A month ago...

One month ago (and a couple days) we had an addition to our family. Tyler really likes her still, Toby is still very needy, Darren is trying to balance out his life with the stress of the audit and us- I am sure we are not stressful though... And I am getting the ropes of how to accomplish things, stay calm and love my husband and kids- and Toby, even though he clings to me like rice on ... I dont really know what that saying finishes~

I went to the temple and lunch with friends on Sat and Darren stayed home for 4.5 hours with the kids. He said- "This stay at home thing is a piece of cake" then continued to tell me all he had accomplished. Feed both kids lunch, put both kids down for naps, mowed the lawn with Tyler, vacuumed the house... I am sure there was more, but I will stop there. I only mention this because well, 1. I guess I have an amazing husband and 2. I WILL leave him home more often because he does it so well!!!

The other exciting news is I got a zoo pass and I can take an extra person every time I go, so if anyone wants to go, give me a call!

Darren's Race

Well, Darren has finished his marathon. And we are all happier for it. His official finish time was 4:00:26. His goal was to do it under four hours, so if you round down ... he DID IT!!!



He was pretty tired after and sore for days, but overall he is alive and said he would probably do another one one day, just to try to beat his time. He did less than 8 and half minutes miles until about mile 20 then he was done and slowed alot. but we are still proud of him.


We went to the Mayan on Monday to celebrate my cousins birthday. My cousin couldn't finish his birthday ice cream dish, SO, tyler gladly helped him.

Family updates

So Ella has been a lot of fun this last two weeks. I guess it will be two full weeks on Thursday. A few nights of less sleep but overall we have just loved having her here. Tyler has done so well with her. He loves to be with her and kiss her- leaving some kind of leftover food in her hair...

We have been on some walks, had some late night talks (mostly about hurry and eat so I can go back to bed) Darren has been a great help to get up in the nights with me when I am tired and she is still fussy...

We are open for any ideas of why she seems to really fuss and cry, arch her back and be upset for about an hour and a half every night- I thought it might be chocolate- but what do you do with a really fussy baby when you want to be a sleep- advice

It's past my bedtime...

I am going to try to get to bed between 9 and 9:30 for the next couple of weeks, I really am a happier person on more sleep... but I thought I should at least give a few details of what went down last Thursday.

My water broke at 3am and my mom came over to stay with Tyler. I got an epideral and some pitosin and had Ella by 1:00 pm. She latched right on- which is so much different than Tyler and has been eating pretty well for the last four days. I quickly ate some food right after and threw it up right away. Best to wait a little while next time- but I was so hungry. Anyway, The rush of events flooded and before we knew it- it is Monday night and things are getting to be some kind of calm. Thanks to my mom for taking Tyler all day, Ella and I worked on feeding all day today... I had to take her in for a bili test to see what her levels where... she is ok, but if she is still yellow on Wed, i will have to get lights and more blood work. She only spent a half day under the lights at the hospital - Unlike Tyler who spent a week and a half in the suitcase in our kitchen.

THanks for all the support and comments. I am sorry I am not calling everyone and sometimes it takes me a while just to return a phone call but I will get there. We are a happy family and I will pray for lots of patience as I think Toby is the most needy kid around here right now!!!

Ella's little foot with a couple bruises from drawing blood.

Welcome Home Ella

It's official. Baby Girl's new name is Ella Lynn Balls. She came home from the hospital with Amy Friday night, and since they won't let you leave without filling out the birth certificate papers we talked Tyler into changing her name from Ovaltine to Ella.

New Baby

Baby girl or as Tyler calls her (Ovaltene) was born today 3/27/08 at about 1 PM.
7 lbs. 8 ozs. and 19 in. long.
Mom and baby are doing well.

when it rains it...

I wont say it pours but it sure has been sprinkling on us. This baby WILL BE coming out soon and I will definately get induced if she goes late- but besides that we have had other fun activities going on. I have been battling a cold/sore throat/sick to my stomach for a week. Darren now has a sore throat also with a runny nose, Tyler just got over his runny nose. Our garage door broke and we had to replace the whole thing today. Then this evening, Darren was fixing his bike outside- Tyler just couldn't resist the wheels and pedals - Well, he was rotating the front tire, got his finger caught and luckily just sliced it really good- Thank goodness for that Easter candy- you cant cry and scream when you have a huge chocolate in your mouth. We dont think it is broken and the cut goes all the way from one side if his finger nail to the other but no stitches needed.

So our blessings far out way the negative- We had Pat and Seth here on Saturday- I have attached a picture of the AMAZING quilt she made our baby girls (also knows as Ovaltine if you ask Tyler- that is what he wants to call her). The picture doesn't do it justice but my back hurts and my stomach is not right and I just want to go lie down, so this will have to work. It is so beautiful, and full of fun details.


My sister Rachel is here from Seattle and so Easter Sunday was great with lots of family and cousins around. Take care and cross your fingers that you will hear again from us by the end of this week about a baby girl named.... who knows.... we will see!!

Whitney- My sister in Laws good news

I just wanted to share the good news about Darren's brother- Jason and his wife Whitney- there son's name is Jackson. This is the update - the good update- she just sent us!!! YEAH!!!

I MADE IT...again! Well my 100th day came and went on March 15th which was a huge Huge day! It was a day I have been looking forward to for a long time. Over the last two weeks I have undergone all those dreaded tests including another bone marrow biopsy..ouch...a pet scan, chest x-ray and several standard tests and exams and physicals. Tomorrow I have my big conference with my doctor to go over the pet scan and plan the rest of the future. However so far all my tests have gone well. My bone marrow biopsy came back good showing no harm to my bone marrow and no disease. They did blood work and to tell how much of Jakes cells have taken over my body and the results were great Jake's cells are 100%! This was welcome news and as I made my calls to my family it was great to hear the joy everyone had for the news. My mom sobbed for five min before she could talk.....it was great. I have joked around to my family that I feel like a mutant with a different inside than an outside....I should have gotten some kind of superpowers...like Jake's ability to make a great gourmet meal with just the contents in your pantry sadly I didn't but Jason and Cami have both made the comment that "I am back" I guess by having food cravings again and becoming a more "fiesty" as they would say. I am grateful for this new chance but still feel overwhelming anxiety that things will turn out like they did last time. But as I have said over and over I just have to live one day at a time and not think to much of the future....because as it was said a long time ago the future will take care of itself. I have officially moved back to Logan. Before we moved back though Jack went to Grandma and Grandpa Balls and Jason and took off on a trip. We went Vegas and then onto Arizona to check out some PA schools for Jason and then to St. George. It was a quick trip but it was good to get away and to be in the warmth. It was good to get away, away for the doctors away for the cold and the worries. We had a good time and most of all I ate a lot! I have been losing weight at least two pounds every doctors visit which is every week but after the trip I had gained three pounds.....needless to say it was good for me and I give most of the credit to all the Inn N' Out burger joints we visited during out trip. I am still struggling with the energy and I have some Graft vs. Host stuff going on in my mouth and on my skin. I have good meds and the doctors are on top of things so they keep me comfortable. So for now things are good...We are all home together and just enjoying and treasuring that. Hopefully tomorrow will be a good day and I promise the more news I get I will update!