Daily smiles

A few things that made me smile today:

1. While cleaning Damon's room, I couldn't help but photograph this collection he has going on his dresser. We have called him Hector (as in The Collector) for a while now, and I am never surprised by the things he thinks he needs to save. For example: why does he need the knife card from Clue? Or the umbrella from Littlest Pet Shop?


2. Tiny bites out of giant zucchini. And not just one bite, but two. I'm pretty sure this was Kyla.


3. Allie enjoying US Weekly on the couch. This was the first of two times I found her like this.

Funnies

And a couple of things that make me laugh.

Allie was found in Damon's closet, sneaking his paints and painting. Jeff found her, as well as a few stains on the carpet, and called me in to investigate. He was in "protective of the new house" mode, and was trying to stay calm. I asked Allie what in the world she was doing, and she said, near tears, "I....could not....resist." I chuckled despite myself, because I was not expecting.

Kyla has been making me smile with her mispronounciations lately. She called pepperoni "peckeroni" and Lucky Charms "Chucky Charms." I don't know why, but I can still laugh about those anytime.

Finally, Allie has been doing much better with her fears, for the most part. However, one day she informed me that she was out in the garage when she saw a shadow that scared her. She then told me what she was doing in the garage. "I was milking the bikes, pretending they were cows." I think that one will be a classic for years to come.

Bathing

I have already divulged how I have skimped on my own bathing habits lately, but I have failed to mention that the lack of bathing seems to have trickled down to my children as well. I realize this is entirely my fault, as bath time has always been one of my least favorite activities.

I wasn't always so lax about cleanliness. When Damon was a baby, he had a bath every day, regardless if we were out late or not at night. I realize now that I probably contributed in large part to the eczema he had as a baby, thus requiring special creams and lotions (if only he could've gotten them for free like the wrestlers in Nacho Libre:). I hated doing baths every night, but figured it best to keep up the routine so he would continue to sleep through the night. But with Allie, I eased up a lot. Mostly because it no longer seemed SO important that my child be bathed daily. And with Kyla, she still seems to have turned out alright (meaning: she has never contracted lice) and doesn't smell bad enough to be labeled one of the "stinky kids," so I must conclude that although she wasn't bathed daily, she probably was bathed enough.

I wonder if that is still the case. Since we moved into this new house, we have tried to be consistent about a few things. One of which is that the kids no longer all bathe together. We tried this a time or two (at Damon's request), but Kyla likes to play "yank the interesting body part" under the water, which instantly told us it was no longer a good idea to co-bathe. Damon can either take a bath by himself or take a shower, and he will do so every few days. Or when I tell him that I can smell him from across the room.

The girls, while still allowed to bathe together, mostly create huge floods when left alone for even a few seconds (typical, I know, but still very annoying). And so they are constantly grounded from the tub and forced to shower as well. But since they aren't asking for a shower (it's not nearly as much fun as the "slide" the tub creates), I again must instigate proper hygiene by insisting that they rinse at least the top layer of dirt off their feet and wash the rats nests out of their hair. The other night, I told Allie that her feet were filthy, and she proceeded to show me all the places on her foot that were still clean (the arches that never touch the ground). Apparently she hasn't developed a love of hygiene yet, either.

All of this questionable bathing behavior has had to change lately for one member of our family. Kyla can't seem to keep herself clean for more than 30 minutes at a time. She has developed traits you would expect any two-year old learning independence to develop, most of which involve helping herself to anything she can mix with water and put in her hair. Soap and gel are two of her favorites, but anything liquid within three feet of her grasp are likely candidates as well. She also likes to pour sand on her head. Connect those dots and you will realize that Kyla has forced my hand, and is now being showered almost daily. I mean, if your child walked into the bathroom looking like this, you would find it hard to convince yourself that she could wait one more day to wash her hair.


The irony of this is I had already gotten her dressed and her hair combed for the day (a rarity in the mornings as of late) before she found the "orange glue" (hair gel). Maybe she is doing her part, in her own small way, to make sure she doesn't become one of the "stinky kids."

First Trimester

I thought it would be best to write about this pregnancy on a day that I was feeling pretty good. That way I would have a much better chance of being impartial and less of a whiner. And today I am feeling pretty good. Halle-freakin-lujah.

I realize that what I have to go through when I am pregnant is so small compared to what so many others have to suffer through. The feelings of wanting to curl into a ball and die only last for three months, and then I have relatively few complaints. I have so much respect and admiration for ladies who suffer through months of agony, not having any relief at the end of the first trimester.

