Week of 6-30-19

CHARITY'S TALK ABOUT MINISTERING
Charity delivered yet another great talk today!  I was impressed she was able to write such a great talk on such short notice- thanks to Chet.  She did great though!  So proud of her!  6-30-19

COMBINED SECOND HOUR
The Bishop wanted to have all the adults for his combined meeting so Barbara decided that we would keep all the kids together, both primaries, the whole hour, and have singing time as well as a little word from each of the Presidency.  I was supposed to share a scripture and some thoughts.  Which I did and then realized it was all wrong.  Took me back to the pre-2 hour schedule days, with Sharing time.  Glad we don't do that anymore.  It ended up being a really fun hour with a fun game Shalane came with, guessing which kid was hiding behind a sheet.  She has some fun ideas.  They loved it.  And it used the time quite nicely.  As well as Natalie's videos and Barbara's two cents.  6-30-19

11 DAYS
Molly and Kelly made a giant, 11 link, chain today to count down til our baby gets here :).  We're all very excited!!  One of these days I need to make a list of all the names Molly has thrown out there for our baby, but her most recent ones kind of crack me up.  Syrup (which Molly pronounces "Hewup"), Water, Chickie, and Duck or Goose :)!!!  Funny girl.  These are all acceptable girl names in her mind. HA! 6-30-19

LUNCH WITH CASSLERS

my mom pulled some scissors out of her purse and cut her straw!

Charity, Kelly and I went to lunch with my mom and the Cassler's Monday.  We went to the Corner Bakery in Bountiful, which was good, and had a great time.  Always nice to get out and visit.  7-1-19

KIM BALL
On our way home from lunch, we stopped at Kim's to get some clothes.  We sat and visited for quite a while.  Probably overstayed our welcome, but I loved being able to see Kim and visit.  I can't believe all that Zip has been through on his mission!  The Bull!!!  Rabies?!  Kinda nuts.  7-1-19

FHE
For Family night this week, Kelly taught us about the affects the miracle of the apostles healing the crippled man had on everyone involved.  It was a really cool lesson- I am so grateful for these new lessons from Come Follow Me.  I feel like I am learning so many new things.  We played Brad's sock game out on the basketball court for our activity and had Drumsticks for Luke's treat.  Fun stuff.  7-1-19

BRAD AND BRACES
We took Brad into DeFay this week for another braces consult.  I felt like this one went a million times better than the one at Luddington for some strange reason.  I'm not sure why he was the way he was there, but I'm trying to just move on :).  DeFay is awesome and actually very reasonably priced this time, so I think it will be a good fit.  He doesn't get them on til August 13th.  Should be fun.  7-2-19

HAIR DID
Got my hair done this week, FINALLY!!  This has been on my list of things to do for at least a year.  So it was nice to get it taken care of.  I went careful and just dyed it all my natural color.  Covering up the gray was my biggest priority.  I think it looks good.  Now maybe baby Sparkle won't feel like her mom is too old to be having a baby :).  7-2-19

FAMILY
We have had a lot of days lately where it just feels like we all want to sit and visit with each other.  We all veg in the living room and talk about baby Sparkle and all the things we are looking forward to.  The names we like, what she will look like- Nate had a dream that she has curly red hair :).  It's been pretty fun.  I think we are all just very anxious for her to be here.  We're not very good at multitasking with something so exciting on the horizon.  Thank goodness Dr. Thackeray let us move the date up.  7-3-19

