Dana Family

Sorry.

2010-03-28T23:05:00.001-07:00

I know it's been a while, but life has been getting ahead of me. I've had lots and lots of physical therpy to do, a bunch of crazies (the Woodards) living in my house, and a father getting re-married. It's been lots of fun and hard work, too! But I'm up walking and exercising again, riding my new bike with the 'wonky" wheel, and I'm grateful for all of it!Soon I will have time to post some pictures and breathe. Hope you are all happy and well!

Remembering Grandma

2010-01-28T17:03:00.001-08:00

Grandma and Jack - May 2008

Where did the time go? Today it is one year ago that my mother passed away. I just wanted to take a minute to remember my mom and found this picture of her doing something she loved. I know she would be proud of us for carrying on without her here, and it hasn't been easy at times, but we have helped each other along the way as a family. I, myself, am especially proud of my dad for putting on his running shoes and staying in the race. After my sister and I made a mad rush to the temple at 5:30 this morning, I decided to spend the rest of today feeling grateful for an eternal family and for the Savior who made it all possible.

Milestone

2010-01-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

I can fit a shoe on my foot! First time in almost three months! WOW! Next step, learning to drive again!

Bored.

2010-01-01T12:06:00.000-08:00

What to do... what to do... when you have six kids laying around, no money to spend, you can't drive anywhere, and you have one massive lemon tree (We call it a lemon weed.) ? You take lemons and you make lemonade!

Juicing... for three hours... my kitchen has never smelled so clean or been so sticky.

Sweet and sour.

D-man, the machine!

Cutting, cutting, cutting

and, cutting some more!

Straining!

Washing!

We also sold lemons in bags, lemon bars, sticky popcorn, and sugar free lemonade. The kids pulled in about $40. Not bad for a lemonade stand! It also kept them busy and exhausted for two days!

Christmas Morning

2010-01-01T11:51:00.000-08:00

P. and Claire and the new doll "Annabeth" (Percy Jackson fans will recognize that one)

My new apron.

Griddle for Kyle.

Bakugan for Derek.

Fuzzy robe for Allie.

Sheer Delight.

We are a happy family... really!

2010-01-01T11:35:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve at the temple. It's really fun!
Allie wanted a picture with the baby Jesus. We took four of these. Not sure what she's doing, but everyone around us got a good laugh.

We ate at Sonic for Christmas Eve. PATHETIC.

Give me my cherry limeade!

It was a lovely night, except for the creepy missionary from Salt Lake who told us we were wimps for wearing coats. Whatever.

So sweet!

Even sweeter!

Allie went up and knoocked on the door of the temple. She wanted to go inside. Can you imagine Allie in the temple. Disaster. Maybe in twenty years or so...

I Know You're All Curious!

2010-01-01T11:31:00.000-08:00

It's like that bad car accident and you just can't look away!

Big "D" Number 7

2010-01-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

It's always several days of partying around Christmas for us. We also took the entire family to see the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie... you know "The Squeak-quel". My kids think that's so funny! Anyway, it was a big day for us! This is the first time we have ever been to a movie as a family! Everyone sat, ate popcorn, and laughed at all the potty humor... you know, always have to have one fart, one burp, and at least one kick in the crotch. Lovely.

Arizona Autumn

2010-01-01T11:08:00.000-08:00

We found one, little, measly pile of leaves this year. The landscapers beat us to it, I guess! Jack Jack

The kids... The Danas, The Woodards, and The Crismons

C. and Claire... sharing the love

S. and Allie ( They always hold hands when they are together)

No, we didn't have any fun at all!

Good News!

2009-12-11T15:17:00.000-08:00

I am freeeee!!! I can start walking now! (I can't really walk... my foot won't support my weight, but if it could, I'd be walking!) I can be up on my crutches and my knee cart as much as I want now! I'm only using the wheelchair when I'm too tired to stand anymore and it's wonderful to be upright once again. My bum is the size of Texas and about as flat (that's pretty flat, by the way) from all the sitting. So, next week I'm off to physical therapy! By the way, for you detail oriented people, this time Kyle and I counted the hardware when we saw the x-rays. Here's the total count: 7 screws, 1 plate, 2 pins, and some wire. Also, I have a treatment plan set up for my bone issue that includes supplements, more PT (physical therapy), lots of weight lifting (Oh, darn! Those of you who know me will understand that one!), and one of those prescription bone medications. In 1-2 years, I should have my bones back to normal. Right around the corner, eh? So, I'll see ya'll at the gym! (As soon as I can walk again and when I can afford a membership!)

The "Danas of our Lives"... another entry...

2009-12-06T22:17:00.000-08:00

Today, we stayed home from church. Yes, I know what you are thinking. Rebels. Kyle stood out on the freezing cold for five hours last night at a health screening event, then got to stay up all night doing breathing treatments for two kids, and, to top it off, Jack was up about five (for a snack and romp for an hour or so.) When the alarm went off at 7:00am, for Kyle to get ready for his meeting, he discovered that his back was quite sore and starting to freeze up. I decided that, we were done for the day... before it even started! I told Kyle to go back to bed and I let the kids sleep. No one moved 'til about nine... which is pretty darn miraculous for us. So, we decided to enjoy our day of rest. HA! We should have known better! Shortly after lunch, I notice water on the floor in my pantry... Kyle is walking down the hall and notices that the water in my pantry is actually coming out of the bathroom and quickly filling up the hallway. Yup. The toilet flooded our house. We got to spend the afternoon mopping (not easy in a wheelchair), trying to keep the kids out of the mess, ripping up carpet, padding, and tack strips, and attempting to disinfect after splashing around in raw sewage for several hours. Now, our home is a rental and it is going to foreclose sometime in the next few months... do you think our landlord will replace the carpet? Well, I have to admit... he carpet in this house was so nasty, I actually almost prefer the bare concrete! By the way, thanks to Kyle's brother, Wade and my dad, Frank, for coming out to the rescue! Hope Kyle can walk tomorrow! I can hardly move already!

