House Remodels

When we decided to buy my parent's old house, we knew there were some things we wanted updated.   I have a relative, Willie, who is into remodeling, so we figured out somethings we could trade for his skills.

The first thing to update was the ovens.  There were double ovens currently in the house, which I LOVE, but the heating elements were kind of shot.  After pricing out a new set of double ovens, that would fit, came out to be more money than what we were willing to spend.  

Plan B.  We already own a free standing oven/stove combo, that we bought to go in a house in Ontario.  We decided to just take out the current stove and storage cupboards, and install it there.

We took the double oven out and made that the storage cupboards instead.  Saved us tons of money.

Next was the master bathroom.  Currently, there was a tiny shower, then a bathtub.

We decided to tear out the shower and make the bathtub a shower/tub combo.

Willie had the brown tile and trim on hand, so we purchased the lighter brown tiles to match.

We also decided to put double shower heads in, because we did that in our last house and loved it.

Then the master bathroom floor.  There was some linoleum that my ex-brother-in-law installed quite a few years ago, but it was rolling up everywhere.  We used the same brown that was used in the shower, on the floor, trying to help pull the room together.

I really like it.  We plan to add some shelving where the old shower was, but haven't gotten that far.  Painting is also on the to do list.  Maybe once I've gotten more sleep.

Normal Day

This is what a normal day looks like.  Grit, Boone and I, all in one chair.  Wherever the baby is, there you can find Boone.  We are in the chair lots, trying to make the nursing situation easier, so Boone just climbs on up and joins us.  It makes it harder, but I would rather he was right there with me, then trashing the house, so it's ok.  Life is blissful.

Christmas Activities

Christmas was nice and quiet.  I like those kind of Holidays.  Sexy Farmer got a new pack, so he tested it out with Boone.

Then he added Duke to see if they would both fit.

 Boone's favorite gift was a bag of microwave popcorn he received in his stocking.

After presents, they boys ran outside and played in the snow.  It's nice to have a white Christmas, it doesn't seem to happen every year.

Later in the day, we headed to Boise to join my sister and her family.  Boone fell in love with this little couch.  He made himself right at home.

He also decorated a gingerbread house.

His work was amazing.

Lots and lots of sweet decorations.

Then today, we headed up to my parent's house with DJ and all of her family.

 The boys played a candy cane game, and I believe Duke beat Hoss.  DJ always comes up with such fun activities for the kids.

Exchange Gifts

I love our yearly homemade gift exchange.  It's seriously the highlight of my Christmas.  I love the thought that goes into each gift.  Some people planned gifts early and some procrastinated, but they all turned out great!

Sexy Farmer drew Hoss

Hoss loves to play Tic-Tac-Toe during church.  He plays with Grandma every Sunday and runs out of paper.  We found a in-the-hoop embroidery file of a tic tac toe game, and I'm pleased to say that Sexy Farmer sat at the sewing machine and made the gift himself!  I was very impressed.  He hated every second of it.

Hoss drew Sexy Farmer

Sexy Farmer asked for a snack mix that his Aunt Sheryl used to make.  I called her up and requested the directions, she happily helped me out.  Hoss and I went and purchased the items needed and Hoss made the mix himself.  

I drew Duke

For Super Saturday they had some temples that you could make out of beads.  I signed up to make the mini ones for all of my sister Kim's kids since that's who we had for Christmas this year.  As I was making them Duke kept begging for one too.  So, since I drew his name, I figured I could make that happen.  While I was making the others, I asked him which was his favorite.  He chose one and I made his with all the leftover beads from the other kits.  He was super excited when he opened his gift and found the temple!

Duke drew Lilli

Lilli loves reading, so we found another in-the-hoop embroidery design that would be easy for Duke to help with.  He didn't tell her what he was making, but he did ask her to pick out her favorite fabric from our stash.

Lilli drew Boone

Lilli stayed up quite a few nights before Christmas finishing Boone's gift.  She made him 4 Book of Mormon quite book pages.  She's become pretty crafty with the sewing machine. Boone's been playing with the pages ever since he opened them.

Boone drew Grit

I made Grit's gift for Boone, it's a binkie clip.  You can't really see it because it's made with camo fabric, and so is his blanket.  It was another in-the-hoop pattern.

