Our Tooth Girls (Update)

A's got another loose tooth, front and center, right next to the first one she lost. She'll be singing All I want for Christmas... for sure this year.

H also now has her two front bottom teeth... the same two A is soon to be missing. Cheryl is now feeling the side effects of teeth on nursing and doesn't like it. 8-O Neither A or C nursed into the teething stage.


---- Original Post: 11/27/2008 10:13a.m. ----

There's a lot of excitement around our house right now, and it's not because of the holidays.

On Monday, we found out that "A" is losing her first tooth. "A" was exactly six years, three months old on Monday.

She is losing the bottom right front tooth, the exact same one that "H" is getting right now, her first tooth. "H" was also exactly seven months old on Monday.

We're waiting for the loose tooth to become really wiggly, then we'll help it out.

"We're off to Trick 'r Treat......."

Happy Halloween!!!

I love Halloween!!! In fact I always have loved it, but adding little ones to the picture makes it even twice the fun. Since C was barely two-years-old she's had a fascination with the "Wizard of Oz." We'll never forget being on a car trip and C at the young age of two out of the blue said, "Give me back your ruby slippers, they're of no use to you!" The fascination has continued ever since and there's never a day that goes by where C isn't having to wear a blue dress, or is found carrying around a tattered old basket with a raggedy Toto (who's a white poodle) inside. Therefore, we dedicated this Halloween to the Wizard of Oz.

A was a great sport through all of this. I don't think that being a witch for Halloween was top on her list but she happily gave in when we presented her the option. Tyler used his creative skills to make her a wicked broom out of materials left over from our yard and a bamboo stick. And of course Cambry was Dorothy complete with ruby red slippers (red church shoes) on her feet.

We went to A's Halloween Parade at her Elementary School and we're excited to find out the the 1st grade teacher's theme was none other than the "Wizard of Oz." C was so excited when she saw Glinda, so of course we had to take her picture with her. Also along the way we ran into the Cowardly Lion, The Tin Man, and A's teacher was the friendly Scarecrow.

Along the way Dorothy decided to stray from her usual behavior and picked up a lonely pirate along with a ballerina munchkin along the way. Of course, Aunty Em (or boring Mommy) was the one behind the camera.

Using a Little More Caution

To borrow from my sister-in-law's blogging style, we have decided to remove the actual names of our children from our blog entries (Thanks Ganelle!).

We don't want to take our blog private, but we do want to protect the identities of our children a little more.

As visitors to our blog, and when referring to our children in comments, please use their first initial in all references (comments with actual names will not be posted).

Hee Haw Harvest

Our family spent a fun filled night at Hee Haw farms. It was a beautiful fall night filled with corn mazes, slippery slides, a haunted barn and crisp fall air!



A & C had fun riding in their pretty pink piggy!

Daddy took C on a fun filled 4-wheeling ride!! It was a great evening until the very last when our daughters decided to enter a blown up haunted house. While every other child came out with a huge smile on their face, A and C came out balling and appauled that we would even consider sending them into a place like that. What can I say, we love our girls but they all need to toughen up!!!

Our Newest Addition to the Family!!!

Is it C's newest doll?





Is it A's newest masterpiece?





Is it Tyler's newest Elk Horn?





Have we adopted a new baby into our family?

No, it is our latest zucchini to take over the garden and it is in the 100th percentile for zucchini's. Now the question is, "What in the world is mom going to do with it?"

The Fighting Seagulls

This month, A has been on a city league soccer team with a few of her friends. They have two games a week for about five weeks on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Today, I caught the action on the Digital SLR camera from my work with a telephoto lens. You can see some of those photos here, or go to www.tylerkurt.com/soccer.


A started out the "season" primarily socializing, doing cartwheels, and even picking up bird feathers off the field. Gradually, she has figured out why she is on the field and is not afraid to get into the action herself. She has really turned into a "Go Getter." Maybe next year, she'll be the Unstoppable A.

"Looking Back...."

A started 1st grade a couple of weeks ago. At first things were a little shakey and she begged me to home school her. I politely told her that this was not an option. A's biggest hang up was lunch time. I think seeing all the "big kids" at lunch scared her. Luckily the school let her call me for the first couple of days so that I could send her my love. However, these past two weeks things have dramatically changed and A LOVES school and has made lots of new friends.

