marshall family

That is my baby!

2011-12-05T08:47:00.000-08:00

In our house whenever you hear Carter laughing like crazy you know something is going on that probably shouldn't be. This is what I found Carter and Neil doing to Kate. She LOVED it!

Cute Girl

2011-12-01T08:41:00.000-08:00

We started the application process for Sydney to get a canine assistant dog and they needed a picture. She is so good natured when I make her do a photo shoot. Since they were all dressed for church I thought we'd try one with Carter, too bad Kate was still asleep.

Cheshire Chase 5K

2011-11-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

The neighborhood does a 5K on Thanksgiving morning. It is so fun for everyone to do. Neil and Carter did it for the first time this year. Neither of them have ever run that far!

Sydney loved noticing she had a number pinned to her like everyone else. She was the biggest cheerleader as we followed the boys with the stroller just in case!
Neils goal was to not stop and he did it, so proud! Maybe next year I can get him to do Ragnar!

Carter ran for the first half strait and then worked every three light poles after that. He and his friend Tyler did Awesome!!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T09:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving. We had dinner at my Aunt Marci's house. It was a mellow but so fun night! Sydney as you can see has a different Thanksgiving dinner than most. Her meal consisted of a half banana, a peanut butter & butter mixture, and for an off limits treat two peanut butter crackers. She was so excited!!

The rest of us enjoyed a wonderful assortment of wonderfulness! We had a good time visiting with cousins.
This year rather than old and young tables we did boy & girl tables. I have to admit it was quite nice!
Playing off the dinner is always a fun party of the night.

I kept trying to get a picture of Kate, but she would just run!

I am so grateful for my kiddos!

. . . and Neil

Halloween

2011-10-31T14:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! Here is our Grapes & Ninja!

Kate loved her grapes, she had just started walking and when she fell she would just bounce a little.

There are more pictures to come I have to get them off Dads camera!

Happy Birthday!

2011-10-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Kate is 1!!
She liked the cake for a little while, we thought she'd inhale it, but only ate the bites Neil gave her.

Who needs jell when you can have frosting residue! She loves her Grandma!

Happy Birthday Carter

2011-10-09T14:40:00.000-07:00

Carter is 9 & Dad is . . . older than that! Happy Birthday!

As you can see from the elaborate cake, Sandra was out of town and the realization I really had to do it by my self hit that morning, sorry Carter, next year! Sandra isn't allowed to ever leave town on birthdays again!Carter has a fun group of friends that came over to help celebrate!

Soccer

2011-09-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

Carter and Sydney both had fun playing soccer this year. Carter was on the Astros and they I am pretty sure were undefeated!

Sydney played for the first time this year. She was on their VIP team that had all different skills and ages special needs kids. They had a great time and their were extra helpers on the field for those that needed it. By the end of the season Sydney was almost caching on. It was nice to be able visit with other parents and see what other activities are available for these kiddos.

Sydney probably would have done better with soccer if she hadn't found a new friend in Felix, they would hold hands and run. Sometimes towards the ball but most any other direction. They would just laugh and run.

Catch up!

2011-09-02T15:26:00.000-07:00

February to August is a big gap. But there are so many things I missed so I'll start back tracking slowly.

United Way

2011-09-01T15:27:00.000-07:00

Wells Fargo can get Neil to do things I could never do! They were promoting the kick off of the United Way fundraiser, they were advertising the car wash. He was suppose to get a possible pie in the face, I forgot to ask.

Eating is exhausting!

2011-09-01T08:21:00.000-07:00

I gave Kate a pancake when I left the room and noticed it was quiet. This is how I found her.

Ward Campout

2011-08-26T15:31:00.000-07:00

Ward Family Camp out. We went to Timber camp, it was nice to escape the 113 degree weather!

Bryan and Christopher came up to join in the fun!

Sydney was amazed at how many rocks she could fit in Kate's mouth!
Kate helped to leave things cleaner than when she got there. There are some spit shined rocks!

Cousins from out of town

2011-08-22T15:59:00.000-07:00

Bryan finished Law school in Texas so they were in limbo this summer so we got to play with Christopher.

Tyler also came for the summer from Baltimore, all the cousins loved having him here to play with.

Lunch with Dad

2011-08-12T16:13:00.000-07:00

Having a little more free time during the day since school started it was a treat to go have lunch with Neil. Kate loves her Dad!

First Day of School

2011-08-10T16:06:00.000-07:00

Carter & Sydney's first day of the new school year! So fun!

Mackay

2011-07-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

Heading to Mackay!

Grandpa & his little girls that love him!

Grandma & the clan

Kate's first time!

The bench on the river is always a prime spot. The water was so high this year we couldn't go on the rock, so this is the closest we got.

We were a smaller group this year, we missed the rest of the gang, but we still had a blast!

Kate loves her Great Grandpa Otto!

Grandma Betty was a hit with the girls!

The women

The men

The kiddos loved this water table!! It kept them occupied and cool for days!!

We have found a love in sparklers!

Sydney helping Dad mow the lawn.

Lots of fun!

Boys will be Boys!

2011-02-19T15:02:00.000-08:00

We went out for a nice little shooting excursion with Carter and Kate (who stayed in the truck and slept). We had a great time! But. . . unfortunately that probably wont be what was remembered about this trip.

I will try to be kind when labeling these next couple. The title of this post explains it all! "Karen, it totally levels off, we can make it!" Yes it levels off after the bump at the top!

Wait, something isn't right about this picture!! Yes, we are stuck!

Carter was in tears, which showed his confidence in his parents to get us out of a sticky spot. Luckily the intoxicated bikers came and were able to pull us from the back off the hill and we were able to cancel the wonderful help that was on their way! I will admit, Neil was humbled and we talked the entire way home on how we were grateful we had phones, tow rope, and people around!

Dart Baby

2011-02-12T14:34:00.000-08:00

I hear laughing coming from Carters room, and know something is going on.

So innocent!

Zoo

2011-02-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

Whit and I ventured to the Zoo with Christopher, Sydney, & Kate. All went well until a bit of a melt down at the end which worked out perfect because we were heading for the exit already.

That's there way of hugging!

Kate was suppose to be napping, you can see how well that was going!

Sydney struggled to see a lot of the animals and she wasn't too sure what she was looking at, but she saw this monkey and kept giving him kisses.

The second animal she loved was the red macaw. It was brightly colored and made such a loud sound she loved it!Christopher loved everything it seemed! He was thrilled to be able to sit on the tractor and drive!
He's so cute!

Start Your Engines!!

2011-01-11T14:24:00.000-08:00

Carter had a blast with Pinewood derby! We recruited Grandpas architecture skills. Carter had been sketching plans for his car for weeks. He was so excited when they were done cutting it out!

He did his the Suns colors and had basketballs on the top. He won the most colorful award.

