So while I love and adore reading all my other blogging friends blogs, I guess lately I have been uninspired to be one of those cute bloggers like all the rest of you. Anyways, I did decide I have two pretty cute things to blog about and those would be my kids. So this one is for mac...let me let you into his world.
Meet the sweetest and happiest baby I have ever known. Macalan Justin. He is seriously such a joy. He will jump into your arms when he meets you and lay his head on your shoulder. He will smile, no matter what. He loves on his brother to the point of attacking him with hugs and kissses. He still gives those open mouth, stick out his tongue kisses, which can be a little gross...but they are so cute. He loves to sign, please, all done, more...we are working on thank you. He runs to the door when his daddy gets home and catapults himself into his arms. He is an ok eater.. a little picky but will eat fruit all day long. In all this sweetness, their is one thing that he does that is not all that cute and that is BITE. He will run up to you with all the joy in the world and bite your leg. So, you see, he is not perfect. He also likes to hit and will do it with a smile- not out of maliciousness at all but he is literally laughing and hitting- (and even though it is totally naughty- sometimes it is hard not to laugh) but it is another thing we are working on. When told no, he is 9 times out of 10 an AMAZING listener and stops right away. He follows directions nearly perfectly and just wants to do everything his big brother does. He loves going to church and to the gym and is the only kid not crying at the gate when I go pick him up from the nursery. He is just in his own little world playing away. He is a great sleeper, still taking two naps a day and although wakes up a little early for my liking in the morning, I do enjoy my time alone with him. All this to say, he is such a great addition to our house and really does make us smile all day long. I just love this kid!

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Spring...for a minute.

We have experienced unusually warm weather these past few days and I couldn't be happier! We have been soaking in as much outside time as we can and have loved letting the boys run around outside and get their energy out. It is supposed to come to an end this weekend as we are supposed to get SNOW...yep that's right. I am not really excited about that but I am hoping it will be our last snow of the year...we shall see!

We are headed to Indiana on Sat., staying until Tuesday, as Brandon is going to New York for work, and I am excited about seeing my sis and her family and hopefully seeing some friends while I am there too!

Had a doctor's apt yesterday and made our ultrasound apt. to find out the sex of the baby (april 22!!!) I of course am kind of dying for a girl but am pretty sure its going to be a boy. Either way I am excited to see the little bug in 3-D and make sure everything is good.

We are working on summer plans and it is so hard to go from Brandon having the whole summer off to now having 3 weeks for the whole year! We are trying to fit lots in this summer with trips to LA to see friends, up North to see my parents and hopefully some of my dad's family and also sqeeze in a little trip for Brandon and I to get away for our 5th anniversary before this baby comes and life gets a little crazier!

Catch Up...

Ok, well I never realized how inconsistent I would become at this whole blogging thing, but shoot, I am and I have said it before and I will say it again...I will keep trying . :)
Let's see...where to begin. Hmmmmm...you all know I am pregnant. We were definitely suprised, not shocked though. I might have cried a little bit. Mostly out of fear...I mean three kids under three is a bit much for someone who likes to pretend they've got it all together. But I quickly gathered myself, counted my blessings and started pounding toast with strawberry jam (my main source of food for the first 12 weeks.) Glad I am past that sick part and I can start (ok, attempt) to eat a little more healthy so I do not blow up like beached whale.
Other than pregnancy I am just trying to deal with and have a good attitude about the climate here where we are currently living. Sadly, I haven't been to great on the good attitude part. But boy it is hard. I just want to send my kids outside, take them to the park and not feel like I am cooped up in my house all day...but spring is coming...right??? (kirra...right??!!!)
My kids seem to have caught a constant cold. I feel like they have been sick for months, mostly Macalan and it is such a bummer because it makes me even more wary of taking them out and about. All that to say, I CANNOT wait for summer!!! My in-laws have a pool and I know I will be over there alot tiring the boys out and letting them run wild.
My sweet husband flew my mom out here for my birthday, which was the best gift ever! We were able to spend some really fun time together, even a day in the city! My sister also joined us out here for my birthday too and I was so blessed to have a little get together with family and some dear friends to celebrate (kirra sue-can you email me the pics...pretty please :)
Also, when my mom left, my sister and I then picked up two of our friends from Cali that came out the visit. We had a girls weekend in Indiana and it was such a great time of catching up, fun shopping in Noblesville, and eating way too much yummy food...we even slaved for hours to make the pioneer womens cinnamon rolls. (ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!!!! They were amazing and I still feel a little bit sick when I think of how many I ate.!!!) It will definitely be something I will make when we have company one day because they were awesome!
My dad continues to heal from the pnemonia (i will never spell it right. i am giving up.) and has not been able to continue treatment yet, but hopefully monday he will pick up where he left off. He has four more weeks of treatment, then they will hopefully do another cat-scan and see what is going on there.
I am continually being challenged to look for the blessings in my life and not the negatives. I will be honest it has been a really hard few months out here, moving away from my family and coming to a new place, not having a home church and missing our friends, but I am trying (I say trying because sin creeps in SO often) to have an eternal perspective. Whenever I complain now, I think of those in nations like Haiti, who had nothing to begin with and then lost all they had. God continues to be gracious to me and my little family and I am thankful that He gives grace abundantly!
Here are just a few pics of the kiddos. Taeden is definitely going through an akward camera phase, he is either making a goofy face or "smiling" which doesn't come out that good :) so they are mostly of Mac. They are getting so big...just signed Taeden up for preschool...time really is flying!!!

