An eventful Sunday!

We went to church like any other Sunday. Alex's stomach has been bothering her for over a week now. Last night she was hunched over and crying because it hurt so bad. I peeked in primary to see how she was doing and she was sitting hunched over, arms wrapped around her sides. She looked like she was in so much pain. After sacrament meeting we had asked our bishop, who is a doctor, what he thought. He didn't think it was an appendicitis but that she should probably be seen. We left church a little early and headed to the ER.

After the first nurse couldn't find a vein, made Alex bleed, and made her arm hurt, reinforcements came. A very nice nurse by the name of Jennifer came in, took blood from Alex's other arm and left to run tests.

Alex was very bored, in lots of pain, and very hungry. I kept nodding off and my tummy was rumbling also. After a few hours the doctor came in and said her urine and blood tests were fine. He thought she might have some kind of virus. He said to keep an eye on her and if she started to vomit or run a high fever come back. Home we went to eat lunch.

After lunch the girls played in their rooms, stopping every once in a while for Alex to hunch over and wait for her pain to go away. Their room became a huge mess but they were having fun. The newest game they love to play is recipes. The get bowls and spoons from the kitchen and make recipes with their stuffed animals and different fake spices. It's funny to hear the name of some of the things they pretend to make. The girls friend Madison came to play on Saturday and they must have played this same exact game for almost two hours!

Then after I took my Sunday nap, Alex and I made brownies. For dessert we had brownies and ice cream and played the game we got Clay for his birthday.

It's called beat the parents. It's a trivia game. The adults get questions that kids would know and the kids get questions about stuff adults know. It was way harder then we thought it was going to be. The kids won! We barely moved our pieces. There were lots of Harry Potter questions and stuff we had no clue about. The kids skunked us bad!

All in all it turned out to be a good day. I hope Alex starts to feel better soon. Poor little pumpkin!

Sewing weekend

This weekend I hardly did a thing but sew. Thursday night we had a sewing night for a Relief Society activity. It made me want to sew even more all weekend. I did do the laundry but that was about all I accomplished in the area of housework this weekend. The Special Education teacher at school asked me to make her a few things. You can't really tell by the picture but this blanket has rice sewn into it. It's a weighted blanket for some of our Autistic kiddos to use. It's more of a lap pad than a blanket. The weight helps them calm down a bit.

This is also a lap pad filled with rice, just in a smaller size.

This is a weighted sock(also rice) to go around the back of the child's neck for weight on the neck and shoulders. I also made lots of different textured bean bags, some filled with rice and some with different objects. All these things are to help them with their sensory issues. It was a lot of fun to make so many different things. Alex loved helping me with all the rice and sewing.

At the sewing night on Thursday I finished the last two of my twenty four trees I was making. I then made them blocks and soon it will be a whole quilt of trees. I'm so excited to see it done.

I have all the small trees sewn into blocks, I'll finish the big trees soon, then it's on to making it a quilt!! What a weekend!

2011 blog book.

It came, it came, it finally came!!

This year we went with a different company to print our blog book. I like this book because it reads just like the blog. All the posts stay the same and all the pictures described match with that paragraph. This book also came with an index. It didn't take as long to put together as other blog books have. All you have to do is go to blog2print.com, select a cover and size of book, upload blog, pay, and in a few weeks it arrives. So easy!!

2010's blog book was done at blurb.com and you have to download a program. It's labor intensive and takes a lot of time. I like this book because you can play around with different picture layouts and text layouts. Sometimes the picture on the page is described within the paragraph. It will say something like, in the picture below there is a fat cat but the picture won't be right under it because this program puts all the text together, you could separate them but then you'd be adding a lot more pages.

I'm having a hard time deciding which one I like best. I may have to order two of each year from now on. I also like all the different picture sizes in the old books, some are big, some small, some in between. In the new book they're all one size.

Let me know your thoughts, if you know of any other good blog publishing sites, let me know that too!! Thanks!!

Alex and Yasmin have a play date!

