Yup, That IS My Kid

Today has been one of those days. I am sure that all of you will laugh at this post, but I am still dying over this and I want to make sure that I remember this when my kids are 0lder.

We started toilet training Tait this week... let me change that.. I started toilet training Tait. For those who have ever potty trained you know that your life gets put on hold so you can focus all your efforts on training. Today I had a bunch of errands to run and we have had a pretty successful last few days so I decided to go out and get some of important stuff done.
We get to our last errand stop of the day, the post office and I pile the kids out of the car, again, and we go to the kiosk machine because the line is FOREVER long (which with 2 young kids out of a stroller is a mothers WORST nightmare) As I put one of the packages on the scale Tait tells me he needs to go to the bathroom, I tell him that I am almost done and we will go once I pay... Pretty soon this man asks me if that is my kid...

This cute little innocent face looks up at me as I turn around to see him with his pants and pull-up down PEEING on the floor.

Yup... That is MY kid.

We're Back

I promise myself every time I write a new post that I will post more often than I did the last time. Just know I have great intentions....
Life here has been super crazy! I guess that everyone can say that about their lives, but I feel like our schedules are just out of control. Its a good thing that Bret and I at least have 30 minutes on Sundays that we can sit down together and schedule out our next week. Its too bad that is about the only 30 minutes that we have to even have conversations, other than through text messaging, all week.

We have done a few things lately that were a lot of fun and I have a bunch of pictures that I need to post.

In August Robyn and I went down to 2 dollar Tuesday with the kiddos. They seemed to have a lot of fun. And now that they are getting older they seem to understand more about the animals. McKinley now thinks she needs to feed every animal she sees with corn.

McKinley also had her first visit to the dentist... only one cavity, YEAH! and Dr. Funk did a great job fixing it. Its too bad it took her a couple weeks to warm back up to him when she would go next door. (he is our neighbor and also our relative, if you need a good dentist... just let me know)

BYU football has started again and while this season is not-so-good, Bret and I still have fun being kid free for an afternoon!

Tait has become quite the photographer lately and I find many pictures on my camera like these...

I sure do love that kid...

This past weekend we went to Mesquite with Brets family, I still haven't uploaded the pictures on my computer, Hopefully I will get them posted in the next week or so.

Schools Out and Another One Begins

Wow. Is it really already the middle of August? This summer has just flown by! We havent really gone anywhere or done anything since I was in school, but we have enjoyed the warm summer days and sunny late nights.
I finished my first semester back at school since 2005, just 45 minutes ago. It is such a relief to have school over with (for another 10 days) and another semester under my belt. How am I going to spend the next 10 days school free you ask? Doing nothing.. yup you heard it right, I am planning on doing nothing! I want to spend time with my kids, get back in the habit of going to the gym, clean my house (it needs it pretty bad) and spending some much needed time the the man of the house. Since he is starting school again this fall we will both be full-time students. 26 credits total, 2 kids, 2 animals, 1 full time job, 1 part time job and 2 church callings together it might be a little crazy in the Kettenring house.

Last weekend we spent Saturday and Sunday up at Rockport with Bret's mom and dad. It was a nice little not-too-far away get-way. The kids had a good time throwing rocks in the lake and we had a good time just relaxing.

Thursday McKinley started her 2nd year of early intervention pre-school. This year she is at a different school so she has a new teacher and new classmates. From what she relayed she had a good time at school but mostly loves the bus.

Tait is getting to be quite the little man. He loves playing with his trucks and balls, even if his sister had dressed him up in a tutu and high heels. Maybe he does need a brother... not any time soon....

The Summer

I have so much I could blog and no desire to do it. We have been enjoying the summer and spending a ton of time outside. So here is a quick overview of what we have been up too.

The Zoo...




The park, flying kites...



I went to Backstreet Boys!! Thanks Ash for the fun night out!



The 4th of July parties, swimming....




and fireworks!



My little Taiter-bugs 2nd birthday!!




