Come on kid

Sam: "Mom, I accidentally let the dog eat my breakfast.  Can I have another one?"

My sister's getting married!

So this happened this weekend.  I was so excited to be able to take Sharon and Brad's engagement photos.  Did you know that Sharon pretty much did my whole wedding?  Yep, that was her.

Mother's Day

I've had a good Mother's Day/week.  Since my birthday and Mother's Day are next to each other, I usually just request to merge them.  The kids were really good all day.  They didn't fight and they were happy to wear whatever I suggest that they wear for the Mother's Day program.  Sam and Ada stood up at the front in Sacrament meeting and sang so loud and clear that I could hear them over the rest of the kids.  I thought it was so cute that they would be so bold and smile down at me so happily.  When they finished, Evelyn gave Sam a thumbs up and said, "Good job!"  My Primary class was easy and happy.  We got home and ate Jeremy's French bread French toast.... yum... they soak up extra eggs and make them extra tender.  Jer got the kids to help set the table and get everything ready.  Then we ALL took a nap... but I took the longest one.  I think it was about 3 1/2 hours.  I woke up yawning still.  We then went to say Happy Mother's Day to my mom... (we'd visited Jer's mom on Friday while we did our weekend movie/activity night with them).  We played games, ate steak made by my brother, Seth... and got to see our friend, Emily Marble.  I just had a very pleasant day.

Tues, Jer took me out on a big date for a combined birthday/mother's day present.  We went to Tucanos for dinner (yum, but I definitely ate too much... I tried refusing every couple of meats that went around... I still ended up really full.)  And Jer took me to Solase for a massage.  Heaven!  I never thought that I'd like massages, but honestly when you are pregnant or just had a baby there is nothing better.  I haven't had any leg cramps since Tuesday and my arms that were falling asleep at night aren't doing that anymore... Oh, it's so nice!  The last one that I had was just after Evelyn was born... I can't believe that it's been about 3 years... my baby's not that old is she?!

This Mother's Day, I've been thinking a lot about the very many women who've influenced my life.  My wonderful Mom and her determination, love, and soooo much patience... my Grandma Ellis and her hugs, stories and songs.  My Grandma Wilcox and her desire for education.  My Mother in law Judy and her constant acceptance of me as a friend.  My sisters and their ability to listen and to fix things.  All my awesome sister in laws, whom I've come to love for their different personalities and strengths (I have 9 sister in laws... I really do love them all.)  And I have to list Muriel Thoele... she's been in my thoughts this week.  She is the BYU knitting lady... she used to sit on the sideline at every BYU basketball or football game and just knit and knit and knit.  She was also my Sunday School teacher for 3 or so years in a row.  She was the only teacher for our very rowdy class of mostly teenage boys.  She loved every single one of us, taught us in ways that we each could understand, didn't lose her temper when the class got too awful, and always always always encouraged class participation.  She walked strips of paper to each persons home every week with the reading assignment and any special instructions.  She'd visit with each of us when she'd run into us.  She gave us all jars full of questions to ponder during the year for Christmas, and she even hosted a couple of 'English dinners' for us in her home (She's from Wales).  When her Great-niece came to stay with her during the summer, she called me and asked me to come by... we hit it off and spent the summer hanging out and were pen pals for years... Janelle and I got to stay with her family when we visited Wales.  Muriel was never married, but she cared for each of her rowdy bunch as much as if we were her own.  I know a couple of kids that were rough that have turned out better even when their siblings have not... I'm sure that it's because of her diligent care.  Last I heard, she's not doing very well... she's in her 90's and I'm sure that she's sick of life... but I'm glad that she's been my friend.  She makes me better for knowing her.

Carebear/Power Ranger

Evelyn and Josh were wrestling each other around the living room.  Josh kept saying, "You're dead!" Evelyn would say, "No I not dead..."  Eventually she hit her chest and yelled, "Rainbow powers activate!"  I think she's a girlie Power Ranger or something.

Popcorn

I hate popcorn in the house. My kids love it... So we compromise and buy it every now and then.  Mostly we eat it with Grandma Robertson as our movie treat. I have found that none of my kids can remember the word Buttered.  They ask for popcorn flavor... Not the one without popcorn flavoring, that's just Yuck. I can't wait to see their reactions when they learn that popcorn flavored popcorn is really the one they think is Yuck.

Cute Sammy

I love all my kid's personalities.  One of the traits I love about Sam is that he is pretty well organized for a 4 year old.  Sometimes too well organized.  He wants everything defined well ahead of time.  If you say later he asks, "How much is later?" 

Right now, his favorite song to listen to in the car is God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen.  I can't get the CDs out of our CD player, so Christmas is still mixed in with the 3 kids CDs and a couple others that have been there for months.  As soon as we get in the car, he asks for number 6-6... CD 6, song 6.  If Ada interrupts his listening he says, "Quiet, this song is important.  It's about Jesus."  I never told him that it was important.  He just asked what the song was about.  Since the one we have in there is instrumental only, I went ahead and sang the words to him.  He asked if it was about Jesus, I said yes. He asks for it repeated over and over again.  I've reached the limit of two times in one car ride, but I love that he loves the song and that he thinks about Christ.

Party time

After Rachel's baptism, we got to get together for a family hot dog fest.  We roasted hot dogs, played T-Ball with coach/uncle James, gabbed and ate too much chocolate.  I will always treasure these fun, happy afternoons with everyone.  Sam LOVED T-ball, and now he's excited to actually play it this year at the rec center. 

These two hung out like always... like Diane says, "If they weren't cousins, we could betroth them."

Last Saturday

 

This last Saturday, we were invited to attend this sweet and amazing little girl's baptism.  I can't believe she's 8 already... sheesh, time gets away from us quick.  She was so excited that she was bouncing up and down in the font while her dad held her.  I'm so glad that we have a chance to know her.

 

On the way home from the baptism, we stopped by the train... not just a train... THE train.  This is The Big Boy.  Jer was so excited to see it... he was almost bouncing like Rachel. The kids got oily, liked seeing the train, and mostly liked having Dad and Grandpa tell them about how the train works.

 

Lego Brickslopes

Last Friday, we went to the Lego Brickslopes thing at the expo center.  It was so neat... there are so many talented and creative people out there.  I loved the mini kits that they hid throughout the whole place. We met John and his kids there and my very favorite part was the big lego pit that they had.  Thousands of legos all over the floor that people could dive into and build whatever they wanted.  Evelyn put together a fence crown.  Sam and Anya built treasure chests... and Ada and Rachel built "bigger" treasure chests.  It was fun!

late Easter eggs

We didn't dye eggs until the week after Easter... Yeah, I didn't have energy to do it this time, but we made it happen eventually.  The kids loved it, and loved the egg salad sandwiches afterwards.

Saturday two weeks ago

Two weeks ago, we were invited to attend Jer's cousin's sealing in the temple.  Liz and Dave adopted their second baby and what a special day it was!  When they put baby Spencer at the alter with his parents, he smiled as big as he could and held on to his mom's thumb the whole time.  It was amazing, and I loved catching up with all the extended family afterwards. Thanks for including us!