ER trip

Brandon started complaining his stomache hurt about midnight last night. I was tired and gave him some medicine. About an hour later, I could hear sobbing in his room. He was rolling around in pain. Me , being the oh so clever nurse, said "just try different positions and see if that will work." After about 20 minutes of this, his pain was much worse. So I loaded him up and headed off for the ER. Thankfully no one else was in there at 1 am. They got his iv hooked up, gave him some pain medication and he started to get some relief. They said his white count was slightly elevated but that the CT scan of the appendix looked good. The doctor then followed this with the news that sometimes appendicitis is misdiagnosed in the early stages. So I will be keeping a close eye on him today and praying that it is just a GI bug (which the doctors said could cause all this pain too). Does not matter how old your child is, you always worry and feel overprotective when something happens to them.

Stinky Smoky House

So what happens when your child puts an enchilada in the microwave for 8 minutes??
A stinky, smelly smoke filled house!! He swears he read the directions.
However, the directions said heat in the oven for 8 minutes. Needless to say the plate was put in the garbage, all the windows have been opened. Does Febreeze work??? Heck no!!!
I have the worst headache from the smell - so Rich and I went to see New Moon. Good excuse!
Any suggestions to take the smell out of the house? Everything stinks - curtains, couches, clothes, etc. Won't we smell lovely at 8 am church tomorrow!! Still love my Dylan though - now to teach him the distinction between microwave and oven:)

Mad Hula Hooping Skills and Hip action

Colton and his hula hooping buddy
I could just go on for hours!

Where does this boy get his hip action and mad hula hooping skills? I had no clue he could do this until I went to the turkey trot this afternoon. He seriously hula hooped for 10 minutes and only stopped because it was time to go in for class. He told me he does this every day at recess with his best friend (top picture). Too bad there is not a "Hula Hooping With the Stars" - my Colton would rock the competition!!

Turkey Trot

Our elementary school holds a Turkey Trot the day before Thanksgiving. The parents are encouraged to come trot around the field with their children. I am now on my fourth child participating. I went to the elementary school 3 seperate times to make sure that I was there for each of the 3 children I have that are participating (Brandon is a freshman so I suppose Turkey Trots are above them:))

It was such fun to watch the teachers, parents and siblings run after the turkey (not real, our friend Bill, dressed up in a turkey suit). Although it would have been kind of funny to watch them run after a real turkey..........or maybe not! Dylan (9) ran 2 times around the field and was outlapped by his teacher. Darin (11) ran once around and then decided to walk ( I think it has something to do with being in 6th grade and the cool factor). Colton (6) ran all 3 times around the field (3/4 of a mile) without breaking a sweat!! And don't ask what was up with his hair - he somehow snuck out of the house without one of his parents combing it! Camryn and I - well let's just say Colton outdid us.

Video 4

Singing at Mrs. Billings preschool program.

Preschool Thanksgiving 2009

Thanksgiving Program at Mrs. Billings preschool.

New Moon

Release at midnight of New Moon tonight!! I have to work so I will miss out on the screaming teens at midnight showing.
I did talk Rich into seeing it with me next Friday - that was part of the agreement of me seeing "This is IT" by Michael Jackson. I did love listening to his songs and watching the rehearsal. He was a perfectionist but was so kind to others when he was correcting them during the singing, cues, dancing, etc. It would have been an awesome concert to attend. Rich sang throughout most of the movie and has been practicing his moonwalk at home:) Camryn just keeps telling him to "knock it off Daddy!"
Cannot wait until next Friday to go see New Moon!!!

Couple Missionaries

We had a wonderful talk today by a couple in our stake who just returned from a mission in San Juan. They had set a goal to go on a mission when their youngest boy went on his mission. Sister Bost spoke of health problems she had before going and how they felt insurmountable to her and she told her husband "forget it, I just cannot do it!" Her husband gave her a blessing and promised her that they would find treatments for her medical conditions so that they would be able to serve. And guess what? Treatments were found and they were able to fulfill a one year mission.