Movie, anyone?

2009-11-29T10:38:00.000-08:00

Yep, I've now seen it three times. How embarrassing! But, when you are confined to a wheelchair in your house, you are willing to go to great lengths to get out! If anyone wants to go see a movie, I come with handicap parking and great seating in the theater. I will even see New Moon again, if it means a couple of hours of fresh air! Give me a call!

We're back!

2009-11-27T22:05:00.000-08:00

I know we haven't posted anything new for a couple of months. I (Diana) had a bit of an accident (see two posts down), and frankly, I just haven't felt up to doing much at all, blogging included. Now, that the crisis is passing and I am recovering, hopefully, we can get right back into our usual blogging routine. I'm sure that ya'll can't wait. :)

Random pictures from the last two months...

2009-11-27T21:11:00.000-08:00

Claire pulls out another tooth all by herself!

Derek, at the splash pad... this is where I broke my ankle!

Allsie playing doctor and "helping" me with my recovery.

Jack is a total camera hog! Always smiling!

Sweet Allsie girl! Just being cute!

The night before surgery, Allie's birthday party. I was attempting to stay conscious long enough to get through the party. Sitting next to me is my dad and newly appointed taxi driver (since I can't drive now.)

Two Dana boys... Grandpa and Jack. No resemblance at all there! :)

The Dana kids at the splash pad on October break.

Megan and Claire shooting bottle rockets.

Claire's trying to sneak Jack to school, I guess. Good luck!

Allie's 5th Birthday

2009-11-27T21:06:00.000-08:00

Neighbor, Jen, made Allie a tutu... so of course, Derek has to model it!

... and Jack has to fight over the gifts!

New jammies! Cool!

Sweet girl! Can't believe she's five years old!

The Reason for my Recent Bloggong Laziness

2009-11-27T20:54:00.000-08:00

In the ER... ankle broken in two places. Oh, wait... the x-ray shoes that both of my ankles have been broken all summer! What we thought were sprains, were actually fractures! The right ankle didn't heal properly causing it to break all the way!

My other ankle is still healing from a fracture in June... so, I can't be hoping around on crutches too much! Luckily, my niece's husband, Matt, borrowed an electric wheelchair from his grandmother. What a life saver!

Bonus! I got to have surgery! One plate, half a dozen or so screws, and some wire! (We called this bandage "The Q-Tip"!

Yummy post op picture! The other side of my ankle looked about the same.

My "cast". I get to live in this boot and my wheelcahir for six weeks. Thanks to my ward, my friends and family and most of all my hubby, Kyle... for all the help and prayers and just general happy thoughts!

Halloween

2009-11-27T20:51:00.000-08:00

Megan (Pocohontas), Jack (Frankenstein), Sammy (Ballerina), Claire (Gothic Princess), Derek ("Dark" Vader), and Allie (Spanish Dancer)

Are they related?

2009-11-27T20:49:00.000-08:00

Pictures of the Kids!

2009-11-27T20:42:00.000-08:00

Aren't they lovely, kids?

2009-08-23T13:05:00.000-07:00

August 19, 1994

Here we are... Dumb and Dumber. I won't tell you who is who. It changes hourly anyway. I meant to post something on our anniversary, but things just got crazy that day! We ended up sitting on the floor at 9:00pm, eating take out from Joe's BBQ, and watching an episode of the Office. Not too shabby!

More "Danas"

2009-08-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

The toaster broke down, again. Every time this happens we wonder if this is the end. That van has been pushed beyond the limits of what any vehicle can tolerate... and that was before we inherited it. Poor Toaster! Like many things in my life, I have a love-hate relationship with that car and truly I would be sad to see it go because I'd probably end up with something like this:

When really, I would want something like this:

What actually would be the most practical would be something like this:

But, luckily my dad doesn't mind us borrowing his van. AND, we have little bright spot today! Our brand new trampoline that broke on Claire's birthday (almost killing two of her friends in the process) will be replaced. Happy thought, indeed!

The "Danas" of Our Lives

2009-08-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

Today I am grateful for Physical Therapists. Mine says that if I am lucky, I might be able to run again someday. My first goal is to start walking without a limp.

For Jenifer...

2009-08-14T16:28:00.000-07:00

Just thought Jack needed a little more representation

First Day of School

2009-08-14T16:20:00.000-07:00

It's like we never had a break! The summer just went by so fast! Here's Alsie going to pre-schoool... again!

Claire Bear, Third Grader

D-man, First Grader

Happy Birthday, Claire!

2009-08-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

Miss Claire turned 9 on August 4th. Here's the pre-party sleepover with the Woodard girls. The next day, we took some friends to pizza and roller skating. After that... cake and ice cream, of course!

There's our girl!

Ah... California!

2009-08-14T15:48:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of our adventures in California this summer. Unfortunately, we lost our camera case at the Huntington Library and it had our other card with all of our pictures on it. But, we did have these! This is one of my favorite places to go in the LA area. It's called the Huntington Library. They have lovely gardens and galleries and a great area for kids.

That's our group, plus my sister Debbie and her daughter, Katie.

Classic Kyle!

Claire in the kids' area.

The children. It was a hot day and they were melting!

Newport Beach... perfect day! And we ate at the Crab Cooker on Balboa Island. We always get clam chowder, crusty bread, shrimp cocktail, and crab cakes for the kids. It's the best!

Derek thought this was so cool. He had to have a picture.

Alli, Katie and Jack

Role Play

2009-08-14T11:24:00.001-07:00

Alli's pre-school teacher just called me and said that they played an interesting game yesterday. Alli told her teacher to play Jesus and she would play Samuel the Lamanite. Anyone who is acquainted with Alli at all knows about her penchant for drama. I'm just glad that some of our family home evening lessons are getting through! And... luckily her teacher is LDS, so she played along!

We're home!