C also started her first year in pre-school!!! We decided to do a co-op pre-school with some neighbors which has been great so far. This means that I only have to teach every seven weeks which isn't that bad. C insists on wearing a skirt or dress every day so we're usually getting in a fight over it but she always wins. Pre-school has been good for C because it forces her out of her "own little world" and into a little bit of reality where her friends aren't fairies, princesses, and an occasional witch or two!

One fall = 13 stitches.

(photos are before stitches)

As usual, A was dancing around in our family room last night. Only this time, as she twirled, she tripped on a pillow on the floor and ended up falling into a shelf on the entertainment center—splitting her chin open.

Half an hour later, we were at the local clinic—luckily for us they were still open. We paid our copay and waited for the doctor. Understandably, A was scared about what the doc might do to her. She said that it didn't hurt too much, but she was very scared of the unknown. I tried to explain to her that he was going to "patch her up with stitches." Not knowing what stitches were, I explained that it was "string."

When they told me what they needed to do, I decided to have Cheryl come over too. (Thank you Sandy for watching C for us) When Cheryl arrived, the nurse needed to give A a shot of Ketamine to eliminate the fight in her. She had a lot of fight just trying to give her that shot—it took two of us to hold her down. Within a minute or two, she was limp. The doc referred the effects of the drug as similar to Alice in Wonderland.

For the next hour, the doc cleaned out the wound, numbed her with local anesthesia and sewed her back together. Three subdermal dissolving stitches and ten surface stitches—they will be taken out next week. There is NO WAY she would have sat still enough for the doc to put in all those stitches. She mumbled a few phrases while she was out.

When A came back to consciousness, she described her experience as that she was a sleep and that it felt like "people were walking on [her]." The sedative is the same one used when the troops are injured in combat for emergency field medical operations. On the way home, she complained of some double vision and at about 9pm, she vomited. Shortly after that, she was a sleep. After 10pm, I carried her to bed and we changed her bandage.

It is scary to see your child in a state of unconsciousness caused by a drug. You hear too many stories of children given the wrong dosage and having major complications due to an overdose. You just hope and pray that these doctors know what they are doing and that everything will be alright. All you can do is comfort them while they are in such a helpless and vulnerable state—even though they themselves are not in the reality we are experiencing. I do have to praise A for her strength and bravery through all of this. She was a real tough girl.

HOP, HOP, HOP!!!

The other morning as the girls and I were casually eating breakfast, C yelled, "Look outside, there's a bunny!" Sure enough, right next to our back window there was a big floppy-eared, brown rabbit sitting as calmly as can be. Of course the girls got really excited and wanted it to come play with them so we ventured outside with carrots. A decided that she had a better way of warming up to the bunny than carrots and went back inside. C and I stayed out and the bunny actually ate the carrots out of our hands. Suddenly A ran out of the house with homemade bunny ears and hopped across the grass in her white, fluffy, bunny slippers. I love how creative little kids are. This was a fun way to start our morning.

Success with Barbie Fishing Poles

As many of you may know, A caught her first fish last Saturday with her early birthday present—a 10-inch rainbow trout at Payson Lakes with her Barbie fishing pole.

The following story is courtesy of FOXNews.com

Man Makes Record Catch With Barbie Fishing Rod

Thursday, August 21, 2008
Associated Press

ELKIN, N.C. — David Hayes' granddaughter just ask him to hold her Barbie rod and reel while she went to the bathroom.

He did. And seconds later he landed the state record channel catfish at 21 pounds, 1 ounce.

Alyssa's father had bought the pink Barbie fishing rod for Christmas and she had caught a few bluegill before her grandfather hauled in the catfish.

The Winston-Salem Journal reported the catch Aug. 5 in eastern Wilkes County has been certified as a record by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Hayes and his granddaughter have been fishing in the pond behind his house since she was big enough to hold a pole.

Hayes says his granddaughter worried he would break her rod. He landed the 21-pound fish on a 6-pound test line. It was 32 inches long, 2 inches longer than the rod.

