Week #38: Waking up with the Sun

This week...

...I canned pears and peaches. This year I was determined to catch them at just the right ripeness. They turned out great! Lainey was my helper. She ate a slice every time she circled around on her scooter.

 

These little wasp-ies were so annoying! They were swarming the jars, the fruit, and me! I finally got my fly swatter to bat them away and exterminate if necessary.

...I'm still waking up with the sun. Ok, I admit. I have missed a couple of days because I've slept in. But, I feel such a loss when I miss my 20 minutes with the sun.

Sept. 15th - the kids came out to join me

Sept. 16th

Sept. 17th

Sept. 21st-don't these look fake? or maybe like a painting?

...I got a flat tire on the freeway. It made for an interesting, and expensive, adventure. I went willingly into the madness that is Goodwill and came away, for the first time in a long time, feeling like I'd found some good deals. Then I rolled out onto the road and the flat tire fun began. I heard something weird, so I pulled over to check it out. I noticed nothing abnormal. So I drove. I didn't make it very far when I heard a horrendous, semi-truck-slowing-down sound and realized that the sound was coming from my car. So I pulled over. I tried calling Jason eight times unsuccessfully waking him. He sleeps with his phone on vibrate and is on nights, so I hoped against hope that he would wake up and be able to help me. In the end, I called for a ride and I went home to wake Jason up.

Here's the lovely flat. It was one mammoth nail that I ran over. We put our roadside assistance to work and had Geoff from Rad Towing come and change the tire for us. 1. Because I had no idea how to do it - there's life skills for ya. 2. Because Jason was half asleep.

He had it changed in a flash and we headed to Les Schwab.

...we had a crazy storm blow in. The wind really picked up and whipped through the neighborhood. The dark clouds rolled in, bringing lightning and rain. A wall of dirt rose in the southern distance and quickly overtook us. We were thrown into shadow within minutes of spotting the great dirt cloud on the move. These photos are courtesy Jason, who was on duty at the time. 

...we found Sara again. Sara Hamilton is one of Emma's good friends from last year. She was in Fifth grade when Emma was in Third. They rode the same bus and Sarah would often walk Emma home across the park before back tracking to her own home just so they could talk longer. I liked Sarah too. She was is well mannered, respectful, and sweet. Just the kind of girl you want your kids hanging out with. I encouraged Emma to get her phone number or address so we'd know how to contact her over the summer. Alas, we forgot...and the whole summer passed without word of Sarah and her well being. Oh, the agony! Then one day this week, Sarah appeared at the park and walked over for a visit. She stayed to talk with Emma, eat otter pops, and ride around the park. Before she left, we got her number and address. Now we know how to find her to drop off treats or call her to play.

...I went on a temple walk with my Beehives and then we stopped for hot chocolate.

Jaki, Emily Hale, Isabel, me

Week #37:Cucumbers and Donuts and Birthdays

This week...

...Benjamin and Claire had an EPIC 6th birthday party. Do you like my use of the word Epic? It's used everywhere these days. And I wonder to myself, do people even know what it means? Or do they just use it because its the hottest new word. Although I've seen it used as far back as 10 years ago. It just didn't catch on until now. Merriam Webster online says that epic is defined as 1. telling a story about a hero or about exciting events or adventures 2. very great or large and usually difficult or impressive 3. extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope 4. heroic. Now, I suppose i have used it correctly in describing Benjamin and Claire's birthday party. It was definitely an exciting event or adventure that we set out to achieve for them. It was impressive on my part to actually, in sanity of mind, knowingly invite 18 children for the party. Of those 18, only 14 came. But then you add in one attendee's little brother and Ben, Claire, Emma, and Paul and we were back up to 18. It was beyond the usual for us to have so many kids running around in the backyard and it was difficult to get them to listen to me at any given time during the hour long party. So indeed, it was an epic birthday celebration. Quite heroic on my part, actually. 

Here's the chaos around the table for the birthday song, cake, and ice cream. I made ice cream cone cupcakes for the kids. (They reminded me of birthdays at my friend Heidi's.) The kids loved them!

