Weekend Review

Justin's Big Day
Friday was Justin's big day. This actually began Wednesday as we were working on a Mars project for him to report to his class on Friday. He spent quite a bit of time looking up information for his report and for his visual aid he made a clay model of Mars. I was so impressed that he could do so much of it on his own. After reading through his first draft report I had to explain plagiarism and we worked together to put everything in 'Justin' language (or rather 3rd grade language). He did great on his report.

Friday night Justin and his gymnastics team performed at the High School for boys basketball half-time show. They did awesome! It was very motivating to the kids to hear a full gym cheering, oohhing and clapping for them as they performed. It was a little strange for the kids because they had to perform without mats and with shoes on but they all handled it very well. Way to go Justin!!

Erika's Dance Recital

Saturday was a full day for Erika as she prepared (with tons of hairspray, gel, bobby pins, fake lashes, hair nets and makeup) for her big ballroom dance recital. This is held once a year at the Civic Auditorium in Idaho Falls with teams from all over southeast Idaho. The team has been preparing this dance since October but hadn't seen their costumes yet. The dance and the costumes were beautiful!! I love this recital because it is real ballroom dancing (though one team was really pushing it with drill-team like stuff). After the recital, Erika and I did our 3rd annual trip to Subway for a very late sandwich, sat at 'our' table and babbled about the recital. It was a great girls night out.

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Nathan's Relaxing Saturday

With all of the running around on Saturday (Derek & Justin had a primary activity, I had lunch with some girlfriends, LeRoy and Levi helped a friend wire his basement and getting ready for Erika's recital) Nathan just kind of hung out at the house with whoever was home at the time. After his nap and before I left for the recital I went downstairs and caught Nathan watching TV just like his dad does. With his finger in his cheek, a remote in hand and spacing off at the TV. I couldn't resist a picture.

Derek's Sickly Sunday
Poor Derek has been fighting a cold for a few days now and it seems to have gotten the better of him. He stayed home from church to read, take a bath and blow his nose. He is great to down his vitamins and is still cheerful even though he has expressed in a very whiny voice that his nose hurts from wiping it so much. I've done the best I can in that comfort area - his own box of Puffs Plus with Lotion.

Levi's Big Day
Sacrament Meeting was new for Levi today as he blessed the sacrament for the first time. The young men's president asked the bishop if LeRoy could do the other sacrament prayer and it turned out to be a very touching moment. As we were singing the sacrament song I glanced over at the table and was suddenly tearful as I saw LeRoy and Levi standing side by side preparing the sacrament. Then to hear them each do one of the prayers touched my heart. I can't believe that I am now watching my own son prepare the sacrament. It is a great honor for those who hold the Priesthood.

The Parentals

LeRoy and I just spent the weekend keeping up with our kids, fulfilling our responsibilities in the ward and realizing that the weekend is gone and it is time to start another week. Wow the time goes by fast.

My Sunday was good with a minor glitch of locking my keys in the Yukon (thanks to a ward member who is an officer, it was taken care of after church at no cost), a scout meeting which leaves me wondering why I'm sitting there with a bunch of men babbling about boy stuff and choir practice which really filled my soul for the day.

I love our choir!! The men have such great voices and during one of the songs I became a little teary eyed only to be told after the song that it was my fault that the entire choir was crying. One of the ladies behind me said I was the reason she started to cry, then the lady next to her got started, then 2 men behind them began to cry because the other women were. Really, I think we were all just really touched by the song. We are preparing for Easter so the songs are all about Christ and the Resurrection. The particular song that got me is one about Mary at the tomb and Christ calling her by name. The accompaniment is simple and beautiful and hearing the men sing the part of Christ speaking (taken from scripture) just really created a beautiful moment for all of us. The only sad part about preparing for this Easter Sunday program is that I probably won't be there. It is scheduled for the day before my due date. Part of me hopes that I haven't had the baby by then so that I could go but my hips, legs, and back really hope that I've had this baby by then. For now I will enjoy the practices.

So here it is still early evening and I'm ready to post, go to bed early and hopefully get a good night sleep. Here we go for another week . . .