Moving!!

I have moved my blog over to http://defofamily.blogspot.com/ I won't be using this one anymore. I can't get it to let me change my email address and I finally gave up. LOL

The whole DeForrest Family now lives altogether in Idaho!!

What a relief. That was a long three months but it's finally over and we are together again and even in our own house. Now if we could just get everything unpacked and put away. It's slowly coming together. There's a big difference in the unpacking when you don't have a boat load of people helping like we have been so privileged to have the last couple times we have moved.
Summer is in full swing and the kids are enjoying living in a busy full of kids neighborhood. They are out consistently until after 9:30 almost every night of the week. The favorite game of kids ranging from 6-18 play capture the flag once it gets dark. It's fun to listen to all the screaming and to see them working together as teams.
We also have season passes to Silverwood Theme park that also has a water park attached to it. The kids and Tyler have been able to enjoy theirs a little more than me but it keeps them busy and worn out.
We celebrated the 4th of July with the neighbors on both sides (one side is my parents) and I think a good time was had by all.
More big news on the home front is Tyler started back to work for the first in 2.5 years! What an answer to prayer!! He will be working for Titan up here in Spokane a couple days a week. It's great because they will work with him around his school schedule this fall. Yes this is the same company that layed him off.

Here is is February already!

Wow times are just flying by. Things have gotten a little crazier around here if that's possible. With Tyler in school full time, and the kids with all their activities, and me and my school and working 2 jobs. January was when I had said I would start hitting the pavement looking for jobs in Idaho. I've been looking off and on since Sept and applied here and there but only had responses from a couple and they were not really what I was looking for. This week all that has changed. Last Friday I applied for several positions. I actually got called within and hour for one and we talked for quite a while but I need 3 more months of experience before her company would allow her to hire me. Perfect the timing would be just right! One of the jobs I was really interested in stated if you didn't hear from them with 24 hrs basically you weren't qualified and please don't keep sending your resume into us. Tuesday morning I got an email saying Providence in Spokane had just posted a LPN position so I got up and tuned my resume up to reflect the new temp licenses in both WA and ID that I had received and I applied. Two hours later I got an email from HR. We talked back and forth and she then notified me that I had passed the first step and was moving on to the hiring manager and to expect a call sometime this week. So Wednesday while I was at work I checked my phone and I had a missed call. Low and behold it was not Providence it was the Friday posting. I had phone interview and am now headed up next week to a face to face. Tyler and I both have such mixed emotions right now with this. What if I do get this job?? I will have to pack up my things and leave my family behind until June. I know God is in control and he knows what's best but I still have those thoughts and am wondering what the heck he is thinking. I have no doubts that Tyler can handle being a single parent and keeping up with the house the next couple months but isn't that my job too?
In the mean time we have been putting finishing touches on patchwork that we have done throughout the house. We are having an Open House the first weekend in March so maybe God has a plan with that too. It sure would make things easier and less stressful.
We also found out we are having a NEPHEW!! I can't hardly wait to meet the little fella!
Oh and this month I'm having a reunion with some old friends and can't wait!! I think God has some BIG plans for lots of people in 2011.

We made it to 2011!!

The holidays are gone and we are trying to get back into the routine of school, work and activities. It seems like are calendar is always full of something and anytime I have a day off it's filled with something. Tyler and I have also really started talking about the Big Move this summer and when do we start cleansing rooms, getting rid of stuff we have already decided we are taking, packing, and when do we go up to find a house to rent? We are about 6 months away. YIKES! I have several good job leads and even though there has been a bump in the road of my plans to finish school it's totally doable and I just have to rearrange my thinking. I need some help on how to retain the knowledge to pass Art of the Western World. What the heck does it have to do with Nursing. Nothing I tell you! It's just 3 credits I need towards my degree and there is no way around it because believe me I have tried and tried. I finally gave up and started studying. LOL for the time I spent trying to get out of it I should have been studying.
We had a great Christmas this year although we did miss my side of the family. We played it pretty low key. We had the kids each get a name from a tree and buy the presents for that child, plus my family adopted a military family and some children from a group home for Christmas. The kids really enjoyed buying for others and it was fun to see them so excited to do stuff for others and not just take take take.
I have also come across a website that is fabulous. It's the Pioneer Woman. I have tried several of her recipes in the last few weeks and all have enjoyed every one of them. The cinnamon rolls Christmas morning were a huge hit!
We are off this weekend for another adventure to Bend. I pray that the roads are clear and it doesn't take us too long to get there! We are ready for a friend and fun filled weekend. I think Tyler and I are more excited about sledding than the kids though. I will have to post so pictures from our adventures and the holidays.

