Easter & a hospital trip...

Today is Easter..  Bristyn had so much fun looking for Easter eggs and getting her little Easter basket.  Holidays are so much fun with a little family..

After her Easter egg hunt we were about to watch a movie about Easter and then go to church, when Bruce told me he thinks he needed to go to the hospital.  I called Rocky to come watch the kids and we headed to the emergency room.  He is having a lot of the same symptoms he had before his surgery.  We got there for them to tell us that they aren't sure exactly what is wrong with him but they think its a mix of irita bowel syndrome, acid reflex, gastritis, an ulcer maybe.. DUH!! We already know all that..  Both of us are just sooo frustrated and over this.  It kills me to see my husband suffering.  Why can't they just figure out exactly what is wrong with him so we can get him fixed???  I would do anything to have him feeling better again.  March 2013 has probably been the hardest month of my life.  Between being away from family, watching Bruce suffer and there's nothing I can do, Bo waking up so much at night, waking up at 5-6 every morning with both kids.. I am at such a lose.  Although this has all been super humbling and has made us so much closer and stronger.. at the same time we can't help but ask why us?  We go to church, we take care of our bodies, we read scriptures, say family prayer, we do all the things we are suppose to do.. but we cannot get past this obstacle.  I just want my poor husband to feel better more than anything in the world.  We have fasted, prayed, he's gotten blessings.. We know that is is all in Heavenly Father's hands.. and there is a reason for everything, and he wouldn't put us through anything we couldn't handle.. But I think we are both almost to our limit.  You really take your health for granted until something is wrong.. I am just so grateful for a strong husband, even though he is in a lot of pain and wants to lay in bed.. he puts on a brave face for the kids and I to ease our worry.. I know he will get better.. it's just figuring out what we need to do to get him better.  Okay I'm done venting sorry...

Back to Easter :)  I'm sad I didn't get to dress my kids up in their cute Easter outfits.. but I can always dress them up next week!  My brother was sweet and watched the Easter cartoon with Bristyn so we came home, ate a quick dinner.. and spent some time as a family.. I am so grateful for Easter.. For a time that we have to reflect on just the savior and all he has done for us so that we can live with him again.  There is no greater thing that we can celebrate then the resurrection of our dear Savior.  I love my little family more than anything in this world, and I am so grateful that I am able to spend Eternity with them... what a wonderful gift!  

I found this quote and loved it..

"The greatest events of history are those that affect the greatest number of people for the longest periods.  By this standard, no event could be more important to individuals or nations than the resurrection of the Master.  -President Ezra Taft Benson

Happy Easter :)

Easter eggs

Tonight we colored Easter eggs, and Bristyn had sooooo much fun!  I really think we need to make this a regular thing because she had so much fun.  I love this stage, and watching her learn and discover new things..  Bo was a little sweetheart and just watched us the whole time.  Love my kids and fun family traditions!!!

pretend

Bristyn loves her princess figurines.. I am pretty sure she takes them everywhere with her, I am shocked she hasn't lost any!!  I absolutely love that she has started playing "pretend" it melts my heart.  I just love this little girl more than anything!

hard day

I was having an extremely hard day...  Bo was up every 1 1/2-2 hours to eat... Bristyn woke up probably 5 times screaming from bad dreams.. and then stressing about Bruce's surgery.. I didnt get to be until 2am.  Then both kids decided it would be fun to wake up at 5am, so all in all I probably got 2 hours of sleep.. if that.  My brother Rocky knew how exhasted I was today so he showed up at my door to watch the kids.. He took Bristyn to walmart for a good 2 hours and let her play with all the toys .. I don't think he will ever know how much that helped me.. and how much I appreciated that.  Thank you Rock.

