11.29.2010

master suite makeover

If you read this post, you'll know how this all started!  You'll also know that Tim tried to encourage me to wait until after Christmas, but I just couldn't.  I picked up the paint on Tuesday and 9 hours later my closet was painted!  Yes, that took forever, but I loved the way it turned out.  Naturally, I couldn't stop there.  Friday evening we finished up the last coat in our bedroom and by Saturday afternoon the room was complete.  Although I still have a wish list of things I'd like such as, chandelier{s} and a footstool, but it's complete for now!  Just 9 days after my first vision of what I wanted my room to be like it came together.
{before}






{during}




{after}










Here's the breakdown.  I got everything at IKEA with the exception of the paint.  The paint is a Martha Stewart Living color, but I used the Behr Paint with Primer because I've used that paint before and liked it.  We only had to do two coats and it covered the red perfectly.  I wanted to break this all down for my benefit and thought I would share all the details with you.

3 Pillow Shams........$15
Rug......$20

Grand Total......$285 
{Thanks, Tim!}


 

11.28.2010

happy thanksgiving










We had a fabulous Thanksgiving. We always spend this holiday with Tim's side of the family since my family dominates much of our Christmas time. We went to Logan and had dinner with the Carver clan.  It was so fun to be with family.  These pictures make me so grateful that my kids have cousins they love so much!  We headed back to Salt Lake and spent the rest of the evening hanging out at Grandpa Kent and Grandma Ann's house. The next day we all went and saw Tangled, it was cute and funny!  Payton and Parker spent the ENTIRE day at Jones's AND they got to sleepover. They loved it {and so did we because we were painting!}  We had a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend {the Utes win and the bedroom makeover may have had something to do with that too!}

 So much to be grateful for...

11.23.2010

wax museum

Payton just completed a really fun assignment at school.  The Third Graders did, "Famous People" reports.  Each child chose a famous person such as; Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Pocahontas, Abraham Lincoln and... Michael Jordan.  I know, it's a huge shock that Payton would chose a sports figure as his famous person!  They worked on this assignment for weeks.  They had to read a biography, write a written report, do an oral report and prepare this tri-fold poster.  Payton was obsessed with this project.  He was talking about it from the minute he woke up in the morning until he went to bed at night.  After the reports were finished the Third Graders did a Wax Museum.  They dressed up as the famous person and had to stand in pose while the parents walked around and observed all their hard work.  We concluded that Payton will not be an actor!  We also concluded that he must think Michael Jordan sat on the bench a lot since this was Payton's only pose... 




Seriously though, assignments like this one, make me appreciate school and amazing teachers.  Payton keeps telling us things like, "Did you know that Leonardo DaVinci never ate meat?"  To which we replied, "Oh, he was a vegetarian, huh?"  Payton quickly responded, "No, he was a famous artist!"

We love all that he learned from this project and the many conversations that it's provided within our home!  I love to see my children enjoy learning.

 

11.22.2010

if you give a pig a pancake


Are you familiar with these children books?  They are pretty funny and hit much too close to home for me.  You see, I feel this way ALL.  THE.  TIME.  Here is my version of the story:

IF YOU GIVE BRITTANY AN HOUR TO HERSELF

If you give Brittany an hour to herself.  She'll probably think of 20 things that she can cram into that hour.  She'll remember that her phone is broken so she'll stop by the store to have it fixed.  While at the phone store, she'll remember that she is close to one of her favorite stores.  She'll have to stop by and look around.  Then she'll remember that Christmas is coming and she needs to buy gifts.  She'll load her cart with Christmas gifts.  Then she'll see a pillow that reminds her she wants to redecorate her bedroom.  She'll buy the pillow.

On the way home, she'll see another store she remembers she needs to visit because they have things that would help her redecorate her bedroom.  She'll stop inside and find the perfect quilt and rug.  While she's there, she'll see a shelf that reminds her how bad she's wanted a new shelf for her kitchen.  She'll buy the shelf.  She'll bring all her new items home.  She'll hang up the shelf in her kitchen.  Then she'll remember she really needs some new bowls and cups.

She'll go to the store and buy some more bowls and cups.  While at the store, she'll remember that she really needs some new boots for the winter.  She'll take the new boots home and put them in her closet.  She'll remember that she bought a new quilt and rug for her bedroom.  She'll put them in her room.  Then she'll remember that she really wanted to repaint her bedroom.  She'll go to the store and get paint swatches.  She'll hang them all over the room and try to decide on a color.  Her husband will return from his business trip and she'll tell him everything she's done.  He'll think she's gone crazy.  She'll feel a little crazy and be reminded that all she would like is an hour to herself!

Please tell me that I'm not the only one who does this?  Also, please tell me there's a cure?



p.s.  This is a true story. 

p.p.s.  I'm painting my room gray.  Tim talked me into waiting until after Christmas when he has the week off {I'm thinking this weekend sounds better}.

11.13.2010

soccer, soccer and more soccer

We had our last soccer game for the fall season and we were all celebrating!  Don't get me wrong, we LOVE soccer at our house, but between 4 games every Saturday, it was a lot to juggle.  Not to mention 4 practices a week.  It was a relief to get a little break for the winter.  Here's the breakdown of our soccer teams:

Payton played competition soccer and had so much fun.

He worked so hard out on the field.  We are so proud of his hard work!

Parker played soccer with his same coach and best buddy again this year.  He had a lot of fun and usually worked hard! 

Tim ended up coaching a team that none of his children were on.   Plus, he played on his own soccer team.

