Saying Goodbye to Palmer {Iowa}

Remember Palmer Wife Grad back in October? Well it was my turn next and I honestly can not believe it!! It was a bitter sweet moment for me that night. I was so humbled on all the nice things people had to say about me with all their sweet sincere comments. Thank you! If Iowa had mountains we would stay here because of the wonderful people that have touched our lives. The relationships I have added because of this Palmer experience has been such a blessing in my life. I know I will miss it. Iowa will always have a special place in my heart. We are connected to one another through Palmer and our journeys we have here.--still can't believe mine is coming to a close. Something that was said to me that night was, "Iowa may not have mountains but you climbed one while you were here!" A mountain I will never forget.

Palmer by far as been the hardest thing I ever had to endure--ever!! Without the support of these wonderful women I would not of made it through. I'm going to miss each and every one of them! 

My diploma for being a Palmer wife:) I earned it for sure! Wow! I can't believe my time has finally come to "graduate!"

You have no idea what this "diploma" means to me. It's an amazing feeling really! 

Its been a long time coming--SO PROUD!!! 

Now I just have to find a frame for it!! 

Here is a closer look on what it says. The funny thing is at the beginning when I would go to these graduations I never understood what it all meant and now that I am a soon to be  Palmer wife Alumni I do! Seriously it takes a "magnificent" wife to go through Palmer. I more less was a widow since my husband has rugby and worked a part time job while going to school. Everything it says is the complete truth...LOL! I love the "I am pooped part!" 

2 of my friends had to leave early but I did not miss the opportunity to get some last shots with them. Don't know when I will ever see these girlie's again! 

Christians Graduation announcement turned out PERFECT! My dear friend Kelci helped me design it.
I have butterflies in my tummy because of how tremendously proud I am. Through this whole journey it's all worth it---My husband will be a Doctor in T minus 48 hours!!! 

{Happy Tears} 

To me it even more...YUP! You read it right! His name is on the door of his office already! WOW, what a sight this is. Don't you think it has a nice ring to it? Dr. Christian Price? I do. SO EXCITING!!!

We got the moving truck today. We pack it tomorrow, graduate on Friday and off we go to Idaho on Saturday morning!! Stay tuned --more graduation pictures to come (probably after we move to ID)! 

Insta Love weekend...

Valentines Day in the Price household was really not your average vday but it we made the most of it. I love instagram. They say the best camera you have is the one that is always with you and I find that to be true. Capturing mobile photos and then "intagraming" them makes your memories more real instead of always "posed!" I love it because my boys don't like to pose for many pictures anyway. So here is how our love weekend went down.

We got a surprise package from Grammy and Gramps! 

 Filled with lots of chocolates.

Kreed tried it for the first time and from the mess he made it looks like he is fan! 

 My 3 little valentines:) 

Love me some red lipstick for valentines day! Since the hubs was still gone I treated myself to a chai and extra kisses to my little ones!

The boys got other valentines gifts from Grandma P. Quiet Church books. These will come in handy on Sundays!  

 Treyson had his little vday party at school and his teacher got him the coolest valentine! God's real reason for LOVE day:)

We headed to CFA that night for a love day Party upon Treyson's request. Treyson had been really really blue lately because his Daddy was was still not home and this whole moving thing has made him wear his heart on his sleeve but CFA sure cheered him up. In order to get a FREE kids meal you have to dress in "valentine attire!" Well I took all my boys to the "mommy kissing booth" right before we went...LOL! They wore their red lip prints on their cheek all night and looked so cute!

 This was our last family night at the CFA here in IA so I had to get a pic with the cow!! 

 My whole family loves that darn cow:) 

Believe it or not I had Treyson's Parent teacher conferences werer late that night. It was the only time I could get in to have a babysitter for my other boys. Treyson is a such a good little boy and has made leaps and bounds in preschool. He presented his own PowerPoint to me and its so darling. He told me all his favorite things in preschool, what he wanted to be when he grew up (Football player) and what he was going to do to prepare for kindergarten. His teacher told me that his best quality is that he just loves everyone and he does not pick favorites. A quality he needs to work on his learning others emotion ques and expressing his own. Other then that he is really great kid and she said she has enjoyed having him. I know he going to miss his teacher. 

The next morning it was time to get Daddy and even Jax was so ready for him to be home!! 

We picked him up in Walcott and the boys could not be more stoked! We took a little family outing to the truck museum while we were there. YAY our little family was finally back together! We sure missed our Daddy! 

 

LOVE the 4 men in my life! 

