A little bit of Heaven

I've been a slacker again and haven't posted for awhile. I realized I hesitate to post stressful things that happen to us because I don't want to sound ungrateful or negative and I hesitate to post good things that happen because I don't want to seem like I'm bragging. I realize I enjoy reading about your lives so I need to get past my hesitencies (if that is a word) and just write.

We have recently had a family vacation that seemed like a bit of Heaven. I still can't believe it really happened and that everything went as well as it did. We got to go visit Lynn's dad and step mom in Hawaii and had the time of our lives! They were so hospitable to us and gave us good tips on the best things to see and do. They took us on the PCC's haunted lagoon which they have been so involved with and we all loved it. I couldn't believe what a great job they did on making it a scarry and fun for kids and adults. They even gave us "haunted Lagoon" shirts which was fun to wear. We also had fun going behind the scenes and getting special treatment. The kids kept commenting how nice the people were and how they didn't care one bit what you wore.

We seemed to do a little bit of everything from snorkeling to surfing and everything inbetween. The kids loved the polynesian cultural center especially the Tongan and Somoan villages where Dallin and Taylor got called up to help participate in the show.

The best part was being all together for over a week and still liking each other when we were done. It was fun to have Robert join us and see how he has grown since living on his own. He ate a lot and I felt sorry for him having to go back to a poor student lifestyle again.

One evening we went to sunset beach to watch the sunset. The kids were all playing and getting along and I was sitting by my husband. I had one of those "ah hah" moments that make all the hard things in life worth it. I felt like this must be what it is like in heaven. Why wouldn't we want to do everything we can do enjoy that feeling for eternity? I truly am grateful for my wonderful husband and kids and am so happy to be able to be with them.

It wasn't easy for the kids to miss school but I was proud of them for doing what they had to do to get caught up and show us their appreciation for getting to go.

Thanks Bob and Vickie for all the great times. We will never forget our dream vacation!! Here are a few pictures of our trip.

One reason why I hate to cook

Dallin's friend was over during dinner time and we invited him to eat with us. He sat down, smelled the food and said, "this really stinks, how can you possibly like that stuff?

Dallin replied, "We don't, we just have to eat it!"

Winnie the Pooh?

Kyle- "mom, was does Winnie have "poo" on the end of his name?

Mom- "it's not that kind of Pooh.

Kyle- "oh, is it green poo?

from Kindergarten to College

I would be lying if I didn't say I was counting down the days to when my college student is off to college. (it's 10 day). He thinks he is going to magically turn into a mature college student and that a job will fall in his lap that first day. I'm tired of bursting his bubble to point out that life doesn't change overnight. Let me just say that I had a great time buying his b-day present with things to help him be on his own. He is going to be living with a couple of friends and we are excited and hopeful for him.

I am hoping the college student is going to be less work this year as I am going to have a busy schedule keeping up with kids in Elementary, intermediate school,, middle school and high school. Plus I will be teaching 3 times a week at preschool! Wow, just going to all the orientations and back to school nights and filling out all the paperwork to get them all enrolled is like a full time job. Yet I also have Joanna on the tennis team, James and Taylor in tackle football and Dallin in flag football. Luckily Kyle is still happy with riding his new bike and doesn't have to be in a sport yet! Actually I love fall and am happy that they are all involved in good things and healthy enough to do it.

I can't believe school is almost here. It was a fun summer. Yet, as I type that I am reminded of a conversation I had with the kids the other day. I told them the highlight of my day is doing individual reading outloud on the back porch with each of them. They replied by saying they were going to start giving me lessons on "how to have fun!" A few days later I spent a long time putting together a marble maze with the kids and was amazed that I didn't give up since it had so many pieces. When we finished we raced the marbles down and Taylor said, "ok mom this was lesson number one on having fun!"

So, I am looking forward to more lessons on "how to have fun" because apparently I don't even know what it is anymore.

Twenty years of marriage!

Lynn and I recently celebrated our 20th anniversary. You know when I got married and we could only afford to go to Jackson Hole for our honeymoon I thought for sure that by the time we had our 20th anniversary we would go somewhere romantic and exotic. A few years into marriage I became more realistic and realized you don't have to go somewhere exotic to honor and celebrate being married. Just being with Lynn is special and good enough for me. It is rare that we get time alone.

