The Wride House - World Premiere

Tonight was the WORLD PREMIER of Ethan's major motion picture sequel to The House. This was a heroic effort by Ethan - he was the writer, Producer, and Director of this monumental film.

He's been working on it for months. It started as a "over Christmas break" project, but then he'd come up with more ideas and see more great content from his siblings that he wanted to include. So then it was extended and he tried to have it done in time to be an anniversary gift for us. February came and went, he was a little busy getting ready for his wedding, then March was his eternal marriage and honeymoon... His lovely bride Bella on the red carpet~

And then he wanted to try and finish it for a birthday present for me at the end of April, and he was close to having it done, but he's also a bit of a perfectionist. Then he wanted to have it ready for Mother's day, and having it done the week after Mother's Day... we'll call that good! The kids all got dressed up fancy and we took a lot of pictures with my camera, which I have not gotten from the sim card. Here's a few on Ethan's Instagram. 

So we had a big fun pretend red carpet ceremony, and Wayne came over to join us for dinner and the show. Corey, who has been sick (throwing up and the other way too) weakly made his way downstairs for the premier. The couches were all arranged in rows, our own home theater.

Ethan also had made some trailers, produced by Wride Bros Studios. The trailers were old ipad videos that the kids made with their cousins years ago, pretty cute and funny. 

It was so fun having the kids all here and to watch Ethan's labor of love movie together. He says he still isn't done - he's thinking of breaking it into smaller/shorter episodes so that it's not hard for people to have to sit through an hour plus show. One last pic - cute Katharine at church today - drawing a picture and LOOK HOW SHE IS HOLDING HER PEN!!!

It looks like she's sticking out her tongue too. So cute. 

Super Reunion - Walk of Ages

Today was day 2 of the Skyline Super Reunion. 

The school, which opened in 1962, is getting reconstructed. It's already been going on for a few years, but now they have enough done that they need current class building to go to make room for more of the new school construction. JeNeal taught at Skyline when it first opened, so the Wride connection to Skyline high school goes back to the beginning. So there is a Super Reunion going on right now. It started yesterday and more fun today. Events were/are as follows: 

Friday, May 17
3:00 PM - 8:00 PM Laser Tag inside the original Skyline High School
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Movie Night at the football stadium 

Saturday, May 18
9:00 am 5K Run 10:00 am - 12:00 PM Brunch with Your Favorite Teacher, past and present Skyline faculty as well as former students are invited
10:00 am - 1:00 PM Alumni Football Games at the football stadium
10:00 am - 6:00 PM Building Walk Through of the original Skyline High School only
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Skyline Under the Lights, music program and fireworks over the football stadium 

We didn't come yesterday, but today I signed up for a shift at the 1994 table in the old chemistry hall where Corey and I used to walk together after math and chemistry our Sophomore year (I think). They called it the "Walk of Ages" - it was really cool! Our class of '94 table.

Our class president wanted to be sure we had good representation so we could make sure that anyone from our class that comes by could learn about our 30 year reunion coming up in August. I ran for SBO for Historian, I think? But didn't make it past the primaries. I didn't know the historian made these huge scxrapbooks. Each class had one at their table. 

It was fun going through that and finding photos of ourselves. I made the cover of the sports section with this shot during a soccer game! I scored on this kick. That's me, #14

I looked through all the other historian books for photos of soccer. Yellow jersy above was my junior year. 

White was sophomore year. 

My Senior year I didn't play much cause I broke my leg roller blading with Corey at the end of that summer vacation, doh. Speaking of my high school crush....

Isn't he cute? Here's a photo from the Golden Talon awards banquet night. 

That was the dress I wore on my first date with Corey to Junior Prom. I don't know what happened to it (I don't think it's still in my parent's closets? I guess it could be... I should go look.) I often browse through the dresses when I'm thrifting, hoping to find one like it at the DI, cause it would be fun to have it to make something sentimental, or to wear for fun on our anniversary, ha.