Our Late valentines for us was to go to the Temple! We finally made it to the Nauvoo Temple session! We had been there so many times but never had the opportunity to do a session. Something always fell through with babysitters, Christian did not have many weekend off with school or rugby, ect. I had been many times with the young women and our family had gone many times for the Nauvoo Pagent but we never had done a session. We were honestly sick about it that we had lived so close and never been able to go. Anyway,  through sacrifice of my dear friend Kelci Dastrup she watched all our kids and were able to attend. She drove up with us and watch our kids in the play area at the Temple while. We would of left them with her but with Kreed still nursing we had to do the other to make it work. We were so grateful for her sacrifice for us to be able to go. What a true genuine Christ-like friend. I am going to miss her so much. I Loved this moment going through the Nauvoo Temple with my eternal companion:) We will miss living so close to such a Sacred Historical Temple!

What an wonderful Day!! 

Well that sums up our valentines weekend. Now on to more packing, cleaning and graduation...Yippee!! 

2 Steps Forward, One Step back...

Oh wow! This past 2 1/2 weeks has been nuts! That's an understatement. It seems that when things are chaotic that everything kind of comes all at once. I swear I feel like the energizer bunny and just when I think that I have no more in me another day comes. So here are our steps forward and back, they are as follows.

ONE GIANT Step Back:

I tried to avoid doctors, hospital, and especially ER's. Well Porter had a goopy eye, no big deal his eye was not pink so I did not worry. Then his eyes got progressively worse and then he got this mega weird rash all over his body and started breathing funny. Usually his Dad has all the stuff to check him with but seeing how he was not here I made my way to the ER just to be safe. I have my friend come stay with my other boys. I waited 3 hours and it just ended up being some sort of viral eye infection which I got some cream for. They did not have an answer about the rash or breathing It went away in a day with no return.

 2 days later Treyson starts complaining to me about his eyes, throat and ears. He was crying for quite a while and I did not want the same thing to happen to him what did to Porter so away we went to the ER again. We waited 4 hours this time and it just ended up being the same thing which I got drops pain drops for his ears and eyes. He was fine the next day. Mind you I was doing all my natural regimen as well which always helps. 

So I did not to have the same thing happen to Kreed since I was so exhausted and he started showing signs of a goopy eye too. We also did not have Daddy their to adjust us so the soonest I could get in to the Chiro was in 2 days. OK so this is interesting. Both my boys were taken to the ER and I was told what they had was viral. I was sent home with some drops and then told if it did not get better that I could fill a prescription. Both boys were doing much better thanks to those and other natural stuff we have been doing. 

Then I take Kreed to his pedi since they told me it would be best to take the little one into be seen if he starts to show the same symptoms. Also since he was smaller I could not give him the same stuff they gave me for the other 2. He checks him over right fast and writes me a prescription for antibiotics right away. When I asked if it was viral or bacterial he said he could not tell.  Well seeing how my other boys were viral I'm pretty sure its the same thing going on and so I feel the antibiotics are not needed. I left feeling again flustered with the mainstream medicine and did not fill the script. 

Finally I had my appointment with the Chiro. Sure enough all my boys had some fluid behind their ears which the eyes and ears are all connected. Got them adjusted and fluid was gone and it cleared up that night. YAY!

Moral of the story: Choose Chiropractic first even if you have to wait a couple days. Its saves money, disappointment, and a trip. 

2 Steps Fowards: 
Good thing my kids are so dang cute even when they are not feeling swell! 

One Step Back:

It has been so so sooooo COLD outside. Really its just brutal and I dont like it one bit. We have had lots of freezing rain, snow, ect. Its just yuck! One day my doors to my car were literally frozen shut, I could not get them open for the life of me--that how cold its been.  

This is how much Kreed loves his puffy coat!!! Not so much a fan! 

2 Steps Forward:

Literally forward!! Kreed is finally crawling. Not sure this is good timing seeing how I already feel way over my head but hes pretty cute and excited to be on the move. 

One Step Back:
Perfect timing that the Skylanders game breaks from little mister crawling and pulling down the xbox while its running. I go and try and get a new game this is how it goes down....

Get there and Trey needs to go the bathroom even though I asked him before we left. They dont have a restroom and Trey is crying because he has to go sooo bad. So I round 3 kiddos up and hunt for a restroom. Finally find one and Trey ends up with poop all over him some how. While trying to clean him up Porter climbs up on the one tables and falls off. I try and console him and see if anything is broke while cleaning up poo. All this going on and Kreed was screaming the whole time because he was hungry. Pretty sure everyone was just staring at me like a crazy women! 

We end up not getting a new skylanders since it was so expensive. Now we have all these skylanders they can't play with the only toy we did not pack for a reason. I broke down and bought a lego game for half price for my own sanity. Wishing it were nice outside so we could play:( 

::sigh:: These days are crazy! Moments with kids--gotta love it!....

I don't have a pic of all that drama so here is a pic of all the skylanders we can't use anymore....

