Flooding

As most of you know, we are currently living in Jons parents home. The river runs behind our house. There is also a canal to the east of us that branches off the river. The other night, there was a lot of rain during the day. It was about 10:30 PM and I checked KSL.com before I went to bed, I noticed they had breaking news that there was flooding in Morgan and Weber Counties. It made me nervous, but clicking on the story I saw that it was in Eden, so assumed we were okay. I immediately did a facebook post, which said "I think I have posted this before, but I still get a little uneasy when I hear about flooding in Weber County. I know it's not where we are, but still, slightly scary!" Following that post I went to bed.
We were sound asleep at 1:00 am. All of the sudden there was some very loud, very strong, pounding on our door. Our nephew currently lives in our basement, so our first thought was that it was him and there was a problem downstairs. Jon went to the door while I laid in bed. All I could hear was a womans voice saying (now given I was only hearing bits and pieces) "flooding, water rushing, check property, water has made it to the bishops house" I panicked! Jon comes back and immediately starts getting his clothes and boots on. My cell phone then rings. It was our next door neighbor seeing if we were flooded, she said she went and checked and the water had made it to their horse corral. I told her we hadn't checked yet and were on our way out. I grabbed some flipflops and followed Jon outside.  I was relieved when we went into the backyard and saw no water. But as we further investigate, we see that on our next door neighbors property, the water had broken over the banks of the river and was heading downstream away from us. Then we look to the other side of us, the other next door neighbors backyard is a pond. We go to the front of the house and there is a river of water flowing down the street and people everywhere shuffling around trying to figure out what to do.
We spent the night filling sandbags and got everything taken care of by 4 am. We were very blessed that the water didn't touch the property for some very miraculous reason. There were a few homes whose basements and crawl spaces were flooded, and I am sorry for them. What happened was the water levels rose and was rushing so quickly that a pipe between the canal and river backed up with debris and the canal overflowed. The river was also higher, which is why it broke up on the other side. Something like that teaches you a lesson on prepardness, we realized we aren't as prepared for disaster as we would like to be. Oh, and another thing, the night this was all taking place, Kenzie decided to sleep through the night for the first time ever, of course it's while I am up all night, dang girl! I have posted pictures, you may not be able to see some of them as well as it is 2:00 AM, some of them are of that night, and the rest of them are of the next morning.
 

Our neighbors backyard.

This is where the water broke the banks in our next door neighbors yard, the actual river is really behind those trees.

Filling the sandbags. There were actually 40 inmates that came and helped out as well. Can you tell which ones they are?

This is the neighborhood street in the front of the house.

The street once again.

The next morning, this is the water that broke over the banks. Once again, the river is behind those trees.

The leftover sandbags, they will stay there prepping for the spring and summer seasons.

The sandpile they also left so we would be prepared in case this happens again this spring.

The river.

The kids figured out how to make the best of the situation.

Injury!

WARNING: This post contains pictures that people may think are too graphic.... Just warning you now.

I know that as a mom, it is not likely that you will raise your kids without at least one of the getting injured fairly badly. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to deal with stitches or broken bones. I know that's a little too much to ask. Today, we were living a fairly normal routine. Jon was going with his buddy to Sportsman Warehouse after work, and I had to get my allergy shots, so I told Jon I would just take the kids. We went and got the shots, went to the post office, got gas, and headed home just normal and fine.

As we pulled into the driveway, Kaylee could see that her best friend Erin was home next door, so she asked if she could get out of the car and go play with Erin. No problem. She got out and started heading to Erin's. However, after Kaylee got out of the car, Abbie decided she wanted to go also. So I rolled down the window and told Kaylee to come back to get Abbie, then I told them to just see if Erin wanted to come play at our house. I stayed at the end of the driveway to make sure they made it to Erin's ok. I am glad I stayed.

They both started running and were so excited and Abbie ran into Kaylee, causing her to trip and she went head first onto gravel. Her forehead immediately began gushing blood like nothing I have ever seen. I grabbed a cloth and told her to hold it on her head, then called Jon. I said, "GET HOME NOW! I think Kaylee needs stitches." In the meantime, Erin came over and I told her to go get her mom so she could look at it. I was kind of panicking! Monica (Erin's mom) told me I needed to take Kaylee in. So, she took Kenzie and Abbie and said, "just go to the ER." So, I got another cloth that was wet for Kaylee to hold on her head. (I decided a dry cloth probably wasn't the best idea). I called Jon, and told him to pick up Kenzie and Abbie, we passed him on our way to the hospital he pulled over and said, "Oh, yea, that definitely needs stitches."

