A good start to a fun weekend... turned bad!

This is will be as brief as possible.

Last night we got a babysitter so Darren and I , and Kyle and Ang could ride our road bikes the entire Alpine Loop. This means about 20 miles of up hill and 20 miles of down hill. About 10 of those miles are very tough up hill, and 1o miles are very fun (fast) downhill.

It was a nice overcast, cool day. But it was very windy. Very windy in some parts.

Coming down American Fork Canyon, just finishing mile 30. Darren and Kyle in front ... a huge gust of wind knocked Kyle off his bike. He hit head first which knocked him out. Then as Newtons law of motion goes, a thing in motion will continue in motion until.... So Kyle continued in motion skidding with his head and hip along the pavement.

He was going about 30 mph on his bike. His clothes, HIS HELMET, his entire left side of his body is pretty well in pieces. Darren had to slam on his brakes and swirve so as to not crash on top of him. Next was Ang coming around the corner, noticing the police, the cars stopped, squinting to see bikes on the side of the road, squinting harder to see whose husband was down. Then being by Kyles side calmly --unlike me who would have been crying and shaking and a mess.

He was sort of all there, He did tell Darren he was Ted Nuggent... which I guess was supposed to be a joke! ... then seconds later he says, so how long have I been out... so he wasn't all there!

Ambulance, firetruck and police all there fast. Took Kyle to the ER.

He is ok for the most part (his bike is ... ok?... too- which was one of his first questions when he came to) They couldn't get stitches in his forehead, but man, I am sure glad that helmet did its job or life would have been bad. They bandaged him up, his head, his shoulder and a big number on his hip.

So Kyle will wake up this morning hurting. Darren and I woke up a bit sore from the 40 mile ride but we wont complain. We are just grateful Kyle is ok, and Ang showed me being calm and put together is a whole better than letting your emotions go crazy in a bad situation!

Beautiful ride beside the ending! Lets hope the rest of the weekend goes smoothly!

A weekend to Celebrate

We had a lot of reasons to get together and celebrate this weekend.

Jason, Whit and Jackson are here from Florida..

Cousins were together.... even Corie with her 8 day old baby Everett!
and Seth turned 85 ---I mean 58!
So we hung out for 3 days at Heartland, my parents cabin. We all ate way to much food, played games, sat around and caught up on updates of our lives. We had plenty of space, Thanks mom and dad for building a place that brings family and friends together.

We did a little of this... (actually the kids did a lot of this!)
We woke on Saturday to a bit of snow. We did make it out on a short hike. Several of us even made it out on a bike ride.

So here's to many more memories with the Balls family!

It's a .....

I went into Ella's room to get her out of her crib after her nap yesterday. This is what I found.

A GHOST!

I said: Ella what are you doing?

(trying to hold back my laugh while checking the crib to make sure it was all dry)

Ella said: "I a ghost--- Boo! Boo!"

I don't think this costume will fly at Halloween

especially considering that her bottom half is "necked"!

(Yes those are her Dora the Explorer underwear)

4 lbs of Jelly Bellys

What would you do with 4 pounds of Jelly Bellys?

My sister left these with us. She bought them at Costco, so you know it is a big container.

Well I started encouraging Ella to sit on the potty. Really, she needed to eat them or I would. It only took about 5 days of this to see she was feeling quite done with diapers.

I dont want to bore you with details. I wont even entertain you with the galloons of I have cleaned up off our bathroom tile (that girl is a bit stubborn and can hold it in for a long time until she is ready to go!) I wont even tell you how I had to wash the bedspread, the fitted sheet and the regular sheet on both bunk beds the other day due to a stinky mess smeared all over all 6 items!

I will just conclude with- after one very long week - my daughter said to me 2 times this morning, I have to go to the potty mom! Then ran up stairs saying ...self, self... meaning - I can do this myself!

Who knew a 26 month old little girl can stay dry through naps, and after sleeping 11-12 hours a night!? Not me!

Guess where we went?

