Bike-Riding Brynlee

Brynlee was so excited to ride this little two-wheeler bike her friend gave her, she thought she would just hop right on and go like her friend so she was a little frustrated when she realized it wasn't that easy. We taught her about learning to balance, practicing and looking where you want to go (she kept looking at things she was afriad of riding into and somehow that would make her run right into them!) She kept trying and practicing for a couple days until she finally got the hang of it. It was so fun watching her stuggle, be so frustrated, keep trying and then the pay off triumph and freedom of riding!

Brady's Wyoming Deer

The handsome hunter

The happy hunter

The homebound hunter

Brady has quite the story to go with these pictures...does anyone know why I can't cut and paste onto Blogger anymore?

1st Time Canning

Hey Mom and Grandpa Merrill...this post is for you! Thought you would be happy to know that Brynlee and I made it through our first canning experience on our own! You must have taught us well because it worked! We missed you but we still had a lot of fun and we'll be sure to save some peaches for you!
Brynlee is a fantastic helper, she even found a cute little bottle that she canned for herself!

Tubes All Around

"This will change your life!" is what Dr. Beck told Brady and I today when she put tubes in all three of the kids ears. All three of them have had ear problems going on for quite some time now...Brynlee got a note sent home from the school nurse this week saying she failed her hearing test in both ears. We already knew she couldn't hear, trust me its been super frustrating for all of us but hopefully tubes will help solve all of the ear related problems we've been having. Nash had tubes before but they came out and his ears had filled back up with fluid, so this was his second time getting them. Ridge had at least 7 ear infections in the last year and always has fluid in his ears too. Dr. Beck thinks that Ridge will probably start talking soon now that he can actually hear. She diagnosed all three of them with what she calls "glue-ear" which is what happens when the fluid is in the middle ear so long that it sets up and becomes thick and gluey then it can't drain out.
Thank goodness for modern medicine and fantastic doctors!

Brynlee was super excited about getting to hear well again!

We got to read books while we waited

and they also got to decorate their gas masks with stickers

Brynlee was the first to have the surgery, here she is peacefully sleeping when they brought her back out to us. Dr. Beck said she will be hearing at least 50 decibels better when she wakes up, and she was! She had so much stringy snot built up in her ears they had a hard time even cleaning them out! They gave us some strong antibiotic drops to keep in her ears for the next week to help make sure the rest of the junk comes out and stays out. When we got in the car to come home she was complaining about how loud the boys and the car were! Yeah! It's such a blessing to be able to hear!

Nash went next and Ridge patiently waited for his turn while he played with dad.

Nash's surgery went smoother than last time, he still has such tiny ear canals that Dr. Beck can't see what she is doing when she tries to place the tube in the ear drum but today she said her hand was guided right into the perfect spot when she blindly placed it in, and they were able to clean the glue out of his ears too! We are seriously blessed with so many little miracles like clean hospitals, doctors and nurses that are smart and skilled, and simple procedures like putting tubes in ears that can help kids (and parents) in more ways than one. Brady was thinking of a kid on his mission in Peru who was a lot like Ridge, he made similar sounds and gestures and he probably needed tubes in his ears but there in Peru it wasn't even an option for him. It makes us so thankful to live where we do.

And its all so comfortable for the kids, they don't even know what's happening!

Bryn woke up with a big smile on her face

and couldn't wait to have a drink!

Nash had a good long nap, woke up hungry and was immediately satisfied with the box of Lucky Charms they gave him. Ridge's surgery also went well, they got all of the build up out of his ears and hopefully the tubes will help them stay as clean as they are right now. I held him while he was coming out of the anesthesia so I didn't get a picture of him sleeping...he woke up so quickly it made us all laugh, he just popped right up like he had never been asleep and guzzled two cans of apple juice.

We are a very happy and thankful to be hearing family!

Thank you Dr. Beck!

Happy Birthday Brady!

Another year older and wiser too! We had fun celebrating Brady's birthday over Labor Day weekend! On the kids b-days I like to write some of the fun things they do so I thought I'd write some things that Brady does that I love...

Sings while he gets ready

Is always making plans and setting goals

Looks so handsome in his shirt and tie when he goes to work

Drives with his left foot on the dash

Takes cat naps on the couch and says that he's not sleeping but he is

Is crazy about the kids and loves to play with them as much as they love to play with him

Isn't great at fixing things but always tries anyway

Has a bridled passion for hunting and the outdoors

Lives what he believes and always tries to be his best self

Is always optimistic

I'm just getting started, the list could really get going from here but I better stop so I don't embarrass him.

I had to post this picture of Brady inspecting his gift...is it written in a dad manual somewhere that when your kids give you a gift you whistle and wow and act really impressed? I remember my dad doing the same. =)
We sang Happy Birthday and had pie if you ask Brynlee, cupcakes if you ask Nash, nothing if you ask Ridge, and cheesecake if you ask me, either way it was good. =)


Happy Birthday Honey! We love you!