The Sunday Flow

'Twas another Sabbath Day full of creativity.

A few things about the day were different and special.
We had Stake Conference.
Elder Ballard spoke.
We had Livy and Maddie with us.

This made for one fantastic Sunday.  Livy and Chloe got to go to an early morning meeting for the youth with Elder Ballard as a speaker. All 8 of us squished on a tiny bench for the meeting, but it was a soft bench. Scott brought his own chair :) For 2 hours with 7 kids we did alright. It was an inspiring, uplifting meeting. After the meetings we had lunch and the kids set about quietly concocting plans.

When I found Aidan moping around I asked what was wrong.

"No one will buy anything from my papershop."

I gathered some change and bought 2 hats, one boat, and one airplane. 

Then I noticed Chloe's room had become a beehive of activity.  I forced some answers out of Chloe convincing her that I had to know what kind of a mess I was in store for.  The girls had decided to have a drive-in movie night.  They gathered buckets, boxes, and bins and made them into cars complete with customized license plates.  They had a menu of snacks with prices.  Milk, chocolate milk, licorice, cookies, cheese, bread, popcorn,hot cocoa.  They set up in the family room, turned on Tail Spin and took orders during the previews.  Livy let Grace take over her car until the treats were gone.  The creativity oozes out on Sundays. Oh if everyday were Sunday.

Lucky He's Not Permanently Broken

Cole's had a rough few days.

They barely slow him down however.

Monday- the nose incident at the park.
Bruised and slightly swollen bloody nose.

Bruised and scratched cheek.
Unsure of the story behind this injury.
I've been told several stories all of which I deemed false.
Ah well. Moving on.

Tuesday
He somehow jumps off the trampoline and lands on the concrete on his side.
Hip bruiser.

Wednesday
Catch him with a bandaid on his upper lip.
His little friend had long fingernails and they were playing "dinosaur".

What could tomorrow bring? I'll have the bandaids and kisses ready.

Lucky Day Off

Kids had the day off.
Whenever that happens I think one of two things:
1. What could we get done today or,
2. What fun could we have today.

Turns out I was in the #2 mood.
So I thought of a "free" adventure.
I've been wanting to drive south and explore the open areas.  I really love to go to areas untouched and just soak it in. If you'll drive just 10 miles south of us you really are in open lands with mountains, windy roads and Utah Lake.  So I told the kids we'd be taking a ride on what we call "Tickle Bump Road".

Tickle Bump Road

We've driven this road with the kids before to visit friends in Gunnison and the kid loved the bumps that tickled their tummies.  So we loaded up, grabbed the camera and hit the open road. We watched our mileage and it was right around 9 miles that the houses stopped and it was all open area.

The kids love those tickle bumps, and I must admit I give it the gas to make them even better. We drove out quite aways and watched the lake go on and on.  We passed a pretty good sized hill that we decided we'd climb on our way home.  So as we doubled back we pulled off and set out on foot.

When we reached the top it was just what we expected. Beautiful views from all around.
The kids explored a bit and collected some cool rocks.

We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful valley.  We enjoyed it today. 

p.s. So as not to ruin this post I will not tell you that we went to this awesome park afterwards, and 5 minutes into being there Cole whacked his nose hard on a step and bled profusely.  I stopped the bleeding with the red jacket he had on and we headed home in tears. His nose is swollen and he may have a black eye by tomorrow :)

Lucky Pampering

Chloe loves to invite friends over, but she always needs "a plan".
She doesn't want to sit around and ask "What should we do".
So she recently had Hunter over for a late over (our answer to sleep overs).
I was busy cleaning up dinner when I was invited to come upstairs.

Hmmm?
I heard soft music coming from my room and suddenly realized I hadn't asked the boys to quit wrestling for at least 20 minutes.

When I got to my room this is what met me.

Our bedroom had been turned into the "When You Just Have to Get Away Spa".
Lucky me!
The girls had soft lighting, sheer drapes hung from the ceiling to divide my room into sections, aromatherapy, and soft piano music playing. They handed me my p.j.'s, robe, and slippers and told me to get changed and be prepared to get pampered.

