Asher loves hats.

Asher slept through the night two nights in a row. AAAAAAaaaHhhhhhhhhh!
No waking up crying for milk, no walking up and down and up and down the stairs and no asking for da da but when we get to da da he most certainly doesn't want him. and no more middle of the night rocking. Whew and knock on wood.
This week at church Noah seemed to think that the princess was in trouble and that we needed to save her.
I assured him that we would save her after sacrament meeting.
We went for a ride on a boat yesterday evening. Some friends invited us and it was really relaxing.
Noah loves to swim so he stripped down to his undies and jumped in the lake with Chase.
Asher was content with Heath sitting on the edge and holding him so he could kick his legs in the water. 
Sister Rowles took pictures I hope she emails 'em.

I'm going to a soap making class Saturday.
I'm pretty excited.
I've been talking to the teacher lady some of the phone.
We have a lot of the same interests.

I have another new friend.
Her name is Krista.
I watched her kids yesterday and they were so well behaved.
I asked her what the secret is.
She said it's called Love and Logic.
She said she had a book I could have.
I've very interested in reading it.
I'll let you know how it goes.
If there is one thing that Heath and I disagree about it's how to discipline the kids.

Asher loves hats. 

Well, it's true that they say that practice makes perfect. I guess eventually it does but for me, so far, practice has made pretty good and sometimes just good enough. I'm not a perfectionist. It's also true that Dorothy had it right when she said there's no place like home.

Also 2 Nephi chapter 28
20: For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.
21: And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well - and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away CAREFULLY down to hell.
24. Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!

Can I get a substitution?

OK, I really am the queen of substituting ingredients if I don't have something on hand or just plain leaving something out.
So, for your convenience I thought I would share some of the magic that happens in my kitchen.


Fat Substitutions

Instead Of	Use
1 cup of butter in baking	1 cup applesauce
8 ounces of cream cheese	8 ounces of yogurt cheese
1 cup crème fraiche	1 cup yogurt cheese made from lowfat or nonfat yogurt
1 cup heavy cream (in recipes, not for whipping)	2 teaspoons cornstarch or 1 tablespoon flour whisked into 1 cup nonfat milk
1 cup sour cream	1 cup lowfat cottage cheese + 2 tablespoons skim milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup fat for sautéeing	4 cups low fat stock, fruit juice or wine and sauté until liquid evaporates
1 egg	2 egg whites
1 cup oil or fat for basting	1 cup fruit juice or low fat stock

Herb Substitutions
Basil	Oregano or thyme
Chervil	Tarragon or parsley
Chive	Green onion; onion; or leek
Cilantro	Parsley
Italian Seasoning	Blend of any of these: basil, oregano, rosemary, and ground red pepper
Marjoram	Basil; thyme; or savory
Mint	Basil; marjoram; or rosemary
Oregano	Thyme or basil
Parsley	Chervil or cilantro
Poultry Seasoning	Sage plus a blend of any of these: thyme, marjoram, savory, black pepper, and rosemary
Red Pepper	Dash bottled hot pepper sauce or black pepper
Rosemary	Thyme; tarragon; or savory
Sage	Poultry seasoning; savory; marjoram; or rosemary
Savory	Thyme; marjoram; or sage
Tarragon	Chervil; dash fennel seed; or dash aniseed
Thyme	Basil; marjoram; oregano; or savory

And this is the ultimate list. It's long but I'm going to put it on here anyway. I'll always know where to find it.

Common Ingredient Substitutions

Out of baking powder? Make your own with our substitutions guide.