We had a busy fall, but it's worth it to keep my boys happy.  Also, I really love watching all of them play!  What am I going to do when Cooper wants to start playing?  Oh boys!

11.11.2010

results

"I delight in the examples of those in the scriptures who walk by faith on their earthly journey. Each time I walk with Abraham and Isaac on the road to Mount Moriah, I weep, knowing that Abraham does not know that there will be an angel and a ram in the thicket at the end of that journey. We are each in the middle of our earthly path, and we don't know the rest of our own stories. But we, as Abraham, are blessed with miracles."  Susan W. Tanner, "My Soul Delighteth in the Things of the Lord," Ensign, May 2008, 82-83

Obviously, I couldn't tell you about Parker's MRI and not share the results with you.  I just thought I'd make you wait like we had to do for TWO long days!  After what seemed like eternity, our doctor called to let us know that everything looked great with Parker's MRI.  The nodule was unchanged.  In fact, she's pretty sure it's not even a nodule, but actually his posterior pituitary gland.  It's not in the exact location it should be, but that doesn't matter as long as everything is functioning correctly.  He would be having problems with water retention {going to the bathroom too frequently, extremely thirsty} and he doesn't have those issues at all.

The other good news is that she was able to see the pituitary stalk and the pituitary gland.  As you know, the radiologist originally thought the pituitary stalk was not connected, this is not the case.  It is connected and everything seems fine.  She said that his pituitary stalk and gland were a little smaller than normal.  However, the bottom line is that NOTHING was uncommon about his MRI or worrisome.  She feels confident that we are on the right path and that we have nothing additional to be concerned about.

Parker still has a Growth Hormone Deficiency.  We know this because of the blood work they originally did which determined that he was not making any growth hormone.  Now, we just don't have a good explanation for it, which can be a little frustrating.  However, I think it is a testimony to the fact that prayers are answered.  Miracles happen every single day.  We don't have the answers to why, how or when, but we know that if we have faith everything will work out the way it's supposed to in the end.

We will continue with the daily injection treatments and follow up with our doctor every 4 months.  We'll do lab work and more extensive testing every year.  Who knows, maybe next time they'll tell us that everything is normal and he no longer needs the injections?  Until then, we'll continue to thank Heavenly Father for our blessings and have faith that he knows what is best for us!



11.09.2010

happy trails


I just got released from one of the funnest callings I've ever had.  If you would have told me 2 1/2 years ago that I would actually be sad to be released from this calling I would have double over laughing.  This calling scared me to death.  It's like getting called to a foreign country on your mission.  Okay it's probably nowhere near that, but it felt that way too me.  I was the *drum roll please*...Cub Scout Committee Chair.  Exactly.  Most of you probably have no idea what that calling even is.  I know I didn't.  I knew that somebody in our ward took care of cub scouts and they did a wonderful job, beyond that...not. a. clue!  Well, it's taken me a couple years to figure out what I was doing.  I finally figured it out.  I finally loved it.  I got released.  Isn't that how it always goes?  Luckily, I have a son in cub scouts {and two more on their way} so I'll still get to enjoy it for too many years to come!

Do you blame me?  How many of you get to do things like this in your church callings?



Happy Trails,

11.08.2010

another day in the life of parker...

You all know how excited we were after Parker's last appointment with his Endocrinologist.  However, a few days later we got a letter from her stating that Parker needed to have another MRI.  After reviewing his case she was still concerned about the nodule on his pituitary.  The radiologist who originally did the MRI believed that this nodule is Parker's pituitary stalk that bunched up after being disconnected from the pituitary.  However, our endocrinologist was not convinced.  She believed it could be a tumor.  She requested a repeat MRI to make sure that the nodule had not changed at all.  So, Tim and I got to spend another morning at the hospital with Parker.  It was amazing what an old pro he was.  He fasted all morning with minimal complaints.  He walked straight to the video games in the waiting room.  He hopped on the scale, he held his arm out for the blood pressure cuff and sat on my lap when it was time to be poked.  The nurses were so impressed with how brave he was.



Parker was trying so hard to be brave, but he let a few tears slip out after they got him up on this bed.  He was scared.  The MRI machine is really noisy, the room is cold and seeing the big huge machine behind him was a little intimidating.  It was so hard to watch him like this, but the medicine kicked in quickly and he was off to dreamland.   


Tim took this picture of the computer screen while they were wheeling him into the machine...yuck!


He made it out unscathed!  They tried to wake him up immediately after by giving him a popsicle, but he managed to sleep while eating the popsicle.  Poor groggy boy! 


Prior to the procedure Parker requested McDonald's.  After we finished, we asked him if he still wanted to go and he mumbled, "Can I get a toy?"  We assumed that meant, "Yes."  I had to prop him up to eat his food.  He kept falling asleep and dropping his chicken nuggets.  The nurses told us to try and wake him up or else he would sleep all day and night.  I promise we weren't trying to torture him, but it certainly looks that way.  On the way home, we picked up Cooper at Jaimy's and offered to take Kyle to the bus stop.  Kyle was a little nervous about Parker's condition.  We tried to make him feel better by taking a picture.  Parker thinks this picture is so funny now!


As soon as we got home, Parker did wake up and ask for the rest of his chicken nuggets.  I informed him that they were on the ground at McDonald's.  He settled for some toast and enjoyed watching Toy Story 3 all afternoon with his Mom.  We are so proud of how brave this little guy is.  It's amazing how much he's changed since his last MRI 6 months ago.  I can't believe how different he looks!