This is what happens.....

.....when you let your guard down and play with your sister

instead of farm toys.....

Girl pjs.

Tutu and Pink Cowboys boots.

Year 3, Year 5 & Everything Else

 

February

Chase's Third Birthday.

I made him a Thomas the Train cake. 

Thomas is supposed to be coming out of a tunnel in the cake.

He was pretty happy about his cake and being three.

The night before his birthday was the Super Bowl. We had a fun party with out friends, and their kids spent the night! We were going to go take the kids & little friends out for lunch, until  we realized that Chad's parents home was flooded. They were overseas visiting Chad's sister.

Chad spent the rest of the month cleaning that up.

March

Mommy had surgery. Here is Addison reading to me. I don't remember this at all!

 Addison had a little play day to celebrate birthdays! All three of these precious little girls were born within a few weeks of each other. It was a fun afternoon.

 

Lots of missing teeth.

 April

Addison turns five! She was pretty thrilled about this pink baseball glove.

Usually we have birthdays with both sets of grandparents, but this year there was just too much going on. 

So, she got two little parties and two cakes.

 Cake One: Strawberry Pie!

 Chase pulled the cushions off the couch and went to sleep.

Not sure why!

 Strawberry Shortcake themed Cake #2!

 Opps. I didn't get this photo turned. BUT you can still see the first missing tooth! Pretty excited about the Tooth Fairy, unlike Carter who refused the Tooth Fairy's gifts - 

"I don't want HER in my room!"

Dr. Appt, Niece Kalliyan, and Other Things That Happened This Week

This week seemed very long.

On Monday, Chad and I ventured over to Sioux Falls. I had a diagnostic surgery before Christmas and went in for follow up. I have basically had problems since Chase was born, and am planning on a major surgery the first part of March. Yuck. I have a terrible time with anesthesia and pain killers, so I am not looking forward to that, but am trying to remember that soon I will be feeling good!

No school on Tuesday and Wednesday. Carter has a hard time on those days, he needs to be busy. Doesn't help that I couldn't send him outside.

Our lovely little niece Kalliyan (think Callie-Ann) was born in Cambodia! Her chubby cheeks and dark hair made us remember Addison after she was born. They don't really look alike, but it triggered our memory! The kids have been talking about her all week. It's hard to have them in Cambodia. They want to hold her and see where cousin/new big brother Carson lives. Someday we will all get there. We are starting to save up for that - Five overseas plane tickets! Yikes.
Addison has been playing "babies" since Kalli was born. Well, actually, she uses a bear she calls "barry" or "Beary" (even though it's a girl bear). Addison just doesn't like dolls. So anyway, she has been busy swaddling and feeding the bear as she thinks about her new cousin and processes what baby Kalli is doing.
Chase said, "Can Auntie bring the new baby to our house after she is done at the hospital?" Poor kid has no concept of how far away Cambodia is.
Carter is SUPER proud. Before Carson was born, Carter had suggested that name to Danielle and Vandenn. He was very happy that ended up being his name.
SO, about a month ago, Carter said, "Please tell Auntie Danni that I like Callie for the new baby's name." When we told him the new baby had the name he suggested, he was pretty proud. "I named BOTH of my cousins!" I didn't ask them, but I have a feeling that they had Kalliyan (Kalli) picked out before Carter suggested it, and he just happened to hit the nail on the head. We won't burst his bubble for now. Pretty cool that he got it right, either way!

Last night we went to a girls basketball game at school. It's times like those that I realize how big Carter really is. He is SO into the rules and cheers! At school, the older elementary school kids get to play a game during half time. He can't wait for that.

Today we will have a little birthday party for Chase, who turns 3 on Monday. Since most of the Grandparents are in Cambodia or Florida...it will just be Grandma Sherry, Big Papa, Uncle B.J. and Erin - and us too.
At his request, I made him a Thomas the Train cake. quite how I imagined it but he is happy! I can't get the frosting to be the consistency I want it to be. Plus my hands are REALLY hot which melts the frosting in the piping bag.
Pictures of the birthday boy to come next time!

Hmm. I wonder when I last posted on our blog? February 2009? Really?

I think I better get on that. Not for your benefit obviously but mine. So to catch myself up, I picked out my favorite 2010 Facebook status updates so I can remember the silly things said, things we did, and where we went.
So, here we go.....

January :

Someday..... I will not find my hairbrush in the toilet. I will not use my toothbrush only to find it has soap on it. Someday my kids will not draw on their little brother. Someday I will not need to sweep the kitchen floor after every meal. Someday, when we go out to dinner, I will not need to take more trips to the bathroom than the number of kids I have. Someday wasn't today.

