Pre-Christmas Fun, As Told Through the JELLO-Brain

Riddle you this: My boys declared yesterday Taysom Hill day, and Friday Alani Fua day. They also had Jamal Williams day, but that was a few weeks ago. What made them select those specific days? Who is the truest of Cougar fans . . .

I have JELLO brain from long days and late nights, but I know all kinds of happy snappiness happened this week . . . Gary had his big choir Christmas program today, and the beautiful songs were the only thing that kept Lissy's attention (her attention was kept at no other point). I thought it sounded fantastic, myself. I have just been busy trying to solve every single problem with the women in the ward and also play Santa's little helper. As for being Santa's helper, it's so amazing and humbling to see how many people want to help others. I've gotten so many calls, to do things outside of what is already on the angel tree. So many great people! As for solving all the problems, I had an epiphany - if people would be loving and caring visiting teachers, I would hardly have anything to do but coordinate. It's so different to see the whole "assignment" as loving people enough to make sure people are doing well and progressing spiritually than as an obligatory drop-in. I've thought of this before, but somehow it takes on a new light when you are suddenly feeling the weight of making sure all is well.

We went caroling with the ward, or a few from the ward, on Tuesday. It was so cute to see Lissy walking around in her snowsuit and boots, trying her best to sing. The boys had fun, but once they discovered long icicles, that was the new fun. We had our Relief Society Christmas dinner on Wednesday, and had a great turnout. The committee did an awesome job, and I was happy to see my neighbor who has never walked into the church for any reason. We had a HUGE snowstorm Thursday. Gary spent 3.5 hours commuting that day, and not much less than that the next day. Being as I could barely drive to the church for preschool, I can't believe no schools were cancelled, but it was beautiful out there. Turns out giving Andrew a snow shovel is very good for him. He's in a great mood after a while, and he looks adorable in snow clothes.

Oh, yeah, preschool at the church. I had preschool this week, and we had the Christmas party Thursday. Topic was The Gingerbread Man, and since I've made it twice this week in the wee hours of the morning, I can testify that the Our Best Bites recipe is a winner. Silly gingerbread guys ran away at our party, and we had to run around trying to catch him. Kids loved it, and I can never get enough of them being excited. A few funny things:

- I told a few of the girls, "You are sitting so great, you really look ready for kindergarten next year." (They really are going.) Andrew blurted out, "I got my kindergarten shots!" Missed the point of my manipulation, but he sure was adorably proud.

- For his gingerbread man's eyes, Andrew took some round flat candies, and put some mini-M&M's in there for the irises. He is the only kid who did this, and thought of it himself. Adorable again.

- Noah put hips on his gingerbread men, with gummies.

- Lissy just ate candies.

- When I was cleaning up, the kids went to the nursery and made a bus of dolls. There were 7 chairs arranged into a bus, a doll on each chair, and Noah sat in front with a fake steering wheel, driving them around. Andrew was in back with the babies, and Lissy let out the girliest shriek of joy ever when she saw what they'd done.

Lissy ran into her friend Dallin on Friday while she was racing on the stairs. I guess they really collided, because she has a fat lip, and also knocked her front teeth loose. Van didn't do it, but Dallin's head . . . Called the dentist to see if anything could be done, and they wanted to see her. Turns out not because they can save the teeth, but because sometimes they need to be pulled right away so they don't form an abcess. The dentist said we'll leave them for now, and if there's any hope of her keeping them, she can't suck a binkie. Taking it away hasn't been as heinous as we feared, but she is pretty sad. I bought her some soft popsicles after the dentist, and I said, "I'm looking for some popsicles that Lissy will be able to eat and will make her mouth feel better." Andrew leaned forward, clutched his leg, and said, "Oh, my knee hurts so much, I think the thing that will help it is Avengers popsicles." The boy stocking the freezer was laughing. Of course I bought them, you would have.

Okay, turns out some things came through the JELLO. Oh, yes, my favorite, which I will now add to the beginning . . . and if you didn't figure out the riddle (which is highly unlikely if you're not reading it on the date it was written), the answer is each day on the Christmas countdown that corresponded to a BYU football player's jersey number that they knew they declared to be that player's day. Christmas itself was "Cosmo Day."

