August, a month of trials and blessings

August wasn't exactly a month I would like to relive. It had it highs and lows, and sicknesses, illnesses, and diseases, etc. But before I forget, here's the August report...

Just as Lexi and Alaina were recovering from the chicken pox, Scott came down with the swine flu. Darn those chickens and pigs!

Scott with the swine flu...

A few days into his massive fever, cough, headache etc. Alyse got strep throat. In the midst of this Scott's parent's (aka Noni & Bompi) were very brave souls and came for a visit, during which Alaina was diagnosed with mononucleosis. Gotta say clorox and hand sanitizer are our best friends! Amazingly, I never got sick and no one shared their germs with each other! But on the brighter side of things...

Alyse turned 7!

The birthday breakfast

7 things I love about my 7 year old...

7. She loves to invent games to play, such as "Under the Rainbow" or "Horses and Apples."

6. She loves to make her pizza PILED with toppings, especially tons of red, green, yellow, and orange peppers. She loves onion, lettuce, and tomatoes on her hamburger.

5. She is always saying "Would you rather...?" Some of her bests are "Would your rather have no hands or no eyes?" and "Would you rather have your mouth full of hand sanitizer or cotton balls?"

4. She LOVES to read. American Girls & The Little House on the Praire Series are her favorites.

3. She loves school. Everyone of her teachers have said, "I wish I had a whole class of Alyses!"

2. She loves her sisters. She would rather be home playing with them more than with anyone else or going anywhere!

1. She has such an obeidient nature and incredible sense of right and wrong!

It's been a wonderful 7 years!

Bompi and Noni celebrated with usFor her birthday, Alyse wanted to have a BBQ feast! We had hamburgers, hotdogs, corn on the cob, baked beans, fruit skewers, and chips.

The cake, which was my first attempt at fondant frosting. We decided it makes great decorations, but doesn't taste very good.

Other highlights of Noni and Bompi's visit...

Noni gave the girls a bath. She got Layla out and diapered. A minute later she was in Alyse's bath, diaper and all!We found a piano on Craig's List and Scott and Bompi got it moved!

We made great progess on the yard, planting about another 100 plants and smoothing out the rest of the rocks. (Since pictured, we planted plants in the rock crevices in the pile in the front and changed the sprinklers into a drip system. Eventually there will be ground cover around all the flagstones.)Scott and his dad went truck shopping. It has taken us over 8 years to get 2 vehicles, but they are both paid for!!!

oh, and Scott made a full recovery and his 11 days of personal leave were refunded since he was on quarters for the most of it!