Cabin Fun December 28, 2010

He Sleeps

Doesn't he look so peaceful and innocent? As soon as he wakes up the tornado begins, but he is calm and peaceful while he rests up!

Ahhhhhh CRAP!

Everybody’s had a day where you wake up and say, “ahhh crap!” We had a day exactly like that on Sunday. That’s because when we woke up the house was covered in crap. Fortunately, it wasn’t hard to identify the source because it was still covered in crap too. We were wondering what it was until it said, “Mom, I pooped.” We’ll call that the understatement of the past 6 months. Thanks to my excellent forensic science skills we were able to reconstruct the happenings of the morning just before our “awakening”.

Apparently, Andrew was standing on a kitchen stool, which had Katie’s coat on it, when about 3 days worth of diarrhea exited his body at hurricane force. The diaper and backside of his pajamas were vaporized in the initial blast. Shards of debris were embedded in the cabinetry and walls, driven there by force of liquid poo. Andrew, realizing that this situation might be slightly more serious than his normal modus excrementi, thought it prudent to go ahead and try to clean himself up. Since timing was already critical, he grabbed the nearest dish towel just in time for another high pressure front to move across his bowels. This storm lacked the high velocities of the first but triggered massive mud slides.

After completely saturating the dish towel and surrounding area, Andrew was smart to realize that while there was no hope of stemming the flood partially digested food, he had better let Mom and Dad know. He walked up stairs, and crawled up on our bed. Since Katie thought he was just coming to lay with us she pulled him up and lay him next to her. Right about the time she could smell that not all was ripe with the world, he broke it to her. “Mom, I pooped.”

The rest of the morning was spent refinishing the kitchen and re-flooring the hallways. And did I mention… we have a new bed! Unfortunately, for those of a weaker disposition, we did not think to grab our camera before rebuilding half of the house.

Happenings

 

This week has been a doozy!  On Wednesday Kallie woke up with a temperature of 103.6.  Lovely.  Poor Kallie.  When this girl gets sick she gets SICK!  So all day Wednesday we fought high fevers, throwing everything up, and just feeling horrible.  Early, early Thursday morning (I think, for what a blur this week has been it could have been Wednesday morning) I was awoken by the lovely sound of Kallie throwing up again.  So we hung out from 2am to 5:30ish am and watched Marmaduke (super cute movie) and other fun cartoons.  I finally get her in bed…not sleeping yet…just in bed and Andrew comes to the side of my bed telling me he just threw up.  Thinking he was just repeating things he had heard the previous day I didn’t’ think much of it till he decided to confirm it by throwing up all over me, our bed, and my pillow.  Fantastic.  So we all get up to change sheets, give Andrew a bath, and all that fun stuff you like to do at 5 in the morning after not sleeping all night.  Chris was sweet enough to rock Andrew while I took a shower.  Next thing I know he is in the bathroom too covered in throw up and Andrew is missing his jammies.  Yep, he got us again.  The rest of that morning was spent rocking a sick kid and trying to catch vomit before it got all over me.  A very fun game... but a horrible outcome if you lose! 

Friday was a little better since Andrew was finally not vomiting every hour and Kal’s fever was in the low 100’s.  So I figured I would start a project I’ve been meaning to get to since last Christmas.  I made these cute little “candle” bags! We do “candles” every night in December, a tradition we got from Chris’s side.  The kids love it!  To explain what candles is go here for the whole thing.  We put little gifts in these bags for the kids each night.  Ben and Kallie think it is so fun that they have started making gifts to give to us each night!  I love it!  They are such thoughtful kids.   

Tonight was our ward Christmas party!  Normally I stay home with which ever child is sick (because one is always sick for some reason during the ward Christmas party)…but since we got that over and done with earlier in the week we were able to go as a family.  But did I get a family shot?  No!  Ben didn’t even sit with us!  He decided to join the Ackerman family.  Kallie and Andrew had fun running around and playing with all their cute little friends.  Andrew loved being a big kid and playing out in the hallway.  I found new appreciation for my calling as an activity days leader when I recruited my girls and their friends to watch out for Andrew.  They are amazing !

So today Chris kept talking about how we needed to be at the   Christmas party by 6 pm to make sure we got a table.  We were asked to bring a pie…and Chris being the little chef that he is decided to make a pumpkin pie from scratch.  He started making it Friday night with baking out the pumpkins.  This morning he made the pie crust.  The afternoon was the big moment of pureeing the pumpkin and making the actual pie.  Needless to say he was very excited about this pie.  If I had been thinking I would have taken a picture of his precious pumpkin pie!  It gets out of the oven and he just can’t leave it alone.  Finally he has to try a piece.  He cuts into the pumpkin pie we are supposed to be taking to the ward party.  Doesn’t everyone love it when you bring a treat and one is already missing?  Chris assured me no one would notice since there would be a large selection of pie.  So we show up with our pies at 6 pm on the dot.  We are the first ones there.  Only the party planning committee people are there and they look surprised to see us.  Why?  Because the party doesn’t start till 6:30!  I was so embarrassed…but not as embarrassed as when I got home and realized that we had left our pie there (the only one on the table) with a slice MISSING from it!  Of course they knew who made it now and who took a slice from it!  I was so embarrassed…and Chris just laughed and laughed.

