Raising Teenagers!

My friend Ginger wrote this for her blog and gave me permission to post it on my blog. I thought it was very profound!

I've decided people are like butterflies. Our kids are like the caterpillars when they are little. Parents are like the cocoon. We shelter them as they grow and as they change (puberty). But then before long they are wanting out of that shell and they start trying to get out. They want to be free and spread their wings. So they start pushing and stretching to try to get out... I've decided the whole experience is a very painful process... for the cocoon!

Too Funny!

I stole this off my friend, Carey's blog. I hope she does not mind, but I don't think she will seeing as how she stole it from someone else. I found it quite funny! Thanks Carey!

Porter And His Buddies!!!

Porter and I had a surprise this past week. Some of our good friends came home for a surprise visit. My good friend Marissa and her family (Breton, one of Porter's best buddies) moved last January to Peru for a couple of years. Monday afternoon I get a call from Marissa informing me they are in town for a surprise for her dad. I was thrilled for 2 reasons: 1. Obviously I was excited to see her and her family, and 2. It had been a month since I could get in contact with her no telephone (Vonage is not all it is cracked up to be), and no Internet therefore no e-mail. I just knew something was wrong. It was so good to see them. We talked Breton into coming with us to Porter's B-Ball game and surprising him. When Porter saw Breton walk in he could not believe it. Too bad they lost their game, but it was fun for Breton to watch Porter play. Porter had another game on Wed. so Breton came with us again. Porter's team lost again. I told Breton if we weren't so excited to see him we would think he was bad luck for Porter. :o}

Porter and Breton wanted to spend Friday night together since Breton was leaving early Sun. morning. We went ahead and invited Prescott over as well since he and Breton knew each other already. They had such a good time. I am so grateful for the friends that Porter has chosen. He is always surrounded by good kids. It is so funny to me the difference of Porter's friends. We have the sport's nuts, the extremely intelligent kids, the really big guys (not hard to be this considering how small Porter is), and the younger guys. Porter doesn't care what people look like or who they are, he is just friends with everyone. I had to take a picture of these 3 boys Friday night. Look at the size difference of these kids. We have Porter on the left, then Prescott, then Breton. There are only 6 months separating these boys. Kinda funny Huh?

Happy 16th Anniversary

Happy Anniversary Ron! It has been a wonderful 16 years! I love you~A

Laser Tag

I know I know don't hate me because I am beautiful! Cherai was suppost to "Dr." up my photo before she sent it to me and she must have forgot. Anyway Saturday night Ron and I had a great time with about 25 other couples. We played Laser Tag. We had such a good time. George Miller was the "Master Mind" behind this fun evening. He reserved the whole place for our group, we were able to play 2 rounds. Needless to say, shooting is not my sport. The first round I scored 55 out of 57. Ron was not much better I think he got 49. The second round I improved I got 47 out of 52. Ron also improved he got 29 out of 52. It was alot of fun and I am glad we did it! Thanks Debbie for inviting us!

I HATE CANCER!!!!!

Happy Birthday Grandma Sharon

Happy Birthday Mom! Hope your day is wonderful! I asked some of my kids (Bryndee had already left for school when I thought of this) what they thought of when I said Grandma Sharon and here are their responses:

Porter: "I think of always having fun with her oh yea and her rolls they are the best!"
Torie: "I think of her always having gingersnaps to eat, they are so yummy! She is also funny!"
Kymber: "I think she is so nice. I also love the orange slices she has for me to eat."
Abby: "When I think of Grandma I think I smell a Baker. I also think of the ice cream sandwiches she always has for us."
Ellie: "I love to play blue play dough at Grandma Sharon's house."

Happy Birthday! We sure love you and wish we were with you celebrating with the nurses.

