Manti Pageant

So, I finally tested another cord that I have for uploading my pictures and get this- it wasn't my computer afterall!!  It must have been the cable!  I'm mad at myself for not trying this sooner, but now that I think about it, I did try uploading from my iphone, with a totally different cable, and it didn't work either, so maybe this was just some crazy, awesome fluke, in my favor!  Either way- pictures, pictures, and MORE pictures, 918 to be exact!  Well, that's how many I uploaded from my camera, I probably won't post ALL of them.... it might take a few days, but Emily- you asked- I delivered :)  

After the 5K, we took it easy and then cleaned out the car to get ready for the drive to Manti!  We have made this a tradition, which I love :).  Usually we invite someone or friends to come with us but I didn't get on that soon enough.  So it was just us.  Until we got there!!  We were surprised to see the Petersens (our old next door neighbors) when we were walking over to our blanket spot.  The kids were SO happy to have them to kill time with.  Andrea and I visited for the 2 hours or so that we were there before it started.  That was a nice time.  It was great to hear about her and how Scott is doing.  They were staying in Gunnison for the weekend to visit him Saturday and Monday.  Talking with her was such an eye opening experience.  I realized I know nothing about trials.  I have never experienced even a fraction of what she is going through.  And yet she still smiles and laughs and maintains a pretty high level of sanity as far as I can tell.  I know she is hurting and struggles emotionally, but what a rock!  She is my new hero.  I hope I can get my act together and have her do a DoTerra party for me soon.  The Pageant was lovely.  A lot of the kids who normally fall asleep didn't this year!  They got to see the angel part.  That's my favorite.  I only wish they could do a different voice for Mary.  That would good.  Oh well.  I loved hearing Nate's stories about the anti's on the streets.  So sad that they can be so close to all that goodness, yet so far away.  I hate the signs and the stupid handouts that they try to give my kids.  Makes me mad.  But anyway- the Spirit is so strong.  The Church is so true. 6-21-14

Things to Remember Week of 8-17-14

BLACK BEAR DINER
We met up with Nate's family at the Black Bear Diner and had some yummy food.  If you bring a teddy bear, kids get to eat free.  One kid per adult of course.  Reagan and Eli were visiting from New York, so it was fun for the kids to hang out with them for a little while. 8-19-14

LOFT BED
We found a great deal on a loft bed on KSL, so while we were out in West Jordan we went and picked it up!  I was so excited! :).  The things that excite me :).  We brought it home and did some more work on the bedrooms!  We got the twin bed out of the girls' room and moved the bunk bed over.  I put together the loft bed with very little instruction, all by myself :).  I'm proud of myself :).  Then we moved the dressers underneath the loft bed.  Now we just need to rearrange the decor.  Looks good though, definitely more roomy.  8-19-14

BACK TO SCHOOL KJH
Charity and I got to go to KJH for Back to School night.  We got to walk around the school from class to class meeting her teachers and getting to know their teaching style a little.  It felt really informative for how short it was.  Five minutes with each teacher didn't seem like it could possibly be useful, but I feel really good about 7th grade for Charity!  I was really impressed with all the honors and academic classes she chose.  I already knew what she had chosen, it was just interesting to witness it all in that format.  She is going to have her work cut out for her it sounds like, but I know she can do it.  One class, her National Academic League class, as the teacher was describing it made me so nervous!  It's a class that combines English, Math, Social Studies, and Science and basically prepares them for the competition team in January.  I was thinking, 'oh man, I would transfer out of this class!  Sounds stressy!' I really had no idea what that class was when Charity signed up for it.  So then as we were walking out of the school after that class, I told Charity I was surprised by that class because I didn't remember her signing up for something like that and she was surprised that I didn't remember and then said, "Doesn't it sound AWESOME though!!"  I couldn't help but smile.  It is definitely right up her alley.  She LOVES competition.  She loves trivia, and she's REALLY good at it.  It did sound awesome for her :).  I'm so excited for her year ahead.  I hope she can keep up with all the work and have a good time still. I want to be as much help as I can.  She's going to do great.  Sidenote:  I would love to meet the person who numbered the classrooms in that school... made no sense at all.  Otherwise, it seems like a cool school. :).  8-20-14

