The Walker Family

Blue and Gold Banquet

2012-02-01T21:49:00.001-08:00

Aaron and I went to Andrew's Blue and Gold Banquet earlier this evening.

Andrew got two badges. -His scientist and scholarship badge!

After the boys received their badges, we had dinner. -Costco pizza, salad, and cookies. It was yummy!

Here is our invitation.

Andrew got new leaders a couple of months ago (Heather Johnson and Leslie Knecht). They've been great with him thus far.

27 weeks!

2012-01-31T07:04:00.001-08:00

I had another dr. appoiontment yesterday at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. Our little guy is doing great. He's measuring in at about 2 lbs and 10 oz. His heart rate was 138 bpm. It was difficult getting a profile picture. Little guy is breach right now. He likes to hang out on my right side with his front side facing my back. He kept putting his hands near his mouth. -So sweet. I can't wait to meet him!
The weekly infusions are going well. I rarely get headaches any more. Just for fun I thought I'd take a picture of what's delivered to my house each week (Immunoglobulin, D5W, alcolol wipes, IV tubing, IV starter kit, etc). 6 treatments down, about 16 more to go!

Out To Lunch

2012-01-27T19:09:00.000-08:00

I checked Andrew out of school yesterday. While he was at PE, his glasses got knocked off with a basketball, and the frame was bent out of shape. The girls and I took him to Walmart. It took the staff in the vision center less then 5 min. to fix his glasses! -Best of all, it didn't cost anything! Man, I love warranties! -Especially when I didn't even know I had one. :)

We did a little grocery shopping. Then we got some lunch. -Mcdonald's Mcdoubles always sound good.

Fun At The Rec Center

2012-01-25T07:26:00.001-08:00

Bree and Alyssa are loving their swimming lessons. Abby is loving her gymnastics.

Sometimes Alyssa gets a little too wiggly during Abby's gymnastics, so we walk the track a couple of times.

Isn't she the cutest little stinker you've ever seen?

We Finally Got Some Snow!

2012-01-24T21:03:00.001-08:00

I've lived in Utah most of my life. I don't remember ever having a winter as mild as this year. Yesterday we had our first real storm. We got quite a bit of snow. Today was bright and sunny. My kids and I made snow men. It was so much fun. Here are some pics I took.

I Don't Think The Tooth Fairy Is Very Smart

2012-01-23T10:48:00.001-08:00

Andrew and Abby both lost a tooth over the weekend.

Abby had a hard time parting with her tooth.

She felt it was worth at least $5, so that's what she asked the Tooth Fairy to leave her.
Well...Guess what, the Tooth Fairy gave her the $5!

Next time Abby looses a tooth, she says she's going to ask for $100.
I wonder if she'll get it???

Counting My Blessings

2012-01-18T08:41:00.000-08:00

I probably don't tell my children enough how much I love them.

So if you guys read this post, know that I LOVE YOU
BIG MUCH!

Some of Abby's art work (Daddy and Me)

25 Weeks...12 More To Go!

2012-01-18T07:16:00.000-08:00

...And our little guy can't get here soon enough!

I made a car seat cover this past weekend. Our car seat is black and red in color. Andrew informed me that I needed to cover that up. "Why?" I asked. "We're not Ute fans!" Was his reply.

The cover isn't BYU colors, but I think I got that "Boyish" look I was hoping for. :)

Dream House

2012-01-15T17:58:00.000-08:00

Just for fun, we decided to drive out to Midway to see if we could find HGTV's Dream Home.

We drove around for about a half hour, and then we found it! It's located in River Meadows Ranch (3200 N. River Rd. Midway, UT 84049)

The house was beautiful! The driveway was roped off and there were "Private Property" signs on the lawn.

This is how close we got!

There were several cars at the house. -I guess we aren't the only geeks around. :)

BYU VS. USF

2012-01-08T08:47:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was so much fun. Aaron came up with this great idea to take the kids to the BYU basketball game.

What would a basketball game be without treats? We bought cotton candy and kettle corn. The kids were in Heaven.

Aren't those the cutest little pig tails you've ever seen?

It made me so happy to have my whole family there. :)

Abby wore her Halloween costume. She was the cutest little cheerleader I've ever seen.

BYU beat USF 81 - 56. Gooooooo Cougars!

Back Into The Swing Of Things

2012-01-05T07:08:00.000-08:00

Well, we made it to 2012! This was a tough year. -I'm not going to lie. Lots of trials. Lots of happiness and sadness. Most importantly, lots of GROWTH! I'm so thankful for each day that I have with my family. I'm really looking forward to April when our little guy gets here.

Aaron and I made it back to work this week. The kids went back to school on Tuesday. Bree is taking swimming lessons again. She started yesterday. Andrew is back in basketball. Abby begins gymnastics today. Now I just need to think of something for Brody. -Wish me luck!

What An Exciting Week

2011-12-31T16:29:00.001-08:00

What an exciting week we've had! Two of Aaron's sisters and their families came into town late Monday night. On Tuesday we had a baby shower for my niece Melony. Wednesday I had my first in home IVIG treatment. Thursday was our Walker Family After Christmas party.

All of the cousins had sleepovers Thursday night.
From left to right: Jessie, Abby, Kaitlin, Leah, Kari, and Lexi

We went out to lunch at the Pizza Pie Cafe on Friday. Alyssa couldn't get enough of her cousin Kazlinn.

Bree went to her friend (Sierra's) Princess birthday party Thursday morning. She came back all sparkly with make-up and finger nails painted. She had so much fun.

On Saturday my niece Kaitlin was baptized. She looked really beautiful! I'm so glad Matt and RuthAnn (Her parents) decided to baptize her here in Utah rather than Arizona. Seeing her, I couldn't help but think about Brody. -I wish he understood the gospel. -Some day! :)

Following the baptism, we had a luncheon at Aaron's sister (Kenna's) house. Alyssa just loves babies. She's going to be so great with our new addition. She's holding my niece's son Brennan.