That being said, I am so glad this part is (or seems to be) over. It really is hard on the whole family. A few weeks ago, Jeff told the kids, "Your mom is good for nothing right now." Ouch, but unfortunately, probably all too true. I am certainly not myself.

Things that have suffered the past 15 weeks: the house (my energy for cleaning has diminished tremendously, and although I have done my best, it's obvious it wasn't enough), my hygiene (I just can't bring myself to shower every day. There's something about the hot water that makes me feel a lot worse, so many days I have settled for clean clothes, deodorant, and a ponytail), and mealtimes (food in general is so hard for me to be around during the first trimester, but especially raw meat. I'm not exactly sure how we made it through all those dinner times without spending a fortune on takeout).

My sickness has been mostly at night this time, which has its pros and cons. On the good side, I had my best hours in the morning, and I would try to get things done before Jeff got home. But on the bad side, I always felt terrible at night, and did 95% of my throwing up after 7:00 pm. I'm not sure I can eat apples and grapes for a while, they being the two most disgusting things I can recall having to see a second time.

Some foods I have had to avoid: wheat bread (for some reason, I couldn't do it), water (this was a strange aversion for a few weeks that has luckily subsided), anything I made for dinner and had to smell longer than 30 minutes, everything at random, depending on the day, the hour, etc.

Some foods that I have been craving: turkey sandwiches on white bread (I have had at least one, maybe two of these a day for weeks), orange juice (during my waterless phase), pickles, salty things like Chex mix and chips, homemade egg McMuffins (and I don't like eggs, but I had one of these a day for a couple weeks, too), Arby's curly fries (until I threw them up. Not anymore), dry cereal (frosted mini wheats), and tomatoes. Does that mean I'm having a boy or girl?

I also have been a lot more tired than normal (no surprise there), but napping usually makes the nausea worse, so I have refrained unless I couldn't help it. Most days have been just about survival--making it to the time I can get in bed. Like a lot of women, I started taking unisom and B6 at night, and I really think that helped me (at least I felt a lot better in the mornings. Nights were always hard). I would have an hour or two in the morning where I actually felt a little bit normal, until the nausea would settle in and remind me that I was far from normal.

I didn't gain any weight the first 12 weeks (one good thing about being sick), but I am definitely starting to show now, and starting to avoid certain clothes. I haven't been flat out asked if I am pregnant yet at church, but I'm sure there is suspicion. That is, if anyone even knows who I am. But I welcome getting chubby and letting people know, it just means that the worst is behind me and I can now look forward to a few months of endless eating and weight gain with no guilt. I'll just have to work it off eventually anyway.

And finally, because this post has been incredibly boring, here are some pictures from the park last week. I love Allie's outfit in this one--swimsuit, half jacket/shawl, shorts and Sunday shoes. This was a new combo I hadn't seen before.


I thought this spot by the pond was pretty and had the kids pose for a few shots. We'll have to go back with Jeff's good camera (and his photo skills) to take some real pictures.

Nine years

Yesterday Jeff and I celebrated our ninth anniversary. Well, "celebrated" is too strong of a word. We are planning to go out on an actual dinner/movie date on Saturday to "celebrate." Yesterday we mentioned to each other that we had been married nine years, and reminisced for a few minutes before my sleeping pill kicked in and I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.

But we have been married nine years. We both agreed that it has sped by with alarming speed. Neither of us feel old enough to say that we have been married just shy of a decade. But then I remember that a few months ago, my sister who is just starting high school admitted that she had never heard of Third Eye Blind. We must be getting old. So, when I stop to think about all that has happened the past nine years, I am amazed to realize that we have already shared a lifetime of experiences.

Consider just some of the things we have experienced since August 19, 2000.

Survived four winters in Ohio.
Survived two summers in Florida.
Survived two different stints living with Jeff's parents, each one approximately a year long

Celebrated a national championship for THE Ohio State Buckeyes
Celebrated a World Series win for my Boston Red Sox

Suffered through four (now make it five) awful first trimesters
Suffered through the birth of three healthy babies
Suffered through the death of one tiny baby boy
Suffered through an ectopic pregnancy

Managed to survive one awful jaw surgery (Jeff's)
Managed to survive a scare involving a needle stick and Hep-C (Jeff)
Managed to survive a diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse (irregular heartbeat--again, Jeff)
Managed to survive a number of shock treatments to determine another diagnosis of myasthenia gravis (a condition that causes fatigue in muscles--again, also Jeff).