Holidays

As the holidays approach this year, along comes all the excitement and the I want this and that and that and that. This year we are trying something new. Tyler and I decided that our kids have more than enough stuff (notice I didn't say junk. It use to drive me insane when my dad called my possesions junk) We bought them each 1 expensive item. With the money we would have spent on all the other crap to open we are having them go out and buy gifts for those less fortunate. My side of the family has also decided instead of drawing names and buying gifts we will be adopting a couple military families from my brother's unit that is deployed right now with the National Guard. They have several families that are really struggling right now and really missing their loved ones. I think Tyler is more excited about downsizing just so we don't have to move all the new stuff this summer.
It's also a little strange to think that next year at this time we will be living in Couer d'Alene. Of course we will at some point be back here for holidays and vacations. When talking to my dad yesterday on the phone when up there it was blizzard like conditions, I was jealous because I was missing out on the snow. We are definitely going to have to buy some more winter style clothes in the next year but I think we are all looking forward to it.
Onto other news. I passes my first test through College network! WOOHOO that was what I thought to be a pretty big! Now I'm on a roll and getting ready to take the next one in just 10 days. Yikes! This one is A&P and worth 6 college credits!
Tyler is almost done with his first term at school and is doing much better than I think he expected. He was stress to begin with but is coming out with excellent grades like I knew he would!
It's time to get on with my day and get some things crossed off the to do list.

Fall

These pictures are from our photo sessions a couple weeks ago. I refuse to pay for the over priced crap that they get at school. We had fun but need to go out at least 1 more time. It got rather chilly while we were out and we had famly coming for dinner so we had to cut it short.

Once again time is passing by so quickly it's hard to believe that my kids are the ages they are. Parker will be 8 in two and a half weeks. I remember my little (big) butterball being a baby like it was just last week. It amazes me daily on how much they have grown. Dylan isn't always the annoying little brother anymore and I find the boys playing together more and more often. I can only hope and pray that Dylan will always find ways to be humorous.

And Haylie hmm just look at the pictures. She is growing up and becoming a young lady or maybe I should say tween? Don't think I'm ready for that yet. Lord give me strength!!

Sept resolution

Now that Tyler and the kids are all in school I'm making a resolution to spend more time blogging. I want to keep this more active and current with our lives and I find it enjoyable to read others blogs. So if you read this and weeks have gone by and I haven't posted anything please feel free to call me to the carpet!! Unless our lives bore you and you cvould careless with our daily activities.

Anniversary

It's hard to believe that twelve years ago Tyler and I got married. We have been together now for fifteen years and friends for eighteen. We have been through a lot over the years but I think that every day that passes I love him even more. Today starts yet another chapter in our lives, Tyler is going back to school. Haylie asked him this morning if he was excited to start school. and Tyler told her he was excited to finish just not go through the everyday going to school and homework. From experience I know how hard it is to go back to school. All those young right our of highschool kids make you feel so old. This is going to be a crazy fall for us with 3 in soccer, Tyler going to school and me working 48 hours a week. But God is good and we will get through it. I'm sure time will fly by.

March? I think I may have missed Feb!

