After the Storm

I've said it a million times on here, but I grew up in Western Kansas where we had some AMAZING storms!  I LOVE a good storm still.  We get some good storms here in Texas, too.  We've had a couple days of some heavy rain here and yesterday afternoon it finally let up.  I love how the world looks right after a spring storm.  So bright!  Everything is so clean and the colors are so vibrant.  I was driving to the library at about 7:00 last night in the calm after the storm.  I had my windows down and it felt so good.  The light was perfect.  Perfect.  The sky ahead was dark navy blue with a few clouds left and behind me the sun was shining extra bright before it finally set.  The green grass and trees were soooo green and everything had a little sparkle from all of the water!  Kind of like this only brighter:

This is not my picture but close to what the sky looked like.

The road I was on had a stretch with no houses and suddenly I felt like I was back in Kansas.  And I wanted to run.  I wanted to get out of that van and just run along the road in that most perfect light and temperature like I had done so many times growing up in Kansas.

I'm sure I've also mentioned that I used to be a runner.  You might not guess it looking at me now.  I ran the long distance races in track but cross country was my favorite sport EVER!  I loved the longer distances and practices.  I got to run with both of my sisters, Heather for a couple years and Amy for three years, on the team and it was so fun.  We would run together during the summer, too.  We lived out in the country and were surrounded by nothing but fields.  We'd run down the field roads and it was so peaceful.

I was talking to my sister Amy on my birthday and we were talking about running.  I admire all of my sisters.  They are so talented, smart, strong, and beautiful and they inspire me and help me be better.  Amy is a year younger than me (thirteen months to be exact) and is a mother of six and she is a runner.  She's done half marathons and is now training for a full marathon.  As we were talking  we remembered the "good old cross country days".  She remembers me being a really fast runner and trying to stay up with me and being so excited to beat me once.  I remember HER being really fast and trying to stay up with HER and being so excited to beat HER once!  I think it's so funny that we both remember this down to the details...but our memories are completely opposite!  And we both swear it's the way we say it was!  Ha!  But either way, it reminded me that I was a runner.  I AM a runner.  Just because I haven't done it for awhile like I used to doesn't mean I don't still have it in me.  I'm 35 now and I've decided that this is the year I will get it back.  I've got my new shoes, a chiropractor in the house, and a plan on the way (Amy's hooking me up.)  Watch out!

Spring Break

We had a fun "at home" Spring Break.  I feel like we got to do a lot of fun stuff and a lot of relaxing, too.  A perfect mix.  We had the most beautiful weather all week and it was just perfect.  We went on bike rides and to several parks, played with our giant Frisbee (that had a bit of a story to go along with it.)  I had to stalk a kid at Michael's to get.  I had seen them earlier but didn't want to pay the full price of eight whole dollars so I came back a couple days later with my trusty 40% off coupon in hand.  Only two were left and they were LAME!  No cool black graphic designs on them.  Bummer.  Then I spotted a couple kids each carrying one of the "cool" ones.  They didn't look serious about their Frisbee.  I could tell.  So I nonchalantly walked around the store keeping an eye on them.  Finally one of them put his back on the shelf.  See!  I knew they weren't serious!  Took them long enough!  I snatched it up and checked out.  Whew!  Mission accomplished and the cool, giant, soft Frisbee was mine!  Totally worth the trouble, too.  It is a blast!  And easy for even the little kids to catch (or attempt to catch) without getting bonked in the face.  They also played with neighborhood friends, went to the library, drove remote control trucks at the park with Dada-definitely a hi-light for the boys...and about every other boy who was at the park at the same time.  It was hilarious to see the crowd of boys following Tory around.   I saw several dads watching curiously, too.  That's right.  They probably would have followed him around, too, if they could.  What is it with boys and cars?  They never outgrow them.  :)  We made treats and had a pizza night, watched movies, slept in, and of course we had to throw a St. Patrick's Day celebration in there.

The boys' tent in the backyard.  I took this on the last day in the dark.  I should have thought to take one earlier!

The boys camped out in the backyard for 5 straight nights.  They were in heaven.  Tory slept out there with them for the last two.  I'm pretty sure he was in heaven, too.  At least for the second night when he finally consented to use my little backpacking air mattress.  Old bones need cushion!  :)  We also got in a little "tourist" activity.  I asked the boys if they wanted to go to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving for a tour.  It's practically in our backyard and we've never been there in all the years we've lived here.  They were sooo excited!  Austin said it didn't even compare to the zoo or even Six Flags because this was a LEARNING thing and a TOUR!  Easy to please my children are.

So Friday we loaded up and headed over to take our grand tour!  Unfortunately, there are no cameras allowed so no pictures.  But here are a few from online.  You check in and go through security and then you're bused over to the main facility.  Claire loved this part more than anything!  The free tour lasts about 45 minutes and it was really fascinating.  The process of making and printing money is much more complex than I ever thought it would be.  During the tour you watch money being printed as you walk along an enclosed elevated walkway that takes you through every step of the process.  There is also a film, gift shop, and museum type exhibits.  And we lucked out and went on one of only three weeks in the year when they have live demonstrations.  One was an actual printing press that was really old.  They printed money on it to show how it worked.  Pretty cool.  Another was a demonstration on how they restore damaged money-like from fire, water, or being buried in the ground too long.  Then they had an area for kids where they could go in and design their own money, engrave it on a plate, and then have it printed.  Unfortunately you have to be 8 or older so Coen couldn't do it.  Did you know the average life span of a dollar bill is only about 22 months?  And the hundred dollar bill lasts about 9 years since it is handled less.  Who knew?  No wonder they have to print so much money!  This facility in Fort Worth prints just a little over half of all US money.  The only other place it is printed is in Washington, D.C.

