Dancing In The Rain

Texas

2011-07-15T16:33:00.004-06:00

We just returned from our family reunion in Texas. We survived the 24 hour drive, and the 110+ temps, and had a great time.
Josh and Bill "helped" the kids cool off. The kids cooled off Josh and Bill later on.We celebrated Grandma's 85th birthday.

The sisters.

Colton made some new friends.

Tyson was his cute little self. Aunt Shirley taught him how to squeal, and he hasn't been quiet since.

Andy brought a bouncy house which the kids loved when they could stand to be out in the heat.

These girls just about ran the wheels off of the poor wagon.

The great-grandkids...most of them anyway. Tyson is #18 and there are 2 more on the way.

The grandkids minus 2. One was working the other passed away, we missed you Eric.

What a great bunch of people, I couldn't have asked for a better time. Grandma estimated 73 people and 5 dogs were there for lunch Saturday. If you couldn't find some fun you weren't looking very hard.

Sick and tired...

2011-05-05T19:18:00.002-06:00

....of being sick and tired. Tyson says he has had enough of being sick. He now has bronchiolitis and an ear infection. Oh the joys of having a baby in the prime of respiratory season. He avoided being hospitalized, but we have to visit the outpatient respiratory clinic at the hospital every few hours for suctioning and nebulizer treatments. It is so not fun climbing in the car at 4 am to drive to the hospital. I have driven 150 miles back and forth in 3 days. Hopefully he will improve quickly. This picture was taken before one treatment. For some reason he finds the things hanging on the wall terribly amusing.

What was I thinking?

2011-04-28T16:02:00.001-06:00

easter fun

2011-04-28T15:56:00.003-06:00

Easter was great. I really was able to relax and enjoy my family this year and not be worrying about work. What a gift. It will be so hard to go back next week. Here are some pics of our fun.

Why does the dog have racing stripes?

2011-03-30T21:28:00.002-06:00

You know things are out of control when your dog ends up looking like this. They all deny doing it, but I have my suspicions. I have a child who has a fettish for sharpies, but then I have another one who likes to decorate things she shouldn't. Poor Max, at least it washed off easily.

Back to normal?

2011-03-16T12:33:00.003-06:00

Well, we have returned to normal around here, at least as normal as we ever get. Tyson has made his place in our home, and we are really enjoying him. It has been a real adjustment to get used to having a baby in our home again. So far he is a real mellow and easy going guy, as long as his tummy is full. Keeping him fed is a challenge for me since he isn't a real good eater. It takes a really long time to get the necessary amount in him. As of this morning he is 6 pounds 1.4 ounces, so my efforts are paying off and he is growing well. Here are some new pictures for you all to enjoy.

home sweet home

2011-03-07T18:50:00.002-07:00

Tyson was discharged on Friday and now resides under the same roof with the rest of us crazies. He keeps me very busy, as does putting my house and older children back in working order. I sooo appreciate all Erik did to keep things going, but it isn't easy to get everything done all by yourself, especially when you aren't used to it.

As of today Tyson weighed 5 pounds 9 ounces and has no current health concerns other than continuing to gain weight. He is well loved by his siblings who just can't get enough of him. I have a hard time getting everyone to leave him alone so he can just sleep. I will post more pictures soon.

on the right track

2011-02-27T16:33:00.002-07:00

We have made tons of progress the last few days, which is why I haven't had time to update everyone. At this point our only hurdle left is feeding. We are hoping to be home in a few days.

progress

2011-02-23T22:32:00.003-07:00

This was taken late this evening. Today we removed the chest tube and made progress weaning off the cpap. I was finally able to hold him for a few minutes. Tomorrow we are hoping to go to a regular canula for his oxygen and make some progress toward beginning feeding him. Keep your fingers crossed he continues to improve.

Tyson Robert

2011-02-22T14:27:00.003-07:00

Tyson made a somewhat unexpected appearance on Sunday afternoon at 2:34 pm. At 2am that morning I was at work and having contractions when I started not feeling too great, and I discovered that my blood pressure was sky high. So I called Erik and he came to get me and we came to the hospital where I was admitted and started on medication for my blood pressure. After a couple of hours observation, they decided to go ahead and induce labor. Things rocked slowly along most of the day. Once they broke my water Tyson started to have trouble tollerating the contractions, but we had a great nurse who kept a close eye on things. About 2 pm he really started to get stressed and we discovered we were ready for delivery. I had an epidural, but it was only marginally effective. They probably would have adjusted it, but I didn't really want all sensation gone,just some relief, and that is exactly what it did. The delivery was quick but scary, his heart rate dropped like a rock with pushing so it is a good thing it only took 5 pushes to get him out. Once out we found he had the cord wrapped around his body several times which explains the distress. He immediately started to cry and did well right off. He was 5 lbs 4.5 ounces and 19 inches long, not bad for 35.4 weeks. He held his own for a couple hours until just after the other kids left, and then he started to have trouble breathing. They took him to the special care nursery and started him on oxygen and then on CPAP. He did well for a little while and then developed a hole in his left lung, so then he got a chest tube. That improved things for a while and then the tube stopped working so they had to put a new one in. That brings us up to Monday evening. Last night and today he has rested quietly and made a little progress in the right direction. We are just watching him close and hoping for a "quick" recovery. More to come when I am less sleep deprived and can do this properly.

34???

2011-02-05T18:18:00.002-07:00

I hate to say too much, but Monday is 34 weeks and I am still working and keeping a semi normal schedule. We feel like at this point we don't have to worry too much about him coming. My only wish is that he manages to miss the three family birthdays we already have this month and chooses a day all his own. Just watch him wait until his due date, that would be just like one of my kids to keep me guessing that long. Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes!

defiant

2011-01-24T10:00:00.002-07:00

Just when I think all is going well and we just might be in the clear, this baby decides to show his personality and act up. I was woken up at 2:30 Saturday morning by a contraction. Not an unusual thing, except that is was followed by several more. I spent the next couple hours timing contractions and weighing my options. Finally about 7:00 I decided they weren't going away and we ought to call the doctor, so I woke Erik, called the doctor, called my mom to come get the kids, and headed in. I was sure they would laugh at me and send me home, I am always afraid of looking like an idiot. To my surprise they hooked up the monitors, and went oh my goodness you really are laboring. Not the best news, but at least I wasn't over reacting. So we then spent the next six hours getting fluids, doing tests, and giving medications to stop the contractions. They never did stop them completely, but they are significantly better, and all signs point to things staying as they are for a while. For the time I am on bedrest at home and awaiting further instruction from my doctor today. It is funny, but after all we went through with Colton, this doesn't seem like such a big deal. Even if he were born today, he would do so much better than Colton that it would hardly be a comparison. Here is hoping for a quiet couple of days and approval to go back to work.

29 weeks and still counting

2011-01-05T08:42:00.003-07:00

Just wanted to let you all know we are still here and doing well. The baby is now 29 weeks gestation and doing well, we had another ultrasound last week and they think he is about 2 pounds 10 ounces which is 50th percentile. We had a good Christmas with lots of fun and family, and are just hoping for a few quiet weeks to get settled back into life before our little one arrives. All the kids are doing well in school and are healthy other than the minor colds and such. Can't ask for much more.

Should have listened to mom...

2010-11-17T08:46:00.003-07:00

Remember all those times you did something and then thought...I should have listened to mom? Colton had one of those experiences on Friday. When he came home from school he told me he had a bead in his ear. I grabbed the flashlight and sure enough, way down in there was a red bead. We tried to flush it out with water for a while, I knew I couldn't dig it out because it was too deep. I finally decided there was no way I could get it so I took him over to the instacare. They tried to flush it out with no success, and then tried to dig it out, again no luck. So they sent us to the ER at Primary Children's. Just where I did not want to spend my Friday night.

