6.17.14 Ring a Rosie

One of the best things of having lots of siblings, as in Greg and I, is our younger siblings have taught our children some good traditions. My sisters were great at playing ring a round the Rosie with Anna, Harold, and Aliza. Every Sunday night during family home evening they would play Rosie's and London Bridge. The kids loved it!

Now fast forward about 10 years and we have another 2 year old who loves Rosie's. Livy sings the Rosie song, and her siblings I'm happy to report play the Rosie game with her. Even Millie is in on the action. So forgive the blurry shots it was action photography via cell phone.

Ring

Around

the Rosie's

All fall down. While they regained their balance Anna read a story.

Then they were off again with a different leader. Ringing around as Rosie's falling down and then jumping back up. Love that Millie is getting in on the action too and that the older kiddo's are willing to play.

6.16.14 Art Day

I have some super fun, creative, kind friends. A few months ago a friend and I were talking and somehow old sheets came up- cleaning or something. She mentioned how her kids had always wanted to do a splatter paint activity. I said 'here's the sheet take it and enjoy...' She rebutted that we should share the fun and do an art activity.

 As I've stated I've been trying to do some art projects with the kids this summer as they get little of that in common core driven school these days. So after many times rescheduling due to my crazy life we finally got together.

She was super prepared up to creative art music and had something for everyone. Note all the bodies painting. Millie really loves to paint anything and to taste the paint for quality purposes.

John is not crying just being a goon.

It was super fun. I find art to be very relaxing and freeing. I am a split personality that loves order, control, rules, and freedom and color and expression and feeling. Constant fighting in my head over which way to be. Oh well for this day that we finished with swimming the kids voted the art projects were the best part of the day. Thank you April!

The little girls were easily distracted. The friends had penned up their dog and Millie and Livy found that the paint brushes were great to poke at the dog. The dog was happy to not be forgotten and little girls aren't that strong so it was all good.

 

The finished masterpiece. Kind of fun to just be random for a while. And what better way to use an old sheet. 

Sorry it's grainy, it was a hot day and I just didn't want to leave the shade to go take a better picture. You get the idea.

 

7.15.14 Boating

All summer the kids have been waiting to get their chance to try their stuff behind the boat. Because of our untimely strep we missed the annual 4th of July Run. We finally got our chance last week.
While waiting for th boat to come back to shore the kids practiced their swimming. It's always fun to swim with papa who loves to play in the water.

Mark, Reed, and the little girls missed the first boat load of fun but the extra time swimming pushed Mark over the hump and the next time at the swimming pool he was able to swim back and forth the length of the pool to be a confident competent swimmer. Diving boards here he comes!! Yeah Mark!!!

Millie discovered burs. I think they were cockaburrs. She had to taste them, she didn't mind them in her mouth and would alternate between fingering them and tasting them.

After successful runs the kids were tired and satisfied. Thanks for a great night on the lake. All tubed nad Harold knee boarded with Kenny (a grown up friend of Uncle Kevin's) wake boarding and jumping over him... not exactly mother approved but Harold thought it was super cool.

6.11.14 Sweet things

Because this blog is for my children I had to add this post.

This is my bed. The one I happily share with my husband. We bought a big bed on the advice of our parents. The King size model. Two twin beds pushed together if you will. Yet even with all our space each morning I wake up on my edge of the bed with my sweet husband snuggled right next to me. I push his pillow over every night informing him he should sleep on his side. But as he comes to bed after I am zonked out he snuggles over and sleeps on the middle foam bumpers that encase our fancy dual air chambers. It makes me smile that he loves me enough to sacrifice his perfect sleep number to be close to me. It makes me smile that he still does it after 13 years of sleeping together, and it makes me peaceful to know his love for me.

It is my richest blessing on earth to be married to him. He is strong, kind, happy, non-complaining, and always busy. He wears me out and he carries me through. I am so thankful I am able to be his wife and so enjoy the cute little things that are just him. Thank God for marriage, and for that great man of mine.

6.10.14 Perserverance

after weeding tired and not feeling well again but she has become a true gardener not passing by weeds but pulling them out and continuing to pull till it's clean. She is a beautiful young lady who is my ace in the hole this summer. God surely blessed me with this child.

We love sweet corn. My brother has been a champion sweet corn grower spoiling us with unlimited supply from mid July to September. Delicious! However this year his farm plan changed and he is not supply grocery stores so he planted one planting and we are mourning. Because it is a much smaller plot he didn't do his usual farming and was ready to disc this under. WE heard and begged the opportunity to give a shot at cleaning it up.
Last year  it ws the potatoes the kids reclaimed this year it is this corn spot. They are learning to be tough and to see the bigger picture and the value of pulling the weeds, dealing with a problem when it is small versus when it is big and anchored. Mark did a great spiritual analogy of this and so I hear that they are getting it. YES!

