Summer Olympics 2012

The track races and swimming inspired Nathan and Hyrum to become mini-Olympians.

They did their long jump down the stairs.

Nathan would start the run at the end of the hallway by the bathroom and fly from the top of the stairs to land in the cushions.  Hyrum would start at the end of the hallway, run to the top of the stairs, stop, step down two steps and then jump.  He just barely made it too the cushions and I cringed every time. 

When I first saw this my protective mother instinct wanted to stop them but many of the Olympic commercials were in honor of the mothers who helped the Olympians reach their full potential so I had to let it be . . . just in case I have a future Olympian in the making.

Hyrum wanted to be a swimmer so I filled my six foot tub and let him at it.  He slid down the slippery back, splashing all the way to the faucet (I wouldn't let him "dive") and he spun around in the bubbles and he had me count to see how long he could hold his breath under the water.  When he tired out a bit we drained the tub just enough so that he could lay in the bubbles with only his eyes and nose out of the water (his request).  

The best part of this was that he insisted on doing it in his shorts just like the "real swimmer guys".  He was a little disappointed to not have a cap and goggles but I promised him that when he went to the real Olympics I would get him some.

The boys even came up with their own medal podium.  Using the couch cushions as a makeshift ladder they would climb on the stairway shelf and proudly give each other recognition.  I was so proud to hear their version of the national anthem.  

For The First Time. . .

October 2012

I love October for the cool weather, the fall leaves, and the fall decorations but I have a really hard time with the dark sky, the dark mornings, the dark evenings, and the overall feel that things are dying.  I even feel like I am somehow dying.  Or maybe just packing away the summer me to ready myself for winter hibernation.  I really wanted October to be different this year.  October leads to November and I have hated November for many, many years.  I can pin point a few reasons but mostly, it's all in my head.  So, in an attempt to better October and thus lead into November with a better head, I tried a few new things.

I received a random clothing magazine in the mail from a company I had never heard of and sat in a bored moment to take a look.  Most of the stuff would qualify for a cocktail party and a much more flattering body than mine but there were a couple of items that caught my eye.   I wanted to try something completely different from anything I had worn before.  First, I checked out the return policy since I had NEVER ordered clothing for myself online.  Oh, and I was looking for a winter coat.  Jacket. Whatever.  Something light weight enough that I wouldn't die of a heat stroke while grocery shopping but heavy enough to block out enough winter wind that I wouldn't freeze to death going from the car to my destination.  I thought I had found what I wanted.

And I waited two weeks to order.  The prices weren't holding me back - they were actually very good deals.  It was my October head setting in.

What if I didn't like it?  What a pain to send it back! What if they didn't fit?  What if I just look stupid in that shirt?  Is the jacket really me?

After two weeks of putting up with that nagging negative voice in my head I played devil's advocate for myself.  What if I did like them?  What if they did fit?  What if I looked really great in them?  Who am I that a basic solid colored jacket couldn't be me?

They fit!  They look good!  I like them!  I like green eggs and ham!  I like them Sam I Am!!
(I need to learn how to do that sexy pose and hold my lips just right and grow my hair out about six inches longer and get a padded bra . . . then I'll take pictures.)

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While planning Erika's wedding I got sucked into the Pinterest trap. To take a breather from wedding plans I started pinning recipes.

I mostly just did recipes for me, things that the kids would gag at the idea of because of the use of so many vegetables.  Near the end of September I decided to actually try some of these pinned recipes for family meals.  Some have really flopped.  Just because something has been pinned a million times does not mean it is a good recipe.  Others, weren't too bad.  A few have been great and will be used over and over again.

One for me . . .

