The Turleys

Family pictures

2011-11-26T13:31:00.000-08:00

I have an amazing friend who took some family pics for us at Wheeler Farm. Love what she did!

Another year

2011-11-26T13:21:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been 2 years since Chad passed away. We had a really nice family gathering at the cemetery then went to my house for soup and sweets. I am so thankful for all the people that Chad brought into my life. During the day, the kids and I hiked up to the last spot where we had family pictures when the kids were just 9 months. It was beautiful.

Hiking in donut falls

2011-11-26T13:11:00.000-08:00

We love to go on adventures! The kids think everything is an adventure and with twins, it usually is. I decided to just be more adventurous and discover the beautiful canyons that we live so close to. Love these kids!

My little dancer

2011-11-26T13:02:00.000-08:00

Olivia is a dancer at heart. She hears music everywhere she goes. She dances to every movie, to all the credit music, in the store, in church. EVERYWHERE! So, I signed her up for dance.
She does tap and ballet at a studio in Sandy. I love it and so does she. Her teacher is great and Livy is a great student.

Bridger loves to take Livy to dance class. We sit in the waiting area and play dinosaurs and read books. It's great one on one time for us.

Bear Lake

2011-11-26T12:54:00.000-08:00

I can't believe these are the only pictures I have from our camping trip! I guess I was having too much fun to take any more. The kids LOVED it and so did I. Lots of sun, sand, food, family, and friends. I can't wait til next summer!

Doesn't she just look like she's in trouble?
The lake was so high this year. It made the beach so close to camp.

Chase wrestling with Bridger. Love these boys!

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-09-04T20:10:00.000-07:00

The kids and the house got decked out for the fourth! I made Livy's skirt and Bridger's tie! It was so fun and easy. It was also nice to have coordinating twin outfits for a boy and a girl! Which is impossible to find in the stores (at least at a reasonable price)!

Livy and Bridger love to do funny poses for the camera. Here's some of their best!

Garden Update

2011-07-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

So far, so good. Some of the plants have contracted a fungus, so I don't know if I'll get any good peppers or eggplants. I took this picture on Sunday afternoon and it was soooo hot. I decided to water because so many of the plants were looking wilty.

My grass in the front yard is not doing to hot, or maybe I should say it's getting too hot. My flowers are loving it, though. This is the first year that I really planted any annuals and I have to say that they are looking pretty good.

Dirty Girl Race at Wheeler Farm

2011-07-03T13:23:00.001-07:00

I signed up for my first muddy obstacle course race. It was a lot of fun!

The before shot with Britney and Brittany from work:
During the race...just me and Brittany because Britney kicked our trash and left us in the dust!

The after shot...we are muddy believe it or not. There was a lot of muddy water, so the mud didn't really stick. We survived and hope to repeat it next year!

Colorado

2011-07-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

We went on an adventure to Colorado over Memorial Day. I had to call it an adventure to get the kids excited about riding in a car for 8 hours! They were so good!

This tree that the kids are sitting in was soooo small when I lived with my grandparents. It's crazy to think about how long ago that was!

My cousin, Julie, is a fierce athletic competitor (even 5 month pregnant)!

And Nick here is the jokester. Never serious. Never.

I know this last shot is far away, but we were at the theatre to Kung Fu Panda 2 and the kids just all decided to hold hands!

It's always good to go home.

Gardening

2011-05-14T14:39:00.001-07:00

I started this type of gardening because of Chad's enocuragement. He heard about it from a co-worker and thought he would possibly, maybe, like gardening if it was low maintenance. So, he bought me the Squarefoot Gardening book for Mother's Day in 2008. I have done it for two years and have not been successful yet. Although, I'm conviced that is due to my lack of follow through rather than the type of gardening.

It started out with two 4'x4' boxes. Determined to be prepared to have a successful gardening season in 2011, I started preparing during the Fall of 2010. I added 3 more 4'x4' boxes and a zuccini circle (no matter what the book says, I'm convinced that zuccini will NOT grow vertically).

With the help of some of my wonderful friends, the garden got planted today. Plus, the yard got mowed and edged which it needed desperately!

Bridger and Livy "helped" too. They especially loved the watering part!

This is my friend, Heidi. Her son, Beckahm (you can't see him because he is between me and Heidi), and Bridger are helping to plant green beans.

In the picture below, Bridger is whining about smiling for the camera. He is saying " No, no, no!"

Livy wearing my friend, Britney's, glasses and giving two thumbs up!

Idaho

2011-05-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

I love to go visit my aunt and uncle and my cousins in Idaho. It is ALWAYS fun at the Willford's house! It is a short trip and loads of fun and adventure to be had. Lots of kids for my kids and lots of adults for me!

Jared playing Sorry! with the kids. He is so loved by the kids and a great uncle.
Gotta love Livy's goofiness!

Twister at Jim and Julie's house while Sara and Katie were making homemade donuts with original and orange glaze! YUM!

Discovery Gateway

2011-05-01T13:04:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun at the Discovery Gateway. This was our first time. Bridger's favorite part was the beehive close to the entrance. They have about a thousand balls and you can put them through tubes that go through a maze, or make music, or turn on lights. It definitely kept him as busy as a bee. Livy's favorite part was the water feature. She was drenched when we left!

They can "work" on a farm putting hay in the barn, planting crops, riding the horse, and driving the tractor.

They had this stage area with different backdrops and costumes. This is Bridger being a knight. In case you didn't know, he is VERY in to swords right now. So, he often is a dragon-slaying knight in our house saving Livy and I several times a day.

Livy, of course, is the princess. Doesn't that make me the queen?

