Momma Hoot

First Step to Healing

2022-04-13T23:22:00.000-06:00

The last couple days in the hospital G was drinking Modulen which was one of 2 choices for enteral nutrition. Doctors explained that this formula is everything the body needs, but broken down to the cellular level so there is no digestion required. The drink itself comes in a can similar to baby formula, and you mix it with water.

We left the hospital with strict instructions that he could only have Modulen, with the occasional chunk of Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese...yep the good stuff. So we dutifully went home and suffered through Modulen well shaken, served as popsicles, and occasionally flavored with cacao powder. This guy was such a trooper!

Drinking Modulen for a full month led to a 10 lb weight gain. The first picture is in the hospital when he swallowed a pill cam. He actually swallowed it, just like The Magic School Bus episode. And the second picture is worlds different! He was energetic, and so much healthier!

At that follow-up appointment the doctors were thrilled with his progress, and told us to stay the course for another 2 months. Amazingly he did it, and after 3 months of Modulen he reached clinical remission but not full remission.

We were thrilled with this progress, and thankful that he reached any remission so quickly! The Modulen definitely gave his system a break from the struggle of digesting food and allowed him to heal.

Getting a Diagnosis

2022-03-26T02:23:00.002-06:00

Our time in the Burlo Garofolo hospital in Trieste, Italy was filled with ups and downs. The staff was kind, understanding, and very knowledgeable. The language barrier was difficult to navigate, but the help and comfort were indescribable. These doctors knew what they were talking about, and they brought in staff members to help translate for us. They truly did everything in their power to get us answers, and I am incredibly grateful. That accidental check-in turned into a full week stay.

All that being said, it was still difficult to ask questions...some things just don't translate well. It was unnerving to not know what the nurses needed throughout the day. Several of the nurses didn't speak any English so it was a guessing game if they wanted to him to take meds or take his weight throughout the day. Though I have to say they went above and beyond to comfort us.

Only one parent could stay outside of visiting hours, which meant that our week there was full of shuffling. Derek and Riley slept several nights in an Airbnb, and he drove Riley an hour and a half home to stay with friends so we could focus on Grayson for his procedure days.

I was filled with doubt and fear, and much of the time it felt like a surreal experience. We played games, did puzzles and drawing, and even enjoyed some loving care packages sent by friends. Later in our stay, Grayson was even up to walking down the hall to the activity room that had a couple puzzles, foosball and clowns...yes real dressed-up clowns.

Before going to Trieste, Grayson had lost 20% of his body weight over a 2 month period and weighed about 40 pounds one month before his 8th birthday. Getting him an IV in was nearly impossible because he was so thin, it took multiple tries and they each fell out after a couple of days so he had 3 during the week we stayed. Over the year we had been seeking help he had slowly stopped enjoying fun things he had always done like playing on the trampoline, basketball, or swimming. He was not the same fun, loving kid he had always been.

There were so many things out of our control, and it was honestly easy to dwell on those. Everything in me wanted to panic as we found out the diagnosis of Crohn's Disease, but we saw so much provision. The doctors were so kind and invested. My cousin had previously worked at a peds GI and helped to explain some of the things that didn't quite translate.

Shifting Gears

2021-08-04T00:36:00.000-06:00

The direction of my blog is shifting a bit. I've decided I want to write and give testament to all that we've gone through with Crohn's disease. My world spun out of control for a while there, and we have finally gotten a grip on things. But just when it seems predictable, buckle up because there's a curveball coming. I may still blog a bit about our past several years, our Crohn's journey, parenting, hiking, home updates (as they come), and maybe even share some of our favorite travels.

I just wanted to hop on and explain that I want to put the road we have traveled down on "paper." I hope that someone out there who needs to hear this may find it and be able to identify with their own children's struggles.

Our kids face all kinds of challenges. Asthma, crohn's disease, autism, blindness, needing a G-tube, and worst of all the curse of quirkiness. It's hard to be different or not fit in. But, as we are constantly learning, not fitting the mold makes life beautiful.

So, welcome...again to this random hodge podge of a blog.

What I Didn't Say

2020-01-25T13:45:00.002-07:00

I've held my tongue a long time. I've been processing...a lot.

