Deep thoughts...

I'm not one to get involved in Political discussion and heated subjects because I really feel that everyone has a choice on this earth. Ben would say that I am such a passionate person when it comes to my decisions,. The decisions that I make that affect my family and my little bubble of influence. But I am completely tolerant of other people and their actions when they make theirs (most of the time...I'm not perfect at this.) It's easy for me to separate the person from the sin. I am in interested and weigh the impacts that some decisions make for my family but you won't find me at a rally or raising my voice one way or the other... UNTIL this last election. It feels like all the pieces of the puzzle have come together for me. I'm finally getting it so to speak. I still feel that we need to LOVE everyone. I need to take people for face value and just assume that their intentions are good. And if their intentions are not good then not take it personal. But some things are WORTH fighting for. I realize that I can't sit on the sidelines anymore.

This realization came this morning while I was thinking about the state of our world. A lot of the financial problems that our country is experiencing right now fundamentally stems from people being greedy, not caring about their neighbor, and putting monetary gain before doing what's right. My testimony was strengthened this morning because I realized that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has given us counsel since the beginning of it's existence to guide us spiritually, emotionally, mentally and temporally. All three of these things have to be balanced. I just always assumed that these things would just happen if I was being righteous and living consciously. But really that isn't enough. To be healthy this way, it means we need to TAKE ACTION. Actually being aware that every decision that we make actually changes the outcome of our lives. I guess I haven't ever been ready for this piece of knowledge from Heavenly Father but I'm listening now.

Now that I am feeling humbled I feel  more dependant upon my Heavenly Father. This is a good thing! I think we're all learning the lessons that we NEED, whether it's emotional, spiritual, or temporal. But going farther, it's what we do with these lessons 5 years, 10 years, or 50 years down the road. Will we learn from them? Will we make the same mistakes again? Will we remember these feelings of humility? That is what I will strive for. 

Out with the old, in with the NEW!

This story started last Sunday, November 30th. I was sick with the flu. The phone rings and Ben picked it up. "Hello, this is the Stake Executive secretary, Ben's thinking *oh crap!*. He then asks for me! Ben wakes me up because he likes to see me panic. It's better than him! Back to the story, he says that the Stake president is EXCITED to meet with me and can you bring your husband along. Um. Yes...but can I claim immunity?? 

Of course I say yes, hang up the phone and immediately start hyperventillating. Ok, it could be a calling. Or he could want to see my emergency preparedness binder from my Super Saturday back in October. By the way, why do they call like a year in advance from when they want to meet with you? This to me is emotional torture, plus anyone that knows me knows that I can't stand a secret that I don't know. I always find the Christmas presents and open them. I can't help it!

So, Monday goes by. Then Tuesday, then Wednesday. FINALLY Thursday gets here. The first thing the Stake President wonders is if he and I can "talk. Oh no. What did I do? He starts by asking me very pointed worthiness questions. How often do I pray and are my prayers thoughtful? How often do I go to the temple and other very pointed questions. I start sweating half way through the interview. I start feeling that I need to confess my sins. Finally he just sits there for like an eternity staring at me. Then he suddenly stood up and asked Ben to come into the room. Then he starts talking about sports and the weather! WHAT? Where's his deep questioning? I like equal treatment in our marriage. Where's his sweat rings? Then he asked me if I would accept a calling to be the Stake Relief Society 1st Counselor! At this point I say "REALLY? Are you serious?" DUh. I'm not too bright :) I've never had a Stake calling but I'll do my best! New is not new for me. My life is ever changing. I secretly like it that way, which contradicts my panic stricken OCD-planning self.

Out with the old, in with the NEW!!

Who are you and WHAT have you done with my husband!

Ok, ok. So I won't get brownie points for this post. Ben is the type of guy that fills a room and everyone expects to be tough. But in reality he is a big softy and sometimes does tihings to "indulge" me and keep the peace. 

This weekend we talked about doing black friday shopping. We had it all worked out. Babysitters at 6 am. and had it mapped out and everything. I'm thinking "WOW, my hubby really loves me". He would say, "Yes Dear I do love you" but he loves a good deal MORE. SO fast forward to 3 am Friday morning...2 loads of throw up towels and you've got a completely dfferent ball game. SO what does Ben do? He braves black friday shopping solo! Does anyone know my husband? He doesn't like shopping. period. He got some screamin' deals though!! And I think indimidated a shopper or two to boot! 

