California!

What better place to be than CALIFORNIA during June!!

As you probably know, my family loves California, the Beach, and Disneyland.  This year was special because we went with the Jeppesen's to celebrate Grandpa & Grandma J's 50th anniversary.

Yes, this was their idea....on my 50th anniversary I hope to be on a tropical island.  But being the fun-loving couple that they are, we celebrated their 50 years of wedded bliss by going to Cali!!

This is a picture of McKell's countdown on the white board.

Grandpa & Grandma J looking quite sassy in their Disney hats.

We LOVE Minnie...

and Mickey

Newport Beach

Mylee chillin' on the beach in her fabulous bikini.

LOVE this picture of my little cuties!!  Connor & McKell really know how to have fun at the beach!

Ashley the bathing beauty!!

Jason, Kelsey & Mylee

This vacation turned out to be one of our best ones yet.  Time spent together is all about family, fun, and everlasting memories!!

Jason's New Love....Blue Betty

So, Jason has a new love!  Her name is Betty, she is blue, he likes to put wax on her and rub her down....ok, sorry, this is a family blog!!  No, she is not a woman...she is a motorcycle.  His third in four years!!  No, he does not have four motorcycles....he gets tired of them after a few months, and trades them in for younger, more beautiful models.  I consider myself lucky that he has held on to me and is only trading in motorcycles.  So I really can't complain...girlfriend or motorcycle...I'll go with the motorcycle!!

Betty was delivered from Florida while Jason was at work.

This was great afternoon entertainment for the neighbor boys.

I guess we'll see how long Betty stays around :)

Random Thoughts at 4 am....

Here I am at work, once again at 4 in the morning.  Because I am charging, I have no blood draws right now.  Four a.m. is the time we are scurrying around, drawing our patients blood, checking i/o's, hanging meds, and the list goes on.  For me, I am pondering several thoughts.
1.   Why do I always want peanut M&M's while I'm at work?  I don't want them at any other time...just at work, and usually at 4 a.m. 
2.  Why did I decide to get a new scale?  A fancy one that tells your REAL weight...not the weight you previously believed, and also tells your fat percentage.  Maybe that's just TMI for a girl, ok?  This is also why I am not buying the peanut M&M's in the machine that are calling my name. 
3.   Why do I love to look at people I never again want to see on Facebook?
4.   Who decided 12 hour shifts are a good idea? 
5.   Why do I find it endearing that my newly admitted patient writes on his medical history that he is visiting the hospital to "check for cancer"?  I love his optimism.  I know...I'm rambling...that's why this is called "random thoughts".  Here's to a good day with lot's of sleep.

Kelsey's Graduation

Kelsey has graduated!!!  Wow...I am so proud of her.  When she told me she was pregnant, I didn't know how she was going to be able to finish high school, let alone graduate with her class.

Thanks to some very special people, namely her high school counselor and her home school tutor Mr. Hollie, she was able to graduate and walk with her class. 

What an accomplishment for her. 

On a side note....I'm still waiting for my diploma from Lone Peak...I'm pretty sure I deserve at least a little one for home schooling her the last 6 months.

Anyway....on to bigger and better things....like college!!

Grandma Dear & Mylee

My beautiful Grandma LOVES babies.  She has Alzheimer's and lives in a care facility.  She has a doll that she loves, and most of the time she thinks her doll is a real baby.  She will hold her doll and sing to it for hours.  We were so excited to take Mylee to see Grandma.  Grandma kissed her and loved her and sang to her.  I think she was surprised when Mylee actually moved around.  Most of the time Grandma has a hard time expressing herself in words...usually she just sings.  But when Grandma held Mylee, everything she said to the baby was clear.  Grandma told Mylee she was a beautiful baby!!  I am so glad that Grandma is still with us to see MY granddaughter!

Ashley turns 14!!

I know...it's hard to believe that Ashley is 14 years old!!  It seems like just yesterday that I delivered the biggest, most beautiful baby ever!!  Yes, skinny little Ashley was my biggest baby...8 lbs. 12 oz.  She was almost half grown when she came out.

Jason decided to surprise Ashley and take her to Disneyland for her birthday.  She honestly had no idea she was going.  We packed her clothes while she was at school.  Ash is not a big fan of putting her clothes away, so I was surprised that she noticed her birthday clothes were gone.  She cried and told us someone had stolen her new clothes.  Her siblings played along and "helped" her look for her new clothes that had gone missing.  I took her to Salt Lake and told her that we were picking dad up from work to go to dinner for her birthday.  Jason asked her if she would like to go to dinner or to Disneyland....yeah right!!  She didn't believe we were serious until Jason put his suitcase in my car and I dropped them off at the airport.  They spent the weekend in Disneyland and had a fabulous time!

What I love about Ashley...

1.  She is kind and loving.

2.  She worries about others.

3.  She keeps me on the straight and narrow (I have stopped swearing, and I don't have a tatoo thanks to her).

4.  She loves to laugh.

5.  She is full of sass and bling!!

6.  She still holds my hand when we walk in public.

7.  She is a great student.  (4.0!!)

8.  She loves BYU...even though she lives in a house full of Utah fans.

9.  She loves to have fun!!

10.  She is committed to living the gospel and developing her testimony.

What I Have Learned From Being the Mom of a Pregnant Teenager...

Many things are learned during times of trial.  Hopefully, most people will never have this particular problem, but you will have your children make at least one decision that was not part of your "plans".  This is what I have learned about people, life, etc....take from it what you will.

1.  You WILL find out who your REAL friends are.  Enough said.  I have heard this particular saying at least 100 times, yet I did not fully understand it until now.

2.  Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers and will help you when asked.  When Kelsey told me she was pregnant, I immediately said a prayer that I, my daughter, and my family would be comforted and helped through the coming months.  Never have I felt such peace and love in my home.  Never have I had so much personal strength!

3.  Now is not the time to try to please other people, (or, you don't owe people an explanation for anything!).

4.  People will surprise you in a GOOD way.  Never have I felt so much love and outpouring of concern for me and my family.  There are people who I had never met before now that have been so supportive and offered so much love and kindness.  I underestimated how truly kind most people are. 

5.  You will discover what is most important in your lives.  As our immediate and extended family bonded together to be strong and supportive for Kelsey, I realized that they were all I really needed.  What a wonderful discovery!!

6.  You will discover how much you really love your children. 

7.  You will discover that you and your husband are really wonderful parents!! :)

8.  You will discover that a baby brings happiness and joy into your home.  After all, what's not to love??

Remember...life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful!!