tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86910840146827957022024-03-05T06:43:49.497-08:00Beware of KidsI am a mother of 6, wife to 1 :). I love my hubby and our kiddos. "Beware of Kids" came to me one time at the store when I noticed people staring at the size of our posse--as if we were crazy. Since then, I think we should walk around surrounded by yellow caution tape and hold blinking signs that say, "Beware of Kids." Sheesh people, they don't bite [all the time].SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.comBlogger210125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-32947222390170091622023-01-17T18:00:00.001-08:002023-01-17T18:00:21.169-08:002022…a year I’ll never forget and why…<img id="id_85c7_54de_f256_60ee" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/4_N9jtlN7dlBLduERD6IQXy8NJcHrR67wJ4BNFxQT_9kg29KiNgPzgsq2xsd2go8mfA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br> <div>My oldest brother, Nathan, died on December 18, 2022–one week shy of his 48th birthday.</div><div><br></div><div>I have experienced death in my life: grandparents, cousins, an aunt, an uncles, a few friends— but this death has been the one that has been someone closest to me thus far. It’s been a month since he passed and I agree with what everyone says: grief comes in waves. Usually I’m fine and I don’t cry, but some times— something will spark a memory or something will remind me of him, and I will cry. If I think too much about my parents losing a child before them or Nathan’s six fatherless children, it makes me tear up.</div><div><br></div><div>The silver lining is that his death was becoming eminent, his liver was failing after almost 2 years of cancer and unsuccessful surgeries to get stents placed. The outcome looked very bleak, and he was faced with his impending death. The silver lining was that all of us siblings were able to speak with him in person in his hospital room, or via FaceTime calls. We all got to say goodbye and I know some families aren’t that blessed so I am grateful. Here are the words that I wrote about my experience:</div><div><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Nathan’s final meal requests on Friday, December 16, 2022–and my observances: </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Country fried chicken steak</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">White gravy </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Mashed potatoes</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Ginger ale</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Squash </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We weren’t able to order the squash but the rest we did— and Village Inn delivers! I had to leave for the airport before his final meal came. But Dad, Andrea, Gideon, Eva, Hyrum, and Adeline were still there to share it with him, maybe even Jakob and Mom showed up by then. He would only be able to eat a few bites since all his systems were shutting down and there was nowhere for the food to really go.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">At 2:21pm, on December 16, 2022, Dad sent this message to the group chat: “A few minutes ago we signed the hospice papers. Nathan was able to talk to all of the siblings and all of his family members. It was a sacred, spiritual experience for me to observe them. I love you all and I know Nathan’s remaining time will be peaceful. Thank you all, you’re a wonderful family.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I was able to fly in on Thur, Dec 15 around 6pm. I went from the airport straight to the Huntsman Cancer Institute and found Dad and Nathan on a FaceTime call with Andrew. Nathan had Dad put a chair right up next to the left side of his bed and motioned for me to come sit by him. During the call he told Andrew and I, individually, that he loved us and that God loved us. He talked about some ideas on getting the memories jogging for our parents’ 50th wedding anniversary memory book we are all contributing to. He said that there was still time, which I think he was referencing to many things. He asked me to massage his face and first gestured how to do it: starting in the middle of the forehead, over the eyebrows and down the side of the face, ending at the jaw. As I touched his face he looked so much like Philip to me and seeing as how everyone says Philip and I look so much alike, I guess that means that Nathan probably looked like me too. Dad and I rubbed and scratched his back several times—Dad more than me because he’s been with him for the past few days. Nathan said that there was one thing that he couldn’t get any one to commit to doing for him. I asked him what it was and he said to have someone “shave this off” referencing the scruff on his face. I would have liked to have obliged, but seeing as how I’ve never shaved anyone’s face I didn’t volunteer. Andrew and I both cried, though very quietly. I showed Nathan a shirt that I’d asked a friend to make. It was black with white lettering and imaging; it reads, “Optimistic Prime” with the Autobot/Transformer face underneath it. This is because Nathan is such an optimist, even speaking as he lay there languishing, about future endeavors and hopes. He told Andrew that his childhood nickname for him, “Data,” has proven true as Nathan is always collecting information about all sorts of things. Nathan said that he believes a lot of things from our childhood play a part in shaping our future selves. The call ended at some point with Andrew and I a little teary, but never saying aloud our grief.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I witnessed Nathan fade in and out of coherency. Some times his eyes rolled back. Some times he would speak, pause for a half a minute or so, close his eyes, and then slowly come to and finish his thoughts. Reminds me of all the times when we were little and Mom catching him playing possum (pretending to be asleep). </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I saw a few of the interactions with doctors and nurses, though I didn’t catch any of their names. Nathan continued to be his friendly, cheerful self—still a little wry humor—just a bit slower in his responses.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Dad and I went and chatted in the side room for an hour or so. That is when I found out that Nathan’s pain relief was administered every three hours as he was experiencing pain at a level nine. It was near impossible for him to really rest because of all the pressures in his body from fluids having no where</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">to go and the pain and the itchiness.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Dad and I discussed funeral arrangements a little bit. Probably hold a service in Pocatello but bury him in the Fairbourn cemetery in Utah. </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I left the room around a little after 10pm so that Dad could try and rest. Though he hadn’t gotten much rest for the past few days as he tried his best to help Nathan feel comfortable.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I stayed in a hotel about 15 minutes away and told Dad that I would pick up some food for him the next morning, since he was mostly just catching a few bites at the cafeteria now and then. Dad’s only request was an apple.