Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving day the kids and I spent the morning helping mom get ready for all the visitors. All my sibling and their families were coming over for lunch.

Once everyone arrived we started sitting the table. We had the biggest spread of food!!! It was all so amazing! 

It was pretty warm that day so the kids got to play outside. Lance's favorite place was the sandbox.

After lunch the kids and I headed to the airport. I had no idea how traveling on Thanksgiving Day would be, but I pleasantly surprised to find the airport dead. There wasn't hardly anyone there! All the stores and restaurants were closed. They were even super relaxed at the security gate. We didn't have to take off our shoes or jackets either. Our flight was only half full too! 

Since Andrew missed having a thanksgiving meal with us he prepared one on Friday for us. He did everything all by himself. He made a ham, mashed potatoes (real ones), stuffing, and peas. He even bought an apple pie for us to enjoy later! 

I'm so thankful for my wonderful family and all the blessing God has bestowed on us!

Missouri Trip

We had a great trip to Missouri. The best part about this trip was that Andrew got to be there for a week with us.

We weren't the only ones who made the trip to Missouri. Andrew's brother Jason and his family flew in for a week.

Plus, Grandma Conway came in from California and Aunt Diane from Pennsylvania came in for a few days. Having so many people to go visit was a touch over whelming at times. My parents live about 45 minutes away from where all the Conways were staying. We spent allot of time on the road driving to visit everyone. Lexie didn't mind that though. She loved pointing out all the horses and cows which she would say were PaPa's. Poor Lance didn't like leaving my parents house at all. He just wanted to stay and relax.

Andrew spent allot of his time hunting. He took Lance along a couple of times. Lance just loved spending time with his dad. 

The first few days we spent adjusting to the 3 hour time change. Sunday morning we had planned to wake up and attend church but we didn't even wake up until 11. We did better with each passing day an by the next Sunday the kids and I were able to wake up early enough to attend church.

We loved getting to visit with Grandma Conway and Diane even if it was just for a couple days. Lexie really took to Aunt Diane because of all the jewelry she wears. 

Monday was kind of hard finding something fun to do. Our first choice was closed. The park or anything like that was out of the question because of Lexie's arm. Grandma treated us to movie which ended up being perfect.

After the movie we drove out to my sister Sarah's house for dinner. My sister has a small chihuahua that had a puppy. The kids were in love!!! 

We attended 4 birthday parties while in Missouri; Uncle Jason's 30th birthday, Emma & Lydia's 8th birthday, Haylie's 7th birthday and Megan's 15th. 

Most of our trip was pretty relaxed just spent hanging out with family which was prefect. I don't like to plan much. I always feel rushed to get places on time. So no plans is perfect for us!

One thing Lance was really looking forward to was fishing so Andrew made sure to take him one day along with Austin.

Friday evening I met some of my Pampered Chef family at a Mexican restaurant. It was great catching up with girls and chatting.

We had a great time in Missouri visiting family and friends. After two weeks though the kids and I were ready to be back home. My dad was sure to send us home with a cooler full of deer meat. 

Our flights went by super smooth and before we knew it we arrived home in Fairbanks to -25 degree weather. 

We are blessed with such wonderful families! I always look forward to each visit. I'm not sure when we will go back again. Maybe in the spring. When summer comes we really don't want to leave Alaska. We love having visitors and showing off our awesome home. 

Week 3 of Thankfullness

Day 15: God’s Love. God loves us so much that He sent his Son to die as the sacrifice for all.

Day 16: New Salem Baptist Academy. I went to school my whole life at NSBA.  Our school was very small and many would have considered us sheltered. I am so thankful that we were sheltered from the perverted things of this world. We had Godly teachers that really loved us and taught us so much more than reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Day 17: our House: I will admit that I am not crazy about our house. It is allot smaller than our last house and we have super close neighbors, but it is our home. We are kept warm and safe there. We are making so many memories and have filled it with so much love. I am looking forward to buying a house of our own and adding our special touch.

DAY 18: my Family’s health: I am so thankful for the healthy little babies God has blessed me with. They were both born full term with no complications (Lance was 7 pounds and 3 ounces and Lexie an even 8 pounds). They have continued to grow and stay healthy. We have had little things come up lately with Lexie, but nothing that is life threatening or on going. I can’t imagine what a mother of a baby with a deadly disease goes through.  I am also thankful for the health of Andrew. He is a strong man that is able to work and play with his family.