First was a foot soak followed by a scrub.
I even had some little snacks to eat while they scrubbed my feet.

Next was onto my hands at the next station.

Here they massaged my hands and wrists and I nearly fell asleep.

This was one of my favorite parts.
They had guards to guard the door to the spa.  They allowed no one in.
Even crying 2 year olds.

Here's that same guard taking his job very seriously through the sheer curtain.
After my hands they rubbed my feet.
I could've just snuggled right up in my bed after that, but alas guards and crying 2 year olds needed to be put to bed.  It was a fantastic treat from two very creative 12 year olds.

Lucky Piano Teacher

It was my first piano recital as a teacher this evening.
I was nervous. I wanted these kids to do the best they could, and
I knew they could all do really well. I am a nervous performer, and so I felt for them.
The night went fantastic. I was so pleased with how well they all did. And proud.
I love teaching these kids. They are so fun.

I am lucky to be a piano teacher.
I am especially lucky to teach these 4.

Lucky Meds

Lucky to have medication so readily available for sick children.
And awesome neighbors :)


p.s. I was at the InstaCare with Asher yesterday and the nurse said,

"Did you have a baby at American Fork hospital a couple years ago?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I remember you!
You are a lot thinner now."

True dat. ( I have no pride.)

Lucky you're alive.

Day 5:


Here it is again.
Scott's Anniversary.
I told him in the car at 6:00 this morning "It's your anniversary dear."
"Not an Anniversary Amy."
"Okay, a celebration of how far you've come since this day 6 years ago."
"Alright. Fine. It's a mark. A moment. "

Then we talked about the day we drove up to the University of Utah hospital's Emergency Room.
We'd waited long enough for a return call from a neurosurgeon and Scott's symptoms were becoming scary. So, we headed to the E.R. to announce at the little window "Hi, I'm here with my husband. He has a brain tumor. He's in immense pain."

We talked about driving up there so unsuspecting. Unknowing. Just ready to fix the problem and move on.  "He'll need some therapy before he can get back to work."
We can do that. Some therapy. Okay.

Certainly we got more than we bargained for.
I sometimes put myself in Scott's shoes.
Kissing your wife goodbye in the operating room.
Waking several hours later in a body, not your own.
Fighting over the next several weeks to perform the most basic tasks. Losing so much of what you've known. I can't imagine the immense fear. It would be easy to think of the day as a day of loss.

While Scott was in the hospital I brought the video camera up only once I believe.
It was difficult to do, but I made myself.
I did not want to record this painful time, but I had hope for things to improve, and wanted a record of just how far we've come. ( I'm busy finding that video to watch tonight. )

So today, we celebrate the progress Scott's made, and our family has made since March 11, 2005.
Today I am lucky to have him.

By the way, he is in on the couch snoring. As we talked this morning on the way to the bus he finally said, "Just take me home. It's my "Anniversary" and I'm taking the day off."  :)

Day off.

This is very therapeutic.

Day 4:
Lucky me to have a *free* therapist that calls often.
And she's known me since birth. Bonus.

Therapist and I have had cops question us on more than one occasion 

for being parked outside a place of business for so long "chatting"(ie. therapy)

they thought we may be up to no good. 

No arrests to date. 

Luck came in Threes today.

Day 3:


Very lucky my kids have such great friends. 

These two played basketball outside in the rain until their eyelashes dripped.

All my children have wonderful friends that I am so thankful for. 

Lucky to have a fantastic group of students to teach piano to. 

Such different personalities that keep me giggling. 

Several students at group lesson.

Lucky enough to watch Scott play Simon Says with the children for  Family Home Evening. 

This was his attempt to teach them listening skills. 

Luck of the Coley

Day 2:


Cole is kind of like a lucky charm.

It's no secret he loves me. 

He always has- I am his Mother. 

It's a daily occurrence to hear him say to me, "Mom you're a beautiful princess", or 

"Mom you're my true love".  

I feel lucky just having him around. 

