The Saunders' Journeys

Back Yard Done! Really?

2010-08-14T12:33:00.001-07:00

Thanks to all those who helped us put down bark and lay sod. It is much appreciated. We have a few little touch ups to day, but it is done finally. Here are a few pictures of it done.

Back Yard #3

2010-08-10T21:42:00.001-07:00

Our back yard might get done this week. But we have heard that for about 3 weeks now. At least now the fire pit is in and working. The water feature is still running lots of dirty water. The flag stone patio is started. The trampoline is Oakley's favorite.

Everett Update

2010-07-26T20:01:00.001-07:00

I thought I would give an update on Everett's progression. From the time that this picture was taken, he has one year left of Chemo. That means next May he will take his last treatment. Then it will just be blood samples to make sure it is gone. I think Everett is most excited about no more medicine. He is an amazing trooper!

Everett loves to take his shirt off. He gets hot. I think he just wants to show off his buffness (Craig understands). He is teaching his little sister thsi habit.

Back Yard #2

2010-07-25T18:24:00.001-07:00

Hopefully this week we will have grass in the yard. Things are getting close to being done. The water feature is in. The stairs are done. The hot tub pit is dug. The trampoline is bouncing. Now the fire put is half done. Then we are on curbing and grass.

Yes this is Todd not Harmony. She is busy reading a book. Don't tell her I told you.

BACK YARD UPDATE 1

2010-07-11T21:40:00.000-07:00

Finally we are getting the back yard done. Below are some pictures of the progress.

Under this rock wall there will be an in ground trampoline. This is Oakley's favorite part. Above the rocks is a pile of all the old concrete we tore out.

This is the water feature. It has only taken 3 days to get this much done. Glad I get to watch from the air conditioned living room.

Everett's 1st baseball practice

2010-04-13T04:42:00.001-07:00

Everett was super excited to have his first day of practice. He got new pants, shirt, and hat. This year he moved up a league so he will be playing machine pitch.

Goblins everywhere?

2010-04-11T20:18:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since the last post. So here are a few pictures from our Spring Break Vacation. We went to Goblin Valley State Park. Below is a picture of the "Three Sisters".

A trip to this area would not be complete with out a hike through Little Wild Horse Canyon. Below are pictures of our trek through this beautiful slot canyon. Below is a straight section of the slot canyon. Hopefully you're not claustrophobic.

The picture below is of Autumn acting like a mountain goat. She has some serious climbing ability. See the hole in the rock on the top right? The picture after this one is of Autumn in that hole.

Even Everett got in on the slot canyon fun. See he can touch both sides at one time.

This is the tightest part of the canyon. You can still put your whole foot on the ground, but just barely.

All of us got to go over the water. Don't fall in! It is very cold.

This picture is from our camp. Everett went missing before we left, so Harmony is climbing around looking for him.

Stewart Falls

2009-07-04T07:41:00.001-07:00

We decided to spend some time out in nature today. We drove the Alpine Loop over to
Aspen Grove near Sundance. Got out the water bottles and headed to Stewart Falls. There were tons of families hiking. We saw over 150 BYU shirts, 57 people wearing hats, 96 people with sun glasses on, and 24 baby carriers. Next time we are going to sport U of U shirts. This was a 2 mile hike with some pretty good hills in it, but we made and look at what we saw.

Dad and Me day

2009-06-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

Mom is running in Ragnar. I think she is okay, but she hasn't called. But my tooth has been loose and look what happened.

Oakley thinks she lost one too.

Where in the World is Harmony?

2009-06-01T19:08:00.001-07:00

She is on a 6 month break from life. Can you find her?

Autumn's 8!!!

2008-12-30T17:44:00.001-08:00

My beautiful baby turned eight earlier this month. She had a huge Webkinz party at our house with a bunch of her friends and now has 9 Webkinz! We are so excited that she has chosen to be baptized. Her Aunt Sarah took a few (dozen) pics for us to remember this wonderful time. I might be a little biased but isn't she gorgeous? Autumn you are such a special girl. You always keeps me on my toes. Thanks for being so responsible and loving. I love you Au baby.

Our Food Bank Tour

2008-11-21T13:43:00.000-08:00

For FHE we went and visited the Food Bank here in Utah County. My family, spear-headed by my sister Sarah, is working on a service project there. We have been gathering, assembling, and delivering 'snack bags'. These bags are given to children that the Food Bank serves. Our kids decorate paper sack that are then filled with a capri sun, candy, prize/toy, and a granola bar. We have had a lot of things donated by friends, family and ward members. We have even had a Spanish Fork ward, Highland ward, Payson ward, and a Cedar Hills ward help out. Last year they had a total of 200 and they were gone within the first week. Our original goal was 300. We have already met that and expect to reach close to 500. YEAH!!! Thanks to everyone for helping out.

It was fun to see and show the kids where these bags are going. My nephew D.J. said he thought all of the food just would be in one big box. Aspen thought the food would be in smaller boxes in sheds. Needless to say, we had fun. We even got to make posters for a coat drive. Koats for Kids is a charity that collects coats through the D.I. and distributes them to children in need. Then we were able to decorate Christmas stockings.

You can help too. Drop off canned food at any Jiffy Lube location. Donate any old coats to D.I. Visit UnitedWay.com, select your state, select your county. There you will find numbers and addresses to local charities and a list of volunteer opportunities.

My sister Sarah and her family

My brother Jeff and his family

My neice, Ryanne

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am so blessed to have such great friends and family. Love you all.

Isn't it here yet?

2008-10-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

The rantings of a burnt out costume changing mamma...

Does it seem like Halloween lasts forever. First you have to decide on a costume. Not a small feat when you are dressing 4 kids and two adults. Of course someone will change their mind along the way. Probably right when you think you are in the clear and your party is only hours away. Then there is the constant harrassing..."Can I wear my costume to school/'just' inside/to show so and so/church". It never ends. And it is inevitable that when you finally try them on something doesn't fit, is lost, or broken (ie. Aspen's wig, my pants, Everett's blaster gun all within the hour) Who ever thought that we should have to go through this charade multiple times in the month.

Despite all the work, I really do love this time of year. We've had a great time this year decorating the house. It will be strange not to have jars of spiders, eyeballs and skulls around after Halloween. Having this excuse to decorate has pursuaded me to hang the first thing on our wall. We now officially have one nail hole in the house. I'm hoping Christmas really gets me motivated. I'm pretty sure I can start listening to Christmas music next Sat. Nov. 1st. I love it! Until then we will enjoy Halloween and whatever that may bring.

We were able to round the troops long enough to get a picture of our efforts. Hope you enjoy Todd as a cheerleader. Nick was the man in the yellow hat with his girl Ryann as a monkey (aka Curious George). I wish I had a close up. It was LOL funny. Everyone does such a great job.
My mom is Hannah Montana Fabulous at Fifty Tour. It was hilarious. Aspen in Lola (Lily's alter ego from Hannah Montana).
Was Einstein really crazy? Just wondering?
Great Grandma Ivins always goes all out. It must have been the year of the cheerleader. Isn't she cute?

We try to go to Hee Haw Farms every year. They have a great petting zoo, animal train, hayride, slides and much more. Of course we all go home covered in straw but that's half the fun. (I'm thinking glass half full) Here are a few collages that my sister put together. I had other pics on here but these look way better so I stole them. Thanks sis.

This pic has nothing to do with the post but we took this today for our ward photo directory and wanted to share.

Catching Up

2008-10-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a little bit of what we've been up to the last few weeks.

