A Boy and his dogs

Ethan has been a very big help to me these last 5 weeks that we have had 7 puppies to take care of. Ethan is always holding a puppy and playing with them. He has also taken it upon himself to personally look out for the littlest one, Roxy. Roxy’s twin Bea died when she was 11 days old and Ethan decided at that moment, that he was not going to let the same thing happen to Roxy. Ethan is always bringing Roxy into the house so Kara can do extra feeding just for her, and he has been very successful, although she is still very small compared to the other chubbies she has gotten a lot bigger since Ethan has took her under his wing. Ethan even figured out that if he brings another puppy into feed with Roxy that she feeds a lot better. Ethan has had a lot of fun with Kara’s puppies; he even picked out all of their names. He also has been helping me with the puppy’s blog as well: karaspuppies.blogspot.com. I know that Ethan will be strong when the puppies find their forever home in the next two weeks, but I know he will miss then all very much.

Bowen's Crazy Hair

Check out my glorious redness!!!

No photos please!!!....our little celebrity

So, I have the cutest red head out there, but dad was very shocked when he first saw Bowen. In fact, after the 35min. of all natural delivery, they had to rush me off to surgery to stop my hemorrhaging (again with the hemorrhaging, I think I’m broken) so I really did not get to see Bowen until about 3 hours after surgery. When I came out of surgery dad handed me our new bundle of joy and he said “another red head.” Ethan was born with peach fuzz that looked red, but Bowen was full blown red. Poor dad just wants one that looks like him, with the dark hair, maybe one day dad.
I kid you not I can not go anywhere with out people coming up to Bowen & I to tell me how cute he is and, to make comments about his “beautiful” red hair. I live in Portland…AKA crazy town so I have also got some funny comments like. “he looks like an elf, if elf’s were real” and “he looks just like Frodo Baggins from Lord of the Rings.” And “he’s a little leaf Erickson, a little Viking.” At these times it’s a bit hard for me to keep my momma bear from emerging, but then I considered the source…Portland crazies..... I then take a few breaths and I’m fine. WE LOVE our red head, he is so funny and soooo cute all you ladies that are 1 need to watch out, heart breaker on the loose.

Their HERE!!!

Kara, had her pups on April 16th. Kara had not 3, not 5, not 7....but 8 puppies!!!!

I was a little shocked at first, but they are all so cute and sweet that I got over my shock pretty quick. Granted i'm sure I will be a little, ok probably a lot, overwhelmed but i'll manage some how. Jeromy will be heading off for two back to back rotations for 10 weeks, so I will be holding down the home front all by myself. with 2 kids, 2 dog and 8 puppies that makes me out numbered 12:1, but I'm tuff i'll figure it out some how.

Brazil, Brazil!!!

Jeromy and I started talking about Brazil again last night and we both got the Brazil bug bad. We almost booked tickets to surprise Paulo for his 40th birthday, despite the fact that we can’t afford them, or know what, or where we will be in the next year. I loved Brazil sooo much, the people are amazing and so welcoming. We have VERY good family friends that live in Sao Carlos Brazil, Paulo & Marcia Machado and their two boys. Jeromy has been out to see them twice, me once, and they visited here once. They really are a part of our family, and we miss them so much. I kid you not; Jeromy and I have plans to send Ethan out there to stay with our friends for a summer when he’s 15 or so, and probably Bowen too. All we have to do is work on their portuguese, and they will be set. We also have a 30 year plan to build a home for us and our friends out in Brazil so we can stay when ever we want. It’s crazy that $30 grand would build a BIG house and have room for our family and Paulos' while we stay. I just have to work on my portuguese, but I plan to be fluent one day. I want to be able to tell Paulo and Marcia how much I love and care about them and their boys on my own, without help. I want to be able to go down town and buy as many shoes and clothes as I want on my own, with out EVERYONE knowing I’m an American. Brazil will always be a part of my families life and I am grateful for that.

Children of Promise

I had to post a blog to tell everyone about these awesome books I have been reading. The Children of Promise series books are amazing; I have really enjoyed reading them and am very excited to finish up the rest of the series. I’m sure most of you have seen theses books or have heard about them and maybe even read them, but to you that have not….you must go now and get these books and start reading them. They are about a Mormon family living during WWII, and trying to adjust to all of what war brought to our country. It’s a modern day story of pioneers that really has touched me and made me think about a lot of things. To tell you all the truth, every time someone would start talking about Pioneers all I would hear most of the time was blah, blah, blah. I know I’m horrible, but heck I have heard enough stories and it really was boring to me. But, these books are not that way to me AT ALL, I had NEVER thought about the trails that our great grandparents went through; they also were Pioneers that deserve to have their stories told.

