Christmas Day- Again

After the FaceTime with Grandma and Grandpa Labrum we started our normal night routine and got everyone in bed. I had taken the time to wrap MOST of the presents but we had a few last minute things to put together.

Before we went to bed we finished our very last ornament on the *Jesus* tree and laid out the stockings. We don't have a chimney so we just laid them out. Our Grandma made our stockings and we LOVE them. ( My 4 favorite christmas things are my icicles from my mom, our stockings, our Christ tree and my sister made me a Nativity)

This is our Nativity and our Christ tree. It is by far my favorite place each night!

Santa had done some last minute Christmas shopping like 3 days before Christmas so a few things needed to be wrapped. Oh and one night, while Santa couldn't sleep very well she ordered Christmas and all this STUFF came that I didn't realize I ordered. Ha! 

Every Christmas or birthday I keep thinking " Man I wish Nicky was here so I could pay her to wrap!"  But finally after years of practice and her not being around to pay off, I learned to wrap!

Grayson doesn't sleep through the night so I was hoping to be done wrapping before he got up and walked around the house. ( No I am not kidding about the sleeping through the night. ) He got up AFTER I put everything together. But as I was setting my camera and my remote, in walked the best picture opportunity 

This was on the back of the camera but it was PERFECT!!!

Tyler asked for very few things but his things were specific. Enjoying the spoils of the day!! 

We did get girl stuff for Christmas. Everyone loves it. The doc mobile was taken out and sent to the park as fast as they could get. They also wore their underpants all day!!!

Ther rest of the day was playing with our toys and making dinner and mushrooms and just being a family. It was GREAT. Our Grandparents were coming the next day so we were super excited to see them.

I never thought there was "enough" presents under the tree, but there was. I always think I do give enough to them, but I do. I don't require much to be a happy mom at times like this. There was plenty to go around.

This last year was nothing spectacular. Nothing fabulous and we just were here. Just like I like it. Drama ( mostly) free and surrounded by those who love us!!!

The Christmas Post

Since our tree JUST went down yesterday and I still have an hour or 2 of cleaning to do before it is all gone, I thought I would take the rest of my "homework" time to catch up on my December. I jumped ahead to the first of the year but want to make sure the Holiday Fun was documented.


Because we live in the Deseret the evenings are not horrible and so the holidays are very enjoyable. We spent a lot of time outside and most of the time we didn't need anything more than a jacket. The boys did a lot of playing outside for HOURS at a time.

One day while we were just minding our own business the North Pole Transponder showed up at our house. I am pretty sure it was the Elf that provided books every night. But the transponder was AWESOME. It would call the North Pole once every 24 hours and we got to talk to someone. A few times it was Santa. A few times it was an Elf but every time it was FUN!

We went to a Christmas party for Hope Kids and had a great time. It was at the party that Tyler spent his entire time playing basketball, that Santa made a last minute decision to buy a basketball hoop for Tyler. 

We split up at the hope kids party and I didn't take enough photos for each of them, but Grayson had a snow ball fight and he loved it. 

Grayson undecorated and redecorated my tree a million and one times. By the end of the season, I had a section of my tree with everything from icicles to a BOWL!! I found a bowl in my Tree when we were taking it down. 

We did our traditional visit to Santa and the Farm. We have seen the SAME Santa for 4 years. He is getting old and he doesn't look overly thrilled but he is the same one! 

Feeding goats and the blind donkey was a HIGHLIGHT of our night. Oh wait, no going by the poo pond was my kiddos favorite thing! 

This rabbit is from the Velveteen Rabbit story. It was so so soft. The kids loved it. Next thing we did was go on a hayride in the dark, right past Poo Pond where they deposit the poo. HOLY gag. Cache Valley Cows are still by far my favorite smell. The poo pond was BAD.. real bad. 

We played with salt dough but it was not enough to make it smell yummy to give to our friends. So we just played with it. 

No holiday can go by without a quick run to the pediatrician's office, where we had to get our hematocrit checked. Grayson was a beast and we KNEW he was low but needed to know how low to see if we needed to be checked in or not. So off to the doctors we went. 

We are low. VERY low. But we were not admitted and we have just done what we could to get through the exhaustion.

Christmas PJ's by the Labrum grandparents and we got to FaceTime them while we opened it. 

Next up...... Christmas ( the Santa part!) and Christmas day!! 

My little baby is a Little Boy

July 12, 2011 at 4:46 pm our world turned upside down by a sweet little boy weighing in at 6 lbs 4 ounces. 3 years later at 25 pounds and more than half the height of the his older brother and is as spunky and stubborn as could be!

3 years doesn't seem like a long time. But lots goes on in 3 years. It goes by so fast. You look back and wonder where that baby went. Yet, you look at them and think they are still your sweet 1 year old.

Grayson's face hasn't changed much since his birth ( I don't think) It has come in and out as round and chubby. His hair has changed from red to Blondie and he has turned into a funny, funny kid, but oh he is a terror.

