Finishing up November's Gratitude

I'm back! My sincerest apologies to my many dedicated readers. Allow me to catch up on what I am thankful for...

November 23rd

1. Wonderful in-laws who are willing to pick us up from the hospital after Tadd's surgery

2. Laptops

3. Tadd's sense of humor

November 24th

1. My sissy, Megan, and the fun times we have when I do her hair
2. Dryer sheets that smell amazing (do any of your husbands insist on at least two in each of their loads of laundry?)
3. Cable TV. I never thought I'd say that, but thankfully this keeps Tadd entertained while his hand is extended into mid air.

November 25th

1. Forever 21

2. Fountain drinks
3. Puffs Kleenex

November 26th

1. Camera phones (have I already said this?)
2. The address grid system Utah has
3. Good hair days!

November 27th

1. Jeans parties
2. Cute umbrellas
3. CosmoProf and my special discounts!

November 28th

1. Fun clients like Judy Clark
2. Nail clippers, and nail polish remover
3. Franklin Covey planners

November 29th

1. Bestest friends, Ali and Mary Kate
2. CD controls on my steering wheel
3. Maps of the U.S, so I don't get lost

November 30th

1. Cute little finger braces for Tadd's finger
2. Mechanical pencils with .5 mm lead.3. Fax machines that work

Recent Events

Below is digital evidence of recent events, enjoy.

Tadd captured a picture of Crew executing his new trick, smiling!

My best friend, Ali, moved home, and we went to dinner with Mary Kate, the other BF!

My first Christmas present of the year! Mom gave me a Christmas sleep shirt, so I'm festive while I'm dreaming!

WARNING - below is a picture of Tadd's finger (I got in trouble for no warnings on my last finger update)

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Tadd's grotesque Frankenstein fingie!

I know I've been neglective of my blog, I'm a bad blog-mom, and I am vowing now that I will be better. Many apologies.

Shooting Shinanigans

Mama Sue is quite against guns, but has been forced to consider that guns may need to be welcomed in their new location. Not that gaming is a popular activity in the Peterson clan, but rather the vast amount of mountain around them could be threatening. Sue likes exercising in the outdoors, and mentioned she'd like to start going on hikes on the spring. This thought of hers turned a lightbulb on in my dad's head. You see, because of my mom's feelings toward guns, she hasn't allowed my dad to keep his gun in our house, so Tadd has been in charge of it. Quite frankly, I think it's killing my dad to have something so manly, so far away from him. So, Daddy Jack decided Mom must be taken shooting on Thanksgiving with the boys. I actually ended up taking Mark's place, and off we went past the Payson dump to go shooting.

Mom's first time with a hand gun (that we all know of, anyway...)

Notice my amazing form. (I look like an idiot)

Imagining my worst enemy

Without warning Tadd bought his Christmas present a little early, a Walther P22, but Mom and I enjoyed shooting it much more than the big-man guns, too much kick!

My mom's and my target sheet, we're good litle shooters!

Thanksgiving Showcase

As I previously explained in another post, Tadd and I spent a lot of Thanksgiving Day with my family, and I have showcased proof! Mallory was my Vanna White for Thanksgiving, enjoy!

Enjoying our drive down to Elk Ridge

Pardon my photography skills

Presenting Lauren - assembled the relish tray

Presenting Megan - cooked up the stuffed mushrooms, Tadd's favorite

Presenting Haley - in charge of mashed potatoes...every year

Presenting Betty Lou - responsible for the Peterson insanity!

Presenting Jack - super steak maker

Presenting Sue - the brains behind it all

Assembling the food table

Grandma and me. Please God, grant me those cheekbones someday.

Examining the guns


Hmmm...a closer look is advised.

No place to put the pies? Not at the Peterson home, store them on the kitchen island shelf along with the plants!

A couple of weirdos.

Who just drinks cold liquids from a mug? Sick.

The happiest little Haley you ever did see.

The featured couple of this blog post.

The Much-Awaited Pictures

Believe it or not, the picture of Tadd's finger really doesn't do it justice. It was MUCH worse. I should've gotten pictures from different angles, but I didn't want to disrupt the doctors.

Yup, that is Tadd's bone you're seeing!