178th General Conference

I don’t know about all of you guys but, I am really excited for General Conference this weekend. I love conference; church in your pj’s is there anything better? We always have scones in the morning with powered sugar…yummy, yummy, this year I’m going to make conference bean dip (7layer bean dip) and maybe do a relish tray or spinach dip with French bread. I’m really excited to have Ethan get to listen to President Monson, or at least try to listen to him. Ethan already understands that he is our new prophet and he blesses him almost always in his prayers at night (It’s so cute). It’s amazing to me that this is the Prophet; my boys will remember most and probably be the most influential in their lives, it’s very exciting. I have found the most amazing general conference packet for Ethan to do while he listens at sugardoodle.com. That site is filled with amazing ideas and help for callings and FHE. Jeromy and I have decided to give FHE a more valiant try at our home, and this site has and will help soooo much. I also am curious to see who will be called into the 12, and like most everyone else I’m very excited to hear President Monson speak as our Prophet for the very first time.

Look who's ONE!!!

I can’t believe it, my baby is no longer a baby!!! WOW, one year has went by so fast it’s amazing to me that our little (well BIG) baby we brought home from the hospital is now walking and trying to talk. Granted its 99.9% Bowenese, but it is so cute. He always points his finger at me and starts to babble at me, no doubt trying to tell me “no, no, no” or disciplining me in someway. I wonder where he learned to point his little finger at someone; O-well I guess life is full of mysteries. Bowen really has been a joy to have in our family. He always has a smile on his face, and a good temperament. I know with all my heart that heavenly father sent him down when he did because, I really needed an easy, kind baby this last year. Bowen is so fun to play and wrestle with, and to dance with. Man, can this kid dance, he can shake his money maker like there’s no tomorrow. Recently Bowen has chosen his favorite song “Upside Down” by Jack Johnson; it’s on the curious George soundtrack. Every time I play it in the car, he instantly gets a BIG smile on his face then starts to do his version of the night at the Roxbury dance. It makes the whole family laugh every time. What more can I say…I have the best child EVER!!!
Happy Birthday Bowen

More SE Portland fun

I had to tell someone what happened to us Saturday night at 3:00am. I hear Ethan crying (he now has croup, yea 3 more days of fun sickness) so I go in his room and lay down with him and rub his back for a few minutes so he would fall back asleep. I start to fall asleep in Ethan’s room but was woke up to someone yelling out side. I jump up and go into Jeromy and mine room, which the window faces the front of our house and open the window and I hear, “Get your hands up, step away from the vehicle, drop the gun”. What drop the GUN!!! Less then a block away from our home across the street a Police officer is yelling into his mega phone. I listen for a few minutes, and then see some of my neighbors run out to the end of the street, so I decided to go have a look as well. I kid you not, at least 10 cop cars with light on were having a fun little stand of with a white BMW full of people, who knows what they were in trouble for, but the situation went on for at lest a few hours. I just LOVE south east Portland, always feel o-so-safe!!! The neighbors inform me that the night before they saw some guy just down the street OD and some other guy was dragging him across the road. If anyone wants to move out here and be my new neighbor there is a town home for sale. Since we have been here there has been several drug busts, with tazings, meth lab house fires, dead bodies, homeless rummaging through recycle bens, Drunk running wheelchair into neighbors Escalade that broke his hip and Jeromy had to help, Cops being filmed down the street, neighbor garage rock band and parties all night long, prison transition housing built less then a block away, now a police stand off. All I can say is 5 months can not get here soon enough…Utah here we come. As crazy as this place is, I still some how do feel safe when it is light outside, and I think in some sick way I will miss being out here in Oregon.