Graduated from BYU with a BS in Geography (J)
Graduated from BYU with a BS in Elementary Ed (K)
Graduated from dental school at Ohio State
Graduated from orthodontics at JU

Visited the following states: Wyoming, Colorado, California, Nevada, Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Delaware, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia (may be forgetting something, but close enough)

Bought our first "home" (an 880 sq ft condo in Columbus)
Bought our last home (a much larger home in Orem)

Endured many long nights and early mornings with babies
Endured many long nights and early mornings studying

Shared hundreds of tears (most shed by me)
Shared thousands of laughs
Shared our lives

When you look at it like that, we really have been through a lot together. If these nine years have taught me anything (and I like to think that they have), I know that we can get through anything. As long as we do it together (okay, a little sappy, but it HAS been nine years!).

Happy anniversary Jeff! I look forward to a lifetime of memories yet to come!

From the "What have you been up to?" file

I have been a bad blogger. Mostly because how do you write about everything EXCEPT the one thing that is really on your mind (that post, about the first trimester, will come later)? But we have actually done some fun things lately and I was amazed when I looked at the camera to find that we had actually documented some of them.

A couple of weeks ago, we went to Antelope Island/The Great Salt Lake. We had been there before, but wanted to actually test the assumption that you can float unassisted in the Salt Lake (you can, but I don't know why you'd want to. It smells terrible and is extremely disgusting. But the kids all had a chance to float and we came home with enough salt on our bodies to season our roasts for a year). Antelope Island is an interesting place, and we enjoyed seeing all the wildlife (namely, one antelope and dozens of bison). Damon (wearing goggles in this picture, because he still thought he might actually submerge his head in the GSL to see what was there. Not happening) posed in front of this bison after eating a buffalo burger at the concession stand. Kyla was trapped inside the car, but yelled out, "Come here, buffalo! We have some candy for you!"

It was a fun trip, but we got no pictures of our actual swimming adventure. Take my word for it, though, you may POSSIBLY want to go once in your lifetime, to say you have done it, but I doubt we will ever be back. Sorry future offspring, no floating in the GSL for you.

Allie also finished her summer stint at BYU's preschool. She had a great time and I am so glad we did that for her. Now I know exactly what things we need to work on before kindergarten next year (holding a crayon and a pair of scissors come to mind).

This is Mr. Brad, the head teacher in Allie's class.

Some funny disguises the girls wanted to show off.

Allie, so happy to be able to take her nametag home.

Jeff got a new desk for his office, which came in several big boxes. Damon had big plans for the boxes, and Jeff helped him put together this awesome "fort" in our basement. We bought some paints at the store and let the kids paint it one morning.

Kyla got as much paint on her face as she got on the fort.

We also went camping with Jeff's sister and her family one weekend. It happened to be the coldest weekend we had had in weeks, and we were all freezing most of the time.

Jeff and the girls trying to warm up. They are in a hammock, in a sleeping bag, listening to music on Jeff's phone.

All the kids: Damon and David with their sharpened sticks (a must for camping. And Lord of the Flies), Caitlin doing bunny ears (another popular pose), Kyla, Allie, Maren and Hunter squished together. Probably for warmth.

Kyla had a great time. When she wasn't complaining of being "coldy."

Jeff and I had our own reading material. I thought it was funny--he was reading a history of the Grand Canyon and I was rereading Harry Potter #6 so we can go see the movie.

Our scrum-diddly-umptious dinner that Ryan made for us. Seriously, it was so yummy. My mouth is watering now just thinking about it.

I don't know why this picture is sideways. It wasn't this way before I started, and I don't feel like changing it now. These are the "three burritos" in the tent. It was dark and I couldn't see what I was doing, so we had several attempts to get them all in the screen. Allie's face scares me. And Kyla does look "coldy."

Okay, phew. It feels good to have that done. More later?

A good one

There are some moments in life you could never, ever possibly forget. Even if the rest of your memory had been wiped clean, some things just would always be with you. Like the day you got engaged. Or married. Or the day your mom told you she had cancer. Or the time you drove the car into the kitchen. Some things just have a tendency to stay with you.

I'll never forget the first time we saw Damon, via ultrasound. I was in for my 20 week appointment and witnessed, for the very first time, the miracle that was developing inside me. I got tears in my eyes when he yawned, so big he looked like a lion, right there on the screen. I couldn't believe it was real, and that in just a few short months I was going to become a mother for the very first time. the feelings were vast and numerous, but mostly I felt grateful to have been entrusted with such an honor.

