Bike Rides with Katharine

Yesterday morning, Corey accidentally said "bike" as he was getting ready to go to work. Katharine jumped up and said "Ok!" and got her socks and shoes. "I guess I can take her for a minute..." He got her on his bike, and Peter got ready too, and they left for a ride around the block. I knew Corey had a meeting that he had to get to, so I went and got my socks and shoes on too, a jacket, then got the trailer hooked up to my bike and went to find them. Katharine took me up on my offer and gave up her shotgun for a ride in my trailer. She likes it! Soon Peter was done and so we went home, but K didn't like that... This is her look when I tell her it's time to STOP. (I think I'm in trouble...)

And this is the look when we GO!

Looks like she approves! So we went again. Peter got off his bike, he was ok to ride in the trailer. It turned into a 45 minute ride around the neighborhood, doing a loop in every circle two times. She did NOT want to quit. As I tried to make it more interesting for myself, I did get up on the sidewalk a few times, and noticed her say "Ow" when we went over the bump up to driveways. When we had to go back inside, I might have done those a few times on purpose to get her to willingly stop the ride. It worked. Yay, so we went inside. Time to take care of sick kids. Natalie threw up yesterday morning, so it was her turn to stay home sick. We watched Bluey and after an hour of that K took a nap with her on the couch. 

These two are BFFs. Natalie puts Katharine to bed with her up on the top bunk bed most nights. Katharine looked so cute with her hands tucked under her cheek. 

Sweet little thing.

Hyrum still feels unwell, but no throwing up today. Sophi went to school but texted me around noon that she felt a little upset stomach. She wanted to stay for ballroom tryouts though, so hopefully she didn't expose anyone. I was able to sneak away to the temple during their nap. (Have I mentioned how nice it is having Hyrum home?) The flowers there were beautiful!

And after I got home from that and got dinner ready (chicken and potatoes) I wanted to go on a ride. I texted Corey of my plan and he came home to go with me. And then K got wind of what was going on. We decided to try and take her with us!  

Katharine, are you ready for some real mountain biking?

She did so great! We rode to the trail head and kept going, and she made it past the first bridge! Corey said "She made it further than Joseph did!" haha. 

She didn't like the bumps, so we tried to go slow. Some of the bumps were unavoidable though, like on what we call "avalanche hill" which was not covered by avalanche debris this year, but was just it's normal very steep and bumpy technical trail. Corey got off and walked with K a few times cause she didn't like the jolts. Not sure how we teach her to stand up to give her rump some protection. 

We'd check in with her "You ready? Go more?" I thought our fastest way out would be by the second bridge, cause I thought there was a way to the road from there. We kept going, Corey had to walk with K a few times, we paused and took a break, and were trying to figure out the least painful way for us to finish this ride. We got to the second bridge, and that was when I saw that while yes, there was a little water building there, there was unfortunately NOT a way to get across the creek. Drat. So then our options were either go up to the third bridge (would have required biking across snow patches and getting across some fallen trees, not a great option) or just heading back down the trail. K wouldn't like the bumps, but it seemed like the better choice. We went slow to try and keep her happy. Corey walked a few times. One time I walked with both the bikes while he carried with her. She was happy if she held him while he rode, but that did not look safe to me. He tried it a little bit. Then he figured out that if she'd sit on the seat, he could just hold her waist and the bike was carrying her weight, and that worked. He still had to balance holding one hand, but he felt confident and went down most of the trail like that. We were grateful when we got off the trail onto the paved road. The end was in sight. I looked back at Corey, who was riding with her. She was starting to zone out and fall asleep and he could feel her going limp in his arms. "This is trust!" he said to me, haha, funny. Yes, trust of a child. Later he said he was thinking more of the trust of the child's mother! That is true. As we rode, I was like the visual signal/ protector from the cars - I kept looking behind us to see if cars were coming and made sure they saw me and also let Corey know if he had to stay close to the side or if he had room to spare. We were glad it was all downhill and were making good time. At one moment when there were no cars coming, I was able to capture the moment on video. In there Corey says "When your biking buddy gives up on you..." I took this screen shot to share with the college kids.

