A Year In Review - 2011

• Tons of physical therapy for Heather, as she recovered from a mild stroke, effecting her right side, suffered in Dec 2010. She gained back most all that was lost by early April. The day she could drive again was joyful, as was the day her cursive came back, and the day her emotions came back (Oct) as well. It was SUPER hard work, for our whole family (as everyone helped with her exercises & therapy) and it taught us our new motto... "I can't do it... Yet!"
• Closed the doors on JWD Electric, as our mortgage company forced us into bankruptcy as we attempted to keep our home after they did their "bait and switch". We also turned in Jes' work truck.
• Heather's Realtor's license was place on in-active status for a season, by divine intervention, just before her stroke. It was perfect so she could 100% focus on recovering. She is still a licensed real estate agent, and may, at some point, reactivate her Realtor status by paying the crazy amount of dues the Assoc of Realtor's require. We shall see... time will tell.
• We turned in our camper trailer after the bankruptcy. It was hard - it was our family's escape and joy - but we are grateful for the debt relief from it.
• Tons of job applications, more than can be numbered, and any and all side jobs he can muster for Jes. In April he gained a full time job in maintenance at a local manufacturing shop. He enjoys tearing their machines apart and figuring them out and fixing them. The pay is less than desirable, but we are thankful for a steady paycheck. He still must to do electrical work to make ends meet. He was released as Elder's Quorum President in February, as the toll of taking care of Heather and looking for a job became suffocating for him. The Stake President gave him a "new calling". He told him his calling was to find a job to care for his family, and help his wife heal. He had torn emotions about it... as he loved serving the men of this ward, but the relief from the stewardship was huge.
• We spent the better part of the year uncertain if we were moving or not, and of how quickly we would have to do it - our martgage company was wicked. It was finally all said and done mid August. The bank won and took our family's home.
• We were blessed to move into a smaller rambler rental here in the neighborhood (the kids didn't have to change wards or schools) and have found great joy in our new little place. We can easily maintain it (when I say we...I mean Heather. She is LOVING feeling like she can fully be the homemaker without putting her health at risk). And we are closer as a family. It has been a blessing in disguise! This little house is perfect!
• Emmalee (14 yrs) began 8th grade. She loves choir. Misses art. Enjoys her friends. Active in Youngwomen's - loved girls camp at the new Heber Campground. Her room is decorated in Lime Green, brown, and she loves purple! Saved all her money for over 5 months, seeking any and all extra income makers she could (including babysitting and mowing grass) to earn enough to purchase an IPod Touch - 4th Generation - 32gb. She loves it! She has an amazing testimony & loves her Father in Heaven very much. Her spirit is incredibly sensitive to anything that interferes with her relationship with the Holy Ghost. She is an inspiration to all who know her. She has a very strong love language of "quality time." This year her Christmas Ornament was a purple swirly peace sign - her favorite colors, and her desire for life.
• Cody (12 yrs) began Jr High - he is in 7th grade. William (his first given name) is what he chose to go by in school this year. He finds great joy continuing his Drama classes. He also is in honors math. He struggles a little in school - but only because he doesn't always turn in his work... LOL typical 12 year old boy! He is an honor student - when his work is turned in on time - "busy work" annoys him. He has found a great joy in Scouts, and was nominated to join the "Order of the Arrow". He completed his "trial" this fall... and continues to work towards completing all that lay before him. He can be found almost always with his nose in a great fantasy fiction book... or his DS playing his Pokemon games. He is the family alarm clock and gets us all up in the morning (except Jes of course... as he is up at 4:30-5am to make it to work so he can be home around 3:30pm and have time for side jobs.) Cody has grown a mustache - ok... really dark peach fuzz - and has grown 5+ inches this year. His voice is deeper than Jes'. Heather loves that he is officially taller than her! Cody was diagnosed with Scoliosis this year - double curves - one in his upper spine and one in his lower. It is not such as yet that he needs a back brace, but we are keeping an eye on his rapid growth. Cody's love language is "physical touch" and he loves to hug those he loves, and he gives Em and I kisses on our cheeks every night before bed. His Christmas ornament this year was a pair of glass flip flops in a pretty shade of blue - his favorite color - and because we tease him that he is no respecter of shoes - if he needs a pair to go outside, he will snag whomevers is closest, girl shoe or not!
