The Best is Yet to Be

New Year = New Me

2012-01-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year! I cannot believe we are in the year 2012. When I was younger (middle school age), I remember thinking we would never hit 2012. I figured by then, the Second Coming would be here. That seemed like only a few years ago, when in reality it was over 15+ years ago. I also thought if we made it to 2012, that we would be living in a world like the cartoon, The Jetsons. Although, we haven't reached the "Jetson Era" yet, I do believe that one day we will. Maybe by then I will be dead or the Second Coming will be here.
I miss life when it used to be so simple. I miss when you could go play outside all day & not worry about being kidnapped. I really have a hard time letting my own children go outside unless I am out there with them. I have fond memories of playing "make believe" with my siblings. Part of my childhood, I grew up in Morgan, & we had a big yard to play in. I remember playing "The Boxcar Children" (Anyone remember that book series?) and playing it all day long! I also remember playing barbies, house & school. My sister was ALWAYS the teacher. I remember riding bikes all day long. Our yard was so much fun! It was surrounded in trees, so we always were using our imagination. I miss that so much! I still see kids play "make believe", but it isn't what it used to be. My own daughter, rather play computer games or the Wii, or play an app on my iPod or her sisters iPad, than play with her barbies or dolls. It's really frustrating. I often question myself & wonder if Dave & I did this to her. I miss when there were no cell phones, no internet, no computers. Back then, computers were only for schools or businesses. Handwritten reports were okay if you didn't have a typewriter or computer. We would go to the library and actually research books & files to do our reports. Now you can get on the computer & search the internet for anything you are looking for. You can copy, paste, & print just by the click of a button. I'm not going to lie, it is convenient. There was no such things as an iPod, iPad, iTunes, text messaging, instant messaging, Twitter, Facebook, email etc. You see more people failing school or failing life just because of these silly techy things. People can be really lazy when it comes to technology. They no longer want to succeed in their education or life. They rather sit and surf the internet, play video games, or watch tv. They are so caught up in the technology world than their own real life. Believe me, I have caught myself numerous of times wasting time on the computer. I will go and look at one thing, and then 4 hours later wonder what the heck I have been doing. I wasted so much time; Time I could have spent playing with my darlings, or cleaning, or reading a good book, or exercising, or serving others, or studying up on my religious beliefs. I know I am not the only one that feels this way. I am hoping if I admit my problem, I will be able to fix it. :)
There is good that comes from all the technology; without it, we wouldn't be where we are today. I am grateful for the technologies that are used in the medical field. We would see a lot more people sick or dieing, if there was no technology. I'm grateful for technology, because we are able to reunite with family & friends that we lost touch with or had no idea how to find them. There is much good from technology, I just feel we get lost in the unnecessary things that it has to offer. What ever happened to calling someone on the phone & having an actual conversation? It drives me crazy that text messaging is the only way to communicate, or even instant messaging or email. I find it odd. I think people don't know how to interact socially or face to face anymore because of these things.
I am grateful that there are devices out there that can help my daughter who has special needs. There are so many awesome devices, equipment, apps out there that can help the special needs community. I owe that thanks to technology. I do not hate that technology has benefited my daughter tremendously.
So as you see, I have a love/hate relationship with technology. I find it fascinating and yet, deceiving! I'm sure some of you are wondering why I wrote this post. Well, I am writing this in hopes that it may help me have better judgement with my time & my life. I am setting a goal to spend less time on the computer (facebook especially) & more time enjoying my beautiful family and life, and all it has to offer. I am not pulling the plug on facebook or technology, but, I am going to try and prioritize. Family comes first. At night, when my children are in bed, and I have nothing else to do, then I will surf the net. But I am going to find the "NEW ME" that I like & enjoy my life more because of it. Life is too short. Time is too fast. The older I get, the faster it goes. I challenge you to find a balance in your life & spend more time with the ones you love and less time doing unnecessary things.

On My Mind

2011-06-26T06:48:00.001-06:00

Such an early start to my day...

Dave crawled into bed at 4:20 this morning. It was a late night/early morning at work for him. He crawled into bed & I crawled out of bed. I couldn't fall back to sleep, I wanted to, but my mind said otherwise.

As I laid in bed, I couldn't stop thinking about my sweet niece, Alaina. I think of her daily, but lately, I have thought of her a lot more throughout my days. I don't know how Josh & Jaime do it. I remember hugging my brother at Alaina's viewing & sobbing, completely saddened for them. I also remember Josh telling me to not be sad for them. How can you not be? Still to this day my heart hurts for all of them. I miss Alaina. I know I didn't "know" her like her parents & brothers knew her, but I am her aunt & I have loved her from the time I saw a picture of her when she was born, & I loved her even more when I got to meet her & hold her for the first time. I wish I would have held her more & made more of an effort of knowing her. I sure do miss her!

Death is such a "heavy" topic. It's also a common topic. It's something that happens ALL OF THE TIME. Personally, I am afraid of death. I know I shouldn't be. It's a part of life. But maybe, one day, when I feel "ready", I won't be afraid of it. Losing a loved one always leaves a mark on my heart... (I can't think of any other way to describe it.) There are people that I think of often when I think of death; my grandparents (too many to name individually); cousins, Jeremy & Cody; my brother in law, Tim; my nephew, Carson (Dirk & Dawn's son); my friend, Tyson; & my niece, Alaina.

How do you go on after you lose a loved one? I have had two miscarriages, & even miscarrying, it is still hard. You love that child from the time you find out you are pregnant, and then lose them while still pregnant, crushes you. I know it's different, but it is still sad. I always wonder if it counts in Heaven... meaning, if I get to meet those children I have lost. They are human, they have a heart beat, so will I get to raise them in Heaven? Or were they too young/early to count? I hope I'm not sounding morbid or that this isn't a weird subject to discuss. This is something I wonder & have talked about with others. I still do not know the answer to my question, but I'm sure one day I'll know. Anyway, how do you go on after you lose a loved one? How does Josh & Jaime do it? How do my in-laws do it? When they lost Tim, my mother in law was very inspiring, especially through the days of planning a funeral. She wasn't just planning for one funeral, but two funerals. Grandma Harris (her mother) had passed away not even 24 hours before Tim's passing. And to top that off, Grandpa Harris (her Father) had passed away a month and a half before that. I don't think I ever told her how much I admired her strength through those tough times. She had such a better insight on life & death, than I ever did. I only had known Tim for a little over 2 years, before he passed. It doesn't seem like that long of time, but I did grow to love him like he was my brother, & I miss him to this day. I remember how devastating it was for Dave, to get that phone call & be told his "baby brother" had passed away. It was a hard time in Dave's life (& also for the rest of his family), but we have & still are moving on. It doesn't mean we forget about the people we lost. We just 'adjust' to it. I'm sure one day it will be the same with Alaina. I just miss her so much!

I wonder what it would be like to have her here. I was so excited for Sophie to have a cousin that would be close to her in age. They are only 3 months apart. I'm sure they knew each other in Heaven, & were great friends! I wish I would have taken a picture of them together.

I hope Josh & Jaime know how much I truly admire them. They are seriously amazing! They are the type of people that you look at & and think "Wow! They are an eternal family." I mean this as a compliment to them. They are examples of what a family is & should be like. Josh is a wonderful husband to Jaime. I've never heard him say ill things towards her or about her. Jaime is a wonderful wife to Josh. She puts up with his sarcasm & that says a lot! But, Josh & Jaime are amazing parents! They LOVE their kids! They do things as a family all of the time. They always put their kids first. They teach them the importance of being a family, the Gospel, scripture study, prayer, and all those things that do matter. There is a spirit about them that makes me want to be a better person, & a better wife & mother. I am grateful for them & for the strength they are to me.

I hope by writing this down it will ease my mind & calm my heart. I love my family so much! I want Dave to know how grateful I am for him. He is so good to me. I love him more & more each day, & will continue to love him even more throughout eternity! My girls are my joy in life! They are so sweet & can turn a bad day into a good one, just by their giggles, or hugs & kisses. I cannot believe how fast they grow up. Just this morning I was thinking about when it used to be just Dave & I, then when it was Dave, Lyvie & me, & then when it was Dave, Lyvie, Abi & me, & now it's Dave, Lyvie, Abi, Sophie & me! Where did the time go? It's crazy how fast life goes by. I wish I could go back & soak up more time with my children individually. I am so blessed to have them. I am grateful that they are mine & I am their mom. I hope that they understand how much I love them! They are my world!

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T18:21:00.000-06:00

Some Mothers Get Babies With Something More
Lori Borgman | Monday, May 12, 2002

My friend is expecting her first child. People keep asking what she wants. She smiles demurely, shakes her head and gives the answer mothers have given throughout the ages of time. She says it doesn't matter whether it's a boy or a girl. She just wants it to have ten fingers and ten toes. Of course, that's what she says. That's what mothers have always said. Mothers lie.

Truth be told, every mother wants a whole lot more. Every mother wants a perfectly healthy baby with a round head, rosebud lips, button nose, beautiful eyes and satin skin.

Every mother wants a baby so gorgeous that people will pity the Gerber baby for being flat-out ugly.

Every mother wants a baby that will roll over, sit up and take those first steps right on schedule (according to the baby development chart on page 57, column two).

Every mother wants a baby that can see, hear, run, jump and fire neurons by the billions. She wants a kid that can smack the ball out of the park and do toe points that are the envy of the entire ballet class.

Call it greed if you want, but we mothers want what we want. Some mothers get babies with something more.

Some mothers get babies with conditions they can't pronounce, a spine that didn't fuse, a missing chromosome or a palette that didn't close.

Most of those mothers can remember the time, the place, the shoes they were wearing and the color of the walls in the small, suffocating room where the doctor uttered the words that took their breath away. It felt like recess in the fourth grade when you didn't see the kick ball coming and it knocked the wind clean out of you.

Some mothers leave the hospital with a healthy bundle, then, months, even years later, take him in for a routine visit, or schedule her for a well check, and crash head first into a brick wall as they bear the brunt of devastating news. It can't be possible! That doesn't run in our family. Can this really be happening in our lifetime? I am a woman who watches the Olympics for the sheer thrill of seeing finely sculpted bodies. It's not a lust thing; it's a wondrous thing. The athletes appear as specimens without flaw - rippling muscles with nary an ounce of flab or fat, virtual powerhouses of strength with lungs and limbs working in perfect harmony. Then the athlete walks over to a tote bag, rustles through the contents and pulls out an inhaler.

As I've told my own kids, be it on the way to physical therapy after a third knee surgery, or on a trip home from an echo cardiogram, there's no such thing as a perfect body.

Everybody will bear something at some time or another. Maybe the affliction will be apparent to curious eyes, or maybe it will be unseen, quietly treated with trips to the doctor, medication or surgery. The health problems our children have experienced have been minimal and manageable, so I watch with keen interest and great admiration the mothers of children with serious disabilities, and wonder how they do it. Frankly, sometimes you mothers scare me. How you lift that child in and out of a wheelchair 20 times a day.

How you monitor tests, track medications, regulate diet and serve as the gatekeeper to a hundred specialists hammering in your ear.

I wonder how you endure the clichés and the platitudes, well-intentioned souls explaining how God is at work when you've occasionally questioned if God is on strike.

I even wonder how you endure schmaltzy pieces like this one -- saluting you, painting you as hero and saint, when you know you're ordinary. You snap, you bark, you bite. You didn't volunteer for this. You didn't jump up and down in the motherhood line yelling, "Choose me, God! Choose me! I've got what it takes." You're a woman who doesn't have time to step back and put things in perspective, so, please, let me do it for you.

From where I sit, you're way ahead of the pack. You've developed the strength of a draft horse while holding onto the delicacy of a daffodil. You have a heart that melts like chocolate in a glove box in July, carefully counter-balanced against the stubbornness of an Ozark mule.

You can be warm and tender one minute, and when circumstances require intense and aggressive the next. You are the mother, advocate and protector of a child with a disability.

You're a neighbor, a friend, a stranger I pass at the mall. You're the woman I sit next to at church, my cousin and my sister-in-law.

You're a woman who wanted ten fingers and ten toes, and got something more. You're a wonder.

Welcome to Holland

2011-04-07T23:08:00.001-06:00

First of all, I just want to say how truly blessed I am! I am blessed with such wonderful friends & family! It's amazing to have their love & support.

The last 3 years have been quite the ride; Something that you're not quite sure what's going to happen next. We have had to put our complete trust & faith in Heavenly Father. I am not going to lie, there have been times where even then I have questioned Him. But, this I do know, He has His hand in all things.

Abi is such a special SPECIAL little girl! She's opened my eyes to a whole new world that I was missing. With that being said... I read this story & cried. I completely understand. It has touched my heart.

WELCOME TO HOLLAND

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandt's.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

The many faces of Sophie...

2011-03-28T11:52:00.001-06:00

I'm so cute!


I got caught!


Help me!


Stink face!

I'm so HAPPY!!!

Lyvie

2011-03-28T11:36:00.000-06:00

This little girl, is growing up so fast. I cannot believe I have a 5-1/2 year old. Where has the time gone?

I want to brag about Olyvia for just a moment. I am so lucky to have her. She is so funny & brings so much spunk into our home. Lyvie loves to help me clean & cook. This is hard for me, cause I like things done my way, & it's hard to have someone other than me help-in Lyvie's case, with the tasks I do daily. But, she is pretty good at it. She's so independent. The other day she came up the stairs & told me she had just changed Abi's poopy bum. I was surprised that she changed a poopy diaper. She is good at changing a wet one, but I have never let her change anything but that. So, when I went downstairs to investigate... I found that she had done a fine job. Abi's diaper was on just right. There was no trace of pooh on hands or carpet.
This past week, without any arguing, she has gotten herself dressed, makes her bed, brushes her teeth & combs her hair. It's usually a battle to get her out of her jammies. She likes to be comfy. She is growing up. She likes to make Abi's & Sophie's beds, & usually sneaks into my room & makes my bed too. She loves to help dress the two youngest & tries to do their hair.
Her favorite thing as of right now, is to play "school." Of coarse, she's the teacher. Each morning she gets out a dry erase board with activity sheets on it & teaches Abi & Sophie the alphabet & their sounds. Yesterday they learned the letter "F". She wants to learn to play the piano & loves to sing. She's taking dance, but I don't think she enjoys it all too much. Every week it's a battle to get her to go. She says she doesn't want to go cause it's too hard & she doesn't want to dance in front of an audience when they have their recital. But by the time I pick her up from dance, she tells me it was a good day! I guess we'll see if she wants to take dance again. She's in her second year of preschool & is doing great. She is very ready to go to kindergarten & cannot wait to go. She can't decide if she rather be in Grandma's school or Daddy's school. She's learning to read & can sound out words pretty well. She loves to draw. She's quite the artist & we have piles & piles of drawings from her. She's my best eater & loves fruits & vegetables. Her favorite food is Taco Time burritos (whether we go there or make them ourselves), Panda Express, or chicken & mashed potatoes & gravy. She loves having game/movie nights.
She reminds us that we need to go to church, say our prayers & read our scriptures. She loves having Family Home Evening, & can't wait for Monday night to come. :) Her prayers are so cute & she is so mindful of others & to pray for them. She has so much faith. And is very smart when it comes to learning about the Gospel.
Her dad is the apple of her eye! He makes everything better. She likes it when we go visit family. Especially if dad takes her out to help feed the cows with Grandpa Richards. This means she gets to help drive the truck.

I love Lyvie so much! She keeps me on my toes & there is never a dull moment with her around. I'm proud of the girl she is. She is a good example to her sisters & also me. I am glad she is mine!

EEG & MRI

2011-03-28T10:07:00.000-06:00

On February 25th, Dave & I took Abi down to Primary Children's Medical Center to visit with her Neurologist, Dr. Lloyd. She's started having an increase in seizures. We also were seeing a change in her behavior.

Not so sure about the head wrap.

Abi had an EEG done & then a quick visit with Dr. Lloyd. Her results show that she no longer is having Infantile Spasms. The hypsarrhythmia that normally shows up on her EEG's is no longer there. Dr. Lloyd said this was the best EEG he has seen of Abi's. He diagnosed her of having Complex Partial Seizures. He increased her Rx & is hopeful this will control the seizures. He couldn't tell us why she had those "drop seizure" episodes.

