Quarantine

We have been quarantined.

I have strep throat and Jack & Creighton have scarlet fever (from the same bacteria that causes strep).

I have been trying, unsuccessfully, to lose weight. This is due to my lack of self control. So, I prayed. I prayed I would have self control. I think the Lord knew the only way I could have self control was if I literally couldn't swallow food.

I have never had this awful illness before. I think I've had bad sore throats and thought that I had strep, but holy crap this is a whole different animal. It's kind of like when someone has a bad headache and they call it a migraine. Um no, if you've had a migraine before...you know that's not a bad headache.

So, I want to say the kids didn't get it as bad as me, because I really was a much bigger complainer. It started with Creighton. He got a fever and then he got a rash. Didn't think much of it. I had just gotten a new shampoo and figured it was from that. Jackson got the same rash, and again figured it was the shampoo. I did decide to keep them home from school though because of the fevers. Then....I got it. It came on so fast. It started as a little sore throat in the morning, still went running in the snow (probably didn't help) and once I got back I could not warm up. I kept blaming it on running in the snow, but as the sore throat got worse and worse and I was getting colder and colder...I knew I was sick. When my throat got so bad that I hurt to swallow my spit, let alone anything else, I knew it was bad. Looked in my throat and saw pure nastiness. We are talking yellow ball of grossness. So....I googled. Results: I self diagnosed myself with strep throat and found out that in kids 2-10 they can get scarlet fever where the symptoms are rash around neck (check), and fever (check), and sore throat (didn't think they did...but after looking inside....poor kids!).

So, we are sick. As I mentioned, this is an evil illness. I have been on Tylenol every 4 hours and when I even get close to the 4 hours, I start shivering and cringe every time I have to swallow. I woke up a couple times in the night to the sound of me wimpering. Yes....I am that dramatic. Seriously. It was bad though. I even dreamed the entire time about how I there was some contest where of you swallowed the least amount of times, you won.

Anyway, enough of my complaining. I am on the mend and I am pushing the Tylenol to 6 hours. The even better news, we have been on the antibiotics long enough that we might leave the house tomorrow. This will be a good thing for all. They have watched a lot of tv and we MAY be getting in eachother's nerves.  I guess one good thing is I can't yell.  So even if they are driving me nuts, I have to remain calm.  The vibration of the uvula from talking is much to painful to talk, let alone yell.  So....perhaps after this I will have an adversion to eating unnecessarily and yelling.  Haha. 

To mix things up with the endless of hours of tv watching, we turned on a 3d movie and put on our 3d glasses.  Super cool.

Saturday is a Special Day

I have been talking to a friend about the appropriate ages to teach kids to do things on their own.  She was telling me about this awesome book that breaks it down and lets you know what your kids are capable of at different ages.  I find that I sometimes just think it's easier to "do it myself," but I know that I am actually just creating a disservice not only to my kids by not teaching them, but really to me.  So, I am going to start working on it. 

In an effort to teach them, I decided to give them some jobs.

They started with folding the towels (a job they have done for a while now), but I taught them how to separate the towels and then showed them where to put them all away. 

Then I decided that they should start cleaning their bathroom.  MAYBE, just MAYBE if they saw how absolutely disgusting they were, they would be more careful where they are shooting.  They all agreed it is absolutely disgusting and I hope that they will learn.

Cleaning the mirror

Cleaning the toilet

 It ended up being an awesome experience.  I think I will keep doing it with them for about a month, and then we will see if they can start doing it by themselves.  I went through everything step by step though in detail, starting with taking the rug, soap, and trash can out.  I am hoping something stuck and I will either start seeing better or aim or them remembering how to clean. 

By the way, I can't tell you how awesome it is to have someone that can read.....other than me.  Not that I don't love to read to my kids...but it sure does melt my heart to see Jackson read to them.  Love it.

It was a good Saturday. :)

Creighton turns 5

My Creigh Jay turned 5 years old on Thursday.  Creighton is such a happy kid and on this day it was bounce-off-the-walls-happy. 

We had a fun day planned and he was more than excited.

It started with his first present, from Aunt Lindsey.  It was a shirt and a pair of underwear.  He was so excited (one of the many reasons I love this kid).  Next thing I knew, he was dressed.  I ended up having to make him get undressed to take a shower and then redressing, but he was glad to do it.

