Pioneer WeekEND!

Dad has managed at home last week......no news for now.....one day at a time...

Our daughter, Jaclyn has wanted to do a pioneer "week" for a long time, and we managed a week end, and we all wish it would END.  It really ends on Monday at 3pm, so technically I shouldn't be blogging, but since the kids went to bed, "candles out" at 8pm, we have some time. Chris is reading blogs, and I'm typing all by candle light! We've been sticking to it pretty good, so catching up on rest has been one of the benefits.

We just went without lights, most of the weekend cooking outside (except today it was raining), and didn't use our dishwasher. Even that was enough of a challenge, how did they do it??? Kids settled down today with books and candles, or coloring for about 30minutes before bed, and it was just really quiet. I think less lights on does have a calming effect on everyone and I plan to try that more often.

I plan to go to a support group tomorrow night at a Caribou..support and coffee, both a win/win. I did pretty much lose my cool last Friday, called Chris numerous times and pulled it around. Trying to remember what it was now...I think just a combination of everything...

We do struggle with lying still around the house, kids try to manipulate to get help with their school work (stuff that they even know), some just don't think or think clearly, hope Monday is off to a better start.

Katya is progressing, but she needs help as well with her subjects. The kids are basically doing well, all of them, but just revert back to strange controlling, inquisitive, deceptive behavior from time to time and as parents it can get really frustrated when we're just trying to maintain order and get everyone to their practice or game.

Andre is our tough one lately. Today he strolled out in his football gear dressed for pictures that ended up being cancelled - ughh. But with all that gear on he kind of sauntered out with the tough guy look and sound in his voice and said "Why didn't you sign me up for hockey sooner?"...implying I messed up! I almost lost it, but he just got a really long lecture that he's lucky he can even be playing, and who is he to even challenge me in how I handle our schedule, etc. He though that the sooner I'd sign him up, the sooner he'd be on the ice..but my instruction to him was "ASK POLITELY" don't tell Mommy how to run our schedule etc. and by the way "NEVER TALK TO ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!". Can you tell I was a little frustrated??? He also pumped our football almost as round as a basketball much to Chris' dismay, leaving the pump and all out, and ruining the nice new football. It's not the first time things like this happen, we just don't share them all.

I just wanted you to know that we still have ups and downs, but mostly ups, and "tireds". I am looking forward to the support though. Also, we have really gotten a lot of school work done and a few need to pick up the pace on reading, but math, writing, and geography are getting done with a lot of reading for a few readers (like halfway through Constitutional Law course), and 2 science days so far (on Friday's). Mostly, despite the "I can't, Jonathan stop it, Mom help me" interruptions, we're progressing, and that's what matters most to me.

Chris and I are contemplating a 1 night marriage get away on 11/11, however, not sure who to watch the kids. Would start Friday afternoon, and end Sat after 5pm, we need it, but need to just enjoy our weekends at home, so will just pray about it.

Visiting Wizards: Chris is getting trained in to do this, and we went to a VW presentation for school on Thursday, cryogenics - super cooling. Kids loved it, and will be nice to have Chris teach them science as well.  Jonathan is getting his legs ready for tryouts during the week at open ice times, and we all have clean clothes to wear, and food in the fridge and Chris was able to help a friend sand some floors to return the favor of all our help this year.

We soaked in the Word today as Pastor Jason is taking us through the Bible, and how refreshing it is to hear the review of all that we have studied in school, now at church. We have a movie night Friday that we might go to as well, at Grace Church of Roseville, you're welcome to join us - free! 

We have football, soccer and hockey in the next 7 days. Photo's and violin, and possibly Chris will head up to take out the dock. Love and God Bless you from Alesia & Chris

Dad is home...

Dad came home yesterday and is moving slow. He slept good which is an improvement over the hospital, and he still has his sense of humor. We had a few tears today...wish we lived closer, but our times together are a blessing.

In Pine springs, we cleaned out some brush, looks much better and a long way to go. Soccer & Football games went well, with little guys game being the winner this week, and Natasha not letting any goals in as goalie! Kids were good sports in the heat and had fun.

