Family & Friends...PLEASE READ! (updated)

After much thought, I have decided to take our blog private again. We LOVE having family, friends & ward members be able to keep up with us... it is FANTASTIC! We just feel that there it too much of a chance of someone we don't know taking our info and well...I love being able to just post without having to mask who we are etc. And so!! For all those who read... feel free to post a comment including your email address, and I will send out an invite to you to give you a "permission" tag to read our blog. I will take it private MAY 31st. Please don't feel like you cant keep reading if you already do... we are not trying to block anyone out! *grin* We just wanted to make sure someone we dont know, or who doesn't really know us, could steal our identity or use our information in a way we wouldn't normally allow. (this is the sad world we live in!)

I promise to only use your email to send you an invite, I won't post your comment with your email address listed. I have subscribed to the link that I get an email notice whenever anyone posts a comment now, so I will save your email info in a word doc and on May 31st I will send out the invites! (I can't invite you until I change the status of my blog permissions, and I will do that then... so I will save your email address and you will get an invite then. No one will even get to see your comment but me! :) And I will trash the word doc when I am done.

I hope you all send me your info so I can include you! We love having so many loved ones stop by and say hi! ((hugs)) I am just ready to not be so "out there" for just anyone to find info on... and I feel it will protect my sweet babies too. *grin*

New Phone...what an effort!

So... my contract is up at the end of May with my current provider. Long story short...couldn't wait to change! Easter weekend, my sweetheart and I were walking through Sam's Club and stopped for a moment to look at the phone options because we knew it was coming up; and I wanted to know what I wanted. (a good thing right?) Well, as we got talking with the guy there, we fell into an amazing deal! That weekend only ALL their phones were free. All of them! And I was able to switch to Jess' provider (free calls), save $15 month, plus I got a car charger and a case...and we walked away only paying $32. It was awesome! They didn't start my new service until last week, and I can cancel my old service the end of May, but for only one month's double service I still will pay over $100 less than I would have if I had waited and bought the phone in May. Needless to say... it is nice... but I am confused! I am such a set-in-my-ways kinda gal sometimes! This new phone is nothing like my old Treo, and I am grumpy not knowing how it works! I spent one of my resting breaks today watching the tutorial videos. *sigh* I know I will love it...once I figure it out. Bwhahahaha!! The other nice thing is that my phone number could have stayed the same, but the new one ROCKED! It is SO much easier to remember...all my kids in school already have it memorized! And I have unlimited texting! yea! no more fees for that overage! LOL!! Now I need to get busy with my Real Estate and earn such a nice phone that I didn't pay for huh?? *grin* So if you are family and friends...write it down!! New cell # is listed below...

Happy Happy Birthday Sweetheart!!

25 Things about the Birthday Boy:

1. He loves Lobster, Crab & Shrimp.


2. His favorite color is red.

3. He favorite toys growing up were his Tonka trucks, and *none* of the cheaply made versions available now a day are good enough for his boys... he watches yard sales for them. *grin*


4. He is an early bird. If he isn't up and busy by 8 am the day is "wasted".

5. He loves to watch "Unwrapped" & "Good Eats" with me, though his favorite show at night to watch is "MythBusters".

6. He constatly is helping someone. He has a natural instinct of when he is needed...and he just seems to go and do. I love that part about him!

7. He still has his truck from High School. I helped him to make payments our Senior year and beyond. Many a happy date night was spent working on the truck (him working...me watching) or we would go diggin' in the foothills you can't get to anymore!

8. He hates lotion just like his wife. Thank heavens for a water softener in this house! LOL

9. Jess is an Eagle scout, he loves all aspects of scouting, just is enjoying not being in charge of it for once! (Been a scout leader most of our married lives)



10. He loves to garden and take care of his yard. This new home is a great challenge for him.


11. Has more variety of songs on his Ipod that the Ipod store has to offer (almost)! He loves a variety of music, although classic rock is still his favorite!


12. He loves being a dad. And he is a very good one too!

13. Would have icecream before bed every night if I bought it. He loves icecream!

14. Was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 8 years old. He is grateful for insulin that he can now at least *try* some of the sugary treats the world enjoys. He said it was one of the hardest things he has ever experienced... a child at Halloween with diabetes... and Christmas was almost worse!



