Time heals all

 This post is for Grandma.

It has been exactly one year since this surgery.  You were there.

Today as you go for your eye surgery, Emerson will celebrate his surgical anniversary.  Next year you can celebrate, jumping out of boxes, dressing up and generally running amuck!  ... if that's how you feel like celebrating.

Duncan was asking about Emerson's surgery wanting to know what it was for.  We explained how the intestines were collapsing and it was suffocating the layers underneath and that a section of dead intestines had to be removed along with his appendix.  Duncan's response.  "Now I understand why he poops so much more than anyone else.  His poop doesn't have as much intestine to travel through as everyone else."

Cooperism security breach

As we were talking in the kitchen, Cooper entered and said,

"Security breach!" 

"Security breach!"  

"While we were all here, Emerson has managed to get passed us and the gate, and is heading down the stairs."

The Envelope Please

After the long wait, the eagerly anticipated envelope finally was here. How the following events unfolded was not exactly as planned.  Caleb had obviously been checking the mailbox every day, however on the arrival day he was at work and as it turned out, I was the one to collect the mail.  I do not normally.  So after procuring the envelope, a plan hatched itself within just moments.  There really wasn't time in our hectic day to open it properly this day, but with a little planning, we could certainly open it tomorrow.  

I made all the arrangements.  I notified all the people needing to be notified. 

I came up with a sinister plan. Caleb would be at work all day. He would have no idea that the envelope had indeed arrived.if I could successfully pull it off I wouldn't tell him I would simply send him away while all the people arrived and then we could surprise him. 

It worked!  

Except that I sent Patrick as the decoy and they were late. We waited. And waited. And waited. I guess karma gets even.

They did finally arrive.  We opened the call after quickly discussing where we thought he might be going.  With 19 people in the house, 5 connecting via video chat and 3 households connected on telephones... we personified mayhem beautifully. 

The destination did not shock or disappoint or relieve... it simply was and felt right.  

For Caleb however, he was thrilled.  He knew where now.  He did NOT have to learn a language, although he had been willing.  He did NOT particularly want heat..  and the extra thermal underwear and fleece lined winter coat required would attest to the lack of too much heat.  He just beams.  

Cleveland, Ohio..  

Here comes Elder Noble

Metal mouths

The boys have joined the ranks of dental corrections.  On their first day they are both still smiling.  They are unaware of the tightening, elastics, device expansions, poking wires and other torturous ordeals yet to come. 

They are happy to show off the dragon and baseball tattooed to their respective retainers.

LDS Post

Where oh where can his mission call be... its delayed or hung up somewhere.  While most only wait for 10 days to 2 weeks, we've waited 26 days so far.... after 6 months waiting for citizenship proof papers to arrive so the papers could be sent in.

Once there was..

Whittaker has taken up talking.... a lot.... finally.

It's an incessant commentary sometimes.

It's a repetitive rant sometimes.

It's a high pitched whiny tantrum sometimes.

It's a delightful insight into his mind of the last few years sometimes.

It's a also a sing songy, put a few songs together and sing them as one song, musical montage sometimes.

He came in from some outside play time in the snow that has come and decided to linger STAY, singing, "Once there was a snowman, outside, come and see.  You need your camera before it melts small, small, small." 

I'm glad he used the snowman kit to decorate with, I may not have found his 'big' snowman otherwise. 

Winter Wonderland

Jill once told me, "It hurts to be beautiful."

I never truly understood what that meant.... but I think I could change it to,

"It takes great pains on the part of subject and photographer to sometimes get a useable shot."

For example,

After church I suggested mentioned told everyone I needed them outside for just a minute.  I sent Patrick to grab the camera.  It was a perfect winter wonderland type of day and everyone looked their best. 

We I chose a spot at the local school between some trees laden with snow.  I insisted they walk the long way through the snow and come from the back of the trees so there weren't any footsteps in the forefront of the scene.  There was great concern regarding the laden with snow branches.  "Just don't bump them and the snow shouldn't fall on you." 

It should have been delightful, I remembered to have a blanket to lay on instead of directly on the snow. 

