Deep in the Heart of Texas

   Derek and I just returned from the funnest trip to Dallas.  The funnest.  Derek goes there a lot for work, so this time I tagged along so I could hang out with his sister Rainie while Derek worked.  I looked forward to this trip so much - and it did not disappoint.
    John and Sandy agreed to come and watch our kids from Wednesday to Sunday while Derek and I were gone.  So nice of them!  They came with fun surprises for the kids and fun plans for the kids.  It was so great to know they were well taken care of.
     I left Wednesday afternoon. My flights there had some problems - namely the plane here wouldn't leave here because Denver airport was closed due lightning.  So I sat on the tarmac for 30 minutes until the weather cleared up in Denver and we could leave.  Once we were in the air I was worried about making my connecting flight which only had an hour layover.  The whole way there I just kept telling myself that if the airport had been closed every flight had to be delayed.  Once I landed in Denver I ran ... ran ... to my next gate.  I got there huffing and puffing.  Of course just to find out that yes my flight had been delayed (yay!), but this was due to tornadoes in Dallas (boo!).  So I waited and waited for the weather to clear up in Dallas before we could take off.  Three and half hours later we were boarding the flight.  And I was so worried about missing it that I ran through Denver airport!What was supposed to be a 10:48 pm arrival in Dallas turned into a 2:15 am arrival.  Poor Derek tried to sleep for an hour before his alarm went off and then headed into Dallas to pick me up.  The usual 45 minute drive took a short 25 minutes, so he was there with plenty of time!  But I was finally in Dallas!
   The next morning the Rainie Bus came to our hotel to pick me up.  I was the happiest ever to see her pull up!  She had written down a ton of things to do (tourist attractions, shopping, eating, messages, etc.) and told me I got to pick what we did the whole weekend.  It was so great! She used the phrase, "The city is your oyster".  Our first was the JFK 6th Floor Museum.  This is the Texas Book Depository where Lee Harvery Oswald shot JFK from the 6th Floor window.  I had read O'Rielly's book Killing Kennedy before I went just to be extra prepared for the museum.  It was really interesting.

The 6th Floor Museum

 

     Then it was lunch time so Rainie started naming fun places to eat - and she mentioned the food trucks were nearby.  I've never eaten from a food truck so I definitely wanted to do while I had the chance.

 



Little Greek got our business that day

   Then it was time to head to Rainie's house and start getting kids home from school.  I told Raine what I really wanted to do was just to be with her while she does all her normal things - a day in the life of Rainie was what I wanted to do the most. So it was the funnest to go to her kids schools and pick them up. Then it was off to swim team for Rozlyn and Mason. It was so fun just to be sitting at the pool with Rainie. She's definitely the top-attraction of Dallas.
 After both our husbands got done working for the day we loaded up the kids and headed to the Texas Rangers Stadium for a baseball game. Though I'm not a big baseball fan, it is fun to be in such a huge stadium filled with people who are huge baseball fans. We had a great time at the game. The highlight might have been piling into a pedicab instead of walking to the stadium.

 

 

 The next morning we went to the PGA Byron Nelson Tournament. Because HP was the official sponsor of the tournament we were able to get free tickets. We got to walk all over the course and follow any golfer we wanted. We were just yards from them as the teed off or putted. Derek's favorite golfer, Mike Weir, was there so we tracked him down and watched him golf 2 holes. It was really fun to do something like that.

 

 

 After the golf we headed to SMU campus where the brand new George W. Bush Presidential Library had just opened. It had only been open a week - and was quite packed. It was awesome. It had lots on his controversial win over Al Gore with the infamous 'hanging chads' and a great memorial for 9/11. It had the actual bullhorn that he used when he talked to the first-responders the day after the attack and lots of other tributes and memorobilia. It had tons from his years in office - from foreign policy, to his dog, to dresses Laura wore on different occasions. Everything was extremely state-of-the-art and wondefully done. It was an awesome museum.

 

 



Derek and I just hanging out in the Oval Office - an exact replica of Bush's.

 

    After the library we went to Chris' office in Dallas. He works at a swanky office and it was fun to see his office and his view. We all helped ourselves to snacks in the snack room and a had great time. 

    After leaving Chris' office Derek and I headed to Jaspers - Derek's favorite steakhouse in Dallas. It was quite swanky too (obviously I'm not used to swanky!) and certainly delicious. Then we headed back to Rainie's house.

   That night we went to Twisted Root for dinner. This is one of Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives places. It was really fun. They have a bunch of different meat options - beef, bison, ostrich, and kangaroo (Derek and Chris got kangaroo). When you order at the counter they give you a name card with your new funny name that they yell when your order is ready. Rainie got Buttercup I think and I can't remember ours. We also walked around this great shopping plaza there - saw a water fountain light show, shopped a little, and had a great time. Afterwards we watched The Office Season Finale together - totally fun to watch with Chris and Rainie. 

    The next morning were off to Arlington to get a tour of Cowboy Stadium. This stadium is insane. Everything is extremely top of the line. We got a full tour - including the field, the lockeroom, the press box, the post-game interview room (which is twice as big as the press room at the White House).

 

 

 

 

    After Cowboys Stadium we went to Babe's Chicken for lunch - just as delicious as promised.  Then we headed to Fort Worth to go to the Stockyards.  It was a hot day (as in 90 degrees with 90% humidity) but we were all smiles for the whole day in Fort Worth.  .

 

 

We saw the famous cattledrive of longhorns - not exactly the Running of the Bulls ... but awesome nonetheless

 

 

 

Derek, Charlotte, Rozlyn, Mason and I all took our chances on a mechanical bull.

 

 We also did the cowpen maze (a previous task on the Amazing Race ... just a little brush with fame).

 

Rainie, Charlotte, me, and Rozlyn - if we just had Mallory it
would be all of my favorite girls in the whole state of Texas.
 

    Saturday night Chris, Rainie, Derek and I headed to a place called Top Golf.  This was like nothing I've ever been to.  It was amazing!  It's a regular golf driving range, but throughout the whole grass ahead of you there's giant holes cut out in the grass that form different targets for you to hit your ball into.  It's like the game of darts - you get more points for hitting more center in the target.  Each target is lit up a different color - and the more center you hit, or the farther away the target - the more points you get.  You swipe your golf club over a sensor and a golf ball comes out to you - with a specific microchip in it so you receive the right points for your hit.

