Try this thing again!

Well here goes another shot at trying to get some posts up on this blog.  Life is crazy and I don't make the time to really do any kind of journaling. Soo the goal for now is to take more pics even if they are just with the phone and get some documentation posted!  

1st I have to tell a super funny of this precious Nya girl. Today she was running around with me while the rest of the family was busy selling potatoes.  And she still struggles with her speech.  So she was saying "ask" but is comes out more like axe. She's mixing up the order of the s and the k. So I was trying to work with her on it and I finally said "it's kind of like a bad word you say "ass-kk". Well before I even finished she says oh like Tanner's middle name?  Huh what that one took me off guard until I realized that man yes too often I think we associate Tanner and ass. So yes it was totally the funniest thing at the time.  But it sure has had me thinking for a while of how horrible it is that we use it enough that Nya has picked up on it in that way!!.  I have plenty of areas to improve and here is yet another one that really needs to be fixed.  I always worry about how much I'm messing up my kids. And I don't want to look back and regret so when I find these albeit funny moments I've got to take time to reflect and figure out how to improve!!! 

On to another note this little one that has never existed on here yet even though she is nearly 9 months is turning into such a little cutie and man I can't believe the personality she already has!

This was me trying to get a pic of her cute little tooth. Its on the bottom but man she won't show it for anything!

So here goes my next time to make this happen!!

So Many Things But Just Not Enough TIME

Man I totally have the best of intentions truly with everything I do in life however, somehow I just can't always translate those intentions into works.  Anyone with me?  I want so desperately to be keeping up this blog and I have some awesome blogs that I love to check in on that help perk that desire.  But one of the motivations for this is to have some type of journaling for me, my family, my friends etc...  I'm so irregular that I don't really think it is benefiting anyone!  And I want to scrapbook partly because I have so darn much stuff that I should use up rather just sit collecting dust, but really I totally enjoy scrap booking whether it is on paper or digital.  Again I just never get it done.  And then there is my own personal journal.  Sometimes there are truly thoughts, feelings, emotions, events etc. that are just a little too personal to share out loud.  And so what do you think gets attention?  Truly none of it.  I think I overwhelm myself, and then I get discouraged because there is so much that I want to do. So I just end up with a bag of peanut butter M&Ms and a Dr. Pepper sitting with my Ipad Pinning all these cool ideas on Pinterest.  Please tell me I'm not alone on this?  Well tonight I have a few minutes before I have to get to bed so I can function to drive to SLC in the morning for more appointments for Nya and I used what little self control I could muster and traded the Ipad for the computer and thus here I am!  And because there is so much to share, I don't even know where to start therefore I have now full on hit the rambling stage!  Well I have a good friend that always told me with scrap booking, just start with current.  So lets try that.

How about school.  Another year is here yet again.  And this year has been really tough for me.  I DO NOT want my kids back in school I want them home playing with me!  I want to go do some more fun activities. (Not that we did enough or anything totally awesome this summer but I just want them back!)

Of course the kids on the other hand could not be anymore excited to be back in school.  I think they are totally ready for a break from mom.  They are ready for more friend time even if it means school work is involved.  However these kids somehow are totally growing up without my permission.

So apparently this isn't too cool anymore...

Thus the reason for all the hiding?

However just before this they were totally okay with pictures as I talked my new neighborhood into the 1st day of school breakfast that our old neighborhood has now done for several years.

 You know doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, chocolate milk totally a healthy breakfast right? (Since then we've been much better, there has been oatmeal, and granola, and eggs - no pancakes yet that requires a little too much effort - but it is on the schedule for this week)

And can I tell you Elle pretty much seriously dislikes her brother.  Yeah they fight and he can be a pain in the butt And he can also be such a sweetie to her.  He is the one that tries to give a hug here and there or just tries to do something nice.  She on the other hand will full on go out of her way to be rude or do something just to upset him.  And touching him oh heck no!  You'd think she might die the way she acts if he comes around her.  Please let this be a phase.  I mean in a few years like probably way sooner than I want, he's going to have a lot of "older" boys he hangs out with then won't she be so grateful to have an older brother?  So needless to say getting a picture of the two of them together DOES not happen often!

And of course the "1st day of school" shot.  I decided to have the kids make their own sign and I put it on card stock so that I can throw it in with their folder for this year.  Kind of fun to see what they were into?  Especially Tanner.  Elle's was more of just a throw it together because mom is not going to let me go if I don't kind of thing. Oh well I won!

