Christmas in February

I'm going to try to play catchup in a few posts, so here I go.... Christmas 2011! I had my second foot operated on just a few days before Christmas, ergo,I was pretty drudged up at the entire holiday. We went over to Eric and Tara's house for Christmas eve, unfortunately I can't say much about it because I don't really remember much! I think I slept on Steven's shoulder the whole time and ate the filling out of his pumpkin pie. The next morning wasn't too much better for me, but I was starting to ease off the pain killers so I wasn't quite so tired. Later I was told I had been a Grinch/Scrooge hybrid the entire day, so maybe I wasn't as myself as I felt.We had a good morning with Grandma and Grandpa coming over and then later the Underhills, Vestals, James and Stacia, Hannah, Ridge, and Sean, Rachel + Matt, Kathy and John Mark. Luke Luke, Mitchell, Matthew, Uncle Greg, and Nora

Rachel, Stacia, and Me + Sean (Who is so small compared to now in the picture here)
Kathleen, Mitchell, Matt (Rachel's boyfriend), John Mark, James, and Greg. Lastly, Mitchell and Sean who is 3 and a half months old. SO cute!!!!
Ok, so now only a few months to go. I'm pretty busy with homework/classes/more homework, but I will try to post more, yet, I can only do so much, sorry.

Blue Eyes

About a week ago I had some extra time *WOW* and Luke and I wanted to do a fun photo shoot. We donned him in some, I my opinion, cute apparel, and went out. Of course, Luke being almost 14, had to do mostly goofy pics, but I think we took some pretty good ones in the end. Unfortunately, the camera batteries started dying so the focus isn't perfect, but oh well, I think he is a handsome boy nonetheless:)

This one is my favorite, he looks so grown up:) This next one was from some JCrew inspiration from the boys department. Honestly, it looks nothing like what they have though, you decide if it's better or not..... The "cool dude" look with his I-touch-whatever :) And last is the......I don't actually know, hot nerd? Hahahahah, NO!

Time flies when you're having fun.....

Remember how I had three resolutions for the year? 1. Donate blood, 2. make a lemon meringue pie, and 3. ride on a four wheeler. Well, last Sunday, not only did I do something I had not even thought possible, but I officially finished my list, as I rode on a small 4x4! To some this may be unimportant, but it was something I had never done and really wanted to try! It's been so long since my last post I'll try to do a general update first.

I'll start with my foot. As of today it had been 1 month 1 week since my surgery. It is healing well, and I should be off crutches in about a week+. Life on crutches has been not the most pleasant, but as I get to my next life update, life crutching without a 25lb backpack on, seems almost like walking. The thing that probably makes me the most upset is that the outsides of my legs are getting stronger, but the insides are becoming all soft and my one calf is so atrophied that my leg looks like it shouldn't even be on my body. I can almost wrap my hands around my calf with my thumbs overlapping, where on my left leg my thumbs to middle fingers just touch. But, enough of me complaining about what I don't like and I'll go into what I had almost started on about: college which began two weeks ago.

This semester is pretty crazy for me. I'm taking 19 credits doing math, psych, a windows class, ceramics, guitar, piano, and writing. I like all my teachers a lot and love ceramics. So even though this is going to be my hardest semester, it might be my favorite. Even math, which I'm not doing too well in, I'm actually (don't tell anyone) almost enjoying....."Shhhhh". It's hard to get around the campus on crutches, and the guitar and 20lb block of clay have been a challenge, but fortunately I have good friends and a willing boyfriend to help me out:)

The reason for this post was to share not really what I've been up to, and my excuse for not posting, but to write about last Sunday. So, wait for it,......last Sunday, I..... got to ride on an Ultralight! It was a unexpected day, a great day, but pretty crazy overall. The airway was having a show and had free rides for kids ages 7-17. Unfortunately, I fell above the age limit, but they said I should look into the adult rides. The price wasn't bad at all, so Mom and Dad treated me to a short ride on the Ultralight.

First, I'll write about my brother though. Matthew and Luke were able to take a free flight since they are 13. The plane they are standing in front of is the one they rode in with one other boy. They said it was lots of fun and Luke even got to steer the plane. They are going to start this aviator program where they volunteer at the airport and after a certain amount of time will get a free lesson, and the more they work the more time they get in the air. By the age of 17 they can have their pilots licence free of charge. Which is, in my opinion, awesome.

Here is me all dressed up in the huge jumpsuit and helmet almost ready to take off. People have asked me if I was scared, but honestly it never even crossed my mind to worry. I was like "this is going to be fun" hopped on and took off. The only thing I regret was that it wasn't longer. 12 minutes of air time just isn't enough. I was beyond thankful for what I did get though.

Here is a better picture of the Ultralight. The pilot sat in front of me and he said that had there not been so much turbulence he would have let me drive. *sigh* oh well, but it was amazing nonetheless.

This a picture Luke took from the air. Pretty fantastic huh? Later that day I was invited to go to a friend of Steven's family, home on Flathead. This was a grand finale to my already spectacular day. Because their house was a bit up a hill to the lake they let me ride the four wheeler down to the water because of my foot. So that is how I completed my evening and even was able to ride on a boat and laugh as Steven tried to water ski and as Sheri (Steven's mom) was pushed off the dock. Great day.

