Journaling Week of 12-15-13

BRADLEY'S PERFORMANCE
The Third grade put on quite the performance on Tuesday.  It was so much fun to watch!!  Normally those things get a little long or boring, but not this one!  It was just the right length and there was the perfect amount of action and entertainment.  I LOVED watching Bradley!  He was so animated and so fun to see in the spotlight.  He had a special part he had to memorize for the opening, and he did a great job on that.  He was just a goofy little guy when it came to the dancing and such. I absolutely loved it!  He made it so fun and made Nate and I so proud.  I hope I can get the pictures to upload eventually :).  12-17-13

CELLO
We got to go see Charity perform a few songs with her new orchestra.  That was a lot of fun too!  She's really getting it!  I was surprised at how well they all sounded!  It wasn't a formal concert, we sat on the floor in the gym :), but it sure was fun to get a taste of what she is getting up so early for, two days a week, to be a part of!  Lots of fun!  12-17-13

CHOIR
Charity and Kelly had their first Choir performance at the school on Thursday.  We went and watched, they sounded great!!  I loved watching Charity do her special little part that she had so bravely tried out for and to see Kelly's cute kitty picture at the same time!  My talented little kids!!  While I don't plan on pushing them to do choir or anything else for that matter, I do love that they enjoy singing and being taken back to my choir days.  I loved being a part of that.  I think the girls were the only ones that knew ALL the words to their songs.As usual.  It's fun to watch them.  They had some pretty cute songs.  I got pictures, but again, hopefully they will upload soon :).
That evening, they performed at Station Park in Farmington.  It was SOOOOOOO cold that night!  We had been dumped on that morning with quite a bit of snow, so there was plenty of it on the ground and also, still falling from the sky!  My feet were freezing!  But they kept the attention of our little audience, the little kids, Erika, Noah and Luke, stood there and watched the whole thing standing completely still and in awe :).  I couldn't get enough of that :).  Bradley wandered around throwing snowballs at his friends.  It was a lot of fun though!  I'm so proud of their hard work, their diligence with getting up early and to the school every Wednesday!  They are so self-sufficient these days, it surprises me.  12-19-13

POLAR EXPRESS MRS. PIPER'S CLASS STYLE
I had the privilege of helping to plan Noah's class party again, being the room Mom.  Mrs. Piper had quite a bit planned, she seemed to really enjoy doing a lot of it herself, so that's what we did :).  But we were able to do a few stations and then a snowball fight with puff balls and then she gifted them with a little bell necklace at the end of the day.  It was a lot of fun for Noah!  I'm glad I get to be a part of it all.  12-20-13

THE MAUGHAN'S
The Maughans invited us over for a little game/run around their house and make noise night.  That was a lot of fun!  We played Apples to Apples, Luke won!  The kids mostly ran around and were crazy, but we also squeezed in a game of Pictionary too.  That was fun!  I never enjoy pictionary, but I did this time!!  It was a lot of fun.
Charity had to miss the fun though, her friend Laurie had a birthday party.  Surprisingly it was difficult for her to decide which even to attend, but she settled on that, and from the blue frosting that was smeared all over her face, I think she made the right decision and had a good time :).  12-20-13

LESS SHAMPOO
So Heidi and I finally made it to a salon to have our eyebrows done!  We have been growing them out since this summer!!!  I can't believe I lasted that long!  She came all the way out here to go to a Salon in Kaysville, and she sat there and helped me decide how to get my hair cut before finally getting our eyebrows waxed.  It was a lot of fun to sit and visit with her.  I love that she can help me out a little with my looks.  I feel more confident when I know it's something Heidi suggested.  I've never really gone with anyone else when I get my haircut or do other things, so it was a nice and welcome change.  I chopped off about 6 inches off my hair.  It's almost not noticeable because it's still kinda long.  I did get bangs though--- we'll see how that ends up :), so far I like them.  But in the past they're more maintenance than I am capable of.  So we'll see :). My friend in my ward asked, "Do you normally wear glasses?"  She could tell something was different, but she wasn't sure what :).  Yes, my eyebrows were HUMONGOUS and now they are slightly smaller :).  Maybe my eyes are more noticeable now :).  Just kidding.  Good stuff.  12-21-13