Creighton with his new shirt on moments after being given it.

 After school, I picked up him and his best buddy Riley to go play.  I also checked Jackson out of school too, cause I'm just that cool.  I told Creighton he could pick any place he wanted for lunch.  His choice:  Taco Belly.  (They call it Taco Belly, because you know that song, "Talk about it, talk about it, talk about it, Talk about it"....I'm singing it in my head, and if only you could hear the tune I know you'd know what I'm talking about.  Well, when ever they see Taco Bell they sing, "Taco Belly, Taco Belly, Taco Belly Taco Belly.") 

Creighton and Riley at Taco Belly

Creighton opening his present.

The boys

 Afterwards, we went to the Murray Rec Center to go swimming.  They had a blast.  We love that place.

While we were there I realized, I was no longer a mom of young boys.  The dressing room has a sign that no boys over the age of 4 were allowed in there.  I now have 2.  So sad.  :(

After swimming my mom took Creighton to ToysRus to pick out a toy.  My mom gives the kids a certain amount of money and they can get whatever they want.  They always pick out the WORST stuff.  No joke.  Last time, Jackson came home with about 15 trinkets...one being a minature smurf stature that does nothing.  Even worse than a McDonalds toy.  Creighton got this giant Darth Vader Beanz collection holder.  We don't have any of these "Beanz" but thought, that's cool that they make Star Wars characters.  He'll have fun with that.  Turns out, it's JUST a holder.  So now we have a giant Beanz container with no beanz.  (ok, that's a lie, it came with 2.  It holds 100)  Good choice of toy Creighton, good choice.

To end the evening, we went to The Old Spaghetti Factory (we have gone there for every birthday). 

Creighton opened presents:

 And blew out the candles on his cake....

 Well, actually Jackson snuck in there and did it before he could.  It was kind of sad.  Good thing he has a good dad that relit them for him and I held his brother back. 

All and all it was a good day.  We are already counting down the 365 days until the next one.

My Easton

To get the awful taste out of your mouth of My Sweet innocent Easton stealing, here are some sweet innocent pictures of him. 

Easton with one of the bull dog puppies.
Grandma and Grandpa left this week to move to NC.
We are going to miss them.

He loves getting kisses from them.

Love this kid.

Ward play group.

Easton LOVES the parachute.

In fact, he announced loudly in WalMart (right before we were headed to playgroup), "Mommy has a penis."
Shocked, I tell him that I don't and he needs to be quiet.
He then announces it again, even louder.
This time I threaten him that we won't go to playgroup and play with the parachute.
He immediately stops.
Seriously, I try to do the right thing and teach my kids correct anatomy terms and that's what I get.

His "prize" at papa's place this week.

Easton and his best buddy Beck.
He loves wearing the jet pack and playing at Auntie Josie's
He asks every morning right when he wakes up..."Can I go to Beckham's house?"

I seriously love this kid and tell him I could, "Eat him for Dinner" numerous times a day. He always responds, "Yes, Eat Me" and then comes and stand right by my mouth and waits for me to "fake eat him." That's "our thing." He is my baby doll, and past clepto or not, I love him.

The Clepto

Do all kids steal at one time of their life....or just mine? 

I swear we have had to have the "Thou shalt not steal" lesson in FHE way to often.  I don't know what's up with them. 

I think Easton learned the painful way not to steal though.

In between the my great grandma's funeral and the luncheon, we ran over to WalMart.  We had about a 2 minute drive from WalMart back to the church and the entire time, Easton was screaming in pain.  He was trying to do something with his pants and it appeared that maybe his belt of something was cutting into his stomach. 

This was not the case though.

Instead, when Mitch got him out of his seat, he found a pack of gum shoved down his pants.  That clepto!!!  No wonder he was screaming in pain.  The thing was cutting right into his you know what.  Ouch. 

My thought....serves you right little boy!!  I hope you remember that pain you felt the next time you want to steal something.  More memorable than any lesson at FHE I think.

So, now all 3 have stolen.  I am hoping that's the end to their clepto days.  A mother can always hope.

