What is it with me and Olympic Games?

When I was 9 years old my twin sister, Heather, and I came up with a game we called "the Olympics." About the only event I really remember competing in was the hurdles. Here is why. We set up a laundry basket towards the end of our long hallway. We would run down the hall and jump over the basket. Whoever jumped the furthest over the laundry basket was the winner. I'm sure we jumped pretty far, with our long legs and all. All was going well until one jump, my foot caught the end of the laundry basket and I went down. My elbow hit a random 2x4 that was lying around from the current remodel project Dad was in the middle of. OUCH! It hurt sooo bad! Since I was never overly dramatic, nobody even blinked an eye when I started to scream bloody murder. I went in to show my Dad the injury, absolutely hysterical. Mom was at some kind of a church meeting. Well, Dad, being the sympathetic guy he is, simply said "I think you just need to go to bed." There was no mark at all on my arm. No bruise, no swelling, not even a red mark! How could that be? It hurt sooo bad! Being the obedient child that I was, I headed straight to bed. About 2 hours later I still hadn't fallen asleep. My arm was KILLING me! I figured my Mom would be home, and maybe I would get a little more sympathy from her. I went into her room and showed her my arm. Much to both of our surprise, it was HUGE and swollen, and hard as a rock. Thankfully my nurse of a mother took me straight to the hospital where I was taken back for emergency surgery. I had to stay AWAKE for the surgery because I had just eaten pizza a few hours earlier. I had cracked the growth plate in my elbow and it was hemorrhaging inside. They cut it open from my elbow to my wrist, and just left it open for about a week for the swelling to go down. They tried 3 different times to go in and close it, but it was too swollen each time. So, a week in the hospital and a scar a foot long later, I am good to go.
So last night Brian, Tyson, and I went to pack meeting which was a "Cub Olympics." Fun, fun time! As we were leaving I thought I would give the hurdles one more try. I was wearing flip flops and when I landed my ankle twisted. I should have remembered hurdles do not like me. Or maybe the Olympics do not like me. Anyway, my ankle is swollen and bruised, and probably sprained or something. Just when I was finally getting back into running after 2 mos off! Urgg. Curse those hurdles!

Surrounded

This is what I am surrounded by. I LOVE it! These mountains are one of my favorite things about Utah. Yes, I hate the snow. But I really, really love the mountains. This morning I went on a little walk, and at the top of a hill near my house I just stared down at the beautiful mountains on all sides of me. Somehow, everytime I really take time to look at the mountains it puts life into perspective. They are so grand, so enormous, and so breathtaking. They could only have been formed by our Creator. They remind me that every day life is so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. It makes me realize there is a plan for each of us, and we are not in control. It lifts me up and gives me hope, peace, and pure happiness. I am so grateful for the beauty that surrounds me. And I am especially glad the snow is high in the mountains right now, and not in the valley. Just as it should be! Spring just might be finding it's way here. Just maybe.

Finally! Some swimming video!

I know...I know. It's been a while! I am really struggling keeping my posts even remotely up to date! Things are good! It is the kids Spring Break and we didn't have any great plans because I have to work, but last minute we decided to fly the kids up to California to spend some time in the sun with cousins. We all headed down and spent a day in the sun. It was FABULOUS! Oh how I LOVE the sunshine! Then Brian and I headed home so we could go back to work. YUK! The kids stayed and are apparently having a FANTASTIC time! Thanks to Brenda, Trevor and kids! They are great entertainers! Brian is back in California today spending the day at the beach and then they are all flying home tomorrow. I miss the kids terribly so I am sooo excited they will be here soon! I am sure glad my family can enjoy my flight benefits while I am here working. Ugg!! Something is wrong with this picture! I think I may have figured out how to post some video. It really was a computer error and not user error this time!Here are the girls in their last short course meet of the season. Sydney is in the purple cap with the purple and black suit. Kylie has the silver cap and the black and purple suit. Nice job girls!Of course I had to post a race that they won! More spring break photos coming soon!

