Busy Busy Busy

The last month has been so busy! I have sat down to post so many times, only to remember a million other things I wanted/needed to do. I always feel like I should be posting pictures too, but it takes so long! A new computer is high on my list of wants, but probably won't move to the list of needs until this one crashes....for real. (We've had several fake-outs, luckily it keeps me backing things up). So what we've been up too.....(It turned out to be a really long post! If anyone actually reads my rambling....there is a cute Bailee story at the end)

We started Pre-School, at home. A little crazy (or a lot), but it just didn't fit in the budget. So Bailee has another 4 year old friend who wasn't going to go either and we decided to just do our own. So far they've had fun and even learned a thing or two, but it is seriously a lot of work on my part. Hopefully this is a one time deal. ;)

I've completed a couple of projects around the house. I painted a huge chalkboard wall in our downstairs family room....loving it! (and so are the kids!) We also used to have this nice built in shelf on the wall between the tv room and laundry room. It was open to the tv room and made nice dvd/video storage as well as a catch-all. We have plenty of storage in the entertainment center, and I decided I'd rather have the shelves accessible in the laundry room. So I switched it around. Just call me "Handy Manny". (we watch too much Disney Channel around here). Oh and of course Bailee had to ask me what I was doing a MILLION times during the project. After telling her a dozen times, I finally told her that I just like to break things. Her reply?? "That's ok, Grandpa can fix anything." Not surprising.

I've been working in the yard, doing the 'fall clean up' stuff even though I'm not ready to let go of summer. We've had a nice crop of tomatoes, peppers, onions, and squash this year. The tomatoes are finally turning red, yummy. I just wished they would have been ripe at the same time as the peppers, I had planned on making a bunch of salsa to freeze. The apples are close to being ready to pick now too, so I guess I should make time for canning.

Last Saturday we walked in the annual "Walk for Healing Hearts". It was cool to see so many people there; Heart Hero's and tons of their supporters. I am still feeling so new in the 'heart' world, but am constantly amazed and reminded of how blessed we are....Maddox is. It could be so much worse. At Heart Camp as I was talking to some other mom's one mentioned that she felt like they had it easy. I kind of laughed and pointed out that her baby had a transplant, kind of a big deal. But she feels like I do, that it could be a lot worse. "Half a heart, no big deal." It is a big deal, and we don't take it lightly but really we do recognize how blessed we are. So many life lessons learned in the past year.

Maddox continues to see a physical therapist once a month at home, and now once a week in a play group setting. He is working hard to learn to sit up by himself, crawl, and walk. He's got cruising around the furniture down, so I'm sure he'll be running in no time. He has all of the 'skills' to crawl, he just hasn't found the motivation, I guess. We'll keep working on it. He's still gaining weight, enjoying food, and not wearing oxygen. All good signs that his heart function is not decreasing. I'm trying to enjoy each day and not think about next year.

Bailee is as sassy as ever and I love 'almost' every minute of it. She is finishing up her first (and probably last) Soccer season. She's been counting down until the last game since the first practice. It's been a long 9 weeks for her. Wednesday she told me that when she grows up she wants to be a BYU cheerleader. When I told her she needed to be a high school cheerleader first, her response was "I already know how to be a cheerleader, I don't need to go to high school." She also doesn't need guitar lessons, piano lessons, or drum lessons because she 'already knows how to play'. The lucky little girl got another "wish with all the dreams of her heart" and gets to take dance again. She had her first class on Tuesday and was in HEAVEN. I haven't seen her smile that much since her last recital. The girl can TALK. (I can't imagine where she get's it from.....) She chatted it up with BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall on Wednesday night. Here's a story.

We went to the weekly Coaches radio show broadcast Wednesday night. In between segments Coach M was talking to the kids who came up to him and letting them wear his headset ("ear muffs" as Bailee calls them) She of course wanted a turn. I have the CUTEST picture of her from behind wearing the headphones and looking up at Coach M., who is resting his head on folded arms, smiling down at her. (I will definitely post that one soon.) After the show we were waiting for the elevator at the same time as Coach M.. Bailee started telling him about her trip to Disneyland. He asked her questions about her trip, and she answered them, as we waited, rode down the elevator, and walked out the gates. The closer we got to the parking lot, the faster she talked. It was seriously the sweetest thing. I can't imagine that any other head football coach would take the time to talk to her as he did. They talked about so many things, as if no one else was around, he even shared a couple of secrets with her.(and they had nothing to do with the quarterback situation) Even as he was walking to his car and we were walking the other way, she was talking and he was answering. When we finally got in our car she of course wanted to call Grampy and tell him. As soon as he answered she said "Grampy, I just talked too.....Mom, what was his name again? Oh yeah, Bronco Mendenhall. Yeah, he's one of the BYU coaches." To her he was just someone who was interested in what she had to say. Someone who she instantly trusted (which doesn't happen very often) and felt safe with. For me, I  appreciated that he took the time to visit with her; that he could step out of the 'football' world for 15 minutes and talk to my 4 year old, and enjoy it. I think it's so natural for us to teach our kids not to bother 'important' people. We don't want them to be in the way etc. This was a good reminder that people are people, and there are some good ones out there. I gained a lot of respect for this coach, and am taking away a good lesson.

