30!!!

Okay, so I turned 30 today. It wasn't as hard as everyone said it would be. Truth be told I would rather be thirty then twenty. I am definitely happier and in such a better place now than ten years ago. I did dish it out pretty bad and in return I got dished. I thought it would be worse though. Remember that some of you (KYLE) will turn forty before me! Today was a good day. I "found" two beautiful handmade birthday cards under my pillow this morning, I received some very thoughtful presents courtesy of Ashley, and got to spend the day with the people that mean the most to me. The girls made an awesome cake, strawberry swirl my fave. Kyle made an awesome dinner, bruschetta chicken with garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed mushrooms, yum! After dinner we watched Marley & Me, which I have been waiting to see. I loved the book and was so excited about the movie. I did cry, of course, but loved it. I really did have a great birthday, except for the snow, it always snows on my birthday. Here's to turning thirty, the years just get better all the time!

Kaitlyn's layer.

Ashley's layer.

Finished!

Also, we finished this puzzle today. A couple of days ago I watched the girls put a puzzle together, take it apart, and put it together again over and over. I also noticed that it was one of their harder ones. We promptly went through the tougher puzzles and picked this one out. The girls did most of it and it took us two days to finish. They had so much fun with it. I was surprised they didn't get frustrated at all with it. Way to go girls!

**Okay I have had a few requests for the cake recipe and you can find it at recipeaweekfoodforalifetime.blogspot.com or Pam's Recipe Blog. Just look under the February entries and look for Strawberry Swirl Cake. I didn't even post pictures of the inside, so yummy!

Eleven Years

A picture of a picture! I can't believe how young we look, and that hair!

We celebrated eleven years yesterday. Wow I can't believe it has been that long. Sometimes it feels like yesterday, and other times like we have been married forever. When I got up I looked out the window and had a good laugh, it was as cold and brown as the day we got married!

We went to the IF temple (where we got married) and to my delight we were even able to do sealings. We then went to Ruby River Steakhouse where Kyle very much enjoyed his steak, yum. I think we could eat there all the time. I have the most wonderful husband in the whole world, it has been a great eleven years! I look forward to many more!
A big thanks to Briant and Missy who took the kids and wore them out, or the kids wore them out!

Stitch Free

They are out. We took Kaitlyn's stitches out yesterday morning. She just sat there and said they tickled. She is so tough. Everything looks great, as long as she doesn't pick at it.

Another diagnosis

The doctor called this morning with our results. Granuloma Annulare, the official results of the biopsy. This is good news, as scary as it sounds. This is a harmless skin condition that is usually seen on the hands, sometimes on feet. It is treatable. Kaitlyn may end up having patches on her hands at some point in her life. When she is a teenager we may treat it if she wants to, but for now we will leave it alone. What a sigh of relief. I am still left wondering where my children got all their skin issues from. But the weight on my shoulders is significantly lighter today.

My Brave Girl

This is my super brave girl. I was very surprised at how tough she is. Kaitlyn has this spot on the inside of her left ankle. She has always had it and it is pretty big. The pediatricians have always said it is nothing to worry about. Well the dermatologist thinks differently, he said we should biopsy it just to make sure. So, while we were in for Kami's check up we did it. Kaitlyn didn't even flinch. She just sat and watched. When she was done she got this bear as her "prize" and then we headed off to gymnastics. The stitches will come out next week and she is just fine. I don't think I would have done so well. I was very impressed with her and so was the doctor. We will have the results next week.

Her stitches.

The Tortoise and the Hare

Last night the girls did FHE and they put on a puppet show. They did the Tortoise and the Hare, it was so cute. I love when they use their imagination like this. Ashley was the tortoise and Kaitlyn was the hare. Kaitlyn said "mom I fell asleep and lost the race". Me and Kami got such a kick out of it. Too cute.

