Happy birthday Ma!

Today was my Ma's Birthday! There are actually THREE birthday's in February, my sister in law Jamie, my sister Brandi and my Mom; so we met up at Gardner Village for dinner.

Ma had all her children there, all SIX of us we're there to celebrate, it has not been like that in a long time, and it was awesome to have everyone together.

She got some cute and funny cards and some cute gifts and we had all pitched in, with a friend of hers from work, and gave her a big wad of cash, to go towards the new washer she needs to replace, we thought it would be more meaningful than a bunch of "stuff". She was so surprised!!

My Mom is the BEST. Wise as she is beautiful. Honored and adored. Loved and cherished, and WORSHIPED by all SIX of us; as it should be. She's worked hard and long for her reward. No one deserves a happy birthday more than my Mother.

The siblings that play together....

STAY TOGETHER!!!

My BRAIN is NOT TURNED ON

This was the response this morning to Doug's statement  "You have school today"

This was the picture to match the moment!!!

Baking cookies

I will readily admit that I am a baker more than a cooker. I enjoy baking, and chocolate chip cookies will go down as my "thing". My kids request it more than anything else and I found a 100 calorie recipe, so I usually make the argument that I may as well eat as many as I want!!!

What a day......(Ethan)

I took the day off yesterday to spend some time with my little ones'. Since I am working now in the morning/afternoon, I don't get to participate like I want, so when Ethan's preschool planned a field trip to Bouncin' off the wall's, I made the effort to get the afternoon off. We bounced, slid and air hockey'd our way through the morning, got some lunch and then home where I recovered with an  hour's nap; I was EXHAUSTED!

Ethan was very happy that I was going with him, and I got to "feel" like "mommy" for the afternoon......

What a day......(Callie)

Callie had "100 days of school" day. The kids we're asked to make a poster made of anything they wanted grouped to make 100. Callie and I had made her poster the night before and I wanted to go see her talents displayed in the classroom. Her teacher admitted that she thought Callie had the CUTEST poster; and that she was totally not surprised at the Tinkerbell theme; that's my Callie doll!

...And what an evening!

I got to spend THREE hours with THREE of my very best friends; my GTU girls! I have spent most of my Sundance day's (nights really) with these beautiful, smart, funny and wise women. I miss them all, collectively and individually; like crazy.

We had the best time sitting, eating and catching up with NO PHONE CALLS, that was the best part, just uninterrupted time with each other.

I am so lucky to have these women as friends. We have been through so many of life's up's, down's, joy's and sorrow's. We have celebrated, cried, consoled and laughed our way through every imaginable life situation.

Here's to another 10 ladies.............

Movie night with Hopper

I only had to cover Hopper's eye's ONCE; which MORTIFIED him......

HE, HE.........I thought it was HYSTERICAL!!!

Poor Hopper :(

Good movie, I would recommend it, Hopper would LOVE to go with you and get those 45 seconds back!!

A reminder.....

I have felt a need to participate somehow in the cause of CHD, and was hoping there would be some kind of activity or function that brings attention to it but I found nothing locally that was supporting CHD Awareness week, but I did stumble on Intermountain Healing Hearts and thought now was a good time to get involved. I got something from someone in the group a long time ago, but I think it just wasn't good timing then.

I registered online for two groups, one a national CHD organization and the local IHH's group and was contacted back by both, I received this "welcome" from the group:

Intermountain Healing Hearts would like to welcome Catherine Seivert and her son Ethan Dean Seivert to the group! Ethan was born January 7,2005 and was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot and surgery was June14, 2005. The Seivert family lives in Kearns, Ut and learned about our group from an online search. The family has a blog its seiwebb.blogspot. com

Please help me in welcoming them to the group! Welcome!Mike PattonIntermountain Healing Hearts-VP

And it was almost shocking to see MY name and then ETHAN'S name with his condition and the surgery date; like I don't know all this, but it made me cry. why? well, you sort of "forget" that your child is not 100% physically perfect. You go along and he looks, acts and play's like there is not a thing "wrong" and on the one hand you should do that, and on the other hand, well, we are guaranteed nothing in this life, I am his Mommy and that worry never really goes away.