Mac just got his first big boy hair cut...it made him look instantly older. sad.

my mom and her grandboys. they just adored having her here! me too!

Mac lives in his uggs that were once taedens. he is a little peanut!

loves bathtime!

daddy and taeden

mac again...

Crazy days and Crazy GOOD News...

I know I have been a huge blogging slacker lately and I am sorry. Things have been crazy here...We moved into our new place a month ago and I love it...pics will come when everything is settled (it'll be awhile folks:).. we had company right after we moved in, one of our friends from Cali and my sister and her kids were out here for a visit too! Love having a place where I can be hostess once again, unfortunately our kitchen table didn't make it in the move :( so for now I am thankful for the island in our kitchen! I also spent last weekend in Nashville with my mom and sister without my kiddos!! A much needed and wonderful break! We had a great time exploring Franklin, TN- the place I may be moving too..it is stinkin cute and I really liked it! Things with my dad were also crazy there for awhile too as my last blog explained. He is healing very well at home and resting lots! We got some amazing news last week that almost seems to good to be true and we were told that the doctor was "cautiously optomistic" so we are trying to be too...
Last July my dad had 6 tumors- 5 of them being in his lungs. The doctors said nothing would work- they weren't even willing to try chemo, radition or surgery and pretty much gave him a year to 3 years..so as you know they searched and went for the alternative route. Last week he had a CT scan done of his lungs to see if his pnuemonia was still present and while it was present, guess what wasn't!!!...The doctors that examined the scan could not see ANY of the tumors that were there just a few short months ago. This is truely a miracle, a gift from the Lord and gives us so much hope! Of course, like I said we are being cautiously optomistic and we are waiting for the pnuemonia to be gone completely so that he can resume treatment and get another CT scan done to confirm what the doctors last saw! We were all so excited and emotional to get GOOD news for once, it seems like since my dad's cancer journey has started he always had the worst case senario...so you can imagine how nice it was to get some great news for once! God is faithful and this is proof of prayers being answered...I will keep you all updated and hopefully have some pics to post soon so my blogging isn't so boring :)

thankful.

Well, on Wednesday we were really close to losing my dad. Seriously, 30 minutes away is what the doctors told my mom...I can't even imagine! What my mom and dad thought was just a horrible bout of the flu combined with chemo symptoms turned out to be pneumonia and a incredibly dangerous blood infection. God truly spared my dad this week and I am so thankful! My mom followed her instincts and rushed him to the hospital when he started becoming a bit loopy and "out of it" and could hardly walk. He was admitted into the ICU and has been there since Wednesday night. We were told that had he been undergoing normal chemo doses (since he is doing an "alternative" method he is only recieving 15% of a normal dose) that his body surely would not have been able to fight this often deadly infection. I am so thankful that other than the cancer my dad is still incredibly strong and healthy! The hardest part of this is being so stinkin far away!!!! I would give almost anything to have been out there for my mom and dad through this but also know now that my sweet dad needs to stay healthy and I risk the germs of little children:) but I will be visiting SOON...when he is a little stronger.

So for now my dad is doing great. Responding to the meds, actually getting moved into a normal room today...yea!!!! Praise the Lord for He is GOOD!!!!

I love my dad so very much and am filled with gratitude that the Lord is allowing us more time with him on this earth!!!

Here's the Deal...

So people keep asking...and here is the scoop.
We moved out here so that Brandon could join the family business. So we could find a place to setttle that we could actually afford. So we could buy a house. Be near family. Put roots down...all that good stuff. However, that has been on hold because....wait for it.....we may be moving AGAIN...in a year, or so...we really don't know.
Here's the thing. There is a pretty good chance that the family business will move to Nashville in the next few months/year. Now, I would be fine with that...hello, its 2 degrees today and although I have never been to Tennesse in my life, from what I hear it doesn't get nearly as cold as FREEZING chicago and it is quite gorgeous from the pics I've seen and I will still be close enough to drive to see my sister...plus, who doesn't want to get to talk in a southern accent...hello- I will be adopting ya'll as soon as my feet hit Nashville soil...but the hard part is waiting.
We are hoping to have a very good idea in January when the move will happen or if it is even going to. See the thing is, I would be fine staying in Chicago too, (besides the cold) it is fine here....I just really want to know.
I am so ready to NOT be renting anymore and NOT move anymore. We are moving for the 4th time in 4 years in a few weeks and I am happy because we are getting our own place (we have been living with brandon's parents since sept), but I know this is a very temporary move which is hard because I know by the time I make this new place feel like home, I will be packing up my kitchen ONCE AGAIN...but I am hoping it will be the last one for a long time.
We are thankful that we will be able to buy a home, just as soon as we know WHERE we are going to be, thankful that we are first time buyers so we are in a pretty good position for the market these days and thankful that Brandon now has a steady job and despite the economy the company is doing well.
I hope I don't sound like a complainer...I really am grateful that we CAN even rent a nice, big house and that God has given me more blessing than I can count...I just am feeling the itch to really invest in something that is OURS as opposed to living in a white wall home (all white guys--- and I am not allowed to paint..ideas, please????!!!) and being able to put money into something that doesn't feel like a big black hole...that is kinda how I feel about renting these days :)
Anyways, we are all healthy, thankful, counting the days until I can be with my WHOLE family in Indiana for Christmas next week and just feeling amazing about being able to celebrate our Saviors birth. And it really does feel a lot like Christmas here in Chicago with all the snow...which I actually enjoy!:) So that's life in a little tiny nutshell..we are in wait mode...
Lord willing I will have more news come January...Stay tuned :)