Does anyone out there even look at these anymore?

These were taken this summer, August 2013, at our family reunion at Aspen grove. Max is 14 1/2, started High School this year and is playing on the JV soccer team. He's been such a trooper about getting up at 6am every day to make it to early morning seminary. Marshall is finishing his middle school career, and is in 8th grade this year. He is almost 13 and is loving having his dad as a coach for his club soccer team. This will be Simon's last year in elementary school. He is in 5th grade and just turned 10. The only thing he wanted for his birthday was a pogo stick and is so excited to bounce around the neighborhood. Josephine is 4 1/2. This is her first year playing soccer and loves to do what her brothers do. She mostly hangs out with me all day, but begs to play with her friends. She loves her dance class but does not like to participate in the performances. It's been a year since Jeff went out on his own as Hulet Law Office. We have been blessed with the work that has come his way and we love having his office so close. I'm hoping to get this charter school open next year so I expect life to start picking up and getting a bit more busy.

Something new....finally!

Maxwell-12 years old

Marshall-10 years old

Simon-7 years old

Josephine- 2 years old

The Jet turns a big 36!

Boys first day of school.

A Sad Goodbye...

Last Tuesday night we had to say our final good-bye to our wonderful dog, Daisy. Jeff and I got daisy in the spring of 1999, about a year before Max was born. She was our "guinea pig" of a child I guess. We took her everywhere we went. I would even take her around stores in my over-sized purse. Max came around and Daisy was officially replaced. Not too badly, because those two became best friends. Max LOVED Daisy and Daisy LOVED Max. Daisy then became the go-to-gal for any type of distraction for all of our kids. If they were hurt, sad, whatever, it was always so easy to say "where's Daisy?" or "Go give Daisy kisses." Soon the tears turned into squeals of happiness and all sadness was forgotten.

About 7 weeks ago Daisy was diagnosed with a heart murmur. We put her on 2 medications to help her heart pump more efficiently and to help get rid of the fluid that was building up in and around her lungs. We didn't know how long it would help, but in our research, many dogs can live 2-4 more years after such a diagnosis. After 6 weeks on the medicine we noticed her breathing becoming more labored. After a call to the vet, she increased one of her meds. It was only about 4 days later that she took a quick turn for the worse. Within 3 hours she went from slightly labored breathing to what was obvious and sever discomfort. She couldn't even lay down, and just continued panting, as her whole body struggled for air. At 11:15pm Jeff and I decided she had had enough. I took her into the 24 hour vet clinic and had her put to sleep. I cannot convey how absolutely sad it was for me. I cried all evening, knowing the inevitable, but kept pushing it off on "I'll be so sad for my kids." I was sad for my kids, and still am. But what I quickly realized was that I was really mostly sad for me. For 13 years she has just been around. Always there to clean up any food we drop. She was always anxious to meet every baby we brought home. She would bark when someone was at the door (which mostly annoyed me but was really helpful when I was upstairs and couldn't hear the knocking.) It made traveling more difficult because we always had to find someone to take care of her, but as soon as we got home, she was always there to greet us. She was as loyal and they come and wouldn't even hurt a flea. 

Now, with a quiet house, my kids back to school and Jo taking a nap, I sit here in silence sobbing from sadness at the loss of our dog. I never had any pets growing up so this has been my first experience having one, loving one, and losing one. It has only been a week, and I know that eventually the happy memories will be the only things we remember, instead of this sad void. I loved Daisy. She was definitely a member of our family and she will always be missed.

Note: One lesson I learned through this whole thing is how harshly I have always judged those crazy animal lovers.  Yes, some of them are still crazy, but I think I have had a small glimpse into their animal loving world, and understand the connection you can have with any living creature.  

Two Months....

Wow! I can't believe it has been 2 months since my last post. You would think things are boring around here...quite the contrary. We have been having soooo much fun! I went on a pioneer trek for youth conference for 4 days in June, and then girls camp for a week the 2nd week of July. Kim and Tom + 4 came into town for some major family fun, and then we had a weeked in St. George with lots of sisters and even more cousins. I'll try to post only the best pics.

Cousins

Best purchase ever! Thanks Grandma Pam for the birthday money for Jo!

Favorite thing to do every morning is to look for snails

Duane's Syndrom

You never know anything like this exists, until your child is diagnosed with it.  I figured Jo just had a lazy eye, that would correct its self over time.  Maybe we would have to patch it or she would get glasses.  Not the case.  