This boy loves his Mine Craft and I don't totally know where "butter" came from but it's all about anything yellow or gold.

And then they were off!

This is the first year my kids haven't been bused they love it!  Elle rides her bike everyday and Tanner would probably too, if it was working but instead he walks with another little neighbor boy.  It is so fun to have so many great kids at the age of my kids and that all can play and have such a great time.

So in two days my next little princess will be starting kindergarten.  Ugh! my heart really sinks a little at the thought.  (actually it sinks a lot at the thought of them all being gone... again this would be another post)

And I can't have all these pictures of the big kids and not share the little ones too!  This was last night at the park for Tanner's 11th (sigh yes 11th birthday - 1 more year until the Priesthood, 1 year less of him being at home, 1 year closer to dating, 1 year closer to a mission the list goes on and on and I have some big plans for this next year hope I can pull those off too!)

oops back to these cute little messes.  I mean who doesn't love chocolate cake and ice cream?  And it's even better sporting the boogy nose!

I'm so blessed with really great kids and family they keep me on my toes and happy and laughing and grateful for little every day blessings!

Be the Helper

I've had so many thoughts flushing over me the last couple of days with the bombings in Boston.

And now with more deaths being reported it brings up more thoughts. I always think about my kids.  Man talk about humbling experiences that help you realize just how important and fragile life really is.

So yesterday I just absolutely loved and adored all of the different posts about the story from Mister Rogers that his mother taught him of "find the helpers"  And wow were there ever so many different pictures of that man portrayed all over FaceBook.  (ok yes that's where I stalk)

For a few little facts about the Story of Mister Rogers check out this site.  Yesterday is really the 1st time I've noticed this story but apparently this quote has been used often with the tragedies that have happened over the years.

For me this quickly brought up thoughts of Newtown.  I may be a little off on my thoughts about these tragedies.  And don't get me wrong, please if I never have to deal with this type of experience hitting too close to home it will be too soon. Please don't ever let one of my children be taken from me like this.  Please don't let me let life pass me by too quickly.  Please don't let me send my kids off without a hug and a kiss...

But there is one thing that stands out so very vivid to me. Also what shaped these thoughts came from the lesson I taught in a Relief Society the Sunday after the Newtown shootings entitled "Righteous Living in Perilous Times".  For me this was perfect timing.  What this did for me was helped me focus on what am I doing to make sure my children know of their Heavenly Father.  Of the plan of salvation. And mostly of their ability to return and live with their Father in Heaven.  Of all the terrible and horrible events that happen and continue to happen more and more frequently, I can't much control whether or not they will happen, but what I can control is what my children know.  And it is up to me to make sure that I do the best job possible in teaching them the most important things in life. (and truly I'm terrible and I struggle everyday because you know what I love watching them in soccer (x2) and baseball (x2) and dance (x2) and helping them with 4H (x3) and and and.  But at the end of the day these are not the most important things in their nor my lives.  I can be their biggest cheerleader at all of those things, but if I'm not also their biggest cheerleader in teaching them the Gospel, then I have failed.  I need them to know what they need to do on their own to return to their Father in Heaven so that when faced with tragedy, they can be strong, they will know what to do, they will know how to be the helpers for those around them.

So today I began wondering how to help my children "be the helpers" not just to find the helpers.  Of course these thoughts were coming to me at the grocery store.  I've been trying to work on helping Tanner be more of a gentleman (a SERIOUS work in progress) and I thought what if each of my kids, okay big kids, rounded up one stray cart in the parking lot and just put it back in cart area.  I know thinking big here wasn't I.  It wouldn't make much of a difference over all but it would make a difference and that's what a helper is just one person making a small difference.  Once I can get my kids to work on small things hopefully they can become bigger or better yet hopefully they can become a helper without mom's guidance and reminding.  So off I went to pick kids up from school - so no they didn't get to try out my new helper idea because they weren't even with me - and as I'm driving in the nasty cold wind I see a lady pushing a cart out the back entrance of Smith's when she left her cart and picked up her bags to continue walking home with her groceries and I thought see what a perfect time for my kids to help.  They could so easily run that cart back to the front.  And then the car right in front of me stopped and offered to drive this lady home and she gladly accepted, at least from what I could tell as she quickly plopped her groceries and herself right in the back seat of that car in front of me.  So I was even more excited here was another helper.  Again small gesture made by one person, but the important thing is that it was made at all!