Some of the other years had fun displays that helped us remember the 90s. Like this one from the class of '96 - that was my little brother Neil's graduating class.

There were a lot of people there for the walk of ages. 

The gift from the class of 1994, a school seal.

Our class gift! While I was at Skyline doing that for a few hours, Hyrum took Daniel to his soccer game, which was very helpful, and Peter went too. When my shift was done at noon, I hurried home to get a gift ready for Daniel to take to a birthday party. He left before I was back to give it to him, but that's ok. Corey looked tired and lethargic after I got back, and we decided once again that it's not good for him to be here alone with K, she sucks the life out of him. Corey took her with him to Owen's game at 1. Kids were finishing up chores and I went to Smiths to get some cookie refreshments for a violin concert tonight. Sophi on a group number.

Natalie - I can't remember what they each played.

Bravo. 

After the concert, and since we were in the area, Corey and I went by the super reunion together. 

We saw some familiar faces out on the football field. We visited with one of our friend's parent's. Our friend, Dave. His mom actually was a student in Corey's mom's class way back when! So that was fun. Abi and Lily came with us to the event on the football field. They had cookies and popcorn.

Corey visiting the jazz band room. Memories....

Looking at the class photos (with Abi and Lily) in the band hallway.

Trying to find all the Wrides who have gone to Skyline. Corey adn Tiffanie, class of '94, Joseph 2018, Melodie 2019, Ethan 2020, Hyrum 2021 (they didn't have a class photo). Wesley 2023 (kinda... switched to Brighton, then online) Abi class of 2026, Lily class of 2027.

I see Joseph. 

I see Mel!

I see Corey!

There's me.

So I was busy with that most of the day. This morning was probably one of the most amazing yet craziest Saturday mornings ever... Get this: it was 7:45 AM on a SATURDAY morning, and the house was very very clean, AND I had THREE kids up and practicing their music! Like, what is happening?!?!

This is amazing! Yesterday was the first day that the kids were NOT ALLOWED to blow off their chores and school and music tasks. Chart below - Red yellow and green were kids blowing off stuff - Yesterday was ALL BLUE! 

Blue ribbons all around. I've been allowing them to Not do their stuff. no more! They are not allowed to blow things off anymore. (I hope I can keep this up! ??? No, I will keep this up!)

Patriotic Program & Blue Ribbons

Another year, another Patriotic Program and State Parade. Natalie was the performer today. But first, Corey and I took our morning ride to the Ruins. We started at trailhead cause we didn't leave until 7 (C slept in and I had to get back the program) but I enjoyed my quiet morning time. I got in 20 minutes of stretching while I read my scriptures and waited for him. On the ride today, I got up the hill after the 3rd bridge, yay. Haven't gotten that one yet this season. It was a shorter ride but totally hit the spot, it was good. Then to the school for the program. It was great. I left Peter and Katharine home with Hyrum, so I actually heard it all. This is one program that I do enjoy going to. The part where the kids sing the Armed Forces medley is always my favorite part. Seeing the audience members who served in the armed forces stand up when their song is sung gets me choked up everytime. 

After the program, they gave awards for the Granite Grizzley and the Young American, and Natalie got both! The Young American is one that is especially challenging, but she did it! 

She was proud to be the first Wride GIRL to earn this award (Ethan and Wesley got it too). She hopes that she set a good example for Katharine. Good job Natalie! 

So on a date night a few weeks ago, all of the kids minus Natalie were downstairs watching Space Jam, this totally stupid and pointless cartoon movie, and while they were wasting away their lives, Natalie was upstairs going above and beyond. Yes, on a free time Friday night, SHE was upstairs memorizing the Gettysburg Address! After Corey and I got home, and we turned off the tv and gathered kids for scriptures, we pointed out the contrast. Not to give the kids a lecture, it was just funny, and we wanted to give Natalie a shoutout for having a goal and working so hard to achieve it, even if it interfered with her date night relaxation. Go go Natalie! She is going to achieve great things. Then it was outside for the state float pararde. Natalie did everything for her float too. She used our overhead projector thing to trace a picture of the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. 

