SHOPPING

Today was cub scout day camp. Branden and I went and supervised the cub scouts from our ward. It was a bit long. The boys enjoyed it though!! After, I promised Kamarin that I would take her shopping. She invited a girlfriend from school and we hit all the "important" stores. She was quite pleased with her purchases.

MARCH MADNESS

SNAKES, A TRAIN RIDE, AND A DIP IN THE POOL

Today, I took Everett and his friend Gabe to the zoo. When we pulled into the parking lot, it was already full of school buses...not a good sign. Then we tried to find a parking place in the general parking lot and got pretty much the last spot...again, not a good sign!! Both boys were really excited and Gabe's mom had packed some "day old" bread to feed the turtles. This was great for us and all the people watching us throw bread over the bridge. Many creatures joined this grand feast...ducks, fish, pigeons, and turtles big and small. Once we made it inside, we went to dip our hands in the pool of stingrays. Gabe was a bit more adventurous than Everett. He enjoyed watching the rays....not touching them. Next, we went on a train ride. I have to say that this is THE BEST way to see the zoo. We got to see all of the animals up close and personal, without all of the whining about sore feet and tiredness. The highlight, was the brother and sister lions that were awake and playing. After the train, I let them play in the water at the clubhouse. This was more of a sandy, muddy, and splashy experience. Before we left we had to see the reptiles. We were sad to find out that the giant python wasn't on display....but, no worries, there were plenty of rattlesnakes....my favorite. *kidding* It was a fun day had by all. Oh, and I forgot...I lost my cell phone and had to go all the way back to find it. The joys of the zoo!!

KAMARIN'S BRACES

I have had some family requests to put a picture of Kamarin with her braces on the blog. This is the very first day she got them. In this picture, her teeth haven't even had time to get sore yet. We miss all of our family and friends that are long distance.

5 YEARS IN THE MAKING

I just finished this quilt this morning!! I started making it when Everett was a baby (he turns 5 in 2 weeks.) It is not a super difficult quilt to make, but I just never seemed to find the time to complete it, until now. Oh well, good things come to those who wait, I guess. The first picture is of the center of the quilt...it is kinda hard to see, but it reads the word LOVE. The second photo is of the completed blanket...my kids are fighting over who gets this project. To get the frayed effect you have to snip around all of the raised areas. Branden, unable to visualize the finished product, could not figure out why I was now cutting what I had previously sewed. I am pleased with the end result.

A Place To Play

Branden and I have been talking about doing something with the left over space in our backyard for a long time...almost 9 years, in fact. Now that our kids are getting older, I really wanted an area that they could ride their scooters and play basketball. Never mind, that I was having a constant battle with the mud. My kids were sad to lose their hole to China, that they have been digging for as long as we have been here. After a lot of whining, and a lecture on how expensive concrete is....they seem to be pleased. My boys have been out shooting hoops every night since we got it. Soooo, good bye mud....and good riddance.

Really?!! I mean really?!!

BEFORE-

Besides the fact that our family has been eternally sick....poor Parker has had to endure an additional injury! Yes, it looks very gross. I almost didn't take him into the ER...because, after all--it is just a knee. Doesn't everybody have scars on their knee?

Okay, okay...it is a bit large and kinda gaping open.

I took him in already...sheesh! We had to wait in the waiting room for 2 hours. He just hopped around and complained about being sooooo starving. Luckily, his Daddy dropped by some dinner for him and he was fine to just sit and wait his turn. After forever!!!, I went up to the desk and said that we had changed our minds and were planning to go home and butterfly bandage it or something. We had just been sitting there forever and all these gross sick people started to come in. Well, that was the ticket and they took us right back. They X-rayed it to be sure that he didn't have any foreign matter in it, which he did not. Oh...I should probably explain how he got this in the first place.

He was visiting his friends across the street, and knelt on a mother board from inside a DVD player. My poor girlfriend Crystal had to deal with Parker in hysterics....which, for those of you who have not experienced it...is quite a sight. She tried to carry him down the stairs and he death gripped onto their banister. All the while, screaming!! We brought him home and I wrapped it nice and tight. The bleeding had stopped, but it was still a big hole....so to the ER we went. A few shots to numb him up and 4 stitches later....he was a new man!!

AFTER-

....AND THEN THERE WERE TWO

Our poor sweet family has been hit by the meanest virus ever!!! It started with Mom and has progressively gone down the ranks...ending with our Dad. Branden has been sick with a fever and body aches for 4 days now. As you can see from this pix, when ever my boys get a hint of a cold, it flares up their asthma. So whereas it was just Everett before, now Parker joins him for daily breathing treatments. They are usually pretty good about getting them done. But, they are time consuming and they get antsy just sitting there. I now say this with the biggest knock on wood...Kamarin has miraculously avoided getting hit by this...lets hope she stays lucky. We are looking forward to spring break next week. We are planning a trip with our good friends to a cabin up in the mountains. There will be 8 adults and 17 kids...mayhem at its finest.

SUCH A GOOD PATIENT

It really looks worse than it is. When Everett gets even a hint of a cold, he starts to wheeze and we are back to doing breathing treatments. He is such a trooper. Take note of the me-me that he has strategically placed under the mask. (If only he could squeeze a sippy cup in there too.) I took him in to the doctor today because he has been running a fever of 103 for the last 3 nights....it is sooo pitiful. I think he is on the mend though. Park stayed home for a sore throat. It is 2:38 in the afternoon and he insists that he is cured. He just said, "yeah, because I am cured." Funny how, a little bit of sunshine and a day couped up in the house is the best medicine to fix a really bad sore throat. Hopefully, our crew is on the upswing of all illness. *fingers crossed*