Not to be a downer, but wake me when September ends

Geez, what a month. The day after our house almost burned down, Nils fell from the second floor of his wood shop and busted a rib. (Oh yeah, Nils is building a wood shop.) He's fine, but wasn't fine for about a week. Sneezing almost killed him, and let me tell you, Nils is a sneezer. Now that it's been a little over three weeks, he's given up trying to suppress the sneezes, and it hurts much less than it did. Thank goodness.

Not funny! 

I've had a rash for like 3 months, and my whole body has been itching non-stop. It's been very not awesome. I can't remember what it's like not to itch. I've been making regular visits to the dermatologist. I've been given allergy injections, allergy meds, lots of prescription lotions and creams, and watched the rash move all over my body, morphing and mutating as it goes. I scratch all night and scratch all day. The dermatologist took a couple of biopsies. One of those got infected so I had to get some antibiotics, which then gave me another infection. OY. Then the biopsy result came back as an "id dermatitis" which basically means "something is irritating your skin". Anyhoo, went back a couple weeks ago after no improvements, and after three men looked at my rash through a microscope, they decided to treat me for scabies. Even though they saw no scabies. And even though no one else in my family has scabies, including my husband, who I sleep with. And wouldn't that biopsy have shown scabies?

They had me take the dog to the vet to get treated for scabies. I did so, and the vet said the dog doesn't have scabies. She did, however, tell me that Pip is a "BAD DOG" after she tried to bite everyone's heads off at the vet clinic. It was embarrassing. The entire visit was embarrassing.

So Pip and I have been treated for scabies, which is super weird, since we don't have scabies. In all these medical people's defense, my rash has cleared up, but I am still so, so itchy. So I hope it was scabies and that was that. But it truly is a mystery, given the only symptom that matched up was/is my non-stop itchiness. Anyway, call me Job. It's been one thing after another.

A small sampling of the treatments that haven't done anything

We had a tragedy in our community this past week, when the most beloved teacher at the middle school, Mr. Thornton, was killed in a car accident on his way to school. Anders didn't have him this year, but had him for 7th and 8th grade honors history, and was his TA last year. He was Anders' favorite teacher, and as we've come to find out, everyone's favorite teacher. It's really rocked our little city. He has a wife and baby, and everyone's hearts are broken for them.

Mr. Thornton was a huge geek. He loved Star Wars and all things nerdy. His family asked the school band to play Star Wars at his graveside service, which Anders was able to be a part of. Anders and I went to the funeral, which was packed to the rafters. People were standing in the cultural hall, in the halls, in the auxiliary rooms. Clearly this man meant a lot to so many. At the cemetery as the hearse drove in, the band played the Star Wars theme song, and it was light hearted and heart wrenching at the same time. His wife came up to the band and thanked them all for being there and told them how much it meant to her. I'm glad Anders was able to take part in honoring his teacher, and Mr. Thornton's family will always be in our hearts and minds.

So this post is a downer, but this is real life, yo. Sometimes life is good with a little crappy mixed in, and sometimes it's more crappy with some good mixed in.

Someone hand me my back scratcher.

There was an eclipse, school started, and our house almost burned down

Well, this week was all kinds of exciting. Yesterday someone started 7 fires along Redwood Road, and one of them happened to be in the field next to our house. We were all at church and had no clue. Fortunately, someone in our ward was sluffing church to make strawberry jam (her story, haha). She said she saw smoke at 1:30, by 1:35 the whole field was on fire, and by 1:39 the fire department was there and had it mostly contained. Whaaa? She sent texts to the bishop and others to tell us to get home- I wondered as I was leading music in primary why Nils was standing there staring at me. Anyway, he left before I was done, and when I stepped out into the hall to see what he needed, our neighbor said, "you need to get home, there's a fire right by your house." Someone got Anders out of class, and he and I rushed home, and by the time we got here, it was like the picture below. The firefighters had it under control, but it was surely a strange sight. Our neighbor Karlene took this picture. That's our roof, and you can see the top of the club house in our yard. B-a-n-a-n-a-s.

No word on who or what started the fires. There's speculation that a vehicle was dragging a chain and sparked all of them. I'd like to think it was accidental, and not some nit-wit doing it intentionally. Anyway, we're thankful that we still have a home. The firefighters were amaaaaze-balls!

photo cred: Karlene Edgel

photo cred: NilsyNils

So how about that eclipse, huh? Pretty neato! Aani and Ava made their way up the street to view it with some friends, who had actual glasses. I did make them the sweet cereal box projectors, but clearly the glasses were better. Anders and I looked at it through a welding mask. I was a little scared that we were all going to go blind, but we all have our vision still. *fist bump* Addie was at 7th grade day at school, but got to watch it in the class she was in. They did the pinhole in the paper thing, I think. Nils watched it at work. 

Addie's first day of Jr. High! This was at the bus stop with some cute friends. We have a bus stop right by our house, now! For the last 2 years it's been a half mile away, so this is much better. Maybe Anders will actually bring his french horn home to practice and clean now that he doesn't have to lug it all that way.

First day of school for everybody. Why is time flying by? Anders 9th, Addie 7th, Aani 5th, Ava 2nd. 

Here's hoping for a banner year for everybody! Make good choices, children!

Summer's Flying By

It's going too fast! I can't believe school starts in just 3 weeks. It's been a fun, full summer.

4th of July: 

We went to Lagoon with our friends the Jensens on the 4th of July. Isaac came, too. He's kinda like our other kid. It was super fun! Everything is better with friends.

