Still Alive

So we are still alive, I have just been horrible with keeping up on the blogging world.  I like to check out everyone elses blogs, I just don't like to update my own.  Not to mention the fact that we are horrible parents when it comes to documenting our children's lives through photos.  We did have a family picture taken a week ago which actually turned out pretty good minus the bandaid that so beautifully covered the large gash in Graydens head.  Lucky for us, for a small fee the bandaid can be erased and a new eyebrow created.  Unfortunately the very large fee for the actually disc was a bit steep so who knows if you will ever be able to actually see the picture.  This is why we never have pictures taken in a studio.  

Really we have been up to nothing exciting.  Chris started a new job, Carter turned 7 last week, Grayden has broken the same kitchen chair 3 times in the last month (thus the gash on his head), Jordyn has been very much enjoying the fact that Steven had a new baby last week so Chuck, his dog spent a few nights at our house and this week Robs is visiting her in-laws, so Otis is vacationing here.  The kids are currently off track and have been home for the last two weeks and we still have two weeks to go.  I think I might go crazy before they go back to school!  I am just glad that they aren't off the whole month of December.  

Well there really is no more to tell. 

Nothing New

So I have not posted anything for a long time.  I think the biggest reason is I have not had anything to take a picture of and posts with no pictures are not nearly as fun.  Really we have been up to nothing.  With the economy in the state it is, we have really been staying home most of the time and trying to make the money stretch.  Grayden has been keeping me very busy.  He never ever gets tried and while he is awake he is constantly in motion.  I am very happy because he is quite happy, but seems to always be making a mess or getting into trouble.  The other day I was in the process of doing some laundry and the doorbell rang.   Jordyn ran to answer it and I hear a mans voice say "is this yours?"  I heard her say "yes"  and he asked if he could talk to her mom or dad.  I came around the corner right at that moment and he is standing in the doorway holding Grayden.  Of course he is mine.  I am thinking why do you have him? He says, "He was in the middle of the road and I almost ran over him."  I about had a heart attack right then and there.  I thanked the nice man and had a nervous breakdown as I was closing the door.  So I took Grayden to the garage door and asked him to open it.  To my amazement he opened it right up.  So he had just quietly let himself out the garage door and decided to explore the world.  Needless to say we will be installing a lock high on the door and Grayden will be spending more time in his play pen.  What gets me the most is his is starting speech therapy next week because he doesn't say a darn word, but he can open door all on his own!!!!  I am pretty sure I have been nominated for the mother of the year award!!!!!!

Disneyland

Grandma JJ's 80th Birthday Party

This last Saturday my Grandma Beardshall (aka JJ) turned 80.  She wanted to celebrate her birthday with her family so she decided to have a little party at This is the Place Park.  We were able to hang out at the park for a while and then have a nice private lunch in one of the pioneer houses.  It was fun to celebrate her big birthday with her.  The kids enjoyed the activities, animals, and activities.  

ORDINARY

It has been a while since I have posted anything, but the reason for that is because there is absolutely nothing going on.  Unfortunately for me the kids aren't even in school right now.  We are on year round school here and on C track. So that means they started the end of July, went Three weeks and then went off track for three weeks.  I am not such a fan, but turns out no one really asked me what would work best for me.  If they had I surely would have said year round is great, but they never need to go off track.  So as you can see we are just trying to survive the next two weeks and then we will be in good shape for a little while.  At least we have stayed away from the hospital and surgery!!!  Well hopefully we will do something fun in the next two weeks and we won't appear to be as boring as we really are!

Birthday Surprise

Hello everyone! Taytwinkletoes taking over today...

I wanted everyone to know that WENDY TURNS THIRTY TODAY!!

Holy oldness!!

Being the friend that I am, I have hijacked her blog!!

I know how much she despises my camera, but I made a little slide show of all the silly things we have done over the past few years. There are so many funny stories behind each picture. Good times for sure!

I just want to say, for the record, Wendy is absolutely the best kind of friend anyone could ask for. I'm not just saying that because it is her birthday, either! She has been a great support and friend and listener when I needed it the most.

I hope you have a very excellent birthday, Wendy. Cheers to turning 30!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Recovery

I have been a little slow at posting this last month.  I have had two surgeries over the past four weeks so it has been a bit crazy.  Luckily both of the procedures were done laproscopically so at least the recovery has not been as bad as it could have been.  The first one was just to remove a cyst from one of my ovaries and remove one of my fallopian tubes.  Last July I had one of my ovaries removed.  Luckily they were able to just remove the cyst this time and leave the ovary.  I am very happy about this as I was not ready to go through menopause before my 30th birthday.  Anyway I recovered from that and just got back into my running groove again just in time to have my gallbladder removed.  That was just done on Tuesday and it has been a bit more difficult than I expected.  The pain from the gas that they use to blow you up during the procedure is a little more than painful when left in you.  But thankfully Chris took one day off work to help with the kids and Heidi took grayden the following day.  My other kids are back in school already so I was able to take it easy.  Friday Chris left with the kids for a camping adventure with his family near Jackson Hole.  I am sad to miss the family time, but have done very little this weekend.  I am finding it hard to get off the bed much.  Hopefully we are done with surgeries for the summer and I will be back to my normal self very soon.  If this post makes no sense just remember that I am at least 3/4 stupid from all the medication I have taken this week!

Baby in a Bucket

Who needs a swimming pool when you can just sit in a bucket?  I wish I was small enough to get my whole bottom half in a bucket!  Grayden never runs out of new and exciting things to try.  I guess I should just be glad that he is not like his dad who used to sit in the toilet when he was his age!

