Happy Birthday, Kiki!

Today is June 5th, that means...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIKI!(She'll probably kill me for posting the above picture, but I just love it!)
Kiki has been my one-and-only sister for 33 years. That's a long time...thank goodness I like her. And I've decided, over the years, that there is a difference between "loving" a person and "liking" a person. I will admit that there were a few years there (probably when we were about 13 and 14) where "liking" was a challenge (on both our parts). However, I can happily say that Kiki is one of my very bestest friends and I not only LOVE her but I truly LIKE her. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for my one-and-only sister, cuz otherwise I'd be stuck with nothing but brothers, and there is a HUGE difference between brothers and sisters. :(
Anyways, in commeration of my little sisters birthday I would like to share with you

10 Reasons Why I Love, Like & Admire My Sister, Kiki
10. She always listens to me. Being single, I don't have a built in sounding board in my home (a.k.a. a husband), so I call my sister instead. She doesn't hesitate to stop what she's doing (which occasionally means she has to hide in her closet from the kids) to listen to me and interject the appropriate "You're Kidding!" or "Oh, no."

9. She makes me feel pretty. I've got a bunch of hang-ups (and you're saying, "well, duh, doesn't everyone") and Kiki is so good are sincere compliments.

8. She is my scrapbook-co-conspirator. Fortunately Kiki is more than happy to share my additiction to scrapbooking. She let me drag her to Orlando for a scrapbook conference 2 years ago and is always game for the occasional scrapbook conventions. We really love spending time together scrapbooking.

7. Kiki is UBER TALENTED. This girl is a concert pianist, a cello virtuoso (she still plays with the Rexburg Community Orchestra), she played volleyball in high school, she was an avid rock climber (in her earlier years), she sews, she has a degree in interior design, she cooks, she takes care of 4 kids, she's a gardener, holds down a church calling, and still has time to finish the Twilight series.

6. Kiki has a very soft and charitable heart. She has deep love and concern for all of her family members. Her greatest joys in life truly do stem from her family.

5. We have sooooo many wonderful memories of our childhood. Though their may have been a few rocky years, as children we were each others best friends, especially since we are so close in age. Every time we get together, we inevtiably play the "Do you remember..." game.

4. She is always improving herself, her home, her family. Kiki is not content to just sit back and let life pass her by. She is always doing something to improve herself, or to learn a new talent, or to tackle a new challenge. i.e. -- the gardening thing, she and her husband always seem to have a garden no matter where they live. The orchestra thing, a mother of three (and most recently a 4th was added) surely doesn't have a lot of spare time, but Kiki found a way to pursue her love of the cello through participation in the local orchestra.

3. She is an example of personal faith and commitment to the Gospel. Kiki has faced her own personal challenges in life, and through it all I have seen her diligent commitment to keep her covenants. She is an example to me of "by small and simple things, are great things brought to pass".

2. My sister has been the greatest "cheerleader" in my life! No matter what I am struggling with, or what outrageous goals I have set for myself, Kiki has ALWAYS supported me, encouraged me, and cheered me on. I can never express to her how very much that has meant to me in my life. She has shown me nothing but joy and enthusiasm as I have worked to reach my goals.

1. And the number 1 Reason I Love, Like, and Admire my sister Kiki -- why because she's my sister of course! And there is no better sister in the world than Kiki!

I love ya Kiki and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Rexburg, ID with the Weichers

I gained a greater appreciation for my sister Kiki, and her role as mother last week. While Kiki and Jared had their hands full with the arrival of Baby Karlie, I helped watch their other 3 children, plus my other neice Kaylie (with the incomparable help of my sister-in-law Ellie). My fabulous sister-in-law, Ellie, and my equally fabulous niece, Kaylie, drove 17 hours to Rexburg and enjoyed 4 days with the Weichers family.
I spent most of my time cooking, doing laundry, introducing my neices and nephews to fast food (much to their father's consternation), running errands, and bathing children -- it was perfect. And here's why:
I loved spending time with the kids! We rode bikes (I walked) to the park -- the weather was amazing, went to see "Up" (and Auntie Megan laughed more than the kids), had a welcome home party for Mom, baked apple cinnamon bread, and cuddled.Eli got up early and found me in the kitchen making bread. I love how he still young enough that first thing in the morning, while he's still half asleep, he'll come looking for you and immediatey want to be picked-up and cuddled, gradually coming awaking.

And, I actually did get to spend a few moments with my sister, in between hospital runs.
We drove back to AZ on Sunday, making time to stop and visit Glenn Canyon Damn. Kaylie (and Ellie) was the absolute best traveling companion. I'd take her again in a heartbeat.

