Mixed Emotions

This has been an interesting week.  My conflicting emotions are going crazy.  Yes, I am happy, yet I feel sad.  I am excited but nervous.  So many things to think about and do.  Caleb said to me this week “how can we move, the house is stuck to the ground.”  As I explained it to him it made him feel sad.  But now he tells everyone that we are moving and his new house will have stairs.  I guess we will see about that one.

Last Thursday evening I took the kids to school for an iPad night.  It was interesting to see what they have been doing on the iPads.  It was fun to see some of the little books and videos they had created for the evening.  They were excited about showing me their class rooms too.  We went to both schools and also saw a display of the GT projects the kids had done.  Ruth had made a model of a Mars rover.

Andrew showing his iPad, Caleb standing by him

Spencer showing his iPad book he did

Spencer with his teacher

Ruth with her Mars rover

Andrew with his art work, bottom is his self portrait. 

Friday was field day for Spencer.  I had fun watching him do the relays with his class.  His class won 2^nd place in the tug-a-war too.  He had a fun morning.  Caleb and I were there for part of it, then came home for awhile, then went back at the end.  It was fun to go an support his class.  Andrew had a fun field trip Friday.  They went to Homestead Heritage.  He got to see demonstrations on pioneer life.  He got to hold a young goat and a baby chick.  He saw how to make pottery.  He enjoyed it all.

Spencer at field day

Saturday was a busy day cleaning things here at the house.  We took a break to go to the church to watch the pinewood derby.  Andrew enjoyed making the car and worked hard to have it look just right.  He didn’t win any races but did get an award for “most original car design.”  After the activity a friend came home with us.  Ruth had lots of fun playing with her.  We took her home later in the afternoon.

Andrew with his car

I enjoyed going to church Sunday.  I just feel a calm peaceful feeling there.  It is always so nice to feel that.  It gives me strength to deal with all the other things during the week.  Sunday was Neal’s last day in our ward.  He worked hard at being Ward Clerk, but I think he was happy to turn it over to others.

Monday we had a day at home with the family.  Neal and I were busy working on things while the kids played.  It rained a lot during the day.  In the afternoon the kids went outside and played in the rain.  The boys put on their swim trunks and Caleb was so excited about it, he said “we don’t even need sun screen!”  They enjoyed playing in the rain.  That evening we went to the a friends  home for dinner and Family Home Evening.  It was so kind of them to invite us over.  They have been good friends.  I remember they were some of the first people I met here.  The first week I moved here we went to their house for dinner.  We will miss all of our friends.

Tuesday I had an appointment at the school for a GT parent conference.  It went well to talk to the GT teachers.  They said the kids were doing great in the program.  I told them we were moving.  I also talked to the school offices about moving and what I needed from them to transfer schools.  This is all new to me.  I haven’t moved with school kids before.  Today I called doctor offices to cancel well child visits and dental cleanings.  It is hard to think that this is all coming to an end.  Hewitt has been good to us.

Rachel will be here soon.  We are so excited to have her come for a visit.  It is nice that we can have her come.  Andrew was able to pass off the last level of his recorder playing with the music teacher today.  He is so excited to have finished the program. He is playing right now and has done a nice job learning how to do it.

Busy Summer

We have had a great week. I have been working on cleaning and going through things.  So I stay busy.  Andrew had a fun field trip Friday to go roller skating.  He hadn’t done that before so it was nice he could experience that.  Ruth had a kick ball tournament on Friday.  Caleb and I went and watched part of a game.  She had lots of fun with it.  Then Monday Ruth had a field trip to the Baylor ropes course.  She really enjoyed that.

Sunday I taught Andrew’s primary class.  That was fun to be with a group of boys.  Saturday Caleb went to a birthday party for a friend from church.  Tuesday Ruth had a dentist appointment, no cavities.  Thursday Spencer really enjoyed his train ride field trip.  So many things with the kids to keep me busy.