Aquarium

2011-05-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

We LOVE to see the fishies at the aquarium in Sandy. We go at least once a month. Bridger used to be terrified of the aquarium. He couldn't differentiate between the paintings on the walls, the sculptures, and the real thing. He still gets a little afraid but he warms up quickly.

Life on the reef

Bird eating spider (I've actually never seen it in person because it hides under this log and you have to use your flash to get a good picture of it)

Valentine's Day

2011-05-01T12:51:00.001-07:00

Look at my valentines! Aren't you all jealous?

Thanks to my sister, Ellyse, who has a quirky, yet endearing sense of humor!

Skiing

2011-01-30T18:47:00.001-08:00

So, I'm reporting on my New Year's Resolutions. So far, so good. Even if it's only been one month. Chad taught me to ski many many years ago and it has been almost 6 years since I last went. To say I was rusty is an understatement. I went first with my Turley nephews to the rope tow at Alta. I was amazed at how much I remembered. I've now gone four time this season and it has all come back.

Chad wanted Bridger and Livy to learn. I figured the best way for this to happen is for me to get good enough to teach them. I'm assuming this will take another couple of seasons. So, here's to enjoying the great outdoors during the winter!

Happy Happy Birthday!

2011-01-30T18:23:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it? The twins are 3! This year, they were old enough to help with some of the planning. They chose to have a dinosaur/princess party with pink and blue decorations. They picked out the frosting for their cupcakes and the decorations for the room. They even helped mail the invitations. Then, for the entire week before the party all they could talk about was the party and who would be there. They woke up several mornings saying "Happy Birthday to me?" wondering if this was the big day they had been waiting for.

Pre-party picture with hats and birthday pins!
I wish I had a better picture of the cupcakes. It's not that I am some artist with icing, but I was so proud of how they turned out with such little effort on my part! For Bridger's cupcakes, I used store bought icing and royal blue food coloring. Then, I piped the frosting on, added some dinosaur sprinkles, and topped each one with a toy dinosaur! For Livy's cupcakes, I found pink strawberry flavored icing at the store. I used a star tip to pipe on the frosting, used some pearly sprinkles, and topped each one with a paper princess crown (that was attached to a toothpick).

The kids practiced for a whole week to hold up 3 fingers. They had it mastered by the party.

Every toy was princess, dragon, or dinosaur. They LOVED everything!

This is one of Bridger's favorite presents and I love humiliating Travis, so here's a picture of him as the model!

I can't believe that it's been three years! This is the first birthday that they've had that has made me sad. They really are leaving the baby stage :o(

Thank you to everyone that was able to come. It means a great deal to our little family to feel of your support and love.

Mighty Tikes!!

2011-01-13T19:09:00.001-08:00

I signed the kids up in the Might Tikes class at Dimple Dell rec center. It has been so fun. They get to learn some sports technique that is on their own level, run around, and in this excercise below, they are learning their colors.

Scooter train!

New Year's Eve

2011-01-13T18:52:00.000-08:00

This year, we were invited to my friend's family party. Her family was hilarious! We all had a great time. Did we make it til midnight? No way! I did let the kids stay up til 11 pm. I don't think we'll do the midnight thing until they learn to do the sleep in thing.

Kim and her daughter, Zoe

Kim and Tony

Did you make any New Year's Resolutions? I know a lot of people hate them, but not me. I love believing that I can be better than I am now. So, my biggest resolution this year is to buy less and DO MORE! I tend to spend money on things. Some things I need, but most, I do not. So, I want to spend my time and money creating memories for myself and for my kids. We'll see how it goes!

Christmas Morning

2011-01-13T18:45:00.001-08:00

We had a nice Christmas morning. Spencer, my brother, stayed over on Christmas Eve and my mom came over Christmas day for lunch.

I took off work from Christmas Eve until January 3rd. I was never sure that I could be a stay at home mom, but this time off proved to me that I could. We just played and played and played. It was so wonderful. I intend to make that a tradition.

Turley Christmas 2010

2011-01-13T18:37:00.001-08:00

The boys were tracking Santa's location. Bridger sure does love his boy cousins and his Uncle Travis.

Livy put on a good show and screamed about every present. She made gift giving so fun this year!

Spiva Christmas 2010

2011-01-13T18:20:00.001-08:00

The weekend before Christmas is when I get together with my family. My sister, Brooke, and my stepmom, Sandra. This year, my brother Nathan even came!

Jaylin

Bridger (there is a picture of Chad smiling JUST like this when he was younger!)

Dietrich with his fridge farm

Mikaylah with her new iPod

Livy and her new doll cradle

Xander

Payton

The lights at Temple Square

2010-12-29T20:27:00.000-08:00

I haven't seen the lights on Temple Square for years, so it was time to go! We took the train down town with our friends, Kim, Tony, Joe, and Zoe Brown. Kim is a HUGE fan of Christmas lights. This was our second excursion for "light seeing"!

Livy and Zoe - already BFFs!

Aunt Ellyse

2010-12-29T20:04:00.000-08:00

Can I just say how awesome my sister, Ellyse is? (And her husband who sent her out to us for Thanksgiving) She helped me cook Thanksgiving dinner, do Christmas shopping on Black Friday, helped me take the kids to see "Tangled", and put up my Christmas decorations.

And on top of all that, she bought the kids their own little Christmas trees for their rooms. This is the most awesome idea! Who didn't want their own tree in their room when they were little? The kids LOVED decorating them. In one of the pictures, Livy is trying to put her arm around her tree!