15. Never smoked or did drugs. (always told his friends he had enough health problems without inviting more...they all respected him for it...and he was always the designated driver! LOL)

16. Has worked a job since he was 14. Has been an electrician since he was 17.

17. Gets sick on rollercoasters, and long car drives when he isn't driving.

18. Fullfilled a dream a year ago this time:
19. Remembers all his appointments and scheduling in his head, and does it really well!


20. Has had an operation for "Trigger Finger" (*grin*) and needs another one someday.

21. Is a proud member of the NRA, and has had his paperwork for his concealed weapons permit so long (he wouldn't go get his photo done) that now he has to re-take the class! LOL!

22. Is taking a fishing class with his boys, and said to me that it would be "fun" to go get his fishing license for his birthday. Strange idea of fun if you ask me! Bwahahaha!

23. Is a deep lover. Cares deeply about everyone and everything.

24. He is a yellow personality, with a little bit of red and blue.

25. He is 20 days younger than me... but I was born weeks premature, and he was a week or two late... we joke that he didn't want to go... and I tried to show him it wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be... but anyway... that makes *him* older than me! *wink*

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE!!!!!!!!

9 days shy of 12 years married...where did the time go?

Who looks across a crowded room
& knows with just a glance
The things my heart is feeling
in every circumstance?
Who holds me when I’m feeling blue
& listens to my woes
Then warms my heart with gentle words
until that feeling goes?
Who knows me by the things I say,
& more by what I hide?
But loves me with the promise that
he’ll stay right by my side?
Who comforts and protects me,
no matter what life brings…
It’s you…the man who fills my life

with a million happy things.

My Boy...

Heh heh!! So here is the pic of the campfire reminants... LOL!! Fun huh?

And this choice photo is my very sick boy, who had no clothes on to save from having to pull yuckiness over his head, thinking he is ready to follow Daddy outside for a minute. We could not convince him late last night that it was cold, he was feverish, and that was just NOT enough clothes! LOL!

Throughly Thankful Thursdays

I am thankful for:
* a toddler who can understand that the plastic bowl is where he should throw up
* a good washing machine :D
* cuddles with a sick little boy on a cloudy/stormy day
* a forced chance to slow down and rest
* a husband who said he would be home in a heartbeat if I needed him to
* a kindergartener who was thrilled with a package of luckycharms for lunch while I tended to the sick one
* rain for my garden
* sweat pants and warm socks
* blinds to hide the sweatpants and socks! LOL!
* Real Estate... I have enjoyed taking over for Maria while she is on vacation... it is helping me decide where I want to go with it. :)
* my new phone I can sit and type in everyone's phone #'s in as I hold the sickie so I feel like I am being productive
* a clean kitchen from last night
* cold water to drink
* talking to my mom on the phone
* cartoons on TV :)

My dear friend has this on her blog. I just love it!! It speaks to me and my new lease on motherhood!! I LOVE being a Mom!!!! :)

Happy Belated Earth Day!!

I have been meaning to post! der! We had a very lovely day yesterday... My neighbor/good friend Amy came over and we created our garden! Jess has been working on tilling it every chance he gets, and he was finally done a few days ago. Amy and I had ordered seeds in January (*blush*) and have been SO excited to get started! She started a batch of our squash and tomatoes the week before I was to have surgery... and they still are kinda smallish. (OOO! Funny story about our plants... Amy was putting the plants in the oven on warm once in a while to increase the chance of seeds sprouting... well for easter weekend her sweet hubby started the oven to bake cinnamon rolls... and all of sudden she could smell cooking dirt! I laugh and say she was trying to bake the squash a little prematurely! BWAHAHAHA *wink*)

SO...We built up 6 of our "furrows" (Jess laughed and said they are "rows" for short right?!) (LOL!) and we planted lettuce, spinach, 2 kinds of carrots, peas, & green beans. We then began imagining and day dreaming about the yummyness of fresh tomatoes...and well... we gave in! We ran to the greenhouse and bought 9 plants (some misc large varities, cherry and yellow pear tomatoes) and those fun "hats" to cover them! We figured it was worth the loss if they don't make it...and even more worth it if they produce sooner! *GRIN* Our garden is half planted! YIPEE!! We then planted the strawberries we ordered in January (*blush*) and the blueberry bushes. We also bought a 6 pack of lettuce already growing and put it in a planter that Amy will move as needed. She ate a salad of the bigger leaves last night for dinner and raved about the taste. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Speaking of lettuce... LOL... I have been SO good!! I have not eaten but a handful of vegtables of ANY kind this week...and my blood test was worse than last week! :( I was so bummed out! I have to up my dose again! My body just wants to clot it's own blood alrighty?? I am CRAVING ruffage and cranberry juice like C-R-A-Z-Y...so you know my body knows I need it. *sigh* This too shall pass. But this is like pregnancy cravings...except I can't give in! Waaaaa

