Where is summer?

I think I need to become better friends with Mother Nature.

She seems to be teasing Southeast Idaho with little bits of sunshine mixed in with lots of clouds and rain. What's with that?

But in our little bits of sunshine we have managed to take full advantage. Since we have moved into our home, it's been almost 3 years now, our yard has gone from completely bare, no grass, just dirt and weeds. We got grass put in last summer, and I have slowly been putting in plants. Well we had 1 good day of sunshine this week after days and days of straight rain. Then we got a great deal on some bark for our planters and I never thought it would make such a huge difference, but it does.

Before the bark...




Don't my tulips and Dahlia's look pretty against the fence? I think so, in the fall I think I am going to plant more so it looks more full. It will look nice I think.

After the bark...
It's amazing how big of a difference it makes right?! We had a small family/friends BBQ yesterday evening and I can't even count the number of compliments we got on such a huge transformation our yard has made since last summer. I'm not much of a green thumb, but I think I can eventually, adding one thing at a time, we will get a full, colorful, and beautiful garden area. A little bit at a time!

6 Years? Really?

Adam turned 6 on Monday...phew...I had to just throw that out there. I get a little emotional just typing it out. It has gone so fast and Adam came into this world in such a dramatic way, I should have known he would be such an attention getter (he is my son after all!). I don't think I have ever shared his story of how he came to this world...here goes it!

Here Ben and I were young, in love, recently married and a bouncing baby boy on the way. I was due JULY 17, 2005! On May 14 we celebrated Ben's 20th birthday just hanging out, doing some shopping, enjoying some alone time together. But that night Ben started to feel a little sick. He had a full blown fever by the next morning, Sunday the 15th of May.

I spent the day just lounging around with him and starting to not feel so well myself. I figured I was starting to catch whatever it was that he had. Bummer :(

So around 4pm on Sunday I told Ben I was going to go lay down for bit and probably take a nap, he said he was starting to feel better and he needed to run to his shop to finish up some work, so down for a nap I went. After laying there for about 5 minutes, I noticed that I was starting to cramp a little, then they would go away, and then come back...every 5 minutes. As soon as I realized what was happening, I called my Doctor's office and they said I should go to the hospital to get checked out, I was probably just having Braxton Hicks contractions, no biggie.

So I run out and stop Ben from heading to work so he can run me to the hospital. He looked immediately panicked. Mind you I am only 30 weeks along in a 40 week pregnancy. There's no way I'd have a baby tonight!

We get to the hospital around 5pm. They hook me up, see the contractions and give me a shot that is supposed to stop the contractions. It slows them to about every 7 minutes. So they give me another shot at 7pm and it slows them to every 10 minutes. So they give me that last and final shot at 8pm slowing them to about every 20-30 minutes! So we figured we were in the clear. They came in at 10 and said they Dr. would be in to check me at 10:30 and then we could go home. I was so relieved.

10:30 came around with the Dr. He checked me and I had dilated to 1 cm. Which I hadn't done anything like that all night. He looked confused, as did everyone else. So he told me that he was going to keep me overnight, and put me on an IV drip to completely stop my contractions but it took 24 hours to finish the cycle. They called it the BIG M! Sounds scary right?

Within 10 minutes of having the BIG M, my contractions were every minute, and more painful than anything I have ever felt. Everyone was confused, scared, I was terrified! We did an Amniotic fluid check and discovered that there was an infection in the fluid surrounding the baby, and he had to come out before things got worse.

All I remember at that moment when they said we had to have him tonight was saying to Ben "We don't even have a car seat yet! How will we take him home?" through sobbing tears. Ben held it together pretty good though.

I couldn't have the baby at the hospital I was at because they didn't have a NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). So I needed to be transferred to another hospital. While waiting for my transportation (A HELICOPTER!) my water broke at about 3am Monday morning. They finally got the helicopter and I was life flighted to LDS hospital within a matter of minutes. I never thought my first helicopter ride would be an emergency.

Ben met us at the hospital within minutes as well as my mother who had driven up from Idaho to be with me. I had gotten so sick too during this time, my fever had spiked to 104+ by the time I went in for my emergency C-Section. I felt horrible, and wanted it all to be okay.

At 8:58am, Adam Benjamin Tolman was brought into this world. He weighed 3 pounds, and was 16 inches long. He was really long for being so early, but so skinny. It was a really tough battle at first.
His lungs were not developed so he had to be on a ventilator.
He had 2 holes in his heart because he hadn't had enough time to close them.
He had really bad Acid reflux so every time he tried to eat, he would forget to breath and would basically choke.

