Another First....Playing in the Snow

He wasn't sure what to think about the white stuff. And he really disliked his snow suit. He couldn't move at all in it. He just sat there like a big blue lump. He reminded me of the little brother on A Christmas Story. Lol.

He's got such big beautiful blue eyes. I love them!

Victoria's 6th Birthday Party

We had a Snowman themed birthday party for Tori on Dec. 10th. I threw it together on the spur of the moment. I hadn't planned to do one. December's too busy, I have so much to do, she had one last year, yada yada yada, but then I realized all she really wanted for her birthday was to be the Star for a day. So, I came up with this little party. Since she thought I wasn't going to do one this year, I decided to make it a suprise party. No one told her and she was suprised. It was fun keeping it a secret. I think she had a good time. I know I did and am not sorry that I took the time out of my "busy" schedule to do it.
Here are some pics. They are horribly out of order but I am feeling too lazy to fix them, but you get the general idea.
Here she comes through the front door for her when we all yelled, "Surprise!" The little girls were so excited to hide behind the couch and yell.

Making "Gingerbread" Houses

One afternoon this month, the kids made Gingerbread houses from the craft foam kit things. They spent 2 hours working on them. It made for a great way to spend a snowy cold afternoon. I liked making them this way. Lots less mess and they actually looked good when they were done.

My Stylish Babe

Thanksgiving 2010

We spent Thanksgiving in my favorite place in the world-St. George. Rhett and Natalie were our hosts and they did so awesome. It was the best Thanksgiving. It was also Kade's very First Thanksgiving. He didn't eat anything but milk. He missed out.
We had so many activities:
-We ran our very own Hall Family Turkey Trot of 4 miles that morning, then the kids had a Hall Family Gobble Wobble after. Everyone won a medal and the kids were so proud. My kids have theirs proudly displayed by their dad's race medals on the fridge now.
-We had a delicious meal where we got to share the things we are most thankful for.
-The kids had a ball playing in Uncle Rhett's hammock; that is until they broke it :( Sorry, Rhett.
-Adam, Jarod, and I got to go on a long long run on Friday and it was so much fun. I actually lost weight over Thanksgiving from the running. I like that so much better than coming home feeling guilty and having to make up for it for a month.
-We did some Black Friday shopping but at a reasonable time.
-Kade and I didn't go because of the cold, but the rest of the group went to see the live Nativity play at Tuacahn.
I had so much fun. I hope we can visit there a lot after the holidays. Gotta love that sunshine!

Kade playing in the leaves

Tori and Mick Thanksgiving morning at our hotel

Me getting ready for our Turkey Trot

The kids playing in the hammock

Kade and I enjoying some sun on our faces. Look at the beautiful red mountain behind us!

Kade loves to be outside.

Adam and Kade

The kids lined up to do their Gobble Wobble.
Miss Natalie ready to run...

I am most thankful for this guy.............................

Surgery Day

Victoria had to go under the knife last Thursday. She had an eye condition called Strambismus (sp?). It means her eye muscles were not keeping her eyes aligned right. She was going cross-eyed when focusing on things up close and eventually she would have double vision. They put her to sleep, cut the eye muscles and sutured them back to where they should be. Mick had to have this same operation when he was 5 so we knew what to expect but it still is never easy having your child under anesthesia. It was a worry, but she is home now and fine. The eyes are working properly and she won't have to have glasses anymore.

These are pictures in the pre-op room. She didn't really know what was happening and was not very worried and having a good time with all the attention. They gave her this t-shirt to wear for the surgery and she thought that was pretty awesome. Then they told her her hair was too long and would be in the way and she needed to wear this cap. She was mad and having nothing to do with wearing the ugly thing. In the end, they let me braid it in one long braid down the back and she was much happier.

Here is evidence of why she needed this surgery. No more cross eyes for her now though!

I didn't take any after photos because she came into recovery panicked, scared, and in pain so I didn't need visual reminders. It was awful for her. It scares the little ones so bad to come out of the disorentation of anesthesia. She screamed and cried for a good solid hour. She wouldn't open her eyes for 24 hours. Eventually she asked if we could go get Kade because she wanted to see "her baby" and she opened them to see him. I am glad she loves him so much and it gave her the confidence to try.