I kow I keep saying that life is just passing by at a fast rate but really now what happen to Feb? I realized this afternoon that we are already a week into March. Could it be I worked way to many hours? This week between work and preceptor I did 6 12 hour days. Yes that's right 72 hours! Yikes I never in my life thought I could actually make it through a 72 hour work week. Honestly I must say it really wasn't too bad. Yes I miss my family and yes I'm a little pooped tonight and I look like I aged 20 years this week alone but I made it. God is really going to see me through this and I will be able to make it to the end. It probably helps that I really do love my job and get excited to go there everyday. I also love all the people I work with at both hospitals. I have missed spending time at WVMC lately so getting to do my preceptorship there has been awesome! Now if I could only figure out how to get paid for all those preceptor hours. LOL Oh well It's only for a few more weeks. 168 hours to be exact spread out over about 5 more weeks.
I have had so much fun playing Nurse! LOL yes I know I'm not really playing anymore it's for real! I give shots, hang IV's give meds, listen to lung and bowel sounds and I could go on and on. (be thankful I left out details of what I have done ;-))
Haylie and Parker started soccer today. Both hada great time at their games but I think they enjoyed the fact that the sun was out more than anything. Dylan is just ready to play and can't hardly wait until this fall when he gets his chance.
Parker or maybe I should say Tyler had a lottle mishap with the clippers this am. Parker's hair was getting a little shaggy and instead of Tyler waiting for me or taking him to the barber he decided to take it into his own hands and attempt to do it himself. Well he found out that it's not as easy as it looks and PD ended up with a military hair cut and buckets of tears. he is upset because he can't wear a hat at school. Poor guy. I think Tyler may have learned his lesson on hair cutting and why I'm not such a big fan of clipping the boys' hair.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As I sit here lazily on a Sunday afternoon, I was thinking about all that has been going on lately and what is to come. I can hardly believe that I only have 16 school days left and then is onto preceptorship and then in just 4.5 months I will (God willing) have LPN behind my name. Praise God for all that he has done to make that possible this last year! Who would have thought that when Tyler came home from work last Feb and called me to tell me that he had been layed off that this is the road that we would have chosen. At first I sre thought we were crazy and that it would never work but God has always provided when we needed it!
We had a great Christmas this year. I love being around family and got to spend time with almost everyone (only Judah was missing) We even got to see my brother and his family from Alaska this year. We met at my parents in Idaho for a few days and had a great time with each other. Just wish it cold have been a little longer.
I also got to have a 9 day break from school! That was an awesome gift! I'm getting burnt out but can see the end so I think I will make it. I also ended up getting a 9 day break from work because we haven't had any patients in ICU for 9 days now. I loved the break even if the paycheck will show it.

Where the heck did summer go?

As I finish my second term in school summer is also coming to an end. Where has the time gone? I feel like it was only a few weeks ago I was pregnant with Haylie and when I see her I'm reminded that she is 9.5 yrs old. Yikes I'm getting old! School has been fairly good so far. I must admit it's not always easy but it's not always all that hard either. I sometimes I have a hard time prioritizing my time between work, school, and family. Somewhere in all that I have to fit in some time to sleep too and let me tell you it hasn't been enough.

We accomplished the Providence Bridge Pedal rise once again this year. This was the fourth year we have done it and it was fun again but after each time I have said next year I will prepare my body better and I have really not accomplished that portion. HMM Maybe this next year. Tyler and I have started jogging and are up to about 2.5 miles of a slow jog.

The kids and Tyler have been swimming off and on all summer having a ball. I must remember to thank Cora and Paul for the use of their pool and putting up with the 4 of them. LOL

We also went to the Rock of Ages Hot Air Balloon thing a couple weeks ago and Leslie, Brooke, Jason and Tyler all ended up going on a Balloon ride that must have been amazing just by listening to them talk about it non stop and seeing the pictures. I wasn't really into going because I'm afraid of heights but I think they have me convinced to try it at some point in the near future.

Not much else is going on. School is about to start for the kids and I will return to school for the 3rd term the 14th of Sept. WOOOHOOOO! I can't believe how fast it's going. Why didn't someone talk me into it a long time ago????

Oh and I almost forgot. Dylan can ride his bike without training wheels

What has happen to the last couple months?

