Childhood War Injuries

Here are some of our recent injuries you get from just being a kid:

Last week, Westley scraped the whole side of his body when he tried to do a back flip off the diving board after seeing Daddy do one. Mostly he just jumped backwards but not far enough. Needless to say, he didn't try another back flip.

Travis burned his hand today on my curling iron. I had just showered for the day (hadn't earlier, knowing I'd be in the pool in the early afternoon), and it was about 2:30 pm. We were going to take the kids to the mall to play and walk around, just to get out of the house. My curling iron was heating up so I could fix my hair, and I had put the gate up in our bedroom doorway to keep the kids out because of the hot curling iron. Travis climbed over the gate and went in the room when nobody was watching and the minute I heard him cry, I knew he had touched my curling iron. It happened to Westley at about the same age, only Westley's burn was worse, I think.

Travis and Caleb watching cartoons after a rough day. Corey took Travis to Urgent Care to make sure it wasn't a serious burn, and they wrapped his hand. About ten minutes after he got home, he was taking out the garbage, and Caleb got his foot caught between the screen door and the doorframe, which gave him a jagged little cut across his whole foot.

It was quite a day. Both the Caleb and Travis injuries happened today.

Howdy Y'all!

All the boys love to dress up. Here is Travis wearing Daddy's cowboy hat and Mommy's cowboy boots, both of which are now part of the costume box since becoming too tight for us to wear anymore.

Eliza at 7 Months

Eliza was seven months on July 6th, and these pictures were taken right around then. Since then, she's started crawling up on her hands and knees and she is really fast. She's even started pulling herself up on things.

Eliza is always smiling and happy. She has brought such joy into our lives.

Here I am playing with my little girl. She loves to crawl over to me when I'm on the floor and climb all over me, and she especially loves playing with my hair.

Here's our little chunk-a-boo on the first day that she sat up on her own. She was on the floor on her belly one moment and then when I looked at her again, she was sitting up, and she did it all on her own! This was on July 1st.

When You Have Kids...

...you realize that nothing of yours is personal anymore. I was just about to climb into bed one night, when I saw THIS sitting on the bed, courtesy of Travis, our little car-obsessed toddler:

Just For Fun

When Corey uploaded the most recent pictures from our camera, I found this whole file folder in there from before we went to Texas with some fun pictures that I had wanted to share.

This is Caitlin, Caleb, Toby and Westley playing Superheroes when we baby-sat the kids during Toby and Jenn's anniversary.

Here are the boys playing "school". Westley is the teacher, of course.

Here is Travis being Superman/Spider-man. He is dressed as Superman, but is slinging webs, like Spider-man.

Here is Travis slinging webs as Spider-man. Westley let him borrow the head to the Spider-man costume. Travis is always slinging webs (he even does the sound effects), and one of his favorite words is "webs", which is SO cute to hear him say!

Westley and Caleb are making snow angels--hence, the knit hats.

This is Westley and Caleb's museum, which they played for weeks after visiting the Museum of Natural History here in Mesa.

Westley and Caleb standing in front of some of their museum posters--signs they made showing patrons where to find each exhibit.

The Annoying Song

"Bad baby, bad baby, follow my patience..."

Anybody ever get a song stuck in your head, but you only know one line or one phrase? The above phrase is the current song stuck in my head; however, there is no other part to this particular song, as it is a song that Westley made up and woke up singing this morning. We asked him where it came from and he said, "My head made it up."

Too bad you can't hear the lovely tune that goes with it...

A Houseful of Sickness

Since we got back from Texas it seems that every child has been sick. We got back on Tuesday, on which day, Westley had a high fever. The next day, he got a sore throat and Caleb came down with a high fever. Then the next day, Caleb had a sore throat, and Eliza and Travis had the high fevers. By Friday, I was actually writing down the times I took Travis and Eliza's temperatures, how high they were, and how much of what dose I gave them, just in case it got worse and I had to take them to the doctor.

Today everyone seems fine, but Westley keeps whining about a sore throat still and Eliza is drooling and crabby. I think she's teething, but maybe her throat is sore too, that could cause drool.

All I can say is that having 4 sick kids is pretty miserable indeed!

Homeward Bound

Tuesday morning was our last day there. Our flight was leaving at 2:15 pm, and we had to get the rental car returned by about noon. So we went swimming at about 8 am before leaving Jordan and Andrea's.