• Cameron (9 yrs) began 4th grade this year. He felt on top of the world to be able to have the same teacher he loved so much in 3rd grade. Mr. Anderson is one of the best teachers I have ever encountered. Cameron is in the top of his class. He began and enjoyed the first 3 Harry Potter books this year! We have only allowed him to watch the first two movies though - still too much for a boy his age. He would play video games all day if we let him, but once outside to play he has many friends and would stay outside all day too if we let him! Chicken Pox were an ailment he got to endure this year - he had a pox on his face that he struggled to leave alone and it is now a large pink mark (scar) which we pray will lessen with time. He also got an infection in his nail bed that destroyed his fingernail, and now as it grows out he has no nail! Cam loves to tease, joke and laugh. He loves tradition and spending quality time together, though his love language flits between "quality time", "physical touch" and "gifts". His Christmas ornament this year was a glass slice of pizza - the answer ALWAYS given when asked what to have for dinner... even if he had it for lunch! LOL
• Caleb (age 6) began 1st grade this year! (All my babies gone all day! :O) He is a math whiz!! Loves it! School is a struggle for him though in other ways: he was completely on track  and had begun reading before Heather's stroke, but after, anything to do with letters was forgotten. His kindergarten teacher did not mention much to us (she knew what was going on at home) and so when he started 1st grade we were surprised at how little he knew! He is taking extra tutoring and the letters/words are starting to come... we have NO doubt he will catch back up. All at home was too emotionally trying for him... but he is bouncing back now as our lives calm down. The boy LOVES to be outside, all creeping things are his friends... even scary black spiders. (ewww) He is passionate about weather - loves to hear the 7-day forecast and ANY show or book about it. He cannot read, and yet he checked out an encyclopedia on weather from the library and studied it front to back, asking questions when he could not figure it out from the pictures. He eats anything... and rarely complains about food. Pickles, peppers and anything his Daddy is eating is a food of choice. Caleb broke his arm this summer - in two places - and spent the better part of the summer and first few weeks of school in one of 3 casts. He dodged surgery by the skin of his teeth. Caleb tears things apart to put them back together all the time. LOVES it! He is also known to make anything from anything... his latest creation consisted of 2 tissue boxes, 3 toilet paper rolls and old dryer sheets... which, with some tape and cutting became a train engine! He can also build anything out of Lego's! He is a mini Jes to a tee! His love language is "acts of service", as he *loves* doing things for others. He also makes wonderful notes for everyone... even if we aren't sure what they say without his decipher. This year for Christmas his ornament was a beautiful shiny glass train... he loves them and can't to ride Traxx someday soon!
• Sophie, our Yorkie, is still the baby of the family. She has adjusted pretty well to our new home and loves having a fenced, grassy backyard all her own! She helped Emma and Heather, as they started Couch to 5k together this summer. They made it to week 9 together. Sophie still completely loves us all in this order: Jes 1st, Emma 2nd, everyone else last. LOL
• We have 7 chickens. Love fresh eggs. Fun to watch. The neighbor kids stand on the utility boxes on the other side of the fence near their coop to watch them... we joke we are the neighborhood zoo!
• Heather was in a car accident in Aug, a couple of weeks before she was to start school (a freshman at UVU! *gulp*) and though not hurt from the accident, she lost all the new brain pathways learned from her stroke and was thrown back to square one! It took almost 2 full weeks to have all the symptoms go away and be "back to normal" - and it was disappointing to be taken to the hospital via ambulance since the EMT's we not pleased that she could not move her right side, close her right eye, speak without a slur and smile with her whole mouth. She was allowed to go home a few hours later once they realized it was simply an "echo" from her former stroke. The 80 year old gentleman that hit her, ran a red light, and blessedly no one was really hurt. Our family car (Expedition) spent a month in the car shop and it completely restored - $7800 later. Thank heavens for insurance!! Emma and Heather stopped their 5k training post accident, and once we started the moving process, never got back to it. Looking forward to jumping back in in 2012.
• Starting school was put on hold for Heather until Spring semester, so we will be learning how to re-vamp our family routines to accommodate and support in a week or so. After this last year... as a family... we can do anything!!

