Fun with the Ducks!

Earlier this summer we took the boys to feed the ducks at pioneer park.  I forgot to bring my camera then.  Today we went and I was able to take my camera.   I will post pics of it soon.

    This is a picture of Wesley walking on the path by the river.  I love this path because it is gated on both sides most of the way. 

The Other Side of Heaven

Hi Everyone!
These are pictures of the last 2 mile walk we took before the weather turned cold.  :)

  It has been almost 6 months since I have updated this blog.   I just want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers as our family has been going through this difficult time.

We are doing well, and looking forward to making many more wonderful memories.   John Michael and Wesley are always on an adventure,  so I continue the blog I started with more pictures and stories.  If you prefer not to be on automatic blog send then let me know at haj9@yahoo.com

The Toddler Chronicles, Its summer time!

The weather here in Fairbanks alaska has been great! upper 60's and 70's. It is practically beach weather! We have been loving it. After such a long cold winter, we are outside every day, sometimes twice a day. We go walking on the trail by the river in the morning and then play at the playground when we get back. In the evening we may go on a walk or play in the playground. This time of year after about 6 pm our playground is shaded, which makes it really nice. One drawback to the warmer weather is the Mosquitos! They are out in force. This time of year they are stupid. They land on you and stay. You have plenty of time to shoo them away or kill them. By the end of the summer they are fast as lightening and you hardly even know you are bit till you are scratching at this invisible bit mark. Everyone's moods seem to have lifted. Lots of people are out and about walking, riding bikes and running.

Wesley has been having a blast on the swing at the playground. He would stay in it the whole time if I let him. He can also climb up the jungle jym to the slide and goes headfirst down. He is so fun to watch. He is still a picky eater but we are slowly working on that. Last night he woke up with a sore throat. He has had a lot of drainage lately but I figured it was a cold that would work itself out. Then I found out that some of his friends had strep. He got a doctors visit today and was prescribed Azithormycin. I hope it helps. His nose has been buggerrry for way to long.

John Michael is doing lots of fun things. Today he finally figured out how to ride his little 3 wheeled bike. He was so proud of himself. He can also take off his own shirt. I try to praise him in every way that I can. I had to take underwear away from him and leave him in just pants, because he started pooping in his underwear instead of the toilet. For the last two days, he has gone in his little potty during his quiet time. I tell him how proud and glad I am that he is being such a big boy. I will introduce underwear soon, once I am sure he is trained to go to the potty and not in his pants. It is definitly a work in progress.

John Michael has entered a jumping phase. He likes to climb to high places and jump. Sometimes its ok, like when we are at the playground. Sometimes its not ok when I catch him trying to jump off the couch or the table or his dresser.

A few weeks back when there was a ton of snow in our playground, John michael climbed up to the top of this mountain of snow and was scared to get down. I came as close to him as I could but there was still some considerable distance between him and I. I told him to jump. He hesitated for just a second then jumped and landed safetly in my arms. I have often thought about this. He had the faith and the knowlegde that I would catch him even though the space between us was wide. I think that is how God is with us sometimes. He wants us to have the faith to jump into the unknown, knowing he will catch us. I really want to have faith right now because my future as a single mother is pretty far into that unknown category.

Cabin Fever

We have been inside so much the last week becuase of colds...etc. I cant wait to get outside and play! This morning by 9 am John Michael was having a temper tantrum and Wesley was rubbing his eyes so we all went down for a nap. By noon we were feeling much better, so we got ready and went to Grandma Patti's ward for church. Wesley sat with grandma for a while untill he threw himself off of her and bonked his head. He had a good welt but hardly even cried. We thought he was going to wail. I had to take John MIchael out because he was climbing under the benches and not listening. Over all it was a pretty good Meeting. Then the kids went to primary and nursury for a bit. 6th ward has tons and tons of kids! There were 12 sunbeam and 20 nursury kids. I bet they were glad when we left early! LOL. We had to go home because I promised to make my mom some cookies for the cottege meeting she was going to have tonight.

I made Patti Bohanan's recipie for peanut butter no bake cookies. Yummy! I wish I would have made a double batch to take up to the Bohanan's for Dessert. We dropped of the cookies to my mom and went up to Grandma and Granpa Bohanan's and had a great time. Patti is a wonderful cook and the company is always fun. It was good to see everyone. We love you! John Micheal is funny when trying to give prayers. He likes to bless everything in front of him that he can see. He has to be reminded to "bless the food" and to say "in the name of....." When I prompt him with the last part, instead of repeating me, he just says "Amen." Its cute. I realized the reason why he hadnt eaten was because he snuck some cookies and ate them before we left. LOL. Oh well. He helped me make them so I guess he deserves a few. LOL He didnt finish his dinner tonight. Maybe too much excitement for one evening.

