Tractor Time

A tradition of our family is to go to the Johnson County Fair. It's not a very big fair, so you can find a favoirte thing to do and do it a couple of times during the week.

One of our favorite things at the fair is the tractor and truck pull. This year Johann took the old 3 and I walked around with Rebecca. I watched part of it with them, but it was loud and Ammon & Corrine were getting bored so we left to walk around.
Our favorite animal this year was a mother mini rex rabbit and her 6 babies who were 5 weeks old. We took many visits to thier cage and pet them many times. We also saw the pigs, cows, goat and sheep. The sheep were the 2nd runners up by the kids. We sanitized our hands enough times to have needed to send them a replacement bottle of hand sanitizer to the county!

Tractor wheels-the BIGGER the better! Each year we've take a picture of the kids in the biggest wheel we can find. Then the kids climb all over the tractors and drive the smaller tractors and lawn movers.

This year Simeon got to hold a snake. The lady was talking to Simeon and asked if he liked the snake. He said he did. To that she made the comment "maybe when your older you can show your mom you can be really responsible she'll let you get a snake." I told her he's been wanting a dog but I'm not even ready for that!
We always go back for the fireworks on Thursday evening. We park in the north parking lot, and sit by the van to watch them, so we can get out before the crowd. They always shoot off giant fireball fireworks. The 1st time I saw them I thought the fireworks had exploded and the people setting them off were going to be hurt-then it happened again. If you can hear the music you'd hear the song "goodness gracious Great balls of fire!" just as the fireballs explode.
Ammon wanted to wear his fireman suit to the fair to see the "FIRE" works. When we got there the kid spotted the firetrucks. Ammon went right to them. One of the fireman saw him and was so excited to see him dressed up. He asked him if he wanted to go in the firetruck-boy did he ever. He lifted him right up so he could explore. Ammon seemed to make the firemans night and the firefighter made Ammon's night.

This year we were lucky to get nice weather and few bugs which made the fair an even better time.

Lost Island Waterpark

Dance Marathon added Lost Island Waterpark in Waterloo as their 2nd summer activity this year. We of course jumped at the chance to go to a waterpark. The week leading up to today was very chilly and not such great waterpark weather. Today wasn't the warmest either, but it was at least in the low 80's.

Simeon had been talking about going down Lost Souls Fall-a free fall body slide for weeks. We hadn't been at the park very long before he said he was ready to go on it. We measured him and he was just at the height he needed to be. He ran up and went right down. His face at the bottom of the slide looked scared, but he came out cheering and saying it was "AWESOME", but that it hurt his back. He then went on it 2 more times.




Ammon must get colder faster then anyone else because he was shivering and his lips were blue tinged, but he kept going. He found out that laying on the ground was warm, so he'd lay down while Johann was taking Corrine on a ride to warm up. He also had his life vest on which might have kept the water on him longer, and the slight breeze made it chilly at times.


Corrine loved the wave pool, and even when mom was with her (who wasn't swimming) she still wanted to go far into on her tube. She doesn't mind getting her face wet and was up for any ride dad took her on.


We really enjoyed this waterpark. We've been to almost all of them in Iowa nd this is our favorite. It had 3 play areas for younger kids and lots of different areas to sit at. It had so many slides all over the park. The lazy river was really long, and it was so nice and easy to get in and out of. It was also shallow enough that even Ammon could walk through it.



Rebecca being only 3 weeks old I was not about to let her new skin get burned. She spent the day in the front carrier with a hat on her head and a blanket covering her body. Rebecca and mom spent lots of time at the bottom of the slides waiting and following everyone else around.

Playing with Color

Today we pulled out the last of Crayola sidewalk paint to paint the driveway. Mom thought that it would be fun to take the 3 colors provided-pink, yellow and blue and make as many colors as we could using those colors.


At first that's what we did, but then the kids started mixing ALL the colors, original colors and make colors to make even more colors.



What they ended up making was shades of brown paint that could be called nothing near beautiful.


Ammon & Corrine were very into what they were doing. Corrine loves making concoctions-so mixing wet paint was right up her alley of a fun summer activity!

What's going on with Ammon

When Ammon was a baby he was very spitty. There were times I'd have to change my shirt because he spit up so much. Then when he became a toddler it turned more to stomach acid breath. When Ammon was about 2 I decided I'd had enough of him spitting up and having such yucky smelling breath. I called the Dr and over the phone he sent in a prescription for prevacid. Right away the meds started to work. We'd try taking him off them and the longest he could go would be about a month before his symptoms returned with a vengeance.
The dentist was concerned with the acid hurting his teeth, but they have so far been unaffected by the acid.
After about a year on the meds, they became less affective, and within a few months we doubled the dose. This seemed to work for a few months, but then it also stopped being affective. During the time from 3 1/2 -4 years old Ammon would have throw up episodes where he'd wake up throwing up and be really tired. I'd get him down for a nap and when he woke up around lunchtime he was fine and ready to eat. These happen every 3-4 weeks.