Alex has been begging me to let Yasmin (her BFF) come over for a play date. Most Friday's we're booked solid, running errands, going to appointments, cleaning. This Friday (the 20th) Sydney had a field trip so Alex would be home alone. The perfect day for a play date. The girls cleaned the house Thursday so it would be nice and clean for Yasmin to come over. A friend came and picked up Sydney to take her to the school for the field trip. Alex and I went to breakfast at Burger King. While we were there Alex said she already missed Sydney and it felt weird not to have her there (she must have told me this over 20 times that day). Another friend came over to pick up toilet paper for a science project and asked Alex if she missed Sydney, she of course said yes! Then Yasmin came and all the missing Sydney flew right out the door. They played a game where they spun each other on the desk chair, then they'd jump up and run down the hall. It was funny to watch them stumbling and crashing their way down the hall.

Then the girls drew with window markers on the sliding glass door, ate some cookies I had just made, spun some more on the chair, looked at cards, played the Wii, played with Yasmin's Vtech tablet, and had another snack. Then they got every pillow in the house, piled them up in the living room and took turns jumping in the pile. They'd laugh and crash and bury each other with pillows. It must have been fun because they played it for over an hour. Then when they got bored of jumping in the pile, they lined the hallway with pillows and set up and obstacle course. Yeah, my house was pretty much covered in pillows by the time Yasmin had to go.

Alex and Yasmin have been friends for years. I think they first met each other in Kindergarten. They don't always have the same class but they always play with each other at recess. I'm so glad she has such a great Best Friend!

Sydney called from the bus and said they would be home earlier than expected. Yasmin was sad she had to leave early but had a good time playing with Alex. Sydney told us all about her field trip to the Symphony (they played 3 Lady Gaga songs) and about her tour at the Children's Detention Center (scary and she doesn't want to go there. The thing that shocked her the most was that the kids had no privacy when they went to the bathroom. "Mom, you could see the silver toilet from the window in the door". She couldn't believe it.). Once we got home Sydney was a little sad. I asked her what was wrong. She said she didn't get to play all day with Alex. I guess she missed Alex as much as Alex missed her. They played happily the rest of the night.

Symphony!

Last night we went and saw the Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra perform. We got all dressed up for our night out on the town. The girls got in free so with the other two tickets we took my parents. We went early and ate at Chili's, then went to stand in line at the entrance doors so we could get good seats. We were first in line but two little old ladies who were very grumpy thought they were the line leaders. We didn't mind to much, we could still beat them in a foot race!The music was amazing! So peaceful and wonderful. Poor Alex though. The couple that sat in front of her made out with each other the whole time. I asked if she wanted to trade places but she wanted to sit by Nana. Then the 3 little annoying high school boys behind us kept humming and whistling along with the music. Very annoying. The music made up for the rude crowd. It is truly amazing what composers can do, what instruments in capable hands can do, what the human body can teach itself to do, and the sounds that can be made when you combine all three. It was amazing, the girls loved it! My dad must have liked it too, he didn't fall asleep once!
Thanks to my principal for the wonderful tickets. What an experience! If you ever have the opportunity to go see a symphony, whether it be in Sierra Vista or some huge city, take it! It's money and time well spent!

Date night at the Symphony!

Date night at the Symphony!I got 4 free tickets to the Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra from my boss on Wednesday. The girls get in free with our two tickets so we invited my parents to come along too. Sydney is on a field trip right now. They went to the Symphony and then to tour the children's detention center. She'll be home around 3:00PM, then we'll wait for Clay to get home from work and head back to the Symphony. Hopefully Sydney likes Beethoven and Mozart A LOT!

White water draw

This year to celebrate MLK day and having the day off from school, we went out to White Water Draw to see the Sand Hill Cranes that migrate here for the winter. We invited another family to go with us. The kids had so much fun. They thought this pile of dirt was the best thing ever!

The girls were so happy to have other kids to run around with. The weather was a little cloudy and cool when we first got there but by the afternoon it was sunny and breezy. Turned out to be a great day.

We took two pairs of binoculars and our video camera. Sydney had a great time looking at all the birds.

The wildlife preserve has set up decks and viewing platforms. These made it possible for everyone in our group to view the birds. It was an amazing site. Last year we went in February. We're planning on going again next month. There were cranes there, just not as many as there will be later on in the season. The cranes also chose the furthest field from us to land in, when there's more birds they have no choice but to move in closer.

I even got in on the action and took my turn to look at the birds.

The kids used the sightseeing equipment correctly for the most part. Towards the end I think they got a little bored, then they started looking for tadpoles in the water!

Clay got lots of amazing video. He stood on the other side of the shore to get video of all of us on the deck.

