Its A Start!

I took the photography class today and it was great!  I actually can take a decent picture without using auto mode on my camera!  I have LOTS of practicing to do... but for now here are a couple of Tyra I took when I got home from the class... I think she will be my hardest one to take pictures of at the moment, she will not stand or sit still for a second!  Tyra will be 10 months tomorrow.  You will notice her runny nose on the pictures... we are on hopefully our LAST antibiotics for her, she just started them for another ear infection... one week from tomorrow she will be getting tubes in her ears and hopefully they will be infection free forever!

UPDATE

Wow, January... not much going on... no, just no time for pictures!  Both older boys Griffin and Gannon started YMCA basketball. They are not on the same team so we are at the YMCA for sure 3 nights a week and every Saturday!  On top of that, Grant is still coaching basketball so most of the time I am flying solo with all four kids! Still haven't brought the camera or video camera to any of the games.  PICTURES TO COME SOON I PROMISE!  This past weekend all of us except Griffin got the throw up flu!   Not fun!  It hit me, Gannon and Gunnar all at the same time... all afternoon into the evening... of course that night Grant had an away game and wasn't home till 10!  Saturday everyone seemed to be fine, and Sunday night Grant and Tyra started it! :(  Not fun taking care of a throwing up baby all through the night. My laundry will be done someday! As I was beginning to feel a bit sorry for myself...  lately I have been keeping up on the Jenson Anderson updates, and the Cash Parriera updates... both little boys fighting for their lives and I am totally slapping myself in the face for feeling sorry for myself.  I don't know how both sets of these parents are dealing with their little boys being so sick... I know they don't have the choice and as a parent you just have to deal with it, but every time I see these people they have smiles on their faces and are still totally trusting in the Lord.  They probably don't know how much they have and are inspiring so many other people, but they are doing just that.  Completely setting a Christ like example for everyone around them.  I am praying like crazy for both of these families and I can't seem to get them out of my mind which is good because then I pray even more.  Who knows how many people out there look at my blog, but if you do... please pray for these little boys and their families.  I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE what they are all going through.  Well thats about all for now,  my next post will definitely include pictures... I am taking a 4 hour photography class on Sunday to hopefully learn how to run my camera not only in the Auto mode :)  No I don't want to become a professional photographer, I just want to be able to get great pictures of my kids and family!  I am really thankful for my health, my kids health and all of my families health.  I am going to try not to take it for granted.

NEW YEAR'S EVE & TYRA 9 MONTHS

New Years Eve was very low key this year which was GREAT after all the Christmas stuff we had on top of Grant coaching.  We picked up pizza and some movies and relaxed!  Gunnar still likes to hold his baby sister's hand a lot and she must be used to it because she doesn't seem to mind.  (when she was in her infant seat, basically since she was born whenever we were in the car he would be holding her hand, (he sits next to her carseat)  Now even though she is in a big car seat I find them holding hands a lot!  It's pretty cute)  They were both on my lap watching the movie we rented for the kids "the tooth fairy" and they were holding hands for a long time)

TYRA 9 MONTHS OLD

This girl is still as sweet as can be.  I couldn't have asked for a better baby.  Through karate and basketball games she is pretty much happy just to sit on my lap.  NONE of my boys were EVER like that!  She crawls everywhere, stands up by everything, walks around things while holding on, pushes her little stroller and scooter and just recently will stand holding on to nothing.  She hasn't tried to take any steps on her own yet, but each day she is getting braver.  I just noticed today her FIRST tooth popped through, her bottom right one.  She has continued with her ear infections and we just saw the Ear Nose Throat specialist last week... she will be getting tubes put in her ears in the next 2-4 weeks (the scheduler needs to call me to coordinate a time).  Tyra babbles a lot, mama,dada,nana.  She has learned to clap and wave bye bye now.  I can't believe in less than 3 months she will be 1!  I have already been thinking about her birthday party... I guess I am a little anxious to plan a cute girly pink one for once!  Other than that around here life is busy busy... school back in session, doctor appointments, trying to get organized for the new year, Grant still coaching, us trying to make it to games, Griffin and Gannon started YMCA basketball, keeping up with Gunnar and potty training... He has been trained for about a month now... the problem is he really only likes ME to help him go to the bathroom... he is almost embarassed to ask other people to help him.  So when I leave him at other people's houses he still sometimes has accidents! FRUSTRATING!  but we will survive!  Hope everyone has an awesome NEW YEAR!



The Mouw Family

My oldest sister Darlene and her family were out here for Christmas so my mom had to wait till right before Christmas to take a WHOLE family picture! (she will be sending out a New Year's Card this year)  Family on far left is Chad and Darlene Camping with their 4 kids.  Then Monty and Shawna Bosman with their 3 kids, then my mom and dad, then Grant and I and our 4, then furthest right is Mike and Stacy Nyhoff and their 3 kids.  All 24 of us!  Love every one of them!  Really hate it that my sister moved to California, but when they got here it was like we all just picked up where we left off.  After this picture all of us sisters with our husbands went out to Scotty Browns along with some of Chad and Darlene's other friends who wanted to see them while they were up visiting.  My mom and dad handled ALL OF THESE kids overnight!  A HUGE thanks to them... on top of that one night we all hung out at their house every day the whole week of Christmas just to visit with Chad and Dar.  SO thanks mom and sorry for all the things our kids broke, stained, or spilled!  I am sure my mom is still cleaning up messes!

My Mom and Dad with us girls

Grandpa Rick with the grandsons... starting from the left, Trey, Crew, Easton, Brody, Gunnar, Griffin, and Gannon

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My Mom and Dad with the 14 Grandkids!!!  Two Christmas's ago we thought they had the perfect dozen of grandkids... Us kids even bought them a picture clock for Christmas that year, each grandkid got a number on the clock... little did we know there was an extra present under the tree for grandpa Rick and grandma deba... it was a baby doll with a note taped to it reading "grandbaby # 13 due in july"  everyone looked at me, then to stacy, then to shawna and finally to Darlene! yep, Surprise Surprise!  (precious baby Aubryn was born in July)  Then I couldn't let Darlene be the only one with 4 kids, so we added number 14!  This year there was no announcements, no extra presents under the tree.   Maybe this picture will NEVER get outdated!  Well my oldest neice Chantel is 18... so maybe in a few years there will be a Great-Grandbaby? :)

My mom with all the granddaughters... from left to right, Faith, Reese, Tyra, Aubryn, Chantel, Mikiya and Brooklyn.
I love my family and am so THANKFUL for each and every one of them!