Christmas Bliss!

I think it has taken me until now to catch my breath enough in order to do a Christmas post. It was a nutty week, but I feel like we also took the time to enjoy the true meaning of Christmas. I am proud that my kids got really into the gifts they were giving this year instead of just the ones they were receiving.

We spent Christmas Eve at my mom's watching a movie and healing to the wounded--my mom had a skin graft on her ear for a wound that wasn't healing and Bennett decided to one-up her and slice his shin down to the bone playing basketball. So, I got to clean and inspect their stitches before we headed to my dad's house. We had a great dinner and watched my dad (OK, Brandon and I can't handle it either) blubber through a reading of a story he reads every year about a family who stops at a diner on Christmas Day only to have their 1-year-old befriend a bum. Long story, but the essence of the story is that the best presents are often the little acts of kindness. It is impossible to hear or read it without bawling. Makes me realize each and every time just how incredibly lucky I am for all that I have.

I was shocked that the kids made it unti 7:20 to wake up, but it was a nice surprise. Cooper is always our most excited, which is kind of cute since he's the oldest. He about comes unglued with excitement. This year's Oscar performance for best actress went to Kinley who gasped and shouted for joy with each new gift. Even the pack of gum in her stocking was a home run. Seeing that much joy in her eyes makes it all worth it.

I ended up getting called off Christmas night at work, so that was a nice little present for me. I was a little melancholy as I went to bed, though, realizing that it won't be too much longer before these totally magical Christmas mornings racing down the stairs are gone. I guess I'll have to be creative to find ways to keep the magic going. :)

Center stage

Last week was a busy one for my girls. Kinley had her preschool Christmas program and Kaiya had a gymnastics "recital". I got a couple of cute videos of both and promised the grandparents I would post them. :)

The Reindeer Pokey song they sang was a hit, especially when they "put your fluffy tail in, you put your fluffy tail out . . . " You get the picture.

Here are two of Kaiya's routines. I think next time I better bring more barrettes. Notice the constant hair tucking behind her ears. Ha!

Staples - 'That was easy'

Cooper decided to be an ad slogan for Staples this last Saturday just before his first basketball game. Doug had to work and I was literally in the process of loading everyone in the van to head to the game when I heard a huge thud.

The thud was Cooper crumbling to the floor after smacking his head into the corner of the cabinet trying to jump up and grab a couple Advil for a sore shoulder. I see blood running down through his hair and now I've got a decision to make. Go to the ER or to the game? Since Cooper had to miss his first game last week while we were in Utah, he was having none of my idea to skip this game as well.

So, I slapped some Dermabond and a steri strip on his scalp (which doesn't stick so well to a thick head of hair) and off we go. Of course, it's picture day and here is Coop with red streaked hair. My bigger concern was the refs not letting him play because it was still oozing a bit under the steri strip and as he started sweating, he had pink sweat running down his face. He got pulled out once when the ref noticed, so we cleaned it up again and back in he went. It wasn't his best game, but he played good D. He admitted later that the adrenaline buzz from hitting his head wore him out.

After the game, my dad took the girls home for me while we headed to Children's for some preferential treatment. 5 staples later, we were done. What a day!!

Kaiya's baptism

Baptism Day

Anna & Kaiya

Kaiya & Dad
Proud of sis

Dads and daughters

We just returned from a weekend getaway to Utah for Kaiya's baptism and to visit Doug's family. Other than forgetting the baptism paperwork and dealing with unpredictable weather along I-80, it was a very successful weekend! The kids can't get enough of their cousins and it is so fun to watch them immediately pick up where they left off. They are instant best friends each time they see them.

Kaiya's cousin, Anna, turned 8 within 2 weeks of Kaiya, so we decided to crash their party and have the two girls baptized on the same day. They were both a bit nervous and quiet beforehand, but they both did great. Lunch at Tom and Anneke's house after the baptism was wonderful (the ice cream machine is always a huge hit as well) and then we all headed to see the lights at Temple Square--something I've never seen. It was breathtaking.