This last picture is Aunt Ellyse's remedy for kids make-up. They would watch her get ready every morning and constantly ask, "what you doing?" To which Ellyse would reply, "putting on my make-up." She decided they needed their own "make-up" so she went and bought them little bags, brushes, plastic containers, and for Bridger, a shaving kit. It keeps them entertained all morning when I'm getting ready or needing to get something done.

THANK YOU AUNT ELLYSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thangsgiving 2010

2010-12-28T14:36:00.001-08:00

We had a nice dinner at my house. I only cooked an 8 pound turkey. That is the smallest I have ever made. It was so moist and delicious!

My mom

Ellyse

Spencer and Hagir

A couple days after Thanksgiving, we went with the whole Turley clan to see "Tangled". I loved it, but I didn't share any popcorn with my kids. Look close at the pictures and you will see why!

First big snow of 2010!

2010-12-28T14:30:00.000-08:00

The week of Thanksgiving we got this huge snow storm. It was on Sunday and I was determined that we were going to enjoy it! We bundled up and went out and played for about an hour. Then, the tears came about cold finger and bugery noses! We had a blast!

Fall Family Pictures 2010

2010-12-28T14:19:00.001-08:00

The kids did ok, but as you can see from some of the pictures, they had their moments!

Halloween 2010

2010-12-28T14:10:00.001-08:00

If you know the kids, you'll not be surprised by their Halloween costumes for this year.

I couldn't get Bridger to smile because all he wanted to do was ROAR like a dinosaur!

Road Trip

2010-12-28T13:45:00.000-08:00

This Fall, we took a trip back to South Dakota. If you are unaware of why we would choose South Dakota, it's because that is where Chad's family is from. His Grandma and Grandpa on his mother's side raised their family in Sturgis. Chad's proud claim to the state was that he was born in Deadwood, where some famous cowboys died or robbed somebody or something like that!

First, we made a detour through the beautiful state of Wyoming and stayed with some cousins in Worland. It was actually very fun. These cousins (the Russells) used to live in Idaho when Chad and I were first married. We made many a road trip to visit eachother.

They have horses and in particular, a sheklan (sp?) pony. I thought my kids would love this for sure! Here they are happy behind the fence with Grandma. Not a care in the world.

Then mean ol' mom makes 'em get on the dang pony and take a picture!

It did get better...
Then, off to Sturgis! We make sure to plan our trips out to Sturgis around the bike rally. As Celia says, "It's like dropping in to visit hell for a week!" I don't know how it is during the rally, but it's a beautiful place to visit if you've never gone. The Black Hills are beautiful!

These last two pics are of the kids at a little fall festival in Rapid City. It was a fun trip and I couldn't have done it without Cheryl!

1st ride on Trax

2010-11-10T18:56:00.000-08:00

The twins' first ride on UTA Trax. Grandma Turley and I took them to Temple Square, their first time there too.

Livy loved looking outside at everything we passed.

Bridger was pretty unsure about the whole thing. I mean, why do we need to even leave our hosue? What's the point of all this adventure? It just freaks me out!

Then, the insecurity wore off and made room for the real emotion: fatigue.

Fourth of July fun!

2010-11-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos from our fourth of July:

Colton showing off his muscles!

Look how beautiful the mountains are!

All of the little kids had just about enough of the party before the fireworks started.

Classic Dinkus

Shoes and Bridger

2010-11-01T20:42:00.001-07:00

I came into my room sometime this summer after putting the kids to bed and this is what I found:
Those just happen to be Bridger's flip flops next to mine.

Tonight, I asked him to take his tennis shoes out of the living room and put them in his closet. He walked into the living room and saw my shoes sitting behind the rocking chair. He said "Mom, will you please put your shoes in your closet? Okay?" I am happy to report that I was immediately obedient to his request!

Colorado

2010-11-01T20:32:00.001-07:00

We always go to Colorado over Memorial Day weekend, but this time we also celebrated my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary. We always have fun, but this time we came together to celebrate our family. It was so much fun!

My Grandpa giving a speech.

All of the great-grandkids singing "I Am A Child of God"

My Sister's Baptism

2010-11-01T18:51:00.000-07:00

I have missed posting some of the important things that have happened this year. I blame it on my crappy computer and crappy internet. Now, thanks to my father-in-law, I have a good computer, but have not had time to get it up and running. What's a girl to do?

Anyways, I wanted to post the pictures and some of the awesome events that surrounded my oldest sister's (Ellyse) baptism. She is the last of all of my siblings to be baptized. As most of you know, Ellyse was with me during Chad's last week and last breaths of life. I can't imagine what that would have been like without her. I spoke to her on the phone while Chad was still in the hospital. I don't even remember why I said it, but I just said "Get on a plane now." It is not a request I have ever made of her and I'm so glad she was obedient! During her stay, we talked a few times about the church and she went to sacrament meeting with me each Sunday. It was really really really really really REALLY hard to let her go home.

We continued our conversations about church, but they soon evolved to the gospel and to our Savior. Then, the bishop challenged each member of our ward to pray for a missionary experience. Each time I prayed I felt that there was already someone in my life ready and willing. And there was! I kept encouraging Ellyse to pray to know what she should do, that Heavenly Father loves all of His children and will answer our prayers. We looked up her ward and she went to church. Then she went again, but before she went, I told her to find the missionaries. She did just that and on their first meeting (ono a Monday), they extended an invitation for baptism (that Friday). She called me crying and I thought "oh no! They already scared her away!" Then she told me that she was crying because she knew I couldn't be there if they did it that Friday. I told her I had saved some money so I could be there for her.

I took the babies to the Matina's, my awsome Kaysville homies, and hopped on a plane to Texas just a few days later.

Ellyse was baptized by Elder Park, who is actually from Holladay, UT. It is one of my treasured experiences.

