Welcome Summer

We've been in summer mode for 9 1/2 days now.  I do love the summertime - having the kids around me all the time, having a more relaxed vibe.  The beginning of the summer is always a little tricky while we try to get our schedule all worked out.  This summer my goal (out of necessity) is to have a simple summer.  I have been reading and hearing of others who are doing such amazing things with their kids this summer -- I hope someday we'll be able to do those things, too.  BUT, this summer I'm working on growing a baby, so we're keeping it simple. 

Last Thursday was the kids' last day of school.  We said good-bye to 3 FANTASTIC teachers!!  We will miss them!  The kids had a great year academically, and I'm so proud of how hard they've worked and how well they've done!

This first week out of school was a busy one -- B went to Cub Day Camp on Monday and Tuesday.  He LOVES day camp and looks forward to it year round.  The theme this year was "Night at the Museum" so they had a grand time building catapults, doing archery, putting together airplanes, making masks, painting dino neckerchief slides, and more . . . Dad was able to go up with the pack on Monday which was  extra nice for B!

E went to a 3 day volleyball camp down at the U of A in the middle of the week.  She worked long and hard (9-3 every day) and learned a lot.  One of the highlights for her though was being given a meal ticket and getting to pick out her own lunch at the student union -- that's big stuff!

 

 Back at home we had friends over every day to play in our new pool.  Yes, this year we got a pool -- it's just a simple set-up -- above ground, 4 ft x 18 ft.  BUT, it makes being outside and staying active SO easy!  Again -- trying to make life simple this summer -- so much easier than packing the pool bag and heading over to our local YMCA.  We had great neighbors move away last summer -- all the way to Texas -- and they came back to visit family and squeezed in a visit with us!  What a treat!

 

 

 Then Daddy didn't have to go into work Friday -- a wonderful surprise -- I had forgotten that they changed the way holiday weeks work this year.  Anyway, he joined us for National Donut Day at Krispy Kreme and our Friday Field trip to DeGrazia's Gallery in the Sun! 

 

Here's one last little pic that made me smile.  Saturday BR went running by me with his race car driver mask and cowboy boots.  He said,"I'm going to ask Dad to show me how to mow the lawn!"  Sure enough he got to learn to mow the lawn -- oh, that he'll always be this excited to mow the lawn!

Our Little Graduate

S graduated from our little "Mom's Preschool" this past week.  We've had a great year with these sweet kids-- they've learned so much --- letters, numbers, shapes, social skill, etc . . . so we had to celebrate!  They were each given a "diploma" and a book of craft pages that they've worked on throughout the year.  We had a yummy picnic and pulled out the slip-n-slide.  Way to go S!! 

Big News

We have some big  news!  Most of you have probably seen E's blog or heard the surprise announcement last Sunday, but I didn't want to miss anyone so thought I'd post our big news, too!  And here it is . . .

Yes, we're having a baby!!!  Due in October and we can't wait!! 

Seven years

BR turned seven last week.  I don't think he slept much all week in anticipation of the big day.  Even though his plans for a water slide and water balloons were thwarted by cold, windy weather, we had a "funtastic" time at our local miniature golf place and soup and salad bar.  BR was really excited, too, because he's now big enough to drive his own bumper boat AND go as a passenger in the go-carts!

 

 

It was a wonderful day to spend time as a family and celebrate BR.  I am so thankful to be his mama.  He is such a great guy -- full of affection, creativity, silliness, and deep thoughts.  He is a light in my life!

April Foolishness

Happy April Fool's Day!  This holiday has (happily) morphed for us.  A few years ago the kids would plan months in advance what tricks to play on April Fool's Day.  Well, some of them weren't always nice -- and so we began to focus more on FUN tricks NOT hurtful tricks -- and they usually involve food.  This morning we woke up to a "Donut Seed" breakfast compliments of E (its was really froot loops). 

 The kids had an early release school day so they came home in time for lunch.  YUM!  Mini hamburgers -- April Fools -- it was hamburger cookies -- but who doesn't like to eat dessert first?

