Saturday, February 4, 2012

Email Heather

Hello everyone,

Just in case you see this while Heather is in the hospital, you can send her an email message and they will print it out and take it to her. Here's the website:

http://intermountainhealthcare.org/hospitals/uvrmc/contactus/Pages/EmailaPatient.aspx

I do this for even people I know locally in the hospital because it's nice to receive sweet messages to look on from time to time when you're stuck in those sterile, stark hospital rooms.

Also, it is Fast Sunday this weekend. I am sure Heather and Jess would appreciate us adding them to our fast (and prayers) for a quick recovery.

I love you all.

Have a great weekend.

Nicole

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Our crazy week...

Hello from the Dorius'!!

Things here have been crazy!
Jes has been working crazy long hours
(I think in hopes of making Christmas not so tight)

Monday he worked 5am-3pm at his regular job.
Then he worked on a side job from 4-10pm.
He was in bed by 12:30am.

Tuesday he worked 5 am-3pm at his regular job.
He then drove to Park City and worked at the Mansion, not getting home until just before 1 am.

Wednesday he worked from 4am-3pm - regular job.
He took his big ladder over and hung "Grandma Carolyn's" Christmas lights on her house.
Then went to his side job again, getting home just after 10:30.

Believe it or not today he slept in!
He didn't leave for work until almost 6 am.
He didn't get home though until 5 pm.
He ran back over to "grandma's" to add an extension cord and get them lights glowin...
He actually ATE DINNER WITH US...
and then headed back to his side job in American Fork.

Emmalee has been working crazy long hours as well!
She has Concert Choir at school, and then are doing a "Spirit of Christmas" program.
She has had rehearsals almost everyday for the past 6 school days.
(It is not just the choir, but it is the whole fine arts program together!)
(so it's BIG)
She has gone to school at 8:30.
She gets out a 3:15 and stays at the school working on her homework as best she can because rehearsals start at 4:00.
She is supose to be done by 9pm... but her best friend is the President of the Concert Choir, and multiple times she and her friend have had to stay late to clean up the classrooms the students wait in until it's their time.
It has been A LOT of work for her.
She crashed yesterday and called in a Hookie Day.
We ran errands together, and she spent most of the day desperately finishing the homework that has been piling up so she won't mess up her honor roll status.
Performances started tonight and so she will be at the school from 5-9 today and tomorrow and monday, with another program on Saturday from 2-4.

During dinner tonight, when we did our "Best Part/Worst Part of the Day" - without Emma because she had just left for her performance - Caleb said his best part about today was that "I gots to see my whole family all at the same time for a few minutes today"
*sniff*

He is such a sweet boy.

It has been rough!
They have been in bed everytime Em and Jes have come home.
:(

I can't wait for NEXT TUESDAY!!
Oh wait!
That's Young Men/Young Women's Night.
Ok.
I can't wait for next WEDNESDAY
LOL

Friday, January 7, 2011

New year update

This 1st week of 2010 has not been terribly kind. I was knocked flat with strep throat, and have finally come back to the land of the living to find it is Thursday and I am terribly behind in life, laundry and drinking/eating (lost 10 lbs though!) Jestin has been incredible to keep the home fires burning as far as feeding, shuttling car pool for school and dishes. Our home still looks almost like it did the day after Christmas (you know...like Christmas threw up all over LOL) but the kids have quietly played near by, or watched netflix on the Wii while I tossed and turned in fits of agony/sleep on the couch. It was fun. (not)

On an upnote, Jes had two small jobs this week. We may make the rest of the payments we needed to pay last month, with the exception of our mortgages, which are in modification process still (though we have a trustee sale date of January 28th!) and the supply house bill that seems to never end. This recession has kicked our butts so hard we have lost the ability to let it get us down. Curse or blessing? Not sure. We just find joy in each other, in life, in serving and in living the gospel and leave the rest to God. I guess if we end up living in the camp trailer for a while... maybe we will start traveling the country like snow birds? Bwahahaha

He is still applying anywhere and everywhere. We can't believe how qualified out of a job he is. Small jobs keep trickling in, and meeting our very most basic "needs" so we wonder what that means? Is the answer "hang on a little longer and your business will pick up" or is it "you are not looking in the right places" or is it "the path was present months ago and you missed it" or is it "have faith...keep being 'an example' to others...and we'll see just how much you can really endure before you both are in the nuthouse/poorhouse"?? Bwahahaha. All we get when we seek answers is peace. Handy... but terribly helpful.

