Memorial Day

We had a great time at the bbq at Jake & Rosie's on Memorial Day! Good times, good laughs, fun swimming and of course, homemade ice cream! It was a great time! The kids loved it!

We played volleyball in the pool and had a great time! It is fun that the kids are getting old enough to play with us.

Kingman

We had a fabulous visit to Kingman, AZ last weekend. Thomas' brother lives there and we haven't seen them in forever! We had so much fun! I absolutely love my sister-in-law, Shelly and had the best time with her. We laughed, swam, talked, ate and just had a great time! They just adopted a beautiful little girl, Jasmine, and I am hooked. She is almost two and amazingly cute!

We had lots of fun with Megan, too. She has grown up a lot! Hayden took to her instantly and loved being around her. We laughed cause Jazzy followed Hayden and Hayden followed Megan. So fun! We can't wait to see them again!

Water Fight!

No pool party, beach trip or hardly a week can go by without Thomas throwing water on, or someone in the water! We really needed to have a pool because my biggest teenager/husband would love it!

So, Thomas threw me, Trevor, Ann and Ariyona in the pool. He threw water on many different people!


Ann tried to throw me in and of course, Thomas had to help. I was holding on to Ann and figured if I was going in, I would try to get her in, too. Next thing I know, Trevor was right behind Ann. I knew we were all headed in the pool. So fun! I pop, my head out and see Braden (Josh's boy, 6) and say, "Braden, uncle Thomas just threw me in, go get him". He responded, "Aunt Jer, I've got problems of my own". Boy, is that kid a funny one!


We had such a great time!

Pool Party for Taylor

We love being able to have fun pool parties at Josh's house! The kids would just live there. We had such a good turn out to Tay's party! Our gang, Jodi's, Jake's kiddos, Josh's gang, Kelli's & Grandma, and Michelle's group! So much fun! We swam, Thomas grilled burgers & hot dogs, had cupcakes and just hung out. We had such a great time!

They can't go anywhere without their ipod's and cell phones.

Rock jumping!

Hayden with his Spiderman shooters, goggles & fins!

Taylor's Birthday!

Taylor turned 15 on Friday!

What a crazy weekend! Jodi and Taylor both have a May 15th birthday! We woke Tay up early and made her favorite breakfast, pancakes! We got her an ipod, a fuzzy pink blanket and a manicure at the spa. She was so excited! After school Nick came to see Taylor, and boy was she happy! They are so cute together and he was so sweet to her. As I side note... I love Nick as a boyfriend, they go to different schools and the last time she saw him, Christmas! :)

We took Jodi's kids overnight so Jodi and Troy could have a relaxing weekend alone. After Schnepf Farms on Saturday, I took Taylor to get a manicure. She loved it! Oh no, I have now shown her the world of pampering and spas.

Then we had an amazing pool party at Josh & Steph's house! So much fun! I think she had an amazing birthday!

Taylor is such a joy in our lives! She is happy, spunky, and just so full of energy and life. She dances between rooms instead of walking and is always giggling. She enjoys life and it is fun experiencing so many new things threw her eyes! I love the enthusiasm and fun that she brings into our home! Happy Birthday, Taylor! We sure love you!

Cupcakes

The kids loved making cupcakes for Taylor's birthday party. Brigham was funny, everytime I turned around, he would eat the batter. He even put the bowl on his head to be able to lick all the batter out! Brigham and Hayden didn't care that Taylor wanted pink cupcakes, they insisted on brown for boys. So, we made two kinds, chocolate and cherry chip! Yummy!

Schnepf Farms

I love traditions. Not just the ones on holidays, but ones at random times of the year. I believe traditions are something that give families and children security, love and a sense of belonging.

Our new favorite tradition in going to pick peaches at Schnepf Farms each year. Hayden loves picking them off the tree and being able to eat them. Then, we come home and make all kinds of yummy dishes with fresh peaches, homemade peach ice cream being my favorite.

