Memorial Day

Memorial Day has always been a day that we have gone to the graves with my family and then gone to the park to play, but this year it has become very different. It hasn't become any easier since Daxton died, but we have all learned a lot and are hopefully becoming better friends, parents, siblings, and kids because of him and all he taught us. After going to the graves Sunday we went to a park and had a nice picnic and then had fun playing on the playground and playing sand volleyball. On Monday we visited graves again and then had a party with my dad's family. We are very grateful for our family!



Aunt Mandy holding the four boys (number 4 makes his debut next Thursday!).
The boys had a great time climbing the tree.

Card Work-out

I found this work-out on the internet that I like to do on days like today that are windy and rainy and I can't go running with the boys. It's also nice for vacation or somewhere you might be staying that you can't go to a gym or don't want to because all you need is a deck of cards.

Here is the way it works:
Draw 5 cards.
Add up the numbers on the cards.
Do that many jumping jacks, crunches and push-ups.
Rest for that many seconds.
Draw 5 more cards.
Repeat the process until you work through the whole deck.

Caution: You may not be able to do your hair or lift your kids for a couple of days after. Do at your own risk.

Let me know if any of you try this and what you think. I also didn't think it sounded that bad when I first heard it, but you will be amazed at how good it works you!

Pool Cleaning

Yesterday we had our annual pool cleaning at my parent's. We start off by draining the whole pool and then scrub it clean.


Then the fun begins! As the pool is refilling with water we have our own water slide or dancing for some that prefer that. :) I had planned on bringing swimsuits for the boys, but Aaron talked me out of it because he said the boys wouldn't want to get into it and it would be too cold for them. Last time I listen to him, they had a blast! :)


The clothes came off soon after this because they were getting soaked.



Austin was so funny he would just crawl all over and wasn't at all fazed by the coldness. Zack loved it, just not quite as much.


Cousin Neal wasn't a fan like my boys were, but isn't he cute! He was excited because they he had just splashed Zack.


There is a reason why they have swim diapers! Austin's just fell off because it was so heavy. Here is Zack's after exploding all over Grandpa.


While we were sliding and having a blast Grandpa and Grandma were entertaining the boys and took them for wagon rides all over the yard. Even though they might not look like they are having fun they loved it. I didn't get any pictures of the sliding because I was having too much fun!

Newport Coast

We got home last Friday night from a week long vacation to Newport Coast, California. It was beautiful there and we had a great time with all of my family. I've been to the ocean quite a few times, but I totally fell in love with it this time, when I have a few million we are definitely moving to a beach house. We found the most perfect beach on Saturday with beautiful soft sand, great waves, not very many people, and dolphins and whales! Yes, you heard me right as we were getting ready to leave we saw 3 dolphins swimming and 2 whales. It was the coolest thing I have ever seen! Here is some video of it:

Austin got sick the day before we left, then Zack got sick the day after we got there so all they wanted to do was be held. Aaron had a great time body surfing and I enjoyed watching him, Angie, and Dave and listening to the ocean.




It was my parent's 29th anniversary while we there and they wanted to spend it with us. We were glad and had a great time with them!


Steve and Dave playing/wrestling with all of the boys.


Austin and Zack were so funny and they climbed in to these drawers with Neal and had a blast playing in there.


We went to an Angels game and watched them beat the Orioles. It was tons of fun, especially since my parents volunteered to watch the boys. Do you think Matt and Aaron look alike?


On Monday we rode across a ferry to Balboa Island which is man-made. We walked around the island and looked in some of the stores. We also had frozen bananas because that is where they originated from. They were pretty good, but overrated!


On Tuesday we went to an Aquarium in Long Beach. It was fun to see all of the fish, sea lions, and other marine animals. The boys loved watching the fish and the sharks swim around.




Then Tuesday night we went and saw Wicked and Steve and Mandy were awesome and volunteered to watch our boys. That play is amazing! If you haven't seen it yet you should go! Both me and Aaron are already planning when we are going to go see it again, I've been wanting to see it for years and it was even better than I thought it would be.


Unfortunately the boys passed some of their germ love on and me and Neal got sick on Wednesday, but we still managed to have a good time. We went to a Farmer's Market and then went on a walk to Crystal Cove beach that was less than 1/2 mile from where we were staying. I got to go for a run on the beach (that is a serious calf workout!) and we had fun watching the birds and being by the ocean.



On Thursday Angie watched all of the boys while the rest of us went and did a session at the Newport Temple. The temple was of course beautiful and gave us all a lot of comfort. I'm so grateful for eternal families and the knowledge I will see Daxton again and that Michelle and Matt will have their baby!


We went back to Laguna Beach after and Zack and Austin finally decided they liked the sand and had a ball playing and getting covered from head to toe in sand. It was great watching the ocean throw the guys all around and they a great time playing in the waves. As we were leaving we saw at least 5 dolphins again, it was so funny they were teasing the birds and kept chasing after them. That beach was awesome!!


We had a great time and we really miss the ocean. Thanks Mom, Dad, and everyone for a ton of fun! BTW I read The Host by Stephenie Meyer on the way home, for all of you Twilight fans and everyone else it is so good! You should all go buy a copy right away, thanks Steve, Mandy, and Neal for the great birthday present!