Its 9:30 pm and it isnt really getting dark yet. I am so grateful for the sun! It really does make a difference in how you feel! Each day I get out and walk I can definitly tell the difference! I feel more awake and alive! The last couple of months of winter have been really hard. It is great that the weather has changed and we are at last getting some near summer sun!

I talked to my sister Caroline today about the possibility of going to Nebraska for a month just to have a vacation. I really want to go, but I am not looking forward to taking two small kids that far by airplane on my own. I am still considering it. I am thinking maybe october when it is getting colder here but not colder there. LOL. I do miss my sisters! They are a great support system.

I am getting the itch to go somewhere. Next month I am planning and anchorage trip with theresa manti and possibly angi and darrick thomas around the weekend of the 22nd. I am really looking forward to getting out of town. I want to take the kids to the imaginarium, the zoo, parks, the water park, and other parks in town. Getting a change of scenery will do all of us some good. I also will be able to go to the temple too! Bonus!

I am also in the process of looking for a job I can do from home to bring in some extra income. Send me an email if you think you have an idea for me.

Alaska Anchorage Temple

I was able to make a quick trip to the Anchorage Alaska Temple, friday and saturday. We had a really good trip(Holloways, Rosenthols, Spargers) . I am so grateful for the Temple. The kids stayed with Darrick and Angi, and my Mom. Kudos to them! Thankyou!

The Toddler Chronicles, one day at a time.

I enjoy each day one day at a time.
Today has been a fairly productive day. I was able to get some grocery shopping done, and was able to complete all my paperwork for for my 2:45 interview for Food Stamps. In between, John MIchael and I played blues clues and had fun covering and uncovering ourselves with a blanket. Wesley was so excited to get in on the action, he climbed on the couch and commenced pulling on the blanket and giggling. We also did "airplane." It has been a joy to watch Wesley play this game with us. Both John Michael and Wesley wait their turns then have a lot of fun as I sway them back and forth on my feet then "drop" them on the couch with a verbal "crash. " My legs definitly wear out before the energy of those boys do. John michael also spent time playing with blocks today. He made a flower and a tree with them. I have to post the pics I took. Meanwhile, Wesley loves to read books. He pulls a bunch of them off the shelf till he finds the one he wants. It makes a huge mess for me, but I am glad he is happy to be reading. John MIchael has started his cough again. Its like this croup is going around for the 5 th time this winter. I say winter because there is still snow on the ground. These boys give me so much joy! I am grateful each day for them. Wesley has caught on to saying A-Nan, at the end of the prayers we do together. I say a prayer with him long enough so he gets the idea but short enough to keep his attention span. He is doing really well. Today for breakfast John Michael was thanking Heavenly father for every single thing he could see. I finally had to prompt him to close his prayer. He was so cute. I always tell him every day that mommy love him, daddy loves him, Heavenly father loves him and Jesus Love him and Grandma's and Grandpa's love him. I never want him to feel like he is alone. I used to get teased as a kid for the scar on my face. I remember one time sitting on the bus on the way to school, and the kids had been especially mean to me that day, and I was so grateful for the knowlege that I had a Heavenly Father and a Jesus in my life that I knew loved me. I would say over and over to myself that I wasnt alone. This helped me feel not so alone in the face of being mercilessly teased.

A Stay At Home Mom

God's Employee,

I am not a stay at home Mom. My husband has told me so. I was slightly taken aback. And all this time that is what I thought I was.

This morning, God nodded in agreement with my husband. He whispered in my ear as I read from His Word, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent (us)” ~Jn 9:4

Epiphany moment: I am not a stay at home Mom. I am worker of Him. God’s employee.

I am having a paradigm shift. Seeing the world---my world---differently . My identity was wrapped up in these four walls, these 5 children. The rest of the world brought home a paycheck, and I brought home---well, I rarely left home----and when I did it was usually to bring home another babe in arms. I had forsaken my university education midstream, my pursuit of a career in educational psychology, my culturally-approved destination. In the closet of my own soul, I secretly nursed and wrestled with feelings of failure. I was simply a Mom who stayed at home.

But I am not. I am a God’s worker. I have a full-time 24/7 career, working for the King of the Universe. I have work orders. I am sent. I am on assignment.

This is not mere semantics. We become what we think.

