Butterfly and July coupons.

 This butterfly was posing on my butterfly bush this evening.  So I whip out my phone and start taking pictures of it.  But this month I did save $131.91 in coupons.  :)

Update

Well.......I think Christopher is getting better.  It's been a long haul, especially for him and his family.  It's not over yet.  He still has to be on antibiotics for another week (I think) and then meds for the colitis but seeing him laugh and talk last sunday gave me hope that he is healing.  This has been interesting in seeing how people react/act to their little family.  I have been so, so grateful and humbled by so many people and totally disgusted by others.  Some family and friends have been so giving with their prayers, love, generosity.  I can't express my thanks to so many of them.  Then there have been those who I thought would be helpful, kind and compassionate  to only judge and spew out their venom.  It makes me sad to see this and I try to not let these kind of people take over my thoughts of the good people out there.  But my hopes are high that Christopher and his family are going to pull out of this and resume their normal life.
Last Saturday we got Nathan all outfitted for his wedding coming up.  He's going to look really nifty!!  He got a dark grey pants and vest, white dress shirt, yellow high top converse and a yellow bow tie.  Things are falling into place for them.  It's coming up fast!!!  :)

Birthday dinner

 We're pretty good at extending birthday's.  Steve's birthday was last thursday so we celebrated then.  Got a few more gifts on friday and the dinner on Sunday.   He picked pork chops and mashed potatoes so that's what he got.  And apple pie instead of cake.

 Tradition.....he lights his own candles......

 Then we sing..........and then blow!!!!

Happy Birthday again Sweetie!!!

The Grandkids

Since Christopher has been in the hospital a lot Maddox was pretending Courtney was in the hospital.

I miss these kids.  I can't wait to see them next month.  We gave Kingston hexbugs for his birthday.  I think he likes them.

Happy Birthday Steve

Today is Steve's birthday .  Though this summer has been crazy busy.....it's time to celebrate!!

I'm so, so grateful to have him in my life.  Life is more fun with Steve.  Life, overall, is just better.  :)  Happy Birthday Sweetie and I love you so much!!!!!

Christopher

So it's been about 5 weeks since all this stuff started with Christopher.  Ulcerated colitis, caught c-dif, got over c-dif, still trying to get over the colitis, got c-dif again.  A few hospital visits and then yesterday morning I get a text from Christopher that his calf is cramping up.  It has been for 2 hours and his leg is getting bigger.  A few minutes later Lesa calls and that Christopher is in extreme pain, his leg is huge and bumpy.  She rushed him to ER and I hurried and met her there to stay with Christopher so she could take the kids home and get them ready for the day.  I went into his room and Christopher was in extreme pain.  They took some blood and did an ultra sound.  Hooked him up to an IV and gave him a shot of morphine.  It didn't even take the edge off the pain.  Another shot of morphine, nothing and still a 3rd and it barely touched it.  He was transferred to Utah Valley Hosp and late afternoon they took most of the blood clot out.  Today they are going to take the rest of it out.  Also being there he has a whole team of dr.'s working with him to help him get over the colitis and bacteria.......finally!!  That is the best news we've heard in a while.  :)
But I had an experience while in the ER and Christopher was in extreme pain.  More pain than I have ever seen him in.  There was nothing I could do to take it away.  I felt so helpless.  Christopher was shaking, in tears from the pain and all I could do was hold his hand.  Steve arrived and I stayed a little longer but then I had to go.  I couldn't take it anymore.  I couldn't watch him suffer anymore and the whole time I was trying to hold back my tears.  I got in the car and started driving home and I was saying a prayer for him and his family.  Then somethings popped in my head of how when Christ was on the cross and was suffering horribly that Heavenly Father had to leave for a little bit cuz He couldn't take it either.  I know Christopher's suffering wasn't as bad as Christ's but it did help me learn about how hard it is for Heavenly Father to see us suffer and that we are like Him and He is like us.

Recital Photos

 These are some of the pics. taken at the studio for the recital.  We just got them monday.  :)

Post birthday pictures

Kingston had a Dr. Seuss birthday party.

Also he went bowling.

He got some hex bugs and a hex bug track.  He made lots of bridges for it.  :)

Emily got 16-$5 bills plus some extra money.  After dance we went to the mall, then dinner and a movie.  She was busy all day.

Happy Birthday Emily and Kingston

 Today is Emily's 16th birthday.  How in the heck did that happen?  I always think of her as being 8yrs old.  :)  But what a sweet, loving, hardworking, smart, talented, spiritual and beautiful young women she is.  We are so proud of her!!

Kingston turns 4 today.  He knows how to make everyone laugh and smile.  He is so smart, full of energy, loving and a very sweet little boy.  I love both of them so much and so grateful for this day!!  :)

Last of the pics.

 Steve signed us up for an hour long horse ride.  An hour was the perfect amount of time.  This was a first time for me.

 It was a lot of fun but the horses do have their own agenda when there are fields of grass.  They want to eat even though they know they're suppose to keep walking.  We had to keep reminding them who was boss.  :)

 Then we went into the caves.  It was 200 ft underground.  Steve loved it and would love to explore more of the caves.  I'd have to pass.  The pressure was down there was really messing with my head and gave me a really bad headache.  I thought it was only me but there were others who complained of a bad headache too.

 It was really beautiful though.

 One of the signs on the highway that Steve had to have a picture of.

 This is the bed and breakfast we stayed at.  It was such a great place.  Right in front where I took this picture is a river.  You could hear it constantly and it was wonderful hearing it while you're going to sleep.  We stayed on the second floor just around the corner.  Steve would read out on the deck every night before we went to bed.  We have such great memories of our trip.

Crazy Horse

 Wednesday morning we went to see Crazy Horse.  We watched a short video about this and how a single man started this whole project.  He was actually one of the men who worked on Mt. Rushmore.  His story is so amazing!

 You can see that it's not complete but still ongoing.

 These are bins and bins of beads.  All shapes, colors and sizes.

 We watched this man tell his story and watched him dance.  He has a great story to tell!!

 this is the statue of how it's going to look when it's complete.

 And what they still need to do.  They compared the Mt. Rushmore carving to Crazy Horse and Crazy Horse blows Mt. Rushmore out of the water in comparison to size.  I hope I can see this when it's complete.