As you all know by past posts, I no longer say "what else can happen" because it still happens...Tonight about 45 minutes before leaving for a family party Chase tripped and hit his knee on the frame of my bed. Splitting his knee wide open. So off to the Phx Children's urgent care for xray and stitches. He was a little traumatized by the whole thing but we were able to leave with "6" stitches. Well believe it or not he is my 1st to get stitches. Just when you thought we had done it all...

We were able to have my parents down from Thatcher for 1 night. I really like when I have a day to just run around town with them. We went to the mall, deseret book, lunch at Cracker Barrel and pictures with Santa at Bass Pro Shop....This is only 5 of 20 grand kids...

Time to post about something other than ER visits and blood clots. My sister has found a couple of blogs that have been started with the theme: use it up, wear it out, make do or do with out. I thought it was a great idea and a way to help us all make things happen for our families without it costing so much....christmasexchange08.blogspot.com & www.christmascents.blogspot.com

Well here is a strange update...The stress was over NOTHING...They are saying that the 1st ultrasound was a misdiagnosis. Who this is just getting funnier all the time. Better this than what it could be..

Smith Family Christmas miracle

Well an update on the last post. When we were having problems filling the needed meds, I called a few Dr's and ended up headed to the ER again... We were going to do another ultra sound to see if there were any changes and get another shot... So our little miracle was about midnight when they told me that the blood clot was gone, YES gone....So today I am very tired and I have a house full of kids but it doesn't matter...My washer is working and all my kids are at school....

Well it gets even better when you try to go pick up the medicine to start the shots and insurance will only cover it if it is ordered through the mail service. So Walgreen's wants $3200.00 to fill the prescription....ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! If you have a blood clot you need to wait 48-72 hours to get the medicine in the mail??? Do you see something wrong with this picture? YA me too

What else can go wrong???

Be REALLY careful when you say that because there is usually more to come. After having an ultrasound yesterday morning, we found that yes there was a blood clot. The good news is that there is still some blood flow through it. So we spend much of the day on the phone with Doctors trying to find the best way to treat this. So after a really long few hours we received a call that said go to Banner Desert Hospital and the DR will be waiting for you... I think your heart just sinks no matter what. So has I rushed to get Karly and a babysitting kid delivered to someone else. We were off and running....After hours sitting in the emergency room waiting to see the Dr that we NEVER saw. She was given a shot in the stomach (which has to be done twice a day day @ home too) and she gave 5 tubes of blood. We will go see the pediatric hematologist today and we will go from there. So for an update on the rest of lives stresses I still have no washer but I am so grateful for my great neighbor Sam and my mother in law for use of there washers...

Well to add to the crazy week, since it is still the same week... I was really looking forward to Shelby going to school all day tomorrow. Well she has been having cramps in her calf all day. So we get to go and get an ultrasound on it tomorrow. Cross your fingers that there are no issues of blood clots.

Have you ever had one of those weeks when you think, what else can happen.... Well with in the last week and a half we have had to put in a new toilet (last minute) dead battery in car, car dead on side of the road, Shelby's knee surgery and now my washer has gone out.....SERIOUSLY what else? So I am out a washer until Wednesday and that really does not go well with a family of 7.... Do you ever have those moments that you know that you are being tested? Well it is all falling at Christmas time and its hard enough.... Well lets hope it will get better soon...(the silver lining to the washer is at least it is still under warranty) YAAA

Day 2 & 3

Well day 2 & 3 were a little painful and very sore. She wanted to still go to young women's last night. Today she was able to shower and take off all the bandages. It is still a little swollen and we are grateful that Dr. Porter marked the right knee.

Surgery Day

Well Monday was the BIG day, she was just so ready to find a problem that could be fixed. So we were off to the Arizona orthopedic hospital in Chandler at 5:45.... We were surprised to see a couple from our old ward, but she was there to get a whole new knee (3 day stay) They found that the ligament was to tight and not letting her knee move..So Dr Porter was able to cut through the tissue and let it stretch out more.

Day 1 she was feeling really too good. But how to you bust there bubble and tell them it has not started yet... She is using an ice machine that has a timer and we just set her up and let it go. Day 2 however.... Her first words of the day were "It's sore" Ya just the begining. She is so worried about getting to far behind in math the she wanted to try to at least go into math today, well let her go for a little while and within 1 1/2 I was picking her up and she has been on the ice machine for about an hour...

Smith Family Saga

I was thinking today that it seems as if I only blog when something crazy/stupid happens.... Well today is no different. Chase said the toilet would not flush so I came in to check things out, I am not completely helpless. Well the chain was not stuck so as I went to put the top back on it fell into the tank....YES fell into the tank...YES busting a hole in the bottom of the tank.... And even better is my brother, sister-in-law and 3 kids will be at my house in 2 hours to spend the night....The best part of all is we can get it fixed until Wednesday...How how fun it will be to have 12 people and only"1" bathroom....

Well I think the new name for my blog is going to be the "Smith Family Saga"....I took Shelby to follow up with Dr Porter who is an orthopedic surgeon. He was reading her MRI results, and decided that we need to look it a little deeper. So we are scheduled for December 1st to run a scope into it. Hopefully all with be easy and go well. More information to come....

Well here are the pictures of Karly giving Millie a bath... She was kinda proud of herself.

