Josh Update

Its been a week since Josh's surgery and I think he is finally feeling better, the pain isn't as bad and he is sleeping through the night. He has a daily schedule he has to do and that is ice his knee with a machine called Polar Care Kodiak it is a motorized cold therapy, you fill the machine with water and ice, put the pad on his knee, and it can run 6 to 8 hours before requiring fresh ice and water. He does this one hour on and one hour off all day. Then he has to use a machine called the OptiFlex or CPM Continuos Passive Motion for physical therapy that will bend his knee starting at a low setting and increase each week to bend it more each time, he does that for 6 - 8 hours per day. With all of this he is doing really well, we feel the surgery was a great success and will be very well worth it down the road. We have him in our room because of the stairs, we don't want to take that chance of him falling, I think he is anxious to be in his own room but maybe in a couple of weeks. Hang in there Josh, your knee is going to feel brand new soon. Thank you for my dear friends and family who have brought Josh treats and balloons and cards, or just called to see how he is doing and for his friends who have dropped by to say hello, it has really helped to cheer him up. Im so thankful for good family and friends in my life.

Josh doing the CPM machine

First look at the knee after taking of bandages

Staples in his leg

JJ is trying to comfort him

Josh doing the Polar Care Machine it is nice so we don't have to keep putting ice on it.

Most recent picture of his leg, one week later.

Message-in-a-Cookie

Williams Sonoma's Message in a Cookie you can stamp anything. These are way cute, I think I need to go to Williams Sonoma and get me one of these.

JaKelle made Varsity Cheer for Mesa High!!!

JaKelle had tryouts all last week and she found out Friday night that she made the Varsity team, her and a girl from another school were the only two who went to Varsity as Sophomores for next year. I think she is a little nervous to be with an older team but also very excited. We are very proud of her, its a great accomplishment and can't wait to see her cheer next year as a Mesa High Jackrabbit. Of course we needed to celebrate so we all went out to eat at Abuelo's Mexican Food. We Love You JaKelle!!

Valentines Dinner

This is the dinner I fixed my family for Valentines Day, I made pink mashed potatoes, which Lynn said were weird cause every time he went to take a bite he thought they were going to have a cherry taste. I made heart shaped biscuits, roast and raspberry jell-o, over all it was an OK dinner. Jared and Lexi come over and we gave out valentines, then spent the night watching the Olympics.

These are the beautiful flowers that Lynn gave to me with the pretty necklace, which he had a little help from me picking out.

Hope you spend the Day

with the ones you LOVE!!

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Birthday Dad

I'm so grateful for a Father who was such a great example to me. He truly was the most kind and generous man I know. Im so grateful for all he taught me, miss him and can't wait to see him again. Happy Birthday Dad!!

Yum-O Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

This is a picture of some of the cute Valentine cookies my Mia Maids decorated for our mutual activity. They had some very creative ideas using all the candy and icing, we also dipped strawberries in chocolate and made Valentine Hearts to heart attack someone special. These girls are the BEST, I didn't get a picture of them, but I'm posting the recipe for the cookies in case anyone needs a good cookie to make for neighbors, party or for your Valentine treat. What makes this recipe is the sour cream, it makes the cookie very moist. Enjoy!

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tsp. baking powder

6 cups flour

Cream butter, sugar, and eggs, then add sour cream and vanilla. Blend in soda, salt, baking powder and flour. Roll out on floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes (I only did mine for 11-12).

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 box powdered sugar

8 oz. cream cheese softened

1 tsp vanilla

little bit of milk (I use the evaporated milk thats in a can)

food coloring if desired

Mix until spreading consistency.

Another thing you could do is eliminate the cream cheese and use 2 squares of butter and add 1 tsp. of almond extract I love this taste on my sugar cookies.

Cheered Her Last Basketball Game

JaKelle cheered at her last basketball game, which our Brimhall Bobcats b-ball team are City Champions, way to go guys. It's been a great season watching her cheer at football, volleyball, wrestling and basketball games, it just seems like it started and now she is done. They will finish up the year with a few competitions, so she is very busy practicing and getting her stunts perfected.

JaKelle tried out for the Dance Team for next year at Mesa High and made it, way to go girl and Wednesday was her first day for trying out for the Mesa High Cheer Squad, which continues all next week. It's hard to believe she will be in High School next year, she is just growing to fast. Thanks Kell for a fun year watching you cheer, your the best one out there.

Brimhall Cheer Squad 2009 - 2010

Silly Brimhall Cheer Squad

You got good kicks girl.

An amazing stunter!!

Cheer Dance

Jesse's Slump Day!

"Six months is your bump day. And then a year is your hump day -- you're getting over the hump. Now you're going downhill, cause you got less time left than you've been out. Then you got your slump day. And when you go home, there's your dump day. This is the day: you're gone."

Yesterday Jesse hit his what you call SLUMP Day, which means he has been out now for 18 months with 6 months left. I know it is hard for him to even talk about coming home and how these last 6 months are going to go by to fast. Even-though I think the opposite, 6 months still seems far away, but I am glad he feels this way and am grateful that he loves his mission and is getting lost in the work.