Road Trip, Day 1

Seven a.m. we pulled out of the driveway. So we got started a little later than we had hoped, but I doubt that extra hour would have made much difference in our "enjoyment" of the day. A few hours into the trip and all the kids were expressing their disdain at the semi-healthy snacks I had spent hours packing Saturday night. I even packed sandwiches for lunch, so believe me when I say there was MUCH REJOICING when we finally arrived at our destination for the evening (St. George, Utah) and went to In N Out Burger for some down-home fast food. The entire rest of the trip was junky fast food--the kids were in heaven. (Okay, I sorta liked it too.)

We loved St. George, even though it was wickedly hot. After dinner we swam a while in the hotel pool, and then at 9 we drove around to get shakes. Sonic shakes are delicious. I recommend the cookies and cream. We took our shakes and walked around the temple grounds in the twilight. It was 103. It was beautiful. The kids were so exhausted when we got back to our room that they all fell asleep immediately without a peep. It was beautiful.

I Promised Myself I Wouldn't Do This

I promised myself I wouldn't put up another post of Tommy or Jos until I had done one on some of my other, more boring children first, but Tommy got his first "two wheeler" today and I just couldn't resist posting about it. The following short video is naturally of the highest cinematic quality, as you have come to expect from me. Tommy is whimpering "I'm so tired" and I am being a total stage mom and shooing him on his way, all for the sake of my "shot". Note the very end of one of Josie's handstands (on wet cement) and Jon ditching his bike to do an impromptu hula. Tommy WAS so tired, because he rode that bike for 2 hours straight today. And at the end, Jon is asking me if Old Nana would enjoy seeing him perform the hula at her party.

(Please ignore the fact that none of my children, neither the bike riders nor the hand stander, are wearing helmets.)

Dental Office: Invasion Of The Konchars

This past week has been all about the dentist. For three days this week, my car has been pointed in the direction of Dr. Lindsay's office with various combinations of my children in tow. Tuesday at noon it was Calvin and Tommy. Wednesday morning at 9 (9! Not a leisurely morning in the Konchar household!) we had Calvin again (to get his molars sealed), Josie and Sid. Josie got her two front gerbil teeth pulled and Sid had his regular check-up/cleaning. I had been so excited to report that after my four youngest children had been checked--NO CAVITIES! But then when Calvin was back in the chair the next day, the dentist found one teeny tiny baby cavity. So Calvin, you ruined our perfect record. And then Sid. I wasn't even hoping for good news from that mouth. As I have mentioned, he got the raw end of the deal, tooth enamel wise, and so I was expecting some plans for major drilling. He did not disappoint. Three cavities--although two were in baby teeth so just the one filling--but that cavity was in a permanent molar. I guess it could have been worse. And the dentist said we were at least a year away from talking to the orthodontist. Yay for delayed teeth, is my verdict! Pie went later on Wednesday (thankfully he drove himself) and then Thursday morning was my appointment.

I'm sure that previous paragraph held you just riveted. Anyway, those appointments were not completely without entertaining moments. Behold:






Tommy actually shocked us all by his complete cooperation. I think his most difficult moment came when he was asked to wear a bib. His best moment was when the hygeinist put a rubber glove on his hand. Heaven! Here he is all finished, looking upon his new Woody toothbrush with delight.








Now Josie getting her teeth pulled the next day was another matter. You know that part in Elf, when Will Ferrell's character is at the doctor to get his blood drawn? How he won't sit still or shut up and he keeps eating the cotton balls? Well, that was pretty much Jos. She was so nervous but instead of whimpering or hyperventilating, she just was hyper. I think I could have handled a total freak out better than her reaction. She was all over the chair and asking a million questions and constantly picking up the hand mirror and making faces at herself. She repeatedly asked for laughing gas. It was bad. My eyebrows were having a fit at her. Eventually she got her shot (her main cause of concern) and then it was smooth sailing. Those little teeth came right out and now she makes that cute lisp when she talks. We of course will never mention that to her.

So with the exception of a filling for Sid scheduled next month, we Konchars are done with the dentist until Christmas. I am very happy.

