Catch Up!

So Much has happened that I'm not quite sure where to start. But I'm wanting to get back on schedule here. I spent most of the week after Mothers Day preparing for our annual family campout. We got a new Quad (aka Dan's new baby) A tent, with a wood burning stove in it, because I'm a wimp and can't handle the cold, =o) an outdoor kitchen, a dining tarp and a few extra cots for those crazy wonderful kidos of ours. Dan took off 2 extra days and we were going to be gone from May 22nd to the 26th.

We bought it on Monday the 12th, we called the kids before we got home and told them to meet us outside. They all wanted a ride, except tanner who wanted to drive it. (go figure) Its street legal so Dan aired up the tires a bit and I had fun taking them for rides around our block and yes, Tanner got to drive it, with his incredibly over protective mother sitting behind him. Poor kid.

Later when the trailer was unloaded and all was settled in the house, I noticed that Emma had what looked like a burn on her forehead. I asked her what happened, and she said she rubbed it with a lizard. Does this sound weird to anyone else? I've asked her several times because I just couldn't wrap my head around it. The culprit?.......

So I'm thinking fabric burn, kinda like a rug burn, only self inflicted. (insert mental image of me rolling my eyes here) That crazy girl. Whats funny is, when she was in the hospital as an infant, on the respirator from RSV, this little guy propped her vent tube. Ironic huh. So the aftermath......

So funny!

So I spent the next few days getting the house ready to be empty for awhile. Deep soaking the lawn and over watering the flowers. Briar decided to help me. The picture that's missing is, I knelt down right after this shot to get a better close up of her, and she turned and soaked me. I never saw it coming with the camera up to my face.


We pulled out Thursday the 22nd around 10am, we drove in rain all the way. When we got there, it was snowing....in May...in Arizona. Dan got the tent set up quickly and we settled into our little home away from home. Around 10 that evening a few more members of my family started arriving. FUN FUN!











Then Saturday...there was an accident. My sweetheart, myself and 2 of my nieces (Kayla & Manda) decided to go do some riding. When we entered the clearing, I got off the back of the quad so Dan could go it alone. I wanted him to have fun without worrying about me on the back. I saw him go over the first rise and down, he flew off and went head first into the ground. It was horrifying, I felt so helpless.

I screamed to my nieces who had just successfully gone over that hill, telling them to get back down to him, they were closer than I was, while running to him I heard my niece scream and Dan started yelling help me. I wasn't sure what I was going to see when I got down to him. Paralyzed, head injury, broken bones... I just wasn't sure.

When I got to him, there was a lot of blood and he was holding his head, trying to sit up, since he landed head down on a down hill slope. His head was pretty much broken open from front to back. I was standing there holding his head together while my nieces went back to camp to get my brothers. I can't explain the relief I felt when they got back to us. Danny got there first and administered to Dan. Tom, Pat, Chad, Cory and Donny pulled up a minute or two later. My brothers got him all put together and into the souped up golf cart thingy, Chad took over holding his head together and I got on our quad and rode back to camp.

My family was all gathered around the fire and had just had a prayer for him. I got the van ready and pulled out to the road so he could ride in it. Danny drove and Tom took over holding his head together. They got him to Strawberry where an ambulance was waiting for him. They took one look at his head and said he would have to be life flighted into a trauma center in Phoenix.

My van pulled back into camp a little over an hour later and my brothers got busy dividing up my kids and getting me loaded with Briar so I could join Dan in the valley. Everyone was so fantastic. I was horrified at the events that had taken place, it was all so surreal. My 2 nephews, Cory and Donny drove me home. I was given a phone number of the paramedic that took Dan to the airport. He was supposed to tell me which trauma center he went to. When I finally got a signal just before pine, I called the number and it kept going straight to voicemail.

I called our friends, Jed and Rhonda and asked if Jed (Dan's best friend) could go to the hospital to meet him, when I could find out where he was taken, and to see if Rhonda would be available to be with me in case he didn't make it, then Called Stephanie to see if she would meet me at my house. I called Becky, my wonderful sister-in-law, told her what had happened and she started making phone calls to find him. When she did, she called me and told me she was heading down there, that he had just landed and they wouldn't give her any information. My niece Jessie and her hubby got our truck from my sister and came to the house to watch Briar for me. When I got home, Stephanie, Jess, Mac, Rhonda and Desi (J&R's daughter) were at the house. I jumped in the shower while they put Briar to bed and then we loaded up and headed out to Good Sam. Steph and I in our truck and Rhonda and Desi following right behind.