The Pit Crew

cutie

2011-01-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

I have two amazing sisters, Whit being one of them came out of the blue with mad knitting skills. She came to visit and had the cutest things she had made. They fit, so I thought I'd get some use before she needs them. She made this cute little sweater shirt thing. Kate is pretty cute too!

Loving the lipstick

2011-01-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

Sydney has enjoyed her box of dressups she got for Chritmas. This particular day it was fun to sit down as the girls and play. Sydney took charge and handed out items for us to put on. Kate wasn't too sure when Sydney put the had on her. Many dress up days to come I am sure!

Sydney was so determined to repeatedly put the plastic lipstick on Kate!

So Fancy!
A couple days later she had even more fun with her OT dressing up!

Oops

2011-01-06T14:01:00.000-08:00

Sydney at the dentist checking her mouth after loosing her tooth. She was expressing her true feelings.

Sweet Feet

2011-01-03T13:53:00.000-08:00

Watching Sydney stand on the box and turn the mobile on and off and try to share her nerf gun with the baby was so sweet to watch. Something about the way her little feet were twisted and she was up on her tippy toes was cute. It reminds me she is little and I need to enjoy every little bit of sweetness she offers.

When Sydney was sitting and reading that book it reminded me of a picture of Carter reading the same book, he was a little younger.

New Years Day Hike

2011-01-01T14:52:00.000-08:00

Troy& Dallin invited Carter & Neil to join them on a hike.

New Years Eve

2010-12-31T14:39:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year. The kids have their earlier celebration. It was so nice having fireworks, some of the kids had never played with them.

Troy was the designated lighter.

The sparklers were a hit!

Christopher would get one and start running at one of the cousins, I don't think he quited understood he could light someone on fire, but he loved them!

The twins weren't the biggest fan of the loud ones.

Sydney was a little piro. If she was put down, she'd run right to the fire!

GG made sure Kate was nice and warm inside.

Christmas

2010-12-25T12:36:00.000-08:00

We headed to Mom & Dads for breakfast. Christopher was there and ready to play when we got there!

When at Moms I rarely have the baby between her and Grandma, but Sandra moves faster than them and can sometimes manage an interception.Speaking of Sandra, she is soo good at thinking of what the kids would enjoy. She got Sydney a box of Kleenex. It was the best gift ever!! She first sat and pulled them all out, and then she sat and shredded them into little peaces. Sydney LOVED it, we had to keep Carter away, he kept wanting to play with it (I know what he is getting next year)!

Yes, Grandma is holding Kate and a GUN! These son in laws bring a different dynamic to our family! I think they were encouraging her to spin it around on her finger.

We knew Sydney's fall earlier that morning was bothering her, but when she kept asking for her apples I figured she was feeling better. So when Troy noticed her face full of blood I was shocked to see her tooth gone. A couple days later it was found, the root was at least 1 1/2 the size of the tooth. Tough girl!

Good thing she is a cute girl because with her sucking on that lower lip all the time she resembles a little Nanny McPhee occasionally!
Carter loved his Lego's and tramp, but the hat Sandra made him I think is top of his list.

HO HO HO

2010-12-25T12:25:00.000-08:00

Neil has been saving up for his guitar which he named "Lydia". Yes, he named his guitar the name I wanted to name the baby. I think that is so for future kids I wouldn't be able to use it. He is loving playing it!

Sydney took a little slip on her pants and bumped her mouth so she wasn't too perky, but a little later she came around!

Carter is so good, when Sydney got her little box of dress-ups he was a big help in getting her excited by showing her how everything worked.

Carter had made each of the girls a bracelet and was very excited to open them and let them try them on!
The Tramp was a success!! They love it, Carter jumps and Sydney sits and laughs! She'll occasionally get up and bounce, but for now is loving watching Carter!

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve wouldn't be right without the family nativity! Mom made these great costumes many years ago, but they were made for kids, somehow I guess it is a compliment that we can fit into them one way or another!

Carter was Joseph and Sydney was Mary.

I would never call my dad an ass, but that was his part that night. Carter was good at keeping Sydney on as she kept trying to see Grandpas face.

Neil was one of the wise men. Sydney couldn't resist, she thought it was time for family prayer so she joined them on her knees.
My boys in their new Christmas PJ's. This year we got the kids a trampoline. It is the first year we've had to put anything together. We started about 9:30pm, and finally headed inside around 12:30am. It was a good sign that Neil and I never got too fisty at each other during those 3 hours. We would have been done much sooner, but putting up the outer side was a bit tricky and so we ended up redoing all the springs 3 times. We had mastered the way to count, hook, and hold the springs by the final time! It fit in the backyard, but just barely!

Cooking, Caroling & Lights

2010-12-20T10:57:00.000-08:00

Heading out for our full & crazy day!
Whits HERE!! We did a girls cooking day. We had 4 or 5 recipes and it was so fun to sit and bake all day with the girls. During naps the boys worked on making their sisters a bracelet for Christmas. They had such a good time doing this, and they turned out really fun! OOps! There was an occasional spill, or burning of marshmallows, but for the most part things turned out yummy!

With the exception of this, it was just not right!

The kids were really good while we were baking, there were only a couple times we would catch a little person sneaking a treat!Kate is pretty perfect so far, with this one exception. This is what she does when eating and as you can tell she is napping. She sits and just smiles at you and if you are trying to ignore her, she starts cooing.

Paul Family Christmas Party

Christmas caroling and delivering treats.
The kids loved going door to door!

Temple Lights

A couple nights later we all went to the Temple Lights

I can only title this "Trouble"

Piggy

2010-12-19T10:06:00.000-08:00

Anyone that has stayed at our house knows piggy. Carter has had him since he was one. He twirls his tail to go to bed. I came in to get Kate and found he had shared.

Kids

2010-12-19T09:48:00.000-08:00

This was my attempt to get a shot of the kids.

This explains exactly how she felt when we were finally done!

Light Parade

2010-12-15T10:03:00.000-08:00

We have loved going to the light boat parade almost every year down at Tempe Town Lake. We had a couple families join us there and it was a blast!

Cutest Cart Seat!

Sandra is amazing and cut up the old one and made this cute one for Kate!

Dr. Sydney

2010-12-10T09:41:00.000-08:00

Some play with dolls, but Sydney loves her stethoscope. I found her listening to Kate, she listened to her heart, head, and leg.

Grateful for eyes!