We went to the ER and they took really good care of her, even if we were there FOREVER, apparently there is a huge flu outbreak going on right now, so the ER was slammed today! She only needed one internal stitch, which will dissolve, and then they used glue for the rest of the cut. She was so brave, she did so well at the hospital. I think she enjoyed laying there watching cartoons with no sibling interruptions. Ok, so now for the pictures.

I took the pictures with my cell, so I don't know how quality they'll be. The first one is while we were waiting for the numbing to go into place so they could clean and take care of it. The second is obvious, and the third is after they took care of her.

I wish

I wish I was better at keeping up on blogging. I think it might be slightly easier if I wasn't back in school. Yes. I am in school. I am crazy! I don't know why I have this strong desire to get my education. I want to so badly, so I sign up for school, then I work hard, and don't even do well. Jon, on the other hand, is a 4.0 student with these crazy hard classes! Mine are mediocre. However, they are all online. I am a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) so I am trying to fulfill my classes in between "Mom, I am thirsty! Mom, I want string cheese-- but I don't want to get it myself, you need to get it for me! Mom, I want to play the Wii. Mom, Kenzie is crying! Mom, she is being mean! Mom, she LOOKED at me!" You can see why school is a struggle. But to be completely honest, I really do enjoy it. Yes, it is extremely time consuming. And yes, I feel like I have no chance of a normal life right now. But, school has CHANGED my life. Since I wanted to get an education, I wanted to do something that would work with being a mom. So I immediately thought education. I was going to do that, but my mom said I wouldn't like it. I immediately thought, well mom, what do you think I should do? Do you just not want me to go to school? Then she said, "you have always been interested in health and nutrition. You should do that. You have been through so many problems pertaining to your health, that you not only could help yourself but you could help others." I was thinking, that would be so much fun! But, I don't fit the profile. I have gained 50 pounds. There, I said it. I gained 50 pounds since I got married. It's out. I am accountable! Then I decided, it's okay. I can still change my life. I switched my major and now I am majoring in Health Promotion and a minor in Nutrition Education. It is hard! But it is fascinating and I am enjoying learning even if it is frustrating. As long as I pass all my classes I will graduate April 2012. That is just over a year! WOO HOO!! Oh, and I am happy to say that I have lost 15 lbs since the start of this semester.
One of the reasons I chose that major, not only from my moms input, is that I have wheat allergies (and milk allergies, and corn allergies, and soy allergies, and orange allergies, and potato allergies etc). I was diagnosed almost 3 years ago. It was overwhelming to me. I also loved wheat products so much that for the past few years I have been telling myself, I would rather eat what I like and be sick than give up my favorite foods. I know that thinking was crazy and irrational. I began this semester. I was reading in my nutrition book the actual effects wheat allergies have on your body and that wheat allergies can actually cause all the other food allergies. So, I knew I was having definite reactions to wheat and milk. I have begun drinking almond milk and have given up wheat-- for the most part. I have had slip-ups! And now, I just have to say, "WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS 3 YEARS AGO??!!!?" I feel great. I am starting to feel good about myself again. Something that hasn't occurred for several years. Because I was more conscious about what I was consumming, I also gave up coke. I loved coke, but I decided I didn't need it. I don't miss it surprisingly. It is time to be accountable for me, for my actions or inactions, for my life!
I also began a program with Weber State called Students in Motion. You go once a week for 2 hours. You meet with other students. You are instructed about exercise, nutrition, and health for the first hour, then you walk the second hour. Then end of the program ends with all of us walking the Ogden Half Marathon! I am excited. I know avid runners are frowning upon the fact that we are just walking the half marathon, but it means something to all of us. It is a start to a healthy, attainable lifestyle!
Well, I wasn't planning on rambling for hours when I began this post. But, I just wrote things that I have been afraid to tell others because I thought they would think less of me. But if anyone thinks less of me, it is their problem, not mine! I now know, that I can live a healthy and happy life and it is so worth it. And I can succeed in getting my education no matter how hard it is!!

