Utah 2012

Bridger, Lilly and I went to Utah.

I miss seeing sunset's!  Too many hills and trees in Oregon.

Gardner Village.  My kids learned a little about their great-great-great grandpa Archibald Gardner.

Lilly was in heaven when we found this little doll shop.

It was so fun to watch my kids play at my grandparents house.  It brought back so many memories of when I was a child playing there.

Eating one of Grandpa's apples

Grandpa's new wheels!

Check out that rainbow

Look at that garden....even at 89 years old!

One of many flower pots around the farm

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I helped Austin learn how to make fondant cakes.

North Ogden Auquatic Center

We love the lazy days of Summer!

Water Fun

We had a rare treat of having four cousins come to visit!  Bridger was so happy to have Austin in the mix so he wasn't alone with only girls!

First stop while in Portland was VooDoo Donuts.  Portland didn't disappoint- we got to witness a "classy" wedding taking place right there in VooDoo.  I even took them across town to the tamer VooDoo Donut shop.

We spent a day at Sauvie's Island.  I can't remember what else we did but it was fun.

Bridger and Lilly had their first boating trip.  They loved it.  Derek and I spent so much of our single life on the water and it was great to be out there again!  Boating is one of my favorite things to do.

Beautiful view of Mt. St. Helen's

What we've Been up to part 1

Brief overview of the last several months.

Grandma visited and was here for Bridger's 1st Grade "graduation" picnic.

Lilly successfully ran a baby doll daycare.

We spent many hours at soccer practice and games.

Lilly got to go to a princess party and meet Princess Tiana and Snow White!

Lilly graduated from her first year of preschool.  (only two more to go)

We spent more hours than I can possibly count at the park and with friends.

Zef Friend, Bridger, Brigham Hurley, Andrew Richins

Lizzy Richins, Morgan Hurley, Anna Friend, Lilly

Heart Surgery

I am now trying to play catchup on the last several months.  It has been crazy around here!  I had heart surgery to correct the problem that almost took my life in January.  So happy that is all in the past. 

I am posting the next pictures, not because I want to show how HOT I look after surgery but because I am amazed that they did heart surgery for 6 hours on me and I was up and around right after.  (well after I lay completely still for several hours, but I was asleep for a good part of that). 

About 10 years ago this would have required open heart surgery.  They are now able to go through your veins so it is minimally invasive.  I had three puncture wounds- two in my legs and one in my neck.  They hurt no more than getting an IV.  Speaking of an IV....most of my pain and discomfort came from the hack-job IV I got.  See below.  The pictures don't do it justice, my arm was swollen and filled with blood for days and it hurt!

After a few days of minor chest pain and fatigue, I was up and running.  Thank heavens for modern medicine!!

Good friends

One thing we have experienced a lot of while in Oregon is saying goodbye to friends.  We get a lot of families in the ward that come for school or Nike interns or just move into apartments and then can't afford to stay or they move here from Utah and want to go home.  It has been hard.

This Summer some very close friends moved away...  I'm not sure we will ever recover!  We shared some good times, a lot of laughter, and even tears.  They helped me through struggles without judgement and I will forever be grateful for them.  This is truly a friendship that will not be effected by the distance between us.