Jamestown

I am slowly, but certainly getting caught up on my blog.  The day after Chan's birthday two weeks ago my parents flew in to spend two weeks on the east coast.  They stayed with us that night and then we woke up early the next morning and drove to Williamsburg.

We love going down to Williamsburg every year between Chan and Spence's birthday to celebrate.  It is a celebration that we made it through another tax season with Nate working long hours and weeks.  And the birthdays of two of our handsome boys.

This year we were lucky enough to get to spend it with my parents.  The kids were soooo excited for them to be coming into town.  We spent the first day at Jamestown.  It is amazing that we could spend a whole day just dedicated to this, but you can.

We lucked out and that week was free National Park week, so any national park you got into for free.  Those that have never been down there it is split between a national park and part is owned privately.  The Jamestowne Settlement is owned privately and is kind of pricey for all of us to get into, but we braved the cost and did it.

We started with the National Park side of it first.  They have glass blowing..that the kids absolutely love.  They could sit and watch them do this process for an hour.  I love that they dress is time period clothing, so you feel like you are there.  Then we ate lunch really quick in the car.  We stopped in the visitor center and went through the museum really quickly.  Anyone who knows Wes, knows that you have to move through things really fast.

They have a great outside exhibit of parts of different homes, a church, foundation of buildings, and statues of some pretty important people during that period.  My kids loved the Pocahontas statue and liked holding her hand.

They have a newer museum that you walk on a clear floor, to see the original footings of the building that was there before.  I was chasing Wes most of the time, so what I could see of the museum it was fun.  They had a skeleton that they found while digging.  They had a diagram of where they found him, how they think he died and that maybe there was a lady also buried with him.

Wesley's favorite part was watching the bug huge ferry carrying the cars across the James river.  That river is so big, that the kids kept insisting it was a lake or ocean.  They said that rivers were a lot smaller and that you can cross them easier.  I love that my kids are interested in history.

We then went to Jamestowne Settlement, and it was definitely worth the money going there.  They have three ships that you can go through and they give you a little information on the boat.  Some of the stories were really interesting and I learn something each time we go through them.  The kids were able to steer one and work the bilge pump. 

They have a little settlement set up with some stores that they might have had and a church.  They even had a real garden with things that the settlers might have grown.  Again the people were dressed in period clothing and in each house or building they talked about what happened in that building.  Inside the museum they had a few videos on the crossing of the early settlers and the trials that they had to go through.

The kids loved running through the museum and looking into the houses and boats they had set up inside.  I think we really wore my parents out, with all the walking that we did.  They were so gracious that they got a condo for all of us.  It was nice to come back to every night after the long days we put in.

Chandler's 8th birthday

I can not believe how quickly time has flown by these last 8 years.  I still remember going to the hospital anxious to be a mom for the first time.  After 36 hours of being hooked up to monitors and pitocin he finally made an entrance.  I fell in love with my little blue eyed boy the moment I saw him.  I could not have asked to a mom to a better kid.

I have decided just to list why I love this kid so much:
* he has a strong testimony of the gospel.
*his yearning to learn new things.
*his great example to his younger siblings.
*his love for anything dealing with art.
*his love for his family.
*his protective nature.
*his need to have everything in his room orderly
*his need to please his teachers at school and church
*his love of dancing with his siblings.
*his way of loving those around him
*his determination to overcome obstacles.
*his patience with Wesley
*his great imagination
It is amazing how children come down in the order that they are needed. He was definitely the best one to send down to earth first in our family.

For his birthday he wanted a simple breakfast, which I love. His favorite is toast, yogurt, and strawberries. He wanted chicken and rice for dinner, which is so easy. Instead of me making a cake he wanted to go to Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream cones. That night was a little chilly for ice cream, since there really is no seating inside. But we all survived and ate our yummy ice cream freezing outside.

This coming Sunday he is choosing to be baptized and I could not be more proud. He was a little nervous to meet with the Bishop alone, but he did it. He is very excited to take this important step. We love our Chan Man very much!!!!