She's growing up!! **Sob, Sob**

When Kaylee and Abbie were babies, I LOVED watching them grow up. I loved seeing them hit those milestones. I was actually excited to see them grow up! You always hear moms say they are so sad that their babies are growing up, with Kaylee and Abbie I didn't feel that way. But, now I have Kenzie. And, she is growing up. Kenzie has been my cuddly baby. She loves being held. She has LOVED giving me huge, sloppery wide opened mouth kisses. I have loved those! She squeals everytime she hears my voice or walks into a room. Kaylee and Abbie weren't cuddly. They had their own agenda, and I wasn't part of it. Kenzie will be seven months tomorrow. She still hasn't slept through the night. I am still waiting for her to only wake up two times instead of three or more, but I haven't minded. I have loved waking up to that baby. She just does everything so adorably! She started army crawling a few months ago. She's started the real crawling, but then decides it takes too much time and reverts back to army crawling. She's been sitting up on her own for a while now, and also has been pulling herself up to furniture. She loves standing whenever possible. This morning I woke up at 3:30 am to some shuffling going on in her crib, I sat up to look over there, and there she was, just standing there. I walked over to her and she started laughing. She was WIDE awake, I thought if I fed her she would get tired and go back to sleep, she wasn't having it. At 5:00 she finally did go to sleep..... As I said, she hasn't slept through the night as it is, but now that she stands, it makes it that much harder to get her to sleep, but I still love seeing her stand up. She just smiles like she has accomplished some great task. But, as she is growing, she isn't needing her mom as much. I am not getting the kisses as much anymore. She still gets excited when I walk into a room sometimes, but not near as often..... Kenzie has been an angel baby. She has made it easy to have a newborn. I am sad she doesn't need me as much now. Kaylee and Abbie were always so independent that they never really needed me! I love all three of my girls. Life would not be complete without them!!! Stay tuned, I will be doing a post for Kaylee and Abbie soon!

She always does this "Cabbage Patch" face. I think it's because she has discovered her two bottom teeth that are coming in.

 She generally always has a smile on her face, she is such a happy baby!

Christmas did come!

Christmas really did come to our home, I know I am a couple weeks past, but I still needed to post!

I walked into the room and found the girls sitting like this. Jons mom gives all of her grandkids a Christmas Bear for the year they were born. Except Kaylee had Kenzies and Kenzie had Kaylees. I had to snag a picture it was so cute seeing the three of them together like that.

Santa did come!

The girls were excited. Kenzie was still a little tired, can you tell?

Kaylee got Squenkies, which were put away two days later, I will give them to her when her sister quits putting everthing in her mouth. We didn't realize how small they were til Kenzie tried getting to them. We went and let her pick out a toy to replace them. She was okay with that. She got a Baby All Gone.

Abbie loves Little People things! She got this garage as well as the Little People plane. I was glad she was okay with the Little People one and not the Barbie one!

Kenzie really just enjoyed the wrapping paper. That was her favorite part!

Our family Christmas picture. Can you tell there were two people taking pictures? We didn't get one where we were all looking at the same camera. That's ok. I still think we are an adorable family!

My mom got Abbie and Faye matching outfits. Nick and Stacey came to church with us the day after Christmas and so we just had to get a picture of the two of them.

Kaylee was eating a piece of chocolate cheesecake, but didn't want it anymore so she set it on the floor. Kenzie took full advantage of that and was shoving it in her mouth as quickly as possible. Even when we took it away from her she was shoving her hand in her mouth trying to savor every last bit.



You can't have snow and not have a snowman, right? Jon and Kaylee built this.

Our Good Luck Charm

Our family has discovered that we have a little good luck charm. If you guys have been reading my blog, then you would know that back in March, while I was pregnant with Kenzie I entered a drawing at Fresh Market and won a shopping spree. We stocked up on diapers and wipes and got $430 worth of free stuff. Then, I hadn't had been planning on having Kenzie, so I lended our crib to my sister Emily. After I loaned it I found out that I was pregnant, so Jons school friend gave us his crib since they were done having kids. After he gave it to us, we discovered that it had been recalled and took it to Target and got a brand new really nice crib at a minimal fee. Well, after I had Kenzie, I opened her a bank account at Mountain America Credit Union. I didn't know that at the time I opened it that they were running a promotion and all children's accounts that were opened were entered into a drawing. Well, today, I got a call from Mountain America saying that Kenzie's name had been drawn and she won a bike. It cracked us up!! A little 5 month old won a bike!!! We thought it would just be a small children's bike, so we go to pick it up and it was a Mongoose full BMX bike. Jon was so excited! He played on it when we got home and Kaylee rode it around as well. We let Kenzie be the first to try it out though, after all, it is her bike!