When Abi has her "normal" seizure, there is a pattern. She usually will come find Dave or I and grab a hold of our leg when she feels it coming on. Or we can see that one is coming just by the look on her face. Her seizures start out really light. We notice her lip will quiver and the left side of her body will stiffen. This gradually gets harder and more intense. She hits a climax where her seizure is really intense & exhausting for both her & I. She folds at the waist while her entire left side stiffens. Her left eye winks & she lets out heavy sighs. They come in clusters, so she has about a 10 to 15 second break in between. Slowly the seizure weakens & tapers off to nothing. She then is back to herself & goes on with her day. She is usually tired after, & sometimes will fall asleep. But, Miss Abi is a busy body & does not stop going. These seizures can last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.

A few days before we seen Dr. L, Abi had had her "normal" seizure. When she is finished having it, she usually gets back to doing what she was doing before they even start. This she did. But, not too long after, I noticed Abi fall head first to the floor. So I ran over to her & held her to see if she was going into another seizure. Nothing happened, so I let her get up & start going. As I was walking back to the kitchen, I noticed Abi following me. I caught her just in time before her head hit the tile- Another "drop seizure" happened. About 15 minutes later, I got her into the tub. I was just about to take her out when Abi stood up, which she never stands up in the tub & dropped again. There is no pattern to drop seizures. As I was getting Abi dressed after her bath. She seemed fine. She started playing, & then dropped. So I held her to make sure nothing is coming on. NOTHING. So, back to playing & she drops again. This was so frustrating for Dave & I . She got to a point that she wouldn't even walk, cause every time she would get up, she'd drop. We had Jared, my brother come over & help give Abi a blessing. She slept like a log that night. The next day, it happened again, but this time she only dropped twice. So, we were hoping that the Dr. could tell us why she was having the "dropping" episodes, but there is no answer. Since then, there have been no other "drop seizures" occur. It still concerns me. Especially when she is at school. I hate not being there when she has a seizure.

Feeling a little "drunk"....

A week after Abi had her EEG, she had an MRI done. We were concerned with Abi throwing these tantrums where she would scream & hit her head for about an hour. Her MRI came back with no new surprises on them. It was our first time to actually speak to the Radiologist though. That was nice. He explained to us exactly what was going on with Abi's brain. We already knew what was going on, but it was nice to actually have someone speak in our language & to hear it again & understand completely.

So, an update on Abi as of today. Her seizures are still daily. The increase in her Keppra has not helped. She is more agitated & aggressive. She hits more & screams more. She does have her good days though. She says new words daily. Sometimes we only hear her say them once or twice, but other times they stick. I do think we need to try a new medicine or new route as to why she still is having the one seizure sneak in everyday. She did have a few days where she had 4+ seizures a day. That could be because of the weather & the barometric pressure and also she had the flu. But usually she has a seizure a day.

I am proud to be her mom! I love her so much & she really has blessed my life!

Feelings...

2011-02-20T22:13:00.002-07:00

I'm not one to just write my feelings without a plan or purpose on why I am writing them. But I think if I maybe just write my feelings out, it may in some way ease the feelings I am feeling in my heart. So here we go- my raw feelings.
These past few weeks I have been on the verge of tears. I cannot quite put my finger on it, and I cannot seem to focus. My heart is so full of emotion right now. Grateful, angry, confused, hopeful, depressed, anxious...you name it, it's there. My family has been through a bit these past few months, & maybe that is why I am feeling the way I do. My sister's 8 year old son was diagnosed with a brain tumor on December 23nd, 2010. He had it removed on Christmas Eve. He then went back in for a second surgery to remove the remainder of the tumor that was left unseen. The only way it was found was a few weeks before surgery number 2, Tanya went in to wake him up for school. She noticed he was breathing heavy and his face was covered with his pillow. When she moved the pillow she found him seizing. She called and spoke with the on call neurologist at Primary Children's, & they told her that is was common to have patients who just had brain surgery to have seizures. The brain was just shifting back to normal & that is why he seized. He stayed home & they waited for the surgeon to call them when he got to the office that day. About 3 hours later he went into his second seizure. My sister called 911 & he was rushed by ambulance to the local hospital. A CT scan was done & the results seemed alright. They mentioned that they needed to keep an eye on a pocket of fluid, but other than that, it looked good. So the next week they met with his surgeon for his post op visit. My sister then asked the doctor about the pocket of fluid they were supposed to watch. So they took a look at the CT scan that was done at the hospital, & that's when they found the remainder of the tumor that was left behind. So, on February 7th, Jaren had his second brain surgery & had the remainder of the tumor removed. And the day Jaren got home from the hospital was the same day I received a call that my niece, Alaina was in the ER trying to be revived. She passed away a few hours later. Since then, my heart has been heavy. I don't know why I am writing all of this. I don't know why I feel so uneasy about it all. For some reason I keep thinking it's not over, that there is something else that is going to happen. You hear all the time that bad things come in threes. What is bad thing #3? What if this is true? What if there is another "bad" thing about to happen or will happen in 2011? How can I ease these feelings and feel some sigh of relief?
We've started reading our scriptures as a family this week. We made it a goal a few weeks ago, but never have actually started it until this week. Watching my sister, Tanya, & my brother, Josh, & their families go through what they have gone through has really opened my eyes. Both of my siblings are very spiritual. They are "in-tune" with the spirit. They seem to find comfort in these trials that they have experienced. Why can't I find comfort? Why am I so unsettled? I hate that I am not focused lately! I have really been struggling. I want the spirit in my home. I want to feel like things are "okay." I want the reassurance. The uncertainty of things is scary to me. I feel like everything is out of control. I am really hoping this writing my feelings down will help. I am hoping that I will start to feel better & be able to move on & focus without feeling like I am going to crumble.

In Loving Memory:

2011-02-15T09:02:00.007-07:00

Alaina Lynn Jaques
(October 4, 2010 - February 12, 2011)

Our beautiful baby girl, Alaina Lynn Jaques, “Hootie”, returned to the loving arms of her Heavenly Father on Saturday, February 12, 2011.

She was born October 4, 2010 to her loving parents, Joshua Adam and Jaime Lynn Wilhelmsen Jaques.
She brought so much joy and love in the short time we had with her and will forever live in our hearts.
Alaina is survived by her parents, two brothers, Carsen and Garrett; grandparents, W. Grover and Diana Wilhelmsen, Harrisville; Jim and Teresa Jaques, Tremonton; great-grandparents, Genoa K. Wilhelmsen, Dee L. Jaques, Ruth Ann Angeli; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
The family wishes to express sincere appreciation to the emergency room medical staff at Davis Hospital, EMT’s and all others that helped her.
We love you, Hootie, and miss you. We anxiously await when we are together again.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, February 17th at 11 a.m. at Lindquist’s Roy Mortuary, 3333 West 5600 South.
The family will meet with friends on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Thursday from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. at the mortuary.
Interment, Clinton City Cemetery.

Three Years

2011-02-14T13:46:00.002-07:00

Three years ago today, I thought was the worst day of my life. Abi was diagnosed with Aicardi Syndrome. I remember feeling like my heart had been ripped right out of my chest & torn in half. Looking back, we have experienced many ups & downs with Miss Abi. She has overcame so many obstacles & achieved milestones that we were told she may never do. She is our miracle. We love her so much! We are hopeful for her future & are grateful she is ours!

It's been awhile since I've blogged; So I will update you on Abi's current happenings.

In April 2010, Abi started walking. She not only walks, but she runs everywhere.

Abi can feed herself. We no longer have to spoon feed her. She is doing really well with holding a spoon or fork. She is a bit messy, but she can feed herself & for this we are grateful.

Her vocabulary has expanded GREATLY! Here's the list of words she can say:

Dad (Da-Dee)

Mom (Momma)

Eat (Eeeet)

No Way (noway)

Drink (gink)

Hello (hewwo), Hi (hieeee), Hey (aye)

Puppy (Pu-pee)

Ball (bawl)

Bubble

Night Night (nigh nigh)

Knock knock (Nah Knock) & knocks on anything that makes a noise

Banana (na-na)

Baby (bay-bee)

See ya (seeya)

Jump (mum)

Uh oh

E-I-E-I-O

Cow (c-oh-w)

Doggy (DahGee)

Elmo (Ehmo)

Boo

Wee

Kitty (Ki-eeee Ki-eeee)

Meow (Neeee ow); We'll say, "Abi, what does a kitty say?" Abi: "Neee ow"

Ho Ho Ho; We'll say, "Abi, what does Santa say?" Abi: "Ho Ho Ho."

Grandma (Ma-Maw)

Grandpa (Paw-Paw)

What's that? (wa-sat)

Yummy (MMmmeee)

Stay (StaYEEEEE)

Bird (bibp)

Apple (Bapple)

Bye Bye (Bu-Bye) & waves

Owie (Wowie)

Hot (hosh)

Soft (sosh)

Abi (Babbi)

Eyes

See

Tree (ree)

Moo (mMMm)

She can sign: eat, drink, grandpa, grandma, mom, dad, more, shoes, bird, please, thank you, cracker

She LOVES music! She will sing, dance, twirl or sway back and forth when she hears it. She can fill in the blanks to the songs: Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree, Old MacDonald, & I Am a Child of God.

She is socializing more & enjoys going to preschool.

She sleeps in a "big girl" bed & sleeps all through the night.

She LOVES to read or be read to. Books keep her entertained & it's so cute to watch her read.

She's learning her body parts. Nose, eyes, ears, belly, hands, toes

She starting to play pretend. She will carry her cabbage patch around & kiss it. Abi also plays pretend phone.

She gives kisses & hugs.

Abi still has spasms/seizures. Lately, one spasm, every day, is the norm. But sometimes we are lucky & can go every other day or two days in between. She warns us when one is approaching. She'll come stand by me & hug my leg. She has picked up this horrible tantrum where she screams & slaps her head over & over. We're not sure if they are headaches or she feels a seizure come on (sometimes a seizure happens & sometimes it doesn't). I have an appointment with her doctor to discuss it.

She is a joy to be around. She has a contagious smile that melts my heart every time. I'm so grateful for her. Even with her challenge, she has taught us so much! She is very forgiving. She loves her sisters. She's Lyvie's shadow. She follows Lyv all over the house, & Lyv is so kind to let her join in in most anything she is doing. And she is finally starting to like Sophie. They have a cute bond. Sophie can be laying on the floor & Abi will go sit by her. They give each other a look, then the laughing begins from both of them. It's quite cute!

I LOVE my family so much! They are my life, my world! It's hard to imagine what life would be like if they were not here. I'm grateful every day for them. I need to be more thankful & not take them for granted. Cherish the ones you love. Let them know you love them. You never know when it will be your last.

Happy LOVE Day!!!

Alaina Lynn Jaques

2011-02-14T05:27:00.006-07:00

October 4, 2010 - February 12, 2011
Our sweet niece, Alaina, passed away and returned home to our loving Heavenly Father, Saturday night. The cause is still unknown. My heart breaks for my brother, Josh, & sister in law, Jaime. And it also breaks for my nephews, Carsen & Garrett. I keep thinking this is a dream & I just need to wake up. I went down the night of her passing to be with my family. I am amazed at Josh & Jaime's faith. Don't get me wrong, they are hurting tremendously, but they also are at peace knowing she is where she is supposed to be. The Lord has a greater calling for her. Josh & Jaime are wonderful parents. They are examples of what a family should be like. It is any parents worst fear, to lose a child. To be in that position is probably the most heart wrenching thing a parent could experience. But, to have that much faith & the ETERNAL perspective on things, makes it easier. I don't know how people could move on not knowing there is life after death. This is not the end. We will see Alaina again. She is in Heaven with loved ones who have passed on. Josh & Jaime have a Celestial daughter. She is preparing a way for them to be with her again, & she is theirs FOREVER!

Josh & Jaime- We love you guys so much! We wish we could take all the pain & sorrow you are experiencing away. We wish that you didn't have to go through such heartache. We admire your faith & trust you have for our Heavenly Father & his plan. It's a long road ahead of you, but you will make it through. Time heals all wounds. Maybe not completely, but enough to lessen the pain. Keep your chins up & hold tight to each other.

Abi & the Yogurt Cup (7/20/2010)

2010-08-02T15:58:00.003-06:00

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She's here...

2010-07-16T16:01:00.003-06:00

Sophia Annette Richards
Born: July 1, 2010
Time: 8:14 am
Weight: 6 lbs. 7.5 oz.
Length: 20"

More to come...

A morning at Walmart...

2010-03-23T22:07:00.001-06:00

While Abi is at school in Brigham for 2 hours, Lyvie & I waste our time by shopping at Walmart. Today, we found this huge magnifying toy used to catch bugs; but instead, we posed in front of them. We could not stop laughing. IT WAS HILARIOUS!!!
We have way too much fun at Walmart!

Earrings

2010-03-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

Today, I took Abi to get her ears pierced. Michelle & Hadley came along, & Chelle got Hadley's ear's pierced too! I had to help hold Abi down. She hated me touching her head. She screamed & cried. I was a sweaty mess afterward. The lady that pierced her ears gave her a sucker and instead of Abi sucking on it, she bit it & ate it fast. She ended up getting 2 more suckers to keep her occupied. So far, she hasn't bothered them. She looks darling!

Another....

2010-03-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know....

We're having a BABY!!!

The babe at 20 Weeks & 4 days!

Folded right in half....

Our BABY GIRL is due to arrive July 10th.

From the beginning, I knew it was another girl. Dave was certain it was a boy. He had called the babe a boy from the time we found out, until the time we were told she's definitely a girl.
I joked around with the Doc telling him that maybe the next visit our little girl would have grown a little wiener. He then proceeded to tell me, "You never put "little" & "wiener" in the same sentence." It's a good thing he has a sense of humor.
We are 100% sure that she is indeed another girl. We're very excited & the girls cannot wait for a new little sister.

...:WaLKiNG:...

2010-02-22T20:36:00.003-07:00

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This is one of my proudest moments of being a Mom! We've been working with Abi to walk for awhile now, but tonight, she was ready to show me what she has been hiding.
Right before I took this video (along with 8 other videos) of her walking, I looked over at the couch, and Abi had let go & had done a total 360 turn around without any help or support. So, that led me to see what she could do walking wise. She definitely has proven herself that she can do things that we were told that she may never do.
I definitely cried tears of joy tonight & Lyvie screamed lots of "Yay Abi!" I couldn't have captured these moments without the help of Lyvie.

I am one happy mommy!
I love my girls!

P.S. Sorry for a naked little girl, we were just getting ready to have a bath.

In Loving Memory...

2010-01-29T12:47:00.005-07:00

Virginia Rose Day
(May 27, 1927 - January 28, 2010)

OGDEN – Virginia S. Day passed away surrounded by her family on January 28, 2010 of natural causes.

She was born May 27, 1927 in Broken Bow, Nebraska to Elmer Edward Schmid and Helen Loraine Moody.

Virginia married Basil Eugene Staten and later divorced, and three children were born to them. She married Joseph F. Young and later divorced, two children were born to them. She married Clark E. Love, he died January 24, 1981. She later married Delbert B. Day and he died March 11, 1993.

She spent her childhood in Idaho Falls, Idaho attending schools there. She moved to Utah in 1951, where she lived until her passing. She retired from HAFB after 25 years of service.

Virginia loved gardening, camping, fishing, traveling, watching football and basketball. She was a big Utah Jazz fan. The true joy in her life, were her kids and grandkids.

She is survived by her five children, Pat (Shane) Fisher, Larry (Kathy) Young, Vicki (Mike) Parkinson all of Ogden; Terrie (Var) Stephens, Morgan; Teresa (Jim) Jaques of Tremonton; Five step-children, Levi Love, Monty Love, Rhonda Love, and Liz Love all of Ogden and Mike Young of Louisiana.

Also survived by two brothers, Lloyd (Marie) Schmid of South Carolina and Ronald (Carol) Schmid of Idaho. 18 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild.

Preceding her in death are her parents, husbands and two grandsons, Jeremy Young and Cody Parkinson.

Funeral services will be on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd.

