Forever Young: Up through beginning of August

This Summer the kids have enjoyed playing with their friends. On this particular hot Summer day, they all jumped on the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath.

She's the cutest in a swimsuit:)

While the older kids played, we hung out in the shade.

Evelyn loves to be read to.

We played over at the Coxes house on a big inflatable water slide. The kids had a blast with their cousins.

We had a slithery visitor in our backyard. At first I was nervous about it being a baby rattlesnake but the more research I did, I think it was a gopher snake.

Grandma and Grandpa Young came for a visit.

The kids made a fun treat with Grandma.

Yummy!

Evelyn enjoying her treat with Grandpa.

Making a volcano with Grandma.

Grandma made this cute meal to go along with their volcano themed activities. She's so creative!

The finished product.

Getting ready to watch the lava flow.

I just love the way she grins. It's my favorite.

The volcano flowing.

We celebrated Grandma Young's b-day while they were with us:)

Sam and Grandpa putting together a wooden plane.

We threw a 4th of July Block Party again this year. We had a big turn out! Grandma and Grandpa Young were able to be there for that.

Mermaid in the USA:)

Watching the fireworks. Evelyn LOVED them! She kept saying, "I yuv dem!"

The aftermath of the big ones.

We've had some pretty ridiculous wind some nights.

Our first zucchini of the season!

Evelyn loves giving hugs.

Reading time.

Snuggling on the couch.

We had Chris and Kareena and family over for dinner and s'mores. We had a great time! The kids sure love playing with their cousins!

A sharp edge of the water spout got me as I was passing by while mowing the lawn.

We had a Watkins Family Reunion at the end of July. My sister Emilie and I did the shopping for it. That was a lot of groceries, and this was just for the lunches and snacks for everyone:)

Our reunion was in Heber City, UT. It was a blast. This was the view from the deck/patio. You can see some of the kids crossing the street. They were taking a little walk so that they could pretend they were attending a movie theater, for Watkins Family Theater. Noel was barefoot on this little jaunt and poor thing stepped on a bee and for the first time got stung while walking on the sidewalk.

Chris was ready to greet the kiddos when they knocked on the door for Watkins Family Theater:)

Evelyn snuggling with Grandma.

We visited a home that is still standing in Midway, UT that my Great Great Grandfather, John Watkins, designed and built between 1868-1869 and then lived in.

The door knob and keyhole.

He planted this pine tree which is ginormous now.

A peek in through the window. It's being renovated but some of the original work looks like it's there.

Maddy and Noel in front of the home.

This was another home John Watkins designed and built in Midway.

And another.

Noel learned to swim at the reunion. Once she figured it out, she would jump from the high platform and also go down the water slide. We are so proud of her.

Evelyn holding Simon, Caitlin and Mikey's baby.

Libby holding Evelyn.

The kids went fishing with the men.

One of the days we went to a park to play and the kids had fun with Grandma and Grandpa's new toys. Here is Ty and Sam.

Morgan and Chris. I love their smiles on their faces.

Grandpa cuddling with Simon.

Ben rolling Evelyn around.

Ben and Morgan. Morgan slipped just before impact. Hahaha!

Grandma and Grandpa with all of their grandkids minus Adam who wasn't able to make it along with Jason because Adam had scout camp.

The entire Watkins Clan minus Jason and Adam.

We did the traditional talent show and for our performance we drew faces on our chins and Morgan and I lip sync'ed a song called "You're the reason our kids are ugly" by Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty, while Noel and Sam made funny faces and were just plain hilarious. It was fun.

Morgan, Chris and Ben sang "Carry on Wayward Son" by Kansas, and they sang it acapella. It was AMAZING!

We realized that with Chris's wig and glasses, he looked a lot like Mikey, so we got a picture of the twinners.

WARNING:

There are a few disturbing images of a broken wrist as you scroll down. First, I'll tell the story.

