Sometimes reality stinks...

Well, we're home. Bummer.

We had a wonderful weekend enjoying NO stresses of daily life. We didn't get cell service at the house where we stayed, so we had uninterrupted bliss. Steve did do some studying each day (good for him!), but I had a work-free weekend. The boys swam (Kenneth got his first sun burn), and we relaxed. Daniel got a little more of the ocean than he bargained for when a wave came particularly high... :) We all had a great time and we hope to go back again someday. We loved the area and the beach. We discovered how important vacations are...well, I did, anyway. We hope to be taking more of those in the future.

Heaven....we're in Heaven

We made it to Montecito safely last night. The drive wasn't too awfully bad....until it was time for the baby to go to sleep....she insisted I hold her hand. My arm went to sleep several times over. Both boys went to sleep without fighting in the slightest....they were so tired. Daniel had a hard time going back to sleep once we got here, so he ended up sleeping with us. Steve & I each enjoyed a bath last night. This area is so lovely! The weather is sunny, but just about 65 - 70 or so. It's so nice! We went to Santa Barbara this morning (10am) and went to the Maritime Museum there. It was a very nice museum - not too large, but very well put together. The baby got tired, so we went to lunch then came back to the house for a nap. The boys have swum through the baby's nap. I slept outside and Steve has been studying. We're about to wake up the baby (it's been 3 hours) and figure out dinner. Thanks for checking on us!

Happy Anniversary to us!

Well, 10 years ago today, Steve & I were married. We're feeling old. We're very happy. It's been a great 10 years. Both of us have received our college degrees, we've had 3 beautiful children, we've made happy memories in Texas, and now we're making happy memories in Las Vegas. I gave Steve a new wedding ring (his original was stolen 2 years ago when our car was broken in to). We're looking forward to a wonderful weekend as a family in Santa Barbara, CA, and many more decades together.

Update

Well, we've avoided being separated this week. Steve has successfully resolved the problems at work without going to New York (Yea!). The Webb children have been a welcome addition around here. Angela's having a great time (as far as I know) in Idaho.

Yesterday we had a tragedy in the family. Steve's sister's husband works for Google. Yesterday he was walking from one building to another and as he was crossing the crosswalk, he was hit by a car going between 35-40 miles/hour. He broke a bone in his back, 3 ribs, his sternum, 2 bones in his right arm (in 3 places), punctured a lung, got some hum-dinger road rash and his head required stitches. He had a 5 hour surgery on his arm today and is on a lot of pain killer. Our prayers and thoughts have been with him and his family all day today. I'm hoping Sami will let me help out in some way with her kids...but we'll be deciding all that when she gets a couple more days into this whole thing.

The doctors are saying he'll make a full recovery but it will be at least 8 weeks. His name is Scott - please keep him in your prayers.

Well, I'm off...

A Stay

Well, it appears for the moment, Steve won't be traveling to New York. They've been hit by their worst storms since 1992 this weekend, and it doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon. He's at work now trying to solve the ongoing problems, and he probably will still go to New York (that's according to me; not him), but it won't be tomorrow. We have a fun family weekend planned not next weekend but the following weekend (that's also our 10 year wedding anniversary), so I'm hoping his trip doesn't intrude on that trip (I'm really looking forward to that trip!). I'll let you know as I learn more.

I forgot to mention in my LONG post yesterday that we're reaping the rewards of gardening. We have eaten (well, I haven't, but the kids have) a few strawberries, and we've got broccoli on each of our 6 broccoli plants, and one tomato on our tomato plant. :) Such are the joys of living in a warm winter area. My bushes that a mom of one of Angela's preschoolers recommended we plant are flowering as well; so our back yard is quite enjoyable these days. Oh - and my rosemary bushes are starting to be fragrant, too!

