Every day

Gabby helping with dishes. We can pull her hair into one pony!

Cash playing car wash and Gabby walking right behind him.

So I haven't blogged lately. There really hasn't been anything big to write about. I am not saying I am not busy. Being a mom is so busy. I just snapped pictures of our lives lately. We are doing well and hangging in there. The kids and I are getting ready to go to SLC next Wed. for my sister and my new nephew. I do have a week old nephew now. My sister-n-law had her son last week. I really think he looks just like Grandpa Syphus. Cute and round. Congrats to you Lala. Ben has been taking Cash fishing a lot. He says that he ends up crying and wants to go home about half into it. But they don't come home for a few hours late. And Cash is always wet from head to toe. Go figure! I am so glad to say that my daughter has interest in walking. Yay! She is walking behind things now and will walk with you with one hand. That's about all except that I have really been enjoying this weather.

Sweet big brother. You can tell they are tired.

Cash and the dogs heard the garage door open. That means Daddy's home! Happens about every day.

Gabby destroying a diaper. All I got to say is GODZILLA!

He has such a cute smile.

Alan, Ben and Cash fishing. A whole day of it.

Family Reunion and fun...

So we had our family reunion over Memorial weekend with my mom's side of the family. They all came down here to St. George because my grandma isn't doing so well. We got condos over in Green Valley area. On that Saturday we had a dinner for the "Good Samaritans" that pulled my grandpa out of his truck after his accident. It was neat and very pleasant evening. And Sunday we just swam all day long. It wasn't exciting put it was fun with my kids. And you all know my son loves the water and he thinks he is a fish. Well, we had a very scary incident. I was in the kiddie pool with him and I took his muscles off. I was talking to Ben who was sitting on the side. I heard my brother-n-law yell Cash's name. I turned and saw he was getting in the bigger pool and he got in and then he was going to step of the ledge that was in the pool. I jumped out of the pool and then he was gone. I moved so fast that I didn't realize I landed on my knee and my left side. I got him and of course he was smiling as I pulled him up. It scared him a little and it gave me a heart attack. Afterward I notice my knee and my side. That is the consequences of having a child not afraid of anything.
Monday we went and had family pictures done. Don't have them quit yet but I will post them as soon as I get them. Swam some more and played card games. It was low key reunion. It was well needed. I forgot my camera all that weekend except for when we did family pictures. This one is of cute Gabby. Didn't get much more than that.
Then last weekend wasn't much fun I was sick with the flu all weekend. The video I got the today is so funny. I dedicate it to Ashley and to the "Spitfire Girls." This is what happens every time we don't give her what she wants or pay attention to her. She maybe a cutie but she is Godzirra!

Run for the pink and some stuff since...

Cash and Gabby and the best way to travel with kids!

We had the opportunity to be part of something special this month. The kids and I went up to S.L.C. during Mother's Day weekend. That Saturday we got a team together for the Komen Breast Cancer Run. What a neat experience it was.

Gabby and her two cousins (Nat and Squid)

Before I get to that that day, when we got to my sister's home we had some time as a family to spend together. It was funny to watch my father try to jump a foot scooter and he ate dirt several times before getting it. We also tried to jump rope as adults and I am sure we looked like idiots. And then my sister went and got their neighbors motor scooter and the kids loved it. Cash didn't want to get off.

Prego Kandiss and the scooter. She is so big! Haha am not pregnant!

The next day we got up really early to get to the race which was at the Gateway. It was really cold that morning but we meet up with most of the team. When the race began, it was nuts. I couldn't believe how many people were there. 20,000 people in pink. I was awe struck. It was one of the coolest things to see. The road was wall to wall people. It was neat to see that cancer affects everyone. It so fun. We did leaps and cartwheels. We all stayed in our group. We saw all kinds of teams. When we were done we got some lunch and went home and crashed. Then for Mother's Day Cash made me flowers from his hands at church and we took my mom to Little America for dinner and then my dad and I went home that day. That evening Ben took Cash fishing and they got another fish!

