June Mighty Hero Annabelle

                                            Meet our gorgeous Mighty Hero Annabelle. 

Annabelle is 11 months old! We live in Eagle Mountain, UT. Annabelle is a blue eyed beauty with gorgeous curly blonde hair! A lot of people comment on how she reminds them of Cindy Lou Who or Shirley Temple. We have even gotten the "Perfect little baby doll" comment! She was just born with a natural beauty. She has been a relatively healthy baby. No fevers, no real illnesses until January of this year. In January, Annabelle grew what looked like an egg out of her neck. The only other symptom she had when this showed up was not sleeping. She had to have it surgically drained and was in the hospital on IV antibiotics for 2 days. She went home and was doing fine until a couple months later. After 2 weeks of not sleeping again, I was worried that she had gotten another infection.I took her in to the doctor and they said she had just caught a little virus, but other than that she was fine. Two weeks later, she was still not sleeping (a month total at this point). We woke up on April 30th at 12:30ish am with Annabelle screaming at the top of her lungs.Nothing we said or did helped her. After my husband and I were passing her back and forth several times trying to comfort her, we happened to find a little bump just under her rib cage. We immediately took her in.They did an ultrasound which found the large abnormality. They confirmed with a few other tests that it was a hepatoblastoma.

Annabelle has a hepatoblastoma in her liver. Hepatoblastoma's are a very rare case of childhood cancer where Primary Children's Hospital only see's about 4 cases each year. In the U.S. there are only about 100 cases of Hepatoblastoma's each year. So there is 1 case for every 1.2 million people. In order to not do chemo before surgery, the tumor has to be at least 1 cm away from the main vein of the liver. Her tumor was exactly 1 cm away from the main vein when we caught it. They took 70 percent of her liver out. There are 5 types of hepatoblastoma's. There is a type where it is extremely aggressive and there is a type where it isn't really aggressive. Annabelle's fell more in the middle. Hers was a little more aggressive but not the worst kind. Now we are starting our chemo journey. She is doing a fantastic job!

Thank goodness her tumor was 1 cm away from the main vein which meant they could resect it before chemo. We had her surgery on Friday May 6th where they took out 70% of her liver. Annabelle started Chemo on May 20th. She is a champ! We are so grateful to everyone for all of the love, support and prayers offered in Annabelle's behalf!

Ever since the news broke of Annabelle's cancer, hundreds of people have reached out to offer their prayers and love. She has inspired people all over the United States in bringing people together in fasting and prayer. Her smile makes any heart melt and she brings joy to everyone who sees her at the Hospital while during one of her many wagon rides. But I will say that Annabelle has been an inspiration most of all for her Mom and Dad and her brother and sisters. We are strong because Annabelle is strong.

We are sending all our love and prayers to this amazing family. Stay strong Annabelle. We love you! You can donated to Annabelle and her family by clicking here. www.psiadoreyou.com Every penny of your donation will go to Annabelle.

5 signs the 90s are making a fashion comeback in a big way

Ah the 90s...the days of sipping on Strawberry Kiwi Snapple in the lunch room, cruising the mall with a mini backpack and Orange Julius in hand, dousing ourselves in Lucky perfume and always making sure our puka shells are on point.

Some things about the 90s make us want to gag, but other things are oh-so-good. Hence, we are pumped about some of the best of the 90s coming back around almost 20 years later! (Eek, has it really been that long?!) Read on for our favorite fashion trends that have us singing Britney and Justin tunes on repeat:

1. Choker necklaces. Like all the most tasteful trend comebacks, we like the idea of taking the classy route with chokers this time around. They are surprisingly versatile and show off a pretty collarbone in a way that no other accessories can!

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2. Busted-knee jeans. If the 90s remind us of any one thing, it's grunge fashion and music. Busted knee jeans are the ultimate icon of grunge fashion, and we'll proudly add this unkempt look to any outfit.

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3. Adidas, Birkenstocks and platform shoes. 90s shoes are all over the place when you stop and look around. We couldn't decide on just one favorite because they're all so good and — even more importantly — comfortable!

4. Denim skirts. We are so glad to see this trend come back because it adds another cool and comfortable option for our summer wardrobe rotation. Shorts can only take you so far, but even busy moms can rock the denim skirt with style and ease.

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5. Overalls. Like many other girls we know, we can't get enough of this fun throwback look. We're swiping them up in skinny and culotte styles for both us and our littles.

6. Backpacks. Convenience is king, and backpacks couldn't be more perfect for busy day-to-day life of running errands and rounding up kids. We love that backpacks allow for two free hands at all times and add an effortlessly cool look to any outfit combination.

