SURPRISE!!

Well Tyrel surprised us and came home 2 weeks early. I had no clue he was coming. Both his parents knew and they were keeping it a secret. It was so nice to have him home for a week. The boys were glued to him the whole time wanting to wrestle and play and just sit on his lap. He has left again and has been gone for about a week and a half. He'll be gone for 2 more weeks, then come home again. I have been busy with the kids and just haven't gotten around to blogging. This past week was spring break. I packed up the kids in the car and drove to Logan for the weekend to visit my brother and his family. He is going to school to be a helicopter pilot, so we took the kids to the airport and looked at the helicopters, but I am lame and didn't take pictures, but it was fun and the kids had a blast playin on the Wii with their Uncle. Luke had a blast playin with all the girl toys. He played with the strollers and shopping cart, and even played with the dollies. So now it's back to school until SUMMER! That's what's goin on with us lately. Hopefully I'll have a more exciting post next time.

It's gonna be a long 5 weeks!

Well, Tyrel left for North Dakota yesterday morning. He left around 8:15 and got there around 9:00PM that day. It's about a 12 hour drive, but he had to stop to get gas and eat, stuff like that. I called him throughout the day to see where he was and to make sure he was wearing his seatbelt! I did way better than I thought I would when he left. I didn't even cry! That is a big thing for me because I do not like to be away from him for long periods of time. I think by the time it was time for him to leave, I was SO sick of the anticipation of him leaving for five weeks, that I was just like, just hurry up and leave so we can get this over with. Also, all the stress and pressure of getting everything that we needed to get done before he left. Even though I didn't want him to leave. I have been keeping busy with the boys and the puppies, but I know when the down time comes, like on the weekends and in the evenings, when he's usually here, it will get harder. I am staying positive and looking at the big picture. I have already had several people talk to me and offer help at any time or just to see how I'm doing. I appreciate it so much. The reason why he'll be gone for 5 weeks at first is because the first 2 weeks is just training, and then he'll start his regular 3 week on 1 week off shift. He said there is around 2 feet of snow up there and it's just pretty much like Idaho, flat and windy. So I think he'll be used to the weather, and it is supposed to warm up quite a bit this weekend. He passed his physical and drug test today, so tomorrow he'll get the gear that he'll need with his boss and then probably just hang out for the weekend until he starts his training on Monday! The last night he was here, we went to Pizza Hut with the boys, then went and got Root Beer to make root beer floats. We rented a movie to watch together while eating our root beer floats. So hopefully I don't go completely crazy, and we are looking forward to him coming home! Then he'll turn around and do it again, but for 3 weeks!

Change!

Well, I have been putting off posting about this because I was really hoping that it wouldn't happen. Tyrel is changing jobs. He has decided to go work up in North Dakota in the oil fields as a truck driver hauling water for a while. He just hasn't been completely happy with his current job. He likes the people he works with, but not the pay. He feels as though he can't really progress like he wants to or it's just not happening fast enough for him. It will definitely be a sacrifice for both of us. He will leave to go up there on Feb. 9th, he will be gone for about 3 weeks at a time and then come home for a week, but he has to spend 2 of those days driving because it's a 14 hour drive there and back. We think it will be worth it in the end because the pay is really good and we can pay off our debts way faster than we are now. I know it will be a really hard adjustment on me and the kids. I have a good support system up here. There is actually another guy in our ward who is also going up there, so I feel better knowing someone we know is up there and I can call his wife and talk to her when I feel like I'm having a hard day! The biggest thing I'm worried about is the long drive, especially cuz it's winter right now, and the roads can really get messy. The guy that is in our ward has already been up there once and is not working for the same guy, so they won't really be able to carpool together which would be so awesome if they could take turns driving such a long drive. We did get a diesel Jetta car that gets like 50 MPG. So we won't have to spend so much on gas. I know this experience will be very hard, but I know it will also be a rewarding and learning experience, especially for me. I don't really see myself as a very independent person, and I think this will make me a more strong and confident person if I can get through this. I know it will not be easy at all and I will have a lot of days that I will probably lose it and just have a meltdown, but that's what family is for right? So I am trying to stay positive and just tell myself that I am going to do this and get through it. I will have to rely on the Lord a lot and pray for help to be as patient as I can with 3 crazy boys. So that's the latest thing that's happening in our lives. I hope all goes well!

Nesquik!!

Well, he kept telling me he wanted some and I kept saying, " okay, hold on just a minute," and I would continue doing what I was doing. So he decided to get it himself! Luckily it wasn't very much. He could've dumped out the whole thing cuz it was full. Note to self: keep the nesquik on a higher shelf. (Not that he won't figure out a way to get it down from there either!)

Puppies new sleeping quarters

So now that the puppies are a week old, we decided they are old enough to go out to the dog house. They are starting to get pretty loud when they whine and even though they were downstairs, they were keeping us up at night. They are doing fine outside. It is so warm in there and there is a wall in there so Zoey can get a break when she wants. When they get old enough to climb over the wall, we will make some sort of fenced area outside the dog house so they don't run off and get lost or hit by a car! So this is what it is for now atleast!

The stork has come!

After staying up all night last night with Zoey, she finally has given birth to 9, so far, cute, little, black pups. She was pacing the floor and panting all night long. I thought she was going to have them last night. So I stayed with her all night and got hardly any sleep. When I got too tired I just went to bed and decided I would get up and check on her in a little bit. Later that morning she was acting more & more strange. She kept going down to the basement and walking around just looking for a place to give birth. So I got the kiddie pool all ready. She jumped right in and stayed there. About 30 min. later, her first pup was born. We had to go to Tyrel's Grandma's funeral, so when we left she had 3 pups. When we came home about 4 hours later, she had 8. About 2 hours later, she gave birth to a 9th. They are so cute and black as black! Good job Zoey....... but I hope you're done!:)

Zoey's birthing chamber!:) The vet told me that for big dogs, it's a good idea to get a kiddie pool, and fill it with blankets and towels for her "nesting" period!

Zoey's all tuckered out. It's been a long 2 months!

Such a good mommy!

This is before she gave birth to her 9th pup. I let her out to go toidy, and she dropped another pup right there on the lawn! She might have more. So far 6 girls and 3 boys. They are so cute and little. They just whimper and whine all the time. Zoey does such a good job taking care of them. We'll keep you posted!