The Big Island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

This is a cave...in the ground...so cool.

This picture is from just beyond our hotel (which is not on the east side of the island).

Can you believe that all these pictures were taken with my iPhone?

True.

For a few years we have gone somewhere around January

for our anniversary

(this year was our 26th).

This year has been a little different.

Jeff really wanted to go to the big island of Hawaii

but we had to wait just a little.

I've really wanted some new carpet upstairs

(the carpet may be the original carpet

of our 30 year old home but I am 

so ok with waiting a little longer

if it means that we get to go to Hawaii).

We had plans (for months) for grandparents and a sister 

to be with Davis.

This has worked in the past

but this time Davis hasn't been doing well.

A week and a half ago we were so worried

about leaving him because he has been so close 

to hospitalization that we felt that he would do better 

with us than without us.

On Monday I got a call saying Davis couldn't see out of his right eye.

I took him to the ER because if something was really wrong 

I wouldn't be able to forgive myself.

He had a CT scan of the head and a thorough eye exam

that showed only a need for a pair of prescription glasses.

His amazing Psychiatrist had called us to check on him

and tell us some changes to his medications for the trip.

(she gave me her personal cell number 

so that I could text her or call her

if Davis wasn't doing well. 

In the last few weeks we have been 

in contact way too many times.

On Monday I let her know how Davis was doing).

So with us he is

and we are hoping for healing and relaxation.

We got here late yesterday.

Today we drove to the east side of the island

and explored a little.

So beautiful!

 

Love That Girl.

We got to babysit on Friday

and we had so much fun.

Those dogs love her too.

Even when she doesn't have a toasted cheese 

sandwich in her cute little hand.

Rian Wore the Small Wool Flower.

She rocked the look

but only for a brief moment.

 

New Recipe #8. Two Potato Vegetable Soup.

I made this on Friday night.

I so wanted this to be good.

It really may be good for someone else

but it didn't work out, for me.

So sad.

 

Finished Project #7. Lambs Wool Flower in Two Parts.

 Last year, sometime, I bought a gently used lambs wool striped sweater

(for cheap, of course).

I usually don't buy patterned wool sweaters

but this time I just couldn't resist.

Sheyla recently said something about wanting a flower 

made from that striped and now felted sweater.

 So, I made two.

 I asked Sheyla to be my model.

Although, I think I was a little bossy.

 She obliged, nonetheless.

 Almost always her nose in a book.

Or the computer.

A natural beauty.

Here are some other things I loved this week:

One of these days I am going to make a cute teepee.

And maybe these darling little felt food.

Sometimes this site cracks me up.

Something about these I love.

And these too.

New Recipe #7. Curry Chicken Salad Wrap.

I don't know how much Jeff liked it 

but he probably doesn't like chicken salad anything.

Although, he ate it all

and didn't complain.

He never complains.

Love that man of mine.

Davis had leftovers.

Sheyla ate hers.

That counts for something.

I thought it was very tasty.

If I ever have you over for lunch,

this is what I will make!

Sweet Relief.

 I took this picture yesterday. 

Such beautiful flowers from Valentine's Day.

I took this picture because I am a dork

and I love raspberries and they looked pretty to me too.

I feel like I can breathe

a sigh of relief!

I am savoring this sweet moment.

After yet another trial of a medication with no good results,

Davis's dear Doctor called in a new prescription

 on Tuesday night in hopes to quell the voices in his head.

An old, tried and true medication.

He had a rough day at school yesterday

with desperate calls of pleas for me to pick him up early.

He tried the medicine again at 1 o'clock

and by 6 o'clock he said that

there were no more voices in his head.

I asked him, "how long has it been since you haven't heard voices?'

He replied quickly, "forever" with a sigh.

And no voices this morning 

as he excitedly took two buckets, 

a bunch of gold pans and some pay dirt

for the kids in his gold panning club

 to try their hands at panning for gold.

It was short lived.
He called me complaining about voices and being so tired.
We have every hope that he can have that sweet relief again and again.
That's what we work and pray for every day.

Come Here, Frodo. But Cuter.

A Beautiful Boy.

I was thinking about that movie, A Beautiful Mind.

Davis doesn't have Schizophrenia but he frequently hears voices.

There are so many things about Davis that is beautiful.

His beautiful smile.

His beautiful creative spirit.

His beautiful determination.

His beautiful sweet soul.

Lately, his mind isn't one of them.

His mind is playing tricks on him

and keeps him up at night.
He's scared and unable to calm down.
He is hearing voices again and

he understands what these voices are trying to say.

I wish they'd keep their big mouths shut.

Off and on for years,

 Davis would hear many voices

mumbled or jumbled together.

Luckily, most of the time, it was difficult

 to understand what each voice was saying.

The last couple of weeks

the voices are speaking loud and clear

and it's frightening.

He has been asking to go to the hospital

because he wants those loud and terrifying voices to stop.

The problem with him going to the hospital is this:

even though he is an 18 year old young man,

capable of easily growing a shaggy beard,

he really is just a young frightened little boy inside.

We like to think of hospitals as being therapeutic places

where you take your loved ones to get well

but it may not be the best place 

for this high functioning autistic boy to be.

We are working closely with his Psychiatrist who happens 

to also have a PhD in Pharmacology.

Sometimes the science of medicating for voices

turns out to be a rolling of the dice.

It takes time for those amazing pharmacological little wonders

to start working on the parts of the brain
 that they were so brilliantly concocted for.

We understand that there may come a point when we have to take

this youngest, sweet boy of ours and hand him over to people

we need to trust to take care of him and help him.

