Magic of Mel

Melodie has saved my sanity more than a few times since she's been home from her mission. Today was another moment, and as I shared with Corey my appreciation for her, he appropriately said "That's the magic of Mel." 

After school today, my ears and brain had taken about all they could of the kids and their mindless, inexhaustible, unstoppable, repetitive, and nagging demands. Daniel had worn me out for the 6 hours of the school day. Thankfully at this point, Lily had helped him to over to a friends house, and I was glad that Daniel was playing sweetly at their house. 

With Daniel happy to be out, I thought I would have some respite. But nope. I was sitting at the table with Owen after school, trying to help him do homework so that he could go play with friends, and Natalie was hovering because her friend was sick and couldn't play, even though that was why Natalie woke up early this morning to practice violin BEFORE school, and she was telling me over and over again "I'm bored... there's nothing to do. Can I play video games on the computer?" "No." "Can I paly the Wii?" "No." "Ugh! I'm so bored!" Peter was also at the table hovering, telling me I'm mean and that he doesn't like me cause I wouldn't take him to the dinosaur museum (our membership has expired and I'm prob not going to renew it with the baby coming soon). He had already been slamming doors at me for like 20 minutes. And I was just wishing I could go exercise for an hour, but I had to take Sophi to soccer practice and Lily to her Spring Concert. Mel was working, but said she could take a break and watch the kids at the park during Sophi's soccer practice. I would go exercise at the gym, and Lily was able to get a ride with a friend to the concert. I was able to exercise. I just listened to music today (My Bike Ride tunes playlist, I'm so excited for it to be warm and to be riding at Corner Canyon this summer!) 

I was able to exercise for an hour without interruptions. After Sophi's practice was done, S used Mel's phone to ask me to come open the car so she could change out of her cleats. I had had enough time to breath, so I went out and watched them play. 

They were in an intense game of get the cinnamon bread, which I had brought for a snack for them all if needed, and it became the prize that the kids had to steal from Mel. They had fun, and I am grateful for Mel. She's also made dinner quite often the past few weeks. Like Last night, we went out to eat wtih Corey's parents for his mom's birthday - 

And I didn't have any plans for dinner but Mel took care of it. She made feijoada - her Brazilian black beans and rice. When we got home, the whole house was clean and kids were happy. 

Daniel was using this spray bottle and cloth the rest of the night "cleaning" everything, and proudly saying "I'm doing a great great great great job!" Tomorrow I'm going to have to get a clean cloth and go get rid of all the cloudy streaks on all the mirrors in the house. But it was cute. She had also sent us some magical pictures of a rainbow shining down on our happy home - 

The girls ran outside to dance in the rain and enjoy the magic of a rainbow - 

Look at all those smiling faces - 

Smiles and happiness brought to you by the magic of Mel. 

(And by God and his covenant rainbow!)

Haircuts

I lined up all my little boys for haircuts tonight. First Owen, then Daniel, and last Peter. 

We usually don't get any pictures of haircuts, cause I'm the official family photographer and I can't take pictures when I'm the one cutting their hair. Abi came by and asked to take a few pictures of Peter cause he looked so cute. 

The boys all did great. I even used the clippers on all of them and they weren't scared by the noise or vibration of it. 

I've always given all of my boys haircuts - teens and little boys. I've always cut Corey's hair too. And the girls! And a few years ago I started to try and do mine. I've probably saved us a good chunk of money by doing all these haircuts over the years. And I never even went to beauty school. Good job me. 

A few other things about today - I've been super lazy lately. Like I feel like I just want to nap most of the morning. Maybe I'm still anemic and should to take more iron than the one pill a day I've been doing? I'm 30 weeks pregnant now, only 9 more, yay. I'm excited for this weekend when it will be April and I can say that I'm due "Next month!" That is always an exciting pregnancy moment. 

Corey and Wes went to play racquetball this morning. Corey gave Wes a real good welt on his back. 

I didn't take Daniel and Peter to violin today cause they were taking a nap. 

Which was helpful, cause I was able to listen in on their lessons a little bit so that we know what they're working on over the next few weeks, cause we're going to miss lessons the next two Mondays because we'll be in Florida. But Sophi and Natalie are still on a practice streak and we plan to keep it going in Florida! As of today they have a 64 day streak! Good job girls! AND they even cleaned their room today - clothes put away and everything. 

We switched rooms over a week ago... the big girls' room is still a mess. I'll tell them that they have to get it clean or they can't go to Florida. That should be enough motivation for them to finish the job.