As a follow-up:  We made Easton go back to WalMart and pay for the gum.  I wanted to just return it, but my sister made a good point.  No one is going to want something that had been shoved down his pants.  True true.  So, I am now enjoying my watermelon gum. (The gum was safely shielded by a plastic layer.)  Easton is not allowed to have any.

Fond Memories

I miss Omaha.  Everyone always told me while we were going through Law school that we should "enjoy this time, because you will look back at it as the best years of your life."  That first year, I questioned this.  Mitch was stressed and studying, we were poor, I was raising 2 boys that were quite energetic, and being away from "home" for the first time in my life.

Now, I now say this exact thing to anyone I know going through the same experience.  I miss it.  It really was the best years of my life. 

One reason it was so awesome, was for the amazing people that I had around me.  I was surrounded by young mothers going through the exact same thing I was going through.  It was wonderful.  Mitch had some great "Law friends" and I became great friends with their wives and we built lasting friendships.  I miss living aross the street from them.  We talk often about how we only wish we could build our houses just like they were back in the VG and share a backyard.  Oh...how I wish. 

Well, I was lucky enough to get together with 3 of the good friends last weekend.  Of course I have no pictures of us (none of us really felt like getting our picture taken), but I did get some of all our kids and the guys.  It was such a fun night and I only hope that we get to have another again soon.

Back row L to R:  Eric, Annie, Kaitlyn, Joey, Amelia, Lexi, Easton, Ellie, Abbie
Front Row L to R: Jackson, Samantha, Creighton, Ben, Alex

Todd, Mitch, Derek, and Rich

Heritage

Two weeks ago, my great grandmother passed away.  This was Jackson, Creighton, and Easton's Great, Great, Grandma.  5 generations.  That doesn't happen that often.  I guess you can say that we have good genes because my mom has a new acticle with a picture  of 5 full sets of grandparents when I was a baby.

 

My kids know her as, "the grandma with the white hair."  But I will always remember her for her beautiful red hair as shown in the picture below.  My kids loved going with my mom to visit her and she loved them. 

 

I have a great love for my grandma.  She was always so generous.  I still remember when Mitch and I were approaching our 1st anniversary of marriage, we were struggling financially.  We had just taken over a mortgage of a home we couldn't afford, I was working as many overtime hours as were handed out, and things were just plain tight.  That Christmas, my grandma gave us our Christmas present.  It was a check and when she handed them out, she mentioned that she thought she would start giving away some of our inheritance now, rather than later.  Although she gave every one of us the same amount, I think that she was inspired to do so, just for us.  Some may say it was coincidence, but I think not.  This experience was one of the bases for my firm testimony on paying tithing. 

 

We went and visited my sweet Grandma a few days before she passed away.  My mom had told me that she had something for the boys.  When we arrived, she could hardly keep her eyes open, but each of the boys went and gave her a kiss and she smiled.  Then she had someone go and get the "prizes" she had made for them.  She handed each of them a ziploc baggie full of Cheese Puffs.  The boys couldn't have been happier.  Mine as well as their last memory of her is of her giving.  I have attached her obituary as well as a newspaper article. 

 

Boys....I hope you can remember "Grandma with the white hair" and you can look at her life as a life full of service and you can strive to be like her in your own lives.  I know I want to. 

 

Love you Grandma.

 

 

 

H. Roene Wood

April 23, 1916 ~ February 13, 2012

H. Roene M. Wood
Beloved Mother

Hazel Roene McRae Wood, 95, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great grandmother, sister and friend to everyone, peacefully died February 13, 2012 in her home due to advanced age.

