Can't get enough of these boys!

He was tryin' to tell me with his eyes....

Here is Boston on Friday - doing just fine.

Here is Boston on Sunday - he was running a fever and had a cough.

Here is Boston today (Tuesday) getting a breathing treatment at the doctor's office. 

This poor little man just kept getting sicker and sicker until this morning he seemed to be drowning in mucus and wheezing a little.  He mostly wanted to be held and whenever he would try to sit and play he would only last for a few minutes before being tired out.  I went though my usual debate of "should I take him to the doctor or is it going to be a waste of time because he just has another cold?"  I looked at Boston and he told me with his big, sad, sicky eyes to "make the call already!"  

Usually when I take my boys to the doctor it turns out that I am over-reacting and they are just fine.  Well, it is a good thing I took Boston in today!  He has a double ear infection and RSV!  So now we have to give him Albuterol breathing treatments four times a day, antibiotics, Motrin, and Benadryl!

All that time he was trying to tell us how bad he felt with his sweet sad eyes.  "Mommy, why can't you make me feel all better?"  Poor little baby.

A Wicked Awesome Remote Control

A few months ago our remote control stopped working.  We tried out two different universal remotes before discovering that the problem was the receiver on the TV - not the remote.  We resigned ourselves to the "healthier couch potato" method of getting up to change the channel and volume as needed.


Stephen and I decided that daddy really deserved a new remote control that would work properly so we went down and picked one up from Costco to surprise him.

As you can see Scott is thrilled with his new clicker!

The best part was that it came with a bigger TV!

We really like the streamlined design of this TV - it saves space in our small living room.  Okay, it is just wicked awesome!!!

The thanks goes to Uncle Sam for funding the purchase of our new remote control.  We are just trying to do our part to stimulate the economy....

Disclaimer: We did discuss the possiblility of getting a TV with our tax refund before I went out and made the purchase so it wasn't a total shocker.  Scott wouldn't have parted with the money even though he wanted a new TV so I just made it easier on him by bringing it home!   The man works himself to the bone for our family and deserves a really nice surprise.  Don't worry, there is still plenty $$ left to do all that responsible stuff with....

THIS is the actual picture of Scott seeing the TV for the first time - all propped up against the wall in its box... Not too exciting of a reaction - Scott is not know for his big reactions to things.  Thus the re-enactment is pictured above.

Bed Rail - 1 : Stephen - 0

Notice the bruise across the bridge of his nose (try and ignore the PB smudges on the rest of the face)...

This is how he was one morning - he couldn't (or wouldn't) tell me how it happened.  I heard no crash or scream to tell me anything - a mystery bruise!

Later I went into his room and saw this:

Hmmm.  Looks like Stephen managed to get caught in it or tried to vault over it, but obviously his nose meet the edge of that rail with great force!  The poor little guy's nose was a little swollen and stuffy all day as a result. 

Miraculously, no black eyes!

The bed rail has been retired.  He hasn't fallen out of bed once since - and even if he does in the future, a clear shot to the floor seems preferable after that bump!

Fraser Fields Swap

I was asked to take part in a fun event in Historic Downtown Mesa called the Fraser Fields Swap.  It is a casual gathering of people who get together and trade items for home or wardrobe.  The concept seemed sort of strange at first but after checking out the blog and talking to the cute lady in charge I decided it sounded like a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.  I am helping to "sponsor" the swap so I get to set up a booth to sell my nursing covers.  Check out the blog http://www.fraserfields.blogspot.com/ for more details - even if you don't live nearby and there is no way for you to come, it is a really fun idea and you could try it out in your area!

This is what we have been up to....

Working really hard.

Squeezing in a few fun times here and there.

Rolling around from one place to another.

Plenty of smiling.

And a little bit of relaxing too.

Scott is incredibly busy working 25 hours a week and taking 15 credit hours.  He does homework and his church calling in most of his "spare" time.  He occasionally squeezes in some relaxation but mostly he is too tired and so he goes to bed early on the weekends!  I am so lucky to have such a hard working husband and we know all this will pay off in the future.

I have been insanely busy with raising two boys and doing my Primary calling.  I don't feel so stressed about things as when I was first called and we had our first Primary Activity Day on Saturday that turned out so great!  I don't feel that my life is an endless list anymore.  Don't get me wrong, I still definately have lots of lists, but they don't seem to be the focus anymore.  I run in circles around my house, constantly picking up toys, cycling through laundry, attending to potty/diaper needs, feeding Stephen, feeding Boston, feeding Boston, feeding Boston again, doing dishes, more dishes, cleaning the floor, and trying to keep my little ones happy and entertained.  Sometimes I squeeze in a random crafty moment - that is really fun - more to come on that later.

Stephen and Boston are so entertaining these days.  As Boston becomes more mobile (still just army crawling, but much, much faster), Stephen and he have more of a chance to interact.  Usually Boston is trying to grab whatever Stephen is playing with.  Stephen of course gets upset with him, but with only small reminders he is quick to apologize and will usually share a block or toy car.  I love to see them growing together and bonding.  Boston weighs 25 lbs - he breaks my arm when I carry him around.  You would think I would have the most buff and tone arms, but alas, it is not the case.  The little guy picked up another stinkin' cold when I took him back to the doctor for his follow up for the ear infection he had a few weeks ago.  I have decided that we are staying away from that office unless we are deathly ill!!  (Technically, he could have gotten it from anywhere, but the timing was right....)  Boston tries to say things and occasionally uses baby signs.  The closest he comes to real words is really just a few sounds "ah d" could be "all done" but has also been known to mean "more" so....yeah.... He does say "ha" which is "hi," and sometimes "ma ma" or "da da" but not very often.  Mostly he just moves his lips like he is trying out words quietly.  I think it is so fun to hear his sweet little voice trying all these new sounds out.

Stephen says the funniest things and comes up with some really interesting thoughts and ideas - it is so fun to hear his original ideas instead of being a "parrot," repeating only what they have already heard, like children do for so long.  He still loves to go to his Grandmas' houses and loves spending time with Grandpa Quist.  They spend a lot of time working in the yard together - anything Grandpa asks Stephen to do is the coolest and most fun and Stephen will do it with gusto and zeal!  He has been doing exceptionally well in Sunbeams on Sundays, though he started out with a hard time because I was up there teaching sharing time and he couldn't come talk to me and sit on my lap whenever he felt like it.  He is so brave now and understands that he has to stay in his chair with his class.  I love to watch him as he learns the songs and participates in the lessons!  He already has a new favorite Primary song, can you guess?? It's "Follow the Prophet" - I think it is usually a really big hit with most kids and Stephen is already singing along in the car (we have a CD with the songs for this year's program).  What a crazy thing that he can already be so big as to be in Primary!