Made it until 11am before Addison changed into a new outfit. Must be some kind of record.

Addison just said, "Mommy. I like my mommy and daddy. Them love me and the boys love me. I like love." Good thing she said that because 5 minutes earlier she spread peanut butter all over herself.

Addison's nicknames for her brother, Carter, now include "Tito" and "Spanky"..... Where does she come up with this stuff????

Last week we scolded Chase for sticking cooked carrots in his ears. This week, Chase scolded the Doctor for looking in his ears. "No no stick ears! No no!" HA. Funny kid.
February:

I just love it when Chase comes to me, with his arms outstreched, and says, "Hold you, Momma, Hold you!"

Was just filling out paper's for Addison's preschool registration. I asked her what she wanted her teachers to know about her and she said "I have a pink Steiger." Oh dear. It might be worse than I thought.

Wondering why in the year 2010 someone hasn't figured out how to make diet pop taste good. Seriously, someone needs to get on that.

Carter says..."Mom, a 1 and a 8 makes 18." (at this point I am thinking my kid is super smart) "And 2 and 8 is 28. That's Adrian Peterson's number. 18 is Peyton Mannings number. Number 4 is Farve. I cant think of any Hawkeye numbers right now, though." Awesome, Carter. Awesome.

March:

Addison: "Hey Mom! Want to watch me do a softener salt?" A what? "A softener salt!" Ok? OH. You mean a "Somersault!" Haha!

We were outside this afternoon, and Chase saw a bird fly by. He exclaimed "A Chicken, Mommy." Yep. It was a LONG WINTER!

First Hibma Kid with Stitches Award goes to Chase.

April:
Carter: "Mom, sometimes when I wear sox to bed, they just sneak off my feet.

Chad is planting. Chase is pretending he is going to preschool. Carter is playing with the Horse barn. Addison is playing dress-up. I have no idea what I'm doing.

Addison just shouted at me..."You are a ghost beause you don't listen to me!!" What? Haha. She is so strange sometimes.

Dear Carter, Just because a fridge is meant for helping food stay good longer, doesn't mean it works for everything. Like, for instance, the half eaten Tootsie Roll you put in there.

May:
Me: "Carter, what do you want for breakfast today?" Carter: "I just want Potato Salad".

Thanks for all the messages from everyone....Chase ended up having four seizures yesterday. He is doing much better today. Lots of tests but no answers yet. Please pray that it isn't tumor or epilepsy related....we have been down this path with Carter and don't want to go there with Chase!! God is bigger than all of us. Chase needs an Brain MRI this morning. Please pray for me...the last time we had a kid need an MRI the results weren't great, I don't want to hear that again!!

Chase is home. His MRI was CLEAN!!!! Yeah!! More doctors and tests on Friday and Tuesday, but he is doing really well. Today he is catching up on the farming he missed over the weekend!!
Please pray for us (again!) as Dan has unexpected bypass surgery this morning. Lots of stress and lots to do on the farm!

We have supported the Worthington ER again this month, this time Addison. She's fine, just some stitches.

June:

I asked Carter if he wanted to do something and he said No. Addison replied "Carter doesn't want to have any fun." :)

Hibma Sports Update: World Cup Soccer going on right now, and one team is wearing a purple Tutu.

Chase quote : (pointing to the toilet) "Mommy, is it warm in there?" I don't know, Chase. I don't make it a habit of checking toilet water temperature.

July:

Best supper ever last night......Iowa sweet corn and genuine home made Cambodian egg rolls. Yummy .

What do you wear on a bike ride? A helmet, a ballet leotard, and TEVAs. What else!?

This morning, two year old Chase climbed up on my bed, jumped on me, got nose to nose with me and said.... "Express Yourself" and jumped down. WHAT?!?!


August:
Yesterday afternoon I painted Addison's fingernails. She was sitting still nicely, when she shouted, "Itch my nose, Mom!" So I rubbed her nose. "No, Mom, Itch it!" So I used my fingernails. "No, Mom! Itch INSIDE my nose!" What??? NO!

I can't wait for Carter to get home from his first day of KINDERGARTEN!!! Hurry up, Bus!!!

I wonder how many years it will take me to train Addison into putting her toys where they belong in her room instead of throwing them (full force) into her room.

We don't have to take Carter to the Oncologist for TWO YEARS!!!! How AWESOME is that?!?!

September:
Having a hard time convincing Chase that "Potty Training" doesn't involve an actual train.