Born Easter Sunday, April 23, 1916, in Granger, Utah to Orson David and Hazel Murphy McRae. She grew up in Granger until she married Everett D. Wood July 2, 1935 in Granger, Utah; the marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple. Attended Plymouth Elementary, Plymouth Jr. High and Granite High School where she was active in sports and other activities. She lived most of her married life in the Bennion/Taylorsville area. She worked as a dental assistant and at U & I Sugar Beet Factory Lab. Active in the LDS Church. Served as ward and stake Primary president and teacher, and ward and stake Relief Society president as well as counselor, secretary and teacher. She was a visiting teacher for over 70 years. Roene was active in civic work. She was Salt Lake County Fair secretary and treasurer for 22 years and was on the SL County Fair Board for over 50 years. She was the Home Arts supervisor at both the State (21 yrs) and County (50 yrs) Fairs and a supervisor for the 4-H department at the SL County and Utah State Fair. She was a judge at many County Fairs and State Fair. PTA president of Plymouth School, Granite School District and served on boards for district and state levels. She was still active in the Daughters of Utah Pioneers at the time of her death where she served as the Granger Camp treasurer for 48 years. She was a 4-H leader for boys and girls for over 50 years and also supervisor of leaders. Roene loved to travel and camp with friends and family. She went to many foreign countries and states in the US. She was always charming and well-groomed. She was a great leader, a wonderful homemaker, great cook and an excellent seamstress, winning many ribbons. Also was a Sweepstakes winner at the County and State Fairs. She worked hard milking cows, driving the grain truck from the dry farm and to the mill and working in her garden. She helped her husband build their home of 62 years. She had a sharp mind until the end. Drove a car until age 90 when she fell and broke her pelvis and hip. She was a fighter and survived many surgeries. The family called her the "Come Back Kid."

Survived by her sons, Larry Everett (Della) Wood, West Valley City; Eugene M. (Eileen), Salt Lake City; daughters, Gayla (Alan) Finlayson, Phoenix, AZ; Norma (Lee) Letzerich, St. George; 16 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; 14 great-great grandchildren; sister, June M. Lambert, Taylorsville; sisters and brothers-in-law, Thelma Jaynes, Taylorsville; Donna Wood, Taylorsville; Hank Cameron, Salt Lake City; and Glen Dorrity, Modesto, CA. Preceded in death by her husband, Everett; parents; son, Jerry; granddaughters, Camille W. Burton and Jill Finlayson, brothers, Orson Mark, Daniel, Karl McRae; sisters, Annabell Dorrity and Grace Cameron; brothers-in-law, Homer Jaynes, Stern R. Wood, Shirley Wood and Jim Lambert; sisters-in-law, Delphia Wood, Gloria, Vi and Coral McRae; great-grandson, Quentin Henderson; great-great grandson, Charlie Kirton.

The family would like to thank the care centers for their care, Pine Mountain Hospice, Relief Society sisters, the doctors, nurses, care givers and therapists that came into her home.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 18, 2012, 11:00 a.m. at the Bennion East Stake Center, 5980 South 1300 West. Viewings will be held Friday, 6-8 p.m. at McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 South Redwood Road and Saturday at the church, 9:30-10:45 a.m. Interment, Murray City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity.


Roene Wood, longtime Salt Lake County Fair worker, dies

By Mike Gorrell

The Salt Lake Tribune

First published Feb 17 2012 01:50PM
Updated Feb 17, 2012 11:19PM

For more than half a century, Roene Wood was a fixture at the Salt Lake County Fair.

And when she wasn’t working on its annual run in Murray Park, she devoted her free time to being home-arts supervisor at the State Fair, a 4-H leader, a PTA president, an LDS Relief Society leader, an officer in the Daughters of Utah Pioneers and a seamstress, winning many ribbons of her own at fairs.

“She spent a lot of hours working back then in the days when I think they paid 25 cents an hour or less. If you made enough money to pay gas in your car, you considered yourself lucky,” said Sparky Dibble, creative-arts supervisor at the State Fair and competitive exhibits coordinator at the County Fair. “It was all volunteer service strictly for the community.”

Wood died at her home Monday of causes incident to age. She was 95. She will be buried Saturday in Murray City Cemetery after 11 a.m. services at the Bennion East LDS Stake Center, 5980 S. 1300 West.

“Roene loved being in charge and knew how to do it,” said Ella Steffensen, 92, of Murray, one of Wood’s closest friends. “She was a real good manager and was able to attract people who were good at doing different things, a very good organizer.

“She got all of our family working — first me, then my daughters,” added Steffensen, mother of 14, including five girls. “We got a dollar a day when we started years ago, but we made it a County Fair.”

Dibble said Wood’s name became synonymous with the County Fair through old-fashioned hard work.

“She did her job above and beyond,” he said. “She was the one who always made sure wedding gowns hung just right on mannequins. And she made sure every [exhibitor’s] article, even if it was just a little hankie, was displayed well.”

