Tis the Day Before the Night Before Christmas!

Yep, it's the 23rd, we're heading out of town very soon.... and what am i doing? Blogging! So much has been going on I would hate to wait till January to get a bit caught up... before all of the Christmas stuff anyway.

First off, our little Tianna got her knee injection on Tuesday, the 21st! WHAT A MIRACLE! They said she'd feel almost 100% better within about 24 hours... it just seemed too good too be true (I was thinking of how it is kind of like Jesus promising that bathing in a certain pool, or rubbing mud on someone's eyes could heal them.) And like those miracles, this miracle worked too!
It's only been 2 days and she has almost her full range of motion that she had before November! Her thigh muscle shrunk significantly while she wasn't using it hardly at all (walking like a pirate with a pegged leg most of the time) so she does limp a bit still because of the muscle loss, but the pain and swelling is GONE! She runs and jumps and excitedly says, "Mom I can run again!" It's amazing. Simply amazing!

She was pretty excited to be at Primary Children's for her Joint Injection

She was in pain for about 45 minutes after we left but then after some much needed food she was in good spirits! 

We went to the mall to see Santa Claus and while he was "at lunch" we rode the train.

We were so surprised Adelia didn't scream or try and get away from Santa. She said "Danta Doz" and excitedly pointed to him and WANTED on his lap. Unfortunately they didn't let us get a picture... purchasing only.... and then they took so many trying to get Adelia to look AND smile that after so long she started getting a bit of a freaked out look on her face, but didn't cry.  After the picture, Tianna told him what she wanted and I told him what I wanted for her (for her knee to get better and told him what she had) He was so sweet with her! He gave her several really sincere hugs and said if he could give her anything he would want to give her that.. .then something about how God might have to take care of that one though. It was a really touching experience. He's the best Santa ever!

After the mall we went to Temple Square.  Of course, it was wonderful! We spent about 3 hours there looking in the visitor centers and then waiting for the lights to fully come on. The girl's love it! Especially the Christus and the lights.

 I love how as soon as Adelia saw the Christus she ran up to it, arms wide open for Jesus to pick her up! 

Adelia "helped Daddy push Tianna in the stroller"

Another joy of that day was coming home and finding out Luke's final grade we had anxiously been waiting for. He passed a class we were worried about! Now thankfully, that means only 1 MORE SEMESTER! WOOOOOOOO!

So the 21st was a wonderful day, but we've had some fun on other days too!

 Tianna got to be an angel in the ward Nativity. 

We made cookies. Tianna enjoyed frosting one- Adelia enjoyed eating it while Tianna wasn't looking.

I baked and decorated 5 doz sugar cookies- WHAT WAS I THINKING?!

Here are pictures of the house decor-- Sad to take it down when we get home

 We did a Hawaiian themed Christmas tree this year.... much safter than the usual ornaments--these are mostly plastic! Gotta love the18 month old's curiosity! :)

 Which is also why the Nativity was placed on a high shelf this year too! 

Well I really do need to get ready.  Merry Christmas to all!!!!!!! Please be safe and happy, and remember the REASON FOR THE SEASON!

Christmas Happenings

Tis the Season to be busy... fa la la la la... la la la laaaa...
However, things will look a lot brighter once school is out on Friday. Sure, we still need to work on Luke's thesis (BLEH on so many levels) but at least his semester stuff and his thesis proposal paper will be out of the way. For now, those are the things keeping us so busy... well that, and all our little trips.

ie. Tianna's doctor visit at the Uof U hospital on the first of dec..  Here she is being a good girl while waiting for the doctor, and then a picture of her swollen knee ( we're STILL praying that the procedure on the 21st removes this stinking swelling and it returns to normal!) Her limp is increasing by the day as she loses thigh muscle from not using her right leg enough.

and here they were just being super cute in the car together!

Anyway, back to our holiday happenings........
On Saturday, the 4th, we took the girls to see a LIVE NATIVITY that was in Nibley.  They loved it, of course. The spirit was so amazing inside that little stable.  Even though the real baby savior wasn't there, his Spirit was! It was  also neat to pet the donkey, the sheep and goats, and of course, the CAMEL! They also had a hay ride and hot chocolate.  It was simple, didn't take long, but was the best type of thing to bring the true meaning of the season into our life!

 We were joined by our friends, the Smith's

 I love how you can see Tianna's head. She watched in complete awe (but was a little put out that the baby was a doll.)