Travis and Matthew (and Caleb and Leah) in the spa

Westley in a tube

Peter playing with Travis

Westley jumping off the waterfall

Cute Caleb playing in the pool

Westley was super grouchy carrying his backpack and pulling his suitcase at the airport. We had lunch in the terminal and then boarded the plane. Corey was with Westley and Caleb and Travis in row 31 (by the engine--so no view again) and I was up a few rows with Eliza. After the flight, I found out that Westley had gotten sick on the plane with what Hannah'd had the day before (high fever, sore throat, stomachache). She'd been checked that morning and it wasn't strep, just a viral infection. Westley was really feeling lousy, and while we were waiting for our luggage, he just laid on the bench and moaned while Travis and Caleb ran all over the place and Eliza cried because she was tired. Then we found out that Westley's suitcase hadn't come on that flight. So, to top off him not feeling well, he didn't even have his special star blanket, the one Aunt Ruth made him when he was a baby, to comfort him. He even had to go to bed without it. The airline dropped off the suitcase at the house at about 11:15, though, so Corey went and gave Westley his blanket. I'm just glad they found the suitcase! Anyway, we got home, had In-N-Out for dinner, and unpacked.

We really had fun! I loved being in Dallas and remembering all the sights, sounds and smells on that day at Mimosa Park, which really brought me down memory lane. Corey and I both thought Dallas was beautiful. It was a lot of fun to spend time with the Dallas Fowles and get to know them better and have cousins getting to know each other. Hopefully we'll get to visit them again there in the future. Now it's back to reality...

Riding the Train to Downtown

On Monday, Jordan and Corey went to play racquetball in the morning. After racquetball, Corey came home and Jordan went to work. Andrea took Hannah, Leah, and Matthew with her to a pre-surgical appointment for Peter's tonsillectomy and met us at the train station later in the morning to ride it into Dallas to Jordan's office. The boys loved the train ride and then we had to walk a few blocks to Jordan's office. They also loved looking out the window of the 56th floor at the city--they thought it was pretty cool. Then we went to a place called Jason's Deli for lunch, which was really yummy and I was so impressed with the customer service! After that, we went back and caught the train and went home. Hannah, unfortunately, came down with a high fever and sore throat and was miserable the rest of the day. We didn't get home in time to go swimming. We played some games together--Whoonu with the kids, and then after dinner and bedtime, Peter played Quelf with us.

Caleb and Westley on the train to Dallas

Westley and Matthew on the train home

Andrea, Leah, and Hannah on the ride home

Eliza was so cute, as soon as I pulled the camera out, she started grinning and babbling

Westley and Leah walking back from the train to the car

Corey wearing Eliza's bloomers on his head as part of his challenge for Quelf (wear something pink for the remainder of the game)

Jordan drinking water backwards for his challenge for Quelf

Me dancing with Peter for his challenge for Quelf

Church and Hanging Out

On Sunday, we just went to church in the morning (11:30-2:30). Westley, Caleb and Travis all did fine going to primary and nursery. Jordan did very well teaching his lesson in Gospel Doctrine. I only got to attend a portion of Relief Society before I had to take loud little Eliza out. After church, we were going to try to go see the horses in Las Colinas (the horse fountain). We didn't make it though. In the afternoon, the kids all just played together while we hung out and chatted. We had an early dinner, then Jordan had to go to Stake Priesthood Meeting. When he got home, we actually sat in the hot tub for a little while to relax after dealing with the kids at church and home all day.

Mimosa Park, Braum's, Splash Pad, Swimming, Good Ol' Texas BBQ

Saturday was a BUSY day. We crammed a lot in and everyone was very tired by day's end. In the morning, Andrea and I both slept until 8 while Jordan and Corey got up with the kids. At 8, Andrea and I both got up and we all got ready to go. Jordan packed their van with all the bikes and then he drove his car and Andrea drove the van and Corey drove our rental van over to Mimosa Park in Richardson that is near Mohawk Elementary and Pearce High School near where we used to live. We took a bunch of muffins and bananas and had breakfast at the park. Jordan and Peter played some baseball and most of the kids took turns riding bikes. Corey, Westley and Caleb went briefly down to the creek bed (the creek was dry!) and explored around. I took Jordan's bike and rode around the old neighborhood past our old houses and even talked to some of our old neighbors. After the park, we went to the Campbell Braum's, which has really gone downhill, unfortunately, and had lunch and ice cream. Then we went back to Jordan and Andrea's house and got in a little bit of a rest (about an hour) before taking off again to the splash pad up in Allen. We spent most of the afternoon there. The kids LOVED it! Then we went back to Jordan and Andrea's house, even swimming, and then made dinner for the kids. Jordan and Corey went out and got us some Texas BBQ from Dickie's, and we ate that after the kids had gone to bed! We had such a fun, busy day! After the BBQ, Jordan, Andrea and I played some more games.

Eating breakfast at Mimosa Park (Westley, Travis and Eliza in the background)

Westley (on Hannah's bike) and Leah

Travis and Matthew in the carriage--Jordan took the kids for rides in the carriage around the park

Eliza playing in the gravel at the park--the older kids kept burying her legs in the gravel, which she found fascinating.