So, it was the last day of the Watkins Family Reunion in Heber. It was a blessing that it was at the end of the reunion because it happened after all the swimming and jumping and playing around were coming to close. Morgan and I were packing up inside the house and Sam and Myles were outside playing on the in-ground trampoline. They were playing with the inflatable ball toys on the trampoline (that we had previously played with at the park). Sam said that he got a running start and ran and jumped onto the ball on the trampoline and he flew over the ball and tried to catch himself before hitting the side of the trampoline (it had no pads around to cover the springs and such) and his left hand (another blessing because he's right handed) hit the bar and then hit the ground under the trampoline. Myles came running in and said that Sam was really hurt and that his arm didn't look right. I ran outside to find Sam laying on the trampoline with his arm resting on his body and a very distorted wrist. I immediately started crying. I know you are supposed to be tough for your kids when they are hurt but man, I couldn't. He asked if it was broken and I told him it was as I picked him up and ran inside with him. Everyone was so helpful. Someone grabbed ice for his wrist and then he received a blessing from Morgan and my Dad before my mom, Morgan, Sam and I rushed off to the Heber Hospital which was within 10 minutes away (another blessing). To make a long story a little shorter, it took 3 sedations and 3 attempts of trying to set his wrist to get the bones where they wanted them. The ER doctor attempted the first two times to set it and the bones would move ever so slightly out of place as they'd wrap it and put it in a soft cast. So luckily the Orthopedic Surgeon works at his clinic in Heber, only on Wednesdays (it was Wednesday) and he headed on over to set it himself. During that time he was able to set it and afterwards we found out that during that process he had to break one of the bones in the wrist all the way through so that it would set right. There are two bones in your wrist and 1 of Sam's was broken clean through, the other was almost broken all the way through. Luckily that 3rd time was a charm in setting his bones and the Orthopedic Surgeon put a hard cast on it afterwards instead of the soft cast. Anyways, our first broken bone in the family. Sam was pretty traumatized from that experience and that was one of the most traumatic moments of my life. I'm just grateful for modern medicine and knowledgeable doctors who know what they are doing. Sam will get his cast off in a little less than 2 weeks. He was such a tough guy through it all. More tough than I was. Anyways, the next 3 pictures are of his broken wrist.

Getting his initial x-rays.

Top view of his wrist.

Side view.

After getting the IV and ready for sedation.

During his first sedation and first attempt in setting the bones.

They were taking x-rays as they were setting the bones as well as after they'd wrap it to make sure the bones were where they should be.

After he woke up from sedation, he was super loopy and it was actually pretty hilarious. I wish I would have videoed during that time. He wasn't as funny after the 2nd and 3rd times. This picture is when he was fully awake. I love the little smirk on his face. I wish at this point it was all over for him.

This is during the 2nd sedation and 2nd attempt to set the bones. In this picture the respiratory nurse/specialist was actually pumping air into his lungs through a mask with a bag because he had stopped breathing. My mom took this picture. I was walking the other way crying and freaking out. What was nice though, the doctor reassured us that this was normal and sometimes this happens. Still, this brought back too many memories of when he was in the NICU.

After 2nd Sedation. It took him a while to come out of this one.

This is during the 3rd and last sedation and final setting of the bones with the Orthopedic Surgeon doing it.

Making sure his bones were as straight as possible.

The final x-ray after everything. It's amazing what doctors can do.

The beginning of 6 weeks in a cast.

My parents stayed with us for one night after the reunion which was so nice.

His hand was swelling a little which was concerning but it never got worse than this, so that was good.

It was rough finding things to do having his arm in a cast but he figured it out. Puzzles was one of them.

Evelyn likes to put clothes on.

One morning, I went in to see Evelyn holding all 4 of her babies/stuffed animals in her arms, waiting for me to come get her. It was too cute.

Getting some fresh air on the trampoline.

They put the 250 puzzle together!

We grew corn this year and were only able to have a few ears before the bugs got to them. The few that we had were really good.

Evelyn wanted to pose for the camera too.

Evelyn put Morgan's sock on and it looked hilarious because of the way it was sitting on her. When her entire foot was on the ground, it looked like she had a Morgan size foot and it looked like she was on her Morgan size toes! Hahaha!

Evelyn turned 2 on August 1st!! She got the traditional birthday cake pancakes for breakfast.

At this point I was a little overwhelmed with life, so I decided that we'd just buy her some cupcakes from the store. I usually make everyone's cake but this year it just wasn't in the cards. Next year though!