But much of her physical legacy was lost when the County Fair moved from Murray to South Jordan in 1998. “The gorgeous glass display cases, the beautiful stuff she did there, went by the wayside,” Dibble said.

Wood, whose first name actually was Hazel, was born April 23, 1916, in Granger (now part of West Valley City) to Orson and Hazel Murphy McRae. She married Everett Wood on July 2, 1935, in Granger and later solemnized in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. She lived most of her life in the Taylorsville area.

Jackson: 1st Grade

These are my sweet Jackson's 1st Grade Photos.
Mrs. Lloyd's class at Brookwood Elementary:

We "Mustache" You a Question.....

Will you be our Valentine?

Today is Valentines Day and I feel like it is the most prepared I have ever been for any holiday.  The last year has been such a whirlwind and as of late, I have found myself with something that I haven't had.....time.  Between babies and last year working, holidays have been a "procrastinated with a very last minute ditch effort" for years.  However, for this holiday (which really is just a commercialized holiday and isn't all that cool, but hey, it's one and I did something so I'm proud) I didn't procrastinate.

I am so incredibly awesome, haha, that I woke up at 5 and have been making cinnamon rolls for the kiddies and hubby.  I am currently waiting for them to raise and praying that they will turn out.  This is my first time making them from scratch.  I'm generally a "Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls-take them out of the freezer and put them in the oven-and call them homemade" type of girl.  We will see how it goes.

On Saturday, the boys and I made about 100 Valentines.  Yes, we have that many friends.  Ok, not really but making 40 just for the classrooms and then each family member became a lot.  Thank goodness for a father that happens to have fake mustaches at his place of employment (don't know many that can say that) and online photo printing to make things cheap and easy. 

Then it was onto the dreaded Valentines box.  I don't know why, but stuff like that scares me.  When I get sent home the first note that I am going to have to make a diorama....I think I'm going to pass out.  I mean I actually remember thinking, AS A THIRD GRADER, that this would be an awful part of being a parent.  Seriously, for me to think that as a 9 year old, you can tell that I already have anxiety over it.  (BTW, thanks mom and dad for staying up for hours helping me make that diorama...and again I am sorry for telling you about it at 8:00 the night before it was due.)

Jackson wanted to make a robot for his Valentines box and we are quite proud of it's turn out.  Especially considering that I couldn't find any ideas online.  (Normally I like to find a picture online to base things off of....sadly, no such luck.)  Here was the result:

And then, to top off my 1st Super Mom Holiday ever......wait for it........I made them Valentines.  I intend to ring the doorbell sneakily this morning and suprise them.  I mean honestly, how cool am I? 

All right, so there is the end of my astonishment for all I have done.  It's sad that I am so excited over just a few small things, but when you're used to doing no small things, small things are a lot.  Here's to baby steps and an awesome Easter.

P.S.  I love you my Valentines.  Thank you for all the love you always give me, even when I am far from being Super Mom.

Staches

My men with mustaches:

Yes, they are gooooooood looking!

I think we had a little too much fun that night.

Oragami Yoda Saves the Day

A week ago we took the boys to the book store and let them each pick out a book.  Creighton insisted on getting this one:

He LOVES it.  For days, he carried it everywhere.  Took it for show and tell and begged everyone to read it to him constantly.

I edit many of the words while reading it (just because I am not a fan of "stupid, fart face, idiot, etc.) but it really is a funny book.  It cracks me up and is exactly my favorite type of writing style. 

A brief synopsis of the book: 
It'a about a bunch of middle school students.  One nerdy kid, Dwight, makes a origami yoda and wears it on his finger as a finger puppet.  He goes around and when kids have questions, he tells them to ask origami yoda in which he responds in pure Yoda language.  The book is filled with "Case Studies" from different kids at the school telling their stories about when they asked Origami Yoda a question and if they think he is real or not.  Many of them believe that he really has magical powers.

Our favorite chapter is written by a kid named Kellen.  He tells his story about why he believes Origami Yoda is for real. 

