Big Week!

Well this week started off with me starting my job. Drew also started preschool and daycare at Koala Kids Academy at Melaleuca. The first day wasn't too bad actually. Drew did fine going to school and my first day went well......very busy. This week I figured out what I was in for at these apartments. Aparently the old manager was not doing her job (which is why she was fired). There is so much work to be done and things that were never done to begin with that I will be playing catch up from who knows when plus do the current work. It is a HUGE mess there. Anyway, at least I am the rescue insead of the one that made the mess.
Tuesday was the same only I had YW right after work and dinner. Doug and the kids came with us because it was a combined activity with the boys and they wanted to come. We hauled everyone's bikes and took a bike ride around the river and it was great! Afterward, one of the girls wanted hot chocolate so we went through the drive through at Starbucks (don't tell!). They have this awesome caramel apple cider that is like drinking a hot apple pie! That was my first time ever to Starbucks, but I'd have to say they make a good drink (not coffee!!). The rest of us had caramel hot chocolates. Mmmmmmm.....But we ended up getting home kindof late for a school night with little one's so it was a long and tiring day.
Dallin has had this wierd thing going on that is way too long to explain so I'll just say he was up the ENTIRE night long on Wed. night with diarrhea and a huge throw up at the end. He has had random wierd things going on all week with last Saturday night throwing up all night. So I was up most of the night with him on Wed. and then had to get up and go to work. I took Drew to school and he finally figured out by Thursday that we were going to leave him there all day and did not want to go! So I spent over 30 minutes at school trying to calm him down and make him feel better before I left. I was already exhausted so that just made me break seeing him so upset. I was almost sprinting to the front door to get out of there before I started bawling. He was screaming when I left, reaching his arms out to me and saying, "Mom, please don't leave me! Don't leave me!!". How are you supposed to take that kind of guilt?! Especially when you don't want to leave him.
Now that I am working, I can't just up and leave for Utah anymore. My sister, Jenasie had her wedding shower on Thursday night that I had to miss......sorry Jen, I love you! But congrats anyway! (I know, I suck)
Then Friday morning Doug woke me up around 6 a.m. telling me that Blair was at the hospital with his wife, Michelle, and that her water broke around 1 a.m.. Yay, he was having his baby! So I got up then to get ready so I could visit them before I had to go to work. I am the only one on Blair's side that is here in Idaho Falls, so I wanted to be there.
Dallin's doctor also wanted a STOOL SAMPLE because of his wierd symptoms this week, so he finally had a BM that morning so it was also a rush to fit taking poop to the lab within the hour, getting ready, getting Drew to school, getting Dallin out the door, going to see Blair at the hospital and getting to work......all before 9 and Doug needed me to put a check in the stinkin' bank too.
It was the same ordeal with Drew at school that morning too, only this time I didn't make it out of there before I broke down. I felt like an idiot crying. It was one of those that you just couldn't control and I tried to hold it back as much as I could while talking to one of the teachers there, but when I got out those doors and to my car, I just lost it. It felt like I was completely abandoning him. It was not this hard with Dallin when he went to daycare. This is bad.
So I get to work. Same old shniznit. Tons to do. Then at lunch time I had to go get Dallin from school because he wasn't feeling well. I had to call in with a sick kid for the rest of the day because Doug was in Island Park......too far away. Luckily I was able to be there when Blair had his baby.
That was the highlight of the week, of course! Oh, Blair was awesome! I was so dang proud of him. He was so good with Michelle, a great cheerleader and so supportive and loving to her. It was Blair in his best moment yet if you ask me. When that baby came, he was so happy and got all emotional. I can tell he is very excited to have his little man here. They are naming him Benjamin Elijah Hoxer. He was 6 lbs. 14 oz. and 20 inches. He was adorable! What a great moment being there with him in all his glory! I was proud. It is so touching seeing a little baby that was just in the presence of Heavenly Father. What a spirit that is there!
So my Dad and Marnae and my Mom came up too. Mom stayed the night at our house and was able to be here for Drew's birthday, which was today!
Drew. What a big boy he is! He turned 3 today and now I am going to cry again.....here we go. I don't like my babies growing up! He is so precious and small and happy and loving. They just don't stay that way forever. But, I am so proud to have him as my son and I love him with all I have. So happy birthday, Drew!
He got a fun package in the mail from Grandma and Grandpa Hoxer. That was so exciting for him! He also got a John Deere truck with a trailer that carries a tractor. (Same kind of thing he always wants......he likes those things the best). He also got a real cool Step 2 train table with a train that also has a table cover that they can use to color or do activities on. It is perfect for him and he loves it! That was courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Kammeyer.
So, needless to say, it was an exhausting week and I am pooped! Going to bed......
I'll post pictures as soon as my camera will cooperate with me!

Did you know the Caldwell boys could do this???

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

I always knew my boys were talented, but this tops it all!

Here is a tribute to my Dad and Marnae.......doing what they do best!!!!! (As Doug would say, "Larry 'Dancey Boots' Hoxer")

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Working.

So I got a job. It is at Palisades Park Apartments in Idaho Falls. I am the Manager. I start on Monday the 22nd. I don't have much to say, but I thought I would post that I got a job. Fun times.

