My Work...for now

This is the first year I have been able to volunteer baby/toddler/small child-free in the kids schools.  Kind of a game changer when it comes to volunteering enjoyment! I have always loved being in the kids classes with them, but there was always this heavy burden of setting up babysitting swaps, or figuring out how to entertain the baby, and making sure the timing was perfect between feedings/naps/needs.  I usually just planned the holiday parties because I knew most of the work would happen outside of the classroom. 

With Soren in school, I now prance off to each child's class weekly and it's a snap! 

I do weekly reading/sight word tests on Wednesdays for Byron's English class.

Easy, never changes. And this guy still gives me a hug when he sees me.

I spend 2 hours on Fridays in Soren's Chinese class. The only consistent part about his class is that I organize folders.  I have also; made copies, punched dye-cut shapes, sewed up a ripped head phone,  put up bulletin boards, taken bulletin boards down, put together a fish tank, put stickers on little kids foreheads, taken stickers off kids foreheads and put them on sticker charts, fixed necklaces, put on snow boots...generally I do whatever is written in a note from Soren's teacher.  There is a strict no English policy so I just try to figure it out!

This is the class that pushes me out of my comfort zone.  I sometimes wonder if Soren's teacher thinks I am an idiot.  But they haven't fired me yet!

On Thursdays I rotate between literary circles and writing workshops in Miriam's class.  I LOVE the literary circles...it's just book club with 11 year olds.  The books are fantastic and since the kids get to pick from 5 book titles they are usually really excited about whatever we are reading.  The biggest challenge is that they tend to get over-excited read beyond the stopping point for that week and THEN want to talk about NEXT weeks chapters...naughty kids!

Writing workshops are another story.  They are one-on-one and I don't love critiquing people.  These kids are probably better about editing than I am so it's good they also do peer critiquing. I can however, help them put cohesive thoughts on paper so hopefully I have helpful moments.

MLK Weekend

Darin has been crazy busy at work lately. It's good, but hard.  He worked till midnight on Thursday and was back to work by 6:00 the next morning.  We had Centerpoint tickets to The Foreigner that night so I was afraid date night was going to be a sleep deprived bust.  Luckily it was SO FUNNY that we had no problem staying awake! Our date nights are precious. 

 Adventure #1

February is going to be BUSY around these parts so I purposely signed up to take the ski group during January.  I didn't realize at the time I was signing up for MLK weekend.  I knew it was going to be busy but really I had no idea.  It was strange though, because Alta ski resort wasn't a madhouse. The lines were just a bit longer than normal and the lodge wasn't over crowded but THE DRIVE!! 2 hours 15 min to get from our house up Little Cottonwood then the drive home took over 3 hours!  The bulk of that spent inching down the canyon, bumper to bumper while it was snowing.  

The kids were fine, they watched Princess Bride, Enchanted and started to introduce Ryan to High School Musical.  The skiing was fantastic, the ride an adventure.  For me though, it was one of those moments where I catastrophize everything (we are going to run out of gas! we are going to have to sleep in the canyon, we are going to have to pee in front of all these cars!!) I was hungry, scared, and had a full bladder that is one humdinger of a bad mental situation. I called Darin and quietly told him all my fears starting with "I want to cry but I can't in front of the kids" and he was perfect.  He told me to get stoic about it, to put the car in neutral and coast down the hill. 

and it was fine...long but fine. 

She's worth it.

Adventure #2

Miriam decided she wanted to make cream puffs this weekend.  I didn't want to.  After much persistence on M's part, I finally relented IF #1 I didn't have to help AT ALL #2 She couldn't cry or be unpleasant if they didn't turn out #3 She had to clean up everything and #4 she had to ride her bike to the store to get the cream we didn't have.

She took the challenge (which included a bike ride to Wal Mart) and with a few helpful hints from her Dad she was victorious!!  It's nice to know all our baking disasters in the past are paying off!

Adventure #3

I have been very eager to check out the new ski resort in Richmond this winter.  Other than Darin not being able to take Tuesday off work, things just fell into place for us to go. #1 Our school district had both Monday and Tuesday off but Cache Valley didn't (no traffic nightmares) #2 It snowed on Monday but was suppose to be in the 30's on Tuesday (last time I was planning to go it was below 0) #3 They have a tubing hill right next to the lodge so I could entertain the boys and be where the girls could find me easily (I could go without Darin...even though we missed him).

So I sent the girls up the ski lift by themselves with a map in their pocket!

The boys and I enjoyed the tubing hill.

It's not a huge hill, but very fun.

In the afternoon it got icy and too fast for my liking but the boys were non-stop for about 3.5 hours.

We only stopped to have brown bag lunch in the cute rustic lodge (I love resorts that let you brown bag it...I think it's so rude to make you pay for their food to stay inside. They should just put up a sign that says "we only allow rich people to stay warm while they eat". I get around this with ski group by buying a hot chocolate and leaving the empty cup on the table so the kids can come eat lunch inside.  I figure I rented that table for $5)

Even though Richmond is 2 hours away we were home by 6:30, plenty of time for quick dinner, bathes, and some crying about school tomorrow. 