Friday evening the boys and Neal went on the Father and Son’s camp out.  They had lots of fun with that.  I am glad that Neal was able to take them.  The weather was really nice too.  

Ruth and I enjoyed our time together too.  We bought our dinner and then watched movies at home.  It was nice to spend some time with her.  

We have enjoyed watching the fire flies too.  I picked my first zucchini yesterday, and some green beans.  The garden is doing well.

Well, this is a bit disjointed in my thoughts.  So if you manage to read all this I will tell where my thoughts are.  Neal has accepted an offer for a new job in the Denver area.  He starts work in June.  So we will be moving this summer.  It is a lot to think about.  We are getting things organized and preparing to move and sell the house.  If you want more details you can contact us personally.

School Days

The month is half over.  The kids are counting down to the end of school.  It is a busy time of year.  Friday Andrew had his field day.  The 3^rd and 4^th grade went to the high school stadium for it.  Caleb and I went to watch.  Andrew ran in some races and had fun with all the other activities.  Caleb had fun playing on the bleachers with his friends.  

Andrew is the runner wearing a purple shirt

the tug a war, Andrew is the second in line

Andrew is also excited about a “Market Day” the 3^rd grade is doing in two weeks.  He is partners with his friend and they came up with their business plan.  They are doing a toy store.  His friend is coming over tomorrow to work on things to sell.  Andrew was working on things last night too.  He is excited to be learning how stores work.

Ruth was disappointed her field trip to Baylor ropes course was canceled because of rain.  We had two inches of rain on Thursday and then another four inches on Monday.  Things are soggy right now.  The kids get covered in mud everything they go out to play.  The sun is out today so I am sure things will start to dry out. 

Ruth has some fun activities at school right now.  They are building bridges in science out of pop cycle sticks.  They will be putting weights on them to see how much they will hold.  She is making pottery in art and in social studies she is doing a report on Utah.  She was working on her poster about Utah yesterday.  It is good they have some fun things to do at the end of the year.  

Spencer has a friend from school who lives up the street.  The other day I walked up to the house to meet the mom.  Eli was able to come over and play Friday and Saturday.  The boys are having fun together.  Spencer fell on his bike Saturday late afternoon.  He cut his jaw bone and onto his neck.  It was sad.  He has been doing so well riding without the training wheels.  He is very excited about his field trip to a train museum and train ride tomorrow.

Caleb had fun going to his last day of preschool yesterday.  He enjoyed going each week.  He is learning so much.  I have been working on reading with him and found a good app for the iPad to use with him.  He is learning how to spell words too.  He likes doing “Spelling City” on the iPad.  I taught him how to do skip counting last week.  He got really good counting by 10’s.  Then he came up to me and said “I can count by 11’s”  and he did it perfectly.  I didn’t teach him that.  He also has decided that the alphabet is more interesting to say backwards and it is fun to do count downs, counting backwards from 100.  He is an amazing kid.

I had a nice Mother’s Day Sunday.  The kids gave me little cards and lots of hugs.  Neal fixed breakfast and dinner for us.  I enjoyed having a little extra free time Sunday.  I also played the game of “Life” with the kids.  It was fun to spend time with them, although that is a long game.  I also enjoyed calling my mom and having a nice visit with her.  I am thankful for mothers and all of the wonderful women in my family and life.

Last night was a Relief Society activity on missionary work.  We had our full time missionaries come and teach us.  It was a nice evening.  I enjoyed talking to my friends afterwards too.  

Before church I decided to try pictures.  I finished making my skirt and thought it turned out nice.  Ruth did okay taking the picture and then Andrew tried one with me and Ruth.

Green Spring

I am enjoying the green view out my window.  I enjoy going for walks at the park and seeing the pretty green there too.  It is a pretty time of year.  But my allergies are worse, I guess that is the price I have to pay.  

Friday we enjoyed having the missionaries over.  The kids get really wound up when they are here though.  They stay partly calm while they are here but then as soon as they leave they explode with energy.  It is a bit crazy.  

