Memories

I just figured out how to download the pictures from my cell phone. Here is a quick trip down memory lane with the help of some of my favorite pictures:

This is the 1st picture I took on my phone. Noah and Zoe made these cute butterflies at the local library. (4/15/10)

Noah and Zoe at the beach. The "Thueson Family Reunion" (7/3/10)

Smores at the family reunion. Don't they look yummy?

Jackson Taylor McDonald. (9/19)
My two sons. (9/28)

Attending Noah's Stone Soup Celebration. After the fact I noticed this belongs on Ellen DeGeneres's "What's wrong with this Photo?" photos segment. (11/23/10)

Zoe's great sense of style. (12/1/10)
Just Jack (12/17)

The Tiki Room Disney Land December 2010 (12/27/10)

My Little Mousketeer. (12/27/10)

Just hanging out. (1/19/11)
Sitting...(3/3/11)

Driving! Just Kidding waiting for a Doctor Appointment (3/23/11)
The arrival of our new stove. (3/28) Spent too many months without an oven.

Jack sitting in a cart at Lowes. (3/28/11)

Free Slurpee Day. I would love a slurpee right now. (7/11/11)

My other favorites have been added to other posts. We had a lot of fun this past year!

13 Months Old

Another month has passed us by. Here are some of the things Jack has accomplished this past month:

He is walking all the time.

He will bring me a diaper when he wants to be changed.

He loves to carry the TV remote around. He also loves the DVD remote, especially because he knows that's what turns on the music.

He is the cutest dancer I know. He does cute little knee bends, claps his hands, and turns around in circles. He also lets you know when he doesn't like the type of music you have put on.

He heads for the door when he hears the alarm on my cell phone go off. He knows it means that it is time to go get Noah at the bus stop. It reminds me of the whole Pavlov Dog Experiment.

He has two more teeth. Yes we do it in pairs around here. Plus it looks like his molars are getting ready to poke through as well.

If the pantry is left open he helps himself to cheerios and crackers. He know begs for Life Cereal when Noah is eating it for breakfast.

He know points at everything with his "pointer finger" and says: "dat" (that) and "want that." "Pointer Finger" is big deal around here. Noah is amazed that he uses the correct finger to point at things. It took Noah a while to grasp this concept. Noah always preferred his middle finger when it came to pointing.

He is starting to drink from a cup. It is becoming easier for him every day. He has also started using a few different types of cups without any problems. He finally gets that you have to tip them a bit to get liquid out of them.

We've transitioned him to whole milk. He has also cut way back on "baby food". He still eats the iron fortified cereals for breakfast, but most of the time he eats what the rest of the family is eating.

He hates shoes and socks. He is constantly pulling them off. Hopefully he will get used to them as it is starting to cool down around here.

He's a cute little trouble maker. He loves to empty his wipes case.

He also had fun tormenting Grandma Lynie's Dog on a recent visit. Buddy was nice enough to put up with him.

2nd Tuesday

Some friends and I decided it would be fun to do breakfast once a month. It would give us moms a chance to visit and the opportunity to teach or young kids how to act in public. We decided on a Tuesday because kids eat free at the Black Bear Diner if they bring a Teddy Bear.

On this particular day the Guistis and the Christensens joined us. It was a lot of fun. Almost everyone liked their breakfast. It was even more exciting to celebrate Dallin's 5th birthday. We all survived and the kids were really well behaved considering how long they had to wait for their food. After breakfast we headed to the park to run it off.

Here's a picture of the crew (the lighting was terrible...too much sun..we'll try a different spot next time)

L to R: Kysha (4), Dallin (5), Luke (3), Zoe (4), Kambrie (2), in the front Parker and Jackson (1).

Daddy's Weekend Away

As I mentioned in a previous post. Dan went to Utah for the weekend to attend some fun family events, while the kids and I stayed behind. He wasn't able to get any time off work making it impossible to go as a family. Luckily his parents were willing to give him a free plane ticket so he could be part of the festivities.

