WTD Scottsdale Trip Day Two

Contributing Artists:  Karrie, Amy and Deborah

It's probably because I'm joyful and I flip my head a lot.

Deborah, mom keeps touching me!  Death comes unexpectedly.

I was just expressing my joy!  Do I have to flip my head for you to understand it?

Stop being funny!  I didn't bring the notebook!

Deborah, find the syrup.  I can't, I'm writing that down.

Did I make you write something crazy?  Nope I'm just good like that yo.

I guess deep down I just love Deborah more than you

Mom you have a phone.  It's obvious you love it more than me.

Arizona's kind of a big place.  If it wasn't it wouldn't have taken us so long to drive to the middle.

I don't believe in those buttons.
I know!  They never do anything.

Mom, you know we're on the second floor, right?

Amy can I have your orange bags?
No.
They're really cute!
That's why I bought them.

Quick, be funny so I can write it down!
I got nothin'.

I'm saving your life, hold on.  You're shedding.

I'm not even listening.
I know.

Who's crazy, I'm crazy?
I said go to Training Table.

Girls, do I need to separate you?

We're sorry.
It's ok.
Good, 'cause we're not actually sorry.

You were playing kneesies with me?

My shoe didn't start stabbing me 'til the last class.

Ow Ow Ow I don't bend that way!

It's really quiet.
I know, it's really cute.
What?

I need to go to the bathroom.  Don't steal my stuff, 'kay?

I wouldn't get arrested for my reaction to catsup down my shirt.  Unless you decided to press charges.

This bacon's dead.  Can't you hear it crunchin'?

Why would you ban pie?
He was a pieist.

No! We have to be the same!  We've been different all day!

Cover your apple.

I didn't look.  I just knew.

It's six o'clock, we could eat breakfast.
We just did.

Is that Deborah OK or Deborah K?

Ring a bell.  Ding!

He did the one whole joke all by himself.

Did you just shoot me with your keys?

She's writing that down.
She does that.  That's why I'm holding the pie.

You're the kind of people my mom warned me about.

Can I hit you in the butt with my shirt?  That was fun.

She's gonna shoot me with her keys again!

Death comes unexpectedly.
Then I should eat it now.

WTD Scottsdale Trip Day One

Mom, Amy and I are on a four-day road trip together to Scottsdale, AZ.  Mom and Amy for a child care conference, myself for a sanity break.  Enjoy our one, two, and sometimes three-liners from day one :)

We'll turn the air on in Payson.

If I start to fall asleep I'm going to wake up and punch you in the leg.

That's not my seat.  Or underneath it.  Or me.

You have a crossword thing in your acrobat?

That's a lot funnier than it should be.

I have really bad handwriting in the dark.

I can't jump while I'm driving

I'm both sorry and heart-warmed at the same time.

I can't be careful it's so against my nature!

I can't go to sleep my oatmeal's not done.

My handwriting is better now that the sun is up.

Mom your phone went off!  Here Deborah.

Stop touching me!  I'd rather have blue hair!

She's already mummified give her a break.

We gotta call Amy when we're in Scipio

Seriously you've gotta find a way to write that down.

Mom your purse ate the bones!

Is that tickling your bum?

This is a fun road.  You guys should go to sleep.

I wrote South Dakota in the dark.

Stop being funny when I can't hear

I want to get credit for all the stuff I don't do

DEATH COMES UNEXPECTEDLY!!

Is that a garbage truck?
Yep, let's wave.
He waved!

Deborah don't look down!

By the way it's not 'O, a dear!' its 'Doe, a deer'

Watch my cup while you eat your banana and when I get back I'll watch your banana while I eat your cup.

Will you carry my drink while we walk to the donkey and I'll pull the thinger off.

I saw what I thought was a bear cub but it was a tree trunk.

Chipmunk!  I saw more wildlife!

I'll put a picture of you and a donkey on facebook

Sometimes its not on accident but I blame it on my phone

You can't be funny 'cause I'll get carsick

Navigation can be wrong.  Besides, death comes unexpectedly.

Hurry hurry hurry!  There's no cars coming!  Hurry! Hurry!

You can hover hug it.