His Muno (Yo, Gabba Gabba) cake I made... which he loved!

May oh May

Seriously where has May gone? I cant believe in one week it will be June. Which means that 2010 is already half way over!

I have been excited about my new desire to run.. but really that is as far as it goes. I have ran at least twice a week (yea!) but the I blame the rest on the weather (since I HATE treadmills) and school. After it SNOWING yesterday I made a promise to myself that no more ifs, ands, or buts about it, I am going to exercise everyday. So this morning after work I went to the gym did the stationary bike (since I had 3 chapters to read for English) on level 5.. random. It seriously kicked my trash! After 25 minutes on the bike I had gone almost 10 miles. Its amazing what happens when you don't read the numbers as you are exercising... I then felt as if I couldn't stop so went and did a little upper body weights and by the time I left I was glad I went.
If any of you (I mean this seriously) ever want to do a little jogging let me know and we can work something out. I still cant run a full 20 mintues yet, so it would mostly be a run/walk, but I would love the company. I am in Orem every Saturday for school, so those of you in good ole Utah County, we can get together too.

I have been really busy with school too. After working on biology (YUCK) for hours last week I finally gave up decided to be happy with the grade I already have in that class, drop it and add another English class. Needless to say I am feeling much better about life right now. But in August when I have 3 papers due I dont think I will be liking this decision much. Its interesting to me how having a few more years of life under my belt I am taking school much more seriously this time around. Its nice and I am enjoying my classes and learning new things that have nothing to do with my kids. Its nice to have the separation.

I some how got roped into helping with a ward activity and directing the parable of the 10 Virgin program. Its been very demanding and time consuming but after our first official practice last week, I am looking forward to the production and cant wait to see the end product of everyone's hard work. I still cant believe I am doing things that I actually did in high school. Who ever would have thought I would be the ward choir director and putting together a play? If only Mrs. Willmore could see me now! She would be proud.. or maybe more scared. ;)

McKinley is loving going to school. She started riding the bus in April and thinks she is pretty neat stuff. The bus picks her up and drops her off at our house every Tuesday and Thursday. She loves the assistants that help her get all buckled in and safely from our doorstep to school and back again. Her speech has also come leaps and bounds from where it was a year ago. I am so proud of her and am glad she enjoys learning! Now if only we could get her to understand colors...

Taitan is the goofiest little boy ever. He is so different than McKinley in every way! He talks my ear off (wonder where he gets that from) all day long. He makes jokes and laughs all the time. He is always doing funny things.

Bret starts school at the U in August! Yipee!!! He finally decided on a major, Sports Management, and its something he loves. Which ultimately is the most important thing. It will take him 4-5 more semesters to be done but if he doesn't take any more breaks we should be done May 2012! Maybe by then both of us will be graduating with bachelor degrees! Now that is something to smile about!!

An Ode to Mothers

I am so happy and feel so privileged to be the mom of these two cute kiddos...

And the daughter of these fabulous ladies...

(Jay and Laura dressed up as Mr and Mrs Dursley)

Really, moms are the best!!! I hope you all had a wonderful Mothers Day! I know I did.

Marathon May

Lately I have been feeling a little nudge to start getting back into a routine of things and start losing more weight. With that I have really had a desire to run.

Now let me just tell you I have never been big into running. I believe that some are naturally born runners while everyone else has to work hard at it. A few weeks ago I was asked to work the Salt Lake City Marathon. I wasnt too excited to have to work at 530am on a Saturday morning, but we need any money we can get so I said yes. To my surprise my perception of those who run was WAY off. I always thought only "skinny" people run. While most people who are skinny do run, I realized that all people of different shapes, ages and sizes run. You don't have to get skinny before you can start running.

Since this is the beginning of my running adventure I am going to write down some of the things I noticed and took mental note of while watching others run the SL marathon.

• GU just looks nasty
• If your stomach is not flat wear a long shirt!
• guys that wear short-shorts make my legs chafe just looking at them.
  
