Ear Tubes Wednesday

I'm leaving tomorrow for Nate's appointment and then he gets his tubes in his ears Wednesday morning. It will be a relief to have it done but I am not looking forward to having to do it. At least we won't have to deal with the constant fluid and him being uncomfortable. Thayne is taking off to stay with the kids and go get more wood. I wish he would just come with me but we do need the wood and it is always a comfort to know he is home with the kids when I have to leave town. Just can't wait for this little man to get through all of this and be completely healthy!!!

Mom to the rescue!

Thayne and the boys were going out to get wood this morning. They were leaving at 5am. Tallin stayed in with Tanner and they were supposed to meet Thayne at the church and head out with a bunch of men and boys. They were late. So they called Thayne and got directions. It would seem that they were directionally challenged or something because they turned left when they should have turned right. And they drove.... until they realized that they weren't seeing anyone. Of course there is no reception where they were so the cell phones were useless. They turned around and started back only to realize that they were REALLY low on gas. I got a phone call telling me that they lost dad and were headed back but they were running out of gas. SHEESH boys, way to go! And for the record, I called it right... I KNEW if Tallin stayed there they would be up all night playing some video game and would sleep past 5am. I get the phone call saying they pushed it as far as they could (WHY? I still don't understand that... except that they were taking pictures of themselves pushing the truck so maybe that was the excuse? It made for good pictures???!!!) and could I please come and rescue them. Of course Thayne had a couple of the gas jugs with him cutting wood. And the other one was??? Oh yes, it was in the car Tallin drives locked tight at the high school. So once again mom came to the rescue and bought a NEW gas jug and drove out to find them and rescue their sorry rear ends! :) I made them come home and haul trash to the dump for not getting out there to help their dad! But Tallin sent me the pictures... and a picture of Tanner at Walmart last night dressed up in the Halloween section. It's a wonder Walmart doesn't kick those boys out! They all tried on masks (I only got the picture of Tanner... I'll have to have Tallin send me the others!). Oh, the innocence of youth... or is that the stupidity of youth? I think it's all the same!!

The Talent Show

The potluck dinner and talent show went off without a hitch last night. I made barbecue pork for sandwiches that got rave reviews. I think we cooked somewhere around 66lbs of pork and had well over 100 people and enough left over to drop off to a few families. One lady told me I could open a restaurant! I won't tell how simple it is. Let them think I slaved away for days. It makes them feel loved!

The talent show was so fun. It was great to see everybody's different talents, or the ability to just get up and have fun. I even got up and made a fool of myself with 4 other friends while we showed off our domestic talents to Shania Twain's "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" and some of the kids got up and sang and danced. But the best absolutely had to be the bishopric. Who knew the talent hidden deep within! Okay, well, maybe it wasn't even talent but it had us all rolling, laughing hysterically. Loosen up their ties and those boyes cut loose! It was hillarious to watch them because of the way they move, you could definately tell which generation/era they were from. You could see the 60's, the 80's and the 90's in their seriously funny routine. Can't wait till that video is on YouTube!! That one will be something to save for posterity!

And WHEW... it's over so I can concentrate on laundry now!!

Our wild and crazy bishopric... these men can move! bwahahahahahah!!!

Don't forget the sugar!

Ummmm... boy do I feel DUMB! Kinzee needed pumpkin pies for a young women's activity at church today. I was in the middle of two phone conversations (remember the days when you only had one phone attached to the wall.... those were the days!) and taking care of Nate, while I finished loading the dishwasher and making 6 pumpkin pies. I was doing my best to count the teaspoons of everything.... and I have to say that Kinzee had bragged about my pies to her friend, bad, bad, bad thing to do! So, I finished the pies feeling proud of myself that I got them done and the dishes done too and one kid to scouts, 2 girls to a birthday party and a trip to the store and dinner cooking and I dropped one of the pies off to Kinzee's friend's mom. Then Thayne got home and dug into the pie. The look on his face was priceless! Oh it was funny!!! I tasted a piece and realized that while I was cleaning, I put the sugar away without actually using it in the pie!!! :) Oh YUMMY!

