Roxy has slept with either Kate or Zachary every day since moving here. It's a major upgrade for her from her little dog house. When it's daytime, she is sound asleep under my bed.
So funny to see the pineapple we put in Mom and Dad's yard a year ago.
Owen's recent interests include geodes, and he was so excited to get this one from Grandpa.
Not in Kaua'i anymore........the political scene and Trump flags are still jarring.
When it is 95 degrees outside, you can find the boys wearing head-to-toe sweats in the A/C.
Newsies, Take 2! Zac wanted to hang with friends and our family calendar mishap meant we had one extra ticket. Milly joined us for an evening at Sundance. It was charming under the stars, but nothing we saw that night beat the enthusiastic girls singing the entire Hamilton album there and back.
We arrived home that night close to midnight. Zac let us know he had lifted weights with his friends that night, and his wrist was on fire. Four months before at a Polihale bonfire, he was snapping twigs and a kiawe thorn slapped him in the wrist. There were multiple medical professionals at the bonfire, and no one was particularly concerned, but when he was in horrible pain that night, we took him to the Kaua'i ER to verify there was no remaining thorn in his wrist. They did X-rays and a CAT scan, and when nothing showed up, they assured us the thorn likely hit his nerve and it could cause significant pain over the next few months.
It did. On and off, he would complain about wrist pain. While it was concerning, we were not worried since nerve pain can last a long time. Newsies night, though, he came into our room at 1am in tears and distressing pain, and I took him to the ER in American Fork. It took nearly an hour before they would let him have anything for pain. I wondered if they thought we were shopping for pain pills! He was writhing on the bed, keeping pressure on his wrist and holding it high in the air--the only position it did not hurt. Over the next 5 hours, he had X-rays, an ultrasound, and another scan. Eventually, the doctor diagnosed him with tendonitis.
I understand that doctors do not know everything but I also knew this was not tendonitis. We went home that night and slept. The next morning--later than we intended to leave--I took Milly, Kate, Owen and Walker to Lagoon while Brady took Zachary to an orthopedic walk-in clinic. At the clinic, the attending PA saw the massive swelling in Zac's wrist and was alarmed enough by the back story that he called the orthopedic surgeon in, who atypically happened to be at the clinic. The surgeon was concerned and considered Zac's wrist an emergency. He said he needed to open up his wrist. Thorns carry weird bacteria, and the swelling and pain indicated infection. Two hours later, Zac was getting an MRI. The doctor called and let us know there was nothing visible but he felt strongly we should get it cleaned out. It was no longer considered an emergency, but we went for another check-up a few days later. The surgeon still wanted it cleaned out as the wrist was still painful and swollen, although it was less obvious now that the wrist was looking and feeling much better. We opted to have him do the surgery the following Monday morning.
Skipping ahead, the surgeon came out after 45 min and showed us the culprit of all the pain! We felt so grateful and fortunate that this doctor decided he needed to be opened up. This sneaky, giant thorn won a massive game of imaging hide-and-seek. Even after the surgery, the technicians could see no evidence of such a large thorn on any of the previous imaging.
Meanwhile at Lagoon, we went straight for the most menacing ride: the Cannibal. Owen went for it with the teenagers. It was so scary and so fun. Next, we jumped over to the Rocket ride and dropped from many stories in the air. Owen was such a baller, especially the first half of the day. He wanted nothing but to be part of the group. Meanwhile, the three teens laughed and laughed together, racing from ride to ride.
After some big adventures, Owen was ready for a slower day. Three days before, he ran a 102 fever and could not get out of bed. He also erupted in mouth sores and it reminded us of hand-foot-mouth but looked so much different than anything he had before (and there were no visible hand/body sores). I was nervous about the hot sun, but he was determined that Lagoon was happening, with or without feeling fantastic. I told him he did not need to do another ride unless he felt like it, he had some ice cream, and suddenly felt ready for the kiddie zone. We had several delightful hours there together. I also deserve kudos for riding spin rides and not barfing.
I asked the teens when they were planning to wrap up, and they responded with the close time. That seemed a long way off in the hot sun with a boy not feeling great but he chirped up and was just as excited to stay.
Chipotle to close out an epic summer day. Walker made my summer when he told Kristen it was one of his favorite days of summer.
Meanwhile, Brady ate a "normal weekday meal" at Cory and Kristen's. Are you kidding me?
Day 1 working for the Alpine School District. I was so nervous!
The much-anticipated first time seeing "Hamilton!" Kate had the music on for 5 straight weeks so we knew eery lyric and plot point.
Elise and Kate matched excitement levels.
Magic! The best part was watching King George III ("Awesome. Wow."). The worst part was having the songs in my head the rest of the night and not sleeping a wink that night.
I spy a hot wheel.
At work the next day, I asked Brady if he had access to any pictures of me circa 7th through 9th grade in our digital storage. This is the one he sent me: from after graduation! Ha!
We went on a mountain bike ride and I had a run-in with a tree.
Alpine Days, aka, the last magical moments of summer. Milly joined us, it rained in the afternoon, we ate Indian food over fair food, and topped it off with adorable cotton candy creations and fireworks.
