Allergic

Brenden is mad at me, so he just announced, "Now I'm allergic to you - I will never touch you again!"  It reminds me of my younger days when I would get mad at my cousin and tell him, "You're not my cousin anymore!"  (Sound familiar, Damon?)  I'm quite sure I said it at least a dozen times and yet, he's still my cousin.  I am also quite sure that Brenden isn't allergic to me - I think I would have figured that out by now.

We had Brenden's IEP meeting today for school.  After seeing his assessments, I couldn't be more proud of the progress he has made this year.  Essentially, he is pretty "normal" when it comes to his expressive and receptive language. What a wonderful thing for a mother of a deaf child to hear!  He has an wonderful classroom teacher, a fantastic teacher for the deaf, and an awesome speech therapist.  His teacher will teach first grade next year, so he will move right along with her.  We are excited to have another year with her.  She knows him well and I'm sure he'll make great strides.

The cast is off...

...and another is put in its place.  Below is the final result of the last cast.  Mandi, Nolan's favorite pharmacy tech, wrote her name and I wrote Mom and Ethan.  Brenden came home from school and I told him he could write his name.  And then I made the mistake of walking away.  By the time I got back, there was no room for anyone else to write their name.  All the way up the side it says, "get will soon" and then Brenden decorated ALL over the rest of it.  I really rather like it though.
I took Nolan to have his cast removed today.  He kept telling them he wanted to keep it on.  The nurse looked at me and said, "So, what do you want me to do?"  I figured, he can't keep it on forever, so we might as well take it off whether he wants to or not.  I guess maybe I should listen to my kids more often.

The nurse sawed his cast off - which was scary for both Nolan and me.  I know nothing can happen to him, but it's still pretty scary to watch.  He shook through the whole thing, but stayed mostly still.  He was then taken for an x-ray.  The doctor came in and showed me the x-ray.  The bone is starting to form new bone around the fracture, but the fracture is still there.  He said if Nolan were an adult, he would just put him in a walking boot and send him on his way, but there aren't walking boots small enough for Nolan.  He gave me two options: take him home with no cast and just be very careful until it was fully healed (but if there was a problem, we could take him back for a cast later today or tomorrow) or re-cast his leg with a shorter cast so he can walk in it.  There is no "careful" in a house with three little boys, so I chose the second option.  The doctor said it would be pretty easy to re-break if we took the non-cast option, so that pretty much made the decision for me.  

Nolan's knee is pretty stiff from being straight for so long.  He says it hurts to bend it.  We are back to square one with getting him independent again.  He won't even touch his toes to the ground.  Hopefully he gains some confidence soon.  He was so excited to get to wear shoes again!  He wanted to go outside and play.  We go back in two weeks.

I took cookies with me to the doctor's office today.  They all seemed slightly happier to help me this time.  

Doug took Brenden clamming on Saturday.  Brenden was pretty disappointed with what they found and looked up at Doug and said, "I thought you were supposed to be an expert!"  He also kept saying, "This is terrible!" and told Doug several times, "I'm so mad at you!" because they didn't find many clams.*

I have not been blogging because I have been:

-trying to get blue food coloring out of carpet and clothes

-doing lots of laundry.  It's just so fun now!

-cleaning up eggs splattered across the kitchen floor - twice

-cleaning up after an entire winter of not only my 3 dogs, but every neighborhood dog pooping in my yard.  (The plus side is, I got my wish to finally work in my yard!)

-never-endingly calling insurance.  They even managed to pay the wrong provider for a service!  They paid our audiologist for Ethan's speech therapy.

-doing everything else that moms do.

But, we've all been happy.  That's the best part.

*As a side note: If your children, like mine, think everything is your fault and they tell you often that they are mad at you, purchase the book called, I was so mad by Mercer Mayer.  It is funny and Brenden read it the first time and said, "That's just like me!"

Wish list item #1 - CHECK!