We also got to spend an evening with my best friend, Lori, and her girls and exchange gifts with them. We are in the early planning stages of our trip to Hawaii with them for Thanksgiving of 2009!

The trips are always too short and Kinley is already plotting her return trip to Grandma's house. She doesn't even mind the long drive because she uses it to grace us with her wisdom.

On the way to Utah, Cooper got frustrated with Kinley for throwing a fit over something and tried to tell her that she can't always get her way. Um, excuse me? Yes, you can. Kinley proceeded to tell both Cooper and Kaiya the ultimate secret in life--The No-Nonsense Approach to Getting Your Way Every Time. I think she might write a book about it sometime. "Guys, guys . . . listen to me! First you ask the person nicely for what you want and you make sure to say 'please'. Then, if that doesn't work, you take something away from them that they really love and give it back only when they agree to give in. That's why I tell mommy that I will never snuggle with her again if I don't get what I want. And that's how you always get what you want. OK, guys?"

Temple Square

Kaiya & Kaitlyn

So beautiful!

Happy Thanksgiving . . . and so much more

This will be a totally random post because there were lots of little things in the last couple weeks that were worth jotting down. And, being that it's Thanksgiving, it was worth reflecting on the things in my life and in our lives that we are oh so grateful for. We had a wonderful and quiet Thanksgiving with my dad, which was a welcomed break from the crazy days of life in general.

After a very rough week at work, I'm grateful to have a day to remember my blessings. My job is so rewarding, but it can also be gut-wrenching. A week or so ago, I had the shift from hell. Excuse the language, but it was really that bad. All three of my patients decided to puke in unison, one had a IV blow right in the middle of a blood transfusion and one was just so critically ill that she made me nervous all night (it was her first night out of the ICU). I cried on the way home and then forced myself to let it go. Thankfully, most nights are just super rewarding and not so eventful! Unfortunately, the critically ill little girl passed away two night ago and I had to cry on the way home again. I kissed my own babies when I got home enough times that they started looking at me like I was nuts. I get to start working 3 nights every two weeks instead of every week starting in January! Hallelujiah!!

Working at Children's does have it's perks though. Last week, both Jay Cutler and Will Smith visited the hospital. I didn't get to meet either, but many of my patients did. How cool is that? Of course, I wasn't working that day. But last night, I met the Avs right wing, Ben Guite. He was amazing and gave me a signed autograph to give to Cooper.

Speaking of Cooper, his golf instructor started giving him lessons at an indoor facility that is equipped with video cameras. It's golf gone high tech and Cooper can't get enough of it.

Miss Kaiya lost another tooth this week and each time she does, she leaves a note for the tooth fairy. Here was the note.

It says, "Dear t-fairy how do you get the money that you give to us? Please reply. " The tooth fairy replied, "Hello Kaiya - I also collect teeth from old people. I melt the fillings out of them and sell the gold. Eat your veggies! T-Fairy." Tee hee.

When she woke up, the first thing out of her mouth was, "See! I knew it! The kids at school told me that the tooth fairy is just your mom and dad, but I have proof that it's not!"

And, finally, Miss Kinley's latest beauty in the form of another bedtime prayer. It went something like this: " . . .and please bless my family and help me to sleep good, please bless that tomorrow . . . (whispers to Doug, 'What is tomorrow?' to which he replies 'A stay home day with Daddy' to which she pumps her fists and says, "YES! Can you please try to make me a glass slipper pancake tomorrow morning? I know it will be hard, but I know you can do it dad.') . . . and please bless that dad can try really hard to make me a glass slipper pancake."

What a week!

Monkey Girl turns 8

Miss Kaiya a/k/a Monkey Girl turned 8 today and she has had a heck of a weekend! I was telling her the story of her birth this morning and realizing that she is growing up so fast. Eight years ago, I was at home with Cooper while Doug headed off to a church meeting. He had planned to stop at the grocery store and then go to his meeting, but Kaiya had other plans. My water broke right after he left and after repeated attempts to get him to answer his cell phone, I finally resorted to having him paged over the intercom at Safeway. It worked and just 6 short hours later, Kaiya was born. We should have realized then that she had albinism (for those who don't know, Kaiya is mildly albino, which means she lacks pigment in her skin, hair and on her retina) because the nurses nicknamed her "Snowflake" in the nursery with her head that looked exactly like a Q-tip with white fuzz on top. See for yourself.