Now you wonder where that leaves Kinzee??? Never fear. I am MOM after all... so I whipped up 6 more pies and will drop one off to my friend (the mom of Kinzee's friend) and we will laugh at the fact that Kinzee was bragging and I messed up so bad.... but this time the pie will be yummy. I will then rush to the church, only a few minutes late, with pies in hand! And then I will take one to Thayne to share at his meeting he is having at the church too! This will teach me to ALWAYS pay attention while I am making pies!!!

Momma, Momma, Momma!

My little 'Tater Bug' now says 'momma'.... yep, mom won out this time. Dad usually thinks he gets the credit that the kids says dadda first but I haven't ever told him that I love to see the look on his face when they say it so I teach them to say 'dadda' first! :) But this time Kailee has been teaching him, and she called my phone and the message was from Nate, saying 'momma'!!! This morning I had him saying it. He says it in a high, sing-song type voice that just melts my heart. And then he would lay his head on my chest and say it over and over. This kid definately knows the way to my heart! As if that were ever a problem! If he didn't have me wrapped around his finger, he does now!!! :)

Kids and success

I was in the video store when a lady I know only casually seemed to be listening to the conversation one of the girls that work there and I were having about kids. She then told me that a few months ago they had some work done around and on their house, a room added on and some cement work done. She said that Jace was the foreman on the job and she could not believe how well he handled himself and the others working, and what a great job he did. She said that Tallin was also working there and she couldn't believe that he was only 17 and that he worked like a real man. She also told me that Garrett had worked there also and she was so impressed with their professionalism and their ability to do the job. Then she thanked me for doing such a great job raising them.

I also had a similar conversation about the girls and the jobs they do. And was told that we were doing a great job raising them. And that scared me!!! I would love to take the credit for them being wonderful. We have worked hard teaching them all that we believe, all that we hold dear. And they definitely haven't been raised to be lazy. But what scared me is that if I take the credit.... I also have to take the blame when they mess up. And I don't want to take the blame. I have enough things that I mess up on regularly... I don't want their baggage too! I like a quote that I have heard often throughout my life that says, "I teach them correct principles, and let them govern themselves." I think I went into motherhood with that attitude. At least I hope I did. I fall short far too often. But I have always tried to teach them correctly. And then as their age and accountability allow, I let them govern themselves. It is nice to know that out in the public they are making such a positive image. It could be really good for my self esteem when people comment on them in such a positive way. But again, when I take the credit, I must also take the blame. And I don't want that!

I read somewhere that we aren't raising children, we are raising adults. I really liked that statement because I always truly believed that. I am not raising my kids to be kids forever... I want them to be the type of adults that go out, take charge and make a difference in this world! But, in order to avoid taking the blame for when they mess up, or for when they act human.... I cannot take the credit for when they are really incredible either. I just have to chalk it up that they listened at least a little and chose to be the best they can be!!!

Ear Tubes

I talked to our doctor in our hometown and they can do Nathaniel's ear tubes next week. So we are moving forward with getting them done since they can't do them here until the middle of October. He is still digging at his ears and fussing like they hurt. So the sooner the better! We love our doctors there anyway and they are awesome with our kids so this is better anyway! It will be a relief to have them done!

My sister's poems

My sister sent me some of the poems she wrote after her husband died. This one is to her boys from their dad. It's beautiful!


I watched you children play today and yearned to hold you tight
But I knew I’d have to let you go when I walked into the light.
Our Heavenly Father needed me and I had to do His will.
He also has a plan for you, a mission to fulfill.
He promised to take care of you; His spirit to always guide.
He knew you’d need the extra help without me at your side.
My boys, I know you have been blessed to know the gospels truth,
And if you follow its’ teachings it’ll help you in your youth.
You’ll get the Holy Priesthood and my hands I’ll lay upon,
Your temple sealing will ensure my line is carried on.
The greatest thing I did on earth, before my life was through,
Was getting to be the father to the special four of you.
My life was not in vain, I accomplished, Oh, so much,
If you live always worthy of the Lord’s atoning touch.
Now I have my work to go about, to prepare for his return.
I want to quickly get it done because for all of you I yearn.
Live worthy of all He gives you with lots of laughter and love;
Know your daddy is always near and watching from above.
The time will pass so quickly and through this life you’ll sail
And I will be here waiting for you when you pass beyond the veil.
Tammy Schofield

