I'm not crazy

Ok, I'm all caught up on my blog entries so now it's probably time for a journal entry.  Curious to know how I'm doing down here all locked away?  You'll be happy to know that I'm not going crazy!  Yippee!  Having the computer down here has made all the difference because I can work on projects I never have time for.  And I hate to say it, but I'm actually enjoying myself.  Jeremy kept telling me to treat it like a vacation.  In my mind a vacation is where you go and do new exciting things, and this is nothing like that.  However, I've been able to relax and that is what a vacation is.  I don't feel sick at all, which is both good and bad.  Good because then I can relax and feeling good is always better than feeling bad.  Bad, because I forget that I'm radioactive!  I keep forgetting that I can't touch things.  I wish that the radiation coming off of me was different colors so that I could keep track of how I'm doing.  I would know what is contaminated and what wasn't, and what I could do to keep the radiation contained.  Red.  Red would be a great color.  "Don't touch me!"  It would scream.  It has also been fun because friends keep leaving little surprises on my front porch.  They drop it off, ring the bell or text me, and off they go.  Just like doorbell ditching in days gone by.  I have received bread, wedding cake, soup, and candy bars.  I love surprises!  And I'm very grateful for good friends who are trying to keep my spirits up knowing that in some ways this is still a super stinky situation.  

Today I decided to try something new.  The doctors said that my goal was to work all the radiation out I could by drinking a lot of water and sucking on sour candies.  They also said that I could go on walks and runs outside providing I stayed away from everyone.  So in an effort to sweat out some radiation I went on a run today.  Oh my goodness.  I was so stressed.  Every dog walker that I saw in the distance put me into panic mode.  "Where can I go to get out of the way?"  I thought it would look really bizarre if I ran completely off the trail in the bushes, but I can't go near them at all, so I would try to turn down other paths to avoid them.  I was in a constant state of fear.  Needless to say, I didn't run long.  I came home and threw my sweaty clothes in the wash as quickly as I could so they wouldn't get anything else dirty.  The run felt great, just not as great as I was hoping.  Now I'm on to my next project: my blog book.  This one takes me hours and hours to complete so it will be perfect.  Wish me luck and I'll let you know if I'm going nuts in another day or so.  Oh, and Happy New Year! 

I'm radioactive

Yes, you read the title correctly.  I'm radioactive.  The last step of treating my thyroid cancer required me swallowing two blue radioactive pills this morning.  The nuclear medicine guys carried two lead canisters that weighed about 10 lbs. each from their lab that reminded me of mad scientists, then stepped away as I opened the glass vial hidden inside.  The pills look like vitamins but they're a touch more vicious than that.  I swallowed the pills containing I-131 and couldn't help but thinking this is insane to be putting this inside of my body.  They told me not to worry...but they also stepped to the far side of the room and encouraged me not to linger as I left the hospital.  One of the techs pulled out a geiger counter to show me how quickly the treatment began working.  I was already "hot" seconds after swallowing the pills.  It feels very weird knowing I can make anyone sick who walks close to me for too long.  I drove home and began my quarantine in the basement.  My sweet husband set up as much entertainment as possible in this small bedroom.  I have my phone, kindle, his iPad, access to Netflix and VidAngel, and the computer.  All of which we're going to have to figure out how to decontaminate or wait 80 days for the radiation half life to do its thing.  So the question is, am I going to survive living in this room for a week?  Jeremy has to prepare my meals for me before he leaves for work and I have a stockpile of low-iodine approved snacks but it's wild relying on someone else to supply all my meals.  Day one hasn't been that bad.  I spent a good hour browsing Facebook and watching the videos friends post of sparkling make-up and dancing bears because I have nothing but time to waste.  Now I'm working on updating my blog, sorting and editing pictures, creating Shutterfly projects, and I may even get started on my blog book for the year.  If you notice an onslaught of posts in the next few days you'll know that I really have nothing better to do.  I thought I'd be solo for a week, but the nuke doc told me today that the stuff is going to stay in my system for 80 days.  Agh!  Technically I'm legally able to go in public again after two days, and can have brief contact with my kids after seven, but I'm not 100% clear.  I just had to call my mom and Leesa in Utah who are alternating taking care of my kids, and had to ask them to watch them each a couple days longer.  I have a little baby.  I really don't want to inadvertently get him sick by holding him too much, so it looks like they won't be coming back until the 8th.  This means that I will be gone from them for two weeks total.  I've never spent that much time away from them.  I feel sooo bad, and this is just getting started.  I'm also going to miss McKenzie's birthday.  She'll make it through, but her sweet little heart is going to be hurting.  I really hope that those watching her will make the day special for her.  Meanwhile here I sit in comfy clothes, drinking gallons of water, and avoiding looking at the clock.  Stay posted for a lot of good Christmas-related posts!

