Five Little Monkeys

Cagney runs into the kitchen: "Mom mom! Coles mouth is BLEEDING!!!"
Mom and daughter proceed out to the garage while mom asks: "Why? What happened?"
Cagney gleefully explains: "I PULLED HIS TOOTH OUT!"
Cole (crying): "I just told her to feel how wiggly it was, not to pull it out!"
Mom asks: "Well where is the tooth now?"
Cagney: "I got scared and dropped it and ran away."

END SCENE

My parents wanted updated family photos- our last one was when I was pregnant with Cole and Cagney. Some very important people had joined the family since then. We all piled into their beautifully landscaped backyard (hi dad!) for photos. Here are a few of my favorites. Cagney decided to be a huge stinker (there is always one) but we managed to get some cute ones.


My favorite thing about this one is the way Cole is looking at the rest of us like "how did I get stuck here with these crazies?"

Our computer broke. Died. Gone. We were without a computer for awhile. Times like these make me aware of how much I like technology!! But we have a shiny new computer now. My kids love that they can take pictures of themselves making crazy faces. Isn't technology great? When I was a kid we had to make funny faces in the mirror. Now they can take pictures of themselves making funny faces and save them forever! (unless their computer dies and they have not backed up their files- or whatever the correct computer lingo is.)



Anyways, just wanted to let you know I am alive. I will update once we figure out what pictures we actually still have. If I have not died because my brain exploded. I'm taking biology this semester. I didn't realize I was taking a foreign language at the same time. Up until now I'm right on the edge of knowing what my professor is talking about and being completely lost. Today my professor said she had been really easy on us and next week she was going to start lecturing like an auctioneer. I'm in trouble.

We spent a few days in March in St. George for a clogging competition for Miquelle. It was fun to relax, enjoy the sun, eat out and swim swim swim.

Her team did great and made it to Nationals. That was held last weekend at Lagoon. We watched her dance (they did awesome!) and then spent the (very cold) day at Lagoon. We expected the end of May to be warmer!

Gabe turned 8! He had a home birthday party with a soccer theme. And he got baptized.


Cagney and Miquelle had their dance recital. They are such stinkin' cute girls- And it's sometimes crazy to have an almost 5 year old and an almost 14 year old!

The littles graduated from pre-school and start kindergarten in July.

Cole is having weekly occupational therapy appointments for his arm. He also has to wear splints when he sleeps. One for flexion and one for extension. (This break and surgery made him lose a lot of range of motion.) When his surgeon said she wanted him in a splint I pictured popsicle sticks and an ace bandage. Nothing like this.

The boys have been off track. It's been fun having them home. I find myself saying things like, "Just because he is laughing now doesn't mean he won't be crying in a few minutes" and "You have been singing that song all day and my head is going to explode" and "How will I ever feed you when you are teenagers?"

Gabe had his first Pinewood Derby.

I finished my math class, now I am half way done with my pre-reqs. I'm taking a break for summer semester and have lots of around the house projects planned. I re-painted this little table that I found at the DI. I just love the little spindles. Try to imagine it without the ugly green carpet.

We had girls day a couple of weeks ago. We made freezer dinners- meatballs, lettuce wraps, spicy chicken tacos, cranberry chicken, and bbq pork ribs. It took us less than three hours (including shopping) and it was only $36 for all five meals! It was really fun...I love love love having easy meals in the freezer ready to use!

Things I learned running my first half marathon

*The trax train can hold a lot more people than it probably should but it's a great way to "meet" other runners. And by meet I mean stand much closer too and throw all of your silly notions about personal space out the window.

*60 honey buckets may seem like a lot but the line to the potty is still insane.

*You should always remember when wearing headphones that the things you say sound much louder to others than they do to you. So if you get really excited to see a friend, and yell out to that friend, then discretely turn to the runner next to you and say, "I peed a little bit when I yelled", chances are really good that everyone around you heard it. (This was not me but who am I kidding it very well could have been.)

*Even though it may shave four or five minutes off of your time it's okay to stop and use the honey bucket. Even if someone runs by and yells, "There's no shame in going in your pants people!" I think I would rather run the second half of my race with dry pants thank you very much.

*Just because they say there will be water at along the way doesn't make it true.

*Turns out energy gel is as nasty as everyone says.

*This is the most fun I have ever had torturing myself and I can't wait to do it again!

Yesterday Cole and Cagney had their kindergarten "well" check. Turns out half of the pair was not so well. On the way there Cagney told me her tummy hurt and then just as I parked she puked.

I called inside to talk to the receptionist and told her what happened and asked if she thought I should still bring them in or just reschedule. She said to come in. So there we were looking at Nemo and Dory in the fishtank and Cagney starts puking again.

And then I became that mom....you know, the one who says, "She was fine when we left the house!" And everyone smiles and says, "oh, it's okay." But I know inside they are thinking, "Sure lady, whatever."

So I'm trying to deal with one kid puking and the other kid saying they need to pee. Finally they got us back to a room and the nurse asks me if I have filled out the ten pages of paperwork that she handed me when we first walked in.

Um, no.

until we run our first half marathon.

I'm nervous.

Why did I think this was a good idea?