When we finally got there, Beck, Jed and our Bishop were there waiting, We got in to see him about 40 minutes later. I've never been so relieved in all my life. He smiled at me and was cracking jokes. Such relief washed over me. The first thing I asked him was, Are we selling the quad or buying helmets. His answer was...buying helmets.

Needless to say, he was admitted. His C3 and C4 were fractured and he had several chip fractures. The neurosurgeon put him in a neck brace and a strict set of rules to follow for the next 3 months. No bending, twisting, no driving, no lifting anything above 10 lbs, and lastly to stay mainly stationary. All of the doctors we talked to said that it was nothing short of a miracle that he didn't have a huge skull fracture, or major brain injury. We were so lucky.


Thanks for sticking around baby.

His face was so swollen! So its an ongoing process. My Mother-in-law came to stay with us and is currently here. It has been a lot of fun spending time with her. Thanks Mom for everything!

Onto happier things. Our pool has been finished. The decking put in, then the acrylic lace








They were hilarious, and couldn't wait so they put on suits and played in it all day while it was filling up. It all full now, and the saltwater system will be put in, in about 25 days. The pebble tech has to cure in chlorine water for about a month. YAY let the party begin.

This has been the beginning of our summer here in the Crazy Wonderful, lets hope the rest of the summer is uneventful.

In the process of writing this blog, Dan went to the doctor and returned. They say he has a hematoma. I should put a picture in, maybe tomorrow...looks like elephant man. He will have to have surgery here in the next few days. Bless his heart.

And last but not least my Picture Of The Day


How do you know that your kids have been in your makeup case? There's a package of blueberry pop tarts in it. Crazy? YUP but wonderful. =o)

Mothers Day

Ah the glorious day. Mine started with breakfast in bed, a first...wooot! It was so cute how excited the kids were about it, telling me each thing they had done to help. Dan ordered a beautiful orchid corsage that I wore to church. Our meetings were great, with fun upbeat talks.

After Church, We gathered up the food we'd prepared, loaded up the 7 kiddos and headed to the Cemetery. All included there were 35 of us gathered there. I made a new bouquet of flowers, the first put out since Daddy passed, about (wow, I had to count) 7 months ago. We sang several songs, after which most of the adults spoke for a moment on memories of Mother and things they felt. I don't remember exactly what I said, but wanted to put it down in writing, a few words about my Mother.

I remember the days, when I found peace in her arms. As a child being distraught or frustrated, I remember her rocking me, singing softly the words Bye O Bye O Bye, repeated over and over. It doesn't sound like much, but its affect on me will stay forever. I had a Mother who wasn't perfect. She was flawed like the rest of us. But the good that she did so far outweighed anything else, that her faults were hard to see.

Never a day goes by that I don't think about her, and the things that she taught me about being a Woman, a Wife and a Mother. I wish that I did her more justice. One of the things that I think of often when I talk about Mom, is her unwillingness to say an unkind thing about others. She never had anything but good to say. My brother Danny once said..."She could find something good to say about the Devil" to which Mother replied...."well, he does work really hard."

There are many mornings, that I start my day with my big family and think...How am I going to do this...again...I long for her arms, to be the innocent child, to sit on her lap, to be held and comforted with her sweet song, to hear her encouragement, her belief in me that I am enough. Who I am, with all my faults, is still wonderful. I've spent a lot of time over the last 2 years, being sad, feeling lonely for her, missing her constant encouraging words. I've prayed not to feel this hurt that just refuses to go away. But lately, I've found a new feeling as well, one that has always been there, but was hidden beneath my self pity and that is Gratitude. I am grateful for a Mother who wasn't perfect, but for a mother who's love was perfect. I applaud her, for her relentless effort, always putting her family first. I'm indeed grateful for a Mother who's influence stretches far beyond this world. I love you Mama.