So. Fast forward to Monday morning. You guessed it. Ben has the flu. So he proceeds to miss work and gets to "lay" in bed all day and rest. After many times of me saying "dear, really you need to actually rest when you are sick". If you can't tell, he's not a good sick patient. So after a couple hours of not hearing pacing upstairs, I go up and peak in our room...he kind of hid something under the covers and he had a very guilty look on his face! I say "What are you hiding?" Sheepishly he pulls out my TWILIGHT book! WhAt!?! And he says, this is really intersting....I shake my head and secretly make my plans to take him to the movie.

 Honestly, are pigs flying?

The dream

I had a dream last night. It means a lot to me and not something I take lightly. I post it only because the people who read my blog are very special to me and I am not ashamed of my journey, rather I'm grateful. 

I was walking and as I walked I came to a path which was my life. As I made the choice,  I came upon those that made a significant impact in my life. 

It seemed I started at my earliest influence, which was my sweet mother Mary Ann. Her loving face and touch. In the dream  the embace was so comforting and soft. Then I came upon my father Carl. I remember him being the super man of my childhood. The look on his face was that of  acceptance and pure joy. I was always his little princess. They held my hands and guided me along the path.

I started walking faster, making choices to let go. Sometimes the path was dark. Sometimes I fell far from the path. I would walk backwards and then sideways. I knew it would feel better if I was going forward. People were there along the way. My brothers and my sister. I always knew they loved me. They all influenced me in different ways. There were friends who were good. Some faded quickly, others stayed longer.

I suddenly came to a place where the path ended. This was confusing to me. Where was the path? It was all white with no dents in the sand. Uncharted territory. I felt I needed to choose where to go. There wouldn't be a path. I wander for a while, learning lessons along the way. There is a lot of disappointment and heartache. I learn the lessons that I need to. 

Suddenly I know what I need to do. I can't look down, I need to put my eyes heavenward. That is where I see a light shining down. I look forward and there is a man glowing, standing right in front of me. Without the light I could not see him. The light is behind the man who will lead me to eternity. With the light behind him, I can see everthing.

From that point we make our own path. Sometimes he guides, sometimes I guide. But we go together. Along the way more people come and join us on the journey. We have their little hands in ours and we learn their hearts. We become the ones that show them their path.

I woke up and want to know more. Do their little feet make it to their own open canvas? Do I endure to the end? Do we make it to eternity? 

These are questions unanswered. But I hope with all my heart that my life journey, with it's windy and uncertain obstacles, is always laced with light, wholeness, and truth.

Disappointed

What a sad start to the week! We bought Celine Dion concert tickets like a year ago and guess what?? She just cancelled the show! (yeah yeah, I know she's sick) but I've wanted to see her show for several years and we stalked the online ticket reservations to get good tickets! Oh well.

The kiddos have been sick this past week. We finally got them feeling better and went in for their flu shots yesterday. That was in the afternoon. By evening Princess was really lethargic and tired. So she went to bed at 6:30 pm (not usual at all) and she slept 13 hours. This morning she wakes up and she has a rash all over her body!! So, in to the doctor's we go. Again. Turns out she has something called Fifth's disease (not serious, just looks bad) and will have rashes for 2 weeks (let's explain that to her teacher). Here, take my rash ridden child. I promise she's not sick ;)

Anyway, I am totally bummed. 

My only light at the end of the tunnel? TWILIGHT movie! I'm going on Saturday and I can't wait!!

So is life.

Yoda friend...

Everyone needs a friend that loves and gives advise like Yoda. That is my friend Heidi. I haven't known her longer than a year, but I feel like it's been longer. We can laugh and she is just that sort of friend that you can vent to and she is not judgemental and just lets you rip your emotions. Then it's done. No pointing fingers. She's just real. 

She wrote the following list post and I just love it. I have it posted on my wall because I NEED it!

When life hands you lemons written by Heidi V.

Something I want you to keep in mind as you read through this post is that my life is a work in progress, just like the rest of you. I'm better at some of these things than others. I slip back for a while on something, then realize the impact it's having on my life, and make an effort to pull forward again. I take President Hinckley's advice to heart - "Try a little harder, be a little better." We all have demons to wrestle. If you've had a charmed life to this point, watch out. Your turn will come. I distinctly remember thinking somewhere around our 6th year of marriage that really we'd been awfully lucky. Then we buried two loved ones in a space of 6 months in the biggest series of trials of our lives. The beauty of it is that eventually things always get better. The pain is still there, but it's a scar now - a daily reminder, but without the raw edges of a fresh wound. Scars add character.