From a Call that Stunned Me to Josh's Preview

Started writing this last week, and then there was stuff and now I dare me to finish . . . 

I guess I stopped updating a month ago when my stake had a boundary re-alignment on Sunday night. They re-did the boundaries of 6 wards, and made a 7th. Our ward lost a street (sob! love those people), but gained 3 streets or so. Net gain of kids, that's for sure. 

That week I finally felt un-nauseated enough to cook dinner, and thought life may return to normal. I got a text asking me to come with Gary to meet with the bishop an hour and a half before church, and went expecting to team teach a primary class, or at the very loftiest, be a counselor in the Relief Society. I knew the old president had been cut out of the ward geographically, but since the bishop had known this would happen for a while, I also knew the new president had been called. The bishop started out by asking, "So are you nervous to be here?" I said, "No, there's only one thing in the ward I don't think I can do, and I'm sure that's already taken care of." "It's actually not," he replied. And I don't remember the next words exactly because he called me to be the Relief Society President and I was in shock. I cried a little, and went in a buzz for the next few hours. I saw all of the new women in Relief Society and thought, "Oh, my goodness, these people expect someone to take care of them who knows what they're doing, ack!" I was called and set-apart without counselors.

The first week all alone was nutty. I took care of several welfare needs right away, and had to make the decision to move the Christmas dinner from right away to later. Also, while talking to the bishop on the phone about counselors Lissy brought me her poopy diaper she'd taken off. That would indicate how things operate around here . . .

Novels aside, things you may have missed:

- Took Noah to inner ear specialist, turns out the lady who made the appointment was not smart, and we had to go to Park City. No matter, Noah felt very special, and claims the Cafe Rio there is better than the one in Tooele. Inadvertent date day, and doctor said the hole is indeed big in his eardrum, but we just get it checked once every few months until the spring - then it's healed or needs surgery.

- Lissy had her big CT scan/neurosurgery appointment. Once again, the doctors were amazed, and said her skull did not do the bad thing they feared it would. Nearly healed! They said she must be Superman. Also she looked cute listening to her princess book during the CT. We got a Jamba to celebrate and Gary said it was very girly of us.

- I have had two OB appts now, and so far all is well. The kids are excited by the fact the baby is doing a headstand in the photo.

- Lissy and Andrew had well child checks and Andrew was very proud to get his kindergarten shots. Lissy is around the 60th percentile for weight and height, and Andrew the 98th for both.

-Speaking of Lissy, she is too, too cute. She spends a lot of time putting her babies to bed and reading and singing to them. Tonight she sang 3 songs to a doll as she smoothed the blankets over and over.

-Speaking of Andrew, he is too, too sweet. Some of the time. Others, his SPD is back and no good, terrible, awful. Gary and I are both starting to feel really crazy over it.

-Josh and Noah started basketball a while back, and had their first games last week. Both had fun, and even though Noah didn't really know what to do, he was grinning the entire time. He guarded his man even when he was on offense, and when he got a basket Josh said to the kid that was sitting by him, "That was my brother that just scored!"

- I decided the lights at temple square are actually worth it. After a few years of being frozen and losing my kids in crowds, I was about done, but on Wednesday we found ourselves in Salt Lake around 5 with an hour to use before Gary got off work, so we went to temple square. Wonderful! The lights were gorgeous, and we got to fully enjoy them because hardly anyone was there. We never got cold because we looked at the stuff in the buildings, too. Josh really loved the tabernacle, and planned a trip for him, me, and Gary to go once he turns 8. We watched the Nativity up close, and got to see the Christus without a line. Before we went there I said, "Let's go in there and see Jesus." Andrew said, "I never want to see Jesus!" I replied, "It' just a statue." "Oh," he said, and went in. Sad story? Anyway, it was really lovely all together. (Then dinner at City Creek and Target extravaganza . . . phew, but fun.)

-Related to the above - took all my kids with me to the OB so we could be in SLC together afterward. They were mostly good as gold, coloring for an hour and a half, but one. Yeah, the one was Josh. Not exciting enough, but he had fun once he found the dr's business cards, and spent the rest of the time building structures. Plenty of friction in there, he declared.

