Kyle-Welcome to the World of School

Dear Kyle,

Never again will your life be so carefree. Tomorrow you enter the great institution of Public Education. I hope that you will do well in Kindergarten and the rest of your life. I will always cherish our time together "hanging out". You have been a good friend to me these past five and a half years. I will miss your playful company and our shopping trips. From now on I hope you will not just see me as the mean mommy who makes you do homework, or the job patrol. I hope that you will not lose your carefree spirit to the walls of education. Please stay playful and jubilant. I will try to take you fun places on your days off, and when you finish your homework I will always give you a T.V. ticket so you can play Indiana Jones. I will also promise to worry about you everyday while you are away. I hope you will remember to be kind and listen to the teacher. Don't get your friends in trouble, or yourself. Be brave and believe that you can do anything and everything. And that no matter what you can always call home, and I will come and get you.

Love, mom

Education Week

School started today. I already have a sub job!! Steven, loved his teacher. She said they could chew gum. Lizzie's teacher just had a baby so she is going to be on maternity leave after tomorrow. Liz was happy that she will be there for the first two days, before the substitute takes over. Robert, it sounded like he did not have a good day. Someone kicked him in the face and he only has one friend in his class. I think he is a little worried. But nothing a little mommy magic won't cure. Kyle actually won't start school until next Tuesday. He might be going to all day Kindergarten. We will see tomorrow. Whatever will be will be.
I have had a blast driving (and sending way to much on gas) to go to education week, at BYU. I was able to attend a couple of great classes on helping to teach youth, it also taught me how to look for doctrines and principles in the scriptures. I hope I can remember enough of it to help me and to help my little ones to see the doctrine in the principles. Well, I better get my boys and girl off to bed. It has been one long day, and will be long days for the next 187 or so. Yeah school!!!
If you have not seen Steven's or Lizzie's blog we need to get your email. So send us a note on the comments. We won't publish any email's. I think Steven will be a natural blogger and it is good practice for his sports casting career

Timing

I was starting to write my blog about some trivial thought about Barak Obama surfing in Hawaii and a shark attack. But then a friend of mine called. Her step-son was killed in an ATV accident. I feel horrible for her family. I just cannot imagine the loss of a child. I have an Aunt that has had three of her five children die. It is so tragic of a loss. Especially of someone that we think is to young or should not be going home to Our Heavenly Father yet.
David had a brother that died at the age of six. Dave's mom hardly spoke of him, it was so painful of a memory. When Dave's mom passed away, his dad had such a hard time, because the feelings of loss for that son came rushing back to him, coupled with losing his wife. Dave's dad had been with Kenny the day he was hurt. When we were cleaning our garage in California we came across a trunk full of Kenny's drawings, and other "school" related stuff. His parents had kept that trunk in their garage for over 35 years. That trunk is now in our basement.
For me this experience has always made me cautious for my little children. I sort of breath a sigh of relief when they pass their sixth birthday. But for my friends and Aunt their children were young adults or mature adults, just going before your parents doesn't seem like the natural progression of things. We never know when our time is coming, even when ill, the end comes as a thief in the night. I hope my friends will have the reassurance that they will see their son again. It is such a hard thing to lose, physically, one of your family. I hope that they will be comforted.

And He Is Off...

I took Dave to the airport at 5PM. He is now in California driving 90 miles from Oakland to Salinas. I don't think we ever imagined he would be a world traveler, or at least a western states traveler. He has this great idea to take the boys to every MLB stadium this side of the Mississippi. I don't think he will get me to tag along. To many airplanes for my taste.
I am not looking forward to the next four days by myself. My friend Jenn, who usually keeps from getting lonely is away to her sister's home in Oregon. So it is just me and the kids. I almost thought I might take off to my Colorado to see my dad. But I don't have enough extra gas money, so will stay in Stansbury. Oh Dave, if you read this in the next couple days I hope you know how much I miss ya. Okay I am back to my book...I already had a couple of spoilers for book four. Ugh. Goodnight.

Long naps

I guess today was my Rip Van Winkle type of day. I went to lay down for a short nap after dinner and slept until Steven woke me for the 400m Relay with the men's Olympic swimmers. If you missed it you missed an amazing end to the race. I love watching swimming. I miss watching my own little brood compete. Robert is a funny racer. He never felt the need to rush. Lizzy's body is perfect for swimming. I think when the boys are playing basketball this fall I will have her swim. Steven always slimmed down during swim. He (and I) loved hanging out with our friends the Banks and the Waters Families. He always has been about the social part of things. One more thing from Cali to miss.
So the Rip Van Winkle part of this post. I have been reading those Vampire books. I have not read much of anything in quite awhile. I usually read my scriptures and the Ensign and that is good for me. But I figure I need to finish all these Meyer books before the kids go to school and just get it out of my system. But I have been staying up till the wee morning hours and so I think my body needed some extra rest, maybe extra is the wrong word I should just say more rest. But now it is midnight and I just want to go read that book. LOL. I think I will be seeing 3AM again.
I wanted to let everyone know that NO One has called with any interest in our house. We will be fixing up our side yard and replacing all the sprinklers YEAH!! No more weeds. But spending the money all over again is frustrating. Oh well. Live and Learn.
Eleven days left of summer. I bought a ticket for Education week at BYU. It is the same week my kids start school. I hope I will be able to go at least part of the time. I just wish my kids did not have to go to school till the following Monday. Selfish on my part. I think Dave is going to help me get them where they need to be. It is now tomorrow. Off to Eclipse, I hope I am done by Friday with Breaking Dawn. Love it!!

