Sam turns 14!

I had a lunch date and shopping planning with my two best friends for Friday, February 18.  Sam didn't want to be left home with her dad and the other kids so she asked if she could come along.  I relented and she brought Jade along as well.  We had a fun day of shopping with the girls and lunch.  Afterwards, we went to see the Lego Batman movie.  Everyone had to wear their new Batman shirts!

For her cake this year she sent my MANY Pinterest options.  The themes were random but totally her (New York, Batman, Unicorns & Dance).  I finally mashed together unicorns & dance and she was a happy camper about it.

She was thrilled to add two new unicorns to her ever growing unicorns herd.

I couldn't pass this shirt up when I saw it.  It says "Ballet...like a sport, only harder"

Bradshaw's got her a Batman coin bank.  She was ridiculously excited about this.

Leave it to Grandma Terri to find her some awesome new cat socks!

And, Grandma Terri got her her new doll (only 2 more and a graduation & wedding one left in Sam's collection!)

I can't believe she's this old (or maybe that I'm this old).  However, I will say I seriously CANNOT wait for her to get her driver's license so she can drive herself to dance class!  I will FINALLY get my life back!  She started competitive dance in second grade!  Not only can she drive herself, she can drive her sister!  Whoot, whoot!

Updates on kids

I'm fairly certain that Caleb will forever be my medically challenged child (too much like his mother that way).

Today we went back to the Wellness Clinic to see JanaLee.  We went back in December after his pediatrician said he had dropped from the 4% for weight to the 2% and from 4% for height to 3%.  I told the pediatrician we had had success at the Wellness Clinic previously so he told me, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it - go back."  He told us when we saw him in November that if Caleb didn't start making some progress he would have to refer us to the dietitian (I told him we had done that once already and it was a joke.  He said that he would give us a referral to the other dietitian.)  He said that if Caleb didn't make progress after seeing the dietitian that he would refer us to Primary Children's Failure to Thrive Clinic.  Sounds familiar, right?

When we went back to the Wellness Clinic in December (after a hiatus since May), Caleb's numbers were almost as bad as they were when he originally went in in October of 2015.  At this appointment JanaLee asked if anyone had ever referred us to an endocrinologist.  I told her they had not.  She said that the testing was showing he had low endocrine numbers and low pituitary numbers.  She stated that if she couldn't make a difference by spring she would recommend that we go see the endocrinologist at Primary's.  After some consideration, I've decided that pituitary issues would make sense - that's where the growth hormone comes from.  He doesn't grow and he doesn't lose teeth - of the 10 he's "lost" the dentist has pulled 8.  His teeth also take FOREVER to grow in!  He had the four front teeth pulled in October 2015.  The two front ones grew back in Sept. of 2016.  The laterals STILL have not grown back (that's 16 months).  He just had the canines pulled a week and a half ago to make room for the laterals when they finally grow in.

Today I told JanaLee that my mother in law was diagnosed with Celiac's about a week and a half ago.  I asked her if she could look and see if he's showing any sensitivities to wheat and gluten.  After the testing he was there for, she checked the wheat and gluten sensitivities.  He IS currently showing a whole wheat and gluten sensitivity.  When I go into the pediatrician's office on Friday this week for his med check I plan to ask if they will do an autoimmune panel to check for Celiac's.

We also visited the chiropractor today.  I was telling him about what's going on with Caleb and he suggested that maybe I should have him checked for heavy metals.  I plan to ask the pediatrician to check for that when he runs the autoimmune panel on Friday.

At this point, I'm willing to try just about anything with Caleb.  He's 8.5 and his 5.5 year old sister outweighs him and is only about 2-3" shorter than he is.  I understand he might be small because of genetics, but I don't think anyone in either of our families has ever been as small as Caleb is.  His wrists are just teeny and you can see his bones when he doesn't have a shirt on.  He eats, just not a whole lot and not a huge variety.  We did the NAET testing and treatment with JanaLee, but perhaps the autoimmune panel will show we need to delve a bit deeper.  I'm just not quite sure what else to try with him!

Last week I took Nash in to see the eye doctor.  I had them reprint his prescription when I took B in at the beginning of February.  When I told Nash I was going to look online to get him some glasses he told me, "Good.  The board has gotten REALLY fuzzy."  I told him I wasn't going to order new glasses until I had his eyes checked because it would be just my luck to buy new glasses with the prescription that's a year old and have them not be effective because his prescription had changed a bunch.  Sure enough, each eye is worse than a year ago!  Good thing I took him in before I bought glasses!

