A Quick Word Of Advice...

For those with kids younger than ours. Start playing sports with them early. Hannah played her first ever baseball game today (actually it was just a scrimmage). Unfortunately because of all the rain and a spring break vacation (which I will blog about later) she has only been able to make one practice ever, yesterday. Add that to the fact that I am not exactly "sportsy" and the fact that Jeff hasn't exactly been here that much in the past few years and she really hasn't been prepared very well. Given all that, she still seemed excited to play. She jumped out of the car first and headed to the field. I had to take some time to get the others out of the car. The rest of us make it to the field and settle down to watch. I little bit into the game, our neighbor who's little girl is on the other team, comes over to share something with me. While I was busy with the other kids Hannah was having some trouble...figuring out how to get onto the field. Apparently she wandered around for a few minutes and then had to go ask the neighbor lady for directions to the dugout. Lesson learned. Before we let Rachel hit her first ball, we show her where the entrance is.

On a side note, Jacob played his first spring game tonight too and got a hit his first time up to bat. For those of you who may not know, like me, a "hit" means he hit the ball and got on base. Go Jacob.

Father Knows Best...

So, the evening begins with me (I'll be playing the Father in this story) trying to do the right thing and help the missionaries out with some splits. I figured it was better than watching another couple of hours of college basketball with my singular birthday present--a sackful of candy. Meanwhile, Kari (she's playing the part of the Mother) decides since Father isn't monopolizing the TV she will let the kids watch a movie and pop some popcorn on the stove top. So, she starts heating some oil in a stainless steel bowl.

Now let's take step back from the story. Granted, I wasn't present for the ensuing events. But let's go back to a kinder, simpler time one month ago...

The setting is Family Home Evening at the Smith Home. Hannah reads a story out of the Friend about a little girl putting together a 72 hour kit with the family. Father smirks over at Mother because Father has been trying to get this done for years much to the chagrin of Mother. Seeing a foothold (as he's in charge of the "activity"), he announces the activity will be starting the 72 hour kits and practicing a fire drill.

Skip forward one week to another Family Home Evening. This time it's the dessert portion. All of a sudden, Father announces "Fire Drill". The older kids spring from their seat, find their little 72 hour back packs, and go out front to the mail box. Little Rachel--with terror in her eyes--exclaims, "I don't want my buh-ssert (it's duh-ssert, Rach, duh-ssert) to buurrrnnn!"

One week later, the kids have got it down--all of the troops get to the mailbox in under a minute (dog included)! And no crying from Rachel this time!

Now let's jump back about 25 years. Setting Long Beach California sometime around the 4th of July. After young Father's mom leaves us kids alone at home to be babysat by some quality Nickelodean programming (Turkey TV anyone?!), Young Father turns to witness a nice grease fire coming from the electric french fryer. Interestingly enough, the carnage unleased on the house by the smoke led to our families first trip to the Big D to spend some time with the grandparents while the house was cleaned!

Flash forward to today. Father's vision of flames is now mirrored in his young daughter Hannah's eyes as she spots the unattended stove top (Mother--big surprise--is chatting it up on the phone). According to Mother, huge flames (probably mere sparks) were spewing from the bowl of hot oil and apparently neccesitated the unleashing of a whole cannister of fire retardant powder (no... our countertop and stove tops are not white as the photo below might lead one to believe).Needless to say, the inspired drills of previous week pay off as the kids dash for the mailbox only to tell the entire neighborhood of Mother's folly.

No harm/no foul. Everyone is safe. Even the stove top appears realtively unscathed. We do however have a pleasant smell pervading the entire house. And that pleasant white powder is being tracked all over the house.

The only casualty was noted as Father was settling in later that night to watching the remaining minutes of basketball--his lone bag of birthday candy covered in fire extinguisher frosting! No justice...

Exibit B

I thought I would just quickly post this picture as yet another example of what a terrible sleeping companion Jeff is. Always takes most of the bed.

If He Really Wants Me To...

So Jeff has been telling me I need to blog again. Well I will. We had fun over spring break but I'm going to start with my husbands subconscious feelings that only surface when he sleeps.

It's well known throughout our family that he only sleeps well when his left knee is firmly planted in my back. Somehow I have gotten used to this and barley notice anymore. But his latest round of attacks are starting to get on my nerves. Last week I went to bed much later than him (I'm not all that big on the whole sleeping thing). Anyway, it's hard for him to fall asleep so I try my very best not to wake him. I listen at the door to make sure he's breathing heavily, he is. I tiptoe across the floor not making a sound. I ease into bed not even making it squeak. All of a sudden, he lifts up his head and says in a very loud, stern voice "Kari, What are you doing, I'm trying to sleep". Then he lays down his head and doesn't move again. Given that he doesn't remember a thing about it in the morning, I chalk it up to mere coincidence to what ever dream he is having.

Now it's two nights ago. I am suddenly woken up in the middle of the night with the weird sensation that my head is falling. I find my self without a pillow. I know I went to bed with one and I am not a tosser. I don't see it lying on the bed. I don't see on the floor next to me. Ah, there it is, on the floor on Jeff's side of the bed. How did that happen? I retrieve it, but wait. This isn't my pillow, it's Jeff's. He's sleeping on my pillow!!! Apparently he knocked his own pillow on the floor, and that sensation that my head was falling was actually him taking my pillow right out from under my head. Now, I don't get mad, I don't shove him over. I get his pillow and very carefully try to get my pillow back and slide his under his head. Does he appreciate this? No. Instead he sits up yells "STOP IT" and then goes back to sleep. Again remembering nothing the next morning.

