Accidents

I'm getting a little nervous. A week ago Friday we witnessed an accident. I had 6 children with me (Brook was with Cami and James was with Jay). We had left the bank and were heading home to get dinner ready. I pulled onto Hwy 191 (we live on this street) and there was a motorcyclist traveling in front of us, going the same direction as us- south. I saw a car turning left in front of the motorcycle, and thought my depth perception was just off when I thought they were going to collide. I started yelling "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh." The motorcycle hit the car, and it's rider flipped over the car and landed on the street. Hard. No helmet. I slammed on the brakes (it's on a 35 mph zone, so we weren't going too fast) and put my hazards on. I got out and dialed 911, and told the kids, in no uncertain terms, they were not to get out of the car. The man immediately began seizing, and his left leg was badly broken. I was afraid to go close to him for fear he might be dead. No helmet. My kids were glued to the front windshield of the van trying to see what was happening. Two other women in scrubs stopped. I was glad they were nurses. The man tried to stand up on his broken leg- obviously unaware of his situation. The two women convinced him to stay down. A police officer arrived- a friend of Jay's dad. I told her what I saw, and she asked me to wait around. I put a sweatshirt on because it got cold. More police came, and an ambulance. They cut his pants off, got the motocycle off the road, got traffic diverted, etc. When the medics were taking care of the man, the police got my statement, and told me I could leave. I left before they got him in the ambulance.

Yesterday this man's mother called to thank me for helping. I didn't really help. I watched. I told her it was okay for the insurance to contact me if they had any questions. It was pretty obvious that the 83-year-old woman driving the car just plain didn't see the motorcycle coming. She told me he had brain bleeds, a cracked skull (no helmet) and pins and plates in his ankle. He still has ringing in his ears. Black eyes, and pretty bruised up. She said he's doing as well as can be expected.

Sunday at 1:00 am, I was in and out of sleep when I heard a loud thud, followed by a huge flash of light. Either there was a storm I didn't know about, or someone had just taken out a power pole. I looked out the blinds from my bedroom window while Jay groggily asked what I was doing. There was a smashed up car on the said of the road. Jay went outside (in his underwear) to see what was going on. I peeked out too, then when our neighbor came out, went upstairs for clothes for Jay. He talked to our neighbor while still not fully clothed. I thought that was funny. After getting dressed, Jay walked out to the accident and found a friend of his who is a police officer. An officer had been following a car debating about whether or not to pull her over. I guess she wasn't driving too well. Next thing he knew, the car hit the telephone pole and snapped it in half. All the power was out. They said the woman walked away from the accident- her airbag had deployed. They found a bag of weed, and said she was definitely high. She's lucky she wasn't hurt. The power was out for over 7 hours. It was cold when we woke up in the morning- no heater all night. It came back on as we were getting the kids ready for school in the morning. I'd been wondering how to get through my day without power. No dishwasher, no laundry, no oven. That could have been disastrous. A big thank you to all the city and county employees who spent their night installing a new power pole.

Barbara on the Bulldozer

O, Christmas Tree

Well, after feeling very grinchy, grinchish, grinchlike, grinchesque for a few weeks, I finally decided it was time to put the tree up and get some decorations out. Amy Grant's "A Christmas Album" can't be outdone. It always puts me in a good mood. We walked the tree from the nursery to our house with a wagon. The older girls helped me get it set in the stand, and practically did all the decorations themselves.

Within the first 24 hours we had 3 broken ornaments. I had to invest in a few shatterproof ornaments to hopefully last us through one holiday season.

Saturday Was a Special Day....

We made cupcakes for Richard- his birthday was Sunday

Then, in a weak moment, I agreed to take 7 kids (Bob was working on the ranch with Jay) to the light parade on Main Street. We got red and green kettle corn, and enjoyed most of the parade, but left early when my children thought it was okay to crawl INSIDE the city's large tree to play tag.

Thanksgiving 2009

In no particular order:

Me stuffing my face.