Today I realized that it was already July and almost the middle. I'm in total disbelief because that means that I'm already starting the 3rd week of the second term of school!! Only 3 more after that and then I'm done with this leg of the journey. Tyler is really enjoying staying home with the kids and has found lots of activities to do with them. We have a massive garden going on right now and it produced it's first 2 tomatoes this weekend. They were nice and tasty!
The boys all made a trek up to Lebam, WA last week along with grandpa Gene to help buikd a church. They ended up coming home early because they all got a nasty stomach bug. Luckily it stayed away from me because I don't have time to be sick at this point.
Haylie, grandma and I made a trip to Olympia, WA this weekend for my Unlce's Memorial Service and a family reunion on the Friesen side. It was fun to see cousins and Aunts and Uncles that we don't see often some of the spouses I had never met. I also brought back 2 new family members. They are African Frogs. My sister was so nice to give them to the boys because she was tired of taking care of them. Hmm I wonder how long it's going to take for me to get tired of taking care of them??

Now this is a scary sight!! The girls thought they were so funny pretending to be pregnant. Let's just hope we can take this picture again in like 20 years and they are all prego at the same time!!

Bad mother award goes to................ ME

So I won a Bad Mother Award last week. Haylie lost a tooth and the Tooth Fairy forgot to make a visit. OMG you would have thought the world was coming to an end. She was over emotional because Tyler was gone last week and then the Tooth Fairy didn't stop by! Yikes!! Well I kept my cover and came up with a lovely little white lie! Yes I had to fib a little (I'm really sorry God) Luckily she bought it and the Tooth Fairy was able to visit the next day. Although I barely remembered that night too. When I awoke Friday morning at 6:05 I realized that I had forgotten again, but lucky me she is a very sound sleeper and I snuck in and placed the money under her pillow without her even stirring!

The sun is a shining!!

Just thought I would add a few pictures of our trip to the park on Monday. Tyler is out of town so it breaks up the day and gets the kids good and tired to run around and play!

The strange things I find on my camera!!

This morning I went to load some of the pics from my camera onto the computer and this is what I found! Now I asked Dylan about it and he runs from me laughing. First big clue that it was him. Plus he thinks my camera is his own and is constantly photographing something. I really should get him his own because I'm so afraid he is going to break mine one of these days. I'm just thankful there was nothing too gross in the toilet when he took a picture of it. Plus it actually looks pretty clean!!

So my mom is always telling me I need to write down the funny things my kids say because someday I won't remember. Well the time has come that I realized I have forgotten a LOT! Where has my brain gone? We were watching a home video the other day and it Christmas when Haylie was 2 and Parker was just a few weeks old. Haylie would open a present and yell "OH BALONEY!!" It was so random and funny I was laughing so hard I thought I might wet myself.
Wednesday night Dylan decided he needed to be up most of the night. He kept coming in and complaining his ear hurt. I gave him so Tylenol and put him back to bed only for him to come in again a hour later. I then gave him some tylenol cold and again put him back to bed. He slept a little better from that time on. When he awoke the next morning he was telling me about how his ear hurt last night when he proceeded to tell me that there were "Ants digging tunnels in there" What? "There are ants digging tunnels in there!" Really? "But I knocked them out this morning by smacking my head so it's all ok now"
The imagination of a 3 year amazes me daily!!

Parker is wayyyyyyy up in this tree and loving every minute of it!

I'm totally new to this

Ok so I have never blogged before but I was thinking it would be fun. I do have a journal on our family web page that has pictures. I only seem to log into it twice a year so I'm trying to make a better go at this. My goal is maybe once a week will do for now. We shall see how I do with that
This summer has been so busy yet I feel like we haven't done anything. We did go to Idaho to visit my parents for 6 days. Had a blast going to a water park, baseball game and parade. Haylie had spent over 2 weeks up there by herself and was ready to come home whether she wanted to or not. LOL! We've gone hiking around Silver Creek Falls and tried to go swimming there but the water had icebergs floating in it. I'm joking but it was rather cold.
Sunday we are doing the Providence Bridge Pedal. http://www.providence.org/bridgepedal/ I think we will be biking over 8 bridges and a total of 14 miles. We had fun last year and are really looking forward to it again this year.