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7. Shirt around the waist. We always miss the chance to layer in the summertime, but a lightweight shirt around the waist allows us to still do it and stay cool. Tie a chambray top around the waist with a swing dress or plaid skirt with a simple jeans and tee.

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25 ideas to add to your family's summer bucket list

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We're always trying to think of fun new family outings, and the beginning of each new season seems like the perfect time to sit down and brainstorm some fresh ideas. Hence, we love the idea of a family summer bucket list! But if you're like us and tend to draw a blank on creative ideas, check out our list below for some fun to-do items to add to your list. Then let the fun begin!

1. Join your local library's summer reading program
2. Go strawberry picking and deliver homemade jam to neighbors
3. Ride bikes to the local sno cone stand
4. Have a picnic in a field
5. Make homemade giant bubbles
6. Have a water balloon fight
7. Sleep under the stars

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8. Visit the farmers market and make dinner from your purchases
9. Make homemade popsicles
10. Build a bird feeder and identify the birds that stop by to visit
11. Host a slip-n-slide party for friends
12. Watch movies in the park
13. Make your own sidewalk chalk paint
14. Have a charcoal BBQ at the park with friends
15. Go geocaching

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16. Host a lemonade stand
17. Go on a spontaneous 1-day road trip
18. Have a movie night and popcorn bar
19. Plant flowers in the yard
20. Grow a garden
21. Create and bury a family time capsule
22. Build a playhouse out of cardboard
23. Have an ice cream making contest
24. Play baseball as a family in the backyard
25. Host a car wash and donate the money to charity

What's the worst motherhood advice you've ever heard?

People love giving advice. And anyone who has been expecting or taken a peek at the Baby Center message boards knows people really love giving advice about parenthood.

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Though we love parents coming together to help each other out, we've come across a lot of bad parenting advice in our day. In fact, we've heard so much, we thought it would be entertaining to do a round up of the worst parenting advice from around the internet.

• “I was told that if you hold a newborn or infant too much, you’ll spoil them.”-Beaniesmommy
• “When your baby is teething, rub some hard liquor on their gums. That should do the trick. They might even sleep better.” -makchic
• “If your baby bites you when you’re breast-feeding and you want him/her to stop, all you have to do is bite back.” -makchic
• “Don’t vaccinate your child. It can lead to autism.” -makchic

  

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• “Don’t let your baby stand up too soon. She’ll be bow-legged for life.” -makchic
• The comment - Wait until they're teenagers! I can't stand that! Give teens a chance! Goodness, if we expect the worst from them why would they ever try and do better! -@gparrish
• The worst advice I read all over the internet nowadays (and heard all around me) is that I shouldn't let my newborn baby cry. -@gparrish

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• Create a schedule. Ughhh NO! One thing I've learned is that expectations and over planning just cause disappointment and frustration. Having well behaved kids that go with our flow is what works for us. -@gparrish
• "Hit your kid to teach him/her that hitting is bad." - Alexandra
• Rub whiskey on your baby's - How Stuff Works

What's in my diaper bag

We love a good "what's in my bag" post as much as the next gal — it seems crazy how fascinating it can be, but it's kind of like a peek into someone's everyday life and tells so much about a person, so in that way it makes sense that it's so interesting.

Here is the haul of our social media manager Brooke — a 29-year-old mother of a girl named Liv (age 2) and a boy named Beau (2 months).

Hey PS friends! Brooke here with a peek inside my diaper bag — or I guess I should say backpack. I love this backpack I found at Barnes & Noble, of all places. It has tons of pockets, is very durable and super roomy. Plus, it leaves my arms free for baby wrangling all day and doesn't hurt my shoulder when I have a ton of stuff in it.

Here's what's in my bag!

Clockwise from the top:

• this wallet from Target is a favorite that I just keep replacing every few years because it gets the job done so perfectly!
• Amazon brand wipes are my new favorite! Cheap, good texture and good amount of wetness.
• Munchkin miracle cups really are a miracle! Great for toddlers who want a "big kid" cup but still tend to spill
• Costco apple sauce packets are a perfect snack for my two-year-old when we are out and about. I also snack on them when I'm getting hangry!
• I absolutely love my watermelon iPhone 6+ phone case from RedBubble. Here is a similar one.
• Can't go anywhere without to-go hand sanitizer for after diaper changes
• These ginger mints from Trader Joes are a new favorite!
• This Hare Magic Moroccan lipstick is seriously all I ever wear. It's natural-looking but adds color, stays on forever and keeps your lips moist. The set has tons of shades from plum to neon pink.
• Kid's Clif Z-bars are another favorite of both me and my daughter. Filling and healthy snack with not too much sugar like other bars.
• I have serious issues with leaky Camelbak water bottles, but I bought this Avex bottle three months ago and have had zero leaks so far!
• Lastly, I must have diapers in my diaper bag, of course! I like Luvs for their low cost and leak-proof night guard.

