New bikes!

Well, the big news from this last week is... we have new bikes! James and I went out last friday night with Shaela and Jared. I spied the matching cruisers on clearance and kept riding it around the store. Before we even had a chance to go back and buy them, Jared showed up on our doorstep with the same ones I'd been thinking about all week! He said it was a thanks for all the meal making, and how could I not be INCREDIBLY grateful?? I already know I'll use it all the time. And it feels so much easier to pull the trailer on my new bike then my rusty old one we left chained to the rack in Utah!  Unfortunately it has been raining a ton and we keep waiting for the rain to stop. But, finally saturday night, there was a little break through in the storm and we ventured out. Tommie wasn't loving the bike trailer once it got dark, but we sure had fun. There were so many huge puddles, and the 10 year old boy inside James came out as he soaked himself completely in all the puddles.

We finally found a night to hang out with Brad and Julie again! I've missed being with them. When the TV show "burn notice" was on, we seemed to always make more time so we could watch it with them, but then we both have just had other things lately. But, we went to Zupa's and VF factory outlet (yes, I know....totally blast from my childhood past!)  Friday. Brad complained the whole time how he didn't want to go there, but he ended up getting some sweet shorts he just HAD to show off. He tried them on in the car outside Neilsen's frozen custard, then modeled throughout the parking lot. We sure had a lot of fun with them, and Jackson just loves Kate and Eliza.

Well, I am finally over my flu this week and the kids are SO much happier! Jackson is completely back to normal, and back to eating again (thank goodness!) Tommie still has a cough at nights so that keeps him up more, but he's able to breathe so much better. I even read my scriptures every day this week, in the morning, and am just feeling like it was the best week I've had in a long time! Jackson learned about dinosaurs at Orang Patch, and thanks to them, he now eats oatmeal (instant oatmeal with those dino eggs in it... but hey, it's still oatmeal). That's a big deal for us! We also saw a deal on strawberries for 25 cents a pound at superstition ranch. Knowing how bad James hates passing up a good deal, we came home with 56lbs of strawberries last night, and he still wanted to make jam! So, even until 11:30 last night, James and I were still in the kitchen cutting strawberries and canning jars of jam. What a man!

Sick AGAIN. Probiotics anyone?

Well, Monday morning I took Tommie for his well check up. I dreaded giving him his new set of shots, and should have postponed them. But, I ended up doing them anyway, and now we are back to sick kids! I swear he just doesn't handle shots well. He's back to not sleeping good and has a really bad runny nose, goopy eyes, and a rash on his face. I am going to think long and hard about immunizations and decide if I really agree in the order they give them all. But for his 6 month check up,  he weighed 16 lbs 10 oz (30th percentile). was 27 inches long (75th percentile), and despite how everyone says his head is huge, it's still only in the 45th percentile at 17inches.  He is eating so many foods now, and can now eat a whole cheerio without breaking it up. An investigator at church sat next to us and wanted to hold him. She handed him back to me and the smoke smell from her clothes was so strong all over him. It hit me as I changed his clothes just how sweet and innocent Tommie really is. He still is so close to his Heavenly Father and has such a long life ahead of him. I don't know it bothered me so bad that he smelled so strong of smoke, but I'm sure it's because I felt like he was "violated" in some way. Made me want to protect all the babies everywhere. :) Jackson has another bad case of stomach problems. Throwing up and bad diarrhea. He actually is old enough to understand diarrhea and thinks his "water toots" are really funny. He is always yelling at me from the toilet saying "mom, did you hear that??" I sure hope he outgrows it soon! But, he is losing weight and as if he wasn't skinny before, you can see the ribs in his back. It makes me really worried. Today, I had a realization though, that maybe the colored bath tablets I got him for Christmas, are causing the digestive problems. I've always known he drinks the tub water, and maybe with all the dye in the water, he's getting sick. I just pulled out those tablets this week as he's taken a bath everyday, and everyday his problems have gotten worse. So, who knows!

Did I mention Tommie grabs EVERYTHING now? He can't stop and everything goes straight to his mouth. No wonder his immune system is bad.