The past year and a half have been a whirl wind, and I'm just now starting to see how it's affecting us all. In the summer of 2018 Grayson had been very ill for several months and we had just been given the run around and prescribed a lot of Miralax. He had become disinterested in soccer, was no longer bouncing on the trampoline, and mostly sat around reading. He had lost about 20% of his body weight, and at 7 years old weighed just over 40 lbs. and hadn't grown in a full year. I got wind that the kids had been assigned a new doctor, so I immediately called and made an appointment.
I walked in ready to plead my case, and ready to argue that we could not be sent away with yet another useless prescription for my son who was having 10 or more bowel movements a day. I walked in also on the verge of tears from watching my energetic, fun, wild boy slowly have all the love and joy drained out of him. We had tried absolutely everything that I could think of already and had been scolded by our previous doctor for taking out gluten. When he first started to lose weight (after several months of a slow decline), I thought it may be celiacs and decided we would try to figure it out on our own. But when I told the doctor she blamed me for his weight loss. I walked in with just a small hope that this would be different, that this doctor would help. During that first meeting, I sat across from a man whose 6 kids and sweet wife I knew. We had actually just recently been on a trip to a nearby castle with his family (wow, small world). He sat, and listened to the whole story, start to finish. He let me say my piece, and I finally felt peace. He looked me in the eye, and said that we would do more.
He did not roll his eyes, he did not send us away with a quick fix, or ignore my intuition. As I walked out, a slow silent tear rolled down my cheek as we walked to radiology. Grayson had a quick x-ray, that was our first step, and it was the first in a long train of events that finally led us to a nearby pediatric hospital.

That first x-ray revealed a little pea-sized something or other. Which led to an ultrasound where we found out that it was a gallstone. And finally were sent to the specialist in Trieste. We were meant to see the surgeon about gallbladder surgery, but she was out of town. So instead we met with the head of the GI department. The whole appointment was to find resolution for the gallstone, thinking that maybe that was a large contributor. The doctors had mentioned IBD, but to be honest I think I was a little in denial and hoped the gallstone would resolve a lot of the issues. We were dealing with the gallstone first anyway, or so I thought.
We all went to the appointment, and sat in a small office while the doctor asked a ton of questions about poo frequency, poo colors, activity and behavior change, to potty accidents (we were well past this stage). Several of the questions seemed unrelated but with each answer the doctors stance changed and she looked more focused and determined. She asked if we would be able to go home to get clothes and check in the following day. The days leading up to the appointment had been hard as Grayson's condition continued to worsen, and I had thought that just maybe they would offer to run another test the following day. In which case I wanted to be prepared to stay overnight if needed so we could do it first thing in the morning. Looking back, that was clearly a heavenly whisper. We had packed an overnight bag, and when we told the doctor a look of relief swept over her. She walked us upstairs and we were immediately admitted.

School...Saving Kids From a Life of Thievery

2019-09-30T09:57:00.001-06:00

Some days are glorious, and the boys just soak it all in. Science, history, reading...all of it!

Then some days are like today. We started off the morning with a sassy argument about how a certain someone has "quit school" before and is quitting again today. Grayson is referring of course to our decision to withdraw him from public school and begin our homeschooling adventure.
This interesting conversation led to his decision that he will just grow up to become a thief so he doesn't have to learn any skills and therefore has no need for school. I, of course, informed him that learning is a privilege, and all about countries that lack education and some of the pitfalls that can lead to (this was a very educational conversation, good stuff). He decided he isn't interested...so there.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to tell you that I am not to be outdone. So I launched into a thorough explanation of how this lifestyle choice would likely land him in juvenile detention, and ultimately jail. In the meantime, however, juvenile detention still has an education program so if he truly put his mind to thievery he would still wind up in school...but surrounded with a very different peer group.

Then our day proceeded as usual. Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart!

Homeschooling and Loving It...Mostly

2019-09-09T04:05:00.001-06:00

Well...we're at it again. Starting our fourth year of homeschooling! I am unbelievably blessed to be Mom to these two boys and to get to inspire and teach them. Some days, we may be a little light on the inspiring, as we survive this crazy parenting season. Raising boys is no joke!