This world is scary and I don't think it is going to get any better before it first gets worse.  I don't want my kids to live in fear because of the tragedies.  I want them to know they can be the helper.  They can be the ones to make a difference.  They can be the ones to know even with the horrible events that continue to happen around us we have such a bright future to still look forward to.

So I just want my kids to not only look for the helpers, because yes they will absolutely be there but for them to look for and find ways to Be the Helpers.

Slight set back

Ok so I have so many things on my list and mind that I wan to blog about but tonight is not the time.  For right now I'm just posting a quick snip-it.

You know the last post I wrote about here and went on about loving casting???  Well ever since that darn last cast has come off it has been a struggle.  I feel like Nya has been great with keeping the flexibility meaning she still is able to keep her heel on the ground really well.  And usually by the time our next Botox is scheduled she is really on her tippy toes and you can tell boy oh boy its time to get her in.  (oh by the way, botox is next Tuesday so yep like 3 days and we are actually canceling the appointment.  It's just not right at this time to do more injections...but we will again I'm sure of it)

So the problem this time isn't that she's on her toes so much the problem is how she is using her whole left leg.  It is just weird, odd, messed up, incorrect, and what ever other descriptions you want to throw in there.  I don't think I can even describe it but here's trying... So she turns her left foot out (completely opposite from pigeon toed) and then she slightly turns her leg out too from her hip.  Then it's almost like she tries to walk with her leg straight rather than bending her knee.  She also looks like she is doing some back kneeing where it appears she is nearly hyper-extending her knee.

As if this funky walk isn't enough.  It actually comes and goes.  Seriously what's up with that?  And why does it go so I can make it go more often.  There really doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason.  If I remind her to walk with her toes forward it helps some.  (So if you are ever around and hear me say that you'll know why.)  Also it seems that if she runs it is better as well if we march.  So again if you see us and we (yes that means Nya and me usually) are marching it is my way of helping her to keep her little leg in line.

Oh and her night-time brace started giving her fits.  Really it just left a little mark on her foot that still (2-3 weeks later) has not gone away even though she hasn't worn her brace since it showed up?

Can I tell you all the information that I learn about this little girl just makes me more and more amazed at life and abilities in general.  It is truly a miracle to have healthy little children.  The body is amazing and can do so much and how it all works together is just mind blowing!

Okay one final note -totally NOT a set back here.  This girl can talk. It is so fun to hear all of the funny little comments that have been coming out of her mouth lately.  Now there are still times that it is hard to understand what she is saying more because she throws so darn many words together so fast.  I often have my Elle translator on hand.  I don't know how but really my little Elle can totally translate pretty much everything Nya says on the first go!  Way to go Elle.

Casting

Oh casting how I love thee!  I know a little disturbing that I'm all too happy to willingly put a cast on Nya's leg.  And of course it is her weak leg.  But man I'm telling you what I love it!  It makes such a difference for her so quickly.  We just finished our 3rd round of serial casting in less than a year, so it will be interesting to see how many more times we cast this up coming year.

Here's the process.  We do botox about every three months (another love that I have- I'll work on that story for later -remember HUGE catch up here).  It takes about 7-10 days to really have the botox take affect.  So within about a week of botox we schedule our first serial casting appointment.  We've been doing therapy with Primary Children's and have just in the last 3 months changed to Shriner's so this was our 1st experience with casting at Shriner's.  Their procedure is to leave her in the same cast for 2 weeks.  In the past it was only for a week.  I like not having to travel every week for 5 weeks to have it re-cast.  And the 1st two castings at Shriner's went well.  Even the 3rd (so now a total of 6 weeks in the cast) went well but I just wasn't as pleased with the end result as I had been with Primary Children's.  When we start the casting, her flexibilty (probably there is a technical word for this) is about -3 or -4.  With Primary's we've been able to get her to a flexibility of +8 to +10.  But with Shriner's we were only at a +4.  That just doesn't seem like enough but still the results are always so positive.  I don't see eliminating serial casing any time soon!  When she is in the cast she is just so much more stable and I love that!