2010-12-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

We had a scare with Sydney this last week. She has a seizure and when waking from the medication she woke screaming in pain. She soon had a fever and spent the next day and a half in my bed with no lights. She would wake, hold her head cry and that would hurt and cause her to scream and eventually fall asleep, occasionally waking and vomiting. It is common for fevers to cause seizures, but this happened in April and she has had fevers many times and never triggered a seizure. After a doctor visit we were given nausea medicine and figured we'd watch it. Later the second day I noticed she was calling for me and I came in and she was still calling towards the door for me and I had just walked in front of her and was standing beside her. That was the red flag and after doing little tests here and there I realized she couldn't see. We went straight to the hospital. It was so scary! My heart hurts for her when she gets tests, but to watch her have to have blood, and urine tests done and she couldn't see things to know what was coming, she hurt too much to focus on what I was saying and when they took 5 times to get a spinal tap I for the first time was tipping on my braking point, I got nauseous and had to step back, but realized my voice was the only familiar thing going on. She was so brave, but I can't imagine how you'd feel having people holding you, not even knowing where you are and then feeling the pain. She was amazing!!! All the tests and scan came back OK, we were watched for a couple days. After a day and a half in the hospital her vision started coming back. I don't think I have been scared like that before, how was I going to describe things to her, what Christmas gifts do we have that she would be able to play with, would she remember what Carter looked like, would she remember her sister, did she know her colors well enough? So many concerns. This is another one of those things that there was not a single thing I could do. I'd just lay with her and we'd sing and sing. How grateful and completely humbled I am from this experience.In primary we learn about hands and eyes and how important this body of ours is, that will never be a simple meaningless lesson. I am so grateful for this little eyes and the ability to use them. After last year loosing hand and feet ability and then this year the vision we love every little part of her working body! The Dr.s concluded that some of her seizures trigger a migraine, and very rarely migraines can cause a fever, vomiting, & vision loss. It just shouldn't be gone that long, so in the future we'll watch and look for it sooner.

Big Brother

2010-12-05T09:40:00.000-08:00

Carter wanted to know how it felt to be swaddled. So he and Kate shared in the swaddling experience. With no hands we had to take advantage of the popping in the passy!

Squa Peak

2010-12-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

Neil and Carter headed up Squa Peak. Carter is such a good little hiker! Having new shoes made him even better!

Santa

2010-12-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

Santa at the Ward Christmas Party

Kate

2010-11-30T13:03:00.000-08:00

I love when they start smiling!!

How do you do it?

2010-11-28T10:02:00.001-08:00

I had a doctor ask we a couple months back how I can stay on top of things with Sydney and all and do it with a positive attitude. I fumbled over my answer, but as I have thought about that question over the last couple months I figured out my answer.

I feel so blessed to have Sydney, our family wouldn't be the way it is today if she wasn't just who she is.

But I know there is a larger picture, I know we lived before we came to earth, and I know we will live after we leave this earth. Sydney has had to endure so many things, but when she leaves this earth, she wont have to do that anymore. That brings so much comfort to me as a mom. We are learning from her struggles and we are growing, but it it my job to help her in every way to enjoy this life no matter what is going on.

When things get too overwhelming I have a Father in Heaven that comforts, guides, and calms my fears. Most of the time that is done through my wonderful family, friends, and amazing ward. I can't fix,or make some things go away, although I wish I could. So many things are out of my hands, so I try not to get dwell on those things too long! We have a wonderful life, we are so blessed, and I find so much joy in my little family!

Silly Mountain

2010-11-27T09:30:00.000-08:00

We thought we'd go for a family hike. The trail use to be straight up the front of the hill, but they have nicely redone it and it was a much longer hike than before. But we did it and it worked out great. Sydney started walking, but ended up in the backpack.

We made it!

Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T09:26:00.000-08:00

The boys heading to their football game. It is always nice getting together with the family. Rachelle was home from school to join in the fun!

We have lots to be Thankful for!!

Kate loves her Dad!

Neil hung out at the kids table this year!

2010-11-22T12:41:00.000-08:00

This is a HUGE momentous picture for me. Neil came with me to a doctors appointment, the first time!!! It was Kate's check up, but I think he is a little sweeter when I call him flustered after going with both of them to the doctor. He was in and out with Sydney trying to keep her content so I could talk with the doctor. It was a special day!!

Kate has been such a sweet baby! She hung out on the counter while we finished making dinner!

Happy Birthday Neil

2010-11-20T09:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Neil! He enjoyed having the day off, he and Sydney played guitar.

Later we went and looked at some guitars, I think he found her.

Peralta

2010-11-18T10:18:00.000-08:00

Neil, Carter & some friends went and hiked Peralta Trail. Carter is so hard on shoes and we were holding out for Christmas break for shoes, but Neil called concerned when the front of his shoes had split open. The nearby Bashas didn't have shoes, but they had duct tape! We went the next day and got shoes, but for the hike good'ol duck tape! They made it to the needle. The little tree on the right is were they hiked to on the next photo.

Flat Iron

2010-11-15T09:17:00.000-08:00

Neil & Nic heading up to Flat Iron

Nic is near a cross were someone else was sitting on the edge when a gust of wind must have come.

They made it!

Bike Ride

2010-11-14T09:13:00.000-08:00

We were able to borrow some bikes so the entire clan could ride. We headed down to Tempe Town Lake.

Neil & Nic had a hard time on the tandem, so when Chip & Pam rode it like pros they were thrilled!
Sydney never gets enough bike riding!

Carters Baptism & Kates Blessing

2010-11-13T12:47:00.000-08:00

This was a special day for Carter & Kate. Carter chose to be baptised, and because all the family was there we blessed Kate also. We are so proud of Carter. He is an amazing little man, we are so glad he is ours!

Much of Neils family came down which made this day for Carter mean more! We loved having them! These are some amazing men that I hope Carter can look up to and follow their example!
My sweet little girl!

We appreciate all the love and support we get from our families!!

Marshall Bilyeu Game Night

2010-11-12T12:32:00.000-08:00

Neils Grandparents came for Carters baptism from Idaho so it was nice to have them out the night before for dinner, and later my family came and we played some games.

Betty was so nice to sit and keep Kate happy while I did last minute dinner arranging.

We had a mean game of Nerts going on, I tried to tell Neil that my family didn't want to make his feel bad by creaming them, but out of no where Nic came in with some mad Nerts skills. He has potential!!

Carters Hair Cut

2010-11-12T12:30:00.000-08:00

Carter grew his hair out this summer and it drove me crazy because it never looked done. So he said he would cut it before his baptism. This is the before shots, we cut off so much hair!!

Memorial Day

2010-11-11T12:24:00.000-08:00

Mom and I went with the kids to visit Grandpas grave. It was a good experience for the kids! I think the exercise we got trying to find his siblings was also helpful!

Family in town!

2010-11-08T11:20:00.000-08:00

It was so nice to have Pam come to town and add some helping hands to the house. Sydney was her shadow, playing with her makeup or helping comb her hair. She loved following grandma around!

