August 24 2008

It's been a busy week. Tyrell and Dallin started school the day after Jacob was born. It was very easy to wake the kids for school they were all springs getting ready. We decided that for the first day I would drive them to school but we would still wait at the bus stop so that the bus driver would get used to looking for us there. Natalyn was very excited as well. She was ready before the boys were, got her backpack on and declared "I'M READY FOR HOME SCHOOL!" with a huge smile. I briefly introduced myself to Ty and Dallin's teachers. I was excited to see Ty's class room and see that it was much more grown up than the last class room he attended. He seems to be clicking really well with his teacher. So far I haven't heard much about Dallin's school work. Unfortunately he is repeating Saxon math so I don't think he is going to be very challenged in that department. Hopefully he will be able to use his extra energy in other places.

Waiting for the bus. No one look nervous do they?

Tyrell with his 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Smith.

Natalyn came with Ty and Dallin to "hang out" until the first bell rang.

Jacob has been doing great. He doesn't sleep through the whole night but he does sleep a lot. It really is a blessing kids don't come out swinging from the lights. On the outside Lexie seems to be doing really well. I went through a couple of down days right after the baby was born that caught me off guard. I am certain that they were from being extremely exhausted. Yesterday I was able to get in a good run. Today I am feeling really good and generally up beat about life.

Yes, Jacob has more hair than I do!

Grandma Marler was delighted to get a turn holding Jacob.

David really loves his new little brother.

Pizza has been a staple lately.

Thursday I took the four oldest to Ty's pack meeting. They all had fun running an obstacle course. I believe their favorite part was the leg where one person would ride on a dolly and another would push.

Ty enjoying a ride.

Lexie's sister Katie came over for a short visit on Friday.

On Saturday a pediatric center in Idaho Falls sponsored a fun run. The run was for 0-18 year olds. Ty, Natalyn, Dallin and David all participated in the run. I used the word participated to include David I don't believe he ran any part of the race. With that said he did walk the full course which was better than many his size. Actually now that I am thinking about it he did run around the 3/4 mark when he got to some puddles he could splash in. I enjoyed walking with him and his slow pace made it easy to get pictures of him. My favorite part of his run was that at the water table I was able to convince him to dump the water glass on his head. If he's not ready to run like a runner yet he can at least look like one.

The kids had fun playing on inflatable toys before the race.

David was thrilled to meet Mc Gruff the Crime Dog.

The Anderson cousins were also able to go to the race.

I was delighted that David dumped the water from the water station on his head.

My garden is doing great.

I watched "Field of Dreams" for the first time this week. I am now thinking that after I harvest my radishes I may put a miniature baseball diamond in their place as a tribute to the movie. A plot with a mid thirty's guy hearing voices and doing crazy things get my vote! With that said I like radishes more than baseball so I will likely replant.

The last couple of days I have been letting my hens out in the afternoon. A few of them get a little bit confused about how to get back in the pen and I find them in the evening clucking back and forth on the north side looking for an entrance but other than that it has been a success to have them out. I am amazed at how tame the chickens are. I will often see David carrying one around that he caught in the open field. At night when I have been putting the lost ones back in the pen I will pick them up two at a time.

Happy Birthday Jacob!

The baby is here! He was born yesterday afternoon. Both he and Lexie seemed healthy the last time I saw them. Labor went without any serious complications. Jacob did have the cord wrapped around his neck so he came out a smurf but after getting some oxygen and getting degunked he started breathing well on his own and was able to get his blood oxygen level to a good range.

The boilerplate stats are:

Name: Jacob Kent Gordon

Birthday: August 19, 2008

Birth time: 1:24 PM

Birth weight: 9 lbs. 1 oz.