We anxiously look forward to a new year... less stress... more time together... more growth... and lots more joy!!

I looked out the window and what did I see..?

My sweetheart and his bestest helper finishing up the chicken coop! :D 

Flattening the chicken wire down... 

Then to wrap it around the bottom of the coop... 

Caleb is always SOO willing to work.

He enjoys it and loves seeing a job well done.

He is definately a "chip off the old block" - the Jestin Block!

 LOL

New Chicks... again?

Our chicken brood has grown by 3!

We had to give away 1 of our chickens because, well, he was a rooster. LOL

Jes really wanted White Leg Horn's anyway, so when we found a last batch of the season at Cal-Ranch, we got three!

A little bold considering our housing crisis of late, but chickens are easy to give away if need be.

So we now have a grand total of 9 chickens.  

The kids just L.O.V.E. them!! And the chicks seem to thrive on the love... 

So sweet!! 

And I have to admit... I adore the little quiet cheeping all day long. I may consider some indoor birds someday!! These were the quietest chicks we have ever had. They are good little babies!

Randomness from my house:

As I type I can hear one of my chickens singing their "I am master of the universe!" song from just laying an egg. Huh. Reminds me I promised Jes I would go pick up chicken feed for him today since they haven't had feed in 3 days! (Thank heavens I am so good at letting produce go to waste or they would starve! *grin*)

Jes took Cody on his first scout campout this morning. They will be back tomorrow night. I can't quite believe my little man (even as the oldest little man) is a New Scout! He was VERY nervous about going. He tends to love scouts on a "read the book from cover to cover" kind of way. Acutally *doing* the projects is not really interesting to him. LOL. Hoping he finds some passion in it... and not complete annoyance for this super hot day he has to be out in! : /

Emmalee had a blast at girls camp. (Also...a first around here!) They initiated her with a snipe hunt... and she, along with her fellow "first years", fell for it hook, line, sinker and toothpaste on their face (to let the snipes know you are a friend you know!) They almost cancelled Girls Camp because of a Momma bear and her Cub in camp! So glad my husband did not pass on that tidbit of info until she was home again! Sheesh! She said the best part was how strong the Spirit felt while she was there. Sweet! The leaders succeeded in every way!

Cameron is B.O.R.E.D. Summer is making him crazy! When he first started school he struggled SO much with schedules... and now? He struggles without them. *sigh* We are trying some new tactics to curb the constant conflict he seems to have with his siblings ('cause you know... he's bored!) Instead of yelling at him (which does nothing but give him the attention he wants - negative or not - and never stops the episodes) We have been pulling him out of the situation and asking him to explain how what he was doing effects someone else... and how he would feel if it were him. Sad as it sounds, it is annoying to try and be loving and speak softly when all you want to do it bop him upside the head and tell him he knows better! LOL! It really has been working... and I think it boils down to the fact he just needs some one on one time and to know his opinion matters. (Even if he doesn't reallize he *has* that opinion until we talk it out) It has been a humbling experience. Frustrating. Annoying. And rewarding. Can't believe how different you really have to be with each kid! They all respond so differently!

Speaking of differently... just a funny side note... if I reprimand Cody in the slightest... he disssolves into tears and is devastated that he was "yelled at" - even if I NEVER even raised my voice. Interesting I tell ya! LOL! Kids sure keep you on your toes!

Caleb LOVES summer! He is in and out all day long! He loves sprinklers, the sand box, any and all bugs or spiders, popcilces and his "man car" (plasma car). He went to his kindergarten physical and the Dr. said his BMI was low. I laughed! This little man eats all. the. time! He just doesn't sit still long enough for it to stick to his ribs! LOL! He is very indifferent about going to school. He would rather play.

