Someday

Once again, risking the wrath of Salt Lake area friends and family members, I have decided to post about all of our recent adventures in Utah. We always end up there for such quick trips and every moment is usually booked, but this time I had a little more free time to finally do some of the things I keep promising to "someday" do.

As for those of you I still have not seen (or did not see again this time) go ahead and be mad...then see how often I come to see you. Yes, I wield that much power!

Both little K and little P had appointments at Primary Children's Medical Center. Little P had another follow-up with one of his specialists about Rockwell (his hemangioma). The doctor officially decided Rockwell will not be a problem for little P's vision and little P will no longer have to see him. We are down to only one specialist. From here on, we will still see the surgeon every 6 months (probably until Rockwell is gone), and I will be sure to update you all after those visits.


Little K has been having awful headaches. We have tried and tried to find a cause for the headaches, but just can't seem to. We have taken her to many doctors, and this last neurologist wanted to put her on some kind of medicine that could damage her heart. We took her to get the required EKG etc, but I just couldn't bring myself to ever give her the meds, not until I have exhausted every other cause I can come up with.

So since little P was going to see this special optometrist, I made little K an appointment for the same time. He did end up lowering her eyeglass prescription strength, but also said he doubts her headaches are caused by eye issues. Grrrr.... So frustrating.

My sister Leigh-Anne and her daughter C had always wanted us to have a girls day with them, so on Saturday morning, we all went and had our nails done. Cousin C is the only girl cousin K has in 9 years either direction (including both my and Vinny's side of the family). Aren't cousins fantastic?

My favorite nails, out of all 40 of them, were Leigh-Anne's. Don't they just scream SPRIIIIING!!!

Shortly after the nails, little K got a bloody nose while driving in the car. Size 4 diapers to the rescue! Aaahhh ha ha! I don't know what she was more horrified about- dripping blood on her shirt or driving all over Salt Lake with her face shoved in a diaper. Hey, at least it was a clean diaper.

Continuing the theme of things I keep promising to do, we were finally able to visit the LDS Museum of Church History an Art. I had been there once or twice before, but not for 6 or so years. Little B is a HUGE fan of museums, and this did not disappoint. Below is a picture of Little B and K, with two of Leigh-Anne's kids in bunk beds made to simulate the ones that were used when the early LDS emigrants crossed oceans so long ago.

And the babies, or course, in front of a covered wagon. I have to admit that with how awful (at times) these two babies were while just walking through a museum, I couldn't help but imagine trying to cross the U.S. with them. Yikes! They'd have to have their very own covered wagon. Isolation wagon.

The kids sure love Uncle Joe! And from the looks of it, he sure loves them all back!

At the top of the museum is a hand's on children's area. The kids had a great time doing all the activities.

Little P and Leigh-Anne's youngest, little J, are just a few months apart. For the most part, they got along great. Well, as long as neither mother was holding anyone, and they both had the same toy, same food, same cup, and never touched each other or looked at each other or thought about each other... Below is adorable little J!

And here is my handsome little P!

While we were driving around downtown, my brother Joe was in the front seat of my car. All of a sudden he started cracking up at a dog in front of us. After closer inspection, I saw what he was laughing at. If you look closely, you can see that the dog sticking out of the car window is a black lab, but inside there is a yellow lab butt and tail. It looks like there is a very looooong, two-colored, dog inside this truck. And apparently, Joey thinks very loooong, two-colored dogs are hilarious!

Vinny and little T came down to SLC on Friday night. We only had one day with them there, and decided to take the boys to BYU. ***tangent below***

On a side note, my life is unfair. It took me 8 years...8 YEARS people, to get my degree. I worked, slaved, sobbed, went into gigantic debt, and studied my brains out. During those years, I got married, had a baby, got a divorce etc. It was a struggle, to say the least. And after all that, my dang children are all Boise State fans, not BYU fans. Grrrr... So this was the start of my attempt to pull a few kids over to my side.

I encourage anyone who is reading this to check out both the BYU and Boise State links provided above. I think these links may help all of you decide which of the two colleges you should be fans of.

