Garden Tea Party

On Saturday, we had a garden tea party to celebrate Rachel's birthday! Sarah did such a cute job decorating and throwing the party, I think she should go into catering! Anyways, it was such a cute little patio party and everyone looked just magical! It was an Alice in Wonderland theme so the food had signs that said "eat me" and the pitcher of lemonade had a sign that said "drink me". Oh I just wanted to run out and buy me a tea set after it was just darling! I love being a girl!My cute sisters. Cheryl and Celeste and her daughter Cambry!Celeste, Cheryl, Rachel (Birthday girl!) and Merrit!And of course, me and Grandma Pearl!

Girls Night

On Friday, all us girls went up to the hospital to visit Britney and have a girls night. She is not allowed to even leave the 8th floor of the hospital, let alone open her window. She can walk around as long as she is wearing a yellow jumpsuit, gloves, and a mask. We were laughing because she said she feels like she is in the CDA (child detection agency) from the movie Monster's Inc. We took her up some Cafe Rio dinner which is her favorite and just sat around and laughed and talked and went on a walk around the floor in her suit. It was a fun night! Britney has been so positive and been doing so good. And up to this point she still hadn't lost too much hair. However, the next morning, she woke up to quite a bit of hair loss. They are thinking she is going to end up shaving her head today or sometime soon. Enough about the bad news, here are some fun pictures from the hospital. The pole that has her IV and her chemo on it she has literally been stuck to since the day she got admitted. She named her pole Shithead (prounounced Shu-theed)!

Owen the Helper

The other day I was wiping down Owen's high chair with some Clorox wipes. So without even thinking about it, Owen walked over to his wipes, opened them up, pulled one out and came over and started to wipe down his chair with me. It was so cute! He had his little hand on his wipe and was just wiping it around just like me. This is just one of the many things he does to mimic me. He knows exactly what a vacuum and broom are and when I let him play with them, he tries to vacuum and sweep. He even has the back and forth motion going on! haha. What a helper! :)
It truly makes you realize how much your children are watching you even when you don't think they are.

Britney Jill McPherron Graham!

WARNING: This is a little long, but I have to get my feelings out...
I have been kinda been putting off posting about this because I have had a really hard time with this and I am not quite sure how to put down all my feelings and emotions. How do you even explain something like this? Anyways, enough is enough...while I was in Hawaii, one of my best friends, Britney McPherron called me and told me she was in the hospital and had been diagnosed with A.L.L. which is leukemia. That stands for acute lymphatic leukemia. One of our other friends started a blog about it and has been posting the news everyday...this next bit is from that blog, I couldn't say it any better.
"The past week Britney wasn't feeling good, she had been in and out of I believe 2 or 3 different doctors offices trying to pin point what exactly is going on. Maybe some type of stones, maybe her birth control was messing with her, maybe she pulled a muscle in her side. One of the doctors finally decided to take some blood, and see if he could narrow anything down. He told her he would call her personally by Wednesday, and tell her if anything was abnormal. Abnormal it is. I cannot believe it.
So, Britney gets the phone call and tells her that she otta come in to have a little chat. A few hours later, she is on her way to LDS hospital, and she is told she cannot leave for at least 4 weeks. Did not even have a chance to run home and get her things. Wow how life can change for someone just like that. One of those situations where they are being very cautious and want to give her the best treatment. I guess that included not risking any type of injury, just go straight to the hospital, and that is what she did."
I have been very emotional since I have heard the news as you can imagine as she is one of my best friends in the whole world. It is funny how things like this happen everyday and yet we pass by not noticing or when we hear them we think how sad it is but then move on but of course when it is a loved one, it really makes you stop and think about what is important in life.
Britney truly is one of the most amazing, beautiful people I know. She has always been so strong. When we were all being stupid in High School she never let her guard down. She served a mission in Slovenia. She has always been the rock for our friends! She definitely deserves this the least of anyone I know. How could someone so amazing and beautiful have this happen to them?
When we got home from Hawaii, the first day we got back we went in immediately to see her. It was so crazy to see this wonderful person in the hospital. She didn't look bad at all, in fact she looked great. She was just sitting there, smiling and being her wonderful happy self. She had about a trillion IV's in her and huge bruises on her arms from being poked and prodded so much, but other than that, same old Brit!
I am in awe at how she is fighting and reacting to all this. She has stayed upbeat and positive and has been such an example to me of how much prayers can truly comfort a person. I know she has her hard moments but rather than wallow in her sorrow, she truly has tried to stay positive and calm during everything.
On top of all this, because of her meds and treatment, she now has Diabetes! Before each meal, she has to have her sugars tested, and have a dose of insulin. Isn’t that great, poor thing is turning into a pin cushion.
Today was a really hard day for me and I have been bawling all night. I went in to see her today again with Owen and right as I got there the nurse was actually putting in the first dose of Chemotherapy. She has just been on a steroid drip until this point, but the actually Chemo was started today. We call it the "hard stuff" because it's the stuff that is going to make her lose her hair and have all the yucky side effects. That means, by this time next week, she may not have any hair at all. I was so thankful to be there while this happened! I love her so much! We have been good friends since middle school. I am so thankful for her husband Joe for being there for her and being so great. She has an amazing family and they have been there every day for her. There is quite a large group of us girls that have stayed friends and stayed close since High School and we have all gone in and visited her quite a lot. I know she has so much support and is feeling all our prayers.
Tonight, her mom came in and cut some of her hair so it wouldn't be quite so long and tramatic when it started to come out. My sister Celeste, does photography (Studio C photography) and went in and took some pictures for her for free. She will give her the disc and everything. I wasn't able to be there but I know from talking to her and some friends that it was amazing, I can't wait to see the pictures! I will post some as soon as I can!
I feel like I am jumping around and not making any sense because I have so many feelings and emotions and keep crying and I don't know how to get everything out. I am so grateful to know Britney, she is my strength in so many ways. Each time I see her she is happy, and positive. Even talking about the dreaded hair loss, she just says, “It will be fine”.
Everyday I learn so much from Britney. She has already showed me so much COURAGE and I admire her so much. I admire her sweet spirit, her faith in our Savior, and so much more.
Please Pray for my Brit! Pray her her family and others that are suffering with her as well. Keep the prayers coming and I will post more as I hear more news!

