2.11.19 District FFA

FFA career development events take a lot of work and experience. This year showed success for the preparation and experience of years past. Anna move from third to second in extemp speaking and is working to learn more about 30 topics. She will also be chairing the Advanced Parliamentary Procedure team at Sectionals. This is exciting. She has come so far in the year between competing last. She is very comfortable with judges and the kids in her district. It was very enjoyable to watch her in action at the district contest. A generous friend watched the 3 little kids while Alia and I attended the competition. 

Aliza held with family traiditon and competed in creed speaking. She got third and her friend got first. An ok showing for her. She too chaired her parli team and got a third place finish there as well. 

She also managed a handy second in beginning public speaking. A misunderstanding caused all the prepared speakers to loose 50 points on their manuscripts. Thus we were very happy she was able to move on. So we are still preparing speeches and memorizing agricultural knowledge.

So after all the worry and work of the day we decided to celebrate. The younger kids had earned italian sodas for their math work at school and the older kids decided this would be a good reward for them too. Thus we headed to the local coffee shop for some drinks.

Recognition for work well done is important. I think one of the hardest pars of motherhood is the lack of any kind of recognition for things accomplished. I guess that's my own fault but nonetheless  I felt the need that day to celebrate with the kids.
The week prior Aliza had also earned her Greenhand degree compelte with a greenhand!

Anna working as master of ceremonies. She does really well being the boss life is natural training for her.

Getting ready to make her mark on the poster that hangs in the classroom. But more so she is making her mark just like the older ones but in also in her unique way. I love how the time honored traditions of FFA contests that create the same results of confidence.  I am thankful the kids are taking these opportunities to travel, learn, and develop their talents.

2.11.19 Sadies

Another weekend of running hither and yon. This one featured a Sadie's Hawkins dance for Ms. Anna. She had a hard time coming up with a double this year and so had to be non-traditional. She ended up doubling with her aunt and uncle who are fun and young! I whipped up dinner, literally as she informed me I was the cook half an hour before dinner time. And life rolled on.

After a stressful FFA week this was a great night but definitely not one that had lots of worry put into it. A sweet talented friend made the shirts as per Anna's request. The two couples had a good time playing games and visiting. The dance was the normal high school affair loud rap music weird dancing and some high school drama for fun. A pleasant evening with a lifelong friend. 

In exchange for doubling we watched their children. This little guy was not too happy about that. And insisted on being close to the cooking action. All the kids took turns entertaining him. Reed loves to have his picture taken.

Another high school event in the books for this one child. When I start to think about all the repeats my mind is precariously close to exploding! I decided in the mad rush of dinner that I am most definitely not ready for them to be bringing potential spouses home. I think I may have sworn Aliza to promise to just elope when she meets the right person.
It was a very windy evening and trying to cook yummy steaks in the wind is very tedious. I was getting batted on the head and back with a large closet door we had rigged up to block the wind...we were creative but it was not a calm impressive time. Memorable yes. As John keeps explaining. Tragedy is when I cut my finger, comedy is when I watch you cut your finger. So maybe the vision of us standing in a closet door fort outside- because cooking steak inside is TOO smokey, while a cat anxiously mews at our feet hoping that we will drop a steak for it to enjoy, will make you smile on this inclement /February day.

2.6.19 Family Time

We have been asked to study better at home, to take more time to learn the gospel. We are great at this some nights and some nights we are lacking. Sometimes when the love is thick and things are going well I just want to capture it. So I take selfies...Greg was even part of the group so it had to be documented. 

The floor was clean the couch was useable it was a stellar night! The kids in various phases of osmosis know that scriptures mean bed time. I love the various postures of closeness. Nobody can claim loneliness for very long here.

My most eager baby holder with my reluctant baby. This is rare that Afton can hold Alia without Alia panicking and commencing a crying pattern. Yet I don't want to crush Afton's love of Alia so she gets to hold her for short spurts of time, and she loves it. Lia is starting to move herself more and cannot be left near an edge of anything. She gooes and cooes in a sweet little voice. Soon she will be part of the ruckus here too. 

2.5.18 Last?!! Pinewood derby

This year Greg possibly assembled his last pinewood derby car. There were no tears over this fact. This sweet eager young man was the scout in need. 