A Christmasy House

2011-12-27T05:56:00.000-08:00

Last Friday we went for a ride to look at the Christmas lights. We found the most amazing "Christmasy" house I've ever seen!The house is located in Lehi. From Trafalga head North on 300 West. Turn left at 2540 North and it's right there on the corner at the first stop sign.

You won't be disappointed! It's so fun. :)

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T20:20:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve 2011

2011-12-25T20:19:00.000-08:00

Party #1

Party #2

The IVIG Treatments Have Begun!

2011-12-22T10:39:00.000-08:00

I had my first IVIG treatment yesterday. The infusion went well. The nurses at AF Hospital were really sweet. One of the nurses was my parents' next door neighbor! -Such a small world. The infusion began at 1:30 and finished around 6:00. I had a pretty good headache last night, but am feeling much better today. It's all worth it if it helps our little guy. :)

Stone Gate Center For The Arts

2011-12-20T05:36:00.000-08:00

My nephew Jared is taking a music/dance/theater class. Last Wednesday his class had a performance for family and friends. I took my kids to watch (Aaron had to work). The performance was so cute! Good job Jared.

My nephew is on the right side, top row.

Wouldn't This Be Cool?

2011-12-18T12:35:00.000-08:00

HGTV Giveaway

20 Weeks And 5 Days

2011-12-17T13:49:00.000-08:00

I went to my dr. appt. yesterday and had an ultrasound done. Our little guy is getting big! Dr. Schemmer told me he weighs approx. 15 oz. -I can't believe how quickly they change!
My IVIG treatments are going to begin next Wednesday. I'm a little nervous, but I think everything will be fine. I appreciate everyone's prayers. Thank you, thank you.

I Believe In Santa Claus

2011-12-17T13:33:00.001-08:00

The kids and I got to see Santa Claus this morning! He was at Cabella's in Lehi. All of the kids got to ask Santa for a gift, except for Alyssa. Alyssa didn't want anything to do with him. Andrew wants the new Link game for the Wii that comes with a remote. Bree wants a mermaid doll with a mermaid bed. Abby wants a "Jenny" doll, and Brody wants a Dora Leapster game. Only 8 days til Christmas!

Abby's First Tooth

2011-12-14T08:07:00.001-08:00

Abby lost her first tooth yesterday! She left her tooth in an envelope under her pillow last night. The Tooth Fairy came and left her two one dollar bills! Congrats Abby

Temple Square

2011-12-14T08:02:00.000-08:00

We took a quick trip to temple square Monday evening. The night was perfect. It wasn't too crowded. The weather was nice. The lights were beautiful. My parents came with us so we had help with our children. It was so great. :)

Jessie's Dance Recital

2011-12-11T15:02:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we went to my niece's dance recital. Abby was so excited to watch her cousin! These two are BFF's

We got to see her tap!

Do some ballet

And some Jazz

They did a routine to the song from Polar Express. It was adorable.

Here's Jessie with her instructor and class mates.

Ward Christmas Party

2011-12-11T14:55:00.001-08:00

We had our ward Christmas party Friday night. The party was really fun. We had a yummy dinner, (ham, cheesy potatoes, salad, corn and rolls). Then our youth put on a play. It was so cute!

Parker Kent Brown

2011-12-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

My niece Melony had her baby yesterday! Everyone meet Parker Kent Brown. Born on December 8th at 5:56 pm. 5lbs 14oz, 19.5 inches tall. He is happy and healthy. Congrats Melony and Tyler! :-)

2 cool + 2 be = 4 gotton

2011-12-06T06:50:00.000-08:00

The Melting Pot

2011-12-06T06:47:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, Aaron and I went to the Melting Pot for the first time! We went with my niece Brittany and her parents Darren and Teresa. Brittany is leaving for her mission on Wednesday. She and Aaron talked about going there a long time ago. We decided we'd better make it happen.

The dinner was pretty good. -A little too pricey and not all that it is hyped up to be (In my opinion). I really enjoyed the company though.

I'm excited for you Brittany. You're going to be an amazing missionary.

Welcome December

2011-12-03T09:49:00.001-08:00

Quick Trip To Rexburg

2011-11-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

We made a quick trip to Rexburg, Idaho this past weekend. I've needed a root canal for quite a while. I have a tooth that died as a result from my boating accident 11 years ago. My nephew Randy Jones is a dentist. He was visiting family from Colorado and offered to help me while he was in town.

Randy with his wife Lisa and daughter Reagan

Friday night we stayed in the Quality Inn. After the car ride and a swim in the pool, all of us were worn out.

Saturday morning I had the root canal done. My sister in law Karie got permission from her boss to use his office.

The kids played with toys and watched a movie.

Aaron and Karie assisted Randy. We began around 8:00 and finished at 9:30. I couldn't believe how quick the procedure was. Thank you so much Karie and Randy. I really appreciate everything!

We had a nice drive home.

We stopped in Black Rock. Aaron showed the kids where he grew up. Here is some of the property Aaron's family owned.

Here is Aaron's old house! It's been updated since he lived there. He told us that there use to be some large pillars in the front of the house. Not far from the house there is a river where he use to fish. Just south of his house there is a large mountain where he use to go hike. It was fun learning about Aaron's childhood.

Thanksgiving Day

2011-11-27T08:51:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving was amazing this year! We celebrated it at my parents home. All of my siblings were there as well as their spouses and children. Michael even had one of his room mates over. The food was so so good! We had so much, we couldn't fit it all on the table.

Ashley and Dave set the tables up so cute. Everyone had their own little name tag with their plate. They also did the little cornucopias filled with candy.

After dinner we celebrated Sasha's birthday. Sasha is 2 years old! -Where does the time go?