Time out For Women

This year I got the privilege of going to Time out for Women. This weekend retreat is put together by Deseret Book each year around this area. It was held at the Farm Complex in Harrisburg, PA. I have wanted to go for a few years now and got a push this year by a friend. Me and three friends set out on a friday afternoon a few weeks ago, for 30 hours of just us time.

My friend Kathy got us booked in a nice hotel that we each were able to have our own nice comfy bed. That night we got to eat dinner without having to cut other people's food or eat cold food. It was a little weird being able to eat hot food, but it was great. None of us brought a GPS, so we got a little lost on the way there. Luckily we found a nice older gentlemen working in his yard that could help us out.

We finally got there a little late, but there none the less. That night we were able to hear two wonderful speakers that made us laugh the whole time. A friends brother Jason Wright spoke that night and it was fun hearing him speak on how he got to where he is now. Jenny Oaks Baker was the musical guest that night. This was the second time I have been able to hear her in person and it was so much fun. I am amazed at how well she can play. And her cute four little kids got up and played piano, violin, and guitar. Her little boy was so adorable and the faces that he would make. Then Jenny and her oldest daughter played a song together. Her daughter was a great piano player, she did not seem nervous at all. Of course being ladies we had to stay up really late talking about this and that.

The next morning we were able to get there and get pretty good seats. The speakers and musical guests were awesome. The musical guest( Mercy River) I had heard of, but never heard their music. I loved that between songs they would talk and give stories about their little kids and showed pics. I was amazed at how one speaker could have us laughing so hard and then the next one you could feel the spirit so strongly. Even though some we were laughing so hard you were still able to get a message from what they were saying. We only got shushed by the people in front of us once, so I guess that is good. I guess we were laughing too hard at some of the speakers:) All in all it was an excellent weekend. I most definetly want to do it again.

Chandler's Birthday Party

Every other year our kids have a birthday party that they can invite their friends to.   Chandler decided that he wanted a Star Wars birthday party again.   For his 6th birthday he also decided to have the exact same party theme.   I really wish that I had kept the stuff from that party.

So I basically had to buy the exact same stuff as two years ago, oh well.   I learned from it and decided to keep the stuff from this year. I told him that he could invite 10 people to his party.   Usually you get a few that don't show up, so it would still be a good turnout.

  He had a really hard time getting the list down this small, he basically wanted to invite his whole first grade class. I love how social he has became this year and more confident. So the day of the anticipated party finally is here and he can barely contain his enthusiasm. Here is how the event unfolded. The star war padwans came about 4. They had to read what their Jedi training consisted of before they were to become a full Jedi Knight.

  The first test was light saber training. Which I had bought inflatable light sabers and they were to keep balloons from falling on the ground. Balloons are always such a big hit with kids. The next task was to restore order to the galaxy. This game I bought at the party store. It was really similar to pin the tail on the donkey, but pin the icon onto the ships (good vs. evil). Of course the girls were the good side and they WON, yay girls. Then they were suppose to kill the death star. I had decorated a little box to look like the death star. They were suppose to throw three balls into the box in order to kill it. The last task was to find and get Darth Vadar. I had hidden the darth vadar pinata and they were to find it and pull the correct string to let the candy down.

We then had galactic pizza, Anakin apples, Darth Vadar Doritos, and Jabba juice. We ended the eating with a cake that was decorated with the scene where Luke lands on the planet with Yoda. Chandler came up with the design all on his own and I tried my best to execute it. I think all the kids were having a great time, it certainly was loud in our house. He got a lot of fun new toys and I think that fun was had by all.

1st Broken Leg

**WARNING VERY LONG POST***
About a week and half ago we had our first broken bone in our household. The kids were kicking a ball around and Spence went to jump over the ball. We think that his left leg got caught on the ball and as he was falling he twisted his leg and broke one of his bones. The cry was one that I had never heard him make, so we knew that something was really wrong. I figured he had just landed on it wrong. But when he woke up every couple of hours that night, I knew we would be making a trip to the e.r. in the morning.

