Joy!

Oh Joyous joy to be able to eat sticky sweets, smile on demand, & bleach my teeth!

Every Monday, we enjoy going to our local library for discovery time--a few weeks ago, we made some stylish glasses. Glade has a hard time sitting down for a full 40 minutes of book reading & song time, but he is gradually getting better. Especially if we bring a friend with us. We have established a routine---each day we try to do something fun for a couple of hours, a few necessary chores, or errands, & cook dinner for dad. So far so good.

During a brief sunny moment, we went to a local park with a asphalt trail and rode Glade's bike. He enjoys going around our cul-de-sac when it's nice. We are working on pedaling. Unfortunately our backyard is far from done, & so we have no where else to play outside. I can't wait for his swingset and climbing gym to be set back up so I can send him out to the fenced backyard to run off his energy. Our weather has been crazy. Fingers crossed for a few consecutive days without snow or rain, so we can pour our cement!

This past week was full of dr's appointments. I was cavity free. Glade went to see Dr. Gilbert DDS for the first time. He only opened his mouth when screaming, but at least he was deemed cavity free. He is great at brushing his teeth. He goes first, then I get to brush after. Double duty. Our sweet cat (sweet tempered, but totally lazy), had her annual exam. She is in tip-top shape and the vet even commented on her soft fur. I informed him it was due to her quartly cat washes-aka showers. Not sure what was more traumatizing--being held by Glade in the car, or the appointment itself.

We celebrated Jan's (my lil brother, 23) birthday last month. He is really into Japanese animation so we found him an extremely large 25x40 movie poster of a classic, "My neighbor Totoro." It was a fun surprise!

PUBLISHED!

I took the picture (above) when Glade was six months old. I had taken him into see Dr. Grandpa, who is an Ear/Nose/Throat surgeon for the millionth time for ear infections. This picture was taken as proud Grandpa poses with his grandson, and Glade screams after his ear exam. Classic photo. Grandpa entered it into a "letter to the editor" and they published it--photo and all.

Last week was a rough one. Sickness all around. We were spreading the flu like wildfire. Again, I remind readers of the flu's earned name: Satan's Fury. Well Satan's Fury hit Glade one night, me 2 nights later, & Greg's mom 2 days after that. We puked our guts out--literally. It was a 5 day flu. I would never wish that on anyone. So, we got ZERO accomplished for the week, but are 100% improved this week.

Yesterday was a momentous occassion. The dreaded braces came off! Now, why oh why did an adult (me) have to get braces again? After a first round of 4 years didn't fix it? Well, my overbite came back and I was chipping and grinding my teeth right off!!! So, braces became my teeth's most intimate friend last May. This is the before picture.

This is the oh-so-glamorous after picture. I am trying to show the bottom teeth also and my left side is droopy because it was numbed.

My everyday smile. All fixed up! Thanks Dr. Shepherd for fixing my teeth and 8 months sooner than promised!

2 weeks ago I had 5 kids...

Was it just a dream? Or did I have 5 kids? It's true! 2 weeks ago, I watched my sister in law's kids while they headed off to Vegas. She kept Glade the next week while we cruised the carribean. Such a nice trip. Relaxing, pampering, & some sight-seeing too. Ideal way to travel. Greg is already looking to book the next one. This is my exhausted face after a week of pre-vacation chaos.

It's a miracle! Yes, all 5 kids are sitting at the table eating together. What the picture doesn't tell you is that it was 4:45 pm. Between basketball, st. government, homework, church youth group, piano lessons, & ballet--this is the time we had to eat. Luckily I prepared the meals ahead of time and just had to throw them in the oven after school. Glade loved having "adopted siblings" for a few weeks. My neice and nephews are perfect angels, but I still was a bit overwhelmed. One kid to 5 is a BIG jump. It made the vacation all the more worth it.

Favorites of the week: feeding the ducks after school. My 12 yr old nephew, Matthew, was admittedly scared of the geese. Glade wasn't. I had fun doing Caitlin's hair-she's 8. Maybe a girl wouldn't be so bad? I still have to wait awhile to warm up to the idea of child #2. Michael, 15, played his last bball game vs. Skyview at Mount Ogden and made some incredible plays. Johnny, 17, was selected as a finalist for the Presidential scholarship to the U. Yes, Greg is thrilled. So we stayed up til the wee hours writing his essays that were-of course-due the next day.

All in all it has been such a fun time for us. Even the post-vacation hysteria has been manageable. Glade slightly regressed from his potty training & is a bit of a BEAR but otherwise we've enjoyed seeing friends, and getting caught-up on regular life.

3 weeks ago there was snow!

Glade & Greg tackling snow removal in the driveway. Glade is a natural! Glade also has loved snuggling the cat, whether she likes it or not, & eating mom's home made meals. Pictured: penne rustica & chicken cordon bleu with a mornay sauce. Update on home repairs: basement carpet is relayed. Hole in the wall repaired. Backyard: still full of tractors. Need to grade dirt, do sprinkling system, lay sod, pour cement, put up fence. Slow process due to the unpredictable weather.

Exhausted. After watching 5 kids. Off to cruise the carribean.

Lucky Charm!

Glade did it! POTTYTRAINED!! Heaven forbid we get Thomas wet...

Scouts

Amidst the sickness, I was able to escape to have fun with my scout group. Love these boys! (Pictured: Kord, Cole, & Trevor at Nature Center; London & Kord sledding). I hope to give these boys a love for scouting. It is the best calling in the world and coincidentally my sister and BF also have the same calling. So sharing ideas is a cinch...