I think Sasha's favorite gift was a little doll Mike gave to her. The doll came with a binkie and a bottle. She absolutely loved it.

I'm So Thankful...

2011-11-24T06:24:00.000-08:00

We got the results back from the amniocentesis on Tuesday. Our little baby boy is positive for the N.A.I.T. so I will begin the same treatment that I had with Alyssa in a couple of weeks. Although it's not the results we wanted to hear, my family and I are thankful. We're so lucky that we live in a time when doctors know how to treat this condition. My husband and I are positive. We both feel like everything is going to work out. I just wanted to thank everyone for your prayers. I hope all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Sleepy Bug

2011-11-22T06:31:00.001-08:00

Andrew's New Goggles and Glasses

2011-11-22T06:30:00.001-08:00

Well, here are the goggles and glasses Andrew chose. We picked up his goggles last Friday. His glasses weren't finished until today. Andrew loves both of them! He can't believe how much better he can see!

What a good looking dude. Love you bud!

Cabela's Field Trip

2011-11-18T11:42:00.001-08:00

Bree's preschool class went on a field trip to Cabela's yesterday. I checked out Abby a little early from Kindergarten so she could go with Bree, Alyssa, and me. We had a great tour guide. I believe his name was Mr. Bean. He tought us all sorts of things (ie. Different sounds animals make, how taxidermy is done, The difference between moose, elk, and deer, etc.)

We saw a lot of things and had a really good time! Thanks Miss Denice!

16 1/2 weeks

2011-11-17T05:40:00.000-08:00

I had an amniocentesis done yesterday. They are doing an antigen test with my amniotic fluid to see if our baby will be affected by N.A.I.T. We should get the results within 1-2 weeks. Please say a prayer for our baby if you can.
Before the amnio, I had another ultra sound. I got some cool pics.
Below are some profile pictures. I wish I could make them bigger, but I haven't quite figured out how to use the scanner on our printer.

I love his cute little nose and mouth. You can also see his little fingers sitting on his chest.

This is the only picture we could get of his face. He was moving all over the place, but we just couldn't get him to turn in our direction.
The picture below shows you what sex he is (BOY). He's going to even out the numbers at our house. 3 boys and 3 girls! Holy Moly.

I love the last picture. He's waving to everyone. -See you in about 20-23 weeks!

Guess Who Needs Glasses???

2011-11-15T06:05:00.001-08:00

Guess who needs glasses? -That would be my Andrew. Last week we received a letter from the school nurse informing us that Andrew had failed his vision evaluation. We took him to the optometrist yesterday and he has myopia or nearsightedness. Andrew's a little bummed that he has to have glasses. He's already talking about getting contacts.

One positive outcome. -He scored these awesome lime green sunglasses for free after they dilated his pupils. Awe yah!

Brennan's Blessing

2011-11-13T19:49:00.001-08:00

My niece's son, Brennan was blessed a week ago. Bryan gave him a beautiful blessing.What a cute baby!

After the blessing, Katie and Bryan invited family and friends over for dinner. They had a ton of food (Pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, jello salad, green salad, fruit, chips, etc).

They also had a lot of yummy treats (Peach cobbler, peanut butter bars, eclairs, sugar cookies, etc.).

It was a nice afternoon. -Glad that we could share their special day.

Sticker Baby

2011-11-11T08:34:00.001-08:00

Everyone meet Bree's sticker baby.
I don't know where the stickers came from.
I don't know when she put them on.
Frankly, I don't care to take them off.A sticker baby she is!

Amazing Fireside

2011-11-11T08:17:00.000-08:00

Wednesday evening, my mother in law and I went to an amazing fireside. Victor and Verna Nugent spoke. They shared their conversion story with us. They also talked about some of the blessings they've had since they were introduced to the church. It was so good!

Here is his story:

I was brought up in a family of Jehovah's Witnesses, consisting of my father and mother and eight brothers and sisters. At an early age I learned to read the Bible, attended meetings three times a week, and learned to use scriptural quotations to "prove" doctrinal points. Soon I was actively propagating the doctrine from door to door, first with my parents or other members of the congregation, later on my own. During this period I was baptized.

During my high school years I first began to entertain misgivings about the truth of the doctrine I had been taught. I was not entirely satisfied with the explanation that some parts of the Bible were not to be taken literally but had a "spiritual" interpretation. Who had the authority to "interpret"?

My faith weakened progressively during my high school years. By the time I entered university I had stopped attending meetings. I elected to read natural sciences, majoring in zoology and chemistry. Soon I had embraced the tenets of evolution and rejected the teachings of the Bible. By graduation time I had acquired a considerable number of personal bad habits and was an avowed agnostic.

Soon after graduation I married Verna, a high school classmate. Over the next seven years she did a wonderful job of making a home for me and our two children, while I frittered away my time, energy, talents and substance in the pursuit of sensual pleasure.

On the way home one morning, while suffering from the effects of a particularly vicious hangover, I finally saw myself as I was. I was so disgusted at what I saw that I prayed for the first time in about eleven years: "Oh God, if there is a God," I said, please have mercy on me. Please help me!"

I immediately felt better after I had said these words and my life began to change from that point on. This was sometime in 1970. I stopped going out and leaving my wife and children alone at home. I had been in the habit of drinking about a pint of alcohol every day for about seven years and stopped drinking in 1971. I had been a chain smoker but stopped smoking in April 1972.

At this time I was particularly concerned about my children, for I had noticed that many of my vices had rubbed off on them and it seemed to me that I was beginning to bring up a pair of monsters. I gradually gave up all my vices and started reading some books on psychology, philosophy, and metaphysics. I was searching for a way - for the truth.