KAMBREE
We went out on a limb on Saturday and went to visit Kambree at her Mom's house.  She got a restraining order on Don, so he is not allowed to see her til March after the trial, and he's been pretty depressed and worried about her.  As he should be.  Let's just say, she's not living in the best of circumstances right now.  It's actually really sad.  I hate thinking about our Judicial system and how it is failing my little friend Kambree and putting her life in the hands of people who don't care, and are not taking care of her in even the slightest way.  She sure wasn't herself.  I was glad we were able to see her and take her a little gift from our family.  She is a sweet little girl.  Nate got their number so that we can go get her and take her to a movie with us or something sometime soon, but I'm pretty sure that's not ever going to happen.  It's too bad.  I hope things can pan out soon for her.  12-22-13

Columbia Elementary Choir Performance/Christmas Eve

Well, Blogger is not being my friend right now (a lot lately, actually) so this is a Choir Performance/Christmas Eve post even though they were almost a week apart :).

These are the pictures from Charity and Kelly's Choir Performance at Station Park.

Bradley and Luke had a lot of fun throwing snow into the ponds.  

Poor Noah forgot his gloves!  It was SO stinkin' cold that night!

I'm guessing Bradley had just wowed himself with an amazing throw right before I snapped this one :).

It took a while to get things all set up and ready for the choir to sing.  The audience was a big mob of people, all crowded around each other, barely able to breathe because everyone was so close together.  It was nuts.

Here's Charity during her solo.  She had one of the "Mom" parts.  Kelly was the master artist of their visual aid for the Kitty Song.  She drew the cutest kitty!

THIS is the Christmas Eve Post

As soon as Nate got off work, we went and picked him up to go visit Grandpa Russ and Grandma Ruthie and give them their gifts.

We always have to eat crackers when we're there.  Not sure why.  Hopefully nobody minds.

I love this picture of Nate's Mom.  She is so beautiful.  And I think Charity and Kelly look really pretty in this one too.

Grandma got out her J-I-N-G-O game and played with the kids.

Luke did a cool Disney puzzle with Aunt Jen most of the time that we were there.  They sure worked hard!  It's cool to see how much Luke loves puzzles.

Grandpa did knuckles with Jack Jack

And then got one of his cheesy-ball smiles.

After Grandma and Grandpa's house, we stopped at Dad's work to get his car and surprised the kids with the news that they actually were going to get to talk to Santa this year afterall!  They were SO excited!

Santa mostly just asked what they were all wanting for Christmas, of course :), but took some time to tease Bradley about the girl up the street, and to read Erika's mind :). He talked to Luke about being a good friend at school.  Noah he told him he was proud of his good reading.  I will have to ask Charity and Kelly what he said to them.  I can't remember!  It was a lot of fun though.  

After talking to Santa we went up to Grandpa Hatch's house for our traditional Christmas Eve!

We opened presents early and in a big frantic mess because Steve and Jauslin had to go early.  I was bummed that they weren't there most of the night.  But it was a fun evening filled with food, laughs and presents galore!  

Erika got a jump rope from Steve and Jauslin and she showed off some of her skills :).  The rope almost goes around twice during her one jump.  It's amazing!

I'm still in awe that Grandpa let Dawn buy Charity a BYU hoodie.  She LOVES it!  

Brent wanted me to make sure this got on the internet.  Very flattering :).

This year was different for a lot of reasons, my least favorite one being that Nate had to work the mid.  He left Grandpa's house around 10:00.  It was so hard for me to say goodbye to him.  I was so sad to have Christmas Eve Night without him.  

We left Grandpa's shortly after that, once I'd finally gotten the courage to load up everyone and everything into the car.... 

When we got home, I barely remembered the new jammies before they put their regulars on.  Luckily :).  We hurried and took a picture.  Jack wasn't in love with the idea of waking up after having fallen asleep in the car, but he needed his bumb changed anyway.  Poor guy.  Although it almost looks like he's smiling :).

Time for bed to wait for Santa to come!!!

