The Keele Family

Five years ago today ...

2010-10-12T16:37:00.000-06:00

I posted this on my health/fitness blog, but wanted to post it over here too.

October twelfth is one of those days that I will never forget. Five years ago today, I was in a car accident along with my daughter (Aubrey) and her friend (Avery) after I had picked them up from Kindergarten.

This is Aubrey (she was 5 at the time) looking in at the damage. Haunts me every time I see it.

When I see this shot I am amazed that we were able to survive and am SO grateful that Aubrey didn't suffer any broken bones (she was sitting in the back on the driver's side). Thanks goodness for booster seats!

Short story is, we were t-boned. Aubrey and I were life-flighted to downtown hospitals, Avery was sent by ambulance to a local hospital. Aubrey had a concussion and spent the night in the hospital. I had multiple broken bones and several surgeries and spent a month in the hospital, 3 months in a wheelchair and another 3-4 months on crutches. You can read the long version here.

I marvel each year as the anniversary comes along at how far things have come since that day. Most days the experience is just a distance memory, but it always seems that around this time of the year I start counting my blessings. I am grateful:

To be alive! And I'm grateful that the accident didn't happen 10 weeks earlier (when I was still pregnant with my son). So glad that Aubrey and Avery had relatively mild injuries.
To have had a full recovery. Makes me appreciate all the things that I can do with the body (including TWO half marathons!)
For my family and friends. It was truly amazing to be lifted up by those who love us as we went through this trial.
For the perspective that this time brought our lives. I don't know why it takes bad things happening to really help you to see the big picture, but I am grateful none the less.
For miracles. There were so many (small and big) miracles that happened during this time.

May I always be able to hold these blessings close to me. Here's to the next five years!

So much to do, so little time!

2010-07-04T22:55:00.002-06:00

I always have grand hopes of coming here and telling you all about what's going on in my life! But then another day (week, month) passes and nothing. I still intend to put pictures here as time permits, but am going to stop feeling guilty when I slack on this, because that just means I am putting more time into other great things!

I have been working on my exercise blog, so come visit if you really, really want to hear a bit from me! ;)

http://carriezworld.blogspot.com/

There's something missing!

2010-06-13T20:17:00.003-06:00

Man, my baby is growing up!

We noticed his front two teeth were wiggling a couple weeks ago. I told him all about how the tooth fairy works and how cool it is he was growing up. Well, he did not agree. With a big tear in his eye he pleaded, "But Mommmmmmy, I don't WANT my teeth to break!" Awe, sweet boy!

Now with the tooth gone, he thinks it's pretty cool. ;)

By the way, I'm taking a photography class and loving learning how to actually use my camera. I used this photo as part of my first assignment. Can't wait to learn more!

2010-06-13T20:09:00.002-06:00

For some crazy reason, I decided to run 13.1 miles. For the SECOND time in my life. Did I not learn my lesson the first time around? Maybe running is like child birth, you forget all of the gory details until you are already committed. Taylor was really supportive of me during my training (he even joined me on 6am runs!) & he and the kids met me twice along the race route.

This picture is take at about mile 10. I gotta say, seeing them across that bridge brought tears to me eyes and really gave me the boost I needed to go on!

On the final stretch. I felt soooooo much better this time compared to two years ago.

It's great to share goals with friends. We each had different goals going into the race and we each blew them to pieces ... WE ROCK!!!

I love snuggles!

2010-03-17T09:10:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite ways to start the day is with snuggles. I'm lucky to have two kids who love to snuggle. Aubrey had gotten older and has other priorities, but Braden still LOVES to snuggle, and I gobble up every bit of it while I can. If we don't get to have snuggle time in the morning, he makes sure we have it as soon as we get back home.

Now that we have early church (okay so it's 9am, but to us that is early!), there is not always time to snuggle before church. A month ago, we went straight to my mom's house after church. On the way, Braden sounding quite distraught said, "MOM! We forgot to snuggle!" Just as the tears were welling up in his eyes, I promised we could struggle as soon as we got to Grandma's house. Luckily my mom gets it ... we walked in, said "hi" and went upstairs to have a good fifteen minutes of snuggle time.

Bedtime snuggles are also quite yummy. It's where we get to talk about the day and plan the next day. Braden will even initiate our convo saying, "So mom, how was your day? Tell me about it!"

Yesterday Aubrey had a tough day at school and was in tears as we worked through things. She was about to head to the kitchen to start homework with hunched shoulders. I asked her if she needed a hug and she ran over and we got in some good huggle time (cross between hugs and snuggles!) She may be growing up, but it makes me so happy to know she still needs her momma sometimes!

Love it, love it, love it!!!

It was a poopy kind of day ...

2010-03-16T21:00:00.010-06:00

No, really ... it was!!! I swear Braden is going to grow up to be one of those adults who can only poop in his toilet at home. Like he'll probably drive home from work every afternoon to do his duty, or figure out some really great work from home job so he is close to the john.

Today we went to the park with my sis (yes, it was 61 degrees, hallelujah!) and he had to go number 2 (okay, I should just say poop, why am I trying to be all proper now?!?) No prob, there's a restroom right by the playground. As we are getting closer he starts telling me he doesn't really have to go anymore. Nice trying, even his eyes were turning brown at that point. Braden hates the park bathroom because they are silver and because the sound echoes making the flush reeeeeally loud. After promising to not flush until he was outside and promising that the toilet was nice even though it looked weird, I was able to get him inside. Ten minutes later (anxiety does not help speed things along) with me praying the whole time that no one else would come in and flush, he did his business. Thought we were good.

Got home and his tummy wasn't feeling well, so he climbed into my bed for a snuggle. I thought maybe he was tired out. About twenty minutes later I hear him whisper, "i did a poooh." I ask him to clarify and he tells me, "it's a big one." Oh greeeeat. I thought we were done with the accidents, but apparently not. It was bad. It was really bad. There was a lot of it. It made me cry. Literally. I think I thought if I sat there long enough someone would come in and clean it up for me. I even said (without thinking of course) "I don't want to clean this up." Braden says with a totally serious, concerned face, "Hmmmm, what are we going to do about that?" I put my mommy hat back on and took care of it. Let's just say, he won't be wearing those underwear again.

If only ...

I am Sad

2010-02-23T00:31:00.005-07:00

WARNING: This post may be a downer (as if you couldn't tell from the title!) but it's just where I am right now and I have such a urge to get these feelings out.

SECOND WARNING: This might go on for a while so reader ... beware!

Brief background: on January 21st, Taylor's mom, Susan Elaine Keele, passed away unexpectedly from a blood clot. There was no warning and we are still in a state of shock about it. I would like to write more later about the story, but for now I want to focus what's going on right now.

I snapped this shot of her at Antelope Island last fall when she wasn't looking. I just love this picture of her!

I've been dealing with things and thought I was okay. We got through the horrible night when we heard of her death and the day after when we made the trip down to Castledale and that was really tough. Then all the prep for the funeral, that was hard. We got through the funeral (which was beautiful) and cemetery and that was really hard. The day after the funeral was really, really hard, watching Kent break down. I've supported Taylor and I've watched and talked with the kids as they have digested this death in their own way and of course I've cried ... lots! Nut then life went on, but today I realize ... I'm sad.

Today I went to the mall to pick up something for my mom. I walked past a jewelry store and the memory flooded back to last year when Aubrey and I walked past that very store and ran into Kent and Susan. Susan was showing off a new emerald ring that Kent had bought her (I think it was for their anniversary). We chatted and went our separate ways. As that memory rushed in I could hardly hold back the tears before I made it to the van and just cried. I don't know what it was, whether it was realizing that I would never just "run" into her again or the fact that Kent won't have her for the next anniversary. There's the fact that Aubrey's birthday is this week and she won't get a visit from her. That makes me feel sad.

Once I composed myself, I made the drive home thinking I was good. I was looking forward to giving my mom a big hug as I knew she was waiting home for me. That's when the frailty of life really crept into my mind. You know how when you're a kid and death is something that just doesn't happen to people you know? And when it does happen, it's a crazy bizarre thing? Well, somehow now at the ripe age of 31, I realize this is part of life (I know, duh, right?). The fact of the matter is we are born and then we die. I've been looking at the people in my life who I am the closest to, Taylor, the kids, my mom and sisters, Taylor's family, our friends ... and realize I am going to have to deal with death. And that makes me really sad.

I started thinking about my mom, who has had some health scares this week. I can't imagine having her die. The thought is devastating to me. I thought of all the memories I would have that would remind me of her love for us. When I'm sick, I call my mom. When I'm sad, I call my mom. When I'm happy, I call my mom. You get it. I think in the back of my head I was prepared for that "someday" to come when I would be ready for death, but I don't think I ever will be ready. And that makes me sad.

I haven't been able to sleep at night lately. During the day I just want to sleep. Nap. Lay down. I keep my mind busy with other things, make myself do things: I made this really cool meal planner for the fridge, you should see it!, work on school (did I tell you that my professor LOVED my bio/comp paper and used it as a model for the class?), been hanging out with friends ... but when that's all over I just want to crawl into bed and snuggle up. I keep waiting for that yucky feeling to get better. But I'm still sad.

Braden talks about death several times a day. It is very present for him. He keeps reminding me (apparently he thinks I'm going senile!), "Mom, remember Grandma Susan died?" He has had a couple of teary moments, one when he walked in the room and I had my eyes closed and he yells, "Mom! Ohhhh, I thought you were dead!" with tears in his eyes, and another when he came running from my bedroom and said, "Mom, I don't you want you to EVER die!" and gave me the biggest hug ever. He was worried when I touched his hands and commented that they were cold, saying, "Does that mean I'm dying?" (To him, cold hands equates you are dead.) I promised him that I won't die for a looooooong time and not to worry. In the back of my head, I know I can't keep that promise. I have hope, but there's no guarantee. I picture what it would be like if Taylor died, and I can't even go there except to know it would be horrible. Am I a bad mommy to promise him I won't die for a long time? I wish I had an absolute for him, it makes me sad.

Aubrey is a trooper. The first week, especially those first few days were pretty rough. We did a lot of crying and she talked through a lot of hard to understand feelings. She was brave and shared her favorite memory with Grandma at the funeral. She realizes that Grandma won't be able to go to her next orchestra concert. She won't be getting to add any letters from Russia in her notebook (Kent and Susan were preparing to serve a mission for our church in Russia and Susan made notebooks for each of the grandchildren to keep their letters from Russia). She has told me that it now feels normal for Grandma to not be here and that makes her sad and I totally agree, it's very sad.

Taylor seems to be okay, but I worry about him. He is really good at bottling up things and making it seem like he's fine. He lost it once pretty big a week or two after the funeral, but aside from some small moments, doesn't show a whole lot. I know it is not that he trusts me, it is just not something he has ever done ... let it all out. I hope I can be the safe place for him to come when it does come out. I know his heart is broken and that makes me sad.

I guess what I realized in getting this all out is ... that I am sad. I think I tried to just pick back up with life, thinking (hoping) that it would just get back to normal. Tonight I realize that I need to let myself feel this. It's okay to mourn. Not Just Susan's death but the reality that is ahead. Life is hard sometimes and sad.

I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of the plan of salvation! The knowledge that one day I will get to see Susan, and all my friends and family. I may be separated from them for a time, but that grief will be but a wink of an eye in the scheme of things. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I can't imagine going through this without the comfort our Heavenly Father gives us. I know that I can't and will probably not on this earth be able to understand why we have to go through heartache and trial, but I know that it will be worth it. There are good things that we come out of trials with, even if just the fact that we got through it intact. As painful as this is, I am not alone and I do not have to bear the burden alone. But for tonight, I am sad.

Merry Christmas 2009!

2009-12-24T16:09:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

My Violin

2009-12-22T15:41:00.003-07:00

Back in July, Jay Durfee (the father of one of my girls that I work with at church) brought this violin to me, which he had just finished making:

I fell in love with it from the minute I laid my eyes on it. I have been playing on the same student violin that I started on back in the 4th grade, and while it has served me well, it doesn't have the ability to play as well I would like it to. In the world of violins, there is quite a difference in sound quality based on the materials used and if it is handmade or machine made. Most student violins are machine made out of artificial materials, to make it cost effective.

Jay Durfee started making and restoring violins within the last year. He is self taught (I KNOW!) and does amazing work! When he brought this violin to my house, while I loved it, I knew I couldn't afford a new violin. Not for many years. Too many other things taking precedence right now. To my shock (surprise, astonishment) he offered it to me. He said that he got really attached to his violins and that he knew one day he would have to learn to part with them to people he didn't know, but right now he would like it if I would take it and play it, and tell him about any improvements that he might make. I was flabbergasted. At first I thought, no way ... that was way too generous. The more we talked, the more I realized that he really wanted me to have it ... and it would mean a lot to him if I accepted it.

So, I accepted this precious gift with the promise of playing it lots. Not only have I fulfilled that promise (played at my mom's wedding, several duets with friends for various events, in church for Christmas, etc.), but I cherish this violin. I can't tell you how much it warms my heart. This year, Aubrey started violin in school, and I was able to turn over my old student violin to her so the legacy continues! (Okay, that is cheesy, I know!)

Since July, I have wracked my mind trying to find a way to repay Jay, besides the thank-yous and letter. Yesterday I came up with a great idea of a Christmas present. First, I did a photo shoot with my violin and came up with this awesome shot:

Then I got a see-through picture frame and printed out some black vinyl letters to come up with this sign to hang in his shop:

I really hope he likes it and that he can begin to understand just how much this violin means to me.

4 years since the car accident

2009-10-12T09:36:00.002-06:00

This is Aubrey is front of the Camry. She was 5 and had just been released from the hospital the day before and I was still in the hospital for who knows how long. This picture gets me every time, because even though I can't see her face, I can just see all the emotion that is there.

Four years ago today, I was on my way home from picking up Aubrey and Avery from kindergarten when we were t-boned by a jeep running a red light. (Talking on a cell phone of course.) It was that split second that turned our lives upside down. Funny how things happen like that. If you want to read the whole story, and my whole story I mean loooooong, you can read it on my blog here:

http://the-keeles.blogspot.com/2008/07/remembering-car-accident.html

If you don't want to read to long story (and I don't blame ya!) Aubrey and I were life flighted, her to Primary Children's and me to U of U Hospital. Avery was the only one that was conscious and remembers it. (Avery is 6 months older than Aubrey and they grew up like sisters, since I watched her from the time she was a baby while her mom worked.) Avery was taken by ambulance to the hospital and had some stitches on her forehead. Aubrey had stitches to her forehead and suffered a concussion which kept her in the hospital overnight. I suffered a broken shoulder, rib(s?), left hip and pelvic bone and had internal bleeding where the removed my spleen and fixed my kidney and live. Taylor (who had been laid of from work the week before which ended up being a blessing, since he was home with 10 week old Braden) didn't find out about it for several hours (the whole ward knew before he did ... this was back in the days of dial up and people couldn't get through to him, since he was job hunting). I spent the month in the hospital. The first few days on a ventilator, had several surgeries including a screw in my pelvic bone (see the pix below) and remained in a wheelchair while things healed for about 3 months. It was a long recovering, but there were many great things that came from it. (Okay, this was supposed to be the short story!)

