life according to rachel

Happy Halloween!!!

2009-11-02T09:28:00.007-07:00

Hallie as Batgirl & Audrey as Tinkerbelle... at their pre-school costume parade.

My cute girls.

All ready for trick or treating.

Audrey was SO tired... she was not happy about posing for pictures.

Hallie loved her costume... she came up with it herself out of the blue. I didn't even know she knew who batgirl was...

Scary Skeleton Dallin. He was so excited about painting his face... turned out pretty cool!

Quick visit to grandma's.

Pirate Spencer =)

Gypsy Pirate Rachel (love the tattoo Spence drew on me)

Ready to storm the neighborhood...

Sorting and eating the candy

Dallin and Max spent over an hour going through their candy... picking & exchanging it.

P90X

2009-10-05T14:39:00.002-06:00

Day 1 of 90 starts today... Spence and I are starting P90X and are gonna get toned and super healthy. I am excited and scared all at the same time. It's an intense workout regimine and nutritional plan. I can do this, but what am I thinking starting it before the holidays? No, it will be fine... the 12 weeks is up just before New Years, so come 2010... we'll be starting the new year out right.

I'm debating posting before and after pics... we'll see how I feel as time goes by. But stay tuned for updates periodically... I am hoping to see fantastic results!!!

Happy Birthday Kesley

2009-09-29T15:05:00.006-06:00

Kesley turned 16 yesterday... I know, how is that possible??? She's a sophmore in high school... I don't know where the time went. She wanted Spence and I to take her to the Spaghetti Factory with her boyfriend Devon and best friend Tazia (who also turned 16 the day before Kesley). And then afterwards we went back to our apt and had cake. I think she had a great time....
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KES!!!

Fun afternoon at the zoo...

2009-09-20T20:26:00.004-06:00

We had a super fun afternoon at Hogle Zoo with our SIX kids... had a few moments with them all running in opposite directions, but it was a great afternoon. So many cute new baby animals at the zoo. Loved it...

Kids climbing on the bronze rhino.

Dallin, Hallie & Max

Audrey enjoying her ice cream - actually my ice cream that she stole ;)

Ashley & Kesley

Spencer and me =)

baby tigers

baby giraff

baby elephant

cute penguin

black bear

Ambulance, Hospital, Ugh!

2009-09-14T14:13:00.003-06:00

Last Thursday Hallie was coming down with a cold, but was still well enough for preschool/daycare. At lunch I checked on her and she didn't want to eat, just wanted to lay down and rest... she was starting to wheeze. By 4pm I went down to check and she was struggling harder to breathe, so I took her home. I soon realized she wasn't getting better and was more lethargic, so I called her Dr and then took her to Kid Care (insta-care). As we are checking in, they tell me their facility isn't contracted with my insurance. Great... so where do I take my child??? About this time, the nurse came out into the waiting room and took her O2 reading, scooped her up and said, this kid's not going anywhere...

So we spent the next 3 hours giving her oxygen, albuterol, steriods... anything to get her to keep her oxygen levels up... nothing was working. So they transported us via ambulance to Primary Children's Hospital. After 7 1/2 hours in the ER, a chest x-ray, and more breathing treatments... she was admitted at 4 am.

She was NOT thrilled about being back in the hospital. Everytime someone walked in, she shreeked, "what are you going to do to me???" She even yelled at the janitor. Her lungs were all crackly sounding and her oxygen levels couldn't be stabilized... we got to spend the next 2 days confined to a hospital room... do you know what it's like to be in a room with a bored, overly-tired, very dramatic, bossy, scared, sick 4 year old??? I wanted to light myself on fire at several times...

But we made it. She was released Saturday night and diagnosed with severe asthma. She'll be on daily maintenance for a long time... hopefully it will help us avoid these scary flairups in the future. So scary to see your child struggling for air.

So even though she wasn't the best behaving patient... she was by far the cutest...

School update

2009-09-03T14:59:00.003-06:00

Kesley started high school this year... seriously can she be this old??? She's taking drivers ed since she will turn 16 at the end of this month. After really struggling through jr high... at 4 different schools mind you, she loves high school. This is one relieved mom, I have really hoped this would be the case. It's fun because she is attending the same high school I did! She's excited about this weekend's football game and so far has straight A's... this is amazing!!!

