The Dreaded Three Beverages

We have had a sickly one here the last few days.  Wee McCoy has been running a low fever and has a terrible cough.  He has stayed home from school the last two days and I have been his nurse applying Vicks vapor rub to his chest, putting essential oils on him, and dosing him with his antibiotic.  McCoy has been forced to take a daily nap for his own good.  As his nurse, I have been in close contact with him constantly.  Generally, I avoid sick people and some of my close friends refer to me as germaphobe.  I am not really; I just try to take precautions like never touching a public or private door handle with my bare hand I usually use a bit of sweater or even better politely wait for someone (Ashlee/Eddy) to open the door for me.  When my own dear child is sick I must forgo most of my usual protocols.  

I fear I may be coming down with some dreaded illness.

The biggest tell-tale sign is I want lots of beverages especially herbal tea. I like to have three beverages when I am coming down with an illness:  a big glass of water, echinacea herbal tea, and orange juice this one is mango orange.  I tote all of these down to my prefered viewing seat and take turns sipping them while watching a show.  I would much rather have a stomach sort of illness rather than a horrible cough/cold kind.  I think I am in for it this time.  I shall continue my regime of vitamin C and onguard and hope for the best.  

At least our weather is lovely and it is as though we have been transported to Washington State as we have had continuous rain for the last twenty four hours which is unheard of here.  Ashlee hates it but I love it (one may wonder why she skipped her blog post?).  Eddy hates it at school because they have rainy day schedule and all the kids stay in for all recesses and the poor teachers never get a break.  I know it won't last long and it is so cozy to sit by the wood stove with a roaring fire and listen to the rain.  I fear I won't have too much energy for much more than that though.  I may even have to dispatch others to bring me beverages, I think I will have three.

10,000 dollars richer . . .

in the classroom, anyway.  Eddy applied for a grant from United Way to help make his classroom a digital classroom through the purchase of 32 Chromebooks (laptops).  In his proposal he requested $10,000 to allow for a set of classroom laptops and all the extras you need for it.  He was very excited when he was approved for the grant.  Eddy is working on a second masters degree in Curriculum and Technology in Education and this grant will allow him to incorporate more of what he is learning into his classroom.

Paragraph below from the article that appeared in the local newspaper:

"The season of giving continued a little longer for the United Way of Safford and one Elementary classroom this month as representatives from the United Way awarded Mr. Eddy Carlton, a third grade teacher at Dorothy Stinson Elementary a grant of nearly $10,000. Shortly after the winter break Mr. Carlton filled out the grant application that would make his classroom a 1-to-1 computer classroom. On the morning the grant was awarded the United Way representatives were greeted to cheers and posters made by students in Mr. Carlton's class. Mr. Mike Moreno, Principal of Dorothy Stinson and Dr. Mark Tragaskes, Superintendent of Safford Unified Schools were both in attendance for the award ceremony. Mr. Carlton and his class are very excited for the opportunity to become a digital classroom and are grateful to the United Way for their continued generosity."

Mr.Carlton (Eddy) presented with a check for $10,000!

Mr. Carlton's class made posters to say thank you to United Way

Congratulations, Mr. Carlton and big Thank You to United Way for making it possible!

2015 Pinewood Derby

It's that time of the year where the menfolk in these parts blow the sawdust of the ban saws and see who can make the fast car in the west.  Yessir, it is Pinewood Derby time, a long held cub scouting tradition.  Each cub scout is given a kit containing a block of wood, axles, and tires and then the fun begins.  The cub scouts have very little to do with the construction of their cars but if they are really lucky they get to paint and maybe sand a little, for the most part the Dads take it over and do it all.  It isn't a terribly fair contest as you have to have own or have access to woodworking tools.  For years we didn't and Eddy would do the best he could with what he had and poor Quinton would always come in last.  Many a tear was shed at these Pinewood Derby Races.  Nowadays, Eddy is more experienced and has a friend with a nice woodworking shop.  So his cars do quite well and the boys are all smiles.

This year McCoy had a space shuttle themed car and Declan had a sleek race car.  The race is results are all electronic and Pinewood Derby is taken very seriously.  There are lots of rules from how heavy the car can be to who can touch the car (just the scout) but the boys do have a lot of fun.  

