That's What I Get!

I've been re motivated to exercise and have decided to start running, funny right! I have attempted this ridiculous feat several times since moving to Utah but it always ends up in shin splints and a chest that feels like it will explode if I take in one more struggled breath. So for my birthday, oh yeah, I turned 24 on the 11th, Cameron bought me some new running shoes (thank you thoughtful husband) and I decided to reattempt the running! I got a running program from my mom and thought about it for a few days, to stall, I mean mentally prepare and finally took the leap on Sunday night. I decided in the morning that in the evening I would go because it would be cooler than 100 degrees out. I even told Cameron to remind me that I was to go running tonight because I didn't trust myself to remember on my own. It was 8:30 at night, still light out but only about 80 degrees, I got dressed, grabbed my ipod, and told Cameron I would be back in 30 mins (don't want to get too ahead of ourselves here). I did a few stretches on the front porch cranked up the ipod and began my run. It was going great, the weather was perfect I was really enjoying myself and thought for the first time in almost a year, "this isn't that bad, I actually might be able to do this running thing!" With the program, which works you up to a long run, you walk for the first 5 mins, then run 60 secs and walk 90 secs on and off 8 times. I was doing great, getting parched, but feeling like I could finish. I was on the 4th interval when I realized I was running/hoping trying to itch my shoulder, then my ankle and my thigh, then my arm, oh the cheek. Ahhh, just thinking about it makes me itch all over again! What the heck?!? I was getting eaten alive by mosquitos! I HATE mosquitos! I kept on running, but the more sweaty I got the more I was feasted upon. I had to stop, but I couldn't possibly quit now, I was so close I could taste it. I sat down for a minute just to itch and try to convince myself that I could go on. I got up and attempted another drill of walk/run and 30 seconds into the run my legs were on on FIRE! I had concentrated so much on the nasty creatures feasting on my sweet sweaty flesh, that I forgot to convince myself that this was indeed as easy as it sounds. What was I doing?! If the bugs didn't kill me the running surly would. Finally I was done, I walked home and realized
THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR RUNNING!
Now it has been two days, I am supposed to go again and I am thinking, do I dare chance the pesky insects having another Thanksgiving feast on my sweet flesh?

......to be continued

Brady!

Night before surgery having his "last meal" look at the sweet face!

Right after he coded, still trying to figure out what just happened.

Mommy holding Brady, him holding his oxygen mask with his IV hand.

Right after they woke him up, gave him fentenyl and he passed out again.

Playing in the pre-op room with no idea of what is about to happen.

This post is long overdue! Brady finally had his surgery to repair a hernia on June 30 at SLC Children's Hospital. We went in early in the morning and were home by 3:30pm. The surgery went well, when they got in there, Dr. Matlack said that the hernia was as big as one in an adult male! So he has an incision that is an inch long as opposed to a cm, no biggie! He had a hard time coming out of sedation and was in a lot of pain so they gave him fentanyl, which he liked...naturally! We sat in recovery, for an hour and Brady seemed to be doing well he still wasn't himself but his vitals were great so they discharged him to go home. I got him dressed, they took all the tubes out of him and the last one was the IV. He was NOT a fan of that! There I was holding him, he was crying, then making no sound, turning BLUE and the nurse looked as scared as I did!!! I was quietly freaking out, made eye contact with the head nurse, looked at Brady at the same time she did and she immediatly ran in. She looked at the other nurse and said, "hello! would you call a code blue?!!" She told me not to worry and bring him over to the bed, all the while I was holding onto the gauze that was keeping him from bleeding all over the floor because the taking out of the IV is what caused this all. Probably 15 people ran into the room, he still wasn't breathing and was completely blue. They bagged him, he still wasn't breathing. They couldn't give him anything cause we just took the IV out! So they starting doing CPR and I had to stop watching. They all calmed down a bit and thought "oh good, he is breathing again"....uhhhh no! It wasn't until maybe a minute after I thought he was ok that the Dr. said, "finally, a breath big boy!" I looked back at Brady and saw that he was still blue but the color was coming back and he had a look of panic on his face. He just stared at everyone like, "what just happened?" They asked me to come over, I did, he looked at me then at everyone and smiled. It was very cute! He was out for a few minutes and they said it was because of the fentanyl they gave him, the medication just caused his body to forget how to breath when he was crying. So we had to stay in recovery for 2 1/2 more hours until the fentenyl was completely out of his system and his oxygen couldn't fall even once. About an hour after the scare he was back to his normal self but he still had to stay to be monitored. We finally were able to go home mid afternoon only after we pissed him off and made him cry hard again and they were confident that he wouldn't do it again. Just in case though, they told us what to do if he did turn blue again and we were instructed to keep a close eye on him and try to keep him from getting too upset (riiiight, Andie isn't his sister or anything!). Thanks to Grandma Karen, Andie was taken care of and it was one less thing on my mind. It has been a week and a half and I still freak out when he cries really hard, it's dumb I know, but I do. He has had a great recovery from what I can tell and he is up and around driving Andie more crazy than ever! I am so grateful that all went well with the surgery I was a little worried about it but I am glad it's over. Of course I have pictures to post!!!