LIGHTNING AND MILKSHAKES

Wednesday night, as I was driving home from YW, I was craving a Dylan's (half off after 8:00) shake. I wanted to go get one, but not have to share it with the kids (horrible, I know), so I decided I would just go get it and then park at the ponds and watch the lightning (because there was an AMAZING light show going on). But as I pulled in to Dylan's I realized I was missing something... MY KIDS!!! I was wishing they could see the lightning, and even though it was WAY too late, I decided they needed an escape from the house, and a yummy treat :). So I called Kelly and found out that some of the kids were already asleep (of course, the ONE TIME they fall asleep before I get home!) so I instructed her to send out the kids who were awake, and that we were going to go get shakes. She was kind enough to volunteer to stay with the sleepers as long as I brought a shake home for her :). When I pulled up all 6 little kiddos (Jack in Bradley's arms and Erika in Kelly's- still half asleep) were waiting at the door :). Funny kids. I was so happy though, to have them all there. We drove slowly down the frontage road so we could enjoy the lightning. I love those moments with my family. I feel like I don't let them happen often enough anymore. I'm too busy trying to keep order that I forget how fun spontaneity can be. So we went and got our shakes, and most of the kids couldn't finish theirs, and they ended up in the freezer to get ignored, but it was fun and memorable to me. I hope my kids know how much I love them and enjoy their company. Lightning is just not the same without them! Charity missed out on this activity because she was at a friend's house, but we missed her. 8-20-14

JACK JACK
Poor little Jack got sick last night.  Came to my bed as he has pretty often ever since putting him in the toddler bed, and I let him climb in.  Unfortunately he started coughing and when I rolled over to help him find a more comfortable position and as I discovered he hadn't just been coughing.  All over my pillow.  So I took him in the bathroom to finish up and then undressed him and bathed him.  It's really been a long time since we had throw up in our house.  I am not sure why that is, but oddly enough I just finished putting some of my throw up posts from 2011 in my blog book and was thinking the same thing.  I am not sure how that happens, but I need to make sure I don't think about that stuff, because it always happens after I talk or think about it :).  Jinxed it.  He was a sweety and totally cuddled with me all night on the couch as we watched movie after movie and took little barf breaks in the bowl.  Jack is just like the rest of our kids, he tries to just swallow it and keeps it in as long as he can.  He hated having the bowl in front of his face too, so it was a little messier than it needed to be.  Is this TMI?  Anyway.  It was sweet that he actually wanted me.  Nate had gotten up to clean up our bed while I was bathing Jack and then came down to offer to take him, but Jack wanted me :).  Made staying up all night worth it :).  He is doing much better today.  I am hoping it was just something he ate and not something that's going to go around to everyone in the family/neighborhood.  We'll see I guess :).  8-21-14

GIRLS!!
Friday night the boys (well, Bradley, Luke and Noah) were invited to Evan's surprise birthday party.  The girls, Nate, Jack and I all wanted to have a party of our own.  We left Nate home so that he could go visiting with his Presidency, and took the boys up to Evan's.  The weather was bad and the traffic was bad, so driving just there and back with a stop at Walmart for snacks took us almost three hours.  Kind of a bummer, but we made it work :).  We came home, set up the Netflix (we used to use Steve's account, but since he rarely pays and changes his password frequently, we decided to get our own free trial), and watched Turbo.  This was Kelly's and Erika's first time seeing it.  We ate our yummy snacks, said goodbye to Nate (had to work the mid) and watched our fun movie!  It was a blast :).  I had no idea how much these girls liked late nights and that staying up to watch a movie could be so much fun for them.  They turned down my other ideas for the evening.  Which was good because they wouldn't have worked with our time frame.  About 2 minutes away from the ending credits of Turbo, Erika announced that she was going to throw up (I should say that shortly after we started the movie, she told me her tummy was hurting a little and she then stopped eating the snacks).  Fortunately we had a big bowl sitting right in the middle of the room we had been using for wrappers :).  I quickly dumped it out on the floor and got the bowl in front of her face just in time for her to use it!  It was really awesome actually, the timing of it all.  I was impressed with how well she held it in until the bowl was there.  It was so sad though.  We all felt bad for her and decided we would stay up with her and watch another movie... aren't we sacrificing :) ("we" being Charity and Kelly of course :) - I was in it for the long haul, movie or not :) ).  Erika threw up SEVERAL (and I mean A LOT) of times all night long.  It wasn't until about 6:00 in the morning that she finally fell asleep.  We had watched about 4 movies by then.  Charity and Kelly had ditched us well into the second one :).  It was a very long night.  Poor little Erika.  She was so tough the whole time, only cried a little and just wanted to be cuddling a lot.  It's always nice for me when they like to cuddle at night like that.  Wouldn't have it any other way.  She was a sweetheart too, kept kissing my face :).  I knew I was in for it with the germ swapping.  I kept dozing to sleep minutes before she would throw up and she would just sit up and cover her mouth really fast until I could grab the bowl.  Such a funny night.  I was glad I could be there for her though. 8-22-14

