Harry Potter (I give away no secrets or surprises)

So I fell off the face of the Earth again, but I feel my reasonings are justified. I had to finally get to the last Harry Potter. I had pre-ordered it online, but as it so happens I planned my trip to Utah over the release date. I made myself wait until I got home (that and I could not pry it away from my mom and sister's grip or they might have cursed me). I finally started it on Friday. All I can say is thank goodness my children are a little older and were content on playing with one another as long as I briefly looked up and nodded. Oh yea, the gym daycare was great because on the elliptical I got some uninterrupted time today. I liked the last chapter, but it was a little too cheesy. I think I would have been just as happy ending it on the second to last. I might have complained about wanting a little bit more, but it is classified under juvenile literature. I finally liked Harry. I was telling Brian last night I really didn't connect with him as a character and he wasn't my favorite hero. There were many times I disliked him. This book I liked him more, but still not a great connection. I guess there were times I really didn't understand him. I still don't like his dad James. I wish that we could have had some insight show that he had changed from his teenage years to see why Lily fell in love with him. Ah well the journey has come to an end. I know that a lot of people have read the book. I spoke with them before it came out, but I have not heard if people liked it. I give it a thumbs up. I still rooted for Harry and loved the plots. I would recommend these.

Another media form I would like to comment on is the Bourne Ultimatum. Brian and I went on Saturday and loved it. It left us wanting more. Sometimes when I think about it, I get upset because there will not be a fourth to help answer some questions. Maybe they were answered some where and I will have to watch all three back to back to find those answers. I definitely recommend the movie if you liked the previous two. Brian and I are suckers for these movies (and books). Has anyone else seen this movie? What did you think? I heard the books are far better than the movies so after I buy and read Eclipse tomorrow, I will have to pick up Robert Ludlam's books.

Besides reading today, I did make cookies so we could go meet a new neighbor. Macy helped and Kelsey watched. Macy is quite the little helper in the kitchen. She does the mixer her self, dumps the ingredients in and cracks the eggs. She loves to help me. The two of them are definitely my daughters. As soon as I turn my back they both will try to get their fingers in the bowl for a taste. Macy asks repeatedly if she can have a taste and they both take claim to the beaters in the end. I now have to find another utensil that I must get dirty so I can lick something when the product is finished.

On a completely different note, I am updating the pictures to include our fun trip to Utah. (Susannah, Melinda, Aunt Becky, or anyone else, if you want to see them just let me know and I will get the password to you.)

We're Back

Well we made it home today. We had no major breakdowns at security like our departure. There was a man that had been drinking the night before or that morning (the flight was at 8:37 AM Utah time) that sat right in front of Macy. The whole area around him smelled of alcohol. He was friendly and tried help Macy and Kelsey enjoy the flight. The intoxication may have impaired some things because he was strange. Also little did he know that the 2 of them had more flying experience than him.

You will never guess, but I came home to 2 more burnt out light bulbs. Do not buy the natural white light bulbs. You may like the light they put off, but they are not worth the money. These 2 lasted less than a year. I am going to go broke buying light bulbs.

I am not sure if I am really back in Phoenix. I think someone just moved my house to another city. We barely got over 100 degrees today and the humidity was as thick as frosting (still in the vacation free for all mindset). It took a little getting used to be able to breath properly. Then as I was leaving Costco (which by the way, Ashley, my disgruntle with Costco is that I spend half my grocery budget in one visit and I still have to go to a regular grocery store) the rain let loose. I would have waited under cover but I had 15 minutes to get to YWs. By the time I had the goods in the car I was soaked through to my under clothing. My hair dripped down my back the whole way home. After the 10 minute drive home the rain began to let up and I had to run in and completely change my attire. I have been informed that Phoenix has received quite a bit of rain when I was vacationing. I am sure that the weatherman will still tell us that we are in a drought. At least I haven't had to water the yard for awhile. This rain experience has also given me another excuse as to why I should not do my hair.