2009-08-10T19:14:00.000-07:00

Back from a long trip to California! Too bad I sprained both of my ankles just before we left. Oh well. I got to sit by the pool and read quite a bit. We have some great pictures to share, but I am swamped getting the kids started in school and starting my pre-school and art classes here at home. We'll post something new soon!! Glad to be home!

July in Arizona... Time to Run Away!

2009-06-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

We're outta here! At least the kids and I... temporarily! We're spending July over at my sister's house. She is shuffling her kids all over the globe and I'm going over to "help". Kyle gets to stay here and work. Lucky guy. We're excited to get out of the heat and looking forward hanging out with the cousins. See you all in August!

Heaven Help Us!

2009-05-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

Paul (brother-in-law) fills Kyle in on all the inner secrets of the motorcyle owners' circle of trust.

If anything happens to anyone, I'm blaming you, Paul! :) By the way, thanks for delivering all the way from L.A. It been fun and we are now the most/least (depending on how you look at it) favorite family in the neighborhood.

Queen of the Castle

2009-05-26T15:50:00.000-07:00

After losing two cats, it looks like Marge is here to stay. Claire and Kyle built Marge a little place to call her own. Happy scorpion hunting, Marge!

Long Time Coming!

2009-05-26T15:40:00.000-07:00

Two firsts today!

#1 Allison gets to start her first swim lessons. She was so excited that she woke up at 5:45 ready to go!

#2 She let me put her hair in a ponytail and she actually left it there! Doesn't it look amazing? She has the best hair!

By the way, swim lessons were so entertaining! She had her swim teacher, Chris, all over that pool! From one end to the other, back and forth, and back and forth again! This is a big pool, too! Anyway, when it was over, she had a major meltdown because she wanted to keep going! Does this surprise any of you? Poor Chris... I'm wondering if he's regretting the day he signed up to teach "special" swim lessons!

The Last Hurrah!

2009-05-26T15:27:00.000-07:00

It looks like things are coming full circle. My kids are going to the school where I used to teach! It's all so strange to be a parent and not an employee! I was very happy working at Benjamin Franklin. I loved my job and I loved my students! I can't say enough about their curriculum, teachers, and administrators. It's a great place to get an education and my kids are so happy there! Claire completes 2nd grade with flying colors! This is her teacher Mrs. Solberg.

Derek with Miss Ritter after Kindergarten Graduation. Handsome boy!

Happy Birthday, Jack!

2009-05-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

I guess we can't call him Baby Jack anymore! We'll still call him "Ning Ning" though! He's all grown up and walking all over the place just like a big kid! Jack loves his new toys... little cars, big cars, more cars! He also got a pool floaty, a new swimsuit and shoes (so he won't burn his little toes on the blazing hot ground here in the desert). We had lots of family and friends and fajitas and gingerbread cake... but Jack got the fancy cake, of course! I'm sure you will all agree that he is just the cutest, little birthday boy!

Just an observation...

2009-05-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

Dwight Schrute and Claire "Schrute"

We found this picture when we were going through my mom's things. Kyle and I immediately saw a resemblance. Fortunately, Dwight is one of my favorite characters! What do you think?

The Day After...

2009-05-14T21:12:00.000-07:00

Survived! My head hurts, but I made it through. Luckily, Kyle had the day off today! So, I had some help recovering from yesterday. To reward myself, I went and bought some new running shoes. I've been nursing my old shoes along doing Power 90... but I think it's time to run a couple of days every week and for that I needed new shoes. Time to lose the rest of the baby weight! Get some fresh air! No laughing at me when you drive by! Wish me luck! I'll try not to break anything or catch anything on fire, except the road, baby! Thanks for listening! :)

It's only 11:45am!

2009-05-13T11:46:00.000-07:00

Stove caught fire. Not joking! What a day! I don't dare ask what's next. Alli's home from school, so the sky's the limit!

Insult to Injury

2009-05-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

Not my best morning ever... first, the insurance thing. Then, as I was going potty, getting ready to hop in the shower, the light fixture from the ceiling fell, landing on my head, and then proceeded to shatter all over my bathroom and closet. Fortunately, my children were not on hand to hear my commentary on the situation. And, fortunately, I did not pass out, although I thought about it for a few seconds. Now I have a big, bump, a headache, and some frozen vegetables on my head... since I'm out of ice. Is anyone feeling sorry for me, yet?

I Hate Insurance!!!

2009-05-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

Guess what I got in the mail today? A bill. Yup. A bill for the birth and delivery of Jack... who is almost a year old. $8,700.00! Also, when I called about this I found out that more bills are coming! Yay. For some unknown, unexplained reason I have disappeared from the face of the planet with my baby and nobody knows anything about anything! So, after spending the morning on the phone... long distance to Texas, of course, I know absolutely nothing, except that even though I was covered at the time of the birth, my insurance did a "retro-disenrollment" after Jack was born and now they don't want to pay for the entire preganancy. But wait, I can appeal. Lucky me.

Jack's Pajamas

2009-05-10T23:36:00.000-07:00

I'll just let the pictures do the "talking". I'm laughing too hard to type anyway. Thanks for the jammies, Mater. I think we'll just pack those away for later this year! :)

Three Men and a Tent

2009-05-10T23:28:00.000-07:00

Kyle, Derek, and Nate head up north for the Ward Father and Sons Campout!

Kyle and Derek near a waterfall. And yes, for those of you who are outsiders... this is in Arizona. Beautiful!

Roughin' it, eh?

I think it took more time to prepare and load up than they were actually there camping! Glad they went and had some fun though!

MMM... Mother's Day

2009-05-10T23:07:00.000-07:00

What did I get for Mother's Day, you ask? Well, my lovely husband took my children swimming Saturday afternoon, so that I could "get things done" so that I could actually relax a little on Sunday! I also got one really long nap... which never happens. I watched Twilight. Claire made me breakfast in bed (soggy Life cereal) AND... I made my dad, my in-laws, my husband's brother, and my neighbors all come over to my house and eat food. My dad and the boys made one of my favorites, Grilled "Butterfly" Chicken. Nate made one of my new dessert favorites... Creme Brulee. (I probably spelled that wrong, oh well.) It was a great day and I just had to blog and make you all jealous. Can you smell that chicken? Heavenly! (My dad, Frank, and Kyle's dad, Ted)

That's me trying to eat some watermelon before the kids figure out it's there!