This is not a great scan of my xray, but it will work. Most people ask how I am doing now, and I can't complain really. I do get sore where the screw is and this time of year (weather changing) is when I have been noticing the most pain. But hey, doesn't every one have a bad back or bum knee? I can pretty much do everything I want to do and even ran a half marathon a year and a half ago, something I would have never thought possible 4 years ago!

So, take today to hug someone you love and remember what's really important. I am grateful to all my friends and family who pulled us through this hard time, I will NEVER forget what you did! (Taylor, my Mom and Tammy who took turns being with me around the clock ... Mom dropped everything and flew out here from Florida, staying for 7 months. Stacey who made me cute hospital nightgowns. Susan who took care of Braden, neighbors & young women who did countless hours of service). I'm grateful to the kindness of strangers who stopped to take care of us (Tara, I am remembering you and the kindness you had to hold up Aubrey's head until the paramedics came!) And I love all of my new friends and am grateful for you! I really am blessed and grateful to be here!

Love,
Carrie

Braden plays T-ball

2009-10-04T15:43:00.005-06:00

We signed Braden up for fall T-ball this year, and oh my! It is quite comical to say the least. Four year olds pretty much don't listen, and as a result, the "game" is hysterical! Taylor is the coach and has been having fun taking on that responsibility. He's not sure he will do it again ... maybe when the kids are older and might actually take direction!

A couple of weeks ago, during a Saturday game, it was pretty warm outside and Braden was calling to me from the outfield ... "Mom, I want to sit in the shade, Mom, it's hot, Mom, I don't like hot!" He really likes hitting the ball and running the bases. Here are some pictures:

This is his baseball pose, with no pointers from me.

Excited to play!

With most of the team at the first practice

Coach Dad helping Braden with his form

Way to hit the ball!!!

Running to home base, the long way!

Ryanne Mariah Wood

2009-10-04T15:17:00.005-06:00

Okay, so I know it's been like 4 months, but I have lots of good excuses! ;) I won't bore you with them.

Taylor's sister, Jaime and her husband Tony, just welcomed a new baby to their family (lucky number 4!) We got to go down to visit with them last weekend. Here are some fun pictures ...

Her face is smooched here, but I thought it was cute! It was fun when she was awake, we all gave her lots of attention!

Aubrey is quite possibly the most baby hungry girl I've known! I hope her future husband is ready! She could easily be the mother of 7.

I had to take a bunch to get any with her eyes open. That darn flash is so bright!

This is big sister Andee (not quite 2) who absolutely LOVES her new sister. All she wants to do is hold and touch Ryanne!

I took a bunch of pictures of Andee and Ryanne, because it was so cute to watch them get to know each other!

Ryanne looks a little worried here! I think it was the flash, not Andee!

Lots of kisses!

Here is Kendra, the biggest sister! Bradley & Braden were off playing and didn't want much to do with the baby!

Little Red Riding Hood Bike Race 2009

2009-06-14T14:13:00.006-06:00

Many of you know that Aubrey and I have been training for our first bike race which we completed on June 6th. This was an all girls race in order to raise money for breast cancer research. Aubrey and I did the 15 mile distance, Samantha (Taylor's sister) did the 39 mile distance and Stacey (my sister) did the 47 mile distance.

Here we are before the race, excited and raring to go!

(Aubrey, Stacey, me, Sam)

Here's one of Aubrey and me. We had fun trying to find matching clothes!

Samantha ... just about ready to head out

and she's off!

Aubrey and I were the last group to leave. We couldn't have asked for better weather!

Taylor and Braden met us on the tailend of our race, this is with about 4-5 miles left to go. Still smiling!

Here we are coming into the finish ... feeling great! We finished in 1:29:03 which was right on for our training pace. I'm proud of Aubrey, she was a little worn out for the last little part (the wind was blowing REALLY hard on the way back which meant you had to peddle twice as hard to go half as far) but she did a great job and stuck it out!

This is Stacey coming in to the finish line. I can't remember her time (just over 3 hours, I think) but she did great! The longest she had ridden previously was under 30 miles, so she really pushed herself ... way to go sista!

These lais were our medals!

Samantha coming in at a strong 3:30 hours!

Way to go, Samantha!

Here's another group shot after it was all over. Maybe a little tired, but happy for sure!

I've decided I like bike riding MUCH more than compared to running. (Last year this time, I ran the Ogden half marathon) So much so, I splurged and bought a bike trailer so that I can bring Braden with me and Aubrey and I can ride bikes whenever we want all summer. The biggest reason we didn't do a longer distance is that we didn't have time to train any longer than we did because we had to juggle the time from when Taylor got home from work and the other committments we had going on during the week.

I've got a list started of girls that want to ride this race next year. Let me know if you want to join us! It's a fun, non-competetive race for a good cause. With distances from 15 miles up to 100 miles, it works for every rider.

Rain, rain, go away ...

2009-06-14T14:03:00.004-06:00

Actually, we've been LOVING all this rain we've been having. Sure it doesn't feel like summer yet, but I will be the last person to complain about that! I love thunder and I love being able to turn off the sprinkler. When I lived in Florida, we had thunderstorms every afternoon in the summer (they last for like 20-30 minutes with clear weather before and after) and so all these storms bring back fun memories.

On one of the nights, Taylor was off at a meeting and we decided to be a little crazy and go out and run around in the ran (sans lightning at this point!). At first, Braden was not sure about it, but he quickly realized just how fun it was!

I love this picture of Aubrey ... you can see pure joy in her face. How did I get so lucky to have such awesome kids?!? If you can't see the picture very well, click on it to see a bigger copy.

Braden was nervous at first, but would go out holding my hand.

Then he got brave enough to go out on his own!

Have you been enjoying the weather?!? We sure have!

Memorial Day Part 3

2009-06-11T11:28:00.007-06:00

I sure took a lot of pictures Memorial Day weekend! These are the last of them (I think!)

This is a shot of Grandma Lois' house. It's a fun place for the kids to explore.

All kinds of places to explore.

This is the big tree. Hatch family tradition, that's for sure. It's about a 5 minute stroll from the house. You can't visit the cabin without making a visit to the tree!

See ... look how big that tree is!!!

Sandy and Randy's (why can't I remember her name?) little one totally fell asleep on Randy's lap while eating her icecream cone!

Uncle Mike built this hot rod about 4 years ago. We all took turns going for a ride. It was lots of fun (and kind of scarry too!) It was great fun until I burned my leg on the muffler as I was getting out of the car. Yes, Mike warned me before the ride, but I totally forgot about it. Two weeks later and it is still healing!

Aubrey thought it was pretty fun!

Even Braden got to try it out

He ABSOLUTELY loved it!!! Can you tell?

Grandma Susan and Sophie were a little anxious about it!

As you can tell, it was a great weekend. I love it when we can spend time with family and the kids can create their own childhood memories.

Memorial Day Part 2

2009-06-10T22:48:00.004-06:00

We had a small lunch at Grandma Lois' house on Sunday and then a BIG family lunch on Monday for Memorial Day. Here are some pictures (surprise, surprise!):

This is Randy and Sandy's little one ... isn't she cute?!? (Cuteness seems to be a theme in our family!)

Lois and Fred have this really fun house up in the mountains outside of Boise. There are all kinds of cool things to do there including all kinds of swings and hammocks.

Grandpa Kent

Lois always inspires me when I visit. She grows her own food, bakes her own bread ... she doesn't even know how to make something out of a box. Maybe this is why at 87 she is able to walk up and down the mountain with ease.

Taylor pitched in on the cooking ... impressed?

Taylor and Braden with some cheesy smiles!

Some candids of Sunday lunch

Wow, a candid (kind of) picture with me in it!

Grandpa Kent telling a story to Sophie!

Uncle Steve and Grandma Lois

Marrianne, Aubrey and Braden. Aubrey and Marrianne became best of friends this weekend.

A rare picture of Fred. Fred is great to allow us to come in a take over the house!

Aunt Ellen

Aubrey had so much fun!

We played lots of Skip-Bo, Grandma's favorite game!

It was a long day apparently!

I have even more pictures, but I'll probably put those in another post, since I want to go to bed now! ;)

Memorial Day Weekend Part 1

2009-06-10T22:07:00.015-06:00

Wow, I've got lots of pictures lately, huh? Well, pictures are my favorite, so hopefully you enjoy them as much as I do! For Memorial Day weekend, we decided last minute to go up to Boise and visit with Taylor's Grandma (Lois Hatch-Wells, Taylor's Mom's Mom) and Fred (Taylor's grandpa died years ago and Lois married Fred.) It was great to be able to see lots of family on that side that we haven't seen for ages. I absolutely love Grandma Lois and really enjoyed the weekend.

On Saturday we went to the temple since Lois was working there along with several family members. It was my first time in the Boise temple and it was fun to be there with family.

On Sunday, we went to church with Lois and Fred and afterwards we visited the cemetary along with many of the Hatch family members. This is the gravestone for Leland Hatch, who is Lois' husband who passed away. (He's the father of her children.)

Right next to Leland is Terry's grave. She is Susan's (Taylor's mom) sister who died of MS at a young age (32). She was a gorgeous girl who had a lot going for her. Leland and Terry were sick at the same time ... it must have been so hard for Grandma Lois.

Had the throw in a shot of my cute boy!

Some candid shots of the family

and some more.

4 of the 6 Hatch kids with Grandma. Darlene, Lois, Susan, Ellen, Steve.

another cute Braden shot!

Across the road from Leland and Terry's grave is the grave of Aaron and Helen Jeppson, which are Lois' parents.

We gathered together and listed to Grandma tell us stories about her Mom and Dad. The grandchildren and great-grandchildren never met either and so it was fun to hear the stories she had to share. She talked about how her father did a lot of traveling for work as he built freeway overpasses. She talked about some of the different towns they lived in.

I wish I could have recorded what she said because I can't remember the details of what she said, but I remember that she talked about her mother with such love. She said that she wished we could have known them. Her father served in the army and she remembered that there had been a military gravemarker in addition to the gravestone he shared with his wife. But no one could find it.

Upon further investigation, we found the gravestone under the grass ... the grass had grown over it completely. Luckily Dan had some tools in his truck, so we could clear the grass ...

and brush the dirt away ...

To show the stone. I was surprised to see that he served in World War I ... wow!

Before we left, we had to get a picture with Grandma Lois!

Wouldn't be complete without a cute Aubrey picture!

Aubrey's Power Award

2009-06-10T17:22:00.003-06:00

Every year at Aubrey's school, there is a special award that students can work towards. Most students will receive one throughout the year, but not always. Aubrey has been working especially hard for hers and was so proud to bring the note home announcing she would receive it. Here is Aubrey receiving her Power Award (this year the theme was "Power of One" and everything was related to this principle that one person has the power to change the world.)

Mr. Jameson hands her the award. I love that our principal encourages programs like this to reward good behavior!

All of the Power Award recepients

An up close shot

It's always fun to look back and see how the kids have grown, but especially now as 4th grade is over, I look at the girl that Aubrey is now and I am just so darned proud of her! She is smart, inquisitive, creative, beautiful, fun to be around, thoughtful, quick witted, loyal, sensitive, centered, spiritual ... I could go on and on. Sometimes I catch a glimps of her as she walks by and can't believe she is so grown up. I am still looking for my two year old Aubrey! I hope time slows down a little and I can enjoy these next nine year before she is off on her own! Love you Aubrey!!!

Saige's Baptism

2009-06-10T14:21:00.008-06:00

Still getting caught up ...

In May, Saige (Taylor's brother's daughter) was baptized! Aubrey and Saige are best buds.

Here is a picture of Saige with of the guys who were in the prayer circle.

Trent, Kacie, Gavin, Ryker and Saige Keele

We never have family shots, so now we make a point of getting a family shot whenever we can! ;)

Grandma and Grandpa Keele with Saige

Aubrey and Saige

Afterward, we gathered to chat and have some brunch ... thanks for the yummies, Kacie!

Saige!

My cute girl!

That big smile is because he's ready to eat!

I love taking candids!

Can't remember her name, but she is cute!

More candids

Taylor's parents brought up a couple of boxes of his old stuff ... here's his Dolphins jacket from back in the day. Had to throw it in just 'cause!!!

Easter 2009

2009-06-09T22:41:00.011-06:00

I'm so way behind on here, time to get caught up! Here are some Easter pictures. We went up to Logan and spent some time with family and my aunt Sharon and Steve's house. It was a blast!

It all started with a visit from the Easter Bunny:

Aubrey got a cool Cats calendar along with other goodies

Braden's favorite thing was his Darth Vader shirt

Sharon and Steve have an amazing back yard which makes for a really great Easter egg hunt (notice the shorts Braden is wearing with his church top ... he totally pooped all over his pants that matched the outfit, it was BAD!)

More hunting!

Aubrey made quite the haul!

Braden mostly wanted to play on the slide!

Taylor took a picture of me and Aubrey from atop the hill

Aubrey was all about gathering as much as she could!

See how fun the yard is?!?

We decided to get a family shot ... but to get one where the kids were both smiling was tough!

We had the yummiest dinner ... I swear our family makes the best food!!!

Some random shots of dinner

More ...

You'll have to ask Stacey what she was thinking ... what do you think?

That is one cute baby!

The day wouldn't be complete without games!

The kids were gone most of the night after dinner (Sharon and Steve have an AWESOME play room in the basement), but Braden came up to say "hi!"

Can't remember who won, but we had lots of fun!

I think this is about when dinner started kicking in! Thanks Sharon and Steve for a fun day!

Ramblings

2009-05-12T11:53:00.002-06:00

When I first started this blog, I hardly posted pictures. Now I have a hard time writing a post withOUT pictures! I'll go ahead and try! ;)

I'm very excited to start this new Bunco group! We have all 12 people, but if anyone out there is still interested, I could list you as a sub ... just let me know! For years I have talked about making more time for girlfriends and I am excited to be making time for that in my life!

For Mother's Day this past weekend, we drove down to Castledale to surprise Taylor's mom with lunch (thanks Kacie for the idea!) It was fun to be with family even if it was just for a little bit. Taylor got me a great book that I is one that I wanted to read (go Taylor!) and Aubrey picked out a necklace and earrings to match a new dress I have (go Aubrey!) I'm so lucky to have such an awesome family!

I can't believe this school year is almost over! I have PTA convention this week (two day training down at BYU) which really made me realize how close we are! Oh, anyone wanna help babysit?!? Color me a procrastinator! Next year this time I think I will be sweating it, since I'll be going in as PTA president ... this year it's all training.

(I told you this was ramblings, right?!?) We've decided that we want to do more camping this summer. We are strapped for cash, but camping is a cheap, fun way to get out ... any suggestions? Or if you wanna go with us, that would be fun too! The more the merrier!

Okay, that's enough rambling for now, I've got things I need to do!

Bunco anyone?