This picture just cracks me up! Is he looking for ants on the deck or what? The kids were so much fun to watch, almost as fun as the cranes!

I thought this was a neat picture. All three girls using binoculars while the boys use the viewing scopes!

I'm pretty sure this is NOT how you use this scope but they had fun.

We had a great time with our friends the Nelson's and their fun kids. I think a camping trip is in the works next. Can't wait!!

Daddy loves his girls. What better way to show your kids you love them then taking them out and exploring nature together. What a fun day.

At the end of the day, after the kids were worn out and tired, we made them sit for a picture. We all got a little sunburned, it could be wind burn too. It was so much fun. I think we may make this an annual trip. When we go back in February maybe the cranes will be closer where I can get a decent picture and post it. If you've never been to see the Sand Hill Cranes and you live in Arizona, you should make the drive. Best time to go is about 10:45AM. At about 11:00 on the dot the birds start flying in and landing from their morning feeding. It's amazing. The sky fills up with thousands of birds, the noise is almost deafening, and their landing formations are amazing. It's an awesome sight to see and it's right here in our back yard!

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

Sunday drive

Today after church we decided to take a Sunday drive. The dog loves to be in the truck, what dog doesn't. The girls always ask to ride in the bed of the truck. We of course always say no! It's not safe plus their hair gets tangled like crazy. They were so excited to ride in the back. On the way home we pulled over to see if they all (dog included) wanted to get up front with us. It was a cold day and I thought for sure they were freezing and would want to get up front. They said no, they wanted to stay in the back. They giggled and laughed the whole way, the dog loved having their company, and we spent some quality time as a family. I love Sunday drives!
When we got home I made everyone hot cocoa with mini marshmallows. It was the perfect end to a spiritually uplifting day!

Fingers and kisses!

Last week, on Wednesday, Sydney hurt her finger playing tether ball. The school nurse put a splint on and sent her back to class with a pack of ice. Her hand was very bruised and very sore. She went to the nurse this week to get some Tylenol for a headache and the nurse looked at her still swollen still bruised finger again. She called me at the library and said I should get Sydney an appointment with a doctor. The nurse said she no longer thought it was just a jammed finger. I called yesterday and today we had an appointment. Sydney got her hand Xrayed and come to find out she fractured her pinky finger. Nothing they could do for it but it was nice to know (and see) exactly what was going on. It will be two weeks since the injury on Monday and she's still swollen and all bruised up. The picture above is not her Xray. I found this picture online since we don't have our copies yet. I'm sure this won't be the last time she jams/fractures a finger. She has such long thin fingers, and wanting to play basketball and tether ball and all the other sports she want to, I know it won't be too long before it happens again!

This next part is for journaling purposes. I may have written about it before but it won't hurt to do it again! I hope my kids realize what an awesome guy their Dad is. I hope they marry someone with a lot of the same qualities as him.

Every morning, whether I have a day off or not, I get up with Clay to make his lunch and pack his stuff in the car. Some days I would rather stay in bed, then I think, how sad it must be for him to eat breakfast alone, leave without saying goodbye and I love you to anyone, and to have to drive away from a dark sleeping house. So I drag myself out of bed, make his lunch (sometimes grumpily but it gets done), load the car and watch CNN until he's ready to leave. Most mornings we're running around like crazy, all of us trying to get ready for our day. On the days we don't have school it's usually calmer and more quiet since the girls are still in bed. Everyday I walk Clay out to the car, get my kiss goodbye, he tells me he loves me and I wave as he drives away. He'll usually turn on the light inside the car so I can see him waving back to me. Every once in awhile he'll even blow me kisses as he's pulling out. Awww, just makes me smile thinking about it. He doesn't do that to often, but often enough to make it special. See what I would be missing if I stayed in bed and slept. Girls, I love your Dad!

Just Dance!

Last night I watched some of my friends kids after school. After homework was done it was time to play. Alex got the Wii game Just Dance for her birthday. That's what they did.....

Just Dance!!

After Just Dance, it was time for more video games, dinner, farkle, a movie, popcorn, and dessert! Most weekdays are boring and so routine. Work, homework, dinner, bed. It was fun to shake things up a bit!

Just Dance (and party, and have fun, and be a kid)!

Sydney's Christmas Break Famous Explorer Research Project!

