No more kids in Primary...

So, I haven't blogged for a couple of weeks, so hopefully this doesn't get too long. We have just been busy. We were able to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir a couple weeks ago. We had a fun time. I wasn't too sure the boys would really like it, but the choir had some great numbers and the audience got to clap and interact with them, that you wouldn't get if you were in the Conference center during Conference. I am so grateful to the family in our ward that bought us the tickets. It was not cheap and I am so grateful that they wanted to do that for us. It meant a lot to me. We took the Metro into the downtown area. Phoenix was having a huge 100th year birthday celebration for the State of Arizona that evening (well, all day), too, and so parking would have been horrible. I am glad we were at the first stop because we got seats on the way there. It filled up really fast because others had the same idea. The older boys said it felt like when we went on the train into Rome, but I think this was a little more crowded. It was fun. We had a drunk guy entertaining us...singing. I gave him a piece of gum (he asked for it), and he thought I had just done him the biggest favor ever! Drunk people make me laugh. Anyway, he was on this train with all these people going to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It was just a funny contrast to me. Anyway, he was fun and made the trip go faster. We got to the concert and were on the second tier, but like the fourth row up the second tier...not too bad, and lets face it...beggars cannot be choosers! We definitely could not complain! The kid's favorite parts were when Alex Boye (sp?) came out and sang a couple solo songs with the choir. He was dancing around the stage and really put on a show. They listen to other songs of his sometimes and so it was fun to see him in person. They really loved the patriotic songs that were sung and of course the hymns that they know..."Come, Come Ye Saints" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic". They did an encore and that was fun. The announcer (Lloyd Newell, who does the Spoken Word on Sundays) said we should be careful asking for an encore because they have over 1,000 songs in their repertoire. The symphony was amazing as well and it is awesome to think that it is all volunteer. We then rode the Metro train back into Mesa and it seemed like everyone else was going to Mesa also. It was fun to talk to others about the concert and people in their lives. One lady talked about her grandson winning 3rd in the State of Montana in wrestling earlier that day. And how she had another grandson going on a mission.

Here are some pictures from that evening...

Last Sunday was Dallen's 12th birthday. It seemed to be a big milestone for me because I have no more children in Primary (at church). All my boys are in Young Men's! That is just crazy to me, especially when they are little and you think "wow, someday...Derrek will be 18 and Dallen will be 12 and they will all be in Young Men's together". All Dallen wanted was to have a little birthday party with his cousin, Jeremy, who turned 12 just a couple days later (on Wednesday, the 22nd). It was also another milestone because it will probably be my last cake I make for my boys. They are just "too cool" for it now. I made an iPod once...what more could they want?!? :) Anyway, it was fun doing his birthday. So, he opened presents in the morning. We ate pancakes (Scott made them for him). We went to church and he was ordained a Deacon. Alec and Calvin got to join in doing that. That was a cool experience. They also got to help with Ashton becoming a Teacher. Then we came home and got ready to go to Heidi's house for a family get-together. Mike and Laura and family were in town and Kent and Amy were coming and so we were excited, but neither of them were able to make it for the evening affairs. It was still fun, though. We had a Pinata, and lots of cake and ice cream and yummy food. I love how all the cousins get along so well.

Then the next day, it was President's day, and so the boys were out of school. We went to the "train park" in Scottsdale with the whole family so that we could see Mike and Laura and their family, as well as Kent and Amy and their family. We hadn't been to the train park for about six years. It was fun, though and a GORGEOUS day in Phoenix. Here are pictures of our group at the park, Dallen playing ball with cousin, Cami, and the boys took a train ride around the park. We spent about 5 hours there and then all headed to Peter Piper Pizza for dinner so that we could continue all being together. It was a fun day. Calvin and Dallen won big on the tickets at PPP and got over 1200 tickets each. That's a lot in PPP world. We had fun. Scott was able to come up after work and see his brothers and it was great to see them together.

The last thing I need to blog about is that we have two new friends in our house. First we have "Hemi", Ashton's dwarf hamster that he bought with his birthday money.

