ZACH'S GOT KIDNEY STONES...AGAIN!

April 10, 2019

Mikell walked into my room at 10:30 pm asking if I would either stay home with the kids and try to get Briggs to bed or take Zach to the hospital. He was in so much pain and he had felt this kind of pain before. It was definitely the pain that comes from KIDNEY STONES! Ouch! Those hurt SO BAD! So I took Zach to the new Intermountain Hospital in Layton. It was so nice. He got great care there and that will be our #1 choice of Hospital from now on. I love that it is so close to us!

We had to wait forever for the Ultra Sound Tech to come in. She was on-call and it took way too long for her to get there! Zach was funny while on MORPHINE. He was a chatty Kathy! I would have been zonked out but he kept talking the whole night! LOL!  Well they confirmed what we knew...he had a KIDNEY STONE!  After hours of being there, we left to go get his prescriptions filled...which really bugs me that a hospital doesn't have a 24 hour pharmacy. That just gets me!  Anyway, we drove to Bountiful Walgreens that said their pharmacy was open 24 hours. We got there and they closed at midnight.  Then, we drove where the Dr. told us to go, Smith's in Ogden. We drove there and again the sign said Pharmacy closed at midnight. We were so upset! Zach was in pain and I was so exhausted and my eyes were burning! Luckily, Zach noticed the CVS Pharmacy across the street and thankfully they were open. It took almost a half hour for them to fill the PRESCRIPTIONS! We got home early in the morning. What a night!

I stayed home from work because I was exhausted but didn't get more than a couple of hours of sleep and poor Zach had to go to a UROLOGIST AT 9:00 am.  They did a CT SCAN and saw that he was close to passing the STONE into the BLADDER. Then it should not hurt anymore. If he hasn't passed it by Tuesday they will have to do SURGERY. He was bound and determined to pass that STONE!

He was in horrible pain all day and then thankfully the next day he PASSED THE STONE! Unfortunately, the CT showed that he has another STONE that hasn't even begun to move so it's pretty likely he will be going through all this again! Poor guy!  There is only one other time I have felt pain like this and that is going through labor! Brutal! 

So happy Zach let me post just one picture of him to document this event!

Poor Zach! It's so hard to see your Son in pain especially when I have felt this pain before. I know how he feels!

PAISLEY AND HER HORSE

April 9, 2019

Paisley got to spend the day learning to ride her HORSE, HONEY. She had a ball even though it ended up raining and it was muddy. Honey is the sweetest, most patient horse that is so eager to please. Lytton loves riding her and is training her to be a real asset to him as he uses her around the cows. She is so gentle and easy going around the kids and it is the best HORSE for the kids to learn to RIDE. I love that these kiddo's are going to grow up riding and using these HORSES for the ROUND-UP and the CATTLE DRIVES and Ashley hopes that they will participate in the FAIR and the 4-H program.  I can't wait to see PAISLEY when she can RIDE this HORSE all by herself!

 Then they put Sadie on the horse!

Lytton was so thrilled to get these kiddo's on this horse!

PASSOVER SEDER DINNER

April 9, 2019

For our Relief Society Activity this month they had a lady come that put on a PASSOVER MEAL for us. She made us booklets that included everything they say and we were able to participate. It was so awesome! I learned so much! The symbolism in that just points straight at Jesus Christ. Those people had him right there and just didn't get it!  So we went through all of the steps, ate the food they did and it was a very awesome experience. I loved it! I want to do a PASSOVER MEAL for my family!

I am so excited for EASTER this year and I am just so excited to focus on the SAVIOR and HIS RESURRECTION! I am so grateful for his SACRIFICE for me. I hope that I can teach my little ones much more about that this year.

 This is the table set for Elijah. I learned that during the dinner they open the door for Elijah to enter. Then I learned that on the day that they do this was the exact day that Elijah appeared to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple. That gave me goosebumps!

 Our table settings with real Matzah from Israel, grapejuice, boiled egg and in the bowls are a horseradish and the other is a salt water and then the gross looking brown stuff is actually really nummy. It is called Haroset and it is made up of apples, pecans, honey, grapejuice and cinnamon.

 This is real matzah (unleavened bread)from Israel

We dipped this parsley in the salt water and blessed the bitter herbs

We washed our hands at the beginning and then during it, we washed our neighbors hands. I was sitting next to someone who started sobbing as she washed our hands. Of course she was thinking of the Savior washing the apostles feet. The whole process was just so touching, amazing and thought provoking for me. I loved the symbolism throughout the whole dinner. The Savior was the Sacrificial Lamb. He shed his tears for us and our sins and he drank the bitter cup. I am so thankful for HIM!

I am just having all of these awesome tender feelings toward the Savior lately as I study his life in the Come Follow Me curriculum we use for church, and with the Don't Miss This blog I follow that helps me understand it better, Time Out for Women and General Conference and now this Passover Meal. I am just learning more about JESUS CHRIST and I am just so thankful for all he did for ME!

