Kristina's 12th Birthday!

It was a great week in the Carter house. Not only did Kristina turn 12, but she had a party, and then was able to attend her very first young women's event. I wish I had more pictures of that event, when all the young women gathered at the church, were given special hair and makeup treatment, then took pictures in wedding dresses at the temple. What a way to start this epoch of life. Well, I do have pictures of the party...

It started out with lots of help in the preparation, with Daniel and Cousin Bridgette doing all the leg work.

Guests arrived quickly and soon it was a full fledge party.

We began our Polynesian Island Festival with a drum call from the best drummer in the house, Karen.

After quickly removing the beater from her hand, all the kids were quickly immersed in a game of Hawaiian bingo followed by "How do you spell your name in Hawaiian?". It was loads of fun. Then, a treasure hunt.

"X" marks the spot!

Kristina loves treasure hunts, so John designed one that walked the entire neighborhood, including up to the temple and down. The final clue was: "Go back to the bridge and look out over the Island (that's what they call the area where we live... funny, no?) and search for an "x". An "x" marks the treasure spot. Well, from the bridge, you could see a giant "X" marking the treasure spot.

Following the treasure hunt, we had a "dress like a hawaiian" relay.

Yes, those coconuts have dual purpose, the traditional, hold em up kind of purpose, or... "Hawaiian Earmuffs". That seemed to go over well. Eliminated any funny feelings... Then, after Relay race, in for some pizza, presents, and smoothies!

I loved this party.

Post party notes: Kristina had to leave to attend her first young women event at the church. While she was gone, her two best friends reenacted every scene from Gilligan's island, without ever having seen the show!

Larry made a great "skipper!"

The had a great time together.... Hum... could this be rivalry in the making.... Moral of the story, don't leave your best male friend alone with your best female friend with grass skirts and coconuts laying around... you never know what may occur.

A Center piece designed by Daniel!

An Oragami Crocodile from Elder Carter! What a special surprise!

After a second round of festivities after Young Women, all were tired and the day ended. Memories made that will last a lifetime...

Happy 12th Birthday, Kristina! We love you!

Day in review…

Hello everybody! Daniel is officially home. Welcomed by Uncle Frank, Roxy & Larry, and many many wellwishers. After Daniel posted to the blog, I added my view…

Brief overview…

1. Went to Primary Children's Hospital (yes, the jokes were endless about the 2 meter giant admitted on the second floor).

2. Surgery was delayed 2 hours. Finally in at 3pm

3. Surgery concluded at 5:30

4. Recovery room at about 6:30.

5. Frail attempt to talk on the phone to his sisters...

6. Sincere huge smile from amidst a dopy grog when the phrase, "hot chocolate" was mentioned around 8:00pm..

7. 10:00pm feeling really confident and good. Wanted to walk to the bathroom.

8. After about 10 steps, confidence fails.. green sets in...

9. 10:40 return from the bathroom. Grateful for the decision to stay the night...

10. John to Keith and Barbaras... Karen in the cot... both cozy.

11. Great night, wake to hunger.

12. Breakfast of Daniel's choosing.... 2 strips bacon, pancakes, bisquits and grave, apple juice, hot chocolate, and milk. The green is gone!

13. John arrives. Packs up the crew. Off to Logan...Car adjusted to handle an immobile leg.

14. Pleasant trip home. All sleep... (except for the driver! thankgoodness for m&m's)

15. Arrival home. Stairs offer no challenge.

16. Couch and recovery.

17. No bake peanut butter cookies delivered. (Okay, who has it out for John?)

18. It's okay, she was cute.

19. Karen realizes her glasses are still in the hospital at PCMC.

20. John makes return trip to SLC to acquire glasses. (No one deserves to be without vision...)

21. Daniel treated to trip downtown with siblings.

22. All is well in casa

23. John returns home from SLC for the second time.

24. Ice cream to finish off the day.

25. Daniel blogs. Doing well, taking pain meds...

(I'm sure I missed many steps, like the downpour on the trip down. Crazy! And the WAC that was, then wasn't..., and the flowers to Hortense's viewing, and the trip to DI, etc...)

Final result 3 cm intramuscular hemangioma removed from leg. Also removed a tiny bit of muscle. Leg immobilized for 5 days, then partial immobilazition for the next 3 weeks following that. Tape, stitches and sutchers.

Follow up visit in 2 weeks.

Thank you for all your prayers and concern.

john * karen

Goodbye Hemangioma!

The anesthesiologist

Hey everyone Daniel Posting here! This Thursday I got to go down to Primary Children's Hospital down in Salt Lake City! I had my hemangioma removed, basically hemangioma is a group of blood vessels that have bone fragments in them, and are intertwined with my muscle. It was about three centimeters long and just above my left knee on the inner side. Last thing I remember before the surgery was being hooked up to anesthesia and then about four hours later I woke up delirious and loopy. I'm doing much better now! Here are some pictures from the exciting event!


Getting my first IV (mom comforting me) ((the anesthesiologist later commented that I may need an adult size IV {which i did get} instead of one sized for a five year old))
Before I realized what was going on
And After
Friday Morning with my cup of hot cocoa!

Pictures from Nina

At the top of the mountain!

If only life were so magical…

Just a short blogito!

We were driving home from attending the Boize music festival (okay, Boise, just wanted to tease Karen) after standing for hours and hours and listening to some medium level rock and roll amidst rowdy fans....

and I said, "I wish I could hear RUSH". Not thinking anything of it, but only wishful thinking... trying to find a music that could really energize my soul. As I was checking my email, I saw a banner saying "Check Lady Antebellum tour dates". Well, having seen Lady Antebellum the weekend before the exploded on the music scene (I remember that concert well... Roxanne and I, last minute tickets, 3 rows apart, but there in Idaho Falls, Idaho! We even stayed after on the street, knowing they had to come out one of the backstreet doors to a waiting van. Roxanne and I and about 4 others were lucky enough to take pictures with them that evening... fun, but I disgress....)

Well, as I looked at their tour date, I saw that RUSH was playing the USANA in salt lake in about 7 days. No way. I didn't even know they were still alive (actually, the top selling band in history after the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.... Also, one of the best drummers of all time, Neal Peart who I found out later drives a motorcycle from concert to concert all across america and canada. He even blogs about it. Crazy. www.neilpeart.com

So, no one wanted to go. But I bought a ticket anyway. Stopped in to see Cooper, Amanda and the Kids who live almost next door to the USANA (thanks, btw, for the hospitality. I love your family.) I got in and found a great spot on the grass. What an incredible concert. Everything I had hoped to hear. They played for three hours and it was great. They played my favorite piece for their encore, "La Villa Enstrangiato" (or something like that... I used to make my University students take a section of that piece and reorchestrate it in our synth class).

So, next I wish I could hear… Karen and John live with full orchestra.

(sorry for the fragments and the partials... Sometimes I think jagged...)