Ingredient	Amount	Substitution
Allspice	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves
Arrowroot starch	1 teaspoon	1 tablespoon flour, OR 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Baking mix	1 cup	1 cup pancake mix OR 1 cup Easy Biscuit Mixture
Baking powder	1 teaspoon	1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar OR 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 cup buttermilk (decrease liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup)
Beer	1 cup	1 cup nonalcoholic beer OR 1 cup chicken broth
Brandy	1/4 cup	1 teaspoon imitation brandy extract plus enough water to make 1/4 cup
Bread crumbs	1 cup	1 cup cracker crumbs OR 1 cup matzo meal OR 1 cup ground oats
Broth: beef or chicken	1 cup	1 bouillon cube plus 1 cup boiling water OR 1 tablespoon soy sauce plus enough water to make 1 cup OR 1 cup vegetable broth
Brown sugar	1 cup, packed	1 cup white sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses and decrease the liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup OR 1 cup white sugar OR 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Butter (salted)	1 cup	1 cup margarine OR 1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
Butter (unsalted)	1 cup	1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil OR 7/8 cup lard
Buttermilk	1 cup	1 cup yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup
Cheddar cheese	1 cup shredded	1 cup shredded Colby cheddar OR 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Chervil	1 tablespoon chopped fresh	1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Chicken base	1 tablespoon	1 cup canned or homemade chicken broth or stock. Reduce liquid in recipe by 1 cup
Chocolate(semisweet)	1 ounce	1 (1-ounce) square of unsweetened chocolate plus 4 teaspoons sugar OR 1 ounce semisweet chocolate chips plus 1 teaspoon shortening
Chocolate (unsweetened)	1 ounce	3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tablespoon shortening or vegetable oil
Cocoa	1/4 cup	1 (1-ounce) square unsweetened chocolate
Condensed cream of mushroom soup	1 (10.75-ounce) can	1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of celery, cream of chicken, OR golden mushroom soup
Corn syrup	1 cup	1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup water OR 1 cup honey OR 1 cup light treacle syrup
Cottage cheese	1 cup	1 cup farmer's cheese OR 1 cup ricotta cheese
Cracker crumbs	1 cup	1 cup bread crumbs OR 1 cup matzo meal OR 1 cup ground oats
Cream (half and half)	1 cup	7/8 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon butter
Cream (heavy)	1 cup	1 cup evaporated milk OR 3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup butter
Cream (light)	1 cup	1 cup evaporated milk OR 3/4 cup milk plus 3 tablespoons butter
Cream (whipped)	1 cup	1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
Cream cheese	1 cup	1 cup pureed cottage cheese OR 1 cup plain yogurt, strained overnight in a cheesecloth
Cream of tartar	1 teaspoon	2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar
Crème fraiche	1 cup	Combine 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt. Let stand for 6 hours at room temperature
Egg	1 whole (3 tablespoons or 1.7 oz)	2 1/2 tablespoons of powdered egg substitute plus 2 1/2 tablespoons water OR 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute OR 1/4 cup silken tofu pureed OR 3 tablespoons mayonnaise OR half a banana mashed with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder OR 1 tablespoon powdered flax seed soaked in 3 tablespoons water
Evaporated milk	1 cup	1 cup light cream
Farmer's cheese	8 ounces	8 ounces dry cottage cheese OR 8 ounces creamed cottage cheese, drained
Fats for baking	1 cup	1 cup applesauce OR 1 cup fruit puree
Flour--Bread	1 cup	1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon wheat gluten (available at health food stores & some supermarkets)
Flour--Cake	1 cup	1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons
Flour--Self-Rising	1 cup	7/8 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Garlic	1 clove	1/8 teaspoon garlic powder OR 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic OR 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt--reduce salt in recipe
Gelatin	1 tablespoon, granulated	2 teaspoons agar agar
Ginger--dry	1 teaspoon	2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
Ginger--fresh	1 teaspoon, minced	1/2 teaspoon ground dried ginger
Green onion	1/2 cup , chopped	1/2 cup chopped onion, OR 1/2 cup chopped leek OR 1/2 cup chopped shallots
Hazelnuts	1 cup whole	1 cup macadamia nuts OR 1 cup almonds
Herbs--fresh	1 tablespoon chopped fresh	1 teaspoon (chopped or whole leaf) dried herbs