SATURDAY
I needed to catch up on some sleep after having to all-nighters this week, so I was more than happy to take it when Nate offered to let me sleep.  I couldn't get to my bed fast enough.  It was about noon by the time he had gotten home from work and while I had mostly laid on the couch all morning anyway, my bed was totally calling my name.  I got up there and fell right to sleep with the hopes of getting four or five hours of sleep.  Unfortunately there were other plans that took precedence.  I woke up to the sound of a chain saw.  For some reason in my sleepy state I totally thought it was Bradley using it.  Not sure why.  I was thinking that Nate was probably helping him with it, but after about 20 minutes of laying there just listening to it, I had to get up and see.  I looked out my window and sure enough, there was Nate, Gary, Travis and Bradley chopping up our dead Quaking Aspen.  Of all the days in the last year that we've talked about cutting that thing down, they chose the one day that I needed to sleep!!  I was annoyed :).  Needless to say.  It was all good though.  It was nice to see Bradley outside working his little pants off.  I had to have sympathy for Nate.  He had worked the mid and had little sleep that morning.  I know it was not his idea of a good Saturday afternoon activity either.  We're of course happy to have it over with and to have had the help.  I"m not sure who it was really for.  I think Gary wanted it done most :).  Either way though, it really opens up our yard and feels kinda nice.  I'm not sure what I'll do with that corner of the yard now though, with the stumps and all... we'll have to see.  Anyway- funny Saturday.  I was kinda sick most of the evening and worried about what I would do for Sunday if I were to get REALLY sick.  I would have needed lots of subs.  Luckily nothing happened :)...  Not before Sunday anyway. 8-23-14

Things to Remember Week of 8-10-14

SUMMER ENDING
I feel like this Summer has already been snuffed out.  I don't know what it is.  We haven't been on any fun adventures lately, and it feels like all we do is sit around.  For some reason, I keep getting the feeling that that is okay, and possibly good for us right now, but it feels weird anyway.  I like being busy and feeling like we're making the most of the Summer.  I do like letting everyone just chill and relax, so I guess it's okay.  I'm so not looking forward to school starting!  I want longer summer!  Either way, it's coming.  I will have to come to grips with it I guess.  Charity is VERY excited and really can't wait for 7th grade!  Kelly is excited as well.  I'm not sure how Bradley feels, maybe a little indifferent.  Luke is not looking forward to it and Noah seems to be content with summer :).  We'll see how these last two weeks go.  I want to do something fun... not sure if I can talk everyone else into another camping trip or not :).  8-11-14

FHE
Bradley gave a lesson from his Scout book about making tough decisions/being honest.  I thought he did a great job even though it was very last minute-ly planned :).  Jack's activity was the park- so we all went to Barnes Park.  The kids all took turns being timed running around the playground.  It was fun to see how many seconds they could shave off of their previous time.  They are all such good runners!  I love to see them go.  8-11-14