Eleven Months & Sledding

Kami is eleven months today. I realized that I haven't posted any video of her walking yet. She walks around the house most of the time. She only crawls if she falls and then just to something she can pull herself up on. (For some reason the saved upright version wouldn't load) Kami gives five and eats like there is no tomorrow. The girl has outgrown some of her twelve month clothes and is sprouting like a weed. She is such a happy baby and loves to be a big girl. She idolizes her big sisters and tries to follow them in everything they do. Kami is an awesome sleeper. She sleeps from 8pm until 7 or 8am, with a good two hour nap in the afternoon. She has gotten so cuddly lately. She also spends most of the day walking around looking for "dada". Kami loves Daisy and Daisy tolerates her. Kami's personality has really been coming out lately and she is quite the little tease. She fits in well. I am so glad we have her!

We spent the morning/afternoon sledding today at Jen & Brody's. This is such a fun annual event the girls love it. I am glad it is over because everyday for the past month Kaitlyn has asked me if "today is the sledding party"! Kyle was at a camp out so I was flying solo, but Marianne was nice enough to come "help". She actually was a big help. Since I am still sprouting this cold I sat and held Kami. Marianne did the dirty work and rode the sleds with the girls! Here are some picts.

The team

Marianne & Kaitlyn

Ashley, the tiny pink dot moving further away.

This last picture is of Jen going down on a tiny sled, if you can even call it a sled, she stayed on though! We had so much fun. The day was perfect, except that I forgot to put sunscreen on me and I am already red. I enjoyed visiting and getting out a bit. Kyle left my sled for me and I did get to ride around shuttling kids and stuff in and out. Marianne took Kaitlyn out for a little spin and she loved it. I am hoping I can actually participate next year, last year I was too big!
Kyle and the priests had fun at the cabin and went on a nice ride today too. What a great day, now where is spring?
And Kaitlyn was asleep before we got home!

Blonde Moment

I had a serious blonde moment the other day. We were at the Madison library where I noticed they had three books by my fave author I hadn't read yet, or thought I hadn't read. I pulled them off the shelf and read through them trying to decide which to check out, if I wasn't so busy I would have just gotten all three. But there was this one book I kept looking at. The cover looked so familiar but the story line wasn't. I opened it up and read the first couple of pages, it sounded familiar now. I couldn't place it. I knew I had not read it, but there was something about this book. It took me about half an hour to figure it out and then it hit me. This is the book I bought on clearance last July and started reading and never finished! I had gotten so busy I completely forgot about it. When I got home I looked in my drawer and sure enough stuffed under a bunch of magazines there it was. Seriously, I felt so dumb, what a classic blonde moment. I am now enjoying one of the other books I picked up but will return to this one soon.

Just a little shocking update. I finished all my medication last week and felt great and was looking forward to church Sunday, which they canceled due to weather. Yes, it is still winter here. To my utter dismay all my symptoms started coming back with a vengeance and I finally went to the doctor yesterday... severe bronchitis/borderline pneumonia. I was shocked since I was really there for my hideous sinus infection. My lungs aren't even that bad. He said "you sound like you have a volcano is your chest ready to blow", thanks I think your pretty too. Well they were bad enough to buy me a steroid shot in the butt with a bright orange bandaid, which Kyle seems to have gotten a bigger kick out of then the girls, and a very powerful expensive antibiotic. At least it is cheaper than a trip to the hospital for some IV antibiotics. Another week without church, and on top of it all I ended up missing the chance to help in Ashley's class this week, bummer. I will say that I am feeling better today, but my body still says rest. The laundry is piling up, but I am reading my book. Hopefully, this is the end of it.

Diagnosis

I took Kami to the dermatologist today and we have a diagnosis... Keratosis Pilaris. It is a benign dry skin condition. The good thing is that it is easily treated and isn't serious. This also means it is not a food allergy! So, we have a new cream and more hope. KP also tends to be better in the warmer months. So, I am crossing my fingers again and hoping for some improvement. I should have listened to my instincts and took her in six months ago... Again, I am missing our pediatrician in Poky.