1. I am a child of God and He has sent me here. Has given me an earthly home with parents kind and dear. Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way. Teach me all the I must do to live with Him some day. That simplest of Primary songs has such a potent message. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Remember that He cares about you. Don't forget to include Him in your daily trials and triumph.

2. Set goals. Daily, weekly and long term. I'm not a super nutcase about this, but it helps me to focus my efforts. When I don't have a direction in mind, I tend to waste a lot of time. They don't have to be big things, either. Just set benchmarks for improvement - cook one more meal this week than last week, exercise one more time than last week, etc.

3. Exercise. This is my sanity. I literally get sick when I slack off in this department. Having babies has done permanent (at least to this point) damage to my stomach function, so if I want to refrain from puking, I must run. But not only is it good for my body, it is definitely good for my soul. Alan can attest to the fact that I get awfully crabby and testy if I go more than a couple of days without a good workout. Several months ago, I began working out early in the morning even though I've never been a morning person. Jen and I both struggled with prying ourselves out of bed, but both have discovered that it makes our day go so much better to be up and moving before the kids. Other things that make this one easier are to find a workout buddy to keep you honest, sign up for races (bike, triathlon, run, swim, whatever) and to set goals with rewards. When I started running, I tracked my miles and rewarded myself when I got to 100 miles. Sounds like forever but it really wasn't. It felt so awesome to get to it. I think that along with this, just getting outside every day is really important. Fresh air and sunshine are good for the soul.

4. Decide to be happy. Yes. Decide. As I pointed out in my last post, for some people there is a literal chemical imbalance that needs to be corrected in order to make this happen. But for a heck of a lot of us, a conscious effort toward this goes a long way. There's one woman at church that I can always count on to be a cheerful ray of sunshine. She is so positive and pleasant to talk to. You'd never know that she's got a bucket full of family problems just like the rest of us. I truly believe that if you put forth the effort to paste on a happy face then your body language will follow. It becomes a good habit. I find that my mindset and mood influence the rest of the house rapidly. So if I can put the effort in to being cheerful, the rest of the day goes so much better. Some days are harder than others. Fake it 'til you make it. Listen to what's coming out of your mouth and think about if it's what you'd want to hear. If not, then pause, count to ten and redo.

5. Pity parties are ok. You're allowed to wallow for a bit when something crummy happens. Just don't linger for too long. Vent, holler at an inanimate object, run far...do what it takes to get it out of your system or it'll just fester. I have a handful of special people in my life that are my safe people. I can urp out my frustrations, my crazy thoughts, my whining, and they still love me. Then when you're done, direct your energy into something positive. The Angel Babies project was a lifesaver for me in a very literal sense.

6. Just say yes. When you're given the opportunity to serve, do it. Even if you don't feel like it. I learn something every time. Taking a meal to someone helps me realize that I've got things pretty good and helps me appreciate what I have. Spending time at DI refreshes my perspective on the useful life of items in my house, and what I can do to be more careful with the resources I've been blessed with. Teaching Primary gives me the opportunity to nurture little souls with the added bonus that it helps me refocus on the basic principles of the gospel. Cleaning the church with my kids teaches them to take care of things. Sometimes I grumble on my way out the door, but I'm never sorry I went. I have volunteered literally thousands of hours of my time over the last 19 years, and I am a much better person for it.

7. Just say no. Yes, this contradicts #6, but it's very important. I'm a person that tends to get used and abused because I say yes to everything. Then I wind up getting in waaaaay over my head and get super stressed out and crabby when I have a half dozen extra kids at my house until midnight, a deadline for work, a class to prepare, preschool to teach, a messy house, etc. etc. etc. There's a fine balance. Give of yourself, but not to the breaking point. I struggle with this one, because I feel guilty when I say no. This one is definitely a work in progress for me. But it is oh so liberating when I do manage to politely say no to something and walk away from it without any second guessing.

8. Connect with everyone in your house at least once a day. I've got this weird confession. I have a very easy time showing affection to my husband and to babies, but as my kids get older, I have a harder time verbalizing it. Same goes for my siblings and the rest of my extended family. I don't know why. I just do. So I make a conscious effort to give my kids a hug every day and tell them that I love them. I also make an effort to spend time doing something with each kid on a frequent basis. It is often just simply reading a book together, or coloring, but they appreciate it. Dates with Alan are also high on my list.