Administering his second round of local anesthetic. This was heart breaking to watch the first time he got it when he wasn't numb at all. If you look really close you can see a bit of flesh to the right of Tadd's pinky, which suprisingly, is his pinky. His finger was literally dangling, and could be moved from side to side like that. When we were in Salt Lake in the ER, Tadd's hand was lain across his lap, and he said he could tell his pinky finger was pointing at him. Gross!

Heading up to the University of Utah medical center.

Well, there you have it; the gory details in picture form!

Our Story of Thanksgiving Day...

November 22nd - Thanksgiving Day
I am thankful for the following on this special holiday...

1. My amazing mother, and her incredible cooking skills. Can you make your WHOLE Thanksgiving dinner from scratch?
2. My daddy's mommy, Betty Lou. Tadd and I had the opportunity of spending a little bit of time with her since she came up to my parent's house for Thanksgiving. She is such a hoot!
3. Modern medicine, and hospitals (see below for explanation).

NOW for our story...

I ask you, what would Thanksgiving be like without a trip to the ER? In the eyes of Tadd Cox, very strange indeed. Oddly enough, our sister-in-law, Kecia, feels the same way. Tadd and I awoke around 11 Thanksgiving morning to find that Kecia was in the ER because of extreme cramps and bleeding, poor thing! The doctors think she may have ruptured an ovarian cyst, which I've experienced as well, so she spent a few hours in the hospital. What a terrible day to have a family member spend in the hospital, right? Well, let's add a second family member to that tally, my husband.

After eating at my parents around 1:00, going shooting in Payson for an hour afterward, playing some Scattergories, and enjoying Apple Betty (no, not my Grandma in fruit form), we headed home to spend some time with Tadd's family. Tadd's dad has a woodshop in their backyard filled with all sorts of fun tools...you see where I'm getting with this? I've always worried a little when Tadd is out there using his dad's tools, but he's a pretty responsible, safe guy....for the most part, so I usually shrug off the feeling. The newest tool in the workshop is a lathe (very cool, I'm told), so Tadd, Steve and Mazie (6 year old neice) were out in the shop experimenting with this new tool. Apparently, it was needed to use a band saw for some of the wood they were experimenting with on the lathe.

Skip to my whereabouts...I'm inside with the rest of the family, not exactly wondering where Tadd is. When he disappears randomly, I can basically assume he's in the woodshop. No sooner than 30 minutes after we'd come home from our lovely holiday at my parents do I hear Steve knocking on the kitchen window to alert Camme (my mother-in-law), and Tadd comes running in the house clutching his hand. He rushes out the house yelling that he needs to go to the hospital so Corbin, Rick (brothers-in-law) and I run out of the house after him. Corbin, the ever skilled driver, speeds us to the ER, and by the time we arrive Tadd is in tears. :(

It is now 10:14 a.m, Friday the 23rd, and we have relocated to The University of Utah medical center to await Tadd's surgery. We arrived here around 10 p.m last night after Utah Valley Regional Medical Center checked out Tadd's finger, put him through all sorts of pain with shots and such, and immediately assessed that he needs to see a plastic surgeon. Naturally there aren't any in Provo that would take the call.

Being the sympathetic wife I am, I took a picture of his finger on my camera phone. Sadly, my phone died last night so I can't post the picture just yet, the explanation just won't do it justice without the picture. Basically Tadd fed some wood into the band saw and sliced into the pinky finger on his left hand. Hold your hand parallel to the floor, and bend your pinky finger. Now imagine taking a saw and slicing through the bone, still parallel to the floor, right at the joint about two inches. Terrible, huh?

We were promised by a plastic surgeon resident (not quite comparable to McSteamy, but easiest on the eyes) that Tadd will not lose his finger, but he will have arthritis early on, and need to go through plastic surgery.

This is the current update on poor little Tadd, and I'll be sure to keep you posted, pictures and all. Keep Tadd in your prayers!

November 20th and 21st - Attitude of Gratitude

November 20th
I am thankful for...

1. Pajama pants, and the opportunity I have to slip right into them after work
2. My nephew Jack. He's the whole package: hilarious, well-mannered, pleasant, and cute to boot.
3. Ambien

November 21st
I am thankful for...

1. My sisters. Growing up with five sisters was tough (and hell on my parents, I'm sure), but there is nothing like five best friends that you're related to.
2. The world-wide web. I LOVE that I can keep in touch with my family and friends so easily!
3. My husband's very rare shopping sprees, bless his heart.

