Snowing Indoors

Did you know that it can snow indoors! I found out yesterday that it can, if your 2 yr old wishes it. My mother-in-law watched Nathan for us while Rhett and I went to I.F. for a doctor appointment.( Hailey and Keigan were at school) We came home to see Nathan asleep by the hall closet with his cute little bum in the air. And also to see that my mother-in-law helped straiten the the kids room and the kitchen for us. What dose this have to do with it snowing in our house you ask? We'll after she had been gone for a while, Nathan spotted my package that I had received a few days ago sitting on the floor by the kitchen table (instead of on top, where I had left it) Nathan couldn't pass up the chance to play with the packing peanuts and of course they flew EVERYWHERE! All over the front room making a trail threw the kitchen to the top of the stairs going down to my room. Instead of freaking out (too much) I decided for us to make snow angels and have a little fun. When all the fun was done the kids, even Nathan, helped pick up most of it. I'll be bringing out the vacuum in a min to get the rest of it.
Thanks to Nana for moving my box onto the floor we were able to have a little Christmas fun indoors. I'll just have to be sure she doesn't see the mess we made after she cleaned. ;)

Christmas Bows

ha ha I just realized that one bow you can barely tell that it has a snowflake as the center piece and that the gree snowman one looks lopsided. Oh well.

This one is my favorite. I like it so much that I'm making another one, and may give it to someone. hmmm

The newest batch of bows

This doesn't include the two Christmas ones that I have just made. Hailey already lost the 1st one I made at by accident. It fell out of her hair at recess, then the next day some girl had the nerve to wear it, and Hailey is too shy to ask for it back. That makes me so mad, I work hard on that bow. We'll my 2nd one turned out really cute too. I'm also going to make a cupcake bow and a princess castle bow for Hailey and one of my nieces who's name we have for Christmas.

Thought I should update you on David and his wife Yennie

The day that David, Yennie, and Owen where sealed in the temple. Also included in picture are Yennie's parents visiting from China.

Owen at a month old

ha ha like father like son, or is it like son like father?

Owen at 3 months.
P.S. He is a honeymoon baby. hee hee

Great! Just Great! :(

    You would think life would start getting better after Rhett's transplant. Oh it is, but for him, not me. I have been trying to get on Disability do to how I know I couldn't handle working with how easily I get stressed, anxious and jittery. I was denied, WOW what a surprize, NOT! Thats the government for ya, they will deny you for any little mistake. I'm working with a law firm that helps people get on disability and they asked if I had another Dr. who could fill out a certain for me because the 1st one didn't show me needing help. This time I thought "Oh I'll go see my Mental Health Counselor that I use to see a long time ago" Well I'm glad I did. He filled out the form BEAUTIFULLY! And while talking to him about my problems I found out some interesting "not so good" things about me. Besides Bipolar, Anxiety, and Depression ( which are all separate disorders ) I also have ADHD ( not the hyper kind, but have problems focusing on anything for too long) and I keep forgetting the name of it but I have developed the disorder where your afraid to go out of the house. I'm not quite   at that point yet, but close. Looking back I notice all the signs that I was heading this way. Couldn't get myself to go to some of the big family gatherings, The chaos of Deneece's 6 new adopted kids while camping ( instead of eating dinner with everyone I sat in our van and cried. I cant get myself to church most Sundays, and if the grocery store is crowded  I get very nervous want out of there. I send Rhett to the store more often so I dont have to go. Also while seeing the counselor I had a panic attack. Take That Social Security!! I call that information proving that I cant handle working. I also had another one seeing my other Dr. this week. She had me take this True or False test that I took about 4 months ago and it showed that my depression and anxiety have shot up way high since last time, meaning my medication is doing nadda for me. We are in the process of weaning me off of Paxil and onto another. She also is doing a blood test checking for Vitamin B12 deficentsy. Most Bipolar people have this problem and need to "inject" (cringe) themselves once a week with meds.

    Thats not all folks! I have Sleep Apnea!  I need to get on this disability so I can get Medicaid so I can do the full test to prove how bad I am, and pay for the machine that I will have to sleep with. The short little test that I have done shows that my oxygen goes down to 80%. Anything under 90% is bad. And I also(according to Rhett)  sound like I'm having trouble breathing at night. My dad has sleep apnea and his test showed that he quits breathing about 29 times in the night. Why Mmmmeeeeeeee!

