At the Park

One day last week we went to park in the morning and stayed there for about 3 hours! I kept asking the kids if they were getting tired and wanted to go, but they were just having such a great time.

Burying their feet in the sand.

"Take a picture of me climbing up here."

Michael & Emma were swinging from the "vines" on one of the trees.

Back on the Juice

Katelynn is having ANOTHER relapse!! Her last one was in March, and she just barely weaned off the prednisone the end of May! We noticed the swelling in her cheeks and eyes on Saturday and tested her urine for protein. It was really high, so we left a message with her doctor's answering service. He called us back pronto & said to start her back on the prednisone. Then on Wednesday she had an appointment. We are going to have to keep a close eye on her, because if she has too many relapses we are going to have to try alternative treatments. You don't want to stay on prednisone for prolonged periods of time. He said that more than 4 relapses in a year is when you start to get concerned. Well, she's about there. Her first presentation was last May, and this is her 3rd relapse since then! Crazy kid!

We'll keep you posted. As for right now, she's just back on the prednisone, which=crazy mood swings (yipee skippy!!), and she'll be on the same dose till her urine shows only a trace amount of protein, then it takes about a month to wean off of it.

Funny Kids

We're back with another edition of "Funny Kids". Here are a few gems for you to enjoy.

Michael was sitting on the counter in the bathroom, poking the mirror.
M: I'm trying to get that guy in there that looks like a picture of me.
J: Oh! It's called a mirror. It shows your reflection.
M: Well, I don't like him.

J: Go pick up your toys, please.
M: I don't want to. I want you to help me.
J: You can do it by yourself. You're a big kid. Hey, I know! You can pretend like you are those kids on "Mary Poppins" and you're cleaning the nursery.
M: Mary Poppins helps the kids.
J: Uh...well, they do it by themselves sometimes.
M: No, they don't.

Katelynn wanted me to turn on the computer so she could listen to music. I told her that I wasn't turning on the computer, and that we could put a CD in the DVD player & listen to music that way. She didn't like that idea, but I put in a CD anyway.
K: I don't want any music. I'm just being a brat. *shrill scream*

M: I'm a butterfly!
E: No, boys don't be butterflies. Only girls be butterflies.

Hope that tickled your funny bone! Have a great day!

Puppet Show at the library

We went to a puppet show last week at the library. I personally thought it was kinda dumb, but the kids liked it, and that's what counts, right?

All three enjoying the show.

Michael mesmerized by the puppets. His favorite was, of course, the dinosaur scene.

Katelynn deep in thought.

"Don't take my picture, Mom!"


The kids {love} going to the library. We go there at least once a week now. I let them each pick out 2 books and 1 DVD to check out, then I get a few books, too. I like looking through the kid books and finding books I remember loving as a child. Each week I check out at least one of the books I loved as a kid & read it to the kids, hoping they will fall in love with some of the same books I did growing up. Last week I checked out "Stone Soup". The week before that I got "George & Martha". This week I got "Mike Mulligan & his Steam Shovel" and "The Little House".

I also make sure that each week I check out a counting book and an alphabet book. I think when kids are young, repetition is the key to learning. If they see the letters and numbers enough, and with a little encouragement, they will learn their letters and numbers when they are ready. Sometimes I think we over complicate things, and push kids to learn things at a younger and younger age than we need to. When I was in elementary school we didn't even start learning to read until 1st grade. Now, kids are expected to know all their letters going into kindergarten, and if they haven't there's something wrong with them. But, when I was in K I knew how to read (because my mom taught me how) & did the 1st grade reader, then when entering 1st grade I was forced to redo the same coursework and was pushed back to stay with the other kids in my class, punished for the level at which I was already able to read. Now kids learn to read in K and are a failure if they can't. What's up with that?! Why can't kids learn at their own pace?!

Well, that was a long tangent! Anyway...

We love the library!

Space Party

Last Wednesday we went to a Meteor Shower party at the Citadelle Plaza. They had a bunch of stations set up with activities for the kids to do, like crafts and demonstrations, from the Challenger Space Center. There was a liquid nitrogen demo, a meteorite display with pieces of meteorites to touch, and huge telescopes set up. The kids had a good time.

They really enjoyed the rocket demo. (film canisters filled with water and Alka-Seltzer that shot up in the air) Look at Michael's face!

