Alex's Park View Welcomes

Alex's new school is called Park View Elementary. He's gone from a Lakeview to a Park View.

In his first 3 days attendance, he's been given 5 pictures (2 from a Josh) and a note "Alex, I'm so happy you came to our school. I like all the games we play" (from an Abby).

So far, he's enjoying his classmates and all the new things that come with a new school.

He commented, "Guess what's wierd. The kid Josh from Park View is really nice. He's not mean like the Josh from Lakeview. The new Josh is great!"

Alex's Lakeview Farwells

Each of his Lakeview Academy classmates wrote Alex a good-bye letter. I'd like to share some of their thoughts.

You are a good friend. Thank you for playing Zelda with me, Leif, Bryson, and Eric. Do you think you'll like your new house & school very much,

Thank you for playing Zelda with me and have good luck in your new school. You're a good friend. I'll miss you. Good Times.

I will miss you. I hope you like you're new school and I hope you will get new friends. You are my best friend.

You're nice. I'll miss you. I'll miss you. I like it when you play with me. You're the best. You're my friend. You're sweet. But I don't want you to leave. I'll miss you! You're nice.
You're TRUE NICE KIND!

You are awesome. You are a cool friend. I wish you good luck in school. You are the nicest friend and the funniest friend I ever had.

You are my best friend. I will really really miss you.

I think you are the fastest runner in the class.

I will miss you really. I will miss playing with you a lot. I like your haircut!

This is Lauren. I will miss you. I hope you will have fun at your new house. You are my best friend.

I'll miss ya. Have fun at your new school. Make good friends NOT bad ones. I wish you could stay here.

You ARE the best student in the whole second grade. You're the coolest friend.

I really want you to stay and you are a good reader and you are fun to play with.

I'll miss you in this school. I like how you are always trying to help others. I hope you have a fun time at your school. I wish you the best.

I hope you like your new house and your new school. I'm really going to miss you. Good Luck is coming your way.

I really think you are good at math. I really think you should stay right here! I'll miss you while your gone. How far are you going? Will I be able to visit you? You are a very good friend. May be you should be friends with everybody in the school.

Hints next time you move...

Lining shelves in kitchens and bathrooms saves many a mess. I suggest the following as I just spent 12 hours lining things.

Duct Shelf liner (not adhesive, so you do have to move it back occassionally)
If you really want the contact paper, use Martha Stewarts Kmart brand instead of name brand contact paper. Hers has a faint grid among the instructions -- makes cutting much easier. Hers also doesn't seem to curl to the very last piece as your trying to get it to lie down. Also, I'd invest in a heavy duty paper cutter.

For the record books:
44 kitchen and bath cabinet shelves were lined
17 kitchen and bath drawers were lined
4 Six foot pantry shelves were lined

Boxes:
14 kitchen boxes emptied, 4 to go
12 Clothing boxes emptied, 2 to go (at least I only see 2)
50+ boxes to be dealt with later are in the basement
5 beds assembled, 1 bed to assemble upon awaited repair completion

Complete and total CHOAS!

But I must admit, Mark is a very fast worker. He gets a ton done, especially when I take the kids out of the house.

Moving Day!

Pictures and stories coming tomorrow night....

Closed yesterday on 2 homes. We spent more money yesterday than any other day in our lives. Broke our old record by almost double!

Rest In Peace Grandpa Jim

It is health and honorable

to weep at the loss

of someone we love.

Healthy because it is respectful

to admit the importance of people

who have loved and supported us...

people whose footprints

cannot ever be matched.

-- Maya Angelou

Grandpa Jim

This morning, Mark's grandpa passed away.

He was a wonderful person. One of those guys who flatters everyone, is ridiculously proud of every one's achievements, and loved above all else his wife and family.

Random thoughts...

His stories about his WWII days as a merchant marine and pow.

His time working 'overseas' for the government in Newfoundland Canada.

Building his own house on his own land.

He was extremely proud of Mark from his college graduation to leaving California to take care of his own family. He didn't want us to go to Utah, but he told me that he thought Mark made the right decision that Mark was a man of honor and bravery.

How I was always his favorite -- I always found that amusing, as I was sure all the other grandsons' wives were also 'the favorite.'

