7.28.2019
Utah Invitational Champs
James's team won their first soccer tournament since being on the premier Arsenal team. They have all played together for one year. The first tournament they played together last summer was hard and they lost every game. It's fun to see how far they have come over the past year.
Cousin's Bake Sale
In keeping with tradition, we had a bake sale while Charlie's family was in town. I made peanut butter bars and Swig copycat cookies. Also there was strawberry lemonade, peanut butter cookies and double chocolate cookies. Then they sold some crafts also. They were a good looking crew. The first day they set up at Grandma's house.
There were left overs and so they decided to do another bake sale the next day at my house. I was so grateful for the support of all my neighbors.
There were left overs and so they decided to do another bake sale the next day at my house. I was so grateful for the support of all my neighbors.
Lava Hot Springs
We had so much fun at Lava Hot Springs last year that we wanted to go again. This time Charlie's family and my parents came with. We stayed at the same camp ground, Mary's Place. It is an awesome campground, clean, shaded and nice bathroom/ shower facilities. We all arrived Monday night. We sang to Kaden since it was his birthday.
Tuesday we went to the "water park." It's really called the Lava Hot Springs Swimming complex but water park is so much easier.
Wednesday we rafted the river. That night we went to the hot springs. They were hot and not quite as enjoyable on a warm summer night.
During down time the kids rode bikes around. Wednesday night Sienna crashed and scraped down the side of her body and got five slivers in her hand. In the past she has not done well with slivers. I mean no one likes them and it definitely hurts getting them out but she's not afraid to scream at the top of her lungs. She screamed and screamed. I held her down while Marshall got them out. The girls' camp next to us came over to make sure she was ok.
Going on trips with cousins is so fun. Especially with Charlie's family because everyone has a buddy. This picture totally captures how much fun Taggart and Conner had together. They were honking the horn on Lynnlee's bike.
Charlie's camping style is much fancier. He had a TV on the outside of his trailer.
James went trail running with Marshall on Wednesday.
Then he took Kaden and Tanner fishing. Kaden got a fishing pole and tackle box for his birthday so this was the first time he got to use it. Now he wants to go fishing every day.
Everyone was worn out by Wednesday night. Kaden and Sienna fell asleep while we were roasting marshmallows.
Thursday our family reunion ended and we moved to a camp ground where our ward youth conference was held. The camp ground was dry, no shade, not very good facilities, and no water hook up. I felt like we had gone from Nauvoo to Zion :)
Thursday the youth arrived and set up camp. Then everyone went to the water park. James had fun with some of the young men. Kaden and Lynnlee were buddies. The minis and I hung out. Marshall had fun with the young men and going off the platforms.
Friday the group rafted the river. Marshall, James and Lynnlee went with. The minis and Kaden didn't like the bigger rapids so I stayed back with them at the campground. The one good thing about our camp site the river went past it. There were no rapids and we could get in on the east side of camp and get out on the west side. It wasn't the longest ride but enough to keep the minis and Kaden entertained. We rode the inflatable flamingo and it was the perfect size for four of us. At the end of the day when Marshall got back he dropped us off higher up the river, after the rapids, and we rode back to camp. The minis and Kaden loved that.
Saturday we cleaned up and headed to Brigham City. The youth toured the tabernacle and then went to the temple. I took the kids to see Secret Life of Pets 2. Then we met back up and headed home. Definitely a fun filled week at Lava Hot Springs.
Tuesday we went to the "water park." It's really called the Lava Hot Springs Swimming complex but water park is so much easier.
Wednesday we rafted the river. That night we went to the hot springs. They were hot and not quite as enjoyable on a warm summer night.
During down time the kids rode bikes around. Wednesday night Sienna crashed and scraped down the side of her body and got five slivers in her hand. In the past she has not done well with slivers. I mean no one likes them and it definitely hurts getting them out but she's not afraid to scream at the top of her lungs. She screamed and screamed. I held her down while Marshall got them out. The girls' camp next to us came over to make sure she was ok.
Going on trips with cousins is so fun. Especially with Charlie's family because everyone has a buddy. This picture totally captures how much fun Taggart and Conner had together. They were honking the horn on Lynnlee's bike.
Charlie's camping style is much fancier. He had a TV on the outside of his trailer.
James went trail running with Marshall on Wednesday.
Then he took Kaden and Tanner fishing. Kaden got a fishing pole and tackle box for his birthday so this was the first time he got to use it. Now he wants to go fishing every day.
Everyone was worn out by Wednesday night. Kaden and Sienna fell asleep while we were roasting marshmallows.