White-haired baby Kaiya

We let Kaiya have her first slumber party this weekend for her birthday and it was a hit. She and five of her closest friends had a great night. They decorated sugar cookies, made personalized pillowcases, watched a movie, ate pizza and crashed a little after midnight. They were up at the crack of dawn, but I was pleased they got as much sleep as they did. Good thing I work nights and am accustomed to being up late since Doug had to work on Saturday.

Then, today, we celebrated her birthday with my family in Greeley. Uncle Brandon and Aunt Erika hosted dinner and she got spoiled rotten with some new clothes, games, her own scriptures (she will be baptized in Utah with cousin Anna on Dec. 6th) and a bedroom makeover. She wanted homemade brownies for dessert instead of a cake and I had to stop her at 2 huge brownies. I think we are ready to call it a weekend! Doug will be a helping dad in her class tomorrow and she is excited for that. Right now, I'm just grateful for our family policy of a birthday party every other year! Whew!

R U impressed?

Those of you who are sports enthusiasts know that November 12th is a big day in the world of college athletics. It is early signing day for the NCAA and I'm proud to announce that my highly recruited little bro signed a letter of intent today to play Division I baseball for ORU--Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK. They are a top 30 program and they play Division I schools all over the country.

ORU is a small school with a student to teacher ratio of 13:1, which suits a kid from a small town just fine. Their coach is world-class and Bennett has been told he will be their starting catcher. Bennett turned down offers from UNC, Pepperdine, the University of Nebraska, and many others. And, now the letters from pro scouts are starting to flow in. He got one from the Chicago Cubs last week. With a little luck and good timing, he expects to be drafted at some point in the next four years. Holy crap!! All this and he wants to try majoring in mechanical engineering.

I'm so proud of this kid, I could just bust! And, I'm mostly proud because he's just a great person, brother, and Uncle B to my kids. For the full story on this big day, click here. Oh, and don't panic if you hear me talking about how much we love Oral. Get your minds out of the gutter people. ;)

Letter from the Chicago Cubs scout

The baseball field at ORU

A pint-sized revelation

Kinley's bedtime prayer 2 nights ago . . . .

Kinley: " . . . and please bless that I can sleep good, and please bless my grandmas and grandpas, and please bless that the oowies on Cooper's stomach will go away (she doesn't realize the scars are here to stay now), and please bless that . . . WAIT!!! DAD!! DAD!!!"

Doug: "Shh . . finish your prayer first."

Kinley: "But, dad!! It's important!"

Doug: "Kinley, no. Finish your prayer and then tell me."

Kinley: "OK. . . and please bless that I can stop sucking my thumb. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Doug: "What is it?"

Kinley (tenderly and 100% serious): "See that sign on my wall over there? It says NO BOYS ALLOWED and you are a boy. I'm so, so, sooooo sorry, dad. You can't be in here. You can't tuck me in anymore." (grabbing his face sweetly and giving him a big hug) "Goodbye, dad."

This sign has been on her wall for 2+ years

Come and get it!

It was a busy week of Halloween festivities around here. I'm exhausted today, but it was a fun week. We carved pumpkins on Monday and roasted the seeds--always a family favorite (though not the same this year without my nursing school buddies).

Thursday, I went to a girl's night out party where 20 of us dressed in full witch costume garb went out to dinner. We were quite a site and drew lots of strange looks.

Yesterday, I squeezed in three school parties for all three kids (whew!) with none of them overlapping. The highlight of Cooper's school party was the banana decorating contest and banana split party that followed. He had to write a creative story to go with his character--pretty clever way for teachers to engage the kids! Thanks to a great idea from my brother, Brandon, Coop created Joe Banana Montana.

