Dear Max

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Another Business Trip and Birthday Celebration...Do you see a pattern?

Thursday, April 15, 2010
Dear Max,
I'm home! I'm home! It feels so good to be home...and home for awhile! I can actually unpack our bags and put the suitcases back in the closet! YEAH! So here is the rundown on our last adventure. I arrived Friday afternoon in Salt Lake City. Daddy and Uncle Geary picked me up from the airport. It was so fun to be reunited with our family and to see Daniel, Natalie, Aunt Jali and Uncle Geary. We have such a fun time together and I wish we could see each other more.

Friday night, we headed down to Pirate Island in Provo. It is this pirate themed restaurant with a little arcade and play area for kids. Our niece Camri and Lexi met us at the restaurant. It was so good to see them. The last time we saw Lexi she was just a few months old, she is getting so big and is SOOOO adorable! It runs in the family! I will say Pirate Island was a bit stressful. It was a bit over stimulating and you had not had a nap yet, and had spent the day with Grammie and Aunt Jali eating bubble gum ice cream, so you were a bit of a terror while we were trying to eat. But we had fun all the same.

We got to eat in the Cave... which is a little private area. We were there celebrating Daniel and Natalie's birthday's so each of the kids got a pirate hat and some tokens for the arcade and a treat bag. Daniel was so excited!

Our birthday pirate

Our Daddy pirate... Giving a good Arr

Our little pirate... trying to give an Arr

The waiters all came to sing Happy Birthday to Daniel and Natalie

Daniel was SOOO excited!

And to make life sweeter, they brought him an ice cream dessert

Max and Lexi

Birthday Girl Natalie
1 Year Old!!

Birthday Boy Daniel
4 Years Old!!

After we ate we headed over to the arcade and to play on the toys. You are such a big boy! You rode the merry go round all by your self. You held on tight and rode around and around. You had such a great time. And Daddy made himself useful using the rest of your tokens to win enough tickets to get you a hot wheels car.

Riding the merry go round

Look at you go!

Daniel liked it too!

So did Natalie... I'm not sure if Aunt Jali did, I would have gotten dizzy!

Such a big boy!

Saturday morning we got up early to get ready for Daniel and Natalie's 2nd birthday party that was Saturday night. We got the treat bags, food and decorations ready. Then you and Natalie went down for your morning naps so you would be refreshed and ready to have Auntie Emilie take your pictures. Natalie was getting her one year old pictures, Daniel his 4 year old pictures and your 18 month pictures. Here is a sneak peak of a few of the pictures Auntie Emilie took that day. It was so fun to take pictures up in Salt Lake City again. And of course, you are so stinking cute, so that makes the pictures that much more fun!!

You Love Playing Peek A Boo!

Your favorite new song is "I'm so glad when Daddy comes home" and your favorite parts...
"Clap my hands" and "A Great Big Kiss! Mmmuah!"

After pictures, we swung by Sonic to get a soda, we could all use the refreshment of a drink. You love drinking from a straw like the big kids. Our other task was to pick up balloons for the birthday party. Well, I got a little carried away in the store buying balloons and didn't quite think about how we were going to get all these balloons home in the truck! For some reason, I had plenty of room, but apparently everyone else was a little cramped. Oh the memories!

You love to drink from a straw

Awww! Refreshing!

Where's Grammie?

Max, are these balloons in your personal space?

Yeah... I think they are in Daddy's

The view out of Daddy's rear view mirror!

Seeing Daniels Face when we brought home a kid size Transformer Balloon?
Priceless!

The best part of Saturday? Papa surprising us all and driving up to SLC to see his grand kids. He just couldn't stand being away from his family when we were all together. We were so glad that he was able to come up!

Later Saturday evening, Grammie's best friend Swendy came over with her kids to celebrate Daniel and Natalie's birthdays with us. It is always so much fun when our families get together. We do miss that part of her family lives far away, but always think of them when we are together. Seeing Elle, Michelle and Erica together, reminds me of Julie, Becky and I and spending our summers together. We had so much fun! Memories I will never forget.

One of Swendy's daughters Ruthann just got a brand new puppy. It is a Chug, a chihuahua and a pug mix. It is about the size of a large rat, but you loved, loved, loved her! Cooper was really afraid of her, which was funny cause even as little as cooper is, he was 5 times the size of Shelby.

Daniel got new sunglasses for his birthday

Natalie got a purse piggie bank to match her bedroom

And of course all the kids love to listen when Miss Swendy has something to tell. She is such a great Grandma! She brought along the pickle game, which was a blast!

