Drive by post

Just a rip though the last month or so via cell phone pictures, since I've been too busy to really post anything of substance on the blog ("Jason's posts have substance?" I can hear the peanut gallery say...)

Levi and Noah had a snow day at school.  Yes, in Arizona we have to manufacture our own snow.  It was an impressive machine, chewing through huge blocks of solid ice in a matter of seconds.

Then they had to line up for school.

They did not ask me before they climbed this tree.

The top went back on my truck for the first time in over 5 years.  Levi and Noah have literally never seen it with the top on.  Planning to get a full roll cage put in it sometime here in the near future by Campbell Enterprises.  Probably after we get back from Africa.

Getting dirt for the garden.  Four kids on a giant pile of... well... you know.

That thing at the top would be the cooling fan for the video card in our computer.  Not, it is not supposed to be hanging funny like that.  Tried replacing it, only to find out the motherboard had also failed.  Grrrrrrr.  Went to creepy Fry's Electronics and got a new one.  Computer, not motherboard.  Grrrrrrrr.

Mmmmmmmm, Quigley.  I really wish I could do this to our van.

Speaking of making your own snow... we also make our own sledding.  We had about a week of nights well below freezing, down into the 20s.  Very unusual for Phoenix.  While not very good for all the garden plants we had just planted, it did provide an opportunity for some weird desert fun.  So one night I set the alarm for every few hours, and headed out to the driveway with the garden hose.  A piece of rope, and a few old cardboard boxes later...

We discovered last night that they add a crucial ingredient to hot dogs, after the kids asked what they were made of.  While my gut instinct was to go with the Great Outdoors quote, I thought twice about that one.  Good thing they added that last ingredient.  Can't imagine what hot dogs would taste like if they didn't.

We spent an afternoon at Bounce U with one of Ella's friends from school.  The kids had a blast climbing around the germ infested inflatable toys.

Luke was so exhausted, he passed out in the car on the way to the store later, even though he insisted he was "NOT TIRED" and wanted to go with Dad.

That kid is a tank.  And we don't really have to look far to discover why.  This is a fairly typical breakfast.  Or really... three breakfasts.  He can put down the food.

Saturday was Bounce U, and by Sunday the germs had taken hold deep in Noah's stomach.  And then promptly looked for the nearest exit.  During Sunday school.  His poor teachers.  He spent the rest of the day and most of the night hurling.

We thought maybe he was the only one, since everyone else stayed healthy over the next few days.  But then Ella and Levi came down with it simultaneously on Thursday.  It was a 24 hour puke party around here.  I literally did not sleep at all Thursday night, emptying buckets, cleaning kids, and trying to get stuff done for work in between.

Then Noah, after recovering from the bug and being just fine for several days, decided last night that he wasn't quite done, and hurled from the top bunk.  Lovely.

For those keeping track, I think that is three rounds of family barfing in three months.  Sooooo ready for this flu season to be over.  It's been brutal.