Sunday on the Trampoline

It was such nice weather this past weekend. Yesterday we continued enjoying the outside and rejoiced that Spring has returned and the long winter is over. I love our 11:30 church time - I was able to do everyone's hair today AND My hair and makeup and got the boys all dressed in time. Owen, Daniel, and Peter playing before church - 

and then after church they seriously played in the backyard for HOURS. 

Lily leading the kids in singing some nursery rhyme song - 

I stayed home while kids 7-12 played in the backyard while Corey went with Mel, Wes, and Abi to a fireside with Tom Christofferson. They said it was really good. Tom talked about how important our relationship with Christ is, more than any other relationship with anyone else, and how important it is to know Christ's love for us. 

It was a lovely Sabbath. This evening Corey and I were pleased when we noticed that we didn't even turn on a movie today! Go team.

Temple, Violin, Soccer, & Biking

It was a good Saturday. Mel, Wes, Abi, and Lily went to the Jordan River temple to do baptisms early at 7. 

Abi scheduled that herself again, I'm impressed. Corey and I went to Draper yesterday morning for a session, since it was an online school day for the elementary kids and no school for jr, high kids. So it was a good chance for Corey and I to go, plus I knew we wouldn't be able to do it this morning with all of our sitters gone. Corey stayed home with the little boys... including this one that we're trying to figure out how to keep out of our bed. 

(I actually don't mind so much where Peter is as long as I get to sleep too, but it would be good if he could start to sleep through the night before the baby comes... I don't think I can juggle night time interruptions from both of them...) So MWAL were at the temple this morning, C was home with ODP, and I woke up Sophi and Natalie early at 7 for Suzuki Federation down at SLCC. We entered the same doors where Natalie had her ballet performance last summer. Here's a cute pic from yesterday of Sophi getting in one last practice session of her pieces. Peter is always very quick to have us get his little violin too so he can practice with her. 

(HE IS SO CUTE)

We left around 7:45 this morning and got there with time to spare so we could figure out where to go. They left their cases downstairs, then went up to the performing rooms.

I was really impressed with the pieces that the kids played who went before us. They looked about the same age as Sophi and Natalie, but were doing amazingly hard songs in Books 3 and 4. I think we could be practicing harder and smarter, so I'm trying to think of what might work to motivate us all to work harder and learn more. There was a sign on the door that said no filming or pictures, and I obeyed for Sophi. She performed Witches Dance and Two Grenadiers. After I obeyed the rules for Sophi, I regretted it, so I did take one of Natalie. 

She played Minuet 2 and Happy Farmer. The room they were supposed to be in was locked, so our room was a hallway, but it was fine. Then we went to Costco, since we were downtown. I wanted to check to see if they still don't have ricemilk, and they don't. It's sad. I enjoyed buying rice milk in bulk and wholesale, but now I just have to go to Walmart every week and clear their shelf of the Rice Dream, if they have any. They often don't, but Friday I hit the jackpot and got 11 liters, o yeah. Corey can't do almond milk or oat milk, but he's ok with ricemilk, so that is my life, since I don't do cow milk and haven't for a few years. Corey will still get some sometimes to make tapioca. Anyway, so yeah, went to the store, got home, Corey took kids to his parents' house so that they could play and he could get work done. I took Abi to her soccer game. She was the green team. She said they lost 12-0. I lost count, but I'm not sure if their score was that high, but maybe it was. She got a slight sunburn. 

Then with all the little kids gone, I was able to sneak out with Mel and she and I went ON A BIKE RIDE!!! AT Corner Canyon!! 

The trail was nice and dry, and there were quite a few bikers out. We could still see snow up higher in the hills but they'll all be open soon. I love biking. We parked at Draper City Park and took the Porter Rockwell Trail and then did the little trail loop across from the cycle park that we took Angela and her family on try last September. It's a short, easy and fun green trail, so I hope it's not totally irresponsible of me to do that pregnant. I'm so excited to bike this summer and fall! I was telling Mel all about the trails and which ones are good and fun and pretty in the fall. It's going to be great to share it with her. 

We're trying to make space for Mel in the house. We started Monday evening by simply trying to move up a desk so Mel would have a place to work, and that has turned into a 5 day project of us switching the girls rooms all around. It's almost done - they all just need to finish putting their clothes away. Yesterday was a good cleaning day for me and I picked up everything off the floor in their rooms and shoved it in laundry baskets and onto their beds and I got the floors vacuumed. Here are the before the change pictures - Lily and Sophi's room, Sophi in middle and Lily on bottom:

I took those pics on Jan 22, when I was doing awesome at keeping the house clean (still am, pretty much). Abi and Natalie shared a room - Natalie's desk on the right, Abi's on the left.

And the boys room looks the same now as it did in January. Wes on the white loft bed, the 3 little boys in the triple bunk, O on top, D in the middle, and P on bottom.