  



 

 

  Now what makes this place really cool is that there's 3 levels of tee-boxes.  We were on the middle floor - so we were one story up, golfing on to the range.  There are a total of 94 bays to golf from - so  there is a constant barage of balls being hit on to the range.    

 

 

   As you can imagine this place was hopping!  We got there about 9:00 Saturday night and were told we would have a 2.5 hour wait.  Now, this made us think ... start golfing at 11:30 night?  Now, luckily, Derek and I had left our boring versions of ourselves at home - and only packed our fun selves.  So we said, "sure... 11:30?  No problem!"  See how cool we are when we vacation?

Foosball definitely made the time waiting more fun -

and I'm pretty sure Chris and Rainie are looking for a rematch!

 

 

   We finally got to our bay and started golfing - this was by far and away the most fun I've ever had golfing.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Sunday morning we got to take part in the weekly game marathon at Rainie's house - she plays games with her kids every Sunday before they go to church.  We squeezed as many games in as we could - a trip to see Rainie would not be complete with games.  After the game marathon we got to go to church with Rainie's family.  It was so fun just to do what Rainie does.
  Then the saddest part - time to head to the airport.  Our trip had been the best, but it was over.
  We got to the airport and Derek and I had to go to our separate flights (I was using a free voucher for my flight - and thus had a worse flight).  Our flights left only 10 minutes apart - but Derek got to go through SLC, and I got to go through Chicago (lucky, I know!) thus putting Derek home 2 hours before me.  I only had an hour layover in Chicago and was worried about making it because I knew I had to switch terminals, and I knew I didn't know O'Hare airport at all.  Then I got to sit and wait for my plane to come in ... and wait .... and wait.  By the time my plane landed, people deboarded, I boarded, and we took off my hour layover was only 18 minutes.  Not good.  Not good at all.  I was so worried through that whole flight.  Because I was flying in the evening I knew my options for getting home were slim if I missed this flight.  And I don't travel enough to handle missing a flight.  I landed in Chicago and again began to run through another airport.  I ran my legs off running through O'Hare airport.  I looked like those people who run through the airport in movies - that was so me.  I got to my gate red-faced, sweaty, out of breath ... and see people boarding.  I ran right to the gate and handed over my boarding pass.  The nice United lady says, "Whoa ... you're the next flight - this one's going to Madison" - such good news has never been more embarassing!  In the next five minutes we started boarding my flight - what a relief!  I was so happy to have made my flight I couldn't even sleep on the way home. 
   Visiting Chris and Rainie and their kids was the funnest trip - we saw great sights, ate great food, and had the best company.  Chris and Rainie - thank you for having us and to treating us to the best weekend ever. 

      And yes, I think my Texas-sized post is quite fitting.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Mother's Day

I've definitely had some gems today on Mother's Day - here they are:
   For a present Tyler gave me the best present ever - a coupon for a week of no complaining about piano.  LOVE IT! It shows how much I love it because I'm redeeming it today - no way I'm holding on to something that good.
    I was getting ready for church and could smell breakfast cooking.  So I asked Logan what was cooking - hoping to get some insider information.  He asked me what I thought it was - I said, "I think it's sausage.  What do you think it is?"  I was sure my trick would work and he would tell me what it was.  He said, "I can't guess because I would guess right and then you'd know!".  How is my baby old enough to keep a secret and not be tricked by his mom?
   Then, my favorite ... every Sunday Bailey sits with my friend Janey during Sacrament Meeting.  Janey is the one who bought Bailey a brand new coloring book which blew Bay's mind.  So today as I was packing our church bag I asked Bay if she was going to sit with Janey so I could pack her her own bag of stuff.  She said, "No mom, today's mother's day, so I'm going to sit with you."  It was the sweetest thing!!  I happily had my 4 little monkeys on my bench with me today and loved it. 
    Our ward is on year 3 or 4 of having a brunch for the moms during the middle of hour.  The youth and men of the ward cover all the primary classes, and anything else so all the women can go.  It always has the best food of sticky buns, fruit and juice.  It's so fun for the moms to just chat and chat.  It's definitely the fastest middle hour of  church of the year!
   Definitely some Mother's Day gems this year.

Ode to Andrea

This is one of those posts that I don't want to do, but feel like I have to.  I don't want to do it because it will make me sad, but I want to do it because I want to remember all of the wonderful things my friend Andrea has meant to me.
  Andrea is one of my best friends in the whole world.  She is quite simply the nicest person ever.  Ever.  If I asked anyone in my ward who the nicest person is every single person would say Andrea.  She's just that nice.  And she moved this weekend. Which breaks my heart.
   Andrea would do anything, for anyone.  And I've seen it time and time again.  Yes, she'll tend your kids with no notice.  Yes, she'll bring you dinner.  Yes, you can use her car.  Yes, she'll do anything you need.  Once she bribed my kids, with promises of Krispy Kreme donunts, to go with her to run errands just so Derek and I wouldn't have to take our own kids to Tyler's tennis match.  We should be taking our own kids!  And who wants extra kids with them running errands?!  And enough to bribe them with donuts?!  See what I'm saying ...
   I have done a million things with Andrea over the last few years.  We have swapped kids millions of times - if one of us didn't have the other's kids at our house - there were plans to be together soon.
 I have worked out with her - running, spinning, swimming, classes at the gym (only Zumba once because we decided we were definitly not coordinated enough for that!). We served together in the Priamry Presidency. We went to Education Week together at BYU and had a blast.  We have done a million things together as friends. 
    We have supported our Ironman husbands together.  Which means we have gotten together while our husbands were out training.  We have gone to race after race together to watch them.  We have traveled to race after race for them.  Together, we have gone to St. George twice, a 10 day trip to St. George, Las Vegas, Disneyland, and San Diego, and the ultimate trip to Hawaii together.  One of my favorite memories of Hawaii was when we saw each other for the first time there.  Andrea went over 1 day before me, and we saw each other the day after I got there.  I was so excited to see her, and when we saw each other we hugged and hugged like we hadn't seen each other in years (and I'm sure it had been no more than 3 days!).  But that was a long time to not see Andrea, and I missed her.
   Then there's Derek and Brady - now those 2 are tight. They got into triathalons together and must have trained thousands of hours together. They did races and races together. They served in the Elders Quorum together.  They have the kind of relationship where one night Derek said to me, "I'm going to go over to Brady's and get a Creamie."  (They always had plenty of Creamies at their house!), and I said, "You can't.  They're out of town."  Derek simply responded, "I know their garage code ...."  And off he went, and got his creamie.  Now don't think the open house policy was one-sided.  Look what we came home to hanging in our garage:

Yeah, it's a deer head.  Hanging in our garage.  Still there too.  My kids thought it was the best thing ever.

