Just wondering...

Why is it that to some people the road is longer one way than it is another? How does that work? I can drive into town at least once a day and it always takes the same amount of time driving in, as it does to drive back home. However for some people, they can't possibly come out my way because apparently the road is much longer for them coming this way. And if they do make it this way, they watch the clock, worry and complain about the oh so long trip out here and it's apparent they wonder how quickly they can leave for that horrible trip back to their home! I'm pretty sure 12 miles is 12 miles no matter if you are going North, South, East or West!

Oh well... just one of those things I wonder about!

HUH????

For the life of me I will just never be able to figure out some people... managing the video store has been fun and I always love meeting new people. But I will never get over how interesting some people are. For real, I just don't understand.

A movie was returned by a woman who was furious that she had rented an LDS film. Her demand for her money back left us all shaking her head. She said that she would never knowingly rent a pornographic or religious DVD and that we should clearly mark them as such! Okay, first of all we do not rent pornographic movies in the store. Second, and it wasn't just me... it blew us away that she actually lumped PORN and RELIGION in the same sentance!!! And well... it CLEARLY stated on the front of the movie (The Dance) that it was the best LDS film since The Work and The Glory. I am not sure how much more clear the words LDS FILM could have been. And then to read the back, it pretty much made it clear that it was a religious film. How do most people pick a movie? I read what it is about, read the rating, and decide from there. Maybe some people just pick a cute cover and take it home hoping it is good too???!! I don't know! Seriously... what is wrong with people??? And I am not giving her money back either! (Add this to the fact that this lady is ALWAYS trying to get her money back!!! lol)

Million Dollar Baby....

I have been going through insurance statements and matching them up to the bills received for Nate's hospital stays. Thayne was teasing Nate last night that he was the million dollar baby. Technically not quite... but maybe half that! But he is such a joy to our family. There isn't a person in our home that isn't completely taken by this little boy. Nobody is watched over more closely then Nathaniel. They fight to let him go with them to town, to stay with them when I leave, Jace frequently takes him to Caitlyn's with him. They don't buy themselves stuff as often as they buy Nate something. Jace came home with an authentic football jersey and his first Jazz t-shirt. Caitlyn made him a Build-a-Bear, the girls buy him outfits all of the time. They come home with shoes for him or tell me about whatever it was that they happened to see! Each baby is so precious in this home. The kids beg for more babies. But after almost losing this sweet little man, not once, but twice... it seems that the world revolves around him. He got loose the other day from Wyatt's arms and bumped his head. The kids just cried that he was crying. I kind of laughed that they were so protective of him. I told them he really needs to be able to be down alone so he can learn important things like crawling, pulling himself up, and heaven forbid we ever get to the point that he starts walking. He will have an army following him around with pillows to cushion any falls! Oh to be the youngest of 15 kids!!!

Silly Girls....

Kassi and Kailee went to Twin Falls with a group of girls from church recently. They went for the open house of the Temple there and they had a blast. Their leader is the most awesome lady. She was my secretary in the RS presidency when I served and she is just the neatest lady so the girls were so excited to go. They hit the DI while they were there and had a great time trying on shoes and clothes.... Kassi is our drama girl and had a blast showing off. It ended up being a great trip for them!

Strep and Vax Reactions!

Hyrum told me he was itching this morning. I thought he was pulling his normal morning routine when it's time for school and told him he needed to get ready for school. When I picked him up he showed me his arm that had a rash that looked like they always look when they have strep. Then I saw his chest, back and upper arms. Yep... definately strep. But also a weird rash that was hot. And then I noticed a very swollen gland on the left side of his neck.

Called the doctor and told them he needed to be seen. Nate is done with his antibiotics on Thursday and we can't afford to have him get sick again and seeing Hyrum like that is no fun either.

