Happy Birthday to Neta

I guess I should have put something in about Neta before Aurora, seeing as her birthday was first. Oopps!! But now you'll read this one first so that's in order!

For the last couple of months, whenever we went shopping and Neta found something she wanted I told her, "Maybe for your birthday" and then it turned to her saying "I want this for my birthday" for everything she saw. She is still saying it.

Unlike last year, when she didn't believe she was three, she came to realize and accept her new age with joy. It did take her a few minutes after waking up to realize it was really her birthday. She climbed into bed with me and I told her it was her birthday. She didn't believe me. We'd been talking about for so long, she didn't think it would ever come I guess. No, sweetie, birthdays do come around, eventually. :)

We had cake and ice cream after dinner on Neta's birthday and the kids, who love giving presents, gave Neta a few homemade things (which i think is great) in the morning. It was a pink cake with pink frosting. Can you say girlie girl?

She's such a poser. Loves getting her pictures taken.

Now she's being a ham.
What is it with her and her tongue
(see other photo below).



Blowing out the candles.
I think in one breath. I think.

Helping the birthday be a day longer, on the 8th Grandma Hibbert's birthday package arrived. She had been looking forward to it, so I let her rip into it before the kids got out of school and she got a little play time as well.

Loving the Jesse doll

A new swimsuit.
She looks so cute in it & it's so much better than her old one.

Grandma Hibbert is a professional plastic wrapper.
Neta is trying to see what has been plasticked.

Lemon Merange & Plum Pudding are Pollly Pocket's new friends.

Getting in some playtime before the school kids get home.
What is Neta going to do when Nate goes to school?

An overall good week for this little monkey, I'd say. Here's hoping for a great fourth year! We love you Neta!!

Happy Birthday to Aurora

Unlike many other years, we let Aurora have a little birthday party with a few of her friends from school. With her birthday in the summer break, it's been hard, and I haven't made any effort, to get school friends over for a little something. This year, Aurora wore on us and I told her if she got phone numbers and addresses we would do something simple.She had four friends come over and they all seemed to enjoy themselves.

First we I let them design their own t-shirts with sharpies.
From left to right you have:
Lindsey, ro, Samara, Taylor & Ava

We did a few other games, which went a lot quicker than I expected, so I decided to move to the cake and presents.

Decorating the cake.
I decided the girls would enjoy doing that before eating it.

They seemed to have fun putting on sprinkles and arranging the candles. Eating it with some ice cream didn't seem to be disagreeable to them either.

After the cake and ice cream was, of course, presents.

This year was a horsey birthday.
I remember being ten and getting Breyer horse stuff too.

Taylor gave Aurora goggles which was PERFECT!!
No more whining at parents or Xela to borrow some.

She had two presents from friends and then they went into the pool for about an hour or so, again the goggles were immediately put to use. Thank you Taylor.

Playing in the pool.
It took a little encouragement to get some of them in the pool.
It poured the night before so the weather & the water were cool.

Once they all got wet, they made little games and plays that included pushing each other into the water. So funny!

They had a little song as part of one of their plays:
"Walkin' in the water! Wakin' in the water!"

Grandma's birthday packages arrived just in time for the opening before the girls left. Grandma Hibbert is always on top of things for the grandkids' birthdays. I hope I can be that good.

Opening presents from Gma Hibbert
Art supplies and horses, what more could a girl ask for?

While Aurora took a few last minutes with her friends, and left her unwrapped presents unguarded, the excited little siblings took advantage of the situation and had a good time. Can you blame them?

Playing with the horses & stable

Trying to get all the little horses to stand.

Aurora wanted a perfect day and I think it was pretty close for her. We didn't go to Ellenberger Park like we had planned, because it would have been soaked from the rain, but she did get to go swimming with friends and got many things on her birthday list.

June 2011 birthday party

So every year for the past several, we have a June birthday party with several other families from the ward that have birthdays in the month of June. For the last two years, we've done it on the evening of the Tour de Cure. It gives everyone a chance to cool off in the water and eat and relax together.

Here is a list of the birthdays we celebrate together:

Danyelle Sorensen June 3
Brian Sorensen June 10
Neta Scott June 7
Aurora Scott June 20
Alison Robinson June 4
Aaron Robinson June 7
Julia Robinson June 21
Max Dunahee June 23
Matt Dunahee June 18

This year we were going to add:
JT June 5
Nathan Brooks June 4

but JT and Patrice dropped off ice cream and left with to tired and cranky little boys and the Brooks were busy with visitors and other things.

In previous years we've had:
Addie Cooper June 20
Stacy Burnett June 17

Nonetheless, it's always fun to get together, even if yesterday we were all mentally and physically fried.

Kids always enjoy splashing around together
and the teenagers are so patient with the younger ones.