Apple Green Drink was called a Detox Smoothie but, since I don't care to do a detox and it is really just a drink not a smoothie, I renamed it.  Technically, this is not the first green drink I have tried.  I remember summers in Yost when Mom and Buddy would make us gag down a glass of their thick, grass smelling concoction before we could go play.  Here I am torturing myself with another healthy green drink.  Pinterest made me do it.  And, my peaked interest at how so many random ingredients could possibly make something tasteful got the better of me. So, this is the first green drink that I chose to make and drink without a parent standing over me.  I have to admit, it’s not bad.  It’s almost good.  Good enough that I make one almost every morning now.  I don’t love it but I like it and I especially like the nutritional value.


One for the kids . . .

I've tried to make home made granola bars before but the kids are never thrilled with them. This time, I found one they love.  My kids are a bit addicted to granola bars but every time I buy them I cringe because of the cost and the ingredients.  I realize these homemade bars don't necessarily fall into the healthy category but they are healthier than what we have been buying.  I like the fact that they contain no high fructose corn syrup and that I can pronounce all of the ingredients.  I like making them in my own kitchen instead of wondering if they were formulated in a chemistry lab.  The kids like it that one batch makes about 25 bars and that I leave a tub of them in the pantry for the taking (except when it's close to dinner time - one of my pet peeves).

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I made my very first 911 call yesterday.  It wasn't an emergency but at least I meant to call instead of apologizing to dispatch after one of my toddlers called by accident.  I was taking Nathan to Tae Kwan Do and was behind a super slow car.  We were late, of course, so I took a different route to get into town.  This took me to the Salem Highway, which turns into Main Street in Rexburg.  As I stopped at the intersection with the highway I could see that the stop sign across the street was laying in the grass.  The post had been snapped in half (wind? kids?).

My mind took it's usual worse-case-scenario detour and I could picture Derek coming from the high school to this intersection and going right through it without stopping and being slammed into by a truck going 55-65 mph as it hit him.  I didn't even hesitate. I called 911.  Now, there is a recorded message of me reporting a stop sign and giving specific details of the intersection, the description of the stop sign and a brief description of why I was so concerned.  I'm almost famous.  Or just a good citizen. The lady on the end of the call probably thought I was a drama queen for my over-concerned imagination. An hour later I took the same route home and there at the intersection stood a miniature stop sign protecting drivers from what my mind made up.

After calling 911 I went to Walmart while Nathan was in class.  I admit, I was distracted.  I pulled into a parking spot and reached down to get my wallet and list off the floor.  In my peripheral vision I could see the car next to us backing out.  Or so I thought.  It was really me moving moving forward which ended with a whump as I rolled into the car facing me. That's a first!

"Kimberly Jo" I chided myself.  I backed up a couple feet, put the van in park this time and got out to assess the damage.  Not a bump, scratch, paint transfer, dent, or sign of my stupidity.  The dust had not even been brushed off the bumper - theirs or mine.  The truly embarrassing part was when Hyrum asked "why did you hit that car, mom?" while walking in the front doors of Walmart.  With heads turning to look at me I just kept walking, innocent as ....well, not innocent at all.

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A couple of years ago I started making birthday cakes.  Well, I had always made birthday cakes but in an effort to get through the middle-of-the-winter blues I taught myself how to make and use fondant, how to use frosting tips, and how to create theme cakes for each of the family birthdays.  I started in January for Levi, February for Justin, March for Hyrum and April for Nathan.

All of this led to making my very first wedding cake. Erika and I designed it and, after having major fondant trouble and going with butter cream frosting instead, we pulled it off. I had only used and perfected my skills with fondant in the cold months and the 85+ degree weather really messed things up.

Derek figured that if I could do all those birthday cakes and make a wedding cake that I was ready to take orders.  Along with a couple of friends, he was planning a surprise birthday party for a girl.  When they researched cakes and how much it would cost to order one he had the brilliant idea to offer my services.