Update On Dad

Once again I took this off Cassie's Blog:

Here is a quick update on what is going on with my dad and his cancer. Last week he had what is called a PET Scan and a Scope. The Scan is really the last test they can do on him to try and figure out what type of Cancer he has. Today the Doctors were able to show us the scan over the computer. It goes through his entire body, major organs and glands. The result of that was nothing that we don't already know. It is in his hip, lung and a few glands, but his Heart, Liver, Pancreas, Stomach and Kidneys all are clean, they look great! (Due to the cancer he has lost 30 pounds .) They still cannot figure out where the source of the cancer is. So right now his condition is labeled "Cancer of the Unknown Primary" which is only about 5% of all cancers, very rare. They admitted him today up at Huntsman Cancer Hospital to start his prep for his surgery on Wednesday. Today they are doing an Embolism which is where the doctors cut off all blood supply to his tumor in his hip (about a 2 1/2 hour procedure). Then on Wednesday he will be getting a full hip replacement and a removal of that yucky tumor. That procedure will be about 6 hours. Then he will have a recovery in the hospital anywhere from 5-10 days. His healing at home will be about 4 weeks. After the 4 weeks then the doctors will discuss what type of Chemo he will be on. They only have two to choose from. They will try one type for about 2-3 months and then x-ray to see if the cancer is shrinking. If that doesn't work than they have one more to try. We still have a long road of waiting. Please keep him in your prayers, especially on Wednesday.

Thanks again Cassie for the info.

Happy Birthday Abby!

The fall is a busy time at our house. Three birthdays within 4 weeks what were we thinking? Anyway today is Abby's B-Day she turned 6 years old. I can't believe she is already 6 years old where has the time gone? Abby is my SWEETHEART! She is a very kind and compassionate child. Maybe it is because she has been through so much her first couple of years that she has a high tolerance of others and their ways. Abby is a very smart girl that loves to learn. Because of her size (she is really tall) we started her in school a year early and we are glad we did. Abby is the youngest and the tallest in her class, but you would not know she is young because she fits right in academically. Abby has the funniest personality! She always makes us laugh. From the very beginning Abby has been a wonderful eater. She loves her veggies. I remember giving her celery and carrots to eat for a snack one afternoon and hearing her giggling at the table. I asked her what was so funny and she said she was just so happy to be having the very best snack ever. We love you Abby! You are WONDERFUL!!

When Abby was 2 she ended up in the hospital for 9 days with an abscess on her liver (I know very weird). There was a time there when the Dr's. didn't know if she would make it. It was an awful time in our family. This picture was taken just weeks before this whole ordeal. Ron gave her a blessing just days before she went into the hospital and I clung to the promises made in that blessing. I honestly believe that is what got me through this awful time.

Abby choose to go to Olive Garden for her birthday dinner. After dinner Ellie asked when we were going to go to "All the Gardens" it took some convincing to help her realize that we said Olive Garden and not All the Gardens.

Porter And His Rubiks Cube

Yesterday while I was out and about I get a call from Porter asking me if I will pick him up a Rubiks Cube. Ever since the school student council elections when one kid solved a rubiks cube while giving his speech (proving he could solve any problem that came his way, which I think was rather clever by the way) Porter has been fascinated with that toy. I picked him up one and immediately he went to work. Within minutes he had that thing so messed up I thought well it is ruined. From 4:00 pm till bed time he worked on that thing. Every once in a while I would hear "Oh dang it", or "Oh NO", or "Dang now I have to start over!" But he would continue on with it. Last night at 9:45 pm I came in to tell Porter I was going to bed. He could continue working, but be quiet and turn off the lights when you are done. This morning after he had been up for about 1 hour I hear "Yes! I did it!" He came running in just a pleased as anything-he did it the cube was perfect again! I was amazed. When I was a kid I would peel off the stickers. Ron said even he could never figure it out and he is one of the smartest people I know. Way to go Porter! As he was running to show his sisters he dropped the cube and and crash! The Cube was in pieces and so was Porter. Needless to say we will be going back to the store and purchasing a new cube and he will be starting all over again. Can't wait to see you complete it again!

Happy Birthday Taralee!

My baby is 1 year old today! I can't believe it. I have always said "9 months is a long time to get a baby here, it is not fair that 1 year goes by so fast!" Taralee is such a joy! She is a very calm, happy baby and has been this way from day one (I think Heavenly Father knew this family would not function if our baby was not calm). She slept through the night when she was one week old and has continued to be a good sleeper. She looks a little like Porter she even has the animated eyebrows and the tongue that sticks out when she concentrates. All our kids adore her and think she is the cutest baby ever. We love you Taralee (Talula)!

A couple weeks old
Just about 6 months old. I can't believe how much Bryndee has grown up in the last 6 months.
About 9 months old
1 year old!