Life is a Zoo

Another busy week for us.  Last Thursday evening we had a Pack Meeting with the boys.  The Wolf den was in charge of things.  Spencer helped out with the flag ceremony.  Then the boys did some fun skits. Spencer earned his Bobcat and two belt loops.  With the new program the boys need to earn 7 belt loops for the Wolf rank.  So he is well on his way to earn that.  Andrew has been enjoying being in the Webelos.  He hasn’t earned a pin yet, but he is working on things.  Sunday afternoon he got out his book and did a few things on his own with me.  There are some things he needs to do at home, so that is nice he is motivated enough to look in his book and find something to do.  Sunday afternoon I also had a nice visit with Ruth with her Personal Progress book.  She is learning about setting goals and increasing her knowledge of the gospel.  This week we set up a LDS account for Ruth so she could log onto Family Tree and start tinkering around in our family tree.  She is excited to learn more about it.  

Last Friday I went into Caleb’s class to help during their “daily 5” time.  The teacher has asked for an extra adult to come in each day if possible.  The week before I talked to her about it and she told me she had a regular volunteer coming in every day. But the Friday person couldn’t come in for a couple of weeks if I wanted to come in on a Friday.  I told her I would.  But when I got there she had forgotten I was coming.  I still was able to help out, I just felt bad that I surprised her with it.  I helped at the work station of writing, helping the kids practice writing letters.  They are a cute bunch of kids.  I also go to the library every Thursday morning and enjoy working there.  I always have loved books, libraries and being around kids.  

Saturday was a busy day.  We got up and going like a normal school day so we could go to the zoo.  We got there before it opened so we could get close parking and meet some friends.  We met up with Thane and Judy.  It was nice to visit with them as we walked through the zoo.  We saw some great animals.  There were also lots of babies!  It was so fun to watch them climbing around and seeing the little versions of the animals that we normally think of.  There was a baby gorilla, giraffe, orangoutang, elephant and chimpanzee.  Some animals they had we hadn’t seem before, like a koala.  It was a nice zoo and we really enjoyed it.  I am glad that it isn’t supper big because it was doable to see, we spent about 4-5 hours there.  

The koala is in the tree behind the boys

Caleb was excited to see seals and named this one "Sammy" I also noticed that only Spencer and Caleb wanted pictures with statutes this zoo trip

At the elephant exhibit they had people talking about elephants, we learned some things.  Also, Neal took over the camera and I ended up in more of the pictures. 

Ruth enjoyed watching the baby chimp

It was a cool throne to sit on, below is a good shot of the baby orangoutang 

After the zoo we ate our lunch at a park. Then we went over to the historical train and railroad open house to see a steam engine they are remodeling.  It was a fun event.  The kids loved seeing the train display. They also liked they were handing out free food and got popcorn and hotdogs.  It was getting hot and I was getting tired, but it was fun to see things.  I enjoyed hearing the live band playing old songs and also seeing all the men wearing overalls.  I remember that my Grandpa Anderson wore that kind of overalls all the time and it reminded me of him.

Saturday evening Ruth and I went to the church to watch the General Women’s session of conference.  We enjoyed the messages given.  I am thankful for wonderful leaders who are inspired in what they teach us.  After the meeting we went to a members home for some refreshments.  It was nice to visit with some of the sisters in our ward.  I feel so new still, I think Ruth knows more people that I do!

Sunday in Primary singing time we were all entertained by Brother Anderson dressed up and pretending to be from Russia.  He was substituting for Brother Lines.  These men are so funny with the kids and do such a great job with singing time.  

I watched the funeral for Elder Scott on Monday morning.  He was a wonderful example of living a Christ centered life.  I am glad that I took time to watch it.  

Yesterday afternoon Andrew had fun staying after school playing pickle ball again.  He is also participating in a running club right after afternoon recess.  He told me he has hit the 5 mile mark already.  Spencer is also doing the running club.

Today Caleb was so excited about going to school in his pajamas.  His teacher likes to read chapter books to the kids.  She picks out books that have movies that have been made so that after they read the book they can watch the movie together.  On movie days they get to wear pajamas.  They were watching “Charlotte’s Web” today.

I am thankful that the kids are happy and doing well with their school work.  We are enjoying cooler mornings and know that fall is in the air. 

Enjoying Family Life

We have had another busy week.  Last Thursday evening Neal and I attended Ruth’s young women’s New Beginning program.  It was a nice evening.  The leaders are doing a good job teaching the girls good things.  I am glad that Ruth is enjoying being in young women’s.  I have many fond memories of being in that program.  Last night Ruth had her class activity and a mother taught the girls some yoga.  Ruth came home ready for sleep, she said the exercises made her feel relaxed.