                                                   Grant Earl & Fayette Earl
                                                         

   To top all this off my mom just had eye surgery, its more like plastic surgery because the pulled her under eye skin up and into an incision they made by the corner of her eye. The Dr. told her that she is to young to have had this problem. The skin under that eye lost its elasticity and is ( well now its a was ) sagging and her eyelashes were turning inward and scratching her retina. That only happens to women, men only sag.  Also my Grandpa is VERY depressed and is wanting to die and if he dosent get moving around and eatting more he will. He misses my Grandma SO bad. This is his 1st Christmas without her since the war. The song I'll Be Home for Christmas has a whole different meaning to him this year. In a way I wish he could have his wish and be with his wife in heaven. Imagen 67yrs with someone always by your side then they are gone. And my Grandpa is getting quite old. He will be 91 in January. 

   So thats my depressing tale. I know how depressing something like this is to read, but it's like a therapy for me and its good to get it out. I don't know what I would do without my mom to talk to. She understands what I'm going threw better than anybody. I love her so much that I'm crossing all my fingers, toes, and even nose hairs if I have too, that when I have my next (probably last) child, I hope its a girl cuz I want to name her after my mom. My mom REALLY deserves that honor. Right now my heart is leaning toward Carol-Ann Rose Hayes. Ha ha ha I have the name even before I'm pregnant or know the sex of the baby. Oh and by the way, DONT TELL HER!! Just in case I have a boy, or the name doesn't seem to fit. But for now I'm working on getting myself healthy so that I can bring a healthy baby into the world, with a mother who wont fall apart at every little thing.

I guess I better go and make some Christmas hair bows before Christmas get here, and I'm also making a few fun ones for one of my nieces who's name Nathan has for Christmas. Post pics of them later.

1 year since Transplant

      It's been 1 whole year since Rhett's transplant. Thanks to his sister Shantelle, Rhett was only on dialysis for 1yr. She was very loving and willing to work fast threw the process to see if she was a match to be his donor. She was better then we could have hoped for. She needed 6 out of 12 antigens to be a match, she was 9.
       It wasn't to bad for me in the waiting room during surgery. The lord had blessed me with the feeling that everything was going to be alright, and I had Rhett's parents and Shantell's husband LaVell with me. Like we were guessing it took Shantelle a little longer to come out of anesthesia. She is such a small person (and short hee hee) They both looked really pale afterwards, but after a day or two the color came back slowly. Rhett was in ICU for 4 days.We expected 2, but his kidney was pushing out too much fluid. He needed to keep a little in so the kidney wouldn't dehydrate, also his toxin level was still a little off. Shantelle was able to leave after 3 days. Boy was she a marathon walker! They want you up and walking laps around the nurses station to get your circulation going. Shantelle was really working it so that she would be ready to leave ASAP. When not walking they had to wear these cuffs on there legs that helped massage them and keep the circulation going.

As you can see from the 1st picture Rhett started off with 4 bags of IV fluid. They really wanted to get

that fluid pushing threw that kidney at first. Good thing for that catheter. The nurse was emptying it every hour the first two days. Then they started slowing down on how much fluid they gave him. As you can see on the 2nd picture they still left his dialysis catheter in his chest just incase the kidney didn't work and he needed to get back on dialysis. 

    I couldn't stay over night at in the ICU so I slept at the University Guest House with his parents. I was happy when they finally moved him out of there and was able to stay with him. His parents left that same day. I knew exactly when Rhett was starting to feel more like his old shelf, he asked for his laptop. LOL! And when the wire gave out on the laptop he had me go down to the van and bring up is deck top computer, yes you heard me right, his desk top. ha ha  How funny I must have looked carrying that thing in, but it made Rhett feel better and from being so bored.

   We also did some sleeping. I also took Rhett out a couple of times a day to walk around. We had to be careful where we went because Rhett's immune system was way down with his anti-rejection meds on the very high dose. I had to sanitize my hands every time I came in or out of the room, by every patients door was a hand sanatizer. The Dr. slowly reduced the meds and still is to this day. Rhett has blood tests done every 2 weeks so the Dr. can see if any adjustments need to be made. Poor Rhett kept getting told that he might be out the next day for a couple of days in a row. He was anxious to get out. And get the catheter (from below) out. It was getting painful, and annoying. We were told that most hospital stays were 5 to 7 days. Rhett ended up being their 10 days. His kidney was working a little to well and pushing too much fluid out. And his toxin level was up a little in the morning but fine later that evening. Boy was he glad when he got the OK to leave and got both of those catheters out. He was thinking he would be nervous if a girl came to take the one out from below, but he was so desperate to get that thing out he didn't care. He just wanted it out.

