My Sweet Ben

Hello family and friends,

My sweet Ben has quickly deteriorated and his mortal life is coming to an end.

Ben was able to attend the Brigham City Temple Dedication a few weeks ago as his last hoorah out of the house. I can't think of a better activity to choose. It truly was a blessing to be at a sacred event surrounded by family. Ben is now chair-bound from increased pain in addition to fatigue so he hasn't been able to stand or be out of his chair for more than a few minutes. The tumors are growing and causing increased pain and general ill feeling. We are not seeking further treatment. By the power of priesthood blessings, Ben's pain has been controlled this week to a tolerable level that he might enjoy these last days with family and have a peaceful passing.
Ben's faith continues to grow and he is being sanctified as we trust in the Lord that this is his plan. We all continue to learn from this experience as we yield up our hearts to Christ. It is heartbreaking yet peaceful. We hold onto the knowledge that we will be together for eternity after all is said and done. It is hard but all is well.

We have been able to enjoy some wonderful visits with family and friends on top of our own personal time during the last few days. We have been looking at old photographs and videos and reminiscing about the fun times we had. These sweet moments I will cherish forever.

We celebrated our anniversary, or better known as our Thanksiversary, early. We were married the day before thanksgiving so every year we prepare a delicious turkey feast for two for our anniversary. We look forward to this day all year. As we ate dinner we watched our wedding video that brought on tears of joy and tears of sadness.

It is absolutely heartbreaking but we are kept strong and able to endure by holding on to the thoughts of the opportunities and promises that lie in our future when we are reunited.

We love you and are lucky to have such a large amazing group of family and friends.

His will be done and all will be right. 

We would have it no other way.

Peace is with us.

Life Changes Us

Day 7 of Ripped in 30 Challenge

Ollo!

Well today is day 7 of my Ripped in 30 Challenge.

I started with the workouts on Saturday and took Sunday off then started back Monday. It was killer. I was still sore from the first workout on Saturday but I busted through it and it felt great.

Wednesday's workout (#4) felt much easier! It was actually quite pleasant and I can tell I am getting stronger even from just a few workouts. It got easier as I continued. Yay!
Yesterday I pushed myself and my muscles until they gave out on me. It was great!

I really like this program because the exercises themselves are not "hard" but she has you go, go, going and it all adds up.

I will try to continue as much as I can.

For an update on Ben you can check Ben's Update Blog. It is private so if you would like access please email me with your preferred address and I will give you permission.
He is going to go in for another lung surgery on Wednesday so I may not be able to keep up with the exercise. I am going to try to do something every day though.

I have finished the purging of the kitchen and it is great! I am already reaping the benefits by not having to dig through so many spatulas in the drawers and food in the pantry!
My next project will be my office when we get home from the hospital.

We also have grown our first zucchini in our garden!

Let the fruit and veggies begin!

I have stuck to my healthy diet and it is great. I love it!
I will be posting about a book I just read about eating lean. I really enjoyed it.
I do not crave goodies at all any more really.
I look at food differently now and don't want to eat all the junk.
I do have a few exceptions.
I have to try my batters for my baked goods so once I try it that means I have to have a whole spatulas worth. It's my treat so I allow myself that. I also will have a treat every once in a while of a Ghirardelli chocolate square filled with caramel.....mmm.....
Overall, I feel great. =D

Ben and his Toys

Well, It's about time for a post about Ben. ;)

He has acquired a new project.

 

He is the proud new dad of a bouncing baby blue '67 chevy. This is his ultimate truck.

It's got bucket seats and AC.... that's pretty much all I remember him really really loving about it. haha.

Anyway, he is in process of putting back together the 69 Chevy to prepare for it's adoption by a new family.

Here is a picture of the happy family.

{From left to Right: Ben's '69 Chevy, Rand's '68 Chevy, Ben's new '67 Chevy.}

 

 

He enjoys the time he spends researching how to restore it and watching his dad actually do it. :)

I am glad he is able to continue to enjoy his hobby despite the circumstances and treatments.

Finding things you can enjoy individually is so important in life.You need to find something to get you up in the mornings.

Whether mountain climbing or crossword puzzles.... it doesn't matter as long as you love it. :)

Radioactive Ben ~ The Low-Iodine Diet Chronicles

So today we started the low-iodine diet required for Ben's radioactive iodine treatment coming up in 2 weeks. We were given a very long list if "can't haves" and a very short

bland list of "eat-these-insteads".

Essentially Ben can have no iodine.....meaning no salt.....meaning no taste..........totally kidding!

We actually had a very delicious meal tonight. It was surprising!

We have discovered that we will have to get a little inventive.

The diet includes no iodized salt (which is in almost all prepared and manufactured foods), no dairy of any kind (ice cream is out... wah wah), no commercial breads or grains, no egg yolks, no canned foods, no foods with any added salt in the ingredients, no chocolate (gasp!), and quite a bit more foods you never thought had iodine in them (red dye 40. What the....?!). We took our tiny list of foods we could eat and went to the store tonight. I will be posting our food adventures to our blog if anyone else would like to check out a no-iodine diet menu. I think it will actually be the start to a wonderfully healthy relationship with our food. Your meals have to basically be prepared out of fresh food only so you can control the amount of iodine. We are both actually really looking forward to it. Being the supportive little wifey that I am, I am going to stick to the same diet but still having a semi-functioning thyroid and need for thirst and metabolism control, it is essential for me to have iodine in my diet (as it is for most of you) so I will allow myself to cheat and not feel bad about it one bit. :) In all actuality I am helping Ben by eating the foods he shouldn't have. ;P

Tonight we had our own version of a taco salad. We used country style hashbrown potatoes pan fried up in a small amount of oil with ground beef, lettuce, home-made salsa (using tomatoes and sweated onions) and fresh avocado chunks. It was really tasty! 

We bought some un-iodized salt to use.... thank heavens for that!

So I think I actually like this a lot better than using chips underneath. It is better for you and not so full of fat and processed gunk.  It created the perfect amount of crunchyness too.

Mmmm..... I am sure we will be making this again (even when we don't have to).

{I would have posted a picture but I didn't}

This is Ben. See Ben Jeep.

For those of you who have never actually met or seen my husband....meet Ben. Yes, he does exist and, no, I didn't make him up or pay someone to let me take their picture.

I might add he is a rather handsome devil (but I might be biased). ;P

Ben owns a landscaping company called Ridges Rocks and Landscape. His primary service is delivery of landscaping materials such as gravel, top soil, mulch, etc. He also does rock work such as retaining walls and water features. He likes to be out in the sun and heat.

Ben loves to build toys...big toys....expensive toys.

He is now building a Jeepster from nothingness. This will be his toy when we go play in Moab.

Ben loves Moab. See Ben Jeep.

A little known fact...Ben is a true cowboy at heart. He is trying to convince me to move away somewhere desolate to own a ranch and farm and raise our kids in 4H. He also loves country music. Betcha didn't know that. I love my cowboy. :D

Ben loves Big Trucks!

Ben loves to camp. See Ben chop.

See Ben whittle.

See Ben build.

See Ben shoot.

See Ben eat dutch oven bacon....mmm.

Ben loves Zion. See Ben stand.

Ben loves to have his picture taken. See Ben ruin Sara's fun.

I love my Ben.