FOURTH OF JULY

We had a pretty laid back Independence Day.  Brad wanted to sell soda, otter pops, and water before, so we got up early enough to get that all ready and Kelly to Bird's house (for her lame walk along the parade route handing out flyers and then going to breakfast-- did I mention this was LAME?!).  We got our usual spots up there at Kung Fu Gourmet.  Everyone showed up and it was a bit painful waiting for the parade to start.  Not my favorite part.  But it wasn't as hot as it's been in the past and we had our spray bottle- need to remember two next year so Molly and Jack don't have to fight over it.  The parade was great.  The kids got lots of candy.  As usual there was an annoying kid stealing stuff from little people and getting in the Maynes kids' ways, but we survived.  Always gotta have one of them.  Some of the highlights- Charity's Jimmy John's sandwich :).  Erika's SOFT little miniature stuffed animal.  The Bowman's frisbees for free donuts.  Buy one get one Rush Fun Plex cards.  After the parade, we came home and just sat around basically.  It was a very lazy day.  Erika got to go get a new bike I had found on KSL.  Everyone played outside until it got windy and cold.  Then we got DUMPED on with a crazy rain storm for a couple hours.  This is when all our hopes of fireworks were dashed to pieces.  We enjoyed a nice visit with Steve, he showed off his belly fat and we all laughed about Nate's owie on his shin when he said he missed with the bandaid.  It was a fun visit!  He was in a great mood!  They ended up having afterall, but we were all wrapped up in "Imaginiff" and "Telestrations" that we actually skipped them.  Nobody wanted to sit on the wet grass.  Makes sense, but I was a little bummed.  We'll have to make sure we catch the Bountiful ones for 24th!  It was a nice day though!  7-4-19

37 WEEKS, 1 DAY

We had our last doctor appointment today.  Everything is a go for a July 11th delivery!  We're very excited!  Couldn't be happier about the day :).  7-5-19

"YOUR CRACK"
I dropped a crumb down my shirt and as I was fishing it out Molly says, "It fell in your cwack mom!" Laughing.  HILARIOUS!  7-6-19

STOWELL REUNION

We had the Stowell reunion this Saturday.  Down in West Jordan at a really cool park.  It was fun.  It wasn't as fun as I remember them being, for some reason, I don't enjoy those like I used to, but it was nice to chat with people.  Nobody even knew I was pregnant, which was weird.  I was sure my mom would have spread the news.  But we talked about the new baby a lot and that she was coming in less than a week!  Lots of fun.  Then Steve went and dramatized the event by jumping over a bench that was on a hill, falling and hurting his shoulder.  Would have been minor except then as we were sitting there at the tables in the pavilion, he had some ice on it, he full on passed out!  Hit his head on the hard floor and everything!  It was so crazy!  So we drove him home.  Nate had to go to work, but we got him to work and Steve home just fine.  It was pretty crazy though.  When we got him home, we decided we needed to get some ibuprofen and tylenol for him so we went down to Smith's for that.  Then when we got up to Grandpa's for the second time, we decided we also needed to go to Basket Robins :).  So we went and got some ice cream.  It was fun.  We sat outside and everyone was trying to throw their cup into the trash can.  Grandpa owes everyone a keva juice.  Just kidding.  7-6-19

Week of 6-23-19

HANNAH'S HOMECOMING

We got up bright and early to get on the road by 7:30!  It was a really nice drive this time because I got to sit up front with Nate and talk the whole time!  It was kind of a blessing that Becky wasn't able to come, although I felt really bad for thinking that- I know she was not feeling well.  It was going to be a challenge, sitting in the back and I wasn't sure I was cut out for it at the time, so really- kind of a blessing in disguise.  I was grateful.  We got to church about 10 minutes late because we'd had to stop so much for bathroom breaks- between Molly and I- and to get gas... oops.  But we got to take the Sacrament which I was grateful for and able to practice some of the meditating that I had wanted to do.  Then we got to hear Hannah's talk as well.  She did a great job!  I LOVE what she pointed out in the story of the brother of Jared how the stones he used were molten out of rock and were clear like glass because he had done what he needed to do to make them that way.  He didn't just pick up a few rocks and hand them to the Lord to touch them- he went to a lot of effort first!  Pretty cool to compare with what we are required to do before asking for the Lord's hand.  I thought it was cool.  We stayed for the rest of church- I was super happy with how well Molly went to her Sunbeam class.  Relief Society is always fun when I get to sit by Meg.  I loved talking with everyone at the house as well.  I was happy to hear that Hannah had enjoyed my responses to her letters and that I had responded more than anyone not in her immediate family!  Which is also kind of sad!  I wish I'd said more.  But it was fun to hear about her experiences in France and the culture.  Really cool.  My favorite part was talking with Nate on the drives though :).  Good times.  6-23-19