9. Do fun things with your family. Now this may sound really obvious, but it's so easy to let weeks slip by without doing much more than just the bare bones daily tasks. My kids positively light up when I plan something. It doesn't have to be big, either. Just going on a walk in the neighborhood makes everyone happy. Find a new park to explore and take a picnic. Make a giant fort out of couch cushions and blankets. Let them plan and help execute an interesting dinner. Go sledding, even if you don't like getting cold. Throw together an impromptu party - I'm doing one this afternoon, actually. This is the stuff that memories are made of.

10. Surround yourself with good friends. The old adage that to have a friend you must be a friend is very true. It just kills me when I hear someone whining about how they don't have any friends but they don't talk to anyone at church, slam the door on their visiting teachers, etc. Not exactly endearing traits. Yes, it often requires stepping outside of your comfort zone to initiate a friendship, and maybe even a few flops along the way. Just keep trying. Invite people over for a potluck lunch, or to go to the park. Find people that you have something in common with and build from there. I have a whole group of fabulous ladies that I've met since I started running, as well as a wonderful network of other angel mommies. Sometimes I feel drained, and like I don't have the emotional energy to go to a social event, but I almost always find something worthwhile in the end if I go anyway. I think people are fascinating.

11. Cultivate a new skill and find a passion for something. How many times have people told me that they could just never ever cook or run the way I do? Hundreds. That's ridiculous, folks. If you were around at the beginning of my marriage to eat some of my hideous failures, you'd realize that you too can learn how to be a decent cook. And I only started really running a year ago, for goodness sake. I dabbled in it here and there over the years, but nothing serious. Just find something that interests you and dive in. You need to have something to feel proud of.

12. Have an outlet for your creative energy. I'm not talking about art, necessarily. Everyone has a creative streak in some form or another. My current outlet is blogging (obviously). Cooking is another one for me.

13. Just keep moving. Last but not least (I like 13 - it's my lucky number), get up every day. Clean up, get dressed, fix real food and do at least one productive thing. That sounds ridiculously simple, but I know a lot of people that struggle with this. Wandering around in your pajamas all day long and eating dry cheerios out of a box is a fast track to depression. Everyone has a bad day on occasion. Just don't let it become two, then three, then four bad days. The basic principal of physics that an object in motion tends to stay in motion applies here. When we were in the depths of dealing with Elizabeth's diagnosis it felt like a major achievement to get through the basic tasks of every day living. Even now, sometimes when it gets to 4 p.m. and the day is feeling like a ridiculous flop, I take a deep breath, look in the fridge and focus on creating a great dinner. Having something tasty on the table for Alan to come home to makes me feel a whole lot better, even if that's the only thing I feel like I accomplished all day long.

SUPER DUPER saturday

What a relief to be back to normal brain capacity again (I was going to insert a joke here, but that would just be rude to myself :) 

Super Saturday is over and it is a happy day! With my calling I am the enrichment counselor in the Relief Society. I decided instead of crafts we did an emergency preparedness day. It was a JOB...seriously there was about $4,000 worth of stuff purchased (we had to pick up cans and huge loads from emergency essentials) along with 2 canners and about 152 72 hour kits that were assembled (which I personally bought all the food for). We also made about 2,500 copies for binders that we assembled for every house in our ward boundaries along with producing an evacuation plan and communication line of command for everyone. We also had the red cross, f.e.m.a. and Questar gas come and do classes...and Cafe Rio for lunch! Anyway, I definately need a break! Needless to say I am EXHAUSTED!

I'm glad it's over, and I guess it's back to normal life! Oh yeah. Not really because the holidays are coming!!

Blog? What blog!

Ok, so I have to fully admit that I forgot about my blog and have neglected it sorely. When you start getting e-mails saying "Are you OK? I haven't seen a blog post in like forever!" you know that A) you have friends and B) that you are a slacker! 

So, an update on life. Just busy. I am putting on a huge Emergency Preparedness day in my ward. Thankfully it will be over Saturday. It is taking a lot of my time. And I can't really put my finger on anything else. Just busy! 

Also, G-man broke my camera so I won't have pictures for a while. Bummer!

