Where did Evan go?

I sent Evan to school the other day and they sent this little guy back home in his place..............

Speaking of Evan there are some things I needed to write down so I don't forget.

1) Everyday, when he gets home, I ask Evan what he did at school. The other day he rolls up to the table after he got off the bus, takes a bite of his food, leans an arm on the table and says "So ... what did you do today Mum?" It was so grown up, and so stinking cute!!! When did my baby boys grow up?

2) I had a meeting today with all of Evan's teachers at school to make goals for him this year. The speech and language therapist said to me that Evan is affecting her self esteem. I asked why and she responds by telling me that he always tells her that her teeth are yellow and that they should be white. She said that she didn't think much of it until she realized that Evan is from a family of dentists. Now she feels very self conscious about her teeth. Part of me is pretty impressed that he is only 3 years old and noticed something like that, but mostly I am horrified and terribly embarrassed!!!!

Bummer of a Day

I had my first root canal today.

Now let me tell you why this was a horrible experience for me.

1) I have a terrible fear of needles, needles in the mouth are worse, and drills are even worse than that.

2) Being numb on one side reminds me of when I had Bells Palsy (that was a terrible month and a half)

3) I had a nerve that wouldn't freeze ... and that sucked!

4) I can no longer brag about my healthy strong teeth.

The only positives were that my sweet husband was sweet to me while doing my dental work, I had really great girls help me watch Landon, now Justin might believe me when I tell him my tooth hurts.

Now that is done .............. Our Timmy update................

He started showing some improvement walking, but definitely not enough. He has now lost his sight, and most of his hearing. He has an appetite again, but I am still having to puree the food. We have 4 more days of medication and we have decided that we are going to give him a chance to improve over the next 4 days and if he is not well enough to live a fulfilled life for a dog then we will take him in for his final appointment and say goodbye. I am realistic, but still pray for a miracle over the next 4 days.

better late than never

(I wrote this a while ago, but with Timmy's ordeal it just never got posted. I felt it still deserved to be posted ... so here goes!)
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It is true, our summer activities have been done for about a month so why has it been so hard for me to blog????

I had an audition

It was actually a really big deal for me and occupied any extra brain space that I had left. I know that your next question is ... "how did it go?" I wish I had an easy answer, but here is what happened.

It was a blind audition. I was pretty proud of my playing in the first round, despite my nerves. I made it to the second round :-) and played better, I even got all of the hard spots in Tombeau!! (This is the excerpt that was my Nemesis. I couldn't even play it a month ago!)

Verdict comes back that they hired .......... no one. Yup, that's what I thought too! How could they hire no one? Well, they invited us to go and meet the panel and get feed back if we wanted to do that, which I definitely did! (I do VERY well with feed back).

I met the panel and all seven had raving reviews of my playing! The only thing that they had any issue with at all was my rhythm. This makes sense to me because I can have this tendency to play a little uneven when I am:
A) nervous
B) not playing with a metronome/conductor
C) all combined

They kept raving about my great pitch, my musicality, my hard work (after they realized that I prepared an audition with 2 small children at home), my dynamics, my ability to "nail the hard stuff" and finally ending with telling me how close I was and that it was just "not quite good enough to offer me a full time position" (dang rhythm). They did offer me a contract to play the Christmas concert with them, which of course I accepted. One of the women on the panel is involved in a smaller orchestra in a different small town and asked my permission to give them my name. Later I got an email from the oboe player asking if she can pass my name onto yet a different orchestra. So where I didn't get the job I went for I "kind of" got three jobs. I know they didn't offer anything to the other auditioners and so I was the best there, which is good news.

The panel kept saying over and over that they really want me to come and audition next year, which I will.

So the overall result was more positive than negative and I feel good about myself and my playing. Though I can't help but feel a little disheartened. Nobody likes to hear that they are really really good, and a very impressive player, just not quite good enough. Oh well!

I'm so sad!!

Heartbroken really! Our sweet perfect Timmy is NOT doing well!

Last Thursday Landon accidentally tripped and Timmy tried to get out of the way, but ended up getting right in the way. Landon landed on him. I could tell that Timmy was sore, but everything else seemed to be normal. He started to get worse the next day and by Saturday Timmy stopped eating and drinking and couldn't stand up. With multiple trips to the vet I knew what I was watching for at this point and I was VERY worried about our baby. Timmy has only gotten worse and it is probably what we feared most ... neurological damage.

Tomorrow we are going to try an unconventional last resort and if it doesn't work there is nothing else that we can do. For now we are trying to give Timmy all of our love and affection so he knows how much we care. We are trying to be hopeful, but realistic. It still doesn't make it feel better. Timmy took a long time to find. Timmy was the PERFECT dog for our family and I am distraught!

