GOOD NEWS!

I went to my doctor yesterday. It was painful. He had to jerk my knee around to do tests. I just about cried, but between the tests ands looking at the MRI we was able to tell me that I do not need surgery!! Yippiee!! I am thrilled. I do have muscle damage. It is an injury that put professional athletes out for six months to a year. He doesn't think it will take that long to recover but it is going to take a while with a lot of physical therapy. I can handle that! Now I am just waiting for the referral to see the physical therapist. I am still limping around, but I don't have to be cut open!! What great news!

MRI

I don't know how many of you guys know but I have been in a knee brace for a couple of weeks now. It is the same knee I hurt last May when I fell down some stairs. I sent me to months of physical therapy. I was doing really great and not having any pain till a few weeks ago. We were going family prayer and Kimball somehow jumped on my bad knee and re-injured it. It is even worse than before. I have gone to the doctor and he ordered and MRI and a surgery consult. He thinks I am going to need surgery but then said that he was not a knee expert. I had the MRI done this week. It hurt like crazy to have my knee help in that position for so long! I have an appointment with the specialist on Monday. I am in such pain. I don't know if I really want surgery. But I do know that I do not want to be this much pain! Knee pain is horrible!! Sorry, don't mean to whine. I have had lots of help. My friends help take Phoebe to and from school. Jake is doing so much around the house. My mom comes up every weekend she can and helps with laundry and the kids. By the end of the night I am sore and tired I can't do much. It is pretty frustrating. I have so much to do and now I is hard just to walk down the hall. Such is life. I just need to try harder to have a good attitude. I know that it will help over all.

The weekend

My mom came up this past weekend. We always have fun little adventures when she comes up. The kids adore her. It is so great . The boys and I hit DI this past week. We found a pack of Geo Tracks for $2.00! And a for person tea set for $10.00. We got the tea set because Phoebe is still very much engrossed with American girl Doll's Felicity. She is from the Colonial time and Phoebe wants to do everything like her. So we had a Hot Cocoa tea part. We even had little chessmen cookies. The kids had so much fun. Mom was a great sport. The kids didn't want it to end.

Sure hope my mom doesn't mind that I posted this photo. She is such a wonderful grandma!

I love this face he is making. This sums up Warren. I ask him to do something and he does it in his own little sassy way. I sure love him.


With how much sewing I have been doing lately Phoebe has been asking a lot of questions about sewing. She wants me to explain about patterns, and when she can get her own machine. She wants to learn how to do basic stuff. The other day I set up my machine in her room, at her little table, and we sewed some straight lines. She was a little nervous about the machine. She clearly remembers the story of mom as a younger girl (I was in collage) sewing a needle through her finger and having to go to the hospital. I sure wish I had never told her that story. She was brave and put her hands on top of mine. It was very darling. I wish I had Jake get a photo. Maybe next time. She is already telling me what kind of machine she wants. What a hoot. Anyways I have a book that tells you how to start teaching kids to sew. Pre-sewing activities to basic sewing and so on. It really is a neat treasure. It is an old book my mom had when she was a young adult. It suggested having kids string beads. It is at Kimball and Warrens level. It was fun. They made necklaces for all different stuffed animals. Phoebe even made some for her teacher. It was great to watch the kids pick the beads and patterns. Warren was even able to do it on his own. I love these kiddos!

Notice the necklace for Bob the Builder? Warren made that for him. I also like that you can tell Warren is sticking his tongue on the inside his cheek. He is concentrating very hard to get that bead on the needle.
Phoebe had it down to an art form. She could make two in the time that the boys could.
Kimball would just get into his own world and add beads. It was fascinating to watch him. You really could see the wheels turning in his head.

Pets

We had a dog once. It didn't work out too well. We still have the torn up couches to prove it. So we are going to try it again, but this time with FISH. Jake has gotten into. We started this month with a 10 gallon tank and a red tailed shark. We quickly learned that red tailed sharks can jump. The morning after we go the fish we found him, dead. He had jumped out of the two inch opening in the back. TWO INCHES! We had to have a talk with the kids about death. The whole plan of salvation with fish. We also went back to the fish store and got a bala shark. Jake and I really got attached to him. He was just cool. They can make a cracking noise. They grow up to 16 inches long. We had him for four days. We taped up all the holes we had in the top of the tank. No one told us Bala sharks can jump up to six feet and knock open the little door on the top of the tank. Again we had to have the plan of salvation talk. So we got a beta. They cannot jump. As soon as we had the beta for a while and knew he was going to make it Jake started doing more research. He cruised the Internet, he read books and he talk to fish tank owners. I was excited to see Jake have a hobby. It is something he can do with the kids. They love working with him. We started checking around for cheep big fish tanks. Jake wanted BIG. So we found one we could agree on. It is a 90 gallon tank. It came with stand and everything. IT really was a fantastic deal. Oh was he like a kid in a candy store. The kids and he cleaned it all up and his friend, who has a big tank, came over and helped him set it all up.This is Warren and Jake cleaning the new tank in the yard. It was so cold that the hose and ice frozen all around it. It reminded me of a clogged artery in your heart. The children were little ice cubes when they came in.