So while Daddy was away we tried to keep things exciting around here as well. The kids really love the building workshops Lowe's puts on. I looked on their website the night before. It looked like one of their easier projects, so I decided to give it a try. The task was to build a Monster Machine. Here is a picture of the blue print:
Here are my happy builders:Here they are with their finished projects:
We had a lot of fun building it. Jack was wonderful and sat in his car seat the whole time drinking his bottle. The directions were straight forward and easy to understand. There weren't that many pieces to nail together and nobody hit themselves with a hammer.

After Lowe's it was time to rush home to get ready for a Birthday Party. Their friend, Dallin, was turning 5 and he had a "Super Hero Training Camp" set up at his house. I dropped Noah and Zoe off as regular, every day, human beings. Two hours later I picked up 2 certified Super Heroes. Complete with capes, masks, and credentials. They had so much fun. All they could talk about was how Dallin's uncle dressed up as a bad guy and they got to squirt him with silly string. Or, how Dallin's uncle broke open the pinata. Dallin is one of Zoe's favorite people right now. You might even say she has a crush on him. If that's even possible at the age of 4 1/2.

Everyday I hear, "Can I have a play date at Dallin's house today?" "When can Dallin come over?" "Dallin wants me to draw him a picture of a car." "Can we go to the park with Dallin?" The two of them have so much fun attending preschool together. I've even seen them with their arms around each other and holding hands. It's so cute. They are good buddies. He's a very nice boy. Smart too. He also has a great Mom.

Lindsey is my visiting teaching partner and we've become great friends. Our babies (Parker and Jackson) were born 3 weeks apart from each other and they were blessed on the same Sunday. She is one of the most giving people I know and is always so willing to serve. She has helped me out so much this past year.

The next day we managed to make it through church without any incidents. The morning started out rough. Jack needed a bath before church since he had a major diaper blow out. Even with our morning routine thrown off we managed to make it to Church on time. The kids were amazing during Sacrament Meeting. I was a little worried as I didn't have the threat of "Dad can see what you are doing when he is sitting on the stand." Plus, the fabulous family that helps me out every Sunday was gone too. We ended up sitting with Noah's Primary Teacher, Sister Doutre. The sisters who usually sit with her were all out of town and she had a very lonely bench. After church, I was able to get all 3 down for a nap. I took one too, it was heaven.

We managed to survive all weekend with out Daddy. Only a few tears were shed each night at bedtime. Daddy is a much better bedtime story reader than I am. He also does a much better job at tucking them in for the night. Noah was glad to wake up and see him for a few minutes on Monday morning and Jack got really excited when Daddy walked through the door Monday night.

Another Farm

(Zoe, Noah, and Jack with Bella Pasto)

I love this town. I am so lucky to be raising my children in such a small community. We have the best of both worlds. Out here in Fernley we can still see the stars at night. When standing out in my front yard I can hear cows mooing and I can hear the train as it passes through town. People raise livestock and grow huge gardens. My neighborhood is quiet. Most neighborhoods have their own park. We have a Walmart and a Lowes. Wild Horses roam the streets. If you get tired of the remoteness and slower pace of life, Reno and Sparks are just 30 to 40 minutes away. There you will find all sorts of shopping and a variety of restaurants along with other venues for entertainment.

One of the many reasons I am happy to be living here is for the people I am able to associate with. One in particular is my friend Circle. I've known Circle for at least half of my life. We are guessing we first met each other back at good old Camp Ritchie. Where we attended Girls Camp as part of the El Dorado Stake. Camp Ritchie is located on the Bear Lake Reservoir in Pioneer California out on highway 88. I spent a week there every summer from just before my 12th birthday until I turned 16. I even had the opportunity to return as an adult and be a counselor to a group of 13 year old girls. Circle and I saw each other regularly during our teenage years at various stake functions. We even had the opportunity to work together in the Relief Society Presidency of the Young Single Adult Ward.

