Lion King

Lion King ended their run at Mandaly Bay on December 30 and we went to the 2nd to last show. We wanted to get tickets when they had the locals deal of 2 for 1 but that promotion ended on December 20 and we could not go before that. I wanted Cayden to see it since he love music so much. We drove in to Vegas and got lunch at Wendy's after a stop at Kohl's for some clothes and shoes for Caleb. We sat on the very back row of the theater but it was still AMAZING!!! I am so glad that we could take the boys. Grandma kept Kyle and Connor. Cayden was a little worried about the loudness of it and he kept his hands over his ears for a little while but he got used to is. I spent $12 on a soda in a Souvenir cup for Connor and we found a stuffed lion at Kohl's for Kyle. The gift shop was mostly empty of anything but hats and program booklets so a cup was the best we could do.

Kyle's Sleep Study

Kyle had his sleep study done on Tuesday, December 27.  It was just a precautionary test to make sure that he is not having any apnea issues because of his small jaw and chin.  The pulmonologist wanted to do it after we did the overnight oximetry test back in November but I just never scheduled it.  We needed to get this done by the end of the year so that the insurance would pay for it though since we had hit out maximum out of pocket for the year. Cody stayed with the boys except Connor went to grandma's to sleep. Don and I went to Outback for dinner and tried to find some 2 piece jammies at Old Navy and Target before we went to the clinic. I knew that they needed to put a monitor on Kyle's foot and wanted to make it easier to work with because Kyle only has 1 piece jammies. I could not find any 2 piece jammies but it was fine because I had taken in a few pairs of jammies in case he wet through or spit up and one of them was a button up instead of a zip up and so the cord was able to stick through just fine. We got to the clinic right at 8 and they had Kyle all hooked up by 8:30. We had to get 6 straight hours of testing whether he was asleep or awake. Don stayed until about 10 and then he went to a hotel since there was only 1 bed and me and Kyle had to be in it. There was one of those hospital chairs that fold out flat but Don would have been very uncomfortable and one of us needed to get a little sleep to be able to function the next day. I was a little worried about being there by myself with just the technician but there was another patient that came in a little later and Don was just a phone call away.  Kyle fell asleep around 9ish but then woke to eat around 10:30.  It was hard to feed him and burp him with him all hooked up.  He did not go back to sleep until around 12 and when he did it was still a rough night because he likes to sleep with his hands up by his head and there were so many wires there that he would accidentally grab one or two and they would pull out or off.  The tech came in a few times to fix a them.  During the hour and half that he was awake before midnight I did not have the nasal canula where it was supposed to be because he just fussed and fussed and tried to grab at it.  I slept a little but every time he moved I woke up to make sure the wires were still in place,  He started to wake up around 4:30 so I asked the tech if we could just be done and he said yes.  I called Don and he came to pick us up.  I had to feed Kyle and try and wipe off all the gooey glue stuff that made the wires stay on his head and so we did not leave until around 5:30 or so.  We went straight home and straight to bed.  We won't have the results for a few weeks and we have to go and see the pulmonologist who ordered the test to get them anyway. 

Christmas Day 2011

Christmas morning started bright and early at 6am when the kids called me on my cell phone to tell me that they were awake. That has been the family tradition the last few years so that they don't come over to our room and walk by where Santa has been and see what they got. Connor actually was up at 5 but remembered and stuck to the plan although it about killed him. It was really hard for the kids to wait but I had to change Kyle and start feeding him and we had to set up the camera and light a fire in the fireplace too. It ended up being closer to 6:30 by the time we let the kids come to the living room. Man oh man-that was the longest half hour in history. Connor needed to take his medicine much earlier because he was just so excited that he couldn't hardly stand it. Aspberger's and hoidays are soooo hard! We had the video camera on for all of 2 minutes because after Connor flipped off the camera the thoughts of having all of that for posterity was just not a good idea. Grandma Dottie came over like she usually does. All of the boys got a new blanket and 1 other present from Santa. Cody got a watch, Connor got cowboy boots, Caleb got a camera, Cayden got a bike and Kyle got a exersaucer. Since the family has grown this year we let the kids see what Santa brought and then we moved all the presents into the family room so we would have more room. After we opened presents the kids got to see what was in their stockings. Kyle fell asleep with grandma holding him around 7 and then Grandma had to leave to get ready for church. Mom and dad were exhausted as was Cody so we all went back to bed and left the other kids to fend for themselves for a while. They played with their new legos and watch some of their new movies. Don and me and Kyle slept until about 10ish and then we got up and made a relatively fast Christmas breakfast of pancakes, bacon, grits, toast, hot cocoa and juice. We had to hurry though because we had church at 1 and Don needed to leave at 12:15 so that he could practice with the choir for the Christmas program. We all made it to church on time thank goodness. The choir did a good job-even with our choir director MIA because her FIL had a medical emergency and they had to go to the hospital instead of coming to church. The talks were not super spiritual which I found odd because it was Christmas Day but they were nice even though I spent most of the meeting out in the foyer which will be a constant thing now for a while with the baby. The talks were about Christmas memories that 3 of the oldest members of our ward had as kids and one man who grew up in Hawaii and the difference in Christmas there especially because his family were not members. After church-it was only Sacrament meeting-we headed home and we had another quick nap and then I made broccoli cheese soup, chicken and wild rice soup for Cody since he doesn't like broccoli cheese. We also had the leftover rolls from Saturday and the pies and cake too. Grandma and grandpa came over to eat again and they played a game of chicken foot with the boys while Don and I cleaned up. Christmas night we watched Cowboys and Aliens and just hung out. It was a nice Christmas even though it does not materialize into the hyped up event that I have in my mind that it should be.