Family and friends may call Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday 12:45 to 1:45 p.m.

Interment at Lindquist’s Memorial Garden of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Road.

The family would like to thank Hearts for Hospice, especially Marisa and Amber for their loving care of mom.

Tis the Season...

2009-12-26T09:30:00.001-07:00

I am a HUGE fan of December & all of the festivities! I love spending time with family & friends, & the spirit of Christmas & the meaning of why we celebrate it. I love EVERYTHING about Christmas! It truly is a magical time of the year.

We had a lot of family functions this year (we do every year). And that is what makes it so much fun!

December 9th, started the first festivity with family. We went to the annual Richards family Birthday/Christmas party for Grandma Richards. She was unable to make it, due to her health, but it was still nice to celebrate her day & be with family. Every year the family donates money or canned goods to a family in need. This year it was money. They also had everyone write Grandma a letter. I really admire Grandma & I am very grateful for her & all that she does for the family. She is such an inspiration & truly loves her family. I have always been comfortable around her & felt welcomed by her. She is the glue that holds us together. The dinner was delicious, & the games & socializing was quite entertaining. Dave has a huge family & I am still trying to get to know all the names of everyone. Just when I think I have names down, then more arrive or there are new additions. It's a lot of fun though & we look forward to it EVERY year.

Lyvie with Santa at the Richards party.

December 18th, was our next family shindig. This time it was in Mountain Green with the Jaques side of the family. My Grandpa Jaques arranged to have dinner & games at the church close to his house. Dinner was delicious & the games were a lot of fun! The kids got a surprise visit from Santa Clause, & it was fun to see their excitement!!!

Lyvie telling Santa what she wanted for Christmas

Abi not so sure about the man in the red.

All the kids with Santa!

Decemer 19th, My parents have a dinner with us kids and our families. This year we had the dinner at Tanya & Adams. We ate good & played good. Every year we choose a differnt "theme" for dinner. This year it was taco salads & all that goes with it. Oh it was so good!!! After dinner the kids get to play a game with the gifts they give to each other. Then the adults do an auction with some fun ideas & gifts that we make or buy. It was so much fun & always something I look forward to.

Dave's brother & his family, Jay, Tita & kids, surprised everyone by traveling from Texas to spend Christmas with us all. It was SO good to see them. We spent a few evenings at Dave's parents to spend it with the family. Christmas Eve we had dinner there & then had the kids do the Nativity program put on by Jay & T. You couldn't deny the spirit that was felt that night.

We came home and finished out the night by opening our jammies & ornaments. Both the girls seemed to like their pj's. Dave surprised me with mine & I love them! Lyvie made sure that the cookies & milk was set out for Santa & went to bed without a fuss.

Christmas Day was very nice. It was very relaxed & not rushed. The girls got what they wanted, & even Dave & I got spoiled. We visited both sides of the family & then came home & spent the evening with each other. It turned out to be a nice day. Thanks everyone for the cards, treats, gifts. We are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives.

Lyvie & all her Barbie loot that she got for Christmas.
I don't know why I never got a picture of Abi and her Christmas gifts.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

An Evening in the BIG City

2009-12-01T13:04:00.005-07:00

November 27, 2009
We decided to take the girls down to Salt Lake and spend the evening together. We first hit up the "The Living Planet Aquarium" in Sandy. The girls really enjoyed it. It's not that big, but it was entertaining. I do recommend it. But, plan on doing something else besides visiting there. We spent maybe an hour and a half there TOTAL. They do have some cool creatures!

We then hit up Temple Square & walked around the Temple grounds to look at all the lights. It was so cold, but beautiful! It was the opening night, so the grounds were crowded. The girls hated being so cold, but I think Lyvie did enjoy it.

Maybe in the years to come, we can make an entire day of it, & then stay down in a hotel somewhere. I love spending time with my little family!

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T22:54:00.003-07:00

This year was our turn to spend Thanksgiving with my side of the family. Jared, Michelle & Hadley were the only ones who came to dinner. The rest were at their in-laws.

Dinner was delicious, as always. I love mom's cooking! I was in charge of sweet potatoes. And I made a pumpkin pie. We ate later in the day, but it was worth the wait.
After dinner, Tanya & her family showed up. It's always nice to be around family!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Charly

2009-11-03T23:29:00.001-07:00

Today is a sad day in our home. We had to put Charly down. She was suffering from a HUGE pancreatic tumor that had spread from her pancreas to her intestines, stomach, & up under her ribcage.
A few weeks prior, we noticed she looked like she was losing weight. And then last week, just by looking at her, we could tell she had lost A LOT of weight. You could see her ribcage & spine. So, Dave took her into the Vet a few days before & they took an x-ray of her. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. They figured she must have a bug of some sort & so they gave her some "special" food & some vitamins. Well, she wasn't getting better. She had no energy & layed around. She wasn't eating or drinking much. She was't our hyper annoying dog that she normally was. Dave then noticed a lump that portruded out of her side. It was about the size of a golf ball. So...again, he took her back in to see the Vet. They decided to schedule exploratory surgery on her for the next day (which is today).
This morning, Dave took her over to the vet on his way to work. He had to pick her up off of Lyvie's bed, she was that weak. She could barely walk. Little did I know that that would be the last time I seen her awake.
On Dave's lunch, he called me from the school upset. He explained to me what the doctors had found. We then had to decide if we wanted her to be sewn up & let her come home & eventually die at home, or have the Vet put her down. It was a hard decision. I did not want to see Charly suffer or in pain, but I did not want to put her down. We finally decided to have her put down. We went over there so the Vet could explain what was going on inside of her. We said our goodbyes and then she was gone.
Talk about an emotional day. I feel like I have lost a child. She literally was a family member. As much as I complained about her & said I hated having an inside dog... I miss her terribly. I miss hearing the jingle from the tags on her collar when she would be walking around. I miss her snorting/snoring. I miss her butt wag... she didn't have much of a tail, so when she would get excited, instead of wagging her tail, she would wag her entire butt. =) I am going to miss her howling when I would start singing silly. I am sad that my family is sad. I am sad to see Lyvie so sad. She misses her so much.
We burried her out on Dave's dad's farm.... right beside Dave's childhood dog, Molly. I can't believe how emotional it was. I cried over a dog. But she was family.

...HaPPy HaLLoWeen:...

2009-10-31T23:18:00.002-06:00

Halloween didn't turn out like we planned it to. The girls both were sick, so we stayed home & played it low key.
It didn't seem to faze the girls, and I think they actually enjoyed being home with Dave & I. So we made the most of it, & spent time as a family.
Lyvie's favorite part was to answer the door and hand out the candy when people came "trick-or-treating". We even got her to put on this ugly "old lady" mask. It took a lot of coaxing, but she did it!!!
Hopefully next year, the girls will be healthy & be able to join in the festivities.

Happy Halloween!!!

:3rd Annual Pumpkin Carve:

2009-10-30T22:44:00.007-06:00

It's that time of year again...The ANNUAL PUMPKIN CARVE. This was our 3rd year doing it. Everyone came except for Josh, Jaime, & their boys. (We missed you guys.) With more family means more room. So, this year Tanya & Adam were so kind to let us use their house.
I cannot remember who exactly carved what, but everyone participated. I think everyone enjoyed each others company & had a good time.
Hopefully next year, Josh & Jaime can make it & participate in the festivities!!!
Thanks EVERYONE for a fun-filled night!!!

HaPPy HaLLoWeeN!!!

...HaLLoWeeN PaRTy...

2009-10-24T17:11:00.000-06:00

For the past 4 years or so, my parents have a Halloween Party for all the grandkids. So, on the Saturday before Halloween, it was the annual Halloween Party. The kids have a costume show, where they show off their costumes, they eat lunch, and play games. They always have a blast & look forward to it every year. I think the costumes were awesome this year, but every year it gets better. And of coarse, it was a hit & fun was had by all.
Thanks mom & dad for putting this on every year.

Hogle Zoo

2009-10-17T13:23:00.000-06:00

October 16, 2009

Lyvie has been begging to go to the zoo. So, during UEA weekend, we took the girls to Hogle Zoo. It was a gorgeous day, but the zoo was packed. I guess that's what you get when the entire state is out of school for UEA. We got to see a lot of the baby animals. The baby elephant, giraffe, snow leopards. I didn't take many pictures, but it was a nice afternoon.

:Hadley Marie Jaques:

2009-09-24T13:36:00.002-06:00

My little brother, Jared, & his wife Michelle, welcomed their precious baby girl into the world.

Hadley Marie Jaques
Born: September 24, 2009
Weighed: 6lbs 8oz. 19"

Isn't she darling! I just love her!
Congrats Brother & Chelle!

:Happy Birthday Lyvie:

2009-09-09T08:41:00.001-06:00

September 2nd, 2009

Lyvie is 4!!!

WOW!!! I have a 4 year old.

I am so grateful for Lyvie. She brings so much happiness in our home. She is full of energy & keeps us very busy. There is never a dull moment with her. Lyvie is my tender hearted little girl with spunk. She is "Miss Independant". She has a contagious laugh & is constantly on the go. She likes to cuddle. She loves to play with her friends & cousins, & have sleepovers. Life would not be the same without her in it.
Happy Birthday Oly Bug!
We Love You with all our hearts!!!

Every year I decorate a cake for the girls's birthday. So, a few weeks before Lyv's birthday I took her to Kitchen Kneads to pick out her cake pan. This girl could not decide. She narrowed it down to a "Hannah Montana" guitar or "Barbie". She decided to go for Barbie...not surprising at all.
We decided to have her birthday party at the park again this year. I love summer birthdays. It's so nice to just have it outside & not worry about cramming 20+ people in our house. And the kids have plenty of room to run & play. Lyvie wanted to have a pinata at her birthday party this year, and so we got her a SpongeBob Square Pants one to break. It was a hit with the kids, & everyone went home with plenty of treats.
Thank you family and friends for coming and celebrating Lyvie's special day!

Here are a few of Lyvie's favorite things:

Barbie
Polly Pocket
Coloring
Hannah Montana
Chapstick
Lotion
Dress Up
Singing & Dancing
Gum
Reading
Pink & Purple

I cannot believe I have a 4 year old. Time sure does fly by the older you get. I swear, when I was a little girl a day seemed to last alot longer than 12 hours. An hour seemed like 5. Time never seemed to go so fast like it does now. I hope that Lyvie had a great Birthday & that her birthday lasted longer than a day.
Oh, to be little again....

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And LaSt, but NOT LeAsT...

2009-09-07T16:12:00.003-06:00

August 31

Abi started crawling!!!

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She has taken off these last couple of months. The milestones she accomplishes, whether they are BIG or SMALL, are HUGE to us! We are amazed at everything she is doing. Every week she is doing something new.

AUGUST

2009-09-07T13:54:00.011-06:00

August has been just as busy as the rest of the summer.

August 12 (Abi's birthday party) & 13 (Abi's birthday)

1st: Abigayle turned 2 years old!!! Where has the time gone? We had a family birthday party in our backyard the day before her birthday. It was a lot of fun! She got lots of toys and cute outfits. She didn't care for cake or ice cream, which comes as a shock, because usually she LOVES ice cream. But it still was a good time.
Abi, we have loved having you as a part of our family! You never cease to amaze us. We are excited to see what you will be doing now that you are 2! We Love You FOREVER!!!

August 13 - 16

2nd: We finally went camping for the 1st time this year. We camped at Temple Flats in Logan Canyon with my family. We spent a few hours at Bear Lake, but went back to camp cause the wind was horrible. Mom & Dad brought up a cake to celebrate all of the July & August Birthdays (Adam, Michelle, Hunter, Emi, Abi, & Me). Everyone had a trailer to camp in except for us. We slept in a tent. It wasn't bad, but maybe in a few more years we can invest in one for ourselves. The temperature was nice & not hot at all. It rained 2 out of the 4 days we were there. The food was great & so was the company.

August 20
3rd: Dave & I celebrated our 5 year anniversary! Dave had meetings for school all week long, and so our anniversary was just like any other day. We did end up going to Ogden that evening, but under different circumstances other than celebrating. We ended up seeing my Dr. & found out I was having a miscarriage. Not my kind of anniversary. We ended the night with a movie and snuggling.
FYI... We told our families and a few friends we were expecting at the beginning of the month. For some reason I didn't feel 100% sure that I wanted everyone to know quite yet. Maybe that was the spirit helping me prepare for the miscarriage. We were 7 weeks along, which isn't too far. This was my 2nd miscarriage (I had my first in between Lyvie & Abi, and then this one) but with any miscarriage, it is still hard. You love that baby from the time you find out you're pregnant. I'm feeling better now, but still feel like my hormones are off. With time, it should get better. And thanks everyone for all of your love and support. It means a lot!

Dave, I love you more today than I did on our wedding day! You are an amazing man! I am looking forward to growing old with you. You are my one and only...here we come ETERNITY!

August 26-29
4th: The Box Elder County Fair!!! This is something I look forward to every year. But, this year I did not enjoy it at all. It could have been because I was still going through my miscarriage. And it also could have been because Dave & I hadn't seen much of each other since he had meetings for school, & getting his classroom ready, and also working at Walmart DC on the weekends. We didn't even go to the parade. What is wrong with us???
We took the girls Wednesday night to the fair to have a fair burger & ride rides. Lyvie had a blast & rode rides with Tray (Kami & Travis's boy). I don't know if we will do the Wednesday night Family Night thing again. It was insane. Too crowded & the lines were forever long. The things you do for your kids. Lyvie & I went together Thursday night, & that was a mistake. She freaked out! She hated the carousel, and she had rode it twice the night before without a peep. She didn't want anything to do with the other rides... only the carousel, and she hated it. She is my Drama Queen. I'm sure hoping next year will be much better.

Summer always is my favorite time of year. It's definitely been a busy one, & I am actually looking forward to it cooling down and for life to slow down a bit and to get back on track with our everyday routines.

Lava Hot Springs

2009-08-24T20:10:00.003-06:00

We've also spent our summer at Lava Hot Springs. One week we decided to take the girls, & my sister, Tif & her kids. It was everyone's first time ever being there, except for Dave. Austin & Dave had a blast on the slides, while Tif & I enjoyed basking in the sun and playing with the rest of the kids in the water.
And then another week, we went with the Woodworth's before they moved to Florida. Again, it was a lot of fun! Before we left the pool, Dave & Tyler had to jump off of the high dive. It was hilarious to watch, & to see Tyler's hesitate to jump. I wish I had it on video.
Thanks Tyler, Mindy, & Brooklyn for coming with us.

2009-08-24T20:06:00.002-06:00

July 19. 2009

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Abi started to "army crawl"! And she signed "Grandma"!
GO ABI GO!!!

:GRaNDMaS aRe MoMS WiTH LoTS oF FRoSTiNG:

2009-08-24T19:09:00.006-06:00

This summer, the girls & I have spent some time with my sweet Grandma. She has been a little under the weather for awhile, & while feeling that way, she has needed some assistance. I have enjoyed the times I've been able to go down and sit with her & serve her. She has done so much for me growing up. I have so many fond memories of her. I have a great respect for her & love her with all of my heart. I am extremely grateful that my parents raised me & taught me how important grandparents are. I am grateful that I have grown up knowing my grandma; to have her watch me grow; to counsel me; to leave lasting impressions on me; to know me, & also to know my children. Those are things I will be forever grateful for! On this particular day, the girls wanted to have a picture with her. We love you Granny Day!

Gorgeous George!

2009-08-24T18:47:00.007-06:00

July 17, 2009

Dave surprised me with tickets to go see George Strait this summer! We both had talked about going, but never went ahead and bought tickets... or so I thought. He kept it a secret for 4 days... which is a record. Dave is horrible at keeping surprises for me! Can I tell you what a BLAST the concert was!!! And can I just say...George Strait is HOT!!! (Don't worry Dave, you have nothing to worry about.) We ended up sitting by my good friend, Annie & her sisters, Ellie, & Brooke and her husband, Justin. While we were waiting for the concert Mandi & Brooks caught up with us. We were able to get a picture of all of us!

I am so glad that we got the chance to go and see George perform. He is a great entertainer, & I have yet to find a song that I dislike. Thanks Babe, for the fun night & surprise. Also a big thanks to Annie & for letting us sit by them. It was a fabulous night!!! Hopefully we get to see Gorgeous George in concert again!!!