Moving Forward

I think that a few people who read my blog about Dave looking at houses were a little concerned, some excited and others it's not anything. But as you can see from my title of this blog a decision has sort of been made. I went to the Temple yesterday, I love it there, things somehow become more clear, or a least less foggy, when I leave. We have been vacillating for awhile about if we should move or not. The moving questions has many spokes to the wheel as to why we want or should we move. It is funny that Dave's bosses words might be coming back to bite us now. But... Dave needs to work more in Arizona and southern California this winter and next spring. He can pretty much cover his Utah area in about a weeks time, which leaves him gone out of town for three weeks out of the month. But the amount of time that he needs to spend in the Vegas, Phoenix, El Centro area is two weeks out of the month and Reno a couple of days. So If we move to Arizona daddy will be home with us more. That is the main reason for thinking of moving. There are other minor reasons that have influence about the move school systems, friends, family, money, selling our house, oh you name it it can be an issue.

So today I decided enough talk, we need to do something that makes it look like we are at least doing more than talking. I woke up this morning, actually it was 11am after I went to bed at about 2:30 -3am, that story is on the Bells blog, I felt like the house needs to be for sale. I know that we cannot make any do anything until we sell this house. So if it is meant for us to go someone will ask about our house. And if we are to stay awhile longer than we will be here. No harm no foul. The Lord knows what we need. I will stop fighting against my husband making him think that we have to stay. If it is expedient that we go then the Lord will work it out with us. And if it is not expedient than we are okay. Onto another day.

Babysitting Anyone?? and I think I need three extra days before school starts

I am no where near being ready for school to start. Dave wants me to go with him to Vegas on Wednesday morning, but as stated above we have a slight problem. I had also committed to going to the Temple on that day. So fly on plane or drive to temple? Which do you think I am going to pick. Sorry Southwest (and Dave) you can give my hubby his $5 back for my ticket. I felt like I might want to go with him this morning, but I need that babysitter. They are not babies anymore, so I guess I should say I need an entertainment and rule enforcer. Stevie will work while I go to the Temple. Have I mentioned how much I love that BOY!! oops Young Man ugh!!

More days before school starts... I want to spend a bunch more time with my kids before the institutions of the world take them away from me during the day. (Even if I am there when they go and come home yeah Bus Duty [it pays well], and subbing [which pays less per hour then the bus duty, go figure]. I want to have the money to take Lizzy "Hannah" shopping. Stevie needs about three more Friday to get all the camping in to get his Tenderfoot, Second and First class ranks for scouts (who takes July off from Scouts??). Robert we could just hang out for forever, but the state says he has to go to school. So I will be crying when he cannot wake up come August 21. At least the powers that be have given me extra time with my baby. He won't go to school until the 26th. I think we will go to the zoo, have an extra picnic (at Panda), and try to remember that mom will run to the school for any little thing.

It is seven minutes until tomorrow. I better go to bed so I can have fun with my bunch tomorrow. I am so thankful for them everyday!!! What else would I be doing? Something like this...Dana, White House Press Secretary, was my neighbor in the dorms freshman year of college, we watched Jeopardy every night we didn't have class, and were DJ's at the same radio station. Wouldn't trade my kids for it though. Good Luck Dana.

"For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High"

I love Sunday!!! I think I like it because no one makes me really do anything. I don't have to do the laundry, or the dishes, or make the children's rooms look good. I choose to go to church. I choose to participate at the meetings. I choose to make dinner (something I usually hate to do). I get to play my one handed piano with no complaints. Our kids generally obey a little more on Sunday. I can read or take a nap and nobody asks if I am sick. I am grateful that the Lord said the seventh day is to rest from your labors.

I think the one thing I never rest from is trying to improve my testimony of the gospel. Even in the little questions I ask our children, trying to give them that shield and protection that a testimony can give us. I can only hope that my little ones will truly know the truth. I think seeing them trying to navigate the world through spiritual eyes helps me to realize the importance of have good spiritual vision myself. I think Sundays are great to have a day to fine tune yourself ,and evaluate where you are in your testimony. It works for me. I love it. Happy Resting

The Hot Dry Air & A Good Movie

Dave missed his flight. So here I am waiting for tomorrow again. Dave is eating bowls of ice cream with the Jordan's and checking out the foreclosure market in Surprise, Arizona. Lots of dry air in Arizona. But some wonderful friendly faces are there in Surprise. The kids would love to say hello to Kade and McKay Martinez (Kyle said that about Mckay). And the Jordan kids!! Decisions.. Decisions!!! We will miss the snow!!!
Tonight, I watched a redbox movie, that is what I do when I am alone; the movie Bella was good. The underlining story of saving the life of a child, from unwanted pregnancy and then abortion. There are so many people who would give these babies the love they need and deserve. I love it. It was like the movie Juno in a way. I think I just like those kind of movies. Robert was watching a little of the movie, and then asked me when he came to live with us. I told him he has always lived with us. The only home he has known. We are so lucky to have these kids!! Once again it is almost tomorrow (11:25PM) Goodnight!!