What was I thinking?

I wander through my house in a daze, wondering what was happened to my house? There are piles of laundry that didn't quite get washed, blanket remnants of forts that didn't get put away, thread and pins left out from Emma's sunday bag sewing project, dishes on the counter that needed to be washed two days ago, cracker crumbs from after-school snacks turned to ammunition for brother fights. AAGH!! How can things get this bad?
I pause, and look at my dining room floor, and realize I do it to myself. Instead of staying on top of my house and my children, I lose myself in crazy projects. This week, it was the Activity Day girls Articles of Faith Frenzy.


We are trying to memorize the Articles of Faith, so each time a girl can say one to me, (I am currently without a partner), she will receive a tag with a reminder word on it. So-let's do the math, 11 girls X 13 A of F, + a couple extra for me to practice on = 145 tags. Painting, then stamping, then cutting ribbon, trying to keep my own children away from this project! WOW! I can't wait until 5:00 p.m. when I can close the door on this. (But then I guess I will just have to pull out the vacuum...someday I will rest, someday!)

F.H.E. Activity

The cabin is coming along!

Here's the view from the dock. We are so excited to see the progress. Can hardly wait for this summer and all the fun family times! Emma has already assigned out where everyone will be sleeping-and she was excited to be in McCall with the snow.

Queen of the snow hill!

10 doctos apponitments in 8 days

YIKES! First-we take Dallin to the developmental pediatric neurologist specialist. We get the confirmed diagnosis that Dallin does have Asperger's Syndrome (a high-functioning form of autism). So, now we are equipped with counselors and social skills classes and a note saying "Do not Fail this kid in P.E."

Next, Hayden and Dallin have their yearly check-up, which they haven't had for the past 3 years. All is well but they need some immunizations. The next day, each of their arms is swollen , red and HOT.

Hayden's is about 3x 2 inches and Dallin's is 2x2. We have to take them to the after hours clinic. The dr. there thinks it may be a local reaction, but outline it with a marker and make sure it doesn't get bigger.

The next morning, Hayden's has grown to about 5 1/2 inches x2 inches and Dallin's remains the same. Since Jacob and Emma have their yearly exam this day, I take all 4 kids down there. Our pediatrician says it is a local reaction that is seen maybe in 1 out if 50 kids and how odd is that that both of my kids had the reaction. Well-needless to say, we did not give Jacob his chicken pox booster that day.

Then-a couple of days later, I take Hayden in to do the allergy scratch test. As background-this kid has had allergies since he was about 3. He has been on and off all sorts of allergy medications. Steve had to get allergy shots as a teenager, Jacob has eczema, and all of my kids have these rough little bumps on their tgriceps which are a genetic allergy sign. So-we fill out the 15-page questionnaire, the Dr. says all the signs point to allergies, let's do the scratching. So-the gal comes in, gives him about 20 allergens and then we wait. Absolutely nothing! Only the test spot worked. Are you kidding me?! The doctor comes back and says, we're going to do some more. So, in comes the gal and on the backs of both his arms, he gets another 10 or so allergen.s. We wait, again-NOTHING!! Maybe a tiny spot for dog and cat, but the nurse thinks not really.

So-the doctor comes in and says weird, but about half the people that present with allergy symptoms do not have a allergen trigger. So-we have a new nose spray and eye drop to try. Pretty crazy.

As an update, the boys arm redness went away and everything seems fine.

Hayden turns 12!!

What a handsome yet crazy kid!! (Next time I am making him brush his teeth before the photo!) And getting him to give me a real smile instead of the I'm a maniac in the making look!


Tying his own tie!! He was so sweet-he kept saying the only thing I want for my birthday is one of those vesty things the guys were to church. You mean a suit coat? Yah, that. Thank heavens for Burlington Coat Factory! He sure looks sharp. I am somewhere between tears and a giggle watching him pass the sacrament. He looks so sharp and takes the resposibility of the preisthood very seriously.

We are so blessed to have Hayden in our family. He is great fun to be around and keeps the conversation going. What a special time!

Here are a couple of friends having Bubblegum pie at the party.

Wow

Christmas Break in Arizona

Again-no photos. This time it's because we forgot our camera. We had a great 2 weeks in the sun playing with cousins and staying with the Smiths. The boys felt Wii deprived since they hadn't played for almost nine whole days, so that is ALL they did at the Smiths. Thanks to everyone for putting up with us. We had a blast!

Dallin 's Double Digits!

I'm sorry to say that we don't have any photos of Dallin's birthday because our computer had some issues. But-we are thrilled to say how much we love Dallin. He is such a great kid. He is always willing to help and is always the first to obey. We are so lucky to have him in our family! (His birthday was on Thanksgiving this year, so we had a "backwards party" over the weekend.)