We got stuck in a parking lot twice today.

Don't hit the old guy.  There's not many points in that.

Is that ok Deborah?  Can we talk child care?

She's writing that down mom.

Deborah get outta the dang car

It's kinda sweat and hotty here

I didn't say you could bend my book mom!

Why'd you close it?  'Cause mom's reading a brain book.

It's really weird when her toes are wiggling out side my eyeballs

I wore this shirt and I keep looking down and seeing my pedometer

I'm not writing that down but I kind of want to

We eat spinach at my house.

Are you hoping I'll write that down?  No, I just found out recently I like leaves.

We're just gonna bombard him everytime he comes over here

You're spoiled! She whined.

That seems like it took a lot of effort.  It did.

What if I don't hear it?  We could be dead!  Death comes unexpectedly!

I don't know how to write all that down, so I'm just not going to.

That implies we have entire conversations that are funny, not just one-liners.

I never actually eat my leftovers so I can't take them home to Chase tonight.  Kevin would eat my leftovers.

I'm gonna suck up my brownies now.

I don't know your whole binder clip system, so I'm going to ignore it.

I guess you better take the notebook 'cause she can't say funny things to herself.

Chase has really big lips too, our kids are doomed.

Alfred William Phillips 1862-1932

"My father Alfred William Phillips was born in Salt Lake City Utah June 15, 1862 was the first child of Alfred and Frederica Phillips whom was Pioneers that came to Salt Lake City Utah in the year of 1861.  Their first home was a two room house on the corner of what is now 9th South and 5th East, then known as the Gates Farm.  That was where father was born.

He first lived there for several [years].  In the year 1879 his father bought a farm on 7 East and [fourteth] So, which is now 33rd So. 7 East.

Father as a boy had to help on the farm and herd cows.

Near the house was deep springs and a [milk ___ (house?)] was built by it.  The milk was put in pans for the cream to rise.  His mother made butter and sold it, so the family could only have the skim milk and clabber for breakfast.

When he was about nineteen years old he left home to work at the Smelter he lived with Lucy Bullock whom had borders.  Later on Dec. 13 1882 Father married Lucy Caroline Bullock, the 1st baby was born Sept 6 1883.  After a few years they moved to Ashley, Vernal Co. Utah.  It was there my brother Roy was born, May 12 1887.

[Two years later she had a pair of twins which one, Ray lived 5 [ __ ] Fay lived 7 mo.] (**notation on side of sheet; church genealogical records show they were born August 2,1885 between Elon and Leroy and lived only five days)

They soon moved back to Salt Lake.  He bought five acres of ground at [3357] So 3rd E. from his father.  He then farmed ten acres as there was five acre going on the north belonging to his [father].

Mother owned 5 acre of which is now [fourty fifth] South.  She sold that to her sister and they bought ten acres of ground at Cresent West of the Cresent School house.  He farmed that raised hay and grain.  He would drive down with a team of horses and wagon to cut the hay and get it up, often bring back a head of hay to sell.

Later he bought ten acres joining so that was twenty acres to farm.

He [also] did work for [Kimbal] and Richards.

At one time he and a neighber owned a Thrasher and horse power machine and would thrash for different ones.

Later he got a job of the [sprinkling] wagon.  They would sprinkle St streek (**state street?) as then it was not a hard top road.

Clair drove the team quite a lot as father had the farm to take care of.

About the year of 1911 the old home which was a red brick two room house was torn down and a new light brick home was built.  That is where my youngest brother now lives.  (**Side note: this refers to Benjamin Willey Phillips, my great grandfather.  I think this is the same house where his second wife my great grandmother, Bertha Haycock Phillips, lived until she passed away November 18, 2007.)

Father and mother had twelve children
Elon Alfred
Layfayette
Raymond
Leroy
Leo Thomas
John Clairmond
Ancel Clayton
Ardelle William
Lucy Frederica
Carl James
Verle Joseph
Benjamin Willy

[ ____ of ______ _____ ____ _______ ______] and small children.

Father did not do much in Church work till after [1907] when he went to the temple and had the family sealed to him.  (**per church record this occurred June 3rd of 1908)

Later he worked with the Genealogical and did lots of temple work.