The boys were in place.  I attempted to take a few shots.  There weren't any batteries in the camera.  I sent Patrick home to fetch some.  He took FOREVER!  He returned empty handed.  He couldn't find them.  I sent him home with specific instructions where to find them.  He FINALLY returned with batteries in the camera.  (It wasn't until weeks later when I didn't recognize the batteries that I removed from the camera that he remembered to tell me that he had finally gone to a neighbour to borrow some!  (I owe you Ellen!)

Since we'd been waiting so long in the snow, we had piled back into the van to wait for Patrick.  Mackenzie had her phone and we snapped a photo in the van. 

We may have been squished but we were no longer frozen. 

I took 4 shots of just the big boys while waiting for the others to get in place.   At the beginning of photo taking it wasn't encouraging to have this much uncooperativeness silliness... although I must admit I love the candids better than the final product of 'all looking at the lens happy'. 

 Next up, the girls brought the two little boys for an all 9 kidlet photo.  Emerson stayed cooperative for all of 10 seconds, and Whittaker insisted on wearing his hat and sitting in the back. 

 Over 25 photos to find one where they were all sort of looking at the camera.

 "Okay Patrick, this is how it will work next.  You go get in place and then I'll set the timer and run into my spot.  It will work.  Don't give me that 'You are out of your mind look!"

"The rules are!!!  Don't look at me running..  Just keep smiling at the camera!"

"Okay.... Go!"

 It apparently took longer, to run all the way around and approach from the back of the shot, not bump the branches causing the snow to fall, and get into place than I thought. 

 This time I slid into the spot like a it was home plate at a baseball game.  Hardly graceful or ladylike.  It blew their looking at the camera pose.  We couldn't stop laughing. 

Last try.  I promise!

Three strikes, you're out!  I was a torturer mother of my word.  We didn't try again.  Even though the camera slid of it's perch on the pair of mittens and the photo was on an angle and my hand is swiping my hair out of my face after landing hard on my tailbone into place. 

However....

There were a few other shots I wanted before we could go home for the promised hot apple cider and pajamma's for the rest of the day. 

 A perfect photo if I ever saw one!

Cooper ~ "Who's brilliant idea was it to take photos in frigid temperatures without proper winter gear on?"

Me ~ "Ahh.. so you agree that I had a brilliant idea!!"

Cooper ~ "ERRR... You never even ask our opinion."

Me ~ "So, Cooper do you have an opinion on a great outdoor winter wonderland backdrop location for today's photo?"

Cooper ~ "Are we done?  I know I am."

 Just girls. 

~"We're freezing you know."

"Try to stand there like you aren't freezing though... oh.. and be happy also.  Okay?  Thanks.  Oh and one more thing... QUIT GROWING UP SO FAST!"

 Kenzie ~ "I'll share my body heat.  What little I have left."

 Sarah ~ "I need more heat!"

The girls became particularly goofy the colder they became.  This was their attempt to have mustaches. 

All in all I think everyone enjoyed their time in the winter wonderland.  I'm sure they're all wondering when the next time we can have this much fun taking photos together will be. 

(I intend to keep them in suspense... but I have a few ideas.)

A Stairful of Sillies

One thing is for sure though... 

Getting the sillies to be in sync with nine children is a challenge!  

Emerson kept leaving.

Whittaker kept whining and looking everywhere but the camera.

Derek kept complaining that Whittaker wouldn't sit still.

Cooper complained that he had to endure another photographic moment at his detrimental cost.

Duncan kept making goofy faces and laughing at everything anyone said.

Mackenzie was squished.

Miles wished he could go to bed... like always.

Sarah wished they would all cooperate and kept trying to give photographic advice.

Caleb showed up at the last minute, sat down on the bottom step, looked up, smiled and didn't understand what all the fuss was about.

I stood on a tall stool with one foot on the banister over the stairs and kept my balance while laughing and almost crying as I tried to capture a moment of whimsical fun with nine silly children.

Patrick came in, shook his head, and left the room laughing at the whole ordeal.

The pajamma Gang

On the west side of town,  on the 'other' side of the tracks, there lived the pajamma gang.