Pie Night? What a great concept!

We were asked the Sunday before Thanksgiving if we could have a ward activity at our home. Lisa and I agreed, especially when we learned that it would involve eating freshly baked pies, and playing board games into the late Thanksgiving Eve. It was a riot! I loved it! In preparation, Lisa turned on her turbo charged engines, and had two Christmas trees up and decorated beautifully in less than 30 hours. The larger one in our family room is lit in front of me as I type. I love it. It's the only light on in this room, other than my laptop. Good job Lisa. We had many families over, I didn't count, but maybe a total of 50 people came over. However many, I got to play the expanded version of Settlers of Catan as I sampled Pecan, Lemon-marange, Pumkin, Apple, Rubarb, and so forth, not to mention the fudge and egg nog. Oh dear, that was a lot of calories! Good thing I run in my sleep. Whatever.

Thomas split his little noggin, again, while playing with the kids in the basement. Lisa ran over to Walgreens and came back with some butterfly bandaids. Wow, you would have thought he had stiches by how well it healed. I gave him two swipes of Hydrogen peroxide, and then put that cool bandaid on. He looks great, other than his black eye. Today I was off as well, and got to spend some time with him. When I dropped him off at his cute preschool class, his teacher said "Now Thomas, did you get that black eye at Pie Night?" She is a darling little lady, which is half of why he loves, loves, loves to be at preschool. Thomas has been asking me to accompany him to as many activities as possible lately. So has Scott. I went along to their Suzuki Lessons with Lisa this weekend at their beggin request. It was good to be there. It kept me from being a stick in the mud work-aholic dad, for a few hours anyway. In fact, we didn't go straigh home afterwards either! We headed out to Super Smoker's BBQ in Eureka for some pulled pork and other fixins, and then spent time at an antique shop.

At the antique shop, Parker fell in love with a little brass pig, which we let him get. Don't ask me why, but Thomas decided that HE needed to hold the little pig as soon as it was Parker's. you know, the typical 4 year old vs. 9 year old relationship. Thomas wants to be like Parker - and Scott.

A week ago Friday I had to take Scott for his Dental work under general anesthesia. I was glad it was me and not Lisa. She would have died toward the end. It was hard on me, and I'm used to dentistry, and even blood. Sure, I pop teeth out every day and hand the kids cotton rolls to bite on, but when a very disoriented, recovering Scotty pulled his I.V. pick-line out of his hand, screaming, and bleeding all over the couch, continuting on and on for no less than 30 minutes, I was very glad it was me and not Lisa. Dr. Autry did such an excellent job, as did the Anesthesiologist. I was impressed with how litte trauma there was to his gums and mouth, considering he had to be intubated. Scott has needle phobia, so there was no other choice. He also apparently has our bad teeth genes, as he had a cavity in a permanent tooth as it was just erupting, and on the cusp tip! It was a defect - what a bummer. At least it's taken care of, and the sealants are on the other teeth. Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I felt so close to my little buddie that day. I just held him and talked to him as he screamed his way back into reality. Once he was all the way back, and we were moving outside, he was fine - very quiet, but fine. I let him choose a small toy and popsicle across the street at Toys R Us.

Lately he's been beggin for more pushes on the swing in the backyard. The moment I come home he'll say "Dad! Can we go swing?" What a sweet kid.

I got Parker reading Ender's game by Orson Scott Card. I'm reading along, but Parker keeps gettin ahead of me. I've read it before, but not the whole series. It's fun to watch him devour a good book.

I have to go back to work tomorrow, so I am logging off. Good talking to you! Whoever you are! :) I'll post pics later - when i get them uploaded. :)