Ruth's surgery went well.

The surgery went well. Every one at Primary Children's Medical Center were so kind and attentive to us. I was very impressed with the doctors, nurses, and other staff. There was one woman from child life (a certain department to help kids get ready for surgery) who was also very kind and helpful. She brought a box of medical items for Ruth to familiarize herself with. The most helpful item I think was the breathing mask (which Ruth hadn't seen before) that they put on her to give her the sleepy medicine. She loved putting the mask on herself and mommy and daddy. After the surgery Ruth slept on mom for quite a while before she wanted to get up and drink. But she didn't cry which was amazing. She did get a bit upset when I wouldn't let her rub her eyes. Daddy had a great idea to put her glasses on so she wouldn't rub her eyes. What a good idea, it worked of course. Daddy is so smart. The hospital had big wagons with pillows and blankets for the children to use when they left instead of wheel chairs. I thought that was neat. She liked riding to the elevator in the wagon. I just carried her to the car. We got her home she took a good nap, then ate two plates of yummy pasta, compliments of Grammy. That night Chris and I just sat with her and let her watch movies and rest. The next day she seemed just right as rain, dancing all around the room and singing as happy as can be. I'm so glad everything went so well.

Ruth's eye surgery

Here's our cute Ruth. She is having eye muscle surgery this week. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully it will help her eyes not to cross. Wish us luck.

Oh and look at that cute bow. I love it!

Our little Man.

This layout was the one I designed. I copied Tamara's layout pretty much exactly. It could never look as good as hers though, everything she does is so wonderful. But I thought it worked out pretty well. I was really excited because I designed and printed out the pattern paper all by myself on my (fancy) new printer the Epson R2400. We just got the printer from ink jet art and I love it. Chris got a continuous inking system for it. It is wonderful not to run out of ink. :) I had a lot of fun making the paper. Now I just have to think of some ideas to make more paper. I thought I'd try to make swirls for my next layout exchange. Wish me luck.

Christmas

This page was designed by Holly. She put together and stitched every one's layouts. All we had to do was put on the brads and the word "Christmas." Thanks Holly!!! I put photos on it, of me opening my fun Christmas present. Chris got me a silhouette craft cutting machine. I really wanted one. I got to play with a Cricut machine before Christmas and I decided that it was really fun. So Chris and I did some research to see if there was a cutting machine that didn't need the expensive cartridges. There is one that hooks up to the computer and you can cut anything you want. We decided that we wouldn't get it now. But he got it anyway, with the help of my sister Tamara, and they suprised me for Christmas. I have had a lot of fun with it. I used it to cut the letters I put on the last page. What a sweet husband, thanks Chris, I love you!!!

Ruth's eye patch

I knew that when I had taken photos with Ruth with her eye patch on, that I would need to make a scrapbook page about it someday. Sarah made this layout last exchange and I finally finished it last week. I think it turned out well. I still need to journal it about her doctor and eye and why she needs the patch.

Toy Room Fun

This Layout was designed by LeRoyne. She had it a little different. I knew what it looked like ahead of time so I cut out letters to spell out "Toy Room Fun," and the words "play" and "family." It was neat to have photos and letters ready to put on a layout. I like how it turned out. Some day I'll journal on it too.

Scrapbook Layouts

Last week I had a scrapbook exchange I did quite a few layouts with photos on them. This layout was designed by Marie, LeRoyne's neighbor, whom I haven't met yet. It was one page but I stretched it into two. I think it turned out well. My children look really cute of course.

Tag Tag Tag

I've been tagged a couple of times so I think I'll just combine them all into one.

How to play this game of tag. Post these rules on your blog. List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself.

Joys:
1- Chris, my husband makes me deliriously happy. He works really hard for me to stay home. He comes home and helps with the kids or makes dinner. He does anything that I've needed him to do and never complains, and he is pretty tidy, I rarely have to clean up after him. He is my biggest joy. Thank heavens I have someone so wonderful who I'm so much in love with.
2- My sweet children. Spunky Audrey, sweet helpful Hailey, fashion fun Kate, chatty Ruth, and all boy Max.
3- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I'm sure I would be very unhappy with out the knowledge of the Gospel. I know Christ is my savior and he made it possible for me to be with my family again.

