Spencer's Birthday

We had a great week.  Spencer loved starting with the cub scouts last week.  I enjoyed being with the boys too.  This week is Pack meeting, so that will be fun too.  I also was able to go to the elementary school for the parent night meetings, or as they call it here, curriculum night. I enjoyed going into the the school and hearing more from the teachers, sitting at the boys desks and talking to some of the parents.  I feel good about this school and the boys are enjoying school.  Caleb still thinks Kindergarten is awesome, even after a week.  They come home all happy. Yesterday Caleb ran into the house and came straight to me and gave me a big hug and said “I love you mommy!”  I am also enjoying using the bus system.  It is so nice to not deal with the crowd of cars at the school.

Last Thursday I went into the school library for a little training for my volunteer time.  I think it will be a fun thing.  I will be helping to check-in and out books, help kids look for books and shelf books.  It is a friendly place and it is fun to see all the books.  Although I was surprised that the school didn’t have any Syd Hoff books and Caleb’s teacher hadn’t heard of them before.  Caleb loves those books.  I will try to collect some for our own home library.

Friday I did some visiting teaching and enjoyed getting to know some more people in our ward.  Then I got a hair cut.  It had been since December since I had it cut and it was getting longer than I like.  It looks so much better to me now.  I know I don’t change my hair style but it is nice to have it look trim.  My hair grows so fast that it is hard to style it much because it grows out in just a couple of weeks.  

Friday evening Andrew was invited to a back to school party. Andrew loved hanging out with other boys his age from church.  I am glad that the kids are making friends quickly.  

Saturday morning Neal took Ruth and Andrew on a bike ride.  They went down to the Rio Grande river and rode a pathway along the river.  They went about 20 miles.  The kids were tired when they got home but said it was worth it.  Neal is trying hard to spend time with the kids and also help them to get exercise and get stronger.  After they got home from the bike ride Neal took Spencer out to eat at a pizza place as a special outing for his birthday.

Saturday afternoon Neal and I and the boys went to the church for a primary activity.  Neal and I stayed since we are primary teachers.  It was a nice activity about missionary work.  They had four members of the ward who served missions in different countries talk about where they had served.  I enjoyed hearing things and tasting some of the food they brought in.  The kids thought it was fun too.  It ended by having the full time missionaries serving here talk to the kids.

Caleb in a coat from Russia

Sunday was Spencer’s 8^th birthday!  He was so excited about it.  He was just all smiles and bounces.  He was happy that his teacher in primary remembered him too with a little treat.  In the afternoon the kids had fun playing together.  They were mostly building with Lego and acting out stories.  It was nice to have all four of them play so nice together.  I offered to play a game with them but only Caleb took me up on that offer.  We had a fun game of “Sorry” one of Caleb’s favorites.  That evening we had a little party time with Spencer.  He got to open some gifts.  This year Neal gave Andrew and Spencer tools.  Spencer already had a tool box and now they are filling it up with real tools.  The boys are pleased to have their own things.  We have talked about how to treat real tools and that you have to be careful with them.  They are also going to share all the tools and they think it is great.  Spencer also got a Lego kit from the Hubbard’s that has a T-Rex dinosaur in it.  He built it quickly Monday morning before school and had fun playing with it.  Then he took it apart and built the car that also was in the kit.  He sure likes Lego’s and building things.

Keeping with tradition Spencer didn't want cake, he chose to have peanut butter pie for his birthday treat and he wanted all the candles in a bunch to make the flame high. 

Ruth enjoys being in Young Women’s at church.  She has also been going to ward choir with Neal.  They sang in church Sunday and did a nice job.  They are rehearsing every week and she likes going.  Neal seems to enjoy it too.  This last Sunday Ruth also had the BYD (Bishop youth discussion) what they call “firesides” now.  She enjoyed being a part of that too.  There is a good group of kids here.  Last night she had her Beehive class activity.  They made dinner together and delivered it to one of their leaders who had a baby recently, then they ate together.  All the kids her age in our ward go to the same school (or are homeschooled) so she sees some of them every day and some are in classes with her.  I am thankful we are in a good area for the kids to have close friendships as they are getting older and need that strength from other good kids.  

I am enjoying quiet time every day.  It is different and I am surprised at how much I can get done in a day.  It does get quiet some days.  Yesterday I enjoyed watching some “Little House on the Prairie” while I was sewing.  I am trying hard to be productive and work hard at taking care of the family.  I also know that my time ends at 3:00 when I go to get Ruth.  After that I focus on the kids and their needs.  It is a change to be home alone but it is a good change.

Our Summer is Over

It seems like forever since I wrote a letter, but really it has only been about four weeks.  Our summer just got really busy.  The kids had a wonderful summer.  Last week they started school, so the fun has slowed down.

The month of July was spent doing fun things.  We really enjoyed participating in the summer classes the church members sponsored.  I taught two classes in July. One was a science experiment class for young kids.  We did some simple things but the kids loved it.  The other class I taught was sewing for beginners, it was all girls that came.  They had fun making some things with me.  My kids enjoyed going to classes on Lego design, architecture, hiking, crafts, dancing and cooking.  It got a bit busy running them around to places but thankfully everyone lives in about a 3 mile radius, so it wasn’t too hard.  We also enjoyed going to the city library. 

