I'm Back!!!!!!!!

And I'm FREE from this blasted thing!!!!!
YIPPEEE!!!!

Sorry for the lack of posts.
I've celebrated my new found freedom by doing lots of stuff:
Taking a bath
Driving a car
Itching my foot (LOTS)
and especially spending a great Thanksgiving Holiday cooking for those I love,
decorating the house....I've put up 4 trees so far and have 2 more to go!
Lots of shopping, I even got up at 4 a.m. and braved the crowds (alone)
couldn't find anyone crazy enough to join me.
I nearly have all my shopping done and preparations made.
Overachiever you ask?
Surgery number two is calling my name and I want to just sit back in my somewhat medicated state and enjoy having it all done!

What They Are Thankful For.....

A New Puppy and My Clothes....he realizes he would be naked without his clothes he says....Silly Boy.

My family and the Earth.

My Brittan and YOU mom!

I'm Thankful My Kids Keep Journals......

This is why....
Capturing moments like this is the most precious thing I could ever imagine.
This is Isaac's take on his family being "sealed" in a ziplock baggie.
He's been learning a lot about The Temple and wondering when we'll go there.
I love his sense of humor. Like I said, it is always just what we need.

I promised one of my best girls I would blog about this.
Justin and I did our will about 6 months ago and it really got me thinking.
What is my legacy for my children?
If I leave whether it be tomorrow or 60 years from now,
what proof do I leave to show them how much I love them?
Hopefully the proof is in the feeling I give them each day.
Further proof can be found in a simple notebook that cost less than $1.
Every Sunday night the kids open their journals and write the first thing that comes to their mind.
I write something special to them on the back of each entry.
I already love going back and reading their entries.

WOW!

It's hard to believe that less than 5 years ago SLC was struggling to get a stadium built for these guys! What a great win!
P.S. Did anyone see the "full moon" on Sunday night football? Jus and I are like two year olds and couldn't stop laughing! Who is the dork that put that on replay on national television anyway?

Why I Love Sunday Mornings......

Anything Goes!!!!!

Little sis just got a new "Jasmin" doll and this was her attempt at making an outfit just like "Jasmin". Because our church is so late in the afternoons, we often don't get dressed in real clothes until around lunch time. We just love being bed heads!

As you can see, the new puppy is getting all the love and attention she needs.

Tailgaiting! BYU Style

Someone's Having FUN!

That is just plain gross you guys!

I think we were all chewing our food!

Kissing Cousins

Cougar Fan Chowing Down!

Sophie Girl!

Aunt Nikki :)

After more than a year broke down in some random town, Derrin and Nicole (our bro and sis in law) got the Cougar Cruiser back! We had to celebrate by having a righteous tailgate before the BYU/Airforce Game. We had a blast!
Justin thought the only way it could be better is if we would have been at a KC Chiefs Game!
Thanks for a great time you guys!

I've been thinking!

After spending another entire day at Primary Children's in Salt Lake,
my heart is full and I feel grateful.
Grateful for modern medicine.
Grateful for the technology that allowed for our daughter to have the surgery two years ago that will someday restore her sight, I just know it.
Grateful that it's not ten years ago and that we didn't have to hear the words, "I'm sorry Mr. & Mrs. Hill there's nothing we can do to help restore your little girl's eyesight."
I spent the day yesterday observing. In between comforting our sweet baby girl. I saw such sweetness all around. The wonderful staff that have devoted their lives to helping these children. Parents comforting other parents. And the resilience of all those amazing babies. I felt sad, and happy and sad again.
As I was putting my boys to be last night they were having some kind of conversation about why people suffer.
DEEP, I know.
I had to tell them that suffering is a part of all of our lives.
We are here to learn, improve and love all those around us no matter what they have done or will do to hurt us.
Forgiveness is the key.
I hate knowing that any of my children will feel any sort of pain.
We have to love our Heavenly Father for giving us the experience here on Earth to feel happiness, sorrow, regret, elation, and yes even pain.
I've been reading this inspirational blog.
I am proud to call Abigail's parents my friends, neighbors and fellow church members.
I feel uplifted and spiritually enriched each time I read it.