BEDS
Tuesday I found a killer deal on a bunk bed on KSL.  I was SO happy to finally be able to change things around for the kids and make their rooms more comfortable.  Kelly, Jack, Erika and I drove down to Salt Lake to get the bunk bed.  Then we stopped in Farmington to pick up some mattresses (another killer deal). We brought it all home and got to work.  It was a lot of work too!  Here's what we did.  We took Brad and Luke's bunk bed apart (made it into two twin beds).  Put one in Noah's room for him, got rid of the crib and put Noah's toddler car bed in place of that for Jack.  Then we put the other twin bed in the girls' room for Erika and got rid of her broken (but oh so cute :(, I'm totally going to miss it) toddler bed.  We hope this is temporary for her because I'd like to get a loft bed for the girls' room.  THEN I spent the rest of the evening putting together Brad and Luke's new bunk bed.  Took me quite a while.  There was a lot of crazy chaos in the meantime as well.  Not that I didn't expect that.  When Mom's trapped up in the bedroom the kids are free to do whatever they please :).  I was pretty proud of myself that I got it put together with very little trouble.  It looks great!  All of the bedrooms look great!  I feel so relieved to have accomplished this and feel so much better about how the kids can sleep at night.  They will be more comfortable.  8-12-14

JOSEPH SMITH MOVIE
For Mia Maid activity tonight, we went downtown for the Joseph Smith movie.  I LOVE that movie!  It was a lot of fun to see it on the big screen again.  I can't believe how heart wrenching so many of those scenes are.  No matter how hard I try to hold back the tears, I just can't!  It's so intense!  I cannot believe all that Joseph Smith and Emma- all of the early saints for that matter- went through.  It is testament to me that the Church is true.  I don't see how anyone would think otherwise after witnessing that story.  I had to thank my Heavenly Father at the end that I was blessed to be born a member of this Church and that I have always known of it's truthfulness.  I feel so blessed.  I loved listening to the Yong Women talk on the way home :).  They have the funniest conversations.  Sometimes I think it would be so fun to be a teenager again.  Fun girls.  8-13-14

SCARY BUDDY
I waited around all morning, worrying about what would happen when I had to leave for little things, because someone was supposed to come pick up all the leftover stuff from the yard sale.  Well, turns out, he came, saw Buddy on the porch, got scared, and just left!!!  I am so weirded out by the fact that he didn't just call or even honk, to get me to put Buddy inside.  Maybe he has some phobia or something, I don't know, but it sure is irritating to still not be able to park my car in my garage.  I'm kinda done with all the crap.  Although, we have benefited from a lot of the clothing and other things.  Can't pass up free :).  8-15-14

SEVENTH GRADE RALLY
Charity has been dying, waiting for school to start!  She is so excited to be in 7th grade!  It really is pretty thrilling to think about Jr. High and all that is ahead for her this year.  I am excited for her.  She got to go to her 7th grade Rally on Friday.  That was really cool and makes things seem all the less nerve-racking I think.  We got the email reminding us about it and it specifically says, "this is for the students only, parents are not invited".  I was relieved to KNOW what was expected because there's always that question- do I make time in my schedule for it and be there and be available, or is it something I can drop her off at.... just cleared things up for me- but for Charity, she was not as relieved!  She had been planning on me being there.  I felt really bad (and not just because of how crazy that morning was) because she started getting really worried about the whole thing on the way there.  It hadn't even occurred to me that she might be nervous for this since she'd been so excited as well.  We talked about it a little and then I kicked her out of the car (not literally).  She was so cute and seemed like such a little girl, walking up to that big Jr. High.  I could see her eyes welling up with tears and watched her as she watched me drive away.  She was so sad.  I thought she was going to cry and that made me cry and then I was just a big mess all the way home.  Well, turns out she WAS about to cry!  She said that until she caught sight of a few familiar faces from Columbia, she was pretty scared.  I'm glad she found her friends, and put herself in a group and managed to have a really good time taking the tour and learning all about Kaysville Jr.  I had to redeem myself and take her out to ice cream "on our way" home as she talked all about it.  It's really fun to experience these things with her.  I'm really just getting anxious for her to begin this next adventure.  I know she's going to do so well!  8-15-14

