Thankfullness!!

Every year for Thanksgiving we go down to Vegas and spend it with the Tippetts Clan. This year however we stayed at home. I was sad to miss out on seeing my wonderful in-laws, because unlike most horror stories about the in-laws I have been blessed with the best ones out there! And I did miss out on my favorite part of Thanksgiving...the day after when all the sister-in-laws and Trudy go shopping!!!!
So when we decided to stay home we started to make our Thanksgiving plans. My sister Cory was to spend Thanksgiving with Adam's family this year, so I asked my family if they minded celebrating Thanksgiving on Friday so that we could have the whole family together. They all agreed. So we were free for Thanksgiving Day. A couple of Josh and my friends were planing there own Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday and we asked if we could join. They said yes and of course my controlling nature took over and bless there hearts they let me! We had a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner at our house. I got to use all of my good china and was in heaven! These are some pictures of my tables.....we had a kids table and an adult table.

On Friday we once again had Thanksgiving, this time it was at my mom's house. My grandma and my uncle came up and had it with us. It was so much fun. Yummy food and nice company. I am so thankful for the blessings I have and the family that surrounds me.

3 Months

It has been three months since I was in Colorado and yesterday Josh and I returned for my three month check up. We flew into Denver yearly in the morning. I had two appointments. One to see the doctor and the other to take my memory test for the "Fog Study" that I'm apart of. I love this doctors office everyone is sooo nice and friendly, of course it helps that the girls in the office love Josh and laugh at his really bad jokes!

We first went over a list of questions, of what has improved and how much compared to before the surgery. I have improved so much, and even I didn't realize it until going through the list of things. Then Dr. Oro came in and went over my most recent MRI with me and showed me all the new space that is in my head! He said that it is healing really good and that it will continue to heal and produce more space when the tissue softens, what ever that means. Then we talked about my legs and the problem of them still not always working. He said that I need to still heal, that it takes about a full year to truly heal and when you are talking about nerves and having them repair themselves that it takes a long time. He said that it still can be the Tethered Cord that is making my legs not work but we need to wait and see a little more. He said that I need to start physical therapy to work on strengthening my neck and my legs. I haven't used them properly for so long that they need help. He also advised me to write down a schedule for myself to walk everyday and three times a week do resistance training for my legs with bands. He said that I need to keep my stress down and get a hobby! I loved this part I don't think I have ever had a doctor tell me to get a hobby, it's kinda funny. But now I have an excuse to stop what I'm doing and work on something that I enjoy! He also said that I need to watch what I eat and if I do all of these things and I'm still have progressing leg problems, and are not seeing an improvement that I need to call him back within a few months and we will look at doing something else, i.e. surgery. So I think that I will try this really hard just to avoid going through a surgery again!

I'm doing so much better and getting better each new day. I thought I would show all the pictures of my scare through the months. I have Josh take a picture every so often so I can see what it looks like. It really is growing back so fast that you can't even tell when I have my hair is down.

Halloween

Our Halloween started on Thursday with Abby's school Halloween party! She dressed up as a princess and she got glitter in her hair and we gave her rosy red cheeks....

and of course she got some princess nails, they are press-on nails she was so cute about them she didn't really get that they were fake and not wet so she sat on the couch waiting for them to dry! And of course what princess in Utah is complete without a cape! This is Abby's Class and Teacher they let the parents come and they sang for us.

This is them performing.

On Friday Elizabeth had her Halloween Party and parade of costumes. This is at her parade through the school.

This is at her party while playing bingo!
After Elizabeth's party we went over to Josh's office to trick or treat with the girls in the office.

If you're wondering what the heck Josh is wearing it is his costume for work he dressed up in one of his Philippine shirts and said he was a Philippine!

Here are the girls with the girls in the office.

That night was our ward's Trunk or Treat where we decorate our trunks and pass out candy to the kids. I worked all week on this one and it's a dragon if you are wondering. Josh kept calling it a alligator all night just to get me mad! And Josh agreed (not happily may I add) to be the knight that fights the dragon!

Here is the full costume of Josh He would only put it on for the picture!

I was a very busy week but very fun. Josh took the girls out on Saturday night in the rain to go around our neighborhood. They had so much fun!

Abby's Pre-School Field Trip

Abby's Pre-School Class went to Hee Haw Farm. Abby was soo excited to go on a big girl field trip, just like her sister!!! The whole time there she kept saying, "I can't wait to tell sister about this." On the field trip she got to pick a pumpkin out of the pumpkin patch.

They all got a treat at the picnic area.

They saw the animals and then took pictures as animals.

This is a picture of all of the Pre-School Classes. There are two classes her age and then one with the smaller kids. So if you're thinking my kid is a giant she is but not so much with kids in there that are a year or so younger.

We went through a corn maze and then about half way in we got lost and went back out through the way we got in!!

These two are the twins next door from us and she loves them!!! So we hung out with them!
All in all it was a fun afternoon. Abby felt like a big girl on her big girl field trip and she can't wait until her next one!!

1st Grade Pictures

Elizabeth's 1st Grade pictures. There were no fights that morning...which lets face it is a miracle when making a decision on what to wear....no whining no crying she got ready and practiced her smile and I think it turned out cute...of course I'm the mom so what am I going to say!

The World According To Abby...

The other day it was just Abby and I at home and I was getting ready for the day. I was in the bathroom drying my hair and after I was done with my towel I dropped it on the floor. (I wasn't going to leave it there I was going to pick it up but before I could do it...)
Abby said, "Mom, you don't just leave your towel on the ground you need to hang it up!"
I said, "Well you always leave your towel on the ground." (Why I'm arguing with a 4 year old is beyond me)
Abby said (in a way only Abby can pull off without getting smacked), "Mooommm, I'm a kid I don't know any better!!!"
While trying not to laugh I tried to explain to her if she knows enough to tell me not to do it then she knows better....I honestly don't think I got through to her!

