Girl's night out.

 

Ingrid, Ginger and I out in Minot over Christmas break.  Fun girl's night at Josh Duhmal's restaurant.  

4 more years of vacuuming

I know some of you are really animal lovers.  I want to remember this time, so I thought I'd put it on my blog so I'll always have it.   *Asterix are the tear jerking moments that got us here.

As many of you heard via facebook last night, Toni got hit by a car last night.  As we all know, the Hansons some time forget that we left Toni outside unsupervised.  And, to be honest, Toni is a little sneak and likes to take a rendezvous around the neighborhood when she feels that her exercise allotment has not met her needs- ie: most of the winter.  She has been encountering near misses with cars for the seven years we've had her, and tonight she didn't get missed.  Critelli's had called us and said they saw Toni out for her stroll (kids had accidentally left garage door open when they used the code to get in after school).  Chris and the kids looked for her, but couldn't find her.  Toni has been gone during blizzards from 10pm-1am, but we all knew this was different.  *Kids were bawling.  I was secretely looking for her, but pretending not to be worried.  Well, at 8:15pm someone called and said they had found her huddled up next to a fence by Fox Run park, along the road that runs North and South between Timberline and Fox Run.  A lady had called the cops, but then another man took her home and called us.  The police met Chris there and he brought her home.  *Her right hind leg was obviously deformed and she couldn't walk.  Vet said that we could wait through the night, gave her some aspiring for pain, but to watch for signs of breathing troubles.  *Well, we get her all set up in the mudroom and we're ready to go to bed finally around 11:30 and Chris says "she's panting."  I go in there and it looks like she had been running.  We were ready to take her in then, but she was just too hot!  She's used to sleeping out in the garage!  We carry her out to pee and she immediately stopped panting.  Left the door open between the garage and the mudroom and she was fine for the night. 

**So we were kind of thinking this might be the last picture with Toni......

But, as of now, it is not!  After much debate and asking around and crying on the phone with vets and with Chris, Toni will become an amputee!  Her femur is shattered. *It looks like about 10 different pieces.  But, that's really it somehow.  She has a small crack in her pelvis as well, but those usually heal well.  It will be difficult because she's going to need to lay around to let the pelvis heal while she should be up learning to be a three-legged dog.  Cost was around $1000; so not something that was going to make us empty our savings account or anything.  Vet said it was a 50/50.  She is a very good candidate with no other health problems, no arthritis.  She is thin and has a good frame for it.  Yet, she is at least 10 years old. We told the vet where the man had found her; *Vet said "she was lying down to die. She wasn't going to try to hobble home."  Chris really thought "we either say goodbye now or a few years from now...."

I have often joked that if I had the choice to put Toni to sleep or fix her up, that I wouldn't even hesitate.  That it would be "see you later.  Nice knowing you.  Thanks for the memories."  Well.....I just know Toni can do this. * I just know she won't lay around and not get up when I get that stroller out.  *It will definitely be sad to not have my running buddy anymore, and to watch her sad little face as I go without her.  But, I felt like all the signs were pointing to doing it:  She could've had a perforated bladder from the shattered femur, she could've froze to death if no one would've found her, they could've found arthritis in the other hip when they took the x-ray, we could have babies to care for and certainly not have time to carry our dog out behind the shed to urinate, (like this picture of Chris below), for the next 2 months.  (She is unable to pee anywhere else, it appears, besides this regular spot for her.  We tried closer spots to the door and she starts hobbling out there herself.)

Now we're just making sure she has "life" in her and no further damage happened internally and she will have surgery Tuesday.  Unless someone can convince us differently? * I really don't want to put her through all this, but I also don't want to "quit" her.  She really is a great dog.   We could have (hopefully) 4 or 5 more years with this nice dog or have to start all over.  Toni doesn't chew things or get into the garbage or jump or bark or destroy things.  She is great with our kids.  The only complaints I have of Toni is that she runs away if we are not watching her and she carpets my floors with dog hair.  However, those two complaints should hopefully decrease when she's down to one hind leg?  Going to be much hard to get away and dart out into traffic with three legs and she'll only have one hind leg to itch with, which send the clouds of dog hair flying everywhere.  Might be OK?

**Marie thought Toni would feel better if she looked at the toy catalog.

Might be the saddest moment....

 

 

We make our decision.   I have the number of the man who called to say he had found Toni.  Chris didn't remember his name, but when I called the man remembered she was Toni.  His name is Bill.  I told him about Toni and what we were going to do.  *He told me exaclty where he had found her, which made me sad because the vet had said that someone had to be going very fast, like in the 40 mph range, to do this kind of damage and that there was no way they wouldn't have known they hit something.  I thought that it happened on 40th Ave and I thought that speed would make sense and I thought Toni had run further.  But, it happened on a road that no one should be going 40 and on a road that wouldn't have traffic lined up behind you and Toni couldn't have gone very far.  ******Anyways, I told Bill what the vet had said about her going there to die and his voice cracked as he started to choke up and he said "that's exactly what I said to the other lady standing there.  This dog came here to die.  But, she's just such a good dog.  You made my day by calling me back."  I told him we would keep him posted and hopefully walk by his place this summer so he could see her. 

