Bubbles bubbles...

James had a great time in the bathtub the other day so I thought I'd snap some pics of him being happy (he'd had a couple rough months with shots, a growth spurt, incoming teeth, double ear infection and a nasty cough/congestion thing going on). He was a bit grumpy for a while and I began to wonder if his true personality was coming out or if it was all due to his...issues. Guess it was a little of both, but he's pretty much our happy boy again. (Sorry about the red-eye. Too tired at the moment to fix it.)

Out with the old...

This is the car we purchased the day before Easter, when we finally turned in our lemon to Saturn. After about 7 months of wondering if GM's going under would get them out of obeying the lemon law, we were greatly pleased to get rid of our 1 1/2 year old broken down hunk-a-junk and purchase this spectacular new car: an Ocean Mist colored Honda Odyssey. We are so glad to have a car that runs, the doors close, the trunk works, things don't fall off of it, and it locks! Who knew cars could be so awesome?

I love you, Sean!

This picture was taken on Easter day. I love you! I'll be forever grateful that we have each other for the rest of eternity. I love you!

Easter

So somehow I'll get my act together and realize that if church starts at 11:30 that means that leaving at 11:30 will get me there late. This whole "thirty" thing is what throws me off. I used to try to get out the door at 8:30 to make it to church on time at 9am. So now I'm a bit thrown off....still...after 4 months of the new year and new schedule....oh, well. Guess I'm doomed!


Anyway, since I was terribly late, this picture was taken after we got home from church. Everyone was so patient with me as I insisted on taking a kid-shot with all their pretty clothes (thanks Grandma and Grandpa!).

We celebrated Easter dinner at the Monroes' house. A fabulous feast awaited us and when we arrived we saw a gorgeous dinner table all ready for us to sit and EAT! We shared this day with Grandma and Grandpa Monroe, newly expecting Leslie and Garrett Attwood, and the newly grandparents-to-be Brother and Sister Attwood.

(This picture is purely for my mom's benefit: See? I do wear aprons! And, no! I was not cooking! The Monroe family knows better than to put me in charge of kitchen duty BEFORE we eat! I was on clean-up duty.)



Becky was fortunate enough to find the really good eggs - the ones with $$ in them. Actually, all the kids came out with some dough. Becky got $21, Jane - $8, Alex - $6. James slept through the whole thing, but woke up in time for dessert.

Alex Meets Cornelia

Alex's preschool teacher has a pet cornsnake and during class one day he was allowed to hold it.

Go James Go!

I thought this was so cute! Taken some time in late March.
While we were at preschool James snuck out of the classroom during project time and climbed aboard this bike. Obviously recess time was too far away for him!

Happenings...

So this month started out with a bang - Sean and I both got sick on my birthday. He got better almost right away, whereas I got better, just to get sick again! I ended up with strep last Sunday, which gave me a swollen uvula. I could barely breathe! Two doctors visits and an ER trip later, I was loaded with antibiotic pills, antibiotic shot, steroid shot, steroid pills, cough syrup laced with codeine, lidocane, Benadryl, ibuprofen, and Motrin. I'm still feeling the effects of so many drugs in my system. The steroids were the worst! They tasted nasty and made me all shakey. As of today I'm down to just my last few pills of antibiotics, and then I'll be drug free!
I HATE taking drugs! I'd rather suffer through a headache than take Tylenol, but, upon Sean's insistence, I took all my prescribed pills and only whined a little. :)
And what a great husband I have! He was there with me during my ER trip, and my second Dr visit. He interpreted for me when I could only sign or write. He was my chauffeur anywhere I needed to go, or anywhere the kids needed to go. What a relief it was not to have to drive the kids to/from school those two days I could barely breathe! He picked up my meds and remembered to give them to me at the appropriate time. I SOOOOO love my husband!
Another thanks go to Sean's parents, who were so willing to come watch the kids while we made our trip to the ER. What a relief to know my kids were well taken care of while I was so sick!
And whoever heard of a swollen uvula before?! Crazy! Just so you know, apparently it isn't uncommon to get a swollen uvula if you are suffering from tonsillitis or strep throat. Just make sure that you go get those steroids as soon as you feel it start to swell. The sooner the better!

Sean is no longer prime...

Ok, I meant, a prime number. He turned 32 yesterday and I'm going to flatter myself by saying he had a great day! We went out to Pacific Star for lunch, then reconvened for dinner at home with the missionaries: spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, a fruit bowl, with cake and ice cream for dessert.

He had already gotten his major birthday present: a Nintendo DS, but he also received a couple of books and two new long-sleeve button-ups from the kids and 3 pints of Baskin Robbins Ice Cream from me. Can we say, "Rainbow Sherbet"? After dinner we went out to Toys R Us so he could spend the gift card he'd gotten from work to buy a case for his DS and a new game, Star Wars- the Complete Saga. We then came home, put the kids to bed, then Sean proceeded to play his new game for almost 2 hours! I mean, really! How could a birthday be better than that?!

On Sunday we all gathered at the Monroe's house for our birthday dinner - tacos (of course!) with strawberry shortcake a la Leslie for dessert. It was so yummy! I'd ask for the recipe, but really! Let's be honest: when would I ever make it?

Thank you, Lis and Kevin (on channel 7), for a great birthday party!

Sean, I'm so glad you stuck around for another year!

Becky's Field Trip

The day after my birthday was spent recovering from my illness at the Page Museum and Tar Pits. It was fun to join her and her class as we learned more about the Giant Sloth, Mammoth, and Saber Tooth Cat.


Becky is third from the right on the bottom row.