Neta waiting for a piece of birthday cake.

A candle was placed on the date of each person's birthday.
We sang Happy Birthday
then birthday people blew out the candles together.

Like I said, everyone enjoyed themselves, kids swimming and adult relaxing. I'm grateful for good friends with whom I can share my life. Friends that enrich this mortal experience and who I'm priviledged to count as family.

Tour de Cure 2011

Eric and I decided to join a bunch of other crazy people and ride our tandem 100 miles on Saturday. It was for a good cause, the American Diabetes Association, and it was to test our endurance in preparation for the Tour de Louisville 2011 coming up in July. After our 60 mile bike ride last week, in the 95 degree hot heat, Eric wasn't sure if he'd be able to make 100 in one day, as is written on the schedule for the youth trip. Even though I didn't want to spend the $30 to register us and I was fighting feelings of child abandonment (because we are gone biking so many Saturdays) I signed us up three days before the event and we went.

Eric and I were on our bikes by 5 am to get in a few miles before the sun broke. It was also raining so we put on some ponchos and took a long route to Dunahees. After waiting for a while, we biked off with Makayla and Max to the speedway. Before starting the event, we'd clocked 17 miles. Yea! Only 80 to go!

We checked in and got on the race track. Oh yea, the event, that had 14,000 cyclists (if I heard the announcer right) was on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That I think was something also exciting for Eric. And me, I'd never been to the Speedway, so it was something new for me.

We got on the track and waited 20 minutes while people said things that we couldn't really understand. Everyone was anxious to start and a bit frustrated with the delay. 100 miles is a long way and we all wanted to get started while it was cool and cloudy.

Ready and waiting to start

Eric and I debated about whether we were going to stay on the track or go out on the 75k and come back to finish the 100 miles on the track. Staying on the track seemed like fun, but then I knew 40 circles was going to get dull quickly and if the roads were blocked for the big intersections then scenery and diversity seemed like a good idea. We chose the 75k and then came back and finished on the track. I'm very glad we did because I would not have finished if I had to go around that boring track all day.

There was one group of riders, I believe it was Pulte homes and I don't know how many riders they had in their group, but they drafted and finished their 100miles in four hours. Watching them go around and the drafting, keeping a speed of 22-25 mph was cause for a bit of jealousy. Eric and I averaged 15.1 mph by the end of it all. That average was helped by the few times we met a downhill on the route and once got as fast as 34.8 mph. The pedals were going too fast for me at that point and I had to hang my feet out until things slowed down a little.

We got back on the track, finishing the 46ish miles between 10:30 and 11. That put us at 60 something. We finished our last 40 miles sometime around 2. Eric went around an extra time with Mason on the back to help encourage his mom, Michelle Dunahee and then Eric and I went around again to help encourage Makayla Dunahee on her last lap.

Eric had to kiss the bricks at the brickyard.

Mission accomplished!!
110 miles ridden in one day.

Everyone got a picture like the one above. I will say that walking the bike up the stairs was not a happy thing for my legs. Then, because the bike is a heavy bike and I was fried by that point, Matt Dunahee and Mike Sorensen helped us lift the bike above our heads, stepped out of the picture, click and then jumped back in to bring it down.

We were going to ride our bike home, but Super Sabra had been at the house with our kids all day and it was four o'clock before we left the track. I was feeling bad for her and Patrice was at the house. So I was the toad and we loaded our bike in the Dunahee trailer and were driven home. As soon as we arrived home, Patrice and family had to leave as their kids were fried from their Saturday activities.

I will say that the pool felt WONDERFUL on my feet. I sat with my feet in the water for maybe 10 minutes before I mustered up the energy to go inside and put my swimming suit on. A short relaxing swim was just what gave me the energy to get ready for the annual June birthday party that would start around six.

Family Trip to Utah

Bekkah decided to get married on May 7, so we Scott's left on May 2 to drive 22+ hours to Utah. It was a LONG drive, but SOOOO worth it. It was the first time the WHOLE family (excluding JT who stayed home to study) was together in about six years. Being with my Hibb Sibbs is always a blast.

Anyway, we loaded in the car and left after school on Monday, May 2. We had the car loaded (somethings on top) and kids loaded with homework and other activities for the journey.

Trying to get Disney's Tarzan to play as we started out.

Eric and I decided we were going to drive straight through, which meant we would miss seeing much of Nebraska. Not a big deal as there isn't much to see anyway. We stopped at a grocery store to get a ...

Picking something for him and the kids.

I don't watch movies much in the car.

I just listen to what everyone else is watching.

It's great when you can get a movie almost anywhere and return it almost anywhere.