We ended the evening singing happy birthday to Daniel and Natalie and having Cake and Ice Cream

You were so sad to see your little puppy friend Shelby go! Cooper on the other hand was pretty excited to see her leave!

Sunday was spent relaxing and just being lazy. We played games and visited for the day

You and Daniel playing cars

Daniel with his Batman cape
Max... Where's your pants?

One Happy Boy!

A lazy Sunday with Natalie

This sums it up!

Oh, but wait... one more birthday celebration! Natalie eating her one year old cake. It's not a first birthday without a cake disaster!

1st Birthday wishes... Natalie has such eager antisipation

Such dainty small bites...

Oh, she figured it out pretty fast!

The end result? Pure icing bliss!

Sunday night I went to and checked into my hotel that I would be staying at the rest of the week. Before I left I tucked you into bed. What's so sad about leaving so much with you at this age, is that you really don't know that I'm leaving and just want to get on with your normal routine, while I'm wanting to take every snuggle moment in, which just drives you crazy! Daddy drove me to the Hotel and the next morning, Grammie, Daddy and you woke up bright and early and headed for home, while I stayed in Salt Lake City to visit with my customers. We had a successful trip, but I was ready to come home this afternoon. I'm so glad that I don't have to leave again for a business trip until June. I'm hoping since it will be summer time that Grammie and you can come with me! It shouldn't be too hard to convince Grammie to join! I love you Max, and I'm so grateful that you have such an easy going personality that you can accomodate our crazy lives. We sure are busy, but we sure do have a lot of fun! I love you Max!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Missing the boys

Thursday, April 8, 2010
Dear Max,
Well, here we are again. We were home for 4 days this time and now you are already off to Salt Lake City. You and Daddy left this afternoon. You picked up Grammie and are almost to Aunt Jali's and Uncle Geary's. I'm flying up tomorrow at noon. I miss you boys so much. It's so crazy to be home without you, daddy and cooper. It's REALLY quiet! The last few day's since being back from St. George have gone by quick once again. Daddy and I both came back on Monday to morning meetings and laundry and re-packing our bags. It's official we have had our bags packed full time since the middle of March. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow. I just keep praying that you will all arrive safe and sound. My entire life is in that truck. I keep telling Daddy to drive really safe and GO SLOW! I miss and you and love you Max!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Home for three days...then off on another Adventure!

Sunday, April 4, 2010
Dear Max,
The week started out on Mommy's birthday. Monday, March 29th, Daddy and I went back to work after our California Vacation. Later that afternoon Aunt Kathy came down to spend three day's of her spring break with us. We were so happy to see her, but you were especially happy to have her visit. You love your Aunt Kathy, and have such a great time with her. She spoils you with lot's of love and attention. Monday night we all went out to dinner at one of Mommy's favorite restaurants. It's a Greek restaurant. Auntie Andrea was able to join us too. We had a fun time and enjoyed spending the night with family. Tuesday Daddy was off of work, so you, Aunt Kathy and Daddy spent the day together. You actually spent the day getting new tires on Daddy's truck, based on the tire explosion we experienced coming home from California. Wednesday Daddy and Mommy were both back to work, so you got to spend the day with Aunt Kathy. It was fun for the two of you. It is also Grammie's birthday today. She's a special Grammie and it's so fun to have a day just to celebrate Grammie. We love her so much. When Mommy got home from work, Aunt Kathy, you and I all drove home to St. George.

