Yep, I'm 40!

On my birthday, there was a knock at the door - and when I went to answer it there was no one there but an arrow (made out of dr. pepper cans) on my doorstep. It was pointing to...

The number 40 made with dr. pepper cans on my drive way - who could have asked for more - 40 cans of dp when I turn 40 - love it!

Thanks Steve and Kimble - one of the best birthday presents ever!

I did have a great birthday. It started the night before with a bowling party with some friends. Then off to the Survivor premier that had the BEST tribal council ever - I think just for my birthday. The next morning we had donuts from Lehi Bakery and then lunch with some girl friends at Kneaders. At lunch, they gave me a present of a girls night out - skiing and then an overnighter in Park City -complete with hot tub! Can't wait!

I also got a 2 liter of dp from my friend and gift certificate for a fill on my nails! Perfect timing as they had grown out so far I was almost going to start prying them off! A yummy edible bouquet was delivered from the blueberries that was pretty and delicious. My YW made a flag and hung it at my house that had a HUGE 40 on it - so no keeping my age a secret in our neighborhood! Got a lot of phone calls, texts, and fb bday wishes - I sure felt loved.

John did have to work that night (hence the bowling party the night before) but I took the kids swimming so they all went to bed early and I had some quiet time.

All in all a GREAT birthday.
Thanks for all the birthday wishes. Have to say my husband has gotten a lot of mileage out of telling people I'm 40 and he's still 36. What can I can - he obviously married "up" in more ways than one! Love you honey!

Yikes!

So, I can hardly look at the above pictures. I know it's not gory and bloody, but it's the thought that an entire toothpick is jammed into my little girl's knee...

On Valentine's Day I got a call from the school saying Jacee was sick - she had complained of a sore throat on Sunday so I wasn't entirely surprised. I got to the school and she came out of the nurses room, limping...what? Why would a sore throat make her limp? And she was as white as a sheet. After a few steps, I picked her up and carried her because she could hardly walk. As soon as we got outside she started crying and told me she had a toothpick stuck in her knee...what? I set her in the car and sure enough, there was a little thing poking out through her pants. I tried to pull it out but it was stuck fast.

She said it was time to start cleaning up for her Valentine's Day Party and she dropped to the ground under her desk to pick up trash and landed right on the toothpick. She tried to pull it out but couldn't. She just went up to her teacher and said she was sick - she was pure white (now we know she was in shock) so the teacher sent her to the office. She said she tried to sit so no one would notice the toothpick sticking out of her pants - she didn't want anyone to touch it.

Anyway...

We raced to the Dr. office and he pushed around a little bit and said he was not going to try to pull it out because it was in so deep and could be in a joint so off we went to the ER...and out came the pliers. The ER dr. gave Jacee the option of deadening it or just going for it - she just went for it! The dr. told John to distract her and not let her look and then he just yanked it out with pliers. We got an X-ray but it's hard to detect any wood on X-rays so we are just suppose to watch it for infection.

Her knee is very puffy and swollen but no redness. Today (Friday) is her first day back at school. (In addition to not being able to walk very well, she has thrown up everyday.) She has been a trooper. She was not very brave at the Dr. office but as soon as it was decided she needed to go to the ER she got all brave and tough about it. Of course we went to Cafe Rio afterwards to celebrate her bravery.

I'm still a little nervous about all the swelling - she is on anti-biotics and we went for a follow-up appt yesterday and the Dr. didn't seem concerned. Glad she went to school today, we'll see how long she lasts. Love you Jacee!

Valentine's Day

Here are our sweeties with their Valentine treasures - a make up kit for Maddie, Star Wars Legos for Jack, and a tub of air dry clay for Jacee. They also got a giant Hershey's kiss from Grama and Grampa Mission...

Notice the three differences in each of their Hershey's Kisses - Maddie - open and already bite marks all over it, Jack - out of the wrapper, Jacee - still in the box.

We had quite an eventful Valentine's day this year...I'll post more about it when we get the pictures onto the computer. Let's just say this is about all the celebrating we did - and that was at breakfast.

Parent Prom

One of my Laurels decided to put on a parent prom for one of her PP Projects. Our ward got really into it. For some reason, we all decided our husbands had to actually ask us. So, one day I came home from some errands and found this in the kitchen...

How fun is that? When John took that picture - he took it of himself on his camera phone while on top of a roof, measuring a chimney during a wind storm - hence the lack of a smile. But, I got asked! We went to eat at Texas Roadhouse with 25 other people and then went and danced the night away - it was fabulous! Thanks Katie for putting on such a fun dance.

While Mom's Away...

Last Friday I had a YW overnighter at a cabin in Heber. It happened to be the same night as the school's free Classic Skating night. Jacee and Jackson had been looking forward to this night for some time. I tried to prep them that they probably wouldn't get to go because daddy had to drive to Logan early in the morning, build a house all day, and then drive all the way home again and he would probably be too tired. Well...being the great dad he is, John took them to Classic Skating. All three kids by himself after a looooong day at work.

On the way into the rink, Maddie was running and tripped in the parking lot. She had her hands in the pockets of her coat so the only thing she had to catch herself was - her face!

John said she sat on his lap for a while but then seemed to recover and spent the rest of the evening on the bounce houses. She is none the worse for wear and tells me periodically, "My face feels better mom."

So - overall it was a successful outing with dad and the kids. I'm feeling pretty lucky to have such a great family. Lover you honey.

The Blahs

Things have been pretty blah around here lately. It seems I'm not too excited about much. I wonder what's wrong with me and then remember we are in the winter blahs with no end in sight. I start to get down mid-February and it gets worse in March and I start to feel better in April. One of my counselors told our new camp director that the real Julie will show herself again in the Spring - it really gets bad.

Well, I was having an extra bad day (week) last Thursday for a myriad of reasons. Later that night there was a knock at the door and to much joy and happiness, I found this beautiful valentine hanging on it.

I was suppose to channel my inner Martha that day with friends but cancelled because of the blahs...they made me one anyway and brought it over. (I know, you are all thinking it's a good thing I didn't show because it would not have turned out like this if I would have made it!)

Thanks Cammie and Jodi for helping my bad day. Another reason I love living in this neighborhood - great friends.