Tonight we'll have our (now traditional) CRAZY DINNER.  I found the idea in a magazine last year and the kids loved it.  I'm sure you've heard of or done something similar in the past.  You have 16 items on your "menu" -- This year ours will be cup, napkin, straw, fork, spoon, hamburger patty, hamburger bun, cheese slice, lettuce leaf, ketchup, mustard, french fries, cantaloupe, lemonade, cookie, ice cream.  You write each item down on a strip of paper for each member of your family and fill a cup with all 16 choices.  There are four courses and each member pulls out four strips of paper for each course. . . and that's what they have to eat until the next course.  They can decline to eat anything, but they will not have the chance to eat it later.  The kids' favorite last year was having the lemonade poured directly into their mouths from the pitcher because they didn't get a cup and lemonade in the same course.  We'll see what craziness happens tonight!

HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY!!

March Madness

March has passed by in a blur . . . with a large part of the month taken over by illness.  We've had some weird "stuff" pass through our home this month -- a weird cough and cold that hung around FOREVER(well, maybe not forever, but at least 5 weeks - really!), eye infections, ear infections, and even pneumonia (that one was BR).  But, I really can't complain because everyone was a trooper and thankfully everyone is better now!  We did manage to roll out of bed long enough to do a few things worth mentioning . . .

B joined his fellow 5th graders in a wonderful concert at the beginning of the month.  He even played the bells on several songs . . .

Our Spring Break trip to the White Mountains was canceled "due to illness", but thankfully D and E were able to get away for a few days to Flagstaff for some wonderful Daddy-Daughter Skiing.  E LOVES skiing -- she even tackled the blue hills - and this was only her second time skiing! 

(Meanwhile the rest of us "sickies" had a "stay-cation"at home -- we managed to take a 3-5 hour outing each day and then came home to collapse on the couch and order take-out dinners -- it was actually quite relaxing and enjoyable!)

Our month ended with a BANG when B earned his Bear in Cub Scouts.  He earned his badge along with 3 of his bear buddies.  In honor of this special occasion our cub master led them in a Polynesian War Dance -- B really got a kick out of it!!  (He and D are on the far left of the screen).

 

February . . .

Well, I guess now that it's March I better post about February.  E asks me everyday when I'm going to update our family blog - won't she be excited when she gets home from school today and finds that I FINALLY have!  That's really the only thing motivating me to update rather than lie down on the couch and read while Sarah is napping:)  Other than on my  mission, I've never been a good journal writer.  When I started this blog it was for the kids and to show myself that I could keep a journal . . . and now it's down to one "entry" a month . . . tell me it's better than nothing!  (AND feel free to skip all the words and just skim the photos -- I know it's wordy). 

So, here goes . . .  E has started a new season of volleyball and loving it.  E experienced her first Science Fair -- and enjoyed it (for the most part) -- she even earned "honorable mention!"  She also attended New Beginnings at the beginning of the month!!!!!!  Yes, those are exclamation points because that means that my little E will be entering Young Women's this year -- AND she's not so little anymore - almost as tall as me (but not quite). The New Beginnings program was FABULOUS and she is SO excited for September when she will be able to start attending!  We took a little family vacation up to the White Mountains over Rodeo Days at the end of the month and E skied for the first time.  She LOVED it!  In fact, after her first attempt down the bunny hill I couldn't get video of her because she was so fast -- okay, it was still a snow-plow, but a fast and controlled one!  She's so much braver and more courageous than I ever was!! 




B is really loving karate. He's really taking it to heart and learning so much.  He continues to excel in school, too.  AND he'll be earning his BEAR badge at our pack meeting in a few weeks.  He enjoys cub scouting, but really he can't wait for BOY scouts when he can go camping, hiking, rock climbing, etc . . . He also LOVES skiing.  I was so proud of him as I watched his progression through the day.  When he first went up the ski lift he was rather timid coming down the mountain.  After he got down the first time I took S and BR inside to warm up.  We were gone maybe a 1/2 hour.  When we came back I was SHOCKED to see B confidently skiing down the mountain -- no falls -- just ski lift, down, back to the ski lift over and over again.  I'm so proud of him for overcoming that fear!! 