Now I'm back where I started and so ends this post. Hopefully I post soon again. bye!!!

two things new

These last few days have been quite eventful. I'll start with the good and the most recent. So, *da dada dum* I got my braces off today! Yeah:D After nine months of, not pure torture but not great either, I'm finally able to smile without the thought of "Hmm, I really hope that spinach ravioli I just ate didn't leave an unpleasant green spec on my front brace..." Also, maybe people will finally stop asking me if I'm "a junior or senior in high school". It just got a little old after having it asked of me sometimes more than once in a day. But, alas, no more! I'm so happy, it was definitely worth it.Now, onto the not quite so pleasant. Last Thursday I had surgery on my foot. I'm not going to go into all the details into why I needed the surgery but basically I'm really bendy all over my body, and the bones in my foot were doing wacko things. So now three screws latter, I'm home and on crutches for 6 weeks. I can't put any weight on my foot for that whole time, so that is going to be the hardest part. Fortunately though the surgery went well. I stayed the night in the hospital, which was a good thing because I actually ended up passing out and then was sick, but I had a lot of support from people, and faith in God, and even though we had a few scares, and scars, everything is going good.

I hope this last pic isn't too icky, but it better shows what it looks like under the cast on my foot. Oh, one really positive thing is that the doctor thought I could be on pain pills for up to two weeks, but I was off them by Saturday morning. Funny though, while on the pills besides sleeping a lot, I can't remember quite a bit of what actually happened. Stuff is slowly starting to come back to me, but people keep telling me things I did that I can't remember but I truly wasn't loopy and was always really lucid when people were talking to me! I go and get a new cast tomorrow, so pray everything continues to go well:)

A few days

This last week has been quite busy, but incredibly fun. Last Thursday we did Hannah's baby shower for Sean on the way. Tina did a really cute job of setting tables up and baking tons of cupcakes, and Barb, Anna, Mom and I helped with prep and the games.

Me, Anna, and Hannah +Sean

We set up the chairs in a circle out side and we were all so thankful it was such a great temperature outside, not too hot and just enough shade. Tina read two very sweet poems and did a wonderful little devotion.After the games, which I thought were quite entertaining, we put all Hannah's gifts in a wagon mom and I found for her which I think ended up working really well to bring everything over. Baby boy stuff is always so cute, I think Sean will be a very adorably dressed, stylish little boy.Later that night the Takahashis treated us all to bowling. It was so much fun! Honestly, I'm a horrid bowler but at least I improved from a 44 to a 81:) I'm pretty sure the parents were in the high hundreds...

Nick enjoying the couch:) On Saturday we decided to go floating down the Swan River. We had one whole car just to carry all the tubes, I think we had 9, and another for all the people! We were a little worried that it would be too high, but it wasn't. It was actually safer than usual because you were less likely to hit rocks and booty bump, but the water was still, as normal, quite cold.Mitch and TinaUs all coming around the bend to the bridge.Later Saturday night we had everyone over for a lasagna dinner and played some frisbee. It was a great ending to the busy week we had had, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Two Days

Last Sunday, after walking around at the art fair in kalispell, we were all so hot that we decided to go over to Wayfarers to go swimming/rock jumping. I'm actually having foot surgery in a few weeks so I'm trying to get all the fun summer activities I want to do done now and this was something I had really wanted to do. It was really great. It took us a while to find a good place because of how crowded the lake was, but we did eventually find the perfect rock to jump off of and after Steven made the first jump, Christian, Nick, Luke, and I soon followed. It was so much fun! You had to jump out far enough that you wouldn't splat on the rocks, but no one was hurt, so all is well.

The water was actually not that cold and because of the sweltering heat it was even better for swimming. It was also fun just sitting on the rocks in the water because they were so slippery and the "waves" would push you around. Kind of made you feel like a seal.....

Sam and BarbThe rock we are sitting on is the one we were jumping off of and just about where Kermit is, on his kayak, is how far we had to jump.

*fun*

Today my family with the Takahashis, Mitch, Matt and Christian went up to Glacier National Park. We were going to do the hike to Avalanche, but when it started raining us girls whimped out about half way and the guys soon followed when it started pouring. So, at least we weren't alone in our yellowness.Nick, Anna, Me, Christian, Luke, Mitch, Matt, and Sam

After coming down from avalanche and finishing the well known, overused, Trail of the Cedars, we all went to Apgar, had ice cream and walked around the shops. I always enjoy Glacier and even though our hike was cut off short, it was still another great day.

There goes the groom.....

Well, my cousin Eric is officially wed! Honestly, I always knew he would end up getting married, I just never thought he would, if that makes any sense.... Despite my doubt, on July 23 in Plains, MT, Eric Underhill married Tara Mathers.

We left at 11:00 on Saturday to get down there by 2:00. It didn't take us as long as everyone said though, so we were really early. Oh well.

Hannah +Sean, Rachel, Anna, and me. Christian, Matthew (who was in the wedding), and Luke. Jay and Stacia did the sound.I felt bad for the men in the wedding party who were in black because it was sooooo hot out. We were all roasting in the pelting sun though, not just the party. At one point a cloud rolled in front of the sun and everyone gave an appreciative sigh, but just as quick as it came, it moved away. Haha, I got a really funny sandal and sweetheart tan.

Eric waiting for his bride to be.The wedding party.At the reception they had really yummy pulled pork sandwiches, fruit, and variegated salads. I was (along with everyone else) so glad to be in the shade after the ceremony and it took a good while before I was cooled down enough to even move.

Nick, Luke, Regent, and Christian at the table. The wedding was done in Western theme (no duh), and their colors were blue and brown, which is always a really lovely combo.

Eric and Tara cutting the cake.Ridge and Hannah.After the wedding we were all so fried that we stopped at the river on the way home. None of us actually went swimming, but we walked into to water up to our knees and splashed around. *nice* Overall, besides being really sweltering, it was a fantastic wedding. It went (as far as I know), really smoothly, and everyone looked great:)