Christ: The Real Gift of Christmas

Christ: The Real Gift of Christmas

High School

I can't believe that I registered two kids for High School this week. I'm not sure that I'm ready to start all of that. I made it through with one, but that seems like forever ago. High School just seems so much older, and I know how very fast it will go. It will actually be less time than we have had them in our lives before they are ready to move on to other things. That really scares me - so much to make sure they have learned, so much to do, and so little time. Also, the speed of High School is crazy, so many activities, so much to do, it is already getting crazy just looking at the schedule, then throw in an 8th grader, and the activities of two others and we have one scary looking schedule for this year. So, here I go - hold on tight for a fast ride.

Camping Trip

Hanging from a really tall tree.

Everyone got into the swing of things!!

Our camping trip

My little nature lover.

Picking flowers

Hiking down a bunch of rocks to get to a waterfall.

We made it!!!

Summer's End

Summer has been full - full of family acitivities and craziness. I have enjoyed all of the time with my kids, yet I am ready to the schedule of school. Today I have been cleaning and cleaning, trying to get myself organized again. Seems like I haven't had time at all - it's been from one big activity or trip to another. I've enjoyed it all, but I'm ready to settle down a little now.

This past weekend we were able to go camping. We left on Thursday and came home on Sat. I'll post some pictures later. The weather was beautiful and we had a good time. We went up on the Grahams to Treasure Park. We went hiking, and the kids and LaMont spent time swinging on a rope from a tall pine tree. They all came home with sore muscles and sore hands. We saw lizards, deer, turkeys, and snakes. Thank goodness no skunks or bear. It's been too long since we have been camping, and I realized how much I missed it. I love the quiet of the forest, relaxing with nothing to do, no phones or TV, just hanging out and having fun.

A few weeks ago we were able to go to Mesa for a couple of days for a small vacation. We stayed at a hotel which for the kids is a vacation in itself. We spent time at the pool the first night. We went to the AZ Science Center. It was very interesting. Everyone found something they enjoyed and we spent the whole day there. We took the kids to the Rainforest Cafe for dinner - a big splurg which we never do. We went school shopping and were able to finish it all - yeah!!! The last day we went to the temple - a great way to finish the trip and kick off of the end of summer.

LaMont and I got away for a few days to celebrate our 24 anniversary - something we haven't done for a few years. It was so nice to spend time together with no kids around.

In June our stake had a Youth Handcart Trek that I was one of the leaders for - it was an amazing experience. Two of my kids were able to participate in it. We went for 3 days. The spirit was so strong and many wonderful things happened. With that and Girls camp which was also an amazing spiritual week it's been a great summer for big spiritual experiences.

There has been so much that summer has gone by fast, only 2 more weeks until school starts. I will have 2 in High School - I'm not ready for that, but it will happen before I know it - ready or not.

Thunderstorm

Tonight we had a crazy thunderstorm - it was really close, if fact it hit a tree at the church and set it on fire. The thunder was loud and every time my girls would get almost to sleep it would pound again and they would jump up. It's finally gone and they are asleep, thank goodnes. It was an amazing light show, though. Those storms always remind me of watching the thunderstorms as a kid - sitting on the front porch watching the lightening, that is a fun memory. I hope that I can instill in my kids the wonder of the lightening storm and not the fear of it.

My two soon to be High Schoolers!!!

I am proud of them both!!

More Spring Pictures

Life in a blur

Wow, I can't believe that once again I have lost a month of my life. I turn around and it's gone, school is over and summer is upon us. It's been crazy. I finished up my performance of Peter Pan, which was a big success. The kids did great as always. We had a sold out house all four nights - in fact the last night sold out within five minutes of the doors being open. It was crazy, but then what do you expect when you have 147 kids performing. It was a good challenge for me to work with that many kids, made me think a little more. I did have some wonderul help that I couldn't have done it without - even though they do look a little wild in their animal costumes, they were the hit of the show when they joined the "Bunny Hop" the last night. School finished for me and I made it through two computer classes. It was fun, yet a little overwhelming to keep up with two classes. I did remember that I enjoy learning, and the enjoy the challenge that comes with getting good grades. We decided to raise chickens for eggs, which has been a challenge in itself. We built - well, LaMont and the boys built a chicken coop - and we currently have 15 chickens of three different ages living in it. I have learned alot, and it has been a lot of work to raise them from babies, but we have only lost 2, and the rest are growing big. We will have to get rid of the roosters since we are in city limits, but should have a good number of hens to lay us some eggs. We got our garden planted and the first zuccinni are almost big enough to pick - maybe tomorrow. We also had Grandma here to visit for a week, which is always nice. It is great to be able to spend time with her, and to make memories for my kids. My kids were busy with performancs and promotions this month. We had a elementary school performance, a vocal recital - Di's very first, and she did wonderful, a violin recital - Di had a solo and did wonderful on that, too, a school play that she starred in also, and a gymnastics performance for my youngest. I had two children get perfect attendance awards, and two get Citzinship awards for the Middle School. Then I had two kids promoted from Middle School, which in itself was a big drama, but it is over now, and I am proud of them both for making it through Middle School and for handling the situation in a positive way. We are now ready for summer - I'm not sure I'm ready, but here it is anyway, and it's starting off with some beautiful rainy weather.

Easter

Figured I had better get these pictures of Easter posted - finally, than I will try and catch up on my life the last month.

I made the little girls skirts for Easter and thought that they turned out cute. The kids all got little kites in their baskets and had a hilarious time trying to get them to fly on a not very windy day.

Why?????

Why does my son seem to not think about anything before he does it??? Once again I got the phone call from the school today. This time it was the nurse. Jes and his buddy were working on their science experiment - dealing with vinager and baking soda and a CLOSED plastic bottle. Dumb idea - of course it exploded, and he ended up with a cut on his arm that needs stitches. He was so lucky that is all that happened and that no one else got hurt. The school is investigating to see if there will be any discipline from it. So, now it's the waiting game to see what they decided - detention, another discipline contract, or suspension. We'll see. And of course the Dr. office can't get us in until 2:50, so we have to wait on that, too. I could take him to the ER, but I would rather not do that. So, he's at school with steristrips and a large bandaid, hopefully behaving himself, and I wait for the next phone call from the school. What will it be this time???