Getting to be a little BORING...

I feel like I don't have too much to say. Here's an update on us, until I figure out something good.

Audrey and Alex are such funny sisters. I listen to them wake up in the morning. If Audrey wakes up first, she will call out, "Allie! Allie!" This morning, when she received no answer, she comes into my room and wakes me up. A little bit later, my sleepy Al called from her bed, "Audrey! Audrey!" Audrey looked at me with wide eyes and said, "Mom! Allie wake up!" and promptly ran to her bedroom to greet her sister.

Ben and Alex are doing the "tattle-tale big brother" and "pesky little sister" routine. All day long. Practically every day.
For example, Ben is sitting on the couch reading his Pokemon book (strange new interest - just when I had learned all about Ben 10). Alex comes up beside him, encroaches on his personal space to look at his book also.
Ben: "Alex, go away."
Alex: (scoots closer and ignores brother's request)
Ben: "Maaaa-ommm! Alex is buggin me."
Me: "Alex, please stop buggin your brother."
Alex: "Okay." (then continues to stay super close to brother)
Ben: "ALEX - GO AWAY!" (hits sister)
Alex: "MOM!!! Ben hit me!"

You get the picture. I separate. Calm and quiet for 25 minutes, and it begins again.

Everyone warned us (the ortho wives) that the second year of residency would be the hardest on our husbands, and us, in turn. So far - *knock on wood* - it hasn't been that bad. Aaron's usually home for dinner, and after we put the kids to bed he still has some work to do. It is annoying for him to get paged at 10:30 pm on Friday night - when he didn't get home until 7 - for something that he has to return to the hospital for - and stay for the rest of the night. And I wait. And attempt, unsuccessfully, to sleep - not knowing if he is returning or not. No fun. But I shouldn't complain too much.

That's where we are right now. Summer monsoons make living in swamp coolers much like living in a swamp. Sticky and sweaty. Feeling a little boring here.

How's your summer so far?

*feeling sheepish*

so i found the camera.

it was in one of MY secret hiding places.

after i spent a week calling my relatives, "did i happen to leave my camera there?"

after i yelled at things 1, 2, & 3 for getting into my stuff.

after i had my husband throughly explore the van for any evidence.

sorry.



Here's some pics.

Alex's birthday with a surprised Luke.

Ben's Last day of First Grade.

The kids with Jenna.









My sis and her hubs right after being sealed in the Mesa Temple.
Rissa with Baby Adam.

sorry for the weird formatting.

I'm having a few issues...

So I can't find my digital camera.

We've been back from Phoenix for a week. We had a ton of fun playing with our cousins, Rich and Abby. I have some really cute pics of all the kids together, but (see above).

At the end of our trip, my sister Larissa was sealed to her husband of four years in the Mesa Temple. It was an awesome day, and I'm so glad that they were able to make sure we were there. I took some great pictures of them at the temple, but (see above).

We went to IKEA while we were in Phoenix, and I got two really cute pink dressers for the girls' room. Then, I found a sheet set that I loved and made some curtains to coordinate. After finding out that one of the new dressers wasn't going to fit where I wanted it, I did a grand rearranging of their room. I love it now! It's so cute and it's the one room in our house that really feels like mine. I also got some curtains for Ben's room that are perfect. I'm thinking that I might paint some light blue and dark blue stripes on his two white walls to match the curtains - because they are just that perfect. I had to take pictures with my phone, and it's been a while since I have sent those to the online album, retrieved them from the website *that password is around here somewhere...* I would have used my digital, but (see above).

Since we've been back, we have gone to the El Paso Municipal Rose Garden with the church playgroup. We've had Alana come to play - she's Audrey's friend. On Saturday, we went to the Welcome Party for the WBAMC Ortho Department. The kids played for a few hours in the Water Zone at Biggs Park. The girls were in their matching swimsuits from Auntie Peanut. Ben hit a wiffle ball over Aaron's head, and climbed to the top of the rope pyramid.

All of which would have provided excellent picture taking opportunities. Sorry.

Anybody seen my camera? :(

Wicked

Tonight, my parents took me out to Wicked. I had seen it with Aaron several years ago, but the thought of going again - well, it didn't take a second thought. The bonus of the night was that Gammage has lots of stairs - and no elevator. My mom's knees and stairs don't get along well, so she got handicapped tickets that landed us in the front row!

HOLY COW!!!

I haven't EVER sat in the orchestra at a Broadway musical, much less the front row. It was amazing. I could see the details on their costumes, the expressions on their faces - all of them at the same time! We were astounded about the speed of their costume changes, the fluidity of the scene changes, the orchestra right at our feet - it was an awesome night and I was in heaven.

I was a theatre teacher for 6 years, and I miss being able to use that part of me. It was fun to explain some of the ins and outs of theatre stuff. Thanks mom and dad, you're awesome.

Then, to top it all off - There is a new Dunkin Donuts on 99th ave and Thomas! What a great night!