Matt got a new toy this week.
As a result of Operation Kill Scorpion, he bought a black light.
("They" say scorpions light up in black light).
So we had a BBQ on Monday night to celebrate the completion of the yard (I will post pictures in the next few days). Dave, Natalie and their kids joined us and at the end of the evening, with the kids back in the pool, we were kicking back at the table. Matt pulls out the black light and after a quick look-see came up empty. Several minutes later Dave shined the light into the desert/golf course just on the other side of the fence. One was skittering towards our fence. I had to stifle a girly scream of, "Get away from our yard!". We found two in total on the other side of the fence. And man do they really light up!
Creepy, to say the least.
Thus began The Great Scorpion Hunt.
Dave and Matt were out for blood.
Scorpion blood.
One was drowned with spray and one impaled with a stick.
Next they tackled the keystone wall still remaining on one side of the yard.
Let's just say things progressed to the point that Matt came into the house looking for needle nose pliers.
I chose not to ask why...
My understanding is that after Monday night, our neck of the desert is now 6 scorpions lighter than it was before.
Knowing Matt, he will have nightly scorpion stalkings...
My hero:)
It is clear that the best course of action will be to rid ourselves of the keystone wall.
Even with it gone, as we live on the desert, we are bound to have periodic scorpions... but maybe by clearing the keystones we can at least rid ourselves of any remaining nests.
*sigh*
As we finally just exited Crazy-Month-When-We-Did-Ten-Projects-At-Once, I am not excited to jump into another.
Really not excited.
Mom needs a break.
Maybe next month...
Until then, Matt can go scorpion hunting with his new toy:)
***Update***
Last night, Matt's Black Light Patrol netted NO scorpions! Yay!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
A Virtual Melange
So I had a bunch of pictures that I liked but didn't use on the blog this month. Thought I would share a few with you, dear readers...
In the past I promised you a picture of Parker with "bed head"... love the curls...!
Look what Emery learned to do in the last week!
This gives you a glimpse into our attempts at a photo shoot...
Note that shoes are now the Number-One-Thing-We-Like-To-Stick-In-Our-Mouths. As you can imagine, Mom is not thrilled *hrumph*. Matt suggested we go buy new shoes for them to suck on. You just may see me shoe shopping this week...
"Get me out of here!"...
Now I am aware that the above photo not only shows Isaac staring intently out of a window... but also shows the fact that my windows are tres dirty. In my defense, we still had workers in the backyard at the time (Isaac was studying every movement they made), but in all honesty I am forced to admit that the window remains today as it did 2 weeks ago when this picture was taken. At least I can say that cleaning the windows is on my list... not very high on my list, but on my list:)
I just thought this was cute of Parker (shades of S.teve C.arrell in the poster for the 40-Year O.ld V.irgin movie)...
And of Isaac...
And of Parker and Isaac together...
And these are classic Emery pictures...
All in all, we had a good month... and from now on, Mom may have to take all pictures in the feeding table... at least they can't crawl away!
In the past I promised you a picture of Parker with "bed head"... love the curls...!
Look what Emery learned to do in the last week!
This gives you a glimpse into our attempts at a photo shoot...
Note that shoes are now the Number-One-Thing-We-Like-To-Stick-In-Our-Mouths. As you can imagine, Mom is not thrilled *hrumph*. Matt suggested we go buy new shoes for them to suck on. You just may see me shoe shopping this week..."Get me out of here!"...
Now I am aware that the above photo not only shows Isaac staring intently out of a window... but also shows the fact that my windows are tres dirty. In my defense, we still had workers in the backyard at the time (Isaac was studying every movement they made), but in all honesty I am forced to admit that the window remains today as it did 2 weeks ago when this picture was taken. At least I can say that cleaning the windows is on my list... not very high on my list, but on my list:)I just thought this was cute of Parker (shades of S.teve C.arrell in the poster for the 40-Year O.ld V.irgin movie)...
And of Isaac...
And of Parker and Isaac together...
And these are classic Emery pictures...