Lilly on the roof of the playhouse.

Emma

Bob

Me and Suzee

Bob at Merry Main Street with a hot chocolate face.

Some Thanksgiving pie- my first attempt ever at Lemon Meringue
Friday, the Christmas trees arrived.

Saturday the weather started to get a bit dreary.

Lilly, among others, enjoyed the pool.Everyone took turns cleaning out the leaves so the kids could swim.

Quick Trip

Cami and I made a quick trip to Mesa last Friday for supplies. We enjoyed a little time at the mall, had Olive Garden for lunch, went to Costco and stopped by Cole's soccer game.

More Leaves

So Long, Farewell

Jake passed away yesterday too. No more dogs. The kids are dealing with it well, just sad. It's crazy to think that they all died so quickly. At least they're not suffering anymore.

Disease

Tiger didn't make it either. He just died this morning, and the kids don't know yet. So sad. Jay was with him all day yesterday, and he finally locked his jaw and refused to drink anything. Jake is pretty bad too. Not sure if he'll make it either.

Jake and Tiger

Here's Jake

And Tiger and Jake wrestling

And then she's gone...

Apparently Bella's shyness and calmness wasn't just shyness and calmness. We think that by the time we got her- just a week ago- she had parvo. She died yesterday. I found her out in her cage. Not fun. Maybe we'll get another dog. Today Tiger started showing signs of being sick as well, so the cage has to be moved, and everything disinfected. So sad.

Leaves Are Falling All Around

So many fun things to do with leaves.

Swimming in November

Yes, we're still swimming. We swam Monday night for family night. The water was wonderful.

Pets

I don't have any pictures yet, but we brought Jake home with us from Mesa. He's a French Brittany. Yes, another dog. He's really playful. He obeys better than Bella so far. And Tiger is getting huge. So, right now we have:

2 cows (Oreo already got butchered and will be eaten for Thanksgiving)
3 rabbits
3 dogs
2 kittens
Countless chickens and ducks

Plus the occasional skunk, squirrel, snake or bat.

Jay called me on Saturday while I was in Mesa and asked if I wanted to bring back a friend. I thought he meant a human. He meant the new dog. I bought a plastic tub for him to ride home in, but he kept jumping out. Just what I needed. Another distraction on my drive home. As if 8 kids weren't enough. I had to keep one hand on the steering wheel and one hand on Jake almost the entire drive. Not to mention the fact that I had to stop 3 times to feed an unhappy Suzee. It was a long drive home. And by the way, I don't even like pets. Jay owes me.

Mesa Day

Grandpa gave everyone a motorcycle ride around the back yard.

Suzee

Karen gave 5 haircuts.

Janna

Abbey

Emma

Jones

Brent and Jones

James

Rachel and Lilly

Suzee

I took the kids to Mesa Saturday for haircuts and to see Brent and Errin before they move to California.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Remember that time last week when I tried to get a measuring cup out of the cupboard, and I accidentally spilled an open bottle of hydrogen peroxide on Suzee and myself. Typically that would be no big deal, but this bottle has been without a lid for quite some time, and had become "oxidized" or something. I rinsed right after it happened, but about 20 minutes later it BURNED! I called Jay who looked it up on the internet, and it said the only way to stop the burning was to flush for 15 minutes. Who has 15 minutes in the middle of dinner with 8 hungry children? I got plates served and then got Suzee and myself in the bath. Our feet and legs were getting round white patches where the hydrogen peroxide has spilled on us. Luckily, after the bath, the burning, and eventually the white spots, went away.

Bella

Meet Bella. She joined our ever-growing family yesterday. She's about 8 weeks old, and she's a Great Pyrenees. Mix that with Tiger the LabraDane, and you get one large dog. Tiger is happy to have a friend to play with. So far Bella is very shy and calm with the kids.