We had a hard time finding a place to eat at 9:00 on the 4th of July, but found a Cafe Rio in Bountiful that was open. They were not too happy when we rolled in 15 minutes before they closed on a holiday...but we ate well, and then we bought some fireworks in the parking lot and let them off. The kids seriously though that was the best thing ever. Funny how those little, unexpected things are the things they like the most. 

Girls Camp:

Addie went to girls camp a couple weeks ago, and had a blast. Nils went up for one of the days and they duct taped their little hearts out. When Addie came home from camp, she said, "I went to girls camp, and fell in love with duct tape." 

Cutest camp shirts ever.

Aani's Play: 

Aani was in the city's youth theater production of The Jungle Book. She was a bee. When she was cast as a bee, she cried and cried and wanted to quit, because she didn't have a speaking part. I wasn't having any of that, and I schlepped her to practice 3 times a week and told her to buck up. She ended up having a great time and loved performing the play. And, the bees were on stage quite a bit and were totes adorbs. It was a really cute play! 32 minutes total- it was just right.

Dance class: 

Ava is a year too young to do the city play, so she took a dance workshop instead. She enjoyed it, but she wants to take gymnastics "with bars". I don't know if that's gonna happen or not. I'm really loving the neighborhood tumbling class for convenience purposes.

Block Party:

Had our annual block party on the 22nd, and it was a blast. The kids said several times, "That was soooo fun!" We have fun neighbors! It just happens to be in our yard because we have the flatness necessary for a giant water slide, but the neighbors up the street make this all happen. I hope the kiddos appreciate growing up with good people around them! We had an amaaaaaaazing fireworks show at the end of the night- seriously beyond any of our expectations. Our street pitched in with another street, and some guy had it all automated and to music. It was crazy awesome.

Randoms: 

We built a clubhouse in the backyard, and Nils and I love it more than the kids. It's so cute and charming, and has a fab view out the windows. We had a primary presidency meeting in it last month, and it was off the hook! 

Views from the clubhouse!

We went to see Nils' new office, and I found my spot. I can just hide under this desk all day once the kids start school. That wouldn't be weird.

 A double rainbow. What does it mean??

In the remaining weeks of summer break, we have another trip coming up- we're surprising the kids with a fun weekend away. Can't give details yet in case they see this post-- but it ISN'T Disneyland or Hawaii, so don't get too excited. 

The boy is keeping plenty busy with marching band- oh yes, I forgot to mention that he has been working around the neighborhood quite a bit, mowing lawns and pulling weeds, dog sitting, etc. He's been able to earn a lot of money to help with band expenses, and to replace his phone that died a long, horrible death. A busy teenage boy is a good thing. :) 

Fun, Busy June

School's out, baby! This month has been non-stop, which is good for summer time sanity. We headed to LA a few days after school got out and spent a few fun days visiting Shiloh, Brian, Indy, and new addition Tenzin. It was a great getaway, and we loved just hanging out with everyone. Tenzin is the cutest. Indy is spunky and hilarious. Shiloh and Brian and endlessly gracious! We had such a good time!

I need to mention the fact that I took a 2-3 hour nap on this vacation. It was uninterrupted, and it was one of the highlights of my life. Even though the kids are old now, I can't remember the last time I took a nap like that. I seem to always be on alert, so that "vacation nap" was a significant event.

We all enjoyed Tenzin a lot. 

He was talking up a storm! Sooo cute!

Ava read him some Piggie and Gerald stories. He was pretty into it.

Ahh, a real piano!

Cute, accidental snuggling in the night.

Brian took us to his police station and locked the kids in a holding cell; then insisted they wash and sterilize their hands. :)

We all hit up the Glendale Galleria to get the new Lego rocket.

 This kept the boy busy for a whole day.

 Paid a visit to the LA temple and Visitor's Center. 

Thug life in the Visitor's Center

Olvera Street. Tons o' fun! 

Went to The Last Bookstore, and Addie has decided she wants to live there. Also tons o' fun!

Back home, and time for youth conference, scout camp, activity days camps, and Aani's birthday!
We have a really impressive, over-achieving stake. It's awesome and mind-boggling, and I hope and pray I'm never expected to be in charge of anything, because it will just be an utter disappointment compared to what goes on right now. The stake primary put on this activity days day camp, and it was just above and beyond, and totally amazing. They had all sorts of fun, meaningful activities, and to end it all, the fire department came and squirted foam and sprayed water all over for the girls to play in. Seriously, so fun!

Aani Flaani turned 10, and wanted a pool party. She invited 6 friends from her school class, and we went to the Lehi outdoor pool right as it opened. I packed a cooler, and it was the most chill, easy, non-stressful birthday party ever. All birthday parties should be this way. Amen and amen.

Came home and had cupcakes, creamies, and opened presents. 

Her party was on Saturday, but her b-day wasn't until Monday. We stayed up until midnight on Sunday so she could open her presents; that way everyone didn't have to wake up super early before dad left for work. Summer birthdays are amazing. Too bad she and Nils are the  the only summer birthday kids! The rest of us have winter birthdays, like suckers. 

Anders went to scout camp and pretty much hated it. He's too old for all of that. He has to miss high adventure later this summer, because of marching band, so that's sad. Anyway, I don't think the whole week was horrible, as you can tell from this sideways picture and the blurry group pic. ;) There were good times mixed in with the not so good. 

Nils got his silver YouTube Play Button. This is mailed to you after you hit 100,000 subscribers. Crazy, I tell ya. 

He was also given a new position at work, and will now be a Software Engineering Manager- he was shown his new office today. It's a totally different role, where he'll be doing virtually no coding; it's all dealing with the people side of things, which he's pretty good at. Good job, NilsyNils!