This week is going to be crazy fun at my house. Started last night with dinner at Ma's. My brother Brent and his family from WA for a week and a half, so we did an impromptu meal. We also had to throw together Jes and Cody's packs for scouts last night before we left for dinner, because I was not prepared for it to be the end of the week already! Bwahaha! We stayed at Ma's until 11pm. It was a good visit. BUT! We got Jes and Cody out the door to scout camp at 7:30 am.

Today I HAVE to get a bunch of financial begging over with. Loan modification wants another update on our finances and a hardship letter. Credit Union, after months of being in contact with them trying to work out payment arrangements to keep our car and truck, they just NOW offered to re-structure our loans (extended terms/lower interest rates) and lower payments for us. Um. Hello?? We could have saved our credit if you had offered that MONTHS ago! *sigh* So fun. More begging there. It really is tough to take - we aren't that in debt... we just have NO WAY TO PAY. It stinks. This too shall pass. We know we are not alone in this particular trial.

After the desk work all day today, as well as some house cleaning, car cleaning and some final trailer cleaning; then Jes and Cody get back tomorrow and I have to get them all cleaned up and up to my Ma's in Pleasant Grove for dinner and family photos (since my Bro is here :) ) Hopin' it is all do-able.

Sunday will be the usual crazy that is the Dorius household, and then of course I must spend at least a few hours working on the ward cookbook (did I mention I was making a ward cookbook?) I have asked for recipes for months... and now that the deadline has arrived I am finally getting tons of recipes, which is so fun and makes me SO excited, but leaves me with something that really needs my attention NOW. LOL! I can't wait to see and use the finished product though! The women in our ward are amazing and I am excited! :)

Then next week we will have houseguest in and out and will try to do many fun things while they are here that don't cost $$. It will be lovely! Including a Girls Night with pedicures and chick flicks. We are stashing the boys in my bedroom upstairs so we can play! *grin* Then the end of the week we will caravan for the family reunion! I can't wait to see my grandpa!! It's been way too long! (a crappy side effect of the economy)

It will be fun and distracting... which is JUST what I need. And I am looking forward to being so busy... just hopin' my heart will hold up for me in this heat! I SO want to enjoy this week!! xxcrossing fingersxx and saying a little prayer. Family is the most important!

Oh! And exciting enough... Jestin had some small job to do every day this week!! Woop Woop! We will take whatever we can get! He is so talented on so many levels and can do SO many different things... I just want him succeed!
I was so thankful! After all of our belongings I have listed to try and sell to make ends meet I finally sold my sewing machine... to Cinderella! Really I did! This gal called and wanted it... she was from SLC area, but would be working in Payson and wanted to know if she could stop on her way by my house and buy my machine! When she came to the door she was in full Cinderella costume! She even had the Snow White voice!! I felt like Disneyland had come to visit! I was amazed! (she goes to little girl parties for her job) I stood on my tounge when I answered my door though... I SOOO wanted to ask if the mice were slackin' on the job and that was why she wanted my sewing machine! Bwahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway... I have much to catch up on here. It will have to wait a bit... but I promise pictures are coming. Just thought I would get an update out there ;) Hello to all our family and friends... we hope and pray things are well with you!!! ((hugs))

New Chicks!

So... yes. I am crazy. Let's just get that out of the way right now! LOL.

We have 4 new chicks! One of our good friends son was asked to a highschool dance with a chick. It was cute and cliche ("dont be Chicken! Take a Hot Chick to the dance!") and left him with a little chick and no idea what to do with it. He knew we had chickens and a coop, and so, we adopted his chick. (the little yellow one) The poor thing cried all day and all night. It was ALONE in the world and wanted EVERYONE to know it! LOL! So... even though Jestin was headed out of town for a lengthy amount of time, I decided this chick could not be a lone chick in the box until it is big enough to join the brood. (nor could I endure it's crying all night long! LOL)

This is the selection they had when I went to pick some up!
Jes has always wanted Ameraucanas, since they lay blue/green eggs, and believe it or not, they had them! So we got 3! *grin* They are darling. They poop a ton. Their water constantly needs cleaned out. Their box stinks the garage up. And  I am doing baby chickens while my husband is away...heaven help me!

Like I said... I am crazy. *wink*

Wilbur is laying!