2 Steps Forward: 
Packing is coming right along! 

Clearing out our house slowly but surely. I have had so many people come and help me here and there and even if its only a little it makes all my burdens feel lighter.  We have shown our house a couple times and have had a lot of interested and calls. If we dont sell it we will rent it for sure of possibly do a contract deal. 

Things that have kept me going during my solo crazy time with my critters....

Smoothie Mustaches always make me Smile:) 

So does lazy morning book time. 

Kreed, oh my baby is growing up and standing up like a big boy! 

Did I mention he LOVES strawberries? 

 

And Smoothies! His first one to be exact! YUM! 

Cute Story:

Shopping the other day while big brother at school was a fun treat! Porter was Hyvee's cutest littlest shopper! Everyone in the store was smitten by him and his grocery shopping skills!! Lol! He picked everything out that went in his cart but  he tried to sneak some candy in there as well... Lol. Mr. Know it all for sure he was bossing me around like he owned the place. I've got the bumps on the back of my heels since his to prove how intense our shopping was(he kept running into to me).. Lol! Oh fun times with my boys. Little joys-- those are what count:)

 Speaking of Shopping--Target Shopping with my boyfriends is always a fun outing for  us. We HEART Target. I would spend all my life's saving there if I had any:)

LOL, and we have been doing little water fights...LOL! Porter loves it when I squirt him with the sink sprayer..LOL! I know I am a mean Mommy! He thinks it pretty funny though! Our house is empty so I just wipe up the water. My boys are such a blast! 

Oh and my precious big boy Treyson. He is kind of taking the move a little hard. He wont sleep in his own bed, he refuses to feed himself (I have to do it for him) and he tells me everyday..."Daddy going to come home today right?" He also keeps saying, "All my stuff is going to Idaho  right?" He knows he will be leaving his school soon too. All these changes are making his mind spin. I have been doing my best to make these changes and transitions smooth. Ive been trying to spend one one time with him and just get the packing done here and there. Other then that is is my good little helper. He is such a stud. He makes my life easy with how patient he is especially when the other 2 boys get on one.  I love my boys and with all the stresses they make me realize what really is important!

One Step Back:
Treyson has had a fever the last 2 days. Nothing more, nothing less. No coughing, stuffy nose--no vomiting--nothing.  He says he just feels tired. He told me Mom I just feel, "Blah!"..LOL! 

 Being married to a Chiro I know that fevers are a good thing and we never treat them as long as they stay at a good temp. Fevers actually fight virus and bacteria and disease is shortened by letting it run its course. If you suppress the fever it only last longer and the body does not get stronger for the next go around. Its let up a little already with our "natural nurses station" so hopefully he will be feeling good better so he can make it to school. If not to the Chiro we go. Wish Daddy was here because I know with one adjustment he would start progressing better and it would save me a trip.  

Life got really panicked an difficult for a little bit when we found out what was going on with our taxes this year. Usually we e-file our taxes early and we always get them around the second week in Feb. Well this year the government are not letting students e-file until the 15th which meant no money for us until March! We are getting the graduate school tax credit and this is why which was weird we have got it for 3 years now and never had a problem filing early.

Anyways, this was no bueno seeing how we have to come up with thousands of dollars to cover moving expenses, money on a place to live, ect. Yes and we had no money coming in from school since Christian is done. Why the year that we really really needed it early did it have to change? Its was really frustrating. 

Totally put us in a rut for sure. Blah! We had no clue what we were going to do and were pretty blue about it. I don't think I have ever seen my hubby so stressed out. With lots of prayer we got it all worked out, not really how we wanted it but it worked out so we are covered. Thank goodness! 

2 Steps Forward: 
We finally found a place to live in Idaho.  Honestly it was so hard finding a place to live. We would finally find a place but then it would go just like that. We were planning on living in affordable housing but long story short we were a day late and a dollar short. If we would have turned in our application a couple hours earlier we would have gotten it. Anyway, we will be living in Nampa. We found a great cute 4 bedroom house to rent for only 900 a month. We have already talk to the bishop and I found Treyson a Preschool. Im really excited! 

Christian gets to come home a little earlier. The doc he is working for has a management training which is only for the top 3 high earners which he is one of them so he has to go. If he is not going to be there he said he can just leave early...YAY! I pick him up this Friday afternoon! We sure miss our Daddy!

HOw am I doing? Yes I am hanging in there. Keeping going with little to no sleep or food (who has time for food these days?) Protein shakes have been my go to meals. Survival mode. Teaching Zumba a lot. Trying not to get too overwhelmed because no matter what when I wake up I have 3 little boys that need me. All this and I have not gotten sick but I have gotten a great big zit on my forehead...LOL! Guess Ill take that over sickies! 

Slow and steady, line upon line, precept upon precept--It will work out... in its own way and on its own time:)

Whew Mama is tired, off to bed!