His absolute delight in Alex's birth, to be matched by Andrew, and the Sean & Ryan's birth. Though he really got how precarious things were with Sean & especially Ryan. I remember having to convince him it was OK to touch them in the NICU. He still absolutely delighted in the miracle of their birth and loved to say he had "TWIN great-grandsons."

I never met a man as proud as Jim Devlin. But, I don't mean that in pride as a deadly sin. If anything was greater then his pride. It was his absolute loyalty and love for his family. There were no better looking people then his grandsons and granddaughter. There were no more beautiful children than his own great-grandchildren.

I realize this is poorly organized and written. I just have a few minutes alone and needed to jot down some things.

SO really...

I need some suggestions! WHAT DO I DO WITH THE CABINETS? Anybody hear of a humane shackling system for 2 year old twix? Anybody put a pole in the living room to attach their twix to? I'm at a total loss here folks.

Yesterday, from 9:30 to 10:45 I was making all the necessary phone calls to move (OK not all, but I made 4 of them). Then Alex came screaming into the office, "Mommy! Mommy! There's an emergency. You have to hurry! I'm not kidding! This isn't a pretend emergency (we go through this a lot in the Devlin house)! This is a REAL emergency!"

So I am flying up the stairs, I look past RyGuy filling the dump truck with chocolate syrup. I look past Andrew lining up ice cream bars on the carpet (these poor peeps buying this place need to give up on saving this carpet and just rip it out). I look to the kitchen, to Seany standing on the oven drawer to the climb to the counter to climb up the refrigerator to reach the playing card on top.

After assessing (2-3 seconds tops) the various situations, I ask Alex, "WHAT is the emergency?"

"Ryan is filling his dump truck with chocolate syrup! Andrew is eating SIX ice cream bars! Sean is climbing in the kitchen!" Alex shrieks out at me as though I should have obviously known.

Here's the thing, to me none of that is an emergency (OK the climbing on the oven is). This is just what my life is. If I have to say make phone calls then I know I will face this kind of bedlam when I finish. If I don't make the phone calls, who will make them? Mark is supposed to work when he's at work, not take care of our family stuff.

An emergency to me is like last week, when Ryan drank a bottle of children's ibuprofen and I had to call poison control. I keep it in a cabinet next to the sink. He got to it by climbing up the cabinets and standing on the counter and reaching up (it have to be on tip toes because he's short) into the medicine shelf. FYI, the poison control guys advice, "Well, don't give him any more if he starts acting sick." Yeah its the 'if' that's wrong with that advice.

While I was cleaning up all of this, they went downstairs and emptied comet all over the basement floor. That is when I flipped out -- poisonous substance Mark had left in reach of the twix. The adults in my life HAVE to cooperate with my wishes regarding keeping things out of reach. I am the one stuck managing this nut house everyday.

So I found these fabulous cabinet locks

and they're way too expensive for our household. They're probably worth the price but at $5 a lock (we need 34), we can't afford them.

They're called TotLocks Magnet System. A powerful magnet is installed inside the cabinet, then you use the "key" to open the cabinet or drawer. Impossible to open without the "key". Just what we need for Seany.

Online I found that they have an adhesive system (which would probably not stick to our cabinets) and a drill into the wood system.

Pricing it out:

4 locks with key: $19.99 x 3 = $60.
4 locks no key: $12.99 x 6 = $78.
So that's $140 to keep our cabinets closed, chemicals in, and twix out!

The traditional cabinet locks cost $2 for 8 locks. So, we're looking at a price difference of $130. Unfortunately, Seany can open the traditional kid locks.

I don't have a clue what to do.

Any ideas?

Clippers

This happened some time ago. But I'd like not to forget it.

Sean & Ryan are very interested in nail clippers. They bring them out and practice squeezing the lever down. (We can never find a pair when their needed because Alex, Mark, Andrew, and I are always snatching them and putting them up 'high' where the clippers enter limbo only to be found again now that we're packing up.)

On one such occasion, Ryan got a hold of a pair. Sean sat right down in front of Ryan and held his hand out as if Ryan was an adult capable of safely clipping the sharp nail edge.

Luckily, my Mommy instinct caused me to question their sitting quietly cooperatively together. And before an injury could occur I broke up the twix grooming stand.

Mark's grandpa is passing away soon...