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I went to sleep even though it was hard. I kept thinking about my brother and my dad there at the hospital. But I finally feel asleep…</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">In the morning I ate breakfast at the hotel and made sure to grab a couple of red apples for Dad. I went to a little grocer near my hotel to get some more food to bring to the hospital room. I was hoping that they would have a few little Christmas decorations there but all they had were fresh green wreaths. There was a Target nearby so I went there to grab a little Christmas cheer. </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">When I made it back Nathan’s room Heidi, Valancy, and Karsten were there as well as Andrea, Gideon, Eva, Hyrum, and Adeline. </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I had three little lit up trees and I clipped a red poinsettia in the top of each one. I put one in the room that Mom and Dad were using and I gave Eva and Adeline each a tree and told them to put them in their dad’s room where he could see them. I also set up a large star in Nathan’s room. I clipped poinsettias on the windows’ pull chains. A little later in the day, mid-conversation-Nathan looked up and saw the little tree that had been placed on the shelf in front of him and said, “I have a Christmas tree!” I was so glad that he was able to have that little moment of Christmas cheer. My mom told me that the nurses brought the trees into other patients’ rooms after he passed away and I’m glad that the little cute trees could brighten others….</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Jon had a FaceTime call with Nathan on Friday mid morning, but Nathan was not very coherent. A masseuse come and was massaging his legs and head and that was providing some relief for him. He was in great pain and had not chosen yet to get put on heavier meds as he wanted to be lucid and able to speak with his visitors.</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody">It was getting near the time that I needed to leave for the airport. When I left Nathan’s hospital room, I hugged him goodbye. He was on a FaceTime call with Philip. Andrea was on his left and helping to rub his back make him comfortable and my dad was on his right, holding the phone for the call with Philip and holding back his tears. My mom was hurrying back from Idaho, having had to get some things taken care of there. Dad knew the time was coming near that Nathan needed to get put on hospice, so I called Jakob, the last sibling who hadn’t yet spoken with him, and convinced him that he needed to come down, as a soon as possible, to say his goodbyes.</font></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">It was very hard to leave my Dad there crying. He’d been doing so much for Nathan. I wish I could’ve stayed and offered more support.</p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Shortly after my flight took off the hospice papers were signed.</p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Saturday, December 17, my parents spent the day with him and my cousin was able to come by and a good friend of Nathan‘s, from his teenage years, and his friend’s wife. He responded very little to their visits but it was enough that my parents could tell that he knew who they were and was happy to have them there.</p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">He slept most of Saturday.</p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Around midnight on Sunday morning, my father felt that he should sing hymns. My mother joined in. They said Nathan’s very slight movements of his face and hands indicated he was trying to sing with them and was very aware. At Nathan‘s funeral my dad said that it was one of the most sacred, spiritual experiences of his life.</p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 28px; line-height: normal; min-height: 34px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Nathan passed away just before 1 AM on Sunday, December 18, 2022. I’m so grateful that my parents were with him. I’m so grateful that I was able to be with him and say my goodbyes. I am most grateful that Christ lives again, and because of this we will all be resurrected one day, and I will see my brother, and even more importantly, our hearts will have a perfect understanding of why he had to go.</p></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-44712177804838765382021-05-04T16:59:00.000-07:002021-05-04T21:24:12.676-07:002020 Recap, part 1 of 3<p> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Never have I ever had an ENTIRE year pass by and not blogged (since the inception of this blog back in 2008!) That about describes 2020–I just don’t have the words!!!</span></p><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">But—here is a pathetic attempt of summarizing last year:</div><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">JANUARY— took child #5 out of the public school system in order to have him homeschool with me so I could work on some life skills with him—in particular potty training and eating better. </span></p><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">FEBRUARY—threw our annual couples Valentine’s Day party with a fun sweet sixteen “Napolean Dynamite” theme. It was awesome! Alas—the only picture—</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><img class="CToWUd a6T" data-image-whitelisted="" height="351" id="m_8627748748781116626A728A7EA-EA85-4974-BFCB-7DBB1692C65B" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1?ui=2&ik=303eac7094&attid=0.1.3&permmsgid=msg-f:1694071614265071210&th=17828d285857966a&view=fimg&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-H0GpR81obW-6j25FMxgig4NwwQso8Oh8hq9RbYXff4kTuUJOPIse2SlY8drrsMqMlopGQoj62NFkVJ1z5V5gIQ2DCXz26Px99T9RpPYf-m0gRIwTMkYRDI3w&disp=emb" style="color: #222222; cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="468" /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">#3’s BSA Eagle court of honor (the last of it’s kind since our church no longer supports BSA). </div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><img class="CToWUd a6T" data-image-whitelisted="" height="353" id="m_8627748748781116626FB4066AD-6AC6-45E8-A049-E533E09F2D04" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1?ui=2&ik=303eac7094&attid=0.1.2&permmsgid=msg-f:1694071614265071210&th=17828d285857966a&view=fimg&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ9qeTrT1GJ8jxsx2l16Z5U4Nw-4zuqj_QzO2BS9mpfldslxcRo6H9awDQ1WeX_4aqn44y3i3A06bBDOX7uCy_LNwP2M7_Fk7Q0xaphuu4WdtxSlSS_jwv4ozAU&disp=emb" style="color: #222222; cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="481" /></div><div style="color: black;"></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /><br />MARCH—church prom, award at school, a birthday, and then SHUTDOWN!!!!!! (and that is where my homeschooling goals with #5 went down the drain!)</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"></div><div style="color: black;"><img class="CToWUd a6T" data-image-whitelisted="" height="517" id="m_8627748748781116626CE47965E-EECF-4633-9416-9CBEFEA9C0CB" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1?ui=2&ik=303eac7094&attid=0.1.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1694071614265071210&th=17828d285857966a&view=fimg&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ8D1aG6OtPC109SI21OqZwDxzvYqtaV5oFnlPVl6UwEAfD7UHwGhz7q_-c0TQEns0pxboGuJA625s2F6rsPAp77Ps9MCquZagkp3G8O1180B-h3DunvRaeDNCQ&disp=emb" style="color: #222222; cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="388" /></div><div style="color: black;"></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><img class="CToWUd a6T" data-image-whitelisted="" height="297" id="m_862774874878111662624775F6C-6394-49CF-AF18-C59094FE7B3F" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1?ui=2&ik=303eac7094&attid=0.1.4&permmsgid=msg-f:1694071614265071210&th=17828d285857966a&view=fimg&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ8iXxnsla943p_bf5nzlubBlG50aw7rQSWRdl7a7pe_G45JSvbihrxRlbtbCmA981LVpw-6BuVh1qjhgX4it6r_ufcHCQdYUld8KMmHqKMaqOanS6EaOGoFVaw&disp=emb" style="color: #222222; cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="528" /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><img class="CToWUd a6T" data-image-whitelisted="" height="508" id="m_8627748748781116626779A3E80-AC58-4E84-A8FA-7386C690542E" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1?ui=2&ik=303eac7094&attid=0.1.5&permmsgid=msg-f:1694071614265071210&th=17828d285857966a&view=fimg&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-BBF_iVsy2baxBvAhEW6SpDlIqyjDx2jZnF2oACW6YCVG6xZKMkFuwhPZswFfcw8YAJ8fowew9lUVfztAVXwJrgd2bVym_Z3pGho7fNxXxfIScath-_LaC3io&disp=emb" style="color: #222222; cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="381" /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">APRIL—#1 gets emergency evacuated out of Uruguay. We were glad to have her home safe but grieved with her at having to come home early from serving as a full-time missionary (which she absolutely loved!!)