~Swimming Lessons~

2009-08-24T18:18:00.005-06:00

This was the Lyvie's first year of swimming lessons, and I was a bit nervous that she would absolutely hate it, & freak out. She is afraid of the water, & I hoped that this would help her overcome her fear. It did just that!!! She ended up doing 2 sessions of lessons this summer. She had a BLAST!!! I even joined in and took the "Mom N Tot" class with Abi. It was great therapy for her. It took a few days, but by the last day Abi was calm & enjoyed splashing a playing.
The girls had great teachers, & we can't wait for next summer!

Lyvie with her cousins, Braegger, Courtland, & Austin

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:June Highlights:

2009-08-02T21:56:00.001-06:00

I'm a slacker! I cannot believe it's been 2 months since my last post. This summer has been super busy, & the best by far! What can I say, "Time flies when you're having fun!"

Highlights of June:

Family Pictures (Jaques side).

We haven't had an updated family photo for almost 6 years; And a picture with just the siblings & my parents for a much longer time. Let's just say it's been long overdue!

Abi got glasses!!!

On June 20th, my parents, Tanya, Josh & Jaime, Jared & Michelle, & I, along with my Grandma Angeli (dad's mom) & Grandpa Jaques (dad's dad), attended the Ogden Temple and did Temple work for my dad's side of the family. My Great Grandma Jaques (Grandpa J.'s mother) who died 2 years ago, she was baptized before, but we did the rest of her temple work. She was finally sealed to her parents, sealed to her husband, & also sealed to her children. The experience was amazing! It was a very special day! It was neat to have my Grandpa there & have him be the only living family member from that family be sealed.The spirit was so strong & you could actually feel their presence in the room. What a blessing & a testimony builder it is to know that FAMILIES CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER!!!

Also in June, Dave planned a morning hike with just me & him. We hiked the Wind Cave trail (the first trail we did together 5 years ago) in Logan Canyon. 5 years ago, this was the first time we told each other how we really were feeling. It was fun to reminisce about it! I love when Dave is spontaneous & comes up with these great ideas. We both LOVE to hike, & enjoy being in the mountains. This also showed us how out of shape & old we are getting. But a lot of fun!!!
Thanks Honey!

June 15, 2004 & June 24, 2009

Olyvia performed at her first cheer camp. I don't know how much she enjoyed it, but it was entertaining.

Aubree & Lyvie

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:May Update:

2009-05-31T21:25:00.014-06:00

I'm getting really bad at this blogging stuff. Now that the sun is out & the weather is warm, I am spending most of my days outside. I LOVE this time of year. I love that we can open up our windows, hear the birds chirping, kids laughing & playing outside, lawns being mowed & the sound of sprinklers watering lawns. I enjoy playing outside with the girls, going on walks & bike rides. This time of year is definitely my favorite. I have spent lots of time pulling weeds, planting flowers & bushes, & working in my little vegetable garden. Nature is spectacular!!!

So, what has been going on with the Richards clan. I'll start off with the Hubs. Dave is a college graduate. He graduated in Elementary Education, & I couldn't be more proud of him. He worked really hard for this. And it's finally over. I asked him when he plans on going back & he said to give him a year or two! =) So, for now, we'll enjoy a break. But as far as finding a job.... He got a job!!! He will be teaching Third Grade for McKinley Elementary School here in town. He is really excited to become a Cougar (the schools mascot), & to teach the children. He student taught the 2nd graders there & enjoyed getting to know the kids & also the faculty. He said numerous of times how he already felt a part of the staff & enjoyed how friendly everyone was to him. We are so excited for this new chapter in our lives! And did I mention, I am so proud of Dave!!!

Now for Olyvia. She drives me crazy! But she is a doll. I love her so much! We have had a lot of fun lately & it just keeps getting better. She is still obsessed with coloring, lip gloss, & princesses. But has found room for Horses. She recently rode Dave's brother's horse for the first time. When she came home to tell me what she did, I couldn't believe she didn't freak out. She LOVED it, and now wants a horse of her own. I wonder if we could put a horse in our backyard... =) She is our little helper, & is always asking if she can help wash dishes, cook, clean, plant flowers, & so on. She loves to be outside as much as I do, & loves to have friends come over & play. Recently, Dave stained our deck and had Miss Lyvie help him. She did a great job & I'm glad that they spent that time together.

Abi is doing great! She is progressing daily! Her spasm/seizure activity is still down, which is great!!! She went almost a week without anything, but they have slowly come back. She is not having anywhere near as many as she used to. She has 1, maybe 2 during the day, & only if she is startled while sleeping. And they are not everyday. We'll take it! I still have hope that they will someday stop completely. She recently figured out how to sit herself up from a laying position without our help. What an accomplishment. She's a determined little girl & doesn't give up. Her therapies are going great. Her PT thinks Abi may walk before she crawls. She has some strong legs & loves to stand up against things or in her walker or bouncer. Sometimes she'll even willingly move her legs while we guide her to walk. But she also is starting to tolerate being on her hands and knees while we rock her back & forth. I can now let go & she has enough strength to stay up & rock back and forth by herself. So, we'll see what she ends up doing. As for OT she has figured out how to take items out of containers. We are still working on having her put items back in containers. This is all part of problem solving. She no longer is putting items in her mouth as soon as she gets them. I didn't realize it was part of development until her therapist brought it to my attention. The little things that we take for granted are so big to us. She also has a SLP & we enjoy when she comes. We do a lot of mimicking & singing to her. I am excited to take her back to music classes. She LOVES music!!! I did ask if we could start introducing American Sign Language to her. I don't know if we'll see Abi talk anytime soon, if at all. But, I do know she understands. I feel strongly that she needs to learn a way to communicate to us, & this is probably one of the ways that will help her do so. She is doing very well in her health & development. We are truly blessed & know the Lord hears and answers our prayers.
P.S. We took her binky away. =)

=Boston Terrier Puppies=

2009-05-31T20:59:00.002-06:00

On May 21st, Charly had her puppies!
For more info, or if your interested, click link on the top right hand side.

Dave's Graduation

2009-05-18T21:21:00.010-06:00

On May 2, Dave graduated from Utah State University in the Elementary Education program! I cannot tell you how proud I am of him. Not only was he teaching school, planning lessons, & grading papers; he also was going to work on the weekends, being & Father & Husband. I am so grateful that he stuck it through & did not give up. He is such a hard worker, & determined. As the semester got closer & closer to an end, Dave would remind me how many days he had left. What an accomplishment.
We are very grateful for all of the people who supported, pushed, inspired & molded Dave into the person he is today. A BIG thanks goes out to BOTH of our families. And, also for the all teachers who taught him, & friends he made along the way. Without these people, he wouldn't be where he is today. I am so thankful for Dave & for the love & patience he has for me. He is an amazing man! And I love him with all of my heart!

CONGRATS GRADUATE!!!

April Happenings

2009-05-18T07:32:00.006-06:00

I know I'm a month over due, but better late than never...April was a busy month for us.
To start off the month, we celebrated my moms 50th Birthday!!! It was a lot of fun to surprise her with balloons, cake, a banner, & such. My dad was probably the most excited for her birthday. He planned most everything, & told us kids what to do.

Easter was a big hit this year. This was our first year to color Easter eggs with the girls, & Lvyie loved it!!! The Easter Bunny came Saturday morning, instead of Sunday. This worked out great! We didn't want the spirit of Easter taken away due to toys & candy, so we decided to celebrate a day early. Saturday morning when Lyvie woke up she seen that the Easter Bunny had hid the eggs we colored the night before. He not only hid them, but put stickers with silly faces on the eggs. She thought it was pretty funny. The girls ended up getting a Wagon ( a HUGE hit!). They also got an outfit, bubbles, kites, & of coarse candy. Also we headed to Mom & Dad Jaques for Easter Brunch. This has been a tradition for a few years now, & we look forward to it every year. My parents also hold a easter egg hunt for the kids. They love this!!! In the past, there usually is over 300 eggs hidden in the back yard. This year, we decided to make it smaller than normal, & still it turned out great! While the whole family was there (minus Josh, Jaime, & the boys) dad decided to surprise my mom with a birthday cake & huge boquet of balloons. He couldn't get enough of rubbing in the BIG 50 for her. It is always fun to spend time with family! And the weather was perfect!!!

On a sadder note, our family dog, Sadie, passed away. We had her for 16 years. I remember the day we got her. I was 10 years old. She was pretty old, hard of hearing, & couldn't see well. On top of that, she was full of cancer. I would say the last year she started to get worse. It was a tough decision for my parents to make to have her put down. The movie "Marley & Me" hit home. The last few days of Sadie's life was a lot like Marley. I didn't realize how attached you get to a pet. They really do become part of your family. She is missed. But I am glad to know she is no longer suffering.

...:BaTH TiMe:...

2009-04-14T12:46:00.003-06:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bath time is Lyvie's & Abi's favorite time of the day. Lyvie will NOT take a bath without Abi. They love to splish & splash, while they play together in the tub. My favorite part of this video is Lyvie's reaction to Abi splashing her in the face. Such fun personalities we have in our home. ENJOY!

ABIGAYLE

2009-04-03T10:55:00.007-06:00

So just an update from last post. A couple days after Abi finished her injections we started to notice a rash on her belly and back. Well after 4 days of it, it had spread to her face, behind her ears and up in her hair line. I took her to the Doctor, not thinking that is was a huge deal, until the Dr. diagnosed her with Scarlet Fever!!! He informed me all it really was was a bad rash & strep throat. He said it's just a fancy term they use. Anyway. I felt horrible. She didn't seemed bothered at all & was eating fine. But after 2 days of antibiotic, Abi started to act sick. A week & a half later, I'm happy to say, she is much better & her rash is almost completely gone.
Anyway, it's been 2 weeks since Abi has been off of the ACTH. What a change we have seen in her. We literally have a brand new girl. A girl we've never seen before. She is doing so much more than she ever was before she was on the ACTH. She regressed while on it, but most everything & MORE came back as soon as she was finished with the treatments. She is rolling, starting to clap (only on her time), waves "Bye-Bye" & "Hi". She's grabbing for things, using BOTH hands, hitting toys together, studying things... such as our faces, designs, pictures, things she never noticed before. She also bounces to music, almost can pull herself up from a laying position to a sitting position, & grab & hold onto finger foods. The biggest accomplishment we have seen in Abi, is she laughs. She didn't laugh much before, & never laughed while on the ACTH. To see a new light in her eyes & to finally hear a real laugh come out of her is amazing!!! Her weight is slowly decreasing. But we have gotten used to her chubby self. She has been wearing size 3T tops. So, pretty much sharing shirts with Lyvie. Lyvie thinks it's pretty cool, so I can't complain. She is still pretty hairy, but we've have been told by many & also Dr. Lloyd that the hair will fall out. I don't mind how thick the hair on her head has got or even how long her eyelashes are. But her brows need a definite waxing!!! She is still cute though. Nurse Julie came by yesterday to take one last look at Abi & checked her vitals. I am happy to say everything is normal. What a relief!!! As for her spasms...they are back. She is having one or two daily. BUT they are only when she is woken up from sleeping, or startled while sleeping. They still look like the Infantile Spasms, but we are still hoping that they'll go away. Dr. Lloyd informed me that it may take up to 6 weeks until we see a change with the spasms. He said the ACTH is just waiting it's turn. As for groups. She can go out in public in about 2 more weeks. I have to admit, we have taken her out a few times. She cannot be immunized for another 3 months & cannot be around anyone who has been recently vaccinated with LIVE vaccines... such as Chicken Pox, MMR, or Oral Polio vaccinations.
We are so happy to have our "OLD" Abi back, & also the "NEW" Abi. She is so fun! And it is fun to watch her & Lyvie or any kid interact. She's a very happy girl. Sleeps great! And is learning new things everyday!!!

Here is a video I took of Abi laughing last night. I have never seen her laugh this much in her whole life. So it's way fun to watch!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

:LaST FeW WeeKS oN ACTH:

2009-03-23T10:35:00.012-06:00

Week 6 (February 21 - February 27) *40 units/ml*: By this week Abi was on the upside of the RSV. Her weight & blood pressure fluctuated, & we noticed more swelling in her face. This week she had more spasms then ever while on the treatments. I think we totaled 8 that week. She had over 4 spasms in one day (which was a big disappointment). We had a few nights where she had a hard time sleeping. The only way she was comfortable was if Dave was home & he would rock her in the chair. He would do this every night as soon as he was home from school, until bedtime. She didn't want anything to do with me. She became really attached to the male gender only!!! And she also liked the little bed I made for her in the living room. She would nap really well if she was in that spot.

Week 7 (February 28 - March 6) *30 units/ml*: This week we felt like Abi had really started to retain A LOT of water. She lost her neck (notice the picture), & was pretty irritable. Her blood pressure reached a whopping 118/60 & her respirations were very quick. We couldn't seem to keep her comfortable. But when you're bloated, you don't feel good at all. Again, she didn't want anything to do with me. All she wanted was Dave, my dad, my little brother, or anyone who was male for that matter. As for her spasms for the week...1!

Week 8 (March 7 - March 13) *20 units/ml*: HELL!!! That's all I can describe. Abi was miserable! She was so swollen, that every time she moved she would cry cause everything on her body was stretched & tight. We spent a few times without sleep, & rocking her in the chair. She became very constipated by the end of this week. We tried Miralax (which we give her daily), suppositories, Juice, Mineral Oil. And still nothing. Her weight got pretty high. One day she had gained 2 pounds. (In a day!!!) Spasms activity, 1!!!

Week 9 March 14 - March 20) *10 units/ml*: THE LAST WEEK!!! Abi had become constipated in the last few days of Week 8. By the time Monday (week 9) came, I became a bit concerned, because here she was with all these remedies for constipation in her, & yet nothing had happened. But her body finally kicked it in gear & eased her pain. She was so much happier, & her smile started coming back! By the time her last injection treatment, Abi was a totally different person. She had found her smile. Started to hold things on her own again, move around, she rather sit up than lay down, & she was just all around happy. Her vitals were great, back to normal. The only thing that was up was her weight. As for spasms, 2.

I cannot tell you how happy we are to be finished with the treatments. This was such a big decision that we had to make for Abi. I've had many people ask me if we would ever do another round of the ACTH for Abi, and my answer is NO!!! Yes, we've received positive feed from it. We've seen her spasms go from 3 or 4 a day, to roughly 1, maybe 2, a week. But in the long run... so not worth the stress on her. She regressed in everything that she had learned, but she also started to do things that we weren't expecting her to do so quick. To see the stress it put on her body, was heartbreaking. Worrying if she was going make it through one more day, was exhausting in every way you can imagine. It was a very risky treatment, & we feel like if we cannot completely get rid of her Infantile Spasms, then that is who she is! Abi, may always be our Abi who has seizures. But that's okay. We have come to accept that. I have grown so much closer to my parents & siblings, & to Dave's parents & siblings. Not only have I grown closer to them, but I have grown closer to our Heavenly Father. I had to put my complete trust & faith in him. ( I still do!) I have learned so much more about myself & about what I CAN handle. People have said, "I don't know how you do it. I don't think I could do it." We did this for Abi. We made it a routine & was able to get through it. When its your child or someone you love, you would be surprised what you CAN do. We are not out of the woods yet. Now it's just a waiting game. The spasms can come back, but hopefully they won't. It's all up to the Lord.

I want Abi to know how truly amazing I think she is. She is my hero! To agree to such a challenge while in heaven, makes me admire her more than words can say. She is very loving, unselfish, happy, STRONG, contagious, determined, lovable, beautiful, sweet, easy going (when not on ACTH), & the list could go on & on. I love her with all my heart & soul. My girls are my world!!! I am proud to say I am their mom! I am proud of Abi, & the example she is in our home. She is a very special girl! She has a spirit about her that I cannot describe. You have to be around her to know. I am thankful for the Lord & for him giving Dave & I the opportunity to raise such a choice spirit. I love you forever, Abi!

JuSt SoMe PiCtUrEs

2009-03-23T09:18:00.000-06:00

Here are some pictures of us during the last month or so. Not much is going on, but thought some of these were cute. Enjoy!