Three pregnancies later, I have since had dozens of ultrasounds after that very first emotional one with Damon. Each time, I have been equally awed and amazed at the miracle of life when I see my babies on the screen. There's just nothing like it. And you'd think I would get used to seeing it and it would somehow lose its wonder. That has yet to happen.

Last Thursday I got to see another little one via ultrasound. After hiding my pregnancy from everyone for nearly 12 weeks, I was extremely anxious to have the opportunity to confirm that the extreme nausea, tiredness, mood swings and bulging waistline were not all in my head, but could be attributed to a healthy, albeit small, baby. It was with more than a little trepidation that I climbed on the table and pulled up my shirt. But as soon as Courtney (my ultrasound tech) put the wand on my belly, I could see our latest miracle. And its heart was racing.

At 12 weeks, there isn't a lot you tell from the ultrasound, other than the heart rate and the size of the baby (170 beats/minute, and 2 inches from head to rump), but for me, it was more than enough. I couldn't help but get emotional as I saw a tiny arm move above the baby's head, and let the tears slide down my cheeks unashamed. It never gets old seeing your baby for the first time. After Courtney finished the ultrasound, she printed off a few customary pictures for me to take to Jeff, and stuck them in my chart. She examined it for a moment, then asked, "was your last pregnancy an ectopic?" I answered in the affirmative, and she said, "Then you were probably really glad to see that everything is fine." Understatement of the year.

If everything goes as planned (alwasy an IF), my due date is Valentine's Day, which means I am now 13 weeks, and HOPEFULLY nearing the end of all the yuckiness that is first trimester. We told our families last week, and news has started spreading among friends in the ward and elsewhere. Ideally, I would try to keep it a secret as long as possible, but I didn't want to keep it a secret any longer. So many of you have been with me through all the ups and downs of pregnancy, and I wanted you to share in this happiness with us. I love you all!

The EYES have it

This little monster is seven, as previously mentioned. We finally got around to taking his yearly picture in daddy's shirt, which we somehow forgot to do last year. So, for comparison sake, the bottom picture is from two years ago.


And as a side note, I asked Damon what he wants to be when he grows up. He told me, "A temple worker." Cute.


Didn't all girls grow up dreaming about what their kids were going to look like? Or at least think about it a time or two while staring into the eyes of the boy she just KNEW was going to be her husband? Or was that just me? Now that I have three kids that I am forced to look at on a fairly regular basis, it is fun to see what things they have in common, and which of those things I am responsible for, and which ones came from Jeff.

Jeff has gorgeous eyes. A blue green that changes color depending on which shirt he is wearing. I, on the other hand, have very average brown eyes that always look brown. I'm not bitter, it's just the truth. All of my siblings have dark eyes (brown or some version of hazel), and so I thought that my kids would probably never get their daddy's pretty eyes, but would be stuck with my average eyes. I was wrong. My kids all have beautiful eyes. Thanks to their daddy.




Which ones do you like best? Funnily enough, Kyla gets the most comments on how pretty her eyes. And at her two year checkup, her doctor asked if I think they'll stay green. Yep, I do.

Letter to me

Yesterday, a good friend from high school was in town and came over to visit. We had a great time catching up on the last 10 years of life, while ignoring the fact that there were children destroying things in the house (thanks Christina, I really did have a great day!).

One of the things we talked about was how much has happened since high school, which should seem ridiculously obvious. But we were talking about people we know who seem to still live in high school, constantly talking about the way things were and how great it was. We both admitted that high school was neither the best or the worst time of our lives. It reminded me so much of the song, "Letter to Me" by Brad Paisley. Probably because one of the lines says, "these are nowhere near the best years of your life."

So, last night as I was lying alone in bed, trying to fall asleep, I started thinking about what I would tell myself if I could hop in a Delorian and deliver a letter to myself in high school. This will probably be boring to everyone who didn't go to high school with me, so please know that you have my permission to navigate away from this page and do something more interesting. This is mostly for me anyway.

Dear Krystal,
Time puts everything into perspective. While most often, I still feel like the same person I always was, when I look back at everything you have ahead of you, I can see just how far you have to come. And so, if I could give you some advice about high school, here's what I would tell you.

The first time Jake breaks your heart, get over him. You really are truly meant to be just friends. Don't spend nights crying over him or wondering what is wrong with you. Just know that you'll meet someone perfect before too long. Move on!