Tyrell and Dallin both start school today. Ty is in the third grade Dallin is in the first grade. I came home to spend the night with the four oldest to help get a good start on school. I was delighted that the kids got to sleep at a good hour last night I was afraid the excitement of the baby and school together would have them all up past midnight but everyone was asleep by 8:30 PM. I haven't made up my mind yet as to whether or not to put Ty and Dallin on the bus on their first day. I am leaning toward it just to get the driver used to picking them up and getting them used to riding the bus, however I also would like to drop in and meet their teachers. I'll probably do both, put them on the bus and then meet them a bit later at school.

Here are some pictures of Jacob ... Oh yeah Lexie wanted me to tell people in case they didn't know if you click on a picture it will bring up a gallery of photos, some of which are on the blog page, some of which are not.

About 20 minutes old.

A brief little visit to the ICU to make sure his O2 levels got up.

Babies really do get a rough introduction to the world. I assured him it gets better. Most of the time ...

Mom and baby. See Jacob I told you it gets better.

Jacob is a cutie!

Meeting the brothers and sister.

I am always amazed at how big the previous youngest looks next to a new baby.

I would be tired too. In fact I am!

August 18, 2008

Well things are expected to happen tomorrow. Lexie is having contractions so things may go naturally tonight otherwise we are scheduled to have labor induced at 7:30 AM tomorrow morning. I don't think I am any less jittery about baby delivery on the fifth baby than I was on the first. It is always so nice to finally get to the point of healthy mother, healthy baby.

A quick report of happenings through the week. In general it was a pretty slow week. We have been pretty much in a hold pattern as we wait for the baby. On Monday we made it out to Rigby Lake for a quasi church activity. I call it quasi in that church activities are not supposed to be scheduled on a Monday evening We decided that it would be the most polite thing to show up so we did. As it was it was only us and another family the Nelsons. The kids enjoyed playing on the playground toys and of course playing in the water. Ty got to paddle around in a raft for a while with one of the Nelson's boys (Jacob) and was absolutely delighted with it.

The kids having fun on the playground toys by Rigby Lake.

Ty enjoyed being part of the boat's "crew".

Dallin in the lake.

Natalyn having fun.

David enjoying himself despite some trouble with the shorts.

We had been under the false understanding that we were going to induce labor on Saturday and so on Saturday we were all geared up to have a baby only to find out at the Doctor's office that the hospital did not have any slots for voluntary inductions over the weekend. With baby sitting already in place Lexie and I took the opportunity to ease of the let down a bit by sneaking in a quick date. We went to the county fair and then out to lunch. I think it would be fun to try and get an animal into a fair some time.

Saturday we finally got our first egg from a pullet. We have 5 hens and 6 pullets. So far the hens have been just keeping up with our egg needs. I am excited by the prospect of getting a few extra eggs. The kids were delighted with the size of the egg and extra delighted to find it had a proportionately small yoke.

A pullet egg!

My garden is doing well. I have nice little sprouts of everything I have planted. The carrots had me worried for a bit but they are finally up.

I am really pleased with my garden.

Sunday was Grandma Marler's 96th birthday. We had a simple little party at the house. A cute thing to share about Natalyn ... When my mom asked Natalyn if she would like to bake a cake with her after she (my mom) had a nap Natalyn got a huge smile and laughed "NOWAY! I want to bake a cake RIGHT NOW!". Natalyn did wait until after my mom had a nap and was a very enthusiastic helper.

Grandma cuts her cake for her 96th birthday.

Did Dallin like the ice cream or did the ice cream like Dallin?

August 10, 2008

No news isn't always good news sometimes it is frustrating as is the case while we wait for the delivery of the baby. I had yesterday down as the due date in my Palm Pilot the doctor's date is Tuesday Lexie is resigning herself to the idea of a September baby as she is not experiencing the contractions she has in the past leading up to the delivery of a baby. I'm not sure I am the best support but I do the best I can. Lexie made the comment of "I don't know why it seems we get so nervous at the time of delivery". I wasn't very restrained in pointing out that the reason was that delivery was the part where moms and babies often died. We don't have any reason to expect complications but on the other hand I really do get nervous through a delivery. It is very difficult to see Lexie in that much pain.

