Mother of boys...

There are certain times when I realize that I miss out on things because I have all boys.  That came up this weekend as Alec took someone to Prom.  Where are the pictures?!?  Well, I don't have them yet because usually the pictures are taken at the girl's house which is the reason I am sad sometimes I don't have girls...I don't get to enjoy that excitement with the kids...So, I guess, I'll just tell what I know about it :). 

Alec asked a girl named Hannah Caldwell.  He had this great idea to freeze a note, asking her to prom, in a bucket of water and then making her hammer through the ice to get to the note.  As in Alec style, the night before he wants to ask her, he said, "hey mom, can you help me ask a girl to prom?"  and I said, "What?!? You want to go to prom?  When is it?  Who do you want to ask?"  Then he said, "Hannah, a couple of weeks".  I love when he talks to me!  So much information!!!  Anyway, so we figured it out and put the bucket in the freezer.  We arranged to meet after his lunch and he had gotten permission from the principal to set it up in the "Quad" or the courtyard of the school and there would be the block of ice with her name attached to the hammer on top of the ice.  So, I met him with the bucket of ice and he and some friends met me and took it in.  Then I got a text from him about 45 minutes later that said "it failed"...WHAT?!?!  I finally got out of him that as he was getting the ice out of the bucket, it wasn't frozen all the way through and fell apart, and just as this was all happening, she just happened to walk through the courtyard (everyone was supposed to be in class at this time!) and saw that he was doing this and it was failing!  So, since she was there, he just went ahead and asked her.  Later on Facebook I found this picture posted on Alec's page...

So, I figured out she said "yes".  He was SO cute watching him make plans and arrangements.  He had budgeted and planned what he needed as far as money and set it all aside.  I was so impressed with watching how careful he was with everything.  He ordered the corsage and boutonniere on his own, decided the outfit he was going to wear (decided he didn't want to spend the money on a tux and decided to buy a silver shirt to go with his black suit and a lime green tie because her dress was silver and lime green).  I had thought about offering to pay for it, but then I realized half way through all of this that he didn't need or want my help in that way.  Then later in the week, he asked if I could help him do a breakfast for the morning of Prom because they were going to do that and then go Paint-balling.  He went with three other couples, (8) in their group, and the guys all got together and planned everything out.  It was so fun to watch Alec go to "planning meetings" and stuff.  So, Friday night, they had a movie night outside and got a projector and did the movie against one of the buildings in town.  Here is a picture I found on Alec's F.B. page (again!)

This is Alec with Hannah and Brittney (I think that is her name).  Alec made Orange Julius and took it and they had a good time (Alec's words..."it was fun").  Then there was the breakfast the next morning at our house.  Did I get a picture?!?  No, because I felt like I was intruding and didn't want to do that to the group, but then kicked myself for not doing it...oh well.  So, we had a waffle bar and fruit and it went well and was fun to meet them all.  Then they went to play paint ball and Hannah said that she and Alec rocked and didn't get hit at all.  The boys had planned out what games they were going to play (capture the flag, tag, etc) with paint ball.  Then they came back and decided to go swimming at Fools Hollow Lake.  Um...it just snowed here last week!  I told them they were crazy and Alec was not even sure he wanted to go, but being the good sport he is, he went, and of course went swimming.  Crazy kids!  Then they got ready for the dance and as Alec is taking a little nap, I could just imagine the girls getting ready, doing their hair and all of that and then at our house I didn't even see him before he walked out the door!!!  He got dressed, and walked out the door, but then had to come back in for something and that is when I saw him all dressed up.  He wouldn't let me take a picture.  So, I guess I will have to scour Facebook when those pictures come up and post them later.  I am not sure what they did.  Alec just said it was fun and that they had Fettuccine Alfredo at someone's house and that they were home by midnight.  He did say, though, that his suit jacket was taken, probably on accident because the one left that he grabbed didn't fit him and was a rental, so he turned that one in to a teacher because someone is going to have to return it, and hopefully they will bring his back to the school on Monday.  If not, oh well...that's how it goes sometimes.  

