Ben's Wedding Week!

To say this was a crazy week is an understatement! It went by so fast and unfortunately, there just wasn't a lot of time for visiting -- and I felt so bad that Jordy was going to get to play with more of "his age-range"-cousins...and then he couldn't walk/run around with them :( However, he still had a great time when we were able to see them!

We went hiking Y Mountain early Wednesday morning. Luckily Uncle Ben came and was willing to carry Jordy!! The kids were troopers- Cade and Lydia kept running up and down and we'd tell them they were making more work because they had to cover the same ground twice- but they didn't seem to care! Marshall (only 23 months old) walked almost the whole way up himself as well!

No matter how many times I've hiked to the Y, it still is so cool...there are mountains literally yards away that we can hike!! Can the mountains move to WI with us?!

Jordy had a pretty sweet deal...he got carried AND got to eat his breakfast along the way! (Ben got showered with some cereal as well!)

Thanks again, Ben! (Trying to look good during his last days as a single man!! :) 

They made it!!! :) Marshall looks like he's thinking about pushing Jordy! :)

Enjoying BYU Creamery IceCream after! Thanks Aunt Rachel! 

Then Mom and Rachel disappeared in the kitchen for the next 2 days. I was only entrusted with 1 brownie recipe to make (haha--I guess Tyler has been telling stories about my cooking?!) But we got to play with Cade, Lydia, and Marshall a bit! They even taught him how to fist-bump! :)

Lydia and Aunt Jessica put together her Frozen puzzle! 

Marshall thought the game was called "BREAK the ice"...he was really good at that version! We couldn't put it back together fast enough!

We played a game called "headbanz" (ask questions to guess the object you're wearing) It was pretty fun...Cade was really good at asking questions...a little too good! :)

This little squirt just loves his Grandma! Every time he saw her he would reach out his arms and want HER to hold him! I'm sure he wished she was there just to see him!

Long days of playing and running around make for tired boys! 

My cute little shirt twin!! :)

A broken leg won't stop Jordy from dancing! :)

We were able to go to the Payson Temple Open House on Friday morning. It is a beautiful temple and even though it wasn't dedicated yet, there was such a special spirit that could be felt walking in the temple. 

Jordy and Marshall by a fountain in the back of the temple

Trying to take a picture of all the kids is always an adventure... :)

Because Jordy still didn't have his cast on, he got to swim in the hotel pool the night before the BIG DAY! Unfortunately, it was a little late and he was pretty tired, and it was COLD, so he didn't last long...but he still had fun...especially when he got to sit in the warmer hot tub (not really hot--more like what temperature the pool should have been!)

I don't know who was more excited to see a King size bed in the hotel room...us or Jordy?! The last few nights he hasn't been sleeping well, and then he comes in our bed and clobbers us with his splint. Well- this bed should be big enough for all...

...or so we thought! :) At least he got some sleep! 

Ben's Wedding Day! 

Even though the weather forecast for almost 2 weeks was saying rain for Ben's wedding-- he had more faith than I did and it ended up being partly sunny! Congratulations to Ben and Carly!!  

Taking some silly pictures while waiting...

Oops! Somehow I missed that this was supposed to be a nice picture...my bad... :)

Hahaha! I'd say they're ready for kids! :)

 "Look here, no here..."

Too sunny for some...

...and then Jordy wasn't having this angle. Oh well! That's how taking pictures at weddings with kids goes!

Aww man. We forgot Lance's cardboard cutout!! :)

Pictures tired one poor guy out a lot! :)

"Ladies, the tie is off!" 

"Where is your shirt little man?!" 

"Kid Table": Which is why it is so fitting Tyler wound up there! 

He wanted some of the good stuff! 

Ahhh! So happy after he got some brownies! :)

It's all fun and games...until someone gets hurt :(

Look at that cheesy smile--it just melts my heart! 