N-A-P S-T-A-L-K-I-N-G

Yesterday I found myself SOOOO tired! I just started waking up really early to go jogging (think 6:10 am...anyone who knows me well knows I am not a morning person) I couldn't keep my eyes open. And OF COURSE Ikey didn't want to take a nap! Of all days for the love of Pete,

PLEASE go to sleep. It was a perfect time. G-man was on a preschool field trip.
So, I started stalking him. I will call it NAP STALKING. Dictionary definition of stalking: To follow or observe a person persistently, especially out of obsession or derangement.

That about sums it up. Let's define this, parents. Any Mom knows that sometimes you need this precious time to a) go to the bathroom b) brush your teeth c) eat any food that isn't luke warm.

Back to my story. Ikey fell down and started crying....oh poor baby! That must mean you're tired. Nope. He started rubbing his eyes. I got all excited..."Ikey needs a night night", "You're tired huh buddy?"...no again. Just something in his eye. Then I really start getting desperate. I pulled out the big guns and put chocolate in his sippy cup which is a real treat. I layed him in the crib and he is quiet for about 5 minutes. Awwww yes. I layed down and put my favorite blanket on. I'm just asleep and all a sudden I hear giggling and then a lot of quiet and then the dreaded words....ut oh mess mess. Ut oh is right. That means trouble. I go in and Ikey successfully screwed off the top of the sippy cup (in case you're wondering, he's advanced) and had painted the walls with chocolate milk. Yummy! It's over. Forget the nap.

Ikey finally did take a nap. He fell asleep on the way to Princess's soccer game. perfect. 10 minutes later we are there. Late and rushing. I get him out the car seat and he wakes up and boy was he C-R-A-N-K-Y!

Sometimes kids make you deranged. I am definitely part of that club.

My sweet G-man...

Oh how I love this kid! 5 years old today and I still can't get enough.

G-man is such a complex little boy yet he really isn't and is so happy to just be here. He is quick to hug, lives hard, and brings a special spirit to our home. He is the epitome of Ben and I mixed together...calm and inquisitive like Dad; curious and emotional like me. G-mans most overwhelming characteristic is his contentment with life. He just observes and loves being. He is the kindest old soul that I know.



I still remember the day he was born. I was so nervous because I already felt inadequate being a mother, and quite frankly didn't know how I could love another child as much as I loved my Princess. I woke that morning and had a doctor appointment. I was dialated to a 4-5 cm already. I was feeling crampy and just not comfortable. I went to my appointment and said that they thought if I took a brisk walk it would get things started. (brisk walk?? When you have an almost 10 pound baby pressing on your bladder and he's already half way out?? :0 LOL. So we walked Ben's parents neighborhood and sure enough those contractions started coming. I went to the hospital and I was 6 and feeling ok. Ben was starving so I told him to go get a burger and come back quick. He did that and then came back and turned on the TV. In his defense, I really was weathering the contractions just fine. All of a sudden I wanted the epidural!! The anesthesiologist was taking FOREVER (in my mind). He finally came and started the epidural. OUCH! I need to push the baby out NOW! He got it in, but I really don't think it did much (which was traumatic for me because I was so afraid of the pain).

G-man was born after 4 pushes and he was so BIG! They took him over to the bassinet and it seemed they were having a hard time getting him going and breathing correctly. He did finally start breathing, but they took him for observation. Ben went with G-man while I got settled into my room. In the mean time tyhe grandparents started coming to see how we were doing. They were all in the room and I kept saying, "Ben, take them to see the baby..." He kept putting it off and talking. Finally, I said Ben, take them out there. He paused and asked everyone to leave. A really awful feeling came over me. I knew something was wrong! He sat down on the bed and said that something was in fact wrong. He had a really bad wracketing sound in his chest. (heart murmur) and his oxygen kept going really low. This was the moment that my perfect magical world shattered. At this point we had no idea the extent of what was wrong. Long story short, we were discharged from the hospital and went straight to Primary Children's where they did tests, sonograms, and echocardiograms. I remember the poignant moment of sitting in the waiting room after having the last test done. The ultrasound tech has said, yes something is wrong, but "wasn't authorized" to tell us any more. Go sit in this waiting room with all these families that have very tired faces and VERY sick children. I just sat there with G-man in my arms and cried and cried. I felt my heart breaking. I would look up into these mothers' faces and see their pity and I knew they could feel my pain. I didn't know how this would affect my newborn babies life. How would we cope? FINALLY they called us back. He did in fact have a congenital heart defect among other things, but it would hopefully get better over time. It was better than we could hope for. It was a wait and see situation. Fast forward 5 years later and G-man is a healthy, happy boy with minimal restriction. We are so blessed!

