Earl Fronk Family

FAMILY PICTURES 2010

2010-10-12T20:47:00.001-07:00

We had the opportunity to go to an amazing studio in Draper, UT and have our pictures done. As you can see, FOTOFLY did a spectacular job.

The next picture of Brayden completely takes my breath away.

This is the picture I always have in my head but have NEVER been able to get ‘on film’.

I was crying in the middle of the studio while looking at the pictures on their computer. The poor owner probably thought something was wrong, until I told him how happy I was and gave him a hug.

The photographers here are so special. It took a team of 2 to do our pictures. They were all caring, kind and very energetic.

The young man who helped with the pictures was so persistent in getting Brayden to look at the camera and getting those genuine smiles without upsetting him. And believe me, that takes patience and understanding.

It was more than I ever hoped we would get, and I can’t wait to get them printed. And to go back again.

The Kind of Friend I Want to Be

2010-09-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

The Friend Who Stands By

When troubles come your soul to try
You Love the friend who just stands by.
Perhaps there's nothing she can do
The thing is strictly up to you.
For there are troubles all your own
And paths the soul must tread alone.
Times when love can't smooth the road
Nor friendship lift the heavy load.
But just to feel you have a friend
Who will stand by until the end.
Whose sympathy through all endures
Whose warm handclasp is always yours.
It helps somehow to pull you through
Although there's nothing she can do.
And so with fervent heart we cry
God Bless the friend who just stands by.

--Anonymous

I am so lucky to have many friends like this in my life!

Beatitudes For Friends Of People With Disabilities

2010-08-31T19:54:00.000-07:00

Blessed are you who take the time to listen to difficult speech,
If I persevere, I can be understood.

Blessed are you who never bid me to "hurry up"
Or take my tasks from me and do them for me.
For I often need time, rather than help.

Blessed are you who stand beside me as I enter new and untried ventures,
Myself and You.

Blessed are you who ask for my help.
For my greatest need is to be needed.

Blessed are you who, with a smile encourage me to try once more.

Blessed are you who never remind me
That today I ask the same question twice.

Blessed are you who respect me and love me just as I am.

Author Unknown

Heaven's Very Special Child

2010-08-20T21:04:00.000-07:00

Can't remember if I've posted this already. If I have, it is worth sharing again....

A meeting was held quite far from Earth.
It was time again for another birth.
Said the Angels to the Lord above-
"This special child will need much love.
"Her progress may be very slow,
"Accomplishment she may not show.
"And she'll require extra care
"From the folks she meets down there.
"She may not run or laugh or play,
"Her thoughts may seem quite far away.
"So many times she will be labeled
"'different,' 'helpless,' and disabled.
"So, let's be careful where she's sent.
"We want her life to be content.
"Please, Lord, find the parents who
"Will do a special job for you.
"They will not realize right away
"The leading role they are asked to play.
"But with this child sent from above
"Comes stronger faith and richer love.
"And soon they'll know the privilege given
"In caring for their gift fro heaven.
"Their precious charge, so meek and mild
"Is heaven's very special child."

-Edna Massimilla

My Trip to Oregon!!

2010-08-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

I spent a week in Oregon for my nephew's wedding. ALL BY MYSELF! No kids. No hubby. It was so weird!!

This is Mt. Hood. It was an AMAZING view from my airplane window.

My sister, Marie, and her husband, Rick, picked me up from the airport. They are wonderful people. I'm such a lucky girl! My dad was married before he married my mom. Marie's mom moved her to Oregon when Marie was very young, and we were never able to have contact with each other. Through the miracle of modern technology, we started keeping in touch through email. Last year, Marie brought Rick and all of their kids to Utah. It was so WONDERFUL!!! Meeting my sister, brother-in-law, niece and 3 nephews for the first time ever. This year I went to Oregon for my nephew's wedding.

This is Dad with Marie's daughter, Stephanie.

Chris, the groom, with my brothers, David and Michael.

Dad and Marie's son, Mike.

My aunt dancing with the crazy brothers. Chris and Jeff.

The brothers showing off their dancing skills!

My parents with the Bride and Groom.

It was a gorgeous setting.

I can't wait to get my hands on the wedding video. They danced down the aisle and all sorts of fun stuff!

On Sunday we drove out to Lincoln City. The weather was pretty windy, but it was VERY beautiful.

The hotel in this picture is actually where Rick and Marie celebrated their honeymoon.

Rick

Rick and Marie

Rick with my brothers, Mike and Dave.

Marie and I

Dave, Me, Marie and Mike

My sister, Trisha, wasn't able to make it to Oregon. Mike missed Marie's trip last year. So, now we have all met, but we can't seem to get us all together in the same place at the same time. :(

Rick snapped this picture for us. He was so SNEAKY and said he was going to take another pic. But he needed to back up a bit first. Dave glanced behind us just in time to see a wave headed our way. We made it out of the way....wouldn't have been so bad for Marie and I, but (as you can see from the pic) Mike and Dave weren't ready to get wet.

The aunties and my parents waited for us near the parking lot.

Oregon was GORGEOUS!!!

Rolling hills

Green, green everywhere

Christmas tree farms

Plant nurseries

Orchards

Vineyards

Wineries

Cows

Horses

There were fields of these purple flowers ALL OVER.

Not sure what they were, but they were beautiful.

Chris's dog, Hunter.

He was part of the wedding. The ring bearer. It was SO cute!

Rick and Marie took him home while the newlyweds were on their honeymoon.

That cute little beagle sure knows how to pout.

Evergreen Aviation is located in Marie's hometown of McMinnville.

They currently house an amazing museum which contains the Spruce Goose.

Just to show how big it is....this is a picture of one wing. Well, at least part of it.

This building is part of the museum complex.

It will be an indoor water park. And that's a FULL SIZE passenger jet on top.

One final pic with my sister before I headed back to the airport.

It was such a great trip.

Stayed at Marie's house. They made me feel so welcome and comfortable. It was VERY, VERY hard to leave. I can't wait to see them again!!!

Thank you!

2010-07-26T15:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who has been helping me keep my chin up lately. Even my BFF from France was kind enough to remind me that I need to take a break sometimes. Thank goodness I have a 13 year old, responsible, young man in my home who will watch the kids when I am loosing my mind or just need a date with my hubby. Spencer is such a blessing to us.

I think what my frustration boils down to is: I'm putting a lot of effort into many things I do, but not seeing tons of reward. I know....I shouldn't be focusing on the results. I just can't help but wonder what I could accomplish if my day wasn't spent picking up silverware, changing diapers, giving medicine, picking up crackers, vacuuming chips off the carpet....and all of the other things that come along with raising a child with special needs. Honestly, I'm not spending the day on the couch feeling sorry for myself, but sometimes the house looks that way.

But really, I have such wonderful friends and family. Thank you for taking care of me. I am blessed. Very, very blessed.

We're Still Here

2010-07-11T20:51:00.000-07:00

Summer is keeping us busy, but we are still here!

Summer is an interesting time at our house.

We spend quite a bit of our time chasing Brayden and his messes. I honestly dream of the day when he learns to clean up after himself. Not sure it will ever happen....that may be one skill he just never grasps...but a mom can dream. Lately, he has decided that his favorite place to hang out is the top of my fridge. He has always been a boy who loves high places. Always wanted to be carried around when he was younger. Loves windows. Especially at Earl's 4th floor office. And of course, loves the windows at home. You would think after his previous accidents, he wouldn't like them so much....but he LOVES them. So, Earl has installed contraptions that allow us to open the windows and enjoy the fresh air without allowing him to make an exit through the opening. What a good dad. These contraptions have been installed for almost 2 years. This summer, we found out they might not be quite good enough....Brayden has found a way to climb OVER them. So we are making improvements and changes to make them safer.

I would love to spend my summer working in the yard....painting the rooms of our house that are so neglected....or plain just doing a good deep clean. But that doesn't happen. I was honestly amazed to find myself in the playroom the other day with no one following behind me undoing the organization that I was immersed in. Brayden was home.....napping....and being entertained by his ever patient big brother. I was able to clean and reorganize that entire black hole. It felt so wonderful!

It was one special day of cleaning. Many of our other days are spent retrieving the things Brayden throws from his perch on the fridge. Thank goodness we didn't put ceramic tile in our kitchen. It would be so broken and chipped. I also do quite a bit of vacuuming. Anyone who stops by our house may not notice, but there really is quite a bit of cleaning going on over here. Unfortunately it isn't to make the house look lovely and welcoming to visitors. It is simply to make it livable to those in our home. I can't even count how many times I have had to get out the vacuum in order to clean up the latest layer of chips or crackers that have been dumped out on the carpet or someone's bed. Or mopping up the latest spill of a drink that Brayden has thrown. That's one of his new pleasures in life....throwing a cup with any sort of liquid in it. He also throws things when he's angry, so it is happening quite often.

One of these days I really hope to have a semi-relaxing summer. Brayden just doesn't enjoy being out of school. Even summer school just doesn't do it for him. 3 hours a day 3 days a week for only 5 weeks.....just not enough.

So, until he finds a way to enjoy summer.....I try to remember that school starts in August. And I try to take advantage of the time that he spends in school in the fall. Its hard not to use that time to just relax. Relaxing is a good thing. When he is in school, and I am able to just SIT. That is wonderful. But I can't get too used to that. Sooner than I realize, it will be summer again, and I will still have that long list of things to do.

For now, the yard gets neglected....the painting is NOT getting done....the cleanliness level in our home is questionable.....all of the craft projects I have running around in my head will have to stay in my head....but we can only do so much. It can be an exhausting job taking care of this active little man. But I love him so much. He has taught and continues to teach me so many things.

I am so blessed to be his mom.

So, consider this your 'warning'.

The Fronk home is a circus during the summer.

I do my best to recover from it during the school year, but find that the time still doesn't allow for all of the things I want to do. After recharging myself and making efforts to take back my house from the summer chaos, I find no time for the big projects I would love to do. Maybe one of these days? Brayden will most likely always be living with us, so I can't even say I'll get them done when he is 18 and moves out....so I'm brainstorming ways to get them done now. And doing my best to remember how blessed we really are.....