During my search for the truth I noticed that many authors quoted freely from the Bible while others plagiarized it shamelessly. The question came to me: "What if the Bible is true in all respects?" I was overcome by an overwhelming compulsion to read the Bible, but the feeling came to me that I should read it with belief in my heart. I was either going to accept it all or reject it all. I started at Genesis, but this time I was not just reading words, I was visualizing events. What an impact it had on me! . . .

Bible-reading enthusiasm had caused me to spend part of my lunchtime each day reading the Bible in my office. One day Paul Schmeil entered and noticed what I was reading. He wanted to know which church I was attending. When I told him none, he said he was a Mormon and would like to tell me about his religion. He asked if he could visit me at home to tell my family and me about it.

I had previously declined such invitations from friends of other faiths, but there was something different about Paul. He was living the principles of the gospel, as I understood them. I felt that he could tell me something, so I accepted his invitation. Paul came to our home one evening and showed us two filmstrips, one entitled "Man's Search for Happiness" and the other "Meet the Mormons." He instructed us from his manual and left us some pamphlets to read. At the close of the session he showed us how to pray and invited us to kneel in prayer.

I shall never forget that evening. It was as if a messenger from God had come to visit. The message he brought was exactly what I had been looking for. I eagerly read the pamphlets and went out in my back yard to meditate and reflect on what had been said.

Everything fit perfectly. There was only one "fly in the ointment." That first night Paul told me about the position of the Negro in the Mormon Church. My ego was hurt, but I had a strong feeling that the message was the truth, and more was involved than pride and vanity. I sought the Lord in prayer and the answer came back loud and clear. It was the truth! I had received a testimony of the truth through the Spirit. Reasoning from this revealed truth I came to more fully understand the Church's position regarding the Negro and the priesthood. . . .

Paul continued to explain the principles of the gospel to us. The more I heard, the more my joy increased that I had at last found what I was seeking. We attended family home evening at his home. We read the Book of Mormon, we prayed about it, we were convinced of its truthfulness, and our convictions grew stronger.

As a family we started to attend Sunday School and sacrament meeting. Associating with other Mormons showed us that the peace and harmony evident in the Schmeil family was not a fluke - living the gospel is a way of life among Mormons.

My wife, my eldest son and I were baptized on January 20, 1974. I will be eternally grateful to our Father in heaven for sending me the help I needed in answer to my plea.

Tremendous blessings have attended my family as a result of our efforts to live the gospel as worthy members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Best of all is the growth and development of our children, and a new cohesion in our family life.

I solemnly bear witness that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live, that God hears and answers our prayers, that he has restored the everlasting gospel in its true form on earth today through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is his church - the true church. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

2011 School Pictures

2011-11-09T16:21:00.000-08:00

We finally got back school pictures! I'm so happy with the way they turned out. The only thing I regret is that I didn't have Bree or Alyssa's picture taken.
-Enjoy!

Children - Neil L. Anderson - October 2011 General Conference

2011-11-07T10:02:00.000-08:00

I've had a lot of mixed reactions from family and friends when they found out Aaron and I were expecting our 6th child. I new it wouldn't be easy telling people, and so I think that is part of the reason why I kept it a secret for so long. Please know that Aaron and I are aware of the health risks this baby might have. We are also aware of our financial responsibility. Both Aaron and I have prayed about this. We both feel strongly that everything will work out. We are doing everything we can to make sure this baby gets the care it needs. We are so excited for this baby to come to our home and we just want all of you to be excited for us.

<br><br><br>
This talk really stood out to Aaron and I this past conference. If you have a moment, please watch it.

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T05:15:00.001-07:00

Halloween was great this year. Grandma, Grandpa, Bree, Alyssa and I went to the parade at Shelley Elementary. All of the kids looked so cute in their costumes.

Abby (BYU Cheerleader)

Andrew (Pac-Man)

Later in the evening, the Jacobsons brought us some yummy taco soup. We gobbled it up, then hit the streets for some trick-or-treating.

The kids got so much candy! -Especially little Alyssa. Everyone thought she was so cute that they let her take a handful at almost every house.We didn't get around to decorating our pumpkins this year. The nurses that I work with at Project Reality decorated this pumpkin.

Lady Gaga. He he he. I love it.

Abby and Brody's Birthday/Halloween Party

2011-10-31T07:40:00.000-07:00

Abby's Birthday Party

2011-10-30T07:30:00.002-07:00

We celebrated Abby's birthday on Saturday. Abby wanted to have a "Hello Kitty" party.I made her a cake
And we got a lot of fun party favors.
We had a good turn out. Abby had 7 of her friends come.

She got a lot of fun gifts.
We played a couple of different games. The first game we played was"Pin the bow on Hello Kitty." The picture above is of Hailee giving it a try.
Allee
Sadie
Millie
Brinley
Jessie

Top row left to right: Adair, Millie, Jessie, Hailee, and Bree

Bottom row left to right: Brinley, Abby, Sadie, and Allee

The second game we played was called "Poor Kitty." Everyone forms a circle and one person is blindfolded in the middle. The middle person is directed towards someone in the circle. They say "Poor Kitty," and the person in the circle has to say "Meow." The middle person then tries to guess who it is.
Alyssa thought she was just as big as everyone else.
Abby's favorite part about her birthday was opening gifts.

Following the presents, we had pizza, root beer, cake and icecream.

Make a wish!

Coming In April 2012!

2011-10-29T06:37:00.000-07:00

We have a new addition coming in April 2012! I had my first doctor appointment last Thursday. So far everything is looking great. Baby has a good heart beat (152.8 beats per minute) and most of the body parts are accounted for. It's still too early to know what the sex is. Any guesses? I'm measuring at about 14 weeks. I have an amniocentesis scheduled for the 3rd week of November. We'll get more info at that time.

Hilcrest 1st Ward Halloween Party

2011-10-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

Our ward had a special Halloween party this year. We volunteered to help with Heritage Care Center's Annual Halloween Party. For those of you who don't know, Heritage Care Center has a special place in my heart. -It's the place where Aaron and I met. :)
Members of our ward donated candy and worked at concession stands. It was so much fun! I love the elderly. Here are some pictures of the fam before we went to the party.