Two doctors later they decided that yes, it is strep, and he also has a bad reaction to the SIX vaccinations he had to have in order to go to school. I really did not want to give him all of them at once. We had it scheduled to do them over 2 or 3 visits but Nate ended up in the hospital and our ridiculously obnoxious school district is not allowing anyone in school without them! I didn't have a medical reason to not do them then... and the only other option was religious. I guess I could prove that with scripture but technically it isn't true... so we had to do it! And I am furious!!! I believe that vaccinations are important and good in many cases. Most of my kids I never even batted an eye and did them all on schedule. But with some of the kids, I had a really strong feeling to not do them as scheduled, but to delay. By school they are caught up, but I am frustrated about the fact that they dump 6 different vaccinations into these little bodies and think that it is okay!!!

So, my poor little man gets his way tomorrow... he won't be going to school. He has to be on antibiotics another day before they let him go back. ARGH! And now I am even more frustrated with vaccinations. I get sick to my stomach everytime I think about Nate getting them and I just don't know what to do. Usually when I have a gut feeling that strong there is a good reason.... like I felt when I KNEW he needed antibiotic and almost died because they didn't listen to me! Nate is also doing breathing treatments right now to finish clearing up his lungs. Kami is on antibiotics and it looks like I will be calling on Willie tomorrow too. This is not normal August stuff... what in the world is going on????

Here's Hyrum's swollen glands!

Kalli Shai

Our beautiful Kalli Shai is 7 years old today! We are busy baking cupcakes to take to her class. She is so excited to be 7. Only one more year until her baptism and she can't wait!

I can't believe this sweet little girl is 7 years old. I am always a little amazed at how quickly our kids grow. Where did the time go? 7 years ago yesterday I was sitting at Buffy's with a group of mom's planning our preschool year. I started having contractions but was trying to ignore them since we had her c-section scheduled for the following week. Buffy had been watching me and finally asked how close the pains were. We started timing and obviously they were too close to ignore. But she would be my 7th c-section so there wasn't a chance of doing it natural and my doctor was 4 1/2 hours away. Thayne had been on his long change, 7 days off... and was supposed to go back on night shift. The doctor wanted me to come over and get things checked out. We got the kids situated, some were staying, some were going, school would be starting on the 27th. We got to the hospital at about 9pm on the 24th. The doctor's were both busy with emergancies so they got me set up in a room to be monitored and the pains just kept coming. At about 2:30am Dr. S came in and decided to give me morphine to stop the pain and let me sleep. It was a nice thought, but didn't really work out! Just after 9am he came back in and said that we were having a baby! Ron immediately came in to give me the epidural and I had instant relief! I couldn't keep my eyes open. I remember Thayne looked concerned and asked if I was okay. I told him I just felt sooooooo good and drifted in and out of sleep. The surgery went perfectly. Kalli Shai was born on Saturday August 25th, 2001 at 11:17am, 7lbs 12oz and 20 inches long and perfect! She had a head full of jet black hair and gorgeous! I remember being so happy and at peace and content with the world with her in my arms. My c-section was a breeze and recovery was wonderful. We got home Tuesday and stopped to get the mail. I leaned forward and told Thayne if it wasn't for being engorged I wouldn't even feel like I had just had a baby! It's a good thing too since I was up and running, taking kids to school the next day and going shopping.

Kalli has been a complete joy, with moments of complete craziness thrown in. She can be the most happy, amazing child and turn to melt down in 2.3 seconds. But she is so wonderful and amazing and such a blessing to our lives.

Good news!

His doctor totally called it wrong yesterday when she said she thought Nate would need to keep the PICC line in! We got to the doctor today and were told that his blood work came back great and that the line was coming out! The Infectious Disease people see many, many, many cases just like Nate's and they said his blood work did exactly what it was supposed to do and another week of oral antibiotics and he is good to go! They were NOT impressed with the amount of blood the home health nurse was taking for his blood draws every week. But this nightmare seems to be coming to an end and I am soooooo happy to have that thing out of his arm!!! Here he is saying: "Get this thing OUT of my arm!!!"