Fears:
1-If something ever happened to Chris or my children. I'm particularly afraid of one of the children drowning.
2- I'm afraid of gaining lots of weight. Or having my husband have health problems because of weight.
3- I'm afraid of not making it to heaven. That seems weird. But I'm afraid I will never be a good enough person. I will endure to the end but what if what I do is not enough? I can always to more, I just wonder if I will make it.

Goals:
1- To be a kinder person, not judgemental, and to serve with a happy heart. To be more loving to my children, and spend more quality time with them.
2- To have a clean house. I try and try to get it all clean but it doesn't last long before old habits kick in and I leave thins lying around. I have my kids doing jobs everyday and that helps a lot. I just have to get into the habit of picking up constantly.
3- To save money and use it to purchase things (a self propelled lawn mower). To pay off our van, credit card, and hospital bills. To have money set aside for rainy days on emergencies.

Obsessions/Collections:
1- Scrapbooking! I love to scrapbook it is so gratifying to me. It helps me love my children to see photos of them happy after a particularly hard day.
2-Unfortunately I obsess about my new bigger house for some day in the future. I use to be satisfied with my house and there are things I still really love about it. But I feel like we're bursting at the seams sometimes. So I keep making lists of things I want in my next house (someday) a pantry, a toy room, craft room and enough rooms for my children to fit 2 to a room instead of 3. I also want in my next house a bigger kitchen, and a bathroom on every floor.
3-I collect a lot of things. I'm afraid I'm a bit of a pack rat. I have a LOT of hair things for my girls. Shoes for myself of course. Craft things, sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, crocheting, stamping etc.

Randoms:
1- I've been going to the gym with two good friends every morning at 5:30 to make it to the 5:45 class. I don't love cycling but it is good exercise.
2-I want to have a garden every year it is really fun. It is hard work and I can't grow things as big or beautiful as everyone else. But It is so great to go outside and grab a tomato to put in my salad for dinner. Also in the fall I really like canning and it is fun to can my own vegetables. This year I am going to try green beans which I haven't grown in the past. I'll have to learn new things about beans.
3- I really like to eat dinner as a family every night. Even if it is sometimes crazy. It is nice to sit down together, to laugh at Ruth when she sings to her potatoes. Also it is nice that Audrey and Hailey help out to prepare dinner and set the table. I always wanted to eat dinner as a family when I was young so I've tried to make it something we do together now.

ABC Tag
A-Attached or Single?- Attached
B-Best Friend?- Chris, my mom, Holly, LeRoyne, Sarah, Elaine, Brandy, Tawnya, Well there are really a lot of friends, Jennifer, Becky S, Eldie, I'm sure there are a lot more that I consider my really good friends.
C-Cake or Pie?- warm pie with ice cream or cheesecake
D-Day of Choice?- Sunday
E-Essential Item?- unfortunately my cell phone, I really like being connected to my husband.
F- Favorite color? depends upon when, brown, red, and pink I'm leaning towards this season.
G-Gummy Bears or Worms?- Bears of course :)
H-Hometown?- West Valley
I-Favorite Indulgence?- cheese cake, potatoes, watermelon.
J-January or July? Either
K-Kids? A few, Audrey, Hailey, Kate, Max and Ruth
L-Life isn't complete without? Chris my children and the gospel.
M-Marriage Date?- May 6
N-Number of brothers and sisters? 4 Brothers
O-Oranges or Apples?-Apples, but both are good, just every once and a while you get a really bitter/sour orange.
P-Phobia and Fears? Spiders, not as much as it use to be. I have to show my children I'm brave.
Q-Quote?-"indeed"
R-Reason to smile?- I love it when my kids say something that is so funny. Ruth makes the cutest face when we read the Thomas book we have, and she says, "He is sad he wants to stay he wants to play." It makes me laugh so hard.
S-Season of choice?- Spring
T-Tag?- I won't tag anyone.
U-Unknown fact about me?- I wish I had naturally red hair. (it's a new development)
V-Vegetable?- Green Beans, I love green beans. and Zucchini. I also really like green cabbage.
W-Worst habit?- Sitting on the computer and doing nothing all day.
Y-Your favorite food?- Potatoes, watermelon, cheese cake,
Z-Zodiac Sign?-I don't' know or care really. How about something else for Z
Z-zipper. When I was younger I had the coolest shoes with zippers on them.

