Bradley's Friend Party

BRADLEY'S FRIEND PARTY
Bradley has such a good group of friends this year- I'm really happy about them!  He planned a fun party to The Rush Funplex after going there with Nate for his birthday gift to Nate.  He ended up inviting eight friends, including Luke, and we all went up and had a fun afternoon playing Laser Tag, Go Karts, Mini Golf, Ball shooting thing (can't remember what it was called), Bowling... lots of fun!  I was so proud of Bradley and how he handled some of the friend drama and that he was able to let some of the things that went wrong roll off his back.  He is a good boy.  I'm really proud of him.  He seemed to have fun and so did his friends, so that was nice.  We came back for smoked chicken wings courtesy of Nate, and cake and ice cream.  Brad was so cute to ask me for a cake this year.  It was funny because I had been totally engrossed in the shirts, so it would have been the perfect day to buy an ice cream cake, but I was so flattered when he told me that he wanted me to make the cake because he liked showing them to his friends!  AWWWW!!!  I think his cake turned out really well for how much time I had had.  Rachel's comments made me feel like it was great too :).  And Brad was so sweet about it.  It was pretty cool.  I was happy to do it for him.  We did presents and then a few of the kids stayed for a Maverick run and a movie.  Fun night. 10-6-17

I took pictures at the Fun Plex, but they're on my phone.  I'll upload them eventually.

Brad's Family Party (along with everything else under the sun)

BRADLEY'S FAMILY PARTY (ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE UNDER THE SUN!)
We had such a busy week, we ended up cramming Brad's family party, friend party and actually birthday into it all!  It was a little too hectic if you ask me, but I think Brad felt good and celebrated.  It was three days of all-about-him, so how can you really go wrong?  Thursday was his family party.  Kelly had had a Lacrosse game and then Brad and Nate had Flag Football, so we hurried back from the game with some pizzas, cleaned up the house a little, party guests came and THEN Brad showed up for his party.  Charity and Kelly skipped out shortly after for Volleyball.  It was seriously nuts.  Didn't help that my mom and Simon and my Dad were the only ones who came- made it even more laid pack.  Plus with the shirts arriving that day.... I was distracted to say the least.  I had spent a good portion of the day making some AMAZING Nutella cupcakes which I totally thought would hit the spot with my Nutella obsessed birthday boy, but apparently his love for Nutella does not overcome his hate for frosting and cake.  Not sure why we even went the cake route this year, but it's all good :).  They were amazing!  I have to admit.  He got a new fishing pole from Grandpa and some money from Grandma.  So lots of fun to be had there!  10-5-17

Priesthood Session

We went up to Nate's parents' house for Priesthood session (after stopping on the way to rid our car of the horrid smell from Jack's shoes! We seriously pulled over and Kelly tossed them in a dumpster for me!!  They were THAT BAD!!  And then after consoling him and talking him off the ledge, made a stop at Walmart for some new- much COOLER and better smelling shoes).  It was fun, the kids all got to paint little Halloween crafts... lots of fun.  Nate and Brad had been able to go to the conference center with Lynn and his boys so that was pretty cool.  They got some ice cream and hot fudge and then we scrambled home!  9-30-17

Things to Remember Week of 10-15-17

PRIMARY PROGRAM
It was a big hit!!  I thought the kids did fantastic!  We got to show them my video during Sharing time and I think the Senior Primary really enjoyed it :) so that was fun.  I love having something to contribute.  10-15-17

I DID IT!!
I fixed the washer!!  I so wish I'd looked it up sooner, but I finally re-read the manual, looking for some troubleshooting ideas for why my washer was taking so long to wash, and sure enough, I'd missed that there is a pump filter that needs to be cleaned out monthly (how gross that we've owned it for over a year and a half and never done that!).  I cleaned it out and the problem was solved!  Along with the smelly problem!!  I am SO RELIEVED!!  It really is such a great feeling to not be trying to think of how to cover up that smell.  I will have to stay on this from now on.  So glad my machine isn't broken or something.  10-16-17

LUNCH WITH KENNI
I am so sad about this, but also so excited for Kenni- she is moving in two weeks!  Bums me out!!  AND she's having a baby that I won't get to see probably.  SO crazy!  But really, such a cool adventure for her family.  I will miss her and our lunches with Heather.  She's such a good friend. She invited me to their Young Women leader lunch (even though I'm not one), luckily she invited Alana and Erica too, so I didn't feel so out of place.  It was so much fun to be with everyone.  I wish we could do that more often.  10-16-17

FHE
We had a lesson on manners and privacy.  Pretty exciting game Nate made up to go with it.  Then Nate made my treat for us, no-bake cookies.  Fun stuff.  10-16-17