We have been super busy around here.  All the kids are ready for school to be out...I'm not sure why...there isn't much for them to do!  Calvin is still looking for a job, but no luck.  It's hard when he applies to a job and the town in so small that he finds out that someone else gets it who turned in their application later than he did.  I don't know what to tell him anymore.  I just turn to the Lord.  He knows better what is going on, anyway.  

I just found out, today, that I am being release as Primary Pianist.  It is bitter/sweet because it is a really challenging calling for me because I know I am not as good as others are in our ward, but I really have enjoyed being in there and playing the songs in my home and being able to serve and grow in that way.  Bishop asked that I not say what the new one is, so I will post that next week :).  I knew that the time was coming to be released, though.  As I have been practicing really hard on this new song I am supposed to learn, I had very strong feelings that I would not be playing this for the program in the fall.  It's weird when promptings come like that.  Then I just sit and wait until it all changes.  In a way, I am grateful for the "heads-up".  This happened when I was YW President.  I needed a new counselor (one was moving) and a new secretary but for over a month, nothing was coming to me, and then I had a very real impression that there was change in the air and that I just needed to work with what I have and be patient.  A few weeks later, Scott was called as Bishop of a new ward and all the boundaries were changed in our Stake.  I just kept telling Scott before the changes were made "something big is coming, but I am not sure what.  I just know I'm not supposed to press getting my presidency filled".  Anyway, it was cool to be in the middle of that and have those impressions.  

Alec received the Melchizedek Priesthood today.  It's so incredible to see your boys turn into men.  This last year has been incredible to watch Alec.  Snowflake/Taylor has really changed him and made him probably the best of himself that I have seen.  

Calvin has a new side project going on and I am so impressed with the men we live by.  I think most of them have left the Church at one time and then have chosen to come back and it seems that they have been coming out of the wood works to put an arm around Calvin and touching him in ways that aren't "churchy".  Anyway, Calvin's new project is restoring an older motorcycle.  It is his art teacher's motorcycle/dirt bike and he has worked it out with Calvin to either give him some of the profit, if he decides to sell it, or Calvin is hoping to get to keep it.  Here is a picture of the "before"...

Our neighbors are also awesome and have been helping Calvin with ideas that he could do.  They tinker on things all the time at their house and so I am sure they can help.  But, there is one that came over today to talk with him about it, Brother Powers.  He has rebuilt many motorcycles and knows how to go about doing it.  Anyway, he has made himself available to Calvin and I am so grateful.  Calvin still thinks he will be going to St. George for his Senior year, but we'll see.  It seems like everything keeps pulling him here, except his ability to get a job, but I know there is a reason for that.  It will be interesting to see where all of this goes for Calvin.  It's like watching a good movie where you can't possibly ever guess the ending!  

I get to go to Women's Conference this week.  I am so grateful for the opportunity.  I wasn't sure I was going to be able to go, but I knew that I needed to and I knew that the Lord would help me find a way, and He has.  I am really excited and so grateful that Scott and the boys let me go.  Scott keeps saying "I'm so excited for you, that you get to go".  I love that my husband is so supportive even though I know that having me here is easier for him.  Anyway, I'm excited. 

We are all doing well, even Derrek.  I have been missing him really bad the last couple of weeks.  I don't know why, but I just have been missing him.  I can't tell him that, but I wanted to write it down so that he would never doubt that we do think about him and miss him.  

Alec should be getting his call this week...while I'm at Women's Conference!  I am going to ask him if he would at least put me on speaker phone while he opens it, but I will leave it up to him.  It is not my call, it is his and however he wants to do it, it is his choice.  I just hope he tells be before he actually leaves!  I can just see Alec packing and I ask "what are you packing for" and he'll say "oh, I'm leaving for my mission in the morning".  We'll see...the Lord gave me a very big tender mercy when we opened up Derrek's call.  I was there to pick him up to move to Taylor with us and he hadn't received it yet and it came on the day I arrived and he was able to open it with family, friends, and I was able to be there.  Maybe Alec won't get his until next week and then I can be there, but I am okay not being there.  I just want to celebrate it with him and know where he is going.  He's really excited to go and has just grown up, it seems, over night.  