All in all, we had a good month... and from now on, Mom may have to take all pictures in the feeding table... at least they can't crawl away!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Month Eleven
Chronological Age: 11 months
Adjusted Age: 8.5 months
Dear Emery, Parker and Isaac,
To understate the situation... the attempt to get all of you to sit still and be happy for a picture is becoming more and more difficult by the month...
Wow! This month snuck up on me.
How did y'all get so old?
I mean, 11 months is perilously close to one year.
And THAT, my dear children, cannot possibly be so imminent.
But yet, here we are.
Your father and I have certainly got our hands full!
The changes in your development are now coming fast and furious (not to mention your teeth!).
All three of you are crawling, and you have started pulling up.
You make all sorts of new noises (some happy, some not-so-much).
You now pick "puffs" up off the table and manage (sometimes after VERY long periods of time...) to get them into your mouths.
In addition to all of your new tricks, this has been a crazy but very exciting month (thus this letter is one day late... I plead "mother of triplets!). You now have more play space both in the courtyard and the back yard which we expect will be getting much use over the next several years. Dad got his eyes "fixed", Mom renewed her medical license, and we had visits from Lisa, and Grandma and Grandpa. Phew!
Emery: Your attachment to your father has grown. In the case that he has the audacity to walk out of the room while you are watching him... a melee ensues. You have begun babbling with surprising intensity... bababa, dadada, mamama. There are times it is clear you are giving me the "what for". You have mastered speed-crawling and now prefer to pull up to a stand whenever possible.
By the way, you have eyes for wipes. You heart wipes. And get you hands on them whenever possible. If allowed to hold one, you manage to rip it to shreds and fit whatever pieces possible in your mouth. As a result, you are on restriction from wipes except in the case they are being used to clean your other end. Here you are thinking you were being sneaky with the wipes container... until you realized you got caught. Something to remember, dear Emmie... Mommy is always watching...:)
Parker: You have started eating much better and for the first time I have hope that you may be medication-free in the next month or two. You still don't have a big appetite, but mealtimes are much easier and occasionally you giggle your way through. The pool is by no means your favorite thing. You are good standing on the first step with your father, but rarely tolerate being nipple-deep in the water for longer than a minute or two. So instead you sit, looking awful cute in your swimming clothes, on the side of the pool.
You started to crawl just hours after Grandma and Grandpa arrived which was quite a treat for all of us considering the many developmental milestones they have missed over the last 11 months. You have been teething something fierce! Currently you are working on your 6th tooth, which means your thumbs (and sometimes the rest of your hands!) are constantly in your mouth.
Isaac: You are quite the mover and shaker. You were the first to crawl (edging out Emery by two days), and the first to start pulling yourself up (only hours ahead of Emery). In fact, you and Emery have a bit of a rivalry going... I swear I saw an elbow being thrown today:). And it begins! Walkers are for walking... but you run. You put your chin down and power through hallway, including, when called for... rugs. You are a master at obstacles and frequently do circuits from the kitchen through the pantry, dining room, den and back to the kitchen.
You enjoy the pool... we think. When in the water you are completely devoid of reaction or expression. You aren't happy or excited... but also not crying and grunting. We'll take it:). In the last few days you have developed a fascination with my camera. As soon as you see me pick it up, you head straight for the lens... which makes it a bit difficult at times to get a decent picture anymore...
Your father and I are so impressed by the strides the three of you have been making. We marvel at your ability to move around (wasn't it just yesterday when you could barely lift your neck???), manipulate your toys, and assert your wills. You continue to be our biggest blessings and we can't wait to see what you come up with next. With three of you, each day brings new surprises (mostly good...)! We live for your smiles, giggles and new tricks as we watch the world come alive again through your eyes. May you continue to be as happy, healthy and confident as you are currently. We love you!
Love,
Mom
Adjusted Age: 8.5 months
Dear Emery, Parker and Isaac,
To understate the situation... the attempt to get all of you to sit still and be happy for a picture is becoming more and more difficult by the month...
Wow! This month snuck up on me.
How did y'all get so old?