BR had a big  month --he lost his first tooth,  he also learned to ski, and he bore his testimony in sacrament meeting for the first time!  He wasn't sure about skiing initially, but with a little help from Mom and Dad he was doing really well with his snow plow.  Then he took a class and did not enjoy his teacher ( a full bladder and getting his fingers caught in the bathroom door may have been contributing factors) -- a bit of a downer.  BUT, he is excited to try again.  With any luck there will still be snow at Sunrise during Spring Break so we can give it another try. 

He is probably the last of his friends to loose a tooth,  despite his delay he was holding on to it for dear life.  No one was allowed to touch it, wiggle it, tie it with a string -- nothing.  But he did complain daily of his sore tooth and was unable to eat certain foods, etc . . . Well, the morning we were leaving Pinetop I was doing one last check to make sure we hadn't left anything behind and I spotted his tooth in his bed!!  His patience paid off - no blood, no pain, just out :) 

Here's how our conversation in the middle of Fast and Testimony went:
BR:"Mom, how old do you have to be to bear your testimony?"
Me: "Would you like to bear your testimony?"
BR:"Yeah."
Me:  (Slightly conflicted because I vaguely remembered a letter read over the pulpit some years ago encouraging primary age children to practice bearing their testimonies in primary, and that they should not participate in the sacrament meeting sharing of testimonies unless able to do so by themselves.) "Well, that's a good idea.  How about we talk about testimonies tomorrow in Family  Home Evening, and then you'll be all set to share next month?"
BR: "Tomorrow?"
Me: "Yeah, how does that sound?"
Quiet, Quiet, Quiet, Quiet . . . .for several minutes
BR:"Okay, Mom, I've thought about and I'm ready - I know what I'm going to say."
Me: "Oh?  What are you going to say?" He told me and I thought just a moment before I said, "Okay, do you want to go up and sit on Daddy's lap while you wait?"And then I had to hold him back while he waited for the person who was already up there to sit down.

When it was his turn he stood up and said, "I want to bear my testimony.  I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ created the Earth. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."  As he was talking I a memory from about a year ago flash through my mind.  He had been in primary and they were talking about the Creation.  He announced, "I know Heavenly Father and Jesus didn't create the Earth - I watched NOVA."  I was so thankful that the teacher (my friend Jaimee) shared this with me.  She was so cute about it and laughed as she told me.  That night as I was putting him to bed I shared my testimony with him about the Creation (and cautioned him about believing everything he hears on NOVA while making a mental note to be a little more selective with his NOVA choices).  Then he said to me, "Okay, Mom - I believe it now.  I know Heavenly Father and Jesus created the Earth."  The faith of a little child.  It touched me as I recalled that incident to realize what an impact that had on him.

 
 Our little S is as energetic as ever.  She tags along with me wherever I go -- even to grade papers at school -- and she's so quiet and does her little art projects while I mark away.  She continues to enjoy "Mommy Preschool" and has a good memory for her letter sounds.  She's also doing very well in her speech therapy.  She is becoming more and more easy to understand, and is a regular chatter box.  Multiple times a day we hear this from her, "Mommy, I have a idea - you the Mommy, I the little sister (or sometimes baby), E is the big sister, B is the big brother, BR isn't playing" (he does not enjoy this game -- and if Daddy is home he's always the Daddy).  I know, it calls on our acting skills, but it's a game we play at our home multiple times a day.  She did not try skiing, but she did go sledding.  Initially she wanted nothing to do with the cold white stuff, but once she tried her first ride with Daddy she was hooked! 

We've passed the one year anniversary of D's being called as bishop.  It's been a year of highs and lows for sure, but I feel so grateful for all that we're learning and for the tender mercies that have been sent our way.  I feel so grateful to be married to a man who honors his priesthood, who lives with integrity, who seeks to do the Lord's will, and who tries ceaselessly  to juggle everything so that he can have as much time with our family as possible.  (We gave him this quad for his birthday and it has become a great source of entertainment for  him and the kids:)



AND I got to get away for a few days to have a Sisters Weekend with my dearest Jen (and even got some Brother time in with my awesome Pete and sister-in-law time with my incredible Cristin as they joined us for lunch and the temple).  Jen and I have not gotten together on our own without kids since E was born 11 years ago!  When Jen first picked me up at the airport it seemed surreal, but we quickly adapted!  We went out to eat, shopped, and of course scrapbooked -- 30 layouts each! It was rejuvenating!