I had only met Sierra while we were in Disneyland with the orchestra and the party planners didn't give me any suggestions or ideas for the cake so I took creative liberty and did my own.  I used a new chocolate cake recipe (tried it the night before and tweaked it for the final product) and a new chocolate frosting recipe that was supposed to be easier to work with than traditional butter cream.  I had SO much fun!!  Derek was giddy like a girl when he saw it and was so excited to show the others.  When I saw Sierra the next day she raved about it, professing her love for the marshmallow flowers and the moist chocolate cake that she finished for breakfast.

This cake didn't cost the party planners anything because I already had all the ingredients for the cake, the frosting, the flowers, and even had the sprinkles and cake round in the cupboard.  It was a much better price (and flavor) than an Albertson's cake would have been.

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I still have one week left in October.  With the weekend trip I have coming up and the primary program on Sunday and the parties at the schools I think this will be the first October in several years that I really enjoy.

Summer Fun 2012

A New Man
At the beginning of the summer Levi moved back home.  Since most of his friends has moved to Utah or California he started hanging out with some friends that he used to hang out with in middle school.  Since most of the boys had already left on missions Levi was left to hang out with a bunch of girls.  He didn't seem to mind.  They took him shopping for a new wardrobe and convinced him to get a haircut.  I quite like his new look, though I have to admit his curls had started to grow on me.

During one of his show-off moments I started taking pictures of him and it's the first time since he was a senior that he didn't try to take the camera away from me.  I think he likes his new look as well.  I was really surprised when he picked up Justin's violin and started playing.  It has been good to have him home this summer.

Chemistry 101
Using an old molecule set, Derek helped the boys create magic crowns.

Hyrum was convinced that his crown gave him the power to shoot fire and that it made him go "super speed".
Nathan used the powers from his crown to move things with only his eyes.


Chalk Art
I love having my kids home for the summer but it does become a challenge keeping up with the office when all I want to do is hang out with them. On one particular day I absolutely could not put the office off any longer but I knew that in order to make the day go smooth for all of us I had to come up with something for the little boys to do or they would be in and out of the house and my office all day long. The boys thought I was kidding when I walked them out to the trampoline, gave them a box of sidewalk chalk and told them to draw pictures for me. They took it seriously and after nearly an hour of jumping, drawing and distractions they came to get me to see their works of art.  

They were even more excited when I then had them put on their swim trunks and put the sprinkler under the trampoline to wash off the chalk.  The automatic sprinklers would have done the job during the night but I was almost done with the office and needed a bit more time.  After a few hours in the summer sun and a sprinkler shower they were ready for some quiet time which accidentally led to naps and by the time they woke up the office was caught up enough that I could spend the rest of the day with them.


Movie Night
We have a huge basement with a two very comfy couches and super sized flat screen TV but for some reason my boys really like it when I offer a movie night in my room.  We gather up all our pillows and blankets and even drag up the bean bag from the basement. Once we have all been situated comfortably on the floor or bed we munch away on our snacks (which this time happened to be cherry tomatoes) while enjoying the simplicity of the ancient, small TV.

Derek and Harrison evidently weren't that interested in the show.

Cabin Retreat

July 20th, 2012

LeRoy and I were invited to a cabin retreat with some of the people we traveled to Hawaii with.  It was going to be a brief training session with good food and plenty of relaxation.

The cabin was set back in the mountains at the east side of Blackfoot.  When I first heard of the location I thought it was just going to be some out of town cabin but this was a serious mountain ride to a real hide away.  They weren't kidding when they said we had to have a truck to get up there.

We were the first ones there (with the couple that we took up with us) so we had the first choice of which rooms we would stay in.  This was no small cabin.  Fifteen bedrooms and 8 bathrooms, three stories tall.  After our discussion took on a Three Bears detour, we chose a basement bedroom that walked out to ground level.  The top floor had the pool table and that would be too loud.  The main level had the kitchen and that would be too tempting.  The basement was quiet and cool.  It was just right.

Friday evening was all about food and mingling.  Saturday morning we worked together to make a delicious breakfast and then split up to take our own personal time for hiking.  Some stayed behind because of knee and  hip pains and some stayed close to the cabin.