1st's

First we have Elizabeth's first day of first grade! Cory took this picture for me Josh and I were in Colorado when school started so she took care of her. I called her that morning after Cory sent me this picture from her phone and asked if she was going to do her hair. She said that she did that is what Elizabeth asked for. Josh told me to stop being so controlling...so I let it go...sort of. I wish I could of been there but I hear that she did good and she had all sorts of bigger kids in our ward that go to that school that were looking out for her. In fact I heard that for some it started to be a race to who could get to Elizabeth first to help her find her way. I can't believe my baby is in all day school! When we asked her what she liked about it she was so excited because she now gets THREE recesses!!!! She is her Father's daughter!!!

Then, there was Abby's first day of Pre-School. We were home for this. She was soooo excited that on the day she told me what pictures to take of her. She remembered what pictures I took of Elizabeth on her first day of school and she posed herself to take the same pictures!!! I love this kid! And since the preschool is only a street over Josh walked her. She goes three times a week for a couple of hours. And now all I hear is..."do I go to school today...do I go to school today!" Needless to say she loves it and already thinks she is smarter then all of us.

A Whole New Look!

Josh and I left for Colorado on Tuesday morning. It was a nine hour drive and we needed to be there for my pre-op on Wednesday morning. It was a nice drive, but of course I was asleep for most of it. The day before I had a list of things to get done before we left that would have rivaled even the worst procrastinator's list. Yes I did leave most everything until the last minute. But thankful Josh had a book to listen to to keep him company. Wednesday at 11am was my first appointment. It was just a simple physical and questions to make sure I could do the surgery still. Then we went over to the hospital to get some pre-surgery tests done. They were worried about my thyroid and wanted to check before. We also had to register for the hospital. After that I started to get a little nervous because it started to feel like the point of no return. Now I know I should of felt that way after making the appointment for surgery, or even after driving all the way up there, and I know Josh thinks I'm a bit crazy but after registering and giving them a deposit I then felt, "man I really can't back out now!"

My parents flew in that afternoon and we picked them up. I had another appointment for the study that I'm in for Chiari later that day. The study was interesting. It was mainly a memory test. And if you ever want to feel really stupid, take one of those! I was lucky that I remembered my name. It took about 2 hours and the lady conducting it was so nice she kept reassuring me that I was doing just fine. I asked her several times to stop lying to me!

The night before Josh, my mom, and I went out to see a movie. Oh and we did hit a mall for a little while, Josh was dying!

Morning of we had to be at the hospital by 11am. My surgery was scheduled to be at 1:30pm. We sat in the pre-op area until after 2 before they wheeled me away. I actually enjoyed sitting and talking with my parents and Josh and if you could imagine there was a LOT of laughing.

The last thing I remember was getting kisses from my parents and Josh and then I was out.

Well, no one was lying when they said that it would hurt when you wake up! I felt pain in parts of my body that I know they were no where near operating on! They were very good about getting my drugs fast, and so my memory of it is foggy. But I hear that the surgery took about 3 hours and I was in the recovery area for about 2 hours. By the time I got to ICU it was after 8 pm. From what I hear the surgery went really well. It took longer then the Dr. thought but my skull was thicker then he thought and was harder to get through (Ok go ahead and laugh here, I've already heard all the jokes!) It was more crowed in my skull then he saw on the MRI so he had to take out more then he had planned for. He took his time and said that he got everything done that he planned and that it went really well.

I loved the ICU and everyone in it. I was in there for about a day and a half, or what I'm told, my days and nights started to run into each other. But it was a private room and the nurses where amazing! When I got out of the ICU they took me up to another private room upstairs. This one was harder because you didn't get the constant attention that ICU provided. And the nurses had so many other patients that you didn't always get the medicine you needed on time. So it was there that I learned that I really wasn't all better, I was just drugged really good. When these drugs ware off there is a LOT of pain! But I was doing really well and they let me go home on Sunday afternoon. Well I went to the hotel and lied down that is.

Josh and my parents were amazing. They would come and sit at the hospital all day. We did entertain our selves with cards. We would play rummy, and let me just tell you my mom really likes to win, or she's ok as long as my dad doesn't win. We would play until we got to 500 points. My mom won one, and amazingly enough Josh won the other one. I of course did really bad, and they would all just pat me on the head and patronizingly say "Well, you just had brain surgery".

I am so very thankful for all of the prayers and help that Josh and I received. Cory and Adam took my girls for us from Tuesday through Friday. Nicole and Jason took them over the weekend. My whole ward has been so beyond helpful, that they are starting to get mad at me for not coming up with more for them to do! They did a ward fast for me last Sunday and have brought Josh cookies. When we got home on Monday Josh and I walked into a very clean house. Amy and Lynea broke in to our house and cleaned the whole thing. Our home teacher mowed our lawn before we got home so that Josh wouldn't have to worry about anything! I am so overwhelmed with the love and kindness that has been shown to me. I am truly thankful for the blessings in my life including the many wonderful people.

So here are some of the pictures Josh took of me after the surgery!

More Hogle Zoo

More Pictures of the Zoo...

Hogle Zoo

This Saturday we went to the Hogle Zoo with the Skinner family. We met at 9am and stayed until lunch. It was the perfect amount of time to see the animals and get Josh tired from pushing me in a wheel chair up and down all of the hills they have there. We had so much fun.