We are all rejuvinated after a great weekend. Mom and Dad came to go skiing and spent the night. Kyle didn't work on Saturday which was great! We are all looking forward to seeing him regularly again.

Brooks and Preston both have colds and Brooks is teething molars and has not been his usual happy self. We are staying home from the library this week because of it.

Nobody is taking naps, but I'm hoping to get back on schedule with that soon.  Michael wil take a nap if I lay down with him, but with the other boys not sleeping nobody is.

Michael is loving his soccer clinic and wishes it was more than once a week! He couldnt believe they gave him a shirt.

Michael has been writing letters to his friends in Pasco, and he loves getting one in return. 

I was talking to Michael about going to kindergarten in the fall, and I pulled up the website for his new elementary school.  I showed him the two teachers and asked him, if he could pick, which teacher he'd pick.  He was snuggled up right next to me on the couch, and he hugged me and said, "I pick neither, I want you."  Then he said, "if I had to pick one, I'd pick that one (he pointed to the younger teacher with curly hair) because she looks like you."  Melt my mother heart!

It's 11:30 pm and Kyle's still at work.  Poor guy puts in 15 hour days lately.  I knew he'd be working late tonight so I decided the boys needed to see their dad.  I made dinner and then hauled it into his office.  Every time I do that, we both realize it's so much work and a lot of hassle.  Next time, I'm going to feed the boys first, and then just take a plate in for Kyle.

It's been an interesting 7 months.  The boys are having some very naughty moments.  Not cute/funny naughty moments, but naughty moments where I'm in tears frequently and usually Michael and Preston are. I've tried everything.  Diet change, supplements, daily drives, preschool activities, no TV/movies for over a week, lots of TV and movies, story time at the library, visiting dad at work once a day (even if it means him coming to the car and saying hello for 2 minutes), one on one time, playing time, reading time, and still there are outbursts, temper tantrums, and major aggression.  I know what it comes down to....no dad.  Kyle has been really good about spending time with us on Saturday morning before going into the office, and on Sunday- except when he has church stuff, but it's just not cutting it!

Tonight on the way into the office to see Kyle, I talked to the boys the entire time (they were a captive audience because they knew mom was DONE with how they've been acting), and we all decided that each of us can do better.  I was crying, and they finally started feeling bad.  All three of the boys ended up in my front seat once we pulled into the parking lot.  They were hugging me and kissing me, and all was better in the world.  I really do love those boys with all of my heart.  I know they can be such good boys, and I see them be good every single day, but those moments when things go bad...it gets ugly.  On the way home, I decided to praise them, and tell them all of the things that I love about them.  Of course, they just soaked that up.  Michael wanted me to continue telling him all the things I love about them when we got in the house.  They came home, went right to bed, and I got busy cleaning up the disaster that was created while I fixed dinner.

Basically since June we haven't had Kyle around because he was commuting/travelling all summer, and then as soon as we moved, his busy season started, and he had to learn everything from scratch. Next year will be better because he won't be the new guy and getting to know all of his clients.  Kyle sells/manages crop insurance for farmers in the Wenatchee Valley, northern Washington and central Washington.  Busy season will slow down in a few weeks, and his last deadline is March. We can do this!!!!!!

 So funny that Preppy took off his wedding clothes and is representing Clara.  He made sure to wear that shirt underneath.

In December we had our first overnight visitors (besides Kyle's mom who helped us move in).  The Wallworks our dear friends from Pasco came to their son's basketball game, spent the night, and then we went up to Leavenworth for the tree lighting on the first weekend .  It was wonderful to have good friends in our home again.  Going to Leavenworth definitely helped kick the season off for us.

We also went to a local church's living nativity and it was amazing.  It was free of charge (no donations accepted,) and simply spectacular!  Come visit us next Christmas and we'll go to it.  The boys were mesmerized throughout the entire journey to Bethlehem.  I wish I could have taken pictures!!!

Our family was plagued with the stomach flu 3 times in a month and half.  Kyle had to deal with it twice while still having to go to work (he's in his busy season).  Speaking of work...it's been a doozy for all involved.  Kyle sells crop insurance to farmers, but he doesn't sell as much as he maintains the current book of business and helps the farmer's with their policies.  It's been pretty intense because of a combination of having 380 policies to fill out and meet with the customers, all while trying to learn the ropes of a new job.  There are 2 deadlines that he has during his busy season, and I can't wait till the next one is met. I'm going to try and not be a Debbie Downer, but let's just say, it's been an adjustment for me and the boys.  Living far away from our friends and play dates is tough.  Having sick kids (everyone is so healthy right now, yay!!!) is never easy, but especially when dad is so busy and works 14 hour days.