Wearing many hats has its moments of beauty and those of frustration. I love that as a family we get to explore science and history together and delve deeper into things the boys are interested in. I am thankful that they are (mostly) motivated learners, and have such a spark of curiosity. Now...ask them to write a paragraph or *gasp* thank you note, and all bets are off. They want to explore and are great with hands-on, but the more traditional stuff is still a struggle. I think in large part because they have to slow down for it. But not to worry, we still do those things too, it's just hard for these boys to want to sit still and focus. Some moments we have to just push through, and it's not all fun and games, but the extra bike riding or park time is worth it.

Homeschooling is such a journey, I learn things every day. I learn what is motivating to my kids, I learn what makes their brains tick, I learn how to better approach a subject, I learn what makes them laugh, I learn some of the things that never stuck for me in school over again too. And the best part is that we have the freedom to enjoy all those things. I used to look forward to the days that my kids would both be in school, and I would have the freedom to clean the house in quiet, catch up on laundry, sit in a cute Italian cafe alone and enjoy a cappuccino. But now...I can't imagine missing out on the lightbulb moments, getting to experience their joy as they learn something new, or test out a theory of theirs. I am incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to stick with these kiddos, and wouldn't trade a minute of it.

Venice Never Gets Old

2019-09-07T13:12:00.002-06:00

Venice is such a one of a kind place, and we are lucky to live close enough for a day trip. Last week we decided to hit up a few places and call it "school." We started off with a train ride, then trekked to the DaVinci Museum. This place is amazing! The kids tolerated the downstairs as we walked past lots of interesting and useful information about DaVinci's inventions (I'm a little bitter that I didn't get to enjoy this area very much, haha). Upstairs houses replicas of many of his inventions, and the whole area is hands-on. So the kids got to launch a catapult, wind cannons, see the many different steps toward inventing ball bearings, and use several failed attempts at flying machines. How cool for the kids to see that a genius inventor failed many times over, but was still incredibly successful!

Next stop, Libreria Acqua Alta. This cramped bookstore is world famous, I actually read about it in an article from Literary Hub. It is famous for all its nooks and crannies being filled with books, and their clever solutions to regularly being flooded. A gondola, filled to the brim with books, is in the center of the store, and would float in case of a flood. Underneath another shelf sits a clawfoot bathtub, and the books that have been damaged over the years make a cute backdrop in an alley way, and they cleverly made a starcase of books out back to climb up and see into the canal. While the bookstore is tiny, it was a nice stop. How could we not stop in at a world famous bookstore in our backyard.

On our way back to the train station, we decided to walk through the Jewish quarter. This side of Venice is much less busy, has some amazing food, and is also home to the last bridge without a railing. I went on a kayaking tour of Venice last year, and the tour guide was so knowledgeable. We passed under this bridge during the tour, and upon hearing that it is the last of it's kind I figured it was worth a stop. Several hundred years ago none of these bridges had railings, and the story goes that before they had an official judiciary system, if a dispute could not be clearly resolved then the men would get on top of a large bridge and wrestle until one fell in. I got a good chuckle out of the guys we were with re-enacting that one.

We have been to Venice several times, with everyone who has come to visit, and several adventures on our own. For me, it never gets old. There's always a beautiful rooftop garden I haven't seen, or a delicious treat in one of the many cafe's. My favorite thing is just to wander the back streets and alley ways.

America Was Great and All...But

2017-10-04T08:23:00.000-06:00

I will totally post all about our adventures in America...domani.

First, I just have to dote on my friends that are family here in bella Italia! Our trip home and the months leading up to it were crazy stressful, quite a roller-coaster. We came home last Wednesday, and something amazing happened...we were missed.

That sounds ridiculous but seriously our previous base was so disconnected, and the people all detached. When we first moved to Hill I guess I was still in a "Texan mentality" where I thought everyone greeted their neighbors, and said "hello," just to be friendly. My rude awakening came when hubs and I had to go to the old neighbors to introduce ourselves, which felt all too awkward. Then when we did go to meet any new neighbors who moved in and took cookies or what have you, we got an odd look from them. Sometimes a smile too, but always an odd look, almost to say, "who does that?"

All that to say that Italy is different. We came home and a great friend (who kept Lola, and drove us to and fro) had filled our fridge with groceries so I wouldn't have to go shopping that day. Ummm...amazing! I have never thought to do that for a friend (mental note-it's so helpful)!

