May 30

Well it's almost the end of May. Audrey is growing up so much. We measured her height last night to see how tall she might be when she's big. If you double her height right now, she'd be 5'10 1/2". I doubt she will be that tall! Here is my favorite conversation with Audrey lately, I ask her these questions everyday...

Me: Audrey, how old are you?
Audrey: Four
Me: How old will you be on your birthday?
Audrey: Two
Me: What happens when you turn two?
Audrey: No more nukie
Me: When is your birthday?
Audrey: Junnne

It's been about two full weeks of Audrey sleeping her in full size bed, she has been sleep so good. At fist she did really good at falling alseep in there. After last week (in Ada), she did NOT want to go to sleep in her bed. After about 10 minutes Monday night and 5 minutes Tuesday night, she did go to sleep on her own. She has been waking up dry consistently still....some days she goes pee on the potty, but I have not been "training" at all. Maybe in June or July.

Audrey is still a great eater for us. She loves fruit, fish, cheese--I don't know of "anything" she doesn't like. She has been going through the stage of hitting or pinching-- which is cute and naught at the same time. My approach is to tell her things she can do instead. EX: last night she hit me when I told her no, we can't go outside now, but maybe tomorrow. I told her instead of hitting mommy you can stomp your feet if your mad. So she started stomping her feet around the living room. Very cute. :) Our neighbors probably think we are crazy because every time we go for a walk-- we have to stop at every rain gutter and talk to the "turtles."

I have been trying to attempt to bake some new things.

Things that worked:
White chocolate raspberry scones
Cheese balls

Thing that didn't work:
I froze cinnamon rolls in March-They tasted good...but didn't expand (I think to long in the freezer??)
Melting Moment Cookies (I melted the butter completely before using...opps-- don't do that!)

Memorial Weekend

We spent the weekend in Ada with the Rues and Dan & Ruth. Always fun! The kids enjoyed playing together.

Highlights of the weekend:
- Going to the park about 20 times
- Going swimming
- Driving through the cementary with so many beautiful American Flags while eating ice cream, then we stopped at the movie theater to get popcorn to eat while driving around-
- A Bond fire with s'mores

Sorry Emily

The subject of this post says it all, sorry Emily I have not be faithful to you. Weekly, I think....crap I still have not updated Emily on our life. So here is a recap in a nut shell.

April started, my parents were headed on Thursday of Easter to Denver. Our Auntie Audrey was still in the a swing bed battling her bed sore infection. In about January? she started having some heart complications (not life threatening).  February and March she spent time at home or at the hospital in a swing bed...back and forth. By the time April came around, she still wasn't feeling well/right/healing. On March 31st, we (mom, audrey, and I) went to go see Audrey at the hospital in Roseau...she was in good spirits. Little Audrey was tearing around everywhere and Auntie Audrey just reminded me that they used to call me "storm." Before we left she gave mom and Audrey and a hug-- I told little Audrey to say "bye bye auntie audrey olson." Auntie Audrey insisted that she called her "grandma olson." We went on with our day and rode our bikes home. That next day, April 1st-- Audrey and Dennis decided they wanted to head down to Mayo to get a second opinion on her health. They flew down on Monday in a hellicoptor. Things were great--she was seeing some of the top caridiologst at Mayo. Tuesday night she spent in the ICU and Wednesay morning, she was back in her room. They were trying a procedure to drain the fluid out of her heart and in the moment of them doing this-- she was awake, talking, happy, believe god was with her-- an angel came down to get her. Life changed in those next few days...many families changed planned for Easter, we spent days with family that we have not seen in a while, we shed tears in sadness, happiness, fear, and the unknown.

Thursday night we were out at Grandma/pa Olsons farm. Friday morning we were planning on heading to Grandma/pa runyans. Audrey did not sleep well Thursday night. Friday morning, we realized why not. She was infected by some type of rash all over her arms. We spent the morning in the ER, their best guess was---she was bited by fleas? I doubt it...but life went on.

We did end up leaving Friday afternoon to head to Ada and eventually to Verndale for Easter.

On our way back from Easter- I spent Monday afternoon having a conversation with my sister on the phone. I had not really had a chance to talk to her much since the passing of our Auntie Audrey-- who was just about 70--would of had her 50th' Wedding Anniversary in June. The converation was much needed for both Heidi and I. I felt horible as Heidi could not be here with the family to grieve during the whole process. I was able to share many memories, joys, and the happenings in the family over the past week. We shed tears, had silence on the phone, and listened to each other cry.

Audrey passed away on a Wednesday and we didn't celebrate her life with funeral until the next Friday- April 13th.

Friday, April 13th-- we also found out that Dan was having some health concerns. What he discovered is that...his heart rate is very inconsistent and the top part of his heart isn't function like it should be. Just this past Friday, they stopped his heart and tried to re-shock the whole thing in hopes it would start function right-- but it didn't. He will meet again with his doctor in June.

Besides all of this...life has been normal. I finished up coaching Track. We've spent a few weekends at the lake already, have been to Ada to visit Dan/Ruth. Celebrated Hayden & Braylee's birthday--I ran the Fargo 1/2 marathon, I was turned town for 2 kindergarten positions in Roseau- Audrey is growing like a week-oh yeah, Kenneth & I turned 26. :)