I wanted a new washer and dryer when we lived in Idaho.  We sold them when we moved, but our house came with a washer and dryer.  Unfortunately, the new-to-us washer and dryer are at least 5 years older than our previous 5 year old models, if not more.  Every week on laundry day, I called Doug at work to tell him we were buying a new washer and dryer TODAY.  Then I would finish the laundry and go back to figuring that I could live with the ones I had.  And then laundry day would come again.  Monday as I was doing laundry, I smelled a shirt as it came out of the dryer and it smelled like it was never even washed.  I washed the same load of laundry 3 times and they still looked dirty.  And then the washer started making odd noises.  I finished the laundry, but this time stuck to the idea of getting a new washer and dryer.  I have been researching them for years and I knew just what I wanted - or close at least.  I DID know just what I wanted until we got to the store and the ones that were second on my potential-option-list were significantly less money AND they came with free pedestals and a 5 year warranty.  

If I had known the entertainment value, I think I would have purchased these long ago.

And now my clothes look and smell very clean.  I do unfortunately feel like I live in a laundromat at times.  These are deeper than the other washer and dryer, so they take up more space, but they are pretty and do a great job - AND THEY'RE ENTERTAINING, so I'll keep 'em!

We're Famous!

Doug and I were both in the paper today!  About a week ago Doug mentioned that the paper was having a Redoubt volcano poetry and photography contest.  He was persistent for a few days to capture a really great photograph on a clear day and I scribbled out a little haiku (that was the only requirement for the poem) during a brief break during lesson planning.  We both submitted our work.

I wrote my poem in about 10 minutes, submitted it, and went to bed.  It was about midnight and I was laying there going over my poem in my head when I realized it wasn't really a haiku.  I quickly opened my computer and sent an email to disregard my entry.

I was at lunch with my visiting teacher today and I saw the paper and grabbed a copy.  I opened it and saw Doug's photograph!  I said, "Hey, I think that's Doug's picture!" and Charlotte scanned until she saw Doug's name.  Several hours later, I was flipping through the paper and on another page I found a review for Doug's picture.  Only a very few pictures were reviewed (each judge chose their two favorites to review).  His is even the first review!  Doug's review says:

I included the Hufford review because he is a friend of ours and Brenden's speech therapist at school.  His blog is in my blog list to the right called Basecamp Nikiski.  He has some great pictures.  This is his picture:

I was especially surprised when I looked up and saw my poem.  They switched it around slightly to make it fit the haiku form, but it's the first listed!  (I know..., you're starting to think this has something to do with alphabetizing, but they aren't alphabetical.)  I don't know that being first has any significance, but it is always fun to be first - kind of like being chosen first for kickball.

I'm not sure if the double meaning was caught, but it means that we, as residents, had a lot of pressure building while the pressure within the volcano built.  Our warning status was changed from yellow to orange, but life went on.  Once we went from orange to red, not only was the volcano relieved of it's pressure, but some of our pressure of the unknown was relieved when we saw what we were in for.

One of Doug's co-workers was featured as well.

You can see more entries at http://redoubtreporter.wordpress.com/ as well as an article about the winning picture and poem.  Here is the winning picture: (which I think is totally worthy of the win, but should be noted that it was taken by a professional)

The winning poem says:

Chalice in the sky
Filled with gold and copper light
Fertile in due time

His poem was noted for strong imagery and double meaning.

BYU-I

Sunset 4/21/09 9:00 p.m.

Tonight we went to see the BYU-Idaho Collegiate Singers.  It was very good, but we had been told it was fun and family friendly.  The kids were less than thrilled.  But having them here in Kenai kind of felt like home came to me.  I signed up to house some of them, but was put on "low priority" with all of my other stuff going on right now.  I was really looking forward to having someone from Idaho stay with me.  Soon enough, I suppose...

I was downstairs working on the laundry when Brenden finally walked in the house after coming home from school.  I heard him say, "Wow, this looks niiiiice..."  He came down and said, "Mom you did a great job on the cleaning today!"  Tonight, Doug said, "Mom did a good job today, huh Brenden?"  Brenden said, "Yes, but it will just be messy again tomorrow."  'Tis the story of my life...

