April

I am not doing very well keeping my blog updated very often so this will be another long post.

The last Saturday in March my sister-in-law had her baby shower.  They live in Logan and they are expecting a boy.  Danny's family drove up from Blanding to go to the shower and I was very excited to go but Kayzee and I got really sick:(  Kayzee was up all night Friday night throwing up.  Don't know what she had because no one else was throwing up.  That same night I had an IBS-D flare and was up all night with my usual symptoms but it was my own fault because I ate two meals that I knew I couldn't eat.  I miss food so much that sometimes I just break down and eat the foods I can't eat knowing it will make me sick.  I am getting better though at accepting my food-less fate until doctors can figure out what is really wrong.  One doctor is thinking I might have Crohn's or something similar because there are more and more foods I cannot eat but we will see what the specialists say.

Here is my food list updated:
Dairy-NONE!
Vegetables-I can only eat carrots
Fruits-Only apples and bananas
Grains-Luckily I can eat ALL grains still!
Protein-Only chicken and fish and nuts-no cow or pig or beans
Oh, and I can still eat potatoes and chocolate.

So not fun to have such a strict diet especially when we go other places.  LIFE!  One benefit---I am losing weight a lot faster.  Just not in a very pleasant way sometimes.  Being sick is not fun:(

April has been a great month.  It started with my birthday on April 2.  I got a sub and took the day off work.  I still took the kids to preschool and then I went shopping.  So nice to do something for myself with no kids.  I met Danny for lunch at the Pizza Factory.  Don't worry I found something on the menu I could eat;)  Then I went and picked up the kids and took them to ice cream.  The kids were so excited because we rarely have ice cream since I can't eat it.  I also got spoiled by my family with money and gifts and over all had a wonderful birthday!

The 2nd week of April was mine and the kid's spring break.  I had so much fun being home with the kids every day. The weather was PERFECT.  We went to a different park EVERY DAY!  LOVE!

 Memphis is at the top!

Danny's family came up from Blanding again because his sisters were in state softball in Payson.  It was so fun to see them and hang out at the baseball games.  We love our Royer family.

Easter weekend we went to our family's condo at Bear Lake.  My mom, brother, sister and her husband all drove down from Washington to come too.  I hate that they live so far away so it was so fun to see them!  Love you all!

I took Friday off of work and Danny only worked in the morning so we got to Bear Lake around 3.  We had a lot of other family come too so it was a crowd but we had a lot of fun.   We played in the sand down by the lake, played at the playground, went in the wading pool and hot tub, and played sports out on the field.  Saturday their was a big Easter egg hunt put on by Ideal Beach.  The Easter bunny came for pictures but my kids were terrified so I am the only one in the picture.  They did the hunt by age groups and my kids had a lot of fun.  We also decorated cookies and dyed eggs.  My cousin's little girl had a birthday while we were there so we had fun hitting a piñata.  Sunday we went to a golf course and had our own Easter egg hunt and had some fun egg-rolling/throwing and hitting eggs with golf clubs.  We also had a yummy lunch.  My favorite of course which I can't eat (ham and church potatoes).  The night before Danny made homemade pizza pockets.  Can't eat those either so the whole way home I was sick:(  But we did have so much fun and being with family was the best part.

Room full of beds.  My brother slept on the couch bed, Kayzee on the little couch, my sister and her husband in one bed, Danny and I in another, my mom on the bottom bunk and Memphis on the top bunk.  It was a party!

 Birthday girl

My sister took a lot more pictures that are way cuter so once I get the CD in the mail I will post all those pictures too.

Last weekend Danny's brother had invited us to go golfing in Mesquite, Nevada but we figured out the cost and the time and we just couldn't make it happen.  Danny's sister that goes to Snow (soon to graduate!) was going to be our overnight babysitter so we decided to still have her come and stay Friday night so we could get away but somewhere closer to home.  My kids loved having Nita all to themselves!  Thanks Nita---you're the best!