LeRoy and I took an hour hike through trails and hills until we reached the top of the closet peak and could look out over the valley.  It was wonderful!  I was having such a good time enjoying the birds and butterflies and trees and streams that I forgot to pay attention to LeRoy.  By the time we met up with another couple on the way back to the cabin they noticed he was walking a bit more sore than when he left.

A few highlights:

1 - LeRoy was excited to see the solar panels and generators that ran everything up there.  While the others were reading over instructions of how to hook up the solar power and when to have the generator on, LeRoy climbed up the hill and started it all.

2 - In the email invitation that we received we were told to bring our swimming suits because there was a pool there.  I didn't bother taking a swim suit because I don't play in water but LeRoy double checked to make sure he had his swimming trunks.  We all had a good laugh when we saw the blue back yard pool that was empty.  Oh, sure, they could drag the hose down to fill it up but their bubble of excitement was already burst.

3 - The steps on the porch were very exciting.  Well, actually, the bear claw tracks on the porch were exciting.  I was really hoping to see a bear while we were there but alas, I only got to look at the bear rug draped over the balcony.

4 - Guilt Free Nap Time.  I found this picture on my camera when I got home.  Evidently, my Kindle was about to fall to the floor so LeRoy put it on the back of the couch and took a picture. No kids, no cleaning, no electronics, no phone, no current responsibilities?  What a perfect opportunity to fall asleep to a good book!

5 - I loved being in a place with no cell phone service.  There was a radio there with instruction that we could use if we really needed help but the only cell service was standing in one certain place after a hike up the hill.  Yes, LeRoy found the only place that had service.  He was a little panicked knowing that his phone was out of commission but I quite enjoyed it.

The Piano Guys

July 14, 2012

We had spent almost a year trying to get to a Piano Guys concert and finally had tickets for a December 2011 show.  Before purchasing the tickets I checked the school calendar, family calendar and LeRoy's calendar (which does run somewhat separate from any other calendar) to make sure that we would be able to make it.  Derek, Justin, Vivien and I were so excited to be going!!  But it was not meant to be, yet.

We found out about a week before the concert that Derek's high school orchestra concert was being rescheduled to accommodate the school choir and it would now be held the same night as our Piano Guys concert.  Derek was SO frustrated that he left the orchestra class without permission so that he could call me.  I told him that I would leave the choice up to him.  He could talk to Mr. Hansen about missing the school concert (because Mr. Hansen is also a big fan of the Piano Guys) or we would try to pass the tickets on to someone else and hope to make the concert another time.  Derek went back to class, finished the school day and thought over his options.  I searched the web hoping to find another Piano Guys concert and nothing was booked in our area (Idaho/close Utah).  Steven Nelson (the oh-so-amazing cello player) was going to be doing a tour in China so there were no upcoming concerts for 2012 after April.

When Derek got home from school he was in a grouchy mood and I have to admit, so was I.  I was frustrated with the choir instructor who thought he could change the whole schedule for the choir and orchestra with only a week notice; I was frustrated with myself for telling the kids about the tickets because I had intended to keep it a secret and just take them on a surprise date with me and if I had done that Derek wouldn't be so upset.  After a few days thinking it over, Derek decided that he would stay for his own school concert.  In his own words, "If Steven Sharp Nelson had a concert he would be there, so I will be at mine".  I was so proud and so hurt for him.  We were able to give the tickets to some friends that we knew would enjoy and appreciate the concert just as much as we would have and their thank you back was to give Derek the newly released Piano Guys first CD signed by Steven Nelson.  Derek was not only thrilled with the CD, he was surprised to think that our friends would stand in line to get it autographed directly to him.  For the next few weeks he fell asleep listening to that CD and it was the only thing that played in the car for quite awhile.

After this experience I realized how much Derek really wanted to meet Steven.  He has inspired Derek to write his own cello songs and record them.  Derek has purchased and practiced the few arrangements that Steven has listed for sale on his website.  Derek loves the cello.  He wants to play an electric cello and pound on a metal cello all because of Steven.

