Its that time again,,,good grades equal free donuts.

WARNING:  Bragging Post 

Sometimes it just has to be done.  We couldn't be more proud of  our kids.  They earn their grades on their own.  Jeron and I don't do much in the ways of homework with them.  They are very driven and work hard for what they accomplish.  It is one of those things that we have been very fortunate with.  Our kids just want to do good.  We just hope this continues on throughout all of their school years.  JJ and Emma are both crazy readers.  Their teachers can't say enough good things about them.  They always tell me it is a privilege to teach a child like him/her.   We don't know why we are so blessed but we have been.

Once a year the kids take their awesome report cards to Krispy Kream and Tasty's and get FREE donuts.  They think this is the coolest thing.  They are always nice enough to share with their family. 

WAY TO GO KIDS!

These are my most favorite peeps

I just couldn't resist taking this picture. They were all snuggled up together and this doesn't happen very often. I just LOVE all of these peeps.

Just Dance

We got Just Dance for Christmas and have had so much fun with it. Jeff has been coming over to play Madden with Jeron. Last night while he was here Emma challenged him to do Just Dance. He promised him and Tara would come and do it with us and sure enough they did. They brought pizza and drinks, and I made dessert.  We had a great time hanging out.  Tara went first and she made it look easy.  That girl has moves like Jagger. 

Then it was Jeff and Jeron's turn to do it.  They danced and I will have to say it was very entertaining.  They are hilarious.  They are so similar in their dance moves.  Loved it.

Tara and JJ did an "romantic" dance and it was hilarious.  I think Jeff better watch out.  JJ is quite the Casanova. 

I can't believe I didn't get one picture of Mac.  He is so cute and was dancing right along.  It really was a fun night. 

Extreme Makeovers

Recently Ellie has been begging me to get her hair cut. She will come up to me and say "cut, while using the cut sign on her hair." So I finally gave in and made an appointment for her. She was very specific in her request too.  She showed me the length in the front and in the back.  I realized she wanted an A-line hair cut.  I have never been a huge fan of A-line cuts before so I was a bit reluctant but she was very persistent. 

BEFORE

On the flip side of things JJ has to get a haircut.  I told him he could grow it out until he turned 12 but once he was old enough to receive the priesthood he would need to look presentable passing the sacrament in church.  He was a good sport about it and the awesome flowing locks got chopped.  (Made me a bit sad as well, I love his hair long)

BEFORE

I will have to say I L.O.V.E. Ellie's new cut.  It fits her personality so well.  She is also very proud of her new cut.  She loves to show it off to anyone who will look.  If you ask her if she likes it she beams from ear to ear with the biggest grin and says "Yesh"

AFTER

JJ looks really good.  He looks a bit older to me.  It is crazy that we are about to have a 12 year old.  He likes the new look as well.  For school he can still do a phohawk for school and then on Sunday's he can be a bit more respectable.  

AFTER

You should have see all the beautiful shades of red hair that were on the floor of the salon.  These two have amazing colored hair. 

When you're the best of friends...

Having so much fun together.

It has always been Ellie and Emma doing everything together but lately the tides are shifting.  Emma is getting older.  Playing Barbie's and dolls with Ellie isn't her first choice anymore.  (rightfully so)  Ellie was very reluctant at first to play with Elsie but slowly they are starting to become the best of friends.  They play together so cute.  Except for when Elsie is a bit bossy, after all Ellie is older.  Ellie likes to feel like she is in charge even though we all know Elsie is.  hehehehe

I just love that they all have each other.  There is nothing better than a sister.

Silly Ellie is at it again.

She loves to find things she can go big or go home on. She decided that we all needed individual servings of goldfish crackers. I of course came in and foiled her plans. I did allow her to make six cups though, since there isn't really a need for 40 in a family of six.

She really is too cute.

I love this little bug.

What the what...

I get a text this morning from my sister saying my dad is too sick to go to her babies blessing.  

Too sick?!?

He is never too sick.  

He gets migraines all the time and just deals with them.

I was a bit frustrated to think my sister and her family flew all the way here for Ben's blessing,

and now my dad is "too sick" and is going to miss the blessing.

I was feeling so bad for them because two of my brothers couldn't make it and now my dad.

We continued to get ready and went to my parents ward.

When I got there and heard how my dad was doing it sunk in he really was TOO SICK.

My mom told me that he couldn't even stand and she had to help him get back in bed.

Okay, this is more serious than I thought.

The blessing that Ryan gave to Ben was beautiful.  

He did a really great job.

Ben was good through the whole blessing too.  

He is so darn cute.

Maren picked out a darling blessing outfit as well.

My mom decided to head home after the sacrament to check on my dad.

About 5 minutes later Jeron decided to go and make sure they were okay.

Towards the end of the meeting David gets a text from my mom saying

"Send Jeron back, I need to take dad to the ER"

I didn't even know Jeron was back because he had stayed in the foyer.

So I went out and found him.

Jeron left immediately, while I gathered up the kiddos.

Brynn came in my car and when we got in the house this proved to be very helpful.

My dad was A LOT worse than I thought.

So Brynn quickly took all the kids downstairs so they didn't have to see all the trauma.

JJ though was too curious and stayed up stairs.  

My mom let me know that my dad was bleeding and throwing up blood.

My dad was insistent that he be able to go by car to the hospital.

My poor mom was trying to honor his wishes but we couldn't even get him upright without him almost passing out.  Jeron and Tod (my uncle) had tried to get my dad to the car but it just was not an option.  My dad could tell he was passing out and had to ask them to put him back downI told my mom that we HAD to call the ambulance and I think she was relieved that someone agreed with her.  You could tell she was extremely scared even though she is great under pressure. 