Kyle and his mom, Carol.

Our favorite neighbors, The Woodards... (well, that's three of them anyway!)

Project Man Castle

2009-05-01T23:17:00.000-07:00

We came, we saw, we conquered! My sisters, my aunts, Carol (my mother-in-law)... we descended on my dad's house and helped him clean, sort, organize, and dispose of my mother's many treasured treasures. And let me tell you, there were some treasures, and many of them! Some of my favorite finds:

1. The notes and receipts from planning my wedding almost 15 years ago. Also, found the flowers from my wedding.

2. Found mom's wig from when she had cancer. (In tact with wig brush, shampoo, and styling utensils.) We had fun trying it on and modeling for the camera.

3. Jar of peppercorns older than me! Way older!

4. Mom's favorite college clothes. Sweaters, slacks, skirts, scarves... Still stylish, but all wool, very itchy, and not practical, especially for Arizona.

5. A polaroid camera, with extra film, a 35mm camera with film, and the other kind of camera that's so old, I don't even know what to call it... with extra film!

We worked hard all week and after several loads to DI and lots of dust and grime, I'm proud to say that the only thing we fought over were some favorite DVD's from mom's vast collection. Sherry and I claimed all the Esther Williams movies to keep in Arizona, but we lost the Doris Day collection. Kyle's heart is broken. :)

My dad's now set up in his "man castle"... all the years of junk are hauled away and I'm feeling that things are finally coming to a close. The cobwebs have been cleared and the dust has settled on another beautiful journey. I can spend this Mother's Day, enjoying my own family and once again feeling grateful for all the beautiful memories I have of my own mom.

Easter Festivities

2009-05-01T23:07:00.000-07:00

Claire and her "auntcestors". Kyle sisters DeAnn and Danette at the family Easter Egg Hunt.

Jack's first Easter! A new toothbrush, cool!

Derek, the Easter Bunny... funny.

Claire Egg Hunting

Alli Easter Bunny... funnier.

Derek's First Diamondbacks Game

2009-05-01T23:02:00.000-07:00

Boys night out!! Thanks for the tickets, Travis!

A Mother's Work is Never Done!

2009-05-01T22:47:00.000-07:00

I have been very blessed to have known many great mothers. Here are two of my favorites! My own mom, who recently passed away, and my husband's mom, Carol. Here we are at the end of my last pregnancy. I was preparing to move from Texas, Kyle was getting ready to graduate, kids trying to finish another year of school, packing, speech therapy, babysitting... craziness! They both came to Texas for several weeks to help. We got Jack here, packed up two weeks later, and moved to Arizona. I can't believe it's only been one year ago! I'm glad we all survived that move and have the pictures to keep us laughing about it now.

See, there is water in Arizona!

2009-04-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

During Spring Break, my very brave father, took us up to Canyon Lake for a boat ride and picnic. It was a perfect day! We saw lots of people boating, fishing, and even some brave souls out waterskiing.

Here we are in "Old Green" (the boat). Sadly, this turned out to be it's last trip. Luckily, we did not have to row ourselves in to shore!

Out of Control

2009-04-03T16:05:00.000-07:00

I mean really... I know that it is Spring, but there's no way my poor, little, allergic, immune system can stand up to this! (This is the tree just behind our back wall.) I will admire the blooms from a distance. Which translates to: standing inside my house, with all the doors and windows closed, tissues and Benedryl in hand, and my air purifier blowing directly on my face!

The Easter Beagle is Coming!

2009-03-31T17:41:00.000-07:00

My kids love everything Peanuts Gang... I think that their mother might have inspired that. Anyway, we love to celebrate the holidays with a little Charlie Brown!

Sticker Body Art!

2009-03-05T21:08:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when Kyle is left "in charge". Jack was asleep in his crib or else he too would be covered in stickers. The kids were nice enough to adhere them to the hot chocolate table when they were done.

Need your house baby proofed?

2009-03-05T20:43:00.000-08:00

We now offer free home baby proofing. No house is too big or small. Give us twenty minutes and all clutter will be placed three feet above ground level. All other items including dust bunnies, pencil shavings and gravel will be thoroughly removed by salivary sanitation. In case you couldn't guess, Jack has learned how to crawl and is in the process of mastering the classic stand up manuever.

Just can't help myself!

2009-03-01T23:10:00.000-08:00

We borrowed the first three season DVD's from our friends the Crismons and just got sucked into life in Scranton. With my mom having just passed away, I felt like I needed a laugh. The first episode I watched was the one where Michael burns his foot on his George Foreman grill while trying to cook bacon in bed. I could not catch my breath, I was laughing so hard. I know Kyle was laughing more at me than the show!

Found a short video of that episode. It's at the bottom of our blog!

Creepy, but Cute

2009-03-01T22:33:00.000-08:00

Saturday was Sammy's birthday. In case you don't know, Sammy is one of our neighbors that we just love to pieces. Anyway, she invited us to go to the Ostrich Farm. So, here's a picture of one the many ostriches we tried to feed by hand. They are pretty creepy looking, but you just can't help but like them. For some strange reason, they ended up being kind of cute.

Derek's ostrich imitation...

They had other animals to feed as well. Deer, donkeys, obnoxious little green birds... Here's Claire and Sammy feeding the birds.

Here's the group in front of the deer. Thanks for a fun day, Sammy!