Grandma was the fun one, and was still loved when Chip and Nic came, but Grandpa was the new one she shadowed. Nic, who she called kiki was constantly being summoned and didn't want to leave his side. She would sit outside the bathroom door not matter what they were doing, showering or other things and would ask if they were done, or had more, and as soon as they washed their hands, or turned off the shower she'd pop up excited and say 'all done'!!
Kate looked small but when Grandpa holds her she looks even smaller!

The boys were wonderful! Neil took some time off and they did jobs around the house, and entertained the kids, Carter was in heaven!!

Carter didn't know Nic was coming, so that was a special treat!

Halloween

2010-10-31T12:06:00.000-07:00

Carter the Ninja

Sydney the Witch

We loved having Grandma here for Halloween, she was a witch a long with Me & Kate was our black cat.
I did this with Carter as a baby, but he didn't like it so much, I think the trick was sneaking out and doing it without Dads help! Isn't she sweet!

Carter is in the back, he just blends in!

It is always fun meeting up with the rest of the family.

Sisters

2010-10-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

Sydney & Kate

She is here!

2010-10-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

We are so glad to have Kate here. She was born Wed. morning, and is doing Wonderful! I think Neil was wondering if he could share a little of his 'Sydney love', but after watching him with Kate it is clear he has plenty to go around!!I am the most thrilled to see how excited Carter has been. He is in love with this little girl!!! He is awesome with her and is willing to do anything that is needed! He is such a good brother!

Sydney on the other hand made me very nervous when she visited us in the hospital, she had nothing to do with the baby, she wasn't the happiest and I think just yanked her arm once to see a blanket. So going home I was a little hesitant. She is doing much better now, we just occasionally had her give her a kiss good morning and good night, but then we pointed out Kate has toes like she does and I think that helped. She held her and liked it, the was far from soft, but she is loving her sister more everyday!

I knew we were having a baby, but when the doctor handed her to me, I mentally heard myself saying, oh my, that's a baby. Weird feeling, but it was nice having the couple days in the hospital to try and remember all the normal baby stuff. It was a bit dawnting to leave the comfort and safety of the hospital. She is so little, and so fun, we are loving having her!

Soon there will be five. . .

2010-10-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

Crazy to think soon we'll be adding to our family!For Carters Birthday GG gave him a suite coat, he looks sooo old, but so handsome! That's my boy!

I love my boys!The belly is ready to pop! This is what Sydney does off and on all day long, she comes to give me a kiss and manages to hit the tummy!

Birthday Boys

2010-10-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Dad & Carter!! Carter held out for an extra hour and a half so he could be born on Grandpas Birthday.

8 Years Old!

2010-10-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

Carter had a glow in the dark birthday party. It was so fun, the kids all wore white and with the black light on they all had a nice "glow" about them. We moved the furniture out of the family room and all the decorations were made of paper so they lit up. It was so fun! Too bad I couldn't figure out how to really take a good picture to show it all.

He and his friends played glow in the dark bowling, ring toss, and ended with glow in the dark bouncy balls.

Tonic water glows with a black light if added to things, so their lemonade looked awsome with the glowing icecubes. Jello will glow also if you add a little tonic water. Sandra was a life saver in helping to keep all moving nicely and helping with the cake.
A big hit of the night was making gak. It is kind of like silly putty, and slime combined. The boys loved it! It was a fun night!

Happy Birthday Carter!

First Diamond Back Game

2010-10-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

Neil took Carter to his first Diamond Back Game. They both had a great time! Carter was excited when he was given a home run ball that an usher had caught. The Diamond Back won, that always helps too.

EEG

2010-10-03T12:54:00.000-07:00

Sydney's trip to Pch was a success and thrillingly shorter than planned trip!

She wasn't the biggest fan of getting the probes glued to her head, but thanks to bubbles she made it. We played with bubbled all day long for 3 days straight it seems. We had the catchable bubbles so they were all over the room, bed, floor, monitors and Sydney. What ever works!!

The point of the visit was to find out if what we have been calling seizures for the last 4 years were actually seizures. So she was hooked up to the EEG and taken off her seizure meds and monitored and videoed.
The nurses and Dr.s were so kind as always, it was nice being back on the 1st floor were we knew many of the nurses that walked in the door. It was funny to see some faces when I'd turn around and they'd see my belly. Many informed me they treat little ones, they don't deliver them. I kept reassuring them that wasn't in my plans for the visit! Neil came to visit the first night, which Sydney loved!

It is crazy as a mom to want a seizure, but by day two we were just waiting, and hoping. Sure enough the night of her second day she had one. It was a bit tricky to get her out of, but it was an accurate example of what her seizures did with length, body movement, breathing, and saturation. She required oxygen and monitoring for a while after due to needing to sedate her, but after her one they were able to put her back on her meds, not feeling the need to catch any more.

They were able to officially diagnose them as seizures. It is good to know we are treating the correct thing and she isn't on unnecessary medicines. She was not a fan of having the probes taken off, she was royally ticked with the teck until he let her play in the water, then she was a little more accommodating.

Summary of what we have learned: We are a bit more confused. But we have more facts to work with, they just aren't clear yet. Kids with GA1 have two mutations in the DNA, they only found one at this time making her a carrier, but feel the technology isn't available yet and when it is they will find the second and that will explain some of her symptoms. Most kids have this screening when they are a newborn, but she doesn't show signs in the normal blood as other kiddos do. Kids with GA1 don't have seizures, they have more cramping distonic episodes, like we saw last November/December. So finding the seizures leads Dr.s to think there is something else along with GA1 going on. That will be looked into at a latter date after all the baby's test come back. For now, Sydney's diet has been adjusted to accommodate her seizures, and GA1. She is doing amazingly well with her growth and development right now, so we are enjoying her thoroughly and will readdress things later. We love and appreciate all those that have been so helpful with Carter and keeping our family in your prayers!

Results are rolling in . .

2010-09-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

About a month ago we started getting reports from Atlanta. It has been a bit of a crazy month trying to get all the doctors on the same page. Lots of brilliant men and there different opinions on top of them just being men has been almost more than I can handle. But thank goodness for our wonderful pediatrician that has spend literally hours on the phone with them all helping to keep them focused!

I will give a better update here in the next couple weeks. But in a nut shell they feel Sydney has something called GA type 1. There is a longer name, but I can't find the paper with it on there. Kids with that don't tend to have seizures. So we are being admitted to the hospital today and she is being hooked up to an EEG and having her meds removed so we can catch what we have known as seizures on a scan. I am guessing we'll be there for the week, and hope to be able to learn more about everything. There is possibly something besides the GA1 and this will be helpful to point out the needed direction for doctors to look.

We are feeling very blessed that all though we are cutting everything close to when this baby is coming we are getting so much information that is helpful to both Sydney and the baby.

Soccer

2010-09-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

Carter has been loving soccer this season. He didn't play the last couple years so this has been fun to get back into. It's been fun to watch him get better every game!