She quickly put JJ on ambulance duty so that he would not have to see Papa lying on the ground in the hallway.  

My dad was extremely cold so I got a blanket off of his bed for him.  The look on his face made me so scared.  You could see the life fading from him.  I have never seen him like this.  Even in 1994 by the time I got to the hospital he was recovering.  Uncle Tod had his wits about him to remember hat my dad would need a blessing.  Jeron and Tod gave him a blessing, which I was so grateful for.  

Maren and Ryan got back from the meeting and Maren came in and took one look at my dad and lost it.  She ran to him and hugged him.  It was such and emotional time.  When she did this it made Jeron and me tear up.  The ambulance arrived shortly after that.

My dad is the perfect patient because he can tell the medical personnel exactly what is wrong and what they need to know.  Even in his weakened state he was very helpful. 

I know all of this was becoming really hard on JJ.  He was so scared.  I kept trying to usher him out but he kept coming back in.

The paramedics moved quickly and got my dad on a gurney, and he passed out when this happened. 

He came to fairly quickly but the loss of blood was really starting to take its toll.  

I have never been this scared that we would loss him as I was right then.

My mom was able to go with him in the ambulance, 

and I headed up in her car.

JJ came with me because he really was extremely worried.

I hesitated but was persuaded to let him go.

His good friend recently lost her grandparent at a young age.

I think all of this really made him nervous.

The hosptial wasn't much better.  He was still throwing up blood and was getting worse.

It takes forever for things to get rolling, with all the tests, and decisions that have to be made it is aggravating.  I just wanted them to make him better STAT!!

It was nice to see one of his really good friends show up.

His son-in-law was actually one of the paramedics so he let him know about my dad.

He was a huge help.  He came in and rubbed my dads feet and calmed my dad a bit.

He was finally admitted to the hospital to a real room.

They still were moving to slow for my liking.  He just looked so weak.

He was losing blood faster than they could give it to him.

I was glad when the nurses started to see that he REALLY was losing a lot of blood.

After they realized it the doctor came and the scope was done.

It turns out he had another bleeding ulcer...just like in 1994.

They were able to cauterize it and now he just had to recover.

He lost a lot of blood, and so he will be weak for a while but he is recovering now.  

Recovering is a good thing.

JJ was able to see my dad being taken care of and I think this helped his nerves calm.

Who would have thought that when we left the house on Saturday night he was just fine and by Sunday morning he would be fighting for his life.  Life really is to short.  I think that maybe my brother realized this because he ended up coming to the hospital to see my dad after months of not speaking to him.  We all need to let things go and love those around us.

 

I don't ever want to regret that I was mad at someone and so I missed spending time with them.

I am just so glad that my dad is doing better.

He will have a long road ahead rebuilding the blood but at least he has that road to take.

I love you dad and I am so grateful for everyday that we have with you.

Lucy Lou is Two

I first off can't believe this little monkey is two years old. Poor little bug was very sick most of the trip. She had a fever and just wasn't her normal self. On her birthday she slept most of the afternoon so we were unable to do her party. Plus, the 60 year old's birthday took over the day. Lucy was doing a bit better today but still not her normal self. Maren and Ryan had a little party for her. The kids had a lot of fun. 

The girls getting a pic together.

minus Ellie

We all played minute to win it "Keep Two Balloons in the Air at the Same Time"

The kids all had a great time with this.

The adults might have had an even better time.

Jeron, of course, kept his balloons up the longest.  Sucker!  :-)

Lucy was darling opening her presents.

She would open one and want to play with it and not open another one.

She would then open the next present and love it, and repeat it all over.

She is too cute.

Tonight there wasn't a picture taken without Elsie in it.  Every time she would see a photo op she hurried and jumped in the picture.  It was so cute, and a bit annoying.  We had to start taking fake picture just to get her out of some of the pics.  

After the presents we had cake and ice cream on Princess plates.  It was a great night.

Christmas a little late is better than not at all.

The Vogels were not here for Christmas so one of the things we got to do with them was celebrate Christmas. Maren and I went all out on the wrapping. We simply put the present up our shirts and told them to unwrap. We quickly realized that this was maybe not the best thing to be teaching JJ. "If you unwrap a present under a girls shirt..." Especially since Jeron and Ryan kept asking when they got to open a present. Hahaha, silly boys.

We gave Ben a cute little airplane and Lucy a fruit basket.  Lucy and Ben gave JJ and Emma Harry Potter Clue, and Ellie and Elsie Princess Memory.  We love to have cousins to give to.  That is the best part of Christmas. 

Surprise Party...and we Pulled it off

I can not believe that we pulled this party off. Major props go off to my mom for always knowing how to throw the perfect party. She stresses and stresses but she really does a great job. I am just super impressed she didn't spill the beans. Plus she was hosting 80+ people and she did an amazing job.  Plenty of food to last for weeks to come.  My dad didn't know it but he put extra stress on us because he got really sick the week of the party.  On Wednesday we were still worried if we should cancel because he was so weak.  By this morning he started to pick up...thank goodness, because the party was tonight.

Thanks to Jeron we got some pictures.  I was the kitchen worker all night so Jeron took over the picture department for me. 

This is by far my favorite picture of the night.

My dads friends from waaaaaaaaaaaay back came.

One flew in from Arizona and one from Texas just for his big night.

My dad had said all week you better not be planning a party because I will leave.

We knew after reading his book he would want to see all these people.

And he had a smile from ear to ear all night so I'm glad we didn't listen to him.

This is the cute note Emma put on the door because the bell just kept ringing.