Mel said "Nice meme Mom". I told her I was just quoting Corey. So it was fun and I'm very grateful we made it home safe. I'm glad Corey's more comfortable biking with kids on the shotgun seat. I would not have been able to ride with Katharine like that. I would have had to walk or phone for help. But we live to tell the tale. This morning, as Corey was getting ready for work, I was trying to get her from Corey so he could leave, and I made the mistake of showing her the pictures of her biking from yesterday. She said "BIKE!" Uh oh... Corey didn't have time to go, but he did have time to get the shotgun seat put on my bike, so he did that and then today Katharine had a first time riding shotgun with me!

We didn't go far from home, so I wouldn't be stranded if she gave up early, but we did great! I was on my way home and on the paved road when she said "Dad..." signaling she was all done, and I put one arm around her tummy to hold her as we kept biking, but maybe she could tell I was new at this, and she didn't totally give her support to me. She held on to my arm for a minute while I still held both my handlebars, and that worked well. We made it home after a 45 minute ride again. Not bad for a one year old! Natalie was home sick again today, as was Sophi. Natalie felt weak this morning but was feeling much better at lunchtime. She made a picnic for Peter and Katharine in the backyard. 

Katharine enjoyed playing kitchen outside. 

Owen had a trumpet lesson today in stead of next week, cause next Thursday is Joseph's graduation from BYU. So I was grateful to get this arranged so we don't have any conflicts with that. The flowers at Ms. Kyra's house were AMAZING!

Wow o wow. Love it. We should probably plant tulips in our yard. 

They last such a short time, but that's two weeks of joy that is probably worth it. Corey and I went out to eat at Bandits tonight and had a good talk about life and our roles. I want to do better and meals, for him, as he feels I usually don't prepare enough. I admit that I'm a bit of a minimalist there. What I think is sufficient probably could use a little extra. He also said he feels that I tend to disappear and abandon him on Sundays, which I don't see, but I'm going to try and be more aware, cause maybe it's true. He also said he feels that he shields me from a lot of the realities of how hard life is, but I disagree with that. I think I'm well aware of what it takes (I just took 6 kids to Texas by myself) and that he feels like a martyr unnecessarily sometimes. So that's a little what we talked about, if you wanted a peak into our conversation. We both agree that we're both 100% in and that we both do a lot, it's just that there is A LOT to always be done. We're both pretty sure that our marriage will make it! And lastly, I'm up at 4 am Saturday morning April 20th blogging this. I've been up with Peter who was in the tub for an hour to help his tummy - He threw up yesterday while we were on our date, and woke up needing to go to the bathroom, but not being able too cause he was bloated and gassy, so I just put him in the tub to try and help him relax. Sophi threw up yesterday morning at 3 am too, so she stayed home yesterday, but good news: she made ballroom! Good job Sophi! We've all had it coming out of both ends this week, man. It hasn't hit me though, but I'm waiting for it. Abi felt sick yesterday and didn't go to her GMS music class. She's also likely going to miss the Chamberpalooza tomorrow, darn. She said she was hoping to get sick during the week so she could miss school and cause she can't get sick on the weekend cause she's too busy, but here we are. It's 4:30 am, I'm going to sleep for a bit and then "tomorrow" (today) we have soccer games, chamberpalooza for Lily, and a violin spring concert. Maybe we'll have to miss the concert if Sophi still feels sick. 

