clouds

 It was such a beautiful day today. Josh took these photos of the clouds over our yard.
So pretty!

...busted!

We have a chore chart. We even have definitions for what is required of each chore. We remind. We hound. We pester. And every day the boys swear that they've finished their chores. So why is it that when Dad sweeps, this is what he finds?

golf buddy

Josh found this guy while golfing today. 

Isn't nature amazing??

back to school

Lander, the "big kid" 4th grader

Jake, ready to study it out with the best of the 6th graders

even though they are getting older

...and sometimes like to pick on each other...

they are still best friends 

conversations in delirium

This morning's conversation: 

Dix to Josh at 5 am:  "Josh why did you set your alarm to go off this morning? It's Saturday!"
Josh:  "Um, no it's not. It's Tuesday."

Proof that Dixie worked too much this past week.

little donkeys

Some neighbor kids were running by in their wagon pulled by their pet burro (have you ever seen a burro run? Fuh-uh-ny!) and the boys asked if they would give them a ride. I think they took pity on the boys and acquiesced.  It was a total hit. Now we are being inundated with questions like, "Why can't we have a horse in our back yard? Our yard is totally big enough." 

Um. I'm not so sure that our neighbors would like that!

Jake and Jessica P. 

Careful, you two. You might get cooties if you sit any closer. :)

Lander and Jake P.

dart wars with Daddy

Josh and Jake had a little fun with the dart guns. Reminds me of a few lines from a song:

"I'm so glad that he's my dad.

Cause I know he loves me too."

Truer words were never spoken. 

surgery time....again!

We got a really good deal to stay at the Crystal Inn in Salt Lake. I was a little nervous because there are always a few bums hanging around in that part of town, but it turned out to be just fine. The boys loved the place. We had the pool essentially to ourselves for the six (yes, I said six-thankfully it was cumulative!) hours that we swam. We swam, and swam, and swam, while we killed time waiting for Lander's doctor appointment and surgery (to fix a complication that occurred after his hernia repair in April). The boys didn't seem to mind too much, although my muscles have complained a time or two since.

Lander loved the waiting room at Primary Children's Hospital. They have game consoles for the kids to play with.

Lander wasn't too worried about the surgery. His biggest concern?

"Do I get to smell root beer flavored gas when they put me to sleep?"

You betcha!

 Smile!~

After everything was completed in Pre-Op, we waited, and waited, and waited. A kind nurse brought these "surgery buddies" for the boys to color, to decorate with hospital gear, and to perform assessments on. Lander informed me that his buddy had silver nipples.

No sweetie, those are EKG pads.

And those red eyes? Now, they were a gift from all that swimming.
Thank you chlorine for remembering us.

Lander in the PACU. He was trying really hard to keep his eyes open and to smile. I have to say that he was a f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s PACU patient. And I should know.

Jake was doting and kind. In fact, I don't think that he complained more than once or twice about the long day. The plethora of video game options helped, I'm sure.

Lander continues to be an amazing patient. He's healing up well and in great spirits. He told us this morning, "I just can't stand all of this laziness!" He's ready to hit it running, if his mom would allow (which I won't), so in the meantime, it's puzzles, video games, legos and movies. Three cheers to forced relaxation!

Battle Creek

Lander had to have surgery at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake so we decided to turn our travel plans into a mini vacation to see the cousins. On one of the days, we hiked Battle Creek (Pleasant Grove, Utah). It was a fun place for the kids to play.

Lander and Jayden climbing across logs.

 Musclemen, Drew and Lander. Not sure if I should laugh or be afraid.

 The cousins (with Utah Lake in the background).

Jake, Lander, Ava, Jayden, Drew

Cousins

I just loved this picture of the cousins as they played on Uncle Randy's iPad.

Tristan, Lander, Jake, Jenna, Sydney

picture time

The kids took some crazy photos with the iPad. It entertained them for hours!

I think that I can see the family resemblance. 

After the kids went to bed, Keri and I decided that we should have fun with it too. I haven't laughed that hard (or annoyed Randy more) in ages!

Welcome to our Jungle

We had some errands to run today and several (boring!) appointments for the boys to sit through. When we started to drive home, Jake mentioned that we hadn't been to the zoo this year. Mom asked, why don't we go now?

Now?

Okay!

 Lander was excited to see that he was almost as big as the owl.

 Jake too.

 They love the tortoises.

 And the tigers. 

 Jake took this picture. Nice job!

 I asked the boys to pose on the tiger. It's a little tradition that we have. This is their pose.

Welcome to our jungle.