Dallin is in fourth grade and is attending a brand new school... just built and opened this fall. It is a beautiful building and only a block and a half from our apartment. He has a super cute teacher and was thrilled to find out many of his friends from our old WX neighborhood are in his class! He's had a great start, now just to keep this kid motivated (and quiet... he likes to chatter). Oh, and he loves reading... yay!

Hallie is in the pre-school program at her daycare. She is so thrilled to be in the "big kid" class. She's looking forward to learning how to read and is figuring out how to sit still and follow directions... so hard when you are only four. But she wakes up excited for school everyday, especially today because she also starts dance lessons this afternoon. Seriously, it's all she's talked about for the last 2 weeks.

Audrey is attending her daycare class minus her big sister, which has really rocked her world. She's had a rough time and had a few tears missing Hallie. Yesterday was great though... she made it through the whole day without biting anyone AND she proudly stripped off ALL her clothes and used the potty all by herself! She had her teacher rolling with laughter when she found Audrey buck naked, but proud as could be. Ah, one step at a time.

Yep, I love back to school...

DISNEYLAND for my birthday

2009-08-16T19:52:00.006-06:00

Spencer and I went to the happiest place on earth to celebrate my birthday... It was an awesome weekend... my best birthday EVER!!! And the best thing??? We didn't have kids with us. Now I know, Disneyland is so much fun to experience through the eyes of your kids (and we are taking all 6 of them back later this winter), but it was great to do what WE wanted to do, stand in lines without anyone complaining or whining, and seeing other people's kids meltdown and smiling because we weren't dealing with it. BUT, almost everything we saw or rode made me think about how much the kids would love it, so I am very excited to take them back, but was equally excited to be there with just Spence...

New Family Pictures

2009-07-10T19:35:00.003-06:00

We spent this morning at Target getting some much needed picture updates of the kids. And they actually cooperated really well and I'm very happy with the results... There are some posted on my blog layout as well as a whole bunch below...

Summer...

2009-07-01T08:03:00.008-06:00

Hard to believe it's already July... summer is one-third over with and it feels like it just barely started. We've had some fun adventures already, although with this being the first summer I have worked full-time in more than 10 years, it's a bit of an adjustment. Still, we've managed to get to the zoo, seen some movies, played in the pool, took the older kids to Las Vegas to see the Broadway Lion King, and just hung out and had fun. Dallin is spending part of the week at his dad's house this summer... I know he's enjoying spending time with his dad and his grandparents... and he's got some friends up there, so I feel really good that while I work, he's having a good summer. My little girls are at my work's daycare and LOVE it there... they call it their "school" and are especially excited fro Thursdays since that's Toy Day and they can bring something from home. Kesley has a Lagoon pass this year and is putting it to good use. She got her learner's permit to drive last week... scary she'll be 16 this fall (ugh, I'm getting old).

Here are a few pictures from our summer fun so far...

Hallie's Hospital Scare

2009-05-13T13:04:00.006-06:00

A week ago today, I had an appointment scheduled with Hallie's pediatrician. After a week of her feeling so lousy and having a weird rash on her torso, her hands started peeling over the weekend, so I called her doctor and they wanted to see her. I also told them my suspicion that her symptoms were very much like Kawasaki Disease (thanks to BIL nurse Eric). So as we are walking into the lobby for our appointment last Monday morning, my cell phone rings... it's the nurse telling me to take my child directly to the ER. Information that would have been helpful 20 minutes ago when we were already in Salt Lake... grrrrrr! So off to Primary Children's we go...

Five hours later, an IV later, Many tears later, and an EKG... Hallie was admitted to the hospital with the suspicion of KD. Later that night... more blood work and an attempt at a strep culture (where she bit my finger). She made me sleep in her hospital bed with her... I was soooo exhausted, I was just happy to lay down. And she was so cute, I would have done it anyways. The next morning it was decided she probably didn't have KD because her fever broke after 4 days and one of her blood tests for a protein they look for was negative. She had every other symptom, but the head neurologist came and talked with us and said her was very confident she didn't have KD. They discharged her later that afternoon.

So what the heck was wrong with her??? Don't know... her doctor thinks it was a bad reaction to a virus she picked up, maybe strep. She is being treated for strep since if it's left untreated, it can lead to rheumatic heart fever later. She is still not fully recovered... her hands are still peeling, but healing (they look so raw), her feet has also started to peel, her skin is SO dry and she still has episodes of red bumpy rash on her bum and inner thighs. She complains her body aches too. It's frustrating, but her Dr still thinks it's from a stubborn virus. Guess I'm going to have to put my trust into their medical expertise.