Friday I was able to go to the temple.  I thought that was a good place to be that morning since I couldn’t be with my family for the funeral of Aunt Darlene.  It was very peaceful for me there.  I am thankful for the knowledge I have that the temple blessings and covenants are real and family can be together forever.

Friday evening Ruth went babysitting. She enjoys being with their little girl and had a nice evening.  Saturday we went shopping and Ruth used some of her money to buy a watch.  I think she enjoyed buying something for herself with money she earned.  It is interesting how that adds a different dimension to the things we get.  While shopping we were also able to find her a “uniform” for her concert band.  She needed a black skirt, white blouse and black shoes.  Her first concert is in about two weeks and I didn’t want to wait too long to find something for her.  She looked pretty in her new outfit.

While Ruth and I were shopping Neal took the boys to the park where they were able to hit some balls with their new bat.  They had fun running around and hitting balls.  I am glad that they could have some time together.  Neal has been working a lot to finish up some projects and the kids always enjoy time with him.

Last Sunday we had our annual primary program in church.  The children did a great job with their parts and the singing sounded so beautiful.  It was really special to be a part of it.  Although it was different for me to be sitting on the stand with the children and not get to watch my children sing.  Ruth enjoyed sitting with a friend that day.

Thursday afternoon I went to get the mail and found that we had a new mail box.  The one that was here on our street was the older style of square boxes, so they always had to curl our larger pieces and magazines.  The new one is the rectangle shape.  It will be nice.  I was just surprised to see a new box and didn’t know how to get my mail.  Friday morning I called the post office and they said they didn’t have record of our street getting a new box, so he couldn’t tell me any more information about it.  He asked me to call back Monday.  I did and at that time they could tell me that they had keys for my new box at the office.  I went and got them.  I think I forgot to get the mail Wednesday.  Maybe they had information in the box that day about the change, I don’t know, but I am glad we can get our mail again.

Yesterday right as school was getting out we had a bad storm hit.  We got a lot of rain.  I was thankful that the kids made it home safe and not too wet.  Andrew stayed after school to join a group playing a game called pickle ball.  When I picked him up I saw what they were doing.  A game with wooded paddles, a wiffle ball and a low net.  It reminded me of a mix between badminton and tennis. He had lots of fun with it.  Yesterday Caleb went to a birthday party for his friend from church and school, Miles.  He has been so excited about this party and enjoyed it.  I am thankful the kids are making good friends.

Monday evening Caleb gave the lesson in Family Home evening.  I think this was the first time he was willing to do it.  He was so cute with it too.  Sunday we planned what we would share and I had expected to do most of it.  Then Monday evening came and Caleb started his lesson and read some out of the Friend magazine and asked if there was any comments or questions.  Then he turned to me to answer the questions.  He did great.  We had a nice discussion on temples. 

I am enjoying the cooler weather this week.  The weather has been so nice.  The mountains are so pretty too.  They remind me of the mountains in Utah.  I like the blue and green colors on them.  I look forward to seeing fall colors soon. I have been working on updating our 72 hour kits.  The kids are happy to eat the packaged food I have taken out of them.  Yesterday I bought new food and repacked them.  I need to get a few more things, like larger clothing for Ruth and Andrew.  But it is about there.  Maybe we will one day need them, but it feels nice to be prepared for an emergency.

Sorry, no pictures this week.  I need to remember to get my camera out more. 

Busy Week

Another week has gone by for our little family.  Last week after all the family visitors left Caleb couldn’t find his stuffed puppy that he loves.  We looked all over it.  After two days of looking I suggested he could pray about it.  He did say a pray and asked Heavenly Father to help us have ideas where to look.  He also described his puppy in his prayer, that way Heavenly Father would know what puppy was missing.  It was really sweet.  The next morning I was getting the boys ready for school and I thought of the CD tower.  We usually have one side facing the wall, it has Christmas music and cassette tapes on it.  I turned the tower and found the puppy sitting on one of the empty shelves.  I was thankful I found it.  I went and brought it to Caleb, who was excited to see it.  He had to rush off to school and it wasn’t until that evening that he remembered to say a prayer of thanks for helping us find his puppy.  Then he asked me “did the still small voice whisper to you?”  I told him no, not really a voice, I just had a thought to look there.  He has a sweet testimony that is beginning to grow.

Spencer is enjoying going to cub scouts.  Last week I taught the lesson on communication.  We did a little obstacle course with the boys blind folded and having a partner giving them instructions on how to get through.  All the boys were doing so well and behaving in a nice way.  Then it was Spencer’s turn.  He was silly and kept running into things and rolling around on the floor.  I was a bit frustrated that he was being so goofy when all the others did so well.  I talked to him about respect afterwards.  This week went a bit better.  He was still silly with his friends and trying to be the center of attention with many things, but he did do the activities in a nice way. 

