what a circus!

the day after skylar got her cast on, we took the kids to the circus.
this was one of those small-town, probably unethical to animals,
run-away-with-the-circus type circus'!! and it was fun! good
thing sky was in a wheelchair, we got front seats reserved for us!

there were tigers doing tricks.......................................................


elephants parading around and doing tricks........................


motorcyles racing around in the globe.................................


and one of the highlights: this lady, rolling the ball with her feet
and jiggling, i mean, juggling balls with her feet all while jiggling
herself! skylar didn't have her contacts in so things were a little
blurry............she thought the lady was only wearing the blue suit
and everything else was just skin!........................soooooo funny!




how cool is this? the kids got to ride on an elephant! brighton
was too scared but boston & sailor were all for it! lucky kids!

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bright watching from the side..............................................

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next cool thing: we sat thiiiiiis close to a huge black bear! don't

mind that we have our precious children at risk! who gets a

chance to sit next to a black bear? we had to jump at the chance!

can't wait unti next year! we're ready to run away with the circus!

20 years ago today...

joe & i went on our first date! we've decided to make a new family
tradition of "magness day". tonight we're playing games, singing
upside down with eyeballs drawn on our necks and watching home
videos!........................hope you all have a fantastic magness day!

hello sailor!

bored kids + playing with camera = this!

#5

skipping ahead, i've had a few people ask about boston's surgery
because i haven't posted anything yet. i'm trying to stay in
chronological order but hey, i'll mix things up! so excited to say
boston's surgery went better than expected!!! yea! first time
we've ever had that happen......thanks for all your prayers.

way too early, we arrived at PCMC. unfortunately, boston
knows the way and was eager to show joe how to get inside.
(yes, that is joe in the wee cold hours of the morning in the
middle of winter wearing shorts and a t-shirt......................)


tagged and ready to go..........................................................


boston was much more calm for this surgery. we had an
awesome nurse that checked us in. she was soooo good
with the boss and she really listened to our concerns. she
made such a difference by talking to the anesthesiologist
about boston's history which really improved things for us.
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boston thought his hospital p.j.'s and socks were so funny!


lots of waiting. luckily, we got a new room which meant a new
wall toy................................................definitely our favorite!

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next was the pre-surgery room where we were briefed by his

surgeon and the anesthesiologist. they gave him something to

relax him and make him drowsy..............it was heaven! why

haven't they given this to him before? we had to put him in

a wagon or hold him because of the medicine. he had a blast

being pulled around in the wagon with his ruff-ruff and beat

(blankie) and the warming blanket. by the time we pulled him

down to the hand-off point, he was totally loopy! pointing to

all the pictures on the ceiling. it was the first hand-off where

i wasn't fighting tears..........................i was actually laughing!

3 1/2 hours later i got to go see boston. no skin graft was

needed! miracle. he wasn't even on oxygen! miracle. last

surgery, he was on oxygen for 4 hours post surgery. this time:

none! love that anesthesiologist! he was quickly given a pop-

sicle, didn't throw it up! miracle. no tantrums! miracle. and

two hours later we were out of there! so proud of his bravery.

yes, he seriously fell asleep in the recovery room....surprised?!

it's been a rough week, boston is really uncomfortable and still

in pain (a week later). last night we almost called the hospital

because we couldn't get his pain under control. that should

improve by tomorrow, we go back up to PCMC to get his

stent taken out and that will totally help. boston has discovered

mario kart on wii and that's all he wants to do. hayden's been

a good big brother to help him steer so he doesn't go ballistic!