Now the pain is gone, but the whites of her eyes are blood red and she is so embarrassed. She keeps saying, " I look horrid, just horrid." I keep telling her it will go away in a week or two, but I know that must seem like forever to a 5 year old.

She is a joy to have in our home. I am sorry she had to go through this, but it was fun getting to baby her and she was so sweet and kind through all of it even though she felt so miserable. I love her so much!

PS. This is Adam now.

Julie forgot to mention that Tori is TUFF!!!. When she was coming out of the anestesia, she was was flailing around so much Julie could not hold her. I was trying to hold her on my lap and she beat me up pretty good. She would stretch out and then jerk her knees up. The first couple of times I wasn't ready for it and she made me see stars. She knocked my glasses off and banged my watch pretty bad. It was impressive how strong her legs are. I had a whole new respect for what her gymnastics has done for her.

Her eyes have been hurting and so she wears her pink sunglasses all the time. She is so cute in them. The other day she was was upset because her eyes were swollen and "she had fat eyes like a buffalo." You learn something new everyday. I had no idea buffalo had fat eyes.

A Visit From Mom

We were lucky to get a visit from my mom this last weekend. She had dr. appointments to come to Utah County for and stayed with us for a few days. This is the good news.
The bad news is that after a lot of dr. visits and tests it's determined that she is in kidney failure. Her kidneys are only functioning at 21% of what they should be. What does this mean?
Well, I don't know. She says she feels good and the kidney specialist was suprised by this. He said she will eventually need dialysis several times a week. He said she could be fine for a few years or it could be months. To be with her and talk with her, it's hard for me to accept this. She seems healthier than she has since my dad died. This is stirring up all kinds of emotions similiar to when my dad became ill with liver failure. They said we had 5 years with him and it ended up being only 1. And until the day he died, I thought maybe it was all a mistake and he would get better.
I think it's human nature to hope for the best. I asked her if she was scared and she said that no she isn't. She feels good and will just keep going on like nothing is wrong until she can't and if it is her time to go she is ok with that too because she can't wait to be with my dad again. So I will keep hoping for the best. Miracles do happen. She may get better or stay feeling good for a long time. She may not either. I know her Heavenly Father has a plan for her and whatever he decides will be the best. I will just pray hard to Him and hope.

I love FREE things!

Adam accquired almost everything in this room through his work. I took what else was previously in this room and moved it downstairs. Then I bought the throw pillows and the some of the stuff on the table and now I have a whole new room.

This is good because I am slightly addicted to decorating so doing it for free makes it an addiction I don't have to break anytime soon. Love it!

My Running Buddies

Lately Adam and I have been able to go running together once we get the big kids off to school. We bundle Mr. Kade up and load him in his jogging stroller and away we go. I am so lucky to get to live here by the river trail, have a healthy body, an active husband, and a handsome baby!

Halloween Happenings

This is Kade's first costume of the day. Not really, but every time he wears this he reminds me of Charlie Brown with the yellow and brown and his big bald head.

Mick getting revved up for a fun day of school partying.

This was the school parade. I love being able to go watch these kids. It's so nice to live in a tight close neighborhood where you are able to know so many of them.

These are of Tori at her Kindergarten Halloween party. She may look like a nice friendly witch, but she was a mean witch that morning. She was so mad at me because I was there to take her home and she didn't want to go.

These were taken at the Ward Trunk or Treat and Chili Cook-off. It was so much fun, but it was soooo cold. The kids ended up sitting in the car for a good portion of it because they were so cold-at which time we discovered that the heater does not work in the back vents of our car. Nice. This was also Kade's 2nd costume of the night as a turtle. He has also been a little devil with red horns which was my personal favorite but I didn't get a picture of it. Adam is dressed up as the first Doctor under Obama's new health care plan.

The kiddos are headed out now to do some real trick or treating. It's raining and super cold. We will see how long they last. I hope long enough to score me an Almond Joy.

Happy Halloween!