Prom Night 2010

Erika went to Prom with Dyllan and they double dated with Erika's best friend Brianna and her date Brady. Their all day hike and picnic lasted until 6:30. When they got home the girls took such fast showers that I wondered if they had used soap. Then they quickly did hair, using at least a full can of aerosol hairspray, and put on their dresses. The guys picked them up at 8:30 and they went to 5 different places to show off for all the parents and get pictures taken. They only spent 2 hours at the actual dance and were home right on time (that might be a first!).

Though it is not what I imagine a Prom night to be, the kids all seemed googly eyed and extremely happy with their night!

Two New Records

The Hosting Record:

LeRoy volunteered our house for the Woodbadge staff dinner in May. I'm so grateful for my big kitchen and I love having the extra room to host events like this!

There were 12 extra vehicles at our house that night. (Justin thought it was so cool that he took the camera outside and shot this picture). But I don't think that is a record, Bunco still wins on that one.

We had 38 adults, 4 of my own kids, 4 extra toddlers and 1 infant (16 days old!). Now that is a record at our house! I had no excuse other than "I might blog this" to take pictures so you get the empty chair visual.

It was a fun evening and because it turned out so well we have all the monthly meetings scheduled at our house until September.



The Laundry Record or The New Family Dresser :

These 6 baskets are actually holding 9 loads of laundry.
They are all clean.
Maybe I have to many clothes baskets.
Or we all have to many clothes.
I should have pulled shirts out and hung them.
I should iron.
I'm not gonna get to that, I promise.


So if you happen to see any of us around town in our wrinkled attire, please just appreciate the fact that the clothes we have on are clean.

Graduation!

Madison High School Graduate! Great job Levi!



Grandma & Grandpa Fullmer, David & Barbara Pitsenbarger

The Crosswalk Lady, Big Levi and Levi, Caytlyn and Levi

When Levi saw Mrs. Carrie he had to have a picture with her. I think he was more excited to have a picture with her than with his parents. During elementary school the kids always talked about Mrs. Carrie and how nice she was. As we were leaving campus after graduation Mrs. Carrie and her family were standing by the cross-walk and Levi asked, "will you help me cross?". Then he joked with her a minute and said, "hey, I wouldn't have been able to graduate today if you hadn't made sure I crossed the street safely in 4th grade". It's funny to see the lasting impressions that one person can make.

Our morning routine at the Edwards' house includes Hyrum standing on the porch come rain, snow, sleet or hail (I wonder if he has a postal future) as he waves goodbye to the 5 other family members that leave him every morning. Most of the time it is just happy waving. Sometimes, tears.

And then he is left with Mom. Sometimes I think of Hyrum and Nathan as little latch key kids when I lock myself in the office and they are left to fend for themselves . . . which they do very well now that they can open and reach the refrigerator and any cupboard they want. I try to get my work done as quickly as I can but sometimes it can't be helped.

When I finally get take of my office manager hat and play mommy I live it up!

They are my sanity. They make me smile. They share unlimited hugs and kisses and giggles. And the other stuff that comes with the 2 and 4 year old stages . . . but that's not today's focus.

Nathan spends most of his time fluctuating between being super hero Ralph Hinckley out to save the world and brave Peter as he does a quick wardrobe change into his Narnia clothing. From cape to sword he is my little hero. He is bold enough to pray that Levi will go on a mission with Levi in the room. He isn't afraid to sing "I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ" as we do our Walmart shopping. He isn't afraid to tell the guy doing our landscaping that he's doing an "awesome job". He can tell Erika that she needs to clean her room and she will do it. He brings me dandelions. He forgives easily. He loves unconditionally. He teaches me to be more like Christ.

Hyrum is so full of cheerful energy! His inquisitive nature keeps me on my toes and busy cleaning up messes but I love watching him experiment and learn. He isn't afraid to try new things and when he gets hurt he is quick to try again, not focusing on the failure or the disappointment. His giggle is infectious and fills our home with laughter. He teaches me to keep on trying and to laugh every chance I get. And he loves his mommy. I so wanted my last baby to be a cuddle baby and I got it. The two of us can snuggle into a perfect fit for stories, songs, and sleeping. With Hyrum in my arms the world just seems right.

These two little men are a true blessing that for 7 years I didn't think I would have. It is strange to think that in that other life I thought I would be living Justin would be my youngest. Oh, how different life would be! I choose this life. . . with my little playmates and our daily play dates.

Really?

A new first happened for me today. I received three bills in the mail (that part isn't new). The phone bill. The electric bill. One of the 4 insurance bills. All three of them are late (that is new). Really? I know I paid those.

Well, I know I had the folder sitting on my desk for a few days with the intention to pay them.

Where did the entire month of May go? It's like April just never went away. Even Mother Nature agrees.

Where did my mind go?

The folder is sitting on my desk again. This time I really did pay them. All of them. Even the ones that haven't sent me the late notices yet. I have a cramp in my hand from writing checks. Sometimes I think automatic withdrawal would be easier but with the seasonal business we run I never have automatic deposits so I would probably just end up with insufficient funds fees.

Whew, I paid May just in time for June to come. Mother Nature better catch up with the calendar!

I shouldn't find this funny. It is a bit embarrassing but evidently not embarrassing enough that I can't post it for the world to read.

Catch Up? Whatever, Never!

Has it really been almost 2 months? It has felt longer. There would be so much to post if I tried to catch up but life isn't slowing down any so I'll give a brief summary . . .

1 husband, 6 kids, 1 business, 1 huge yard, 1 kid graduating, 1 extra kid moving in with us, scouts, young men & young women activities, preschool, doctors, dance recitals, school counselors, a pool plaza, a funeral, school registration x 4, 3 orchestra concerts, 2 trips to Utah . . . Oh the list could go on. For all the moms out there I'm sure you understand all the extras that go on with each item listed. 1 kids graduating isn't just a statement, it's 3 different meetings, orders for cap/gown, creating the grad announcement, sending the grad announcement, making arrangements for AFTER graduation . . . and that list goes on as well.

