F.Y.I.

In case anyone hasn't already heard Park City School District closed all 8 schools through Monday due to 3 possible cases of swine flu.  I'm going to get Brynne checked out today since I kept her home yesterday with a headache, fever and chills. 

I'm Such a Klutz

I just finished re-certifying as a Child Passenger Safety Technician.  I've now been at CPS Tech for 6 years.  Where does the time go?  So when I got an email last week asking for volunteers at a car seat checkpoint in Salt Lake on April 28th, I figured I ought to go.  I made arrangements for Brittney to watch Barrett for me while I attended the checkpoint from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  I hadn't been to a checkpoint since last fall so I was excited to go.  

I of course arrived a little bit late and the checkpoint was swamped.  It was being held at the Dream Center at about 17th South and 1000 West.  There were a lot of needy families and there was a good supply of new car seats that we were giving out for a $5.00 donation.  I was just finishing up my first car that had three kids in it and had gone to get a senior checker to pass off my work when I stepped into a pot hole and wrenched my right foot and  fell to my hands and knees.  I heard a noise like a crack or pop.  I had been looking at my clipboard instead of where I was going.  As soon as I tried to put weight on my foot I knew there was no way I was going to be able to walk.   

One of the other Techs helped me hobble over to the side of the building and brought me a chair to sit in.  Another Tech who is also a nurse came over and took off my shoe and sock to take a look and we could see the side of my foot already starting to swell up.  She retrieved my cell phone from my car so I could call Justin.  This happened right at 11:30 a.m.  I waited about 45 minutes for Justin, who had to finish up some stuff at work before he could leave.  He drove me up to a clinic in Park City and left to go back to work as soon as I had gotten checked in.  They took three x-rays of my foot and the Dr.  didn't see a fracture, but couldn't rule one out entirely.  We are hoping it is just a contusion and not a fracture.  I had a splint put on my foot that I have to wear for 5 days.  At that point I'm supposed to see if I can bear weight on it.  If I can't I need to go back for more x-rays.  I'm feeling pretty useless at the moment.  Peter kindly came to pick me up and then we picked up Barrett from my Mom's house and then he took us home.  I can't drive and really can't do much of anything while on crutches.  I had to call to get a ride to book club last night and I arranged a ride for Barrett to get him to and from preschool today.  I had signed up to help drive for his preschool's field trip today too.  

Of course it never rains, but it pours.  Brynne woke up with  a headache and a fever this morning.  Barrett was looking flushed so I took his temperature too.  He had a low grade fever so I kept him home from school too.  By late morning he had already taken a nap and woke up with a full fledged fever.  He was disappointed about missing his field trip, but I definitely made the right call in keeping him home.  My arms and especially arm pits are already sore from using my crutches.  I haven't even bothered to change out of my pajamas today.  So here's what my foot currently looks like.

Peter really is the best brother.  He went down to Salt Lake with Justin last night to pick up my van.  They took Hannah, James, Brynne and Barrett with them and stopped at Red Robin for dinner.  Blythe got to attend book club with me; the lucky girl!

Barrett's Birthday Party

We had a joint birthday dinner last Sunday for Barrett and my Dad (whose birthday was on the 22nd).  My Mom and I worked out the perfect arrangement.  She made most of the dinner and brought it down to my house.  We had grilled salmon, homemade french bread, Cindy's green beans, roasted rosemary red potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes (from Jess) and mashed potatoes compliments of Justin.  On Saturday I made two 9" round yellow cakes and a batch of frosting and turned them over to Brittney.  She worked her magic and created a Cars cake for Barrett. My Mom also made two delicious strawberry rhubarb pies in honor of my Dad's birthday.  Here are a few photos from the party.

Barrett waiting for us to sing Happy Birthday.

A close up of the cake.

It took Barrett a few tries to get all four candles blown out.

Cousin Tyler caught in the brief time when he

actually had his party hat on.

Hannah sporting pink streaked bangs compliments

of Blythe and her new hair streaking kit she bought.

Barrett ready to start opening presents.

Showing off his new game from Papa and Gram.

Pointing to the Piston Cup on his new

Cars megablocks.  Notice the Piston 

cup on his shirt as well.

Posing with Grandma and the huge 

Megablocks set she and Granddad gave him.

Blast From the Past

Last Friday night Justin and I attended a "Blast From the Past" party.  Everyone was asked to bring a photo of themselves from days gone by and was given the option of dressing up "as you were . . . sort of."  At the party all the photos were displayed with a number attached and everyone had to guess who was who.  I don't think I look much different, even though this photo was taken in 1989.  

Jill Sophomore Year in High School

Justin on the other hand, doesn't look quite the same as he used to when he was a High School Senior.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but something is definitely different.

Justin 1990

I knew that we had some of our favorite old clothes stashed away in some boxes in the basement because we both inherited a "pack rat" gene from our grandmothers.  Justin wasn't excited when I asked him to pull the boxes down before he left for work on Friday morning.  I had  fun looking through the clothes.  Each item of clothing that I unpacked felt like an old friend.  I hit the jackpot when I found the rugby shirt that Justin wore for his Senior picture.  I had a hard time deciding what to wear, but settled on a concert t-shirt, an oversized plaid shirt from The Gap that I used to wear all the time, faded button fly jeans with the tapered ankles and my Doc Martens.  I also found the necklace that I wore in my photo.  When the girls saw me in my "retro" clothing they thought I looked funny.  Direct quotes include:  "You don't look like yourself"  and "You look like a man!"  They couldn't believe that this was how I used to dress when I was in college.  

The early 90's version of Justin and Jill

almost 20 years later.