In 1930 just befor mother passed a way he went to the Dr. for gland trouble

After mother died Nov 16 1930, he kept getting worse

He finally had to go to hospital for opperation.

We did learn that he had Cancer and he just kept going down.  He cam back home.  Ben and his wife then took care of him till he passed away, Sept 28 1932

Buried in Murray City Cemetary

Alfred William Phillips
Born          Salt Lake City Utah
              June 15, 1862
Baptized 1874 by Jessie [Murfay]
Ordained a Priest 1896 by James Hamilton
Ordained a elder 1907 by Edward [G___ ]
Ordained a Seventy Feb 26, 1917 by J Golden Kimball
Ordained High Priest July 13,1917 by [G__ Wooley (or Worley?)]

Written by Lucy Fredericka Phillips-Butterfield"

This record was written by Lucy Butterfield, daughter of my great great grandfather Alfred William Phillips (the father of my father's grandfather).  Some of the information is missing or illegible on the copy I possess as noted, and I tried to preserve the punctuation and spelling as it was written.  If you have an original or full copy of the record, please let me know what needs to be changed and I will be happy to update the post :)

I Have Something to Say,

but I'm not sure how to say it.  I suppose the best place to start would be why I never posted a second update of my recovery.  While I suppose I had an out with the whole pneumonia thing, there is an underlying and much deeper reason for my delay.  I was lonely.

All who know me know that I value my space.  Growing up with so many siblings in such a quick succession, and frequently having very different desires and opinions from them, made me very possessive and territorial at a very young age.  Not uncommon in large families, when all is said and done.  That doesn't really make it any easier.  After high school ended and college began I found more ways to take time out for myself to do what I wanted (which mostly amounted to reading books and going to movies), and I found ways to enjoy doing things by myself.  I take myself shopping, take myself to dinner, take myself for long car rides and to movies.  Truth be told I've been to at least as many movies on my own as with others, at least as far as the last decade goes.

I enjoyed this solitude for many years, at least for the most part.  Not having to worry about which movie to see, having to wait until its convenient for someone else, picking whatever restaurant suited my mood.  I found, though, that as more time passed it became more about choosing to spend time alone, rather than having to spend time alone.  I chose to take myself to this or that movie, instead of bemoaning the fact that I was home.  Alone.  Still.  The movie was a very welcome distraction, the bookstores a welcoming refuge of books eager to be read, characters waiting for me to discover them.

I don't live my life dwelling on this.  For the most part it never enters my mind.  I work, I go to church, I spend time with family.  I am content and at peace with who I am and what I do.  I've actually been more comfortable with myself and my single status over the last few months than I've been for the last few years, after going through the temple and drawing closer to my Savior.  There are times, though, where it becomes a little more obvious.  A little harder to find the simple joy that comes from being my own person. 

As my dad in particular can attest, it usually comes around this time of year--about the middle or so of November through the middle or so of March--the holiday season through my birthday and a couple of weeks beyond.  There's a reason why this time period is so cliche'd as being depressing for singles, and I am not immune to it.  I find myself buying more books, going to more movies, spending more time at restaurants alone.

This year, however, it began a little earlier.  I can usually shake it off at work (being a toy store manager during the holiday season has certain workaholic advantages for those seeking distraction from personal crises), but this time it was not an option.  I was away from work for surgery recovery and pneumonia.  Work was not even close to being an option, unfortunately.  While early on in my recovery I was totally cool being alone, this got harder and harder as time passed.  It came to the point that I was literaly sobbing, desperate to just be held by someone who loved me and wanted to be with me through it, and not just there out of some sense of duty or obligation.  I will forever be grateful for my niece Jane, who had come back to my apartment several times that day to talk to me, and even gave me a hug before she left.  Even with that, though, I swore that I would never have surgery again until I had someone there with me.  I still feel that way.  Given an option I'll wait, thank you very much.