- Once upon a time, two days before the Relief Society stuff, I got to have a night out with Kami and Julie. Went to some outlets and solved the crisis of the pants and shoes at our house, but mostly enjoyed some kid-free, low-nausea time.

- Gary worked on Saturday. Bleh. No big deal, I took the kids to see Santa at the Stansbury club house, so haha on Gary, missed Santa. All 3 boys were in awe, and weren't able to ask their many questions once they got up there. 

-Josh had his baptism preview tonight, and seeing his excitement had me crying all night. With happiness. They mentioned scouts and his dimples came out. Baptism is June 7 at 12:00. Josh was thinking midnight, but I think probably noon.

Love you all, hopefully all is well and I get back to you before another month and a half passes . . .

Gary Travels and Angel-People Make My Life Awesome

We had absolutely glorious weather on Monday, and we spent a really long time at the park. Love it! Of course we got kicked in the hiney weather-wise come Thursday, but you know, at least there was Monday and Tuesday. I got to volunteer at Noah's class for the first time. I was aghast at the amount of worksheets being done, but Noah was so happy to have me there, and he loves school, so those are scores. I also saw that he looks adorable in kindergarten and is skinny. Maybe he needs all of the treats he begs for?

A friend in the ward came over and played with my kids while I cleaned my garage on Tuesday. Hooray, hoorah, I can park in there now! When the hail came a few days later I was very grateful. I was anyway, but more grateful. On Wednesday I had to shake Josh awake, and he came dragging downstairs with white lips and wouldn't eat. I tried to perk him up and make him go to school, but decided to believe him and let him stay home since I know he loves school. Also Gary said I should. Turns out he threw up not too long after school started, so then I felt guilty I made him wake up when he said he didn't feel good. He threw up a few times that day, and there was a moment when one child was throwing up, one was screaming bloody murder about a cut on his thumb, one was in trouble for causing the cut, and another was being waaay too helpful in helping me clean up the puke, but by evening things were great. Gary didn't get home until 10 because of getting ready for a meeting/trip thing, but a friend brought us dinner that night. She said she had wanted to do something for us ever since Lissy got hurt, and wouldn't take no for an answer. She brought the food, helped me clean up the kitchen, and chatted for a minute. Her service and nice words saved the day! Who knew we would need it so bad when she was offering? Seriously, people are angels. Hope I can do for others what they have done for us.

Gary had a grand tour of the prisons, jails, and receiving centers in central and southern Utah on Thursday and Friday. He went with a bunch of legislators, and stayed in St. George overnight. He said it was an awesome opportunity to learn about the way things really are at places, and then debrief with everyone in the car afterward. As for us, we were sad to not see him, but thought we had stuff planned to keep us busy. Some unfinished Super Saturday projects fell on my head while cleaning out a closet, so a friend helped me finish them on Thursday. Another friend helped me put dinner in the crock pot while she was passing time between elementary school and preschool drop off (yeah, right, she is too awesome). Since we had dinner ready, I made Halloween cookies with the kids to pass the time in a fun way. I wasn't scared to be alone because having 4 kiddos makes me too busy and tired to be scared anymore, so I cleaned up and sat down to drink lemon tea to clear my congestion (remember the yucko sinus infection?). Ahhh, relaxing. Ready for bed. Here's how it went:

11:15 - Gonna get in bed! Oops, no, Andrew is screaming because he is peed, and refuses to let me help him. He does that. Ok, really to bed at midnight.

3:30 - Wake up to incredible hail storm. Sounds like we live in a tin shed, that stuff is so powerful. After about 10 minutes, it subsides, I fall asleep eventually.

4:25 - A man who is not Gary gets in bed with me. I bite him and plan my escape, but realize there is another guy downstairs. Aaah! But, turns out it was a dream. That's good, but it seemed totally real. My pitch black house I was not scared of, is now scary against the backdrop of a thunder storm. Also, a get-well balloon against a heating vent makes a very scary sound when you know not what it is. I try to fall asleep, but no dice, I have to go downstairs, check things out, and read the Ensign a bit. Finally get back in bed and drift off around 5:10.

5:30 - Bolt of lightning shakes the house, and I'm awake. Wish I had an alarm system to warn me of would-be bed intruders.

7:00 on the dot - Lissy is poopy, and refuses to sleep another second. Welcome, Friday!

