Happy Birthday Me
Today is my birthday. The kids all wanted assignments for the day, so Hunter is making me a cake, Hannah is making a poster, Emma is making breakfast, and Sabrina is helping.
This is my kindergarten picture. I think it’s my favorite of all the school pictures. And I love the smocking on the dress. I wish I had more chances for smocking with my girls, but it seems scary to try, and I don’t see it much in the stores.
Read MoreOh My Siwash!
Hannah received this beautiful sweater from her talented Auntie Holly. Apparently, this style is called a “siwash.” Being a California girl, I’ve never heard of it, but she said it’s a Canadian thing. Hannah just LOVES it, and couldn’t wait to wear it to school to show her teacher and friends the cute puppies on the back. I let her wear it with strict instructions not to leave it on the floor or the playground, since she has been known to do both of those. I’m so glad that it’s still a little big, so Hannah can wear it for a long time. It is gorgeous and I’m totally in awe of Holly’s abilities. She also did a matching one for our cousin Estee. I just wish the girls lived closer, so we could get some pictures together! Thank you so much Holly!!
Hannah was happy to do a photo shoot for me:
Oh Deer!
On Thursday afternoon, the kids were all playing in the backyard after school. I heard Sabrina cry and didn’t think much of it because it seemed like an argument type of cry. A couple minutes later Hannah came and told me I needed to see something outside. I walked outside to see Emma carrying Sabrina toward the door. Then after lots of questions from me I was told that the concrete statue of a deer (with antlers) had fallen on Sabrina when she tried to climb onto it. I guess she wanted to ride on it’s back, and it fell over pinning her down at the shins. Emma had been able to move the deer off of Sabrina enough to pull her out from underneath it.
After holding Sabrina on my lap for a while, I went to go look at the fallen deer. I wondered if it had broken and how heavy it was. Nothing on it had broken and I could not move it at all! The thing is solid; I’m guessing at least 200 pounds. Emma must have had a real adrenaline rush to have moved it at all. I came right back inside and Sabrina was still sitting very quiet and still with sort of a blank look on her face. I knew she had really been hurt because she seemed to just be in shock. I called Rob and he gave me the answer I was hoping for. He came right home. I then took Sabrina to the Urgent Care center, and Rob went with the other kids to Open House at the elementary school.
The doctors decided we should definitely take an x-ray. Sabrina was really nervous and did not want anything to do with the doctors or the big x-ray machine. But she was a tough girl and didn’t fight it. She was just quiet and sad. When the results came back there was one bit of good news- only one of her legs had been effected. However, the left tibia was fractured in five places! So the nurses put a splint on it, and called the children’s hospital orthopedics to tell them that I would be calling to come in. By now it had been over 3 hours since we arrived, so Sabrina was very ready to come home and sleep.
That night Sabrina slept in our bed with us, and shortly after midnight Hannah came in crying saying she was worried about Sabrina’s leg. I told her she would be okay, but Hannah still climbed into bed with us too. I made up a little bed on the floor, and moved Hannah onto it twice during the night, but she kept waking up and wanting to be right there with Sabrina. It was very touching to see her concern for her little sister, but also heart wrenching to see her get so upset about it.
The next morning I called the children’s hospital and was told I couldn’t get in for a cast until Tuesday. I told them that the doctor at Urgent Care was very clear that she needed to be in a cast that day (Friday). After being transferred twice, I found an orthopedic nurse who had compassion and common sense and she found us an appointment for 10:00. Rob and I brought her to the hospital and the doctor there was nice and helpful. He looked at the x-rays and said that Sabrina could do a below the knee cast since the fractures were not spiral and the bone could take the movement. I was relieved because having a full leg cast would be really hard for her.
before the cast
prepping the leg
setting and wrapping the cast
the finished cast
Sabrina will wear her cast for 4-6 weeks. The doctor said if an adult had this same injury, it would be 4-6 months in a cast- Another example of how miraculous a growing body is! She cannot bear any weight on it for the first two weeks, but they gave her a little boot that she will use when she can walk with it. She chose light blue because she and Hannah love Silvermist and the other water fairies.
We celebrated being done with the doctors by going to get lunch and a happy meal. Sabrina would only let us get it for her if she could wait to eat it at home. Once we got home and she had her lunch she really perked up and has done very well since. I think this first week with be tough, but luckily it is our Spring break and we can stay home and the other kids will be here too to help entertain her. The toughest thing for me is when she says, “I’m sad because I want to be normal.” I keep telling her that she will be, and every day will get a little better.