When we got there they checked him in, weighed him(which is always kind of funny since he is so tiny, we tend to get a lot of raised eyebrows), and sent every doctor, resident, and student in to look in his ear. It was at this point I took the picture. Then they started to dig, and dig, and dig in the poor kids ear. After three rounds of digging, accompanied by some of the worst screams I have ever heard, they thought they had moved it enough that they could flush it out. So again they tried the water torture treatment, except this time it hurt because his ear was so traumatized. Once again it did not work, so they dug again, at this point I just about told them to back off for a while because he was hurting so bad. Luckily the nurse had also reached this point and told them he needed pain meds, so they gave him some fentanyl. Then they tried some skin glue on the end of a cotton swab, but the bead was too smooth and wouldn't stick, that would have been too easy. So they retreated to the hall to think. A few minutes later the doctor comes dancing in, "I found what I need, I know this will get it!" he waves a long metal tool with a tiny loop on the end. So once again we pin the poor boy down and they start to dig, except this time the doctor immediately starts saying "It's coming, don't move! Don't move!" and after about 30 seconds or so they finally get the stupid thing out.

They had him lay with that ear down so the blood and stuff could drain out, and then checked to make sure the eardrum had not ruptured. We were lucky and there was no significant trauma to the ear and we were able to go home after a few more minutes. The nurse who discharged us looked at Colton and said, "Next time when Mom tells you not to do something, it might be a good idea to listen." Colton quickly agreed and said "I won't ever put anything in my ears again."

Boy, oh boy , here we go again!

2010-11-12T16:30:00.002-07:00

Just a quick note to all our friends to let you know the gender of our upcoming arrival. If you haven't guessed by now it is another little boy. It wasn't our first pick, but we are glad to have him anyway. I just pray he does not take after Colton and is patient enough to wait until his due date or there about. The ultrasound showed a healthy, active little guy, who is eager to please. Anytime the doctor said something about not being able to see, the baby moved into the perfect position. Once Alyssa got over the disappointment of it being a brother she resumed her love affair with being the big sister and has been making big plans for this baby. Poor little guy will have more mommies than he knows what to do with.

more to love

2010-10-05T23:12:00.002-06:00

This is someone Rylan has named "Gummy Bear", because that is what he thinks the pictures look like. This is to be the fourth and final installment in our family. He/she will join us in March, hopefully no sooner, been there, done that don't wanna go back. We are all very excited for this little one to join us.

more new stuff...

2010-09-22T22:23:00.004-06:00

like 5 stitches and a nose that is broken in 2 places. They actually checked to be sure his brains weren't leaking out his nose. Poor kid was sooo freaked out at the idea of stitches I thought we were going to have to tie him down. He got through it okay though, and as you can see is crashed in the recliner, hopefully for the night. Here he is two days later. His eyes are nearly swollen shut, but he felt much better than he looked. He just was a little low energy for a few days. We took the stitches out at one week and within two days after that the scabs and swelling were pretty much gone. Today he looks pretty much normal, just a small scar and some pink, new skin, and of course some tenderness. Let this be a lesson to you kids out there, when riding your bike you should wear a helmet and not try to do stupid stunts to impress your friends.

Another First

2010-08-28T19:57:00.002-06:00

Today we experienced a few firsts. Today was the first time I spent $60 on dance clothes, including ballet slippers. And today was our first time sitting through parent, student orientation for the Ballet West Academy. Rylan has been offered, and has accepted, a scholarship for the upcoming year at the academy. Apparently he must have turned a few heads over the last year with the workshops he was involved in. He will dance three days a week for an hour and a half...wow what a commitment for all of us. I never thought the first pair of ballet slippers I bought would be for my oldest son. Congratulations to Rylan on a fantastic opportunity. I hope he really enjoys it.

birthday girl

2010-08-07T21:58:00.005-06:00

It's hard to beleive but my sweet girl is 5 years old. Where does time go? The biggest desire of her heart was to go to Build a Bear. So she took the birthday money she got from various relatives and we took her to fulfill her wish. After much deliberation she settled on a brown pony. Afterward we took her to dinner and Grandma Tove treated her to some ice cream. On Sunday we had dinner and a little party with my family. Grandma Vera got her a bunch of clothes for school. She is sooo excited. She loved her cake! What a great birthday.

quick update

2010-08-07T21:41:00.004-06:00

Sorry I have been such a slacker, it is busy season at the hospital so I am working alot, and then trying to keep up with three busy children at home. I am worn out. Here are a few pictures of the things we have done over the last month or so. We went rock hunting at the geode beds. We went fishing at Tibble Fork Reservoir. We hiked up to Donut Falls and then over at Silver Lake at Brighton. We saw a moose at Silver Lake. We also spent the day at the zoo with my brother Josh and his wife Annie. The kids really had a lot of fun, they love being with Josh. We got to visit with an eagle up close. All the animals were pretty active inspite of the heat (even the kids).

camping

2010-06-22T21:26:00.006-06:00

Over the weekend we went camping with Erik's brother, his family, and some friends. We had a fabulous time. We are already planning to do it again next year. We camped in an open meadow between Kamas and Mill Hollow. John's best friend came with his two little guys. He taught his boys how to kiss the fishies goodbye. Brooke shows off one of her catches, she did really well.The weather could not have been better. We spent our days fishing and hiking at Mill Hollow. John caught near 100 fish, of course he sat there from sun up to sun down several days. Rylan patiently waited for a bite. He pulled in about 15 fish, some of them really nice sized trout. Dad and Brooke spent time helping Alyssa, but she never stayed with it long enough to catch anything. Colton really got into it at times and caught a few big ones.Everyone else caught enough fish to keep them interested and excited. Erik's sister came up on Sunday with her family. John and Erik helped their two boys catch their first fish. The younger one was so funny, he danced around next to Erik singing "fishy, fishy, where are the fishies?" then he would look at Erik "Why aren't they coming?". We took our dogs with us since we had no one to leave them with. The only problem we had is when Max found a hook with bait on it and decided to taste it. He ended up with the hook stuck in his tongue. It took three of us to hold him still and hold his mouth open to get it out. John is my new hero and Max's best friend. Max decided he was better off spending the rest of the trip sleeping in the sun.I have not had a better time camping ever. I could have easily stayed another night or two, if only I could have taken my bed with me.

week in review

2010-06-13T23:30:00.003-06:00

Here is a quick review of our week. Monday was the 1st grade field trip to Red Butte Gardens. It was a lot of fun. No one got into any real trouble and the only one who needed a bandaid was Colton. Luckily I had the foresight to pack bandaids and neosporin so we were great. Our group was the bats and our guide was Julie. We learned a lot about plants. Colton wants one of everything in our yard at home. I hope he intends to take care of it himself. He really liked the animal shaped water fountains, and the statues. I think his very favorite part was the pond. He thought it was great that they had koi that were bigger than our dog. Then on Tuesday, Rylan came home with an injured finger. I took him in to the Instacare where they did some x~rays and said it looked suspicious. They put it in a splint and sent us home. The radiologist called us the next day and said it was okay, the bone was just naturally odd shaped. So he had to keep it in a splint all week, but no fracture and no cast. The rest of the week went as normal, work, school, sleep, repeat.