Kauai!

Well we are finally back from Hawaii! Well, Kauai to be exact...all I can say is it was AWESOME! Just what the doctor ordered! haha. We had an absolute blast and I was excited to see Owen and be a mom again! We went with our friends Kyle and Jana who we also went to Guatemala 2 years ago with, we love to go on trips with them and always have fun! Well here are some pictures from the trip!
This is all day one, we kayaked down a river into Hanalei Bay then we saw this cute valley, went to Sealodge beach and Queens bath and finished with a perfect sunset!
Day 2, we went to Holipoli beach. I kept forgetting the name and starting calling it Rolly Polly beach. Unfortunately, we got our rental car stuck in the sand and had some drunk locals pull it out and jack it up so we had to get a new car. So I guess we will see in a few months exactly how expensive this trip ended up being!
Day 3 brought us on an 8 mile hike roundtrip. 2 miles to a beach of death and 2 more miles to a 300 foot waterfall. It was awesome and took us all day. This hike was no walk in the park...tough stuff. But it was fun and worth it!
Day 4 was our rafting adventure...and Lee's Birthday! Best birthday present ever! We saw dolphins and sea turtles and then snorkeled and Lee touched a turtle. After we went to Kipu falls and jumped off a 30 foot waterfall. I don't have pics because I was too busy playing!
We finished off the last few days of our trip just relaxing and going to more beaches and snorkeling, shopping and we even went to a luau! On the last morning Lee and I got up early to watch the sunrise. It was absolutely bueatiful! I am going to miss it!

I need a break!

I know it has been a while since I have posted and I just have been really busy. Owen has been an absolute nightmare lately! He has been teething molars so he is sad all the time and grumpy and then he has been throwing temper tantrums like no other. I swear all he does all day is whine and/or cry. Part of his little tempers are that he can't say any words yet. He still only says mama. But he will stand at the counter and just lift up his hands and cry. I know it is frustrating because he can't communicate yet and I just have to sit there and guess what he wants. After the way he has been acting this past week or two I am getting even more and more excited for Hawaii! We leave on Friday and will be back the following Saturday! I seriously can't wait. It will be a nice needed break so I can recharge and hopefully be a better mom. So I probably won't be posting again till after we get back! I am taking at least 5 swimsuits too so that is so exciting! haha. Well TTFN ta ta for now!!

Hardy Family

Here are some pics of my side of the family that we had taken last fall, they are the most recent pics I have of all of us together. I love my family and am so thankful for them! Lee had grown out his hair and goatee so he looks a little different than he does now but he is still my love and I still think he is so cute! Anyways enjoy my family...Adria, these pics are for you! First up is Cheryl my little sister. She is going to Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. She ran to be a senator (I think?) and she got it so next year she has half tuition paid! Lucky! She is so cute and funny and has the funniest craziest stories and pictures of all time.
Here is my brother Kyle, also my younger sibling. He is a cutie! He is going to school at Utah State in Logan. We really miss living up there and being close to him! He came over almost every sunday and had dinner with him. He is playing Lacrosse for Utah State and probably being chased by all the ladies!
Here is my older sister Celeste with her family. Ron, her hubby and her two kids Keaton and Cambry. They are the cutest kids ever and they love their cousin "baby Owen". Although I am not too sure he is much of a baby anymore! I can't believe how much I can love nieces and nephews. They are like my children I love them so much!
My mom and dad with their grandkids. I LOVE this picture because Owen is so happy and smiling so big!
Finally our group pic, this one actually isn't my favorite one of all of us but with the lighting its the one you can see us the best. I love my family!