Read MoreAn Historical Family Trip
The Mormon Battalion Museum in San Diego was upgraded and recently reopened. We made a family outing out of the opening day. It was very crowded, so we didn’t see much of the museum itself, we’ll have to go back another time and take a better look, but there were a lot of activities that we did enjoy. As a little background here are some passages from the article linked above:
About 500 men enlisted in the Mormon Battalion, and about 80 women and children traveled with them. They began their journey in the sweltering heat of Council Bluffs, Iowa, on 20 July 1846, leaving their loved ones behind. The battalion completed one of the longest infantry marches in American history—about 2,000 miles (3,220 km) through what are now seven states and into Mexico…
[In the museum]“They will find out about the major contributions by the pioneer Latter-day Saints in the settling of the West. They were instrumental in building part of the transportation corridor from San Diego to Salt Lake City where Interstate 15 now runs. In 1847 San Diego’s first courthouse was built by members of the Mormon Battalion from bricks they had fired.”
I showed Emma all I know about panning for gold. We did find a few gold specks!
I forget what this game is called, but Hunter could keep this thing going for hours if he wanted to.
The girls all made pioneer baby dolls that were authentic to how they would have been made by the pioneers.
We were all given some biscuit dough to wrap around a spool of wood on the end of a stick. Then we held it over the coals for a while to bake.
Sabrina thought they were pretty good! Too bad we found out after we ate them that there was also hand churned butter and homemade jam to put on them. Oh well.
Hannah took a turn at washing some laundry with a bucket and washboard.
The extra pioneer activities were part of the reopening and are not offered on a regular day, so it was a special treat to experience some history!
Read MoreDie Hard Fan
Emma has now read the Harry Potter series 3 times! She loves all things related to the story and loves many of the characters, not just Harry. After she finished reading the series the first time, our family had a Harry Potter marathon and watched all of the movies in one weekend. Her favorite character is Ginny because “she is a tough girl, and not so frilly.”
Emma has decorated her bedroom to look like a Griffindor dorm room. In the attached picture you can see pictures of the characters from the movies posted on her wall, and a reading corner with books, quill, and “parchments.” She wrote her own spell book based on what she found in the books, and made a “shelf” on the wall for “potions” she has crafted with paper and glitter etc. For Christmas she got a wand from her grandparents that came with a book which she adores. Emma just recently started saving her money for tickets to the Harry Potter park in Orlando. Because we live on the West coast, she has a long way to go before we can get our family of six there. She is determined though, and has all of her savings ($70.00 or so) in a canning jar bank in her bedroom.
Here is a more recent picture of her in her room.
How Not To Be Discouraged
Recently my Mom gave me a little blue card that was given out at a Youth Conference when I was twelve years old. I remember this conference because it was the first one I went to as a “Young Woman” and we had a great church leader speak to us. Actually, maybe it was part of our Stake Conference and not actually just for the youth, but I remember that it seemed like a big deal that Elder Gene R. Cook wanted to talk directly to the youth. This was in the days before the For the Strength of Youth program began so it was more unique to have something directed at us from a visiting General Authority. I was sitting on the left side of the chapel and he had a chalkboard on wheels brought in for his presentation. On the chalkboard he listed the main points of his talk, and they were also made up into little business card size reminders that we could take with us. I took the faded blue card that my Mom gave to me and put it in a picture frame. I gave that to Hunter for his room. It makes me feel better to know that as he heads into the middle school phase of life he has this list ready for him if he should be discouraged, or need the comfort of the Lord.
I love how Elder Cook lists things so simply, and since my oldest is fast approaching the age I was when I received this advice, I wanted to make a record of it. I tried to find a typed copy of the talk. What I found was more recent, but seems to be the same as what he presented to us back in the 80’s. Read through the talk if you get the chance. It’s wonderful!
I’ll list here what it says on my card, and in italics write how it’s listed in his talk from 2000:
How to Invite the Spirit Immediately
“How Not To Be Discouraged”
1. Pray
2. Read Scriptures
3. Testify
4. Sing
5. Express Love to God and Man
6. Share Spiritual Experiences
7. Seek a Priesthood Blessing
How to Discourage Discouragement
Prayer
Scriptures
Cleanliness
Testify
Hymns
Love and Gratitude
Share Spiritual Experiences
Priesthood Blessings
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