Kami Dene!!!

Kami Dene... aka Precious or My Precious.... turned 4 today! Our sweet, beautiful, incredible baby girl! Where did the time go? How could it have been 4 years ago today that they put that sweet girl into our arms? A precious daughter that we knew about, dreamed about, for several years before we ever had her! I was so afraid of having another baby after the horrible delivery I had with Hyrum. But for years I had dreamed about a sweet baby girl with those beautiful almond shaped eyes. I felt like I had known her long before I ever conceived her. She was sitting on our bench, waiting patiently for her turn to be born into the madness we call a family. And her birth couldn't have been more perfect! I had found a doctor that I completely trusted and she told me that the delivery was going to be absolutely perfect. She wanted to deliver about 3 1/2 weeks early. I was worried. I had problems with other kids being born at 38 weeks. She promised me she would take great care of us. Out of the blue she moved the day up by a day. I was really worried but we went forward with faith that she would be fine. As she was opening me up she mentioned that she was glad we didn't wait another day. I was starting to rupture as she started the surgery. But she made quick work of getting our little princess out and everything went perfectly! I had been so worried about her having to spend time in NICU for aspiration as some of the babies had done, but my doctor promised she would get her lungs cleared out quickly and that the birth would be perfect. I got to hold her as they finished the surgery and took me to recovery where the nurse turned down the lights and I got to nurse Kami right away. Everything was so perfect and she didn't have to spend one second away from me the whole time we were in the hospital.


She came home to a house full of adoring siblings. Hayden started calling her 'my precious' from the first time he held her and still calls her that today. She has them all wrapped around her finger but none of them complain. I had often heard people tell me that we had 'enough' kids. I wonder how someone can ever think they have 'enough'.... with her we found more love, more laughter, more joy. Those are things you can never have enough of!!!


So happy birthday precious girl. You have been a gift since the moment we knew about you! It's hard to believe 4 years has flown by so quickly! We love you sweet girl!!!

Bummed about Nate's blood work!

Well... it's not completely bad, it's actually improving. But I am still bummed because it looks like Nate won't be getting his PICC line out tomorrow at the doctor appointment at Primary's. I had to take him in to his pediatrition to get some medicine for his horrible bum rash. This is the first time I have seen her since before Nate was sent to Primary's. That was an interesting visit and I felt so bad for her. She was so upset over what happened. The bad thing is that she had no idea I had called the Friday before he was flown out. She told me she always treats him when we feel he needs it and she didn't know the nurse just told me to take him to the hospital if I thought he needed to, that she was leaving. She wasn't very happy about it. She asked a couple of times if he had aspirated. I told her that they told me the pattern wasn't consistant with aspiration and that it was strep pneumonia. She was shocked that the other doctor that has been seeing him even took him on as a patient, that it isn't like that doctor at all and she couldn't apologize enough about what happened.

She also isn't happy about the amount of blood the home health nurse has been taking. I told her about our experience with that and she is going to make sure by next week they will have the proper vials that they need to take the tiniest amount of blood needed and that it might be why he is showing up slightly anemic... because the home health nurse is taking too much! Gee, that's nice to know! This whole experience has been frustrating beyond belief and I am a little bit bummed to know that we are going over there for them to tell us that he won't be getting it out anyway. It is absolutely better that he have it... I just wish there wasn't a need for it at all!!!

First day of school excitement!

The first day of school around our house rivals Christmas in the excitement department. Don't ask me why! Maybe the kids are thinking, "WHEW, finally getting away from mom again!" Or something! :) Yesterday was the typical day before the first day of school with the flurry of setting out the new clothes, filling the new backpacks, talking about seeing friends they haven't seen all summer, getting their blessings from their dad, and finally, trying to settle down to sleep! After a summer of not much structure, not getting to bed on time, and sleeping in later than normal, the first morning can always be interesting. We have early schedules around here. The older kids are up by 4:30am (well, they made it to 4am this morning) so they can be at seminary by 6am. The little kids usually catch the bus right after 7am and the middle school kids catch the bus at 8:40am. Of course on the first day of school I drive them if they want. I always have one or two that want to ride the bus. Too cool for mom to drive I guess!

