news...

CT scan showed nothing except some benign cysts in his liver.

They said that maybe the stone is too small to detect, but it is moving. The pain in is the front lower stomach now.

Keep him in your prayers.

We took the kids out to a homeschool pizza event tonight. It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, Brysen peed his pants and we had to run to the DI and get him another pair. Thank goodness for lots of drivers and helpers. It made it easier... for sure. Now we are home, Mark is in bed, the kids are finishing their baths and we are heading down to watch a movie.

Oh... and Cadi found a great apartment. Hopefully, Chey will be moving in there too. We are just waiting on the background checks to come back. They are ready, for sure. Cadi has been living in the dorms for the past year. Chey just wants to move out and try it on her own... but with her sister living in the bedroom next door. I think that is a great plan.

Okay... I am exhausted........ good night.

more kidney info...

They did a cat scan and ran some blood work. They are supposed to call us today or tomorrow with the results. I just want this to be over. I don't like to see my honey feeling down like this. It is not normal for him to lay on the couch all day and do nothing.

The CT scan lady wouldn't tell him anything. I despise it when they do that. You know they know something but they won't tell you the one paying for all of this. Right?

I will update again when the doctor calls... hopefully today.

I'm sorry I haven't been posting more. I have been really busy keeping things running while my honey has been down. Plus... we just haven't been doing much besides doctors, dentists and sitting in the back yard while the little kids play.

Kidney stones...

We just got home from the doctor and they are pretty sure that Mark has kidney stones.

He goes back in tomorrow for x-rays and bloodwork to verify and make sure that his kidney's are working properly. They also want to make sure that the stones aren't too big to pass.

Keep us in your prayers.

Also, the two oldest are looking for a small apartment to share. Keep them in your prayers. They are trying to find something close to the university so they could possibly walk to classes.

Made to Worship...

Old Photos...

My Uncle Dennis was such a sweetie and sent me some old photos of my grandmother and of all of "the boys" when they were younger.

I was so excited to receive these pictures!

I have never seen pictures of my grandmother from her younger years. I only remember visiting her a few times and she was much older then. I was amazed by how pretty she is in this picture. I don't really know why I am amazed... I mean, all of my uncles and my dad are good lookin'... I am not ugly... and my daughter that everyone says looks just like me (a lot of pounds ago) is absolutely gorgeous... so....

Why am I so amazed?!

I am not sure how old she was here. I need to find out. I think she looks like she is late teens or early 20's. Maybe it is a highschool picture...

This is a recent picture of me. Okay, so I know I am about 20 years older than she is in her photo but I think we look alike.

Here is another...

I am the dark headed oldie... but goodie.

And then...

You have my second in line daughter, Cheyenne.

In the photo below, I think she totally resembles her great grandmother.

That is four generations... right? (grandma, my dad, me, her...)

I just think that is so cool!

Okay, I also received pictures of the brothers.

My grandmother had 6 sons. My mother used to tell me that my grandmother had told her... are you still with me... that she had wanted to try for a girl, but by the time my Uncle Donny came along (boy # 6) she just knew it wasn't in the cards for her. (Now I know how I ended up with 7 girls and only 1 boy.)

Above: (top row) Uncle Jim, my dad, Uncle Dennis

Grandma in the middle

(bottom row) Uncle Michael, Uncle Donny, Uncle Danny

Now... I know I am totally boring you, but I love old photos and I love anything to do with my family history. I just don't know enough about all of them and their history.

Okay, this is a picture of (left to right) My dad, Uncle Dennis, Uncle Jim

Uncle Dennis reminded me that Uncle Jim's real name... I think is Julius. I had forgotten all about that, but I know I had heard that before somewhere.

Below is a picture that I saw when I visited my dad last year. He told me that it was taken a few years ago when Uncle Dennis had come out to Missouri for a bit.

Left to right: Uncle Dennis, My Dad, Uncle Jim

Grandma is in the front.

I don't have the opportunity to ask grandma about her own story. I wish I did. I learned after losing my grandmother and my own mother in 2007 that you need to ask those questions and preserve those memories.

Okay, I'm done boring you with what amazes me.

Do me a favor, though. Check into your own history. Ask those questions that you won't be able to ask after your loved ones are gone.

... and THANK YOU Uncle Dennis...

...it means the world to me.

It has begun...

The season of the LAWN.

Now, let me just say that in almost 21 years of blissful marriage to my man, I have done the majority of the lawn mowing. Not because he is lazy... far from it... because I enjoy it (except for the last couple of weeks of July when it is just so stinking hot even in the early morning).

But...

a couple of years ago, I discovered this wonderful thing called...

CHILDREN!

Now... I love to pick one of the upper crust of the group I have to choose from and send them out to mow the lawn.

I wish I had known about this sooner!