Mighty Hero Camron

Our Mighty Hero for May is this stud Camron.

On February 5, 2016, Camron Jas Talbot, 9 years old was diagnosed with Burkitt's Lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of Cancer. The week prior to Camron's diagnosis he portrayed symptoms that anyone would just view as normal, maybe viral up until the night he was diagnosed. 5 days before he vomited one time, and 2 days before he had a high fever. He seemed weak and pale but nothing more than something that would seem common. Typical tough Camron behavior, the night we were in at Primary's he went to school that day and had basketball practice. About 10 pm that night, February 4th he was in a lot of stomach pain and as tough as we know Camron to be, we knew something was seriously wrong. His septic condition was rapidly getting worse and we arrived in the Emergency Department around 11 pm. In the Emergency Department they did lots of lab work, ultrasounds, and eventually a CT scan. They all thought at first that it was a perforated appendicitis but his symptoms didn’t quite add up to the typical perfed appy. Once the CT scan was performed (and a wait that seemed like forever) about 6 physicians walked into our room and that is when they broke the news to us. “Your son has a perforated bowel from a tumor”. AKA your son has cancer, he is septic, and we need to rush him into the Operating Room.

Camron was rushed into surgery at 4:30am and we made the necessary phone calls. First one to our other boys as we were worried we may never see Camron again. After 3 looooooong hours of surgery the Surgeon came out and told us that he was in recovery, and what they found. We were just so happy that he had made it through his first obstacle. They removed the grape fruit sized tumor that had perforated his bowel, removed 7inches from his small intestine, and removed a lot of the infection inside his abdomen. They were not however able to remove the small pieces of tumor that remained on the back of his bladder, it would have done more damage to remove that then the chemo would be doing when we were able to start that. The surgeon said that the tumor may have only been there about 3 weeks that is how we knew how aggressive this Cancer is.

Once Camron was stable our next challenge was to stop the tumors from growing but we couldn’t start chemo until his infection was completely clear. Once we had our diagnosis, he had the gastric tube removed, and he was feeling better we were sent home. We were told to come back in 5 days and see what his labs showed and if he showed signs of being free from infection and then we could start chemo right away. The night before Camron was having some back pain so we asked if we could get another CT to see if it showed anything more, again because this type of Cancer is so aggressive. While he was getting his CT done the Oncologist called me because they were watching for him to come back in, and said she was worried about his labs.  After more labs drawn, CT done, and blood transfusion given they decided to admit us. They found three more masses in his abdomen and the rest of the tumor that they were not able to remove from behind his bladder had grown up and was pressing on his kidneys and his ureters. That next day was another obstacle. He was to have 4 different procedures done. Lumbar Puncture with his first Intrathecal chemo (into the spine), a bone marrow biopsy, a PICC placed, and Stents needed to be placed in his ureters. Good news, they were able to do all the procedures to start us down the path of Camron’s chemo treatment.
As we started our path to chemo they already had our road map and what we needed to do exactly along the way, hoping Camron’s body would cooperate, by handling the chemo well, responding to all the other medications and side effects that come with the chemo, and the times that we would be home trying to keep him from getting sick.

On March 11^th, we received word while we were in the hospital that the masses were gone, he was tumor free, and was in 100% remission.
Since February 5^th we have been inpatient 49 nights, been admitted and discharged 7 times each, and made many trips to the Emergency Department for neutropenic fevers.
Camron will go in on the 25^th for more scans. We are praying that he will still be tumor free and he will remain in remission. He will then begin his 5^th (and hopefully final) round of chemo.

Our journey has only just begun we realize that, they tell us that the worst is behind us. There will be many days, many scans, many labs drawn but we will continue to ensure that our Camron will stay with us. We thank all those that have given us their thoughts, their prayers, their undeniable love. We have felt your presence all along and have never doubted your faith along with ours.
Through this journey we have endured many new adventures, grown together as a family, realized all the good out there in the world, and have become so grateful for every moment that we have together. This has made us tough, this has made us stronger, and this has humbled us all for the rest of our lives.

Camron you are brave, strong and a inspiration to us all. You are MIGHTY and our HERO!

You can donate to Camron here www.psiadoreyou.com Every penny of your donation will go to Camron and his family to help with all the costs that this ugly cancer brings. We are sending all our love and prayers to this amazing family. 

#CAMSTRONG