Danny and I jumped in the car and headed north toward Salt Lake.  They seemed to have the best rates for hotels.  We googled a bunch and found one in Midvale with a jetted tub.  It also had a pool and hot tub and free breakfast.  It was really nice.  We got a king bed and because our own bed is dying we joked about stealing the mattress.  It was heavenly.  We checked in and then went shopping at Scheels and Danny tested out some new golf clubs.  He is obsessed with golfing!  Then we went to dinner at Madeline's steakhouse.  We had gotten a $40 coupon so it was totally worth going.  It was yummy!  Saturday we went grocery shopping and then we went to a movie.  Captain America---so good!  It was a great much needed weekend.  Everyone kept asking what the special occasion was.  It was just because!  And those are the best reasons:)

Because I have been so sick I have missed A LOT of church.  I actually missed 5 weeks in a row and I felt so bad making Danny take our Primary class all by himself.  We have 8 kids and they can be a handful when you don't have help.  The bishop noticed that I hadn't been coming and talking with him he decided to release us from Primary.  He is going to try and find a new calling for Danny and he is letting me figure out my health and will get back with me in a few months to see what I will be up to doing in our ward.  That has taken a lot of stress off of me.

My mom saved a dress and a picture of me wearing that dress and gave them to me so once Kayzee was big enough to wear it I had to take a picture!  She definitely has my face:)

Funny story...or maybe it's not so funny;)  Memphis has been getting in trouble for kissing girls at preschool.  I asked him why he was doing it and he said it was because they were "in love".  I was wondering where he had learned that when one night we were watching FROZEN as a family.  In the movie they kept making reference to "true love's kiss" and when the boy and girl kiss at the end Memphis said, "See---they kissed because they are in love."  OHHHHH!  Thanks to a great Disney movie my son is kissing girls at the age of 5.  I am in big trouble because Memphis is just too cute for his own good.  Getting in trouble and having many discussions with Memphis he has since stopped kissing the girls.  He knows he can only kiss mommy and daddy right now.

Memphis being silly during dinner one night with a tortilla shell

Big event at our house...my Dodge Journey hit 100,000 miles.  Danny said I had to take pictures to show his Dad.

Well, May is here.  I am excited for school to be done at the end of the month.  We have a lot of fun summer plans.  Lots of road trips, new babies we can't wait to meet, a wedding, the list goes on!!!

March Madness

March has been a crazy month!  A lot going on and a lot of sickness going around.

First I had my teacher evaluation.  When I was trying to explain about it to Memphis he said, "You are already a great mom so that means you are a great teacher!"  Love my Memphis.  It's been 3 years since I was last evaluated so I was hoping that my new PE curriculum would help me score higher this time around.  It worked!  I received high marks in every area and my principal said he is pleased with what I have done for the school.  I still cannot believe I have been teaching for 9 years!!!  My 1st year of teaching I taught 4th grade…they are now seniors in high school.  I am so old!!!  I am loving my new PE curriculum and all the new games.  I also did another week of Just Dance and had so much fun:)  I love my job!

Teacher appreciation door decoration

We haven't been camping in a long time so we decided to set up our tent in the basement and let the kids sleep in it on the weekends if they have been good all week.  They are having fun sleeping with their dad and I am enjoying getting some sleep in my own bed by myself without Kayzee waking me up.

Memphis had his well-check-up because he turned 5 and he needed his kindergarten shots.  Memphis is crazy and LOVES going to the doctor.  He was so great for the check-up and so willing to do anything they asked him to do.  The ptosis he has in one eyelid did affect his vision screening a little bit but not enough to be concerning or need to do anything more about.  It has been going away and doesn't happen as much so that is a good sign.  Here are his stats…basically he is the size of a first grader.  Our big growing boy.

Weight: 50 lbs (93%)
Length: 45 in (82%)

When it was time for his shots the pediatrician asked Memphis if he was brave.  Memphis said he was and that he would not cry.  I was amazed that he would be that brave.  He held my hand and then the nurse told him he would need 3 pokes in his legs but it ended up being 4 because one of the shots safety releases broke.  He started laughing when they gave him the shots and I asked him why and he said he laughed so he wouldn't cry.  Memphis is so awesome:)

After his appointment I took him to my school so he could meet his Kindergarten teacher.  One benefit to being a teacher…my kids get to come to my school and I can pick their teacher!  Memphis is going to be in AM kindergarten with Mrs. Barnes.  I love her and she is an amazing teacher.  Memphis is excited too.