Halloween 2009

Abbey the baker

James showing me his tiger tail

Emma the sorceress holding Suzee the ladybug

Lilly the cowgirl

Brook the duck

Waiting in line to go fishing for candy at our trunk-or-treat.

Lilly, Abbey, James, Brook

Emmy, Audriana, Emma and Bob

Janna the China girl (she made up her costume last minute)

Our ward soup dinner before the trunk-or-treat

Me- the Red Rider. The costume was hot... as in warm.

Saturday

Saturday was fabulous weather. We loved rolling around in the grass, until we rolled into some chicken poop. Ah, the joys of animals.

Today the weather is not so fabulous. Cold and windy.

School Pictures

Jay, Jr.- Kindergarten

Abbey- 4th Grade

Emma- 4th Grade

Janna- 3rd Grade

Lilly- Kindergarten

Playground

We filled sippies with orange Koolaid and headed out back to the playground Wednesday morning. Just as we were leaving the house, it started sprinkling. When we got to the playground it started pouring. We were stuck on the boat until the rain subsided. Luckily, I had my camera with me.

Prize Glasses

My kids sold cookie dough to earn these babies.

Reno, The Fair, Swimming with Tiger and Surgery

October 6-8, Jay, Suzee and I went to Reno for an annual show we attend to buy inventory for the next year. A nice lady who said she's "been there before" took the camera from me and got a picture with all 3 of us.Suzee enjoying a bath at the hotel.

Jay deep in thought about the purchases he was making.

Suzee on one of our many trip to the hallway for a break and to eat.

Graham County Fair was big for us this year. It's the first year our company did a booth, and it was a lot of work. Not so much for me, but for Joe, Dustin and Jay who manned the booth and made countless batches of homemade ice cream and root beer. They had a good response to the products and information on display. Unfortunately, Jay being at the booth meant me alone with 8 kids, which is part of why I though I lost my camera. And I never got a picture of the booth. This one is Janna, Abbey and Emma riding the hang gliding ride.

James and Brook on a truck ride.

Brook, James and Lilly on a cute carriage ride.

Suzee in the infamous back pack, which is where I eventually found my camera. It was in the part where she sits, where Janna swore she'd already looked.

Just after "Starship 2000"- a gravity ride that glues you to the walls. Janna hates pictures right now.

Sam, Lia, Sean and Brook on the "Miracle Round" according to Brook.

And the bull ride, in order of how they actually rode. Uncle Sean first.

Then Lilly.

Janna

Emma

Abbey

Jay Jr.

Brook, who tried so hard not to cry. She wanted to ride, then didn't, then did, then didn't, and after the nice operator man let her pet it, she decided to ride. She didn't get bucked off.

Lia

Then I got the flu, and was in bed Sunday and Monday. Thank goodness for Jay and Cami. On Sunday we attended Dad and Patty's ward, then it hit me hard. I got the shakes and chills, and fever and Jay put me to bed. He took all the kids and was gone for over 6 hours. That might not seem like a big deal, but he had Suzee too. She hasn't gone more than 2 hours without me EVER! She and I are attached at the hip. Literally. She nurses all the time still, and rarely eats any solid food, and doesn't drink a bottle. Then Monday Cami came over while I did the "have to" stuff and work, then I went back to bed. Dad and Patty brought chicken over for dinner so I didn't have to cook. What a relief. Tuesday I felt like a new person. The pool is heated, so everyone came over for dinner and ice cream. We grilled 88 pieces of corn that Dad, Patty and some of the kids picked from the garden. We also had some fresh watermelon, and homemade apple pie ice cream. It was a fabulous night.

Papa and Dustin swimming with some of the kids.

Jay making the ice cream. Jay got Tiger in the pool, and he hopped on Jay's back and swam around like that several times. Later in the evening the kids were racing to see who could get the dive sticks the fastest. Jay took a turn, and swam hard enough into the bottom/side of the pool that he broke open the skin on the bridge of his nose. You can see it a little in the next picture. It's still swollen and painful.