So, let this be a notice to all. If I mysteriously die in my sleep. It may not have been an accident. And Jeff may or not may not remember anything in the morning.The picture isn't really related to the story, but cute all the same. I think this was our second night in our apartment in Provo a month after being married almost 10 years ago! Two seconds before I took this picture Bomers left "arm" was actually in the same position as Jeff's.

MARCH MADNESS e-vite!

So, it's that time of year that we live for... the NCAA tournament! It's hard actually not having the luxury of a medical school Spring Break anymore to watch the first round of action. So much so that Jeff had to schedule a week off of work and make up some story about needing to attend a conference in Houston (okay, so there is a conference in Houston... but, we're still excited about watching the games).

Our immediate family always makes bracket picks and it has been pretty fun in the past. And we're still doing that this year (check your email). However, in addition, we've been using this blog and Facebook as a medium to catch-up with old friends, and so we're sending out a universal invite to all our friends and extended family to join our new bracket group (don't worry family--we're still doing the family-only bracket... in fact. we may pick two separate brackets just to up our chances of winning one of them!)

Feel free to join the fun!
http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1/register/joingroup
Group ID# 82121
password: sansuk (in memory of University of Kentucky not making the tournament for the first time in 17 years... good luck keeping your job Billy!)

May the best (or luckiest) person win!

Fine, I'll do it.

So Jeff has been saying for a while now that I need to blog something so here goes. This is going to be a long one.

I'll start with the cutest (also it actually happened before Valentines Day). There's a mother's club in town that has several fundraisers a year. It's mostly bake sales and raffles and such, but each February they hold a Daddy Daughter Dance. My friend across the street belongs so she asked if Jeff would be interested. I wasn't really sure that he would so I said I'd have to get back to her. Well, in the meantime, Hannah gets wind of it and the choice is made. Jeff pretty much grumbled about it right up until he left (I guess he thought his dancing days were over) , but my sources say he had a good time. They made corsages for themselves and a lollipop boutinare for him. I was told he danced with one girl or the other all night long, including the chicken dance, the twist and many more. Rachel was in hog heaven, she didn't want to leave, but Hannah was tired and ready to go home early. Apparently there are candid shots out there somewhere but I haven't seen them yet. As soon as I get a picture of Jeff busting a move, you can be sure I'll post it. For now all I have is the professional shot taken. Note Jeff's shoes, his attempt to be young and hip.
Next, we have an update on the kids basketball. Jacob and Hannah did well all season. Not only did they enjoy it they are actually good. Hannah has even decided that she wants to go to a basketball camp this summer. Jacob has decided that this is how he is going to pay for college. Jonathan however never really took to the game. I think he was always waiting for someone to give him the ball nicely. Toward the end, you could even catch him hiding behind the other players so that he wouldn't have to touch the ball. Jacob was a little miffed at the ending ceremony. They didn't get trophies, they got backpacks. The disappointment was lessened though by the show. A guy from some sort of power squad came in and broke baseball bats with his hands and bent steel bars with his teeth. They're all excited to play baseball though which started two days later. Now I get to drive kids to 6 practices and 6 games a week, all at different locations.

Now a note on my husband the doctor. One Saturday night Jonny goes to bed feeling bad and a slight fever. The next day the fever's still there and he feels terrible. Jeff checks him out. Ears...fine. Lungs...clear. Throat...normal. Complaints from patient...sore, fever, achy, tired, and a third of his class out with the flu. Conclusion...we've been hit with the flu. No need for antibiotics, it's the flu. Great, just great. There are 5 other people in this house to go through. Jonny stays home from school on Monday. And Tuesday. And Wednesday. Still having a high fever, still same exam findings, still same complaints. Jeff decides it's time for an official flu test. It come back negative. Missed pneumonia? He gives him antibiotics. He's better in two days. How much was med school again?

More poo...? Ah it's that season again. We've begun the garden adventure for spring. Last Monday I went to WalMart and bought 40 bags of manure. (Technically Jeff calls it Humus--I just know the word manure is on the bag.) Then I piled it into the back of my car. Then it started raining. Was I going to lug it all out in the rain and put it in the yard to get soaking wet, NO. Was I going to pile it up in the garage and then not be able to fit my car in, NO. So there it sat, in the back of my car for 5 days. It didn't smell as bad as last time, but it's not exactly fresh. Not to mention the fact that it weighs down the back of the car to about 18 inches off the road, prompting every dad that helps get the kids out of the car for school to comment. Today in 40 degree weather, but no rain finally, we unloaded it and put it in the beds. I'm just counting my blessing I didn't have to help build anything this time. If you've ever read the book "The $64 Tomato", we're giving that guy some competition.

And last but not least, a sad note. The Kentucky Wildcats started off the SEC tournament with a win, but sadly in the next game lost to LSU. Where are the Cats of my past? For the first time in 17 years they will not be in the championship tournament. Will I be able to make due with the NIT? I guess I can but I'm not going to like it. Let's go ahead and start looking forward to a good recruiting time and a great season next year. I'm not going to say anything about the coaching yet.