Family ties

Last weekend, some of my extended family visited from Maryland, Michigan, Colorado and Arizona - a mini-family reunion. We gathered because it would have been my grandfather's birthday - our first without him. And since it was so close to memorial day, it only made sense. It has always been important to me that my kids know their extended family, but its isn't so simple when most of them live far away. So, I made sure they had the opportunity to spend some time with them.
I'm sad this picture didn't turn out better - its Bryn with my grandma (her great grandma). My grandma is an amazing person, and for an 85-year-old is vibrant and active. She's also small - I think they said she barely weighs 80 pounds.
This is my uncle (dad's brother) who is going to be a grandpa himself any day now. He loved the little kids so much - and you can tell how much they loved him too. Bryn actually kept calling him Grandpa (he does look so much like my dad - they could almost be twins, so I can understand how she'd be confused).
And here's G with my Grandma. I just wish the pictures were better - for some reason, pictures I take in my mom's house never turn out very well.
Me and Ben. I should have taken off my glasses - its rare to actually get a picture together with my husband.
This is Bryn with my cousin (he's only 11, but yes, he's my cousin). He was the designated piggy-back-giver. The girls loved him too - especially Bryn. Actually, Bryn loves everyone.

Saturday hike

Last summer we tried to take a family hike every Saturday. It didn't happen every week (more like once a month or so), but we tried. I think we're going to try harder this year. G is 100% in love with hiking, and Bryn is getting old enough to be able to keep up.

Today we decided to head up to Bell's Canyon. Its a nice short hike , and perfect for the kids. It is a bit technical for a 3 and 5 year old, but it isn't even a mile up to the little lake. Totally do-able for the kids. From there, you can hike on up to the very top of the canyon, but we didn't go that far today. We just went around the lake, had a picnic lunch, and came home. It was perfect.

Bryn insisted on wearing a sun dress, but G dressed for the occasion. Bryn made it almost to the top (about 95% of the way to the lake) before she asked to ride in the backpack. I think next time, we'll leave the pack at home so she only had the option of walking. She can do it. G is a certifiable hiker - she was bounding from rock to rock, and literally running along the trail. I had to keep reminding her to slow down. I sounded like such a MOTHER! I guess that is what I am now though. HaHa!

Here are just a random smattering of pics - I'm not even going to bother narrating them.

Under the light

So, I had LASIK surgery two weeks ago. I'd been wanting to have it done for years, but for one reason or another (money, pregnancy, the fear of having my eyes gouged out) I had procrastinated. Then, a few months ago, I had called our new eye insurance company about getting a reimbursement for my new glasses. While on the phone with me, they mentioned that they partially covered LASIK, and asked me if I wanted them to send me some information about which places they covered.

I picked a place and made an appointment for my free consultation. I was told that because my eyesight wasn't terrible, and because my eyes were healthy and the "right" shape, I was a candidate for the "all laser" LASIK (as opposed to the one where they use a blade to cut the eye) and asked if I wanted to schedule a time for surgery.

I didn't. My decision was mostly based upon money and the fear of having my eyes gouged out (can't claim pregnancy now), and so I told them I'd think about it.

I had no intention of going back. That stuff scared me. I'm not normally afraid of medical procedures, but elective ones dealing with my EYES? That's freaky!

But they kept calling me. Each time they called, the price got lower and lower. Finally, in a moment of weakness, I said "YES!" and scheduled an appointment. They'd lowered the price over 50% (there went my money excuse - and I couldn't let the fear of having my eyes gouged out be the only thing keeping me from perfect vision).

SO, I went under the knife (light??) a couple of Fridays ago, and to make a long story short, lets just say that I had a tinsy, tiny, anxiety attack in the middle of the procedure. They had given me a vallum, but only a few minutes before (I don't think it kicked in until it was all over - I did at least feel good afterward). I also could feel in one of my eyes - it was partially numb, but not completely. I still have enough feeling in that eye to know and FEEL everything that was going on. And when my vision went black and then I SMELLED my eyes burning, I freaked out. I tried to take deep breaths and remind myself that it would be over quickly, and I was going to be alright.

And I was. By my follow-up appointment the next morning, my vision was 20/15, and it has only gotten better since then. I love being able to see - I don't miss my glasses one bit. For Mother's Day, my husband got me a nice pair of sunglasses - my first ever.

My eyes have been pretty bruised (but I bruise easily anyway, so that isn't a big surprise). But that has been the only side-effect. Otherwise, its been perfect.