*it's missionary monday!*

don't forget to check out this week's letters!
just click on the link to the right..................

what are we going to do with her?

our time-out spot for brighton has always been on top of the
mantle because it's the only place she can't get down from....
until now. she has started hanging off the edge, dangling,
whining, scaring us all that she is going to fall. so, we now have
to stack a couple of bean bags underneath her incase she really
does decide to let go! and yes, those are boston's undies she's
wearing (sometimes the princess in her escapes and she goes
for anything of boston's) and no, boston doesn't have a time
out spot because he never gets sent to time out....................

ouch, but all smiles!

so.............the story goes: sky went skiing for the first time this
year with her good friend, isabel (and isabel's dad, mark). about
1:00 we got a call from mark saying skylar thinks she broke her
leg. my first reaction: ya right! she's fine, just being a little
dramatic. well, it was pretty obvious we had to head up to
solitude to get her, so we got on our way. meanwhile, ski patrol
came and strapped her into a toboggan and pulled her down the
mountain to the first-aid station..........................................

after several phone calls, we convinced them to not take her
down the canyon in an ambulance, they boxed up her leg and
we were able to have mark bring her down the canyon (canyon
closed, no cars going up).........................................................

we met mark at the mouth of big cottonwood canyon and sky
was all smiles. no way was her leg broken! she winced a little
when joe put her in the car but other than that, no problem....

.....................until she had to go potty and could not hold it
any longer! so, we pulled over in lehi and carried her into a
convenience store. this was not easy as joe couldn't go into the
girls restroom so i had to carry her into the stall and help her
with all that fun stuff while not looking (she's 12!)..................

we finally got to a.f. hospital where mike had called ahead for us
and gotten us right into the x-ray. i'm still thinking: there's no
way, she's not in enough pain. we were able to go into the
x-ray tech's room to see the image pop up on her computer.
it was as plain as day: broken. i gave sky the thumbs down
sign and then covered my face because i was going to cry. i
said i wasn't feeling well (didn't want to cry in front of the tech,
especially when sky is all smiles) so she directed me to the
bathroom where i let out a good cry (what a baby, just soooooo
frustrating!)............................................................................


we carried her into the e.r. where mike had somone waiting for
us (what service!). here she is with her cut ski pants and the
box protecting her leg, not so smiley anymore........................


it was no fun taking off her cut ski pants and the box cast,
now she'll get it wrapped again for a few days until the
swelling goes down...........................................................


this was her spot for 4 days. she was the queen and i was the
servant. she got tons of treats and games and crafts from
family & friends. she finally did break down and cry the next
morning when she realized how stuck she was for 8 long weeks.

thanks to all of you for helping the time pass more quickly.
(pictures of her blue cast filled with signatures are lost on my
computer somewhere), ugh.....................................................

9.5

who would have thought skylar would have a broken leg the very
next day? without a gym season ahead of us, we have to celebrate
her last meet and her 9.5 on beam! it was so nice to see skylar
back on top. she placed first on beam, 3rd-floor, 5th-bars and
5th all-around..................................................until next year!

brighton loved climbing on the medals podium? someday?

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getting her 1st place medal.......................................................

best 2 years

almost 8 months ago i volunteered to do a blog for jordan and
taryn and any other future missionaries. taryn is now almost
1/2 way done and we now have another missionary out: morgan!

well, i started the blog in june and then it sat and sat and sat.
i'm very annoyed with myself.................................but, now:

i've finally caught up!!! every letter that jordan, taryn & morgan
have written is on the blog, including pictures. more pictures are
on their way.....every monday it will be updated with their current
letter. so, enjoy with me following their missionary adventures!

www.best-2-years.blogspot.com

fast sunday

with fast sunday upon us and boston's 5th surgery just around
the corner, we hope it's okay for us to ask all of you to include
boston in your fast...........................we thank you in advanceY

if my camera wasn't broken.....

i'd be posting pictures of skylar at her last gymnastics meet
wearing her first place medal!

picutres of skylar in the hospital.

pictures of skylar with her cute blue cast that is now covered
in silver signatures.

and pictures of skylar only one week after getting her cast on,
doing 10 pull ups on the door jam with a cast up to her hip.
(yes, she's off the couch, she went to her first full day of school
today and i was standing under her in case she slipped.)

i think i need to borrow someone's camera...........................