On Monday for the family home evening activity we played "Mother May I" a game in which a person designated as mother stands away from the other players and then takes requests from the players to make advancements. For example "Mother may I take 3 steps forward." The player who reaches the "mother" first gets to be the next "mother" or "father" depending on the gender of the successful player. David is kind of a wild card in that he is just old enough to almost understand what is going on. It is hard to tell how much he is actually getting at any time. We got a good laugh when he asked Natalyn "Mother may I take one soccer ball kick forward?" and then when told yes proceeded forward and kicked Natalyn squarely in the butt.

David and Natalyn show off shot Band-Aids

Tuesday was school shopping and school shots day. My sister Naomi was ready to give Lexie a Mom of the year award when she found out that Natalyn was jumping around telling everyone "If we are lucky today we get shots!" Natalyn had been completely sold on the merits of receiving Band-Aids and a sticker. Even after she got home Natalyn was still bubbling and excited happy to show off her five Band-Aids in what had proved to be her lucky day.

A small but sure victory of the week was that I got out running again. I haven't run since I was in Juneau. I decided then to stop for a while because I was getting some knee pain. My 3-4 days off somehow turned into 3 or 4 weeks. One of my inhibitors to running in Thornton was that I was worried about getting run over on the 45 mph roads which surround the house. I was very pleased to find that even though the car speeds are high the traffic flow is low and the drivers were very courteous, often giving me a full lane berth as they passed. At least I assume it was courtesy and not fear of having too close an encounter with what ever the big sweaty thing coming down the road at them was. I am going to put a little more about sweat in this entry than may be polite or pleasant but in as much as I have the freedom of authorship and find the point interesting I am going push it. You may discontinue reading at this point and pick up on the next paragraph or so if you find yourself adverse to the discussion of body fluids. Thursday I decided that I would take on what we call the 4 mile block for the creative reason that it is four miles around the block. I knew that four miles was a bit above my running distances of the recent past but was feeling motivated to test myself a little and in particular have a good hard sweat. The second leg of the block goes directly east and I was delighted to have a view of the summit of the Grand Teton off in the distance. Even though the summit was impossibly far away moving toward the summit felt good and felt right. I hit my first "wall" about the time I expected around the end of the second mile. I think most of my Juneau runs were somewhere in the 2 to 3 mile range. Turning north having a little head wind to cool me off I found I enjoyed the challenge of running against my wall and into the wind. Now onto a part about the body fluids, up until now everything was going according to my picture perfect plan of the middle aged fat boy going out to give his body a certificate of ownership and hard nudge back in the direction of good health and fitness. The part I didn't anticipate was that my first "wall" didn't ever let up. It seemed like I was running with a load of bricks strapped to my back. In the middle of the third mile I dried up. I noticed my energy level dropping even more and my tongue started sticking to the top of my mouth. The last mile was physical misery, I kept myself going by thinking about how happy I would be at finishing. When I finally got back to the trailer I was too drained for much of a celebration but was feeling very satisfied at passing my self imposed test of will. Finally getting a drink of water was the strange experience I have been building up to, in as much as I have never experienced anything quite like it. I came in from my run dry as opposed to the sweaty mess I expected to be given the heat of the day. As I drank water at the end of the run even though I was drinking the water it felt like it was pouring on the outside of me. By the time I had my fifth glass of water I looked like I had been under a hose. People who studied bodies in college instead of computers probably wouldn't be surprised at all by this but I found it quite odd. The good news is despite my stupidity I can't tell that I have done myself any long term or even short term damage. The next time I go out on a run of any distance I will of course carry water or make sure it is a little cooler before I go.