First off, Autumn was selected to be Student of the Month. Her picture is up in the hallway and she got a lot of gift certificates for kids meals and roller skating. No, I didn't get a bumper sticker.

Secondly, I've been working with the PTA on a Fun Run Fundraiser. We earned over $17,000 for that one event. It was amazing. I have been able to get to know the teachers, principal and many other moms this past week. I also have been helping with Grandparents Day, Take Home Reading, Parent Teacher Conference Dinner,Wednesday Folders and the Book Fair. I pretty much make a trip (or five) to the school everyday. See if you can find me in the picture below.

You guessed it! I was 'blessed' with the 'opportunity' to be the school mascot for our Fun Run. Don't laugh. You could be next.

Thirdly, we have a yard. Happy Day! They seriously came in on Monday and were done early Friday morning. It was amazing. And I didn't even have to lift a finger. Here are a few pictures of the process.

Lastly, Everett has started the Maintenance Phase. He will now only have to go to clinic once a month. But, it does last 3 years. He will get chemo at his visit and then take anywhere from 2-8 pills a day. (Try remembering that.) We are so glad to be able to say he is doing great and doesn't seem to be phased at all by this. What a blessing. He started soccer this fall and is loving it. Some games he scores so much they have to tell him to stop. He loves to pass the ball and help out. He even 'let' another team score when his coach told them they had never scored a single goal. He thought that was cool, but was quick to tell me that they still won because they scored more than one. I guess that's true. But most of the kids are only there for the treats.

I forgot to mention his hair did fall out in August. I had my sister take some pics the next day just hours before we shaved it off. I think she took over 200. They all turned out great.

I guess I should mention that the girls have started piano lessons. I wasn't really thinking about the time commitment EVERY DAY. Just add it to the list. They are doing great for only having 4 or 5 lessons. They are picking it up quickly and are getting used to practicing.

Here are the pictures of the first day of school. Only a couple months late. I know, I'm not the most up to date person. That is why I gave up on scrapbooking. Anyhow, here they are.

I also turned the BIG 30 in August. So far so good. And the girls went on our annual Women's Conference Day shopping trip. I love those girls. We missed you Mandy and Jay. I also started to play on an indoor soccer league. It is SOOO fun. It pretty much kicks my butt though. Talk about sucking wind.

I thought I better throw in a shot of Oakley for your viewing pleasure. She is so fun. We love this girl around here. This is one of her fun hairdos. Thanks Annette. She is one spoiled girl.

Hopefully that is all I have to share. I promise a shorter post next time. You all better leave a comment because this took me quite an effort:) Thanks.

What We Love

2008-10-09T16:35:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of our current 'addictions'/interests. Take your pick.

Life series www.nbc.com/life

Webkinz www.webkinz.com

Z Gallerie www.zgallerie.com and at The Gateway

Insane Aquarium

The Great and Terrible Books

Wicked Soundtrack

Slamwich Card Game

Amelia Bedelia Books

Sky Caddie (golf stuff)

Frindle (must read) www.frindle.com

The Last Lecture www.thelastlecture.com

For some reason the links aren't workings but they are worth the extra effort to type them in. Hope you find something you enjoy there too.

Grandma's Garden

2008-09-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

At the end of last school year, Aspen received a couple small cabbage plants from her teacher. Autumn and Aspen decided to plant them in Grandma's Garden and watch them grow. They grew rather large, until the raccoon ate part of Autumn's. They both weighed about 10 lbs.

Who is taller, Oakley or the zucchini?

Because of this garden, Grandma and Grandpa received yard of the month. They really loved the garden.

30 things for 30 years

2008-09-03T20:46:00.000-07:00

I know that I am a few days late, but I wanted to say how much I love Harmony even at 30 years old. So here are 30 things I love about Harmony!

1) She amazes me. From the first time I met her, she has simply amazed me.
2) She is PERFECT for me! I used to talk to a close fried about the "perfect girl". I never thought she existed or that I would find her. But almost 11 years ago I found her. She is everything I wanted, hoped for and dreamed of.
3) Her love for our Savior.
4) Her love for me.
5) Her love for our kids.
6) Her love of family.
7) Her willingness to do what is right.
8) Her amazing strength. She was the one who expressed faith that Everett would be okay.
9) She is stunningly beautiful!
10) I get to wake up next to her every morning (morning breath and all!)
11) How she makes me feel.
12) She inspires me to be better.
13) She encourages me to read good books (even novels).
14) She helps me enjoy the fine arts and culture.
15) She makes coming home from work a delight.
16) She loves a clean house.
17) Helps me to be fun not practical (Jeep vs. Camry).
18) She is my princess.
19) She is amazingly smart.
20) She is our nurturer.
21) For the making the last 10 years together wonderful.
22) For all the lessons on "What Not to Wear".
23) For letting me complain after a long day at work.
24) For letting the kids be kids.
25) For the magical closet that always has clean cloths hanging.
26) For not allowing me to put stuff where it doesn't belong.
27) Part time decorator.
28) Part time landscaper.
29) Part time nurse.
30) For being Harmony.

I love you sweetheart.

Run Forest Run

2008-08-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

Today was a 5k race for Alpine Days. Harmony wanted to show off her awesome outfit. Well she will take this picture off. So if you see it consider yourself lucky. (I didn't even take a pic of Jayanne, my sis-in-law, Nick, and I running it together. Todd failed to mention I ran it in 29:02. I'm not sure if this is a good time or not but I sweating it out in the end. I did take 5th place in my age group. That is until later this month and I take a big leap into my 30's.)

Then there was the Tot Trot. Aspen, Autumn, Everett and cousin Weston lined up for the big start.

As they rounded the last corner, Aspen was leading the pack.

Followed very closely by Autumn.

Then Everett came running as fast as he could.

They all got 1st place ribbons and a sucker.

Restitution?

2008-07-17T21:45:00.000-07:00

This one goes out to all of you whose email questionaires I've never answered, the tags I never passed along, the emails I never forwarded to 5 people to see "what will happen...it's so funny", the chain letters I broke and the pen pals I never wrote back to. Did I forget to mention the voicemails I never returned. OK, so I kind of live moment to moment and things quickly slip my mind if I don't do it right then. Things will get done when they get done. I only sat down to check my email tonight, so why not take an hour and do a really long, extensive post at nearly midnight? Who knows. Hope you find out everything you ever wanted to know about me and then some. I'm really not that exciting. Self depricating? Maybe. Exciting? You be the judge.

1. What time did you wake up this morning? 8:50 Thanks to Aspen and Autumn who get Oakley out of bed and play with her for a bit.

2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds- Pearls are for ladies named Pearl. Or maybe I'm just ticked that I can't pull them off without looking dorky.

3. What was the last movie you saw? Jane Austen Book Club I'm still looking for anyone that wants to start a book club.

4. What is your favorite TV show? I've watched all of the "Life" episodes online (go to nbc.com, they are amazing) I watch SYTYCD (you know, the dance show) when I get the chance. We don't actually have TV right now at the house. We haven't even missed it. Summers get so busy.

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Frosted Mini-Wheats. I LOVE breakfast. It is my favorite meal of the day. Not the bacon and eggs junk. Just cereal, a bagel, or an occasional Toaster Strudel. I guess I didn't know what I was missing in high school when I NEVER ate breakfast. Maybe the 7:10 start time had something to do with it.

6. What is your favorite CD at moment? Sarah Barrelies-she can sing. Coldplay or pretty much anything on Radio Disney (that's all I ever hear)

7. What kind of car do you drive? Toyota Sequoia, give or take a vowel.

8. What is your favorite sandwich? Pastrami hands down. NEVER, ever turkey. Add some spicy mustard and sprouts, a little swiss and I'll eat it. I'm not too picky. Right?