Becky was a great sport at keeping James from getting too lonely in the stroller. It was smack in the middle of his nap-time, so he was exhausted! He finally did fall asleep...at the end.
I took a ton of pictures, but the lighting in the museum isn't the best, and mostly all I got were the backs of kids heads.

A New Ball Player

Although I have mixed feelings about my kids ever making a career out of sports, it is fun to see them excited to play them now. At 14 months James tries hard to dribble the basketball and make a basket. He repeatedly tries to throw the ball at the basket, though he hasn't made one yet.

James throws every ball he can get his hands on and he's got pretty good aim.

Want to make James smile? Give him a ball.

Hillary is 29!

Ok, so we have this thing about celebrating an event for an entire week. My birthday week started on March 4. Every day since then, up until my birthday on the 11th, Sean and the kids were showering me with love. I got a new lavender plant (my fave), a strawberry plant, and a flower plant (no clue what it's called!). I also got a pound of See's Milk Chocolate Bordeaux, love notes, and a Cinnabon for dessert one day. My big present (and what I had strongly hinted I'd love) was an egg cooker. I'm completely clueless in the kitchen and, after several attempts, have deemed myself incapable off cooking hard-boiled eggs. This little contraption is much like a rice cooker, but for eggs. You put in the eggs, a little water, then press a button and it cooks it for you, then beeps when done. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm excited to finally be able to make egg salad, deviled eggs, etc.

I'm so grateful for this show of love for an entire week, especially since most of my actual birthday was spent in bed or on the couch with some sort of virus. Yea me. Ugh!

At least I wasn't alone. Sean was sick as well. His illness lasted two days, but included chills and fever. Mine lasted about 3 days, but I skipped the fever and chills and I'm just achy and exhausted!

Sean's birthday week started on Tuesday, but since we've been sick and tired this week I haven't been as diligent at doing something each day. He's just gotten a card and his favorite ice cream so far. I'm hoping we get better this weekend so we'll have more fun on his actual birthday - Monday March 16.

My birthday started off well, though I couldn't figure out why I couldn't shake the tiredness out of me, which is why I look exhausted in this photo taken at about 7:45am. The reason for a picture so early in the morning? I had always wanted to have all my kids before I was 30. Although I had James when I was 27, it dawned on me this birthday morning that I had actually accomplished that goal, so I wanted to document it.

After I dropped off the girls at school I took my little boys out to breakfast at Mimi's Cafe so I could have an excuse to buy myself a buttermilk spice muffin. They are so yummy!

Some of my friends were asking me how it felt to be 29. Since they, too, are turning 30 with me next year, they asked if I felt "old." I can honestly say that I'm looking forward to 30. I'm ready to embrace it. I give credit to my mom for always embracing her age. She is so excited for each of her birthdays that she never hides it and is always willing to tell anyone how old she is when they ask. Because of her example I'm ready to greet each new year with the attitude of "Yea! I'm still here!"

Course, I still have another year to change my mind.

James at 14 Months

We went to the doctor the other day and James was measured at 22 lbs and 29 inches long. He's just 14 months, yet growing so fast! Poor guy also had to get four shots as well as a lead test. James seemed to know before we even went into the room. We walked into the waiting room and he seemed to sense trouble. He started whining and got really clingy. When the nurse showed up he threw an absolute fit! I had to carry him to the waiting room (usually, now that he can walk pretty well, he insists upon walking just about everywhere). Once we got there he was still throwing a fit and the nurse had to ask if he was ok. I told her he seems to know why we were there, but she didn't believe me. He refused to participate in all the regular check-up things, so I had to hold him still while she looked in his ears, mouth, eyes, and measured his head, length, and weighed him. He got even madder when I pulled up his pant leg to get him ready for the shots. I couldn't believe how fast his face could turn red!
So then it hit me: this is why James loves Sean more! I always made Sean take the kids to get their shots, but he's way too busy to do it with James, so I take him. The other kids always went to me when they were upset, not James! He loves daddy best. Oh, the prices we pay!

Our Car According to Alex

Preface: So on Sunday I had parked in the shade when we arrived at church, but when we went out 3 hours later the shade had moved two spots.

Me: Ohhh, bummer.
Alex: What, mom?
Me: Well, our car used to have shade, but now it doesn't.
Alex: Because it broke, right?

So our 1 year old car is a lemon, and everything takes turns breaking down. Our door (5+ times), door panel (2+ times), windshield wipers, door handle, blinker, seats, etc. So, since everything else had broken down, Alex assumed that the reason we didn't have shade anymore is because it broke. HAH!

In all fairness, Alex had to accompany me and James to the dealership every time something broke down, so he's used to the car getting broken and fixed.

Witness

Here is a witness that Heavenly Father truly loves us and watches over us. On Friday night there was a fire that started on our neighbor's trash can (their little girl tried to throw away a burned something from their microwave) and quickly spread to OUR shrubs! We were blessed to have a watchful neighbor who quickly ran over, grabbed our hose, and put out the fire. Without his/her attention (we still don't know who this neighbor is) our house could have quickly caught on fire. It is an awesome feeling to know we are loved!
This is all that is left of about 2 1/2 feet of our shrubs and their two trash cans. Their fence reaches about 6 feet high and the flames reached the top. Our neighbor's hose (seen in photo) is melted to the wall.

David's Cat

After the China/Chinese Theater we headed over to see David's place and met his gorgeous cats! I can't remember what type of cat it is, but they are the softest live animal I've ever touched and so sweet, too. They were kind enough to let us perfect strangers take turns picking them up and taking pics. (I have a pic with me and the cat, but it wouldn't ever look at the camera for me. This one of my mom with the cat is so much better!)