Trevor and Vanessa (and Josie)

Coach Trevor runs Apex Allstars, the gym Josie, Jon and Tommy all go to. Trevor is Josie's long-suffering gymnastics teacher. This is Trevor and Vanessa's engagement photo. They got married last month in Hawaii and last night at a nearby park held their very casual "gym reception". I cannot praise them enough for planning such a family friendly venue and menu. We dined on hot dogs, potato salad and all the varieties of chips any child (or husband) could dream of. The gym owns huge inflatable climbing structures that they brought to the park. This picture is of the slide inflatable. It is really tall.

While looking for Tommy, I made my way over to the big slide just in time to see him slide down, followed by some random guy I didn't know. They both climbed out of the slide, and the guy says to his friend "Did you just see that? This kid is awesome!" and then he scooped Tommy up in his arms and ran around to the back of the slide for another go. This is the picture I snapped of them on their second trip. Tommy is clearly thrilled. That is the guy behind him. It was kind of funny to watch, especially since Tommy enjoyed it so much. Had he cried, I would have had to get all Mamma Bear on the man who took him. After this, Pie took him about 12 more times, that is, when he wasn't trying to fling the dinner out of him on the swings.

As you can see from this next picture, it is imperative that all of Josie's skirts have little shorts attached to them. Josie's super cute outfit of red plaid skirt and yellow tie dyed "Vote for Pedro" shirt (accessorized by an adorable green barrette) was put together special for this occasion because a girl can spare no effort on her appearance when attending her coach's reception. Poor Jos. She is in the uncomfortable situation of having a crush on Coach Trevor. She doesn't know what to do with herself. It is definitely new territory for her. And as Coach Trevor innocently ignores her presence throughout the evening (except to occasionally ask her to move out of a picture being taken), my heart breaks a little for her. Thank goodness she is still immune to the cute boys in her school class. I can't take the pressure!

And guess who caught the bouquet! She was so proud. And I was so mystified. Where did my She-Ra girl go? The one who just told me 2 days ago "I don't want to be a teenager! I know I'll just fall in love--AND I'LL HATE THAT!"

Pink Flying Monkey

Here is my attempt at capturing one of Josie's favorite pastimes (jumping onto windows) and getting it uploaded onto my blog. No easy feat! Sorry the video is sideways. Just turn your head to the left...

I know, I know, what kind of mother would allow such abuse of window and wall (and bed!) but come walk a mile in my moccasins and see what life is like with rambunctious Jos. This is one of her tamer feats, honestly.

Lip Balm?

This will all become clear to you--

the mug shot of the perp,

his sad look of contrition,

the cabinetry, stereo and laptop that have been defaced.

You will understand how all of these things fit together when I say:

Economy-size Vaseline

Your Dentist's name is Crentist?

Sorry to all those people who are not fans of The Office, because you won't get the title of this post. Also, you are lame, because The Office is a good show. (Stop being lame.)

Forty percent of my children went to the dentist this morning, and it was all (goofy) grins, with nary a cavity among 43 teeth. Yes, Josie and Jon have 3 extra teeth between them. Jon has one snaggle baby tooth still hanging on, even as the grown up tooth is almost completely revealed behind it. It is practically sideways in his mouth and I always make a point of brushing it vigorously each time I get the chance, in the hope that it will soon fall out. Josie has two grown-ups lined up behind the bottom two baby teeth that are still in her head, a condition I like to refer to as "shark teeth". The girl is nearly 7 and hasn't lost a tooth! Those two baby teeth, which she is quite proud of because they look like "gerbil" teeth (and really, who wouldn't want rodent teeth?) will be yanked out in about a week.

I was actually rather shocked as the hygienist kept commenting on the good oral hygiene practiced by Josie and Jon. Really? Are you kidding me? I was thrilled....yet disbelieving. Why just this morning before we left, I told them to go upstairs and brush their teeth. Their response? "But Mom! We're not going to bed! Why should we brush our teeth now?" Yeeaahh, a revealing exchange regarding the brushing habits of my children.

Next week, the rest of my children will be getting their teeth checked. I'm predicting a lot of fillings for both Calvin and Sid. Those poor kids, in addition to the Soelberg color blindness they also inherited the Pedersen tooth enamel. I further predict that the hygienist will not be able to get Tommy to sit in the chair or open his mouth. Looking forward to those appointments next week!