So, I became a Piano Guys stalker and it paid off.  Steven's China tour was cancelled and the Piano Guys started adding more concerts. I purchased tickets for a July concert in Sandy, Utah and took a printed copy of the receipt to Derek's school to have it delivered to him in class and then posted it on facebook so that Justin would see it.  It was fun to surprise the boys in a unique way for each of them.

We drove to Utah on July 13th with the stereo pumping up our excitement as it played Derek's autographed CD.  As we got to Malad a big rain storm hit.  By Brigham City we were worried about being blown off the road.  Utah was a windy, rainy mess and here we were headed to an outdoor concert.  However, we were not going to let this get us down.  Come rain or wind we were going to this concert.  As long as they would perform, we would be there.

Finally!!!  Waiting for the concert to start.  We were concerned about our seats when we first got there because the sun was right in our eyes and we couldn't see the stage because of the glare.  The usher assured us that by the time the concert started the sun would be in the perfect position for a beautiful sunset concert, wind and rain free. She was right.  Just as it started the sun had moved down far enough that we could see perfectly.

We were a few rows back and on the side that the cello was on.  Perfect seating!  Though the group is called the Piano Guys, we were totally fixated on the cello guy the whole time.  

At the end of the concert we got to meet all five of the Piano Guys and they performed a new song that they had just recorded the night before.  All of them were on the piano plucking, playing, pounding and it was awesome.  The next week they released the new video online and it was cool to watch the video and see the same stage that we had just watched them on.

The next morning we went to church with Mike and Kate and their boys and Kellie and her kids.  Kellie's family had just moved back from Columbia (minus Shawn who had to stay behind in Virginia for work) and it had been almost a year since we had seen them.  Hailey immediately took to Derek.

He carried her to church and she sat on his lap all through Sacrament Meeting.  After church she would wander around the house calling out in her sweet voice, "where's Derek" until she found him.  I love being with my sisters and watching all of our kids hang out together making memories.

Perspective

After about the tenth time sending my kids down to the storage room for something and them coming back empty handed, I figured it was time to give a little TLC to our food storage and a little less focus on trips and parties.  We were out of peanut butter, oats (Justin was nearly freaking out), ketchup, hot cocoa (how would we ever survive winter!), chili (a must for our weekly baked potatoes), salsa, and the last straw was the bare naked shelf designated for ramen noodles.

A little budgety research helped me decide between the Broulims case lot sale and the everyday prices at Super Walmart and after two trips my list was nearly complete.  The boys loved parking the van on the front porch and hauling the stuff downstairs (I'm glad my love of food storage shopping has rubbed off onto them) and as we stood back admiring our full buckets and shelves I announced that I was ready for winter hibernation.

Derek's pretty sure we are ready for the inevitable Zombie Apocalypse.

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I tried a new Italian Chicken Penne recipe which got quite mixed reviews.  The "red things" and "flecks" (diced tomatoes and herbs) left Derek and Justin a little hesitant, LeRoy scarfed down a few bites before leaving for a meeting and didn't really taste it, Levi declared it was the best meal he has has in months (I don't know if I should take that as an insult or compliment) and Nathan ate it up with a little persuasion.

Hyrum, on the other hand, would not even pick up his fork.

I knew if I could get him to at least try it he would eat the whole thing.  It was right up his appetite alley.  He kept insisting he wasn't hungry and I let him get down from the table reminding him that he wouldn't be able to eat anything else until he tried at least two bites.  He went and played cheerfully.  I put a lid over his plate.

When it was time to get pajamas on he whined that he was hungry.  I reminded him of his dinner and he willingly agreed to eat two bites.  I reheated it, left him at the table and turned my back to get him a drink.  He took his two bites, stood up on his chair and stated emphatically, "you're right mom, this is yummy!  It just looks disgusting".