In the evening, the kids trick-or-treated with friends. It was almost 60 degrees when they left and it was so nice not to have to bundle them beyond recognition!

Kinley did two full cul-de-sacs before coming home and deciding she wanted to be the candy hand-out person at our house. Have I mentioned how stinkin' funny this girl is? She sat on the porch with her big bowl of candy and yelled to kids passing by just like a beer vendor at a sports arena . . . "Candy! Get your candy. Fresh candy right here! We got chocolate, we got Hot Tamales, take your pick!"

The classic moment of the night was when one kid came to the porch step and forgot his manners. Kinley dropped two pieces of candy in his bucket (the kid was at least 12) and he left. She stood up, but her hands on her hips and said, "HEY! I think you forgot to say thank you, Mr. Man!!" The kid whirls around and was so stunned, he took off running. Ha!!!! What a crack up that girl is. :)

Wii like to box!

I have decided that the Wii is a multi-purpose tool. It entertains, it helps with coordination, it burns calories, and in Kinley's case, it allows an outlet for relieving tension from dealing with bossy siblings. :) Gotta love the hunched over position and the impeccable form.

Family Hove Ning-ning

I love the cute things kids say--so much so that I have banned my older two kids from correcting Kinley when she says something wrong. My baby is growing up fast enough! Our weekly family night, known as Family Home Evening, is something we've been pretty good about doing on Monday nights. Kinley, however, calls it Family Hove Ning-ning. She now hears that it's wrong, but she can't quite straighten out the words when they come out.

In any event, we had a good time tonight visiting a local pumpkin farm and picking our own veggies and pumpkins. We got very lost in the corn maze, climbed some pretty tall haystacks and tested what little Spanish we know with our tour guide on the farm (OK tour guide is a bit fancy--he was the driver of the tractor that took us out to the field to pick our own veggies). They owners of Miller Farm painted several old cars to replicate the ones from the movie Cars and the kids loved checking those out.

I am not a fan of colder weather, but I have to admit it was pretty nice coming home to a bowl of warm chili and a mug of hot chocolate after a cool evening on the farm!

More wedding shots

For some reason, mine and Erika's work computers block slideshows that are created on slide.com. So, I'm trying to see if this other slide show will show up. Many of the photos are the same, but is it so much to ask to be able to use work property to show fellow co-workers some photos? :)

A storybook day!

I am going to attempt to make it through this post without getting tears on my computer. But, as I reflect on just how perfect it was and how happy I am for my little brother and his new wife, the tears are hard to hold back.

The day was perfect, the bride was gorgeous, my brother was a confident and amazing groom, my kids did a fantastic job and I feel like this is really what life is all about--making memories with close friends and family. And, I loved sitting with Doug reflecting on our own wedding and thinking about how lucky I am.

We started the day with a full breakfast served by the owners of the B&B where we are staying, which was fantastic. My mom and I got to go for a run in historic Crested Butte and then it was time to start getting ready. I am far from a hair expert, but the girls hair actually turned out pretty cute. We got to help Erika get on her dress and be part of that whole process as my girls just watched in awe.

Thousands of pictures later, it was time to start the ceremony. Cooper looked like a million bucks in his tux and the girls didn't miss a beat as they dropped every petal in their baskets down the aisle. The ceremony itself was very personal and I bawled through it all. Cooper had the rings in his pocket and when the pastor asked for them, he lightened the mood by pretending very briefly that they weren't in his pocket. It drew a lot of laughs and was a perfect moment to do so. Brandon was a rock and was so confident--I wish he knew just how proud I am of him . . . .

For hours afterwards, we danced, ate, watched my youngest brother Bennett do a fantastic toast as the best man, shared many, many hugs, and reflected on the day. As guests left, the immediate families on both sides stayed up late to visit--I think not wanting this perfect day to end.