Now today, another friend brought over dinner and another meal to cook up later, with a fruit and veggie tray and brownies to top it off.

So while I miss my family and friends in good 'ol USA, I also just broke down and cried. We finally have a good, solid community! Military families always come and go, and it's difficult to say so many goodbyes, but I am so blessed to be surrounded by amazing men and women who selflessly serve in so many different ways.

Spooky-sters

2016-05-20T09:30:00.000-06:00

Halloween 2015 was a hoot!

We attended the fall fest, and all had fun dressing up. Clearly Dad had the most fun, haha.

Most of the booths handed out candy or had games, one even had goopy slimy spooky things to squish. This was one of our favorite stops.

Carving pumpkins was much more appealing to Grayson this year. Riley was not really interested in the slime. Dad and G meticulously drew the face on our pumpkin, and he loved helping empty it.

Random highlight: Riley fell in love with the word spooky and said it for the whole month with much enthusiasm!

Missing Man Table-AF Ball

2016-05-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

Much of the ball is very formal, and much of it ceremonious. An inconspicuous table set for one on the edge of the stage held more meaning for me than the rest of the night. It was the Mising Man table, and the explanation was beautiful. Simply put, it took my breath away.

The white tablecloth draped over the table represents the purity of their response to our country’s call to arms.

The empty chair depicts an unknown face, representing no specific Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine, but all who are not here with us.

The table itself is round to show that our concern for them is never ending.

The Bible represents faith in a higher power and the pledge to our country, founded as one nation under God.

The black napkin stands for the emptiness these warriors have left in the hearts of their families and friends. A Purple Heart medal can be pinned to the napkin.

The single red rose reminds us of their families and loved ones. The red ribbon represents the love of our country, which inspired them to answer the nation’s call.

The yellow candle and its yellow ribbon symbolize the everlasting hope for a joyous reunion with those yet accounted for.

The slices of lemon on the bread plate remind us of their bitter fate.

The salt upon the bread plate represent the tears of their families.

The wine glass, turned upside down, reminds us that our distinguished comrades cannot be with us to drink a toast or join in the festivities of the evening.

Life's a Dance you Learn as You Go

2016-05-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

This sweet/goofy couple attended the Air Force ball in September. We had never attended a ball, the AF ball seems a little stuffy and not so much my game. But when the hubs brought it up I thought, "if I'm ever going to go to a ball, it's going to be in Italy while it's held at a castle."

We were clumsily trying to take our own picture outside and who should walk up but the base commander, who generously offered to take our picture. It didn't quite seem appropriate to ask him to be in the picture instead (haha) but I was surprised by his kindness and down-to-earth-ness. Above is the picture we took, and below the one he captured.

We had fun exploring the museum area of the castle as well.

Mean Muggin

All in all, it was a very fun night, one that I would love to do again.

To the Mothers

2016-05-13T08:59:00.000-06:00

Mothers

Many talents.

Mostly busy getting things for everyone else.

Much learning along the way.

More thankful for the ones they love.

I am so very thankful for my own momma, who we just recently enjoyed a visit with! I have been blessed to learn from this wonderful and strong woman. Please excuse the wind blown beach hair, it will just have to do. Our many adventures make wonderful memories; from quiet dinners, to chasing children around the world, to coloring and just talking.

These two sweet boys made me a momma, and I am so very blessed by their kind yet crazy spirits. I've gotta give credit where credit is due...they always keep me on my toes. While this age is filled with lots of repeating, and reminding I have to stop and enjoy the little things. Quiet snuggles on movie nights, playing card games, reading books as they sit on my lap, riding bikes outside and carefully watering our garden are all memories I wouldn't trade for anything.

While motherhood is busy, and constantly stretching your limits (at least with these boys), it is also humbling. I find that it drives me to try to be the best I can. Thankfully I don't do it alone, I am often reminded of Christ's patience with me, through my many follies (many of which are in parenting and patience). These boys are growing and learning, and I only hope to be an example of Christ to them, to raise and teach them in the way they should go.

Little Man's First Day of Kinder

2016-04-04T14:43:00.000-06:00

Sadly...I am this far behind. haha

This sweet little man started out his kindergarten year back in early September. He has enjoyed this year, and has learned soooo much! It has been a great year, and I am so thankful for the time I've gotten to watch him grow.