Herring	8 ounces	8 ounces of sardines
Honey	1 cup	1 1/4 cup white sugar plus 1/3 cup water OR 1 cup corn syrup OR 1 cup light treacle syrup
Hot pepper sauce	1 teaspoon	3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper plus 1 teaspoon vinegar
Ketchup	1 cup	1 cup tomato sauce plus 1 teaspoon vinegar plus 1 tablespoon sugar
Lard	1 cup	1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil OR 1 cup butter
Lemon grass	2 fresh stalks	1 tablespoon lemon zest
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon vinegar OR 1 teaspoon white wine OR 1 teaspoon lime juice
Lemon zest	1 teaspoon	1/2 teaspoon lemon extract OR 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Lime juice	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon vinegar OR 1 teaspoon white wine OR 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Lime zest	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon lemon zest
Macadamia nuts	1 cup	1 cup almonds OR 1 cup hazelnuts
Mace	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon nutmeg
Margarine	1 cup	1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 1 cup butter OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt OR 7/8 cup lard plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
Mayonnaise	1 cup	1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup plain yogurt
Milk--whole	1 cup	1 cup soy milk OR 1 cup rice milk OR 1 cup water or juice OR 1/4 cup dry milk powder plus 1 cup water OR 2/3 cup evaporated milk plus 1/3 cup water
Mint--fresh	1/4 cup chopped	1 tablespoon dried mint leaves
Molasses	1 cup	Mix 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Mustard--prepared	1 tablespoon	Mix together 1 tablespoon dried mustard, 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar
Onion	1 cup, chopped	1 cup chopped green onions OR 1 cup chopped shallots OR 1 cup chopped leeks OR 1/4 cup dried minced onion OR 1/4 cup onion powder
Orange juice	1 tablespoon	1 tablespoon other citrus juice
Orange zest	1 tablespoon	1/2 teaspoon orange extract OR 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Parmesan cheese	1/2 cup, grated	1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese OR 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
Parsley	1 tablespoon chopped fresh	1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil OR 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Pepperoni	1 ounce	1 ounce salami
Raisin	1 cup	1 cup dried currants OR 1 cup dried cranberries OR 1 cup chopped pitted prunes
Rice--white	1 cup, cooked	1 cup cooked barley OR 1 cup cooked bulgur OR 1 cup cooked brown or wild rice
Ricotta	1 cup	1 cup dry cottage cheese OR 1 cup silken tofu
Rum	1 tablespoon	1/2 teaspoon rum extract, plus enough water to make 1 tablespoon
Saffron	1/4 teaspoon	1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Salami	1 ounce	1 ounce pepperoni
Semisweet chocolate chips	1 cup	1 cup chocolate candies OR 1 cup peanut butter or other flavored chips OR 1 cup chopped nuts OR 1 cup chopped dried fruit
Shallots, chopped	1/2 cup	1/2 cup chopped onion, OR 1/2 cup chopped leek OR 1/2 cup chopped green onion
Shortening	1 cup	1 cup butter OR 1 cup margarine minus 1/2 teaspoon salt from recipe
Sour cream	1 cup	1 cup plain yogurt OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus enough cream to make 1 cup OR 3/4 cup buttermilk mixed with 1/3 cup butter
Sour milk	1 cup	1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice mixed with enough milk to make 1 cup: Let stand 5 minutes to thicken
Soy sauce	1/2 cup	4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Stock--beef or chicken	1 cup	1 cube beef or chicken bouillon dissolved in 1 cup water
Sweetened condensed milk	1 (14-ounce) can	3/4 cup white sugar mixed with 1/2 cup water and 1 1/8 cups dry powdered milk: Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 20 minutes
Vegetable oil--for baking	1 cup	1 cup applesauce OR 1 cup fruit puree
Vegetable oil--for frying	1 cup	1 cup lard OR 1 cup vegetable shortening
Vinegar	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice OR 2 teaspoons white wine
White sugar	1 cup	1 cup brown sugar OR 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar OR 3/4 cup honey OR 3/4 cup corn syrup
Wine	1 cup	1 cup chicken or beef broth OR 1 cup fruit juice mixed with 2 teaspoons vinegar OR 1 cup water
Yeast-active dry	1 (.25-ounce) package	1 cake compressed yeast OR 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast OR 2 1/2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
Yogurt	1 cup	1 cup sour cream OR 1 cup buttermilk OR 1 cup sour milk