Dream Team the sequel

2010-06-05T21:08:00.003-06:00

Today we were priviledged to see a repeat performance of Ballet West's ICANDO/Dream Team. Two weeks ago we received an email inviting Rylan and about 30 other members of the team to do a performance for the opening of Northwest Rec. Center's new building. Of course Rylan was thrilled to get back with his friends and instructor. So for your viewing pleasure here are a few video clips of stuff I didn't record before, some of it Rylan learned just for this event.

rainy day diversion

2010-05-22T20:43:00.006-06:00

Our original plans for today included the Living Traditions festival, but the weather was absolutely lousy. So we went with option number two. We went to the health fair they were having at LDS Hospital. Not quite as exciting, but at least it was indoors. They had emergency vehicles outside, and then nearly every department was represented in the auditorim. The kids got to meet a large tooth, and Bear from the Utah Jazz. We learned about PICC lines, hyperbaric chambers, emergency planning, endoscopy, car safety, and more. Then we got to go upstairs and tour the operating rooms. We saw the stuff they use for hip replacements, knee replacements, laproscopic barriatric surgery, and then they got to "take out an appendix". Alyssa struggled with the adult sized gear, but was really into her role as assistant to Dr. Colton, who successfully removed the patient's appendix. Rylan looked right at home taking in the "cool tools" they got to use. He had a thousand questions for the nurses and surgeons we talked with. Not a bad back up plan, we learned a few things, and they didn't drive me nuts. We may try to get to Living Traditions tomorrow after church if it isn't raining and hailing like today.

Max

2010-05-17T22:41:00.004-06:00

This is Max! Max is the newest addition to our household. He is a five week old jack russel terrier mix. He had to leave his mother early because of some health problems she was having, so we have made him a part of our family. He has been a delight, our other dog Cooper has really taken to him and is a good "big brother". Max is a sweetheart and smart too, he has already started potty training, he is too little to get outside by himself, but if we take him out he goes. If we don't think to take him out soon enough he will start to whine. He is so tiny that we have "lost" him several times. We put him down on the floor to play and he will wander off and go to sleep some place, he is such a heavy sleeper that he doesn't even move when we call him. If he can survive Alyssa's constant mothering I think we have a match made in heaven.

It's all fun and games until....

2010-04-28T18:27:00.004-06:00

We started out with a mission this morning...have some good old fashioned fun. For the most part we succeeded. We played music. We worked on a construction site. We played in the water. We visited the grocery store. We played in a pile of ground cork. And then he crashed, and cried and bled. And then we went to the doctors office. At least it didn't require stitches, just a liberal amount of glue. He tried hard to be brave, but it really hurt. That nasty old apple tree just came out of nowhere and attacked him. It isn't nice to attack a guy when he isn't even looking, oh wait, that was the whole problem, he wasn't watching where he was going. The other two would have just had a nasty bump, not Cole, he has to go all out. At least we were almost ready to leave. We will try again another day thanks to the complimentary pass the guy at the first aid station gave us. Next time he will wear a helmet and pads and be covered in bubble wrap.

eggs, candy, bunnies, and bison ???

2010-04-05T16:28:00.005-06:00

We have all recovered enough that we were able to have a nice Easter. At the last minute we decided to check out the Easter egg hunt at Antelope Island. We figured if nothing else it would be a nice drive while we listened to conference. It turned out to be a great idea. The foul weather the night before kept most people away, I overheard someone say there were usually about 800 kids, I only figured about 200 were there. The kids made quite a haul. We got to visit the easter bunny. They had their faces painted. We checked out the ranch. We saw the bison and a few deer. And over all had a nice time, just the five of us, no friends, no tv, no computer. I should take them out in the middle of nowhere more often. We also enjoyed an evening with my family. Josh and Annie came up for conference and dinner with the family. We hid eggs for the little ones, and just relaxed.

Sick

2010-03-26T17:29:00.002-06:00

***Update... Alyssa did end up getting what Colton had and was every bit as sick, she suffered most from high fevers(103.8). She doesn't cope as well as her brothers so she really kept us hopping for a few days. Then Rylan came down with strep on Monday. I am holding my breath that he doesn't share with everyone else. I tend to be vulnerable to strep. As of today they are all doing better, just a little more tired than usual.*** I feel like I ought to have a degree in pharmacology or nursing or something after the week we've had. Last Sunday Colton came down with a cold/cough/fever kind of thing. He pretty much slept his way through the week, not eating, no school, just plain miserable. On Thursday when I got home from work I could see he really wasn't doing very well. I called the doctors office and took him in. The first thing they did was check his oxygen saturation and discovered he was at 85%, normal is above 90%. So they quickly gave him a breathing treatment, and we narrowly avoided a trip to the hospital. He has bronchiolitis. They sent us home with some steriods to open his airway and breathing treatments to loosen the junk in his lungs. So on top of his four daily medications and tylenol for his fever we added two asthma meds and decongestant. I have spent well over $100 this week on their daily meds and all the extra ones.

Then this morning Alyssa woke up with a fever and cough. She has spent the entire day dozing on the couch. Here we go again. Please, please don't let anyone else catch this junk.

The Big Event

2010-03-17T22:54:00.006-06:00

No words needed the video speaks for itself.
***Ok, I have been trying for three days to upload video of his solo, but after wasting many, many hours I have come to the conclusion it just isn't going to happen. So here are some photos instead, just know that it was wonderful and brought out the performer in him. He is looking forward to joining the older kids on celebration team next year.

Rylan and his dance teacher Dana. Rylan and his new buddy Peter Christie.

order from chaos

2010-03-16T11:26:00.005-06:00

Last night was the big dress rehersal for Rylan's program. I was so glad to be an observer and not be in charge of anything. Peter Christie of Ballet West took the reins and corralled all these kids into place. He did a great job with them. He seems to have the perfect personality for this kind of thing, he would push them hard to fix something, and then walk up and down as they dance praising what he liked. The kids really responded well to him, especially when he started dancing next to them. When he demonstrated some leaps and spins he wanted fixed, they realized this wasn't just some old guy yelling at them, he is an accomplished dancer. We are looking forward to the first program tonight. Please forgive my blurry photos, I was across the room and not using my flash so I wasn't a distraction. My camera doesn't do so well without the flash. Oh, and these photos are a sneek peek at the Sorcerer's Apprentice part of the program.

Dream Team

2010-03-11T00:24:00.001-07:00

Ballet West Education & Outreach presents
I CAN DO Year End Performance
Featuring 5th graders from
Salt Lake City School DistrictBennion Dilworth Edison Emerson Newman Riley Rose Park Washington Whittier
Davis School DistrictWashington
and Granite School DistrictWoodrow Wilson Hillsdale
March 16th and 17th at 7:30 pmWest High School Field House
ADMISSION IS FREE!
Inspiring Children About Not Dropping Out (I CAN DO) teaches movement and gives children the opportunity to experience dance first-hand. Ballet west teachers and dancers work with 5th graders from select schools from across the Wasatch Front. After attending seven months of weekly classes, the students present a public performance. The performance is open to the public and gives students a chance to show their parents and teachers all they have learned.

Sorcerer's Apprentice

2010-02-21T20:42:00.003-07:00

Rylan celebrated his 11th birthday this weekend, and while he received several nice gifts, his favorite gift came from his dance teacher. She told him that she wants him to be the sorcerer's apprentice on his school's night in the upcomming performance. He was sooo excited to be chosen out of about 50 kids. I have been impressed with all he has learned in this workshop. His confidence and his technique have really improved, he has learned 5 dances and really has them down well. I hope this hints at him getting a spot on the team for next year with the 6th graders. I am looking forward to seeing him on stage.

lesson learned

2010-01-25T17:15:00.004-07:00

Why I shouldn't jump on mom's bed, a photo essay by Alyssa.
She earned her self quite the black eye, and narrowly avoided breaking it open. These were taken yesterday, it looks lots worse today. It has every shade of purple, red and blue ever invented. Everyone at church had to ask her what she did. This is the third time she has blackened that same eye in the last month. Last time Colton accidentally whacked her in the eye with a toy, time before that she ran into a door knob. The only luck she has had lately has all been bad.