I am a little sad today. I have been super busy this week, which has been FANTASTIC... but I think I over did (big time) in the garden. My heart has hurt all day... with some rather sharp lingering pain here and there. I gave in and took a part of a pain pill this evening. (dern) I haven't needed anything but tylenol for over a week...almost 2! (*sniff*) I keep having to remind myself... 4-6 weeks... 4-6 weeks... I have to give myself 4-6 weeks to only be fair. I do feel fantastic energy level wise though...I think that is my problem! Tee hee hee

So another side note of the day today... the neighbor kids were getting hair cuts this afternoon in their garage. My boys have flat refused to let me cut their hair for weeks and weeks... (I am grateful that look is somewhat in style) But Cameron decided that it would be fun to have Amy cut *his* hair! So he ran home and asked if she could. (she then called to see if I seriously wanted her to...LOL) I said if he was actually going to let someone near him with clippers...RUN WITH IT!! LOL!! She did and they came over to show me. I OOOed and AWWWed and sent Cam up to shower. Amy left and Caleb needed a bath (oh! which b.t.w. remind me in the future that when we have campfires in the backyard...the black remains need burried...that boy was a MESS!) So when we get up to the bathroom Caleb asked if I was going to cut *his* hair. I said yes (thinking he would protest)...and he agreed!! (I ran with it!) I was just finishing up Caleb when Cody came in... Amy had offered to cut his, but he had politely refused... he sheepishly offered if I wanted to cut his hair I could. Bwahahaha!! I laughed and said yes. I think Cody was tickled I was well enough to dote on him! LOL! We had a blast as I was cutting, seeing all the funny hairdo's we could make, and when it was all said and done... I am THRILLED that it was haircut day at the neighbors!! *GRIN* THANKS AMY!!

Anyway...I better get to bed... I am starting to see double and re-typing words...now I remember why these aren't my favorite things to take! G'night!

Our first "camping" trip

What a blast we have has this weekend! Friday the kids and I loaded the bedding into the trailer and waited for Jess to get home by cleaning the windows etc out there. When he got here we went to Glade's for some hamburgers and shakes (our first time...not bad food!). We came home and ate them in the camper. LOL! What a way to "rough it!" *wink* Then we played croquet in the front yard, the boys practiced their casting with their fishing poles, we pulled out our parachute and played some games with that (anyone know of some good games for smaller amounts of people? the kids games from the school didn't work very well with only us! LOL) and we flew kites. Then Jess started a fire in the backyard and we made smores and sang songs. It was after 11 by the time we put it out and headed to bed. The two little ones crawled into their spots and were asleep within minutes, but the older two and Jess and I played UNO at our table until almost 1am. It was SUCH a blast!! I can't even tell you!! I have missed and longed for this more that I can say... I have such a sacred part of my life back... I can play with my kids again! I can be active with them and not have to sleep forever after! It was a hoot! (btw...Cody is GOOD at UNO *wink* LOL) We all slept really well. The furnance works great! I got up before them (*grin*) and went inside and baked bacon, then brought it out (less to clean out there! heh heh) and we made pancakes and had breakfast in the trailer. With the exception of using the house toilet ("outhouse") and cooking the bacon we pretended really well! Tee hee!! The kids keep saying we should do that every weekend...even if we can't pull it somewhere... I laugh! Why not?? We got it to help make some good memories for our little ones growing up so fast... Why not?? *GRIN*

Been a few amazing days...

Sorry to not post... but I have been being a busy mom *grin*, being an involved wife *grin*, a busy office manager of JWD Electric *grin*, and being actively involved in getting my house back in the clean/organized state I once preferred! *GRIN* I feel amazing!! I have worked/been busy until I feel completely exhausted... but the GOOD kind of exhausted! (like after a long days work!) I have not had to take an afternoon nap in almost a week! Day before yesterday I was still awake after prayers with Jess at 7 am... so I got up and got busy! (I haven't been able to be up that early for months!!) And I went until almost 11pm that night!! And the next day I was not completely bushed! I didn't "pay for it" like I have for the past couple of years! I am so stinkin' tickled to feel normal again!!! I can't even tell you!! You know that great Cinderella song "Don't know what you've got 'til it's gone..."? Well my life is "Don't know what you missed 'til you get it back..." Bwahahaha!! Anyone have some song writting skills? Feels like a new #1 hit to me! *wink*

Monkey Boy!

