Christmas, Christmas, Christmas!

I am going to let the pictures do most of the talking...these are only a few! We had a wonderful Christmas. Todd's sister got home from her mission on the 23rd and so it was nice to visit with her and the rest of the family.

We went to my aunts house for a yummy dinner, talent show, viewing of a Christmas movie to remind us what it is truly all about, and played with cousins. I always look forward to going there every year. Christmas morning was fun. Grandpa came down and opened presents with us. The boys really liked it and we all got a lot of stuff we like!

After the presents we went to Todd's parents house and had a really good brunch with my mom, his fam, and a neighbor. We also really enjoyed that day! We love Christmas because we get to spend it as a family, and bask in the Joy this time of year brings!!!

Todd and I

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The boys and CJ opening presents at Grandma C's

Todd and his hot sauces...can't wait to try them out!

Jillynny poo...aka Jillynn, and I (I kind of like this picture!)

The big haul...looks like Santa made it this year.

The boys waiting to see if Santa came...They always seem to look a little silly in these pictures. Tanner as you could tell was not too happy to be awake so early. (Even though we made it until 7:30 with every one fast asleep)

The boys Christmas Eve. TC and Titus played their recital pieces and Tobyn wanted in on the fun. It was cute he played about 3 notes.

I never can say how much I enjoy this time of year. I have truly been blessed and am SO grateful that the savior was born and died for us! Merry Christmas everyone!

Amazing!

This guy (my cousin) is AMAZING! I love listening to him on Christmas Eve when we get together at my aunts house. I think one of my kind of outrageous dreams is to have a professional piano player at my beck and call so that I can listen to wonderful piano music whenever I want.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

This is the picture that was on my Christmas cards that I sent to a lot of people....

...but I know there are those out there that I didn't get address's from or missed in some other way because, well, for no other reason than I spaced it. To all of you I am sorry. I hope every one had a Merry Christmas. We think about ALL our friend this time of year, near and far, and hope that all of you were able to spend the holiday like we did. Surrounded by good food, good friend, good presents, and most of all good feelings for what this time of year is all about!

Rogers Christmas Party.

Every year all of Todd's mom's family gather together to do a Christmas party. Usually we have to get a church because of the 45+ people that come, but this year we crammed into his uncles house. It was crowded but fun. The kids all dressed up and Grandma read the Christmas story. Then we played white-elephant games, bingo and ate yummy food.

It is crazy, loud, busy and a little chaotic but it is worth it! I love this time of year with family and friends. We always had a lot of fun! I can't wait until Christmas Eve with my family.

This pictures made me laugh. TC looks a little out of it.

Some of the "teen" cousins, who not too long ago were the age of my kids...my how they grow!

Tanner was pretty interested in the robot toy. He did sit quietly though.

Nichole, Nic, Mike, and Travis all practicing their "good picture pose". LOL!

Grandma Rogers and all the grandkids, most of them great-grandkids, now.

Tobyn...being the sweet little angel that he is...

The wisemen...and wisegirl (Amber made a cute wiseman)

Grandma C and Todd. Lookin' good!

Have I said how much I love my family? Well....I do!

School Programs...

We had a week of fun Christmas programs. All of the boys (except Tanner) had one this week. At Freedom the older three performed Christmas songs and they all did awesome! It is always fun to go watch them. Tobyn had a program at his little school also and he did so cute! I did take pictures but they were with my phone and I am having trouble getting them onto my computer.

Kady and TC who are both in the same class again this year.

Titus waving from a distance.

Tate singing!

They all did so great. I've said it once and I'll say it again. I love watching them do their performances and seeing them in their own environment!

Winter fun and other cuteness...

Some are silly, some are cute, and some are just for fun...you decide :-)

Just a laugh...

Tate running up the stairs to get a drink....

"Mom!"

Mom- "what son?"

T- "What does, uh, tar piss...ah...tar piss...uh...tarpissatate mean?"

well unless he was talking about someone going to the bathroom on Tate I think he meant participate...uhmmm...

2 more weeks....

...of school this term and one more semester and Todd is DONE!!! We are both so sick of homework our heads hurt. Although, mine doesn't hurt quite as bad as his.

Now if we can just make it through!!