We had a fun family night this week as we went to the temple visitor center with Shaela and Jared and Brad and Julie. We watched the church's movie on the family, walked around the exhibits,  then hit a frozen yogurt store after. Kids sure had a lot of fun and I was reminded again how nice it is to be back around family.

I have started cooking dinners for Shaela Monday-Thursday nights till she gets feeling better. She's just about to finish her first trimester, and I remember living in Utah and feeling sick and just wishing someone would plan dinners, do the shopping, and just bring it to me ready to eat. I always swore that would make me feel amazing! :) And, sure enough, Shaela feels amazing! It's been fun to see them everyday, our lives are starting to be so involved! I feel bad because some of my meals really don't end up tasting good, but they don't really seem to care. We couldn't afford to feed their whole family, so Jared got me a credit card and I just go do the shopping. They don't even want the receipts! :) What a deal.


James invited me to lunch with him this week, and for once, I actually didn't want to go. He and Brad are always talking about this place "Piggly Wiggly's at the Fair". I guess it used to be a trailer at the fair, but just opened a new restaurant with carnival games inside too. Let's just say after seeing the photos, I am so glad I stayed home for a turkey sandwich on homemade bread! :)

Well, we also had a good weekend. Russ and Adri Lee were in town on Friday (they live in Minnesota now) and they stopped by our house for lunch. It was fun to see them again and remember some of our Utah friends! Then, I spent the afternoon out in gilbert with Andrea's kids and picked up Becca front he phoenix-Mesa gateway airport out there. It sure seems like a nice way to fly now with flights straight to ogden or Provo. James and i went to Michelle's Leavitt-now-Stoker's wedding reception. She was such a good friend to me through the years and it was really fun to see some of my old friends. Saturday we did a lot of yard work. It was freezing this past week (high in the 30's :) ) and our garden died, and a lot of the leaves on the front trees froze and fell off. Boy are we so glad to not have a winter in Utah because this last week was cold enough! James and I went to El Charro and Sports' Authority with Shaela and Jared while Brianna babysat. But, by the time we came home, between Tommie's screaming and throwing up, Jackson's vomit and diarrhea, and Jimmer chewing up the cute basket on Brianna's bike...She had had it! Poor girl! 

Everyone loves Jackson

Lately, it's hit me that I better start preparing for Jackson to grow up! He has started to understand "logic" a lot more, and he is sure cracking me up every day. On tuesday, at school, he learned about Eskimos. He came home and told me all about "the people that have long fur everywhere". After thinking about it, he said to me "If all the "skimos"have long hair, how do you know which ones are boys or girls?" I tried to tell him that they were coats that are furry, but underneath the coat, they look normal.  Somehow that led to how boys and girls have different hair, girls wear bows, etc. Later in the day he discovered his favorite stuffed animal "blue bear" had a bow around it's neck. He was so shocked as he realized blue bear must be a girl. He hasn't played with it since! (hallelujah!)

He hasn't felt the best lately so he's starting to get a little cranky and feisty. He's always making up rules for me. Today, he said that "since I told him he has to take a nap, he's going to go to the neighbor's and get a new mom." Other threats include: "if you don't let me play with weston, I'm going to pick up tommie and drop him on the floor".  "If you don't let me take a shower, I am going to get water all over your dry clothes." "If you don't let me eat another cookie, I am going to take you outside and let Jimmer jump on you".

I still think he's adorable though, even if he is a little obnoxious sometimes! I took him to the grocery store "sprouts" the other day. It was the day all the senior citizens get discounts, so there were a lot of elderly. They all would walk by and pat him on the head or make little comments about him and tommie. I walked away to get some lettuce and heard "Hey mom, everybody loves me in this store huh?"

They asked him to give a talk last sunday in primary. His first full sunday as a sunbeam, and they met in the chapel for opening exercises. So, he had to get up, using the microphone on the pulpit. I thought he'd be nervous, but he didn't even want me on the stand. The primary worker asked if eh wanted help as he got up to the microphone, "No he said, I can do it all by myself". I did actually go up to help hold up his pictures. He was so loud, so clear, and so confident. Everyone laughed a little because he seemed so old. But, he held up a picture of him as a baby "This is me as a baby. I am a child of God." Then he held up a picture of his family. "This is me and my family. Heavenly Father gave me a family. In the name of jesus Christ, Amen." Perfect talk from a 3 year old!