Wedding Bells

2009-12-29T22:08:00.006-07:00

We attended a wedding on Monday. One of my cousins married his sweetheart of four years. It was at a cute little chapel in Layton. The ceremony was nice, and the reception good. We usually have a good time with my extended family. I used the occasion to get an informal four generation photo. One aspect of the reception I found fairly unique was that they had a photo booth. You got print outs just like a regular photo booth, and then all the pictures were burned to a disk for the wedding couple. All the kids thought it was great. Alyssa found a mirror in the loft area of the chapel and spent quite some time dancing in front of it. I think she may have been daydreaming about being the bride. She has been humming the wedding march all day today.

Christmas Fun

2009-12-29T12:50:00.004-07:00

Christmas was a lot of fun. The kids were well spoiled with the help of many christmas elves. We enjoyed the company of lots of friends and family, and just enjoyed being together.

Awesome!

2009-12-19T14:55:00.003-07:00

Rylan has been participating in a workshop with Ballet West, he was chosen as one of four kids from his school. Last week at their practice they gave all the kids two tickets to the Nutcracker. I was the lucky parent that got to go with him. I must say I agree with Rylan's one word review: "AWESOME!" It was an unforgettable experience. We ended up on the second row, so not only could we see every freckle on their faces, we could see into the orchestra pit, which facinated Rylan too. I hope they get tickets to the next show.

Glad to be inside!

2009-12-08T12:11:00.003-07:00

I am not a huge fan of the snow, but it sure is pretty sometimes, especially when you know you don't have to go anywhere. We are slowly getting ready for Christmas and trying to deal with the cold, not much new to report. I guess no news is good news. (not our house by the way, I wasn't willing to venture out far enough to get a picture. Besides her house is decorated up all pretty.)

Happy Birthday Colton

2009-11-30T14:55:00.002-07:00

Our little miracle is 7! Each Thanksgiving we celebrate his birthday and the miracle of his survival. Seven years ago today they were still telling us they were not sure if he would make it or not. Today he is in the first grade, in a regular classroom, with no residual effects of his premature birth. Miracles do exist, and one of them lives in our home.

Still kickin'

2009-11-10T09:12:00.005-07:00

Sorry for my long silence. We have encountered a series of minor injuries and illnesses that, along with our regular activities have kept us pretty busy. We have had colds, minor stomach flu, migraines, eye lacerations, twisted ankles and a various assortment of bumps and bruises. Despite all that we are still here and doing well.

We were able to enjoy Halloween, one kid had stomach flu the day before, and one kid the day after.

We discovered a couple weeks ago that Colton needed glasses. He really likes them, but we have already had to use the insurance to replace a pair.

We also found time to enjoy the zoo. Grandma really wanted to see the baby elephant, so the kids were more than willing to go along. We had a great time. The weather was picture perfect and the animals were pretty active.

On the farm

2009-10-06T12:57:00.004-06:00

Alyssa and I decided to get out of the house this morning while the weather was still nice. We went to Wheeler Farm to walk around and see all the animals. We had a nice morning.

We patted the bunnies, and talked with the pigs.

Then Alyssa was cute and cuddly for mom's camera.

Out Sick

2009-09-30T00:14:00.002-06:00

Please forgive me for my prolonged absence, we are still alive, but seem to have encountered a string of illnesses that keeps me pretty busy. I have had a cold with a cough that just won't go away. The kids have all had milder versions of my cold. Erik has just been diagnosed with strep throat, and Alyssa is now showing signs of it. Her rapid strep test was negative today, but so was Erik's, his two day culture came back positive on Sunday, so I fully expect a call from the doctor's office about Thursday saying her's is positive too. She has gone downhill all day long, and when the Princess is sick she becomes a real tyrant.

Colton's injury is healing well, I ended up taking his stitches out over three or four days (yes I took them out myself, I do it at work, so why pay someone else to do it) because when I took the first two out it started to open up. So I waited until the next day and took one out on the other end, and it started to separate too. So then I waited two more days and then took the other three out and put butterfly closures on it to reinforce things. It still separated a bit, but is looking great now. He is one tough boy.

going to pieces

2009-09-01T11:38:00.003-06:00

Warning...the pictures are not for the faint of heart, if you don't like blood, you may want to skip this one!

I guess we haven't been paying our dues to the evil spirits of the Instacare. They decided Saturday night was a good time to exact their revenge. The victim this time was Colton, of course it usually is. He was minding his own business playing in the backyard like a good little boy, when the evil spirits jumped out and tripped him. He landed on a piece of glass that was hidden in the grass. I heard him scream from inside, and then Alyssa screaming too. I could tell from the screams it wasn't going to be good. By the time I got to the front door I found Erik with his arm wrapped around Colton's lower arm and wrist, and blood dripping between his fingers. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it and held pressure for a few minutes. When I looked this is what I saw:(minus the clear bandage applied by the nurse)

I knew instantly that it needed stitches, so I called my mom to come sit with the other two and loaded Colton and Erik in the van. Erik held pressure on it while we drove so it really didn't bleed too much. When we got there a nurse came out and looked at it and agreed it needed stitches. She wiped it off a little and filled the cut with numbing gel and applied a waterproof bandage to hold the gel in. We watched cartoons in the waiting room while we waited for the medicine to work.

When we went back they cleaned it out really good and then gave him some local anesthesia to get it completely numb. Then they stitched it up. Colton cried, but held completely still, he was really brave for such a little guy.

This is the finished product:

He has done really well with it. Alyssa thinks it is cool, she insists on helping with all the bandage changes. Hopefully the evil spirits of the instacare are satisfied with their revenge and we can stay out of there for a while.

Wanted: Your Junk

2009-08-26T08:17:00.002-06:00

We are planning another fundraiser to help our friend Heather. The date is September 5th. In the mean time we want your junk. Anything you would like to donate to our yard/bake/craft sale would be appreciated. Just leave a message here if you have something for us and we can arrange pickup or drop off times.

bountiful harvest

2009-08-17T14:38:00.002-06:00

We have zucchini and yellow squash coming out of our ears.

Litterally!

Our week- wedding fun

2009-08-17T14:18:00.004-06:00

Here is our busy week in pictures:

First we loved on Great Grandma and Aunt Shirley. That was wonderful. We don't see them often since they live in Texas and Oklahoma. The girls loved having extra laps to snuggle in.

Then Alyssa spent time at Aunt Becca's beauty parlor getting her nails done. The boys got haircuts. We all dug out our best clothes.

Then we all went to a wedding. Uncle Josh decided it was time to marry Annie. The little girls thought it was fun to be all dressed up and go someplace new. They all love Uncle Josh and enjoyed seeing him so happy.

We thought Josh was happy to have three new sisters-in-law, but his face tells a different story. After growing up with one older sister, having three younger sisters will be a real eye opener for him.
The cake and food at the reception were wonderful. Annie's aunt Terri had the reception at her beautiful home. Even with the rain we had a good time.

Grand Adventures

2009-08-13T15:19:00.003-06:00

My vacation has officially come to a close, it never seems long enough. We had a great time and did a bunch of things. Most of all, we were just together.

We went to Thanksgiving Point and went to the barnyard and the dinosaur museum on $2 Tuesday.

We also went to Lagoon and spent the entire day. Alyssa had never been before, and Colton didn't remember going. Rylan and Colton thought they were really brave and tried the white rollercoaster. They both vow to never go on that again. By the end of the ride Colton had the lap bar up in his armpits, he is so small that it didn't hold him. He was afraid he was going to fly out.

The Big Four!