So that was awesome. Natalie, good job! We're very proud of you! I remember memorizing the Gettysburg address with Ethan, and reviewing it again with Wesley. This time Natalie wanted to memorize it with the help of a youtube song version of it on "I Memorized That". After a few listens through, it grew on me and I really liked it! I listened to it over and over again on an errand to Costco and man, it got me choked up too, especially the link "shall not have died in vain..." It was fun to re-memorize that with her though that song. These were all the requirements for the Young American Award:

• Write the Pledge of Allegiance and define the important terms
• Sing or say the National Anthem
• Recite the preamble to the Constitution
• Recite the Gettysburg Address
• Recite the US Presidents in order
• Label a map with all states and capitals
• Recite/explain the main points of each ammendment in the Bill of Rights
• Complete and essay or project about "Why I'm proud ot be an American" (one page essay or project approved by teacher, Wes did an essay)
• Make a poster on Respect

So in addition to Natalie being an achiever, we did good today at not allowing our kids to be slackers.  The boys have a clean room, they made their beds, Owen is here reading to Peter - 

And actually they ALL have clean rooms and the whole main floor is amazingly clean. The kids all did great! Just look at the level of achievement they attained unto tonight! Everyone got ALL their tasks done - 100%! All BLUES!

Hyrum wanted to do purple for 100%, but I said blue, cause it's like a blue ribbon! Hyrum also did some magic functions to the spreadsheet so it will made the different colors based on what number it is at. He learned how to do that spreadsheet magic at school. Very cool. Hyrum was a good enforrcer today. Go team. We did follow through with Corey's threat from last night and we didn't go on a date (but we did go to Aubergine for lunch, it was great, and I like eating earlier anyway!) and instead we stayed home and felt like we had some down time to catch up on life a bit. Corey helped Daniel finish practicing his music from yesterday. 

It was a good productive start to a good weekend. Tomorrow is the last day of soccer games for the boys. I feel like we're headed into the weekend on top of our game, and NOT trying to catch up on anything, so should be good!

Not Allowed

It's been a good productive and instructive day. It started off great cause I woke up on my own at 5:15, yay! Maybe my internal clock is finally back in sync after the trip to Texas? I stretched for 45 minutes as I read my scriptures. Then bouldering by myself after taking skyline carpool - did 20, one of which was a really hard orange V2. I should take a picture of the route for myself to remember. Then back home for a day of trying to clean up messes and thinking how to be a better homemaker. I had a little bit of free time and during that I finally did some high school reunion stuff that I've been procrastinating- I set up paypal to the new bank account I made for the reunion. After the kids got home from school they went off to play and I got a text from a neighbor that Daniel has been gifting her daughter Millie some jewelry. She sent a pic and it's jewelry that belongs to Abi Lily and Sophi, so yeah, gotta keep an eye on that kid. I took O to soccer practice at 5:30, and as I was dropping him off I noticed his team wasn't there and looked at my texts to see that practice was at 6. There was another kid there who got it wrong like us, so O and him just played. But planning the rest of the evening - now I would need to be there at 7 to get him not 6:30... hmmm - with that extra 30 minutes, I decided to drive up the canyon and I did 3 quick loops on techy. I biked down the stairs there by Lisa Falls parking lot too (I did not bike UP them!) I didn't make it up the hill or hit everything on techy but it was good practice. 2.3 miles, 30 minutes. Then home for dinner, kids, finishing up tasks as we are almost at the end of the school year.