The missionary work didn't stop there. Since Ellyse's baptism, my oldest nephew, Tyler, has been baptized. He is now enjoyin early morning seminary and being the president of the Teachers Quorum.

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?!?!?

2010-08-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

Bridger almost lost his life (again) this weekend. I've decided he has a thing about hanging on things. If you are not sure what I am referencing, read my post "This Scared Me to Death". So, on Saturday, we are just hanging out at home enjoying our newly finished front room when Bridger says "Oh, Mom!" And I look over to see one of my cabinet doors in his hands! Yes, one of my cabinet doors from my not even 3 months old cabinets in the front room. Apparently, he had been opening the two doors that are together, stepping just inside, then putting the doors under his armpits. This positioning allowed him to hang from the doors. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?!? It took all I had to not end his life right there. He spent 20+ minutes in time out because I wasn't sure he would live if I let him out. He must have known too, because that is one of the few times he stayed in time out with no arguments.

I called the cabinet shop and had to leave a message. The guy called me this morning laughing and asked "So, what happened?" I think my message must have been something like "My crazy, out-of-control 2 year old boy ripped a door off the cabinets. Can you please, please, please fix it?"

I am not ready for destructive children and all of the costs included.

Finally Finished!!!!!

2010-08-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

For most of the year, I have been working on a project to "remodel" my front room. It may not look like I did much, but the whole feel of my house is different.

This first picture is to give you an idea of what the wall with the fireplace looked like. So it's the best I have for a "before" picture.

And now . . .

New gas fireplace (with remote control!), custom bookshelves and matching mantel, canned lights, some ceiling fans (I put a new one in the kitchen too), art work, throw pillows, and curtains. Voila!

I officially finished it today because I had a carpet guy come and stretch the carpet to the bookshelves, so everything is now done.

I thought as a thank you, I would post some information as to who I used and where I bought a few things:

Fireplace: Hearth and Home - they have locations north and south in the valley, were the most resonably priced and had a great selection.

Bookshelves: A-1 Kitchens and Tops - AMAZING is all I have to say. Solid, hardwood material. Beautifully stained and painted. They beat the price on everyone. Even the cheap stuff at Home Depot would have cost an additional $800 and no matching mantel and I couldn't get exactly what I wanted. When I get to remodel my kitchen, I'm going with these guys!

Wiring for sound and lights: Lance Beard - he just started his own company, but has been doing this stuff for years (10+). Did you notice any cables from my TV to my equipment? All Lance. He was always on time, effecient, and cleaned up after each work day.

All the frew frew (?): My new favorite home decor store is Home Goods in Brickyard Plaza. That's were I got the piece above the piano and the pictures. Great deal and always find unusual stuff that I never knew I was looking for. Also, found great throw pillows at Walmart - who would've thunk?

Carpet work: The Carpet Fixer - they were great! They were able to come just a few days after I called. They offer a "bid and do". Meaning they'll come and bid each thing you want done right on the spot and then you can choose what you would have them do. They were very efficient and the carpet looks great!

A big THANK YOU to my friend, Erin, who tolerates my lack of decorating skill and is always up for a challenge.

New Family Photos

2010-07-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

It's always an adventure to do family pictures and you never know if you're going to get anything decent. These are my favorite 3 pics. Bridger always struggles to find his smile for the camera. He saves it for when we're not looking (through the camera). But beautiful kids none the less!

This scared me to death!

2010-07-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

I had an experience with Bridger on Sunday afternoon. It is something that I never even anticipated and I feel it my duty to warn other parents to protect their children.

We were heading out the door for church. I sent the kids to the car, opened the garage door and stepped back into the kitchen to get the bags. I soon heard Bridger crying. I listened for a moment to decide what kind of a cry it was: I'm dying come now, I fell but I'll be okay, Livy is being mean, you get the idea. Well, it was sort of a I'm freaking out and don't know what to do cry. I decided I should poke my head out the door and see what was going on. Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. . . he was hanging from the garage door by his fingertips!!! Just holding on for dear life trying to get my attention. I dropped everyting, sprinted to the door (in heels and a skirt) all the while begging him to NOT LET GO!

I have never held him so tight, then scolded him so severly. Now, every time we walk out to the garage he points at the door and says "No no. Don't touch." I also no longer send them out while the door is opening. It is already opened or I wait until they are buckled in before opening it.

I wish I could have gotten a picture or at least draw something just to bring home the image a little bit better. I hope it's obvious why I didn't get a picture :0).

Yard sale for a good cause . . .

2010-06-21T09:26:00.000-07:00

My work is hosting a yard sale to benefit one of our employees who was recently diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. He has a wife and two young girls to support and we really want to give him a hand.

So, if you are an avid yard sale attendee, please put this one on your calendar. This will not be a junker sale. Lots of great items: tvs, furniture, baby gear, outdoor equipment, etc.

June 26, 8-12 pm at Nelson Laboratories (south parking lot) 6280 S. Redwood Rd. Here's a link with the a few more details: http://supportcourtyardsale.blogspot.com/2010/06/support-court-yard-sale.html

Easter

2010-06-18T20:26:00.001-07:00

We had a great Easter morning. The Easter Bunny brought Livy dress up clothes and some for Bridger (boy stuff) and a fun way to play catch!

We still had snow, so we bundled up for an outdoor egg hunt.

You"ll have to bear with me as these posts are way over due. Better late than never!

Thing 1 and Thing 2

2010-04-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

The twins' birthday was a few months ago and I had so much fun putting this party together. The theme of Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr. Seuss's Cat in the Hat was a perfect fit. The twins' are everywhere and do the opposite of everything that I say! I made them each a small cake and then we did cupcakes for everyone else.