This handsome guy was so excited to get all dressed up for his first day, and loved walking to his bus stop. Although he can be very timid, when he comes out of his shell he's loud and goofy...as you can see from these corny faces.

Since all the kids (K-12) ride one bus, the bus monitor is always on board to keep the kids in check. Lil'G's bus monitor is very friendly, and he enjoys his rides with a few friends he has made.

After putting Grayson on the bus, daddy and I raced to the school where we saw him get off the bus and walk to the kinder building. It was the perfect time to see where he would be spending the bulk of his days. The parents were welcomed into the class and helped the kids get settled.
Shortly after we were kindly dismissed to the elementary cafeteria where they held the annual "Boo Hoo Breakfast" where admitedly most of the first time parents cry a little.

It was such a wonderful day, and a good way to start the year. We will close out the year in a few short weeks and G is now reading on level D, and loves learning and showing off by counting, adding, subtracting and the like. In short every day is precious, and we're loving it!

Oh the Little Things

2016-03-03T14:30:00.000-07:00

These kids...they're crazy!
The other night in the car on our drive home Riley had on his "woe-is-me" voice and was acting heartbroken. I thought for sure he was going to tell me about something awful, or sad. Instead he states, "I want to be a dinosaur (insert dramatic sigh), so I can scare people."

I seriously don't know where they get some of this stuff! But I totally love it!

Pictures with Santa

2016-02-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

These adorable pictures of my kiddos are just too cute! The BX did a pretty nice set up with Santa this year. The kids were both excited, a little shy, but the pictures came out super cute!

Not only is the tree all decked out, but the kids are mostly looking at the camera and smiling. That's basically unheard of 'round these parts, so when it happens...we take advantage.

This year we decided on an upgrade from our plastic tree. Thanks Aunt Patty...it has served us well. We headed to a plant shop in the middle of a nearby town, where the tree lot was outside in the small parking lot, took up about 3-4 parking spots. The kids helped pick out the tree, pinched them all, to see which needles were soft and which were too "spikey." The picked out the cutest Charlie Brown tree, big and full at the bottom, and sparse at the top.

The tree was a little taller than daddy, and turned out quite stunning. Those pictures to come.

I'm a Whaaa?

2016-02-24T13:49:00.001-07:00

...Kinder Parent. That's right, my older son has officially entered the school age. I can't believe this little guy is a big kid and in Kinder.
(I'm officially ashamed that I haven't posted this since September!!! never pushed publish)

He makes me so proud, and I am so thankful that I get to pour into this little guy. I pray that I'm the best Momma for him that I can possibly be. I couldn't say enough wonderful things about this young man.

Tuesday was his first day, and he rode the bus to school. After seeing him off, I quickly wiped away the tears and hopped into my car to beat the bus to the school. It's tradition that most parents go in to the school and help the kids get settled on their first day, and I surely couldn't miss out on that! The hubs came too, and we had such a nice morning.

Having two kiddos sometimes it's hard to find the time to focus on just one, so we decided it would be better if the littler man went ahead to the CDC, so we could have some special time with just Grayson.

So Many Updates, So Little Time

2015-09-07T12:55:00.001-06:00

Grammy's visit was a blast! She came back in late March, but we just had too much fun to skip over pictures.

She hopped off the plane, and a day later we were Austria bound. Despite the jet lag and two crazy kids, we took off just in time for the boys to nap in the car after lunch. Perfect timing me thinks.

We stayed in a castle that was a short drive from Salzburg. The boys especially enjoyed playing on the playground there, and in the evenings we would sneak away to the included spa. A little treat for everyone.

Our day trip to Salzburg was a fun little adventure. One where you simply stop at random places to take pictures. The boys were such troopers with all the walking, and weaving down narrow streets and through passageways between buildings.

We stopped for a delicious lunch in a random square. Yes...I'm fully aware that my mom will likely kill me for posting this picture, but that's when living half a world away comes in handy. Outside the courtyard there were some fancy cows that we stopped to pose with as well.

Being the choir nerd I am, I loved stopping in this cathedral. I remember my high school choir teacher talking about the rare acoustics, and the stories in music theory about Mozart being the first to utilize all the various balconies for his choir pieces.

History in action.

