Even the Car has it

My temperature spiked at 103. Jara spiked at 104.6. Jack spiked at 102.5 Elise, the same. However, Ruby, our car got it the worst, her temperature spiked so high she blew up in a cloud of steam on I-15. No amount of tylenol is going to fix Ruby. Nothing short of a new radiator is going to help that ol' gal.

Last week is when all o' the fun started. Jack was sick, Jara was sick, I was sick and Elise was sick. Having three sick kids is miserable, being sick with three kids is beyond miserable. Jed came home one horrible day to me only half-alive laying in bed with my eyes bleeding hot sulphurous (i'm sure) tears, petting Elise like a kitten both of us immobile and moaning. (a bit dramatic but i'm painting a picture here and its true anyway)

Well, after a week of the girls whining and miserable and Jack and I feeling better a trip to the doctor was deemed necessary. On the way home from the unnecessary doctor trip, Ruby decided that she was also sick and protested one more movement. In the less than one minute it took to hear a horrible thump, even my non-mechanical mind knew it was a belt, and find a safe place without guard rails to pull over she blew.

But wait there's more...

My dad, thankfully, came to my rescue, having two sick kids, one being an infant, on the side of a steaming car next to the interstate is not fun, not even Jara wanted to count cars "I think I'll just rest mom, is that ok?" So Jed embarked on his mission to retrieve Ruby but his truck began having sympathy pains and refused to start. Of course. Eventually it started, via the shockers and dragged Ruby home and now I'm just waiting, waiting, waiting for the next thing to go down.

In the meantime enjoy the picture of my beautiful orchid, it's the only thing thriving around here

It's a little dark but that suits my mood at the moment

Half and Half

Elise is 61/2 months old. This age seems to bring forth so many things. Such as:

spitting, especially during church, if she were three it would definitely be offensive

hissing, she sounds like a bubbly feral cat

snatching, nothing within a 3 foot radius is safe, she will practically jump out of my arms to grab Jara's hair in passing and she does not understand why she can not grab and eat food off of my plate, she would eat a hamburger if I would let her

looking for dropped toys. she threw her first angry tantrum during the battle of the remote last week, taking away things is already unacceptable, my child is so advanced.yay (sarcasm intended)

going everywhere and continuing to be happy and cooperative, as long as she is being held

sucking her thumb, I'm starting her dental fund now because she loves it so much I don't think she will give it up without a fight and/or duct tape

going to bed around 6 probably earlier if i were more on top of the dinner rush

road construction is a soothing white noise for her, the last few weeks there has been heavy equipment right outside our house and I thought she would never sleep again but it lulls her. I think is the one thing nosier than jara and jack thus blocking out their racket making for more peaceful slumber

strolling, she loves walks, we carry on a continuous conversation of weather/birds/that !#$% sun is in my eyes again, we walk around the high school, due to it's convenient proximity, and the occasional student will be roaming in the parking lot staring at me like I'm crazy.

On the downhill slide to a year. Why can't she stay a puppy?

St. Thomas Alive

This weekend we were able to do more than hike among the ruins of St. Thomas we were able to learn about the pioneers and history of the area, authentically, thanks to the valley youth conference, 100-year celebration of the stake.

The youth hiked a total of 19 miles dragging these puppies, no not Jack, the handcarts in the background. (I'm glad I only had a Jack to drag.)

Families of the area set up booths where you could learn about the founding fathers of St. Thomas and the development of the community. It just so happens my great-grandmother was the most popular/prettiest women in all of Clark County when the railroad came to St. Thomas thus she was chosen to drive in the copper railroad spike. The very spike I am holding in this picture. I have held the legendary copper spike, I can die a happy woman.

Jara standing next to the picture of great-grandma driving in the spike.

Jed and his pioneer mama, the woman who ran the dramatic productions/re-creations of the area, great job Kathy! Not only was a play or two produced but various women/men spoke of their ancestors and other entertainment was provided non-stop from 10-3:00

Rodney and Elise's first hand holding. This is approved until they can walk. You got 6-9 more months little monkeys.

My baby in her sun bonnet. She is a good little baby, we take her on all kinds of adventures and she is so nicely behaved. (and of course, since I mentioned it she will now do everything in her power to prove me wrong-but let's hope...)

One of the tallest ruins which I believe was either a pool hall or a garage. Very fascinating to a 3-year-old boy.

Plotting against their wife's.

Nothing like a baby strapped to your chest to make ya manly. I owe him big time but the little beast weighs a million pounds in that thing and my back just can't take it anymore.

