Few Updates

So Karl had his surgery on Friday. He woke up really wired and I think it scared the nurse. The adrenaline (or the steriods they gave...I'm not sure what they do) wore off a few hours later and he felt a little more worn out. The doctor said it went well. His cuts are healing up nice. There is a little bruising around most of them but I think they should look good really soon. Karl is just so happy to have some of the real big ones out. They annoyed him all the time.

I got back the results to two of my CPA tests, tax and business concepts. I passed both (96 and 91). YAY!!! Now I still have to hear about the audit section and I'm still studying for the financial section (not yay).

I'm going to be phoneless for 2 more weeks. We can renew our plan in exactly 2 weeks from yesterday and I don't want to pay $100 for a phone when in 2 weeks I can get a more expensive one free. So I know I'm totally lame and every one out there that would call me (not that many people) is annoyed with the inconvenience. I say...blame Carson. Or we could perhaps blame my father for not saying I would lose it more dictatorially (just kidding Dad). So email and I do confiscate Karl's phone on some days when I need to make calls. When we renew our plan we'll probably get a home line too so that should be good.

Small note - to those of you out there with private blogs - I want an invitation. Let me know if you don't have my email. I'm not sure how to get it to you without posting it on here...but we'll figure it out.

The Rest of My Trip

More fun Spokane events:

We meet my dad at his office one day (he got to show Carson off a little bit) and then we all went to Manito Park. We had planned to feed the ducks - as is the tradition - but the parks in Spokane all just posted signs disallowing the feeding of birds. So that idea was out, although we toyed with the idea of Carson building his criminal record. So we looked at the ducks, Carson tried to go swimming, and he also found the only spot of mud in the area. So then we went over to the gardens (another part of the same park). We enjoyed looking at the huge rose gardens while Carson just ran around. It is always a pretty park though and I was glad to go back. Here is a pic of Carson trying to join the ducks and then two to show the pretty rose gardens.

My friend Sarah (pictured at the lake cabin) works at a children's science museum called Mobius. So one afternoon Sarah, Jessie, Carson, and I all went down to the museum. The place was awesome. If only I had been 10 because I would have been in heaven. Carson loved it and just ran around crazy. They had a stage with costumes and instruments, water feature tables where you could direct the current, a little mini city with little child size cars to drive around the streets, and a billion other things that are way too many to list. Sarah helped Carson with the water tables (which were his favorite). There were also really cool bugs there. The stick bugs look so much like sticks it's crazy.

One afternoon we decided to rent a bike trailer for Carson and go out to the Centennial trail for a bike ride. The centennial trail follows the Spokane River and goes all the way to Idaho. I thought Carson would love it...but like so many other things, I thought wrong. He just sat back there crying. So after a while of biking I stopped and took off his helmet (gasp). This seemed to help for a while but then he decided he still hated it and started crying again. So we turned around and biked back to Riverfront Park to go to Pig Out in The Park. (I know a lot of names there).

First, Riverfront Park...it was the site of Expo '74 (and yes...people in Spokane still talk about it). It is really green and pretty, the Spokane River runs right through it, and there are lots of cool things to do there (the giant wagon, the garbage eating goat statue, Imax, ice skating, etc.) All those from Spokane are nodding right now saying "yes, I love that garbage eating goat." It's a statue of a goat and if you put garbage up to its mouth...for example a napkin, it just sucks it right up. Talk about entertaining a kid for hours and the kid is picking up all the garbage with out even realizing it. One of the park's events if called "Pig Out in the Park." They hold it every Labor Day weekend. Tons of food vendors set up stations, there are live musical performers, and then other random vendors (like at a fair). Pic of the huge wagon (which kids climb up into and then slide down the handle. The other pic is the Spokane River with the back of 1/5 of the food vendors. Back to the story -

So we biked to the park and then all got food. It was delicious and I was disappointed I didn't have two stomachs so I could try more options. Especially since they had elephant ears and funnel cakes...how could I choose? Once we all finished we started to bike back to the bike shop to return the trailer. I was hearing this weird grinding sound but decided to ignore it. It didn't go away though so then I finally got off my bike to check it out. Oh...hooray! I had a completely flat back tire. So we all walked our bikes back to the shop. We returned the trailer and fixed the tire. Not that this caused the flat, but the store owner informed me that the bike frame was much to small for my height. I informed him that was because it was my bike from when I turned 12. Somewhere in the ride with Carson crying and my flat, I handed Carson my phone to calm him for a little longer. As I did it my dad said "oh, honey, don't you just think he'll throw it out?" I replied, "nah, it should be fine." Well...now I don't have a phone and I'm pretty sure it's somewhere along the Centennial Trail.