7800 Feet of Fun and Mosquitos (elevation)

This last weekend, Tyler's family ventured down from the Ogden area to join us in a camping trip to Payson Lakes. I must admit that Tyler took A and C up Friday afternoon, while I came up Saturday morning with H and Tyler's mom. It got too cold up there for a three-month-old to sleep in a tent (not to mention too cold for me ;) jk).

Tyler took the afternoon off on Friday and packed up the van with all our camping supplies, Opa's canoe, and all four of our bikes. The van was loaded down!

Opa (Gil), Tyler's dad, came up with Tyler's sister Tammi and her two kids, C1 and C2.

When Omi (Trudi) and I arrived Saturday morning, Opa had breakfast ready for us. They packed up the campsite and we headed down to the lake. This is a great campground by the way, surrounded by pine and aspen trees with a small lake. We'll be back for sure.

Tyler took C1 and A out in the canoe to do some fishing. We got A her very first fishing pole, an early birthday present, it's a Barbie themed pole. After several failed attempts at close to surface fishing, Tyler decided to drop the bait down to the bottom of the lake. Within a minute, A had a great 10-inch fish on her line! Reel it in!!! A was so proud of her catch! She even ate it for dinner that night.

Maybe in the next summer or two we'll purchase a tent trailer. That's my kind of camping.

On Salem Pond

Twice this month, we've had family visiting from out of state. Around the 4th of July, Cheryl's brother Bryan from Las Vegas and Tyler's brother Todd from Missouri were in town.

While Bryan's family took off to Yellowstone, Todd's family visited us for a day. We took them out to Salem Pond and brought Gil's canoe with us (Thanks Dad!).

A, Jayci and Todd enjoying the water.

Todd and Jana in the canoe.

Today, Cheryl's brother David and his family are in town from Denver, and we took the canoe out again. The kids loved it, and this time, we brought swim suits. Several of the boys even jumped off the bridge that goes over the pond. (Tyler, 2x; Jacob, 1x; Trevor, 1x; Trenton, 1x) . . . that was before a police officer pulled up and said, "$100 fine for jumping off the bridge."

Ganelle and Jacob enjoying the water.

C is our little fish.

Other Disney Memories

You've just got to love Snow White!!

Now, which one is Goofy?




I vote for this One!

A true pirate enjoying some Gold Fish for lunch!

Our first time with the kids in 2006!

Vacationing Princess

Every other year my mother-in-law takes the older grand children on Omi Days. Therefore A is currently on the road with three of her cousins to Disneyland. I have to admit that I'm a little jealous and C is a little sad. In fact she spent last night in our room. Disneyland has become one of my favorite places on earth since we've been twice with our kids. This picture is my fondest memory. A was just three-years-old and just a couple minutes after entering the park she sees Belle coming down the road. Belle gets down on her knees and extends her arms and without hesitation A runs up and gives her a big hug! A true "Kodak Moment".

The only dance that I contributed in was the Chicken Dance. Any other dancing would have made me dizzy and motion sick....especially with being six months pregnant. For those of you who don't know, we are expecting our third girl this April.

Wangsgard's Christmas

I'm still very new at this blogging business!! I really should be having my husband the Graphic Designer doing this. Anyways, Christmas was so much fun with a five and two-year-old. The magic was alive with the thoughts of Santa and his reindeer arriving!! However, not all of their thoughts were joyful. C became traumatized when we had her sit on Santa's lap. I guess the big rosy cheeks, white fluffy beard, and rounded belly can be a little scary to a little two-year-old.

First Snow Day!

Last Saturday we enjoyed our first snow fall in Utah. The snow was overdue and greatly needed. After spending an exhausting amount of time bundling the girls up for the snow, we finally went outside and had a great time. A fractured her arm a couple of weeks ago so was required to keep her arm out of the snow...but trust me that didn't stop her from having fun!! She made plenty of one armed snow angels and was able to hold her own in a family snow ball fight.

C is our mild child who would periodically put her little mittens in the snow and try a taste of the newly fallen snow. She didn't last too long outside but a had a fun time for the short duration.

Happy Halloween!!!

Halloween was a fun time for all of us this year. A continuously changed her mind about what she wanted to be and finally settled with Belle after much persuasion(since we already had the costume). C made the cutest little Tinker Bell ever and pranced around pretending she could fly. Cap'n Hook caught his Tinker Bell after all.

They loved all the candy and trick-or-treating with friends and family!