My most terrifying/irrational moment of summer: I was watching Owen and Walker and not comprehending that the full spin on this ride put them at a different position. I was 90% sure Owen fell off the ride.
Quinn's farewell! So fun to attend in person and see his friends.
He's serving in Guayana and we will see him in two years!
Family dinner at the park with Ritchies, Kristen and fam (who provided food even though Cory was home sick), Tanner and Hannah, and Mom and Dad. I love this shot of Walker and Kate.
What a full day! We topped it off with our first visit with Baby Ella.
Owen: "She has a Brady toe!"
The kids were not in school yet but I was--and Cory and Kristen took them to Top Golf to mix up the day.
Transforming my room....a little bit.
Brady took Zachary to his 6:30am surgery in Salt Lake. He brought him back to rest with Mom and Dad and then drove himself to his knee surgery. Mom and Dad also made dinner for the family. It is so, so nice living close to family.
I remember Mom and Dad kneeling over may after my knee surgery years ago.
Day 2: Brady working from bed.
Driving to Kate's meet-and-greet and first day of dance with Ballet West, we had a shock with a major hail storm. It was so exciting!
Absolutely NUTS it can be so hot one day, and then a hail storm the next.
A gift: my first double rainbow in Utah.
Tanner and Kate picking berries in the farm that is Cory's yard.
Day 1 at School! 3rd grade for Owen, 11th grade for Zachary, and 8th grade for Kate.
Making musubi for his school friends.
Looking at one of the manymany houses we toured, we were glad Kate was not with us when we came into this room. She would have considered it divine intervention.
Friday night movie night: Twister!
A beautiful Saturday morning hike--with many dirt bikes! I was so grateful for Eliza the first couple days of school. Kate came home from school on day 1 and said, "I had no idea how hard it was for new kids." She's always been the first girl to introduce herself and include people in her circle and lunch table. Being the new kid was brutal for a few days, and she had to work through some fear. Eliza met her at the front of school, found her at lunch, and overall made Kate feel welcomed and loved.
As though starting at a new school wasn't hard enough...
We bought a lot! Then looked at 10 more houses and vacillated about the lot. We ended up closing on it, though, and it's ours one way or another.
A Sunday night fireside on happiness was inspiring. I think every person could use the reminder that you can control 40% of your happiness!
Love Zac's truck stickers.
YAY! New bikes! Brady found his on KSL and at a separate time, purchased mine as well. Owen insisted his bike was too small and convinced us to get him a bike at Al's. It's been worth every penny. He wants to ride 3 and 4 times a week, and he can easily get two wheels off the ground on his jumps. He can hardly wait for junior high when he can "run cross country and be on the mountain biking team." We saw the team gather for photos one night and there were easily 100 kids with bikes. Owen was enamored.
Between mountain biking, backflips with Walker, and the dogs, he is living a great life. He's also at a stage in life when it is easy to make friends. He's had 5 different kids over from his school class. He walks around after school introducing his friends to me and asking for their number so we can arrange playdates. He is incredibly confident.
Cory and Kristen went to Norway and we got to hang with Elise and Walker and Mom and Dad a few times.
I was at a young women's activity and somehow Owen ended up nude doing backflips with water balloons.
When we talked to the kids about building, Owen said, "I want it to be exactly like Cory and Kristen's house. At least with a trampoline and dogs."
I spy Indi:
2 Edwards surgeries in two weeks wasn't enough. Kate joined the party and had a nasty, deep plantar wart removed.
Zachary's first Surf Club soccer game. We were talking and realized his teammates parents were great friends with the Hadleys. Loved making that connection. It was also very fun to watch Zachary's leadership on the field. This team certainly plays together better than Keahi.
Walker introduced us to lobster enchiladas after the game, and Eliza joined us for the first of many Friday nights.
We got a quick pic sent from Elise at the Lone Peak football game. Oh, seeing these two together is so happy!
Walker joined us the next day and inspired Owen on the trails.
Mom and Dad joined us at a game in Heber watching Owen's team defeat their opponent--the first Surf team to beat this team ever! His coach at one point, "I'm losing my mind!" He was giddy. Owen's team is very much a thrown together bunch of nutty 8-year-olds. Owen is by far the most cooperative, but he's learning from the aggression and grit of his teammates.
Making it for a real trail run! We did a bunch of the Fango trail with Brady and Kate. Owen had a painful fall but kept riding.
An impromptu Elise, Walker, Bryson, Ashley and Baby Ella over for dinner.
Hahahaha!
Another day, another afternoon on the trail.
Kate is not a huge fan off 3.25 hours of weekly Saturday dance, but this week wasn't so bad when we topped it off with açaà bowls afterward, and a BYU game that night.
The sun was in our eyes for 90 minutes and we were sweating profusely.
Owen was impressed by stadium food.
Trying to make it on the jumbo tron.
We have 3 tickets to each game, but Eliza invited Kate to attend with her family. Zac was tied up that night with friends.
"Rise and shout, the Cougars are out!"
The next day after church, Owen set up a high jump course. The summer olympics made an impression on this kid!