McCoy (left) and Declan with their cars

Getting their cars all set on the track with projected race info behind

Declan watches his car closely

Very closely

 (his is the red one in the lead)

When it was all said and done McCoy took 1st place for Wolves and 3rd place over all. Declan took first place for Webelos and 2nd place overall.  They could go on to districts which is the next level of racing but I prefer not pursue greater glory and just enjoy our success.  No need to add more tears the Pinewood Derby experience. 

McCoy with his trophy

Declan with his trophy

Reconaissance

Rhi and I decided to go check out some camp grounds that are on the way to Aravaipa. Zany came too. 

Meet one of our new neighbors. There are two owls that now live in the big pine. This is the smaller one, the big one I couldn't get a good shot of. I'm sure they are there to deliver my invitation to Hogwarts.

At four-mile Campground about an hour from thatcher, AZ. While nice, it was a little to close to our landscape in our backyard, and areas close to home. Zany is ready for an adventure!

But ;not too much of one! We scoffed when the website said on the way to aravaipa we would need a high clearance vehicle. We were fine until you came upon a creek that you had to cross several times. It was a proper creek, not the trickle that we were use to. I was wearing my trusty gore tex boots, and strode on over to cross the creek without much thought, and poor baby Z followed behind me right into this puddle. I heard the greatest cacckling from her caring mama to see her standing ankle deep in muddy water. Then sh slipped climbing out and got her hands dirty, which is her pet peeve.

Not a happy camper! Aravaipa looks gorgeuos, but we will need to track down a better vehicle;e (and probably a more adventurous driver as we two are quite cautious)

We had to Race home to meet Archy off the bus, but I think he could have handle himself right? Who would mess with this tough guy!

What They Wore-Eddy's pick

Eddy's birthday landed on a Sunday this years so I let him pick the color of the day for the kids to wear and he let them pick what they wanted.  They were pretty excited about that.  We had a currently serving missionary and a recently returned missionary speak to us in sacrament meeting.  It is so interesting to note the differences in growth and polish between a new missionary and one who has completed his mission.  I can hardly believe how few years I have left with Quinton before he becomes a missionary.  Quinton has the makings of an excellent missionary.  He taught the lesson to his peers today in Sunday and he really seemed to enjoy it.

For Eddy's birthday dinner, we had Shrimp Fajitas, Red Rice, Santa Fe Corn, and Refried Beans with Guacamole and Chips.  For his birthday cake he wanted a chocolate cake with Dark Chocolate Fudge Icing and a cold glass of milk.   Nice and easy since I took the simple way and made it from the box.  We are in the thick of our birthday season as we have four birthdays within six or so weeks.  I let them pick whatever dessert they want for their birthday and it doesn't have to be cake but it usually is cake.  Declan is already talking about his choices for his birthday and he still has three weeks to wait.  It will probably be here before I know it as most things are.   As a special birthday present to Eddy we all were ready and to church early; it really bothers him when he is late.  

Zany (left), Declan, McCoy, and Archer

What has Declan discovered?

New for the Loo

I have strong opinions about toilets.  I spend a lot of time with my toilet cleaning and trying to protect it from lots of boys who would use it carelessly.  We have just the one toilet for all seven of us, very 1940's I know.  When something was dropped on the toilet breaking the porcelain connecting the toilet to the tank I maybe smiled inwardly.  At last, I could get the toilet of my dreams! Unfortunately, the toilet still worked fine for a whole year.  Then a big piece of porcelain fell off and water began slowly dripping from the tank.  I decided it was time for a new one.  With five males using this toilet, I was willing to pay extra for an all-in-one toilet to stop pee getting between the toilet and the tank.  I also wanted an elongated toilet, the bigger target the better.  I also wanted an enclosed S bend but that made the toilet really pricey so I had to forgo that wish.

We special ordered the toilet from Home Depot (Kohler: Santa Rosa $300.00).  When it finally arrived Eddy unboxed it and it was lovely, gloriously large and sparklingly white.  I have learned over the years through many, many projects that the difficulty of a project can be judged by the number of trips you take to Home Depot.  Sometimes it is ten or like this project just one.

Prepping the plumbing with old round toilet. Eddy updated the water shut off valve (1/4 turn valve) and always replaces the hose when working on toilets. Eddy prefers TP2 pipe thread sealant over Teflon tape.

What else came in the toilet box?

Eddy at Home Depot with, if you look closely, an elusive home depot worker

New kind of toilet seal combines traditional wax seal that is encased

A couple of years after we bought the house we were having toilet troubles and we took off the toilet to discover a root as big as a mans forearm in (length and width) that had grown into the sewer line but the sewer pipe was intact it had grown through the wax seal.  That was a nasty one.  Thankfully it has never grown back!