• lots of different types of people run.... my Lamaze teacher and my orthodontist were among those running
• bigger people pass smaller people. Just cause your skinny doesn't mean you got it!
• Remember to listen to your ipod at a reasonable volume. You do want to be able to still hear without hearing aides at 50
  
• snot rockets are just plain gross!
• bad knees are not a good enough excuse not to run
• What is the purpose of a pace car? -- for those of you who are runners can you please answer that for me?!?!

After working the marathon I decided that I have no excuse as why not to run. I have always wanted to do it and experience a runners high. And the only way to do that is to start.

A couple in my ward talked me into signing up for my very first half marathon in September which gives me plenty of time to start to train and it also gives me a goal. Training begins next Monday for me (since I am still technically in the recovery stage from surgery) And I honestly am way excited! I would love for anyone else who wants to run this with me do it. It would be fun to have a buddy to train with too!!

Post Op Day 1

Well, I am home. Have been for 24 hours now. So there was no overnight stay! Yea! And there is no drain! Double Yea! Surgery went better than was expected and they are pretty sure that they got it all. Triple Yea!

I am now at home "resting". At least my form of resting. Which means I am probably doing more than I should. I promised myself that the next two days I am confined to the couch for at least 8 hours a day. Its a full time job. And this full time job is taking it easy for a good and full recovery!

The Bretster is home with me the next two days and we are kidless until Saturday. I miss them already so so much, but know they are in good hands and are being taken care of while mom is taking care of herself with Bretster at my side. Its fabulous.

On my list of things to do while taking it easy...

Sleep

Finish season 2 and start season 3 of Lost.



Watch Sherlock Holmes

Update the Blog on Bretster's 28th birthday extravaganza

Sleep some more

surgery... again

Tomorrow I go in for my second and hopefully last surgery. I am counting down the hours... 13 to be exact. In 13 hours I will be at the hospital being prepped for surgery and in 23 hours I hopefully will be home in my bed, neck mass free.

And able to see these guys... Because I love them... A LOT!!

Its Been A While

So I have been a little MIA as of late. A lot has happened but I am a total slacker mom and have not taken many pictures during all of these events. I am sure to tell you that rather stand behind a camera I am there with my kids helping in the activity usually covered head to toe in whatever it is that they are doing. If its not that, I am chasing one one way as the other runs the opposite direction.
Here is a a highlight of things that have happened over the last month.

St. Patty's Day - which is always a huge day at our house. This year the leprechaun came leaving footprints and colored our milk green. Later that night mom went to Bunko and Dad and the kids went to GG Laura's to eat cornbeef and cabbage.

My Birthday - 26... I dont know what it is but I am having a hard time with 26. I think its because I still feel 19. But now I am closer to 30 than 20 and I have kids which just makes me feel old.

Easter - Coloring eggs, staying up all night (thanks to the kiddos), finding eggs, eating our colored egg and biscuit breakfast. Finding our baskets not only once but twice (or for me 3 times... oops!) watching conference, finding baskets again, then bed... finally!

For an update on my post/pre surgery. I am doing ok, my neck doesnt hurt, I feel like a normal person until I look in the mirror and see that my neck is bigger than it was the day before. I can no longer touch my chin to my chest when looking down because the blasted thing gets in the way. But, Thanks to a 2nd opinion and some tests I will be going in for another surgery within the next month. Hopefully this time they will get it all and I will be neck mass free soon.

On another note, when I started this blog I intended on it being my online journal. Funny things that happen in life, my random thoughts, thoughts on my kids, things that happen, etc. But since then and almost 200 posts later it has turned into an update blog for friends and family to be kept up to date on things that are happening in our lives. So because I want to be able to "journal", for lack of better words, I am going to be starting a new blog. One that I will update hopefully daily that is open for anyone and everyone to read. This blog will be of my thoughts, my likes, funny things that happen, and random things I am feeling. So I would invite all of you to become readers of my hopefully funny, but probably not so much blog.

