My poor car

While we were at the cabin for Christmas/New Years the valley got some pretty nice snow…and freezing temps that didn’t let that snow melt.  We hadn’t been able to clean off the driveway because it was pure ice.  A literal skating rink.

One night Chris had to go back to the lab to check on some things and he took the van like he normally does.  I was up in bed reading when he walked in.  He looked so serious and sad and said “I just ruined your car”.  I thought he was just being his normal self and kidding with me since we had just talked about how slick the driveway was.  I didn’t find it very funny and just asked him how work was.  He said, “No, I’m serious.  I just got in an accident in the van”.  I was really worried since he had been driving and Andrew had been with him.  After finding out everyone was ok and the accident occurred going under 3 mph, in our driveway I was pretty sure it was just a little dent and he was being dramatic (which is normally my role).  I told him it was fine and we could just get it fixed. 

Want to know how much damage can occur going 3 mph?  Here you go!

Yep, the drivers door couldn’t even open all the way.  I was so sad!  This van is my baby!  After seeing the van I was really worried about what the suburban looked like.  I ran outside and this is what I saw…

See the obvious spot where it got hit?  I didn’t either.  I had to go inside and ask Chris.  He said he hit the passager side where the back tire and backdoor meet.  See it now?  I couldn’t either…here is a close up…

Yep, that’s it.  That little scrape.  Can you call that even a dent?  This suburban is a tank!  When I took the van in for an estimate the guy at the shop told me Chris had hit the “sweet spot” in the van.  Which means that part of the car is not reinforced for an accident.  And of course that is where we hit it!  When I was finally able to clear the ice off the driveway I found paint chips, broken pieces of my lights, random things I had no idea were even on my car.  I have to admit I felt so sad picking them up and tossing them out.

So for a little while I got to drive “the new car” as Andrew calls it. 

Oh, another funny little story to go along with our car mishap.  When I took it in to get an estimate Andrew kept telling the poor guy that our car was broken and that Daddy did it.  “Dad broke our car”, “our car broken….Daddy did it”.  You could tell this poor guy had no idea what to say to this little man who was tattling on his own father!

While Andrew and I went to drop off the van and get a rental, Kallie and Chris stayed home because Kal was sick and not in school.  Apparently the phone rang while Chris was getting dressed so Kallie decided she should answer it.  It was a person from her school looking for me or Chris.  Kallie told this woman (who she doesn’t know) that Chris was in the bathroom and that I was buying a new car because her dad ruined our old one.  Kallie never told her dad anyone called.  The lady called the next day and related this story to me.  She said I would be shocked at the things she learns from little kids about there families.  I guess so!

The van has been fixed and it looks amazing.  It’s amazing how fast car parts add up!  I just grateful for insurance so we didn’t have to pay for all of our $3,000.00 plus repair!

Today's Agenda

8:30 - get Ben out the door and off to school
9 - get Chris off to work
9-10 - rock Andrew and watch Mickey mouse
10am - wake up (Kallie)
10:30-12 - watch old home movies on the floor cuddling with Andrew and Kallie
12 - give kids medicine - not too big of a fight...they are too sick to care much
12-2 ish - watch Little Mermaid, Kallie's pick
2ish -4ish - watch Marmaduke, Andrew's pick
4is - 6ish - watch another movie, most likely Ben's pick
6 - give more medicine
6- till bedtime - try to stay sane and maybe pick up a little, go to be early because nights are just as busy as the days...actually I think busier because kids fevers tend to spike right when the doctors office closes

And in between lots of running up and down stairs to get water, pedilite, capri suns (we are pushing fluids here..food is still not something they want much of) tissue, any snack they might want, get any little need they might need, make a few shakes (Kallie has strep and Andrew has a nasty sore throat) lots of hugs, rocking, kisses, soft words telling them tomorrow will be better.

So the count today -
Kallie has Pneumonia, Croup, and Strep fever down to 101 (from 104.6 so big improvement)
Andrew - fever, sore throat, nasty cough, runny nose, and just plain feeling icky and supper clingy...I don't think he has walked at all today...he likes to be held
Ben - perfectly healthy and has to stay away from Kallie and Andrew - most likely feeling very left out but loving the fact he can watch all the TV he wants

We've had a rough couple of days. I'll update this blog with all the details, but because I'm not going to get around to calling everyone back today I'll send this out instead. Thank you for all the prayers, thoughts, phone calls. We really appreciate all the love from our amazing family and friends. I'm hopeful that we are on the up swing and will be feeling better in no time. Please excuse my rudeness in not answering the phone or calling anyone back today. I'm rocking my babies and watching movies. The world is on hold :)