Spring is in the air :)

This week we got some little chicks!  THEY ARE SO CUTE!  I forgot how cute they are.  They are fun to listen to when they chirp and run around and try to figure out what to do.  It's such a happy sound.

This is a picture of most of them.  We have 13 total (7 black, 5 red, and one golden).  We had 12 and then 2 died from stress or who knows what and it really bothered the boys, so they talked me into getting 3 more just in case another one dies.  They seem to be doing well, so I think we'll be having 13 chickens.  My friend says that she gets new chicks every year or two and uses the older chickens for meat because they don't produce as many eggs as when they are younger.  So, that's probably what we'll do.  Of course, our kids are going to be starting to leave the "nest" and so, we may be getting fewer next time.

Alec and Calvin building the hen house

Alec, mostly, and then Calvin came to help, and I was there for some help (I mostly just wanted to do something with Calvin and Alec and it was probably one of the best days I have had with them), built the hen house.  It was fun and we basically drew up the "plans" and then just kind of put it together.  The only thing we didn't plan, very well, was how to clean it out every few months, but I think Alec and I figured that out, too.  We were blessed with scrap wood from Scott's work and so, it didn't cost us too much to build.  Here are pictures of the process...

before we cut in the doors and painted

the nesting boxes and roosting areas inside

Back side with egg collection door closed

 

Shep modeling the front 

back side with the egg collecting door open

We had a good time building it and it literally took half a day because Alec is SO talented.  I loved figuring things out with him.

Other news...

Ashton finally got his iPod 5 that he has been saving money for 6 months.  It is SO hard for me to let him have it, but Scott felt that it was time.  He's 15 and let's just say I have a very short leash on him right now until he prove that he can handle this much power in his hands.  He's already "forgotten" stipulations to having the thing and so that is why the leash is really short.  It's hard enough to let Alec and Calvin have a phone.  I just don't want them on it all the time and I think it is best if they learn how to get outside of themselves, but it is the new generation and I would rather they learn how to set limits and control themselves while they are in our house, than when they are married with a couple kids and their wives are so hurt because they don't pay attention to the things that are important.  Today, Ashton agreed, that he doesn't want to take it to church because it is a distraction.  We talked about how hard it is to feel the Spirit when he is distracted with any device and they use the excuse that they want it for Scriptures, but even playing with the scripture app is distracting and Scott said "when you are in your scriptures searching around as much as you are on the iPod, then you can start bringing it to church".  We let him try it today, and he came home and said he noticed a difference and won't be bringing it again for awhile.  I personally think he just wanted to show all his friends.  It's SO hard knowing where to draw the line, especially since every kid is different and they are all learning different things because of where they are in line.  Dallen is a much smarter 12 year old because he has the advantage of learning from his older brother's mistakes, whereas Derrek is learning as we are and we aren't sure where to draw the line.  Anyway, as all parents...it's a work in progress :)

Alec and Calvin took the ACT exam yesterday.  They said it was horrible.  They felt that there wasn't enough time and Alec was upset because he said "I know I knew the stuff, I just didn't have time to do the problems to get the answers".  They said on each section, the last 1/4 was just guessing because they had run out of time.  I am not too worried about it, though, because Alec wants to start off at a Junior college and Calvin is looking at a trade school type of education.  That's another hard area of parenting because we want it to be important, but Scott and I are over-sensitive about perfectionism because of the things we have gone through, that we don't want to push them hard, yet we need to push a little, but how much is too little and how much is too much?!?  UGH!  I do feel fine with where they are and I guess that is what I go on.