Bree's Halloween Party

2011-10-29T05:58:00.001-07:00

Bree's Halloween party was last Thursday.

Her teacher Ms. Denice did an excellent job. At the beginning of the party, she had all of the children sing some Halloween songs.

Everyone looked so cute in their costumes.

After they sang, we went to the backyard. All of the parents did concession stands. I made ghost suckers with all of the kids. Other parents made spooky treats, had a hula hoop toss, bowling, bingo, etc. My girls had a great time.

Fall Leaves

2011-10-25T16:56:00.000-07:00

Random Birthday Pics

2011-10-25T14:44:00.001-07:00

October 24, 2003

2011-10-24T16:54:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago today, I gave birth to our second son Brody. My pregnancy and delivery were great. -No problems whatsoever! I remember after Brody was born, the nurse kept patting Brody's back. I asked her if something was wrong? She stated, "He's just a little blue. I'm trying to get him to give us a little cry." Brody never did really cry, and his color didn't change very much. I was able to hold him for just a minute, then they whisked him away to the NICU. Brody stayed in the NICU for about a week. It was a very stressful time. My doctor didn't know what was wrong with him. Maybe he swallowed some amniotic fluid? Maybe he had an infection of some sort? No one knew what was wrong.
Aaron had just begun Chiropractic school in Dallas, Texas a couple months before Brody was born. I stayed in Utah because I didn't want to change doctors and I had good insurance with my work. A couple of days before my due date, Aaron flew into town. I was so thankful that he made it to the delivery. The day after Brody was born, Aaron flew back to Texas. Before he left he gave Brody a blessing. In the blessing, he was comforted that everything was going to be okay. I prayed and prayed that everything would be okay. I remember pleading with Heavenly Father that no matter what handicaps Brody might have, I would take him. I just wanted him to live. I wanted to be his mother!
The next couple of weeks, Brody was given several antibiotics. He went through several blood draws and IVs. I remember one of his IVs was in his head. -Poor little guy. I'd never seen that done, even in nursing school. A few days after being in the hospital, we got some of Brody's labs back. Brody's platelet count was 3,000! A normal platelet count is 150,000 +! The doctors and nurses were amazed that he hadn't bled to death. Brody had a MRI done and the results were good. Aaron and I had some blood tests done as well. Finally Dr. Cheng from Primary Children's Medical Center gave us a diagnosis. Brody was sick due to a genetic disease called Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia or NAIT.

Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia (NAITP or NAIT or NAT for short; or fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, FNAIT, feto-maternal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, FMAITP or FMAIT) is a disease that affects fetuses and newborns. Genetic differences between the fetus and mother may result in the expression of certain antigens by fetal platelets, not expressed by the mother. Fetomaternal transfusions result in the recognition of these antigens by the mother's immune system as non-self, with the subsequent generation of allo-reactive antibodies which cross the placenta. NAIT, hence, is caused by transplacental passage of maternal platelet-specific alloantibody and rarely human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allo-antibodies ^[1] (which are expressed by platelets) to fetuses whose platelets express the corresponding antigens. NAIT occurs in somewhere between 1/800 ^[2] and 1/5000 ^[3] live births. More recent studies of NAIT seem to indicate that it occurs in around 1/600 live births in the Caucasian population.^[4]

I've mentioned in many of my posts that Brody has autism. I don't know what caused Brody's autism. Autism has changed the way our family looks at the world. I think we all have more patience. I also think we're more accepting of others. Most of all, it's helped us look at the big picture of what our life here on earth is all about...Family. I'm so thankful for my husband and children. I'm thankful that Heavenly Father entrusted Aaron and I with such a perfect spirit as Brody. We're so lucky to have him in our home. We love you Brody! Happy Birthday Buddy! Love, Mom

Picking Up Abby From School

2011-10-24T15:45:00.001-07:00

Don't know how many more days we'll be able to walk and pick up Abby from school. I heard that the weather is suppose to change this week.
We'll take every opportunity that we can!

My Pink Sparkly Princess

2011-10-24T15:35:00.001-07:00

My little Breelyn has told me for months that she wants to be a "Pink Sparkly Princess" for Halloween. I tried to convince her to be a Mrs. Pac Man or a ghost like the rest of our family, but no...she wouldn't have anything to do with that. This past Saturday I stopped at a yard sale, and I found this jewel. I thought it would be fun for dress-ups. When Bree saw it, she declared that it was her "Pink Sparkly Princess" outfit. Halloween outfit for Bree (Check).

One Of My Likes

2011-10-23T18:16:00.001-07:00

Mirror Lake

Provo Canyon

Just outside of Kamas

Alpine

Every Sunday I make Aaron take us for a ride. Last Sunday we drove to Alpine. The week before that we drove to Mirror Lake. I'd never been to Mirror Lake before, but heard that it was beautiful. The ride was a little longer than I anticipated, but it was beautiful. I love the Fall.

Our Trip To The Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-18T12:31:00.000-07:00

Sunday Primary Program

2011-10-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was our ward's primary program. All of the kids sang beautifully. A lot of work went into it. I'm so thankful for all of the teachers and volunteers. Thank you! Thank you!

My Kind Of FHE

2011-10-11T05:59:00.001-07:00

I hung out with my sister-in-law for a couple of hours yesterday. Don't know how we got on the subject, but both of us talked about how we craved crab. Later in the evening we found ourselves at Joe's Crab Shack. It was awesome for a Monday night. It was dead. There was literally no one there but us. Our kids loved the playground. And oh my goodness, the crab was soooooooo good! It was the best FHE I've ever had.

Go Cougars!!!

