“The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.” ~Tom Bodett

My family learned a very unforgettable lesson in the spring of last year.  My dad, the man who doesn't go to the doctor unless he is in great pain, went in for a routine physical in the middle of the week.  It turned out to be anything but routine.  A few specialists and tests later we learned that he would need open heart surgery immediately.  So the beginning of the following week we started a journey that was frightening, exhausting, and life changing.  At the young age of 55, my father required not the quadruple bypass the doctors were expecting, but eight bypasses to provide critical blood flow to his heart.

Seeing my dad go through that experience was heart wrenching.  If you've never seen anyone after open heart surgery I don't think you can fully understand the impact it has on a body.  They look like death.  I don't know how else to describe it.  I just could not believe that my dad was that swollen, pale person laying there.  We came very close to losing our dad.  Too close.  He is the rock of our family.  He is the sense of reason and optimism in a home of loving, but emotional females.  We need him!

With time, he made his comeback.  He even went golfing the first week the doctor gave his okay (I think it was in September).  We all  consider ourselves very blessed that he is still with us.  Because open heart surgery is not the solution to heart disease (just a temporary second chance) I decided to try my hand at healthier cooking.  I bought three cookbooks geared for heart health (low sodium and low fat).  I tried many recipes, some good and some not so good.  I shared some with my family, not always with great reviews, but some were better than others.   Then life happened, things got busy, and holidays came and went.  I've fallen back into bad habits and so has my family.

The best dad and grandpa!!

Here's my request if I have any blog readers left.  Do you have any good suggestions for healthy eating?  Any great recipes that taste good but are also low fat and low sodium?  Heart disease is present on both sides of my family tree.  I need some inspiration and motivation to continue the life change and eat healthier.

And, any of you who can, go hug your dad (and your mom, siblings, spouse, kids, etc.)  The people we love need to know it and hear it regularly because we never know when life will send us a test to teach us something!!

Ready or Not . . .

. . . Winter is here!  I can't believe the snow that we already have and I hear we are supposed to get more.  Crazy!  At least my boys love it . . .

 I promise Drew was having fun, until he realized his hands were too cold and started to hurt.  After a cup of hot chocolate he was asking to go out again.  Here is a photo flashback to catch up the last few months.

Emily's first 5K run.  It was awesome.  It was just before Halloween.  I am supposed to look like a zombie.  It was a zombie chase.  The runners who signed up as survivors got a one minute head start before they let us zombies start and catch them.  It was awesome.  I am not just saying that because my sister-in-law was the organizer.  She did a great job!  I will definitely be running more races after this experience.  My sisters also ran as their first 5K.  They were survivors.  That's why I look so weird next to them.  And yes, I caught them.  Ha Ha!

My boys were the cutest on Halloween.  The cowboy and his trusty horse.  Kids make holidays so much fun.  I feel like a kid again watching their fun and excitement.  We threw a party at the shop.  It was complete with a hay ride through the field, homemade chili and donuts, but the big screen movie plans got blasted when my stupid computer decided to take a break for the night (hate my computer--can't wait to get a new one next year!)  Despite the trouble, it was a fun night.

My cute boys - I love them even when they drive me crazy.  I've been trying to enjoy them more and stress less lately and it has been great.  They are so cute and fun and entertaining.  My life would be sooo boring without them.  It would also be much cleaner and quieter, but I'll take the mess and noise and remember that life is flying by so fast that I had better enjoy the moments while I can!

I hope everyone is having a great holiday season so far.  The snow has helped me get in the Christmas mood early this year.  Does the early snow mean winter will end in March???

It's all in how you look at it!!

So, I thought I was having a bad day yesterday.  I didn't get much accomplished, we have car troubles, my boys were acting up, etc....  I was kind of feeling sorry for myself until I went out to my garden to check for any zucchinis that were ready to be picked.  As I was searching through the plant I found a spider's web.  The spider was at that very moment killing a fly that had gotten tangled in the web.  Instantly I thought, "Hey my life isn't so bad!"  Our troubles always seem so hard until we see someone who has it harder!  I'll take my difficult children, stupid broken cars, and unaccomplished day to that poor little fly's situation.  Here's to a perspective adjustment for any of you out there who might need it!!

