Sister Esplin

This post from a couple weeks ago never posted, so here it is again.  On January 8, Kimmy went into the MTC. We had a fun lunch together at the Roll Up Cafe before she left.

My boys are really incapable of looking at the camera at the same time. Even if they're smiling, they usually are looking opposite directions. Notice Grandpa Dale holding McKay's head in place. Too bad he can't control the eyes...

They love their aunt Kimmy. McKay asked the next morning if Kimmy was awake yet. He doesn't understand that she'll be gone for 18 months. 

Carter refuses to wear a jacket, even if it's snowing. We brought it out with us, but he wouldn't put it on. But of course he was cold. That explains the scowl. This is right before Kimmy went into the MTC. We'll miss her a lot, but I know she'll be such a great missionary to the good people of Arcadia, California!

Sickness

The last couple of weeks have been a little rough for us. Mostly for me. I started to develop a sinus infection which rapidly got really bad. On the third day of massive head and facial pain, I didn't stay on top of my ibuprofen (I was taking 200 mg every 4 hours, and for the most part, that took enough of the edge off so that I could stay functional). I tossed and turned for a few hours until the pain got so bad that I could no longer sleep. It was 3:30 am and I decided it was high time I get some more ibuprofen in my system. The whole left side of my face throbbed and it was all I could do to take the meds and sit in bed to wait it out. I played solitaire and listened to conference talks until 5:00 am, when I finally had enough relief to be able to lay my head down on my pillow long enough to fall asleep. Needless to say, the next day was really hard. I felt awful. Jeff asked me what my plans for the day were, and I told him, "try not to die." It was bad.

And while I learned how to mostly manage the pain so that I could take care of my family, it wasn't getting better very quickly. Despite the sinus rinses I was doing every few hours, the congestion got pretty bad, and I was flushing some really nasty stuff out. And my brother in law offered to prescribe some antibiotics, but also told me that most sinus infections are viral anyway, so I decided to wait it out.

Then the coughing started. You know the kind--where you have to get up in the middle of the sacrament and go get a drink because you know you are about to make a fool of yourself if you stay much longer. Yeah, that's what happened to me. I was hacking all day (and night) long and still dealing with a lot of pain in my head.

For 10 days this went on, and the pressure in my sinuses did let up a little. But I was still rinsing out nasty mucus every few hours, and I couldn't skip any of the ibuprofen I had been taking, or I would pay for it big time. That's when I decided it was time to start the antibiotics. And finally, things started to really get better. Now, it's been 18 days since I really started feeling terrible, and I'm almost done with the antibiotics. I'm about 90% better. The congestion is almost all gone, and I don't have to take any meds at all for pain, although I always have a tiny headache (around my teeth as well) lingering. Thank heavens this is ending, and I'm so grateful my kids were so healthy throughout the worst illness I have had in a long, long time.

I often didn't have the strength to care about what the kids were up to, as long as they weren't causing trouble. This is one of the things they did to pass the time:

While we're at it, here are a couple other pictures I managed to take from this dark period of my life. This is what Carter and McKay chose to eat for lunch one day. It was so funny, I had to document it. Tuna, pinto beans, olives, cucumbers, cheese and carrots.

We also had a family fun day at Lowe's Xtreme Air Sports, and I took some fun slo mo videos. Here are a few pics. Allie climbing the wall.

Cool action shot from a video clip

Finally, Damon and Jack in front of their World's Fair project on Switzerland. We had a lot of fun sampling food from around the world, and the kids got full enough that they didn't need dinner. 

Here's to better health from here on out!

Funnies

I'm finally getting around to recording the funny things I have remembered to write down the past few months. I know I missed a lot, but at least I have these:

We took a family trip to the church history museum, where we were looking at some paintings in the hallway. Allie saw one of the Savior on the cross and told us, "this was at his crucification."

Kyla was talking about getting a new pet. She told me, "it's scary, but you'll have to deal with it. I want a pet alligator."

One afternoon, Carter came into our room, ignoring me, and went straight into the bathroom. After he was finished, I asked him why he needed to come and use ours. He told me, "I didn't have time for any other bathroom."

McKay was feeling sad one day, and asked to go home. He told me, "if we go home, my bunny will make me happy."

One day, some cracker spilled on the floor and Bex ate a few before the kids got them cleaned up. Damon said, "don't worry, she only got a little trans fat."

McKay called one of his sisters "stinkin' girl"

Carter, to McKay, "Take a breather!"

At church, we sang a hymn that had the line "first the blade and then the ear..." Damon piped up, "like Vincent Van Gogh."

Carter was in timeout for being mean to McKay. When his time was up, I told him he could come out if he was ready to say sorry. He told me, "I'm only a little sorry." So he stayed a while longer.

Kyla has had a little crush on Timmy, a boy in Allie's class. She said, "He's the guy for me! He's small, he's blonde and he can't say his R's either!"

Carter was feeling a little sleepy one day while we were watching a movie. I noticed him drifting and I asked if he wanted to go to bed. He told me, "I'm watching with my eyes closed."