I am enjoying going to the school and volunteering in the library.  I go every Thursday morning and it has been a nice time for me.  The kids are starting to know who I am and will talk to me and ask for help.  I went into Caleb’s class yesterday to help with a project and his class was all excited and said “you are Caleb’s mom and you work in the library.”  It is nice that I am able to go into the school.  Yesterday I helped the kids do a campus play ground clean up.  Each class takes turn cleaning up garbage outside.  It was Caleb’s turn yesterday.  Then I stayed and watched a presentation from the city zoo.  They had brought in some animals and the kindergarten kids loved it.  Caleb is really enjoying school.  He comes home happy every day.  He knows all the names of the kids in his class now and talks about them.  I enjoy hearing the names and then getting to put a face to the name when I see them in the library.

Friday evening Ruth went to a youth friday activity at the Wilcox’s home.  They did a cup cake war.  The kids had some fun making cup cakes and decorating.  They even had a bit of judging.  Neal helped a little with that when he went to pick her up.  On Saturday Ruth went to one of her leaders home and helped make decorations for their New Beginning night, which is tonight.  She is enjoying being involved.

Saturday I took the boys to the elementary school for a sport equipment exchange.  People had donated old sport things they didn’t want and then it was open for the kids to come and take what they wanted.  The boys got a bat and ball.  Now they keep asking to go to a park so they can try hitting it.  Hopefully we will get them there this week end.  School days get so busy that we haven’t made it yet.

Saturday I also took the boys shopping and got Andrew new church clothing.  He told me about a month ago that he couldn’t button his pants.  But it was okay because the belt kept it closed.  He said it had been that way for awhile.  So now he has new pants that fit!  We also got a new white shirt for him that came with a clip-on tie.  He didn’t want the tie so we gave it to Caleb, who loved it!  Sunday Caleb was asking everyone if they liked his new tie.  I think the men thought it was cute how excited he was about it.  The bishop even sat down and talked to him about ties for a minute.  

Saturday afternoon I took Andrew out on a date.  We played a game of mini-golf and then got a treat.  He has worked hard on his chore chart and this is my way of rewarding the kids.  He enjoyed getting out and we had a nice time together.

The kids also really enjoyed playing in the yard Saturday.  It was nice weather and they had fun digging in the dirt and building things.  They got out their fake insects and made some habitats for them.  

Neal has been working a lot this week.  He has some dead lines and trying to get reports in.  We have missed having him around and hope that next week isn’t so busy.

Sunday we practiced for the Primary program, which will be this next Sunday.  The kids were asked if they had their parts memorized.  I laughed to myself and thought “my boys don’t.”  I forgot about it, even being a Primary teacher and hearing all the announcements.  I had just missed doing it with them.  So we are working on it this week. I am sure they will be ready by Sunday.  We also realized that with Neal and I as teachers and the boys in Primary that Ruth will be on her own this week.  We told her she could sit by a friend during the program.  

Monday morning my Mom called me to let me know that my aunt died Saturday evening.  This is my mom’s brother’s wife.  I was able to visit with her last May, because she came to my parents wedding anniversary party.  I am glad that I was able to see her recently.  She is loved by many and will be missed.

Monday for lunch I met a friend for lunch at Subway.  It was something simple but it was nice to get out and talk to another adult for a bit.  She is someone I met over the summer with the classes we did but isn’t in our ward, so I don’t see her often.  Although I have seen her a couple of times at the middle school.

Monday evening we had a nice FHE.  Andrew was doing the lesson and talking about tithing.  Then we got into a discussion about budgeting and saving money.  Which then led to a discussion about how the kids should save money for missions and school.  What was interesting about this is that the boys hadn’t realized that missionaries pay their own expenses.  They hadn’t thought about where the missionaries get their money.  So it was a new idea to them that they should save money and pay for their own missions.  Andrew even got out a plastic jar and decorated it and made it his “mission fund” jar.  I thought that was fun.

Tuesday evening I went to a band meeting for Ruth’s band class at the middle school.  She is only in 7^th grade but they are requiring that they dress in black and white for concerts and pay band fees to help pay for field trips, master classes and music.  It really hit me how expensive programs can be. (Although as I left the school I saw a football practice ending and thought that was probably more expensive than band.)  It really got me thinking about my experience in band.  I really enjoyed being a part of a band that had an excellent program and director.  I realized then what a sacrifice it had been for my parents to let me do that.  This week when I talked to them I thanked them for that.  I hope that Ruth can continue to enjoy the experiences she has with it.  I think she is in a good program.  This middle school has been earning great awards for many years now.