INTRODUCING.........

Our new love.
Her name is Brooklyn.
We picked her up just last night and she is just fitting in beautifully around here.
She loves to sleep all the time, just like us.
And she has already pooped and gone wee-wee on the floor, just like we do sometimes (accidentally).

She makes our house feel more like a home again.

It's Been A Busy Week.....

These silly boys got the idea to play this with their little sis.....

And Little Sis had to get through this......

Another successful procedure at Primary Children's, and this time good news! No Glaucoma! YEAH! (You're looking at a heavily medicated Abby)


And while they do this.....

The rest of us end up like this.....

I think the rest of us know what's best for us!

So Missing My Nap Buddy

I remember this photo was taken just after I discovered I was expecting Isaac. I was so tired all of the time! Those were the days of white bedding, towels, couches, & carpet in my life.
Those days are over.

Sweet ole' girl this is how she would lay by our bed each night.

Before we had kids, this is where I wanted to be after a long day of work!

We're still missing our sweet girl. It comes up every day.
I am on the lookout for the perfect puppy.
We have changed our minds and want another lab.
I especially have my heart set on a Golden Retriever/Lab mix.
I hope to find the perfect addition before Christmas.
I know all of you think a puppy is not practical in our crazy lives right now.
We don't care. We still want and need a new doggie to share in our home.

7 Years Ago Today...

Justin & I became parents of this wonderful boy......
It was a day I will NEVER forget....
My water broke in the middle of the night.
It was cold, but I insisted on walking myself into the hospital.
When I got in, my pants were frozen, literally. That made us laugh.
I got to share this day with an old high school friend and sister in law.
Thanks Amy for keeping us sane and from keeping your bro from passing out.
I pushed for 4 hours of a 14 hour delivery, broke my blood vessels in my eyes and face. It was intense. Notice that's why you'll never see me post pictures after having HIM.
No one told me how to have a baby.
I got much better at it the next time, almost having #2 in the car.
After he was born someone offered me a donut.....I was so excited.
Then I found out it was a donut to sit on.
That made us laugh.
Fitting that Isaac means "great laughter".

He's someone who lives to help others....
He loves making people laugh.....
He has the most amazing imagination....
He likes blondes already :)......Although Carly Clegg is his first brunette crush, ha ha
He's turning out to be quite a good reader and student....
He knows "things" like DEEP THINGS we can't explain, he often explains them to us......
His favorite thing is to sleep in my bed and watch "Talk Soup" with me.
We did that just last night, celebrating a little early.
He always has just what our family needs.

His dad and I often feel much gratitude that we were entrusted to tend to this special Spirit here on Earth.

What's Better

Than spending your weekend with lots of little pirates celebrating
your 7 year old's special day?
It's sure to be a swashbuckling time mateys!
ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH

Thursday's Thought

"You don't have a soul. You have a body. You are a soul." ~C.S. Lewis

Wouldn't the world be a better place if more people took as much care of their soul as they do their body?

I'm Smitten

With this Little Lady in my Life.....

Not Exactly.....

The sexy shoes I had been hoping for....but it's a start.

Do these shoes make me look FAT? Ha, Ha.

