summer's last hurrah!

It hit me that I would be tied down to school forevermore in just a few days so I hit the road with the kids to see my sister and her kids in Idaho for a nice long weekend. We had a great time!

stuff we did:

• saw their beautiful new house for the first time
• played and played
• ate homemade pizza and other delicious meals (my sis is a great cook)
  
• swam, kayaked and played at a nearby fun lake
• sleepover on the trampoline
  
• went to church together
• the moms had little chats in between caring for their combined 10 children
• rode bikes
  
• crafts
• Wii

I love my sister! She is an inspiration and someone I hope to become more like. She is organized, a consistent good parent, she is so faithful in having family prayer and scripture study, and an active volunteer in the community, and is just a compassionate down-to-earth awesome girl!

wild weekend

Early Friday morning, Dax left on a shed hunting trip so when I drove Preslie to school Friday, I saw on the marquee out front that there was no school on Monday and I decided that it was a good weekend to go away. Before going home to pack, the boys and I visited a few yard sales and picked up this cute witch costume ($2) for my niece, Mya. Mack was an adorable model...

While I packed, the boys played potato head.

Then, I got myself a brilliant idea to go to Rexburg to see my sister and her family plus my mom and dad who were there. The kids and I braved the 6-7 hours in the car and were so happy to get there!

Saturday, the kids took shifts in the bathtub. The babies were first...

Later we set up the trampoline (nice weather finally!) and the kids had a ball. Then we went to Bear World and pet 2 adorable bear cubs.



And that was the last time I saw my car keys on this trip. Everyone looked everywhere we could think of...outside, in my car, dresser drawers, in the garbage... to no avail! Sunday, after

a fun afternoon of jumping on the tramp and making yummy gingersnaps, we said a prayer to find the keys. Then Tisha's home teachers popped in to say hi and answered our prayer by telling us about a place in town that makes keys by using a number code from your car.

The next day, the nice home teacher came and took my door apart, got the lock out and I took it and had 2 keys made.

We had a wonderful trip and now it was time to go home. I drove as far as Tremonton and we stopped for a potty break. We started driving again and I immediately noticed my car was acting weird. I first noticed the weird noise when I pushed the clutch, and I had no turn signals but we had to keep going. We had just reached Davis County when I heard Preslie ask "what's that weird smell?" and then all I heard was Preslie screaming and gagging and I glanced back to see Mack covered in throw up. I knew if I didn't do something that Preslie would be next because she was dry heaving at the sight/smell of it.

I kept my eyes on the road and yelled, "PRESLIE! You are FINE! Look out the window- do NOT look at Mack. Get ahold of yourself- You are not sick. You can NOT throw up right now! If you do, you are in so much trouble!"

Then I tried to unroll the windows to get some fresh air in the car but they wouldn't work (remember the car was acting weird). I pulled off the freeway in Roy to clean Mack up and change his clothes and we pressed forward in the stinky car.

We hit Salt Lake City rush hour and it started to rain. The windows got so foggy and I soon found I had no defrost, either. I could barely see out the windshield, it stunk like puke, I had no turn signals, and Mack threw up once more before we reached my parents'. What a trip!

We got there and I had my brother look at my car. He said it was working just fine. So after I bathed Mack, we decided to try and go home. 3 more hours in the car! After all we'd been through, I was ready to take it on.

After we gassed up, I turned the key and my car started acting up again...the noise, no power windows, everything... NO! So I turned the car back off and tried the other key... It worked perfectly.

Preslie summed it up when she said: "If you want to have a really good day, use the good key; if you want to have a really really bad day, use the bad key."

I am so glad I was able to see my sister and her family. It makes my heart grow so big to see our kids play together and be such buddies. They stayed up late talking and laughing every night after we put them to bed. I loved talking and hanging out with my sister. She and her husband are so good and I love being in their home. I hope she can continue recovering from her kidney being removed and get all her energy back. She is such an inspiration to me and I look up to her so much.

best news

My parents and Trina went to the Oncologist with Tisha today. The final reports are in and the doc said she is the LUCKIEST cancer patient in the world. Because they were able to find and remove it before it spread any more, she has a clean bill of health! My sister and the rest of my family are walking on AIR. We are so grateful.

counting blessings

This week wins the award for most crazy, most wonderful, and most scary... all at once.

Monday my oldest sister Tisha went to the doctor for a pain in her abdomen was diagnosed with renal carcinoma which is kidney cancer for which there is no cure and life expectancy is short. She was scheduled to get her kidney removed on Wednesday.

Tuesday morning we had our final inspection on the house and were thrilled. After that I called Tisha and I hardly knew what to say and we just cried as we were both so unsure about her future. My mind could not process losing her. Later, Craig, Dax and I took the boys to eat lunch with Preslie at her school to celebrate finishing the house.

Wednesday Tisha got her kidney removed and my siblings and parents and I were on edge all day awaiting news of the surgery. The doctor said that they were very optimistic that they got all the cancer. They will have to watch her closely to make sure to catch any other possible occurrences. She may have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation.

Thursday we packed and packed as I dreamed about my new house and wondered how my sister was digesting all of this news. Dax carried boxes and furniture down all the stairs, loaded the trailer, then unloaded everything at the house. I usually do this with him when we move, but Mack was SO in the middle of everything that it was all I could do to keep him out of the way and off the concrete stairs as Dax was loading. Needless to say Dax was SICK of carrying boxes up and down stairs.

Friday, Dax's work buddies came to help us move and we were so thankful. That evening, Craig and Nadine came to visit us and celebrate our first night in our house. I think it is cool that we moved in on Craig's birthday. I woke up a couple of times in the night and looked around thinking how pretty my room was and then I would fall back asleep smiling.

Saturday felt like Christmas, not Valentine's Day. We woke up to a light snow on the ground, boxes everywhere, Craig putting together the kids' little table and chairs Nadine brought them, Dax putting up curtain rods for me. It all felt like a wonderful dream. A wonderful, exhausting dream.

Sunday (today) we were a circus trying to find shoes and makeup and blow dryer and get ready without any mirrors (we still need to get those in the bathrooms). We made it to our new ward and it hit me when the Sunday school introduced us and said, "are you permanent residents?" Whoa. It is just crazy to me that I live in a house. Our furniture is so tiny in here. Our couches and kitchen table shrunk!

I called Tisha and I was brought to tears by how grateful she was for her life and how blessed she felt. I guess that is what happens when you look death in the face. It makes you realize just how neat life is and that each day is a gift from Heavenly Father. She has always been an example of someone who cherishes each day and spends her time on what is truly important. I have faith that she will live long enough to enjoy her six children and that God's blessings will continue to pour out upon her because of her faithfulness and all the good she does in the world. I love my family and am so thankful to have the chance to learn and experience this life!