Memorial Day

Memorial Day had big plans of us finishing the "park" (Cam calls the play set we are building a park). Erin & Shayne were going to come over to help us and it was going to be fabulous...but we woke up to RAIN. A lot of it. So there went those plans--right down the drain with the rest of the water. We sat around for several moments while we tried to think of what we were going to do all day, besides kill each other because we would be confined within the same space (yesterday's drive home from the Mecham's was not as cheery as it could have been--Cam was put right to bed when we got home.) We eventually decided we really needed to get some things organized in the house (try everything), we were very motivated, but we needed to do some general cleaning first--it has kind of been neglected (I can't get anything done with feeding the baby every 3 hours). We had the game plan and our respective areas mapped out to tackle when Brent & Emily called and said they were going to come up and help us with the "park" since the rain looked like it might taper off...so we were headed in that direction until it started raining again, so Brent and Em didn't come up and we again got in the cleaning/organizing mode which actually became very productive. I even mopped the floors and was about to dismantle the contents of the kitchen cabinets and clean them out, when the sun came out and the the itsy bitsy spi...just kidding, the sun did shine and Scott headed out to work on the 'park'. I stayed in my zone (which I think Scott was grateful for and probably shocked that I could still do--he had given up hope that I knew how to clean ;) ).

We got a lot done and we were glad we could take a break and go to our neighbor BBQ...it was very fun, no one got hurt although Cam came close on many occasions. We ate a lot and chatted and laughed a lot--it was a shame that it was sooo cold.

We are all bummed that the rest of the week is supposed to be very nice while our day off with our husbands was not so desirable. But such as life in Utah. So Memorial is now over and we are going to have a nice evening watching movies and finishing the laundry that we started earlier.

Mmmmmmm

So I went to Albertson's tonight looking for cough medicine to relieve the hacking ickyness that plagued me last night...I called my pharmacist Dad for advice since I am nursing and got my cough syrup, but as we chatted my legs led me first to the Red Vines then the Peanut M&M's, and last but not least to the ice cream--where I found a new flavor: ONE Cheesecake Brownie, I was intrigued cheesecake and brownie together in an ice cream, had I died and gone to heaven?, no I was still in Albertson's (which I might add I thought was open 24 hours...no they close at midnight and I overhead the two remaining clerks saying, "Oh my *bleep* there's still someone here...oh, here she comes.") So I took my treats and cough syrup and headed for home. But as I was checking email at this very late hour I delved into my new-found treasure and before I knew it I had eaten the WHOLE thing, I am embarrassed as I sit here knowing how much I ate. But dang it, those containers are not very big you just don't feel like you ate that many calories...And I wonder why I am not fitting into the skinny pants.

T-ball

So yesterday was Jorden's t-ball game, great fun to watch kindergarten-age boys try to play the game, they usually are wrestling on the side, fighting over the grounder that came between them in the outfield or just staring off into space--and this when they are supposed to be running to the next base. It is funny, but yesterday was bitter cold and I was there with all three boys trying to be the supportive mom who can do everything (but can't do anything). So I am there watching, Garrett was asleep in the 'cocoon', Cam was trying his hand at rock climbing the retaining wall by the field and Jorden was doing pole dances with the "T" after he ran across home base. I try, but alas sometimes I just laugh.

After the game I decided on a whim to swing by the urgent care clinic to see if my sore throat was Strep. I get in there, leave the big boys playing in the empty lobby, take the baby with me and shock the nurses and doctor with my huge tonsils (they are normally large, so it is funny to get people's reactions when they have never encountered the suckers)...it helps spice up my case when I go in with a sore throat. Well after the awful swabbing of the huge tonsils and having the 'rapid' test come back negative we go out to the lobby to find Cameron with a ginormous goose egg on his forehead (right next to the bruise from the other night when Jorden pushed him down in the shower). The nurses were horrified and had the doctor come out to look at the bump, but Cam was okay even running around and giddily smiling for them, so we left for home with a new bump and a sore throat. Yeah for t-ball...

during the game, his team // Jorden at bat (or T) // Jorden running to 2nd

Jorden rolling down the hill // Me trying to keep Cam on my lap & Garrett in Cocoon

Cam rock climbing // Cam's 2nd bump & bruise

flood recap

While yesterday was boiling hot (how quickly we acclimate) today is 'brrrrr' cold--good day for baking some cookies...mmmmmm cookies, I have no control and simply cannot stop eating them once they are around. AND since I am also an emotional eater this makes for a potentially bad combination. ESPECIALLY since the baby weight after Garrett has not melted away quite like it did with the other two [which is kind of not true: I have been over my "ideal" weight since the first 3 months of our marriage when I put on, a now comfortable 15 pounds--but I wanted to eat dinner with Scott who didn't get home till 11:30 at night :) remember the bliss of being a newlywed?]

But anyway I wanted to add a little follow-up story regarding our flood...My maternity leave ended and I had to go back to work the weekend of Mother's Day, I was dreading it--very nervous and very much cursing the fact that I HAD to (someday I will not), but Scott assured me the boys would be okay that the baby would be fed and loved and he wouldn't go anywhere (he spends money at Target and Home Depot when I am not around).

