Bear Attacks Carling Family!

On Saturday, we went to Grand Targhee to have a picnic and get our family pass for the coming ski season. Cameron and Jacob had a close encounter with a grizzly bear (notice Jacob's missing forearm).


Cameron ran...



but wasn't quite fast enough to escape.


After riding Dreamcatcher chairlift up the hill,



we hiked to a spot where we'd have a view of the Tetons while we ate lunch.





It was very windy at the top, but the view was fabulous!





Now all we need is half a dozen monster-size snowstorms, and we're set.
Bring it on!

Apples, anyone?

Okay. I know I shouldn't complain about an abundant harvest, but this is ridiculous! We spent an hour and a half after Family Night on Monday picking up apples off the ground. No kidding, we hauled off at least six or seven wheelbarrow loads to the burn pile in back.



This lovely century-old apple tree of ours is self-thinning, which is a blessing and a curse. The boys are ready to go George Washington on me! (I guess that was a cherry tree, though). I remind them how much they like dried apples, applesauce and fruit leather, but they still moan and groan about having to pick up mushy apples. We could spend an hour every day and still not keep up!




I love Utah drivers, really...

This morning I had a huge "adrenalin moment" while going to Rigby. I was on Highway 20, driving through the never-ending "Your Tax Dollars at Work" (minus any visible workers) Construction Zone, when I glanced ahead and noticed a Highway Patrol car parked in the median. I checked my speed and decided to bring it down a few clicks. I was decelerating as I passed. Imagine my horror when I looked up to see flashing red and blue lights in my rear view mirror! Inwardly cursing my lead-footed tendency, I made my way through the cones to the outside lane, mentally preparing for the inevitable trauma to my bank account. Meanwhile, Idaho's finest passed me by, eager for bigger quarry...a UTAH driver...Hallelujah! I made my way back into traffic, vowing to set my cruise control and smiling as I passed my less fortunate neighbor and the officer who waved to me in what seemed like an "Idaho Rules!" sort of way.



After five and a half long weeks, Parker got the casts off his arms! No more rubber gloves, bread bags, and duct tape ritual before every shower. No more disgustingly dirty hands (well, in a perfect world, anyway). No more unreachable itches. No more, "I can't, I have two broken arms" excuses!

Paul started on a new medicine that we hope will help relieve the pain he has been having in his leg. He had radiation treatment for the bone pain. That is much better now, but it has been replaced by a different kind of pain, possibly involving nerves. His next PET/CT scan will be October 7. The insurance company didn't blink when asked to OK the $5,000 photo session, but we are still waiting for the go-ahead on a $500 MRI so we can see what's going on with Paul's leg. We hope to get approval and have the MRI today. We'll keep you posted.

School is in full swing and everyone is settling back into the routine: homework, reading, making lunches, reasonable bedtimes, etc. Life is good!

The play's the thing...

About two weeks ago, I indulged my inner literary geek by going to the Utah Shakespeare Festival with my sister, Darla. We had a great time, in spite of being adrift in a sea of white-haired septuagenarians - no offense, Mom and Dad.
Besides seeing three awesome plays - Fiddler on the Roof, Taming of the Shrew, Othello; and one questionable play - School for Wives (what can I say, it's French), we took a backstage tour of the two theaters,





and attended the Wooden O Symposium where my English professor was presenting a lecture on the final project he had assigned our class at BYU-I. My paper was among those he brought to share with the teachers at the conference.

We also went for an early-morning hike in Cedar Breaks National Monument. Who knew summer could be so chilly at 10,500 feet? We just hiked faster to get warm. Problem solved.




We plan to go to the festival again next year. I especially want to see Henry V, the play that I based my final project on. We know what to do: morning-after discussions on the green, and what to bring: sweatshirts and blankets for outdoor performances, where the best place to eat is: the Pastry Pub (awesome sandwiches and salads), where we'd stay: closer to campus, and who we'd invite to come along with us: applications are now being accepted, only true Shakespeare fans need apply.

Happy Birthday, Indiana Carling

Cameron wanted an Indiana Jones theme party this year. He invited a couple friends to join him on his adventure.



The day began with Cameron opening a mysterious package.



Inside were "Grail diaries" for each of the guests; Cameron's contained a map and a clue to get them started on their quest:

If gold idols are
what you adore,
Set a course
for Ecuador.