2009-08-03T19:09:00.003-06:00

I can't believe my baby is four! It really makes me feel old. She had a great birthday with lots of family and presents. She is so proud to tell everyone that she is a big girl now. We are having a great little "staycation". We have been hiking and swimming. Today we went with Grandma to The Living Planet Aquarium. It was kind of fun since we have never been, but I don't know that it was exciting enough to take us back, at least not at that price. Stay tuned for our continuing adventures.

We need your help!

2009-07-28T15:58:00.002-06:00

For those of you who live in our area, we are putting out a call for help. Not for us, but for our dear friend Heather. She is experiencing many medical problems and has been unable to work. She has lost her medical coverage and is having trouble getting assistance from the state. This Saturday 8/2 we are having a yard sale/bake sale to try and raise some of the funds she needs to get her surgery and get back on her feet. If any of you would like to give or help out in any way please contact me or leave me a message here. Our fundraiser will be held at 7248 west Majestic Way, from 7am-5pm, please come by and support us if you can.

countdown

2009-07-22T20:19:00.002-06:00

47 hours until vacation. We aren't going anywhere, just a few of the local sights, museums, parks, day hikes, etc. At least it isn't work!

New Addition

2009-07-12T21:47:00.002-06:00

We have decided the time has come to add to our family. We would like you to meet our newest addition. This is Cooper: Cooper is a Mini Dauchshund, Papillon mix. He is 12 weeks old and sweet as can be. He thinks he is my baby, he follows either me or Alyssa everywhere. We are really enjoying him.

Wedding Dance

2009-06-28T03:50:00.003-06:00

We attended a beautiful wedding tonight at Heritage Gardens. We were invited to perform by the bride and groom as a surprise for the groom's family, who is from eastern Europe. We had a good time. Rylan was able to dance with us again. It is fun having him join us, and make it a family event.

Family Pictures

2009-06-28T03:41:00.003-06:00

My brother is getting married in August, so my mom requested new pictures to update the ones on her wall. In the ones she has Alyssa is about 8 months old. So being the cheapscate I am, I recruited Erik's mom to help me take my own pictures. My children just don't do well for professional photographers. We went to Murray park one evening, and here are the results.

Field Trip

2009-06-16T16:07:00.004-06:00

Today Colton's class went on a field trip to Wheeler Farm. I went along as crowd control. He was so excited to ride the bus for the first time. We visited all the usual animals. We went on a hay ride. We had a blast.

Welcome Ben!

2009-06-07T17:07:00.003-06:00

We have added a new little one to our extended family. Erik's brother Henri and his wife Becky had a little boy this week. He was 7 lbs 7 oz, and very cute. We are excited to add another little one to the family, it has been a few years.

Living Traditions

2009-05-17T11:45:00.004-06:00

Saturday was the anual Living Traditions festival. Our group was invited to dance with a loal German choir. We had plenty of women, so I volunteered to sit out. I took pictures instead.

This one is my personal favorite, not that I am predjudice or anything. They were just being cooperative.

Progress

2009-05-17T11:29:00.002-06:00

I wish I could say that we are all settled in, but that would be wishfull thinking. We are however making progress. Last Friday, Alyssa's room looked like this:

On Monday we looked more like this:

Today most areas look like this:

No decorations, but at least most things have a place. As I unpack the rest of the boxes I have some idea of where to put things.

So True

2009-05-10T20:15:00.000-06:00

Family: A social unit where the father is concerned with parking space, the children with outer space, and the mother with closet space.

~Evan Esar

Cousins

2009-05-02T18:29:00.001-06:00

Greetings from Logan. Today was Alyson's baptism. All the family got together for a big celebration. Here is a great picture of most of the grandkids with Grandma. We are having a great time as always, and enjoying a break from moving.

Relocating

2009-04-26T00:20:00.003-06:00

Sorry I have been so infrequent with my posts. I'd love to say it is because nothing is happening. We are preparing to move in the next couple of weeks, so things have been kind of crazy. Lots of painting and packing and planning going on around our house. Don't worry we aren't going far. Just moving up in the world. I will post some pictures as we go so you can check out our new place! We are so excited to have more room. The kids are excited to have a yard.

Easter Fun

2009-04-13T03:21:00.006-06:00

Saturday was spent in a flurry of activity. As soon as I got home from work we got the kids up and hurried off to the Taylorsville egg hunt. We have a family friend who is involved with the event so we go there to meet up with them and catch up a little. The kids usually come away with enough goodies to keep them satisfied.

We then went to visit my family. I knew Grandma had some surprises for the kids, and since I worked on Sunday, I knew our chances to visit were limited. Then we went to see Erik's mom. Then we finally headed home. I intended to color easter eggs and such, but at this point I was 33 hours without sleep and fairly delirious. So we just found the things we needed for church and went to bed.

Sunday brought church and all that comes with getting three less than willing children up and ready by nine. And then home again and back to bed for me so that I can be writing this less than exciting post at 3:30 in the morning.

Like Father, Like Son

2009-03-31T16:15:00.004-06:00

Saturday was a big day for Rylan, for all of us actually. Rylan has been practicing for the last few months and was declared ready for his first dance performance. He originally was only going to do one dance, but at the last minute was added to a second dance. He was a little nervous, but did very well. He has been seeing these dances since he was born, so it seemed only natural that at some point he would take an interest. Now he just needs to grow a little so he is tall enough, and heavy enough to make a good partner. Some dances are just too hard if the guy can't reach above your head. I took some video, but it took over two hours to upload to the group's site so I won't repost it here. If you want to see it go to http://www.narodnaofslc.blogspot.com/, or click on the link on the sidebar. We are so proud of the hard work Rylan put into this.

Rockhounds

2009-03-29T17:40:00.005-06:00

Rylan has been facinated with rocks since his class did a unit on them at the begining of the school year. He has been begging to go out to the Dugway geode beds. Last week his teacher finally convinced me it would be a good idea.

We started out going through Tooele, and on to Vernon were there is a collection site for stuff called banded rhyolite, or wonderstone. This site was pretty easy to find and get to, just super windy. The hardest part was convincing the kids they couldn't bring all of it home.

Then we went on to the geode beds. This involves 50 miles on "improved"dirt roads. Part of the way it follows the old Pony Express Highway, so we got a history lesson too.

The geode beds were a little farther off the road and harder to get to. The only sign was at the turn off from the main road, then there were a million little dirt paths. We finally figured out the path most of the vehicles were following and wound our way back there. Once you find the main site where they use big machines to dig out pits in the hillside it is easy to find geodes. Alyssa got out of the car and instantly started picking up sparkly fragments.

This was a fun trip, and well worth your time if you are interested in rocks. Just do your research online to find directions becase there really are tons of dirt roads that go off into nowhere.

Rite of Passage

2009-03-29T17:32:00.003-06:00

This week had a big event for Colton. He lost his first tooth on Monday. He had been wiggling that thing for weeks, anticipating the day it would actually fall out. That day at lunch he tried to pull it out, and just made himself cry. That evening we were on our way to the library. Rylan told him to see if it would move if he blew on it. So he stood it up, blew on it, and it fell out. We were all a little surprised.

Awww! So sweet!

2009-03-16T22:01:00.004-06:00

If only they were so cute when they were awake. They fight like cats and dogs all day and then curl up together to watch TV and fall asleep. It is these cute moments that keep me from totally loosing my mind.

Friday's quick quote

2009-03-13T03:04:00.000-06:00

"I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself."

- Mikhail Baryshnikov

Blessed! No Really!