If I identify myself as the culture does, as a “stay at home Mom”, one who has no intellectual contribution, gross-national product contribution or status symbol contribution, I become just that: a woman who sees herself as one who has grunted and groaned out another human being and now stays behind her four walls, in self-imposed seclusion. Not much of a vision there---it actually sounds strangely psychotic.

If I deem myself as a woman employed by the Creator of everything ever created, as on work assignment in a sacred domain for the sculpting of souls that will exist forever and forever without end, I have a burning passion of purpose. And a paycheck that is said to be beyond what eye or ear can even comprehend!

How does an engaged, vibrant, passionate woman forever vanquish the nagging, satanic lies that she is nothing more than a stay at home Mom?

Get Perspective:

~Hold a sleeping babe in your arms, mouth agape and warm breath drifting, and stand before a map of this world. Which would you rather have? Paris, New York, Tokyo, London------ or this flesh lying against yours, this one made in the image and likeness of the very Divine? This world is going to burn up, cinders for the universe….but your child is a soul without end, forever and ever existence. The world has pitifully, laughably little to offer in comparison to this holy opportunity to raise up a child.


Get into Position:
~There is a bloody battle brawling in the heavenlies for the souls of the next generation. And as a front-line, in-the-trenches warrior, it is a life and death matter that you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what the King’s orders are. The enemy will infiltrate the line and feed rumors of your insignificance, of your imminent defeat, of the hopelessness of your cause. Stay on your knees, mother on your knees, live on your knees. In that position, you will hear the voice of the King. And you’ll grow deaf to the whispered lies.

Get Going:
~ You are not a STAY at home anything. You are a woman on the move, a woman on journey. You are in perpetual spiritual pilgrimage. You are following your Master, your children traipsing behind. Everyday you are packing up and leaving behind one spiritual, emotional, physical time and space…..you are growing, your children are growing, your role in His Kingdom is growing….and at day’s end, you are somewhere very different. In a different heart space, in a different time space, in a different spiritual space. Take it seriously. You are not stagnantly staying anywhere. You are leading your children towards the Promise Land. Don’t get side-tracked, don’t laze about, don’t linger behind….God is moving before you, the Cloud is guiding you----Pack up and follow!

We are employed full-time. We have been sent. We are on assignment.

Get the word out---there has been a bizarre vanishing of "stay-at-home- Moms".

And on the scene is the arrival of a new woman: Soul Sculptors for the King of the Universe.

The Only Constants in Life are God and Change.

Most of you know that Sean and I separated at the beginning of March. I'm not playing the blame game. We are both at fault. But the reality is, we are getting a Divorce.

It just hurts. It hurts like hell. Tears fall like rain through the shattered pieces of my broken heart.

Yet I know in whom I trust. God has been my strength and support. I am also grateful for all of the love and support I have received from everyone. Thank you for keeping and continuing to keep my family in your prayers.

Lifes Challenges

After two weeks of needing to get laundry done, I went over to our apartment complex laundry room, and found that someone had broken in the Main office door, and trashed the laundry room washers and dryers. There were still a few quarters on the floor. Guess they didn't need them.
Why someone would do that to people who live in low income housing is beyond me.

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

We went to Mush For Kids, on Saturday April 4th. John Michael was very excited to sit in the fire truck and the Ambulance. While in the Ambulance I told him that his Grandma Gwen rode to the Hospital in an Ambulance. Now, every so often John Michael talks about going to the Hospital....

I thought the kids would be more interested in the puppies, but they really didn't care that much. I think it because there are dogs at grandma Patti's house they get to see all the time. Making the mask was fun! We did have a good time.

So much fun, so little time.

I have been having so much fun with the kids but haven't had time to really sit down and archive. I have been writing little things on my refrigerator so that when I do have time, I will have key words to jog my memory. Life is never dull around here. John MIchael has been in the habit lately that while we are at meals, he gets up from his seat to give me a hugs. It is really cute, but I have to remind him to eat. He also blessed mommy John Michael and Wesley three times in his prayers this weekend. He also blessed my glasses, his pillow, his blanket, my shirt.... LOL.

I will write more soon

Hi everyone, life in the Bohanan household is never dull but I have found little time to write. I hope to be able to write more soon!

Update on Wesley. He has learned how to do airplane! That means I am laying on the floor on my back, and he comes to my feet and I lift him up. He loves it! He also is really into reading books, playing with balls, and putting and taking a part the blocks that Angi and Darrick gave him for christmas. He is learning how to say more words each day. It is so exciting to see his development. He and John Michael will chase each other around the room too. It is really fun to see them play together.