Emma Spider Swinging with a friend...

Lub's Run Amuck!

Isn't he so cute!?!?

Spring break has been fun dispite the cold weather... I have taken the kids to the park...two different parks... two different days. We have played with friends. We picked up JWD's camper trailer... oh wait! I didn't post about it! Here's the scoop:

JWD Electric has it's first official debt. Now I am not one to celebrate debt... payments every month are not so fun... but it will pay off for both the busniess and our family in the end. We have "invested" in our family and in our business.

(We struggled with deep emotions on this one... we have been SO worried about what everyone would think... since so many helped me have surgery & we didn't want anyone to think that we were light hearted about it in any way or ungrateful in the least little bit... and after many a discussion, quite a few tears & prayers, and then some complete excitements (and of course some words of advice from our bishop)... JWD Electric financed a camper trailer. We realized that everyone helped us so we could move forward as a family and a business...and so we needed to honor their efforts and live our lives as we are lead to. It really has been an emotional experience...)

Jestin has some out of town jobs coming up this summer, and we were sick at the thought of spending a majority of his daily wage on a motel room. We also realized with a trailer, the kids and I could go with him! We have not taken the kids *anywhere* on any kind of vacation (with the exception of the inpromptu neighborhood overnighter last fall) in almost 4 years. Our circumstances (both health wise and financially) have just not allowed it. Also...with my heart...I can't do heat for extended periods...so most trips that we could do cost $$ because we would need access to A/C in the really hot parts of the day, which means a motel, which...well.. you get the idea! $cha ching$

So we began our search... it was tough! There were many options... but we constantly got the impression that it was not the "right one". Many had had cats or dogs that Cam is allergic to in them, or they had been smoked in. Others were just so much more than we wanted to spend, or too heavy for the Expedition to pull. And then there was the expense of a generator (which JWD had already budgeted for to buy this spring because of jobsite needs...but it still was an expense!) and a sway bar tow hitch! It got to be a very obnoxious bunch of days! We prayed often about a trailer only to be told no. So then we would wonder if we should forgo it, that maybe we misunderstood where Heavenly Father was leading us, only to have it re-affirmed that we were doing the right thing.

Then one morning we came across one that seemed too good to be true! It had been listed on KSL for a whole 18 minutes! We called them and they said we were their first call... and that they were still trying to upload the pictures as we spoke! LOL! We drove up to Sandy to look at it. I was almost in tears! I knew this was what we had been looking for! It had all the imenities we had talked about liking (but never quite hoped we could actually get all in one), & they were including a generator, and the tow hitch! (($2500 bonus!)) and they were asking $4k less than it blue booked for!!! (and $3k less than we planned on!!) They just wanted out of it! Jess and I were awestruck! Now, my husband is kind of funny about buying things on the day we look at them... he likes to think it over (and let sales people sweat)... but he asked who we could write the check out to!! *gasp* I was shocked!! The kids kept saying that it "felt like home"... and yet all the other ones we had looked at none of them agreed on one! We felt, as a family, our prayer had been answered! And the best part is... the payment is less than any car payment we have ever had, and it is $50 less a month than I budgeted for in the business expenses! We talked about it... and we have upped the budget even more and have made a goal to get it paid off in a year, that way if needs be we can sell it to make ends meet! (and since we can now take the better paying jobs out of town this summer it feels more possible!! wahoo!) *side note...it also has the tan stripe on the bottom of it like my car...so it matches! LOL! Isn't that dumb to get so excited about it matching?? But I feel like it is a blessing too! Another little whisper to me of how much my little family is loved by our Heavenly Father...that even the little details are important. :)