Out of the Office

Sorry I haven't written for awhile but we are vacationing in Utah. Everyone is healthy now and we are having a great time. We have been boating. I was able to go 2 times, once with my parents and once with Brian's cousin Nate & Erin. We have visited the Hogle Zoo, swam at Grandma Bonnie's, shopped in Park City, rode the Alpine Coaster, BBQ'd with Brian's family, visited the Hodlmair's, played at Discovery Gateway, lit fireworks with the Isaac's (a family friend), and rode rides at Lagoon. I also read the book Rebecca. Harry Potter has to wait until I get home.

Let's just say it has been busy and fun and we still have a week of excitement. I will get back to writing as soon as I take a moment to breath.

Sick again

I hope this doesn't sound negative but the events as of late have not been the most pleasant at times. Life is truly good so bare with me as I give an update on life. Tuesday night I had another sore throat and headache come on. The minute I felt the throat swell, I thought I had strep throat again. I made an appointment with the doctor Wednesday morning. The quick test came back negative so I went home. As soon as I got home the awful "scarlet fever" rash had come out across my belly. I called the PA. I had to go back in for the strep test that takes a couple of days. She was still hesitant to say strep throat. She gave me a prescription and told me to only fill it if the puss pockets appeared on my tonsils and/or a fever came. Luckily I didn't feel icky sick so I continued on with life. Friday morning came along and the throat still felt swollen. Brian and I took a look with a flashlight and there were the white spots on tonsils that were enormous from inflammation. I filled the prescription and am feeling fine. I still don't know the results of the test because the PA was out of town on Friday. I hope it isn't something viral and I aided to the antibiotic resistance.

I only doubt the strep because on Friday afternoon Kelsey had a fever so into the pediatrician we went. Her quick test came out negative too, but since I told him I had strep he gave her a prescription. I told him that I didn't have the final results on my test but that I had white spots he felt that it was probably strep. He also knew we had a trip coming up. He said that for some reason once you have strep you seem to be more susceptible to it again for about a year. Well the amoxicillin he prescribed is a little stronger than last time, so she has experienced a few stronger symptoms: strong diarrhea and vomiting.

Lucky for us the diarrhea has only happened once. Not so lucky has been the vomiting. Kelsey is the best sick kid. If she throws up during the night she either doesn't wake up or goes right back to bed. She just wakes up and we walk into an awful stench and a gross mess. It is easier to clean up when dry. However this was not the end this morning. It took a while for me to realize she had thrown up in bed (I must have been really out of it) so I was holding her on my lap. I put together some clues and cleaned up her room and changed her clothes. I then held her on my lap some more. Macy woke up and joined us and that is when it broke loose again. Right on my lap and on the carpet. Brian did not get to sleep in. We cleaned that up and gave the kids a bath. Again this is not the end. As they were eating breakfast the dam burst again. The funny thing was both Brian and I just watched. I thought "I should get a bucket, but she will be done by then." I should have grabbed the bucket. Since then she has been fine. No nursery for her today. We didn't want any accidents at church. Tomorrow I will call the pediatrician, but those things were listed as side effects and the pharmacist said to just watch for dehydration. At least this took place before our trip. I have a prescription for Macy just in case she comes down with it. At this point it looks like it might skip her.

The other bad thing, another light bulb is out. I just cannot believe it. I wonder if there is something with the wiring or we just need to move back to Utah.

A good thing that happened this weekend was the baby shower I gave a friend was a success. The chicken salad sandwich recipe my mom makes which came from Grandma Lue was a hit. Several people wanted the recipe. We played "Guess what makes this diaper dirty" you use melted candy bars and match the animal with its baby. This was my first shower and there were no hiccups. The other good thing about the shower is my house is clean so now all I need to do for my trip to Utah is laundry and pack. I feel so much better leaving when my house is clean. That way I can come home to a clean house and only have to worry about laundry.

Frustrations of homes and parenthood

I have never changed so many light bulbs in my life. Since we have moved into this home we have replaced at least 17 light bulbs. We lived in our last home 4 years and I think we changed maybe 2. The 5 year mark on homes must be when all the light bulbs conspire together. They seem to burn out in twos and as soon as you buy and replace them another burns out. The “bright” side of things is that I have started buying the energy efficient ones. Who knows if I will ever realize the money savings, but at least I am doing my part to be green. Right? Besides I love spending at least $5 per bulb. Doesn’t everyone?

