week 42

Jessi gives pretty great massages...

and then she lays on me while watching tv.  I love it, Mike can't stand it.

Bev with her cute hair braid bun thingy watching youtube origami videos.

Christian playing his recorder after school waiting for carpool pick up.

We try to reserve our nights eating out for when we are on the go. We had a soccer game, lacross practice, swimming and tumbling, all on the same night.  We ended up at Rio. When Mike and I got to the table, they were all entertaining themselves with a recent youtube find.

Christian had been telling me that it was hard for him to see the board at school, that the Chinese symbols were fuzzy. I thought he just wanted glasses.  After a trip to the eye doc, we discovered that he didn't just want them, he needed them.

This class store trend is not one of my favorites. Seriously, like I need more junk at my house.  The kids are always sweet and buy something for their siblings...sweet, but still, more junk.

Jessi had her class Halloween party.

She and Hailey playing the mummy game.

Christian's last lacross game and team picture. I think he has found his passion.

Mike with his dog keeping score.

Mike and the kids put up the Christmas lights.  He lets the three oldest on the roof to help sort the light strands.  The youngest stays on the ground for safety reasons.  She would likely dance or tumble her way right off the edge.

Loading up the collected cans.

They earned enough to each buy a few things at the dollar store.

Cutting down the perennials.  Christian is now using power tools. He is such a beast, and wants to be like his dad.

Right after this picture was taken, Bev resigned from trimming duties as she found a spider web in the plants.

This little beast loves being outside. When the door opens, he bolts. He stays in our yard, exploring, and comes in the house when we shake the treat bag and call one of his names.  We haven't quite decided what his name will be.  When we got him from the Humane Society, they had named him Ollie. We called him Blackie, but then Mike named him Klepto as in kleptomaniac (the cat steals stuff.)  He reminds us of Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon, so we sometimes call him that and I started calling him Charlie.  We still can't decide, but we all agree that we adore him.

Drew invited some friends to go to Cornbelly's, so we drove them and took the family.

Drew and his friends ended up splitting up from us to do their own thing.  It was weird not having him.

The kids did this to me last year, and planned did it again. At the pig race, the guy asks for kids to volunteer their mom. My kids cheered the loudest, so I got picked...picked to kiss a pig.  He squealed the whole time. I felt bad for the both of us.

Bev and Kiki shooting paintball guns.

Sweet Freddy at the soccer game.

She went down for a save and got kicked in the head. I thought she was walking off the field when she brushed away her tears and went up and kicked the ball. She's so tough.

We drove to Cedar City to surprise Katie and watch her soccer game.  The gang hanging out in her apartment, not communicating with each other, but rather with their virtual friends.

Getting her hair did.

We drove to a little reservoir for a walk...

and played soccer at a nearby park.

After her game, the kids and Courtney played on the field.

We are so proud of Katie.  She is so smart and talented.  The girl works hard and is a great soccer player.

week 41

The kids love going to Grandma and Grandpa's house.  After the yard work, Grandma entertains them with card games and snacks.  My kids are so lucky to have a relationship with them. 

I am about to put an end to the General Conference tent tradition. It is getting out of control. They made a plan for everyone to have their own house, connected by hallways and used duct tape to put blankets together. Apparently space and tape were in short supply because it became contentious and that made me not have the conference spirit, so it might be over.

Playing the video game at the orthodontist's office.

It was noon and I started thinking about dinner. I hadn't been to the store, and was in desperate of groceries but I didn't want to leave the house. I saw that I had some chicken and veggies and yeast, so I channeled Grandma B and made some soup and homemade bread. Fresh bread + soup = best meal ever.

Pinewood Derby time.  Christian drew up his plans and with very little help from Mike made his truck.

We knew it would not be one of the fastest because it wasn't built for aerodynamics. He had a good time racing it.

I keep wondering when the derby tradition will end...at least for the boys.  It is now about the dads.  Maybe we should just let them build the cars and race them.  We have lost sight of what it is supposed to be.  Back in the day, when I was over the scouts, I suggested that we have a few nights set aside with men to help the boys with the cutting, but have the boys do all the work there so they could actually build their cars. My idea was shot down.  When we did the derby three years ago, two boys told me their dads wouldn't let them touch their cars.  Soap box over.

The neighbors had some sod delivered, so Drew, Bev and I headed over after school to help out. Drew and Bev were so excited to dig in and help. I am so grateful to have kids that will get dirty and work hard.

For Bev's last soccer game of the season she played Taylor's team. Jeremy coaches Taylor. It was fun seeing their family.  The cousins share the same number.

This guy loves his "samplers" from Costco.

Jess wanted to order our lunch by herself but realized she needed some help. Christian put his arm around her and helped her get the order right.

week 40

We (I) compromised with these two and let them get Instagram instead of Facebook.  They have been busy finding their friends and posting pictures.

Homework time.  They always request grapes for their snack.

Christian is so good about getting his homework done right after he gets home. In fact, sometimes when I pull up to pick them up at school, he is doing his homework. He values his free time, and wants to get to it as soon as possible after school.

Reflections time. Christian has been interested in photography, so he took pictures of Bev teaching Jess how to play soccer. The theme was Believe, Dream, Inspire.

Jess drew a picture of herself with a dream bubble, dreaming of being a professional singer.

Drew has to listen to different genres of music for choir and do a write up on them. Tonight he chose The Fox.

More math.

I taught the Meet the Masters assembly on Rembrandt. I love volunteering with the art program.

Christian went to the Utah Football game with Mike.  They ate at Weinerschnitzel and Mike had to send me a picture of my baby eating that.  I think that qualifies as child abuse.

Mike always makes sure they are warm, packing hand warmers, hot cocoa and a heated seat cushion.

Zonked out on the train home.

Mike took this as he left for work.  Every morning we wake up with at least one kid in our bed. Not sure where Mike slept.

Eating leftover steak for breakfast on the way to school.

Christian with his good friends after school. 

Bev walks around with the kitten in her sweatshirt.

Christian brought her water bottle over to the goal and stayed and picked the mud out of her cleats.

Dinner before the Priesthood session.

Grandma passing out the treat bags.

My dad got tickets to the conference center to see it live, then they announced it would be aired on tv.