This is me & Derek, Alison & Doug (the 3rd part of our tri-trio), and Andrea & Brady

 

 

 
   And then there's our kids.  Her daughter Brynlee and my Bailey are like Siamese twins.  They are always togeher - and if they're not together, they're asking to get together.  Every day the girls come home from the bus stop together.  Every day they ask if they can play.  Every day I call Andrea to see if it's ok.  We do this every day.  I am dreading next week when Brynlee doesn't walk in my front door.  I'm sad for Bailey - who will miss her best friend like crazy.

    Then there's our boys.  Logan has grown up with Andrea's two boys Nash and Ridge.  They are like the 3 Musketeers.  Going to "Nashie and Ridgie's house" is what Logan has done for almost all of his 5 years.
   But Brady got offered a job simply too good to turn down in Utah.  And they'll be lots closer to their families.  Of course they had to take it.  And I'm glad they did - because it's great for their family.  On the day Andrea called to tell me they were moving I told her, "What I want to do is tell you not to go, and cry and cry when you do go .... But what I will do is tend your kids, clean your house, and help you pack - because that's what you deserve, and that's what you'd do for me."
   I was thinking a few weeks ago about how much I adore Andrea, and how much I'm going to miss her and I thought of that song from "Wicked" that says, "Because I knew you, I have been changed for good" - and then I thought how fitting that was because a bunch of us went to Wicked together, and Andrea was there ... and then I remembered that Andrea and Brady did have tickets to Wicked to go with a bunch of us, but then Andrea's aunt wanted tickets too - and couldn't get her hands on any.  So Andrea gave up her and Brady's tickets to her aunt and her cousin.  So at Wicked, I sat next to Andrea's cousin.  And that sums up Andrea perfectly - the nicest person ever.  And because I knew her, I have been changed for good. 

Laughs in First Grade

     This morning I volunteered in Bailey's first grade class.  For some reason, there were some funny things today.  One at our expense, one at someone else's.
     The first was at poor Bay's expense.  We have this hand-me-down white sweater with a huge furry collar. I certainly don't love it, but Bailey does.  I try to lessen the amount of times she wears it, but if she finds it, she wants to wear it.  Today she found it.  So off she went to school wearing this fur coat/sweater thing.  I was secretly hoping she'd get hot at school and take it off - but when I got there it was still going strong.  So her teacher comes up to me with a stack of papers to grade, and says, "Bailey's sure looking nice today with her fur coat!  Just perfect for a Thursday!".  I was so embarrassed - all I could say was, "Perfect for a Thursday is right."

     Then just a few minutes later this girl gets a bloody nose.  She starts running around the room looking for a Kleenex and finally finds one.  She tells the teacher that she has a bloody nose, who quickly tells her to head to the nurse's office.  As this bloody-nose girl is walking out the door her teacher yells, "Hey Morgan, are you having chicken nuggets or tangerine chicken for lunch?".  I guess the lunch count trumps bloody noses.  I just thought it was so funny that the teacher was not to be sidetracked.  Hats off to first grade teachers everywhere.

Beauty & and the Beast

Saturday night we took our 3 oldest kids to the Broadway show Beauty and the Beast.  This was the first Broadway-type show they've gone to - we had the best time!  They were so excited to get dressed up and go to the play.  We watched Beauty and the Beast the night before just to make sure we were all in the mood.



That night we went out to dinner with our friends Doug and Alison and the 2 kids of theirs they were taking.  We went to a fun restaurant where the kids got to make their own pizzas. 

 

 

 

 

Logan got to come to dinner - but then we had to part ways with the little guy.  Don't feel bad for him though - he got to have a sleep-over at his Aunt Al's house and had a great time!  Thanks Al!

 

Here we are - all excited!

 In our seats and ready for the show!

 

 

One of the best parts was watching Bailey - she was literally on the edge of her seat for the first 15 minutes.  The show was so great - Gaston was the best!  We had a great time.  And yes, we had to watch Beauty and the Beast the day after just because we were still on a Belle high!

Unbeatable

I was just trying to teach Logan how play Sorry.  I was explaining to him that if a second piece lands on the same square that another piece is already on - the first place has to go back to their starting place. 

Me:  So, since that red is going to land on the square where

that green pice is,

green has to go back to his starting place.

Logan:  Yeah, but mom, green has a force field.

 

Well played, Logan.  Well played.

Triplets

My sister, Allyson, and I are in the same stake.  Since today was Stake Conference Allyson and I saw each other before it started and did a kid swap.  She took Tyler and I took her daughter, Paisley.  So on our bench we had a row of Bailey, Paisley, then Emily.  The girls were happily coloring.  The lady behind me tapped me on the shoulder and said, "I just have to know ... are they triplets?".  I told her no, the two on the ends were sisters, and the one in the middle was a cousin.  She answered by saying, "Oh, cousins explains it - I thought they looked too chummy to be sisters".  We each chuckled a bit and the conversation was over. 
   Over, until Derek leans over to me and said, "Did she say the girls were too chubby to be sisters?"  The lady heard Derek's question and quickly jumped in to say she thought the girls were chummy, not chubby.

 

What's really hillarious is that these girls range in age from 10 to 6.

Pumpkin Lover

Do you think Emmy was the first to ever check this book out from the library?  I do.

The Look of Guilt

   Ever since tennis started our Wednesdays after school are a bit nuts.  As soon as the girls get home from school they immediately get in the car.  I have a snack and water bottle in the car ready for them to go because we are off to piano lessons.  I drop Emily off at lessons, go directly to Tyler's school to pick him up from tennis, where snacks and a water bottle await him, and we're back to piano.  Driving this piano/tennis shuttle takes exactly 30 minutes - Emmy's whole lesson. By the time we get back to piano, Emmy's done.