4th of July

2010-07-03T13:59:00.000-07:00

I was excited with the thought of Neil and Carter going camping for the weekend and Sydney and I would have a quiet weekend to play. So when I called my friend Dana to see if Neil could use there property she said they were going up and they so nicely invited us to join them. All the sudden going with the boys sounded a bit more appealing. So in 2 hours we rounded up our things and we were off. We headed up toward Heber Arizona. The first night was so fun, we did smores and the kids explored. Sydney went down great, but around 4:00am she was wide awake. Not wanting to wake the Shurtz I took her in the car. We sang, played an finally when Carter joined an hour later we turned to the signing time DVDs. It was sweet watching Carter with her!

A little after Carter joined us Neil popped his head in. We went on a couple long walks trying to not wake camp and finally went on a drive. They were having a parade later that day and it was crazy to see how many people had set up chairs and things the night before. So we set up the canopy and headed back to camp for a quick breakfast before heading back to the parade.

We waited for a couple hours, we got so bored we started yanking Carters teeth. But that was unsuccessful. The parade wasn't quite what we had expected, Carter was all excited about candy, but there wasn't any, lots of tractors and fire engines. It was fun, but I think we are good skipping it next time!

One of the first things Carter spotted when we got to camp was the little paint pellets on the ground. So when the girls pulled out the paint ball guns he had a hard time controlling his excitement.

Sydney joined in the fun!

Jackson is a natural!

Neil was probably as excited as Carter, but controlled it a little better!

Gary & Dana have a little trailer up there that was nice to be able to use when we needed. So making hobo dinners was easy. It was nice getting all the different tips on how to better the hobo dinner. Things like slicing the potatoes, and how to layer them. My advice thrown in was lots and lots of butter!

We have known Jackson since he was born. Claire was so excited to be an Aunt. On the first day of school it was a treat to get on the bus and Jackson was sitting there. So Sydney and Jackson are old friends.

One of the funnest things for me to watch was the sparklers. Lenea was so smart and brought them up. The kids loved them!

The view on the Shurtz property is perfect with the great fireworks show Heber puts on. It was a great show, the spot was perfect up on the hill! Sydney loved the fireworks. Before when we've gone she was too far away for the sound. They both loved watching them!

Gary and clan left after the fireworks, but we stayed for another night. The next morning was interesting watching Sydney explore, it was one of the first times I've noticed Sydney being interested in plants and flowers. She would lightly brush the plant with her fingers and watch it bounce back and forth. Little things like that are always fun to watch. After girls camp with Claire I felt like a negligent parent not having taken Carter crawdad hunting. I was determined and had even saved a hot dog for bate. But we couldn't find any! We tried.

We had a great weekend. It was so nice to go up with the Shurtz and clan. They are amazing, and so fun to be around!

It's A Girl!!!

2010-06-24T14:57:00.000-07:00

We are having a girl. I keep running into friends that don't know we are expecting. So for those that don't know, we are expecting in the fall! Neil and I were sure it was a boy, with the way I was sick it was so much like with Carter, but after two times checking he isn't a he, he is a she. We are having a hard time with names, but in the end we'll have to figure one out!

I have had a couple people ask if it is possible for this baby to have what Sydney has. So for those that are wondering, we aren't sure yet. Until we find out what Sydney has we don't know. The Dr. in Atlanta said probably a 25 % chance, but there isn't anything we need to do now. So yes, that is there and when I think about it it is daunting, but Sydney is pure joy in our life, and we would do it again in a heart beat!

Thank You for the Fathers Day Gift

2010-06-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

Chip & Pam were so nice and got Neil a shot vac for Fathers Day while they were here. As you can see it has gone to great use! Not only cleaning, but hours of entertainment, and hair styling.

Happy Fathers Day

2010-06-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

It was a treat having Chip down for Fathers Day. Sandra invited everyone to her house for dinner. As always she had a wonderfully made dinner. There are some amazing Fathers we get to have in our life. We love them all and appreciate them!

Pam & Chip had to head out right after dinner. We were so grateful that they came!!!

Chip & Pam to the Rescue

2010-06-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

So, Neil and I could have done the floor. I know it, but it would have taken us sooo long, it wouldn't have been done as well and I think our bodies to our marriage would have felt the strain. Not only was it nice to have them visit, it was such a HUGE help! Sydney mastered the stud finder. She watched us a couple times and then started doing it!

The kids loved having our bed in the family room for the weekend. They thought that was great fun!

Sydney loves when Grandma comes, she loves brushing her long hair.

THE FLOOR IS FINALLY DONE!!

Swim Team

2010-06-17T10:04:00.000-07:00

Carter is a great little fish. I thought swim team would be good during the summer. SO a couple mornings a week he has this. After watching the first day and how many laps that little boy had to do I couldn't figure how I thought that would be fun. He did great, he never complained, placed in all different spots in his meets. Of course he is the most proud of his first in one meet doing the butterfly.

Grandma was here to watch his first meet!

Room Prep

2010-06-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

One morning I woke up and realized I was sick of parking on the drive way and tromping through out garage full of molding, and flooring just sitting in the shade while the kids cooked as we got in the car everyday. So I encouraged Neil that we could do the floor, we'd just bam it out and it would be fine. Chip had taught us well, we could totally do it!! I didn't think he was listening much. So... much to my surprise my pep talk was better than I'd thought. I got home from work one night and he'd pulled up the carpet. I guess we are doing the floor!Funny how Neil kept calling Neil. I thought to find out how to do things, but later learned he was trying as hard as he could to get his folks down to help. I kept telling him we could do it, and I wasn't about to make his parents work on their hands and knees like we did before!

While Neil was out of town I figured with the carpet up and the molding off that would be the only time to paint. So my amazing sister came to the rescue. She was moving everything, and hated every minute being on the top of the latter taping the ceiling. Neil was successful at getting Pam & Chip to come down. They were bringing their spray gun.

Carter was my good helper with priming the wall!

We were ready! Thanks to the help of EVERYONE involved!

Peanut Buttter & More Peaut Butter

2010-06-06T09:15:00.000-07:00

With Sydney's diet she can have half butter & half peanut butter. That is the only thing she is wanting to eat by mouth these days. Thanks so our wonderful feeding therapist Jenn we are learning lots of things to do with our reunited love with peanut butter.

Unfortunately with Sydney's diet if she is gaining or loosing too much weight the dietitian changes things. If any one has seen Sydney lately she is now on a cut back diet due to her too much love of peanut butter. She is still getting her peanut butter at every meal, things have just been adjusted.

Princess Boot Camp

2010-06-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

I was able to go with Claire to girls camp again this year. I have worked with Claire for the last 8 years. This has become something we look forward to after our Girls camp adventures last year. This was the welcoming manikin that was used many ways throughout the week. Arms to scare, she ended up in a leaders bed one night, and as you'll see at the end used to scare people in the porta-potty. Their theme was "Be Strong"

I love Claire! So many things she experiences at camp are new to her! Her all time favorite part is hanging out with the other girls in the tent!