2011-10-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

Aaron and Andrew went to the BYU game Saturday night. Saturday was BYU's homecoming, so there were a lot of fun activies before the game. Aaron got Andrew a football, a rugby hat, and a blanket. Andrew was in Heaven. BYU beat San Jose State 29 -16. Go Cougars!

Karie's Spooktacular Birthday

2011-10-08T18:25:00.001-07:00

I went to a fun party earlier today. My niece Denell threw a party for her Mom Karie. Karie's birthday is on Monday. Towards the end of September, Karie found out that she has cancer. She's having surgery on Monday, so we wanted to celebrate before she has to get sick. All of us brought halloween treats (Mummy cookies, bone rolls, witch broomsticks, etc). It was so nice to visit with everyone. I love my family.
Some of the treats

Me and Brittany

Brennan and Deanna

Brittany

Mel and Katie

Left to right: Katie, Denell, Denell's niece, LouJean, Kenna, Karie, Teresa, Brennan, and Deanna

My Little Housekeeper

2011-10-08T18:23:00.000-07:00

My little Bree has a new hobby. She loves to clean the house! A few days ago, she made all of the beds, picked up all of the dirty clothes and put them in the hamper, cleaned up all of the toys, organized everthing in the bathroom, etc. I couldn't believe how much she'd done. Now every morning when her Grandma wakes up she informs her that they both need to clean her room.Bree organizes everthing on Grandma's dresser.

Grandma and Bree make the bed. Bree donates some of her stuffed animals so it looks "Cute." I hope this hobby lasts for a long time!

36 Never Looked So Good

2011-10-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

Aaron is officially half way to 72! His birthday was on Wednesday. Andrew had his pinewood derby the same day, so we did a little celebrating on Wednesday and some more on Friday. On Wednesday, a couple of Aaron's sisters, my niece Brittany, our girls, and I took Aaron out to lunch. We went to Olive Garden. MMMM...it was so yummy!

Wednesday evening we had chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. I made Aaron an icecream cake (Butter pecan cake with rocky road ice cream and German chocolate frosting). It's kind of a weird combination, but it's really good. :)

All of the 36 candles fit nicely on the cake.

Goodness...It almost looks like we started a fire. (He he)

Yesterday, Aaron and I had an amazing dinner at Texas Roadhouse (Thanks for the gift card Mom and Dad. And thanks for watching our kids). After dinner, we saw the movie Moneyball. I enjoyed spending time with my Honey. Love you Aaron. I hope you had a Happy Birthday.

Pinewood Derby Results

2011-10-06T06:26:00.001-07:00

Andrew's pinewood derby came and went. I think Andrew (And Aaron) did an awesome job this year! There were 27 scouts that participated in the event. Andrew's car took 9th overall and 2nd in his age group! His Bumble Bee Car got the "Sportiest Looking" award. Here are some pictures from the evening.

It's That Time Again

2011-10-04T05:16:00.000-07:00

It's Pinewood Derby time again!

Aaron and Andrew spent a good chunk of conference weekend working on Andrew's car. Andrew decided to go with a "Bumble Bee" theme. I think they did a great job! I had to add my little touch. I modpodged a picture of Andrew in the driver side. He he he.
They race tomorrow night. I'll post the results.

Perty Pears

2011-10-01T05:50:00.001-07:00

Boy...Did we can pears yesterday. 28 jars to be exact! I never realized how much work goes into canning.
Aren't they perty?

Bree's Field Trip At Fam Land

2011-10-01T05:49:00.000-07:00

Bree's preschool class went to Farm Land at Thanksgiving Point on Thursday. Aaron, I, and our 3 girls got to go. It was so much fun. My aunt teaches Bree's class, so a few of my cousins and their kids came as well. My girls loved all of the animals. Aaron and I were almost convinced into buying a rabbit. We didn't, but it still might happen in the future. :)

Following the field trip, we bought 50 cent ice cream cones. They were yummy.

So glad that Aaron was able to come. He makes everything better.

Abby Magoo

Breezy

and Lysious

I'm Full!

2011-09-25T20:38:00.001-07:00

I was fed physically and spiritually Saturday night. I spent the evening with my mom, my sister Ashley, my mother-in-law, 2 sister-in-laws (Deanna and Kenna), my niece Katie, and her son Brennan. We ate dinner at the Pizza Pie Cafe. Following dinner we watched Relief Society Conference at the Highland Stake Center. It was such a nice evening. I especially enjoyed Elder Uchtdorf's talk. It was just what I needed. If you haven't heard it yet you must!

Dinner at Pizza Pie Cafe

Left to right: Ashley, Sherrie, Brennon, LouJean, Kenna, Katie, and Deanna

Corn For Sale!

2011-09-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

Aaron's cousin let us pick some corn from her garden.
The boys worked really hard.
When we were finished, they asked if they could sell a bag.
Those little stinkers made $5 each for about 20 minutes of work.
-Not to shabby!

A Little Frost On The Wind Shield

2011-09-23T12:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I loaded my children into the car for school. All of us were shivering. It was very cold and there was a little frost on the windshield. All of my kids took turns yelling at me, "Hurry Mom. Turn on the heat. We're freezing!" I guess it must be one of those days. My eyes swelled up with tears and I started to cry. My kids were all shocked. "What's wrong Mom, what's wrong?" All I could say was that I'm not ready for cold weather. I hate to see summer go. I don't know why it's so hard for me. Heck, I lived in Utah most of my life. You'd think I'd be use to it by now. I guess I've got the cold weather blues.

Breelyn's Primary Class

2011-09-18T11:14:00.000-07:00

How cute are all of these kids?

Dinner At The Park

2011-09-18T05:58:00.000-07:00

Phelps #2

2011-09-15T06:57:00.000-07:00

My niece had her baby on Friday September 2, 2011. Meet Brennan Lee Phelps. Isn't he adorable? Oh my goodness. I could eat him up. Congratulations Katie and Bryan.

