Cymbre's Rhinos, and a Giraffe For Eden!

March 30, 2010

Part of the purpose of our trip was for Cymbre to FINALLY get her Christmas present...a trip to go feed the rhinos at San Diego Wild Animal Park. Guy took her when she was 8yrs old and she has wanted to go back every year since. He gave her a certificate for Christmas saying he would finally do it.

Needless to say, they had a ball....the rest of us went whale watching!

Cymbre fed the giraffe for Baby Eden who was to little to go to.

Cymbre's Rhinos!! They make best friends for life, and then do everything with that friend. Sometimes, it's really a relative...like a big sister. Does that sound familiar to anyone?

Feeding a rhinos at San Diego Zoo...yes, she got Dad to pay the extra money...

More apple slices anyone?

Thanks so much...see my horn!

See our whale watching pictures in the next post...

Our Baby Eden!!

March 30, 2010

Here are some random pictures of our Baby Eden while on our trip for her Auntie's to meet her. We all had such a great time. She sure is a cutie, and she LOVED eating Grandpa's ice cream! I am trying to get the video to load, but think it may be too big. Dad is going to work on it.

Eden and the Aunties, Cooper and Cymbre...Sissy wasn't there yet.

Grandma kisses...

Grandpa's funny ride...what is this shiny spot on Grandpa's head?

This Grandpa Guy is sort of funny, but lots of fun to play with.

Grandma makes me smile...

Baby Jack pictures coming soon. He wasn't there yet....although we were all anxious for him to get there.

Paddy Cake!

March 28, 2010

When we went to California we had a great time playing with the Grandbabies. Here's Eden playing paddy cake!

Cooper in the back ground is almost funnier! And then Russell has to take a peek too!

The Case of the Dueling Casts!

March 24, 2010

We just got back from the foot surgeon's office. Cooper is now in a walking air cast, and is starting exercises to regain the flexibility of her foot. If her foot starts to hurt, she is back on crutches. After two weeks, she will probably start physical therapy.

Cymbre is now in the plaster cast, for basically the same problem Cooper had, except it is her tendon at the back of the knob in the inside of her foot.

My advice...buy stock in plaster casts, and waterproof tape, and white trash bags! Tylenol might not be a bad idea either....

And I think my girls need a plastic bubble to live in or maybe body casts in a hospital bed!

At any rate...we are out of competition for the next one, and maybe out for the rest of the year....we just can't win this year.

Pictures of the dueling casts to follow later...bath time for the gimp...Cooper is at YW!

AND GUY is on an airplane somewhere.....WHAT THE HECK????

Family Trip Brought New Family Photos!!!

March 24, 2010

When we went to California to see the GRANDBABIES....we all went for new family photos. We had a great time being together...11 people in a two bedroom townhouse. It was real togetherness. We went to the San Diego Zoo, Disneyland, The beach, San Diego Wild Animal Park. We had such a grand time with the babies, and spoiled them rotten to the core. But what are Grandparents supposed to do anyway! It was fun to see the big kids too....the photos turned out wonderful!

Caleb, Holly, and Baby Jack

Our five kids...Caleb, Britni, Shyla, Cooper, and Cymbre

The Grandbabies...Jack 15 months, Eden 4 months

Russell, Shyla, Eden

All of Grandpa's Gang!

More pictures of the trip later when I can get them out of the camera!

Another Week!

March 2, 2010

Another week has started, and we are still going to doctors. Cooper has yet another ear infection. Of course, it's just before competition starts. However, she won't be dancing this first competition. She is still in her cast, and we are really hoping that they will take it off for good on Monday. We'll see. they tested her for Mono since she keeps getting this sore throat, ear thing every few weeks. However, it's negative. I think I am glad....Doctor Ermac signed her cast for her too. She is proud! You almost can't see the pink anymore....she has so many friends.

Cymbre dances her two solos on Friday night, and they have their little baby groups on Saturday. They will go help with them backstage, and Cymbre will do the Doctor, Doctor dance as she is the Doctor. Guess I better get that jacket rhinestoned!

I've spent the day cutting out the fancy lace for Cooper's Firebird tutu. Discovered tonight that I have to make the tutu a bit bigger....will have to add a triangle of fabric and adjust the hooks. I'm glad I had her put it on tonight before I get it all decorated and feathered. Spent the entire morning cutting out the points on this lace....because it is a border print kind of lace, I couldn't make it like a poodle skirt and have it work on the tutu. SO, sit and cut for hours with little tiny scissors. This better work is all I have to say!! Decided I would glue the feathers on tulle circles, that way, they won't ruin this expensive lace overskirt. Now I just have to find a clear drying glue that Cooper isn't allergic too....the one I use for rhinstones is to sticky for the feathers...it will just be a wonderful mess! So, back to the drawing boards yet again. This costume is making my crazy...I know, it's a short trip.