After leaving the cemetery, we went to my brothers house and enjoyed a good old fashioned Mormon Feast. Full of lots of kids and of course twice over the amount of food than was necessary. It was a beautiful day, full of love and happiness, full of old memories, making new memories. It truly was a Happy Mothers Day.

Turning 29...again

I woke up to the beautiful sound of my Husband and 7 kids singing happy birthday to me. Dan got everyone up and had them make cards for me. (He let me sleep in!!!) He gave them a floral theme, so all of the cards had colorful flowers on them. It was so fun to see the different products that came from their little minds. They all climbed in bed with me as I read the cards, then passed out hugs and kisses and headed to school. What a fun way to start my day.

At 7:30 my phone rang and my brother Danny and his sweet family sang happy birthday to me. They are always so great.

Around 9 ish I received a delivery of my favorite flowers, Calla Lilies from my Love. (Thank you Sweetheart, they are beautiful and I love them)

I haven't had any of them since we moved back from Indiana.

Then my sweet friend Rhonda stopped by with this stinking cute towel, isn't it the funnest ever! Does this girl know me or what!! So fun.


Its a flip flop thing. I never wear shoes...not even in the snow, only flip flops

Steph called around 10:30 and stopped by to drop off these beautiful flowers. I'm not sure how I got blessed to have 2 such wonderful ladies as my best friends, but they ROCK!


Dan took the day off and we went and did some shopping, and he took me to lunch. We went to Chili's and we ordered our favorite dessert, the Chocolate molten lava cake. One word....MMMMMMMMMM (is that a word? It is now!)


Oh ya, its that good.....

This is my present, again Thanks babe. Our deck box

How fun was it to get the toys and towels...We got the two umbrellas for the deck also. During the shopping trip, I was reluctant to purchase some things and made the comment. Isn't this all a bit premature, To which my wonderful husband, Dan makes this smart alec comment..."Yeah, cuz we aren't sure if we are getting a pool yet." =o) I love him


When we got home from picking up dinner, I caught two of my former YW putting this on my garage door. They are so stinking cute! I LOVE YOU GUYS


Kathy is on the left, and Brit on the right. They are Awesome!

My Sisters Ann and Heather called, and some other friends. Needless to say it was a wonderful day filled with Birthday wishes and hugs and kisses.


And my favorite cake from Costco, with the cheesecake cream in the middle. We didn't bother with candles. I forgot to pick some up and as Kobe pointed out, it would take too long to light them all anyway. =o)

A wonderful birthday ended as great as it started. My Awesome, wonderful, niece Jess and her hubby Mac (aka Big Train) came over, brought me a pizookie from Oregenos and then Rocked out with us on Rock Band for a couple hours.


You guys are the greatest!

Thanks to everyone who made my birthday feel very special. 2 years ago I decided I wasn't going to celebrate my birthdays anymore and last year I was very bah humbug about it. This year was awesome. Thank you all for making me feel so loved. I am blessed.

Da Water be fallin!

These poor guys had to haul all these rocks in from the front. We told them they could use the alley and rv gate enterance, but he said the giant dolly would sink in the dirt from the weight of the rocks. They were so big!




They start the deck forming on Monday and should pour the deck by the middle of next week. I'm getting more excited =o)

Looks like a Pool

Shotcrete! It was so much fun to watch. These guys worked so fast and after shooting it, would sculpt it. It was awesome to watch it turn into what looked like a pool instead of a hole in the ground.




Next step...Waterfall

Just the highlights...

Wow, over a week since I posted last. A lot has happened so I won't bore y'all with the details. I'll just fill in some of the highlights.

Tanner had his last concert of the year Yay! He did great. The Cello's had a solo song, they rocked it.

My boy is growing up WAY too fast for my liking.

The next morning he left for a 3 day "Northern Arizona Tour" trip, all expences paid (by his parents). His school does it every year for good grades.

He sent me this picture from his phone.

We took the other kids to Chuck E. Cheese's as a consolation prize. Brigg said, and I quote "Tanner lives the good life" (insert mental image of me rolling my eyes here)

Tate (aka TR)

Brigg

Em and Kobe

Corwin (aka Corn)

And last but not least Bri

Dan and I are going out on a date tonight with my niece Jessie and her hubby Mac. I'm looking forward to a little "adult time"