Table Rock

We went to Table Rock with Ben's family earlier this month.

It was lovely and relaxing and full of sun!

It was my favorite kind of vacation!

"Big Brutus"--our side trip.  It definitely lives up to it's name!

fish hatchery

 

  

 It sure was fun!

The Saga Continues...

Henry's broken arm is the most drawn out ordeal.  

It's making me want to pull out my hair.

After having his green cast for a mere two days, it had to be cut off.  

He soaked it when he dove off the diving board--that's a perfectly acceptable thing to do when you have a broken arm, you know.

He had a cast cover on, a really good and tight one.  I let him go swimming with the understanding that he was to stay in the shallow end and to try not to put it under the water more than he had, too. 

Gigi took her eyes off of him for just a few minutes and he was off.  She immediately dragged him back to the shallow end, but it was too late.

I should have known that he didn't have the will power to avoid the temptations of the diving board.  I'll take partial responsibility with that one.


After a trip to the ER to get it cut off, he spent the rest of the weekend with a temporary splint/cast until we could get him into the doctor on Monday.


Sunday, he walked down to the lake at my Grandpa's house with some of the other boys. When he came back up to the house he was a muddy, wet mess--cast and all.


He was apparently on the hunt for frogs and ended up a little too close to the water.


That one was completely his fault.


I thought I might be able to salvage that cast, but when I got everything off, the cotton padding that was on his skin was soaked.  I had to cut it off, and put him back in his original velcro splint.


Then, we had to make the embarrassing trip back to the Orthopedist's office, where he had to say that he soaked not one, but two casts.  


He is now forbidden from being anywhere near water--only a few inches in the bathtub--and    he's pretty much grounded from going outside without an adult. 


I will not go back until it's time to get it cut off for good!

Joining the Club

Henry has joined the broken arm club.


He got his cast put on today, but it's been a bit of a drawn out process getting to this point.


He fell off his bike two weeks ago when we were on a walk.


I was convinced immediately that it was broken.  I'm kind of an expert at this point!


The initial x-ray looked like there could be a break, but maybe not.  They gave him a splint, told him to take it easy, and to come back in a week for another x-ray.


The next day I took him swimming--the doctor said it was okay, I swear!  Within five minutes he was doing this:

By two or three days out, he would shake his hand around as proof that it wasn't broken.


By the end of the week, we were all convinced it was fine. 


After the second x-ray, his pediatrician said it was, in fact, broken.  He didn't think he would need to have a cast, though.  He sent us to an Orthopedist just to be safe.


It turns out that he did need a cast--a full cast because he's too wild and crazy for a short one!  Actually, it was on the verge of being a really bad break involving pins and surgery.  I would have never guessed!


As I was scheduling his appointment to get the cast off, he kept telling Josh Oliver to hit his cast to see if he could feel it.....let's hope it's actually healed in three weeks!

Happy Father's Day!

I fall in love with this boy over and over again when I watch him with our boys.


He's completely amazing with them!


One day, our boys are sure to be just as amazing as him.  


I can't wait!  


(Well, don't grow up too fast boys!)


Happy Father's Day, Ben!  


Love ya!

Our Baby Bird

Last week Ben found a baby bird in the yard.


The boys set out dishes of water and mushy bread in an attempt to keep it alive until it could fly off.


The next day, though, we had a bit of a rough storm and the bird died.  


Henry was completely heartbroken.


He asked Ben to dig a hole for it and then he made a headstone for it's little grave.


It says:

Jonker, Orange Belly

He died on May 30, 2012

He was born on May 21, 2012

He was a good pet and a good bird.

We loved him so much.

That boy just melts my heart.

He is one of the kindest, most thoughtful kids.  

I love him so much.

The Waterfall

For my birthday, this year, we made a trip to the Chase County Waterfall.


It was one of the greatest days!  Definitely my favorite birthday!


Amy surprised me that morning and offered to make the 2 hour trip to meet us there.  She's a great sister!  It put the day over the top for me! 


Everything about the waterfall is incredible!  It's like a secluded little piece of heaven!


I'm pretty sure we could spend hours and hours exploring, climbing, and just sitting on the rocks! 

Luke and Eli

After we got the kids coaxed away from the waterfall.  We found a nice picnic table, had lunch, and let the kids play along the lake shore.  Next time maybe we will let them swim!

It was really hard to leave.  It was such a great day and I loved getting to see Amy and the kids, but we did eventually manage to drag ourselves into our cars.


I can't stop thinking about how great that place is.  


I really want to go back, but I have a long list of other places I want us to explore this summer.  


We may just have to find a way to work it in by the end of the summer!