We took the boys over to Seattle for doctor's appointments.  We had met our deductible so I wanted to have all 3 boys allergies tested, and then we had to take Michael to his eye dr at Children's Hospital.  Steven's Pass was crazy snowy, but we made it over in one piece.  A week later 2 people died from being struck by a tree...scary.  Michael and Preston are allergy free (Michael used to be allergic to dairy and soy as a baby/toddler).  Brooks as we know has lots and lots of allergies.  They taught us how to use an epi pen and did skin testing as well as blood testing.  Having a child who is allergic to basically everything is a challenge, but luckily he's so darn cute that I can't complain.  He's chunking up so nicely too!  I've been working so hard to help him do that, so I'm pretty proud that he's gaining wait.  He's no fatty, but for an allergic baby he looks great.

We went home to Pasco for my brother Andrew's wedding and also for Christmas.  He married his girlfriend of 2 years, Mattie.  She is from Moses Lake, and our Grandma Lybbert set them up after his mission.  We were so glad they finally made it official!  It was way to quick because we drove down the day of the wedding, drove back up to Moses Lake the next day for a reception, and then drove home to Wenatchee on Christmas Day.  Talk about a whirlwind!  Kyle had to get back to work, so we had to make it a quick trip.  It felt good to go "home" and be in Pasco with our family for Christmas.  Christmas morning Preston noticed that my mom didn't have very many gifts to open, so he kept taking his presents over to her and telling her that she could have his gifts.  It was the sweetest thing!  Santa brought both of the boys what they asked for.  Michael got a wooden marble track and Preston got a rocket ship.  Brooks' loves cars, and Santa knows him well, so he brought him a push car.  As you can see from the picture, I gave Kyle a Wenatchee style hat.  He'll blend right in!  I got snow boots, which I'm so excited about.

I can't forget about Seth coming to the wedding and to hang out with our family.  Lybbert's love Seth, and he loves us.  Life wouldn't be the same without Seth, and I'm just sad we don't get to see him very often now that he lives in Boise.

For New Years we went to Vancouver and as usual had a great time with Kyle's family.  Kyle's family is so much fun to be around.  It was nice to get away and just relax for a few days.  The only downside was that Kyle's family is so much fun that they like to stay up too late! haha.  That's fine for them because their kids sleep in, but ours still wake up at 6:45 every morning.  We were running on very little sleep by the time we left,  but loved every minute of it.

3 more weeks until Kyle's busy season is over, and I'm so excited to have Kyle back with us.  He hasn't had normal  hours since June because all summer and fall he was commuting back and forth as we were still living in Pasco.  The boys and I both need the consistency of a dad home at night.

Before I forget....

Preston spiked a fever yesterday, and wasn't feeling well.  He said in the weakest voice,  "Mom, I want to go see Jesus. Jesus to the rescue."  (combination of praying for Clara, and Toy Story)

When we were going to Clara's funeral Kyle told the boys that they needed to be very quiet and reverent because there were going to be a lot of very sad people in the church.  When they walked inside the church door Preston declared in his loud voice, "Where are all the sad people at????  I want to give them a hug!"

Let's me also not forget the moment that just happened.  Michael and I got in one of our daily battles.  I tell you that kid is a handful sometimes for me.  I finally got him to lay down and I came out here to have my own quiet time.  I heard the door open just now and out he walks with the scriptures in hand and says, "let me show you something," and proceeds to throw them on the couch and walk back to my room for his nap.  That's his way of saying,  Mom, you need to read the scriptures so you can be a better Mom.  He's right!

Note to Self: Don't take your boys to the mountains to take a picture perfect Christmas card photo.  They will immediately start playing in the snow and have no interest in photo ops, and all 3 will start crying because they are so freezing cold.  I had even talked everyone into wearing a sweater, and packed Christmas bulbs and a blanket for props.  Should have stuck to a picture in front of the tree because all picture attempts were a major FAIL!  Kyle and I (and the 16 year old neighbor girl I recruited to take the picture) had a good laugh about it the whole way down the mountain while our three wet boys warmed their hands by the heater vents.

Michael taking care of his ladies.  He loves his hens.
Brooks loves pulling his brothers hair, and he's even gentle about it.


 Michael woke up from his nap with a fever (we have already ALL had the stomach, so pretty sure that's not it).  I asked him how he felt and he said, "like a rotten tiger."  Then I asked him what hurt and he said, "my brain and my stomach." Love his descriptive words.  I was thinking this morning that he was acting uncharacteristically calm.  Should have known!

Brooks was sick for a solid 3 weeks with every sickness under the sun.  He finally just finished his antibiotic today.  I hate putting my kids on that junk.  He had a terrible cold, which caused him to get ear infections (he has tubes in), conjuctivities in both eyes, sinus infection, a cough and on top of all of that we all had the flu and he was throwing up for two days.  So glad those days are behind us, and hoping to avoid that situation.

I'm going to update soon with our move and all that was attached to that.  Time to start documenting life for these 3 boys of mine.