G-man, we love you buddy, more than these words could portray. More than anything.

A little of this and that...

This week I got my haircut! My cute little cousin (she was in junior high when I was first married, now she's a grown up :O ) She opened up a cute little salon in Saratoga Springs. I got some color in it too. Makes me feel like a new woman!!

Princess's smart idea

My sweet little Princess shared with us her serious thoughts while we were driving home from Ben's parents house last night.

• Princess: "Mom, Dad...I know how to stop the stealers and bad people. What we need is no money. When I am president of the world, there will be no hungry people."
  

• Dad: "How do you plan to do this?
  

• Princess: "Easy, we'll take away money! Who needs money anyway??" If there was no money people wouldn't be tempted to steal it and no one would go without food"
  

• Mom: "So, no money, and all the grocery stores will be full of food and everyone will just share nicely?"
  

• Princess: "We could live like, you know share everything that we have?"
  

WOW Princess. That sounds a lot like the law of consecration. Good thinkin'!

Then G-man pipes in...no vote for me! I'll be the bestest president because I will let everyone have a big vatation every day!!

I'll vote for G-man!!

Rain and Shine....We Survived!

Happy late labor day everyone!

Seriously though...why do people like camping?? Don't get me wrong, it was nice to be out in "nature". Friendly animals, rain off and on the whole day. Pounding rain all night. A dripping wet tent all night where the top of all our stuff including my pillow were soaked. Ah the joys!! :)

All that being said, we really had a great time! We went up Hobble Creek canyon (Springville, Utah; our old stomping ground). The kids LOVED it! We were all good sports (except for my cranky intolerance in the middle of the night) and chalked it up to a good, character building experience. The kids had a great time playing with cousins (Ben's brother Mike and his lovely wife Jenny and 5 kidlets joined in the rain fest). Grandma and Grandpa "S" and Ben's youngest brother Jon and sweet wife Alyson came up for a fire roasted BBQ dinner and peach cobbler that evening. It really was fun...

We had to tether Ikey! He is so active and busy. I was worried about his safety!

Here's some pictures!

On Saturday we went up to Midway Utah for Swiss Days and it was great fun! What a cute little town! They had the cutest booths set up and we enjoyed scones and homemade brautwurst hot dogs (Ben had them, I did NOT :) There is a special spirit in that town. It's amazing to be walking around with General Authorities and their families.

On tap for this week: a couple soccer games, dental appointment, Mutual for Ben and G-man's back to preschool tomorrow, YEAH! He's been bored without Princess to boss him around. :)

Hope everyone else had a great (and less wet than me) Labor day weekend!

Girl's Night Out!!

Sometimes Mommies just need a night out. Yesterday was one of those days. I met up with a bunch of my really good girlfriends and we spent the night laughing and goofing around. The waiter was probably annoyed because we stayed there for about 2 1/2 hours. OH WELL! We needed it!



Thanks to my hubby who fed the children and put them to bed AND the house looked great when I got home! I couldn't ask for more....love ya!

School is in session!!!!

Princess was excited to get back to school today. She is going into 2nd grade and growing up so fast.

I love to look at my children's faces when they have so much hope, anticipation and wonder. New experiences just help their Spirits grow so fast. I didn't cry this year, which was an improvement. Next year when G-man goes into Kindergarten I will make up for it :)

It's 11 am and I've already scrubbed the bathrooms, mopped the kitchen, and started dinner in the crockpot..

G-MAN....minus tonsils

G-man is breathing easy this evening. His tonsils and adnoids are LONG GONE! He was diagnosed with sleep apnea about a month ago. I always thought that he was just a really tired boy. He plays hard but whenever we would get in the car or sit to watch a movie, he was out!!

He went in for surgery this morning at 9:30 am. He was so brave!



He took his stuffed wolf to comfort him and didn't even cry when they wheeled him away. He did have a blood pressure scare during the surgery. It went really low...once he came out of anesthesia, it regulated. He was not a happy camper in the recovery room but then got something special in his IV and then he was so LOOPY (but not in pain).



Tonight he is acting like his normal self (with Tylenol w/ codeine) and I'm just going to keep that up every 4 hours...he is such a trooper. His tonsils on a scale of 1 - 5 (1 being smallest, 5 biggest) were a 4+ so I am SO grateful that we decided to get them out. Thanks for all the well wishes.