Sam came home

Sam made it home from his mission last Wednesday. We were cleaning up the house before the airport when we got the call his flight had come in a little earlier, we ran to the airport and made it just in time. He was walking from the plane and we had Wilford and Kathleen "face-timing" on the Ipad. He seemed so tall and so energetic. But, it was great to see him. He was only here for a fast 48 hours. We spent lots of time as a family, did baptisms at the temple, had a night where he "reported" to all the Andersen cousins, and eavesdropped on his phone calls to his old girlfriend Julie WIllis, who it sure seems like will still be his girlfriend! He's already back up at BYU, starting school today, but it was great to see him again. It sure reminded me a lot of connecting back with James when he first got home from his mission. Those days were just so fun and exciting. Hard and overwhelming to figure everything out and try to go to school,  but a lot of fun! 

Good Snow Days in Prescott

The end of December was here and we definitely were out of money from Christmas. James still had a few days off work and we were starting to feel just bored and broke! :) So, you can imagine how excited we were when Jared and Shaela called and offered an ALL EXPENSES PAID trip to their cabin in Prescott! What a blessing! Shaela and I spent a lot of time inside with the kids, watching none other than Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, season 1 and eating treats: easy cheese on wheat thins, M & M's, all the good things. We did quite a bit of snow and it reminded me all again why I don't miss Utah in the winter! Luckily we still have some good snow clothes though.  

Jackson was actually pretty into sledding this year and thanks to James, he had a lot of fun! I only took him once, and everyone kept laughing at my pants falling down...so that was the end of that. Hence my new nickname "the grand canyon". I'll take that over Shaela's "the grand tetons!" 

We sure do feel lucky to have such great family around. We stayed for 5 days, spent New Year;s Eve at Texas Roadhouse for dinner, and movies back at the cabin. Everyone was too into the show that i had to announce "happy new year" at 12:05! :) 

Love this picture of Weston after James got him with not a snow ball, but dumped his snow shovel on him! 

AndersOn family pictures

 Julie's brother came out to our Christmas party and took these pictures in front of the Montagues house. I think they turned out great and Brad and Julie surprised everyone with copies on Christmas.

Can't even tell Shaela is sick with stomach flu, thanks to the hair extensions! :) 

 One of Brianna's best pictures I think! 

Not a complete photo shoot if Brad and Matt don't try to get a few poses in. 

 Even though Jackson is definitely wearing crocs and has no socks on I love our picture this year too. 

Christmas

Well, it came and went by so fast! Christmas Eve was spent mostly at my mom's. We hung out with Matt, Mansi, and Brianna and eventually made our way over to Brad and Julie's jacuzzi. It was a cold drive home, but so worth it! 

We definitely had a smaller Christmas this year, but to see that Jackson was still SO excited about every detail was so fun. He kept running over to show things to Tommie and wanted to talk about everything he got. It was cute because he would tell everyone that he "had too many things" from Santa, he couldn't remember! :) Ha! If only that were true! 

We stopped by my family's for a bit where everyone was meeting for breakfast, but then we headed out to Gilbert and spent the rest of the day with Becca and Nate's families. Nate had gotten new chickens and that was sure a hit with the kids until their new shirts started to get pooped on. 

Eventually, we made our way back to Mesa and stopped by my Grandma and Grandpa Anderson's. Gram Cracker had made a bunch of food, which we ate most of, and we enjoyed just being there with them. 

All in all, it was a great day and I felt so lucky to have the whole day with my boys, be here by all our family, and to just be happy. :) 

Grandma Andersen gave a huge shell from the dominican republic. Jackson loves how you can hear the "river" in it. At least, that's what he tells people...

Can you imagine being so excited for Spongebob underwear that you wear it everywhere?? He doesn't even watch Spongebob, but his cousins do...

All the cousins loved his stomp rockets. 

Look at that face. I am loving his grown up smiles lately.