In the spider-infested jungles of Ecuador, they discovered a gold idol and another clue:

China is where
you must begin,
If the Lost Ark
you seek to win.




In China, they found a medallion and this clue:

Off to India
you must go,
To learn the thing
you want to know.





India brought danger in the form of a giant python and other deadly snakes guarding the next clue:

Buried in Egyptian sand
You'll find a treasure close at hand.





When they dug up the Ark, they found the next clue:


Beneath the city of Rome
you'll find a clue,
In a dark catacomb
that's meant for you.



Inside the Knight's tomb was the following clue:

Searching for
the Grail Cup?
Be careful when
you pick it up.



The Grail Temple was where they found their last clue:

One final treasure
waits for you
Riches beyond measure
A dream come true.

With an extra hint from their guide, they found the secret location of the last treasure, the fort. There they found Indiana Jones coloring books and some candy.





Hungry after a day of treasure hunting, they stopped for a lunch of pizza, bread sticks and Sprite. Then Cameron opened presents.


He loved all of them. Following some python wrestling, the boys went home to rest up for their next great adventure.




********************************************************

On a bittersweet note, Paul's Grandma Sharp passed away on Wednesday. She was 92 years old. Her funeral will be held on Saturday in Rigby.

"Did I work today?"

Attention All Perpetual Worriers: HE'S OKAY, REALLY!

After working on Tuesday from 6:00 a.m. until noon, Parker and his friend Mason decided to go for a motorcycle ride near Kelly Canyon. Parker loaded the 225 in the back of Paul's truck, picked Mason and his bike up and headed for the hills around 5 o'clock. Paul and Tyler were working in Jackson, Jacob and I were at his soccer game and Cameron and Hayden were home. Just after 6:00 p.m., I got a phone call from Paul. He said that Mason had called Tyler (he didn't have Paul's or my number) to let us know Parker had crashed on his bike, was acting weird and wondered what he should do. Paul told him to get him home. Mason made sure Parker would be okay, rode down to the truck, then drove it back up to the crash site to get Parker, since he was unable to ride. He loaded Parker's motorcycle into the truck by himself, leaving his own bike behind. He called me to say they were on their way (thank you!). They pulled in the driveway just as Paul and Tyler got home. Tyler and Brandi stayed with the boys while Paul and I took a pretty beat-up Parker to the doctor.


We went to Community Care, but they sent us to the emergency room so Parker could have a CT of his head.


Everything looked normal, all brain matter intact - good thing, since school starts in less than 30 days (YIPPEE!!!) Did I say that out loud?

Here's the damage report:

Mild Concussion - very apparent from his repeated asking of the same questions over and over:

"Did I work today?"
"What day is it?"
"Did Mason work with me today?"
"Did I crash?"
I was supposed to wake Parker up every four hours during the night to make sure he was okay, but I didn't set an alarm. Fortunately, Cameron was clever enough to wake me up at 2 o'clock in the morning to ask for a bucket to throw up in, so I woke Parker up then. Mission accomplished.

Impacted Buckle Fracture of Right Wrist - this sounds worse than it is. He's got a splint on it until tomorrow, when we go to the Orthopedic surgeon to have a cast put on. The ER doc had me help her put the splint on, so I now have even more practical experience as a Medical Assistant! Click on the picture for a larger view. There is a yellow arrow that points to the fracture, but it's still quite hard to see.


Miscellaneous lacerations and contusions - no stitches required. I'm sure more bruises will show up as time passes.

Mystery burn on Right Calf - we've no idea how he got it, since the bike was resting on his left leg.

Very swollen Left Knee



Puffy, swollen bulges on both feet - weird, but painless

Stiff Neck - no broken bones, though


As you can see, he's fine; so no need to worry (this means you, Grandma).

We're grateful that the extent of his injuries wasn't more serious. He was wearing a helmet - that is non-negotiable. And we're thankful that the Mason Jensen Rescue Service was able to get him back home quickly and safely.



Paul update
Here is the x-ray of Paul's femur. It's difficult to tell, but the lesion is somewhere in the middle.


The radiation treatment went well. He isn't having quite as much constant pain, but there's still room for improvement. He started another round of oral chemo on Monday, which is never fun, but this round seems to be particularly unpleasant. As usual, he toughs it out without much complaining.


Parker update
We just got home from seeing the Orthopedic surgeon. They were having a two-for-one sale on casts, so Parker got one on both arms. Really.



