2012 Buddy Walk and 5K!!!

Save the date of September 15, 2012 (Saturday) to participate in the Buddy Walk with Ammon!  In light of all the warriors and angels that have prayed for and served with Ammon this past year, coming up with a worthy team was rather easy.  In every regard, you have loved and supported Ammon through some of the most daunting battles that a 6-year old is called to go through.  Please join us in celebrating the numerous hard fought victories that Ammon and each of us have experienced.  Be part of Ammon's Army at the 2012 Buddy Walk and 5K!

We'll post more later, but to register for the Buddy Walk or the 5K, or both, please click here.  

Two Cheetos

Hooray for summer vacation...Life has been good.  I don't know who was more excited, Coleson or me.  We were able to make it on vacation!  I have been waiting 8 months to go somewhere and Ammon was finally well enough to travel.  We went to visit my parents in northern California and we did it without visiting the hospital.  We still had several days where Ammon wanted to be held all day and cried a lot, but it was so much easier having three other adults to help!  The second week he was feeling better, so we were able to get out.  We pretty much did the same things as last time.. incredible John's pizza, Folsom zoo, gold panning, kayaking, but this time Brian was there to do it all with us.  We also saw friends and extended family whom I miss.  The newest thing was a splash pad that we hit a few days.

We hit cherry season just right, so we enjoyed my parents prized cherries.  Coleson can tell you all about protecting the tree from predators with a BB-gun.

Water wars with Paki (grandpa).

Brian and I were able to sneak out for a night and celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary!  (Thanks to my parents) My mom didn't get any sleep, so I don't know if we will ever get out again.  I love my wonderful, supportive husband, who never complains. makes me smile, and works hard.  He let me sleep in almost everyday of our vacation.  I badly needed the sleep.  I usually get up several times throughout the night with Ammon and by 5:30 I wonder if I even slept.  Then everyone gets up around 7 and I want to cry.  Coleson started making his own breakfast and getting himself completely ready the last few weeks of school because I just couldn't make myself get up.  I would barely get out of bed, throw his lunch together and drive him there by 8:45.  So, on vacation Brian would get up around 6, hold Ammon on the couch, and I would get up around 9 or 10.  It was so nice.

The kids were surprisingly good on the drive home and didn't look at each other wrong or tattle because someone was touching me, well maybe a few times.  We actually stopped at a run down play ground in Wendover as a break/ reward.  There was an awesome ride there.  This double swing which spun around and lifted the kids higher, the faster they went, like a fair ride swing.  I might have gone on it too.  Definitely worth the stop if you are traveling through!

Brynn turned 4! This is when I want to freeze time.  She is imaginative, helpful, happy, and so loving.  She wanted to have a Rapunzel themed party with friends and cousins.  She loves to brush her hair, clean, read, paint and sing and dance, so I think it's a good fit.   We did hair and made jewelry.  Brian jokingly suggested we have the girls clean, but we skipped that activity.  She loved it and was thankful for all the "pretty" presents.

 

She had her friend Davin come, we figured he could be Flynn Ryder, but he didn't want anything to do with the girls for most of the party. 

This is how she ate her cupcake at the end of the party, she was worn out.  Did I mention she just started swim lessons the day before?

 
We had an awesome 4th.  We celebrated with neighbors for breakfast, Brian's family for lunch, and my brother's for dinner/fireworks.  All were so fun.  Coleson couldn't wait for the fireworks because we can do aerials in Utah now.  I think he asked when we could do them about every hour.  Brynn got to celebrate her birthday again, but had a little too much attention, froze and cried.  She was grateful for everything, though.

If we hadn't done enough for the last few weeks, we also went camping this weekend.  I was nervous again about taking Ammon.  After reviewing all his needs in my mind and figured we would have enough portable oxygen for 24hrs, we took a chance.  I figure that I hold him most the time anyway, why does it matter where I am.  I did worry about the smoke and tried to keep him out of that.  We had a great time and we did get to light a fire despite all the fires and restrictions.

Brynn couldn't get enough "smashmellows".

Coleson got to go exploring with his cousins and brought back a ton of dead branches to work on his pocket knife skills.  Coleson and Brian went on an "awesome but grueling" hike.

We were able to squeeze our activities around Ammon's chemo.  He had his backpoke two weeks ago and recovered pretty well.  He still has bad days with the steroids and all the medications he is on.  I think they all upset his stomach pretty bad.  Last week he finally seemed to be doing good and I noticed he was sucking, not just licking, his finger.  We were next to some puffy Cheetos, which used to be his favorite thing to eat.  So I thought maybe he would like one.  I put it in his mouth, not knowing if he would gag or like it.  He started sucking it like crazy.  He ate the whole thing and so I gave him another one.  I couldn't believe he didn't choke or gag.  It made my day.  There is still hope that he will regain his abilities!  I have been giving him one everyday.  Then tonight I was holding him and he was moving his hand around and really making eye contact.  I held out my hand and said "Ammon. high five"  He looked at my hand and started to move his whole body until he could focus on the right muscles to move his arm and give me a high five.  It was real!  I could see it in his eyes.  I did it again and again and had Brian record it.  Little things like this make me so happy and fill me with gratitude for what he can do.