At about 2 am, Nate woke up as he had been the first one to knock off. "I'm the only one awake!" Eric and I were thinking, "yea, now go back to sleep." I told him to look out at the beautiful starry sky in Nebraska (I guess there's one thing nice about a prairie state) and as there wasn't much to do or see, he soon rejoined the others in car riding silence.

We made a gas stop about 6 am Central Time and the lights of the station woke up the sleeping children.

Are we there yet???

If only!!

They moaned a bit and I threw them all a snack of some sort. Thankfully, they returned to Slumberville shortly after that stop and didn't wake up for a couple more hours.

As we crept up on the Nebraska/Wyoming border, we saw...

MOUNTAINS!!!!!

And we were so...

EXCITED!!

Just look at the expression on Nate's face.

For the next hour, we kept an eye on the mountains.

Mountains meant we were close to Utah.

Right before the Wyoming/Utah border, we stopped for gas. After filling the tank, I looked at the stuff on top of the car and noticed that one of our bins had it's top missing. The bungy cord must have moved during the night and the lid blew off. The bin, which had been holding our Sunday clothes and a coat from my mission, was half empty. Eric brought it down to survey the damage. My coat, Eric's three ties, Graigry's suit and both boys' ties were gone.

I figure it was our Nebraska sacrifice. On our move to Indy in 2001, we had our motor home break down outside of Kimball, NE. Grant and Stephanie blew a tire on their trip home from Florida.We didn't have a car break down, so we had to offer something and I'd prefer it be clothes instead of a car repair.

Finally...

We still had about two hours left to get to the Hibbert headquarters, but we were "just" up the mountain. I'd forgotten how steep Parley's Canyon is and how beautiful the mountains are. There was so much that had changed and much that had stayed the same, which I guess is typical of any return trip.

We got to Hibberts just after Dad had pulled into the driveway. Mom and Bek were doing a final wedding dress fitting and arrived a little bit later. We stretched and visited for a little bit and then headed to Neil's house for dinner and bed. We spent the nights there as he has two extra bedrooms and separate bathroom for guests.

Kids crashed on Tuesday night

after 26 hours in the car.

The kids had fun playing with the Hibbert boys and Lucy. Wednesday while Conner and Sammy were at school, Amy got out the playdoh and all it's gizmos.

They had a blast making baked goodies, monsters,

and whatever else came into their minds.

Wednesday afternoon, we went to Temple Square. I called Neil to get a heads up on where to park. He met us and walked around with us for a little bit through his lunch break. He took this picture on the steps of the Salt Lake Temple.

My Eternal Family

We went out to the reflecting pool and took individual pictures of the kids. It took looking through the camera for Graigry and Nate to see the reflection. Maybe it is their age; it seemed so obvious to me where to see the reflection.

Here's a pretty picture of the reflection pool all by itself.

It's upside down, in case you can't tell.

We went into the two visitor's centers. The south one had a detailed miniture version of the Salt Lake Temple with a cross cut so visitors can see what it looks like inside. There are several touch screens where visitors can get more information on the specific rooms and the kids liked reading more about the rooms.

Outside that visitor's center is a statue of the priesthood restauration, so Eric wanted a "future" picture, so we took one.

The kids loved smelling all the beautiful flowers.

Then we went to the Cristus statue and sat for a little while, listened to the audio scripture verses.

At that point, the kids were complaining that they were hungry, understandable as it was 6:30 Indy time. I asked if they wanted to go back to Uncle Neil's or to Aunt Jerusha's. The vote was Aunt Jerusha's, but before going, I wanted to see the Church History Museum, so one more stop.

We did a quick trip through the pioneer things and then went up to the children section for about 30 minutes.

Pioneer Covered Wagon

Playing in the "garden" at the children section.

Next stop was Jerusha's or play and pizza. They played soccer in the front yard, I think boys against girls, and had a ball (ha-ha). Nate found some cars, Graigry found a nerf gun which all the boy cousins had fun shooting.

Nate was upset with someone about something.

The Smart, Read and Scott cousins together.

After pizza, it was about 8 o'clock and we all decided to head back to our bedroom suites for the night as Jersh's kids all had school the next day.

Thursday night the family met at Noah's to play with everyone together. Noah's is a reception / rent a room place. Mom got two attached rooms, one with a walleyball court and the other had a sofa, movie, arcade, pool and ping pong table. Cousins played around with a walleyball, Xela, Emma and Joe played pool, some watched pieces of a movie, ate pizza, etc.

Cousins 2000 playing pool
Xela, Joseph and Emma were all born in 2000

Eating pizza & cookies while visiting
Wride crew just got back from time abroad

Neil & Eric bowled with boys
Nate and Mikey loved sliding across the walleyball court

After a while, the Wii was connected and projected on to the walleyball court wall and us Hibb Sibbs got our groove on with a Dance 2 Dance game. SOOOO FUUUNNN!!! I wish I had some pictures of it, but I was dancing and Eric probably didn't know where the camera was. Us Hibberts are a special bread of people.

