Christmas 2010

I received this cool cooker for Christmas. It is an Xpress Ready Set Go. You can see the delicious Christmas breakfast of stuffed french toast that I made with the cooker. I hope it will be a fun addition to my kitchen.

Christmas Letter

Here is our Christmas letter. We hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas.

This is my latest creation. It is a sweater if you can't tell. It is "Fairy camouflage", so Ady can hide while she is looking for fairies. I think it turned out pretty cute. It is my first sweater!!! I would love some patterns for crocheting sweaters. There are not very many out there. Most of the patterns are for knitting.
I love this time of year! The weather is warm and beautiful but really cools off at night. I just wish there were more time in each day to enjoy the outdoors and still get all the things done I need to and also work!
I am still working on loosing weight, lost about 10 lbs, but now I am at a standstill. I guess I need to get into a good exercise program. I am thinking of weight lifting. I will post when I find out how it works for me. The program I am going to start is called P.I.N.K. fitness. It is a series of workout DVDs. Just 20 minutes 3 times a week. Also includes a barbell and nutrition booklet. I am excited to start.

Lovely picture of Rhona and Penny

I found this lovely picture of Rhona and Penny on facebook. My how cute they look and happy!!!
It sure would be fun to visit them. Oh, well, I will just have to keep dreaming. I have been busy working and just trying to get things done around home. I am getting quite a bit of scrapbooking done. I am almost finished with 2008. Pretty soon I will be up to date. I am also working on a couple of fun projects. A cute little baby sweater and a Christmas afghan. I got some really good deals on yarn and so I have a lot of projects to keep me busy. Mike and I have been enjoying watching some good movies too. It is fun to spend time with him. He has been doing better this last day or two. He has more energy and has been able to get out and walk a little bit. We had fun looking for shooting stars last night. Did any one else see any?

Stent Shawl

My latest creation. I crocheted this shawl while sitting around with Michael in the hospital. It goes really nicely with one of my skirts. The yarn is part bamboo and is really soft and silky.

Bucket List

We started the week with a visit to Dr. Faux. Mike had been feeling really tired and weak and on our last trip after walking up a ramp had an episode of chest pain that lasted about 15 minutes. Dr. Faux did an EKG which showed a new incomplete left bundle branch block, so he scheduled a treadmill test. On the treadmill Mike soon was showing problems, his heart slipped into a funky rhythm with a very wide QRS and a complete bundle branch block, he also passed out. Dr. Faux caught him and helped him to a cot. A rapid response team was called and soon he was admitted to the ICU. The picture above is of the monitor by his bed. After about 2 hours his heart rhythm converted to a normal rhythm and he was observed. Among the things discovered with the lab work was a critically high tricyclic antidepressant level, 1100, should have been between 100-200, which we think was a result of his kidney disease which did not clear the medicine from his system. They started treating him for the high levels and the kidney disease. He also had another episode of chest pressure while he was lying in bed. So a heart cath was scheduled.
During the heart cath a couple of blockages were seen in the Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery. So he was loaded up on an ambulance and shipped to Ogden to McKay Dee Hospital.
During the Angiocath 3 blockages in the LAD Artery were seen, a balloon was inserted and 2 stents and he was cured. Wow!!! The advances in medicine are awesome. He was sent back to his room for recovery but to heal the femoral insertion site and stop the bleeding pressure needed to be applied to the area, so they used a huge C clamp and clamped his leg tightly to the bed. Every few minutes the nurse would come in and slowly release the pressure. This worked very well and by midnight he was able to finally raise his head and get something to eat.
Here is the picture of him after the whole ordeal. We were able to return home the next day for him to rest and complete his recovery. He is doing very well and feels really good. He has had lots of well wishes from family and friends. I was amazed at how well things are going. I was also amazed at how intensely I worried about him.

So during the process Mike mentioned that a few of the things that happened should go on his bucket list as they were firsts for him:
1. being the object of a code.
2. having two IVs at the same time, one in each arm.
3. ambulance ride (he would like a helicopter ride next!!)
4. using a bed pan.
5. using a urinal while lying down.
6. being clamped to the bed!!!

There maybe others but these are the few he listed. Maybe we should work on a better bucket list????

San Antonio

Graduation, Jon is the second row in 2nd from the right. You can recognize his pale skin and profile!!!
The Bryson's reunited. The kids were excited to see their dad. Ady, did not want to let him out of her sight. I think Holly felt the same way.
Ady and Will waiting for the parade and their dad. It was sure hot in the sun!!!!
Jon's group were carrying the flags. It was an awesome program, and I did get tears in my eyes. I really am a softy and very patriotic. I like flags, parades and ceremony. It is amazing how good these kids looked.
Jon and Ady in front of one of "daddy's planes".