I think this shows just how big the tank is. You can compare it to the TV and Jake. IT really is a nice addition to our house. It is relaxing to watch. I find I don't turn on the TV as much when I am by myself at night. I feel like I have the fish. Our friend who helped set it up is moving across the country in a few weeks so he is giving us all his fish. Jake is even more thrilled. So far we have three zebra striped Donny-ohs, two Mollies and our little beta. The kids have fallen in love with them. So far, they cannot jump out of this tank. IT is 100% closed off on the top. A bala shark my being coming home soon.

One of the things Jake really likes about the tank is it came with five Lazar lights that always stay on. You really can only see the green and blue. We also have red. Jake has the green so it shines around the sunken building. It looks every covered with moss-ish. Then the blue is around the underground waterfall. It is so neat looking. He has the red so it looks like a volcano light. Jake is having so much fun learning about this new hobby. I really enjoy it too.

The new buggy buggy!

As many of you know Kimball loves his baby blanket. Also know as, Buggy Buggy. He loves this blanket with is whole heart. It is also his safety blanket. With his SID he uses his buggy buggy to cope and adjust to new situations. He carries all over the place. To him buggy buggy is a member of the family. Well, with all baby blankets, they start to wear out after a while. I started searching for some identical fabric to make him a new one. It was a lot harder than I thought. I found ONE store on the entire Internet that sold it. Jake and I finally paid the ridiculous price for it. Kimball needs this blanket. So I ordered four yard of fabric. That should get us through a few more years! Here are some pictures of the old and new buggy buggy!

This is a picture of Kimball wrapped up in four yards of buggy buggy fabric. I know he doesn't look happy but he was thrilled!

This is Jake holding the shreds of what is left of the original buggy buggy. It is beyond sewing.
This is the old and new. I laid the old one on the new one to show how much is missing from the original. Look at the color difference! Wow! So well loved.

Here is the new buggy buggy. He loves it. He calls it his warm buggy buggy. His old buggy buggy is called his called his cold buggy buggy. He now carries BOTH around!! I will take that. I think I might take some of the scraps of fabric and make a little draw string buggy buggy bag for him to carry his shreds around in. We'll have to see about that.

That is one more thing checked off my to do list. What is next!

Warrens Tube Surgery

Warren has tubes put back in his ear and his adenoid removed this past Monday. It went really smooth. I am so thrilled. Even though I have been through this seven times (No joke, this was our seventh set of tubes for my three kids) it is still hard for me to see them wheel my babies away. He wore his duck pajamas. He was the star or the surgery floor. All the nurses wanted to be around him. Of course he entertained them all. What an angel

Post op is always a little tricky. Usually kids wake up screaming. Not my kids. I have never had that. Warren woke up and immediately wanted a Popsicle. He even said "please" and "thank you." Talk about melt my heart! Warren did vomit after surgery. I have never had a kid do that. It is pretty common after going under. I thought we were going to get lucky and not have to deal with vomiting, but as soon as we pulled in the driveway and unbuckled is seat belt he let it fly. Oh boy. Jake had the day off so he was really able to help.
It didn't take him long to bounce back. By the end of the end of the day he was running and screaming with his brother and sister. We had some friends come over that evening and they couldn't believe that he had, had surgery that morning. It took some convincing. Today he is doing so well! He is eating better than he has done in weeks. He is no longer on pain meds and is back to his old self. What blessing we have the knowledge of tubes!! They are a miracle.

More Doll Clothes!

I have been busy making more doll clothes for Phoebes doll. It really is so addicting and fun! You can get so much done in one night. The first picture is of a pair of pantaloons and a "Bum Roll". Really, that is what the pattern calls it. It is stuffed like a pillow and it ties around the waist. It puffs out the dress at the hips and bum. It really does make a difference. Phoebe thinks it is more for padding the butt when her doll falls!