Here are some measurements that I find helpful.


3 teaspoons is 1 tablespoon
8 ounces is 1 cup
16 ounces is 2 cups which is 1 pint
32 ounces is 4 cups which is 2 pints which is 1 quart
128 ounces is 16 cups which is 8 pints which is 4 quarts which is 1 gallon

  16 tablespoons = 1 cup
    12 tablespoons = 3/4 cup
    10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 2/3 cup
    8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
    6 tablespoons = 3/8 cup
    5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 1/3 cup
    4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
    2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup
    2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 1/6 cup
    1 tablespoon = 1/16 cup
    2 cups = 1 pint
    2 pints = 1 quart
    3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
    48 teaspoons = 1 cup

This is pretty cool too. 

Oh, here's some info if you'd like to cook with honey or replace a sweetener.

Honey

Keep honey at room temperature in an airtight container
If crystallization occurs place in warm water or place in microwave safe container (lid off) stirring every 30 seconds until crystals dissolve.

When Cooking with Honey

A 12 ounce jar of honey equals one cup.
When working with honey use oil or nonstick cooking spray to keep honey from sticking.
Honey is sweeter than sugar so use ¾ cup honey to replace 1 cup sugar & lower oven temperature 25 degrees to prevent browning.
Reduce liquid in recipe by 1/8 cup per 1 cup of honey used and add ½ teaspoon of baking soda for every cup of honey used.
When substituting honey for sugar, start by substituting only half.
DO NOT GIVE TO BABIES UNDER 1 YEAR OLD.

Substitutions for
Recipes Containing Refined “White” Sugar

Sweetener    Substitution for ea. Cup refined sugar    Reduction of total liquid per cup sugar
Barley Malt & Rice Syrup    1 ½ cups    Slightly
Honey    ¾ cup    1/8 cup
Fruit Juice Concentrate    ¾ cup    1/8 cup
Maple Syrup    ¾ cup    1/8 cup
Maple Granules    1 cup    --
Molasses    ½ cup    --
Unrefined Cane Juice Powder    ¾ cup    --

Sorry, the table didn't really copy. Hope you can figure it out.

Put the processed food down and no one gets hurt!

OK, seriously, this is just to inform and encourage not to judge or make you feel bad.
We could all do better with making choices, right? (being informed is key)

Processed food = bad
Homemade food = good

Here are some articles (not too long in length) that you might find interesting.
Cancer cells love Fructose (talking about high fructose corn syrup - stay away)
and here (this one talks about hormone disrupting chemicals including pesticides found on most fruit and vegetables) - I say eat organic or grow your own but you do what you want.
and this one talks about processed meat.

Don't forget to eat your grains. Did you know that beans and rice (and other grains) make a complete protein?
Some good ideas I found -
check out a book called "Make-a-Mix"
When your making pancakes or waffles, etc., make a bunch and freeze them.
check ingredients of food before buying - the shorter list of ingredients the better. Go for simple.
If you can't pronounce it - no bueno. (that spanish for no good - I think)
When you find good food, make a list of them so you know you can buy them again without reading all the labels.
Buy organic. 
Produce as much food as you can on your own so you know exactly what is on and in your food.

Anyway, there's my 2 cents. Good luck!

If you have any other ideas please share. 

and this one's about Heidi.

Heidi is one of my friends.
A good friend.
Definitely worthy of the title best friend.
She's been an instrument in answering prayers of mine.
She came over tonight. She just showed up out of nowhere.
My house was dirty and I hadn't showered for the day.
Heath had a meeting at church and was leaving soon.
She walked up and said, "What can I do? I came to pickle your cucumbers and I have jars in my car if you need them." (something like that anyway)
She played with the boys, giving me a break.
She picked up my toy filled living room while teaching my children.
She cut up all the cucumbers and pickled them for me.
She swept and picked up my kitchen, emptied my dishwasher and (if that weren't enough) she watched the boys while I took a shower. AND after all that she asked me what else she could do.
I love that girl. Really, I do.
Oh, and wait, wait, wait...She's also 28 weeks pregnant and works full time.
I'm sure she was probably tired after working all day and had plenty of her own things she could have tended to.
She thought of me and my little family and my messy house and my cucumbers and my casted up little baby.
What a friend. She is as great as she sounds.
Hope you have a friend like her.

This is the only picture I can find right off hand but you can visit her blog HERE.

THANK YOU HEIDI!!!

The cast.

Everyday we get a little more comfortable with the cast.
Heath and I with picking him up and holding him.
Noah with being careful with him.
He is getting more comfortable walking with it. We found that if he falls he usually doesn't get hurt.
It's like body armor really.
He climbed the stairs today.
I was behind him for one of the times and the other time he was sneaky and made it pretty much
all the way before I caught him.
Today he was able to go from sitting on the ground to standing and pick something up without falling on his bum.
We went to Sister Bonks memorial service today. It was nice.
I didn't cry but almost had to keep myself from smiling.
There were pictures there that caught her personality and it made me happy.

