Let Me Tell You a Story

It all started two nights ago.  Troy took the big kids to go see the UofU women's gymnastics team.  (I've been meaning to blog about taking Bitty two weeks ago, but it's been so long now that I'm just going to have to forget it.)  I was home with little Bundle, who is pursuing a professional career in  ear aches.  (This girl hasn't been healthy for longer than a week since last summer.) Troy and the big kids walked in late, Bitty holding onto a giant bag of pink and blue cotton candy.  We hurriedly got the kids ready for bed, when Bitty started mentioning that her stomach didn't feel very good.  We, being the good parents that we are, used it as a teaching moment about the evils of eating too much candy, despite the fact that we're the ones who bought it for her.  We got the kids settled and went to bed ourselves around 11:15.  It was a lovely 1/2 hour of sleep.  And then the wild rumpus started.  Bitty began the great evacuation of the cotton candy all over herself and her bed.  This in turn woke up Bundle, who was fevery and crying and clinging to me for dear life while I swabbed up her big sister.  It took both parents to get the girls cleaned up and put back to bed.  Bundle wasn't able to get to sleep for another 1 1/2 hours, at which time Bitty woke back up and began the cycle of puke again.  Which woke up Bundle.  Again. This went on until about 5:00 in the morning, when we finally all fell into a sound sleep. Until about 7:15.  Yes, the girls still woke up at their regular time.  I'll summarize the rest: Saturday was awful.  This was made especially true by the fact that as I was madly doing dishes and laundry between caring for two sick girls we realized that we had no hot water. Troy made a trek to the basement to confirm the fact that yes, the water heater had died.  Not a great day for that to happen, by the way.  I am happy that it lived long enough to get us through the previous night, but seriously.  We're now in the market for a tankless water heater, which will be great....when we get it installed...in two days....Bitty is still puking....

So yeah, not the best weekend ever.  And yet, I do have to say that there are good things about it.  Like the fact that the kids haven't fought at all in three days!  (Bitty's been unconscious for most of it, that's why.)  Also, she's doing that darling thing where she's so sick that she's crossed from being really whiny to being utterly and completely sweet and lethargic.  I hate to see them sick, but it brings out their good manners.

There have been many many things queuing up on my to-blog list in the mean time...I'll just mention them briefly and call it good so I can go to bed.

Thing 1:
The Pinewood Derby

Ever since I found out I was pregnant with a boy, Troy has been looking forward to his son's first pinewood derby.  Now, he's definitely not one of those dads who goes nuts and insults other people and only cares about winning.  He's excited because he loves to make things well.  And he and Stomper made a really cool derby car.  So cool, in fact, that Stomper won the most votes for "Our Pick to Win It" prize.  He was thrilled to get a ribbon.  And how did the actual race go?  Well, our Scout Master did his best to help all the boys feel good about taking part in the race, so he really downplayed the results.  But I do wish he had announced the top three because...Stomper took second!  It was awesome!

Thing 2:
Another Year Older, Wiser and Better

We celebrated Troy's 41st this week.  It was a somewhat quieter affair than last year's bash.  Just his folks came over for chicken pot pie and a super fabulous chocolate cake.  A night high in calories and high in spirits.  We decided not to risk burning the cake into a crisp by putting 41 candles on it - so we did four candles, then one candle.  Bitty (look at her all healthy and happy in that picture - I remember her!) did the honors of placing the candles, the sweet thing.  The house was a mess, we were all tired, but Troy got a new buck knife and a new hand plane is on its way.  Happy Birthday, my wonderful husband.


Thing 3:
The Skating Queen

This is another thing I've been meaning to blog forever - Bitty got skates for Christmas and though they occasionally go unused for weeks at a time, she absolutely adores them and is the cutest skater ever.  Sometimes she'll put them on and skate back and forth on the back porch for literally two whole hours.  It's crazy!

Okay, time for some sleep for me.  That's all the updating I can handle.  And frankly, after this past weekend, I hope there isn't much to report for a few days!