At Ammon's 4 year checkup I said I wanted to go see the pediatric GI specialist to find out what else we could do. We got an apt in late June, just before Rebecca was due.
They decided to do a endoscope and take some biopsy's to get a better look at what was going on. We scheduled it for July 22nd @ 3pm. We were very open with Ammon in letting him know what was going to happen at the apt. For the weeks before he kept asking when his "needle poke day" was. He was excited for it to come.
The day of his apt Simeon also had an apt with his oncologist for chemo. Ammon had to fast and we weren't sure how he would handle that. Ammon never asked for food, and only once said he was thirsty. He patiently waiting through Simeon's apt. When Simeon was getting his chemo the nurse came and got Ammon to start checking him in.
Ammon was brought to the recovery room where he would be before and after his procedure. They put "special lotion" aka numbing cream on both hands and forearms, so they'd have lots of numb places to place the IV.


We participated in a study on pain management. We drew the lot to have me be the sole person to distract him during the IV placement. Ammon did awesome with it. The vein in his right hand blew, so they moved to his right forearm and got it placed. He was so curios watching them placing the IV. He only one time seemed scared and needed to be distracted to calm down. He was so sweet telling them "I can feel that" "Can you take the needle out please." Then when they moved to his arm he told them "you don't need to do that now." "We can wait" He was very polite and asked them "please" lots of times, but they still had to put the IV in.
The sedation nurse came to meet us and she was so kind and helpful. She was also a NICU nurse so she just loved over Rebecca.


When it was time to go to the treatment room, the nurse gave him half of the silly medicine so that he would be calm on the ride down the hallway. They have been doing remodeling on the floor and the treatment room used to be the infusion room where Simeon would get blood and chemo.
The nurse was very tricky on getting the nasal cannula on Ammon. She had him smell it then she smelled it and had him smell it again and placed it in his nose and he didn't even fuss with it. Then she gave him to sedation meds. He was put completely out. He was very agitated as he was going down. It was hard to see him like that. The nurse told me I could go once he was almost all the way down. It was so hard to walk out and leave him, but to be honest I was glad that I didn't need to stay and watch. I can handle alot of things, but seeing an endoscope on my 4 year old was more then I think I could have handled.


The scope took about 40 minutes-alittle longer then they said it would take.
When they brought him back he was completely asleep. He had the nasal cannula on, but without any airflow in it. He also had 3 sensors on his chest to watch his heart rate and breathing, and a pulse/oxygen monitor on his finger.


I was told he'd wake up in 20-30 minutes. After an hour the nurse came to help him wake up. He was given a 2nd sedation med during the procedure. I think he was taking advantage of a much needed summertime nap.
Once he woke up he started asking really politely for them to take the needle out. He was looking at all the monitors, and he even got to take the sensors off his chest and stomach. Then he started asking to go home.


We needed to go to the pharmacy, and he got a ride in a wheelchair-which just made his day. While we waited for Simeon's chemo Ammon perked up and ended up walking out of the hospital.
We stopped at McDonalds for dinner-which he just started at, but ended up eating hours later when he was fully back to himself.

The Results
He has inflammation in his esophagus and they increased his meds. He now take 30ml before breakfast and 15ml before dinner. His throwing up episodes has to do with his reflux. We are partially treating his condition. We go back in 3 months unless things don't seem to be improving.

Just perfect

I'm amazed at the details on this sweet little girl. Every thing down to the smallest toenail is perfect, tiny and so precious.






I could sit and just watch her and count her 10 little toes and her ten long fingers all day.

4-H on Wheels

This summer Corrine & Simeon took part in a program called 4-H on Wheels. It was put on through The Iowa State University extension programs. It met Monday afternoons for 6 weeks at Lucas Elementary school. Each week was a different theme. They played games, made different crafts and learned about each theme. The kids really enjoyed the program and if given the chance next year will do it again.



Plant Detectives-Grass Caterpillars and film canister green houses.

(Corrine's caterpillar grew so much hair that she had to give it lots of "hair cuts". We stopped watering them and they don't look so good anymore.)

Senses-Humorous honker (cup with wet string), egg shakers. (Corrine made hers with beans, popcorn, 1 paperclip, 1 cotton ball & 1 marshmallow. She asked me to guess what was in it. When I couldn't figure out all the things she laughed because she had tricked me since I couldn't hear the quiet things!

Going Green-water purifier, tote bags, Firecracker pretzels (pretzel rods with one end dipped in cream cheese then topped with shredded carrots).

Bug detectives- bee sound makers, frog houses, bug glasses.

