Stake Bike Ride

Saturday, May 25

Our stake sponsored a family bike ride this year.  When we got the flier about it on Sunday, Blondie was all excited about it and really pushing for the family to go.  Unfortunately we have a couple of holdups from the whole family attending - i.e. I don't own a bike and Kitty hasn't learned to ride yet.  So we finally decided that since there were no soccer games with it being Memorial Weekend, DH would go and take M&M, Luke and Blondie with him.  They rode from our home to the meeting place at our old stake center and then they rode with the other people that showed up through some back roads to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple and then back again.

DH said that the kids all did well although he was a little nervous about how competent a rider Blondie was and if she would be able to handle the whole ride or not.  They all survived though and had a good time.  Blondie keeps asking if they can do it again.

Kitty was a little upset that she couldn't go as well so I spent the morning with her helping her learn to ride a 2-wheeler.  She didn't quite get the hang of it completely on Saturday, but by Tuesday she had taught herself how to ride and was going around the block by herself!

Stucco repair

Friday, May 24

We recently had some stucco repair done on our house.  It has been a problem for quite a while but we just finally got around to getting it taken care of.  I got a referral of a construction company from a neighbor who had some repair done on their stucco last year.  The company came out and gave me an estimate and after the sent it to me and I sent it back in agreeing to it, they sent a worker out to repair it. I was out in the garden when he stopped by - and I didn't even know they would be sending someone out that day.  The front section of our house here did not have any flashing installed when it was built so the water has been dripping down the side of the house and then got in under the stucco and caused cracks all down the side.  When the worker took the stucco off, the plywood underneath was all rotting and wet still from rain several days ago.  Unfortunately that part of the house never sees the sun because it is on the north side of the house.  The worker tore down all of the stucco and plywood on the section of the house and then reinstalled it and added the flashing to the roof.  Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the before, but this is what it looked like when he left on Friday.  I guess it is a type of stucco primer.

Then with it being Memorial Day weekend, he didn't return to finish the job until Tuesday.  Unfortunately we got some rain over the weekend and it was still dripping down the side.  I asked the worker about that when he came back on Tuesday and he said that that happened because he hadn't sealed the flashing to the side of the stucco yet (maybe he needed to wait until it dried and then painted it).

Here are some pictures of the finished product.  I think he did a good job matching the paint and he even left the leftover paint for us in case we want to do touchup work on the house anywhere.  Overall I was pretty pleased with the work that was done and would call the company again if we needed it.  (Although I'm not sure if it has rained since the work was finished!)

Memorial Day 2013

Monday, May 27

We spent the morning & afternoon driving to some cemeteries where we have ancestors buried.  Billiongraves.com has an app that you can download to your smartphone or ipad and then go and take pictures of headstones that can then be uploaded to their website with the gps location.  You can also transcribe the info on the headstones so that they can be searchable from their website and the church's familysearch.org website.  We started out at the Brigham City Cemetery and did some headstones there that were not on Billiongraves yet and then we drove farther north to a tiny town called Avon and actually took pictures of all of the headstones in the cemetery.  It took a little while but we got it done.  I have since uploaded the pictures and we have transcribed most of the headstones although we still have a few to do.  The hardest part was that with it being Memorial Day, a good number of the headstones had flowers or flags or something in front of them so we had to move them out of the way to get a clear shot of the headstone and then put them back.

After we were done with that we finally made it down to my parents' house for a late dinner (we took a lot longer that we thought we would) and then we had birthday cake for my brother-in-law's birthday.

Strawberry jam!

Saturday, May 18

I have been wanting to make strawberry jam for a while now but by the time I had some time to do it the strawberry price had gone back up.  When I was at the store on Friday they were on sale again so I bought some to make jam.  And then luckily for me it ended up being a very rainy Saturday so I wasn't able to work in the garden.  After Kitty's very soggy soccer game in the morning I came home and started making the jam.  Blondie was a great help with hulling the strawberries and washing them for me.  Then on Sunday I made some homemade bread to go along with our dinner and we all enjoyed the bread with strawberry jam on it.  Definitely a family favorite in our house!

Kid talk

Yesterday morning when Kay got up, Luke was outside mowing the lawn in the back yard.  Kay heard the lawn mower and asked, "Who's out there?"  I said that Luke was out there.  Kay responded, "Oh, is he vacuuming the lawn?"

This is a conversation I had with MJ this morning:
MJ:  I just had a scary dream last night.
Me:  Oh, I'm sorry!  What was it about?
MJ:  A ghost!
Me:  What happened?
MJ:  It just ate my bed and then the ipod ate me!