This is her nightgown. It was a booger to make. Just because of the yoke around the neck. I am glad I am doing all these doll clothes because when I do regular size clothes I have a clue as to what I am doing. This night gown is made out of an old white sheet. I felt pretty cool recycling like that! Good me!

This dress is probably my favorite. I love the colors, patterns and just how it looks together. Phoebe calls this a tea lesson dress. I think it will work. She has the bum roll on underneath. It does give it that colonial look. I think the hat is cute too!

Okay, this one. I just finished it last night. I am not a fan of sewing silky material! Not fun at all. It moves and doesn't cut how I want. I had to do a lot of corrections. It took me forever and I was about ready to throw it away, but I finally got it to the point I like it. The more I look at it the more I am getting attached. A little side note on recycled fabric. This dress is actually cute from an old nightly that does not fit my anymore! It was the first one I ever wore, so it has a little sentiment behind, this is a great way to reuse it. Don't worry I have not told Phoebe were I got the fabric, I just don't think that would be to great. In fact it is sorta' weird. I will probably tell her when she is much older. MUCH OLDER. Jake and I laugh to ourselves whenever we see it.

I have to put doll clothes aside for a few days. There are other projects that have deadlines. I need to sew 15 personal progress books and embroider the young women's names on the front. Kimball's blanket fabric arrived today and I need to make that a priority. I also need to cut out a lot of stuff for Phoebe's class. So I need to get down to business and stop the playing... for now!

Tubes

Warren went to the ENT yesterday. He has had four ear infections sense the middle of November. He would just get one right after the other, we got to the point were antibiotics weren’t working and we had to resort to Rocefin. For you that don’t know what that is, it is a three course of shots with some very powerful antibiotics. It is a last resort for antibiotics. It cleared up the last ear infection, which I am very thankful, but I still hate having to put my kid through that. The ENT and I have chosen to get Warren a second set of tubes. His first set has officially fallen out, so that is why is getting the ear infections. We are also going to get his Adnodes(sp?) removed. The ENT told me that sometimes kids who get a lot if ear infections have a swollen adnode, and it effects how the eustation (sp?) tubes work. What really is impressive is that they got us in for Monday! I can handle one week! Just to add to the good news, Monday is a holiday so Jake and my mom will be here to help out. YEAH! For the next week I have to keep Warren health and give him no medications. Did you know that Warren will be getting the seventh set of tubes between my three kids! SEVEN. It is a little crazy, but you do what you have too! Phoebe has had three sets of tubes, adnode removed and tonsils removed. Kimball has had two sets of tubes, adnode removed and tonsils, and now Warren, not to be out done, will be getting his second set and his adnode removed. Do you think that he might have to have his tonsils removed sometime? He is following a pattern. Here’s to health and a fast week!

Happy Birthday to ME!

In honor of me turning 27, today, I am posting 27 lessons I have learned in all my years on this earth! I hope you enjoy them.
1. Never trust a naked baby
2. Don’t walk of thin ice, it scares your parents
3. Mom usually is right, listen to her
4. You really do marry your best friend
5. You will get laughed at if you go to the ER with a sewing machine needle in your finger
6. Having kids is worth all the sacrifices
7. Get as much education as you can
8. When the doctor tells you to take it easy, you really should
9. Reading the instruction is always a good idea
10. A smile really can go a long way
11. It does not kill you to say, “I’m Sorry”
12. Never pass up an opportunity to serve someone
13. Always kiss your husband goodnight
14. Kiss really do make boo-boos better
15. Fish are really good at jumping out of tanks
16. Kids survive the loss of a pet
17. Some of the best friends you will ever have is your sisters
18. Never drive on a flat tire
19. Always come to a complete stop at a stop sign
20. Blogging really can be addictive
21. True love is blind to weight gain
22. People really just want to be loved
23. Blood is thicker than water
24. A disability is not the end of the world
25. You have something is common with everyone you meet
26. It does not hurt to try new foods
27. I really do like who I am!

This morning the kids told me what they wanted to get me for my birthday. I told them that they needed to tell there father, but that I would help remind them to talk to him! They said they wanted to get me fabric and patterns! I laughed. Do these kids know me well, or what! I really don't mind getting fabric and patterns. Bring it on. I have no clue as to what Jake has planed, but it better include him making dinner and changing all poopy diapers. And *if* he really does buy me some patterns, I really, really, REALLY want these ones HERE . This women has made incredible patterns. I just love shopping around Etsy. There are amazing things there. It gets me inspired. I just pray that stupid bill does not pass that would eliminate all handmade items, because then wonderful sights like Etsy would have to go bye-bye. Please click the button on my blog to learn more about what you can do it get this stopped. Anyways, I will not stress about this today. Today is my day. I am going to have a very enjoyable day.