My view for the next week...day one.  (Notice the beautiful flowers my husband gave me to cheer me up)

Merry Christmas from Beaver

Merry Christmas from Beaver Ski Resort!  We received some beautiful powder on Christmas day that was just perfect for a family ski day.  We asked, bribed, and pleaded with family members (some more than others), to head up to Beaver for some snowy fun.  What we didn't know is how many stories we would leave with when our day was done.  The day began with all my kids trekking through the parking lot hauling their own gear, Kelton included.  And as I set Daxton down to help him climb over a snow bank, he slipped in his snowsuit and fell directly on his face.  Now he has matching bruises on each side of his forehead!  

Kelton was excited that he got to go skiing for his first time ever.  We borrowed some boots for him and I helped him on the magic carpet while the girls went with Jeremy to Little Beav.  I was so proud of that kid!  He practiced his pizza, and didn't complain once when he would fall down.  His balance was awesome, but he just doesn't have the strength needed to really hold his wedge and turn at the same time.  I had forgotten my camera so I didn't get any pictures of his proud smile as he figured it out.  The girls alternated back and forth from the ski hill to the lodge like the rest of the adults.  Let's be honest, it was chaos in that lodge.  We had six kids to keep track of, all with different wiggle amounts, snack cravings, and desires to be outside.  Unfortunately for the kids the adults also wanted to be out enjoying the powder-which truly was the best powder I've skied in ages-so they had to be patient with us.  Kelton's true test was letting Jeremy help him ski while I took off with the girls.  My mom was smart enough to bring her camera and snapped these pictures of my boys while I was away.  

What no one participating in these pictures knew was the adventure the girls and I were having.  I rode up with the two of them for an easy run down Little Beav.  We had just gone skiing three days earlier with absolutely no incidents so I assumed my girls felt confident getting on and off the lift.  I didn't watch carefully enough when we got off to make sure they were okay.  I turned around when I heard a woman yelling and looked up in time to see McKenzie taking the turn around the final post and start heading back down the mountain...still on the lift.  For some reason she didn't get off in time and the catch bar didn't stop the lift.  While she's up there crying, I'm yelling at her to hold on and hold still, the ski instructor is yelling at the lift operator to do something, and I'm just praying she doesn't try to jump off.  A ski patrolman pulled up next to me (he just happened to be behind us on the lift, thank heavens), and helped calm McKenzie down.  I told Cambrie to meet us at the bottom while the patrolman and I skied right under McKenzie as she headed back down the mountain.  The poor girl was so scared.  There was nothing I could do but stay close to her.  The patrolman was funny.  I think he spent just as much time watching me as McKenzie, probably making sure I had enough skill to follow her down the face and to make sure I didn't panic.  When her chair reached the bottom of the hill they stopped the lift for her to get off and she scooted over to give me a huge hug.  To ease her stress a little I tried telling her that everyone I know has wondered what it would be like to miss getting off and ride the whole way back down.  She'd just done something all of us have always wanted to do.  The trooper she was she wanted to go again so we squeezed in a couple more runs before the lifts closed for the day.  Back at the lodge we shared our story and everyone was rather amazed.  

By now all the kids were exhausted so it was time to head home.  Don't worry, our story doesn't end there.  We were out of gas!  Jeremy had to ask Marge, the owner of Beaver, for some extra gas to get down the mountain.  We pulled over to their maintenance shed and put in a gallon of gas to help get us home.  All the kids are crying by this point because they're hungry, tired and cold.  Luckily each one of them fell asleep for a much-needed nap on the drive home.  Memorable day?  Absolutely.  

CHRISTMAS

Oh the magic of Christmas.  Where to start?  I suppose we'll start with Christmas prep.  We picked up our tree from a lot nearby and I love it.  It's a touch droopy in the branches, and the star is a touch droopy up top, but I love the charm.  

Kelton helped me wrap almost every present this year.  If anyone noticed purple magic marker on their wrapping paper it was because that was his cutting line to follow.  Loved that little helper.  

We spent Christmas Eve with my family this year.  Everyone was there!  Even Grandma and Jay stopped by to say hello that night.  

We made Christmas cookies...cookies!  

We made gooey chocolate ones and gingerbread men.  

While those were cooling we opened Christmas jammies.  Silly Sam was more interested in his new ornament than our grand-kid picture.  

After jammies and ornaments my dad read from the scriptures the story of Baby Jesus, then gave each kid some of his traditional glow-sticks.  They reminded me of the light of Christ, and were super cheerful as they decorated the huge cousin sleepover upstairs in the bonus room.  

We told Cambrie that she had to wait until 6:00 to wake up everyone.  My mom reported that she sat in the kitchen watching the clock tick and as soon as it read 6:00, she ran downstairs to wake everyone up.  The Christmas tree boasted quite a pile of presents this year.  I guess that's what happens when you have 16 people receiving Christmas presents.  

Jeremy helped Kelton use one of his gifts to see if it could scale the mountain. 

Wiping the sleep from his eyes as he looked through his stocking.  Cute sleepy head.

Cambrie didn't have any sleep in her eyes though.  She was wide awake and obviously excited as she saw the gift Santa brought her, a telescope.  

