India House

Tonight after the run around for parties and soccer practice and kids hanging out with friends, Corey and I went to India House for our date night dinner. It's one of our favorite restaurants. They have the best peshwari naan in the Salt Lake Valley. 

And we order enough to be able to enjoy leftovers tomorrow! We love to eat there so much, and we've been going there for almost 20 years, so I figure it deserves a shout out in it's own blog post.

Campaign Posters

Abi decided to run for Student Body Office. She wasn't sure which position to run for, but eventually decided on Commissioner of Activities, which was the same office that Joseph held. Corey helped her make a few posters tonight. This was a normal one - 

Lily was coming up with ideas too, and we liked this one. It reminded us of Napoleon Dynamite for some reason.

The one Abi decided to go with was this:

We all thought it was funny and good sport to make fun of herself by putting this photo of herself in front of her school. Her teeth really needed help! So good job putting yourself out there, Abi, and good luck!

The school year is winding up for everyone else, and Sophi and Natalie have gotten a lot of birthday party invitations. So I thought I'd share what we do for other people's birthday parties around here.

I usually limit my gift contribution to $5 bucks. That's on the low end, I know, but with all the kids and all the parties they are invited to, I had to come up with a policy that won't break the budget. If they want to put in more towards a gift, they are welcome too put in their own earnings. I went by the Dollar Tree to get some more simple things to put in the possible gifts they can give and I got some gift bags too. Natalie had a party today after school, and she opted for giving a treat, a puzzle and come stickers. 

Daniel woke up today with a swollen jaw. He wasn't able to eat his oatmeal because it hurt to open his mouth, so I scheduled a sick visit appointment and took him in. 

Natalie was sick a little bit over the weekend too, so I'm guessing he got this from her, some bug we have going around and that he'll be better soon. I do worry when it's ear infections or swollen lymph nodes, so that's why we went in. Corey ended up having to take Wes to GTI cause that was the time the doctor had an opening, so I took D, Corey took W, and then after the dr appointment we went and picked up Daniel's medicine at Walgreens. They had just had their system crash or something, so they  were behind on getting prescriptions filled and couldn't help me yet, so we went home and killed an hour and to send Owen off for his last day of Kindergarten, and then back down to pick up the medicine with a bucket of ice to refrigerate it in the car, and then off to pick up Wes. In the rush around I had forgotten that I had told Wes I'd made him a sandwich for lunch, so we went by the Little Caesars drive through instead and I got him a pepperoni pizza to get him through the day. I had bought him one yesterday for his lunch too... probably not very healthy for him, but D&P didn't mind having pizza for lunch again. I brought W back to work with Corey at the Salt Mine. So there was a lot of running around to day - to the doctor, to school, to the store, to ballet, to a party, but it was good and I was glad to be able to listen to scripture podcasts. I am loving loving the Follow Him podcast, especially episode #20 and #21 are sooo good. Episode #20 with Lili Anderson here - Part 1 and Part 2, and Episode #21 with Maclane Heward, Part 1 and Part 2. I listened to those in my running around this week and I loved them both. I've told my missionaries and my family and Corey about how great those two episodes, give them a listen! Those are the youtube links, but I listen to them on Apple Podcasts. After I got home, I just sat in the car for a minute to finish listening and I checked facebook while I listened, and if you ever need to get outside of yourself and pray for someone else, the Worldwide Unified facebook group is a great place to go. I saw this post and oh it made me cry. I totally started bawling.

That little 2 year old girl has lost one eye to cancer and her parents are praying and fighting for her to not lose her other eye. Oh it just makes me cry, I'm praying for Candy and sweet little Valeria. 

Silent To Do List

Last night I listened to this video by the Minimal Mom about "The Silent To-do List" and my goodness, it's totally true! I liked reading the Life Changing Magic back in 2015, and it has helped me in some areas, but I never really did all the stuff she says to do. I organized a few drawers, but I never gathered all my clothes into a pile of clothes to sort through and purge. I'm still holding on to a lot of things that I should probably let go. Well, with this idea of a Silent To Do List, I have been able to sort through it a bit and it was effective. When I let my clothes send me a message, their message is pretty clear. "You don't really like me" "I'm kinda ugly" "I don't fit right" "You have not worn me for 6 years!!!" and hten in unison they cry "Let me go!" and then I said "Ok!" 