Mexico

Brenden has strongly requested several times recently that we move to Mexico next.  When asked why, his response is:  It is warm there and we can play outside  all of the time.

Tagged by Mandi

I was "tagged" a few days ago by Mandi.  It has taken me a while to post it because I simply don't have the answers for you.

Crazy 8's

8 favorite places to eat out..
I don't really like to eat out all that much and we have only tried a very small few of the less than adequate to make a top 8 list of restaurants here and I don't love any of them.  I do like Qdoba in Anchorage though.  It is like Cafe Rio, but not nearly as good and with way fewer selections.  Once upon a time I really loved Papasitos in Houston.   Now what I would really like is to cook my own food somewhere else and have them do the clean-up!

8 top TV Shows
We don't subscribe to any form of tv.  We tried to watch Biggest Loser on the internet, but it was so slow we gave up.  I don't even know what shows exist anymore.

8 Quirks (This one I can do - I am not hindered by Alaskan living)
1. I hate for anyone to wear socks in bed.
2. I must have cereal boxes and books arranged by size.
3. I really like to fill out surveys and forms.

4. Sometimes I get impatient and read the last page of a book just to see where the book is headed.
5. I don't like any form of "goop."  The whole texture disgusts me.
6. I like to have colorful meals.
7. I love to get mail - even if it's just a bill, it came for ME!
8. Cleaning involves making a bigger mess than had I not cleaned at all.

8 wish list items
1. A new washer and dryer.
2. To park in my own garage. (ahem, hint, hint...)
3. Doug's student loans to disappear.

4. To own less stuff.
5. A fence
6. Children who make slightly less noise.  Does is really need to be constant?
7. More sleep
8. To squeeze my little niece Eva until she's blue in the face.  Is that possible while still being a nice aunt?  Sorry Felicia and Emily, but how can you not want to cuddle with this?  And to my nephews, I love you too, but I don't have one of these...

8 things I look forward to everyday.

1. Reading books with my kids.

2. The day I get to work in my yard.  Preferably with the above listed fence.

3. Ethan taking a nap (and wishing Nolan would too)

4. Accomplishing something - at least there is always the hope.

5. Hearing about Brenden's day.

6. Doug coming home from work

7. My kids going to sleep.

8. Going to bed - I love my bed.

Ahhh, there it is - Spring!

Today I am reminded of why I live in Alaska.  The sky is clear blue and it is sunny and warm (a very relative term).  My house was 74 after the morning sun, which shines in the wall of windows across the front of my home.  I have the windows and doors open.  The view of the volcano is incredible as the steam plume rises.

This morning it was so bright outside when I woke up at 5:30 that I thought for sure I had slept right through seminary.  When I came home at 7:30, it looked like mid-day.  There is still some snow, but that is disappearing quickly.  There are buds on the trees, so spring might have finally sprung!

Day of Rest

When we got to church today Brenden said, "Mom, LOOK!"  "What?" "GRASS!"  He has been looking forward to spring and we still can't see the grass in our yard.

I was informed today that last Sunday Brenden was inquiring where babies come from.  He was told they come from heaven to join our families.  He replied, "I know, but how do they GET here?"  The response to that: ask your mom and dad.

We remembered 5 minutes before it was time to leave for church that Brenden had the talk in primary today.  It was his first ever, so last Sunday when he brought home the assignment, extravagant ideas went through my mind of him with visual aids and a memorized presentation.  Well, not so much.  He spoke about he Anti-Nephi-Lehies and honesty.  It was the topic I thought he most needed to learn about.  I wasn't a very honest kid and he is following in my footsteps.  He did a great job with his talk though.

Why God called Sunday the day of rest, I might never know.  Doug's church day is still going and it's 7:00 p.m.  10:00 church is much easier now that it is light outside in the morning.  We have to leave by 9:30.  Doug had a lesson to teach, a scout meeting to go to, and he is in charge of the fireside tonight.  He had some minor setbacks with his refreshments (as in, he left out a few ingredients the first time), but if it has sugar, teenagers don't mind, right?

And so, another week begins.