Adam Kael Christensen

2009-03-22T14:49:00.000-06:00

My sister, Tanya, & her husband, Adam, welcomed their fourth child into the world. Adam Kael Christensen was born, March 7th. He weighed 8 lbs. & 8 oz. & was 20.5 " long. I was able to go visit Tanya & Adam, & meet little Kael a few hours after he was born. He is adorable! A chubby baby, (but not so chubby since he's been home.) but oh so perfect!!! Tanya & Kael are home now from the hospital & he is now 2 weeks & a few days old. Lyvie can't get enough of him... & neither can I.
Congratulations Christensen Family!!!

Oh Lyv...

2009-02-22T20:45:00.000-07:00

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:Update on Abi:

2009-02-22T19:34:00.005-07:00

This is a picture of Abi, a week before starting her on the ACTH

AND

This is Abi at the beginning of Week 6 on the ACTH

One of the side effects of the ACTH steroid is, water retention. This is by far the most swollen we have seen Abi. You can see how swollen she is throughout her body, but her face is the most noticeable.
Carol, one of her weekend nurses came on Saturday & couldn't believe the change in her. It is definitely sad to see her go through all of this. She isn't moving around as much as she used to. But the Dr. said once she's completely off the treatment, our precious Abi should return back to herself. I'm excited for that day.
As for the RSV, I think we're almost out of the woods. She's doing much better, & just has the lingering cough. She is still pretty irritable & doesn't like Mom so much. The nurses & I have come to the conclusion of why she isn't too fond of me right now; It's because I am helping hold her still while she gets her shot & checked daily. Daddy is her rescuer & that is why she wants him constantly. Sad, but TRUE! Also, she's a big fan of my mom too!

:ACTH & RSV:

2009-02-16T21:33:00.012-07:00

**WARNING!!! VERY LONG POST! STOP READING IF YOU WANT**

It's the beginning of WEEK 5 since we started Abigayle on the ACTH injection treatment for her Infantile Spasms. What a ride. We have seen ups & downs with this medication. I have mixed feelings on it, & am still weighing out the pros & cons of it. We've seen positive side effects, & the negative. It's all about our faith & trust in the medicine, the Doctors, & in our Heavenly Father.
Week 1 (January 16 - 23) *80 units/ml*: Everything went well. No major side effects & Abi was all around happy. She did go a few days without any spasms & maybe had 1 the first Sunday, which only was a head drop, and that was it. At the end of the first week, Abi started having the spasms, but only 1 a day, & really short. I don't know if it was due to her having a low grade fever & teething, but that is a possibility.

Week 2 (January 24 - January 30) *80 units/ml*: Abi started to get a little irritable. She was still doing pretty good than we expected, and we were grateful for that. She would go a day or two spasm free, but then would hit three days in a row with spasms... but still only 1 a day. By the end of week 2, Abi had cut her top canine teeth, & was very irritable. Her weight stayed pretty consistent & we didn't see too much water retention or a rise in her blood pressure. The only side effect we did see was she was grumpy & uncomfortable.

Week 3 (January 31 - February 6) *80 units/ml*:Probably our worst week. By this time we should have started the taper of the ACTH, but where she still was having spasms, Dr. L wanted to keep her on the high dose for 1 more week. This was definitely the hardest week. We started to notice the water retention, increased appetite, irritability, weight change, a rise in her blood pressure, & constipation. There were a few nights where we got little sleep. The only thing that saved us was her vibrating chair that was too sizes too small for her. But it worked , & she stayed content. I, also by this time started to do more infant massage's for her, & although she screams through them (she's getting better), by the time I am finished, she is SUPER relaxed & calm. If I give her a massage, she ends up sleeping through the night. She was retaining water, & soaking through diapers every 2 hours. We ended up waking up every night to a soaking wet girl due to sweating & pee!!! Changing her bedding every night gets old, but you do what you got to do. We started to notice the weight gain more & could see the swelling everywhere, but mostly in her face. Every morning a nurse comes in to give Abi her shot, & then she checks her blood pressure, oxygen levels, heart, heart rate, lungs, weight, temperature, & so on. One particular day, we were getting Abi's weight. She had gained over 2 pounds in a day!!! That is pretty quick. And you could see those 2 pounds in her face. Poor little Abi, but what a trooper. Her blood pressure had risen & her respirations were fast. That Saturday she had had a spasm that lasted over 30 minutes. It so very frustrating & took everything in me to not give up, & to keep going on with the treatment. Thank goodness for the priesthood & for our families. The same night Abi had the 30 minute spasm, my dad & little brother were able to come over & give Abi (Dave was at work) a blessing. She was extremely fussy & couldn't get comfortable. I was hanging on by a thread. What a beautiful blessing my dad gave her. The spirit was very strong. Abi sat very still through the entire prayer, & as soon as it was over, she was calm & fell asleep in my moms arms. A testimony builder of prayer!!!

Week 4 (February 7 - February 13) *60 units/ml*:
Started the taper of the ACTH. There wasn't much of a change. Everything was still the same. Still not happy. She still had high blood pressure & her respirations were still fast.

Week 5 (February 14 - February 20) *50 units/ml*: The morning of this week I awoke to Abi coughing. This concerned me because the cough was pretty tight & I could tell it was affecting her breathing. So when the nurse came she checked her vitals & noticed her blood pressure was at the highest it has been since we've been on the treatment, 112/60, & her heart beats per minute were up to 184. This really concerned Dave & I. She began to listen to her lungs and could hear "Rales". She told us to really keep an eye on her & if she proceeded to get worse, to call. Well, she didn't act too much worse the rest of the day. But by night, another story. I was up with her & Lyvie all the way up until Dave got home from work, which is 4 a.m. When the nurse came Sunday morning, I knew something wasn't right with Abi. Her blood pressure was still high, but not as high as the day before. I ended up calling the nurse twice that night to see what I should do because Abi was really wheezy & breathing heavily. She cried most the day & did not handle laying down at all. My mom talked some sense into me, & I broke down & asked Dave's family to come give her another blessing. Thanks Dirk & Uncle Jim. Family is awesome!!! I took her outside a few times to help her out, & it helped, but not for long. So at about midnight I decided to take her over to the hospital. After 2 breathing treatments, a nose swab, & chest x-ray... the Dr. confirmed she has RSV!!! WHAT? I am handling it better than I thought. I just hope and pray that she gets better, before it gets worse. I do NOT want to hear she has pneumonia. Dave took the day off, & thank goodness he did. We are both worn out, but glad to have each other & help each other. As of now, Abi is asleep & doing okay. Lyvie is still up crying & running a fever. I do hope they both get better soon. It is no fun to have sick kids. Hopefully the rest of the week things will start looking up for the girls, and their health. I hope to talk to Dr. L tomorrow, since they were out of the office today. We have about 4 more weeks to go with the ACTH, & then hopefully we'll see a big improvement. We have seen improvements. The spasms are nowhere as long as they used to be. And maybe we won't see a change until she's off of the treatments completely. Dr. L. said where her body is under a lot of stress & change, that can definitely bring on the spasms. So, we'll really have to wait and see what it will be like once she's completely off of the ACTH.

I just want to thank everyone who have prayed for us, & especially for Abi. Please keep praying for her ( and for Lyvie). We do feel your prayers. We know the Lord's hand is in all things. We feel his love & are comforted to have the knowledge that we do. I am grateful for my family & for our trials. We just hit the year mark (Valentines Day) when Abi was diagnosed with Aicardi Syndrome. I can't believe it's been a year. We sure have learned a lot!!! I've said this before, & I will say it over & over again, but I have learned more compassion & unconditional love then I ever thought was possible. I've learned I need to swallow my pride & kneel down & thank my Heavenly Father for everything that we have & for the trials we are faced with. Without Him, nothing is possible. I LOVE the gospel. Thank you to our family and friends for the dinners & goodies you have brought over. It's been a hard thing for me to accept help, but I am humbled. We love you all!
P.S. I apologize for this long post. If you made it through, AWESOME!!!

LoNG TiMe...

2009-02-15T18:57:00.012-07:00

It's been awhile since I have updated the blog. Everyday I think about updating, but by the time I get a moment to update, it's time for bed. So, since the girls are already in bed for the night, I thought I would get going on updating you all on everything we've been up to.
I can't believe that January has come & gone, & we're already in the middle of February. Dave is on his last semester of school. He's student teaching now, & loving it! On top of him going to school, he is still working at good ole' Wal*Mart Distribution. He works the weekend, swing shift. It works out. Monday's are the worst for him. He comes home from work at 4 a.m. He sleeps for about 2 hours, gets up & heads off to student teach by 8. Then he's home from school around 3 & spends some time playing with the girls & then off to work by 3:30. By the time Tuesdays are here, he is drained. Once he's done teaching at school, he comes home & spends time with the girls before he heads off to bed for the rest of the night. He is such a hard worker. Wednesdays through Fridays are his recovery days from work. He still is student teaching those days, but can come home and relax the rest of the night. Then he's back to the grind on Saturdays. I am so proud of him! He works so hard & doesn't get the credit he deserves. He's awesome! As hard as it is not to see him, it's definitely going to be worth it. I am so excited for him to graduate!!!

Lyvie has continued to keep us busy. She is a very demanding little girl, & very smart!!! She really likes to color & likes to have someone to color with her. Reading is another favorite thing she likes to do. Dave is so good to her. As soon as he walks in the door from school, she will ask him to read to her, & the amazing daddy that he is, will stop everything & read to her. She's starting to memorize books & will sit down & "read" them to us. It's so cute & makes us so proud! She definitely is my Drama Queen/Diva! She HAS to have her hair in perfect place. That doesn't mean it's been styled for the day, but she knows when one strand of hair is out of its place. She asks daily if her hair looks beautiful & sometimes will look in the mirror to make sure that it is numerous times a day. She also LOVES chapstick!!! I have to hide it from her, because once she's got a hold of it, she has it out & is plastering it all over lips for the rest of the day. She's been an awesome little helper & big sister to Abi. Everyday we have a nurse come in for Abi, & Lyvie is right there by my side to help comfort Abi while she gets a shot. She also likes to help Nurse Julie with any little task she has her do. She makes sure Abi is happy & loves to give her loves & kisses. We are so grateful for Lyvie & for her spunk & personality she brings into our home.

As for our little Abigayle, she is one tough cookie. She is definitely been on a roller coaster ride these past 4 weeks, but still seems to pull through it. I really want to post more about her in a separate post. So I will say this... She is growing really fast & has definitely accomplished some BIG milestones. We recently finished the tapering of the medication, Topamax. What a relief to have her off of it. She is a new person. You can literally see the sparkle & clearing in her eyes. There used to be a different look in her eyes. A fog you would say. She no longer is in that fog. She is now holding her bottle all on her own. Pushing up on her hands. She enjoys rocking back and forth while on her hands and knees (with the help of Dave & I). She is using both hands at the same time. Holds onto things with BOTH hands, & transferring items from one hand to the other. She loves to look at pictures, especially of Lyvie. When she sees a picture of her, she will look at me, back to the picture, tilt her head, smile, jabber at it, & then reaches for it. That is another milestone, REACHING. She now will hold out her arms when she wants us. It is such an amazing feeling to see her have all these feelings & emotions. She also is going through the attachment stage. As annoying and hard as it can be, it is such a relief to see her go through it. And now she is recognizing people she knows and people she doesn't. She shys away from the people she doesn't know or doesn't like (the nurses). Some of you may know it as, "Stranger Danger". And she recently has become very attached to her dad! She gets so excited to see him when he comes home. Our little girl has definitely blossomed. She is our little miracle. And we can testify of those miracles.
As for me, I am enjoying staying home and raising the girls. I recently joined the local gym & have enjoyed the time away from home. It's a great feeling to feel when I have exercised for the day... a sense of accomplishment. It's my sanity & helps me get through the day. I love it! That's pretty much it for me.

Happy LOVE Day!

2009-02-14T17:50:00.003-07:00

For Valentines this year, Dave & I celebrated a day early. He made plans for a date with just the two of us. We left Abi with my mom. And Lyvie went & stayed with Tanya & the kids for the night. We drove down to Ogden, where Dave made reservations for the restaurant, GoodWood. It is now one of our favorite places to eat, & we cannot wait to go back!!!

After dinner, we met up with our friends, the Lunds', & played some arcade games, miniature golf, & hover craft bumper cars. It was a BLAST!!! We then ended the night with some Farr's ice cream. I told Dave that it felt like we were dating again, & I had a great night.
Thanks for the great date Dave. And, for the beautiful flowers. I love you more every day!!! Happy Valentines Day!!!

:Printing the Blog:

2009-01-21T14:19:00.001-07:00

Is there a way that I can print out my blog besides copying & pasting into Word? If anyone knows...
DO SHARE!!!

HaPPY BiRTHDaY To MY MaN

2009-01-12T11:03:00.010-07:00

Today is Dave's 27th Birthday! He is getting old, isn't he? I wish that today he had the day off so we could celebrate it, but unfortunately he has to spend it at school & work. So, hopefully sometime this week we'll get to celebrate when he doesn't have to work.
Anyway, I want Dave to know how proud I am of him. He is such a hard worker, & usually never complains. Dave you are my best friend! You are a great listener & are always willing to help me whenever I need it. Thank you!!! I have to thank his parents for raising such an amazing man! He is so patient (DAD) & is always worrying about others before himself (MOM). I hope that you have a wonderful day & reflect on your 27 years of life!!! I Love You!

To honor Dave on his special day. I want to share 27 of my favorite things that I LOVE about him. (in no particular order.)

27: His smile & teeth!

26: His eyes!

25: His Tigger laugh....

24: His attitude towards the Education Program. And how he is really enjoying Student Teaching.

23: The way his mouth moves while playing video games!

22: His charm & humor!

21: He's really becoming a "handy man", & he's not afraid to get his hands dirty!

20: His patience he has for me. I am not the easiest gal to live with...

19: His BIG heart!!! He is always willing to help out someone in need.

18: His BIG bear hugs!!!

17: He loves kids! He is such a big kid when he's with our kids or is around our nieces & nephews, or any kid!

16: His voice! Makes my heart melt.

15: He is very smart!

14: He loves to read! No matter how many times he's read it, he'll read it over & over & over again!

13: His hands & "hobbit" feet.

12: He's a worthy priesthood holder.

11: His Love for the Gospel.

10: His love that he has for me & the girls!

9: He's the BEST husband!

8: And the BEST daddy EVER!!!

7: He takes Lyvie on "Daddy-Daughter Dates".

6: How NERDY he is!

5: His cooking.

4: He still thinks I'm HOT when I have not done a darn thing to myself. (haven't showered, hair isn't done, no make up, teeth aren't brushed)

3: He takes me on dates!

2: He loves both our families!

1: We are TOGETHER FOREVER & he's mine for ETERNITY!

Happy Birthday Honey!
I Love you! And I really do hope you have a great day! You deserve it!!!!

...New Years Eve...

2009-01-06T13:00:00.006-07:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We spent New Years Eve with my family (minus Josh & Jaime, & the boys). We decided to get together at Tanya & Adams this year. We had a blast! We played some fun games & ate some good food! The first game we played was Family Feud. Ladies vs. Men. It was hilarious & a good time! Then the guys, minus dad, decided to play the Wii, & so the rest of us played Taboo. It was so fun! Michelle is such a good sport & let us laugh at her for getting Kentucky mixed up with Ketchup. We ended the night by boxing on the Wii. Watching Mom & Dad was the BEST! We rang in the new year watching the ball drop & wondering what happened to Dick Clark... so sad.

Anyway, I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season!
2009 is going to be awesome! It's all in the attitude & how we take on life.
May all of your goals be reached, & may we all become better people. (sounds like a pageant answer)

HaPPY NeW YeaR!!!