It has required a lot of work, sweat, and patience. But they made headway

Note the weeds as tall as the corn and totally carpeting the growing space between rows. The bottom of this picture shows the pile of weeds they made after pulling them. WOW! Again a grandmother who is shaping this generation of kids into tough, strong, workers who know and see nothing is impossible.

Dead weeds and better corn! Thanks for the lesson and the work.

6.9.14 National Anthem

The kids were asked to join their classmates in singing the National Anthem at the Vale rodeo. They rehearsed a few times accapella auditioned and made it. They were scheduled for the opening night, family night and we were sort of excited. Some more than others.

They had to wait for the rodeo to start.

 It was the first hot day of the year and we were almost melting.
But they marched out to the front of the shoots and sang with gusto. I was a very proud mamma.  My reluctant boys even at least mouthed the words. Good times.
Then we enjoyed, or endured the next 2.5 hours of kiddos asking for pop, cotton candy, hamburger, fries, water, popcorn anything that cost money. It was nice to be with Greg and kind of my parents to come over and watch. I think we are good for rodeo experience for another 3-4 years.

Tired of sitting there was a sharp shooting exhibition going on. That was pretty cool the kids decided they want to learn to shoot from horseback. Probably not while they live here.

6.8.14 Pickup Parade Part 2

Pick Parade Link We made the local news as one of the lead stories. I was busy from before 8:30 a.m. till about 7:00 p.m. getting setup, registering participants, rounding up pickups, and then driving in the parade. It was LONG day. Not what I'm usually up to my angelic sister lovingly provided dinner for us and it was more than a tender mercy it was manna straight from heaven.

The last planning meeting the organizer suggested a lemonade stand. I offered up my children thinking of a fun book they had read this summer the Lemonade Wars. Small towns don't afford many opportunities for kids to make money selling things on the corner. I thought this would be a fun and perfect venue for them to learn a little selling and people skills. So I hurried to the store bought 24 cans of frozen lemonade 200 cups, 180 Popsicles and 8 cases of water. The next day after washing pickups we headed to the local ice dealer and bought 150 lbs of ice and headed home. Thank goodness we had bought a new freezer a few weeks ago we needed it. I sketched out posters and the kids painted them and we went to bed in preparation for the BIG day. I took John from the calve working party, and we headed to town to get set up. After some time registering and delivering supplies to the staging area for the parade we went to a friends and made lemonade and got as much water in ice as we could.

They too were answers to worried prayers as I didn't know how I would manage running kids, caring for little kids, and keeping an eye on kids. She had graciously volunteered to help and her kids sold for a few hours while I drove shuttle for getting pickups to Vale. I as even able to come home for half an hour and send out more texts, rest, and pickup the babysitting girls. They had been worried they would miss all the selling opportunity but the real selling started in the last hour and half while people were waiting and cooking like ants under a magnifying glass on that hot afternoon. They ended up with over $200.00 which we split amongst the kids. Not bad for a day. And more importantly they talked to strangers they helped adults carry water, get registered, ran errands, and were good smaller citizens.

The stand with our friends manning it

Johns picture en route to the pickup parade

My selfie waiting for my turn to go in the parade.

The last 40 minutes were the craziest from 4:45-5:20 people just rolled in, there had been a steady stream all day but that last hurrah is what pushed us over the top. It was pretty awesome to see that many people in Vale and that much community spirit. I don't think many pickups were from far away but were just pulled out of use for an hour or so to come make world news. Silly, safe, legal fun in a small town. I think we meaning Greg, his parents, my parents, siblings and some friends contributed 15 pickups to the effort. Many others brought down multiple pickups as well. We are the West we use our pickups daily and have them in assorted shapes, colors, conditions. All in all it was a once in a lifetime experience that was good.

Parading

6.7.14 Pickup Parade Part 1

A few months ago Greg mentioned there was an idea being developed to host a Guinness World Record attempt for the longest Pickup Parade. I excitedly told him I thought that would be really cool and a fun thing for our small town. He suggested I call the organizer and offer to help. I was envisioning helping on the day of, little did I know the ride I was in for. I will say it was a good experience. Good for my family on many levels and good for me to meet new people and to stretch some muscles and a lot of faith in making it happen.

After getting ahold of the right Keller brother I was invited to a planning meeting, and of course could not just sit and listen to everyone else take all the responsibility so volunteered to work on publicity and man power. That turned into fliers, texting, facebook posts, posters, press releases, the ODOT meeting, public officials, etc. It was fun and exhilarating and a huge stretch of time and prioritizing.