We went to dinner and movie with our friends, the Hancocks.  Cody was splattered on the front page of the local newspaper about 6 weeks ago for stealing fence posts.  It was not true and he was never charged, but having it splattered across the front page basically convicts a person and they NEVER print the "oops, I'm sorry" article.  Anyway, they are such troopers because they have been able to find some humor in the situation.  Cody raises bulls to be used in rodeos and they have a new one this year and they named him T-post "sponsored by the local police".  We told him it would be funny if he rode it in a come-back tour.  We had a good laugh.

We just found out this week that not only is Alec's mission paid for, but also 1/2 of Derrek's!  I keep telling Scott that I am worried that our struggling days are not quite over.  We feel so blessed and didn't even ask for these blessings, but know they are and feel so watched over.

Ashton advanced to the Life rank for Scouts!  Now we can start working on another Eagle rank!  Dallen finally got all that he was supposed to get from when we moved from Mesa and so he is working on his Star rank.  I am really hoping we can get these done before the decision is made whether or not to allow gay men into the Scouting program (they already are if they don't say anything).  We love the Scouting program and hope it stays the same.  The older boys had experiences with boys who were gay up at Scout camp and I don't think they, and Alec especially, will ever be the same and if that becomes common practice, that will make me sad.  Anyway, enough of my soap-box.  We are just hoping to get their ranks done within the next year or so.  Ashton is excited that it's so close and Dallen is frustrated that it seems so far away.

Work and school are going good.  There is only 5 weeks left until all the grades are in and school is almost out.  Alec gets to go on a Senior trip to Disneyland and he's really excited about that.  Calvin might be getting a job at "Celebrations", where half our ward works.  I hope he gets it.  Here is a picture of Calvin sporting his new hair cut and look.  He also wanted to show Derrek that he's lost some weight and grown taller.

Love that kid.  Anyway, that is all that is going on with us.  We are having fun experiencing Taylor/Snowflake Spring with high winds (50-60 mph) and one day it's sunny and warm and the next day snowing and cold!  Keeps us on our toes, that's for sure :)

 

I am constantly amazed...

We have had a good week.  We have stayed fairly busy with work and that always feels good.  I really am amazed at the tender mercies that keep coming our way.  This week we were blessed with extra money from a Pre-need that helped us do things that we needed to pay.  It always comes in the last possible minute, and I have really learned not to panic or get wound up, which is HUGE for me.  I know we are trying and we are moving in the right direction and sometimes it doesn't go as fast as I would like to see myself change, but I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that sends tender mercies to help keep us hopeful and remember to rely on Him.

We are going to be getting chickens this week.  I am actually kind of excited.  I will not put rat poison, though, around the grounds and let the chickens out or have one of my kids do that (lesson learned, dad!).  We are going to get about 12, as recommended by my friend who literally calls me and walks me through all the in's and out's of this.  Her husband is awesome, too, because he has helped us get ready for our garden, and we are going to be planting about 200 onions!  I use a lot in salsa and spaghetti sauces, so hopefully my tomatoes do as well.  I am excited to try it this year and so grateful for all our friends here that are willing to share their secrets and help us get started.  They have also taught me that we can store almost everything we grow and it has been very fun to learn.  I love canning (just made some strawberry jam this last week) and last year, picking other people's gardens, made me excited for the fruits of my own labors.  Everyone says to not start the garden until the middle of May because there is always one last freeze, so we are obeying :).

Alec has 7 weeks left until he graduates.  He is doing really well and realizing that he is doing okay and on the right track.  We just found out that he could be receiving his mission call this week, but most likely next week.  Derrek's best friend in St. George, Brandon Graves, just got his mission call to Paraguay and will be in the MTC in Argentina.  It seems to fit Brandon.  I am just amazed at hearing the calls these kids are getting, that I know personally, and to see that the mission they are called to really seems to fit their personalities and I can see how their gifts and talents could be used there.  The Lord truly knows us and knows what will make us stretch and grow as well as being able to use our gifts and talents.  I love hearing about Derrek and his ability to relate to others through music.  Alec has his own gifts and talents and I was thinking about the ones I can see as a mother and I realized that wherever he goes, the Lord knows that Alec is so aware of those who are down and since he was born has always tried to help others out and make them happy again.  He is an amazing cook and amazingly handy.  Today he tied back on the bumper to their car with pipe-cleaners.  He just amazes me and I know that his ability to fix almost anything and his willingness to help others in need, he will be able to be used in ways he never imagined.