I was going to write about it, but I think what Mark had to say is so much more. I pray for both of them and all Mark's family.

My grandfather has always been a hero of mine. He was always so wise, so strong, and so smart. He knew how to do just about anything, make anything, or fix anything. He always had amazing stories of the things he had done, seen, and lived through. He taught me so much about how to live me life, how to treat people, and how cherish my family. I've never met a man with more love for his family than my grandfather.

I always knew he would not live forever. I'd lost my maternal grandparents many years ago. But you are really never prepared for it to happen. Deep down I knew that his health has been failing the last several years, but it was always easier to believe him when he said he was doing good. Even as talk of doctors appointments grew in frequency, I allowed myself to believe that he was just being more cautious.

When my dad told me it was cancer, it came as no surprise. I had been hoping for a miracle, but had already accepted the inevitable. I flew out to California to see him. To tell him I love him. I would not allow myself to become emotional in front of him. I knew he would not want that. That he would not be strong enough to take me breaking down, or talking about him dying. I wanted so much to tell him how much he means to me. How much I regret not being able to see him as much since moving to Utah.

When my maternal grandfather was dying, I had no job. I stayed by him and did what I could to make him comfortable in his last few days. My penance for all the times I had opted to stay home or go out with friends instead of going with my mother to visit him. Now as my paternal grandfather nears his final days, life seems to be throwing obstacles in my way. A week from today I'm to sign papers on the sale of my house and on the purchase of my new home. Then I have to move. This thing I've been hoping for, for almost a year now couldn't come at a worse moment.

Today at work I get the news that he's had a seizure. The cancer in his lungs and bones has moved into his brain. I don't want to be here at work, but I don't want to go home and cry in front of my children. They don't need to see their hero crying over the impending death of his.

Casts come off

Trying to be brave during the sawing. The saw doesn't hurt, it's very noisy.

Pry bar to seperate the two bits.

Cutting off the casts socks.

And the muscleless legs are free!

At the retreat

Each kid made bread, Alex made a cross.

At the retreat

Each kid made bread, Alex made a cross.

Hmmm....

I wonder if Ryan took his OWN picture or if someone helped him.

Hmmmmm......

Growing up

Alex.

The group with Father Dave

With only 20 kids, us Cali natives commented on how much more time the procession could take.

Ceremony

Each child went up between their parents. Each child had a little said about him, "Alex Devlin likes to play sports. Whatever is in season -- basketball, soccer, baseball, and football."

In line waiting.

Family

Uncle Vince, Nona, Alex, Auntie Carolyn, and Papa.

The gang -- Tattooed Seany, Alex, Tattooed RyGuy, and Andrew. Nobody was interested in struggling to get pictures outside church.

Daddy, Alex, and Mommy.

Communion Cake

Sean tried to finger taste a few times.

Gifts

Alex was very happy about all his gifts.

Really helpful peeps

I just took Alex & Andrew out of soccer in Saratoga Springs. We get all that registration back minus $5 each service fee.

With that cash, Alex gets to play baseball in Payson, our new place.

The rec lady in Payson is one of those super helpers. She said, "Can you get me the registration form today? I'm setting up the teams and I can put him on a team with his neighbor kids if I've got the paperwork. If it waits to next week, he may end up on a team with not enough kids."

I love peeps like her. A woman who gets what really matters in life!

New to town
Need to make friends
Place on a team with kids he'll run into this summer

Awesome, just awesome.

Optimus Who?

Alex has an Optimus Prime Voice Changer helmet (TRANSFORMER). Its a favorite toy in the Devlin Playroom. Alex also has an Optimus Prime costume with a little mask.

Sean put on the mask and in his 'deep' voice began saying, "I ah Opti-ma Pie." After a few listenings, I got it. But where oh where was my camera??? AAHHH!

Digging in the sand

Andrew and Seany really liked the sand pit.

Ryan not so much. He eventually came out and got his shoes on. Then stood at the entrance calling, "Sea Sea Ahdoo Ahdoo Mon Mon NOW!!" (Sean, Sean, Andrew, Andrew, Come on, Come on, NOW!!)

First Andy covered his toes and wiggled them out. Then Andy covered his feet and wiggled them out. Then he covered his legs. At that point I told him not to bury the rest of his body -- too many kiddies.

Shark ATTACK!

