Laziness...

I'll admit it, I've been too lazy to post anything. We've been busy enjoying our summer and I've taken lots of pictures of the kids at the playground, the spray-park and soccer games. I've just been too lazy to post them here. We are going to our family reunion picnic this weekend and I'll be taking pictures there too. My plan is to post some of those when I get back. We'll see I guess! :)

What They Found

The old adage "when it rains it pours" can be so true at some point in everyone's lives. Apparently it's my turn! I went to the dermatologist on June 3rd for a biopsy of a suspicious looking mole on my back. He removed it and I've been anxiously waiting for the results, trying to not to get freaked out...(I may have a tendency to assume I have cancer most of the time, no matter what the test is I'm going for.) Well, I got the letter in the mail I've been waiting for and the mole was a dysplastic nevi. What does that mean? It's benign but may become cancerous, so I have to go in for a check up in 4-6 months. Here is my "new" lifestyle awareness plan as found on the Skin Cancer Foundation website.

Dysplastic Nevi Prevention Guidelines
Anyone who has an increased risk of developing melanoma must be particularly vigilant. Do any of these risk factors apply to you: light eyes, hair, and/or skin; freckles; many moles; personal or family history of melanoma or nonmelanoma skin cancer; sun sensitivity; inability to tan; repeated and intermittent sunburns; a very large mole present at birth, or dysplastic nevi?

The best advice is “Know your skin.” Each family member should become aware of all moles on his/her total skin surface to minimize the risk of melanoma progressing to life-threatening stages.

Anyone, especially someone with an increased risk of developing melanoma, should:

* Examine the skin completely each month, using a good light source (to illuminate the areas being examined), a full-length mirror and a hand-held mirror. Ask a family member or friend to help in examining hard-to-see parts of the body. A hair dryer is useful when checking the scalp. Also, examine the bottom of the feet and between the toes.
* Seek prompt medical attention if any of the warning signs of melanoma described earlier are found.
* Have a head-to-toe skin examination by a physician annually or more often. If moles are changing, as they may during adolescence, they should be checked at more frequent intervals. Inform your doctor about any moles that have suspicious signs, symptoms, or changes.

SUGGESTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH DYSPLASTIC NEVI

If your doctor suspects dysplastic nevi, one or more moles may be biopsied — removed in a minor surgical procedure for microscopic examination. It is not necessary to remove all dysplastic nevi. However, if moles show significant change or signs of melanoma, or if new moles appear after age 40, they may be considered for removal by your physician.

When the diagnosis of dysplastic nevus is confirmed microscopically, it is advisable to:

* write down a complete family history of unusual moles, melanomas or other cancers. Discuss it with your doctor.
* have regular complete skin examinations at intervals suggested by your doctor, and advise family members to do the same.
* supplement regular medical checkups with monthly selfexamination of the skin.
* reduce sun exposure. Excessive exposure may stimulate formation of new moles or even cause melanomas.
* check with your doctor about having a set of full-body photographs taken, especially if family members have dysplastic nevi or melanoma and/or you have many moles. Changes can be more easily spotted in this way.
* have any unusual or changing skin growth examined promptly by your doctor.
* check with your physician to see if an eye examination is recommended, since moles and melanomas may also arise in the eyes.
* be concerned, but don’t worry excessively.

With regular self-examination, professional examination, and common sense, you greatly reduce your chances that a melanoma will grow to a threatening size before it can be detected and removed.
PREVENTING SKIN CANCER

While skin cancers are almost always curable when detected and treated early, the surest line of defense is to prevent them in the first place. Here are some sun safety habits that should be part of everyone’s daily health care:

* Seek the shade, especially between 10 A.M. and 4 P.M.
* Do not burn.
* Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
* Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day.
* Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours.
* Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens should be used on babies over the age of six months.
* Avoid tanning parlors and tanning devices.
* Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.
* See your doctor every year for a professional skin exam.

One of the Sister Missionaries That Taught Me

Plays a mean violin! I was blessed to have her perform at my baptism. Here is a video of her jammin to Metallica!



She has a youtube channel too. Go check her out!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SETH!

It seems like it was just yesterday that Seth was born. I was actually talking about our adventures in the hospital on Saturday and I mentioned that it seems like it just happened. Seth was so tiny when he was born, he was a month early, but he was so cute. I held him for only a few seconds after he was born and then I finally got to really hold him 4 days later. Mike and I are so grateful that he is healthy.
Seth on his first birthday! I was finding cake stuck to the walls behind him for months after his birthday! He was such a bald, little mess!
I'm 2! Seth LOVES the slides at the playground! He finally had some hair too! He's such a little peanut, but you wouldn't know it from the way he acts!
Seth has always had a love of animals. He has a short temper, but is sweet and kind to animals. When he turned 3 we had a zoo party for Seth! I painted animal faced on the kids and they ran around like animals, it came easy to them!
BATMAN! Seth became obsessed with Batman at a very young age! By the time he was 4 years old, it was all he wanted to do and talk about. This is a birthday card that Grandpa Don had commissioned for Seth, it's awesome!