Lucky Countdown

St.Patricks Day is oft overlooked around here.
So starting today I begin a countdown to St. Patty's Day.
An "I'm lucky because" countdown.
A 12 Days of St. Patrick's....Day countdown.
Without further adieu.


Day 1

I am lucky to have this little girl bring me mini-licorices on her mini-plates. 

Our Aidy

The day began with his Birthday Breakfast pick.

Triple batch of Buttermilk pancakes, syrup, bacon, and hot cocoa with whipped cream.

That'll get any tired body out of bed. Especially the Mother who needs to get cooking.

Aidan woke up with a smile and tidied the family room while I was cooking. 

After breakfast and singing with a sparkler we gave Aidan the gifts of an 8th birthday. 

Namely:

A journal and sour gummies

Beyblades

Socks and Undies

96 count of crayons

&

A nice scripture set with his name on them. 

Aidan is a light in our home. A happy boy who takes care of others. A lover of animals, candy, breakfast food, friends, pants that fit up over his belly button, his blanket, and being outside. A great speller.

A quick learning pianist. Hazel colored eyes and a smile that melts a mother's heart. 

Happy Birthday my boy. 

Zoo Day

You have to hit it just right, and we did.
I saw that the weather would hit 50 degrees and decided with a jacket and some excitement, we'd be warm.
I gave Mom her 30 minute warning and she jumped at the chance.
I pulled Aidan out of school.
"Why did you check me out", he asked, lugging his backpack full of animal books.
"It's a zoo day son".
Oh the excitement.

Of course the crowds were nearly non-existent, which makes the zoo even greater.
It was actually the zoos first day of summer hours so it was open early.

The boys ran from animal to animal and shouted for us to "come see this!" time and again.

We even got lucky and got to see the annual World of the Wild art exhibit.

This little guy was so much fun to watch. He is only a few months old and he swung from the tails of these 3 female monkeys, but would always go back to his Momma's arms and snuggle up.

This is inside the new exhibit: Nature's Nightmares!!!!

This exhibit had some awesome animals: Vulture, Bird-eating tarantula, leeches, and these gargantuan rats!

These are dung beetles. Aidan and I had just read about them a few days previous.

The roll up animal dung and feed it to their babies. Mmm boy!

Sorry for the picture, it was quite humid inside.

Vulture.

This picture does not do this tortoise justice. 

He is huge, and beautiful.

This little owl was so cute. He just sat and looked at us with his head cocked to one side and then the other. Mom kept wishing he'd straighten his head up. I think she was worried about his neck :)

We were able to watch the zoo staff feed the gray wolves their raw meat breakfast.

The smell in this place almost made me lose it.  I walked in and a lovely lady was nursing her baby on the bench with a smile on her face. I snapped this photo because that giraffes tongue made me laugh and cringe at the same time. As we left the said lady was eating her sandwich. Now THAT'S a strong stomach.

There are certain spots at the zoo where the children will automatically pose. This is one of them.

This leopard was awesome to watch. He looked so powerful.

Cue the yearly Monkey Measurements:

I think Mom still thinks she's growing. She's always surprised by her results, and takes it very seriously.

What's the zoo without a heart-racing moment.

As we walked into the gorilla exhibit Aidan led the way.

I think he caught Tino off guard and this large male gorilla head-butted the window with a grunt.

It scared Aidan. (And Mom shouted "How dare you!")

Aidan was a little leery to get close again.

We marveled at their muscles, large teeth, and human-like qualities.

After the zoo we picked Scotty up for lunch (something he misses out on often.)

Much to my dismay the pick was Chuck-a-Rama.

I went on about how it's a place for "the elderly" to eat.

Lots of soft foods that are easy on the dentures.

As we arrived it appears a rest home had come to Chuck-a-Rama for lunch.

All these sweet, white-haired folks headed out in a wheelchair brigade.

I held the door and Scott waited his turn. Mom couldn't hide her smile.

All-in-all it was a fantastic Zoo Day.

Thanks Bunnells for the gift that keeps on giving.