Changes

A few months ago I took the safety gate down from around the bottom of the ladder to the loft. Baby B didn't show much interest in climbing and J is an amazing climber, so I wasn't too worried. Yesterday I heard someone shaking the gate/door to the loft- and I was surprised to see my baby happily standing on the top rung of the ladder, giggling and shaking away at the gate. I did not go to find the camera, I bolted up that ladder in .12 seconds flat and I opened the gate and let the poor little silly baby in. He played happily for quite a long time, eventually wanting to come back down. I spent much of the rest of the day with an eye on that little guy, climbing the ladder after him, fearing that he would get the urge to jump (why do I fear that, J never jumped). When Ken got home little B showed off his new skill for Daddy- and I made sure Daddy got a picture.

I haven't been able to run in 3 weeks. It has made me sad :( see, just like that sad face ): The past few days I have been kind of down, and while over the past year or so when I've been down I could look forward to being able to go run, feel like I  had accomplished something and feel good (for some reason sweating makes me feel good) now, I can't run!!!! Stupid Runners Knee- Stop Hurting- I have rested you! I have let you REST! Anyway, I decided I wanted a change and what's easy to change- HAIR, so I got Bangs. I don't remember the last time I had long hair with bangs- it could have been 20 years ago- I may have to look at yearbooks.

So now I get to figure out how to "Train" my bangs. Hopefully I still like them on Monday.

Kate's Big Trip

So I attended my first Premier Designs Rally. It was in Ontario California. Alecia and I were going to drive down (because flights into Ontario cost $350+ and gas would cost $240- or $120 each) But a week or so before Ken's coworker let us know about a Sale that Jet Blue was running. We were able to get round trip tickets into Long Beach for $119.60! But Long Beach is 45 miles away from Ontario- so we rented an economy car......What, they were out of economy cars......check out our ride! A Cherry Red Mustang! 

Alecia and I had w fabulous 2 days at Rally, we were inspired to set some pretty big goals for ourselves. We danced, We sang, We hoped to win prizes (we didn't win, guess other people needed those prizes more) and we learned that people don't know how to use cameras with zoom anymore, (AND that Kate has a wicked awesome picture face! Seriously, I am glad no one slapped me on my back!)

Then we drove our Sweet Mustang back to Long Beach and flew home. The Flight home was just as much fun as the Rally, we met lots of fun people and talked and talked and talked, and apparently we talked loud because as we were waiting for the Shuttle a couple said "So you two sell Jewelry?" and so of course we talked with them too!

I climbed into bed at Midnight, still super excited and happy with my Rally Experience. More on that later. I have to do my chores now.

Strangers with Knives- the Continuing Saga

Last Thursday we took our little B to Primary Children's Hospital to have his second surgery. He had tubes put in and his adenoids taken out last April. This trip he underwent a MAGPI Hypospadias Repair, similar to the surgery his older brother had in January of 2009. J's surgery taught me to get really anxious whenever anyone goes near my children with knives.......so, on Thursday, even though B had done fine during and after his first surgery, I was ANXIOUS. I was probably the only one, I mean check this kid out- does he look scared? No!

We checked in, and changed clothes.....

and played.....

and cuddled.....

and got tired....

Little B was eventually declared well enough for surgery by a PA, but since he had croup in the middle of December, about 4 weeks prior to the surgery, we were told that the Anesthesiologist would have the final call as to whether or not they would proceed with the surgery. There were some huge delays in the OR that day and so we waited almost 2 more hours before talking to the Anesthesiologist. 

During our wait, B put on a fashion show.....

.... and Learned to Drive.....

Eventually we did meet with the Anesthesiologist who explained that, even though the outward symptoms of croup are gone, the throat is often still inflamed and adding intubation to an inflamed throat is not a good thing. Intubation is a common practice during pediatric surgery because for some odd reason kids get so relaxed they forget to breath. They would attempt Surgery without intubation and the anesthesiology would monitor his breathing very very closely.