2009-05-01T15:59:00.004-06:00

A little while ago, I was invited as a sub for a friend's bunco game (thanks Emmalia!) It was so much fun! I've had a couple of friends mention they might be interested in doing a bunco group, so I'm asking you ... if you're in the area, would you be interested in being part of a bunco group with me?

Bunco 101 -

Bunco is a dice game (very easy to pick up), but basically the whole idea is a chance to get together with girlfriends each month to eat, gab, play and gab! There are 12 people in the group. You each take turns hosting the group and purchasing prizes. Everybody puts money each month into the pot. This is the money that buys the prizes.

My friend's bunco group members put $10 a month into the prize pot. There are 4 prizes each month ($50, $30, $30, $10). She gave out gift cards. We could stick with something similar or do slightly less (economy and all!) Let me know what you think.

Your commitment would be:

Attend bunco party each month or have a sub there. (You really need 12 people to be there!)
Host 1 bunco party a year (you provide dinner & snacks and have tables and chairs set up)
Contribute money each month for the prize pot (we could decide what's a good number)
If you choose to quit the group, help find someone to fill your spot

I think it could be lots of fun ... let me know!

P.S. I found a clip on youtube.com about Bunco ... this could be us (minus the drinking of course!)

Just a taste of the cruise

2009-04-13T13:26:00.002-06:00

Okay, so I have WAY too many pictures from the cruise to even begin to get them in one smilebox, but here's a quick over view of the cruise ...

(I have a lot more pictures on facebook, if you wanna see 'em!)

M ake a Smilebox scrapbook

Feeling creative again!

2009-03-30T11:20:00.004-06:00

Taylor and I have been busily getting ready to go on our cruise. One of the things I am really looking forward to, is that we will have to formal nights. In December, I found a really cute, hot pink dress on clearance for only $14 or something crazy like that. I've been trying to think of some jewelry I could make but have not felt creative until this weekend. Here is what I came up with ...

I made it with onyx, pearl, sterling silver and swarotzki crystals. I tried it out at church yesterday and I'm glad I did, because I decided to shorten it just a little bit. I wish I could take better pictures, because honestly this picture doesn't do it justice. I am SO in love with it!

Good News!!!

2009-03-27T13:55:00.002-06:00

Taylor got a job!!! Wohoooooooo!!!

Taylor was offered a job this morning and I really think this is the answer to our prayers we have been looking for. It is for a small company called, Anderson Computers, and they have contracts with several small businesses around the valley and in Park City. They handle anything from installing/maintaining the computers or severs, backup, troubleshooting problems and so forth. He'll officially start April 16th, when we get back from the cruise, on salary. But he'll start some training next week with them getting paid an hourly rate. Once trained, he'll be able to do a lot of the work from home (they have remote access to most of the computers/servers) and will only leave if they have a meeting or there is something he needs to do on site.

Thanks so much to all of you, for you love, support, prayers, leads and so much more! This could have been so much worse/harder than it was, but you guys made it so much more bearable!!!

Trevor and Leilani Volkman

2009-03-10T15:25:00.001-06:00

I was able to go up to Logan this past weekend and see Trevor and Leilani get sealed in the temple. It was such a wonderful celebration. Between me and Lyndi (Lei's friend) we took a million pictures on my camera. I narrowed them down and put them in a slideshow (gotta love smilebox.com!!!)

Make a Smilebox slideshow

January 2009 Birthday Celebration

2009-03-05T18:51:00.002-07:00

Here's another one I put together from a family get together back in January ...

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Aubrey turns 9!!!

2009-03-05T12:52:00.003-07:00

If it doesn't work the first time you click it, try again and it should work.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Slacking on our blog

2009-02-12T10:49:00.003-07:00

I have been a total slacker on this blog for the last two months! No guilt though ... just other stuff going on. There are quite a few things to catch up on ...

FIRST BIGGIE ... Last week Taylor got laid off from his job. That was a big bummer, but with the economy the way it is and so many companies struggling, it's understandable. I think we were prepared for being able to handle this and I know there is a great job out there for him which will be able to meet all of our needs.

If you know of a great company that needs a computer guy ... let me know! Taylor was working as Senior System Administrator, so for now we are working to find something similar. Or even some temp work while he's looking for a job, that would be awesome too!

SECOND BIGGIE ... I have started a new part time job this week. It's for UGA or Utah Genealogical Association. My Mom is on their board and told me about it. I am the administrative assistant and will be working part time from home do emails, returning calls, processing payments and so forth. The hours are totally flexible and allow me to keep my priorities and still do the things that are important to me.

In other news, Aubrey is getting ready to turn 9 on the 25th. She has been awesome about the job lose. I told her that until dad gets a job, we can't really spend money, so there will not be lots of birthday presents. She said, "But we don't have to spend $$ to have fun Mom!" So now I am trying to be really creative and think of inventive ways to have a fun birthday for her without spending money. Any ideas?

Braden is loving having Daddy home ... and so am I ... if only he could stay home AND get paid! Braden is (knock on wood) doing pretty good with the potty training and aside from an occasional accident, has been doing great! SUCH a relief! Boy are DEFINITELY harder than girls in my opinion!

That's the gist of it for now. I'll try to get some pictures up sometime, but no promises!

Still here!

2009-01-22T13:32:00.007-07:00

I have been having all kinds of inspiration and things going in areas of my life OTHER than this blog! I should put up a couple of Christmas pictures at the very least! ;)

Grandpa Kent read the Christmas story from the bible

Then we took turns ready other Christmas stories

So excited ... Christmas Eve with new jammies

Braden got this cool Star Wars ship from Santa. He carried this around all day along with the Darth Vader and Obi Wan action figures he got.

Aubrey got this doll from Santa. This is the 4th (or is it 5th) year that she has asked for one of these dolls. She absolutely loves them. She is now saving up her own money to buy one of the real American Girl dolls (they look like these dolls but cost close to $100!!!) I tried to talk her into something else, but this is what she wanted.

This is the calendar about horses ... you should see the calendar that Kendra got. (Inside family joke!)

The boys loved playing hungry Hippo (even though Braden doesn't look like it!) Notice, Braden has his ship right next to him!

Christmas Dinner

Air hockey tourney ... Tony won

Relaxing after all the fun!

Gingerbread house making fun

2008-12-24T10:16:00.002-07:00

We decided to make another gingerbread house this year. We went with the kit of course, since it comes with everything you need. Braden was a little confused as to why we weren't eating the candy, but was quickly persuaded to help decorate the cute house. Granted he ate anything that dripped or fell off the house.

This is the tricky part. Getting it to all stick without falling down.

The finished product ... do you see the big green blob on the right side of the roof, that was Braden's side!

Up close!

Christmas 2008 Newsletter

2008-12-22T15:32:00.003-07:00

So I meant to get a Christmas letter in the mail this year and it just didn't happen. I had a few friends send me e-mailed cards and I thought ... what a great idea! Here's our Christmas letter just for you ... when you click on it, it will open a new window. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to read the words! Enjoy and have a wonderful Christmas!

Make a Smilebox greeting

No Room at the Inn - UPDATE

2008-12-20T20:19:00.002-07:00

For those of you who read my post about our Young Women's night of caroling, I want to clarify ...

We set up the whole thing.

We (the leaders) arranged with each of the families to be turned away so that the girls could experience what Mary and Joseph experienced when they were turned away from each of the Inns. It was actually REALLY hard for them to say no to us or close the door on us. Sis. Korth even came to class on Sunday and apologized for turning us away! Even though it all made sense at the end, she hated doing it! ;)

I post this update because when talking with my Mom today, I realized that she thought that the families actually turned us away. Taylor thought the same thing. So, just in case anyone else thought our neighborhood was a bunch of bah humbugs ... they're not. They were great sports in helping us have a powerful evening!

Lunch with some old friends

2008-12-15T12:43:00.003-07:00

A week and a half ago, the kids and I got to meet some old friends for lunch (thanks for setting things up, Marlies!) Lizzy, is now living in Las Vegas and used to be one of my youth when I was a youth leader at my old church. Barbara is Lizzy's mom and an absolute sweetheart. Courtney lived in Apple Honey apartments and were the managers for a while. It was so fun to hang out for a bit and catch up. Here are some pictures:

Courtney and Barbara (Courtney just had a baby 3 weeks ago and looks AMAZING!!!)

Lizzy, Braxton (Marlies' son), Marlies, Braden

Me and Lizzy

I think I am officially caught up now ... whew!!!

Thanksgiving Pictures

2008-12-15T10:52:00.019-07:00

Okay, these are soooooo way overdue! I've been meaning to get these up for a while!!! My sister's and our families got to enjoy Thanksgiving at my Mom's new house. We had a blast together and had some amazing food. I swear, each dish was a culinary masterpiece. No kidding. Samantha (Taylor's sister) got to join us as well before she headed off to work. All in all it was so much fun!

Stacey hard at work in the kitchen!

Tam did the most work, however the only picture I had of her in the kitchen was pouring the olives!

My chef in training!

TJ sampling some of the chex mis that Taylor made

Taylor and Braden ... aren't they cuties?!?

Tyler and Stacey ... as I looked through the pictures I realized I took lots of pictures of Tyler. What is it about babies that makes you want to take pictures of them?

Our beautiful table. Stacey's boys did the Mayflower centerpiece and Aubrey did the name cards.

Cute Tyler

Aubrey full of smiles

Jeff and Taylor frying the turkey

Mom with her girls

Tannon with his GQ grin

Samantha and Aubrey

They boys (Taylor, Tracen and Steve) watching football

When it was time to eat, Tammy was just exhausted!

Tyler sat on my lap and ate from my plate. Guess my dinner tasted better than his!

The Keele family

Our Family Elf Dance!

2008-12-13T13:47:00.001-07:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Darth Vader and Storm Troopers

2008-12-12T12:30:00.003-07:00

If you have been around Braden lately, then you know that is he obsessed with Star Wars right now! If he had his way he would sit and watch Star Wars all day while playing with his Star Wars figurines, ship and light sabers. You get the idea. So, when I heard that the storm troopers were going to be at Albertsons yesterday for a Toys For Tots promo, I knew we had to go.

I packed Braden in the car and told him we needed to go to the grocery store. As we parked and I went to get him out of the car seat, he spotted Darth Vader standing just in front of the main doors. His eyes squealed with delight as he quickly explained to me what he saw. He couldn't move fast enough to get out of the car. As we walked to meet Darth Vader, Boba Fett came outside as well. Braden gripped my hand tightly as we got closer. Darth Vader was very nice and talked to him for a few minutes. Braden answered his questions, visibly in awe. We decided to go into the store, so we could take a picture with all of the characters (there were at least 6-7). I think it got overwhelming when he saw them all together, because as I tried to get a picture, he started crying and dug his head into my shoulder. Darth Vader tried talking to him again, since they had a connection, but it was too much for him!

We walked to another part of the store, so we could talk away from all of the excitement. I could tell he really wanted to go back, but was overwhelmed. We decided to go around and get a picture with just Darth Vader out front ... he was excited for that. I think he felt out numbered when they were all together. (Afterall, on the movies, aren't they always fighting each other? I bet he must of thought they were going to break off into a war if he stuck around!) I got this picture with Darth Vader and one of the storm troopers ...

Notice how he is biting his lip and watching them veeeery closely! I had no make up on or anything as I was not planning on having my picture taken, but oh well. It was worth it so that he could have this picture now. He loves this and starts talking a mile a minute when he sees it!

Family Pictures

2008-12-11T20:08:00.003-07:00

We went up the canyon to take pictures with the new camera on Sunday. We were not quite prepared for how cold it was, and hard time getting and pictures where Braden was not upset! I played around in PaintShop for some cool effects. Can't wait until I really learn how to use this new camera!

This one is the best family picture overall. It's one of the few where Braden was smiling. We had so many others that were better for the rest of us, but awe well. You take what you can get!

This was a fun pose.

Aubrey just found the pose on her own and said, "Take a picture, Mom!" She's so photogenic!

On this one, Braden was pulling up this bright, multi-colored Christmas blanket. After playing around in PaintShopPro, I was able to make it look all one color. It kind of looks like a knitted blanket now. This picture is what prompted the sepia, because I really like it but wanted the focus on him, not the blanket.

Here's our family in color.

No room at the Inn ...

2008-12-10T21:59:00.007-07:00

Okay, it has been WAY too long since I last posted. I have several things to catch up on, but I wanted to start with the story of our Young Women's activity tonight.

For those of you who don't know, starting last month I am now working with the Young Women in my church which I love, love, love!!! We have activities every Wednesday night. Some fun, some spiritual, some learning, some a little bit of everything. Tonight we decided to take the girls caroling, since it is getting close to Christmas. I absolutely love caroling and wish people did it more often. (It's kind of a lost form.)

We thought we would start out caroling to the bishop and his counselor's (since they were there having a meeting at the church). We knocked on the door and started to sing when the bishop hushed us and told us they were in the middle of an important meeting. Oops, didn't think that one through!

We headed off to the first neighborhood. We went to the Porter's house (bishop's wife and daughters were home). We got there just as they were getting in the car to leave. We asked if we could sing them one song before they left. Kim apologized but said they were already late and had to run. Strike two!

We headed down a couple houses to the Trapp's. Aubrey's nickname for Brother Trapp is "nice guy" so surely we won't be rejected yet again. Bro. Trapp answered the door with a smile and just as we began to sing, he explained they were right in the middle of a discussion with the missionaries. Surely our carol could add to the discussion, but I guess not because next thing we knew, the door was shut in our faces. We're trying not to make it mean anything at this point. We decide to try a new part of the neighbor, so we hop in the cars and are on our way.

We stop at the Korth's house, knowing that if home, Sister Korth will surely appreciate us. (She is in the Stake Young Women's Presidency, so it's kind of her job, right?!?) We ring the doorbell and start singing (if we start singing, then maybe we can get the whole song out this time!) Sis. Korth is surprised to see us but quickly starts apologizing profusely explaining that she is in the middle of a presidency meeting and they are pressed for time. Wait aren't WE part of the reason she's having the meeting ... can't she make time for us???

We the head down to the Scott's house. We heard that Sis. Scott is sick and think that perhaps we can cheer her up. We see her daughter through the window. We begin singing. We see Sister Scott come up from the basement (the front door is all glass), walk past us and then turn out the lights. Apparently she doesn't want to spread germs.

We leaders decide to huddle and make a plan. Things are not working according to "the plan" and we don't want the girls to get discouraged. Obviously our ward is full of scrooges or something!!! I think of a friend of mine who lives close by, she's due any day now. I know that she is home and would never turn us away. So we head over to Angie Gray's house. Not only did Angie listen, but all the kids were there too. We actually got through the whole song! When we finished I thanked Angie for letting us sing to them and explained we had been turned away 5 times and we freezing! She told us if we were cold, we were welcome to go to the barn to get warm (did you know Angie has horses?)

As we head to the barn, we hear a very mellow version of "Silent Night playing" and see some bales of hay set up in a u-shape. We sat down and listed to a story from Shannon. I don't have the story she read, but here is some of the points:

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed” (Luke 2:1).