2009-03-03T12:38:00.004-07:00

This may not look like a blessing, especially to our landlord, but trust me it could have been so much worse. First blessing, the timing. This happened right about noon today. I had picked up Colton from school and felt the need to hurry inside to fix lunch, even though there was no real need to hurry. I closed the front door, walked across the room, heard a big gust of wind, and felt a huge bang that shook the building. I first thought earthquake, but then the shaking quit, so I then thought, "Who hit the building?", it has happened before. I told the kids to stay put, and went outside. The neighbors were standing in the parking lot staring at the grass. That is when I saw all the brick and figured it out. Now the brick has had a gap near the top for years. We recently got new siding, I think all the pounding made the problem worse, and the wind we have had all night last night and today did it in.

The second blessing about the timing was that the older kids were still in school. By 4:00, the grass where the bricks now lay is normally covered with about a dozen children playing soccer or football. In the evenings they are typically joined by the older parts of their families, thus the folding chair. If the brick had fallen then, well let's just say it is a good thing I know CPR, and there is a field right next door for Lfeflight to land in. It would have been deadly.

The next blessing is where the brick broke off. As you can see above the natural gas meters are on that side of the building. The brick broke off right about chin level on me. Much lower and there would have been a major natural gas leak or explosion. Same thing if the brick had fallen straight down instead of leaning out.

Next blessing is that there is very little structural damage. Other than a few small holes where the supports pulled out, the side of the building is intact. In my very untrained opinion, the landlord shouldn't have much trouble just putting some more siding on this side of the building too. I feel for the poor guy, he already is putting out tens of thousands in upgrades and repairs at the command of West Valley City, and then this happens. But like I said it most deffinately could be worse! I have finally stopped shaking from the adrenaline rush, I guess Erik and I will be spending our evening helping with the clean up when the landlord arrives. If you ever wonder if the Lord is watching out for us, the answer my friends is most deffinately YES! I hope your day is blessed...mine sure was.

Birthday Fun

2009-02-27T16:57:00.003-07:00

We had a great time as usual in Logan with our family. We took Grandma with us this time which was fun. Rylan and Grandma have really developed a good relationship so he enjoyed having her there for his birthday. Grandma bought the beautiful cake you see above.

We had a pinata full of candy and toys to celebrate. Alyssa had a great time trying to beat the thing open.
We also went to the Cache Valley Fun Park and played arcade games and did our usual bowling. There isn't much else to do in Logan in the winter. It was far too cold to be outside. Even Grandma got into the games, she has the best luck of anyone I know.

Aunt Mandy and Uncle John provided the favorite birthday gift: a new skateboard. Rylan can't wait to get out there and practice. He wants to get good enough to go to the skate park and learn some tricks. I'm not so sure about that. I am afraid he would break something, or a lot of somethings.

I think all the excitement got to be a little too much for Alyssa. Every time we put her in the car she went to sleep on the shoulder of the person sitting next to her, in this case Alyson. I couldn't have come up with a better birthday weekend. We will have to do it again soon for Alyson's birthday. Maybe next time we can go to the nickle arcade here in Salt Lake.

Happy Birthday Rylan!

2009-02-20T03:19:00.003-07:00

Rylan is the big 10! He has been telling people that he is 10 for months. I can't believe how fast he has grown up. He has always been mature for his age, but he really is becoming a little adult. He frequently amazes people with the things he knows and understands. I will post more on the festivities later. We are off for a fun filled weekend with friends and family.

Friday's quick quote

2009-02-20T03:17:00.001-07:00

Music begins to atrophy when it parts too far from dance.

(Ezra Pound)

Friday's quick quote - late

2009-02-14T06:09:00.000-07:00

"Stifling an urge to dance is bad for your health - it rusts your spirit and your hips."

~Adabella Radici

Sorry about my tardiness, it seems Utah's population has doubled overnight and all those little babies were hungry. I can't believe how busy we have been lately. If it is this bad now I don't want to see what summer will bring.

Kreativ? Me?

2009-02-02T00:33:00.004-07:00

I have Paperback Writer to thank for this illustrious award. Along with the award came the instructions to share about things I love. Hmmmm... Well there are the obvious things, like I love my family, dancing, and reading. Nothing too exciting there. Here are some of the less known loves in my life:

1- Traveling- I love being able to see new things and explore new places. My trip to New York was a dream I never thought would come true. My favorite trip however was my last trip to Red Lodge, Montana. Everyone thought I was nuts for going since my daughter was only three days old, but that was the best recovery experience yet. No unwanted visitors knocking my door down, no house to clean, no meals to make. Just me, my family and a few of my closest friends, in a beautiful setting, doing what we love, folk dancing. (I didn't dance, but it is still fun to watch)

2- Long hot showers- you know the ones with no small voices on the other side of the door, knocking, crying, and calling "Mommy!"

3-Music- I love music of many shapes, sizes, and volumes. I can tolerate most anything that has clean lyrics, none of this stuff where every other word is an obscenity. For me, music has the power to calm, to energize, to enlighten, to give hope, and especially to heal. The playlist on my ipod is very diverse, it contains everything from european folk music, to church music, to 80's rock, to show tunes. When I am in need of a calming, soothing moment, when I can take no more, I turn to my music for some peace and hope.

4-Collecting- I collect lots of things, whatever strikes my fancy at the time. Porcelian dolls, specifically in ethnic costume, Cabbage Patch Kids, travel knicknacks etc. Colton is the same way, we are forever wandering the isles of thrift shops or at yard sales looking for treasures. Colton is a great treasure hunter, he is small enough to get down low and he sees what others miss. My husband calls us a pair of pack rats.

5- Ice Cream- I love ice cream, any flavor. My grandpa loved ice cream and I have many memories of sharing ice cream with this rarely seen but greatly treasured person in my life. I remember fresh peaches and vanilla ice cream, trips to the small grocery store in nowheresville Texas to pick out flavors for everyone. I also remember getting my tonsils out when I was seven, and my other grandparents brought me red, white, and blue ice cream on the 4th of July as a consolation for feeling so bad on a holiday. Ice cream was always the reward for a job well done when I was a kid. Ice cream carries too many good memories to not be loved.

6- Spicy Food- The hotter the better. Mexican food, salsa, jalapenos, the more the merrier. I put hot sauce on everything. My children have learned to ask before helping themselves to my food. I have learned that if I want it to my self, apply hot items liberally.

7- My camera- I absolutely love my camera. I love the creative rush I feel at capturing memories "on film". I love the ability to preserve the details of things I want to remember always. I look back at pictures of my children and see how much they have changed and all they have accomplished and I am so greatful to be able to see these things. I am glad for the ability pictures give me to share my life with others, folkdancing means nothing to a lot of people until you show them a picture. How many people do you know that can say they know what a very premature infant looks like? If you have seen Colton's scrapbook you know. My camera gives me the artistic outlet that I can't find elsewhere. I don't have enough artistic ability to satisfy the creative desires in me, but my camera is the tool that helps me do what my hands cannot. My camera is the tool that tells the stories my writing abilities cannot.

Okay, enough weirdness from me. This is what happens when I try to make sense of life at 3am. I am supposed to tag others, but I feel kind of weird picking on someone, so if you feel so inclined please share. I would love to learn more about all of you.

Friday's quick quote

2009-01-30T21:44:00.002-07:00

To learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living, the principles are the same.

... Martha Graham

Adventures in Dreamland

2009-01-30T21:30:00.003-07:00

Can someone tell me why I bought each of my children their own beds when I frequently come home to find scenes like these?

I could have saved myself a lot of money and trouble if I had just bought one double bed for them to share, but then they would whine about being crowded.

This is the only time they don't whine about someone else touching them.

Friday's quick quote

2009-01-23T04:19:00.001-07:00

"Dancing is wonderful training for girls, it's the first way you learn to guess what a man is going to do before he does it."