Thanksgiving

We had a GREAT thanksgiving this year! Well, Ok, it's almost always great, but this year it was just nice to relax and have fun with the family. I always heard mom's say that when their first was born they took a bazillion pictures and with each child it got less and less. I don't think it's the case with taking pictures of the kids as so much as taking pictures of the outings...

So, for lack of pictures let me paint the picture for you...

Imagine. A church cultural hall with 8 tables (long church tables) lined with chairs, a group of comfy chairs on the side of the room, children running wild (in the room of corse) we didn't do an official count but some where around 50 people, laughing, talking, and hugs. The smell of turkey, potatoes, pies, rolls, stuffing, and other thanksgiving yummyness coming from the kitchen. The sound of much to be thankful for in every corner of the room...

We ate, we played, some slept, and wore ourselves out. I will say again, it was an awesome day! I sure do have a lot to be grateful for even if I get overwhelmed and frustrated at times. My husband is doing AWESOME in school! Only 1 1/4 semesters to go until he GRADUATES!!!! My children who love me despite all my flaws, a terrific mom that I am grateful has made it to thanksgiving and is making progress all the time, a home to live in, wonderful in-laws (all of them) that show endless support and love, a loving Father in Heaven that knows me, loves me and blesses me. And last a loving Savior that gave his life so that I can be with my family forever! These are just a few the list could go on...

With so many blessings my heart is full and I look forward to a wonderful Christmas season!

Family Pictures 2009

We got family pictures taken a few days ago. These are some of my favorites, but I thought they all turned out cute. It was SO cold, hence the funny faces in a few. Tate looks like he was in pain. He was a trooper as were the rest of them and I think it was worth it!

School?

Been thinking lately...what should I be when I grow up? I want to go back to school eventually, possibly when Todd is done and I have a little more free time. So maybe when Tobyn is in kindergarden or preschool that lasts longer than 1 hour :-) But what should I do? There is a poll at the left with my top 3 choices, maybe you can help.

Thanks

Grateful

Lately I feel like I am going crazy! I hear "MOM" more often than not, and I feel like I am on my feet almost 24/7. I wake up at 5 am to work out and fall into bed every night. I feel like tears somedays come more often than smiles...but lets face it we ALL know that tears aren't hard to come by for me :-)... I also feel like I spend half of my life in a car, running errands, and never get to see the love of my life...

But then I stopped and starting thinking...WHY am I being so whinny and not focusing on the things I DO have like this....

And them...

These guys too...

Pretty much everyone in this pictures is special to me! I am thankful for all they do and am so happy to be able to call them family (that includes the two that are on missions and not in the photo)

I really am thankful for this time of year. I love Thanksgiving and Christmas, even the New Year brings the feeling of renewal and a clean slate. I love black friday, for the tradition and fun not always just the sales, I love all the good comfort food . I love the memories of family and friends gathered around many tables.

So even though life may be a little hectic and overwhelming it is still pretty great. This is the life I chose and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

She's home!

Yep, the title says it. She is finally home! All of the boys were very happy to see her when they got home from school. She still has a ways to go on recovery. She is still on oxygen and takes about a dozen pills each day (okay, that's an exaggeration...but not by much) for another couple of weeks.

New cleanliness codes have been put into place. Our house is now decorated with antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer. Not strictly on Dr's orders but we DO NOT want to do this again! Since she has only been home one day we are still working on a routine. Tobyn will most likely skip school today because he..I mean I...need a little break and a chance to pull the house together and figure out how things will run around here.

But hopefully things are on an upward go!

Progress...

So another update about my mom:

She is doing MUCH better. Not home yet, but soon. Hopefully by Monday or Tuesday! Fears have died down a little and tubes are all out but She still has a pick line in for her antibiotics and oxygen. She has done really good this past week and has done everything the Doctors ask.

She has been a real trooper. I am glad she is getting a little of her strength back and is breathing a little better and feeling a little better every day! Yesterday was her birthday and even though she didn't make it out (that was our goal) I think she still had a good birthday. LOTS of people came to see her, the boys sang her happy birthday (which I had recorded on my camera), and the nurses even came into her room and sang her happy birthday! So overall not a bad day :-)

Happy Halloween!!

Classic shot of the boys. Todd was working most of the day so it was just me and the guys.

Another classic shot of the boys. I love good pictures like this :-)

Todd finally came home and finished taking the boys around...I was just too tired!