This was really a registration of the citizenry of the empire of Rome. Herod made a decision that people should be counted in the land of their ancestors. Mary and Joseph, then living in Nazareth, had to travel southward to the city of David, a distance of approximately 70 miles (113 km). Perhaps they traveled even farther if they went around the hostile intermediate province of Samaria.

Almost certainly they traveled with relatives who likewise were summoned to the land of their ancestry. This difficult trek was no doubt made with their animals, such as dogs and donkeys. They likely camped out several nights, as three to four days would have been required for that journey.

“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn”

(Luke 2:7).
Elder Russell M. Nelson

Iimagine being full term and having to travel over 70 miles on a donkey.

I wonder if Luke did not have some special meaning when he wrote not “there was no room in the inn” but specifically that “there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7; emphasis added). We cannot be certain, but it is my guess that money could buy influence in those days as well as in our own. I think if Joseph and Mary had been people of importance or wealth, they would have found lodging even at that busy time of year.
I have wondered if the Joseph Smith Translation also was suggesting they did not know any influential people when it says there was no one to give them room in the inns (see JST, Luke 2:7).
Russell M. Nelson

If you didn't already guess, we set things up. We arranged to be turned away 5 times for seemingly different reasons. Our ward is NOT full of scrooges, it was actually very hard for them to turn us away and they didn't want to do it at first! We often just read over "no room at the inn" and got on to the rest of the story. Tonight we had a little taste of what it is like to be rejected over and over. I can't imagine the worry that Joseph had for his wife, knowing she needed a warm, safe place to stay. Most men I know, want to provide for the women in their lives and I sure that Joseph was no exception. Mary already knew her role as a mother was going to be an especially important one. She surely wanted a place to deliver her son in peace. Not only were they turned away because some of the inns were full, but also because they were poor and would not be able to pay the price. Finally they found someone who would listen and allowed them to stay in a stable with the animals.

I wonder what emotions Joseph might have had as he cleared away the dung and debris. I wonder if he felt the sting of tears as he hurriedly tried to find the cleanest straw and hold the animals back. I wonder if he wondered: “Could there be a more unhealthy, a more disease-ridden, a more despicable circumstance in which a child could be born? Is this a place fit for a king? Should the mother of the Son of God be asked to enter the “valley of the shadow of death” (Ps. 23:4) in such a foul and unfamiliar place as this? Is it wrong to wish her some comfort? Is it right He should be born here?”

But I am certain Joseph did not mutter and Mary did not wail. They knew a great deal and did the best they could.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

That's another thing that it is easy to overlook. The filth and smell that was surely present in the stable. Tonight we were lucky to be in a clean barn that was set up for us to rest comfortably. But Mary and Joseph were thankfull for the space they had as they brought the Savior into the world.

I am grateful for this activity, because even though I knew what was going on, it was so touching and quite a learning experience for me. It is always so easy to get caught up in the commercialism of the holidays. Experiences like this that help me to feel the true spirit of the season.

NKOTB

2008-11-18T13:51:00.006-07:00

First, I am still waiting for two more people to post to the Pay It Forward blog. Come on people, don't be shy!

Second, I've got pictures for the NKOTB concert! (Thanks, Kacie.) For those of you who don't know (lame ... jk) NKOTB stands for New Kids on the Block. Back in the day, I'm thinking 6-7 grade, I was in love with this band. My first celebrity crush was on Joey McIntyre. They went their separate ways about 15 years ago. This year they reunited and are on tour. Thanks to Stacey, I was able to get free tickets and a bunch of us girls on Taylor's side went to the concert. We were on the floor, 30th row. I have to say it was so much more fun than I thought. It was a childhood dream come true! Mostly it was fun to just let loose and enjoy a great show. Here are some pictures:

These pictures are so not in order (I hate how blogger puts them in the opposite order!) But here we are after the concert. Front row is Jamie, Kendra, Aubrey, Saige and me. Back row is Kacie, Susan and Sam. Can you tell we've had a night of fun? The girls did great considering it was almost midnight!

All in white.

This was the last song ... Hangin' Tough. They did mix of old and new songs. Even had some of the old dance moves. But it was not as cheesy as you might think. Just fun!

Just a little bit of Jordan with the fan blowing his shirt open. That one got the girls screaming!

About 1/3 of the way through the concert, they came to this round platform in the middle of the floor. It was only about 20 feet away. They sang about three songs here and it was amazing. You could see the beads of sweat. This picture is great ... Joey is singing right to me! ;) Can't you tell?

Saige and Aubrey

Okay, maybe I was a little TOO excited. Really, I was just cheesing it for the camera.

Jamie and Kendra

Kacie. Now why couldn't I have been cool like her? Hehehe

Someone in the audience threw this shirt to Donnie and he put it on. Notice what it says ... "I love Mormon Girls." Cute!

They really hammed it up and made it fun.

Natasha Bedingfield was one of the opening acts. That was a fun surprise!

Awe ... me and Aubrey!

Pay it Forward

2008-11-14T11:31:00.007-07:00

So, first I have to apologize to Emalia for taking SOOOOOOOOOO long to get this post up. I kept putting off taking pictures.

So, a few weeks ago, I received a "Pay it Forward" gift from Emalia. Here's how it works ... the first three people to comment on this post will receive a small but fun gift from me. Could be homemade, could be a re-gift that you would like better than me, could be service ... you get the idea. If you're out of the area, not a problem ... that's what we have the mail for silly!!!

I received some yummy homemade banana bread (we ate it before I got any good pictures!), some cute socks (this is awesome because I never splurge on socks ... it's always plain white) and a cute Halloween decoration (I LOVE Halloween, have I told you that before?) Here's my attempt at some cute pictures!

Thanks Emalia ... you're the bestest!!!

So ... leave a comment and let me surprise you! ;)

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-03T21:56:00.010-07:00

Just a few days late! ;) We just love Halloween in our house! I don't know if it's because October is our birthday month and Halloween just kicks off the holiday season, but we love it! We like to have an unusual dinner. This year we had ...

MUMMIES! (hot dogs wrapped in crescent roll strips)

BLOOD AND GUTS (jello salad)

MY SPECIAL POTION (Squirt w/ green coloring)

ROTTEN MAC & CHEESE (more green food coloring!)

Taylor's work goes all out for Halloween. They dress up according to departments and it's a big competition. His department choose to go as Wii Olympics and they each choose a different country. They had a opening ceremony in the morning and had a couple of Wii's which they played some tournaments on. His department one the best of ... WAHOO!!!

Taylor's country was Canada. He decorated his office with the Canadian flag, music and some other stuff. He was "Bob McKenzie" from "Strange Brew." I haven't seen the movie, so I have no idea, but if you have seen it you might know what he was going for. He actually rented the movie beforehand, so he could pick up some of the sayings (like the famous "Eh?") He went to more than 5 stores trying to find a Canadian shirt, but had no luck. So I drew this out and he painted it. Quite talented, isn't he? Luckily he had the hat from one of our last trips to Canada. What a cutie!

Here's a picture of the family as we were getting ready to Trick or Treat.

Aubrey was Nancy Drew, Taylor was Obi Wan Kenobi (spelling?), Braden was Anniken and I was Princess Leia.
Braden is obsessed with Star Wars right now, so he loved it! Taylor and my costumes are recyled from two years ago (Braden was Yoda and Aubrey was Padme). We let Aubrey off the hook this year, since she has already done the Star Wars thing once. There are not that many good "girly" costumes from Star Wars.

Exhausted but happy after a long night of Trick-or-Treating! I'll have to get a picture of Aubrey and Cassidy (Aubrey's best friend) up here when I have a chance. We went around the neighborhood with Cassidy and her Dad.

Look at their haul ... Dang!

It's great to be 30!

2008-11-03T21:41:00.003-07:00

So Taylor and I celebrated our birthdays (his was the 24th and mine was the 25th). It actually worked out that my Mom was closing on her new house (congrats mom!) so we spent most of Friday and Saturday moving stuff to her new house. That night, she took the kids overnight. After taking some time to clean up, we went out to dinner at Tepanyaki. It was so fun to go out knowing we didn't need to worry about getting home. Then we went to a late movie. It was so weird coming home to an empty house. I don't think Taylor and I have ever been alone in the house overnight. We even went to church on our own! It was great to see the kids again, but we definitely enjoyed the break ... THANKS MOM!!!

Oh, so if you didn't already catch, I am now officially 30. No longer in my 20s. Honestly, it wasn't too big of a deal. I'm the youngest in the family and most of my good friends are either there already or close behind. So, I joked around about it, but hey, you're only as old as you feel ... and I am young at heart!

Catching up with a tag

2008-11-03T11:30:00.002-07:00

I've got a lot to get caught up with on here, but I'll start with a tag (from Emalia!)

What was I doing 10 years ago? 1998
1. I was 20 and a newlywed
2. I was working for Holiday Inn Reservation Center and going to school for computer programming.
3. We lived in South Salt Lake at the Donna Manor (sounds fancy, but it SO wasn't ... that's the last time I let Taylor pick out where we live on his own! Hehehe)
4. Towards the end of that year, closer to me being 21, I got pregnant with Aubrey
5. I thought I had it all figured out!

5 things on my to do list today.
1. Clean, clean, clean
2. Grocery shopping
3. Get Aubrey and Braden a few more winter staples (some more pants and sweaters)
4. Get pictures onto my blog
5. Have Family Home Evening (Aubrey reminded me this morning ... she's doing the lesson, but I'll need to help a little bit with it. She's such a good girl to remember these things!)

5 favorite snacks.
1. Chocolate
2. ice cream
3. Chocolate
4. Anything Jerusha makes
5. Chocolate

5 jobs I've had.
1. Telemarketer for the Bradenton (Florida) Ballroom Dance Sudio
2. Bath and Body Works
3. Corning Revere Outlet
4. Waitress at the Cottage Restaurant in Logan
5. Reservation agent and then Training Assistant for Holiday Inn Reservation Center

5 things I'd do with a million dollars.
1. Pay off house
2. Upgrade cars and pay them off.
3. Travel
4. Invest ... maybe in some real estate, I'd probably get a financial adviser I trust and take their advice on this
5. Start a non profit

5 things that made me laugh this week.
1. Braden ... many times, like when he was wearing my earrings at church yesterday along with a huge grin thinking he was so pretty!
2. Aubrey ... Somedays Aubrey and Braden are like cats and dogs, but yesterday was so nice. They were goofy and silly and playing so well together. She got Braden laughing so hard (random silly things) and it made me laugh ... mostly cause I was so happy they were being so nice to each other.
3. Gotta say I got a few laughs from America's Funniest Home Videos too, Emalia!
4. Some of the costumes in the Halloween parade at Aubrey's school
5. Being tickled. In our family we have massive tickle fights at least a few times a week. Aubrey is learning how to really get me. (Think stomach raspberries ... oiy vay!)

So instead of tagging 5 more people, if you're in the mood to keep up the game, then go for it! I'd love to read it!

6 Quirks

2008-10-15T11:23:00.002-06:00

Okay, so Kacie tagged me with this:

TAG! YOU'RE IT!

The rules: Link person who tagged you
Tell about 6 Quirks of yours
Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same
Leave comment to let them know

So here it goes:

1. When setting the alarm, the time HAS to be an increment of 5. So it could be 6:55 or 7:00 or 7:05, but under NO circumstance can is be 6:57 or something crazy like that. Because of this I have to have an alarm where I can move the time forward or backwards, so I can get it just right. I am teased endlessly about this, but really don't get that. It seems like a given to me. Oh and if you haven't guessed, I do NOT do snooze, since the times are always odd (like 7 or 9 minutes). I will instead set the alarm for another 15 minutes.

2. I'm either super clean or I'm super not. When I'm not, the house can be a mess and I really don't notice and it doesn't bother me. But if I've worked hard to get it clean, I am super anal about it staying that way ("You're not thinking of using that toilet are you?" or "You want to cook in THIS kitchen?").

3. Going along with the above, when I am cleaning, I tend to think I need to do it all (organize and deep clean). If I don't have the time, which I don't most of the time, the I don't want to do it at all. Or I'll work for like 5 hours to get my bed room super clean and organized, and the rest of the house is left neglected. I am so working on learning moderation and doing a little bit each day. So yes, I'm good at organizing, but to the detriment of many other things!

4. I'm a big kid. Don't know if that's a quirk or just a fact. Don't know if it's because I'm the baby in the family or just that I'm immature, but it's not something I ever want to lose! When it comes down to it, I love doing kid stuff and being goofy with my kids. I love it when my nephews give me that look (it says, "You just said that? But you're an adult!") after I've said something (or done something) that usually only kids would get. Like talking about burbs or farts, ya know?

5. Hmmm ... I like to talk, a lot. When I'm excited about something, I want to tell someone. When I'm confused I want to talk to someone so I can figure it out. When I'm sad, I want to talk to someone even if it means I might (might, who are we kidding?) cry a bit. When I'm angry, I want to vent to someone. When the kids disobey, I talk (okay, lecture) to them. Taylor is the opposite (unless it is about sports). When he gets upset or sad, he is more quiet. It can be frustrating, but I get it's just his way of handling things.

6. I have my "thing" I like to order at restaurants. I rarely stray from the thing I like, although I do try to be daring sometimes. For example, Taco Bell - 2 soft taco supremes w/ no tomatos, order nachos; Applebees - parmesan shrimp sirloin w/ garlic mashed potatos & veggies; Olive Garden - Chicken Alfredo; Red Robin - Whiskey River Chicken Burger. You get the idea. I hate getting something I don't like, so once I know I like something, I stick to it.

I'll tag Christy, Marlies, Stacey Jorgenson, Angie, Emalia and Deanne!

3 year anniversary

2008-10-13T08:18:00.005-06:00

No, not marriage anniversary ... yesterday was officially the 3 year anniversary since the car accident. I won't go into details about it now, but if you didn't see the story, you can read it here:

http://the-keeles.blogspot.com/2008/07/remembering-car-accident.html

This one was definitely the best. You see, when we came up on the first anniversary, I was totally unprepared for the emotional punch in the stomach it would be. Last year, I was flying out to Seattle for my Grandpa's memorial service. So there was a lot of stuff going on, but I was prepared this time and had two amazing blessings, which still strengthen me today. This year, things are much calmer in my life and I've been really in a state of being so grateful for the blessings I have. So, I'm happy to say that yesterday was a fairly uneventful day!!!