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We can proudly say that Hyrum now knows his alphabet.  And by his alphabet, I mean HIS alphabet.  He is capable of singing the alphabet song the right way but he prefers to sing it with the letters all jumbled.  I'm pretty sure he still gets most of them in there and there are only a few duplicates.  When he sings it the right way he sings the end "now I know your ABC's . . . " and when he sings it his way he ends with "now I know my ABC's".

First Day of School

August 2012

Another school year.  I was not ready!  I wanted at least another three months of summer break.  I did not want to turn my boys over to the school district for ten months.  I want them to be mine.  But, I also want them to learn and be successful so another first day of school . . . here we go.

I have four boys going to school.  Four boys who leave at four different times, take four different routes in four different vehicles and get home at four different times.  After doing the schedule for a couple of weeks now, I find that I actually like it this way.  It gives me personal time with each boy as he gets home from school to really focus on him, his feelings, his homework, and his day.

Derek chose to do early morning seminary (not early-morning like real early-morning seminary, but zero hour) so that he could get more credits in and take the Environment Solutions class that he wanted.
So, Derek warms up the teenager car and leaves at 7am.

As a junior this year he is excited about the new changes.  He drives, he dates, he has great friends, he loves his tough classes, he jams on the cello, he quotes scripture from seminary and he just seems really confident and happy with this school year.  After doing two weeks of school he came home on a Friday and whined, "why do I have to wait two whole days before I can go back?"  I just stared at him.  I had no comeback for that.


Justin is not as thrilled about 8th grade as Derek is about high school but he was still happy to return to school.  Mostly for the social life and the fact that it meant a daily gymnastics schedule to go with it.  He does well in school, he just doesn't love it.  He's always quick to get his assignments done and it comes fairly easy to him and he maintains good grades but
his passion is at the gym.

He leaves at 8:15, taking the bus.  Some mornings he finds it quite unfair that he has to be up at 6:15 for scriptures but he doesn't complain about it when he is dishing up his breakfast or when he gets to go back to bed for another thirty minutes, which still gives him enough time to do his violin and shower before school.

Doing a handstand while waiting for the bus.


Nathan spent most of the summer counting down the days until first grade by marking off the days on his calendar.  He couldn't wait to go all day and have lunch at the school and ride the bus to and from school.

Our neighborhood has a back-to-school breakfast where each family contributes food, drinks or paper products (based on which street we live on) so that all the kids can meet up for breakfast and then get on the bus together.  Nathan wasn't quite awake for it and was a bit emotional simply from being up so early.  His spark of excitement for first grade and the boys that he ate with got him through that first morning.

He wouldn't let me take any individual pictures of him so I did my best to sneak a couple of breakfast shots.

The only thing Nathan wasn't quite ready for was the early hour that his day would have to start.  We tried getting him up for scriptures for a few days but it just didn't work well for him.  Just like Levi, he has to have his sleep.  He would cry at nearly everything, missed a day in the second week and slept almost the whole day.  His emotions are just all over the place when he gets that tired.  Levi struggled in a similar way so it wasn't hard to notice.

On Friday, the third morning of Nathan crying through the morning prayer, I gave him a big hug and offered to again walk him to the bus stop.  After we hugged he looked at me with big tears in his beautiful blue eyes and said, "do you remember the blessing dad gave me last year before I started school?  Maybe that would help me again this year".  I couldn't believe that we had let that slip this year.  We were so focused on getting the stuff ready for Erika's wedding party in the back yard and we were somewhat frazzled as a family after the trip to Colorado with the rush of school starting and playing catch-up with work that we had not even thought about our usual back to school traditions. Before he went back to school on the following Monday, LeRoy gave him a father's blessing.  The things that were said in the blessing prompted us to make a few changes.  I do scriptures with the little boys in the evening, letting Nathan sleep in as long as possible without making the morning too hectic.  We also moved his bedtime to 7:30 and that seems to have helped.  In his own prayers he asks that he will be "awake enough to learn and be happy".  Now that we are a month into school I can say that he loves first grade and he loves his teacher.
Most of all he loves reading. Really reading, all by himself.