  The last few weeks though we've had a problem.  Emily has left her half-eaten bag of pretzels in the car when I drop her off at piano, and then by the time we get back to pick her up Logan has eaten her pretzels.  Two weeks in a row this has happened.  Two weeks in a row this has brought us near tears. 

  So today I was prepared - as soon as Emily got out I explained to Logan that the pretzels are Emmy's, that she's going to want them as soon as we pick her up, and once his pretzels are gone, they're gone.  I was prefectly clear in explaining this.

  While I was drving the shuttle I noticed Logan had put his blanket on his head, and was rather quiet.  I thought he might have fallen asleep - which at 4:30 is the worst - but does happen to us sometimes.  It wasn't until we got back to piano lessons that I noticed movement under the blanket.  And talking when I asked him questions.  It wasn't until I asked the, "Are you eating Emily's pretzels?" questions that he got quiet again.  Busted. 

 

 

 

 

Tennis Anyone?

 

Tyler started playing tennis with the school a few weeks ago.  This is his frist school-sponsored sport, so that's been fun and he's really enjoying it.  He practices 4 times a week.  Throw in scouts and piano each once a week and he's a busy guy!  He's playing doubles with his friend Caleb and yesterday was their first match against another school.  They had so many kids who needed a turn to play that each match was just the first to win 4 games.  With  a lot of double faults, and no real rallies - it was a fast match!  Under 15 minutes.  Even though it was super fast, it was really fun to watch.  He got some serves in, and some over the net so we were all smiles.

 

 

 

Yes, I know he's hitting the ball the wrong way - he's hitting it back to his

partner who's serving.  I just used this picture because it was the only time

he was on side of the court I was on, and facing me!

A little heartbroken

     Hands down the worst part of Derek's new calling was the losing of my calling.  I've been the Primary President for the last 2 1/2 years.  When we met with the Stake President Counselor he told me that this would definitely mean changes to my calling.  Then when we met with the new Bishop for the first time he told me that replacing me was high on his priority list. 

     While I certainly understood that I needed to be released, I didn't go down without a fight.  I told the new Bishop to take all the time he needed to replace me, like a year or 2 would be fine.  I told him he had lots of urgent things that a new Bishop would be very busy with - and this, I assured him, wasn't urgent.  Needed to be done, sure, but no urgency here.  Just put me on the back-burner of things to do, and forget about me.  I would hold down the Primary fort, and not make a peep.

     Despite all of my pleadings, I got released a few weeks ago.  When the Executive Secretary called to say the Bishop wanted to meet with me I told him 'no way!' - he can't release me if he can't ever meet with me right?

   The Sunday I went into be released it was right before Sacrament Meeting.  I was crying before I even sat down in his office.  He waited me for me to compose myself, and waited, and waited.  Finally I just said, "Do it quick like a band-aid".  And he released me.  It was so horrible - because I was so sad, and so embarrassed!  Derek asked him how it went afterwards and all he said was, "It was a 3 tissue releasing".  I didn't get publically released until the next week.  I thought I'd be able to cry all that week, and get it out of my system so I wouldn't cry the week I got released.  No such luck.  Repeat of the first week, and bawled my eyes out through all of sacrament meeting.

   Going to primary my last time wasn't so bad - I didn't have sharing time so that helped a lot.  I gave a 10 second goodbye to the kids and quickly sat down.  No need to traumatize the children, I always say.

    I have subbed in Primary both weeks since I've been released, so that is definitely good news.  Last week the new presidency gave all of us in the old presidency the cutest candy bar bouqets.  Each class got one flower with a candy gram saying on it, like " You make me snicker because ... You brought me joy because ... You mean mounds to me because ... You are worth 100 grand because ...." and then the kids finished the sentences and wrote cute things.  My favortie was the "You are not nerds because you don't wear your pants up high".  It was the cutest thank you.

 

 

   I've thought a lot about why I have loved this calling so much, almost freaky how much I've loved it.  And I can think of a lot of reasons why I didn't love it ... planning a Stake Baptism is not awesome. Either is putting together new classes for January.  Definitely not awesome is the first program practice ... Complete chaos.  I really had to think about why I've loved it.  And after some soul searching I came to the reason - it's not because of things of primary, it's because of the people of primary.  I have made relationships with the 100 kids in our primary.  They know me, and I know them.  I see them at church, in the neighborhood, and volunteering at the school. I really know, and love, each of these kids.  And then there's the whole board of primary workers - 30+ adults made of teachers, music leaders, scout leaders, activity day leaders, and my presidency.  I have gotten to know these people - and been so impressed with how much heart and effort they put into their calling.  Going the extra mile is a regular occurance - and their isn't a lot of praise or gratitude, and the pay is lousy.  They just do a good job - week in and week out - because that is the kind of people they are.  It has been no less than inspiring to watch.  And in the president postition I was able to see all of the ways these people serve. 
    In a nutshell, my life has been enriched in every sense of the word because of this calling.  I've been inspired, I've been taught, and I've been blessed with wonderful relationships.  I think why I tried to hold on so tightly to this calling is because I know I will miss these things.
     I don't have a new calling yet - part of me is enjoying it while another part of me is dying to have a calling.  I'm sure one will come soon enough - with lots more for me to learn and love about it.

Changes for Derek ...

This post is a few weeks slow in coming

(ok, maybe 6, 7, maybe 8 weeks slow if we're being honest),

but here it is nonetheless.