Move It (Bodies)-homemade ice cream, bodies out of pasta and beans, apple smiles (Put peanut butter between 2 slices of apple, cut string cheese to look like teeth and put in PB)

Wild Water Week-rain sticks, bubble makers, mystery art (drew with white crayon then painted over with water paints) fruit kabobs.

Simeon's rain stick says "Go Cubs" on the outside.


Ice Cream in a Bag
1 pint sizes zip-lock bag
1 gallon sized zip-lock bag
1 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 tsp vanilla
6 Tbsp rock salt
ice cubes
duct tape

Combine half and half, sugar and vanilla in pint sized bag. Duct tape bag shut.
Fill gallon bag 1/3 of the way with ice and 3 Tbsp rock salt.
Place pint sized bag inside the gallon bag.
Fill gallon bag with ice and remaining rock salt. Duct tape shut.
Shake 5-10 minutes.
Open and Enjoy.

Homemade Bubble Solution
1 cup Dawn dish soap (the brand matters)
3-4 Tbsp of Glycerin
10 cups clean, cold water

Put water into bucket. Add Dawn dish soap.
Add glycerin (makes bubbles more durable by reducing evaporation)
Stir gently (you don't want a froth on top)

Rebecca's Blessing Day

Dad gave Rebecca a beauitful blessing this morning. Some of the things that I jotted down from it: The name she will be known as is Rebecca Lucy Smith. She is a choice soul and that her family is so excited to see her. That her siblings love her and to look to them as good examples. Follow mom and choose the right. Turn to the Savior for guidance and direction. Turn to Heavenly Father in struggles. That one day she will find a husband that will take her to temple to be married for time and all eternity. She has a loving mother. And all other blessings that the Lord sees to bless her with.

Those that stood in the circle: Grandpa Jenson, Grandpa Smith, Uncle Jake Smith, Shawn Goodman, Matt Fisher and President Brad Jones.

Grandma Riddle was able to be at church for Rebecca's blessing.

Today was such a beautiful day. Rebecca didn't sleep the greatest lastnight and I wasn't sure how she would be during the blessing. She usually wakes up and eats then stays awake for an hour or so, then drifts off to sleep for another hour or 2 before waking to eat. She was awake as we were getting ready then fell a sleep on the way to church. She slept quietly through the blessing and the rest of sacrament meeting which was a blessing because I was speaking on adversity and if she were to wake up hungry it would have been an adversity for everyone there!


She looked just like a little angel in her white dress and acted like one too. We are so excited and feel so blessed to be the parents to sweet little Rebecca.


Ammon, Corrine & Simeon can't get enough of their little sister who we know is fresh from Heaven.

GO Corrine GO

Corrine learned how to ride her bike with out training wheels!

This afternoon Johann took his bike down and got the tires all pumped up. So Corrine pulled her bike out, and so did Simeon. She hopped on and with just a few tries with Johann holding onto her seat, she was riding by herself!

For the longest time she was too scared to ride her bike without the training wheels, so for months it's been sitting in the garage collecting dust, but not anymore!!
We are so proud of you Corrine!

2 weeks with an angel

Today marks 2 weeks since Rebecca joined our family. So much has happened and changed in 2 weeks.
Lots of firsts.

1st tub bath July 8th-4 days old Absolutely LOVED the water. Cried when getting dried off and mom discovered that you need a diaper on quickly after a bath to avoid wetness!

1st Girls night out-July 8th-4 days old The boys were fishing with Cub Scouts and Corrine wanted to go to McDonald's for dinner and she insisted on eating there, then to Hyvee to pick up a must have medicine for mom. While we were eating I had Rebecca in her car seat hidden so no one even knew she was there with us. During dinner she started to cry. You could see all the eyes wondering where the newborn cry was coming from.
1st T-ball game July 9th-5 days I promised Ammon that Rebecca would come to his last T-ball game, and because she came earlier she was able to make it to his last 2 games. He enjoyed coming and checking on her during the game. When he didn't want to play we'd say Rebecca wanted him to and he'd go back out and play.

Umbilical cord falls off-July 11th- 7 days old it ended up scabbing over and the scab feel off on the 15th.
1st photo shoot-July 11th Uncle Justin came to the house to take your picture. You were wide awake and happy the entire time. We got some really adorable pictures.



Going to church July 12th-8 days old

1st dtr apt-July 17th 13 days Weight 7 lbs 14 oz 25%, Height 20.3 " 50%, Head 13.4" 15%
1st time meeting Herky & Perky July 18th 14 days old We were at the Sibling Group Family Picnic when Herky, Perky, Batman and some cheerleaders came to meet us. I wanted to get a picture of Rebecca with Herky. He sat down to play with a boy and i was able to get just Rebecca and Herky together. Then Perky came and asked if he could also hold her. I'm sure it's not everyday they get to hold such a little baby.

Our Little Firecracker

At 3:48 am we got to meet our Rebecca Lucy. She weighed 7 lbs 4 oz and was 19" long. She is healthy and adorable. Mom is doing good also.

