2012

Wow! What a year, but that is pretty normal at our stage of life! 2012 marks the first year since I started preschool that I have not been enrolled in some kind of schooling! This was an adjustment and I still miss it (strange, right?). I also feel that over this last year I have grown and learned so much (which is part of why we needed to move away from everyone we love and know). We have had ups and downs, but mostly ups! At first it was really a struggle for me to go from being in school and being away from my kids to bam! being home, alone, taking care of them 24/7. This is when I got the idea to take in another child to babysit. BAD idea!!! I found out that I  really HATE watching other people's children so in May I was done with that! I then started another new job (mostly for something to do, and partly for the money I wasn't bringing in babysitting). That only lasted 2 weeks because I have a strong personality, and sometimes others have a hard time dealing with me. It was okay, though because I found out that as much as I say I am not cut out to be a stay at home mom, I missed my kids! About this time Tyrell (after months and months of trying) was able to get back on serving at Texas Roadhouse. We really needed to bring in just a little more money to help pay for things that were above and beyond the bills. Once school started again, this second job became a little more of a hassle, but we are smiling and making it through it because we are just so blessed to have it when there are people out there who are struggling to find even one job! Right around the same time miss Havyn really needed to get her tonsils removed (despite how young she was) so we had that done. She was such a champ and it has made a world of difference for her. This last month we all got sick with a really bad cold, and hers didn't last near as long as poor Kai's has, and she seemed to do so much better with it. I was just glad we could get it down over the summer so that it wasn't so hard for me to take care of it without Tyrell around much. When school started we got another surprise! Tyrell's school had sent out an email about needing people to do some homebound kiddos very part time. I jumped on it because it would give me a break from the day to day mom grind! I didn't even think about what it paid. I just told Tyrell to make sure he let them know right away that I was interested and wanted to do it. The next day they let us know that they needed someone right way and that because I was a certified teacher they would pay me $21 per hr! I was extatic! I got to work finding someone to watch my little three the hour a day I'd be gone. Which would be perfect because it was during nap time. I started observing the autisitc girl I'd be working with and to my surprise was offered another student. This would take me to 11 hours a week. Not too bad in my book, so I agreed. This new student has been a struggle, but I think in the end I need these experiences to better prepare me for the classroom I intend to have one day. So here we are with 3 different jobs, when some have none, and I consider us very blessed! No, we are not rich and no, I do not bring home much in the end because 50% of what I make goes right back into to babysitters, but I LOVE doing what I do, and I can still be a mom! Other than that we have learned how to lean on eachother more and more, and I believe our family has been stregthened because of this move! I also think that as much as I say I don't have friends, I have found good, sweet, and kind loving ladies in my ward who have been there for me and been a strength to me! I hurt my back around the time school started as well, and I needed some physical therapy to get back to normal. My visiting teaching companion was a huge help during this time!! She was here watching my kids for all my physical therapy sessions. I don't think I can ever repay her for all her kindness. I got sick and she instantly offered dinner (when she was about to have a baby herself). Seriously, I don't think there is a kinder soul out there! The ladies I visit teach have also become dear friends, and I have learned how important it is to visit teach, and found it to be one of my favorite things! These are all things I had stuggled with everyone else we have been.

Tyrell has learned that teaching 6th grade isn't as scary as he originally thought. He was moved from 8th to 6th this year, and he is certified to teach 6-12 so it was a little nerve racking. He says it's interesting because some of them are still babies while other are maturing already. He has a pack of LDS 6th grade girls that follow him around a lunch because he does lunch duty. They are his little crew. Every time he misses a day the vice principal has to deal with them and he is so glad to see Tyrell when he gets back!

All and all this year has been full of surpises and learning experiences! Our kids have grown so much!!! I keep wondering where all the time has gone. It really is true that they grow so fast so you better enjoy it now.

Koen is now a 1st grader, and will be baptized in 2013. This is something that shocks me! I remember the night he was born! He is one smart little boy too! He amazes me everyday with the things he has learned and can explain in great detail!

Kai is turning into me! I know he is a boy, but he has so much of my personality in him. He is scared of dogs in the exact same way I was. He is always worried about everything (just like me). He is stubborn. The list goes on and on, but I am not going to tell everyone all my faults! He is going to turn 4 in just a couple weeks and I am stressing about his kindergarten shots. I was told by the Dr. that at this clinic they do them at their 4 year old well check. He is going to freak out! I keep thinking about how I can make it easier for him and how I am going to NEED the others to not go with us.

Havyn has turned into such a little girly girl! She needs her flower every time I do her hair. She wants all the girl movies when they watch netflix. She rocks out to music just like me too! She has quite the little attitude, and makes her opinions known! I guess she needs to with all these boys she has to deal with. I can't even imagine how the teenage years wil go. She will be 3 in about 3 weeks. She also refuses to potty train even though she knows how. She is miss independent and I guess she figured out after day 1 that it wasn't her idea!

Kael is the spitting image of his uncle Daren. I swear almost everyday that he was meant to go to Daren's house and somehow something got messed up and he was sent to mine! He is such a boy! He is developing more and more personality everyday and he never ceases to amaze me with his abilities. He is a little teaser too! He will chase Koen around just to get to him and make him cry. I always have to remind Koen that he doesn't need to be scared of Kael because he is like 3 times the size of Kael. He is sneeky, and I really think he knows more than he lets on because all the sudden he'll be caught in the act or saying something he pretends he doesn't know. He is my little stink, as I call him. He is also my little momma's boy through and through (worse than Kai). He is starting off the new year in a big boy bed (which he is doing amazingly well with at night) because he is the first of my kids to every figure out how to climb his way out of the crib. He is turning 2 which means....... I have NOT been pregnant for 2 years!!!!! Wow, that feels good to say!

Happy new year and we are hoping for a happy and healthy 2013!