GIRLS CAMP
Another year where it's just a post about saying goodbye and welcome home to my girls!  I'm so sad I don't get to be with them, but I'm sure they're having a good time!  I can't wait to hear about it all, actually.  I keep texting them, hoping they'll be bored and share some juice, but they have yet to do that :).  So I guess I'll wait.  I wasn't too involved in getting them ready to go- they did all their own shopping and packing and Charity didn't even ask for a ride to the Last's house, Kelly took her, so it's been different, but I'm happy they get to go experience that together.  This is probably or could be their last camp together!  Sad!  I hope it's a good one for them.  6-24-19

JAROM SLEEPING OVER
I had told the kids NO SLEEPOVERS this week when we left for Idaho.  Of course, I caved when we were there and cute little Noah was begging to have Jarom come.  Should have listened to the wiser me, who said no in the first place, because one night into it (he had planned on staying til Wednesday!) he was crying and homesick.  We made him stick the day out, but Chris came and got him Monday night after getting home from the pool.  Kind of a bummer for Noah, but now we all know to listen to me!  6-24-19

WRESTLING CAMP
Bradley has been so impressive lately with all that he is willing to do.  He is doing the Cross Country stuff, and did basketball camp and then this week he did Wrestling camp too!  This was hard!  There was no mistaking how hard it was when he would come out the car just dripping in sweat!  He was pretty tired and had been worked pretty good!  I was so proud of him for sticking with it though.  He really has learned how to push himself which I think is so admirable. I'm so amazed at what he can do.  6-24-19

DENTIST FOR THE LITTLES AND ORTHO FOR BRAD

Nate took the younger four to the dentist for me, which ended up being pretty good- not TOO many cavities.  Although, I was surprised at who had them... but that's all I will say.  Even Molly did pretty good for the dentist, so that was nice.  Probably because I wasn't there, if we're being honest.  But whatever.  Then I took Brad to his orthodontist consultation.  Along with all of Brad's adventures, he would also like to get braces now.  Before, they told us it was strickly cosmetic if he wanted to get braces, so he didn't absolutely NEED them, and he didn't want to bother with it back then.  But now, he's feeling like he does.  It was THE STRANGEST consult I've ever witnessed.  Brad felt that way too.  I am not sure why the orthodontist was so hesitant and almost discouraging.  Doesn't he want more patients?  I don't know.  So I decided to call up DeFay and see what they say about his teeth.  Luddington had been frustrated with his overbite changing to an open bite now, and didn't seem to think he could do much for him, so I'm curious to see how DeFay will handle his teeth.  They seemed to be slightly more advanced, technologically, so we'll see.  I'm totally curious how it will go because of Luddington's weird reaction.  That's coming up.  6-26-19

PACK MEETING

This pack meeting was SUCH A PAIN to plan!!  So many re-schedules of the dates, and all the emails and texts between the cub committee, and all the work Paul was putting into it... it was nuts!  We were going to the Fire Station, so it was slightly different, but seriously, SUCH A HASSLE!!  So it was even more frustrating when I showed up with four kids in tow (almost ditched everyone, but so glad I didn't!) because it was mutual night, only to find JUST PAUL AND JAMI from our committee there!  Everyone else had ditched out!!!  SO crazy!  I texted Dallas and Bill and "I'm knee-deep in logistics for a 2yo birthday." was all he could give me!!  And no heads up on the fact that neither of them were coming.  So weird.  Shar had a good excuse, so did Rachel, but everyone else!  So irritating.  But anyway.  We had a great time at the Fire Station!  I had no idea how much my kids would love that!  Or at least Jack and Molly anyway!  They were in heaven!  Molly even cried when it was time to go!  I had to bribe her with ice cream cones to get her out of there.  They did a good job, even though the girl doing the "tour" seemed completely under-qualified as well as inexperienced, so whatever.  It was a fun time though!  I was glad!  If only we'd been able to get more than three cubs there!  6-26-19