The party was a lot of fun.  Everyone didn't dress up, but it was fun seeing those who did.  Thanks go to Peter and Brittney for babysitting the kids for us even though they had company. 

Fisherman's Cove

Barrett spent a hopefully very memorable 4th birthday.  After a morning spent at Disneyland we drove back down to Laguna Beach where we met up with Dan and Mia and Peter and Brittney & Co.  Dan and Mia guided us to a small beach called Fisherman's Cove, that we would never have found on our own.  The kids had a blast looking for sea creatures in the tide pools, playing in the sand and in the waves.  It was a welcome change from the crowds at Disneyland!

The gorgeous ocean.

Hannah and Barrett.

Justin pointing out some starfish to the girls.

Taking a closer look at a tide pool.  

The Birthday Boy!

My sister-in-law Mia.

Peter taking a nap on the beach. 

The boys happy as clams to be digging in the sand.

Blythe posing with some seaweed.  

She was trying to replicate a photo that I 

took of her the last time we were in CA

almost two years ago.

The original seaweed photo.

She does look younger in this one, doesn't she?

Daniel showing Blythe how to use a skim board.

Hannah burying Blythe in the sand.

It was so great to spend some time with 

my baby brother Dan-man.

After a few hours at the beach we had all worked up an appetite.  We decided the perfect ending to Barrett's birthday would be dinner at In 'n Out Burger.  Dan swears they have the best fries ever.  I thought they were pretty tasty, but Justin and Blythe say they prefer McDonald's fries.  I wish I'd taken a photo of all us of eating dinner outside on the patio with the kids wearing their In 'n Out Burger hats.  It's always nice to find another restaurant that is safe for Barrett to eat at.  I didn't let him have a shake, but he loves rootbeer so much that it wasn't really an issue.  

Disneyland

We spent Tuesday to Friday at Disneyland.  This was the first time we had gone for more than 2 1/2 days.  The park was more crowded than I'd been expecting so it was a good thing we had as long as we did so that we were able to ride almost everything that we wanted.  The park was great until about 11 a.m. and then it seemed like every ride had a wait of over 45 minutes.  We used the afternoons to see the Aladdin musical, participate in the Animation Academy and see shows like Turtle Talk with Crush and Playhouse Disney Live.  Overall, the weather was perfect and we couldn't have picked a better week to be away from home because it snowed all week!

My creative Brynne wearing the Goofy hat that

she made at home in anticipation of our trip.

Waiting 45 minutes in line for our first

ride on Finding Nemo.  Verdict:  we 

don't need to ride this one again.

Barrett and Brynne with Mickey Mouse.

Brynne waiting for the Pixar Play Parade

to start.  Her loyal dog "Runo" joined us

multiple days at the park.

Barrett taking photos of the parade.

Our first early morning at Disneyland.  Notice the lack

of crowds and that Brynne has substituted her black 

bear for Runo.

Barrett letting off a little steam because he is so 

excited about riding on Splash Mountain for the first time.

A highlight of his first time at Disneyland; getting

his picture taken with Lightning McQueen.

Waiting to be seated at the Storyteller's Cafe in the

Disney Grand Californian Hotel.

Blythe posing with the menu.

Barrett looking adorable in his chef hat

while making his very own pizza.

Brynne with her pizza ready for the oven.

Justin holding a crying Barrett.  He was sad

because he wasn't tall enough to ride a rope

swing that Blythe and Brynne were waiting in

line for.

One of the advantages of having older kids is 

they can ride the teacups without you.  Justin

and I both avoid spinning ride at all costs.

This was the first time we've ever had a "Magic

Morning" early entry to the park.  It was wonderful

we did every ride in Fantasyland in ONE hour!

We met up with Peter, Britt, Hannah, James and Britt's 

grandma Velma during Magic Morning.  Here they are

with Barrett too riding the Casey Jr. Circus Train.

Hannah and Brynne having dinner at the PCH grill.

 A photo of our family minus Brynne (who

was with Hannah) on our very favorite ride.

Brynne with Tinker Bell after waiting in line

for 45 minutes to get her autograph.

Good-bye Disneyland, we're headed to the beach!

I love our hotel, The Candy Cane Inn, there 

were beautiful flowers everywhere.  I really 

appreciated all the colors and flowers after

such a long Park City winter.

Brynne posing with a bird of paradise and holding her

newest "stuffy" baby Simba.

Our last day at Disneyland also was Barrett's birthday.  Disneyland is running a get in free on your birthday promotion.  Since we had already purchased a 4-day park hopper pass for him we got a gift card for $59.00 to spend on souvenirs.  Barrett picked out a remote control Lightning McQueen, Brynne got her baby Simba and Blythe surprisingly couldn't find anything she wanted to buy except a giant lollipop that I wouldn't let her get.  She ended up with a $20.00 credit to her "Daddy Bank" account and I spent the remainder of the gift card on a beautiful hardback edition of Gail Carson Levine's newest book about Tinker Bell and the fairies of Pixie Hollow.  

This was also Barrett's first trip to Disneyland.  He was very fortunate that he just made the 40" height requirement and was able to go on Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain Railroad and Soarin' Over California with us.  If he hadn't been tall enough I don't think he would have recovered from not being able to ride Splash Mountain because the girls had talked it up so much.  His favorite ride was Splash Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean was a close second.  The girls were a little disappointed that they didn't get to ride on the California Screamin' roller coaster because it was down for two days.  They did get to ride Tower of Terror for the first time and loved that.  The new Toy Story ride, "Midway Mania" was a lot of fun and was worth the hour we spent in line.  Justin says if we ever go back to Disneyland, in about 5 years,  we are going between Thanksgiving and Christmas because that's supposed to be the slowest time.  The lines were really out of control.