Actually, there has been so much going on that I missed Bunco last month! In 5 years the only month that I have missed (I'm pretty sure) was when Hyrum was 3 days old. I was even dressed and ready to go but my sore parts and tears just wouldn't let me. So now you get an idea of the craziness going on.

As we adjust to a new stage of life, so has our food adjusted. More meals than not are served on paper plates with the hope that there is nutrition involved but more just hoping that tummies are filled. As we were getting ready for 1:00 church today, which takes 2 hours just rotating everyone through baths and showers, I quickly dished up a snack to please the eye and hopefully get my two little picky eaters filled. A minor success to mark the day . . .

Justin ate a face . . . two of them actually

Brendan (my nephew) ate a sailboat and cheesey waves . . . after already finishing a toothpick platter

Hyrum concentrated very hard as he worked one piece at a time on his toothpick platter and . . .

he had to show us each piece as evidence of his accomplishment.

Nathan was a little puzzled with the first bite of his turkey roll up.

I soon understood his confusion when he said "I didn't know this is what turkish delight tasted like". Oh, my little Narnia fan! I won't tell him that his few grams of protein are a far cry from the pound of powdered sugar that real turkish delight holds.

Graduation Announcements

Levi played around with making his own graduation announcement since he had taken Photoshop classes in school. I think he was just on a bit of senior overload because he couldn't get it to come together. Since we were too late to order any announcements I decided to play around with his pictures in Scrapbook Factory.





These were the two that he liked the best and we ended up printing some of each of them. He was a little choosey about who got which announcement.

D.A.R.E.

Justin's sixth grade class had a big graduation for the work they had done in the D.A.R.E. program. He received a t-shirt, a certificate and a pat on the back from the local D.A.R.E officer.



I remember when Levi had his D.A.R.E. graduation that I looked across the gym at all of those sixth graders and realized that I was looking at his graduating class. I wondered how many of them would make it to their senior year applying the things they had spent half a school year learning during the D.A.R.E. classes. Again, with Justin's class, I looked across the gym, found my own son in the crowd and silently prayed that he would always remember what he had learned about drugs, alcohol, tobacco and all harmful substances and that he would have the courage to stay away from them.

And in May I will look across the gym at Levi's graduating class again, for graduation. It has gone by so fast!

Happy Easter 2010

Due to the windy, snowy, drifting conditions of our Easter weekend morning, we sponsored our own egg hunt at home. LeRoy had way to much fun hiding the eggs (especially since we are accidentally finding eggs 24 hours later . . . at least they are all plastic not hard boiled) and the kids seemed to have fun running around the house looking for hidden treasures. I know they enjoyed munching away on their sugary loot and pressing on their cutesy butterfly and animal tattoos. It was fun to have the cousins over to make it feel like a real event instead of just a lame hunt for hidden plastic eggs. Ok, so maybe it was still a lame hunt for plastic eggs but I don't think anyone was disappointed.

Even though LeRoy and Derek left for the priesthood session, Erika was working and Kellie was feeding her baby, I attempted a brief egg coloring session with six ambitious little kids. It ended with Hyrum trying to play ball with the eggs which was only leaving eggshell all over, yellow dye spreading across the plastic table cloth and dripping onto the chairs and rug and the only pictures I have are of Kellie's kids because they were the only ones actually smiling and having fun. Too bad I don't have the pictures of me frustrated, Nathan crying and Hyrum throwing an egg.

And then the puking began. First Justin, then Nathan . . . all . . . night . . . long! Erika's morning began with dedicated worship of the porcelain throne and the afternoon brought on Derek's turn. At first we thought maybe it was just too much sugar (really though?, this is NOTHING compared to Halloween!!) but soon it was evident that everyone was going to take a turn. At least that is what we are expecting and if the rest of us are spared we will celebrate (quiet enough to not annoy the sick crew).

It seems to be a 24 hour bug and by the time Nathan hit hour 29 he was hungry! I was trying to offer soft, bland foods for his first try at things going down to his stomach instead of coming up but his request was for a big carrot, two pieces of toast and a bowl of oatmeal. He ate it all, wanted more and cried when I told him he needed to let his tummy munch on that for a while. So far, so good.

Now we begin a new week with half of us sick, no work to speak of, no school for Monday, 3 doctor/dentist appointments, Levi starting a new job, Nathan's 4th Birthday, Justin's DARE graduation, my LASIK touch up, a Relief Society mini-class night and all the other stuff that comes in a normal week long schedule.

If I could make just one wish for this week it would be for warm, sunny, play outside weather. Pretty Please?

A week later, after all the sickness had cleared, we brought on the rest of the Easter goodness that we had planned but postponed. Peeps in a nest . . . mmmmm

All in a Day's Play

Here is the photographic evidence which proves that my children are still children, even though they claim that they are "practically adults".

He's just a little kid stuck in a really tall body.
The younger kids were tossing their balloons around for simple entertainment. Derek took a minute to add a face to his balloon then stuffed it in his hoodie and suddenly Phil the entertainer came to life. Phil? Where does he come up with this?

Where are the circus sign ups?

I don't even know what to say. Levi + headband + plastic cups = really creepy pictures.



I told them they should do something active instead of watch TV. Evidently that translates to "go jump off the furniture and be sure to take pictures".

Bean Bag Body Slamming. Very mature.



It's a good thing we built the basement with a nine foot ceiling.

Life will make them grow up fast enough. I'm glad they haven't outgrown their imaginations and daring abilities. It provides us with hours of entertainment.