Papa and Cash cruisin' on the scooter.

Cash, Nat, Nana, and myself with bikers supporting the pink.

Cash on Papa's shoulders and Squid on Jeff's shoulders.

Papa, Nat, Cash, Squid, and Nana sporting pink!

Family girls in pink!

Team Nana!

Cash really likes to fish and spend time with his dad. That Wednesday was my birthday and I didn't do much. Ben and I spent the the day together without the kids. It was way nice since it doesn't happen much.

Cash and his new pal!

Cash and his new pole!

I have been really busy because we moved my Aunt Shirlene down to live with my grandma and her and I have tried to clean out and organize my grandparents house. So I am there a lot. It has been really hard and sad work. My grandma is dying and it really is not so fun to watch. But I am glad that my children get to be with her. I love her so much.

Victorious Nana!

With a ending I want to tell my mom that I am so very glad I had the opportunity to do the Breast Cancer Run with her. If she had never gotten the cancer I would never seen the most incredible thing and that was to see all those people join together and walk/run for the people they love. It was very special experience for me. I can not put in words what it meant to me. My life the last year has been full of hardships, scary moments and most of all, loss. But to be there and see that not only am I lucky to have a mother who fought and is winning but to see that cancer will be won some day. To see the people represent their loved ones they lost or see the survivors and the ones supporting them. It was a very good moment that I think I needed in my crazy life. I love God and all that he does (good or bad-very hard) I will be ready to go head on. I have the most love and support from my family and that is all I need. I love you all.

Shishing, shishing, shishing!

Okay, I had to blog this right away. Ben has been taking Cash fishing the last few days because Cash inherited a fishing pole from Grandpa Dooley. So when Ben took Cash this evening I told him to get pictures. He got one and a great video. Ben told me that this fish was on Cash's pole and it fought like hell. It even jumped out of the water. So when you watch the video you will be shocked to watch this creature lay still and not move. It really looks dead. I guess my son inherited something very special from me and that is creatures of all kinds seem to like us. We have a trusting/kind presence about us when it comes to God's creatures. I am so very excited that Cash has come to enjoy fishing with his daddy. Every morning he asks to go "Shishing!" We love our little man.

Sadness, Easter, and Anniversary all rolled in one...

As you probably all know my grandfather passed away last week. It was very devastating. It all started last Tuesday the 11th. My mom got a phone call,in the afternoon while we were swimming, from the hospital. They said my grandpa got into a serious accident. When we got there, they had decided to life flight him up north due to his injuries. He had brain trauma and his brain was swelling, broken femur, and several fracture ribs and broken ones that punctured both lungs. He was on a breathing machine when I saw him. His accident was in the news because he kind of stopped traffic on I-15 south right at the beginning of the Gorge. So all of my family left the night very late. I had to stay because I didn't have our truck and I had to start a new job on Friday. So I got to say my goodbyes in the ER before they took him. It was very hard for me because my grandpa and I always hit heads. So seeing this man who intimated me all my life, laying there broken and so fragile.
So the next two days were really hard. Harder than I thought it would be. But I was all by myself with my kids with no family and no husband. I called every two hours for those two days. Then on Thursday they told me that they had decided to take him of life support. And when they did he died within 5 minutes. The only man I knew as grandpa had passed away. I was very grateful when I got the news that I was with a very good friend and his wife. They made it seem okay. But that night was one of the longest nights of my life.


So, all my family came back on Friday and Saturday because they chose to have the viewing on Sunday and the funeral on Monday. Saturday well all went to Chuck-o-Rama in memory of my grandpa because he loved that place. And all of us wore on his shirts. He loved his wildlife animal shirts! We also just hung out and went through stuff of his and cried and laughed, watched home videos and so forth. We also colored eggs and did our traditional Easter Egg hunt. We do it at dark. So the kids have flash lights and hunt for the treasures in a park. Cash was so fun. He kept screaming, "EGGS!" He had a good time.