I also put them in the tub together with lots of toys and they have fun. I will post pictures soon.

The Toddler Chronicles

MOM and ME
Hangin out at Kerry's House
Cheese!
Snow Play
Wesley loves going down the slide! He giggles each time!
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March 7^th 2009,

I am so glad the sun is coming out now. It is vibrant and refreshing after a long dark winter. We even took a walk today around the neighborhood! There is a still lot of snow, but at least it is +30 now. The kids have had a lot of fun in their snowsuits playing out on the play ground.

I have been worried about Wesley’s eating habits lately. When I went to my WIC appointment, Anne the WIC Director said that the boys were right on schedule, and were actually doing really well for being sick the last month. I told her what he was eating, and she reassured me he was getting plenty of what he needed. The numbers looked goodJ That gives me great relief.

This past month I have seen a change in John Michael. He seems very interested in making sure we have family home evening and he makes sure we have scriptures at night. He is gaining a spiritual sensitivity that wasn’t seen before. Usually he couldn’t wait to be done with family home evening so he could have a treat. Now he listen’s and is attentive. Sean's cousin Tekia told me that her daughter started to be more attentive around age three to the scriptures, and I thought that day would never come for me. Those of you that know John Michael knows that he has boundless energy!

Today we had a great day. We played a Blues Clues card game where I place clues around the house and we find them. Then we went for a walk, played on the playground, had quiet time, played some more, had dinner, then he went up to the grandparents for the evening. In the winter I did rely on movies and Starfall more than I should have, but it’s so darn cold that you do not have very many options of getting out. Now that we have light and heat, we are out every day! Its like the depression of winter has finally lifted and we are able to enjoy spring. I really missed seeing the sun this winter and really felt the effects stronger this year than in past years. I replaced most of the light bulbs downstairs with the earth florescent lights, the ones that give off the blue glow to mimic the sun and sky. It has made such a difference in how I feel. I just wasn’t getting enough light. At least I know this for next winter. I have to be honest and say I am definitely for global warming!

April 6th 2009 - The Toddler Chronicles

April 6^th 2009

I am so grateful for my treadmill. It has been a literal life saver. Today I beat my time. I walked 3 miles then jogged 2 miles in 91:14 minutes. Best time yet! I am working toward walking the midnight sun run which is 6.2 miles. It has been a long road to get to where I am at now, but I am in much better shape than I have been in a long time. I even have more stamina to play with my sons, who have never ending energy! I was able to jog as long as I did by singing “Called to Serve,” to the rhythm that I was jogging. It was exhilarating. I loved my mission. It was hard but I loved it. I also loved being in the MTC, and singing “Called to Serve” with the 300 missionaries who listened to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on Christmas Eve. Another favorite is listening to Wesley babble on the monitor as he wakes up in the morning. His favorite word is Na na na na or Da dad a dad a da. He is working on Ball, and Hi. He is talking more and more each day, and it is amazing to see his progress. He loves to be loved and tickled and chased and tickled some more. John Michael was anxious and into everything at this stage. Wesley is laid back and happy to have a good time. Their personalities are as different as their learning styles. It was interesting to see John Michael so concerned about Wesley when we were at the church for conference. If Wesley got up and walked around, John Michael followed him like a puppy, justifying getting out of his seat to “get Wesley.” It was a little bit frustrating being at conference with boys that need large motor movement, but I know how important it is to teach these boys to stand in Holy Places.

More Ice Pictures

Phone call anyone?
Ice Train
Teresa and I

Ice Park Fun

This is the entrance to the Ice Park!



Some of you wondered why we had to wait for it to warm up to go visit the Ice park. It is much more fun to go sledding at 10-20 degrees above than -10 to-20. Put on snowpants, coat, jacket, gloves, hat, and sled, and you are good to go! The kids loved it. We played and played and played. This year the season pass definitely paid for itself. We went with Teresa Mantei and kids in these pics. The kids were so into having fun it was hard to get them to smile.

The Toddler Chronicles

The Bohanan Family Toddlers n kids:)
John Michael, Chloe, Domonic, Bella, Joshua, and Wesley and Kia Dog

Welcome to the Toddler Chronicles. I had been previously doing this on face book but decided blog spot was a better venue for family to keep up on what is going on with us. Life in March has been crazy and fun, with laughter and tears, and thanks to everyone for their love!

We love the big family dinners. Congrats to Eileen and Anthony ; Happy Anniversary