Vacation...Ottertail Lake, Minnesota

So every year we go to a lake in Minnesota called Ottertail Lake.  Jared's family owns a cabin up there so we use it and it is so awesome!  Such a relaxing stay!  This year, there was no one using the cabin after us, so we decided to stay an extra week just the four of us!  I can't begin to tell you how excited I was for this trip.  It is like no other trip because there is not a whole lot to do other than spend time at the cabin and on the lake.  However, before you know it, the two weeks have flown by and its time to head home.
 
So our trip was July 7-21 and it was simply awesome, have I said that yet?  There is not a whole lot to write about because it was pretty much the same thing most days.  Our weather was AWESOME, probably the nicest it has ever been up there.  We usually have a few nice days, but we went 14 days without a bad one. It rained a couple of times in the morning, but always cleared up in the afternoon.
 
We got there on Saturday (July 7) late afternoon and the boys did great in the car!  Landon slept for three hours, Tristan did so for only about an hour, but he wasn't fussy.  We stopped about an hour out and ate something.  I fed them some lunch in the car, but thought after 4.5 hours they needed to move a bit :).  The trip usually takes about 5.5 hours with no stops.  That night and the next day was spent unpacking, getting organized and going into town to the grocery store.  It was a nice day, so I was not real happy to have to miss the sun, but it was nice to get the store out of the way.  Like always, we bought way too much food!  One thing I know is that we never starve while on vacation!  As a family, we each take a night or two and make a meal, so the same person is not inside cooking everyday.  It works out very well.  With staying an extra week we bought a lot of food, but oh well, never know what two 19 month old may want.  Most of our days are spent relaxing.  Outside on hammock or at the end of the dock in my sun chair are my two favorite relaxin' spots!  With the boys, I tried to find those spots while they were napping.  Drinks are usually delivered to us dockside.  Most nights after dinner are spend getting kids cleaned up and in bed and then it is time for the adults to play.  We usually play a game or two depending on when all kids go down.  Since we have kids from 15 months all the way to 14 years old, we have a lot of variety in bed times.  The Ackerson family (Dave, Tara, Hunter, Braeden, and Ella) all left Thursday night and so it seemed too quiet after they left.  Then Janet, Brandon, Amy, Allie and Hannah left Tuesday about 3 p.m. after grabbing a late lunch at a new restaurant on the lake.

After they left, it was REALLY quiet and I got real sad and had a real bad let down effect.  WE went for a walk Tuesday night and tried to go for a walk every night after dinner the rest of this week.  It was a good time to talk about our day and what tomorrow would bring.  Oddly, I was sad after everyone left and Jared was a little too.  We talked about how much fun we had together so when they all left and it was quiet we wondered what would we do?  After getting over it, we had some much needed family time...just the four of us (and Koda).  It was so nice to just hang and relax!  The boys did great the whole vacation with taking good naps, sleeping well and playing well with everyone.  Late thursday night Tristan woke up in the night and was not feeling well.  He had a temp.  Friday, if he wasn't napping he was cuddling with mommy or daddy and most of the time we were on the hammock.  He ran a temp from 102-104 the rest of our vacation.  The trip home on Saturday was a little long because Tristan was not feeling well.  His temp got as high as 104.7.  Both boys were tired after vacation so one would fall asleep and the other would cry or be nosy and wake the other one. After a couple hours we stopped to get some dinner and let the boys move.  From that point on the boys slept until about 15 minutes outside of Sioux City.
 
It was a great vacation and am so glad we stayed longer just the four of us.  It was much needed!  When we are at home there is always something to do, somewhere to run or work to be done.  Now its back to reality and the real world.  Thanks so much to the Bodammers for letting us use the cabin!



Pictures to come lots and lots of pictures!

Potty again...

So we have continued with the potty training thing but nothing too serious just before bath, bed and occasionally throughout the day.  However Landon, is really into it and will say potty or grab his diaper occasionally so we will go in and try.  This afternoon he said he had to go so we tried, but nothing which is just fine.  I think the other day was just luck of the timing.  So tonight before bath we sat on the potty again and guess what... YEP Tristan went potty!! HE was so so proud pointing at his pee and happy for himself. Landon didn't want to be left out so Landon went on the potty AGAIN!!  I couldn't post the picture of Tristan standing and point at it because his private was showing. 