The fruits of my labor

I love gardening. Unlike housework, the effort that I put in yields a result that only increases (as opposed to being undone in a matter of 1.4 seconds by the tornadoes that live in my house). I love the challenge of making things grow. This year, I put a lot of "food products" into my gardens. Because of the weird shape of my yard (pentagon) and the fact that I don't get a lot of sun, I put my fruit/veggies right into my flower garden. I've even planted a salsa garden complete with at least one of each plant that I need to make my famous salsa. These are the first strawberries of the season - and they were yummy! Sweet, juicy, and firm. We devoured them.
Of course not everything is edible. I grow other things too, just for the beauty of them. My tulips were AMAZING this year. I'd bought several dozen bulbs last year from the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival. They dig up the old bulbs, and you can buy them. The problem is, they're mystery bulbs: you have absolutely no idea what kind you are getting. But I wasn't disappointed - they were beautiful.
I also have peonies ready to bloom. I love peonies.
This is a lupine that I got as an easter present (hence the reason it is already so big and tall). I love it.
The vinca vine is growing in the crack in the rock wall quite nicely.

The Mother's Day post that almost never was

Ok - so I've been a bit MIA in the blog-o-sphere. Even more MIA than it seems, because my last several posts were auto scheduled (except the one about not weighing myself - and I still haven't). I probably haven't really blogged since mid-April. Definitely too long. But life has been absolutely crazy, and I've just needed a break.

But I do have a lot to post, and a lot to catch up on - which I intend to do eventually. And I think I'll start with a post about Mother's Day - although it was a week ago.

The weekend started out pretty crappy. We had a birthday party planned for G on Saturday, but she woke up that morning with a fever. She was sick enough, that I figured she needed to go to InstaCare. Besides, if I was going to cancel her party, I wanted reassurance from the doctor.

Turns out I made the right decision: she had strep throat. The party was cancelled, but she got sicker and sicker by the hour. By 5pm she was burning up with fever (despite being on both Motrin and Tylenol) and in so much pain that she couldn't bare to lift her head off of the pillow. Worried about facing a long night being very sick, I decided to take her back to be checked out.

Again, it turns out I made the right decision. The doctor there was worried about meningitis (her fever there was 103), and they ran some tests on her. They did end up sending her home, but the next morning (mother's day) I got a call before G was even awake. Her test results showed possible problems, and I was to take her immediately to Primary Children's Medical Center. PMC is the hospital that they send kids when they're really sick - and I was scared.

I rushed her there, without even taking time to get myself cleaned up. Ironically, by the time we got there, she was feeling about 80% better. I almost felt foolish, but when they saw her test results they were worried too. But after 3 hours and evaluation by many doctors, they felt it was ok to let us go. I'm sure the fact that she was complaining that she was STARVING, and posing for pictures:
that made them think she was ok. If not, I'm sure the riding Superman around on the wheeled stool sealed the deal:
So yes, she's ok. Just really bad strep apparently. I hear its going around.

We did manage to have a decent day - brunch, and then a quick stop at both Grandma's houses to give them their gifts. Here's Bryn and my mom:
And then me, my mom and the girls. If my eyes look weird, its a combination of the fact that I had LASIK last week (working on that post too) and the combined 3 nights of no sleep. All things considered, I think I'm looking pretty damn fine!


At any rate, Happy Belated Mother's Day.

If the walls had ears part 3

Bryn (while wearing a Santa hat): Ho ho ho. I have a long white beard and a penis.
G: That is NOT appropriate! Santa is watching.

G: I think the temple is where God's daddy lives.

Bryn: Look everybody! Look at my penis.
(?????? she likes to put toys in her panties so she has a "bulge")

Bryn: I only eat my boogers sometimes.
(we've made progress)

G (while looking at me after a run): You look cold Mommy
Me: I do? What makes you say that?
G: Its your boobies. They look like you're really cold.
(yes - she did mean what you're thinking. And no - I do NOT know where she learned that one!)

Bryn: Does Jesus have a penis?
(clearly this girl has a one-track mind)

And, for my very favorite comment ever, what Bryn said to Daddy when he took her potty inside the men's restroom:

Bryn: Look Daddy! That man has a penis just like yours! Only yours is bigger!

No-weigh May

Ok - I'll admit it: I am OBSESSED with the scale. And its a sick obsession. Some days, I weigh myself before bed, and then again when I wake up. (and sometimes I actually GAIN weight while I sleep - explain that one) I know I'm healthy, and getting healthier. But somehow, that stupid (not so) little number on the scale means more than everything else.

So, I hereby profess that, starting today, I will not weigh myself for the entire month of May. I will not think about the scale. I will not even look at the scale - let alone step on it. I will work on running and eating healthy, and I will focus on how I look and feel.

I WILL NOT OBSESS ABOUT MY WEIGHT!

And I will be happier and healthier, both in body and spirit.