Poor Baby Girl

2011-09-15T06:56:00.001-07:00

My sweet little Abby isn't feeling well. She threw up a few times after school yesterday and once in the night. I hate it when my kids are sick.

Man's Camp

2011-09-11T06:46:00.001-07:00

Aaron and Andrew went to Man's Camp Friday evening with our ward. Unfortunately, we have no pictures. :( Brody snatched Aaron's phone out of his bag shortly before they left. It sounds like they did a lot of fun things. Here is the little flyer they got.

Breelyn's First Day Of Preschool

2011-09-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

Bree went to her first day of Punkin Patch Preschool on Tuesday. She loves her new school. Bree got to give the very first show and tell. She had to choose something that began with the letter A, so she chose her Ariel doll. I love my little girl!

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-06T05:39:00.001-07:00

We had a nice Labor Day Weekend. We stayed a night at Aaron's brothers house and spent a couple of days in Yellowstone/Jackson Hole. Yellowstone was beautiful as always, and the weather was perfect. Our only complaint was that we didn't see very many animals. We saw a few elk, a few bison, and that's basically it. I loved our ride back home. We drove through Afton, Wyoming. I got to show my kids where my grandparents use to live. We also did a little hike in Afton Canyon to Periodic Spring. (It's been a long time since I did that hike). We stopped at Bear Lake and ate dinner at LaBeau's. Wish I could have more weekends like this one. :)Periodic Spring Info

Pretty waterfall in Afton Canyon.

Teton Pass. -Beautiful!

Aaron and Andrew at the top of Periodic Spring

We hoped to see a bear. This was as close as we got.

Old Faithful

Only in Wyoming, the cows roam the streets.

My Grandma and Grandpa Nelson's old home.

Kinda Lonely Around Here...

2011-08-31T12:40:00.000-07:00

It's kind of lonely around here now that Andrew, Brody and Abby are in school. My little Breezy goes to preschool next week. Then it will just be me and Alyssa. What then??? Today Breezy, Alyssa and I went to a park. Here are some pics I took with my phone.

Alpine Splash Park

2011-08-31T12:39:00.001-07:00

Those Shoes Look Like Boy Shoes!!!

2011-08-31T12:36:00.001-07:00

Abby did it! -She survived her first day of Kindergarten. She reported that the day went well. She really likes her teacher and she made a couple of new friends. The only complaint Abby had was that one of the girls in her class told her her canvas shoes looked like boy shoes. I doubt I'll be able to get her to wear them again. -Kids can be so mean.

Owls Game/Fireworks show

2011-08-31T12:32:00.000-07:00

We went to the Owls game/fireworks show on Saturday. Owls beat Helena 5-1. Both Andrew and my nephew Jared were able to get foul balls. The firework show was great, especially since it is the end of August. :)

Mutual Dell Day Camp

2011-08-28T07:32:00.001-07:00

Andrew and Aaron went to a scout day camp on Saturday. The camp was held up at Mutual Dell in AF canyon. They learned a lot of new things. Pictures to come...

Heather Johnson Photography

2011-08-27T06:24:00.000-07:00

Abby Kindergarten Assessment

2011-08-27T06:16:00.002-07:00

Abby had her Kindergarten assessment Thursday. I've never seen anyone as anxious to start school as her. I think she'll have a blast this year. Isn't she adorable?

A Positive

2011-08-27T06:16:00.001-07:00

A New School Year Is Upon Us...

2011-08-23T03:40:00.003-07:00

Yesterday was "The final day of Summer" as Andrew put it.To celebrate, we took the kids to Manilla Pond. We had a picnic and swam. -Such a beautiful day.
Later in the afternoon, I took the kids to meet their new teachers. Abby's Kindergarten teacher is Mrs. Walker. Andrew and I had Mrs. Walker for Kindergarten. She's such a neat lady. -So glad that Abby gets to have her.
Brody's 2nd grade teacher is Mrs. Anderson. Brody had her for about a month last year. I'm glad he gets to have her again. She's a very patient and kind person. I'm hopeful that we will see a lot of change in Brody this year.
Andrew's 5th grade teacher is Mrs. Kakahiko. I don't know much about her, except that this will be her 2nd year at Shelley. Andrew's very excited and nervous. It's a new school, a new teacher, and new classmates. -I'm sure that he'll be just fine.
Bree felt left out since she didn't get to go visit her teacher and classroom. We signed her up in my Aunt Denice's preschool. She begins some time after Labor Day.
All of were starving after meeting the teachers. I took the kiddos to Parkers for icecream cones and fries. Alyssa loves Parkers fry sauce. She drank three of the little cups. -So cute.

Aaron gave all of the kids a blessing before going to bed. So grateful for the church, for a wonderful husband and children. I am truly blessed. :)

Butterfield Canyon

2011-08-23T03:40:00.001-07:00

We went for a nice ride Sunday evening. We drove through Butterfield Canyon near Kennecot Copper Mine and ended up in Tooele. We saw a ton of deer. This little guy was next to the road with his mother. I love the spots.

End Of Summer BBQ

2011-08-23T03:37:00.000-07:00

Living Planet Aquarium

2011-08-20T04:35:00.000-07:00

Finally Finished!

2011-08-19T16:55:00.000-07:00

I finally finished a rag quilt that I've been working on forever. I think it turned out really cute. It isn't as big as I hoped it would be, but it will do. :)

Meet Jerry

2011-08-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

We caught this little guy this afternoon in one of our traps.Earlier this week, we saw him run across the kitchen floor and underneath the oven. -EEK!

All of the kids love him. They want to keep him as a pet.

I'm against the pet part, but I did make him a cracker peanut butter sandwich...if that counts.

I even cut some holes in the lid of a canning jar so he could breath. :)

We'll save him til Aaron gets home.

Then Aaron can decide his fate.