Day 19: My health. God allowed me to carry two beautiful children to full term. It’s amazing what the female body can do. Even after their births I was able to breastfeed both children till their first birthday. I know that might not seem like something to be thankful for, but so many women struggle with breastfeeding and are not able to do it. God also gives me the strength each day to care for these little miracles.

Day 20: America. I constantly hear people complaining about our government, but the truth is we are extremely blessed to live in this country. The fact that we can even openly complain about our government and not be killed is huge. While in Minneapolis I was riding in a cab with my Taxi driving who I could tell was not from the United States. He was listening to the radio when something was mentioned about out president. I comment something about the state of this country to which the young man replied “You don’t know how good we got it here. In my country in Africa you would have been killed just for saying that. No one comes to your village while you are sleeping to slaughter your family and take you prisoner.” Wow! Perspective! He really got me thinking about how blessed we are to live here.

Day 21: God’s awesome creation! Living in an amazing place like Alaska has really made me so amazed of God’s creation. I constantly catch myself just standing in awe! The mountains, the ocean, the auroras, the snow, the animals; everywhere I look is just breath taking!!! 

Missouri Bound

We made it to Missouri!!! This past weekend I really wasn't sure that we were going to get to go on our scheduled day or even at all. Thank God, Lexie made a full and speedy recovery from her tonsillitis.

Since I wasn't sure that we were going to get to go I literally was packing up until the very last minute. Luckily, the kids are out of the baby stage so traveling is way easier. Our flight left at 1:30 Wednesday morning so I didn't exactly push for the kids to go to bed. They stayed up playing with daddy while I closed out several Pampered Chef shows and finished packing.

One thing I absolutely love about the Fairbanks airport is the size. It only has 6 gates!! We arrived at 12:15 with more than plenty of time to check our bags, get out tickets, go through security, go potty, and still have a few minutes till our plane started boarding.

The kids did absolutely amazing on our flights! They were both asleep before takeoff and slept the entire flights. We had a 6 hour layover in Seattle, which I was totally dreading, but it turned out great. We burnt up time by riding the train around to all the different gates.

I made sure that we got in the very front so the kids could look out the window. First thing Lance asked when he seen that we were at the very front was "where is the conductor?” A man in a suit was standing at the front and Lance looked at him and asked "are you the conductor?" The man explained to Lance how this type of train didn't need a conductor.

The kids made a new friend. We found an empty gate and decided it would be a nice place to play. Another mommy with a little boy joined us. The mommy and her son were German and didn't speak any English at all. Lance & Lexie started playing with him right away. They ran around playing tag. It was so cute when the little boy started talking to the kids. Lance just gave him a confused stare and Lexie said “why you talking like a baby? Talk right!” It was so hard to explain to the kids that he couldn’t understand them. They eventually got over the language barrier and began playing again. One of the cutest things was when I brought out my laptop and stayed playing Scooby doo for the kids. The little boy sat down with the kids and with huge excitement said a very long sentence to me. The only part I understood was “Scooby Doo’. It was funny. I just looked at his mom and gave her a big smile.

My sister, Julie (AKA Aunt Juju) and her husband, Justin, picked us up at the airport. We were all super excited to see Aunt Juju and Uncle Justin. We made a quick trip to Cabela’s and then to Steak & Shake before heading to my parent’s house which is over 2 hours away from the airport.

Our full day of traveling actually went by pretty fast and so smooth! We have flown tons of airlines, but I can definitely say that Alaska Airlines is hands down our favorite. We always receive the best customer service and they guarantee your bags to you within 20 minutes from parking at the gate.

Today was a nice relaxed day. The kids and I slept in till almost noon (which is just 9 for us). We ran to town to do some errands with grandma and take a couple things to grandpa at work. The kids spent the day playing outside looking for bugs and frogs. They don’t quite understand that most of the little critters are tucked away for the winter.

This evening we went to a play at my niece Haylie’s school. Lance and Lexie loved watching all the kindergarteners and 1^st graders sing the silly songs about turkeys and Thanksgiving Day.

I am so thankful for modern transportation which allows us to travel so quickly to family thousands of miles away. We can’t wait till Saturday when Daddy, Grandma Sue, Great Aunt Diane, Uncle Jason, Aunt Ashley and cousins; Amelia and Barrett, arrive!

Family update

Friday Lexie did show a tiny bit of improving but was super weak and tired . She went to take a nap around 9. I thought that she would wake up feeling much better. After 4 hours of sleep she still had not woke up. I went in to check on her and could she had fever. She didn't respond to me touching and uncovering her at all. I thought I should wake her to give her some Tylenol. She was so hard to wake that is really scared me. I called the doctor's office and was able to talk to the doctor. She told me that it sounded like Lexie was dehydrated and I should take her to the hospital right away. Totally not what I wanted to hear, but I knew it was exactly what she needed. I immediately tried to call Andrew, but he was out at the mine and I was not able to get a hold of him. I called his work to see if they could get a hold of him. Within a couple minutes Andrew called. I couldn't control myself, when I opened my mouth to tell Andrew that I was taking Lexie to the hospital, I lost it! 