( Grayson says Glasses like "asses" and I don't care.. I giggle)

There are so many things that make Grayson Grayson.  Here is the list we came up with today:

• He is a momma's boy to the extreme. He sleeps with me still. Pretty sure if I still had a uterus and didn't spend time away from him in the hospital with a hysterectomy, he would still nurse. 
• He is FUNNY! Today, after him being caught actually biting and chewing through rocks AND swallowing them, we gave him 5 laxatives over the last 2 days. FINALLY it was kicking in the SECOND grandpa came in the door. He locks himself in a room. When I get the door unlocked he said " mom I need my privacy, tell poppa I will be down in a minute!"
• He is a terror!! He as some anger management problems. He hits, bites, kicks, destroys things in one sweep and if he is tired as could take down a nine year old and a fat momma. He slaps too. Oh he can slap.
• He is a helpful brother. He always tries to make sure Ty is included in things. He goes with Ty everywhere. He tells him every night that he is his best friends and that he loves him. He even tells people that sometimes he falls cause he has "cerebral palsy but that is ok."
• He tells us " I cuddle you" and will want you to lay down wherever you are and cuddle. He LOVES it. 
• He loves to help cook and pretend play. He is just sweet.

There was such a huge hole waiting to be filled and he did a pretty good job. He isn't as much medical stress as Tyler but he is so typical that he is always on the go. Even with the desire to have one more and that I am missing one, I wouldn't give up this baby for the world.

( Now for the random photos of the year!!! My favorites~)

One thing that has grown in the last year is my testimony of how much family means to me. There is so many things that we have gone through that has shown me that each one of the boys were in our home for a reason. My baby is perfect. He is going to great things. I am so thankful to be his mom and I hope as he grows older he keeps having a great relationship with his brother and that he will do his best to keep his sweet innocence for as long as possible.

He had a fabulous little birthday with just Tyler and Grandpa. His little friends were out of town/or mom is ready to have a baby. So we kept it low key, over "presented" him and watched him love on his poppa.

Thank you baby Grayson for coming to our home. Thank you Grayson for being Grayson.

*Thanks Grandpa for driving 600 miles to come eat KFC and cake. It was well appreciated. We hope your flight home is fast and you can get back to grandma the old lady/naked grandma, and you don't worry to much about how much she misses you!*

Easter 2014

The last few weeks of April were so lonely here at our house. We lived without our dad for about 3 weeks. He would sneak in at the wee hours of the morning and head out super early. I was the lovely single mom. We also lost a worker and one was leaving so we were getting interviews in at the same time along with all the normal things going on. It was also a time that we had to get summer programs up and going for Tyler. We also had a new ISP AND a new IEP. It was crazy.

Tyler got out of school the Friday before Easter for Good Friday so we decided to spend the day at the local indoor play place. Not only did we have a rainy day, but we are also getting into Hot season so going to the park and spending lots of time outside is coming to a close. So the indoor play place it is.

We found that Tyler is REALLY good at Air Hockey. He shouldn't be able to do it almost at all but he really did. And did really well. The other kids that were at the play place didn't know that he can't see and they were playing as hard as they could. He spend a long time there.

Grayson loves to pretend play and this kitchen was right up his alley. He did this for most of the time we were there. He really liked it. He would tell me he was "Tooking" and would hand it to me or anyone that was around to eat. I think we need to get him a kitchen set for his birthday.

They also have this awesome teeter totter that is shaped like an airplane. So between the airplane and the kitchen, Grayson had such a great time. I am pretty sure that Tyler spent the entire time NOT on the play set but playing basketball and air hockey the entire 4 hours.

It really was a great day.

We went home, had some yummy burgers and got our eggs boiled. We then got all of our Eggs filled for the ward Easter Egg Hunt and Breakfast at the "Island park" ( we live in the "Island") and dropped them off.  We ate yummy pizza for dinner and off we went to bed for our Easter Bunny to come on Saturday.

Oh, but first we Facetimed our dad... And for those who haven't seen him in a while, well, yes. He has lost weight.. A LOT of weight. (And yes, he has been REALLY sick but right now he is doing amazing!)



The Easter Bunny doesn't really bring Candy to this lovely house, so our Easter Baskets were not full of sugar. But we had a great time because the Easter Bunny left foot prints all over our house.

So the Easter bunny comes on Saturday in our house for several reasons. 1) Tradition. My mom grew up in a place that we went to the Desert. We used our colored eggs for "Eastering" and had our Candy to snack on with our extended family. By extended, I mean like half the town. My moms family- Sisters and cousins, and my second cousins, and we all went to the same place every year. So the Easter Bunny came on Saturday. 2) How else do you have a basket for the Easter festivities if the Easter Bunny didn't bring you a basket. 3) I hate doing it on Sunday because the whole meaning of Easter is focusing on Christ, and that is what we do on Sunday. 

We went to the Easter Egg hunt, came home. Hung out with our dad and had such a good day with our toys and Easter stuff. 

