October 2011

A lot happened in October-mostly the end of the month-so I'm trying to remember what happened at the beginning. Zachary had his first band concert-they did well, let's just say Zac was practicing tonight and there was considerable improvement :) I'm glad he's learning a musical instrument since I wasn't very successful and getting him to play the piano. Jonathan tured 9! My cousin Dayne got married in the Salt Lake temple that day so he got to spend it with me and extended family. He wanted a Lemon Meringue Pie-so thank you to Mrs. Marie Callender!

Alisa had her baby mid month. She is a little cutie. Alisa did well and is adjusting with the new life of motherhood it seems. We went up and got to see her the day she got home from the hospital. Crystal and her boys were also down(Colby was at the BYU game of course:) And then we went and ate some ice cream at the Y's creamery-Mmmmm! Short visit- but nice.
The annual carving of the Pumpkin! The girls and Ethan couldn't get enough of the pumpkin "guts". Squishing it through their fingers, sliding their arms across the big pile's laid onto a cookie sheet-they had fun. Ethan had a kick when we'd turn the lights off with each Jack O lantern with a candle in it.

Wes surprised me with tickets to Odyssey Dance's Halloween program- THRILLER!! Freaky, enthralling, morbid, genius- As you can see, I'm a little torn up on my person critique of the performance. I do NOT enjoy scary stuff, I haven't been to any type of Haunted forest, house, or maze since college- BUT- they were such beautiful, talented, dancers-AMAZING! Here a glimpse of what we saw-http://www.odysseydance.com/thriller2010slc.html

Soooo. . . . . we had our first broken bone in the McKinney house. Halloween morning I was running around getting all the kids costumes on, hair done, make-up, breakfast, a little last minute sewing, etc. I was just finishing up a few last minute things -like taking pictures of the kids right before they walked out the door to the bus because I didn't know how long some of their costumes would hold up. Just then I heard a thud and Ethan crying-which by the way is a daily occurance pretty much. The kids said that he had fallen off the kitchen counter, so-a lot more concerned I started looking and feeling over his head for any bumps etc. I laid him on the couch, and that's when I noticed-his arm was visibly deformed-"Broken!" I gasped, "His arm is BROKEN!" The kids were by then walking out the door, but as soon as they heard that, turned around to come back. "GO!" I yelled. "GO to the bus!" I didn't think it would help them at all seeing his arm and I just couldn't handle all the kids with me knowing I would be rushing him to the ER. They ran out while I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off. Little Ethan's face had just turned white like a ghost-I found the phone-and called Wes-No answer! What the heck-pick UP! I then started wondering if I called 911 if they could get him to pick up his phone-No, that was just crazy thinking-so I called again-He picked up-and then I fell apart. Crying, helpless, sobbing. He said he'd meet me at the ER. I then ran around some more. "A hankerchief, I need a hankerchief!" I'd worked @ scout camps long enough to know that I could help stabalize his arm somehow with a hankerchief. I found one-but still not knowing exactly what I was going to do because I didn't want to hurt him-Just then-a knock at the door. It was my godsend neighbor NURSE extrordinaire-Jill had come to my rescue. Calm, collective, experienced, she secured his arm, calmed me down, and buckled him into my car. She had been at the bus stop when my kids announced the drama happening at home. A tender mercy!
Ethan broke both his radius and ulna. He had a small contusion on his head which I believe if his hand hadn't broken the fall-his head would have-and I don't even want to think what could have happened. We had an older more experienced Dr-I had complete confidence in his skills. They had to sedate him but were able to set his arm in a pretty timely manner. I was worried that Ethan would be miserable for awhile but he seemed to be his same old self in no time-trying to climb and jump on furniture-AGAIN-but with one arm.
This experience made me appreciate the good health of my children-this was such a traumatic experience for me-because-it is a RARE occurance for me. I have compassion for those that have to watch their children suffer or worry about their children's health and safety on a daily basis. I'm grateful for caring neighbors, skilled and knowledgeable Dr's, the priesthood(Wes gave him a blessing), insurance, the Comforter, and a loving Heavenly Father.
I don't have pictures of everybody because of the little fiasco but Brooklyn was a pirate, Hailey was a French Maid, Cameron was a nerd, Jonny was a clown, Zach was. . . .??? Ethan was Batman.
I decided to be Queen of the Nile for the night. I had "Walk Like an Egyptian" playing in my front room and told all the trick-or-treaters if they wanted a treat they had to "dance" or walk like an egyptian from the front door to the candy platter-HE HE-it was FUN! I liked having a little power -HA! WEll, that was the last day of the month-a long day!