So you can just listen to that video, but in a nutshell, the Silent To Do list is the list of to do's that our things in our house give to us, because they are sending us messages all the time. My toilets say "clean me". The stuff on the floor says "pick me up" and "throw me away". My bed says "Make me!" The books on the floor say "Read me to Peter!!" 

("and then put me on the shelf!") And so today I've just been doing the things that my silent to do list has been saying. A few more easy ones as I've just looked around the room - the highlighter on the floor with out a lid - "Hey, your kids left off my lid. They do this with all your markers. I'm all dried out now. Don't let them use me. You need to hide my fellow highlighters! Or atleast don't buy us anymore, it's pointless!"

Another exciting thing I did today was I hired a nutrition coach. I joined a 12 week program with her, and I think it will be good. I'm in a pretty good spot now that I think I'm ready. I've been listening to Laura Dixon since December, but still haven't removed much weight, so I'm hoping that maybe what I need to get to my desired weight outcome is to have someone to hold my hand through it, so here goes. I've been a weight stresser for a long time, then moved for years to a diet and exercise dabbler, and now I'm ready to be an achiever. 

At Violin

Hey there. Today I was able to do a bit of practicing violin, so that made me happy. I let Owen stay home from school today. He said his tummy hurt but I don't think it really did cause he was acting fine so I'm not sure what is going on there, cause I know he loves school. I think he was hoping to play with his friend instead, but I told him if he's sick he needs to lay down. So he did get on his bed whenever I saw him, but yeah, he was faking it. Once again the little boys came with us to violin lessons. Natalie was sweet reading to Owen today while she waited for her turn.

She is a sweet sister. 

I didn't have a lesson today. I talked (mostly listened) to Corey and Ethan visit. Mel is in a different time zone than Ethan, so her p-day is over at 4, and then we talk to Ethan until 5. Natalie talked to them while we drove to violin. Ethan took these pictures.

I think he was laughing at Natalie... Those little kids are always playing with the filters! 

Mel lost track of time and talked to us until 4:15, oops. On our way out after our lessons, Owen read aloud a few numbers... "2-4-6-0..." and I thought he was quoting Les Mis - but I looked and it was just the number of the house across the street! Add Natalie's finger and what to we get? "My name is Jean Valjean!!" I never noticed that! We just watched that movie recently, so that was funny.

Corey worked late tonight, so I blew off dinner and let the kids have leftovers and ice cream sandwiches and I blogged and blogged and didn't share my computer with them to do their homework, so they colored while I typed away. I'm almost finished blogging April!! I have 3 more entries (April 28, 29, 30) and actually for that week I only need one more to have 5 posts, which is my goal - 5 posts for each week, but that week had a lot going on, so I think I'll need to do all 7 days. Anyway, that feels good to have gotten some blogging done. I'm only 3 weeks behind (and fyi I'm blogging this on May 30th, ha! I take notes about what I did, so I know that I blogged on May 17th, but yea today it's Sunday the 30th... I'm still 3 weeks behind!)

Cute Peter tonight, wearing the Mandalorian paper machet helmet that Wes made for his 3D design class - Holding a Baby Yoda doll that I just bought that I think might be his toy.

Owen had Louie, Daniel has his bear, and Peter loves Baby Yoda. He calls it "Baby Loo-dah" which is so cute when he says it. Who is under there?

I see you Peter! 

First Time at Nursery

Today was a great day at church, because it was 2 hour church! We got to stay for the second hour! The youth have been staying for the 2nd hour for a few months, but it was fun for the rest of us to join in that sociality. We all still wore masks, but that might be ending soon too, so hooray! Corey taught the youth Sunday School class and he did a great job. I dropped off Peter in nursery and then went to help Corey cause he needed another adult there. After class was over, I went to go get Peter and my heart just melted seeing these three little boys sitting reverently and listening to their teacher. 

SO SO SO adorable! That's Evan on the left, Bear in the middle (I don't know his real name, but everyone calls him Bear) and Peter on the right. Soooo sweet! I snapped that picture to share with their moms and the teachers and then we opened the door. When Peter saw Lily, the stress and pressure that had built inside his little heart burst out. He began to bawl. 