The concern with her leg and the tightness is that her bones are going to start growing and her muscles are not going to keep up with them because they are too tight.  The way to fix this is to have a heel cord release.  It doesn't sound bad.  But what that means is that they do surgery on her achilles tendon by cutting little "V"s on the tendon so that it gives some room to stretch.  But if we have to do this, it means we will likely continue to have to do it every time she grows.  I DO NOT want to have to do this surgery.  So if it means that I cast her every 3 months along with botox, then yep I'm all over that!
Last night we got home from taking off her last cast again its been 6 weeks since she really had it off.  Her little skin is all dry and just looks a little red she definitely was a little more irritated.  I don't know that these pics really show very well what it looks like.

Her poor little toes curl in so much.  I don't know that this is something that will ever be fixed.  No Doctor, therapist, etc seem to be concerned about it.  But can you see a difference between the two?  The foot on the left the toes are straight and on the right they are all curved and turned in.

One of the best parts -at least for Nya- for getting the cast off is that she can now wear "zip ups"  oh boy was she excited about those "zip ups" never mind the fact they they really are too small. She was determined that she was going to wear them.

And this was the best smile I  got when I asked her to look at the camera.  I'm not sure why she thinks that when you smile she must now nearly close her eyes.  But whatever I think she's still pretty cute!

I'm sure there is so much more about casting but for now this will have to do!

N-Y-A

Last night as we were making our donuts with the kids I had Nya spell her name for Bryan.  I've heard her spell it before and I didn't know if he had heard her do it or not.  So I asked her how to spell her name and first she just carefully said her name "Nyah - A".  We often call her "Ny Ny" so she usually refers to herself as "Ny Ny".  With her speech problems, she usually leaves the ending off words so we've been trying to work on the endings and that's why she really enunciates her name as "Nyah - A".

Okay tangent back to spelling her name.  After she said her name instead of spelling it I asked her tell daddy the letters in her name.  She always throws out "N" but has to think about the other letters for a minute. In fact she always thinks that words with an "N" in them are her name.   Oops again back on track...So she got to "N-Y" and finally got the "A".  Then she just went on repeating it.  "N-Y-A, N-Y-A".  At that point Bry and I had a quick conversation about what a blessing it was that we named her Nya for no other reason than it is easy for her to spell it.  In fact, I told him, I don't even remember what other names we had for her? (Again sad to not have all of these memories) However her name was pretty set for the last few months of my pregnancy but I just wasn't really telling anyone, so that might be why I don't remember any other names.

First snow fall 2012

It snowed and then stopped and then tried again and then stopped and now it is again!  Its really looking kind of white outside!  Winter really isn't my favorite season.  Don't get me wrong I LOVE a white Christmas and I don't know that I would enjoy living somewhere that I don't get all four seasons. But I'm just not sure I was totally ready for the snow today. Didn't matter it came anyway!!  I had been wanting to do something for the kids that we can do every 1st snowfall of the year.  So I randomly decided to do some donuts and hot chocolate.  Of course like everything I do we got a late start.  So I joked with kids that our dinner would be donuts.  Fortunately Dad was home tonight and helped out so kids were fed real food and then the sugar.

 I've been thinking about traditions a lot lately and I don't think that we have many as a family so I want to try and create more.  So hopefully this one sticks.  The kids were pretty excited about the idea too.

They were all crowded around as I was making the dough.  I love that they want to help!  Even when I am getting flour all over the place! - oh well it cleans right?

Nya enjoyed just as much as the big kids. She had been saying she wanted to go to bed (but I think that was her way of trying to get out of dinner- stinker she's getting too smart). As soon as the hot chocolate was brought out she was right there ready for the goods!  And I'm telling you what this girl is spoiled.  The big kids never got away with no dinner and still getting the treats later...oh what are we in for?

Elle was having fun with the faces.  We often play with our food.  They didn't turn out great but she wanted the happy and sad face pictures.  I love how she's using her eyes with the happy and sad faces.

And then my Tanner! He made a "donut straw".  He was so proud of his new creation and needed a pic of it!

Well I don't have one of the baby tonight but she was also enjoying the donuts.  She was eating them up as I was making them all thus why I don't have any of her enjoying them- I was a little covered in dough!

Well heres hoping to creating more traditions! Oh and the best part about tonight was that Bry was actually in on it all.  I totally got kudos for working on a new tradition!