I was proud of my kids and loved watching them be the life of the party. Cooper was so grown up, polite and witty; Miss Kinley charmed the pants of everyone, and Kaiya just enjoyed every minute. I was honestly nervous about the girls lasting that long without some sort of meltdown, but they rose to the occasion like champs.

It really was a storybook day . . . one we will never forget. We love you, Brandon and Erika!!

The "practice" wedding

The much anticipated event has FINALLY arrived and we are alive and well in beautiful Crested Butte. The drive up here was amazing with the fall colors--much different than the drive the kids are used to across I-80 to Utah! My dad came with us and got to experience life with a carload of kids. :)

First of all, this place is unreal. I could stay for months. The Crested Butte Retreat is like a 5-star hotel and day spa all in one. Each room has its own private hot tub and our room is two stories with a full kitchen. Wow!! We are living it up. :) The main lodge is where the ceremony will take place and it has multiple levels with the big eating area and tons of cozy nooks to relax.

For whatever reason, my girls cannot seem to remember the word "rehearsal", so they have been calling today the "practice wedding" for months. They have been so excited to be flower girls and they have practiced at home for months--my hallways have been lined with flower petals on a routine basis at home. Well, they finally got to practice for real and they did great (which might have something to do with the fact that they have been told Santa will not stop at our house if they act up)! They are so excited to get ready in the "girls" suite tomorrow and to get their hair done in an "up-do".

I have already bawled hard twice. Once when we watched Brandon and Erika practice their vows and once when my dad and Brandon mentioned how much they wish my grandparents were still alive to be here for this day.

More to follow after this is all official!! :)

Gotta love a happy ending!

So, we are off to the big wedding tomorrow, but not before Cooper and I got to take part in a very special homecoming for some friends, whose adopted 12-month-old daughter arrived today at DIA from Korea. I know many have posted their own stories about this special day, but it's my chance to share this with my family and friends.

Since May when they found out this little angel was a possibility (and having to give up on a year-long process of trying to adopt from Vietnam), I have been helping the mom (Kris) review her medical records. There was initially some questions about her health, but in the end, she has turned out to be nothing short of perfect. Each time I looked over her records, I had very strong impressions that this little girl belonged to this family. Hard to describe almost . . . especially since I am just a friend.

A large group of us came to support this family wearing our matching "Team Malia" shirts (her new name) and I was so touched watching total strangers (including an entire soccer team from New Mexico) take in the moment. It froze people in their tracks.

So, here's to the gift of adoption and for many happy years to come for this family! I will forever remember watching them take in the exact moment she came up the escaltor in the arms of her escort into the arms of her new mom.

Betty Crocker, Jr.

This certainly isn't a newsworthy post, but after finishing 4 hours in the kitchen, I am amazed how Miss Kinley never left my side. She loves her stay home days with me and we had a ton to get done this morning.

First, we had to make freezer jam since we were out (the store bought stuff just isn't as good!), then we made banana bread, cookies and then my grandma's chocolate cake for my dad's birthday. My other kids have enjoyed helping in the kitchen, but not like this girl. The others usually lose interest about half way through and then return for the taste testing. Kinley was actually helping me read the recipes and knows how to measure and is fabulous at stirring.

She lasted all 4 hours with me this morning with only a quick potty break and she was more help than she was in the way. How cool is that? :)

Final preparations

Cooper and I met Brandon and Erika at the tuxedo shop this week so Coop could get fitted for the wedding, which is just two short weeks away. I must say, he's gonna look sharp! He's not even complaining about the pink tie. I was getting choked up just looking at him standing next to Brandon. Something tells me I better stock up on Kleenex.

Equally as important as the tux fitting, I got to spend 3 uninterrupted hours with just Cooper. With as crazy as life is, spending that much time with any one kid alone is rather rare. Yet, I realized that night how important it is. We shopped for a while and went to dinner just the two of us. He must have told me no less than a dozen times how nice it was to have some alone time. Sheez, I'm getting teary just thinking about it. I wonder how much longer before the teenage years take over his emotions and spending time alone with mom will be a chore rather than a treat. Sniff, sniff. I know every parent thinks they have great kids, and Cooper is far from perfect, but this is one pretty special young man. He holds a conversation with adults as if he were an adult and yet he's still just a kid who craves fun and excitement.