9. What characteristic do you despise? I don't know if I 'despise' it, but mispelled words bug me. Now you are all going to look really closely at this. Great. Just know that if you find anything I claim fatigue.

10. Favorite item of clothing? T-shirts. I can't live without them.

11. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Mediterranean...You know Egypt, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Crete, France. I want it all.

12. Favorite brand of clothing? Not too picky. If I see it, like it, and it looks good on I buy it. Simple as that.

13. What's the last book you read? I read the Great and Terrible series books 1-3 this past week and I'm starting 4 tonight. I'm expecting you all to go and get them today and start reading. They are AMAZING!

14. Where would you retire to? Todd says St. George. I'm one who likes to change my mind (a lot) and won't give a firm answer so I guess we'll see.

15. What is your most memorable recent birthday? The big 30 is on it's way. I'm sure that will be a milestone.

16. Are you a morning person or a night person? Definately night. Unfortunately, Aspen got that too. It's now 11:04 pm and she's drawing pics at the dining table.

17. Pets? Wish I didn't. Cat...Princess Kitty, enough said.

18. What did you want to be when you were little? A Marine Biologist. Doesn't it have a nice ring to it?

19. How are you today? Glad to get the chance to sit and relax for a second.

20. What is your favorite candy? I'm on a Twix kick. Usually Reeses PB cups.

21. What is your favorite flower? Anything real and not dried. Repeat after me...Tacky.

22. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Sometimes I don't even know what day today is.

22. What are you listening to right now? The A/C just kicked on. Can't live without it.

23. What was the last thing you ate? Pink Lemonade Granita. No, I didn't break out of my mold and cook anything. I just got back from a cooking class a Enrichment. Go figure.

24. Do you wish on stars? I'm not very superstitious. I do admire them though.

25. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Green. It's the most important color, right?

26. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My dad. I've been driving around all day with my phone ringing in the stroller pocket in the back of the car. Not easily accessible. Sorry.

27. Favorite restaurant? I will eat anywhere that I don't have to do the cooking.

28. Real hair color? Reddish blonde. It's darkening with kids.

29. What was your favorite toy as a child? My Little Ponies and roller skates

23. Summer or winter? I love the changes. I'll always find something to do no matter the season. But I'll say Autumn, just because:).

31. Hugs or kisses? Depends on who it's from

32. Chocolate or Vanilla? I like Wendy's Frosty's either way.

33. Coffee or Tea? Hate the coffee smell, don't drink tea. LOVE hot chocolate (church food storage stuff is THE BEST!!) and love chocolate milk.

34. When was the last time you cried? A few months ago. I'll claim PMS on that one.

35. What is under your bed? Nothing. We just moved in.

36. What did you do last night? Watched my sis' kids so she could date her husband. She did the same for me the night before. Gotta love having family close.

37. What are you most afraid of? Making the wrong decision. So I usually don't make one.

38. Salt or sweet? Have to have both at some point during the day.

39. How many keys on your key ring? 2-house and car It's those other things that take up all the room. Car remote, Fresh Values card, Gym card, etc.....

40. How many years at your current job? As a mom...9+ It's the best, most of the time.

41. Do you make friends easily? I'll talk to pretty much anyone. I really consider anyone I've met a friend. I don't know if they feel the same way. Then there are my close friends that I can't live without, that I love them and their kids, I can talk to once a month or every 5 years and it's like yesterday. Those are the best. I hope that I can be that to others in the future too.

Yellowstone

2008-07-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

We had a Bob Saunders family reunion over the 4th of July. We went to Yellowstone! Here are a few highlights of the trip.

Out of all the sites we could see in Yellowstone, this is the one we saw the most. It was of our great Sister-in-Law taking our picture. Even her husband could not stop her from taking pictures. She was on a mission to take 750 pictures in 3 days. This meant that she had to take 18 pictures per hour!! And we will be ever grateful for it.

See Everett swing the hammer!

See Everett get a gash in his head!!

See a hospital from the 1940's!!!

See Everett get 4 stitches in his right eyebrow!!!!

We traveled about 1000 miles in 4 days. We came away with only 4 stitches, which cost more than the gas by only a few bucks. It is a good thing Oakley doesn't know any swear words or she would have shared a few with us. She was most excited to be home and be able to walk around the house again.

Just one more step back and this would have been a great action photo. Who lets their kids and wife stand on the edge like this?

Thanks Mom and Dad for bringing most of the food and supplies. Thanks for creating great memories for us to talk about for a life time!!!

Happy Birthday Sarah!

2008-06-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

Today is one of my favorite people in the whole world's birthday (She's the one on the left. I guess I like Trevor too:). She is amazing. She is not only a great mom, she is an awesome aunt. (Just ask my kids) For those of you that don't know her I thought I'd let you in on a few of her loves and hates for you.

Loves...Diet Coke, doing little girls hair, girls night out, trips to Target, her calling in Young Women's, her kids birthdays

Hates...laundry, cooking, whining:), picnics in sacrament meeting, ice cream

Hope you have a great birthday! I love you!!

It's an Autumn Fish!!

2008-06-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

Autumn had her first swim meet on Tuesday. She did really good and had lots of fun. She had a hard time figuring out why she was working so hard in practice everyday, but it finally paid off. She was a great swimmer and looked pretty cute as well. Autumn even got a prize.

Autumn won two ribbons. 7th place in the 25 meter Back Stroke. 9th place in the 25 meter Freestyle.

Relay for Life

2008-06-20T13:10:00.001-07:00

On Friday the 13th, Roy City put on a Relay for Life. This is a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society. During the open ceremonies, there were two children that were spot lighted. Everett was one of the two. He stood up in front of the crowd while a picture of him was displayed on the projector screen. The MC then told his story of being diagnosed.

Everett is doing very well and is continuing his treatments. We are all very proud of him and excited that things are going so well.

My Side of 10 Years!!

2008-06-14T12:42:00.001-07:00

MY PRINCESS IN FRONT OF HER CASTLE!!

I really wanted to beat Harmony to this post, but I could not get her to go to bed or leave the room. Now I know why.

About 11 years ago I was not in any frame of mind to be settling down in a marriage. So Heavenly Father went to work on me. I had just returned from a trip to Alaska with Ryan Z. to a winter filled with snow, lots of skiing and bad grades. So my life was a pursuit of the next adrenaline rush. After spending some time in Georgia to save money for the next winter of skiing, Ryan graduated this earth life and entered the eternities beyond. Then my younger brother returned home from his mission. As I returned to GA, I realized that my time away from home had ended. So I made preparations to return to Utah. As I stepped onto the airplane in the Atlanta airport, I had the distinct impression that I was returning home to meet my wife. My heart was finally in the right place. With in a few weeks of returning to Utah, I met Harmony who stole my heart.

After spending 18 hours in a row sitting on a couch watching movies, my friends decided Georgia had a negative impact on me and made me get a job. Shortly after starting this job, I changed shifts and met Harmony. On January 6th 1998 I met Harmony and wrote an interesting journal entry. "My life changed!:) Of course for the good. I changed to the night crew at work. This was just no big deal to me at first, but I started to talk to poeple. I met a girl..." Then on Sunday the 11th of Jan., my Stake President talked about getting married and the importance of desiring this great blessing before it would happen.

Well as many of you know, Harmony has been the greatest blessing in my life. She is like no one else I have ever met.

I have always said and felt that Harmony is everything I wanted, hoped for, and dreamed of in a companion. She is actually much more than I ever dreamed of.

