"Feels Like Home"

~"Feels Like Home" by Chantal Kreviazuk

Today my kids made things from boxes. I'm very proud of their resourcefulness:)

Here's Leah making a home for Chickie.

It ended up being two boxes duct taped together! And yes, one box is shiny gold :)

Davis used his box to make an airship!

He said, "It's for Lions and Leah and Grayson and me. I'm the driver!" He even glued a lid to the box to make a button! Very impressive :)

Here's a picture of Grayson very happily eating the glue-sticks he stole from Davis :)

For anyone who knows what's been going on with Grayson he's pretty much back to normal :) I missed his smile, I'm so glad it's back!

Stress Make Me Sick

Seriously, I have Strep throat! I felt fine yesterday but last night before bed I felt a sore throat coming on so I gargled with some raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. It's a little holistic trick that works every time...except this time. That's when I knew something was terribly wrong. When I woke up I couldn't swallow, the pain was horrible!! After Jeff left for his 7am meeting I was trying to get breakfast for the kids but I could barely talk. I checked my Google Reader **because I'm addicted** and my "friend" Jennifer P. (I don't know her in real life but I like her blog so I read it :) had posted about how she went to her doctor recently because she thought she had Strep. That planted the seed in my mind that maybe this is not just a really bad sore throat and I should got get it checked (see how God works!). When Jeff was done with his meeting I asked him to come home so I could go to the Urgent Care (he normally doesn't come home before our 9am sacrament, see what a good mom I am getting all my kids ready and there on time all by myself :). Anyways, my experience with Strep is very limited but when Leah had it a while back her doctor swabbed her throat and did the Rapid Step Test where it's like a 3 min wait. One line for negative, two lines for positive very basic. And I'm pretty sure the nurses could do the test so I really hoped I'd be in and out quick. Well, the wait was long and my doctor wasn't all that great. He came in, looked at my throat, felt my glands and told me that it looks red and raw but there aren't any puss pockets so he doesn't know if it's Strep. His "sound" medical advice was to take the written antibiotic prescription home with me and fill it if I develop any puss pocket in a few days. I informed him that I have small children and that's why I can in so early with these symptoms and when my daughter had it a while ago they did a swab test. He said that he normally didn't do the test but he could if I wanted it. He had a hard time finding the test in the cupboard, a much need confidence boost for me :), and after he swabbed he said "That went well". Huh, whatever. I waited another 25 minutes for the results of the 3 minute test and he told me it had come back positive for Strep throat. I had to wait again for my antibiotic prescription and then I was on my way. I 100% believe that doctors use their best educated guess but ultimately you have to know the protocol and ask for the treatment you feel most comfortable with. I would have felt like my $30 co-pay was totally wasted had I not requested the test I came for. Not to mention the fact that I would have walked around infecting those closest to me for a few days!!!!!!

Ahhh, I can breath again but I just can't swallow :)

Tender Mercies

I don't know how to put this lightly but I've been struggling big time lately. I guess it's been about 3 weeks since I felt normal. I love my children more than I love myself and to see them struggle (with their unrelenting eczema) hurts me. Unfortunately I have a great support system but I wasn't reaching out to them. I was reaching out to people I thought would help me but ultimately they couldn't get over themselves to help at all. And I wasn't in a place to recognize the baby steps, I needed A LOT of help. Anyways, what I'm getting at is Heavenly Father loves me. When people were pushing me to my breaking point Heavenly Father gave me a way out.