Here is Memphis all dressed up to go to his friend's superhero birthday party.

Danny had an exciting adventure at work this month.  He was invited to go to an equipment expo in Las Vegas with his boss and some other co-workers in the company.  They flew in a private company jet and went out to fancy restaurants.  He had so much fun.  Danny loves his job and I am glad he could go to something fun to break up his 11 hour shifts he works every day.

My IBS-D was so nice to me for about 6 months.  I hadn't missed any work and I was feeling really good and then I ate one thing I shouldn't have and I have been sick for a month not able to eat much of anything.  I have missed several days of school and I have lost another 7 pounds.  I am finally feeling back to normal.  The past month has been really hard trying not to eat things I shouldn't because of all the free meals I have been invited too.  That's the reason this flare started up.  We were invited over to dinner at a friend's house and everything they had to eat I couldn't.  I forgot to let them know what I couldn't eat so it's definitely not their fault because they didn't know.  I felt bad not eating at all so I just ate what they had.  Bad idea.  I keep telling myself to start bringing my own food everywhere I go just in case.  It has happened one too many times this month where I couldn't eat what food was available.  Lesson learned.  And the annoyingness of this disease driving me crazy is definitely driving me crazy.

Memphis has been sick the past two days.  For the past few years Memphis has had what we call his monthly throw-up session.  Literally once a month he just throws-up and it has been happening for years now.  No warning and no connection to why he throws-up randomly so we don't know what is causing it every month.  Most of the time he just throws-up once and then he is fine.  But sometimes like this month he throws up for a couple days and can't eat or drink anything.  So weird.  I asked his pediatrician about it because the dentist could tell it was taking it's toll on his teeth but he just said he must have a weak stomach.  We do know that Memphis cannot ride in the very back in any vehicle.  And he cannot play any type of screen with a lot of motion (like iPad or video game) for more than an hour or he gets sick.  Memphis learned a long time ago to throw-up in the toilet or in a bowl or on a blanket so cleaning up isn't as bad as it was when he was younger.  I just hope he grows out of it.

Some great news about Kayzee…she is sleeping better.  She still wakes up once in awhile but not like she used too several times a night.  It has been so nice.  Thank you Kayzee!

We are getting excited to see family.  We get to see the Royer side of the family at the end of this month .  And then my family is coming for Easter and we are headed to Bear Lake.  Fun adventures ahead.  Let's just hope we can all be healthy!  

Happy Valentine's Day

We actually celebrated Valentine's Day with a Date Night!  Danny and I were both home by 3:00 so our wonderful babysitter (neighborhood girl our kid's love) came over and off we went.  The idea was to leave early to beat all the crowds but it was still crazy busy at the restaurants.  First we went to BYU to the "Sacred Gifts" art exhibit.  If you haven't seen it yet you should!  Then we drove around BYU for a little bit.  I have not been there since 2006 so it has changed A LOT.  The roads are different and there are a lot of new buildings.

Then we were going to go to Outback Steakhouse but they had a two hour wait time so we walked over to Chuck-a-rama and got right in.  Danny was excited it was seafood night.  We told our babysitter we would be home by 8 to put the kids to bed but we got done with dinner at 7 so we just went and walked around a few stores then went home.  It was a great night with just the two of us for a change.  We don't do it very often.

The kids had fun at their preschool Valentine's Day party sharing valentines with all their friends.  They also got a package from Grandma Thorpe.  My kids are the cutest!

 Danny doesn't get me flowers very often but he surprised me on Valentine's day with flowers and chocolate and he had done all the dishes and cleaned the house by the time I got home.  LOVE!

 The weather has been so nice we have been going on bike rides and playing at the park!