 

    In early February Derek got a phone call from the Stake Executive Secretary scheduling Derek an appointment with someone from the Stake Presidency.  No problem we thought, Derek had been serving as a counselor in our Elder's Quorum Presidency - for almost 3 years, and a releasing from that calling made sense. 
    We thought it was a bit odd that they wanted me to come, but didn't want to read too much into it.  So on a Thursday afternoon Derek and I met with a counselor from the Stake Presidency at his house.  As soon as he asked me to wait in his office while he talked to Derek privately I knew his goose was cooked.  He asked Derek to serve as the second counselor to a new Bishop being called.  Derek was a bit overwhelmed, but has since settled in and is doing great.  The best part of his calling is that he is over the Deacons, and Tyler will be 12 in June.
    Derek was especially happy that his Dad was able to ordain him as a High Priest.  His ordination by his Dad and his setting apart to be the counselor were both awesome.  We had Derek's parents, my parents, and Allyson and her whole family there to support him.
    The funniest part of the day was minutes after he was set apart - the 3 families in the Bishopric were still all in the room talking to each other, a lady in our ward walks into the room, and hands Derek her tithing.  Derek just stares at it, clueless as to why this lady is handing him her tithing.  She looks at him and says, "I must be the first one to give you tithing!".  So he slowly takes it, and she just says, "Well I've done my part, now it's up to you.".  Derek was a deer in the headlights through the whole converstation.  And Allyson and I had front row seats.  It was hilarious.
    The next week I was on my own for Sacarament meeting, with my 4 wild monkeys.  I had 2 couples (both empty-nesters) in the ward purposely sit right in front of me, and behind me to offer their help.  One couple sat in front of me and asked which kids they were in charge of.  Bailey was my only one brave enough to go and sit with them, but she did.  It was so helpful to just have one less kid to help.  The next week she brought Bailey a new coloring book (in Bailey's words, "Mom, not even one page had coloring!") and Bailey sat with them again.  The other couple sat behind me, and when I warned them that they probably didn't want to sit that close to our bench, they just said, "no, that's why we sat here - to help you."  It was the sweetest show of support for our family.  I felt very loved.
   This calling will be a great opportunity for Derek to serve those in our ward.  He's already learned so much from those he is serving with.  He'll be great . . .  and he now takes tithing like a pro.

Oh Canada!

     Last Saturday was a big day - my parents were set apart as full time missionaries.  Afterwards, we partied.  A final Hug and Kiss party for my awesome missionary parents. 
    All of my siblings and their kids were there to watch them be set apart.  It was so great to be a part of - and awesome for my kids to see their grandparents be set apart as missionaries.
   Then we came to my house for dinner.  We had the house decked in red and white - Canda's colors.  We had red and white crepe paper and balloons everywhere - my house looked like a candy cane - inside and out.  We had a big sign that said, "Oh Canada!" also.  We had a contest to see who could wear the most things that started W or C (for Winnipeg, Canada) - people came with Wicker baskets and Camo bags full of Water bottles, Cans, Crayons, Corn, Cats; and people wearing Watches, Wigs, Wristbands, and Wooden Camel earrings (double points).  It was hilarious.   The winners were awarded with candy bars - Crunch, Whatchamacallit, and Carmelletto of course.
   It was so fun to spend this fun evening celebrating my parents.  We had thought about playing games like Guesstures with all missionary-themed words, but in the end simply wanted to spend time with each other.
   The next day, Sunday, my parents came to sacrament meeting with my family, and afterwards got in their car and drove off to the MTC.  That's a weird feeling - to see your parents leaving for a mission.  We've always known they'd go, and talked about it for ages, but seeing them leave was hard.  I came home from church sad, but proud of them.
    I can't wait for next summer when we are going to take the 22 hour drive to Winnipeg to see them. My kids talk about going to Canada all the time - I think Emily's final words to my dad were, "Next time I see you we'll be in a different country!".  I'm glad I have a big, fun trip to plan and look forward to - it will help the time go faster.   I'm so proud to have missionary parents.

Happy 75th Birthday!

A few weeks ago we celebrated my father-in-law's 75th birthday.  For a man as amazing as my father-in-law is, he deserved an amazing party . . . and he got it.  Sandy, my mother-in-law, planned the biggest bash ever.  This was a surprise party that involved their 5 kids, 5 spouses, and 18 grandkids.
  Two months before his birthday Sandy started the planning.  We all agreed to meet in Boise, because there are 2 siblings here - 2 houses to house the masses, for the weekend. This involved long road trips for some, and long flights for others. From Seattle to Dallas the family started coming.  We all met in here for a weekend none of us will forget.
   It started Friday night meeting John  and Sandy at a restuarant.  We got John here by telling him that Derek and I were going to Dallas for a few days and we needed he and Sandy to come tend our kids.  That was the bait.  They were going tend from Saturday to Wednesday.  On their drive over from Idaho Falls Derek called John and told him we had told our kids we would take them out to dinner, since they felt bad about not going with us to Dallas and all.  Just meet us at the restuarant John - the trap was set.
   When John got to the restuarant, little did he know what awaited him.  He walked into a private room at Louie's Italian restaurnt to see 29 of his family members there.  We all yelled 'surprise' and waited for him to take in the sight . . . I think 'overwhelmed' described John's emotions.  It was the funnest to see him realize how loved he is by this family.  They had come from far and wide - all to celebrate him.
   We partied there all night, simply enjoying each other's company.  Well, some of us partied there - Logan and I went to a Quick Care place for a Friday night ear infection.  But the party raged on for the rest.
  The next day was packed with fun.  All of the adults went to Tacano's Brazilian BBQ for lunch.  We left the 18 kids at my house, with big kids in charge of little kids, said a prayer (for the kids and the house!), and were off.  Lunch was great - so fun to just enjoy everyone's company. 
  That afternoon was action packed.  We headed to our church to have a little more room - you know you're a big family when you need a church gym to fit in!  We had games and a talent show - a favorite in our family.  Each family gave him 75 of something - there were 75 of his favorite treats, and a 75 pages scrapbook put together by Sandy.  The book was such a great tribute to John.  Afterwards, we headed back to my house for dinner and birthday cake and ice cream. 

   Sunday some family had to head back home, but thanks to Spring Break for one family, and no school on Monday for another family, lots of family were to able to stay until Wednesday.     
    Every night was 'musical beds' as slumber parties moved from room to room and house to house. My favorite line of the entire weekend was from my 4 year old neice Mallory. Mallory fell asleep in Emily's bed, but when her mom went to bed, she moved Mallory to sleep in their family's room. Then I went to bed in Emily's bed. At 1:00 in the morning I was awakened by Mallory simply saying, "I'm supposed to be in that bed."  Hillarious.
    It was so fun to see everyone for an extened time.  This was the first time all 18 grandkids were together.  Cousins played and played.  There is something magical about cousins - it doesn't matter how long it's been since they've seen each other, they simply pick up where they left off - as best friends.  It warms my heart to see my kids love their cousins as much as they do. 
    It was the funnest weekend - all to celebrate John, who deseves a whole lot of celebrating.   He is the most selfless, kindheated, and generous guy there is.