So I travelled down to Provo with blurry eyes and the radio blaring so I wouldn't think about it so much. I got into work, had a pretty good assignment and the first half of the night flew by. Scott called me at 11:00 pm a little frantic because the baby was crying and would not go to sleep--kind of awful for me since I was an hour away and could only hear the baby cry in the background. But, I finished the night and went to my parent's house to sleep before my Saturday night shift started. I get up at 2:30 in the afternoon and call Scott for the update...little did I know what would reach my ears, but a solemn Scott saying he was sorry, but the basement flooded because he left he sprinklers on all night. The only room in our house with carpet was inundated with Haight's Creek Irrigation water. Our neighbors are awesome and helped him out by lending their help and shop vac, and watching the boys. So they were able to clear out the rooms and get things dried out and Tara held Garrett and fed him a bottle so the men could clean things up. I am so grateful for their help!!! I went back to work that night and kind of wondered what we were going to do since Scott's parents were coming in town and the guest room was now empty and only a wet square of concrete awaited them.

I wished we would have taken pictures of the chaos. Our basement is not finished, except for this one room, but stuff was everywhere. Our friend, and home teacher, happens to have a former carpet-layer for a father-in-law and the tools are all still available along with their connections--we got a nice thick carpet pad to go in the guest room and Jeff helped lay it all down and stretch and tack in the carpet. Before the carpet went back down we, on a smart whim, repainted the room. It was dry and put back together the night before Carol & Greg flew in. WHEW, it all made for a "future great" memory.

I didn't have to work last weekend, but I go in this Friday and I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that nothing will happen......

NEEDLESS to say I applied for (and got) a new job at McKay Dee Hospital in their NICU just a week after I went back to work. Now I will only be 18 minutes away from home instead of an hour!

After

Busy times

We had a busy weekend with Scott's parents staying with us and the blessing on Sunday. There were 45 people here for the event. I have to admit we were surprised and happy to see so many come to support us--we just didn't know if people would drive up here...I mean Kaysville is soooo far away :) [Shayne even came and he worked the night before AND had to go back to work that night--that is dedication!] It was fun, hot but fun. Brother Kimball came to officiate for us and we had the Preece's, Smyth's and Harwood's come along with extended family. We did the usual BBQ and it was quite delicious.

Garrett did great, he didn't cry at all. Scott gave a very sweet blessing to him and Aunt Karen was there to dictate in short hand for us so we would have it written down.

The kids all played hard and had a lot of fun, I think Cameron got way too much sun and both big boys crashed that night.

Carol and Greg left early this morning to catch their flight home. It was fun to have them stay with us...and the guest room was even repainted, carpet reinstalled/cleaned (thanks to the Mottishaws) and put back together--after the flood--before they got here...we are good man.

So today is going to be lazy, Scott has the day off, which is always nice, we will have to think of something fun to do, or maybe we will just hide in the basement because it is going to be another hot one!!!

tiki torches anyone???

It is "blessing weekend" and the weather is supposed to be beautiful...actually it will get up in the 90's I think, so it may not be as beautiful as we think it might be with all of the sweat.

However it will be better than when we blessed Cameron...there were huge storm clouds rolling in, thunder in the background and with the tiki torches flaming we looked as if we were offereing up a sacrificial lamb...with a little nudge from Scott's dad we extinguished the torches. :)

Carol and Greg flew in early this morning for the festivities and right now, Mom is taking a snooze with 'Leave It To Beaver' on in the background while Dad, Scott and the big boys are at 'Speed Racer'

.....hmmm wonder why Carol and I stayed home. ;)

I have to say Speed Racer has been quite the anticipated event for Jorden, he was counting down the days until that thing came out in theaters, we told him he had to wait until Grandpa Messel came. That is just what Grandpa wants to do, go to a super loud, long movie about race cars with his grandsons--really, that is what he wants to do, so they bought tickets and are by now deaf and full of popcorn.

So, yesterday was my 30th birthday. I got to sleep-in, without guilt this time-- Scott took the day off to be with us, Becky cleaned my house and the weather was perfect, 70's with a cool breeze, perfect for Jorden's t-ball game. After the game we went out to eat at The Dodo in Gateway and I got to go shopping, all in all a very good day. Not bad being 30...

Sleep, Glorious Sleep

So for the past 3 nights Garrett has slept through the night, we have a kind of routine...if you can have one of those with a newborn...he eats at about 10:30 at night and sleeps till 6 in the morning. He is such a doll, I am still waiting for a smile from him, but he definitely loves to look at my face and is calmed when I talk to him.

I worried about his little ears yesterday when I was browning my roast (first time doing that--someday I will learn to cook :) ) and I set off all the upstairs smoke detectors, it was really loud and smokey and after I realized Garrett was in the kitchen during the whole soiree I pondered on the health of his hearing. I think he is okay, but Jorden came crawling into the kitchen and kept saying, 'wow that is a lot of smoke'. Good for him that he knew to get down, they have been learning about 9-1-1 at school. It made for a good object lesson, on when there is truly an emergency and when you can call 9-1-1.

So amidst our now aired-out home we ate a fabulous roast and then went to our respective meetings. It was talent show night for young women's, I got up and told jokes. It was a fun night. And the all three boys did well. They actually love coming to mutual with me.

So until tomorrow...