Wednesday morning Jay had knee surgery for a bucket tear on his meniscus. Other than some complications with anesthesia, things went well. He took a day off to recover, and is back almost full speed. He was hesitant to have the spinal block for his surgery after hearing lots of horror stories. The anesthesiologist talked him into it, and what do you know? Somehow, nerves got blocked for way too long, and 2 days later he still had numb/tingling feeling in his lower half. He called the hospital and spoke with the anesthesiologist, who told him to take a high dose of motrin. The next morning he felt better, and has been doing fine since.

My parents and Rachel and Cole came on Saturday to visit, but I got no pictures. We had corn and watermelon, and grilled again. The kids swam of course. And now I'm caught up.

Oreo

Here he is. Our prize from the fair. He's..... stinky.

Happy Day!

I found my camera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lots of pictures to come. I have recovered from the flu and feel almost 100%, but Jay had knee surgery this morning. Everything went well, and he is home recovering. So, when I get a chance, I'll get pictures added.

So Much To Do...

And so little time. I really want to add pictures, but I lost my camera. I think at the fair. After I took pictures of "Oreo" the newest member of our family. He's a cow. Yes, Jay bought a cow.

Last week Jay, Suzee and I went to Reno for a trade show. It was great. I lost all those pictures with my camera.

Then we did a booth at the fair, complete with sixteen plus batches of homemade ice cream and some homemade root beer. We also went on rides and stuff. I lost all those pictures too. I could handle having to save to buy a new camera, but I'd really like those pictures, especially since all the kids plus Sean rode the "bull" ride, and I had some good pictures of that.

Then Saturday night I got the chills pretty bad and thought it was just from being cold after getting out of the pool. It wasn't. I got the flu. After Dad and Patty's homecoming talks on Sunday, I was in bed the rest of the day, and most of Monday. Fever, chills, body shakes, nasty. I feel much better today, but I still want my camera.

Last night I drove to the fairgrounds and looked around where I last remember having it. Not there. This morning I called the fairgrounds office to check lost and found. Not there. It will be nothing short of a miracle if I find that camera. Me herding the kids back to the car by myself must have distracted me from making sure I had everything. I was sure I had it though.

Sisters

These 2 were being cute. That's all.

Aqua Roller

The debut of the Aqua Roller. Why Jay waited until the end of the season to get this out, I don't know. But, it was fun anyway.

Necklace

This is the necklace I made for all 6 girls at my crafty Saturday a couple weeks ago.

Bad Day

I wrote a list of things that happened last Tuesday to make it a bad day for me. I don't have very many of those. Anyway, this is what started it all. Brook snuck into my van and dumped out my brand new Bare Escentuals make-up all over.

Sleepy Suzee

She fell asleep sitting next to me while I was fixing the girls hair for school

Evidence

Evidence Bob and Lilly snuck into my office.

Canvas

What better place to create art than on the back of every seat in my van? Any suggestions for removal of ink from vinyl?

Cyst

Janna begged and begged for me to take her to the doctor for this bump on her stomach. After about a month when I realized it wasn't going away, I made an appointment for her. I called Jay and asked if he could watch the other kids while I took her to the doctor. He opted to take her to the doctor instead. After numbing Janna, he cut the cyst open and wanted to remove it in one piece. Apparently Janna was freaking out and couldn't handle it, so he dug around with some tool, and flushed it all out. Jay said it was pretty nasty. I don't think Janna will be wanting to go to the doctor again any time soon.

Vegas!

Hoover Dam

Bob, Lilly

Brook, Jay

The amazing hotel suite with 4 flat screen TV's, full laundry, 2 kitchens, 2 living rooms, 2 bedrooms and 2 amazing bathrooms.

Arcade games at New York New York- Brook, Lilly, Bob

Suzee on top of a game

Lilly tearin' up DDR

Bob, Janna on a virtual reality roller coaster

We broke the ride, so we didn't get to find out how cool it was- Me, Abbey

Watching the Manhatton Express roller coaster. Jay, Patty, Abbey, Emma and I rode. The others were too short.

