Christmas 2009

Christmas was fun this year. It was the first year ava really cared about what was going on and the first year Evan got really excited about Santa. He didn't even sleep and finally at 5 AM he cam in our room crying because he was so excited. James was still awake becuase he was staying on his work schedule and Ava was awake in her room so we just all got down there and did our thing.
Evan helped me hand out presents and he was sooooo excited to see that the milk and cookies were gone. We made out like bandits and I love the presents that James chose for me. I got my traditional new blanket and the icing on the cake was a plum colored sweater jacket. It looks great on and I have been wearing it everywhere.
Santa brought Evan the Devestator Track and Ava Yo Gabba Gabba blocks.

Decorating the tree

This was the first year that I had both my kids helping decorate the tree. It was awesome and special. I'm glad we got to do it. James, of course put on the star and we all have our own letter ornaments and I made sure each got to put on their own letter. That's something I did growing up, so I have kept that tradition. Evan enjoys it. Here are a few pics from that night.

A Couple of "Accident's"

So we had a couple things happen a short period of time that I don't know if we should qualify as accident's, especially since they were done on purpose!
First it was Evan deciding that he needed to cut his hair. I thought we had gotten through the age where Evan would do this, but I guess not! He said to me, "I was just looking in the mirror and my mind just told me,'You need a haircut.' and so I did." Here are a before and after.

The second was Ava deciding she needed to look like those blue creatures on that nes movie Avatar. No, this wasn't the real reason. The girl just likes to color on herself and does it ALL THE TIME!!! I didn't get picks before the bath, but I got them during the bath. Just take a look at that blue water.
Enjoy!

Halloween

We actually made it to Halloween this year without snow. But it was still 14 degrees. Our ward Halloween Trunk or Treat was on the 31st so we went there instead of Trick or Treating in bthe neighbor hood. Lots of kids beacuse all three wards were there, but it was fun.
During the day we went to a fun activity on base and Evan got to play games and they both got candy there.

Ava's first Sledding

I'm baaaaaaack!!!!!

So at the beginning of this winter, Ava decided she didn't like gloves. So when we went sledding she didn't put them on. Poor baby's hands were freezing after 3 turns down the hill and cried.

Easter Weekend

So Easter weekend was really great!! I can't tell you how much energy I have again, now that all this diabetes stuff is being taken care of. Things are going pretty good with that by the way.
There is still snow on the ground here at Easter, so the base does an indoor egg hunt for the kids in one of the hangars. We went to that yesterday and had a blast. The 1-4 year olds went first and Ava thought it was cool. Then the people spread out more eggs and the next age group gets to go. Evan was in that group and he just ran and got a whole bunch of eggs including one that had a piece of paper with a number on it. That meant that he got a prize. It was an 8 pack of bubbles. So when we got back from the hunt, I parked in the driveway so that he could blow bubbles in the garage. It was still too chilly for him at 10 in the morning.
Today, the kids loved their baskets and then we got ready to go to church. Ava was a little toot and was not happy about her picture being taken. Hence, the new picture in the heading. I got to sing "His Hands" in sacrament meeting and that was cool. It felt very nostalgic. Like being back in Seguin where I got to sing every year.
This has been a great weekend.

Evan's Asthma and Allergies

So Evan has asthma and allergies, including exzema, and has had them since he was around 18 months. His asthma is triggered by his allergies, which are everything that they test for. All 42 of them at the highest level or the second to highest level. No surprise, I just feel bad for him. His asthma is also triggered by exercise, mostly when he is already feeling bad, and the cold, and when he is sick and everything else under the sun. That's what it feels like anyway.
They were bad in Texas off and on and seemed to peak at its worse the summer of 2006. He had to be hospitalized overnight in July that summer. The picture is of him playing in the playroom on the peds floor at Wilford Hall in San Antonio. James was gone to Qatar. Thank goodness we still lived in Texas and I didn't have Ava yet. Ryker had come to stay the night with Evan and so I called Mom and Dad and they came. Mom came with me to the hospital and Dad stayed at the house with Ryker. That was an experiance.
Then when we got here to Alaska, the first week we were here, Evan's exzema cleared up. The only places it was bad was behind his knees where he sweats the most and it flares a little when he gets overheated from blankets and such. So we thought maybe things would be better. We were wrong. Last summer was the first time we had to call the ambulance to take him to the ER. The attack just creeped up and we couldn't get it under control fast enough to get him there ourselves. This was not the first ER visit by any means and every time we have been, he gets breathing treatments and a round of steroids (prednisone) to take for 5 days to help his lungs not be inflamed. Those are not fun days, let me tell you!!! We have worked with his pediatrician and results have been ok. We now see a pulmonologist and he is good too. But things just aren't getting better.
He misses so much school and if I thought that he would be better off taught by me than in public school, I would totally and immediately home school him. But I feel like he would fight me every step of the way and that he needs that socialization he gets from school. He loves it there and all the kids and his friends. He is not behind and he has a wonderful teacher who I keep in touch with and we make up all his work.
Tuesday we were in the ER twice and he is taking his steroids now. Usually he can be back to school within a day or two, but this time it is really bad. It just really worries me and I hate for him to not be able to be a normal little boy. Prayers and research about homeschooling are definately in abundance these days.