Well, I could go on but this is starting to feel like one of those 6 page long Christmas letters.....

Go Cougs...How 'bout the Rebels?

Happy Birthday Grampy!
Today was Grampy's birthday and we took him to the BYU vs UNLV football game. On our way Luke joined the Mtn. challenge. He did awesome! (He also did a 'dance' challenge. We'll have to post a video link when we get it.)

We had our traditional pre-game pizza. Bailee loves pizza, she was so excited.

Grampy let Bailee wear his hat. She thought it was fun to tease us. On our way to the game she kept saying "Go Cougars, Go Cougars." At one point I echoed her and said "Go Cougars." She looked at me and said "How 'bout the Rebels?" We all cracked up. There were a few UNLV fans among us, so Grampy wasn't alone.

Luke's prediction was pretty darn close. BYU beat the Rebels 42-35.

We won!

(October 14, 2008)
We went to the KSL BYU coaches show again. Same as usual, EXCEPT this time I won something! (If only for a moment) I won a cool BYU flag in the drawing and Luke won a Number 15 jersey. I'd barely retrieved my prize when Bailee commandeered it. It now hangs in her perfectly pink bedroom. :)(She thought it was a picnic blanket!)

Saturdays game...

Before I get to the game, I had to share this picture. I came upstairs to open Bailee's door so when she woke up she'd come find me. I had to laugh, quietly, and then grab the camera. She had so many books on her bed! (and some that had fallen between the bed and the wall!) So cute. My 'rule' is that at nap time she has to go to her room, but she doesn't have to sleep. So she can read or play quietly, whatever she wants. If she's still awake after an hour and a half, she can get up. That almost never happens. Oh, and apparently she was hot and tried to take her shirt off, she has one arm out the neck hole.

So now to the game. Luke's friend called and offered tickets at about a quarter to 12. The game started at 1, and Luke doesn't get off until 1. I thought he would turn them down, but luckily he didn't. It only took 1 phone call to get a sitter (that's a miracle in its self) and we rushed to the game. We actually made it before kick off, crazy!

(Look closely, bottom right...there's Luci!)

So this next picture is actually of Luke's cousin, Justin, kicking a field goal! We were excited for him, that's his first attempt of the season. Way to go! (we sat at the top of the stadium with the cousins, it's our favorite spot.)

At half time we ran down to pizza hut and had our traditional 'pre-game' pizza. So yummy. I can't wait for the UNLV game when we get to take Bailee and Mom and Dad will be here. For my dad's sake I hope UNLV puts up a fight...

BYU vs Washington

So, anyone who has watched a BYU game with Luke (especially a close one where 'Magic Happens') will know that you just can't capture the emotion in still pictures. But once again, I failed to have the video camera ready. And besides that, when Jake Locker ran in for that final touchdown, I totally missed it. (Bailee just had to go potty!)

But I was there for the blocked extra point attempt.
Hopefully some time this season I can get video footage of Luke celebrating.

Day 3....

Today we went on a hike to the falls up Battle Creek Canyon. It was the first time we have taken Bailee on a hike. When we got out of the car she through her arms up and said "Let's Hike!" It was so cute. I don't think she knew that a hike was just like walking, only harder.

Bailee walked some of the way, and Luke carried her the rest. It's only like 1/2 mile so it was not too bad. (Coming down was even better)
Bailee really liked the waterfall. We sat and enjoyed it for a bit, and had a snack.


After nap time we took Bailee to see Kung Fu Panda. It was also her first time really going to a movie. (I think we went to a couple when she was a baby, but I'm sure she slept through them.) Her favorite part of the movie was the preview for Wall-E. Now she keeps asking me if we can watch Wall-E at home. She loves popcorn, and wanted to hold the bag. It was almost as big as she was! I was impressed, she sat through the whole movie and was so good! She really didn't like the fighting parts, but she did like the animals.
After the movie we went to the KSL Coaches show with Bronco Mendenhall. We had hotdogs and hamburgers, and got to listen to the whole show. Bailee got scared everytime everyone started to cheer. It echoed pretty good in the show room, so it made the cheering sound even louder.