The house isn't as clean now as it was in January, but I guess it was pretty important to me and I get a lot of pride out of a clean house, since I blogged about it a lot when I was on that cleaning streak. I'm going to try and get back on it. I'm hoping some nesting instincts kick in soon. 

Warmer Days

The first day of spring was on Sunday, March 20th, and it came in with a snowstorm. But it has been getting warmer each day this week and I'm ready for it. Thank you for coming back, Spring! I took the kids to the park last night just for like 45 minutes before the sun set. 

There were a few other kids there too and they all had fun running around!

It got pretty chilly once the sun went down, but the kids were all fine. It was just me that was cold. So I started walking laps around the playground.

Corey went to Natalie's school house rock program this morning. She did great, again. I've had lazy days around here, which sometimes has made pregnancy pass slowly, but thankfully this one feels like it's going pretty quickly. Peter and I make him a house today with blocks - 

He thought it was pretty funny.

Another home design model - a split level.

And yesterday we did puzzles. 

Daniel likes to play with friends. I'm glad there are plenty of playmates around. Zach came over and they did puzzles together. Three little heads focused on their work - 

We got out bikes on Monday. I was still freezing that day and sat shivering in the garage with a blanket on me while they rode up and down the driveway.

Peter is doing really well on his balance bike! It's super cute. 

The rooms are still in the process of being cleaned. It's going slowly, since the girls are gone at school all day and then busy with music lessons and practicing. But I did a great job cleaning things up today - I got most everything off the floor and into bins and was able to vacuum all their rooms and the stairs and I did lots of laundry. We are going to Florida soon, over spring break, and today Corey bought tickets to Universal Studios and City Pass tickets to Bush Gardens and Sea World. The kids are excited. Part of me wishes I could stay home and elevate my feet rather than go walk around a theme park, but oh well. It should help time pass quickly I hope? When we get back, and if I round down, I'll basically just have 6 weeks of pregnancy left. Yay.

Natalie's School House Rock

Today was a big day for Natalie. It was her School House Rock performance and she was so excited! She did a great job! She's been looking forward to this for a long time!

The performance was at 2:15. Mel, Daniel, Peter and I went over at 1:45 and D&P played on the playground with Mel watching and I went in to save us some seats. Some of Natalie's rolls in the play were as a screaming girl fan watching the rock and roll boys play guitar.

She was an explorer (the adjective song?)

And her big roll was center stage as the main singer in Interplanet Janet- about planets going around the sun. I think she WAS the sun! She had a few solos in that song and she sang great and with amazing confidence. 

You did so well Natalie! A photo with the supportive siblings after the performance was over.

Abi and Lily wanted to come, but we decided to not take them out of school to watch it. I'm sure it will bring back memories of their youth - Abi in 2017, Lily in 2018, and I'm guessing it was cancelled last year with covid, since I can't find anything for Sophi. Sophi and Owen get to see it tomorrow at the 9:30 school performance. Corey's going to go to that one too. Any of the other kids can watch the recording that the teachers made yesterday during a filming of the play, I'll insert that link when I get it. Natalie and her friend Emma both had main parts in the Planet song

All those 3rd graders did AMAZING WORK! 

Ethan is 20!!

Ethan isn't here for us to celebrate with him, but he was in our thoughts today and we hope he had a great birthday.

Ethan is doing so great on his mission. 

He sure has grown up a lot over the last two years, and it's been great to see.

He has loved serving in the Dominican Republic, and has especially loved Puerto Plata.

So I just thought I'd share some of these pictures from the past few weeks in his honor today.

You can read all about his adventures over the past almost two years on his mission blog. 

He sends an email each week, and I just copy and paste them onto a blog for him, and then I'm going to print up a blog book for him after he gets home (and for Joseph and Melodie too and give them for Christmas this year. :) I was too late to do it for Joseph last year, but I've put it on my calendar to order them in the fall so they are ready for Christmas.) 

Ethan sure loves the people in the DR.

We talk to him each week on Monday, and he says he's already having dreams almost every night that he's back home and that he's sad and misses his mission.

He will be home the end of June and it will be great to see him. He's working hard so that he can come home with no regrets, knowing that he gave it his all each day. Corey often tells him to leave it all on the field, referring to that sport saying to put your best effort in each day and to not end the game  (his mission) feeling like he could have given more. Don’t leave feeling like you played it safe when you had the opportunity for something greater. If you give everything, there will be no questions about what you could or might have done better. We can tell that he's been giving his best, and we're so proud of him. He has survived his teenager years, and he's 20 years old and ready for another amazing decade of life. Happy Birthday Ethan!!