And last week we finally went back to allergy shots!  We haven't been since September because Travis lost his insurance.  At the time Nash & Sam were both on once a month for maintenance doses.  Since it's been so long since they've been, we now have to go once a week until they get back to their maintenance doses!  There really needs to be more hours in a day!

Speaking of needing more hours in a day, Samantha is still doing physical therapy.  She's had 3 rounds of iontopheresis.  She goes back Wednesday this week for round 4 and then we'll decide if she should continue with two more rounds (they can only do 6) or not.  She doesn't go back to see Dr. Seale until March 3rd.  Her knee is still bothering her quite a bit.  I know she was upset about ballet class because she can't do certain moves without it hurting quite a bit.  I have a feeling that when we go back March 3rd we will get an MRI order.  She doesn't seem to have developed any new pain, but the pain isn't getting better.  That's even after she's cut out running, kneeling, squatting and lunging.

B's ear is still bothering her.  We've been doing ear drops since she went in and had the q tip removed.  Since it's still bothering her I scheduled a follow up appointment for this week to see if there's something else floating around in there.  I have a feeling that the tube is still in place.  If that's the case, I'll just go ahead and schedule the removal & fat graft surgery.  Perhaps we can deal with that over spring break?  Of course, that will depend on what Dr. Hoffman tells us when we go see him on March 21st.

All I can say is at least we have insurance again!

Brookelyn vs the doctors and other interesting things

This kid I tell you.

Brooke's had more ear annoyances than her sister (who I thought was the Queen of ear issues).  She's been complaining for quite some time that her ear has been bugging her (the left one).  I chalked it up to "same ol', same ol' " and kind of just ignored it.  Until she started asking to go the ear dr.  I was able to get us in to see the ear dr last week.  Turns out sister had the entire tip of a q tip stuck in her ear!  Well, maybe that's what was bugging her?!  The dr. said that the q tip may be the reason that her ear has continued to drain.  I think the q tip actually stopped the draining because it hasn't drained in about two months.  It turns out she also still has a tube in that ear.  Wouldn't be a bad thing except said tube was placed in November of 2013.  That means we are going on 3.5 years with the same tube in her ear.  This particular tube cannot be removed in the office (of course, why would we use tubes that can be removed in the office?!).  I explained my concern that if they are left in much longer she would need to have a fat graph like Sam did when she was in second grade.  Turns out that they will have to do surgery to remove this particular tube if it doesn't come out on its own (soon) and that when they do that they would also do a fat graph at the same time (a two-fer if you will).  To my dismay, they won't do anything until the weather warms up (at this rate, that may be July or August!).  I was told to do ear drops for 10 days and to call and make an appointment at the end of March/first of April.

In addition to her ear bugging her, Brookelyn has complained of a headache dang near daily (and not just once a daily, ALL day) for about 4-6 weeks now.  I finally decided it's either got to be allergies or her eyes.  Seeing how her mother and three siblings all wear glasses, I figured we would start with what's easiest and make an appointment with the eye doctor.  Yesterday was her appointment.  She was quite bashful with Dr. Perry but she was really good to do everything he told her (he even dilated her eyes and she did super great!).  Turns out, her right eye is turning out.  I can't remember the exact name of the diagnosis - intermittent exotropia or something.  I have NEVER noticed her eye do this.  He said that if the headaches don't go away (or they get worse) in the next couple months, or if the eye turn gets to be 50% of her day or more that he wants us to go see Dr. Hoffman at the Moran Eye Center at PCMC.  In talking to Samantha last night, apparently this eye turn happens all the time.  Samantha was mortified I hadn't ever seen it because "it's totally creepy and freaks me out!"  When I asked her why she didn't say something her response was "I didn't want to be the girl with the weird little sister who has crazy eyes like the guy on Ridiculous 6!"  I was like SAMANTHA!  In talking to a friend of mine last night she tells me, "Yea, I've seen it do that.  I thought she was tired and chalked it up to that, that's why I never said anything."  And then today I'm talking to Nash and he's like, "Yea, it's weird when she does that."  I was like "What the heck!?  Am I the only one who hasn't witnessed this?!'  I had decided after talking to Sam and Danielle last night (Danielle noticed it TWO YEARS AGO) that I should call Dr. Hoffman's office and make an appointment.  So, I called this morning.  The soonest appointment they have isn't until March 21.  So, We will be going down to meet Dr. Hoffman on March 21.  Dr. Perry did tell me yesterday that the way they correct it is with eye surgery by shortening the eye muscle to get the eye to straighten out.  It doesn't sound like it's a huge deal and I've been told Dr. Hoffman is definitely the best of the best and who you want if you need to have surgery.  So, I guess we will wait it out a month and go see what Dr. Hoffman recommends.  Meanwhile I'm going to be watching sister's eyes like a hawk so I can witness this for myself!

