Author: eaumaison (Page 73 of 210)

Pictures with titles don’t really keep a good record of the Mason home.  Let me take a few minutes to give a real update on the last few weeks.  

Last weekend I schlepped the boys off to Grand Junction for a short visit.  No reason really.  Just wanted to say hi.  Jack had been asking about visiting and the weather couldn’t get any better for traveling.  We played, ate lots of pizza, and endured a blackout.  It was “special rules” galore, to use Jack’s phrase. 

Below is how you track a toddler in a black out.

Saturday I had the pleasure of being a speech judge for Amanda’s home meet.  This was my second time and it’s still a little nerve wracking.  There’s a lot to keep track of: the times, the codes, the comments, and rules you only learned 10 minutes prior to starting.  But I have a really fun time at it.  I like to leave thorough and precise compliments and critiques, leaving my hand quite cramped at the end of each round from all the lightening speed writing.  My nurse-note-taking skills have faded.  Days go by without me hand-writing anything as a stay at home mom.  Kind of strange to realize that. Anyway, Mavi kindly joined me as a judge, so I had pleasant company on the drive.  My folks also came up to help Amanda, and we all shared an early birthday cake when the meet was over. 

Sunday I had a relatively mild case of food poisoning (I think the source was from something at home).  We had to abandon our Primary class so Ben could take care of the boys while I convalesced.  Bathroom trips aside, it was a relaxing day for me.  I spent a lot of time lying down and reading.  I’ve been re-reading The Name of the Wind and got through nearly half of it in one day.  Such a good book.  Another positive note, this illness marks a week without anyone being sick.  Woohoo!

By Monday I felt completely better and took Jack to the dentist.  Sadly, his teeth two front teeth have decided they are done with this world and are slowly dying.  Dr. Strange (yes, his dentist is named Dr. Strange) said this is common, that after trauma to a tooth it will seem fine for years, then suddenly the nerve decides to die.   There’s inflammation now and a little bit of abscess forming.  We get to watch and take him back in for removal when it gets worse.  The dentist said they would “just wiggle it out.”  I thought maybe that was a special thing they can do with baby teeth, but internet searching only results in that phrase as a euphemism for yanking the sucker out the good old-fashioned way.  It’s actually both front teeth that are bad on x-ray, though the chipped one is worse.  However, last night Jack fell out of bed while trying to get down to go to the bathroom.  Big crash, lots of tears, no major injuries.  Then this morning at breakfast he complained his tooth (the non-chipped one) hurt from falling.  Uh oh.

Sam continues to climb whatever he can.  I’m extra worried about chipping teeth with him now.  It’s inevitable and unavoidable, right?  I mean, I spend about a third of his waking hours feeding/changing/dressing him, a third playing, and a third chasing him down from high places.  HA! I just took this photo while typing that sentence:

Here’s a sample of other times he was caught in the act.

The gym has become a regular part of our life.  I exercise there 3-4 times a week.  The kids love playing there, in fact Jack often asks if we can go!  Since buying the membership I’ve lost 12 pounds, bringing me below my pre-Sam pregnancy weight.  I love having strength and energy again.  My back aches are less frequent too.  My goal is to get to my pre-Jack pregnancy weight, but honestly, if I can keep steady through the holiday indulgences that would be good enough. 

Today our backyard is beginning it’s transformation.  After installing a stair railing, then painting the house, we decided our next big improvement would be the backyard.  We have a wonderful side yard with lush grass under an ash tree – perfect for climbing.  But it’s all outside of the fence.  After getting several estimates we settled on Highlands Landscaping to do the job.  Not only are we going to amend the fence, we will remove all the useless rock and replace it with mulch.  That way we can plant it on our own time/budget down the road. Here’s some hastily taken “before” pictures. 

I didn’t realize Marko, the owner, was Russian.  I think that’s what he was speaking to his team.  He also introduced me to the team leader for fencing, named Dragon.  Ben was very happy with that 🙂

Even the baby brother is stoked for Halloween!

October is the best!!!

Today Jack and I made those delicious, delicious cookies.  Jack has become such a helper in the kitchen.  He did almost every step himself!

I’ve been working on this project off and on for two years now.  This year I was determined to finish well before December.  

Weeks ago the preschool sent out a play dough recipe in a newsletter saying that a sign-up sheet would follow, but it never came.  Yesterday I saw a sign on the door “We need playdough!”  Yesterday I was also sick.* I was crushed that I couldn’t fulfill the request immediately.  Today when I brought in three batches (enough for 12 kids) they were thrilled, which made me happy.  Seriously guys, I’m so mad that they won’t let me send in homemade treats for parties.  I get it, I know why they must require all food items to have a label.  But stillllll I wish I could baaaaaaake.  Homemade play dough?  You betcha!  I will make all the play dough you want.  Closest I can get to homemade cookies and cupcakes.  (I wish I had an excuse to make these.  The ingredients are patiently sitting in my pantry for when I cave.)

The recipe they provided was so easy.  The result was soft, pliable, and smelled good.  Much better than the usual “salt dough” recipe.  This is my new favorite.  I might have to make more for home use.  Here are their instructions.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 Kool-Aid package
1⁄2 cup salt
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon oil
2 Teaspoons cream of tartar
I added a couple drops of food coloring to the yellow and blue to boost the color

Process:
1. Mix dry ingredients into a saucepan
2. Add water and oil
3. Cook until mixture forms a ball (about 1-2 minutes on medium heat)
4. Pour out on wax paper or board and knead (dumped on counter, kneaded until smooth, just a minute or so)
5. Store in air tight container

*For real sick: sore throat, stuffy nose and sinuses, tender skin, achy joints, throbbing head, and zero patience.  It was not a good day.  I slept during both Sam naps and worked very hard at resting instead of cleaning.  I think it paid off because I feel much more functional today, even had a dance party with the boys. 

Since school started we have had continual sickness in the house, just like last year.  The pediatrician assures me that 1-3 viruses PER MONTH is totally normal for two kids with at least one of them in a school/day care environment.  Each illness takes at least a week to run it’s course, multiply by 4 people, and you can understand how we are constantly sick.  On the bright side, Jack can take better care of his nose this year, Sam sleeps much better than he did as a newborn infant, and I have resigned myself to constant sickness.  Can’t crush your hopes if you never get them up in the first place!

I can’t help recording all this early walking.  He’s improving so fast!  I love the early, awkward stage so I’m trying to capture it.

This is a long clip of him fussing around (he’s sick, it’s late afternoon).  Skip to 1:25 to see his mini-marathon.  What a streak!

Then a little later with a snack in hand.  How American!

Can you believe how fast he’s picking it up?  Like riding a bike I guess.  Unrelated topic: a video of the two boys enjoying Baby Groot.

Spoilers if you haven’t seen Guardians yet.  This is from the very end during credits.