Sorry I haven't been blogging lately, but between taking care of the kids and a very sick puppy there really hasn't been time. I also didn't really know what to say. We got Timmy and I finally got around to writing the post about him. It was the next day that the accident happened. It really was just a fluke accident, but we are all pretty sad.

Timmy Tebow

Nope, not the Tebow you thought I was going to talk about!! :-) We named our new puppy Timmy Tebow :-) (Is that too many smiley faces in one post??)

We have been looking for a companion dog for Evan for a while. I have spent hours researching breeds, talking to trainers about personality traits in a dog and searching breeder sites and rescue companies. The final result is this little perfect ball of fluff!

For a while he didn't have a name. We couldn't agree on a name. Finally we agreed on "Timmy" and it seems to be a fitting name. He is a VERY calm dog and just wants to sit with someone all day long. He rides on Evan's lap in the wheelchair like a champ and even takes the kids manhandling with no complaining. Landon thinks he belongs to him and will sit still and hold him for 20 minutes (yes Landon sits still with the puppy). We are all completely in love!!!! We really wanted this for Evan, as there are so many benefits of a companion dog, and we are thrilled with the new addition to our family :-)

This little man

I would like to write a post about this little pinball, moose, tank, Tasmanian devil, stinker, whirlwind, or any other name that seems fitting at the time.

With Evan spending his mornings at school I have been able to share some one on one time with my Landon, and we have been loving it! Landon has always had to share me with someone and I can see how much he enjoys having my full attention. In turn I have adored my one on one time with this little charmer. While in San Diego my Dad nicknamed Landon pinball, and that is a more than accurate description of him!!!! Landon is constantly on the move and will just bounce from one area to the next (usually causing destruction where ever he goes :-). He is constantly making me laugh or making me want to pull out my hair :-) He is such a handsome little devil and can charm the heck out of anyone he meets. Landon's smile will melt your heart!!! His persistence in life will definitely serve him well and I couldn't love him more!!!

Evan is in School!!

September 1, 2010

Evan woke up VERY excited to get on his bus and go to his first day of school! I cannot believe that my little boy is 3 years old and in preschool now. I wanted to get a picture of him and he insisted on his picture being taken in front of our neighbors flower pots. Silly boy!

In case you are wondering, yes I followed the bus, no I didn't cry (until the second day) and yes he LOVES it! Everyday he comes home and says that school was "really really fun" and when I ask him what he learned he says "nuffin!"

August Fun- the SMA walk and roll

Angela Mosco is an amazing woman and mom of Evan (the other Evan) who has SMA. Last year she organized the first annual SMA walk and roll. Well, we had the 2nd annual event this year and it was SOOOO MUCH FUN!!!

I adore the other kiddos in Calgary who have SMA and their parents inspire me. I learn from them everyday and I love them more than they will ever know!!!

I still can't believe that God chose me to be the mother of this special boy. I often wonder if I am enough for Evan. I do indeed have a lot of guilt, constantly wondering if I am doing enough. Then I remember that God chose Evan to be in our family. God went to very specific measure to make sure that Evan could be with us. That means that I am everything that Evan needs.

Enjoy some of the pictures we got of the event to help the kids in Calgary!

before hand we took our boys to a bakery where we got doghnuts as big as my head!

even Raina wore a T-shirt in honor of Evan

Evan's physical therapist came to support "her" kids as well!

August Fun- Brandon and Waterton

It is about this time in our summer that our camera broke. I still had the big camera, but haven't been able to get the pictures off of it yet. I got home from San Diego and picked up my brother from the airport the next day. He spent the week with us while Justin worked on his teeth.

I have to give a special shout out to Brandon because for some unexplainable reason he doesn't appear too much in my blog or the pictures I take. I really don't know why! It was so much fun to have him here for some one on one time and I have to say that he is a really easy house guest. He was cool to do whatever I needed or wanted to do, whether it was doing chores or fun stuff around Calgary. I enjoyed sharing our music choices and just talking. My favorite is to listen to him talk about his wife. When Brandon talks about Serene it is impossible to feel just how much he loves her. It is inspiring to me to see how much he loves and respects her. Unfortunately for you Brandon there will still be no pictures posted even though we did take that ONE picture, but know that I have your curly hair, lovely smile and awesome Fedora engraved in my mind forever :-) Thanks for coming Brandon!!!!