Is this the happiest kid you've ever seen in the hospital or what? Don't get me wrong, she definitely had her moments of hysteria...

Hallie getting her EKG to make sure her heart was not damaged. It took us 20 minutes to get her to lie on the table. At one point she was kicking at me from one corner of the room.

My sweet little princess... she honestly looked so sweet and innocent sitting in her hospital bed.

AND.... as if staying in the hospital wasn't enough, later that night, we were taking the kids on a walk and Hallie tripped and face-planted on the road. Scraped all down her cute face and two swollen lips. Maybe I need to put her in a bubble.

Puerto Vallarta

2009-05-03T19:54:00.005-06:00

Just week ago, Spencer and I got home from a fabulous vacation in Mexico, yeah I know - swine flu... Don't freak out (my mom already took care of that for everyone), we are fine - no illness here. We had a great time... the beach was amazing and the weather so beautiful. The town of Puerto Vallarta was fun to explore... we went to the flea market and walked along the boardwalk along the beach. It was so hard to come home and go back to the routine of work... wish we were still on the beach (((sigh))).

First night in Mexico

Beautiful beach view from our window

Soaking up the sun on the beach

All smiles after Spence went parasailing

Day we went home - but we'll be back!

Overdue Update :)

2009-04-21T09:43:00.005-06:00

Hi! Remember me? Yeah, I used to write on this blog, quite a bit actually.... Lately I've been a little distracted and forget that I need to keep up with documenting everything going on in my life (that was said sarcastically). And there have been some big changes...

The biggest change is my house finally sold!!!! I am so lucky... houses in my area are NOT selling right now but mine sold for a fair price and I am free and clear of it. We moved about a month ago to a 3 bedroom apartment in North Salt Lake. Quite the adjustment going from a comfortable home to a small apartment. (I hate sharing walls, floors and ceilings with my neighbors - I don't want to know when they are vacuuming or flushing the toilet). But we are adjusting there and the kids are looking forward to the pool opening soon.

Another big change in my life is that I am dating someone... and it is going very well. I met him in December through a mutual friend. We've been dating seriously since mid-February. He's been through a lot of the same issues that I have and we just seem to connect on a level I never imagined. His name is Spencer. He has 2 kids (girl: 12 and boy: 8). He works for Disney as a graphic designer making video games. I admit it, I have fallen for him... and he for me too :) I am VERY happy.

Dallin also turned 9 since I last wrote. I need to get some pictures of him on here and show how much he's grown over the past 9 years... he just started baseball again this week and had his first game last night... he won!

My ex finally got a job about 2 weeks ago, which I am very thankful for... hopefully child support will be more consistent now... keeping my fingers crossed. And we are getting along much better... he's dating someone as well and it has taken a lot of pressure off of me.

Well, that's the big things that I can think of since I last updated my blog. I can't promise I will be as consistent as before, but I will make a better effort to keep up...

This is a picture of Spencer and I with our friends Paul and Jyl at Happy Sumo... taken about a month ago.

Three Years...

2009-02-03T12:42:00.002-07:00

This was my stop before work this morning...

Miss you dad!!!!

Just Laying Low

2009-01-29T14:20:00.002-07:00

I'm still around... haven't written much recently, but I have just wanted to lay low and do my own thing... It's amazing to me how many people have an opinion about my divorce... or my life... or my kids... or anything else personal they feel they should talk about with me. While I don't mind sharing what has happened in my life (it's no big secret), it's really hard to hear people challenge me when nobody but me has walked in my shoes... My decisions were based on my own experiences and I would never suggest that this is the right choice for everyone... so why tell me I should have done things different. It's done. It's over. And I have no reservations that this wasn't the correct path for me to follow. Not to say that it isn't hard, it's just a new set of challenges - but ones that I am more than capable of meeting. Hmmmm..... it's just so frustrating.

The other issue I am dealing with, that I really didn't anticipate, is all the gossip that goes on when something major happens in your life. I can't even believe the things that have been said... so blown out of proportion and so many half truths. It hurts a lot that I seem to be the topic of so many conversations... and they do get back to me. I guess this is when you learn who you can trust and who your true friends really are. So sad...

