Whirlwind Weekend

This last weekend more guests visited the Zoo than usual, and we loved every minute of it. Aurora was baptized on her birthday, June 20th, and we had Grandma Scott, Grandparents Hibbert, and Walker family (cousins) come to town for the event. It was great to have all the support and wonderful to see everyone again.

Grandma Scott got in town Wednesday evening. Hibberts got in town late Wednesday night and Walkers, not until Saturday morning. Thursday afternoon, after Hibberts were able to catch up on a little bit of sleep, they picked up Patrice and came up here. We kids jumped into the pool and played. I don't like getting in the water very often when it's over run by kids, but I got in and splashed around a little. Xela and I ended up getting in a noodle spitting contest which was a lot of fun. Nate actually got in, which he doesn't often do. He gets in his suit and will play in the smaller pool. It takes a little encouragement and push to get him to put the arm floaties on and get into the pool. Once he did, he was the last one out. Here's a picture of Nate and some other assorted pool pics. My little ones wanted to try out Jayden's wave runner. Jayden wasn't so keen on getting in at first but after floating around for a minute or two, was okay. He was also okay to get out and just play with Patrice.

After swimming and homemade pizza, we packed into the cars and went to Xela's soccer game (it didn't rain for once!). Because there weren't enough players to have four teams, like usual, they put all the teams together and played their hour long game. It was more like bunch ball than othre games had been, but it was still fun to watch. The younger siblings and cousin, because a field was free, played with a soccer ball and had their own little game. Nate's a pretty good little player and Neta has a future in the goalbox.

When the game ended, JT took Jayden home and Patrice came over with Mom and Dad and we opened presents for Neta (I told you we'd do something when the grandparents got here). "My toys" became the phrase of the night. She opened a dress first and when I asked her "what is it?" she responded: "Princess!" and had to put it on. She loves her new clothes. She is also still insistant about her age.

We sent the kids to go watch a movie and we adults had some ice cream and conversation. By ten o'clock everyone was heading out and to bed to rest up for Friday.

Friday we had lunch on the canal, so the daddy's could join us. JT works just minutes away and Eric's building is on the canal. Neta slept through most of lunch.

Eric was able to take the rest of the day off, which was an unexpected suprise. Because it was around 92 degrees, we were going to go to Holiday Park but decided to go to the air conditioned downtown library instead.

Graigry made a magnet shape creation while Mommy practiced her ABC's.

Neta lounged around for a photo shoot with Grandpa.

Jayden and Patrice took a nap.

We went home after about an hour and went swimming again. After a good swim, we packed up and went to Chuck E Cheese (nothing wrong with pizza for dinner, two nights in a row, right?) The kids had fun playing the games. JT played a little basketball with assists from Jayden. Eric and I had some competetive games of basketball and skeeball. He got a lot of lucky shots and beat me in both those games. I won in air hockey though. If you ask Eric he'll say I cheated. Whatever.

Saturday was the day we'd been waiting for. I asked Grandpa to be the designated photographer as my battery was running low. Aunt Amy made a beautiful baptism dress for Ro. (I'm so glad she's willing to do that. The girls LOVE their dresses. They feel like princesses.) So far, it's been great that the girls have been able to be baptized on their birthday. I don't know how many kids that is going to work for, but I'll take what I can get. Patrice and Grandma Scott gave talks. Her confirmation was beautiful, much about missionary work among her family and friends. Afterwards I wanted a picture as a family and we were waiting for someone to come to the foyer. Well, in the waiting and playing, Nate and Neta smacked each other. I had to comfort without laughing at the two of them. Nate recently is always running into things with his head.

We came home for more swimming and a cookout with family and friends. That was fun and those without sunblock ended up with sunburns.

Sunday we all went to church. Mom and Dad went with Patrice because her sacrament meeting was at nine. Mine started at one, and because I was speaking, Mom and Dad sat through another half of a meeting before having to race to the airport to their flight.

It was WONDERFUL to be together and have Mom and Dad around. They are such great examples to me of what you are supposed to be. I hope I can be as successful as Mom and Dad with my family. I can't wait until we're able to get together again.

Happy Birthday to Neta

So we had the June Birthdays party, but as Sunday was Neta's official birthday, I baked a cake for her. She fell asleep on the way home from church, so she missed dinner and dessert with the family and missionaries. When she was ready to eat at 7 o'clock, Eric fed her and then after the girls were in bed, she got her cake and ice cream.

We didn't sing Happy Birthday, but we lit two candles and she tried to blow them out, but was overblown the first time and chastizes her father. She also doesn't believe me when I tell her how old she is. What do I know, I'm just her mother.

I lit the candles again so Neta could have another chance at blowing them out. She was sabatoged, again, and again she chastized the perpetrator.

Third times the charm and then the previous perpetrator gets denied.

Now, this last one, Neta started to sing Happy Birthday by herself, which of course I missed and then when I turned the camera back on, instead of singing the song, she did an animal impression.