One day, he went to the bathroom right before class and while he was washing his hands, he leaned up against the sink and he got water all over the crotch location:

It completely looked like he peed his pants.  Just then, Dwight walks out of the stall with Origami Yoda on his finger.  Not knowing what to do, and knowing that he couldn't be late to class, he decided to ask Origami Yoda for help.  Origami Yoda replied,

So he proceeds to splash water all over his pants and it no longer looks like he peed his pants.  It just looks like he got in a water fight or something.  From that moment of, he became a firm believer that Origami Yoda is real.

Ok....so now onto how this relates to my sweet family.

Today, a certain child (the child will remain nameless), did this same thing...except the "real" thing.  After church, this child has his suspenders off, tie off, and his shirt and entire pants are wet.  Interesting. 

Once we get home, we have a little talk.

Me: "Did you have an accident at church today." 
Anonymous child:  "No"
Me:  "It's ok if you did.  It's not a big deal.  It happens to everyone."
Anonymous child:  [breaks down crying]
Me:  [consoling]
Me:  [After consoling]  Did you happen to do what the kid in the book did?  Is that why your pants were all wet.  Or is that all pee?
Anonymous child:  [Big smile on face]  Yes!  I did what Yoda said! [In his best Yoda imitation] 'All of pants you must wet.'

All of the sudden he was SO proud of peeing his pants.  He called his other brothers in and excitedly told them that he peed his pants, but that he did what Yoda said and got this whole pants wet so no one would know.  They all just kind of looked at him like he was weird.  But hey, he was excited.  No more crying, so yay.

All I have to say is, this book saved my kid's life.  He could have been mortified if it wasn't for Origami Yoda.  They said reading is so important.  That it is.

After thought:  I wrote this post yesterday. But when I asked if Richard Simmons was the guy who did the 80's workout movies and Mitch was horrified that I would type something so embarrassing as to say his paper doll looked like him (prior post)....I knew that he would go nuts if I published this post.   So I chose  not too.  However, tonight the anonymous son proudly told this story to Mitch's entire family as if it was the coolest thing he has ever done.  So...I am publishing.  I think he should be proud.  Seriously....that's some smart, quick thinking.

Random Pics

Here's a few random pictures over the last few weeks. 

A couple weeks ago, Jackson's school held their art-a-palooza.  It was a really fun fundraiser and the kids got to do many different art activities.  I think our favorites were "The Art of Breadmaking"  (Ok, maybe that was mine) and the "Face Painting."

Easton got a snake on his hand, Creighton got a soccer ball,
and Jack got a U "for Dad"

 Last week for family home evening I let the kids make paper dolls.  It worked well.  Since they were distracted coloring, I was actually able to get through my lesson.  How much they heard of it.....questionable.  But hey, we got through it.

I especially like the special Richard Simmons 80's outfit Jackson drew on himself.

I went with Easton to get a doughnut.  Much to my dismay, he picked the doughnut with red frosting and sprinkles.  It was everywhere (this is a cleaned up version).  He had so many sprinkles up his nose he made me pull over and get them out.

I asked him if he liked his doughnut.  He said, "It's too frosty." 

 Josie and I took the boys out to a boutique this last week.  Easton's cool auntie bought him tis cool "Jet Pack."  He flew around the sidewalk with his arms out.  He loves it. 

 We took a picture by this cool statue. 

 The boys LOVE to go play at Auntie Josie's house.  They were preparing for "battle" in this picture.

 Jackson loves to draw.  I came home one night to this one.

My boys make me laugh.



Jackson's Basketball Season

Jackson just wrapped up his first season of basketball.  He really enjoyed it.  He especially liked the treats at the end of the game (he secretly admitted to me).  It was really funny watching him play because I saw SO much of me in him.  (Not necessarily a great thing concerning sports.)  He was an avid guard.  He would hop around and wave his hands in front of the person he was guarding in quite an annoying fashion.  Yes, I used to do the same thing.  It's so fun to watch the kids at this age.  It's almost like watching a football game.  There really was no dribbling.  Just grabbing the ball and running down the court.  Hilarious. 

Such a cute kid, great passer, and made 2 baskets.  He was awesome! 



I love this picture.  He had just scored a basket.

Jack with his trophy.

Jack's team picture.  Top row: Ronon, Jackson, Tyler, Kid I don't know
Bottom Row:  The Wood boy, and I don't know anyone else. :)