I got to be in Spokane for my dad's birthday and my aunt Jenny's birthday so that was really nice. It was a really nice trip and I was so glad to be there. Thanks again Mom and Dad! Here is just Carson in our backyard. He ate a zucchini straight from the garden (gross). He also loved the swing my dad made.

Real Quick

I'll update about the rest of my Spokane trip soon - but I thought I should post a note in case people are trying to reach me. I lost my phone in Spokane (details to come later). If you read this...now you know. I'll try to get a phone soon but it might not happen for a few weeks. Anyway, email if you need anything. I usually check once or twice a day. Or you can call Karl but I don't really want to post his number on here. Sorry about the inconvenience. Kasey

Spokane!

So we've been having a blast in Spokane. Two of my three sisters are here at the same time so that has been fun. We spent a few days hanging out here, a few days up at the lake cabin, a night at Courtney Spear's wedding, and now we are hanging out again.

A girl trip up to the lake is a yearly tradition (we all don't make it every year but the years we do are awesome). We make large batches of spicy and regular commantors (chex mix and muddy buddies). Courtney changed their names years ago and we've all called them that since. We invite friends, play some ultimate charades, stay up way too late, and just have fun. This year the weather didn't cooperate but we still had fun. We all got a lot of reading done - and reading in a cabin next to the lake is almost as nice as reading out in the sun on a lake. Carson kept us on our toes - baby proofing the cabin wasn't too bad. My friend Sarah and Jessie were trying to sun tan but the sun thought different. You can see they are both wrapped up in towels.

Carson didn't seem to mind the cold water but once he started shaking we called it good and gave him a hot shower. Every morning during breakfast his lips would turn blue. I think the cold air plus the cold milk for breakfast might have done it. We made sure to warm him up afterwards.

Courtney's wedding was beautiful! She looked gorgeous as always and she and Josh seemed so happy. Jessie did a great job as a bridesmaid. It was so nice that I was able to be in town at the same time as her wedding so I could go. I'm glad I was there to see her. (For those who don't know - Courtney is my little sister's best friend. They've known each other since 2nd grade or so and they were always together. Courtney became another sister to us and we all love her so much).

Carson ran through the sprinklers for the first time today. Our backyard in AZ is non existent so we never even go out there. He loved it although the water was cold! The air on the other hand was perfect at 80 degrees!!

We've got more fun activities planned so I'll update later.

3 down, Reschedule, Churro

So I took the audit section of the exam yesterday. I feel pretty good about it. I have 3 down now and only one more to go. I'll take that one in Oct since the test isn't offered in Sept. I get really worked up on my drive to the testing center. There is just soooo much information running through my head but I know it's too late to study because I can't retain any more. So I do a little old school Backstreet Boys therapy. I'm pretty sure no one can resist to sing along to "The Call" or "Shape of My Heart". And let's not forget the classic "I Want it That Way". The songs usually make no sense but I have to sing and dance and all of the sudden I'm not worried about my test, I'm relaxed and in a much better mood to concentrate when I get there.

Karl's surgery got rescheduled. He is a little bummed because he was all ready to have it done - but I am so relieved. I was really stressing about leaving the day after. They called to reschedule and I forced Karl to wait till I get back. So everyone can still check on him (I'm sure he'll be lonely), but at least now he won't be dying.