Hmmm...

Now I must go in search of other things for these CHILDREN to do around here...

"hang with our posse"...

During our wonderful sunday in the front yard, my wonderful son decided he needed to go inside for something. This mongrel took that opportunity to run outside and head for the hills.

Now before you think this is a tramatic event, let me assure you that he gets out front at least twice a week. He runs around the neighborhood visiting his homies and then in about an hour (he has a lot of homies) he comes home and "knocks" on the front door.

I do not freak out when he gets out. I do not run after him. I figure we all need a chance to "hang" with our "posse" sometimes, right?

My husband, however, completely looses it when the mongrel escapes. He runs and chases and leashes and drives and follows and uses the gps and calls all of the known "posse's" parents...

Thank goodness this event didn't come to all of that. He managed to chase the mongrel down in a few minutes... but, trust me... that was only because the mongrel wanted to be caught.

I threw this picture in because I love him. Oh, and I need to document the ugly pile of rocks that my neighbor insists is a waterfall.

Spring...

Spring finally has taken a hold (for the most part) in this area.

On Sunday, we all wandered out and took in as much of the warm stuff as possible.

The kids began dragging out any toys that they could find in our garage.

They used chalk, hoola hoops, scooters, bikes, badmitten, basketball, skates, you name it... they did it.

Even the big kids got in on the action. The only one that we didn't have at home was Cheyenne. She, unfortunately, was working.

This little girl is growing up right before our eyes.

Sydnee... take your time... for your mothers sake.

Shoes came off and bare feet were running around everywhere.

... and then Brysen decided he needed shoes... but not just any shoes

He needed his cowboy boots... without any socks!

By the time we made it inside, he had rubbed a couple of pretty nasty looking sores on his feet. Maybe he won't make that mistake again...


She's blowing you a kiss...

Even daddy came out and enjoyed the sun and warmth.

Ari tried to ride the deer like a horse.

What a fun day. The kids slept in the next morning... until 7:30.

Trust me... that is AWESOME!!

Summer Project...

Our new project...

Mark and I decided that we would take a really old table that we had and break it up to make some raised beds for gardening. Then we couldn't decide on only a few plants so we brought in some planters as well.
We figured this would make a nice summer project for the kids. Now, we just have to keep the dog out of it... and the little ones. Miranda is totally excited about this and checks it out every day to see what changes are occurring.

I just think everyone should know a little bit about what goes into growing the food that you put on your table... and it tastes so much better than what you can buy at the store.

By Popular Demand...

Dave and Laura, in case you have ever wondered...

If Galen has not shown up at home... he is Not here.

The last I saw of him, he was on his way to the airport... Cadi may be hiding him in her trunk... I will check later...

For those of you that don't know, Galen is my oldest daughters boyfriend. They have been dating for 5 years... wow. We have known Galen since he was just a wee boy.

The couple has a really good time this week. They got to visit the Weber State campus several times. Galen even had the chance to hang out with the coaches from the universities football team. We would love to see him come here for school, but we know that God has your future in His hand, Galen.

Cadi was a bit sad after she dropped him at the airport yesterday. (and by a bit, I mean really sad)

Thanks for spending time with us, Galen.

...and...

Dave and Laura, in case have ever wondered...

Your son...

is a pleasure to have around!

Airforce Museum...

Daddy took Cadi, Galen and the little kids to the Airforce Museum on Wednesday.

The little ones love going there!

...secretly, I think Daddy does too!

Don't you love Ari's version of smiling for the camera?... eyes closed, face scrunched up.


Daddy got to fly a flight simulator that he tried to describe to me, but really... I am a woman so... you know, I didn't really understand what he was talking about.

Who knows, maybe one of my little ones will become a pilot someday.

Easter 2009...

The kids colored 5 dozen eggs... and they have eaten them all!

We usually do 2 hunts... a big kid hunt and a little kid hunt. This year, we decided that we were doing one hunt only. We just told the bigger kids that they needed to leave the obvious eggs for the little ones to find. Mark and I had sat and filled 302 plastic eggs the night before.

I love watching the kids figure out how to find eggs. You can see how excited it becomes.

Brysen wanted all of the eggs to be his and tried to take a couple out of other peoples bags. He found a lot, though. He was a lot better at egg hunting than I expected. Last year, we still had to show him where they were hiding.

Ari had a blast! She actually found 28 eggs all by herself. She is a genious!... and a Beauty!

Galen arrived on Saturday to spend a week visiting Cadi. They have spent a good amount of time at the university with Cadi showing him the sights. Right now, he is hanging out at the football field with the team... and coaches.


It is hard to believe we have known this guy since he was "little". (like 3 yrs old or so) I wouldn't exactly call him little now!

We have candy coming out of our ears! I really did try not to overdo it again this year... I really did try...