Mystery Solved

    For a while we have been having quite a library book mystery at our house.  We have a certain spot in our house for library books so they don't get mixed in with ours, and I try to be on the ball to remember to send the girls' library books back on the right day.  I'm not perfect at it, but I'm pretty good.  Because I think this is something I'm pretty responsible about, this mystery has kind of been driving me crazy.
   All of this school year we've had problems with Bailey's library books getting returned and checked in.  It seems we've been in this cycle of Bailey checking out a book, bringing it home, us sending it back in a week - on the right day, and then 2 weeks of her not being able to check out another book because her last one wasn't turned in.  On the third week she comes home with a not a new book, but a bill for the missing book.  In the interim of these 3 weeks I comb the house looking for this book.  Never find it.  So I send in a check for the missing book - even though I know I sent it in.  Then the next day or so, my check comes home with Bailey with a note saying they found the book on the shelf.  Drives me crazy . . .
   We've done this dance steadily through first grade.  And I haven't ever had any problems like this with my other kids, or other teachers, so I don't know what's going on.  I've been blaming her teacher - thinking that Bailey's turning it in to her teacher, and the teacher isn't getting it to the library.  But then wouldn't other kids be in this boat?  Wouldnt' the teacher realize the kids are being sent home bills?  And this is our third year with this teacher - and we haven't had these problems before.  Baffling I tell you.
  Until yesterday.  Yesterday Bailey came home with my check, once again, saying they had found the missing book, once again.  However, this check also came with a note: 

  Hi Amy -

   We found Bailey's book on the shelf.  I think Bailey has been putting/returning her library book on the librarian's desk.  So the librarain just returns the book to the shelf.

   Bailey needs to return her books in the book slot just by the library, right before she enters the library.  I showed Bailey where it is.

 

Needless to say I talked to Bailey about where her book needs to go.  She claims complete ignorance - she had no idea such slot existed.  Hopefully that girl can check out a book, and I can quit writing checks!

Hypochondriac Bay

      Monday, Bailey came home from school and told me she had been to the nurse 3 times that day.  Knowing the school had not tried to call me I knew I had a bit of the "Boy Who Cried Wolf" amongst us.  The nurse knew it too apparently.  I knew Bailey liked to go to the nurse.  A lot.  She used to come home with stickers or prizes and every time I asked why she had gotten them she said it was because her teacher gave them to her for being so brave by not going to the nurse.  Aye, aye, aye. 
     I thought we were over this until Monday when I got the 3-peat nurse report.  So Tuesday morning before school I was giving her the pep talk of not needing to go the nurse.  I asked her how many times she was going to go to the nurse that day, expecting a 'zero' answer of course.  I was shocked when she said, 'once'.  She's already planned to go to the nurse!  Aye, aye, aye.

Geography Lover in the House

So Logan has a little love affair with maps of the United States.  We have a platic placemat map of the US and he has carried it around the house with him for months.  He loves to ask what each state is and what that state is known for. 
His favorite night in a long time was Election Night.  Every 2 seconds the US map was shown on TV - he was in heaven.  For weeks after he could tell you what state went red and what state went blue.  The presidential outcome did not catch his attention - but what color California went really blew his mind. 
He loves the Ipad app Stack the States - even though he can't read.  It goes so far that a few weeks ago I picked him up from the daycare at the gym and the lady there told me he was really smart.  I questioned why and she said because of his US map prowess.
Today he wanted a slice of cheese so I cut him a piece off of a 2 pound block.  He immediately looked at his slice and asked me what it looked like.  I had no idea. So to his trusty placemat map he went.  Then he put his slice of cheese on top of Montana - apparently I had cut it to look just like the Big Sky state.  That is a coincedence he can appreciate.

Hide and Seek

       Yesterday Logan had a friend named Carson over. They played all afternoon together before they stumbled onto Rosie, our family's favorite hamster. Of course Logan got her out of her cage and the boys played with her for a minute. I didn't think much of it - thinking Rosie was safe in her cage afterwards. That proved to be unwise thinking.
       Emily came up to me all panicked saying that Rosie was missing. "Emmy," I assured her, "she just's burrowed somewhere in her cage hiding from those boys." Rosie is hard to find lately since Emmy's last bedding purchase was for white bedding. That girl is hard to find in there. "No," she insisted, "she's missing!". So I joined the hunt for Rosie. Turned out - not in her cage. Uh-oh.
       "Hey boys," I asked, "where's Rosie?". To which Carson promptly declared, "She's in Logan's swim suit drawer!". And she was. Right there in the swimsuit drawer. Luckily those boys decided to hide her in a contained location!  No more Hide and Seek games with Rosie.

Hamster Hotel

Important backstory info:  in Emmy's hamster cage she has this pink little house for Rosie. 

 It looks just like an igloo, thus we call it an igloo.

    Last weekend Bailey's best friend, Brynlee, asked us to tend her 2 hamsters while they went out of town.  My girls were so excited to add 2 more hamsters to our house.  Hamster Hotel I called it, Hamster Heaven my girls called it.

     Emmy thought it would be a great idea to put Rosie in their cage, and vice versa.  She thought they'd really get a kick out of seeing some new digs.  I told Emmy that was fine, and then a while later walked past the 2 cages and noticed they weren't switched.  Asking Emmy why she hadn't switched them she replied, 'I just don't think Rosie would like those hamsters in her igloo, going through her stuff.'

Call Tyler "Unimpressed"

A few Sundays ago after church Derek asked Tyler how my sharing time was. 

Tyler said, "It was good.  But mom just got it from Sugardoodle." 

Apparently if you get your sharing time idea from Sugardoodle it doesn't matter how good your sharing time is, how creative, how spiritual, how much time and effort you put it into it - all null and void and counts for nothing if you get it from Sugardoodle.  Then I further disappointed him when I told him all of my sharing times come from Sugardoodle - as does every other sharing time that kid has ever seen!  Mr. Tyler is now Mr. Unimpressed.