DIGGIN' THE BIG HOLE IN THE BACKYARD

April 9, 2019

I forgot to do a special post back on March 19, 2019. Finally, they started to DIG THE BIG HOLE for my HOME ADD ON PROJECT! We have literally been waiting for months!  We were so stoked when the big equipment rolled in and started to DIG! I was at work and would get excited with every photo Mikell sent me! The boys loved watching the DIGGER and man, we were left with a really, big hole! It looks like I won't have much of a back yard when we are through and I am AOK with that!

So, we are extending my kitchen, and adding a Great Room the whole length of the back of the house, and putting my laundry upstairs. We are adding another bedroom, bathroom and kitchen downstairs. I cannot wait!!  I am so excited over my new kitchen I can hardly stand it! 

Well, then as you all know it has not stopped raining for weeks now and it has been discouraging not getting any progress done on this thing! :(   Finally they poured the footings on Friday and now we have to wait a little bit longer before they can do anything else. I'm just praying for bright sunny days ahead!

Now they have poured the footings:

GENERAL CONFERENCE AND THE RED CHAIRS

April 3, 2019

I was so STOKED for GENERAL CONFERENCE. I have been waiting with anticipation to hear our PROPHET, Pres. Nelson, and the APOSTLES speak. I have been reading the best book written by Sheri Dew called INSIGHTS FROM A PROPHETS LIFE RUSSELL M NELSON. I really enjoyed reading that book and I have an increase of admiration for him and I just love him so much. I am so glad I read that this week. I couldn't wait to hear from him.

I like making fun stuff for the kiddo's to do during CONFERENCE. This year I quickly made a magnet board with the RED CHAIRS and every time an APOSTLE spoke the kids could place them in a RED CHAIR. Before the session started I had fun playing with the kids DON'T EAT THE APOSTLE!!  It's a fun game where they get to eat lots of candy if they are lucky. It's like Don't Eat Pete but instead I used pictures of the APOSTLES so the kids could get used to seeing them. They LOVE playing this game. They would LAUGH so hard when I'd yell out DON'T EAT THE APOSTLE if they took the candy off that secret apostle.

Then I would tell them something interesting about each APOSTLE so they could get to know them. Waylon loves Elder Gong cuz he loves penguins! Boston loves Elder Bednar because he played quarterback and Boston was surprised how many APOSTLES were once BYU PRESIDENTS or BYU IDAHO PRESIDENTS. Then we played APOSTLE CONCENTRATION. I really enjoyed teaching/playing with these kiddos!

I watched the Saturday Morning Session with Boston and Waylon then I watched Saturday Afternoon with my Mom, Joyce and Jenny. Then I drove to Idaho and watched both Sunday Sessions with Ashley's family. Both families loved putting the APOSTLES in their RED CHAIRS. Of course they played CONFERENCE BINGO and COLORED this cool picture I had made for them. It was fun!

I loved CONFERENCE and I loved listening to the PROPHET. I thought every talk was amazing but these were my favorites: I loved Elder Soares, Sister Eubanks, but as usual, my favorite was from Elder Holland. I look forward to taking the SACRAMENT and I was reminded that I have a lot to think about during the SACRAMENT. The PROPHET gave the best talk and I just hated to see it end. I could have listened to a lot more! My SPIRIT was fed this weekend! I LOVE CONFERENCE!

 

This was Waylon's Bingo Board. It was almost filled but Briggs kept running in and sneaking the Gummy Bears right off his Bingo Board!!

AMERICAN IN PARIS

April 3, 2019

Since Joyce and Jenny couldn't use their tickets to AMERICAN IN PARIS, we took Diane and my friend from work, Dawna.  We went to eat at CHUBBY'S first and then went to the play. We laughed a lot and had a great time. We all loved the play too. I felt so bad though. We were laughing hard during intermission and Diane said something funny and I took a big swig of water and I couldn't hold it in, I laughed so hard I spit my water all out and unfortunately all over Dawna's coat that was on her legs. Thank goodness it was just on her coat, and clear over on Diane's shoes. I felt so bad but dang we laughed and had a great time!

Now Dawna understands what I mean when I say I laugh all the time when I'm with my Mom and our family is a little nuts. She had a great time though and laughed so hard her back hurt!!

 Yeah, it always worries me bringing a friend around our family. You never know what they'll see!

I LOVE THIS FACE!

April 1, 2019

BRIGGS just cracks me up. This kid is funny I tell ya. But one of my favorite things is when we ask him to smile for a picture, he always gives this funny smile with his eyes squinted. He is obsessed with Spiderman, and hats or helmets. We lucked out when we found this SPIDERMAN HELMET for him to walk around in all the time. He's a hoot!

I just love these cute pics of my BRIGGY!

Oh I love this BOY!

