The Culprits

Monday, May 31, 2010

Rec Center Membership

So, we didn't make it out the door for camping today. It was raining this morning & Isaac was running a fever again. We may go tomorrow. Since my whole plan to go camping is up in the air & I still have packing & cleaning to do..............I thought I would be productive & blog some more.



We joined the local rec center a couple weeks ago. These are some pics of the first day we went. We are planning to go as a family regularly. Justin has gone a couple times with us. Mostly, however, I just end up taking the kids by myself. The 3 little boys love the playroom. Isaac doesn't even cry when I leave him, which is so crazy. He usually puts a big guilt trip on me if I ever leave him anywhere. (However, that childcare room is probably why he is sick again.) Seth, Jarod & Micah get to work out with me. Then we all go swimming together. You wouldn't believe the ordeal of getting the little ones ready in the dressing room. Stressful, but worth it.




Um........Dad.........?











Sunday, May 30, 2010

Camping Trips, Medicine Cabinets & Misshapen Heads













These past few weeks have been a blur of kids' check-ups, state testing for the Seth & Jarod (they did VERY well, btw), illnesses, trips to the rec center for swimming & exercise and, yes, camping trips. Before Micah's birthday, in one of those blurry weeks, we went on our 1st camping trip this year. It was a ton of fun. I'm not being sarcastic, in case you're wondering. It was wonderful, but it did have it's trying moments. Jarod had been incredibly sick, a few days before we left, with tonsillitis. He was really feeling better & finishing up his antibiotics when we left. Everyone else was fine....until we reached our camp site, that is. Upon arriving, when Titus wouldn't stop being crabby (which does happen quite often, so you can't blame me for not immediately knowing he was sick), I checked his fever & realized he was burning up. I bundled him up with blankets & a pillow on a camp chair & gave him some Motrin. He was like new in an hour, running around & happy. That night, he vomited in the tent. I cleaned that up (while Justin tried to sooth a screaming Isaac, who wanted his mommy and not his daddy!!!), gave Titus some more medicine & then cleaned that up when he immediately puked that up too. It was sheer joy. (That is sarcastic, in case you were wondering.) The next day, Isaac got sick & the day after that, so did Gideon. As long as I kept everyone dosed up on Motrin & Tylenol, they were happy. There was no more puking. Fortunately, I had come prepared. I was hoping no one else would get sick, but I had packed my medicine cabinet anyway to be safe. Justin had bought me a tool chest before we left. It makes a great camping medicine cabinet! I love it. OK. So, it's not hard to please me. Anyway, between medicine doses, the camping trip was very fun for all of us. Lots of bike riding, fishing, bug & snake hunting, roasting marsh mellows, etc........

When we got home, Seth got sick also. He recovered pretty quickly. Isaac took FOREVER to get well, but he finally did. Micah was the only one kid who didn't get sick. I've been trying to get all the boys' check-ups done. Before the camping trip, Titus, Gideon, Isaac & Micah had all had their check ups. Seth & Jarod had theirs when we got home. At Isaac's check up, the doctor told me that his head was shaped in a certain, rather concerning way (he called it "Cranial-Something-Something" I believe) & sent him to a facial, cranial specialist. It was about 2 long weeks before that appointment. 2 long weeks of me waiting, trying not to imagine Isaac's brain being crushed from inside, or having difficulty finding a wife someday due to the horns growing out of his skull. When I finally took him to his appointment with the specialist, she said he is fine & not to worry. His head is, however, in the 98th percentile for size in kids his age. He gets that from his father. She does want to take measurements again in a few months to be safe, but she is not concerned at all. Praise God.

At Seth's check up, the doctor looked at a lesion the dentist had found in his mouth. Now Seth needs to have an appointment with an ear, nose & throat specialist to have the lesion removed & biopsied. Yes, biopsied. He did say he thinks it's something minor. He just wants to be sure. Sigh. This mom-thing is going to give me an ulcer. Oh wait. It already has. I have 6 kids. I am going to have to find a way to not panic & feel this dread every time something is wrong. But the thought of anything even happening to one of them.......ugh. So. I'm am trying to focus on some verses, including Matthew 6:34 "So don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." & Psalm 55:22 "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you;" I probably have a couple more long weeks to wait for this specialist appointment. I can't do anything about that. I can't do anything about Seth's lesion. The doctor said it's "probably minor". I'm going with that. For now. Seth is healthy today. I have my sweet babies all healthy & happy today. Thank you, Jesus.

Micah's Birthday

Last week was Micah's 8 yr old b-day. We had a little party at home & a party at Grandma's house a few days later. Here are the pics from the party at home (forgot to take my camera to Grandma's house). Abigail, Olivia & Emily were at this little party. This, obviously, was after we had birthday cake. My sweet, sweet, Micah-Micah John. I can't believe how old he is. I guess I say that at every birthday, but I mean it every time. I don't know where the time goes & how he's grown so fast. He is very intuitive to & considerate of others' feelings. He is so caring, honest, sweet & sincere. I'd almost think something was wrong with that, that he was too good to be true, except that he occasionally picks on Gideon (the one just younger than him) relentlessly, when he thinks (or knows) I am not looking. This gives me and odd sort of comfort.
Micah loved all his presents.

Well....... most of them. (Just kidding. He really did appreciate the spear that Jarod had whittled for him. He was just giving me his special raised eyebrow look here, for fun.)

The party was fun. Some of us sang songs to kitties,

some of us played tic-tac-toe,

Micah picked the flowered cake out.............because he wanted to eat a giant chocolate flower. I mean, who WOULDN'T?! Emily made an adorable cake for the party we had at Grandma's, but I don't have a pic of that yet. A cute little fishie helped blow out his candle. Micah John, I love you so much. Please push "PAUSE" on that growing thing you're doing.......

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Water Wars

It was kind of sunny & a little bit warm today. We rode tricycles,
played with bugs,
started an innocent little water fight.
Titus did not partake of the silly water fight. Mighty sword fighters have better things to do.
Gideon's water-weapon of choice. Not what I would have chosen, but he made it work.
Isaac got in on the shooting action. He was actually saying something that kind of sounded like, "Bang! Bang!" He was having fun....until..............
.........attack of the killer watering can!
The mighty swordsman stops to remove a pesky speck of dirt from his shoe.

Jarod waiting to ambush his prey.



Titus strategically places himself in the safest place in the yard. A dry Titus is a happy Titus. (Unless he gets another piece of dirt in his shoe..........)

Things get serious.
Revenge of the little brothers.
Oh, by the way, Gideon asked me to marry him. I said yes!