They had a comet-making craft. The comets were such a good idea, and the kids played with them for several days after. Really simple to make, too. You take a sheet of foil and a bunch of streamers, and pinch the streamers in your hand with the foil. Then, squish the foil into a ball around the streamers. And they actually fly! Here's a picture of one of them. Bear in mind that they have been played with a lot since they were made, so they didn't look this raggedy before. ;)


There was also a picture taking station. The kids looked so cute! (Sorry the pictures are so tiny!)


They were giving away prizes for the kids. If you went to all the stations and collected a sticker for your 'passport' from each station, as well as from some of the shops in the plaza, they gave you a certificate good for one Space Place class from the Challenger Space Center. Pretty cool!

They loved looking through the telescopes, escpecially Katelynn. It was fun to see the excitement on their faces as they were discovering some of God's creations.

Haircut

A few weeks ago my friend Lisa cut my hair. It is exactly how I wanted it. Thanks, Lisa!! I'm glad that I don't look like a total schlub all the time now, 'cause a haircut was long overdue!

The customary before...

**uhm...I acutally don't have a decent 'before' picture. We didnt' take any before she cut my hair, and all the recent pictures I can find are of the kids, so, uh just picture my hair quite a big longer, or in a ponytail, 'cause that's all I ever did with it.**

...and after.

TA-DA!!

**As a matter of fact, this 'after' picture was taken a couple weeks after the cut, so I don't really know why I am even bothering to do this post, except for the fact that my mom, amongst other people, heard that I cut my hair and wanted to see what it looks like now. So, for the inquiring minds who wanted to know, there ya go. **

Swimming with Larsons

Last week we went swimming with our buddies, the Larsons. Jenn's mom was in town and they wanted to show her a good time. It was a nice day for a swim. The Foothills Aquatic Center is like a mini water park, so that's where we ended up going.

The kids are getting better and better at swimming. They were actually swimming underwater!! Emma & Katelynn are getting especially good at it. Here are a couple pics of Emma doin' her thang.

Michael's getting a lot better, too. He's showing me that he can put his head 'underwater'. A few months ago it would have been like pulling teeth to get him to lean back in the water like that.

Daddy playing with the kids in the water.


Katelynn coming out of the water slide.

I didnt' get a good pic of Scott & I, but atleast I got a good one of Jenn & Nathan.


Mommy playing with the kids in the water.


Scott going off the diving board.


Thanks for letting us crash your pool party!

POW

For those of you considering it, you do {NOT} want to be a Barbie at my house.


I found poor "Darby" (I don't know why the kids call her that, but whateveh) naked & upside down in the bathtub, with both of her legs amputated.

It reminded me of the end of Toy Story 2, when the Barbie in the backpack turns to Stinky Pete and says, "You'll like Amy. She's an artist!" and he starts screaming.

The "Blue" Dinosaur Park

On Monday I took the kiddos to the park. (Was it really Monday? Am I that behind? Hmmm. Anyway..) They refer to this park as the "whale slide" park or the "blue dinosaur" park.

Michael riding the purple dinosaur.


Michael giving the dinosaur a hug. He loves dinosaurs. They are his favorite animal. Don't believe me? Just ask him.

I thought this picture of Katelynn turned out pretty good. I was playing with the different settings on my camera, and took this one is sepia.

All three on the dinosaur. They are talking on their cell phones. If I remember right, they were rushing Emma to the doctor because she had a broken toe or tooth. Hearing them play together cracks me up.

Catch up

Not too much has been happening over the last few days. But, I feel bad that I haven't really posted anything for a while, so here we go.

Last Friday (or was it Thursday?) I was finally able to go see the new Harry Potter movie with a couple of friends. I'm kind of a geek and love the Harry Potter series. I've read all the books several times and watch one of the movies at least once a week. I really liked the movie. I was a little disappointed with the things they left out or changed, though, and wonder how they are going to account for some of those left out & changed things in the next movie. But, all in all it was an enjoyable experience, and it was nice to go out without the kiddos.

On Saturday we went to a poolside birthday party for our friends (the Clements) daughter. Their pool has a beach entry and a huge shallow area for the kids to swim in, and they were doing awesome at swimming! After the party Lisa cut my hair! Pics to follow in another post. It's exactly the way I wanted it. Yea!