Well. There's no easy way to write this: Mom fail of the century: I broke my kid. :(

I had to put this as a different post from the last...
As you noticed- Jordy HAD been having a lot of fun at the park...until I came along :(

I hate swinging. But I wanted to do something with Jordy- so I said I'd take him down a slide. As I sat down with him and put him on my lap, I very clearly thought "I need to be really careful to not let Jordy's legs catch." So I had his legs in my lap and down we went. I had my feet down most the way, trying to go slower- but as we came around the last bend, Jordy put his legs up and with his shoes on, his leg kind of stuck to the top of the slide. Tyler was waiting for us at the bottom and saw his leg up, but I knew it was up as well as soon as I heard Jordy start crying. He cried harder and longer than is usual for Jordy's typical spills and bumps, so that was our first clue something was wrong. He did calm down, but stayed super clingy to me and didn't want me to even get close to the ground. He didn't want to be put down. Immediately I felt sick to my stomach. I knew it- I had just broken his leg. He was on MY lap. I should have known better.

Looking back, we realized we probably could have gone into an instacare or something-- but we didn't. We went straight to the ER. (Yeah- our student-loans will get some more use :p ) Jordy wasn't crying anymore, but still was clingy and we were trying to be really careful with his leg. They felt his leg a little and could tell it was more tender for him near his knee. He had 2 X-rays taken and then the doctor came in and said it was a small buckle fracture on his tibia. They put a splint on him and then told us Jordy would need to have a cast put on in a few days. Jordy was definitely not happy when they did the x-rays, and it just made me cry so hard- because not only had I caused this for him-- they were then asking me to hold him down while it was obviously hurting him to be in that position. Thankfully, as soon as he got the splint on, he was his happy Jordy self again (just pretty tired- as it was almost 3 hours after we got to the ER). Luckily- they said this kind of fracture should heal very quickly and fully, so Jordy shouldn't have any lingering effects (except, never trusting me again). They gave us this advice as we left: "try to keep him as immobile and still as possible. Good luck!"

HA!

Keep a 15 month old still? Just when he was run-walking all over the place?! Cruel mom moment #2- trying to keep him in my lap all day Sunday (Which happened to be our 3 year anniversary. Not quite what I thought I'd be doing 3 years from the day that I was so happy- but luckily- Tyler said he didn't hate me (even though I injured our little boy)). Jordy was a pretty good sport. We were told we could give him some ibuprofen or Tylenol as needed, but Jordy didn't seem to be in pain anymore, rather, he was just frustrated that he couldn't move around! The little he was able to squirm around made his splint slip down, so thankfully my brother-in-law, Tyler Dahl (an orthopedic surgeon himself!) was able to walk me through how to put it back on him!

On Monday we went to see an orthopedic specialist- expecting Jordy to be put in a hard cast. We took the X-rays in from the ER- but the doctor was saying he wasn't seeing the buckle fracture on them, so he ordered more x-rays to be taken. He was then able to confirm, yes, there was a fracture. But then he felt Jordy's leg (expecting him to cry as he touched it or pull his leg away)-- but Jordy just stared the doctor down. So then the doctor told us his dilemma: he had never seen such a mild buckle break before-- where the kid was wanting to put weight on the foot and wasn't showing any tenderness when it was touched. He told us that he hated to put a hard cast on Jordy if it wasn't absolutely necessary (as it is heavier and Jordy really wouldn't be able to move around in it). However, a hard cast seemed like it would be better for us--to relieve some of our worries of Jordy trying to put weight on his leg before he was really ready to. The doctor said it should heal in about a week, but they'd keep the cast/splint on for 3 weeks to be sure. (Jordy had already tried pulling himself up several times with his splint on and even stood up in the doctor's office with it off). The doctor asked Jordy if he's just a tough guy-- uh, yeah! :) He has a broken leg- but he didn't want that to stop him!!!
We had no idea what to do--that was why we were seeing a specialist, we thought! We left with just the splint- with the idea Jordy could take a bath now and it wouldn't be as heavy/uncomfortable for him, however, after talking with my brother-in-law, we'll have him put a cast on Jordy while he's here---oh yeah...for Ben's wedding this week! :)
*I'm just glad I am done with classes until next week--I can keep an eye on Jordy until the cast is put on- which- even though the doctor told us the splint and the cast would do the same thing- I think the cast will just give us more peace of mind...

I can't even begin to write how terrible I feel or how exhausted I was from crying all Saturday night--and still want to cry when I see Jordy reaching to get down or trying to tell him he can't walk right now...