So back to the party.  We had an amazing dinner, fantastic dessert, sat by fun friends, and even got to hear the primary kids sing us songs.  It was such a fun night!  We lost Andrew a few times…but he always popped back up .

Kallie in her cute Santa hat!

Kids running around having a fun time playing together.

Kallie singing.

Ben is the kid in the Santa hat crossing his arms like he is mad.

Chris and Kal.  I think this was a little much for Kal.  She got pretty tired after being up and going again.

How’s your morning?

This is how mine started :)  Andrew’s awake!  What a little helper I have.  He needed a little more milk in his cereal…being that he is 2 1/2 he is defiantly old enough to pour it himself (or so he thinks).  Welcome Monday!  Let the games began!

Christmas Parties have begun!

Tonight we attended the Gillen Family Christmas party.  The kids always love to go to this family reunion/party, because they have an extra special guest who come…SANTA!  So, we got the kids dressed and headed up to Murray!

First off I love these two little kids.  Ava and Andrew are the cutest little buds these days!  I have to admit a few months ago when all Andrew wanted to do was pull her hair and push her down I was pretty worried.  But it seems time heals all (and growing up a little) and now we get cute pictures like this!

And this!  I have to admit Andrew pretty much cornered Ava and she finally gave in and gave him a hug…but how cute!

 

Kallie, Lisa, and Sierra

 

Mom, this one is for you.  Here is a shot of Kal’s new hair cut.  Cute huh?

Papa with Ava.  Isn’t Ava’s little dress adorable?!?!

I know this next picture is blurry…but I have to put it in.  Andrew was SUPER excited when Santa came in.  We lucked out and happened to be sitting right in Santa’s pathway to get to his special red chair.  I asked Andrew if he wanted to go and see Santa.  He jumped up and ran to him, bypassing the long line of kids that had already formed.  This is the only shot I got of Andrew running into Santa’s arms.  He got right on his lap and just sat there with him.  It was so adorable!  (I’m not sure if the other parents who were standing in line with their kids thought it was adorable…but I did :))

 

Andrew and his best bud

Santa and Ben

When Kallie found out she was going to meet Santa she disappeared into her room.  She came out with a beautiful picture she had drawn for Santa and even wrote a cute little note on there for him.  This is Kallie presenting her masterpiece.  Santa made a big deal over her picture and even put it in his special red sack!

Santa with all the grandkids that were there…sans Ava.  Ava was not a Santa fan to begin with.  Her Daddy worked really hard at convincing her he was a nice guy. 

  

The Hanson’s waiting in line to see Santa.  Ava kept a pretty close eye on what was going on with Santa.  Amy grabbed a Santa treat for Ava when the other kids sat on his lap…so Ava decided she would go and tell him thank you.

Success!  Ava told Santa thank you and gave him a nice list of what she wanted for Christmas.  This was as close to sitting on Santa’s lap as she would go.  Good job AVA!!!

Party worked its magic.  We got home and put kids in bed….and THEY STAYED THERE!  It was a little bit of Christmas magic tonight!

Thanksgiving

California!  I have to admit I was more than ready to hop in the car again (this was our third trip to California in November…the people at the gas station where we always stop knew us by name..I swear) and get back on the road!  Seeing family so much this month made me really homesick for living close to them.  We really have a lot of fun when we are together…ok, back on topic.  THANKSGIVING!

We had planned to leave on Wednesday and drive home Saturday/Sunday.  Monday night Chris got home from work around 6 and said if we are going to go to Cali we needed to leave tonight since a huge Blizzard was slated to come in Tuesday around the same time we were planning to be on the road.  So we hurried through our FHE activity (decorating Sugar Cookies), Chris headed back to work to get things set up for the lab, and I got to work on finishing laundry, packing and getting the house ready to leave.  Of course our dishwasher decides it would be a great night to flood my whole kitchen so I have to call Chris home from work, clean that mess up and get it repaired.  I don’t care what he says it has nothing to do with how I carelessly (quickly) loaded the dishwasher that night!  So we hurry (well I hurried Chris slept so he could drive all night and the kids watched a video so I could work) and get out the door just after midnight.  The drive down was blissfully uneventful!

We spent our days down there playing with cousins.  Here is Andrew, Ethan and Josh riding the go-karts and scooters in front of my parents house.  Speed+danger=Andrew’s favorite toy!  He loved these go-karts!  Ethan and Ben were kind enough to take him on many, many rides.  I love Josh's Pink helmet :)

My sister Shelley and her two cute girls Anabelle and Ava. 

Ethan and Josh trying to get Andrew out of the road.  Andrew was dying to drive this thing all by himself.  Thankfully he never figured out where the on button was!  I had Ethan distract him every time we had to power them up.  If Andrew learned how to turn them on I know he would have been long gone!

