Ramblings

We have been busy...but really is that so new?
The boys are growing like crazy and I'm afraid I don't have a toddler and baby in the house anymore. Pretty sure I have two toddlers. They are a riot to watch play together. I love them both so much and I'm so glad they are best buds. Gunnar loves his little brother and Ryker loves his big brother, they are going to get into some major trouble when they get older.
Gunnar has been talking like crazy lately. The other day I picked him up from school and as he was walking out he turned around and said "Bye guys, I'll see you tomorrow." Nice complete sentence. His speech has really taken off. Potty training is going great. He rarely has an accident and there is always a reason for it (like him not being able to get the door open to the bathroom). Naptime and bedtime are still a struggle. Any tips?
Ryker is busy saying basic words (ball, banana, dog, mama, dada, etc.), jabbering, and just being plain silly. He finally has gotten teeth, but they all kinda came in at once. He has two on the bottom and is working on getting four on the top.
Kyle has been busy "working." Together we have been taking a rock climbing class on Monday through the Wounded Warrior Project. The project is an amazing group of people who work to bring adaptive sport programs, retreats, and other beneficial things which are all to help in the warriors healing process all free of cost to the families. Some programs are just for the warriors, but some include the families.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays Kyle has been doing a scuba diving class. He is already certified, so the class has been fairly easy to him, but fun none the less. This is through Occupational Therapy, but is paid for by an organization called HeartBeat. They are another great group who supports our troops.We have been on a dinner cruise put on by them, we have a couple quilts made my their supporters, and they also really step-it up around Christmas. They have adopted our family for Christmas and also help out with the Christmas party for the Warrior Transition Battalion here at Fort Lewis. 
So since Kyle has been busy on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursday he has been overloaded with appointments on Wednesdays and Fridays.
I have been on the job search....really so far it's just polishing up my resume and looking at jobs. I think I will also start applying for teaching certificates in a few states that we have been considering. It's such a weird concept to me. A job?!?! I haven't worked in over two years, since the day before giving birth to Gunnar. While I am so thankful to have had this time to be home with my kids as we prepare to move and transition out of the military we are thinking that it is going to be best for me to find a job. Places Kyle and I am wanting to move aren't really moving friendly in the winter time so we are also considering buying a travel trailer and living in it until spring (which just sounds awful to me, 2 kids and 3 dogs, but will do it if need be). Really, we are just doing a lot of praying and could use your prayers as well! We have no idea what is in store for us in this next chapter of our lives. When I say no idea, we really have NO IDEA. I would be lying if I didn't say I was a bit worried, but honestly we have put our trust and faith in Jesus Christ and know that He will direct our paths. Waiting, just isn't easy. We did find out that our expected exit date is now in February or early March. They were telling us right about Christmas time before. Really, once again we have NO IDEA (see a trend here?). We do know that the government tends to shut down in the months of November and December which just means more waiting for us. In all honesty, it's totally okay with us. We are happy where we are at, comfortable, have a pay check, a roof over our head, money for groceries, great friends, ect.
Besides looking for jobs I have been busy holding down the fort, caring for the kids, my husband, the dogs, and I have also taken on teaching a 1st/2nd grade Sunday School class and the Wednesday night toddler class. Both classes are a lot of fun and I am enjoying these little opportunities to use my spiritual gift of teaching.
Enough of my rambling. Here are a few pictures of the boys....
Isn't Ryker just huge??? Like I said, totally not a baby anymore!

 I'm hoping he doesn't break any of our drawers before we leave. He loves climbing them and sitting in them. Silly boy.

 Gunnar and I painted some pumpkins one morning. He loves them. Tomorrow we are having a pumpkin carving party at our house, he should enjoy that too!

Pumpkin Patch

We had a great time this weekend with my parents. They got in Friday around dinner time. We had tacos for dinner then Gunnar convinced us all to play the Wii with him. His new favorite thing to do. On Saturday we headed to the pumpkin patch. A group from our church was going and we planned on meeting up with them there. We went a bit early because my parents needed to be back in time to get ready to attend my great Uncle's funeral in Tacoma. When they got back from the funeral we had some homemade clam chowder and played some more Wii. Haha...I'm no sure what Kyle started here, but I am thinking it wasn't to great of a thing....it's all he thinks about.
On Sunday both boys had nasty coughs and runny noses. They had a pretty rough night. My parents offered to stay home so Kyle and I could go teach our Sunday School class and attend church together. It was nice, but I did keep constantly keep thinking I was forgetting something.
Here the boys are waiting for Poppa and Grandma to arrive. They were watching a movie on the guest bed. 

 At the pumpkin patch...looking at the piglets.

 Grumpy and Happy.

 Not quite 3 feet this fall.

 Ryker checking out the cows.

 Going for a horse ride.

 My dad got to be the wheelbarrow pusher.

 They loved the pumpkin patch.

 Gunnar and Grandma.

 Poppa and the boys playing Wii.

This was from today. I came out of the bathroom after my shower and smelled an overwhelming about of Vicks. Gunnar had also put the bunny and monkey on their backs. He thought they were pretty cool. I still haven't figured out where they rubbed all the Vicks, but I sure can still smell it. They are quite the boys.

 Gunnar with his bunny.

 Ryker has a monkey on his back.

 Gunnar wanted some time to hold Oma today. He held her for almost 30 minutes. Gunnar looks like a real turkey in this picture.

 I don't even know why I try to keep a clean house. Ryker loves pulling all my clean, folded towels out of my kitchen drawers. It's so annoying...like I don't have enough laundry already. Thanks sweet boys!

Blessed

Lately I seem to have been focusing on all the uncertainties that Kyle and I have before us. I have forgotten that we have an all-knowing Savior who is right beside us during this journey in our lives. I have let myself forget how blessed I am. God is good. He protects. He is faithful.
Really I think I should start each day by reading Matthew 6:25-34. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

These verses really put worrying into perspective!