Throwing Up

We're a few days back from our spring break trip, and after a good weekend, I told myself I'm back at my regular routine of waking up at 5:15, scriptures and oatmeal then climbing and then the rest of the school morning. So that was the plan and hope last night, until....  I was woken up at 3:30 by a knock at our door. It was Peter, I opened it and told him to go lay down on our couch, figuring that he woke up from a bad dream. But no, instead Peter had been given the task by Daniel to come get me. Peter sweetly and sleepily told me "Daniel needs you, he threw up on his bed" Oh yay. I go in there, turn on the light to see the damage. I was grateful that it wasn't projectile vomit that was spewed from his 3 bunk bed position onto the beds and toys below or the floor. It was all in two nice piles, yay. (It's probably strange/gross that I was so pleased with it, but today I learned that apples make a very nice vomit consistency). We moved Daniel's pillows, blankets. and stuffed toys off the bed - I doubled checked and yes, they were all safe. I got a garbage can and some grocery sacks - I put them over my hands like gloves and was able to grab all the mess with two sacks and threw it down into the garbage can. I took off the sheet, put it in a bucket to rinse and wash later. I set Daniel up on the floor and then we were back to bed. It was now 4. So my 5:15 wake up time probably wasn't going to happen. I turned off my alarm and figured I'd see what my body does. I slept in until the 6:10 "wake abi" alarm. That was when Abi told me that someone pooped on the ottoman downstairs in the side room. What? She had fallen asleep there during scriptures and said when she woke up at 2, there was something gross next to her. I go look. More vomit, same as what I cleaned at 3:30. I thought Daniel was in his bed at 2 - I didn't think he was asleep next to Abi... was this someone else? A mystery I shall have to figure out later - I clean it up a bit, then decided I needed a break, so I went climbing. Back at 8:15, Peter wakes up and tells me he threw up on his bed. He had been drinking water so his was a bit more mess - took of his sheet, washed it out with Daniel's and started a load to wash those with the rags that I used to scrub the ottoman. Daniel said it wasn't him who threw up downstairs, so we might never know. Boy we're off to a good start to this week! I'm hoping this is a "one and done" throw up sickness, not a several times by each person. I got on a zoom meeting at 8:45 for less than an hour, after that was done, back to cleaning. I was washing garbage cans in the tub and had the water on pretty louds around 11 and missed a call from the elementary school. I didn't answer it because I figured it was just the attendance call telling me that Daniel was absent, and I had already called the school to verify that. I continued cleaning but then Corey called asking me if I'd gotten the message from the school. No I had not. He said I needed to go get Owen cause he threw up in class. Oh yay, so I go get Owen. He's a sensitive kid and he seemed pretty embarrassed about it. I asked if I could take a pic of him, he said "noooo..." so that's his pursed lips of him saying no, as I did what I wanted anyway.

Poor kid was trying to hold in the tears as we drove home. Must be embarrassing. His classroom was all cleared out for cleaning, which was finished as I went there to get his backpack. Returned home, sat him on the couch with sick Daniel and Peter who were watching Bluey. O had another digestive accident when I was upstairs taking a nap with K. She's been super clingy on Corey and to help him be able to leave for the day, I had to take his place and carry and hold her. She dozed off watching a movie, like she had with Corey last week (Corey was holding her all day yesterday, I think it makes her clingyness worse) Daniel was calling up the stairs "MOM! Owen needs you!" "Tell him to get a bucket" thinking it was a "my stomach hurts" problem. Daniel said his charge over and over, I got up, K woke up, went downstairs, bathroom smelled so bad... this is what Sophi had. She was the first kid to be sick on the drive home from TX, but not throw up, the other end. I was grateful he made it to the bathroom. The clean up wasn't too hard. I'm hoping K doesn't get the bug, or else I'm sure that she will likely get the carpet. 

So things are not smelling good around here. It's worse than the moldy fruit that greeted us after Texas. The whole side room smelled from the vomit on the ottoman. I left at 4 for violin. It was later today because Sophi stayed after school for a ballroom thing (instruction classes all this week before tryouts next week) and so it was just Natalie and Sophi's going to go next week. When we got back from that and I walked in through the garage into the side room, the stench hit me again, ugh, so Hyrum helped me take the ottoman into the backyard to air out. I'm not sure it will be able to recover. I've been thinking about getting new couches for that room though. The one we have is a good size but it's had it's share of wear and tear these past 13 years, and the velcro doesn't hold the cushions on, so when you sit on it, eventually the cushion is slipping out from under you and you're sinking into the crack. 

Ok, so that's that! Yesterday was Stake Conference, It was good. Right after that, Daniel had a "Great to be 8" baptism introduction activity, he got two donuts to make an 8. 

That's usually the main thing kids remember from the Great to be 8 meeting! Ethan and Mel came up last night. Ethan was getting footage for The House 2, which he's been working on since December. Should be good. He said it's twice as long as the original. And that it's been taking him a lot longer than he planned, but getting married probably pushed back the release date, understandably. I told him it's good though - it's become a Family Anniversary Party classic to watch that. It is something that our family will treasure now and it could outlive us all and be a treasure to posterity as well. That's my hope for this blog here too - a treasure for my children and their children, to look back on and know what our family was like while their moms and dad's were kids, and to help my kids when they are parents and wondering how I "did it" raising 13 children. I'm sure I won't remember anything then, as I can barely remember now, but I do know how to search it up here. And that's also why I include the daily life events like throwing up. Not because it's all that important, but it's real, it happens, messes are made and cleaned up and life goes on. 