We tried to play some games outside, but quickly abandoned that idea. We started with Red Rover. Once I could get them to listen to me, we tried it out. Only we wrenched the arm of the poor little girl I was holding onto. Then we wrenched the arm of another little boy. They were both almost in tears so we moved on to Red Light, Green Light. It went well until a brother/sister pair got into a punching match. Inside we went for cake, ice cream, and presents.

Benjamin was excited to see the remote control truck from Danica.

They got art supplies from Peyton Greenhalgh - fun!

Taya knew just what to get for Claire - a horse!

Attendees included: Taya and Paxton Riner; Isabella and Jaron Sandoval; Afton, Eli, and Reid Bagley; Peyton Greenhalgh; Danica Schab; Jacob Wellman; Garrette and Daniel King; Grace Barney;  Sophie and Carson Buchannan.

Ben and Claire with their birthday cereal picks - Cookie Crisp and Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

...I've been waking up with the sun. It has been so refreshing, inspiring, and rejuvenating. I try to get out on the front porch at 6:30 so that I can watch and feel the sun gradually make its appearance on the eastern horizon. I take my scriptures and my scripture journal to read, ponder, and reflect. 

Sept. 12th

Sept. 13th

...we toured the human body. A giant inflatable human body that is. It was a quick run through, but it was fun to see the large heart, kidneys, stomach, liver and ribs. We read the facts quickly with animated voices to make it seem like they weren't learning and to keep their attention. We even got to slide through the esophagus. Before we went, Benjamin asked how we would get out. I said "We'll go in through the mouth and out through the bum." They thought that was a great prospect, but we went out at the waist.

We went in through the mouth, as I predicted.

Paul thought it was great fun to lean on the heart.

You can see the kidneys and liver as well as the spine. Claire is checking out the stomach.

...we hit the library again. I was feeling ambitious.The nice man brought out the building blocks and I lugged our stacks, yes stacks, of books to the self check out stand.

...the boys were being silly on the new couches. Finally, more seating. I love our new couches. They complete the room in such a great way.

Lainey wanted to join the fun and show off some tricks of her own.

...we had a great standards night for the youth. The Moons spoke and they did such a great job. When Brother Moon spoke, I felt like I was present at a Time Out For Women talk. He had us laughing one minute, feeling the spirit the next, and in awe at how he tied everything in his talk together. He was great. One young man from the audience helped read a quote and received a cucumber as his reward. At the conclusion of the night, we enjoyed donuts from Vierra's bakery. You know how much I love that combination - Vierra's and donuts. I went up to tell the Moons how much I enjoyed their remarks and I got a cucumber. Haha!

My spoils of the night made me think of the balance that is necessary in everything that we do. Especially in staying true to our standards. We can enjoy both the healthy and sweet treat just as we can enjoy the fashions and styles around us without going overboard. 

...Lainey packed her bag for preschool. I had to review what kinds of things go in the back pack. She still doesn't get it and we play that endless of game of her putting things in and me taking them out. It's great fun.

Week #36:Ms. Amy's finally ready for Lainey!

This week...

...we walked Lainey to her first day of preschool. She has been so excited all summer knowing that she gets to go to preschool, and with one of her favorite people as her teacher, Amy Buchanan. We've constantly put her off by saying that Ms. Amy is not ready for her yet. When I told her that she had to get ready for preschool Tuesday morning she exclaimed, "She's ready for me?!" Yes, Lainey, she is.

 

We walked with our friends, Daniel and Miles King. Daniel is in Lainey's class. Look at Lainey's face - Cloud 9, you can totally see it.

On Thursdays, our friend Paxton spends the day with us since his mom is at work. They are in the same preschool class.

Here's Ms. Amy helping Lainey write her name. Something she has not as yet attempted.

Ms. Amy was telling me about Lainey's Mother Hen nature on the first day of class. Lainey kept asking if it was her turn to read a story to the kids. Then she sat waiting with the jar of chalk in her lap. Ms. Amy informed her that she could use it on the chalkboard and Lainey replied, "I'm waiting to give it to the kids." I'm not surprised really about her mother hen-ness. That's how I was and still am.

 

See - waiting with the chalk.

It wouldn't be school without a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom art project.