 Moses the Camel (funny side note... the achievement day girls in our ward came the day before us and Moses tried to make one of the girl's hair into a snack... so he bit her. Don't worry, she's fine)

We topped that weekend off  with a wonderful stake conference and then by listening to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.  If you missed it, I highly recommend viewing it with your family.  http://lds.org/broadcasts/archive/christmas-devotional/2010/12?lang=eng

This last Thursday, I was able to participate with some other sisters from my ward in presenting, "The Women at the Well".... a musical production about the women in Christ's life. I'm so glad I had that opportunity!

This past weekend we went to Castle Dale on Friday night and left on Saturday after the Peacock Christmas party. It was a quick trip, but well worth it. It was also kind of nice to be able to be home for Sunday. (plus the above mentioned homework needed some love)

I had to have visual proof that Mike was reading out of the Bible

 Luke and his Mommy

We are now looking forward the the ward Christmas party, SCHOOL getting out, more parties and fun, the ward musical program, Tianna's knee injection, and then Christmas vacation beginning on the 23rd after work! Christmas, HERE WE COME!

Giving Thanks-- all weekend long

This year Thanksgiving was with Luke's Peacock side.  We all gathered at his grandparents house and had a delish feast!

 Grandpa Bert, Adelia, and Auntie Courtney

 The Cook-- Grandma Peacock

 The TURKEY.... we had the poultry sort too.

an attempt at a family picture

I loved this picture--- the row of men, including baby Raleigh, waiting for dinner to start

The girls with The GREATS

 Grandma and Grandpa Peacock

Grandma and Grandpa Lake

Blurry--but Aden is cute as usual

Will she be on the Naughty or the Nice List??

 Adelia completely tackled Tianna... yes she is nearly 3 years younger. Don't ask me!

And then we have "nice."  She sure is cute... even when she's bullying her older sister

Saturday we helped decorate the cabin for Christmas

Moose aka Jacomo finally got his antlers

Her first time helping decorate a tree.

 Tianna found Mommy's old ornament from 1st grade. 

Nothing like taking a ride on Grandpa Neil.  I think the "horse" may have passed out... actually, I think Luke in the background has too. 

Sunday we went to church in style:

party in the car while the adults load up

Thanks everyone for a fantastic holiday. We certainly count you all right at the top of our "Thankful Lists"

Blessing and Blizzards

Way back a month ago we went to Price for the weekend to attend Miss Joelle's baby blessing. We spent Saturday helping sort through my mom's food storage, and Luke got in a little hunting action with his dad.  That night we celebrated Jacomo's 2nd birthday with the family and then Sunday was of course, the blessing.... that is also the day where the arthritis hit Tianna.  We got home late that night after a day full of running and playing with her cousins, when suddenly her knee was inflamed.  That is why this post has been so delayed.  

Tianna and Joelle Eva Frandsen

The sandbox monster. The whole time we were at Jason and Joy's house, this little girl was out in the sandbox. 

The boys  and the little lady

Then, there were the blizzards. We had some gorgeous weather one week (and thankfully I put up my Christmas lights) because suddenly, winter hit with a vengeance! It made for some good snow-angels though!

My indoor snow-angels! (most of the time)

The "snow-pocolyps" that hit was a pretty fierce storm, but didn't last too long and was certainly no worse than any other winter storm... The wind created some nice drifts though.

Well i think that is enough for one post-- Now, on to Thanksgiving

Happy Post but Prayers needed

Hey everyone--if anyone still reads this... :)

We are asking you to pray for our girl.  She was officially diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis at her rheumatology appointment Wednesday.  It appears that she has had it longer than we've even known, as her right thigh is quite a bit slimmer than her left.  That indicates that she has favored this leg for awhile, and in retrospect, she has.

The good news is, being a white female, she has the highest chance of the arthritis going away completely.  And they switched her medication because the other stuff she was taking had only worked for just over a week. Then it seemed to only take the edge off her pain.  Hopefully this will help more.
The best news we received that day was that the doctor is very confident that a steroid shot will remove all pain and swelling from her joint. The down side, this injection is quite painful and so she will be put under full anesthesia.
She is scheduled for the injection Dec 21st.  We are so glad it's before Christmas! If all goes as expected, within 24 hours of the injection she should be back to her old self! It has the potential to return, or return in another joint, but at that point they will just do another injection and go from there.  The fact that this MAY possibly remove the arthritis completely was very joyous news to us!!!

That is where your prayers come in-- please, pray that the injection will work! And if you are so inclined, we are dedicating our fasts this Sunday to her.  Thank you, and good night!

I promise, my next post will be about something other than this--and pictures will be included!