Time With The McKinley's

Aunt Debray fixing Emma's hair from when I cut around 15 inches off do to lice. It looks so much better. Thanks Debra.

Grammy and Emma

Madi has been busy in the kitchen helping Aunt Debra bake.

Oregon

We left at 5:08AM yesterday morning to head to Oregon. The night before it had snowed and Chris shoveled and salted our driveway so we were ready to leave in the morning. Chris had to scrape ice off the car in the morning, but it wasn't too bad. Anyways, we were heading down our street and Chris used the windshield wipers to get some loose ice off the window. His side wouldn't budge! He got out and checked... nothing. So we drove home. After 15 minutes trying to fix it in the dark, praying, and coming to the reality that we might have to take the blue car (smaller, no cruise control and needs a tune up) or leave the next day after we fix it, Chris decided to try one more time. He felt a bolt loose this time and tightened it... the windshield wiper worked! So instead of leaving only 8 minutes late, it was about 20 minutes late, that's okay, we left. The roads were pretty clear for the most part. There was one time we were behind a truck that was spraying guck that was so thick on our windshield that at one time we barely could see (it was looked like it was freezing to the window). Our windshield cleaner spray was frozen as well, but then thankfully started. We finely passed the truck and realized it must of been a salting truck, because none of the other trucks were spraying like it. As we were 10 miles from our exit, we got stuck in traffic do to a delivery truck on it's side facing north (we were going south). Thankfully only twenty minutes and 2 miles later we were on our way. We pulled in the driveway of Chris' parent's house around 6:40PM. I have to say our city feels so small now, but it's good to be home.

More!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

For those that read my lice blog, know that I found lice in Emma's hair last Sunday. I combed through her hair every day finding eggs. Friday comes and I found live bugs. So I treated her hair. Saturday was a busy day so I didn't get to combing her hair until after 7PM. I found more live ones! I was so frustrated, I took one of the two boxes back to the store and exchanged it for another kind. I come home and read the directions. Once in the hair, this prduct needed to sit for 60 minutes! Let's just say by the time we got done, Emma went strait to bed after midnight.

The next morning (Sunday), I check. I still found eggs, and not to mention one, yes, I said one bug. I treated her hair again. That night, I didn't find one thing, not even an egg. This morning I checked. Not one egg. We are so blessed, since we are now in Oregon, visiting family.

Excitement

Yesterday afternoon I was looking for something in the garage and came across a box that said "playroom toys." Since we were not the ones that packed our Oregon house, it is hard to find items and is very rare to find one that actually says "toys" on the box. I thought that the girls were playing nicely, especially since most of their toys that are unpacked disappeared into big black bags for awhile (to get rid of the lice). So I picked the box up and brought it into the house opened it up and dumped it in Madi's room, where they were playing. For the next half an hour or so I heard excitement over and over again as they found certain items as they were digging through the pile. It was delightful to listen to. Maybe instead of new Christmas presents, Chris and I should try to find another "toy" box and let them open it for Christmas (smile).

Playing In The Snow

It hasn't snowed since Saturday, but we still have a complete covering in the yard, even though it has melted some. I guess I should say, I did have a yard covered with snow. Now I have a wheelbarrow full of snow. Today was a beautiful, sunny day to play in the snow. We have most of the girls outerwear cleaned from the lice infestation (yes, I am still doing laundry), so I thought today would be a good snow day.

Lice

Yesterday morning Emma was brushing her hair. I decided to put her hair up; I was in the process when I saw something crawling in her hair. Then I saw more. Gross! Trying to be calm and killing them with a tissue was difficult. Just to note, even when you are calm, bringing a tissue to someones hair killing bugs, still will freak them out. Let's just say, Emma was upset. I called my sister-n-law, Debra, who is a beautician. She told me some helpful things to do. I also talked to her about cutting Emma's hair. We were planning on cutting Emma' s hair when we go to visit. I had measured it a couple of weeks ago to see if it was long enough to donate to Locks of Love. I put it in a pony tail below her shoulders and it measured 11 inches. Debra said to go ahead and cut it, and she can trim it when we visit. My mistake was I started at her shoulder. I am guessing that I cut around 15 inches off, which was good, because it took me around two hours to fully decontaminate her short hair. Speaking of inches, I had to get around 5 inches of piled snow off my car before we could run to the store and buy the lice kit. I was nervous driving down our slight slanted driveway hoping I wouldn't slip as I knew there was ice. I parked on the street when we came home. Later that day, when Chris came home from the men's retreat and church, he shoveled our driveway. He did slip and landed on his hand that he recently broke (of course). It hurt enough he wanted to find his brace. Which says a lot since he didn't wear that thing very much. He is still sore today, but seams to be okay. I could go on and on about our eventful day, but I will close with this:

I spent from the moment I saw the lice (9-10ishAM) until 11PM disinfecting our hair and house. It was a lot of work and we are still washing. At this point, Chris, Madi and I didn't have any lice in our hair.