Travis giving Eliza hugs at the splash pad

Caleb and Leah at the splash pad

Peter and Matthew at the splash pad

Corey and Travis at the splash pad

Andrea at the splash pad

Caleb swimming in the pool

Playdough, Lunch Fun, and More Games

On Friday, the kids played with playdough in the morning. At about 10:30, Andrea and I left with the older kids (Leah, Hannah, Westley and Caleb--Peter was at his last day of summer school) and dropped them off at Ave's house. She wanted to have them come over and play with Creighton and Geoffrey, the little boy she was baby-sitting. Corey stayed at the house with Travis, Matthew and Eliza, and later Peter, and had lunch there. We went through McDonald's drive-through on our way to the Cantrell's and picked up lunch for the other kids. Then Andrea and I went out to lunch with a group of friends from her ward who were celebrating a birthday for one of them. We went to Macaroni Grill. It was fun, I enjoyed getting to know some of Andrea's friends. After that, Andrea and I went back to Cantrell's after running a few errands and ended up staying for a while. Ave shared the special book that Andrea had put together with help as a memorial to Ave's Matthew. Matthew is Ave's child who had an accident in October of last year and passed away--I posted about it before. The kids had fun playing at Creighton's house and Westley and Creighton seemed to hit it off. Corey was so great in staying home with the kids for most of that day. In the evening, we had dinner and got the kids to bed, then Corey and went out in search of dessert. We came back and played Beyond Balderdash with Jordan and Andrea, which was a lot of fun.

Westley, Hannah and Caleb with playdough (they really were having fun--they had just come in from playing outside and were hot and tired)

Matthew and playdough

playing dress-up: Spider-man (Westley), Cowgirl (Hannah), Princess (Leah), Butterfly (Caleb)

Going for a car ride: Westley is driving, Leah is in the front passenger seat, and Hannah and Caleb are the kids in the backseat

Swimming, Mall Play, and Games

On Thursday morning we went over to Breckenridge Park behind Jordan and Andrea's house. The kids played on the playground and then went down the creek and played there. Later, back at the house, the kids played outside, drawing on the driveway with chalk and chasing Fritz around the yard. Some friends of Andrea's came over later to swim with us--Tracy Sparks and her two younger boys and Ave Cantrell and her son Creighton. That was after lunch, so the younger kids (Matthew, Eliza, Travis) were down for naps. Corey stayed in the house during the first part of naps, until Caleb and Travis both came outside. Even Eliza came out for a little while. After swimming most of the afternoon, Andrea and I went to a mall there (can't remember the name of the mall) where they had a fabulous play area and a carousel. Ave and Creighton also went. We had slushees (from Sonic--I think that's what they're called) in the food court and then went on the carousel, after which the kids played in the play area for a while. We went home and ate dinner and the kids all went to bed. We adults played Scattergories until late.

Eating lunch (Westley, Hannah, Caleb who didn't want his picture taken)

Hannah and Westley looking at the Dinosaur Encyclopedia together

Travis hiding behind the chair at the mall food court

Leah, Westley, and Creighton in the food court

Big Day of Travel

When we decided to go to Texas, we decided to fly to save time and headache driving with four little kids. Now I'm not so sure flying was any easier, but we did have fun. With 2 kids under 2, Travis and Eliza were lap kids. Westley and Caleb were excited because it was their first time on an airplane. We were dropped off at the airport around 7 am and checked in to find that the flight was full, so there were no extra seats. Also, even though I had pre-booked fairly decent seats toward the front of the plane, we were put in rows 31 and 32, which were at the very back of the plane by the engines, so all we could see out the window was the engine. And the seats that Corey/Travis and Westley had were behind the food preparation station, so there weren't seats in front with a place to put Westley and Travis' backpacks that I had so carefully packed with snacks and things to do. But, the flight went well and the kids were very well-behaved.

While waiting at the airport, we brought out a small treat we had packed for the kids, some Hershey's chocolate bars.

The terminal we were in had a little play area for the kids, so we went there while waiting for our flight to board. This is Eliza and me playing.

I held Eliza on the plane and Caleb sat with me. Corey held Travis and sat with Westley.

Westley on the plane

Eliza slept through deboarding and getting the luggage and going to the car rental place and waiting to get the rental car. She was tuckered out!

After we got to Texas, we had to get the rental car and then drive to Richardson. We finally made it to Jordan and Andrea's house about 3:00, where we pretty much just hung out the rest of the day, swam a little, ate dinner, put the kids to bed and then we adults watched most of the movie The Last Samurai (TiVo'd by Jordan) until late. It was a lot of fun!