Burn Baby! Burn!

Yesterday the city fire department held a live demonstration on the effects of a house fire. They compared the difference in damage between a house with a sprinkler system and one without. They also wanted to show the difference between hose water damage and sprinkler damage to put out a fire. We typically flow between 150-200 gallons a minute out the tip of the nozzle of the hose, the sprinkler system is significantly less.

They constructed two mock living rooms with similar furnishings in them.

First they set a trash can on fire in the room without a sprinkler system.

This image is the room without sprinkler system, 1 minute into burn. This is called a flashover. As the fire grows the smoke and heat layer become more dense, they eventually will move down in the room to the level of the combustibles. The surface of the combustibles will heat up and release gas which super-heats. The point at which the gases, the combustibles and the particles in the smoke combust is called a flashover. Flashover generally starts at about 1000 degrees. This fire went from 800 degrees before the flashover to about 1600 degrees at its height before being knocked down by the water from a fire hose. Anyone caught in a flash over including us firefighters has a very poor chance of survival.

They then ignited the room with the sprinkler system. The temperature in the room reached just beyond 100 degrees before the sprinkler kicked in and knocked the fire down.

The two rooms side by side.

The boys checking out the burned up room.

Brennen Frank, Mason and Cooper all get a close up look of the destruction.

The burned up furniture.

We were lucky enough to know the engineer from engine 1, Russ Butters, he let the boys sit in the engine and take pictures. Here is Coop.

Mason, driving engine 1.

Even being in the fire department I was still amazed at the effectiveness of a fire sprinkler system. The amount of damage was greatly reduced. Crystyne and I are seriously contemplating installing a system when we can save up the money for it. It would be well worth the money, about $1.50/per square foot. So someone with a 2400 square foot home can a sprinkler system installed for $3,600. The city also was handing out literature on the difference between ionization smoke detectors and photo-electric smoke detectors. We finished the day, with treats provided by the red cross.

Preschool field trip

Last week Cooper got to go on a field trip to the Fire Station. It probably wasn't nearly as exciting for him as it was for some of the other kids. He was probably thing, yeah I get to go to the fire station any time I want, cuz my Dad's a Firefighter.

The Firefighters taught them Stop, Drop, and Roll.

Cooper sitting in Engine 91

Cooper's preschool class. He actually only attends with 4 of these kids because he only goes to the Music and Motion class on Wednesday. Most of the kids go Tuesday and Thursday. Cooper is 3rd from the left. Look what I caught him doing. Shock!

Happenings

While Mason is in Kindergarten in the morning, Cooper gets some good one on one time. It's been really nice to be able to spend time with just one child and I am soaking it up while it lasts for this short time.

One day Cooper got some Ritz crackers out and stacked them up. He was so proud of himself and how many he was able to stack.

Then another day, I was cleaning a spot off a cupboard. He then wanted to clean all the cupboards. He cleaned most all of the bottom cupboards. He's such a great helper.

So looking at these pictures makes me sad. My little baby is not a baby anymore. I don't know when or how it happened, but all of a sudden he has become a big guy.

Adventures of George

Mason's Kindergarten class has a class room pet, Curious George the Monkey. It's a good thing he is just a stuffed animal, for my boys' sake. Each weekend one of the kids get to take George home with them. There is a booklet that comes with George for the kids to put pictures in and a place to write down all the weekend adventures. Here are a few things Mason did with George.

Mason took George to the wedding reception of one of my former Young Women, Shiloh and her husband, Scott.

Eating cake and ice cream at the reception, sadly George didn't get to eat any.

George and Mason helped Dad mow the lawn.

Making sure George was safe while riding in the car.

George came to Mason's cousin, Madeline's first birthday party. George was really mad that he didn't get any cake the night before, so he wasn't going to let another opportunity to eat cake go by.

That George is always getting into trouble.

On Sunday George got to borrow one of Mason's ties and go to church with us.

Happy Birthday Jeffery

I have the best husband in the world. Today is his birthday. He spent his birthday alone. How sad. He worked Tuesday night, Wednesday night, and tonight. When he has more than one shift consecutively, he stays there to save gas. I really wish I could have spent the day with him.

Back to why I have the best husband in the world. Well, I just do! Do I really need a reason?

I know lately he hasn't felt like the best husband because he can't find full time work. You know how men are, well most of them anyway. They pride themselves in being able to provide for their family, it is part of their identity, a part of what makes them a man. I know there have been times these last few months when he has felt horrible, like he did something wrong and that it is his fault he was laid off. I have never blamed him or been mad at him for being laid off. I have loved having him home more and even though I know he needs to find full time work not only for our finances, but also for himself, I wish he could just work part time always. He has been such a huge help to me with the boys, the house work, and making dinner all the time. I truly have been spoiled by him. I used to not enjoy having him home during the days (like when he would take vacation) because it would mess up my routine. Now, I have gotten so used to having him home and have come to love it that I feel lost and so lonely when he is gone, even if it is for just one day.

Anyways, I have the best husband. He may not make millions and buy me diamonds every week, but he is the best because he loves me and shows me he loves me everyday by the little things he does for me.

Baby check up

Today was the latest baby check up. I understand why they need to be every two weeks, but I still think they are kind of pointless.

I am measuring small again. I should be measuring 31 cm, but am measuring 27 cm. I am SO NOT worried about it, my back pain has returned, but I think it is worse than ever before, so I am positive she is just positioned really far back. I know it could mean that Shiloh is not growing properly, but since I had the same back pain with Cooper and he came out two weeks early weighing 7lbs 10ozs, I am not worried.

Shiloh's heartbeat was 140bpm.

I gained 2 more pounds, so that's a 10 pound total weight gain.

