Rachel's Wedding

 

 

My cousin Rachel got married on Friday this was one of my favorite outside picts. A big storm was moving in and we tried to take a few shots before the rain hit.

Photos - spudman 2010

Do the Spudman Olympic Triathalon each year and it is sooo fun. These are my tri buddies!!! Thanks friends for keeping me going.

Sam's kidneys

Well Sam has never been able to wean off the steroids for his auto immune disease. He has continual flare ups and his kidneys dump protein the instant we try to wean him down. So last week he started on cytoxin. A chemo therapy drug they have noticed helps some auto immune disorders. He is doing both the steroids and the cytoxin everyday for 90 days this summer. Today he had to have his first blood draw, he gets them weekly all summer long, and he was not to happy about it. But they gave him a treat and a teady bear and now he's talking about how many bears he'll have by the time school starts. Poor kid, but at least he's learning to look on the bright side of things.

Busy Spring

This has been a really busy few weeks. Just thought I'd do a quick update since I'm such a slacker at keeping in touch.
I started Grad school, which is going well so far. I think it'll be fine till we start clinical and class work this winter, then I may crack. Only been going a week and already they're having us start on our thesis, figuring out topics and faculty to work with. Yuck, it really takes at least 2 years to write ONE paper!!!
The boys can't wait for school to be over. Only a few more weeks. Brandon had his birthday this Monday May 3rd. He turned 11 and had a party at Pirate Island Pizza. It was really fun. He is most excited because he's in Varsity Scouts and they get to go on a camp out this summer. Of course he's never really been camping and he has texture issues so we'll see if he really likes it once he goes. :) Yes I've ruined my boys refusing to take them camping. Scouts can break them in.
Ben turned 9 today. May 7th. He is have a group of friends over to 'hang out'. Yes his term, he thinks he's a teenager. He's too cool for a kid party so they are eating pizza and playing video games. yikes. What am I going to do with him.
Last weekend was so fun. I volunteered to work as a medic for the Ironman in St. George UT. It was amazing. I'm hooked. I may have to switch to ER medicine, that slasher, running crazy nursing, triage, etc was soooo fun.





This was one of my favorite patients, he really didn't want the IV but couldn't stand up straight. Most of the other pts were more than happy to have us do anything to help out but I had to talk him into anything. When his wife came to get him we started talking and she was worried about him giving us a hard time because he is a lowsy patient. Of course he is an ER doc so that made total sence!!! I was asking him if he's heard me saying that even in this crazy tent the docs just stood around and consunted while we did all the work. He was laughing and said he had noticed.

From the mouth of Babes

So i had to be taught by my 5 year old today how to set up and use our Wii. We got one for the boys for Christmas and I have only played a couple of times, so my little baby beat me at boxing, bowling, baseball, etc. And had to keep correcting me on how to play. Humbling.

The number of things I lost count of during my bike ride:

The number of things I lost count of during my bike ride:

• Marshmallow treats eaten
• Oaky blows over my shoulder
• How often my knee hurt
• How many times I stood up and hammered on the peddles
a) The sheer joy of moving my legs
b) So I didn’t fall over up the hills
c) Because “other” areas were screaming in protest
• Rain drops on the inside of my glasses
• How often I enjoyed the smell of fresh rain on the breeze
• Number of people over 65 who passed me
• The young fit men I passed
• Potholes
• The wind gusts that made me think bad thoughts on the way up the canyon
• The wind gusts that helped push me back home
• Lung butter coughs
• Time I spent climbing at less than 6 miles per hour
• The speed coming back down
• Amount of clouds that rolled by
• Times I took my rain jacket on and off
• The number of gorgeous red rock plateaus with snow capped mountain vistas I saw
• Times I had to adjust in my seat
• Chaffing
• Clumps of fresh spring grass I saw sprouting up
• Pace lines I got dropped from
• Songs I listened to on my I pod in 6 hours
• How often I laughed out loud because the song I was listening too
perfectly matched my mood
Pain while climbing the wall past sand hollow
We’ll sing hallelujah came on just as I was finishing
• Yellow arrows desperately searched for on the road side
• Times I was worried Ana would lap me. She didn’t 
• How often I had to tell myself to relax and just peddle
• How often I smiled and thought “THIS IS FANTASTIC!”

Sam's Birthday

High 5's froma 5 year old. Wow can't believe my tiny baby is 5. Sam got to have his first big friend party with the neighbor boys this year. It was great, they had pizza and cupcakes and played cars. Such a boy party.

Grad School

We'll times have changed. I got an email today with an attachment saying I had been accepted to the Graduate program and I could log on and register immediatly.
It's what I've been working for for over a year, but I'm so sick and worn out today I'm feeling pessamistic about taking on another big project.
Wish me luck

February

It's the month of birthdays for my family. James happy b-day past, mom, me, sam happy b-day to come. For my birthday I have decided not for work. I know that sounds like a given, but I've been working about 60hrs a week for over a month and still will this week just not on my actualy B-day. I'll probably lay in bed all day and do nothing. Sounds soooo sweet.

Growing up

Wow kids grow up fast. Sam just lost his first tooth. He won't even be 5 for a couple of weeks and he lost his front tooth. He has the most adorable lisp that is just slight enough to be cute. He was sooo excited to get a visit from the tooth fairy. At our house the tooth fairy only comes if you put your tooth in a baggie and put it on the fridge. The tooth fairy has a very bad memory and can't be relied upon to check pillows.
Today Brandon is hanging out at the ski resort with his school friends. He is taking snowboarding lessons in the mornings and gets to stay and play for the day. He thinks he is all grown up packing a cell phone and snowboarding with his buddies. My little baby is grown up. Luckily he doesn't have a teenage attitude yet. A few more years and I'm sure he'll grow into one. :)