Sister Bost also made mention of the way the deacons sat in the 2 rows so reverently 10 minutes before church started (trust me, I taught this age group in primary before they turned 12 and I know how hard it is for them to be reverent!) We have a total of 15 deacons right now, so for all of them to be reverent and in their seats is amazing.

The young men and young women sang a beautiful song today. It brought great joy to my heart to see my son standing up there with all the youth (I think I counted 60 up there) and singing such a tender song. I remember being that age and growing up in Virginia. I think there was maybe 20 (give or take a few) of young men and women. We had a very tight knit group and it was such fun to become such good friends with them. Hopefully we were able to do missionary work in our area in Virginia by living the gospel, setting an example, and inviting nonmember friends to our "Mormon" parties. We even had some nonmember friends come to early morning seminary all 4 years - now that takes commitment from someone not knowing what our church is about or even just being there at 6 am! It just amazes me that my children can be surrounded by so many members. I do hope they realize what a blessing this is and to not take it for granted.

The talks this morning inspired me to start thinking about serving a mission when I am older. I was going to go on one when I was 21, but met my now husband and was married instead (even though that took 4 years - a whole other story). I am grateful for those who have served and for them setting the example for the rest of us.

Wrestlemaniacs

I video taped this and my 11 year old added the comments. I tried to figure out how to do it, but leave it to the kids to figure it out! He also tried to add music but that did not work - I think he was just trying to cut out my commentary:) You notice he is doing this with a broken hand. Kids - you just cannot stop them from having fun!

Phoenix Zoo

Today we went to the Phoenix Zoo for Veteran's day (the kids were out of school). And wouldn't you know it? My camera battery went dead and I think all of Phoenix was at the Zoo!! I have not seen that many people there except for Boo at the Zoo or Zoolights. It was crazy.

We took Brandon's friend, Daniel, and Dylan's friend, Carter, along with my 5 kids. I now have a feeling what my friend, Mary, with 10 kids must go thru for each outing she goes on! I was continually counting heads and trying to make sure that Dylan and Carter did not get lost. Those 2 had a tendency to hang out at every exhibit until I had to physically go back and get them. At least they had fun and were actually reading about the animals:)

There was a new exhibit called the Komodo Dragon exhibit. They were awesome!! I would not want to run into one of those in the wild. They inhabit a small island close to Australia and New Zealand (as well as a bunch of little islands that I cannot remember). My son did try to take a video of them, so hopefully that will turn out.

Hope everyone had a great Veteran's Day and thanks to all those who served or who are now serving in our armed forces:)

Pioneer Heritage

We are finally getting a new Stake Center after sharing with our old stake for the past 2 years. There was a ground breaking ceremony yesterday that was attended by over 1000 members (and that is just from our wards in our small stake boundaries!) At the youth conference this past summer, all the youth were able to write their testimonies on a tablet. This tablet is going to be the cornerstone of one of the buildings on the grounds. Brandon was able to go to this youth conference (he was able to attend even though he not quite yet turned 14). How exciting that his testimony will forever be a part of this Stake Center!!

One of the neatest parts of where the Stake Center is has to do with Arizona's pioneer heritage. Many parts of Arizona were settled by Mormons (one of them is my husband's great great grandfather, John D Lee). Right by where the driveway is going to be (I think I have this part right!) is where the pioneers crossed when coming to settle Mesa. It will be a reminder every Sunday of the sacrifices made in order for us to live in this beautiful desert. I cannot imagine living all those years ago without air conditioning, scorpions (mothers put the legs of the cribs in water in order for the scorpions not to crawl up into the crib), trying to put crops into this hard desert soil and all the other hardships. We each have our own trials now, but at least we have air conditioning when it is 120 degrees in the middle of July:)

I cannot wait to see the Stake Center be completed!

Happy Birthday to Me

I made it another year:) Now officially past being the big 40!
The kids cleaned the house and I received the present I had been asking for - a nap!
The door was locked and I napped in peace for 2 hours - pure bliss.
Here is to a great year of being 41 and enjoying my family and the joy they bring me (I know, I forget to add that part of it alot!)