Progress

I just had to share our progress with Ethan.  The kid refuses to talk, sign, look at people, or provide any form of communication whatsoever other than growling or screaming for the most part.  Recently he has begun repeating sounds - progress #1.  We have signing videos for little kids called Baby Signing Time that Brenden loved and Nolan was obsessed with.  Ethan has always wanted nothing to do with any form of tv (which I am generally fine with), but today he came to me, handed me the remote and signed "baby time."  He has never signed that before, so that is progress #2.  Ethan has also had a problem with his hearing aids for quite some time now and removes them often.  We have even taped them to his head.  As soon as I put in Baby Signing Time, Ethan watched the opening credits and then ran off.  I was ready to turn it off, assuming he had lost interest already when I noticed he had run off to get his hearing aids - progress #3!  

*Please note: Ethan was only NOT wearing his hearing aids because he was dressed and ready for bed with his teeth brushed.

We spent our day digging trenches through snow and ice in order to direct the water caused by the melting snow away from our house.  Doug also attempted a re-wiring job that was unsuccessful (not on account of Doug's inability to wire - he is quite capable, but due to the power required by the item we were trying to run).  Doug and I also trudged, property survey in hand, through knee high snow around the edge of our wooded yard in hopes of agreeing on the fencing situation.  No compromise has been reached.

Bear Safety

You know you live in Alaska when they teach your kindergartner bear safety.  He loved every second and has talked about it all afternoon.

51 degrees yesterday.  Woo hoo!  Almost to our summer temperatures.  Actually, I think that beats most of our summer temperatures last year.

I failed to include this in my post about our trip to Anchorage:  As we left urgent care, Brenden asked from the back seat, "Sometime when we come to Anchorage could we do some other stuff?  Fun stuff?"  We have only ever been to Anchorage for doctor visits.

Nolan's cast is removing all of the finish from our chairs.  I need to confine him to one chair and one chair only.

Ethan has a temper!  I have never seen a little boy get so mad about such little things.  He holds a grudge too and has some pretty dirty looks.  I try to capture them on "film" (how do you use that phrase for a digital camera?), but as soon as I do, he smiles his winning smile.

Ethan, Nolan, and I spent our afternoon yesterday finger painting:

This one is for Grandma Boehme 

(by Nolan - with a little help from mom)

This one is for Grandma Kline 

(I helped with the first cloud and tree and the top sun - Nolan did the rest)

Ethan's masterpiece

Doug had his camera and the memory card for my camera or I would have taken a picture of Ethan after he decided to finger paint himself.

Happy Spring!

It is spring, right?  We woke to 4 new inches of snow this morning.  It has been in the high 30s and low 40s most of the week, so things are melting and freezing pretty constantly.  Our road is a mess!  It is a lovely combination of water, dirt, snow and ice with huge ruts from the bus that lives next door.

Just as I finished typing that, I glanced over at the local paper Doug brought home from work.  The headline says, "Breaking up is hard to do."  That is what this time of year is called - break up.  Crews are working pretty constantly to keep roads clear in town, but out here in Nikiski, we aren't really a city with city crews, so things go at their own pace.  We have to pass through a small lake on the road at the turnoff to our house.  Ethan's speech therapist told me this morning that we still have WAY more snow than they do in town.

The good news is, things are actually melting!  I might have even seen some grass along the side of the road!  I am already planning my fence and garden.  It will still be a while before either can happen, but the planning in my head has begun (keeping me from sleeping at night).  The boys are saving every last dime they acquire or find for a swing set.

We are approaching 15 hours of daylight, an uplifting change from the darkness.  It is light when I leave at 6:15 and the sun is up by the time I come home at 7:30.  When we went to bed at 10:30 the other night, it was still dusk outside.  We have seen more and more moose and are dreading the bears coming out of hibernation.

The spring cleaning has also begun.  I cleaned out my pantry (and the Easter Bunny re-gifted the candy in it to my children for Easter - and now it's back in my pantry).  I am looking forward to more cleaning and shedding of a few square feet of stuff.  That is something we really should have done before we moved it all to Alaska, but moving day came too quickly to get through it all.  Spring may not be in the air outside, but it is certainly in the air inside our home.

