Our Trip to Nauvoo

We decided to spend our long Memorial Day weekend in Nauvoo with our friends the Thomases.  After a short trip to the Urgent Care, we were on our way (see post below).  Its about a 5-7 hour drive from where we live.  On our way there we stopped twice and it was closer to seven and on our way home we broke a record and got home in just under 5 hours without stopping AT ALL.  It was a miracle (aided by the fact that all the kids slept a good portion of the time).
Unfortunately the weather put a damper on our trip.  It rained and it was cold and Nauvoo is the type of place you really want to be able to just walk around outside to be able to enjoy.  Oh well- we made the best of it.  Here are some photo highlights:

 Pioneer Activities etc
Photo description (starting top left and going around): playing on a wagon, inside the Carthage Visitors Center, playing in a wagon, playing in a fort that was part of a playground outside a catholic school :), and more wagon

Top left (going around)- petting the horses after our wagon ride through Nauvoo, rope-making, pioneer games, and on the stage after the play "Just Plain Anna Amanda"

 CARTHAGE JAIL (where Joseph Smith died)

And this photo below is a special treasure.  We looked up in the "Land and Records" office to find the site where my great great great grandparents (Samuel and Jane Watson Howe) lived in Nauvoo.  Its on the lot just kiddie corner to the temple.  Jane's mother was Louisa Young who is the younger sister of Brigham Young.  Its pretty cool, I think.  You can see me and Brielle, Brayden and Emmitt on the grass and then Makenna was over by the tree on the side.
 

Emmitts turn for stitches

We were packing up the car for our trip to Nauvoo on Friday, when I heard bumping, banging and then crying coming from the stairs. Unfortunately, Emmitt had taken a tumble and on his way down had hit the sharp decorations on the spindles of our stairs.  I could tell at first that he was bleeding but I didnt think it was that bad but Kevin looked and could see that his top wound was quite deep and thought we had better take him in.  It was more of a puncture wound than a cut but the doctor told us we needed to get a couple stitches to close it up.  Emmitt was amazingly good- he didnt cry or wiggle or anything.  His dad held him tight and Brielle held up the iphone for Emmitt to watch and it went really smoothly.  It only put us back on our trip departure by about two hours- not too bad for a stitches.

 

 

And after all that, he certainly deserved a trip to Culvers- which of course makes everything better.
What a sweetie he is.  I dont know how I have been a mother for over ten years and then just now within a few months, two of my kids have to get stitches.  Its crazy, but hopefully we'll be more careful from now on.

Preschool Comes to an End

Brielle attended preschool with Ms Sara for two years.  She is soooo ready for Kindergarten now but she will miss Ms Sara who always did such a great job! 

This is Brielle with her friend and carpool companion, Lexi. 

Emmitts First Trip to the Dentist

I took all the kids in to the dentist yesterday and it was Emmitts first time getting a check up.  When we first got there he clung to me pretty tightly but after watching all his siblings have their turn in the chair he was very anxious to get there.  He was pretty serious about it all and he amazed the hygenists by how good he was for being just two and a half years old.  Its the benefit of having older siblings I guess.

Tootsie and a few other goats

Brielle and Emmitt LOVE the zoo.  We dont get to go often because of preschool but we got to go on Monday and we spent quite a bit of time in the petting zoo.   Brielle learned all the names of their pygmy goats and brushed them till they looked beautiful.  Emmitt had a good time too- though I think he might have actually been more interested in the hand sanitizer dispensers than the goats- I couldnt keep him away from them. :)

Audrey

 Audrey has been our beloved babysitter every other weekend for over a year.  Sadly and happily she is graduating High School and off to BYU Idaho in the Fall.  The kids have grown quite attached to her so we are sad to see her off but wish her the best.  We attended her graduation party last weekend and had a great time.  I made a cake and some cupcakes for the occasion.

The start of a new gardening season

Last Monday for Family Home Evening, we planted our garden.  Im going to try and get the kids more involved this year.  We planted tomatoes, beans, peppers, peas, cucumbers, and zucchini.   We're crossing our fingers it will be a good year.

Campout

Brayden and Kevin recently went on the annual father- sons campout.  They had a blast. 

And while the boys were away, the girls and I "camped out" in my bed.  It was a fun treat for them, but certainly not my best nights sleep :)

Pot painting

So we finally got some furniture for our patio and as I was sitting out there, enjoying it, I thought all my pots were rather drab.... And a craft project was born.  The girls and Emmitt each got a pot and let their creative juices flow.  It was a lot of fun (except the stressful part of trying to keep Emmitt from painting the deck the chairs, the house and anything else in sight).

As you can see, Brielle likes to emulate everything Makenna does.  It drives Makenna crazy but of course- imitation is the highest form of flattery.

This is the pot I painted.  I loved it so much, that when it was done, I painted a few more.  I'll have to get pictures of those later.

Brayden turns 11!

As is often the case, we celebrated Brayden's birthday over a few days.  On the Sunday before his birthday, we got together with the Thomas' to celebrate both Cinco de Mayo and Brayden and Lauries birthdays.

 Brayden chose for his birthday "activity" to go to Defy Gravity with his buddy Carson.  He also got to have a sleepover with him which is a pretty big deal in our no-sleepover household.

Then on his birthday, we had a special breakfast, a special Taco Bell lunch, cupcakes with his class and then Orange Leaf for dessert.

For presents, he got the infamous "Nike Elite" socks that are all the rage these days and some camping gear.  

Brayden is an incredible blessing in our lives.  I often wonder what I did to deserve such an wonderful boy.  He is beloved by his teachers, he is smart, he is caring and compassionate, and he is athletic and talented in so many ways.  He is the best big brother his siblings could ever ask for.  Often people comment to me on how good he is with his little brother Emmitt.  He's so patient and fun and responsible and I am just so lucky to have him. 

And as a health update, we think we have diagnosed his chest pains.  We are currently operating off the diagnosis of costochondritis which is pain of the ligament that connects the breastbone to the ribs.  I think this is the correct diagnosis as his terrible coughing over the years is bound to be rough on his body.  Our pediatrician still thinks its esophagus related (esophageal spasms to be exact) but right now we are treating it with anti inflammatories and waiting it out to see who's right.  His biopsies showed mild reflux which we are treating also but we dont think that is significant enough to cause his pain.

Happy Birthday Brayden!