Start the new year off right with...

REPTILE POISONING.

We came back from AZ and all of us had some form of the flu. I thought Jackson's coughing/cold flu has taken a turn for the worse when he started with the strangest diarrhea I'd ever seen and a BAD case of diaper rash. I went to the doctor with the intent to get his second flu shot when she asked about his symptoms. She then asked me if Jackson had ever come in contact with any reptiles. I laughed and said no. "No pet snakes or turtles?" I laughed again and then she told me to think real hard about it because he had all the signs of reptile poisoning. It took me several minutes to realize that we had gone to the Bean Museum's live reptile show where Jackson did touch Mojo, a unique lizard.

"Did you wash his hands immediately after?"
- "No, they only let him touch with 3 fingers."
"Did you at least use sanitizer?"
- No, but I did hand some to the other moms.
Well, then yes, he does have reptile poisoning. He probably spread it through touching his already-runny nose.

This is about when I decided I really should be nominated for mother of the year! She explained that he would continually have worse diarrhea and worse diaper rash. Sure enough, his poor booty had huge bloody scabs all over and he couldn't even sit down or walk without screaming. I even still asked for his second flu shot! They explained I should not immunize a sick and poisoned child. :)

Luckily, I had already been giving him large doses of acidopholis (to help with his cold) and they think that kept it under control. So LOTS of cornstarch and Burt's bees later... he's a new man! Though next time, I'd suggest washing your hands at the Bean Museum.

Mr. Einstein anyone?

This is just a small announcement, that James got his best GPA this past fall semester. Better than any grades he's ever had at BYU, or high school for that matter. I couldn't be more proud of him and how much the athletic training program has increased his motivation for school and his happiness in life overall! He now realizes that a 4.0 might not be too far a shot for him, and, he has a calendar. That's right, a CALENDAR. (You would have to know James to know that this is a BIG step for him.) It's color coded, he checks it daily, and it even has a color for family times and scouts.

He works with the BYU track team now. And even though I hate that he has to give "upper hamstring and gluteal massages" to "eliminate knots and relieve cramping", we just try not to talk about it. I try to remind myself that at least he's not a gynecologist. At least he admits that he doesn't like the girls' uniforms (aka all-over spandex.) He spends most his time working with the men's track team and loves that his supervisor is a man and that he has more men in his semester now. He didn't even start the wrong class this semester! (Remember last year when he was going to the neurology class, not realizing that his real class was in the room next door. He would email the real professor for help on the topics and wonder why the syllabus never matched what they were learning? ) He has 17.5 credit hours, spends 20 at the clinical assignment, and still manages to eat at least 1 meal with me a day and play "boop" (basketball hoop) with Jackson. I had a good laugh last night. James only had an hour break before going to mutual and Jackson wanted to watch "foo-ball" with him. (They had watched the national championship game on the internet a while ago.) Jackson kept saying "foo-ball dad" pointing at the computer, and James had to hurry and eat and leave. He kept trying to say bye to Jackson, but over and over, Jackson "foo-ball dad, foo-ball dad". James left and Jackson was SO mad. He cried for at least 20 minutes in front of the computer "no dad, no foo-ball....". Turns out Jackson's more like his dad than we ever realized...

Christmas Break

We sure had a great and LONG Christmas break. After a week of missing Jackson, we were ready to get to Arizona! We woke up the Tuesday we wanted to leave to a crazy snow storm. Matt had been staying with us and we had so much fun spending the weekend with him. He cracks me up... always telling jokes, dancing the "dougie", making up pick up lines... He didn't even have a coat, had a hole in his shoes, and kept making whistling noises at the snow "wooooo-eeee". Even though it was hard plowing through the parking lot, we made it out, only to go 30 miles an hour max for the next 4-5 hours. James was a trooper and didn't really complain about the horrible roads. Matt slept the whole trip and even when we got to Mesa, it was still raining. Poor windshield wipers NEVER turned off! We picked up Jackson and went straight to the Andersen Christmas party (minus Mom, Dad, and Elder Matt.) We sure had a good time being with everyone eating dinner, skyping Wilford and Kathleen, making gingerbread houses, and the Santa was amazing (he even made the big boys sit on his lap!)

The next night was Sam's missionary dinner. This is one of my favorites traditions the Andersen's have. Though the testimony meetings always go a little long... It is so neat to see how many missionaries their family has. Sam sure seemed older and ready to serve in Texas.

Christmas Eve was the Anderson party. Shaela even brought the new baby, Jace. We had the usual nativity (James was a wise men and I was a shepherd AND we got to sing silent night. we're so good at duets.) Grandma and Grandpa Anderson and the sister missionaries came. My dad read some journal entries on meeting my mom and past Christmases they've had together. That was sure neat.

Christmas morning (can you believe I didn't take ANY pictures?) Jackson wasn't too in to opening presents. Once he opened one, he just wanted to sit and play and eat chocolate out of the stockings. I suprised James with some published blog books and an ESPN jeopardy game. He gave me some games and a present in MY language of love (aka. mesa thrift money!). We got to play some fun new Wii games (including SING-IT, in which I lost every round). We took naps and went over to Nate and Andrea's house for the evening.

All in all, we spent LOTS of time relaxing and enjoying having family around. Mansi and Brianna were the best babysitters and Jackson became obsessed with Bubba (Matt.) He still looks at pictures of him every day (even though they're tiny blurry ones on my phone, he still gets so excited). He calls his name out constantly and wants to see him on the computer (skype). The sad thing is, he kisses the screen! He LOVED the trampoline, grass, and playing with Libby and Tippy. Although Tippy bit the neighbor girl while we were there and had to be given away. My mom lightened and cut my hair and already, my appearance improved 100 points. James got to play lots of basketball and we enjoyed the Darl Andersen family reunion. (That was a little much for me, I'd never even met some of the cousins, and they don't schedule nap times!) We celebrated New Year's eve first by eating hot dogs with my famiyl and lighting off firecrackers. Then, James took a good 3 hour nap while I drove Matt, Mansi, and Brianna around the neighbor lighting off firecrackers and smoke bombs at random neighbor's houses, including grandma and grandpa Anderson's. (can you tell it was the first year fireworks were legal in Arizona?) Then James woke up and we spent the last few hours at the Merrill's playing cards and eating candy, then making a bunch of "rukus" out on orange street.

8 hours later, we started the drive back to Utah and thus, the cold. It is so hard for me to find ways to entertain Jackson (the total outdoors boy) when it's so cold. He watches way too many "mee-s" (movies) and we visit the library twice a week for storytime. But all in all, another good vacation has come and gone.