Such a proud boy!

Potty time...???

So yes my title gives it away we had one little boy go potty on tonight, can you believe it...I couldn't, Landon went pee on his little potty.  Jared has been on this kick lately we need to start potty training the boys and I keep saying they are a little young but we can try here and there if you would like.  He told his mom while he was gone at conference that he expected her to have the boys potty trained when he got home.  As he was kidding I think he has a little serious:).  We will see how Tristan comes along and how much Landon wants to continue this.  We are by no means pushing it(I am not maybe Jared is)

Landon...I'm a big boy! He was so proud clapping smiling because he did it!!

Even a prouder momma!  Such a big boy

Father's Day Weekend

This past weekend was all about daddy and dads all around the world!  My dad was in Canada fishing with his friends, so I couldn't talk to him. Jared's dad we talked towards the end of the dad but today was all about JARED!  Jared is the dad that never takes time for himself, he makes sure that all his work is done first, then everything at home is done and boys are set everything is all about others before him.  I tell him that is not always healthy but that is who Jared is and I love that about him most of the time:).  This whole weekend we did what Jared wanted to do if it was sleep in take a nap, go somewhere whatever he wanted! 
One Father's Day morning the boys and mom made him breakfast in bed, the boys loved it and wanted to help dad eat his breakfast in bed so because of the mess we moved our "breakfast in bed" to the kitchen.  The boys still helped dad with his food.  We gave him his gifts and just hung around the house for the day just relaxing another thing Jared does not get often. 
I thank God and Jared daily for blessing me with Jared, my best friend, love of my life.  There are so many guys out there and how does God know just to put the right one with everyone (or most people).  I think I am one of the luckiest as I am sure many of you out there think you are, that is where we are all so blessed!  We always celebrated Father's Day for our fathers and the las tcouple with babies in tummy and the boys as babies but today was even better because they are starting to hug adn kiss and show you how much they really do love and need you! 

Breakfast in bed

Landon says, dad I want that

Landon helping himself

Tristan's turn

Landon eating cereal with milk for the first time, they think they are such big boys

Tristan eating his cereal and milk

Birthday Fun and Farm Fun

What a weekend!  The boys and I headed home because daddy was at state tournament for Heelan soccer.  Daddy left Wednesday and we were home alone Wednesday and Thursday night, mommy is not a fan of being home alone.  So Friday we headed home to the big city of Wesley, Iowa.  It maybe small but it is ALWAYS so good to be HOME and always so HARD to leave.  Friday we got home and settled and then went to Weston's 3rd birthday party at his house.  It was all about Mickey Mouse!  The boys had a blast playing with their cousins, eating, swinging, and playing in the rocks.  We left by 9ish because the boys were getting tired and fussy.   Heelan won their first game 4-0, onto semifinals!  Heelan won the semifinal game 4-3 in double overtime, they scored with two seconds left to send it into overtime!  Onto the state championship game, they have been to state many many times and never made it to this game!

Weston..BIRTHDAY BOY!!

Kids playing in the sprinkler

Tristan may fall asleep on Levi...boys LOVE to swing

Saturday my dad left for Canada so my aunt Pat from Illinois came to stay with my mom.  After dad and Jack(Pat's husband, my mom's twin) left we just hung out as Pat went to the store.  The boys, I and grandma went to the Wesley pool and meet Alison, Walker, and Weston.  The boys were not so sure of the pool at first but after I had them jump to me they loved it.  I will say they probably like throwing toys and others flip flops in the pool more tho.  This was their first time to a public pool!  I think they enjoyed how they could touch once they got used to it. We didn't stay too long because we wanted to go to church.  After church we went out to dinner at Johnny's with Alison, the boys and her parents and mom, Pat, Brandon, Cassie and boys.  Brandon and Cassie thought Weston's birthday party was on Saturday night so we celebrated again:).  Heelan lost in the State championship 4-0 to the defending state champions, it was a great season.