I mean, 11 months is perilously close to one year.
And THAT, my dear children, cannot possibly be so imminent.
But yet, here we are.
Your father and I have certainly got our hands full!
The changes in your development are now coming fast and furious (not to mention your teeth!).
All three of you are crawling, and you have started pulling up.
You make all sorts of new noises (some happy, some not-so-much).
You now pick "puffs" up off the table and manage (sometimes after VERY long periods of time...) to get them into your mouths.
In addition to all of your new tricks, this has been a crazy but very exciting month (thus this letter is one day late... I plead "mother of triplets!). You now have more play space both in the courtyard and the back yard which we expect will be getting much use over the next several years. Dad got his eyes "fixed", Mom renewed her medical license, and we had visits from Lisa, and Grandma and Grandpa. Phew!
Emery: Your attachment to your father has grown. In the case that he has the audacity to walk out of the room while you are watching him... a melee ensues. You have begun babbling with surprising intensity... bababa, dadada, mamama. There are times it is clear you are giving me the "what for". You have mastered speed-crawling and now prefer to pull up to a stand whenever possible.
By the way, you have eyes for wipes. You heart wipes. And get you hands on them whenever possible. If allowed to hold one, you manage to rip it to shreds and fit whatever pieces possible in your mouth. As a result, you are on restriction from wipes except in the case they are being used to clean your other end. Here you are thinking you were being sneaky with the wipes container... until you realized you got caught. Something to remember, dear Emmie... Mommy is always watching...:)
Parker: You have started eating much better and for the first time I have hope that you may be medication-free in the next month or two. You still don't have a big appetite, but mealtimes are much easier and occasionally you giggle your way through. The pool is by no means your favorite thing. You are good standing on the first step with your father, but rarely tolerate being nipple-deep in the water for longer than a minute or two. So instead you sit, looking awful cute in your swimming clothes, on the side of the pool.
You started to crawl just hours after Grandma and Grandpa arrived which was quite a treat for all of us considering the many developmental milestones they have missed over the last 11 months. You have been teething something fierce! Currently you are working on your 6th tooth, which means your thumbs (and sometimes the rest of your hands!) are constantly in your mouth.
Isaac: You are quite the mover and shaker. You were the first to crawl (edging out Emery by two days), and the first to start pulling yourself up (only hours ahead of Emery). In fact, you and Emery have a bit of a rivalry going... I swear I saw an elbow being thrown today:). And it begins! Walkers are for walking... but you run. You put your chin down and power through hallway, including, when called for... rugs. You are a master at obstacles and frequently do circuits from the kitchen through the pantry, dining room, den and back to the kitchen.
You enjoy the pool... we think. When in the water you are completely devoid of reaction or expression. You aren't happy or excited... but also not crying and grunting. We'll take it:). In the last few days you have developed a fascination with my camera. As soon as you see me pick it up, you head straight for the lens... which makes it a bit difficult at times to get a decent picture anymore...
Your father and I are so impressed by the strides the three of you have been making. We marvel at your ability to move around (wasn't it just yesterday when you could barely lift your neck???), manipulate your toys, and assert your wills. You continue to be our biggest blessings and we can't wait to see what you come up with next. With three of you, each day brings new surprises (mostly good...)! We live for your smiles, giggles and new tricks as we watch the world come alive again through your eyes. May you continue to be as happy, healthy and confident as you are currently. We love you!
Love,
Mom
Mon-Days of Grace #25
Today I am grateful for...
1) The completion of The Great Big Back Yard Re-do: Can't tell you how happy I am not to have workers in the back yard day after day. So happy to BE DONE:)
2) Sore muscles: I started lifting weights again... and doing push-ups (my all-time LEAST favorite thing to do... followed closely by abs), and crunches. Getting up early in the morning to do them is not something I enjoy... but I enjoy the sore muscles. At least it makes me feel like I am getting somewhere!
3) BBQ food: We have had more than our share of BBQs in the last few weeks... and my waistline proves it! Me lovey homemade baked beans, cheeseburgers, chips and dip/salsa. Another BBQ slated for tonight. We are going "healthy" tonight with salmon on the grill. Wish us luck:)
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Finally!!!