TUESDAY LATE START
I can't say I'm a big fan of the whole late start thing at the High School.  I know this is new for us this year and by next year at this time we'll be pros, but for now- it's not my favorite.  So far Charity or I have forgotten about late start almost every week.  We usually remember before we get to the High school by 7:20, but it's been really frustrating figuring out how to get her and the elementary school kids off at such similar times.  Whoever made the decision to have it start at 8:30 did not have elementary school kids at the same time.  Frustrating.  We are figuring it out.  This week I was surprised (not really, I had known about it for a while, it had just slipped my mind) with a morning side!  So I got to drive the girls to that at 7:00, then Luke to his play practice at 7:45 and then as soon as I got home, got a call from the girls that they were done and needed rides- so I went and picked them up, dropped Kelly off at  her school, then hurried home to get the Elementary kids ready so that I could take Charity at 8:30, then rushed back to the house, threw everyone together at the last possible minute- poor Jack still hasn't figured out that we need to hurry in the mornings- Erika too for that matter- and got them to Columbia at 8:45!  What a joke!!!  I am so glad that Bradley was able to catch a ride with the Nybos!  It really was a joke!  It's not always this crazy, but I hope we can get the crazy toned down a little bit- at least on Tuesdays.  10-17-17

ADVOCACY CONFERENCE
Well, I totally skipped out on the Advocacy conference.  Kinda mad at myself, but at the same time- it was just the wrong day for it!  I needed to be a mom and my house needed me to clean it.  It worked out for the best.  I was glad that I had made the decision to stay home until I ran into LeAnn Wood at the school.  She was so nice, but I wish I had called and not just emailed that I wasn't coming.  I need to be a little more reliable than that.  But it happens.  10-17-17

EVACUATION PRACTICE
Jack, Molly and I walked to the school to get the Elementary kids- it was evacuation practice day and there's always so many cars there, we just decided to bypass it all.  It was such a beautiful day!  Didn't even need jackets.  And more importantly I got to hear about everyone's day and all the cool stuff that happened as we walked home.  I loved it!  I need to do that more often.  10-17-17

WACKY WEDNESDAY
I missed Noah's little skit and bringing him his props.  Such a bummer.  Mom had been late because of a miscommunication and I had been dumb and didn't think to just go to the school with molly.  I needed to go to my Council meeting and was late for that too, but I was so sad about missing Noah's skit, it didn't even matter what else happened after that.  I hate being unreliable.  I was then late for Playgroup as well, luckily Erica Ward was still there and Emily came back from picking up Will.  So that was nice.  I needed playgroup this week.  10-18-17

WHITE DRESS
Erika, Kelly and I set out to find Erika a baptism dress and were pleasantly surprised with how quickly the whole process went :).  We went to Bliss- which happens to be a really awesome store for white dresses- she found about eight dresses that she liked- we took them back to the dressing room, narrowed them down to four, then two, then the most comfortable one in the bunch!  So fast!!  She's a good decision-maker!  The one she picked out is so pretty!!  And she looks so cute in it!  It's so different from Charity and Kelly's, which is fun, and is going to be so fun for her to have and wear for the next little while.  I hope hers fits her longer than Kelly's did.  I remember we were forced to get one that fit Kelly too well (almost too small) so she didn't get to wear hers as long as Charity whose was way too big to begin with :).  But anyway.  She was so happy about her dress and it was so much fun to do that with her.  We stopped at Walmart on our way home to get some things for Halloween costumes, and then picked up Buddy from Dan's.  It was a fun evening.  So glad we're making progress in the baptism department.  These things are not what it's about, so I like to get them done way before so that we can focus JUST on the covenants when it finally gets close.  10-21-17

Things to Remember 10-8-17

SUNDAY
Nate let someone have his shift so that they could go to church on Sunday, so we had to do church without him.  The pay off was having him home in the evening!  Especially for the family meeting!  Course, Steve dropped by right as we were finishing dinner, so we were actually an hour late for the family meeting.  Which ended up being kind of nice :).  We got to visit with everyone and eat all the yummy treats :).  It was a nice day.  Nice to have Nate with us.  10-8-17

K-9 ASSEMBLY
Jami and I went to the assembly on Monday.  That was fun.  I think the Ribbon Week people have done a great job with Ribbon week!  I think the kids especially enjoyed the K-9 assembly.  I thought it was cool :).  10-9-17