Brook in front of Treasure Island

Emma

Abbey in the Venetian in front of the gondola rides.

Janna, Lilly on a ride.

Bob, Jay, Suzee, Abbey

Jay, Suzee

The kids on "Disko"

Janna, Abbey on "The Inverter"

Everyone on the swinging boat ride

Bumper cars

Lilly, Jay

Me holding Suzee. She got a fever and was miserable. Roy and I took turns with her while Jay took kids on rides.

Brook, Jay, James

Bob

JannaVegas girls Abbey, Janna, Lilly, Emma

Last night swimming at the hotel- Brook, Emma

Lilly

We had a fun time in Las Vegas. The first day was more adult-ish with the garden show. The kids loved the second day with gondola rides at the Venetian, and games and rides at Circus Circus.

Crafty

Saturday we had a Relief Society Super Saturday full of crafts, which I love to do when someone else tells me what to do. The idea part is hard for me. Anyway, I made these, which I am in LOVE with, and want to make lots more. Maybe for my kids rooms. Someday when they have rooms versus one room. Off track again. I also made necklaces for all the girls, and some "Ho Ho Ho" Christmas blocks. It was a busy day. I had Janna with me to help with Suzee, but she ended up doing most of the craft stuff while I held Suzee. Thanks Amy and Dustin for watching the other 6. They had a blast.

LabraWHAT?

Labradane- A mix between a Labrador and a Great Dane. Meet Tiger, who joined our family on Friday (much to my dismay).

The kids are thrilled. I'm not.

He's six weeks old and cute- for now.

Fun in the Sun

It was 105 degrees outside yesterday when we went to play in the water at Papa and Patty's. The kids had fun nontheless.

Night Swimming Again

Bob's Cannonball

Janna's Dive

Bob's Dive

Emma and Jay Diving Together

Suzee with the Goggles

Brook, Emma, James

The Gang

Lilly Trying to Stay Under Water

Friday Party

A few more pictures from when Dad and Patty got home.

Mt. Graham 09/12/09

I took the kids plus Jacob and Katelynn to Mt. Graham on Saturday. We went to Arcadia and had a picnic lunch, then took turns shooting a pellet gun. We hiked around a bit, took lots of pictures, and had only one accident. Brook helped James faceplant on the road, resulting in some minor road rash. It was a fun day, and I got Abbey and Emma back in time to attend a party that Abbey has "been waiting 2 years to go to."

Suzee

Jacob

Beautiful scenery

Janna

Lilly

Emma

Lilly, Katelynn

Bob, Brook

Katelynn

Suzee in the backpack that has made my life SO much easier

James

James, Jacob, Bob, Abbey, Emma, Suzee, Brook, Janna, Lilly Katelynn

James, Bob, Abbey, Emma, Suzee, Brook, Janna, Lilly

Jacob, Katelynn

Brook didn't believe she had jelly on her face, so I took a picture to show her

Janna, Suzee

Emma and Jacob with the "huge hammer" they found and rolled down the hill to show me

Suzee eating pine needles

Suzee

Bob

Emma

James after he fell
James on Monday- 2 days post-faceplant

Okra

Jay likes okra. I don't. I don't like the smell or the taste. Then add vinegar. Gag. That always makes me gag. But pickled okra all bottled up is ... pretty and so productive looking. Good job Jay.

They're Back!

Papa and Patty got home from their mission on Thursday. Friday evening the party renting the pool was an earlier party, and was done by 8pm, so we met there afterward for some cake and swimming. Friday was also Jonathan's birthday. So glad they're home!

P.S. Abbey had this 3-tier cake planned for months. Too bad the follow-through wasn't as great as her design. I'm sure we'll have plenty more opportunities to sharpen our cake decorating skills.

Smiles

For real. Jay and I smiled at the same time. And he shaved.

Ellsworth Weekend- Labor Day 2009