Rian eating oatmeal and look out for Frodo.

40 weeks old!

I got to babysit today and look how fun it was! Dang, she is so cute!

She took a little nap and the dogs wanted to watch over her.

Our bedroom is about to be repainted by me. 1. I'm tired of the poor paint job I did almost 10 years ago.   2. I have been dreaming about dark teal and I vacillate between safe beige and the dark teal. I am thinking to just go for what I really want.  3. It will be matte. I also made the mistake of using semi-gloss last time. What was I thinking! 4. I'm going to get curtains. 5. I'm going to work on a couple of art projects for my room that I may or may not show.  6. We may get new carpet for our room. It's been the same industrial strength blue carpet (probably the original 30 year old carpet). 7. I'm so glad that Jeff lets me do anything I want to the house (well, within reason and I'm mostly a reasonable gal).  8. I'm thinking I'll start after school begins when I may have more time.

I'm still learning about the camera and don't know exactly how to get the lighting just right but it sure is fun to practice and I'm all right with that!

I was...

I was going to post these pictures along 

with a list of 10 things I was grateful for

but as I sat down to the computer

with the list brewing in my head,

I got a call from one of Sheyla's 

teachers telling me that Sheyla had some

seizures and that she was doing better

but that she wanted me to come to pick her up.

I was going to say that I was grateful for Bajio

and for Jeff and for lots of different things

which I really really am grateful for

but I had to take her to the ER again.

They gave her a small amount of IV Ativan

and she had hallucinations all through 

the visit and partly on the way home

and I just got her tucked into bed

after getting her night medication

and helping her to the bathroom

and feeding the cat

and cutting off her name tag.

I was going to say that we went 

to Bajio because we had two kids 

to get to two different places 

at two different ends of the valley

at two different times

and I really really wanted a Chicken Ensalada.

I was going to tell you

about a woman I saw at the grocery store

that used to live a few streets up from us.

She is in her 70's and our oldest son

used to do some yard work for her.

I said hi and said that she used to live

in our neighborhood years ago

and said that it's been awhile,

and she said loudly,

almost with a gasp,

"Holy Cow it sure has been!"

I thought to myself that she meant,

Holy Cow you're fat and old!

I would have cried but I told myself

that she could have meant

Holy Cow it's been so many years!

I also told myself,

I am over weight and I do look older

and it's been a long day

and she doesn't know that I took

my daughter to the Neurologist this morning

and that we had to schedule an

MRI for Friday so they can check

to see if there is scar tissue

in her brain.

She also didn't know that it's been 8 weeks

since I've had my last Diet Coke/Pepsi

and that I'm trying to exercise but that

I don't always exercise as much as I want

but I'm not giving up and I'm trying to be healthier.

She didn't know that my son is walking 

more and more with his crutches and his boot

and that he was in a wheelchair for 6 weeks

and that he will be able to walk soon barefoot

in the house

and that he can't be left alone

even though he is 17 years old.

I was going to say that I 

couldn't go to bed until I knew 

Sheyla was asleep and safe in her room.

I'm going to bed now.

Nine months old!

Last Evening.

Davis and I walked just a little 

on the street in front of our house

(he walked earlier up and down the street).

The sky was breathtaking

and all I had was my phone.

Although, I could have

run inside to get my camera.

Davis was so happy to be able to walk.

Well, with a walking boot and crutches.

Every time I ask him how he is doing,

he says,

"I'm doing great!"

Or he gives me a thumbs up.

I can learn a thing or two from that kid.

Look who got his cast off!

last week of summer school.

waiting for the bus.

Yesterday after nearly a 45 minute

wait at the doctors office,

Davis got his cast off.

He had been so excited for days

that he told me,

"I'm going to exercise 

AND exercise all day!

His cast was off by 3:30

and we still had to wait for the PA

to see him.

We forgot his crutches

so he wheeled himself around

quickly and happily using BOTH feet.

We met Dad for dinner

and much to his disappointment

we still had to take oldest sister to school.

After we got home he wanted

to walk around the whole neighborhood

but I told him he could only walk up and down 

our long driveway.

I told him that he needs to work up his strength.

Last night at 9:00

he yawned and yawned and complained 

about how tired he was.

He exclaimed,

"I worked myself to the bone."

Which made us smile.

We had scripture and family prayer right 

next to the twin bed that he temporarily sleeps in

which is on the floor of our Living Room.

When we were done

he was fast asleep

with a hint of a smile on his face.

Perfectly Precious Pippin.

We went to visit Grandma and Pippin.

Pippin was so happy to see us.

He runs and runs all over the place.

He jumps and tries to get to us.

He burrows (but only for a second) in our necks

and busily licks our faces.