Below are a few pictures from the last 10 years.

Some times Harmony wishes we lived on a farm in Mud Lake, ID.

Before I met Harmony, I had "style!" Because of pictures like this, I now have a personal shopper. I must admit that I dress much better now. Thanks Harmony.

Who couldn't love a cheesy grin like this? Who do you think the kids get it from?

Thank you sweetheart for making the last ten years simply unbelievable! I love you!

The Best Day Ever!

2008-06-12T21:10:00.000-07:00

June 13th is the best day ever (Our Anniversary and Oakley's Birthday..be sure to see end of post for her sturff). Ten years ago, yes 10, I married the greatest man ever. I am sure lucky things turned out well because I was so in love I don't think I could've made a rational decision. These past 10 years have been so amazing. It is nearly impossible to remember life before I met Todd. Here are 10 things I love about being married to him, mixed with some random pics of him doing what he does best (having fun)...

1- He ALWAYS puts his family first. No matter what, if we need him he is there. Even when the kids call him at work endlessly or stop by his office for donuts and popcorn.
2- He has 2 amazing parents and 2 great brothers. I know that isn't really about him, but his family is awesome. As all married people know you marry a family. I love my inlaws. They raised such a wonderful son.

3- The number of 'toys' he's bought for himself the past 10 years. He never really wants anything. He did just buy himself a SkyCaddie for golfing, a Jeep, and a limited edition canvas picture of Christ. I guess it's a good thing he's only bought 3 things because he has expensive taste.

4- Our four kids: Aspen, Autumn, Everett, and Oakley. They bring such meaning to our relationship. The decision to have each one of them and the experiences that they have brought have made our relationship so much stronger. Each one is unique and Todd is able to handle each one in the way they need. He is an amazing dad. He is so loving toward them and they love him. Especially 'wrestle time' because mom doesn't really love to be jumped on, kicked, and roll around on the hard floor. I know, I need to toughen up a bit.

5- Hours a week he plays Lego Star Wars on the Wii. He loves that game. On weekends he'll stay up and play for a few hours after I go to bed. It is way better than World of Warcraft (pity those wives).

6- Times a day I talk to him on his cell. Sometimes more. He will always call just to say hi if he's out driving around. I probably have 2 or 3 voicemails from him on my phone right now telling me he was 'just thinking of me' and 'love ya'.

7- Days a week he reads his scriptures. Honestly people...a missionary habit is hard to break I suppose. Unfortunately, this is one thing where we are complete opposites. I figure he reads enough for the two of us. Maybe that's not how it works. He knows his scriptures in and out. The kids haven't quite figured out why they have writing all over every page. They love to mark theirs to be like dad. I always say if there is a fire his scriptures are one thing that I'll grab on the way out.

8- Hours he'll drive at a time so I can sleep. He loves to get out on the road and go. I, on the other hand, love to sleep in cars. It's a great combination. He has this internal compass that somehow he always knows which way he is going. He also had the amazing ability to memorize any road he has been on. He'll say..."We just need to go around that right curve, down a little hill where the road turns north again and then it's on our left". Amazing.

9- He has been employed by CED for the past nine years. Todd is so devoted to his work and feels such an incredible responsibility to provide for our family. We made the decision to have me stay home with our kids as soon as Aspen was born and we have always strived for that. He loves his work and has never (not even once...seriously) complained about having to go to work. I honestly just sleep through his alarm and him getting out the door. He does have a lot of fun at work golfing, lunch appointments, trips to LA Angels games, Denver Bronco games, Boston...so I guess what is there to complain about:).>

10- Who would've thought that in ten years we could fit in so many moves, kids, trips to Disneyland and Sea World, family get togethers, new friends, church callings and hours of driving. You are amazing. I love you, Todd. I know the next 10 years will be filled with as much fun as the last 10 have been.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY OAKLEY!

Our baby is already 1! This year has been so great because she has been in it. Oakley is amazing. You've never seen anyone love to be put down for naps or go to bed. She loves to sleep for 10-12 hours at a time. Plus naps during the day. The rest of her day is filled with laughing and "cheesing" it. She got her first teeth at 4 months and they keep on coming. Right now she has 8 fully grown in baby teeth. I love her toothy smile. She is the most popular person in our family by far. She has brought such joy to our home. I honestly can't imagine life without her. Happy Birthday Oakley. I hope we make you as happy as you make us. We love you.

no more rain please!!!!

2008-06-05T20:46:00.001-07:00

The rain stopped today so the top went off. Nobody had much fun though.
Everett wants to know why this 4 wheeler has seatbelts.
Aspen asks, "If it is summer, isn't it supposed to be warm?"
Autumn, "I'm a super model and you know what I mean..."

I'm off ROIDS!!!

2008-06-04T22:17:00.001-07:00

I didn't have to take steroids today, so I am going to smile all day!!:)

2-for-1

2008-06-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

I finally have some pics to post, thanks to my sis, so I thought I'd do a 2-for-1. First off, Everett's lucky day finally came...his first t-ball game. He has been waiting to play on a sports team since he could walk practically. He has to play on a team in a nearby city because they don't allow you to play until 5 here. He and his cuz, Luke, are on the Red Dragons.

He started off strong in the outfield.

But quickly got bored.

He was so tired and had a rough time. He came a sat with us for a bit and had a snack (Ruffles, his new addiction). He finally got up to bat as the last batter.

He hit a "home run". (Since he was last he got to run all the bases at once) It was so funny to see him try to balance the helmet and run. It was a 'tad' big.

Here he is rounding 3rd. Unfortunately, I don't have a pic of him sliding into home. He slides on his knees. I'll have to talk to him about that one before he hurts himself.

After all was said and done he scored 2 points for his team. He is so excited for his next game he had on his shirt this morning before I even woke up. I did manage to get it away from him so I can wash it for tomorrows big game.

PART 2:

Last weekend we, sans Todd, went to Roosevelt to visit my brother Tony and his family. All of my siblings and their kids went. We really invaded their house. It was a lot of fun. We were able to have a birthday party for my nephew Gavin and ride 4 wheelers. Autumn had a blast. Everett was trying to get over his "roid rage". (He had to be on steroids for 5 days and they cause A LOT of moodiness) We had great BBQ, a huge game of barefoot soccer and little bit of Rock Band. Thanks to Tony and Jayanne. They were great hosts.

On the way home we were able to stop in Heber to visit our good friends, the Cox's. I didn't take any pics but I stole a few from their blog to show you what a cute family they are (I probably should've gotten copyright permission, sorry). We love spending time with them.

We have a lot of similarities for instance, Ellie's middle name is Aspen, and Oakley and thier Lucy were born only 12 hours or so apart.

Monica and I were in the same snowboarding class at USU although we never officially met until we saw each other at the library in North Ogden. She had married the snowboarding teacher and was now living in N.O. At USU she was roomates with one of Todd's great friends, Roxanne. Of course all of this was lost on us until years later. Monica and her husband, Shane, are extremely talented photographers. Quite sickening:). Not to mention they have built at least 2 houses together from plans to landscape. They are amazing. I'm working on getting one of my girls to marry their son Canyon so we can officially be related. That would be awesome.

Where Are My Pics?

2008-05-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

Isn't Everett handsome?

Do you ever wonder where all the pics are that I should be posting? Probably not. But I'm going to tell you the answer anyway. Dum, dum, dum...on my sister Sarah's blog. She usually has one or more of my kids and she's the official "paparazzi" for the family. Right now there is a really cute post of Everett with her boy, and Everetts 'best bud' Luke, on a fieldtrip. Chances are you probably have your own kids and the last thing you want to do is look at someone elses kid kissing a rhino. But check out Sarah and Trevor's blog link if you'd like. Here is a sampling of the pics I 'stole' from her blog just today.