On our actual anniversary we were at Bear Lake. We went to the play at Pickleville playhouse of "Juanito Bandito" with the kids and Lynn's family. It was sooo funny and we had a blast. The next week-end we planned on doing something just the two of us and decided it was off to the "big city" to go out to dinner and to the movie"inception." Well, as usual we tried to plan too much for one day and before we knew it we weren't going to have enough time and we ended up in Heber driving our suburban to Arby's. As we were sitting there eating Lynn said, "so, are you disapointed that we are eating at Arby's for our twentieth anniversary?" I told him I slpurged and ordered what I really wanted (not the cheapest thing) plus I ordered the banana split milkshake ,so I was good! We had to laugh that we can be ok with Arby's for the 20th anniversary! I am grateful I am more in love today than I was 20 years ago and I'd be happy going anywhere that I don't have to cook!

catching up

Wow, time flies when your having fun (or even if your not having fun). My kids are growing up. This picture was taken the day after Christmas so it is kind of old. Since I last wrote on my blog Robert not only graduated from high school but got a local scholarship for $1,500. This was a big surprise to me as well as to him. He hadn't bothered to even open, let alone give me, the letter that told me he would be receiving an award. Consequently he wasn't at the senior awards night and I didn't even know about it. Fortunately for text messaging he found out quickly that he had received a scholarship and that he better rush down and get it or he loses it. He made it down there and we are very grateful as the scholarship motivated him to stay up all night and finish what he needed to do graduate with his class. It was a great tender mercy which I acknowledge as such.

Joanna asked "How do you get a sholarship for not doing anything?" Once again I had to give my "I don't know?" answer. I am preparing her now to not expect a scholarship even with her 4.0 gpa and reminding her that life really isn't fair. Joanna is off to girls camp right now. We are hoping it doesn't snow on her or have a bear break in to their camp and eat their food which is what happened in years past. She is very excited to have a break from school and I am excited for her as it was painful watching her do so much homework.

James is swimming on a swim team this summer and is amazing. He will be in good shape for football which is what he lives for. He is off to deacons camp next week and is going to try and get around 13 merit badges while there. Wow! He has 3 full time lawns that he mows each week besides Grandpas which keeps him busy. He is a hard worker and everyone is jealous of the amount of money he is earning. He wants to buy an ipad with it.

Taylor has now taken over mowing our big back yard. He was so excited for exactly one week. I was pretty depresse dwhen he already moaned about doing it the second week. It was bad weather (surprise, surprise). Taylor is also swimming on the bronze team and also trying to get in shape for tackle football. Lynn and I tried bribing him to doing flag football one more year and he won't have anything to do with it. We are afraid he is going to get smeared by big kids but I do have to say he is tough and I can't say no just because I am afraid for him. It will be interesting what he thinks about it. He has braces and glasses now which makes he look older.

Dallin is doing coach pitch and loves it. He is so excited to be out of school and loves to play computer games and the wii. He is an amazing reader and can hold his own during family scriptures now.

Kyle is enjoying everyone being home. He is into playing with his best friend Skyler and could spend every day with him. He already has many scrapes and bruises from playing.

We planted our first garden and all the kids are loving helping take care of it.

Graduations!

It was a weird experience to have my youngest graduate from preschool and my oldest graduate from high school. I am definitely feeling my age lately. I can't believe I will have a college student and all my kids in school. I know getting my kids to this point has taken its toll on my body and brain. One way I know this is because after Robert's graduation we walked to the car and to my horror discovered that it was still running. I not only left the keys in the car but left the car running during the two hour graduation. (Luckily no one took off with the car). I have a few explanations as to how I could get to this point in my life. I let you decide which explanation you like the best.



A) I was SO excited to see Robert graduate that I forgot to turn off the car in haste to get there.

B) I was SO exhausted in helping Robert get to the point of graduation that I was too tired to turn off the car.

C) I was scatterbrained with all that a mother does with six children and don't even remember driving to the graduation let alone that I am supposed to turn off the car.

D) I was a complete spaz OR

E) All of the above



In all seriousness though it was a good day and I was so proud of Robert. Both Lynn and I have given our all in helping this come to pass and we are glad that Robert decided that he wanted to have it come to pass as well. He also graduate from Seminary which was awesome.

Robert's graduation happened to be on the 11th anniversary of the day my dad passed away so I was thinking about him a lot and had no doubt that he had a part in helping Robert get through his rough times last year so that he could graduate.



The plan now is for him to go part time to UVU in the fall. He will move to Orem with some buddies. He is excited and we are excited for him.

summer?

It's June 14th. I'm in long pants and long sleeve shirt and very confused as to what season this is. I do know from the chaos going on at my house that school is out, but it doesn't feel like summer yet. As I lost my temper about all the messes the other day Joanna reminded me to give the kids a break as it was only the first day of summer!

I know it has been too long since I've posted on my blog because I had a Christmas background. Because it had been so long it took me awhile to remember how to change my background. Then I tried to remember how to post a picture and 30 minutes later I am giving up and waiting for Robert to come home and help me. Lynn and Joanna are off to girls camp, James and Taylor are at a space camp overnight and Dallin and Kyle are in bed. Robert is who knows where?

Oh, how I wish he could find a job somewhere. Wow, it is tough to get a job right now.