Loving

Just loving my baby -

Fun Weekend

Despite the runny noses - we took the kids on an outing on Saturday. It was such a nice day. We went to Stansbury Island (which isn't really an island any longer because the water has receded so much). We went geocaching and had a picnic and climbed around on the rocks all afternoon. We watched cows, we spotted a caterpillar, we threw rocks in the lake. It was the perfect day.

In Memory

Edla Mae Hammond - My DH's 90 year old grandmother passed away on Saturday.

Edla in 4 words - Stately, independant, considerate, and giving.

She was an amazing woman and made me feel like one of the family. There was never a visit where she was too busy to stop what she was doing and talk with us. Oh, and did I mention the food? She always kept some Dan's cookies or pies on hand. Even when her and Carl (her husband of 70 years) moved into an assisted living center where their meals were prepared for them, she still had a supply of goodies for my kids (just between you and me, I think Grandpa has a sweet tooth).

Before we had children, my husband and I would go visit her and grandpa. We would sit and listen to her and Carl tell stories of their life together. When it was time to go, they would start filling our arms with stuff. We never left their house empty handed.

When DH and I were poor college students and had to make homemade gifts for everyone, Grandpa Carl cut wood in his shop and Grandma Edla taught me how to tole paint. She was always sharing craft ideas with me. When her hands were too arthritic to paint or crochet, she taught my daughter how to knit a hat using a loom.

I know that these all sound grandmotherly, but Edla was also a smart lady. She liked to do math for fun. When I married into the family, I got a kick out of the fact that sometimes Grandma and Grandpa would get in their camper and go wherever they wanted without knowing beforehand exactly where they might be going or when they would come home.

These are just a handful of many happy memories -

Grandma - I love and miss you and am so glad to have known you.

I'm not sure what to blog about. I've reached a point where I'm just playing catch up with my blog/journal. Too much has happened and I don't have time to go on about it. Maybe a quick recap:

• Watched laundry pile up after washing machine died.
• Little B and S found a new favorite past time - riding their dump trucks down the slope in our backyard. Okay, now they have graduated to riding their dump trucks down our steep driveway and all the way across the street. Little B jumps out of his seconds before the truck hits the curb. FYI - I make them wear their helmets and try not to swallow my stomach during their kamikaze shenanigans. I know, I'm the cool mom.
• Hiked the Y with the kids. (It was soooo hard, I was sore for days afterwards, but I felt like I had accomplished something so it was worth it.) Notice that none of the pics have my oldest son in them. He bailed out a 1/4 of the way up the mountain - I have given up trying to get him to like hiking.

• Washed dishes by hand after our dishwasher died (bonding family time?!)

• Bought a used washing machine from our neighbor that works great!
• Labored on Labor Day canning peaches and salsa.


• Received anonymous gift of dishwasher (answer to my prayers - thank you to the generous person(s) who helped our family in this way. I plan to pay it forward in the future.)
• Had 6 of the 8 in our family checked for strep throat. Only Little B came out positive.
• Took my tearn teaching preschool.
• Instituted a new token system to regulate media time with kids!
• Boo turned 10. The kids all helped decorate the cake. Boo and I went shopping at Gateway. Her favorite place is Build-a-Bear.
  
• Went to the pet store for a preschool fieldtrip. Little B held a guinea pig and a ferret, pet a chinchilla, and fed a tortoise. He loved it!


• Had my thyroid checked again. I have to go back on medication :(
• Ran out of tokens to give the kids.
• Brandon Mull book signing - We had all of our Fablehaven books signed by the author.
• Car race - DH took G to the races.
• Our microwave died (I see a pattern developing).
• My DH and I are having a mid life crisis - one word . . . teenager!
• Received a new microwave from my mom and dad! Wow! Thanks mom.
• Reading all of the "Ranger's Apprentice" books I can get my hands on.
• Put the baby in the bike trailer and got some exercise yesterday. Gotta love endorphins.
• My torn abdominal muscle is healing. I'm going to try Yoga next week.

That's it for now. Thanks for reading my blurb.

Misery Update

Despite our runny noses, coughs and headaches, we managed to have a nice weekend.

Thursday night, A received his Duty to God advancement. Great job son!

My DH and A went to see the new Star Trek movie. I think they had a good time male bonding.

On Saturday, the kids put the sprinkler under the trampoline and had a great time enjoying the nice warm weather.

Sunday afternoon, we took a family drive to Iosepa. Once home to over 200 Polynesian members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is now a Ghost Town.The gnats were almost unbearable even with bug spray. Who knew those tiny things could bite like that?!
We located a couple of Geocaches and spent a great deal of time trying to catch tadpoles at Horseshoe Springs. We brought home 5 of the little guys. Anyone know what tadpoles eat?

Welcome Back . . .

Just wanted to say "WELCOME HOME ELDER BLACK!" My nephew recently returned from serving the LDS church for two years in Switzerland. We went to church with him on Sunday and got to hear him recount faith building experiences from his mission. We are so glad to have him back and will try overlook the fact that he is planning to attend the U of U instead of the best school on the face of the earth, my Alma Mater, the Y.

Pinewood Derby and Easter

Warning! Long post as I'm playing catch up for April.