We took Brooklyn and Brigham this year with us and they all loved it! Hayden spent a lot of his time trying to find dinosaur fossils in the dirt, while eating a peach. Brigham ate about six peaches while we were there and Brooklyn just liked picking them.




Thomas loves all the cool ideas he gets to make with peaches while we are there. Yesterday he discovered peach salsa and it is FABULOUS!

Science Fair

Hayden had a science fair at school on Friday evening. All kids in the school are required to do a science project, including having a hypothesis and stated bibliographies. Having a little budding scientist on my hands, this is the Disneyland project of school for Hayden. He loves it! He talked and researched what project he wanted to do for the science fair.

On the way to the fair he said, "Mom, you know I got the blue ribbon, didn't you?"
Me: "No, Hayden, I didn't, that is fantastic!"
H: "Mom, its not like it is a big surprise... you know science is my thing and I am the best there is at it!"
Wow, that kid definitely doesn't lack self-esteem. Then, at the fair, a couple of moms walked up and said they were excited to see Hayden's experiment and laughed that their kids had to get Hayden's approval before doing their science project. He was actually giving them advice on what to do and how to do it! I guess it is his thing.

Hayden did the geyser explosion experiment where you put mentos in the soda. It did rupture higher than the tree.... so cool when you are 7.

Prom

Oh how well I remember my prom days and the fun that I had. I loved going to the school dances. It is so fun to watch Ann enjoying these same activities.

She looked absolutely beautiful before prom, all dressed up and amazing! I sure love her and the beautiful girl she is inside and out!

Diagnosis

I have really struggled as what to post on Hayden. But, we are in the process of receiving different diagnosis' back on him.

I want to start by saying, I love my boy, all of us uniqueness and all of his little quirks. They are so endearing to me. I wouldn't trade him for a million other kids. I would choose him, even with his challenges.

Hayden was born to this earth with challenges. Poor kid, started out with medical issues, all health related. Since then, he has struggled in meeting his developmental milestones. Some say because of the medical, some maybe because of the meds, or whatever. It is what it is.

In addition to struggling with his cardiac and nuerological issues, he now will have to deal with autism, specifically PDD-NOS, which he is on the Autism spectrum. He also has several other challenges, particularly sensory processing disorder, low/no muscule tone effecting fine & gross motor skills, and others.

So, my big question in this is where do I go from here? I want to get him all the help he needs, without "labeling" him but doing the most good for him. Challenges to that, they played off most of his delays due to health issues when he was young. Granted, the doctors main focus to keep Hayden alive, yet they missed key factors in diagnosing and treating him young. With all of the budget cuts lately, I am being given two options. His diagnosis qualifies him for treatment, but he is surpassing levels for help, so I can back off treatments and DDD will pick him up, once he gets any worse. Or, we move forward, with the diagnosis without any help, because we have already helped him so much. Oh, the decisions. I think we will continue to do self-pay as long as we are able, but oh is it expensive. Oh the politics of it all, that part drives me crazy. It is discouraging to hear that we have done too much for him.

So, my little Haydi bug has his challenges cut out for him for sure. But, you couldn't ask for a more loving, Christlike little boy. In someways he is so beyond his years. I am so thankful for him and to a loving Heavenly Father that obviously puts a lot of trust into me. I don't feel like I am fit for the challenge somedays, but I have learned that those the Lord entrusts he also prepares a way for. So, I keep praying that I will know what to do to help my sweet boy. Thanks for all the encouraging words from so many of you while I have spent the last year of my life at tons of different doctors, trying to sort thru all of this medical and diagnostic red tape.

Kaylee is home

Little Miss Kaylee came home from the hospital today. She is doing so much better and was thrilled to just be home. I think she was most excited to see her dog, Chloe. I am so glad that she survived this entire ordeal. I sure love my little miss.

I'm spoiled!

Yesterday was an amazing day. I think my best Mother's Day ever!