Rocks, battery acid, and baseball

Well, first off - I shouldn't wait so long in between posts....there's so much to say. I'll start with Monday. Kenneth had his first baseball game (see photos). He did great - although he's not on a great team...what else is new? He doesn't know the difference and he loves the game so much he doesn't really even notice anyone around him I don't think. So - we had a good week - I worked as much as I could. I got my hair cut again (shorter - more layers). Thursday we had a low-key day and I wanted to get out and Steve worked late; so I called Sears. See- I guess I'd better back up a bit. Kenneth has been going through shoes like there's no tomorrow, so my sister told me about the policy Sears has that if your kid wears out the shoe before they grow out of it -they'll replace the shoe for free. So - the last pair of shoes I bought Kenneth I bought at Sears for specifically that reason. I kept the box & receipt - fully anticipating needing them. His shoes were shot. I went to retrieve the box and receipt and couldn't find them....darn the luck. So - I called Sears to see if they'd honor it without the receipt. They said it depended on the shoe. I described the shoe to them and they said bring it in....well, Adam said bring it in. I - knowing full well how this works if you get another person - went RIGHT in. After I loaded the kids in the car the car barely started...and I noticed the clock in my car said 12:03 as I was driving away (it was really like 6:30pm). Well - I'm not stupid. I figured my battery was going out. So - not willing to pass up a chance at free shoes - I called Steve and warned him that we might get stranded at Sears. We got to Sears OK and got new shoes for Kenneth and got out of Sears OK and went straight to Checker. Sure enough, our battery was going out (we knew for sure after they tested it). I purchased a new battery, but getting the old one out was going to be a process; so I took it home hoping Steve would save me the trouble. The next morning Steve so kindly replaced my battery before going to work. He left the old battery in the car for me to return and get my $8 back. I forgot about it and ran several other errands. About 45 minutes before baseball I sent Kenneth out to the car to check on his baseball bag and make sure he had everything he needed. He came back in the house screaming like a wild banchee and grabbing his leg and hand. I handed him a wet rag and ran out to the car to see what the "big black thing leaking oil" was that hurt him. The battery had no doubt shifted as I drove and fell out of the car when he opened the door. He aparently attempted to move it and it leaked battery acid on him. I ran back in; stripped Kenneth; and put him in the bath with the plug open so it would drain in & out. I called poison control (after I called Steve) and moved Kenneth to the shower. After flushing it for 20 minutes and using a mild baby soap, he said only his leg hurt a little. I put silvadine cream on it and wrapped it and we went to baseball. After baseball practice, Daniel decided to bring home a rock (see photo). Once in the car, Caitlin decided SHE wanted the rock. Daniel, in an attempt to prevent his sister from getting his rock, put the rock in his nose....yes, you read right...in his nose. He started screaming like a banchee (I wonder where he'd heard that before?) and I pulled off the road into a parking lot. I got something skinny and tried to wedge it out but I could see pretty quickly this was not something I could do - he was fighting and screaming too much. I called Steve and told him to hurry up and come back to me - then I called Angela (she was closer) and told her where to pull off the road to help me. I gave Angela my skinny object and held Daniel down while she futzed with the rock in his nose. Finally, I suggested we let gravity be our friend, so we sat him up. Angela got the idea to have him blow his nose...so he blew...and blew....and eventually the rock came out - just before Steve got there. Angela didn't see the rock ahead of time, so she was very surprised to see the size of the rock (again - reference the photo). Another crisis past...few! Kenneth had his first piano lesson this afternoon (well, at noon). He did great. I had purchased the incorrect books, so during his lesson we ran to a music store and purchased the correct books. I made him a bag that says "Kenneth's music bag" and we put in a pencil, notebook, and his music books. He came right home from his lesson to practice. I think he's going to enjoy this. It's good. I really like his teacher. She's been teaching for 20 years and she says she's only had one personality conflict. She's a dear woman.....she must be very patient. So - last of all - tonight Steve took me to see REBA!....live, in concert. She was in Primm (27 miles from here). We had a great time - she puts on a wonderful show. Now - it's after midnight and church is at 9 - so I must go...but we've had an eventful week. I guess I should mention that Steve will be going to New York next week (likely Monday) - and Angela is going to Idaho on Tuesday...so I'll be a lonely woman next week....with a lot of kids! :)




This is Steve's wedding ring on the left - and the rock Daniel wedged up his nose on the right.

Easter Update

Kenneth with his Easter Basket

The Laytons on Easter

Kenneth and Nathan holding hands (they're 3 months apart in age and they got along very well).

From left to right: Danny, Darrel, Darin, Steve, Dad, Mom, Joy, Missy, Angela, Amanda

My Dad and Me


Well, I haven't updated for a while; so here's what we've been up to:

Our kids had spring break last week, so Angela & I let our kids pick out of 10 options 4 things they wanted to do during the week. They chose bowling; movie theater movie; boating; and Chuck E Cheese's. We did all that Tues/Wed/Thurs. Thursday evening we had my sister, Missy, her husband and her 3 kids as well as my folks and my brother Ben come. On Friday I took out Missy, Darin, Dad, and Nathan, Benjamin, and Gilbert (Missy's kids) out on the boat. We had a great day out on the lake. The water was COLD (I didn't even wear my suit :) ), but everyone else was very brave and tubed, skiied, knee-boarded, swam, etc. The kids got a kick out of the floating toilet (they have them strategically posted on the lake), and Nathan dubbed our ski dock a "Porch"...who knew our boat was big enough to have a porch? Saturday Steve took out Ben, Darin, Danny & Amanda on the boat. (Danny & Amanda came on Friday afternoon). We had a choir rehearsal from 9-10am -- A run through for the cantata that Angela conducted, I sang in and my dad narrated. We came home and had an easter egg hunt (see photos), then we took all the kids to the Bass Pro Shop to see the 117,000 gallon fish tank where you can watch them feed the sting rays and sharks ( I love that attraction ). That evening we got a babysitter and all the adults went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner before dividing up for shows. Mom, Dad, Joy & Steve went to the Scintas. Danny & Amanda went to Josh Grobin. Angela, Darrel, Darin & Missy went to Gordy Brown. It was lots of fun! Easter Sunday started with church and singing the cantata. Then a huge Easter feast, then Mom, Dad, Ben, Danny & Amanda went home. After they left we dyed Easter eggs with the kids. Missy & Darin left at about Noon on Monday - and now I'm deep into taxes!!! Anyway, that's our weekend in a nut shell....we had lots & lots of fun! I hope you like the photos.

Home at last

Isn't this a great photo? I think it could be a painting! It's Caitlin on the left and Emily on the right (in case you didn't recognize the amazing red hair!) I love this shot.

Well, it was a quick trip - but it was very nice. Angela and I got to spend some quality time with Jaxon, and with our family as well. We watched General Conference with our parents, and we visited with our only living grandmother for a while, too. It was a nice weekend - even if it was a quick trip (Friday night - Sunday afternoon). Here are some other photos Angela got of Caitlin....

Caitlin is holding Angela's lens cap. Isn't this a funny photo?
Caitlin, Grammie, and Emily

The "Boys" went to Outback Friday night. Out on the boat Saturday, to BBQ Saturday night. They also built me a bunch of new shelves in the garage and moved all the boxes out of Caitlin's closet...that was a HUGE project, for which I am most grateful! I think everyone had a good weekend. Steve went in for an X-Ray on his neck (well, 2 vertebre below his neck) this morning. I'll let you know when we get the results of that.