The home teachers were here one Sunday and were asking the kids some questions. Carter didn't pretend to know the answers, but said, "I don't know anything."

In the car, Carter was feeling his mouth with his tongue, and announced, "I need a new mouth. This one has an owie."

Carter asked me, "Have you ever done the splits with a cracker in your mouth?"

Jeff came home for lunch and Carter asked him what he wanted to eat. Jeff asked, "what are my choices?" Carter answered, "yes or no."

2013

1. What did you do in 2013 that you’ve never done before? Went to a movie in the theater alone. There were two other people in the movie, also flying solo. Odd experience, because you feel self-conscious about how much you laugh. 

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions and will you make more for next year? Always making more. Even though last years' may not have been a smashing success. 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Heather. 

4. Did anyone close to you die? Not super close to me anymore, but I lost my friend Joy in October. 

5. What countries did you visit? On our cruise, we stopped in Mexico, Belize, Honduras and Grand Cayman. So much fun!

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013? Close friends outside of the Trapnell family (for both Jeff and me)

7. What moment from 2013 will remain etched in your memory and why? Running to get back on the cruise ship in Cozumel with people cheering for us like we were finishing a marathon. We laughed so hard about that.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Witnessing the baptism of my first daughter. 

9. What was your biggest failure? Not being able to potty train Bex for nearly 8 months

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? No! Yay!

11. What was the best thing you bought? Invisible fence and shock collar for Bex. Those things made it possible for us to have a dog. 

12. Where did most of your money go? Taxes

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Vacationing without kids, our yearly trip to Arizona for Spring Break

14. Happier or sadder? Happier

15. Thinner or fatter? About the same

16. Richer or poorer? We felt richer until Jeff met with his accountant in January and found out how much we still owed in taxes. Then we definitely felt poorer. 

17. What do you wish you'd done less of? Changing diapers

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Exercising

19. How did you spend Christmas? With the Trapnell's Christmas Eve and the Esplin's for a few days. We had two missionary farewells (the same day), so Jeff and I had to split up. 

20. Did you fall in love in 2013? No. :(

21. What was your favorite new tv show in 2013? the new season of Arrested Development (and even that was a bit of a disappointment)

22. What was the best book you read? I read 56 books in 2013. One less than 2012. :( Some of my favorites were: Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson, The Thing about Luck by Cynthia Kadohata, Counting by 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan, Far Far Away by Tom McNeal, and Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpoole. My favorite picture book of the year was Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown, and my absolute favorite book (which also happens to be a picture book) was If You Want to See a Whale by Julie Fogliano and Erin E. Stead.

23. What was your greatest musical discovery of 2013? that Kyla can sing in key. She sounds so cute.

24. What did you want and get? a Polar FT4 heart rate monitor. It's sweet! And new basketball shoes

25. What did you want and not get? a robot that mops my floors

26. What was your favorite movie of 2013? Austenland or Catching Fire

27. What did you do on your birthday? Happy Sumo with the Trapnell's on the 14th. My actual birthday I spent with my kids at the Lighting of the Riverwoods. 

28. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? McKay deciding he was ready to get potty trained

29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013? A few more skinny jeans thrown in, even though I know I don't have the body for them

30. What kept you sane? Trips with Jeff, reading, playing basketball

31. What celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Jimmy Fallon. He's so funny, and I'm glad he'll be on earlier in the night. We might be able to watch him more often.

32. What political issue stirred you the most? Obamacare

33. Who do you miss? My brother, Eric. I wish he were more a part of my life.

34. Who was the best new person you met? Lindsay Konold (and their family)

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013. Never take Bex out with other dogs if she isn't leashed. 

36. What songs will always remind you of 2013? "Roar" by Katy Perry, "Royals" by Lorde, "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus, "Brave" by Sara Bareilles, "Bruises" by Train, "Let it Go" from Frozen, "I Knew you Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift 

37. When you think about 2013 what sticks out in your mind? Three kids in school all day, Two Little Boys who spend their days with me, Jeff's trip to China, two hernia surgeries

38. Best moment of 2013? Being in the temple with my parents, my sisters and Jonny when Kimmy received her endowment. That was special. 

Christmas Festivities

For FHE the week of Christmas, the kids put on the Nativity play for us. And it was a winner, let me tell you. The highlight was probably when Bex (the lamb) climbed into the manger with baby Jesus. 

Mary and Joseph

On Christmas Eve, Allie and I made cinnamon rolls for the morning

We forced the kids to take some pics before our big bash at Grandma/Grandpa Trapnell's house

When we got home, the PJ elf came

We told the kids we wouldn't be starting any Christmas activities until 8:00 am (harsh, I know). Of course, they woke up at 6:30 and were making all kinds of noise, so we sent them down to the basement to watch tv until 8:00. McKay took advantage of the down time and played with his gift from Santa. So at 8:00, when the kids lined up for the traditional stairs pic, McKay wasn't happy.

But everyone was happy once the gifts were open