I'd be really surprised if anyone reads these. But there they are.

We do most everything twice! Audrey's first oral Report.

Audrey turned in her first oral report today. It was about Giraffes. I'll write what was in it. Giraffes are herbivores, animals that only eat plants. They eat leaves and twigs. Giraffes live in Africa. They live in forests and plains. Interesting fact: Giraffes are pregnant for 15 months. They live about 25 years. They run as fast as 35 miles an hour. That is it. I hope she can remember the big words.

Hailey's first oral report!

Hailey's first oral report for school was due today. She had to pick an animal and research it and write a report about it. She was really excited. She needs to tell her class today. I hope she uses her "loud voice." She choose to write about a tiger because Grammy Bair gave her a tiger stuffed animal that she really loves. Thanks for the inspiration Grammy. I'll tell you what it says. The tiger is a carnivore. It eats other animals. Tigers live it lots of places, like forests and mountains. The tiger is a mammal. Here is a skeleton. That is it. She had to write the whole thing so I tried to help make it easy so she could remember what it said. She can read most of it. She just had to memorize carnivore, forests and mountains.

Super Saturday!

This year for super saturday we have 2 major projects. Here they are. The flowers are bigger than they seem in the photo. It will be fun!

Hailey, Audrey and Kate.

Starting a garden.

Yesterday we decided to plant some seeds in cups for our window sill. I did this last year and it was so satisfying to have planted and harvested plants I grew by hand. The girls enjoyed bringing dirt into the house and pushing the seeds into the dirt/mud in cups. Each day we will get to check on them and water them to see if they are growing. I did a few broccoli and cauliflower that I've never done before we'll see if I can get them to grow.

New Glasses!!!

Finally Ruth has her new glasses. We lost them Wednesday March 26th (2008). I have turned my house inside out and never found them. So last Tuesday I went to the Moran eye center (http://uuhsc.utah.edu/MoranEyeCenter/patientcare/clinics.html) where I ordered her a new pair. A size bigger than the last pair and a litte more purple than pink. Also one feature which Hailey likes is they have tiny little rubber duckys on them. The last glasses had little blue bears. I'm just so excited that she has glasses again. It has been two long weeks looking at her sad eyes. We also got bright pink chums to go on the back that hopefully will prevent her from taking them off, and be easier to find when she does. I have been so impressed with the Moran eye center. I originally went there because my eye doctor said that they are very good at fitting infants and small children. Other optical shops will give them a bigger size glasses so they can grow into them. Glasses need to fit well or the child will have more reason not to wear them. I've learned a lot about children with glasses in the last year. Here is also a photo of Ruth with her first pair of glasses March 6th 2007 (She was 14 months old). It is fun to see how much they grow in a short time.

Kate and her cute scarf.

Here is Kate in a pink scarf that also goes over her head it is so fun for her to play with. Her Aunt Paloma gave it to her for Christmas. Kate has been wearing it to preschool this week. Fun fun fun.

Max in the car.

I was working on a project in the garage and Max joined me. He saw the door opened on Chris' car and he went over and climbed right in and shut himself in the car. I had to take a photo of him.

Ruth

Ruth is my pirate, "AARRRRRGH." Really, she has just become so, because she wears a pirate patch every day. That is how we got her to wear them. Ruth loves baby dolls. She really really loves baby dolls. She walks around with one or two all day. She wants to be the mama it is so cute. She really takes care of Max too. Every time he isn't around she needs to check up on him. Making sure he comes for dinner or to get his diaper changed. We love Ruth.

Kate

Kate is literally my sunshine. She brings hope and happiness to our family. When I was growing up it was my brother Matthew (the middle child)who was the peacemaker in our home. Kate (the middle child/sandwich) is truly a peacemaker in our home. She is girly in every way, wearing her (Grammy made) skirts every day. She truly has a style of her own and the sweetest smile, with her two cute dimples.

Hailey

Hailey is my delicate flower. She is such a princess. She helps out with little children all of the time. She really has a gift with the children. She will be a good babysitter soon. :)

Audrey

Audrey loves the camera. She is always asking me to take her photo. I love her spunky take charge personality! She will be a great leader some day.