I got up at 3am to get Nate a bottle and Kalli comes busting up the stairs telling me she was awake. Sure, I see that! But WHY are you awake??? This wasn't the first time she had been sent back to bed either! I got Thayne off to work right after 4am and wanted to get a few minutes sleep before the madness of the day began! Didn't work. Kids were up and dressed and eating breakfast by 5am. Sheesh kids! Why is the world so unfair? When you could actually sleep, you don't want to, and when you want to, you have children so you can't!!! But the excitement was bubbling over! This was a big year. Hyrum starts kindergarten. He is excited, but a little scared. He is mommy's boy, and leaving mommy for even 2 1/2 hours for something that is mandatory is a little scary. But exciting. I think he didn't want to appear excited, as to not hurt my feelings! (haha) Willie was starting middle school. Kassi is starting high school and Tallin is a senior this year. Big man on campus, oldest boy in charge at home! :) WOW! How is this possible. Didn't I just give birth to all of them???!!!

So... here we go again! Another year has started, and before I blink another year will have passed us by. I love watching my kids grow. I am not one of those moms that stand crying as my kids go off to school. It's tugs at my heart, but I don't cry. Because I love to watch my kids become really incredible human beings, and the only way they can become incredible is if they have experiences that help them grow... sometimes that MAKE them grow! I love to see them becoming all that I dreamed they would be, and more. But I wish sometimes that I can have those days back when I had all of my kids tucked safely in, all under the same roof. I guess it would be wrong to wish I lived on a deserted island where nothing changed, where everything stayed the same. Except, well... it is through the experiences of life that I have become the person that I am, and that have made my children who they are also. So while it may be fun to think of them all as my babies, (and they always will be my babies!) I know that growing up is a necessary, and even exciting part of life! Even the pain is for our good, though sometimes it's hard to understand how!

My little birdies have flown the coop again! It's bound to be another exciting year!!!

Willie going to middle school!!!

Wyatt ready to go!
Hayden getting his 'treat' (Lime Italian Creme Soda)

Kinzee excited about the new school year!!!

Hayden again... enjoying his soda!

Kalli waiting for her yummy soda!

Kailee and Nate before the kids left...

Kailee, Kassi and Tallin the first day of high school... senior year... yippee!!! And an extra kid in front! :) Hayden happy to be starting school!!

Kalli ready to go! And mommy's boy going to kindergarten! He's not excited about leaving his mommy, sweet boy!

My 4 kids ready to go!!!

If all else fails.... just watch people!