A little more back story: I had wanted to get my children into this naturopath for a while but there's a waiting list. They finally got in on Wednesday July 16th! We started their restrictive diet on that Saturday (we messed up a couple times that day but it was an O.K. start). By Monday Grayson's rash was getting worse (sometimes with natural medicine that happens btw) but by Tuesday it was crazy inflamed and oozing. It's kind of a "normal" reaction but the baby was in pain. I called Dr. Chaney to see what she wanted me to do but I just had to leave a message with the receptionist to have her call me back. My cell phone didn't ring when I had the incoming call so I didn't get to talk to the doctor that night and I was pretty upset. By Wednesday morning Gray's rash was up and down his legs, very painful and very weepy. I had to give the poor baby Motrin just to not cry all the time! By 10am I hadn't heard from the doctor so I drove down to the doctor's office to wait in her office until she could see him. When we got there the receptionist ,who obviously doesn't have kids, was rude. Even though I wanted to slap her face I patiently told her that I was just going to wait for the doctor to come in (I guess her first appointment isn't until 10:30am) and sat down. I got my kids settled, waited the 15 minutes for her, she looked at his rash, gave me the remedies I needed, and most importantly reassured me that I was a good mom and I was doing great. The next night was the worst night of my entire life! Gray cried off and on the whole night and my stress levels were off the charts!! I didn't know how to calm down at this point, I was sleep deprived and in "survival mode". Well then on Friday morning Dr. Chaney's office called, they had had a cancellation and asked if I wanted it for myself, not for my kids. Yes I did! I was able to get the remedies I needed to calm myself down the natural way I prefer and Dr. Chaney was able to say some really profound things to bring me back to reality. You cannot imagine how different I feel. It's amazing. I'm almost dumbfounded when I think of how close to my breaking point I was and how quickly He provided a way back. I love my Heavenly Father and am grateful he loves little ol' imperfect, outspoken, strong-minded me.

One of the things Dr. Chaney said that I want to remember forever is : "You brought your child down to the doctor's office without an appointment, you know how to get things done. You're the kind of person I want on my team." Thank you Dr. Chaney, thank you.

And she guessed that I was Mormon. And so did the acupuncturist I saw today! It was as little strange to have it asked two times in two days. The acupuncturist was very nice and chatty so I asked her how she knew and she said "Mormons tend to have an attractive, wholesome appearance and you fit the bill". I suspect it's also because I listed that I don't drink or smoke on my Personal Information forms and am relatively young to have 3 kids, but I like her explanation just the same :)

Ahhhh, I can breath again :)

"I'm in love with a girl"

Leah has been especially adorable lately. She's been wanting me to take pictures of her too :)

Here's Leah with all her "friends". She's so popular :)Yesterday Leah wanted me to see her new trick. I couldn't stop laughing!! She's so creative :)

Lake Mead Love

This morning Leah, Davis, me, Jordan, Rod, Tyson, Bobbi and Alivia all made an early morning trek out to Lake Mead. It was fantastic! The kids collected seashells, we saw lizards, we wakeboarded, we tubed and overall had a great time :) And we did it all before 11am!





















And this is my thanks to Jordan, who was there when Leah needed a security blanket to even just get in the big scary boat! Thanks a bunch:)

I will also be nursing my wakeboarding injury for some time since I'm not as good as I once was and the board attacked my arm during a fall...it was worth it though :)

It was a gorgeous day at the lake!!

Picture this: Davis is outside the bathroom smushing a black-widow with his shoe (the spider was already dead btw).
Mom: Davis don't keep stepping on that spider, it's dead.
Davis: Yeah Mom, but I want to make it deader.
:)

"Singing in the Rain"

My kids love a good rain shower! I think it's because it happens about once a year :)

"Let the rain come down and wash away my tears"

My brother-in-law Jordan and I recently read the same book, Speaker for the dead by Orson Scott Card, anyways I cried my eyes out but Jordan nothing! What the heck! And when I texted him and told him I finished the book and had cried he replied "LOL". What's funny about me crying Jordan!?!

Anyways, my favorite part was the happy ending. A line from the last page reads "It was a good time, a good place to be, better than Ender had ever dreamed for himself in the sterile corridors of the Battle School when he was little, and fighting for his life." *sniff* I need a tissue...again.

4th of July

1. We swam at Grandma Cindy's:

2. We ate Cafe Rio, my favorite!
4. We made homemade ice cream with the most amazing vanilla my sister brought me from Mexico! The best ever!!
3. We watched the neighbors light their fireworks and almost get seriously burned countless times. I realized this year that most people don't have the same fire safety ideals as me because I was terrified for my children's safety the whole time! Hey Keith, remember last year when your illegal firework exploded on your lawn with the entire Leavitt family sitting there!?! I do!