I am so beyond happy that this is a short week!

#cutestweddingever

Waiting for the newlyweds with cousins....

I wish I had a close up of Alicia (dang it!!) she was stunning...I mean she is stunning but especially gorgeous that day. My favorite part of the morning was when Mike kind of "presented" Alicia to us as they walked out of the temple, like he was giving us time to take in how beautiful she looked. He is a good man, and smart because he buys cupcakes for my kids....he knows his stuff.

Alicia did a fantastic job planning this wedding and I know it was a labor of love for her.  

A gift to Mike and his family which I think is so beautiful.

Sisters (minus Shauna who we missed dearly)....

Brothers...

All together now.

Lunch at Maddox.

Oh those rolls with raspberry butter.....

and good call on the snickers ice cream pie, whoever made that decision.

Cute cousin friends.

Uncle Craig tormenting with love.

The reception

Pie and hot chocolate and cake and funny photos, and jenga sign in blocks and SPARKLERS!!

And they lived #happilyeverHilton2016

New Years Eve!

Our plans for New Years were up in the air until the day before.  I had hoped to use Miriam's 6th grade pass at the new Cheery Peak resort up past Logan but it didn't pan out. Cousin's to ski with got sick, and then we didn't end up getting Miriam's skis in time anyway.

Ris called the day before New Years Eve and asked if we wanted to go sledding in Logan Canyon. It's a fairly long drive but I am always up for an adventure and love seeing new places!  We met at Cafe Sabor in Logan for lunch. I have only eaten there twice but loved it both times...I am not sure if the food or the company that makes it so great but I like it.

The drive up Logan Canyon was beautiful!

We switched between reading Harry Potter and just gazing out the windows.

The hill was in "The Sinks" area of the canyon I believe, but not the "Peter Sinks" area...I think.  It was by the Beaver Mountain turn off. 

Crazy bumpy sledding! Very fun, very fast and a very good workout walking back up the huge hill!!

We stayed as long as our feet (cold) and hearts (tired) could handle it.

Then we ran to the car to warm up and read more Harry Potter on our drive home. 

We were all plum tuckered out but only one of us got a nap in!

The kids were sooooo hungry when we got home... I think thats what happens when your lunch consists of nachos and root beer.  Good thing fondue is fast and easy.  

Our New Years had a Harry Potter theme with the idea we would watch the 2nd movie.

We didn't finish the book in time but went ahead with the HP fun anyway.

Beanboozeled anyone? This is a hilarious and disgusting game.  Luckily I only had to try baby wipes.  So funny to watch the kids faces!

Miriam ran off to celebrate with friends, the boys watched Kung Fu Panda.

Darin told me to put my phone away as he whipped together the messy cream and marshmallow fluff for butter beer.

Of course I didn't listen. 

Being precious about it...

Getting all manly about it...

Being totally secure in his manhood about it.

He is the best!

Butter Beer and poppers at 10!!!

 We thought the boys would fall asleep as this point, they had seen fireworks out the window, jumped off the couch with poppers flying, watched a movie....but alas....they were determined to make it to midnight.  So we got out the games.  Just because an 8 and 5 year old want to stay up, doesn't mean it's easy.  We powered through...Five Crowns Jr, Uno, Jenga, more Harry Potter reading, tears were shed as Byron became very competitive and emotional.  Soren turned into a hyperactive spaz, which was funny but exhausting. Finally midnight hits and we can do more poppers and ring in the new year for a second time. Miriam got home at 12:30, finally, finally all the kids were in bed.

We played all those games again on New Year's Day and had a great time, proving that this staying up till midnight stuff is for the birds!! (said like a true morning person) We should really turn in at 10 pm and say "Happy New Year!" the first thing the next morning all bright eyed and bushy tailed.

Christmas Breakin' It

Hardware Ranch elk viewing sleigh ride.

We haven't done this since Miriam was a baby so none of the kids knew anything about it. Since I was worried about keeping my Miriam baby warm, I barely remembered anything about it either!

4 degrees!! 

We loved the ride and the elk, but were ready to jump off that sled and head to the warm car!

Sledding with the Parkers who are here visiting family.

They introduced us to the "Batman and Robin" trail just up the hill from our house.

Their dad went sledding in this area growing up so he is in the know. 

So fun to taxi Rebecca to all the Utah stores she wants to visit while here.

Love the excuse to shop and go to dinner with "sistas" from Boston (and Italy).

 We tried Tin Roof Grill in Sandy to check out Guy Fieri's suggestions.

Zoo day trip, unfortunately on a free day, but still fun.

(Thats some year pass holder snootiness for ya, I will be singing a different tune when our pass runs out!)

I am loving our lazy mornings, and empty schedules! 

January 4th will be very painful for all of us!!