The date

We had our appointment on Monday for Wesley's hand. The surgery date has been set for March 20th. They try to do the little ones first thing in the morning since they have to go fasting (a fact which I had not considered since I have never had surgery). The decision has been made to remove the outside thumb and keep the inner one. They will try to straighten it out more and add tissue to create more volume.

So far it is has been all details and business but when the times comes I think I will emotionally have a hard time going through with it. Like I have said before, they are thumbs that only a mother (and father) could love!

Happy Birthday Allie

The Big 5. There is a sporting goods store here in Albuquerque called the Big 5. And now I have my own Big 5. I tend to think of time lately in intervals of 5 years because that passes by sooo quickly. Can it really be 5 years ago that my baby girl was born? And in three more intervals she will be 20?! Whoa.

The cake this year is Disney's Tarzan. One of our babysitters brought it over one night and so for the last several weeks that has been Allie's favorite movie. So that was her cake request. Due to the angle of the photo you really cannot appreciate the topography of this cake. And don't you just love the little paper people (ha!)? Turk is in there too but she blends in with the rock by the side of the pool there at the bottom of the waterfall.


And because we were all robbed of the joy of a one year old eating cake (I think Wesley was turned off by the thumbs since that was the piece we served him) here are a few fun shots of what it looks like.


Whew. All done. How about a warm bath mom?

Lonely Week

We had a great weekend last weekend with Jenny and her kids coming to visit and Peggy and my Dad (who surprised us last minute) driving down as well. And what did we do while Grandpa babysat 7 kids (we asked him if he really thought he could handle it and he gently reminded us he is the father of 7 children)? We went snow skiing!
A kid in our ward was in a snowboarding accident almost two weeks ago and injured his head. He's OK but Jason promised him he would rent a helmet when we went. Is it a miracle that Jason actually found one that fit?
And the following photo is not a picture of Jason and my skis or the ice block of a mountain that we skied on since it has been in the 50's the last several weeks ( but still soooo fun). It is a photo of Peggy and Jenny on the lift in front of us. Can't you tell?! Don't they look great!!!

And how did Grandpa J do?! I am not totally sure but I know my kids had a GREAT time playing with him. If this photo means anything... well... you decide.

It was so hard to have everyone leave. Jason left for the week as well. Which is why this last week was particularly lonely and tiresome so I am sorry I didn't post sooner. Just didn't feel up to it. We are glad he is home again.

The Cake

My wife has outdone herself this time. Here is Wesley's first birthday cake.
And this is what he thought of it.
Luke thought it was cool - after all, he got to blow out the candle.

Happy Birthday Wesley

Well, happy birthday on Monday anyway.
This morning we went to Portrait Innovations to shoot a 1 block photo to match Luke's. They give you a CD with all of the low res .jeg files that we thought you might enjoy. I wish I could just buy the RAW files and develop them myself, but oh well...
Wow, our little family is growing up - amazing-- We have 3 kids- crazy!
Speak no evil, hear no evil, slobber no evil...

Instant Timeout

First Time Skiing

While in UT for Christmas we got to get a little skiing in. Alta has a tow rope and bunny hill free all day for those just beginning. In the afternoon you can rent skis at a reduced rate and after 3pm one of the ski lifts is free. Jason and I took Allie and cousin Camille to ski for their first time. It was quite comical. Camille was pretty timid at first but she did great and had good form. Allie was not timid but apparently not too interested in learning. After being pushed and drug up to the top of the hill (not in protest, she just didn't seem to care about putting her own effort in getting to the top) and the then losing a glove which she didn't seem to mind because she said she didn't feel like wearing it anyway and then just lying there in the snow speaking "Chinese" which she heard some other families in line speaking, she finally decided her preferred method of getting to the bottom of the hill was squatting/sitting on her skis. She only ran into a couple of people (never quite got the turning part down), she sincerely apologized saying "Oh I am so sorry" and then patiently waited for them to move out of her way. In the end Allie spent most of the afternoon loving it or crying. Camille, though cautious, I think really had a great time (Jason and I would fight over who got to ski with Camille). The main problem for both of them- snow is COLD.

If you look in photo above and behind Camille you can see Allie eating snow. Do you see her reflection in the window? She LOVES to eat snow. When we were inside returning our skis Allie kept eating the snow that was falling from peoples boots (yuck). I tried to convince her that there was a whole mountain full of good clean snow that she was welcome to eat OUTSIDE.

And lastly... skiing does not come without price. ouch.

Christmas Pics

Here is little Mary, a.k.a. Camille.
Christmas morning: Reed, Luke and Allie.

Angels singing gloria?
Double gloria?
The Wise Man got things under control...

Maria, Kent, Erin, Kelly: Our kids like to cry lately. Hopefully your homes are a little more peaceful now. Thanks for hosting such a nice (and delicious) Christmas. I calculated that w/ 27 people in Maria's home we each had about 50 square feet. That's 7ft. by 7ft. per person which was plenty, even for Kent.