Summer Fun!

Wheeler Farm

Does early May count as summer?  Probably not, especially when it was this cold, but I forgot to post this so here it is with the summer fun.  At the first hint of warmth and sunshine we headed to Wheeler Farm (in Murray) with "Aunt Brynn" and little Madi to check out the animals and have a picnic.  It was chilly, but fun!  The kids especially loved petting the bunny and hearing the turkey gobble.  Noah wanted to catch a chicken and loved seeing the tractors.  Eden thought the goats that stood up on their hind legs were pretty crazy!  

 Cedar Mountain

We went to the Sheffield's cabin on Brian Head for the 4th of July.  It was fun being with family, but we were all pretty sick, especially Noah.  You would never guess it from these pictures near Navajo Lake--he is such a cutie (a few days later he was ripping a syringe out of his leg at the Instacare in Parowan).  The kids all just love to be outside, especially out in "the wild".  

Lake Powell

The last trip to Lake Powell (in that houseboat. ever? sad!)!  It was a really fun trip despite the fact that we were all still sick after going straight from the cabin to the lake!  The kids loved playing on the beach which they named San Diego (because of the sand, ya' know?).  They liked riding on the tube until it swamped.  Eden managed to hang on and just get a quick dunking. Noah was not so lucky.  Good company, good food, good scenery, bad sleep!

Lillywhite Family Campout  

Camping with the whole Lillywhite Clan on Cedar Mountain was a blast!  The cousins all had fun playing and fighting together, Lou and Bryan found a gorgeous and roomy spot, we went on a perfect-for-our-group hike, and had fun talking, playing, and eating together.  Noah had fun wandering with his buddies (Koen, Brenden, and Zade) and fighting with them for the exclusive use of Brady's trucks.  Eden palled around with Ellie and Gaige, mostly exploring and playing "house".  Sarai and Eden slept like angels while Noah kept Mom and Dad hopping in the tent, especially the first night.  Better sleep next year!

Bountiful Peak

We went camping with Jeff, Carla, and Houston up on Bountiful Peak at the end of August.  We found a nice spot, got the dutch oven going, went for a little walk and found an even better spot just down the road!  D'oh!  Sooo...we finished dinner and moved to the new and improved spot!  The best part about it was the view!  You could look out over the whole valley and watch the sunset over the lake right from the camp spot!  The food was all yummilicious, the kids all slept pretty well and had fun exploring and getting dirty!  We drove over the hill the next day and checked out the beaver ponds.  Good times!

Winter Fun (it is possible, Lance)!

Winter is currently a thing of the past (and hopefully the far distant future--no early winter, please!), but I wanted to post some pictures of some of the winter fun we did have.  Maybe it will be the reminder we need next winter that fun is perhaps possible despite the arctic conditions.

Temple Square:

Temple square with the lights: crowded, cold, impossible parking, and absolutely magical!  This is the second year we've taken Eden and Noah and it was way warmer (although probably not above freezing) than last year.  We drove around like maniacs trying to find parking (a difficult feat with a Jazz game going on), parked illegally, oooh-ed and ahhh-ed at the lights, met up with Jeff and Carla and then hurried off for some secret Santa shopping with Jay, Brynn, and Maddi. 

Ginger Bread House:

Isn't that cute!?  Carla made ginger bread house kits for us, Aaron and Keumyeo, and her and Jeff and got all the stuff together for us to decorate so we could carry on the Weaver tradition.  Too bad we forgot the camera for the decorating.  It was super fun!  The kids acted excited to help, but just stuffed themselves with treats until they actually complained how much their tummies hurt!  I like our psychotic snowman!

Once There Was A Snow-Woman...

Tall, Tall, Tall!

From my personal journal:  "We spent the morning outside building a 7 1/2 foot tall snowman together!  Eden loved it!  Noah is pretty sketchy about the snow even though he has all the warm gear, so he wasn't as excited.  It was sunny for a lot of the morning and after the snow-woman was complete we sledded down the side of our yard from front to backyard a few times and played with the kids on the slide.  It was nice." 

Let It Snow?

Eden loved the snow this year!  We would bundle up and she would stay out there until her feet (stuck in plastic bags and then into her shoes) couldn't take it any longer.  Noah wasn't so sure about that white stuff and tried to hide out on the porch most of the time.  Maybe this next winter we'll have to invest in some snow boots for the both of them and see if it helps!