=Sledding=

2009-01-06T12:29:00.003-07:00

Dec. 29, 2008

Dave & I took the girls out to Fielding to do some sledding at his parents house. He pulled them on an old car hood behind the 4 wheeler. Courtland & Breaggar, & Alicen, Madisen, Dallas, & Lyndon all came to join in on the fun. As well as Tif's kids, Austin & Aubree. They had a blast! Before everyone got there Dave took me, Lyvie & Abi on a ride. Abi liked it so much she fell asleep... Lyvie liked it too, but was one of the first of the kids to go inside because she hated the snow getting in her face...ugh! Dave even got Alicen to drive the 4 wheeler too!!! This was such a fun day to spend with family. Mom Richards made delicious Taco soup, & we enjoyed being with each other!

The Boys: Braeggar, Dallas, Courtland, & Austin

The Girls: Lyndon, Aubree, Lyvie, & Madisen

Grammy & Abi just before sledding.

TeXaS

2009-01-05T22:53:00.013-07:00

We made it home from Texas & are happy to be home. Don't get me wrong, we miss Jay, T, & the kids!!! They were so hospitable & it was very nice to spend Christmas with them. But, there's no place like home!
A recap on our trip. We left later than planned Sunday morning & made it to Farmington, New Mexico. Day 2, we drove all day & made it to Amarillo, Texas. The Hotel we stayed in we decided to go swimming with the girls. Day 3, was lovely...(I hope you can catch the sarcasm)... Day 3 was probably the worst day of driving. Not because of the weather, but we were all tired of being in the car. We drove from Amarillo, TX through Oklahoma City, OK to Dallas, TX. We arrived to Dallas Tuesday night, & stayed in a fabulous Hotel which I would highly recommend!!! The next 4 days we made our hotel room, our home! We tried to explore Dallas, but me being a small town girl, couldn't handle the big city, & had Dave take us back to our room.

***Highlights of Dallas: The HUGE Wal*Mart, Dallas Medical City, Dr. Elterman, Pappasitos w/ the Wing's, & Road Barriers...ha ha, oh Dave. ***

Saturday morning we got up early & packed up our belongings & headed to San Antonio, TX to spend the rest of the trip with Dave's OLDEST brother, Jay, & his wife, Dawn (Tita is her nickname), & their cute kids, Keiki, Kahea, Kalani, & Keala. We were so excited to see them & spend the holiday with them. Lyvie adjusted really well & had a blast with her cousins. I don't think Abi ever adjusted to sleeping somewhere new. Every night she ended up in our bed with us. She obviously was missing her own bed.

The weather was beautiful! Most days it was in the 70's. There were a few days that we had 40 degree weather. Christmas day was beautiful! It was in the high 60's to low 70's. So different to have that kind of weather for Christmas. I got homesick while we were there. I have never been that far away from home for that long of time. I missed my entire family & Dave's! i was jealous of all the snow we were getting back home & wanted to have a white Christmas! I'm pretty sure Dave thought I was the biggest boob ever. I don't know, cause he never told me, but I am sure he thought it, & maybe even vented to Jay!. :)

We took the kids to this Wild Animal Safari where you drive through a big park of animals and you get to feed & take pictures of these wild animals. It was really fun!!! Lyvie LOVED the Ostriches...NOT!!! She was terrified! She screamed & cried bloody murder when they came near our car. Infact, she was so upset about it she told dave, "roll up the damn window, dad!" I couldn't help but laugh, but also felt bad that she had just heard that come out of the mouth of her mom. She was so upset! It was a really good time though, & I am glad we went.

Christmas Eve, a family from Jay & T's ward, came over, & we did the Nativity with the kids. It was really fun to see the kids participate & dress up & act out the Nativity Scene.

Christmas Day was very relaxed. Jay warned the kids that they could not get up before 6 AM, or else. I woke up to Dave's phone alarm going off, to 6:30. That's right, Dave still gets excited for Christmas. ( I do too!) We were the first ones up. Not long after the kids got up. Santa left the presents down stairs while the presents from each other were upstairs under the tree. It was really fun to see the kids reaction. They were so happy with what Santa brought & with what Grandma & Grandpa Richards sent. Lyvie got a barbie doll, along with some Charlie & Lola dolls. Abi got a Tickle Me Elmo! It was hard not to bring all of the girls presents, but it opened our eyes that we can cut back from now on. The kids were pleased with what they got... no need to go overboard. Christmas afternoon we ventured over to the local Nursing Home and went Christmas caroling to the elderly. This really brought on the true meaning of Christmas. I felt the spirit of the season at that moment. It was a lot of fun & I want to carry on with that tradition every Christmas season.

We decided that we were going to leave early Friday morning, so we could cover a great distance of trip, & make it home in 2 days instead of 3. We ended up not leaving until 11 AM. Jay & T's baby, Keala, ended up going to the ER because of her breathing. So while Jay & T were with her, Dave & I took care of the rest of the kiddies, & played a little. It was really hard to leave. I didn't think I would have that hard of a time, but when the time came to say goodbye, my heart sank. We did make it home in 2 days! Dave drove over 950 miles the first day, & 500 miles the second. We were really surprised with all of the snow that was waiting for us when we got home! But so excited to see it!!!
Thank you again Mike & Tracy for giving us the information to Dr. E. We could not thank you enough for your friendship & advice. We hope to always stay in touch with you! And hope to see you again! You guys are always welcome to come stay with us whenever. Mike, Dave really wants to take you snowboarding... so the offer is there! Thank you THANK YOU!!!
Jay & T, & kids, we had a blast!!! We are so grateful for you guys & for letting us come stay with you over Christmas! We felt right at home & enjoyed the time we got to spend with you guys! We love you & can't wait to see you guys!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Texas Trip: Dec.14 - Dec. 27

Our Visit with the Dr.

2008-12-19T08:17:00.016-07:00

As some of you know, we made and appointment to see a Pediatric Neurologist in Dallas, Texas for a second opinion on Abigayle. How we found him is a blessing. There are angels everywhere, & I like to think that Mike & Tracy, and their daughter, Maddy, are our angels. Thanks to them, we were able to get an appointment with a Pediatric Neurologist who specializes in Infantile Spasms & has more experience with Aicardi Syndrome and the females who have it. So this past Sunday, we packed our bags, filled our car & traveled 3 days to get to our destination. We have had an eventful trip & are glad we have made it here safe and sound.
Yesterday was Abi's appointment. Dave & I were both so anxious to meet Dr. E & to get his opinion on things. The appointment went well. We spent 2 full hours with the Dr. & he was able to answer questions that we have needed answers to. He was able to help us understand the medications better & give his insight on what he thinks will work best for Abi. As for her seizures, she is having seizures, but she is not having them daily like her Infantile Spasms. She is still having Infantile Spasms. Abi had a spasm while we were there & he had no doubt that that is what it was. He said that all the medications she is on (besides the Vigabatrin) is doing her no good. They are for seizures, not spasms. If it hasn't taken away the spasm by now, then it is not going to take it away later. He really is pushing to get her off of all of them. We will keep her on just one seizure medicine, since she does have a seizure every now and again. He said that there are only 2 kinds of treatments that help get rid of the spasms, & that is either a Steroid or Hormone treatment. The ACTH injection was brought up. You may remember, this was our worst nightmare at the beginning. We were set on NEVER giving this treatment to Abi. The side effects were horrible & the chance of the spasms coming back after the treatment was more common than not. This treatment was out of the question. But, Dr. E. helped us be more mindful of the ACTH & told us he likes to do a high dose & short term. Instead of a high dose & long term. He said you won't see all the side effects that you would if she were to be on the steroid for long term. The only thing we'll see is the irritability. But that should only last a week, cause the 2nd week she will start coming off of the treatment. If this treatment works, Abi could be spasm free. If not, then she will eventually grow out of them by age 3 or 4, but most likely will grow into having adult seizures.
Dr. E also wants Abi to have another MRI. Her first & only MRI she had was not the best of quality. And the dictation on it was not as clear as it should be. We learned that there is more going on in Abi's brain than just her missing her Corpus Callosum.
This probably doesn't mean anything to any of you. Or in any case, is boring. That's okay. I've said before, this blog is for my records. My journal. I need to write these things down, so I can someday go back & hopefully see the changes & progress we have made.
I just hope that Dr. E. doesn't think Dr. Lloyd is an idiot. He does not have the experience that Dr. E has. Dr. Lloyd told us to bring home as much information as we can so that he can be aware of this condition & better help his patients. Dr. E is going to write Dr. Lloyd a letter of the important things we talked about & hopefully help him understand the Infantile Spasms better & also Aicardi Syndrome. I don't want anyone to think that we think Dr. Lloyd is not helping us. He is! He is an amazing Neurologist & we couldn't have asked for better. He is so willing to help us out in any way that he can, & when we told him we were going to Texas for a second opinion, he was just as excited as we were.
We are so grateful for this opportunity. We are extremely grateful for doctors & medicine, & technology. I can't imagine us living in any other time than now. We truly are blessed with so much! I am grateful to all those out there that have a daughter with Aicardi Syndrome. And to those I have come to know through emails, blogs, & websites. It has been a blessing to communicate with families who are in the same situation we are. But I am also grateful for all the families who have a child with special needs. Abi has taught us so much! She is such a joy in our home (along with Lyvie)! She has taught us to have more compassion than ever can be imagined. Along with patience, love, & a desire to do better each day. She is an angel. We love our girls more than anything in this world. I cannot even begin to imagine not having them in my life. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have of eternal families. 2 songs that touch my heart every time they are sang are: I Am a Child of God & Families Can Be Together Forever. Those songs are true. They are a testimony to me. I love my family so much! I love the Gospel! It's been a very emotional time for us, but we are grateful to have this chance & to reflect on life itself & why we are here. Remember how important life is. Life is a privilege. We should make the most of it & not take advantage of any second that goes by. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for us & especially for our Abi. We feel the prayers. We love you all!

Look what Abi's doing...

2008-12-17T18:14:00.007-07:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com
(Sorry for the quality of this video. Dave took it with his cell phone)
Abi is now picking up finger foods & putting them in her mouth. We've been working with her with this for a long time. Thanks to her "Occupational Therapist" & the positive feedback we get from her. This is something so exciting for us, & reminds us how amazing life is & everything we can do, is such a blessing! Good Job Abba Dabba! We are so proud of all your accomplishments & the milestones you are making. We Love You!

2008 Family Pictures

2008-12-07T23:00:00.018-07:00

We haven't had our family pictures taken since 2006. Yes, that's right. We are slackers. I had every intention last year to get them taken, but somehow it slipped right by. So, this year I made sure I didn't procrastinate & got it done sooner than later.

Thanks to our wonderful friend, Chanthoeun. She seriously did an amazing job!!! She was so patient, especially with Lyvie, & made my family beautiful!!! Thank you so much Chanthoeun. And thanks Casey for letting us steal her away from you for a few hours.

:a YeArS wOrTh Of PrEsEnTs:

2008-12-07T22:26:00.008-07:00

So our house has been a mess seems like for a month now. Dave gave me my Christmas/Valentines/Mothers Day/Birthday/Anniversary present early. And do I LOVE it!!!

I have been wanting to paint my house since the day we moved in. And also, replace the carpet. Painting stressed me more out than needed to be. I was so worried on what wall to paint, where to start & stop, what color, & so on. But thanks to some great advice from my good friend, Annie, I think it turned out better than I expected! And I am in heaven with my carpet! I LOVE it! I think I can live here forever now. Someday I would like to re-tile & get new cabinets, but that will be when our kids are grown & moved out. Until then, I am happy & content. Thanks babe! I love every bit of it!!! It feels like it's "OURS" now.

Here are some before, in the process, & after shots. ENJOY!

Two years

2008-11-18T06:49:00.004-07:00

It's been two years since Tim has passed away, and we still miss him everyday. I had to write a poem again for class this week, and this is what came out:

Shadow
by Dave Richards

My shadow didn’t arrive
till I reached the age of four years and ten months,
his name was Timothy Craig.
I was eager to have him by my side at all times.
I would sit and watch him lying
on the floor looking up at me
blue eyes shimmering,
happy, content.
I would sit by him telling stories and jokes
only we understood.

My shadow grew strong,
excited legs keen to carry him,
chasing me,
around in the shade of the weeping willow.
Then, following me down the road,
he parroted not only actions,
but my voice as well.
My likes were his likes,
everything the same.

Adolescence began to snip me from my shadow,
bit by bit I pulled away,
embarrassed to have him still mimicking,
doing all I did.
I began to treat him as you would
an old childhood toy.
Leaving him, feeling alone and scorned,
never understanding why.
I remember the place I left him, dusty and cold.

Years later,
He grew to a giant stature,
and began finding his own way,
without me.
I followed him, did what he did.
Trying to sew my shadow to me,
like a desperate Peter Pan,
but no Wendy there to stitch the loss.

The shadow and I were strangers now,
neither trailing after the other.
He could be seen around me
only on the brightest of days,
mere seconds at a time,
only faintly visible.

He acquired shadows of his own,
each one calling him Uncle.
He treated them with love and compassion,
playing, laughing, and listening
to all their wants.
He did what they did,
his needs their needs.

When he left,
little shadows walked blindly
searching for him,
calling out Uncle.
I found myself among them,
longing to be with my shadow.

Posted by Dave

NZ vs USA

2008-11-12T14:14:00.006-07:00

This past weekend I was able to go watch the New Zealand Heartland 15 play the USA elite 15 at Rio Tinto Stadium. It was awesome. The Kiwis started a little slow with the USA up early in the match, but New Zealand turned it on winning 19-14. Sadly we didn't stay for the USA vs Uruguay match afterwards. Working weekends suck. Here's some pics:

Kiwis getting a line in

NZ player laying the smack downThe last bit of the Haka

Cheers to Spencer and Steve for tagging along on this sporting excursion!
Posted by: Dave

:November Birthdays:

2008-11-10T20:32:00.008-07:00

Happy Birthday to You!

Happy Birthday dear Garrett & Tim!!!

Happy Birthday to YOU!!!

Garrett (11/2); Tim (11/5)

Garrett, We hope you had an awesome birthday! I can't believe you are already 2!!!
Tim, We thought about you all day. We miss you a lot & know we'll see you again!

We Love You!!!

~OuR SiLLY LyViE~

2008-11-10T09:15:00.016-07:00

This post is dedicated to little miss Lyvie. I just wanted to write down some things that she likes to do & things she says. I've said it before, & I'll say it again...there is NEVER a dull moment with Lyvie. She is so full of attitude & spunk. Some days I wonder what kind of monster I brought up, and then other days, I wonder why I was so blessed with such a sweet little girl.
Lyvie loves princesses! Everyday she dresses up as a princess. Her favorite princess is Princess Arora from Sleeping Beauty. It surprises me because she has never even seen the movie. But she loves her & if she sees a commercial with anything with princesses, she squeals & begs to have it.
Lyvie is obsessed with the color PINK. Everything has to be PINK. She has to have something PINK on everyday. She really likes to color, and when she colors she 90% of the time colors only in PINK. We are in the process of picking out colors to paint our house in & getting new carpet, & Lyvie insists on having PINK walls & PINK carpet. She tells me at least once a week that she hates her big eyes & wants new ones. Ones that are small & PINK. She also wants PINK hair & a PINK belly. Do you see the PINK madness I am talking about???

She also loves to draw. She likes drawing pictures of princesses, Abi, Mommy & Daddy, her dogs, her grandparents, cousins, aunts & uncles, spiders, snakes, butterflies, bugs, & lately, she wants to learn how to draw Santa Clause. Other things she enjoys doing is blowing bubbles, playing outside, playing with her cousins, singing. She just learned "The Wise Man & the Foolish Man" song in Nursery. She called my parents the other night & had to sing it to them. It was really cute. I wish I would have recorded it.