I called my neighbor and asked if Lance could come over. Mollie was more than happy to help out. I gathered a few things for Lexie and we were out the door. 

The hospital was expecting us since our doctor had called again of time to let them know we were coming and what was going on. Somehow Andrew arrived maybe 2 minutes after Lexie & and me. 

He said his service truck had never passed anyone before lol. I could tell it broke Andrew's heart to see his little girl so sick.

They started fluids right away and gave her some medicine to bring down her fever. My little girl was severely dehydrated. She didn't even put up a fight when they put the IV in her arm. 

It didn't take long to see a difference in her. The color started coming back in her cheeks and she started talking to us. 

We was back home by 8 pm. Right when we got home she said she was hungry so I knew she was feeling better. She ate some noodles and chicken broth and was wanting to play. She didn't have much energy so she didn't play, but it was great to see her so much better. All the prayers from everyone really helped. We spent the weekend at home resting and making sure Lexie continued to get better. 

Sunday I got caught up on loads of laundry. I came downstairs to find these two cuddles up together. How cute are they!?!! Lance really missed his sister!! 

Lexie has continued to get better all through the weekend and even today. She is still getting her appetite and energy back, but is way better!!

Today Lexie got her cast off. They put on a hard splint that we can remove if we need to while traveling. Dec 9th she will get her splint off for good! We all can't wait!

 Lance has been such a great big brother through everything. He has been the best big helper and really helped take care of her. He was so worried about her. 

At bed time I always read the kids a few books. Sunday night Lexie went to bed early with daddy (he had to be up at 4 an) So it was just me and Lance. He walked in his room and grabbed two books. He looks up at me and says "you only have to read two Tonight! I don't want you being too tired" 

I live my kids so much!!! They are such blessings! 

Week 2 of thankfulness

Day 8. God's Mercy. I am so thankful we don't get what we deserve! God has blessed me with so much and continues to give to me even though I am so undeserving!

Day 9. Good friends. All through my life I have had people come in and out of my life. Some people you think will be in your life forever, but time and distance separate you. I have been so blessed with 3 amazing friends forever; Sarah, MacKenzie & Amber. No matter how long  it has been since we have seen each or talked we pick right up where we left on. I have such a bond with these three, With Mackenzie and Amber since birth and with Sarah since jr high. We have so many memories together! 

Day 10. For In-laws! Yes, in laws haha. My sibling have found the people that make them happy, And have made such beautiful children together. 

My husband's crazy family. They helped make him the wonderful man that he is. His parents are such fun grandparents to the kids. We always have a good time when we are together. His brother, Jason, has always been there for him and is his best friend. Andrew would do anything for him and visa versa. Andrew's little brother, Timothy. He is a such a sweet good guy. This summer we got to spend a week with him. It was so good to see Andrew & him hit it off. They had tons of fun together.

Andrew's meme and crazy Uncle, Ted. They practically raised Andrew. Meme taught Andrew how to treat a lady. Ted got Andrew interested in being a mechanic and the outdoors; both things are now HUGE parts of Andrew's life.

Day 11. My nieces and nephews! Andrew and I have 8 nieces; Oaklie, Megan, Alea,  Emma and Lydia (twins), Haylie, Amelia, & Addylynne. We  just have 3 nephews; Hunter, Austin and Barrett. We love having so many nieces and nephews and that our kids have some buddies to grow up with. They range in age from 8 weeks to 15.5 years old. 

Day 12. For my Pampered Chef business. Pampered Chef gives me such a sense of accomplishment. Through my business I have met so many people and made some great friends. I love the flexibility and fun that I have. The extra money has been great too. It has allowed the kids & I to be able to fly to Missouri several times a year to see family. Also, Andrew & I were able to treat both our parents with some great Alaskan Adventures this past summer. 

Day 13. For Andrew's job. I am so thankful that Andrew has such a great job. It isn't about the pay, but the company. The Fairbanks branch is so good to their employees. Andrew really enjoys going to work and the people he works with. With today's economy he is extremely fortunate to even have a job, but to have one he really enjoys is a huge blessing.

