"a REAL emergency"

We have encountered some times when, for example, I am inside with the twins and Isaac while Royce is outside with Chloe that I would tell Isaac to go get Royce for something. Maybe I needed a hand with the girls, maybe we needed to run an errand, whatever it may be I would ask Isaac to be the messenger. Well, Isaac gets distracted. So we've started giving him a script if we need something. For instance: "Isaac go tell Daddy that I need help with Amelia for a minute. Mommy says that Daddy NEEDS to come inside." Then we have him repeat it back to us and then proceed to deliver the message. He does better with a script instead of just having him wing it and getting distracted.

Several weeks ago when we were working on our patio cover we had tools everywhere.  The chop saw was on the ground in the back yard, other saws on the deck, stuff everywhere.  The power tools were always unpluged when we weren't using them and Chloe and Isaac knew to stay clear.  The twins really weren't allowed in the first part of our yard, we took them to the playhouse or to the swings.  The kids knew to respect the tools and that they were dangerous. 

One morning while Royce was working on the patio I had the girls down for naps and I got in the shower.  Isaac was home that day and was being a 'worker boy' dressed just like his daddy.  Work jeans, tennis shoes, white muscle t-shirt, and a hat.  Isaac loves being a worker boy with his dad.  So the boys were working and I got in the shower.  Just as I had rinsed the shampoo from my hair I heard Isaac talking on the other side of the bathroom door.  Between the door and the running water I could only hear a muffled voice so I told him to open the door and come in to talk to me. 

Isaac: "MOM.  It's a REAL emergency." In a very low, serious voice
Me:  "It's what?"  I had heard him, but wanted to make sure....
Isaac:  "It's a REAL emergency."
Me:  "It's an emergency?" Starting to panic a bit.
Isaac:  "Ya, Daddy gots a blood finger.  It's a real emergency."  Notice the script???
Me:  "Daddy has a blood finger?"
Isaac:  "Ya, Daddy cut his finger and gots a blood finger."  Still a low, serious voice.
Me:  "Seriously??" said as I'm turning off the water, leaping from the shower, skipping the towel, grabbing my robe and am running naked through the house trying to throw my robe around me while picturing Royce's finger hacked off with the chop saw which he WAS using.

I got to the back door and saw Royce squatted over the chop saw....working away.  Using both hands, working away.  I barely had the robe around me so from the door I peeked out and said to him, "Are you okay?" to which he turned around and looked at me and said, "Ya, why?"  At this point Isaac squeezed by me through the doorway with a bandaid.  "Here's your bandaid, Dad!" he says proud as can be.  I said, "So you don't have a blood finger and it's NOT a real emergency?"  Obviously Royce knew those words could have only come from one source and he started laughing.  "No, but I did get a tiny cut and asked Isaac to get me a bandaid."  I continued with "So you didn't send Isaac into the bathroom to get me out of the shower, tell me it was a REAL emergency, that 'Daddy gots a blood finger' so I would come running out here soaking wet?"  "Nope" said Royce, "sure didn't." 

Huh.  What d'ya do.

Kansas City June 2012

Royce had training in KC this last week so the kids and I loaded up and joined him for a long weekend.  I love being back in KC.  It just feels good to be there.  I'm glad we live in Hays, I don't miss the traffic in Hays at all, but it just feels good to know our way around and to be there. 

We stayed with Brian and Courtney in Prairie Village so the kids and I walked to the Village shopping center and made a trip to our old park as well.  It's nice they get to re-visit these places that we used to spend so much time. 

Rub-a-dub-dub four kids in a tub! 

Friday afternoon we had lunch with Jessica.  It was nice to have some time with her even if it meant hauling my four munchkins to lunch with us.   I also got to see Jessica at dinner Saturday night but the pictures of us were blurry so I won't post them. 

Friday night Brian & Courtney hosted a baby shower for one of the KPMG start-group couples.  The group that started together in fall of 2004 is such a fun group.  Nobody works at KPMG anymore but the group remains close and it's nice we celebrate babies and Christmas together each year.  The dynamic of the parties has changed as there are so many more kiddos now!  There were 10 kids present, three more in the oven, and two engagements.  Such a fun group.



Caroline practicing her hoops!

And finally we got to meet Miss Charlotte Marie McGown.  Chloe says she was the best at taking care of her.  She did very well!  Charlotte is just a little peanut and we loved snuggling her and hearing all about her arrival.  She was a good girl and listened to me and was born on my birthday, May 20, 2012.  

What a beautiful baby!

 

Just love watching a baby sleep.

We also went back to the McGown's on Sunday to celebrate Charlotte's baptism.

Again, Chloe took over in the care of Charlotte.

Look at those little feet tucked in there!!!

 Isaac got in on the holding today as well.

 Beautiful eyes!

It was a pleasure meeting you!

Welcome to the May 20th cool club!

My Handy CPA

Our back patio faces west, therefore our dining room gets incredibly hot in the summer.  We have had to close curtains and keep doors tightly sealed so that we do not make it any hotter than it already was in past summers.  But this is no longer!  Royce had two weeks off of work in May and this is what he built. 

Before

AFTER!

Our new covered patio!

We absolutely love this space now.  We eat out here, we entertain, and Royce and the kids even slept out here!  Not to mention the fact that it keeps our dining room about 10 degrees cooler than it has ever been in the summer.  It is a wonderful space we will enjoy for years to come. 

Another before picture.

This patio makeover was a family affair. 

Chloe and Isaac really helped when we asked them to.

A rain guage won't do much good on the deck anymore.

Thanks for taking it down, Isaac!

Royce spent some hot days roofing the addition.

He worked so hard!

This was completely staged, but it still looks so sweet!

They did sleep out here all night.

Before our first evening of entertaining.

Yes, Royce, you deserve that beer!

Royce built a matching gate to keep the twins up and the dogs down.

We love this backyard!