On My Way....

to a healthier me! I've been working hard since moving to Gillette and wanted to share my weight loss so far. Seriously, so proud of myself for keeping it up! So, since moving here, I have lost a total of 34 pounds (11 more to go to be at my pre-pregnancy weight with Kam) and 33 1/4 inches overall! My secret? Diet and exercise (eating things in moderation) and I'm sure that switching to diet soda has helped my cause! I still have a bit to lose, but I am determined. Also, I'm in a Biggest Loser contest with some of my girlfriends from Texas and that gives me extra motivation. Wish they could come to my house for a fitness/healthy snack hour (Erica, that was a HUGE hint to pass along)! I miss my girls!

In Memory...

I attended the funeral of my girlfriend's husband today. His baby girl just turned 2 months over the weekend (they have 4 girls in all....the oldest started kindergarten on Tuesday). It was a beautiful service, though hearts were heavy and sorrowful. He took his own life last Monday. He left no note. My friend's father (who is a bishop in Utah) spoke at the end of the funeral about those in this life who take their own. He spoke of the Lord being judge and we being judged for our good works while here on Earth. This husband....was a GOOD man. He was constantly in the service of others. I came to realize as I sat there during the service, just how grateful I am for the Savior and His atonement. Knowing that I will probably never understand the possibly frightening and deeply saddening things that may have gone through this man's mind, it is hugely comforting that Christ has experienced all of it and can offer the kind of peace to the family that no human can. I love the Lord Jesus Christ. How fortunate we are to know Him and know His peace. And how fortunate we are to know that because of the blessings of the temple, we will be with our families again.

Children of those in the medical field

We were invited to a family summer fun party by one of the doctors in Dallin's group. This event was held at the park and there were many doctors and nurses present. That being said, it shouldn't have surprised me to overhear a conversation between 3 girls (who were probably no more than 8 or 9). This is what I heard (beware....this might be a little to graphic for some!). "It was a decapitation. You know, the head was cut off and there was a significant loss of blood." Inside, I was laughing because it was almost like hearing my older two playing! Obviously, the one speaking must be a child of a medical person. It is nearly on a daily basis that my older two are whisking one of their stuffed animals off in an "ambulance" to the "er" to perform some medically necessary surgery! Sometimes they will come and tell me how they were able to "save" the animals life. I guess that's what comes from begging their dad to tell them about his work day (and working on the ambulance he had all sorts of sordid details to impart!). I love it (okay maybe not so much the blood, but it's pretty cute the way they play)!

Summer Vacation

This is going to be a marathon post, so grab a drink and some popcorn before you continue! At the end of June, the kids and I headed to Utah for a month. I know. A month is a REALLY long time, but my dad had been ill and I knew that he and my mom needed help with the yard. Besides, they live right next door to the park and what is not fun about that?! I met my best friend in Rock Springs and she drove to Salt Lake with me. The kids did amazingly well. We made it to my mom's on Saturday, early afternoon and Shelbi was spiking a fever again (she was 104 in Rock Springs). This time, she was 105.2 and I decided to take her into the ER (they don't have insta care facilities in this small town!). She had strep. Not only that, but I realized that she and Kam had shared a drink on our journey (before I knew that she was not well). The doctor was good enough to write a scrip for Kam (just in case) and called in one for Gav about 5 days later. Yes, they all had strep and that's how we spent the first week of our vacation. Sigh. After everyone was well, my sister and I took our kids out to Rock Corral to look for coral.

Shelbi loves collecting rocks, so this was especially fun for her! Gavin wanted some lava rock, which we found also.


After Rock Corral, we drove up to Adelaide Campground where the kids threw rocks in the water and attempted to climb trees. We spent 10 days in Kanosh, then headed to Enterprise to see more family. The first night we went to see Tarzan and the best part was Shelbi covering her eyes when the leopard appeared! Thursday and Friday were spent at the cabin and I have to admit that I am a big sissy when it comes to camping with a toddler! It just isn't as much fun!