A few things came into alignment tonight regarding housekeeping, chores and music practice, and parenting. So... first was us starting to implement a bit of Lisa's rule about "not allowing" her children to fight, and applying that to the kids and their chores and music practice. I have been allowing them to go play with friends first, without having done their tasks, so I'm trying to get some resolve to "NOT ALLOW" them to blow things off anymore. They have time, they can do it, we need them to do it, they've been having a pretty weak showing of completing their tasks. Last week I made a list of 10 things they have to do, we've since added more and combined some (combined socks & shoes and backpack all into one) so tasks are:

• Socks, Shoes & Backpack
• Chore Area
• Kitchen Area
• Music Practice
• Bedroom Clean
• Made Bed
• Clothes Away
• Read
• Homework
• Check Gradebook/show their folder
• Help Peter do a Task
• Personal Scripture Study

And so far over this past week, either I haven't recorded their scores, OR they've done lousy on the days I did record (Mon Tues and Wed of this week)

So this has got to change, but it's been this way just cause I've allowed it!! I need to NOT allow it. 

Thing #2 - Tonight Daniel did not want to finish practicing music with Corey, cause he was trying to learn these three notes that were really challenging and he wanted to quit. Corey told him he could do it and to not quit, but D started to quit. "If you quit, we're not having date night tomorrow and we're going to stay home and practice!" and Corey said he thought that threat would give Daniel pause, but D didn't care and he slunk away and hid beneath a wagon in the kitchen (a wagon Natalie is using for her Nevada float for the State Parade tomorrow...) So looks like we're not going out tomorrow night.

Thing #3 - So after Daily Dose of Internet and Scriptures and prayer tonight, after we were done reviewing the kids scores and also giving them a little lecture about how they can and need to do better, After that Lily offers her opinion to Corey about how lectures don't work, cause she knows what she needs to do, but when he lectures her she just doesn't feel like doing anything at all. I wasn't really paying attention but all of a sudden Corey seemed fed up and I heard him say to Lily "Allright, give me your phone..." I was like "What were you guys talking about? What just happened?" Lily was a little surprised too. Corey took Lily's and Sophi's phones and they don't get them tomorrow cause they didn't practice, Abi did so she keeps her phone. Pretty weak performance overall by all this past week by the kids and by us as parents for not holding them to their responsibilities. So yeah, that feedback from Lily that our words as parent's are cheap was helpful to hear I guess. Summary of what we've learned is

1. We need to NOT ALLOW the kids to blow off chores anymore.
2. Threats don't work but if we make them, we need to follow through, and
3. Lectures don't work. We just need set consequences. 

We also talked about how kids should be able to get all greens - doing 10 tasks, and Corey and Hyrum said they should all get all 12 done, no exceptions. So there's a new color level now, BLUE. Kids have to get all 12 chores done - 100%! We want BLUE RIBBON performances. NODP cannot play until they are done with all 12 tasks, and we're allowing a little more freedom timewise for the teen girls, but if they don't get their 12, ALS lose their phones. I gotta follow through. We're 25 years into this and it's always a challenge to keep learning what works in our house. Speaking of our "House"... Ethan sent out a text earlier this week letting us know that the follow up to "The House" is ready for it's debut! A red carpet even once again is set up for this Sunday.

That will be fun. In preparation for it, Ethan has been pulling some almost all nighters and Bella might be feeling what it's like having a husband who is in medical school? He was texting me tonight a few times about getting him everyone's signature - black sharpie on white paper. More instructions: First and middle name. Scratch that - I need first middle and last. All written out in a straight line, not two lines. That was hard for Peter with his middle name of Benjamin...

We did a few practices on half sheets to get the size nice and small and then I got him letter sized paper and I coached him through it

Katharine providing her signature, aww!

I love love love how she holds pencils, pens, crayons, and markers. She holds them perfectly! Owen and Peter could take lessons from her.

Double Header

I was going to do a double header yesterday. Sometimes I'll climb and bike, or ski and climb, but today I did my favorite type of double header - Temple & Bike! First temple for initiatories

Then bike! 