Emma was not happy to start the second half of the year. She is SO like Jes in regards to change. She wants things to stay the same. She is adjusting. She wrapped up her voice class and now is starting piano! :) She is excited! She has been a strellar little woman these last 5 weeks. I am telling ya, if you are going to have a stroke and try to keep a family of 6 running, everyone needs an Emma. I would be lost without her. She is starting to wear thin, but I have improved so much I am trying to take on much more and let her be the sister again instead of "mom's manager" (you know...like I am the CEO and she is the running manager LOL) She is just awesome and I am so lucky to have her. She really is one of my best friends.

Cody is plugging along. Most people think he is Jes on the phone now his voice has changed so much! He is officially a 1/4" taller than Emma and quickly approaching me. *sigh* He's 11. Heaven help us! I just pulled up our family photos from Fall 2008 and there was Cody, walking next to Jes, and he barely reached his shoulder! No wonder we can't keep the boy clothed and shoed! LOL He also has quite the fuzzy mexican lip fuzz (ucky) but we are trying to avoid his shaving for a little while yet. Poor thing! He is loving his newest game for the DS - Bookworm - and we don't mind him playing for hours! (especially when he teaches us all the meanings of new words! :)  )

Cameron is doing much better these days. He was really acting out for a while. Jes discovered the discipline tool that works with his personality. Push ups. Without fail... they impact his behavior for the better. It's so crazy how they all respond so differently to different parenting styles. It's a lotta work to be a parent and figure them all out! Until they have a growth spurt/hormones and everything changes! Tee hee! He is loving the MP3 player Santa brought him for Christmas and is often listening and singing (*grin*) while wandering about the house. Tee hee. yes it is off key because he can't hear himself. It's funny. Sorry. We giggle.

Caleb is bursting forth into independence. It is a blessing... and a sorrow. He really doesn't "need" me for any of his basic care anymore. He eats, dresses, showers, pottys, makes his own food, brushes teeth, etc etc. I still get to read to him, but that is quickly going to be coming to an end. He is not the baby anymore. And he is amazing! He can put together practically ANY puzzle, build anything he sees out of anything he wants (ie; paper, cardboard, clay, garbage) He is quite the inventor. It's fun.

The chickens are having a hard time with the cold weather. Jes put a heat lamp in the coop, but now they tend to pick on each other a little bit more... maybe because they can see each other all night? One of them grabbed the comb of another during the night one night last week and spread loaded the coop with blood all over. It was a mess! Silly birds! We are only adveraging 3-6 eggs a day from all 10 birds.

Stroke recovery is moving forward. I am slightly affraid that more is coming before it is over, simply because many of the avenues I need/want to chase are not fesible for me/us right now, but I am holding tight to my priesthood blessings, and hoping my interpretations and understandings are what the Lord really meant. ;) This illness has set me back a bit, but my Dr. ordered one more round of steriods to help promote healing in the brain, so that is good. The biggest loss I have found with the strep is my speech. Reading aloud (one of my exercises) is torture! I have lost something there. Can't say big words, complicated sentences, etc. I am looking forward with great joy to a time when Jen can come and do my massage therapy again as well. We haven't been able to hook up since Christmas, and now with being sick all week, I am betting someone else will get it, so we are not up for visitors to take it home with them! : P  The other thing I am looking forward to with great joy is driving again. I am SO stir crazy not being able to do what I want/need to without needing someone else to take me. It's hard.


