Our Bear Lake Trip with the Manwarings

Ever changing Kids

So, I have learned one thing being a mom. Things never stay the same....no matter how much you are enjoying (or not enjoying) life. So, I am trying to learn to relish in the moments. This week has been a pretty big one for my family with changes. I have been trying to wake up by 6 am (this morning it was 5:45) and exercise before the kids are up and at them. That has added much energy and hours to my day. Second, I went into Becca's room after a nap the other day and saw this......
Yes, she has learned to pull herself up in her crib. She kind of started doing that last week so I moved the crib mattress lower. Good thing or she would topple out.
Another big change for little Becca is she has produced her first tooth!!! It is still popping through so today she isn't too happy. So far, though, she has been very good considering her "ailment".
Well, the biggest change is that Ashlyn is in the process of potty training. She wasn't showing any interest and really detested wearing underwear until Brad came up with a brilliant idea. Lipstick. Yes, lipstick. Actually, we have resorted to lipgloss which is much less messy with a two year old. The first two days whenever she wore underwear she got to carry the lipgloss around and wear it. That brought a few stares at Walmart as she had real lipstick all over her lips and mouth. We were going to buy the lip gloss at that time. The next few days she just got to put it on whenever she went. Now, the prizes have kind of died down as she just goes for the sheer enjoyment of getting me to "Come see my pee, mom!!!" I've never been more proud!!! She does enjoy putting stickers on the potty chart. We just hope she can keep this up....and learn the second part of toilet training.....the poop. That should be interesting. We are trying a playdough reward for that one. Anyway, that is it for now. Ryan and Makayla keep growing as well. They are just older where the things they learn aren't quite as BIG so to speak as these younger ones. I will say for Makayla that she is turning into quite the reader. I am so glad she and Ryan have developed that same love for books that I have.
Oh, by the way, if you want to see updated pictures of my ever changing kids you can look at my photography blog (which isn't that great but the newest set of pictures of the girls are cute) it is tambellphotography.blogspot.com.

Where have I been? Part 3

It is now May 1st and there is snow on my lawn. Does anyone else see this as a problem? Little Ashlyn is dying to play in the snow, but all the snow clothes are in the attic. She asked me if when I get bigger like a daddy if I could get them for her. That was a pretty safe yes on my part.
Anyway, continuing this saga. Easter was wonderful except for a phone call I received as I was listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and doing my hair. My dad called to inform me that my Grandma Joyce, his mother and my only living grandparent, was diagnosed with cancer the night before. WHAT?!!!! I had no idea she had been that sick. We had just known she was tired and not feeling 100%. It was the shock of a lifetime.
That next week was a roller coaster for all of us. She seemed to be getting sicker fast and we still didn't know the extent of what was happening. On Thursday she saw an oncologist. He wouldn't give her any definitive diagnostics until he ran further tests. He did say he was pretty sure it was pancreatic cancer.
On Friday, my mom, Allison and her baby Libby, myself and Becca, and Nicole and her baby Kiegen all hopped into my van and headed to St George. My grandmother was getting worse everyday. She slept most of the time we were there. When she was awake we had the most wonderful visits. She taught my sisters and I had to properly roll a ball of yarn for crocheting. We took a walk down memory lane and just savored every last moment we had with her.
Sunday was the hardest day of all. We had to say goodbye. With my grandma and grandpa on my mother's side it was easier. They were in the hospital and comatose when we had to say our goodbyes. Grandma Joyce was not. She was fully alert, in pain, but very alert when I hugged her goodbye. It was so hard knowing full well I would never see her alive in this life again. This was to be the case. On Monday she found out things were as bad as we thought. The doctor gave her a day to several weeks to live. He also gave her permission to die. That is exactly what she did less than 48 hours after. She passed away on April 2. It was a sweet passing.

Rebecca with Gigi (my grandma Joyce)

My grandmother was from Canada. She lived there unil just last summer. That meant her funeral was to be held in Canada. So, on Friday we packed up and went to Idaho Falls. We went the rest of the way on Saturday. The funeral was lovely and the trip was very therapeutic. I finally got my sweet husband to Canada. It was great to show him my heritage.

Becca loves "high in the sky" with dad. This is them at my grandmothers home in Canada.

Beautiful Falls at Waterton National Park, Canada

Old Chief Mountain -that is a prominent mountain seen all over southern Alberta.
A panoramic picture Brad and I took of Waterton Dam-just 1/2 mile from my grandmas
My great-grandparents home in Glenwood, Alberta, Canada

The Lodge where we all stayed. It had 13 bedrooms in it. It was awesome. It is across the street from my great-grandparents home.

While in Canada we celebrated Ryan's 7th birthday. Am I really old enough to have a 7 year old? Ryan was quite spoiled this birthday. We went to Burger King for lunch in Lethbridge. That is 45 minutes from Glenwood. There is nothing like that in Glenwood.

After lunch we found a bowling ally and had some great fun!!
Glenwood has a HUGE slide at the elementary school. My kids LOVED playing on it.

Ryan ended up with 4 birthday cakes. One in March when the Bells were up. We had a tri birthday party for Ryan (April 7th), Brooklyn my niece (April 8th) and Julie my sister in law (April 9th). He then got a cake on his birthday at the viewing in Canada. Of course there was the cake for his birthday party (actually they were cupcakes), and then a cake the Sunday after where he had a party with all of his family.

The rest of the month was crazy with small but time consuming things. When we got back from Canada I had to do Ryan's birthday party we had had to reschedule. The next week was spring break. We had lots of fun sticking around town. We got a pass to Thanksgiving Point and went to the farm and Dinosaur museum. My kids were in heaven.

Ryan's big Sunday birthday bash

The new baby goats at Thanksgiving Point

The week after spring break I played nurse the entire week. Ryan and Makayla came down with the Influenza. They were sporting 104 fevers all week and took over my bed. Brad and I slept downstairs on mattresses in the family room so we could keep the illness contained to one area.
Anyway, we finally got them better on Sunday. I was having major cabin fever last week. I didn't drive for days, or practically step out of house except to water my raspberries.
Unfortunately, life comes full circle. I began this saga saying Becca was sick with a fever. I am now holding my feverish baby, who does not want to be put down for any reason what so ever. She has had a fever since Monday and it is now Thursday. I am assuming she has a milder case of what her siblings had. I say milder because her fever has only been 102 instead of 104. I am hoping this will break soon and I can have my happy go lucky baby back so I can live life to it's fullest!!!
Well, there you go. In case you were wondering, that is where I have been for the past 2 months. I am hoping May holds nothing but happiness and fun for our family. I am especially hoping for warm weather as this has been by far the longest winter of my life!! Until next time, ciao.