We drove by my old Wymount Terrace apartment. Oh, the memories! Little K and I moved into this apartment (top right) after my divorce. At the time, I was SO worried about how I would be accepted, a single mother living in BYU family housing, but I have never been shown so much love and acceptance. It was so hard to move away.

We then went to my very favorite FREE place in the world! The Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum. My kids have always loved this place (starting when K was only 1 year old). It turned out to be the same for the boys.

They had a blast pretending that every bear, tiger, lion, swordfish, giraffe, bird, bug, etc. was chasing them around the place.

They even got to pet a python. Oh, and my favorite thing about his picture is the man in the background picking his nose. Classic!

This visit reminded me why I send Christmas cards to Orkin. *shiver*

While getting gas in Provo, I saw this drive thru line for In-N-Out. I have only eaten at In-N-Out once, and I know that after I say this, many of you may never read this blog again, but I don't really see the big deal. Not a big enough deal to justify this kind of a line. I mean, it's no pretzel day at Dunder Mifflin. Am I right? Anyone....anyone.....?

After BYU, we hurried over to see some of my nephew's basketball game, got lost along the way, and ended up on this street. I took this little gem for all of you Lord of the Rings fans.

My nephew rocked the b-ball court and his team won by 36 points! I couldn't help but feel a little bit sad for the other team. But just a little.

As soon as the game was over, we booked it over to visit Vinny's grandparents. Meet Loma and Joe. (A.K.A. The Perfect Grandparents.) We had a great time just sitting and chatting. Grandpa just kept smiling and Grandma ran around cleaning and stuffing us full of cookies (made especially because we were coming).

As for me, I just sat there trying to stay awake. Their house is the most peaceful place I have ever been. And all joking aside, as soon as I walk through the door, I have to start fighting the urge to curl up like a cat in the sun and take a nap. They probably wonder how Vinny ended up married to someone so sedate. It's getting really embarrassing.

If I had 1/2 the energy at my age that Grandma has at hers, I could conquer the world. She amazes me!
Little P was a little unsure about being at their house. Well, at least he was unsure until Grandma whipped out the cookies. Suddenly, Grandma and Grandpa's was the place to be.

Little K was at her dad's house, so she missed this visit (which resulted in a few hours of tears upon learning we had gone without her). But Grandma and Grandpa had not seen little T in such a long time. It was wonderful to see Vinny with his grandparents and all three of our boys.

My brother Joe (the liar who says I ran him over twice), has asked us to go to the Myan with him for the last 4 or 5 times I have gone to Salt Lake. Of course I kept promising to go "someday." Well "someday" turned out to be last Saturday. As soon as we were done visiting the grandparents, we headed over to dinner at the Myan.

My beautiful sister, Leigh-Anne and her husband Joe (seen here giving me a hard time instead of smiling), came with us.

Lately, we have given up trying to feed little P anything healthy when at a restaurant. From the moment we sit down, all he ever wants is "bop." So we ordered him some "bop" and even a refill or two. Some of you may remember this story from years ago. ***flashback***

When little B was 3 or 4, he looooved root beer and french fries. Every time we'd eat out he'd ask for "beer and fries." Eventually he would ask for "beer and fries" whenever he was hungry. Before we knew it, "beer and fries" simply meant he was hungry or thirsty, so every time he wanted a drink of water he'd ask for "beer and fries" and every time he wanted some Lucky Charms for breakfast, he'd ask for "beer and fries." We'd be sitting in church and he'd yell out, "Momma, I want beer and fries!" Oh, what a guy!

Although this next baby is not technically mine, I want him. If Leigh-Anne is suddenly missing her youngest child, you may want to turn me in.

The boys all had a great time watching the divers and running up and down and up and down and up and down the ramp from our table to the water. And as for Joe, he was thrilled that I finally made good on my "someday" promise.

The only bad part of this trip (aside from the aforementioned bloody nose/diaper incident) was when little B was savagely eaten by this statue. Sad day my friends, sad day.

It was a great trip, and I really do feel like I accomplished so many things I have been promising to "someday" do. There are so many more things I want to post about my time in SLC. But I can't expect you to sit through allllll these pictures as well as a few videos. So, more to come, my friends. More to come...