Now, you may wonder, why were we leaving for "Easter weekend" so early. Well Max, here it is. A mommy confession. Remember last week, Monday, when Mommy stayed home from work, because she had pink eye. Well, that same day Mommy woke up with a horrible tooth ache. I was devastated. The reason why? I am deathly afraid of the dentist. I had a terrible experience as a child going to the dentist. Max, I even ran away from home one time when I was a young girl cause I was so afraid of going to the dentist. Now, here I am as an adult, having to face my childhood fears. I'll be honest, if I had not woke up with that terrible tooth ache, who knows when I would have actually taken the plunge and called a dentist. By the way...Daddy is in the same boat, just no tooth aches yet. So I looked up a dentist, and made the dreadful call. I cried the entire time I was on the phone with the dentist office, the sweet lady on the other end, was very understanding and asked if I could come in at 1:00 pm. I said yes, and just started sobbing. It was 10:00 am when I made the call and I had 3 hours to not chicken out! I cried the entire drive to the dentist. Grammie, Pappa and Daddy all kept calling giving words of encouragement and I'm sure praying that I wouldn't turn around. Well, I did it. I sat in the chair, palms sweating, tears trickling down my cheeks. They took x-ray's and looked inside my mouth. The dentist was talking with his assistant, talking in code about each and everyone of my teeth. Then he said that we were done and that they would meet me in the conference room to discuss my treatment plan. WHAT? Dentist offices have conference rooms? So, I sat down and they started talking and then pointed to the 2nd page... $18,962.00 WHAT?? That's before insurance... Right? The office lady responses with, your insurance covers $2,000.00 a year. So your balance would be $16,962.00... Oh My! Panic set in. My response, I'll need to talk with my husband about all of this. However, is their anything you can do for the pain I'm in RIGHT NOW! She call's the dentist in and he says, let me give you a prescription for Loratab. Um... I took an 800 ib the other day and it knocked my socks off. I'm not certain that is the right choice for me. The dentists response, it will take the pain away. And I walked out the door. No better off when I walked in. As a matter of a fact, worse off! And I started crying again. I called Daddy, I called Grammie, I called Papa and I called Aunt Andrea. All had some suggestions of talking with other dentists. I did some calling around and not much changed, until Grammie called her dentist back in St. George. They had me send up my x-ray's and my suggested treatment plan. They said that IF they did everything on the treatment plan their cost would be around $8,000.00. 1/2 of what they were quoting me here in Vegas. I couldn't believe it. And then the dentist said, I want to take a look at your teeth in person, but from the x-rays, I really don't think you need all that work done that they are suggesting. So we made an appointment for April 1st. Now, keep in mind this was March 22nd. I still had a week and 3 day's before the appointment, including a business trip, daddy's training and our little mini vacation all in California. And I was still in pain! Well, Dr. Hendrickson (the St. George dentist) called in a prescription for an antibiotic for me and within two days the crazy pain had gone away. And I was able to get through then next week till I got to the dentist office.

So Wednesday night we Aunt Kathy, you and I all drove to St. George, so I could go to the dentist on Thursday morning at 8:00 am. The doctor gave me a pill to take about a half hour before the appointment to relax me and then I put my ipod in an listened to a movie and then he put laughing gas on me. However, we did discover that my body metabolizes Novocaine really fast. So they had to keep giving me Novocaine shots to keep my mouth numb. We are thinking this is were things went wrong as a child. One shot of Novocaine and then the numbness wore off and they were still going to town on my mouth. Not good. Max, I lived through it! I will be honest, their is nothing that can scare a mommy into becoming brave like a dentist bill of $18,962.00. Let's be real, that's a little brother or sister for you! When Dr. Hendrickson was able to look inside my mouth, he said that I didn't need any crowns, and just the two root canals and then two on lays for a couple fillings that were coming loose. Look at that! It wasn't nearly as bad as the other dentist made it out to be!

So we started our Easter vacation with a visit to the dentist office, I will say, that it was much more pleasant than I was expecting. I will also say that the recovery I was not prepared for. It knocked me off my feet for a good two days. The pain was crazy bad, I even went back into the office on Friday just to have them look at them again. By Saturday night I was back to eating solid foods. And by Saturday late night when Daddy got to St. George I was feeling like a million bucks! Grammie and Papa took great care of you while I was laid up. Here are some pictures of how your Easter weekend was.

Reading Books with Grammie

ATV Rides with Grampie

You Love to go on the Vroom Vroom

Your helmet fits you lot's better this spring than it did last Fall, that's for sure!

Such handsome dudes!

Easter Sunday I was feeling so much better. After the morning session of conference, we met up with Aunt Kathy over at Grandma Trenholms to visit with her. We took a few of your plastic eggs to hide around her room, so she could watch you go on a little Easter egg hunt. She just can't believe how big you are getting. You are like a new little boy every time we get to see her.

Kisses from Grandma. Such a lucky boy!

After visiting with Grandma Trenholm we got back to Grammie and Papa's just in time to watch the 2nd session of conference. After conference we had a little Easter Egg hunt and then had our Easter dinner and you opened your Easter Baskets.

You did such a good job with the Easter Egg hunt.
The practice session definitely was a good idea!

Couple Lessons for Mommy:

1st Lesson: Easter Buckets = No Good
Your eggs kept falling out when you would swing the handles.
Next year, we will find you an Easter Basket

Second Lesson
Small Plastic Eggs = Cooper can fit in his mouth
Cooper kept finding the Eggs faster than you could. We would be telling you that their was an egg over there for you to get, and then realize that Cooper already had it.
Next Year, larger plastic eggs.