Day 14. For doctors & nurses! Lately we have spent lots of time at the doctors for Lexie's arm and now tonsillitis. We have received the best care and have had such amazing sweet doctors and nurses they have given Lexie such great care. They helped comfort her and make the whole experience easier for all us.

Our week so far

This week hasn't really gone as planned at all. I had some fun things planned for us to do like playing in the snow and having a couple play dates with some friends, but everything got canceled when Lexie got sick.

Monday Lexie had her check up for her arm. X-rays showed lots of healing which is great! We discussed options for traveling to Missouri with Lexie having a cast on. The reason why this is an issue is because her 6 weeks of wearing her cast falls while we are in Missouri. The doctor really doesn't want her wearing the cast any longer than necessary because you could lose some flexibility. We talked about putting on a removable cast that we could take off and on if need be, but we found out that the cost of that cast would be $1,300 and insurance won't cover it because they don't think it is necessary. We go back to the doctor again on Monday for a new cast since the one now has became looser due to her muscles shrinking. We (Andrew, the doctor and I) decided that a few extra days wouldn't hurt since she is so young, but as soon as we get home we will be visiting to remove the cast right away. 

Tuesday I noticed that as the day went on Lexie's voice sounded different. I could tell that sore throat was coming on. She didn't have any other symptoms though. She went to bed just fine but I was awakened in the middle of the night by some crazy breathing. She was having trouble breathing which was causing some crazy snoring and when I felt of her she was burning up. I decided that I should sleep in bed with her to keep a close eye on her. She slept all through the night besides once to get a drink of water and Tylenol. By noon Lexie was worse. Nothing would bring her high fever down and her breathing sounded awful. We made a trip to immediate care since the pediatricians office was booked solid. Lexie tested negative for strep, but the doctor was pretty worried since her throat was so swollen, she had high fever, seriously bad breathe (means infection) and Lexie started throwing up blood while at the doctor's office. They even did an X-ray on her neck to rule out a few serious things. I was super happy that the doctor went and got another doctor for a second opinion. Both doctors agreed that Lexie has tonsillitis. 

My poor baby. She just can't catch a break! She hated being at the doctor. She cried so much and was in so much pain. Her throat is so constricted that I couldn't understand anything she was trying to tell me. I talked with the doctor and she told me some things to pay attention to in case she needed to go to the hospital. 

Today Andrew had the day off which was such a blessing.  Andrew was such a help. He spent the day with Lance running a few errands, visiting their favorite store; Sportsman's Warehouse, & going swimming. Mommy and Lexie got in a couple much needed naps, & was able to go to the doctor's office just the two of us for her follow up.

There really wasn't much change but the doctor said things should start changing now that she has had a full 24 hours worth of antibiotics. Tomorrow we go back to the doctor again. This time she is hoping to see a change. 

There was a small window today where Lexie's fever broke and she ate a pickle, a Popsicle and a couple mini marshmallows. Tonight fever is back and she is super tired. I'm praying for some good rest and healing. 

This is my baby when we got home from the doctor. Her neck, lips and tongue are so swollen.

We all need lots of prayer! 1. For Lexie to get better and fast! 2. For the rest of us to stay healthy! Our trip to Missouri is less than a week away. I really don't want to have to postpone or cancel! 

Unanswered prayers

Today I am thankful for unanswered prayers and a God who has other plans.
This day 6 years ago Andrew and I found out we had lost our first baby at 12 weeks pregnant. We had never intended to have children so young (we always thought maybe at 30) so when I found out I was pregnant we were shocked, but day after day we began to love the idea of having a baby.

This pregnancy changed our lives forever!  I lost my job (because of missing too many days for doctor's appointments and being sick) at the post office where I was getting ready to go full time. I would have never of quit that job and we would have stayed around Louisville Kentucky. It was because of all that went on that we uprooted and moved to Wyoming. It was also because of this pregnancy that we knew we DID want kids and we wanted them sooner than later. 

I have also had a few close friends who have went through similar situations and have been able to help them through their pain. 

It took a long time to understand why everything happened, but looking back our lives have been altered forever because of this accidental pregnancy and I know God had a plan all along. 

Silly boy

My little boy is just so silly. He comes up with some of the craziest things. this is just a few from last week.

I ask Lance if he wanted milk or water to drink. He says "milk, please. It has more protein!"

Lance was telling me that apples grew on trees. I handed him his bowl of grapes and said "grapes grow on vines" he then said "like the kind monkeys swing on?"

We were getting ready to go and I said I have to put on my bra

Lance said "why" and I said to hold my boobs and he goes "some women have big boobs like you" I said "some have even bigger" he then goes "they look heavy, Like an anchor!" 