The 20's are fast disappearing

Yesterday was my 26th birthday. It was a great day! I had to work the night before so Aaron took off work and let me get a couple of hours of sleep which I always am grateful for. He was very sweet and had arranged babysitting and was going to take me to Maddox for lunch and then we were going to do something after, but he got a call around 7 that morning telling us our poor niece had been throwing up all night so we no longer had a babysitter. We went to Plan B and we went on a picnic and played on the playground and the slides with the boys. The weather was perfect and the boys were darling so it was perfect. Then we went and walked on the trail around Lagoon, it is so pretty and it was great to just chat with Aaron. Then we came home and my mom came and visited and then we went to Aaron's softball game which is always fun. We even had luck on our side and very narrowly missed one of the boys getting a head injury. One of the people hit the softball and it was heading straight to the stroller, luckily for some reason (because I never do) I had pulled the visor over the stroller and it hit the top of the visor instead of the boys. Aaron and the boys got me some movies and an iTunes gift card and a Nike plus which I was way excited about. Thanks for a fabulous birthday honey!



Austin and Zack are already addicted to Diet Coke (we missed the picture of Zack trying to drink it). For all of you getting ready to call DCFS, no I don't let my kids drink pop. It's a rare day that they even get juice.


On Sunday my Grandma and Grandpa had a birthday dinner for all of us April birthdays. It was great hanging with my family and the boys had a great time swinging (those were their Easter outfits).

We're home!

Well, I'm happy to report that we came home yesterday and the fluid seems to have done the trick. We haven't had any more vomiting and the boys are eating tons. They are still having diarrhea which we now know we can thank rotovirus for that, but things are definitely looking up. Aaron started getting sick Thursday night and must have the flu or something because he feels like he's dying or he got what the boys had, but I'm really hoping that he will get better soon and life can go back to normal! Thanks again to everyone for everything you have done for us!

The fun keeps on going!

We had a doctor's appointment today to check the boys weight and Zack has lost 3 more ounces and Austin is the exact same so since they are still throwing up, having diarrhea, and not gaining weight we are back in the hospital! Even though we didn't get our favorite nurse Crystal we still have liked all of the nurses here and even though I never thought I'd say this since working at Primary's I am very impressed at the care they have received from McKay.

It feels like the good old days of the NICU again. Here is my mom entertaining the trouble makers.


So Dr. Clawson drew labs, put in an IV, gave the boys a bolus of fluids, and then started them on some maintenance IV fluid to get them rehydrated. She thinks that they got so dehydrated that ketones and acid built up in their systems and stomachs and that's why they are still throwing up so the hope is that all of the fluid will flush their systems clean and they will be able to keep some food down. Do we look sick to you?



She wouldn't let them eat anything for several hours and they were starving so when we got the green light Zack wanted as many crackers as he could hold, he was cracking all of the nurses up.


So far I think it's working, Austin has only thrown up once and Zack not at all. They have already ate more tonight than they have in a week! They are still having diarrhea so they are testing them for rotovirus. Hopefully, if they can keep their breakfast down we will be able to go home tomorrow. I'm really not posting this to get pity from everyone just to keep people who care informed. Here's the boys playing with each other in their cribs when they are supposed to be sleeping.


We know things could be so much worse so we are just grateful that our boys are doing as well as they are and we are very appreciative of all of the support, visits, and phone calls we have received!

Coed Softball

Aaron started playing in his coed softball league again tonight. It's fun to go watch them play and most of the time they are pretty good. Matt (my brother-in-law and Aaron's twin) was able to come and sub for one of the players so it was nice to have Michelle to sit with and to help with my boys.

Their cheerleaders (I'm behind the camera).


Update on the boys:

The boys are mostly over the puking, just doing it a couple of times a day now, but lucky for us they have moved onto explosive diarrhea. Mom and Dad thank you so much for the carpet cleaner! It has been a lifesaver. We took them to the pediatrician yesterday and Zack has lost over a pound weighing in at barely 18 lbs. and Austin lost about 1/2 a pound and is down to around 21 1/2 lbs. She was concerned at how much they have lost and so we are trying to do some intense rehydration right now which isn't going the best, but we'll keep trying. I think Zack's pneumonia is a lot better now, he would be able to come off the oxygen, but since he's lost so much weight the pediatrician wants him to stay on it and our breathing treatments are down to every 6 hours. You can all come visit me soon at the State Mental Hospital. :) Really, we're doing ok, I'm just tired, but thanks for all of your concern! We love you guys!

Our little sickies

When Dr. Clawson came in to see Zack yesterday morning she said as long as he was able to take a nap without needing oxygen we could go home. Well, when nap time came around Zack's sats again dropped and he had to go on oxygen. We were a little frustrated, but Dr. Clawson decided in the afternoon that since I was a nurse she would send him home on oxygen and breathing treatments. Wahoo!

Austin came to visit us in the hospital on Saturday because me and Zack missed him a ton! Zack just kept kissing him over and over which is especially cute because usually Austin is the one that kisses Zack.

Zack had fun showing Austin his cool game of throwing balls and making everyone chase after them.


Aaron gained some pregnancy weight and was finally able to lose it. Way to go hon! Or Zack has some bad diarrhea from the antibiotics and Aaron was the lucky one to discover it. We asked for size large scrub pants, somehow they heard 5XL.


Our cute boy on his way out the hospital doors.


Well, I'd love for this to be the happy ending of this post, but unfortunately it's not. So a couple hours after we got home both boys started throwing up and proceeded to throw up all night and all day today. We have debated about taking them to the ER all day today, but can't stand the thought of sitting there so instead we are stressing it out here and if they get any worse we will go in. We have an appointment with the pediatrician tomorrow so we're hoping we can make it until then. The poor boys have slept or thrown up all day. Despite the oodles of laundry I've had, we've enjoyed the cuddle time and love our boys tons!