When trying to park the van behind the seminary building, if a spot looks like it might be too small, don't even try it. It's too small.

Do less talking and more listening in choir to Mr. Lister. His heart can't take the stress.

And while you're at it, pay attention in Mr. Ward's calculus class and stop writing so many notes to Kristen and Kandelyn. You might actually learn calculus.

Don't ever mouth off to Coach Larson on the softball team. He will make your life miserable.

Don't go to the sleepover at Genis' house. Nothing good will happen.

Don't be afraid of kissing Tyler. He loves you and will never do anything to make you believe otherwise.

If you take Computer Programming from Mr. Wiarda, make sure you get someone to help you with your final project. You'll never figure it out on your own, and it will murder your GPA.

Enjoy every second of every road trip you take with the volleyball, basketball and softball teams. Those are the times you will miss most once high school is over.

Don't be afraid to try out for Trilogy. It will be one of the best things you will do.

Don't stress about the ACT. That goes remarkably well.

Don't worry so much about what other people think of you. They probably don't think about you very much at all. Besidese, you won't see most of them after high school, and then you'll only "see" them on Facebook, where you can choose which pictures of you they actually see.

Don't go on the church history trip with your aunt and uncle. It will ruin your senior year of volleyball and you'll be bitter for years.

Have the courage to tell Mark face-to-face that you don't want to date him anymore. Don't take the easy way out and ignore him, hoping he'll get the message. And don't write him a letter. Don't be a coward. Tell him.

Leave everything you have on the court. Basketball may not turn out the way you always envisioned, but you'll never regret giving your very best. And don't wallow after you lose. Shake it off and join the rest of your friends at Charlie's.

Most of all, experience high school for what it is--four years of your life. Four great years, but not the best years to come. Four years full of ups and downs, and some of the best friends you will ever find. Don't ever be afraid to let them know how much they mean to you. Someday you will be sitting where I am, reflecting on the past, and the things that will mean the most to you are the relationships you made. So have fun. Take dad's advice and chill out! Don't be so serious about everything. Life gets serious really fast, and you'll wish you would have enjoyed the "carefree" time of your life a little more.

Love,
The older, wiser you

Just a short one

I haven't posted in a while. I haven't taken many pictures. It must be the hot summer days that keep us inside or at the pool), but when I think back, it just doesn't seem like anything of note has happened lately. I did find a couple pics on my phone, so here they are.

This is our next door neighbor's backyard. Thankfully, they are more than willing to share, as our backyard (and front yard for that matter) are full of weeds that grow at the speed of sound (not quite the speed of light). The girls were just sitting in the car and I thought it was sweet how Kyla had her arm around Allie.

And one of Damon. He's doing the splits down the slide. I can't get him to stop doing the splits. He gets too much of a reaction every time.


This is from Sunday dinner at the Trapnell's. We thought it was pretty funny.

Last weekend, Jeff and his dad took Damon and two nephews (Matt and Miles, who Allie talks about all the time) to hike Mount Nebo. Jeff thought it would be a 5-6 mile hike total and that the boys wouldn't have much trouble with it. It ended up being more like 11 miles total and took a lot out of all of them. I honestly can't believe Damon did it (and with little complaining from what I hear), but I'm so happy they enjoy doing things together. It almost makes up for the constant gymnastics/dancing.


Damon started swim lessons while Allie is in preschool, and I learned after the first day that Kyla was not going to sit still and watch him swim for 30 minutes. So, during his swim lessons, I have been putting her in the backpack and walking around the track just outside the rec center. It's a decent workout--I can go about a mile and a quarter in the 20-25 minutes I have--with the added weight, and it's very doable even in 90 degree weather. Yesterday as I was nearing the end of my last lap, I decided to do a few lunges to really feel the burn. I was going to try to do the whole turn of the track, but quickly realized I was fooling myself. I probably went about 25 yards before I thought I would collapse and die. Seriously, my quads were protesting loudly. And I am so sore today I can barely walk. Especially up and down the stairs. Oh, the torture. I am sore basically from my knee caps to my hips. On both sides of the legs. You ought to try it for yourself, just to see what it's like.

