Childhood

Last week was Fall break for the kids, so no school on Thursday and Friday.  Ruth had a fun adventure with the young women retreat for those two days.  They went to a rental house/cabin by Taos, NM.  They had fun doing Personal Progress things, crafts, movies, hanging out and just having a fun time.  Ruth got home about noon on Saturday and had lots of fun adventures to talk about.  I am thankful she has made so many friends here.

On Thursday I took Andrew, Spencer and Caleb to the Explora museum down town.  The boys had fun looking around and building things.  They enjoyed making a little house with some building materials and the bubble room was lots of fun.  We enjoyed our afternoon there.

Andrew loves these blocks and plays with them where ever he can.  

The bubbles were working well 

Friday evening Neal took Andrew and Spencer on a bike ride to an ice cream parlor, Rita’s, and bought them a treat.  They enjoyed going out on their bikes.  Saturday morning they went back out on bikes up on the dirt trails at the mountain base.  Andrew is enjoying a larger bike with gears and is learning how to use it well.  He likes to ride over to the elementary school and meet up with me and the younger boys in the afternoon.  Neal took him to a bike shop on Friday afternoon and they were able to get a new chain for the dirt bike.

Friday afternoon and Saturday the boys worked on a making a little hut in the open space with some dead bamboo they had found.  They have fun being outside and exploring things.  Spencer has been building robots this week with Lego and other building things.  He is really interested in them.  Last Wednesday afternoon Spencer went on a hike with his cub scout den and a friend came home with him for awhile.  Spencer and Jonathan had fun playing together.  Maybe Jonathan can come over again sometime.  Andrew has become good friends with Aiden (our bishop’s son).  They are in band together and are both good boys.  Again, I feel thankful that the kids have good friends.  Caleb is friendly with everyone!

Sunday Neal and I taught Caleb’s Primary class.  It was fun to be with the kids.  I think it is good that Caleb knows all their names.  We ended up having another class come with us and had 9 kids.  They were all really well behaved, so the class went well.  On Sunday afternoons Neal, Ruth and I are practicing with the choir.  The boys come with us to the church building and read or play quietly with other children there.  I have enjoyed going to choir again.

On our way to school Spencer and Caleb have been telling me crazy “what if...” things.  This morning it was “what if black widow spiders were raining down from the sky because there was a tornado and the girls were all screaming.”  Most the time their little stories and statements don’t make sense and it just shows me what active imaginations they have.  I enjoy walking with them to school.

Neal’s work demands have lightened and he has been able to be home more in the evenings.  We are thankful for that.  It is nice to have the family together each evening.