Saturday was a pretty day and the kids enjoyed spending most the morning outside.  I let them eat lunch outside and they thought that was fun.  I am glad that they can enjoy our yard.  

Saturday morning I went to pick up the Bountiful Basket food and helped a bit with the distribution.  Spencer came with me and he had fun skipping around, picking up garbage and talking to me.  We got two bunches of radishes and I wasn’t sure what to do with so many when the kids don’t like them.  Another lady there told me that I could boil them in a vegetable soup and they would taste like potatoes.  I decided to give it a try.  Last night I made a soup and it tasted really good.  I am glad I have figured out another way to use radishes.

Saturday afternoon Neal and I went on a date.  We went to an art exhibit and saw some nice paintings by a local artist of church buildings in Texas.  They were pretty with interesting lighting and shadows.  After the art we went to dinner.  We got back home about 6:45 and the kids were having fun playing Monopoly with our babysitter.  We helped the kids get going on baths and she stayed and played the game.  They played until about 8:00, then we ate some ice cream and then Neal took the baby sitter home.  I am glad that she enjoys being here.  The kids all love having her be their babysitter.

Sunday I taught Relief Society.  I am glad that it went well.  Now I can have a break from teaching for a bit.  Ruth also bore her testimony in church.  It was sweet.  She said how hard it can be sometimes to have little brothers, but she knows that families are eternal and that the reason we are in families is to learn love and patience.  I thought the best part of all of it was that before church the kids had an argument and were grumpy as we drove to church.  So she had done some thinking and was able to get over the difficult morning.

Sunday afternoon I went visiting teaching with my partner. Her daughter is having surgery later in the month and she wanted to do some visits now so she wouldn’t miss doing it.  We enjoyed our afternoon together.  We were able to visit four of our sisters.  The fifth sister we visited on Friday afternoon.  So we did a lot of visits this week end.  As I was leaving the house I noticed the flowers or lack of flowers by the mail box.  I was distraught and sad that my flowers had disappeared.  

I asked Neal about the flowers.  Saturday morning Neal was doing yard work and raking leaves. He got out the blower to blow out leaves from under bushes.  He said he got the leaves out of the flower bed, but sadly it also took all the pedals.  I hope that they can grow back and look pretty again.  Andrew was a good helper in the yard and raking.  He is a good worker.

Spencer asked Neal to take off his training wheels on his bike.  He is riding his bike wonderfully now.  I am happy he has learned how to do it so well.  

Caleb has enjoyed going to the park with me to go walking.  He will get out of the stroller and run.  It is fun to watch him run and see his little legs go.  He enjoyed looking at rolly pollies yesterday.  Today at the library for story time they had a little bounce house for the kids.  Caleb loved jumping in it.  Yesterday we had preschool at our house.  The kids were good and we had some fun activities.  Friday at the park for play group Caleb was saying the alphabet backwards.  He asked me if I could do it, I said I would stick to saying it the right way.  Then yesterday he was doing numbers he said to me “Does 12 two times make 24?”  I said yes, then he was thinking and then asked “does 12 four time make 48?”  Yes.  He likes numbers and seems to have them come easy to him.  I have been working on reading with him.  He will only work on things for a few minutes at a time.  But through out the day he will ask me how to spell things.  Or, read the letters on a sign and ask me what they say.  It is fun to watch him learn.

the boys have had fun playing with blocks this week, they wanted me to take a picture of their tower

The garden is growing well.  I enjoy eating as much spinach as I want. 

I thought my yard looked pretty today and took a few pictures of it.  Here is the back yard.

My flowers by the mail box.  On Sunday there was no red, so maybe they will come back.  At least the leaves are cleaned up. 

The view up my street.

The side yard

The roses, after I took the picture I trimmed the roses.  In a few more weeks they should be covered in flowers again. 

The ferns are coming back up!

The side of the house.  I am enjoying the hanging basket of flowers and the splash of color they give. 

the other side of the back yard