Duane's syndrome (type I) is made up of three parts: an inability to move an eye laterally away from the nose with widening of the eyes (palpebral fissure), retraction of the eye when attempting to look close or towards ones nose; and retraction of the eye. In the picture above the left eye can not look left while in the picture below, the eye moves back in the socket with narrowing of the aperture of the eyes. There are two other uncommon types of Duanes: Duane II where by the eye has trouble looking toward the nose (opposite to Duane's I); and Duane III made up of a combination of I and II. A patient with Duane's is likely to have an eye turn inwards at distance.

What Jo has is Type 1.  I took her to the ophthalmologist this morning and after 2 hours, that is what they were able to come up with.  It isn't something there is a cure for, or that you can fix.  Typically people with this disorder find ways to overcompensate, simply by turning their head. I shouldn't affect her in school, or any other aspect of life.  Just one of those things.  There are actually some funny videos on you tube of people with "crazy eyes."  Maybe one day Jo can do her own.  What a firecracker this girl is.  Nothing is ever going to slow her down!

Here is a picture of me and the kids at the schools "Moms and Muffins."

Silly Girl.

Jo was crackin' me up the other day as she was eating her mac & cheese.  

Apparently the spoon wasn't getting the job done fast enough.

Gingerbread

I was so happy when my 11 year old son Max begged me to make him gingerbread. You don't have to ask me twice, because it is one of my favorite treats. It definitely carries some nostolgic qualities, reminding me of going to my Grandma Edie's house. She always seemed to have special cakes, cookies and candies around her house. Her counters and cupboards seem to have an endless supply of canisters and jars of every kind, each housing a unique and tasty treat. You know, like the sesame sticks, or chocolate mints, ginger snaps or sugar cookies, zucchini bread or gingerbread. Most of the fun while at her house is going through, one by one, to see what she has hiding. Gingerbread has since become one of my favorite things to enjoy at her house. It is never quite the same when I make it, but nonetheless, I think of my Grandma Edie every time I sit down to enjoy a piece.  Below is the recipe in case you feel like indulging!  Enjoy! 

Gingerbread
Edith Steele Huff

Mix together:
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup boiling water
1 cup molasses

Sift:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves

Combine and bake in 9x13 pan at 350.
(no time was listed on recipe, i probably baked it for 35-45 minutes)
You could also bake in mini loaf pans.
At Christmas time we bake this in a train cake mold 

and decorate them instead of gingerbread houses.  

"Whitney"

Jo LOVES to go to her Aunt Whitney's house. It only took one visit before she came home saying "Whitney."

This is REDICULOUS!!!

Seriously, 2 in 1 day?

As I am going through my google reader, I come by my friends post with this:

2 cups butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 cups brown sugar
2 T vanilla
4 eggs
6 cups flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t salt
4 cups chocolate chips

Then a little further down the page, another yummy post on this friend's blog:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs (room temp if possible)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

So...guess what I am going to do now?

Yup! I'm gonna make me some cookies. Thanks girls. I've been trying sooooo hard to be good and then today's posts have ruined me! It was those stinkin' good-lookin' pictures. They do it every time! So which do I make........?

I'll never tell!

j/k, I will, but they are both crazy similar.

So jump on the bandwagon and go make yourself some COOKIES.

Happy Again!

A year ago Christmas, Marshall got a really nice, new bike.  Last summer while he was at a friends house, someone came into his friend's garage and STOLE it!  He was so sad and upset.  Both of the other boys have a bike, so when they all went out to play, Marshall was stuck riding his scooter.  He has been begging Jeff and me and get him a new bike.  I refused, knowing how much "santa" spent on the other one, ($180). I looked on craigs list yesterday and found 3 that seemed to be possible candidates.  1 sold, 1 was donated to charity and 1 was STILL available.  The boy who it belonged to has 3 bikes and this one just didn't ever get used!  What a find!  We jumped into the van and went to pick it up.  Marshall was elated!  I cannot even begin to portray how happy he was to have a bike again.  $45 is such a small price to pay for this grin.  Here is a picture of Marshall on his new set of wheels, not even 2 minutes after we got home.

Still not done

I know there is still a lot to be blogged about.....but our family vacation will have to do for now. It is almost 8pm and I am ready for BED! Just so it is clear, I absolutely LOVE my family. They are so great and I had such a great time in California with them all. Also, I LOVE my friends! I really am lucky to have some of the greatest people in the world as friends. From the good ol' BYU days in Chipman Hall, to Bloomfield, NY, and not to be forgotten, my great friends here in Las Vegas. I'm sure I don't tell any of them enough how great they are and how lucky I am to have them around. You all know who you are, so thank you and I love you!

Fun with family at Disney Land.

 

Preparing for Disney Land

 

Bug's World, Brother Bear, Grizzly Run, We just couldn't get enough!