More appointments for Nate

I am determined to figure out what is wrong with Nathaniel. We have talked to doctors, gone to doctors, but so far, no doctor can really figure out why he sounds so rattly and congested. I got in touch with an asthma/allergy specialist and we will go from there. They will take him on with a refereral from his pediatrition. We are waiting for that and may need to follow up with a GI doctor but they have one they work with and will send us there if they feel it is necessary. I am just so tired of being worried all of the time. I want to know what he is dealing with. I want to know that I have done all I can do to get him better. I am dreading this winter. It seems so many bugs are going around early this year and I worry what the winter months will bring if we don't get him moving on a healthy path right now.

Now we just wait for the appointment to be set up and follow through with the ENT to get tubes put in his ears. We'll get there. He's such a sweet baby.

Last night he was with Jace over at Caitlyn's house when I got a picture sent to me from Caitlyn's sister saying my son was cute! I asked her which one! :) They were hanging out, watching the Cowboy's game I think... bad boys! Nate has his Cowboy jersey on but you can't really see it because of his bib. Jace came to get him so he could hang out at Caitlyn's house! :) Notice they are sitting exactly the same!

I love it when the week starts out like this.... NOT!

I just have to say that I hate mornings like this! Hyrum was having his typical Monday morning melt down. He still struggles to leave for school in the mornings and Monday's are always the worst. For some reason everyone has been a little moody... maybe it was everyone being sick and tired and just down right grouchy! So last night Tallin and Kimi and Kailee were bickering over the washer and dryer. Somebody took somebody else's clothes out and they were mad at this or that. So it carried over to this morning. Tallin and Kassi left for seminary and Tallin got pulled over and got a ticket so he didn't go into seminary because he was late and Kimi made some comment to him that ticked him off. Kassi stayed with Tallin which then got her in trouble... so they are both putting their cell phones away for a week... darn their luck! :) I had to run Hyrum and Kalli to school. Kalli was upset because she forgot to do her homework and was rushing to do it in the car. And I still have a mountain of laundry to do today so I am not a happy camper!

Can we have a 'do-over' and get back in bed and start the day all over again??? Oh, NO! Let's not do that, let's just get Monday over with and work towards Thursday. I like Thursday because it is almost Friday and Thayne doesn't work on Friday's now!!!!

Here's what I know....

I know that I can never get sick. And even if I do, it really won't matter, "I" still get to be the one that deals with life when both mom AND dad are sick! Yes, it continued getting worse, Kimi and Kailee still haven't climbed out of bed. Tallin got sick at work so we had to get Kinzee in to cover since she was the only one that hadn't gotten sick (she's so lucky she spent the night at her friend's house!) Garrett even got sick though he doesn't live here so he doesn't count right? I finally got to bed after 1:30am and Nate was up at 2:30am. By the time he was up at 3:30 again I was ready to find my camera and take a picture for proof of the tiny little square on my bed that I was supposed to sleep on. Thayne was in the middle with his arm on my pillow. Kami was at the top of my bed above my pillow and Kalli was at the foot of my bed with Hyrum. I finally pushed and squirmed my way back in only to be up a little after 4am. By 6:30 and Nate still fussing and my stomach rolling I told Thayne it must certainly be his turn to get the baby since I had almost no sleep. He moans and says his stomach hurt. Yes...and so does mine darling husband but that doesn't seem to make a difference when the baby needs something. And he goes back to sleep! I have a mountain of laundry and I am in pain but know that it has to be done sometime today... I KNOW it does! So Willie and I start loading it up and taking it out to the Tahoe so we can go to town to do laundry. I KNOW that $40 in quarters barely gets the loads I took into town done. And I KNOW that I have still a dozen loads at home. I also know that if Jace has his own load to do, he will do his, and leave mine undone! That boy is looking to be hurt today!!! I knew when I told them to continue doing the laundry even if they were sick, that it wouldn't be done... but I hoped! Faith is all about hoping right??? It didn't work, but I did HOPE! So Thayne comes in and tells me he is going to take the kids to see the airplanes and tells me how sick he still is. Notice my lack of compassion??? I really need to work on that! I tell him take his rolling stomach, add absolutely no sleep and a migraine and he might be able to understand how I feel at that moment. I KNOW what his response will be... so I am not even going to make myself mad by repeating it because I already knew what he was going to say! I also knew when I offered Tanner lunch that he would take me up on it... it was free food, I didn't have to be smart to know that!