PRACTICING CHARITY
Charity and I along with all the YW who were up for it, got to go to the Church History Museum.  The main reason we were there was to experience the "Practicing Charity" exhibit, but we did get to explore the whole museum.  I really loved the art exhibit.  It was really cool.  At first glance I thought most of the paintings looked ridiculous, and I'll admit I have a hard time appreciating that kind of art, but after a closer look and reading the descriptions of each picture, I was almost in tears while looking at several of them (I think this is an example of how I am more moved by words than by art).  There were a few that kinda tweaked my heart a little, with Moms holding babies, after having found out that morning that I am not pregnant (again).  Kinda hurts when I think about how much I wish to hold a baby of my own again.  I am learning to tuck those feelings away though.  Save them for a different time or maybe not at all.  I LOVED the picture of the kids climbing all over the Mom and the description of how a woman has to sacrifice many parts of herself in order to be a mother.  It was so true and just felt so familiar.  Makes me proud to know that I have managed to do that.  I do sacrifice so much for my family.  I am glad that I do.  I feel like it gives me the opportunity to enjoy it so much more.  I don't have a lot of extra distractions.  I'm happy to do it too.  This is what I've always wanted to do.  It's my life!  We played in the little kids area, danced in the mexican dancer skirts, saw the tapestry sewn with the girl's hair and took our picture with Angel Moroni, and then it was time to go.  The highlight for many of us, on this trip, was the Brusch's Waffles!!  They are so delicious!  We stopped there on the way home and stuffed our faces.  So yummy.  Made the outing complete :).  8-16-14

THE WARDLES
On Saturday we FINALLY got to have the Wardles over!  It was so exciting for me :).  I could hardly clean I was so happy to have Andrea come.  Nate smoked some chicken fingers and got the yard looking nice.  They came and we all sat and talked while we ate dinner, then came inside for some dessert.  Then spent the rest of the evening- and they stayed til 12:00 so it was a rockin' evening!- playing cards!  It was just like the good ol' days with Andrea!  I think it's been a while before we were that comfortable again.  I am not sure what it was.  It was a lot of fun though.  I really appreciate her friendship.  She's been such a good friend to me.  I know I rarely deserve friendships that good, so I'll take it whether I deserve it or not :).  The kids all got along well and got in on some of the games, so it was a lot of fun.  I so wish she didn't live in Spanish Fork.  But either way, we need to get together more often.  8-16-14

Things To Remember Week of 8-3-14

NEW BUILDING
We started going to church at our new time and place on Sunday.  I keep trying to emphasize to the kids that it's still the same RELIGION, just a different BUILDING, since we keep saying that we're "going to a different church".  I don't want them to think otherwise :).  I like the change.  I'm good with it.  It's different, and we can't really walk to church anymore, but really, it's no big deal to me.  I like the bigger rooms and the similarities to my old building growing up :).  8-3-14

FUNDRAISER YARD SALE/ BBQ
It finally came and went!  We did it!!  We were asked to host the "Davis County Yard Sale" in behalf of Jared. There was a lot of off and on, planning and cancelling, so it sort of sneaked up on us, but we were able to get out flyers, put ads on KSL, round up donations from local businesses, smoke all the meat and finally pull it all together.  Took me a whole day to go through all the crap leftover from the previous two yard sales, and the whole time I was complaining about what crap it was and how it wasn't going to bring in enough money to be worth all my work, and honestly, I still don't think it did :), but it was all good :).  I had a few young women come and help me out, that was so awesome, and so many people from the ward brought things for us to sell.  That was much appreciated.  Those were the things that actually sold, thank goodness we had them.  The food was, I think, the biggest hit!  Nate did an AMAZING job on the pulled pork.  I was so proud of him the whole day.  He just shined!  And not just from sweat, he really was the BMOC.  He had done it!!  I was just so proud of him!  Did I already say that?  His raffle prizes brought in close to $600 as well, which was pretty awesome.  Altogether we made close to $2500.  I think that's awesome.  Mostly from sandwiches.  We had so much help from everyone, I don't think it really could have happened without them all.  Heidi and John helped a ton.  My mom, Simon did his little massage stand, brought in $50.  I was just so pleased with all the help, all the support from neighbors and friends, and family... it was really cool.  I hope it meant something to Jared.  I'm glad we were able to do something.  8-9-14