I am just thankful Jordy will be ok and that he still smiles at me! He is such an example of what I need to be better at: Forgiving and Forgetting and moving on...not letting things out of your control get you down...

He was so funny after the short-term narcotics had worn off and he sat up and looked at his splint for the first time in the ER. He looked down at it then up at us and then put his arms out and made his "huh" sound at us, as if to say "uh, what is this on my leg?" But ever since, he hasn't seemed to be bothered by it at all (not pulling on it)-- again, he just looks frustrated that it keeps him from moving!

I love my little guy so so much and I'm not sure who will be happier- me or him- when the next 3 weeks are over and he can walk again!

Waiting for the splint...(the receptionist at the ER was so nice and brought Jordy a little soccer ball and football- PERFECT for Jordy! He had thrown them both all around that room before we got out of there!)

Soon after his "huh?" moment! 

This one shows the buckle fracture the best

Jordy got to lick the beaters with the chocolate frosting on it- making Tyler jealous. 

We stopped and got ice-cream after his doctor's appointment. The only thing that seems different about Jordy (besides the fact that he's getting to be an efficient one-legged crawler) is that he doesn't seem to have much of an appetite anymore...maybe his stomach was in his leg?! :) But he still ate some ice-cream! (who could turn that down?!)

On a completely different note: As mentioned before- I did not picture THIS for our 3rd Anniversary. However, I can honestly say, I've never loved Tyler more! He has been so good with Jordy (and me) this weekend, and continues to make me smile and laugh every day.

I love both my boys so so much! :) (If only they had left room on the couch for me to snuggle...!)  

Play, play, play!

The other day I commented to Tyler that "Jordy is like a real little boy now!" (Of course I'm past my "babies are aliens" stage (mostly :) but sometimes, I really felt like I was just the food-getter or the diaper-changer-lady to Jordy. But just recently, I feel like Jordy's fun, energetic, happy personality has really come out to shine and he enjoys playing WITH me and does things to get a reaction or to keep the play going! He is so active- ALL. DAY. LONG! :)

One day he was following me around as I was trying to talk on the phone and he stumbled a little and fell on his plastic container of blocks. I walked into the kitchen to try to finish up the phone call without Jordy making a lot of noise. As I turned though, I saw Jordy pick something up off the floor, walk over to the garbage, and then open the garbage to throw it away. Not knowing what he had decided to throw away, I ran over and saw it was a piece of plastic that had broken off from the container! He was apparently trying to get rid of the "evidence" that he had broken his container! Sneaky little kid! :)

He helped pick out the ice-cream at the store! 

...but apparently he couldn't wait to get home to eat it! :)

Jordy is getting to that stage where he loves to look at babies. We were at DI looking for "treasures" (I like looking for books and games there) and there was a doll on the ground. (First time Jordy had ever seen a doll). He got down real low to the ground and turned his head trying to look at the baby's face...(probably wondering what it was doing on the ground!) Then he did this...good thing it was just a doll, or some little kid wouldn't have their eyes anymore! 

We took him to a McDonald's play place...and he loved it! (The fries, watching the other kids run around, getting to run around himself... :)

Hiking Y Mountain! (Just a few days ago it had snowed, but good ol' Utah weather was back in the high 60's again and the snow was gone for our hike!) It was such a perfect day...

Oh I'm gonna miss this when we're in WI...

Tyler really did carry Jordy most of the way. I wanted to see what it felt like though- so I carried him the last little bit. It reminded me of Philmont- hiking with our big packs! 

We made it!! :)

Sitting on top of the Y!

Jordy picked up a few rocks and started throwing them- hmmm. He's never seen us do that- I guess little boys just have a natural draw to rocks?!

Headed to the park!

On the swings- Jordy's happy place!!! 

Trip to Idaho

We went up to Idaho the weekend after Easter for Bennett's baptism and to have a little "week-late-Easter celebration" with Tyler's family. It was a busy weekend with a soccer game, basketball game, baseball tryouts, then the baptism, an Eagle project and then an Easter egg hunt/dinner...But Jordy LOVED every minute of it-- having so much attention, and having a DOG to play with (dogs are his new favorite thing! Every time he sees one he starts saying "woof" and he isn't afraid AT ALL to go touch it-- which is both great and terrible...) 

