Day 5, Kirtland, OH

It has taken me forever to get my vacation pictures done. I'm getting close, but I wanted to put these pictures from our visit at Kirtland, OH on now. There will be more coming soon!

Day 5, Church Historical sites. Johnson Farm

On Sunday, what better thing to do than to go to the church historical sites around Kirtland. First, we went to the Johnson Farm, where Joseph and Emma lived for one year.


This is where Joseph was pulled from his bed at night and tarred and feathered. The next morning he preached to the congregation at church where the 4 men who tarred and feathered him attended. Three of the four were later baptized.


Many revelations were given to Joseph during his stay at the Johnson Farm. The inspired translation of the bible was done here.

Day 4 Continued @ Warther's Museum

Mark Warther, the grandson of "Mooney" was our tour guide. Kaitlin was given a piece of wood at the beginning of the tour and was told to hold onto it for a later time in the tour. He then took it from her and made a pair of pliers using only 10 cuts and no shavings. This is what got "Mooney" started into carving.
This was Mooney's wifes button house. She collected thousands of buttons and made these pieces of art. I really liked this part because I used to play with my Grandma Evers, buttons all of the time with my sister. How I would love to have those buttons to make something like this with.

Day 4 Amish Country

Day 3 continued at the Science Museum

The Archives day 3

Trip to Ohio Day 2 Airplane Ride

Whew! We made it! The ride to Ohio was a great one. Tyler was pretty apprehensive about the whole thing but once he got through the airport in Vegas he was ready to go. This was the kids first airplane ride (except for Derick who rode the life flight plane the day he was born) so it was quite exciting for all of them. For the most part it was a smooth ride, thank goodness. We all looked at each other when we landed in Akron, Ohio because the flight attendant said "Welcome to Africa"

Trip Ohio day 1 sleepover in Vegas

Day 1:

• Go to Adam & Kollen's house
• Play with cousins
• Go to the Pro Bass Store AWESOME
• Go to bed so that we can get up early (4:00 am) to go to the airport
• Go to the airport
  

Daniel Boone at the Wax Museum

Tyler's 5th grade class did a wax museum for one of their final projects in school. Tyler got to pick from a list of names and chose Daniel Boone. Grandma Marchant came to the rescue and made Tyler and AWESOME costume to wear. When the kids would go by they would clap at each of the kids and then they would come to life and say a quote from their character. Tyler would say, "All a man needs is a good gun, good horse and a good wife".

The Newest Stuff to Scrap designer!

It's official, my sister and I are now digital scrapbook designers for an online store. Here are our first two kits. We will be submitting two new kits each month. I am so excited to be doing this. digital scrapbooking has been a hobby of mine for several years. It is great to be working with Lori on this, we each design half of the kit and then swap everything and design the other half of the other kit. If you have any suggestions on kit ideas just let me know, who knows, maybe well design a kit just for you.

Happy Mothers Day

I received this email from my Mother-in-law and thought I would share

WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?

1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.

2. Mostly to clean the house.

3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.

2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring..

3. God made my mom just the same like he made me.. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?

1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.

2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?

1. We're related.

2.. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's mom like me.

What kind of a little girl was your mom?

1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.

2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.

3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

1. His last name.

2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook?

3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?

1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot.

2. She got too old to do anything else with him.

3. My grandma says that mom didn't have her thinking cap on

Who's the boss at your house?

1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.

2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.

3. I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?

1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.

2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.

3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.

4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?

1. Mothers don't do spare time.

2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?

1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.

2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.

2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it not me.

3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

2 in 1

Today is both Mother's Day and my Dad's birthday. I just want my parents to know how much I love and appreciate them for all the have done and do for me. I am so blessed to be raised by such goodly parents. I hope that they both have a wonderful day. I look forward to seeing them really soon.

Party Time!

For the twins birthday this year we did a service project at our church. We cleaned out the flower beds and got them all prepared to plant some flowers in a few weeks. We also did our traditional writing a letter on a balloon and then sent them off to heaven. That is always fun, I love to see what the kids write to their sisters especially. We then finished off the night with dinner a Wendy's and an ice cream.

Happy Birthday, Nichole and Michele, we love you.

Happy Birthday Nichole & Michele #17

I decided that I would Journal about my pregnancy with the twins so that I could have it recorded.

Kirk and I found out that we were expecting on December 19, 1991. We were so excited about having a baby. We had decided when we got married in September that we would put having a baby into the Lord's hands. So three months later we found out the exciting news.

Dad wanted you to be a boy and I didn't care either way. My doctor was Dr. Steven Fielding.

On February 21, I had a Dr. appointment. I was excited because I knew that I would probably be able to hear the baby's heartbeat. Dad had to go to work so when I dropped him off to work and just jokingly I said to Dad, "What if the doctor finds two heartbeats?" Dad didn't think the question was a very funny one and said that if they did find two, that I wasn't to come home.

So I went to my appointment and had the usual getting weighed and measured. When Dr. Fielding measured my tummy he asked " Are you sure you are only fourteen weeks along?" And I said as far as I knew, I'm only that far along. The Dr. decided that they better do an ultrasound and see how far along I was for sure. The Dr placed some gel on my stomach and then moved around a small instrument all over my stomach. And to all of our surprise, we found TWO babies. I was going to have twins!! I always wanted twins since I can remember. I have identical twin girl cousins on my Mom's side and I have identical twin great aunts on my Dad's side.

Now I had to figure out how I was going to tell Dad. During the ultrasound, I was able to get a couple of "Proof" pictures so that I could show Dad. It took us a while for Dad to be found but when he came in from the back I said "Would you like to see a picture of our BABIES?" Quite a shock, but now came the task of buying everything in duplicate.