Bruce's surgery

Bruce got his surgery today!!! I hope and pray it works and things get better for him.. I sure hate seeing him in pain and suffering. The Dr. Said the surgery went really well and that he had no doubt in his mind that his gall bladder needed to be removed. He said it was covered in abrasions.. I asked him how they got there and he said when his gall bladder started shutting down his body tried fighting it off and the fatty tissue around his gall bladder caused them. He has 2 weeks of not lifting anything for 10 pounds and hopefully from then on he will be fine!! They did the microscopic surgery so he will have 4 little scars on his belly. I am just so grateful for drs and modern day medicine, and I am grateful we were able to get this removed before it got worse! I just love Bruce so much, and I am so grateful to have him as mine!! Now all his health problems can go away :)

church friends

These girls were so cute in Sacrament today.. They laid on the floor and talked to each other the entire time!  Bristyn loves making new friends..  She talks about having friends all the time and it is just the cutest thing ever.

100 ways to make your marriage rock!

I found this and love it!!! There is not one thing on this list that isn't so important in marriage, and I am going to strive to do these more often..

Write him letters

Go on regular date nights

Write his name on lipstick on the bathroom mirror

Revitalize the romance with intimate dates

Pray together

Hide notes in secret places

Go to bed at the same time

Listen to music together-share earbuds

Send him on a scavenger hunt in the house

Buy him gifts he will love

Hide a treat in his glovebox or desk at work

Read the Bible together

Wear shirts that tell the world you love your spouse

Praise your spouse to other people

Let them overhear you

Read a marriage devotional

Porn-proof your home

Be best friends

Sleep in his t-shirts

Look to him to make the big decisions 

Let her make the small ones

Don’t nag him

Put down the seat, pick up your socks for her

Renew your vows privately with whispers and memories

Renew them publicly with cake and bubbly

Fight naked

Tell him you like him

Receive his compliments

Pick your battles

Show her you love her and tell him you respect him

Go away together at least once a year

Frame your wedding vows

Her: Read For Women Only

Hang pictures of the two of you around your house

Kiss in front of your kids

Make his favorite dessert

Have pictures of just the two of you made

Make sex a priority

Spend time apart occasionally

Learn to enjoy something he loves

Surprise each other

Meet him at the door

Dreamstorm

Text each other from across the room

Be accountable to each other

Set reminders on your phone to remember him/her throughout the week

Call him right now and tell him you appreciate him

Be affectionate

Him: Read For Men Only

Leave work and come home early

Wash, vacuum her car. Keep it full of gas.

Give each other romantic coupons

Engage every day in meaningful conversation

Compliment each other

Touch your spouse several times throughout the day

Take one day a month to make your spouse your total focus

Let each other sleep in

Be spontaneous!

Argue fair: avoid these words “you always” and “you never”

Kiss every day

Find tangible ways to serve your mate without complaining

Forgive quickly

Be honest.

But not hurtful

Get on the same page: plan your budget together

Look your best as often as you can

Guard your marriage

Get out of debt (and stay out)

Laugh together

Have a date night in

When your together-BE TOGETHER (take a break from phones, technology, etc)

Talk about your favorite memories together

Tell him he’s sexy just because

Tell her she’s pretty, especially when she’s not feeling it

Make him breakfast in bed

Do her chores for her

Get a couple’s massage or host your own privately

Read a book out loud together

Dance together-soft music (alone) or rocking music with the kids

Bring her/him a favorite drink during the middle of the day

Exercise together-hikes, bike riding, etc

Choose not to be annoyed by an irritating behavior/disappointment

Tell him a secret he doesn’t know about you

Thank your spouse just because, often

Sit on the same side of a booth at a restaurant

Lay in bed together and stare into each other eyes, without talking

Learn something new together-take an art class, cooking lessons, etc

Leave a sweet comment on the Facebook wall

Teach your kids about marriage

Stop what you’re doing, look them in the eye and listen to their answer

Create art together

Support each other’s goals

Know when to talk and when to hush

Consider counseling (even if there’s not conflict)

Doodle his name

Bring her flowers (even when she says they are too expensive)

Wear something he loves

Share furniture-sit in his lap

Fight for your marriage

Remember your spouse rocks-even when they don’t

Wild Animal Safari

We decided to take a break from doing nothing in our apartment all day and go to the wild animal safari!  I figure it wouldn't be too bad for Bruce because he would just be sitting in the car, and so I convinced him to go :)  It was a blast!!  I remember when I was little and Rocky and I visited my grandparents at their ranch in Oklahoma we went, and so I was excited to go again!  We were not disappointed and we had a blast! Bristyn was in complete heaven..  It scared her a little when the animals would stick their heads in the car.. but she loved it!  haha at one point she crawled back with Bo and I so she could hide on the ground!  She is one funny little girl!  Bo sat in Bristyn's car seat so he could see and loved looking at all the animals.. It was soooo nice to get out of the house!