He looked like he was sitting there so sweetly and quietly I had not been expecting that reaction. He looked like he had been holding that in for a while. And he cried "Mommy gone!!" over and over in between blubbers and sniffs.

Peter! Mommy came back! Mommy was gone, but Mommy came back!! We gave him love and he slowly calmed down.

Oh our baby Peter, are you ok? We haven't scarred you have we? I wiped away his tears and gave him lots of kisses. He'll get used to this.

Natalie had a "Great to be Eight" program and she got all the info about what will happen and where when she is baptized in July. She is so lucky that she gets to be baptized on her birthday! That was a lucky thing that her birthday will be on a Saturday! She's the only girl in her class. 

It seems like with most of my kids, when they've been in primary, they seemed to be the only girl or the only boy. Luckily as they've grown up there have been more kids that move into the neighborhood, but right now Natalie is the only girl.

Corey invited some friends from Brazil to come over for dinner tonight, Elyseu, his wife and three teenage sons. We had a nice visit and a nice dinner. Our guests had brought dessert, and my kids had flashbacks when she brought out Maracuja pudding and little Brazilian brigadeiro chocolate bonbons. The missionaries came by at 6:15 too for a visit and to invite us to invite someone to our home or share the gospel somehow. I'll see what I can think of to do for that. And I'll try to help my kids remember to do something too for when they come and follow up with us. 

Hale Center Theater

Today the girls and I went to Hale Center Theater to see their performance of Les Miserables!

It was really fun. Hale Theater is the only theater in the world performing Les Mis right now. And it was especially enjoyable because we didn't have to wear masks! 

I am so impressed with the theater. I spent most of my time trying to imagine how things are run back stage to get all the different props and stage pieces in place. It is pretty amazing. Things opening up on the floor, coming down from the opening above, coming in from the sides, and actors and singers all moving around with all of it. I'm impressed the actors don't get dizzy or lose their balance on the rotating stage. 

Just super cool all around. Very well done, I highly recommend. I've only been to two performances there, this one and The Dr. Seuss Seusical Musical one. The kids weren't that excited the first year we had tickets but now they all like it.

Hyrum is still struggling in Pennsylvania. As he called Corey for some comfort and advice, Corey told him: "Well..."

"...it's hard. Life sucks and then you die. What can I tell ya?" Hyrum was inspired and made that inspirational poster above. I'm still fasting for Hyrum, doing an IF fast of either 22/2 or 20/4. I feel for him. Wes and Peter were looking adorable this afternoon as the girls and I left. 

Peter sure loves Wesley.

Rhyan came over to hang out yesterday and today. Daniel loved the attention from her. 

She did his hair and he thought that was fun.

I also let Peter play at the park yesterday while we waited for Sophi's soccer practice to end. The soccer season is almost over. Their last games are next Saturday. I'll be glad to not have Friday night practices anymore. 

He did so good getting up to the slide and then going down it all by himself!

He's getting the playground thing down! And of course his little voice saying "hello mommy" just melts my heart.

He also loved the horsey. I enjoyed watching him play.

What else went on this weekend... I got my second Covid shot yesterday. My arm hurt quite a bit and I felt a little ill last night and went to bed early but I've been feeling fine today. I do feel a bit maxed out and was ready for date night last night. We went to Nordstrom Grill down in City Creek, it was very good. I liked their roasted brussel sprouts. Today Corey went and got a lawn mower. We have paid a guy named Marcos to do it the past two years but he never reached out this year, so I guess we'll start trying to own our yard again. I don't love out yard though. Darn morning glory weeds and rogue grass have taken over the flower beds and I don't have time or energy to give to our yard yet. 

River and Pool

Yesterday I went up into the mountains for a quick 15 minute walk before having to get back and get the kids off to school. It was my first time up there this year, yay! The river is so beautiful. (Maybe it's a creek, not a river?)

