DAY 5- Summer Sickness, Ain't Nobody Got Time for That

This Summer we have had several bugs hit our household.   Doesn't the virus and bacteria world know that it is Summer and they need to take a hike!?  At least it has spared the family on trips, camps, and vacations so I will forgive the Summer Sickness.  

Annie had a 36 hour stomach flu.  I was VERY grateful that no one else came down with it.  Grateful and surprised.

A couple weeks back Sophie woke up, not only to a messy house (see background) but with what seemed at first like an allergic reaction.  

The day before she had been out in the sun all day, could it be a weird sunburn? 

Sophie is not one to burn easily, and after it spread to her legs, someone suggested it might be Fifth Disease, also known as Slapped-Cheek Rash.  I remembered she had seemed a little warm and been fussy and irritable the previous days.  I am pretty sure that was what she had.  However, once they have the rash, they are no longer contagious. 

Luke came down with it as well, but his symptoms were very mild.  

Exactly a week ago today, Sophie was super clingy one morning, and by afternoon she was warm with a fever and just wanted to be held.  The next day, I was either holding her or she was sleeping.  About 48 hours later, she had made a full recovery.  She woke up and announced, "I not sick anymore."  

On Friday, Michael came down with the same thing.  However, he complained that he was near to death.  His throat has been KILLING him.  

Sunday afternoon  James took a nap.  

We knew he was a goner.  James never naps.  

He missed the first day of Scout Camp.  

Ryan left to take James up to Scout Camp today.  An hour later, Joshua came home from work, you guessed it, sick.  

So now Joshua has the illness.  He went to bed this afternoon and I haven't heard from him since.  

So, pretty much everyone has been hit with something.  Ryan had a terrible cold/body-ache-thing leading up to his river rafting trip.  He finally had to take an antibiotic to kick it.  I chalked him getting sick up to the fact that he is known to go days with no sleep. 

The only person to stay healthy?  ME.  After a couple years of getting sick ALL THE TIME.  I have had a pretty awesome streak- Barely even a cold this year.  It has been YEARS since I went a whole winter with no major cold/fever/flu type thing.  I have tried to make sure I don't go on less than six hours of sleep and I try for eight, although I usually never get that.  I think my sleep has made a big difference.  

Now I am going to go do a huge KNOCK ON WOOD, and go to bed.  Tomorrow is my Birthday, and the way this flu has moved up the family,  I should be next. ("Aint Nobody Got Time for That")  I especially "don't got time for that."  I have my birthday, and I have a Court Deposition at 10am.  You heard me.  I have to go testify in my neighbor's divorce case.  That should be REAL fun.  Nighty, night! 

DAY 4 The Summer begins in California...

School got out the first week in June and we packed up and headed to California to visit Nana, Papa, Grandma and family...

We decided the kids needed a break from the car and stopped at Wingers in Elko to eat dinner/lunch on the way.  

The first couple days California was having a heat wave and we were dying.  June is just warming up here in Idaho and we were NOT used to the heat.  However, we quickly found our way to a pool to cool off!  

The boys were being so crazy and having so much fun on the diving board that night.  We made a ton of slow-mo video's of various jumps of the board and it kept them entertained for a quite a while!  Thank you, Kerr Family!  

There are always so many friends to see when we come back to California, we never seem to be able to see everyone.  Since this trip we mostly came to see Grandma Critchlow, we didn't spend much time in our old stomping grounds.  However, Ryan and I did sneak away for a date with old friends one night.  It was SOOOO much fun. I can't remember the last time we were all together and it was great.  I really miss these guys...they make me laugh like no one else.  I am always cracking up the WHOLE time we are together.  

Love my girls! 

I was so grateful we were all able to see each other SO last minute, can't tell you how much fun I had. 

These guys....there are no words.  Let's just say, Ryan is right in his element with his bros.   How I wish they were in my ward here...they would really "spice" it up!  Sorry, Idaho, I love you, but you are a little boring at times.  

Later when Ryan was working, we HAD to get haircuts at Troy's Barber Shop.  How we wish Troy could be our Barber here.  (Nothin' compares, nothin compares...to you....)  He is simply the best at what he does.  