Enter at your own risk

It’s amazing how fast one little house can become a breading ground of sickness. We have all been swapping the flu in our house for almost two weeks.
It all started with our little Bowen, one minute he’s smiling and playing and then the next he’s crying and the only thing that will stop that is cuddling mom, then all of a sudden I’m covered in pizza, cheerio’s and apple juice.
Poor Bowen, throw up and dry-heaved all night long, all I could do was hold him and cuddle him as his tiny body convulsed trying to some how throw up an empty stomach.
Next came my turn, two days of not being able to keep anything down, and trying to find a minute to lie down, as I chased after a 3 year old and try to take care of a sick baby. The worst thing in the world is being a sick mom!!! Your job never ends if you’re sick, never anyone there to tuck you inn and tell you to get a little nap to try to sleep it off.
One the second night of my flu attack I wake up to poor Ethan crying at 3am, of course I rush in his room to find he has just caught our little bug and that I have to put Ethan’s sheets and comforter in the wash. Poor Ethan throw up all night as well. I got pretty good at waking up just in time to get “the big bowel” under Ethan before my laundry pile got to big.
Dad’s turn next….I don’t mean to be mean, but I find it amazing, and a bit annoying that men turn into the biggest babies when they are sick, well my strong man is no different. Luckily, I was there all weekend taking care of Jeromy so he was well enough to make it to work today.
Then poor Bowen got the flu again last night, another night of throwing up and I know I’m next. Ahhhhh, when will this ever stop, I just got all the laundry caught up. O-well, what are moms for right?

BROTHERS

Look how cute my boys are!!
I am so blessed that my boys love each other so much. Granted they constantly are hurting each other and always bugging each other, but they are brothers. I know that they will always look out for each other, and that makes me feel so good. Bowen, looks up to Ethan so much already. It’s amazing to me that you can visible see that this 11month old wants to be just like his big brother, his face lights up in the morning when he first sees Ethan and he’s all smile at night when he gives Ethan hugs and kisses for bed. I’m sure there will be a lot of black eyes and Indian burns in the future, but I’m grateful right now they love each other.

A Day at OMSI

Yesterday the boys and I spent the afternoon at Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) we have a yearly pass here, and the boys LOVE it. This was the first trip to OMSI since we have been back in Oregon and it was Bowen’s first time he was older enough to play. Bowen was a little hesitant at first in the giant sandbox but, he eventually got over it and had a good time. The boys also love the water play area there, and the dinosaur exhibit they have going on right now. Ethan really enjoyed being able to touch all the fossils and being able to ask “experts” all the questions he had. Ethan also was a little confused about there exhibit on embryological development. They have preserved fetuses on display starting at 7 weeks all the way up to 37 week. It’s VERY interesting but a little creepy, a lot of the fetuses are displayed in the Uterus, so you can see exactly how they develop. Ethan is very intelligent and I think he realized that if those babies were “real” they had to have come from some where. I was glad he didn’t want to ask too many questions, but just go find something else to look at and touch. The boys also really enjoyed dressing up as squirrel and hiding nuts in their tree. They looked soo cute!!!

Happy Valentines Day

I’m very excited for Valentines Day this year!! I’m very optimistic that Jeromy and I may be able to do something together. We may even get a babysitter…O-boy!! Actually, the last time Jeromy and I went on a date without the kid’s was Valentines Day last year…wow were pathetic.

And then there was one!!! & My rant on the crazies here

On Wednesday, Jeromy took Ethan with him to St. George while he interviews in St. George and Provo. WOW, it is crazy just having one child to take care of. I keep thinking that Ethan’s asleep and he will be waking up any min. to run down stairs and give me a big hug. I have to keep his bedroom closed because it’s too weird not having him run around the house yelling and playing with everything he’s not allowed to touch. Even Bowen, is acting a little different with out his big brother here to pick on him. I stopped to think about it, and this is the first time I have been without Ethan for more the 6 hours since he was 9 months old. I sure miss my crazy boy. Jeromy has had a lot of luck interviewing in St. George, he even had the head of human resource for IHC call him wanting to take him around to meet some of the doctors. I think chances are good that we may end up in St. George. I’m happy as long as were back in Utah. The crazy’s here in Portland are just really getting to me; the more I think about starting Ethan school here I get a little nervous, granted all of the schools are rated higher then any in Utah, but it’s just different. For example, Ethan jumped off our table and hurt his foot a week ago (he’s still limping) it was non-weight bearing for over 8 hours so we took him to the ER here in Portland. There were at least 5 kid by their selves in the ER waiting room while their parents we having a smoke break, or gone. I was in the waiting room for over an hour and I never saw one of the kid’s parents, instead the hospital sent out an employee to watch the kids and to bring out coloring pages for the kids. Also, the local park here there are always young kids by themselves playing with no parents in site. Maybe I’m a little over protective but, it just breaks my heart seeing the way children are treated here in SE Portland. I could go on and on about the smoking and kids NEVER being in car seats, but enough blabbing right! I just want to raise my children inUtah!!

