My run-in with a para glider

So yesterday Scott, the boys and I were up at Squaw Peak (lookout) and we were watching some paragliders that happened to be jumping from that peak into the valley. I was holding Ryder standing on the other side of the low rock wall by our car when one of the paragliders went to take off when he caught a wind that shot him back 15 feet or more, passing right by Scott and Cohen and plowing right into me and Ry. I tried to turn and move but he body slammed me mid air and I went backwards over the wall hitting the car and then the asphalt with my head, jamming my tail bone and scraping skin off my legs and ankles on the wall. I went straight back holding Ryder tight and I thought he had hit his face or head when we fell and was freaking out. He had tucked his face into my shoulder so luckily he just a few scrapes and bruises on the top of his head. People standing by held the boys when Scott and the glider knelt by me. The back of my head was swollen with a fist sized bump and I was in a lot of pain and felt dizzy and nauseous so they called 911 and I got my first ambulance ride. They secured me to stretcher and the ride to the Timpanogos hosptial was uncomfortable being on my tailbone, swollen head and road rashed legs. I was feeling very stressed the entire ride and while they did Xrays because we don't have health insurance for Scott and I and the last thing we need right now are more medical bills. The glider came to the hospital and did everything he knew how up on the mountain. He gave us his information and said he has paragliding insurance, we hope that will cover any costs for us! The hospital just rinsed my scrapes and gouges with water and wrapped them with an ace bandage, cleared my Xrays to take my neck brace off and told me I probably have a concussion and to come back if I need to. I am starting to feel better today after resting and having my mom do her energy work on me. The swelling has gone way down on my head, I am starting to be able to sit up without a lot of tail bone pain and feeling dizzy. My ankles and legs still hurt so I feel gimp and can't walk much. I have whiplash and just feel sore in general.
I think I will just tell people it was a paragliding accident and leave it at that! Sounds cooler. :)


(5 Months Later) Update: Here are some pics of the road rash and chunks out of my left foot and right heel. These don't do the pain I felt justice and don't show the intense bruising or swelling and hard muscles that formed for months in my right calf, it was like a huge rock! I couldn't wear any other shoes other than flip flops all summer which was frustrating because I had just bought a jogging stroller just before I got hurt! I had my right leg wrapped for weeks to keep the gauze on and Scott had to take a week off after the accident to take care of me and the kids and then I still needed help for another week! I have a huge chunk of scar tissue that still bothers me with some shoes almost 5 months later! My left foot completely healed, but I have dark scars all up my calf still that haven't gone away. I am thankful it wasn't worse and am so so thankful Ry was not really hurt. The guys insurance ended up covering all of the medical costs (over $3,000), plus the week of work Scott was out so it was a blessing that was taken care of for us!

We LoVe ThE ZoO!

We took our two crazy animals to Hogle Zoo with Michelle and her 4 crazy tornadoes!
(No wild animals were harmed.)

This hungry monkey REALLY wanted Cohen's peanut butter and jelly...

When I have some free time I would love to go volunteer at the Zoo and see how it is all run and hopefully spend some time with some of the amazing mammals.

In the Asian Highlands, where the beautiful tigers are, Cohen had fun dressing up!
He also conquered his fear of the fake elephant! Woot woot!

Michelle, "Now, what are these we are looking at here?"
Alicia, "Penguins."

Fourwheeling in the Canyonlands

Last of the Robbers Roost Outlaws

We were excited to head to Moab for this book signing! Why? Because this isn't just an exciting part of Utah's rich history, it is part of my heritage, my family! Bill Tibbetts, the last of the Robbers Roost outlaws was my Great-Grandfather!

My Grandpa, Ray Tibbetts, worked very hard in bringing life to this story.

"In the early 1900s much of southern Utah was still untamed, unnamed and unexplored. To a bold adventurous boy like Bill Tibbetts, the place was magic. Cowboys still bucked-out wild horses and chased renegade bands of Indians that skulked through mountain shadows or up canyons cradling ancient cliff dwellings.

The story of Bill Tibbetts, who overcame the travails of being a wanted man in a hostile land, is a nostalgic read of hard times in the old west. This book is an exciting tale of one-man's journey; his grit, his gumption, his loyalty to the land and family."

The Outlaw Cave on the Robbers Roost was used by Bill Tibbetts and Tom Perkins in 1924.

