OTBS Ruffles Have Ridges

Tonks got a haircut. It is horrible. I paid someone MONEY to butcher my poor dog's hair. The lady use to do a great job but the last two times Tonks has come back shaking and nicked all over her tummy. Poor baby. 

OTBS every time I see her I laugh because I hear the old Ruffles slogan in my head. "Tonksies have ridges."  

Thankfulness...Maybe OTBS is Better (Easier)

Thankfulness is proving to be a little more than I can handle right now, at least on a daily, big scale. I've decided if I can't be out right thankful I might as well take the hard things going on and do what my mom always does and look On The Bright Side. 

On The Bright Side, or OTBS as it shall hence forth be known, is amazing because no matter how bad something is you can always find one (even if they do turn out a little morbid sometimes). So here it goes:

Yesterday I got stung by a bee.  OTBS Ella had been FREAKING out every time she saw a bee and I was able to show her that even if the worst happens, a bee stings her, it's not much worse than a mosquito bite. 

Thankful For Weird Kids

Ethan had to do a power point presentation on a country of his choice. He picked the United Kingdom, which I loved. We had fun looking pictures to go along with his information and when we got to the end I asked what picture he wanted to put on the slide with "The End" on it. He chose:

Just For Me

It has been a hard couple...years?  Last week wasn't the worst by any means, but things kept spiraling, getting worse and worse.  I was walking through Walmart for the (what seemed like) 32 time that week, wondering how I could make it through the rest of the day.

Me: ARGH I can't do this.

Universe: I hear ya.  I think I have something that can help

Me: Nothing will help

Universe: Oh...I think this will.  Halloween, check.  Easter candy, check.  Here, I made this just for you:

Me: Thank you, Universe.

Thankful Day 2, or does this make me a bad person?

Ethan had another appointment on Wednesday at the Denver Children's Hospital. Ethan, Livi and I went down Tuesday night so we would be on time for the 8:00 am appointment. On the way down I was amazed at the amount of rain and was a little scared while I was driving.

Livi got to watch the ball sculpture while Ethan got X-rays.

We went to the appointment, Ethan got x-rays, a cardio/respiratory test, and an allergy panel test.  I was sooooooo impressed with how fast and efficient the hospital was.  It may not have taken all day, but Ethan's tests were horrible for him, he got a scope down his nose into his throat after running on a treadmill, and his back was scratched up and possible itchy allergens were put on it.  I may have had to hold him down...a lot.  All were fine (he is allergic to cats and mildly to dogs, but not causing the asthma). I was a little sad we didn't find something to fix, but glad we know what it isn't!  

23 different scratches

What I am most thankful for is that Ethan was able to go to his visit. We may not have learned a lot, but we know where to go from here. I am thankful we were able to go before the flooding got bad and we were able to come home with no problems.

Denver is awful right now. People are struggling and dying and I am thankful and ungrateful enough to be glad that Ethan's appointment wasn't one day later.

Livi LOVED the giant bunnies!

Thankfulness Project Part 2

I didn't get around to doing my "thankful" posts last year since I was in a death spiral of despair. This year, right now, at this exact moment, I am doing ok, so I thought I would try it again for a while while I can. I understand it isn't even close to Thanksgiving and I am currently doing the crazy dance making costumes for Halloween, but I just had a thankful moment and wanted to write it down. 

I am thankful for my sweet mother-in-law giving me her Coco Motion when mine broke. I cried when mine broke (depths of insanity time) and it was so nice of Joan to offer me hers. I just pulled it out for the first time of the season to make lots of hot chocolate during this crazy rain, and I am so thankful it was waiting for me, all ready to work!  Thank you Joan!

I Almost Feel Like A Grown Up

It only took 3 years but we no longer have any blankets as window coverings.  And there was much rejoicing... (from our neighbors).

Ch Ch Ch Changes... Or, the crushing guilt is killing me PLUS bonus-added-extra-random pics!

Our little family life seems to have been thrown into chaos the last few weeks and I'm not making it any easier on myself.

Biggest piece of news: Eric joined a firm.  Everyone seems really nice and he is happy to have the support staff and colleagues to bounce ideas off of.  I am sad that we lose all the flexibility and lack of pressure for billable hours, but Eric is happy about it and he is the one that has to go to work every day.

We still have our regular stuff of cubs, dance, and school (which the kids started 3 weeks ago!!!)
Livi also started going to preschool every day now.  I struggled with the decision.  She loved her teachers and it seems selfish to have her go every day, but she will be 5 in October and we do have full day kindergarten here.  It has been a... harsh...adjustment.  She loves going, but is SOOOOOOOOOOOO cranky during the afternoons.

Eric also got called into the Young Men's presidency and Ella started activity days yesterday.  Ethan now goes down to Denver Children's Hospital on a regular basis (looks like monthly at this point) to the Breathing Institute, where we are trying to figure out why his asthma is getting worse and how to get it manageable.