There is one good thing about being alone during harvest time...I get to watch what I want. TV viewing at our house tonight is Ice Road Truckers and Swamp People. It obviously isn't harvest yet.

Carter scores a touchdown and pulls a Forest Gump.

I put a hoodie on Chase this morning, and he could hardly contain his laughter when he realized he could put his hand in one side of the pocket and out the other. Good ten minutes of entertainment.

Chad's favorite musical group is the Jonas Brothers. Seriously. He was even watching their show on tv last night.


October:

Chase says: "When you are sick and need to go to the hospital, they come and pick you up!!" He obviously knows that from experience.

Addison says: "He is the best daddy! I love him like I love Christmas!"
Carter says: "I love daddy because he gave me a four wheeler!"
Chase says: "Daddy's Boy!"
Happy Birthday, Chad! We love you!!!

Addison, what is your favorite part of preschool?
"Snack Time!!!!"

Addison Rose just gave herself a haircut. Thankfully not a noticeable one. She is annoyed with me for sending her to her bed instead of telling her how cute it is.

Yesterday, Chase was inspecting the dangle earrings I was wearing and declared, "You have strong ears, Mommy!" LOL



November:

Chase, what do you want for Christmas?
"A Cow."

How in the world did the Hawkeyes lose to the Gophers? Carter is in mourning.

"Mom, I need some Apple Spider to drink!" - Chase

That is pretty much where the facebook posts stopped. I spend all of December feeling terrible and most of Christmas recovering from outpatient surgery.
Christmas highlights were a trip to the Black Hills and hanging out with the extended family at The Lantern Coffee shop.

Carter Update

Well, another trip to the Oncologist came and went!! No MRI, this time!!

Carter is doing really well. We we last went in November, Carter was angry, depressed, and not any kid I recognised as being ours!! They took him off a medicine, and asked us to get his heart checked out and go to Mayo to do some testing for a Childhood Vertigo.

Well, his heart looks great other than one aorta seems to be a little larger than it should be, but nothing to even think about. After months of trying to contact Mayo, we finally got in contact with them.....

But after talking with the Oncologist, we decided not to pursue that for now! You see, Carter is doing better than he has in almost two years! He is happy, laughing, giving hugs, playing, and doing everything you would expect him to be doing. What happened??? Well, we think the medicine was too much for his body to handle. He has lost a few pounds since going off the medicine. While he wasn't chunky to begin with, he looks more like we expect him too. He is also not eating us out of house and home anymore!

Carter hasn't had a dizzy spell since the middle of November. We have to idea why, but God is answering prayers. Please pray with us that his dizzy spells are going away for good.

We are so thankful to have our little boy back.
He hasn't acted this happy in two years!!
We are blessed to have such a wonderful little boy!!

The Transformation

Our January was filled with dust.

We wanted to do some improvements on the house, and after much discussion about what to do....

We tore out the walls that separated the kitchen, living, and dining room. After a few weeks, and many days spent at the Hibma Grandparents, we are finally done. We love it. It feels like it has always been this way!

Blessed Be His Name

Fall came and went.

I thought life might become much clearer with the changing of the seasons.
Much like this picture of berries, the short term is clear, beyond that is fuzzy.


Carter had his MRI a few weeks ago, and as usual, his tumor didn't change.
I have had to step back from the situation. Things are moving along, with more tests planned for this winter. Our doctors have different opinions on what we should do with him. More tests is really a blessing. We got further along at his last appointment than we ever have. An answer, but certainly not the "get the right answers NOW" I asked for.


It has been a struggle to ask daily with a "wait" answer. I will keep giving my requests to HIM, and daily work at surrendering to His will for our family. I am thankful for His blessings; medical insurance (especially since this year there has been major appointments and medicinal expenses for everyone in our house but Addison), parents/in-laws to watch our children, a boy who only has a benign tumor instead of a malignant one. I am always encouraged by Ed and Carol McNiece. I know how hard they must have prayed for Matt after his fall and how hard it was to hear such a grim prognosis for his life. Yet they kept praying. Our Father answered and Matt's life became a miracle. I must remember that it wasn't as simple as it seemed. Learning things over, tests and more tests, setbacks - all things a majority of us never witnessed. I know they hold us up as well. It means a great deal to us to know they understand. Most days I am amazed at their faith in that situation.

Carter constantly sings "Blessed Be Your Name"

Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

Blessed be your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be your name

This song is my prayer. When it's painful and when it's easy, we will praise our Father. May this song be your prayer as well.

~Ash