I love this picture of my Grandpa! (Ray Tibbetts, son of Bill Tibbetts)

Author: Tom McCourt

Below are the links of where to buy it and more information about the book in a news article.

http://www.cnha.org/product.cfm?id=67F84CFA-3048-C277-1143EF03215E77A5

http://www.standard.net/topics/features/2010/06/19/last-robbers-roost-outlaws-desperado-dad-devoted-family-man

Book Signing

My (adorable) Grandpa signing books

An Afternoon at Dear Creek

We LoVe GrAnDmA!

Retreat!

One of my best friends, Jen, invited me on a Ward Relief Society retreat they were having up in the mountains east of Heber. It was a much needed time away (and the first time I left since Ry was born)!
Jen and I had so much fun huddling around the fire trying to stay warm and drinking hot chocolate (it was COLD and I wasn't fully prepared!) and getting a chance to just hang out without kids. It was wonderful!

We stayed in cabins that had little heaters (luckily!) and stayed up late playing games.
(Mindy, me, Jen)
Note to self: Don't forget to bring a PUMP when you are nursing and will be leaving your baby for several consecutive feedings! You will be in PAIN if you don't!
(Needless to say, we RUSHED home!)
Thanks, Jen for the fun get away! :)

Everyday Details

I absolutely love when they sit close together without poking or hitting each other!

"What? We are always perfect angels!"

"Tickle Tickle!" (One of Ry's first words!)

I love this chubby cheeked baby! Cohen took this pic while eating lunch.

Finger PAINT! (What a beautiful boy!)

The boys really love playing with the dogs!
Izzy and Lilly are pretty great with them too thankfully!

Mother Day Pics

I had a great Mother's Day with my boys!
I wanted to get some pics to give to my mom so we ran up the canyon and did a quick photo shoot and had so much fun!

Oh, my sweet Ry...

Cohen (I can't believe he is almost 3!)

Cohen was such a ham! I loved all the poses and faces he kept making!

We had a nice dinner for my mom at Kay's house. She was in heaven when Ryder fell asleep in her arms!
I love and cherish my Mother so much and feels sooooo thankful to have her! What a blessing she is as well as a great support, friend and Grandma!
I LOVE YOU MOM! Happy Mother's Day!

Mia's Baptism

Mia (Michelle's oldest) just turned 8! Scott's parents and sister Tracy came from California for her special day and to visit!

All the kids LOVE their Aunt Tracy!

Grandma brought special Little Critters books for the kids.

The boys love their Grandma and Grandpa!

In major need of updating!

My days have been going something like this, depending on the activities and tasks for the day with varying levels of chaos...

I started out the morning with Cohen pulling me out of bed by 7 am asking for "lunch" and cream of wheat. Potty training Cohen has been a task I have been resisting, just not wanting to take it on, but he seems pretty eager now, most of the time, so we are moving forward! His diaper is dry from the night, but he doesn't want to sit on the potty so I bribe him with a trip to the mall tree house if he will go pee pee first thing. (I am not above bribery, in fact I think it is wonderful!) Nursing as well as pumping to feed Ryder cereal then followed. After we all ate our different breakfasts I cleaned the kitchen and all around the house for a bit (and stopped to encourage Cohen to go poop on the potty about 4 different times, but with no success) then hopped in the shower, skipping a much needed shave, again, and threw some most-likely-clean clothes on to grab a fussy Ryder that needed to be nursed again by this time and put down for a nap. Cohen was still reminding me every few minutes that I needed to take him to the tree house, but with Ryder sleeping we would need to wait a bit so I grabbed Lilly, whose smelly face from over active tear ducts (I know...) I could no longer stand and went to give her a bath. Mid-bath Cohen came waddling into the bathroom in his Nemo underwear, mid-poop. I grabbed him to place him on the toilet and I wearing my only pair of clean pants, ended up kneeling in the poop that fell on the floor which Izzy also immediately tries to eat. Lilly is shaking all over and shivering while trying to escape from the tub. After cleaning up Cohen, removing my pants and cloroxing the tile I go back to scrubbing Lilly and trimming the goop out of her hair. I hear Cohen yelling "Help, Mem! I hurt!" so I wrap the wet dog in a towel and go running through the house worried! I find Cohen behind Ryder's closed bedroom door in his crib just wanting to get down. Ryder is crying because he was tired and didn't appreciate being woken up with a loving body slam as Cohen climmed in to be with him. I got Cohen down and got Ryder up and went to find my jeans that have a hole in the crotch and went to get the iron and an iron-on jean patch to fix them. I didn't have time to wait around to do laundry. After all, we had to get to the tree house! I finished getting ready and packed up Ryder and got Cohen dressed and we finally got out of the house by noon, but all I wanted to do by this time was nap...

Four months worth of pictures and more hopefully coming soon! (Just so I can stop thinking about how I need to blog!)