MJ & sleeping

MJ has had some issues with sleeping lately.  Sometimes she wants to be near me when she is falling asleep and other times she will come into my room around 3 or 4 in the morning and tap me until I wake up and then she will crawl into bed next to me.  Sometimes I don't mind it, but she is usually a very restless sleeper and will toss and turn and toss and turn and throw the blankets off of herself and adjust her head back and forth on the pillow...  Sometimes I will pick her up and take her back to her bed and lay there next to her until she falls back asleep.  Hopefully this won't go on too long...

MJ curling up on the couch while I was folding laundry in the family room.

Sleeping in my bed - apparently she did not get her mouth washed off the night before.  Nice mustache, huh?  I love her eyelashes!

Field Trip to the Planetarium

Tuesday, April 23

I think that this is the first field trip that I have been able to go on with Luke (not counting the zoo trips in kindergarten and first grade). The kids went back on-track on Monday and for some reason I had it in my head the whole time they were off-track that the field trip was on the day they went back - and Luke thought the same thing. So I had arranged for my mom to come and watch the girls for me and I got to the school at 9:00 and went back Luke's classroom. I looked in the room and thought it was strange that there were no other parents there and the class didn't appear to be getting ready to leave anytime soon. So I stood outside in the hallway for a few minutes until the morning announcements were over and then I went in and the teacher was at her desk and when I asked about the field trip she said that it was on Tuesday... I felt really silly!! Luke's teacher apologized and was in the process of filling out the info sheets to send home to the parent chaperones. She asked if I could still go on Tuesday and I said probably but I would have to find someone to watch my youngest two kids. (My only consolation with my mistake was that it was better to show up a day early rather than a day late...) So I left the school and called my mom to tell her I was on my way home. My mom was available to watch the kids the next day but DH ended up working from home so he watched the girls instead.

So on Tuesday I went to the planetarium with Luke's class and then afterwards we stopped at Liberty Park to eat lunch. I spent a lot of the field trip talking with the mom of one of Luke's friends. It was a pretty fun day overall.

MJ talk

MJ wanted to play with some toys that Blondie has so she quickly grabbed them and ran into my room with them and said, "Mom, I think Blondie needs to take a nap."

Father/Son Campout

Friday, May 10

DH was able to take Luke to the Father's/Son's Campout this year.  While they were there I let the girls watch movies and sleep on the sleeper sofa.  Just Kitty and Kay spent the whole night there.  Kay has been begging and begging me to let them sleep here so she was super excited to finally get the chance!

Mother's Day 2013

Sunday, May 12

DH was asked to give a talk in church on Mother's Day.  This is the second time since we've been in this ward that he has been asked to talk on Mother's Day.  DH gave a really good talk and spoke some about my/our experience with my cancer.

I was also given a new calling today - the new Beehive advisor - working with the 12 & 13 year old girls.  I served in this calling once before in this ward and was released about 5 1/2 years ago from it - and I have been in primary ever since then.  Things have changed a little since I was last in the calling - the curriculum has changed which will be a bit of an adjustment.  We have about 13 active girls right now in that class so it will definitely keep me busy.  Plus I can go to YW camp with M&M at the end of July if I can work it out!  I had about 2 weeks off from a calling and was only able to go to Relief Society one of those weeks.  The second week I filled in on the piano for the primary - and played for them during Sacrament Meeting today.

A change in the works

Sunday, April 28

Our whole primary presidency was released today.  We kind of knew that it was coming, but it was still  a little depressing when the time came...  The bishopric said that I will be given a little bit of a break before I am given a new calling.  We will see what is next to come.  I have really enjoyed working in this calling and have learned a lot!  I have also really enjoyed the other ladies that I had the opportunity to serve with.  It will be strange not sending emails and texts back and forth between all of us all week long and not having our super long presidency meetings anymore!

It feels a little weird not having a calling - usually I have been moved right from one thing to the next.  It's also a little weird because I was put into the presidency just the Sunday before Blondie's baptism and now I have been released the Sunday before Kitty's baptism.  Time to pass over the baton and train the new presidency!  Good luck to them!  I will miss being in the primary room with the kids each week and having Kay come in and give me a hug when she comes in with her class!

Kitty's Baptism Day

Saturday, May 4

It was a beautiful spring day for Kitty's baptism.  She shared the event with one other friend from our ward - they are 10 days apart in age.  Kitty asked Luke to give the talk on baptism and he did a really good job - he even wrote the whole thing himself with a little of help from me and DH.  I played an arrangement of Love At Home on the flute with my mom accompanying me.  Afterwards we took some pictures at the house and then had a little luncheon.  It was a nice day - although we missed having DH's parents there.  Here are some more pictures from the day:

Kitty and the friend that she shared the baptism with.

