Fall Pictures

My sister took the girls pictures today in the mountains with all the beautiful fall colors and leaves. I think she is a great photographer and did an amazing job taking these photos today. I really love them. It was totally painless, she was fast, great with making the girls have a good time, and there were no crying sessions by either of them.

Thanks Sister!

And Now She Is 6!!!

How did my first born child go from this adorable 1 year old....

To this adorable 6 year old??!?!

My tiny Tyler turned 6 years old today! I love this little child to pieces and its hard to see her get older. Tyler is such a good girl and is a child full of light, laughter, and love. I enjoy being with her and watching her learn and discover new ideas about life as she grows older.

Tyler had a great day filled with surprises from me, her Mommy, and a fun filled princess birthday bash with her friends.

I made a princess castle cake as a surprise for Tyler for her birthday cake. I worked on in for the last two nights after Tyler went to bed, then all day today and had the help of Austin's mad decorating skills to polish it off! It was not perfect and I learned a lot in the process, but regardless Tyler was so delighted when she saw her cake and she loved it, which is ALL that matters to me. I love to see my kids happy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TYLER!!!

My Baby is no longer a Baby..

Today was Tyler's FIRST day of Kindergarten! Yes, I said Kindergarten... she is no longer by my side every day, close enough for me to hug and kiss anytime I want during the day. I don't know her every move, who she is playing with, what she is hearing, saying, seeing. It is up to her to make her own friends, choose what she is eating for lunch, get herself through the day.

Besides the fact that it was a difficult day for me, as her mother, to "let her go" she was beyond excited for school. She has been waiting for this day all summer.

I thought about her ALL day today and wondered what she was doing, if she was having fun, if she missed me, if she was sad or happy, nervous, or scared.

She was so adorable standing in her class line to go into school with her backpack and all.. it was all I could do to hold in my emotions as I did not want her to know I was about to lose it!

This look that she is giving above, is what she does when she is nervous. She was looking around, taking it all in, then got this nervous expression, then I almost lost it again.

I really wanted to go in with her, just for today, just to make sue she was okay and comfortable and got her lunch okay. I really just wanted to go with her, just one day to school just to make sure...

I didn't go with her, I let her go to school. And when I picked her up she was so happy, and in one piece, she had made it through her first day all by herself, even without me holding her hand.

I asked her about every detail of her day in the car, in the parking lot, before I even turned the car on. I gave her a millions hugs and kisses.

I missed her so much today, but I was not the only one that missed her. Another little baby, who is home by herself had an adjustment too. She missed her sister and asked about her frequently today.

I love my little kindergartner more than anything. This is a milestone in her life and I am so proud of her and happy that she loves school so much. I know she will be a great student and I look forward to talking to her about the day she had every day.

She might be a big girl going to school now, but Tyler is still my first baby and we will go through these milestones in life together for the first time.

Tomorrow is another day...

My Family Visits!

This has been a very busy month for us! And even though I had surgery, I was still able to enjoy a much anticipated visit from my family!

It was a difficult planning process to get everyone to Wa and Or for a planned deep sea fishing trip in Astoria, OR and a visit to my house, but mission was accomplished! With some driving, some flying, some going to Wa first, some going to Portland first, then some leaving from Wa, some leaving from Portland... see what I mean by difficult?

The trip started with my Mom changing her flight to come out early when I went to the ER and was admitted to the hospital for my gallbladder issues. The plan was then changed a little, since Devan and Ginny were supposed to be here next and we were going to go to Seattle and do some fun things etc.. BUT unfortunately I was not healthy enough for that, so they came out 1 day later than expected and just relaxed around my house and played with the girls. Then Danna Lee and Adam were next to arrive via airplane to Seattle. They were here 1 night and the next day we ALL drove to Astoria, OR to Ginny's parents house where there was Lance & Jena (drove from UT), CL, Jeff, and Kirrah, my Dad (flew into Portland), Katie, Doug and girls (drove from UT). Can anyone even understand that?