Grit drew Me

I thought Sexy Farmer was going to make my gift from Grit, but when the time came to open gifts and there was nothing for me, I just grabbed a calendar that I had made and called it good.  I guess I have to make my own gifts.  Noted.

December Pack Meeting

December Pack Meeting was the Carnival that the Bears are in charge of, which meant, I had to be in charge of some of the carnival games.  Sexy Farmer had to run to the airport in Boise to pick up Lilli, so I sent Duke & Boone with him so I could try and wing my way with a newborn and a carnival.  I can say, I'm glad it's over.

Hoss earned some awards and they also give a special Uniform Award for those scouts that wear their uniform every week.  Fun!  They also received their pinewood derby car kit to assemble over the next month.

Adventure Loops

Grow Something

Finding Your Way

Other Awards

Cyber Chip

Daphne's Baptism

Yesterday was our sweet niece's baptism.  We headed over to Nampa for the occasion, then out to eat afterwards.  I snapped a family picture for the yearly calendar and made her pose in the beautiful dress her Grandma made.  Daphne is such a fun, cute girl!

The First Week

Oh the joys and frustrations of the first few weeks of life.  The adjustments, the lack of sleep, the emotions (good and bad), the love, the special moments.  I love it all.  We are getting used to nursing and finding our groove.  It's also been a new learning experience, which after 5 kids you wouldn't think there would be many of those anymore, but there is.  He was circumcised completely different than the other 3 boys were.  No ring.  I'm not sure how to care for it, but they assured me that it will turn out the same way as the others.  They said the care is the same, but it just seems weird.  Different.  His first bath went normal.  Not a lover, yet.

I'm doing good.  Just freezing.  As with all my other postpartum days, I resort to wearing long johns all day every day and pile the blankets high to the sky on my side of the bed.  I was prescribed a higher dosage of iron, to try and kick me in gear.  I warned my Dr. of all my anemia, but he wants to figure me out himself, and not just take my word for things.  I respect him for that, after all, this is the first pregnancy since Lilli that I haven't had to receive iron infusions.  So he must know what he's doing to have kept my levels up high enough during the pregnancy to avoid them.  Other than that, we are doing good.  I'm kicking myself for not preparing freezer meals like I did with Boone's pregnancy.  Those really came in handy and I'm wishing I had a freezer full now.  Oh well, can't go back.  Sleep is what I want, but just too much to do.  Gotta get in routine again.  I love having a baby in the house.

On another note, the Sunday before I had him I was called to be the Bear Cub Scout leader and the Valiant 9 teacher at church.  They asked me to start right away, and I said, "you know I'm having a baby this week, right?"  So, I asked for a week to adjust to new motherhood again.  My first official day will be Tuesday.  I just have to make it 1 week and then I will have a 3 week break for Christmas/New Years before scouts starts up again, so I can handle that.  It's given me time to figure out the Bear activities.

School Christmas Program

I didn't want to miss Hoss's school Christmas program, so we loaded up Grit and headed to the High School.  Hoss was supposed to either dress up like an Elf or a beach surfer.  Since we had an elf costume on hand, that's what he got to wear.

If you look super close, you can see him on the top row.  After this year I realized that I miss traditional school Christmas programs.  I enjoy traditional Christmas music.  I guess I'm aging.

Boy's Pictures

Shane & Katie ended up staying at our house right after Grit was born.  Shane helped keep the boys busy while Katie puked all the time.  HA!  She's expecting a baby in April and still has the sickies.

While they were here we had them take some pictures of Duke & Boone for their yearly updates.

I love this one of Boone.  He looks so natural.

Duke is such a handful.

He tests my patience daily.

But I still adore him fiercely.

Meeting Older Brothers

I only stayed one night at the hospital, even though they wanted me to stay longer because of the hemorrhaging.  Arrangements for the boys didn't go as planned, which was extremely frustrating so, I needed to get home.  Hoss was able to see Grit first, which made him super excited.

Then yesterday, Duke and Boone came home.

Boone has been loving on him like crazy.  Love at first site.  Or best friends at first site.  Either way, it's "Boone's baby".