Our Cheesy Girl

2008-05-19T21:47:00.000-07:00

Oakley is getting to be really funny. If you say 'smile', 'cheese', or 'grin' around her this is what you get.

She is so fun to have around. The kids all beg to wake her up from her naps so they can play with her. She is by far the most popular around here. We love our cheesy girl.

Everett Update

2008-05-15T13:43:00.000-07:00

Everett was going to start his next phase (Interim Maintenance) today but his counts are too low. His ANC is 100. Normal is 4000-8000. So that pretty much means he has no immune system right now. He is a little onery and tired because his other counts are low too. Not that it keeps him from playing outside, with his friends, or bugging his sisters. He will get his blood counts again next week and we will try to start then. His ANC has to be at least 750. After this phase he will only have one more to complete until the last maintenance phase (that lasts 3 years). He is getting used to getting his port accessed (poked) every week, but he still hates it. He even enjoys clinic when I get to spend the whole day with him and watch movies or play games. He is getting ready to start t-ball next month and is convinced he is going to win a trophy. His favorite thing to tell people is that I signed him up for soccer. So, as you can tell, nothing much has changed. I'll be sure to post some pics of his "sporting achievements". Autumn is dying to have her own post so I'll get some pics up soon of us at her "Mom's and Muffins" day at school.

Mother's Day

2008-05-11T15:10:00.000-07:00

Imagine yourself reading this post and it's accompanied by scanned in photos from years ago memorializing my mom and Joyce (Todd's mom). Aren't they grand. Ooohs and aaahs. But then you realize, Harmony doesn't do crazy technical things. She's lucky to post a few sentences a week. You know me well. Here they are.

Mom...thanks for everything. You have given me life, the gospel, a love for hard work and a clean home, free babysitting, what more can I say:) Not to mention you put up with teasing from son-in-laws and 13 grandkids. Thanks for being such a good example to me on a what a mom should be.

Joyce...I must be the luckiest girl ever to have you as a mother-in-law. Thank you for raising such a great son. I am so lucky to reap the benefits of your hard work. Happy Mother's Day!

Field Trip

2008-05-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

Aspen talked Dad into riding the school bus and going to the zoo with her new friends.
Our group was full of girls. I think we lost one along the way.

Did I mention that we were as slow as turtles and one bus left us. I guess Dad will not be invited back to any field trips.

We had loads of fun any way.

2008-04-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

We had a great time camping in Zion for Spring Break. I thought I'd share a little (or a lot) of what we did. Enjoy.

Oakley in the Narrows sand

Off to catch the shuttle bus

The Infamous "Butt"erfly Dance that Autumn made up

Aspen panning for rocks

My Sis and our Boys

Our team is #1

The family at Weeping Rock

Kids playing in river at Narrows

Oak with mom and dad

The best part of camping is dirt

Middle Pool Hike

Autumn

Oakley's mobile home

Do The Boxes Ever End?

2008-04-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

I finally got my mattress up off the floor (thanks Nick)! My mom has been coming over to give me motivation to unpack. It's not working very well. My next free moment I plan on getting blinds. Until then we are really enjoying the neighbors. Sorry everyone. The girls have started school and are making friends quickly. They have a lot less homework which I'm not sure I like. Todd says the commute isn't too bad, 25 min. or so. Oakley is growing so fast. Last night I noticed that she has 2 more teeth on the bottom. They are practically all the way in. Where have I been?

Ev's hair called it quits. So he and his best bud Luke got their summer haircuts a little early. Don't they look great?

It has been fun to be closer to my family and "old" friends. (We are turning 30 this year:) Happy Birthday Mandy (Roberts that is...not to be confused with Mandy Ivie on the right)

Sorry I haven't responded (or even looked at) anyone's blogs forever. We don't have TV or internet yet. You would think I would get more done. Yeah, right. So tomorrow I'm off to North Ogden to get our cat. We had to leave her there last week because she went AWOL (or whatever acronym it is). She has been found sulking on our old front porch so I guess I'll get her. This was part of my plan all along but the girls really miss her. Then we're off to Zion for Spring Break. Until we return, Adios (That's how we say goodbye in Ogden:).

It's finally ours...well almost!

2008-03-27T21:02:00.000-07:00

We are so happy to finally be able to say "We are moving". After a LONG 2 month wait we have final approval to purchase our new house. We hate to leave North Ogden but, it will be nice to get settled and let the kids begin to make friends. They will be starting at their new school Monday. We won't officially be in our house until Tues./Wed. You know how Title Co. can be:) Love you mom! (She's doing our escrow) We have sold our house here as well. We will be signing mid April. We feel really blessed to have everything working out as it is. I couldn't ask for better timing really. Thank you Jayanne for taking many crazy phone calls and emails. Atleast we can have a good laugh at it now (or maybe we better wait until we've signed). As you can guess my life is currently devoted to packing. I would be willing to take any boxes off your hands. I might be out of touch for a bit, but honestly is that any different than usual. My favorite saying right now is, "When we get in the house...". Needless to say I have high hopes of being organized in the future. Wish me luck.

P.S. Everett Update
He is doing good. He has been a little tired at times lately. He is starting to lose his hair on the sides and back. He has lost almost every pound he put on during Induction Phase. His mood is great and we continue to have a lot of fun around here (despite the chaos of moving). A big thanks to everyone who has supported us through this. I can't believe it's already/only been 2 months. I'm not sure which one. Thanks!

Happy Birthday Bubba!

2008-03-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

So this may be the real reason we are moving. This is Everett's "best bud" and cousin Luke. He is turning 4 today. These boys are only 6 weeks apart and can't wait to live close to each other. I tease that this may be Ev's only chance to have a 'brother'. They are so funny together. Love you bud.

2008-03-18T13:51:00.001-07:00

Make a free ecard - it's easy!

It's about time!

2008-03-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

I know it's been forever. Everett has been doing really well. He had 2 weeks where I gave him chemo at home. The puffiness in his face went away and he has lost a lot of the weight he put on. I love recognizing his eyes again. He is so funny and teases us a lot. Yesterday he went to clinic and had to get a transfusion. He had a slight allergic reaction to it and had to get Benadryl. His face is puffy again and his eyes are swollen. Everything else is fine though. It is very common to get flushing and itching.

We have sold our house and will be moving in a couple weeks. We are still waiting to get final approval on our house in Highland. The bank said it would be last Friday. Now it's Tuesday and they say sometime this week. Hopefully we will be able to close before our lock runs out and we can go straight from this home to the other. The girls are ready to be done already and get settled. It's hard to live in limbo.

Todd started managing the SLC office yesterday. He is excited for the changes and the challenges. He is nothing but smiles lately because he spoiled himself with a new 4 door Jeep Wrangler. Everett is already telling people that he gets to drive it when he turns 16. I guess that's something to look forward to.

We are continually amazed at how things work out for the best. We are so blessed to have sold our home so quickly when others seem to stay on the market forever. We can't believe how great Everett is doing despite his intense treatments. He actually told me last week, "I love getting chemo." It was pretty fun for me to do it at home. He loves to help get all of the syringes ready and set out my gloves and protective gear. He especially loves to flush his port.

Thanks to everyone who has served us these last couple months. Your expressions of concern and kind words are strengthening. We love you all.