The kids headed out with Grandpa to search for arrowheads. Each child found at least 2! Thanks Grandpa!

The babysitters. Malia and Eryka did a fantastic job with the babies! Thanks, girls!




While in Enterprise, we headed to St. George to visit friends and go to the splash park. I had to throw this picture in because, poor Kam, this is the story of his life! Always being packed around by his sister!

After returning to Kanosh from Enterprise, I had daily destruction to clean up, courtesy of Kamron. Any time my parents bedroom door was left open, this is what he would do and what I would find. Kam frequently yanked the kleenex out of the box and shredded at least 2-3 pieces each time. Cute, but frustrating! I cleaned up A LOT of kleenex! While in Kanosh, I took the kids down to Cove Fort.



Looks fun, right?

We stayed for the 24th and I think the kids enjoyed the parade....I wasn't there. My mom had to be taken to the hospital that morning because she was having trouble breathing. My nieces and nephews helped watch my kids so I could be with her. Thanks guys! Overall it was fun. I did a lot of good and my kids lived outside! Everyday at the park and in the sand box! They were so dirty EVERY day! It was awesome but it's good to be home.

Flashback!

Yes....it's a mouse....again! The kids informed me yesterday that there was a mouse in Shelbi's window well. They said it was cute and could they keep it? I so don't think so. I was VERY happy it couldn't come in the house. We decided to catch it and take it far away and release it, but when we got up this morning, it was gone. Dallin said he had seen the neighbors cat lurking around that window well when he got home from call and we are fairly certain that the mouse met its demise. I'd say I'm sad about it, but frankly, I'm not!

Path of destruction

This has Kam written all over it! As I finish cleaning up after dinner, I decide to take a few moments and get online to FB and be frivolous. Then Kam comes to me talking in his language that I don't yet understand and I look at him only to notice he is EATING something. I look in his hand and he is tearing apart a small piece of pancake and stuffing it into his mouth. I gasp because that's what I do and he immediately drops it and runs. Why would I gasp if it was only a pancake? It isn't that it's a pancake, it's where he got it. THE TRASH! I am truly grossed out. I get up only to notice that there are pancake droppings in the office (where I am). I follow him to the living room and exclaim my loudest gasp of the day. He is seriously like a little tornado whirling around my house. It's no wonder I feel like I've accomplished nothing, though I've been working hard all day. I just work hard in circles! So what caused my loudest gasp?




He has been walking all over the kitchen and living room pulling pancakes apart and throwing them on the floor. If there is ever a time when I'm not sure where he is, I just follow his path of destruction. It helps me remember how grateful I am he has to go to bed sometime! And then we start all over again the next day. As frustrated as I am about the huge mess I get to clean up, I find myself unable to stop laughing at his cuteness (he just came in and said thank you). Well, Kam, you're welcome! Now please stay out of the trash!

Oh My Hail!

Last night Dallin was helping me with Young Women's (first aid stuff for camp) so our whole little family was at the church. We had just wrapped things up and were ready to walk out the door when suddenly (yes it was sudden) we heard a roaring coming from outside. We all ran to the door of the church and it was dropping rain by the buckets! Within minutes, that rain turned to hail. The noise inside the church was a thundering roar. Never heard anything like it. The hail started out as pea sized, then marble, and finally quarter size. That's why it was so loud. I wasn't able to take pics until we got home and the hail by our house was only a very large marble size. Still, I think we were pretty fortunate. The storm lasted only about 15 minutes and at least our windshield wasn't broken out (some folks were not so lucky). However, our truck did not escape unscathed! When you sit behind the steering wheel and look out the windshield, you can see at least a dozen small indentations on the hood. Poor truck. It got pummeled! (And so did Dallin when he ran out in the storm to collect the big pieces of hail....really what was he thinking!!!).

This is our deck in the back yard. We will also need to buy a new grill cover, since the hail ripped that up!