Sunday, October 23, 2011

Milestones

This month marks the second anniversary of when I started running. I've always tried to exercise, but this is the longest I've ever stayed with a program. Running has taken me places and allowed me to see and do things I never thought possible. It has given me so much confidence for it has shown me I can do things that I never thought I was capable of. I love that there is always something to be working for - running faster, running farther - and has shown me my true colors on how hard I am willing to work for what I want.

I wish I had a log of all the miles I have run and the countless times I have dragged my behind out of bed before sunrise to make it to the gym. I totally understand the meaning of "the wall" and know how far it is to any point in Vernal. I have run in temperatures as cold as 17 degrees and as warm as 90. I know all about gels, Gu's, powerbars, energy blocks, and sports drinks. I have enough running clothes for them to have their own load of laundry and am on my fourth pair of shoes. I have my own water bottles and know that it's almost impossible to drink out of a cup while running without getting soaking wet. I have been so sore I had to go down the stairs on my behind and so exhausted I couldn't move another muscle.

In the two years, I have run five half marathons and as of this past weekend, run three 200-ish mile relays.

And I can't wait to do more.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Time to Party!

School started today!
The boys were excited to go back
and see their friends and meet their teachers.
Porter is started fourth grade
and Zach is starting second.
Andrew's kindergarten will start next week.
I love school!




Sunday, July 17, 2011

Special Project Complete!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who donated things for my project for Primary Children's Medical Center! I was blown away and humbled at the amount of things that you took the time and resources to complete. Here are the totals:

69 Medical Dolls
18 additional Medical Doll Gowns
41 pairs of pajama pants
32 baby blankets
39 Eye Pillows
10 packages of underwear

I delivered the items to the hospital on my way home from California and it took my boys and I several trips from the car to get it all inside! Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help in making this project a success!

Monday, May 30, 2011

The Big 5

Andrew turned five today.
We spent the day playing baseball and playing legos.
He ordered pizza for dinner and a baseball cake.

He woke up everyone this morning at 6:30
with an announcement to wake up - it was his birthday!

He loves to play baseball
and build spaceships with the legos.
He's ready and so excited for kindergarten.
We love this boy!




Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Zach's Words of Wisdom

"If we didn't have any food, then we could go into the forest and shoot a deer. That would be plenty of food for our family because it would feed five elephants if they ate meat."

Zach: Mom, why do people lift things?
Me: So they can get strong.
Zach: And so they don't get fat?
Me: Yep.
Zach: Mom, you're not fat.
Me: No - that's because I exercise.
Zach: You were only fat when you had a boy or girl in your belly. Your belly was this big. (puts arms out showing a big round belly.)   Did you even fit in the shower??

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Hello Spring

It's so good to see you.

 



Wouldn't you just love a kiss from this face??

What's a boy without a dirt mountian to climb on...


Oliver wanted a try, too - until he got to the top.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

What happens when...

you try to take a picture of your four boys on Valentine's day holding the four letters that make up "LOVE"??

Well, you get some of this...


and a lot of this... 

 Oops...

Just about there...
Good enough.

 It's a good thing these boys are cute!

Monday, January 31, 2011

Project Update

Many, many thanks to those who have agreed to help me with my project for Primary Children's Hospital! The sewing has begun here and I know many of you have started as well.

I have a couple of other requests from the contact person at Primary Children's. Some of then include:

- receiving blankets sized 36"x36" or 44"x44" with a girl print on one side and a boy print on the other
- plain pillowcases for the patients to paint on
- stretchy headbands for the babies in the NICU, sizes 12" to 16", made from any stretchy material (i.e. lace, stockings, elastic) with a flower or something to dress it up, if desired
- eye pillows - a 7 1/2"x4" 'beanbag' made from a soft material like silk, filled with about 5 oz. of rice

If any of these are easier, feel free to make them - anything extra is just icing on the cake! This would be a great project for YW or a easy sewing project to teach to young girls. Let me know if you have any questions!

Now I gotta go sew my dolls...

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

My Special Project

A year ago today, Andrew had surgery. It wasn't for anything major - just a corrective procedure he needed done. We saw Dr. Wallis at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake weeks previous and he was fabulous. He was going to do a routine procedure, yet I fretted and worried - like all mothers. I mostly worried about Andrew - How to you explain surgery to a three year old? How would he react when he had to leave me and go with the doctors? He was still having a hard time going to nursery on his own!! How would he do in surgery? How would his recovery be? I talked with him a lot about what was going to happen, but I stressed and worried and prayed - mainly that this would be a good experience for Andrew and that he would have some sort of understanding of what was going on and that he would have the Holy Ghost with him to help him feel safe and comforted.

The day came and Andrew and I headed to the Primary Children's Hospital in Riverton. And my prayers were answered that day through the wonderful doctors and nurses there. They were amazing. Their first priority was my child - they knew just what to do to be Andrew's best friend; and therefore my best friend. We saw many people that day and as they approached us, they would talk to Andrew first - then me. We felt so comfortable and when the time came for Andrew to go into the operating room with the doctors, he hopped in their wagon and waved goodbye with a "See ya, mom!"

One of my favorite things was a little Medical Doll they gave Andrew. It was a flesh colored doll with no face, dressed in a hospital gown (like what Andrew was wearing). The nurses used the doll and their box of surgery tools to show Andrew what they were going to do to him when he went into surgery and get him familiar with the instruments he would see in the operating room. Andrew could then take his doll and draw a face and hair and color it however he wanted. He named it Andrew and was attached to it so quickly - he even took the doll into surgery with him.

When we left the hospital that day, I left with such a testimony that the Lord does hear and answer our prayers and for a deep gratitude for the wonderful people at Primary Children's who made this experience something I will never forget. And since then, I have wanted to give something back.

So I'm starting medical doll drive. And after talking with the donation contact person, she said the things they need most are pajamas pants and underwear in sizes 2 to young adult, so I'm adding them to the drive, too. I am going to be in Salt Lake on June 17th, so the drive will last for the next five months. The patterns for the surgery doll and its gown are here and here and here and here. The instructions for the doll are on the top pattern page. You will need to cut and tape the two medical doll patterns together. To ensure patterns print at the correct size, please set your printer settings to "None" under "Page Scaling." The gown can be made of cotton. I don't have a pajama pants pattern yet, but here is a pajama pants tutorial using a child's pants as a pattern. Then it can be enlarged or shrunk to fit various sizes. The pants can be made from fleece, flannel or cotton with a elastic or drawstring waist. And a package of underwear bought at every or every other visit from Walmart will pile up fast (I don't know about you, but I'm there more than enough).

Don't have the time or know-how to sew? Provide the materials and I will happily do the work. As you finish your dolls and/or pajama pants and collect underwear, please send them to me by June 15th so I can make one huge donation to Primary Children's.

I've had this project on my brain for a very long time and I'm so excited to finally put it into action! And I would appreciate any help in passing the word along. My goal is to make 25 medical dolls, 10 pair of pajamas and collect one package of underwear for every size. I hope I can count on your help as well!  Please contact me if you have any questions or comments!