Poor Janie...

...Losing her girlish figure!

This is post bathtime and her hair always stands straight up after it dries for about 24 hours. She looks like Vanilla Ice.

Cascade Springs

A month or so ago, we visited Cascade Springs with the kids. It has been years since I was there and I was a little suprised to find that my memories of it were a little different. It was still beautiful though and it was a warm enough day that I was tempted to stick my toes in! Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Brad were going to come along, but were derailed by the flu :-(

Jen and Co. on the bridge ( I need a better camera!)

Aunt Jen pointing out the finer sights of the boardwalk.

Sis gets a ride

This tree gnome was so cute, we took him home and named him Sam!

Exploring the trail (Sam enthusiastically, Thomas reluctantly)

Water Skeeters!

Stranded!

Cool Rocks!

Heading Home...

Catching up - Grandpa's Birthday Cookout

I am so far behind on my updating, but these pictures have been sitting in my camera, so...

We celebrated Grandpa K's birthday at a cook out in Provo canyon. I couldn't remember his actual age when the boys asked, so I just told them he was 100.

This ain't your average redneck cookout with something as plebeian as hot dogs! No way, we roasted redwine and gouda (or something) flavored bratwursts.

While the grown-ups ate and ate and ate...

The kids enjoyed themselves digging for treasure in the nearby volleyball sand pit. There was much throwing of sand and tattling (the former by thomas and birdie and the latter by Sam and EJ).

This is what Janie was doing when no one was holding her (poor girl - this was actually the day before her hospital stay).

Chilling with "Unca" Brad.

and Poppa!

Thomas wasn't impressed with his s'more. I am in the process of making sure he is really my kid!

At the end of the evening, goody bags were handed out (courtesy of Sam's insistance that goody bags are the best part of a birthday party).

To top the evening off, we had a little silliness....

...courtesy of Poppa!

Happy Birthday Grandpa/Dad!!

Super Effective Parenting

What I found myself saying in response to Thomas' repeated acrobatic gyrations during family prayer tonight:

"Darn it Thomas!! Be reverent or you are going to get a bum spank!!!!"

Something feels wrong with that statement :-)

Some coincidence...

I'm a big believer in the idea that often used adages are based on real truth, particularly the one that says "It never rains, but it pours" and the one that says "beware the 19th of July because you might end up in the hospital with your third born on the fifth anniversary of the hellish hospital experience with your first born's broken arm" (if that isn't actually an oft used adage then I'm making it one! Spread the word people - and anyone who is curious about this "anniversary" and doesn't know what I am talking about, remind me to tell you sometime...)

Long story short, Janie developed a fever this weekend and was admitted for a few days. It looks like a unrinary tract infection and a virus. Test results tomorrow will let us know what further tests/treatment need to be done since UTI's are not common for this age. Hopefully it is on the less bad end of what the possibilities are.

In the meantime, a few far away friends and family have requested new pictures. Now, she isn't in pink, which goes against everything that feels right at the moment and there is no bow in her hair which I almost can't stand. Bear with me because you may not recognize her...

This is how she tries to keep her pacifier in.

Just chillin' and being calmer, quieter (and prettier) than all the babies in all the other rooms.

Being a very good sport (first recorded smile)

Back to poker face (with chimpanzee hair! She just had a bath)

Big brothers came to have dinner and visit. After I took this picture I told Sam to make a handsome face instead...

...So Thomas made it for him (I gave up on a good picture)

2 days in the hospital is plenty. We're bored!

She is responding to the medication well and now we are just waiting on test results before they will discharge her. Big shout out to Grandma Jane and Aunt Jen who wrangled the boys on short notice for us and for all the wonderful friends and family who have checked in and offered support and meals and love. We know lots of amazing people (you know who you are...).

***UPDATE***

Good news and bad news! Our Janie tricked the doctors with her initial culture and she does not have a UTI, just the paraflu. This is great because the presence of a UTI potentially signalled a lot of other potential problems. The bad news is that I traded spots with J for overnight duty the second night so I could go home and get some sleep and ended up awake all night long anyway with a puking Thomas. Dirty trick...

This is where Thomas keeps his toy parrot...

Why? Where do you keep yours?

*I had to bribe T with a piece of gum to let me take this picture. He always gets embarrassed when we notice that he has done this (and he frequently stashes it there...)

Today...

...I am grateful for a gospel that promises that these three little people are mine forever.

J Lo rocking her first non-pink outfit. It was difficult for me!

Samuel showing off his first complete row of stars on his "Big Brother Helper" Chart. His first reward was a fish he named "Swimmy."

The boys got their faces painted at a carnival and Sam was a clown but started to wash his face before I got a picture. He still really wanted to be in it. I think he looks like The Joker.

Big Brother really wanted to hold Baby Sister like the grown ups do, up on his chest.

Cuddling Sis

My three...