Christmas 2011

When I worked at the pool in St. George we had an event called "Christmas in July".  I guess that is what this is since I'm seriously slow posting pictures of that holiday of holidays!  Oh, well...I just really want to be able to look back at these pictures and memories even if they were posted 6 months late!

The Dressing of the Tree:

I woke up early one morning, got out our little tree and got it ready to be decorated: fluffing the branches, adjusting the lights, and putting on the ribbon.  Noah woke up and caught me in the act.  He was super excited!  

Eden was quite the little decorator this year (and redecorated the bottom quarter of the tree pretty much everyday in December).  Noah liked trying to break things.  The Christmas Tree somehow makes the cold outside bearable, doesn't it.

Nativity "Puffets"

Grandma Lillywhite sent the cutest little nativity finger puppets and the kids loved playing with them (when they weren't missing in some very random spot).

Christmas Morning:

Christmas morning in the casita again this year.  We woke up, had a little breakfast in bed (don't tell Dorothy), opened a gift with a "little people" nativity set and arranged it piece by piece while we read about each one in the Bible.  Then it was time to open gifts to each other from each other.  Then Grandma and Grandpa Lillywhite and Grandma Kurtz came over (where was the camera?) and more presents.  Grandma Kurtz shot me in the eye with a ping pong gun!

Loot!

Eden and Noah got these little 4-wheelers obtained by Brynn and Christie at the midnight madness thing at Wal-Mart back at Thanksgiving (thanks, ladies).  Once Noah finally got the hang of his he liked it as much as Eden did!

We had a fun late-morning present opening at the Sheffield Casa, complete with a fun twist on white elephant, followed by a complete "Thanksgiving" dinner.  Then it was over to the Lillywhite homestead to visit all the cousins there.  What a fun, full day!  Too bad we didn't get a few more pictures!

Sarai's First Week (or so) "By the Numbers"

Here's a summary of Sarai's first week (plus some) of life "By the Numbers" (like the segment on Nightline) and a ton of pictures finally (click on the collages for a larger view)!

69: # of hours Sarai got to spend at home before going to the E.R. at Primary Children's

12: approximate # of hours spent crying by Sarai's mom during their hospital stay (most of which occurred in the first 24 hours)

10: approximate # of hours slept by Sarai's mom in the 72 hours surrounding Sarai's birth and hospitalization

12: approximate # of gowned, gloved, and masked doctors and nurses in Sarai's room upon her arrival in the PICU (freaky!)

20: # of hours straight that Sarai was too lethargic to eat anything

2: # of rooms in the PICU that Sarai stayed in

2: # of days spent in the PICU

7: # of days spent by Sarai in the hospital

11: # of visitors Sarai had in the hospital

5: # of wires coming off Sarai while in the PICU

3: average # of wires coming off Sarai while on the regular floor

 7: approximate # of times new IV's had to be started in Sarai's hands before she got her PICC line

2: # of lumbar punctures Sarai endured

79: # of labs done on fluids taken from Sarai

45: # of IV antibiotic doses given to Sarai in the hospital

3: # of antibiotics Sarai was on in the hospital

1: # of MRI's Sarai recieved

2: # of times Sarai was sedated for a procedure

4: # of failed attempts to insert Sarai's PICC line without surgical procedures

1: # of times fluoroscopy had to be used to insert a successful PICC line in Sarai's arm

15: approximate # of nurses who watched over Sarai in 12 hour shifts

2: # of teams of doctors involved in Sarai's care at all times

3: # of doctors on each team at any given time

3: # of times Sarai's mom got to leave the hospital to go home and shower

2: maximum # of consecutive hours of sleep for Sarai's mom

0: # of days it didn't snow while Sarai was in the hospital
13: # of temples in which Sarai's name was on the prayer roll

Thousands!: approximate # of prayers said for Sarai

9: # of dinners brought to Sarai's family after her birth

12: # of days at home with PICC line in Sarai's arm

39: # of IV antibiotic doses given to Sarai at home

1: # of antibiotics Sarai was on at home

2: approximate # of pounds gained by Sarai since her birth in the first four weeks of her life!