I'm not saying this for want of pity.  Truth be told I don't really know why I'm saying this, aside from a feeling that I wanted it posted.  I'm not looking forward to another Christmas season alone.  Part of me acknowledges that maybe this year will be the first one when I'm not alone, that just maybe this will be the year that someone falls in love with me, and I with him.  This gets a little harder every year.  Just know, though, that I'm not "desperate".  I don't need a man to complete me, to be whole as a person or to move forward in and enjoy my life. 

Just over six years ago, on Trek, a letter was read from a single sister.  While I don't remember the bulk of the letter, the impression lingers.  She spoke of the struggle to keep her heart open, to not become bitter or cold in loneliness.  I think that's the message I want to share.  That no matter what the future holds, I trust the Lord's time table.  I'll keep my heart open, and wait with patience and faith.  So if you see me in a somber moment, lingering on the edges of the group or slipping away briefly from a family gathering, just know that in the end these moments will make my joy all the sweeter.

Up To and Including Days One through Six

I had initially thought to do more regular posts of my surgery and recovery, but I'm at the end of day six and here we are, my first report.  In the interest of not being gruesome, I opted to not post pictures ;)  I do find myself struggling in the creativity category, so please bear with my dry, more factual account.

Working where I do, it is not uncommon for me to catch a cold.  When I have, historically, my tonsils took particular care to let me know, swelling nice and large regardless of the duration of whatever symptoms I may have had.  The last few times I've gone to my clinic (noting that my history almost always included swollen tonsils) I've been asked if I'd considered seeing an ENT (ears nose throat specialist).  I was told that if your tonsils swell more than 3 to 5 times a year, it is frequently recommended to have them removed.  I blew this off the first couple of times I heard it, but the time came when I decided ignoring it probably wasn't a good idea anymore.

About a month ago, my tonsils once again got large.  I figured that my tonsils were giving me a warning signal that I was getting a cold. Sigh.  I called an ENT that day and set an appointment for August 24th, figuring that while my symptoms may be gone by the time I got there a week and a half later, I could at least get an idea of what might happen, given that this was my eighth or ninth time of them swelling this year.  Oddly enough, even though I never did really get the sniffles or a painful sore throat, my tonsils stayed nice and big.  Not only that, I began having difficulty sleeping at night, waking frequently unless I was absolutely exhausted.  That didn't take long, frankly.  By the time I got in to see the ENT, I was a little desperate for sleep.

At that point, he essentially told me I had two options-wait until I actually did get sick, at which point my tonsils would make it even harder to breathe and possibly create a medical emergency, or get them taken out now.  As nervous as it made me, I opted for the second.  Surgery was scheduled for September 6th.  He also mentioned the possibility of taking out half my uvula, which was also enlarged to the point of causing problems.

No surprise, this freaked me out a bit.  There were a few times I panicked, but ultimately I made it through with the support of family, friends, and a great blessing of comfort.  The day hadn't even dawned on the 6th when Amy and I pulled up to the hospital (thanks again, Amy! you're the best!) for the procedure, listed as a tonsillectomy and uvulectomy.  I thought he'd only take half of the uvula, but I later found only a little nub where it had been...so much for that theory.  Ah well.  Anyways, I'm told the procedure went well, and I was an ideal recovery patient, drinking plenty of water and pleasing my nurses.  I vaguely recall asking to have my oxygen removed, and being told to take a deep breath, but not much else.  After Amy got me home and helped get me set up on my couch, I slept for a couple of hours.  Upon waking, all I really thought of was taking my meds and wishing someone had let me know I'd put my shirt on backwards ;)

I started a Top Gear marathon that day, and slept surprisingly well that night.  The next day I kept ice on my throat, took my meds, continued the Top Gear marathon, did four blog posts, hosted guests (thanks Shaunelle, Shannon and Sherilyn!), and started in on a major Sudoku phase.  I felt surprisingly good, all things considered, but knew that the worse times in recovery were ahead.  Once again I slept fairly well, and wasn't surprised when my throat hurt a little more the next day.  On with the sudoku and Top Gear.

Days three and four were progressively a little worse, not just on the throat front but in general.  I figured this was just the anesthesia finally wearing off and didn't worry too much, but did fill the ice bag more frequently to keep my throat as numb as possible.