I felt like a winner on Friday, so I scrapped plans of ambition and helped the kids tromp through the hail. Also started messing with the disaster of the ages called switching seasonal clothing. Now that it's over and I'm alive, the night is very funny to me, especially since I wasn't even worried beforehand! Gary got home around 7:30 that night, all cute and tuckered. We were also tuckered, so there was mutual tucker-age. (Ok, now that I'm finally posting online and it's been a while and I am hugely pregnant, let's put a bit more perspective on this - I was dealing with really yucky morning sickness during this entire time. Made things pretty disgusting.)

Saturday started out as a fun day of soccer, but when I was buying treats for Josh's game I got a phone call asking me to show up at the fire station at 1:15 with Lissy. I had heard some people were organizing a bike rally for Lissy to help pay for her medical bills, but that I actually wasn't supposed to know about it, so I tried to not think about it. When we arrived, I was completely overwhelmed. All of these kind, kind souls, most of whom didn't know us, had gathered to ride. We said a few things, cried a little, and took pictures, and then they took off. About 4 hours later they rode up to our house with an amount of money I consider quite sizable and presented it to us. I have been praying non-stop that these people will feel the love in their lives that they have brought to ours. I don't know how to thank them enough, and the things I said seem so inadequate. This act of kindness blew me away. I feel like this paragraph should be ten pages, because it feels that significant to me, but I'm at such a loss to describe or thank, as I am with so many of the acts of service we have seen. Once again, I pray I will be that person to someone else.

General Conference is awesome, I loved it! The boys each picked someone beforehand they would listen to in addition to the prophet, and they did a good job with listening to that much. Josh chose Boyd K. Packer because of Green Bay Packers. Nice. We tried to learn something about each person we chose to make it more personal. Some day I will have incredible entertainment and reward systems for listening such as I've seen, but for now that was good. For the rest of the time the boys dug in the recycle bin, found a bunch of milk and juice cartons, and played some game involving a ball. Lissy climbed all over us, most often pretending to be a dog.

At Long Last - Getting Out

Last week was interesting, because it seemed like by the end we were nearly-normal. Lissy took less and less pain killers each day, and became better at moving around. She really is so thrilled to be doing things again. I got out the winter jammies the other day, and in the box were a few summer toddler jammies. Noah put some Batman ones on Lissy and some very small truck ones on himself, Andrew threw on the gorilla jammies, and they all went out and played in the mud. They were all cute and happy, but Lissy was giddy to be outside again.

Holly was waaaay awesome to come to our house on Tuesday and watch our kids while Gary and I went to the temple. We did sealings (actually did all of the cards Mom gave us), and when it was our turn to be the couple, I couldn't stop crying with gratitude for the ordinance. I kept thinking that even if we had lost Lissy, we wouldn't have really lost her. Being in the temple made it so real. After the temple, we headed over to Blue Lemon and had a fantastic meal. Hooray, Holly! It was fun talking to her the next morning, but Gary didn't even get to see her.

Kami came up on Wednesday to help out, and it was so fun to see her. I got to go running and grab some groceries, which are things which haven't happened lately. Also, I laughed a lot, so great day. On Thursday Andrew had a field trip to the fire station for preschool, so we all went. Our first outing! Lissy was way clingy, and I held her the whole time, but it was great to be out, and the kiddos loved seeing the fireman stuff. I got a chance to talk to the guy in our ward that was a first responder EMT for Lissy's accident. Poor guy seemed like it was a pretty hard thing to see that day. He also told me that the reason they took so long to get to us that day was because they'd been at a car accident in Lake Point. I knew it was a while!

On Friday I woke up very, very early because I was so sick. Couldn't swallow. Ever since then I've had a sinus infection, and yesterday I broke down and picked up my Z-pack. Thought I might when I was teaching Sunday School and I had to slip out to blow my nose while people looked up scriptures.

Regardless of sick, we went to the BYU football game on Friday night. The boys were SO excited. We left Lissy at Kami's house to sleep (game was late and cold), and went with the super-fans. Great game, and cold air was good for what ails me. We all had tons of fun and popcorn.

K, can't depend on Z-pacs alone, some sleep would probably be helpful as well.