   During this time our kids stayed with a few different friends of mine. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! It helped make us less worried about them and able to focus on Rhett and Shantelle. When Rhett's parents when back to I.F. Rhett's mom stayed at our place with the kids and got our house cleaned up and ready for Rhett. When Rhett got out of the hospital we stayed in Salt Lake at the University Guest House for another week and a half so that we would be close to the hospital for his 2 times a week blood test and check-ups. 

   My wonderful parents came up with our kids for a one night stay so that we could see our kids that we missed so much.

Hailey's 1st grade class made Get Well cards for Rhett that I had to display in the room. They were so cute. (A month after transplant Rhett took cookies to the kids to say thank you and explained a little about his transplant)

   Oh yeah! We also spent Thanksgiving at the hospital. Not much fun, but we had a special Thanksgiving the week before surgery and Rhett's dad gave both Rhett and Shantelle a blessing. What a wonderful experience. Everyone could feel the spirit in that room. We came home in time for Christmas. Most of our Christmas shopping was done in Salt Lake. Rhett was suppose to try and stay out of public, but that was near impossible for me to get him to do. He was so antsy.   

   I'm very Thankful to my Heavenly Father that we found out about Rhett's kidney failure when we did. (18% function, dialysis starts at 15%) I'm thankful for the strength that he gave me, and the wonderful ward members who helped and prayed for us, and family and friends that where there for us. That Rhett only suffered a micro stroke. That Shantelle was very willing to be his donor, and that surgery went well for both of them. This was sure a learning time and trial for us but with the lords help we made it threw the worst of it. Thank You to everyone who helped us and/or prayed for us, we felt your love and support.

P.S. Since it took me so long to write this it's now the day after the 1 year mark. lol. November 20th will always be an important day in my book.

- NKOTB & BSB Tour 2011 --

YouTube - NKOTB & BSB Tour 2011 -- NKOTBSB (Confirmed)

Woohoo!! I wanna see this!

Good Sunday Lesson, Bad Evening

       It's been hard for me to get to church this past year. It's not that I don't want to go. It's the people. They aren't mean or rude. It's me. Since things calmed down after Rhett's transplant (almost a year ago!! Nov. 20th 2009) I have had a set back with my Bipolar. I have been doing so well for many years. I guess the stress of the surprize you kidneys are failing, (18% function) the problems with the dialysis catheter  in is belly moving out of place a couple of times, Rhett's "mini stroke", ( Dr. is not positive what really happened, just that he had mind confusion) the process of finding a donor ( Thanks Shantelle ) and the actual transplant with the many trips back to Utah for check-ups ( we are finally at every 6 months for that now) must have done me in. I have problems with big crowds, I get jumpy and easily irritated at the grocery store, or any other store. If a kid is crying and the parents can't calm them down or don't try to, it is like nails scraping a chalkboard. I have a harder time with my own children and the being really loud, or all over the place, wont listen and stop. My family has heard me let out a big scream of frustration and start crying or run and hide many times the past few months. I hate having them see me like this. My kids will definitely think they have a wacko for a mom. In April or was it May? I finally went to see a phyciatrist to see about me needing a change in meds or needing more. He was surprized that I was only on 1 pill. The next few weeks were hell'is. One pill made my heart race and dizzy. Another more suicidal. When I was feeling that last one I couldn't get a hold of the Dr. He works at 3 offices. The receptionist told me, after the 3rd day of waiting for him to call me back, that I should go to the hospital. I almost went. My parents and Will helped me decide that that would be worse for me because they would take me off all my meds and wait until it was out of my system and then slowly add them back to see which one was for me. I would go insane if I didn't have my Paxil. I already felt like I was starting to go off the deep end. I couldn't sleep very well or very much, I was shaking uncontrollably. The only thing that helped me threw the day was to go over to my mom's house. It was quieter and the feel of having my mom close by. I would get tired after a while of being over there and then would be able to take a nap. ( I believe it was because I was able to get my body to relax from stress and the shaking) I gave up on that Dr. and went to another one who helped me out that day that I called and she has been great. We found ( after another few trys) a medicine that dose make me feel a bit better. I do have a side effect of shaky hands, but it's not quite as bad now that we cut the dose in half. Beside I would get shaky anytime I felt anxious, or nervous anyways.
    