40 Weeks 6 Days - Grit Lewis Johnson

Grit Lewis Johnson

Dec. 2, 2015

3:51 pm

8.8 lbs

20.5 inches

No luck going into labor, so I did get induced.  We dropped the kids off at my parents house last night and then headed to the hospital this morning.  We got checked in and started on pitocin, then waited.  And waited.  And waited some more.  Since both Sexy Farmer and Dr. Blanchard had mutual tonight, we were positive we would be done and have plenty of time for them both to make their meetings.  After all, all my other labors have been pretty fast, so we would just stay with the norm.  At about 2:30 I was dilated to a 10, so they called the Dr to come to the hospital (1 block away) so I could start pushing.  As I started pushing with nothing happening, it hit me.  I can't really be in labor, it doesn't hurt.  Don't get me wrong, it was painful, but manageable.  It's my 5th kid, and I've had an all natural birth before, therefore, I know how much pain I should be feeling.  I wasn't feeling it.  But at the same time, I was feeling pretty good in hopes that I wouldn't need any pain meds and be able to have a non medicated birth again, like with Duke. (Other than the pitocin)  I ended up needing some extra oxygen so they attached some breathing thing to my face, but it sucked so I made them take it off.  After pushing for an hour with not much progress, Dr. Blanchard decided to give me a break.  He left the room and said he would come back when things progressed a little.  Well, I rolled on my side, and the pain set in.  Fast and hard.  I knew it was time.  I knew the pain.  It was here.  The nurses decided they wanted to check me again and I said, "I need to push".  They told me to go ahead (because they weren't anticipating anything happening) and out came Grit on the bed.  Neither of the nurses were ready, and the Dr. was out of the room.  They yelled at Sexy Farmer to push the "emergency" button while they grabbed gloves to put on their hands so they could grab the baby.

 I felt horrible.  This whole time, Dr. Blanchard missed it.  Let me catch you up on his history.  He is a new Dr..  He's delivered many babies during his residency in Utah, but since moving to Weiser, only 1.  Most of his patients have been told to switch Dr's at 36 weeks because of insurance problems.   Of the 2 that didn't have to get moved to another clinic, 1 he missed because he was in Europe, and the other he delivered.  So, I would have only been the 2nd delivery.  But he was in the hallway.  He had rescheduled so much stuff because he wanted to be there for this delivery.  I wanted him to be there for this delivery.  I felt horrible.  He ran into the room and the look on his face made me feel even worse.  He looked devastated, but somewhat angry at the same time.  Almost like, "Why didn't you guys yell at me, I was just outside".  Sexy Farmer and I both felt horrible.  However, he jumped right in and checked me out, and checked the baby out.

 I started hemorrhaging so they kept a pretty close eye on me, especially since I'm severely anemic.  The nurses cleaned up the baby and brought him back so we could start the feeding process.  Sexy Farmer decided on the name Grit Lewis, after his favorite TV Channel - Grit TV - "Television with Backbone" and after his Grandpa Johnson.

He started sucking his thumb.  I love a thumb sucking baby, but Sexy Farmer does not, so we shall see what happens.  Then off to mutual everyone went so the baby and I could bond.  Aunt DJ showed up bearing gifts which was a welcome surprise.  We love visitors and it was nice to have some company.

40 Weeks 5 Days

Overdue...again.  I guess my body just needs help getting in gear.  My Doctor has been holding off his plans because of this baby, I feel horrible.  My due date was Nov. 28th, 2 days after Thanksgiving.  He felt he needed to stick around in case I went into labor instead of going with his family to Carey, Idaho.  I told him to go, because I always go overdue.  I told him I'm sure the baby wouldn't come before December.  Well, his family left without him, but he followed later and came home early.  For nothing.  No baby.

A couple days ago at my appointment we decided to set an induction date. As we were deciding on a date I told him it had to be after December because that way I could get to the temple for the month.  Been every month, can't stop at the very end!  He thought I was crazy.  I asked for Friday but he again said no, that he won't let me go over 41 weeks.  He suggested Wednesday, but I told him Sexy Farmer has mutual.  So, he promised that we'd be done before mutual, so it's set for tomorrow morning.  So, we figured we'd hit the temple and perform some initiatory work in hopes that all the sitting and standing would add some activity.  We even took a picture of my belly in front of the temple.  I'm so huge, it's not even funny.  So uncomfortable too.  Here's to hoping something happens tonight!