Miraculous Eclipse

The sky cleared for us today - it was a total miracle. Do you like my Totality 2017 shirt? Is the the only one that has survived the past 7 years. Abi was wearing it in the photos at that link. I can't remember when I confiscated it, but I've kept it careful and safe as a pj shirt. I was glad to have it for this special occasion when we saw a total solar eclipse AGAIN! We feel so grateful to have been able to see this wonder of God's creation!! This photo below of our CLEAR SKY At 1:35 right as totality was about to start at 1:37! We're going to see it start AND finish! I can't believe it! 

We've been watching the weather forcast for the past week. It said rain a week ago, then it's said clouds for the past 5 days. We've been praying and hoping. Yesterday it still said there was a chance of rain, but it also said partly cloudy around 1! That's the only time I care about - the eclipse is at 1:30! Hooray for a ray of hope, giving us desires to keep praying. We were trusting the Lord for whatever the outcome. I read Jacob 4:9 this morning and it gave me hope and happiness - "For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?" God has the power! All he has to do is speak and it will be done! The sky will be clear! He is ABLE to command the workmanship of his hands upon the face of the earth. I trust he will. But if not, I will still serve him. This morning, I felt that if we see it, we will be so grateful. But if we see the miracle or not, we will still love, trust and praise God. We had plans to go over to Patrice's place in Mansfield rather than in Grand Prairie cause they had a few more seconds of totality. Everyone at Patrice's house checking out the sun when the eclipse started - 

The sky was partly cloudy, but the clouds were moving fast. They'd come in front of the sun and then be gone after a minute or two, depending on the size of the clouds. 

We continued to check the weather. At noon it showed there was still a chance of rain this evening, but the partly cloudy sky was going to continue for the next several hours, hooray! 

I was positive that we would definitely see it, and we'd also most likely see totality start or end! The kids were happy to be playing inside with toys that were new to them. Peter with a big Potato head - 

Also plenty of legos for everyone. 

During General Conference, the Reads started a 2000 piece Disney - Pixar Ceaco puzzle that everyone got working on as we waited for totality.

We had lunch of fish sticks, quesadillas, and rolls with nutella. Kids jumped on the trampoline and played. At a half hour until totality we started to gathering outside to watch. Stephanie looking up, Matt and Beka here (they flew in Saturday night), and JT with Kimberly on his lap.

Kids joined us for popsicles.

Getting closer and closer to totality - the sun was half covered, you can tell it's darker, but it's also still so light and easy to see. 

It's amazing how bright the sun is even when it's 70, 80, and 90 percent covered!

Stephanie brought a sheet to help us see the shadowbands. And we were also amazed, in awe, and so grateful that while there were clouds all around us, right above us it was so clear!

We can see and feel the change - everyone getting excited!

Almost at totality and look at this sky! Like WHAT?!?! It's a miracle!!!

Totality! We saw Jupiter to the east and Mercury on the west! Amazing!!

It was amazing. Like there aren't really words that can accurately describe the moment. I took this one pic above, which obviously does not do it justice. It doesn't really matter - no photograph can capture it. I was present and soaking up every second of the 3 minutes and 20 seconds. Any photos I took would not do it justice. Right after the eclipse, we were talking about the miracle and how amazing it was. I was a little sad that I hadn't even checked to make sure all my kids were there, I was just looking up. But unfortunately, I think Daniel was inside for most of, if not all of it and Peter too. I called for them to come out and I think I saw Daniel outside briefly as it was ending, but I didn't want to look away from the sun. Peter came after it was over, and said he wanted to play legos, so they probably won't remember seeing it cause I don't think they did. After totality was over, I wasn't watching the sky, we were looking at each other like "AHHH!!" sharing our speechlessness in wake of the miracle of it all, and then I look up, and there were clouds everywhere.