Nathan refuses to eat school lunch.  We got a lunch calendar so that he could choose which days he wanted to eat school lunch and which days he would take a lunch but every day he wants a cold lunch.  He probably has the oddest lunches in the whole school but he packs them himself (or at least tells me what he wants and I pack it).  Even on pizza day (he loves pizza!) he will take his own lunch.  Since I'm not overly fond of what the schools serve for lunch, I'm happy to send him a lunch from home and I'm happy that it is so healthy.  He usually has tomatoes or cucumbers or celery, peaches or pears or applesauce, a cheese stick, a sandwich or quesadilla and always water.  He informed me (and I got a note from the teacher) about one of his classmates who has a severe peanut allergy.  Nathan always checks to make sure there is nothing with peanuts in his lunch.  No peanut butter sandwich, peanut butter crackers peanut butter on celery and not even trail mix.  He is afraid that it will kill his friend. I'm so proud of him for being thoughtful about it instead of complaining that he can't take some of his favorites for lunch.


Hyrum was ready for preschool two years ago when Nathan had it.  Well, he was ready to go, not necessarily ready.  He started a week after the other kids started school and it about drove him (and me) crazy.  He would lay his clothes out each night just like Nathan did.  He would be up, eat his breakfast, get dressed without being told, brush his teeth and be ready to leave at the same time Nathan was.  And then he would pout and sometimes cry when he didn't get to go.  FINALLY, the first day of preschool came!  He was all smiles and so happy to go again the next day. Really big, sobbing tears came when I told him that he only had school on Mondays and Fridays.  Life is just not fair when you are four!

We were so excited for Hyrum to learn the alphabet!

He came home singing the entire alphabet song after two and a half hours of preschool.  I asked him how he learned it so fast because he would NEVER sing it for us, wouldn't even try, would start saying numbers instead of letters.  His reply?  "I always knewd it, I just like trickin' ya".  Little Stinker!

He still loves to spend time doing his own hair and I could not refuse him on a school morning.  He was so proud of  his mohawk and yes, I let him wear it to school.  Not only did his hair stay up for school but it stayed up the entire day.  I have no idea what product he used on it since there is only gel and hair spray in that bathroom but whatever the combination (or amount), it worked. 

When Mom Is Away . . .

June 2012

After being in Hawaii for almost a week, Disneyland for a week, Colorado for a quick weekend, and Utah multiple times I was beginning to miss hanging out with my little boys.  Derek and Justin are amazing to take on the mommy responsibilities when I am gone and everyone is always healthy and happy when I get back.  Still, I sometimes wonder what really goes on when I'm not here.

During my first day back from Hawaii I went into the kitchen to make lunch for the little boys.  I assumed they were still outside playing because it was quiet in the house.  In the kitchen I found them donned in aprons and in serious conversation proudly making their own lunches.

They informed me that Justin had taught them how to make their own lunches. And then they proceeded to give me the past weeks lunch menu.  I was very impressed with Justin's training and their food choices.  Their recipe for lunch included a main dish (sandwich of either honey, PB&J or turkey), a finger food from the pantry (chips, crackers, pretzels or raisins), and something from the fridge (cheese stick, tomatoes, carrots).   The real special lunch was when Justin taught Nathan how to cook a corn dog in the microwave.  Oh, was Nathan proud to show me that (and a little disappointed that I wouldn't eat his final product).

Though they might be fending for themselves and eating on the floor, at least I know that as long as I leave plenty of bread and finger foods my children do not starve when I am gone.

The boys also became a little attached to my aprons that week.  When the church had a final lost-and-found day with all the left overs going to the DI, they quickly grabbed the unclaimed umbrellas.