Well, like always I get a bit long in writing.  I guess so many things happen and I try to touch on things with all of us.

Spencer's Baptism

We had a great week!  The kids were happy to have visitors come too.  Thursday Neal picked Rachel (my sister) up at the air port on his way from work.  It is nice that the air port is so close.  I had a parent night at the middle school and had to leave before they made it home.  I enjoyed going to the school and meeting all of Ruth’s teachers and hearing about her classes.  She is doing great so far with things and enjoying school.  Andrew had scouts that night.  Neal brought him to the church and I picked him up after the school event.  We got home about 8:15 and I was glad to see Rachel!  It is always fun to have family come visit us.

Rachel got a picture of Andrew before scouts

My sister Jeanie found some Syd Hoff books and sent them for Caleb.  He has enjoyed reading them this week.  He is happy to have his own copies of some of his favorite books.

Friday morning we got the kids all off to school and Neal went to work.  Rachel and I had a day to visit and spend together.  We went to the Albuquerque temple and did a session there.  It was so peaceful.  I enjoyed being in the temple with my sister doing the temple work for sisters.  We went out to eat lunch at a “Tim’s Place.”  It was a nice little place.  We had a good laugh at the signs that said they served hugs.  We didn’t get a hug but we did a get a high five from Tim.  The food was great too.  It had started to rain so we just went for a drive to look at a few things.  We drove to the apartment my parents lived in back in the late 1960’s.  I showed Rachel around the areas that we go and we drove up by the mountains.  The rain was coming down pretty hard so we picked Ruth up in the car.  Then the boys came home from school.  We enjoyed an evening at home with the family.  We played games and just had fun. 

Saturday morning we did some house cleaning, to keep us from getting too messy around here.  Then Rachel and I took the kids to the park.  We had a nice time there.  The kids love this park for the soft sand in the play ground area.  The boys dug and built little houses in the sand.  It was still damp from all the rain the day before so it shaped well.  Caleb had fun making “dirt angles” (just like snow angles, but in the sand).  We came home for lunch and I had all the kids take baths after playing in the dirt.  We got everyone cleaned up and ready to go to the church for Spencer’s baptism.  

Ruth is almost as tall as Rachel.  She is passing up all her aunts!

I am enjoying the mountains of Albuquerque, they remind me of Utah

Neal and I gave Spencer a new set of scriptures.  He was excited to get them.  My parents sent a scripture tote for him and a tie clip.  Rachel said that Dad went to the store to pick something out for Spencer.  This meant a lot to me since Dad doesn’t get out much because it is so hard for him.  Usually he goes to church and the doctor office and that is it.  So that was a sacrifice for him to go to Dessert Book.  Spencer was really pleased with the tie clip, he had such a big smile on his face as he left with Neal to go to the church early.  We came about 15 minutes later and found them dressed in white and ready for the baptism. 

The kids got a little silly with Rachel and her electronic devices, they love having her visit

We had a nice service with the Stake.  There were four children baptized that day.  Spencer was so happy and said he felt peaceful, joyful and good inside.  Dallin (Neal's brother) and May Bo and their boys made it to the church about 30 minutes before the baptism.  I am glad that they made it  in time and that they made the effort to travel so far for it. (They drove from Salt Lake City.)

After the baptism we came home and had dinner.  Neal had made and decorated a birthday cake for Dallin’s son, Micah, who turned four Friday.  Micah loved it.  He loves cars and thought it was great to have them on his cake. Although I didn’t get a picture of him smiling, I think he was just anxious to get the cars to play with.  As soon as he blew out the candles he grabbed the cars and was happy to get his birthday cars to play with.

Sunday we went to church together.  Spencer said he felt so good and knew he made the right choice in getting baptized.  We just hung out at the house in the afternoon.  After dinner we drove to the temple and walked around.  It was a beautiful evening.

Monday Dallin and his family left to go home.  Then we took Rachel to the Natural Science museum.  Neal and the kids had the day home because of the Labor Day holiday.  We enjoyed looking at things together at the museum.  It was a good day.

We went into the computer exhibit at the museum. They had a lot of information about how Microsoft got started, in Albuquerque.  Caleb wanted to get his picture taken with all these "founders" Maybe one day Caleb will invent something really cool too and find his picture in a museum.

Early Tuesday morning Rachel flew home.  In fact I was helping the kids pack their school lunches when I got a text from her saying she was in SLC.  I am thankful she was able to come.  

It has been a great week end.  We missed having the grandparents with us for such a special occasion. Neal enjoyed a phone call with his parents Sunday.  That is one thing nice about senior missionaries, they can get phone calls from family any time.  My parents sent their love with Rachel and we know they wish they could have come.  I am thankful for all my family and the influence they have in the lives of my family.