We just found out today that someone in our ward just paid for Alec's whole mission.  Last week our Bishop asked families to donate if they felt they could to the Ward Mission fund because there are missionaries who have returned that still show that money is "owed" or needed to finish paying for their mission.  Anyway, there was a guy in our ward, according to the Bishop, who asked the Bishop who could use it the most right now, and he said, the Bowler Family.  They have one out and another going and they have been very tight.  He said he wanted to pay for Alec's mission and didn't even hesitate.  I am grateful.  Alec was in shock and realized that this is all very real.  I really want to be able to do that for a family in the future, and I know I will be able to.  Where we are financially is not permanent and we are continually making changes to our habits and practices that I can see the direction is pleasing to the Lord.  I know we will be able to accomplish our goals and the Lord knows our hearts.  Anyway, we are just really feeling blessed.

All the boys are still doing good.  Dallen found out that someone was giving away horses for free and he was so bummed because we couldn't get one.  I reminded him that the horse was the cheap part, but the fencing, stable, saddle, hay, and all the other necessities that go with a horse are what costs us.  I told him that if it is the Lord's will and a righteous desire, the Lord will help him get the money earned and I can see us having a horse in a year or so.  It won't be the last time a horse was given away or would be really cheap.  We have a guy in our ward who is willing to help Dallen learn how to work with a horse on Fridays after school and then on Saturday, he said that Dallen could come and ride.  What a blessing that is.  The guy is actually Ashton's PE teacher at the high school and had a near death experience a few months ago and has totally changed his outlook on life.  He is a good man, and I really am forever grateful for his kindness in teaching Dallen.

Ashton has really picked up on sketching and drawing.  He prints off pictures from the computer and sketches them.  It bothers him that he doesn't have the imagination to just draw something, but I told him to just draw what he sees and the rest will come.  He is really excited to take art next year.  Calvin, too, is an amazing artist and his teacher has really helped him become better at his skill.  It is fun to see all the pictures of sketches floating around the house.  Ashton is ALWAYS drawing and I love how happy it makes him.  I will scan and post some next week if he lets me.  He is a little protective of his work, but I think it's great.

General Conference was this weekend and we LOVE General Conference at our house.  We look forward to our little traditions that we have.  We were so grateful that Scott was able to listen to the whole weekend with his only 1st call for the mortuary during the last 1/2 hour of the last session.  Such a blessing, considering we cannot control when people pass away.  It has been very enlightening and as I listened and have been praying for answers to be heard in Conference, they came, as always, and I am so grateful...now I just have to re-plot my course and head in the better direction.  We had friends over for Aebleskievers and got them hooked :).  They are fun to share with others and a fun tradition.  Dallen and Ashton liked the part where President Monson talked of taking matches and burning the field.  They realized that they were ok and that the Prophet made mistakes when he was young.  It was cute watching them high-5 each other like he was part of their team.  We had conference on in the front room and on Saturday, Elder Eyring gave a talk and just as he said "now for those of you with wayward children" or something to that effect, Calvin walked in the room and pointed at himself and then sat down for a little while to hear the rest.  Of all the things that were talked about I thought it was almost funny that Calvin walked in right then during those words and pointed to himself.  I know Calvin is doing okay.  I had an amazing experience confirming to me that the Lord is aware of Calvin and his needs.  It was a weight off my shoulders and I can truly just love Calvin and know that he is in good hands.  Calvin and I got to hang out Saturday night.  He decided to not go to the priesthood session and so I asked him to go with me to go shopping.  We had a good time and I hope he felt how much I truly love him and love being around him.  He's such a good kid.

Well, that's all for this week.  I'll post pictures of our chickens.  We have a little while until we build our coop.  Dad, do you remember what our coop looked like?!?  You should send me a sketch :).