Sure enough he woke up unable to move his leg out of the position he had it in. So I got the lucky opportunity to take him into the e.r. I think that they know our family by now. The longest we seem to be able to keep away from there is 6 months:) They did an x-ray on him and found that he had a spiral fracture on the tibia. You would think that they were killing him in there it was horrible to listen to him cry. I had to stand outside of the room while they did it.

I guess usually they wait for the leg to finish swelling to put a cast on it, well the orthopedist said to come in right now to get a cast. Which was nice for the simple fact of not having to bring two extra kiddos with me to get it done. He opted for a bright orange one, the brighter the better.

He was such a trooper he had to have one up to his thigh, I am not sure why so high. So I was his designated pack mule, carrying him every where. For the first few days he just laid in our bed and we brought him things to do and took the occasional trip to the bathroom.

He really wanted to go back to school asap. I had scheduled everything with his teacher to have him go half a day last Thursday. She even had set up the use of the school's wheelchair for while he was at school. I did not see any reason to rent a wheelchair when he could use that one. We were thinking that he could get into a walking cast this past Monday. So he would be using it for only a few days. And Friday and Mondays were going to be half days for him.

Well I get an e-mail from the nurse on Wednesday evening saying that he could not come back to school without a doctor's detailed note. The note had specify what activities he could and could not do. The doctor when I asked him had said as soon as he can put weight on the leg. I figured that would have made it my choice, right?

I called and left about three messages between wed evening and Thursday morning. They probably were getting sick of hearing from me. I called the school right before Spencer was suppose to go in to try to reason with the nurse. She proceeds to tell me that we can no longer have use of the school's wheelchair..are you kidding me?!!! Just in case she has to go out into the field and use it. Well then you take him out of it and go into the "field" and then put him back in it after. Why in the world do they have a wheelchair if it sits collecting dust most of the time? And then she tells me that he has to be able to push the wheelchair by himself and lock it. That no on can help push him...what five year old can do that?? And that he has to be able to do everything in the restroom by himself. How in the world is he suppose to stand and balance while washing his hands. The kid can not stand very long on the very huge cast!! I was near tears talking to this woman who was making my life a living nightmare at the present moment.

Luckily we have a medical supply place not too far from our house and I took a little trip down there. They had a child sized wheelchair, but it still looked huge on him. And guess what he could not reach to really push himself in it. He has to sit forward and use his good leg to push himself around. He practiced really hard that afternoon getting up out of it and cruising around the house. Luckily the doctor was able to fax the letter later that afternoon, so he was cleared to go the next day.

So the long awaited day of this past Monday comes. The day that we see if he can get into a walking cast. Everyone had the hopes up way high that it was going to happen. We get there and I immediately realize that bringing Lex and Wes was a HUGE mistake. Wesley has been a little terror lately, which I will post about.

They take him back to the x-ray, which they did through the cast. The doctor comes in and gives us the dreadful news. He has to keep this humongous cast on for another three weeks. Are you freakin kidding me??? I think my face showed every emotion that I had bottled up for a week. The bone had moved just slightly...therefore he would have to keep this one on. So that meant another three weeks of him not being able to get around as much. The news did not sink in for Spence...but it did for me. This kid to anyone who knows him, knows he is one active kid.

I was able to keep my emotions in check until we got out to the car. I just burst out into tears. The day had been a tough one already and then that news broke it for me. What helps in this situation would be some milk shakes..so we drove to McDonald's and all got some ice cream. Of course they had to mess up the order and forget some of it. I have not had the best of luck with them lately.