I was so excited when she moved into my ward just over 2 years ago. I was even more excited when I realized she lived in my neighborhood, just one street over. I have learned so much from her. She taught me how to can pickles last summer and Dan credits her for getting him into canning. She is an amazing Relief Society teacher. When she was my visiting teacher she was willing to watch Zoe and Jack, so I could help out in Noah's classroom. We have had many wonderful conversations about raising children, wanting more children, and the struggles with adding to our families. I think she gets me on levels that some women just don't or can't understand. Basically she has been and is a huge blessing in my life.

Recently she invited me and the kids over to her Husband's Aunt's house. She sits with his elderly aunt Alice every Friday. She thought the kids and I would enjoy picking apples and plums and feeding the cows. I thought it could be a fun adventure and was looking for something to do with the kids. It was going to be a long weekend. Dan was going to be in Utah all weekend attending the baptism of 2 nephews and a missionary farewell for a 3rd nephew. I was going to be a single parent until late, late Sunday night. So, I loaded the kids in the car and headed over to the address she gave me.

I wasn't expecting it to be as amazing as it was. There was this little old brick house on a large piece of property. There were several mature trees... A huge garden... Lots of fruit trees...Cows. ..Tractors... Old Cars...Old Trucks...(all with the keys in the ignitions). ...Bales of straw... Shade...Green Grass...Grape Vines...An old swing set. Circle put it best, it would be a great location for the show "American Pickers". If you looked hard enough you would probably find some amazing treasures. The kids had so much fun exploring.

Jackson loved eating the plums. Zoe was brave enough to feed a cow. (I love the look on her face, she wasn't ready for the slime)Noah wasn't as brave. This was as close as he would get.Jackson thought the cows were amazing. He would smile big every time they would moo. By the time we left he was mooing right along with them.Noah and Zoe ran around with Bella for hours. They got along fabulously, no fighting. At one time Bella wanted to impress the boys next door so she told them that I was her mom (Circle was in the house) and that Noah, Zoe, and Jack were her siblings. It was really cute the way she begged and pleaded with me to play along. She is such a sweet girl. She is an only child that so badly wants a brother or a sister. I hope it happens for her someday, she'd be an amazing big sister.

It was a very peaceful afternoon. It is one of those locations that make you forget that you live in the desert. We stayed until it was dark. The kids were having so much fun. We came home with fresh picked green beans from the largest bean plant I've ever seen.

( The plant seriously towered over me. )

We also managed to bring home some plums, some apples, a pear, a cucumber, and a zucchini. The kids and I were sad to leave. I had to promise them we would visit again sometime.

It was so nice to spend time on "Another Farm," as my kids referred to it. The only problem is, now they want to own a cow and have a larger garden. Oh, to have that much land. My kids would be thrilled to be farmers. That's one of Dan's dreams too. I think I am finally warming up to the idea, just don't tell my husband. It is kind of fun to tease him about this fantasy of his.

A Cavity

It was that time again, the kids' six month check up at the dentist. The kids were really excited to go, they love the dentist. I on the other hand, was dreading the visit. Last time around they decided to watch one of Zoe's teeth, due to a little discoloration. She isn't big enough yet to get good x-rays and she wasn't complaining of any discomfort. I feared they would want to do something about it this time around.

I was surprised that they weren't concerned about that initial tooth. However, they did find one on the left side that had a cavity and another tooth on the right side that they want to keep an eye on. They still haven't taken any x-rays, maybe they will next year? Any way the dentist assured me that it was minor and wouldn't need any Novocain. So, on the way out we set up an appointment for her to get a filling and they kindly gave us our portion of the bill. I decided to finally schedule me a check up and cleaning on our way out the door too. It had been more years than I'd like to admit since I last saw the dentist. I knew if I didn't schedule one while I was there it would never happen.

