Mark's Surgery

Mark's first time skiing resulted in a pretty nasty crash. He damaged his knee A LOT!

He had to wait 3 weeks from the time he crashed, until the surgery. They wanted some of the swelling to go down. He had a torn medial retinaculum, and a torn meniscus (whatever those are).

This is a picture from the scope of the torn meniscus.

This is a picture of the torn retinaculum. If you look where the doctor drew the arrow, that is suppose to be connected.

For the surgery, they had to make 2 small incisions for the scope. That part was a piece of cake. They also had to make a big incision, because they had to drill through his patella (ouch)! The surgery went really well, but it's a pretty long recovery process that he has ahead of him. He has to be on crutches for 6 to 8 weeks, with no pressure on his leg. Then he can start putting pressure on it, and walking without crutches. He will have to do physical therapy, which we are hoping he can do on his own. It will be about a year until he's completely back to normal.

Post op. picture.

Oh, and if you aren't feeling bad for him yet, here's the kidney stone he passed the morning of his surgery...YIKES!

Crazy Hair Day & Alligator Bobble Head

Friday was spirit day at Falls Valley. It was cRaZy HaIr dAy...that's one of our favorites! Bailey won the prize in her class, and she got to have her picture taken for the yearbook. She looked like a bird off of Horton Hears a Whoo.

In December we went to a Christmas party with some friends. There was a white elephant gift exchange, and Mark walked away with this AWESOME, baby alligator head. I said (jokingly) that he should turn it into a bobble head for the dash of his truck. Mark worked on it over the weekend, and got it almost finished. It is so funny! He still needs to paint the spring black, but that will have to wait until it gets a little warmer. When you sit in his truck, and the big head starts bouncing around, you just can't help but laugh!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I am making a different craft each month with some friends. February we were going to do a really cute Valentine's Day project, but then no one could come. I did a project anyways, all by myself! I didn't do the one we were going to do....instead I made a really cute bag with wrapped candy inside for Mark, Sawyer, and Bailey. They turned out really cute.

On Saturday, Bailey had Shaneesha come over to decorate Valentine cookies. The girls were so cute, and made some really cute cookies. That night, Sawyer had a group of friends over for a little Valentine party. They decorated cookies, and then played an intense game of Curses. We are so glad our kids have great friends!

Bailey and Shaneesha

Sawyer, Carston, Kari, Joseph, Kandi, Rae, and Rachel
(Some of them are still in their Curses poses)

On Valentine's Day, the kids woke up and found their treats on the counter. Bailey got candy and a Salena Gomez CD. Sawyer got candy, and a book that he's been wanting.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Falls Valley Talent Night

Falls Valley had their annual Talent Night. Bailey played, "Fireflies" by Owl City. She did a great job. Here is the video of her performance.

High Adventure

Mark and Sawyer spent the weekend at Lost Trails, in Montana, Skiing and snow boarding. They went with the Young Men from our ward for their High Adventure. Friday was a day spent learning. Sawyer was on a snow board for the first time, and Mark was skiing for the first time. By Saturday they were both doing great. Mark was getting really good, and having an awesome time....until the BIG CRASH! He crashed on one of the big runs, and blew his knee out. They had to get the ski patrol to pull him down the mountain in a toboggan. The medics at the resort checked him out, and told him he needed to go to the hospital. He said he would rather wait and go in Idaho Falls. They made him a splint of cardboard and foam, and sent him on his way. Mike Fullmer and Brett Waters drove him back to Idaho Falls. Sawyer stayed at the resort with the rest of the boys and leaders, and came home later that evening.

From the initial exam, they thought Mark fractured his knee, and tore it. Now they think maybe it's not fractured. He is scheduled to get an MRI tomorrow, and then we will know more. He is really bummed, because he was having a great time. We thought maybe we would go back up to Lost Trails for a weekend with our family, so I could learn how to ski too. That is now on hold until next season.

Darren, Zack, Randy, Carston, Sawyer, Mike, Ethan, Sam, Brett, Mason, Nate

Sawyer coming down the hill.

Sawyer

Mark waiting to get examined. Notice the cardboard and foam splint.

It's his left knee (which is the right one in the picture). Notice how big the top, inside it.

All splinted up and comfy at home.