My brother called yesterday. Said he felt impressed. Glad he did.

A sweet conversation -
Asher fell
Noah: Asher, you OK?
Asher: OK

It was simple and short and I think you had to actually be there or be the mother to understand all it's sweetness.

It's true that Asher gets called smash, smashy,  and smasher. He responds to all. Also true that my kitchen is a disaster and I have over 40 cucumbers that need to be pickled. Yep, good luck!

It's been a while. I have a lot to tell.

Heath had a dentist appointment today to get two teeth filled.
The dentist gave him the option to be numb or not. He chose not.
First of all what dentist gives a patient that option? Second of all who chooses not to be numb?
I'll tell you who, Superman and my husband.

The Sunday before last Noah noticed Asher's shoulder for the first time.
They were eating breakfast at the table and I was running around the kitchen getting things done.
Noah got up from his seat, went over to Asher and pointed to his shoulder said, "oh, no, what happened?"
Because the muscles in Asher right shoulder are atrophied his shirt sometimes falls down.
I told Noah that his bones were a little smaller on that side and that it was a special shoulder. I assured him it didn't hurt Asher. He seemed ok with that answer and went back to his seat and continued eating.
I thought it was interesting that at 3 Noah could tell that something wasn't "normal".

There have been 3 deaths in our ward this year. This past Saturday night a sweet little lady passed away. I
I was her visiting teacher for a while and had her granddaughters in my young women class.
She was in her 60's, very funny, very nice, and easy to talk to. She was not very active at church but when she came to church I kissed her cheek and she kissed mine. She got into a car wreck with a semi and was in ICU for a month before she passed away.
I remember hearing the news and thinking, "Oh, no, not Sister Bonk. It couldn't be!"
I kept her in all my prayers.
She was not doing well but I felt at peace when I prayed for her. Not that she would necessarily live but that she would be right with our Heavenly Father before she passed away.
I wanted to go see her in the hospital but was unable to.
Heath went up and gave her a blessing.
He said she couldn't really talk much. She was trying so hard to say something to him but all she got out was "babies". He assured her the boys were fine. She was always asking me about Asher and how he was.
She really was a neat lady and I hope I'll get to talk to her again someday.

Also, there are a lot of old cemeteries here in PA. Today we had some time to kill in between picking up Noah from school and an appointment. So, we drove around a really old, huge cemetery.  I know seems kind of weird but it was really neat. Oldest person that we saw was born in the late 1700's.
I told Heath that I want him to make my grave stone out of clay and that I want it to be a little bench so that people could come to my grave sit down, and talk to me. The bench would say something like "sit down and stay a while". I then thought about my Nanaw who passed away years ago. I don't think I've ever been to her grave site. I think I'll go when I'm in Texas next time and chat with her.:)

I forgot to add this picture to the last post. Asher loves to go fishing with the boys and one day he grabbed  the fishing pole while saying pole (sounds like po) and headed toward the pond. I didn't think he would be able to walk and carry the pole but he did. Oh, also, his last weigh in he weighed 18 pounds 2 ounces at 18 months old. He's still in size 2 diapers. He can point out Jesus in picture and can say Jesus. He knows that the animals with the antlers are for hunting (he sticks out his finger and makes a shooting noise) and yes he learned that from his daddy.