Easter Eve

This afternoon I was thinking how boring it was going to be to simply say, "We had an uneventful trip to Anchorage" on my blog - and then we ended up in Urgent Care.

We went to the "mall" for an "Easter Egg Hunt."  (I am not "quote" happy - it is more of a mall than we have here on the Kenai peninsula, but still not a mall like the rest of you know.  Also, the hunt was, well, let me tell you...)  There were a bunch of people in line with little kids, so we lined up too.  After standing in line for a while we discovered that each child was allowed to choose 5 eggs from a basket and open them and claim the prize inside.  Where's the hunt in that?  Mostly it was candy, but there were a few that said, "Go to ____ store and claim your prize" (which was also just candy) or the occasional "10% off at _____ store."  I guess that's what you get for going to a mall for an Easter egg hunt - advertising.

Ethan was walking through a store holding Doug's hand.  Nolan was in the stroller (you know, broken leg and all...), so Ethan had the rare occasion to saunter his way through the store.  Attempting to flee from Doug, he yanked his arm, which Doug was holding around the wrist, and started to cry.  Then he sniffled his way through the store staying, "Ouk" (translated as "ouch").  We noticed that his left arm was being held limply at his side.  He cried when we touched it and wouldn't use it for anything.

Now, how does one find an in-network provider while in a different city?  Insurance customer service was closed, so we went back to the hotel we had checked out from hours earlier and borrowed a computer.  Long story short, I called around until I found a place that said yes they took walk-ins and yes they took our insurance.

Short side note: Here's another little problem - on Friday I received a letter from our insurance stating that they had enrolled us in the incorrect plan and that they were enrolling us in the right plan and would reprocess all of the claims from January 1.  These are the claims I have spent HOURS 2-3 times a week correcting over the phone.  Now I don't know how they are supposed to be processed - OR what providers are actually in network.

Luckily, Ethan's elbow was only dislocated.  It is called "nursemaid elbow" or "toddler elbow."  I guess it happens to a lot of little kids, but we all know it had to happen to mine.  I had to laugh at the name "toddler elbow" because I also have a toddler with a broken tibia, which is referred to as a "toddler fracture."  Go ahead, ask it... what's with all the toddler abuse?

Other than that, it was an uneventful trip to Anchorage.  See?  I got the phrase in there anyway.

Brenden's new implant was mapped.  He was pretty naughty for most of his appointment, but ended up working hard after a motivational speech from the audiologist.  He was very cute when he saw the audiologist at the beginning of his appointment.  She has been out on maternity leave and asked if he remembered her.  

He said, "Yes, how is your baby doing?"  

She seemed shocked and pleased that he knew or cared about anything in her life.  I was so proud to be his mom right then.  

She said, "Thank you for asking.  She is doing well and getting so big."

He said, "How old is she now?"

"Three months."

"Imaginingly."  (We took that to mean "That's hard to imagine.")

The audiologist told me it must be so hard to raise such an intelligent little boy.  Some days he is a challenge, but I'll take him just the way he is.  

Ethan's hearing was tested and his hearing aids are now both functional.  The one he broke last visit was returned from being repaired and the one he disassembled while Nolan was getting his cast was put back together while we were in the office.

We all enjoyed the drive.  The roads are thrashed from the winter, so they are more like a roller coaster in some places than a highway.  Ethan enjoys yelling, "Whee!" over the bumps.  The boys always love staying in hotels, but they are getting so used to it, they treat it like a second home now.  Nolan calls all hotels "hotellos," which I can only assume comes from staying in a hotel in Pocatello last year.

I haven't had time to do anything for Easter this year.  It is 11:00 p.m. and I just finished decorating - at Brenden's request.  It was brief.  We will make time to decorate eggs tomorrow, but for the most part, I failed my children in the Easter department this year.  Priorities... (rolling my eyes)

Skid Steer

Me: Do you know what I think we need?

Brenden: What?

Me: I think we need a skid steer.

