February 2011

I know the month isn't over yet, but thought I'd get this going anyway. We've had the ups and downs of weather, so the kids got to go out and play a bit more this month. Ben's been digging a hole in the backyard in which to put a time capsule. Joshua thinks it's a great place to play!

I love it when the kids play nice together. It really doesn't happen much these days and I feel like a crazy, incompetent mother most of the time because they aren't getting along or behaving. Dad was busy working on the plumbing for our new bathroom. The kids enjoyed helping him on this Saturday, wearing their carhartt's and all.

Thus far, we have the plumbing and electrical in and inspected (the first time). We now have a floor in and half the insulation. We got our tax return, a nice friendly sum, and have decided to put most of it towards a debt. So, the bathroom will be a little longer project.



At the beginning of the month, Sarah and I wanted some flowers. We bought some red roses. They were on my bookshelf for less than a day when Joshua started touching them. He pulled a few out now and then and I would just put them back. Then one day he pulled them all out and tore up a few. There were some with the heads torn off and some with the petals torn off. There were enough salvageable ones that I re-cut and put in different vases. I wasn't smart enough, though, and put them right back on the bookshelf. He decided he needed to get a drink from the new vase. This time I was done. I took what was left, put them all in one vase and put it up on the entertainment center. Then I had to clean up all the water. It was only about 1/4 cup but we're discovering how far that can really go!

I stayed up late one Saturday night to make Sarah's Valentine skirt. My mom had bought some cute material and given me enough to make her a skirt. I planned on doing it after they went to bed so that I wouldn't be disturbed. This pattern only takes about 15 minutes, start to finish. But, Kannon was at our friends' house helping them hook their wii up to netflix. He came home a few times looking for cords and what-not. I started the skirt around 8, but realized I didn't have ribbon for the bottom. I couldn't go to the store because Kannon wasn't home to stay with our sleeping children. It was 11 before he was back long enough for me to go. So, I finished her skirt late, but was rewarded by her joy in finding it in the morning. I made a few cute hair bows to go with it and wish I had taken a picture that day. This one was taken a few days later on our way to ABC school. She was posing! You should see the first picture with her legs crossed as if she had to pee or something!

I made this shirt, too. Well, the shirt came from the thrift store, put I added the applique from the same material as the skirt. Looking at it now, the heart should have been a tad smaller.



I had my craft on this month. I found a pattern at Skip To My Lou for these cute shoes a few years ago. They were shown as a Halloween heel. I kept the pattern for a long time and finally pulled it out to make these cute Valentine shoes for some ladies I visit each month. I added these delicious raspberry yogurt-covered pretzels as a treat that wasn't too sugary-sweet. I think it would be nice to not have every holiday surrounded by sweet goodies. The sugar consumption in our country sure contributes to all the bellies out there. Mine included. I had an epiphany the other day: if sugar prices were to double or triple then the obesity rate would probably fall. If we couldn't afford to buy the sugary foods, we'd eat less of them and it would be better for us all, eh?!

One Saturday, the weather was nice enough for us to set up our new camping tent. This is what Santa brought Kannon and I for Christmas. It's an 8x14 canvas tent, with a 5-7 foot ceiling. Very roomy, doors on both sides. We're looking forward to using it a lot as a family.

We also spent one Saturday visiting family. We went to Reno and the kids stayed with Susan and Stephen while Kannon and I went to the church cannery. We helped can a bunch of stuff and came home with 36 cans of food storage. We brought Subway back for lunch and a short visit before heading out to Dayton to see Kannon's Uncle and Grandpa.

I didn't get to do all the things I've been wanting to do for February. I made a countdown last year

http://polishfam.blogspot.com/2010/03/catch-up.html and put it out this year, too. The kids were excited about it, but we just haven't been able to do much of it. With life (scouts, basketball, homework, dinner, baths, etc.) we just haven't found time to do it all. They did get their fancy baths, a lovey-movie, a story, mail. But, I'm sad I didn't get them cards or make cookies with them. We also, had our week and a half of sick right in the middle of the month.

Ben got sick first, staying home from school for 2 days. He just had a slight fever and didn't feel real super. Then Sarah and Joshua had fevers for a night. Sarah was better after that but Josh just kept getting worse. Well, he went back and forth. He had 2 days with a fever and a day when he felt better. (That was Sunday. I started getting a head cold on Saturday, but we were giving talks on Sunday. After Sacrament meeting I took Joshua home and we took long naps.) He had the high fever again on Monday (the 14th) and Tuesday, and that's when I finally took us all to the Urgent care.

sick kids

The doctor said that was a first. What? No one brings in all of their children to be seen at once? Yes, I know it's not a technical doctor's office but let me tell you about our situation! There is only one doctor's office in Fallon that takes our insurance. The last time I called them they were not taking new patients. The ER at the hospital is covered, but not the doctor who sees you there. (We have a huge bill from when Kannon had his eye done in November.) Plus, there is always a huge wait in the ER. The next closest doctor's office is in Reno - an hour away. OR....I can go to the Urgent Care in Fernley, just 1/2 an hour away. We were there for a total of 2 hours, but that was with filling out paperwork for all 4 of us and all 4 of us being seen! He gave all kinds of prescriptions, but we only filled the ones for Joshua's ear infections. He's doing so much better now. In fact, we're all doing well, now. It's nice to not be sick.

It snowed last Friday morning. It started snowing late Thursday night (about midnight) and snowed until about 10 am. It was heavy and wet. Ben was disappointed that they didn't cancel school. He had a great time building giant snow balls at recess, though. Sarah and Joshua went out to play. Sarah got out first and Joshua wasn't very patient with all the dressing. He threw a fit - nothing new - and fell on the table. He was able to get up, but it reminded me of Ralphie on 'A Christmas Story.'

I undid the Velcro around his chin and that seemed to help some.

This isn't the best picture but I wanted to remember that he did have a good time out there. I put on my boots and coat, too and took out my cameras. Sarah made a snow angel and they really enjoyed tromping in the snow.

I pulled out the snow shovel and shoveled our sidewalk and they neighbors sidewalk. We have a lot of sidewalk since we are on the corner. Before I got the neighbor's walk done Joshua had fallen down enough times that his hands were cold. He just followed me around hollering. So I finished up as quick as I could and got him inside to warm up. We had some hot chocolate, too, at Sarah's insistence.

The snow-day aftermath!

We went to Elko for the weekend. Kannon's brother was blessing his new baby girl. We didn't know if we'd get to go because of the weather, but when Kannon got off early on Friday and the roads were clear, we decided to make it happen. He spent a few hours putting down our bathroom floor, while I packed.
We got there at a decent hour and spent a great weekend with the family. Saturday night included Sasha and the cousins. They all slept on the living room floor. Grandma held them captive with her bedtime stories. I thought it neat to see where they all placed themselves. You've got Ben on the outside edge - the oldest boy, the protector. Little Lillie next to him, the Stetson, Kate and Sarah next to the couch. Sarah clung to Kate all weekend, whom she idolizes. She wanted to dress like her and behave like her and do her hair the same. In fact, she was pretty upset with me when I told her I was doing her hair for church, not Kate. Kate just turned 10. And you can just glimpse Quade on the left. He slept on the couch with his mom.

Marisha and I. We stayed up late on Friday night with a bunch of girl talk and I got to be her adult driver when she went out to hang with some friends. She IS a good driver. I didn't worry at all. It was as if she was just one of my friends driving.

And this is baby Valis (pronounced Va-lees). The picture is blurry because I still had my camera set on the snow setting. Woops! I can totally see both her mom and dad in her features. She seemed to be a good baby and I enjoyed holding her for an hour at church.