PS-In case you didn't know, the town of St. Thomas was covered by Lake Mead after the creation of Hoover dam in the thirties. In 1999 I was wakeboarding over St. Thomas but since the lake has dried up, the town ruins have been exposed once again.

Jed's B-day

The big 3-0. He's finally caught up to his old woman.

When did we ever get so old? I remember the first time I bought him a birthday present he was turning 17.

I also remember my friends telling me when we were young/crazy/new-married/minus children, "He'll slow down (i.e. not jump his 4-wheeler off of ramps) when he's 30." ha I knew he wouldn't slow down, he's just added more to his resume.

Grandma orchestrating kiddie games. Good thing, we had 16 kids under the age of 7, with 11 under the age of three! Holy-lots-of-kids in my gymnasium echo-y (word?) non-carpeted house.

Party at the kiddie table. Double-double fun and trouble.

Triple-triple fun and trouble. Don't think us mom's and babies don't have a good time.

Elise already has the boys drooling (cheese-yes please) all over her.
These little ones are right in a row, they'll all go to school together, just like their daddy's.

In the Spirit of the Season

All the happenings of the month...that I love...because this is February the month o' love. (spirit of the season)

Kids who earn their keep. FINALLY, finally I'm seeing the benefits. A little weed pulling. They worked hard and Jara even figured out if you kick the weeds with your boot it loosens the weed so you can get it out easier. Jack figured out if you pull in the wrong place your hand will get poked with stickers. Is is weird when your children ask you to take them to the hardware store to buy work gloves?

Saying I love the jungle bouncy is an understatement. I luvvvvv this thing because Elise will chill in it, squealing, jumping and munching toys for the entire HOUR I teach piano lessons. Hallelujah! If only it will last.

How can you not love Jessie and Woody? When they aren't biting each other on the ear or using each other for a punching bag they place so nicely.

Happy in the morning babies are very lovely. Even if she is really smiling only because she just left me a nice present. I'm still going to claim it's "joy at my presence" smiles.

Jack and his babies. He is a loving father. The babies are snugly tucked into bed every night.

When Jed takes the kids in the castle and I don't see them for awhile. I won't even lie, I love that, peace for me, fun for them, good all the way around. And of course I am doing something wholesome like making dinner, or...searching online for a chair. You know.
Also-I really don't know how my 6'5"husband fits in the castle with the kids, he bends.

Bike ride/walks. Jack really likes his helmet, he even wears it in the car after the ride. We are quite the entourage, Mom pushing the stroller and two little bikers ramming into each other, me, light poles, whatever is in the path. However, if Jack slams into my Achilles tendon one more time...

Happy Valentine's Day

5 Months

Her favorite toy is her feet. She likes to play with her toes, chew on them and kick anything in her path. She can pass many a minute in company of her chubby little paws. The best part, they never get lost.

Taking a break from her feet to savagely munch bee

Digesting bee. Doesn't it look like she's smiling because she polished off the bee?

This month she started eating rice cereal. The first time I gave it to her she was offended I was promoting such vileness, so we waited a week or two and when she started trying to steal food off of my plate and was practically jumping out of my lap in her endeavor to coyote a roll, we tried again. Ahh success! It is so funny to watch her "chew" her rice cereal. She also likes to have her own cup of water. We give her a cup to hold in the bath tub and she sits in a state of bliss, calmly smiling and staring at her cup as if it's the worlds greatest invention. It ranks second, after her feet, as most amazing thing EVER.

She is in the stage now where nothing is safe within her grasp. Jara and I have both had our hair yanked out and she tried to pull the curtains down when I stood too close to the window the other day. She is very determined to grasp toys in her path and will rake and scoot and wriggle until she gets whatever she is after.

Left thumb is her favorite pacifier. (Do you think this means she will be left-handed like her dear old mom?) We were not surprised when this little habit sprung up, in one of my many ultra-sounds we caught her sucking on her hand in utero so there is no fighting it.

I don't know how much she weighs but the carseat is about to break my arm and back, even if she is of normal girlie, fluff-ball weight. Her length, however, is not average, she is super long. I put her in 6-9 month jammies the other day and by the end of the day she had busted her big toe out. Granted they were old ones of Jara's but still...I think she is going to be taller than me by 3rd grade. And for the record I'm not that short.

We are enjoying this month because after this... 6 months...that's right...half a year...no turning back. I get collectively sadder with each child.

Conversations

Scene: Jack sitting at the table playing with his veggie straws

Jack: Pointing an orange straw at a yellow straw
"Where is your baby?"

Yellow veggie straw: "In Jack's mouth."



Let's hope he doesn't do this to my baby.