</div></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /><img class="CToWUd a6T" data-image-whitelisted="" height="286" id="m_86277487487811166268B9BF9A2-E108-4212-84B3-C7C80F66B73A" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1?ui=2&ik=303eac7094&attid=0.1.6&permmsgid=msg-f:1694071614265071210&th=17828d285857966a&view=fimg&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-Eq-ty6ElWrVyGvqR_3f-Fr9iw6vPk3WDPL010EpaDPUGspFhtgiwpZVrLJGBelmIqaDGTXw1hbMLtZblBgNwDMt_XW_hTGq8gcIdwxSjB6_589YqEjBw25ls&disp=emb" style="cursor: pointer; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="508" /></div><div><br /></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-17728711674603635362019-12-29T07:51:00.001-08:002019-12-29T08:12:01.434-08:00Christmas 2019Christmas!!!!<div><br></div><div>How was your 2019 Christmas celebration?!?! I feel like the late Thanksgiving caught me off-guard in trying to get Christmas prep underway. There were three whole days of Christmas bins and boxes starting to look like permanent furniture and features. BUT—I worked really hard, ignored my family a bit, didn’t cook, didn’t clean—and got the house decorated. My family helped a little [ahem, I relinquished a little bit of control and let them help a little 😬].</div><div><br></div><div>There are so many things to keep busy with at Christmas. Everyone says “simplify!” Well, I didn’t. But I did manage to not procrastinate so much. My Christmas cards were sent out before Dec. 10–which is a HUGE accomplishment for me!!! I bought all online purchases before Dec. 15! I found almost all the presents I hid (still missing a gift card 🙄). I didn’t feel as stressed. It’s Jesus’s birthday—so I like to make a big deal out of it. I tried to keep him as my focus. </div><div><br></div><img id="id_edca_ee89_e860_1080" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/guv1ZxZ9nb2Gfb99iHmU2sVIlk2zIgjoKYovuXeAvszUYu_EoL0mo5npK1E" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><div><img id="id_2bf9_afef_3574_16bf" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/iZlaRsauHUD-v0sNyfwPkC0iL1kz_gekWzatgSEedMnYkGbQXnVD24gG6S8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(My mother-in-law with us this year!!)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_aacd_6252_e12e_4cb9" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/sAfwNwdr9BOQIKHX2qhdgLJDMbDdP32Ux8phokGcvyg1P7jdHnljMZWam5Q" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(Night in Bethlehem Ward Christmas party. It was an enchanting night!)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Random December photos—-<img id="id_78f_940c_5e5_db49" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1M7WScCykSSPXLurpUQCZYLRXabmLNlIbbs2rLFRQIh1lf818nRazX_lW10" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></div><div><br><img id="id_eb16_3e2a_a4d4_e769" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/DkzBOL2mVjo0udc6oaTFNpRchmG6c2FWKhsvHHxXTC5f0fBrMpz9kRGZWIc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_7d54_fa34_eb85_369e" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ZBfi9-0Esb2A23BaOlagF_dZoRsVS12tvMV_uj6dTQhVHpv2n-GiKkWTQ_s" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><img id="id_50f4_7dbd_3bf6_1536" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SSLnTpxWuJY7hieIV_MS4LQUg21AWpYCx_MYxIlmQxLqdpgGNCHutqn95-8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><br></div><div><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-92220577892431051382019-12-13T06:29:00.000-08:002019-12-13T06:29:18.967-08:002019 Family newsletter answers!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Newsletter results. Sorry if you didn't get one, I probably don't have your address or it still hasn't arrived at your house. If you really, really, really, want to get on my Christmas card snail mail list then feel free to email me!<br />
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Results~(just our initials)<br />
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<b><u>S, 6 1/2 years old--</u></b><br />
1. False--she wishes! Maybe next year I can squeeze dance lessons in :-/. Poor deprived youngest child.<br />
2. True!<br />
3. True!<br />
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<b><u>R, 8 years old--</u></b><br />
1. True!<br />
2. False! When this blessed event happens I will let everyone know! Probably even strangers I meet!<br />
3. True!<br />
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<b><u>G, 13 years old--</u></b><br />
1. True!<br />
2. False, sadly. His design was pretty awesome though!!<br />
3. True!<br />
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<b><u>A, almost 16--</u></b><br />
1. False! Not by a long shot!<br />
2. True!<br />
3. True!<br />
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<b><u>E, 18 years old--</u></b><br />
1. True!<br />
2. True!<br />
3. False! She hated that job and is now at Bath and Body Works and now a very happy (and smelling good) employee.<br />
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<b><u>K, 20 years old--</u></b><br />
Surprise!! All of hers are true. I couldn't tell lies about a missionary!!!<br />
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<b><u>K (me)--</u></b><br />
1. True!<br />
2. True!<br />
3. False! I wish. (My hubby wishes even more! :-P)<br />
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<b><u>J (hubby)--</u></b><br />
1. False! Some day we hope!!<br />
2. True!<br />
3. True!<br />
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<b><u>Thanks for keeping in touch all these years! We hope your holidays are fun and, more importantly, full of the reverence and remembrance of our Savior's birth!!</u></b><br />
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SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-65843854098368165282019-11-27T08:16:00.001-08:002019-11-27T08:16:15.135-08:00November!!!!Some quick pics of November! <div><br></div><div><img id="id_fa16_2d2c_9af3_ec44" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/03KPiWMnyaIMfl91a8417PceDKXvDB9P6x8by9jcI3lTff0Hny-mxWv2GNQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>#3’s Eagle project!!!</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_abde_2ac7_1ddc_4c17" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/x7bXO4_eCUGsCo772HncHabfbPOzd2ys2XD9vOpI-wN_rAXHQ-82fhNy7e4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Made 4 potting benches for a local foundation’s upcoming silent auction fundraiser. (This foundation provides job and social opportunities for autistic adults).