I can't help but think that God has a special plan for this kid. No parent would ever wish health problems on their kid, but I am so grateful for who he is.

Must be time for Halloween

Next to Christmas, Halloween is a favorite around this house. Kaiya typically starts planning her costume around July, and this year is no exception. The fact that my 7-year-old can get online and search for costumes is not good. Each day, the costume she wants gets a little more extravagant and a little more expensive.

Then, she decided that Willie needed to dress up this year, so she started experimenting. She thinks he should go as a baby this year. Poor dog couldn't even walk when she got through with him.

All decked out

Helping on our old deck back then . . .
Loved power tools then . . .
Helping his dad now
Still loves power tools (sorry about the butt shot, hun)!There's nothing like a good home improvement project to get Cooper motivated to help out. We decided to expand our deck, that was approximately the size of a cracker box, to accomodate at least our patio furniture. That way, dinner clean-up is a snap. Everything that drops on the floor is swept off into the grass. Thank goodness for awesome neighbors (thanks Brady and Joe!) who really know what they're doing and helped Doug get started. With any luck, we'll be eating dinner out there by next week! We've got a nice view of the mountains from our deck and good shade even in the summer.

Looking back at these photos of Cooper has been a real trip down memory lane. The kid's interests really haven't changed in a lot of ways, but man, where does the time go?

Soccer season . . . ho hum

Ah, the fall soccer season has arrived. Doug and I are trying really hard to be good sports. We go to all of the games (this includes my dad, too), cheer on Kaiya, bring the snack on our designated day and encourage her to try her best. That said, soccer is boring. I am one of the biggest sports fans around, but come on, people! There is no action and the games routinely end in a tie. As my brother would say, that is simply communistic.

I will say that soccer is great exercise and I'm proud of Kaiya for being a good team player (of all my kids, she struggles the most with selfishness). She is quite aggressive on the field and has no trouble getting right in the middle of the action. This is the first time they have had goalies and they now play on a 100 yard field, so she was a bit tired after yesterday's first game.

Someday, she may have to choose either gymnastics or soccer, but for now I love that she is enjoying both. You might catch me reading a book on the sideline, but I'm glad she is having fun. :)

My new boyfriend

As exhausting as it is to work three night shifts a week (only six more months before I get to cut my schedule in half!!) and be a mom, I must admit there are nights that my job is extremely rewarding.

This little guy, my Michelin Man, just melted my heart the other night. He is 7 months old and the fattest little dude I've ever seen. He is over 20 pounds had so many rolls, his diaper was hard to change. His parents couldn't stay the night, so he was my buddy. He sat in a swing next to me or on my lap while I charted and flirted with all of the nurses. He is now done with the second of his three open-heart procedures to fix his heart that will ultimately give him a circulation pattern through his heart that is totally different than normal. The surgeons literally cut and paste his incoming veins to his pulmonary circulation to bypass the need for a left ventricle that he is missing. He has done amazingly well and will go home soon.

I needed him because lately, it has just been one sad story after another. There are times when I cry on the drive home in the morning. I've had two patients lately that showed up in the ER who were otherwise totally healthy only to find out they have a diseased heart and need a transplant. Then there is the 10 month old with so many heart defects that they didn't know where to start. She has been on our floor so much lately that her mom and I have developed a friendship. And, finally there is a 17-year-old who beat cancer when he was 12 only to find out now that the chemo he got ruined his heart and he now needs a transplant.

Needless to say, I'm grateful for my Michelin Man to lift my spirits. And as much as I hate working 3 nights a week, I feel very lucky to be doing something that gives back to a hospital that has given us so much over the years.

This is the 10 month old referred to above. She got to go home yesterday and is pictured here with one of my favorite co-workers and fellow Rockies fan. This chunky monkey was only given a 50% chance of surviving her last surgery two weeks ago.