 

So, if she makes it through these next couple of days, and then through surgery, and then through the recovery, and then wants to be a fun dog again.....hope we're doing the right thing on this one.  Chris says Toni is officially "Erika's dog." 

 



 

Insert Boyz II Men singing....

"How do I say goodbye to what we had? 

The good times that made us laugh
Outweigh the bad

I thought we'd get to see forever
But forever's gone away
It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday."

So long dragon/dinosaur costume that was a hand-me-down from Cousin Jack.  (Although, by the looks of how I squeezed Luke into it last year, maybe there is another year left for it?  And don't anyone freak out.  I'm not really getting rid of it.  This is one to save for sure.)

You will be missed.  Boo-hoo.

Eva, Liv, Emma and Lauren.  Thank goodness for Liv's mom Beth; I had the shirt for Eva and that was it.  Oh wait, no I didn't?  That # was borrowed from another neighbor!

 Travis, Carter, Andrew and Keaton.  These boys' moms were so nice to take Travis with them so he didn't have to go slow with....

 ...the mean dragon and Adrian Peterson.

Luke is Adrian Peterson most Sundays anyways.  

 In the hood.

 What would these girls' lives be like without Allison?  Empty.

 Paigey and Lukey.  Surprised he's not twirling her hair?

Bison and Birthdays- Marie turns 3

I couldn't find pictures of Eva's 3rd birthday that showed the dog bowls and dog bone cookies?  I don't know how it is that 2 people, 6 years apart in age pick to have the EXACT same birthday party?  This time round, I was able to make the cookies instead of Grandma Lois doing it for me.  I have learned something in six years of cooking I guess?  Happy Birthday Mi-mi!

 Brynn and Kyler eating out of dog bowls with Marie.

 Marie, Kyler, Brynn, Hugo, Luke, Travis and Eva

Although I haven't gotten this good....Grandma Lois and Grandpa Clint made this cake for her family party.  

If you haven't been to my house and seen this hanging everywhere, then here are the pictures we had taken Memorial Day.  

 Best picture we could get of Luke alone.

We have 4 season tickets to the Bison football games.  The real fight is not over who gets to go to the game, but who gets to stay home with the babysitter.  It was Eva and Marie this day staying home with Allison.  Photo shoot time!  

Eva and Liv

 So glad these two each have a sister.

BISON HOMECOMING!  Our season tickets are with the Syllings (Jamie Evans and her husband Jason and boys, Wyatt and Tee.)  The parade was so fun!

 Yellow tutu, striped leg warmers, pink candy bucket...Love it!

Luke and Mi-mi: the Destroyers

Room #1.  To really appreciate the destruction, you have to know that some of those blankets are from my bed they disassembled.  This is mostly an every day occurence to play "baby puppy." 

"Baby puppy" earlier this summer.  

Room #2 was the garage and I missed taking a picture.  The party that occurred there included chips thrown all over the floor and "danced" on.  I really don't even know how they had time to destroy these 3 rooms before nap because I made them clean up every last piece of the garage party themselves, with the only help being to get the vacuum out.  Took at least an hour for them to do that?

However, this was in January.  The destruction I'm posting today has actually made me realize how easy cleaning up is now; At least they can do most of the clean up themselves.  I barely knew where to start on this one. 

 

Can't blame this one on Marie, as this is from August 2009.  Luke has a real party talent.  I'm sure partying and red solo cups will come in handy in college for Luke. 

 Silly!  No!  This is not a party, it's driving to grandma Tree's AND camping. This used to occur daily, but has been replaced by "baby puppy."



Speaking of destruction (not sure how I couldn't find a picture of a kid sitting on this?), we finally got a new dishwasher whose door isn't held up by the floor.  Interesting twist, it holds way more dishes for the kids whom are now able to empty it themselves.  Take that!

Room #3:  Not allowed in Eva's room, already destroyed that once this summer, which included a pottery wheel, jewerly paint, glitter, beads, etc.  Not allowed in Travis room either...toy room is too destroyed to even walk in...the bathroom!  It's a bathroom party of course!  Only thing you can't see is the water involved in the bathroom party on all these clean blankets and towels.  

 This picture will not be as cute when Marie posts one from a house party some day.  Now that was a PARTY!

Summer 2012

Let's be honest: The kids aren't as cute as they once were.  I really don't need to post things as often.  Now, they're mostly annoying.  Ha!  Just kidding...kind of. 

The Evens are saints and came to hang out with us for 5 days over the 4th of July. 