It turns out that his left wrist is broken, too. The break is up near the growth plate, so it was hard to see. He will go back in about 2 weeks and have both arms x-rayed again to make sure nothing has shifted and to confirm the diagnosis on the left wrist. Parker is taking it all in stride. The only thing that might be a problem is figuring out how to shower for the next 5 weeks.

There is no charge for awesomeness or attractiveness...

Cameron, Jacob and I went to see Kung Fu Panda this afternoon. I have to admit it was pretty entertaining. And it taught a good message: the secret ingredient to your success is you. After the movie, we had a sudden craving for Chinese food - go figure - so we got take out from Fong's. We ordered our usual: Sweet and Sour Pork, Ham Fried Rice, Cashew Chicken, Broccoli Beef and my new favorite, Crab Rangoon (thanks Kareena and Heidi for introducing me to heaven in a won ton wrapper!). And of course, fortune cookies.

Match the fortune with the person:

1) Paul
2) DeLynn
3) Parker
4) Hayden
5) Cameron
6) Jacob

a) Today, your mouth might be moving but no one is listening.
b) Your high-minded principles spell success.
c) People are drawn to you and look to you for advice.
d) This could be an almost perfect day. Enjoy it.
e) To learn without thinking is effort in vain.
f) Enhance your karma by being kind to everyone you encounter.

Hint: One of them totally pegged the recipient...it's funny how that works.

Leave your answers in the comments box. The person with the most correct answers will receive an all-expense paid trip to inner peace. Or at the management's discretion, a box of almond cookies.



Treatment update:

Paul and I met with Dr. McAllister, the radiation oncologist, on Thursday. He showed us the X-ray of Paul's femur, pointing out the lesion on the bone. It's about 7cm in length. He recommended that Paul receive radiation treatment. We have three options: 10 treatments over two weeks, 5 treatments over a week, or 1 treatment. We chose to have one treatment and be done. There is a 95% success rate for relieving bone pain, so we're optimistic that this will help rid Paul of the pain he's been suffering for the last month. He went yesterday for a simulation. They did a CT scan of his leg. Then they fed the data into a computer to work out the physics for the treatment. Paul has four Sharpie marker X's on his leg that they used to help aim the lasers, which in turn, will aim the X-ray. He is scheduled for the actual treatment on Monday morning at 9:15. He may get relief within the week or it might take a month to see results. We're praying for a quick response.

Happy Bastille Day!

Let me be the first to wish all of you Francophiles out there happy Bastille Day! Viva La France! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, now is a good time to brush up on your French history. It's roughly equivalent to our Independence Day.

And now, on to a completely unrelated subject...

Paul got a call from the doctor today. He will go in tomorrow afternoon for his first IV dose of Zometa. I don't know what type of treatment schedule he will be on, or if it's a one-time thing. We'll keep you posted when we have more information. Thanks for all your love and concern.

Scan Results

Yesterday we met with Dr. Hancock to learn the results of Paul's latest PET/CT scan. We've been concerned because Paul has had a great deal of pain in his right leg for the last several weeks. The scan looked good, with no new growth. The area near his esophagus that had lit up on the last scan looked much better. There were still a few spots here and there, which the doctor attributes to some lingering infection, due to Paul's compromised immune system. But overall, things look good. The next step is to figure out what's causing the pain. After meeting with Dr. Hancock, we went to the hospital, where Paul had an x-ray of his femur. This will help the doctor to see if the bone is compromised (moth-eaten were his words). If this is the case, there are several options: an I.V. drug called Zometa, which helps rebuild the bone; injecting the bone with medical-grade cement, or irradiating the bone to kill the cancer. We have a consultation on July 16th with a radiation oncologist in Idaho Falls. We'll let you know which treatment(s) we choose. We'll start with the Zometa, as soon as we get approval from the insurance company.

Now, on to lighter topics --

Cameron and Jacob went to Cub Scout Day Camp. This time they stayed all day - no snow! The theme of the camp was Wild West. They shot BB guns, tied knots, panned for gold, baked biscuits, rode a bucking bronco, learned to write using Indian picture symbols in a tepee, did exercises, ran an obstacle course; and hiked a nature trail, searching for footprints. Somewhere in the middle of all that, they ate lunch and found time to shop at the trading post. Jacob says he bought Sprite, two boxes of candy, and a snowcone...you know, to remind him of the Wild West.

