slowing down

So I've promised myself that I won't talk about my health...ever. I hate it because I always feel as if I'm soliciting sympathy. If you ask I'll tell but you won't get much more than "I'm doing pretty good". Right before I married Jeff and I was at my worst some of the closest people to me told Jeff not to marry me because of my health and the burden it would be on him. Well, by hell I'm not going to let that be a factor in my marriage. I have a wonderful, sympathetic mother who I tell everything to as soon as I get a diagnosis and a fabulous husband who I don't even let come to my colonoscopys but has essentially given me something to laugh about which has been a main factor in the healing process. Plus he's Jeff, if you've not met him you won't get it but if you have you know that I'm just about the luckiest woman ever. Oh, plus he's hot.  

The reason I'm posting about my health now is this: I'm getting old. I need to slow it down. This was told to me today by my Gastroenterologist (not the old part) because I have Whooping Cough (which is causing me to throw up, normally I could handle this but I'm on week 8. Sadly it hasn't helped my girth) and C Diff (an infection in my bowel from the antibiotics) and I have to up my Crohns meds to slow the flow.

I have always been a slow person..I like to take life in stride but this summer has kicked my butt. I'm poor, tired and sick.

In other words: I'm soliciting your sympathy.

Today I...

Drove go-carts

Won a race with Em next to me laughing (the best feeling a mom can have)...

Hit the jackpot on a video game with Em next to me laughing...

Witnessed a grand mal tantrum from Gil not winning fore mentioned race...

Maybe flirted with a Boondocks worker for letting my kids ride even though they didn't meet height requirements...(jeff does this all the time...but with females)...

Walked around smelling like exhaust...

Played lazer tag with two Australians...

Ate terrible pizza...

and....

Paid $80.00 (in game tokens) for a $10.00 lava lamp

it was worth it

I got me some Aussies here.

Thats as close to Flight of The Conchords as I'm gonna get folks.

grrrrrrrrrrr....

Guess what?

We just got home from vacation and somebody has kicked in our fence.

That means my two pooches got out.

That also means they got caught by the dog catcher and they are in dog jail.

I'm sure the bail to get them out is going to be pricey....

I guess I need to call Dog the Bounty Hunter.

no pun intended

I'm glad I'm somewhat young-ish

In the past 20 days I have:

gone to Las Vegas

gone to Hawaii

gone to California

and now I'm going to Sun Valley, Idaho

Seriously, I unpack, wash, pack again.

Jeff is riding Seattle to Portland so I'm doing this last one without assistance in getting ready

I am tired

but more importantly my kids are tired

We were supposed to go to Lagoon today and they opted to stay home.

The Lord is on my side folks.

Hawaii 2010

So since I only had the camera on my phone these pictures are very small and not the greatest quality. Jeff had the good camera on his trip to the Grand Canyon with the kids...a post on that will come later (hopefully from him). We (Monica and I) stayed in Ko'olina with Monicas family who gave us the red carpet treatment. Most days we sat in the sun posting to Monicas facebook without her knowing. I have lots of love in my heart for the Tapia's, they kept me laughing and tolerated my oddities. They have three funny girls who really liked playing with my phone....thus the result of the next two pictures. Bubba (above) and Elle (below)
I loved going on walks with these two and finding the small things only kids find interesting...fallen baby coconuts, dead birds, fallen flowers, and an odd assortment of leaves both dead and alive. As everyone knows I can't resist taking kids to the store to let them buy whatever they want so I snuck them to ABC and we had a grand ole time! One of the greatest things about having older kids is that you really have fun with little ones.

This is on the North Shore where it had been raining but the sun broke through while we were dining outside. After we stopped at a McDonalds (really?) to try a fried apple pie which Monica ended up regurgitating. Why is it that every time I'm in Hawaii someone from the Phelps family throws up? Anyway.....

My favorite view on my favorite resort...
If you've never put a bare foot on the grass in Hawaii you are missing out.

On fathers day Melanie scouted out this great place. Don't recognize it? Ever watched Dog the Bounty Hunter? This is his place and around the corner is a sub par gift shop with a really grouchy lady who tried to squeeze herself into her trashy outfit. It was fun.

The reason for my love of the island: Maui onion rings.
I also found this trip benefiting because due to the rare pearl I found I am going to be very very prosperous. It was rare, very rare.