But how can they ever know and love

 that beautiful boy of ours like we do

and protect him like he so desperately needs?

Is it only Friday?

 This is just part of a mosaic wall in our basement

(years ago I just started making it).

The clean up crew had to knock some of it down

and we paid extra so that the construction crew 

could build a wall where a small door used to be

and to put french doors where a bigger opening was,

 right next to the smaller one.

Yes. It was a little weird.

The mosaic wasn't 100% completed before

but now I have lots to fix

and I'm looking forward to it.

 Two rugs were ruined in the flood in December

but I bought a couple more to make things more cozy.

This is one from Ikea.

If you look closer

(I don't think you can in this picture)

you would see sparkles throughout the rug.

You need some sparkle in a family room.

I love this rug.

It adds a little whimsy.

You need a little or a lot of whimsy in a family room.

We have been working at putting things back together

but I have to clean it before it gets put back.

This has been a tough week

and I am giving myself a pass on my self-imposed

new project and new recipe this week

(although, putting things back together

seems like a big project to me).

If I finally make one, then bonus.

My biggest project this week is keeping a certain kid 

alive and happy.

If I get other things done

it's all gravy.

Here are some things I loved this week:

Something about these I just love.

I saw something about this on no less than three different blogs.

My husband also wants to live in Hawaii.

Love this. And this.

Intriguing.  

This made me smile.

Little Miss gets a cold.

She spent the day with us yesterday.

She is getting a cold.

So, she is feeling a little under the weather.

Yet, she manages to bring sunshine wherever she goes.

Flowers and hearts.

 One of the best things about Valentine's Day:

the note that comes with the flowers.

"I've been watching you for almost 27 years and I like what I see.

You're so sexy and I think that I've been secretly 

(maybe not so secretly) stalking you!

Oh wait a minute...

I think you've been stalking me too.

Hmm...

maybe we're married.
I love you!

Love, your secret admirer

(wink wink, nod nod)

 I actually made sugar cookies.

I had some little silver stars

 from when I was going to make sugar cookies

for Christmas.

An accidental heart shaped pancake for Davis this morning.

I said, "Wait! I want to take a picture!"

Oh, Mom.

He groans and rolls his eyes.

The day after a snow storm and other thoughts.

A beautiful blanket of snow slammed into our mountain yesterday.

Today I was expecting a quiet hibernation of sorts.

I expected to have the dryer fixed today 

and work on the loads and loads of laundry 

of all the fabric-like items

from our mostly-done construction zone of a basement.

But our dryer died on Thursday

and I was told today that it will take about 5 days to get the part they need.

I also expected to have the last part of construction all finished and done.

One more day they say.

And our refrigerator is loudly chug-chug-chugging along.

No ice has come from that machine for weeks and

I got a call today that my child has run away from his internship.

What should they do?

I couldn't get a hold of him

and thought of all the possibilities.

They called not much later 

to tell me they had to call security

and a police car picked him up

and will I come and pick him up.

This boy who has been complaining more and more

of hearing voices, seeing shadows and of ideas that won't let up.

This boy that asked for help

but felt unsafe, overwhelmed, and out of control.

This boy walked.

He should have consequences of not following rules,

not being cooperative, and being ornery.

This boy needs that and so much more.

The earliest doctors visit is Thursday.

If you can drive to Salt Lake City.

Yes.

I would drive to Timbuktu to get him some help, I say.

He fell asleep on the couch as we waited for his father

and after he worked on project after project

and he watched some tv.

We went out as a family to walk the mall and get something to eat

(I actually had something planned to make for dinner

but after some tears and deep breaths I

wanted to get out of the warm, cozy house 

that's buried deep in that snow).

We eat from the same little Japanese food place

and share the same table and try to think of things to say.

We got his hair washed and cut and had his full beard shaved

(he is like a much younger child in many ways

but easily grows a shaggy beard

that he proudly wears like the gold prospector he wants to be).

He doesn't like to shave nor does he like his mother's or father's help.

I tell him how handsome he looks 

and I can see his fresh faced, big toothed grin.

He doesn't complain on the way home 

and easily takes his medicine,

gets his own pajamas,

kneels for family prayer

and quickly goes to bed by himself.

I have drying racks set up in the kitchen

and the dryer is still covered under warranty.

We bought a new fridge tonight and it will get here on Friday.

The tile will be grouted tomorrow

and handles will be placed on the new french doors.

We can see some concrete amongst the snow covered driveway.

Tomorrow has to be a better day.

Finished Project #6. Painted Little Rocker.

Saturday was warm enough

(well for me even though it was super windy)

to spray paint this cute little thing pink

(just in time for a foot of snow yesterday).

I love how it turned out.

Little Miss Sunshine loves it too

(although I think she loved it before too).

New Recipe #6. Apple and Oat Scones with Cinnamon and Nutmeg.

Yummy.

It reminded me a little of the Scones at Barnes and Nobles.

Love that Martha Stewart.

Rian, the Rocker and the Easel.

She loved it all.

 She LOVED the rocking chair.

She would even rock, rock herself.

 She LOVED this little pink stool.

She can easily sit on it

and easily put her stuffed animals on it.

 Last Saturday we went up to Ikea for a few things.

We got this easel and didn't even know we needed it.

It was only $14.99.

She loved it!

 She has been having so much fun.

I'm thinking this is just a glimpse for what's ahead.

She is a feisty one!

All photos taken with iPhone.

Some other things I loved this week:

Brilliant and adorable.

I just may have to paint some doors.

I just may have to make this.

There's not a lot of jewelry that I like, but this one I could!

Charming, indeed.

Love this.  LOVE this.

And this.