</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_6b0b_af4f_d787_9fef" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/KQ-SMIF_lIPF2jURA7ExtoXB2pYWiQxPAzt8EP8pKi0PKwqtTF1jskAwx9E" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>#2’s homemade pies for church youth Friendsgiving </div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_c7ca_ad31_38a8_7c33" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/2IKrVIuLhBA30uBue1d07q7FM3TiLNtXgjSv1muSAAYGxaxC8NXeX0oOAgA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><br><img id="id_e964_7faf_a201_c5da" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/0h6U63hF4_OczbJNFAwpLWrCUyd0P9j1VgmgtCuCxtDm5F-UMmCQEtHSgDk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>#6’s first grade Thanksgiving presentation</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_1c41_e335_62ae_f96d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8rt7B8l7jrJNBxmJ4jDJJqvyHtgvdsrZBSv8QNT_rh6fNtnr5UNBTT-WdM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>#4’s mountain biking team. Season is over until spring :-(</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_a21_d806_281a_13d8" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ka_ts_TYVVcamqUMLz53yRyFYI-Va8stmfZ-x0iwg2YSAqCJPUQLtWKSpTE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>#5 caught in a laughing-fit...</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><img id="id_3faf_b8f1_facc_784b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5Xh0mIcfiZop1BuOkm3k893ECWj5JmAHlVrQGsp1-hyGIXQtSmXQ9mlCBQs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>#1 with new washing machine. No more washing clothes by hand!!! She is working hard and loving her mission!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_3d4e_70a2_9a70_a48a" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/95Js1biTJuyVQmWbM08xloc_gwm8NpmFWZ9ZnyfQL6ZLfKIJm5lJ9U5Nc98" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>My hubby and #6 relaxing in the beautiful November weather we’ve enjoyed almost all month.<br><br><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-23857606880920840642019-10-30T10:45:00.001-07:002019-11-02T07:19:48.752-07:00October catch all!October is sooo busy! Birthdays—mine and my oldest [she’s 20!?!?!] As well as five in our extended family. AND typical Halloween hubbub. And a family flu party, a quick trip for work, a scout Eagle project, two PG&E power outages, and an EEG just for funsies. 😯 (My Ragnar race was cancelled due to the fires. But this was a blessing in disguise—hubby had a kidney stone and I was home and therefore able to help him get to the doctor and take care of him).<div><br></div><div><img id="id_69ed_2f8b_b2f9_7e91" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/dfVL9twYPGqQgaOYj1CI3DYewveSFEUSEOAMKlEL0l8fuJWcg2p6yx_O5zM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">42!</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><img id="id_36b4_5700_5b52_b8c" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/3vXdH1WCa1IZvvkWn6el7nlfl43WSU_R0DMFKGLroYUbYqsSW-yYRk6MojM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>20!</div><div><br></div><div><br><img id="id_4d8a_b021_ad7d_bb67" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/z0DDyRdl3d4st9y27JQz_p4KFgf362Yclh-hEXFYMJf8EQNoIp8rSGgimr8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><img id="id_afa8_67ef_f0cf_23a6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/sIKnW9IVz39LUo9DREDbXL0kC9OqwApjGr4O3wvkbnfWXQeCkvZRhk3Z4f0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Eagle project</div><div><br></div><div><br><img id="id_db30_1785_df05_3cba" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/rs4CHP3eSXh5LR7Z2COZt8BpO3OT4gZLar4Iq6NXWWojNoXn9SLiemlW9xI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(Me and hubby pretending to live the life of the rich and famous at Pebble Beach)...<br><br></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_b8e9_c98c_6c60_56d1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3kRw2jNd4N0JWI8EIE2GCzlIcG2ES-1ffdF2QCETfF3x8LAE6qnTSRjUltA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_59b1_d99f_618d_fdfa" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/tTgiZRZR1pONE1ZKo2MFg86HMLCKjC2mw6-kTOoDxJyQz8neBzTjlGriDWs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>EEG<br><br><br><img id="id_a96b_c38f_bbae_7ae1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/FyxQcH2CeVQ91Y2WSDJDYQGpfrQqp5MGqhtUlqsoeO2x0pXKmxTQJ-s4QPc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Watching General Conference with one of my sick buddies...</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_b285_5855_2f31_4562" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/398YUFUfEhLYhIq6VXt5uUNlh8W0sbKvZSL8ilC-RH-OWNBur7qat8yaEbM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Family Halloween costume minus our missionary and two sons who were dressing-up-Scrooges...</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_f4d6_4d97_3e1c_4d4f" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/5pVz8X2L3xGSa9tQkMJFmGUgUDMlbfL3xlm3ImcdrX-3fE0nGCiYgWj9DIY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Our “American Gothic” costumes for grown-up Halloween party.<br><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-87406588620711090472019-09-18T10:44:00.001-07:002019-09-19T22:08:09.495-07:00Retail therapy troubles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
2019 has been a hard year for several retail stores. Online shopping is taking a lot of business from brick and mortar stores. And some of these stores I have been shopping at most or all of my adult life. Going to the mall and shopping was/is retail therapy!! I’m guilty of doing online shopping but it isn’t as fulfilling as walking into a store filled with colorful displays and the wonderful smell of new merchandise. I have happy memories associated with three stores in particular:<br />
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<img alt="" id="id_c3a4_d2a3_29e4_1cc1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YbuUjbcOrD4B932wziOpQt3bv9bOYYfgI7SrQW_a-uVUK_aUh-u24Hf0ZDQ" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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I’ve shopped at Payless since I was able to drive. Special purchases I will always remember from over the years: two pairs of blue suede shoes, black velvet t-strap chunky heels—that I always got compliments on and was wearing on my first date with my husband, getting satin heels dyed to match my bridesmaids’ dresses, knock-off Keens for my kids—which were cuter than Keens, first pairs of tennis shoes for my new-walkers, countless other adorable children’s shoes, several cute sandals and casual slip-ons, fun and sassy earrings and cute purses....</div>
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<img alt="" id="id_7a49_8b28_4438_c38a" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/o8xxRudA76HJRY1mAuGQhMGr8kccqNPcbk72BGIn3snUYk1rthPEmRF0QfU" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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Been buying kids’ clothes for 20 years. I was always a bit sad as my kids outgrew Gymboree sizes :-(. But—I’ve been a steady shopper here for all this time and still have two kids who fit kids sizes for a good 4-6 more years. And now the cute, adorable, mix-and-matching outfits are no more. Gymboree made it so easy to find those matching sibling ensembles. I feel like I lost a part of my kids’ childhood :-(....</div>
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<img alt="" id="id_fe55_b43f_7928_9327" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/O5WDD49X_hryv3VcXqoqcl62pOlMyLwvq1fQKp-gtlbLHjnk764wFK7Nop4" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />
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Honestly—this one closing is like all the candy stores in the world closing. Charming Charlie was/is one of my favorite stores!!! The color grouping layout?! GENUIS! So perfect for finding the accessories you need! I LOVE THIS STORE!!!!!! I tried not to cry when I went in during their final week. I’d say half of my jewelry is from Charming Charlie. My husband braved this wreaking-of-estrogen store, by himself, once a year at Christmastime. And my stocking was a bling fest. Charming Charlie—I will never forget you.</div>
