Topping off

This week's post reviews the top events of the past week. Top of what...well, you'll have to decide.





Riley turned three yesterday, and we celebrated in style with a gorgeous (and not very tasty) Candyland cake. Dan and Dee (and kids) and Leah and Joel helped us celebrate and watch the Superbowl, and eat a lot of unhealthful food. (why is this a tradition? healthy food can be good too!) The kids were crazy as usual, but loved picking the candy off of the cake, licking it once, then going back for more. Riley managed to open his presents despite "help" from the other boys, and loved all of the gifts. Mostly his face lit up when he opened the red underwear he'd been requesting for weeks. Sammy, Tracen, and Tyler quickly claimed various gifts for themselves to play with while Riley admired the underwear. The boys had a great time riding Ry's new bike around the kitchen table. Eventually all the toys got broken in, but none have gotten broken, yet. And Riley loves all the toys, so thank you to all who provided. (He did tell me today we have too many toys and should just get rid of them all, though.)



Sammy spent most of last week complaining that his ears hurt, especially the left one. Eventually he felt better, but Friday afternoon the right ear started hurting, a lot. Despite all the pain medication, he cried a lot Friday (midnight) and Saturday as we waited to see if this ear infection would go away like the one in the other ear did. Sunday morning Bruce took him to the doctor (in a heavy snowstorm) where he got antibiotics and a coloring book. He was pretty cheerful by the time Riley, Zeke, and I got home from church (which was not a very fun experience, thanks to a very tired Riley).

Speaking of heavy snow, we've had it dumping down on us constantly lately. The banks of snow in our street and front yard are huge, and it is as high as our top step in the backyard. Last Wednesday I was out shopping with Melissa when I drove around one pothole only to hit another! Luckily, the flat tire occurred right in front of Wal-Mart, so a new can of Fix-A-Flat got me to the tire store, where they replaced the tire for free. Les Schwab has the best customer service!!! Bruce came all the way from Ogden to pick Sammy up from preschool.

Preschool must be bad luck for us, because today I was on my way to pick him up again when we had another snow-related disaster. I went a little too fast on the 3 new inches of snow that the city deemed not enough to plow off the street. I skidded right into a snowbank in front of our next-door neighbor's house and got very stuck. Too bad he wasn't home, because he has a big truck and towing cables. A kind friend picked Sammy up from school. I tried to dig the car out, but with three hungry kids getting bored, it just wasn't happening. So Bruce finished the job when he got home. I think the whole thing was kind of fun, since it wasn't too inconvenient. Probably you just think I need to learn how to drive in the snow...well, I'm learning the hard way!

We had fun with Mom and Melissa last weekend! We're glad Grandma Payne's surgery went so well.

Deanne and I have decided to share our favorite new recipes, to encourage more dinner variety. Too bad the boys wouldn't try a single bite of the African curry I made tonight. Bruce and I enjoyed it, though! Hope you try it and like it too.