It is so fun having Emily at camp with us! Not only is she a pure joy to be around, but she is such a help, especially this year as she was repeatedly told by her mom I was to not lift. She was a bit of a nazi when it came to it, but it was appreciated! Claire always does better when Emily is near!

Unlike most girls camps we get to have the FULL experience of the outdoors. We have the luxury of nice tents and porta-potties. But it was a treat to have a little stream close to camp.

I was amazed to see how excited these girls got over crawdad hunting. They were all involved with catching them! It was a first for Claire, and it was so fun to watch as the girls taught her what to do and helped her catch them.

Canoeing on the last day was such a perk! We tried to talk Claire into going back to shore, but she never wanted to. We finally got her back for lunch, but as soon as she was done she was ready for more. It was hot, and as tempting as jumping in was and as hard as Emily tried to talk me into it I couldn't figure out how to jump in with out tipping Claire, and then there was no way I'd be able to get back in the boat! So, sorry Emily, next year!

She was our morning greeting the last day. I knew she was going to be there, but the heart still skips a beat when the bathroom door is opened and she is sitting there!

We had a blast, those girls are amazing. It was the ward I grew up in so it was a special treat to have some leaders there I had when I was in girls camp. It was amazing to see how sweet the girls are to Claire.

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T20:03:00.000-07:00

It is always fun to have a day with Neil home out of the normal. Before heading to Marty's for swimming we visited Grandpa grave sight and a friend of ours that had passed away a couple years back.

Train Park

2010-05-24T19:49:00.000-07:00

It is always fun having Whit in town! One day had a little outing to the Train Park. It was perfect for Christopher a& Sydney. There was a little train we rode and a merry-go-round. Christopher was not too sure about the marry-go-round. Sydney on the other hand LOVED it!!

Lets Play Ball

2010-05-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

Carter & Dallin each year have played ball together. It is great because it is much funner to watch with a crowd we know. Carter did great a catcher, and took the opportunity to slide into home after his hit just for the camera. That's my boy!

This particular game we recruited the clan. Whit and Christopher were in town so even more cheerleaders.

Dad & Mom even came for there anniversary. How romantic!

When the kids started crawling all over we knew it was time to call it game. It was a good season!

Happy Birthday Sydney

2010-05-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

Sydney is 4! Such a big girl! We love her and loved having her part of the family the last 4 years. She is a joy in our family, we are so lucky to have her!

We had a mellow birthday this year, next year we'll go a bit bigger. She is lucky and gets to share her birthday with Auburn & Allison. They turned 3!

Most kids have cake, but this year Sydney enjoyed her asparagus and butter!

Our New Little Girl
1 Years Old

2 Years Old

3 Years Old
4 years old

Good Bye Ronald

2010-05-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

Sydney loved Ronald. She was a bit confused, she thought he was real!

She kept waving and asking for kisses expecting something in return.

I couldn't get her away, she wanted her wave or hello in return. It was so funny!
She finally just blew him lots of kisses as she walked away!
Time to head home!

More Tests

2010-05-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

This was a new test for us. RMR Resting Metabolic Rate Test I am pretty sure it is called. This was canceled due to her fever, but luckily we were able to get it right before we took off. It is a bit of a miserable test. It tests how her body metabolizes. So she has to sit in a 'resting' state with this bubble and shower curtain thing over her for 20 minutes. It was not quite resting, she fought and cried the entire time. She was so hot and sweaty, but she did it. We were both so happy when this was done!

The EKG followed, she thought it was great fun to stick the extra tabs on me like stickers. What ever made her happy at this point! The tests were finally done!

Nate & Brit

2010-05-14T08:48:00.000-07:00

I have some wonderful cousins that live in Atalnta. It was such a treat to go with them to lunch and later to a school orchestra concert. It was so nice to see them and spend time with them! After lunch one day Nate drove us around and showed us the city and some beautiful houses. It was so great, and so pretty!

Ronald Mc Donald House

2010-05-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

At the Ronald McDonald House volunteers come every night and make dinner for those in the house. There were about 10 families there, most of them had been there for a month or two and some still had a couple months left. Most of the kids there had been in a car accident and had a brain injury, but were doing great. They would all load up in the van in the morning and go to the hospital for rehab therapy and come back that night. We were the only girl in the house, so when The Blue Nights came one night and grilled a wonderful meal and had all their bikes the boys that were all around 8-12 where loving it! These volunteers were so good and they loved it!!! Sydney had just had her biopsy that morning so she wasn't too chipper, but she liked this bike that had the flowers on it. They were real nice and let the kids get in the car. One little boy was having a blast on the intercome and we had to laught when a couple minutes later a patrol car came to findout what the yelling was all about.

This group sat and visited as they made dinner, they were all police officers and some of their wifes. There was a big group of them. It was such a treat to how that that night!

Tests

2010-05-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

Our first day of tests were the more invasive ones. She had a muscle biopsy, skin biopsy, spinal tap, and blood & urine work. She was a trooper, anesthesia hasn't been too rough on her in the past. When she had her last muscle biopsy in October she was up and walking the next day. This time she really struggled to even stand a couple days later. I later learned that before the part of her quad that was taken was on the side, and this time it was in the front of the quad, which is a more frequently used muscle. Now we know, hopefully that was our last time to do it! She is amazing!

Atlanta Trip Step 1

2010-05-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

The trip was broken into chunk mentally of things needed to accomplish. Getting through security, getting on the plain, getting to Atlanta, getting our baggage, getting our rental car, and finally ending up at the Ronald Mc Donald house. After a night of Sydney being sick on both ends the decision to go was much harder to make, but she didn't have a fever. But we decided to go for it and just pray like crazy things go well. Her being sick made things a bit tricky, but the flight over couldn't have gone better. She actually fell asleep for about an hour of the ride, and she held everything in. I didn't feed her, just a very slow drip of water in hopes of not needing an IV when we got there. Us Airways has to have the least amount of flying space I have ever experienced! She had to sit criss cross or she would hit her feet, but the plane got us there safely!

I have to say that our double stroller saved me. There was no humanly possible way for me to carry her and everything, we got quite a few funny glances, but it worked! It is great in the Atlanta airport they have a tram/train thing that you can catch and it takes your were you need to go. BUT I didn't know that, I saw it, but I was too nervous to get on it in fear of ending up in some random place. So we did a very long trek through the airport. But on the way home we got on it and it was BEAUTIFUL!I have a new love for my friends GPS system. I can't explain how beautiful the sound "re-calculating" was when I knew I had just made a wrong turn, or when I missed the exit or when I was in a part of town that looked like a scary movie. She always got me back on track, I bet I could turn that into a church talk, but not today. I tried to name her and the only thing that fit is Synergy (from the tv show Jem growing up). Sandra uses that for her car GPS. It just fits.