He seems to smile and laugh

as he runs around and around us.

He seems to show off for us
and runs in circles and jumps
on the couch for the first time.

He makes us smile and laugh

as we watch and play with that little

fluff ball of energy and joy!

Bravery.

On Sunday, I took Sheyla up to the Salt Lake area

for the Homecoming of her mission President and his wife.

Over the several years they served,

they had about 400 missionaries serve with them

in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania mission

(and that's missionaries from all over the world).

These were the ones that could make it to Utah on Sunday.

Sheyla is the one on the far left, front row

(not a too terribly bad photo for taking it with her phone).

Monday night I went to pick her up from school

and her instructor came out and got me 

saying she was having a hard time the last 20 minutes.

She was on the couch having a partial seizure.

So I took her to the ER.

They did some blood test, 

a CT scan

and found out the results from her EEG

from a week and a half ago.

The doctor said,

"She had epilepsy when she was young

and now it is back."

They started her on medication.

We still have to drive her everywhere until she is stable.

Sheyla is being brave in the midst of a scary trial.

Courage doesn't always roar. 

Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day

that says I'll try again tomorrow.

~Mary Anne Radmacher

Happy Anniversary!

These two cute lovebirds have been married for two years!

Happy Anniversary!

Marrying for love may be a bit risky,

but it is so honest

that God can't help but smile on it.

~Josh Billings

37 weeks old!

Rian is so cute and such a happy, happy baby!

Little Miss Sunshine

brings sunshine to my soul!

Out in the garden...

Attention: if you can read it.

This sign has been driving me crazy.

It is in such a dangerous spot of a freeway off ramp.

I think it's for the construction crew.

How would anyone else know that?

 I think it would be hard for even them to read it.

I laugh at it almost every time we drive by it.

I said I was easily amused.

I had Sheyla take two pictures of it

(as I was driving)

lest you think I risked my life to get these photos.

Independence Day.

Really this is from Saturday.

Jeff, Davis and son-in-law went to pan for gold.

I went to the Farmers Market to hang out

with Britni and help with her booth
(She had her adorable handmade wallets
and I had my felt flowers).

The booth didn't go so well

but I LOVED being with Britni.

I had to drop Sheyla off to school in the morning

and when I went to Britni's apartment 

I saw tons of hot air balloons in the air.

I didn't get the shots (photo) that I wanted

but at least I got a drive by of Darth Vader.

Later I picked Sheyla up from school

and the three of us ate lunch together

in the shade of a canopy

(doesn't that make you think 

I just said can-o-pee).

We did get to see the amazing fireworks

with Britni and husband.

Along with Sheyla and Davis,

Me and Jeff.

I LOVE fireworks

and appreciate going to see them with family

because many July 4th's I was 

working at a hospital.

We usually go to the parade on the 4th

but having Davis in a wheelchair seemed 

like it would be 100 times harder 

to squeeze in when we arrive so late.

I do LOVE a good parade.

We went out to lunch and

we went and saw Transformers.

Sheyla and Davis 

loved it.

 Jeff and I felt a little tortured

as we were stuck watching that movie.

Somehow, I feel a little safer with those

macho cars protecting our planet.

Life...

I took this picture with my phone.

Yes. 

My phone.

A couple of weeks ago.

I posted it before 

but it deserves another post.

I'm so in love with this picture

(I really got lucky

and I'm easy to please).

Look at the beads of light on the fence.

I love the Dr. Seuss looking flower.

The sky is amazing

and the plants in the background are just perfect.

I love it and I'm not afraid to say it!

Anyway.

Back at the faux-mid-century-modern...

Davis still needs the wheelchair 

and is very bored.

We have tried to entertain

but that kid is 

voracious when it comes to curiosity,

need for projects and need for friends.

We can help with some of those things

but we cannot fully measure up.

He would usually scope the neighborhood

for friends or people to talk to

or things to do;

interspersed with his own projects 

that he comes up with every day

and then we have adventures together 

when he has exhausted all other avenues.

It's just not easy with a cast

and a wheelchair.

He gets to go get dirt for gold panning 

this weekend and he has been over-the-moon excited.

Jeff and our cute son-in-law 

will do all the work

(Davis will supervise)

so they can bring home dirt for him to pan

for the next couple of weeks.

Sheyla

(24 and our oldest)

may be having seizures.

 I took her to get an EEG the other day.

My mother was kind to come

early in the morning to be here with Davis.

We now have to take her everywhere

she needs to go

and she has school in the evening.

She had epilepsy when she was young.

Hopefully we find out next week

what is going on.

I've been so very grateful for Jeff

and all his help and support

and so grateful

that I can be home to take care of

 what needs to be taken care of.