Looking back to my recovery, I am so amazed and grateful for the way things are. Here are just a few things:

First, I am grateful to be alive and that I didn't have to witness my daughter or Avery passing away.
I am grateful that Braden was 10 weeks old. If I had to be in the hospital now, at 3 years old he would have a very hard time understanding and coping.
I am amazed and in awe that my body was able to run a half marathon this spring. If you had bet me a million dollars 3 years ago, I would never have believed you. There was a while that I didn't think I'd ever be able to get out of bed on my own again, let alone RUN!
I am grateful to have witnessed just how much people love and care for me and my family. Between the visits (which meant the world), the dinners, people helping to clean and rake leaves, drives to the doctors, and on and on. For that first 2-3 weeks, I was never alone in the hospital. And Taylor never had to worry about who would take care of the kids. Afterwards, I have heard people say, "Oh I should of done more" or "I didn't really do anything" but really, it all meant SO much!
One of my biggest fears after the accident, was that I would never be able to do the things I wanted to do as a Mom. I received an amazing blessings letting me know that I would have a full recovery. This is very apparent in my life. I am now able to volunteer on the PTA at Aubrey's school, play on the playground with the kids, give Braden piggy back rides, have pillow fights, read books ... and on and on. Sure I get that achy twinge that reminds me when I need to take it easy, but I am only held back by my own thoughts.
I am grateful to have met Tara, who was there to help us before the paramedics came. It was no coincidence that she and Stacy are neighbors (and good friends) and we were able to connect. When there is so much gloom and doom going on in the world, it is so nice to know that there are people around that are willing to give of themselves willingly. Ultimately, it is Heavenly Father's love for us that shows through.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea ... thanks for being there for me, whether you knew it or not!

Gypsy Chic

2008-10-01T16:15:00.002-06:00

My sisters and I have talked on and off over the years about doing one business or another. We have so many things that we are interested in and LOVE girly stuff. Well, we finally decided to grab the bull by the horns and start our own company, where we can release our creative instincts and highlight local artisans. We've started a blog and hope to launch a website soon. Check us out ...

TheGypsyChic.blogspot.com

We've got a couple of open houses going on next week. We'd love to have you come and see what we're up to.

Blogs, facebook ... oh the wonders of the internet!

2008-09-22T10:23:00.002-06:00

So in addition to joining the blogging world this last year, I am now officially addicted to facebook.com. If you have not joined this, you MUST join now and add me as your friend! ;) Over the past few months I have reunited with old high school friends, distant family members, friends from old neightborhoods as well as keep in touch better with the people in my life now.

Here are some of the people I have found (either through my blog or facebook):

Just last week, I got together with a good friend from middle school/high school ... Christina Pricker (aka Christina Rieman.) We connected online and while she lives in California, they were coming out for a week of work training. We went to the Discovery Gateway Museum, went to dinner, played games and had breakfast at her Mother-in-Law's house (ymmy crepes!) I have not seen Christina since 10th grade and would of had no way of connecting with her. We had a blast! You knowhow sometimes you just connect with certain people and know that they will be lifetime friends ... that is definitely Christy!

If you read my blog about the car accident, you will remember I met Tara, who is a girl that "happened" to be walking by our accident. She was able to hold Aubrey's head up until the paramedics arrived and talk with Avery (to keep her from freaking out) until they were ready to take her in the ambulance. Tara showed such love and selflessness towards us that I would have never known if we had not met.

Kristen Stallard was my best friend through 6th, 7th and part of 8th grade. At some point during my 8th grade year, she turned on me and went from being my best friend to being my worst enemy. She spread rumors about me, tried to turn mutual friends against me, left nasty messages, and on and on. I never stood up for myself by just perservered through all of that until High School, when we could go our seperate ways. I have always had this part of me that wondered 1. WHAT HAPPENED? and 2. Why didn't I stand up for myself. When I found her on facebook, I debated sending her a message or not. I did end up sending her a message and she responded the next day. She apologized and told me how embarassed she was to think of who she was because that was not what she is about now. I was able to forgive her genuinely and we were both able to have closure. Having an 8 year old daughter, the way girls can be so "mean" to each other is definitely on my mind as I raise her. This conversation with Kristen has allowed us to talk about how to deal with these things in life.

Going to school in Florida, those of us who were LDS, were greatly outnumbered by all the other faiths. So, I had lots of friends that weren't LDS. Through High School the better part of my non-LDS friends began to drink and "party" on the weekend and those of us that were LDS stuck together and were really close friends. I have been able to touch base with some of them here and there over the years, but nothing consistent. With facebook and my blog, I've been able to keep in touch with so many of them. I couldn't go to "Neeners" wedding but I got to see all the pictures!

Just last night Taylor was saying, "With facebook I know so much more about what is going on ... Like did you know Rachael (his sister in New Mexico) is taking a shower?" Okay, maybe that's a little TMI, Rachael! LOL. Through reading my friend's blogs I have watched their kids growing up, strengthened my faith, laughed, planned get togethers, etc.

So, I am so totally loving technology ... we really are lucky!

Aquarium

2008-09-17T16:14:00.003-06:00

We went to the Aquarium on Labor Day with Taylor's Mom and Dad and Kacie and her kids. It was SO crowded, but we still had fun. Both Braden and Aubrey have always been really into sea life. Here's some pictures:

Aubrey with her cousins Saige and Ryker

Braden really, really wanted to pet the sting rays. He ended up getting half of his shirt wet, because the water was too deep for his arms!

The best part is definitely getting to touch the different animals!

At the end, they have these fun caves for the kids to play in and around. I had a hard time pinning them down for any good pictures, but here's a try!

Congrats, Taylor!

2008-09-17T16:14:00.002-06:00

I am SOOOO behind on my blog. My excuse is I lost my pile (to the mess in my office!) and so I didn't have the pictures to post. Well, I've cleaned out my office and found the camera so no more excuses!

There's a lot to catch up on, but first I want to give a BIG shout out to Taylor for getting a new awesome job! He's still working at IBFX right now (only through next week) but when my hours got cut a few months back and he was getting fed up with his new boss, he started applying for jobs elsewhere. Well, a week ago Monday I was officially laid off from Brite and with my Mom moving out in two weeks, we knew something had to give. I thought it might mean me getting another job (in addition to the three days a week I watch two boys). Lo and behold he got a job offer this Monday for a Senior System Administrator. It seems to be a great company doing exactly what he wants to be doing. The best part is, it covers our monthly budget completely!!!

This is such a big blessing and a huge burden has been lifted off of our shoulders. In these hard economic times, I do NOT take this for granted. We may actually be able to start saving money again! ;)

First Day of School!

2008-08-26T12:49:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was the first day of school. Can you believe Aubrey is in 3rd grade?!? I totally remember being in 3rd grade and thinking I was so old. I can't believe my baby is getting so big!!!

Despite the usual nerves and butterflies, she had a great day. Her teacher, Mrs. Denning, is very nice. While she doesn't have the same class as her best friend, Cassidy, they were still able to eat lunch and play at recess together. Their official meeting place is by "Old Oakie." She told me yesterday that that is his nickname because "he is very old and he is an oak tree." I responded, "Ohhhhhh, I see!"

She had fun picking out a new outfit to wear last week (pink, of course). As we were shopping, I realized she is not far off from the junior department! Here are some pictures:

Fun Weekend

2008-08-26T12:11:00.006-06:00

So, it's been a while since I posted, but I've been busy! We had a very full weekend. (Why is it that everything always falls on the same day?!?) Saturday morning we walked in the JDRF (Juvenille Diabete Foundation) fundraiser walk. Afterwards they had lunch, bouncy slides and a car show. My sister was organizing it this year (her hubby and 3 year old son both have diabetes.) I'll try to post pictures later since they are on my sister's camera.

Then we went to Taylor's work summer party. It was way out in the country past Park City and past Kamas. I guess the owner owes a bunch of property out there. The kids went horseback riding, we went paddleboating, played volleyball, watched people getting dunked in a dunk tank, had yummy food and on and on. They did a fun game with the kids in the barn. They threw $400 worth of quarters, half dollars and dollar coins in a big pile of hay and let the kids find them. Aubrey got over $23 dollars! Here's some pictures:

Braden has always been two afraid to go on the big slide. Well, he conquered his fear this weekend!

We didn't get any really good pictures of his face, but if you can see, he was just beaming.

That's our little cowboy!

Last time Aubrey was on a horse she was allergic. We came prepared this time, but she seemed to do just fine!

For some reason most of the haystack pictures came out blurry. Here she is bringing home the dough!

Another view.

Braden, who hasn't yet learned the value of a dollar, had more fun climbing around on the haystacks!

He's the king of the world!

This is Taylor throwing the ball at the dunk tank trying to dunk one of his co-workers. Somehow, I didn't get a picture of the dunk tank, so you will just have to imagine it!

The kids spent a lot of time in the bouncy house. It was pretty hot outside, so I think they enjoyed the shade.

Taylor in action on the volleyball court. You can see the lake in the background. I didn't take any pictures of the paddle boat as I didn't want the camera to get wet.

Meeeeeeeeow!

This was fun to clean off! You should have seen him when he got home. He looked in the mirror and stared at himself for a good 15 minutes. He keep giggling to himself and saying, "I SPIDERMAN, I not Braden!"

Aubrey cut her hair!

2008-08-13T11:59:00.004-06:00

Well, she didn't cut it, we had someone do it! Here's her before picture:

And here is the after:

We went to a lady that specializes in curly hair and she did a fantastic job. Aubrey has parts of her hair that are almost straight and then other areas that a very curly. We learned how to style it to help the curl to come out. She also told us that when she hits puberty more of the curl will probably come back. Isn't she a beauty?!?

Happy (Belated) Birthday to Braden!

2008-08-13T11:35:00.002-06:00

Braden turned three last Monday ... but it's taken me a while to get some pictures up. It is our family tradition to do breakfast in bed on your birthday morning. We like to do strawberry belgian walffles. Unfortunately, Braden only had one bite of breakfast and then threw it all up and then some. He had no interest in opening presents and spent the next two days feeling pretty yucky.

Here is Braden right after we sang Happy Birthday. I thought he was still waking up. Little did I know he was one sick kid!

At least the rest of us enjoyed breakfast!

We decorated the table for dinner, but he wasn't up to eating yet, so we saved the birthday cake for later.

By Wednesday night Braden was feeling better. I made this cake as Braden is obsessed with all things Cars.

He thought the cake was pretty cool (see his little smirk!)

This is how Braden holds up three fingers. He can't quite hold his pinky down with his thumb, so Taylor taught him to do it this way. I can't believe my baby is three!

Cheesing it for the camera!

Breaking Dawn!

2008-08-05T16:59:00.001-06:00

So, I just got done reading Breaking Dawn last night ... are you reading it? If you don't know (jaw hangs to the ground) it's the fourth and final book in the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer.

You might remember that I read another book of hers, "The Host" two weeks ago while Braden was sick. Well, I started on Saturday morning and guess who got sick again?!? Poor Braden. We got to church Sunday morning and he totally puked on me, Aubrey and the pew. Not fun! Yesterday was his birthday (more on that later) and he was pretty much sick all day. So, no more Stephanie Meyer books for me as they seem to make Braden sick!

Bear Lake!

2008-07-30T15:20:00.005-06:00

My sisters and I had our second annual "Sister's Weekend" at Bear Lake. The kids were lucky as they got to come along as well! ;) We stayed at the same place, Ideal Beach, which is great because they have (relatively) roomy condos, full kitchens, tons of grass, mini golf (for a buck each), two pools, beach front, kids crafts, on site store, huge playground ... you get the picture. Everything you need. We checked in Saturday and left yesterday.

We went to the beach several times (this is a BIG ordeal when you have to bring stuff for 6 kids!) and we made good use of the swimming pools. It was so nice to have the playground because each afternoon the older kids could go play while we let the younger ones nap. I taught Tammy and Stacey how to play some new games and while we each had a chance to win a few, Tammy by far blew us away (we think she must of been hiding some wild cards!)

It was so fun, but it's always nice to be back home in my own bed. I don't have most of the pictures, but I took some on the last day after Tammy's camera died. Here's what I have, I'll add more when I get the others.

Beautiful Bear Lake - our little piece of the "ocean" in the middle of the mountains.

Me and My Sisters - Stacey, Me, Tammy

The whole gang!

Me and the kids

All the kids from Bottom to Top ... Tannon, Braden, Tyler, Aubrey, Tracen and TJ

Aubrey and Braden lounging in the lake!

The kids spun and spun and spun ... you don't see many merry go rounds like this anymore.

Kennecot Coppermine & MISC

2008-07-23T16:00:00.005-06:00

Monday, the kids and I went with my sister and her kids to see the Kennecot Coppermine. It was my nephew, T.J.'s birthday. We had fun, although towards the end it started pouring down rain and we got drenched. Nothing like a little rain to make it such an adventure! Here are some pictures:

They have many trucks working to haul out the rock and dirt. This is just one of the tires.

A close-up ... Braden, Aubrey, Tannon, T.J., Tracen. Tyler was there too, but Stacey had him in a backpack carrier.

One view of the open mine. You can see it from outerspace it is so big.

This is a great, cheap (only $5 per car) outing to take your kids on. The visitor's center is fun for the kids and they have a movie that explains how it all works.

This weekend, Braden got pretty sick with the flu. I knew something was up when he climbed into my glider rocker chair and fell asleep. The pictures are kind of dark ...

As you can see he is propped up over the arm of the chair. He couldn't even make it to the loveseat to sprawl out!

I spent all day Saturday in bed with him as he rested between trips to the bathroom. I took advantage of the time to read Stephenie Meyer's, "The Host." It was such a good book, I read it in about 2 1/2 days!

Sunday morning, Braden was still not all the way better, so he and I stayed home from church. By that afternoon we were both stir crazy, so we all decided to go on a small hike. We brought the camera, but left the memory stick in the computer at home, so we don't have any pictures to share. We found the hike on a website that went on and on about how easy it is. It is only 3/4 -1 mile, but 1/3 of it is going up some steep switchbacks, so it definitely got your heart rate going. We will probably do it again, so we would definitely recommend it. Here's the info:

http://climb-utah.com/WM/secretlake.htm

Aubrey is now off camping with Grandpa and Grandma Keele and two of the other girls cousins ... Braden and I are missing her a lot!

Remembering the car accident

2008-07-17T16:46:00.020-06:00

I actually started writing this post last Thursday. It is a long one ... kudos to you if you can read it all!

So, today I met a girl who was actually at the scene of my car accident (I've got a picture further down). I have been flooded by memories this week of that time in my life. I have always wanted to get the whole story down on paper, but never have taken the time. I’ll try to break it up to make it easier to read, but I just know it’s going to be a novel! ;)

This is Avery and Aubrey on the first day of Kindergarten, about a month and a half before the car accident.

THE day
October 12, 2005 was a typical day in our life. Well, not soooo typical. Braden was just 10 weeks old. Aubrey was a 5 year old, enjoying going to Kindergarten. We were watching Avery during the day (she is 6 months older than Aubrey, I had watched her since Aubrey was 5 weeks old, so they were like sisters.) Since Taylor was home job hunting (he had lost his job the week before), I left Braden home as I went to pick up the girls from school. On the way home, just four blocks from home, I was waiting to turn left at the intersection of 7200 South and 700 East in Midvale. From what I remember, there was a car in front of me who had turned left. I pulled forward and was waiting to see if I would have time to turn before the oncoming car came. That is where my memory stops.

A woman in a Jeep (witnesses say she was talking on a cell phone) ran the red light and hit us on the driver’s side. She was not speeding, but the police say there were no skid marks which means she hit us full force. Apparently, her car lifted us up, turned and ran into another car. I was unconscious (hence the lack of personal memory) and so was Aubrey. Avery was awake the whole time. The firefighters had to cut the roof off to remove me from the car. Aubrey and I were life lighted (me to U of U and her to Primary Children’s) and Avery was transported by ambulance to Alta View.