I know that this will pass. But when I am right in the middle of it, I often forget that I know it will pass. And I know that the dryer has stopped and it is time to go down and start another load and start putting away all of the clean clothes I just brought home from the laundromat!

7,8,9.........

Add Willie, Wyatt and Hayden to the mix! Oh this is getting FUN now!!!

Make that 6....

Kimi just came upstairs. Yep, you guessed it, she is throwing up! Oh joy! But at least she made it to the toilet! It's midnight now and Nate is not even close to sleeping. I am...he's not. That doesn't bode well for my night I am afraid!

Make that 5....

Kami, Kalli, Hyrum and Nathaniel have all been throwing up. Nope... that is just not good enough in our house. Kailee just started too! This is never going to end is it? It's just going to go on and on in a huge vicious circle and I will forever be trying to catch up washing towels and blankets!!! Can I say thank you to the propane people who finally figured out their glitch after telling me they know they delivered propane and I told them I know they did not... thank you that they finally DID deliver me propane yesterday so we won't run out of hot water while Kailee takes her 3rd shower today... first this morning, second tonight after Nate puked on her, and the 3rd just now after throwing up on herself! I want to scream. I really want to scream!!! Will this go through the entire family before we are done??? WHO gave this horrible thing to us??? Some guy just called from the mine saying another guy is out there with this same type of stomach virus. Who can I hurt for giving this to us????? ;)

And really... Is this child even normal for the silly way he always sleeps????

My nightmare....

My worst nightmare is all of the little kids having the flu. I'm living my nightmare!!!Kalli came home from school early with a stomach ache. It got worse from there. She started throwing up. Then Kami started. I put Kami in my shower after throwing up all over herself and the poor little girl got out and tried to get to the bathroom and lost it all over everything. Not long after that, Hyrum started. Thayne and I ran to the store and Kailee called to tell me that Nathaniel is throwing up and crying. Yep... this is my nightmare. I have to say I am thankful for tile floors when it comes to times like this. Easy clean up! :) Please don't let everyone get this, please don't let everyone get this!!! This is the last thing we needed. And we had some big, fun plans for tomorrow. The Balloon Festival and the Air Show to name a couple. I am dreading this winter if we are already getting so many horrible bugs going around this early!!!

Another ear infection

I guess we are going to move forward quickly with ear tubes for Nate. I took him in again because Tuesday he started digging at his left ear. Sure enough, his ear is red and there is fluid behind the eardrum and the right ear is starting to get red. It's only been just over 2 weeks. That's 3 in a couple of months. Given our history, with several kids that had tubes, and all of them needing their tonsils out, we are just going to move forward and get it done. It looks like it is going to be a bad winter for sickness is it continues the way it is. There are already a number of bugs going around the schools. His doctor thinks we should just do it and be done. She is also going to work on getting him approved for synagis shots. It is a shot for high risk babies for RSV and other respitory infections. He meets the criteria so now we just have to get it approved through our insurance and he will get it once a month through RSV season. We are going to try Singulair for allergies and see if we can get him some relief there also. And if all else fails, I will be investing in a big BUBBLE for him and we can just rename him from the tube baby to the bubble boy! Oh to have him big and healthy!!!! And keep him that way through the winter!!!!

My Political Activists!