Fireman Andrew

With friends before they move!

Another friend about to leave . . .

It was adorable - they immediately came home and started working on their fireman coloring books.

She can play!

Super-fans intently watching . . .

Goooo Cougars!

Conquering the Course and Learning to Walk

My dad and Kayla came to visit one weekend when Lissy still couldn't walk. I can't find an update I wrote about that. However, it was awesome. They played blocks with Lissy, and took turns being the timer for the boys' Ultimate Ninja Warrior obstacle course. They spent  time in Idaho after that, but then got to our house on Sunday night in time to eat ice cream treats and play Ticket to Ride. So fun, and the kids were crazy about the chance to see them.

Also, a few weeks after the accident, and around the time of these pictures (which were about 3 weeks after the accident, I think), I took Lissy to the orthopedist. We'd originally been told Lissy couldn't even sit up for 6 weeks, but when we left the hospital I was told she could sit but not crawl or walk for 6 weeks . . . then at the orthopedist, she said, "These fractures look really stable, she'll self-limit, so if she wants to crawl or walk, let her. Probably will happen in 2-3 weeks." I was BLOWN AWAY. Seriously, so much better than what I'd been told in the hospital, it was unreal. Then . . . she was crawling a few days later, and walking a few days after that. It was stiff and tentative at first, but she was absolutely determined. The girl is crazy. Or the miracle is crazy. It's all just literally un-believable.

We got something in a bubble mailer, and Andrew thought this was the best way to pop it.

Ultimate Ninja Warrior obstacle course - if you fall, of course you fall right into the pool.

The timer-man

Where the course starts . . .

Racing to beat the clock!

Kayla was great to play with - toddlers that can't get around need lots of entertainment!

Blocks with grandpa was a favorite.

Kayla took her turn as the timer-woman.

Mega-blocks were a big favorite when Lissy was immobile.

Lissy first learned to crawl after the accident . . . and immediately started acting like a puppy.

Since they were puppies, fetch was a popular game . . .

 . . . and she can stand! What van?

I'm not sure at this point what was going on here - but it's adorable,so it stays.

Two Weeks of Progress

Originally posted 1/19/14, re-dated to match date of events and most of the original writing.

I was reminded I need to post all of the updates I was sending my family for the last many months, and when I opened this page (to which I'd already loaded the pictures), I thought it must be wrong. Couldn't be pictures from after Lissy's accident, it was gorgeous and sunny and the kids put on swim suits! Oh yes, it was, all part of the fuzz-brain that is the last part of last year. Hopefully someday I'll write more about (both) times Lissy was in the hospital, but for now, here's from the week after she got home from the hospital in September (two weeks after the accident):

Such a long week, and yet it flew by. Every day got a little bit better. On Monday Lissy was a full-time job almost for 2 adults, but now, I can manage her on my own, and even do stuff like throw away the occasional trash or eat my lunch. She cried to be held almost constantly on Monday, but now she can sit on the floor and do a puzzle for a few minutes or sit in her high chair and eat a handful of blueberries. Progress! She still requires constant attention, but is happier more of the time.

So, yes, even with Mom there, neither one of us got a shower until almost 2 on Monday! Poor Lissy was in a lot of pain then, continuing through Wednesday when her oxycodone ran out. She would get in a lot of pain, then just lie in my arms and stare into space with a cool rag on her forehead. On Wednesday morning, I knew she only had one more dose, and then she wouldn't have any medicine for the dose she would need at 4, so I called the pharmacy at Primary's first thing in the morning. The pharmacist told me to get ahold of the doctor we'd seen there, so I called the trauma nurse practitioners (as per discharge instructions), and left a message. They didn't get back to me until 1:15, and then told me it's a law that you have to be seen in person in order to get a prescription. Woulda been nice if anyone had told me that before! So, I called the pediatrician's office, and they told me they were full and she could walk in at 5. By that point, I'd had it, and I busted out with, "This little girl has been run over by a van, I've been working on this all day, and she is due for the medicine at 4!" He fit me in at 3. Lissy threw up all over the place while we were waiting for the doctor, so I was wet and she was naked as I carried her out like a baby. Had to laugh at what those in the lobby might have been thinking. After driving from Tooele to Stansbury (no oxy for kids), then back to Tooele, I got a drive-through pharmacy to get us the meds - at exactly 4! I just thought it was quite the adventure.