Jacob had his first soccer game last night. He loved it. His team played really well together. They won 5 to 0. He got to play every position, including goalie, where he did an excellent job defending for his team.



He said he likes soccer because, "you get to run a lot, and I like running." (He takes after his mom). His next game is Thursday.

I'd like to thank Sherry, sister-in-law, fellow blogger and kindred spirit, for planting the seed (it began to germinate at 2:30 this morning -- thanks a lot!) which has become today's post.




You Might Be The Mother of Sons If:

You've looked out the window just in time to see the "Full Moon Irrigation Company" watering the tree in your front yard.

Your car insurance doubled overnight without the thrill of being ticketed for driving Highway 20 like it was the German Autobahn.

You can repeat from memory the Cub Scout Promise, the Scout Oath, and all the best lines from Napoleon Dynamite.

The contents of the sandbox have gradually migrated indoors, one shoe full at a time.

Your washing machine can be mined for deposits of gravel, candy wrappers, Legos, chewing gum, missing homework assignments, pocket knives, and the occasional MP3 player.

You've considered buying stock in the following companies: Lego, Hotwheels, Band-Aid, Malt O'Meal, Tide, Skippy, Ovaltine...

You wonder if Fruit of the Loom conducted a feasibility study before deciding to manufacture white underwear in Boys sizes.

You're very familiar with "Puppy Scent," and you don't own a dog.

At least one of the six Star Wars films is viewed in your home every month.

George Lucas could be considered part of the family.

Your food budget is equal to the Gross National Product of a small country.

Someone is always hungry.

You've thought of having your children checked for tapeworms.

There's a mysterious hole of unknown origin in the upstairs window which corresponds perfectly to the size of a BB...hmmm.

You think the Father and Sons outing should be held monthly.

You've achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Your riding lawnmower has reached speeds that rival those of Nascar.

Clean is a relative term.

You have reminded a child that washing should include the use of soap.

You wholeheartedly supported your husband's idea to install a urinal in the boys bathroom.

Your housekeeping philosophy: Only clean bathroom fixtures you have personally used (see above).

After they clean their bedrooms, your laundry room resembles a scale model of the Himalayas.

Your children do not share your enthusiasm for the works of Jane Austen or William Shakespeare.

They are, however, quite familiar with Dav Pilkey, author of the Captain Underpants series.

No one argues about who gets to be the Princess!

Introducing the latest in Zero Carbon Emissions lawnmowers...

In an effort to implement an eco-friendly policy of lawn and garden maintenance, we have contracted with a new company that provides zero carbon emissions lawn mowing services. The employees are extremely efficient, if a little wary of strangers. While their work hours are somewhat sporadic, I believe they will eventually get to the entire lawn. I just hope they leave the vegetable garden alone.


Yellow-bellied marmots a.k.a. Rockchucks




There is a family of these creatures living in the wood pile by Paul's shop. And a lot more live next door in the rock piles near the potato shed. Sadly, one of them had recently expired, a fact which I had the near-misfortune of literally stumbling upon while heading up the hill on Tuesday to go for a run...eww! Life in the fast lane can be messy. But nature has a way of taking care of its own. Today when I went past the "accident" site, I noticed the body was gone. I'm sure the marmot family retrieved their loved one and had a proper burial...either that or some scavenger came along and enjoyed a roadside banquet. I like to think it was the first option.

A Lesson in Thermodynamics

The fact that school is out for the summer does not automatically preclude further learning. Case in point -- one of my children (who shall remain anonymous to protect his dignity) decided his bike tire was low. This presented him with several options:

1. Go out to the shed and use Dad's air compressor.
2. Find the hand pump.
3. Borrow the pump from Mom's bicycle.

And finally, the less obvious (at least to the female mind):

4. Ride two and a half miles round trip in the blazing heat to the local gas station and use their air compressor.

You can guess which choice he opted for.

Now, fast forward several hot, sunny hours. We were all inside the house, busy with various activities. Suddenly we heard a loud BANG! I thought it was Parker shooting off bottle rockets or firecrackers again, so I sent Jacob to investigate. He came back and told me that Parker was upstairs asleep. He had gone to work at 4:30 a.m. to rake hay and was pretty tired. The source of the noise remained a mystery.