Took a ride in Corner Canyon and I did Clarks, which I haven't done for a while. It's been closed after the houses fell over the edge early in Apr 2023 and it felt pretty brutal. Looks like in Aug 2021 I was proud when I didn't have to stop on the hill at all, and I didn't stop today, so good job me. Then I took Rush down, and rush the trees, then did rush the end a extra time. Total ride was just under an hour, and THEN I went and did a dozen+ laps on the beginner and intermediate jump line. Got some air a few times, only lost my footing once but I didn't fall, yay. I so appreciate having Hyrum home right now! He is a great help watching the kids. I went to 11am initiatories, and I spent some time reading Doctrine and Covenants 109 as I waited, per President Nelson's invitation, and as I read I inserted "family" each time it said "house" and that made me tear up, esp verse 5: 

For thou knowest that we have done this work through great tribulation; and out of our poverty we have given of our substance to build a house (family) to thy name... 

We've tried to build up a family to God, and have been doing it in our kinda poverty, but I know we are not in poverty like so many experience in the world. As Elder Holland has said "I have had to worry about finances on occasion, but I have never been poor..." We are still paying for things like Katharine's hospital bills from her birth two years ago. There are lots of expenses that comes from striving to raise 13 kids. It is a joyful burden (talk by Elder Rasband) that comes with many costs, but even greater blessings (Elder Holland talk - interesting that his and Elder Rasband's were one right after the other!) Children and family, similar to education and work experience, are refining tribulations that push us and are SO good for us. I know that Corey and I have been so blessed as we try to give them experiences and take care of them. 

So there are some thoughts and three BeReals to sum up my day. 

Two Temple Trips

Melodie and I just got back from working on the grounds at the Draper Temple. I left Abi in charge, Corey asked for a kid status as I left: TM temple 4:30-6, AS coming to temple at 6:40 for baptisms with TM (I was thinking I might go bike while they were in baptisms, but I didn't get my biking stuff in the car and also figured I should do temple first, since I already exercised today (top rope with Corey this morning), L babysitting 5-9:30, NK at activity days 4-5, ODP at friends' houses, H leaving to hang out with friends at 6:30. It was helpful that Natalie took K to activity days. They were supposed to bring one of their favorite things, and Natalie wanted to take Katharine! They have a special bond like Wes and Peter. So N took K to Activity days, Abi and Sophi were home to be in charge, and Mel and I left to go plant flowers! We were there with other people from our Stake, young and old. The temple groundskeeper had everything set out where it was supposed to go, and so we all grabbed hand shovels and went to work. It was good to be out in the sun and with my hands in the dirt.

I'm trying to stretch everyday, and today I'm counting some of the one leg squats I did while the other stretched out and balanced me in between the plots. It was good and some of the older than me people mentioned how they were impressed with my youth and flexibility, one guy asked if I do yoga. I am trying to stay mobile and nimble as long as I can. We got a ride out there with my friend Lisa, whose husband passed away last March. It was nice to have time to visit in the car with her, she shared some things about raising kid and how her kids were not allowed to fight. I asked for more details, like how do you do that, cause kids fight, right? Well, hers didn't, cause they were not allowed. She shared two stories - one of her mom, who when she was younger was reading, a younger sibling wanted to play and pestered her for like an hour, and finally frustrated, she gave her younger sibling a punch on the arm, and THAT was when her mom walked by and SHE (Lisa's mom) got in trouble. So she decided then that she would never take sides when her kids quarreled - both would be held responsible. Parents often don't know who is telling the truth in a situation, and it's no fun to play policeman anyway, so both kids get a chore. I like it. And Lisa also shared that when she was growing up, she did something that made her brother get in trouble and she knew it was her fault and she felt bad, and went and helped him do his chore. So Lisa's rule has been: No fighting, if there is any, both kids get a chore. She did say that sometimes her mom would call out a warning if she heard any squabbling starting: "There are socks to fold!" So I'm hopeful about trying to apply this. OH! And that went for tattling too! If one kid came and told on another kid, both would be given a chore. Lisa said "You learn real quick to resolve your differences without getting mom involved!" So wow, I'm liking this. She also mentioned how a neighbor commented on seeing Eric stand for her when he was in the bishopric upon the stand, so he'd already be there at church and when she walked in with the kids he would stand. Eric was doing that before President Nelson ever made a comment on it! I mentioned that to Corey tonight, teasing, and he said as he looked up sheepishly "...seems a bit much??" Ha, I hardly let him open the car door for me, and I am doing better at that, but I don't expect to see Corey stand for me. Eric was great though, really a true gentleman, and he taught his sons how to be gentlemen, and their daughters learned how to be ladies from Lisa. I think her kids should compile a book called "Ladies and Gentlemen" of all the ways that their parents taught them civility. So that's been on my mind, want to figure some things out for how to apply those ideas in our home. 