I am excited to be a part of something positive, and at the same time I hesitate, because I don't know if I can "dance" that close to other Mommies who are not as fortunate; but whom love as deeply as I do.

Being a member of THIS CLUB; a child with a CHD, well, I don't like it, and at the same time Ethan is who he is, and I love him for that, and I wouldn't change his condtion if it meant CHANGING ETHAN; I adore that little boy just as he is.

CHD AWARENESS WEEK

7 Reasons I am happy to be a Mom to a child with CHD

No parent is happy to receive a diagnosis of CHD

but CHD is not a death sentence.

1. I don't sweat the small stuff anymore, or as much.

2. I snuggle a little longer at night when I tuck my child in.

3. I have have met some WONDERFUL people.

4. I have stronger faith and better relationship with God.

5. I am more thankful for what I have and have found that I want LESS.

6. I have found strength that I never knew I had.

7. I appreciate life so much more.

1. Congenital heart defects are America’s #1 birth defect. Nearly one of every 100 babies is born with a CHD.

2. Congenital heart defects occur frequently and are often life threatening, yet research into them is grossly under funded.

3. More than 50% of all children born with a congenital heart defect will require at least one invasive surgery in their lifetime.

4. Congenital heart defects are the #1 cause of birth defect related deaths.

5. There are 35 different types of congenital heart defects. Little is known about the cause of most them. There is not yet a cure for any of them.

6. This year almost 40,000 babies will be born with a congenital heart defect. 4,000 of them will not live to see their first birthday.

7. In the last decade death rates for congenital heart defects have declined by almost 30% due to advances made through research.

Skating..

This sight made me SMILE.....

My little valentine(s)

I had such a good time helping the little one's with their valentines cards, this was Ethan's first Valentines in a school setting, so it was fun for him, he would go through all the cards and say "who's this name"? even after we finished all the cards; he would go through them and after a few times, he knew the names by looking at it. 

Callie got a new t-shirt with a puppy that said "Puppy Love" since she loves her puppy so much, she was excited, and she let me put piggy tails in her hair, so I was happy too!!

CHD AWARENESS WEEK, FEBRUARY 7-14 2009

Somewhere...someplace... today...

a family is waiting to hear...
Is something wrong with their baby?
The answers aren't quite clear...
This family has entered an unwanted world...
And they just don't know what to expect...
Somewhere...someplace... today
They first heard the words: heart defect.
And how they hoped this was not true...
And thought... this cannot be...
I too... know just how this feels...
For one day...this was me.

Somewhere...someplace...today...
A man and a woman embrace...
Their baby is in surgery...
They long to see his face...
They haven't got to hold him yet...
Without...a cord or line...
They pace the room awaiting news...
And hope he'll be just fine.
Prayers fill this busy waiting room...
And mom and dad are scared...
Somewhere...someplace..today...
The tiniest hearts are repaired.

Somewhere...someplace...today...
A child's growing fast...
Smiling,laughing,thriving...
His mom thinks...can this last?
It's almost easy...to forget...
That anything is wrong...
Somewhere...someplace..today...
Her child seems so strong.

Somewhere...someplace... today...
A little boy fights...just to live
A father holds his tiny hand...
His love...all he can give...
The doctor's are all baffled...
They fear that he might die...
Somewhere...someplace...today...
A family says goodbye...

Somewhere...someplace...each year..
More than 40,000 families will see...
What it means...when something's wrong...
They'll face a CHD.
Today...for just a moment...
Stop...remember...reflect...
Make time to tell someone you know...
"I've been changed by a heart defect".

Author - Stephanie Husted

Twister..........for one!!!

         It didn't matter that he was the ONLY one playing the game; he had a GREAT time!!!

Swimming....

The kids and I had been having a great time at the pool Friday evening, and we're going to grab dinner aftewards, we we're going to go to Wendy's, which is right across from our neighborhood, but my little guy wanted "chini"; fetuccini to the rest of the world, so we we're out a bit farther than we expected on Friday, which is why we we're front row to that accident in fact, the kids and I still had on our swimsuits and wet hair............