Why Atlanta?

2010-05-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

Back in Dec. Sydneys Dr.s Started talking about a Dr. in Atlanta that they were sending her extra muscle to and other things so he could look at it. In March after talking to Sydney's Neurologists it was decided the next step was to go see Dr. Shoffner in Atlanta. Our Doctors had done all they knew what to do, they were at the end of their ideas. Dr. Shoffner is a specialist in Mitochondria Diseases. I am still so limited on what we are talking about, but in a nut shell I know the Mitochondria is the energy source for your body. It helps produce energy and the brake down of the energy. If you think back to science in school we were taught about the cell, in the center is the nucleus, and then around the nucleus is the mitochondria. That is what they feel may be causing things to act up.

With the wonderful love and support and prayers by many Sydney and I were able to go back and see Dr. Shoffner for a week. The trip was a whirl wind, but in the end we were able to get all the tests done. When I met with Dr. Shoffner there wasn't a lot we talked about, because there are so many different Mitochondrial disorders that are all so specific to the patient. He encouraged me not to research things until we narrow things down. Until the tests are done, and the results are back we really don't know anything yet. But he seemed to know what he was talking about, and I know we are in good hands. As I talked to a couple Mito parents since being home I am even more appreciative that we are working with him.

Test results may start coming the end of July. I am going back in August to meet with Dr. Shoffner and talk about results. From what I understand most Mitochondrial disorders aren't something you cure, but by knowing what the path may be and how to treat things that come is what we are hoping to find. We appreciate more than the heart can express those that are going through this adventure with us!!!

Uncle Nic

2010-04-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

We were glad that Nic was able to stick around for a couple days after the camp out so us girls could play too. After we grabbed dinner we stopped by my parents and even thought the water was cold Carter got in and had a blast. Sydney wasn't too sure about the boat, but she really wanted to get in.

Look how nice they look all dressed up!

We love when Nic comes to town!!

Uncle Nic Camping

2010-04-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

Neil was thrilled when Nic agreed to come down for a weekend for a Father & Sons camp out. Neil and Nic went with Carter a couple days earlier to make sure and save the spot for those following. I think Nic was feeling a little too at home when they got a couple days of snow. They had all the fire wood they needed and had a good time on their bike ride looking at all the cabins to buye.

Easter

2010-04-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

I have rewritten this post numerous times. I love General Conference Weekend, and Easter and I keep trying to word things positively realizing it was just a weekend that is now over. But it was an intense weekend, not only due to events going on with Sydney, but I didn't feel well, the concern of how we will handle these weekends with a new baby, poor Carter is just wanting to die Easter eggs and open Sydneys Easter basket with her. I was so excited about not doing my moms cinnamon roll tradition on conference because I always slotter them so we were changing it to waffles. Now that I have expressed my pity party I can point out that there were good things that we were able to do.

Carter did get to color Easter eggs which he did a great job of, Sydney just didn't join this year.

Sydney had a Seizure Saturday morning which she woke from with a fever, and very uncomfortable which went on all day Saturday and that night. Sunday she had gotten worse and was grabbing at her eye in pain. So she and I headed to PCH. We spent the day there going tests and scans. After 8 hours of the emergency room we were sent home with no answers tired, sick, and so frustrated. A couple days later she started doing much better, and we are still trying to figure out what happened.

When we left the hospital I figured we were already in Phoenix, I was starving and new there would be family, yummy food, and Carter at Grandmas.We got there just in time to watch the kids do their Easter Egg Hunt.

The cousins. Aren't they cute!!

We could only stay for a little bit, but it was such a lift to see all our family that loved and uplifts us. I kept thinking how I could relate my crazy day and frustrations to the celebration of Christs sacrifice for us and most importantly his resurrection. What kept coming to me was just the fact that I know He is there, I know He is aware of our little family, He doesn't make these things happen with Sydney, but I know he is comforting and protecting her and us as we do what we can to enjoy the blessing of life that we have been blessed with.

Easter Card

2010-04-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

I had big fun plans of doing a great announcement on here, but it didn't happen. This is the card we sent my inlaws to let them now when they come in November for Carters baptism, there will be a new baby waiting for them. We are very excited, funny how things work. After a year and a half of trying and some of that on fertility and it didn't happen. We decided to focus on the clan we have right now. Then the next month, surprise!! ( I couldn't get this to turn the right way, but you get the point)

Before & After

2010-04-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

Here's some of the before & after shots.

The floor looks a little darker in these pictures, but it isn't that dark.

I'd rather ROOF than FLOOR!

2010-03-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

That is my conclusion after this last couple weeks, we redid our floors in our main living area. My sainted in-laws came down from Idaho and were literally on their hands and knees for 10 of the 14 days they were here. Neil took a handful of days off and that was nice. We had other family trickle in here and there when possible, but Chip , Pam, & Neil were hard at work many days from 8 till 10 at night. But it is done, and as we get things back into place and clean up I love the floors more and more everyday! Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!

Here are a couple before shots

kitchen

looking into the kitchen

There was tile at the front door and in the kitchen. It all had to come up!

So it began. . .

With the house all uprooted for the couple weeks the kids really did good adjusting. When Sydney got bored she find herself some kind of broom and start working! Training her young!

After getting the tile up there was glue stuff that had to be ground down. I don't think anyone expected the white clouds that would come from just that little front door way. I was band during this process due to the inability to breath, but when I came home and found every thing covered in dust I was really worried at how bad it would be with the kitchen. But thankfully the kitchen tiles came up without any problem bringing the glue with them. No grinding!!!!! Yeah!!!!!

2010-03-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

This is the kitchen that came up without leaving too much behind!

Grandpa did take a break to help Carter break open his crater rock he was given. "It was full of diamonds" Carter told us! He is so proud!

A friend mentioned how nice the floor would look on a diagonal. My father in law agreed to they started it, the diagonal I think was a bad subject until the floor was done, it looked beautiful but it required much more effort!

Carter was good natured about spending his spring break doing house stuff. Neil put him in charge of the closet, riping up the carpet and tack boards. He did awesome!
Slowly but surly!!
We made it to the eating area!!!

The kids loved when they discovered the sliding perks to the new floor. Sydney laughed as Carter slid her back and forth.

The BahamaBucks break was a must!

Dad came over one night and was a huge help until he got himself stuck in the entertainment center tower!

Neil was adjusting something in the dishwasher and Sydney was determined to play with the buttons. When Neil wouldn't move she picked up her leg and sat right on his head and was at the perfect position to play with her buttons. That's our girl!

There are more pictures of the completed project, just need to be downloaded from the camera!