And looking forward to fall!

Our Summer Sister

2010-06-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

Krista is here!!!

And our family is SOOOOO excited!!

Krista is our niece who is spending the summer with us.

The girls are calling her their 'summer sister' because she is such a loved member of our family!

I am really looking forward to spending this time with her.

She is great at loving the girls, taking care of little things and especially making our days enjoyable.

Tonight we went on a walk along the bank of the canal.

These are some of the lovely flowers we found and just had to bring home with us.

May Snowstorm

2010-06-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

Can you believe these pictures were taken on May 24th?

It was a crazy, slushy snowstorm.

The snow was so heavy that it broke branches off of many trees in the neighborhood.

Chloe didn't mind. She just wanted to play in the snow!

Andraia's Birthday Party

2010-06-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

Andraia had a very fun 7th birthday party.

Some of her cute friends from school came over to celebrate.

We decorated cupcakes, played games, planted flowers and had lots of good laughs!

She's an amazing little girl.

And we had a great time!!!

Oh My Goodness!

2010-05-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

Our Chloe

I always tell Earl that she is the comic relief of our family.

Recent conversation.....

Chloe: Mom, the cat is in my way!!

Mom: Give her a chance to move before you freak out.

ONE SECOND PAUSE

Chloe: MOM!!! I'm freaking out!!!

------------------------------------------------------------

Yesterday I gave her a bowl of Cocoa Puffs for breakfast then made my way around the house trying to get everyone else ready for our busy Saturday.

A bit of time later, Little Miss Chloe turned up in the bathroom where I was getting Brayden in the tub.

I asked her if she would like a bath.

She said, "No, Mommy, I just did my hair."

Looking at her hair, I notice that there are some wet spots. Maybe like she had wet hands and tried to scrunch up the curls in her hair like mommy does.

I say, "Did you use some water to do your hair?"

Chloe: "No, I just did it."

Of course, now I'm curious......

attempting to figure out what she has in her hair I lean over to get a closer look........

and notice..............

her hair smells like Cocoa Puffs!

Apparently she decided the milk from her cereal was a GREAT product to put in her hair!

So...Chloe had no choice...

it was time for a bath!!!

Quote

2010-05-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

"God doesn't give children with special needs
to strong people; He gives children with special needs to ordinary,
weak people and then gives them strength. Raising a child with
special needs doesn't take a special family, it makes a special
family." ~unknown author

No News is Good News?????

2010-05-05T07:37:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update......Earl had a CT scan of his chest last week. Results....he has pulmonary nodules. Shouldn't be anything serious....probably caused by lung infections he had as a child.....x-ray in 6 months to make sure they aren't getting bigger.

But this is NOT the reason for his chest pains......so, we don't know a reason.....we just know it WASN'T the most serious of causes. Thank goodness.

We feel blessed.

Don't Wait Too Long!!!!!

2010-04-22T12:10:00.000-07:00

OK----I already posted this on Facebook, but it can stand to be said again.....................

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE

if you have chest pains..........GO TO THE ER!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do not----I repeat----DO NOT WAIT!!!!

I received a VERY scary phone call Tuesday afternoon.

Earl's boss, Larry, called to say he had taken Earl to the ER.

I'm not sure I heard the next few sentences.........

Larry probably found himself repeating things because I wasn't processing things very well.

Earl had been having pain at work. Didn't say anything about it....he is stubborn that way.

Larry noticed he was rubbing his chest and acting like he didn't feel well, so he insisted on taking him to the hospital.

That must have been one INTERESTING trip.

Larry is from out of state....

Neither of them knew where the nearest hospital was....

Thank goodness someone was able to point them in the right direction.

So, I get the phone call and Larry doesn't even know what hospital they are at, just that it is by Bangerter Hwy. Its a good thing he had me talk to the nurse, because I would have headed to the absolutely wrong place.

Larry said he would stay with Earl until I got there. The nurse said he was doing OK, and that helped alleviate my fears, but I still had to get there.....and FAST!!!

Luckily my most amazing, wonderful friend, Mindy, was able to come to my rescue. She was working at the school, but left and practically ran all the way to my house because she didn't have her car. I don't know what I would do without this amazing woman in my life.

I also called the awesome people who we carpool with (to the charter school) and they made arrangements for someone to pick up all of the kids that afternoon.

I also had to call my sister-in-law, Heather, and ask her to find someone to pick up Calton from Kindergarten.

Once the logistics were all worked out, I hit the road.

I arrived at Riverton Hospital to find Earl hooked up to an IV and monitors. True to his word, Larry was still there waiting for me to arrive.

We stayed at the ER for a few hours while they observed Earl and made a few blood draws to evaluate his heart enzymes. The doctor came in to chat with us just before they let us go.

They had cleared him of heart attack (phew---we got lucky with that one), blood clots and pneumonia. But did find some pulmonary nodules. These will have to be evaluated to make sure they don't get any bigger but were not the cause of the pains, and probably won't cause any issues in the future.

Wednesday morning, Earl went to Alta View Hospital for a stress test.

He did GREAT!!!

Since his heart is looking good, we are feeling pretty relieved. Still a bit nervous....but mostly relieved.

My personal opinion about the cause of the pains?

Earl's asthma has been really bad for the past month or so.

Even with new controller medications from his doctor, it isn't clearing up.

I think his poor chest has just had enough of the coughing and struggling to breathe.

So, we are doing all of the follow-up stuff with his primary care doctor.

Other than being VERY tired (we both are) he is doing MUCH BETTER.

BUT..............

He got a stern lecture from his ER nurse, another from me, and probably more from people at work....

not to ignore those pains.

It just isn't worth it.

I know it can be a tough decision to make.

You're not sure what the pain is from...

muscle strain, lung issues, even indigestion, but if you feel those pains,

PLEASE GO!

I would rather go to the ER and find out it is his asthma than not go and be trying to find a way to live my life without him here.

And that goes for you all too!!!!

I have truly been amazed by all of the love and concern shown by our family, friends, and ward members. They are the greatest!

It brings tears to my eyes to think of all of the offers for meals and babysitting. And mostly.........

ALL OF THE PRAYERS.

That is what gets us through these things.

I wasn't going to tell more people than I ABSOLUTELY had to, but I found myself calling, texting and talking to many more people than I intended. Our sweet neighbor, Jon, came over to talk to us about something else....we had just come home, so I filled him in.....a member of the bishopric happened to be across the street talking with our neighbors....I kind of figure that was Heavenly Father's way of saying----Tell them so they can pray for you!-----I'm trying to listen to the spirit and let it guide me. Hopefully it doesn't have to hit me over the head too often.

Sometimes we don't tell people the scary things in our lives.

We don't want them to worry, we want to know results before we tell them, we don't want their pity...

but without the strength of all those prayers...........

...neither Earl or I would have slept Tuesday night. (We were worried about his stress test.)

...our kids wouldn't have been as calm. (They were worried and clingy, but calm and loving.)

So, if you are one of those people that I told when I wasn't sure I wanted to, THANK YOU!!!!

Thank you for praying for us.

Thank you for ALWAYS praying for us.

I need those prayers.

Not only for the scary times, but for the everyday times as well.

THANK YOU, MERCI, GRACIAS!!

Our Disney Vacation

2010-04-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

We had a FANTASTIC Disneyland vacation! As we were enjoying ourselves, I kept making little notes in my phone. Things I just didn't want to forget. And my memory is so terrible that if I don't get them typed out now, I know I will forget what they all mean.

First off, I don't know if they'll let Earl and I back in the state of California again.

When we were there many years ago for our 1st Anniversary (1994), we experienced the Northridge Earthquake. This time, we were there for the Mexicali Earthquake.

Do we bring them with us? I sure hope not!

During the quake, Earl and Brayden were walking around Cal Adventure while the rest of the kids and I were in line for the Aladdin show. None of us felt anything. But they had to evacuate the rides and check for damage. The Aladdin show started a bit late...Earl and Brayden eventually found a ride to go on (Tower of Terror!). We didn't know how much it had really effected the park until we left later that night. There were news crews out on the corner of Harbor and Disney Way interviewing people. Apparently, when they evacuated the rides in Disneyland, it led to complete gridlock in that park. People, people everywhere and no place to go. I'm so grateful we ended up in Cal Adventure that day!

We made some great memories this trip!

Earl and I decided that we are retiring to Disneyland.

We have always talked about what we will do with Brayden once all of the other kids leave home.

He is a great road-trip partner.

He doesn't whine, cry, scream, or complain.

He LOVES being in the car.

It is his HAPPY PLACE.

So we have always thought that we would do lots of roadtrips with him. Then....I had an epiphany! Why not have Anaheim (or some other nearby place) be our home-base for those trips? Then Earl had the BEST idea yet. We're going to work at Disneyland so we can take Brayden to Disneyland all of the time!

I think that is the best retirement plan ever!

We love all of the cast members at Disneyland. They are so great with all of the kids. The girls are always called 'Princess'. They just love that. Usually I hear the cast members call the boys 'handsome' or some other cute term. This year on one of our passes through the security tents, a cast member referred to Brayden as 'Master Jedi'! So cute. Spencer and I thought that was pretty awesome. I don't know anyone who would make a better Jedi than Brayden.

Speaking of the security tents. We had a few interesting interactions with the CMs there. You know, Brayden really loves his silverware.

Loves to look at it, throw it, hear it clank...all that good stuff. So, we ended up taking some with us in the car. And he also pilfered a fork from one of the Disney eateries. Apparently, taking a spoon into the park is no problem. A knife is completely off limits (we didn't have any of those). But forks were questionable to a few people. They had to ask and make sure it was OK for him to take a fork into the park. Thank goodness it was! Can you imagine the fit he could have thrown if they took away HIS FORK!!?!?!? Oh man, I'm so glad we didn't have to find out what he would do!

Thanks to my sweet, cute, little girlies, we met lots of new people on our trip.

Andraia is our outgoing, no-fear, people-loving little girl.