Seth's obsession with Batman turned into an obsession with bats! This is his bat cake. I think it's his favorite one yet. 5 years old and heading off to kindergarten in the fall. How did 5 years go by so fast? Seth is so smart, he's already well on his way to reading and loves to learn. Seth Simmons...what are you going to get for your 6th birthday? A NEW CAR! Well, you're kind of short to reach the pedals...how about a new bike! Seth's really grown alot in the last year and is too tall for his old little bike, so we bought him a new one! Grandma and Grandpa bought Seth a new helmet with Spiderman on it! He loves it! He's so cute!
Seth is 7 years old! I can hardly believe that 7 years have passed from that first day I laid eyes on him. It has been a roller coaster ride with this crazy boy. He can be so sweet and then like a switch he's the naughtiest kid...but we love him anyway. Seth will be very successful when he grows up, it's something I've felt from the time he was born. At only 9 months old when we were in the hospital getting his blood drawn the tech came into the room and stopped when she looked at him. She said "that boy is going to bring the word of God to the people some day." I was amazed at her statement, but whole heartedly believe it. Seth has a way with words, he's so funny sometimes making words rhyme and making up new words. This talent with words is not limited to fun, he's so good at remembering scriptures that have touched him and his little world. Seth dreams of being a veterinarian some day, he loves
animals and begs for a pet almost daily!
A few stats:
favorite color, red.
favorite food, pop-tarts.
favorite animal, penguin.
best friend, Karlee.
favorite toy, light saber.
favorite place to be, zoo.

Seth, I love you. I am so grateful that you are part of our family! You are a special boy.
Happy Birthday!

Time Out for Women

These are the awesome presenters from the conference I attended last weekend. I highly recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to go. Call me, and if I can, I'll go with you! :)



http://deseretbook.com/time-out

New Moon Countdown Official Poster

Here is the poster! I'm so excited for New Moon! I'm going to the premier at midnight again and I can't wait!

Like Daughter, Like Mother

Thank you Crystal (for having the nose of a dog!)

Just like when Brooke saved the house from fire almost 1 year ago to the day, on May 15th 2008, Crystal saves the house last night (May 11th 2009) from what could have been an even worse fire.

See, last year Brooke finally got the attention of her dad who was ignoring her cries of "DADDY! DADDY!" and brought it to my attention that she found the grill had spit fire from it's rusting base and had caught the dry leaves below it on fire. Sure, it was stupid to burn right there, but the point is my beautiful daughter stayed safe, yelled for help, and saved the house from possibly going up in flames.

That was at dinner time, with all 6 of us up and awake and ready to run if needed.

Now, almost 365 Gregorian days later (I'm leaving the word Gregorian there because Fire Fox didn't spell check underline it, and it might make me sound smart to someone...whether I am or not) Crystal busts out some pregnancy nose techniques and smells plastic burning while in the upstairs bathroom. When she comes back downstairs and tells me, she says it's coming from the dishwasher. We put this brand new dishwasher in a few months ago, and it's worked pretty good. Well, I open it up, find nothing wrong, and run the cycle till it's done.

Yesterday, Crystal runs the dishwasher again while I'm gone at work, and stops it mid way through because of the smell of burning plastic again.....go go gadget dog sniffer (of course, that's not meant to be mean, but go ahead and think I'm a jerk if you must...most people do based on my writings.)

I get home from work and she tells me it's from underneath the dishwasher. So, reluctantly (because I'm lazy and not a dishwasher repairman.....but I do show a good crack when I need to) I open up the bottom access panel and call for my flashlight. The flashlight didn't come on it's own, and didn't even think to bring me my slippers, so Crystal got it for me.

I laid there on the floor for a few minutes looking mostly at the left side of the parts. Then, I looked to the right and found a melted plastic wire nut.



It was melted in half. It was melted to the wooden floor. It was a fire hazard laying in wait.

Crystal possibly saved us from a fire that could have happened at anytime (think, running the dishwasher as you go up to bed, delayed start to finish before you wake up....)

We'll never know if anything tragic really would have happened from it or not, but either way, I'm very grateful for a wife who has the nose of a hound dog (and a face of an angel), and who listened to the little voice in her head that said the dishwasher was evil!


PS - I'm taking applications for an electrician and a dish washer. Payment for services in rice and beans only.

PPS - I'm sure Crystal will take offense to your request that she sniffs out drugs in your children's bedrooms, but, of course, if you make that request with a few thousand dollars, she may just do it!

PPPS - My wife can catch bigger fish than your wife. Na Na Na