My Three Little Peeps

Well...summer was great while it lasted, but like everything else, 'All good things must come to an end'. We are back into the swing of things with school, trying to achieve routine amidst the chaos of life.

A couple of weeks ago, (8-17-09) at my mom's request, I took the kids up to a wheat field (where they also happened to be cutting at the time) and grabbed a couple of pictures of my three little peeps. Its really interesting to look at their pictures of them now and of a year ago and see how much they have changed and grown.

Dylan is 7 years old and just started 2nd grade. His teacher is Mrs. Cureton and his full-time personal aide is Miss Deicy (YEAAAA...this is an answer to prayer!!!!) Dylan had Miss Deicy for an aide in kindergarten. I'm so thankful to have her as his aide again. His week-long EEG in SLC turned out to be rather pointless. The report states that where was no significant findings, other than there were abnormal waves in the part of his brain for which there is a surgical history. He still attends speech therapy twice a week, and gets caught up on single ideas for weeks at a time. I really CANNOT believe that he will be 8 in December...YIKES!!!

Taylor is 6 years old and just started 1st grade. Her teacher is Mrs. Olsen and she is loving going to school all day. She is counting and reading like a champ, much better than what she gives herself credit for, (at least she doesn't say she CAN'T do it anymore). She of course is a very motherly figure to both of her brothers, and really catches on to more than what I give her credit for.

Jared is 3 years old and is the most interesting character of a three year old that I remember having. All of them have had their moments of being trying, but I don't remember them being anything like him. Jared is in the pre-school at the elementary school with Miss JoAnn as his teacher. He goes on the bus in the morning with the big kids, and rides home on the bus with the kindergarten kids. He goes two days a week and loves it.

They are all adjusting well despite the changing dynamics in our home. I love them all dearly and I learn so much from each of them. May it all continue!!!

STAYCATION

Dylan wearing the "Davey Crockett" cap.

Taylor's turn

Isn't he so cute?

So with the first day of school racing towards us, and no plans for any sort of vacation in sight.... I decided to plan a 'Staycation' for my kiddos. A staycation is a vacation except you don't go anywhere, you just stay. I worked Tuesday and Wednesday night. So with Thursday and Friday being the last two consecutive days that I had open til school started, I decided to go for it. We started with the splash park.

Jared (in the foreground) and Taylor concentrating on the waters at hand

Dylan, Taylor & Jared all coming down at the same time.

They all played at the splash park til they froze. Then they got dressed and went next door to the horsey, merry-go-round. (and rode two times as Dylan would explain.)

Go Dylan Go!!!
Each horse has a engraved logo on the back of the saddle saying the name of the horse and who took care of it. Sharon Orme is a lady in our ward who painted the horse that Taylor rode.
What innocent eyes.
Taylor on the horse done by Sharon Orme.

After the horsey rides, we got cotton candy. It was their first taste. Taylor loved it. Dylan almost threw up, I guess he didn't like the texture.


After that we went to McDonalds for lunch and they played there. We took Dylan to speech then headed to I.F. and started out back to school shopping. They wanted McDonalds for dinner so we did that, then tried to each on the greenbelt next to the river. That didn't work (thanks to the tornado-like winds) so we just went to our hotel. We checked into the Shilo Inn where we finished dinner. The kids jumped back and forth from bed to bed and played tag for awhile. We watched some TV, (which we don't have at home) then we watched movies til we fell asleep.

When we woke up in the morning we went downstairs for breakfast then went back to our room and watched cartoons til check out time. As we headed back to resume our back to school shopping, we drove past an awesome turn about and stopped to take some pictures.

At Taylor's Crossing

Speaking of Taylor's (She wouldn't let me take a picture of her unless it was with my sunglasses)

My three peeps...

Me and Taylor

Dylan holdin' on!!!

Jared just making me happy

I think we got all of our back to school shopping done, we played at center court in the mall (which Dylan calls broccoli) had Preztlemaker (YUM) for a snack and Burger King for dinner on our way home. When we got home, we put our P.J's on, popped some popcorn, got some treats and wrapped up our staycation with an outing to the drive-in movie theatre. We watched G-Force (a Disney movie with gerbils or hamsters being secret agents) and Aliens in the Attic (a teeny-bopper show having to do with aliens).

Dylan got the whole back seat to himself. Good thing too, he fell asleep half way thru the first movie.

Jared hanging out the window....crazy dude!!!

Me (no makeup) & Taylor (I guess the flash was a bit too bright)

Jeff and Jared (the only part of our staycation Jeff came for)

It was my brothers (Daniel) reception in Boise at this same time. I decided as opposed to driving 5 hours one way by myself with three kids, that I would just have fun with them here at home instead. I didn't have the fiances or emotional energy to do a trip to Boise. I've had some say that I'm such a great mom for doing this. I really don't agree with that. I hope that I've made great memories with my kids that will help make up for all the times I'm gone to work or gone for school. I hope they will remember that their mom tried to spend time with them and I love them very so much. I feel as though I am so lacking in so many areas, that my kids deserve so much more. I hope when they look back, that they will remember good memories like our little staycation......