She met people at the swimming pool, the breakfast buffet, the elevator....you name it. She also made sure to say 'HI' to each and every CM she came in contact with. We even met a lady at Jack in the Box who was so cute with her. Andraia had said HI to her a few times. I think she even asked where she was from and a few other of her 'standard' questions. I'm always worried that she is bothering people, but I try not to interfere unless I can see people becoming pretty uncomfortable. This lady was very sweet, answering all of the questions. When this lady left, she tapped on the window and waved at Andraia. It always melts my heart when I see people react this way. I don't know why I don't just EXPECT these sweet reactions, but I don't. I expect people to ignore her or maybe even be rude. I don't know why....I'm terribly cynical when it comes to things like that. But it makes me SO HAPPY to see her get a smile, a wave or a tap on the window from someone she has touched.

I'm trying to follow her example. I am more the 'wait-and-see-if-they-say-HI-first' type. But Andraia is helping me change my ways and maybe...just maybe...be a little less cynical. I met some great people and had some interesting conversations while waiting in lines for different rides or waiting to order food.

And little Miss Chloe is our quiet charmer. Her smile will make just about anyone smile and say HI. But she only hides from that point forward. She's such a silly little girl! I was worried that she would decide the characters were scary. But I had nothing to worry about. She had a great time giving everyone hugs. Everyone in a costume that is....just don't be a 'normal' person and expect her to say HI to you. :)

One of my FAVORITE activites of the trip was actually walking to and from Disneyland.

We found a great deal at the Ramada Plaza. A little farther from the park than we like to be, but we decided to try walking it. The walk turned out to be REALLY enjoyable! Spencer even said...'Mom, we should talk like this more often.' It gave us a great chance to talk to each other and enjoy spending time without rushing for a ride or getting jostled by other park-goers.

I never would have guessed that picking this hotel would have such great benefits for our family time!

Thanks for suffering through my trip journal!

More coming!!

Disneyland!!!

2010-04-13T07:26:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted.....in my 'defense' I was prepping for and enjoying an awesome vacation to Disneyland.

It is our favorite place to go. Brayden's smile and giggle on his favorite rides is priceless.

I find myself not even watching where we are headed on the ride. I just want to watch his happy little face!

FHE---Does it work?

2010-03-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

Do you ever give a Family Home Evening lesson, only to wonder if

your rambunctious, crazy kids even listen?

That happens regularly at our house.

Our girls are both talkers and its hard to get them to pay attention during FHE.

Last night, our lesson was Love at Home.

We talked to the kids about how we should be nice to each other,

share, use kind words, etc.

All the while, there were children singing, giggling, rolling on the floor.

Later that night, we were driving the kids home from an errand.

The girls were arguing in the back seat.

Suddenly, Cloe pipes up.....

"Andraia, remember our lesson! We're supposed to love each other and share!"

It didn't stop the fight.

Neither of them was going to give in..

But Chloe remembered enough to use it to her advantage.

As my brother, Mike, says...

"That Chloe is devious!"

Our Moab Weekend

2010-03-09T20:17:00.000-08:00

We spent our last three day weekend in Moab.

Mike, Shannon and Oliver were very wonderful tour guides.

We were able to visit Dead Horse Point State Park

and Canyonlands National Park.

They are gorgeous!

And we LOVED seeing all of the red rocks with snow.

The kids turned out to be real mountain goats.

In Canyonlands, we climbed Whale Rock. The previous

pictures are views from the top.

There was a section of the 'trail' that was pretty close

to vertical. We had to climb up on our hands and knees

and slide down on our rear-ends.

The girls were a bit scared.

Brayden loves heights, so he giggled the whole time!!

We even had a birthday party for Oliver.

He really enjoyed his ice cream!

We had the BEST time!

Our three days certainly wasn't long enough.

2 Birthdays and a Wedding

2010-02-24T08:01:00.000-08:00

Both Earl and I celebrate our birthdays in February.

Mine is the 14th and his is the 21st.

This year, my mom got us this FABULOUS cake.

Earl turned 40.

I did not!

We also celebrated Valentine's Day with the kids on Saturday.

Earl made steaks, sauteed mushrooms and baked potatoes.

YUMMY!

I, personally, had a GREAT birthday week.

One of my most lovely friends took me out to breakfast on Friday.

We don't get to spend nearly enough time together, so it was wonderful to sit and chat with her. And we weren't interrupted by yelling children or anything!

Earl had Friday off. That always makes my day special.

On Saturday I went to lunch and Color-Me-Mine with three fabulous ladies!

Now I'm addicted to painting pottery! And the food at Shoots.

That night, Earl made his famous steak dinner.

And I bought cupcakes.

Sunday was spent with my family.

Taco salad, birthday cake, cards....laughter, smiles!

Monday was Presidents Day, so I took Spencer to see Percy Jackson.

Good movie, but it TOTALLY DID NOT follow the book.

It was so nice to have a 4 day weekend with my hubby!!

Although, I don't know how excited he was to put together my new shelves.

Especially with all of the 'help' from the girls.

Feb 20, 2010

Darel and Rissa's Wedding

We all had a FUN time!

My nephew, Darel, married his lovely bride, Rissa.

The temple was beautiful.

The reception was a blast!

Couldn't ask for more.

So, for Earl's 40th...

I took a huge bunch of balloons to his office.

As a SURPRISE

He was standing out in the main area talking with people when we walked in.

The first words out of his mouth were

OH CRAP!

He was hoping to get through the day without giving away the 'secret' that it was his 40th.

OOOPS!

This weekend we are getting together with his family to celebrate.

Hope he has a fun time.

I'm so lucky to have him!

Chloe---Blowing 'Bubbles'

2010-02-23T11:33:00.000-08:00

Earl and I always joke about how dainty and lady-like Chloe is.

She IS our dress-wearing, pink-loving girl, but that's pretty much where the daintiness ends.

Today while I was sitting on the bed folding laundry, Chloe was hiding under the covers.

Suddenly I heard the LOUDEST toot.

That's what we call them in our house.

You know...breaking wind, farting......etc.

I look at Chloe and say "Excuse You"

She looks at me with the silliest grin on her face and says

"I'm just blowing bubbles with my bum"

I just about fell of the bed from laughing so hard.

THEN

She said "like this"

and the next one was even LONGER and LOUDER.

Then I really DID fall of the bed from laughter.

Yes, she is the dainty, lady-like princess....

and Queen of the Loud Toot!!

We See Mickey Everywhere!

2010-02-18T15:37:00.000-08:00

On our last family adventure to Ikea, Chloe saw a set of three lights.

They were globe lights like the one in this picture.

The large light in the middle, two smaller lights on either side.

As we walked down the long aisle in the self-service area,

Chloe screams........'Mommy, it's Mickey mouse!!!'

We have a bit of a Disney addiction at our house.

And I LOVE IT!!

Olympics

2010-02-16T21:24:00.000-08:00

We are pretty big Olympics fans.

We love cheering on our country, watching all the fanfare, enjoying all the different events.

But I find them a bit bitter-sweet.

During the last Summer Games in China, Brayden was in Primary Children's Hospital.

I would spend all day in ICU with him. Not interested in watching TV, I would read, or try to eavesdrop on the conversations going on around me. Always hoping to get a tidbit of information on our progress towards home.

Earl would be there through the night. He remembers the Olympics playing on the TVs in ICU and the waiting rooms, but never watched the events.

I would come home, enjoy the dinner that was brought to us by loving friends and neighbors, put the kids to bed and stay up watching the Olympics until I could fall asleep. Sometimes that was an all night endeavor. Sleep didn't come easily when I was worried about his lungs healing so that he could be taken off of the respirator. Then it was the worry about if the seizures would stop so he could come home.

These Olympics are MUCH MORE enjoyable! Earl and I love to catch the events that are on after the kids go to bed. We have to keep our cheering to a dull roar so they don't wake up, but we really have a fun time!

It is so much better to be home....with all of our family under one roof.....TOGETHER!!!

Coupons Rock!!

2010-02-10T07:08:00.000-08:00

Honestly, I NEVER thought this was something I would blog about.....coupons.

I mean, how boring... right?

Well, not for me. At least not today.

See, my friend, Alisa, hooked me up with a website that lists all of the sales at our local stores and the coupons you can match up with them to get super deals.

So, I had to share my Target savings.

What started out as a $53 shopping trip

only cost me $27!!!!
That includes My Little Pony toys for Valentine's Day and lots of groceries.

I was so excited!!

Now, obviously this kind of savings doesn't happen on every trip or we would be spending much more money on Disney trips, cool electronic gadgets for the hubby, etc. This was a special trip where I had coupons for almost every item I purchased.

Is it wrong to get an adrenaline rush from saving money?!?!

BTW-the My Little Pony was a Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon that you can print out at Coupons.com

Chloe Loves The Snow

2010-02-04T07:14:00.000-08:00

Silly Chloe loves the snow.

She loved building this tiny snowman on the driveway.

We moved him up on the porch to keep him 'safe'.

And she was rather put-out later in the day when she looked out the window and he was gone.

She had tried to convince me to bring him in the house.

Now, when she talks about snowmen, she always remembers her little-guy with the leaf hat who melted.

Funny girl!

The Kids

2010-01-29T10:18:00.000-08:00

The plane is still sitting in Haiti. The pilot refused to leave without the kids. Pray.......Pray........Pray

Short Video of Earl's Lovely Mom

2010-01-26T11:40:00.000-08:00

http://www.facebook.com/#/video/?id=1201610782

I hope this link works. If not, I apologize. I'm not very good at the technical stuff. It is a short video that Earl's BIL made for the family and posted on his facebook page. Earl's mom passed away four years ago yesterday. In a car accident.

I can't believe it has been that long. I know she is watching over us. I do all I can to make sure that our kids will always remember their Grandma Rainey.

We made the decision to add another baby to our family after she passed away.

Chloe is so like her.

It just amazes me.

We are so lucky to know that we will all be able to be with her again.

It sometimes still catches me off guard to realize how much I miss her.

I wasn't always the most loving daughter-in-law. It took me awhile (too long) to open up and allow myself to truly become a part of Earl's family. Loraine was always there. Waiting for me to be her daughter. She was the best mother-in-law a girl could ever want. She loved me no matter what. And her passion in loving her grandkids cannot be matched.