Sunday we got up and went out to the farm, the boys LOVE the farm and the animals!  Levi and Steve were moving cattle and when we went in the barn the cows were mooing very loud and a lot so sort of scared the boys, Tristan more than Landon.  Then we played with the baby chickens and rabbits, they really liked them...more their size.  The also liked the baby kittens, Landon liked them so much he tried to pick one up by the head and squeezed real hard.  After the farm we headed back to mom's for boys to take a morning nap.  After we nap we headed to the pool again to join Alison and Kristy and all the kids.  The boys enjoyed the pool better today.  Sunday night us adults went to Aunt Marie's wake service and then out to dinner.  It was really nice to just hang with my family with no kiddos and catch up on "home stuff". 

Love this photo...grandma Judy holding the chick for Tristan and he thoguht it was soo funny

Landon liked the little chick too

The boys didn't really want to get down along, Landon would but not Tristan

Gracie came out and got the bunnies out for us too, they loved how soft they were

the kiddos swinging

Monday we got up and hung out with mom and Pat before they left for the funeral.  The boys took a nap while I showered and packed up the car to be ready to go as soon as they woke up.  We headed to Jackson's baseball game in Bancroft, even though Jackson's team lost it was great to see him play and he did GREAT!

Emergency Room

This past weekend was suppose to be an uneventful weekend besides going to Maddie's dance recital on Saturday night.  Last Thursday Landon was not feeling well so we took him in and he had bronchitis so we got him medicine and hoped by weekend he would be feeling better but Landon's luck.  By Saturday he had a 106 temp yes I said 106 that is not a typo, we could not get his fever under control and he was soooo lethargic just would lay around.  It was so sad, I felt so bad for him. I texted our doctor (thank God he is just a phone call away for us). He told me to take him to ER right away so we did.  Long story short we were there three hours for them to tell me a temp is normal.  I know that if you have a temp it is normal to be fighting something off but 106?? I don't think that is normal.  I felt like the worst mom ever and that I was doing something wrong.  I don't know if we were giving him enough medicine to keep his temp down but was worried with him already on an antibiotic.  I was so distrait I gave them wrong birth date...it was awful!  The nurse in the ER we had once we got to a room was AWESOME!!! She was so kind bless her heart. Jared had taken Tristan to the car because it was almost 10:30 and hadn't seen the doctor yet.  The doctor comes and goes and when the nurse came back in she said she wanted to recheck his temp to make sure it has gone down some, which it had...thank goodness!  She asked if I needed anything and I just started bawling, she said are you ok,  I said, "yes just feel awful and like a bad mom".  I was having so much mommy quilt it was awful.  She gave me a hug and started crying and said I maybe a nurse but as a mom I would have done the EXACT same thing.  She said I don't want you to leave like this.  I said I was ok and thank you and said I needed to go.  As I walked out of the ER I was crying and telling Landon at least 10 times that I loved him and I would do better next time and won't make him suffer.  (not that I was on purpose).  I just keep telling him I will try to be a better mom and I loved him!!  I felt sooo bad I just keep squeezing him and kissing him and hugging him.  Poor little man.  As we left to go to the store to get more medicine I was reading through the discharge papers that stated again a TEMP IS NORMAL!! I understand that but 106 and my doctor told me to go in.
 
This is when I thought to myself mad this is only the beginning of times like this for their lifetime, but man I am not a fan of feeling like that!  I just keep thinking there is no book on how to raise a child and that you do the best you can and know how.  I couldn't sleep and kept telling Jared how I felt and he would say well you didn't know and I didn't know, he is ok and nothing serious is wrong so he will be fine.  I just said lots of prayers that night and hardly slept between checking on him, his temp and praying my mind was going. 


 He is feeling much better today but still has had an off and on temp but was down to 103-104, which I still think is a little high. I talked to the doctor's office today because Landon had broke out in a full body rash today.  They said it was most likely from his high fever over the weekend try benadryl and if don't go down or away in a 24-48 hours come in.  The nurse I talked was really upset what the ER doctor said and agreed that Landon's temp was too high to not be seen.  She did not like the doctor I saw in ER so she made me feel like I was not the worse parent in the world too, which was nice.