It has been fun to see how many "extras" I have already accumulated as well that we can use to fill the trailer. Blankets, dishrags, towels, an extra game of "It came to pass" etc. And Amy and I ran to get my blood checked one afternoon and decided to hit DI for some kids summer clothes, only to get lost in the kitchen section... we found TONS of things I needed for the trailer at near no cost (pots & pans, muffin pans, knives, bowls, untensils etc.) We had a blast making sure that for the silverware we found no matching pieces... to make it more fun while camping (see who gets what piece!) It was a hoot!(some were down right pretty!) And they were only $.10 a piece! Bwahahaha! I feel like Heavenly Father *really* has blessed us in this. I found an egg container...an egg container! but! Jess LOVES eggs...and now his eggs will be perfectly safe in that little fridge! We found those old tupperware ketchup and mustard dispensers...think back...you know your grandma had them!... and they had their lids and everything! It was riot! DI is so hit and miss... and we were blessed to "hit" big time! It really was fun! (thanks Austin for letting me steal her for so long!)

And so...it has been fun! All the kids want to do is hang out in the trailer and dream of our trips and adventures this summer! I can't believe how this has brought our family back into a unit. I hate to admit it... but we have not been "together" much with my health. Jess has been so busy taking care of both of our responsibilities, the kids would either watch TV or play video games, and I was often asleep or in my room laying down. It felt like we lived together, but were not a unit. (does that make any sense??) This week we have played together, cleaned the trailer together, washed all the items from DI and loaded the trailer together, planned meals together, made meals together, and we just all together feel like a family again! I dont know if it was the prospect of family outtings, or because I am feeling so much better and more engaged in life, but it has been W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L!!

I do have to say the kids are a little bummed out today :( We had planned on leaving and taking it out this weekend. Jess has 3 jobs in Roosevelt, and we were going to park the trailer on my G'ma's farm and I was going to show my kids around the farm while Jess stopped by and got an idea on what each job needed. (Cam & Caleb have never been there because we couldn't let them sleep in house for fear of Cam having a reaction to animal danders) *sigh* But his jobs here have not gone as well as hoped, and so he won't be able to get home today in time and get the trailer looked over and preped, so we decided to postpone draggin it out there. *sniff* The kids were only appeased by us telling them that they can sleep in the trailer tonight, and that we would "pretend" we were camping anyway! SO! For our first official family outting... we are roughing it... in our driveway!! Bwahahahaha!! (dont call the police if you see a little smoke coming out of the back yard... I like my smore's burnt! *wink*)

Ahh...this is longer than I planned... I better get moving... thanks for listening! I will try and post more... yeah... well... we'll see... I am just "busy" lately! ***GRIN**** WAHOO!!!

FANTASTIC!!

I am FANTASTIC!! I have had 3...count 'um... uno, dos, tres... 3! Really good days!!! Ah! Que bueno!!! I am thrilled!! I can tell that I have had surgery... I get tired... but it is NOTHING like it used to be! It is nothing that I can't smile off and deal with! Day before yesterday I walked up my stairs and got to the top... without even thinking about it... and I got tears in my eyes! I can walk up my stairs again and not have to stop half way to catch my breath!! I can load the dishwasher and talk on the phone at the same time without having to sit down because I am out of breath! I can rotate a load of laundry and actually feel up to folding that load after I pulled it out!! I drove my kids to PG to pick up Em from a friends house and back and I did it without fear! I have parts of my life back!! I can't believe it!! It is so SO SOOO wonderful!! Why didn't I BEG for this surgery MONTHS ago?? WOW! I can't believe I was living with it THAT bad! I guess you never know how bad it is until it's better... but WOW!! And I really am healing so well!! And TODAY is only 3 weeks!!! WA -HIPPTY-WHO!!! *GRIN* and a little (((snoopy dancin'))) too!!

A Strong Day :)

I was so affraid today was going to be hard...

The BBQ last night was really nice! Jess' grandparents came, as did his siblings and his cousin Mike. :) It was very cool! My sister Jenny and hubby stopped by for a few minutes beforehand (she caught my cold while caring for us last week...dang it) so she didn't stay, but she started my artichokes for me. They were a huge hit! I was tickled to learn that Nana (Jess' Great G'ma whom we lived under (in her basement apartment) and cared for until she passed away when we were first married) loved to make them too! *grin* I have often missed her greatly...and now I can tell my kids that I make something she loved too! VERY COOL! Jestin made some of my favorites... BBQ pork ribs (they are to die for!) and my baked sweet potatoes. MIL brought my favorite salad, as did both his grandma's. I baked my favorite kind of cake and decorated it just as Caleb wanted ("what color Caleb?" "Uhh...rainbows??") It was LOVELY!!