Reed was excited and eager to sand away on that block of wood. I held the drill one night while Greg worked on axles and wheels. And another early evening was spent with a friend attaching those shiny smooth parts to the car. We found ourselves after a VERY long and FULL week at the derby. It was less well attended than years past and almost all the parents I talked to were in a semi-sleep walking state like myself. The boys had a good time watching their cars race. The track was a 4 lane contest this year. The determining races happened FAST. So the boys raced again. Reed came in 4th to a pair of brothers and the usual winner a Belnap. He was very happy with the results. 

The benefit to this larger track was the boys only focused on their races not the cumulative times that were adding up. Thus they preserved the fun of building a car with their parents longer and it was a pretty peaceful night. Another event checked off for our family in the month of January.
I love scouts for the skills and lessons the boys learn. And I equally celebrate the separation of church and scouts to have maybe less to worry about next year?! Onward ever onward we are striving.

2.4.18 DNA traditions

 I am surprised what family traits pass on. As HArold propped his feet up on the table to work on his FFA speech I was reminded of my grandfather who often propped his feet on the table after a meal complete with the challenge to smell his feet. Odd I know, but it was just him. It makes me smile to hear his words in my head as I type. We all have our unique traits and habits, they make us who we are and they endear us to our loved ones. Harold probably had seen this act but it was a long time ago. I love that he might carry on that quirk.

We tog the girls a dollhouse for Christmas. Happily they are still playing with it and enjoying dreaming up new stories for their dolls to act out.

 Each girl has her own design and way things should be arranged.

And sometimes the dollhouse becomes a barn and the cows move in. Just depends who the author and boss is that hour. Life is good.

2.4.18 FFA Days

I believe FFA is great and everything else is TRASH! By John Saunders

. Oh these days full of speaking and writing and learning and doing it again and again. We are full on FFA right now. These are good days! Anna and Aliza are both preparing to chair their advanced and beginning parliamentary teams respectively. HArold is a debater and is preparing  his sophomore speech as well as trying extemporaneous. 

Aliza will be doing the creed and da beginning speech. Anna will be presenting a prepared speech and competing extemporaneously as well. Anna is the new district president and completed her state degree. The boys had passed their board of reviews this night! It was a night of competing and being better for the experience. 

I sure love the time with my kiddos I will miss the busyness. I will miss the stress and the bonding. I will miss them. But right now I love them, I love their growth, I love their individuality. I love who they are! I love being the mom.
I get bogged down in the day to day. I often tell myself I cannot do this!! I cannot handle one more thing, and then we do! They bring home one more or ten more things to do and we do it! Somedays are wins and some are major losses. But I have to celebrate the wins because the losses overwhelm my heart and strike me with fear that I really am failing, so I have to hold on to these memories that we don't ALWAYS lose and we aren't ALWAYS defunct. Life is really fast good to bad but for the mom loving my kids and being with them 100% with them is most important for me right now. So I keep giving all I have and praying and seeing God make up the difference. He is so good to me.

2.2.19 Little Cousins

Bruce and his cousin Evander. They are lone boys in a sea of girls. 

At this point Bruce mostly just likes playing with Evanders toys, they are still a bit young to interact.

Evanders birthday party. He may be small but he loves food just as much as the nex guy. He devoured this cupcake then another.

More fun toys at his house a little drone that moved by hand touch.

Another day a cousin called asking us to come watch her ride her horse. Bruce was super delighted when he got to mount a horse as well. He cried for a full 20 minutes after being removed from the horse. 

All the kids are in love with horses. They love to be around them and often comment how great it would be to own one. We are not in the habit of eating horses and do not farm with them therefore we do not have horses.

The same little cousin asked us to come swim with them at a hot springs. Longing to do something other than sit in front of the computer I agreed to this outing. I had no idea it was so far away. AS I sat tensely in a back seat while Anna drove I kept telling myself to relax be calm this is fun. This is what I had been dreaming and scheming about while I sat deskbound. The day turned out pleasant. The kids were surprised at the scenery especially the snow. The swimming was a rare experience of being outdoors in 30 degree weather. I was surprised though how much I relaxed walking in my own front door with Greg who had come home before us. I guess I'm more of a homebody than I realize. Change is good, the world is a beautiful place even in the cold seasons.