BASKETBALL TRYOUTS
Bradley had his much anticipated tryouts on Monday.  He was so mentally prepared for this!!  And totally nervous :).  But when I picked him up he was pretty proud of how he had done.  He knew there were a couple of really good kids that definitely made the team, but he was hopeful!  I was too!  We got our hopes way up there!!  It was a total bummer when we went back to see that he had not made the first cuts.  He was so brave to tryout though and I think he will be that much more prepared next year.  It's a tough gig for the 7th graders!  I was so proud of him when he came home the next day with all the Wrestling information!  He's definitely not a quitter!  10-9-17

INTO THE WOODS
Luke has started his play practices for Into the Woods.  I love how he gets into these things- he is really excited about the play.  He's going to be great!  10-10-17

DENTIST
Noah and Erika had their dentist visit on Tuesday- not good news for either of them.  We'll be going back in a couple weeks.  Then Charity and Kelly went later in the day and thankfully they both were zero cavities as well!  Couple watches for Kelz, but nothing to fix.  Charity has gone a whole year!!  Let's see if Nate gives her the $100 he promised her :)  10-10-17

RELIEF SOCIETY
We had an interesting RS night this week.  I was NOT wanting to go and had to keep talking myself into it all day.  I am so glad I went though!!  It was one of those times that I thought I might be going for someone else, but sure enough- I NEEDED IT!!  And it wasn't like usual, I was sitting with a totally new/random group of ladies and ended up talking with them the whole time!  It was so much fun!  I learned how to crochet the edges of the baby burp clothes with Delores's awesome yarn stuff... that was cool, made three of those and had a lot of laughs with Marjorie Moore.  She's so much fun!!  Erica Ward too- good times!  We had a three hour presidency meeting after that that left me feeling really weird, but I think we got all those kinks worked out.  It's an interesting group in those meetings... takes a little time to adjust to everyone else's way of thinking I've learned.  10-10-17

JACK'S FIRST FIELD TRIP
I got to go with Jack and his class to the Pumpkin Patch this week!  SO MUCH FUN!!  I just love my Jackie.  He's such a sweetheart to me and so much fun to be with!  We had a great time!  Liam was in our group and we just ran around doing everything we possibly could!  Bounce house, giant slide, zip line, corn pit!  Lots of fun!  They are such good boys it really was a breeze and fun to go with them.  Jack's favorite part was the bus ride :).  I love that Mrs. Piper purposely picks the pumpkin patch in Ogden because she knows the kids want a long bus ride :).  Love her!!  10-11-17

COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING
Our second meeting was this week.  Mr. Denhalter showed us the plans for the new drop off area- I so hope he can get that approved!  That would be so nice.  10-11-17

DENTIST
Jack and Molly had their appointment thursday- they both looked good!  Poor Molly was not in the mood to open her mouth for the Dentist.  When we got home she kept getting my attention and then opening her mouth really big- like she was showing me she DID know how to do it, she just didn't want to for him!  Stinker!!  10-11-17

CHARITY LUNCH
Charity has been having lunch at one of her friends' houses almost weekly since school started.  It's been quite the novelty to be able to leave campus for lunch that's for sure :).  I was so happy when she asked if she could have it at our house this week!  Nate went all out and smoked some pork for them and I made them some muddy buddies :).  Lots of other sides, fun convo and 25 minutes later, they were gone!  So fun to get a little piece of Charity's school world here at home.  10-11-17

SCHOOL
I keep meaning to write about how Molly is when we take the kids to school.  She begs and begs to go with us, even if Nate is home, she insists on going to "goo" with us.  Then when the kids get out, she cries about them not hugging her (when they don't), then even if they do, she cries all the way home!!  She's actually, this week, gotten a little better and has been easier to console, so that's been nice, but I love that she loves school :).  Or the idea of it anyway, and that she misses her older sibs.  They are so cute to think of her and hug her and kiss her goodbye.  Such good big sibs.  And she has been loving going and helping kids read in Jack's class.  She sits there with me and hands me their blue books, or just sits there and watches them :).  Then she pushes her chair over to the drinking fountain to get a drink... she is just such a big girl in her mind and has so much fun with all the other big kids!  HA!!   10-12-17

SCHOOL SPIRIT
Jami and I went over to the school on Friday to pass out the treats to the kids for wearing their school shirts :).  Kinda fun.  I am still not sure why we are doing all of this, but hopefully it's for a good cause.  I loved seeing all the kids and their happy faces about some Smarties :).  I love when the Primary kids come and say hi or give me hugs.  Makes me happy :).  10-13-17

FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH
Friday night was just a big bummer.  I'm just going to say it.  We had to take Noah down to Jarom's birthday party and we didn't get to do anything fun while we were down there.  I hated it.  I think everyone hated it.  Such a Friday the 13th kind of evening.  10-13-17