He bought the cage and everything and the hamster. He also bought a little running ball that he rolls around the house in. The dogs just hover over it trying to figure out what in the heck is going on. It's pretty funny. He's an awesome hamster because he has let Ashton hold him all the time and doesn't bite...not like our other ones that we have had.

Next we have ???...well, we just haven't named him yet!

I was leaving the house of a person in our ward, just getting done with a meeting and saw him hopping in her front yard. So, I caught him and brought him home (he managed to pee all over me...I don't blame him...I would have been scared that bad, too!). So, I brought him home and we ran and got him a cheap little cage to put him in, and some crickets. I just had to laugh at myself. I'm such a "boys mom". They were all excited that I caught it and were laughing at me too, because, well, let's face it...it's not normal that a mom is the one bringing home the critters! Anyway, the only difference between me and the boys is that I have remorse for taking the frog from his family and the boys don't care :). Hopefully he won't hold it against us :).

We are all doing well. The kids are figuring out their schedules for next school year. Calvin has signed up for a PE class online...BOWLING! This school has a whole set of online classes that a student can take along with his/her schedule. Calvin doesn't have a "full" schedule because he doesn't have an "A" hour and he's taking seminary (which doesn't count), but he still needs to get in classes because he is planning on doing a tech school for the next two years, which will take up the second half of his days...so he has to take a Summer school class this summer and an online class next year (English), and an online PE credit for Spring semester. Alec will have extra time on his hands because he moved here with extra credits and so he is planning on taking German III...just because! I told him he could go half a day and then go to work. He didn't like that idea. I told him he could get a job easier because he'd be available. Still...no go. We'll see :). Calvin is still looking earnestly for a job. He tackles a shopping center per week. He is persistent, and I know it will happen for him. One place told him that they were putting a freeze on looking at teenager applications because they wanted to see if there were any adults that wanted the jobs. It's just a different time...we have people our age taking the jobs of our teens. It's sad, all the way around. The teens don't get the experience they need and the adults are having to scrimp on jobs that don't even keep them afloat (us included!). Hopefully something will come up soon. Derrek is doing good. He got sick, and that's never fun, but he keeps on going. He is grateful for his job, but it is really hard on his body (detailing cars) and hopes to find something better soon. He will be coming down here in a couple of weeks for Spring Break. That will be fun! This week we get to go see "Kid History 8". We are so excited. It will be fun and silly and with our friends!

14 years!

Yesterday, Ashton had his 14th birthday! I can't believe he is 14. I think it's because when the older three were turning 14, we had already dealt with things that I didn't want to be dealing with at age 14. Ashton has stayed more innocent than the other three, and for that I am grateful (a little break is always nice!). Ashton was my best baby. He was/is my most patient child. There are times when he throws a fit and has had enough "waiting" to get my attention, but most of the time, he just quietly and patiently waits. He never cried when he was hungry, poopy, tired, etc. He sucked his thumb, which was a blessing, because I never had to go searching for the pacifier...he just took care of it himself. He is my child with a very sensitive heart and it takes a lot of courage for him to ask for something. Scott and I still smile when we think of a snowy afternoon, where he wanted to go outside and play with the big boys. He was about 1 1/2 and he had thrown a fit and we said, "talk to us, don't throw a fit. We are listening"...then with his chin quivering, holding back the tears, he asked to go outside. It was a sweet moment, and we realized the strength it took for him to stop crying and to ask us. I could go on...but I won't ;).

Ashton is so funny...he told me Friday night, "Mom, I invited some friends over for my birthday party at 6:00 tomorrow night". I didn't even know we were having a birthday party! So, it was...we were having a little birthday party. So, he woke up around 9 and we ate french toast, his favorite. Then we did "Scouting for Food" can drive and went and collected cans from people. It was funny because Dallen was mad that the majority of the people didn't contribute. He just felt they should have. I just reminded him that when he gets something like this from a Scout later in life, that he, too, can then do his part and not miss out like these others had. I made Ashton come home and clean his room, though. Scott said, "it's his birthday, why are you making him do that?" and I said "because it's spilling out into the hallway, and I'm tired of looking at it". So, after that, Ashton had planned for Scott and I to take him to lunch (literally...he planned the day!), and then to go to Toys R Us to see if there was anything there he might want with his birthday money. So, that is what we did. He really loved our full attention. It was really nice to be able to give it to him. Then we came home and his friends came over. He had planned a little Xbox party with his friends and one other couldn't come and so he let Dallen play. We kind of kicked Alec and Calvin out and made them go see a movie (with their money of course!). Here is a slideshow of the day's events...