That be Andrew and Seany in the dark.

And RyGuy makes an appearance.

At the gift shop, Seany chose a shark and kept saying "Raa."

How much do 7 preschoolers and a twix weigh?

About the same as a small meat eater nearly 250 pounds.

"Mommy, take a picture of me and my friend on this baby dino."

Sand & Water Table

Sean didn't like the apron.

Neither did RyGuy.

Sean loved the table and played for a long time.

Andrew gave it a few minutes.

Ryan didn't like the wet sand and quickly disappeared.

Build a Dinosaur

Where should the tail go?

Hmm. Andrew dragged a new tail around for a while.

Ryan tried to manage a limb on his own.

Sean stayed in Andrew's way while he tried to build.

Andrew's Dinosaur Museum Field Trip arrival

Ryan listening attentively to the guide's instructions.

Andrew was super chilled (45 outside) and took a good long time to warm up.

Moving Sale

We made about the following:

Pre-sales: $90
At the sale sales: $145
Post sales: $50

Total (before stuff goes up on ebay): $300+/-

Enough to move to Payson with!

Ryan update

Ryan has been totally miserable since we got home. He finally fell asleep and rested until 8, then started crying all over again. We gave him a bath and tylenol to help him sleep, but every time he passes gas or voids his bladder the pain starts again.

I feel so sorry for him.

His one joy -- the giant yellow dump truck his nurse gave him. He asked me in baby talk to help him put his stickers (also from the nurse) on it, "Mommy elp me icker shruck." Then pushed it around when he was feeling ok saying, "my shruck. my shruck."

Ryan's bladder study

Ryan went to his much dreaded urology test and ultrasound today. Let me tell you stressful.

First, I had to find day care for Andrew and Sean -- Alex could hang out at a friends house. But since they use OR facilities no sibs allowed.

Second, Ryan and I had to be there 2 hours early and go through all the surgical red tape.

Once in the first room, he had to change clothes into hospital grab (luckily in at a children's hospital cute critters starred on his belly) and socks. Then we waited, the nurse's aid came first. She took his stats and cooed at his and gave him a box of stickers to play with.

Then the nurse practitioner came in. She went over his sedative and made sure I understood what would happen to RyGuy. He would NOT feel everything and he would stay awake and he would remember nothing. Only one of those three things happened guess which...

The catheters in the urethra and anus -- he felt. The tape, the lidecane, the barium (over whatever they use for bladder studies), the paperclip taped to his belly -- he felt them all.

He stayed awake screaming (same drug they gave Sean to do his ears and Seany was high as a kite) and was stone cold sober.

Lastly, he keeps indicating his private region and saying "OW OW Owie OW Owieeeee!"

The ultrasound that followed was painless but sticky.

My Prognosis: one hour and a half of hell for mother and son -- obviously worse for son.
MD's Prognosis: Ryan may have some reflux but as he's shown no sign of infection for 2+ years (ie his whole life), we'll continue doing what we're doing (NADA). Ryan has to go through this hell again in 2 years at which time they should know if he is refluxing like a normal kid or needs a surgical correction. Between 2 and 5 its normal for kids to "leak" or pee bits at a time. All his voiding organs are very healthy and well formed.

Toy Clearance

Last night, Alex helped me sort through the toys in the playrooom -- what we'll keep for the new house and what we'll sell or donate.

We got rid of 2+ bins of toys! Unheard of! He would pull stuff out and say "Mommy, we never play with this, we can sell this." He sorted out all the cars that are broken or not favorites. I was really impressed!

I was S-I-C-K yesterday

Very sick. At one point Seany held my head in his belly, stroked my hair, and cooed, "oh Mommy, oh oh..."



While Ryan cuddled up figuring "if she's laying in bed, she'll hold me extra."

Last night...

A little girl (7 years old) in Salt Lake City was found dead about a day after her disappearance from her front porch. Her family came here from Vietnam as refugees being helped by the LDS church to make a better life.

Some evil person(s) kidnapped her off her front porch and did God knows what before killing her.

And some wonder at my outrage at the kids left unattended to play in the cul-de-sac all day. One's a 4 year old girl, then there are all the boys 7 and under.

This horror has just reaffirmed my position about my being outside when the chicklets are outside.

Everyone keep her and her family in your prayers.