Aunt Jane gave us a personal tour of Kennecott Open Pit Mine yesterday. (She also bought Jackson and Tyler a digger after the tour, which they really loved)

We got to see digger and dump trucks bigger than our house. Aunt Jane's digger can fit 4 pickup trucks in the scoop!
Then we all came back to my house. All being Grandpa/ma, Nellie, and Jason, Whit and Jackson. Tyler and Jack played with their diggers most of the day. Whit helped me with some projects. One step closer to being done! I cant wait! My hug was squeezing her to death because I was/still am on cloud nine that she did so much to help my house look good.

Bran Muffins

I love this recipe and want to keep it here on my blog-

As for the Bran Muffins- I love this recipe because you can put it in a container and it stays good for 4-5 weeks in your fridge-

In a large bowl mix
2 Cup boiling water
1 qt buttermilk- I make these all the time now, so I have dry buttermilk powder I just have to add water to-
5 tsp baking soda
Let sit for a few minutes while you get the other stuff out---then add
1 cup oil or I substitute and use almost all applesauce and just a little oil (vegetable or olive)
1 tbs salt
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
then you add
2 cups bran flakes
4 cups all bran
5 cups flour- I use half wheat

When you bake it add in some fruit if you like that but just to the ones you are baking that day- like blueberries, raison, cut up peaches and just put them in the center of the muffin tin after you put in the muffin mix.

I like to let the mix sit for a few hours so the cereal will dissolve and the texture is all smooth

bake in greased tins 350 for 18

So like I said, the recipe stays good for a while- I guess you could half the recipe if you wanted too. I just do the whole thing and then I freeze some so I use the mix in the 4- 5 weeks then I have some in my freezer-

also, you can substitute other cereal- like corn flakes, raisin bran- but I like the fiber and the healthy so I usually wait for All Bran to go on sale and buy it then.

Tyler sleeping

My friend Nicole always posts pictures of her kids sleeping in the most interesting places and ways. I laugh and think... my kids only sleep in their beds. But today... Today Tyler didn't!

Well he started in his bed for a little nap. (which he doesn't take very often anymore) but today he was tired. So he laid down and took a 45 minute nap. Then as I worked on the computer I turn and find him coming down the stairs, he doesn't even say anything but just lays down in the chair next to me.

Then his nap continues for another 30 minutes.

Nellie Graduated!

Aunt Nellie graduated!

My kids sure love her!

She curls Ella's hair, paints her finger nails and plays with both kids all the time.

We got together at the Logan zoo with some friends. Kate, Abby, and Fluke. Darren was teaching the kids to say Fluke dog in the car... then reminding them.. now what was his name... Fluke dog! but you have to say dog long and drawn out... doooog! And then Amelia with her two kids. Paul showed up shortly after this picture was taken.
Ella was undaunted by this long long long ladder. There was a killer steep slide at the top and she was going to do it over and over and over again. She loved it. Crazy kid!
She also loved Holland. She wanted to hold "the baby". She sang to him, played patty cakes with him and cried when she had to let go of him. WHEN we have a third baby, I am going to really have to watch that she doesn't smoother it with love!

Family time

I got to see two of my sisters this weekend.

They drove down from Washington to be here for my Grandma Hatch's funeral.

My Grandma had Alzheimer's for 5 years and even more so,

was without my Grandpa for 11 years.

The Hatch family is a massive bunch. It was so awesome to be together for the weekend. The grandchildren and great grandchildren (and all spouses) sang two songs up in the choir seats during the funeral services. We filled up the whole area.

It is pretty neat to think from two people- there are so many.

I am so glad my Grandma gets to be with her husband/Grandpa again. I hope I wont have to be with out Darren for that long. It was also nice to know her suffering is done.

I reflected a lot on loosing a mother. I am grateful my mother is doing everything in her power to stay here for a long long time. I need her and her Grandchildren need her.

Loosing a parent is not something I hope to experience.

We got in some good cousin time too. And eager for more.