WAY too much fun!

Apparently, I have been way too busy enjoying myself to blog.  :)  So here is a quick wrap up off some fun things we've done so far this year.  Starting with the BSU vs. USU basketball game (way back in January!).  This was Todd's Christmas gift from me, and it was such a blast!  So fun to be at a sporting event... hearing the music, watching the dancers, feeling the energy.  Oh yeah, and the game.  We were half of the USU fans there, and it was great to see our AGGIES take the win!

I have also been enjoying some fun nights out with my girls.  My friend Jen, (the beauty in pink) is an amazing violinist.  So a group of us from church went to hear her play.  Wonderful music and great company.  I love having a group of music friends!

Here I am with some of my high school friends.  I love having old friends here.  Helps me feel young, and keeps in the loop of all the gossip back home.  :)

I have almost started to believe that Spring is on it's way.  One day with alot of sunshine, we met Todd at the park for a picnic.  It was so great to be outside.  And even better to have time as a family during the day!

I know what you're thinking:  Cutest boy ever!

The girls have been having lots of fun lately, too.  This week Magsy's preschool class went to the zoo.

And just today, Brownyn got to eat lunch in the school cafeteria for the first time.  Todd and I both went to eat with her, and there was alot of excitement in the air!  The kids were so cute!

This one really brought back alot of memories!  I remember my parents coming and eating lunch with me a couple times a year.  How can I have a kid old enough to eat school lunch?

"Golden Day"

On April 5th, my sweet Magsy Bear turned 5.  It's hard to believe.  She was soooo tiny for soooo long, that I fooled myself into thinking she was a baby for much longer than she really was.  Now I am paying the price.  I feel like she should only be 3!  She was very excited to turn 5.  I told her it was her golden year since she would be turning 5 on the 5th.  So all day on her birthday she kept saying "today is my golden day".

One great thing about Mags is that she is so naturally healthy.  She prefers fresh fruit to any other treat.  So I decided to make her a fruit pizza for her birthday cake.  She only ate the fruit!  She always stops eating when she is full, and sees the value in a good nights' sleep.  She is just as active and crazy as any other kid out there.  But when the day is done she looks forward to crawling into bed and sleeping.  One evening, when she seemed particularly tired, I told her she could go to bed early, and she was thrilled!  If she keeps this up, she is well on her way to a long and healthy life!

It is so fun to watch Magsy open presents.  She gets excited about everything, and acts like she has been waiting her whole life for whatever you have given her.  She was spoiled with arts and crafts, princess stuff, and a new blankie from Todd and me.

She has had the same blankie since she was about 6 months old!  That thing is so old and gross, and she is literally obsessed with it.  We have been warning her for several weeks that 5 year olds can't have their baby blankets.  So one of her presents is hopefully a big girl replacement blanket.  This may sound weird, but I am so proud that she has gone two days without her "beech" (what she started calling her blanket when she was a baby and never stopped!).  I thought for sure it would be much harder on her.

One of Magsy's favorite gifts was a surprise visit from Uma!  She spent her birthday in style a hotel with my mom and Bronwyn... eating treats, swimming, and watching movies!  We also had her birthday lunch at Red Robin with both grandmas.  Magdalen is actually named after her Bigelow Grandma.  Todd's mom, Todd's grandma, and Todd's great-great grandma are all named Magdalen.  We were thrilled to pass on the name to one of our daughters.

After lunch, I took Magsy on a date to the art museum.  She loves all sorts of art, and even hopes to have some of her work in an art museum someday.  She is such a little grown up!  We had a great time!

Magdalen is so easy to love, and such a joy to have in our family.  She is kind, sweet, and obedient.  She loves being helpful, and will tell me how much fun she is having when we are working together.  She is my sidekick.  She is easy to please, and often tells us that "today is the best day ever!".  She finds joy in the small things.  She loves to garden, sing, dance, cuddle, and play.  The only she doesn't like is eating!  I am blessed to have her as my daughter.  I love you, Magsy!

Reminders of my AGE

I'm starting to feel all grown up.  The signs are EVERYWHERE...

Fine lines (hurray)

Gray Hairs (oh joy)

Children in "real" school

But it gets WORSE!

Today as I reluctantly chose what to wear (do I wear something cute and totally impractical for a stay at home mom, or something that I will look horrible in but feel cozy?), I opted for my SKINNY jeans.  Not meaning skin tight, but my jeans that only fit when I'm skinny.  :)  It has been years since I donned these low rise beauties, complete with sparkles all over the back pockets.  I was pretty excited.  And in all honesty, my bum looked great.  But...

I can't stop pulling them up!  How did I ever wear pants these low?  The fact that all day I can't stop thinking about my high-rise "mom" jeans really shows that I am OLD!  

Example #2.  This weekend we went to Orem, and I spent a great night playing 'Dance Dance Revolution' with some younger (cough cough) family members.  I loved it!  Upon hearing that I had never played before, my family was shocked!  I then had to explain that people my age don't exactly get together and play videogames, lol!