I have the best family and friends in the world! I am thankful.

My good friend Heidi...

After reading my pitiful blog entry about loving us from afar because of our sickies, my good friend Heidi braved the sickness and ignored my "oh, you don't need to" requests" and showed up on my door step with a pot of delicious homemade soup with veggies from her garden and really yummy sourdough bread and a sandwich. WOW.



Some people just serve and don't care anything for themselves. She had, I'm sure, a million other things she could/should've been doing. But she decided to drive 20 minutes and feed our sad little selves.

Heidi, you are the best and I'm thankful to associate with you and learn from your example. I only hope I can be as gracious and pass on the favor when I'm needed.

DON'T come and visit!!

WE ARE CONTAGIOUS!! Ben woke up this morning after a restless night looking like he had been mauled by a truck. He doesn't miss work often so I know he feels rotten. He has the classic white spots on the throat, swollen glands and tonsils, and chills and fever. Strep throat. YUCK! He started antibiotics this afternoon.

Ikey has been really cranky the last 2 days with a fever. I thought for sure he had an ear infection brewing. I hauled him over to the doctor's office today. Dr. K says, "Looks like we have a pretty bad case of Hand, foot and mouth disease"...I looked at him like an idiot. I've never heard of it. (Apparently, it's bad ulcer sores at the back of the throat, fever and rash prevalent in toddlers). It is a virus so no cure, just pain meds and lots more cranky. Ikey didn't like the diagnosis either. Dr. K put the throat stick way too far down his throat and Ikey threw up on him. Good fun being a children's doctor!

Here's the clincher. G-man is going to have surgery in 2 days, which means that he CAN NOT get sick :( He was already exposed before any symptoms were present. Let's hope he doesn't come down with symptoms before Thursday or else the surgery is a no go. The worst thing in the world would be recovering from surgery and fighting other illnesses. Poor baby!

So, we are a pretty sorry bunch! Love us from afar!

Busy July...

We have been really busy having some summer fun! The 4th was a blast! Unfortunately we ran out of juice with our camera so I don't have pictures. I love summer because it seems so much more laid back; which is good for my OCD self :)

My sister Becca and my Mom and Dad went to the American Idols Live concert. If ya'll know me I am a closet American Idol LOVER! It was a really fun time. Plus I got to have a night away from the kids...which helps my insanity.

Me and my sister...totally yelling and screaming (making fun of the girls around us that were crying and screaming for David Archuletta)



This was a cute shot of Ikey trying to keep up with Princess and G-man. I got a new bike and bike trailer so he is my little riding pal. Yesterday he climbed on the trike and started rolling down our driveway! He is only 14 months old!! Crazy nut is going to die before his second birthday!!

Benny the ELF!!

Isn't Ben such a happy elf?



there, that's better!!!!!!!!



He was SOOOOO glad to be in the parade (insert sarcasm here). He loved hopping through the streets in a felt, overly hot elf suit stealing everyone's candy! I think he is the cutest little elf I've ever seen! Our church asked if he would be a spectacle on this years ward float and he agreed after a little coaxing. His nightmares became real when people started pointing and laughing. I think they were laughing with him. He thinks they were laughing at him!
He was a bit embarrased, so I'll end my post here. The kids thought Daddy was hilarious....he was a trooper and played along.

IKEY'S ANTICS

At dinner Ikey started mimicking Princess and acting like a monkey! It was super cute! OOOOHHH OOOOHH AAAAH AAAAH! :)

Also, he is a climber!! I came down from cleaning the bathrooms upstairs and he was on the table just running his train!



And then this happened

.

.

.

wait for it
.

.

.

it was bound to happen . . . .



You guessed it, later when he tried his trick with no one around he fell off the table and scraped the side of his face!

Maybe it will be purple tomorrow. Sigh. Crazy munchkin!

HOME and INTO the GROVE!!!!!

I have neglected my friends! We got back on Sunday from our 2nd vacation in June! It was fun! I must say that my OCD self likes getting back into the routine of things. I've cleaned my house top to bottom and am finishing the laundry. Ben is happy to get back to work and try to catch up.

I really didn't take a lot of pictures of this vacation. We did get a lot of video. The beach was great!! We also went to Les Miserables one of the nights. I really enjoyed that. I counted and I think that is the 3rd time I've seen that. It's just as good the 3rd time as the first. It was great to get to know my little brothers (Rick and James) who just returned from missions. They are so awesome and grown up!

