Snow Fun!

We got an awesome Colorado spring blizzard - the kind where it falls fast and hard and the next day it's warm and sunshine-y and perfect for playing! The day of the blizzard Oralabs sent their employees home early so they could make it home safe - Steve made his commute home without incident - and we made cookies and stayed warm inside catching up on reality shows :). The next afternoon we PLAYED! It was one of the funnest days we've ever had. The beauty of Colorado storms is that today we were wearing short sleeves and the snow was completely melted. Lovin' it.

Five is the magic age for sledding - Trenton was giddy!

We taught the kids how to make snow angels.

Blake love riding up the hill in style. Every trip up the hill he laid back and closed his eyes and soaked in the sun.

This was our first snowman of the year - "Frosty"

While rolling the middle I forgot we had to lift it on.
It took us four tries I was laughing so hard.

Happy Birthday Little Brother

Well, Brother - Happy 27th Birthday. I miss you. I had 26 wonderful years with you as my brother and my best friend. I miss our countless late night talks. I miss being inspired by you every time we talked. I miss sharing a purpose in life we both had set since we could talk - you being a pilot and me being a nurse. I miss sharing our dreams of changing the world, visiting you and Emily each place you were stationed, & of our kids growing up together as cousins. I try to focus on the 26 great years we had...

Thanks for letting me "mother you" for so many years.

Thanks for being a great Uncle. You're kept alive in this house . Trenton begs every night for a bedtime story about Uncle John - he hears all about your dream to become a pilot, working hard in school, serving a mission. I so looked forward to you teaching him about patriotism, the great outdoors, sports...and I realize you still will.

I can't even tell you how hard it is to go back to the Air Force Academy. Between our 6 years growing up there and your 4 years attending, the Academy brings you flooding back. I'll never forget football games, marching out of Jack's Valley, playing in the forest, taking pictures for Ring Dance & graduation.

I'm sorry I threw you a welcome home luau. I know it drove you crazy that we were all sitting around laughing and playing when there was so much good in the world to be done! I should have realized you would have much preferred a welcome home service project ;).

I have no idea how you made so much family time for us while you were at the Academy - we saw you most weekends which was an amazing feat.

We are not complete without you - there's a big hole left in our family, but I know the last thing you would want would be for us to sit around moping. So I just want to let you know I am trying to make the most of life like you would want, setting goals and achieving them the way you always lived your life.

At your funeral, Emily's mom whispered in my ear, "Now it's his turn to watch over you." And I know you and Grandpa Alley are together, doing just that.

I love you, bro.

Baby Steps

Blake took his first steps last week during Steve's neurotomy and loves practicing his new skill with his brother and sister. Steve caught some of his baby steps on camera today. He started walking at 14 months, just like Trenton did. I remember being concerned Trenton wasn't walking earlier - this time I am grateful for everyday I have a crawler (or a scooter in Blake's case :)) - oh, the joys of the third child.

I just love his "excited face"!

Steve's Back!

This post is for all the mommies/aunties/grandmas worried about Steve's back. So as many of you know after the disk replacement Steve's pain did not improve, it just changed. The disk started clicking and his pain continued to increase, causing him to lose sleep at night and lose function during the day. So last Wed we drove up to Thorton and Steve had a neurotomy done. Four needles were inserted and his nerves around the disk & the facet joint were burned. Yes - it was as painful as it sounds, he had to be alert enough to describe the pain. BUT...it seems to have worked to decrease his pain; he said it was completely worth it. He's a sleeping, smiling, happy man - my Steve is back! Thanks for all your prayers and concern.

Goodbye, Dear Friend

Dear Sleepy,

Three days ago we went to the dentist only to be informed it was time forKali to give you up. I'm afraid this will be harder on me than on her, but I am well aware saying goodbye to you is long overdue. So I wanted to write a farewell letter.

I remember when we first welcomed you to the family. It was the day she was born and she would not stop screaming. I stared wide eyed at her, then looked at my mom and said, "We got a screamer!" Grandma put you in her mouth and she was happy as a clam. All we had to do was swaddle her, put you in, and like magic, she was out cold. Since her first day in this world her mouth has needed to be occupied, whether talking, crying, eating, sucking, chewing gum, or her favorite: sucking you. You haven't been so welcome with our other two. Trenton wouldn't look at you after 9 months and Blake stopped using you at 4 months. But our busy Kali-girl had a need, and you met it.

I remember when she named you "Sleepy." We only let her have you to fall asleep with 2x a day, so one day she said, "I need my sleepy!" "Your what?" "You know, my sleepy...to go to sleep." From the time she was 12 months old she had an uncanny ability to find you anywhere. We'd say 'it's time to go to sleep' and she'd be off, scooting under the crib, lifting blankets or toys and emerging victorious.

You did cause some conflicting emotions within me. At times you made me feel a bit lazy, but most of the time I felt wise as you got us through a new baby, losing John, and Steve's back surgery with ease. She slept in strollers, in parks, at friends homes, at the hospital - anywhere, as long as she had you.

I attribute a large part of my sanity to you. You guaranteed me a 2 hour window of peace each afternoon. You made our eight 9-hour road trips to UT last year with 3 children under the age of 4 almost enjoyable. You gave me an extra hour of sleep each morning, as she was completely content to lay quietly rubbing you in bed until the rest of the family woke up. You made my daughter beg to take a nap and go to sleep each night, putting my friends in complete awe of how "well we had her trained." Well, goodbye to all of that.

Goodbye 7:00 wake up...hello 5:45 am torture. Goodbye 2 hours of cleaning/reading/napping/blogging/Trenton one-on-one time...hello 4 pm meltdowns. Goodbye peace...hello chaos. Goodbye easy bedtimes...hello "one more drink, snuggle, story, kiss, snack, etc." Goodbye reaching the eye of the storm at 1:00 pm...hello all day storm. Goodbye my baby...hello my big girl.

As delightful as you have been, the reality is our daughter's correct teeth formation is important to us. So with a large amount of gratitude we say a fond farewell to you, our dear friend.

Love,
A very grateful mother

A Day at Work

I went into work the other day for some training and brought the kids with me. I turned my back for a minute, and my fabulous coworkers had Trenton and Kali running the 3rd Floor at Sky Ridge. They were in heaven.

Our unit secretary Ali sat Kali down and told her she was a "charge-nurse-in-training." Kali said "Ya - I'm a charge nurse in potty training!"

Kali was delighted to help the front desk.

Chris and Sharon hooked Trenton up to a telemetry monitor and he had fun watching his heart beat on the screen. Trenton begged to bring home a book he found "Recovering after a Heart Attack," and it was our bedtime story :).