These pictures were taken a few days later when Taylor and Aubrey went to see the car at the junk yard:

The picture gets me every time. This is Aubrey looking into the car. You can just imagine what is going through her mind as she takes it all in.

You can see where they cut the roof off. I am amazed when I see this picture, to know that we are all alive.

It's so hard to explain everything, since there were so many things going on simultaneously. So, please bear with me as I try my best!

The Injuries
Avery, had a laceration to her forehead and was released from the hospital same day with several stitches.

Aubrey had a laceration and a concussion (no broken bones, though she was sore in her left hip/leg for a few weeks). She received stitches and staples to her forehead and ear. She was released from the hospital the next day. Who would have guessed that Taylor losing his job would actually be a blessing? Because he was home, Braden was not involved in the accident and Aubrey's car seat was able to take the impact and had room to move towards the middle. (Did I mention that it was a huge blessing that Aubrey and Avery were in their car seats even though it was not yet a law? If you have ever thought the car seat to be inconvenient, let me tell you it is one inconvenience that is well worth it!)

I had several broken bones (left hip, pelvic bone, shoulder, rib(s?) and internal bleeding (they removed my spleen and repaired my liver and a kidney). I had several surgeries, including a surgery placing a large screw into my pelvic bone. I was in the hospital for almost a month. The first few days I was in the SICU and I was intubated (NOT fun!) The last week I was at the In-Patient Rehab. Taylor and I celebrated our birthdays as well as Halloween while I was in the hospital.

How people found out
There were so many tiny miracles that happened before, during and after the accident. My friend, Angie Gray, has a cousin who was eating on the patio at Kneaders. She saw the accident and happened to be talking to Angie on the phone. Her cousin described the cars to her. Angie knew that I had a Toyota Camry, but you see those all the time, so surely it wasn't me. She was in the neighborhood and drove by. After realizing it was my car, she started making phone calls. I think Taylor was online (we had dial up back then) so she wasn't able to reach him.

As we were right down the street from the High School, many of the kids were on their way home. At the time, I worked with the youth in our church. One of them (whose name is also Angela) was with a car load of friends. They stopped to see the action. It took her a few minutes to realize it was my car and to recognize Aubrey and I. She called her mother frantically. As her mother calmed her down, she then called our bishop and the word started to spread. The Bishop tried calling Taylor (again, couldn't get through on the phone) and then went over to the house. He tried knocking on the back door. Only thing is, the back door is not directly connected to the house (there are two more doors to get in) so you can't hear anyone from the back. So he thought Taylor was already gone.

Taylor got a call from the hospital at approximately 5:30pm. (This is about two hours later). He had been wondering where I was, thought that maybe I had gone to the store or something. Braden was getting hungry, so he was warming up some breast milk to feed him when the call came. He was frozen, with a crying baby in arms, not knowing what to do next. The neighbor across the street (Shauna) called right then, unknowing, to ask if he could come help with some work in the yard. He stumbled over the words as he told her about the call he had just received. She came over immediately and told him to go and she would take care of the baby. Marlies got there at this time and reassured him that Braden would be fine. As Taylor was pulling out, Josh Jorgensen (another friend in the ward) told him to go see me right away. I guess that through telephone game that was going on, it was being said that I was having cardiac problems.

When Taylor got to the hospital, the bishop, Randall Decker, Angie Gray and Brenda Anderson were already there. He could not see me right away, since I was in surgery. They told him that I was stabilized and had not had any cardiac problems. He then went to see Aubrey. Luckily the two hospitals are right next to each other. As he got there they were just starting to stitch her up and she was still pretty much out of it. Shortly after he got there, Trent and Kacie (his brother and sister-in-law) showed up. Taylor thinks he must have called his mom before he left but honestly can't remember. From the hospital he called my sister, Tammy. Tammy called my Mom (who boarded a flight from Florida to Utah the next day) and my sister, who was in Chicago at the time. Tammy came down and was there throughout the next 1-2 weeks.

Somehow, someone (we think it may have been a paramedic, but might have been the hospital) called the Elementary School and the principle happened to answer (normally no one is there to answer the phone that late) and was able to give them Avery's Mom's phone number at work. Avery's grandmother was able to get to the hospital quickly and Karla (Avery's mom) about 30-40 minutes after she received the call. I am so glad that they were able to get there so quickly, because with her being fully conscious the whole time, she needed to have them there. It took some time for Karla to find out how Aubrey and I were doing (the hospital wouldn't release the information to her).

In the original police report, Avery was not listed as having been in the car. So when Taylor asked how Avery was, they had no record of her. Taylor thought I was supposed to be picking her up as well, but was hoping that her Mom picked her up last minute. Later that night, Karla and Avery visited Aubrey and I at the hospital. It was important for Avery to see with her own eyes that we were alive, even if we weren't looking that great.

Tara's Story
I did not meet Tara until today, but she played a big role in our well being that day. Tara was driving home on 7200 South, when her car broke down. She pulled into the McDonald's and when the car wouldn't start again, started walking home. She did not see the actual accident, but heard the crash and saw the glass flying. She hurried over and was met by a man who had been a medic in the military. He was able to stay calm and kind of direct things. The car we hit had a young high school girl who was screaming frantically. Tara tried to calm her down. She came around to my side of the car. The man looked in and said, "She's not breathing, she's dead, we should help the kids." She said that I looked dead. My head lay to the side and one eye was slightly open with one tear sitting there. I can only imagine how that image was burned into her memory. They knew that they shouldn't take the girls out of the car. The man was talking with Avery on the passenger side and Tara looked in on Aubrey. As I said she unconscious, but she kept coming to and then her head would abruptly flop to the side. She didn't want Aubrey to further injury herself so she reached in (the window was long gone) and held Aubrey's head up until the paramedics got there. Aubrey did not ever fully come to consciousness, but she did attempt to a few times.

When the paramedics arrived, the first EMT called to the others to send two life flights (he hadn't even reached the vehicle by the time he called this out). They took over attending to Aubrey and me while one of the EMTs took Avery out of the car, car seat and all, and put her in another car. (I think they did this because it was obvious that she was in shock and they didn't want her to be there to see anything else traumatic.) Tara got into the back seat with Avery and talked with her about anything and everything. She learned Avery and Aubrey's name, what school they went to and the grade they were in. She asked her questions about school, trying to help distract her from what was going on. Tara said that she did pretty well though visibly in shock. A little while later, the EMTs attended to Avery. She did really well until they put the neck brace on. She kept begging for them to get her backpack. Tara went back to the car, which by then was swarming with firefighters, trying to figure out how to get me out of the car. They asked her to step back. When she asked if they could just reach in and get the backpack for Avery, they said they couldn't and she needed to give them room.

In the days and weeks following, Tara tried to find out what happened to us. The hospitals and fire stations would not give out information due to the HIPPA laws. She went to the Elementary School and asked if they could give any information. She never did know what happened, and it haunted her for a long time. When the first anniversary came, she said she felt comatose that day (I can SO relate!)

It has been such a blessing for us to connect and meet even with all the time that has passed. It's funny the way it happened. Stacie Garn, lived across the street from us for a short time (1-2 years) and it was during this time just before and then after the accident. I never got to know her really well, but from what I did know she seemed like a fun person with a very cute family. She has a daughter who is a little older than Aubrey and they played together sometimes. She moved just before we did. I did see her once since we moved when we ran into each other at Robert's Crafts. About a month ago, I got this comment on my blog ...

carrie it has been a long time so hi from stacie garn. I tried losing 30 by 30 too but didn't quite make it. But i also wasn't running marathons, your'e awesome! Hey i have a friend in our new ward, just behind where you used to live who would like to meet you. Her name is Tara Horton and she was one of the 1st people on the scene of your accident. She said she is the one who held up aubrey's head until the paramedics got there. She thought you were dead and needless to say was ecstatic when I said I knew you should would love to maybe get together at the park sometime. east midvale just put in an awesome park and is a great place for the kids to play you can send me a message through my blog, jandsgarnfamily.blogspot.com, or call.

Well, I read this and just started bawling! How crazy is that? She happened to move right by Tara and they just happened to start talking about the accident (Tara and Stacie were in an accident themselves, which got the conversation going). Definitely NOT a coincidence. So today we went to the park and I got to meet Tara and we were able to share or stories. It was so interesting to hear from her side and fill in some of the blanks.

Another (not) coincidence ... the next day when Tara went to get her car it started just fine. It just happened to start without any effort. I am so grateful to Tara for the love that she had to stop and be there for us. Aubrey may not remember her holding her head up, but the love that was present through her actions was there. Her prayers made a difference. She was there to comfort Avery during one of the most traumatic experiences of her life. Thank you, Tara!

Here is a picture of us at the park today ...

My Recovery - the first few days
It is surreal when I think back over my recovery. While there are a lot of painful (literally!) memories, overall I can see how much good came from the experience. I had several glimpses which helped me to really see why we go through these hard times in life. While I did not have a near death experience, I can say that those first few weeks I had some of the biggest spiritual experiences of my life.

My first memory is waking up in the hospital and not being able to move or talk. I heard a voice explaining to me that I was in the hospital and that I had been in a car accident. I went back out of consciousness. Instead of being out of it altogether, I was in this place of being aware and thinking, though I knew my body was unconscious. Kind of like when you are taking a light nap, but still totally thinking. I can remember everything was really groggy feeling when I would be awake (conscious) and it was hard to piece things together, but when I was in that place of unconscious thinking, everything was clear. The way I pictured it was I was in a dark place, like a cave, although it wasn't a scary dark place ... more of a warm place that was comforting. In fact I preferred to be there as it was much more comfortable than being awake and feeling the pain. I did a lot of thinking there and while I did not "see" anyone else I had discussions in my head with others. Whether actual discussions or just my own thoughts, it could be argued ... but that is not my point. I can remember thinking logically, "Okay, I was in a car accident. I may have brain injuries and have lost some memory. Let me see what I can remember." I went through the day in my head up until the last memory I had.

When I came into consciousness again, I believe Taylor was there. He told me a little more about the car accident, starting with the fact that Aubrey and Avery were okay. I couldn't talk at this point, because I was still intubated, but I would write letters in the palm of his hand to get the message across. I spelled, "where" in his hand and he told me where the car accident had happened. I remember going back into that unconscious state and feeling so relieved that I had been able to remember things accurately. I was grateful that I could not remember the sights or sounds of the actual accident itself because I had heard how that can haunt people. I was worried about Aubrey having to be in the hospital without me as I had always been there with her. I knew how worried she and Avery must be, but I knew that they were well taken care of.

I remember waking up and Tammy (my sister) was there. She looked at me with such love in her eyes and told me that she could feel Paul there with us (Paul is my uncle who had died just a month before). She told me that my Mom was coming and she would be there the next day. I was SO glad. No matter how old I get, I'll always want my Mommy there when I don't feel well.

I remember seeing several people that first and second day. I saw Sharon and Leilani (Sharon was married to Paul and Leilani is their daughter). I could tell how hard it was for Sharon to be there (Paul had spent his last days/weeks in the hospital). I wanted to give her a hug and make it better. Leilani got close to me and talked to me for a few minutes. (When Paul was dying, Leilani and I went to the hospital together. We talked to him willing him to come back, expressing our love for him.) She told me that on their way down she had been praying for me and in the prayers she was telling me all the things that we had told her father. I don't know if I actually told her or if I thought it since I couldn't speak yet, but I remember telling her that I knew ... that Paul had relayed the message to me. I could feel her prayers. I can remember seeing Karla and Avery and I tried to look like I was okay so Avery wouldn't be afraid (as okay as you can look when you arms are tied down and you have a tube down your throat!)

My Mom was there the second day and I was so relieved to see her. Just having her there and to make that eye contact felt so good.

Since Braden was still so young, I had been nursing him. I was very anxious to start pumping because I wanted to keep my supply going. Just about everyone who came to my bed felt me write "breast pump" in the palms of their hands. I knew that I was medicated which meant he couldn't use the milk, but I didn't want to dry up. They asked the doctors, but as long as I was in the SICU, they wouldn't consider it. Their first priority was getting me totally stabilized. Looking back I can understand, but at the time it was so frustrating that they wouldn't listen to me.

I don't know if it was that night or the next day when the doctors explained the extent of my injuries ... they told me that I needed to make a decision. They were considering an operation where they would insert a screw into my pelvic bone which would secure it so that the bone could heal in the proper position. I could either have the operation right away or wait and see if the bone would heal properly on its own. If it did not, I could opt to have the surgery in a few weeks. The operation carried a risk of being paralyzed on one side from the waist down, since it was very close to a main nerve. I went into that unconscious state and weighed the decision back and forth in my mind. I can remember discussing in my mind with my Uncle Paul (he had been a doctor) and asking him what I should do. The answer was to have the surgery so I could begin healing.

A day or two after the surgery, my orthopedic doctor came in to check on my recovery. He tested movement in my left leg and I could not move my leg or foot or even wiggle my toes. He assured me that there was still time for it to come back. Within another day or two (time is SO hard to piece together) I was able to have some minimal movements in that foot ... what a relief!

A funny memory I have is from the middle of one of those nights. I remember hearing two aides talking about a sports game. One of them was cussing a bit as he talked about his team that had lost. The other guys said, "Do you think you should be talking like that in front of her?" He replied, "She so medicated with drugs that cause her to forget, she'll never remember." Well, I was determined to prove him wrong and worked really hard to remember ... in fact it was one of the first things I said when I could talk again! ;) Don't tell ME I won't remember!!!

During those first days, I remember having so many feelings that I just couldn't express once I was conscious. I've said that I had some of the most spiritual experiences of my life, but most of it I can't even describe. Part of it is the doubt that comes in as I started to become more cognitive and also the grogginess I felt. But a lot of it is really not having the words to express what I experienced. I think that is part of why it has taken me so long to get this all down. Ultimately I remember that unconscious state as a place where I was able to think more clearly than I ever have before. Communication was very easy. I was not wracked by emotion, though I still had it there. It was such a place of peace and comfort that was so preferable but I knew that I wanted to come back to consciousness because my family needed me. While I was "alone" I knew I was not actually alone. I know that there were a lot of thoughts, words and feelings that I wanted to take with me, that just did not translate.

My Recovery - out of the SICU
When I was released from the SICU, I was admitted to the regular ward of the hospital. I am thinking it was the 6th floor, but I could be wrong. The first room I was in was shared with another woman. During this time I spent more time going back and forth between consciousness (where I had a LOT of pain) and drug induced sleep.

The nurses brought in a breast pump and we attempted to pump for about 24 hours, every 2-4 hours. It was very difficult because I could not sit upright, but I would incline the head of my bed as far as I could. The first time I barely got an ounce and each time after it was less and less. This was after being able to easily get 8 oz., on one side, with a manual pump before the accident. I finally realized that it was just too much for my body to handle and that I needed to let it go. It was a really hard (emotionally) thing to admit. I grieved not being able to have that connection with Braden anymore. I knew he was taking the bottle just fine, but just hated that my choice had been taken away from me.