4th of July

The Casper Family cousins: Lauren, Molly, Kate, Brady and Andie

Can you find them? Cameron and Andie at Bridal Vail Falls

Waiting for everyone to hike down from the falls Brady was a little pooped!

Andie and her "best buddy" Kate!

Andie all ready for the 4th. You can't see how cute her hair was, but it was!

We had a really nice 4th this year. Grandma Karen was in town for Brady's surgery earlier in the week, so Lindsay and her family came up to join in the fun. On Friday we took the kids to the animal farm at Thanksgiving Point (which is one of our family favorites) and the kids had a blast! That night everyone came over for dessert, haircuts (thanks again Lindsay, you are the best!), and craft time. Yes, I said crafts. We made shirts for the girls for the 4th (see top picture) they came out really cute, I was impressed with myself! On Saturday we had every intention of going to the parade in Provo but when the street was PACKED with people at 8 o'clock on Friday night we decided that it was only going to be more packed on Saturday morning and maybe not that much fun with all the little kids. So Saturday the 4th we went to Bridal Vail Falls, Aspen Grove, and Bob and Kel's. At Bridal Vail, everyone hiked up to the top of the waterfalls except me, Karen, and the two smallest kids. Andie had SO much fun going to the top! She found Mommy and Grandma and waved until her little arm got tired. She sang "Following the Leader" (from Peter Pan) during the whole hike up and liked being dangerously close to the edge! After the Falls we drove up to Aspen Grove, which I had never done, and it was seriously gorgeous! What a beautiful place. I got lots of pictures which I am sure I will never do anything with, but it was satisfying to take them. We took the kids home to take much needed naps in preparation for the evening festivities. Bob and Kelly had a great BBQ spread for everyone to enjoy. We had fun laughing, eating, eating and eating! The kids played until they were exhausted and then went to the Ladybug park. Cousin Kate spent the night and the girls did fireworks with Cameron, they had so much fun giggling and playing with sparklers and didn't go to bed until about 11:30pm! What a great 4th, thank you so much for all the family we got to see and spend much needed time with. Now a post wouldn't be complete without some pictures so here they are!

Bountiful Temple

This is the Draper Temple I believe

Andie in front of the Bountiful Temple

The family in front of the Bountiful Temple

Today we went to the Bountiful Temple and took a family picture. I don't even know the last time we took a family picture but it is nice to have a current one. Andie loves to go around to the different temples, go in and get a schedule card with that temple's picture on it, and take her own picture out front. She is in awe at each and every different one she gets to see. She always comments on how beautiful they are and likes to look for the Angel Moroni on top "playing the trumpet just like Quincy!" (Quincy is a kid on Disney's Little Einsteins and he plays the trumpet a lot). I am so glad that at 2 years old she has a such a love and excitement for the temple. She knows that when she goes inside she has to be very quiet and likes to remind us to do the same.