I love this picture of Ben!  I love the storm rolling in behind him with the palm trees. 

 

Shel I love your face in this one!  Haha!

This is where my brother Chris became Andrew’s hero.  My grandparents have an avocado grove in their backyard.  It is amazing.  I love going back there and having all the leaves crunch under my toes.  My brother Chris decided to get the ATV out and take all the kids for rides.  Andrew was standing back there just watching Chris do donuts on the ATV.  His mouth was open and every once in a while Andrew would just start to clap.  Finally uncle Chris asked Andrew if he wanted a ride and he got up there so fast!  Andrew loved it!  He didn’t want to get off!  After his ride was over he wanted to just stay back there and watch Chris ride.  I told him we could go and wait in the front yard for Chris to ride up the street (to get the ATV from the backyard to the front yard he takes it around the whole property and out to the main road, then drives into the driveway..sorry that makes no sense, but I can’t describe it any better than that).

We sat on the front steps and Chris, never one to disappoint, passes the front of the house going FULL speed.  Andrew just starts clapping and clapping for him!  It was adorable!  After that, Chris was Andrew’s idol.

Bonding over a DS

My aunt Joy and Kallie playing a game.  Kallie loves Joy!

After ATVing Chris had to pull all the cars back into the driveway.  Andrew was there to assist him and Chris was kind enough to let him!  He let Andrew drive all the cars in with him  Andrew was so excited…so was Chris…can’t you tell!

After all that hard work we all went out to eat at In-N-Out.  Where else do you go when Chris and Ligaya are in town?  They eat, sleep, breath this stuff!

The happy couple at their “Happiest Place on Earth!”

Next we went to every kids DREAM.  GO-KART RACING!!!!  The boys in their garb!

Ben getting comfy in his racer

Matthew, Ben and Ethan.  These boys were so excited to get to drive their own cars!  They had their own huge race track and they went around and around.  These cars go up to 15 mph, which is really fast for kids who have never driven before.  They were so pumped after each race!  They would run down to the desk for their printout and see how their times were.  It was really cute to see them all pouring over their times!

Did you think I meant it was every LITTLE boys dream?  Oh no.  I meant it was every BIG boy’s dream!  Chris and Christopher couldn’t wait to get on these things!  These big race cars go so dang fast!  Here is Christopher as number 21…my lucky number :)

 

Andrew was very upset that they didn’t feel he was tall enough to drive.  He felt very left out.  Thankfully there was a really nice guy working there and he let us take Andrew into the track and let him sit in one of the cars.  He was in heaven.  Don’t you love that smile?!

My mom was feeling bad for all the girls who were not getting a turn…so so got each of us a race too!  Here’s a group shot, sans photographer Christopher. 

 

Fitting huh?

Now to the main event!  THANKSGIVING DAY!  We had thanksgiving lunch at my mom’s hotel.  The kids were in HEAVEN!  They have full range of the hotel and could run and be crazy.  She even got them a piñata filled with balls to play with!  Every kids dream!  This Thanksgiving was our first without Ahba, so my mom decided to mix things up a bit.  We made Thanksgiving more like a birthday party!  There were TONS of fun games, balloons, balls, candy the whole thing.  The kids had so much fun!  After games we ate an amazing thanksgiving lunch/dinner (well minus the bacon, cheddar cheese apple pie…umm, yuck!)  then my brilliant mom knew the kids would be supper tired so she had the new Santa Paws movie all set up and we threw blankets and pillows on the floor.  It was such a cute movie all the adults joined the kids!

When at my mom’s hotel even cleanup is fun!  They got the laundry carts out and Christopher gave all the kids a ride running around and doing turns and stuff.

After a few hours of playing at the hotel we went back to my parents house for another round of yummy food!  Christopher introduced my dad to people of walmart.com.  My dad and the boys laughed forever over this site!  Nothing like bonding over silly looking people!

Speaking of silly people…..  No wonder all the kids love him!

Even a little father-daughter bonding over lovely walmart shoppers :)

All in all Thanksgiving was wonderful and amazing.  The kids were out cold for the whole drive home…not even getting out of the car once to use the bathroom!  We all came home tired, a little heavier, and filled with love for amazing family and friends!

We pulled into the driveway around 5am.  We got the kids in bed and settled and of course I couldn’t sleep…so what to do on the Saturday morning after thanksgiving?  SHOP!  Yep, I found a list of open stores and shopped my little heart out till 9.  I thought the kids would be up by then….nope.  They didn’t wake up till we woke them up close to NOON!  Mom, you did amazing at tiring them out!  We got them up and dressed and headed up to the cabin to play with the “on” side.  We had another thanksgiving up there and a wonderful night of watching the BYU vs. UTAH game (sad, sad) and then getting up early and heading home to make it to church on time.  Sunday we spent the day decorating for Christmas, watching ELF and eating yummy treats.  I love the holidays!