Later that afternoon we met up with Nana for an afternoon at Mickey Grove.  A trip to Lodi would not be the same without a stop here!  

James was a good sport, taking Sophie on lots of rides. 

When we left the Barber Shop, Trenton was able to come hang out with the boys for a while. These guys were all born right around the same time and were just little baby boys together. (Let's be honest, sometimes they still are baby boys.)

Annie flying high! 

Sophie

Trenton and Luke...Trenton is practicing his "look".

Michael

While in Lodi, we never go without food!  We had yummy corn, some delicious Steak on the BBQ, and the kids ate Nana out of peaches everyday!  Michele made us several of her tasty, tasty treats.  Even Grandma joined everyone at the table.  She was so peppy throughout the trip, we will sure miss her next time we go back.  She is in Pennsylvania her other children and grandchildren right now.  

Presley and family are living at Nana and Papa's right now, so it is pretty much a built in party for my kids.  Grandparents AND cousins under one roof, it couldn't be better than that!  The girls had so much fun together and Presley has grown up so much.  She is little miss personality plus. 

Playing princesses...I love to hear them talk amongst each other. 

Annie, Sophie and Presley

Nana reading to Sophie and Presley

Cousins with matching hairdo's.  What could be better?  :)   

(Presley and Annie)

Well, that's a wrap for now.  Bed is calling out to me.  Much more to come.  (I do have 96 more days to recap!)

DAY 3 Summer Evenings and a Funny Joke

This weekend seemed like the first weekend this Summer that we didn't have any major plans, we were not on a trip, packing for a trip, it was just nice doing a little yard work, relaxing, going on a quick date for Mexican, and visiting with good friends.  

While I was at the store, Ryan sent me a picture of his new assistant.  (Email me if you want to know where we got the wallpaper or carpet, or if you want to know any paint colors for our office.  Just jokes, just jokes.) 

We had a surprise visit from some good friends that moved to St George last year.  We wish they still lived here!  I got to hold this cutie, Walter, all night.  He is only 12 days old and he didn't make a peep.  I told her I would keep him for her, but she didn't want to leave him.  I can't imagine why! 

Kristy and Joe invited us over for Brownies and Ice Cream.  We enjoyed a perfect summer evening talking as the sun went down. The kids loved their yard. 

The boys could not resist starting a fire even though it was plenty warm outside.  I think if we had a fire pit they kids would be sitting around it every night.  That may be a good idea...we would be stinky, but I might be able to hold their attention a little better for things like Scripture Study, or family chats.   

Annie (and Michael W in the back!) 

The girls just love talking to Joe. I don't even know what they like to tell him, but they sure love him!

Even though he doesn't look like a Grandpa, he is, so he must just have that "grandpa" thing going where little kids love him!

I was really wishing I had my regular camera with me...such great lighting and it was such a pretty night.  I tried to get some things with my iPhone and it just didn't turn out as great, but at least I captured the moment! 

Flying

They have the greatest tree in their back yard that wraps around the whole fire pit.  There is even a great story to go with it. 

It was sure nice to chat with other adults and friends.  

Thanks for the great evening, guys!  

The evening kind of ended abruptly when Luke was pushing Sophie on the swing and she did a full front flip out of the swing and started crying, and crying, and crying. We all piled nosily in the car.    James said he was not feeling too well...and when we got home he said, "I just want to go to sleep!"  What? The would be a phrase this child has never said...ever.  I knew he must have gotten the fever a couple of the other kids had already had that week.  The only bummer was Scout Camp started today.  He is going to stay home and rest and probably go up with Ryan tomorrow.  

And finally, I leave you with a joke in honor of all the moths we have flying around in our house upstairs.  I HATE moths and we have no AC and no screens, so that equals moths.  

 

Ha, ha, ha, ha...that joke makes me laugh out loud.  

PS You bet I am counting this post as Sunday's post for my 100 Days of Blogging.   :)

DAY 2 New Years and Weddings

Ok, I know it's going back a bit.  However, not only am I trying to catch up on blogging, I am taking time each day to clean up my photo library.  I am deleting loads of duplicates, hundreds of pictures taken by my kids of random things around the house, and fuzzy pictures, you know what I am talking about.  While going through my massive library I have found a few gems that never were documented.  So, let's start at the very beginning.  ("A very good place to start"-The Sound of Music)

Wedding #1-My cousin Lauren was married a few days after Christmas in Cove, Utah.  Annie and I hitched a ride down to the wedding with the Garzas.  My uncle owns a tree farm and they decorated the entire church with live trees.  It was like a winter wonderland.  And the brownie sundae's were not bad either!  