The next day was the deep sea fishing day for those that were going. (some of us stayed behind), BUT the captain of the boat called at 11:30 that evening and cancelled on us! Poor Steve (Ginny's Dad), was up bright and early searching for another charter to take all 11 people that were supposed to go fishing.. after a lot of searching, cursing, and yelling, another boat was found and they were now schedule to leave the next morning. Since there was no fishing that day, we all went to the beach and had a great time! We played in the tide pools and touched the sea anemanie, starfish and played in the sand. It was absolutely beautiful and fun for us all to be together. That evening Ginny's family hosted a bonfire on the beach. The kids loved sliding down a hill of sand and to this day, I am still finding and cleaning up sand.

The crew went fishing the next day and even though it wasn't a very good fishing day, the weather was beautiful and they all had a good time. Austin was sea sick, but still managed to catch the biggest salmon, and I can't wait to eat some of it for dinner this week!

Now it was back to our house in Yelm with Katie and her family, Mom & Dad, CL, Kirrah, and Jeff (who left the next morning via airplane out of Portland). Everyone else drove back to Ut.

The next week we had a great time going to Mt Rainier, the lake in my community, the pool in my community, and a night in Seattle.

I loved spending time with everyone and Tyler and Kai loved having their cousins here. Thanks to everyone for helping out when I couldn't lift anything or hardly do anything myself because of surgery, but I had a lot of fun and I loved spending this time with my family!

Enjoy the pictures from our adventures below!

The Seattle Aquarium gift shop

Seattle Aquarium

The jelly fish were Kai's favorite.

Kaite, Mya & Ellie

Grandpa helping Kai touch the sea anemone's

On the dock at the lake

Doug jumping

CL jumping

Afton and Kai loved to whisper secrets to each other

Steve (Ginny's Dad) was amazing the way he filleted the salmon that was caught on the fishing trip.

These were the salmon caught

This was the salmon Austin caught

The sea lions on the barge in Astoria, Or

Tyler loves doing hand stands everywhere. She looks pretty good, huh

Yummy a completely sand covered smore

Everyone together

The beach bonfire in Astoria, OR

Just the girls!

Just one week ago...

With a few very busy weeks ahead of me and a lot planned, I never anticipated my life to be completely turned around and have everything change so rapidly...

It all started last Saturday, I woke up in the middle of the night and did not feel well and started vomiting, I figured I either had a touch of food poisoning or some sort of stomach bug, so I took it rally easy on Sunday and ate small portions of mostly soup, but I still didn't feel very good. Then, when I woke up on Monday, I went downstairs and to my desk to work when I started to have some severe pain in my stomach and what felt like terrible heart burn or acid reflux. The pain rapidly got worse and I had to go get Austin out of bed to take care of the girls because I was is so much pain. After about 20 min, we called my neighbor to come help and see if she may have any idea as to what might be going as she is a retired RN, she gave me a couple pills for acid control and anti-nausea, which almost immediately came back up and I continued to vomit and the pain just kept getting more and more intense and I could not stand it anymore, I knew I had to go to the hospital and get help as I had never been in this amount of pain before. Austin had a very important Dr's appt that day, so we decided to have my neighbor take me to the hospital and Austin would find someone for the kids, got to his Dr's appt. The hour drive it takes from my house to the hospital must have been the worst hour of my life. The pain never once gave up, no matter what I did and I continued to vomit. All I could do was pray the entire way that I had the strength to make it to the hospital..

After getting to the ER, and put on IV pain medication, they did x-rays and an ultrasound and we found out that I had a gall stone that was lodged in my common bile duct and was blocking everything up. The only solution was surgery to remove the lodged stone, then surgery to remove my gallbladder.

Because of the lodged gall stone, I was also diagnosed with pancreatitis and put on IV antibiotics to try and help with that infection and inflammation, which had to improve before any surgical procedures could be done.

On Tuesday, I had a procedure called ERCP to remove the gall stone. I was out under anesthesia that supposably keeps me awake during the procedure, but I don't remember a thing All went as planned with that procedure and a 6 mm gall stone was successfully removed.

I didn't feel well after the ERCP and I could not keep my clear liquids down, but I was on heavy pain medication and I was just relieved that I was not in too much pain.

On Wednesday I went to surgery to remove my gallbladder as there were more gallstones and the only option was to remove my gallbladder to prevent this problem in the future. I was pretty nervous for this surgery as I had never been under general anesthesia before and I was not sure what to anticipate for recovery, lifestyle change etc..

