Date Night

Date nights are fun, especially now that we have two built in babysitters.  Sometimes we get in a rut and do the same thing over and over just to be out of the house and with each other.  Sometimes we try for something different.  This time, we went to the Windswept installation at BYU.  That was nice to share it with Jer.  It has dried out a lot since he put it in, so it's interesting to see the different color in the wood, the difference it's made in the smell and even some of the branches cracking or peeling.  

Captain America vs Llama Mama

Seth likes to pretend that he's Captain America.  I had made Sam a shield out of a cardboard box and paper... we've repaired the back several times, but Seth is still an avid user.  For Christmas he got a Captain America dress up.  He wears it everywhere.  I asked him for a picture and he said no.  Ada said, "How about I wrestle you.  If you win I will be your llama and if I win you will smile for a picture." Guess who won?

Springville Art Museum

My sister's best friend growing up passed away about a month ago.  We went to the funeral together, but she had arranged to make a quilt with her friend's clothes for her daughter.  I live close by, so I went to pick up the clothes.  While we were there, Seth and I went to the Springville Art Museum.  I told Seth that we were going to the Museum and he got all excited.  Then when he told Jer about it he said, "This museum doesn't have any bones!"  This painting is one done by Sabrina Squires.  She's the kid's art teacher and I went through the BYU art program with her.

Ada's orthotics

We went to our check up.  Evelyn's doing really well, but Ada's orthotics are not, so we are getting custom ones done for her too.  It really is worth the money though.  The differences between Evelyn's before and after are significant.

Temple going

Today was a lot of fun. Along with my calling in the young women's I can accompany the youth once a month after 5:00 a.m. baptismal session at the temple. On Sunday, Ada was so excited to be in young women's for the first time that she volunteered to go with the youth this morning. She was so sweet. She never complained about getting up early or not getting enough sleep the night before. She talked about how quiet and peaceful it was even though for 5 in the morning it was full of the way back through the chapel. She loved doing the name is that Grandma Roberts and had prepared and she loved chatting with me afterwards as we drove home. We had four of our new 11 year olds come this morning. Three of them were siblings of older youth. It was very sweet to see their siblings helping them as they figured out how to do baptisms. One of them was super sweet. One of our young women comes to church all on her own and usually brings her younger sister. Her younger sister is now in the young woman's and came along with her this morning. It was very sweet to see her taking care of her sister. Ada looks like she feels right at home. She likes the young women and she likes the activities. I'm very excited to see her grow.

Another Kindergartener

Our school re-registration started today.  I just registered not only all four kids to the same school for the first and only time(6th, 5th, 3rd, and K), but I just registered my youngest for kindergarten.  Happy for him and sad for me.  He never does like that he's alone with Mom all day.  He loves me, but he loves the house being nice and chaotic.  He's going to love school.  He likes to read and can read simple words with Mom's help and can almost count to 20.  He's more physical than my others were at this age so I hope he won't end up getting in trouble for hitting or wrestling.  He doesn't follow instructions the first time, so that will be a challenge for him.  He loves learning all about new things though, so he'll love it.  I'm not sure I will.  This will be the first year in 11 years that I'll be alone during the day.  I still have things to do, but I will be alone.  I told Seth that he's going to school soon with the kids and Mom's going to stay at home alone.  He looked concerned and told me that Dad would come home to be with me.  I told him that Dad had to work and Seth took his stuffed Lala and shoved it into my face telling me that Lala could be with me.  From him, that is the highest compliment.

This year I won't have any carpoolers, so it's just us.  On the one hand, it's nice to not worry about anyone but ourselves. On the other hand I will be driving to and from school three times a day... that's more than an hour in the car without leaving the city.  Plus whatever volunteering I do.  Maybe I'll volunteer in each of the kids classes just because I can.  I decided not to try to work while I have a kindergartener because of pick up and drop off schedules, but I might get a part time job at the school or something freelance when everyone is full time, just so I'm not bored. My goal is to still be flexible enough to be home summers and breaks as well as have something that will be fun for my brain and possibly for our finances.  Maybe I'll just sign up for a temp agency... then I can accept or reject jobs as I want.  Or I can be a lunch lady.  I almost applied for the school's bookkeeping job when it came open this last year, but I didn't want to leave Seth quite yet.  I would love to do something with photography... possibilities.  Maybe I'll just have to repaint and remodel the house for a while first.  Or read our entire library.  I have some neighbors who will be in similar situations, maybe we'll start a kidless playday.

Welcome to the new two hour church

We had Stake Conference, but we came down to say goodbye to cousins before they drive home tomorrow and we got a chance to have our first at home "third" hour. I'm excited for this change but we're going to have to do our family lesson late night. Jer is usually at the church for a couple hours before and a few after church.

A grateful boy

And Lala is back with her boy.

Poor LaLa

All the stuffing has been destroyed, so I restuffed her while and anxious Seth didn't go more than two feet from me until I was done.

My twinner

Evelyn insisted that I get the same thing she did. I laughed and did it. I would not have agreed for cotton candy or other similar flavors.... Mint I could do.

Book of Mormon

To celebrate our finishing the Book of Mormon, we took the kids out to Cold Stone with the gift card that Janelle gave Jer for his birthday. Thanks Nells. We got there using our phones as a Liahona. We gave Jer's phone to the kids and I texted directions to his phone and the kids told Jer where to drive.