It just so happened that in the end Zoe's and my appointment were on the same day, due to a cancellation. Zoe was the model patient. No complaints. She couldn't wait for it to be her turn. The cavity ended up being deeper than previously thought and they did have to numb her mouth after all. The shot didn't even phase her, I'm not sure she even realized they gave her one. She just thought her face felt weird. I liked how her cheek got a little puffy. They thought she was the best patient of the day. In fact she can't wait to go back. That crazy girl!

My appointment didn't go so well. I was there for what seemed like hours. I'm not a big fan of the dentist. I have had so much work done on my mouth. All due to the fact that I inherited my dad's big teeth and my mom's small mouth. I've had more teeth pulled than can be counted on one hand. I have had my jaw widened. Teeth pushed from the roof of my mouth. Impacted wisdom teeth removed, that resulted in dry socket. Teeth filed to make my bite aligned better. So, I'd rather do anything or be anywhere but at the dentist getting my teeth looked at.

At first things seemed to be going pretty good. There wasn't any visible signs of decay or problems. My gums were in pretty good shape for the amount of time that had lapsed since my last appointment. I have a few spots where my gums are receding pretty good, most likely due to all my orthodontia work. I didn't have any complaints of pain. Just the occasional hot/cold sensitivity that has been normal since they filed my teeth. I began to think I was going to get a clean bill of health. That all changed as soon as the dentist came in the room.

He noticed a funny discoloration on one of my teeth and a weird spot on the x-ray. He asked me if I had trauma to a tooth at some point. All I could think of was the time several years ago, I think I was pregnant with Zoe at the time, that one of my nephews had head butted me pretty good. The tooth hurt for a bit, but then was fine. He ordered a few more x-rays and determined that my tooth was dead and required a root canal. I asked him if that could be the reason that I occasionally get a pimple like sore on my gum right above that tooth, that swells up, hurts for a day, pops, and then all is well. I had never tied it to a problem with the tooth. He told me this was the reason and prescribed me an antibiotic to take the day of the procedure. He also suggested that I get this soft tissue graft done to help with my receding gums and hopefully save my teeth.

This was too much to handle. I completely lost it in the chair. Tears started flowing. That made me feel stupid, so more tears came. I'm just a little too emotional these days. I felt overwhelmed and things sounded horrible. My biggest thought was one more thing that I have to go through. One more huge bill that we will have to figure out how to pay. Another thing to add to my long list of crap I have had to deal with this past year.

I think I scared the dentist. He kept saying everything will be alright. I explained I've had a lot to deal with lately and I don't really like getting dental work done. He asked if he needed to give me a tranquilizer before the procedure. I assured him I'd be fine. The hygienist gave me a big hug on the way out. She knew a little bit more about my recent happenings and promised that he'd take good care of me. So, began the waiting game of finding out how much it was going to cost.

I had to wait over the weekend as they didn't call me until after 5 pm on Thursday and I was already on my way to set up for the Relief Society Activity. The office was then closed on Fridays. So here it is: The Root Canal on tooth #11 with the build up work and CT (soft tissue) graft on teeth #11 & #12 comes to $1060. He kindly would treat the graft as one procedure since the teeth are right next to each other. And then eventually a crown would be another $397.50. My lovely dental insurance company doesn't cover the CT graft. However, they will kindly pass it along to my Health insurance to see if they would cover any of it. There is hope in that as the CT graft isn't required, just strongly suggested. The root canal, build up, and crown only comes to $675.50. The receptionist kindly informed me they would need to collect my portion upfront and gave me a few payment options that would give us interest free payments for 12 months.

I mulled this around for about a week and then decided to call the dentist back and go over my options again. I wanted to make an informed decision, one based on facts and not dollars. I wanted to discuss the benefits of having the CT graft and the consequences of not having it done. I also learned in this phone call that he'd eventually like to do a CT graft on teeth #5 & #6 as well. He assured me it was the best procedure and it most likely would save me from eventually loosing my teeth. Since the teeth are visible when I talk, this got my attention. The cost of fake teeth greatly exceeds the cost of this gum graft. He was surprised to see that my Insurance wouldn't cover the procedure. I told him is that it falls under cosmetic, since some people choose to have it done in order to make their smile look better. I was ready to make the appointment right then and there. Who wants to have teeth missing when they smile?

