Oh the Joys

Whew! Just spent 15 minutes arguing with a 6 year old about the best way to remove a thorn from her foot.  It wasn't bothering her until she saw the blood blister that resulted from the thorn.  She wanted that dried blood removed but of course she knows the only way to get it out and her way would cause no pain and it could be done softly.  I said I would remove but I would not be bound by her rules.  Wouldn't agree so I said just leave it alone but she wouldn't agree.  Can't wait for the teenage years.

More exciting stuff happened last week.  To make it a quick bath night I put all three kids in the bath tub together.  A little tight but they sort of fit.  When Kelsey bathes with Braden she loves to dump water on his head.  He must like it because he loves once he can catch his breath.  Well with 2 girls dumping water on him he had a hard time getting this breath and would suck in water.  I kept telling them to stop it or he would drown.  Of course they didn't listen.  Braden threw up his dinner in the tub thanks to them, but he laughed and smiled right after.  The joke was on them because they had to jump out and take a shower.

At our house we have had one more lost tooth (again the tooth was lost before it could make it under the pillow) and 4 more gained.  Macy is also ready to lose another 2 teeth.  Soon her mouth will be empty.  Braden is filling the gap.  He has 3 molars, 1 eye tooth and 1 more eye tooth on the way.  Yes he loves to bite.

We have a drunken sailor in the house (not sure where he gets the booze in our dry household).  The little man is finally taking more than one step.  He does a lot of standing and clapping because he has misinterpreted what he all get excited for.  He thinks we are proud for him standing.  During FHE he was wobbling all across the room.  Very distracting.

Went to the school carnival.  Brought home only one goldfish.  Forced to make a trip to the pet store the next day to get another a goldfish.  After $20 we are the proud owners of 2 goldfish.  The only reason we have a goldfish is because I convinced Macy to play the game.  Kelsey really wanted the fish.  I was afraid she wouldn't win.  I knew Macy could win and thought she wouldn't care enough and would give Kelsey the fish.  I was wrong.  So Kelsey went to pick out the new fish and Brian said at one point she refused to pick a fish because she wanted a parrot or a guinea pig.  It was quite the ordeal at the pet store.  Luckily Brian held his ground, he is not on the couch, and Kelsey has her fish.

Sunday we went to my uncle's house to celebrate some birthdays.  It was such a perfect night.  Macy loves to go over there because she loves to hang out with my cousin, Noah.  He is closer to Macy's age than mine (he is in third grade).  She had such a good time hanging out with him.  She asked when we could have a playdate with him.  She wanted to go back today.  I think Noah is a little old for that but I didn't tell her that.

My aunt invited us over because she wanted us all to share in the gift she gave my uncle for his birthday.  While my dad and his sister were cleaning out my grandma's house they found the old chalk board the family used for FHE.  The board still had some writing on it from my grandfather.  It was so clear as if he wrote on it yesterday.  He passed away 27 years ago so the writing had to be at least 37 years old if not more.  They decided to let my uncle have it so his wife had it framed (my uncle never new they had found this chalk board until that night).  The best part was the words that were left on the board.  There were 3 statements and they said something like: "Who am I?  Where did I come from? Where am I going?"  It was neat and I am a little envious of such a gift.  I am glad they gave it to him and we can still get together as a family.

Happy Birthday Macy!

In the midst of everything we celebrated Macy's birthday.  It was pretty much a week long celebration.  The Wednesday before her birthday grandma and grandpa took her shopping and to lunch.  She got a new Build-a-bear.  I think we are becoming the Build-a-bear warehouse.  On her birthday she opened presents from the family.  She was so excited to get the pink headband she had asked grandma for. 

She also received some more zhu zhu stuff, including the gray hamster she was asking for. I luckily found it the night before thanks to Kelsey blabbering to Macy that we got her a black and white one instead.  Macy then shouted out she saw the gray one at Build-a-bear. 

She was also given baby doll stuff and art kits.  She was one happy girl. 

For dinner she picked Red Robin, with a little influencing from Jeff and me.  Originally she wanted Sweet Tomatoes but we were also celebrating Jeff's birthday.

Sunday was more ice cream and cake at my mom's.  She didn't blow out candles the day before so we had to find some time to do it.  We also made Grandma Bonnie blow out candles because we were celebrating her's too.

