A Sad Day

Brent and I have been talking over the last few months about Duncan's progress with his health and insecurity around strangers. We found out recently that he has arthritis and we have been giving him medication for it daily. But with the onset of summer, and the kids being home every day, and friends coming in and out all day long, I think we sensed a change coming. I may have realized it more than anybody, being home all day, and seeing the activity level in the house grow. But my stress grew with it, as children ran through the halls in the home and all over the backyard. I just felt like I had to be a constant monitor of where Duncan was. So we finally realized that he just wasn't safe to keep around in this type of situation. I didn't anticipate feeling so awful about putting him down, but I have prayed about it for days, and just couldn't find a better conclusion. Brent and I had to come to that conclusion together; and it was really hard for us. But we decided this week that we would take the time to say our goodbyes. A really awful twist is that I had a nightmare yesterday morning about him. Although, I did wake up to him licking my hand by the side of the bed, while he held his head under my fingers to pet him. That gave me a great sense of comfort. Little did I know I would need it the rest of the day. He really did love us, and we knew it. I am grateful for that realization. But after noon we said our last goodbyes and I thought my heart was going to break. I felt awful the rest of the day. On top of that, my ex-mother in-law sent me an email saying she was facing the same conclusion with her dog. Later that night she put her dog down too. It was nice to be able to share our feelings through emails. I never expected to feel this way, and was suprised by my heartbreak, but I know I really cared about Duncan, as we all do, and we will all miss him very much.

Kai's Birthday Bash!

Kai invited Jack and his 2 closest friends, Carter and Ben to his birthday. Ben got a hoot out of giving Kai the old "bunny-ears" routine! I read somewhere that you should invite half as many friends to your child's birthday as was their age - I thought that was the best idea I ever heard!

However, Carter's little brother, Ethan came (I have a picture of him later) and between the 5 boys and Keala - it was an awfully loud birthday party! But still a blast! They ran around outside and inside with the dog while we were BBQing shish-kabobs. Look at Jack challenge Maggie at tug-o-war!

The boys begged us to eat fast so we could open presents! All 6 kids had to help! Especially when they opened this gift from Aunt Leslie - army toys! Thanks Leslie! Kai just loved everything!

Although, I think the best gift of the night was the "Shark Bite Slip-n-Slide" that Gran'ma Joan got for Kai! (He wanted the same one as the boys across the street!) Now we have 2 in the neighborhood! No kidding! Kai literally ran and pounced into Joan's arms with the biggest hug I have every seen in my life. Adorable!

Sibling rivalry has to be one of the hardest things we deal with in life! So I always get the 'other' kid a present even though its not their birthday. Keala got a water gun and new goggles. Now she can keep up with the rest of them! Go get 'em Keala!

I saw this watermellon cake with 3 large plastic ants on it and just about fell over laughing. This is the only picture I have of the cake but you can see one of the ants. Kai got a kick out of it - and of course they all fought over who got a toy ant!

Last of all, we had a pirate pinata (I ditched the pirate theme as the day progressed) and just ended up with the pinata. The kids almost hurt themselves trying to get a turn. Look at Carter's swing. These guys are animals!

This is cute little Ethan. I think he had the best hold on that bat out of all the kids! This boy is a true ball player! He was so focused on gettin' that ship sunk, we all just died laughing!

Keala was actually pretty good too. This girl can hold her own when it comes to being in a crowd of boys! She really got the boat 'rockin' and all the boys were cheering her on! Good going girl!

Kai had so much fun. It really does make you feel like all the preparations, 'crowd control', and time invested in these kids are worth it when you see how happy they are. I think I was the most pleased out of anyone at the end of the day... even if I did have to have lunch with my 'Ex' and his whole family! (Don't ask!)

Big Mama finally got up there and cracked that sucker open! (Only I accidentally swung in the direction of Erika and showered her with all the 'loot'). She informed me that 'next time' she needed a warning. Hilarious! Brent teased me that he should have warned "heavy-hitter' comin' up to plate"! Hello! He said it with a kiss but I still growled at him!

We spent the rest of the evening opening up all the toys and having a 'thorough examination'... (meaning: ALL the toys had to be played with!) What an exhausting, but fulfilling day. Erika told me later that when she drove home, Jack said it was the best birthday party ever! I think so too Jack!

Oh What a Beautiful Morning!

Brent and I go walking every morning almost 3 miles a day. Lately the mornings have been so beautiful (and almost cold). The air smells so sweet of the ripening flowers and cottonwood trees. The kids stay up so late every night that they sleep in till 8:30 or 9, and we usually leave at 7 and just walk around the circle of houses on our track so we walk past our house about 6 or 7 times. Some mornings they come out, but mostly they're still asleep by the time we get back. This morning we got just a little bit rained on. We make sure to stretch out well before and after... or just jump in a hot bath later! This morning we jumped in the hot tub - such a nice accessory! We were rained on there too... but not before we got 'discovered' by the little munchkins from munchkin-land!

Il Divo with Mom

Mom and I ate dinner first at Macaroni Grill where the waiter took our photo. Then mom gave him a gift card and I gave him my debit card and he came back to our table and said the gift card had expired and my debit card had 'insufficient funds'. Both mom and I said "what!" in chorus and then mom started laughing and he started laughing. (It still took me minute to get the joke!) But it was a good joke! (Still our stomaches fell about five feet and we were almost nautious walking out of there.) He got us pretty good!

The tickets said "no cameras" inside the concert so we had a passer-by take our picture outside the "Delta-Center"- now- "Energy Solutions Arena". What a long name! Inside EVERYONE had their camera - I was so annoyed! I would have loved to take more pictures inside. The women we sat around were a hoot! I would have taken their pictures too!

It would have been fun to do these 'self-portaits' inside too, but 'oh well'. All the women were completely 'Ga-Ga' for these four boys... but I have to admit, they not only had GREAT voices - they were pretty HOT too! We laughed and laughed with the crowd as women bought more pamphlets of the singers and then fought with each other over 'who HAD DIBS on who!' It was hilarious. The mother who we sat next to also came with her son for a Mother's Day present. It was a lot of fun! Thanks everyone for letting me take mom - we had a great time!

Graduation Days!

Sunday night was Kasey's Seminary Graduation Program. Don't we all look good! Kasey is so excited. (And nervous - its all mixed nerves and feelings with these things.) But she's having a ton of fun. There are so many farewell parties, and yearbook signings, get-togethers, and such that she doesn't have much time to sit around feeling bittersweet about all of it. However, she and her boyfriend did decide to stop being exclusive in preparation for college and all the other changes that are coming up down the road. So that was hard. And she still has a long summer to get through. But she leaves next Monday for a "Senior Trip" with girlfriends down to California for the week, so there is still a lot of excitement in the air.

This is a good-looking crowd! Kasey has already started getting graduation cards (with mula! for college) in the mail and I asked Brent if she was gonna sign those over to us! Ha! (I guess it doesn't work that way.) But we are so proud of her and the accomplishments she's made along with how well she's perservered through all the changes in her life these last few years! The atmosphere in the home feels better than it ever did and I don't think I could ask for better at this time. We seem to have all found our grooves and are moving right along. Its a great feeling for once!