Travis (Chad's brother) is helping Livy unwrap presents.

The big hit of the night was their tricycles. All of the kids loved them!

Livy was too busy playing, so I thought I would try to feed Bridger his cake. Well, you can see how well that went!

It was such a great night. I'm so grateful to have so much wonderful family close by.

We had a ton of balloons left over at the end of the party. So, we went outside and let them go. I think we may start that tradition each birthday, but I haven't decided.

A moment on my soap box . . .

2010-02-11T12:10:00.000-08:00

I just had a very nice lunch with my insurance agent. He wanted to get together to ask me some questions about my experience surrounding Chad's passing. He will use our interview in a new letter to help sell life insurance. I was more than happy to pass along anything I may have learned. I soon realized that I would like all my family and friends to get the same information. So, this is me on my soap box about life insurance and maybe a few other things:).

When Chad started working at ARUP ~ 6 year ago, we had the world at our feet. We both had 4 year degrees, careers in excellent companies, and our only care about the future was that we wanted to create it. So, Chad signed up for a life insurance policy of $100,000. That seemed like a large sum of money, so we went with it. Three years after getting this policy, Chad is diagnosed with liver cancer at the age of 33. Wow, we were not prepared for that news. About 18 months after Chad's diagnosis, ARUP changes life insurance companies. The new company offers a no questions asked $50,000 boost to your current policy, so we jump at the opportunity and increase Chad's policy. Then, 6 months later, I give birth to twins. We now have 4 mouths to feed, a new mortgage (oh, yeah, we moved a few times, too!), and pharmaceutical and medical bills coming out the wazoo! Turns out, the only chemo that was even hopeful for us was $4600/mo! Insurance helped to lower it to $750 a month, but we still couldn't afford that, so we applied for assistance through the manufacturer of the chemo and had it taken to $250/mo. Still a lot for us since I cut my hours back to 10-15 hrs/wk. At this point, we are still hanging on, but so much for that extra money in savings, or paying down any bills. During the summer of 2009, Chad's health continues to decline and the chemo is no longer keeping the cancer at bay. Chad passed away on September 21, 2009. It may seem odd, but it came as a surprise to me. I still had hope that Chad would make it a few more years.

Okay, so the point of all this rambling is to get you to realize that we didn't see any of this coming before Chad was sick, when we could have done anything about a life insurance policy. I want all of you to take a moment and think about all of your bills, debt, and hopes for your family: mortgage, student loans, cars, credit cards, heat, electricity, insurance (health, home, car), phone, medical expenses, trips, new car needed down the road, home repairs, music/dance/sports, retirement, etc. Now that you have thought about it, how much life insurance is enough? Don't forget that if you cash out the policy, it will be because of a death, so you will need to pay for a funeral and most likely some medical bills.

All I know is, my work just changed life insurance companies, and they capped the allowable amount at $180,000. Let's just say you purchased this policy and this is how it was spent: $15,000 funeral; $1,500 medical; $10,000 car; $15,000 student loans; $20,000 credit card debt; that leaves ~$118,500 for you to refinance your house or buy a place. Not much in today's market, and there is also nothing left for savings for emergencies or college funds. I was able to sign up for a policy that is more than double what we had for Chad for ~$35/mo. All it took was a call to my agent (who also sells me my car and home insurance), a medical exam (they came to my house, so convenient), and my signature on a few papers.

Please, please, please look at your policies and make sure that they are enough. If you don't have one, then get one!

Trip to Idaho

2010-01-26T14:15:00.001-08:00

My Uncle Rick flew over from Colorado and we headed up to Idaho over New Year's for my cousin, Katie's, wedding. It was sooooo much fun! The Willford's house is always the place to be. We definitely missed Jenn, Josh and the boys, though. :o(

We did some "sledding" in the back yard. It was really Jimmy pulling us on a sled using the 4-wheeler! It was still fun.

Bridger liked it. Livy, not so much. But she did enjoy watching from the sidelines with Tom!

I didn't get a picture of the best part. After all of us had gone inside, we heard the 4-wheeler. We looked out and saw Jim on the sled and Wesley (Jim's 7 year old son) driving the 4-wheeler! Good parenting Jim!

Chad's grave

2010-01-26T14:11:00.001-08:00

The kids and I went to Chad's grave the day after Christmas. It was a beautiful day and very peaceful. The kids loved playing in the snow. I'm sure Chad enjoyed the visit as much as we did!

Christmas fun!

2010-01-26T14:02:00.000-08:00

When we put up our Christmas decorations, I always put on Christmas music. This is a picture of the twins dancing to "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree".

The kids love to play with sunglasses, so I gave them each a pair of Chad's and they wanted to pose for a picture. Can you see how far down my decorations are on the tree? Just out of reach for two very curious sets of hands!

Christmas Morning!!!! Bridger is my thinker. He wants to know how everything works and loves to build. This was his favorite toy from Santa (Mega Bloks)!

Livy is my rock 'n roll girl! She loves this toy guitar from Santa!

Olivia's new talent

2010-01-04T20:11:00.000-08:00

Many parents are proud of the new things that their children learn. I'm not sure what to think of Olivia's new favorite pass time. Here's a picture, can you guess what it is?

That's right, she is a master at escaping her clothes! This is how I found her one morning. She hasn't figured out how to undo the snaps yet, but it's only a matter of time. Her favorite thing to do is to strip down and try on her doll clothes, or mommy's clothes, or her friends clothes. And of course, once she gets naked, Bridger can't stay clothed! Oh, no, that would be too easy for mom!

Well, it's been very cold here at night and Livy's room is the coldest in the house. So, I came up with a contraption to keep her clothed all night.