However, being a wonderful dentist he decided to research some other options. He was going to see what codes my insurance would cover and try to get some coverage for me and bring down the cost. He is going to see what else he can do to achieve the same results. So, I am waiting to hear back from him before scheduling the work.

General Conference

It's that time of year again. I really enjoyed watching 3 out of the 4 sessions of Conference this time around. I accidentally slept through the Sunday Afternoon session. I laid down with a very cranky Zoe and ended up falling asleep and taking a longer nap than she did. Luckily I remembered to program the DVR to record it, so I can watch it at a future date.

General Conference also means it is Cheese Waffle time at the McDonald Household. One of the many "Thueson" traditions I have managed to pass down to my kids. This was Jackson's first time partaking of cheese waffles. He seemed to really enjoy himself.
Noah and Zoe also approved of the waffles. I think Noah ate more waffles than I did. I don't know what I am going to do with that boy. He has developed a big appetite these days.

This year we got a special treat, Grandma Sandi and Papa Tim were able to spend part of the weekend with us. They were on their way home from a week long trip seeing the other grand kids for birthdays and such and decided to sleep over. Papa Tim even approved of our breakfast choice, especially since he didn't have to make them. Growing up it was his responsibility to make all of the waffles and we usually had a house full of extras. He had the habit of inviting ward members over for conference, it started out while he was the Bishop and just continued on from there. It was one of the ways he would justify having a big screen TV and satellite. He would always say that the main reason he had satellite TV was so that he could watch General Conference in his own home, and loved sharing that convenience with others.

My favorite talk of this Conference was given in the Saturday Morning Session by Neil L. Anderson. It was titled "Children". He brought up several good points and reminded us all of the sacredness of bearing children. I think it was a good testimony builder for those of us who struggle with infertility, or for those who have not had the opportunity to marry. I also think it was a good reminder to those who mean well, but often cross the line, when asking if or when you are going to have more children.

Here are some of my favorite excerpts from his talk:

• When to have a child and how many children to have are private decisions to be made between a husband and wife and the Lord. These are sacred decisions—decisions that should be made with sincere prayer and acted on with great faith.

• My daughters recently referred me to a blog written by a Christian mother (not of our faith) with five children. She commented:“[Growing] up in this culture, it is very hard to get a biblical perspective on motherhood. … Children rank way below college. Below world travel for sure. Below the ability to go out at night at your leisure. Below honing your body at the gym. Below any job you may have or hope to get.” She then adds: “Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for.”

• As the world increasingly asks, “Are these all yours?” we thank you for creating within the Church a sanctuary for families, where we honor and help mothers with children.

• To a righteous father, there are no words sufficient to express the gratitude and love he feels for his wife’s incalculable gift of bearing and caring for their children.

• In April general conference, President Thomas S. Monson said: “If you are concerned about providing financially for a wife and family, may I assure you that there is no shame in a couple having to scrimp and save. It is generally during these challenging times that you will grow closer together as you learn to sacrifice and to make difficult decisions.”

• In the most beloved story of a baby’s birth, there was no decorated nursery or designer crib—only a manger for the Savior of the world.

• In “the best of times [and] … the worst of times,” the true Saints of God, acting in faith, have never forgotten, dismissed, or neglected “God’s commandment … to multiply and replenish the earth.” We go forward in faith—realizing the decision of how many children to have and when to have them is between a husband and wife and the Lord. We should not judge one another on this matter.

• The bearing of children is a sensitive subject that can be very painful for righteous women who do not have the opportunity to marry and have a family. To you noble women, our Heavenly Father knows your prayers and desires. How grateful we are for your remarkable influence, including reaching out with loving arms to children who need your faith and strength.

• The bearing of children can also be a heartbreaking subject for righteous couples who marry and find that they are unable to have the children they so anxiously anticipated or for a husband and wife who plan on having a large family but are blessed with a smaller family.

