Phenonia

It's been going around our house with a vengence. First, Christine had a fever, sore throat, and a nasty sinus infection, along with a cough that wouldn't quit, and a few days of very little voice. Then Rebekah followed suit with a sore throat, fever, and a pesky cough. Erik too got caught up in the action - chills, fever, cough, cough, cough. Then Joseph and Jalen Andrew joined the chorus of coughs, and the shivers of chills. Meanwhile Erik never got better. He'd seem better for a day or two, but then would return to bed shivering, with his cough hanging around and getting tighter by the minute, in his chest. He went to see the doctor the day after Thanksgiving . . . Pneumonia (or as someone in the family says, "phenonia."

Happy 3rd Birthday, Jalen Andrew

Jalen Andrew you are sweet, kind, and very loving. Everyone vies for your attention, and your hugs.

You are amazing at every sport you try: soccer, basketball, football, baseball, volleyball, ping pong, and you have a funny flare for combining all of those sports together when you play.

You are quiet and well behaved (for the most part) around others, but you have a funny side that explodes within the walls of our home, with funny made up vocabulary, funny expressions, and a good sense of timing.

You are an amazing boy, and we love you very much! It is such a joy to watch you grow and change, and to have you in our lives.

Jalen Andrew, as of late, is VERY into Lightning McQueen, so of course, he needed his very own Lightning McQueen cake, modified a little for the birthday boy (Joseph thought I was out of my mind when I put a #3 on the cake instead of #95). And a red velvet cake seemed fitting for a red racing cake.

It was so fun to watch Jalen's excitement this year. He really knew what was going on, and what to expect. Maybe it's not a race car, but it IS red, and it DOES have wheels, and Jalen Andrew LOVES riding his new "bike" all around. At first he seemed a little confused; he thought a tricycle would be easy to ride, after all, he sees his brothers ride effortlessly on their bikes. He caught on pretty quick though, and has been a racing, riding maniac ever since. HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY, JALEN ANDREW! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH1

JAZZY

Rebekah who has been playing trombone with the District Jazz Band this year, was just chosen to play with the District Honor Band, and Christine just tried out yesterday, and made Jazz Band at the high school as a pianist. We're so proud of both girls!

Halloween & Our Alter Egos

Joseph went as a Ninja for Halloween. It was pretty fun to learn how to tie a t-shirt into the heading for his costume. It was easy, but still looked cool.

Rebekah made a beautiful Hawaiian princess.

I had a costume all picked out for Jalen Andrew, but no matter what I said, he kept insisting that he was going to be a fireman. When we got the box of costumes down, he dug out the Superman cape, exclaimed, "Fireman!" and THAT was THAT! The rest of his costume was made in about 5 minutes.

James was a Jedi master. Looks a bit like the young Anakin, doesn't he?

Erik was the world-wide web (he has a globe on the back of his t-shirt)- scary isn't it?

This year wasn't one of our most creative years, and I became a somewhat tame "hippie" in a matter of minutes.

It was a good Halloween, and the kids came away with plenty of "goodies."

New faces

"What kind of face is your pumpkin going to have, Jalen Andrew?" "A smile face - don't look at the eyes! It's scary!"

Joseph took on the challenge of carving his own pumpkin this year, and learned that it is harder than it looks. He did a great job, but in the end, he and his Dad got a "little creative."

James was a trooper about cleaning out all of the pumpkin "goobers" - a task that he didn't enjoy much, but stayed with anyway.

The girls went jack-o-lantern free this year. Christine was too busy with high school stuff, to take the time to carve. She even missed our ward's annual trunk -or-treat, because she was at U of A for a band competition (by the way, they got Excellent as their rating!). Rebekah, who has NEVER liked touching the pumpkin goo, or smelling it, opted out of carving one this year, but asked us as she walked through the room, "Can you buy pre-carved pumpkins? If you can, I think that's what I'll have my kids get when I'm a Mom."