Okay, so I decided to get one more test before I gave up. I'm not sure why, I just had a feeling that I should, so I did. I went over to Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez and had a HIDA Scan. This test took 1 1/2 hours and tested the functionaliy of my gallbladder. I had to fast again, but this test was in the morning, so it wasn't near as bad. Then, I just laid there under a scanner for an hour and a half while the machine took pictures of my gallbladder. It was actually very relaxing, in fact, I am surprised that I didn't fall asleep. Thanks so much to Kenny for driving me over and tending Stetson while I got the test. It turns out that my gallbladder is just fine - figures! I could go to a specialist, but I am not going to. I have already spent enough money and time just to find out that nothing is wrong. So, I am going to deal with it - maybe things will improve, who knows?
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Happy Halloween!
We had a very fun Halloween this year. I love Halloween - mostly because it is my brother Jade's birthday, and we always have a really fun family party. This year we had a pizza party out at work. I made some Halloween cupcakes, and almost everyone dressed up. We even had everyone vote on their favorite costume - Sheila Alvarez and Curtiss Bradford won the prizes.
Justin Hunt(lunch lady), Michael's Dog(balleria), Lem Redd(Indiana Jones), Michael Nielson(Doc from Back to the Future), Christina Nielson(Dancer), Steve Palmer(Hillbilly), Joel Redd (big bad wolf), Alicia Black(punk rocker), Amber Black(Detective), Sheila Alvarez(Devil Woman), Andy Black(Farmer Joe), Anita Dee(Jack-O-Lantern with light up earings), Jim Bunting(Cowboy), and the bush in the center under the sign is Curtiss Bradford - - he scared most of us on our way in to work!That afternoon was the quarter final football game. The drill team girls dressed up like zombies and danced to "Thriller". They did a great job and had a lot of fun. Plus, I think it was very fitting for a performance on Halloween. The football team won, so it is on to the semi-finals to play Manti in Cedar City next week. Go Broncos!
We had a quick dinner of sloppy joes over at Grandma and Grandpa Grover's, then got ready to go trick-or-treating. I was going to dress up as a tree, but just didn't have time to get ready. But Stetson was the cutest monkey ever! He fell asleep for part of trick-or-treating, so he missed out on some candy - but that was okay with me! We went with my sister Candice and her kids Paige, Zachary, and J.D. and my other sister McKady and a couple of her friends. It was a lot of fun, but also a lot of work for a 1-year-old - he was a sleepy little monkey when we got home.
On Saturday we had a party over at my parents' house to celebrate my brother Jade's 15th birthday. The kids dressed up and we ate Hawaiian Haystacks and had banana bread cupcakes and ice cream. We also learned about the history of Halloween - pretty interesting. Jade put a crown on Stetson and gave him a wand. I had to get a picture - he made such a handsome prince! Happy Birthday Jade!
Zachary (basketball player), Jade (clown?), Stetson (monkey), McKady (vampire), Paige (dancer)
Prince Stetson
Pouring Cement
Well, Kenny sacrificed half of his day to get our back porch stairs framed up - Thanks Honey! Andy came over to help, and Stetson sat and watched them while eating a chocolate chip cookie he got from Aunt Candice. When the truck came I just left him there to see what he would do, and he wasn't a bit scared! He just sat there and watched the cement come down the chute - it was so cute! Once the truck left though, he thought he needed to help his dad spread the cement out - not good - so we closed the door. But now I have steps going out my back door - Yay!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
CT Scan
Okay, for about the last 5 years, about every three months, I would have what I call an "episode". It comes on in the night, and I get a very bad pain in the center of my stomach and feel very nauseous. I don't throw up or anything, but I can't sleep or hardly even move for about 8 hours. Once the pain and nausea is gone my stomach is uneasy and I have no appetite for about two days. Now, I could handle this every three months, but just in the last 5 months it started happening every month, then every two weeks, then every week, then every few days. I felt like an terrible mom because sometimes Stetson would just have to cry because I was so sick that I couldn't take care of him. Plus, I have missed a lot of work and other responsibilities. So, I went to the doctor. He put me on an Anti-acid medication and did a bunch of blood tests. The tests all came back normal, which is good but doesn't solve the problem. The "episode" happened again while I was taking the medication, so that wasn't working either. Then on Monday, I had a CT Scan - very interesting! The worst part about it was that I could not eat or drink anything from midnight Sunday to 2:00 pm Monday when the test was done (I have low blood sugar, so that made me very sick). Anyway, just before the test I had to drink a bunch of berry flavored liquid that was supposed to light up my stomach for the test. Then, they put an IV in my arm and injected some more dye that would make my organs show up on the test - now I know what hot flashes feel like! Definately wierd! I layed on this table and put my arms above my head. The table moved down through the scanning machine, which really wasn't that wide. People told me that if I got clausterphobic that it would freak me out, but I don't, and it didn't - it was actually pretty cool. Thanks so much to my sister Candice for driving me over to the hospital for the test and for tending Stetson while I was getting the test. I was so dizzy from not eating, that it would not have been safe for me to drive! So, I survived the test - - then I had to wait for the results. The good news is that everything was normal. The bad news is that everything was normal - so we still don't know what is wrong. So now I have a choice: more testing (expensive!), or just deal with the problem and try to figure out on my own what is causing it - maybe I am allergic to something, I don't know. I will probably go with the second option. Anyway, I had never had a CT Scan before so it was a new experience for me - kind of crazy.