Cymbre's eye is giving her a few minutes here and there of clear vision.....I hope that means it will come back totally one day really soon. She's a real trooper....but I know she hates it. Her knee is giving her shooting pains again today....I think it's because she ran down the stairs this morning because we got up really late....I just turned off my alarm and went back to sleep. THANK YOU HEADACHE PILL! We made it to school on time, but she ate her breakfast in the car....at least she ate!

Dad will be in Tulsa on Friday for the day...he has a SEG meeting. Maybe if he is lucky, he can meet up with Sissy for a little while.

I actually did some mending to today...miracles will never cease! I NEVER get that all done. I did the red stuff since I have red thread on the sewing machine.

Ms. Brittainey asked me to help her alter three costumes....I guess they are too little, so we have to add some length. I told her to get the material, and I would help her after we get back from California.

Rumor has it that I will be making button holes for Shyla, and cutting Jack's hair for Caleb while we are in California. Guess it's a good thing Grandma is coming to visit. I still get first snuggles with those babies, no matter what anyone else says. I even have the presents for the grandbabies....Grandpa and I are planning on having some fun with those little ones. We'll have some with the big ones too.

We are hoping that both the girls will be well enough to go visit their Master Tap Teacher, Mark Goodman while we are there.....he gives some lessons at this studio, and has said they can come. They would be so thrilled to see him again.

Cymbre and Guy are going to feed the rhinos again. Cooper and I are going whale watching with Shyla. Disneyland is also fit in there somewhere, and a new family photo on Saturday....it will be good to have the entire family together again for just a few days. Caleb, Holly, Jack, and Britni will all arrive later in the week, and be there for the weekend. We are all so excited.

Guess that's about all the news tonight.....thank goodness we are all healing and beginning to feel a bit better. Keep Those names on the prayer roll though ok! Thanks.

Love you bunches and bunches.

Mom

Medical Issues Times Three!

February 26, 2010

We have survived the past two weeks, but just barely some days!

Cooper's foot is now in a cast even though it isn't broken. The orthopedic foot doctor says that her tendons have to be immobilized for two weeks in order to heal themselves. A drama ridden situation for Cooper as it takes her out of her first competition. That's a BIG DEAL for Cooper. She lives to compete. However, there is no permanent damage to her foot and she will recover. She may have to get one more cast depending on what the doctor finds in two weeks when we go back. She goes around telling people her cast brings out her eye! AND it has so many signatures, you don't see much hot pink anymore.

My cyst situation is in a holding pattern right now....it's not bleeding, so the surgeon wants to just wait and see sort of thing. The medicine they put me on in case of infection really turned me every way but loose for 10 days. However, it seems to have stopped the bleeding. He told me what to watch for, and we will do further testings in May. THANK GOODNESS! That was REALLY SCARY for a few weeks!

Cymbre's eye injury has proven VERY DIFFICULT to sort out. We ended up down at the medical center to a Neuro-opthamologist who did a bunch of fancy tests. We have some terrific photos of the inside of her eye. She is still seeing a wonderful fireworks show, along with some pretty big black dots. At first we were looking at a vitreal detachment, then a possible retina detachment, but in the end they have ruled it Tramautic Neuropathy to her optic nerve. She is extremely lucky that she didn't shatter her eye ball when the exercise band hit it. So she has a wonderful team of eye specialists who have developed a real love for her, and who are going to continue monitoring her situation.

Cymbre's school teachers and nurse have also been very good to work with her as she basically doesn't see much at all out of her right eye. They have been working with her, letting her sit up close, and read things to her when necessary.

Thankfully, Cymbre can still dance in the competition. Cooper will be backstage helping with her babies.

We are so very grateful that with the help of the Priesthood, these three situations have turned out as well as they have. We have also relied on the temple to help support us through these terrible weeks.....we are still in constant prayer that Cymbre will not develope any blind spots in her eye...that would mean retina problems and surgery. The sleepless nights can now be fewer, but will probably continue until Cymbre's eye heals itself.

It seems that things like these always hit us together, and when Dad is out of town. However, he came right home and has been doing his best to help out, going to doctors, and making phone calls. He's the driver when we have to go downtown, as Mom gets hopelessly lost in all those big buildings.

SO, for now we can breathe a sign of relief that things were not the worst they could have been. THANK GOODNESS! I don't know how we would have handled Cymbre's situation or mine being worse. I think Heavenly Father is probably tired of hearing me cry to Him in my closet.

I have photos of Cooper's cast and Cymbre's eye, but can't seem to get the computer to do what I tell it to do this morning....so I am going to go to the store and buy some fruit. Then later today, we have to go to Cymbre physical therapy on her knee. NO EXERCISE BANDS though!

Cymbre could still use a tremendous amout of prayer for a quick healing of her optic nerve, and the return of normal sight, and I could use them in regards to my cyst not bleeding again. That won't be good.

Now maybe life can get back to some normal stuff again, and we won't have to see a different doctor everyday, and some days more than one.

I may just buy a happy meal for that man who sits on the street corner, and count my many blessings this past week.

Love you all.

Mom