Sunday we were able to attend our friends' (the Matthews) baby blessing. Little Max looked so cute in his blessing outfit. After sacrament meeting we went over to their house for a little get-together. The kids had so much fun playing with the other kids. We went home for a couple of hours, then went to a 'getting to know you' party for new members of our ward. It was fun getting to know people in our new ward a little better. I think I'm really going to like this ward.

On Monday I took the kids to the park, then to the library. They were really good. I let the kids each pick out two books, and one DVD. I also picked up a couple more books. While perusing the picture book section I was really excited to find "George & Martha", which I remember from when I was a kid. One book I helped Emma pick out was "Bonjour, Butterfly", a Fancy Nancy book. I knew the girls would love it, and I was right. I've decided to put together sometime a Fancy Nancy 'tea' party for some of the moms I know and their daughters, where everyone dresses "fancy", we have elegant little finger foods, read Fancy Nancy stories and make some "fancy" craft, like fairy wands or necklaces. I'm getting excited just thinking about it!!

On Monday we also went out to dinner as a family. An older couple was seated next to us, and we had a great time chatting with them. They loved the kids, and the woman almost gave us her number so we could come visit sometime, but decided against it because she is in stage 4 terminal cancer and has chemo till February. With her weakened immune system she's not really supposed to be around a lot of little kids very much. They were really nice, though. When they were first seated next to us I was thinking, "Oh no. We are going to ruin their nice, quiet dinner." and " I hope the kids don't bug them too much", but they were absolutely delighted to be sitting next to us, and we were happy to be sitting next to them. It was a very pleasant dinner.


Tuesday wasn't super eventful. We went over to Jenn's house to play for a few minutes, and other than that, not much to report.

We have been trying to break the kids of this nasty habit they have of taking food, especially cake/brownie mixes, out of the pantry or fridge and spreading them around their bedroom. Ergh! But, I think we may have curbed their enthusiasm for sneaking food. Yipee!

Wednesday we just hung out at home. This week Scott and I have started watching "Lost" from the beginning of the first season. So far we really like it. I love shows that make you think and wonder what's going on. There are several shows that Scott & I like to relax and watch together. The first show we really got into together was "Alias". We also love "Burn Notice" (watch this show! It's on USA, or search for it on Hulu) and "Psych". A while back we were into "Heroes", but we haven't watched it much lately, 'cause it was getting kinda dark near the end of the 2nd or 3rd season(I can't rememebr which) season. Hmmm, what else... oh, we watch "Hell's Kitchen", too. We're on the 4th(?) season right now. Seems like we never watch shows until they've been around a while, and we have to start them from the beginning. Well, except for "Burn Notice". We started with that one from the very beginning. But, enough about that. More catching up to do.

Thursday we went to Costco to get our wedding pictures transfered from the negatives to a CD, so I can (finally) make an actual wedding album (it's only been, what, 7 years since we got married?!). I was going to go to this luncheon at the school with the first year podiaty students' 'significant others', but wasn't able to make it in time. Oh, well. The second years were giving advice to the first years about how to 'survive' med school. That first year is really tough, and I hear the second is a beast, as well. If I had attended the luncheon, this is the advice I would have given:

The most important thing you can do is be flexible and adaptable. Med school is tough! There will be times when your husband has 3 or 4 tests in the same week! He might get home really late, and get up really early, studying his brains out for those tests. Be understanding, and do all you can to help him. A little suffering & husband-missing now is better than the possibility of being in school an extra year because he has failed a class and has to retake it. Ask him how you can help him. Offer to make flash cards, pack him a lunch, send him friendly text messages--anything you can do to help make things a little easier. Try to have date nights periodically.

Remember-this too shall pass. In a few years he will be workin' that 9-4, and you will have all the time with him that you want. Just try to enjoy the ride. Make friends with some of the other wives, who can understand where you are coming from, and get together with them for girls' nights, playdates, etc. You can find in them a great support system. Good luck, and let me know if you need anything!

That's about all I have for this edition of "Catch-up with the Robertsons". See you next time!

Home for a Download

Singer Alex Boye is donating all the proceeds from the download of his song "Crazy for You" to a widow with health problems and her four children. Check out the story HERE.

Tossing Grapes

At lunch the other day I was tossing grapes in the air and catching them (or not catching them) in my mouth. The kids were getting a kick out of it! Their laughter is contagious, so I decided to record it. Enjoy!