Journaling week of 12-8-13

THE HOLE
For the past month or so (not really sure when it started), I've been feeling really down.  I've had up days, or moments, but for the most part, I was what I would call slightly depressed.  It's been really annoying.  I think it was partially because of this talk I've been focusing on that I have to give a lesson on in a few weeks.  The sad thing is it's a very optimistic, hope-filled talk, so I don't know why I was letting it make me down.  Yesterday I had an epiphany.  I wrote a few things down in my lesson planning notebook, looked up few scriptures and had a lot of inspirational thoughts running through my head.  It was awesome!  I felt like someone was reaching down to me in the hole I had found myself in and was reaching down to pull me up.  It feels SO FANTASTIC!!  I feel like a different person today!  I love it!!  Feeling motivated sure feels a lot better than not.  Ahhhhh.  12-9-13

THE PREMIERE
A couple of weeks ago Nate bought some fundraiser tickets from a couple kids in his Sunday School Class for a "Premiere showing of Hobbit Part II".  Last night was the big night!  I personally dislike the Hobbit.  It's like a swear word in my mind because of the many times I TRIED to read that dang book back in Middle School, but couldn't ever get past the first chapter (paying attention that is- we read it as a class one year, but it still never registered).  It really isn't my favorite book/movie/whatever.  BUT!  That being said.  I did have a GREAT time and LOVED the second Hobbit!  It was intense.  I do, however, wish they had ended the story!!!  Oh well.  Good date night with my honey and half of the ward :).  12-11-13

THE HOLE
So today I feel like I am back in the hole.  Yes, it's been three days.  A huge bummer.  I blame it mostly on my period, and hopefully it's nothing permanent (the lack of motivation and downer feelings, not the period, THAT better not be permanent and if it ever was, I think I'd have to request a ticket out of here).  I knew coming out of it wasn't a guarantee, but I just ache for the same feelings I had on Monday.  I can't get them here!  I'm going to keep working on it though.  I can't give up!  12-12-13

ACTIVITY DAYS
One of the benefits of having a humongous car is that I get asked to help drive for activities and things for my kids.  On Friday I got to accompany Charity and Kelly and their activity day girls to the Apple Tree Rest Home.  The girls did a short little Christmas Program for the elderly people.  I had a blast!!  First of all, I love seeing my girls in their element.  They own the place!  I love that they had been asked to sing a duet together and didn't even mention it to me, it was a complete surprise!  They did such a great job too!  I can't believe the courage these kids have.  Makes me proud of them, and jealous at the same time.  I wish I still had the courage to do the things they do.  They did great!  I had a good time watching them, and I had a good time being in the rest home.  As you know, I LOOOOOOOVE old people!  They are almost as wonderful as babies in my mind :).  Babies and toddlers and old people.  Can't get enough of them.  Right as we got there, one of the residents called out to me, patting her hand on the seat next to her on the couch, saying, "Come sit over here!"  So I did.  She was the sweetest lady!!  I asked her name, she told me (forgot it), then we proceeded to talk about everything under the sun.  She was so thrilled by the girls' singing and kept asking me how long the singing group had been together and which girls were mine, etc.  It was so cute.  Then we began talking about her life.  She told me that her husband had died 4 years ago.  She got really solemn and quiet as she told me the story of their last day together.  She said he had been working really hard that day.  She called him in to be done and get some rest while she cooked dinner.  They ate dinner.  She then told him to go rest in the living room while she cleaned up dinner.  He said he would rather go and take a shower, so he did that.  When he got done, she thought a shower sounded nice too, so she decided to go take one herself.  When she got out of the shower, she came into the bedroom and he was already in bed.  She lifted up the sheets to get in bed and he asked her what she was doing.  She told him she was going to go to bed with him and he said, that was fine, but he wanted to come around to his side first.  So she did.  He asked her to kneel down so that he could give her a hug.  He told her how much he loved her and was grateful she was his wife, gave her a hug and then she got in bed and they went to sleep.  In the morning, he was gone.  He had died in his sleep after telling his wife, in a very sweet way that he loved her.  How touching is that!  I just about cried hearing the story.  I can't imagine what that must be like.  She sure misses him too.  She spoke so sweetly of him.  Although I did think it was funny she couldn't remember her anniversary and how long she had been married :).  I so can't wait to get old :).  She said 30 years, but I'm guessing it was much longer than that.  She had grown up in Kaysville and lived there all her life.  She had given birth to four kids, but the first had died before her first birthday due to complications.  This woman much just be amazing.  And she was so friendly and upbeat!  I loved her blanket and complimented her on it, and she said that her daughter had made it for her so that she could cover her knees so that she wouldn't get sick.  She unwrapped the leg that was close to me, and threw the end of her blanket over my knees since they felt cold to her :).  Sweet huh!  I missed my rest home days for a minute there.  Sometimes they can be so sweet.  This rest home was of course not like the one I worked at, these people were definitely a lot more with it than the ones at Crestview.  It was a really pleasant experience, I hope that I can take our family up there someday soon here.  I can just imagine the smiles on their faces to see so many sweet little kids!!  I just love it!!
I think my girls loved it too- they were happy to go around and hug everyone when they finished :).  I'm glad they're not too scared.  I always worry about that since they haven't had too much experience with the elderly.  12-13-13