He had just gotten back from a lung test and he had HUGE spirals on his nose from the clip.  I told him to smile and he gave me an impersonation of James Franco:

Because left up to me, the kids were learning very little piano, I signed the kids up for real piano lessons.  When I was taking to the piano teacher it made me wish I was taking them too.  So, now I am.  And it is awesome.  And hard.  This is the first piece he gave me to work on:

Because nothing says "welcome back" like 4 sharps and double sharps placed through out.  

All in all we are basically so busy I feel like I have to schedule in what days I have time to wash my hair.

Random Fun Happy Pic Time:

I pulled this out of the toilet paper roll bag.  They really are starting to make everything smaller inside of the packages!

At the School Open House Ella made this list of favorites.  If you look closely at favorite game you can see "Betrayal at House on the Hill" was there before Clue.  None of her friends had heard of Betrayal

In Ethan's class they each had jerseys on their lockers.  Most had decorated them like sports team jerseys.  Ethan went for the whole stick-figure-comic-book thing.

Dog with a Buffaloooooooooooo.  Straight up got mauled by a puppy.

Best Shopping Trip Ever...For Livi

On our way home from Cedar City we stopped at a grocery store for lunch (because I was sick to death of fast food), and we walked in Livi saw...

TINY SHOPPING CARTS!!!

Best...shopping...trip...ever..

for Livi.  The big kids didn't like Livi being "in charge" quite as much as she did.  She told them what they could and could not add to "her" cart.  She wanted to use my card to pay.  She even insisted on carrying out the bags herself.

On a totally different note she also felt that this box was her territory and wouldn't let us put it in the recycler for 3 days. 

Also a possum showed up on our lawn.

A POSSUM!!!

Yes, they really are that scary and ugly in person.

Aspen Grove Highlights (Or I'm writing these down before I forget)

Livi found a way to deal with the stress from the long car ride there.

We met up with Jared, James, Jes and Wee Baby Autry (as she will always be known) at the Farmer's Market in Salt Lake.

We got balloon animals for the kids but Ella's popped and only a new balloon from a different animal artist (?) and a bunch of funny cards could cheer her up.  (the guy offered her his card and all it said was "Santa")

Waiting in the hall while visiting Grandma Pearl.  She wouldn't let us take pictures with her in them, but we were there and got to spend a little time with her.

Ethan looked very concerned about his group.

Aunt Tami brought ornaments to paint and was nice enough to let the little girls all paint some.

We took pottery classes.  Again.  And we were "awesome" (in the sarcastic way).  Again.

Got to hang out and laugh.

Eric came for the weekend and we were able to eat In 'N Out on the way to the airport.

We took a pen turning class...

...and Julia murdered a carrot.  And was happy about it.

Livi really took to Grandma Donna.  The first thing every morning she wanted to go out and say good morning to Grandma.  Here Grandma was helping Livi put up her art work.

The TRAIN.  Oh the TRAIN.

Water races at Frontier Night.

The 1 picture I look ok and Ethan has to do that.

James looks very secure on that swing...holding his baby.

Bossest...face paint...ever.

Great minds think alike

Some how James won the archery award.  On his first try.

Ella heard about the family dance and it suddenly became her life's ambition to attend.

Ella "Shot the Moon" over 50 times!

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!  We had a great time!

Getting To Be Pros, but not in that way

Well. Here we are again. Hello ER. Hello new doctor who will make me go over Ethan's entire medical history. Hello to tests, X-rays and theories. We missed you. 

Not really. Actually we have been thinking. I think we need some space. You are smothering us. We need time apart to figure out who we are without you. Don't call us. We will call you (and probably sooner than we would like). 

My Little Art Lovers

In an attempt to put off coming back to Scottsbluff for as long as human possibly, we were lucky enough to get to spend an extra day with my parents and attend the Shakespeare festival down in Cedar City.  There was a play the kids were interested in seeing, and a musical I had never seen before (shocker) so we decided to add the extra time to our trip home and add some art appreciation to the summer.

 For some reason the kids thought the Juliet statue was much prettier than Falstaff or King Lear.  Go figure.

 Waiting for 'Peter and The Starcatcher' to start.  The kids and I were alone for this one. The usher(ette ?) was very nice and gave the kids cushions to sit on and some words of encouragement for parents who brought kids.

 Although minimal sets, and deviations from the plot of the book the kids and I read, we all loved it.  I was a little worried about Livi, but she had a blast and especially loved Black Stache (Captain Hook before the hook).

Waiting for the Green Show.  Livi and Ella liked the Green Show almost as much as the play and were dying to get up and dance with the actors.  Dad was nice (brave) and took my kids back to our hotel in the ghetto while Mom and I went to 'Anything Goes.'  Amazing.  Truly AMAZING.  Too bad we couldn't have stayed for a week.  I'm still not ready to be back in Scottsbluff and I've been back for 2 weeks.