A trip nearly an entire year in the making... my parents arrived on Monday.
I do believe I have mentioned it before, but just in case... a clarification why it took 11 months...
My parents have been serving for the last three years far away as Mission President for our church. As a result, my mother was able to come care for me after I was discharged from the hospital, and then returned for two weeks just after Parker came home... but my father was not able to leave their mission area. When the babies were born, having my parents come in 11 months seemed like a completely unreachable occasion. July, it seemed, was destined to never arrive.
And yet, it did!
My parents completed their mission last week (Yay!). And on their way to The-Most-Beautiful-Place-On-Earth, they took a swing through The-Place-I-Don't-Identify-On-My-Blog to see the babies.
It was the first time my father was able to see the babies in person. And it was fabuloso! My concerns about stranger anxiety remained unfounded (Yay!), and the babies already love their grandparents! We ate...
Which resulted in an experiment in avocado facepainting that Isaac enjoyed rather too much... 
We played out in our newly completed courtyard every morning (cool and shady!) 
We spent some time in the pool... 
And we took naps... 
We are hoping to see them this fall, but my father injured his shoulder-- a complete rotator cuff tear:(. As a result, he will need surgery once they reach home and I'm not sure they will be able to return this fall. Either way, we are intending to pack the crew and head to The-Most-Beautiful-Place for Christmas.
Road trip to Grandma and Grandpas!
Watch out!
I do believe I have mentioned it before, but just in case... a clarification why it took 11 months...
My parents have been serving for the last three years far away as Mission President for our church. As a result, my mother was able to come care for me after I was discharged from the hospital, and then returned for two weeks just after Parker came home... but my father was not able to leave their mission area. When the babies were born, having my parents come in 11 months seemed like a completely unreachable occasion. July, it seemed, was destined to never arrive.
And yet, it did!
My parents completed their mission last week (Yay!). And on their way to The-Most-Beautiful-Place-On-Earth, they took a swing through The-Place-I-Don't-Identify-On-My-Blog to see the babies.
It was the first time my father was able to see the babies in person. And it was fabuloso! My concerns about stranger anxiety remained unfounded (Yay!), and the babies already love their grandparents! We ate...
Which resulted in an experiment in avocado facepainting that Isaac enjoyed rather too much... 
We played out in our newly completed courtyard every morning (cool and shady!) 
We spent some time in the pool... 
And we took naps... 
We are hoping to see them this fall, but my father injured his shoulder-- a complete rotator cuff tear:(. As a result, he will need surgery once they reach home and I'm not sure they will be able to return this fall. Either way, we are intending to pack the crew and head to The-Most-Beautiful-Place for Christmas.Road trip to Grandma and Grandpas!
Watch out!
Monday, July 6, 2009
The Weekend That Was, II
I didn't have a snappy title, so I am recycling one...
for what was a muy fabuloso weekend!
We hadn't seen Lisa since we met up in Africa exactly three years ago.
And we didn't miss a beat!
First of all... Lisa and I hoofed it (read: drove) out to a bakery 40 minutes away as a little birdy (read: Misti) told me that they had cupcakes worth my left arm.
She was right!
Three candles and a printed picture from LQ's face.book page later... we had a Triple B-day party by proxy:) (sorry about the square head, LQ, we wish you could have been here in person!)
*As I pinky promised Lisa I would add... here is a disclaimer for this picture... see my hair is in a bad way. My pregnancy-pattern baldness hair is now all about 4 inches long and causing much hair difficulty. As my hair stylist suddenly moved to the other coast (hope you are well, Jek!), and I haven't had much spare time (*cough*) lately to find a new one... my hair was sub par for pictures to say the least. After the first batch of pictures, I deleted most of them (except for the top two above), and performed a little bang surgery before repeating the photo shoot. Lisa wanted me to make it clear that she does not like this picture of herself, but sacrificed what was a better picture for the sake of my hair-that-doesn't-cooperate-anymore. Now that is a true friend:)
Oh, and for the sake of clarity... lest you think this was the only cupcake that Lisa and I enjoyed from The Cupcake-Bakery-SassyMama-Will-Be-Frequenting-Often-Although-It-Is-Quite-The-Drive, let me set the record straight. We took pleasure in multiple. The cake was moist and the buttercream was luscious:). Misti found a winner for sure!