Disney On Ice

Last week we took the kids to Disney on Ice. They seemed to have a lot of fun (the first half anyway) We rode trax in so that we didnt have to pay for parking and I almost think that this was Taits favorite part of the night.

Yesterday with the kids in the car we drove past the Energy Solutions Arena (so weird saying that... its the Delta Center! HA) McKinley asked if we could go see the Little Mermaid again. Obviously they had a good time if they want to go back!

Post Surgery Update

** this is a disclaimer to those with weak stomachs, if you have one I highly suggest not reading this post **


Its been almost a month since my surgery. Good news is it was cancer free! YEA!!! Bad news, its got infected or so the Doc thinks (I'll get to this part). They had to reopen the incision, put me on antibiotics and I (really its Bret) get to pack it until it heals from the inside out. Awesome... well kinda.

Two days after the stitches were removed I woke up to this....

And no that is not a goiter or a second chin, its the infected area. So I called the Doc and he said come in asap. I got there and he felt it, said we have to open it up. (what?) He numbed me up and where he poked me liquid almost immediately started leaking from the area. I waited in the room for about 5 minutes (long enough to go numb) when he came back in handed me a metal bowl and asked me to hold it under my neck just in case... good thing he handed me that bowl because as soon as he cut me open the bowl started filling up with this mixture of infection residue and an oil looking substance. (Perfect) As the bowl continued to fill he began saying how unusual this was and that he had never seen anything like it (oh even better) He then started in on what I needed to do to hopefully get it taken care of. (hopefully?... okay) Packing it daily with medicated gauze and covering it up with a massive piece of gauze for the leakage that would be coming from the wound. But to also keep in mind that since he had never seen the type of liquid that came out that it could be part of the cyst still producing fluid. (awesome)

not the best picture, but you can see the HUGE piece of gauze that is attached to my neck

I have been going in 2 times a week since and yesterday when I was there my hole is smaller (yea!) But when he was cleaning it before repacking, he removed what looked like a really long clear elastic unbreakable spaghetti noodle. He said he needed to ask another doc about whether this was a normal thing to be coming out of the area and that after talking to him he would let me know whether or not they need to go back in and see if there is still part of the cyst that is producing this strange substance. (Great) He then thanked me for being such a good sport about the whole thing (HELLO what else can I do?) And said he would call me by Friday to let me know what the new plan was.

So tomorrow I find out my fate.. to be honest I dont really care what he says as long as I dont have to wear these the rest of my life!!

McKinley Baby is 3!!

I cannot believe that 3 years ago my life forever changed. This beautiful little girl was brought into this world and I now see the world completely different.

For her birthday we celebrated by going to Chucky Cheese and then had a few friends over for a little party on Saturday.

Happy Birthday Kin Kin!!! Mom loves you!

Happy Love Day

For Valentines Day we decided it would be fun (and to hopefully avoid the crowds) to take the kids out. Since it landed on a Sunday this year we went out on Saturday night to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point.

They both seemed to enjoy it and McKinley was very afraid of all the BIG BIG 'Roars' as she called them. Tait loved being able to run around and see the fish and next time Bret and I go we will leave the kids home so we can read all about the different animals.

McKinley's First Day of School!

I can hardly believe that McKinley is going to school. Most parents usually have preschool before real school. But because of McKinley's speech therapy which she had graduated from (the Speech Therapist that comes to our home) She is now in actual public school Tuesday and Thursday mornings. We met her teacher on Tuesday and she invited McKinley to start today. She handed me a packet with all sorts of papers to fill out and a calendar with what the class has planned for the rest of the month. I was a bit overwhelmed and had a hard time believing that this was happening so soon.
I was excited to take her picture on our front porch with her backpack on. (which she absolutely LOVES) But mother nature had different plans and snowed on us so we took the picture inside. Here she is ready for her first day!!

Over all she seemed to enjoy it. For her first day they passed out Valentines and it was also spring picture day. I enjoyed some one on one time with Tait too. Tait on the other hand cried when we left without McKinley and now all they have done is fought since she's been home.