- Christopher Morley

Friday's quick quote

2009-01-16T22:17:00.000-07:00

"Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing."

~William James

Friday's quick quote

2009-01-09T20:05:00.002-07:00

Almost nobody dances sober, unless they happen to be insane.

H. P. Lovecraft

-I wonder where that leaves me? I must fall in the insane catagory.

Friday's quick quote- early again

2009-01-01T21:05:00.000-07:00

May our dance always be a bridge to understanding.
May our dance always be a celebration of diversity.
May our dance always be an instrument for peace.

- Laurel Victoria Gray

Friday's quick quote

2008-12-26T01:19:00.001-07:00

1. Beginning dancer. Knows nothing.
2. Intermediate dancer. Knows everything. Too good to dance with beginners.
3. Hotshot dancer. Too good to dance with anyone.
4. Advanced dancer. Dances everything. Especially with beginners.

*unknown*

NYC!

2008-12-17T08:59:00.008-07:00

It is good to be back. On the 11th I was able to travel to New York with a good friend of mine who was seeking a medical consult for a rare medical condition. We left early on the 11th and flew from SLC to Atlanta, where we had a short layover, and then on to LaGuardia airport in New York. The flights were sooo turbulent, on the last leg of the flight they didn't even pass drinks because it was too bumpy for even the flight attendants to be up.

We picked up a rental car at the airport since we were going to Great Neck which doesn't have the public transit that New York City does. The car rental was less than the cab fares would have been. It was dark and rainy, and rush hour, so the drive to our hotel in Westbury was quite the white knuckle adventure. Our hotel was nice for what we paid, comfy beds, clean, fairly quiet. We were right in a shopping center to it made finding food and other necessities quite easy.

Friday morning we got up early and went to the medical clinic. Driving was still an adventure, but at least it was daytime, dry, and traffic was light. The folks at the clinic were very kind, and we learned a lot. I have a little medical background, and I was so grateful for the understanding it gave me as we talked with these specialists. We found the answers my friend was looking for, and while the road will not be easy, they can help her get back to a normal life. After we left the clinic we drove back to the hotel quickly to avoid rush hour and hid out at the hotel for a while. Later in the evening we went over to the mall nearby and walked around for a bit. It was very crowded and noisy, so we just grabbed some food and went back to the hotel.

Saturday morning we slept in a little and then set out for the fun part of our adventure. We drove our car to the nearby train station and got on the Long Island Railroad, which is the commuter train, and rode into New York City. We got off the train at Penn Station and ventured to another area of the station where the subway was. On the way we laughed at the Kmart in the subway station.

We took the subway all the way to the south end of the island. From there we caught the Staten Island Ferry, which is the free commuter ferry that runs to Staten Island and back. I would highly recommend this ride to people who love to take pictures. The ferry runs right past Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. You also get fabulous views of the skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge and some other bridges.

When we got back to Manhattan, we walked around Battery Park and saw the Castle Clinton, and the sphere that had stood on the plaza of the World Trade Center, but was moved to the park during the construction at Ground Zero as a temporary memorial. That was really kind of cool.

From there we took the subway back north and saw things like Macy's, the Empire State Building, the New York Public Library, and many other things. Another awesome place was Times Square. The first time we went through it was just before dark, and it was cool then, but when we went back that way after dark, it was almost overwhelming.

Our final destination was Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree. The tree was huge and beautiful, but the most incredible part of this was the number of people there. They were having the Radio City Christmas show, a game at Madison Square Garden, and some kind of show on the ice skating rink. It was like the crowds from a Jazz game and General Conference times ten. We stopped against a railing and half way behind a ticket booth to take pictures and we were still getting shoved around. I have never seen anything like it.

Sunday morning we got up early again and checked out of the hotel. We made the drive back to the airport, which was a lot better this time, and turned in the car. We flew from New York to snowy Minnesota, to Salt Lake. The flights were better this time, but still bumpy.

We were greeted at the airport by my husband who told my friend "forget the luggage, I just want my wife back." I get the feeling I was missed a little bit. When we got to my mom's house where the kids were they were almost hysterical with excitement. From the looks of things they did okay, but my house would have been in real trouble if I had stayed away much longer. I wish we could have done more while we were there, but I am so grateful for the chance to go. The circumstances could not have worked out more perfectly. Under any other circumstances I would never have been able to go. I am so glad I could help out my friend and have this once in a lifetime adventure.

Leavin' on a jet plane

2008-12-10T22:58:00.004-07:00

I will be away for a few days, so no quote this week. I am leaving the family behind and enjoying a few days to myself...sort of. I am going on a trip, as an escort to a friend who is needing some medical care. I will fill you all in on the details when I get back. Lots of pictures to come, and details on how Dad did by himself with all 3 kids.

Yesterday was my work Christmas party, here are some pictures of the kids with Santa.

It's begining to look a lot like Christmas!

2008-11-30T18:47:00.003-07:00

Time for the anual Christmas pictures for the family out of state. Great Grandma gets a new picture every year to help her keep up with the little ones. This year we decided to be more formal and make them wear their Sunday best. I think they turned out pretty well considering it was too cold to take them outside, and my mom didn't have her tree up yet. I was able to get a few of just my kids outside after church last week.

Happy Birthday Colton

2008-11-29T20:33:00.006-07:00

Another title for this post could also be "to "heck" and back again". Colton's premature birth was both the best and worst day for us. It was certainly the scariest day(year) I've ever been through. Colton was 11 weeks premature, he weighed 2 lbs 12 oz. and was 15.5 inches long, he was big for his age.

(yes that is a beanie baby next to him)

Not only was he early but he was also very sick with an infection. He was on a ventilator for 8 days, and on oxygen for just over a month. When he came home Jan 21st he was 5lbs 10 oz. He was very fragile for the first year of his life, visiting Primary Childrens' 4 times, once for 2 weeks. But look at him now. He is in kindergarden and just about reading. His health is good and we are enjoying his sweet personality.

Colton had a wonderful birthday. We celebrated with my family on Thanksgiving, and we will be getting together with Erik's family on Monday. We had pie and presents and a bucket load of laughs. A far cry from how we spent the day of his birth. He is my little miracle, he should by all means be disabled, and we have been blessed with a healthy, "normal" child.

Friday's quick quote

2008-11-28T00:06:00.001-07:00

Let us first teach little children to breathe, to vibrate, to feel, and to become one with the general harmony and movement of nature. Let us first produce a beautiful human being, a dancing child.

— Isadora Duncan

Happy Turkey Day

2008-11-28T00:02:00.002-07:00

Since IHC was so gracious enough to give me exactly 24 hours off for Thanksgiving(meaning I worked until 11:00 pm the night before, and I came back at 11:00 tonight, really who needs sleep when there is turkey to eat.) I was able to enjoy a nice holiday with my family. The children behaved well (for my kids anyway), the food was wonderful, and all were present. You can't ask for much more. Now on toward the mad rush of Christmas, and all the scheduling nightmares IHC can give.

Friday's quick quote

2008-11-21T09:08:00.001-07:00

"Dance isn't something that can be explained in words. It has to be danced." -Paige Arden

Friday's quick quote

2008-11-14T03:09:00.000-07:00

Stifling an urge to dance is bad for your health - it rusts your spirit and your hips.

~Adabella Radici

Friday's quick quote

2008-11-07T17:41:00.000-07:00

Dance is a song of the body. Either of joy or pain.

*Martha Graham

Friday's quick quote

2008-10-31T02:56:00.000-06:00

Learning to walk set you free. Learning to dance gives you the greatest freedom of all: to express with your whole self the person you are.

*Melissa Hayden*

Happy Birthday Emily!