I made a mental goal to bring the kids up here sometime soon. Today ODP and I were going to go swimming at the splash pad, and I was on top of it and we got all ready and got to the rec center right when it opened! Go me - that should give us a good hour of swimming before Owen had to get back for school, and that was when I learned that the indoor pool is not open on Thursdays. Darn. I keep learning by experience what their hours are, either cause I get there when they are about to close (happened twice) or now cause I get there when they are not even open. The boys were sad, so I promised them we would go later tonight. And we did. But what to do with ourselves now? I guess I can take them up the canyon to see the river. We weren't really dressed for a hike, and it wasn't really a hike anyway, but Daniel was freaking out cause the sand kept getting in his sandals. He was ready to quit and go back to the car, but I dragged him a little ways up the trail to where we could sit by the river. 

O and P had fun climbing and throwing rocks.

Daniel sat there pensively, contemplating the difficulties of life.

I like it by the river, Peter liked it.

Owen had fun. They both had socks on though. Daniel and I were in sandals.

I was only slightly concerned of them falling in the river and being swept away, which concern was probably just cause I was outnumbered.

We went swimming tonight, I took LSNODP. We kinda had the place to ourselves again!

They had fun. 

I was impressed that Peter let Natalie take him down the slide, I didn't think he would.

And Peter can do the little slide on his own, but he still likes having a spotter.

Daniel crashed on the couch.

Owen in Hyrum's big joe chair. 

I think that's a sign of a good day of parenting when the kids collapse from exhaustion!

Hyrum is Called to Serve

Hyrum was told a week ago, when he had his interview with our Stake President to finish his mission application, that it would be here on Tuesday. And that was today! It's nice that it just comes over email now, so there was no having to wait and watch and be disappointed several days in a row for that snail mail white envelope to arrive like we did with Joseph. Sure, there is some fun in that tradition, but this was great. Hyrum got an email early this morning saying his assignment was ready. He had already set up a zoom time for this evening and we made sure family and friends who might be interested were able to join in. We were excited and ready when 7:30 rolled around. Here is the man of the hour!

7:30 Utah time, 9:30 for Hyrum and Joseph out in Philly, and Mel in Michigan, who had permission to join. Ethan also had permission, 8:30 for him. And this was the 3rd day in a row that we were able to talk to them! Sunday for Mother's day, yesterday for p-day, and then again today for Hyrum's call. What a new missionary experience these young people are having from what it used to be! But hey, I'm all for new and better traditions! I prefer this much better over the twice a year phone calls, as special and memorable as those were. Wes making sure we're all set up.

So we waited a few minutes to make sure people were on. There were two screen's full of friends, that's a pretty good showing. 

Here is his virtual opening from our end. He was killing us a bit with the play by play, it was funny. At 3:42 he gets to the exciting part:

"You are assigned to labor in the California San Diego Mission and will prepare to preach the gospel in the English language." He reports to the Provo Missionary Training Center on September 8th and will go to San Diego on September 28th! He'll be the first of our missionaries to go to the Provo MTC! Lucky man! We'll keep our fingers crossed that it will be open by then and he won't have to do Home MTC, (not that there's anything wrong with Home MTC!)

I asked for Joseph to send me a picture of Hyrum with his call, pointing at a map, but they don't have a map in their apartment. And Hyrum didn't print the call (they might not have a printer either) so this is the best we got. I'll take it.

So that is great! We are so excited for him! Congratulations Hyrum!! 

A few more pictures from today - the boys were excited looking through an old scrapbook today, one that I got out Sunday on Mother's day. Who do you see, Peter?

"PihMan!" aka Spiderman, wow! There was a good Spiderman and a pudgy Flash (no offense to him) next to a little Joseph and Mel back when we went to Universal Studios in 2003. I'm going to have to figure out how to digitize my scrapbooks someday. 

Sophi and Natalie were saying "How come you don't have scrapbooks for us!?!?" and I was like "Your life has been thoroughly documented since birth on the blog. That is your scrapbook." Natalie and Peter and Daniel were playing "Huggy huggy" where they stand together and hug and sway and say "huggy huggy!"

I'll post all 3 of the pictures, cause they looked so cute.

My pretty kids

Where's Peter's cute face? He was too busy hugging. He has hug super powers. 

And it looked like there was fire in the clouds this morning. I am trying to get up and go walking but I'm not there yet, but I was glad to get a picture from the laundry room window. It was beautiful, and it a sign that the Lord was speaking to us today. I believe with all my heart that Hyrum's call is from the Lord and that he will do a great work in San Diego. It was a good day