If you were boys your names were going to be Mark and Kyle
If you were one boy and one girl you were going to be Mark & Michele
If you were girls your names would be Michele & Nichole

Since we were expecting twins, our Dr. wanted us to see a twin specialist up north. So in between our normal appointments here in Cedar City, we would drive up to Provo.

Our first visit to Provo, we had another ultrasound (One of many) in this ultrasound they would measure each of your heads, thighbones, and abdomen size to determine how each of you were growing. We also were able to find out that we were having Identical Twin Girls.

Since you are identical twins you are in the same sack, but even though you are in the same sack there should be a small membrane to separate you from each other. They weren't able to see that membrane and that was a concern. The plan was that on our next appointment they would shoot an air bubble into my stomach and see if it was blocked by the membrane or not.

Now that we knew that you are girls we started calling you by you names. Nichole was on the left side and Michele was on the right. Dad would lay his head on my stomach and read you bedtime stories.




We're down to less than three months to go. Mom went to see Dr. Fielding and we were able to hear both of your heart beats. In a few days we will head back up to Provo for another appointment.

We went to our appointment today in Provo Grandma Evers came along so that she could see you and during that appointment found out that you hadn't made it. What a shock. What happened was called twin to twin transfusion, which happens in only 1 in 100 of identical twins which is quite rare. It's when the twins share everything, the same sack, the same placenta, and the same umbilical cord which is where the problem occurred when the umbilical cords got pinched off.

We headed back home so that we could have our families with us.

On May 7, 1992 we went to the hospital. I remember that while I was in the hospital waiting to go into labor that my nurse, Caralee, gave me a booklet to read to help us deal with our loss. She suggested that we hold you. I remember thinking that I couldn't do that because I wouldn't want to remember you that way. After almost eleven hours of hard labor our babies were delivered. You were so perfect in every way. The nurses wrapped you up in blankets and I held you both, touched your fingers and held your little hands, I could see that you were two perfect little angels that just needed a body so that you could go back home to Heavenly Father.

One of my greatest memories was of my Dad (your Grandpa) holding each of you. You each hold a special place in his heart.

One of the worst days of my life, ended up to be a very wonderful and spiritual experience. How grateful we are to know that because we were married in the Temple that we will be able to be with you again. Something to look forward to.

Here are a couple of poems that I really enjoyed from the booklet that I read in the hospital:

Please don't tell them you never got to know me.

It is I whose kicks you will always remember,
I who gave you heartburn that a dragon would envy.
I who couldn't seem to tell time and got your days and nights mixed up.
It is I who acknowledged your craving for peach ice cream by knocking the cold bowl off your belly.
I who went shopping and helped you pick out the "perfect" teddy bear for me,
I who liked to be cradled in your belly and rocked off to dreamy slumber by the fire.
It is I who never had a doubt about your love.
It is I who was able to put a lifetime of joy into an instant.

Until you I never knew there were so many babies.
I see them everywhere...babies in arms, at grocery stores, church, the park, on our block.
I am guessing but somehow know some are just your days had you stayed.
Mothers stare sometimes because I do... one looked curious so I asked, "How old?" And she was one month later than you born.
I shall always see you...little girls at ten...later the blush and bloom of teens...then the coming of grace and dignity of woman.
But wait, let I forget in fleeting time how soon I shall know you.

Just some candid shots

These were just some funny pictures that were taken during our family photos shoot in November. Derick has always hated smiling since getting braces on so we have to do a lot to get him to smile natural.

My bad

I was informed that it is pronounced "Kahoneyos". There you have it.

keehoanyo's?

Tyler might not appreciate this but kids do the darndest things. Last Friday was Tyler's 5th grade maturation program. When Derick had his Kirk couldn't go, so who had to go, ME! Not a problem me being the only Mom there about, oh well we had fun and went to DQ afterwards for lunch and to answer any questions. Anyway it was Tyler's turn on Friday and we ended up taking the kids out of school that day for Spring Break with cousins in St. George. Whew, I didn't have to go to the maturation program again. Well Tyler comes into my bedroom the other night with this little booklet on puberty. The first sentence in the book says, "Try talking with your DAD, Another adult you trust, your OLDER BROTHER, GRANDFATHER , UNCLE or Mom. Notice that Mom is the last one listed, but no going to the first 4, Tyler comes to me. I really don't mind because I can talk open to my kids about anything, I just think it's funny that he didn't at least go to Derick for all the info. Well we flip through the pages and talk about puberty, hormones, making sure that he is always nice to his mom,(I threw that little bit of info on my own), stinky armpits, and hair on various parts of the body. I was then informed that you don't say the "P" word but we call them KEEHOANYO'S. I'm about 99% sure he learned that from his Uncle Greg. We ended up all surviving the conversation, I got to smell his armpits with oldspice deoderant on. All in a days work for being a Mom. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Dinner with Dale Murphey

Ice Cream in a bag

For our Family Home Evening activity and treat we made Ice Cream in a bag. Derick was in charge of treats tonight and had to do this for an assignment in school. It turned out great, and was a first for us but I'm sure not the last.

Spring Break with cousins

Lori and her boys came down to our house for their Spring Break. I took my kids out of school on Friday and we went down to St. George for the day. We first went to the mall, lunch and then to Santa Clara to the pool there. The kids had such a great time. Kaitlin had the best time about a 1/2 hour before we left when she finally got the courage to go down the slide. Once she did it, that's what she did the rest of the time we where there.

We had planned on taking the kids hiking but they just wanted to hang out and be together so that was fine with us Mom's. I had a great time with my sister visiting and learning more tricks to digital scrapbooking.