Hahahaha! With what we told you last week about Bim, the name of our letter sounds amazing. =) . It's actually what we call our Swim Bag now, the giant red bag with some drug name on it that Jeff got from the hospital. It carries our arm floaties, sunblocks, squirt guns, flip flops; all the stuff we need to grab when we go swimming. Since we had to pack it this week to go to the lake, I knew our letter should be named Bim Swag. =) . But really, our letter should be named Hawaiian fainting meesens with a little shattering & art.
So Monday morning, the older kids loaded up and went to Tibblefork again, this time with both paddleboards. Just to get a little Vitamin D. And Vitamin R&R.
That night, most of the family met some more Madsens for the Alpine Days luau. This is how much they love you... the kids have started smiling for you in pictures. They know that most of the time, the entire reason we're taking a picture is for this letter. Otherwise we wouldn't bother. So thank you!!! With Keri's little Lillie, & Claire in the stroller.
Kierste & Lillie participated in the hula dancing
And the other crew's version of hula-ing:
Tuesday, we all got in Miranda's elevator with her at Primary's:
And lined up to wait for some genetic counseling.
They explained to the kids why we were all getting our blood drawn... we're all getting tested to see if we have the DICER1 gene condition that allows Miranda to get those cancers she's susceptible to. Apparently, we humans have a gene they've named DICER1. It's the one that fights off a panel of certain cancers. If it's broken, it doesn't fight them off. Crossing our fingers, fasting & praying that the results are super good.
We also agreed to participate in a separate study for DICER1, but it will all be done through spit kits. The kids were fine with that. While Miranda stayed upstairs to meet with Dr. Fair, the kids lined up at the lab to give 2 tsp. of blood... what happened next was epic. I am freakishly happy that it happened. Halle bravely said she wanted to be first to get her blood drawn. She got through it with Kierste holding her hand tight. Then they switched places; notice the bandaid on Halle's arm.
As they switched places and Kierste held on tight to Halle's brave hand, THEY SIMULTANEOUSLY PASSED OUT. Kierste fell forward onto that padded desk top, and Halle fell toward the floor, deftly saved by Jeff. All I got as an explanation for what happened is this cryptic picture of the girls, white as ghosts, holding ice packs to their faces.
I absolutely love that this happened. TWINS. Not pictured here: The other brave kiddos who each conquered their fear of needles, including Carlie, who has a history with Primary Children's Hospital, that has already caused some hardcore anxiety. I told Jeff to take everyone out and spoil them rotten with shakes & cheeseburgers. He agreed.
While they were eating out, Miranda was given the choice to skip one of her treatments, and she took it. Hallelujah!!! So we had to celebrate by eating out at Zupa's... no pic. We're lame.
That night, we went to Mission Impossible 35 - Fallout. jk I don't know the number, but it's super good. Mariah 
came with us... the way it worked out, we had to get our seats broken up into groups of 5 and 2... Every almost-16-year-old's dream. Hope they watched at least some of the movie!!
When we finally got home, this is how far Miranda made it. She literally couldn't go any further, and by the time I came upon her, her siblings had already covered her with a blanket.
Wednesday morning, Jeff & Morgan went on a Teacher's Quorum boating activity. Wake surfing:
Then we packed everything we owned, and went camping again. We invited the Grand Parentals to come up the canyon to join us for our dinner... we have this down to a science now: Bacon-wrapped filet mignon, even if Costco is out of their prepared packages of it. We know how to wrap steak in bacon. New favorite skill.
This is how Zeus spends his entire days camping... hawk eyes on the beef. "What if they pause for just a second and I can snatch some?!?!?! and better yet, WHAT IF THEY OFFER ME SOME. MY LIFE IS ABOUT TO BE BLOWN."
Thursday morning, Miranda & I went down the canyon to meet a new home health company nurse... we had to fire the other people because they made Miranda feel so uncomfortable... we cannot mess around with this. When we got back, we all went to the lake. Connor & Jeff with Derek in the background.
H&K drifted so far down the lake we couldn't see them, and needed some rescuing by Daddy & Morgan:
I'm not sure what was my favorite moment: Chloe's casual riding with Miranda on each turn; If Miranda's here I'm perfectly safe,
Or when Morgan leisurely laid back while Connor paddled them around.
When we got back to camp, we got some new neighbors who pointed out that a bull moose was grazing nearby. We went on a walk and found it. Then as we were eating our dinner, IT WALKED THROUGH THE BACK OF OUR CAMP.
Morgan followed it and took some selfies with it. It was so awesome... we were all so silent.
Saturday morning, Connor went to a Primary class party at his teacher's house. What a great idea.
And sometime during the day, Carlie's back window spontaneously combusted. If it had shattered toward the inside, we would think someone had done something, but it was mostly outside, and some of it 15 feet down the driveway. It had to happen between 11am and 4pm... so weird. Nothing on the cameras that show anyone driving up, etc. The window just gave up the ghost - in 10,000 pieces!!!
That night, I took the twins with me to my cousin's daughter's wedding reception. I got to see cousins I hadn't seen in 25 years... What a great reunion night. Casey had decided to wear a dress that was super revealing, so we helped her out with her picture. =)
Since they hadn't had dinner, we also had to stop by for something on the way home.
That night, these also crossed the interwebs:
And the inspiration. The smokey skies are from CA being on fire. =( sorry
OK MEMES!
Actual post of my friend's while on vacation this week:
Not that you can tell how we feel about gun control or anything:
And last one, because I got stung at the lake when a bee got stuck in my hair. I hate him forever.
Loves & great wishes, and prayers and thoughts and lots of hugs!!!
The Madsen group of crazies. =)
