Staph...a living nightmare returned.

 A few days after Lynn and Jake left my skin started to "breakout".  I assumed with the way the outbreak looked and felt that it was cystic acne coming back to haunt me from my teen years.  I was beside myself.  I had to go to Gwennie's dance recital so I tried my best to cover it so I wouldn't scare anyone.  It was still embarrassing.  I felt like I was living in a nightmare.  I would cry in my closet I would stare in the mirror in disbelief that it had returned.  Travis didn't know quite what to do.... in high school I would do my make up twice each day to try to keep it less obvious...but it wasn't.  I thought with age I had mostly gotten past it, but the cysts were back - these weren't normal breakouts.  I decided with the help of Travis to go see a dermatologist.  I was sure I was going to have to go back on Accutane, my life would be miserable and I wouldn't respond well like I had as a teenager.  The doctor took one look and told me that it was a staph infection.  what?  Yes, a staph infection.  I was put on an antibiotic and sent home.  The antibiotic helped, but it is still not all the way healed 3 weeks later.  During this time I had to go to church to accompany a musical number or I would've stayed home...I was that self conscious.  The next Sunday, I did stay home.  Travis had to cancel appointments of people coming over (ward missionaries) and I cancelled volunteering at the school, and Travis also had to go in to get our pops each day because I wouldn't get out of the car.  Thankful it was staph and not cystic again back with a vengeance I did everything that I was supposed to do and thankfully it is healing.  I asked her how I got it and she said that a person can get it anywhere...I just happened to be unlucky and get it on my face.  It took me back to such a dark place.  I didn't realize what that did to me as a teenager.  So glad it was treatable with an antibiotic.

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UNO!!!

Dallin loves playing Uno and recruits whoever he can to play with him.  Since Travis is in and out during the day and I am home while the other kids are at school, we end up playing with him a lot.  He's gotten pretty darn good and can legitimately beat us.

A Splash of New...

Along with all the new paint, new carpet, new feel of the entire house, basically, I decided to recover my kitchen chairs and re do the kitchen curtains.  Mom went with me and we picked fabric and then with her and Dad's help on both counts, we got it all done....they are amazing amazing people and I am so lucky they are my parents.  I must say the curtains and chairs turned out super cute.  

too hot...

We had wrestling practice  and Dallin was too hot when we left the school.  So, he shed his shirt and wore his shirt and snow boots (he wears the snow boots everywhere). It was so cold outside, but he didn't care, he said it felt great!  So I snapped a shot of his "guns" and his fashion statement.  

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Miss Cori Sue Gilbert

This girl and our family have an extensive history.  She lived in Star when we first moved here at the end of 2005.  She baby sat for us on a regular basis for several years.  There have been many life experiences that she has gone through and we have tried to be there to support her through them.  Recently, she got engaged and Travis and I took her to lunch.  It is always fun to see her and hopefully for her to have our influence as well.  She will always be a part of our family.

Tyler's Weekend report

I love these "Weekend Reports"  every time Tyler does them.  I took a picture of this one because it was just after a good snow fall and all the cousins that were here and they played Mario Cart together.  So cute, how he illustrates and writes about it.

Winter Dance Recital

January 11 was Gwendalin's Winter Dance recital.  I am not on top of it and didn't get a picture of her in costume or with her flowers, just of her falling asleep on the way home - exhausted and beautiful.  She is turning into such a beautiful ballerina....very talented and fun to watch.

J

A Massive Project (Almost Complete)

We finished most everything and hung new curtains and tried different hangings on the walls.  For the most part, it is done and looks amazing!  The carpet is a little piece of heaven, and the paint lightened it up soooo much!  I love the stairwell, with the wrought iron railing rather than the wall.  It really is beautiful!

A Massive Project Part 5 (new carpet)

The new carpet is amazing!!!

The Dust...

Since we thought it was a great idea to add this room right at Christmas time...we had a little fun with all the dust!  Snitch was here for Christmas and believe it or not, I dusted in the morning and by evening there was this much dust on the entertainment center again.  The next night or a few after, he hung from the ceiling fan - and when Marie arrived Dallin announced that "the little fetcher" was up in the light.  HA HA!

A Massive Project Part 4 (Painting)

The flurries you see in the pictures below are dust particles coming from the drywall process one morning when I got up to paint....these are some of the pictures of painting - the ceilings got done, and all the walls...While Marie was here at Christmas, she helped me do my room and the furninture was barely moved out from the wall, so I scrunched between the two to be able to paint some of the spaces.  The rest of my room got done (the portion behind my bed) when we had to move all the furniture to lay carpet.

A Massive Project Part 3 (Drywall)

 Drywall is by far my least favorite step in adding a room or changing a wall.  The dust and amount of sanding and mudding was unreal.  Travis did an amazing job though and the walls look fantastic!