Tonight we had the opportunity to go to my dad's commencement in his rehab program.  He's graduating to Step 12 in his 12 step program.  Grandpa and Marion and Darwin were there in addition to mom, our family and Cass's family.  Zacc had a migraine hit him and couldn't be there even though he really wanted to be.  Nick (one of his counselors) said some words and then opened it up to dad and the family.  Dad said a few words and then everyone but Chad and the kids got up and said something.  Then they opened it up to the group members.  They kept saying that dad doesn't say much but when he does it's full of wisdom and always profound.  I'm glad that he's been able to influence people in his rehab program.  Saturday will be 6 months clean and sober for dad.  I honestly never thought I'd live to see that day.  I really hope he stays sober and that the change is for good.  He's a totally different person and he's fun to be around again.  He seems much happier and mom does too.

January SNOW

For the record, my kids have had more snow days in the last three weeks than I have had in my entire life!  There was a 2 hour delay one day that was then followed by 2 snow days.  Those snow days are going to be made up the Friday before and the Monday of President's Day.  Yesterday they called another snow day!  Who knows when that make up day will be.  I seriously do not remember EVER in my ENTIRE LIFE having this much snow!  I'm SO SICK of shoveling!  I'm ready to steal a snow blower!  Travis finally borrowed the Viterna's side by side with a plow on it today to plow out the two buried vehicles and the driveway and in front of the mailbox!  They closed Sardine yesterday so Sam & Brooke & Liv missed dance.  Today it wasn't looking much better so I decided that rather than chance it we just wouldn't go.  Sam's pouting as she's been without a dance class for 5 days now!  Poor girl!

This was the first big storm we got.  It was the end of December/beginning of January.

This was after the second snow storm right after the beginning of the year.

Storm 3.  The piles were ridiculous.  Travis is 6'1".  I could no longer throw snow up over the piles so the shoveling was left to him!

See!  I can't throw wet, heavy snow this high!

Lucky for us the neighbors brought their snow blower over during this storm and helped us out!

I took this yesterday during our third snow day!  Nash & Kash are head to head (mostly) on a solid wall of snow that goes from the driveway to the camper.  You cannot open the camper door - it is a solid wall of snow.  I had to have them shovel the tops of the piles back down so I could throw more snow on top!

Nash started building a tower.  It's quite high now.  This was good packing snow.

 The tower...before he was finished building it.

We are starting to forget what warm weather and green grass are like.  On the plus side, the kids play outside A LOT!

Christmas 2016

This Christmas has been crazy already!  It isn't even over yet either!

Last week I had been wrapping presents and realized Nash didn't have a present under the tree from us yet.  It hadn't arrived yet.  So I told Nash he didn't have one and it was because his hadn't arrived in the mail yet.  One day a large box arrives.  He brings it inside and says, "Oh!  Is this my present?!"  I told him "Maybe.  Don't ask questions this time of year!"  He sits there a second and says, "Hmm...this box is 2' by 3'.  A rubix cube has a volume of this x this x this.  This box has a volume of this x this x this.  That means that you could fit.....180 regular sized rubix cubes in this box!"  And his face lights up and his eyes nearly pop out of his head!  It was hilarious!  I couldn't help but laugh right out loud at him!  Only Nash and Travis would figure that out!

December 17-18 we went to Manti.  We didn't leave until Saturday morning since I had to work Friday night until midnight.  I got pulled over on the freeway by Hill Ai Force Base for speeding.  I was going 80 in a 70.  The officer was really nice and she let me off with a warning!  We got to Manti just in time for the Bown party.  We had our party over at the Sterling town hall again this year.  Almost everyone was there.  We had dinner, the kids played a white elephant game, the adults played their white elephant game and Sue had organized a kids version of bunco.  We ended up with lots of presents.  Grandpa and Grandma Butter gave all the kids an envelope with a $2 bill in it as their gift this year.  It was -5 at nighttime!   I took Sam & Caleb to see the movie Moana with Jamie & Robbie's family on Saturday night.  On Sunday we went over to Grandma Ingrid's for the Whitlock party.  We had lunch and did a white elephant game.  We ended up with a bunch more presents!  My car decided to have the air valve die and our trip home was delayed 2 hours due to having to fix that. Other than the air valve our ride home was fairly uneventful.  Travis had Kash, Olivia & Brookelyn in his truck and I had the rest of them in my Tahoe (we don't all fit in one vehicle these days so we have to divide and conquer).  Travis was able to stop at Kash & Olivia's grandma's house in Spanish Fork and pick up gifts from her for the kids.  We were all home by about 10:30 pm that night.