I don't even know where they came from, but now there were clouds! Miracles over, so back to the regularly scheduled forecast, and that was ok with me. We saw it and it was amazing. It's like holding newborns or watching the setting moon, sunsets, sunrises or fall colors. It's amazing, and try as you might to make time stand still, but you can't hold onto it. It moves on and soon it's over. It was pretty fun that 30 minutes after us, our sister Camilla in Indiana was in totality, and shortly after that my bff Nicole saw it in Maine!

How fun that we all get to share this experience even if we're hundreds of miles apart. My mom texted yesterday saying that she watched a special on the eclipse on PBS and the US had jets lined up to fly during the eclipse to study the corona, but they had several lined up to take of because the moon was moving faster than they could fly. Note to self - watch that special. After it was over, we came inside for more fun and games. We finally gave the ok for the kids to play video games. 

We made a lot of progress on the puzzle.

Patrice and her kids loved having Katharine around. Patrice got his photo of K by her flowers.

A lady named Rosa in Patrice's ward makes t-shirt, and had some eclipse shirts for sale. I ordered some this morning and she had them done in a few hours. I got 4 kid shirts of different styles. Here's one that I thought had a Star Wars feel - I'm guessing one of the boys will choose this one.

Later I decided to ordered one more for me. Beka and Matt ordered some and I'm going to have mine shipped with theirs. Fun!

So that was amazing and I feel so grateful and in awe of the miracle of the eclipse, but more in awe that God answered our prayers the way we desired. He is a kind and loving creator. After the eclipse I talked to Welsey for his p-day. when he called, Corey and Mel had their cameras off...

We could hear something going on... I thought Wesley's connection was bad, but then after Corey and Mel turned on their camera, we saw the source of the noise - Corey was out biking, and Mel was skiing! Wow! We're such an outdoorsy family!

Patrice, JT, Beka, Matt and Stephani played some games while I talked with Wes and watched kids.

They all had fun hanging out the rest of the day. We had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. Then the adults (including me) played Skull King. A new game for me, it was fun!

I got 2nd to last place. We had planned originally to head back to Stephanie's at 6 so the older kids could watch a movie before we leave tomorrow, but we decided to stay and it was the right decision. We still let them watch Harry Potter after we got back, even though it's a school night for Steph's kids, and even though we're going to try and head out early. Stephanie's kids earned watching it cause they recently finished the first book. They're watching that right now, I'm going to go get them to bed in a few, Beka and Matt stayed at Trice's for a bit longer, they just got back. They are waking to leave for the airport at 4 am! It's been a great eclipse trip, so glad we came, so grateful we saw it, God's creations are amazing! Update - I knew someone would get better photos - look at this picture a neighbor of ours (Richard Grossen) took - wow!

Sunday General Conference

Beka and Matt arrived last night. They were going to go explore Dallas today, so we took a group photo before they left, and before Grant left for the airport - he's going to Portugal for work. 

We all think this trip as been a success, even if the weather doesn't cooperate tomorrow. It's been wonderful to visit with each other and for the kids to all have fun cousin time. I've been sleeping in until about 8 every day here. I feel a little guilty not helping make food, but I have been loading the dish washer and shining the sink. Grant made a wonderful big breakfast for everyone, so nice.

Since were on Texas time, General Conference didn't start until 11! So we had time to relax and visit this morning. Grant shared with us some really cool things he gathered over this past year in preparation for Easter. He brought out a cool looking box (an old ammunition box that he got off of facebook marketplace!) and inside he had some Easter relics - a crown of thorns that he ordered from the Holy Land, two Roman nails (a 5″ for hand and 7″ for feet), a white linen cloth the size of the Shroud of Turin, and two scourging whips that were made by some taxidermist in California that he got in touch with from googling information... 

Grant got in touch with him and they had a phone call and talked for an hour and Grant ordered two scourging whips and the guy sent them but said not to worry about paying him, cause he so enjoyed the phone visit and it was such a pleasure to talk with a believer, so he said that he wanted Grant to just have them for his "ministry". Grant said he's not a minister in the way that man probably thinks, but Grant is a great minister to his boys and to his ward here. Here's Stephanie holding the shroud. It was very long.