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SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-80443858679369093002019-09-11T10:43:00.001-07:002019-09-11T10:43:28.511-07:00I’ll Never Forget#2 turns 18! This little 5 lb, 9 oz babe was 5 weeks premature and 4 days old when the 9-11 tragedy occurred. I find hope in knowing that this new young adult is of the highest caliber and a true force for good. She is highly intuitive, compassionate, fun, and a true shining star. It sounds braggy—but it’s true—she lifts others and leaves them better than they were before. We are so blessed to have this ray of heaven’s sunshine in our lives!<div><br></div><div><img id="id_7651_3cb7_a48f_d81f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/C6pT2JituPNEtgN27J3ApxNCyhcWoq1e6Xilu9BvJXiHNtC718VxsrL946M" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><img id="id_64c3_a531_8c20_2d7d" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/uvhQbwGjuwXIqtjlF2RIJCATQI6bktDrr25VsRmuFmMZy5KclplDLXks0F8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_9d73_6245_24e0_eaee" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Wls4tNlxmIOzBd041lKdar-ZDNDHtsP5aevHFoFeusNOBtQyoWEFrNRmxd0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_1eac_80_c609_cda4" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/FJko1MloJ4ZtCZFhyDgN7fA_d5b9Una1xMHxsHzroemCpr0ilYavHe8d9N8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-86926899462492640132019-09-02T08:00:00.001-07:002019-09-02T08:00:33.668-07:00A Marvelous Work!What a miracle the light of the gospel brings!!!! <div><br></div><div>Five years ago, my oldest child was a freshman in high school. She ran cross-country. She met many new friends on the team and, just in general, from being new to the school and area. One girl did not stand out a lot to her and that same girl found my daughter slightly annoying. But they became friends and over the course of the high school—best friends! My daughter invited her to church dances and special music performances at church. </div><div><br></div><div>Who can say exactly when her friend begin to search for more meaning in life. Perhaps the two of them can pinpoint something. But to me, I don’t know that exact moment. Her friend gradually began to come to every church meeting and meet with the missionaries in our home. This eventually led to her choosing to be baptized right after high school graduation. And now she is leaving to serve a full-time mission for the Lord! </div><div><br></div><div>I have witnessed, am witnessing, a miracle! It is amazing the light that her friend is and knowing that the spark inside her was fueled by my daughter’s caring heart and her own light. Let it shine! What joy we feel as these two wonderful women are our serving the Lord and sharing that light with God’s children!!!!</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_88c_84d2_8b43_2131" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/37yQ4Us3_Y_RfzPN2u1-O1w6j1pmm3i2oGIA8wCky-jUKg_X8vYx9z7m03M" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Baptism June 2019...</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_9bc7_71cd_d905_b562" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/xxxThswLj30dSfTizMTHBp9P4fIK6139_sc8L9jQf2EMuSZfwtDAFmBroYE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>My #2 daughter has also became close friends with her. While #1 has been away on her mission, our dear friend and #2 have had ample time to hang out and prepare for her mission. <br><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-13994331855687824422019-08-19T15:57:00.001-07:002019-08-19T15:57:55.366-07:00Back to School!!!Five kids...in four different schools...in three different school districts...with three different starts dates...blah...<div><br></div><div>...but yes! We made it! I’ve only had to sign about forty permission slips and pay about $300 in fees for various supplies.</div><div><br></div><div>The happy crew [mostly happy]:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_2680_2d63_95d9_932b" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Iw7QeAK5TiySUCMMrCacVudY2WyzIN691zoPuvA4C8xBg738sHNox7Gvukg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-29649515333612022532019-08-11T21:44:00.001-07:002019-08-11T21:44:38.933-07:00Late harvest The spring rain lasted a long time this year so my garden went in about 2 months later than normal. (Truthfully—you can garden practically all year here because it gets below freezing maybe 5 days in a year). <div><br></div><div>The harvest is finally coming! It’s been a good year, so far, for green beans, tomatoes, and peppers. It’s been a terrible year for carrots, peas, zucchini and summer squash. The season heated up so fast that the young squash plants haven’t done well. The cucumbers and eggplants are coming on now. Most of my herbs are happy too.</div><div><br></div><div>Gardening always brings me joy!! </div><img id="id_12a0_81c1_bc3c_7a20" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/J9e8vHuXnyBwEboTnl7AMAnp837GMh0KurPxBh0GvddMfma0Dq-kWtIBNJQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-43080951589387401382019-08-06T13:56:00.001-07:002019-08-09T09:42:57.217-07:00Test drive! Sorta...Last week we went to St. George, UT to visit my mother-in-law. Saint George is pretty cool and it is a few hours distance from so many wonderful places to visit: The Grand Canyon, Zions National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Lake Powell… even Arches National Park is four hours away. <div><br></div><div>Done all of those except arches. Go to Zions like every time we visit her. But, none of us had ever ventured onto Lake Powell. So I rented us a boat and we had some fun.</div><div><br></div><div>Having a child with special needs means tweaking vacations so that we can best accommodate him. My mother-in-law is very tolerant of our switching locks around in her house and locking all the doors all the time to keep him safe. He loves water so we knew he would probably love boating. And he did! My husband and I test drove a boat a few summers ago. We still want to get one and now have only whetted our appetite more :-). One day...</div><div><br></div><div>Here are a few pictures of our fun times in the lake. </div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_6003_d1f7_95d2_e92e" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/oMaZg5lgtiHuF_u9DKiG5_SWWu95p0mbpHQ2SL-TuKHek9Ck5n51V6degaE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Pure contentment.</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_4928_a94a_eb39_b9e1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5qcBVI05fum4FWbEDng3S9ZU9IInGPcB8FTaxSoSmOpgwQHLi8M7ZlDyHEE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 301px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div><div><img id="id_3bae_9f8a_86f4_7bcc" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/iQxH8fCqToyeEtzL7C7nfPISY-HLGLdE4x02NJf05EgXJg0FWYcEVZ5b7NM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><img id="id_7867_1a53_c645_d81a" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/zdsMFTSWa0rVZCHlM-WQeCYe1ArAVArSPxVjvH9DlJ2rysZbQutGUBf4lvQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div><div><img id="id_be6a_a3a7_9972_854" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qe2CyqvHHOTbVIicvsmWtnF8xoKhgGm26MrMTEbQh-_cixQ8UqQ-qdNpZm4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_d750_7267_c73a_1560" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/gvHKwYt9pX05VnsTXFeKY7xBFiaTt-vRIkkdvfDZTdG82JYLU8wpLl-rUs8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_ec5d_60f_b608_5d94" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/YLrEzL4tT3-T2Q1UN0Xl8H-KDGuNzgEPW4sdg1fwup9ZA9y8GYtD3ZTbBDs" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Look at the scenery!!!!