Well, I think this is probably the longest I've gone without a quick post! Life has been busy for sure! Eli is 7 months old already! He is growing so fast it's crazy. He's 20 lbs already at just 7 months which seems so crazy to us as Ansel is about 28-29lbs at almost 5 years! Eli is wearing clothes that Ansel wore when he was almost 2 years old! Eli's a very good baby, so happy and sweet. He was a little fussy this past week though as I think he's working on some bottom teeth, but he's really been such a great, fun baby to have around. Ansel has been such a great big brother as well. He tells me often how he thinks it is so much fun to have a baby around. (I've been warned that might change once Eli starts getting more mobile and into Ansel's toys more, but I'll enjoy them constantly loving each other as long as I can :) Eli is getting really close to crawling. He's up on his knees with his stomach off the ground and rocking, but not quite crawling yet. Also, he's starting to get into the "momma's boy" phase even more. He does fine with others if I'm not around but he reaches out for me a lot and always watches me if I'm in the room and anyone else is holding him.
***Here's another link to some newer pictures for family and friends who haven't gotten to see the boys in awhile :)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=563981&id=576240252&l=aea7db7850
School is still going good. I did get pancreatitis about a month ago (The two main causes for that are drinking and gall bladder problems. Since I don't drink it's not related to that, and I didn't have any gallbladder issues to go with it so it was quite the random occurrence!) I've been told it may have been due to stress (possibly the cause :), a virus, etc. . but hopefully that will just be a fluke thing that doesn't happen again! Luckily it hit the hardest over the weekend so I only ended up missing one day of school, although it was a rather miserable week when I went back! It was rather ironic, I thought, that on the day I went back to school I had to give my class presentation on metabolic acidosis (and pancreatitis just happens to be a type of metabolic acidosis...haha) I really enjoy nursing school though. Sure it's kind of crazy fast paced and pretty busy, but I really enjoy learning stuff like this.
However, I am looking forward to next December, just over a year from now! I sometimes pull late nights studying since I don't want it to take too much time away from my boys. I like to spend as much time with them as possible so I try to save the studying for when Eli's down for a nap or they both have gone to bed. Needless to say, for the sleep factor alone I will be glad to finish school! I know some people think maybe I shouldn't be doing this right now while my boys are so young, but I really feel like I am supposed to do this right now and I know it is knowledge that will be so useful in raising a family as well. I feel like Heavenly Father has blessed me with the strength to do everything right now and that as long as I prioritize my time well, then I will get through school just fine and still have the essential family time that is important to have. I also have several friends who have gone through nursing school who give me encouragement and I feel strength through their stories and experiences. And of course I can't forget my wonderful husband! He's really been great and has helped pick up some of the extra workload around the house too. (Not to mention dropping the boys off at grandma's on school days, and taking an early lunch so he can get Ansel to preschool on time!) I'm really lucky to have him. We're also so grateful for Grandma Wilma. She takes such good care of the boys when I'm in class.. I never worry about them with her. I know they are in good hands.
Ansel is enjoying preschool. I was so glad he was able to get in to it. Next year is kindergarten for him.. and it's all day kindergarten here, so I'm glad he can get a little used to the routine of school this year before just being thrown into all day every day school!
Well, I don't think this week has been so bad even though we've been snowed in! We have our family, and electricity and running water.. what more could you ask for :) We haven't played in the snow too much since I don't want to take Eli out in it for very long, but Cody was off work yesterday so we got out there some! Cody and Ansel built a little snow fort so they could have their "zero heroes" camp out, (and it got to -7 degrees.. so it was definitely below zero!) I guess there is a scouting badge called zero heroes. Cody's going to have Ansel so ready for scouting by the time he gets there. He's always showing him a new knot to tie or something fun to do. He's such a good dad. Anyway, Cody told him about this and he was so excited. They made it through the night with only one phone call to me, because Ansel wanted a pillow, and since the fort was in our front yard. I ran one out to him :) I asked if he was cold and he said no, and that he was warm. Cody's a pro at this kind of stuff though and they had good sleeping bags so I wasn't too worried. I considered doing it too, but I think Eli's just a bit too young for it yet! I don't think he would have liked being confined in a sleeping bag either. Cody had to wake Ansel up in the morning so he could get to work and the first thing Ansel asked was.. "where's my badge?" haha.. I think it will be a fun memory for him! 