Thursday our family reunion ended and we moved to a camp ground where our ward youth conference was held. The camp ground was dry, no shade, not very good facilities, and no water hook up. I felt like we had gone from Nauvoo to Zion :)
Thursday the youth arrived and set up camp. Then everyone went to the water park. James had fun with some of the young men. Kaden and Lynnlee were buddies. The minis and I hung out. Marshall had fun with the young men and going off the platforms.
Friday the group rafted the river. Marshall, James and Lynnlee went with. The minis and Kaden didn't like the bigger rapids so I stayed back with them at the campground. The one good thing about our camp site the river went past it. There were no rapids and we could get in on the east side of camp and get out on the west side. It wasn't the longest ride but enough to keep the minis and Kaden entertained. We rode the inflatable flamingo and it was the perfect size for four of us. At the end of the day when Marshall got back he dropped us off higher up the river, after the rapids, and we rode back to camp. The minis and Kaden loved that.
Saturday we cleaned up and headed to Brigham City. The youth toured the tabernacle and then went to the temple. I took the kids to see Secret Life of Pets 2. Then we met back up and headed home. Definitely a fun filled week at Lava Hot Springs.
Minis and Kaden Birthday Bash
We had quite the three days of birthday madness. We decided to tackle birthday parties for three kids all in one day. We rented a big inflatable slide. We also got out the slip n slide. Kaden's friends came earlier in the day.
The minis friends came later. It was madness when they were both opening their presents. At first it started off controlled and organized and then they just went crazy and I couldn't keep up.
That night we hosted the Jarvis July birthday party. All of my family was able to be there except Katie's family. It was crazy to host the same day as two other parties but at the same time it was fun that the cousins could play on the slip n slide and inflatable slide.
Jack is so fun and entertained all of the younger cousins. It just shows that you are never too old to play with cousins.
Sienna's and Taggart's birthday was the next day. It was a much calmer day. I still can't believe they are five-years-old!
Kaden's birthday was Monday. He is now 7!
The minis friends came later. It was madness when they were both opening their presents. At first it started off controlled and organized and then they just went crazy and I couldn't keep up.
That night we hosted the Jarvis July birthday party. All of my family was able to be there except Katie's family. It was crazy to host the same day as two other parties but at the same time it was fun that the cousins could play on the slip n slide and inflatable slide.
Jack is so fun and entertained all of the younger cousins. It just shows that you are never too old to play with cousins.
Sienna's and Taggart's birthday was the next day. It was a much calmer day. I still can't believe they are five-years-old!
Kaden's birthday was Monday. He is now 7!
4th of July
It seems like we pick the wrong years to wake up at 5:00 and go to the hot air balloon festival at the Freedom Festival. We woke up to a clear sky and no wind so we decided to go. When we got there none of the balloons were inflated. So we had breakfast which takes place at the same park. We watched and waited and found out it was too windy higher up and so it wasn't safe for the balloons to go up. It was so disappointing. Then we saw some start to inflate. I was so happy to see that the early morning was not all wasted. James spent about twenty minutes in the port a potty so I took this picture while I was waiting next to it. I felt so sad about his stomach problems and then seeing the air balloons inflate helped me feel a little better.
I loved the sun shining around this balloon.
We counted 29 balloons by the time they were all inflated. Now that is pretty cool to stand in the middle of.
It was a cooler morning but I didn't want to watch the parade sitting in the sun. We found a nice spot in the shade and instead my kids complained about being too cold. You just can't win.
We were so tired from our early morning that we all came home and took it easy for a few hours.
We decided to get out the painting supplies and paint something patriotic.
Have you seen the giant snaps? It is so crazy how loud they are.
Our neighbors are the best to bring back the Cul de Sac of fire this year. They invited the neighborhood over for dinner and fireworks. A crazy storm blew in during dinner so we were glad to be able to go inside and take cover. Our original plan was to go to Thanksgiving Point so we were glad that ended up changing. Also it was so cold after the storm that we were also happy to be close to home to be able to get more coats and blankets from home.
I loved the sun shining around this balloon.
It was a cooler morning but I didn't want to watch the parade sitting in the sun. We found a nice spot in the shade and instead my kids complained about being too cold. You just can't win.
We were so tired from our early morning that we all came home and took it easy for a few hours.
We decided to get out the painting supplies and paint something patriotic.
Have you seen the giant snaps? It is so crazy how loud they are.
Our neighbors are the best to bring back the Cul de Sac of fire this year. They invited the neighborhood over for dinner and fireworks. A crazy storm blew in during dinner so we were glad to be able to go inside and take cover. Our original plan was to go to Thanksgiving Point so we were glad that ended up changing. Also it was so cold after the storm that we were also happy to be close to home to be able to get more coats and blankets from home.
