Bear Lake 2010!

Vacation time finally came... and it was wonderful! Started out a little rough though... we had left our puppy Koda with a friend of mine. He was so so scared that he decided to run away. So, we reached the cabin and I checked my voicemail to discover that Koda had run away. He was missing for 2 days before someone found him and called to turn him back in. We are SO GLAD to have him home. Thank you Amy (and family) for watching over our sweet little Koda!!!

The rest of our trip was wonderful, fun, and relaxing. We all had a great time. We even made a new friend: MR. MOOSE!!


We had a great time playing cards, watching movies, reading books, enjoying nature, and just relaxing. BUT, our favorite part of course was the water!!

We made a great attempt to keeping Addison's cast dry, and I think we did ok. She got her cast off Monday and you'll be glad to know her arm has healed up nicely. Now if we can just go longer than 6 months before another break. (I'm hoping for no break at all, but being the defiant dare devil she is, we'll simply have to see.)


Addison was brave and ventured out far into the water....her cast has never slowed her down. We dug in the dirt and had a lot of fun!


Cute pictures of the kids that I couldn't resist sharing...


Kami, as always, thank you again for sharing with us your beautiful cabin. It is so nice to be able to go up and spend some time. We appreciate it so much!!

Thank You! Thank You!

We would like to send a special thanks to a very special person in our lives... Virginia Oliphant. We were so very very lucky to have found such a sweet and loving individual to watch over our kids.

For the last 5 months Virginia has taken Kristian and Addison under her loving care and watched over them while we worked. Virginia moved to the United States in March 2010 so she could marry the love of her life Nate in May 2010. She and Nate are now moving to Logan to go to school.


Kristian and Addison will really miss you Virginia! They have come to LOVE you so much!!! We all love you! I truly believe that you came into our lives for a reason. It was meant to be that you came here and were able to watch the kids. You have left a lasting impression on them, and a lasting impression on us. We can not thank you enough for the time, patience, dedication, and love that it takes. We are so grateful for all you've done for us. We are excited for you and Nate to start the next chapter and adventure in your lives. We wish you the best of luck and expect you to keep in touch and let us know how you're doing... we will do the same!!


THANK YOU OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN!! WE WILL MISS YOU VIRGINIA!!

Fun Times With Virginia

Dear Middleton Family

Dear Middleton Family,

I want you to know I am so grateful for the opportunity that you gave me to take care of your amazing kids.

When I came to the States, I was excited to take care of them, but at the same time I was not sure if I would be able to do it because of my English and I did not want them to get bored if I didn't talk a lot to them. But now, I can not imagine my life without them. They are sweet and smart kids. They always are happy and they always remind me that in this life we don't have time to lose, to be sad.

Sometimes I was sad missing my family from Argentina, and then...when they came with their smiles I asked myself: What am I doing??! Just be happy like them.
They are examples for me. I learned a lot from them. They were teaching me English! I had a lot of fun and I enjoyed being with them. Thank you so much for believing in me and for the great opportunity that you gave me.

Amanda, every single time that you came, you always asked me: "How are you today?" and maybe you didn't think about this, but that was so important to me, because you wanted to know how I was, if everything was OK. Then, you were ready to leave and let me spend time with the kids.

I know Kristian and Addie were born of Godly parents and they are GREAT kids! I think an important thing that you have to know is I LOVE THEM and they were never "money" for me. They are not numbers, they just are a part of my life.

In the future, when I think about my first few months in the USA, I am going to say: Because of them I am doing this now, or I know this now. I think they did for me more that I did for them because they helped me to take my first step.

Thank you so much for each day! Thank you a lot for letting me do it and believing in me. You are a great family, I can say that I am going to miss them. A LOT!
I would love to see Kristian playing soccer (when he is five years old, of course! ha ha) or spend more time with them. I would love to know how they are, what they are doing.

My Dear Kristian and Addie, remember, I am going to love you always! If you want to play with me again let me know and maybe when I am here we can spend time together and have fun.

Thank you so much! I love you!
-- Virginia Oliphant

Dash For Donation

Well, I signed up for my first 5k ever! It was planned for September 18, 2010. Then one day my cute little Clinic Director at worked bounced around the office asking those who would be running in the weekend race: Dash For Donation... how could I say no?? Mind you, I haven't been exercising at all (who has the time??)