She's a Big Girl Now!!

Yup she's toilet trained!!! WAHOOO!!!!
She was more excited for her Mermaid doll that FINALLY came off the fridge!

Miss McKinley

Little Miss McKinley loves to get all dressed up. As her mom I have to say I love the dresses and bows, flowers, boots, etc. that make her look so dang cute.
So here is my ode' to cute little girls!!!

Pink Eye

This morning our kids woke up with Pink Eye. It was very sad to see them with all the green goop that pink eye brings. We took them in to the Dr. and she quickly gave us a prescription and told us to get the heck out of there.
When we got home my family was there disinfecting and cleaning our house and they even cooked us lunch.

We were pretty sad that we were able to go to the Super Bowl party we had planned. But instead we made 7 layer dip, homemade chocolate chip cookies and watched it just the 4 of us.

The Cyst

Tuesday I went in for surgery to have a cyst that was in my neck removed.

I thought I would take a minute and write the story behind the cyst. When I was in high school I was in choir.. not just one choir, a lot of choirs. I also performed out side of high school, not including the extras that high school choirs brought (ensembles, solos, special choirs, etc.) When I was a senior I was selected to be a member of All-State Choir. I cant even begin to tell you how excited I was to be a part of this amazing choir with other students from around the state that were selected to go. We went to early Saturday morning 6am practices at Alta High School with other students from our district to learn our parts. On top of all state I was a member of the A Capella and Madrigal Choirs. I also had a vocal coach who I met with weekly and performed with him and my 'class' after school every other week. It was in the middle of doing all of this.. which at the time I did not think was all that much since I seemed to manage my time and still hang out with friends on the weekends and get good grades... that I had a swelling in my throat. It was HUGE... I would easily say that it was the size of a golf ball if not a Clementine. I went to an ENT where he told me that my vocal cords were swollen due to "excessive use" He put me on steroids for my vocal cords and I was not allowed to talk louder or softer than my regular voice or sing for 3? weeks, until further follow up with him. The steroids seemed to work magic and cutting back on singing... I was after all a complete choir nerd and couldn't imagine not singing for weeks... seemed to do the trick. I never thought about the bump again until...

I was pregnant with Tait. I walked in the mornings with a neighbor friend, even on red burn days. I figured it was swelling again because of things like singing in the ward choir, a solo I had just done a few weeks before, and the smog. Either way Bret told me to go see a doctor to get it taken care of. I tried to find the doctor I had originally gone too so he could pull my records and see. After seeing about 4 doctors and speaking to many not so patient secretaries in attempt to find him. I found out he had since retired and his son had taken over the practice. So I went to him. None of these crazy doctors could tell me what was wrong. They never gave me any medication, any treatment, no tests to do, nothing. I gave one final attempt to see and found Dr. Bradly. He figured it was because of heart burn, due to pregnancy, but just to be safe wanted to run a CT scan. But since I was pregnant the techs wouldn't do the test.

I gave up and it never went away.

After losing weight last year the bump became more noticeable, at least to me. In some pictures I could see it and it really began bothering me. After mentioning it to my dad.. who has had tumor in his salivary gland.. he told me I really needed to go get it checked out. I went back to Dr. Bradly and he said instead of running test after test to see what it is, if I really hate it to just take it out and then run the tests. That way if it was something serious it would be gone and if it wasn't serious it wouldnt bother me again.

So here I sit with a huge bandage over my throat, with a 4 inch incision, part of my hyoid bone now gone (since the cyst had attached itself to it) and I couldn't be happier that in a few weeks I wont even be thinking about this silly cyst that has been with me for the last 8 years of my life. Now I am just keeping my fingers crossed that it is cancer free.

Jobless...

Its been a long time in the making, I knew it was coming, but I guess I didn't think it would be so soon. Today I was told that as of the end of this week, I am no longer going to be an employee at Valcom.

I am Bummed!!

I really liked my job.