Lynnlee's Annual Heart Check Up
Lynnlee had her annual check up and echo-cardiogram with her cardiologist. Her echo looked great but her O2 sats were 88% which is lower than last year. When her last surgery was done when she was 2 years old, a hole was left open called a fenestration. She still has mixing of oxygenated and unoxygenated blood because of that. They can close the hole if it would help Lynnlee's sats and not negatively affect her pressures. Next summer she will have a cardiac cath and they will see if closing the hole would be beneficial. Next summer she will also start the Single Ventricle Survivorship Clinic which includes a team of doctors. The team includes specialists in cardiology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, and pulmonary. She will have a whole work up to see how the rest of her body is being affected by her single ventricle heart.
With Lynnlee's oxygen being lower I asked the cardiologist about hiking. He talked about how when we are at higher elevations her oxygen is lower which makes it harder for her. Lower oxygen means lower functioning organs and brain which isn't helpful for her over time. So due to Lynnlee's health and James's stomach problems I decided to stop our weekly hikes. It was fun while it lasted but not worth it if it's affecting their health negatively.
This photo was taken after Lynnlee returned from a book club where they got to do cake decorating.
With Lynnlee's oxygen being lower I asked the cardiologist about hiking. He talked about how when we are at higher elevations her oxygen is lower which makes it harder for her. Lower oxygen means lower functioning organs and brain which isn't helpful for her over time. So due to Lynnlee's health and James's stomach problems I decided to stop our weekly hikes. It was fun while it lasted but not worth it if it's affecting their health negatively.
This photo was taken after Lynnlee returned from a book club where they got to do cake decorating.
James's Braces and Other News
James had a follow up with the orthodontist at the beginning of summer. Rewind to last year when James had a consult and the orthodontist said he would most likely not need anything for two years. So going into the follow up I expected to hear that we would be waiting another year to start the process. That was no the case though. Things had changed and he had some teeth growing in crooked and basically everything else he said was just a blur. Dr. Payne gave the timeline of everything and put in spacers that day to get ready for an expander to be placed. It was a busy few weeks and then at the end of the month he had the expander in and bottom braces put on.
Other News...
James has had stomach problems all of his life. He was such a colicky baby. Then it got better from ages 1-5. When he was 5 years old the stomach issues returned. A chiropractor in Orem treated him with a treatment called ASA. It took away his problems which was a huge blessing because the twins were newborns and life was crazy!
Last summer the problems returned. We went back the the chiropractor and did some maintenance treatments with ASA and NAET treatments. We saw some improvement but then in April things got worse. May was bad and then in June it was the worst it has ever been. I didn't really understand what was happening at the time so we tried to keep up our summer activities. It was hard on him though. He needed to be near a bathroom a lot so our weekly hikes were brutal. Getting to soccer practice has been tricky because the worst symptoms are in the mornings when he has practice. We went back to the chiropractor and he said James had a fungus. It made sense looking back. I think everyone in my family go a fungal infection over spring break from a pool at the condo we stayed in. I just think James didn't get over his infection. So he treated him and he started taking a probiotic. James started to get over the worst of it but still not back to normal. My sister Ali told me about a blood test that gives you results of all the foods you are sensitive to. I decided this is what James needed. We ordered it through my friend from high school who is now a dietician. We met with her a week after the blood draw to get the results. They were way worse than I expected. She explained that James has leaky gut and is sensitive to SOOOOO many foods! It's not that he's allergic but just sensitive. Here is the list: cinnamon, mustard, peppers, almonds, cashews, cauliflower, cow's milk, egg yolk, blue #2, yellow #5 olive, oregano, peanut, kidney beans, soybean, corn, and wheat.
Wow!!! Can you even figure out what to feed him that doesn't have gluten, dairy, corn, soy or eggs?! I mean when you read labels you soon figure out that one of those is in everything. It's really quite depressing and the few days after her meeting were quite hopeless. My family came through to lift us up since many of them have been gluten free for over a decade. I have two sisters who also have similar sensitivities and they also offered encouragement, advice, knowledge on where to buy ingredients and foods he can have.
The dietician taught us about a food elimination program. He went off all these foods/ingredients on July 15th. He also had to avoid all dairy for the first ten days but now he can have cheese and yogurt. He will avoid the foods listed for 90 days. After that we will slowly add things back in except for the cinnamon, mustard, and peppers. He was extremely sensitive to those so he will have to wait 6 months to have those again. The goal in all of this is for his gut to heal and his immune response to stop reacting.
Tomorrow it will be two weeks down. Eleven more weeks to go. So far it has been hard. The grocery budget has tripled. For one loaf of bread it is $8!!! A half gallon or rice milk is $4!!!!
I am also getting very fluent at reading labels.
