This is the place

'This is the place' monument in Salt Lake City. We had a Monday holiday a little while ago and instead of having an official Family home evening night, we thought we would have a casual Family home evening day which consisted of visiting the place where Brigham Young first looked over the Salt Lake Valley in 1847 and declared it was the right place. We also visitied the Church History museum.

FREEZING COLD!

Then when we came home, I took this picture and coudn't resist to add it it. Snug as a bug in a rug!

Draper Temple Open House

We felt extremely grateful for the oppurtunity to go to the Draper temple's open house on Friday 19th of Feburary 2009. The children loved it and thought it was great to miss out on a bit of school to see it.
It was very organised and we didn't really get a chance to take a photo of the temple outside because of the timing of the shuttle bus. This is a photo outside the Draper temple in November last year.

This is the bus ride to the Draper temple. We went to one of the 6 chapels to first, watch a short video on the church and history of the Draper area. Then a bus ride to the temple. It was a silent tour but in the sealing room they had a couple talk about eternal marriage. It was fantasic to see people who weren't church members crying as the speakers spoke. The spirit was very strong and the children were very reverent. (Or perhaps I was threatening them to be reverent........???)

The funniest moment....(yes, you can still have funny horror moments when children are involved) was when we were in the baptismal room and Hyum was admiring the 12 golden oxen. One of the temple workers also explained that the shape of the font was of a key and explained why. Well instead of a profound spiritual comment from Hyrum, all he said was..."sweet!" We all looked a little horrified and Hyrum was looking suprisingly innocent.

Once we finished the tour we were ushered into the chapel closest to the temple. We were AMAZED at the way the cultural hall was furnished and decorated. It was like going into a fancy hotel lobby. Beautiful furniture, carpet, pictures and decorations. Then the children ate some very yummy cookies.

Our favorite part was being in the celestial room all TOGETHER. The spirit was so strong and I couldn't help wondering when ALL our family would get the chance to be in this special room TOGETHER again. A heavenly experience that will not be forgotten but treasured! I felt a deep grattitude to my Heavelny father for this shared family experience and I am very greatful for temples on the earth today.

Our little Aboriginal boy!

Isaac is our little stressful blessing. He brings us SO much joy and a lot of concern for his health. Since moving to Provo, we have been to many specialists who have had great concern about his global development (his development in his physical, speech, motor etc.) This week I went to the neurologist and for the first time in 6 months, she is very happy with how he has progressed since taking Keppra, a seizure medication. We are still trying to work out his medication however, and this week he has had a higher dose which has made him very sleepy. The medication has beeen like a little switch being turned on in his brain and since then we have seen some major progress. He does have silent sizures and when this happens, just like the below picture, his eyes flutter. People just think he is very sleepy. Until then, we have A LOT of catching up on. The seizures take a lot out of him and this means he misses out on a lot of the things going on around him.

Isaac has many different therapies available to him. Therapists come out to our home and we also go to PEEP, an early intervention centre for children like himself. I also do 2 hours of therapy with him. Although these photos are out of order, this bath photo is because before the bath, Beth and Isaac play with different textures and make a big MESS! They love having colored baths after. The reason for the texture therapy was orginally because he wasn't eating well. He has low muscle tone (although improving) and eating was a little difficult and he didn't like lumpy things in his mouth. This was a way to help him get used to different textures.

They play with the food and squish it in their fingers and make a HUGE mess. They absolutely love it and I am grateful that Beth is around to show him how to make a mess with the food, which takes me off the hook!

Beth thinks if Isaac can go naked, she also has the naked 'right'. Dave is a little horrified when he sees these pictures....but my laundry basket is more relieved than anything!

The mini Physio therapist. We need to massage him twice a day, deep tissue massage and other techniques as well. Isaac absolutely loves it. He just lies there in bliss!

The after math.

This is sibling care which Beth just loves

playgroup. LOVES IT! Such a blessing that it isn't a drag for her.

The motor room where they can climb, play and learn different skills.

One of the co-ordiantiors that monitors Isaac's progress. Also Isaac's favorite therapist, in charge of the music therapy group.

Trish is the recreational therapist who gives me some great tricks for his low muscle tone, brain development, eating problems. A real help to me.

Jenny, our speech therapist. I am slowly learning sign language (little frustrating to learn aghhhhh!) The children learn quicker than me!! Isaac is extremely cute when he signs. Extremely CUTE! All the children are learning and think it is just the funnest.

We are missing another favorite of his, and that is he physio therapist. Isaac just thinks they are all here to love and play with him.

I am EXTREMELY grateful for all the people who are involved in helping Isaac thrive and become this beautiful, mischievous, cheeky and"calm" (odd word, but that is exactly what he is) 18 month old boy. I feel confident that he will be able to live a normal, healthy and active life like all boys should be able to do. I have taken health of my children for granted but would not trade this journey for anything. Our family is working as a team more than ever. Savannah, Hyrum and Bethany pray and fast for him constantly and we are grateful that Heavenly father is blessing his life and providing peace to the sometimes very streched and worried parents.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.

Go Savannah!

Savannah has been doing basketball and loving it!! She is really enjoying it and is a little natural defender. She proudly wears her basketball top to school and I have to threaten her, before she gives it up to the laundry. Hyrum begins in March.

Bethany and Alexis were practising their cheer leading on Savannah's basketball team together.

Yes. I am behind in my blogging. This was Savannah doing an Australia day presentaion to her school class. She had volunteered herself and mum to talk about the land down under. (She ended up doing most of the talking.) She also told her teacher that mum would love to bring in a pavlova for everyone to experience. We bought out the vegemite for the children to get a whiff of, and I loved hearing all the gross comments!! Funny. (Someone asked if it was kangaroo poo??!!)

Savannah handed out Aussie stilckers.

Her favorite teacher in the world, Mrs Havican. She is four months pregnant. The first day of school, Savannah came home very excited because she had discovered that her teacher was a Mormon.....fancy that in Provo!

Snow shoe shuffle

I had never heard of a snow shoe race until the day before Diana and I actually did one at Park City. You put these funny shoes on and feel like daffy duck, very uncoordinated. It was a 5k shoe race. People had been doing training for it and I hadn't even seen snow shoes before and was thinking...."Oh dear, what has Diana gotten me into this time. (Diana said it was easy!!) I thought it would be like a fun, silly race and when we were at the starting line, all these people are in serious athletic snow wear, wanting a good 'race time' to qualify for other winter marathons. We were just there for the fun of it and a work out! (Well, at least I was, Diana likes a bit of competiion)

Before the race....

Acknowledging that I look like a complete dork!!

Our new friends

As I was doing the race, trying to work out the silly shoes and taking in the beautiful scenery I appreciated the bizareness of the whole thing!! I was laughing as I looked up at Diana taking it more seriously ahead of me as I tried to figure out the stupid shoes which kept flipping up and banging my shins!!! Owwww.

Diana came first in the womens division and I came third. Diana adds another element of fun around here :)