The rest of the weekend was filled with taking care of the babies, swimming with the babies,
suntanning without them, and catching up over fattening food. Friday night we went out to dinner sans triplets and sat outside as a warm breeze blew through the patio. A beautiful, warm evening. We BBQ'd on the 4th and ate outside while watching the fireworks go off around the valley.
Unfortunately, the landscaping work is still not complete. The grass installation is starting today and will hopefully finish tomorrow. But the patios are complete so we were able to use them for the BBQ. Otherwise, our yard is just dirt until the grass is done. Considering the two days that Operation Kill Scorpion Nests (2 found in total) added to the project, we are right on schedule. This is how part of the yard looks now... (nice moon, no?)
It should be nice and green by tomorrow....
We had a fabulous weekend with Lisa.
We hope that she didn't get worked to death and will return to visit soon!
We miss you already!
for what was a muy fabuloso weekend!
We hadn't seen Lisa since we met up in Africa exactly three years ago.
And we didn't miss a beat!
First of all... Lisa and I hoofed it (read: drove) out to a bakery 40 minutes away as a little birdy (read: Misti) told me that they had cupcakes worth my left arm.
She was right!
Three candles and a printed picture from LQ's face.book page later... we had a Triple B-day party by proxy:) (sorry about the square head, LQ, we wish you could have been here in person!)
*As I pinky promised Lisa I would add... here is a disclaimer for this picture... see my hair is in a bad way. My pregnancy-pattern baldness hair is now all about 4 inches long and causing much hair difficulty. As my hair stylist suddenly moved to the other coast (hope you are well, Jek!), and I haven't had much spare time (*cough*) lately to find a new one... my hair was sub par for pictures to say the least. After the first batch of pictures, I deleted most of them (except for the top two above), and performed a little bang surgery before repeating the photo shoot. Lisa wanted me to make it clear that she does not like this picture of herself, but sacrificed what was a better picture for the sake of my hair-that-doesn't-cooperate-anymore. Now that is a true friend:)
Oh, and for the sake of clarity... lest you think this was the only cupcake that Lisa and I enjoyed from The Cupcake-Bakery-SassyMama-Will-Be-Frequenting-Often-Although-It-Is-Quite-The-Drive, let me set the record straight. We took pleasure in multiple. The cake was moist and the buttercream was luscious:). Misti found a winner for sure!
The rest of the weekend was filled with taking care of the babies, swimming with the babies,
suntanning without them, and catching up over fattening food. Friday night we went out to dinner sans triplets and sat outside as a warm breeze blew through the patio. A beautiful, warm evening. We BBQ'd on the 4th and ate outside while watching the fireworks go off around the valley.
Unfortunately, the landscaping work is still not complete. The grass installation is starting today and will hopefully finish tomorrow. But the patios are complete so we were able to use them for the BBQ. Otherwise, our yard is just dirt until the grass is done. Considering the two days that Operation Kill Scorpion Nests (2 found in total) added to the project, we are right on schedule. This is how part of the yard looks now... (nice moon, no?)
It should be nice and green by tomorrow....
We had a fabulous weekend with Lisa.
We hope that she didn't get worked to death and will return to visit soon!
We miss you already!
Mon-Days of Grace #24
Today I am grateful for...
1) Old Friends: And yes, Lisa. We are now officially "old":).
2) Dead Scorpions: The workers in the backyard caught several from the 2nd nest they found in a water bottle. Just so we could see. Really? I could have done without:). I'm just glad the nests are gone!
3) Cupcakes: Not just regular cupcakes. The kind of cupcakes that have tons of buttercream frosting on top... that I didn't have to slave over myself. Now THAT is a cupcake:)
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