Oh how I wish she could be here to see her grandkids growing.

I know she sees it all and doesn't miss a thing.

I just wish I could see her smile as they joke and play with their dad, pass all the amazing milestones they reach for in life and strive to reach the potential that their Heavenly Father has blessed them with.

Many people often say that Brayden must see and talk to her. He often has a smile and a giggle for no reason at all.....no reason other than he is looking at Grandma and listen to her tell him silly stories. I am jealous of his connection to her, but so grateful that she is still able to influence our lives every day.

Love you Mom!

17th Anniversary

2010-01-21T21:33:00.000-08:00

It seems like we have known each other forever, but not like it has really been 17 years.

Does that make sense?

For our anniversary (on Friday), we spent the night in Salt Lake and ate dinner at The Cheesecake Factory.

Yummy food!!

Earl has eaten at several CC Factories across the country and LOVES the food.

This was my first time there.

It was SO good!

My angel friend stayed with our kids. It has been many years since we were away from the kids over night. It can be hard to find a good sitter who is willing to change diapers and deal with a possible seizure.

Plus, I'm not the best at relinquishing control and just getting away.

We need to do that more often.

Our kids had a fantastic time.

They can't stop talking about all of the fun stuff they did. Movies, treats, etc.

17 years ago, we were really smart and decided to get married on Martin Luther King, JR weekend.

So we had a nice long weekend with the kids.

The picture on this post was taken when we were in the middle of sanding down the walls in Spencer's room and getting ready to paint. We really know how to have fun!

It has been such an amazing time. Still can't believe it has been 17 years. WOW!

Putting a Face on the Haitian Tragedy

2010-01-19T07:27:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of my friend, Lori, and her beautiful family. You can read an article about them from our local paper, the Daily Herald.

http://heraldextra.com/news/local/north/lehi/article_4192014b-59da-5a2e-b3e1-eceaa6d3776c.html

Lori posted on her blog this morning that they have Humanitarian Parole.

This means that they will be able to bring their children home!!!

The process won't be perfect, but they will bring the children home and take care of more paperwork after they are all home together.

Please pray for this sweet family, and all of the people of Haiti.

Watch Out World He's A Teenager!!

2010-01-07T08:55:00.000-08:00

Just a few recent pics of Spencer.

In case you can't tell, he isn't a BIG fan of getting his picture taken! :)

He is 13 today.

He has been and continues to be a wonderful example to me.

He is loving, kind, patient, accepting, forgiving........

This year at Lincoln Academy he is thriving.

He has a wonderful group of friends and teachers who appreciate his talents.

He is becoming more confident in himself and his abilities.

He has been the most wonderful big brother.

He has a special heart for his siblings and all that comes with being the responsible one.

He is growing up too fast!

He is taller than me......and likes to remind me about it!

He has been able to attend the temple to do baptisms a couple of times this year and I LOVE it!

He is certainly becoming more than I ever thought possible.

More than I have taught him to be.

I am learning from him.

Thank you Spencer.

We all love you so much!!

Christmas Day!!

2010-01-03T21:06:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas Day!

Everyone really enjoyed their presents.

Even Max enjoyed some of the present opening festivities!

And Cinderella joined us for breakfast.

We tried a new recipe for a yummy breakfast casserole. It was SOOO yummy! The kids can't wait for me to fix it again. And they are hoping to try out the other casserole recipes that I gathered while trying to decide which one to make.

After spending most of the day playing with our new toys and just enjoying each others' company, we headed off to Poppy and Nana's house for Christmas dinner with all of the Thurston family. The cousins all played together and talked about their favorite gifts while the adults all tried to relax and recover from lack of sleep.

Now its time to get ready for next year!!

I love the planning and wrapping even if it takes a whole year. It is worth it to see the magic happen for our kids and others who we are able to give to at Christmas time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-31T23:33:00.000-08:00

We had a GREAT Christmas Season!!!

The entire month of December was really wonderful.

We were able to be with so many of our friends and family.

Andraia had a Christmas concert this year. The lower grades at our charter school all participated and there were SOO many fun songs. Their music teachers did such a great job.

We celebrated Christmas Eve with my family at our annual family party.

We play a pretty competitive game of BINGO where we steal presents from each other.

So much commotion over Dollar Store gifts!! It is so fun!

This year the party was a my sister's church. So the kids had room to play in the gym.

The kids rode the Wiggle Cars and tried to get in on basketball with their cousins and uncles.

And Brayden did a bunch of hiding and wandering the halls.

That is actually a really good night for him!

More pictures coming later! I need to hit the sack!!

Random

2009-12-22T20:49:00.000-08:00

Cutie pie Chloe in the tub!!

We're all set up and ready for Christmas! Come on Santa!!

Heaven's Very Special Child

2009-12-19T21:11:00.001-08:00

We have some very wonderful, supportive friends. One of them gave me this poem.

Heaven's Very Special Child

A meeting was held quite far from Earth.
It was time again for another birth.
Said the Angels to the Lord above--
"This special child will need much love.
"Her progress may be very slow,
"Accomplishment she may not show.
"And she'll require extra care
"From the folks she meets down there.
"She may not run or laugh or play,
"Her thoughts may seem quite far away.
"So many times she will be labeled.
"'different,' 'helpless' and disabled.
"So, let's be careful where she's sent.
"We want her life to be content.
"Please, Lord, find the parents who
"Will do a special job for you.
"They will not realize right away
"The leading role they are asked to play.
"But with this child sent from above
"Comes stronger faith, and richer love
"And soon they'll know the privilege given
"In caring for their gift from Heaven.
"Their precious charge, so meek and mild
"Is Heaven's very special child."

We are SO blessed to have this sweet blessing from Heaven in our family. He is the best gift we could all ask for.
Thank you to all of our family and friends who help us remember that we are SO lucky to have him. And for being our strength and support when we just can't do it on our own.

Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2009-12-14T20:03:00.001-08:00

I LOVE this time of the year. I'm so excited to see the kids' faces when they open their presents. And to share the holidays with all of our awesome family and friends. It is amazing to me how many people we love and who love us. We are SO lucky. I am so thankful for my amazing husband, my sweet kids, my wonderful friends. You know who you are....those friends I have reconnected with after 'all these years', the friends who have been by my side through all the rough times and all the happy times, the friends I am getting to know better everyday, the friends who know all my crazy emotions and still put up with me! Love you all!!

My Hero

2009-12-06T19:48:00.001-08:00

I know there are so many things to be thankful for.......I came here to re-read my list of Things To Be Thankful For.....but I'm finding it hard to concentrate.

We had to make a rough decision this week about Brayden. He is no longer fitting into our stroller. I know.........he's 10 for heaven sakes. He SHOULDN'T be fitting into his stroller. We've been pretty lucky in an odd way that he is so small. It makes it easier to care for him, carry him, hold him down when he doesn't want to take his medicine or brush his teeth, etc. But we had to make the decision of what to do now that he still doesn't have the stamina to walk long distances AND he doesn't fit the stroller.

So..seeing that we can't carry him all over the Festival of Trees, Disneyland, walks around the neighborhood, Hogle Zoo, Living Planet Aquarium or anywhere else that takes anything more than a short walk, we had to make the decision to buy a wheelchair for him. Just what every little boy wants right?

I know it probably sounds small and silly. I admit that in a way, it feels small and silly. But in a way it feels horrible and dark. It only serves to remind me of the things that he CAN'T do. I know. There are so many things he CAN do. I shouldn't focus on the negative. And I honestly try not to. But there are some moments, some decisions, some circumstances that kind of throw the negative in my face.

I know he is a perfect spirit. I know that with my whole heart. I know that he is a member of our family as a blessing for us. I know that the Celestial Kingdom will be his reward for living this life in a way that only he can. I know that he will ALWAYS be my hero. I know that he will touch more lives than I can even imagine.

But....I also know that, in this life, I won't hear him call me mom. I won't see him go on a mission. I won't meet his wife and watch them have babies together. I will be taking care of him as long as I can. I might always have him living with me. I HOPE I always have him living with me. It would kill me to have to send him to live somewhere else. That's why we're lucky that he is small. The bigger he gets, the harder it is for us to take care of him. I know that I have to plan for his future in a different way. If he outlives Earl and I, we have to know who will be taking care of him.

Sometimes I find myself mourning for him. For seeing him with his Primary class and truly realizing that he has Special Needs. Sometimes I can ignore it if I just see him at home. Seeing him with his peers, even those peers in his special class at school, forces me to recognize that he really is different. That there really are things that he won't be doing in this life.

Don't get me wrong. I love him. I can't tell you how much he blesses my life every day. I am truly lucky. He is here. For me to hug and kiss even if he doesn't like it. Even if he doesn't hug or kiss me. I have seen so many people I love experience loss. I would not trade my circumstances for theirs. Ever.

Just some days..............some days are hard. I never thought I would be picking a wheelchair for my 10 year old. Wondering if he will ever be potty trained. Wishing I could hear his voice.

But I do love him. Wouldn't trade him for anything. He will ALWAYS be my hero.

Festival of Trees

2009-12-03T21:16:00.000-08:00

We had a WONDERFUL time at the Festival this year!!! We met up with our good friend Rebecca and her army of family members. It was so much fun! Her girls are gorgeous, just like their mommy. Andraia had the BEST time at the end of the night when she was able to sit down and hold baby Sabrina. She had been talking about it all day.

We saw many lovely trees. But I personally think the BEST part of the night was just hanging our with Becca and catching up on things. We have known her since Spencer was just a baby. We have all been through so much during the past 11 years. Love ya Becca!

This was Spencer's favorite tree.......Nightmare Before ChristmasWe are HUGE Disney fans, so we LOVED all of the Disney themed trees they had this year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

2009-11-30T21:10:00.001-08:00

Just a few snapshots of the kids decorating our tree. We LOVE this time of year. It is so much fun to see the wonder on the kids' faces when we go see Christmas lights, receive cards in the mail or just read a Christmas story together.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!

