What an wonderful week.

Our very favorite person came to visit us last week. GRANDMA SU-SU. We kept it a surprise from Chase. On his first day of school, we told him we'd have a special surprise waiting for him at home when school was over. He was extremenly excited to discover it was grandma. He gave her a big squeeze and said it was the best surprise ever.

Here's a few of the things we did to entertain our guest as well as ourselves.



We went bowling and the kids loved it. Although they did lose interest once they saw two video arcade games during the seventh frame...


We drove to Red Lodge while Chase was in school (sorry Chase) and we enjoyed a nice picnic by the river and then we strolled around the cute shops. (kind of like a Park City, Utah before its hey day) The candy emporium was everyone's favorite. Cashew turtles are heavenly bliss....


Next we headed to the zoo...



Slathering on the sunscreen for that hot Montana Sun at ZOO Montana.


Ahhh, matching visor caps and forehead sunglass placements. Are we a couple or what? Not to mention the fact that we are just so dang stylish.


It took all I had in me to keep from jumping on top of that cute little elephant and taking him for a ride. Or pretending to...

More children were on display than there were animals. I'm not kidding. But it was entertainment none the less.


Of all the animals such as wolves, bears, and tigers; Big Jake ended up being our favorite. He is HUGE and sweet. The kids got to feed him apples. They loved it. Jake loved Grandma. He wanted her to caress his head the rest of the day.

So overall, what a great week! When Grandma Su-su left, the house suddenly felt very empty. She is a great presence in our home. We left the bed up for one more night, just hoping she'd come back. But, Grandpa Tom needed her next so we let him have her.

WE LOVE YOU GRANDMA SU-SU. COME BACK!!!!

Me against the bees

This is my new son, a little WHO that I adopted from Who-ville.

Ok, so the real truth is that Logan just happened to get stung by a yellow jacket smack dab on the lip. Poor Logan. He was so upset. He ran into the house all hysterical and crying, "De bee bit me. De bee bit my mouf." It swelled up immediately. Now he's terrified of bees. He saw one the next day after he'd been bit and screamed holy terror upon the town.

We discovered a little yellow jacket "home" right on our deck. We've taken extreme measures to destroy them. They are very very univited.

Chase is a kindergartner this year. All I can say is that I miss the little guy. I dropped him off at school on his first day and missed him all day. I couldn't wait to see him six and a half hours later. I do not like this all day kindergarten crap. It's too long of a day. Chase was exhausted when he came home. He said he was tired and that the day was really long. (He loves school though)

I'm exited that he's growing up. I treasure the first five years of his life that we spent together all day long every day. (Sure I wanted to strangle him every other day) But now I'm all nostalgic now that I feel like we have little time together.

Oh and Logan bawled when Chase left for school the first day. He said he was going to miss Chase in between his tears with his hands covering his face. HOW SWEET IS THAT?

End of the First year

This is my first attempt to post on the blog that bears my name. I thought I would try to convey a little of what I've been up to this past year. As pictures are worth a thousand words, I will go light on typing and let the images speak for themselves.

Dissecting a pig heart

Practicing Splints

Cutting Casts


Logan and Chase Volunteered for Pediatric Lab

This is the proper technique for holding your kids during an exam

Chase is taken a developmental test

Practicing Sutures on pork

Summer. What summer?

Man, we have been so busy this summer and not in a good way. We usually kick back, swim a lot, visit lots of parks, eat lots of fruit and even more ice cream...but not this summer. (Well we have eaten lots of fruit) but I've only purchased two cartons of ice cream. How lazy am I?

On the other hand, lazy is definitely NOT what we've been. Jon got his schedule for next year and at first I cried...because I am an emotional female...but then I got used to how things will be. We did not get Great Falls. (sad) And we did not exactly get this town we've been living in either. But we did get a mix of a few rotations in billings and then a few further west of an hour or two away and then two several hours away in Dillon and Great Falls. Jon will end the year with his requested rotation in St. George in July and August. (Yes I will come to visit sometime during then) My only dilemma is that the air conditioner is barely working in the car I will be driving. It's not worth it to put a new system in a car that old. So, I'm trying to figure out how I could possibly drive to the desert that way.

Anyway, So we decided that if we moved a little bit west, it would put some of the towns Jon has to drive to closer. We'd possibly see him a little more. We picked the perfect town to move to in terms of distance, and started checking out rentals. Too bad its a small town and there wasn't much to see and when there was something it was snagged before I could even pick up the phone. I spent two-thirds of the summer on the internet scoping out the classifieds and property management websites several times a day hoping to score something. When I did find something and I rushed to check out the houses, it would always end up in disappointment. (ICKY places) (Too small for a family of 4) (in the ghetto areas)

At this point, we were saying lots of "Help us find a nice place to live" prayers and Chase was very cute as he prayed for us to find a house at every opportunity. Time was ticking away and Jon was going to be done with school (the classroom part) and we needed to have a new place by that time. We were getting pretty discouraged because there was nothing. At the last minute, this great house somehow snuck into the scene. We just happened to come across this house with a for rent sign in the yard. There were lots of applicants, but we were lucky enough to be picked. Yeah for prayers being answered. It happened at the right time...and just in time.

So I am way excited to be living in an actual house. (It's huge to me) It's only five years old so its in great condition and there's a yard for the boys to play in. The kindergarten school isn't too far away. We've got a garage which will be nice for these cold winters of snow. Mostly I'm just excited about having all this space. We've been squished in an apartment of 777 sq feet this last year and I about went bonkers with all of us in each other's space. (doable, just squishy)

I think this will be a good place for us to be, especially while Jon will be away at times. He's got to commute to a few areas at a good distance away and he'll probably not come home every day. He'll be gone during the winter time for twelve weeks in Dillon and Great Falls which leaves me alone all that time. (If anyone wants to come visit me and keep me company, please feel free to do so.)

Now that we have a place to move to, I have to pack. What an unfun summer! But we are still excited. We are moving just as Jon is on a break, and then we'll enjoy him for twelve days before the schedule of his crazy next year begins.

I'm going to miss having my hubby around when he's gone...but I'm going to love my house!

I'll post pictures when I unpack my USB cord and upload them.