PICTURES

Dylan after his MRI, getting ready to go home. Not terribly happy, but still under the influence of being sedated for his MRI.

Dylan and Jared waiting for Daniel &Sarah (my brother & new SIL) to come out of the temple.

Aren't they cute!!
SMOOCH!!
Posin'
I think that is one happy girl...

Welcome to the family Sarah!!!

Primary Children's Branch

The stained glass window in the meditation room at

Primary Children's Medical Center

I attended sacrament meeting today in the Primary Children's Branch. It is a branch overseen by the University of Utah 3rd Stake. It has a branch president and an assistant. Those in the University 3rd Stake help take care of what needs to be done. It starts at 10:30 with an opening song and an opening prayer. Since there is never really any business to take care of, they go on to the sacrament hymn and to the administration of the sacrament. It is followed by a musical number and a speaker. Today was the high councilman. He spoke for 7 minutes. There was a closing song and a closing prayer and we walked out at 11:02. I have been to this branch before. I LOVE the fact that it is only 30 minutes long. Then in the time following, they take the sacrament around to those who are stuck in their rooms...like Dylan. They come in and introduce themselves and of course Dylan introduced himself. They say the sacrament prayer, not necessarily to bless it again, but as a way for those receiving it to be able to hear of the covenants and blessings that come along with it. It was so sweet because Dylan was so anxious to fold his arms and to partake of the sacrament. He is such a good kid.
I have to admit on a personal note, that as I sat in that auditorium on the 3rd floor, I had never been so excited to partake of the sacrament; to be there. This week has been so full of unknowns and twists and turns. I've been away from family and at times have felt so isolated. There has been nothing routine about this week and it has proved more emotionally challenging than what I first thought. But I walked into that meeting, to join others in jeans and t-shirts, sandals and flip-flops, IV poles and pagers, baby's with masks on and teenagers that have lost their hair in their battle against cancers, arms wrapped up in coban and IV lines next to suture lines. And as I did, I knew that the spirit would still be there. The covenants of the sacrament were the same. We were all joined in a common purpose of not only the gospel, but that of our children as well. The speaker talked about how discouragement is simply a lack of perspective. I don't think I've ever thought if it like that before, but it makes sense to me. I've felt discouraged in the last few days. A lack of answers to all my questions, sleep deprivation, being gone from home, money and time sacrificed, putting Dylan thru a week of torment, and days at work lost are only a few of the reasons why I've been so discouraged. As like what was said this morning, I lack perspective. I don't know why but, perhaps we were supposed to do this for a reason, regardless of the outcome. Because I lack perspective, I just don't know. Because I don't know...I get discouraged.

I hope this isn't too long or boring...

Well...(I'm trying to decide where to start) Dylan and I are is SLC. Resort PCMC IS NOT all its cracked up to be. I'm sure for Dylan its no too bad. He gets to stay in bed, order whatever he wants to eat from the kitchen (they call it 'Room Service') and gets to play on the exercise bike, play games, watch movies, do puzzles, color, play with play dough, put together Lego's...etc... His down side includes the strobe light we tried to put in his face (but it didn't work) and the sleep deprivation we inflict upon him (not letting him go to bed till after midnight and getting him up by 6 AM...no naps) and in turn I get the same...

My mom came down on Wed. to spend the night with Dylan. So I went to the Verizon store at the Gateway and got a new phone (my phone was under warranty for 6 more days). Then I went to a hotel and slept in a real bed (slept in til 9:30...cannot remember the last time that happened), and took a real shower and I loved it.

THANK YOU MOM!!!

We still have not seen any seizure activity yet. That's why we keep pushing him. Turns out sleep deprivation stresses the brain. It also makes for a very grumpy 7 year old. (I had to just restrain him so they could do a blood pressure. I told them to make sure they chart he was having a tantrum, 166/66 doesn't look very good.)

So far they are talking about us staying for the weekend, and doing his MRI on Monday. It's been long enough that I've been away from home, and from my other two babes. Taylor and Jared,

I MISS YOU ! ! !

Monday will have put us here for a week. I don't ever remember being away from home, my husband, and my kiddos for that long. (I have to admit I'm afraid of what my house looks like by now. YIKES!!!)

Anyway, I'm still updating Facebook a little more regularly than this blog.

Dylan says 'I got to say at July 32 2009 because I want my yo-yo ball today right now.'

Sorry no pictures, I think it would be more of the same. Dylan hasn't left this room since he walked into it.

Thank you to you all for you love, words of support, letting Taylor to come play, and all that ya'll do for us. I don't think I can express how much it means to us.

THANK YOU ! ! ! !