Today Obama came to town. We didn't go... instead we went to the McCain rally. My kids were so excited, they made posters last night and couldn't wait for this morning and were so excited to go support the cause. Miner's for McCain! They love politics and loved being involved. They got to stand out by the road and hold a sign "Honk for McCain" and then cheared when car after car honked for them. It's grea to be able to show them that this is the way it is in America. We can live our lives, express our feelings and stand up for who and what we believe in! The teachers even excused the kids as they came back to school because it was an 'educational' experience as far as they were concerned. Kassi reported some pretty lively debates in one of her classes over abortion. Willie reported a discussion on mud slinging. One boy from his class said they were disappointed when they listened to Obama because of how negative and trash talking he was. So they discussed how politics should work (in a perfect world I guess!). They are all excited to see McCain if/when he comes. It's likely that he will since our county tends to swing the state. We've got to meet all of the big names over the past several years!

Truth, justice and the American way! That's how it should be. They will be involved and want to know and make a difference for when they are old enough to vote and that is what it is all about. They are learning, and understand that they can make a difference! And it was fun too!!!

Even Nate got in on the action.....

Fun Weekend!

What a great weekend... Saturday bright and early I took Kinzee and her friend to the church so they could go to the temple. While there I was talking to a friend, Melissa about what they were going to be doing all day. They just moved here recently from California. I came home and told Thayne that they were as bored as we were. He said that we should take them on a tour at the mine and then he would take us to dinner at our favorite Basque Restaurant. I called them and they were all for the adventure! Thayne was especially excited because he had been teasing Mike about getting him underground! We had a nice drive out to the mine and then spent the next 3 hours or so touring underground. It was great! Thayne showed us a big portion of the mine, explained things in great detail and we were even underground for a blast... though apparently Melissa and I missed the explosion completely so it must not have been as big as Thayne thought it should be! :) We put our earplugs in and NOTHING....we were so let down! We raced home, cleaned up and made it back to town for dinner. It was fabulous!

Sunday was wonderful also. The kids had their primary program and all of the kids from Willie to Kami participated. They did a fantastic job and it brought tears to our eyes as we listened to them all sing "I Am A Child Of God." After church Mike and Melissa and their cute kids came over for dinner and to hang out. That's when we got to have the balloon rides. It was just a great day all the way around! I think they will be great friends. The kids all get along really well and Mike and Thayne seem to have the same personality that had Melissa and me laughing hysterically the whole time we were together! I love weekends like this one. They always go too fast though!

My camera battery died about 5 minutes underground so I didn't get many pictures. One of Thayne fixing Melissa's belt and a couple just underground... but it's mostly dark under there anyway!!! :)

Let's go for a balloon ride!

Every year at this time we have a big balloon festival. They were training people to help out for the festival yesterday and today. We had some friends over for dinner and after we ate the kids were outside when we heard them come running to tell us that there was a balloon following them down our rode. We looked out the window and sure enough, a balloon had landed close to our neighbor's driveway. Then they moved it into the drive and the kids came running telling us that they were getting rides on the balloon. So we all walked over to join in the fun. Everyone got to go for a ride in the balloon. It was terrific! Thayne thought he wouldn't like it... he did! Garrett bribed Kami with a dollar to go, and she did and ended up loving it. The crew was great and everyone in the neighborhood showed up for rides. Of course they had ulterior motives and everyone got to help put it away when they were done but it was worth it! Kailee and Kimi are going to help them next Saturday... all for the thrill of another ride. We are excited to get up early next week and check out the balloons and then go in to town for the airshow that will be going on! It was a great way to spend the evening!

Filling My Cup

I ran away from home last Friday. I wasn't even mad. I just packed up way too much stuff in a suitcase and gave everyone a kiss and last minute instructions, and I left! For the next 3 hours I drove, sometimes in silence, and sometimes with really good 80's music blasting out of the speakers.... but I drove! All alone. This was a much anticipated girls' weekend that my friend and I had been planning for many, many weeks! Between the two of us, we have 22 children! Her first child was being dropped off at college and she didn't want to go home and feel bad about it, so instead, we decided that we would leave said children in the capable care of our husbands, and do nothing except what WE wanted to do all weekend long! Granted, had I known how sad she would be that nobody was pounding on the bathroom door while she showered screaming for popcycles, I would have stood there like one of the kids pounding and demanding a popcycle! :) But we can't have everything now, can we???