Yep, it's duct tape! I hope this isn't considered child cruelty! I tried a safety pin and she figured out how to undo that and then I was worried that she had swallowed it! So far, the duct tape has worked, but she does hate it when she gets into bed and realizes what the duct tape is for!

Thanks, Aunt Ellyse!

2010-01-04T20:07:00.000-08:00

If my kids have any artistic ability, it will all be due to the encouragement that they receive from their Aunt Ellyse. Art and shop were the only two classes that I have ever failed!

Halloween, finally!

2009-11-22T20:37:00.000-08:00

The kids were monkeys this Halloween. I'm not sure they even needed the costumes, but they sure looked cute!

Funny Livy

2009-11-22T20:31:00.001-08:00

This is how Livy uses a bucket. One day, I couldn't find her, so I called out her name. She came around the corner and down the hall with this bucket over her head! She is soooo goofy and I love it!

My Chad

2009-09-22T22:24:00.000-07:00

It seems like I've lived a week in the last 43 hours. I'm still in shock, obviously, but feeling some peace and comfort, too. There's nothing I could say about Chad that those who knew him didn't already know. Our love was one of a kind. I've never had anyone love me the way he did. I didn't know that I was gorgeous, cute, funny, wonderful, spiritual, or anyone to take notice of, until I met Chad. He saw who I really was and who I was trying to be. He helped me let that out for others to see too. Although I feel like we have been married for a long time (13 years), it seems like now, it was only a short time. Chad and I were like "peas and carrots" (Forrest Gump). I am grateful for an eternal perspective at a time like this. We had a lot of difficult conversations over the last three years regarding the possible outcome that has now become reality. We reminded eachother that forever was a lot longer than the 50 or so years we had hoped to have. I remember when we were first married, we were excited that we had a shot at making our 50 year anniversary because we got married so young!

I hope to see many friends at his services Wednesday and Thursday. His obituary is available for viewing online at www.deseretnews.com.

I don't have many digital pictures of Chad and I before we had the kid, but these two that I've used seem appropriate. The one above is from a trip to Vegas that we took about 1 week before he got sick in March of 2006. The one below is from a trip we took to Colorado over Memorial Day this year. The location is at Flagstaff in Boulder, Colorado. It's where we went on our second date.

Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House

2009-09-04T20:56:00.000-07:00

We went to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House with Chad's cousin, Kami, and her family. They were out visiting from Wyoming. We usually don't get to see them very much and this was a great way to spend some time together.

The fountains were the best part of the whole experience . . . well, at least for Livy and Bridger!

Ellyse and Saydria were a great help and the twins really liked them.

Charlie and Livy became fast friends!

The fountains at Gateway

2009-09-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

We did so many things this summer and I have yet to post them! My sister, Heidi, came out over the 4th of July. We did a lot of water things and going to the fountains was one of them!

Chad's Treatment

2009-08-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post an update and some information regarding the treatment that Chad is undergoing. Chad has been down for about 2 weeks with severe pain. One of the tumors on his liver is pushing out in his back. He actually has a visible bump - not a good sign. We went to his new oncologist, Dr. Frame, who we LOVE. He worked quickly to get Chad's pain under control and develop and action plan. Dr. Frame thought now would be a good time to try out Cyberknife.

We went to Cyberknife (pictured above) earlier this summer for a second opinion. The doctor there, Dr. Reilly, said that Cyberknife would be a great option for Chad when his tumors became symptomatic. So, we called Dr. Reilly up last week to get started. Chad's first session was Wednesday, and he will finish on Friday.

Let me give you some background information so you can appreciate how wonderful this is for Chad. Chad did traditional radiation treatment for two tumors in Dec 2007-Jan 2008. It took 14 sessions and almost 4 months to recover. Traditional radiation tends to treat a larger area rather than just treating the tumor. As a result, the side effects are more severe because the radiation is killing healthy tissue along with the tumor. This treatment was successful for Chad and seemed to keep a couple of the tumors at bay for one year.

Cyberknife is so wonderful because they can focus the beam of radiation to the diameter of a pencil versus the diameter of a large cereal bowl. The treatment from Cyberknife will hit only the tumor and Chad only needs to go in 3 times for treatment. Cyberknife is able to give more radiation in one treatment because it is only hitting the cancerous tissue.

To say it has been a tough year is an understatement. But, good things have come from the trials. We found a wonderful and caring oncologist and already had a connection at Cyberknife. These two things have made the last two weeks almost bearable.

We appreciate your thoughts and prayers. Invoking the hosts of heaven through your faith on our behalf is a great blessing to us and to you. We'll keep you posted on Chad's recovery. Chad loves e-mails while he's down. It helps him to feel connected, so send as many as you like!

Trip to Colorado

2009-08-12T10:30:00.001-07:00

We went to visit my Grandparents in Colorado over Memorial Day. My cousins came too and we had so much fun! Our first stop was to my Grandma and Grandpa Spiva's graves in Fort Morgan.

Hangin' out at Grandma and Grandpa Lee's house.

Uncle Rick

Livy, Bridger, and Natalie

Uncle Steve and Aunt Cindy

Grandpa and Jim

Nick, Amy, Wesley, Uncle Andy, and Chad

We went on a hike at Chataqua Park in Boulder. It is so beautiful there. These were my old stomping grounds during high school.

Bridger is chasing a petrified squirel.

These last two pictures were taken at Flagstaff, which just above Chataqua Park. This is where I took Chad on one of our first dates.

Bridger's First Haircut

2009-07-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

This actually happened in May, but hey, "better late than never"!