<br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><img id="id_7ed9_487_18ad_476d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XiZLBObFNI0DZmeZTbYUz1wAhrTg6KMZWOPBEjO-NhsUi2wMt3B2-ZoFCcM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_4b2f_47ad_1b43_cf50" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/W4663GXkxNWc-DrgcixlXlA9VTxZDCvxjgSoJbDA-pSVWnxukuhrhqZJsfU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">(Me knee-boarding for the first time!)</span></div><div><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span><br><br></div><div><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-57449902196790412582019-07-28T22:45:00.001-07:002019-07-28T22:45:39.234-07:00Hill Cumorah Pageant 2019Last week, and the week before, was the Hill Cumorah Pageant <a href="https://www.hillcumorah.org/">https://www.hillcumorah.org/</a><div><br></div><div>I grew up in the east USA and we went almost every summer to see this amazing outdoor performance. Many of my brothers were on the work crews over the years, one was a cast member before his mission.</div><div><br></div><div>This summer, my parents were in the pageant, as well as one of my brothers. This same brother is also the stage fighting coordinator (and he was last year as well—and will be for next year!)</div><div><br></div><div>My mom was Ishmael’s wife, my dad was in the crowd throwing stones at Samuel the Lamanite. I forget what my brother’s role was. But—don’t they look cool?!</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_717d_247c_faf4_19d1" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/wItw8QXFhxYxYXWvBsO62kVlT4rsMuvfFoYqox5IY1lM74D-JwGr0YXaYX8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(My dad grew out his facial hair—we rarely saw him with any facial hair growing up—just a couple of pictures with a moustache).</div><div><br><img id="id_d922_c9b2_5753_6be6" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/M-m_wQUVOuD0qRHerB4Qt7D9B-S_QqsO3Su3v4rj7g-Xu7M4pfnmEtHp8hM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_1533_561e_c7e6_c454" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lGc1qQs-cpQpkXqR-IVFZMbtGMcrj0FV24QoIiC5Hk2_0UIhr1YG5AXNdoM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(My brother and his family came from</div><div>Ohio to attend!)</div><div><br></div><div>Next summer (2020) will be the final year of the Hill Cumorah Pageant. I hope to be able to take my own family to see this same grand event that I have such fond childhood memories of. </div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-53679755149645636802019-07-16T13:38:00.001-07:002019-07-16T13:38:07.927-07:00EFYTwo of my kids went to EFY last week. My home was down to three kids and none of us liked it very much! Too lonely!<div><br></div><div>It is sad for me to be on the other side of the parenting hill—that my kids are leaving the nest....The time really does go by fast!</div><div><br></div><div>Here are a few pictures of my big kids at EFY:</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_a280_4cd5_693e_866d" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/GVRXqVg8TIxW1J2eBilodXfVzTXVRgHgkjpwcVCBkkJ4TPUqSV5LWVcA07E" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ff6b_fa1b_412e_d2b6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/t1eEVMyz-tO7u6h0DngLc-1vQ0r6TBBqNQHCrGVFd50kdpeCwtFNt63zR9w" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><img id="id_684a_8e02_fdf_f902" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/h_5tI69KjsYMohcQOlK7J_jNa32O6AcnVLgNkaUcoONZbCdh6sBDODXl3c8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><img id="id_1d63_76b4_da25_195b" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/djpt0GVklhkvExohEG3SeIRbl475mdOcowOrS_nDfrGyWz0IJZP1J-5lFbA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-4122683163120015562019-07-08T12:15:00.001-07:002019-07-08T12:15:22.502-07:00It’s already July!Summer’s marching along! 4th of July was low-key. Didn’t feel like keeping the little kids up for fireworks so we didn’t watch any this year. Traveling next month to a state where we can shoot off our own—yippee!!<div><br></div><div>So—just some photos of summer...</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_cf93_a0e5_626c_48bd" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/PjzTs7T0iFQO7KlGsFce20qP4GI5UrCYbHiD6wLPf0JlyuIUgHOYZx0WH4Y" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_929b_bc0f_ad72_f1c6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zvzkGh-u0NdAM3uGPefCnlNeQs79Ojtxly7QfCA8AhVESCgAjwM4rkFKBfc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_2f91_ea9e_9658_5be" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/E670ta5Na28wiuur6mc6zzWWjtVt9IE9eHUJvLopZsatxoaN_ESURAVQZw8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_ebc_640c_81d0_cb4b" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/GuFiToaHQx4unDXvygPdZXBF57kQzWfj6JW7gYZBN88lBrGakwrLss9cntg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><img id="id_13cb_dda_545b_9db7" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Jz6J9Y9Sg3d1kEYcib97Ub14RIHo6PPJo5Wq1Ku8wcjbhA9TtHDy_LqE5NI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_d722_ba16_7374_4220" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/BVDGMk25w1lXHz7ASYvPlYxM2stcro6GC1obmx1fvS5AGSMYoo1Z_jLsNzw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_40c8_24fc_a7b2_19b0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jiWkgKv0wNYq2IWcn8d15Uzfnw087nriF45OtrDDZ4MquuH3TjavH0pkchI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_23bf_474d_4e6d_83ae" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ua0e4xCtjtcBpkaY92I-DdiyIXw-lrjLPYaFryC3HQZjgWN9buVIo9dpzts" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-18059303153575055022019-06-10T08:47:00.001-07:002019-06-10T08:47:05.051-07:00School year finale!Big kids finished school on May 24. The youngest finished June 5. Now we have a senior, sophomore, 8th grader, 3rd grader, and 1st grader coming up!<div><br></div><div>I will be entering a new phase of life—all children in school for a significant part of the day. I could get a part-time job. I can finish all my home projects. I could take time to do whatever—maybe clean the whole house 😜. I have lots to contemplate....</div><div><br></div><div>We squeezed in a quick trip to the Oakland Temple Open House and then Yosemite. Going the day after Memorial Day was the way to go— no lines, small crowds.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_4007_1a6b_627_f707" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wPxZ9dcWSabnBi01TdnwT8HepZa6l7VfknlEP8F2XYeZRBVAoCxK9iPGlts" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>#2’s final junior year choir concert </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><img id="id_73f1_7693_9b76_7c08" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/hYAKnFOQhFxiri_5XZv3132ays7kErhKTOuHsCQbjZCT7Qx0XXDfjqvJ1Lg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>#6 with Liao laoshi </div><div><br></div><div><br><img id="id_e17a_6825_9048_61e5" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/bFDAKTxSWJOJh-HitOXR6FnYw_u08abkvvB1BdO5r21mFmcqfw_FfpS22sk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>#6 with Ms. Martin (English teacher for only small part of the day).