Things to Remember 7-27-14

SABBATH DAY
I got really annoyed in YW this week.  I found out in the library, before church, while trying to get a tv and other supplies for my lesson that I'd been stressing over for the past 2 weeks, that "there's no way there will be time for a lesson"!  Liesl said that she was coming into YW to talk about Girls Camp and it was going to take up the whole hour.  I got really bugged because nobody had mentioned that at all!  I wasn't just bugged, I was really mad actually.  So we sat through a good half hour of random camp stuff, handing out shirts and talking about dress code and such... totally not Sunday related which kind of bugged me.  Then when there were about 10 min left, they had us split into classes for a lesson.... WHAT?!!!  That made me mad too!  I had totally turned off lesson mode!!!  Clearly I had lost the Spirit and was no longer ready to teach.  So I muddled through a few of the points I'd wanted to share while the girls got distracted by EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN!!!  I couldn't believe how rude and disrespectful they were.  I was ready to freak out at them.  Even when I asked, "Do you guys want a lesson or not?" they actually said, "No."  It was irritating.  So anyway.  So much for the lesson on Covenants and why they are important.  I hope they learn that somewhere else at least.  I'm still mad in case you can't tell.
So then we went to our Marriage and Family class and it was so wonderful :).  The lesson was on Mothers.  I wish I'd been in a better mood, but it did help a little.  Sis. Pickering said some really nice things about me and my kids and had me talk about how to give seven kids attention (which I'm still not sure how to do).  It was a nice pleasant experience though.  I loved the motivation to do better- it wasn't even mother's day :).

I loved the walkabout this week!  I'm not sure why it was so wonderful, but I really enjoyed it.  We got to sit and talk with Bro. Hill about his awesome talk in Sacrament meeting, the Maughans, the Scott's and Lever's.  I enjoyed it.  I stayed late to talk to Heather about school teachers.  I loved it.  7-27-14

MR. HUGHS
So we got our teacher letters on Friday.  I was happy with most of the teachers my kids got, except for Noah.  They decided to put him in the "funnel class".  In the letter it says that they will meet with Mrs. Horning (who is new this year to our school) for half the day on Monday through Thursday and then the last half of the day, and on Fridays, they would go to different classes.  I was a little annoyed with this.  After having Kelly go through what she did last year with the Masterson/Paver class, I just went into panic mode.  I do NOT want to do that again.  So Becky and I (Katherine got the same teacher) decided to go talk to Mr. Hughs on Monday.  It was a productive meeting.  He explained their intentions and the choices they'd been faced with in making the decision to do the funnel class.  I kind of think that having three large classes would be better than making my son be shuffled around, but either way, it's happening.  I don't think I have much choice really.  He said that the kids in the funnel class were hand picked by the Kindergarten teachers because they were labeled as kids who could handle that kind of situation.  They would be able to adapt and be just fine with it.  Parents too.  I so wish I could understand why the good kids have to have the raw deal all the time.  It happens ALL THE TIME.  Kinda makes me want to teach my kids to squeak more.  Be more vocal about how they feel about things and make a big stink when things aren't right.  Then maybe they could be catered too like all the other people.  Not really, but I do get sick of it.  So I guess we'll just let it go. I feel so much more motivated to make sure that things are right this year though.  I think I was spoiled for four years at Holbrook.  The teachers there were amazing.  I wish I'd not taken that for granted.  I will have to be more vocal this year though, so I don't have all the regret like last year.  Kinda stresses me out to think about school though, so I think I'll just put this away til August 25th :).  Back to Summer.  7-28-14

FHE
For Family night we did a lesson on the Armor of God.  We watched the old Seminary video and then had Bradley put on the pieces of armor as we talked about all of them.  I really enjoyed it.  I probably should have let Noah do more of it, since he was the lesson, but he's not used to doing a lesson- he always just picked an activity, so now that we are doing one of each, it's going to be a little tricky I think.  I need to be more prepared.  We played Bluff after and then had donuts, courtesy of Becky and her buy one get one free dozen of donuts.  7-28-14

BREAKFAST WITH JULIE
I got to meet up with Julie today for Breakfast!  I love it when she takes time out of her busy visiting schedule to hang out with me!!  I miss Julie.  She's probably one of my most favorite people on the planet.  It's always good to get together and feel like it hasn't been a year since we did last.  She's a good friend.  I so wish she could have moved back to Utah and not Colorado this time.  Bumbs me out.  But that's okay, I'll take what I can get!  The Big Bear Diner lived up to the hype that Nate's mom has given it :).  It was such a nice morning.  Time to pack for Girls Camp!  7-29-14