FIRST PLACE! That's what G placed in the pinewood derby! He was so happy he could hardly stop smiling (which is something he rarely does). He was also conscious of other people's feelings and told me that the race was for fun and that having fun was the most important part, not winning. Me? I was jumping for joy! DH was secretly singing himself praises (he did an awesome job with getting the mechanics just right). Our neighbor came in 3rd place. It was fun to see these two fresh 8 year old boys sail past the rest of the competition. GOOOO COUGARS!

Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt! What joy and chaos! My friends and I organized a little neighborhood egg hunt for the kids. It was the first of many egg hunts to follow that weekend. We split up the kids into big kids and little kids and hid the eggs in two different back yards. I hid the eggs for the big kids, and when all was said and done, there were still four eggs the big kids were unable to find. I am just soooo good at this hiding thing. Maybe TOO good since the oldest was 13 and the next oldest was 9. Next year we want to make this a bigger event and get ALL the kids in the neighborhood involved.
The Saturday before Easter was packed with excitement - We took the kids to an Easter egg hunt at my DH grandparents' retirement home. The kids were scoping out the golden eggs before the hunt began. From the word GO until the hunt was over took all of 2 minutes! Not kidding, but the kids had a great time. Little B almost got his golden egg but another little kid wrestled it out of his hands. B was a good sport about it - but his big brother was pretty ticked off! I had to calm him down afterwards. Draper Temple - We went to the open house in March, then went to the dedication, then were invited to a temple session and sealing (marriage) for a young couple in our ward. It was a beautiful ceremony and so peaceful to be in the temple that day. It set the mood for the Easter holiday and kept my thoughts on the Savior who made the ultimate sacrifice for us all so that we might live again. Thanks Grandma L and Grandpa A for keeping the kids for us so that we could enjoy the blessings of the temple that day.
That night I got a haircut (to be seen in a picture below) and we colored Easter eggs. The kids really had a great time.
We thoroughly enjoyed our Easter Sunday. After church, DH took the kids Geocaching while I got a much needed nap. Then we spent the evening at DHs parents and got to spend some quality time with his siblings, parents and grandparents. (Jeff and MaryAnn we missed you and remember spending a great Easter with you last year in Colorado).

The picture below is of my brood and DH's grandparents. One of the best things about moving back to Utah is being able to spend more time with them. Our children have been able to develop a love for their Great Grandma Edla and Great Grandpa Carl. They often ask to go visit and love to give hugs and kisses. We missed getting to spend time with my family on Easter, but can't be in two places at one time. I can't wait to see them tomorrow when we get together to welcome my nephew home from his mission to Switzerland.

A Day Off

It has been a busy weekend. Friday night we took the kids swimming. Everyone had a great time. I felt so buoyant in the water. On Saturday, DH spent the morning working on the basement. Then he took four of the kids into the foothills and went hiking and geocaching with his new toy (GPS). After dinner, I went to a Twilight Party at my friends. 20+ ladies, food, and fun! Can you spy Edward in the picture?On Sunday we took the older kids to the dedication of the Draper Utah Temple. We took them a couple of weeks ago to see the inside of the temple before it was dedicated. It was beautiful and a great teaching opportunity.

Today, it's cold outside. It even snowed today! My kids didn't have school and even though my intentions were to get up and start the day off with plans and structure, I ended up talking on the phone all morning (I'm planning a getaway with some friends) and letting the kids get their own breakfast. At lunchtime I decided to try and get them to do their piano practicing and school work (practice for upcoming state standardized tests and book reports), but another phone call interrupted and the kids were hungry so we heated up some leftovers and I put my 2 year old down for a nap. Oh yeah, I thought I'd get started on some laundry too, so I started that, and then decided to make bread, but what of the kids? It doesn't seem to matter how much I beg and prod, as soon as my attention is diverted elsewhere they drop whatever it was I asked them to do. To tell you the truth, I think they are burned out and really not motivated to think about school today. We've had a busy weekend and I guess we just all need a day off. I need a day off from trying to find a way to motivate the kids to get chores, school work and piano practice in, and they needed a day off from the structure and the seemingly neverending work.


Current status report: A is on the computer playing his favorite game, Boo and G are in their room chewing bubble gum and chatting away, little B is playing Brawl on the Wii with the neighbor kids, and S is waking up from his nap. I am blogging - and I just read a very inspirational blog (Paul Cardall) and I'm enjoying a slice of homemade bread. The laundry is still in the washing machine and I'm not showered or dressed. I should spend some time preparing for FHE tonight and tomorrow's preschool lesson, but I probably only have time to get dinner made. C'est la vie!

Eight year olds and accountability

Last month, my eight year old G was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was a special day for him. He was baptized by immersion in a font at our church. Then several family members (who have priesthood authority) layed hands upon his head while my husband confirmed him a member of the church and gave him a sweet blessing.

Here's the pictures:



As a mother, it is awesome to see my little boy take this step. It is interesting that as his brain begins to understand the meaning of choice and consequences that he would be given the opportunity to make a choice of this magnitude and be held accountable by his Father in Heaven for his actions. I hope he understands that he is NOT perfect and will make mistakes, but he can learn to make good choices and will be guided by the spirit to make such choices.