The Surgery went very well. Our little B is quite the trooper. They let me go back into the first post anesthesia area and as I entered I heard my baby screaming "MAAAAAAMA! MAAAAAMA!" a very kind male nurse was  attempting to calm him down, but B wanted nothing to do with him. I grabbed my baby and within seconds he had stopped screaming. This was very special to me, because- I must admit- B loves Ken, he loves me too, but I am his second choice if Ken is around. So the fact that he was calling for me, and that he calmed so quickly made my heart melt that much more. About 30 minutes later they brought Ken into the Post Anesthesia area and as soon as he saw his Daddy, B reached out for him. (So you see, I am still second choice, but I'm okay with that). Our little Trooper B recovered very quickly, he was drinking (and keeping it down) way before they expected him too, and he was moving and shaking and dancing and playing....well, maybe not dancing.....but they released him much earlier than expected. This was a complete, 180 degree, different experience from what we had with J. J couldn't keep his oxygen up, he threw up every time we attempted to get him to drink. We were there for a few extra hours. Because of J, Ken and I bring extra clothes. Extra clothes are evidently not needed with B.

Here's our happy little camper as he was released from the hospital.

A passing doctor saw us taking that picture and asked if we wanted one of the entire entourage.  Of course we did!

And that is the continuing Saga of Strangers with Knives. Now- if we can make it through today and tomorrow without any "Bleeding" incidents, I think I may be able to get over my surgical anxiety.

Christmas!

Well, We woke up, ate a nummy nummy breakfast (Peach French Toast, just thinking about it makes me want more!) got dressed in our finest and went to Church! It was a wonderful meeting, I LOVE Christmas! But since I wanted Christmas to be about Christ and not about the presents I decided that I would put the tree- and thus the gifts-downstairs this year. 

When we got home, I changed my clothes and we went downstairs to find THIS!

I tried to get a shot of J coming around the corner and seeing the Christmas Tree and presents.....but he was moving way to fast. I love it, even though it's blurry. When I look at this picture I see the future Elder Wheeler.

Here's my Happy Ken, my ecstatic J and a very tired B, before we opened presents.

This is what a year's worth of running gave me for Christmas! I like this picture.

Here's what Ken and the boys gave me for Christmas (well one of many things) to keep me safe while I run.

Here is my Happy B, candy and a new toy- what more could a boy ask for?

A NEW KITCHEN!!!! COMPLETE WITH FOOD AND COOKWARE!!!!! That's what.

He may look small but he is a fabulous chef.

And what about J, What was under his blanket? (some presents were too big to wrap) Well, the Island of Sodor of course, what else would be under J's blanket?

It was a fabulous Christmas!

More end of year randomness

Jared discovered his father's secret chair....unfortunately it is missing a piece and won't stay inflated....so sad! (yet I keep forgetting to throw it away.)

sometimes these boys just HAVE to be on my lap.

Someone destroyed some Styrofoam....that stuff is hard to clean up.

"And here's a picture of my feet"

"And my brother's foot"

"Oh, and Mom figured out I have the camera....I'll take a picture of her too"

once there was....a Snowlump?

So Utah has the Greatest Snow on EARTH.....or so we're told.

I've never skied before, but I figure it must be good skiing snow....because it's not necessarily the best snow for Snowman making.

Here's J and the Snow pile that he and Ken made yesterday- J could care less that the snow wouldn't pack, he was just happy that there was enough snow to play in, and that he finally got to use the snowman decorating kit we got at Target (for 50 cents!!!!).

Playing Catch Up

Well, you may have noticed, I've been a teeny bit of a slacker when it's come to blogging. To make up for this mistake, I will now present you with some of my favorite moments from the first few weeks of January (I need to find the Christmas pictures. So Christmas will have to wait, for now)

He's my Helper- he sometimes sits on the door of the dishwasher (he gets shewed off quickly - and I only took pictures this one time) and he knows EXACTLY where the silverware goes!

 He gets rewarded with Chocolate Chip Cookies too.

 I went out of town for a couple of days and when I returned  there was photographic proof that our children had been fed!

 There was also proof that our youngest, is in fact........A Vampire! A very cute one at that.

 We had a little visitor- She is Practically Perfect in every way! So sweet, talking in complete sentences "This  is a Toilet!" (or was it potty...can't remember, but I was amazed at how verbal little girls are) And she also does silly little things that keep her from being taken right back to heaven- like putting potty's on her head (don't worry- it's clean)

 Wearing Underwear hats and  talking on Shoe phones. 

 Her cousin J couldn't help but follow her example.

 Here's something I talked about on facebook- If you don't know where your long stay lipstick is.....just wait until "Quiet Time" and your almost 4 year old will quietly play with it. ALSO, I learned how to get long lasting lipstick off very easily- Eye Makeup Remover! 

 And here is where they were all being Monkeys and Jumping on the bed. It was 10 good minutes of fun, and I didn't even have to call the doctor when it was over.