For Christmas I asked Jeremy for a plane ticket to go visit my family in California for a weekend...and the solo dad duties that would go along with such a trip.  So last weekend I flew off to my parents to visit them, my sister, and my two brothers and their families.  My brother Peter called before I left to see if had cancer or something and that was why I was coming out so I could break the news.  I guess I need to do quick solo visits more often.  It was wonderful to catch up and just talk with everyone.  I even got to go breathe in the beach air.

And indulge in some sourdough and clam chowder.


And I got meet my new niece who is not so new anymore but still the cutest thing.

I love my family and always so motivated and impressed by the people they are and what they do with their lives.  And then I was back Monday just in time to meet Jeremy for lunch and get the low-down on the weekend and pick kids up from school.

This week we were gearing up a bit for today with Robyn turning 8.  Hard to believe that someone who had a rocky start and was labeled as failure to thrive is now this big!   Jeremy made her some cute treats to hand out to her classmates.

On Saturday Robyn had her birthday party.  She invited two of Allison's friends to come help and had 11 of her friends over.  The played games:

She blew out her candle on some popsicles - her choice instead of cake.


And then it was off to the pool for a few hours of mayhem and fun.

Robyn is really happy here -she was just trying to look cool

Great time by all.  Spencer, Taylor and their cousin Garion spent the afternoon with Fudgsicles and computer games so everyone was happy.  Cousins had come to spend the weekend with us which meant a late movie night with brownies, Sunday morning of games:


Robyn came down sobbing that we had forgotten her birthday but once I explained we were just playing while the cinnamon rolls rose so we could bring her breakfast in bed she quickly ran upstairs with smiles, put her PJs back on and waited for us.


She is having a great birthday. 

The rest of the past two weeks have been spent with the ups and downs of life.  Reading about Abraham Lincoln and how he said when he lost an election he felt like the little boy who stubbed his toe in the dark - too big to cry yet it hurt too much to laugh.  Hopefully we remember to laugh most of the time.  Our water heater broke so we had to replace that.  Our van had to be taken in get the heater fixed.  And then they had to order parts so we brought the van home a day later and will have to go again.  Allison tried out for her play and got assigned her parts over which she is very excited.  Macho is still urinating blood everywhere like bathtubs and laundry baskets and beds.  I am giving him another week and then its vet time.  Jeremy had several photo events that he had to juggle.  I seriously underestimate the amount I place on his shoulders sometimes.  Friday we were able to go the temple with our ward.  Jeremy went after rushing to finish a job and pick up Spencer with a hurt rib that Spencer tried to push into place while putting all his weight on Jeremy's bent finger and seriously spraining it, wasn't time to have dinner, gets to the temple and its an hour wait because the sessions are full.  And he still managed to get up early the next day to take Allison out to be tested for the junior high at 7 am.  He juggles a lot with a smile.  Currently trying to figure out why his new thermostat (his birthday present from my parents) won't stop blowing cold air.  There is always something.  We did however finally find a cabinet supply warehouse that had our hinge for our broken cabinet.  Only took us a few months but it is now fixed!  So that is life, ups and downs and everything in between!