Easy Rider

2009-03-01T22:29:00.000-08:00

Allison had a field trip last week... and this is what they did. Fun! The name of her horse was "Easy" and that made me feel better. Once they had Alli riding, I realized I had nothing to worry about. The horse could hardly stay awake! Alli kept shouting, "Faster! Faster!" I know that surprises many of you who know her well. :)

Dirty Laundry

2009-03-01T22:22:00.000-08:00

It never seems to be finished... the laundry. I can't ever seem to stay ahead of it! I stay up late at night doing laundry and by the next day, there's more! And then I have two girls who think they have to wear fourteen different outfits everyday. Of course, they only wear them long enough to get a spot of yogurt or toothpaste down the front. Oh well, I guess I should be glad that they can at least read their names, right?

Something that really bothers me...

2009-02-17T20:41:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to complain for a moment about my thumb. My sisters would tell you that I sucked my thumb until I was way too old (which would be true) and my mom always told me that I was born sucking my thumb... but that was my left thumb. I'm talking tonight about my right thumb. This thumb is a slightly neglected appendage, since I am left-handed. I've never thought much about this thumb to tell you the truth. What do they say? You never really appreciate something until it's gone? Well, my right thumb is not gone, but had a close shave on Saturday (Thanks to Dad's sharp knives and a small heap of bacon. ) Yuk. Let me tell you, life really stinks when you have a big cut on your right thumb. I've been teased for three days about my bandaids... do you know how hard it is to cover the top of a thumb with a bandaid? It takes several to get the job done. I also been wearing one rubber glove for tasks such as dishes, diaper changes, washing my face, and cleaning. But the hardest thing I have had to do is try and shower without my right thumb! Such a small thing, I know, but it really bothers me!!

My Valentine

2009-02-14T00:33:00.000-08:00

I'm blogging way too late and just now realizing that it is now officially Valentine's Day. We plan on celebrating late into the night with lots of laundry to fold and an episode or two of the Office. Ah, the years have been good to us. Aren't we lovely? Happy Valentine's Day!

Claire's Pancake

2009-02-14T00:31:00.000-08:00

She ate it with syrup, too!

Winter in Arizona

2009-02-14T00:27:00.000-08:00

Claire Marie fished a little and played alot!

My Dad (Frank, Grandpa Sumsion, or sometimes Ernie, when my sisters and I are feeling especially silly.)

Alli Girl had to do it all by herself, of course!

D-man looked like a pro from the start casting his own line and reeling it in every two minutes. I think he caught the most "veggie-fish" out of all of us.

Looks pretty rough, huh? Unfortunately, the only thing we caught that day was Grandpa's elbow. Oops.

Autumn in Arizona

2009-02-14T00:18:00.000-08:00

This is melting Jenifer's heart right now... :)

Everyone knows that our seasons are all mixed up here. So, this was in January. We played with those leaves in the greenbelt close to our house as much as we could before the landscapers came and hauled them all away. It lasted about a week.

A New Life Begins

2009-02-13T23:38:00.000-08:00

The Lovely Sumsion Girls
In order from youngest to oldest, of course!
(Diana, Laura, Debra, Sherry)Michelle, dad (Frank), Diana, Laura, Debra, Sherry, and Cheryl
(Michelle and Cheryl are mom's sisters.)

It's the new life that continues on with only memories of my mother. When my phone rings, I still catch myself wondering if it's mom. "Just checking in, " she'd always say. And now, time marches on. Kids have school, work, bills, life calls me back to reality. I'm left with a feeling not of sadness, but gratitude. So, thank you mom for a wonderful life!

2009-02-01T22:18:00.000-08:00

Earla Gay Butler Sumsion

December 16, 1936 - January 28, 2009

We'll miss you mom!

It's Been a While...

2009-01-25T21:53:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay in posting new info, but my computer has been acting up and became impossible to use, so I sent it away to have some work done. Can't wait to get some new pics posted! And yes, I'll take the Christmas music off, finally! I've got some cool stuff saved up! But not tonight... too tired! See you soon!

P.S. Jenifer, can I please stay on your linky list now? :)

It Came Upon a Midnight Mole

2008-12-22T08:15:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I had a skin tag under my eye that was somewhat bothersome... so I had it removed! This shows the aftermath of that removal. It should only take a few days to heal... I hope. And now, let the teasing begin... (It's always fun living with Kyle.)

How much would you give to be that comfy right now?

2008-12-22T08:09:00.000-08:00

Seriously, I'd sacrifice my temporary "mole" to be there right now! Wow! Why can't he sleep like that all night long?

The Daily Dance

2008-12-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

Everyday... we get home from school... the kids ride bikes... down to the nieghbor's house... They have Christmas decorations that play music and my kids just can't help themselves. They just have to go down the street and boogie.

All Wrapped Up

2008-12-22T07:59:00.000-08:00

The girls found this ribbon in some of our Christmas junk and decided to wear Christmas bows to school. I can't believe Alli let me do it. She's a little resistant to me brushing her hair. I'm sure that surprises you all. :) Check out Claire's ringlets! She's gonna hate that when she's older, but it's sooo cute now!

A Package from the Whites

2008-12-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

Thanks, Aunt Debbie! Aren't they lovely? Can you tell that you just made their day? Especially Derek! I just hope I can get them away the kids long enough to wash them!

The Annual BFCS Christmas Concert

2008-12-22T07:47:00.000-08:00

Well, there they are singing their little hearts out. This is the school Christmas concert for Benjamin Franklin. The music teacher, Mr. Blau, some of you will know him, puts this wonderful Christmas program together every year that involves every child at the school. It's lots of fun! We were extra brave and took our two neighbor girls, Megan and Sammy. That's six kids, everyone! Phew!

Christmas Carnage

2008-12-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

So, every year I ask myself, "Why?" But you all know the answer because you all probably do the same thing and then ask yourself the same question.... every year... At least this year we had our neighbors Sammy and Megan over to help decorate the tree. That's Jenifer, the girls' mommy, holding Jack for me. She just hates that, when Jack needs someone to hold him. :)

Okay, Merry Christmas, everyone! Trust me, it didn't stay clean for long. And since, I have your attention, I just want to say that this house is a rental and no, we did not paint our walls a lovely shade of peach.

A Healthy Diet

2008-12-16T20:28:00.001-08:00

Jack looks like a healthy well-fed baby... right?

