Tar Pits

We took our annual summer trip to the La Brea Tar Pits (Brea means "tar" in Spanish, so we really went to "The The Tar Tar Pits" HAH!). James wasn't pleased and he
made a big fuss when we took him close to the "stuffed" animals, so we had to take creative shots.
Of course we had to take our annual shot of the kids in front of this bear poster. In the background is a fake saber tooth cat attacking a bear. ~ Jane, Becky, Alex, James ~








Since he didn't hold still I had to hold him for another picture - Jane happily agreed to snap this photo. ~ Me, James, Becky ~















Behind us this time is a Saber Tooth Cat family. He was only happy when he didn't see the fake animals.

We all had a great time and really enjoyed ourselves. It was our first "school's out, summer fun" activity. Definitely not to be the last!

Family Games

Sean got a new DS game for Father's Day and decided to try it out. This was a cute shot of all the kids trying to squeeze in and see what he was playing.

Fathers Day pictures

This is the picture we took for Father's Day for Sean's dad (Grandpa). All the grandkids were so great as Melissa and I tried to come up with a pose that would work for all of them (James excluded - he's such a punk!). We framed it and gave it to Kevin on Sunday. He's always stealing Lis' pictures, so we thought he should get his own to take to work. They are all so cute! (James included).

*I made this card using my incredibly awesome photo program. I love that thing!

"The Girl in a Whirl" By Dr. Sue (aka Vickie Gunther of Redlands, CA)

(My mom sent me the following poem. I love it!)

Look at me! Look at me! Look at me now!

You could do what I do if you only knew how.

I study the scriptures one hour each day;

I bake, I upholster, I scrub and I pray.

I always keep all the commandments completely;

I speak to my little ones gently and sweetly.

I help in their classroom! I sew all they wear!

I drive them to practice! I cut all their hair!

I memorize the names of the General Authorities,

I focus on things to be done by priorities.

I play the piano! I bless with my talents!

My toilets all sparkle! My check books all balance!

Each week each child gets a one-on-one date;

I attend all my meetings (on time! never late!)

I'm taking a class on the teachings of Paul,

But that is not all! Oh, no, That is not all.

I track my bad habits' till each is abolished;

Our T-shirts are ironed! my toe nails are polished!

Our family home evenings are always delightful;

The lessons I give are both fun and insightful.

I do genealogy faithfully, too. It's easy to do all the things I have to do!

I rise each day early, refreshed and awake;

I know all the names of each youth in the stake!

I read to my children! I help all my neighbors!

I bless the community, too with my labors.

I exercise and I cook menus gourmet;

My visiting teaching is done the first day!

(I also go do it for someone who missed hers.

It's the least I can do for my cherished ward Sisters.)

I chart resolutions and check off each goal;

I seek each "lost lamb" on my Primary roll.

I can home-grown produce each summer and fall.

But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all.

I write in my journal! I sing in the choir!

Each day, I write "thank yous" to those I admire.

My sons were all Eagles when they were fourteen!

My kids got straight A's! and their bedrooms are clean.

I have a home business to help make some money;

I always look beautifully groomed for my honey.

I go to the temple at least once a week;

I change the car's tires! I fix the sink's leak!

I grind my own wheat and bake all our bread;

I have all our meals planned out six months ahead.

I make sure I rotate our two-year supply;

My shopping for Christmas is done in July!

These things are not hard; 'tis good if you do them;

You can if you try! Just set goals and pursue them!

It's easy to do all the things that I do!

If you plan and work smart, you can do them all, too!

"It's easy!" she said and then she dropped dead.

Mother's Day

I was so loved this past weekend! Sean took me out to a movie on Friday night (Wolverine), I got to sleep in as much as I wanted on Saturday (I think I got up sometime around noon? I was REALLY into a good book!), then we went to Seal Beach and ate at Ruby's on the pier with the kids. Afterwards we ran a couple of errands, ate ice cream for dinner, popcorn for dessert, watched Cinderella with the kids, then Sean let me skip watching a movie with him so I could read the rest of the night and could finish that book.

Sunday Sean had no meetings, so I got breakfast in bed (pancakes, eggs, and juice) and then got to stay lazy while he got the kids breakfast and ready for church. All I had to do was make sure I got up with enough time to get ready for church. We even got there about 1/2 hour early!
During third hour we had a fabulous brunch provided by the bishopric. Muffins, fruit, juice/milk... it was all delicious!