Following Brandon's trip we packed up the family and headed back down to Waterton for another week. It was a very relaxing week, which isn't normal for us, but was very nice. We went on a 13 mile hike with the boys on our backs. (Yes, you did read that correctly!!!) It was beautiful but we were ill prepared for the weather on the top of the mountain. We were all frozen and our poor boys were not pleased with us at all. We had to run down below the tree line and spend some time with our frozen babies against our chests inside our coats. Lanny and Mark came on this adventure with us and I do have to say that it was sooo much fun to have them there.

Once "Ranny Ranny" and "Grandpa Mawk" left to go back to work the Law's joined us. I love having another picture lover to hang out with. I know Lindsay got some great shots and I can't wait to see them. My favorite part was watching Landon and Isaac play together.

We didn't plan any of the trip like this, but as soon as the Laws left the Cartiers arrived. It was fun to get to know them a little bit better too. Towards the end of the trip the Bultsma family made an appearance (it was a great surprise for me) and then we packed up the van, had one night alone in the cabin and left for home.

Filled with sick kids and a night with no sleep (and throw up), lots of kids, eating wild berries, ice Cream and fresh bread everyday, hiking and wild animals, swimming everyday, bike riding, friends and family ... it was a week to remember!

San Diego finished

The rest of my San Diego trip ... in a nutshell
(I can't believe I'm not done yet!)

Randomly two of my siblings ended up coming home. It was so much fun to be with my family like that again. There were no spouses, so it was kind of like it used to be (just older)

these boys are too stinkin' cute!

Uncle Ben helping Evan do some pull ups ... Evan was pretty darn good at them too!

We ended up dressing in matching shirts without planning

I surprised Ben with an invitation to the Bronco/Charger game in November. It was so much fun for me and ................

he literally cried!!!!!

we got to eat (and expose my kids) to panakuken

Got to love on Sheba, play with sparklers, and play AWESOME games of Guestures

(you should seriously play with my mom ... it is funnnny!!!!)

Playground time with my family and Mandy was sooo much fun!


Evan kept pretending to shoot Grandpa and then Grandpa gave the BEST death scene ever!!!

Evan was THRILLED!!!


We surprised Grandpa at work for his birthday. It was fun to see him in his element.

matching dresses with a sister is always fun too.

What a GREAT vacation and I WISH it didn't have to end, but I think that I dragged this post out long enough!!!!!!!!!!!

Yup ME, thats who!

12:05 AM
Guess who just realized that she's 28?
Weird!!!

San Diego Wild Animal Park

This last trip to San Diego was unique in the fact that I was going back for something that only involved me. This meant that I was the only visitor. I had know idea what to think. Remember that I am the oldest of 6 children and the house was always chaotic and full when I was growing up. Anytime I go back it is for something big, like Christmas, graduations, weddings, etc. and EVERYONE is there. This time there weremy parents and my little sister, and we didn't see a whole lot of her. It was fun to have some one on one time with my parents and I could see how wonderful it was for my kids to have that one on one time with Grandpa and Grandma.

One of the special things we got to do was go to the Wild Animal Park with my mom. Here are the top 10 things I liked about the Wild Animal Park.

#1: Really cool parrots as you walk in.


#2: Having Evan ASK me to take pictures of him in different spots he thought were cool ... like this tree!

#3: Feeding the ducks with my boys.


#4: Seeing how much fun Evan had playing in the misters


#5: Petting the deer. Landon was trying to be brave. He would get as close as he could while having a death grip on Grandma's hand. We did eventually get him to feed a deer.

#6: Really tired babies, who sleep through anything. (why doesn't he sleep like this at home?)

#7: Baby Elephants who play together


#8: Evan's experience with the Lorakeets
At the Wild Animal Park you can buy some nectar before you go into the Lorakeet cage and it pretty much guarantees that the birds will land on you. I asked Evan if he wanted the birds to land on him and he said yes.

Well we went in and Evan is holding his nectar out for the birds (with a huge grin on his face) when all of a sudden .... a lorakeet flew right behind his head and landed by his shoulder, literally scaring him to death. He took his cup of nectar and threw it at the bird. He was terrified!

Once he calmed down he was really sad that he didn't have anymore nectar. Lucky for him the worker saw everything and gave him some more nectar for free. From then on he was in hog heaven :-)

And my ALL TIME FAVORITE THING THAT HAPPENED AT THE WILD ANIMAL PARK
#9: My Mom and the Lorakeets!!!

These are all of the pictures I was taking of Landon and the Lorakeets. It wasn't until after that I saw my mom's expressions!!!!!! She was NOT impressed with the birds, especially when they pooped on her. Evan thought it was so funny and kept telling everyone that the birds pooped on Grandma. These pictures just make my day!

#10: I got to take the best two animals home with me :-)