Anyway, I am doing good. We are still adjusting to a new routine and things are different... but we seem to be finally settling. My house has technically sold - the sale is contingent on the buyers selling their house though, so we are leaving it on the market and if another offer comes in, we can get around the first offer if needs be. I am anxious to be out of here and making a new start with our lives.

Happy Birthday Hallie

2009-01-10T09:05:00.008-07:00

Today is the day Hallie has anticipated for months... she is finally turning four!!! Hallie is constantly thinking about what holiday is next and her birthday has been on her agenda since about August. This morning, I said - "Happy birthday Hallie, you're four now!" She replied - "Oh, I'm so happy...thanks mom for letting me turn four today." I love this kid... she constantly makes me laugh with what she does and says. She is by far my biggest drama queen, but it is so fun to watch (ask me how fun it is when she turns 12). Hallie loves princess anything... she lives in her own little princess world. She's very girlie - loves to have her hair done, loves to have her nails painted, and LOVES to play dress up. As I am typing this, I can hear her trying to argue Audrey out of the Cinderella dress becuse she wants to wear it. So, Happy Birthday my cute little Hallie!!! I am so glad to be your mom and so thankful you make me smile every single day.

ChRiStMaS

2008-12-26T11:30:00.004-07:00

Chistmas Eve was spent at our house with my kids, mom, brother and his family and my grandma...

Christmas morning was a bit stressed. Kesley had to work at 7am, so we all got up at 5am to open presents. YOu can see in this picture it was a bit rough... lens cap not all the way open, Kesley is asleep, Audrey is crying... we are a sorry looking bunch. Scott also joined us for Christmas morning...

Next week???

2008-12-16T22:45:00.004-07:00

Is anyone else overwhelmed that Christmas is next week? I am SO unprepared... and I'm a planner, so this is really unlike me. I know that I have the excuse of all that has recently transpired, but that doesn't mean Christmas will come any slower or can be postponed...

Ours will be quite scaled back holiday from years past, but that's ok. Not only is money really tight, ok maybe non-existant is more the word, but I'm just not into it either. I put up the tree of course - mostly because a certain 3 year old has asked me every day since before Halloween why we can't put up our tree today... But I have boxes of decorations I didn't even open up this time. I think I'm just going through the motions for the kids this year.

Things have changed... my whole life is going to be different. And don't get me wrong, it is fine that it's different. Adjusting to some new routines and new traditions will be hard though. And I really miss my dad right now. He loved the holidays, so I think this time will forever be a little empty feeling with him gone.

Anyway, I'm just so unprepared... am I the only one???

Update... It's Final

2008-12-13T13:43:00.002-07:00

I got word on Thurday... The judge signed our divorce decree on Monday the 8th. Kinda surreal, but a lot of relief. It's what needed to happen at this point. I'm glad 2008 is almost over, I really want to have a fresh outlook and some new goals for 2009...

House For Sale

2008-12-05T20:32:00.002-07:00

My home is officially up for sale. Anyone interested in living in Centerville? Here's the link... http://www.utahrealestate.com/849893

Happy Birthday Audrey

2008-11-27T20:00:00.006-07:00

My sweet baby turns two today. She is growing up so fast! Her favorite things in the world are her purple blanket (she calls a mimi) and anything Arial. She's a little obsessed. Audrey was in heaven today with it being Thanksgiving - her favorite thing to do is help me cook and we cooked and baked all morning long. Audrey is such a joy in my life. I love her silly grin and her slobbery kisses. I love that she makes up her own words and "talks" to you so serious - but you have no idea what she is saying. Happy 2nd Birthday baby!

Breakdown

2008-11-24T08:36:00.002-07:00

OK, so it was bound to happen... I have been going along fairly well, keeping it together and obviously suppressing my emotions. Last night I completely lost it. I had a melt down - cried and sobbed and felt sorry for myself. Being a girl, I knew this would be ultimately a good thing, because today I feel better and more able to tackle the things on my ginormous plate of life. I've recognized that I am overwhelmed and that I can't do it all. I need to learn to say no and not continue to let people tell me what to do. I am an adult for crying out loud... stop treating me like I am 14. And just because I am doing things differently or out of the norm from what others think I should be doing (or what they would do), it doesn't mean I am doing them wrong. I've never been through this before so cut me some freakin slack here. This is a learning process and I am trying to figure it out. And I have an awful lot to figure out. I'm still in the one day at a time mode, which is SO hard for me because I am a planner and want to have my future mapped. Not so easy right now since my world turned upside down and everything is up in the air. But again, even venting here is helpful. (((breathe))). Thanks for listening, er, I mean reading - love you all. :)

7 Quirky things no one knows about me . . .

2008-11-17T22:54:00.003-07:00

Tagged by my beautiful and talented Alaska friend... Tonya. (and yes, I realize this is 2 tags done in one day. It's my blog so deal with it.)