So that was Thursday. Friday night we left the kids at Neil's house with a babysitter and went to an adults only dinner at Sweet Tomatoes. Sometimes it's good to just hang with the adults. We had a good visit with Dad at the table and my stomach decided to be upset so I sadly didn't eat my usual multiple salad buffet helpings.

We went back to Mom & Dad's for a bit so that Neil and Grant could practice their wedding song for Beka, which meant she got kicked out of the house for awhile. It's always such a laugh to get with those boys and amazing to see how talented they are.

Saturday was the wedding and reception. All 24 grandkids were at the temple and the reception. The sealing was at one, which was good because we didn't have to wake up super early to travel south from Layton. We enjoyed being with the family and, again, the cousins loved being together. Instead of giving a play by play, which I tend to do, I'll just post some pictures and put captions with them.

Neices & nephews waiting for the bride & groom.
There were some malards in the fountain
which provided some entertainment during the wait.

Getting 24 kids to sit still for a picture is a feat.
This one wasn't too bad, considering what we were working with.

Hibbert Family
It's not often we are all together so we cherish the moments we are.

All the sisters had blue scarves that we could wear however.
Jerusha tried this look while waiting for the dinner reception to start.
We loved it, but didn't think it would look great in the family pics.
Jerusha is such a riot.

There are a lot of other pictures from other family photographers, but that's all I have on this computer. Dinner was wonderful, Neil & Grant with the back up singing sisters was great and the dancing afterward was awesome. As soon as Dad turned things over to the dancing floor, after dinner, the first song they played was Boot Scootin' Boogie (I'm pretty sure) and I think I was one of the first one's on the dance floor and didn't get off for quite awhile. It was so much fun to just be myself, dance around, play and not have to worry about much else. (Yes, I miss the youth dances so this was a great release of youthful energy. And yes I still consider myself youthful.) All the Hibb Sibbs were out dancing and many of the cousins got out and just enjoyed each other. Even Mom got out and Neil got in a dance with her. I think it was 10:30 or 11 before we finally left (we helped clean up a little ad at the end they played Thriller, which of course delayed departure even more). When Eric and I got back to Neil and Amy's, we packed for departure as we were leaving Sunday evening.

Sunday, Beka and Matt were off on their honeymoon. Us Scotts got up early to drive to SLC to attend church with Mom and Dad. After meetings, Eric and I snuck in a nap before going to Jerusha & Jared's house for a big family dinner, always a delicious treat both in food and company.

Lining up for family dinner, youngest to oldest,
then we shuffled them around the house to eat.

After dinner and dessert, the kids played and adults visited for an hour. We gave Mom a mother's day/birthday present. Then it was 8 o'clock and we Scott's had to depart. Hugs and kisses and some whining from our kids who wanted to stay and play, but we finally made it to the car and started the long drive home. it took a few minutes to load and buckle, but once that was done and we pulled in front of the house, everyone was outside, in the mist, waving and calling good byes. I LOVE MY FAMILY!

It was another day and a few hours in the car. We got through the mountains of Wyoming in the rainstorm, which as the driver, made me quite nervous. After the rain stopped, we were stopped by and accident involving a rig and a large pick up truck. Some kind of explosion because there was melted metal and burn marks on both vehcles. Early in the morning, that was motivation to stay awake.

To break up the trip and give us a place to stretch, we stopped at a pony express station in Nebraska. It was interesting, I think even for the kids, to learn a little about the pony express, get a free pin and see some old stuff.

Xela is taking notes to help her with her school report.
The school kids had to give an oral report
to have their absences excused.

After the pony express, we drove a little and then stopped again and had lunch in the parking lot of another Nebraska something that wasn't as cool as we thought it would be. It had some stuffed native Nebraskan animals, but that was about it.

Enjoying fruit bowls, pb and nuttella sandwiches
in the heat of a Nebraskan parking lot.

On the other side of the state, we stopped at the Winter Quarter's temple and Visitor's Center. The kids enjoyed the tour by the sister missionary.

Kids got to dress like pioneers and then went on a walk
through Church History.

They had 30 seconds to load their wagons with essentials.

Pulling a handcart, easy until you have to go over a small rock.
The sister put one small rock in front of each wheel and it made it hard,
but Aurora and Nate could pull it.
She put a larger, but not big rock, in front of each rock.
Then they couldn't move it until Xela went into the back to push.

Outside the museum.

We walked around the cemetary a little bit.

The last good bye to Omaha...

...and we made our final push to Indianapolis.

We got home around one am and let the kids catch up on their sleep instead of go to school. We were all exhausted and needed a day to recover. It was good to get home after a long drive. It was really good to spend time with family.