Having Mom here was the best. She is the best. We loved chatting with her, and couldn't have done it without her.

Jamie read to Lissy on Wednesday so I could shower, Mamie read to her on Thursday so I could clean the bathroom, and Kami came on Thursday and greatly eased the transition when mom left. Julie helped out Friday morning, and helped me find the library books that I had no renewals left on, then she brought them back. A guy came over and just mowed our lawn one day. We feel so blessed!!!

The Relief Society had a little support group thing on Tuesday for those who were witnesses to Lissy's accident. We had brunch and chatted, and it was so good for us. Seems like so long ago now . . . (P.S. Now a few months past the trauma, the support group makes me want to cry, although I couldn't cry then. What a thing to witness, that accident.)

After an exhausting week, it was very fun to take my boys to the school carnival on Friday night. Gary stayed home with Lissy. There were bounce houses, games, and too much candy. Perfect. You wish you could see how excited Andrew gets to go on the bouncy slides over and over. Andrew and Josh both tried at the cake walk, and Andrew was a winner, which I love. Also, Noah got a balloon parrot he was so proud to have on his shoulder, but then it fell off and popped, so a nice friend gave him tickets for a new one. Beautiful night, and so happy to be all dressed and stuff!

On Saturday I got to work out for the first time in two weeks (woo-hoo!!), then the whole family went to Josh's soccer game. Lissy was happy to be outside, and clapped for Josh. Josh looked dead-tired the whole time, but really made some good passes and even scored a goal in traffic. Andrew and Noah had their game later, and Julie came over with her kids and watched a movie while Lissy slept so I could see the boys play. So thoughtful, the boys needed that. Andrew was trying really, really hard. That kid would be rocking his preschool league. Noah made a few goals as he tends to do, but the other team made him work for it. So cute.

On Saturday afternoon Lissy was doing her fussy-thing she does and Gary said, "Oh my goodness, what do you do with her all day?" Just funny to me, because that is the exact question I ask my self all day. Today we took her on a few walks, and she really liked it, so now that she is well enough to be jostled a bit (this past week she wouldn't/couldn't even sit in the stroller), we'll have to walk a lot.

Lissy hasn't screamed as much the last two days, but she has been pretty difficult to put to bed. The boys have started trying to eliminate each other, so they're really feeling this change of routine. Those are things that will improve, overall we are obviously very, very, very blessed.

And some pictures from the end of the week when things were going a bit better . . .

Lissy liked playing with stickers in her high chair, and her brothers were so cute helping her.

This is Lissy's special chair she was given by some sweet sisters in the ward. It's a favorite with all of the kids.

This picture is for my mom - thanks for the dress!

Oh, my, this . . . I had the idea for this before Noah was born, and through the years worked on it little by little, got it ruined a bit, fixed it a bit, got it ruined a bit . . . it matched the stuff I used to have in the nursery, but with the room getting re-done, my sister was kind enough to hang it in the toy room. I have no idea how people have time to decorate, it only ends in tears for me. So, enjoy this, children!

When Lissy learned to sit on her own, it had to be up against the couch for a while.

Fun stuff from her care package!

These farm animal things are still a huge hit.

Lissy was very pleased with how her feet looked in the ballet shoes someone gave her.

Beywarrior House Party

When I told my boys they had a chance to win some Beywarriors if they made a great Beyblade video for House Party, they were in right away. They tried hard to make their video great, and often asked if they'd won. When we got the party, they couldn't believe their fortune, and immediately started inviting their friends.

My boys have been PUMPED for weeks about their Beywarriors party. I don't think they had any idea it was in jeopardy. I knew that if we didn't do it, House Party would never let us do another one, so it was on. After I re-invited people, Julie offered to have it at her house, and Jamie offered to bring popsicles, so I just brought the Beyblades, Beywarriors, and excited boys. All of the kids at the party were super excited to play with the Bey-stuffs, and didn't ruin Julie's house or anything. My boys' dreams came true. Wins.

Lissy loved propping up against the couch and watching the boys prepare to battle.

Tons of fun battling at the party.

The whole party crew.

The brackets

Popsicle time