</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><img id="id_b678_a25c_f36d_d848" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/kEVS7QsiFemOyEkrHYCCvRlJNhbne0W90Kp5H-UH5lu0m6TEZKo2s9Y_EGE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>#6 enjoying kindergarten water day</div><div><br><img id="id_69ad_6599_b4de_1e76" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/KNDXy2qeR6P0m8O7MHlNuPrKrUzLy-yjQ3BIaBQlP9lIOvEAX_7oceBJqW0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><br><img id="id_7460_5b50_1dd7_ec7d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hDeQG7RGImQgpPiXGkbwkF3ebDzZBskFCdXO5ae4A__mKGvWYvCtUC-zPDw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>#5 and #6 hitching a ride on Dad and #3 after a four-mile hike. </div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_52fe_dc1a_84e2_d126" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/VAKBQb4pUPLKHnUI1LLEqRCC10LlKw3On8uP5WKN_HwFN4VOG_elrm3DUuo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_e042_2986_fcbe_8343" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/noadzEWNO2pjIWrTR8x7duXtrySSfFBATMR_9dQE1WloD3mnt3hHZ6QfctE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_f84b_e027_a658_2bb3" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/G0K8MaJx0B9TUNGgENjgIad9Tn5wrQUhZ6UL_aWfhMN5xbfX_5D9eAvtIr8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_f528_24e8_912b_aec4" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/QPUKCeXeoZ7WUO5hGck47xcTl1PxdRTsgYV35Fv2hhn7fxt24c-ay0aSjWY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-83241418282016673542019-05-29T20:42:00.001-07:002019-05-29T20:42:17.775-07:0021st Wedding Anniversary!Celebrated 21 years of wedded bliss—a month early! We went to St. Helena—just north of Napa. Thanks to my 17 and 15-year-olds for watching the younger kids—including picking up everyone on their last days of school!<div><br></div><div><br><div><img id="id_8fb9_591e_ecb_c439" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/iSAHCdGmr25NvvFToFeDaRef-g0cWJMXxRpdBWWGe6cIziYk6PaETA8wAK8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></div><div>Dinner at the Culinary Institute of America’s Gatehouse Restaurant (St. Helena, CA location).</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_5a2e_e8d7_22da_4265" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/h7YP4cCABSkPXkahJeDisjuwsZH_tn_n_pgYXKhBou-RgllE9HlXkaluf3s" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>Only have one picture—but the tastes!!!! I cannot display that on a blog!!! If you are ever in Sonoma or Napa counties—you must try it!!!!! Gourmet four-course meal at a fraction of the cost. We savored every course—such layers of flavor!!! Masterpieces!!! (Our favorites were the tomato tartar, wild boar, and beer-braised halibut with beets).</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">We spent all day Friday at BottleRock! There were over 75 performers for the three-day weekend but we just attended Friday’s. We heard Shannon Shaw, Flora Cash, Vintage Trouble, Neon Trees, Jenny Lewis, AJR, One Republic, The War and Treaty, and Imagine Dragons. (Imagine Dragons was why we went, one of the few bands my husband has actually heard of and likes. But he ended up enjoying OneRepublic more).</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br></span></div><div><br><img id="id_a51d_d79f_c565_baa1" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/DmhboGoPLI2q16aQ8T2DGD7vSNvXoiSBTe5bw5kSNp5iZOJptXDDXEqrJww" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(Neon Trees)<br><img id="id_9d03_c1a1_7f2c_4bbd" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/OaH21j0BY39OZd0aIAow3z_Y4YemSc8pG_ttpIVe3piMYMPTLFLo82_2EH0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(AJR)<br><img id="id_6aaf_30ef_d5ac_c85b" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/iVXSZVpFqXa0v0pmY4HtGN_nuKlVgrgSzi5AJ53AC8FLtd-hIvimHKR7JYg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">(OneRepublic)</span></div><div><img id="id_a6bc_b8e8_d0a9_5132" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/bCXqpjEJnsBG-Oly2KBY8CcDKSyfAeon2DbMjpsR6g_zU6_9ALfYqrz76pw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(Imagine Dragons)<br><img id="id_f758_49e4_953e_8823" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/16_UHfdkquLM_yaZmcbB5dzCQ12IryHwParQMkl4xiEFPm06lWJ-2XHPpzg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(Imagine Dragons, center stage)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Saturday we enjoyed sleeping in—til 9:30am!!! What?!? I know—never happens!</div><div><br></div><div>Then we ate a hearty breakfast and then picked up our electric bike rentals. Those made riding 15 or so miles, on bumpy, hilly terrain, that much more awesome. <br><img id="id_e1c5_fdb1_b916_520f" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/X4G3z2Zw6h9SPlmjy17_S-6-Kuiec2vu05PJP2VmuRb29NbjpxlY7wg4UaQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_f3df_3472_18ed_f3c4" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/adlontnyasqBJFTjcR7gvInZXuPUqQ81xwxP8GHtz0H-wl3dIP0oMFJuIsc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(Views of Napa county)<br><img id="id_9510_4f84_a277_aa2" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/9xq_Z8ALey8jmn5jC65joUWMfLowhSo1tEkXXO5Gr9XTVfbRt9-S1K72Teo" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(We spotted #4’s dream house—great views + an orange exterior!)<br><img id="id_d767_cc2a_1483_da95" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VFYkNQsEmotAbK7dzKnk0vKFpuc5NvmfLvLlBoiSvm3oRfZd7hWJijdRkOY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(Lake Hennessy).</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>It was a wonderful few days away, doing things that we don’t often do, as well as doing things that we often do ;-). Hooray for 21 years with my amazing husband!!!<br><br></div></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-8195415707793852952019-05-15T11:23:00.001-07:002019-05-15T11:23:42.453-07:00Owie weekI don’t like to post embarrassing or ugly pictures of people but I had to do this one.<div><br></div><div><img id="id_f92_90b9_81d6_49c8" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/p5YiUtJnYAiuWZ2ENs4UxLBTFYB98mbAZYIM7H140d33autHuP7oq9LIODM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>My poor baby! #6 had a high fever on Saturday and Sunday. That was her only symptom. Til she showed us her upper right gum where there was a large abscess!! </div><div><br></div><div>We took her to the dentist on Monday and x-rays revealed a broken tooth reeking havoc in her mouth!! The same tooth on her left side had a cavity and the dentist informed us that was probably what had happened on the right—a cavity gone bad!</div><div><br></div><div>Poor gal endured numbing and yanking of a nasty tooth—not too mention the gross-tasting gels and goop needed to numb, cleanse, and make impressions (for a spacer). </div><div><br></div><div>Magically fever is now gone. And she is feeling much better!</div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-51944230164390230942019-05-06T18:59:00.001-07:002019-08-09T09:42:57.253-07:00Baptism?<div>We baptized our eight-year-old autistic son this past week. In our religion we baptize individuals when they are at least eight-years-old because at age eight children understand right and wrong. We do not baptize children younger than age eight, and usually not individuals with severe mental impairments since we do not know their capacities of knowing and choosing right from wrong [my son fits this description]. </div><div><br></div><div>My husband said a prayer, beforehand, which really flooded the room with the Holy Spirit. My husband’s words reflected my thoughts, that our intent was not to make mockery of the sacredness of baptism, by baptizing someone who probably doesn’t need to be baptized. But, that our greatest desire is to have our son with us for eternity and we wanted to do all we can for him to make it so.</div><div><br></div><div>Our eldest child, serving a mission in Uruguay, was able to get permission from her zone leaders to stay up late and video call in and “be there“ for the baptism. So precious!</div><div><br></div><div>My special son had his fingers in his ears almost the whole time because the echoey sound of the baptism font and the low buzzing sound from the fluorescent lights was irritating to him. But he did go in and my husband, a faithful priesthood holder, was able to baptize him with one try. My son loves water but has never liked having to dunk his head under.