Sunday was a good day. We cooked Lamb, and went to Church. Grayson turned into a Cannibal at church and took a big chunk out of Tyler's leg and  threw his drink and food truck at an unsuspecting dude sitting on our bench. I was MORTIFIED. But the focus was not on us. But a time to be more thankful for our Savior and the Sacrifice made for us. 

A new bike for Tyler and a gift for Lucy

Before we left Utah 2 years ago, we were finally listed on the bike list at Shriner's Hospital. A special needs bike is very expensive. We were so lucky to have gotten a loaner bike from the Hospital before we left Utah and Tyler was quickly growing out of it and for some reason, Arizona and tires go sun rot. So before it was to ruined we were in the process of getting a new one. 

We were in discussion with our Physical therapist, pediatrician and orthotist to get the right measurements for Tyler. Lucky for us Ty was able to get the NEXT bigger size than the one we currently had so that we can have this bike for a LONG time. The discussion was done and we had put in our order. Originally ( 2 years ago) Ty wanted to have a green bike but now he was adamant about a red bike. And the downer of the whole thing, though it was the beginning of December, we wouldn't be able to get the bike in time for Christmas. ( And because of past experience we never even mentioned to Tyler that he was getting a new bike..GOOD CALL MOMS!) 

One thing that I have learned in our journey is that some dreams will never come true. Having a red bike with a big bow underneath the Christmas Tree. There was no way that we could ever 1) afford a 2 grand bike, and 2) have one under the tree. It just isn't possible.

However, I got home from work one day with Dallas wonder what on earth I had purchased and there was a HUGE tall box bigger than Dallas. HE couldn't figure out what it was and ironically Tyler never even asked. 

But his new bike was in there... wedged like a sandwich.... and it was BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!!

So Christmas morning he had a treasure map to open and follow. Grayson had on too. Santa brought Grayson a Dusty the crop hopper ( He got a tricycle for his birthday) and so off we went to enjoy the amazingness and magic of not only Christmas but Shriner's hospital. 

After the New Year, we made arrangements with a sweet girl named Lucy. Lucy was also born early just like Tyler. Lucy's grandmother joined a yahoo group that I was a admin of and we found that Lucy was a lot like Tyler. As the years went on, Ty and Lucy were in the Foundation for Blind Children together and they have ended up in the same therapy groups and we have become friends with her mom. 

We arranged to met at therapy and got Lucy all set to enjoy her new bike. We showed her mom how to strap her on and off Lucy went. Tyler was clapping and chasing Lucy and cheering her on.  Afterwards, Tyler said " Mom, did you see how good Lucy could ride that bike. I am glad she could get a bike." 

And again, the giant, reminds me of how incredibly Christlike he is. 

December-

Obviously my blog is not a priority at all these days. But I miss having a journal of my kids. Plus, my kids are great and why not share them as much as I can.

 So December was a long time ago. So instead of catch up I will do photos, because they are much better anyway. The only low was a falling down the stairs in the middle of the night resulting in a pretty damaging disaster to a knee that will take about 3 months to figure out.

As far as Christmas went, it was small, perfect and we had a great time. Dallas and I have now paid cash for the last 7 Christmas' and we are going to keep staying out of debt to the best of our ability forever.

 Here it is in Pictures :  (With some words)

One of the things we have done while we have lived here has been to find our own traditions. We really have loved going to the Superstition Farms here locally and met with the same Santa, year after year. So last year and this year we have pictures with the same Santa. We made arrangements to go and it was amazingly warm this year and we had a great time. Hoodies were needed by adults and light jackets were required and shoes.... shoes! A few in our party wore flip flops.

 Our favorite Arizona Santa:

Both kids were in need of a hair cut but Grayson has curly hair so it is even more unruly. Plus I dread hair cuts. But they all had a great time. We had a dance party in the barn, we drove around in the hay ride wagon with Christmas lights. We fed animals and all were impressed with the ability to not be afraid of a small calf eating my fingers. One of the goats were loose and was eating Grayson and he was loving it! 

We miss the traditional night of Scones and Christmas lights with the Brown family so we did our own. We decided that we would do our own scones, walk around the neighborhood for lights and enjoy a little fire outside. ( See, Arizona is where it is at!) Oh and did I mention we had our own lights up for Tyler to be able to see, and Grayson LOVED. 

Christmas morning was perfect. But a little bit of backstory. A few days before Chritmas we received a GINORMOUS box that could have fit a person ( and if it was Grandma the Old Lady there would have been room to spare). Dallas thought I bought something he didn't know of and he waited for me to check it out. Turns out, a very amazing organization ordered and upgraded Tyler's adaptive trike. Mind you this is NOT a cheap gift. These bikes are around 2-4 thousand dollars so to open up the box and realize what was inside was amazing!! 

Christmas morning was perfect for the kids and magical as a christmas can be when you are little. I can't wait till next year. ( I am saving already) 

We have so many trains and cars and "city buses" that get used on that track and we have googled new ways to make them all fit. We have added a airport and more cars. The Marble run was moved out of the way of the little and just yesterday we were even up playing and doing new mazes. So we know the presents were picked out and done amazingly this year.  

One we went into 2014!