Day five, yesterday, was different.  I developed a fever.  I knew that it wasn't uncommon, and had run a degree or so higher than usual, but I had thought that was only supposed to be for the first couple of days.  I continued to feel more and more lousy, though.  I slept more, and was very sore all over, more than could be accounted for by a couple of days laying around.  Just before ten pm my fever was over 100 degrees.  After calling a 24/7 nurse hotline, and consulting my parents, the decision was made to go to the hospital.

We waited for 2 hours.  Remind me to pick a different emergency room next time.  Mom had taken me, then dad came and relieved her so that she could sleep for work the next day.  Thanks, mom and dad, you are both awesome :).  After 2 hours, though, I was done.  I decided that if I wasn't going to get seen soon I would just go home, and I let them know.  At that moment, the nurse had come up to call me back.  Well, better late than never, eh?  I figured at that point it was probably overkill, but since I was there and the paperwork was already filled out, well, may as well see it through.  Not to mention I was thoroughly miserable.  Entirely.  I didn't even want to walk, using a wheelchair because I was soo tired and shaky.

A bunch of questions and a chest x-ray later,  I was diagnosed with pneumonia.  Good thing I didn't just leave, eh?  At least I had an answer.  I was justifiably weak, sore and tired, and not just a hypochondriac.

Day six has been an odd basket.  I've done less today than on any other day of recovery thus far, except perhaps the first.  I've slept more today than any other day, and finally cheated on the hard sudoku puzzles when my mind wanted something to do but couldn't come up with even just one more number after five or ten minutes of staring at the same puzzle.  I gave in on watching Top Gear straight through and have just been picking some of my favorite episodes, including the Lorry episode and the Quaint my Ride episode (definitely youtube worthy segments!).  Thanks, Christian, for picking up my prescription when I was forbidden to leave the house.  There's probably a good reason for that, I guess that its just hard sometimes for me to justify staying at home when there's so much that can be done.

Well, its bedtime.  Stay tuned for more updates, I'll probably post on facebook again when I do my next blog post.  G'night!

Camping Trip: S'mores, Styling, and other Stuff

Here is the last selection of excerpts from our family reunion this summer.  Enjoy!!!



I thought she was just sticky!!

Have you ever noticed how bossy our family is?

Stop talking!  We don't have paper

You're glittery like a vampire in the sun.

Like Michael's neck

I'm holding my face

Do you see this?  This is me staring at something

Roast me a marshmallow make me a s'more but don't move

Christopher will you spray me?

Amy your face is awful.

The day that I was mad and got a scar forever.

Amy Smells

Like the Ocean

Rain is on that leash.  Be careful!

I'm gonna pause and eat a s'more now

We all have headlights.

More than halfway done, right?  No, 'cause you're super thick

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 yay!

I actually still have my other cracker!  Oh, I don't.  I ate it.

I don't think anyones gonna notice one standing out looking dumber than the rest

The more I do the lighter it gets!

Oh no, I need to start a mystery!

Here, this is for a grandkid to play with

Run away, run away!

I want to leave this in at least until dad comes so he can shake his head and roll his eyes

No, that is my chair.  She hauled it all the way over here.  And now I'm sitting on the table.

Weren't Christian and Ben wearing matching shirts yesterday?

Do we care if they're running away?

Thank you for not dropping that in the fire.

I have a camo one.  I thought you said camel.

Don't tell dad that.
He would laugh too.

No, it was you, take credit, take credit!

Jane said I'm not good enough to do braids, only grandma.  I am proving her wrong!

You pet moose very nicely, thank you!

Who else gets angry when they're tired? (gasp!) Amy!

She's writing everything down!  Mom, you have a big head!

We're really funny

Deborah laughed, she's gonna write it down.

Deborah's laughing at me.  And writing things down.

Get Amy, go tickle her!
Sarah just told Megan to come tickle me.  I don't know how I feel about that.

Pointy little toes!

He stares.  He's like, the master of stares.

Can I put my glasses on?

She's gonna tell you a secret

Every time I tickle the girls, Dalton comes to save the day.  He's a knight, he's very good at it.

Do you have a white car in spot 39?

It wasn't funny.  But it will be when we read it back.