Hot Off The Press

2008-03-05T14:49:00.001-08:00

Quick Update

2008-03-05T14:12:00.001-08:00

Everett was able to start his next phase on Monday. He did great that day but by 1am Tuesday morning he was nauseous. That continued the rest of the day until Home Health bought in fluids and meds. The nurse taught me how to administer his chemo at home. He still goes to PCMC on Monday and then I give chemo Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at home. On Tuesday his friends from preschool brought a bunch of presents for him. That cheered him up. Hopefully they weren't too scared when he started dry heaving into his "bucket" in front of them. They gave him the coolest Nike hats, crackers, a DVD, and some coloring stuff. He loves Nike things because he thinks that means it is for golfing (I guess Tiger wearing their stuff has paid off). He is doing great today and is eating normally and playing with friends. By day 7-10 he should be feeling down. We can expect a transfusion around then.

Todd went with Aspen on a cross-country skiing/snowshoeing fieldtrip yesterday. They had a ton of fun. She was one of the few that made it to the top of the rock climbing wall (twice)! Autumn is reading her first chapter book. She is doing great. She even had 4 birthday parties the last 2 weeks. Todd was lucky enough to get that horrible flu. He was on/off for about 4 days. I think he is at the end of it and is back to work. My volleyball team starts tournament play tonight. Wish us luck.

It's official!

2008-02-27T20:43:00.000-08:00

About 4 months ago, my boss came to me and offered me a promotion. This meant I would be working in SLC. I always said the next move we made would be for the benefit of our family, not for the advancement of my career. We struggled with this decision for a long time. After Christmas, we were driving home and Harmony said that if something is wrong with Everett then we should be closer to family for support and help. At that moment, we knew it was the right thing to do for our family. So we set the ball in motion for the big change. Starting March 17th I will start my new job in SLC. We will probably move around the first of April. As most of you know we are waiting to hear about a house in Highland. Our whole family has mixed emotions about this move. We have really grown to love North Ogden and its small town feel. The kids go to a great school and have wonderful friends. Harmony is always on the go and involved with something. Our ward is very much like a family to us. Although we hate to leave, we know this is the right thing to do at this time and that makes it a little more bearable. We are excited to gain new friends and experiences. And being surrounded by family (the whole Ivins' extended family) will be great. Harmony's excited to be closer to the hospital too.

Weekend At Bear Lake

2008-02-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

Everett was supposed to start his next phase yesterday (Monday) but his blood counts weren't good enough. Now we get an extra week of him feeling good. He will hopefully start next Monday. I am not anxious to have him be sick again but it is an 8 week process and I would like to get it going. He will be getting 2 types of chemo. He will go to PCMC on Monday and then Home Health will come on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Four days of chemo doesn't sound like alot of fun. He won't be on steroids this time so that should help his mood. For now, we're enjoying his laugh and smile. He is even teasing us again and has a lot of energy.

We decided to get away for the weekend to our place in Bear Lake while Everett is doing so well. We went swimming a bunch and even ran into Max and Brigette, or friends from college, at the pool. The girls love to hang out up there. We play games, swim, watch Disney Channel and they get to eat on these special trays in the living room. They love to sleep on the sofa bed instead of in their room (I think it is so they can turn on the TV first thing). We don't have cable at home so this is really a luxury for them. I also get my fix of HGTV. On our way home we stopped to visit with Craig, Mandy and the boys. It's always fun to see them and the kids have so much fun together.

2008-02-26T12:21:00.001-08:00

Make a postcard - it's easy!

Black Eyed Sweet Pea

2008-02-26T11:04:00.000-08:00

Oakley got her first 'shiner' on Saturday. Everett was using a bike pump as a golf club to hit a beach ball (fun game I'm sure) and Oakley crawled into his line of fire. She cried for a bit and the bruise came really fast. She looks like a tough chick I had to take pics. Unfortunately, this will probably be the first of many battle wounds. That's just what kids do. She is growing up too fast. I went in her room a couple weeks ago and she was standing in her crib. I told her to sit down. I'm not sure I want her to grow up just yet. Now she follows me everywhere and stands up on furniture. She is becoming a food beggar too. If you have a bowl in hand you are her best friend. She has also learned how to wave and do this funny winking thing. She's great.

PHASE 1-COMPLETE

2008-02-19T11:53:00.000-08:00

We are so excited that Everett has finish the Induction Phase. He finished last Friday the 15th. He is now off his steroid med. His swelling and some of the 10 lbs. (I know!) should start to subside. He is feeling great and acting like himself again. He went to his pj/pancake party at school today and stayed the entire 2 hours. He even went to most of primary on Sunday. He is at a friends playing right now. He starts his next phase, Consolidation, on Monday. It will last 8 weeks and include other meds and forms of chemo. During this phase he gets a chemo that will make his hair fall out. I had to give him a haircut a few weeks ago to get MYSELF used to the idea. If you know Ev, he has always had long hair. We are just so glad to see him feeling this well. Last week he couldn't even get on/off a chair or bed by himself. Stairs were completely out of the question. He didn't even play a single video game that week. It was a real shocker. I can't believe the 180 he's done over the past few days. I am going to enjoy it while it lasts. Hopefully that is a long time.

Trying to count my blessings. I know I missed some.

2008-02-19T11:02:00.000-08:00

This is just a sampling of the meals that are so kindly brought to us M-W-F. Our friends and neighbors are really the greatest. Not to mention great cooks. I think that the recipe ought to be included with every meal. We are definately eating better now than ever. Thanks. I couldn't possibly list everyone individually but suffice it to say that over a month has passed and there have been no repeats. So that pretty much covers half the ward I would assume.

And a big thanks to Staci who did my laundry the other day, Jay for watching Oakley (a lot), Miss Kim who lets Everett come to school when he feels good and keeps him feeling included. Then there's Angie who has dropped of frozen meals and goodies, the singles ward who brought cookies, Nancy and Camille who have let us borrow tool after tool and their trailer to haul away JUNK. Who could forget Craig who helped put up baseboards and doorknobs, Bubba who plays Wii with Ev, Grandma and Grandpa Saunders who have watched Everett on Sunday so we can all go to church.

Also, Sarah who does most of my cool blog stuff, is my personal nanny, and best friend. Mom is my go to girl for everything from escrow questions to Dr. visits. Dad, thanks for going to the temple hours on end with us in mind, driving up here just to help out for a day or two and to show Ev your fishing stuff. Tony, Jay and family who keep us entertained (ie. Hannah Montana Concert). A big thanks to Jayanne for still taking my calls.

I knew I shouldn't have started listing names. No offense if I forget to mention you-k- This is a spur of the moment thing.

My volleyball friends are my sanity. They will get a post devoted to them soon. Kathy for arranging meals, Suzy and Ann for taking my carpool turns and my girls numerous times. Kim for letting her house be Autumn's second home. Rylee for being a great friend to Aspen. The girls teachers...Mrs. Swanson and Mrs. Harris for understanding when the girls don't get their homework done by Friday. Are you sick of seeing them wear a ponytail everyday yet?

Most of all to Todd, the most incredible husband and father ever. Thanks for staying home every morning to help get the kids up and off to school. Thanks for cooking Ev "long noodles" at 2 am and getting him in the tub at 3 am and again at 4. Thanks for playing Star Wars with him even when you don't feel like it (right?). Thanks for taking me on dates still and insisting that I get out of the house by myself. Thanks for not caring when I buy stupid little things that I think are cool. Thanks for never complaining about the bed not being made, changing a stinky diaper, or scooping the cat litter. I know you are secretly attracted to me in my yoga pants and array of tees. That's why I wear them so often. Thanks for being the best husband ever. Love you. (Hope you are having fun snowboarding right now:)

Did I forget to mention my Heavenly Father. Where would I be without him? We have been so blessed through priesthood blessings and prayers from many family and friends. How marvelous is his plan to have families here on this earth. And what would any of us do without our ward families. His gospel gives us hope and his love gives us strength.