I wasn't going to do a friend birthday party, but Macy begged hard enough and I felt like a loser mom for making my kids go 4 year between birthday parties.  I guess it is every other year.  Her birthday was held a week later and she had to invite a ton of friends.  We did a butterfly party.  We decorated the house. 

I made a butterfly cake. 

We had a butterfly pinata. 

We did melt-a-beads. 

Marin and Natalie

Kelsey and Jensen

Cora

They played pass-the-parcel and a game called "Quack quack".  She opened presents and had root beer floats with her cake.  I think it was a success.  Now is time for thank you cards and I know I am going to have a difficult time getting her to do this.  I mentioned this once and she said she already told them thank you.

Whew!

Family History calls and so I am popping back in for some quick re-caps.

Kid date night.  Brian has been putting in tons of hours at work trying to get the business plan put together.  (When I say tons I mean almost 17 hours a day.  The other hours of the day are devoted to sleeping, getting ready for the day, getting ready for bed and commuting.)  So a couple of weeks ago the kids and I had our own date night.  After Macy's dance we went out to dinner over in Daybreak.  Of course dinner had to include dessert so we had some over-priced gelato.  We then played around the lakes until the rain chased us home.  It was one of the best date nights in a long time.

I believe the following week was when Braden caught the stomach flu.  The little guy was miserable and got so dehydrated we had to take him to a Kidscare for an IV.  They stuck him 3 times before declaring they couldn't get a vein and sent me to the ER (which happened to be in the same building).  I then paid another co-pay, had to go through the illness history again with another doctor to again be told it was stomach flu.  They stuck him with the needle 2 times before they got a vein.  Of course we were in the ER so a 15 minute procedure turned out to be an all night event.  I was not happy.  If they hadn't have left the IV in I would have walked out (I had already paid and there wasn't more to do for him and I already knew the recommendations to help him).  After his flu recovery the girls shared a cold with him and that zapped him for another week.  Luckily it is over and he is back to normal and they way he has been eating I am sure he will surpass the lost poundage soon.  Here he is miserable in the ER.

After dance one week Macy gets in the car and tells me she is quitting ballet.  I asked her why.  She replied that she "had too much to do."  I asked, "like what?"  "I have dance, soccer and school."  "That's it?" I said.  After a pause she responded, "and a dance recital."  Man what a hectic life.  Too bad I told her she can't quit and dance is almost over with for the summer.

Speaking of soccer, here is a picture of her game today.  Today she showed a little more aggression.  I think she really likes dance and soccer.  She really likes to play with friends too and that is a big dilemma.

The blond girl on her team is real good and aggressive.  Today Macy kept trying to take the ball from her own team mate.  Last week I realized that to be a soccer mom in Utah I am going to have to start wearing thermals.  Today that was re-confirmed.

During dance Kelsey, Braden and I sit in the car because it is too far to head back home.  I let Kelsey play around in the car.  The same day Macy and I had the previously mentioned conversation, I looked back to find chocolate on Braden's mouth.  I asked Kelsey where it can from.  It was an M&M she found on the ground.  Then I noticed a jolly rancher in her mouth.  It too come from the floor of the carpet.  Luckily I found the wrapper so it wasn't a previously sucked on candy.

This week I did some updating to our family's 72 hour kit.  I finally purchased a large enough backpack to carry it all.  I threw out one set of diapers (size 5) and kept the other set for Braden (they were for Kelsey).  That tells you how long it has been.  I think we are all set.  I still have to replace some water and first aid stuff, but other than that we are set.  My only concern is that I might tip over if it is blowing too hard.  This thing is heavy and stuffed to the brim.  I can't wait until my kids are old enough to haul their own food.  I was able to pawn off some things to their own backpacks because Macy and Kelsey are old enough to carry some.  Here is the monster pack.  I took it for a trial run up the stairs carrying Braden.  I sure hope he learns to walk soon.  Even then I still need to hit the weights a little harder to get very far.  Good thing kids move slow.

An update on me.  Besides the kids real estate is keeping me fairly busy.  I am working on selling 2 homes and helping someone buy a home.  Plus I have an awfully picky client looking for a home.  The name starts with a "B" and ends with a "rian".