     After a few Sundays of my anxiety, and illnesses getting in the way, we made it to church today. I'm determent to get my kids to church so they can know the truth and build a testimony like I have. Especially with Hailey turing 8 in April and getting babtized. The kids where good at Sacrament Meeting. Nathan held onto a stuffed dalmatian dog for most of the time, then he was in Rhett's lap making him read all the books I brought. Hailey sat quietly and played with two Little Pet Shop dolls. Keigan was on the floor playing with his cars (no surprize their)  or in his seat leaning on me cuddling. He also asked every 5 mins how long until it was over.
      I missed half of Sunday School because I was sitting with Nathan in the Nursery. By the way, it is a little weird going to church with your in-laws, and sister-in-law, but it is also nice. I know I have someone to sit with, and someone to go to R.S. activity's with. R.S. was very spiritual for most of us. Me, more ways then one. We talked about how the spirit has prompted us into doing things. My sister-in-law Deneece mentioned how the spirit prompted her and Josh to adopt six kids. Another lady mentioned how she was working and her husband was going to school and they had a two year old. She didn't want to have another kid yet, but she kept getting a feeling that their was another spirit that wanted to be there, and now. Now that child is 3 and she know that he was that spirit. I had been watching and playing with a little girl that is around 8 or 9 months old. She had the cutest smile. I looked back at that girl after that lady was done talking and started to cry. I felt I have a child I need to bring here. Maby

     Later in the evening it became difficult to be in control of myself. The kids where in my way everywhere I went, even the bathroom. Not stopping the ruff housing after I told them to stop many times, and then hearing Keigan crying from the top of his lungs because he banged his knee against the couch, which wouldn't have happened if he had listened. Keigan wouldn't go to bed and kept rousing Nathan up. Then Keigan kept talking while I was trying to read to Nathan, then Nathan wouldn't stay in is bed and was fighting me. I finally gave up and went to Rhett and told him he better deal with them before I do something bad. That's when I start doubting me being a mother. Am I really meant to be a mother? I want to be one, but with my mental problems am I good one? It makes me wonder if I should really have another one. I feel that there is another spirit. I was told in a blessing given to me by my dad before conceiving Nathan about their being future CHILDREN.(which as you know means more then one) I'm afraid of being a bad mom. Of not doing right by them. I pray often for strength to be the mother that each one needs me to be for them. That and making sure to be on top of my medicine is all I can think of doing to be what they need. This has to be one of my trials that the lord has for me. I know that he trusts these children with me. I just need to learn to trust in him more that he know what he is doing, and that I can do it. I love these children with all my heart and would do anything for them. I thank you Lord for giving them to me.

Grrrr. I'm so computer dumb!

Ok, I'm not that great with computers.I'm still trying to figure out this Blogg thing. I think I may have figured out how you guys add pictures  into your posts finally.

Yeah! I got it some what. I took this picture from my cell phone. That was while I could hold my hands still long enough to get a decent picture. Now because of my meds my hands shake too much.

Hmm??? Looks like my next task is to figure out how to turn them. If only Rhett could sit with me long enought. lol! We'll its a start. And you can see how cute my kids are. :)

Story of My Life

Facebook | Videos Posted by Fans of Backstreet Boys: Oct 10, 2010 9:24am

New Hobby and Starting a Fire

          I have just started a new hobby. Making Hair Bows. It started with an IEP meeting with Hailey's teachers, councilor, speech therapist, and principal. Her teacher that helps her with comprehension mentioned how Hailey likes having her mention how nice her hair looks. That got me thinking " I wish I knew how to do more cute things to her hair". So I went to the one place I thought I could learn some stuff and quickly, the Internet. Boy did I find some fun stuff. It also meant I needed to learn how to french braid. I'm not great at it but getting better. I will have to post some of the fun hair things I have done, like how I twisted and braided her hair into a heart shape on the back of her head. (It turned out SO cute!) Looking at all these cute bows that the mother would finish her daughters hair with where so cute I wanted some. I first off started looking at buying them, then I found instructions on how to make them and saw that it wasn't quite as hard as I thought it would be.
           I had a ball at the craft store and wished I had more money to buy even more. I found out that it still is a little tricky and that it's going to take practice but Hailey loves them and that is the most important thing, and the feeling of accomplishment. With my new problem of my shaky hands ( side effect from one of my new bipolar meds) It can get nerve racking trying to use the glue gun in small places, but I'm doing alright, I wont let that stop me.
           This being a new month, with a new paycheck, I couldn't wait to go buy more ribbon and accents and stuff. I found ribbon stiffener that I knew was something I would need especially since I now had the supplies to make the korkscrew bows. I got to work that night making a bow that the colors would be brown and pink. The base bow was brown with pink and white flowers, then I mixed brown and a pink with brown and white flowers korkscrew ribbons on top of that, next was a small pink bow with a brown strip that went around the middle. I sprayed the bow with the stiffener and as the instruction mentioned to dry it faster I put it in the microwave to dry it faster. 5 sec into it MY BOW BURST INTO FLAMES!!!! I forgot that my base bow had wire in it, to help keep it's shape. *Slaps Forehead* Yes, I ended up having to make a new bow and that time I used the blow dryer instead. That's one mistake I will never make again.