JENNY'S SURGERY

April 1, 2019

This April 1st was a doozy for our family. It was the best day ever because Calli was born, and Mona was able to apply for a U.S. Passport because she is now a U. S. Citizen, but a day full of PRAYER and HOPE for Jenny. Jenny's cancer came back and today she was in the hospital for a 12 hour surgery. Our FAMILY fasted, prayed and prayed some more that the Dr could get all of the cancer without having to remove her bladder, and her leg. We were all so relieved and so thankful when Joyce called and told me that they didn't have to remove either of them. But Jenny is not out of the woods. She has a long road ahead. She will have to endure CHEMO and our PRAYERS will continue for a long time because she has such a RARE form of CANCER that the DOCTORS just don't know how to treat it. But for right now we are just so happy that this SURGERY was a success!

She was in ICU for a few days and when she got into her room me and my Mom went to see her. She was in great spirits and it was such a relief to see her. Poor thing is full of STITCHES and STAPLES and she won't be able to sit for some time. She will just have to lay down with her head propped up.

I am so impressed with how optimistic she is and she is full of HOPE and that helps all of us remain HOPEFUL as well.  I am so THANKFUL for PRIESTHOOD BLESSINGS and for the HUNTSMAN CENTER and to live near the best CANCER DOCTORS in the world!

CALLI QUINN GIBSON IS BORN!

April 1, 2019

What a wonderful surprise! Andy and Morgan are parents for the 2nd time. This time to a beautiful BABY GIRL! We are all so excited to have another BABY join our FAMILY!

CALLI QUINN GIBSON was born on APRIL 1, 2019, at 1:46 pm weighing in at 6 lbs 14 oz and 19.5 inches long.  She is a beautiful BABY and I am so excited for Andy, Morgan and Logan! I bet Logan will be a great big brother! I am super excited for my sister, Diane, to have her 2nd GRANDCHILD. There's nothing better I tell ya, than being a GRANDMA!

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY BABY CALLI!

MONA IS A U.S. CITIZEN!

April 1, 2019

I was so excited when My Dad and MONA walked into my office so that Mona could apply for a U.S. PASSPORT! Yipee!  She is finally a U.S. CITIZEN! She passed the test and now is eligible to apply for a PASSPORT. Woot! Woot!  It's just at the right time too because she is going back to the Philippines for a family reunion next month. They will be gone for 3 weeks.

I have been waiting for this day for her for a long time. I am just thrilled to pieces for her. We need to throw a RED, WHITE, AND BLUE USA PARTY for her now!

WAYLON'S 5TH BIRTHDAY... SNAKE PARTY!

March 26, 2019

WAYLON TURNED 5 YRS OLD! We CELEBRATED at his Grandma Melanie's house with a SNAKE PARTY! Oh was he excited and surprised!  This kid LOVES SNAKES, and SPIDERS!

So I made him a really long SNAKE CAKE! He loved it! This cake was so long it filled up the whole back seat of my mom's Lincoln!

Waylon opened GIFTS and blew out CANDLES and ate CAKE.

 I love this face!

Then, the FUN began! These people came with lots of SNAKES, a TRIANTULA and a huge SCORPION! There were LIZARDS, TURTLES and TREE FROGS. These kids LOVED IT!  They weren't afraid to hold the SNAKES at all which really surprised me. I'm tellin' ya these kids were in heaven! This was the best party WAYLON could ever ask for!

 These kids were listening intensely to what was being taught about the reptiles.

 Then they had the Birthday Boy come up and they put a few snakes and a lizard on him!

 Boston loved holding this big snake.

 Then Waylon held the TARANTULA!

 Remington dared to hold the big snake too!

 Look at these kids having no fear! I was scared to death!

 Ashley dared to hold them too. When she was little she loved snakes too!

 Middie loved the snakes and I was surprised. I thought she would be scared of them.

 I'm scared to death of these lizards even! Boston loved carrying this guy around.

 Happy Birthday Boy!

 I think she wore this snake around her neck for at least a half hour!

Holy Smokes Owen! That's a big snake!

Everyone who knows me, knows I am SCARED SPITLESS when it comes to SNAKES and any kind of REPTILE! I wanted to show Waylon how BRAVE I could be, and overcome my FEAR! They started me off holding a small SNAKE. I was SO SCARED! They feel so much different than I had imagined!

 Then they put the BIG one on me and I was really, really SCARED! I was sweating to death. I just asked the guy if he would please hold the head. I cannot believe I dared to do this. I was so proud of myself and Waylon and Boston were so proud of me because they know that's one of my greatest FEARS EVER!

 Look at this snake! Boston is so brave!

 Look at these cuties!

Check out this HUGE SCORPION and TARANTULA! I can't believe they dared to hold them!!

Well, this PARTY WAS A SUCCESS! Everyone learned so much and really, the kids thought this was SO COOL!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WAYLON!!

WAYLON is such a great kid! Here are just 5 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HIM:
1. He is so sweet!
2. He is funny.
3. He loves to play jokes on me and gets the biggest kick out of leaving fake snakes in my bed!
4. He is a great brother.
5. He has great determination.

Those are only a few of things I love about Waylon. This kid is AWESOME! I am so happy that he is 5 YRS OLD and I am so happy he is my Grandson! I am so lucky!