Pumpkins

Look at those cute pumpkins!!!
Makayla painted the little one at the halloween carnival Saturday. We added glitter to the mouth and heart, but they fell off as the girls tried picking the pumpkin up to show me.
The potato head kit made for the perfect amount of work with two little girls. Plus, Nate got to use his drill.

There's a hole!

It's official, we are building a house!!! There is a giant sized hole in the ground where our future house will stand. Yeah!!! I think it's finally real to Makayla. We've been told no more than 110 from start to finish. 110 days from today is February 16th (thanks for counting Dad). That will work out perfectly. It would give us about two weeks before we have to be out of the rental. Then we wouldn't have to rush and move in before everything is ready. This way we'll have time to paint the girls' room(s) like we want, hang blinds, and not feel quite so rushed.

Here are the window wells and wood for framing the footings.

Makayla could hardly contain her excitment. We had to threaten her that she could go no further forward than the sidewalk. You get an idea of the scale with her in the picture.

Piles of dirt. Oh my.

That's going to be a big basement!

The garage looks kinda funny like this.

Halloween Carnival

Our ward isn't doing anything for Halloween this year, but we thought it would be fun to do something as a family. Tooele had a carnival, but it was October 20th. It was cold and snowy that day so we didn't even think about going. ABC channel 4 had a free Monster Block Party in downtown Salt Lake. We dressed the girls up and took them. It was a lot of standing in line for a little piece of candy. There were supposed to be more crafts, face painting, etc but Kayla had fun anyway. Allie well...

Here's the good witch!

And here's Cinderella with the handsome prince charming.

What a couple of cuties!!!

They had a photo area where they would take the kids pictures and print them as a souvineer. When we went over there they were way backed up on the printing and were taking a break. I just took the picture myself so we didn't have to come back and wait in line. Allison was so busy looking at all the kids in costumes she had a hard time looking at the camera.

This is what a meant by well... By the end of our time at the carnival Allie started getting really tired. Here we were surrounded by crowds of noisy kids and Allison fell asleep on my shoulder. She apparently wasn't feeling well because shortly after getting home she threw up all over Nathan and then peed on me as I undressed her for a bath. She's been fighting a fever since last night. Then today she accidently touched the fireplace and burned her index and middle finger. We'll be getting a screen this week. Poor baby!

They had a booth where the kids could decorate their own pumpkin. Makayla did such a cute job. They had google eyes, feathers, foam stickers, glitter pens, and markers. It was a fun idea. We did wait til the end though cuz neither of us wanted to carry a pumpkin around forever.

Here's makayla racing through the maze. She did a great job.

It's getting close!

We drove over to our lot to show Nate's parents Saturday and found a surprise. They had surveyed the land. There was an excavator parked right by our lot, paint on the ground, and rebar markers in the corners. It was pretty neat to see how it will look on the lot. The backyard is huge. They even drew some vehicles in the garage for us.


This is about where our front steps will be when the house is done. We're going to try and get some pictures from about this same point every few weeks to show the progress.

We met with the building superintendent last Tuesday so we knew the building permits were close, but this looks like they are done. We're going to drive by Monday night and see if they have started the digging.
Yeah!

How To Know if Someone is Tired?

How do you know if someone is really tired?

Well, first they fall asleep in the middle of a noisy room. Second you have to repeatedly wake them to go upstairs and go to bed. Finally they manage to struggle out of the chair and up the stairs. You think they've gone to bed. No! They are really really tired when you find them asleep like this.



Poor Nathan!

Curler Girls

Makayla had her primary program last Sunday. I decided to put curlers in for the big day. Allison thought it looked like so much fun, we did her hair too. This was the first time she has ever had curlers. Surprisingly she left them in all night long. Unfortunately we forgot to get a picture in the morning. ooops

Hello Harrison

Amy brought her new dog Harrison to stay for a week. The girls were so happy/nervous to meet him.

Makayla and Harrison developed a special bond right away. She loves getting kisses, and he loves giving them.


Allison loved calling Harrison to come by her and lick her hand, but she didn't want him to close.

This was definately too close.

Both girls had fun giving Harrison his toys. By the end of the week Makayla was quite good with him. She knows how to feed him, take him potty (and even cleaned it up on her own while Amy was taking pictures), and play with him. Of course, now she wants a puppy too.

Mommy says we'll talk in a few years about a pet. Daddy says no.

I Got An Appointment!!!

This morning I received a call from the UofU neurology center. I got an appointment for December 7th at 12:45. I couldn't believe it. I was told 3-7 months; so this is actually getting in really fast. Yeah! We'll keep ya posted.

My Health

I just wanted to give a little update on my health for anyone interested. Let's see where to begin... I went to the University of Utah ER Friday October 5th after I started shaking again. The girls had already been put to bed so Melissa Murphy came over about 9:30pm. We got home the next morning about 8am just in time for her to hurry and get ready for work (Thank you so much Melissa we really really appreciate it). The ER docs basically just gave me the same medicine I'd been given when this happened in August. They told me to go see my family practice doctor for further follow-up. Thanks a lot. (We only went to the ER after calling the emergency phone number of my cardiologist and having them tell me I needed to be seen.)

