Our Yuletide Joy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, it should be no surprise that Jordan and I are not on top of our game with this blogging thing. Please forgive us! And we hope to update our loved ones as soon as we can with more, but we don't want to raise expectations too high now! Lydia is 5 1/2, Russell is 3 1/2 and Timothy just turned one year old. We acknowledge the hand of the Lord in every aspect of our lives and we are so blessed to be alive! We are enjoying this holiday season as we remember who is the Giver of every good thing and try to stay warm here in southeast, rural, Colorado.

Lydia's Artwork 3/13/11 5:41 PM

So, Lydia is an artist. She says she is going to be an artist when she grows up, and I say she's off to a good start. She creates new art everyday, and it fills the whole house. I figure the best thing to do is immortalize it on the internet, so we scanned some of it in using the new scanner Opa bought us. She's got talent, right?

Huntington City Beach

So, Michelle got this sudden urge to go to California a few weeks ago. She woke up and said: "Let's go to California today." I said, "If we must." So we did. We stayed w/ her friend Nikki and her husband, John.

Top 10:

10. Getting lost on the way there: then, on the way to the new route, running into a major traffic jam! Uggggh!
9. The weather was heavenly.
8. Their house was merely 15 min from the beach.
7. The kids had a blast...it was their first time at the beach.
6. Lydia played in the mud like there was no tomorrow.
5. Russ loved splashing in the water, but soon got very cold and had to change into sweats.
4. Russ only ate sand about twice.
3. Jordo finally got to try surfing for the 1st time in his life...now he's content to stick to the wakeboard...wow that was a lot of work.
2. Sand castles, hermit crabs, burying our feet.
1. Cruisin' down Pacific Coast Hwy....and really feeling California.

This a bunch of pictures from our trip to the Grand Canyon over Labor Day Weeekend, 2009.

Top Ten Things to Remember:

10. Too many chiefs setting up the tents in a dark campground the first night.
9. Trying to keep the fire alive w/ only 1 small bundle of wood....mmmm s'mores
8. Breakfast burritos and chocolate scones for breakfast.
7. The motorcade for the Chinese consulate.
6. The nazi bus driver...that lady was seriously out of control..."don't make me use this" (as she points to her walkie talkie).
5. Opa smashing a bumble bee inside the bus w/ his bare hands! (And the animal rights lady that freaked out afterword).
4. Opa talking about the group of Mexicans that were on the bus as if they couldn't understand him (just because they're speaking Spanish, doesn't mean they don't also speak English).
3. Making sure Russell and Lydia don't fall off the cliff.
2. Carrying around the stroller and Russell in our arms (why did we bring that stroller anyway?)
1. The perfect weather, the breathtaking views, the fact that we were in the car for about as much time as we were at the Grand Canyon, seeing Aunt Linda at the fire station. OK, that's a bunch of extra memories rolled up into one, but it would have been lame to keep counting down into the negative numbers.

This isn't Kansas anymore, Toto. . . or Memphis.

Yes, Russell's finger is in his nose and this is the last look at our home in Memphis just before we left town. Unfortunately we left it unsold. We are still praying and trusting that all things will work out for good. Paying our house payment while we don't live there is a major bummer though.

Jordan and I asked both our dads to come and help us move and drive cross-country. We towed one of our cars behind the tow truck and drove the other one with the kids in it. Lydia and Russell were pretty good. . . most of the time! We drove through Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and then into Colorado. After the trailer towing one of our cars had a blow-out we all arrived safely at our destination. We unloaded everything we own into Jordan's Parent's basement. We are so lucky! After a rest-day on the boat, Jordan and my dad drove from Colorado to Arizona and I flew with Lydi-lu and Russ to Phoenix. We are all blessed that we didn't have to spend another two days with our kids in a car.

We are in Az! It's like Oz, but a lot hotter and drier, plus cactus and rocks. We are living with my folks and it's a great thing that they have a pool! We are pretty used to things and we love the new adventures we are having. . . with family!!! It's wonderful living with my Mom, Dad, and Sisters Annie and Chrissy. And Theresa lives down the street and we get to hang out with her too. Family is the BEST!

So, life keeps happening for us here in Memphis. Lydia got tubes 2 weeks ago and things went great! She has a follow-up with her ENT on Tuesday and we'll see how things look. The doctor did say that she drained "thick mucus" out of both ears and we are so grateful for modern medicine! Bad news is: she has to wear ear plugs until the tubes fall out and the ear drum heals closed (3-18 months). Yes, ear plugs and 3-year-old's do not mix well.

We actually got a real realtor 3 weeks ago and listed our house with the biggest real estate company in the "Mid-South." Our realtor is very positive and we have our first scheduled showing tomorrow evening! Jordan and I have done project after project to get our house ready for this: paint the entire indoors (doors and trim included), new light fixtures, install attic stairs, build a gate, paint the front door, fix some rotted siding, plant sod, and lots of other various projects. I am actually very proud of us! We have attended the temple once a week for the last 2 months to help us sell our home. So, here we go! We need as many prayers as we can get! August 24 is our deadline.

Jordo is going to clinic everyday right now. He sees pediatric, ocular disease, low vision, vision therapy, and contact lens patients. We will move to Arizona in August where he will work in a group practice. So exciting!

Lydia was playing with Jordo the other day and he wasn't 'cooperating' with her exact plans and she states, "Daddy, you are making me frustrated!" Then she used it again another 5 minutes later. She's 3! She had a birthday party with friends 3 weeks ago: her 'cupcake birthday,' and then we celebrated her actual birthday as a family: her 'cake birthday.' Our daughter is a bonafide fat kid. . . her life revolves around food.

Russell refuses to walk, but he does love to squeal and dance. He says, "Dada" and "muh" for milk. He also signs "all-done" and "milk." He is so fun! At story time last week they read stories about birds and had a woman bring in her parrot. Russell had a squealing war with the parrot, Tango, during the stories. Russell finally had someone who he could speak with!

I am pretty consumed with the house business. Plus we have to move in 7 weeks. Our A/C went out for 2 days a couple weeks back. Now one of our upstairs toilets is leaking - again. This never ends! Oh, but the bright spot in my life is working in the nursery with Lydia each Sunday. Eleven kids in our senior nursery! But I will take nursery over RS Presidency any day!

We are doing fantastic!

Tubes

So, Lydia has been battling w/ water and mucous in her inner ear for months now. It has caused her to be hard of hearing, which is frustrating to all involved. The doctors tried antibiotics for a couple of weeks and that cleared out the mucous, but there was still water in there. They discontinued the antibiotics for a month or so, hoping it would resolve on it's own, but instead it has flared up to the way it was before. The funny part is, she doesn't complain about ear pain or infection, but the infection is there. Anyway, the doctor decided to put tubes in her ears on June 22. It is a very common and safe procedure and will fix the problem immediately. The benefits, greatly outweigh the risks. We look forward to this time with nervousness and excitement. I am going to take that day off of school to be w/ her...my heart goes out to her. We are praying and fasting that all will go well and that we will get a good result.