It was a Happy Halloween! We had a lot of fun getting free candy AKA- Trick-or-Treating...and played with cousins and family at Grandma C's house! It really was a good day. I am not so great at taking pictures but the costumes we saw were all a lot of fun!

Mom Update

An update on my mom:

The doctors noticed Monday or Tuesday that she was developing fluid around her lungs. They decided the best option was surgery to remove it. It was too thick, they thought, to remove with a needle.

So Wednesday morning she had a little procedure done where they put a filter below her heart to try to filter out any more clots from moving into her lungs or heart. They needed to re-thicken her blood so that surgery would be possible with out her bleeding too much. After the filter procedure, she was transfered down to UVRMC. It was a long day for her and by the end of the day we were all wiped out.

Her surgery was originally scheduled for Thursday morning but was moved to Friday because of an open heart surgery that went long. So yesterday (friday) she had her surgery. The doctor told us it might last 1-5 hours. It took 4. He was also trying to do it with a scope but they ended up opening her up because, it wasn't just fluid around her lungs there was a big abscess on her right lung. The abscess was big and hard to remove. The picture the Dr. gave us measured it at about 2 inches. They only did the right side. The doctor thinks that the little fluid that is on her left side will clear up on it's own. But there is still a possibility they will need to go in in a few days and do it on the left. We are all praying that doesn't need to happen!

It is so hard to see her laying in that hospital bed with tubes and IV's coming out from everywhere. They were trying to get her up and sitting, maybe walking, soon after the surgery. Meaning hours...not days...I joked with her a little that she has so many tubes ect. coming out of her that she could be Frankenstein for Halloween. She laughed and said I think I'll just be a patient :-)

She is in ICU again after the surgery, but that could change today. They are hoping to move her to a regular room today. So much depends on how she is recovering. There are so many things that are making her so sick that it sounds like one layer after another will have to be peeled away in order to get her back to "normal". From what I understand, once they see that she is recovering from the surgery they will put her back on blood thinners and keep the blood clots away.

I think she has a LONG road ahead of her. I sometimes wonder if the new "normal" will be a mom that has to take things a little slower and not do as much as she is used to because she just can't keep up. But she surprises me so that might not be the case :-) I also miss her. Even though for most of my married life I have not lived so close, it was still a daily, if not couple of times daily, phone call to her just to check in. I just hope she makes a good recovery.

My deepest scariest thoughts come back at night and sometimes I have to stop my self from imagining the phone ringing to give me the news (we got the phone call at 2 am with Dad) and I worry beyond anything about my baby that has a little fever. Where a month ago I would have given him Tylenol and not worried about it until morning. I make sure I tell her I love her every time I walk out of the room...just incase and because I do. In all honesty I am scared. I worry and worry and worry until my stomach is sick. I love her and I am so blessed to her have her as my mom. She has taught me SO much and we have grown very close in the past 10 years. One of the doctors was reviewing her medical and somewhat personal history and stopped and one point and said "You are a great lady! Look how much you have accomplished in the past ten years!" And that she has and is. A Bachelor degree, a Masters degree, 5 grandsons that love her dearly, and much more...

She is a fighter! I have had so many prayers answered through this whole thing, big and small, that I know Heavenly Father will keep answering them!

Sweaters, Soup, and Snow

Todd promised that he would NEVER have a dog that he needed to put clothes on "That's just so silly!" But that was until we got Max...poor dog freezes here in the basement so we had to buy him a sweater yesterday. So welcome to the world of small dogs Todd :-)

We are supposed to get our first batch of snow today. I am excited! It will be short lived, I am sure, considering it is supposed to be 58 next monday, but welcome to Utah. I love it though, it gives me a chance to put on the slippers and sweaters and make yummy soup. But for the next few days I don't have to make dinner.

I would LOVE that idea under different circumstances, but unfortunately we are receiving dinners because my mom is in the hospital with pneumonia in both lungs, blood clots in both lungs and a current update shows fluid surrounding her lungs. She is one sick lady. But yesterday when I went to see her she seemed to be getting stronger. She even went for a short walk. It sure puts it in perspective when she goes for a walk down the hall and comes back so tired she could sleep for another 2 or 3 hours. (which she did)

I have shipped 3 older kids off to school, Tobyn and Tanner to Nicholes (thank you, thank you, thank you!!!) doing a quick blog update and will be off to go visit my mom shortly. It's been a little tough trying to go see her because no children under 14 are allowed in the hospital, unless they are a patient. So while the kids are gone I plan on taking a book and spending a couple of hours just keeping her company. The new ward has been very nice in checking up on us to see how we are doing and getting updates about Mom. I feel bad that we moved in and first on the list is dinners and babysitting, but the ward knows Mom so well and they want to help. I feel like letting them help us is letting me help my mom and so in a round about way they are serving my mom.