My Primary care doctor was out of town, but I got in at the clinic to a different doctor. She was extremely worried and got a second opinion from a PA who used to work in neurology. They agreed I have what appears to be an essential tremor and needed to go to the ER immediately so I could be seen by a neurologist. (They said a referral would take too long). Nate rushed home from work. Thankfully Mom had come to stay the week and babysit me and the girls. She kept them while Nate and I hurried back into University of Utah. After three hours in a waiting room I was going stir crazy. I needed to use the bathroom, so I asked Nate to come with me to find a different one and get out of that room for a little while. Anyway we'd all but made it back to our seats when I passed out and started shaking like crazy. That got us right in.

Long story short after many more hours in the hall on a gurney we were sent home saying only stroke victims get to see a neurologist in the ER. Thanks a lot. The neurologist did say he would try to get me in ASAP. Well, that turned out to be a dead end. I called back to my primary care doc for a referral.

Monday I went to see my POTS doctor just to make sure this wasn't a reaction to my medication. He said that shaking is in no way related to the medication. He said it sounded like a neurologist is who I need to see about that, but as far as the POTS goes I'm doing great. He had me make an appointment for a yearly checkup unless something else comes up.

BTW Monday was finally the end to my shaking (that's 10 days of shaking and feeling like crap). I have been feeling pretty good since except I can't drive, that is until yesterday. Thursday I started shaking again. It was bad enough Nate came home from work. It happened several times, and then today I feel good again. I really wish we could get some answers.

The neurologists apparently collect referrals and review them for about two weeks. Then they divy out appointments as they see fit. I would have thought SLC would have enough specialist, but apparently neurology is way under covered. So if anyone is looking for a good line of work... Now we're just waiting and hoping we can get an appointment in a reasonable amount of time. I just hope once we get in they'll actually be able to help us, especially if I'm not in the middle of an episode right then.


Anyway, please keep us in your prayers. We're trying to make this work. We even considered not building our house, but we still feel it is the right thing to do. We're just trying to have faith everything will work. We love you all and appreciate all the help we've received, especially Mom for coming and helping me so often and Dad for all the meeting in the middle and help you've given too. I'm sure you'd agree that drive gets longer and longer each time we have to make it. We couldn't do it with out you. Thank you!!! Amy and possibly mom we're really looking forward to seeing you and Harrison this week. Tell Deloy thanks for letting you come. Thanks again everyone who has given us any support and help. We really appreciate everything!


Love ya,

Lissa

Going Ghosting

There was a knock at our door Monday night at about 8:30. "Oh no" That was my initial reaction because I'd just put my pajamas on and we were getting kids ready for bed. However it wasn't the relief society presidency that I was worried about, it was a pumpkin full of candy with a note that we'd been ghosted. Makayla was almost giddy with excitment (bedtime-what's that?)
I wanted to come up with something unique but also not too hard for the three families we needed to ghost. Martha Stewart had this great idea for broom treat bags. They were way simple to make, and if I do say so myself, darn cute. Kayla was so proud of them. We were trying to deliver them last night when first the relief society presidency did stop by. We took the picture, and oops Allie pulled the handle and tie off one of our brooms. Nate and Kayla ran the other two to nearby neighbors while I fixed the third. Before they could head out with the third broom, another knock came at our door. The bishopric stopped by to see how we were doing. It's nice to know they care. Kayla however was getting worried it would be too late and was anxious to get the visit over with. We had a nice little (LLLOOONNGGG) talk and then FINALLY the last ghosting was finished. Kayla loved it so much, she's already asking who else we can ghost. Allie was just mad I wouldn't let her eat all the treats and mad Daddy wouldn't let her help deliver the brooms. Oh well, maybe next year.

Raking Leaves? Playing in Leaves!!!

After coming home from a not so much fun day at the doctors and then going to look at some new construction, Kayla saw all the leaves on the ground. She got so excitted and asked if we could find her rake. Of course one thing led to another and we all had some fun. Allison wasn't quite sure she wanted those things put on her, but after seeing how much fun her sister was having she decided to join in.












Unfortunately I had to call it quits early, but the girls got to stay and play some more. Then Nathan got out his blower/vacuum (a gift from a boss who downsized to a condo) and vacuum up all the leaves.

We Love Daddy!

The girls are always so excitted when Daddy comes homes. The beeping of his truck sends them running to the windows and doors. We love Daddy!!!

Daddy's present

Amy helped me with a little, I mean BIG surprise for Nate's birthday. We secretly took pictures when I was in Pocatello without Nathan. Then she put together this darling picture. It is so much fun and did I mention, huge. He was shocked to say the least. It looks great over the couch. We're so lucky to have a photographer who is so darned talented. (Not to mention the stealer deal she got me) Thanks Amy.