Thanksgiving

Today you and your family came over to Nana and Mr. Bob's house for Thanksgiving.  Mr. Bob's daughter and her family and his son and his family were here for the holiday.  You were very shy and kept to your self.  You wouldn't even look up at me when I took this photo of you.

Below is a photo from the dining room table.  You were seated to the right of Jaiden.  Your plate was totally empty.  You did not eat a thing.  One day you will eat turkey, etc........I hope!

Your mother made these turkey cake pops.  They were a big hit.

Afterwards we had these photos taken.  You left early because your mother had to go to work.  So....unfortunately, you didn't get to go in the pool.  Next year.

This is a silly photo with us with turkeys and funny faces.

A serious photo of all of us on Thanksgiving.

Andrew's First Successful Sleep Over

He finally did it!!  You didn't think he would last past 8:00 p.m.  You and your parents came to pick Andrew up and you noticed the rainbows in the backyard.  In the first photo you can barely see the second rainbow on the left.  It's not often you see double rainbows.

Andrew had become very good at jump roping, so you and he had a little contest to see who could go the longest both backwards and forwards.  Then your mother and I held the rope and turned it so you could jump.  You both did great at this.  It was a fun afternoon. 

What a Weekend

Saturday morning I went to see your last game of flag football.  You lost your first and only game in the tournament.  However,  you did try a trick play that is not allowed in flag football, but is okay in the NFL.  You were running with the ball, stopped and tried to pass it before an opponent could get your flag.  Nice try.

Here's a photo of you taken at last weeks game by one of the player's mother.

After todays game all of the team members were given medals to hand around their necks and the coaches were given some gifts.

Here's some photos one of the parents took.  I fogot my camera and so did your mother.

After the game we all went out for breakfast.  You rode with me in Mr. Bob's Mercedes.  My car is still in the shop getting repaired.  We finally found the place and went in to eat.  There was a couple with a little baby and they let the baby continually make loud noises.  Very annoying.  A bottle of ketchup slipped off our table and onto the floor all by itself.  Finally you father paid for the drinks, cancelled our breakfast and we left.  We went to some place in Mesa where the waiters and waitresses were dressed as cowboys/girls with real guns.  At breakfast you asked if you could come over for a sleepover.  Since, Mr. Bob was in Mexico, I said that would be great.  I hate being alone.

So....We drive up to Nana's after stopping at Walmart to exchange the Uno I bought for one that works.  When we got to the house we played Uno, made peanut butter cookies, watched Terri Fator, the ventriloquist, that  Mr. Bob and Nana saw in Las Vegas, earlier this year.  Also, played Wii bowling.  You kept getting into Mr. Bob's cache of chocolate.  I couldn't stop you.  You also got into the ice cube tray and put a couple on your tongue.  You couldn't get them off and just as I was ready to pur water over them, they popped off.  This could have been disaster number four for the day.

We went to bed in the Jr. Suite and watched a cartoon CD you brought with you  You quickly fell asleep much to my surprise.

Woke up around 6:30 the next morning.  Made muffins and got ready to go hiking.  In your backpack we put a bottle of water, three muffins and some coke I put into a plastic water bottle.  We decided to take a different trail, after much discussion. Along the trail I took this photo of you and one of a very small cacti.  We thought it might be a saguaro, but it could be something else.  I told you that it takes about 10 years for a saguaro to grow just a few inches.

Right before we got to the end of the trail you fell.  I thought you were going to land on your nose but you landed on your leg and arm, thank goodness.  You said "don't tell my dad, because he won't let me hike again if he knows I fell".  This trail was shorter than the one we took on Halloween Day, so we decided to walk the Nature Trail and learn about animals and plants that live in the desert.  It was fun.

Then it was to the store for Nana to get the Sunday paper and a packet of taco seasoning for the soup I was going to make for Mr. Bob.  We turned on the TV to watch Peyton Manning and the Colts game.  You wanted to play Uno again, but I beat you and you decided you wanted to play the Panda game. 

You went to get it and did not return right away, so I went to check on you.  I found you lying, in a ball, on the floor outside my office, withering in pain.  At first I thought you were playing a trick on me, but immediately realized you were in serious distress.  I was going to call an ambulance, but called you dad first.  He woke up your mother and you talked to her.  She decided that they would drive up and for me not to call the EMTs.  I got a pillow and blanket for you to lie on in the hallway, but after awhile, you were able to get up to the sofa. 

At first I you might be having an issue with your appendix, but your mother said your pain was on the opposite side.  I was very scared for you.  Your parents arrived and drove you immediately to the hospital.  Andrew stayed with me.