• We cannot always explain the difficulties of our mortality. Sometimes life seems very unfair—especially when our greatest desire is to do exactly what the Lord has commanded. As the Lord’s servant, I assure you that this promise is certain: “Faithful members whose circumstances do not allow them to receive the blessings of eternal marriage and parenthood in this life will receive all promised blessings in the eternities, [as] they keep the covenants they have made with God.”

• Brothers and sisters, we should not be judgmental with one another in this sacred and private responsibility.

• What a wonderful blessing we have to receive sons and daughters of God into our home.

• Families are central to God’s eternal plan. I testify of the great blessing of children and of the happiness they will bring us in this life and in the eternities

I think I could relate to his talk on several levels. I remember how hard it was to be so "old" and single according to the church standards. I also know how it feels to struggle with infertility. We've experienced many difficulties in trying to add to our family as well as a recent heartbreaking loss. So, this is an extra sensitive subject for me right now. I basically was holding back tears by the end of this talk.

My second favorite talk was on Sunday morning by Elaine S. Dalton, titled "Love Her Mother". She asked, "How can a father raise a happy, well-adjusted daughter in today’s increasingly toxic world?" The following excerpts answer this question:

• The answer has been taught by the Lord’s prophets. It is a simple answer, and it is true—“The most important thing a father can do for his [daughter] is to love [her] mother.”

• By the way you love her mother, you will teach your daughter about tenderness, loyalty, respect, compassion, and devotion.

• She will learn from your example what to expect from young men and what qualities to seek in a future spouse.

• You can show your daughter by the way you love and honor your wife that she should never settle for less.

• Your example will teach your daughter to value womanhood.

• You are showing her that she is a daughter of our Heavenly Father, who loves her.

• A temple marriage for time and all eternity is worthy of your greatest efforts and highest priority.

• The “manner of happiness” is found in the temple. It is covenant keeping. Don’t let any influence come into your life or your home that would cause you to compromise your covenants or your commitment to your wife and family.

• Today’s popular culture tries to erode and demean your eternal role as a patriarch and father and minimize your most important responsibilities. These have been given to you “by divine design,” and as fathers you “are to preside over [your] families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for [your] families.”

• Fathers, you are the guardians of your homes, your wives, and your children. Today “it is not an easy thing to protect one’s family against intrusions of evil into [their] minds and spirits. … These influences can and do flow freely into the home. Satan [is very clever]. He need not break down the door.”

• You are your daughter’s guardian in more than the legal sense. Be present in your daughter’s life. Let her know your standards, your expectations, your hopes and dreams for her success and happiness. Interview her, get to know her friends and, when the time comes, her boyfriends. Help her understand the importance of education. Help her understand that the principle of modesty is a protection.

• Be an active part of her life. And if in her teenage years she should not come home from a date on time, go get her. She will resist and tell you that you have ruined her social life, but she will inwardly know that you love her and that you care enough to be her guardian.

• Fathers, you are your daughter’s hero.

• So how do you raise a girl? Love her mother. Lead your family to the temple, be guardians of virtue, and magnify your priesthood. Fathers, you have been entrusted with our Heavenly Father’s royal daughters. They are virtuous and elect. It is my prayer that you will watch over them, strengthen them, model virtuous behavior, and teach them to follow in the Savior’s every footstep—for He lives!

The thing I really enjoyed this talk it that it gave me hope for the future. Our society is going down the tubes fast. It is very common for TV shows and the media to put fathers down or portray them as idiots. I am very grateful for the influence my father has had on my life and I want the same for Zoe. I want her to grow up idolizing her father the way I did mine. I'm hoping the two of them can stay close as she goes through the trials of growing up. I'd also like the world to see how valuable fathers are and how much they can and do make a difference in the lives of their children.

I really enjoyed listening to the insights the Prophet and other general authorities have for me, in this day and age. I can't wait to hear what they have to say in April.