Waiting in the hall to see what Santa brought. 

My new bike!!

Cody's watch and Connor's boots.

Caleb's camera.

Um, I am not sure I like this!

Cayden's note from Santa thanking him for the delicious treat.

Cayden's light up turtle.

These blades are like gold!

Sleepy baby.

Cayden's loot.

Connor's beanie from Cody.

Cody's loot.

Cayden's new bike and blanket.

5lbs of Reese's.

New boots.

Playing chicken foot.

Ok, maybe I like this now.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was very busy for me in the kitchen. I made cheese balls, Little Smokies, Buche, cheesy potatoes, potato smashers, fruit salad, spinach salad, green beans and cooked a ham. We had dinner about 5:30 with grandma and grandpa and Uncle Dave and Aunt Amy. Grandma brought rolls and pies. In all my haste a cut the crap out of my finger on a sharp can lid-I maybe should have gotten stitches or atleast used super glue because it was right above the knuckle on a crease and it bled for a long time and wouldn't ever close very well. I also burned my hands on the oven rack. For the last few years I have set a nice table for Christmas Eve with my pretty dishes and good serving platters and bowls. It makes for more dishes but it is nice to have a pretty table once in a while. After dinner we opened our gifts from grandma and grandpa, opened our Christmas Eve jammies, Connor read The Night Before Christmas and Don read the Bible story. We also sang a few Christmas carols. Of course as tradition would dictate, A Christmas Story was on TV most of the day, in between football games of course. Connor and Caleb assisted with a project upstairs with dad while Cody and I kept Cayden occupied downstairs. Cayden set up his cookies and milk for Santa by the fireplace. We sent the kids to bed around 10 but Caleb and Cayden did not actually get in their beds until 11:30 and they were not asleep until after 1:00am. Around 11 I was getting Kyle to bed and actually fell asleep with him for about an hour or so. The kids would not go to sleep but Santa needed to get going so he was pretty sneaky getting Christmas set up. Mom and dad got to bed around 2ish and the fun started at 6am as per the order from mom that there would be no Christmas before 6am.

The kids creative present stacking.

Cayden's new songbook to go with his music stand.

Caelb's new hoodie from Grandma and Grandpa.

A calf head for ropin'.

Buche De Noel

I'm sleepy so leave me alone!!

New Chirstmas jammies.

Week In Review December 19-25

Monday-Don left for Denver. The kids and I made our neighbor gifts. They were plates of goodies with pretzel-hershey kiss bites and yummy chocolate star cookies from Trader Joe's. The boys helped by unwrapping lots of Hershey Kisses. Caleb made mint chocolate chip ice cream in the new ice cream maker from Aunt Dena. Later in the evening Caleb and Cayden went with the Waite's to the movies in Overton. They saw Arthur Christmas. Tuesday-I took Cayden to see Brigit the PA at Dr. Gorman's office for a referral to a new diabetes doctor in Vegas. We are frustrated that it costs so much to see Dr. Lindsay ($700) and we repeat our concerns over and over with no results. Caleb watched Kyle while I was gone. Connor went to Aunt Dena's and pulled weeds. After the doctor the kids made some Christmas deliveries, I made sugar cookie dough and Cayden went over to grandma's. Caleb had his friend Dylan over and in the afternoon Connor took them up to the reservoir on the Rhino and they shot BB guns. Connor made Taco Salad for dinner. Don came in from Denver and picked up Cody from the airport. The ward party was that night but we did not go because of the problems from last year. Kyle rolled over 3 times. Wednesday-I made chocolate chip banana bread and we made and frosted the sugar cookies. Don went shopping in Vegas with Caleb because he had to pick up a ham at the post office in there that someone sent to us. Connor and Cody went to Mesquite to help Grandpa with the work up there. They went to Walmart while they were up there. Thursday-Cody and Connor helped Grandpa clean a carpet in Overton. Caleb had friends over and they walked to Wally's to buy root beer to make a root beer slush in the ice cream maker. We finished the Christmas deliveries. Friday-We tried our holiday slushy recipe in the ice cream maker-it was very very sweet. I locked myself upstairs to wrap presents. I watched One Magic Christmas and Mamma Mia while I was wrapping. Grandpa brought over his gifts for grandma for me to wrap. They were at the very end and after I had wrapped 30plus presents those presents got put in a lovely gift bag. Saturday was Christmas Eve and Sunday was Christmas. Posts to follow.