Some pictures of my kids playing with things after our science class

We discovered a city pool by the middle school, less than a mile away.  I took the kids there twice.  It was a simple pool but the kids loved going and splashing around.  They all gained confidence being in water.  I actually didn’t mind it too much, as long as no one splashed my glasses and face!  We got sun burned the first time we went, even with putting on sun screen, so the next time we reapplied half way through out time.  I forgot that we can burn easier being so high in elevation.  Ruth gets to go swimming every day now for two weeks in her PE class.  I guess that is why the pool is by the school.

We also spend another day going to the New Mexico Natural Science Museum.  We had fun looking in all the areas we didn’t see the first time.  We enjoyed going and can’t wait to get back there and explore some more.

We also were busy going to doctor offices.  I was able to get the four kids into the dentist and doctor for check ups.  That was a lot of appointments!  Andrew and Spencer were also referred to an orthodontist.  He agreed that their teeth are crowded, but felt that no treatment is needed now and to give it time and see how things look when their permanent teeth are grown in.  I also went into the dentist for me, no cavities.  Spencer wasn’t so lucky, he had six.  I feel like I spent a lot of time in doctor offices this month.  I am thankful to have insurance again.  I am also thankful that my kids have been so healthy and that in the times we were unemployed and had no insurance we never needed a doctor.  I feel blessed. 

Ruth had the opportunity to go to the temple here in Albuquerque, which is only about 3 miles away from our home, to do baptisms for the dead.  She had a wonderful experience with it and looks forward to going again.  Neal and I have been able to also go to the temple.  We have taken our kids over to walk around the grounds a couple of times too.  I am thankful to have a temple so close.

The first Saturday in August we took the kids up to the Sandia Crest and hiked around.  It was a beautiful view but was a bit hard on me to hike up and down the rocky pathways.  Spencer went on a hike with his summer class group and missed going with us. (That is why he isn’t in pictures.)  The Crest is on the mountain that we can see from our house.  From the back side of the mountain you can drive all the way to the top.  We hiked the paths around the top and got to see some great views. 

The following week end Neal’s sister Holly and her family came to visit us.  They are our closest relatives, living in the Phoenix area.  We met at a camp ground in the Santa Fe National forest.  It was a beautiful area and the trees were amazing to look at.  It was a bit hard since we had to park in a central area and walk to our camp site.  But that was a minor thing.  I got plenty of exercise walking to the car and toilet area that I didn’t need to go on a hike! Neal and the boys brought their bikes and had fun riding on trails. Neal took the boys fishing.  Andrew caught a fish!  It was his first one.  He actually caught it in the stream by our camp site and was by himself.  He came running towards the table with his fishing pole in one hand, his fish in the other and a huge smile on his face.  Neal helped him clean it and cook it up. Andrew loved eating it.

Holly’s family came home with us and spent two more days with us.  It was fun having them here and visit with them.  Ruth enjoyed playing with the little kids.  I am glad that they could come to visit.  

Andrew celebrated his 10^th birthday this month.  He was so happy to have his birthday.  Ruth pointed out that Andrew had the first birthday celebration in our Hewitt house, Broomfield house and now this house.  I guess where we move in the summer and his birthday is in the summertime he gets that honor.  Andrew saved up money and used some birthday gift money to buy a electric HO scale engine.  He is happy to have his own engine and loves to build layouts in the family room.

Spencer has his birthday this week, on Sunday.  He is very excited to turn 8.  He will start going to cub scouts tonight.  I have been called to be a den leader.  At first I was asked to help the Bear den, 9 year olds, but this week it was changed and I get to do the Wold den with the 8 year olds. So I get to be with Spencer. Spencer is planning on being baptized on September 5^th.  I wish we didn’t live so far away so family could be with us.  Rachel is planning on coming and that is great.  We will miss everyone else for this special occasion.

Last week school started.  We went to the “meet the teacher” time.  We wandered around the school to be more familiar with it. The boys were excited to go.  Ruth also was able to have a tour of her new school.  Thursday the 13^th the three older kids went off to the schools.  The boys are riding the bus to the elementary school.  Caleb had a one on one interaction time with his teacher on Thursday.  On Monday Caleb got to start going to school all day!  He was so excited about it and insisted on riding the bus.  So Monday morning the three boys got on the bus.  Caleb sat down and looked out the window and waved and said good bye.  When he came home he said that school was “awesome!”  I went to the school Monday to a PTA new parent meeting.  It was mostly kindergarten parents there but it was good to go and learn about things at the school.  I also have signed up to be a volunteer in the library.  That sounds like a fun thing to do and will give me an outlet so I don’t have to be home all day every day.

It has been different being at home by myself.  I am sure I will get into a routine and get use to it.  I am liking that the boys ride the bus.  It is nice to not deal with the traffic of the school drop off and pick up.  Ruth’s school is about 3/4 of a mile away.  I have been taking her in the morning and dropping her off.  After school I have been walking up to where she crosses the big street and then walking home with her. It has been hot but I have enjoyed the walks with her.  She gets out about 30 minutes before the boys and since they are on the bus it works out great for us to get home before them.  Except for Wednesdays, the boys have early out but Ruth doesn’t.  But we have cub scouts, so we will pick Ruth up and then go to the church for scouts, since they meet in the afternoon.

Last Friday evening we hosted a youth night.  The parents in the ward have organized a friday night activity for the youth in their homes.  We signed up to do a night and enjoyed having the kids come over and play games with us.

Well, life is good.  We are enjoying getting to know many kind people here.  I am thankful we can be together and hopefully can feel like we belong and can stay here a long time!