Creike!

So at 2 am I woke up to a very strange clicking noise. After a few minutes I realized it was coming from my computer. I turned it off and went back to bed. When I woke up this morning my computer will not even turn on! YIKES! It is dead. Where did that come from? It didn't even act sick yesterday. Oh well. Anybody know of a good computer repair company around here? Anyway...I am WAAAAAY overdue for an update on my blog. I am at work right now using my computer there, since you know, my home computer is apparently DEAD. jetBlue is GREAT! I absolutely love it. The customers are great, I have a bunch of new friends that are awesome, and I actually enjoy what I am doing. Wow! What a concept! My only complaint is that I wish I could be part time instead of full time! June 5th is my first opportunity and let me tell you...it can't come fast enough! Full time is kicking my toosh a little bit. I am still working in the center with plans to finally be home in the next week or so. Hopefully that will help. The kids are doing great! Tyson is finishing up basketball and the girls are just finishing up short course season for swimming. Kylie will be swimming in her first relay race next weekend, so we are excited for that. Tyson has been so much fun watching in basketball. He is such a ham! So full of energy and confidence! I usually have at least one parent from the opposing team tell me that they love to watch him play. His team is struggling, but Tyson wouldn't know it. For all he knows they are the best team ever and of course he is the best player! ha ha! I love this boy! His attitude seriously rocks! Brian is so busy that we can't remember who he is! He works very long days and we go days at a time without seeing him! YUK! Can't complain though...because it is a good thing that he has so much work, when so many don't. He might tell you otherwise though! I have no idea how he works as hard as he does. Anyway, not much else new for us. Sorry no pictures...remember...NO COMPUTER! URGGG! Wish me luck on that one!

Oh...I forgot to mention the girls spent last weekend in California for Grandma Wades 80th birthday party. They had a great time! See...these flight benefits are paying off already!

Winds of Change

The winds of change are blowing at the Wade home. A major event has occurred. I have finally moved on from Discover Card. It is official. Discover was such a great company to work for, but lets face it...I was miserable the last year! Eight years was as long as I could stand it. Call it my bad attitude or the bad economy, either way, it was bad! It was time for a change. Today I started my new position with Jet Blue Airlines. I wasn't supposed to start until the end of Feb, but some needs came up and a group of us started early. I will be doing airline reservations from home. (Once I finish my 4 weeks training). I am excited for the flight benefits, health benefits, and of course working from home! Plus...one of Jet Blue's core values is FUN! I figured you can't go wrong working for a company who has FUN in it's mission statement. Even if it is half the pay as my last job. They say money doesn't make you happy anyway, right? I will be working graveyard shifts, so keep me in your prayers. This ought to be good. I am NOT a night person (working the last 8 years at Discover early mornings), so my goal is to not fall asleep and get fired my first week. Another goal: to not gain 20 lbs the first month, eating candy all night long. Wish me luck! All I know is that Change is Good!

Sydney is 12!

I can't believe my little, tiny Sydney is 12 years old today! She just really seems too little to be turning 12! She may be tiny, but she is BIG in heart! Sydney is my most sensitive, sweet, helpful, emotional, and caring child. She is always the first to help without asking, and is very much a pleaser. She is so FUN to be around, and her smile is absolutely contagious! Sydney is very much like her mama and gets a little grouchy when not fed often enough. She is like her Dad in the fact that she LOVES to tease. She especially loves to scare her Dad and get him back! Today for her Birthday we doing our usual 12th birthday routine....going to the temple for baptisms (Sydney is sooo excited for this!), going to get her ears pierced(let's hope this goes better than Kylies 12th!), going to dinner (Sydney's favorite Cafe Rio), and then going home for cake and ice cream. She is so excited to go into Young Women's and is especially excited to get to go to girls camp with Kylie this summer. She hated staying behind the last 2 years while Kylie went. We are so lucky to have Sydney in our family. She is always doing nice things for her sister and brother and even does the dishes once in a while without asking! What more can you ask from a 12 year old! We LOVE you to bits and pieces Sydney! Happy Happy Birthday! p.s Check out the CUTE slide show Kylie put together for Sydney. It's at www.kylieskoolspot.blogspot.com

Good morning Syd...with breakfast in bed!