Monday, October 20, 2008
TAGGED! Lucky Seven. . .
7 things I can do:
1. I can dance
2. I can clean
3. I can type
4. I can play the piano
5. I can play the guitar
6. I can read and write
7. I can smile
7 things I can't do:
1. I can't grow anything
2. I can't cook
3. I can't sing
4. I can't drive a semi or big machinery
5. I can't gain weight
6. I can't eat sugar
7. I can't act
7 things that attracted me to Kenny:
1. His blue eyes
2. His fun-loving personality
3. He accepts everyone and doesn't judge
4. His contageous smile
5. His work ethic
6. His faith and integrity
7. He is just a handsome guy!
7 things I say often:
1. "Sweet!"
2. "That's too bad!"
3. "I feel . . . "
4. "Here's the deal . . . "
5. "Hey Handsome" (to Kenny and Stetson)
6. "You are awesome!"
7. "You're kidding!"
7 people I admire:
1. My mom - she has been through so many trials, and has not lost faith!
2. Kenny - he always sees the good in the world and in other people!
3. My dad - every time he gets knocked down, he gets up again!
4. My parents-in-law - they are successful, yet down to earth and willing to help everyone!
5. President Bush - he has done what was best for our country, even when it made him unpopular!
6. President Hinkley - what an awesome man!!!
7. too many other people to name!
7 favorite foods:
1. pizza
2. popcorn
3. toast
4. hamburgers and dutch oven potatoes
5. lasagna
6. ice cream
7. anything snackish
7 people I tag:
1. Alicia
2. Kerry
3. Anna
4. Jeanna
5. Hayley
6. Michelle
7. Kayela
Saturday, October 18, 2008
First Haircut
He was really good at first, but soon he got tired of sitting still.
I had to hold him really tight while she cut around his ears so that she wouldn't cut him - and that made him really mad!
But, we made it through, and now he is a handsome little man!New Steps - Yay!!!
Thanks to Andy for all his help!
Kenny did a great job smoothing the cement out.
Then our dog boots walked right through the wet cement! So we tied her up.
Stetson's Birthday Party
We had a very yummy spaghetti dinner and then Stetson opened his presents. Okay, mostly his dad and his cousins opened his presents, but he did help a little. Each of the cousins that wanted to took a turn helping Stetson open a present; I think everyone had a good time. 
I think the gift that Stetson was the most impressed with was the one from Candice and Josh; they gave him four hard page books. After opening the gift he picked up each book and opened it up to look at it; once one book passed the inspection, he moved on to the next book. It was so cute! He really loves books. There have been several times when he is being really quiet and I think he is getting into trouble so I go to check on him, and I find him in his room looking at books. I hope this continues as he gets older! 
Stetson's biggest present was a big dump truck that he can ride in. His cousins have one, and he loves to play with it whenever he visits them. So, after the cake and ice cream the cousins took turns giving him rides in the dump truck - around and around the house. I don't think any of them ever got tired of it! 
I got really brave and made Stetson a cow cake. I have never made a cake like this before, so it was kind of a trial run. I had a lot of fun, and it actually turned out pretty cute. 
We gave Stetson the head of the cake, and I think it was the highlight of the whole night. Of course he went for the eyes and mouth first since they were made of candy! After sticking his finger in the icing and licking it a few times, he finally tore a piece off and got to the cake - and that was definately his favorite! 
For awhile he dug the cake out from under the icing, then he just picked up the plate and dumped the whole cake onto the floor! 
It was so funny! We put the cake back on the plate upside down and then he really got into it. He really didn't eat much cake, he would just grab a handful and throw it - there was cake flying everywhere! He rubbed it on his belly, in his ear, and in his hair. After pushing most of the cake onto the floor, he stood up in the high chair - he was done! Thanks to Suzie for getting some really great photos (the battery died on my camera). 
I went to give him a bath and they just took the high chair outside and Andy and Alicia's dog Ruby cleaned it right up! 
I can't believe that it has really been a year since he was born! It has gone by really fast, but looking back I have enjoyed every minute of it! Stetson is such a good little boy. I think he has a gift for making people happy. Whenever he is around, he just brightens up the whole room. I am so grateful that the Lord has trusted us with this beautiful little boy!Saturday, October 11, 2008
Shipping Calves
It's pay day! When you own a ranch pay day only comes around once a year. This year it just happened to be on Stetson's birthday. We gathered the cows and calves on the mountain, then sorted the calves off and loaded them on the truck. Then we headed to the fair grounds in Monticello where we weighed the calves and loaded them back on the truck and they headed to Kansas. They didn't weigh quite what we had hoped, but we did fulfill our contract, so that is good. It is always exciting to see all the calves together, and I think we had a pretty good looking bunch of calves this year!
Kenny and Stetson with our calves in the background
Learning how to use the hot shot - don't worry, he didn't shock himself!
Okay, for those of you who have never seen the cow preg-testing process, this next photo will be very educational. Yes, that is how it is done - the vet gets the exciting job of sticking his arm into the cow to see if she is pregnant. If she is, we keep her (unless she is very old, of course), and if she isn't, she goes to the sale. It was very windy, so I didn't get very many photos. It was all I could do to keep myself on the ground and the papers I was keeping records on from blowing away! We did get all the cows done though, and everything went very well, thanks to all those who helped us out! Josh Palmer and family, Quinn Palmer and family, Suzie Francom and family, Kirk Black and family, JJ, Dad, Lloyd Shumway, and Wayne Black. You guys are awesome! Thanks for your help!
