August Family Adventures

 To help Mommy get some rest and healing time, lots of helpers came to entertain our kids and take them on adventures.  Puna took the kids out for lunch almost every day.  Brady and Madison would come to play in the yard or take the kids to Rexburg.  The kids told me their favorite things were going to the lake, Rexburg Rapids, and to Bear World.

 

 At the lake Daddy helped the girls make a little swimming hole.  Once it was full. the water went up to their knees.  They worked hard to dig and design the hole.  They were so excited to tell Mommy about it when they got home.

On Joey's circumcision day Daddy took the kids to the splash park and then a movie in Rexburg.  Only one problem....Daddy forgot to pack towels.  Since we were in Rexburg for the doctor appointment, Daddy called Mommy and asked me to pick up towels for the kids and meet them at the park.  I think Daddy gained some appreciation for how hard it is to remember everything to pack for family trips and outings. And we all had a good laugh at Daddy's expense about how he forgot towels for a day at the water park.

Puna, Brady and Madison took the kids to Rexburg Rapids one afternoon. Puna said it was a perfect day.  Unfortunately, no one got pictures.  They were too busy keeping everyone safe in the water.  Plus a lot of our friends and neighbors happened to be at the water park too, so the kids got a double bonus of playing with their friends that day.

 When Tommy was a baby we grew a zucchini bigger than him.  It wasn't too hard to grow a zucchini the size of a newborn this year.

 

Our little cubs loved their day at Yellowstone Bear World!

 Lily and Puna thought these chickens had awesome hair-dos.

 After taking this picture, Tommy freaked out about the ride and wanted to get off.

 But his sisters had a lot of fun!

 At first Tommy liked the idea of this ride because it is his favorite thing....cars!

 

But as you can see, once it got moving, the tears started flowing!

 Everything was better after a little ice cream.....

 ......And a train ride

Bye bye bears!

Before Papa had to go back home, we threw a little birthday party for him.  I love the picture of Annie singing Happy Birthday with her mouth open so big.  She sure loves her Papa!  Tommy was so excited about the cake that we had to hide it in a cupboard until dessert time.  Tommy polished off an adult sized piece!

 Lily started First Grade this month.  Her teachers are Miss Tonks and Maestra Ricks.  She spends half the day in English with Miss Tonks and then moves to another classroom for her Spanish time with Maestra Ricks.  She is thriving in their class.  Her reading is so much stronger after just three weeks of school.  She loves staying at school all day - mostly because she gets three recesses and gets to use the school computer lab.  We're so excited for her to grow and be challenged this year.

 Our days have started to slow down.  Mommy is feeling almost 100%.  Tommy and Annie are great helpers while Lily is away at school.  We are all so in love with Joey.

 The biggest hiccup in Mommy's recovery hit two weeks after delivery.  I started itching and had welts that looked like mosquito bites on my arms and legs one night.  The next morning around 4:00 a.m. I woke up covered from head to tow in hives.  My face was swollen and I had quarter sized welts all over my body that itched like crazy.  I was scared and ready to go to the emergency room.  After calling my doctor, they recommended urgent care instead.  The urgent care doctor was so kind.  I was given a steroid shot and almost instantly the hives started to go away.  But two days later, I woke up and they were even worse!  Panic set in.  Jeremy gave me a blessing and I went in to see my OBGYN. He prescribed prednisone and antihistamines. I was much improved within two days.  Doctors don't know why this rash happens to some women.  I'm just glad it is gone and we were able to avoid an ER visit.  Other than the rash, Joey and Mommy have had a normal recovery.  A big thanks to Puna, Daddy, and Grammy and Grampy for helping tend the kids, take them out for fun adventures, and run the house, so I could truly rest and heal.