There have been many others who have brightened my day with a quick note or smile. Thanks for being so concerned about Everett and our family. We are so blessed to have each one of you in our lives.

Our Sweet Little Boy...

2008-02-15T21:03:00.000-08:00

2008-02-15T20:54:00.000-08:00

MUST...HAVE...FISH!!!

2008-02-15T19:52:00.001-08:00

Everett has a one track mind right now. This weekend he really wanted some fish from Flaming Gorge. Over the summer he became quite the fisherman and was ready to go catch his lunch on Sunday afternoon. He didn't understand why we couldn't take the boat out on the lake and why his Grandma who was visiting (from Wyoming) didn't just "run home real quick" and get him some fish from her freezer.

The next day he carried around his fishing pole and tackle box all day. He was convinced Grandma was bringing the boat and picking him up. To his surprise, Grandma did show up that day. She took time off of work to drive back to Utah with frozen fish. She even brought all the fixings to cook it up (two ways!) and potatoes for some fries. Needless to say, Everett loved it. It cured him of his fish yearning for the time being. We have stored away the fishing pole for now. Even though he did get his Grandpa Ivins to bring up his fly fishing stuff later in the week. What awesome grandparents my kids have. Or rather, what awesome parents Todd and I have.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-02-15T19:51:00.001-08:00

Dad's First Post

2008-02-12T19:54:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who has fasted, prayed, and thought about us. I have definately felt the effects of your prays. And we desperately need them.

It has almost been one month since we learned that Everett had Leukemia. I want to share my thoughts and feelings that keep us focused on what is most important.

After our first week in the hospital, I returned to church to teach my Priests. I was to teach on the characteristics of God. In the Lectures on Faith, Joseph Smith states that we must first understand the true character of God before we can have sufficient faith to move us to salvation. When you truly understand what your relationship is with God then your outlook on life is completely different. When I first heard the words that Everett had Leukemia, I did not ask why, I asked what I was supposed to learn from this challenge. I truly believe that God is our Father in Heaven and wants us to progress in life.

As I sat and pondered the situation we were in, I had the clear impression come to me that there is no greater preperation to becoming like Heavenly Father than to watch my son go through this experience. I must watch my son go through a difficult period of time knowing that I can do nothing to help. But I also know that he will be a much better person after this experience.

This has also changed my perspective on life. I must cherish each moment I have with each of my children.

Tough Week

2008-02-11T14:15:00.000-08:00

Everett had a "short" appointment Friday, that turned into an all day thing. We got there at 10:30 and left at 5:00. His blood tests came back that he need two blood products. He received plasma and cryopresipitate. They are to help coagulation because the bruise on his chest is getting worse. They are given through an IV and take forever. We watched a few movies, he ordered food a few times, and played some Wii. My mom came up for the weekend. I don't think I would have made it without her. She helped us clean the house, do laundry, cook food and took the kids to McDonald's. To add to things Ev had a bleeding rash, Oakley has been sick for a couple days, and Aspen came home from school sick today. It was fun to have visitors over the weekend. Craig and Mandy and their boys (Carter and Jace), Todd's parents(Bob and Joyce), my dad, my Grandma Ivins (aka Great Grandma), and Bubba (Luke) all came to visit us. Thanks for coming to us. It may be a while until we get out. I'm already planning an long vacation after Everett goes into maintenance phase (7 months). Cancun, here I come.

Day 19

2008-02-05T15:31:00.000-08:00

We're 19 days into Everett's Induction Phase. He had chemo last Fri. (Feb. 1st) at PCMC. This time we noticed the effects. He was tired and lethargic Sat. and Sunday. I'm glad to say Mon. he was doing better and today he's been up about doing all sorts of things. He's not eating as much. I have some healthier snacks around and he likes to help him self often. He's taking really good care of his Webkinz pets and loves doing art projects. He's also getting really good at bossing me around to get him things and it's hard to say no. I try to make him do as many things for himself as he can. Thanks to everyone who has provided food, shoveled (many times), and all the other sevices.

2008-02-03T23:14:00.000-08:00

Make a postcard - it's easy!

2008-02-02T21:55:00.001-08:00

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

2008-01-31T15:47:00.000-08:00

Make a postcard - it's easy!

Early Riser

2008-01-31T09:12:00.000-08:00

Everett is doing well. He's been waking up around 3 or 4 in the morning wanting to eat bagels or chicken cordon bleu. Luckily he will then go back to sleep until 7 or so. He goes back in tomorrow for more chemo and another bone marrow aspirate. Unfortunately, that means he can't eat after midnight again. I hate this part. He is getting excited about his birthday on Saturday though.

A Big Thanks

2008-01-27T15:17:00.001-08:00

I justed wanted to give a HUGE THANKS to everyone for helping yesterday. Friends and family helped us clean out our garage (a big effort in itself). We also moved a lot of furniture and packed up a lot of closet stuff so we could pull out carpet. This week is officially remodel week. We have new tile, carpet, cabinets and granite being installed. This was all arranged before Everett's diagnosis so figured "bring it on". Let's just get it done with. We would NEVER have gotten it done without so much help. We love you all and look forward to when we can help you all out.

Hungry Hungry Hero

2008-01-27T15:04:00.000-08:00

Everett went to Primary Childrens (PCMC) for a clinic visit on Friday. He got a dose of vincristine (chemo) as well as a back poke chemo and bone marrow. For the back poke and bone marrow he is sedated. He isn't allowed to eat or drink anything after midnight. His appt. wasnt' until 11:00. The entire ride there all I heard was I want those chips that they have at dad's work (Doritos). I just kept putting if off again and again. I told him the doctor needed to listen to his belly while it was empty. After we saw the doctor, but before the sedation, he begged for food. The appt. ended up being pushed back to 11:45. By then he was in full on tears crying for food. That was the hardest part so far. He was crying that I was "hurting his feelings" and "just being mean". I picked up a phone and pretended to order his food like he did when he was inpatient there. Then 'finally' the doctors were ready to sedate and do their thing. While he was out, the nice nurses really did order him a cheese pizza so it would be ready and waiting. He woke up to a bag of Doritos. Without opening his eyes he felt around for the bag and started to squeeze to pop them open. He devoured the entire bag, with his eyes closed, and started a second. It was hilarious to see the kid eat like he was near starving. I was glad not to be the mean mom anymore. He feels great today and even went to church.

Am I supposed to act sick?

2008-01-24T17:31:00.000-08:00

Everett's back home and back to his old ways. The first morning he had Muffin Tops for breakfast, watched Star Wars and rode his skateboard and scooter around the house. Today he even went to preschool to go sledding for a bit. His school is next door so we just walked out to meet them when we saw them. He went to Olive Garden for lunch and a quick trip to Lowe's. Yes, we are still doing projects around the house. No, they never end. Our friends and neighbors have been so kind. We find gifts left on the porch, pizza shows up unexpectedly, and hot bread arrives. Thank you to everyone. The neighbor kids are so great to him too. Everett loves them so much. He thinks that the big kids are his best friends. Tomorrow we are back to Primary's for his first outpatient visit. He will get a chemo treatment through his port, a spinal tap chemo treatment, and a bone marrow aspiration. The bone marrow tests will give the doctor a good idea of how much Leukemia is left. Hopefully he responds as well to these treatments as he did the first time around.