Frivolous Thanks

2009-11-28T22:08:00.001-08:00

This list may seem pretty frivolous, but I am so very thankful for:

online bill paying
direct deposit
microwaves
dishwashers
washer/dryer
text messaging
email
cellphones
parking in my garage each night
pedicures
AND...........super cute blog backgrounds........I might have to try a new one each day until the Holidays are over!!

etc., etc., etc.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

2009-11-27T21:21:00.000-08:00

There is SOOOO much to be thankful for......
Wonderful hubby
Wild, crazy, loving kids
Medical technology
Amazing teachers
All of our fabulous family
Our fantastic friends
Playing piano and singing with my girls
Watching Spencer grow in his art
Temples
The Gospel

The list goes on and on......some days its easier to remember than others. I need to check back on my list when its 'one of THOSE days'.

Doing the Duck Walk

2009-11-25T20:15:00.000-08:00

So, I met with Andraia's new eye doctor today for our parent consultation. They did lots of testing with her last week. The testing included: copying designs from one paper to another, circling backward letters, walking on a line on the floor, etc.

Today when I met with Dr. Price he showed me lots of info about how our eyes and brain work together to process what we are seeing. Andraia's eyes have a hard time focusing together on an object that is withing closer range. She also has problems tracking objects at the correct speed with both eyes working together. Poor girl. Dr. Price had me read a paragraph from a book while looking through a lens that would mimic what Andraia sees. I was so busy concentrating on reading the words, that I had no idea what I had read when I was done. And I just wanted to give up. It was so hard to focus on the page.

The issues she has with her eyes explain why her writing skills, reading skills, and even math skills are delayed. She can't process what she is seeing in order to learn from it.

Her vision training will work on helping her learn how to use the muscles in her eyes to focus and align her eyes properly. To do this, we will be starting with some large muscle exercises and work our way to the smaller muscles. Currently, we are doing duck walk, pigeon walk, army crawl, crab crawl and several other exercises that will help her learn to use large muscle groups. We will also be working with tracking bubbles and balloons to work on her larger eye muscles. And to help her use different parts of her brain at the appropriate times, we will be using magnetic letters to call out the name and color of the letter. Using both her right and left brain at the same time.

Chloe is very excited to play all of these new games with her Big Sissy.

I had tears in my eyes at several times during the office visit. I'M SO EXCITED to finally have something to focus on to help her!!!!!!!! YIPEE!!!! What a wonderful 'day before Thanksgiving'!

Our real therapy will start in January, so our insurance will cover at least a small part of the costs. She will be seeing Dr. Price 2 days a week for 3 months. Then one day a week for another 3 months. Then we will work with her for another 6 months at home with occasional check-ups in the office. I'm really looking forward to seeing what the next year brings!

The Wonderful Fashions of a 2 Year Old Woman!

2009-11-22T20:45:00.000-08:00

So, you can tell Chloe is getting a mind of her own when it comes to her fashion choices! These pictures were taken days apart from each other but both include her Minnie Mouse shirt. We are certainly BIG Disney fans!!

In the first photo, she is a ballerina/princess combo. Must not have been able to find her Cinderella dress that is a staple in her dressing up choices!

The second pic is her new snow boots that look so cute with her summery-flowery shorts!

Gotta love that girl!!!!

What did you say is wrong with my eyes?

2009-11-14T20:34:00.001-08:00

Wow. After only 3 months at our new charter school, we have made a big leap in helping Andraia catch up with her academic and motor-skills. At the prompting of her new Occupational Therapist (the therapist who helps with her fine motor skills like writing) we had some special testing done for her vision. While she has perfect 20/20 vision, she has major problems with getting her eyes to focus on the right spot at the right time. One of the issues is called Convergence Insufficiency. Her eyes don't focus on a spot up close at the same time. This totally explains why she has a hard time following a line of words on a page, and why she knows the answer to a math question but can't actually write it down correctly.
Luckily, the fix for her eye issues doesn't require surgery, only a few months of vision therapy. Unluckily, this isn't covered by our health insurance. So, it won't be a quick, cheap fix. But we are determined to give her the best start in her academic life, so we will make sure that things get taken care of. I feel so blessed that we have been able to find out that there is something we can do to help her!!! To live in a time and place where this is something we can fix. We are so blessed.

Brayden's Birthday Party

2009-11-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

Last night was Brayden's birthday party. Little stinker didn't care if we had one or not. Honestly, he probably would have been happier if we DIDN'T have one, but we did it anyway! We had the Thurston side of the family over for dinner.....pizza, garlic bread, salad....yummy stuff. We picked them for Brayden, after all, it was HIS birthday, but he didn't eat much. That isn't unusual lately.

After dinner, he insisted on going for a ride. Now, for a little guy who doesn't talk, he really knows how to get his point across. He will go find his shoes and socks and hunt you down. Then, he'll follow you all over the house, pulling at your arm and trying to hand you his shoes until you finally sit down with him and put them on. Believe me, it is best to listen to him! He will resort to THROWING the shoes AT YOU unless you get the point!

So, Earl took him and Chloe for an after dinner venture in the car. Arriving home just in time for The Ige Family to be here for birthday treats. We sang to him and tried to get him to open his presents, but he SERIOUSLY wasn't interested. So, we let him escape upstairs.

He got:
the biggest bag of pretzels I've ever seen
BBQ chips
new pants
chicken noodle soup
more chips
Goldfish crackers
Matchbox cars

you know, all the basics!

Now we just have to think of ideas for Christmas!!! This boy is SO HARD to shop for!!!

Holy Cow! He's 10!!

2009-11-06T08:27:00.000-08:00

Brayden is 10!!
Where did all of the time go?
This is a picture of him dressed up for Halloween (he was a doctor). He is generally too wiggly to get pictures of, so we take what we can get! Yesterday (his birthday) he woke up with a hole in his smile. He has lost one of his top, front teeth and the other is loose. He is NOT THRILLED!! It is really irritating to him that his mouth feels funny. Now he doesn't want to eat.........back to that battle again. Oh well. He did eat some BBQ chips before school today. We are always trying to fatten-up the poor boy.

Yesterday his bus driver was surprised to learn that he is 10. She thought he was turning 6 or 7. It is hard to believe that there is only a bit less than 3 years between Brayden and Spencer. Brayden will always be my 'little guy'.

We are so BLESSED to have him in our family. I can't imagine life without him. He can melt hearts like no other person out there. He snuggles up to you and you just want to spend the day with him......everything else is so trivial.

I am so THANKFUL that we had no hospital trips this year.....that is an amazing record for us. His seizures have been more under control. I don't dare say that out loud, but hopefully typing it won't bring out the bad luck.

We have a special Spirit in our home because of Brayden. For FHE, the other day, we talked about what it is like to feel the Spirit. One of the kids mentioned that they didn't know what it was like to feel the Spirit.......I was a bit concerned........until Earl and I talked to them about it. Our basic conclusion...we feel the Spirit so much in our home that when the kids feel it elsewhere, it just feels 'normal'. We reminded them that what they are used to feeling IS the Spirit. Now we just have to help everyone remember that...and not take it for granted.

Brayden is our constant reminder that we are an eternal family. He is my personal motivation to LIVE BETTER, DO BETTER, BE BETTER. I want to make it where I need to be to truly know his as the incredible person that he is. I look forward to one day hearing his sweet voice and having a conversation with him about all the he knows. His physical body may not be normal, but his spirit is perfect and miraculous. I want to be like Brayden. He is my hero.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

2009-11-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

Here's the recipe!

1 medium pumpkin-cleaned out!
1 chopped onion
1.5-2 lbs ground beef
2T soy sauce
2T brown sugar
4 oz can mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1.5 C cooked rice
8 oz can water chestnuts, drained

Preheat oven to 350.
Brown ground beef and onions. Remove any fat.
Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms and soup.
Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add cooked rice and water chestnuts.
Spoon into pumpkin.
Replace pumpkin top. Place on baking sheet.
Bake 1 hour or until pumpkin is tender.

You can use cooked pumpkin for your veggie. My kids weren't really into eating the pumpkin. Earl and I ate some, but you'll want to season it to taste.

For me, the pumpkin is more for presentation and tradition than for eating as part of the meal, but we love it!!

I've Been Tagged

2009-11-03T20:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks Mindy, I think.....
I'm supposed to post 10 Random Things about myself. I won't be nearly as entertaining as Mindy. She always cracks me up!

So, here goes..........

1. Earl and I dated for only one month before we got married.....I was only 19....don't let my kids do that to me!!!
2. I have a horrible addiction to Oreos.
3. I'm always trying to learn/try something new. In fact, I just learned how to make my own laundry detergent.....exciting huh?
4. I LOVE,LOVE,LOVE to cook!!!
5. I lived in France for a summer when I was in high school......and NO I don't still speak the language.
6. I'm always looking for a way to help people....not always the best at knowing what to do....but I try.
7. I love to scrapbook....haven't done it for far to long, but it is a great creative outlet.
8. I was a member of FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) when I was in high school.
9. I am a Disneyland groupie.....would move closer if it didn't mean leaving my comfort zone in Orem!
10. I love comments on my blog....so, if you're reading this....will you comment? I don't care if its something stupid....just let me know you're out there?!?!

Hope you didn't fall asleep!

......oh, oh, oh......one more!!!
11. I am not a very outgoing person, but I'm vowing to change my ways and get to know people. It has blessed my life to get to know more wonderful people in the past few months....so if you ever see me being a wall flower.....kick my butt!!!

Carving Pumpkins

2009-10-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

This is the aftermath of our pumpkin carving/painting extravaganza! Lots of paints were used, only one pumpkin was carved, but fun was had by all!

These are pictures of our traditional pumpkin dinner. This tradition is from Earl's family, but my mom actually added the recipe to her own 'Family Cookbook'. Its a really easy recipe that you cook separately then bake in the pumpkin. It is YUMMY!!!!

Can't wait for Trunk-or-Treat tonight! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

Gratitude

Why Mormons Build Temples

2009-03-15T09:26:00.000-07:00

Pretty Toes Mommy!

