HB Chainsaw Massacre

One day this week we woke up to chainsaws and work trucks. Campbell and I set out to investigate and were HORRIFIED to find them executing OUR tree. (Of course I clearly saw "Ficus Tree Removal" as an agenda item on the last HOA meeting, but I chose to be in denial that they could possibly mean OUR tree and didn't go.)
This tree has been here since before I was born...keeping our condo cool and shady (or at least cool-er and shadi-er):

As the day progressed:

................................

Campbell in our new front yard. When all of my immediate neighbors got home we all stood out side and mourned and griped together. Nothing like a little group therapy. Maybe now I'll be able to grow some tomatoes.

Ok, this whole entry can't be about a tree...so I'll give you a little Madsen update. It's been GREAT having Ammon home - and I mean home seeing as he took the rest of the week off. The bummer has been that Campbell's sick and grouchy. We finally went up to Grandma Mayer's house for the weekend so that Ammon and I could sneak away for a night out. Below is a pic of Campbell painting (with his new paints and easel that Spencer gave him- thank you Spencer!! Campbell LOVES it!!) - you can see how red and swollen his eyes are. He got eye drops and then itchy hives. The Dr. had us stop the drops, but he's still getting the hives...and still had red goopy eyes. The goop just seems to be part of the cold (we've heard reports from a few other Madsens who've gotten the same bug), but the hives are really boggling our minds. He's not really eating anything and hasn't been in contact with anything new (except perhaps the paints...hmmm. Or, oh my, perhaps he's allergic to Daddy.) Poor guy can't win right now.