Well for those who enjoy the drama of my life with Karly....When I heard the bath tub running this afternoon I knew it could not be a good sign. So I went in to get her out only to find her giving the dog a bath...YES giving the dog a bath and all by her self...Gotta love her

Shelby was very excited to have late start on Wednesday, because it was her 15th birthday...School did not start until 10:10. So she invited 12 friends over for donuts,milk, juice and games...They are a great group of kids and I am grateful that that was a easy party to do.

Sweet baby girl!!!!

WOW What do I say, I am amazed at the beautiful young women she is growing into. I love to look back at my chubby baby girl. But more important I love to see her strength and testimony growing... I am so grateful for Shelby and not just the great BIG sister she is but that she is my friend and we can talk about anything...

I love that she has such a funny personality and has fun no matter were or what she is doing...

I am so grateful for her choice in friends and her ability to stand up to them when they are bringing her down.

I am sad when I think how few of years I could still have with her as a child in our home, but I am excited to see her continue to grow in her high school years, and all the fun times that come with high school...

But more than anything I want her to know how much I love her and the daughter of God that she is..I am so so proud of her...Way to go baby girl....

Keep up your strong spirit!!!

HAPPY 15th BIRTHDAY !!!!!!

I have reason to believe that Karly should have been born a boy. You can regularly find her in the dirt, watching construction guys in the street or helping Dad/Grandpa fixing a car...I an so grateful she came as a girl, she still likes her hair done...But at least she can get dirty.

Election 08

Well here is the newest running mate for the presidential election. "Brady W Smith"

This was for a school project to do an election poster....GO B W.......

Halloween 2008

Well another Halloween has come and gone. I thought I should get some pictures posted. It is getting stranger every year to not have all the kids dressing up and with us. Karly as always was the princess of the family "BELLE"

Chase was the ever favorite "SPIDER MAN" which is a repeat costume. But you cant beat the classics. Brady is no longer in the fun stage, he was going for dead prisoner...

Shelby was out with a friend and I have not gotten any pictures yet, and Chad and his girlfriend dressed up and went to a family party while we were at the ward party....

Well it is offical

Well it is official and I am happy to say that I am down 2 sizes... I am over 15 lbs lost and more to go, thanks to a great husband who walks with me at night and laughs at me at 6am when I walk by myself...It has been alot of years since I could say I am a size "8" yaaaa I think I am getting addicted to walking and maybe soon it will get out of the 90s...

Day 133

I know it kinda sounds silly that I know how many days I have been PEPSI FREE but its on a calender in my room and its a good motivator. I am 133 days Pepsi free and down 15 pounds. But my best news so far was when I went to buy a couple of new pants on Saturday and I was able to buy a size "8" I have not had that in a long time, I hope to have all my clothes fitting at a size 8...Happy walking and thanks to my neighbor Samantha for walking in the morning with me....

Dress give away....Check this out....


http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/2008/10/shenandoah-costume-giveaway.html

NEED A CHRISTMAS IDEA???????

So are you looking for a unique Christmas girt for someone special, but don't know what.... Well here is a FAMILIES ARE FOREVER cross stitch, ready to be framed ...$50.00 contact me if interested, azsmithfamily@hotmail.com I have more than one....

Well it is still a little strange to see your son go to a school dance, but I think it was a good experience for him. I will really stress in a year when it can be Shelby...

Fall has finally arrived

Well two of my favorite things happened this weekend. 1st was that fall decided to show up, I have been so ready for this to come. I love the cool weather (not cold)... And my 2nd favorite thing is when we get the jacuzzi up and running for the winter. I love to go relax in the hot water before going to bed.

Boys day ot with mom

I took Brady, Chase and a few friends to see a local car show. These are just some of there favorites...

This is there one and only chance to sit in the back of a police car...

Sorry for this but hey I thought some might want to know what your kids stomach would look like if it had a quarter in it....Kind of strange to get pictures from inside your kids body...

Update on the quarter

Well today was quarter day, we arrived at the hospital at 9:00am and he was sleeping soundly at 10:30. All went well it was out in about 30-40 minutes. They were able to go in through his mouth and get it out. In 2 weeks time it had not even left his stomach. And yes we kept the quarter and we even have pictures of the quarter inside his stomach.... He looks a little scared in this picture but he was really trying not to smile.....

Cheap entertainment

It is amazing to see how good cheap entertainment. They would watch for hours if I would let them...

Update on the quarter

Well I am sure that no one is to curious about the quarter but it has not been found. We had a xray yesterday that confirmed that it is still there. SO tomorrow we are going to have it removed....They are going to 1st try to go down through his mouth, so lets hope all goes well and that we don't need a plan B.... We will be going to good sam....9 am

Time for another ultrasound!!??? WHAT

You have got to be kidding!! I thought I would never have to do those again... Well on Saturday I am having an ultrasound on my stomach, but this time its not baby related. I have been having some stomach pains and they are just needing to look around. Who know it maybe gall bladder or something silly... Wish me luck...

My baby is 17 ???

Well I decided you have to stop some were. I could pull pictures for ever. You know how your 1st child is you have tons.... I am so grateful for Chad he is a great kid. I know sometimes I am a little slow in letting him branch out.


He was such a cute kid with his head full RED curls... He has most defiantly been a little spoiled being the 1st grand kid on the Smith side. He will still go to his Grandmas House regularly.