Kyle rolling over. 12-19-2011

Connor moved the wood up against the house.

Making our neighbor treats.

Week In Review 12/12-12/18

Monday was my birthday.

Tuesday was the field trip

Wednesday Cayden did not have school because of Parent Teacher Conference.  I made sugar cookie dough with him but we never actually got the cookies made.

 Thursday Kyle started to roll over. I spent the day getting the kids teacher gifts ready for the last day of school.  I let the boys in middle school/high school pick one teacher to give a Christmas gift to and I also give gifts to the nurses who help Connor and Cayden and the Special Ed teachers.  It is alot to do but they all do so much to help my kids that I want to do a little something for them.

The Chex Mix from Grandpa

The messed up sugar cookie bars.

The peanut butter schotchie mess.

The boys decided to remind me that wanted treats for some of their class partys on Friday.  Caleb first attempted Peanut butter scotchies but he used too many rice krispies so the treats were really hard and dry.  Then he tried to use the sugar cookie dough that I had made the previous day into a bar cookie but that did not work either because he did not spread it out evenly so in a pinch we called Grandpa Don who had been making Chex Mix and even though he was done for the night he made a whole new batch for the boys and brought it over for the boys around 9pm for them.

Making a Christmas card at his class party.

Decorating a cookie at his class party.

 Friday was Cayden's class party and I made white chocolate dipped pretzels then dipped in red sugar in an attempt to look like Santa hats.  They did not look like Santa hats very much but they were super delicious.  I also chopped up a bunch of oranges from Bountiful Baskets and some neighbor gifts.  After I made the treats I made Zuppa Toscana and Texas Sheet cake for Uncle Robert's funeral that was in Pioche on Saturday.  Saturday morning we got up early and went to Pioche for the funeral.  We stopped in Alamo at R Place to get deep fried burrritos.  Those burritos are a family tradition.  I can't remember when the last time I was in Pioche but the kids and Don have gone up to McGill/Ely for hunting and stuff and you have to pass through Alamo to get there so they have stopped a few times.  The funeral was at 12 and then we provided the luncheon for the family because we did not think it was right to ask the ward up there to provide a meal when Uncle Robert mostly lived in St. George.  We had soups and rolls, and green salad.  It was nice to have warm food after being out in the cold at the cemetary.  After the luncheon we got things cleaned up and went over to Uncle Tom's house to get a truck load of firewood.  That is what he gave us for Christmas and we are really grateful!  We stopped again in Alamo on the way home.  That was the first time we have been up and back to Pioche in one day.  It was a long and cold day. After we got home Taylor came over to visit and I sorted our Bountiful Baskets.  My neighbor/VT picked up my baskets that day because we were out of town.  I ordered 3 baskets and 2 orders of bread to share with the gals that clean our house as a Christmas present. 

This is the house that Grandma Dottie grew up in which is now owned by her brother Uncle Tom.

Loading the wood from Uncle Tom.

The Pioche school.

This is the hotel that Grandma Dottie's mother grew up in. 

Looking out over Pioche.

The Silver Cafe-seriously the only restaurant in Pioche.

Looking up the main street.

This is the hospital that Grandma's mother and grandmother worked in.

This is a monument to the miners that were killed in Pioche.

Mining shack.

We were able to get Kyle to laugh Sunday morning. We made pancakes for breakfast on Sunday morning and barely made it to church. I left after Sacrament because Kyle was fussy. I had a headache too. That day was Haydn Waite's mission farewell and it was soooo good. That kid has had to step up alot since his dad died 4 years ago and he has done a fabulous job. After church I took a nap. Cayden went to the community Messiah sing along with Grandma Dottie.