Ok, don't write it down, Michael said not to.

Write what down

What down

If you say my name, I will hold you.  All day.

It's hot!  Quick, grab a baby!

The stick is hot you should poke someone with it.

There just keeps being more hair!

I put 14 braids in everyones hair.  Then there would be no fire.

Deborah, write that down.

I don't care if my kids eat dirt, only if its on them.

Don't write that down, its poor parenting.

You can mark that as anonymous.

It feels really breezy!

Do you want to hold a baby?  He sings.

What was that?  Nothin.  What was it?

Mom's got braided horns now!

Um Christopher?  It sounds like maybe we could use you on crowd control

Will you let go of my pants now?

And I know Amy's dying to have one now.

Chase has learned the art of the fade-away

At least its an organized frenzy

The notebook won't cry.

What?  Will you burn the baby?!

Mom, your hair is horribly gray now

My hair braided that picture
(as a side note, I didn't know hair could braid pictures)

Ok, we're in the home stretch

Just do one more big one

Michael is behind these branches.  How do we get past these branches?

We got him laughing

It was mostly Jane and Sarah.  Occasionally we'd get a good Deborah

We can be quiet without being in bed

Michael is in dark clothes, so he's starting to blend in

I'll be glad when you're not pulling my hair anymore.

I feel like I should feel bad, but I don't.

Can't chase me by the fire.

She's just going like this on his chin!

Only three more, mom!  Yay!

I would have giggled really hard every time mom walked away

It looks like covert ops braiding!

Will you get that on youtube?  His little chin thing? It would go viral!

You fell down?  That's a whole lot better than falling up.

One last braid then I'll stop pulling your hair

I'll trade you babies if you want to trade

Its really really dark mommy.  Really really dark.

I owe you a dime, no I don't.

Stop tickling my head.

This one is sticking straight out!  Well, go sleep on it.

We're kind of laughing at the collective.

You're kindof lopsided now

I made you a s'more.  Love me.

They melted to each other?  Were they bad marshmallows?

I'm gonna find my husband, anyone want a baby?

I put it on Laura's head.

That's not funny, that's just normal.

K, I see a star, I can go to bed now, right?

I'm the father, I know.

You're drippy.  Being drippy's not funny.

Go hang it on dad's walker outside.

Does any of this go in the fridge?  Does your face go in the fridge?  No, but my hair might.

Write that down

That down

Aspens all reproduce asexually so they all have the same DNA.

Camping Trip: Game Time!

You spilled Diet Coke on your foot.

I thought it was doctors in the morgue.

It didn't ust fall out like yours.  I had to spit it all in the sink.

I'll deal 'cause it lets me lean into Chase.

Here, my beautiful partner.  Here, Chase's beautiful partner.  Here, mom's absent partner.

Oh, my gosh.

I can only think of things that were funny for me, not for her.  What about assault and battery?

I am only really good at poker.  I can be serious when I have to be.

Amy, remember the time a correlle plate shattered in Marysville?

Save the notes on the quotes please

What did I say that I wanted to write down?

I just got this hot, who's holding a baby?

Just get me the cutest one.

My hotdog is black.  That's racist.

Don't poke my hotdogs.

I don't want sweet relish.  That would make me barf.

And a half.

Can't bust 'em.  'Cause your button says something.

Are you writing it down?

I'm always willing to start another fire.

She likes everything.

Ben lost his watermelon, do you want me to just pick it up and give it back?  I let him drink out of the lake.

Christopher and Chase are not the same person.

Weird.  I know, right?

No previews.  Too late.

I was really glad I wasn't driving.

Made it that much funny.

Write that down.

Can you braid it right now?  Get the tackle box.

I really do just have stupid hair on that side

Do you need more sustenance?  'Cause you're way too skinny

'Cept they weren't drinking it, so I had to dump it out on a kid.

You could have a whole bunch of braids sticking out.

I didn't get to brush mine.  I don't care.

He just sat on me

It is fine, but there's a lot of it.

Yeah, she's thick.

When you camp in heaven you don't get dirty.

The Wamplers are gonna die.

That sounds harsh.

Use your finger, I won't tell.