I'm doing quite well, thank you. I even ended my three day love affair with the pain meds.
They were giving me insomnia. And the nausea super-seeded the pain.
Surgery was Thursday.
I'll give you the highlights and the lowlights:
We arrived at same day surgery to check in and my nurse announced that my podiatrist wanted a conscious sedation.
Which means....I was to be awake for the entire procedure. YUCK!
So, I gratefully took my lumps and agreed.
Just a few moments before leaving my sweetie and being wheeled into the OR, someone slipped me a low-fast acting dose of morphine! No kidding!
I remember looking at Justin and laughing and saying something like, "I have no idea what is going on right now."
They give you this to put you asleep only for a short time while they numb the area they are going to "work" on, and then you wake up for the remainder of the surgery.
That was the idea, anyway.
Next thing I knew (seriously) I woke up in the OR and felt the incision they were making in my foot.
Before you freak out, it didn't hurt really. I just felt pressure.
That's all I remember.
Then I woke up in the Recovery room with a very sore throat.
Dr. Rogers was right there with a smile on his face.
I was mortified thinking I probably screamed my head off or something.
He assured me that I had been the perfect patient.
My proceedure ended up taking 2 1/2 hours unstead of the 1/2 hour he had thought.
Plain and simple, my right foot was just such a mess. He felt it was best to put me fully under for the duration because some of the challenges they incured as well as the fact that I insisted on "dancing" on the operating table.
2 plates and 3 screws later, it's over and done. I'm glad. I have a new foot.
Even if I have to wear this silly shoe for the next month and then trade it in for another on the left side.
Thanks to all of you who have been delivering dinners, treats, thoughts and prayers to our doorstep. We appreciate it more than you could ever know.

This Weekend.....

Be Sure to do some "CLOWNING AROUND"

This Utah Weather is going to be fabulous! ~See note at bottom of this post to find out what I'm gonna be doin'!

"Mom, we'll be your servants and you can be our master." "Oh that's just music to my ears you sweet boys."
NOW I'M HAVING FUN.....because,
Hubby is treating me like the Queen of Sheba, probably even better.
Oh man I love that guy!
Plus super nanny/bff/little sis thinks she is my nanny too this week and countless friends bringing me treats and dinner for the next week. BE CAREFUL PEOPLE....
I have had the opportunity to hire these two clowns to attend to my every need like:
fluff my pillows, get my drinks and snacks (they'll even feed me at no extra charge), tickle my back, play with my hair, apply chapstick, sing me songs, and whatever else my little heart desires.....
All they ask for in return is a weekend trip to spend $3 each at the Dollar Store.
Sounds like a great deal to me.....
Hope your weekend is as enjoyable as mine will be.
Where does little princess fit in to all this you ask? Did you need to ask, REALLY?
She's right here by my side expecting the same royal treatment. Just another normal day in her pampered life.
Oh yeah, and I HEART PERCOCET right now. Is that bad?
I'll share the gorey details of my surgery at a later date, but I'm glad foot #1 is done and I'm doing well. I might even be enjoying myself. Isn't that wrong?

Thursday's Thought

Tomorrow's The BIG DAY.....

That I lose an achy bone and gain a big bulky cast!
Wish me luck as I "go under the knife"!

Where Did The Time Go?

Needless to say that I have been looking in the mirror lately and wondering the answer to that very question. When I turned 30, everything changed. I would like to say it's better. The truth is, I am still working at loving the thirty-something me. Then yesterday, in an instant I felt really old. Isaac had kind of a bad day and was crying in the driveway when I came home from work. The whole truth is that he had gotten scolded for telling a tall tale. He seems to be doing that a lot lately. Not sure why, maybe he needs more attention or he's just testing out the limits his father and I have for that. After discussing why telling lies is such a bad choice, I attempted to pick him up and hold him. It was then that I realized he was far to big for me to pick up and comfort. When the heck did that happen?
Next week, our golden boy will turn 7. I call him the golden boy because that's just the truth, plain and simple. He sprinkles joy and sunshine in my life every moment of every day.
Don't believe me? Just look at these pictures, you can just see the everlasting twinkle in those sweet little eyes. I will eternally miss baby Issac, but it's really fun getting to know the BIG spirit in this growing boy.

Mission Halloween...A SUCCESS!

Just what every little girl needs on Halloween morning....a doughnut with EXTRA SPRINKLES, PLEASE!

3 Cute Kiddos, Ready to hit the streets...

Trick or Treat, fill my pillowcase with lots of good things to eat!

Our new next door neighbor

Super Nanny with her Super Kids!

A rare MJ sighting at a neighbor's house :)

The LOOT

Countin' up the stash!

Our Favorite THING.....