Vaccinations

Is anyone else paranoid about having their children vaccinated with everything under the sun...the way it is done now days? As of late, I have become very engrossed in reading & deciding what could be the best for my children. There have been so many reports about links of the MMR vaccination & autism, that my heart can't stand it. Do I let them give my children the vaccination because they may get measles, mumps or rubella if I don't and deal with the possibility of them later getting autism? I DON'T KNOW!!! Is there a real link between the two, or is this just surfacing paranoia of the typical mommy? The kids have had all of the vaccinations required of them up until this point and have been absolutely fine, but Tanner has his one year shots next week and Karlie possibly hers before starting preschool so I have been racking my brain with trying to make the right decision, but I really need more reliable info. Adam & I have talked about it, but I'm the only one in our family that has really heard anything about it up to this point and I'm pointing it out to him so he's with me on whatever we decide. He's never actually heard anything about it. I would like to show him real hard proof. If any of you have any information about this please let me know. Am I just an over paranoid mommy? I don't know, I like to think I just want to be a well educated one with a very important decision to make. This decision is weighing very heavy on my heart right now. My kids, my family are my everything. I can't help thinking that what if this round of shots is the one that changes it all. Any information or support would be greatly appreciated.

Spring is here!!!

Finally, spring feels as if it is here, hopefully to stay. I heard some frogs chirp last night. Yesterday I took the kids to the library for the first time for the summer reading program. Karlie was so excited to get her own library card. She picked out a few books while Tanner randomly ran around pulling books off of the shelf. I found Amelia Badelia and asked Karlie if we should get it she said no, but I really wanted it since it was one I read as a child so we got it. We even got some movies and Karlie will get her own library bag next week. Then we headed out to Nicholson's for seeds for the garden & a plant for Karlie. We then put marigolds & onions in the garden

Tanner ate with his fork again last night, then proceeded to lick his plate & laugh. How could I not laugh. Adam's says I was encouraging him, but then he laughed too.

Today we took the kids for a picnic at Smokey Bear park since Karlie likes him. Adam & I got subway & the kids Peanut butter sandwiches. I laid out a blanket. The kids just sat down next to each other with their sandwiches and ate. They looked so cute. Adam & I sat down with them. Tanner stood up and started running around with his sandwich after awhile, tripped, mashed a little PB with grass, got up ran around again back to the blanket, tripped again, a little mashed PB into the blanket. I just laughed. Then we played hide & seek in the few little pine trees that are there. So much fun. My little ones had such a good time and so did we! I'll have to figure out some more field trips & summer activities for us because the kids have been so good and I know it's because their not pent up in the house any longer.

Today I even got to mow the lawn for the 1st time, and then rake the "hay" since the grass was very long, but hadn't dried out enough until now. I love spring!!!

Misc.

Well, today my day started off to the rat-a-tat-tat of some stupid woodpecker (yes, he is stupid because IT IS METAL!) pecking on my metal garage right outside my window at 5:30 AM. Yesterday, he did the same thing, and I was like Annie Oakley out in my yard hunting him down with my BB Gun. Yes, I have a BB Gun & a 20 gage to my name and yes, this woodpecker deserves it whether he's doing a mating thing or not. My dad's big on birds and told me to leave the little thing alone because he was doing his mating call. I'm sure his little lady is not up at that hour either and would not appreciate being woke up at that hour. I did not find him so he's safe for another day. Please don't think I'm some meany that prays on defenseless little tweety birds; I do not enjoy getting rid of little birds from yard (only grouse during hunting season, which I really enjoy) and do not make a habit of it, but when they become irritating it is time. Four mornings in a row qualify as irritating in my book. Hopefully, he just finds himself a new home. :)

On another note...Tanner used a fork last night for the first time. At first he would just stab it into the food, come out with nothing, and then stick the fork in his mouth, and then when I gave him a green bean, he stabbed after a couple attempts and stuck it in his mouth. He is also teething like a mad man, poor little guy. I thought he had a cold at first, but I think it's just teeth, some days a runny nose or a low grade fever, other days OK, but he has been a little whiney the last week, just not his usual self. Karlie gets registered for preschool on Tuesday. I can't believe that she'll be starting preschool already this fall. Time just flies by.

Heading to the cities this weekend to celebrate with my cousin Vonda & her hubby. Can't wait to see them and the rest of the Hansen clan. :) Adam is worried about my mom, I & the kids traveling to the cities. I've only actually driven on the outskirts of the cities a couple of times, not much driving in the cities itself. I know, 29, and haven't driven in the cities, but everytime I go there someone else is always driving; I've just never had to. So Adam went and bought me one of those navigation systems/map GPS for in the car "just in case". He wanted me to read the manuel so I knew how to work it, but I prefer to just figure it out on my own or have him read it for me & tell me how to work it. :)

Misc.