What a handsome and brave boy! He was 15 months to the day for his furst haircut. Olivia is now over 18 months and no where near needing a haircut!

Mother's Day

2009-06-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

I know I'm totally late! It has been a very busy Spring. I just had to post these pictures. We went to my mom's on Mother's Day and the kids found these glasses. They were an instant hit! We've found that our kids will wear anything if we think it's funny.

Livy

Bridger

Paper or plastic?

2009-04-16T12:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know that we are bombarded with "Save the Earth" ideas everyday. It seems like a big task for us average folk. I can't afford to buy all organic, I don't have time to hand wash all of our laundry, and I'm sure I'm not physically fit enough to ride a bike with my kids in tow all over town. I needed to start with something small, practical, affordable, and something I'd actually continue to do. So, I decided to start with the plastic grocery bags.

I bought one or two bags a during a couple of trips to the store. I now have four bags. I was sure I would need at least eight bags because I usually fill 10-14 bags each week. Well, I went shopping today and look at all the food that fit in my four bags! It only took 2 trips to unload kids and groceries instead of four or five. I just keep the bags by the back door or in the car so I have them when I go shopping.

The take home message is, for $4 dollars I am now a little more earth friendly. And when I'm asked "Paper or plastic?", I say neither!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-14T12:49:00.000-07:00

We had a quiet but fun little Easter. I was sick so I stayed home with the kids while Chad went to church. I was so sad that the kids didn't get to wear their cute easter outfits for church, but I dressed them up just for a small egg hunt in our front yard.

Bridger was so surprised to find candy inside the eggs. Once he found out they opened, he just wanted to goods!

It was hard to get Livy to grasp the concept of the buckets. She kept trying to carry all the eggs in her hands.

Livy is walking!

2009-02-19T11:09:00.000-08:00

She took her first steps a few weeks ago with her Grandma Turley. But now, she walks everywhere! She kind of looks like a mummy so I scream and act scared when she walks to me. She thinks it's very funny!

Bridger & Fisher

2009-02-19T11:03:00.000-08:00

Bridger loves Fisher. I think they will be great buddies as they get older.

We call Fisher "Little Fish". The "Little" part of the name doesn't really fit anymore. Look at those legs!

Best buds

2009-02-19T11:01:00.001-08:00

The kids love to chase eachother around this red rocker in the front room. I will be in the kitchen doing the dishes and I'll just hear screams of laughter as they catch one another.

Funny faces at lunch time

2009-02-19T10:57:00.001-08:00

Livy is usually the star of the show. Bridger and I just watch and laugh (mostly, until I lose my patience).

Official BYU fans

2009-02-19T10:50:00.001-08:00

We went to the BYU bookstore while my friends from Colorado were here. We just had to purchase some official BYU gear for the kids. They LOVE these hats!

Livy figured out how to put her hat on all by herself! She was so proud!

"Helping" with laundry

2009-02-19T10:42:00.001-08:00

This is Olivia's idea of helping mom fold the laundry. She comes up to the laundry basket and selects an item of clothing. She then works to get it on her head. Sometimes, mom has to help because she screams and gets frustrated when it won't stay on. She crawls or walks around the room a few times, squealing and laughing as she goes. Then she returns to the laundry basket to really "help" mom. She starts grabing and chucking clothes all over the room.

She has a great sense of humor already. She is definitely our little comedian, just like dad!

We're one!

2009-01-28T11:17:00.001-08:00

Ellyse came out and helped with everything from the invitations down to the cupcakes. She is super creative and helps me to put more effort into these things.

Before...

After...

Our favorite toys of the day are a tool bench for Bridger

and a baby doll for Livy.

Christmas and everything that goes with it

2009-01-28T10:31:00.000-08:00

We weren't sure how the whole tree thing was going to work out, but the kids did pretty good. They left it alone for the most part, but if you'll notice in the pictures, the ornimants were high and sparse. So, not much of a fancy tree, but we still enjoyed it.

We got to see a lot of family during this holiday season. It was so fun. This is my sister and her family. Our kids loved playing together and the big hit was of course the kittys!
We had breakfast on Christmas Eve morning with Grandpa Turley. This picture is of me and little Fisher. What a cutie!

This picture was taking too long for Sara. I wonder where she gets her patience from?! You can't read the twin's shirts very well, but Bridger's says "All mom wants for Christmas is a silent night" and Livy's says "Good things come in small packages."

This is at the end of opening presents with Grandma Turley on Christmas eve. You can tell that the big hits were the xylophone/piano and the box that Bridger is sitting in!

We spent Christmas morning with Aunt Heidi and Grandma Hansen.

They were most happy when they had something in their mounths!

Livy is a girl through and through. She had a fit when I took these away!

Wild man Turley on the loose, watch out!

Thanksgiving

2009-01-28T10:06:00.000-08:00

I'm a little behind on my posts, but hopefully, I'll get caught up.

This Thanksgiving, we were all a little sick, so we had dinner by ourselves. We always go over to Mom Turley's that night to kick off the Christmas season. We paint a Christmas scene on her window, eat, and look through the adds for Black Friday. The twins got to contribute in their own way.

These two pictures (the one above and below) are of Livy.

Bridger was very excited!

Olivia kept getting into Grandma Turley's cupboard. This is a picture of her getting caught!

This Thanksgiving I was especially grateful for a little family to call my own.

Our last day in Texas...

2008-12-25T21:03:00.000-08:00

Just a little bit of fun the day we left. It was great to reconnect with family. I miss having my family near, but I'm glad we are able to travel and visit! We love the Baty's!

Tyler and I playing Guitar Hero above and Brett and I below. I became totally addicted after only a few songs!