Ponderings

It's 3:45 am and I'm up. Kallie is sick and when she gets sick it get pretty scary. I've never seen a little body who's fever can raise so fast and so high. I know when it has been 4 hours and the fever reducer has worn off. I woke up to the sound of a coughing Kallie mixed with throwing up because she was coughing so hard and couldn't stop. I took her temperature and she was back to 103.8. She has been battling this fever and cough all day and I could just see how exhausted she was. I went and woke up Chris to give her a blessing. He sweetly and softly talked to her, comforted her, held her and give her a blessing. I stood at the doorway and just marveled how much I love this man and how grateful I am that we are in this parenting job together. He is always so patient and kind. He even offered to stay up with her so I could get some sleep, even though he's the one who will be going to work tomorrow and working all day. He is always doing little things that I just take for granted. More often then not I come downstairs in the morning to a clean kitchen that he stayed up to clean. It is such a wonderful way to start my day by coming downstairs and seeing this little service he has done for me. Sometimes I'll find a little note he's left for me just telling me he loves me and to have a wonderful day. It brings a smile to my face and makes me feel so loved. Christopher is one incredible man and I'm so grateful to be tied to him for eternity.

Chats with Children

BEN

The other night Ben got into it with his mom over a 33 cent "sticky-hand" that was inadvertently given away to a child who does not reside in our home. After a while of stewing in his room I went in to see if I could stoke the flames a little bit. He got around to the point of accusing me of ALWAYS yelling at him. I told him that I have never yelled at him and that he has never heard me yell as I have never yelled at his mother, sister, or brother either. He did not believe me. So I yelled at him. He immediately crawled under his covers and Dandy bolted for the back door. "Fine!" he finally said, "Then you always talk to me in your dark voice!" Unfortunately, I can never use the argument that I have never yelled at him anymore. As for the sticky-hand... there is still one sitting on the floor of his bedroom that he has never noticed.

KALLIE

I was talking to Kallie in bed as she went to sleep one night and I asked her what her favorite part of the day was. "Playing with G" she replied.

"What was your least favorite part of the day?" I asked.

"I told you! Playing with G," she replied.

"No Kallie, 'least favorite' means 'worst'," I explained.

Once we got through that clarification I talked to her about what she learned in Sunday School. She told me it was about Joseph Smith. I asked her to expound.

"Oh, that they didn't have TV or computers, and he couldn't go to the store to buy all their food so they ate their animals and things from their garden." She went on to clearly explain that she understood how life was like in the 1800's. Then she finally added, "and he read the bible!"

"Oh, what did he read in the bible?"
"Everything."
"What did the bible tell him to do?"
"To be righteous."
"Did it tell him to pray?"
"No."
"Hmmmm. What happened after he read the bible?"
"He got older."

Well, at least she's listening to the first half of the lessons...

ANDREW

I was talking to Katie on the phone at work one day when I hear Andrew in the background suddenly beggin his mommy to let him talk to me.

"Daddy, Daddy!"
"Hi Andrew, how's your day?"
"Good, um, are you at work?"
"Yes."
"Where's your keys?! At work?!"
"Yes, there at work with me."
"In your pocket?"
"Yep."
"You bring them home to me?!"

And the key fetish continues. He actually got a hold of my keys the other day. I finally had to ask him where they were.... hidden in his sister's pajama drawer where they would obviously be 'safe' of course! Andrew still doesn't know that safe is code for 'not where Andrew can find them'....

My handsome men

All cute and matchin’ and stuff!  My favorite is to watch them walk together from behind.  They are such adorable brothers!

  

Provo Tabernacle

On December 17th the Provo Tabernacle caught on fire.  We loved the Provo Tabernacle and had all our stake conferences there.  We had actually just attended a Live Nativity program a few weeks before where they brought real animals for the kids to pet and see up close.  So when I got onto facebook and saw the comments about the Provo Tabernacle on fire I was so surprised and sad. 

This is a picture of the Tabernacle on fire.  All the roads close to it were blocked off.  I had to run errands in South Provo and actually ended up turning around and going back home since I couldn’t get anywhere downtown.  It was a mess!  This was taken from my car just driving by.  Look at all that smoke!

 

These were taken about 3 weeks later.  The roof is completely gone and the upper balcony where my kids would always beg us to sit are now in a heap on the floor.  All the windows are blown out, the doors gone.  All 4 towers are still there and the brick looks in amazing shape for being in such an intense fire.

We are so sad that our loved Tabernacle is in ruins.  I really hope the church finds a way to rebuild and keep this beautiful building in Provo.