In defense of myself to Lexie I did tell her that as I was running I was keeping an eye on the horizon and was glad to see that it didn't start to wobble on me. I did however fail the cross examination when Lexie asked what I would have done if it did start to wobble. I honestly told her that I would have continued running until I passed out or finished. I have it on my to do list to be a bit more prudent in the future and take a more rational pace toward what is a long term goal. I find it extremely frustrating that such a little run would put me through such and ordeal but I suppose that is part of the welcome to your 30's party. With that said I was pleased with the victory of mind over body in that I did finish my run. There is a great charge in pursuing a goal with undeterable resolution. In general I think I do well in point challenges, the place where I fall short is in consistency. I need to find a mind set that converts consistency into a point challenge. I am going to make a more responsible running schedule for myself that centers around 2-3 mile work outs with cross training, stretching and rest days generously sprinkled in. It is encouraging that I am running better now than I was a year ago but I will need to be more consistent if I want to achieve my goals.

Saturday was the local dairy's family day. A day in which they invite families to come for plant tours, horse rides and of course ice cream. In the context of my late obsession with farm animals The dairy tour was something I didn't want to miss. I was very impressed with the efficiency of the way things were handled at the dairy. A couple of weeks ago we got goat milk from some neighbors and I was quite pleased with their operation there but having seen a commercial dairy I have my sights raised as to what I eventually want if I get milk animals. The item I found the most impressive was that when the milk leaves the cow at 98 degree body temperature the milk is piped directly into a cooling chamber where it is cooled to 38 degrees in about five seconds. The pasteurization and homogenization processes are also similarly impressive. The process also avoids open air and completes in 17 seconds. After the tour I couldn't stop my mind from designing and redesigning a home version of the milk processing system I saw at the plant that would be self cleaning and sized for two or three goats. Unfortunately right now there isn't room for a goat in the trailer.

David enjoying an ice cream cone at the Reed's Dairy Day.

A nice simple moment in life when only one thing matters.

Dallin supervising David and Natalyn in a milking contest.

Notice my little cowboy's left hand. He kept his hand up for the entire ride.

After Grandpa mowed the field Ty made himself a nest.

Grandpa can be accused of babying his new toy, note the blanket.

Ty enjoying a game of cards with Grandma Marler.

Natalyn is a great help with the chickens.

My garden is sprouting. There is at least one sprout from everything I have planted, radishes, lettuce, swiss chard, beets and carrots.

On Saturday Dad and I did some more work on what will become the new chicken pen and then a green house once we are in frost season.

August 4, 2008

My understanding was that July is one month long. I would like to know what happened to it! Surly there couldn't have already been 31 days of July pass and over half a week of August. There is something amiss! I am going to need to find the people running the calendar and ask them to slow it down a bit.

This week was a good work week. I made a schedule for my game development on Monday. So far I am still on schedule. The unfortunate part is that the schedule has development completing in November. I also know that I packed some parts of the schedule too tight. For example, next week has the baby delivery, helping my dad rebuild the front end of his tractor and building a shed all in the same week. I don't really think that will all fit, but I don't dare stretch other things out any more. When Lexie asked how I was going to do it, I thought for a bit and said well, "you have the baby, Dad can rebuild his tractor and I'll build a shed." I don't really think it will work out that way, but hopefully I'll be able to find time on weekends and evenings to get all of the non-game development stuff done that I want done.

My mind keeps going back and forth as to whether this baby will be the hardest or easiest baby we've had. Without needing to report to work or school at a specific hour, the sleep deprivation issue I normally associate with newborns may become a non-issue or at least a muted issue. Lexie is certainly excited to get the baby on the other side of her stomach. In testimony meeting yesterday she shared the thought that God's time is not always our time, if it was she wouldn't be there. When she sat down she wished she had explained herself a little better to mean that she would be in the hospital having a baby, so as not to leave people thinking that she didn't want to be in Idaho or at church. I'm sure anyone who has ever had a baby or been closely associated with anyone who has had a baby knew exactly what she meant.