2nd week of school, here we go! Have a good week, love Alesia & Chris

Just too much protein booster.....and center of gravity.

We think the protein booster oral medicine didn't sit well with Dad and made him sick..and after talking with the doctor he should be able to get out Sunday or sooner so I am still home chauffeuring children from soccer to soccer. Thank you for your prayers!

The kids were delighted when one child showed up for Games Galore tonight, but I was out running around, and Chris was trimming trees. The kids hunkered down to a game of risk and we had popcorn later when I returned. I just assumed no one would show, but they handled themselves well!

• We managed a little science today; Monarch Butterflies & Center of Gravity. I thought the photo so appropriate to all of our lives..when it's off balance it's way off, and when we can tweak it here and there, it comes back into the right place. The photos of the "weebles wobbling" but they don't fall down, made me think of Mom and Dad's week..what a week they have had.

Love from Alesia & Chris

Please Pray for Dad...

I just talked with him..minutes before he was getting sick in the stomach and had to go. I hope it's from the antibiotic and not from low blood sugar, chemo, or stroke. I had hoped to go out tomorrow afternoon, but may try to go tonight. Thanks for all your prayers.

Alesia & Chris

Dad changed hospitals...

Dad went to a better care hospital today. Pray for his strength & health to return so that he can go home and feel some peace and rest from the hospital hustle and bustle. Thanks for your prayers. Alesia & Chris

Update on Dad

Dad is still in the hospital with low white blood count, and I did get to talk to him and hear the weariness in his voice. Please pray that he can get strong enough and well enough to get out by Friday, meet with his cancer doctor and go home. Pray for Mom as she drives back and forth from the hospital, home, and work.

Tonight is the first night in months that we do not have any activities. I'm looking for a walk with the dog, a few chores and an early night. Only 2 days into the school year, but off to a good start, and that helps.

Thanks for all your prayers. Grateful for our family, and living one day at a time....

Alesia & Chris

Hospitals, Schools, athletic fields & ice rinks...

Dad went into the hospital late last night with low blood sugar that made him hallucinate. They struggle to stabilize his blood sugar, but it is at 70 now. Mom called 911, and the medic had a tough time getting him calmed out of his state, but Mom was able to calm him and help them get sugar into him. He went from crabby to, good but tired spirits and wanting to sleep today. Mom calls it an honor to serve him in these days. We wish they lived closer. He will go home or to a different hospital tomorrow. He has an infection and is being treated for it.

Chris' Mom's replaced hip came out of the socket for the 4th time yesterday and she had to go from a boat into an ambulance, to one hospital, and then into another ambulance, and then to her hospital in the cities, and sit with the pain for about 7 hours before they could put it back in place. She plans to have it fixed in October and is grateful for her recent stint repair that aided her blood flow during all of yesterday's stress to her body. She is home resting.

Our children started school today and all went well. Kids participated in hockey, football, soccer, and violin today (divide & conquer). Today we are grateful for family and friends. We had a nice back to school bar-b-que yesterday and it was truly a well spent 3 hours with kids running around having fun and friends talking non-stop!

Photos from today...Love & God Bless, Alesia & Chris

Family, Dad, School

Spent time with family and see how the kids really enjoy spending time together, but it's hard for the adults to stop long enough to have a reasonable conversation. It was nice for our children to spend time with their cousins and they all did really well together, but it was a constant buzz of activity.

Dad had chemo last week and is starting to feel punky, and we think he might be running a fever, but he didn't want to take his temperature. Dispite his sleepless nights, fever, and overall punk feeling from the chemo he continued to crack jokes. He looked handsome but a bit sicker toward the end, I hope he takes a turn for the better in the next couple of days....

School starts in about 36 hours...I have made a few charts to record our progress, Katya needs to sign up for pictures for the first day of school, and I've glanced at our school calendar. I have made modest goals this year (Reading, Writing & Arithmetic every day) and hope to share our accomplishments with you. The first couple weeks will be the hardest. I see a mixture of excitement, stress, and depression in tall of us over school starting. I'm looking forward to more routine, and hoping for good attitudes. We're having a back to school bar-b-que to help kick off the year for us!

God Bless you and your families,

Love Alesia & Chris