It was tough, but so was my little Adam! He spent 62 days in the hospital and came home weighing 7 lbs 7 oz the day before his due date!

Looking at him now you would never know that he was a preemie, and I can't believe he is already 6! Time flies!

Happy Birthday Adam!

It's about time!

This week was so stressful, but worth it. I had applied to the College of Education at ISU in March, and I had jumped through all the hoops. Pulled the GPA I needed, did a background check, passed through the interview process. All I had to do was pass two classes this semester and I was in. One being a computer class, not a big deal. The other unfortunately had to be a Math class that I had to pull a B in. And you all know how much Math and I just are not friends.

So all week I have been STRESSING out because I took my Math final on Tuesday, and it was BRUTAL! One of the hardest exams I've ever taken.

Then I finally got an email on Friday telling me that I passed the class with the B that I needed! I was so excited, forwarded my grade on to the Education Department and got my notice that I am
OFFICIALLY GRANTED INTO THE EDUCATION PROGRAM!!!!!!

I know you are all as excited as I am! Yay me!

Now at least I know I am off on the right track to go into my last year of classes then onto student teaching!
ALMOST DONE!!!!

3 years went so fast!

I can't believe Wyatt is 3 today, it has gone way too fast!

My baby at 18 months!




Wyatt turned 2!


2 1/2 years old here!



And now he turns 3 today. Here he is on his new big boy bike he got as a gift. I love this boy so much! He brings so much joy and love into our lives, and he is the best friend to his big brother. Happy Birthday Wy! We love you!

Dino-mite birthday!

I can't believe that Wyatt is turning 3! Ahhh! We had his birthday party yesterday since his big day falls on Monday.

He wanted a dinosaur themed party, so that's what he got! We played a Dinosaur Egg (balloon) cracking game with little dinosaurs inside, the kids had to find ways to pop them on their own. It was really funny to watch the little ones.

Then we had a dinosaur egg hunt. The eggs were filled with candy, dinosaurs, and stickers.

Then the Dino-pinata of course!


The kids had a blast with this. Our little neighbor boy Sam broke it open and the kids went running!

Then we went inside and had some yummy cake and ice cream! I made a dinosaur cake just for Wyatt that everyone loved! It was so easy!


After the cake we opened presents! Wyatt had so much fun with that obviously and then he found out what we got him! I didn't catch a photo of his face when he saw it, but he was excited to say the least!

Happy Birthday Wyatt! We love you soooo much!

Toothfairy Please Stop Here!

For about a week now Adam has had a REALLY loose tooth. And Ben has been REALLY excited about it, and has tried a lot to pull it out.

Yes those are pliers in Ben's hands. Adam actually let Ben try this for a few days to wiggle it out, but it just wasn't happening.

The next tool extractor of choice was floss. When this picture was taken, it still wouldn't budge. But in the end, it was the floss, about a week later that conquered the tooth.

There it is! The first lost tooth of Adam Benjamin Tolman. I would be lying if I said I didn't choke up a little bit. He is just growing up so fast. Too fast.

I know, my photography skills should be recognized on a national level. I'm thinking of submitting this one for some top awards. I'm a shoe-in.

Dentists, Lunch, Turtles, and Broken Bones...

I had been nervous all week for Friday to come. The boys had dentist appointments and I know how much I LOVE the dentist! ;)

Well the kids did great, and it looked like it was going to be a great day full of family fun. After the dentist we went to lunch at the new Costa Vida, it was so yummy!

Then Ben has been on this kick about wanting to get the kids a turtle (it's NOT going to happen). But after all three pet stores we wanted to have a little more family fun, so we decided some afternoon bowling was the ticket!

This was a bad idea.

It was all great until about the 3rd frame. Wyatt was getting his little 6lb ball off of the holder (which he can carry just fine). Well he grabs the ball, turns to roll it and trips over the step to get up on the lane.

Out pops the ball...

Down goes Wyatt...

Down goes the ball...

Snap goes Wyatt's finger! (Insert blood curdling scream here)


Poor kid, it broke his ring finger on his left hand in two places. It also bruised his sweet little pinky finger.


Of course once we were at the Dr. office, he was ready for play time. My good friend Keshia works there and she made him feel right at home! Thanks Kesh!

But of course by the time we were done with X-rays and the whole work up it had been at least two hours, already a long day, no naps, and emotionally exhausted...Wyatt was pretty worn out!