Our visit to Temple Square

The week before Christmas, Kirk and I and Maya and Sage headed down to Utah for my nephew, Braedon's wedding. We stopped in Salt Lake to see Kara and to enjoy the lights on Temple Square. Here we are walking to Temple Square from Kara's apartment just behind the conference center. It had been several years since I had seen the lights. It was an awesome way to begin the week before Christmas.

Every 2 weeks...

Every 2 weeks we see the doctor about Sage's arm. She had this splint on after surgery for 2 weeks. It was VERY heavy and cumbersome.

Then we moved on to a fiberglass cast. MUCH lighter to carry around, but still on the awkward side. (especially trying to get dressed--it really limited her wardrobe!)

Then we graduated to a removable splint, so she could start a little bit of therapy. It took two of us to take this sucker off...not including Sage!

After our doctor visit today, we were ordered to take off the removable splint and start hard and heavy into physical therapy. Here's Sage a couple of days ago with her therapist. We are SO lucky to have an incredible hand therapy office in Jackson!

Thanksgiving

We had SO much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving day! The table was set...

....the pilgrims and indians were invited (thanks to Orson Gygi!)

...we invited these "guys"....looks like their truck barely made it!

...we gathered our family and friends for a sumptuous feast...

...played quite a few rounds of Guesstures...looks like Maya is getting help from Elder Chivers

...and yes, I'm very grateful for this guy!!

I hope your holiday was filled with lots of love and gratitude!

a picture says a thousand words

Sage right after surgery

she had this lovely road rash thing...she can't remember how she got it (she wasn't wearing a harness seat belt...only a lap belt)

this was pure joy--respiratory therapy...NOT!

Nazi nurses taking her on a walk...you have to appreciate nurses--tough love makes you get better faster!

time to go home and no clothes that fit! i had to scrounge for a top for her to wear home!

Families are forever!! this picture was taken the weekend she got home

group shot of all the girls two weeks after the accident--aren't they beautiful?

Nothing short of a miracle

We've experienced a miracle in our family. Pure and simple. God lives and has preserved the life of half of our family. The links below are two news articles that will enlighten you concerning our circumstances.

http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=7919

http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/61662/Accident-victims-count-their-many-blessings.html

Sage came home from the hospital on 11-11-11. We are grateful and overwhelmed by everyone's kindness towards our family.

Sage turns 14!!!!!!!!!

It's SO unbelievable that Sage is now 14!!! She is my baby...she needs to stay tiny. (well, she is on the tiny side for her age!) We celebrated with friends and family. She wanted an ice cream cake...literally, no cake...just ice cream. So that's what she got-a block of ice cream that I frosted with some whipped cream! She was thrilled! (check out how the candle flames frame her eyes!)

Blowing out one more candle each year is starting to get a little bit harder.

Favorite gift...yeah, she's wearing it! Given to her by good friends Katherine and Mary Katherine.

I'm sure Sloane picked out this cute dress from her and Ty!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sagee, Yellow Hair, Tiny Baby, Schlage!!! We love you.

a little bit of this and that...

This post will be just that...a little bit of this and a little bit of that! During homecoming week, the girls were busy dressing up "according to the day"...this day was jocks and geeks. Guess I have a bunch of geeks in my house! (Maya and Mary Katherine)

Then there was pajama day and the onesies were in big demand. Here's Maya, Mary Katherine and Sky.

Sage runs cross country and loves it. She won this medal in the Wyoming Indian Invitational in Ethete, WY.

Mari asked Kirk to paint a picture for their apartment, so here he is getting his creative juices flowing.

Sunrise in Wyoming with Sleeping Indian in the background. I must tell you that I get some INCREDIBLE sunrises. It seems the longer you wait the more colorful it is. So beautiful!

In Memory of Simba 2007-2011

We've had a tragedy befall our "beloved" cat, Simba. He was eaten by something while he was outside. We don't know exactly what got him, but he definitely know that he is no longer. We found parts of him out in a corner of our croquet court. (if you're that interested, talk to Maya...she took a picture of what was left....I find it too graphic to post...sorry) Yes, we've had a bear in the yard, but I doubt it was a bear that did Simba in; I'm guessing a coyote or a pack of them. Simba loved to go outside exploring. We used to put him on a leash when we first began taking him outside. He had graduated into going out alone this past summer. He enjoyed his freedom to wonder around and take in the sights, sounds and smells. When he was ready to come inside, he would patiently wait by one of our many outside doors. That is, until that fateful day when Kirk went outside to call him to come inside. He came when Kirk called him but was not interested in coming inside at the time, so Kirk let him stay outside longer. That was the last time Kirk or anyone for that matter saw him alive.

Simba was REALLY a Christmas present for Sage. This is a photo of when she first got him. He was just a tiny thing.

Here's another "young" photo of him.

This is Simba's FAVORITE thing to do. He loves to be carried by Kirk over his shoulder around the house. Kirk loved this cat and this cat loved Kirk. He had a special spot in Kirk's office and many times just sat on his lap while he worked at his desk.

Sage is the only other person in the house that could snuggle with Simba.

This is probably the last photo of Simba that we took around 3 weeks before his demise.
Bye Simba....you will be missed....R.I.P.

Once upon a time....

there was a "little one" who celebrated her 24th birthday...

the decorations were all put up and just screaming "let's party!"

...all the fairys were invited...

...these 2 fairys were the masterminds of the event....

...the purple fairy spared no expense to come...

...the green and silver fairys flew all the way from Utah to surprise the "little one" on her big day !

...OK, I know you're all dying for a "close-up" of silver fairy!

...the fairys made a special cake for "little one"...(OK, I admit we ALL know she doesn't like cake...but "little one's" Mom does!)

"Little one" needed some help to blow out 24 candles! Good thing purple fairy and orange fairy were close by to lend some wind!

"Little one" got some sweet gifts---I think this was one of her most favorite ones!
...and everything happened happily ever after!!!

When the colors start to change

you know it's time to do some canning! I did some salsa a few weeks ago. Then I put up pears.

My parents came to visit this past week and brought me some grapes and we made 24 qts of grape juice...yum!

...just thought you'd like to see another member of my menagerie...this moose was relaxing in the shade!