It wasn't until later that evening that we discovered what had happened. My unnamed child came into the house, carrying a bike tire that had a large hole blown out of the sidewall. You see where this is headed...over-filled tire, hot sun, expansion, extreme air pressure...BANG!

The lesson learned: While living creatures need air to survive, too much of it can be deadly, especially if you happen to be a bicycle tire.

The Wild Blue Yonder

Yesterday was one of those perfect blue sky days that we've been missing for what seems like ages. We spent the morning enjoying the Rexburg Air Show, along with approximately ninety-five percent of the population of the Upper Snake River Valley. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating, but there were a lot of people there! It was okay, though; most of them were well-behaved. Armed with plenty of sunblock and camp chairs, we settled in to enjoy the show. In spite of the sunshine, it never felt too hot, thanks to the ever-present Rexburg wind. There's nothing like a high-octane display of raw horsepower to keep a bunch of boys interested. And the variety of characters in the crowd was enough to keep me entertained. Free admission events seem to draw such a diverse cross-section of the population (politically correct way of saying all the crazies come out of the woodwork). Parker played the role of official family photographer for the event. He took some great pictures and video. See below for more examples.

Tyler and Brandi came for a Father's Day dinner of BBQ ribs, baked salmon, mashed potatoes, salad, and pie for dessert. Now Paul is watching (quite possibly through closed eyelids) a documentary on PBS about bees and the problem of Colony Collapse disorder...zzzzz. And the boys are outside protecting our garden from foreign invasion by deploying sonic disruptive devises (can you say "firecrackers?") It's a good thing we don't have any next door neighbors...

If it's snowing, it must be June...

Ah, the joys of summer vacation in Idaho! The boys have been out of school for nearly a week and have yet to experience a halfway decent day spent in pursuit of every stay-at-home mom's dream come true...PLAYING OUTSIDE! Cameron and Jacob left this morning at 8 o'clock for Cub Scout day camp. They were so excited last night, they slept on the floor, with their clothes next to them so they could jump right up and be ready to go. Well, they walked back through the door just after 10 AM, approximately four and a half hours ahead of schedule. It seems the people in charge of the camp decided it was too cold, so they cancelled the rest of the activities for the day. In all fairness to the camp directors, fresh snow does tend to put a damper on things.

We planted a lovely garden this year, with the usual variety of vegetables; but I'm beginning to wonder if maybe we should have planted a different crop...perhaps snow peas and iceburg lettuce.



Disclaimer: This is not an actual picture of our yard.

Go with the flow...

I've decided we're a little like rafters on the stream of life. We float along peacefully, going wherever the flow takes us. Then the stream turns into a raging torrent and we have two choices: grab a life preserver and hang on, or go under. I choose the former. I'm looking out the window at the beautiful blue sky, wondering why we didn't have this weather yesterday. Let me backtrack. On Monday, Tyler told us that he and Brandi had changed the date of their wedding. Instead of June 21, it was now moved to June 4, two days away. They had planned to hold the wedding in our yard; but on Wednesday, a gigantic rainstorm came and parked over Rexburg. So we held it in our living room, with Tyler's bishop performing the marriage. It was a nice ceremony with a few friends and family in attendance. We would have liked for more of you to be here, but considering the short notice, we were happy anyone came! They plan on having an informal open house/party for family and friends later in the summer. We'll pass along more information as it becomes available. They will be living just west of Rexburg.



Marking a Milestone

Solve for x:

1500 divided by 4 + (5x2) + (2x2) - 30 = x

Give up?

Try this:

1500 miles in 4 years + 5 pair of running shoes + 2 pair of Yaktraks - 30 pounds
= a healthier me!



Paul just completed his 5th month of oral chemo and came through it reasonably unscathed. He's as busy as ever with work and church responsibilities. The boys finished school May 29th, and my last day on campus was June 3rd. So Parker got to play Mr. Mom for two days, lucky him! I have an online class to finish by the middle of July, then I'm a free woman...until the next semester. Parker will spend the summer working for a local farmer, Hayden has plans for scout camp. Cameron and Jacob will be attending Cub Scout day camp next week. Jacob will also be going to summer school for 3 weeks. Then soccer starts in July. All this should keep us out of trouble for awhile...

P.S. I just got an e-mail from the University telling me that my appeal to change to Fall/Winter track has been accepted! Now I can go to school when the boys are in school and be home when they're home.