Shiloh likes to do gymnastics and push her arms and legs out as far as she can. Sometimes all the pushing she does really hurts me. My stomach feels bruised from the inside. I love to feel her move, I will miss that after the pregnancy. The one thing I can say I will not miss is the back pain.

I am 31 weeks 2 days pregnant.

Life update

Remember how Jeff's former employer filled out paperwork for unemployment stating that Jeff quit and then later provided unemployment with a forged resignation letter "from Jeff"?

About three weeks ago we got a letter from unemployment with a ruling and a brief summary of each persons rebuttal. In Jeff's former employers final rebuttal, they stated that they did indeed choose Jeff's last day of employment with the company, and in choosing Jeff's last day, they admitted that they "laid Jeff off" or "let Jeff go", without directly saying it. Either way, it proved that Jeff did not quit. So unemployment has paid Jeff back for what they owed him.

Telling the truth does pay off in the end.

Decorating

We finally have some decorations up in Shiloh's room! We still need to figure out what we want to do on two of the walls, but I think we've got a great start. So this idea we stole from our wonderful sister-in-law, Michelle, who is super creative. Isn't stealing someone else's ideas the highest form of flattery? The "S" was $8.99 at Jo-Ann's, but it had a small crack on the back, so I got 75% off! I used paint that we already had so this project was cheap!

Then we found this 3 pack of white 20"X 20" canvas', also at Jo-Ann's for 40% off. I talked Jeff into coming up with a design for them. He used paint that we had left over from painting Shiloh's room, so this project too was cheap! Jeff doesn't really like his paintings. I guess it's too girly for him. I LOVE IT though and I'm sure Shiloh will as well.

Preschool

Yesterday was Cooper's first day of preschool. He will go one day a week to a Music and Motion class at the same preschool Mason was at last year. Cooper was pretty excited to go to preschool but was not happy that he only gets to go one day a week. I mean gosh! Mason gets to go to school five days a week and he only gets to go one day! Standing proud in front of his homework chart. Look how old Cooper looks in this picture. How did that happen?

Ready for Mom and Dad to leave so he can get down to business.

Peaches and Pears

Two weeks ago I canned 14 quarts of pears, then this week I canned 14 quarts of peaches. I learned the basics of canning last year from a friend, but I didn't know how to can pears or peaches, so I looked it up on the Internet. Don't they look beautiful? I can't wait to eat them.

Best $ spent

Saturday was Heroes day at the fair. That meant that all police, fire, and military got in free. Mason and Cooper also got in free because they are under a certain age. So all we had to pay for was me. We went down early in the day, before the crowds came. We walked around all the displays and found this really cool race car track. The boys were instantly glued to the display. I instantly had images go through my mind of us prying them away from the display, telling them that we aren't going to buy it. But when the gal said the whole set was only $20 I was sold. Now I just had to sell Jeff on it. That wasn't very hard, he must have had the same thoughts and images going though his head.

Mason and Cooper have played with this every day, for most of the day. The track is really easy to put together and change, even I can do it. Another great part is that Cooper got this activity table for Christmas to put his trains on. Well he only has a small track and we've never bought him more, so the table sits empty most of the time. This car track fits perfectly on the table.

King of Kindergarten

Last Thursday Mason was "King of Kindergarten". He got to decorate a crown however he chose. (The picture over his right eye is a rocket) He also got to bring five things to share with the class. He brought a family picture, the latest ultrasound pictures of Shiloh, a spider man toy, a toy fire engine, and a toy fire chief's vehicle. He got to tell the class what he brought and why.

Baby check up

I had another check up today. Doesn't it seem like I just had one? Oh wait...I did, two weeks ago. This pregnancy is going fast. (Now that I am not sick). I just had a normal check up, no ultrasound, nasty "juice" to drink, no blood draw. How boring.

Last time (at 27 weeks) I was measuring 22cm, I am now measuring 28cm. Shiloh must have repositioned herself a bit, but not all the way, I still have lots of back pain.

Her heartbeat was 148 bpm

I gained 2 pounds, so a total of 8 pounds gained this pregnancy.

My doctor said he will do another ultrasound around 36 weeks to check on Shiloh's growth.

I am 29 weeks 2 days pregnant.

First day of Kindergarten

Today was Mason's first day of Kindergarten. This has been one long awaited day. Every day for the last week Mason has asked us how many "wake ups" he had until he started school. He could hardly contain his excitement this morning! All dressed and ready to go, one hour before it was time to go mind you.

Cooper had to have a picture with his big brother. Cooper is so jealous that Mason gets to go to school and he doesn't.

I tried to get Mason to do the letter "K" in sign language for the picture.

Waiting for the bus. Another long awaited part of going to school. We gave him the option of riding the bus, or riding with Mom and Dad. He, hands down, wanted to ride the bus.

Getting on the bus with our neighbor, Evan, who is in first grade.

Sitting on the bus.

Mason's kindergarten teacher requested that parents come on first day for a special story, so we followed the bus to school.

Waiting to go into his classroom. Doing his morning task, tracing his name.

Then it was time for the story and after the story all parents were excused to leave. Not one tear was shed by me or Mason. I think a year of preschool really helped prepare both of us for this day.

Mason rode the school bus home. I though about going to the school and following the bus home, but didn't. Mason did well and made it home safely.

Mud

On one of the last warm days of the summer, Cooper decided to make a BIG mud puddle in their dirt box. I usually stop him right away when he starts to put the hose in the box, but since the weather was going to go from 90's and sun to 70's and rain over night, I figured I'd let him do it at least once before he wouldn't be able to until the next summer.

All muddy and enjoying every minute of it. This mud puddle kept both boys happy for about an hour.