As I met with the county commissioner, who was super friendly and helpful, my children quitely explored his stately room and were very good. It was not a situation I would have dreamed of putting them in prior, but they learned the value of going to the higher power and being pleasant and having a good reputation. Important lessons for getting where you need to go in life. 

A cousin designed fabulous posters which I can't show you but are much much more than the usual. She is good, that's what talent and college training does for you. Thank you Cynthia.

And of course we rounded up pickups. My late grandfather loved Red pickups. It was our privledge to use many of his and my fathers collection of pickups to help hopefully break the record. Of course being a proud granddaughter and daughter and wanting to teach my kids to wash vehicles we seized the opportunity to wash 6-7 pickups. I love repeated tasks as it really cements the skill and gives all a chance to participate.

Obligatory water fighting. It is a HOT July here.

The 4th of July was not neccisarily our normal fun day. Anna was again diagnosed with strep on Weds so we were quarantined at our house. Which was okay we spent some time adjusting attitudes with some lawn mowing and pickup detailing. Although not worth a 100 payout the pickups were considerably less dusty for a few hours and we worked on our waxing skills some more.

I have been driving this a bit. I had a pickup just like this when I first started driving. They are so fun. Just like being 16 again.

 Grandpa Saunders came down to tell us about the classic car show in the park. Note the matching hats. We are so blessed to have daily interactions with grandparents and to have their wise influence in our lives.

6.3.14 Aliza & Addie Birthday

In the rush of May I missed the tribute birthday post to these two special girls. Addie from her birth has been independent. She was my first baby to not want to sleep next to me, that needed to be cared for but didn't need lots of extra time. She was content to be here. She is fiesty, resourceful, smart, kind, and tough.

Addie is by no means a small spirit but has to squeeze herself in-between these three boisterous brothers

Brothers always helping.

They are good friends now. Seperation makes the heart fonder. After a year of school Addie and Mark realized they were friends and liked each other a lot more than they had previously admitted.

As you can see from her birthday pictures it's required for survival. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to survive this fall without her. She is so good with her siblings and so interesting. I admit she has been glanced over just because she is the end of the fast run of the older kids. But she manages and carves out her needs in other places particularly her relationship with her grandma Saunders. They are kindred spirits and I'm thankful for the help she is in loving and teaching Addie.

Aliza is a worker. Without her our house would be a pit of despair and a very un-fun place. She sings so well in private. Her younger sisters have mastered 'Let it Go' and the other songs from that movie because Aliza sings them to sleep each night. Her grandmother Corn would sing to Aliza when she was little, although it was I am a Child of God.

Always helping. She loves to be with dad.

She devours written words, thus she is interesting and knowledgeable about many things

She loves her siblings and is gracious in helping with them. She is thoughtful and fun- a great combination.

She is super competitive and makes things happen. I love her kindness, creativity, love, and appreciate her help so much. I am impressed with the friend she is and her ability to learn and persevere. It has not been easy for her breaking through her mental road blocks. They about did me in. I cried as much as she did, but we made it through and no one but me and maybe her remembers how hard we had to work to get there. I love her obedience and happiness. I love hearing her sing, it reminds me of being that age.
I'm so thankful for her ability to roll with life and to live with gusto. She's a neat kid who is also happy to be here, how blessed I am to be their mom.

7.1.14 Millie's Birthday

We celebrated with a cake and repeatedly singing her happy birthday all day. She wasn't quite sure what was going on and wondered why we made her stare at a perfectly good cake waiting to be devoured.

We are sure grateful to have her in our home. She is a card who is very smart watching and copying in her immature way all that she see's her siblings do. She is a special favorite to Harold and a snugly insistent baby to her mamma.

Aliza confirmed that she did in fact blow out the candle not that any of the cross winds offered by the other kids helped. We are glad that she is healthy and full of promise. It's good to be a mom.

Listening to president Hinckley talks today the quote and imbedded poem spoke to my heart

" You have walked hand in hand with God in the great process of bringing children into the world that they might experience this estate along the road of immortality and eternal life. It has not been easy rearing a family. Most of you have had to sacrifice and skimp and labor night and day. As I think of you and your circumstances, I think of the words of Anne Campbell, who wrote as she looked upon her children:

       You are the trip I did not take;

       You are the pearls I cannot buy;

       You are my blue Italian lake;

       You are my piece of foreign sky.

 

You sisters are the real builders of the nation wherever you live, for you have created homes of strength and peace and security. These become the very sinew of any nation." Women of the Church