So instead of all the things in life that I don't understand or feel completely terrified about, I am going to work on trusting God completely.

While I work on trusting God, I am going to focus on the many blessings in my life, one of them, my family!

Ryker loves getting into my cupboards. While I'm cooking he is usually pulling pots and pans out, sitting in the pots, or climbing into the cupboard.

 While Ryker plays, Gunnar is my cooking assistant. He HAS to help. He is usually a good little helper. (So Gunnar has recently acquired what he calls his "funny face" and any time I say "smile," he says "funny face" and gives me a look like this or something else funny...its annoying, and I hope its just a little phase in the terrible twos.)

 Last night Kyle went to bed at 6:30. Ryker was tired too, so instead of putting him in his own bed he decided they needed some snuggling time. They stayed like this until 10 when I put Ryker in his own bed. Thankfully Ryker slept until his usual 7am...I was expecting him to get up much earlier, going to bed and hour early.

 Unfortunately for me, Gunnar wasn't tired, so he was mine for the hour before he went to bed. We had fun playing games and he also enjoyed his solo bath...which hasn't happened in probably 9 months or so.

 Today we had a lot of fun just playing.

 Here's that funny face again.

 The boys and I built a blanket fort in the living room. They loved it and insisted I sit inside with them. They loved playing with their headlamps and flashlights in the fort. It was a fun evening!

 Ryker and his headlamp!

I am so blessed.

A weekend.

We had a fun weekend! We drove to Portland when Kyle was done with work on Friday. We then met up with Kyle's cousin Jarid and his wife, Bethany. We went to dinner then went to the Casting Crowns concert. Also playing was The Afters and Sanctus Real. The concert was awesome, the music was uplifting and just what Kyle and I needed. After the concert we went and got some ColdStone ice cream then went for a dip in the 24 hour pool at our hotel at about 1am.
(This was taken with my iphone at the concert)

Kyle's mom Kathy, and her cousin Denise stayed with the boys at the hotel. It sounds like they had a lot of fun playing and swimming in the pool. (I stole this picture from Kathy.)

Saturday after a lazy morning (meaning the kids slept in until 7 and 7:30) we had breakfast at the hotel then headed out to the Portland Zoo. The zoo was so much fun. Gunnar is so excited about every animal and loved the whole experience. Ryker was pretty indifferent. He tolerated the zoo, but did decide he should nap at his normal time. So he could lay down and be the least disturbed Kyle reverted to using our awesome stroller like we did when Ryker was an infant. So Gunnar sat up top and Ryker laid down below. His feet were sticking out and be got a few comments about the "stackable baby stroller." He was comfy and slept for over two hours, so all was good.
The highlight of the zoo for Gunnar was the "choo-choo train" ride. He saw it about 5 minutes into our visit but waited patiently until about 3pm after we had a late lunch to have his turn of getting on the train. He LOVED it! Both boys did good on the ride, snacks kept Ryker entertained.
Gunnar has ask about riding the train the last two mornings since we have been home from Portland. This morning as soon as he woke up he said "Mom, get shoes and go outside for choo-choo train." Sorry kiddo, no choo-choo train here.
We really had a great weekend and enjoyed spending time with Jarid, Bethany, and Kathy. We are especially grateful that Kathy and Denise were able to watch the boys while we enjoyed the concert  and a late night dip in the pool.
My little family ready to go to the zoo...

 At the zoo....

 Gunnar and Jarid played some pretty awesome music for us all while we were in "Africa" at the zoo.

 Gunnar pretending he is a bear.

 On the train...

Love these two...Bethany and Jarid.

 So glad we were able to spend some time with Kathy as well.

Weigh-In

Today was the day I haven't been looking forward to for a month! Weigh-in day. Nope, not a weigh in for me (thank goodness, that really would be depressing and I surely wouldn't blog about it), but for Ryker. Last month when I took him to his well-baby check-up they were concerned with his lack of weight gain and ask me to bring him back in a month. Last month he weighed 21 lbs, this month, drull roll please...........TWENTY POUNDS!!!! Ahhh...he lost a pound. No parent awards here, I am obviously starving my child or something.
I don't get it. We fed this kid so much I was afraid he would have gained to much weight and they were going to tell me he needed to diet or he would be obese! He really eats constantly. He eats well at most every meal, and the kid loves snacking. He even goes into the kitchen and points directly at what he wants (and even says "banananana, if he wants a banana). I even let the kid eat cake and cookies to help fatten him up!!!
So, I now the doctor has ask me to put Carnation Instant Breakfast in his milk and give him PediaSure to help boast his caloric intake daily. The doctor didn't hassle me as much as I was expecting when we learned he had lost a pound, but she did request we come back in another month to weigh him. It is funny because Gunnar has always been a small kid, below the 5 percentile, his last check up was the first time he wasn't below and he was in the 25th percentile. Never did he have to go to monthly weigh-ins. Ryker is between the 5 and 10 percentile at 20lbs for a 13 month old boy, and is usually around the 25th percentile at previous check-ups, so I suppose he is dropping, but should I be worried? He is happy, loves life, runs around like a wild man all day, and definitely eats (even without teeth, his first two are coming in at the same time right now!).
So any ideas on how to fatten up a 13 month old kiddo????
Here are some fun pictures from bath time tonight (pictures of dinner would be more appropriate for this blog, oh well)
I really do have the cutest kids!!!

 They both love bath time. Ryker isn't always a fan, but the last few nights he has been having a lot of fun. He just gets upset with Gunnar knocks him over.

Our little cookie monster, Ryker.

 Our silly monkey, Gunnar.