Chris' Sermon

Just wanted to let you know that Chris preached yesterday. If you would like to listen to it go to: sonrisebc.org, it is on the front page. If you would like to follow along with his power point, click open a new window, go to the website again and click on his power point slide show. His sermon will still play while you have another window open.

A Perfect Day For Tea and Tissue

Let's just say these last two weeks have not been fun for me. We have had the stomach flu and now a cold. Of course everyone is feeling much better, except for me. Chris is at our church's Men's Retreat and the girls and I in our pajama's cuddling under blankets, blowing our noses and watching the snow fall outside. Although I know we live in the mountains, it is still amazing to look outside and see so much snow, especially growing up where snow was rare. If I'm remembering correctly, Madi was two or three when she saw her fist snow fall. Not to mention this is the second time this year it's snowed here and it's not even winter yet. I just have to say, I would like to have my first white Christmas. This will be the first year I will be away from my parents for Christmas; having snow would help a touch.

As I was finishing this blog Madi came in to talk to me and she put a smile on my face. She was sporting her too small for her pajamas and accessories. I thought a picture of her would be a perfect end to my blog, although for some reason it wasn't letting me put the writing in front of the pictures without deleting it, so I have to say it was a perfect beginning to my blog. Anyways, I put both pictures in because one shows the snow (notice the snow on the window) and one shows her outfit from head to toe.

Emma's Birthday Trip To The Zoo

Instead of having her friends over for a big birthday party, Emma opted to pick one friend and go to the zoo. She invited Breanna from across the street. On a beautiful, fall Monday afternoon we pick them up from school and headed to the zoo. The gates closed 30 minutes before we got there. There hours changed since we had been there last. By the time we picked up pizza and got home, two hours had passed. So we ate pizza and played Emma's favorite game: Imagine If. Although bumbed, Emma was thrilled to spend the afternoon with her family (Chris has Monday's off) and her friend.

The Morse Family Visits

Last Saturday the Morse family, friends from Springfield, Oregon, stopped by for an overnight visit on their vacation. The girls and I made a cake for Hannah, as we knew her birthday was coming up, and found out that the next day was MaryLynn's. So we got to celebrate two birthdays. We had a nice time visiting and the girls had fun playing. They got to come to our church the next day and then headed home.

Hannah and MaryLynn blowing out their candles

Jolene, Doug, Janel, Sher Madi, Susanna, Emma and Michael singing happy birthday to MaryLynn and Hannah

Susanna and Emma enjoying their cake

As I knew it was getting late, I went to suggest reading a book to settle down to bed, but the girls were already reading. Christina was reading to Hannah, Emma, Susanna, and Madi. Emma and Hannah slept in Emma's room and Christina, Susanna, and Madi slept in Madi's room. The rest of the Morse family slept in their camper parked in front of our house.

Trip to Arizona

Sunday morning the day after my cousin's wedding, we (Dad, Mom, Rusty, Darryl, Alice, and myself) traveled down to Tucson, Arizona to visit with family. Alice got the stomach flu Sunday in the middle of the night, poor thing... she was still wanting breakfast Monday afternoon when she was still sick. Nobody else got it, what a blessing that was. We got to visit with my Grandpa Brackett, Aunt Linda, and Grandpa and Grandma Cady. I had good visit time. I went on walks in the beautiful sunny weather. It was refreshing to spend time with family and not worry about being Mommy, although I missed Chris and the girls so much. Chris worked so hard while I was gone. Not only, did he work and take care of the girls, he also painted the main bathroom for me. It looks great. Did I mention the house was spotless when I came home. Chris you rock!

Grandpa Cady and Alice at Red Lobster celebrating Grandma's birthday

Grandma and Alice

I have never been with Grandma on her birthday; it was a special time.

Grandpa Brackett and Me in front of his house