They have such beautiful architecture! I believe this is just a drain...and somehow they doll it all up so it's even worth taking a picture, but I wouldn't want to fall in. It's a giant gaping hole!

I made my mom pose for lots of random pictures simply because it's too nice not to pass up...and how often do you get to visit your daughter in Italy, right?

While in Salzburg we went to a castle at the top of a pretty tall hill. I'd like to say we trekked all the way up there, but we really cheated and took a neat little trolly that went almost straight up to the top.

Pictured above is the castle as we entered. It was so majestic, and the stones look as though they've weathered so many years. Once inside there were museums, various cannons, and a whole hopping little town. I was amazed by how many individual homes you could see. It really looked more like an entire town that I had imagined.
The boys enjoyed playing around in the square while we took turns shopping, and checking out the various sights.

On our walk back Grayson (who is not a big fan of having his picture taken) decided to start taking pictures of me back. I think he will make a fine camera man one day.

The elevators are quite small!

Don't let the mirror in the back fool you.

It's quite a tight fit for the five of us!

And this little gem, is an exit sign from the parking garage we used. I hate to admit that we giggled a little too much at this. But hey, you gotta appreciate the little things in life.

Our First Visitors...From March

2015-08-01T15:04:00.002-06:00

Yes folks, I know...I'm really late. But without further adieu, here is a little taste of their fun visit!

I didn't realize just how much the kids and I were missing our family until our first visitors came. Granny and Morrie came to visit for a week and a half back in March/April. We had so much fun, and enjoyed every day of their trip! So many sweet moments, and so many memories. Only pictures can possibly do justice.

We took a trip to a nearby aquarium and the kids loved seeing all the fish, and for being in Italy it was quite a nice aquarium.

Italy is all about family, and not much into entertainment so sometimes finding things for kids is challenging. Unless of course a park will do...and it always does. The park in our town is quite nice too! Even Lola got a little field trip.

I know that's a lot of very similar pictures, but I couldn't resist showing the kids progress from sweet and compliant to wiggly and silly.

Bedtime stories are a must, and Granny and Grandpa Morrie do not disappoint!

Took a day trip to Verona. Lots of walking, but we survived.

The awkward statue of Juliet that if you touch her right breast you're supposed to have good luck...ummm, no thanks. haha

Found a delish shop very close and enjoyed treats. Then outside in a large square just down the street there are lots of random vendors set up and in the middle of the square a grand piano. Not sure how exactly he got it there, but it was a nice break to stop and listen.

You've always got to take some time for selfies. Yep...even us. The followin 2 pictures are with nothing less than kazoo's. Granny and Grandpa brought them for us AND the kiddos, who knew they would be such a hit. We played them for quite awhile after they traveled home too. I think we may have finally just lost/slobbered too much on the last one. I didn't know it was possible to out-slobber a kazoo, but my kids...let me tell you.

And a sweet picture too.

GELATO - simply a must!

Thanks again for coming to visit! The kids had an absolute blast, and love the book of your photos you sent! Come again folks!
Sure do miss you!

Christmas in Italy

2015-01-08T02:08:00.000-07:00

This Christmas was one of the most defining for us as a family. Being far away from family, pushed us to make our own traditions. It was hard being away from everyone, but at the same time nice to not have an agenda, and just enjoy time the four of us. Derek and I both worked the week of Christmas, through Christmas Eve. This was a little difficult, baking cookies for Santa were kind of last minute. I wished I had been able to do more "Christmas-y" things before that point, but we made up for it.

One of my favorite traditions we incorporated was having books wrapped for each day in December, all relating to Christmas. Then the boys opened them each day, and loved reading the silly ones about Santa, and the deeper one that got us talking about the meaning of Christmas.

Our little hood-lums in their winter hats all ready to help decorate the tree. They weren't interested in putting on lights or the garlands. They were however, very helpful in putting the ornaments. So all the breakable ones are high on the tree, and the others were in clumps along the bottom couple feet of the tree. I love the homey feel.

We had a blast baking up gingerbread cookies, and the boys each decorated their own. I put on the icing, which with Riley was simple. He was thirlled that his cookie had hair, but Grayson on the other hand was very specific about needing fingers and shoes. I tried to accommodate, although I am no cookie decorator.

Placing Christmas sprinkles on all the icing was their favorite part.

As you can see Riley decorated his, then removed them to eat the majority.