The scrapbook layouts

Have no fear, I have been still scrapbooking. I usually do it every Thursday night. I love having one night a week set aside for this hobby. During the week I will plan out what I am going to scrap and I will sketch layouts as they come to me. Because I have been doing one night a week I am now up to October 2004. I know it seems like forever away but it really has come along! I like to scrapbook chronologically, just call me OCD, but I just can't do it any other way! December of 2004 is when we got our digital camera! I am really excited to get digitally crop and size my photos for scrapbooking! I am already getting ideas in my head! Yeah! Enjoy the layouts.

Scrapbooking

Dolls!

What girl doesn't love dolls? I know I do! I don't think I will ever grow out of dolls. For Christmas I thought I would hand make some dolls for my nieces (we had their names for Christmas) They were so fun to make! I like how I could see them come "alive" I had a pattern for the bodies but made up the rest. I put hair on the doll for the older niece and no hair on the doll for the baby niece. Kimball wants me to make him super hero one. I think it would be a blast to turn one of these dolls into batman and spider man. Hmmm, I will have to see....

Another thing I have been working on is making doll clothes for Phoebe's American Girl Doll. I really don't know who is enjoying the doll more, me or her? I am addicted to making these outfits. I have a bunch of patterns and I love to create new outfits. Phoebe is really into the colonial dresses, so I just finished the first period dress. I had to stop sewing while I was waiting for my glasses, the first day I got them, Phoebe asked if I was going to start sewing again. I guess I am pretty popular! Or at least loved!! So here is what I have been working on.

Colonial dress with bonnet, shawl, and apron (this one is my favorite at the moment)Dorothy (in honor of her being Dorothy for Halloween. The ruby red slippers are on back order)
A pair of pajamas(Phoebe has a dress made of the same polka dots and the pocket really works!)

Sunday outfit ( I made this one after seeing one of my young women at church wearing something similar to this. You can't really see the purple flowers that are embroidered on the bottom of the skirt. The shirt really is a wrap shirt.)

I've Done it!

Saw this on a blog and thought it was neat. I've done all the ones that are BOLD
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Gone without food or water for 24 hours or longer
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Stayed up for 24 hours with NO sleep at all
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Changed a lightbulb
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Mowed the lawn
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
TOTAL:49! How many have you done?

2009

Happy New Year! Jake and I stayed up till midnight (and our extra second!) to watch the ball drop. How exciting to have another year to spend with my family. Jake and I talked about what all we did in 2008 and what we are looking forward to in 2009. This year I have made up my mind about not over whelming myself with tons of new year resolutions. I usually make up a whole page of things that cover every part of my life. This year I am not going to do that. I usually forget half the list anyways. So, this is my list. I have three things.

1. Send out birthday cards to all family members. (Between Jake and I's family, there is 50 members! ) I am already a little behind on this resolution, because my sisters birthday is TOMORROW! So, Phoebe, you are going to get a card, it is just going to be a little late, sorry!

2. I want to get back to going to the gym. I was doing pretty well, until I go the mono. I feel like I am pretty much over it, I have more energy AND a desire. If I can't get to the gym I would like to jump on my trampoline or stretch, or something!

3. I would like to try new recipes every pay period. I really don't enjoy cooking. I am pretty boring in the kitchen. I am really good at sticking to the same dinners over and over again. Jake and the kids are getting sick of it. So, I am going to try to find new meals to make. For most people this would be a snap, but with Kimball's SID it makes it a little hard. I have to find food that he will eat or that I can slightly change so he will even think about getting close to. Texture! I have tried two new meals last month, Taco Soup and Chicken Divan. The Taco soup went over really well. Kimball only ate the pinto beans. I made it again and added extra pinto beans and it worked really well. The chicken Divan was really tasty, and after getting a little creative, Kimball ate most of it. Hurray! Two for two! Hopefully it will stay this well. This pay period we did a treat. We made puppy chow. It is that chex mix with chocolate and peanut butter. Kimball would not eat it. How funny is that. But that is okay! I will take him liking my dinners.

So there it is. Plane and simple. I think it would be fun to sit down as a family and make up a family list of goals. Things we can do together. I could already think of some

1. Continue doing family prayer in the mornings

2. Do better at family home evening

3. Set up a family chore chart. ( I think the kids could start having their own chores)

I hope everyone had a wonderful new years night and here's to a fantastic new year! Cheers!