The best of the 90's

POW!!! Just got slammed with memories of the past. How, in a way things were easier then. No BILLS!, No worrying about what your kids are doing, going to be, health problems. ext;

Back then it was school (bleck) flirting with boys, driving for the first time.

My favorite memories where driving " The Earl Mobile" with Natalie and Jessica, going to Subway for our Veggie Delights. Driving by boys houses that we liked, with the music blaring, bopping our heads to the music like we were so cool. Sleepovers! Can't forget the sleepovers. Going to Island Park to my parents cabin and playing at the abandon ski hill, or Mr. Pee Tree ( hee hee, Nat gets that one) My parents even let Natalie come to work with me at their store ( Earl's Wireless-closed Dec.2001 after 59yrs.) We would clean the parking lot with a hose and broom and some how get all wet. We also didn't mind the guys honking at us as they drove by. And of course THE SLUSH PUPPIES! I would sneak some for Natalie and Jessica to some of there Marching Band Games. ;) And don't forget the boy drama. Some bad and some good. I ended up having more boyfriends then I thought I would ever have. I accually had two of them talk about wanting to marry me. But alas it wasen't ment to be. When I met Rhett though, I felt like I was getting hit over the head, and the Lord telling me"IT"S HIM!!! HE'S THE ONE"

Here is the best clip that I could find that had the most songs that I liked from the 90's. They are missing Savage Garden, Westlife, and BBMack, and that song "Blue". The song "I knew I Loved You before I Met You" by Savage Garden is Rhett and My song. Cuz we started falling in love with each other over the internet, before we ever met in person.

YouTube - Backstreet Boys - Helpless When She Smiles

YouTube - Backstreet Boys - Helpless When She Smiles

My most recent favorite song by the Backstreet Boys

Best of 90's Pop Video

Halloween

        We are celebrating Halloween today! Last night we took the kids to Harwood for the Carnival. We ate pizza and nachos (my fav) The kids jumped in a bounce castle and Hailey climbed the rock wall. Hailey also got a pumpkin painted on her face. They played Penny Toss, Halloween Bingo, and Bowling. By then it was time to close shop so that was all the games we did.
        Oh! Earlier in the day we took Nathan, dressed up as Scooby Doo, to the school to watch the Halloween Parade. Hailey was Sharpey from High School Musical, but with pink hair. Keigan was dressed up as a race car driver, no surprize there. Keigan is still VERY into cars. He points at cars as we are driving and tells me the make of each car. Is favorite is a Mustang.
         Tonight we are going to Rhett's sister Shantelle's house for a Halloween Party. The plans are a Pinata for the kids, then a easter egg like hunt but with Halloween candy, and a Haunted House, and finger food for dinner. I like this idea, but I wish it was not on trick-or-treating night. My kids, especially Hailey wants to do the door to door thing, and is upset that she dosen't get to. I kinda agree. Halloween is known for that. Shantelle thinks that it should now be a family thing, but I think she thinks that because her kids are to old for trick-or-treating, and she has forgotton how much the kids love the running from door to door getting candy. What can I do? I don't want to make her mad at us by not showing up because the kids rather do it the traditonal way. ( or the rest of the family either) So I guess we will go. It will be fun either way.

Finally Getting Started

I decided it was about time that I start blogging. 1. so friends know whats going on in my life and 2. to use like a journal. So be expected of the unexpected.

Where to begin? I have just recently moved from my home town to my husband Rhett's home town of Rigby. It's only a 20 min. drive from I.F. I miss being so close to so many stores, especially Walmart. My 2 yr old Nathan can only drink rice milk and Walmart is the cheapest @ $2.89 a half gallon. Here in Rigby it is $4.59!!!! Uh, Duh! I think I will buy as many cartons as I can when I'm in I.F. I also REALLY REALLY miss being so close to my mom. She is more than a mom to me she is also a best friend. She gives me great advice, comfort, and encouragement. Rigby is not so bad though. My sister lives close by and most of Rhett's family is here or close by.

My two oldest attend Harwood Elementary. Hailey (7yrs.) is in 2nd grade with Mrs. Lybbert. Keigan (5yrs.) is in Kindergarten with Mrs. Clark. Both are doing well, and made friends here really fast. Which dosen't surprize me about