March 12, 2012

March 11, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

We’ve survived another week without M.  Most days we are just fine, but there are a few moments in each day where I want to pull out my hair, or go hide in my room.  (Or both!)  Monday night a friend (The Nielsens) invited us over for dinner and FHE.  Her husband travels every week, and is gone most of the week.  So she understands what it’s like not having any back up around.   The dinner was great and the boys were relatively calm for FHE, so it was mostly a success. 

Tuesday was a slower day.  Not much happening.  We’ve all been sick, so we are just trying to stay comfortable and happy.  Wednesday I took J to an allergist to get him tested for food allergies.  We were theorizing that maybe he has some allergies to food and that is causing a state of constant inflammation in his sinuses and ears leading to being sick a lot.  It was a really good theory.  And actually we have had him off of several foods for several months.  But it was really hard to tell if it was helping.  The allergist did a skin test (mostly only because I forced it) and took a thorough history.  The skin test was negative to everything, which is really good in the long run.  She suggested we start slowing reintroducing the foods we have been avoiding.  She also thought he had been too sick, but she thinks he might have an adenoid issue.  So she gave us a nasal spray and wanted us to get some x-rays of the sinuses to see if that is what is causing all the problems.  J was a trooper for the skin test.  He did not love it, but when they put a big box of “prizes” on the floor he immediately grabbed a stuffed panda bear.  He knew exactly what he wanted.  The rest of the day was pretty quiet after all that excitement.

Thursday I decided would be a good day to go get the x-rays.  We had to drive a little to get there, and my van had a dead battery.  So I decided this would be a good time to jump it, and drive it.  Normally I only drive five minutes at a time.  I was not sure I could do it by myself, but I got out the cables, got the hoods up on both cars, and got everything connected.  (I made sure to buckle in the kids first so that they wouldn’t be running around while I tried to do this little project.)  I was so happy when I tried the ignition on the van and it worked!  Hurrah!  I even called my dad to tell him my success.  Sometimes having M gone is good, because it forces me to do things like jump cars, and kill spiders.    We then drove to get the x-rays.  I wasn’t in the room while they were taken, but I didn’t hear any screaming, so I figured that was a good sign.  No word on what the x-rays showed.  We are still waiting to hear back from the doctor on that…

Friday we ran to the grocery store, and had a relatively quiet morning.  After naps a friend came over with her children and we were able to let the kids play while we chatted.  It was a good way to make the day go faster.  (That’s my main goal when I know M isn’t coming home.)  That night for our family party we had pizza and then watched a video from our collection.  I spent the night with my sewing machine working on drapes for our room.  I am very excited, and trying to be very meticulous in my work so that they don’t look like I made them.  They are going to be lined and everything.  So far so good, I just wish I had more time in one chunk to work on them and get them done.

For some reason this purple soccer ball is the favorite of everyone.

Saturday was a busy day.  I had a basketball game in the morning.  I got a babysitter for J and RM and then took B-man with me.  We played my old ward.  Both teams have two women that are six feet or more.  It was the battle of the posts!  We ended up winning by a lot, but the game felt much more competitive.  I had to really work for all of my points and rebounds.  It was actually really fun.  After the game we came home and had a little break before we got ready for B-man’s game.  I got a different babysitter to stay with the little boys while they took a nap and I went to the game.  It was B-man’s last game.  He really wanted to score a basket, but he didn’t quite get a chance.  He had a pretty good attitude about it.  He was more bothered by the fact that they lost.  Immediately after the game the team had a five minute party (short and sweet!) and then we rushed over to take him to some flag football evaluations.  We missed the time for his age group, but they were really nice and let him do the evaluations quickly before they started with the older boys.  It was all over in about ten minutes.  We then went home and took the sitter home.  We ran a few errands and then spent the rest of the afternoon outside.  The boys played in the yard and the cul-de-sac while I worked on getting a spot ready next to the foundation of the house for a new lilac bush.  I took out a bunch of grass, and then planted the bush.  It’s really more of a twig.  In fact it is so small that when I stand on the sidewalk I can’t see it.  It is hidden by the grass.  I hope it grows quickly!  I look forward to smelling lilacs out my study windows!  We’ve had some nice weather this week, and it has been so nice to have a yard for the boys.  We have been in the back kicking soccer balls around and it makes me so happy.  I love having space to kick and throw a ball!  That night I worked more on the drapes.

Today has been a good day.  I was happy we made it to church on time even with the time change.  Sacrament Meeting went a little better.  I had some new things, (and some emergency fruit snacks) and they really just made it manageable.  I still need to figure out how to get my children to whisper.  That will help a lot too…  After church we had a relaxing afternoon and then went to dinner at the Palmer’s.  The weather was nice enough that the kids all ate outside while the parents were inside.  I made a cake for dessert, and somehow the adults all got some but not the kids.  They were too busy playing.  We left from their house to take some friends to the airport and then came home for a long walk around the neighborhood.  I’m grateful the weather was nice enough to do that!  We had a big snack/treat when we got home.  This is what J and RM had as their snack; (eaten in this order) ice cream, banana, toast, beans.  It was a very backwards snack, but it worked.  Now the boys are in bed.  I hope they sleep past seven.  It’s the one advantage to this time change.

Love you all!

The C Crew

B-man had a little "fort."

These pictures are not from the week.  I had no pictures.  That's what happens when M travels.  But they are from about a week later when he chopped down a tree.