I was not a happy person when I found out Sydney's fifth grade class was assigned yet another research project. This project came at a horrible time of year. Christmas break is for spending time with family! The majority of this project had to be completed at home and over Christmas break no less! The names Sydney had written down as her choices were picked before it was her turn to tell the teacher who she wanted to research. She ended up having a famous explorer picked for her. She wasn't to thrilled. We dug our heels in and completed the project. Sydney volunteered to be one of the first to present her project and received an extra 25 points for doing so.
She did great! She was a little nervous but didn't stumble or stutter over any words. She built a homemade space shuttle, created a treasure box with a solar system and astronauts in it, wrote a report, and did a presentation board. Her famous explorer was a female astronaut. She did amazingly well. I'm just glad it's over!

Great Job Sydney, keep up the good work!

Poor guy

Last Friday Clay hurt his back. He's had scoliosis since he was a kid. As he gets older the littlest thing can make his back act up. He hikes up mountains every day, sometimes I think he forgets he's not a teenager! The last time he hurt his back he was drying off after he got out of the shower. He made one tiny wrong movement and he was out for a week or so. This time he bent over to tie his shoe and out went his back! Poor guy, now because of his back he's walking around here like he IS an old man. Needless to say, we didn't get to go out or do anything fun for his birthday. I feel bad for him but he was in no mood (or condition) to be hittin the town. Good thing he'll take a rain check. I'll need a night out soon.

He had a good birthday with the usual presents, cake and ice cream. Alex got him a board game, Sydney got him some Garbage pail kid cards (yeah, they're back!), I got him a movie and a couple of gift cards. His Dad also sent him a gift card (thanks Jim), he got countless texts and phone calls from friends and family. It turned out to be a goodnight. He spent the night flat on his back while three of the best nurses any dad could have, showered him with gifts and love. What more could a guy ask for on his birthday.

We love you Clay!!

Happy 37th!!

Pictures of the old farts party coming soon!

I love you!!

xoxo

Yes I am!

I am a Mormon. More than that, I am a proud member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am more than a label, I am a child of god. I know my family can be together forever. I know my Heavenly Father loves me and I love him. Yes, YES I am a Mormon.

Smokey

This is my parents not so new cat. They have this cat thanks to me. It looks a lot like my old cat Bonzo but twice as fat. We had some friends that use to live here and they had to move (the house they use to live in burned to the ground in the big fires last summer in Sierra Vista, they moved away about a month before the fires). They couldn't take their cat with them so I offered to take it. My parents weren't too happy when I showed up with a cat for them. My family is allergic and I thought Bonzo (who was still alive at the time) might need a play mate. Well, Bonzo and Smokey didn't get along so Smokey got the boot. He has to sleep in the garage. My parents didn't like him at all at first. He's a tad bit over weight, declawed, and an overly affectionate cat, plus he's a loud meower but they have since changed their mind about Smokey Just about every day, Smokey leaves a special present on the doorstep for my parents. Yep, dead mice (m words Aunt Bev, hide!). Smokey is awesome!! He's fat and has no front claws but man can he catch a mouse. Sometimes he even leaves two or three a day. Now who's the best daughter ever huh Mom. Yeah that's right, me! Good Job Smokey, you rock (so do I because I took you in....well I took you to my Mom's house).

So much for being helpful

What do you get when you combine a bowl..... Full of hummingbird food.........
And a bunch of bees?
We had a hummingbird feeder on our porch out front. The birds have all gone for the winter but the bees have been having a heyday with the leftover food. I didn't want the bees by the front door anymore so I took the feeder down. I thought, well bees need food in the winter too. I decided to pour the extra food we had in the fridge in a bowl and put the bowl by the side of the house. That way the bees still got their food and we didn't have to worry about them being so close to the front door. Good plan. I checked the bowl the next day and the bees were a big happy swarm.

A few days later I checked it again. So much for being helpful! The entire swarm was in the bowl, drowned, and dead! Duh, if they fall in, they can't get out. What was I thinking!! So if there's a honey shortage or your flowers don't bloom because of pollination problems, I apologize in advance. Bees scare me but not enough to kill them all. I feel really bad. I think I'll let them fend for themselves next time. On a side note..... When the feeder was up and full of food, somehow a bee squeezed itself through one of the holes a hummingbird would drink out of. Yeah he drowned too. Not entirely my fault. Bees should learn how to swim or not be so driven by the sent of sweet sugar.
Sorry bees!