Mmm... what food group would this belong to?

Christmas Tag

2008-12-13T14:10:00.000-08:00

Okay, Jenifer... I'm going to suck it up and finally do this. I am taking the time because after begin up with our children at the sleepover until 1:30am, I am too tired to do anything else. :)

1. Wrapping Paper of Gift Bag? Wrap it! Way more fun to open something that's been wrapped.

2. Real tree or artificial? I love real trees, but they are expensive and they make me sneeze.

3. When do you put up the tree? Day after Thanksgiving, of course!

4. When do you take the tree down? As soon as possible.

5. Do you like eggnog? I'm sort of impartial. Not a big milk drinker so, I might drink it if it's there, I might not.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I have a terrible memory so I have a hard time remembering anything I received as a child. But, I do remember getting a barbie jeep and horse trailer one year I loved that toy!

7. Hardest person to buy for? Kyle. What do you buy for the person you love the most when you have no money?

8. Easiest person to buy for? My kids would be happy to unwrap an empty box and then turn it into a barbie house or a sled for the cat or something. Or... Alli would sit and shred the paper to microscopic bits, Claire would use the ribbon to tie impossible knots around things and create a pirate ship or a cowboy fort in our front room, Derek would use the tissue to throw into the air to make an airplane, and Jack would try to eat it all! They are all very easy to please!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Several, but our favorite is the mini porcelain scene that I bought when I worked for Deseret Book years ago. As a matter of fact, I had no place safe to put it out this year and so Kyle wanted it on his dresser where he could enjoy it.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? E-MAIL!!! We posted our family picture on our blog, so that will probably have to do for this year.

11. Worst Christmas gift ever received? I really can't think of anything awful. I'm pretty much just happy to get anything at all. If I don't like it, I probably would just donate it to DI.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It used to be a tie between Holiday Inn and White Christmas until we saw Elf... now we watch it year round! I love that movie!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I like to start early. We have several fall birthdays, so I just start picking stuff up as I shop for birthdays.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Probably.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Candy Cane flavored Hershey Kisses and Mint M&M's

16. Colored or clear lights? Why not both?

17. Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night... Amazing story about the origin of the song. You should read it sometime!

18. Travel or stay at home? I love to travel... but with four little kids, we stay home!

19. Can you name all Santa's reindeer? If you can't, I will tutor you!

20. Angel or Star? Star, the one on top of our tree is from our very first year we were married and it has one light that won't work anymore. We don't care though, because it's a cool star.

21. Open presents on Christmas eve or the morning? Christmas Day!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? "Simply having a wonderful Christmas time..." ties with "Last Christmas I gave you my heart, but the very next day, you gave it away..." They play them way too much on the radio and they're not even a good songs! By the way, I'm really starting to dislike the Christmas Shoes song as well... sorry.

23. Favorite ornament or theme color? We have a set of clear plastic ornaments with gold accents that are all different Christmas shapes... an angel, a train, Santa, a reindeer, a star, candles, icicles, snowflakes... they are so pretty and safe for my kids to play with. They always fight over who gets to hang each one on the tree every year.

24. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? Christmas Day... Honey Baked Ham, baby! We also make homemade tamales and Mexican food on Christmas Eve. Wow!

25. What do I want for Christmas this year? A couple hours of sleep

26. White or Warm Christmas? Definitely white... but I would love it to be warm again as soon as Christmas is over.

27. Favorite thing about Christmas? Children... it's magic!

28. Favorite Christmas tradition? Going to the temple on Christmas Eve to see the lights and Carol and Ted's Christmas morning breakfast bonanza... amazing!

29. Favorite Christmas location? With my family

30. Who do you tag??? Sherry, Michelle, Mater

Scorpion Slayer

2008-12-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

Here she is! We're so excited that the Hunt's found her, but didn't want to keep her. Her name is Skipper and she's very sweet. She's even won over Kyle... well as much as you can win over a self-professed cat hater. The kids are thrilled with her and she absolutely loves them back. We gave her a bath today... she came to us very dirty and with some injuries to her neck that are healing. The neighborhood cats have all checked her out and so far we are all one big, happy family.

Thanks, Granny B!

2008-12-07T19:00:00.000-08:00

I know that Granny B is smiling down on us and laughing right now.

This came from the purge at Granny B's house... I hope it's not training for a future career! That's Derek, by the way.

My Megan... Sweet Girl!

2008-12-07T18:49:00.000-08:00

Jack had to go to the emergency room last night because of a nasty, nasty cough... no worries, he's okay. Megan, our cute neighbor girl, made him a get well present. Isn't that so sweet?

I've Been Tagged!

2008-11-21T21:29:00.000-08:00

May 2004
So, here we are on a business trip with a former co-worker of Kyle's ( and his wife)... you know, when Kyle and I had another life. This would be pre-chiropractic school. We went to Monterey Bay in California. It was gorgeous! I probably would have liked to trip alot better if I hadn't been throwing up the whole time though. (This was when I was pregnant with Allison.) I actually have a really funny story about throwing up in the bathroom at the Pebble Beach Club House... you should ask me about it sometime. I'll just say that I felt really bad for the "bathroom attendant" who had to listen to it all and to top it off... they only provided real towels for their bathroom guests and I had some cleaning up to do. Not pretty.

Here are the instructions.
1. Go to your pictures
2. Upload the fourth picture in the fourth file.
3. Post
4. Tag 4 friends.
I tag whoever happens to read this... do it if you want!

Been there, done that...

2008-11-21T01:59:00.000-08:00

Yup. Went at midnight with Michelle (my niece). Too bad I drank a Dr. Pepper to stay awake and now I can't sleep, so I'm blogging about it. All I can say is that I thought the movie was about as good as the book. And, dang it, I forgot to wear my "Team Edward" shirt to the movie! Oh well!

Pumpkin Face Cookies

2008-11-18T21:35:00.000-08:00

2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups shortening

Cream together.