Super cool stuff. I want to get more decorations for Easter and make it more meaningful and celebrated, like Christmas. Not that I want to commercialize it more - I want less (or no) jelly beans or chocolate bunnies in our celebration, just more things that bring our focus to Jesus Christ. I loved the display Stephanie had on her mantle. A friend there in Texas made those cut outs. So cute. We then took a group photo (one at top) and a silly face one ~

More conference and perler beads. The kids have all made glasses. They say they can really see through them!

Today's morning session (as I was still thinking about weather and the eclipse) I loved Elder Paul B. Pieper's message of trust in the Lord. and Elder Brian K. Taylor's counsel of how to go forward when we are yearning for miracles. I'll trust in the Lord to provide a weather miracle, since it's my choice - I have the freedom to hope for it if I want to. (Today it shows that it will be partly cloudy at 1pm tomorrow! Yay, that's right when we need it! There's hope!) 

In the afternoon session, Elder Taylor G. Godoy's talk where he said "Call, Don't Fall" spoke to me the most for the same reasons at the others that I liked - sharing teachings on hoping, calling out to God, don't fall into doubt or despair. Loved it. The story he shared of the highs and lows he and his wife experienced when they were trying to get married had me feeling like we were riding the wave of Movie Mouth again (and we are in a way...) one day "it's going to work!" the next day "It's not going to work!!" I'll have to talk with Corey and see what his thoughts were of Conference... I hope he got some answers and hope from the conference messages that God is aware of him and that things will work out.

I was home with the kids after the morning session, while Steph took Grant to the airport. We played outside. K found a lady bug - 

She was careful, just like she is with butterflies. 

Stephanie made a 7 layer bean dip for lunch, but the kids all ate bagged potato chips instead. Katharine working on her bag. I might have attempted to take them to have her eat the dip or some fruit. She pulled her chips to keep them safe and away from me.

She still wanted to eat them - reaching her hand in...

And trying to take a bit of chips, but her arm was in the way...

I got a kick of out that and shared those pics with the kids at home. Nice try Katharine, I could still take those if I wanted. 

Kids are funny. Steph got back, we watched the last session. 

Kids worked on beads - 

Owen making a shark - 

We made a real mess. There are beads all over the floor. But they listened pretty good. If we got 10 kids to listen to conference, well that's a success. So we just lived in the mess and disorder today. I did try to clean up several times, but it is pointless to shovel when it's still snowing! So, we're going to clean up in the morning and maybe do most of our packing for our drive home before we head to Patrice's house for the eclipse tomorrow. After all of conference was over, Stephanie and I agreed that this creation by Natalie won for the most Conference appropriate. 

Patrice came over with her kids after the last session. The kids played outside.

We did arm wrestling (Patrice beat me).

I practiced toy ax throwing. I kept throwing until I got 8 and tied Taden, go me.

We played horse but did P-I-G. Sophi led the cousins in some hand games

Relaxing on the swing.

K fell asleep after reading with me - I left her on the lovesac.

And then the house was suddenly completely quiet. The older cousin kids all took off and led the rest of the little ones down the street to the school park close by. Steph stayed at home to keep an ear on Katharine and went to watch them. The kids loved this whirly thing.

Natalie got her knees scraped up hanging from it but she was tough about it. Kids have school, so we headed home when it was dark. K was awake and snuggling with Stephanie, which she loved.

I did a fb messenger call with Corey and the college kids. Hyrum is done with school at BYUI next week! It will be nice to have him home for the summer (gosh are we already almost at summer?!?) 

He'll be an EFY counsellor for most weeks, but that doesn't start until the end of May, so it will be great to have him around for a few weeks. Wow we're almost at Maycember! ~ I guess the school year IS almost done. I'll end this with a quick update of the older kids. Ethan and Bella are living happily in Orem. Bella sent a text with a link to their wedding photos! I'm excited to look through them!!

I don't know what Mel's summer plans are. She's finishing her junior year at BYU. Joseph will probably be working, but he's graduating from BYU and is most likely going to go to Ohio for medical school in August. He was accepted at The Ohio State! He's on the waitlist for the U, and it's been his #1 choice for the past year, but as he's been looking into The Ohio State more and more, he's really liking what they offer, so much that if he is accepted to the U, he probably won't take it. So we'll see, but that's a big thing for him that's coming up.