Flake Fun

 The last several weeks have been doozies to be honest.  We did enjoy a visit to Smithfield and seeing some of you wonderful people! The kids particularly enjoyed Grandpa's swing!  

As soon as we got home the kids came down with a stomach bug which was quite the adventure. I went 5 days before having a vomit free day. (I am sure that some of you are thinking "5 days is nothing!" but it was exhausting).  

All 3 kids are teething which comes with hair trigger emotions but we are getting through it.

Robin has been struggling with aggression and wild emotions and the last several days have put together a very sad and heartbreaking puzzle for me. Last Sunday was our week to teach Sunday School. I have had conversations with the nursery teachers about not letting the kids cry for more than a few minutes before they bring them to us.  I thought perhaps that it would be easier for Scott to take the twins to nursery and I would take James straight to class. Scott came in after a few minutes and said that Robin was pretty sad. I reassured myself that the leaders would bring her if she was sad for more than a few minutes. To make a long story short, there were 2 substitute teachers in nursery, one that Robin is afraid of, and that substitute had walked the halls with her for the duration of nursery. Needless to say, she went to Relief Society with me today and it could be 2022 before she will go back of her own choice. 

We went to the Mesa temple open house on Friday and it was a good experience.  The kids really loved the reflection pool on the grounds.  

Well, I'm heading for bed. See you all next week!!!

I knew that they were not feeling well when they climbed on the couch and zonked for 90 minutes less then 2 hours after they woke up.

Carving pumpkins with Daddy 

Victory! A successful table climb

Nilsson News

 I can't stop laughing at Lauren's post!  I love the simplicity of her schedule and maybe I should implement it at our house.  I think all my kids would be on board for the 30 minute run around, jumping, punching part.  Little kids are so entertaining!

The latest happenings around here were Addy, Emerson, and Garrett's trip to Oregon.  They flew up there and met up with Garrett's parents.  It rained every single day but they were able to enjoy plenty of museums, aquariums, and when the clouds let up, walks along the coast.  They learned a lot about Lewis and Clark at the National Park there and were able to visit the Columbia River and see the salmon in migration.  They were also able to attend the Portland temple to do baptisms and that was a highlight.  I challenged the kids to try some fish since they were at the coast and it tastes good there.  Emerson was not super keen on the idea but did try some really good fish and chips and reported that they tasted like chicken nuggets.  That's not exactly what I had in mind but it is a small step forward.  Other than Emerson, they each had a day of not feeling great with fever, chills and aches.  They didn't know it at the time, but it was Covid.

The little kids and myself, stayed behind and tried to entertain ourselves.  We ended up going down to Mom's while Jenn and her kiddos were there and that was so much fun.  I had a small cough and debated whether I should go, but after weighing all the symptoms, decided it was safe.  We visited with Emma and Cam and briefly saw Lauren and her boys.  After returning home, and a couple of days later, I lost my smell.  Mom's crazy immune booster goop was our smell test with all it's apple cider vinegar, garlic, horseradish, oregano and who knows what all, and I couldn't smell a titch.  I went to get a test and it came back positive.  I felt fine other than my tiny cough and no smell!  Garrett and the others came home that night and the next day, Addy reported she couldn't smell nor could Garrett or Eliza.  They all took the goop smell test.  Garrett called his parents and they tested positive for Covid as well.  So quarantine, here we come!  I don't know which is worse, to be cooped up for several days feeling totally fine or at least make it feel productive by feeling horrible?  We missed out on the trick or treat festivities which was a big disappointment for the kids but luckily they had been able to attend a Halloween party earlier in the week.

We survived and are in the clear zone now.  We can't figure out how Emerson escaped without any symptoms whatsoever.  Maybe it's his steady diet of hamburgers from his trip and one serving of very healthy fish.  We are hoping this keeps everyone healthy and good for the Thanksgiving holiday and gathering!  Can't wait!

A bat, cowboy, and ghost, oh my!