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!

President...

I had to document that Derrek was voted in as Seminary President for this semester at school. That means that he will be in charge of leading the opening exercises (or getting others to do it), and basically being the "voice" for the students and leading the students who attend Seminary at Snow Canyon High. I am sure there is more to it than that, or maybe not...I don't know. We didn't really have Seminary presidents when I was in Seminary. Derrek said that he has 3 church callings right now. He works with the Special Needs group every week (he is paired up with a boy that has down-syndrome and helps by being his "buddy" during youth activites), he is first assistant to the Bishop in the Young Men's in his ward and then Seminary President. Welcome to working in the church! I have two callings right now...Relief Society and Girls Camp. I love that we have opportunities to give of ourselves that we would normally not get to have. I love that it challenges me with interacting with different people and different "jobs" that I didn't think I could ever do. I am apprehensive, now, as I prepare for this week as I meet the 40 girls I will be working with at Girls Camp as 1st year YCL's (youth leaders). Yep...40! There are two other women with me (thank Heaven!) and I actually am just an assistant...I'm glad I'm not "in charge", but I'm more than willing to help :). It will be fun. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I love Girls' camp and the things I gained from it. I still have friends that I keep in contact with, whom I only saw and knew from Girls' camp. I see them every year at Women's Conference (we have lunch together one of the days).

Calvin attended an open house for the Tech school here. He has decided to attend and is leaning toward auto repair (I think I mentioned that last week). Scott went with him, and I am so grateful that he didn't have to work, because I think Calvin needed Scott to go more than me. We tried to get Alec to go, but he didn't want to, and then today he said "I should have gone". Maybe we'll make another trip over there for him. They have a lot of programs. Scott was able to talk to Calvin about career choices and things that would help provide for a family better than others and choices that he needs to think about. We also reminded him, that if he makes one choice and doesn't like it, that he hasn't done any damage and can change it a lot easier now than later.

I started my second class this week. I am taking Child Development. I figure I better know this or I'm in trouble. Hopefully it will be an easy class for me. I am really liking Statistics, so far. I get excited because I actually understand it. I like and understand organizing the data and how it tries to answer the questions. It's funny to me, though, because I will take a quiz, expecting to not do very well, but answering the questions as they make sense to me and I either miss one or two. I laugh because I guess it makes sense to me! Who knew?!? I am also proud of myself because I have been more disciplined and make myself "go to school".

Calvin has been out looking for a job. He tried the "Doughnut Peddler", but they are not hiring. It takes all the guts in the world for him to go out and ask and do, and then getting rejected takes him a couple days to re-coup and then he goes back out. Alec isn't quite there yet. I know he will be...he is just different.

Well, all in all...everything is the same. We are healthy and doing good.

Don't know what to call this...

First of all, before I forget, we get to go see "Kid History" here in Mesa. They are premiering their 8th video at the high school down the street from us (Mountain View). Our friends got us tickets because we got them hooked on it. So, we are going with a few of our friends from our ward. Very excited. If you haven't heard of "Kid History", check them out on YouTube and #6 is my absolute favorite. We get to meet the cast, watch #8, see out-takes, etc. It should be fun...in MARCH! So, we have to wait a little while, but something to look forward to.

Okay, now for the week...

Monday night for family night, I had the activity. I get so tired of not doing things that I like to do, so I was in the mood to play with my craft stuff...especially my pipe cleaners. I don't know why, but I was just wanting to do something silly. The boys looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe I was! I have played plenty of their "capture the flag" games and so forth, so it was time they got to play with my craft stuff. So I printed of some helps on how to make people or what-not and here is what they did (they didn't use my instructions, but that's fine...we had fun! That's what matters!).

This Alec's monkey (we were calling it "Sandy Squirrel") hanging from the light fixture (with a twig in it's grasp).

This is Dallen's multicolored dinosaur

This is Ashton's person that has turned Ninja

And these are Calvin's Ninja's that he gave to Dallen and Ashton as bookmarks!

I did a "Brittany Spears" looking figure and I was singing "Oops I did it again" and Ashton, while smashing her sang "hit me baby one more time". We laughed...it was funny. Scott actually didn't finish a person because he was on call and had to take a call.