</div><div><br></div><div>Here is the little slideshow we made for the occasion and to reflect on our time, thus far, with our precious son. I still don’t know why we have this lifelong trial but I do know that God carries me often and His son, Jesus Christ, will one day return to earth and heal all of us. </div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ctRWLuQzwm0">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ctRWLuQzwm0</a></div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_8bf6_8cbe_2e38_3e65" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/OUyXIeaXbC7qfvYpl4TlzEJa575KpP7DD8WIZ4EgrGRwfbDDza-VZUnwp6I" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-5663985388607269342019-04-15T11:26:00.001-07:002019-08-09T09:42:57.289-07:00Loosing Teeth: revisiting child milestonesOur special guy, #5, recently turned eight-years-old. And finally started losing some teeth [my kids were all late teethers and all late to lose teeth]. <div><br></div><div>He is so cute. Silent, but cute. I can’t believe we’re in this milestone of loosing teeth again! And, how different it is this time around; he isn’t announcing that he has a loose tooth nor asking me a million times why we don’t do</div><div>have a tooth fairy. [I’m one of <i>those </i>moms! 😬]. </div><div><br></div><div>Yesterday he lost his second tooth. Well, #3 and I kinda helped him. It was bleeding so I kept chasing him around the house and dabbing at his mouth with a tissue. [He thought it was great fun!] At some point #3 grabbed him while he was laughing and I quickly did a little twist and the tooth came out! And then preceded to chase him around the house and dab at his mouth again. </div><div><br></div><div>This is totally different then how it was with my other kids!!</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_f481_5289_5cca_9b4a" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Bsfz41p-VzO3Cl5jtM8ccUwW783_56OKWQL7LZeJuOyuVFuRuhL5Cr6oulk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>#5 with his new smile, and birthday toy.</div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-10744148759759437792019-04-02T05:50:00.001-07:002019-08-09T09:42:56.940-07:00An autistic April Fool’s Day...There once was a wee young lad, <div>Who’s early wakenings drove his mom mad. </div><div>But she loved him nonetheless </div><div>Woke up, fed him, got him dressed.</div><div>And continued to give all she had....</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_f4de_8c58_803b_ed23" src="https://alexdenk.eu/blogtouch?id=12FhaSdSQ_KpIwkIwDqRyAi9y4IhVMNkb" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>(👆🏼when you wake up at 2am and frolic all over the house, you might crash at 8:30am, when you should be leaving for school. You’re lucky, buddy—Mom let you nap two hours since it was earlier than the recent 5am wakenings).<br><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-68582103890210887712019-03-25T22:01:00.001-07:002019-03-25T22:04:33.469-07:00Audible!I had an Audible account a few years ago but wasn’t using it, so I ended my subscription.<div><br></div><div>I attend a monthly book group. I enjoy reading books and discussing them. But I don’t enjoy reading enough that it is my “go to” hobby whenever I have a spare minute. Reading the monthly book group book is HUGE for me and I am pleased that I at least read a book that month.</div><div><br></div><div>Well this school year has proved to be my busiest one ever. With having to drive (and pick up) three kids to three different schools, as well as manage taking my special needs guy to three different weekly therapies—I spend about 2-3 hours a day in my car!</div><div><br></div><div>I much prefer reading a book over listening to one. But I was not evening finishing my once-a-month!</div><div><br></div><div>So, I finally just restarted my audible account. </div><div><br></div><div>Hooray!!</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_f576_563f_bac8_f26f" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?id=190SpgHD231pKqELC6qibl5Nj6DX903pc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>#6 not happy having to hear my “terrible” book, in the car.... 🤣</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-24901988617271678982019-03-18T21:59:00.000-07:002019-03-18T22:00:00.472-07:00Marching on...#2 gets a job! And makes her first yeast bread from scratch (it was for a grade in her culinary class and she got 100%!)<div><br></div><div><img id="id_4629_11f5_a7cc_98f4" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1x-HPMOgUiRIR7XlRrPt7WWGXNpQAMHlB" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><br><img id="id_69a6_eb30_d976_6edc" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1U9XVWj28fC4r40CXlArfrk1UvWxHyIFe" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><br><img id="id_ec1b_7cc9_a939_e2ce" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1IQ9jWTb4abbE2s0rsnnqiImVo1nRof-f" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><br>And instead of making a leprechaun trap—I got a husband trap! Belated birthday present for my hubby (who has always wanted a recliner.... )</div><div><br><img id="id_189b_6c6b_400c_fc5" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1zqqfW1BLyAsB-33GYJFai3LbXcgvzRDH" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-14454336514279720592019-03-11T14:55:00.001-07:002019-03-11T14:55:52.730-07:00I have 4 teenagers!!!Here is the proof, child #4 turns 13! I will have four teenagers for the next 8 months. We are fully down with buying stock in deodorant and acne medication 😉.<div><br></div><div><img id="id_c322_5f2a_dbf9_f12" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWhH2ebxsQ9RcHOCSfbvvolE9SFJ5Dyc-ZdyMFhZAmGwGXoFSiGGdSmkf4aSmrY7-RZv27g8pISx6PPmvJZ_7RcO0uqDFah49idEgV23WxaEfweu6FyDKxIbALaIeqc-A0vbPxC8pkHIQ/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br><img id="id_635f_21a2_d4cc_896a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9jgUSYdXsZU/XIbZX5mvCXI/AAAAAAAAEbk/yc9lBVieDZ8sOJMl8ThiMt2mlyH2I82ngCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_b5b7_c228_946d_fa82" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPxsK2HYH9E2mTOuxRwbqdk-CUXm_-8wqGrPT3ma1MctKTxqG-pKrAtyqhLJkHlJ6HY9ftrhdC9_9g7XQJGjPD09oprIvFpZf_iN5LYxs2AubyCJmWRTXv2-waB5UgZPPr_BpXd8h77cu/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_b967_4e56_e858_7ff" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cDhruyXGitc/XIbZZnPrrvI/AAAAAAAAEbs/EeelXnM7vi4eQs-r66zoaKa7PQx891hIQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691084014682795702.post-43612080889502769372019-03-05T20:58:00.001-08:002019-03-11T14:48:30.655-07:00Priest/Laurel Prom#2 got asked to Priest/Laurel Prom, which is a special dance for the youth ages 16 and up. <div><br></div><div>I asked her to find a dress because I was not wanting to make one for prom nor buy one [and most likely have to modify it to make it modest]. She asked her friends and found some option.</div><div><br></div><div>She did good to hunt one down and looked AMAZING!!!!!!</div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_76dd_dd3b_f28f_2cdc" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O1WJb9CF-kk/XH9TaVAnVRI/AAAAAAAAEa4/XInVpICm6doELcxdKuJDWAt-kc3A2VUcgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_24b5_9a92_c113_8f3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6InNWxF3rWs/XH9TbG-6fUI/AAAAAAAAEa8/re932bhXRHUKXy6boZu-Hf2GIVPCjO6rwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_b526_da5d_31d8_4819" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dlWMYegQC9Q/XH9TbS3WbMI/AAAAAAAAEbA/d-f4EjgAYLgKBqLnseRUXNc_B6v6iDvMQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></div>SuburbiaMomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16407487328564873575noreply@blogger.com0