Alyssa Has Bangs!

2011-08-15T15:51:00.001-07:00

Little Mommy

2011-08-14T06:55:00.001-07:00

Abby is going to be such a good Mommy some day. She always helps me with her younger sisters. If I'm busy with something, she's always willing to play with them, comfort them when they get hurt, get them drinks and snacks, help them get dressed, etc. She's even changed a diaper! What kid does that???

A couple of days ago, Alyssa was really tired. I got her a bottle and Abby coaxed her to come lay on the couch with her. A couple of minutes later, Alyssa was out. Abby stayed with her for about an hour. She didn't want to wake her up. Isn't this the cutest picture?

Tony and Ashley's Reception

2011-08-14T06:23:00.000-07:00

I went to Tony and Ashley's reception last night. I drove with my friends, Natalie and Katie. The reception was beautiful. They had it at the Springville Art Museum. (I've always wanted to visit the museum, but never really had the chance until last night). It was fun to meet Ashley. She and Tony are such a cute couple. I got to catch up with a lot of old friends.

I don't know why, but I didn't think to take any pictures til it was time to cut the cake. Here are some pictures of the new happily married couple. :)

Brit's Mission Call

2011-08-11T05:45:00.001-07:00

My niece Brittany received her mission call yesterday! Brittany has been called to serve in the Lima, Peru West Mission. She'll be speaking Spanish.

We're so excited for her! She'll be such a great missionary. Brittany goes into the MTC Dec. 7th. We love you Brit! Good luck.

A Fleepover Wis Oakley

2011-08-11T05:29:00.000-07:00

Bree had a sleepover with her best friend Tuesday night. My daughter has no fear. She's only 4 and she always begs me to let her have sleepovers with her cousins/friends. My niece sent me this picture from her phone. The girls fell asleep in a princess tent. -So cute.

Abby and Bree's Swimming Lessons

2011-08-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

Abby and Bree started swim lessons at the AF Rec center this week. Both of them love their teachers. Bree's teacher is named Shantel and Abby's teacher is named Kathryn. Whenever Alyssa sees Abby and Bree get ready, she has to put a swim suit on too!

Alyssa loves the shallow water. I think I'll sign her up for lessons next time.

Jessie's 6th Birthday

2011-08-07T22:00:00.001-07:00

Earlier today we celebrated my niece's birthday. My niece (Jessie) turned 6 yesterday. She invited our family along with Grandma and Grandpa Walker over for dinner. Deanna made Jessie a "Fish Bowl" cake. -So cute. Alyssa got to it and bit the head off one of the red swedish fish. Whoops! Can you see it in the picture?
The little girls felt special. They got to sit at their own table.
Dinner was delicious! We had roast beef, potatoes, gravy, salad, brocolli and carrots, and home made rolls!
Jared helped with the dishes.
We enjoyed visiting with Grandpa and Grandma Walker
My little Brody was a stinker! He kept teasing Grandma and jumping on the couch.
Aaron and I had way too much fun!
...And so did everyone else!

A Day Of Weddings

2011-08-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a day of weddings!
My nephew Jordan (Pictured above) was married at 9:00 am in the Mt. Timpanogos temple. He married a sweet girl named Ashlee Jones. They had their luncheon at the North Hampton house and their reception at the Alpine Arts Center. We're so happy to have her in our family. Congratulations Jordan!

My friend Tony married a girl named Ashley Christensen. They were also married in the Mt. Timpanogos temple. I've never met Ashley, but I'll get my chance next week at their reception. I'm sure that she's an amazing girl.

FUN STORY: As Aaron and I were heading into the temple for Jordan's wedding, we ran into several of my high school friends, (Nate Johnson, Mark Williamson, Adam Swalberg, Marc Bule, Evan Iund, Richard Flynn, Dustin Johnson, and Derek Johnson). They had been to Tony's ceremony and were waiting for him and Ashley to come out for pictures. I had a short visit and gave all of my friends a hug. I would've loved to stay longer, but we were already running late. Aaron held my hand as we walked away. He asked me if I was cold. I was shaking a little bit and my heart was pounding. -I was just happy to see everyone. It's been a long time since I've seen the "Brothas." Life is good. :)

Seven Peaks

2011-08-05T05:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to Seven Peaks with a few of Aaron's sisters and their kids. I haven't been to Seven Peaks since I was in jr. high! It was so fun. I can't believe we waited so long to take our kids. We bought our "Passes of all passes" last year. I've wanted to take our kids, but I was just really nervous. My sister-in-laws were so helpful. Each of them took turns with my kids so I had a very low stress day. Thanks again you guys! :)

Let The Good Times Roll...

2011-08-04T06:05:00.000-07:00

We went to dinner last night with the fam. My nephew Jordan is getting married Saturday and so all of us decided we needed to get out. We ate dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory in West Valley. We had such a good time. I just love my family. We always have so much fun. :)Grandpa ordered a mocha shake by accident. The waiter was awesome and brought him out a oreo shake instead.

We had quite a large group.

Our waitress/waiters sang Happy Birthday to Ashlee (Jordan's fiancee). Welcome to the family Ashlee!!! He he

Grandpa shared his icecream with Alyssa and Kazlynn

Wow! Who are those two goof balls?

When Cousins Come To Play...

2011-08-03T05:39:00.000-07:00

We've had several cousins come into town this week. My kids have played hard every day. On Tuesday the kids put the hose on our slide and turned on the sprinklers. Here are a few pics.

They've had sleepovers nearly every night.

Last night Andrew and his cousin Shelby pulled an all-nighter.

So today...they sleep.

Check Out This Ugly Dude

2011-07-31T20:16:00.001-07:00

We found this little guy out in our raspberry patch. I didn't know what kind of spider he was. Aaron captured him and we did a little research. We found out he's a cat face spider. They're harmless to people, but my goodness, they are UGLY.