After church we got to go home together (Brother Vaili was doing tithing) and I got to have some quiet time in my room while Sean helped the kids write in the cards for his mom and sister.
We then went over to his parents' house for dinner (ribs, fruit, salad, etc) to celebrate Mother's Day, Leslie's birthday, and Lis' birthday.

The whole weekend was relaxing and fun. Sean didn't rush me at all, even though we got into the theater mid-previews (he loves the previews), and even though we didn't get to Ruby's for lunch until about 2pm.

I had asked for no presents, so he stuck to that rule and wrote me a lovely note to read during my yummy breakfast instead. I love Sean and my children: Becky, Jane, Alex and James. I felt truly loved and I feel so grateful to have them all in my life. The best part of the weekend, though, had to be the part where I changed nary a diaper. Thanks, deary!

James, James....

I would like to take this moment to note that I never had to go to the emergency room in my life....until I met Sean (literally, it was the day after).

That said, let me regale you with yet another ER trip we had yesterday:

James was playing with the kids in the hallway while I was straightening up our room and Sean was trying to get the virus off of my computer. All of a sudden we hear screaming. I rush into the hallway to see James standing next to his bedroom door.

His closed bedroom door.

His closed bedroom door with his finger stuck (hinge side).

I quickly opened the door, swept him into our room and whispered words of comfort while I tried to get a look at his hand.

His pinkie finger was completely flat. About as flat as a piece of paper folded four times.

I yelled for Sean and we both went into panic mode, quickly followed by first aid mode. We got him ice, wrapped it in a kitchen towel, held his hand above his head, and hustled the kids into the car for (yet another) ER trip.

We were in and out of the ER relatively quickly, considering it is an ER in So Cal (just above 2 1/2 hours), but it seemed forever while we waited for nurses, then the doc, then the radiologist (x-rays), then the doc again (no, it wasn't broken), then the nurse (please sign these papers), then the doc again (going to put in two stitches, be back soon), followed by the doc and nurse again to sew and glue the finger shut, followed by more paperwork and signing.

I'm not sure if it was James' screaming that moved them along so quickly, while others sat in the waiting room, or if it was just the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father. In either case, I'm extremely grateful!

He is now on a very strong antibiotic and tylenol. What a trooper, though. He's pretty much back to his normal happy self (though he still favors his right hand) and is grabbing things and bracing his fall with his left hand as though there weren't a bandage covering a nasty looking pinkie.

BTW: Please, tell me - anyone! - how to keep a band aid on a 16month old's pinkie finger!

I took pictures, but I don't think I'll post. They are pretty gruesome.

Tuesday: Ok, I should make note: after several attempts we thought we finally had a great bandage - antibiotic cream, band aid, gauze and tape. We wrapped it around his pinkie, over to and around his thumb, circled the wrist, then back to the thumb. It stayed pretty well until he got tired of it being there and tore it off! (Actually, he bit it off....)

Our Dr. appointment today went well. Doc said he could have his stitches out on Monday when he goes in for his last immunization. Ohhh, poor James! He screams now when we enter the waiting room at the Dr. office!

Ian, Melissa, Korben and Karsen

Today our "not-just-family-but-also-dear-friends" are being sealed together as a family. Although we wish we could be there to witness this incredible event, we know that no matter who is there they will have a wonderfully spiritual time as a family.
We love you all and we rejoice with the heavens and you on this glorious day!

Thought We'd Done That Already....

Well, say goodbye to my dreams of moving and hello to school loans!

My over-achiever is at it again! Sean has decided to go back to school for his Masters in Math. He has one in Education, but apparently that isn't good enough for him. hee hee hee

He'll be starting at Cal State Long Beach in just a few short months and I'd just like to ask,

"How did we get here? I thought the next school loan we'd have to get would be for Becky."

Seriously, I am very happy for him and I'm glad he is going into this whole-heartedly. He wanted to be able to teach at the college level and in order to do so he has to get a Masters in Math. I know that he'll do great and be very pleased with himself at the end of these next two years, as will I.

I love you, Sean, and (at the moment) completely support this decision!

Of course, when I become overwhelmed with the kids and never see you I reserve the right to retract that comment! :)

Don't worry, I'll reinstate it when I calm down and remember that it's only for two years.

(It is only for two years, right? You aren't going to go get a Doctorate on me now are you?)

Are you going to make us call you "Master-Master Monroe"?

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!