Anywho... That is a quick update on us. How are all of you? We need to keep up on here better. We really enjoyed having you that could come down for Christmas! Dinner was lovely and the chance to hang out was even better! (and thanks for letting us feed the Wilkin's as well... she is telling everyone in the ward how absolutely amzing my family is... it's a story they will all hear over and over and over now *GRIN* you'll be famous! tee hee)

We are looking to 2011 with hope... even with this rocky start of a week. Haven't we hit the bottom yet so we can come back up? I am fully willing to submit to whatever the Lord has in store for us, I just really would like it to be a little less stressful. LOL

Love you all!
Heather

btw... had to change our look on this blog to get the photo of all of us to fit properly. Hope everyone is ok with the colors/layout etc. If anyone finds a better one...run with it ;) ((hugs))

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Brent

Hello Everyone,

We hope that you are all well.

Just to let you know, Brent injured himself on this summer's High Adventured trip. After seeing a chiropractor with continued pain, he finally went to our family doctor who referred him onto a pain management doctor and a spine doctor. So here we are now. Brent is schedule for surgery on his neck/back next Wednesday (Sept 29th). They will take out the herniated disk and fuse the two surrounding vertebrae. It will take up to a year for full recovery. So, here we go.

Love you all.

Nicole

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Dorius Family Update

Happy New Year 2011!!
Hi all. Thought I would post a quick update.

Jestin is still looking for permanent employment. He has had small jobs here and there and they are scrapping us by, but that is it. I have applied for a night watch job at a home for troubled youth.  The lady called and said to send her my resume (eh? resume? I may need some help here soon B!) and she would put it at the top of the stack for their next hire. We'll see. It would be from 11pm-3am and I would just sit and be there in case any of the girls woke up. I can commit to that kind of work! LOL 9-5 not so much... but even on a bad heart day I could still go and sit. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Emma is adjusting to Jr High. It's not her most favorite. She doesn't like trying to keep 10 teachers straight! (yep... she has 5 classes a day on an a-day b-day schedule.) She is taking Intro to Voice, Drama and Hip Hop. Next sememster she gets to take Piano lessons at school! I CAN'T WAIT! *grin* With 10 classes totally the kids can take much more elective type classes and figure out what they enjoy at an earlier age. She is a little leery about her first science project... she has to gather and document 25 different kinds of bugs. We had trama the first couple of bugs because she had to put them in the freezer to kill them. She was pumped to find a huge dead grasshopper in the parking lot! It was already dead! LOL! She is enjoying Hip Hop (the courses she choose combine to test her dream of wanting to be a singer) and thinks that next year she wants to try out for Drill Team.

We really like the charter school here. There are some around that are iffy...but this one is awesome! I like that I get an email with all her homework assignements each day, so if she forgets something we can get it caught up before it's due (we can print off any and all homework). They totally set these kids up to succeed and I like that! They also teach them the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which is really cool too!

Cody is liking his 6th grade teacher. It's a man, and he SO reminds me of Cody's personality. Cody loved the first project they had... a Sugar Baby to learn responsibility. It was fun! (pictures on our blog) He also is signed up for Drama (they start some electives in the elementary age kids in 4th grade). He has LOVED his drama class and can't wait for this years. He is also on the brink of Pre-Algebra already because they place the kids where their skill level is, instead of by age/grade. He will likely be in the same book as Emma... and Emma is ahead "for 7th grade" as well (they usually study Math 7) by doing Pre-Algebra. It is cool.

Cameron is liking school too... though not quite as much. He loved the freedom of summer way too much! LOL! We are getting into the swing of things though and he really likes his teacher. He aces all his tests and is doing just great!

Caleb, my sweet baby Caleb, started Kindergarten and LOVES it!! He wishes it were all day! He is learning a lightening speed. He is at the local Elem. because they offered a better speech therapy program (with the old YW Pres. in our ward) and his teacher is also in our ward! He is happy as a little clam. (And thanks Ma for helping him get his prized back pack! He LOVES it! Glad we didn't talk him out of the $3 one! LOL)

Jestin needs eye surgery. And soon. They think they messed up with his first eye surgery and damamged the lens, as he now has a catatact in that eye. The surgeon wants to do cataract surgery for him and then do the diabetic retinopathy surgery as soon as possible for the other eye. The problem? Our state insurance will cover NOTHING. We are trying to figure out what to do to make it happen, and still pay our other bills with money we don't have as well. It's fun... let me tell ya. But he can't go blind or we are up a creek without a paddle. We are praying and trying to sell a hot tub that his uncle gave us to see if that will help.