2009-03-11T14:24:00.001-07:00

Normally I wouldn't blog about getting a pedicure, but Chloe's reaction was PRICELESS. Now, you have to understand that I veryrarely get a pedicure. In fact, this was only my second one ever, so she has never seen me with such gorgeous toes! Usually I just slap on some paint myself or let Andraia try her hand at painting them. This time they are shiny, purple and have flowers on them. A few hours after my pedicure we had gone out to dinner with my parents. As soon as we got home, Chloe insisted I take off my shoes and sit down so she could admire my toes! She kept saying "Pretty toes, Mommy!" And counting them. She is too funny!!

Its Your 5AM Wake-up Call!!

2009-03-05T17:58:00.001-08:00

Have you ever gone to the doctor with a 'minor' complaint only to find out that you've been unnecessarily living with something for far too long? I made a visit to my doctor a few weeks ago to talk about some everyday issues only to find out that I needed some different medications than the ones I was taking. I hadn't realized it until then that I had been battling some really severe issues ever since Chloe was born (almost 2 years ago). It was a real wake up call that I need to do a better job listening to my own body and taking my own symptoms more seriously. I am always so good at sending Earl and the kids to the doctor at the slightest hint of a problem, but I'm not so good when it comes to myself. So, ladies. I hope you are all doing a better job than I am. Take care of yourselves. Don't live with something you think is minor because you are making yourself a priority. I was lucky that my situation wasn't any worse and am starting to feel like a completely new person. I didn't realize how bad it was until it started getting better. Don't follow my example.

I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home, Glad As I Can Be!

2009-03-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

Our kids were soooo excited to see their Dad last night. It was so precious. Of course, the flight was delayed out of JFK, but only by about 30 minutes. So we left later than usual for our drive to the airport. I tried to drag out dinner and after dinner activities as long as possible, but the kids were so anxious to pick up Daddy!

At the airport, Brayden decided that he didn't like having to walk around with the crowds of people. He would much rather have hidden in his stroller, but Mommy was trying to be 'adventurous' and didn't bring in the stroller this time. Spencer wasn't very thrilled with this either, because he was in charge of holding Brayden's hand and Brayden likes to use his head as a weapon when he's upset. Luckily, Spencer has a very kind heart and took Brayden for a lap around the baggage carousels while we waited.

So much for being adventurous, Mom. What was I thinking?

The girls were so thrilled to see their dad!! First, Andraia gave a very hearty welcome to Earl's friend, Tim. Andraia loves everyone from Earl's office and had to make sure that Time knew we were there to see them. I'm sure Tim was in a hurry to get home to his own family, but he stopped to chat with her for a minute.

A couple of minutes later, we saw Earl coming down the escalator. Andraia RAN to her Dad. She was so excited!!! I wasn't expecting Chloe to take off as well. She had been insisting on being carried since we entered the crowds of people and acted like she was ready to fall asleep. But as soon as she saw her dad, she jumped out of my arms and RAN as fast as she could to her Daddy.

I think Earl was a bit surprised at the enthusiastic reception. But he really deserves it. We all missed him very much and are very glad that he's home! Even if he did go to New York without us!!

He's On His Way Home!!

2009-03-03T13:24:00.000-08:00

Earl's coming home!!! Yipee!!!
Can you tell I've been missing my sweetie? He has been in The Big Apple for just a few days, but we sure have missed him.

I know I eventually got 'used' to him being on the road for about 50% of our lives when he was traveling for work, but I'm so glad we don't have to do that anymore! This three day trip has been very different for us. Chloe doesn't remember what it is like to have Daddy travel, so she doesn't understand that he'll be home, just not right now. Andraia has been looking forward to Tuesday night since Earl left VERY early Sunday morning. She is going to be thrilled to eat dinner tonight because she knows we get to head to the airport shortly after we're done.

Believe me, you've never met 5 people more excited to go to the airport. And we aren't even getting on a plane!!

February Update

2009-02-24T11:38:00.000-08:00

We've had a very fun month!
Early in the month, we went to the Draper Temple Open House. It was really beautiful and the kids loved being able to see what the temple looks like on the inside. Now they kind of know why Mom and Dad love to go to the temple so much!!

Spencer's school had a 6th grade Valentine's Dance. He DID dance, but here is a picture of him hanging out with his friends. The decoration for his class mentions 'drop kicking'. Poor Miss Seedall has to threaten them with something!

Both Earl and I celebrate our birthdays in February. This year we attended Stake Conference for my birthday. It really was neat. For Earl's, Andraia picked out a special cake at the store. Earl grilled yummy steaks, and we spent the evening playing with the kids. Are we getting boring in our old age or what?

This is a picture of my nephew, Calton, 'helping' Spencer play a game on his PSP. Calton is so cute. He loves to play video games with Spencer!!

And here's a picture of Andraia with her friend, Mary. Mary's family performs Native American dances. We were able to watch their performance at the library. It was incredible. Our entire family really enjoyed the experience. Everyone loved watching the dances, hearing the stories and listening to the music. Even Brayden!! It isn't often this family finds something we can ALL do together!!

We Love To See The Temple

2009-02-17T07:03:00.000-08:00

We attended the Draper Temple Open House a week ago as a family. It was so beautiful! Because Brayden isn't able to walk long distances and feels more comfortable in a more confined space, we parked at the temple and borrowed one of their wheelchairs. He did really well that way, and we found ourselves skipping parts of the line because we had to use the elevator.

We had a bit of a hard time in the sealing room because Brayden didn't want to stop his 'ride'. It was hard for him to sit and listen to the guides tell everyone about the beautiful mirrors, but I'm so glad we were all there together.

Earl and I attended the Mount Timpanogos Temple open house when I was pregnant with Spencer and it really means so much to me that we were able to attend this one with all of our kids. We might not have been the most reverent group in the sealing room, but we were together. Brayden is so close to the spirit, I just couldn't see us going without him.

Now we are waiting for the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. Our kids are so lucky to be able to attend these events!

Wonderful Birthintine's Day!

2009-02-15T15:15:00.001-08:00

It has always been really fun having my birthday on Valentine's Day. It makes for a day filled with love, family and friends. I have enjoyed celebrating it in many different ways over the years. Earl always makes sure to treat me like a princess which isn't always easy with busy schedules and busy kids!

This year my birthday consisted of....presents from dear friends, text message from my dad and brother, cards from Earl and the kids, many lovely emails and facebook posts from my friends and family, relaxing at home while Earl took the kids to run errands and keep them out of my hair (that was lovely!), and ...... Stake Conference! I have to admit Stake Conference wouldn't normally be my first choice of ways to spend my birthday, but I'm so glad that Earl and I decided to listen to the spirit and attend the adult session last night. We heard some much needed speakers and got to sit by our friends. It was a very special treat to sit with Earl on one side of me and one of my BFFs, Mindy, on the other. And no kids climbing on us and asking for toys, treats and trips to the drinking fountain. That was heavenly!!

After the session was over, some of the adults from our ward met at our ward building for dinner and dessert. It was very nice. We had a great time joking around with and getting to know some great people. And Mindy's yummy cheesecake was the best dessert of the night! I probably could have lived without Judy and Alisa having the entire room sing "Happy Birthday" to me, but it was really very sweet of them to acknowledge that it was my birthday! Alisa, I forgive you for letting Judy 'pressure' you into that! ;)

One of the best blessings of the night was coming home to happy, pajama-clad children. Camryn, the daughter of my good friend, Jacque, tag-teamed with Spencer to take care of the little kids. Our girls sure enjoyed having her here!

It was a really wonderful Birthintine's Day!

Science Fair

2009-02-05T11:57:00.000-08:00

Spencer had a great time with his 6th Grade Science Fair project. He studied the affects of mass on a cart traveling down a slope. It sounds so 'technical', but it was just a fun project that allowed Spencer and Earl to push toy cars and their assorted loads of batteries down a homemade 'hill' in our kitchen!

(Doesn't he look so old? I can't believe he's 12. And only a half inch shorter than his mom. Look out Dad. He'll be as tall as you soon!)

OK-I'm REALLY Late With The Pictures!!

2009-01-21T11:47:00.000-08:00

Obviously I've been neglecting my picture posting duties lately! I realized when I went to take pictures for Spencer's science project that I still had pics on my camera from Christmas---and everything since then. Oh well, better late than never!
Here are a few from Christmas Morning.

This is Chloe 'trying on' her new PJs from Mrs. Santa on Christmas Eve.

This last pic is of Chloe playing a game sent from some friends in Hungary. It is a tic-tac-toe game that uses cute little bugs as the playing pieces. We were fortunate enough to meet this great family while Brayden was in the hospital this past summer.
Enjoy the rest of the new posts and pictures!

New Years Eve

2009-01-21T11:34:00.000-08:00

For New Years Eve this year, we went to Zoo Lights at Hogle Zoo and had yummy treats at home. Brayden's new favorite snack is chips and salsa!

The Zoo Lights were really beautiful! They had lights all over the zoo. We were able to see the big cats who are usually in hiding during the warm times of the year. And we saw a great performance of 'The 12 Day of Christmas.' That's Andraia's all-time favorite Christmas carol, so we couldn't miss it.

Pictures

2009-01-21T11:21:00.001-08:00

These pictures were taken after our last huge snowstorm. Notice in the picture of Andraia and her friend that the snow basically reaches the bottoms of the swings!

"Just Because" flowers from my honey!

Student of the Week!!

2009-01-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

Spencer is such a great kid, but he usually isn't the 'squeaky wheel' who gets recognized for the things he does. He's usually on the honor roll at school because he's smart as a whip and works hard to make sure all of his homework is done on time. He takes real pride in doing a good job. And he is such a kind boy. So, today when he came home and casually said 'I'm student of the week, and when they announced it, they said my name wrong.' I didn't hear the last part of the sentence because I was so excited to hear the 'student of the week' part!

I'm super proud of him!!

Here's his handsome picture.

For Those Really Tough Days

2009-01-18T15:47:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine posted this on her blog about our sweet, little Brayden....

Over the last few weeks I have completely fallen in love with this kid. He will sit beside me, his legs crossed Indian style on his chair, with his little hand in mine. Or he will sit on my lap, usually with a hand in my hair. Every once in a while he'll briefly look at me, I don't know if he is seeing me but I see him and I can't help but kiss his little cheeks.