Tonight I'm putting the kids to bed and then weeding! The yard needs a lot of work. YEAH. My roses bloomed while we were gone. Also, our veggie garden is starting to look pretty good. The pumpkin plant that Princess brought home from school is looking the best!

Life is good. I am happy!

We're back!!!

We had a fabulous time in Lake Tahoe! It was so relaxing to be hanging out in the mountains! The resort we stayed at had a million things to do. Ben's family is amazing and we had a wonderful (and chaotic!) time. Between all of us there were 17 kids and 12 adults! I'm sure we were a spectacle everywhere we went. The vacation came to a screeching halt when I started feeling yucky about half way through. I knew it was strep throat. So we called the insurance and luckily they had an office really close to the resort we were staying at. So I am all medicated and feeling much better.

Here are a few pics....

This is a view of the resort



G-man, cousin A, and Princess on the sky tram



Cute one of Ikey



Beautiful Beach! The water was so clear (and cold!!)



Ikey eating MORE sand! That boy loves dirt and sand...funny kid!



After the official vacation ended, we went west to Ben's brother Scott's house...they were really fun to hang out with! We went to a really great Italian restaurant (thanks Kristen for watching all the kids!) and had a couple late nights watching movie rentals. Well, the guys were watching, the girls were snoring :)

We went to this great river that was right by their house. Princess fishing!

Ben and Scott had guy time and rode some dirt bikes



By the end, G-man was just so tired!

We're glad to be home....

Happy Birthday Baby!!!

Ikey had his first birthday! I can't believe that it's been a year since he was placed in my arms. It has just flown by. Ikey has brought our family such joy! He is a beautiful child with a specific purpose for this life. He is happy which in turn makes us all feel better.

He was a big baby weighing almost 10 pounds! He came after only about 3 hours of labor. Fast and furious has been his moto ever since.



He weighed 16 pounds by his 2 month appointment! He rolled for the first time when he was 4 months old and started walking at 10 months old. He had a lot of bumps and bruises but figured how to go up AND down stairs by 11 months!

Here's some shots from the party. He was facinated with the dinosaur flashlight.



All three together



Ikey with cake. What a sweet boy!



Princess and Auntie Becca frosting the cupcakes. YUMMY!

Typical Saturday

Today was filled with regular projects, cleaning and honey do's. The kids loved running around like banshees and terrorizing the cul de sac.

Here's G-man's handy work with our HUGE hairy cat named Syber. He doesn't look happy! The funny thing about it is the cat must of sat there for a good 1/2 hour with that scarf around his neck. Maybe he was cold? Probably just in shock!



Another exciting thing happened! Princess decided she was finally ready to ride her bike without the training wheels. The bike has not had the training wheels on forever but she just avoided it. So, this morning she told Ben that she was ready. She went outside, put on her helmet and knee pads and just flew! I am so proud of my big girl!! She is growing up so fast! I love you so much Princess...


Ikey also enjoyed his lunch way too much. I had to go and help Ben with something and made the mistake of leaving the bowl of oatmeal and applesauce on the tray. He just took care of it. It's easier that way.



I love my kids!!

For those who haven't seen us in a while

Here is a semi-current picture of our little family! Ikey has grown tons!



Speaking of growing...Ikey is so huge because he is ALWAYS eating! Here are a few of my favorites from the past couple months.

YUMMY! green beans!



BBQ sauce...daddy's favorite. He totally stole the tupperware!



DIRT!

Welcome to my happy place!

I'm not succumbing to peer pressure (I'm totally succumbing to peer pressure). I've decided to enter the Blogosphere world and put my deepest, darkest emotions and feelings onto virtual paper. So, who's idea was it to eternally archive everything that one thinks and feels for everyone to refer back to and hold it against you? This is dangerous. I'm living on the edge!

So, Day 1: Choosing a title. I'm thinking, something brilliant and amazing that will encompass everything that I'm about. Bliss filled Insanity pretty much sums it up.

Day 2: After spending a good hour trying to figure out how to customize my blog, I think I may have it. During that hour, Ikey ate half a bag of chocolate chips and G-man decided to "fix" the TV Armour with a hammer. Hmmm....Ben are you reading this?

Today I need to go grocery shopping, parent teacher conferences, and Ikey's doctor appointment. Plus I missed my exercising last night. Tonight I must do double! Wish me luck!