EVERETT'S HOME!!!

2008-01-22T20:32:00.000-08:00

We're happy to say "Everett's home"! And earlier than they thought he would. Thanks to all of those who fasted and prayed for him. He is doing great. He didn't really want to leave until we told him that we get to take the Wii with us (hope that's ok Nick). We also told him that he gets to visit again on Friday and play their games again. From here on out he goes to Primary's clinic once a week for outpatient treatment. He will continue to get chemo at home and at the clinic through February. Then, if his counts are good enough, it's onto the next phase. Which will involve different meds and continued trips to the clinic. He can have visitors if they have no hints of illness (ie. runny nose, scratchy throat, upset stomach, etc.) His counts aren't really good right now but I know some of his friends and cousins really want to see him. Call us if you'd like to stop by. Thanks again for all of your prayers, service, and emails of encouragement. We love to read the comments on the blog. It's amazing to feel blessings being poured down on our family. We love you all.

A peek into my day...

2008-01-21T22:22:00.000-08:00

My first round of Chemotherapy!

2008-01-21T21:42:00.000-08:00

For The Kids

2008-01-21T12:23:00.000-08:00

Leukemia is a sickness in your blood. Some of the good guys that usually are in your blood have turned into bad guys. Everett got a super hero port put into his chest where he gets medicines put into his blood that blast the bad guys. They blow up and die. When the doctors check his blood they can tell if there are any more bad guys. When they are all gone he gets to go back to do all of his fun stuff. He will keep the port in just in case more good guys turn bad. Then they will blast them some more. The medicines make him kindof tired and he can get sick easily sometimes. He is going to get a really short haircut because the medicine will make if fall out for a month or two. Then it'll grow back. He will have to visit the doctor every week for many months. Then he will only have to go to the doctors once or twice a month. He will still be able to go to school, Lagoon, swim, play sports and everything. After three years he won't be sick at all and will have his super hero port taken out. Then he can do anything. Doctors say he will never be sick again in his blood. I think that's pretty awesome.

Day 4

2008-01-21T12:14:00.000-08:00

We had a few changes in plans. The girls will be going home today instead of Sat. They had cousins come into town that they wanted to see. Everett will probably not be going home until Thurs. or Fri. He is having a lot of bleeding from his surgery site. I would rather take care of that here than try to handle it at home. He is getting platelettes quite a bit. They are the part of the blood that helps it clot. They hope to stop the bleeding. The girls had a great time staying at a hotel last night close by and swimming (thanks Matt/Michelle). It was a blessing that we only had to drive a couple miles this morning in that nasty snow. Thanks to every who participated in our fast and have included him/us in your prayers. We feel such comfort and are continually amazed at how smooth this process has been so far. We have meals coming in, babysitting arranged, the drive shoveled, our cat fed, family who have slept at the hospital so we could spend time with the other kids, and countless other services performed and offered. Thanks to you all. Love, The Saunders

Day Two

2008-01-19T20:37:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all of the visitors. We've heard, "Everyone keeps bringing me presents", a lot lately. He loves them. He goes from one thing to another. He had a common allergic reaction to some platelettes today so they gave him Benadryl (spelling?). That made him super onery for a bit. Tonight Uncle Nick is having a sleepover with him. He brought him Lego Star Wars for his Wii. I hope he doesn't stay up too late playing games again. Everett really hates taking bad tasting oral meds so tonight he tried swallowing pills for the first time. (After gaging and throwing up the others) We wrapped them up in little pieces of fruit roll-up and chased them down with Sprite. It worked like a charm. It's a good thing because he'll be taking a lot of meds these next few years.

Visits

2008-01-18T21:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the visits. Just thought I'd pass along the policy here. He is in a unit that restricts visitors to over 11 years old except siblings. Of course, they can't be sick or have any symptoms. If you are sick please send your love via email. Also his "blood counts" have to be at a certain level to have visitors. If you are planning on stopping by let us know and we can tell find out his count. Love you all.

Chemo

2008-01-18T20:26:00.000-08:00

He had his first go at chemo. It only consists of a syringe of med through his port. It only took about 5 min. or so. He just played golf on the wii the whole time. He has had so much energy tonight. He is literally bouncing on the bed. He got a web slinger tonight from his cousin Carter. He loves it. Watch out nurses. We have all had a chance to be "webbed" where we can't move. Looking at him you would never know he was sick. The only sign is that he has a bandage on his chest that feeds him meds. The girls and either Todd or I will be at church Sunday. And the girls will be back to school Tuesday. I'll send out some emails to get things set up. Thanks everyone.

2008-01-18T14:02:00.000-08:00

Today has consisted of watching Return of the Jedi, playing wii with Autumn, watching Home Alone and drinking a lot of chocolate milk. Everett's friend Luke sent a light saber yesterday. He won't let it go. He even slept with it last night.

Diagnosis

2008-01-18T13:33:00.001-08:00

His labs came back and they have confirmed that he has Pre ALL B-Cell. This type of Leukemia responds to a less intense form of chemo than other types. We were glad to hear this diagnosis. He is doing well today. He has a slight fever but it's not uncommon. At the earliest he will be going home next Wednesday. After that he will only have scheduled Home Health and outpatient Dr. visits and treatments. The biggest concern is getting a bacterial infection. If he does he may spend some time in the hospital. But he will be taking antibiotics at home to help prevent that. Maybe he'll be getting a short haircut for his birthday in a couple weeks.

Please Join Us In A Fast

2008-01-17T22:39:00.000-08:00

We will be having a fast on Sunday for Everett if you would like to join us. We know that there are many prayers being sent already. We can feel the strength of them. Heavenly Father is comforting us through this. We only pray for that to continue. Especially for His spirit to comfort Everett and assist in his recovery. Thanks. We love you all. Isn't the gospel amazing? We are so blessed.

Day One

2008-01-17T22:28:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, Friday Jan. 18th, is considered Day 1. His treatment protocol is very specific. I lays out every medication and/or procedure that he will have for the next 3 1/2 years. I really like to have the plan in place. Atleast I won't have to try to remember everything because it's all written down (if I can find it). Day one also means his first chemo. Hopefully he tolerates it ok. His sisters visited tonight. It was good for them to see his environment. Now they can kind of picture what's going on. Everyone has been so kind with phone calls, emails and comments posted on the blog. Email and the blog are the best ways to contact us right now because we never know when a Dr. will stop in or when we'll try to take a rest. We have the computer in the room and would love to hear from you.

And the journey begins (atleast this one)

2008-01-17T14:45:00.001-08:00

Let's Get It Started!!

2008-01-17T13:26:00.000-08:00

I was a few years behind in getting a cell phone. Now I have a blog before 2010. I'm so hip. OK. So the fact that Everett was diagnosed with Leukemia yesterday was a big factor in this decision. But I was going to get around to it eventually.

First off...Thanks to all the friends and family that have helped out and offered prayers in our behalf. We are being strengthened by them. There have been so many who have expressed concern for us that I thought a blog would be a great way to keep everyone posted with our journey. Remember....saundersjourneys.blogspot.com

Secondly...We are doing well. We are really optimistic about his treatment. We are also confident that our girls will be able to get back to some sort of normalcy soon. Not that they mind having sleepovers with Grandma and Aunt Sarah. They will enjoy every minute that they spend at all of your houses. That may be many. Let's see how things go.

Lastly...I have no idea how to do this. I will give my sister credit for anything creative or complicated on this site. She will have to teach me how to do everything.

Thanks again for keeping us in your thoughts.