I hope they call me on a mission!

       My parents just got their mission call.  They had the papers in for 8 very long weeks.  Every week we'd expect it, just to wait another week.  My mom kept saying Church Headquarters didn't know what to do with them - I think awesome mission calls just take extra time.
       My parents were willing and able to go anywhere, and do anything.  If that meant digging ditches in Africa, they were willing.  If that meant freezing to death in Siberia, they were willing.  If that meant facing my mom's biggest fear ('snakes the size of buses!' in the Congo) they were willing.  They were willing to go anywhere, learn any language, and face all types of poverty, weather, and culture shock.  Sign them up.  Because that's the kind of people they are.
       Finally it came (!) and a big opening party was certainly in order.  We all went to my parents' house - a few were missing, notably Derek and Tyler who were in SLC that weekend for a Utah Jazz/BYU basketball weekend, but the party went on.
       My mom, who loves guessing games, and my dad, who does not love guessing games, had come up with a plan of opening it to appease both of them.  My dad was going to open it, read it, and then my mom wanted to guess and guess until she got it.
     So my dad read it, and my mom started guessing.  She narrowed it down to mission home, English speaking, North America, and then Canada quickly.  It took her a while though to get the official mission . . . Winnipeg, Canada.  They are going to be office specialists.  They were so excited!
      As we read up about the mission we all felt like this was going to be a prefect fit - for my mom who's never been cold in her life, for my dad who wears a coat year-round, and to their mission president who is originally from Idaho, but now lives in Alaska running a fishering touring company (my dad's wildest dream come true) - this is a good fit.
     They leave in 6 short and crazy weeks - just enough time to buy a 4-wheel drive car and stock up on long underwear!
      I'm most excited that it's close enough to go visit.  Only 22 hours by car!  Sign my family up!  A road trip to Canada to see my missionary parents - simply awesome.

Mission Call Opened!!

Here's the official opening video - I had to upload them in chunks because the file was too big. And then of course they uploaded in the wrong order - and because I'm so awesome at Blogger I can't figure out how to switch them!  So watch them in 1,3,2,4 order. 

I get so excited every time I watch the video!

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Emily Dear!

 

 

Happy Birthday Emily!

 

Here's a little about Emmy as a 10 year old:

favorite animal: killer whale

favorite food: spaghetti

favorite TV show: Phineas and Ferb

favorite movie: Ice Age 4

favorite book: Tale of Despereaux

favorite color: white

favorite treat: buckeye bars

favorite candy bar: Crunch

What she wants to be when she grows up: a banker at ICON

Where she wants to live when she grows up: Illinois

If she could visit anywhere: Egypt

How her friends would describe her; awesome, smart, full of good ideas

How I would describe Emmy: Emmy is the biggest peacemaker I know. She will do anything to make someone happy. If she is given a candy bar, she will give her siblings half without hesitating. If every chair is open in the kitchen, except the one Emmy is sitting on, and Logan insists on sitting that one chair, she will happily move - every time. She never complains - homework, chores, and piano are all done with a smile. She is my only child who still calls me "Mama" which I adore. I am the luckiest to have a daughter like Emily.

Happy Groundhog's Day

The kids and I had a fun Groundhog's Day. We watched online Puxatwney Phil come out of his little hollow oak on Gobbler's Nob and not see his shadow - welcome spring!!  We celebrated his wonderful forecast by making cute little groundhogs coming out of their holes.  I, for one, cannot welcome spring with open arms enough.  Bring on flip flops, bike riding, and swimming!

Mascot Discovered

My girls are both playing basketball this winter and there is a lion mascot that walks around the gym throughout all of the basketball games.  Today we were getting ready to head out the door to a basketball game and Logan said out of nowhere, "Ya know mom I don't think it's a real lion.  I think it's a person just wearing clothes."  Yep Logan, you have figured out a mascot.

Best Birthday Present Ever

This post is dedicated to my sister Allyson who has been
begging me to post this story since November.  Enjoy Al!

 

 

 

      Tyler started middle school this fall and that meant a little more diversity in his classes.  All year he has one period that changes subjects every quarter - Art, Keyboarding, Computers, and Family Science (Family Science is what used to be Home Ec when I was in middle school). 

      So his first class of the year was Family Science.  The first half of the quarter was cooking. Tyler loved it.  Every Thursday was his lab day when he got to cook something.  At home, we have enjoyed the benefits of this class.  We've had Orange Swirls and French Bread Pizza brought to us by Tyler's new talents.  It's also me realize the can do way more cooking than I had been giving him credit for. 

      The second half of the quarter was sewing.  He made a pin cusion and this cute, furry football.  From  his new found skills, the best birthday present ever was born.  I have pillowcases for my kids for every holiday.  In September my kids all had their Back to School pillowcases on their pillows and Tyler told me that his had a hole in it.  Sure enough, in the seam was a hole.  He told me, and I promptly forgot.  I certainly wouldn't have thought anything of it until next Semptember when I pulled out my holey pillowcase. 

     A few nights before my birthday I was in my room reading.  Derek came in and told me stay in my room.  Secrets were going on.
     Two days later was my birthday.  I could tell something good was coming by how Tyler was acting.  The last present was from Tyler.  I opened it to find our Back to School pillowcase.  I was a bit confused.  Then he reminded me of the hole he had found.  'Look for it' was what I was told.  Looking for the hole I could tell it had been whip stitched together.  By the most recent graduate of Family Science.

                                                           

   Tyler told me how a few nights before he had told Derek he wanted to fix the hole for my birthday present.  After telling me to stay in my room, Derek helped Tyler find thread and needle.  After he'd done that Derek told Tyler he couldn't be any more help - he didn't know the slightest thing about fixing the hole.  So Tyler went to work.  He whip stitched me the best birthday present ever.

Hamster Happiness

 

Oh Santa, you did good this year.

 

 

 

 

Santa and Emmy are tight these days.  After she received a hamster for Christmas, you might say they're BFF's.  Maybe this was Santa's way of appeasing a 9 year old girl who's wanted a dog for 7 of those years, and maybe this is his way of getting her parents to take babysteps to pet ownership - but either way, you did good old man.

