Brigham's Basketball

Brigham has been waiting for a long time for it to be his turn to be the one playing basketball and for people to watch him play. For the four previous years he has enjoyed watching his aunt play college ball. When it was her last game he said, "I am going to be the next Bitter basketball player and everyone can come see my games"

This Brigham basketball boy has had two basketball games. He is playing in the Jr. Jazz league with K-2nd grade coed on his team. His first game he even scored a basket! He sure gets excited for every game. When one gets over he says, "I can't wait for next Saturday!" 

Brigham is really good at passing to his teammates and dribbles down the court sometimes. He knows who he is supposed to be guarding and takes that defensive job very seriously. It's fun and entertaining to watch these kids play. Love it!

Prayers for Potty

I

So, this 3 1/2 year-old I have been wanting to potty train but he was just not interested. There is just no way to try with Silas if the interest isn't there because it's not going to happen. But when will the interest happen? 

So, I started to pray nearly every night for Silas to desire to be potty trained and that he can understand how is body works that way. One day he finally said, "Mom, I want to go potty." I was like "you want to go potty?!" He said, "yeah". So we got him settled on the potty. I noticed that he had a tiny bit of poop in his diaper and thought he must have more to do. So I bribed him with chocolate chips to sit there until something happened. Well, after a little while....he started to smile and looked at me and said, "it's working!" Sure enough! He got a small something out. 

Right after that he wanted to wear underwear. So I let him wear big boy underwear for the rest of the day. The amazing thing is that he kept his underwear dry and clean for the rest of the day. The wierd thing is that he never went pee; he only pooped small amounts the rest of the day. He went to bed with a diaper on and sure enough woke up with a very wet diaper. 

This day was Saturday and we let Silas wear underwear again. Well he had accident after accident after accident and by the end of the day he was crying that it was too hard and he wanted his diapers. "Oh great" I thought, "now it's going to be a long time before he wants to do this again". 

Sunday he wore diapers all day and was happy and comfortable with that. 

Monday morning as I was changing his first diaper, I asked if he wanted diapers or underwear. He chose underwear. I explained that wearing underwear means he has to sit on the potty a lot during the day and try to keep them dry and clean. He said, "ok". 

After he drank some apple juice and some water I was sure he would need to go potty. So I sat him on the potty and read stories to him for about a half hour with nothing happening. I was worried he didn't understand how to do it on demand. He sat down several different times and nothing worked. I kept praying over and over for him to be blessed with the understanding of how it worked. Finally at 1pm he said, "I think I need to go potty." I said, "ok you go and do it by yourself. Maybe you just need to be by yourself." He went in the bathroom and then I heard the tinkle of potty in the toilet! I was so excited and so grateful!!! I know Heavenly Father answered my prayers that day. The awesome thing is that was all it took. He has kept his underwear dry and clean every day this week. Hooray! I am so grateful for having him potty trained. Prayers are answered even when you pray for potty. 

Christmas Memories 2014

Looking back on this Christmas season, the things that stand out the most and the things that create the most happiness and warm Christmas spirit are:

Caroling with the Eddington's to both the widows and those who just needed a sweet melodious visit. I feel that we uplifted some people that night.

Inviting some friends to come to our ward Christmas party and they came!

Leading the ward Choir in "What Shall We Give"

Singing with the stake choir for the Christmas program and sweet wonderful people (the Becker's and the Hollists) watching our kids during all our practices. 

Adopting a Christmas angel with my sister and her family.

My parents and little brother coming to visit us for a few days before Christmas. We got to go to the zoo, the visitors center, and Red Robin, play games, and treat Doug and Dad to a birthday breakfast at Denny's on Christmas Eve morning. 

Taking the boys to pick out their brother gifts. 

Watching my kids participate in the nativity scene. Having a surprise visit from Santa, and watching the boys be so excited about their gifts. 

What a wonderful and special time of year. I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. #He is the gift. 

Snow much New Year Fun!

New Years Eve was fun to spend with the Daybell's. We played games and had lots of snacks. We left Silas at grandma and grandma Bitter's because he was sick and so was grandpa. At midnight we woke Adam up to go home and he started a barking cough like he had croup.

So, we started the new year with 3 sick kids since Brigham picked up the bug too. We went to the cabin anyway, since family did to seem to mind we were sick and they had been sick anyway. 

The cabin was fun. We played lots of games, had lots of snacks, went snowmobiling and sledding, (which ended up not being a good idea for a pregnant woman). It took me some convincing to go on a longer snowmobile ride, but I finally consented to go and it is so beautiful to ride among the green evergreen trees in a wonderful winter wonderland. I did get stuck of course, but Doug and Kent got me out just fine. I was really happy I went. I got back to find my two baby boys passed out on the floor and the couch. Poor little tired little ones. 

I feel very blessed that I never ended up getting sick. I am grateful for that. However, the Monday after we got back from the cabin I started bleeding a lot. I was sure I was loosing the baby. I was heart broken. I didn't dare move much, so I called my visiting teacher and she came to take care of the boys, she brought them McDonalds for lunch and watched them for four hours. She also rescued Doug, who slid into the side of a ditch bank on his way back to work from giving me a blessing. We went to the Dr's to discover the amazing and miraculous news that I was going to keep the baby. The placenta tore away from the wall a little (most likely during sledding) and then rebounded back. I am so grateful!!!! What a blessing to have not lost the baby! My other visiting teacher brought us dinner that night and I sobbed out of gratitude. We have good Christlike women in our ward and I am so grateful for my visiting teachers (Ray and Cristy). 

We also had the opportunity to attend the open house type funeral for my sweet angel patient I worked with for two years. And we attended my Grandpa's funeral. He was 96 and now reunited with my grandma. It was so fun to be with the Weight cousins, some of whom I hadn't seen for at least 4 years. 

Thanksgiving 2014

We spent Thanksgiving with Doug's side of the family for the first time in six years. Darren and Kathy hosted us out in Terreton. We enjoyed lots of fun family, delicious prime rib and smoked turkey, and of course shooting clay pigeons. Which I am super happy to say that I actually blasted some of those in to peices. We also took a little ride on the razor which I had actually never done before and was amazed at that machine!!! Wow, what fun and craziness!

Here are some pics from the next day, raking leaves. 

Vegas Vacation (PG style)

I need to update on my happenings from November 2014. 

Doug and I had the opportunity to take a little vacation, just the two of us, to Las Vegas just before thanksgiving. We went to Las Vegas because it was a quick and cheap getaway. A place where there was lots to do. The direct flight from Idaho Falls to Las Vegas made it so easy! And what wonderful in-laws I have for watching the kids! 

We enjoyed walking around and seeing the cool buildings, the dancing fountains, and the volcano. We were able to go "the Beetle's Love" by circus de soleil which was really cool and awesome for most of it, but it does leave you with a dreary kind if feeling. We also went to the Bodies exhibit, which I thought was awesome. I had just discovered I was pregnant and was able to see a little 5 week embryo which was how far along I was. We went to the Mandalay Bay aquarium too. That was filun and really cool. Then, my favorite event was watching the Blue Man Group. They were hilarious and clean and left you with a much happier feeling than the Beetles. 

We didn't care too much for getting our kids souvenirs that said Las Vegas on them, so we got them some colorful MnM plates from M&M's world. They love those plates! 

We also enjoyed some terrific buffets which we got discounted prices for. Our casino still had a pool and hot tub open which we got to enjoy as well. 

It was such a fun time to be with Doug. He is my very best friend and the man of my dreams. I love him so much and I am so grateful for him. Thanks for the vacation, honey!