The drugs made it hard to keep things straight while I was awake. I remember Kent and Marlies coming to visit and I had totally forgotten that they had visited just a few days before. I do remember that visit, though, because that was when they told me they were expecting Braxton! ;)

I was having many worries about what my longtime recovery would look like. My Mom had been in a car accident 20 years earlier and it took a long time for her to recover, and it still burdens her today. She was bed ridden for a year and it was several years before she could walk without a cane. Our bishop gave me a great blessing while on the 6th floor. I think I had one in the SICU as well, though I don't remember that one. During the blessing, I was promised a full recovery. I was so relieved ... I knew it would not be any easy road but that promise gave me such hope.

While I was in the shared room, I was in a LOT of pain. I was on a morphine drip that I could administer with the push of a button. At first, my Mom would press the button at each scheduled intervals, so I did not have a lapse in the medicine. The nurse then told us that we couldn't do that. I needed to be awake to press the button; otherwise I could possibly get an overdose. Any noise or slight bumps to the bed were extremely painful. My Mom hounded the staff until I got transferred to my own room (thanks, Mom!). It was a huge room with a big window.

It was about this time that I started getting a rash and a fever. Now if you know me, you know that I get weird skin rashes, especially when my body is in trauma (after having Aubrey I was covered in a rash everywhere the epidural tape had touched my back). My Mom and Tammy told the doctors from the beginning, but it was not a priority. Once the rash started coming, they began applying hydro-cortisone cream (which I only recently found out from allergy testing that I am ALLERGIC to!!!) which did not help a bit. Because of the fever and needing to rule out infection, they could not begin right away with oral or topical steroids. You see, if I did have an infection, the steroids would help the infection to get bigger. The nurses wanted me closer to the nurses' station so that they could monitor me more closely, so I got moved to a third room. Still private, but much smaller. After doing a skin biopsy on my arm and several blood tests, they ruled out infection and could begin the steroids. By this time the rash had take over and was covering my whole body. My Mom, Tammy and Taylor took turns putting that topical steroid over every inch of me. The itching and feverish feeling was enough to drive you crazy. Luckily everyone was so calm around me that I was able to endure.

Because I was in so much pain, besides moving my arms and head a little, I really couldn't move. When they would change the sheets, they would have to use a board or another sheet to move me from side to side. I had many moments of feeling pretty helpless. There was one time that a nurse and an aide were arranging me and I told them that my left leg was slipping to the side. They assured me that it was fine. I said, "Please my leg is going to fall off the bed!" Sure enough, my left leg (the same side as my broken hip) fell of the bed right to the floor. I screamed out in pain, it was unbearable. I think they had to give me a shot to calm me down.

During this time, my Mom, Taylor and Tammy took turns being there with my 24 hours a day. Tammy would take the graveyard shift while my Mom took the morning and early afternoon leaving Taylor for the evening shift. It was such a comfort to have someone there, because I didn't have to explain myself to the nurses, they could speak for me.

Tammy would sleep during the day and stay awake all night, even though I slept most of the time. She brought the chair really close to the bed and watched me. I now joke that it could have been creepy ... waking up in the middle of a night to see someone watching you ... but it's wasn't, because we know each other so well. She later told me that she was constantly praying for me and when she would hear me groan she would will her energy to me. She helped me with visualizations ... my happy spot was on the beach. I had never before experienced a panic attack, but had at least two in the hospital. First a little background, I have had this recurring dream for years that alternates from one or more teeth falling out whole or crumbling as I chew. One night I woke up from this nightmare and reached into my mouth and my tooth was actually crumbling. I pulled out a chunk of it and looked at Tammy with horror in my eyes as I screamed, "My nightmare is coming true, my nightmare is coming true!!!" She knew exactly what I meant and immediately started going through a visualization with me. It took a while for me to stop freaking out (my body was in FULL freak out mode) but I was finally able to listen to her and come back to reality. What had happened is one of my fillings had fallen out. We figure I must have clamped my teeth during the impact of the car accident, and it just happened to come out at that time.

Sometime during the second week, I had to have a surgery to remove a device they had put in though my neck to prevent blood clots. I had been out of the room a few times that I could remember to have x-rays done. When they brought me to the room where they would do the procedure, they asked me to transfer to the bed. Ummm, yeah right! I explained that I needed to be transferred with a board and explained how they did it when I had to have x-rays. They didn't realize I needed the extra help, but went and found a board. I could tell that they were not as familiar with how to transfer me, so as they began I was trying to explain my needs. Well, instead of doing it gradually, they did it altogether and to my sore body it felt like I was slammed down on that table from a three story drop. I started screaming out in pain. I begged for them to put my out, but they said I needed to be awake for the surgery. I couldn't imagine how I could bare to be alert for the surgery and endure the pain. They finally got approval to give me a shot of morphine which helped my body to calm down enough so that I could do the procedure. They apologized profusely saying they didn't realize how bad my injuries were.

After the procedure I had to get more x-rays done before I could go back to my room. I was so scared to transfer again, but I saw the technician and recognized him from the last x-ray I had. I knew he was very gentle and this time was no exception. When they brought me back to the room, I think the calming effect of that morphine had worn off, because I looked at Taylor and started telling him what had happened. The horror of it came back to me and I started to have another panic attack. I could tell I was losing control and tried to explain that I needed him to talk me out of it, but it was too late. I could not calm down. It is such a bizarre feeling to feel yourself losing control of your body and to not have any choice in the matter. The nurse came in and gave me another shot (thank goodness for drugs!) and I was able to finally relax and really sleep, which my body (and mind) really needed.

While I could not put any weight on my left leg or right arm, the doctors wanted me to work on standing up. There were three physical therapist aides that came in several times a day. I don't remember their names, but it was two guys and a girl ... let's call them the Dream Team. The guys had an almost crude sense of humor and the girl evened them out. One of the guys was pretty cute and would always flirt. Looking back, I can see that they were so good at what they did because instead of just offering a bunch of pity, they would razz me and light a fire under me to get me going. But they totally knew when enough was enough.

The bed I had was this amazing thing. (At $25,000 a pop, they SHOULD be!) The top of it came to a full sitting position as you would expect, but the bottom folded down so it was like sitting in a big chair. The Dream Team gradually worked the bed into this seated position. For the first few days, that was all I could handle. I would count down the minutes until I could lay down again. While lying down was not pain free, it was so much better. It was time to attempt standing up. I couldn't even fathom the idea. My body was so weak. It took the three of them supporting and pulling me up to stand on that right foot. I don't think I actually used any muscles but all of my energy was focused on not dying from the pain. Once I was up I could start to put some weight on that leg and almost had some relief. Have you ever been really sore and it hurts to start standing or walking, but then it goes away once you start? Well, it was kind of like that. The pain never went away all together, but definitely receded. I think I probably stood for about a minute. Within a few days I was able to stand with the help of only one aide and I could slide my foot and sit in a wheel chair (equipped with a BIG cushion).

Transferring to a wheel chair was a HUGE step ... it meant I could then transfer to the toilet (hooray no more bed pans!) and take my first shower! The toilet was not so exciting, but the shower was! They have these "shower chairs" which are basically a wheel chair that can get wet. The shower I used is in a big room with several stations (think locker room showers). I just wheeled in and took the shower right there. I remember it felt so amazing to wash off after that yucky rash had just festered. The poor aide who was helping me didn't know how to touch me without it hurting. After that first shower, my Mom or Taylor always helped, since I didn't have to explain it to them. When I got back to my room, I was so tired and slept like a baby. It was a different kind of sleep, because I was so physically exhausted. Somehow that kind of sleep is always so much better.

For some reason, while I was in the hospital I could not stand sugar. It made me nauseous. I really had no appetite, but would force myself to eat something as I knew my body needed to energy for healing. I would try to go for the foods that offered a lot of bang for the buck. Probably 1/2 of what I ate was nutrition shakes. I could always eat the veggies and salads. Normally all I want is sugar and I have to force the veggies, so this was quite unusual! I am sure it was the combination of the drugs and how my system reacted. If only I could duplicate that reaction now without all the other side effects!

If you have ever had to stay in the hospital, you know that the gowns they provide are not so pretty. However, when you are hooked up to all kinds of machines, you can't just throw on a t-shirt and flannel pants. So, the gown you must wear. My amazingly talented sister, Stacey, who was living in Phoenix at the time, wanted to be here so bad. But, she had three small children and it just wasn't feasible. Plus I had more than enough help. So, she decided to be my fashion designer and took several seemingly ordinary nightgowns and turned them into the most fashionable hospital gowns you'll ever see ... complete with snap close arms and ties in the back. All of the nurses were quite impressed. I still think we need to market that idea, Stace!

Each day I was doing better and better. It was getting close to our birthdays (Taylor's is the 24th and mine the 25th of October). It was time to transfer to the In-patient Rehab. I knew this was the last step before I would get to go home, but I also knew it was going to be the hardest in many aspects. You see, I would be doing a minimum of three hours of therapy a day. This may not sound like a lot, but at the time most of my therapy revolved around using the bathroom or taking a shower, transferring for x-rays or whatnot. The three hours of therapy was in addition to all of these things. I was ready, but I was feeling overwhelmed. Would you know ... I was actually transferred down there on my birthday?

My Recovery - In-patient Rehab

Now that I was doing better, I was no longer under "24 hour a day surveillance" by my family. It was now the third week and Taylor had started a new job (hooray!), Tammy was back in Logan getting caught up with the things she needed to do and my Mom assumed my role at home (taking Aubrey and Avery to and from school and caring for Braden.) I began feeling strong and confident. I knew it wouldn't be long before I would be able to come home.

As I was being checked into the Rehab on the first floor, I began to explore the new room with my eyes. I was no longer alone, but had TWO roommates. Of course since I was the newcomer, I was not by the window, but in a small corner that barely fit my bed, right by the door. Our room was right by the common room, so you can imagine all the activity that went by. The aide was surprised when she saw that I was still depending on the bed to bring me to the seated position before standing as opposed to turning and getting out on the side of the bed. Honestly, the thought of EVER doing that again, seemed impossible. There was no sliding or schooching on that hip going on.

The more I laid in bed waiting, the more panicky I got. I was feeling claustrophobic and unsure that I would ever hack it here which meant how would I ever make it home? Right about this time, Taylor's cousin, Jane (or Sydney), came to visit. Now, she and I don't see each other that often, but never before was I ever so glad to see someone in my life. It was all I could do to not bawl like a baby. She was able to visit with me for a while provide such a needed distraction. I know she has no idea how much that visit meant. A while later, Jerusha showed up for a visit. She had this cute silver necklace (had charms with the birthstones for Aubrey and Braden) for my birthday. I think I wore that necklace for a good year straight! She and the kids had made word strips with words of encouragement (faith, love, etc.) and colored pictures for me. They put them up all over my wall. Those words helped me so much during that week and a half. By the time Jerusha left I was feeling ready to take it on again, one step at a time.

Since I was transferred to the room in the middle of the day, I did not have any scheduled therapy for the day. I am so grateful for this "break" so that I could ease into things. That night, everyone came down to celebrate my birthday. Since my new quarters were so tight, we used the common room, which was a nice big room with sofas and a TV on one end and tables and chairs on the other. I tried to sit in the wheelchair, but I was in a lot of pain. The kind nurses wheeled my bed in so that I could be right in the middle of all the action. Here are a couple of shots from that night ...

Early the next morning, around 6:30 or so, the doctor along with several interns came in to access things (took all of about 2.5 minutes and cost how much?!?). Then my breakfast was brought in along with my schedule for the day. I would be doing at least 1 1/2 hours of physical therapy and 1 1/2 hours of occupational and recreational therapy. It took a few days to get the hang of, but eventually I figured out how to plan naps and pain meds around this schedule so that I could get the most out of it.

On the first day of physical therapy I was wheeled into the main room and told by the physical therapist that I would be getting down on the bed/mat for some exercises. I thought he was crazy. First off, the foam was only about 1/2 thick, and it was way lower than my hospital bed. Not only that, but it did not incline like my hospital bed to help me get in and out. Well, I did it. Yes, it was excruciating and yes, I pretty much had tears coming for that entire half hour, but I did it! I honestly don't know how I got up off of that thing. On the second day, my regular Physical Therapist (Susan, I think) took over. She was awe inspiring. She was not afraid to jump in as we figured out modifications for my odd weight bearing restrictions. (You try getting out of bed without putting any weight on your left leg and your right arm or rolling ... seriously, try it!) She was able to push me right to the edge. It was all about getting stronger and becoming more independent. She taught me how to use the wheelchair myself (with my right leg and left arm) and to transfer without assistance. Let me tell you the first time I brought myself back to my room by myself, it was so exhilarating! I won't even go into the first time I went to the bathroom or took a shower on my own ... such freedom!

Around the 2nd or 3rd day, one of my roommates was discharged. I was able to move to her side of the room which had the most room as well as one side that was all windows. It was SO much better to have the extra space. The natural sunlight was so healing. I no longer felt discouraged but could see how all the tiny baby steps were slowly but surely helping me move forward and get better. I WAS able to learn how to get in and out of the bed from the side and I could dress myself again (through OT). That mat in therapy was not so bad after all.

While I had hoped to be home for Halloween, it was not to be. However, our area put on a huge trick or treat celebration for the patients and their families. Aubrey, Braden and Avery came down all decked out ...

As the days went by, things got better and better. I was feeling stronger and more independent. I was making great strides in therapy. I actually had some time to enjoy watching some tv as opposed to sleeping constantly. One night, I was watching the news when they showed footage of a car accident and reported that the couple had both been life flighted to the same hospital I was in. I was so impacted by the pictures and knowing what they and their families must be going through. I quickly turned off the tv, but I could not shake what I was feeling. The aide came in to check on me and asked if everything was okay. I tried to fib, but couldn't hold back. I explained to her and started crying. She was so thoughtful and explained that considering what I had experienced, my feelings were totally normal. It took months and months before I could watch the news again. It's gotten easier, but even now, it's still hard when I see or hear about a bad car accident.

About three days before I was discharged, we got a new roommate. Her name was Jeannette. She was a cute old lady with a husband who totally loved her. She had many health problems and just two weeks before her heart had stopped. She was very weak. I recognized that scared, overwhelmed look that was in her eyes. She was in that same claustrophobic space I had been in when I was first checked in. I spent a lot of time talking to her and her husband, reassuring her that it would be okay and letting her know what to expect. I could see how much pain it caused her husband, who was in good health, to see her suffering so much. We got to be good friends quickly.