I'm not feeling too guilty about her neglected birthday because I'm sure we'll do something when Mom and Dad get out here and, she's two (despite what she thinks) and doesn't really know about the loot she is supposed to get.

Fruitful Festivities

Within a group of friends there are 14 people that have birthdays in June, so for the last couple of years we've all gotten together and had a birthday party at our house, birthday party meaning cookout and swim. It was decided that Saturday June 6th would be the best day as other weekends are booked and it was no one's official birthday on the sixth (although I keep mistaking Neta's birthday for the sixth and not the seventh).

The younger kids came early so they could swim before the big kids and their splashing took over. Even though the water was 72 degrees (perfect for Eric, a little chilly for everyone else) we all enjoyed ourselves. The kids didn't seem to mind the coolness and it really wasn't that bad as long as you got all the way in and moved around. I enjoyed playing for a little while, once with the smaller kids and once with Stacy and Emily while the older kids ate.

Alison made a cake and put a calendar on it. Then, everyone with a birthday took a candle, wrote their name on a piece of paper and stuck it on their day. She's so creative. We sang happy bithday and then blew out candles. The kids immediately swarmed around the sweet treats and we filed them into a line and divied out the cake and ice cream.

Adults visited, kids played, adults played with kids and I believe everyone generally had a good time.

Here are a few other pictures from the evening.

Addie Cooper shares a birthday with Aurora, just seven years apart.

Rebekah Sorenson with Addie. Danyelle Sorenson with Neta (Neta went straight to her after her nap, no hello Mom, just Danyelle and who cares where Mom is). They are both marvelous with kids.

Mike Cooper posing for the camera girl, who happened to be his wife Emily. She took the following pictures.

Nate and Kristina finished with bumper cars and then played in dirty water (it was clean when we started the party).

The sweet sounds of SILENCE!

Yes, it's ten o'clock and I'm updating my blog. Eric is out of town, again, and I have a moment of quiet time so, instead of finishing a quilt (I don't have a yarn sized needle) or remembering to fix the holes in Xela's clothes for which I do have the right sized needle ("Mom, this one has a hole in it." "Oh, I forgot.") I decided that I would have two really big bowls of Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream (there was too much in the box to each straight out of the box. Using a bowl makes finishing the box not as piggish, right?) and update my blog. It's like scrapbooking and that's often what I do when Eric is out of town, but with this I feel like I get more done in less time.

So, Eric was in Baltimore, Maryland from Tuesday to Friday (which turned into Saturday morning thanks to a delayed flight). He left for Evansville, Indiana Wednesday after dinner and gets back tomorrow afternoon/evening. I've learned something about myself and have shared it with Eric. I reach my kid limit around 8:30 on most days, especially on school nights. It seemed like end of last week and Monday and Tuesday of this week, I was DONE with kids and their whining, fighting, yelling, arguing, "MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY"-ing, diapering and everything else associated with children. My poor husband thought I was frustrated with him and in part, yes, I would like that he help gather the kids for scriptures and prayer and diaper changes and hustle them off to bed, but both Monday and Tuesday night, a neighborhood friend who is awesome, came by to talk shop. I understand that Eric needs updated and evening is the best time for Chris, but I was too tired to deal with the five monkeys in my zoo. I'm sure it had a lot to do with the sleep deprivation from the prior weeks remodeling activities and not getting to bed any time before midnight any night that week. Thankfully, I've been able to do a little catch up on sleep and house this week, which has helped.

My cabinets are up and polyeurethaned. I should start mudding, but I'm still too tired to do that. Maybe tomorrow, I'll mud the screws, maybe. I think I bought appropriate shelving today (this being the third trip to Lowe's for shelves) so that I can add a second shelf to each of my cabinets. Who puts just one shelf in a cabinet? I mean, really? Then I can get rid of the old wall cabinet that has been sitting on my floor for over a year. Hooray for progress!!

Xela is in soccer. We signed her up at the YMCA near us. She had two practices and now is just games on Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30. I like just having it once a week, but the disadvantage is that there is little skill being taught. She is very much enjoying it, picked it over her grade's spring music concert tonight (first time I've had to be in two places at the same time; thank heavens for good friends/substitute moms). She has two more games and then will be done. She's a pretty good little goalie. Apparently, tonight, she was in goal and took a shot straight to the face and kept on going. I missed it, as did Emily, my substitute mom for the first half (I dropped Xela off before Emily got there), but she got a compliment from a dad of one of her teammates.

Hopefully I can find a more sophisticated league for next year that's close so she can learn things like passing and shooting. Ro wants to play too. It's not all the kids running around the ball in a huddle, but it's not too far from that. Mom and Dad will get to see Xela's last game when they come out for Aurora's baptism. Here are a few pictures from last week's game.