36 WEEKS AND 1 DAY
We went in for our second to last doctor appointment today!  It was a MUCH anticipated visit!  We had been wallowing in limbo all week wondering if Erica had been right and we were actually going to deliver on the 11th, or if that was an accident and we actually had to wait until the 18th like Dr. Thackeray had told us previously.  So this was big!  And first thing when he came in the room, he was trying to figure out how many days we had left and we were kind of like, well, we don't really know!  So then he proceeded to tell us that yeah, July 11th, 5pm was the only time available!!!  We were in shock, but also just SO RELIEVED!!!  This baby needs to come soon!  We are DONE BEING PREGNANT!!  So this was the greatest news ever.  It's so funny how much of a difference seven days can make!  It felt like such a burden had been lifted!  Not to mention all the things this makes better for us.  Hopefully it's actually a good time for baby Sparkle to come, we don't want to make her life complicated by any means, but she seems just as anxious as us if you ask me :).  She's ready to just bust out of there half the time!  She doesn't come out wish some major calf muscles, I will be surprised!  So anyway!  Pretty awesome!!  We were beaming!  He reminded us of all the signs of labor (that I never have) and told us we can call anytime, then told us to schedule an appointment in a week.  It was funny when the nurse was taking us to our room, she asked if I wanted to be checked and I was like, "I never want to be checked, EVER :)"  Sounded kind of rude probably, but I was mostly joking around.  I think she got it.  So anyway- all is well, and hopefully will stay that way- and now we get to meet Sparkle a week sooner!!  Wahoo!!  6-28-19

PAINTING THE LIVING ROOM

Friday was the day!  One of the only available days we have to pain the living room, so we jumped on it!  It's funny how spontaneous we can be sometimes.  We grabbed paint and supplies on our way to the doctor appointment.  Then got going right when we got home.  It was a lot of work!  And with the pain and discomfort I've been dealing with- it was really hard for me!  I had to stop several times to rest.  Nate did awesome, we had lots of helpers with different things, and it turned out really great, minus my crappy chair rail and trim jobs... but I've got plans to fix those asap.  It looks SO MUCH BETTER!!  Even with the yellow entry way which we plan to change in the next few days here as well.  Then the next day, Nate and the boys moved up the stairway and painted a lot of the hallway before needed to rush off to Grandma Ruthie's reunion.  It's going to be so nice to have that done!  It's a little darker than I had imagined, but I really like how it feels.  Such a nice change.  I hope I never forget Molly's, "You missed a bot!" when she saw the yellow wall just cut in, not painted in the middle.  She's hilarious!  It's pretty exciting stuff though- I hope baby Sparkle appreciates all our hard work "for her" :).  Just kidding.  6-28-19

GRANDMA RUTHIE'S HALE REUNION

Her big day arrived!  Grandma Ruthie has put blood, sweat and tears... okay, not really, but lots of thought and emotion I'm sure- into the planning of this reunion!  It was great to have it here.  Nate was in charge of the food that people were supposed to venmo us orders for.  Which was interesting :).  Once Nate had the food all done, we RACED down to Eagle Mountain (not sure why it had to be an hour and a half way.... hahaha!), and got it all set up just in time for dinner.  The park she chose was pretty awesome!  Really amazing toys to play on, I think I got a few pictures on my phone, forgot the camera unfortunately, a splash pad!  It was really cool.  Maybe that's why we had to drive an hour and a half.  So the kids had a lot of fun playing and helping Jen run things.  It was neat to meet a few of Nate's relatives.  I didn't get a ton of time to mingle, I was on Molly duty, but it was a neat experience.  She had a really good turnout!  It was good Nate had brought more than enough meat.  Lots of fun games, prizes, treats, stories... it was fun!  We got to hear the cool story from Van, Ruth's cousin, about the Book of Mormon his grandpa Edward something Hale (dang, now I forgot his name, I'll ask Nate) had given an investigator on his mission in Ohio.  And the cool way he came about it.  His daughter had a friend who ran into it while cleaning out an old attic!  Pretty amazing!  With his name in it and everything.  Those kinds of things are really cool to me.  So that was neat.  It was INCREDIBLY windy- as Eagle Mountain always is- so I was dreading the allergy attack I was anticipating having, but I was pleasantly surprised with just one sneeze attack in the car on the way home.  We drove around to look at our old neighborhood which looked really run down unfortunately!  I couldn't believe how dumpy it looked actually.  Kinda sad.  But we do have some fun memories from that house.  So that was fun.  We got home pretty late and sent everyone to showers and bed.  Good day though!  6-29-19

KELLY ANSWERED HER DATE TO HOMECOMING