Bruce update

On Tuesday Bruce was feeling horrible, so he decided to go back into the Dr.  He convinced the Dr. to let him take the test to see if his gall bladder was functioning properly..  He had to go down there for 2 hours and lay still while they put radioactive material in him to watch his gall bladder function.  The next day the Dr. called to let him know that his gall bladder was only functioning at 15% and needed to be taken out.  He was then told a surgeon would call him to schedule it..  About an hour later the surgeons office called and set up and appointment for him to go in this morning..  After seeing Bruce he said that his gall bladder needed to be removed, but that it was his choice.  He said that its only a 70-80% success rate surgery, and that some people walk out feeling amazing and the few that it doesn't work for feel the same or worse the rest of their lives.  Bruce scheduled the surgery for this Tuesday afternoon.  It has been a hard decision, but he has been so miserable I don't think it is something he is willing to deal with his entire life.  I'm just ready to start seeing him feel better.  It breaks my heart to see him so miserable and in pain!

its snowing!

Well we got a huge snow storm... and its the end of March! I am so jealous of all our family and friends in AZ!  Good thing Bris loves the snow :)

crazy girl

I think someone is ready to be potty trained..  This is something I am totally dreading, but I know I need to do it..  She takes off her diaper like its her job, and has even gone potty in the toilet.  She tells me the second she goes in her diaper and lays down for me to change it.  As soon as I get Bruce feeling better I am going to tackle this..  wish me luck :)

sooo big!

My kids our getting so big, and growing right before my eyes.  Bo is getting so strong, and is so good at holding his head up..  When he sits in your lap he almost always tries to lean forward and sit up by himself.. and Bristyn LOVES coloring..  I got a new coloring book a week ago, and it looks a year old. She goes from page to page scribbling, and then once she has gone through the whole book she picks up a new color and started at page one again.  She loves it and asks for her crayons all day long..  We finally had to take them away because she discovered walls are fun to color on too :)  now she is super supervised when she colors haha!  

Bruce is 30!!

My sweet husband is 30 years old today.  

I am just so grateful for him, and for the amazing man that he is.  I had all types of plans for his 30th birthday, and then I found out we would be out here instead of in AZ.. so I was going to have all the guys over for cake and ice cream, and had to cancel last minute because Bruce didn't feel good.  The poor guy didn't get a yummy dinner because of his sickness...  but I made him eat cake!  I made him his favorite.. carrot cake!   Words cannot describe how much I love this man.. Marrying him was the best thing that I ever did, and I am so grateful I get to spend my life taking care of him.. and loving him!  

Happy Birthday Bruce, your the best husband and father a girl could ask for!  

2 little monkeys playing in the bed

My cute husband totally made Bristyn's night and got in her bed with her..  She has gotten pretty good at climbing out of her bed, and after her climbing out 2-3 times and us putting her back in bed Bruce went into check on her (and scare her) every night she asks for him to come scare her.. it consists of him yelling roar randomly and clapping his hands and her screaming and laughing.. its adorable, and something they do every night without fail when Bruce is home..  Well after scaring her I heard more laughing then normal and Bruce yelling Chan come here quick.. So I run in there and sure enough the big monkey got in the little monkeys bed!  It was so cute and I couldn't help but take some pictures!  Bristyn was in heaven, and even got mad at him for laying on Rella.. they played and talked and somehow Bruce got out of that thing haha!  I am so grateful for a sweet husband, that makes my kids smile all day long!!