....I can't tell you how much it means to hear that Brayden is melting hearts and making people happy. Over the last several years I have come to realize that he is a gift from Heavenly Father. Not just our gift. Everyone's gift. And we need to share him with other people.

Thanks to my wonderful friend for reminding me! I need to remember this for the days when life gets really hard.

16 Years

2009-01-16T21:43:00.000-08:00

Earl and I celebrated our 16 wedding anniversary tonight. The actual date was yesterday, but when you have to be at a class in SLC from 6-8 on Thursdays, it makes it hard to do much celebrating.

We had some wonderful babysitters tonight who really love our kids like they were their own. Thanks you guys for making us a part of your family! It makes it so much easier to go have fun and know they are all having fun, too!

We had a pretty 'basic' date-night, but since that doesn't happen very often, we really enjoyed it! Dinner at Mimi's, good conversation (still mostly about the kids, but less interruptions!)

It was very nice! Love you sweetie!

New Background?

2009-01-14T09:16:00.000-08:00

I decided it was time to change my blog background because it has been a week since Spencer's birthday.....but The Cutest Blog on the Block is having problems with their server. So, until they're back up or I get time to find another background source, this is it. Exciting, huh? If anyone knows of a great, easy source for backgrounds, let me know!!

Spencer

2009-01-06T14:21:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Spencer's birthday!!! The big 1-2! I can't believe he's 12 already. I'm really not that old, I promise. Enjoy the Birthday Background!

Reflections of 2008

2009-01-03T10:08:00.000-08:00

What a year:

We're all a year older.
We had some major trips to the hospital.
We took a wonderful, much needed, family vacation.
We enjoyed some really great art exhibits, thanks to Spencer.
We spent lots of time in our pool this summer.
We took lots of trips to the Zoo and Aquarium.

I have been caught off guard by my emotions several times over the past few days. I'm sure it has something to do with it being the start of a new year.

One of my dear friends is also experiencing some heartache right now. Seeing her go through this and wanting to find a way to help her has made me remember all of the blessings we have experienced through other people this year.

My heart is full with love for everyone who helped us through this year. We experienced some really hard times, some really wonderful times, and lots of just everyday times. I'm glad some of those specific hard times are over, but I wouldn't give them up because they taught me so much. I am closer to my friends, family and ward members because of them. We've had people with us every step of the way to help us, celebrate with us, hold our hands, listen to our fears, and just be there. I can't express how thankful I am for each and every one of them. I know I don't show it enough, but I really do love them!!

Happy New Year and One More Reason to Blog

2009-01-01T10:49:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone!!! We had a really fun New Year's Eve. We took the kids to see Zoo Lights at Hogle Zoo. We have never been before and didn't know what to expect, so we were really surprised that we had such a good time. Andraia's favorite part was hearing the "Twelve Days of Christmas" and seeing the lights follow the song. We also enjoyed seeing some of the animals that are usually 'in hiding' when we are there during the day. It wasn't too cold, so we really lucked out that way!

I also have another reason to blog this year. As I type this, my brother Mike is on his way to Moab. After a few years of living apart (off-and-on) from his wonderful wife, Shannon, they are finally both working and living in the same city. I am so happy for them to be together full time and owning their own house!! My family is pretty close, and we try to get together as often as possible, so we will really miss being with them. Moab isn't too far away though, so we will visit them as often as possible!! We already have the Spring Break trip booked!! Love you Mike and Shannon!! Keep in touch for the kiddo updates!

Is It Already Over?

2008-12-29T11:02:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Christmas is already over. It seems to take longer to prepare for each year, but each year, the day also goes by so much faster! I'm glad the kids are still home from school and Earl took a long Christmas break, so we're able to hang out with each other.

I have to say, my best day was the Sunday before Christmas. We had a really beautiful Christmas program for Sacrament Meeting. Our Bishop gave a wonderful talk about the atonement. He said how he looks forward to the time when we are all resurrected so he can be with all of us and experience things with different people. In his list, he mentioned that he really looks forward to having a long conversation with Brayden. Of course, that started my tears flowing and they didn't stop for the rest of the program. I'm so thankful for a thoughtful ward that is in tune with some of the stuff that's going on in our lives. It was so emotional for me to hear that someone else also looks forward to hearing his sweet voice.

To top off my already emotional day, Spencer received an anonymous note while he was in Primary. The note said that he is such a good example and everyone looks up to him. It included some money to help him purchase a suit for his upcoming 12th birthday. It was so wonderful. He is such a good kid. I am so proud of him, and I'm sure it is nice for him to be recognized for that. Usually the squeaky wheel gets the grease at our house and Spencer just isn't very squeaky!

So that gave us an inspirational start to our holiday. I hope the little we have been able to do for other people this season has helped them. Going caroling with our neighbors was a big highlight for me. And our kids loved picking out angel-tree presents for other kids. That will definitely be a family tradition!

We hope you all had a great Christmas!!

Santa's #1 Fan!!

2008-12-22T11:57:00.000-08:00

Andraia is Santa's #1 fan this year! She absolutely loves the big guy. She has had her picture taken with him three different times this year. I think she's making up for last year when she really wanted to sit on his lap but just wasn't brave enough to do it.

We took the kids to Hogle Zoo for Breakfast with Santa a couple of weeks ago. They really enjoyed it. We would have stayed to check out the animals, but it was snowing really hard.

Andraia loved sitting with Santa. They had a nice little conversation about Christmas, gifts, the snow......

I didn't get a picture of Chloe on my own camera (the zoo took pics for us) because she was too scared to sit alone. But she really loved this elephant.

Brayden wasn't thrilled with sitting on Santa's lap, either. But Santa was so kind. He did everything he could to make Brayden comfortable. It was very sweet.

Spencer didn't want to chat with Santa. He's too old. That doesn't mean I'm old....just him! But he did have fun taking pictures of the snowy landscape at the zoo!

We've had a great holiday season so far. The snow is falling really hard today. We might already have 6 inches, and it isn't stopping anytime soon. Hope we aren't snowed in!!

Christmas Get to Know Me

2008-12-22T11:34:00.001-08:00

I saw this cute 'Get to Know Me' on my friend Becca's blog. It was way too fun to pass up!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I'm usually in such a hurry that I wish I had gift bags to hold all of our presents, but alas, that never happens!
2. Real tree or Artificial? ARTIFICIAL! I love the smell of a real tree, but watering a tree isn't high on my priority list.
3. When do you put up the tree? It has become our Day After Thanksgiving tradition.
4. When do you take the tree down? Usually on New Years Day. We try to enjoy the decorations as long as possible without going crazy. Brayden gets insulted that the tree is in his way and wants to play with the tree skirt the whole month.
5. Do you like eggnog? Good stuff!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? My Barbie house with the elevator and everything. It was awesome!
7. Hardest person to buy for? My hubby. He already buys everything he wants.
8. Easiest person to buy for? Chloe- everything is fun for her!
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, a Precious Moments one that the kids can play with.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Unfortunately just email this year. My poor family and friends who don't use email are getting New Year cards this year. (I hope!)
11. Favorite Christmas Movie? How the Grinch Stole Christmas. My dad's favorite has now become mine.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I should start sooner. Usually October.
14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Ham, chocolate, I'm not too specific with my Holiday treats.
15. Lights on the tree? White!
16. Favorite Christmas song? I love singing all of the songs with my kids, it doesn't matter which ones.
17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We're stay-at-homers. Christmas Eve party with my family and Christmas dinner at my parents', but everyone lives close!
18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph!
19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel.
20. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? We'll open one gift on Christmas Eve this year---jammies. (SHH-don't tell the kids!) The rest on Christmas Day.
21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Driving in snow, and ice. All of the crazy people on the road!
22.Favorite Ornament theme or color? Our tree has become bear oriented. It is really cute!
23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? I love my ham! But my favorite meal is breakfast. Orange rolls, eggs, ham.....yummy!
24. What do you want for Christmas this year? We're spending it together. That's what I want!

Festival of Trees

2008-12-17T18:51:00.000-08:00

It is our yearly tradition to go to the Festival of Trees. This is a fantastic event which benefits Primary Children's Medical Center. After having been blessed with their help this past summer, it was an even more special experience for us than usual. We were even able to contribute (a little) by purchasing one of the center pieces that people donate to raise money for the hospital. It included 6 Christmas Stockings, some toys and lots of books. Right up our alley! One of our goals, in the not so distant future, is to buy one of the gorgeous trees!

Thanksgiving Point

2008-12-15T18:55:00.000-08:00

It has been far too long since I posted, and I still haven't put photos on the computer from many of our December activities, but we just had a great time with our friends and I had to blog about it!

We met up with the Montrose family at Thanksgiving Point and went on a wagon ride to see all of their beautiful lights. We had a great time. Our kids all intermingled with each other. Andraia insisted on sitting on Ariane's lap. I hope that was a win-win situation for all concerned. I think Andraia was a good little heater!

I enjoyed sitting with Chloe on my lap and pointing out different things for her to look at. We especially enjoyed the reindeer and gingerbread men who were jumping over the road.

The horses who pulled the wagon were named Holly and Bell. Very appropriate Christmas names! Andraia was even able to pat one of the horses on the nose. She was thrilled!

December Already?

2008-12-03T14:23:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, its December. Why are my blog decorations still screaming "IT'S FALL!"? Simply because I tend to forget about my blog in the midst of all the holiday prep going on at my house! I'll change them as soon as I post this, I promise!

We had the fun job of hosting my entire family for Thanksgiving this year! It was really nice. I actually did less cooking this year than I have in previous years because we had everyone contribute. It was a great meal! And we all had fun hanging out with each other. The weather was even nice enough to take a walk with the kids after we ate! It was a really nice day.

The next day, up went the Christmas Tree and all of the decorations. Our kids love turning on the music in Grandma Rainey's Christmas Village and turning the Christmas lights off and on. My favorite decoration is a Christmas Ball that I made several years ago in our old ward. I usually hang it outside so everyone can enjoy the pretty lights, but this year it's inside because we're selfish and want to sit on the couch and watch it ourselves!