Tiny Tatum

This is our new niece Tatum Andee Hales, Danielle & Chad’s little girl. She is so little. Every time I held her I keep thing that she should be in an incubator, because she was so small. I am defiantly not use to little babies…we have BIG babies in this family…Thanks Dad!
I wish we could see Tatum all the time, the next time we see her she will be 9 months. Danielle, you are such a good mommy, Tatum is very lucky.

My Boys

It’s almost impossible for us to get a picture of the boys and I with out someone looking away, making a silly face or crying, finally one that were all looking at the camera. Aunt Shanua came by to take pictures of Tatum, and she also took some picture of the boys. Thank you soooo much Shanua!!! I have been wanting to get pictures for the longest time, but either there’s no money for them or we can’t find a time to all get together. Granted, Dad still was not able to be there, but I am so grateful to Shanua for helping me capture my boys at this age, before it was to late.

Optimus Ethan

I realize that Halloween was three months ago, but I had to put a picture of my kids on here, because they looked so good. Also, Jeromy and I spent MANY, MANY hours making Ethan’s costume. Of course he hated it, and we had to threaten him every time he had to try it on while we were constructing it. But, as soon as we made it to the trunk or treat watch out, Ethan became a celebrity and everyone had to take a picture of him. Bowen, our little stinker also hated his costume as well, but he looked so cute. I keep trying to get him to fall asleep so I could lay him on the floor and make tire print so I would have a picture of “Bowen road kill” but he would not fall asleep. Also, I was shocked when Jeromy wanted to dress up this year, I thought for sure he would never dress up again after our first Halloween together when I made him dress up as Elvis, but he supplied all the authentic surgical stuff and off we went. We really had fun this year.

Christmas Pictures

Ethan was so excited to leave Santa Clause some of Jesus birthday cake on Christmas Eve. Ethan and Bowen also enjoyed our new Christmas tradition of reading one Christmas book each night in December until Christmas day. We Loved the small break that dad was able to spend with us in Utah for the holidays. I can’t wait, next year we will all be together for Christmas in our own home. NO MORE TRAVLING!!! Also, next year it is my new goal to actually send out Christmas cards, who knows maybe Jeromy and I will even be in the picture, WOW that would be a step in the right direction for me.

Together is a great place to be

It’s so nice to finally be together again as a family. The boys and I are in Pendleton Oregon with dad while he finishes up his orthopedic surgery rotation. Pendleton is a small cute little town on your way to Portland, and it is dad’s second rotation in this little town. Last time dad was here Jeromy and Ethan got matching cowboy hats…giddy up!! Three months apart is a long time, it’s almost like Jeromy and I have to get use to each other again and use to being in each others space. Although, it is so nice to have some help with the boys, dad always is such a big help to me.

On the Road again

Well the boys and I are off to Utah again for a long visit while dad is busy in Oregon doing his rotations. Were excited to see dad for a few weeks over christmas, but other then that it will be no dad until febuary. I tell you what this single parenting stuff is HARD!!!! On the way back to Utah Bowen's ear drum ruptured, 13 hours in a car and not a cry out of him. He is such a good boy. Just as we were finishing Bowen's antabiotics Ethan had an ingrown toe nail that also required antabiotics. $300 dollars later, with out insurance that work in Utah, the boys are on the mend. As far as me, I think i'm a lost cause, always getting a little crazyer day by day.
Were now in St. George for 3 weeks and all of the family members here have myspaced blocked on their computer so, I guess I will have to become better at this blog thing. I will have to post some pictures soon, because I have a ton of good ones.

Watch how I grow

Our Big Bowen Anthony Mendnhall. Bowen is a very, very happy child, he is always smiling and laughing. Bowen looks up to Ethan so much, he is ready to grow up so he can follow his big brother around. We really lucked out with this one, he is the best baby ever. Recently Bowen has started to sit on his own and is rolling all over the place. He will probably be crawling very soon. Where does the time go...BAM will already be six months next week. We all love our BAM so much and he is already a huge part of our family. I'm sure he will be adding to our madness very soon.