Her favorite T.V. show is "Charlie & Lola" from the Disney Channel. We DVR it daily so she can watch it more times then we'd like her to. This show is actually a really cute program. In the summer time we got us a 2nd dog to keep our other dog, Charlie entertained. Lyvie named her Lola. So we have us a Charlie & Lola too. On the t.v. show, Lola's favorite drink to drink is PINK milk. Lyvie thinks it's so cool because she LOVES to drink PINK (strawberry) milk too!!!
Three has been such a fun age. Some days are really challenging. She knows how to push my buttons & daily I pray for patience with her. She really is a lot of fun! She LOVES her Abba Dabba, & her daddy. She's gotten really attached to being home with mom & dad. When the weekend comes Lyvie cries & begs Dave not to go to work. A few weeks ago she tried blocking him from walking out the door. In the morning she can't wait for him to walk through the door. She is definitely a Daddy's girl! Dave is really good with her. He tries to take her out on "daddy daughter dates" at least twice a month. I think it is so cute & she looks forward to those dates.
I just want Lyvie to know how much I love her. She is so tender hearted. She loves her family! She is such a great example in our home. If we've tucked her in bed without saying prayers, she quickly reminds us that we need to..."fold our arms." I'm grateful for her & for the unconditional love she has. I cannot believe she's been a part of our lives for over 3 years now. She has brought so much Love & Joy to our lives & in our home. She is such a beautiful & smart girl! I'm proud of her & for the accomplishments she makes. I love you Oly Bug!!!

Going Private

2008-11-05T09:01:00.004-07:00

We're going PRiVaTe.
There are too many scary things happening in this world today. I do not want to put my family at risk for some creep to find. If you would like to continue to keep reading about our family, please leave a comment or email us
richards.whanau@gmail.com
or
jayme_richards@hotmail.com

:2nd Annual Pumpkin Carve:

2008-10-31T07:49:00.018-06:00

This past week, we had our 2ND AnNuaL PuMpKiN CaRVe. Dave & I hosted it, yet again! More of my family came this year, & it seriously was a blast!!! We ate yummy burgers & brats, & sipped on some Hot Apple Cider (thanks Kami for the recipe), & unleashed our carving abilities.

This was Michelle's first time ever to carve a pumpkin. She is super excited for Halloween!!! They don't celebrate it in Brazil like they do here. In Brazil, it's an evil holiday or something. Tanya was the first one to fall asleep...we'll let it slide due to her being pregnant! Adam was wonder dad & carved Kayla & Jaren's pumpkins for them. Tif was the first to go home... she's such a party pooper. But I have to give her props because she did at least carve a pumpkin. And my parents were funner than last year!!!
I hope that this continues to be a tradition each year, & that we can get the WHOLE family to participate. I am grateful that we live close to our families. I really enjoy these times we get to spend together!

Thanks everyone for a fun night!!!

Dad: Freddy Kruger...Mom: Rat Invention

Jared: Creepy Clown...Dave & Lyv: Snow White...Adam & Kayla: Tinkerbelle

Michelle: Gizmo...Adam & Jaren: Batman...Me: Joker

~GRaNDMa'S HaLLoWeeN PaRTY~

2008-10-24T12:26:00.016-06:00

October 18, 2008

Top (l-r): Brooklyn, Mikayla, Olyvia, Carson, Austin
Bottom (l-r): Aubree, Hunter, Abigayle, Emi's bum, Garrett
WHERE'S JAREN???

This past Saturday, my mom. hosted her annual Halloween Party for the grandkids. Every year the kids look forward to it, & every year the kids get spoiled. This year was a lot of fun! The kids ate mummies (hot dogs wrapped in a croissant) and spider web pizza.

Then the kids got to get dressed into their cute costumes & have a fashion show. After the fashion show, they played a few round of musical chairs. By this point, Lyvie was emotional & did not enjoy the game. She sat out most of the time. She doesn't like to lose. Once musical chairs was finished, the kids each got a turn to play "Pin the Face on the Pumpkin". After, Grandma Jaques had them decorate pumpkin & ghost cookies. This was a hit. Who doesn't love cookies, frosting, & candy?!? The last activity my mom had the kids go out to the garden and pick out their pumpkins so they could decorate them with some silly faces. Lyvie really enjoyed this activity. She loves drawing faces & having mom & dad draw silly faces on her magna doodle. So, she was creative & came up with a funny face for her pumpkin.

Thanks Grandma Jaques for all your hard work & effort with putting together a fun Halloween Party! We Love You!!!

:PeRFeCT:

2008-10-13T11:08:00.015-06:00

Dave is taking a poetry class this semester & has had the opportunity to let his mind wander & write whatever he would like down on paper. This poem in particular has been very special to me. When I read this for the first time, I cried. And still when I read it, I cry. He's extremely talented & I'm grateful that he went with his feelings & wrote this poem.

:PERFECT:

Tiny hands grasp my right index finger,
Sparkling blue eyes gaze
Seeing something hidden from me.
Auburn curls frame your crooked little smile
Perfect.

Your eyes shake, squint and cringe
Body folds in half at the waist.
Tears roll down your cheeks,
As chaos engulfs us all.

MRI reveals a secret you hide,
Your mind is missing pieces.
Eyes tell a story that allows us to see,
You are different.
But Perfect.

Watching you struggle, working
To accomplish what others can do already.
Strength grows, tears fall and
Hope is blossomed from your smile.
Perfect.

Update on Abi:
She is still having seizures daily & we've even added a new medicine. Keppra. So far it hasn't helped, which is a bummer. We also scheduled her an appointment with a Pediatric Neurologist in Dallas Texas for December 18th. So we will be spending Christmas in Texas. We are anxiously awaiting this appointment & of coarse staying with Jay & Tita, & their family. Hopefully we'll find some answers that we've been looking for. Until then, we'll just continue to give Abi the best care she needs & pray that these seizures will stop.

October Birthdays

2008-10-13T09:18:00.011-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Tifanee (10/4); Aubree (10/15); Austin (10/18)

Carson (10/20); Tita (10/22); Ryan (10/27)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR-
TIF, AUBREE, AUSTIN, CARSON, T, & RYAN!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!

We love you guys!

tomatoes, Tomatoes, TOMATOES

2008-10-09T13:37:00.007-06:00

This past weekend my sister, Tanya & I got together & watched General Conference & canned Salsa. We started at 2 pm Saturday afternoon, & didn't finish until 5am Sunday morning. We canned 2 bushels of tomatoes & got a whopping 95 pint jars of this delicious treat. I am grateful that we did this so I can get going on my food storage, but do not plan on canning salsa for years!!! Then Monday, I took what was left of the tomatoes & canned me some Chili sauce. So much quicker than the salsa. I got 17 pint jars out of it & am very proud of my accomplishments! I have really enjoyed learning how to can & actually am thinking about what I can can next. Thanks Tanya for the fun day. And a big thanks to my parents, Adam's parents, & my brother & sister in law, Jared & Michelle for donating the tomatoes. I think I have found something that I am going to enjoy doing for years to come.

:A dAy At ThE zOo:

2008-10-09T13:07:00.006-06:00

October 2, 2008

We went to Salt Lake to take Abi in to get a "bone age test" done for an upcoming appointment with the Endocrinologist. It was a really quick procedure & so instead of driving home after only being there for 20 minutes, we decided to take the girls to Hogle Zoo. It was the perfect day to be at the zoo. There were hardly any people there & the weather was perfect. And most of the animals were out & about. Our favorite exhibit was the Gorillas & Orangatangs. We could have sat there for hours watching them. It was a good time to be with Dave & the girls!

{The girls exhausted on our way home from Salt Lake}

Tonsils & Adenoids

2008-10-09T11:53:00.014-06:00

BEFORE:

Thumbs Up!

Waiting to go into surgery/Showing off her cute gown & socks

It's been 2 weeks today since Lyvie had her tonsils & adenoids out. She has been getting sick so much & by the fifth time with strep this year, we were ready to take them out. She has done great this week. If you were to ask how last week went. I would tell you a completely different story. The poor girls mouth hurt so bad & she had a hard time eating anything. But I think we are out of the woods. Hopefully now we all can enjoy months and months without being sick, instead of every other month!
AFTER:

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Finally! Pictures!!!

2008-09-24T10:54:00.007-06:00

It has taken me a year to finally get my girls pictures taken...
PROFESSIONALLY!!!

The last time I had their pictures taken was when Abi was a newborn, & Lyv had just turned 2. What a nightmare that was. So, I was really dreading getting them done, but knew I needed to update my walls. Lyvie actually was much better this time around. I had to bribe her with anything & everything, but for the most part, she cooperated. Abi was a little stink. She did not want to smile. And if any of you know Abi, knows she is a happy girl & has a dang cute smile that is contagious!!! I now know why I wait a year to take them in. Props to all those single parents out there. I don't know how you do it!!!

Results

2008-09-24T10:12:00.004-06:00

On Friday, Dr. Lloyd called me with the results on Abigayle's 23 hour EEG. I don't know if I would call them results. They're more like a "mystery" if you ask me.
They found nothing! From the results of the test, it is showing NO seizure activity. I was extremely surprised by the results & am a bit frustrated. What we "thought" were seizures are not showing up as seizures. He did say she was having some misfires, but the times we pushed the button for the seizures, were nothing. Dave & I, along with Dr. Lloyd are so confused. He is unsure what is causing her eyes to do all the things they do, but wonders if we should go see her Ophthalmologist. I don't understand cause there were a few times that Abi would do the full on crunch & her eyes would look to the right (Partial Complex is what we were told before), and then her eyes would bounce or she would do the winking thing with her left eye. But they don't show up as seizures. WHAT??? I don't know what to think anymore. I am completely at a loss for words. I didn't even want to blog about this news, because it is so upsetting. Dave's dad said to me the other day, "Maybe she's tricking us." ha ha. It does not make any sense. Yes, what a blessing it is to hear that she is no longer having infantile spasms or seizures, but for some reason I do not believe that answer & will not accept the results until we find the "TRUE" reason for Abi's seizures. {Yes, I am going to call them seizures because #1 I do believe they ARE seizures, & #2 there is no other reason not to call them something different}. What is this new thing her eyes are doing? And when her eyes are doing these things, her breathing is labored, sometimes her eyes will water, & sometimes she is non responsive... all signs of a seizure!!! Now my other concern is, is the medication making her eyes worse and causing this to happen??? Or is it some type of tic she has picked up? Dr. Lloyd had a second Dr. look at the EEG results & he couldn't make out what to think of it either. They seen what we journaled while the tests was being performed. They seen how Abi's body would tense up & scrunch, seen her labored breathing, & seen her eyes do the things they did. How could the test not show up that anything was going on?Dr. Lloyd said he would review the video again, & call Abi's Ophthalmologists to get her in to see him. He also said he would do some more research on Aicardi Syndrome & on the medicines she is taking to see if these are side effects.
Am I wrong if I request another 23 hour EEG test to be done? Am I wrong to get a second opinion from another Dr? I am not mad or think less of Dr. Lloyd. He is just as frustrated as we are & wants to find the real reason for Abi's test results.
Since Abi was diagnosed with Aicardi Syndrome, we've had a father whose daughter has AS, email us. He keeps in contact with me & is very kind with his words of encouragement & support. It has been such a blessing to have contact with someone who has been through this with their own daughter. He & his family live in Texas. And there is a doctor in Dallas who is one of the top authorities in Aicardi Syndrome & has led many research projects for this disorder. We have talked about going down there to see him many times, but have never been for sure on it... until now. Dave & I really feel like we need a second opinion, & thought that he is somebody who can help us. As soon as I hear back from Dr. Lloyd, I hope to set up an appointment with Dr. E in Texas. Much thanks to Mike!!!
So there you have it, the results, or "mysteries" of Abi's EEG. For now we are at a stand still, but I know that there are answers, just not sure when we'll get them. Please pray for the Doctors & for Abigayle. We know there is something that the Lord is trying to teach us.

23 Hour EEG

2008-09-14T14:45:00.026-06:00

Friday, we headed down to Primary Children's for Abigayle's "BIG" 23 hour Video EEG. The nurses were quick with getting the electrodes placed & having her head wrapped so we could get going with the testing. Abi cooperated really well, & we were able to catch all 4 different types of seizures (I think). I was a bit surprised at how many seizures Abi had while we were down there. When she would have a seizure we would push a button and then write down the date, time started & time ended of the seizures. Also we had to describe what her seizures looked like. She had a total of 6 seizures during her testing that we seen or caught. (She could have easily had more during the night or ones that were absent & we didn't notice.) If you count how many she had Friday morning before the test, & then the time she spent testing, along with Saturday after the test, Abi had a whopping of 10 seizures!!! I am shocked! I have not seen Abi have over 3 seizure a day in such a long time. And for her to be totaling 5 a day, is frustrating. Today I have not seen her have a single one. It would be nice for her to be seizure free! One day that will happen! We will get the results from Dr. Lloyd by the end of the week. Hopefully by then, we can figure out what is going on in her little head & somehow find the medication to help stop the seizures. We took quite a few pictures of our long & eventful days spent down at Primary Children's. (Really it was boring.) But we are glad that Abi cooperated & had a successful testing experience!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

***Abi just started to do this with her tongue. She watches us do it, & then she does it. It's so fun to watch her do these silly things. She also started giving kisses this week!***

What's going on with Abigayle?

2008-09-07T14:49:00.011-06:00

As some of you have asked, how Abigayle is doing? I thought it was time to post a little update on her. Things with Abi have definitely been exciting & frustrating. To start out, Dr. Lloyd had increased Abi's dose some more about a month ago, because she was still having 1 seizure a day. The increased dose seemed to help & Abi was seizure free for 5 DAYS!!! She then had gone back to having 1 a day, and we increased her dose again. Again, it helped & she went 3 days without having a seizure. The seizures came back 2 Sundays ago, and have increased in number from 1 to about 2-3 a day. I am a bit frustrated to see her have more than 1 seizure a day. It seemed like things were going good when we were down to 1. With her seizures coming back & increasing by number so are different types of seizures. The type of seizure Abi has is called {Partial Complex Seizures}. So on top of those I feel like she is having Absent seizures, which the only way I can tell is her breathing gets heavy & she has a blank look about her. She also is having a seizure that her left eye will slowly close and sometimes she does not respond but other times, she responds. I feel like these are her old Infantile Spasms that have come back.... YUCK!!! It makes me sick to think about. Most of the time she doesn't act bothered, but there are the few times she is. After she has a seizure, she is of coarse exhausted & falls asleep for about an hour or so. She also has had a few where her eyes will bounce... I call them her "crazy eyes". She's only had 2 or 3 of those. I get so bummed out when I see her have a seizure, but when I see a new one on top of the regular seizure she has, then I find myself depressed and scared for the unknown. This past week Abi has been sick with a horrible cold. I did not know your nose could produce that much snot. Poor Abi has such a raw nose now & is still trying to get rid of the cold. On Wednesday, Abi's worst day, she ran a low grade fever & had 2 REALLY strong seizures. This seizure was the kind where her whole body shook & her eyes rolled in the back of her head. We have never seen her have this type & so, to see it, Dave & I were a bit shaken up. She seized for about 1-2 minutes & then took about 30 seconds for her to come to, when she came to, she acted like nothing happened. But then 30 seconds later, she went back into another seizure. I immediately called her Neurologist, & was told that being sick & running a fever can definitely bring on seizures. We are hoping that those seizures will NEVER come back. Abi is still sick, & I am afraid she might have strep throat. Lyvie is just getting over strep, so it wouldn't surprise me if she caught it. So, I will call the Dr. tomorrow & hopefully get her on an antibiotic.
On a happier note. Abi can sit on her own. Dave & I no longer hover her when she is sitting. We can leave the room, & come back to find her in the same position! And, this past Tuesday, I was in my bathroom doing my hair, while Abi was laying on the bedroom floor, I heard her grunt. So I looked down, & she had rolled to her belly! Great Job Abi!!! She has rolled a few times now & each time I see her do it, I can't help but smile! She is slowly rolling, but with each day, she'll get better & faster at it. Her Physical Therapist came this past week and complimented on how much stronger she is. Her legs are so strong, & she seems to enjoy being on her feet. She also is rolling to her side & reaching for toys. And, bringing BOTH hands together. These things may be little for some, but to us, they are huge milestones. We don't take them for granted. They are great accomplishments & we are so pleased!!!
This coming Friday, we are taking Abi down to Primary Children's to have a 24 Hours EEG Test done. The reason why Abi is having this done is due to all the types of seizures she is having. Dr. Lloyd & I felt like it was the right thing to do, before we made another increase in her medication. Hopefully they will find what they are looking for and be able to fix or treat the seizures. Thank you everyone for your thoughtfulness & for your prayers. We couldn't thank you enough!