Despite the above list having some pretty gloomy numbers, after the first day (during which my eyelids were so swollen and purple from crying and not sleeping that they sort of resembled bruised hot dogs) we felt very peaceful knowing that the outcome of our hospital stay was truly in God's hands and that whatever the outcome would be was what he intended for Sarai and our family.  I was overwhelmed by feelings of gratitude for the little daily miracles we saw, most of which had nothing to do with Sarai's medical progress.  We felt (and continue to feel) truly blessed. 

Pictures of Sarai & Family Before the Hospital:

Pictures of Sarai & Family at the Hospital:

Pictures of Sarai at home before Eden & Noah got back:

Here's what life was like while we had to do the IV at home:

There's me in my sterile stuff getting ready to do the IV; there's Sarai showing off here PICC line after a bath; and there's all the stuff set out to do the IV every 6 hours.

Pictures of Sarai & Family since Eden and Noah's return:

For more pictures of what Eden and Noah were up to while Sarai was in the hospital visit here: http://lillypadgoodtimes.blogspot.com/2011/04/very-busy-and-fun-time.html

Tofurkey Anyone?

I decided a few months ago NO MORE BLOG!...But, my mom thought that was a lame idea and since I started this thing in the first place so she could see pictures of her grandkids...I guess I have to give in.  Kind of funny that the first pictures I would put up here with the resumption of the blog would be ones she was there to see live...oh, well.  Can you beat Thanksgiving hiking pictures from St. George?  Look at all that blue sky!

We were welcomed back to Bountiful (days after these pictures were taken in Snow Canyon) by about a foot of snow.  I indulged in tears for only ten seconds as we pulled onto our street. 

Also waiting for us upon our return was a turkey I'd had thawing in the fridge while we were gone.  Eden pulled up a chair next to the kitchen sink while I got our bird ready for the oven.  This is what I heard while I washed it and rubbed it down with spices:  "Mommy, is that our turkey?  Is it dead?  Did you kill it?  Why did you kill it?  Is that water going to make it grow big?  What is that?  It's neck?  Why is it dead?  Where's it's head?  Is that it's leg?  Who killed it?  Poor turkey...!"  Suddenly the tofurkey (fake turkey made of tofu) this vegan hair stylist was telling me about wasn't sounding too bad.   It was just about enough to make me turn vegetarian!  Could you have handled that!?

Meuller With Mom

Here's one more collage that I made forever ago. I took the kids hiking all by myself up Meuller Canyon near our house. It was fun and beautiful, but a few days later I heard on the news that a biker had a stand off with a cougar in that very canyon! Eeek! I think I'll take the bear spray (ultra-mace) next time I go hiking without Lance-the-mighty-cougar-fighter (at least in his dreams and mine) along with me.

Christmas 2009

Christmas Anticipation!

Christmas Morning!

This is the first year we've had Christmas morning on our own and it was so fun! When Eden woke up, we had breakfast in bed and then she got to unwrap a box containing the Little People Nativity Set (we got this idea from a friend...so cute and plastic...perfect for kids!) She helped pull out each piece and set it up while we read a scripture verse about it. The last piece was wrapped in it's own little box--Baby Jesus, the first gift of Christmas, given to the whole world by Heavenly Father. Noah finally woke up, too, and loved playing with the nativity set as well and eating his breakfast in bed. When he finished we got dressed and trooped off to see the tree. I didn't get a lot of great pictures of that, but Eden loved her new bike and Noah loved his new "car" (a steering wheel surrounded by all sorts of buttons to make lots of car noises)! So fun!

Coming Along...Slowly, but Slowly!

Yeah, yeah...remodeling's my passion (said with a Brooklyn accent).
We've been working on our deck: tripling the area and getting rid of the moldy green carpet in favor of composite decking. All that's left is the railing, which would be a nice addition since our kids love to play out there while we work. Don't worry, they would only fall 10 feet and die if they plunged over the edge. Gotta' get that railing done! Here's some pictures of the workers for this and another deconstruction project:Noah freakin' loves to eat remodel debris! He loves trying to use Dad's new miter saw and any other tool he can get his little hands on!
Sorry no picts of Eden. She spent almost as much time out on the deck as Mom and Dad, handing us nails (or stealing them for her own purposes) and freaking her padres out by going within three feet of the edge.
Thanks for your help sledging that stem wall, Jeff!