Christmas Time!

Merry Christmas Everyone! Us Gifford's love Christmas Time. We put up the Tree the day after Thanksgiving. Here is Brooklyn being Vanna and showing it off. She is holding her favorite ornament (a pine cone covered in glitter from preschool). I thought I would post a couple of pics of us during the holiday season and some fun things we like to do. Decorating the tree was lots of fun and we are constantly trying to keeping Chandler from take the "balls" and throwing them.

Here is Shad and Brooklyn making Christmas Sugar Cookies! YUMMY!!

Brooklyn testing out our handiwork. Looks delicious!

Chandler wouldn't really decorate anything. He was too busy eating. It was hard to convince him that one cookie was more than enough for a boy his size. He sometimes eats as much as me or Shad at dinner!

Here is Brooklyn mailing her letter to Santa. This is her "excited Santa" face. She wrote and asked for a Ballerina Barbie, and a Pink Barbie Car. Santa of course wrote back and said he saw those exact items in his workshop. He also thankfully reminded her to be nice to her little brother Chandler. She can pretty much quote the letter word for word. Merry Christmas everyone! We hope you have enjoyed the holidays as much as we have.

Brooklyn's Surgery

So overall Brooklyn's Surgery went quite well. The surgeon was running behind, so instead of getting her in at 1:00PM it was 2:45PM. It was a LONG wait. The surgery went about 3 hours and 45 min. So that was another LONG wait for Shad and I. The surgeon told us that there may be another surgery sometime, but for now we just hope for the best. She has another stent in her ureter so that will have to be removed surgically probably in February. That surgery will be outpatient, and should only take about 30 min to remove. The pic above is me and Brooklyn getting ready for surgery. She looks happy enough to wear the Koala PJ's (she loves those things).

This is Brooklyn right after the surgery. As you can see she has some major pain killers, and the anesthesia is still wearing off. She was on a morphine drip, but as of a couple of days ago, she hasn't even needed LoraTab.

This is the Utah Grizzley Hockey team. They came and visited us. They let Brooklyn say "Hi" to the Bear and they gave her a stuffed Eeyore. She loved it. She is doing well, we will try and keep everyone posted on her progress.

Christmas Tag

If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags

Santa Clause doesn't wrap presents at our house. It is exciting for all the kids to see the gifts and wonder which ones are theirs. We wrap the ones we give to other people so I guess wrapping paper.

2. Real tree or artificial?

Artificial. Saves money in the long run.

3. When do you put up the tree?

Thanksgiving weekend...it's a tradition.

4. When do you take the tree down?

After New Year's Day

5. Do you like eggnog?

Can't stand the stuff...looks like baby puke

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

I would say the Nintendo 64 since we begged my parents ever year for a system and finally they gave in

7. Hardest person to buy for?

Brittany...she's a woman need I say more?

8. Easiest person to buy for?

Chandler...he is only 22 months old so he cares more about the paper than the gift

9. Do you have a nativity scene?

Yes we have a couple of them

10. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards?

I am all about email

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

I can't really think of one that was bad...i was the most grateful kid every parent wishes they had a child like me

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation by far

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

December 26th and we are usually done soon...I worked black friday for 4 years and I refuse to go shopping that day

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

Maybe?

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Cheeseball and crackers, also homemade toffee

16. Favorite Christmas tradition?

Decoration Gingerbread house and eating fondue

17. Favorite Christmas song?

Manheim Steamroller stuff...pretty much anything but "Santa Baby"

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home?

Stay at home...it is nice to sleep in my own bed and wake up in my own house

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?

Yes, you mean right now?

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?

Angel...even though I hate the one we have now

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

Christmas Eve pj's and the rest in the morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?

When it doesn't snow and we don't have a white Christmas

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner?

We eat funeral potatoes and ham Yummy!

24. What do you want for Christmas this year?

My two front teeth!

25. How many days left until Christmas?

14 and counting!

Scattergories. . .Tag from my Friend Sarah

SCATTERGORIES...it's harder than it looks! Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They have to be real places, names, things. Nothing made up! You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME: Brittany
BOY NAME: Boston (My nephew's name that will be born in January!)
GIRL NAME: Brooklyn (My beautiful daughter)
OCCUPATION: Blacksmith (do they still have these?)
COLOR: Baby Blue (Double points!!)
SOMETHING YOU WEAR: Boots
BEVERAGE: Banana Milk Shake
FOOD: Berries (all kinds, strawberries, raspberries, bluberries etc.)
SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Bath tub
A PLACE: Brittany, France (yes it really is a place!!)
REASON FOR BEING LATE: Beauty Sleep
SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: BE QUIET!!

Now I Tag..Brittany Whipple, Cajsa Whipple, and Jacks!

Brooklyn's Kidney Update

This pic has nothing to do with her kidneys it is just a silly picture of Brooklyn with Shad's deer antlers on her head. But I thought I would update everyone that was curious about her kidneys. On Nov. 20th I took her to get an ultrasound of her kidneys to see if the stent helped her blocked ureter. We got some bad news. Our urologist at Primary Children's said that there was just as much fluid in her right kidney as before the stent was put in, so he recommended that she have major surgery on her ureters to fix it. It will be on Dec. 15th at Primary Children's. It will be a 3 hour surgery and she will have to spend at least one night in the hospital. So we ask that all our friends and family keep her in your prayers that she will be healthy enough to have surgery so that we can get it done this year since we have already met our deductible for the year. Thanks for all your continuing love and support!

Happy Halloween

The kids had a blast this year with Halloween. Shad was relieved that Brooklyn decided to be something other than a princess this year. She chose to be an angel instead. Chandler didn't really have a choice and we dressed him in a Batman costume. Chandler didn't last too long. He tried to climb out of the stroller before Shad got to him and figured out that gravity hurts sometimes as he bonked his head on the sidewalk. That ended his night. He went back to Grandma's house and helped her hand out the candy to all the other kids and really enjoyed doing that. Shad stayed out with Brooklyn for quite a while. She had so much candy in her pumpkin that Shad had to carry a bunch for her because it was too heavy. They were sure fun to watch.By the look on her face I think she is pretty excited to get started. Yes that is a HUGE Candy bar!
We went to a Murder Mystery Dinner (Thank you Mike and Alisa!) and Shad was dressed as John Wayne and I was Gloria Swenson (whoever she is). It was fun to go and be among friends without the kids. John Wayne was a suspect but in the end it was Jimmie Hendrix that was convicted of the murder.

Brooklyn's Surgery

Brooklyn had to have her surgery early. On October 24th they took the stent out of her ureter. She was just in so much pain everyday so instead of Nov. 20th they took it out on Oct. 24th. Everything went really smooth. We have to go back to Primary Childrens this month for more tests to make sure everything is still good, so we will have our fingers crossed.


This is Brooklyn before surgery, right after she put on the hospital pajamas. She was REALLY excited to put these on, she loves them!

This is Brooklyn on the car ride home from the hospital. With her "Hospital Buddy". Before surgery they get to put the mask on the doll that Brooklyn made and look at pictures of the operating room so they aren't so scared.