Emily Claire

Lately this kid has been cracking me up with her firecracker temperament and gumption to be outdoors. On my way back from Las Vegas we stopped in Beaver to fill up with fuel and treats...while I was there I spotted a coon skin cap. She went for about two weeks without taking it off....even putting it in her backpack so she could wear it at recess.
This is Em eating her usual breakfast...Crisp Bean Burritos from Taco Time cut up into bite sized pieces. Served in MY bed. Not the most healthy thing for breakfast but keeps her regular nonetheless.
On veterans day I had to run into WalMart and on my way out I gave a vet sitting at the door a few dollars and in return he gave me a little fake flower with a thank you for donating attached. Em was sitting in the car with Jeff and saw the small exchange take place...Her comment:
"Um..mom? Does he know your married?"
They guy was easily into his 90's.

Every day is filled with adventure..like today....I had to tell her no to charging neighbor kids $0.15 to see her frog...
Maybe I should have let her if she would have agreed to put all earning towards my rest home bill.

New Shoes

These are my new favorite shoes:
they are made out of recycled rice bags...
and to make them even better they are made by Keen.
(Thanks Jessie!)

I have a great post about Emily that is coming soon but before that I wanted to show you all what a lucky girl I am:Yes, that's Flight of the Conchords or FOTC.

I was lucky enough to get tickets and a clean hotel room in Vegas (is that an oxymoron?).

I needed side splitting humor for one night in a bad way and I got it.

I also learned that Wheel of Fortune slot machines are very addictive.

But that's just from watching other people cause Mormons don't bet.

Gratitude

I have to admit...when my world gets shaken up a bit I have the greatest support team.

I am feeling so much better and the hole in my heart is slowly healing.

I had friends, old and new, calling and sending gifts of love letting me know that I am in their thoughts.

Every day I would get random texts asking if I was surviving.

My family called and cried with me.

And through it all I had Jeff making me laugh.

I'm not going to turn this into a sappy post, instead I'm going to post how I know Jesus loves me:

Its kinda hard to tell but on my way down to my dads the day after Cheri's death I spotted a midget motorcycle gang.

Token's like this are few and far between.

click here to read Cheri's obituary....

I wish I knew how to cut and paste it to my site but I don't.

stop

With all the crazy events happening in my life I've stopped to notice the small things.

Like Emily showing her dog Molly the shirt I made with a picture of Molly on it. I don't think she'll ever take that shirt off.

Garrett's joy at me arranging for him to be babysat by Trenton and Austin for a few hours this afternoon. I've never seen him so excited.

And Abby's excitement at wearing a new outfit today.

All of these things would have happened regardless of my circumstances but because someone near and dear to me has died those reactions of my children are what keep me going.

Now I know that when I feel numb inside my hearts starts to melt with my kids smallest joy.

The end of an era.....

so we all know the story of Brownie/survivor the cow:

If you don't remember he is the only survivor of the eight cows that died when Dip and Dot decided to be farmers. THE ONLY ONE OF EIGHT. Sadly, they were just the beginning of the story, "Death on a Farm". Well, Dip and Dot, aka: John and Jeff, sold the entire farm, Brownie included. The farm is no more. In fact, Brownie is probably sitting in someones stomach right now (unbeknownst to Emily who thinks he is alive and well on another farm. We had to tell her that when we got a call from her teacher because she had been crying all morning. When I asked her about it she said that she was looking at the encyclopedia under "C" and came across cattle and it made her so sad. So I told her that he was still alive so that I wouldn't have to pay a psychologist in 10 years. Yes, I'm a bad mom for lying to my kids.)

On the flip side of the coin we now have her pup living with us who I tried to bathe to get the cow patty smell out of.

It was not a pretty sight and I'm terribly sore today (plus she still smells).

She's never seen the inside of a house before let alone a bathtub.

So farewell farm.

It made for some good stories.

But I don't think I'll miss it much.

Emily Claire turns 9

Em woke up this morning to a new scooter...

She was so excited about it she didn't even want to open anything else.

More pictures to come as the day goes on..

Happy Birthday Em!

Well except this from Aunt Jill. It was pretty cold outside....Thanks Jill for saving the day!

for anyone that doesn't know what that is its a fish water bottle....

Dear Garrett,

I know you love your dad, you try to be like him in every aspect which I adore.

But

Little boys should not be shaving their legs.

Maybe one day when you become a cyclist you can shave your legs like dad does.

Right now though, the razor is off limits.

Love,

your mom.

p.s. I know that the story you told me about the soap making the hair come off is a big fat lie. Mothers can see a lie coming a mile away.