There were so many presents and so much joy I'm just going to have to give a caption for some of the highlight pictures.

Hugging monkey!  McKenzie just had to give it to Kelton when she saw how much he adored it at the store.

In turn, Kelton just had to give McKenzie some hedgehog stickers he found.  It's safe to say she loves them.

Faye was given the coolest shoes I have ever seen.  The bottoms glow all different colors and you can control them with a remote!

Sorry to disappoint you, but these are not alien rapping gloves.  They are running gloves for Jer's training.

Buhnana

My mom and dad gave the girls cozy robes.  I'm hoping they won't have to fight over the blanket in the morning while eating breakfast now.  

This toy was tested by this kid while at the store to make sure he approves.  I think that smile says yes!

Shrink-i-dink art.  These sheets make bracelets and rings.  How cool is that?

This year all the grandkids went with a theme for Grandma and Grandpa.  They each made a paving stone with their handprint or footprint in it.  We're hoping that Mom and Dad will use them in their newly landscaped yard.  (That was a fun project!)

Buzz Lightyear!

Camille has always been really good about updating my dad's picture frames.  Pretty soon we are going to have too many cute kids in this family and not enough space in the frames.

Santa gave all the kids two giant bouncing balls for them to play with.  They were a hoot.  The kids bounced off each other's bellies.  

They made forts inside of them.  They rolled around them like a hamster wheel.  

Jeremy rolled Kelton down the stairs.  

I think Kelton liked it.  

We made squished kid sandwiches.   

Oh so random and fun!

Daxton's gifts.  He looks happy.

Kelton's gifts.  Geesh boy!  He has a lot of work ahead of him playing with all those toys.

McKenzie's gifts.  You'll notice she still is obsessed with hedgehogs, Elsa, and gymnastics.  It makes gift giving pretty simple.

Cambrie's gifts.  She is definitely growing up and you'll notice her love of books and non-fiction hasn't changed as you browse through her stuff.

 Somehow we managed to squeeze in a delicious Christmas breakfast after presents, before snow shoveling, and before church at 10:00.

 Then we all dressed in our Christmas best to head to church.  It's not very often that Christmas falls on a Sunday but I think it's wonderful.  My favorite part about all of December is that we get to sing Christmas songs at church.  Whenever the chorister doesn't choose a Christmas song I feel so slighted.  We just had sacrament meeting then everyone went home to finish enjoying the blessed day with their families.  

Later that evening we switched gears to do birthdays.  My dad's birthday is on Christmas so we always have apple pie at night.  We thought it would be fun to include the January birthdays in the celebrations since we were all together.  Sam and Emma were born on January 1st.  McKenzie's birthday is January 5th.  And Daxton's finishes things off on January 13th. 

 It was crazy with so many kids and so many candles.  I think my dad had the best candle-blowing face of all.  

When it came time to finally eat their cupcakes, the two one-year-olds went crazy.  I've never had a kid who actually liked stuffing their hands and face in frosting and cake.  It's safe to say both kids were pretty happy.  

It may have been wild, crazy, chaotic, and loud.  But I thought Christmas was absolutely wonderful this year as we were able to spend it together.

South Jordan Christmas Eve Eve

While visiting South Jordan my kids were tempted and teased by the presents under the tree.  Presents they just had to look at, and not open.  It was absolute torture, believe me!  First we had to have breakfast, then we had to wait for Daddy, then we had to wait for the Kings, then we had to go go-karting, then we had to have dinner...ah the pain!  Finally Nana said yes, and they could open their presents!  

The boys went first.  While Stockon and Kelton knew exactly what to do, Daxton was a little confused.  I don't think he ever really got the hang of it.  "Huh?  What's going on?" 

 Even with help from Nana and Daddy he just waited patiently while they magically pulled toys out of brightly colored packages.  

Both girls were extremely excited about their new mega Lego sets.  

They also received new comfy exercise clothes for soccer and gymnastics.  

Both Stockton and Kelton received hand-tied quilts from Leesa.  

Mickey Mouse with a touch of orange, just right.  

Brody has been working a side business this season selling carts for hover boards, Hover Like a King.  He has been really busy managing the company but it comes with perks, like a hover board and kart for the girls!  We rode it around like crazy in Leesa's garage.  

Poor Dantley, while the kids were opening their gifts he had to wait...and fell asleep. 

But when it was time for adult gifts, he perked right up.  I mean a battery-powered Nerf machine gun?  How can you beat that? 

 Can you tell by the wrapping paper who is the most loved?  Just kidding!  

Many of the adult gifts were too big to wrap, so we had to close our eyes while waiting for them to be brought in from the garage.  

Yippee!  No more smashed bikes and smashed garages for us!  

And Brody was stoked about his new tool chest.  

Leesa received a new electronic picture frame to take with her to England next year.  With this one we can upload pictures from our phone directly to the frame so she'll always have new pictures of the grandkids.  

Pictures like this one.