Happy Birhday Ben

We celebrated Benjamin's Birthday this week! He's four! He had talked non stop about a Lightning McQueen Birthday and I had sights on a car shaped cake. But frosting that red tastes bitter so I took a different approach. Don't judge the actual cake by it's looks--let me tell you about it.

I took a regular cake mix and put an inch of ice cream in the middle and covered the whole thing with ganache and toasted pecans.

And sprinkles in the piston cup.

It wasn't all about the CAKE--We played a "Luigi tire stacking game" with chocolate doughnuts. Then Presents. Grandma Christy brought over a bathtub fishing game and Ian gave him a Lighting McQeen with interchangeable monster truck tires. After we forced him to blow out the candles he went to play with all the toys. All the adults sat around and ate cake. It was so good so thanks Grandma and Grandpa and Noels for the presents and fun. Ben ended up eating his cake after breakfast the next day. A boy with priorities.

Addie lost a tooth! We think she swallowed it when she was "crunching" an apple. She wrote a note to the fairy and got a DOLLAR!

Just a quick shot of a suit that's almost too small.

A surprise visit fromVanessa and baby Macie. Macie is cute as a button and THAT quilt. The best swaddled baby in the house.

Quick St Paddy Suit

Addie had one minute when we remembered it was St. Patrick's Day. I think she did well pulling this together so she wouldn't pinched.

Counting down the days until she's SIX! I can't believe it,

Blaming Google Reader for Blogglessness

yea--so does everyone use google reader yet for blogging? Last week I loaded all your blogs into it and now I know who's updated as soon as I log on. It's like reading email but I haven't commented as much and my blog updates have lagged.

Or I could blame it all on Benjamin and his tonsil recovery. It's been a week and a half but he's still crazy, or addicted to Loritab, or just in pain. We gage his pain with is noise level and demanding attention. The louder and more annoying he is...well we bring on the drugs. This might prove a problem later but it's working for us at the moment. I've finally figured out our picture management situation and I'll post more pictures later. Hope you had a great Easter!

Ben Doped up

So a while back one of my weekly focuses was to get a Dr. appointment for Benjamin. His tonsils were huge and he snored at night and he was always tired. I took him to Dr. M at South Valley ENT and sure enough he suggested a tonsillectomy--oh and the adenoids while we're in there. Ben went yesterday morning for the "ectomy" and did remarkably well. James checked him in yesterday at 6:45 in the morning. They said to plan on 4-6 hours so I was going to go in at 10:00 so James could go to work. At 9:30 he was eating a slushy and being released so James brought him home.
He's a funny boy. When being carried in he wanted the hospital bracelet off and the IV gauze and tape off. James' said they'd take it off inside but not wanting to wait, Ben ripped off the tape and slipped out of the bracelet before they walked in the door. I had a nest on the couch ready for him--he said he'd rather play with cars. He was hungry too. By dinner we had moved passed apple juice (he had drunk it all) He had eaten--cake, yogurt, a hot dog, 2 Popsicles, applesauce, and two bowls of cold oatmeal. Now warm instant oatmeal is tough enough to get down--Just imagine it with 5 ice cubes.
Now for the title --They prescribed Loritab for the pain. I don't think Ben experiences pain like the rest of us. At about 2pm I decided to give him a dose. He started galloping around and talking really loud. I tried to put him down for a nap but he didn't want to sleep and since he had just had surgery and all I said he didn't have to take a nap-- about 5 minutes later I looked over at Stuart who was fussing and Ben was stomping on his back. Out of my mouth flies "Boys who stomp on babies have to take naps!"
I can't complain about any yucky fluids, or bad smells, or fevers, or anything. I'm kind of sick of the hopped up Ben and being a short order cook, but other than that, He's doing well and I'm feeling a little guilty. My visiting teaching partner brought me this better-than-I'd-ever-make-for-my-own-family-dinner last night. Lucky me. Sorry no photos, the camera and adobe photoshop album are not getting along.

Nature, no dependants and a lemon bar....

.....was how I enjoyed this past Wednesday at Deer Valley. My cute cute sis, Donna, and her husband are tenured employees at this unbelievable resort and hooked me up with some free passes. So, Robyn and I made a morning of it. I relearned how to ski, with the first couple of runs and we skied until noon. On the last time up Donna's lift she slipped us an employee cafeteria lemon bar that she had told me about. It was delicious! At that moment on the lift, I knew that I have everything I've ever wanted and I will never complain about anything ever again. My life is perfect. Thanks Donna and Robyn.

I didn't remember I had my camera until we were stripping down in the parking lot so here's documentation. Anyone else up for a run to Deer Valley for a little bit of heaven?

Introducing....

Baby Maci Marilyn Sutton. She was born on February 28th around 1 in the morning. Nine pounds eight ounces! Of course Vanessa did all that work herself, way to go! The family is getting along great, and we can't wait to meet Maci in person.