She's so intent on her project. I'm sure she's glad that she finally gets to do them because we always tell her she's too little when we do them at home.

Working on tracing an S. This is her first real introduction to letters. I heard her singing that S says "aaaaa" the other day. Sarcasm intended, I think it's going really well.

...Lainey's been playing in the movie cupboard. She started out looking for a certain movie by pulling them all out. Then we noticed she disappeared inside as she stacked them all back in. And she was singing her own song the whole time.

 

...Lainey pointed to the nectarines in our Fresh Picks box and said, "This one has a bum."

...we had a severe storm and tornado watch that completely freaked my kids out. We loved watching the clouds roll across the sky before it began.

Me? I wasn't scared. I was just shaking in my boots, gathering flashlights and candles, and pulling down our 72 hour backpacks. Nope, not scared. Then it only lasted for about 27 minutes and I think everyone was bummed that we didn't have to get down in the crawl space to save our lives. 

Benjamin before the storm actually hit and we retreated inside. Paul's acting silly in the background. Once inside, we had the blinds closed so Claire couldn't see the lightning and the TV on so we could get weather updates. Claire also had on Jason's ear muffs from the shop so she wouldn't hear the thunder and rain.

Good thing I've been working on stocking our back packs up again so that we are prepared whenever the need may come. I got these backpacks in  our last ward as pottery barn knock offs. They've had random, long, embroidered names on them that I haven't ever bothered to cover, and we've used them! It's atrocious, I know. Emma and Claire were Alexandra and Adrianna respectively. I knew it was time to spruce them up, see the picture. They are stocked with one set of extra clothes, water bottles, crayons and a notebook, prepackaged toothbrush and paste, card games - Uno and Phase Ten, and individualized stay busy activities for each child. I will also include some type of snack that we'll trade out each time at General Conference, along with the clothes to keep them current. Jason and I will have a bag with first aid and preparedness items for the whole family.

...I went to an amazing event put on by a program called Inspire My Life. They came to the Tri-Cities and brought Jessie Funk (singer, performer, speaker), Katherine Nelson (singer, actress), Hank Smith (speaker), and William Joseph (concert pianist). It was so cool! I went with my sisters and Emma. Jason graciously stayed home and watched the kids. We met up with Jason's sister Lara and his mom at the event.

William Joseph by the event screen sharing funny, embarrassing moments from his life. He says to look for the humor in every day.

Me, Emma, and Lara with Jessie Funk. She said to show up for our life; live so that you have no regrets when you get older.

I first heard Jessie Funk's music when I was on my mission as I shopped at the local LDS bookstore. I bought the cassette and tucked it away for when I got home. I did use a couple songs in district meetings and visitor center training meetings to help me teach. (Our mission mom was really into using music at Zone Conferences and I think that's the only way I got away with it.) Since then I've carried her music with me in the car where I sing my heart out to a car full of sleeping babes when I drive home from seeing family in Mattawa.

I first heard William Joseph's piano music about seven or eight years ago when we lived in Ellensburg going to school. I love piano music. It's very stirring and therapeutic for my heart. His music was 10 times your ordinary piano music for me, and still is. Love, love, love it! When I told him that Emma is taking piano lessons, he told her to practice five times a week and be diligent.

Emma and I with Katherine Nelson. This is the best we could do, my camera was at home with my phone. I simply forgot the camera and my phone battery died, like real dead.

We first saw Katherine Nelson in the Liken video, Ammon and the King. She plays the part of Abish, a woman who lives among a wicked people but has been converted to Jesus Christ. If you have never seen Liken videos before, you need to check them out. They are fun, theatrical renditions of Bible and Book of Mormon stories alike with beautiful, heart stirring music. You're laughing one minute and feeling the spirit of the message the next. Katherine has since played the role of Emma Smith in the Legacy film about her life and released an album as an up and coming new country artist. 

Hank Smith was hilarious. Alas, I did not get a photo with him. Although, I did do some recruiting for Time Out For Women in Spokane. Haha! He said it was a tough bill performing with the three others with him because all he does is...talk. We were not disappointed though. He had just the right mix of laughing, teaching, motivation, and conviction. It was so great!