We decided to show off their first bites, hehe. Grayson was a bit morbid and took his bite out of poor Gingy's head before he preceded to systematically eat one bite of each appendage. This will be a tradition we keep for sure! We all had a blast!

Christmas Eve, the boys opened a package from Derek and I with new jammies and a Christmas movie. Watching the movie together while snuggling on the couch in PJ's was the perfect way to end the night after our church's Christmas Eve service, and a friend's birthday dinner.

When we all woke up on Christmas Morning (I was very thankful that they boys waited until after 6am) we headed to the living room. All of the presents under the tree were a shock, and the boys couldn't wait to get their hands on them. We convinced them to slow down long enough to pass them all out and make piles.

These two sweet munchkins wore these cute Christmas hats while they found presents. Grayson was very proud to recognize the letters in each of our names and putting them in the correct piles. He even helped Riley by pointing out the names and telling him who to take them to. It was very sweet, and we had little to no fighting, phew.

The boys spent nearly 2 hours opening gifts, and tearing out toys. Despite all the fun, and all the new presents, after a couple hours of playing a sheet of bubbles won out. We looked over to see Riley content just popping the bubbles one by one. Of course that was our next excursion...you can't only pop a few. Life really never gets old around here, and we love it!

Hoping that you and your families had a blessed Christmas. Praying that you all felt love, and enjoyed laughter. Now on to our next adventure...

To Austria with our Military Family

2015-01-04T13:11:00.000-07:00

We traveled a mere 4 hour to a castle in Austria for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Our church, I know I've mentioned before, but I just can't help but gush about how welcoming they are. Several families stayed here, and enjoyed a few nights filled with shopping, a talent show and silly game nights. The grounds were stunning, and simply soaking in the scenery was a treat. The lake just down the hill glimmered, and reflected back the nearby snow capped mountains and the gold and rust trees that dotted the far side.

The boys enjoyed playing outside too.

Couldn't resist capturing a little of the magic on these little guys faces.

The Thanksgiving meal prepared by their kitchen staff was delicious, and the best part was I had no part in the cooking or cleaning up! It was nearly gourmet, included a variety of meats, delectable roasted winter vegetables, complete with cute little bird rolls. Every area of the castle was decorated festively, and was warm and inviting.

We ventured to a nearby town for the Christmas market. The streets were lined with little booths that sold all kinds of things, most of them ornaments, or little trinkets. Everything was decorated, and ornate. So very cute, and really put us all in the Christmas spirit.

These beautiful full size (co1mpare to the pine trees intermingled) wooden nativity characters took the cake though! They were so beautifully crafted, I wanted to take the set home, but A) it probably cost more than our home, and B) they were huge and I would have needed a whole bus, not just our little Matrix.

We had to find a random lion of course. Austrian and Italian colors, that the boys just couldn't resist a chance to win over some Italians. A couple gentlemen got behind Derek and I and were making faces to get the boys to smile. I just love the culture, they adhere to the "it takes a village" way of thinking.

We walked into the town one night, and would have had some awesome family pictures to show for it...but one kiddo had to be grumpy (like beyond belief) and wouldn't even stand in a picture at all (again a gentleman stopped to take our photo).

But we got a sweet picture of our other little mischievous monkey.

Hope you enjoy our little adventures as much as we are. We had a beautiful Thanksgiving and try continuously to enjoy all the little moments, without letting them pass us by.

Christmas will be posted by Wednesday!

Hay Ride and Smores

2014-11-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

We have settled in to a church we really love! And despite being thousands of miles from family, our military family and church family really do an amazing job of banding together! Our church had a roast, and everyone made hot dogs for dinner alongside chips and drinks. After the sun set we whipped out the s'mores! The kids have been tortured, and never enjoyed these tasty treats. I'd honestly forgotten just how delicious they are! So needless to say, the evening was much enjoyed!

The kids had a blast getting messy, and running around with the other kiddos.

Our gracious hosts pulled out the tractor, and the kids along with a few brave adults loaded up and drove around the small town. All three of my boys loved it! The bonfire that followed was pretty spectacular too! So this was a much needed opportunity for fellowship and fun!
Who knew running around in the dark was so much fun! We had to finally drag them to the car when we could hardly find them in the field.