Ok, Asher's surgery and then I'll stop. I didn't know until the day before that they were going to do the muscle release and the tendon transfer. I thought it would just be the muscle release so I wasn't prepared until that point for him to be in a cast. I was definitely not prepared for the cast to be as big as it was. We left at 8:45 am to be there at 11 am. The surgery started at noon. For some reason he wasn't as nervous this time. He cried a little when they weighed him but for the most part he was very brave. I went into the operating room sat him down on the table (he started to cry a little at this point but was easily comforted by a hug) while everyone was getting ready. He just looked around. Then they were ready. They used the gas again. He was crying and looking at me. I kept telling him it would be ok. The long blinks started, the crying turned to whimpers and he was out. I was told it would be about two hours.
I ate something, I read, I watched a little sports center with no anxiety.
I just knew he would be ok.
When I saw him afterward he was pretty groggy so I just held him while he slept. I was scared to pick him up with that huge cast so the nurse handed him to me. I wasn't even sure how to hold him.
We left at 5 and got home at 7. long day.
He's been doing pretty well sleeping in that thing. He wakes up a lot to try to get comfortable but falls back to sleep pretty easily.
He doesn't seem to mind that his arm is up in the air all day. Although occasionally he will say "off" or "all done".
I think his balance might be a little better with the cast. We don't let him go too far because we don't want him to fall.
I cried on Saturday. I'm a cryer. I cried because the reality of what the next 6 weeks was going to be like set in . I cried because I felt disconnect from Noah from being at girls camp the week before and having Asher's surgery on Friday and Asher requiring a lot of my attention on Saturday. I cried because my house was a mess and probably would be that way until the cast came off. My mom called while I was crying. She must have been inspired :) We have had a lot of support from our family.
ok I'm done.

Well, it's true that I hope to run a 5K in a few weeks. Also true that I have a new friend named Mr. Dorn.  We compare bread and canning recipes. He baked some really good bread for me and he likes to grind his own wheat too. I'll have to get the recipe. I hope he'll let me share it with you. Well, he is Heath's friend too. He owns a bow shop and shooting range. Hum, imagine that! Oh wait, he has bees, chickens and a large garden. cool.

pictures for the last post.

Asher's therapy.

My garden.

Asher in his hospital gown. 

The cast.

Ice cream before the cast. 

Some people say that if the shoe fits wear it. I say that if the shoe doesn't fit and it's stinkin' cute, wear it anyway.

Love in the back seat of my car. 

Toy Story 3.

Hi, it's me again.

It's been 1 month, 1 week and 4 days since my last post.
It's part of an experiment (well, sorta). We got rid of the internet but
that's a post for another day.
Let's see...where to start?
I don't have much time so I won't go into a lot of detail and I tried to post some pictures but it's not working, sorry. 
Well, Asher had surgery this past Friday.
They did a muscle release and a tendon transfer.
He's in a light blue cast that goes around his abdomen starting below his belly button up under his arm pit and on his right arm the cast goes to his wrist. The right arm is up as if he were raising his arm the the square.
I really like the doctor that performed the surgery.
I wasn't really nervous this time.
We have been praying a lot, he received a blessing and I knew that that doctor would be guided.
He (the doctor) said everything went smoothly. I almost had to tell him why. Wish I would of.
2 days down, 5 weeks and 5 days 'til Asher gets his cast off. It's like having a new born again only more frustrating for Asher because he's used to getting around by himself. I got another calling. The Bishop called it welfare something rather but it's emergency preparedness related and I teach a class each month.
Hope you are still preparing and listening to Brother Beck.
I went to girls camp this past week.
It was fun and I had a good time getting to know other people in our stake.
I cut my finger carving a spoon out of a block of wood. It turned out pretty well, surprisingly.
Noah is doing well. He goes to school a few times a week. A man named George picks him up in a school bus (really a mini van). That was a big step for me.
He is doing so well with his speech.
He's such a funny kid.
Heath has been doing random jobs during the summer to bring in some money.
Rex and Lorie sent us a few bucks to take the kids to see Toy Story 3 along with Toy Story 3 T-Shirts. They wore them to the movie. It was so cute. Wish I could post the picture.  Thank you!
Oh, also, I don't know if I told you this yet but Asher is walking.
Well, he was before he got his half body cast on. We're to nervous to let him walk around by himself now.

It's true that being a mother to my two babies has changed my life forever. I will never be the same and how grateful I am.  Also true that Heath doesn't like the spoons from Wendy's and that we have 9 quart jars of pickles from the cucumbers in our garden with some waiting to be pickled. Also true that I went to an educational farm and took a class on what to do with all the cream from raw milk. So far I've made butter. You should look into using raw milk.

That's all for now. I hope to post pictures soon.

Finally, some answers.