New Update on Karlie Kiani Weichers

Just a quick update, from AZ this time...On Friday Baby Karlie was not improving despite being put back on the CPAP machine. The doctors at the Rexburg hospital decided that they did all they could for her and it would be better to transport her to the Idaho Falls Hospital where they had a neonatologist on staff who would be better equipped to help Karlie. Needless to say this was all a bit scary, but Kiki and Jared were troopers (not to mention Baby Karlie). After spending a few hours in Idaho Falls with Karlie in the NICU, Kiki and Jared returned home to report that Karlie already seemed to be improving. The neonatologist there was able to inject more serphactin into her lungs and they sedated her, which all seemed to help relax Baby Karlie and ease her breathing.
After visiting her again on Saturday morning, Kiki and Jared said she really seemed to be improving...oxgyen levels in her blood were good and steady. And she still seemed more relaxed. Everyone was very realeaved. The antibiotics also seemed to be working well on her pneumonia.
Ellie, Kaylie, and I had to leave early, early Sunday morning to make the 17 hour drive back to AZ (we did it in 16:) ), but called in for reports. Kiki said that during their Sunday morning visit, Karlie actually took nourishment from a bottle (they had been feeding her through a tube placed through her mouth). So things are looking much brighter.
Thank you for all your prayers!

Update -- Baby Karlie

Good Morning from beautiful Rexburg, ID. I spent an hour at the hospital with Kiki this morning. She will be released this afternoon, and is doing really well. Baby Karlie has had some ups and downs. The doctors said that Karlie had pneumonia when she was born and yesterday they told Kiki and Jared that there was a small hole in her lung which may have been caused by the CPAP which pushed air in to her lungs after birth. This normally wouldn't have caused such problems, but her lungs were weak because of the pneumonia. So now Karlie is going through a course of antibiotics to recover from the pneumonia and waiting for the hole to heal. As of about 2 hours ago the doctor said that the last x-ray didn't show any escaping air, so that was really good, put they could still see the pneumonia. They did put her back on the CPAP machine cause her oxygen count was low. (Now keep in mind, I'm not going to swear to all this in a court of law, but this is what I've been able to gleen from all the conversations). The doctor and Kiki and Jared seem pretty positive, but all the prayers you can send this family's was would be greatly appreciated.

I got to see Karlie for the first time this morning, but wouldn't you know I didn't bring my camera with me (I really wasn't expecting to be able to see the baby and goodness know Kiki doesn't want any pictures taken of her). She is soooo adorable and of course has the softest skin on all the earth (I got to touch her little hand). Fortunately, Jared took some pictures of Karlie during her first day. So here ya go...

FIRST, here's Kiki and Jared just before Kiki delivered.


Please note her fabulous hair line -- all business on top and a party on the sides. :)
Here's Karlie with the CPAP machine hooked up.
Some of you may recognize the "Kate Weichers" sign she's "throwin'" It looks suspiciously like those two middle fingers are in her mouth.
I'll try to keep ya'll posted on the changes and goings on, at least until Sunday when I head back to AZ -- hopefully minus the wicked car sickness (aggghhh!!!).

Yahoo!! New Baby Weichers

I'm reporting today from Rexburg, ID. My sister Kiki delivered a beautiful (by all accounts, cuz I haven't seen her yet) baby girl yesterday afternoon about 5:30pm. Karlie Kiani Weichers was 7lbs 3oz (Kiki's smallest baby by far), 19in long. Kiki is doing well. Baby Karlie is having some breathing problems right now, so her stay in the NICU has been extended. We're all praying she'll be able to come home to her family soon.

I'll post pictures as soon as I get them.

A Little Laugh for a Thursday

Food, Family and Fun and Joe's

As the second part to The Best Dance Recital Ever, we headed to Joe's Farmhouse Grill for lunch. Joe's is a great restaurant out in Agritopia/Gilbert, AZ. It was actually featured last year on Diner's, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE their garlic fries...did I mention that I really LOVE them. If you love garlic, you must come and eat at Joe's.

It's an interesting place to eat and the food is great.Ethan can be a picky eater, and by "can be" I mean he is. He really likes pizza, but he doesn't like "green things", that includes basil or oregano. So he will find and extract all the "green things" he can see on his pizza. Talk about labor intensive.Along with their garlic fries (that I LOVE) Joe's also serve a great sweet potato fry with pinnaple chutney - yum. Mom and I split a basket along with a chicken curry salad sandwich and a chicken pesto sandwich - my tastebuds stood up and aplauded. Kaylie is one of my favorite people to eat with, she's always entertaining and she's willing to try anything -- makes for a great dinner companion.
Jamie's brother John was in town, visiting from Colorado, and he joined us in the insanity. Here's the conversation they are having...

John: You're upside down.
Audrey (in her very high little voice): No, you're upside down.
John: No, you're upside down.
Audrey: No, you're upside down (smile, giggle, giggle).
John: No, see your chins up on top and your eyes are on the bottom. That means you're upside down.
Audrey: No, you're upside down.
Now I'm sure you can see how long this can last. Here's Jamie watching the whole exchange. She's probably getting a kick out of watching someone else try to reason with a 3 year old.
Zack said he wanted a hot dog. You can see how much he really wanted it. He's just too busy being a 5 year old boy to sit down and eat.
After chowing down on the great food, we stopped outside for a few photos. I even let the kids take a few pictures with "Auntie Megan's" camera. These however, are not them.This photo was taken a moment before Audrey threw an elbow at Ethan's head for being "in my way" -- I'm sure it was a move she learned from her father.