Caleb LOVED his balloons & new toys... (I will post pics later)... and had a blast being the center of attention. Jestin got me Jane Clayson's book on Motherhood (neighbor loaned it to me and I devoured it! It was SO uplifting and full of wisdom!) & Jestin & his parents gave me a new microwave! The kind hangs over the stove! WAHOO! (thank heavens for "in"s as a contruction worker at the appliance place...it was over half what we found them elsewhere for!) Jess hung it at midnight last night for me just so I could enjoy it! *blush* :) G'parents/IL's gave me $ to use towards fabrics for a quilt! SO excited! MIL is going to make us a quilt for our bed! I can't wait! Ours is falling apart...it is so sad! Caleb hides toy cars in the tears in the fabric! LOL! Ma & Dad got me Pres. Hinkley's book of thoughts for women! I can't wait to read it! I LOVE my new birthday presents! It was lovely! But I did too much...& hurt real bad...and was scared of what today might bring...

BUT! I woke up and felt strong! Some of my FLYfriend's church did a consignment sale on 106th today... children's clothes etc...and Amy and I had wanted to go. I felt strong so we chanced it. I did great! I have officially OVER spoiled two of my little nieces (baby girls clothes are WAY too much fun to buy!) & found some summer clothes for the kids.. and I walked out of there with a smile on my face! It was SO satisfactory to get out and act like a mom again! I can't even tell you!!

I was tired when I got home, but Maria stopped by and needed to go do some of my real estate stuff she has been covering for me, so I rode with her! It was great to be active again! We accomplished what we needed to and when she got me home I was still strong enough to walk down two houses to say hello to a neighbor, and run an errand with Jess!! (((snoopy dancin'))) I passed out dead asleep when we got back and took a good long nap & I hurt some this evening... but nothing that I can't ignore... and I WAS A MOMMY TODAY!! :D I GOT TO BE A REALTOR TODAY!! :D I GOT TO BE A FRIEND TODAY!! click my heels and shout for joy!!! TODAY was a REALLY good day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *GRIN*

2 Weeks, 2 Days...

Well... here I am! 2 weeks, 2 days later! WAHOO! LOL!! The anticipation is over... the heart has been repaired (we pray) and the bills have started to come! sweeT! Bwahahaha! Actually I am not at all worried! So many of you have done SO much... I know it will all be perfect! Even if we have to finance the rest of it... it will be small... the HUGEST portion is covered... it is do-able... and we could not be where we are now without you all! Our family can now keep moving forward with our lives... and a huge weight has been lifted! I am still so amazed at all everyone chipped in and did for us... and that they did it for *us*. We are not anyone super special... and well... it still just brings tears to my eyes... our family has been lifted over this huge hurdle... and now we can press on and continue with day to day life. Miracles. True Miracles. Everyone one of you are miracles to me!!

Today I finally feel like I am over the cold. Blech! That was not so fun! I do have to admit tho... yesterday was not so good. It was a bad heart day all the way around and I just felt "not right" all day. Today I don't hurt near like I did, and my energy levels are up today... I just keep having A-fib episodes that knock the wind out of me for 30 seconds or so every...oh...say...15-30 minutes. Weird. I hope that means my heart is healing and the electrical impulses are just testing the scar tissue! *wink* *wink* It's a good reason no?? 'common people... work with me on this one!

So I have been playing with my blog colors... I am sure you have noticed. There are so many cute backgrounds out there... but they seem to have so many glitches. I would like to someday become savvy enough to just dream up my own... umm...well... hmmm... do I *want* to know so much about computers? Maybe not so much. *giggle* (Although it may come in handy since we have had such issues since Jestin put my home computer on a network so we could get the laptop working with the printers etc... yeah... now either one printer works, or the other, or the laptop works and they don't recognize it... we have been completely un-successful in getting ALL the little "devices" to agree on functioning together at the same time... today I have no color printer... last week I had no fax machine...*sigh* I think computers hate me.)