Had a fun experience on Monday…I had the day off so I was upstairs in my room watching a movie and the DVD player started making a loud popping sound and then it caught on fire.  FUN ADVENTURE!  It was really old (like 10 years) so I am sure it was too old but luckily it didn't damage anything else.  Fun times.

                                            Hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day.

Croup and a Birthday!

CROUP!
Out dear sweet Kayzee Lynn got croup and she was having a hard time breathing for about 4 days.  She was quite the sad little girl.  Sunday Jan 19 both Memphis and Kayzee woke up with croupy sounding coughs so I stayed home with them while Danny taught our Primary class.  That night they were both still coughing so they slept in my room with me and I set up our cool mist humidifier.  By morning Memphis was 100% better but Kayzee started getting worse.  I didn't have school that day which was nice so Kayzee just stayed in my room all day with the humidifier.  I wanted to take her into the dr but they were not open that day.  Monday night she got even worse.  I spent 10 minutes every hour sitting outside on our front porch.  She just couldn't breathe in my room and being outside was the only thing that helped her.  And of course it was only like 10 degrees.  BRRRR!  Getting no sleep that night was no fun!

Tuesday my friend took Memphis to preschool and I took Kayzee to the pediatrician.  YEP she had croup!  They diagnosed her right away and she had a very high fever.  Once again Kayzee started screaming as soon as the male pediatrician walked in the room.  We had to have 2 people hold her down while the nurse gave her the shot of steroids to open up her airways.  That night I didn't get any sleep again and because of Kayzee's fever we stayed home from school on Wednesday too.  Thursday we were all back to normal and back in school.  I am just glad it happened that weekend instead of the next when everyone was coming for Memphis' birthday!

Kayzee's crazy hair!

 MEMPHIS' 5th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS!
We celebrated Memphis turning 5 for almost a week.  What a lucky boy!  I still cannot believe I have a 5 year old and that I am registering him for kindergarten!!!  He was definitely loved by all and he had fun.  Wednesday Jan 29 my parents flew in from Washington.  I love my parents and am so glad they could come visit to help Memphis celebrate.  That night we went out to eat Memphis' favorite food…pizza.  We went to Pier 49 pizza.  YUM!

Memphis' Auntie Sheesha, Great-Grandma and Grandpa Astle, and Great-Grandma and Grandpa Christensen all gave him money for his birthday so we took him to the store and this is the nerf gun he picked out.  Thanks for the money everyone!

Thursday Jan 30 was Memphis' actual birthday.  It was snowing when we left for school and I took him to the store to pick out some cupcakes to take to his preschool to celebrate and he picked snowflake ones.  He got spoiled at school too.  He got presents from his teachers and he got to be first in line all day.  He loved it.  That night we went to Arctic Circle for dinner and then we headed over to play at Kangaroo Zoo (big bouncy blow up play houses and slides).  He went there last year for his birthday he loves that place.  He invited his friends the Barnes' family to come play with him.  

 Friday Jan 31 we had a birthday party with cake and ice cream for him at our house with a bunch of family.  My cousin Aja and her family and 4 kids showed up.  Memphis loves playing with the boys.  My aunt Sandra, grandma and grandpa Astle, my parents, and Danny's brother Teddy and his wife Brit showed up as well.  Thanks to all for coming and for the presents.  Memphis is loving all the gifts he got.  And thanks Grandma and Grandpa Royer for the gift too!  Memphis is SPOILED! We did a homemade cake from scratch.  BEST CAKE EVER!  Better than a box cake bought from a store.  He loved the colored flame candles.  Memphis said he wanted CHOCOLATE so we had chocolate ice cream, and chocolate cake with chocolate icing.  I was in heaven:)

 We set up his big jump-o-lene so all the kids could jump and play and that night he wanted to sleep in it.

 Sat Feb 1 we went to the hotel my parent's were staying in and went swimming!  My kids love swimming so we had so much fun.   Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Thorpe for coming and having fun with us!  They left to go back to Washington that evening.

 Kayzee asleep at the top of the stairs.  Kayzee is a mommy's girl and I left to go grocery shopping and she cried for awhile and then fell asleep.

 Happy 5th Birthday Memphis…WE LOVE YOU!