What does this mean now that we keep this cast on. Well this means that I have to drive him to school everyday for the next three weeks. It seems simple enough to drive and wheel him into the class. But when you throw Wes and Lex into the mix...not so much. Lexie everyday has temper tantrums about her shoes, hair, or Chandler looking at her wrong. So we go in everyday with Lexie crying, Wesley running through the halls, and Spence complaining about being in a wheelchair. Chan has been great through it all.

So that also means that I have to pick him up from his class at the end of the day. Which we wait outside the classroom door in the kindergarten playground. You would think would be fun, but trying to keep track of a little certain person makes it really tough. On Tuesday Spence got out of his wheelchair and tried to climb up onto the playground. That was fine until more kids came out, then it was a little scary.

On Tuesday I get a call from the nurse saying Spencer can not come outside with his friends at recess. He has to sit in the office all by himself, while everyone else plays. I guess the liability for everyone involved is too high and to keep everyone safe he stays inside. Are you serious? You are going to make him sit in the office thinking he has done something wrong..what will that do to him.

Well I can tell you what that has done to my vivacious child. It has totally pushed him down into despair. The once happy, lively child is no longer. He has been replaced with a whiny, despondant child. Who for the past three days has been asking when he can get this wretched cast off. And has been wanting to go to bed at 5:30 the past few nights. I am really worried about what this is going to do to him emotionally in the long run. Him acting this way is totally breaking my heart. No mom wants to see their child hurting and have no possible way of helping him. His teacher has been fighting to let him get out and get some fresh air, but to no avail. Rules are rules. I wish there was some waiver I could sign stating that I will not hold the school accountable for anything that might happen to him. For goodness sakes strap the kid in and tell him that he can be outside, but he has to stay in the wheelchair. I think just being around his friends and outside, would boost his spirits. This is going to be a tough road to go down and we are not quite half done. Wish us luck!!!

Christmas 2011

It is the middle of January, so of course I am posting about Christmas. I have been a little behind on the posting of holidays. Well we had a great Christmas this year. Since Christmas eve was on a Saturday, Nate had off so we spent the whole day together as a family. The day before we had made all of our goodies and got them delivered.
That night we did our normal traditions and added one new one this year. After dinner we watched Mr. Krueger's Christmas. Then had our hot cocoa with lots of marshmallows and mint whipped cream. The kids each opened up a present, that was p.j.'s. I thought this would be a fun tradition to start doing. Go to Wal-mart on black Friday and get all the kiddos new jammies when they are on for a killer price. We wimped out this year and set out some cookies that a friend gave us. I had made sugar cookies a few weeks earlier and never got a chance to make anymore. Santa loved them and the milk the kids set out.
I think that night was the hardest night we have had since having kids. Our first mistake was putting all the boys down at the same time. The next mistake was putting Chandler to bed an hour earlier that night. He ended up not going to sleep until 10 and then woke up at 1,3,4, and then 6. It is kind of funny though because they came in while Nate was showering and started watching a show that they did not want to turn off.
The kids had so much fun unwrapping gifts, it was hard to wait their turn each round. Wesley on the other hand did not seem very interested in unwrapping and his new toys. He ended up going downstairs to play with his old toys. We had to go get him a few times. I think that I messed up with his presents. Should have just stuck to trucks and diggers.
Luckily we had 1:00 church, so the kids could play for a little while with their new toys. After sacrament we headed down to Ryan and Anne's and had a great time. The kids had a hard time leaving. No major incidents, so it was a successful Christmas.

Christmas

Our ward Christmas party was the beginning of December. The kids sat on santa's lap, all but of course Wesley. He had fallen asleep in the car and did not want anything to do with santa after he woke up. Of course there were a ton of people crammed into the cultural hall.
The young women were in charge this year and did a great job putting everything together and decorating it so well. The primary did the program. Sadly our kids were sick the week before, so they did not get any parts. But then they were able to go up and sing the last few songs with everyone.
As you can tell from the picture Spencer enjoyed rearranging Wesley's face for him. That poor kid just gets mauled by Spence every time he is around. Luckily he is getting big enough to let him know that he doesn't like that too much.