Carson and I went to lunch today. He had his first Churro. He grabbed the whole thing and took a big bite. I thought he was going to love it with all the cinnamon and sugar, but he spat it out after a few seconds. He does like the cinnamon and sugar though. I was laughing in the restaurant pretty hard because he was seriously licking his hands (from bottom of the palm to tips of the fingers). He would have been happy to just lick the churro but apparently he doesn't like the texture or something. A little odd seeing as he'll eat basically anything. Anyway - it was pretty funny to see his tongue flattened against his hands. I wish I had had a camera.

Gas prices have gone down a little which is nice but it's also made me crazy. I find myself saying "$3.67!!! That's so great!!!" - which we all know is a crazy statement. $3.67 is still ridiculous compared to just a little while ago. Oh the way our mind sets can change.

Next time I blog I will be in the much cooler city of Spokane. Hooray!

New look

For those of you who visit regularly - the blog has gotten some work done. I'm trying it out. It seems a little much. But I have to leave it up for at least a while because I spent 2 hours putting that heading together. Anyway - just thought I'd say enjoy the new look and it may change soon as I change my mind often.

Wisdom teeth and more

Well - more of the same (study, work, parent) but I thought I'd blog since I know my dad depends on his blogging updates.

Karl got his wisdom teeth out last week. He did pretty well until the medication he was on made him sick. He had a horrible headache and was throwing up before we figured out the problem. So we had some other left over pain pills (I know - awful). But he took those and immediately felt better. So he called and got a prescription for that. But now, a week later, he's still having dull throbbing and is also having trouble sleeping. He went in for a check up but the doctor said everything looks fine. The doctor did mention that the new medication he was on can energize people so he gave him a new new prescription. Hopefully this one takes the pain away, doesn't keep him up at night, and doesn't make him sick. Karl is especially worried because he is going in for another surgery a week from tomorrow and can't be on any medication the 5 days before. He is having his fatty tumors removed. This is a common term in Karl's family's household but I think most people go "huh?" Karl just has these lumps that are deposits of fat that build up in certain areas. It's his body's inability to break down fat. Anyway - they really annoy him and he is getting 5 of his 18 removed next week. I leave to go out of town the next day so everyone feel free to check up on him.

Carson is just cute as ever but not much new. We've finally broken him of a bottle before bed. He still does milk from a sippy cup before bed - but he really took comfort in the bottle. We used to get his blanket and hold him and he'd drink his bottle. He associated that whole process with the bottle and would not take a sippy when we first tried. So we just changed the process. Now he gets ready for bed we put his blanket in the family room (he loves the fuzzy blankets) and we put his sippy on the coffee table. He grabs it and wanders around as he downs it. He'll usually stop a few times to lay on his blanket and get cozy. Then it's off to bed. It was so nice to bag up all his bottles and put them in the garage. It opened up a whole shelf.

Here are some videos - they aren't amazing but I gotta give my parents something.

He also insists on eating with a fork now. Well, at least holding a fork. He doesn't always use it - but he won't eat without one.


Here's a video of him dancing. It's only at the beginning and I wish I could have gotten more but I wasn't fast enough. He has three basic moves. 1) The squat which is demonstrated below. 2) The twist which is a swinging twist of his upper body. 3) Happy Feet - which is a crazed stomping of the feet really fast. I'll get all three on here soon.



He's also climbing like crazy - on top of chairs, the coffee table, the sub woofer, the couch, etc. Our coffee table used to protect all of the electronics but now that he climbs right in it - it's probably doing more harm than good. We're going to have to figure out a new system. We also rearranged the room so that the sub woofer was hidden. He realized he could climb up on it and then get into the recliner. He was very proud of himself. We wouldn't mind but he also thinks he can jump right off things and I'm scared to death of him jumping off the chair. Here he is climbing on the sub and then he jumped over to the chair. You can see his delight.

Here he is in the coffee table (it's also his downstairs toy chest)

For those of you who don't know - I'm going to visit home next week. I'm really excited. It will be a nice get away before I start working. I'm also so happy to get out of the heat. I feel like I imprison Carson all day because if we go out he gets so red with in 5 minutes. I know he will love playing outside everyday. Sometimes he just stares out the windows or back door and I know he's longing to be outside.

That's all for now!