I love the show Chopped on Food Network. I feel like a Chopped champion because each meal I'm trying to make something nutritious, tasty and filling out of a few ingredients. Last Sunday we had pot roast. The beef broth I had wasn't gluten free so I just added water, salt, pepper and onions to the crock pot. To thicken the gravy I used arrowroot starch. It was interesting but it worked. To make mashed potatoes I used coconut oil instead of butter and rice milk instead of milk. They actually tasted normal.
I am always wondering how others without the gospel in their life live each day. I have said many prayers for help. It has been a difficult trial and also difficult to find answers of who can help James. He received a blessing before starting his new diet. It's hard being a kid and not getting to eat the things everyone eats. I didn't have to go through anything hard like this while growing up. Through it all I have felt the comfort and peace of the spirit. I have felt guidance and direction. I am so grateful for my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Other News...
Last summer the problems returned. We went back the the chiropractor and did some maintenance treatments with ASA and NAET treatments. We saw some improvement but then in April things got worse. May was bad and then in June it was the worst it has ever been. I didn't really understand what was happening at the time so we tried to keep up our summer activities. It was hard on him though. He needed to be near a bathroom a lot so our weekly hikes were brutal. Getting to soccer practice has been tricky because the worst symptoms are in the mornings when he has practice. We went back to the chiropractor and he said James had a fungus. It made sense looking back. I think everyone in my family go a fungal infection over spring break from a pool at the condo we stayed in. I just think James didn't get over his infection. So he treated him and he started taking a probiotic. James started to get over the worst of it but still not back to normal. My sister Ali told me about a blood test that gives you results of all the foods you are sensitive to. I decided this is what James needed. We ordered it through my friend from high school who is now a dietician. We met with her a week after the blood draw to get the results. They were way worse than I expected. She explained that James has leaky gut and is sensitive to SOOOOO many foods! It's not that he's allergic but just sensitive. Here is the list: cinnamon, mustard, peppers, almonds, cashews, cauliflower, cow's milk, egg yolk, blue #2, yellow #5 olive, oregano, peanut, kidney beans, soybean, corn, and wheat.
Wow!!! Can you even figure out what to feed him that doesn't have gluten, dairy, corn, soy or eggs?! I mean when you read labels you soon figure out that one of those is in everything. It's really quite depressing and the few days after her meeting were quite hopeless. My family came through to lift us up since many of them have been gluten free for over a decade. I have two sisters who also have similar sensitivities and they also offered encouragement, advice, knowledge on where to buy ingredients and foods he can have.
The dietician taught us about a food elimination program. He went off all these foods/ingredients on July 15th. He also had to avoid all dairy for the first ten days but now he can have cheese and yogurt. He will avoid the foods listed for 90 days. After that we will slowly add things back in except for the cinnamon, mustard, and peppers. He was extremely sensitive to those so he will have to wait 6 months to have those again. The goal in all of this is for his gut to heal and his immune response to stop reacting.
Tomorrow it will be two weeks down. Eleven more weeks to go. So far it has been hard. The grocery budget has tripled. For one loaf of bread it is $8!!! A half gallon or rice milk is $4!!!!
I am also getting very fluent at reading labels.
I love the show Chopped on Food Network. I feel like a Chopped champion because each meal I'm trying to make something nutritious, tasty and filling out of a few ingredients. Last Sunday we had pot roast. The beef broth I had wasn't gluten free so I just added water, salt, pepper and onions to the crock pot. To thicken the gravy I used arrowroot starch. It was interesting but it worked. To make mashed potatoes I used coconut oil instead of butter and rice milk instead of milk. They actually tasted normal.
I am always wondering how others without the gospel in their life live each day. I have said many prayers for help. It has been a difficult trial and also difficult to find answers of who can help James. He received a blessing before starting his new diet. It's hard being a kid and not getting to eat the things everyone eats. I didn't have to go through anything hard like this while growing up. Through it all I have felt the comfort and peace of the spirit. I have felt guidance and direction. I am so grateful for my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Toy Story 4
With Charlie's family in town we really packed in the activities. One afternoon we all went to Toy Story 4. Even better was that we went to Water Gardens on a Tuesday and everyone got popcorn and a drink with the movie.
Family Bike Ride
Charlie's family brought their bikes when they were visiting from Texas. So we decided to take our kids' bikes. My parents have bikes of their own plus the tandem. Basically there were enough for everyone to go on a family bike ride. It was so awesome! We spent some time at the new "dirt hills" while the kids rode around and went off jumps. Good times!
Tandem bike tricks...
Tandem bike tricks...
Provo Veterans Pool
We spent a day at the Provo Veterans Pool with cousins. When I say spent a day I mean we were literally there from opening until 9:00! The outdoor pool closed at 8:00 so I thought it would make it easy to leave but everyone headed to the indoor pool and didn't want to stop.
We took a pizza break at dinner time.
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