Time Keeps on Slippin...slippin...slippin

We have had a few glitches in our family lately.   Nothing too awful, but uncomfortable, annoying, things that make daily life more exhausting than usual.   Soren fell while wearing heelies and broke is ring finger.  So that cute wrapped hand will be with us for 2 weeks.  Luckily it was his left hand.  Byron and Miriam came down with a mystery virus over the weekend.  They both have mouths full of sores and can barely eat....but no fevers.  It seems like Hand Foot and Mouth, but they had that as toddlers and didn't come down with it when Soren had his monster case a few years ago, so not sure what is going down around here. Just living on bananas, peanut butter and yogurt until they heal up.

There have been fun moments in between these glitches. The weather has been fantastic....my love for running has reemerged (although my ability is very diminished), and I can't wait to start hiking again.  I just want to be outside in the sunshine all day long.

Our weekends have been booked lately...but Miriam has gone with the ski group when she can. Last week was another all girls trip.  This Saturday is our last scheduled trip, and my turn to drive.  

The boys begged to go to Davis Reads Literacy Night when they heard Richard Paul Evans would be signing Micheal Vey posters.  I don't usually give in to these events but then they spent so much time working on the coloring contest entries I relented.

So I hauled them up to Layton on a Monday evening. It ended up being an interesting engaging night.  The author classes we went to were all so creative, and inspiring even for non-writers or illustrators like myself.  

Loved meeting Rubin Pingk and Virginia Brimhall Snow. 

We were there until 10:00 pm waiting to meet Richard Paul Evens so it is lucky he was so darn nice!!

As we were leaving I noticed Soren's coloring page wrapped up in a 2nd Place prize bucket...and yep he had won the K-2 division!! That was exciting for him, disappointing for Byron but at the end of the night after filling our  empty growling stomaches with burgers and a shake we were all happy (and exhausted).

I just love how my boys look out for each other.  Of course there are jealousies but man alive at the end of the day they are there for each other! One cute memory...last week Byron had earned enough tickets for  his class prize box.  He walked out of school with a watermelon smelling marker but by the time our car pulled away he couldn't find it.  Byron feels things deeply....so he burst into tears lamenting the 20 hard earned tickets gone down the drain! After dropping off carpool, I drove back to the school to see if we could spot the pen...and we did in a little girls hand.  As she passed our car Byron's shoulders slumped, I encouraged him to go talk to her, to see if she had found the pen but he was embarrassed, and nervous, and just sad. The girl walked farther an farther away and I started to pull away when Soren said "stop!" He jumped out of the car, sprinted down the block and asked the little girl if she had found that pen.  He ran back triumphant holding the pen high in the air.  It's not a big thing, but their lives a full of these little moments.  Byron earning prize tickets to get something Soren would like, Soren making artwork tributes for Byron....I am just so glad they have each other. 

My aunt Dorothy unexpectedly passed away a week ago.  We couldn't make it to her funeral in California, but we made the trip up to Star Valley Wyoming to her burial service.

The circumstances were sad, but it was wonderful to see family and celebrate Aunt Dorothy's life.

We have been meaning to go stay with my aunt and uncle in their summer home for so many years now.  Just a few months ago, Aunt Dorothy called me out of the clear blue (she has never called me before) and we made plans for my family to come stay with them.  Thats where my regret creeps in...I didn't go stay when we had the chance.  So even though the drive was beautiful, it was with kind of a heavy heart that we made the drive from Logan up to Wyoming. 

Star Valley was gorgeous, and we were lucky that even though snow still covered the ground we were blessed with a sunshine day. 

I made the kids take photos in Afton. 

They obliged because I promised them chocolate.

Sadly, the chocolate factory was closed....until April(!?) for a family vacation.

That was disappointing, but never fear the Caramel Cauldron was right across the street so the kids didn't suffer too much.

I navigated us home by way of Bear Lake because I am bound and determined to make it up there this year.  

There is so much beauty in this world, and I am lucky to be surrounded by beautiful people, some here and some gone, to share it with. 

Lion King Jr.

Lion King Jr. has been apart of our lives since September.  Twice a week 7:30 am practices,  some looong production crew meetings,  some hair and make-up meetings, tons of pinterest pinning, youtube tutorials, lots and lots of emails and texts answering questions....all leading to two crazy weeks of dress rehearsals and performances. I was over hair and make-up this year.  Byron had the part of the Rhino Anane, and Soren was the Elephant Taiwo.

It was an exhausting thrilling stressful kind of fun.

By the end of the night, the face paint station was always a disaster...no way can you paint 60 faces in 45 minuets and keep things clean!

The dressing hallway always started out nice and organized but ended up like a tornado had hit, and smelling like feet.

But it was all worth it to watch these kids perform their hearts out.

They worked so hard and put on one amazing show!

Guests who came to see:

Soren's pal Owen

Our bestie Fielding

Grandma and Grandpa

Miriam and Dad twice

It was fun for the boys and I to make some new friends at our 'kind of' new school.  But most of all, I love the memories we have collected as a family.  