But FIRST- before we got up to Idaho- we stopped in Layton to see Rachel and Katie and their boys. The boys all had fun eating pizza at a park. Jordy just wanted to sit with the bigger boys!

Dallin, Logan, Bennett, Jordy 

Jordy being "Mr. Cool" in his PJs and hat at Grandma and Grandpa Davis's house!

As is often the case, it was pretty windy while we were up in Idaho. Luckily we had Jordy's cute rain coat- and good thing- it started sprinkling at the end of the egg hunt- but not before Jordy had found some eggs! :)

Koda is such a good dog! She was so patient as Jordy followed her around!  

A 4-hour drive-- the perfect amount of time for a nap! :)

Our Big Announcement!!!

Well...

We are excited to announce:


We're

P
R
E

P
A
R
I
N
G

to move!! :)





So- we were pretty excited about Tyler's offer with the University of Utah. But then he heard back from the University of Wisconsin...and they had a VERY NICE offer!
I am SO proud of Tyler and just have to share this portion of his acceptance letter because he was so highly commended for his achievements:

To recognize your outstanding qualifications, we are pleased to offer you a merit aid package. Your
merit package includes a Project Assistantship which is detailed later in this letter. This generous award includes the following:
• Full tuition remission - you will not pay tuition during the term(s) of your appointment.
• Stipend - you will receive a stipend during the term(s) of your appointment. See the merit package
details for more information on your stipend.
• Low cost health insurance - you and your dependents are eligible to receive a high coverage, low cost health insurance plan.

(BYU had said he needed more experience and didn't have a very "competitive" resume- yet Tyler's qualifications were definitely recognized elsewhere!)

SO- we had a big decision to make. We weren't sure that we were really ready to leave UT yet-- for lots of reasons (mountains, hiking, friends, finishing my program, proximity to a lot of family, still getting some life out of our cars while they're running, not wanting to move AGAIN...to name a few!) But- there were some big advantages to WI as well: most programs had said that Tyler wouldn't be able to work his first year, and for them to be providing a stipend in ADDITION to covering tuition-- that was HUGE! And Tyler was told there is a very good chance of being awarded a similar assistanship for his second year-- which changed how we were looking at tuition costs COMPLETELY!

Even though Madison is in my home state, it's not really "home" to me-- yes, 2 hours away from my parents is better than 24, but the area would still be very NEW for both of us. And have I ever mentioned before how much I HATE MOVING?!!?

I won't get into the personal details about how we came to our decision-- but a lot of pondering and prayer and fasting, etc. went into it... And it was not easy. However, over and over, from the different angles we tried approaching the matter, we kept coming to the same answer...

WISCONSIN...HERE WE COME! 

**It was going to be hard either way-- Utah and WI are both red!! :) But no worries-- our Cougar Blue will always be in our blood! 

***Tyler had also said we could base our decision off of who went further in the NCAA basketball tournament :) Not that that WAS what we based our decision off of...we were definitely rooting for WI to go all the way...Tyler would have LOVED to say he would be attending a NCAA Championship school! :) So close...

We are excited about the opportunities available with the Wisconsin MBA program and are both sad and anxious to be making this big move/change. 

There are a LOT of unknowns ahead of us-- so these next few months will be interesting as we try making preparations and I'm sure it will continue to be as busy as ever! 

I am still planning on going to WI for my 2nd internship- but we've been playing with the idea of me not starting until the middle of July so Tyler could drive Jordy and me out to WI, spend a week there (maybe look for a place to live while there and say "hi" to my brother, Lance --who will be home from his mission!!!) Then Tyler will be able to come back to UT to work for another month and work on packing before he comes out to WI for good (he has orientation the end of August). If I needed motivation before to work on my thesis-- well, here it is! Now I really do need to GET TO WORK! We've already accepted the fact that I'll need to come back for a short weekend/week to wrap that up and defend it sometime this fall (but that's not so bad--a nice excuse to see some good friends/family again!!) 

UGH! Being a "grown-up" is hard sometimes! :) More details will come as we know what we're doing...right now though, we just know we're headed to the land of the cheese and frozen tundra! :) (Oh gosh...WI winters...I think these mild Utah winters have made me into a big wimp!!)