Cheerful Church

It's always nice to attend another ward on Sunday to add a little variety to your Sabbath. Yesterday, Tadd and I drove up to Murray with his mom to attend our neice's Primary Program. We had the pleasure of sitting with my brother in law, Kris, his wife, Kecia, and her family. Kris and Kecia's oldest daughter, Kyra, is a CTR 5, and the only one of their three girls up in the program. It was quite enjoyable to half-listen to the Primary Program (except for when Kyra was up), and play with the little girls. I even got Bree to fall asleep, I was so proud of myself! Below is a picture of Kyra and Adrie in our car on our way back to Kris and Kecia's after sacrament meeting.

These girls are so much fun, and so dang cute! Tadd was leading one of the songs with Adrie's leg near the end of sacrament and she blurts out, "What the heck!?" She's only three, and so advanced! :)

I had the pleasure of getting Bree to fall asleep on my shoulder during sacrament, and she created a nice little heating system for me. Unfortunately, the chapel was plenty warm. Haha!

November 17th, 18th and 19th - Attitude of Gratitude

November 17th
This day I am grateful for...

1. Hair appointments as late as 10 a.m

2. Sonic Diet Coke with lime in styrofoam cups with pebble ice (it doesn't get much better than that.

3. Date night with the husband, and the world of animation (I recommend seeing The Bee Movie, pretty clever!)

November 18th

I am grateful for...

1. My adorable neice, Bree, and her beautiful spirit she brings to our whole family

2. The word "tool" in the context of, "he's such a tool."

3. TV Series on DVD. I'm currently immersing myself in the criminology, wit and romance of Veronica Mars Season Three.
November 19th
Today I am grateful for...

1. Fanfare Monday at work (you'd have to understand Nu Skin)
2. The upcoming paid vacation days for Thanksgiving
3. My trusty little Franklin Covey planner

A-B-C, it's easy as 1-2-3, as simple as do re mi

A Attached or single? Very much attached
B Best friend? What exactly constitutes a best friend? The person you talk to the most on the phone? In that case - Megan. The person you tell all your secrets to? Ali. The person you share your whole life with? Taddow.
C Cake or pie? Pie - Jumbleberry, please.
D Day of choice? That's a tough one. I don't really have a day off, so I'll choose Wednesday since I get to wear jeans.
E Essential item? Either my flat iron or Neosporin.
F Favorite color? Pink, it's happy.
G Gummi bears or gummi worms? Gummi bears, frozen in a plastic bag.
H Hometown? Provo, Utah.
I Favorite indulgence? Smoothies and ice cream shakes.
J January or July? July, bring on the heat - ban the icicles.
K Kids? Not that I know of.
L Life is incomplete without? Do I really have to asnwer this? Isn't it obvious?
M Marriage date? June 21, 2005.
N Number of brothers and sisters? Including my in-laws: 10 sisters, and six brothers.
O Oranges or apples? Red apples from Costco.
P Phobias or fears? Spiders and insane asylums.
Q Quote? I'm not an inspirational person, I don't like quotes.
R Reason to smile? Songs with kick.
S Season of choice? Summer - I love the heat!
T Tag three friends: Kecia Cox, Lori Rhineer, and Lacey Leishman
U Unknown fact about me? I'm drinking a Peach Treat smoothie from Hogi Yogi right now.
V Vegetable? Currently - green beans.
W Worst habit? Swearing
X X-Ray or ultrasound? I've really only had ultrasounds, so I think I'll try an x-ray. Can uteruses be x-rayed? It seems to be the only thing I have problems with.
Y Your favorite food? Watermelon or steak WITH A1, lots of A1.
Z Zodiac sign? Leo - so is Tadd's, are we incompatible?

Complete and Utter Vanity

One of my best friends, Jessica Cannon, is a very gifted cosmeotologist, make-up artist and photographer. Unfortunately, Jess moved to Vegas soon after finishing hair school, and I only see her a few times a year. When Jessica came into town a few months ago she asked if I would want to do a photoshoot with her! I was absolutely thrilled because she is such a gifted photographer, and I thought it would be so fun to be her little model for a day! I know it is extremely vain to post these pictures, but I felt I should showcase her talent...and dang! She made me look good!

Like I said, complete and utter vanity