Puzzle mania

Last summer I purchased a card table and chairs for us to have as a game table in our front room. We've used it a lot for games, but I really wanted to have an ongoing puzzle set up on it. I thought Sammy would be my most interested child--it would give him something to do while I read out loud to the kiddos. I was right--he loved it!

Wait! you say--is that my invalid mother at my house in MN? Why, yes, it is! More on that visit later...

We did a few more puzzles, but I must have forgotten to take pictures...oh, well!

Sky

Last December we got a cat and a bird--both from freecycle, both on the same day. Luke is our cat, and Sky was the bird--Elise's special pet.

He loved to be out flying around--and quite frankly, I don't like cages. We let him out for hours every day.

Sadly, and very unexpectedly, Sky the parakeet passed away a month ago. He was fine in the morning--flying all around and snuggling up with us, but by the afternoon he was gone. I had some heartbroken children.

 The tombstone reads, "Here lies Sky: A free bird"

Because I have cute kids

Look Mom! I dressed myself!

Quotes

Lincoln loves the breath mints that I very rarely buy...

Lincoln: "Mommy? I have two stinky breaths. I need two mints.
Me: "That's not how it works."
Lincoln, confused: "How does it work?"

While out walking Lincoln pulled out some breath mints I recently purchased, "cause maybe we might get a stinky breath."

***

I have a bad habit of sometimes falling asleep while reading to the kids in the mornings (those mornings where I stayed up too late the night before...), and did just that the other morning. Trevor got a blanket and tried to cover me, then got his blanky--the very, very special one--and put it on me and crawled next to me and rested.

***

Last Friday we went to a pretty cool park--the "Chutes and Ladders" park. I'm not a fan of huge man-made play areas; I get a little stressed worrying about where everyone is. Adding to my stress was the heat, lack of shade and crowds of people. When we got home I was wiped out and went to rest on the couch. Lincoln came in and saw me resting and brought me a blanket, "Because I just take care of you, Momma."

Oregon visit (beginning of April)

In the beginning of April Stephen's parents flew to MN for a week so I could go to Oregon and be there for my mom during one of her chemo treatments. I saw them for a few hours before taking off...

They brought Trevor's new quilt--isn't it amazing??

Mom was supposed to have her chemo treatment the day that I arrived, and I was supposed to take care of her...but the Lord had other things in mind for us that week! All of her blood numbers but one were in the "go" zone, but that one number pushed back the chemo for a week, so instead of me taking care of my poor invalid mother, she had me working in the garden, tying a quilt, going to the temple and walking every morning!

Mom doesn't do very well being "taken care of".

Grandpa's first selfie!

 The day before I left Mom went in for her chemo drips. I have to say that it surprised me how emotional I was about it all. I tried to keep her smiling and laughing, but it was really, really hard to see her hooked up to that machine and know what was going in her body. To get the meds hooked up the nurse has to get all gowned up--and that stuff is going in my mom's body! <shiver> I'm not a huge hospital fan (actually, I don't know many people who are), and while I'm glad I could be there, it was hard!

I got to spend a little time with Brett, Jen, Liza, Lettie Claire and Steven.

I'm glad I could be there--both for the wonderful week we had together before chemo, and to actually see the emotional and physical effects the chemo has on my mom. She got some numbers back recently, and the chemo is having positive effects on the cancer, so yay to that! She's just started another round of 4 treatments...I'm so glad she has good friends to step in and help where I'm not able!