Last night was date night. As usual I look forward to date night every week. We usually go out with our best friends, Tracy and Buffy. They are like family to us, in fact Jace and their oldest son are usually mistaken for brothers because they look so much alike. We (Thayne and Tracy have been caught doing this more than once!) have been known to be rushing our kids out of church and look down when we get to our vehicles and realize we grabbed one of theirs/our kids by mistake! Like I said, they are like family! It had been a long day for Buffy and me, and we were really looking forward to getting out. The date started weird, and it got weirder as the night went on. Tracy ordered these onion petals before the meal. We got them and it was like eating a raw onion. We realize that they aren't cooked. But Buffy is starving so she keeps eating them. Desperation made her eat a raw onion. Dinner was a disaster. It seems they had all new cooks. Not good ones from the looks of what happened last night! We were going to go to a movie. But there wasn't one in town that looked decent enough to go to. Well... we don't watch R rated movies and 4 of the 5 at one theater were R and the other one we had seen. Same with the theater that plays 4 movies. So we are driving around town wondering what to do. Too tired to actually go walk through stores. Thought about pool but decided against it. Buffy is driving and pulls over in front of the post office. I told her it was perfect, I needed to mail a bill anyway! She tells Thayne to go mail it. He is laughing that there are drive through boxes and she wants him to WALK inside the post office. She told him yes, that is exactly what he should do. While we are waiting, an old Ford truck pulls up. Thayne comes out and climbs back in while a little old lady gets out of the truck. She is holding a coin in the air, looking at it while she is talking to somebody.... somebody that isn't even there! And it's not a friendly conversation. She if arguing!!! By now we are just glued to the show taking place before us! She apparently is losing the argument because she shakes her head at... well, at whomever she is talking to and turns back to the truck... hands somebody the coin and gets another one. Holding the new coin she now walks towards the newspapers she is going to buy, while holding up the coin and talking to the same unseen person. Shakes her head again and turns towards the truck, hands it back in, and tries again! This happened 3 times before she actually put the coins in and retrived her paper. Then she continues her conversation with her invisible friend and starts to climb in the truck. We were having one of those nights that everything is funny so we were laughing hysterically. I mentioned out loud that Iwonder who was driving! So Tracy pulls out and we drive by.... the driver was an old man..... with a HUGE, GOLD, MAGNIFYING GLASS IN HIS HAND!!! We laughed until we cried. He was chekcing something out very intently... but why in the world would he have a huge magnifying glass??? Maybe they were trying to find a coin of no value out of their collection so they could buy the paper.... but WHO was she talking to??? All we were missing for that show was the popcorn and hot tamalies!!! We drove around some more and then decided to go to Wingers for dessert! Of course the Olympics were on and of course Michael Phelps won his 7th gold medal that night. When suddenly, some woman in the bar section started singing the National Anthem. Think Roseanne Arnold type singing. And she sings the WHOLE song!!! I'm not sure how much she had to drink to have the guts to do it, but it was sure entertaining to the rest of us!!! Laughing is supposed to be healthy for you, make you feel younger.... wow! We felt like we were 16 last night!!! People watching is very entertaining when you live in small town USA with no good movies!! :P

It's official

This is a huge thing. Big, big, big! Nathaniel is officially, at almost exactly 8 months old, out of his 0 to 3 month size clothes! We have worked so hard for this. We finally took a natural route to deal with his failure to thrive issues and in one week he gained 7 ounces. Which he has not done since he was born! As of today he is a whopping 14lbs 10oz!!!!

To celebrate, Thayne, Nate and I went shopping to buy him some new clothes!!!! We did get a lot of use out of his newborn and 0 to 3 months, but I have to say I am SO HAPPY he is out of them now!!!!

Dogs again....

Katie showed up this morning at 5am for our walk and said the dogs were out. She had her bat, but wasn't even thinking of walking that way so we drove up with her camera in hand and sure enough, both dogs were sitting outside of the fence. One was just walking back into her yard. We got the picture of the one dog in front of her house but off the property. And then we sat there and watched as they walked around the yard and climbed under the fence. I wish it wasn't so dark so we could have gotten really good pictures and even took a video but her camera wasn't picking up that far. We talked to police dispatch and they told us we should file a complaint with the animal control people this morning. We are thinking we should go to her first and tell her we have pictures, we don't want to go this route, here is where they are getting in and out and be really decent about it. Then if she doesn't do anything we will follow through with this every single day until her court date. I really don't think she will care, but I am cynical of people these days. Which is really sad that I am like that. That's not how I normally am. Maybe she really will care and want to do something to ensure the safety of the kids that are scared out of their minds of those dogs.

So... one more documented report at 5:10am this morning of them being out of the fenced yard and off her property. Sheesh this is getting old! Yesterday morning the sheriff the helped us out the day before saw us walking with the bat and turned around to laugh at us! :) Better safe than sorry we figure!! Now, it's a good thing Buffy doesn't walk with us. She said she would have used their heads as batting practice.... oh yeah, bring it on baby! ;)