Updates

2010-03-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

We are all alive and well! I have so much to catch up on it kills me I don't even have Halloween and our Texas trip up, so I will start with now and work back!

Ragnar 2010

2010-02-28T10:13:00.000-08:00

After experiencing Ragnar last year even with how crazy hard and exhausting it was, there wasn't much question if we'd do it again! The out of control pure nuttiness of it, you can't help but want to be a part.

These are the girls of this years team.These are the great guys of our van! This is some of our team waiting for Andrea to come hand off. As you can see we were the Cereal Killers. We all had different names! They entertained many as they danced and had their talented rhythm going!

A big treat this year is that I got Sandra to join. Not our team, but she was able to go with another team. We were running the same leg, but they had started earlier so when I got a call from her she'd just finished her first run and I was about to start she said it was so easy and that I only had two tricky hills. As I was running and had counted my 5th tricky hill I came to the conclusion her definition of hill is different than mine. If it is larger than a curb in my book it's a hill! It was a treat to meet up at one of the rest stops. She caught the bug and is trying to recruit for a family team, watch out! Sandra is amazing, I loved having her along to understand the absurd fun this race is!

At the end you meet with both vans and run across the finish line. We have a great team!

Super Stition Farm Field Trip

2010-02-17T10:54:00.000-08:00

Carter had a field trip to Superstition Farm and it was such a treat to go with him. I love watching his excited expressions when he gets to do new things. He was so excited to have me there that he made sure I was right next to him or close, I was shocked but he sure knows how to make his mom feel loved. It was a lot of fun. The people at the farm were so good with the kids and taught them so much!
He's a natural!

They kept things so clean that the cows didn't even stink!

Valentines Day & Chinese New Year

2010-02-14T10:33:00.000-08:00

Last year Mom & Dad did a Chinese New Year Dinner that was sooo good.

This year Chinese New Year & Valentines were on the same day so Dad & Mom invited us over for a fun Valentines Dinner.

Mom is getting so creative now that she has been introduced to blogs and other things on the computer. She found this cute idea with a Twinkies, it was quite a hit!

Then Sandra takes creative to a new level. Instead of taking Valentines treats to people she made them Chinese New Year treats since they fell on the same day. Isn't this soo cute, it's sushi made out of rice crispy treats & hi hos.

Skiing

2010-01-20T10:49:00.000-08:00

Neil & Chad Jones took to the slopes after all that crazy rain & snow. They had a blast, I think they both came home a little sorer than they hoped, but had a good time.

Home Again

2010-01-12T09:48:00.000-08:00

We love to be home! Not much figured out during our stay, but things aren't worse. Gotta love it! Here are a couple pictures from our little stay.

Sydney loved the stethoscopes. A couple sweet nurses would give in and she'd keep theirs for a while. No worries, her knee has a great heart beat along with her feet which she checked hundreds of times a day!

Sydney found if she propped herself on the back of the coach she could watch out the window at the construction of what will soon be our private rooms next year.

We had packed up to leave one morning and an hour later were told we weren't going anywhere. The thing that kept that change of plans bearable was that we were off restrictions. We were allowed to leave the room to roam the halls and play in the play room!

YEAH FREEDOM!!

Again, thank you, thank you, thank you to those that helped, visited, and kept us in their thoughts. As much fun as we had, we are hoping for a long break before we visit our wonderful nurses again!

Back in the hopsital

2010-01-08T17:21:00.000-08:00

Sydney came back to the hospital on Sunday morning. I think she missed a couple nurses. She is doing good, she has an infection in her intestines. We were packing to go home this morning, but had to change direction when the Dr. wanted her to stay. Which as much as I didn't want to she ended up waking pretty dehydrated after less than 24 hours off IVs. So, we will be here a couple more days. Again thank you thank you for those that have called, helped with Carter, popped in for sanity checks and that have had Sydney and our family in their prayers. Sydney is as lively and happy as ever. She leans over the end of the coach and yells "hi" "hi" over and over and over to the nurses out the door. I am surprised they haven't shut her door yet. We were taken off precautions today so we were able to leave the room!!!!! With a tool skirt a nurse brought her she has painted all over her and I and covered the hallways on the push toy. In this situation it is such a blessing to have her being so great, having her happy & lively is exhausting, but makes the days wonderful! Unfortunately due to the season Carter isn't able to visit, but is having a blast with Dad. Thank you to all of you that are giving him extra hugs!

2 Additions to the Family!

2009-12-29T10:57:00.000-08:00

We were thrilled to put our tire swing back up in the tree. We had to take it down 6 months earlier after a heavy rain made the tree start to uproot. We jacked the tree up and it has been propped with wood. Swinging is still hard with the wood there, but it was fun to be able to play a little in it.

Here is the first turtle, Carter named him BOB. He is the larger of the two, but seems to get plowed over constantly.
Then we have Sydneys, we call him Little T. We figured she may be able to call him "T" and say his name eventually. She gets a kick out of watching them walk around.
We didn't know if Sydney was going to kiss the turtle, or try to nibble a little, but good thing Carter has fast hands. Shortly after this she tried to shake the turtle out of his shell, we have cut back a little on Sydney holding the turtles.

Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T10:36:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve at Grandmas is always a highlight. It was different not having Grandpa there, but I think he was in all our thoughts. It is a tradition to have enchiladas followed by an acted out nativity then watch Luke II (which hasn't worked the last couple years) before heading home to prepare for Santa.

Shelly has been adopted by the family. It is a treat to have her join the fun! She is sure we are fully supplied with delightful ice cream cakes!

Every other year Sandra & Whit rotate, we so missed Whit and family, but enjoyed having Sandra's clan. Carter is always happy when Dallin is around!

Doesn't Neil make a great angel in a costume made for an 8 year old girl. Everyone is a good sport when it comes to the nativity! Carter & Ella made a great Mary & Joseph

Merry Christmas!!!

2009-12-24T09:09:00.001-08:00

This is our poor excuse for a Christmas card this year! But it comes with so much love and appreciation! We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year! You have all touched our life in one way or another and for that we appreciate you and your families!

Merry Christmas from the Marshalls!

Time Well Spent

2009-12-23T09:19:00.000-08:00

Carter & I have talked about making a gingerbread house all month. With craziness it never happened. But yesterday we finally had a couple hours to spare and had so much fun creating. We decided every year we would get better. We were going to sprinkle coconut all over for snow but it crumbled a couple minutes after this picture. Next year!This year I wasn't meant to make our ward and neighbors Christmas treats. I attempted these wonderful apples, they ended up getting the name of cellulite apples, but they tasted good, and then I don't know what I did with the Carmel corn. How wrong can one go with sugar and butter, but it was a disaster. For all those that didn't get treats from the Marshalls, it was attempted we will have something wonderful next year!