This week has been an interesting one for Calvin, in the sense of learning about how things go in life. I have particularly enjoyed it because I love moments when I can teach them about God and about turning to Him in times of need, and to not give up hope. Calvin has been really wanting a job. I mean REALLY wants one. So, he thinks of a place to apply and then gets up the nerve to go ask if they are hiring, and then has been shot down. It takes the wind out of his sails and he just feels like it is pointless and wants to give up. This is where the teaching moment gets to come in. There was a moment this week when Derrek was given a job opportunity and was debating whether or not he wanted to take it (it's still not for sure, but it sounded like it was at the time). Calvin was SO upset because he felt that it wasn't fair that Derrek gets something handed to him and then is deciding whether or not to take it (when he needs the job), and Calvin doesn't know anyone who can help him in the way my parents did for Derrek and just was feeling forgotten and frustrated. It was a great experience teaching Calvin about how the Lord works in our lives. I know Calvin has had experiences where he has been touched by Heavenly Father and knows that He is there. He just forgets :). So, that night, I was praying that I could be of help to Calvin in some way. I remembered a fruit stand that I like to go to and how there are always teen-age boys working there bringing in crates of fruits and veggies. So, I offered to take him down there, because I needed to go. So, we set out after school one day this week and on our way down I just started pulling over to various establishments and Calvin said it was weird because I would pull over and then he realized that he needed to get out and ask for an application. They were places that he hadn't thought of working at before. We were having fun with it. Anyway, from one of the places, the lady said "we aren't hiring, but Hi-Jolly is" and told us where that was. Anyway, we picked up about 5 applications. He filled them out and then the next day after school we went back and dropped them all off. One guy was impressed that he was an Eagle Scout. Calvin was shocked because he thought that no one cared anymore about boys getting their Eagle awards. Then the Hi-Jolly place, the lady said "I was just mentioning today that I wish I had some help". Calvin just smiled and I don't know if he said anything. But, he came away from all this very giddy and realized that it isn't hopeless and that something will come of all his effort. Doors will open and the Lord will provide a job for Calvin that will allow him to grow as well as be an example of Him. Calvin would be a great employee. Anyway, it was a great little teaching moment for me...I love those moments.

I had my first Girls' Camp meeting this week. I am over the 1st year YCL's...there are 44 of them! There are four of us leaders (thank Heaven!). We met only about 1/4 of the girls. It made me miss my "girls" in St. George that I love so much, but made me excited because I am sure I will love these girls in the same way. A few of them know Alec, and one is his "seminary buddy". He came home from school the other day and was freaking out. He said, "mom! they are going to try and get you to tell them stories about me". I just laughed. I have some good ones. I told him that I would be sure to run them by him before I told them. I have video on my phone of him dancing with the drill team in St. George. I asked if I could show them that...he said, "no way". We'll see! I know the girls would love it. Anyway, I am so excited to do Girls' Camp. I was thinking about why I get so excited and I realized that I am helping to raise the next generation of girls. Those who will marry my boys, those who will be serving in the Church, those who will be mothers and have their own paths to go down. It's exciting to me that I get to be a part of that.

Derrek had a Youth Conference this weekend at Bryce Canyon. He said it was good. That was all I could get out of him :). He said they got to go skiing, ice skating, and snow boarding. Things Derrek likes to do!

Well, we are all still doing good and healthy. I think Alec still misses St. George. I find out more on Facebook than I do at home because he won't talk to any of us, but he'd rather post it to the whole world! I don't understand that! Anyway, at least I can find out some way what things are going on with that boy!