The stories and the music from each play the kids take part in become part of our family story.  We all get immersed into it while the kids spend time learning and performing, and I spend time helping from the sidelines.  This will be apart of our elementary school memories that we will cherish forever. One of those "remember when mom always made us try out for the elementary school plays?!" after which we will all break into song from one play or another...good times now, and good times to come for sure.

Birthday Surprise

Miriam's last Birthday Hurrah was a big one!  Her friend invited both of us to tea at the Grand America over President's Day Weekend. It was such a huge treat. Miriam and I LOVED every minute of it!

The ambiance was delightful and the food delicious!
We were all surprised how full we felt from all these bite size portions.

Byron had to miss his friend's birthday party this last weekend.

We took him to Menchies to make up for it.

Not the same caliber of birthday treat...but I think the boys had a great time.

Miriam's first ballroom competition was luckily held right down the street from Darin's parents.
We got to watch Miriam dance, and then spend the weekend with G'ma and G'pa. Darin and Byron took advantage of G'pa's tools to create his Pinewood Derby car.  The derby is tonight so photos to come....

Such a fun weekend....most of the time. The boys can only take so much ballroom dance.

Love Love Love

We love baby Parker! Born in time for Valentines Day!

Miriam Loves How to Cake It...she nailed another mega cake. 

Chocolate chip cookie theme this go around.  That "Cookie Butter Butter Cream" is to die for!!

February is always so crazy busy for us!!! Added to that, an awful LONG cold that ran through our family (Darin and I are still getting over it).  I store bought the boys valentines without hesitation and thanked our lucky stars that there were no valentines boxes to be made this year. 

The kiddos got out, set up, and organized our annual Secret Valentine exchange.  It wasn't high on my priority list but the kids...especially Byron were SO DANG EXCITED about it!
They made it happen. 

It was so cute again this year! Everyone was sneaky and so sweet.  Byron made such a cute scavenger hunt for me, of course he gave me chocolate because he knows me, but he also gave me service coupons AND a never ending Hug coupon. It was adorable, and I know he agonized over what to do for me.  I know full well that the kids dread pulling my name out of the hat, gifts for moms are hard.

Miriam got up extra early on Valentines Day to make pink heart pancakes for her brothers. She loves her brothers...and they love her.

Small all girls ski group this week. 

Love that ski group.

Byron Loves Chess Club enough to spend an entire Saturday at a tournament.

Although he was disappointed in the outcome (we were totally happy he won 2/5 games) he still enjoys chess.

13!!

Initially M's birthday was looking a bit melancholy. Her friend/locker partner's family left for Hawaii on her birthday,  as happy as M was for her friend she had anticipated having a decorated locker, and then spending time celebrating together.  Plus, she had to go to school,  I couldn't bring her a special lunch or take her out because of my new job, she has a cold, AND she had to go to piano that evening. 

M, braced herself for a disappointing day. That was probably why the day turned out so great.

All her friends came through! V showed up at our house at 6:30 am (waking up and running down by herself in the dark...a huge thing because V is not an early riser). She brought mint chocolate treats and did Miriam's hair as well as brought her birthday gift.

She had also decorated the inside of M's locker the afternoon before, and then other friends decorated the front.  I had sent her with a treat to share with all the girls she sits with at lunch. 

Side note: It was the 100th day of school that day. My class celebrated by making 100 trail mix...so cute and surprisingly good.
(everyone brought 100 of something trail mix compatible)

We didn't have time to go out to eat or make anything special because of piano so we had M's favorite Papa Murphy's pizza, ran to piano and then stopped by Kneader's for a birthday treat. 

Friday was too busy.... Ballroom, Karate, then M babysat for a neighbor the rest of the night....no room for a celebration there.

No ski group on Saturday either because the kids had a piano recital. Kind of a bummer for the birthday girl.  No skiing with friends, spend the morning worrying about a performance instead.

It turned out well, both the kids did a great job. 

Finally, the birthday girl got to pick out where to eat after the recital.

Chicken and waffles birthday dinner! This girl may be Southern at heart...

M thought that was all the celebrating we were going to do but......

her cute friend's who now attend different Jr. High's put together a surprise party!!

13 pretty fabulous things M has done this year....

1. She started tutoring a 1st grader in reading to pay for voice lessons.

2. She is killing this Jr. High thing....managing all her teachers expectations without my assistance.

3. Started a new ballroom team.

4. She gets up on her own to practice the piano in the morning.

5. Ski Group...even though she is always worried about the kids wanting to do courses that scare her.

6. Loves her point class, would love to take ballet more than once a week.
7. Because of that wish, she often puts on her toe shoes and practices on the hardwood floor in the entry in her free time.

8. Gave her first talk in church.

9. Earned and saved her own money ($150!) to pay for a zip line tour in Hawaii.

10. Also used her hard earned money to buy gifts for so many friends...she is pretty generous!
11. She is becoming a hiking pro.
12. She keeps developing her kind and thoughtful heart, taking new Beehives under her wing, being kind to kids at school.
13. She has mastered cream puffs, Italian meringue butter cream, can make mega naked cakes, and makes a hot breakfast for her brothers a lot of the time.