1. I talk to myself - and answer myself. I have full on conversations with me at the grocery store. Sometimes if I'm caught I pretend I'm talking to Audrey. She plays along so well.

2. I can't eat cows. I haven't had any red meat in more than 5 years and the thought of eating it makes me a little nauseated. Even when I was pregnant with Hallie and Audrey and I craved cheeseburgers with a fierceness, I didn't give in. If only I had that same willpower against chocolate...

3. I am very claustrophobic. So bad that even using earplugs or being blindfolded makes me nervous. I've had countless MRIs for my migraines and a MS scare, and all but twice I freaked out in the tube. Had to be pulled out in hysterics. The two times I was ok... much better drugs.

4. I don't know how to drive a stick shift. So stupid, huh? I just never learned and now I don't care. We've always had automatic cars, so no big deal.

5. I love graham crackers. My favorite way to eat them? Break apart the whole graham cracker into the four pieces, stack them together and dunk them in milk. So good. Hallie and I sit together and eat them this way. I also love them as smores (Dallin's fav) and in any pie as a graham cracker crust, especially a chocolate graham cracker crust.

6. I adore flip flops. I wear them year round. Only time I won't is in a blizzard. Just last week I was going into the courthouse and the sheriffs doing security check at the front doors were laughing at me cause it was freezing and I had my cute little flip flops on. But I had cute painted toes that begged to be free. Oh, remember when we used to call them thongs? Yeah, not the same meaning anymore.

7. I hate it when someone reads my magazine before I have a chance to flip though it. Drives me insane. I want it to be fresh. Same goes for catalogs in the mail and coupons/ads out of the Sunday paper. Kesley knows this and reads them just to get to me - I'm onto her.

8 Things Tag

2008-11-17T09:36:00.002-07:00

I don't have a lot I want to write about lately, so I saw this fun tag on another person's blog and just to let you all know I am still alive, here it is...

8 Movies I like to watch

PS I Love You
Juno
Phantom of the Opera
The Electric Horseman
Walk the Line
The Notebook
The Saint
The Italian Job

8 Things that happened yesterday

Made cookies with the kids. We ate a lot of dough.
Started a new book... The Hungar Games
Took a nap (thank you kids)
Finally finished folding the laundry
Furnace broke in the morning and it was 61' in our house - it's fixed now.
Made dinner
Everyone bathed/showered - major accomplishment in our house!
Planned out my week.

8 Favorite places to eat

Red Rock
The Pub
Cafe Rio
Paradise Bakery
Thai Siam
Macaroni Grill
Cheesecake Factory
Market Street

8 Things I am looking forward to

Spending the holidays with my kids.
Selling my house - not too optimistic about this one though.
Twilight movie comes out this Friday.
My 2 little nephews arriving in Spring '09.
Getting together for dinner with my childhood best freind this weekend.
Only have to work 2.5 days next week.
My mom's house being finished - love her, but having her live with us is hard.
Putting this year behind me and starting fresh in 2009.

8 Things on my wish list

Wish I was out of debt!
Wish I had more patience.
Wish Scott could find a job.
Wish I had enough money for my kid's Christmas.
Wish my house would sell (and for the asking price).
Wish I wasn't so hard on myself. Why are we our own worst critics?
Wish I had more motivation to list all the things I have to sell on eBay.
Wish I was home in my warm bed and not at work right now.

Fall Chores

2008-11-08T14:42:00.003-07:00

BEFORE... (or really during - Hallie loved helping me rake)

AFTER...

I voted

2008-11-04T11:49:00.004-07:00

Pleasantly surprised that there weren't long lines at my voting place. Felt good to do my American duty. We live in an awesome country where we have the right and priviledge to vote. So if you haven't voted yet, what are you waiting for????