Summer lovin'

So I have about half hour to blog before I need to pack up the kids so we can go to the library. Let's hope Linus doesn't scream bloody murder when his twenty minutes on the library computer are up like a certain last library trip we made....
The last few weeks have been busy! Filled with visiting family and park trips and a sick, ornery 3 year old. I didn't take my camera out half as often as I should have, but I kind of wanted to not be stuck behind it the whole time everyone was out here...so I didn't. Selfish, I know. Here are a couple of shots of the kids with their cousins!







This is just one of the days that we went to the park- actually it was my first trip to the beach at Windsor lake with the kids...lame, I know. We were just going to come to let the kids run out their energy, and it quickly became apparent that we should have brought swim suits. There was no use stopping Linus, so I quickly gave up and just let him get himself as sandy and wet as possible. Which he did.
We miss everyone now that they are gone! It's always fun when Ellingsons get together, lots of game playing, lots of kids running around, lots of movie watching, and let's not forget Mom's ribs. Mmm....ribs....unfortunately, I didn't gorge myself this year on them...trying to lose weight, you know, but I savored every bite of the few that I ate.
In other news, Odell started teething the week that everyone got here (the week of the 4th), she popped three out on top and just popped the fourth one, completing the set, a couple of days ago. She was a mess while everyone was here...literally, horrible diapers, horrible diaper rashes, and a few vomitous experiences that she shared with me that required complete clothing changes and showers on both our parts. But she's all better now that the teeth are through. She also was figuring out finally how to get up and rock on her legs with all the family around within the last week is now crawling in full swing. Had her first falling down the stairs incident a couple of days ago, just down our couple of stairs in between our kitchen area and the play area, but it gave her a good bonk on her forehead. I've now lost the days of setting her down with a basket of toys and resting assured that she won't go anywhere, but I guess after 11 months she had to do it sometime! :-) Also, I got pigtails in her hair this morning. So cute.
Linus also got sick- he was puking at the beginning of last week, and after a few days when he hadn't let up and wasn't keeping much down and was just a horrible, weeping, sleeping, cranky mess, I took him to the doctor. The first thing the nurse did was proclaim that it was probably strep. I scoffed- okay, whatever, do the test if you have to, but it's not strep. He didn't have much of a fever, nor was he complaining of a sore throat. No way it was strep. But I guess doctor's know best, she did a quick swab and it came back positive. I opted to give him a shot instead of the oral medication because I was afraid he wouldn't keep it down. Couple days later and a few too many loads of laundry later, he's now back in underwear (instead of diapers, trying to catch the stuff at the other end) and puke free. Hooray! Today is the first day that he's genuinely seemed like he felt better...I could tell when he started running screaming some song at the top of his lungs around our house and laughing hysterically at nothing that he must be on the "I'm done being sick" high.
Anyway...library time. Wish us luck.