Aunt Ellyse & Uncle Beau

2008-12-25T20:44:00.000-08:00

What a good Aunt and Uncle!

Hangnin' with the Baty's

2008-12-25T20:14:00.000-08:00

Here's a few more pics from our trip to Texas.

Texas is really like what you see on "King of the Hill". The picture above and below were taken in the alley.

Brett riding his bike.

Texas Stadium

2008-12-04T21:55:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun in Texas, it was really hard to leave. There are a lot of pictures that I want to share, so I'm going to do it in separate posts. Enjoy!

On our first full day, we split up. Ellyse and I went shopping :0) and the boys took the kids to Texas Stadium. The first picture is where "God watches His team" as Chad would say.

The rest are fun pictures on the field.

Poor Livy!

I think I'm going to have another sports junkie!

Packing for Texas...

2008-12-04T21:52:00.001-08:00

with a little help! I was so tempted to zip it up with her inside - it might have made the airplane ride smoother ;o)

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2008-12-04T21:48:00.000-08:00

I really have come to enjoy winter, until about the middle of February and then I'm ready for summer. I couldn't imagine a green/brown Christmas! It snowed on November 5th and hasn't snowed again since.

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

Halloween is way more fun when you have kids. Bridger and Livy were good sports about dressing up and Chad and I had a blast watching 'em!

It's Autumn time!

2008-10-23T10:59:00.000-07:00

I love fall. It might be my favorite time of year. We went up Big Cottonwood Canyon a few weeks ago for these pictures. A huge thanks to Chad's friend, Spencer, for these great pictures.

Thank Heaven for Aunt Ellyse!

2008-10-09T09:33:00.001-07:00

They can finally wear something to match one another. It's nice to have such a great Aunt that helps to keep them clothed! Thank you Aunt Ellyse!

Wrestling with Dad!

2008-10-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

Bridger is definitely all boy! He wrestles EVERYTHING! His blankets, toys, stuffed animals, and I'm sure he will wrestle Livy soon. She tends to crawl all over him (she hasn't learned the concept of crawling AROUND something) and he just pushes her over when he gets annoyed.

Please don't stop the music!

2008-09-03T10:19:00.001-07:00

We love music at our house. I like to play and sing to the kids. Bridger seems to be more interested at this point. He loves it when we sing songs. Livy is very curious about the piano. Now that she is crawling, she spends a lot of time at the foot pedals trying to make them work. Oh, yes, Livy is crawling! We are now more crazy than ever!

Rise and shout, the Cougars are out!

2008-09-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time again . . . College Football Season. We are a BYU Cougar family, at least on the Turley side. We get season tickets every year and game days are game DAYS. Meaning, it's not just going to the game, it's getting down there early (leaving 3 hours ahead), getting something to eat, throwing the pigskin around, wathcing the band march into the stadium, and NEVER missing the kickoff. And the season for us always starts at the Watermelon Bust where the team players can be met and there are activities for the kids.

Chad wanted to introduce our kids early, so I went to a couple of games last year while there were in utero (in my tummy)! Then he took them to the Watermelon Bust this year. They were a big hit with the cheerleaders.

I think both of them preferred the football players, though!

Nap time!

2008-07-30T20:23:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite times of the day! Sometimes it takes us 20 minutes to get there, but I enjoy every minute that they are asleep! I usually turn off the TV and run around the house trying to get things done, or I end up talking to Ellyse for the whole time! Either way, it's my time.

The kids just got their 6 month shots yesterday. Livy is in the 3% and Bridger is in the 5% for weight. Eventhough they are twins, they are still considered pretty small. Livy is finally moving up to 3-6 mos. clothes. Bridger is on the cusp of some of his 6-9 mos. clothes. They eat a ton, so I'm not sure where they are putting it!

Home sweet home

2008-07-18T21:12:00.000-07:00

It's nice to have a place to call home. This house is our favorite of the three we've lived in so far. There is just something about it that is "us".
We have been busy making it ours with paint now with plants. Just in case you didn't already know, I absolutely love plants. I could spend everyday outside. We've pretty much just maintained what was already here, but I have added a few annuals in the back yard (seen below). We have plans for a very nice garden next year and I cannot wait.

Hangin' out at home

2008-07-17T10:25:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of pics of the kids at home. We are practicing to sit up. Livy pretty much has it down with a little help. She is always ready to move on to the next thing, trying to figure out what she can get into next! Bridger, on the other hand, doesn't see the advantage to all of that work.

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

We took the kids swimming for the very first time at my mom's. They both reacted differently and completely typical of their different personalities. As soon as Livy's feet touched the water she started kicking and splashing! Bridger wasn't too sure about the whole thing. He mostly liked relaxing with Grandma.

It's official!

2008-07-07T12:36:00.000-07:00

Chad's sister, Jenni, and her husband have officially adopted Sara Elizabeth Hope Dewsnup! It was a great day for everyone. They blessed her just this last Sunday.

Intro

2008-07-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

Not that those of you reading this don't already know our scoop, but I thought I would just at least post a few pictures. This one is of Chad and I at Amy's wedding (one of my cousins) in Logan, Utah. This was about 2 weeks before Chad got sick.

The next image is of Chad with my cousins and uncle in October of 2006 so about 2 months after his surgery.

This last picture is Chad with our twins about a year and a half later. Needless to say, we've come along way since Chad's original dianosis. We are actually attempting to thrive instead of only survivng. We love living in our new house and hope to stay put for a good long while. I'm even dreaming of a garden and actually making plans!

We could never have gotten to where we are today without all of the family and friends that have supported us all along the way. Thanks to everyone and we hope that you will enjoy our blog!