2008-10-25T11:17:00.004-06:00

Last weeekend we went to visit our family in Logan and celebrate Emily's 5th birthday. Emily and Colton should have been twins, they are two of a kind and as joined at the hip as they can manage. We had a great visit as always. It seems so strange that these kids just keep growing up. Emily is such a cute, smart girl. We love you Emily!

Friday's quick quote

2008-10-24T05:22:00.001-06:00

“If you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you'd best teach it to dance.”

George Bernard Shaw

Happy Anniversary to us!

2008-10-17T08:38:00.001-06:00

It has been 12 long, but worthwhile years. So here's to those who said it wouldn't last. 12 years and going strong, all the better for the battles we've had to fight.

Friday's quick quote- early

2008-10-16T22:15:00.003-06:00

If you’re on thin ice, you might as well be dancing.
-unknown

I am not working tonight to post this in the wee hours of the morning, and we will be away from the computer tomorrow, so enjoy a few hours early.

Friday's quick quote

2008-10-10T00:33:00.001-06:00

The dance is a poem of which each movement is a word.
-Mata Hari

Staff Sergeant Eric Thomas Duckworth

2008-10-09T17:06:00.004-06:00

This is a post I have been thinking about for several weeks and still don't quite know how to approach. Last fall was a difficult one. It started with the loss of Aubrey and got more personal from there. There was the death of an aged but loved great aunt, an old family friend of my grandmother, and then the shock to top them all.

The evening of Oct. 10 I had just gotten home when I got a call from my mom. She sounded kind of strange, almost like she was talking in her sleep, all I could understand was Eric...car...dead. I at first thought she must be talking about my husband, but he was standing right there. I listened a minute more and I started to understand. She wasn't dreaming, though I wish she were, she was in shock. She wasn't talking about my husband she was talking about my cousin, my cousin the soldier, my cousin serving in Iraq. All of a sudden it was all too clear. Eric was serving as a security officer and frequently traveled with convoys, Eric had been hit by a roadside bomb. Eric was dead.

It still doesn't seem possible. He had a wife, kids, why?? Some questions just don't have answers. This loss I am still struggling with. When Aubrey died, we got to say good bye, we attended a funeral, we greived as a "family". When Eric died the family went off to Colorado, and Texas, and Arlington, they had memorials, and funerals and grieved together. I stayed in Salt Lake, I went to work, and I stayed quiet because I had several co-workers with husbands in Iraq. My parents came home, they told us a little about the service in Colorado where he had been stationed, and life went on. Except there is still that hole, that tender spot that refuses to heal.

This was not the last hit our poor family took last year, Eric was followed shortly by a great uncle, and then an uncle a few months later. I am hoping we have had all the tragedy we are going to see for a while. I am tired of greiving, the why's and the if only's. Sorry, I hadn't intended this to be about me, but to be about Eric, and his sacrifice for our family, and our country. I know some of you out there are against the war, but to me this isn't about the war, at least not today. Today this is about someone who had the courage to face danger and serve our country, as he was asked, to the best of his ability. This is about someone who knew he wasn't coming home, but went anyway.

This is one of many articles published last year about Eric. This one came from the Washington Post.
A 'Tremendous Leader' Lost
Staff Sergeant on 1st Tour Would Have Come Home Next Month
Wednesday, October 24, 2007; Page B03
A week before his 27th birthday, family and friends of Eric Thomas Duckworth gathered to honor him for a different reason. They came together yesterday to mourn him as he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Army Staff Sgt. Duckworth, 26, of Plano,Tex., died Oct. 10 in Baghdad when a makeshift bomb detonated near his vehicle. He was the 391st member of the military killed in Iraq to be buried at Arlington.

Duckworth entered the Army at 18, almost immediately after graduating from Clear Lake High School in Houston.He was on his first deployment to Iraq, which began in August 2006 and would have ended next month.
"He wanted to serve his country; he wanted to make a difference," his mother, Ila Duckworth, told the Dallas Morning Newslast week. "He felt honored to serve his country."
Duckworth's family told the newspaper that he excelled in JROTC during high school and was selected to attend a national ROTC meeting for outstanding leaders. He loved sports, especially the Dallas Cowboys and NASCAR.
He was a friendly and lively guy.
"He made friends easily," his mother told the Morning News. "He was also very much a family man."
Messages posted on the online tribute site, Legacy, were similar. People who knew him described him as a "great man," "tremendous leader" and "extremely dedicated."
"I was a loser, but he was a straight arrow -- a good kid," one friend wrote. "I looked up to him." Another said that "He was a phenominal soldier and an even better leader."

Yesterday, more than 120 mourners gathered under a gray, cloudy sky threatening rain to say goodbye to Duckworth. American flags were given to his widow, Sonya Lynn Duckworth, and his parents. Among the mourners were his daughter, Madison, 4, son Michael, 1, and stepdaughter Kaylynn, 10.
Kaylynn sat in the front row of seats at the end closest to the firing party that was part of the service. She was the first to stand as they prepared to fire their volleys, but as the seven soldiers fired the first of three shots each, she crumbled to the ground. Another mourner knelt to comfort her, but she was visibly shaken by the sound. Secretary of the Army Pete Geren made his way to Kaylynn, kneeling to speak with her.
Duckworth was assigned to the 759th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, based at Fort Carson Colo. During his more than eight years of military service, he received numerous awards, including the Army Service Ribbon and the National Defense Service Medal.

I don't know how to load photos from the web, and I doubt I could do it from work anyway, but here is the memorial site hosted by Arlington National Cemetery. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/etduckworth.htm. Thanks for reading my ramblings, I promise I'll be better next week.

Friday's quick quote

2008-10-03T00:41:00.000-06:00

"We're fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance."

Japanese Proverb

the hills are alive with the sound of...children

2008-09-27T22:19:00.004-06:00

Today we decided to spend the day hiking up City Creek Canyon. The entire path is paved which is perfect for us since Alyssa doesn't walk very far. We packed up the basket under the stroller with drinks and snacks and made an adventure out of the afternoon. We made it half way to the top, which is three miles. At that point we decided to take a break and get a bite to eat. Once they had a chance to rest I forced the kids to comply with my hobby of picture taking. I just cannot afford school pictures, and they never turn out anyway, so I make them put up with a photo shoot every fall. I may not be a fantastic photographer, but I think I do okay, and they don't give me the fake/terrible smiles they give the professionals. When they do get silly I can call it quits without losing a ton of money.I came away pleased, except that Alyssa fell asleep half way back down the canyon so I didn't get many shots of her. We saw a little bit of wildlife, but some critters I could have done without.

All in all we had a good time and got some much needed exercise too. I was impressed with the boys who walked the entire way, six miles round trip. I bet they sleep well tonight!

New haircut

2008-09-27T22:05:00.005-06:00

This is one makeover that was not my idea. Last Thursday while I was at work Alyssa managed to get her hands on some scissors and gave herself a haircut. Of course she went right for the top and right in front, effectively taking out her bangs and all of the top layers on the left side. So much for pigtails and such. I spent a week trying to disguise it and denying the need for a serious haircut. Yesterday I finally gave in and took her for her first real haircut. The results were much better than I had hoped for, and she was pleased with all the attention they gave her. I was surprised she sat so still. What do you think?

Friday's quick quote

2008-09-26T04:09:00.000-06:00

There is such a difference when you're dancing to music you really love,when there is this meeting of music and dancer that fuses into one.Those are the experiences we live for.
~ Aisha Ali

Friday's quick quote

2008-09-19T03:32:00.001-06:00

Dance is a little insanity that does us all a lot of good.

-- Edward Demby

Friday's quick quote

2008-09-12T02:38:00.001-06:00

"We should consider every day lost in which we have not danced at least once."

-Freidrich Nietzsche