Jon said he would join me. He would run the race for himself and then come back and pick me up off the sidewalk. Instead I recruited my friend, and co-worker Amy to come with me. With kids in tow, we took in the race!!

Yep! We did it! We walk/jogged 1/2 of a 5k! Yippie! Good job me!!! Well, if nothing else I know where I stand, I'm motivated to keep going, and I'll be more prepared for the next race. I'll run a 5k on September 18, 2010 and another one in October! Look at me go!

Here is a few members from the Intermountain Transplant Team who came together to support the cause and run the 5k!

**A special SHOUT OUT to my amazing husband who ran the race in 30:08 minutes!! I'm so proud of him and I'm so glad he'd participate in this race with me. Maybe by the next 5k I'll be able to keep up with him, at least for part of it anyway!!**

Happy 7 Years!!

August 9, 2003... Jon Mark Middleton, married Amanda Rees. And so their story began...

Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate.

Don't marry the person you think you can live with; marry only the individual you think you can't live without.

“Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry.”

**Thanks for an amazing 7 years!! I hope for many, many, many more happy years to come. I love you so much!!

Race Day: LeMans 2010!

So, a few weeks ago Kristian and Mommy headed out to the race track for LeMans... it was really fun to go together, just the two of us. We got there in time to see Dad for a minute while he was on his lunch break, and then Daddy's friends took us over to see the Life Flight helicopter. That was pretty cool!!



We got to walk past the pits and see some pretty cool cars, but one of our favorites was this one.. I'm sure it looks familiar:



Here is Kristian enjoying the race! Can't pass up a free foam claw!! It was pretty noisy, a lot louder than when we came to World Super Bike, so we didn't stay for very long.

Some of the race cars... its fun that Dad works at the track so we can have the opportunity to come see the races and and all the cool cars. Thanks Dad!!

Here we go again...

So.. on July 22nd Addison slid off the couch at daycare and used her arm to brace her fall. She complained about it hurting, and after a long night of wimpering cries we decided to go to Kids Care the next day. Friday, July 23rd, I actually had the day off so I thought, "Lets go to Kids Care and figure out what's wrong." So we did. Sat for 2 hours, only to have them do an exam (Addie didn't cry at all) and have them say they thought she must have just strained it, and not to worry. Give it a few days and she'll be fine!

A few days past and we notice she is still favoring that arm. She's using her hand a little, but only complains if her arm gets bumped. Now mind you, this is the same arm that she broke in December, resulting in surgery and two pins being placed in her elbow. This is why I thought it so important to get it checked out right away. BUT, I heeded the council of the physician and gave it a few days.
Monday, July 26th, I call the pediatrician, and of course its hard to diagnose over the phone, so they advise that it may possibly be Nursemaids Elbow, which is really common in kids 2-3 years old. I was again advised to simply observe and if no better to bring her in. So instead of calling and getting her in on Friday,... I decide to wait the weekend. Still no improvement! Again, I could tell she was favoring the arm, complained if it got bumped, but no swelling, very little bruise, and she acted as if nothing was wrong. . .

She broke the radius and the ulna. These pictures don't really do justice. The one bone you can see the obvious bend, and the other bone you can see the line where it is broken.

Monday, August 2, 2010... call the pediatricians and ask for their latest appointment in the day. We arrive and were in and out in 20 minutes! Addie sat through the x-rays all by herself and didn't cry or complain the entire time we were there. The pediatrician showed me the pictures of her arm. She had broken both the bones in her arm. The radius and the ulna. She had been walking around for 10 days with this broken arm!!!!!!!!! He spoke with the orthopedist and it was determined that Addie did NOT need to have surgery this time, and a simple cast for 3 weeks should do the trick.

Addie's favorite colors are Purple and Pink.. and since we did pink last time, we went with purple this time. She sat through the casting like it was nothing. Didn't cry, didn't flinch,squeal, nothing! She was interested in what they were doing and excited to have a purple arm!!

Addison is my hero! I do not know of any other child as strong and as brave as she is. I can't believe she went so long with a broken arm. I am furious at Kids Care for not doing an x-ray, and I'm frustrated at myself for not tapping into my "Mommy vibe" and taking her in sooner. Her cast has not slowed her down at all. She doesn't seem to be affected by it in the slightest...she just keeps on going!! I am so proud of her for being so tough! I love you Addison! Mommy is so sorry about the owie on your arm.
(these pictures were taken with my phone, so sorry the quality isn't the best)