Austin and Adam...these two crack me up.  

The quality on all these pictures isn't so great.  However, I was trying to capture the second generation of cousins chatting it up.  What are they talking about?  

Maybe Austin was sharing a funny story...

I don't know where they get all their chatting skills from...could be they come by it naturally from this  crew?

Holly, Ben (brother and sister of the bride) and Ben's wife Ally.  

Holly and my favorite Aunt Kathy!  

When Ben came home from his mission, I was like, "Oh my goodness, it's my son Michael."  I think they have a lot of similarities.  It's kind of funny cause Michael is my only child that people ever comment looks like me, however, no one has ever really told me I look like any of my Milligan cousins.  I guess I must!  

I don't know why I barely took any pics of the beautiful bride and groom! 

Even though I think this is the MOST hideous picture of myself, I will put aside my vanity for the sake of the memory.  Starting on the left:  Heidi (sister), Emily (cousin), Holly (cousin) and some crazy lady having a bad hair day, bad clothes day, and looking a little possessed. 

And finally, my favorite picture of the whole evening...

My three nieces Abigail, Sadie, and Chloe got down and dirty reaching for that bouquet.  I think Chloe came away with the prize.  This picture just makes me laugh. 

Okay, now onto a few more pictures leading to our New Year.  I just like these I found of Annie. 

Helping Mom in the Kitchen

Maybe she was helping me to make up for earlier when she was refusing to pose for a picture.  

Some bribing (or threatening) might have taken place.  

This is what is usually happening when I try to get a picture. 

Loving her new Christmas Clothes and boots. 

This is where I often find Annie.  There are ALWAYS loads of papers, paper clippings, scissors, markers, pencils and pens lying around. 

The cousins came over for some good old "Just Dance" on the Wii. 

On to Wedding #2- My good friend Kristy (my friend, Joshua's BFF's mom, and two of my children's school teacher) was getting married to Joe.  Joe is the greatest guy and we were just SO happy they found each other.  They decided to make the wedding short, simple, and sweet and to do it on New Year's Eve.  I thought it was a great idea, since we never do anything too exciting on New Year's anyway, what could be better than a WEDDING party!?   I told Kristy I would help with ANYTHING she needed...and she took me up on it.  I kind of became in charge of getting the church ready and things in place for a short ceremony and a meet and greet afterwards.

If you look closely, I mostly just grabbed all the decorations from my house, and brought them to the Church to make it more cozy.  My sister, Jennifer was a LIFE SAVER, and brought things from her home too and helped me set everything up. I would never have had made it without her.  

We moved in the couches and chairs from the foyer and cut the gym in half so it was cozy.  

The ward was awesome, everyone made treats and appetizers to share.  

Here's the beautiful bride.  

James and friend, Jaime.  

I love this picture, it's like Ryan is giving some fatherly advice to the groom or something.  Who knows what they were talking about.  

The happy couple...

They both deserve a long life of happiness together...

The Chapel...

After cleaning and packing everything back in the car, we got home about midnight...just in time to ring in the New Year.  

 The kids were all watching the fireworks go off all over the Valley. 

Cheers!

Nothing like an orange popsicle to ring in the New Year.  

New Year's Day brought playing with friends.  I was laughing so hard when I saw our neighbor, Keisha, had walked through the snow to play- in her older sister's high heals.  

We went out for Chinese as a family. 

We ran into some people we knew at the restaurant.  :)

The newly wed's son, Michael, came along with us.  Annie enjoys teasing him.  He is the youngest in his family so I think he likes the chaos.  :)  

I don't know what we were thinking (because we usually never even take all our kids out for dinner)  but we went all out and got ice-cream too.  New Years only comes around once a year! 

Sassy...

Five boys...

And two girls...

It was fun to look back and revisit our New Years!  How is 2014 going for you?  It will be this time of year again before you know it!