4 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ginger
4 teaspoons baking soda

Mix all together. Mold into balls the size of a small egg. Press with bottom of glass to flatten.
Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes. Decorate with orange icing. Use candy corns for eyes and nose, raisins for the mouth, and a little bit of green frosting for the stem.

By the way, Liza, there's just no way to make these healthy... trust me, I've tried! :)

The Power of Prayer

2008-11-11T22:36:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm talking about family pictures. We decided a few years ago that school pictures are pretty expensive and not very nice... so I figured I would be so smart and take the kids to Target every year and get a yearly picture done for alot less money. That means that starting in August, I spend several weeks getting the kids' pictures taken before the holiday rush hits. (We all have fall/winter birthdays.) Well, Jack was born in May, but I had to do a blessing picture! Anyway, the crowning moment to this annual tradition is the dreaded family picture. Now, any person with half a brain knows how hard it is to get six people dressed and picture perfect all at the same time... but add in Allison who hates to be dressed, mom who rarely get dressed in anything other than sweats anymore, a baby who spits up on every outfit including mom's outfit... give us a time limit, a car ride, a mad dash through Target, and then put us all in a tiny room and tell us all to smile. Let me just say, that I was thrilled to get all of us in one frame! Last year was so awful that we decided we needed divine intervention to survive this year. So, before we went into Target, we prayed. No giant candy canes and teddy bears in our family picture this year! It's a miracle.

Halloween Night

2008-11-10T20:53:00.000-08:00

Our spooky kids... Claire was Cleopatra, Derek was Harry Potter, and Allison was a Go Go Girl.

After trick-or-treating, Derek decided on a minor modification to his Halloween costume. Instead of Harry Potter, here he is as Professor Snape with Claire's Cleopatra wig.

Here we are in all our glory. Ready to go out candy hunting with our neighbors the Woodards.

Can you believe those skinny legs? I think we may need to feed that baby more! :)

Jack was, of course, a Jack-O-Lantern!

Alli as a Go Go Girl. Look everyone... she is dressed!

Derek as Harry Potter. Notice the lightning shaped scar on his forehead!

"Claire"opatra...

After trick-or-treating it was off to Grandma and Grandpa Sumsion's for some chili and pumpkin squares. Yum!

"Aw, I didn't know you were going to kill it!"

2008-11-10T20:45:00.000-08:00

I really think Derek finds this process a little disturbing. He must be a "fruitarian"... for those of you who have seen the movie Notting Hill. Anyway, he usually hides until the massacre is over, then reappears for the candle lighting at the end. Let me just add that raw pumpkin should be cleaned up immediately. I still have a couple of spots where the pumpkin may be a permanent part of our tile floors now. Also, wet Life Cereal has the same properties. I'm going to rent a jack hammer to get it off the floors. I'm thinking it could have a use in the space program or something...

Pumpkin Face Cookies

2008-11-10T20:38:00.001-08:00

Look at that pumpkin face! Aw!

It's a tradition here at our house! We make them every year. Enough sugar in these babies to mess up your insulin levels for weeks. That's why we only make them once a year! Yum!

2008-11-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

October 24th

I know I'm a little bit late posting this, but happy birthday, dear! We love you, daddy!

Trip to California!

2008-11-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

We finally did it! After three long years of intense schooling, extreme poverty, and no fun... well, maybe a little here and there... we actually loaded all the kidlets into the van and drove away from all our creature comforts here at home... (twenty locks on every door and a twenty year supply of Ramen noodles)... and set out for sunny, southern California. We had a great time and hopefully made a few memories.

California Trip Part 1 - Sea World

2008-11-03T12:20:00.000-08:00

Notice Jack and the seal have coordinated their movements just for this shot!

Lesson learned... never let a three year old pick her own souvenir. We are still finding blue, sticky goo on things.

Here we are at the Shamu show. Alli couldn't get enough of the whales. We actually had to go back to the same show the next day!

Derek and Claire had a good time riding all the rides. Unfortunately, they both got completely soaked on the Atlantis ride. I volunteered to stay with the baby and Allison on that one. :)

Here's Paul and Deb! Debbie is my sister who lives up near L.A. They drove down with their daughter, Katie, who is Claire's special cousin, to spend the day with us at Sea World. We really appreciated having the extra sets of hands to help!

Everyone thought the eels were totally creepy.

Derek was very grumpy by the end of the first day. He did not want to leave!

Kyle and Claire near the flamingos who were fun to look at, but only if you could stand the smell. Must have been the day before cleaning day at the flamingo exhibit.

The kids also loved the dolphins. Watching this show brought back all my childhood memories of going to Sea World and wanting to be a dolphin trainer when I grew up. I guess kids are alot like dolphins. I have to teach them how to swim.

Once again, Allison loved the whales. These are the beluga whales. Very cool.

Katie and Claire in the kids polar cave.

The Shamu show... again...

Kyle took more pictures of ducks than any other animal at Sea World. He also kept pretending to shoot them, which I think mgiht be frowned upon at Sea World.

Here's Claire and Derek petting the sting rays. Alli would not go near them, but still thought they were neat.

California Trip Part 2 - San Diego

2008-11-02T22:05:00.000-08:00

We spent the afternoon playing at the beach in Mission Bay, San Diego. Claire gathered sea shells without a single hint of a lisp. Derek made sand angels. Allison wrote her name in the sand. And Jack looked unimpressed with it all. The star fish were exposed due to the low tide. Funny how even star fish can skip across the water like a rock.

The San Diego Temple was just a few miles from our hotel. We took a drive up I-5 to get a closer look at the temple. I didn't see any Vote Yes on Prop 8 signs on the property, but we know where the Church stands.

California Trip Part 3 - The Crab Cooker

2008-11-02T21:55:00.000-08:00

We came, we saw, we ate some clam chower. Oh, yeah. If you are ever in Newport Beach, you gotta go!

California Trip Part 4 - Disneyland

2008-11-02T21:27:00.000-08:00

Everyone needs a picture like this, don't you think?