Welcome to the family, I am sure you will get to know us all very well!

Eddy's note...DON'T OVER TIGHTEN!

Roper Lake- continued

Here is the selection of photo's I took, of our wee adventure.

Zany sets up her chair around the campfire. We had a nice view of Mt. Graham.

The Carlton Camper. 

Dec decides to whittle a bit with the new knife Pa gave him.

Sunning themselves in the morning sun.

We had a little heat wave the weekend that we were camping, and we didn't bring our shade. We huddled in the trailer while the kids played some games, colored and amused themselves.

Even though it was quite warm, the water was freezing. I gave the kids a dollar if they could stay in there for ten minutes. Only Dec and McCoy were brave enough to do it. 

The Brave fellow did a full body immeresion.

Z only dipped her feet. 

All day Zany carried around some starburst. She was real suspicious of everyone and tried to hide them. Little did she know, I did indeed sneak one. Maybe the askance glances were warranted.

You can take the housewife out of the house, but not our of her soul.

Rhi, wants to do her own post on the inside of her trailer,(she spends a lot of time decorating it, and undecorating at each and every arrival)  but this little guy took my fancy so I sneaked one of him.

Yea for Camping!  

Roper Lake: Fishing Expedition

  Part of the allure of Roper Lake is the fishing. The lake had just been stocked with rainbow trout and some other kind of fish.  We are a bit clueless when it comes to fishing but we are ever hopeful.

After a short walk we arrived at the lake, Quinton was all geared up in waders and fishing vest, he even had a new fishing pole.  Unfortunately, he had nary a nibble.  Declan while not as fishingly attired also had nary a nibble.  

The whole outing was very frustrating for the fishermen and the fishermens helper (Eddy).  McCoy, Archer and Zany had tons of fun fishing in their own way (throwing big rocks in the lake).  Part of the lack of fish may have been the noisy gal known as Zany who kept running up and down the dock yelling.  By the end of this fishing outing, most of the group was out of sorts and irritable.  Nothing like roasting marshmallows and making s'mores to put everyone back in a happy mood.  The sunset over the lake was so beautiful, it gave me brief thoughts of getting up early to see the sunrise over the lake (I am not an early bird).  Maybe if I do I could take a couple fishermen and they might have better luck catching a fish in the quiet early morning.

McCoy instructs Archy in the best way to fish

Watch out fish!

Quinton wades into fish

Looking the part

Nice new pole

Eddy spent lots of time helping Declan fish off the dock

Three synchronized ducks

Archy and Zany loved watching the ducks swim in perfect unison

Roper Lake: Hike and Hot Tub

It all started with an article in the newspaper.  I read our local paper every week and  I noticed a small article mentioning that for Martin Luther King Day they would be having free admission to all National Parks.  I decided that we should take advantage of the government's generosity and so I began looking for a close National Park we could go too.  I actually settled on a state park so it wasn't free but it was so fun.  Roper Lake is really close and it is way to hot in the summer to camp at but it is perfect for winter camping.  There are several attractions there and we took advantage of them all.  After setting up camp, everyone put on their swimsuits and we set off for a hike.  The hike took you up and down a mesa and it was nicely lined with rocks and timbers for steps.

Ashlee, professional hiker, studies the route

Eddy with Zany on his shoulders and 

Quinton with Archy on his shoulders 

while Declan and McCoy walk nearby

Energy of the young, the kids run ahead

McCoy near the top of the mesa

Quinton on Mesa overlooking the lake

Eddy and Zany with Mt. Graham in the background

After the hike, it was hot tub time.  There are natural hot springs that heat the water to a warm temperature that felt so good after the hike. Archer loves hot tubs and he enjoyed jumping in despite the smallness of the pool.  We had to drag Archer out of the hot tub. 

Archer prepares to jump

He likes to plug his nose just like his mama!

uh-oh

Oh no, I don't have anything for the blog? what shall I do?


Here is a Zany being my avatar for not having my blog lined up and ready to go. We went to Roper Lake state park yesterday and I didn't blog in advance like a good girl. I am actually quite surprised Rhi has not called to remind me, normally she turns into the Great and Dreadful Nag-inator! Always pestering me about it. She is probably too busy cleaning out her cute camper. I did take some photos and promise to have a post ready in time for my next call to duty.