I don't remember if it was her first or second night, but I was awoken when I heard a lot of commotion. (This was not unusual as our other roommate, who was healing from a severe stroke, often needed help in the night ... she would have horrible nightmares where she would be shouting out frequently. Also, because of her condition, she did not have control of her bowels and for some reason the middle of the night was when her bowels were the most active. I know ... too much information!) The nurses were trying to get Jeanette to wake up but she would not respond. I was panicked, remembering how her heart had stopped. I began praying for her immediately. I was able to pick up that she was still breathing and her heart was beating, but that her blood sugar had dropped too low and hence she was not responsive. They gave her sugar through the IV and she started to come around. They needed her to eat, since the IV sugars would not last. She was so out of it and she thought that the nurses were trying to poison her. She was frantically swatting at them, calling for her husband (he was home ... our area did not accommodate overnight visitors.) At one point she called out for my help and I immediately got in my wheelchair and came over. (Never was I so grateful to have the independence. If I had any pain, I certainly was not aware of it.)

Somehow through her delusions, she was able to remember me. I explained to her why she needed to eat and that it was not poisoned. She would let me feed her, but was still frightened of the nurse. I told the nurse I would feed her the rest and help her calm down. The nurse left and Jeanette was able to calm down as I fed her the toast. Slowly she started to come back to reality and grasp her surroundings. I ended up staying by her bedside for well over an hour and a half. We talked about everything including our religious beliefs and what happens to us after we die. She was raised Catholic, but hadn't really been to church since she was a girl. I told her my beliefs and she hoped that I was right. She was afraid to die and never see her husband again. At some point during our conversation, I had something amazing happen. It was nothing physical, but this spiritual insight, you could say. I was totally okay with everything that had happened ... I knew that out of all the places in the world that I could be, that this was the one place in the world that I was needed right then. I could see the design which led me to be with her and there was no fear or pain in that design. As I am trying to describe how that felt, there really aren't words. It was such an amazing feeling, one that brings me strength over and over again in my life. It was light and peace and love beyond anything I have ever felt. I'll never forget that night, holding her tiny hands gnarled by arthritis talking about such precious things.

The next time I talked to Taylor he expressed how hard it was for him to leave me alone at the hospital. I explained to him the experience with Jeanette and told him that he did not need to feel guilty ... I was totally content to be there as I knew I was not alone. Those last few days flew by ... I swear I was smiling the whole time!

The day before I was released, My Mom and Annette came in to get training from my therapist so that they could help me when I got home. We borrowed a wheel chair from Tammy (she had it after her knee surgery) and Annette and Shauna loaned us a ramp and shower chair. I couldn't do stairs yet, but luckily we had an extra bedroom and bathroom on the main floor. I was ready to go home!!!

My Recovery - Going Home!
Never was I EVER so glad to go home! My Mom was worried that I might have a hard time driving home between the bumps and general worry. Luckily I was just fine. I am so thankful that I have no memories of the actual accident, so I didn't have those sounds and images to haunt me. It was amazing to see how much things had changed in just one month.

After a harrowing ride up the steep ramp to get up to the porch, (thanks Ron and Taylor for hanging on to me!) I was finally able to relax in the comfort of my own home. It felt so good to be able to hold Braden whenever I wanted and be there when Aubrey got home from school. Luckily the kitchen was so spacious so it made it easy to navigate in my wheelchair. The hall to the bedroom and the bathroom was not as easy and the walls got quite scuffed up! Braden slept downstairs with us and while Taylor would normally get up to change his diaper and prepare the bottle, I got to help with feeding him during the late night feedings. That alone made it worth all the hard work in physical therapy.

I was still on pretty high dosages of oxycotin. What's the one thing you hear when you talk about that drug? It's SOOO addictive. People rob pharmacies just for this drug. I've always had a hard time taking narcotics and was especially anxious to wean off of this strong drug because I heard so many negative stories. So I decided to begin weaning off of it as soon as I could. The side effects were not pleasant. I felt nauseous and weak. I felt like jumping up and down and so exhausted that I could sleep sitting up ...all at the same time. It felt like my insides were literally crawling and trying to get out of my body. I was constantly praying to get from one moment to the next.

I was on two different types of it, a slow release dosage and a fast acting dosage. On this day as I was attempting to cut down the dosage, my Mom cut one of the long acting pills in half. After I had already swallowed it, my Mom was reading some paperwork that indicated, do NOT cut the pills in half as it could cause an overdose. (Flashback to the possible morphine overdose in the hospital!) Panicked, she tried to get through to the doctor and then poison control when the doctor wasn't available. She couldn't find the number anywhere, so she called 9-1-1 asking for the number. They were able to transfer her. Poison control reassured us that most likely it would be just fine, but they told us what symptoms to look for. Problem solved, or so we thought.

A few minutes later I was looking out the window I saw what appeared to be a police officier. Then I saw the stretcher. I yelled for my Mom and started panicking saying, "Please don't let them take me to the hospital, please don't let them take me to the hospital." Turns out any 9-1-1 call needs to be checked on (why didn't they tell us on the phone?!?) The paramedics were very nice and as I told them the side effects I was having and showed them the dosages I had been taking, they explained to me that was coming off of it too fast. Basically in one day I had cut my dosage in half. They equated it to jumping off the roof of a building vs. climbing down a ladder. If I reduced the dosage just 5-10 milligrams each day, my body would respond much better. They did say that there may be some more adverse effects, but that it would be worth it to work through it. They explained that they had met many people that were now addicted to the drug, because they did not have the discipline to cut it down when they should.

I followed their advice and took another dose which brought me back up. As I swallowed those pills, I could feel them begin to take effect almost immediately. The jitters went away and my heart beat calmed down. I had a small glimpse into what it might feel like to be addicted. It gave me so much more understanding to what addicts go through. It would be hard to resist forever, if that was a constant urge I was faced. My Bishop came to visit and counsel me through what I was experiencing. He helped me to realize what a miracle these drugs were to me as they helped me to manage the pain in such a way that I had been able to recover so much in just a month. I would NOT be addicted because I was using them for the purpose they were intended for. He counseled me to read my scriptures even though I couldn't comprehend what I was reading. He equated the action of reading the scriptures to holding onto the iron rod. Since there is no physical rod, reading the scriptures was a way to "hold to the rod."

As I stepped down gradually, I had no other adverse reactions. There were some days that were tough physically. I was so grateful for the bishop's advice because I was able to read the scriptures when I was feeling desperation and it carried me through those hard moments. There were days when I read 8-10 different times.

During my first two weeks at home, our wonderful neighbors brought us yummy dinners every night. Some women that I only knew as acquaintances were so willing to offer us service. The Young Women in our ward signed up to come by each afternoon to clean or help in any way they could. I remember Jerusha coming and asking what she could do. I couldn't think of anything, but she went and found laundry that needed to be folded. I was so impressed by the willingness of everyone to be there for us.

I spent a full 8 weeks avoiding weight to my left leg and right arm. This meant full wheelchair use aside from transfers. Just before Christmas I was able to begin using crutches. My right arm was weak, so it took some time to build up to using them more and more. I was able to begin working with a new physical therapist doing therapy in a warm pool. This was the best, since I could finally move freely. I started out putting 20 lbs. of pressure on my left leg and each week could add 10 more pounds of pressure. So it took a few more months until I could ditch the wheelchair and crutches altogether. I remember chatting with a girl at the pool who was about my age. She had broken her hip 5 years earlier in a car accident. She told me that it would get better and better. After one year she was walking tons and hiking the mountain and at two years she was back to running. I laughed thinking there was no way this broken body would ever run! Now who's laughing?!? (I completed a half marathon just two months ago!)

Here are some questions I get asked a lot:
Do I still have pain today? Yes, but it is not debilitating. It's less when I am exercising regularly. (Why do I still struggle to exercise consistently?!?)

Will they remove the screw? Nope ... not if I have anything to do with it! It is actually designed to fuse and become one with the bone.

Does the screw set off metal detectors? Nope. It is made of some metal (knew what it was once upon a time) that is super strong but does not set off metal detectors.

Do you hate/Are you mad at the woman who hit you? No. I never have been and I'm grateful for that. It would only burden me if had to carry that with me. Maybe things would be different if she had been drunk or speeding. Yes, she was carelessly talking on the cell phone, but how many people do you see talking on the phone each day? I've even caught myself doing it a couple times since the accident. We all need to be more aware of things while we are driving.

Will you be able to have kids again?
I can bear children again if we are lucky enough to be blessed again. For at least a year or more, I couldn't imagine ever allowing anything that would cause my hips to spread and put added pressure on that pelvic bone. Now, I know I could totally do it. We'll see what happens!

Soooooo ...
Wow, I really didn't think this would be quite so long ... if you are still with me, I am VERY impressed! This has been so healing to write. I am so thankful for the positive experiences and friendships that I will carry with me forever. I still have a jar of notes that the sweet girls in my neighborhood made for me. I am VERY grateful for the level of medical care that we have available so that I can live a normal life. Looking at my Mom's care just 20 years before, things were done so differently. As a result she is much more affected by her past injuries than I am. Hopefully Aubrey will not follow in our footsteps! ;) I am grateful to all my family and friends and people I don't even know who prayed for us and helped us make it through that time. I don't even know all the houses that Braden traveled to those first few days (Brintons, Deckers, Jorgensens, Andersons to name a few). Stacy Jorgensen even offered to be a wet nurse if it was needed (and she already had her arms full with one high maintenance little girl!) Taylor's Mom took care of Braden for a solid 2-3 weeks. It's no easy task to handle those midnight feedings. My Mom dropped everything and put her life on hold for almost 6 months until I could do everything again. My sisters were there for me every step of the way. Taylor couldn't have been a better support to me ... talk about "through sickness and health". Aubrey was so strong and brave ... I loved our visits in the hospital! Braden adapted so well, he really is a special spirit. Thank you, thank you, thank you ... I am SO blessed!

Fun weekend, but no pictures!

2008-07-14T14:16:00.002-06:00

I am thinking that since the summer is already half over, we need to plan a few more get togethers. So, if you want to get together for a picnic or to go somewhere fun (and relatively cheap!), leave a comment and let set something up, okay?!?

Okay, now that I am doing this blogging thing for our family, I really need to start taking more pictures. We had a nice weekend. Friday night we went out to dinner with my Mom and played games on the back deck until way after dark. We made PB blossom cookies, which the kids LOVED.

Saturday, Taylor's parents came up and we had a picnic at the park and went to the Beez game that night. We always have going to the game. We sit on the outfield and ride the train with the kids. Ryker had fun playing with Braden (he is SOOO good with him!) and Aubrey and Saige had a blast together. If only I had taken some pictures, you could see what I'm talking about!!! ;)

A Memory Post

2008-07-10T11:21:00.001-06:00

Okay, so I got this off of Marlies' blog. You can do this for just one of us or the whole family. Here are the rules:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! If we're only blogging friends, write about a post that is most memorable.

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses.

3. Remember what your mom taught you; "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." lol Ready? Set? GO!

Lagoon!

2008-07-09T10:13:00.013-06:00

So, we went to Lagoon on July 3rd. We had a lot of fun, despite how HOT it was. This was Braden's first time ever going to an amusement park. Aubrey is a seasoned pro and has already gone once this summer.

This ride and the Scrambler were two of the favorites.

Like I said, it was HOT. This year is the first year that Aubrey actually liked to get wet (she has always had a thing about getting water in her eyes), so we took every opportunity to get wet. In this picture, water would shoot up randomly and Braden would punch the water as fast as he could while he cackled the loudest laugh ever. It had us all cracking up.

If you remember, Braden is obsessed with all things cars. This car rides on a track, but the kids can "steer" and push the gas. Braden would NOT look at us while he was driving the car. He was concentrating so hard because he thought he was actually driving. He was completely serious the whole time. When it came time to get out of the car, he was beaming from ear to ear with pride. He is still talking about that blue car. It was by far his favorite ride of the day.

A little blurry, but still cute. Aubrey was a great big sister, showing Braden the ropes on all the fun rides!

He also love the helicopter ride.

This is one of the boats that rocks way high back and forth. This is us just starting out.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I couldn't see Braden face the whole time to know what he thought. When we got off he kept saying "Not scary, it fun!"

Did the car and helicopter, got to do a plane! Aubrey and I got to go on some rides together while Taylor let Braden do a bunch of the kids rides that Aubrey was too big for. You can see who had the camera most of the time!

All about us!

2008-07-07T17:05:00.004-06:00

So, I think it's time to get this blog going! I'll start with a bit about each of us. I've been having fun connecting with some old friends on facebook, so I'll put in some details here to get everybody up to speed!

Taylor and I (Carrie, duh!) met in Logan, Utah while we were both attending Utah State University. One thing lead to another and we got married May 24th of 1998. We just celebrated our 10 year anniversary (has it really been that long?!?) We moved down to Salt Lake City shortly after in search of better job opportunities. Taylor has a bachelor's degree in IT and has been working in various computer related positions practically our whole marriage. When we had Aubrey, I chose to stay home and be a full time Mom. Over the years I have worn many hats in addition. Currently I work for Brite Music from home, part time. Taylor is into sports, especially football and basketball. If you know Taylor, you know he's a HUGE Miami Dolphins fan from way back. Taylor is a great dad and hubby. He does the dishes more than I do, that's for sure! Hmmm, what about me? I like to be with family and hang out with our friends. I've been into making jewelry lately (my sisters and I started a business this year) and I've been known to do scrap booking, through I am so far behind it isn't funny. I am still playing my violin for a local syphony. I took up running this year, which I can't say I LOVE, but I love what it feels like when I have finished! I actually completed the Ogden Half Marathon in May of this year, so that was pretty cool.

This is Aubrey, she's eight years old getting ready to go into the 3rd grade. She is my shadow and loves to go on Mommy/daughter dates. She also makes some really pretty jewelry. She is a great big sister and is a big help when I need to get some phone calls in for work. She is so sweet, thoughtful and very sensitive to other people's feelings. She loves school, but is loving the summer as she likes to stay up late and sleep in (definitely MY child!) She loves to play Guitar Hero, watch good movies (she's been in Anne of Green Gables lately) and ride her bike and scooter. Aubrey is standing her and reminded me that I need to mention that she loves to eat crab, anything with alfredo sauce and anything sweet. She also says that she can read as fast as I can type (she's proud of this because I "type really really fast!")

Braden is 2 (3 in August) and is our blond hair blue eyed cutie. People always think he's older than he is because he is quite tall for his age. He is talking up a storm and even does some sign language. He loves to sing songs (you can hear him sing his ABCs at LEAST 50 times a day!) He is learning to use the potty, but has developed a fear for public restrooms (those darn automatic flushers have him freaked out!) Braden is very affectionate and loves to snuggle. He is attached to a 3 foot tall Pooh Bear that he must sleep with every night. We once tried to replace it with a smaller version of Pooh, but now he has to have them both! Do remember that scene from E.T. when E.T. is hiding in the closet amongst the stuffed animals and the Mom doesn't notice as he blends in? The is often how Braden's bed is at night! He LOVES the movie "Cars" and playing with cars, wearing cars shirts ... anything cars really. He LOVES firetrucks and gets so excited when he sees one. He and Aubrey sometimes play dress up and he gets all dolled up with make up and pig tails. He thinks it's great ... for now!

So, that's us!

Welcome

2008-05-26T18:14:00.001-06:00

I started a blog for my parents, my siblings and their families at http://keele-family.blogspot.com. Now I have started one just for the Taylor Keele Family. So welcome to our blog.