It seems you had a lot of blood in your urine.  They thought it might have been a kidney stone, but that is extremely rare for someone your age.  So, they decided to take a cat scan.  First they had to put a needle in your arm.  It took three nurses and both your parents to hold you down.  (If you remember, from earlier in the day we talked about getting shots and I told you, if you just relaxed your arm, it wouldn't hurt.  Guess you were just scared.)  In any event, your father went in with you for the cat scan and had to put on a big apron to protect him for the x-rays.  The doctors thought you might have a tumor.  We were all scared to death.  Fortunately, there was no tumor and they let you leave the hospital.  Your mother will take you to an urologist to follow up.

While you were at the hospital your mother sentt this photo of you to everyone in the family  telling them "This is what happens  to Zachary when he stays at Nana's house". 

The three of you arrived back at the house a few hours later.  Your dad helped Mr. Bob put the pool covers on so he can heat the pool for Thanksgiving.  All of you got ready to leave when your dad opened the refrigerator door and hit you in the head.  (Actually, you were twirling around and spun into the door.)  You went down on the floor in a heap.  I thought you might have to go back to the hospital.  Fortunately, you stopped crying and started laughing.

What an unlucky day for you.  First you fall while hiking, then you collapse on the floor outside my office and then you run into the refrigerator door.  Ouch!!!!!

Wednesday, November 10th

Went over to your house for Family Night and the "parents vs. the kids" tag football game.  As I drove up, you and your brother were so excited.  You had a "huge" moth on the side of the garage door.  It had been there for a couple of days and had a black and white diamond sort of design on it.  We played croquette across the street and then went back inside. 

Before leaving for the game, Uncle Bruce called and said he needed a ride home from the airport.  You mother couldn't pick him up because she had to be at the game because your dad was working.  So I went to get Uncle Bruce.  I missed the game and missed seeing your mother getting her face "planted" in the turf.

I will be at the tournament on Saturday.  Hope you guys win.

Halloween

Last Wednesday you fell on your knee in your house when I came over for Family Night.  Saturday at your Flag Football game you fell again on the same knee and came off the field in tears.  After a little ice you sucked it up and was back in the game.  After the game you came home with me for a sleepover. 

You helped me finish my golfball Christmas gifts.  I was making hurricane laterns with golfballs, tees and some sand in the bottom and a candle on top.  You put in the tees for me.  Great job!!

Later we played "baseball in the driveway and you wanted to climb on the rocks and look at the drain pipe.  You said you wanted to be an archiologist.  When it got dark, Mr. Bob asked us to get the mail.  So we walked with a flashlight and a cane.  You were a little anxious, but continued on.

Before we went to sleep, we played checkers, Old Maid and Fish in bed.  We also watched Hocus Pocus on TV.  you couldn't get to sleep.  Probably too much candy and cokes.  I rubbed your back and we cuddled, but you still couldn't sleep.  Finally at 10:20 you fell asleep.  However, you were up at 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 and 5:30.  You could not wait to go hiking.  So at 7:00 we left to go to McDowell Sonoran Preserve Trails, which is only about 15 minutes from my house. 

I wanted to go one way to the Saguaro Loop Trail, but you insisted on going the other way.  So..............we ended up walking the Gateway Loop Trail.  A couple of times you wanted to turn back, but I said it looks flat up ahead, let's go a little further.  Then I wanted to turn back, but you wanted to go on.  Then we got to a point whe you wanted to go back, but we were a little more than half way and it would be shorter to keep going.  We talked to a couple of young hikers, that were passing us and they suggested we continue on, so we did.  You did love the views.  You kept saying "Look, Nana, we can see the city.".

We reached the Gateway Saddle at 2,387 feet.  We both were getting a little tired, but continued on because it was now all downhill.  Nana never thought we would be hiking this long and did not bring any water.  You started complaing that you were so thirsty, but we had to go on.  We were only about 20 minutes away from the entrance.  I promised you a "blizzard" at McDonald's so we continued on.  Finally we made it back. We "conquered the mountain".  We walked about a total of 4 miles!!!  Below are a couple of photos of you.  I forgot to bring my camera, but you suggested I use my cell phone.  Great idea!  Unfortunately, when I downloarded them, they came out small.

After our hike, we went to McDonald's.  You didn't want anything to eat, just a large Sprite.  At home you laid on the sofa and I covered you with a blanket.  You felt warm so I took your temperature.  It was 99.6.  I called your mother and told her  I would be bringing you home early.  I took a pillow and blanket and put you in the back see of my convertible.  You weren't looking too good.

We arrived at your house and you father got you out of the car, gave you a quick bath and put you in his bed.  Your temperature was up to 100+ and you slept for about3 hours.  After you got up we ate pizza and got dressed in our costumes.  You said you felt okay to go trick or treating.

You look like a linebacker, not a quarterback, in your Peyton Manning shirt.

Here's your mother, you, Nana and Andrew.

Here's you and your father who is supposed to be a Colts Cheerleader.

This a photo of you and your father right before you threwup on the street outside Mr. Todd's house.  We all went back to your house and then I went home.