We got to go to the temple, eat yummy food, see the sites, watch movies, eat good food, sleep in.... oh, let me say that again... sleep in!!! I can't tell you when the last time was that I got to sleep stretched out in a bed without kids at my feet, or smashed against my side, or flopped over my face. A big, comfortable queen sized bed all to myself. It was just what I needed to refill the often empty cup.... mentally I needed that time. Emotionally it was just too fun to laugh! Who know hanging out in a photo booth would be so funny???With no responsibilities at all for just a short time.

And of course, by Sunday, I was ready to come home and jump right back into the madness that is my life! But from now on.... I am planning a girls' weekend every year! I waited 21 years for that one.... I'm not waiting that long again!!! :)

View from our room

Wyatt Thayne

Wyatt Thayne turns 10 years old today! TEN!!! WOW!!! 9/8/98 This beautiful little man joined our family. We had a scheduled c-section that morning and I couldn't wait to meet him. I had been excited to meet him long before I had him. Shortly before I conceived him I had a miscarriage. It was an early miscarriage but any loss is always sad. I felt like there were still a few more babies that needed to come to our home but for some reason Thayne had thought maybe we were done. I talked to him about my feelings... actually I had been dreaming about Kalli Shai for a while so I figured she would be the next baby coming to our house. Thayne thought 9 was a good number. Really...NINE? Why 9??? But I wasn't going to fight about it because after all, it really is one of those decisions that needs to be made by both the husband and the wife. So I told him I felt like we weren't even close to being done. He ignored me! Until he started hearing a baby cry. If you know Thayne, you understand that he has this strange ability to sleep through world wars. Bombs can be going off next to him and he sleeps blissfully through the night. So why was he waking up telling me the baby was crying when I happen to never sleep though my baby crying??? And why was he waking ME up??? I would listen and tell him that Willie was fine. Again and again over the next week he would wake me to ask if the baby was okay. If he was so concerned, why didn't he just go check on Willie himself??? Finally after another night of restless slumber I sat up and told him that WILLIE was fine and HE better take it to the Lord and figure out what he was willing to live with but he BETTER NOT wake me up again because the baby was crying!!! I told him he could tell that baby that HE wasn't going to let it come to our house because he figured out that 9 kids was a good number to stop at but DO NOT wake me up again!!! The next morning he told me that there was another baby needing to come to our house, but it wasn't a girl, it was a boy. Nine months later Wyatt was born.

Our sweet boy aspirated and developed pneumonia and was very sick. I remember Dr Smith coming into my room and telling me that Wyatt was struggling as if he were running a marathon and he would eventually just lose the battle if something wasn't done. So they called life flight and we settled in to wait for the crew to get there and pick him up. They told us they would have to intubate and let his lungs relax and breathe for him for a while. Thayne was going with him in the ambulance to a hospital an hour away. I had to stay for another day because of my c-section. I was so depressed. I wanted nothing more than to hold my sweet little man and have him be better. I was finally released and went up to see him. It felt so good to hold him in my arms. He stayed in the hospital for 6 days and finally we got to bust him out! After leaving the hospital we were driving through Salt Lake when a guy hit into our van. After a 2 hour wait on the side of a busy freeway we finally got to be on our way as the kids watched the guy being arrested as we drove away... that will teach him for driving his girlfriend's husband's car while high on drugs and with no insurance!!!!! :) We were just glad to be on our way home!

This little man is a true gift to our family. His eyes just sparkle and he has a light that radiates out. He has been the most loving child with a silly sense of humor a lot like his dad's! And he loves that he is named after his dad. He used to always tell us that he was Thayne! He is such an amazing part of our family and I am so very grateful that he made himself known to his dad and insisted on being part of our family! He is all boy. I used to joke that I must have been crazy naming my boys Willie and Wyatt... if you name them after bandits, you can't be surprised when they find the most incredible ways to get themselves in trouble. It is a pleasure watching him grow and I am excited to see all that he will accomplish in his life!!!

Love you Wyatt Thayne, you are a gift to me!!! Thank you for being my son!!!

Just for the fun of it, this was the cost of gas a couple of weeks before Wyatt was born!!!