Hahahaha

Week 1 of thankfulness

Day 1. I am thankful to my Heavenly Father for sending Jesus to die on the cross to be the sacrifice for all the sins of the world. Because of this I don't have to worry if I am good enough or have done enough good deeds. Salvation is a gift that can't be earned. it just has to be accepted. It is 100% paid for! 

Day 2. I am so thankful for a wonderful husband. He is my best friend, a wonderful father, provider and my everything. I couldn't imagine life without him. He makes the journey worth while! 

Day 3. My son, Lance, is the craziest little boy. He is so witty and brings so much laughter in our lives. He has taught me sooo much (patience being a huge thing) and brought me so much joy! 

Day 4. My daughter, Alexis, is the sweetest thing. Nothing bothers her and she is so easy going. Even as a little baby she was always so happy! She melts my heart over and over again. Lexie has mommy and daddy wrapped around her finger. 

Day 5. My parents. My dad is the hardest working and most loving man I know. I knew growing up watching my dad I wanted someone just like him. I am so thankful to him for setting an example of what to look for in a husband. My mom is so easy going and nothin bothers her. She stands by my dad no matte what. She has always been faithful to church even through a few years when she had to go alone. 

Day 6. My sisters. Julie & Sarah are my best friends! The three of us couldn't be more different, but no matter how far apart we are we are still very close!

Day 6. My two brothers. My oldest brother who was so mean to me as a kid, but never let anyone else pick on me.    Scott made me one tough cookie. My youngest brother who was such a baby and a tattle tail. Matt was always my little buddy though. 

Day 7. My Missouri roots. Growing up we lived way out in the middle of the woods and didn't need fancy toys or clothes to be happy. My upbringing has taught me to look at people not for what they have but who they are. I could care less about designer clothes, purses or anything material. Things don't make you happy. Those things just run up credit card bills and cause unwanted stress in your life. 

Halloween fun

This week has has flew by and it's already Friday! That means Andrew will be home tonight! 

We have had a fun week, but have really missed daddy. We have gotten so used to having him home every night.

Tuesday the kids got a package from grandpa & grandma Conway.

They got lots of stickers, some snacks, a card, a coloring book and a Casper DVD. They were super excited! They love getting packages.

Tuesday night I had a Pampered Chef show so we tried out a new baby sitter, Julie. We have had Julie come over a couple times to get acquainted with the kids and see how we like her. The kids, especially Lexie, really liked her so we felt comfortable leaving her with the kids. That, and she had tons of great references and lots of experience. 

Yesterday we had lots of Halloween activities to do. We started off the day at a cookie bake with the mom group. 

The kids had tons of fun using the cookie cutters to cut out their pumpkins. Their favorite part was definitely icing the cookies although most of the kids just ate the icing. 

Next stop of the day was Forget Me Not Book Store. The book store was having a party and each kid that came dressed up received a book instead of candy. It was prefect! All the workers were dressed up and the store was decorated so cute! The kids got to go to the children's section and pick out any book they wanted. Lance picked out an I spy book and Lexie got Five Little Speckled Frogs. 

We came home for lunch and to relax before heading to our next party of the day at the museum. The museum had a party and everyone got in for free that brought a canned good to donate to the food bank. 

The museum was definitely our favorite stop! We got to explore all of exhibits. The children area was pretty awesome but also very crowded. We will be visiting again soon so we can explore without the huge crowds.

Lance loves dinosaurs and fossils. Once we was standing next to a mammoth fossil when a man walked up and lance said "these are bossils. They are dug up by scientist called Archeologist" the man looked at me with this impressed look. I just said "we read allot!" 

The kids couldn't get enough of the museum! There was sooo much to see! 

The museum is located on the college campus and downstairs they have all the different labs. We were able to take a huge elevator downstairs and explore the labs; this was my favorite part. Each room featured different kinds of things the students studied. 

Lexie is touching a see lamprey 

We had a blast! I think a family pass to the museum is a must!!! 

Once we got back home we bundled up and went through the neighborhood door to door. I must say this was the best the kids have done trick or treating. In years past they were pretty small and didn't last too long. Last year it was super super cold and the kids were frozen. This year it was lightly snowing and 27 degrees. I was so proud of how good the kids did: they used their manners saying "please" and "thank you", they watched where they were going and stayed right with me. Mostly I was so happy that they walked the entire time by themselves. They are so big now I cant handle carrying them too far. 

Once home for the night the kids were super excited to see all their candy! I let them have one sucker a piece then we headed to bed. We had a great day!