Example #3.  Also in Orem, I found myself in a conversation with my step-sister's friend, who is currently in her 2nd semester of college.  She is also totally lost.  No major, no place to fit in.  She expressed the desire to take some fun/interesting classes, but is afraid to incase it hurts her GPA.  I remember being that girl.  Grades and achievement were so important to me.  How could they not be?  At that point in my life they were the main important thing in my life.  But now, looking back, I see that I should have relaxed and allowed myself to make mistakes, try new things, and even have a bit more fun.  

I now could see the bigger picture.  One bad grade won't really influence your future.  You probably won't even get a job in your major.  And college is pretty much the last time in your life that you have time to devote to developing new and unique interests... so why not take that pottery class you've been too intimidated to sign up for?

There's no turning back now.  I am officially passing down my wisdom to the next generation.  

PS:  I have done 2 posts today.  So keep scrolling if you want to see Ty's birthday.

I was pretty nervous when I found out we were expecting a boy.  I had NO idea how much I would LOVE having a little man in the house.  Baby Ty is the light of our family.  Always full of joy and energy.  None of us can get enough of him.  I can't believe he has been here for TWO years! 

 He really hammed it up at his party, and loved being the center of attention.  He was so excited to play with all his new toys. 

Ty is either smiling at you or scowling at you.  

Either way, he LOVED dipping his cake and fruit in the melted chocolate. 

I wish I could either go back and enjoy the last two years again, or fast-forward until he is 3 because I think this year is going to be the year that he really drives me crazy!  LOL!  He is our little monkey.  Climbing and jumping constantly.  I will be shocked if he makes it two more years without a broken bone!

The Waiting is Over

I have anxiously awaited Feb. 24th, 2011 for a looooong time.  

Today I can FINALLY say that my sweet Bronny is in.....

REMISSION!

Feb. 24th, 2006

Current.  Isn't she just lovely?  :)

Bronwyn had one of the slowest growing tumors out there, called an astrocytoma (because the cells are shaped like stars.)  Slow growing is definitely preferable, and is the reason we had to wait 5 years to really know that the nasty bugger was out of our lives.  

Brain tumors are graded on a scale of 1 to 4.

1:  Totally benign.  Take 'em out and move on.

2:  90% of the time are benign, come back about 10% of the time.

3 and 4: Always come back and spread to other body parts.  Not good.

After her surgery, EVERYONE was POSITIVE that Bronwyn's tumor was a one.  We went home assuming we would never go back.  That our lives would go on normally, aside from our long weekend at Primary Children's hospital, and Bronwyn's new head that now looked like a baseball.  But...

Several days later our neurosurgeon called to inform us that her tumor was actually a TWO.  While better than a 3 or 4, it wasn't what we wanted to hear.  We then learned that if it did come back, it would come back as a 3 or a 4.  Definitely not what we wanted to hear.

I remember laying on my bed with Todd, both of us sobbing.  This news seemed harder to handle than the original shock of the brain tumor.  So since that day in bed we have been waiting...

For 5 years.

Through 14 MRI's

Through HARD years helping Bronwyn deal with the trauma of medical situations.

But you know what?

We made it!

She made it!

I have had a lump in my throat all day!  Couldn't be more grateful.  Couldn't feel more blessed.

To celebrate reaching the 5 year mark, we are hoping all of our friends and family will donate at least $5 to the American Cancer Society; in honor of Bronwyn or whoever you know that has dealt with cancer.

Click here to donate.

And most importantly, THANK YOU for supporting us the past 5 years.  Thank you for your prayers, your kind word, and your love.  We have felt it.

So far this week:

This week I have:

Said goodbye to my best friend.
Finished up a Music Birth Class series.
Taught 5 zumba classes.
Supported a client through an all night birth.  7 pm to 6 am.
Caught Bronwyn up on homework for missing 3 days of school.
Wiped alot of runny noses!
Drank alot of diet coke!

This week I have not:
Slept.
Eaten well.
Seen my husband.

Looking forward to the weekend and my Valentine's Date with Todd tonight.  Blue Door Cafe, here we come!

2011... my thoughts so far...

We started out 2011 getting the news that our best friends were moving.  Not cool.  Sure, it was a little expected.  But when you hear the definite "yes", no amount of preparation can take away the sting.  Add on top of that the fact that we have all been super sick and barely functional for weeks now, and that about sums up how much I am hating 2011!  So far, one of the worst years of my life.  Sure, sure; it's been a great year so far for zumba and music birth.  But you know the quote "No success can compensate for failure in the home"?  I'm changing it to "no success can compensate for an aching heart".  Doesn't matter.

I thought I would be spending late nights talking and packing boxes.  Being physically and emotionally helpful.  Instead I have done NOTHING but try to survive my own miserable days at home.  UG.

This video just about sums up how things are going at my house.