My cute Visiting Teacher Laura brought me one of the sweetest birthday presents today! I have never had someone I knew so little pay so close attention to my likes and then act on them before! She brought me 4 of my favorite things! Avocados, Artichokes, Spinach & Mushrooms. YUM!! MIL & Jess are doing a BBQ tomorrow and I may share some of my spoils... then again... I may just have an impromptu lunch with the girls and call it good! Oh the joy of knowing I have such yummy goodness waiting to be doctored up to devineness!! THANKYOU Relief Society person for giving me one of the best VTers ever... and for the dear friend that she has become! What a great "program" Visiting Teaching is... something so small gives me such joy and comfort. *GRIN* VERY COOL!! I have some research to do for my sisters... I have taken the torch... I will do my best... tee hee

Oh! And...yeah... guess what? So the lovely blood test we forgot... heh heh... oopsie... apparently I must go in WEEKLY while on this med for blood thinning to be checked. Heh heh. It was 2 weeks. DER! Luckily it must be working well... my finger just drip drip dripped the blood they needed... interesting... as the wife of a diabetic... I have never seen a prickled finger bleed so much or take so long to stop! They told me that normal people's blood takes less than a second to start to clot... and that mine it right where it should be... about 28 seconds to clot. *OUCH!* Keep me away from the knives alrighty??? And my legs are gonna get DANG hairy in the weeks to follow! Bwahahahaha!!

The other interesting point they brought up... which I am completely pretending I dont know until I have properly consumed my birthday gifts from heaven (*wink*)... I am not suppose to eat many green leafy vegetables, cranberry anything, or take any vitamins/herbs I was not taking before surgery. The vitamin K in them helps the blood to clot (??who knew??) and they don't want me to clot due to the heart surgery. (no strokes for me! yeah...thanks!) AND I was told not to exercise or try any new diets while on this medication. So! There it is! Stay fat and out of shape! great. Go me! Like I needed more reasons these days to stay home and eat junk! Bwahahahaha!! Just kidding... I just have to consume carefully if I do and get tested weekly to make sure my dose it working (hmmmm...I foresee the need to upgrade that there dose this next week following my yum fest!*wink*)

Well...I can get chattery on here! I better get the kids in PJ's! Jess will be home from class shortly and I have a feeling we may get to bed at decent hour if the brood is in bed already before he gets here! Thanks for listening to ma'rambles... G'night
~~heather

My Birthday

Thought you might enjoy this today... my sister and I made a video for my dad for Father's Day last year...this is the clip of me as a little one...

It has been a nice day...Jess took me to breakfast and we had Sophie groomed. LOL! Now I am going to get the blood draw Jess forgot I needed the friday after surgery (oops!) *grin* Happy Birthday to ME eh?? Tee hee

MIL and Jess are having a BBQ for Caleb and I later this week...we hope we both feel good by then... still fighting this bug. *ugh*

Happy Birthday to my Baby!!

My Baby is turning 3 today...

Caleb was such a surprise for our family! We were unemployed, deep in medical debt with the older kids and their asthma & hospital stays, and did not know WHAT we were going to do! I had been told by my cardiologist that I should not get pregnant again! How could we be pregnant?! And to boot... he was due on April Fools day! (it really did feel like a bad joke! LOL!) But as his pregnancy progressed we saw many miracles and manifestations that this boy was meant to come..and to come when he did! The hospitals helped to write off thousands (even though we had had insurance on & off) & Jess got a solid job for the first time after 18 months of on again off again work! I was greatly blessed and my heart did better with Caleb than with any other pregnancy...He arrived a few days late (by force) but he is our miracle and joy! I don't know how we ever could have thought, even for a moment, that our family could be complete without him!
Here are some fun pics and stories about Caleb...

Emma, Cody and Cam had the HARDEST time waiting for Caleb to be born.. I took this picture our first day home from the hospital. They slept in our room, right in front of the crib, they didn't want to miss ANYTHING! LOL!

Cody was the one who always wanted to hold him! He fed him more of his extra feeding bottles than anyone of us! Code-man LOVED to sit and just hold and love on "his baby" Caleb! Caleb had quite the struggle after he was born...

Cameron had to be hospitalized (the day after we came home from the hospital) with pneumonia, and as the mom, I was completely stressed out , so my milk came in, but wouldn't let down; add that to some bowel troubles, and the poor guy lost a ton of weight and we struggled with pumping milk and enriched preemie formula bottles and all sorts of things to get him to eat! He only wanted to nurse, so it was a mess all the way around... he was skinny skinny for the full first year of his life!

It was so sad! Looking at the pictures actually made me feel so sad inside!

What a struggle...that time in our lives was H-A-R-D!(Caleb always had smiles for his big Bubba!)

We are very glad he is our healthy little ox now! :)
(knock on wood!)

