Grandma Lori and Grandpa Dean came to visit!

Sawyer did not waste ANY time finding his favorite lap to sit in...

... him and his Grandma Lori had a great time snuggling...

and napping together...

...multiple times a day!

And in the meantime, my Dad and I went skiing!!!!

We only went one day together (see previous blog post), 

and my Dad made it up another day on his own.

Despite the lack of snow, 49 was still fantastic!  

Or maybe it was just the sunshine and good company?!!

Grandpa Dean sure knows how to get Bennett laughing :) :) :)

Time for the classic bedtime story (in our family)... 
"But No Elephants!"

A walk to the Chewelah City Park

A tad bit chilly but, compared to Wisconsin, a heat wave!!!

Sawyer Dean having fun with Grandpa Dean :)

Our very special kitty Jack, found a nice cuddle spot on the back of Grandpa Dean's legs :)

Sawyer says, 

"Thank you for my new bed Grandma Lori and Grandpa Dean!!!!!!  

I take all my naps on it now 

and soon I will get to sleep there at night too!"

His new bed is in Bennett's room... should be an interesting transition for Sawyer to leave our bed soon... I love co-sleeping so much!!!  It's way harder on me than it is on the boys when I move them out!

Milkshake at "Zips"!  YUM!!!

Grandpa Love

Playing outside... notice, NO SNOW (at that time!).

Bennett loved to show off for Grandma and Grandpa, 
especially showing off his skills playing "Minion Rush" on Daddy's iPad!

And Sawyer mostly liked to showed off his new kissing skills!!!!!!

What a little love bug!

We had a birthday celebration for Sawyer on his 11 month birthday, we celebrated his 1st birthday since we wouldn't get to celebrate on the real day with Grandma and Grandpa.

He sure loved (smearing) the cupcakes Grandma Lori made for him (all over his face)!

A couple of wild dudes, that's for sure :)

Goodbyes are rough... 

I found a quote I really like that relates to our boys having a "long distance relationship" with their Grandmas and Grandpas...

We all love you so much Mom & Dad..... thank you for EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!

Ski Date with my Dad!

At 49 Degrees North Ski Resort... 

9 Miles from my house... 

enough said :)

In the video: Laurel first, my Dad second, then me & my Dad together.

Chair 1

 NE Washington at its finest!

Soaking up the sun on top of Chair 5

Doesn't get a whole lot better than this

Again, I ask...

Mid-January?

or MID-SPRING?!!!!!!

Mid-January?

...or Mid-Spring?!!!  

We can't tell either!

Sawyer 10 1/2 Months Old 

Playing outside with mama while big brother was napping!

When life brings you to your knees

You better believe, 

that's a not-so-subtle 

reminder you that 

YOU 

are

 NOT 

in control.

I am the biggest culprit I know of trying to be in control (of everything).

Here is a quick story of how yours truly was (not-so-subtly) reminded of the truth.

One week ago Erik crashed while skiing at 49 Degrees North, and during that crash his left ski pole slammed very, very hard into the upper left side of his abdomen.

Fast forward an ER visit, a CT scan, an ambulance ride, and many hours later...

and there he was...

my husband...

suddenly a patient at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, WA.

I felt like it was a dream, it didn't seem possible.

I thought I could blink and we'd all be back in our cozy home together, 

like it was "supposed" to be.  

Erik was admitted in order to monitor for further bleeding 

or potential rupture of his Grade 3 Lacerated Spleen.

(I liked the term the surgeon used better, he called it a "cracked spleen".  It's easier to picture it that way since it wasn't literally cut open, it was blasted open by the force of the impact of the ski pole.)

He was discharged after just over 24 hours in the hospital, and I could literally write a book about all the emotions I have experienced since he called me on his way down from the ski resort last Friday telling me why he was heading to the ER in Chewelah.

This past week has been trying and humbling and scary and eye-opening...

and could've been a lot worse, that's for sure.

We are so thankful that Erik is now on the mend, 

his pain is diminishing, 

and it is looking hopeful that he will be able to keep his spleen inside his body!

Doctor's orders prescribed 6 weeks of taking it easy,

that includes not skiing...

which is a hard pill to swallow for a skiing addict like Erik!!!!

He is also on medical leave from work until he is cleared 

by the surgeon who monitored him at Sacred Heart.

In the mean time he is spending lots of bonding time with Bennett and Sawyer while simultaneously trying not to lift them too much or let them jump on his spleen...

also a hard pill to swallow for an amazing Daddy like Erik!!!

As I said, I was taught a lesson this week regarding who is in control and who isn't.

I can't tell you how badly I wanted to be in TWO PLACES at the SAME TIME 

while this was all transpiring...

I have had that feeling before for various reasons, but never as strongly as that moment when my husband was being sent away in an ambulance without me being able to go with him... And then packing up a bag and driving to Spokane believing that I was about to have my first night away from both my sons, ever.

So,

I prayed...

the whole way to Spokane.

  

By the grace of God I was able to let go of all my fears and anxieties, and entrust the care of my husband to the staff on the 5th floor of a major medical center, and entrust the care of my two precious sons into the hands of two of their aunts. 

And by entrusting the care of three of the people I love most in this world into the hands of other people... it really wasn't those "other people" who were holding them in their hands...  It was the Creator of the stars and the sky and the water and the land and the plants and the animals and of you and of me.

"Sometimes just surviving certain tasks without falling apart is our best, and in those times God is not ashamed of our performance.  He is proud of us for fighting overwhelming human emotion to do His will.  God isn't interested in our stellar performance, but in our hearts.  He loves our willingness and obedience despite our insecurities."

(A quote that couldn't have had better timing for me this week in bible study, credit to Beth Moore!)

Sorry...

...obviously my New Years' resolution was NOT to keep up on my blog!!!!  

Here are more pics from the past (crazy) week:

Bennett had a great time skiing with Erik on Jan 2nd.

They both had smiles on their faces the whole time, it was so cute :)

We have been lucky to have Auntie Woody here with us for the past two weeks while she's on her winter break from college!!!

She is a HUGE help with the boys, and they are just in love with her :)

We sure love her too :) :) :)

The funfetti birthday cake from my Half-Birthday celebration on the 7th!

27 1/2 years old I am!!!  

Another picture of Sawyer and his proudest life moment thus far ;)

Hello 2014!

Happy New Year!

Here are some pictures from the past week, starting with Christmas morning.