WARD BREAKFAST
We had our Christmas Ward Breakfast today!  It was SO much fun!  I just can't get enough of this ward!  Everyone is just so amazing!  I keep waiting for the honeymoon phase to wear off, and for them to stop being so nice to us, but they haven't!  It's been lovely.  We feel right at home.  This was a fun activity.  Sticky papers at the tables to write letters to missionaries, COLD CEREAL for the kids!! (I think all of my kids went back for thirds and fourths! and now Noah knows what Froot Loops are- yes, I do feel like a failure), the Bishop dressed up in some cute striped jammies and read the Christmas story to the kids, we sang carols, got candy canes!  It was so much fun!!  The food was great too!  I just loved it.  12-14-13

BIG FAMILIES
A sweet lady at Michael's today stopped me to tell me that she just loves seeing big families now days!  (I had ALL of my kids with me)  Made my day!  And then the lady in front of us at the checkout at Walmart (third store for all 8 of us!) made it again when she said she didn't mind having to hear Erika's tantrum and huge fit while she checked out.  Thank you wonderful people!!!  Tender mercies my friends!  Love that.  12-14-13

Gingerbread Houses

Round two of Gingerbread making went WAY more smoothly than the first.  We had great company too!  Aunt Sarah, Charlie, Alvin, Savannah, Aunt Heidi and John, Uncle Steve and Jauslin all came!  We were much more prepared this time, I hot glued the grahams ahead of time.  I followed the blueprints the kids had drawn up before school :).  I LOVE how well gluing them works.  I really loved the frosting I made this year as well.  I think it would have been good enough for constructing them. I  need to remember the recipe for next year:

1 bag powdered sugar

1 cup water

8 egg whites

1 tsp of cream of tartar

Here's the pics:

This is Jauslin's (Steve will claim it too, but he didn't have anything to do with it!)

Kelly's work of art.  She really goes all out.

Noah's Tower.  I was really amazed with how his turned out considering he had zero help.  I loved watching him and Charlie with the cake bags of frosting!  Good times.  He sure got into it and had a good time too.  He was really proud of his work :).

Bradley's Masterpiece. I can't believe I didn't get a picture of his army of gummi bears on the back.  That's disappointing.  He did a great job though!

Luke's was so meticulously decorated!  I couldn't believe the time and attention he put into his!  It turned out really cute!  Even the inside!  Not sure where that picture went...

Mine :)

Charlie's

This is Heidi's sorry excuse for a decorated house... unfinished.  She did however patent the green thing on the roof.

Oh, and I just noticed you can see the back of Bradley's in this picture!  Yay~!  He'll be so happy.  See the army of Gummi bears!  

This was Erika's after she had decorated and then eaten all the candy off of it.  I wasn't quick enough!

Alvin's

And last, but not least, Charity's!  She did such a cute job too!  

Here's the inside of Luke's :)  So creative!

After the houses, we played Heidi's White Elephant game.  It was a candy/snack version since I vetoed the real version.  It was pretty fun, but ended abruptly with some whining, crying unhappy Maynes kids.  Apparently we haven't learned how to play this game like good sports yet. They must be human after all :).  Something to work on.  Hopefully we didn't spoil all the fun for everyone else.  John ended up with the Lindt truffles, that's all I remember.

Pictures

Jack absolutely loves Nate the best.  He is a total Daddy's boy.  Maybe I've said this before, but ever since I stopped nursing him, I've been dead to him.  It's actually really cute though.  As much as I prefer to be their favorite.  

They get lots of bonding time in when Nate is home during the day.  It's super cute to watch them play together.  Brings back memories of when we were dating and we would go visit Dan and Jen and Nate would sit and play with their little kids the whole time, throwing Allan up in the air over and over and over and over... SO cute!  Probably one of the first times I knew I wanted to marry him. 

Erika had to get in on the action.