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!
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