Random happenings–December

Playing games, getting exercise and putting the baby to sleep. He’s a multi-talented man.

Beautiful skies – paths of airplanes streaking the clouds. (on the way into church)

Thumb sucker – Ammon
     

A beautiful afternoon with Dad home early. Don’t worry Ammon was saved from having to swing with Abbey – not loving the sharing of the swing. haha! And Jeff back to his reading – after I can charging in the door in a panic because of a domestic dispute on the next street and a children involved. He bolted from the house with a wooden closet rod for protection. That was interesting….
  
Advent Calendars form Grandma Riz – we were a few days behind – the mouthful of chocolate.
 

Santa’s a fake

Santa came to our ward Luau party – to which my kids both said “He’s not the real Santa, he’s a fake.” Nice, but be quiet.

Lucas not wanting to go see Santa, instead he was jumping off the center of the table, while I waited in line with Lea and Ammon. Jeff was at home with sick Abbey, putting up the tree and receiving those awesome blankets from the previous post.

Christmas parties

Lucas had a Christmas party for preschool and lucky us, we get to go – Abbey loves it!

Nino, Emma, Lucas, Henderson, Maxwell (may have gotten those boys mixed up, but Lucas will help me tomorrow)

No party complete without a little music and jingle bells.

coloring, cutting then yummy snacks – cute little sisters by their big brothers.

A little gift exchange – new books!

Lea’s school had a “Winter Festival” – this year her class participated. She made notecards with the words to the songs so she could practice every day – the kids and even Jeff know most of the words still….. We went last year to watch and it was madness – so many people in this tiny little gym. Luckily, she’s in 2nd grade and fairly early on the program. We also picked up some free clothes for Lucas to start Kindergarten next year – yikes! Families donated their outgrown items and there were tables full of clothes to go through – thank you!!
They sang: ‘AZ Jingle Bells’ and ‘Walking in a ‘Zona Wonderland’

Lea, Laura Lisonbee, Jaylyn Criswell

Secret Santa

Dear Secret Santa,

THANK YOU!!!!

Love, the Risenmays :)

sick, sick, sick.........cough, sneeze, uggggghhh.

that's what we are and we're miserable together. Jeff took Lucas to the ER on Saturday (we had just taken him to the doctor on Wednesday) because he could barely breathe. while they were, us girls, said a prayer for Lucas to feel better and the doctor's to help him. by the time they left, Lucas was running crazy. about 2 am, I get woken up from Jeff (I had just laid down about 20 minutes before that) - "I need your help" okay..............stumblin down the hallway, "Lucas threw up, missed the garbage can while I was swinging him around (WHAT??? - too tired to respond more like what?), can you clean him up while I clean up the puke?" (gladly!) got him situated finally and no more throwing up was done.

ER diagnosis was croup and bronchiolitis which my nurse friend Peggy says is really RSV......great.

Jeff has been sick off/on for about a week - Friday night he went to bed at 8:30 on the couch and didn't wake up until 11 am Saturday.

Abbey was sick before Lucas with a fever for 3 days, but has moved onto the constant "No", "I don't need help", "I need help", I-can't-make-up-my-mind-because-I'm-2-and-impossible stage. But she's cute and we love her despite her constant ups and downs.

Ammon - poor guy! Has been okay, but just in the last couple days took a turn for the worse. goopey, red eyes; runny nose, cough, can barely drink milk and just plain miserable. He sleeps in his swing because he can't breathe laying down. Taking him to the doctor tomorrow.

I woke up Sunday with a sore throat, stuffy/runny sinuses, and sneezing - (can barely keep my eyes open at the moment).

On a positive note - aside from all the illness, we have THE BEST pediatrician ever, hospitals in close distance and insurance to help pay for these emergencies and medicines needed. Grateful for medicine and technological advancements that we get to have so close and accessible at a moments notice. Very happy Lucas was not admitted to the hospital......whew. And actually I'm glad we have facebook too - it's nice to get a few extra prayers on your behalf from friends and family all over the world without having to call and whine about being sick. :)

Well, gotta go slothfully to help Ammon.......happy sleeping all.

In my leftover garden…..

I had left my square foot garden to fend for itself. I removed all the mini corn stalks, dying strawberry plants and left the one semi-healthy watermelon plant in the middle. It had been weeks if not a months since I had even looked at it. I was SHOCKED to see it growing so well and practically taking over the plant area. I planted in May I believe and it’s now October in the first three pictures. Not only was the plant HUGE, but there were two, count ‘em, 2! watermelons growing. WOW!

Then in early November, they were even bigger! I’d like to say I helped, but my helping was to not do anything and let the plan thrive on it’s own.

For Jeff’s birthday (after getting lots of advice from Lisa – her parents are melon farmers), we finally decided to pick them. The weather had been extremely cold (in the 40’s) so I didn’t want to ruin them by leaving them in the cold. This was our harvest!