Christmas 2009

We had a wonderful white Christmas this year. We had my parents in town and had white snow on the ground. This was Justin and the kids first white Christmas ever. We didn't have to wake up to early. Grateful that the kids are getting older and will sleep in a little later each year! We were able to video (skype) conference with Justin's whole family on Wed.(that is when they all could be together). It was really neat to talk and see everyone there. I took a few pictures of the kids enjoying some of their Christmas gifts. We had a lazy day after the presents were opened. We enjoyed a nice dinner later that day. We were really grateful to share this Christmas with both families this year. Looking forward to the new year too!!

Braydon and his shoes

For those of you who know Braydon, you know that he quite frequently loses his shoes. He manages to kick off any pair that we put on him. We got him a pair of hiking boots this spring and we were so excited that he could not get them off, or at least not as easily. We had gone downtown to see the Christmas lights and then we walked around the 16th street mall Monday night before Christmas, while we were getting in the car I noticed that Braydon had kicked his shoe off while Justin was loading him in the car. I said, "Uh Oh Braydon kicked his shoe off"(which in my mind was telling Justin he needed to get the shoe after he put Braydon in the car). Apparently in Justin's mind the acknowledgment of me seeing the shoe be kicked off, meant I would grab it. Well as we got home and I asked, "Justin did you bring in his other shoe?" Of course the immediate Oh NO! we left his shoe downtown!! We both felt really bad, but knew if we went back that it would be gone. We have to park in paid parking lots and the areas are a little transient, so we just figured it was gone. On Christmas Eve my parents came in and we decided to drive them down to see the lights too! We drove them around the 16th street mall area and didn't get out of the car(mind you it was windy and barely 10 degrees with snow on the ground), somehow we ended up driving by the same parking lot we were in earlier that week and you could see that the snow plows had been in there and made nice hills out of the snow. I looked really close and I saw Braydon's shoe!! I yelled "Oh! My Gosh it is Braydon's shoe" Justin pulled over as soon as he could. Kaleb and I got out and ran over to the parking lot and sitting right there on top of one of the piles of snow was Braydon's shoe. Someone had placed it there. It was hard to believe we found it! It had snowed the previous two days, which would have covered the shoe and then for someone to place it on top of the plowed snow? I would have thought it would have been buried in the snow as it was plowed. We were grateful to have found it!! It was our own little Christmas Miracle.

Downtown Christmas Lights

We went to see the lights dowtown this year. We tried to do this last year, but didn't know where to go or what we were looking for. Glad we knew a litte more this year. It was beautiful. The County and City building is decorated with over 600,000 lights. We also went to the 16th street mall and enjoyed their lighted display too! Weatherman is predicting snow the next two days, looks like we may have a white Christmas!!

An Elbow??

About two weeks ago I was called to come pick Braydon up from school because his teacher didn't feel comfortable sending him home on the bus. She told me "Braydon was in PE and got hit in the head by someones elbow and has a nice goose egg on his head." So of course I rushed over to see what she was talking about. I get in his class and he is surrounded by three TA's (teacher assistants) his para, the teacher and the nurse. I looked at Braydon and he has a HUGE! golf ball size knot on his head. I ask his para "An elbow, my goodness who's elbow hit him and did they break it?" She replied, "There where so many kids around him I couldn't see who it was." After a few minutes of discussing this and possibly taking him to the pediatrician to check him out, I head on out the front. As I am leaving one of the sweet little girls in his regular class says good bye to Braydon. I tell her he really isn't too excited right now because he got hurt today and she says "I know he fell out of his wheelchair and hit his head." I felt like I was standing in a tornado being sucked out of the room and I couldn't breath or think. I turned around to see the assistant principal standing there and I told him the situation of two versions of the head injury and leave the school. Thirty minutes later the principal is calling me and letting me know that she had called a meeting together with all the staff involved. Long story short the para panicked and lied. Braydon was being pushed around the gym by one of the kids in his class and it tipped his chair over. She couldn't apologize enough. The following days were filled with police reports, human resource investigations and termination of staff (one) involved in the lie. It is very unfortunate that this had happened. I know Braydon was enjoying every minute of being pushed around by one of his classmates. I would have understood that it was an accident and all would have been fine. I was very pleased with the way the Principal and Assistant Principal handled this situation. Braydon was fine, no concussion, just an ugly knot that is slowly going away. I am glad for that sweet little girl being in the right place at the right time. I could only imagine if Braydon hurt his neck, arm or had a severe concussion and I just thought he had an "Elbow to the Head". It is very hard when I think about the future and can only hope and pray that my son will find a way to have a voice for himself. He was sitting in the room this entire time with this look on his face, the nurse had commented on how he just didn't look normal. After the day was over I had thought, "He was listening to everyone talk about getting hit by an elbow and all he could think about was what are they talking about??"

Jacob is 13!!

Boy! Jacob turned thirteen on November 16th. We will always remember when we moved to Denver, because we officially were in Colorado on his birthday. Jacob is really growing up over this last year. He is in the 7th grade and does great in school. We are really grateful that he loves to learn and never have to worry about missing assignments, unfinished projects(Wish they all were like this). He really strives to get everything done(sometimes to hard) on his own. He really is responsible. We love his caring, big-hearted spirit in our home. He still enjoys writing stories(Love looking at his notebooks full of stories and drawings) He has really challenged himself to finish reading the Book of Mormon this year. We Love You Jake! Happy Birthday!!!

Update!!! Where have I been???

Boy! I really need to keep up! It has been awhile since I have blogged. A lot of things have been going on since the last update. The main thing is that we moved(YEAH!!!). We really needed the space went from 3 bedrooms to 6 and I LOVE THE HOUSE!!! Nothing like moving twice within a year??!! We didn't change schools or wards. We really like the area. We were really lucky to move over a little at a time and then we did one big move the weekend before Thanksgiving. I had so much help in getting the house ready. (Thanks Sari and Joni for the painting!!!) Jacob had his 13th birthday(I will post for him too). After my mom left after Halloween, Sam and Diane came for a week, followed by Justin's brother Tony, sister Sarah and nephew Ryan for Thanksgiving. Of course we did "Black Friday" starting at 3:30am. Tony stayed on with us this last month and has helped us a lot with moving and organizing the new house. He thinks he is leaving this weekend, "THINKS". Justin's youngest brother Darren came in on Thursday and will leave on Tuesday, while my mom and dad will arrive on Thursday Christmas Eve and then on the following Tuesday Kaleb's good friend, Jon, will be coming for the week too!!