This week was the week that the international folk dance festival came to Rexburg. This year, however, it was changed slightly to be called the international dance and music festival. We were delighted to get the kids enrolled in culture classes for Belgium, Greece and Mexico. The dancers taught the kids a little about their countries culture and then taught the kids a few dances.

Waving flags with the Belgians.

Ty Natalyn and Dallin with dancers from Greece.

Learning about Greece.

Dancers from Mexico.

The boys learning a mexican dance.

More Dancing

David found some buddies his size to play with.

Through the week I resolved my push vs. pace dilemma over getting a flock of broiler chickens and starting a garden to a balance of doing a small garden. My thinking being that I really don't know how much time and energy I am going to have available after the baby is born. So I don't want to get stretched to thin. However, I also believe that the proper life has a garden and chickens in it. Being one that desires a proper life, I decided that even if I didn't do a big garden, doing a little one would fill much of the spiritual and emotional need of a garden. Likewise, even if I can't have as many chickens as I might want having a few at least puts something in the "need's chickens" slot of my life.

Speaking, or rather typing of the chickens the sick chicken disappeared. I didn't have it in a very secure pen, so I am guessing a predator got it. It is also possible it wandered off, or also slightly less possible that it was translated to chicken heaven as a reward to some great deed of chickendom. I really doubt the last one because I never really saw it as a very noble bird, but being reasonably new to chickens I could be judging it against the wrong criteria. To be honest, whatever the cause I was a bit relieved to not have to bury the bird and put off conversations about death with the kids for a while.

My original idea for a garden was to do a container garden with some 5 gallon buckets which my parents have in plentiful supply because my dad can and does pick them up from his work for free. After some thinking about it, I got concerned that my garden would look messy in buckets. I then thought about putting my garden in the ground. My two concerns about putting the garden in the ground were first, I would be planting the garden on top of grass which would mean that even if I rotatilled I would be harvesting more grass than garden vegetables, and second, putting the garden in the ground would be too big a temptation to violate my disciplined idea of a small garden. There are over 3 acres of unused field here and my dad has an excellent rotatiller. Some more thinking got me to the idea I went with, which was to break up some pallets (also a freebie from my dad's work) and rebuild them into a waist high garden box.

Ripping apart pallets. Natalyn alternated between the role of helper and supervisor

I didn't ever measure the pallets but I think they are 42" square. Yes, you did just get some insight into the way I build :-) well at least when I am in a hurry. I completely broke apart two pallets and then filled in the gaps of the top of the third to work as my garden base. The two by fours from the pallets I split apart were used for legs and the one inch boards were used for siding. I was very pleased to get something that was very close to what I had pictured although it did take about twice as long to complete as I had anticipated. With that said a project only doubling in time seems to be about status quo so I don't think I even have a true complaint there.

Starting to look like a box!

Square? Yup four sides definitely square!

The finished product.

Little boys being big helpers.

The main back lash I got from the project was last night I got a very severe headache which I link to a tight shoulder, which I link to a lot of nail pulling and hammering on Saturday. The headache is one of those which you suspect you are going to live through because you have survived ones like it, however find that you would not be surprised, maybe relieved if you didn't. Fortunately, this morning I only have a tight shoulder and not a headache. The headache does present a challenge in my finding my push vs. pace balance in as much as I really want to shift the balance toward push, however I can't put up with too many headaches like that last one. I suppose the answer is to keep trying the edge and recover as quickly as possible when one hits it.

Oh yeah I don't think I have put it in the blog yet so just in case I haven't ... Our family has a new slogan. It is: "Small and steady steps in the right direction." I'm not sure if I ripped it off from somewhere but I like it and in as much as I don't have any plans on commercializing it, I am sure I'll be find using it. I think the words stand on their own, but to explain it a little anyway, the idea is to not get overly concerned with where you are or how fast you are going, but rather make sure you are moving and make sure that you are moving toward a proper goal. It is much easier to do one small thing successfully than to try to keep several large things going.