A clip of Allie

This morning Allie was in a bad mood. I have no idea why, but when I heard her in the garage crying, I grabbed the camera. This is classic Allie (I apologize, it's a little dark). A few things of note:
1. I don't usually let her get away with behavior like this, but wanted to have it all documented. A screech like that is enough to get her locked away in her room; her behavior to Damon enough to get another timeout.
2. Really, nothing had happened to set her off. She had been up for at least thirty minutes, eating breakfast, getting dressed, when suddenly mean monster Allie appeared.
3. I love all the classic stages of tantrum-throwing things, wailing, hands on hips, hitting, and slamming doors. All in thirty seconds.
4. Be it known, after I put shoes on her and forced her into the car, she stopped crying and went to school without further incident. When I picked her up, I told her, "You were in a really bad mood this morning," to which she responded, "I was playing a trick on you."

Like a popsicle on the Fourth of July...

We started our Independence Day festivities early in the morning. And that was saying something, since we had been up late celebrating Damon's birthday on the 2nd and Kenya's birthday on the 3rd. But my family has made a tradition of going to see the balloons at 6:00 am, and we decided to join them (all except Jeff, who found it a bit too difficult to get out of bed). He watched from the deck an hour later and saw this:

While we saw this:

Here's a family pic.

(Okay, so that's not Jeff, and it's not Allie. My brother, Eric, is holding Kyla and I am holding Kenya. I don't have a single picture of either Jeff or Allie so let's pretend).

On our way back to the car, Damon saw this cool car and wanted to pose by it.

Kyla did too.

We spent the afternoon swimming and playing water volleyball with my family, eating delicious food and spanking the Shurtz/Jeff team repeatedly. :) We spent the rest of the evening with Jeff's family in Springville eating more food and doing fireworks. I don't know why I didn't take more pictures. We must have been having too much fun. Allie fell asleep for a good hour in the van and wasn't much fun to get woken up for the fireworks. But she did claim later that it was "the best day of my life," so I think she had a good time. Just no proof of it.

Street fireworks

The picture of the day: Kyla's first time doing sparklers.

Quick catch up

Before we get to the Fourth of July celebration, I found a couple old pictures I need to catch up with. First is my haircut. Damon took this pic of me holding my 9 inch ponytail. I sent it to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths, which does wigs specifically for cancer patients. FYI Locks of Love makes wigs mostly for kids with alopecia, which is a worthy cause, but not something I have experienced personally, which is why I went with Pantene. I don't love my hair (I think the layers sometimes look funny), but I'm getting used it. It's just hair, and it grows back.

Oh, and here's the before, in case you wanted to see just how much there was to cut.



This second picture is from a couple of weeks ago. Jeff and I spent the morning getting the garage cleaned out, and now we can park both cars in! It is hard getting in (our driveway is pretty narrow), but I am getting better at it after only one scraping of the side of the van. Oops!


And here's one Allie took of herself. Allie was completely worn out from the Fourth of July festivities. Yesterday we were at Seven Peaks and she started looking really tired around 5:00. She fell asleep on the way home, and there was nothing I could do to wake her up. Finally, around 7:00, I put her in her jammies and took her to the potty, sure she would wake up sometime during the night. She slept until after 6:00 this morning. Wow, she must have REALLY needed some rest. All those late nights, coupled with the constant waking up scared really caught up to her!

And one funny story. I gave her an old MP3 player that she has been listening to, and pretending is a phone/camera. One morning at breakfast she was playing with it, and I said, "Allie, you need to hurry and finish your breakfast." Her response? Just as any teenager would, she said, "Just a sec. I'm texting."

Damon's 7

Happy Birthday to Damon!



Wow, I have a lot of pictures to go through! Let's start with Damon's birthday. He turned seven on July 2, a day he has been looking forward to for many months. He wanted to do something really fun, but we didn't want to spend a lot of money. Our compromise was to use a trade that Jeff has with The Quarry rock climbing place, which worked out really well. He invited 6 cousins to come climb with him, and thankfully, my dad and Wayne were in town to help belay the kids (Jeff and I, along with my Uncle Tom were belaying as well). The kids had a great time. Even the little kids, like Kyla and Tara's twins, got to climb and loved it.

Ready to climb!

Damon and David making their way up the wall

Mama belaying (just because there aren't a lot of pictures of me on here)

Allie giving it a try with my dad belaying

He requested sushi and salmon for dinner, along with corn and cottage cheese. Yummy. Much better than the fish sticks Allie wanted. Unfortunately, the sushi wasn't that great. But I didn't tell him that. Just FYI-don't buy it at Albertson's. Next time I will go to Costco.


All my family was in town for the 4th, so we invited everyone back for cake and ice cream after the party. Here is Damon's cake. Nothing fancy, but he seemed happy with it.



We sure love this kid and are so glad to have him as part of our family!