Last week's YW lesson was on temple marriage and I was teaching it as everyone else was not going to be there. I wanted to make it something that all the girls, no matter their family situation, would feel like they could attain that blessing. Our YW president had her daughter's wedding dress that I was able to borrow and have out for them to see. I had Xela's baptism dress and my temple dress, thinking I wanted to use the three white dresses poem, but that focuses more on baptism. I had those displayed, but I wanted to have a good hand out as a reminder to make temple marriage a firm and achievable goal. In my searching I found this great poem about a white hanger. I'll have to post it a little later as my computer isn't opening any word document at the moment.

Anyway, it was late Saturday night and I needed to make eight white hangers. Kmart had nothing as far as material or beads, so I called Michelle Dunahee and she, as usual, came to my rescue. She had two old white sheets she was getting rid of, some lace and white beads. PERFECT. I had plenty of white plastic hangers, so I started on my project. All the kids were asleep and I asked Eric if he wanted to help me. "Ahhh, No." But, the sweet thing that he is, he did sit down, size and cut material for each hanger, cut lace and beads and then, took the sewing machine from my side of the table and sewed the material in a fitted fashion around the hanger. He did a much better job than I did on my first two. I placed the lace on most of them and hand sewed them and the beads. While I was working on beads on one hanger, he started using the sewing machine to get the lace on in a quicker fashion and then I placed the beads over the stitches. Thanks to him I had a great hand out for the YW. He's such a super man!

Now that it's eleven o'clock and I've had some wind down and be me time, I think I'll go to bed. We're having a June birthdays birthday party on Saturday with three other families in our ward Dunahee's, Robinson's and Sorenson's each have at least two people in their families with birthdays in June. We will have a pool and cook out. It's become a June tradition for the last three or four years and this year I get to include Patrice in my June festivities as JT meets the June requirement. Hopefully this time, Jayden will come swim with us, although, it gets pretty crowded when all the kids get in.

Memories of May

So here we are the first day of June and I'm going to post a few pictures of May activities.

We moved Grandma Neta's swing set to our backyard as her daughter Deidra said that's what Neta would have wanted. The kids like to run and jump onto the swing on their tummies so they feel like they're flying, and sometimes flying upside down as you can see. These pictures are with my phone, so they're not the highest of quality, but that's okay.

They also like to play in the non-functioning big green van, which 9 year old Calvin (friend from Church who lives in one of our rentals who thinks the van is going to still be here when he turns 16 so that he can have it) has named KITT. This is Neta, in diaper and goggles, trying to climb over the one remaining bench.

We've had a handful of neighborhood activities, cleaning alleys, sprucing up Paige Booker Memorial Park (some jerks vandalized it, plus we had to get the weeds in control) and planting in the community garden. Here are a few from the clean up. Neta was such a helper, she wore herself out.

It's nine o'clock now and I have three kids that want to watch a movie, two of which had good naps. I'm still trying to catch up on my sleep from last week's construction project. I need an update picture. I polyeurethaned the cabinet doors today and hopefully will have the bases done tomorrow and have everything put back together by Wednesday morning.

One final note, just because we have a lesson this coming Sunday about personal records. I've written more in my blog than in my journal, so I guess this is now my journal. It's more fun, even though it's the same thing, just this is online. The lesson talks about how personal records of our ancestors can give us strength. Even though my posterity may not read this, I thought I would mention, quickly due to three restless kids that are driving me batty (is the movie for them or me???), three little prayers the Lord has answered for me during the month of May.

He fixed my car when it died every time it idled at a stop light coming home from school one day after I frantically prayed in my heart and mind that "please! I'm remodeling my kitchen, I can't pay for a car repair too!" No problems since that one day.

I went shopping at Aldi's and when we got back to the car, I put sleeping Nate back in his carseat and saw my debit card fall on the car's floor and saw my phone in the front pocket of my purse. After I sat in the driver's seat, I reached over to get the card and I wanted to use the phone, but couldn't find it. I had to get the kids from school and while waiting I searched the car and prayed. They got in the car, we drove back to Aldi to see if anyone had turned in a phone. Nope. I just prayed all the way home that I would find my phone. We parked in the driveway, I ran in, got the pin number to the new debit card (which I'd forgotten), got the land line and came out to the car to call my cell. We heard it ringing and found it under the front passenger seat. THANK YOU HEAVENLY FATHER.

This last Saturday, I had mowed the backyards and then went inside for a little bit. When I came outside to start the mower to do the three front yards, it wouldn't start. The tank was full. I checked the oil, it was low, so I filled it. Tried it again. No go. I asked Eric and he couldn't figure it out. I got the manual out and read the troubleshooting section. Checked the air filter and it was clean. I didn't know what to do and I didnt' want to buy another lawn mower; this one is just a few months old (yes it has a warranty, but who wants to go through all that on a busy Saturday when your grass is about six inches high from all the rain?). So I let it sit for about half an hour and, again, a silent prayer that Heavenly Father would fix the lawn mower because my front yards really needed some cutting. About 30-45 minutes later, I came back to the mower and it worked!!!

See, if it's important to us, it's important to Him, even if it's something as silly as a car, phone or lawn mower.