Emmy woke up to find a hamster Christmas morning.  She was shocked, asking Bailey, who was looking in the cage, "What is it?", too shocked to believe it could be a real pet.  In typical Emmy fashion (immediate and completely random) her hamster was named:  Rose.  She now mostly goes by Rosie. 

Rosie gets a lot of attention.  A lot.  Let's just say it's good that the kids have gone back to school so our little Rosie can get a nap!  Because she's nocturnal she goes all night - and goes(!), but because of our overwhelming love for her she also goes all day.  Poor thing needs some sleep.

Emmy looks forward to Saturdays where she gets to don her plastic gloves and clean out her cage (easy said when we're two weeks into it), and has already been to PetSmart to buy bedding and food.  I explained to her that now she has bills - bedding and food.  Water's on me, because I'm generous like that.  I'm glad to see her allowance going somewhere besides candy.

As a side note, Emmy has had a beta fish named Chiffy for a long time.  After Rosie entered the picture Derek started teasing her that she had turned her back on Chiffy.  No, no, no, she still loves Chiffy she said.  Then Tyler started saying he'd like a pet . . . and maybe he could have Chiffy.  Emmy, who now has bills, seizes the opportunity and says, "5 bucks and he's yours".  So Emmy has Rosie, and 5 extra dollars to buy hamster bedding, Tyler has a fish and quickly renamed him Rex.  All is well.



Once there was a snowman

My kids have been loving the snow we've had this week (except for the fact that it has not resulted in a snow day!).  Yesterday my kids were out building a snowman when they needed items for the face.  As I scrounged through the pantry for them I found some of those really big chocolate chips (the kind you buy to melt).  This will do I thought and sent them out with my kids.  The snowman was built, face applied, and everyone happy.  A while later I looked out the window to realize that half of our snowman's face was missing.  Odd . . .  And then a while later realized his whole face was missing.  In comes Logan with a mouthful of chocolate.  After asking him if he knew where our snowman's face had gone, he insisted it had already melted.  Yep . . .  Logan ate our snowman's face off.

Westward Ho!

Emmy has just started a Pioneer unit in school.  As part of the unit, they are each assigned identities, and will go with their family across the country.  Emmy has been so excited about this - and tells us all about her family, their ages, professions, etc.  Last night Emmy had to write down her supply list - everything she was going to take with her on her journey.  She had 1000 pounds to allocate however she wanted.  After she had written down her giant "To Pack" list, I helped her add up pounds to make sure she was in the 995-1000 pound range her teacher had assigned.  We added them all up and she was way over.  So I suggested she look over her list and figure out was was a neccessity, and cut the rest. The first thing I pointed out was her spinning wheel (for a whopping 25 pounds!).  That was met with, "But Mom, you know that spinning wheel is the thing I'm most excited to take."  Ok, on to something else . . .   Then I came to a fiddle.  I told her she should only take things that are going to help her surive - anything else had to go.

Emmy:  Ok, I'll take off the fiddles.

Me:  Fiddles??  How many did you pack?

Emmy:  3

Me:  why 3?

Emmy:  Because this is their only entertainment and I wanted each person in the family to have one!

In the end, the fiddles got cut, the spinning wheel stayed.  To the pioneers I say:  Too bad you didn't have Emmy with you.  Sure, she would have bummed food off of you, but she would have brought entertainment.

Lion Love

Tonight at dinner we were going around the table saying our favorite things in different categories.  We got to animals and decided everyone should say their two favorites.  Here's how it went:

  Tyler:  monkeys and tripod fish

  Emily:  hamsters and tiger

  Me:  penguin and tiger

  Derek:  moose and squirrel

  Bailey:  lion . . .       . . .   I love lions so much I don't know what could be second!

It Takes All Kinds ...

Bailey came home from school yesterday and told me that her friend had hurt her feelings.  I asked what happened and here's the tale I was told: 

Bay:  Well, Brynlee and I made up a club at school, and it's called the

 Just Say No to Drugs and Just Say No to Bullying Club. 

And we invited Bryn to be in our club and she said,

 "No, I've been in that club before and it was terrible!"

And Mom, that really hurt my feelings.

While listening to this tale of woe Tyler did not let the moment of sacrcasm go, and quickly told Bailey she should name her club the Counselor's Club.
I had to explain to Bay that some people like drugs, and some people like bullying, and some people like both.  But we just have to be tolerant of all.

Dare to Dream

Derek and I have been talking to Emmy about what sport/activity she wants to do.  She's done clogging for the past few years but this summer decided she wants to quit.  We're fine with her quitting, but want her to do something physical.  A few nights ago Derek and Emmy were talking about what she'd like to try - soccer, basketball, swimming, - hoping Emmy would like one of his suggestions. 
    The conversation ended with no plans of what Emmy would like to do next.  A little while later Emmy came out of her room really excited.  Calling Derek she said, "I know what I want to do!  I know something I'd be really good at because I"m little!"  Derek was all ears.  Finally, Emmy had decided what she could do.  He was a little shocked at her idea.  "I want to be a horse jockey!"  Yeah ... we're going to go with swimming.

A Letter to Cousins

Emily just wrote a letter to her cousins Kamryn and Halli.  It was so cute I had to put on here (no editing was done, pure Emily) - enjoy!

Dear Kam and Halli,
    A couple days ago Tyler and Bailey and I went to a across the street garage sale.  They had a bunch of stuff!  Seriously!  They had Thanksgiving stuff, Halloween stuff, Christmas stuff, clocks, stuffed animals, bikes and scooters!  They had everything!  Bailey and I were looking around but then I saw this turkey decoration! It was so cute!  And it was only 25 cents!  So I went home and told my mom about it.  She said it was ok to buy!  So I ran to the garage sale!  I paid for the turkey!  I've never bought something from a garage sale before!  Then Bailey and I looked around somore.  Then Bailey found a little carebare in a box.  It was 25 cents!  Bailey and I ran home to ask our mom if we could by it.  She said it was ok but you only have 3 mins.  So Bailey and I ran to the garage sale.  Bailey picked up the carebare and bought it.  She was so happy!
Love,
  Emily

Leapster Love

Things I don't love about this picture - kind of couch potato-y.

Things I love about this picture - out of the whole house they choose to play their Leapsters next to each other, and they both have their beloved blankets.