The surgeon and OR staff was really incredible and they did an excellent job. My gallbladder was successfully removed by way of Laparoscopic surgery. The surgeon did say that things were worse off than he had thought and my gallbladder was very sick and definitely needed to come out. My pancreas was still very inflamed and 1 quart of fluid that was also removed. Which in turn, I got a good "talking to" from the surgeon before I was discharged the next day of how I had to take it very easy and let my body heal... which means no running at this time.. ugh.

I was released from the hospital late Thursday evening and now I am on my road to recovery.

I am so grateful to my amazing mom who came to my rescue to stay with my kids, so Austin could stay with me and to help me this next week as I am not allowed to due pretty much anything!

I am so grateful to my husband who stayed with me every minute he could, while taking care of the kids the first day, picking my mom up from the airport, still managing to get a 90% on his Biology test and go to class etc..

I am grateful for my great neighbors, and friends who helped out where they could and offered so much help, support and prayers..

I am grateful to eat food again! I went almost 1 week not eating anything and even though I have started out slowly, I am grateful to be able to eat again!

I am so grateful that this is a minor set back and I should make a full recovery with very little changes in my life..

So.. all of this happened just 1 week ago, amazing what can happen so fast and change everything around me so fast. I am blessed and grateful for all the wonderful people in my life and I am trying to take this time for a step back and a break from my busy life.

A new member to my family.....

This is my incredibly beautiful sister-in-law, Massiel...

She is married to my brother Sam and they were expecting their first baby...

Ginny, my other incredibly beautiful sister-in-law, took this picture of Massiel just 24 hours before she gave birth.. she also took the rest of the pictures for which I am very grateful since I am not able to go see the Guatemala Baby for a couple more months and I love to see pictures, even though I look at these and cry because I want to hold this little baby so bad, I can at least see her thanks to Ginny and her camera/labor & delivery coach multi-tasking skills..

And this is the so, so adorable Guatemala Baby, as I call her, or her legal name is also:

SOPHIE ELIZABETH GREGORY

5 lb 14 oz 19 inches

I just can't wait to go see little Sophie and I know she can't wait to see me too, I am sure of it!

Sam and Massiel are going to be great parents and I welcome them to wonderful world of parenthood. Little Sophie is so blessed to have joined our family, she will be loved by so many aunts, uncles and cousins! And we are so blessed to have her healthy and as cute as can be.

I love you already Sophie and I can't wait to hold your little baby fingers and stroke your little baby toes!

THE Mom & Dad

This is my Mom and Dad...

They are really amazing people and do really amazing things for others.

My Dad is THE hardest working man I have EVER known. While growing up, I watched my Dad's work ethic and he still amazes me and everyone else with how hard he works and does not complain about it. Through his example, I have learned to work hard myself and I will always be grateful to him for his example.

My Mom, who is a Mother of 8 has taught me, through her example, of how to be a good housewife, and mother. She is an amazing Mom and I am so grateful that I have been blessed to have watched her while growing up, so that I have the knowledge of how to be a good mom to my own children.

My parents are both recently retired, finally have no children or hobo's living in their basement and have made the decision to leave all us crazy, obnoxious and loud 8 children, daughter in laws, son in laws, grandchildren, Hobo's, Russians, and friends to serve an LDS mission. I will miss talking on the phone to my Mom every day, complaining about my problems to her. It will be very strange to have them gone and I don't even know what to expect. I will be sad, I will miss them like crazy, I might even go crazy as times.

BUT.. that being said, they are serving the Lord and this is not about ME! It's about a much higher being who has called them to serve and they WILL serve and they WILL be wonderful, amazing missionaries and might even bring more Russians home to live in their basement, maybe even one to marry the other one...

SO, they will be leaving October 18th, for 18 months to....

DONETSK, UKRAINE

I really don't know much about Ukraine and I don't think they do either, but I am sure they will learn quickly and any person who has the pleasure of working with my Mom and Dad in Ukraine sure will be lucky.

I love you Mom and Dad, and I will miss you so much! I am grateful for your amazing example and you will be amazing missionaries.