Merry Christmas

I have been so awful about updating this blog. I seem to go in spurts lol. We get so busy and I just forget to update, or it seems like there is so much to update that I don't know where to start. Hopefully in the New Year I'll be better about it. I'll just update us one by one as best I can.

John: The last time I posted he had just come back from his 2 1/2 month TDY to Vegas I believe. He went back to work for a while and ended up changing positions and moving to a night shift, from about 10pm til 6am. He has really struggled trying to get used to this schedule. He tries to stay on it during the week then on the weekends he wants to be up with us, then tries to get back on his other schedule again ha ha.... so its been rough. For me it doesn't matter, I can deal with any schedule. We also went to his Christmas Party last weekend which was fun. It was a hawaiian theme. Now I'm not really sure would thinks of doig a hawaiian theme in Alaska in the middle of winter, but HEY, it worked, turned out cute and we had a great time. The food was great, the decorations were great... and was nice to have a date with my hubby.

Tristan: He is still very much enjoying school and has moved up 2 levels in reading. He has really taken off in his reading and has become very interested now in Chapter books. This is all so new and exciting for John and I too, its so amazing just to see him read these big words that we keep expecting to have to help him with. The other day he read "Adventure" like he'd read it a thousand times before. So cool!!! He has also taken a big interest in board games lately, both of the boys have. We made sure to get them a bunch of game for Christmas. His teacher at school, Mrs. Johnson, ended up having her baby a bit early (not bad just a couple weeks) and so they have a sub now til the end of the year. The kids seem to like her alot. She's not as soft toned as Mrs. Johnson is but I'm sure she'll be just as great. Tristan had his birthday party, and actually shared it with his friend Aleeyah, they both turned 7. I'm still trying to figure out how 7 years went so quickly... it's just flown by. He loves being 7 now, apparently it's made a huge difference and he's an even bigger boy now. I'll post some pics from his party, we just had it here at the house, played some games, had a pinata and some cake of course!

Jacob: He is also very much enjoying school and doing better and talking in class too much and getting in trouble with his talking and interupting the teacher. He isn't necessarily "bad" just has so much to say and to him, its WAY more important than what anyone else has to say lol. We work on reminding him at home how rude it is and to be quiet and do what Mr. Clayton says and talk only when its his turn. But he's 5, its going to take him with him I guess. Jacob is learning to read now and can sound out his short words very well. With Tristan, when he started learning to read, he could sound out the letters but couldnt hear the words when sounding it out. Jacob really hears it and does well with the short words. He helps me read some of his books we are just very impressed with how he is doing. His personality is coming out more and more and he has picked up sarcasm, yeah, thats been fun, NOT! So we're working on learning the difference between sassy and funny lol. It's hard with me too because I'm so sarcastic I can't even act like I don't know where they get it.

Erin: Well its all the same song different verse with me. After MRI's and tests and appointments with my Neurologist and talking with some medical field friends we have figured out or think that my headaches were and are coming from my spine issues. We found out that I have 4 bulging discs in my neck, one right after the other, and 1 has actually seperated from tissue and is pushing on my spinal cord. I also have a bunch of nerves that are affected by the bulging discs, which when inflammed can cause "tension" headaches. Tension headaches can act just like migraines, every day all day and extremely painful. I started pulling my neck out also and I would be basically paralyzed on that side for a week, and as soon as the pain would go away I'd move wrong again and do it again. It got very frustrating. The neurologist ended up putting me in a neckbrace to keep me sturdy and I am in physical therapy now 3 days a week for who knows how long. I went for the first time on Wednesday and we went through an hour long evaluation and exam and they put me on a mechanical traction machine (look it up) lol. I will start doing that and other things to help my back heal up, the bulging discs are just the beginning, I'm a mess. But I'll be back to "normal" again soon :)

It seems that we've just been so crazy busy with birthdays, parties, holidays, all kinds of stuff. I will post a bunch of pictures from recently.
Enjoy and Happy Holiday :)