Sunday, October 5, 2008

Good times...

We had a great time at Disneyland. I can't believe how crowded it was, though. We were sure that Monday and Tuesday would be quiet, but they ended up being worse than Saturday. It was great seeing family and playing with them, even though it was hard to spread ourselves between them. Here is a picture of the boys as we were leaving our trip. All the other pictures, I accidentally erased...so those that went with us, could you please send a few my way that include my boys. I am not sure I would have gotten very many of the older three because they were able to go around the two parks by themselves. That was weird for me. I felt I had to keep Dallen and Ashton near me so that I would know what to do with myself. On the last day, though, they wanted to all go together (no parents), and so I let them. I realized I could do whatever I wanted...so I went and hung out with those I hadn't seen very much during our stay there. Dallen is a pure adrenaline junkie. He could not get enough of Tower of Terror, California Screamin' and Maliboomer. We mostly rode the big rides and on one of the days, got fast passes that we could use any time during the day at all the places that took fast passes. That was good, because it ended up being one of the busiest days. All in all, it was an exhausting but great trip.

But, things don't change and getting back into the swing of things is like hitting a brick wall. Thank goodness for Sundays to recoupe! Speaking of Sundays, last Sunday when we were in CA, we went to a Sacrament meeting and I walked in and there were my three oldest getting ready to pass the Sacrament. I was very grateful to them for their service. I think they loved feeling needed. I just love that no matter where we go to church, all over the world, it is the same and we can go to any Sacrament meeting and be able to enjoy and participate just as if we were in our own ward. Then we went to Seal Beach to walk along the pier. We saw a couple of seals, a man accidentally caught a big bird and we watched him unhook it and let it go, we went under the pier, and the kids found crabs and starfish and "accidentally" got wet. Funny how it is always an "accident". It was fun to enjoy, though. I love the ocean and the smell and the sounds.
Other excitement this week...Dallen stabbed Ashton. They were messing around, punching each other, and Dallen had a knife in his hand and when to block Ashton's punch and ended up stabbing his arm. I can't get the picture off my phone to show the before...he had to have three stitches. Dallen goes around calling Ashton, "Stitch". I think Ashton is a little proud that he came away from it. Like most things like this that happen around our home, it could have been worse! Scott took him to the insta-care, and I think that was the first time he has ever had to do it. He made it and we were proud!

My sister Debbie and her husband, Mike, had their first baby this past Monday. They named her Davney. She is so chubby and cute and can't wait to see them in December. My parents are in Germany to visit and help. But, Davney won't be coming home from the hospital until after they leave. She had a slight infection in her lungs and they kept her in for anitbiotics and observation. We haven't heard much else, other than that she was born.

Well, we are having a great day enjoying General Conference. The boys loved the priesthood session. Scott said that one of the talks was about women and it must have hit something with the older ones because they came home and instantly started helping me clean without asking them to. It was nice. We had aeblskievers this morning and that is another reason we love conference.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Every year...


Sorry I didn't write last week. I was cranky and had nothing nice to say about our week. Scott had been gone all week to Montana for a "Builder 20" meeting (where builders from across the nation are put into groups of ten or so to help each other better their businesses, among other things). By Sunday, I was tired and didn't want to think about the kids or anything for that matter! Here is Dallen with one of his many catches. He would just carry the butterfly around the house like that. Every now and then it would just fly away, and then we would re-catch it later. It was pretty funny.
We just got through parent/teacher conferences. I don't understand why it is the same thing every year...how do I get my kids (one in particular) to change their habits? I have one that his grades in his classes were either an A or an F...depending on whether or not he wanted to do it. It is frustrating! It wears me out! Derrek and Calvin are steady with their studies. They get it done early and know what needs to be done and just do it. They have always been that way. As for the other three...ARGH! I blame Scott :).
We have taken on a construction final clean job. We have basically 34 apartments and a clubhouse to be cleaned. We are trying to help the boys earn money for their National Scout Jamboree that they are going to attend in July 2010. We are seriously squeezing it in our free time.
We went to go and get Derrek his permit this week. I had a window of about an hour and a half to do it. So, we got there, and as we were getting out of the car, I realized I had forgotten his birth certificate! We had to go back home (it is a 20 minute drive to get there), and we weren't able to do it this week. He was so mad at me and wouldn't talk to me the whole day. I don't blame him really. So, hopefully tomorrow we will be able to accomplish getting him his permit.
We get to go to Disneyland this week and are so excited to be able to go. I won't be posting anything next Sunday because we will still be in California, but I will the next week. It is my birthday on Friday, and so what better place to spend a birthday? Can I eat with the Princesses? That would be fun!
Football is still going great. Calvin was proud of himself this last game (that they won) because he made one of the biggest kids on the other team cry! It's a little disturbing how much enjoyment he gets out of that!

Well...until we get back from Disneyland...

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Excitement continues...

Wow! Another eventful week. Derrek had his 15th birthday this week. He is really maturing into an amazing young man. We were watching home movies today, ones that we haven't been able to view for a long time because we didn't have an adapter, but I bought a new one. In the videos, he was still leader of the pack, but it was all about him, and as I watch him now, it seems to be changing into seeing other people. Yesterday, he knew I would be gone most of the day and the house was a pit, and while Scott was taking a nap, he and Alec decided to start cleaning up. That is huge in our house. Anyway, for his birthday, we went to my mom's for pizza, pie, and a swim. He just wanted to be around family, and then Scott took him home and stopped in a BIG, VACCANT, parking lot to practice his first real chance at driving. We are going to California at the end of this month and he asked today if he could drive down there if he got his permit before we went down! I am really not sure I am ready for this. Anyway...I have control issues, and I am thinking this is really going to help me get over them quickly! Sorry there aren't any pictures...they are on another camera that has to be downloaded on Scott's work computer! Anyway...
It was also Calvin's first football game. In the clip below, he is #95 (on the line). He told me he wasn't hitting hard because he was very tired. Anyway, it is a good video. His team won, 30 to 0. He LOVES it though, and I am excited for him. Scott even enjoyed the game, and he is not the biggest fan of sports, so for him to say that...it must have been a great game!
I just have to toot my own horn today. Scott and I have been learning sign language because our ward is paired with the Deaf branch in our stake. So, we have been taking a class during Sunday School. Today the teacher taught us how to bear our testimonies and then challenged us to bear them in sign language during their Sacrament meeting, which was right after our block. So, I did! It was definitely short, but I was excited I could do it. She bribed us with her blue ribbon cookies! That's all it took :) I still cried, because I cry whenever I bear it anyway, but I was grateful for the challenge. It has been a great experience. So...toot, toot!