Thomas made me breakfast, like he does every Sunday morning. Wow, did I get a good one. Hayden bought me the cutest Mickey Mouse mug and then spent the day trying to get me different drinks out of it. So cute! And, Hayden thought I should wear the new jammies he bought me to church because they were so cute. :) Oh, how I love that child!

Joyce had her homecoming talk so we decided to go. She loved her corsage and did a great job on her talk. After, we went by the cemetary with Rosie, Katelyn & Kiley. Cute little Kiley woke up and wanted to text me Happy Mother's day. How sweet is she! Then, we went out for Korean food... my favorite! And, since we had early church, I got a Sunday afternoon nap. It was heavenly!

Best part of the day! Hayden singing Dancing Queen to me from Mamma Mia. Why did I not think to record it??? So cute! He also made me the cutest flower pot, painted and all. Best part, he put worms in it! Yep, no mother's day flowers would be complete without worms in them from Hayden. I sure love my boy!

Mother's Day

Mother's day is a strange day with all different kinds of emotions attached. I have been a mom now for 7 years. That is all I ever wanted in my life was to be a mom.

This day brings so many variety of emotions. It is amazing how you can take an ordinary day, attach a name to it and it becomes so emotional. I have spent the last 21 years hating and dreading Mother's Day. I hated that my mom was taken from me when I was young. I resented all future step-moms and that I had to acknowledge them on the day that I really wanted to mourn for the loss of my mother. Then spent years wishing to be a mom. The day was always a very painful one for me.

For the last seven Mother's Days, I have been a mom... my dream come true. Then, why do I still dread this day?

I think I figured it out. Now, I have what I want, a wonderful doting husband that will make me breakfast in the morning, shower me with gifts and make sure that I am treated like a queen all day. Luckily, he does this so often that it isn't just a once a year occasion. And, wonderful kids that will treat me like royalty. Yet, something is missing. I ache for those that will not have a good day. I understand the people dealing with the yearning for children, mourning the loss of their own mothers or wishing their situation were different. I still miss my mom.

I am thankful for all of the people near to me that have been a "mother" to me or to my dear Hayden. I understand that Mother's Day is so much more than just celebrating our own moms, but all the wonderful women in our lives that influence us, help us and are there in our times of need. Luckily, I have so many incredible women in my life that have done so much for me.

Yet, here I sit at almost midnight contemplating tomorrow. And, hoping that I can focus on all the joys and wonderful things instead of wishing for what isn't possible. I am very thankful to be a mother. Being a mother is the greatest gift that I have been given and I am very thankful for such a sacred calling.

Arizona History Museum

Taylor had a science extra credit report due with facts found at the Arizona Natural History Museum. So, off I went with Taylor, Ariyona, Katelyn, Kiley & Hayden. I can't believe how hard her questions were, or at least the difficulty in finding the answers.


The little kids had a great time playing at the museum. I think it is one of Hayden's favorite places. He loves all the hands on experiences there like panning for gold, the meteorite sand, and coloring. We spent several hours there and they all hand a lot of fun!

Ariyona loved being locked in a jail cell. Crazy girl!

My Week

6 kids
5 days working
4 trips to the hospital
3 kids with changed routines
2 surgeries
1 messy house

Kaylee updated

Kaylee went in for emergency surgery yesterday afternoon. She was getting really puffy again, the drains weren't working, her fever spiked back up and the infection has come back. They put another drain in and removed all the infection and drained stuff. I talked to her on the phone this morning and she seems to be feeling better. She is on medication and sounds so funny. She just wants to come home.

The doctors pulled her out of school for the rest of the year and said she would be in the hospital until at least next Wednesday. I think they are all done with hospitals and surgeries.

I so empathize with Jake and Rosie. It is so hard watching a child hurt, struggle and be in pain. And, being in the hospital is absolutely exhausting. But, I see so many little miracles working thru Kaylee. She has always been such a good girl and has such a strong spirit. She has an amazing attitude and positive outlook. She is so extremely positive and cheerful thru this experience. She is being a great example, even thru her illness. I sure love my little Kaylee!