I thought I would post the pictures we took tonight for young women's. We split into teams and had a picture scavanger hunt. We had a list of things we had to do or things that had to be in the pictures we took.
We had to have one of the girls making funny faces, one with a cowboy hat, one in or on a grocery cart, one with ducks, one on a trampoline, one on a slide and one in front of a flagpole
My team was Megan, Kandis and Ali and we had a blast driving around town as fast as we could (and running a few stop signs along the way-not on purpose!). We made a couple of wild U-turns too.
We did some running to get to some of the spots and do you think I could keep up with them??!!
I think we got some great shots! I'll post the other "cheater" team's pictures if I get them.
We called them cheaters because we thought we had to actually have real ducks in the picture, but they took a picture in front of ducks on a shower curtain! Our team went clear out to the river to get those REAL ducks. Makes for a better picture though!
Since we called them cheaters, they called us losers. I guess if the shoe fits.......
Well, it was lots of fun and hopefully you all enjoy the pictures! In case you are one of the girls, look up on my blog archive, there are some youth conference pics too!
That was fun guys!

Grandma Caldwell's Visit

We were fortunate enough to have Grandma Caldwell come up for a few days just before school started. She brought Dallin's favorite cousin, Amanda, with her so the kids could spend some time together.
It is always nice when Grandma comes. The kids adore her and Doug and I especially love having her cooking skills here! She made this fabulous apple dessert one night. (I know, what kind of host am I anyway having her cook?!?) But she is so much better than me!
I like to have her in the kitchen with me because she has so many good pointers and usually teaches me several tricks I never knew before. Heaven knows I need it!
Anyway, one evening we took the kids to a park here that has this big grassy hill. We got some ice blocks and let the kids go down the hill on the ice and they loved it!
It was a little hard for them to balance on the blocks, but I think they still had a good time. Doug loves having his "Momma" here, he is definitely a mommma's boy. We all love her and appreciate everything she does for our family and all the love she shows us! Thanks, Carol!

More of the Darndest......

Here's a couple more funny things Drew said just today.
First was this morning when we were in the bathroom. I was getting on his case for something and he says to me, "Mom, you need to control yourself". Ok, seriously? I can't believe he said that to me! What a little bossy man!
And just now he says to me, "I kissed Nae Nae all night long"! What the heck? Nae Nae is what we call his little cousin, Naomi. Why in the world would a two (almost 3) year old be doing talking about kissing his cousin? And all night long? Where would he get this idea? I am really going to have to watch this one......

Trained!

Drew is officially potty trained!!! This was easier than I thought it was going to be. I haven't really been pushing to have him go in the potty on a regular basis because when I did try, he didn't want to. Because he was so uniterested I haven't put my heart into it until this past week.
Last saturday night, Doug and I went to the dollar store and picked out a ton of cheap little toys and some small candies that we put in a "surprise" bucket that Drew could pick from if he went potty on the toilet. When we got it home and showed him, he didn't really get it.
Naturally he wanted the toys and treats so we told him he could only have one if he went potty on the toilet. Well, he wanted to go right away! Sure enough, the next morning he remembered the "surprise" box and asked to go potty again.
We didn't even have to remind him at all from then on out. He was trying to go like every 15 minutes at first just to get the surprise, but I'd rather him go often than not at all! He is now just going when he needs to and it has been a wonderful week for him! He only had one accident the entire week, which I thought was great. We are now entirely comfortable letting him wear his "big boy undies" all day. He has even had a couple of dry nights too.

When he goes though, he expects that treat. Now, how to get away from giving him a surprise every time he goes potty.......? I didn't really think of that, but I'm sure we will figure it out. I'm just glad we don't have to buy diapers anymore!

I am

I am..

i am: always tired
i think: as little as possible
i know: a lot of random things
i want: to be skinny
i dislike: stupid people
i miss: having fun
i fear: losing one of my kids
i feel: like a zombie most of the time
i hear: Drew crying upstairs
i smell: like my Guess by Marciano perfume
i crave: sweet things all the time
i cry: not very often
i usually: read at night in bed
i search: for my keys on a regular basis
i wonder: if life gets any better or if I will just have to keep "perservering"
i regret: too much. I feel guilty about everything imaginable.
i love: my family and friends
i care: about other people's feelings
i always: clean my house
i worry: about money
i am not: motivated
i remember: when life was simple and people didn't dissappoint or hurt you.
i believe: I have a purpose, I just don't know what it is.
i dance: a lot less than I used to.
i sing: with the radio or to my kids at night
i don’t always: do what I know I should be doing
i argue: when I am angry
i write: on the blog
i win: random contests I enter
i lose: my mind almost daily.
i wish: I had a passion for something
i listen: to kids rambling or crying or singing all day long
i don't understand: why Doug isn't blessed more
i can usually be found: at the gym, in my bed, playing tennis or at church
i am scared: of what my mental status will be in ten years
i need: to go to therapy haha
i forget: to return movies on time
i am happy: being with my husband!
I tag: Katee, Katie, Kristina and Cherish