Brenden: (with a shocked, thrilled, huge grin) REALLY?

Me: (confused at the glee) Yeah...?

Brenden:  Well, you have to ask Jesus for that.

Me: Huh?  Oh... No... not a SISTER, a skid steer!

Brenden has been asking for a sister since January.  Poor kid...

Enduring

"Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." 

~Gordon B. Hinckley

Today was one of those days that I simply endured...  does it seem like I have a lot of those?

Ethan had speech at 9:15 this morning.  I kicked the therapist out a few minutes early to leave by 10:15 to be on-time for Nolan's appointment at 11:00 to get his cast.  A 45 minute drive later, we arrived on-time if not a few minutes early.  I restrained Ethan in the stroller, carried Nolan in the door, and set him down in the waiting room.  I turned to the receptionist who says, "This must be Nolan... well, Dr. Krull is sick today, so we had to cancel all of his appointments.  Would you like to reschedule?"  No, I would rather my child NOT get his cast and never have his leg heal.  She said she tried to call twice this morning, but no one answered.  I had been home all morning...  She offered to reschedule for Friday, but Brenden and Ethan have audiology appointments in Anchorage Friday.  Finally, she found an appointment on Thursday (at a time I would have to get Brenden out of school early to go with me so I don't miss getting him off of the bus), but it was the only other option.  

Normally, I am one of those nice, understanding, "walk all over me" kind of people, but she must have hit me on the wrong day.  I have been silently and verbally worried for the last week about how I was going to manage this appointment with both kids, one of whom will run as far away as he can given any opportunity and the other who can't run anywhere, but has to be carried.  I have been emotionally preparing to watch Nolan scream in pain as they cast his broken little leg.  We have been making "after Nolan get his hard cast..." comments for days.  I, after making a few comments about my drive and my 2 kids and rearranging my day, swooped up my kids and left defeated.

I got less than a mile down the road and decided to turn around and go back.  I asked if there was any OTHER facility in town that does casts and they told me, sorry, not really.  I, again, left dejected, but slightly more angry.  While I was in the office, Ethan disassembled his hearing aid beyond my own personal ability to repair.

As I head home again, I think: If they are able to cancel my appointment, why can't they last minute cancel someone else who hasn't already driven all of the way to the office?  And so, I turn around again and return to inquire.  I knew all along it wasn't going to work and that it was a silly request, but it seemed valid at the time and in the mood I was in.  The receptionist gave me a whole schpeal about Dr. Krull has his own patients and Dr. Innes can't see them.  The problem is: we've never seen either doctor.  We're no one's patients!  In the end, I stood in the office and cried until they agreed to see Nolan.  An hour and lots of screaming (from both Ethan - stuck in the stroller, and Nolan) later, Nolan has a hard cast.

I feel terrible about the way I acted and the fact that now you are hearing about it, but would I change what I did?  Probably not.  I will send them a nice thank you note and some store bought cookies (I am quite sure they wouldn't eat homemade cookies from the evil lady who may or may not have laced them with something) and call it even.

I got home four hours after leaving and had a message that I left my stroller there in the parking lot.  Right now I couldn't care less...

Daily Life

On Friday night after Brenden's party, Nolan was so tired he had his first accident since he has worn underwear to bed.  He woke up at 5:30 (a daily occurrence since the broken leg) crying that he was wet.  I took him into the bathroom and set him on the toilet while I went about removing the sheets and finding him new pajamas.  A moment later there was a loud crash followed by a continuous scream.  He had fallen off the toilet onto his leg in an attempt to get himself off.  I thought maybe he had displaced the already broken bone, but he seems to be doing okay.  It took him about an hour to calm down and go back to sleep.

Doug has worked straight through since Nolan broke his leg, except Friday when we were rushing around getting ready for a poorly planned party.  By Sunday night, I needed to get out of the house, so I was wandering around the "block."  (We don't really have a block to wander around, it is more of a mile-long loop in our "neighborhood.")  I took Cosmo (our dog) with me to save me from potential moose or bears.  On my fourth round of the block, I came face to face with a moose and Cosmo abandoned me.  So much for my guard dog!  Luckily, a neighbor dog was tagging along on our jaunt and scared the moose off for me.  I guess the mean dog who my children are terrified of is good for something.