OUCH! That hurt a little!


CUTE, CUTE flower earrings!


YUMMY Cafe Rio!


YUMMY chocolate cake with strawberry filling!



Make a wish!


Hurry and melt snow!



Mt. Timpanogos Temple


Hope you had a good day sweetheart!

A Christmas Post FINALLY!

I have GOT to finish this Christmas post. It has been nagging at me for weeks! A whole slew of events as to why it is soo late! I won't bore you with all the details, but trust me....they are really GOOD excuses!
Whew! I finally got my memory card out of the printer. The printer, however, did not survive. Oh well...it was better than losing the pictures! We had a GREAT Christmas! A really, really great one! Santa made it, and the kids were so excited about all their presents. I got a new camera...so all is well in the Wade home. I LOVE it! Brian also totally spoiled me with a multi-function DVD recorder. He spent HOURS and HOURS getting all our cam-recorder cassettes, little mini DVD disks, and all our home videos from the time of our wedding up to now (15 years of home video)all burned to a DVD's that we can just watch on any DVD player. I opened the case and just started crying. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! Santa also broke down and finally got the kids a trampoline. The kids are hoping the snow goes away soon so we can set it up before May! After a great, relaxing day...we got up the next morning and headed to Washington. A few words can describe our trip. FUN! EXHAUSTING! LOUD! HAPPY! CHAOTIC! LOTS OF LAUGHING! CRAZY! We really had a great time. We have so much fun when we all get together. Not that it isn't totally insane to spend 7 days with 19 children and 12 adults basically all in the same house, because trust me, IT IS! But we make so many memories each time we go, and the kids have the time of their lives! Mom and Dad, Becky and Mike, and Matt and Courtney are such fabulous hosts...and they take all the craziness in stride. Thanks for letting us come and hang with you! A 2 day trip to the lodge was one of the highlights. We got some snow and the kids had a blast sledding. A few minor injuries...but no trips to the hospital so that was good! It is too hard to write about the whole trip....so here are some pictures to enjoy.


Christmas morning


We are having soo much fun watching all our home videos!



Another hunting game...sooo fun??


The Chinese Throwing Star in Action! What a shot!



Watch out neighbors! Tyson has a bb gun!



The girls sporting some new winter gear!


Christmas Crafts were a BIG hit! Thanks Heather!


There is sooo much to say about the Lodge we stayed at for 2 nights. It is just a dream come true for the kids. Lots and lots of space to run around, great sledding hills, fuzzball, ping pong, pool tables, and lots of junk food. Here are a few pictures from the lodge.

Brian and Matt playing pool


This just shows how much FUN the kids were having! My cute neices Avery & Aftyn.


Tyson & Wes in a game of fuzzball, Grandma & Zoe playing ping pong


There was games, games and more games!



Junk food even for the babies! YUM!


Mohwaks, food, food and more food!


I want a kitchen this big! It was awesome!


Sledding


sledding


And more sledding!


One night we let the kids sleep all together out in the main room. I don't know how much sleeping actually happened, but it sure was FUN!



There was lots of "monkeying" around!
Adalynn and Abby


Courtney cleaning up our oreo incident (you had to be there!)


Jackson helping us make "who hash" YUMMY!


How many Andersen girls does it take to crush oreos?


Monday night FHE game. How well do we know Grandma and Grandpa quiz. It was hard. Grandma and Grandpa didn't know the answer to some of the questions. We think Becky made them up!



Somebody found these two weirdo's on the street! They walked around like that for an hour!


Kylie and "chubby" aka: William. I think he ate one too many oreo balls! SOOO CUTE!


Good bye Ensign Ranch until next year. You were good to us!