All week, Ashton has been having to stay after school for EDP, which is a forced homework hour if you didn't turn in your assignment during one of your classes. He doesn't get home until 5:30 pm when he goes and by then, getting him to do any other homework is almost pointless! He was there Monday-Thursday! Every night I say "Do you have any homework?" and they will either say "yes" and do it, or "no". Ashton would say "yes" and then not do it! So, Thursday night, I said, "I know you have homework...get it out and start working". He had 4 pages of math (front and back...so 8 pages!) of math homework he hasn't been turning in. I just looked at him and said "page one". He finished two pages that night and then got up early the next morning (by force) and did page 3. Then he had 10 minutes left before he had to catch the bus. I said, "I'd rather take you and you do your homework, than you make the bus and you have to stay another day at EDP". So, he managed to get another page done and was able to finish the rest at school. He had a test that day, too...thank goodness he did his homework! He came home on Friday at his normal time of 4:15 and said "wow, it's seems like I'm home so early"...I thought that was funny. It's amazing what happens when you do your homework!

Ashton also did his pre-ACT testing and got a 100% in the reading category. He was excited about that. So, we praised that, and ignored the math and science :).

I got a new calling at church today. I will no longer be doing Primary Singing Chorister. I am so sad. Today was hard. I couldn't think about it because I seriously was almost in tears a couple of times. They sang me my favorite song, "Army of Helaman" (that's the shorter title). One boy came and gave me a hug and said he was going to really miss me! It was so sweet. I really love that calling. It's funny because about 15 minutes before I was called, I had just finished organizing my Primary binder. I mean...really organized it. I had told Scott a couple weeks ago that I felt that I wasn't going to be in this calling much longer. I said I felt a change in the air, kind of feeling. So, it wasn't a surprise. Anyway, so, I am now 2nd counselor in the Relief Society. I am over the Relief Society Meetings during the week, among other things. I have never had that responsibility, and I know I am crafty, but coming up with the ideas is a lot...I know, though, that there is already an amazing committee in place and the things they have done already, well, let's just say they look like they just popped off a Pinterest page (those that do Pinterest know

what I mean!). I'm excited. It will be fun. I really don't care where I am placed. I haven't found a calling that I don't enjoy.

Yesterday I got to go on a REALLY FUN tour of Old Town Scottsdale with my friend/visiting teacher, Kristy Duncan. And...I found out that it was her birthday yesterday, too. I really enjoy being around Kristy. We have a lot in common and have learned a lot of the same life lessons. Her kids live in St. George with their dad and her oldest is a Senior at Desert Hills High. When she comes for the month by her self (sometimes that happens), we end up talking for like 3 hours! I love it! This is a cruddy picture of us, but we literally were losing our group and had to like run across the street that was about to let the traffic go! We were just standing weird.

Anyway, so she had signed up for a food tour of Old Town Scottsdale and wanted to know if I wanted to go with her because her husband couldn't. I was all over it...food...yes! I had never been down there. It was so busy, but very energetic. We tried all sorts of foods. We had hamburger sliders with green chilies, real potato chips with hot sauce and blue cheese, or a pico/shrimp salsa, we tasted all sorts of balsamic vinegars and olive oils (we went back there after the tour to taste all the other ones we wanted to try!), we didn't taste the wine, but interesting to learn about, we then had a "cowboy salad" and it was amazing, and then we had vanilla ice cream, while everyone else had "spiked" ice cream (ice cream made with alcohol). We met others from Mesa (literally across the other side of Power Road from us) and a couple from Washington DC. Our tour guide was very good at her job and made the tour very enjoyable. It was fun getting to know everyone. It lasted about 3 hours and then Kristy and I headed for the oil/vinegar store. The lady was mixing all things to try together.

She did a Raspberry vinegar with a lemony oil and it tasted exactly like Raspberry Lemonade! It was so good. Who would have thought? They had an oil with a pepper from Tunisia. I had to try that one. I can't remember what it was called, but it was spicy and yummy!. The vinegars were my favorite. It was hard to imagine that the oils were okay to just drink...I mean, who just drinks oil (okay, I know there are people out there, but it just seems wrong!). It was a really good day. Then we just chilled out with the boys that night. Calvin and Alec were mad because we kicked them off the Xbox (they were playing Halo with Derrek and friends in St. George...Derrek said that was really fun). We watched Kung Fu Panda 2. Cute movie.

Everything else is going good. Calvin and Alec had planning this last week to kind of see what classes they need to take and where they want to go. Calvin is thinking of maybe do a tech school and going into auto body repair. He is going to see the school counselor this week to see how that will work with the classes he needs to take (and Seminary). Alec realized that he could just go to school for half a day next year and then maybe work in the afternoon/evenings. That would be good for him. He didn't see any tech school stuff that he wanted to try and isn't really sure what he wants to be when he grows up :).

One last thing I had to show...LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS LEMON! Dallen was so gracious to be our model with the normal size lemon, the freak-of-nature lemon and his head!

Who knew lemons could grow that big? I didn't. It was fun to play with, though (and for those of you who think my house is clean all the time...that is cereal on the table from the morning!). Well, here's to another week :).