:Olyvia is 3:

2008-09-07T13:09:00.015-06:00

~Happy Birthday Oly Bug~

Well another year has come and gone & we celebrated Olyvia's 3rd Birthday!!! Holy Cow!!! Time sure has flown. I still remember the night I had her. The first time she slept through the night. She was only 6 weeks old; The first time she said "Dada"; The first time she crawled. She was going after the remote at Grandma & Grandpa Richards house; The first time she walked. The only way Lyvie would walk is if we held up a picture of Jesus; Her first visit to the Emergency Room. She fell off her changing table, cause Dave & I were stupid & forgot to grab her; How she liked to brush her teeth with mom & dad's toothbrushes. She still likes to brush her teeth, but she uses her own toothbrush; How she used to wave "Bye Bye"; How she enjoys Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches; The first time she told me she needed to go potty. And now she is potty trained; The first time she told me or Dave "I Love You"... There are so many firsts, and not enough time to write about all of them. But we also get to experience many more firsts with her. I am sad that she's growing up so fast, but proud of who she's become. Lyvie is our little spit fire. She does things her way & doesn't like to be told different. She is loving & is always concerned about others. She's daddy's little girl, & loves to be around him as much as she can. She loves her little sister very much & likes to help out with her. She also loves her grandparents, aunts & uncles, and all her cousins. Lyvie loves to play with anyone & likes to make friends with anyone she meets. She enjoys learning, coloring, singing, dancing, dress up, playing beauty parlor with dad or mom. She's a perfectionist & has a routine. If it gets out of order or skipped, she is sure to let you know (Just like her mom).
Lyvie's birthday turned out great! This year was funner than last because Lyv understood it was her birthday & how old she was. She enjoyed opening the presents & all the attention she got. I guess you could say the theme Lyvie is "into" right now is Princesses. She loves Loves LOVES anything to do with princesses. And this birthday, she got just that. She was spoiled rotten by all! Thank you to everyone for the gifts & birthday wishes you gave to Olyvia! She says "Sanks!" We are truly grateful for each and every one of you! Enjoy the video & slide show:

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

September Birthdays

2008-09-07T12:49:00.010-06:00

Happy Birthday to YOU!!!

Olyvia (9/2); Grandpa Jaques (9/14); Trey (9/23)

Have a very happy birthday, filled with sunshine every where!

May the year bring joy & gladness, and the love of friends who care.
Have a most exciting birthday! Share a smile with someone new.
Say a kind word to your neighbor; Let him know a happy you.
Have a very special birthday! Add a candle, blow it out.
Share your cake, & share your friendship; That's what birthdays are about.

...Goodbye ole' friend...

2008-09-07T12:11:00.006-06:00

August 31, 2008
Due to the massive wind storm we had last Sumday afternoon, our Globe Willow took a huge beating that led to its death...

I am extremely sad that our tree is gone. It seriously was such a pretty tree. Now my yard looks bare, & there have been a few times where I have almost past my own driveway because I don't recognize my house without the giant tree. Dave & I plan on planting another one & hope that it will be just a beautiful, but stronger than "Sam Sharp Nose"... yes that's right, we just found out that Dave's oldest brother, Jay, who lived in our house before us, planted the willow tree & gave it a name. Come to find out, while looking at the tree, it was rotting inside. It had a bunch of slime rot (I think that is what it's called), & with the wind on top of that, couldn't handle the stress. I just wish that the wind would have blown down my trees in my back yard, they are the ones that look sad & are dying. Oh well, it's not the end...it's only the beginning!

MY VeGGie GiRL

2008-09-07T11:35:00.015-06:00

How often do you see kids eat a whole green pepper? Well, Olyvia does. She LOVES peppers! This is the second year that Lyvie has enjoyed eating them. She enjoys going over to my parents house to help pick the vegetables out of their garden. And when she gets to the green peppers, instead of putting them in the basket with the rest of the pickings, she kindly asks Grandma or Grandpa if she can eat it. For some reason, it surprises me.

She absolutely loves them!

She eats the whole thing too.... not kidding. Sometimes for a snack, she rather eat a pepper than a treat. No reason to say no or complain! And it's not just peppers she likes, but Lyv also likes any vegetable. One particular afternoon, she asked if she could eat a tomato for lunch. So i cut up some tomatoes & cucumbers, & that was her lunch. She is such a silly girl!

:the STeeD FaMiLY:

2008-08-25T17:00:00.007-06:00

I know I already posted about the fair, but this post deserves its own. Friday night, while we were at the fair, we ran into Dave's sister, Karen. She was holding Abi, & the next thing we knew, we lost them. When we found Karen, we didn't find Abi in her arms like before. But to the side of her was a man that neither Dave nor I recognized, & he was holding our Abi. Watching him with Abi was one of the sweetest moments I have ever seen. He was so gentle & so tender with her. Come to find out this man was Jardee Steed. His name you might not know, but his name... along with his sweet wife, Bobbie, are the names that we have learned about through Abi's "former" Physical Therapist. Jardee & Bobbie were blessed with a sweet & very special little boy named, Tag. We learned about this family due to the same issues that Abi has been facing...seizures & developmental delays. Dave has talked to Bobbie on the phone concerning some past medications we were deciding on for Abi, & it was her that helped us make an important decision. Tag not only suffers from seizures, but he also is delayed in his development, just like Abi! This little boy has what is called Heterotopia, <--(click to learn more) which makes him have seizures. My heart is so full with gratidue to this family! They are true examples of unconditional love! I have never in my life felt so close to someone as I do with this family! I know we knew each other before! I know it without a doubt!!! Abi meeting this family was priceless. She beamed! It was like she was reunited with some of her best friends. She was so happy & it didn't take any warming up for her to the Steeds. Like I said, she knew them. She was absolutely content with Jardee & Bobbie. Full of smiles & noises!!! We didn't get to meet Tag Friday night. But Saturday, while I was there with the girls, Jardee, Bobbie, their girls, & Tag were all there! I was so excited to FINALLY meet this sweet & handsome little boy! I immediately fell in love with him!!! He is absolutely adorable!!! I also was excited for Abi & Tag to meet too! They were so cute with each other! They have some of the same similarities. The crooked smile, their eyes look the same, the way they move their hands, and so on. My heart is so full with love for my Heavenly Father & for him sending this sweet angel to our home! And also for us finally reuniting with the Steeds. These people will be forever friends, and hold a very special place in my heart. These two nights at the fair were very emotional for me! I know Tag & Abi don't have the same disorder, but there is a connection. I am so grateful for The Steeds! We are looking forward to getting together with them & getting to know their family even better!!! Thank you Karen for introducing us to the family we've been waiting to meet.

Jardee & Abi, Me & Tag

Box Elder County Parade & Fair

2008-08-25T13:45:00.028-06:00

August 20, 2008

Today was the start of the Box Elder County Fair. To begin the festivities Box Elder County has a big parade in the heart of Tremonton. Every year since I lived here, I have gone. But since Dave & I got married, I have missed 1 or 2 parade years. He's not big on the parades.
Anyway, We thought we would venture out into the crowd & watch the parade with the girls. Thanks to Liz & her family for letting us sit by them! Lyvie enjoyed the parade. She has the cutest wave ever & someday soon I will catch it on video to share with everyone!!!

After the parade we walked over to the fairgrounds & enjoyed us a good ole' fair burger & some rides with Lyvie. We ran into lots of friends & family members. It was a good time!

August 22, 2008

We ventured out to the fair AGAIN! This time, the Phillips, & Lindy & Maddux came up for it. I was looking forward to this night because The "imitation" Beatles, aka "Imagine" were performing! I was so excited! We enjoyed good tunes, good food, & good fun! Lyvie & Maddux entertained us by riding the rides. Madds was so laid back & was up for anything. Lyvie of coarse was dramatic & put up a fight. She hated one ride & still talks about how much it scared her! I tried to capture a picture of her crying, but it turned out blurry. It was so good to see some of our friends! Next time, lets have a BBQ & sit and chat! Thanks guys again! After visiting with them we met up with family & looked at all the animals. Lyvie really enjoyed the animals this year!!!

August 23, 2008

The girls & I walked over to the fair with Tanya & her kids. Dave worked tonight, so he missed out on the last night of the fair. We ate dinner with Tanya & her kids, & then I let Lyv go dance with Jaren in the bandstand. Thanks to Jared & Michelle, and also Grandma & Grandpa Jaques for sharing your tickets for the rides with Lyvie. She was able to enjoy a few more rides and ride on a ride with Aubree! We had a blast at the fair!!!

Anniversary Night Out

2008-08-25T12:18:00.007-06:00

For our Anniversary, Dave & I celebrated it a day late. We went to Logan, ate at Hamilton's, which was DIVINE! Went bowling, which we have not been bowling at a bowling alley, rather than our Wii, for over 2 years!!! Played some arcade games & air hockey. And enjoyed the rest of our night staying at the Anniversary Inn. Let me just tell you about our night out. Dinner was delicious, like I said before. We had a $25 Gift Certificate, compliments of S.E. Needham Jewelers, that paid for part of our meal. And to top that off, we got free Creme Brulee, compliments of Hamiltons. If you have never tried this LUSCIOUS dessert, I suggest you do so! You will NOT regret it! It is absolutely "to die for!" I was in heaven!!! We had a blast bowling. I am a terrible bowler...thanks to my "hyper-extended arms/elbows". We bowled 2 games which I never got near 100. Dave on the other hand, he's pretty good!!! I smeared Dave in Air Hockey, but he clearly cleaned my clock when it came to racing. It was so fun to actually go out on a "real" date! I felt like we were dating all over again.
As for our stay at Anniversary Inn....let me just say, we don't have luck when it comes to this place. This was our 4th time staying at the Ann. Inn. The 2 times prior to this we had bad experiences with one room we stayed in, there was a door that led to another room from our room, and it was unlocked and not blocked off. It banged open and shut each time the couple next to us would come into or leave their room. Making it very difficult to enjoy the romance in our room. But bad on my part, I didn't complain. The other stay was in SLC. We stayed in the same room we stayed in the first night we were married. We were not even in our room for 2 minutes when we noticed yucky sewer water backing up in our tub & toilet. They kindly gave us a $50.00 off coupon and sent us home because the whole building was having sewer problems. You think we would have learned by now....
Anyway, back to our stay at The Players Clubhouse. The reason I chose this room was #1, I knew Dave would LOVE the big screen T.V.; #2, I LOVED the heart shaped jetted tub in the middle of the room; And #3, we both would enjoy the Foosball Table & Putting Green !!! When we entered the room, we automatically felt the heat hit us as soon as we opened the door. Not only that, but we couldn't hear ourselves talk over the loud humming of the 4 Box fans in our room. That's right, there was NO A/C!!! It was so Hot!!! The sparkling cider they have in your room was sitting in a pail of what was supposed to be ice, but was warm water. The chocolates they give you were liquid. It was uncomfortably hot!!! So we went and complained. Don't worry, I'm not a rude complainer. Supposedly we were called & informed that there was no a/c.... but really, no one called. The ladies at the front desk were really nice & quickly gave a a FREE nights stay for next time we decide to go stay with them. We were satisfied & had a very warm night. Later on, I turned on the jets to the tub to find a bunch of 'dead skin-type flakes' completely overtake the bath water. SICK!!! I was disgusted! I'm sure the tub gets used frequently, why in the heck was this happening. So, I called the night management and he came up to check it out. He was very kind & apologized for for the yuckiness of the tub. He then refunded us back $50.00!!! So we paid a total of $80.00 from a $169.00 room!!! Can't get better than that! Plus we got a free night stay & 2 Anniversary Inn robes!!! All in all, Dave & I did still end up having a great time! We enjoyed just being together & bringing some romance back into our lives. I Love You Babe! Thanks for such a fun night!!!

Papa & Abigayle

2008-08-25T12:08:00.007-06:00

I thought this picture was so stinkin' cute!

I Love You Papa Richards!

You mean the world to me!!!
(I really need to get a picture of the girls and Grandma Richards! They love her too!!!)

{I'm 25 + Bear Lake}

2008-08-25T10:35:00.010-06:00

August 15, 2008

I am half way to 50!!! How sad is that??? I had a great birthday this year. Dave & the girls spoiled me with some great gifts. Dave got me a NEW camera... Thanks Babe, you are the best!!! He gave it to me a few days early so I could have it for Abi's birthday & also for our camping trip to Bear Lake. I was a bit concerned because I knew we didn't have the money to go out and buy a new camera, & so I asked Dave how he came up with the money. He told me he sold his Pistol to some guy from Logan. I bawled like a baby! What a sacrifice! He seriously is such an amazing husband & I hope to someday be as selfless as he is! The girls got me 2 sweet t-shirts of one of my favorite bands of all time... The Beatles!!! I absolutely love these shirts! Thanks girlies! My parents got me a canner & stuff to start canning; and Dave's parents got me a cute jacket with fur around the hood. So cute! Thank you to everyone for the gifts, calls, & text messages! It really made my day!!!

My sweet Beatles shirts

On my birthday, we headed over to Bear Lake for a camping trip with my side of the family. On our way up, the dogs got car sick & threw up... thank goodness for rubber floor mats... & as soon as we got out of the canyon & were dropping down into Bear Lake, Lyvie told us she needed to throw up. So I looked to see & she was white as a ghost. So Dave pulled over & held her while she puked on the side of the road. Isn't he the BEST!!! After she threw up, she looked at Dave & said, "I feel bedda". And she did!! When we got to the campsite, we set up camp, ate lunch, & headed down to the lake to swim. It was windy and cold! Needless to say, we didn't swim long. A storm blew in & so it made preparing dinner a bit challenging. We ended up going home that evening due to some family priorities with the Richards side. Saturday me & the girls drove back up and camped with the rest of the family while Dave stayed behind to help out his family. The weather was perfect the rest of the time there. We swam most of the day. The kids enjoyed the water! At first, Lyvie was scared. She wanted nothing to do with the water. But as time went on, she was my "little mermaid" as she put it... and I couldn't get her away from it. This was a nice getaway & enjoyed every minute with my family!!! Until next year....

The Best is Yet to Be

New Year = New Me

On My Mind

Happy Mother's Day

Welcome to Holland

The many faces of Sophie...

Lyvie

EEG & MRI

Feelings...

In Loving Memory:

Three Years

Alaina Lynn Jaques

Abi & the Yogurt Cup (7/20/2010)

She's here...

A morning at Walmart...

Earrings

Another....

...:WaLKiNG:...

In Loving Memory...

Tis the Season...

An Evening in the BIG City

Thanksgiving

Charly

...HaPPy HaLLoWeen:...

:3rd Annual Pumpkin Carve:

...HaLLoWeeN PaRTy...

Hogle Zoo

:Hadley Marie Jaques:

:Happy Birthday Lyvie:

And LaSt, but NOT LeAsT...

AUGUST

Lava Hot Springs

:GRaNDMaS aRe MoMS WiTH LoTS oF FRoSTiNG:

Gorgeous George!

~Swimming Lessons~

:June Highlights:

:May Update:

=Boston Terrier Puppies=

Dave's Graduation

April Happenings

...:BaTH TiMe:...

ABIGAYLE

:LaST FeW WeeKS oN ACTH:

*JuSt SoMe PiCtUrEs*

Adam Kael Christensen

Oh Lyv...

:Update on Abi:

:ACTH & RSV:

LoNG TiMe...

Happy LOVE Day!

:Printing the Blog:

HaPPY BiRTHDaY To MY MaN

...New Years Eve...

=Sledding=

TeXaS

Our Visit with the Dr.

Look what Abi's doing...

2008 Family Pictures

:a YeArS wOrTh Of PrEsEnTs:

Two years

NZ vs USA

:November Birthdays:

~OuR SiLLY LyViE~

Going Private

:2nd Annual Pumpkin Carve:

~GRaNDMa'S HaLLoWeeN PaRTY~

:PeRFeCT:

October Birthdays

tomatoes, Tomatoes, TOMATOES

:A dAy At ThE zOo:

Tonsils & Adenoids

Finally! Pictures!!!

Results

23 Hour EEG

What's going on with Abigayle?

:Olyvia is 3:

September Birthdays

...Goodbye ole' friend...

MY VeGGie GiRL

:the STeeD FaMiLY:

JuSt SoMe PiCtUrEs