I hope everyone had a good Mother's Day. We has a really good time. We went out to eat at the Holiday Inn so us mothers wouldn't have to do dishes. :) Adam & the kids got me a flowering crab tree. They're my favorite in the spring. It was fun just spending time with the family. I even snuck in a little nap when the kids had one. :) The kids have had colds and I thought maybe I was getting it, but I think it was just sinuses, not sure. I took some cold medicine (day time stuff) and zonked for about an hour and then tried to keep my eyes open for the next hour since the kids were up. Didn't think that stuff could make you drowsy, but guess again.

On another note, for those of you who don't know I've been working hard training for a 5k in June...today I actually ran the entire 3.1 miles in 37 1/2 min. without walking, just running it straight. I am extremely pumped, excited, and proud of myself. This is a huge accomplishment for me seeing as it is something I've never done before and never thought I could do, so happy, happy, happy am I. :) Now I just have to work on lowering my time. This is my next goal.

Pansy Planting

Well, it's been a bit of a tough week for me & the kids. Karlie got a cold and was up quite a bit for a couple nights, then Tanner got it and was up for a couple nights, and with them sick I just stayed home and kept them in the house so we didn't spread germs and they got some rest. Karlie got a bit crabby being pent up so I decided today we should do something fun. Planting flowers, pansy's to be exact!

My dad was going out to grandma Hansen's to till the garden and plant some onions so went with him and planted pansy's in her pansy bin and a couple of her other planters. For those of you who don't know, my grandma always had pansy's out, and had a special metal barrel where just her pansy's went. I consider them to be one of the happiest little flowers that always seem like they have a happy little face on them. I got Karlie her own special tool bag that had mini shovels, rakes, water bottle so she could help me plant flowers. Even Tanner joined in.

When we were done planting the pansy's we walked along the field & looked for asparguss, something we do each spring, but there was none to be found. Probably very confused with the weather we've been having. I was so hoping for some fresh stuff too...there is nothing better. Karlie & I played tag in the big field as I chased her around. By then Papa was done tilling so we helped him plant onions.

For all of you who don't know this, my dad is somewhat particular when it comes to gardening. :) This means straight lines (using two sticks tied with string to measure rows properly), a pipe to lay down and make the planting row, exact measurements on how far down & how far apart those plants should be planted. We planted potatos last year and their supposed to be somthing like 8" apart, I had planted a few and he told me they looked like they were 12" apart. I'm pretty sure he got this from his mom. It makes me laugh! Love you dad! Karlie she can get away with anything when it comes to her Papa though. They planted one row of onions together. He made little holes and Karlie would put a couple in (some roots up :) in a straight line and then decide one should go 3" lower and papa would explain how we needed to keep a straight line and she would say no I think I'll keep it right where it is papa, and Papa would say OK and they'd plant another one. (Mommy did go fix them afterwards.)

This was such a fun day today. I love seeing smiles on my kids faces, and also no battles. It was such a happy time planting flowers, digging holes with my bare hands (I never wear gloves when I garden because I love feeling the earth on my finger tips, I don't wear shoes when I plant a garden either for the same purpose), watching Karlie dig a hole and plant a pansy, watching Tanner dig and nearly mangle a pansy in the process then eat a bit of dirt, planting onions (even though I think they're a worthless veggie) with my dad, the kids, and Adam in grandma's garden. Grandpa Tveit even came out with dad and watched us. This was something special I enjoyed sharing with my kids. Soooo much fun!!!

Planting Pansy's

Birthday

Tanner's 1st Birthday party

We had Tanner's 1st Birthday party on May 3. Grandma Judy got terribly sick so she could not share our special day, and we missed her so much. There were about 18-20 people who did get to come, aunties & uncles, friends, and family. Tanner had a blast. We had ham & turkey & all the fixins. He didn't really want to eat his cake at first, but after papa stuck his fingers in it away he went. I finally had to take it away because I didn't want him to get sick from all the sugar. After eating cake, I stripped him down to the diaper because he was covered with cake and onto present opening. He got so many wonderful toys and of course, Karlie tried to help him open up all his presents. Didn't seem to understand it was Tanner's turn to open. I told her on her birthday she'll have to let Tanner help her, and boy she wasn't happy hearing that. I still can't believe my baby's one already. This year has gone by so fast. It was so fun to have a party for him and visit with everyone.

Enjoy the slide show. Most pictures are from Tanner's birthday, but there are a few that I thought were cute so I put them in too. The one with Princess Daddy I may be in trouble for. Karlie likes to pretend she's princess Aurora, Tanner is Sebastian, Daddy is Ariel, and I'm sometimes Belle or Flounder. I couldn't resist getting a picture. :)