Tonight the girls and I had to go out and do some shopping. Brian doesn’t get home until 6:30 PM so instead of waiting for him to watch them we all ventured out. Every time I try this I tell myself never again or one store is the limit. Why I forget or think “this time will be different” I am not sure. Our first stop was Children’s Place. I needed to get 2 baby gifts and I had seen the cutest dress there a couple of weeks ago. It was part of their “Monster Sale” so I had my fingers crossed that it was still there. Of course Macy had to push the double stroll through the parking lot in the 108 degree heat. Since we had to park in the next county she got tired half way through and climbed in her seat. Once we were in the store the girls hop out of the stroller and begin to run around as if we were at the playground. It is so embarrassing. I know other kids do this, but I have yet to seen this same spectacle happen to someone else when I am in the store. At least I walked out with some spectacular deals. This was only short lived because Macy informed me of her poopy diaper. I had to change her in the back of the Explorer in 103 degree heat.

It was then on to Target to buy light bulbs among other things, including a fridge lock (Macy likes to eat the butter when I am in the shower). Macy, the control freak, demands she push the cart and Kelsey, the follower, won’t sit in the cart because her sister isn’t. The two of them like to go off and do some shopping by themselves. While I am in one aisle, one goes one way and the other goes the other way. Macy thinks she can read my mind and likes to take the lead. Usually she turns out wrong.

By the end of the trip Macy has lost her special treat because she can’t listen and obey. This is the second night of losing out on a treat. She thinks she knows better and talks back and/or quickly forgets that she has been asked to do something. We are having real issues with this lately. She has to have all the control and of course some things she wants to do are dangerous or wrong. I hope we can survive the teen years.

Even with her challenges, she is still cute. She had to wear a skirt today because Kelsey was wearing a play dress. The skirt was the closest thing to a play dress. Last night and tonight she has been sleeping on the floor (maybe she is practicing for her trip to grandma's). She lays all her blankets across the floor of her bedroom like a patchwork quilt. She then grabs her pillow. She then plays for at least an hour. Last night she was up until 10:15 PM. We are constantly telling her to close her eyes and go to sleep. I think it is one of those power struggles that occur almost hourly around here. We usually give in on this one because for the most part she stays in her room and quietly plays. Sometimes we get an interrogation like tonight when Brian dropped my $5 light bulb outside of her room. “What happened? What broke? What are you doing? Did that fall? Are you cleaning it up? Can I see?”

Where did the week go?

Whew! What a week. We had a fun but busy week. Monday and Tuesday I finished the last real estate class (Today I went and paid all my fees so I am finally legal.) Tuesday Macy and I decorated her and Kelsey’s bike for the ward breakfast the next day. She was so excited. The decorations are still on her bike. I did most the work. I would suggest where to place things. She would then tell me to do it and I would tape.

The morning of the fourth we put on our red, white and blue (Brian wore green) and went to the church for breakfast. Macy was in heaven with all the kids around. We had a wonderful flag ceremony and then a delicious pancake breakfast. There was all sorts of fresh fruit, muffins, sausage, bacon, and drinks. I make note of this because the Elders Quorum and High Priest Group are in charge of this activity. They even had center pieces on the table. After breakfast the children were able to ride their bikes around the church. By this time it was already hot and the parents were sweating to death. The kids didn’t seem to mind. One of the highlights for the kids was the fire truck that the Gilbert Firefighters brought. The firefighters came for breakfast and then let all the kids go through the big truck. The rest of the day was spent taking it easy. We had a couple of friends come over for dinner and a swim. We couldn’t think of possibly heading to the park until 8 PM. However, we were running on Mormon standard time and everyone else in the city had the idea to wait until dark to arrive so we almost missed the fireworks. We parked the car and we were about to make our way to the grass when the fireworks started. So we threw down the blankets in front of the car and enjoyed the show. Luckily the parking lot wasn’t paved. I am sure the dirt was cooler than asphalt. Trying to leave was a joke. I car began to over heat as we waited to leave so the A/C shut-off. This was not a good time for Macy and Kelsey. As soon as we got out of the parking lot and had air going through the engine the A/C came back on.