Bubba was helping Caleb to roll over (about age 4 months) and he was watching him while mom was in the shower. Caleb's arm got stuck behind him after a roll so Cody grabbed hold of it (right at the break :O) and pulled it out from under him! He cried and cried and would not move his arm. I rushed him to the ER and they thought it was "nurses elbow". They pushed and pulled at it, thinking it was out of joint! :O OH SOOO SAD!! It was broken! He had the CUTEST little cast for 8 weeks. And he healed really well... although for weeks no one could ask what had happened with Bubba in the room or he would burst into tears!

I just love this boy so much!! All the kids were "Daddy's" boys or girl...Caleb is our Momma's Boy. He is my buddy! We are two peas in a pod home alone these days! I dread sending this one to school.... *sniff*

Caleb has two nicknames: Lubby and Bunkey

Little Skinny Mini!! He LOVES his Daddy too!

One day when I was handing him to Jess in the shower (Caleb LOVED to shower instead of bath), & I had a stuffed up nose. I tried to say "here is the little Monkey"...but it came out "...Bunkey". We have called him "Bunkey" ever since...*grin*

This photo gave me such a great giggle this morning! I had forgotten how super cute this was! Caleb was a very happy baby! Not much made him sad... except when dad would say "YAAH! BUNS N THIGHS!" like the dudes off Saturday Night live. Caleb's lip would pop out and he would cry and cry... it got to be a joke! He could be happy and playing... but if Daddy's voice changed and he said it... Caleb's lip came out and tears would fall! The kids would beg for Dad to do it just so they could see Lub's reaction...


(Mean 'ole Daddy anywho! LOL!)

Caleb was a little slow to crawl, since he took longer for him to roll over again after a broken arm, but this kid was all boy from day one... a tool, a truck, some dirt or a ball and he was after it! Pumpkins made fantastic balls!! LOL!
And he was a curious and busy little squirt! Baby powder. Everywhere. At least he smelled good....*grin*

He had climbed onto the table and stolen Emma's leftover spaghetti from the night before (gross!) He thought it was the PERFECT breakfast for him and Sara (the dog)...
he must have thought it made good hair gel too...his hair was SO disgusting....


Here we are at my grandma's funeral. He was a monster child...running all over... but he kept everyone smiling with his giggles as he ran...


He loves hats! And anything can be a hat... even mom's bra once! Dad laughed 'til I thought he would pee his pants! LOL!

And Caleb is a character! He is sly and sarcastic! He loves to trick ya! He calls me Dad and Jess Mom, just to hear us complain! His giggle is so contagious!

Caleb loves to eat just about anything! He is SUCH a good eater! He loves jalapenos and pickles with his Daddy. He loves avocados and mushrooms with his Mommy. He loves chocolate and has figured out where all the stashes are and he helps himself!

Caleb loves to play with his best friends - Liza and Jesse.

He loves trucks, tractors, trailers and anything he can "work on" with Daddy! He loves Lego's and dirt.

Caleb is a lover...he loves cuddles.

He is also as stubborn as they come! We have to word things as to be his idea...because he does not respond well to be "commanded" in anything...

His favorite show is Super Why on PBS, but he also loves to watch "Bun-bob Tware Panz" with his Daddy and brothers.

He just got his own Big Boy (no more crib sized mattresses at our house!) bed, and since my surgery has slept almost exclusively in his own room and bed (:( *sniff*)

He is very happy to be 3! Although he tells everyone he is four! LOL!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET BOY!!!!!!!!

Wine, Wine, Cheese & Whine...

Wishin' I was a drinkin' girl! Today would have driven me to drink I think. All I can say is I woke up to a DOOSY of a sinus trainwreck! Stuffed head, runny nose, sinus pain, sore throat, achy body, chills, mild fever...hoorah! What a mess! I can in good certainty affirm however, pain meds work well to dull everything!! LOL!! Amage to the pain meds god...oh yeah!...bwahahahaha

Tommorow will be better. It just HAS to be! :)

Easter

Coloring Eggs....

patience is not Cam's best virtue!
Caleb laughed hysterically when he saw the first egg! Coloring eggs was MAGIC!
*giggle*


Easter was a fun-filled weekend with family and WAY more candy than any one family should ever have access to!! LOL!

I have the cutest kids!!

Cam & cousin McKenly...

What a fun way to spend a weekend!

It was great distraction for me as well.... :)