Sunday was Easter, of course. My kids woke up and started for the candy. Gabby loved to try to break the eggs open. We got ready and went to the viewing. It was really hard for me to walk by his body. I don't do well with corpses. The reason for it is that when I was 12, my sister and I found my other grandpa dead in his bed. Not a very good memory. So I have a hard time with the dead. It was a pleasant time with everyone there. My daughter got a lot of attention with her glasses. Cash and most of the other kids were in the nursery room. I forgot to mention that it was Ben and I's anniversary that day. Six long years for us! We didn't get to celebrate it and I am okay with that because it was not the time. So we are tonight.


Then Monday was the funeral. I had to work in the morning then I meet up with Ben and the kids at his moms house. The funeral was beautiful. I want to let one person know that his speech really touched me. Larry, when you said goodbye I lost it. I know where you come from and even know that it was not all fun and games with grandpa, he still has a huge impact on us. I love you Larry and Shannon. You mean so much to our little family. Thank you for all that you have done for us.
Anyways, my kids were the loudest and naughtiest of all the kids. Cash almost knocked the coffin over. Go figure! At the burial site they did a 21 gun solute and the folded the flag. It was really hard when they did that. Military funeral's are always harder for me. So we all put a flower on the grave for him. I also found out that day that my son has the chicken pox. Yay for me!
I just want to say that I loved my grandpa with all my heart! He made a difference in this world. And one thing that I will never forget was that he loved my children. And he was so happy and glowing when he saw my children. That made up all the hard times between him and I. He always kept bugging Ben to take him to Alaska. So I was planning a trip for those two to go.
Here is to you grandpa, a sunset in Alaska. I love you so very much. I will miss you. (My sister made a video of my grandpa that I can't top. Just click the Dockstader family.)

Spring and Family

Me, Gabby, Ashtyn, McKenna, Branson, Cash, Donnavon, Jayden, JaNeil

Well, this last weekend some of my family came down. The Strong's and all there kids, but one. And my Aunt Karen and her kids. It was a good weekend. We went to Town Square and let the kids get their feet wet. And, of course, my son loves water. He couldn't even wait to get his suit on to get in. And Gabby had fun, too. The water was cold but the kids didn't mind. That is really the most exciting thing we did. The rest of the time we spent with my grandma. She is not doing well and she doesn't leave the house. So we spent a lot of time in the house. We went through old pictures. Some really neat old pictures. We found this one of my great great great grandpa working on the rail roads. It was a good time.


Monday, I took the kids for their shots and Gabby's 1 year check-up. Cash didn't even cry. And he is growing well. He had an ear infection, though. I didn't even know. And well, Gabby gave us a scare. She has not gained weight for 3 months now. So the doctor wanted to do blood tests. So on top of her shots she had to get blood drawn. We found out that everything was okay. We just have to take her in every month to check her weight. She is only 17.5 lbs. She is in the lower 4 percentile. We also went to the eye doctor and he said we won't be needing surgery on her eyes. The glasses work. So for now she has to do the patch and for the rest of her life she will have glasses or contacts. So all in all good news.
But on Thursday after lunch when Gabby woke up, she wouldn't stop throwing up. She has been real sick with a fever of 102 or higher. But this morning she woke up and kept her small amount of liquid and food down. So hopefully she is on the mend. Cash, I am glad to report is potty trained. Yay for Cash! The only thing we are working on is his night time stuff. He is getting better at waking up and letting me know he needs to go. I don't expect his night time potty training to be complete for a couple months.

More Pics

Cash, Gabby, and mommy on zoo train.

Gabby and Cash with the treats that Aunt Kandiss gave them.

Cash and Sydney causing trouble.

Mommy stressed out at the wedding.

Kids and I at the wedding.

Cash helping Gabby open her presents.

Gabby and cake squishing in her toes.

Gabby and her cake. YUMMY! Give me a kiss!

Gabby and her bath in the sink after cake.

Daddy and Cash

Cash and his dumper going down the slide.

Gabby enjoying the park.