*GIGGLE* Here is the size difference in our little Wilbur the runt chicken's egg and the other chicken's eggs! ISN'T THAT SO CUTE??? LOL

Backyard Updates

Amy & Becky ...this post is in honor of you! *grin*

Our chicken coop all completed and set up! :) Jestin wants to paint it before snow flies... I am thinking maybe an October project??

Here is the side doors... one for water, one for food and the long one on top opens to the laying boxes where the kids collect eggs.

The chickens LOVE weeds freshly pulled from the yard (at least we know they wont starve! LOL) The kids love climbing in the coop and playing with them...

They peck at their toes and sandals and the kids hold them and love on them... just like regular pets!

Mmmm.... I see toes!

Underneath the coop is a shady place for them (added shade is added by the plywood along front you saw just while we have such hot temps) and Jestin hung their food from the floor board so the kids can just shake down fresh seed and their water gets changed daily.

We have grasshoppers in abundance... but as well we have preying mantis'. We keep the later... and the first.... well...

The chickens run and chase to see who gets to actually eat the treat! *grin*

Jestin has peaches on his little tiny tree!

And a couple pears! No apples yet this year though :(

I have grape/cherry/pear tomatoes like crazy! But only ONE large tomato on all 14 plants so far!! :( Either I am going to have a HUGE crop late in the season... we did something really wrong! Nothing seems to work!

We have Zucchini coming out our ears! (Bless the Elder's Quorum President and his "share the wealth" table! If ya need some... check there... if I haven't made it over... check here if ya'd like some! ;) )

These are another sad disappointment... we have beautiful plants... and have not gotten even a pots worth of beans! I think we are short on honey bees!

Sadly... these are our weeds. As tall as the kids and almost as tall as the fruit trees! *blush* We hope to get another shot at the bobcat to plow down and get ready to do some sprinklers? We have all the supplies saved up from 2 years worth of jobs... just need to trench. :P

And the weeds where the shed will go... I am telling you what... after seeing what Jess can do with a chicken coop...! We are BUILDING a shed next spring! *WINK* Lucky man!

Egg-Static!!

LOOKY LOOKY!!!!!!!!! We are ALL so excited!!!!!!!!

Our first egg!!!!!!!!!!

After weeks of daily checking... the day has arrived! Eggs are on their way!!

THANKS GIRLS!!!!!!!!!

Daddy! We like it!!

The chickens moved into their new home almost a week before we could move it to the backyard. They really seemed to enjoy the space! (after that box do you blame them?? LOL!)

Maybe even Wilbur (my tiny one in the back) will start growing now!

It still has a few odds and ends that need finished... but WOWZA! It is a palace! And we have only spent less than $70 total to build it!

This is Jestin's chicken. He calls her Chicken. (and "sweetheart" if he thinks no one is listening...)

She loves him. This is a norm. She loves to have him talk to her & hold her...

And she follows him and clucks... She is in love with her "Daddy" that's for sure!

Chick-deville

Our kids and the neighbor kids have LOVED it!

It's been their own little playhouse during construction...

Caleb LOVES to help! And he thought the missing roof piece was a hoot!

(Got to love the remenant of a Moose Bar all over his face)
We have done next to nothing extra but eat, sleep, dream chicken coop!

Jestin has been making the plans up in his head as we go...

We have been SO very blessed in our efforts though! In recycling (dumpster diving as it is affectionately refered *grin*) we have come across enough roofing material, most of our particle board pieces and 2x4's, screws and nails, and even a ripped screen door that we can use to ventilate the top windows! We have spent less than $60 total so far!!

The linoleum we got at a yard sale for $2! Great way to limit mess and replacement of the floorboards!

We are down to the siding (Jess is making his own with scrap wall boards from one of the homes he is working on... the homeowner gave it to him...it's already painted grey, so we may leave it grey until I can find a "Oops" exterior tan or cream at Home Depot to replace it!

We have had SUCH a good time!!

Can't wait to get it finished... I can have the garage back! *grin*

(Though it will take us a month of Saturday's to get the wood dust and construction materials cleaned up! Ugh! what a dusty mess!) LOL