Family shot

Kitty with my parents

Most of the family that came to the baptism (we are missing a couple of people that weren't there for the picture).

Kitty opening her new scriptures and scripture case - she ended up having to trade-in the scripture case for another one.  This one was too tight for the scriptures and causing some difficulties with Kitty...

And a couple of goofy family shots...

Spring Orchestra Concert

Thursday, May 2

They have an excellent orchestra program at our kids' elementary school.  The teacher has been teaching there for many years and has built up a great program.  Blondie has learned a lot playing the viola this year and has really enjoyed herself.  I am glad that she was able to participate!  They had their spring concert at the beginning of May, combined with the band program (which really struggles).  At first I had all of the kids with me but then MJ fell down outside while we were waiting for the program to start and I ended up taking everyone except for Kay home to stay with M&M.

Art Day

Thursday, April 18

Kay and Kitty both got some painting projects for their birthday.  So the day after Kitty's birthday I got out all of the paints and let the three youngest paint for a little while.  Kay did an amazing job with her "stained glass" window art and Kitty had a fun time painting her wooden nesting dolls.  One of Kitty's paints was dried up when she opened it so I got out my craft paints and let her pick whatever colors she wanted.  MJ had a blast with the watercolor paints that I got out and thought it was really fun to keep dipping her paintbrush in the water and then mixing it in the colors.  They all had a really fun time painting!

Big milestones!

Our family is celebrating quite a few big milestones this year!  We started out with Luke turning 12 and receiving the priesthood.  Then Kay turned 5 and will start kindergarten.  Next Kitty turned 8 and will be baptized.  DH turns 40 later this month and then M&M will turn 15 and get her driver's permit!  Luke will be starting junior high next school year and M&M will go on to high school!  Definitely an eventful/crazy year for us!

Kitty is 8!

Wednesday, April 17

These kids are getting too old too fast here!!  Kitty turned the ripe old age of 8 this year.  Unfortunately her birthday was on a very busy Wednesday with the family so we had her open her presents on her birthday but we had her cake a few days later on Saturday.  She chose the same type of ice cream cake that I made M&M last year.  And then there will be more celebration a few weeks later when she is baptized.

Kay turns 5!!

Saturday, April 6

I can't believe that Kay is going to be starting kindergarten soon!  That means I will only have one child at home still (at least for a few hours a day)!  Kay's birthday started off with soccer games for Kitty and Luke.  On the way home from Luke's game I stopped at the store to buy some helium balloons for Kay.  She loved them!  But then unfortunately we had the little seizure episode with MJ and then General Conference to watch.  And two of the four balloons that I bought Kay popped for no reason...  I don't think I will be buying helium balloons at that store again...  Kay was quite upset about the balloons but thankfully she is a pretty easy-going child and didn't let it ruin her day.  My parents came over later for dinner and then my dad went to the priesthood session of conference with Luke and DH (this was Luke's first time going!).  After the priesthood session, Kay opened up her presents and then we had cupcakes and ice cream.  The girls and I had some fun with some new icing decorating tips that I got for my birthday and put some fun designs on the cupcakes and then I had little My Little Pony figures that I got for Kay (and some from Christmas) that we put on the cupcakes.  I thought they turned out pretty cute!

This was a cute little electronic puppy that Kay got.  In the picture below she saw it move or bark and was really surprised!  I love this picture of her!  (Kay loves all kinds of animals and keeps asking if we can get a cat or a dog - or a bird or a fish...  I told her that this is the closest she will get to a real one for a little while.)

District Band Festival

Tuesday, March 19

M&M's band performed for a judge and got the highest rating you can get.  It's been fun as she gets into better groups and plays some more challenging music.  Also as she gets better and you can actually her the bassoon in parts of the music!  This year I went to watch them perform in front of the judge during school hours since DH and I missed the first part of her concert for parents.  I was able to videotape her band while they performed for the judge.  Here are a couple of pictures that I took before they started.

M&M is on the back row on the far right.

MJ talk

"Mom! A little help here!" - while trying to climb down from the top bunk...

This morning at breakfast, MJ, Kay and M&M were sitting down together eating and Kay was on the topic of special friends (or best friends).  When MJ was asked who her special friend was, her response after thinking about it for a few seconds was, "Mommy."  Then a few seconds later she said, "And Daddy too."