Christmas tree 2009

This is the Gordon Family Christmas tree 2009. We typically decorate it a little diffrently. Each year we get a decoration for the family and for each child to represent the year. It has been a great tradition, and it is fun to see the special decorations from each year. We even laugh about the one that got broken when our wild dog Kiah tipped our tree a few years ago.

This year has obviously been a diffrent year. We just got the tree up a couple nights ago. We are unsure of when the baby is coming, but have had moments when we thought it was very soon. SO this year we are not digging out all the decorations and extras. This year we decided to make homemade snowflakes, and paperchains. While it is not all that we are used to, it is however the perfect decor for this year.

Sledding Nov 2009

This was the first big snowfall of the year. The kids wasted no time getting down to the park sledding. It is so great that there are so many kids in the neighborhood, that we are all so close, and I love that I can watch them at the park from my house. They spend a few hours playing, and then went from house to house getting hot chocolate from the parents. Eventually they settled in to watch movies and play computer games out of the cold. How fun for them!

Emily and Santa

We are doing a mommy and me preschool this year. It has been so wonderful. While she had an awesome experience at preschool, it has been so nice having a hand in her experience, and the fact that it is here in the neighborhood is great too.

For the letter N they took thier first fieldtrip to the mall to see St. Nick! She liked him, but I think she was aware he was Santas helper and not the real thing. She had no desire to sit on his lap or show him any unnecessary affection. haha

Emily's classmates with Santa

Lego Robotics teamwork champs

It was wonderful to see Nate with his teammates. This was during the teamwork section. They had spaghetti noodles and mini marshmallows. They were instructed to make the tallest tower. They only had a couple minutes, and it was great to have them come up with ideas and encourage eachother. I think the positive interaction and encouragement was what won them first place!!!!

Lego Awards

Lego Robotics Tournament

Saturday was Nates Lego Robotics Tournament at ISU. He has been working so hard. They typically meet 2 x a week for 1.5 hours since the beginning of the year. Recenty they have extended times added days etc. Nate has also came in during lunch recess to tweek and perfect little things here and there. I was a huge deal for him.
Sean was on a flight, and I had been pretty sick, so we made arrangements for him to get a ride with his teacher (who is also our backyard neighbor). They left at 8:00 am and got home around 6:00. I sent out invites to family and friends to please come support Nate since Sean was in Canada, and I was on bedrest. I didn't hear of anyone definatly coming, and I just didn't have the heart to not being there to support him. I chose to go to the morning presentations. It took about 1.5 hrs to watch the 3 presentations, but it was so great to see thier interactions and to see when they accomplished thier goals. Jaron and Emily did really good at sticking by me. Jake was there, so they just ran in the pack. Then I went home to get rested up for the afternoon awards cerimony. I still felt horrible, but again I really wanted him to be cheered for his efforts, and I wanted to snap a couple photos.
Heavenly Father blessed me with a front row parking spot both times, but I was especially thankful for the one at Reed Gym. We watched for a while, then it was announced that they would be presenting to the other side. By now I was weak and getting nauseous. There was no way I could go up the stairs. I got to see 2 run offs and they were getting ready to announce the awards, when It hit me like a rock. I had to leave. To tell you how desperate I was, I almost gave my $300 camera to a teenager to take photos of Nate for me. Reality hit in that I did not know this person, she did not know me, or Nate, and how will I get my camera back.
I went to the other side where Dave Cameron was and gave it to him and said "I am really sick, I have to go now, Please take pictures of Nate. Lickity Split I was out of there.
Once at home I was vomitting and nauseous and havin contractions and pain. Sean was between Washington, and an hour away from Canada. I could not get a hold of him, my mom had fallen at Reed Gym and was hurt, and grandpa and grandma are not feeling well. I called my friend Anne and started to cry. She said wait there I am sending help.
I ordered pizza for the kids, Royce came to sit with them, Jason took me to Labor and Deliver, and Anne's dad George brought me home. While there I was given a shot to help reduce contractions, Then they gave me some medicine to calm me for sleep. They did the Ffn test that came back positive saying the the baby will likely come in the next 2 weeks. So I also got a shot of the steroids to strengthen his lungs. The next night I got the other shot. These will really help incase Ethan does come early.
Nate and I passed when he got home and I left. He had been awarded a medal for the competition, and his team, the dominators to 1st prize for Team spirit. With this accomplishment, they get to continue on to state!!!! (Jan 16th Reed Gym) In the mean time they have some quirks to iron out of the robot and the presentations. I am so excited for him.

Thanksgiving

It has been a few weeks, so I thought I better try to catch up a little or else I would forget. Thanksgiving was a couple weeks ago. Sean has been busy trying to work as much as possible. With the slowing economy and job loss, pay decreases, and lack of flights, he has wanted to take advantage of any flight he can get. Needless to say, he had a flight on Thanksgiving.
With Grandma recently getting a knee replacement, and both of them slowing down, it is so difficult for them to put on big dinners anymore. So even though Kendra and Kyler, and Paige and Nathan were not there, Karen and Steve offered to host Thanksgiving for us all. Matt, Jen, and the kids were in town, as well as MaryAnn and Rich and the kids. They had Thanksgiving at Gary and Sandras with Utah family, but MaryAnne, Rich and Tyler stopped by for a visit, and also dropped off a laptop for me to use while I am on bedrest. (Using this laptop has made the time go so much faster. Even though I get tired pretty easy, it is so great to just pop on to facebook and get and give updates, and to send and recieve emails.
Even though I was told to be on bedrest, I figured that I would be okay to go to Thanksgiving. I did not want the kids to miss out, and I knew that I could take it easy. I was also feeling decent when I woke up. While I stayed down most of the time, I still got pretty tired. When I came home then Dad, Gail, TJ and Thomas came over. Gail brought the big bucket of legos for the kids. They were in heaven, and we barely heard a word from them the rest of the night. I visited for a couple hours, and then went up to bed. I was so sore and tired.
The next morning we went to Golden Corral for breakfast. It is so funny, because the kids look so forward to going to Golden Corral with Grandpa Tbone and Grandma Gail. After dinner the boys headed for home, and I went up to bed. Nate talked Grandpa Tbone into taking him to the show 2012. Gail decided to get in a little more shopping (I guess getting up at 3:00 to shop black Friday was still not enough.)
I sure do love having company over to our home. It is so fun to visit, and I love knowing that people are comfortable in my home. The kids and Sean love the company as well.
It seemed like that little bit of excitement was enough to knock me down for a couple days, because the next week I pretty much had to stay in bed, and even going downstairs for water was exhausting. Sean is taking the whole thing in stride. The kids are getting pretty sick of bringing me water and carrying down plates for me. Hopefully the time will pass well and quickly. I do want the baby to be safe, and I want to be safe as well, but it will be good to not have to place such a demand on the family.
I have been truly touched and humbled. After my rant a couple weeks ago, and getting hit with the added health risks, the Relief Society has really jumped in an rallied around us. The new presidency has contacted me each week, and they have also made arrangements for us to recieve meals a couple times a week. The meals have been wonderful, but what has been so great is to see the support and concern. It is also so nice to see who is willing to serve us. Each person has offered without being asked, and apparently when they passed the list it got filled right up.
This has been a real challenge, I do however feel so blessed at this time. I hope that I can emerge from my challenges stronger. I hope that my challenges can have a positive impact on the kids and Sean as well.