What's in a name

So where did the sweet name Rebecca Lucy Smith come from.


Before we knew we were pregnant the kids played Narnia all the time. Simeon was Peter, Corrine was Susan, Ammon was Edmund and played without a Lucy.
When we told the kids that we were expecting Ammon right away started calling the baby Lucy. We told him that we didn't know if it was a girl or boy. Once we found out that we were having a girl we told the kids that her name would be Rebecca.
Rebecca is moms middle name Kari Rebecca. We both felt that Rebecca was a very fitting name for this sweet little girl even before meeting her.
We struggled with a middle name though. Many names we thought about were too long or they didn't flow right.
About a week before she was born we decided that Lucy was a perfect fit for her middle name. It flowed right and had significance since that is what she was called for so long.
We are asked alot if we'll shorten Rebecca to Becca or Becky, but we won't. She'll always be Rebecca or Rebecca Lucy.
After she was born we found out that Lucy is a family name on the Jenson side a handful of generations back.

Banking on it

When we got pregnant I knew right away that I wanted to bank the babies cord blood. There is so much research on diseases that it can help with or even cure. On the info about banking cord blood biphenotypic leukemia is there-you don't see it many places.
The next question was how would we come up with the money to pay for it? I got some information from a cord blood company and I mentioned we wanted to store it because we have another child with leukemia. She told me that they had a program that we could bank the cord blood for FREE!

After talking with the transplant coordinator at the hospital we decided to go with ViaCord and their sibling Connection Plan. They would collect, ship, test and bank the cord blood for 5 years at NO COST to us. At the end of the 5 years we can decide to continue to store it and pay the yearly fee, donate it or have them destroy it. The answer was a no brainer-if we aren't able to pay to keep it banked, then we will donate it.
I asked if someone else (besides Simeon) in our family could benefit from it could we use it for them, and they said we could, but that it is specifically saved for Simeon.
Simeon's leukemia will be considered "cured" after he's been off treatment for 5 years, which will be around the time that the program ends.

After Rebecca was born Dr. Clevenger went right to collecting every drop of cord blood. We now have a beautiful bag of possible life saving cells in case it should be needed.

There are many things I've considered "liquid gold" in my life but this bag tops them all. This "liquid gold" can save a life. It's a precious gift that Rebecca gave just by being the Heavenly child she is.


After the cord blood was collected, they drew blood from me to be sent it. Johann called the company and they made sure everything was labeled correctly. Our nurse was so kind staying and helping to make sure everything was correct. They saw in my file that we had a child with leukemia and she knew how extra important this was to us. After everything was checked Johann sealed the box and a courier came and picked it up. It was then flown to Kentucky to be tested then stored.


The results of the cord blood came back as: volume collected 84ml
Nucleated cell count (in millions) 528

To have a successful transplant the cord blood needs to contain 100 million nucleated cells-we far exceeded that. We pray that we will never have a need to use these cells, but if we ever do they are waiting.

A Birth Story

Thursday the 2nd I went to see my OB. She checked me said I was between 4-5cm dilated. I was set up to induced on Weds the 8th, IF I made it that far. She told me that if I started to have contractions to come in sooner rather then later since I tend to have fast labors and I was already halfway there.
Friday evening we went out to Kent Park (with bags packed) for the ward campout. While we were there I was really hot as it had gotten warmer and more humid throughout the day. I was having a few contractions, but nothing that we needed to start counting.
We left about 9:00pm and on the drive home I had another handful of contractions, getting a little stronger. We got home, put the kids to bed and went downstairs to watch the news. About 10:30 I started noticing that the contractions were getting stronger and more regular. I was getting uncomfortable with each one. About midnight I went to the bathroom then came back to the couch and my water broke. It wasn't a huge amount, but I was sure what it was.
We called Grandma Smith and got up to the hospital a little before 1 am.
They hocked me up to the monitors and said they'd check back in on us in a little while. They walked out and I had another gush of fluid.


The decided that I was indeed in labor (I think I walked in to easily to make them think I was in true labor. I do really well with pain until the transition phase.)
I got into the jetted tub, which helped me to relax, but after 30 mins in the tub the contractions were getting really strong and starting to hurt more.
At 3am after feeling like things had stalled for an hour or so they figured out that my water needed to be broke. My water had broke hours earlier-so why did it need to be broken? They guess that it broke on the side of her head and as she moved down it created another "pocket" of water that was keeping me from progressing.
My dtr came in broke my water and the contractions got really tough. I had debated about an epidural, but kept thinking I could do it without one, but nearly broke down and got one. Having my dtr come in and see me gave me a burst of "I can do this".
After about 30 minutes our little girl was making an entrance into the world without dtrs or nurses being in the room. The ran in, got gowned up and literally just caught her.