I think it moved. Just a little. Can you see the muscles flexing? Really. My sweet, shy, little Derek is a roller coaster fiend! I could hardly get him to stop long enough to eat and use the bathroom. He wanted to ride!

Alli choose the Minnie Mouse princess hat, of course. Here she is having a bit of a rest. For those of you who know Alli, she possesses boundless energy. I think that in this case, Disneyland won. She was pooped!

Hands down, the best time of year to go to Disneyland! The weather is great and the entire park is decked out in Halloween stuff. The Haunted Mansion is decorated "Nightmare Before Christmas" style. My kids love the movie and loved the ride. I think Space Mountain may have tied for first in the favorites department though.

They also had a parade and fireworks! It was a very cool show! It was a very cool day!

California Trip Part 5 - Vacationing at the "White" House

2008-11-02T08:58:00.000-08:00

After our day at Disneyland, we took it easy spending time with our cousins. Here we are at the park with my sister, Debra, and her dog Lizzie... and yes, my sister is a fan of Jane Austen stories, so you'll know the origin of her dog's name. :)

One thing we can always count on when vacationing at the White's Resort is good food and lots of it! Deb (my sister) and I had a girls' night out (with Jack) and went to a restaurant called The Dish. Pretty much everthing was amazing and we left with desserts to share with the whole family. The next day, we tried the Brazillian BBQ. These men walk around with skewers of meat and when you give them the "green light", they come and give you a slice on your plate. They also have a "salad bar" that actually includes some salad, but I kept going back for the mashed potatoes. I'll just say that Kyle and I didn't really eat another meal until we got back to Arizona!

Allison's 4th Birthday

2008-11-01T23:21:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Alli's birthday while we were on our trip to California. Of course, it won't surprise those of you who know Allison that she wasn't wearing any clothing... but truly, this party was a last minute idea and we left for home as soon as it was over. I love the picture of Alli singing the birthday song to herself. She was singing louder than anyone else. She also had pizza for dinner and presents to open. Thanks to the Whites for having us to stay and for a fun, little party for Alli.

A New Addition to the Family

2008-10-07T22:10:00.001-07:00

I'm glad that Kyle worked so hard to get through Chiropractic School and he deserves a really nice graduation gift... thanks to all those who pitched in to help... and thanks to Ted (Kyle's dad) for arranging for purchase and delivery of the new "duck slayer"... but I must say that I put my foot down when he tried to put it in bed between us that first night. Happy Hunting, dear!

How to Pull a Tooth

2008-10-07T21:54:00.000-07:00

Step One: Tie string to snaggle tooth.

Step Two: Dad pulls hard.

Step Three: String breaks, tooth doesn't budge.

Step Four: Mom grabs Jack's burpcloth for better grip.

Step Five: Mom rips snaggle tooth from Claire's mouth.

Step Six: Claire can smile without tearing up her lip once again.

Aren't you glad I'm not your mother? :)

Hooray for Chiropractic!

2008-10-06T00:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's 12:30am... Alli just woke up sobbing about 20 minutes ago. She told me that her ear was hurting and that she needed a band-aid. I did put a band-aid on her ear and took her in to Kyle, who gave her a quick adjustment. She is now peacefully sleeping once again... which is what I'm hopefully about to do!

Need a reason to smile?

2008-10-05T23:09:00.000-07:00

Here you go! Can't help it, can you? :)

A New Low

2008-09-30T22:26:00.000-07:00

I've reached it. I couldn't do Claire's math today. And then, to top it off, I wrote her teacher a note to tell her it was a "dumb" worksheet. Luckily, she has a good sense of humor... I hope. By the way, Kyle was able to save the day. I guess that why he has the doctorate.

We are the Three Amigos!

2008-09-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a rare sighting of Allison smiling for the camera. Derek was fixin to get his pictures taken at Target. The girls wanted to take some pictures at home before he left. Claire and Alli have the same shirt, but Alli thinks it's a dress. We witnessed weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth while Diana tried to pursuade Alli that the pants, in fact, must be worn to school. The minute Alli arrived home the pants came off and she pranced around like Mary Catherine Gallagher from SNL with her undies showing. Fortunately for us, she didn't get nervous...but she is our very own SuperStar!

The REAL Story

2008-09-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

I know you are all curious about the car swap. So, here's the truth... Jenifer left their car keys on our kitchen counter. Kyle walks across the street late that night and moves their car into our garage. Then he moves our famous van, "The Toaster", into their driveway. Nate leaves for work early in the morning and drives the other car because he can't find his keys... This is only in retaliation for the discovery of a rainbow bumper sticker on Kyle's truck last week that read "Man Hungry". The best part of the whole incident was seeing Jenifer run out in her bath robe to take pictures of the van in her driveway. I wish we had pictures of that, but we weren't fast enough! Love ya, Jen! :) I guess we are even now...

Barbie Saves the Day~

2008-09-26T21:52:00.000-07:00

Taking Barbie's advice, I have now turned off the word verification notice on my blog. Thanks to Barbie for enlightening me with her blogging wisdom. (I was sure someone would.) :) Enjoy leaving comments on our blog "squiggly code word thingy" free, everyone!

As Requested...

2008-09-26T21:42:00.001-07:00

Some of you mentioned wanting to see evidence of the "Homecoming Dance" picture I wrote about in my High School Tag blog. Apparently, I was mistaken. The fish lips/polka dot shirt incident actually took place at a dance called "Turn About". (Girl ask guy... but I'm pretty sure Kyle asked me to go anyway... just so I wouldn't ask anyone else.) The other two pictures are Junior Prom with Kyle and Senior Prom with Ricky and friends. Sorry, to include your picture Alisa, but you looked amazing, as always. Disgusting. :)

Car Swap!

2008-09-23T07:17:00.001-07:00

This time the practical jokes have gone too far. We woke up this morning to find our neighbor's car in our garage. We looked passed the whole "bumper sticker" incident, but now it has become personal. Watch out Woodards!