We can't wait to go to the Zoo next week to eat breakfast with Santa. The kids love to just go for a ride in the car and check out everyone's fun lights. This is such a magical time of year. I'm so thankful for my kids and all of their enthusiasm and helping me remember that we can do things simply and still have a wonderful holiday!

Holiday Soiree Exhibit

2008-11-17T16:40:00.001-08:00

It is time to celebrate Spencer's awesome art talent at the Scera Holiday Soiree Exhibit. They have a public reception and light refreshments with a guest artist on Saturday the 22nd from 6:30-8:00. We are so exited for him! The exhibit will be at the Scera Center for the Arts (745 S. State, Orem) from the 22nd until December 23rd. So, if you need a cheap date for Saturday night, this could be it!!!

The artist speaking this time is Tom Holman. He is a wonderful stained glass artist who has done work for many LDS Temples including this window in the Nauvoo Temple Baptistry.

Latest Pics Of Our Clan

2008-11-14T11:52:00.000-08:00

Although I don't have a ton of pictures to share, it has been far too long since I took pictures off of my camera. These include Halloween and Brayden's birthday, so ENJOY!!!

UPDATE: I forgot to say---the cake was donated by some wonderful people who volunteered to make cakes for the kids in Brayden's respite group. It was so yummy! They did a great job. I have their info if anyone wants to give them a call.

Veteran's Day

2008-11-11T20:17:00.001-08:00

I know the day is almost over, but I wanted to commemorate Veteran's Day. My Grandpa served in WWII. He never felt comfortable talking about what had happened to him. I do know that he served in the Europe as a foot soldier and kept in contact with some families in Holland for many years. He was "The Old Man" because he was one of the few men in his unit who was married and had children. My mom, her brother and sister were very young. He must have really missed his kids, because he always shared his chocolate rations with the kids he ran into. I have so much admiration for Grandpa and Grandma and how dedicated they were to their country. I can't even imagine how hard it must have been for Grandma to send her husband off to war. Especially after her own brother's plane was shot down. He never made it home. Mom has pictures of his grave marker in a military cemetery in Holland. He made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. I hope we never take it for granted.

Fronk Family Pumpkin Painting Extravaganza

2008-10-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

Our kids painted pumpkins last night and had an absolute blast! Thank goodness we decided to let Chloe paint in just her diaper. She thought her tummy made a great painting surface as well!

Primary Program

2008-10-27T08:46:00.000-07:00

We had the best Primary Program yesterday! Ir was so wonderful! The kids each stood and said their name and that they were a child of God. Then each child elaborated on a theme that their class was in charge of. The scripts were not written by someone else. Each child wrote their own. It was really nice.

But, the best thing of all for me was seeing my awesome kids up there. Spencer's class was first and he did a great job. This is his last time. He turns 12 in January, so pretty soon he'll be passing the Sacrament. Andraia did an awesome job memorizing her part. She had a little stage fright and wouldn't talk into the mic, but we know she is a beautiful daughter of God. And finally....for the first time ever Brayden participated in the program.

I have to thank our wonderful presidency for making sure that everyone was included. Brayden sat in the congregation with us (another accoomplishment---he usually panics in the chapel---too many people) and I took him up on the stand when it was his class's turn. I helped him hold up a picture of Jesus. His fabulous teacher Sister Kristy Peterman said "This is Brayden and he is a Child of God. And we love him." Of course, the tears started flowing immediately and are flowing again. It has taken us 9 long years to get him in a position where he could participate like that. He has been working on holding and passing things out at school, so that fit right in with what the Primary Presidency thought he could do.

It may sound silly to be so excited about a small thing like holding a picture, but when your child doesn't speak or sing, or hold still, or sit well with his class, it can be very hard to think of ways for him to have that same experience.

Our Bishop was wonderful. He stood up after the program and said "My name is Steve and I am a Child of God." He reminded us that we are all children of God. Sometimes that is very easy to forget when you are the Mom or Dad. I was amazed at how many children were almost as excited as I was to see Brayden up on the stand. Our Primary President said she held back the tears until she saw him up there, then she lost it. And my friends, Kristin and Ann, are music leaders in the Primary. They said they started crying immediately when they saw us headed to the stand and didn't know how they would be able to see to play the piano later.

I am forever grateful to all involved for giving us that special experience of watching our son, who is so close to the Lord, let his light shine for our ward family to see.

Throw in the fact that my parents were there to enjoy it with us, and I was just thrilled.

Heck, we might even be able to attend Sacrament Meeting as an entire family again. That hasn't happened since Brayden was very tiny.

Yipee!

You graduated........when?!?!?!

2008-10-12T21:05:00.000-07:00

We attended Earl's 20th high school reunion last night! We really aren't that old are we? Well, at least I'm not. I tease Earl that he will always be older than I am! Actually, it was really fun!

Earl's high school (Box Elder-home of the bees!)was much more fun than my school! I had a great time listening to everyone at our table talk about the crazy things they did in high school! Especially Earl's friend, Lance's, stories about scout camp!

I really found it interesting to see all of these people who are the same age and how they have all aged so differently! Some look not much older than college-age while others made me feel like they could have been the much older siblings of these students!

It was a fun night! Earl was surprised to see how many people remembered him and wanted to find out what he was up to. He just doesn't give himself enough credit! He has really changed since high school. No one ever expected that he would serve a mission and get married in the temple. But after 15 wonderful, crazy, happy years, we're still here!

Ah, the memories!

Another 'Thankful List'

2008-10-09T12:54:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post this since we came home from vacation but haven't sat down long enough to do it!

I was really overwhelmed with things to be thankful for while we were away.

First and foremost, the chance we had to go on vacation! I had been planning this trip for many months and had no idea that it would be so needed when it finally arrived! We all needed that break from 'reality' for awhile and being forced to hang out with each other was really wonderful!

I'm also thankful for my wonderful friend, Mindy, and her kids for taking care of our house and dog for us while we were gone. Max was well taken care of and didn't suffer at all for us being away because Joseph and Emily were very attentive to him!

One thing that I didn't expect to be thankful for is the kindness of strangers. We new this could really be a difficult trip because we had to take a double stroller and a wheelchair with us. In Disneyland itself that wasn't such a big deal, but getting them on and off of the bus was a real pain. Luckily there were many wonderful people who always offered to help carry them or gave up their seats to us when the bus was crowded.

We met many new 'friends' on this trip. Andraia is so outgoing that she would say "Hi" to just about anyone and always had a kind word and a smile for them. Being the introvert that I am, I always get a little embarrassed when she is so outgoing, but I really tried to just go with the flow this time. I didn't discourage her from being so friendly, and it was really great to see peoples' reactions! Of course, there were those who just said "Hi" and didn't answer any other questions, but most everyone would chat with her, answer her questions, and some even remembered her from day to day on the bus or at the hotel pool. It was really sweet!

“It isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart.”

Conference Weekend

2008-10-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

We had a great conference weekend! We really enjoyed all of the talks, and I can't wait for the Ensign to come so I can start reading and highlighting them. We don't get to pay attention to much of it, but the bits and pieces we catch are so worth the effort. The kids were great to be in on the action through most of it. We do let Spencer escape to another room to watch because the younger kids get pretty noisy, but most of the time we watch it in the family room together. Brayden spends his time cruising the house and taking pit stops with us every once in awhile. Andraia and Chloe were so cute this year. They were always singing along with the choir. Chloe dances to the music just like it is the latest Top 40 song on the radio.

The highlight of the weekend for me was Andraia's reaction to finding out that it was time for the Saturday AM session to start.

Andraia: Can I watch Jon and Kate? (Her favorite show from TLC!)
Mom: No, honey, Conference is getting ready to start.
Andraia: Conference! Conference! Conference!! It's time for Conference!! (running, jumping, and laughing throughout the house!)

It was awesome. I wish everyone was that excited!

Another highlight:
Spencer attended Priesthood Session with my bros, bro-in-law, my dad and Earl. He'll be twelve in January. All the guys were so excited to have him come along!

Can't wait until April. Although, I have tons to contemplate and implement in my life before then!

Earl Fronk Family

FAMILY PICTURES 2010

The Kind of Friend I Want to Be

Beatitudes For Friends Of People With Disabilities

Heaven's Very Special Child

My Trip to Oregon!!

Thank you!

We're Still Here

Our Summer Sister

May Snowstorm

Andraia's Birthday Party

Oh My Goodness!

Quote

"God doesn't give children with special needsto strong people; He gives children with special needs to ordinary,weak people and then gives them strength. Raising a child with special needs doesn't take a special family, it makes a special family." ~unknown author

No News is Good News?????

Don't Wait Too Long!!!!!

Our Disney Vacation

Disneyland!!!

FHE---Does it work?

Our Moab Weekend

2 Birthdays and a Wedding

Chloe---Blowing 'Bubbles'

We See Mickey Everywhere!

Olympics

Coupons Rock!!

Chloe Loves The Snow

The Kids

Short Video of Earl's Lovely Mom

17th Anniversary

Putting a Face on the Haitian Tragedy

Watch Out World He's A Teenager!!

Christmas Day!!

Christmas 2009

Random

Heaven's Very Special Child

Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

My Hero

Festival of Trees

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

Frivolous Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Doing the Duck Walk

The Wonderful Fashions of a 2 Year Old Woman!

What did you say is wrong with my eyes?

Brayden's Birthday Party

Holy Cow! He's 10!!

Dinner in a Pumpkin

I've Been Tagged

Carving Pumpkins

Gratitude

Pumpkin Time

Time to Get My Rear in Gear

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Spencer's A Great Kid!!!

Moab

Thanks For Tuning In!

Contest Entry

Special Needs Carnival

Busy Week!

She's Two!!!

You're Not Alone

Broken

Why Mormons Build Temples

Pretty Toes Mommy!

Its Your 5AM Wake-up Call!!

I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home, Glad As I Can Be!

He's On His Way Home!!

February Update

We Love To See The Temple

Wonderful Birthintine's Day!

Science Fair

OK-I'm REALLY Late With The Pictures!!

New Years Eve

"God doesn't give children with special needs
to strong people; He gives children with special needs to ordinary,
weak people and then gives them strength. Raising a child with
special needs doesn't take a special family, it makes a special
family." ~unknown author