(Daddy's wrist is just sprained...thank you mountain biking)

Just Because

2014-11-03T22:53:00.000-07:00

I have lots of pictures to upload, but I also have older pictures to get caught up on. So while my new ones load, I'll post some super sweet ones of the boys. We went for a walk, and took these beauties. Gosh, we really need to get family pictures done!

I can't believe how lush and green everything is here, and can't get over how grown my little men are getting!

The cheesy faces just don't get any better!

More to come, promise.

Puddles and History

2014-10-15T13:42:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the radio silence...we have been down and out for a couple weeks now. I literally posted my gung-ho post about how I was going to catch up and post all our updates, then Doodle got sick, followed by me, then Daddy and Little Man. So, it's been an interesting and lazy couple weeks.

As if that weren't enough, I also got a suspicious facebook request from a seemingly friendly middle eastern man. I don't care how friendly you are...if I don't know you, I sure don't want to be "friends" so you have access to my profile info...that sure put my alarms on. So I've spent some time making our information a little less visible, and ensuring that these posts are only going to the right people.

All that being said, several weeks ago we randomly packed up and headed to a nearby town. We stumbled upon a fair going on in the town square and enjoyed some beautiful scenery and delicious eats. We ordered Italian patate fritte (fries), salsiccia (sausage), and fricco (delish potato cheese patty) and melanzane (eggplant parmesan). It was basically a glorified food stand, and a big one at that. Italy doesn't really do fast food but this was about as close as it gets. So good, the kids ate very well!

The town center had tables, and wine vendors, but our boys were attracted to the large fountain. The small puddles made for great stomping and splashing!

And you just never can tell when you're gonna get smiles with these two, haha.

Everything is really beautiful here. Like every turn contains hundreds of years of history. The stones, and metal work molded and shaped with such craftsmanship, then worn and aged. I hope our kids remember and appreciate this (I know they're too young)!

And the night ends with Daddy carrying two tired boys out to the car. These boys of mine are so silly and sweet!

It's Official

2014-09-25T13:36:00.000-06:00

Ok...it's official. I'm the worst blogger out there. I have neglected my blog for entirely too long, and haven't updated family in over a month! So, we have a lot to catch up on.

Riley is 2!!! I have pictures from his actual birthday, their combined party, and so many other fun adventures. This post I will focus on birthdays since I know our family has been waiting to celebrate with us. Also, I will apologize right now for overdoing it on pictures, my boys are just growing up too fast and I can't keep up.

For Riley's actual Birthday, we kept things pretty tame like for Grayson's. Our morning began with birthday pancakes, topped with trick candles. Daddy claimed he didn't realize they were trick ones, but I'm not so convinced. Riley however got quite a surprise, and loved blowing them out a couple times.

Little man was so proud that we were singing to him! He clearly enjoys being the center of attention!

The look of surprise when the candles first came back on.

And finally the sweet chuckle when he realized they were "sneaky" according to Grayson.

The chosen shirt was of course the Super Elmo shirt complete with cape! So after dinner we had cupcakes, and opened a couple of presents we had saved. It was a great day, and I think the boys liked that we got to drag their birthdays out!

A couple weeks after their actual birthdays we were finally able to have some friends over for a party. Things never quite go as planned so this shindig was delayed by me being sick one weekend, and having to work another, and we also wanted to wait for some friends to be back in the country.

Thanks for joining us...sorry I was so late. Will be catching up soon.

Cycle Obsession

2014-08-14T12:00:00.000-06:00

The hubbs is officially obsessed with cycling! He would love to ditch the kids and I...except he loves us too much. Which is good, or we would never see him. So on one of his rides, he found a pretty level trail close to our house. The only trouble is parts of it are overgrown with blackberry bushes, which have tons of nasty thorns. After his ride through the countryside, he returned home and his arms looked as though we got a new cat.

So, this weekend we headed down to the trail with clippers, gloves, and a rake. We made some good progress on clearing things out so Grayson can hopefully go here with him to ride bikes.

This picture sooooo capture their mischievous side!

I just had to show a picture of the bees here. I know they're dying off in the states, but here we have several types of bees and they seem to be everywhere. This fuzzy and quite large fella' was one of many flitting about the church grounds when we walked past. They are intimidating, but really quite beautiful!

Love from Italy