Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving



So here I am on the eve of Thanksgiving, feeling very grateful for the important things, like family, healthy children, warm homes, and safe havens. I am also feeling grateful for modern medicine that is giving my kidney a good chance at working normally. Unfortunately it is a long process. Over the last 6 months I have had re-occuring bladder and kidney infections, and on November 9, I had surgery to remove a 23 mm. kidney stone. I did not react well to the anesthetic and it took me about 3 days to feel "awake." A stint (like a long straw) was placed in the kidney and goes from the kidney to the bladder. It is most uncomfortable. I have to sleep sitting up as lying flat puts pressure on the stint, and causes it to twist and turn inside me. The kidney remains swollen and sore, but is finally starting to heal. I can not take anything other than Tylenol because I am super sensitive to medications and seem to over react with side effects. Hopefully the kidney will be healed enough for them to remove the stint the first week of December. Anyway, as a result of the constant ache in the bladder and kidney, I have opted out of traveling the four hour drive to see my family for Turkey day.  JB is sad that she won't see her cousins. So am I.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Fall Hike 2009



Took a stroll at Willow Creek campground in Logan Canyon last Sunday. Rosie was like a new puppy, running up and down and playing in the leaves. She took a looooooong drink out of the Logan River, and then peed in it. (?) Thanks heaven she took her drink first.....
Jb invited a neighbor friend to come too, and it was fun to watch them looking for leaves to gather. We did some leaf rubbings when we got home. Great way to spend a lovely fall afternoon!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Secret Boo!



It was a quiet Thursday evening. The family was gathered around the idiot box watching Deadliest Catch when a mysterious knock sounded at the front door. Jb sprinted toward the door to find....no one. A phantom had been by, leaving a plate of goodies and instructions to haunt two more of our neighbors. We obtained goodies and planned our secret attack. JB and I took Rosie on a walk, and did some haunting on the way. I had forgotten the excitement of going on secret missions in the dark. This brought back so many memories of door ditching with my dad. We would often deliver secret packages of  cookies to neighbors, or even care packages of canned goods and socks to people who were on hard times. Watching JB sneak up to the neighbors houses reminded me of how it was actually quite scary to take a package to the door, ring the bell and run, hoping you won't be seen. I remember being so afraid that I would get caught! It was great to see that Jb experienced the thrill of it, too. Makes me want do door ditch the rest of the neighbors.....

Aloha! Hawaii!



Aloha! Hawaii was fantastic, and like always, Mom got carried away with the camera! Check out the other photos at our flickr page:

Mahalo.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Through My Child's Eyes....



I found an old digi card today as I was cleaning out my closet, and wondered if there was anything on it. Putting it in the computer revealed a series of photos taken by Jb on our vacations in 2006, just before her 8th birthday. While most of the shots were blurry, or unrecognizeable, there were a few that showed the world as she perceives it.  I've noticed she has a good eye for one so young, and am glad I have a glimpse of what is beautiful to her. Here are some of what I consider her best shots, though she may think differently. Enjoy.





Thursday, September 10, 2009

Cousin Camp 2009

We had a great time at our Madagascar themed Cousin Camp. We started Saturday Night with a dinner of Alex's New York style pizza, Gloria's Greens (Salad), Marty's seaweed on a stick (Green rock candy stick), Melman's Lime disease Concoction (Sherbet and sprite) and King Julian's "Move it move it" jigglers (Finger jello.) Then we played a lot of games and watched the madagascar movie. Sunday, we went swimming and played more games, and had a hotdog roast. Monday we went to the park and played until it was time to go home. We love cousin camp!


See the rest of our photos at our flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tlcbull/sets/72157622330946118/