Doug LOVES to listen to music while he's falling asleep - and then all night.  I hate it.  I can't fall asleep because I just end up listening very intently to the words of the songs (and as I said before, I treasure any quiet time in life).  Having Nolan sleeping in our room has been like an answer to Doug's prayers.  Every night before bed, he asks Nolan, "Do YOU want to listen to music tonight?"  This morning I woke to Little Mermaid in portuguese.

Brenden's Party

We decided to show Bolt.  The school showed it last week, but there weren't many kids there, so we opted for it again.  Earlier in the day I bought Bedtime Stories, but when we previewed it (briefly), we decided it might be a little slow at the start and we would take a vote at the party.  Doug asked how many kids had seen Bolt and only about 3 raised their hands.  The following picture truly captures the essence of Brenden's party.  Notice he is the ONLY child watching the movie.

When asked again (an hour later) how many of the kids had seen the movie, they ALL raised their hands.  It was a LONG hour and a half!

Present Time

(I hung the sheets to keep the kids out of the toys.  I am SO GLAD I did, since no one watched the movie!  It would have been a mad house!)

Cake - or cupcake, rather - time

More volcano photos:

Life going on as normal as the volcano erupts in the background.

Help!

The day I sent Brenden to school with his party invitations is the same day Nolan broke his leg.  Luckily, I knew that I was busy enough as it was, so I planned a very simple party.  Friday, Brenden's whole class is invited to come watch a movie at our house and have cake and ice cream.  The thing I need help with is - what movie?  I need some suggestions.  We have about every Disney movie ever made, but I don't know what other kids would want to watch.  My kids don't have cartoons on tv, so they have seen every movie a gazillion times.  Help!  (Although, not a single kid has RSVPed that they are coming, so maybe I won't have to worry about it at all.)

The night I said Nolan slept well, I was unaware that I slept through all the times that Doug was up with Nolan.  Doug was just too incoherent to give Nolan medicine.  Last night Nolan really did sleep through the night without pain until 7:00 this morning.  Brenden was up until 10:00 last night making Nolan a get well card.  That is sweet and all, but WAY past bed time.  He always gets most creative when he's supposed to be sleeping.

I am no longer going to Salt Lake for the Utah School for the Deaf.  I was looking forward to time away from home with family and friends, but this is really better for me right now.

Doug's volcano pictures:

Brenden is supposed to look "scared"

Nolan Update

Nolan is doing well.  He slept through most of the night and woke at 5:30 in severe pain.  I failed and slept through the middle of the night pain medicine dose, so we were behind.  He slept in our room on a mattress at the foot of our bed and I slept there with him for part of the night.  He has been so sweet.  He wants me with him constantly, asks for lots of hugs, and tells me that he loves me at least once an hour.  I am glad I found a sub for seminary this morning because Nolan needed me with him from 5:30 (when I normally wake up) until 7:45 (when I normally get home).  Brenden was very concerned for Nolan yesterday and cried when he couldn't be with him to know that he was okay.

The doctor seemed baffled at the bruise on Nolan's shin in the exact spot of the brake, so after talking about it, Doug and I came to a conclusion.  The other day when Nolan and Brenden were playing, Nolan fell down and hit his leg.  We figure he must have cracked the bone at that point, so falling wrong yesterday broke it the rest of the way through.

In other news:

Doug bought a new phone.  His number is the same, but now you can call him.  He must have thrown his phone away at lunch in February because it has been nowhere to be seen since then.

Brenden had a visitor at school today.  A woman in our ward is taking a special ed class for her masters and wanted to see what accommodations are made for Brenden at school.  He, being a true gentleman, offered to purchase her lunch with his lunch card.  When she told him that she had enough food, he again offered his lunch card if she was still hungry.

I am mad at the volcano because my windshield is scratched beyond repair from the ash vs. windshield wipers.  The ash won.