Pioneer Day/Jordyn's birthday celebration

Jordyn and her birthday doughnuts
   Dave, Shey, Robs, Grandma Joanne and Hayden
       Grandma Joanne and Grayden
Jordyn and her new Bike
Grandpa Roger and Hayden

We had both of our families over to our house on the 24th of July to celebrate pioneer day and Jordyn's upcoming 5th birthday.  We had a lot of fun and a whole lot of people.  It was very fun.  Our backyard has been so great for family get togethers.  The kids had fun playing water games and lighting off fire works.  I am never sure who enjoys lighting them more, the kids or Chris.  Fireworks are a favorite past time of his.  Our good friends had to leave early because Jennifer said she was going to have a heart attack if she watched Chris and his fire safety violations!

Stupid computer

My computer would only let me post five pictures.  I didn't want to leave Larissa out.  Especially since her heart belongs to a vampire!!!:)

Village BBQ

Last week we were able to get together with some of our old freinds from when we lived in the village.  It was so good to see everyone.   We often look back on the three and a half years that we lived up in the student apartments and remember what a fun time we had.  We never miss the actual apartments but we sure do miss having so many friends living in such close proximity.  We sure wish we could get together more often.  It was so fun to see how many kids we all have put together and how old some of them are getting.

Is it a monkey?

Carter is absolutely enthralled with tree climbing and will attempt to climb anything he possibly can.  He has been known to climb the lamp post in our front yard.  He is actually pretty good at it, I just hope he manages to keep from breaking any bones!

BBQ at Grandmas

So one of our favorite things to do in the summer is BBQ at Grandma Linda's house with all the cousins.  This is the latest one.  We discovered that Grandma likes to teeter totter, and it is always fun to see how many grandkids equal one grandma.  We also determined that Grayden might be a genius.  He discovered the ice cube and was quite proud!!  We won't tell him that he was not the first.  We also had some fun Whinnie the Pooh birthday activities for Tristan's second birthday.  

Surgery

Grayden had his adenoids taken out yesterday.  He actually did very well.  We were supposed to be at the hospital at 6:30 a.m.  I had set the alarm for 5:30 so I could take a quick shower before we went and Grayden was supposed to be bathed right before he came because they say it cuts down on infection.  Well I ended up falling asleep in the night in Graydens room because he had woken up and when the alarm went off Chris thought I was already gone and turned it off.  Well at 6:30 I woke up and realized it was far to light to be 5:30.  I was dashing to get dressed and pull my hair up while Chris quickly bathed Grayden.  Needless to say I did not get a shower.  Luckily we are only half an hour late and it was fine.  They took us back took his weight, temperature, blood pressure, and oxygen.  Then they sent us to a room to put him in a gown.  The anesthesiologist came in and talked to us and they had him take some happy drugs and then we just sat reading books until it was time.  He was so funny because he was just sitting in a chair with his books, blanket, and big floppy eared orange dog and we could not stop smiling, and his eyes were rolling around.  He was so tired.  It made me laugh and I sure wish I had remembered to bring my camera.  They came and took him back and I just read my book for a half hour or so.  It really was not a long procedure.  They doctor came back and told me everything looked fine.  It took a little longer than they anticipated because they could not get the breathing tube down his throat.  He said he has a much smaller throat than he has seen in a long time.  About ten minutes later they brought him back to me.  He was a bit upset and very hoarse as he was trying to come out of the anesthesia.  He screamed for about twenty minutes and then fell back asleep for about twenty minutes.  When he woke up the next time he was much better.  He certainly was in good spirits considering what he had just been through.  He enjoyed a few popcicles and some apple juice and then they let us go home.  He was a little slower than usual, but really didn't skip a beat.  I was hoping for a nap myself, but he never slowed down.  He even accompanied me to a doctors appointment later and my doctor was amazed he was as chipper and active as he was.  What a trooper!!!!!  I think I was more exhausted than he was.  He even enjoyed a piece of pizza for dinner.  I am including a picture of the famous orange dog that accompanied him for surgery.  The nurses thought it was pretty amusing that he was so in love with it.  Notice the stitched up eye.  It had a little run in with Gus (Grandma Joannes dog).  

Backyard Campout

Chris bought a new tent for our upcoming camping trip with his family.  The kids were so excited.  They desperately wanted to set it up in the backyard and sleep in it.  Chris promised the kids on Thursday night they would set it up and camp in the yard.  They finally got it up around 11:00 pm.  Unfortunately Grayden was still asleep so he and I camped inside.  But the kids had a great time.  

Nutrition 101

The other day Chris took some butter out of the fridge to soften so he could make cookies.  I guess he figured if he put them in the window sill they would soften faster.  Well our very busy Grayden stumbled upon the sticks in the window and thought they would make a very yummy treat.  Don't they say fat is good for the toddler brain??

True Love

So this is Cassie's new best friend.  I think she has found her true love at last!!!!!

Never tie your dog to the jogger!

Today I took Grayden out for a jog in the stroller.  I always tie Cassie's leash to the jogger to free my hands and if I were being honest she helps pull the jogger up the hills.  Well I stopped to talk to a neighbor and was not paying attention and cassie went to sniff a tree and pulled the whole jogger over on the drive way.  I felt so bad.  I pulled it up and got Grayden out, but unfortunately he was already wounded.  It was a sad day in his life.  But at least he has a story to tell.  (I won't mention the fact that he still doesn't speak even one word!!!!)  I guess I will just have to tell his story for him.

Sprinkler Fun

This evening Chris turned the sprinklers on in the backyard.  He was outside with Grayden and he decided to let him run right through them.  Don't mind that I had just given him a bath and put his pajamas on.  Oh well.  He had so much fun.  

New Beginning

So Here goes a new chapter in our lives.  The Blogging chapter.  I am not sure I am going to be very good at this, but I will give it a try!!