Smoothies

I love my smoothies. I usually have berries and vanilla ice cream, yummm. Ella has started to enjoy them with me. We are supposed to have our own straw, but Ella and I don't mind sharing. We (Ella) always seems to get confused which one is which. She also has the little habit of holding the back of your neck when you are close to her. I love you so much Ella!!!

Valentine's Day

I thought since it was Valentine's Day that I would tell Emily how much I love her!!! She has brought so much beauty into my life. At church today someone quoted Elder Ashton saying that love is a process and not a declaration. Emily has spent the last 12 years working on improving me. I can be very stubborn and selfish, as if I need to tell anyone reading this. I always think of Emily when someone compliments me on the way I look.

I remember the first time I saw Emily. She is so beautiful. She has given me so much purpose to my life. I love that she is home taking care of me and our beautiful children! I love you Emily!!!

Rats!!!

It all started when the sensor light for the coolant on the car went on. It said "low coolant level". I filled it 3 times over a couple days before we decided to ask Mike, Emily's brother, about it. As soon as Emily and Mike went out to check it out they noticed that the sensor wire had been chewed on along with the fire wall and almost got some other wires. There was also rat droppings and urine marks throughout the engine. Mike fixed the wire in minutes and we went home to catch the rat. Emily's mom had also heard scrapping noises in our attic the week before when we were on our cruise.

We set the trap exactly where we parked our car in the garage as soon as the kids went to bed. We heard the trap snap before we fell asleep, like 30 minutes later. I went out to the garage to check it out and saw the rat in the trap spinning/running in circles. I was worried I was going to have to step on it if it started to run off. Luckily it died quickly.

The next day I had the kids help me throw it in the garbage. Adam didn't want too much to do with it, but Ethan and Ella were very intrested. Ethan even helped me put it in a bag and throw it away in the garbage can. We set another trap the next night, but missed it. We set it again the very next night and caught it, but the trap barely snatched him by the nose so it was a lot bloodier. Ethan again was interested in the process.

The next day was Monday. Emily called me at work and wouldn't stop calling until I picked up. She asked me what to do because Ethan had taken one of the dead rats out of the garbage and out of the bag to play with it. We have no clue how long he was playing with it and may have never known if Adam had not come inside complaining that Ethan was 'getting him with the rat'. This may have been one of those moments that I wish my kids were immunized!

We set the trap a couple more times, but no more rats. We did have a rat a couple of years ago that we caught in our garage with a Fig Nuttn'. The funny story about that one was with me. I went out to light the BBQ holding Ethan. When I opened the lid a rat was in there. It ran away from me, but it ran right into the contoured lid and flew back at us. Emily came out and asked me why I was screaming like a little girl. We caught that garden eating fat rat quick!

Well, back to the Ethan and the rat. The next saturday I went up in the attic to look for their nest, other rats or babies. There was a distinct trail through the blown insulation where they ran. I found there nest easily, but thankfully there were no babaies or other rats. I sealed off all the holes I could find with expanding foam (nasty, but effective stuff).

I am sure I will have another rat story in the years to come.........

Suspended from 2nd grade

The big surprise is that I got suspended. I have been volunteering with Adam since 1st grade. I think it helps me more than him. I am able to follow the program material and learn what is expected of Adam. Everything went really well until a couple weeks ago. I got called into the principal’s office. I know principal well because I have been helping at the school for a while. She said there were a couple of complaints with the "male volunteer". So the next week when I volunteered I went with the assistant principle. It went well. I learned a couple of things, but no big modifications. The next week went fine. Then this week I brought some snacks, some variety pack from Sam's Club. Emily had mentioned that the teacher had told everyone that she was stopping snacks, but since I already bought the snacks I went ahead and brought them. When I got to Adam's class the teacher reaffirmed that I should bring the snacks home. I set them aside, but when snack time came the kids saw that I had brought some snacks and wanted the CheeseIts from my pack, so I got them out. At that point I really didn't want to take the snacks home. You probably already guessed the rest. I went to one of the students as discreetly as possible, that is obviously one of the less fortunate kids, and asked him if he liked them and wanted the snacks so I filled his back pack with the rest of the snacks.

Emily got a call from the principle to tell me not to volunteer again until she spoke with me. She called me and asked me what my story was with the snacks. She kindly listened then explained that I stress the teacher out. We then decided that the easiest and most obvious solution is for me to stop volunteering. She said I could try again in 3rd grade. I have been suspended for the rest of the year.

The good news is that Adam is doing great. It will take me some time to get over it. I have really enjoyed being in Adam's class.

Stitches

I was outside installing a side door to our garage with Ryan Guinta, a friend, when Adam came out yelling: "we have a 911". We say that a lot at our house when we need some one's help. As I went inside I was saying to myself that this better be good. I saw Emily with her head down over the sink and holding her wrist. I could see blood dripping from her wrist at a pretty good rate. I guess a bowl fell and she tried to catch it. She missed. I got a paper towel, got some pressure on it and then got her to sit down on the couch with it elevated. The bleeding stopped fast and I got a good look at it. Stitches! It was nice and gaping and in an area that gets a lot of skin stretching. I called my friend Jimbo. He is a resident here in town, lives in our ward, and is our hometeacher. Sweet! He did a great job. Emily still struggles with some numbness and constant re aggravation, but we are lucky to have such great friends.

Adam wanted nothing to do with it and Ethan and Ella were quit fascinated by the whole process.

Reading

These are some pictures of our kids reading. Since Adam has started school we have tried hard to read, read, read. Neither of us are 'readers', but with Adam struggling in school (no doubt because of Emily's and my lack of reading skills) we decided to try our best. And our kids are SO cute.

Couple notes about these pictures is they are all reading the books they love. Adam has a totally technical book about dinosaurs, Ella has a touch and feel book, and Ethan has a beginner reader book.

First Try

I have always wanted to blog and here goes nothing! Maybe this will help my writing skills too.

Yesterday Emily asked me to tighten a bolt on the toilet because it was leaking. Sure enough, I over tightened it and it cracked the toilet. Unfortunately, the missionaries were coming over for dinner. Emily was very upset because this meant she had to clean our bathroom, knowing that the missionaries always use the bathroom. So off I went to Home Depot to get another toilet. Luckily, I got it done in time for the missionaries to come over for dinner.

I tried to get a picture of Adam giving it a test run, but he was too embarrassed. BTW- it is working just fine. Well almost, I need Jeff to come check out one thing, but I gave it a good test run and it flushes fine.