Today we went to see the neurosurgeon in Pittsburgh.
She still wants to stick the needles in Asher's arm (while he's awake).
She also suggested that we see a orthopedic doctor. Yes, another doctor.
I told her I wouldn't agree to the EMG (the needles in the arm) unless I had more info.
So, she said she would have the doctor that would be preforming the test call me.
We got in the car and headed out the parking lot in time for me to turn my phone on and get a message from the doctor saying that the orthopedic doctor was going to be there this afternoon if we wanted to wait and see him.
Well, it was a two hour drive so, we stayed.
The orthopedic doctors was really nice.
He looked at Asher's arm, asked me a few questions, then asked the neurosurgeon to see the MRI.
They left and came back.
The doctor explained to me that the head of the humerus (the ball) was more posterior than it should be (toward the back) and that the scapula (shoulder blade) was underdeveloped and did not form a socket like it should.
These abnormalities were making it so he couldn't external rotate his arm.
He said that there are two things that we can try.
One is a release of the muscle anterior on the shoulder.
This would allow him to be able to externally rotate and build muscle on the back of his shoulder.
He said he could also take Asher Lat muscle (which is an internal rotater) and cut it, move it around and make it an external rotater. This might allow him to raise his arm up higher too.
He said he could do them at the same time and Asher would need to be in a cast for 6 weeks.
Heath wasn't with me so I told him I would call and let me know.
I was just glad to finally get answers, to actually know what's going on with this little guys shoulder and arm.

It's true that if you wait long enough answers will come.  Well, most the time. and also true that in the future I'm skipping all the "middle men" and going straight for the specialists. I think it's more patience = more blessings. Also, put the Lord first and all other things will fall into their proper place or drop out of your life.

THE ZOO!

 We got to go to the zoo today. It was fun taking Noah. He knew all the names of the animals and was so excited.

Just doesn't seem right that this guy is locked up. He seems too human.

This picture has to make you smile. Perfect timing!

They chimed when he jumped on them. 

A lovely couple really.

The end!

The scope, Steps (not the kind you're thinking) and the SWAGGER WAGON

When Heath was young he always wanted steps in his hair. (Remember steps from the 80's ... I think they might be coming back, yikes). Anyway, his cousins always had them but Heath's mom wouldn't let him get them. Soooooooooo, he is living the dream through his son. Nice, huh? Oh, and they are only on one side.

Also, Asher's scope was today. They weren't going to let me go back when they put him out but I pretty much insisted. I got to wear a cool jump suit and a blue hat. It didn't take near as long as the MRI. It wasn't as scary for me either because I knew more what to expect. He got to wear a cute, little hospital gown this time that was just his size (tiny). Another one down. The doctor said everything looks fine. Now we just have to wait for the results of the biopsies and the pancreas fluid.


This is really funny. Found it on my friend Carrie's blog.

Not sure what to call this one. MRI results.

I've decided to cut down on my Internet use. It seems I get caught up in researching, blogging and such that my life stopped feeling balanced.  I feel happy about it.

Up above is my clothes line. Heath put it up for me. I feel happy about that, too. 

Our garden wasn't doing so well so I decided to do a square foot garden. We then noticed the veggies growing out of the other garden so now the square foot garden is mine and the other garden is Heath's. Hopefully he'll be doing the canning from his garden.  right!

Those are Heath's cute legs. 

Growing up I remember eating graham crackers and milk at my Nanaw's house. I'm passing it down. The boys love it. Well, Heath doesn't, he's not a fan of the sogg.

Just doing a little farming. 

Heath and Noah slept out in the tent in the front yard the other night. Noah thought it was the best. They had a little fire and roasted mallows. 

Yes, it's a weed eater. It's small but it was free and it works. I think I prayed it here. 

It's true that it's not a good idea to pick up snapping turtles (they're mean). It's also true that I would like to be a soap maker and a bee keeper.  Soap maker first, bee keeper next. Also, the MRI results came in. They said they couldn't really see anything out of the ordinary with his brain (this is good) or his cervical spine (hoping they would have seen where the nerve was injured) but some of the images were not clear. My first thought was how could they not be clear? He was out (which means completely still) and they were in there for 2 hours. I don't know. Now they want to do an EMG. They stick long needles into his arm to test the nerves individually. They don't put him out but maybe give him a sedative. I don't know that's what the secretary lady said when she called. We have an appointment soon to figure out the details. 

"Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness. It is always given when righteousness is present. The greater the measurement of obedience to God's laws, the greater will be the endowment of faith." - Bruce R. McConkie