 We had so much fun!!!!  I still laugh just thinking of the nervous breakdown I nearly had as Sue and I were alone with the kids as the guys golfed and I listened to someone critique everything I did in the kitchen as I tried to make lunch and the kids were starving and then Marie pooped on the floor and Toni ran to the neighbors that hate us already; all at the same time.   So I had "Bud-liter-aids" (as Chuck called them) for lunch and everything was O.K.  And VERY FUNNY.  Sue and I became immediately HILARIOUS. 

This is not Sue and I.  Imagine we're this cute.  But funnier. 

Chuck's mom, Judy, came for a couple of nights over the 4th.  It was great to have another grandma around to help with kiddos!  Look to the right of the picture and you can see the awesome beverage holders my dad made for us.  No more kids kicking over the drinks!

 The Middle Cormorant 4th of July boat parade! 
Grandma Judy said that was her favorite part of the day. 

Travis and Eva helped make this flag cake. 
We put candles on it and sang Happy Birthday to America. 

 It was HOT on the 4th of July.   They all went slip and sliding...

And the slip and slide got "Chuck Evens-ed" to be long enough for the adults.

Chuck and Chris decided to take the kids fishing (well, more Chuck than Chris.  But, Chris was a good sport).  Much more time was spent getting ready for fishing than actually fishing. 

 Norah was the cutest fisherwoman.

 It was rainy one of the days, so we headed to Fargo to hang out. 
Some rode the "fairest" wheel at Scheels.

We all thought the safest bet was to put Luke in his own seat.

Bunk beds are for fort building, right?  You can see Travis trying to bring Norah to tears with boredom as he shows her his bounty hunter story. 

He named a bounty hunter after her just to keep her interested.

Sadly, I have many pictures of the fun that the kids had during the day. But, not any pictures of the fun board games and bon fires that the adults enjoyed when the kids went to bed.  So, I'll just post this picture pre-children and tell you we all still look this youthful.   Thanks for coming Chuck, Sue, Andrew and Norah!

After Eva broke her arm in June, I got a taste of how fun it could be to do very little in the summer vs running around.  Much fun was had in the "hood" in Fox Run.

Allison took great pictures of my children...

 Marie did not go to sleep, but instead put on a swimsuit...

 Luke cuddled with dad as they watched golf...

 Luke and Mi-mi dressed up as princesses...

 Marie got her face painted....

 By Liv and Eva...

Travis wrote and illustrated story after story involving droids like this

 and Star Wars and Ninjago characters.

 Travis also did some cooking...

Which is funny because he opened the craft sticks for his popsicles just like his mom would by cutting off the resealable ziplock closure... 

 There were multiple lemonade/face painting stands this summer...

And the "Rockin' Lites" performed at Allison's 18th Birthday party on Karnik's patio. 

Travis was the DJ.  Marie keeps asking to go to the "concert."

We also had a great time at Sheila's "pick-pick", as Marie called it,

with our daycare friends we don't get to see much in the summer.     

Instead of camping, we had the Buckhouses out to the lake for a 3 day weekend. MOST of us brought our shirts from the 125th Hankinson Centennial last year to take the picture we forgot to take.

 Marie taught Halle how to drink juice boxes, which there seems to be a
never-ending supply of at the lake.

 This weekend was HOT as well.  Nolan (aka: Uncle Pickle) floated...

 ...Chris tried to splash him.

Adam pulled Eva and Travis around and around as they barked-out orders at him so lovingly. 

Marie, Sheena and Halle fed bread to the fish... and to Halle.  

Since it was vacation, we all did relaxing things.  Sheena and I sat around in Clint and Lois' recliners and read while the others finished their Mooseluck Olympics. 

 Grandpa Gerry fished. 

Grandma Tree relaxed and enjoyed an "udder one." 

I am not happy at all that we only have a video of this occurence vs a picture.  Adam, Nolan, Sheena and I headed to DL with Chris while he did a remote at the Holiday Inn on the beach while grandma and grandpa watched the kids.  I am typically the hulahoop champion in all bar competitions I enter.  At the Rock in 1997 or so (not 2003 as Chris says), I was not typically competeing against little kids or people 15 years younger than me that all grabbed the good hoops.  My back hurt so bad and my abs were burning so bad that I had to stop!  I tried to blame it on them getting the good hoops.  But, it hurt.  Bad.  You'll see me practicing in the "hood" from now on. 

We also had a very fun extended weekend when the Kemp's visited from Shanghai.  This is Luke, Hugo Hoffman (Jen's oldest) and Jack Kemp (Ingrid's oldest), who are all similar ages.

 These are 7 of the 11 kiddos between Ginger, Ingrid, Jen and I that we had watch a video so we could drink margaritas.  I took 5 pictures; this was the best one. 

As with the Evens, these 11 kiddos were so time consuming, we didn't get any pictures of us adults together. So, again, I'll just post these and tell you we look exactly as youthful.

  But, with coffee in our hands as we suffer from extreme fatigue from staying up way too late and

then having to get up with the kids in the mornings. 

 It was a great time Jen (and Chris), Ginger and Ingrid (and Dave)!