~the last few weeks

~Last weekend Adam, I and the boys attempted to go camping. After a really cold, windy night at Pinal Mountain we packed up the tent and headed off to check out Roosevelt to see if it was any better. The weather was warmer, but I think the wind was blowing 100 miles an hour. Noah had fun learning to catch butterflies and Simon was busy picking up random things to throw in the water. His greatest find, which scared Adam, was a fishing lure that looked like a worm. After Roosevelt we headed to Payson to check out the Tonto Fish Hatchery. We were hoping that the "Catch-A-Trout" place was open, but no luck. It was still a fun day.

~A few weeks ago my mom and I made a trip to Utah to be there for the blessing of little Annie, Holly's first baby. Unfortunately, the West family made other plans for the weekend so the baby blessing didn't happen, but it was a GREAT trip anyway!

No kids, (except Annie), no guys, and ALL girls, ALL weekend. It was awesome to spend time with mom, Holly and Whitney. We've never really done that before, just us girls. I haven't laughed so hard in years! My mom was hilarious! One of the main goals was to get her a dress for the wedding and we did that. She's going to look fabulous. (as a side note, we really missed Echelle and Jennifer - we hope to have another girls trip with everyone real soon)

We also got to spend Saturday night reminiscing with my cousin, Amanda. It was awesome remembering the good old days. She used to spend summers with our family. It was so fun.

Another highlight was that I was able to spend some time with Jon, Katherine, Andrew and their new baby, Carson. I miss the Earl's, but I got to see them every day I was in Utah. Another reason the trip was great.

~Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - Bird Feeders

Since we've been staying with Jeremy and Echelle we've been going through gallons of milk. I decided that all these empty milk jugs would be a great project for the kids. Plus it would reduce the amount of recycling and trash.

I did all the prep work and the kids did the decorating. Simon was more interested in painting the newspaper, but the bird feeders turned out great! Very colorful.

Jeremy and Echelle's girls also had fun with the project. The birds in this neighborhood are going to be well fed. We have five bird feeders in one tree!

~Holly, Annalee and Grandma Slade

Aunt Holly came to visit over the weekend and it was so fun to see her and Annalee. Both Noah and Simon got to hold little Annie.

I think they will be great brothers

for their new little brother or sister. What do you think?

It was fun for all the kids to spend some time with Grandma Slade too.

~A Little Good News

We are so excited to be having another baby. This little peanut is due September 10th.

I think it's funny that all three of my kids will have Sept birthdays. Most of you also know that Jeremy, Holly and I were all born in December within a week of each other. I guess I'm keeping with family tradition.

After two very long months I am finally feeling better, but I've already started to get fat. I really can't hide my stomach now. That stinks because I am only 13 weeks. Usually I like to wait a little before I tell people, but can't hide the obvious.

Noah wants another brother, just like Simon. The rest of us are hoping for a girl. Only time will tell!

~CTR - Choose the Right

I gave Noah a CTR ring for Christmas and he has faithfully worn it every day since. At the first of the year all the kids in his CTR 5 class got rings. He told them he already had one and didn't need another. A week later Noah was the only one still wearing his.

Noah's dr. asked if he was wearing a special ring and he said, "yes, that's my CTR ring. It means Choose the Right." She just smiled and said, "oh."

Adam and I have been Noah's primary teachers for the past month and a half. Last week we had 10 kids in our class. It was great! I loved being primary president, but there's nothing like being hands-on every week. I know some people like to have a break from their kids and they refuse to teach primary because they have their kids all week at home. I feel blessed that I get to see Noah learn and grow in the gospel, even if it's only for a short moment.

I love my calling!

WARNING! This is a very long post, but interesting

This is Verdene. She is 82 years old, (I think). For the past two months I have been taking care of her. Actually we've been her live-in care and company.

The week after we moved in she got shingles on her head and left side of her face. She was in terrible pain, crying in the night and really needing some Divine help. (Thank goodness for the priesthood. In a few days time Adam had given her several blessings.) After going to urgent care and getting some good drugs a few days later I noticed that the left side of her face was drooping. Her eye wasn't closing all the way and when she smiled the left side of her mouth didn't move. I thought she had a stroke. STRESS! I called her family and they immediately took her in. She spent the night in the hospital while the dr.'s ran lots of tests. The results were that she did not have a stroke, but it was nerve damage from the shingles. More medication and eye drops every half hour to keep the bad eye moist. At this point I was giving Verdene medication 5 times a day. Basically I was providing 24 hour care.

That same week, she walked into the living room and I noticed blood on her hand and what looked like flesh under her fingernails. Worried, I asked where the blood came from. She said that her leg hurt. So with permission I lifted her pant leg and found that she had scratched a 4 inch long, 2 inch wide, hole in her leg. Basically it looked like hamburger, no skin left at all. I cleaned up the blood and the wound as well as I could. I had her clean up her nails and the blood on her hand and then I called her family. Another trip to urgent care. More medication. Now I also needed to put ointment on her leg twice a day and keep it bandaged. Verdene had been to the dr./urgent care/hospital, 4 times in one week (or something pretty close to that). Poor lady.

During this same time Noah got sick with two infected lymph nodes and a severe ear infection. I bet no one knew that I was a nurse in my spare time (although I didn't have any spare time at this point). So I was also giving Noah medication too!

Verdene has gotten better and after Noah being on antibiotics for 20 days (the first dose didn't work) he's better too. But, our time has ended with Verdene and she is moving in with her daughter. She's having a hard time, thinking of leaving the house she's lived in for 46 years. Lots of tears and reminiscing, but I hope she'll be okay. She's a very sweet lady.

Where are we going? Well, I think we're going to stay at Jeremy's (my brothers) for the next few months. Yes, besides becoming snowbirds (don't be a hater), we are also nomads :) It's not something I'm proud of, but I'm hopeful that consistency will finally come when we get back to Alaska.

The past two months have been weird and I've lost touch with most of the outside world. (I still love all my friends and family. I haven't forgotten you). Being with Verdene has reminded me of how much I miss my grandma. She died two years ago, Feb. 12th. Sometimes it hits me so hard I find little tears rolling down my cheek. Thank goodness I know I'll see her again.

We love Andrew!

We love Katherine and Jon too!

off with the OLD and on with the NEW

goodbye 2008, HELLO 2009

~tHe oLd

• florence, arizona (well...really all of arizona)
• being nomads
• gray hair
• goodbye muffin top :)
• simon wearing diapers
• adam's allergies (poor guy is miserable)
  

~ThE NeW

• north pole, alaska
• remodeling the Baskerville house
• additions to the family-babies are wonderful (jon.katherine and holly.kenny)
• more additions to the family - shane's getting married Yippie! (welcome jen.jaycee)
• new episodes of the office
• carrot sticks and crackers
• no more diapers :)

Just a few things I'm looking forward to!

~New Year's Day walk with Grandma Slade Eagar, Arizona

Christmas Fun

Christmas Eve we went to Jeremy and Echelle's where Santa came and gave each one of us an ornament for our tree. All the kids were so excited!

Christmas day was a lot of fun too! This year we spent Christmas with the Connolly family.