I am so grateful to be apart of the gospel where first thing people say is "We will be praying for her" and you know that is true. I also know that the blessings she has been given will help comfort her and help her through it. I also know that I am being watched out for and have so many friends and family that are willing to take the kids and offer their support, through physical help or phone calls to make sure I'm hanging in there.

Hair

This kids got some hair...confession: I didn't comb it that day!

The other boys heads have usually been shaved by this age but Tanner's is just too cute and I can't do it!

Journal Time...

I'm feeling a bit homesick. Besides the fact that we are just getting over ANOTHER round of sickness...but that is not the point right now. I miss my friends and old neighborhood. I miss that, if I wanted to, I could just walk down the street and more than likely there was someone to talk to, or wave at, or someone that would say "Hi, how ya doing?" and really mean it!

Don't get me wrong. I don't mind being here with my mom. The kids love that grandma is never far away and Tobyn is her little buddy. Where she goes, he goes. It's kind of cute until I think she wants alone time :-) But I did have a friend drop me a text today and ask how I was holding up so that made me feel a little better. It's hard know we'll be here only temperaraly but nice because there will be a time (soon) when we put down permant roots and our kids can have a place "to go up" in.

Todd went to church yesterday and when I asked how it was his response was "It's gonna be a hard adjustment after our old ward" We have made friends a lot of places we have lived, Grandview Ward, 15th Ward, "growing up ward" and a few others. We will continue to make friends where ever we go, but it just catches up to me once and a while that even though I can talk to those friends on Facebook or send an email I can't just walk out the door and see them (a bonus to houses all connected or 15 feet from each other). I know those friendships are not "lost" and hopefully never will be. But just so you all know... Thanks for being my friends!

So enough with this pity party. I am going to make a delicious dinner found on a very good friends blog.

Update? 'bout time...

The past couple of weeks have been SUPER busy. We have had a move, a baptism, a birthday, cleaning and the stomach flu... so it's about time I update!

First up is Titus's baptism. It was such a special (and memorable day). We got to the church a half hour early and got a good, but typical, picture of Titus and Dad. The talks were wonderful and the spirit was felt. Titus's, and our, good friend Jake was able to be baptized on the same day. They were excited and comforted to know someone there that day. Jake's mom gave one of the talks and did a wonderful job! (In case you read this Natalie, my whole family commented that you did such a good job talking at the kids level so they could understand that special day)

We did have a couple of things that made the day a little MORE memorable...1st, mom forgot the towel and clean underwear...oops. Sorry boys, for the soggy bottoms for the last 20 min. But luckily it didn't detract too much for the wonderful reason we were there! Mom and Dad are so proud of you Titus for your choice to get baptized.

The whole fam together for the good day. Thanks everyone for coming!

Cute Titus and Dad!

2nd thing that made that day a little different...we moved. Yup we did it. We moved that same day. It was crazy busy and a little chaotic, not to mention very emotional for mom. But things went very smoothly. We had a lot of help thanks to family and friends. Both from the ward and not. We are busy getting settled and the kids are making new friends in the new neighborhood. We appreciate SO much that my mom and Grandpa made a little room for us so we can get that house in 6 months!

The next day, Sunday, was our cute Tobyn's birthday! The cute kid turned 4. With all that was going on I forgot to take pictures. But we kept it simple. A little family party at Grandma C's and we ate no-bake cookies for his "cake". Like I said it was simple, but I think he had fun...until that night when he got sick :-( poor kid. Next year we'll make it up some how!

So there's the update. Sorry it was so long thanks for stickin' with it.

Scouts!

Titus and TC both got awards in scouts a couple of days ago. TC got his Bear, and Titus got his Bobcat. Way to go boys!! I was so happy they were able to get them before we moved. It's crazy we will be doing this for at least another 15 or so years!