Really?!

     Dustin just turned to me and said, "Hey why don't you go out and do a blog post and I will watch the kids"  Huh????  I didn't even know that Dustin knew what a blog post is, but okay if you say so hubby!  It has been a long time and I do appreciate a break from the whining (we have sick kids right now :( )  So, a quick blog post tonight thanks to my supportive husband. 

     We have had a busy summer that has gone by way to fast.  I'm watching the corn growing tall in the fields and thinking, "It can't be time for corn yet, can it??"  I have a beautiful garden this summer (by my standards, i.e. not entirely weed free, but somewhat weed controlled and all plants are alive and producing).  This is my third year attempting to garden and this is by farrrrrr my best yet.  It is the coolest thing to plant a seed in the ground and then see it actually come up.  It is even better when you taste the delicious peas straight of the vine, the crisp fresh lettuce, the mouth watering tomatoes, and use the zucchini in so many different recipes that only make it out of the recipe box one time a year.  I LOVE IT!!!

     Matt turned one year old yesterday!  He is my little "cute face" (especially now with his four front teeth with big spaces between them!)  Drew is such a big boy!  He surprises me every day with his memory, ingenuity, and sense of humor.  I didn't realize that you can see the class clown tendency so young :).

     Dustin is always busy!  He works more than the typical hours every week.  And when he's not in the shop you can find him irrigating, feeding animals, or doing something with his calling in the young men.  He's a hard worker--I wish I knew where his off button was.

     Hope everyone is doing great!  Sorry there aren't any pictures--maybe next time!

Stayin' Alive

So if there is anyone out there in blog world who hasn't given up on our blog entirely-we're still alive.  Computer problems and busy boys and work and life have kept me from actually taking time to post anything.  I have some good pictures to post if I can figure out how to make my camera load pictures on my computer again.  Hope everyone is having a great summer and for those of us in Idaho-at least we haven't had to water our lawns and gardens too much :)!

Two Thousand Ten Begins

It's a new year! I love the fresh start that each new year brings. This one holds a biggie for me. I am turning 30!!! I remember when Dustin turned thirty and he acted like it was no big deal. It is a big deal! Not that it really changes life drastically, but the idea of being thirty is strange. As a twenty something I feel like I am still "young". It's more acceptable to make mistakes and still be figuring things out. As a thirty year old I feel like I suddenly will have to be more responsible and have more of my own wisdom to live on. Anyone share my feeling here? So, I am going to try to grow up in the next 6 months so I will be ready for the big shift into adulthood in June (and secretly hoping that I can find ways to not make it obvious to the unknowing onlooker that I have lost my youth :)

December Review . . .

A trip to Vegas the first of the month . . . favorite activity . . . Bellagio's water show!  Love it!!

My little sis CaDee came along to help . . . it was her first time to Vegas!  Fun!!

My piano students had their first recital . . . it was great . . . made me proud!

Drew played Joseph in the reading of the Luke 2 on Christmas Eve . . . not so happily :)!

So, 2009 was a good one, but I have a feeling 2010 is going to be awesome. . . can't wait to see what it holds!  Happy New Year Everyone (since I have soooo many blog readers I'm sure)!!  A thought for the fresh start we've each been given -

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors,

and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin

Comfort and Joy

My son takes after me in more than just his looks. I was a thumb sucker for many years and Matthew found that same comfort last week. He is so cute with his thumb in his mouth, but I hope he won't form the same habit I did. We had a good Thanksgiving and are really looking forward to a fun holiday season. Matt and I were just hanging out this afternoon and so I thought I would post a few new pictures and wish everyone a happy start to the holidays. It is such a great time of year with good food, friends and family. I can't wait to enjoy every moment.
I know I am late, but I have to share my tiger and monkey with you. They were so cute in their Halloween costumes and Drew loved the idea of trick or treating. His eyes lit up when his dad explained how it all worked. "I get canny [candy]?!"