 Brookelyn was not a fan of sitting on Santa's lap this year!  I think she was just tired but Travis had to haul her up there and hold her on his lap!

I had to work again on Christmas Eve.  Travis took the kids and went to my mom's house for dinner.  I didn't arrive until a little after 9 pm.  The kids had opened all but one of their presents and their stockings!  My mom saved the scrapbooks for them to open until I got there.  Mom decided she was going to make each of the kids their own scrapbook with photos from just this year in it.  She would like to be able to do pages each year and let them add to their book.  This project has been a massive undertaking!  Cassidy did all three of her kids' books.  I did Sam, Nash, Caleb and Kash's.  My mom did Brooke & Olivia's.  The kids absolutely loved them!  Sunny cried because, "It's just so beautiful!"  Mom was worried the kids wouldn't like them or think they were dumb but I think it was one of their favorite gifts.  The hats she made were a big hit too!  Of course, they all loved their new pajama's she made too.  Grandma Terri gifts are always a huge hit!

I was amazed that the kids let us sleep until 8:45 am today.  Kash & Nash were actually awake before that but were actually quiet.  Travis got up at 8:45 and asked them what they were waiting for and to go wake everyone up!  Craziness ensued shortly after!  They were really good to take turns opening gifts so that everyone could see what everyone else got.  We let the boys open one and then the girls open one so it wasn't one kid at a time.  I think they all loved everything they got.  We have an obscene amount of new movies (I only buy movies once a year).  Good thing we're getting a massive amount of snow right now!  It's the perfect weather to cuddle up and watch movies in!  We've got new sleds they are dying to try out as well.  Nash has almost solved all 7 of his new rubix cubes!  Kash and Caleb both got new rubix cubes as well and I'm sure those will be solved in short order too.  I'm most excited for Travis and Sam to build Sam's portable ballet bar together.  Sam was stoked her new dress has pockets!  That girl I tell you.  She gets excited about the little things!

 Sam & Travis's DIY portable ballet bar.  Wish I could figure out a way to paint it without it looking like crap when it is done.  I'm afraid that the spray paint will just wear off quickly and show drip marks.  Hmmm...this may require some more thought!  I've also found a cool DIY project that Travis is going to put together for her birthday.  It's basically a portable changing station for all her dance costumes, etc. so they aren't just laying all over the floor and a pain to carry all over.  Can't wait for that to get done before competition season arrives!

 Sister got a hold of my phone and my hair pinterest board again.  She wanted her hair cute so I picked something quick and easy!

 My once a year movie splurges!  I think this will keep us busy for a day or so.  Sam hasn't seen Thoroughly Modern Millie before but I figured since she loves musicals and Julie Andrews that this would be a hit!

 We got them all ready for church and 20 minutes before church was to start we got a text telling us that church had been cancelled.  Pretty sure it was due to the foot of snow and the still falling snow.  At least I got to see them in their cute new Christmas dresses!

This year's favorite gifts include:

 To Brooke from Kash

 I think she must be hungry this morning.  Out of all the gifts she got she says that this one is her favorite!

 His new watch and his new kendama

 New hat from Grandma Terri, rubix cube and a teddy bear.  The teddy bear is all he wanted this year and he ended up with two!

 A new speaker (the ones she got last year have died).  And now, we all prepare to listen to Sam's choice of music....All.  Day.  Long!

 His new robotics set and his Oskar's Treasure rubix cube.  There's a specific code you have to solve in order for the rubix cube to pop open so you can access the secret pocket to stash your stuff!

 This kid wins the prize for the most books.  I'm pretty sure he's got 18!  I'd be willing to be he's got most, if not all, of them read by the time they go back to school in a week!

Seven new rubix cubes and he's already solved four!  I think it's safe to say that I should have bought more challenging ones!

Tonight we get to go out to Stan and Debbie's for the Reeder party.  Tomorrow we will go out to Scott and Kris's house and next Sunday we will be going down to Grandpa and Marian's house for the Maughan party.  I love that we get to be home for almost the entire day today without having to rush off and do something.  I think I'll push to keep that tradition going!