Thursday Macy declared that she was no longer going to call Kelsey “Kelsey”. Instead she would be “bug”. By the end of the day it was something like “love bug”. I am not sure where this came from but it sure was cute. She has since reverted back to “Kelsey”.

Friday the kids and I hit the pool twice. Once in the afternoon with our friends the Clarks (mom wanted some adult conversation) and then again after dinner with the Knoblocks. Gretchen Knoblock is pregnant and really needed to cool off.

Saturday was my big date night that I planned. I am trying to branch out from the typical date stuff, so Brian and I along with the Knoblocks hit the local water park. We hadn’t been to a water park in years (except for Cherry Hills). Yes it was filled with teenagers and in-betweeners, but we still had a good time. The best part was we went at 7 PM to 10:30 PM and I didn’t have to use a towel once because I was cold. No goose bumps at all. When I picked up the babysitter she looked at my swimsuit and asked is we went swimming that day. I think she was surprised to hear that we were going to Sunsplash for our evening out. It is good to feel young.

This upcoming week also looks to be busy. That will be nice because that means our trip to Utah will be here before you know it.

PS I am adding other Fourth of July pictures to the photo album.

One great weekend

The Kartchner’s had a busy weekend. The girls started Friday night off with a favorite baby sitter. Macy is always excited to Sam come over and play. She requests that Sam bring her bouncy balls. Brian and I used the time to go to the temple. We almost missed the last session. We didn’t know that 7:30 PM was the last session each night unless there is a lot of people. We arrived at 7:24 and the men at the front asked if we were trying to make the 7:30 session. We said if it were possible, but would be fine with 8 o’clock. He then informed us of our error and said we could try to make it. I made it into the dressing room and got dressed in 3 minutes. The women temple workers were shocked. Brian made it to the chapel about the same time I did.

Saturday I definitely realized that I am not Fabio the pool boy. I was still having problems with the filter, so I took it apart again and replaced the rest of the parts. I was so proud of myself. I was sure I solved the problem. I hadn’t. Today I again took it apart and then called a real pool technician. They are coming tomorrow. Goodbye money. Blast those expensive technicians.

Late Saturday afternoon the family piled into the car and made our way back up to Prescott. The kids had their movies and we were going to the “World’s Oldest Rodeo”. We went with another couple and really enjoyed ourselves. Macy thought the “radio” was all about eating. She told Kelsey that we were almost to the “radio” so we can eat. We spent about $40 buck in food in that trip. What pigs we were either that or those type of places rip you off with the refreshments. Needless to say we had a good time. I don’t think the girls watched too much of the action. Kelsey had her hand either in the kettle corn or in her mouth most of the time. Macy watched a little but was mostly interested in the other kids around us. She played with them all night. Our seats were perfect because they were right by the walkway so the kids could run around and we could still sit and watch. Luckily there was saw no serious injuries. All of Macy’s friends seem to pass out before the end, but Macy and Kelsey lasted the entire time. The most memorable thing the people around us might say was the little girl that tried to strip off her pants and diaper. For some odd reason Kelsey got tired of them and kept sticking her hands down her pants and trying to tear the diaper off. She almost succeeded a couple of times but dad kept pulling them back up.
The evening was beautiful up there. I was sad to leave the cool temperatures, but we had to get back home. Brian was too tired to drive, so I took the wheel. Thank goodness for 96.9 and a husband that could listen to me sing the entire way home. They were playing live music for a dance club. It was 80s and 90s night so the music was great. As we approached the Phoenix valley I noticed our car thermometer slowly rise. Once we hit Phoenix I told Brian welcome back. The thermometer read 95 and it was 12:30 AM.

Sunday was great. The kids slept in until 9 AM and so did I. Church was amazing. Friends invited us over for dinner so I didn’t have to cook. Her meal was delicious. Thank you Thea. Overall the weekend was a huge success.