On other notes, there has been lots of fun trials that keep us on our knees. We are serving as best we know how, and trying to do all that we can within our means. We are thankful for the power of prayer. We are grateful for our testimonies and the peace that knowing Heavenly Father's plan gives us. Without it, I think we would be much worse off and despairing quite a lot. But we are continuing to grow and know that this too shall pass... for it always came to pass... it never came to stay. ;)

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Hello from Jackson!


We are having tons of fun!!

Monday we went to Yellowstone. We saw Old Faithful and all of the upper geyser basin. I love the Morning Glory Pool. I fell in love with it as a kid. It isn't as blue as it was because people have thrown things into it and blocked it's source. We saw lots of animals but no bears. We explored Old Faithful Lodge. It was cool. Found out to stay there isn't a bad price but you have to do reservations atlease 13 months in advance. On May 1st they will open reservations for 2012. They will likely be sold out before May 2nd. I found a perfect t-shirt for Sean we may have to go back and get. Dang I was dumb not to get it.

Tuesday we went to Jenny Lake and Jackson Lake Lodge. That was lots of fun. At Jenny Lake we took the boat across and hiked to Hidden Falls. Can I just say, my feet HATE me. Oh, do they hurt!!!!. It was worth it though.

That night we went to the only thing we had planned for sure. We went to the Bar J Wrangler chuck wagon dinner and show. It was so fun. We met some folks from Indiana and some from Ogden. It was cafeteria seating. We was a blast. Highly recommend it if any of you get a chance.

Yesterday we were lazy! My feet are recovering. I slept until almost noon. We did drive to Teton Village. It was too stormy to ride the tram. We could have spent the money but seen nothing due to the cloud cover. We came back here and vegged. We went to the grocery store. We got here with the great tomatos Heather gave us and had nothing to cut them with. Anyway, we went to the pool area. Dad swam but the pool was alittle to cold for me. I sat in a salt water hot tub. I have a new nickname, Corky. There was no way I could stay down. The minute I wasn't concentrating to stay seated I popped to the top. Sure felt good though. The real hot tub is outside.

Today we are going to shop in Jackson. There are tons of shops. They even have a Christmas shop, Yea!!! I fell in love with this town as a kid too. It was like magic with the wooden sidwalks etc. Of course, it has grown and become commercialized since then. I hope I'm not disappointed

Well, I better go. Dad has brought me breakfast. He goes to the diningroom and then brings me a plate. I just laze around the room and get ready (and write to you) while he goes to eat. I am just not a breakfast first thing kind of person.

Sean, the place we camped with my folks if called Flagg Ranch. It has really changed. It is very commercialized. The part we stayed in has actually been closed. Atlease it is right now. They may open it in the summer.

Hope you are all doing well. We are having lots of fun.

Love you all,

Mom

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Ma and Dad ran away to Wyoming

Here is the latest email I got from them...

Hi,
We are having a blast. Yesterday we went to Yellowstone.We saw the two things I wanted most and LOTS more. My feet hated me big time. It was worth it. We saw Old Faithful and Morning Glory Pool and most of the upper geyser basin. It was cool. Old Faithful went off twice while we were there. We took pictures from two sides. We explored the Old Faithful Lodge and had lunch/dinner in their cafeteria. We didn't see any bears but lots of other animals.

Today we are going to Jenny Lake and Jackson Lake Lodge. They are on our list. We are trying to do the most outdoor stuff on the warmest projected days. Tonight is our Bar J Wrangler dinner and show. The only thing preplanned.

I am practicing on the lap top, as you can tell.
Talk to you soon.

Love you all, Mom