LeRoy was a bit disgusted with the feminine colors and look of their dancing outfits, and especially the twirling and ballet style dance they were doing, but I found it adorable and therefore took plenty of pictures.  I find nothing wrong with a boy wearing an apron or wearing purple.

Scout Camps - August 2012

Justin attended two different camps this year.  One was with the ward at the week long scout camp in Island Park and the second was a scout youth leadership training called Cedar Badge, also held for a week in Island Park.

He worked on and completed several merit badges at scout camp and found that he is a better swimmer than he thought he was.  He came home exhausted but happy having spent a week without a shower, playing  and sleeping in the woods and pulling pranks with the other boys in his troop.

At Cedar Badge he only knew two other kids and those kids weren't even in his troop. He was a little nervous about it when he left but came home with new friends and many new jokes, silly songs and even sillier stories.  

Justin isn't afraid to pull a pose now and then.  This was the moment I could tell that he was comfortable with his new buddies.  In group settings he can come across somewhat reserved but when he starts posing and doing hand stands, all is well.

While we were waiting for the graduation ceremony to start, Nathan and Hyrum entertained themselves by trying to throw pine cones in a can and climbing the trees.  According to Nathan, the branches on the trees were perfect for his size and just like a ladder.  Hyrum didn't want to go very high but was so proud that he could go up and down all by himself.

After the graduation we waited for Justin to get all of his stuff from the tent to the van.  We took our time walking, knowing that he would be a while saying goodbye and gathering his stuff.  Again, Nathan and Hyrum made up their own forest games as they balanced along the trail logs and stood tall on the stumps along the way.  I was glad they had their matching Tigger hats on so that I could keep track of them in the crowd.

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Derek was signed up for Cedar Badge and was excited to be on staff this year but when we got the youth calendar for the month of August he was bummed that the High Adventure camp with the Priests in our ward was going to be the same week.  We gave him the choice of which one to do and he took the High Adventure.

They had been told that they would be riding bikes for almost 50 miles but that it would mostly be downhill.  Funny, you have to get UP the hill before you can go down.  And it was closer to 70 miles but after 30 who's counting?  Derek's knees hurt from all that peddling and from his bike not quite being tall enough for his long legs, even with the seat raised as high as it would go.  That didn't stop him from having a good time.

He loved the old train tunnel that has been converted to part of the trail. He was a little freaked out in the pitch black, mile long tunnel where he couldn't see a light at the end and had to depend on his helmet lamp to guide him but that was part of what made it so exciting.   He had quite a rush on the down hill stretches and all the boys were thrilled to have their picture taken in front of the Nudist sign.  The bishop mumbled "yeah, just think of all the sixty-somethings with their saggy everythings".  The boys were immediately grossed out and the bishop chuckled, "just wanted to clear out any inappropriate thoughts you might have had".  

I'm so glad that Derek and Justin both have these opportunities to be with other good young men, burning off some of their need for excitement and adrenalin activities in their lives.  Though I worry about them each time they leave for a week with no intentions of showering, brushing their teeth or thinking of safety first, I'm glad they have a great way to have their adventures.

The Tooth Fairy

August 2012

After missing out on putting a sticker on the tooth chart in kindergarten Nathan was determined that any tooth close to loose was going to get pulled in the first grade.  

He patiently wiggled in front of the mirror

He was very brave (or scared) and wouldn't let anyone else touch it so for a while it hung in his mouth in very odd angles.

He went outside to play and after about an hour Hyrum informed him that his tooth was gone.  It was so loose that he didn't even notice when it fell out.  

After searching the grass, the playhouse, the garage and anywhere else he could remember being, he came to me with big tears in his eyes.  I had been through this scenario with Justin at about the same age and hoped that Nathan would accept my suggestion as willingly as Justin had.

He wrote a note explaining how hard he worked to find his tooth.

The next morning he had a "golden dollar" under his pillow. (Sacajawea Coin)

"The tooth fairy is so nice"