Mel and I got a ride back home with Lisa, and after we walked in the door, Mel and Corey, Abi and Sophi turned around to go back to the temple to do baptisms. The plan originally was for Abi and Sophi to drive out there for the 7pm appointment, and Mel and I brought our Sunday clothes to change into, but we ended up getting our hands more than a little dirty...

Should have brought gloves! We were working from 5-6:30, but we finished a little early, so we left at 6:25 and were able to get home to wash up, and then I decided for Corey to go with them instead of me, so that he could perform the baptisms. They enjoyed going together, and I was glad to stay home. It  been a busy day, always is, so I was grateful for some home time. 

One of the tasks we did today was mail a package to Wesley. Peter was very excited about this. He's been wanting to mail Wes a "lego set" for over a week. I've been putting him off, but today we got it ready. Peter had his lego set - it's two figures: Wesley and Peter. 

Wes is holding the Book of Mormon. I had a little white box set aside to mail his package in, but Peter ended up writing all over it and it was cute, I thought Wes would like it...

so I cut up a white folder to make a box for the box. Peter and I went to the post office to mail it, and I sent this picture to Wes to let him know a package from Peter was on the way. It also had some drawings Peter did in it, and I wrote down on each picture what it was - like a picture of Wes and Peter eating dinner, a picture of our house, a drawing of the temple and our house, etc. I think Wes will like it, but I told him to not get too excited cause "it's about what you'd expect from a 5 year old..." 

So that was cute. While Peter was waiting for me to make the box, he was riding his bike around the kitchen. Mel was in the kitchen cleaning and mopping (she's an angel). The kitchen needed a good mopping because last night, after I made toast for Peter, and I didn't put the garlic salt away, and K got on the table and found it and emptied out almost the whole thing, and this was a big Costco container of garlic salt, so yay. I wasn't as heartbroken over this as I was about the maple syrup on Saturday. But apparently Katharine is taking it up a level. So Mel was mopping the floor and Peter was doing laps on his bike, and on one of his laps, he paused to tell Mel: "We are working together! I made it dirty, and you clean it up!" He said it so proudly and also like he had just discovered a great hidden treasure of knowledge, and it was also SO TRUE - it made me laugh so hard. I had him pause so I could take a photo to capture the moment. 

And Mel helped me share the moment on facebook - my SECOND story ever! Wow go me, I'm so millenial.

Different pics of K sleeping this morning. Sometime during the night she rolled off her bed onto the floor (not a scary thing to roll from the bottom of a triple bunk bed). Picture of her when I went in to wake up Abi - I told Abi to be careful not to step on her. - 6:21 in the bug pose:

She must have stirred a little as Abi put on makeup and stuff, Abi gave her a stuffed animal so that was cute to see her snuggle with that in her sleep - 7:14 am.

And after climbing at 9:36 am, she's still asleep and back in the bed now, ha, cute. It is a rare treat but it was nice to have her sleep in - made for a little bit more of a slow morning, even with how busy the rest of the afternoon went.