Overall it was a really fun experience and we'd love to go back again...with our children who are 5 and older.  Ha, ha!  Claire was pretty good but not really interested at all and Beckham...well there are no words but there were plenty of high pitched screams.  It was not his thing.  All I know is I am sooo glad I had Tory there with me.  I was seriously thinking I'd take all 5 of them myself when we thought Tory was going to be gone.  What was I thinking?!  For future reference, if you ever want to go while there are live demonstrations they do them during Spring Break, the last full week of June, and the last full week of July.

Cute little leprechauns all dressed in green...after Mama pinched them all! :)

Of course we also had to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  The boys were so busy on Friday that they forgot to make leprechaun traps this year (and I have to admit...I was hoping that's how it would go down...oops!)  As usual, I woke up and quickly threw some green on and they, of course, hadn't remembered so I got to give pinches to EVERYONE!  I think I went pretty easy on them.  It could have been worse.  We spent the day at the park out in nature with green everywhere.  We had green homemade split pea soup for dinner with rainbow layered cupcakes for dessert.  I was going to make Irish Soda Bread to go with it but bummed out and ended up slicing up a store bought French bread loaf instead.  It worked.

Why is it that there is always at least one child without clothes on?  I promise I dress my kids!

Speaking of Irish Soda Bread, did you know that when I was younger I was in 4-H?  I took all kinds of classes-sewing, art, cooking, gardening, and many others.  It was so fun.  For the cooking class we had to make a certain number of baked goods to be judged at the Fair.  With my two sisters and I, there was a lot of cooking and baking going on to prepare for Fair.  Grangran would even come over to help and bring her mixer to help move things along.  Everyone had to make something different.  We had sugar cookies and braided breakfast rings and rolls and pies and all kinds of stuff going on.  And only the best and most perfect finished products could be used.  My Dad got to enjoy many of our "mistakes".  One year we'd been cooking all day and it was dark outside and I still need to make one more thing.  I didn't really know what to make but it needed to be quick and easy.  I thumbed through my cookbook and found a recipe for Irish Soda Bread.  It looked quick AND easy so I picked it and made it.  And guess what?  I ended up getting Grand Champion with that bread!!  At the end of the Fair you get to take your goodies to the auction and people bid on them so you get a little cash at the end of it all.  I've never made Irish Soda Bread since then.  I never even got to taste it!  But apparently, I make a good one!  :)  Maybe one of these years I'll make it again.

It was a good Spring Break and we were so glad "Dave" was home to spend some of it with us.  Sunday night was a sad, sad night at our house.  Coen was the most broken hearted little boy because his big brothers and best buddies were going back to school the next day.  Just sobbing.  No one wants to be left behind.  I told him this was the last Spring Break he'd ever have to be left at home after.  The little boy will be in Kindergarten next time.  Dallin was also in tears and wanted to make an announcement to the whole family (yes, it was very formal and we all gathered to hear) that "this was the best week of my life and I had a really fun Spring Break and boy do I wish I didn't have to go back to school."  We were all sad they had to go back but after this little taste of freedom we sure are looking forward to summer!  Now if only we could keep these temperatures until then.....

Birthday Time

And speaking of my birthday, I had a wonderful one.  It was last Thursday.  Tory thought he was going to be gone on Trek.  (The youth in our church get to dress up like pioneers and push handcarts and go through "trials" like the pioneers did.  They camp for 2 nights and it's all out on the prairie.  It is a very faith promoting experience from the sounds of it.  They didn't do that when I was younger but my younger brother and sister got to do it and Tory went the last time a few years ago.)  He helped build the handcarts the last time the youth went and knows those things backwards and forwards so he was going to be on the handcart crew in case something happened to one.  So he brought home presents for me to open a few days early.  He even wrapped them in gift bags!  (Usually my wrapping paper is a Walmart bag.  Ha!)  He surprised me with running shoes (which I was in desperate need of) and an exercise outfit to MATCH!  What a surprise!  AND he even went to a separate store, the Dollar Store, to buy the gift bags!  They all color coordinated-green and gray.  Even the gift bags were green!  I was so surprised!  He's more of a "grab whatever's on top" kind of guy. ;)  He even said how "outside the box" he got this year picking out shoes AND clothes...two things he's never done before.

Everyone is curious! 

Some "Paris Amour" lotion from my Mama! 

Just because...this is how it goes down in our house full of boys. :)  Don't worry...they're having fun!

He later learned that he would have to take another whole day off work to go on Trek, which he just couldn't afford to do.  One day was going to be hard enough.  No paid leave for him.  So he ended up not being able to go.  Which was nice for us but a little disappointing for him.  It was Spring Break and the kids weren't going to get to do a single thing with him since he had worked all week and was going to be gone all weekend.  So it worked out perfectly for us even though he was sad to have to miss it.  It really is a great experience.

On my birthday I opened cards from family and talked to everyone on the phone.  That's one of my favorite parts about my birthday, getting to spend HOURS on the phone talking with my brothers and sisters and parents.  I really have the best family EVER!  I also got the most amazing package in the mail and I don't know who it is from but I think it must be from someone who reads my blog and read how much I wished I had a video camera.  Someone sent me a Flip Video and I am so grateful and so humbled by the sweet thought and generosity of whoever sent it.  I have used it many times already and I'm so very thankful for it. It is awesome! There are such good people, such generous people in the world and when I'm on the receiving end it just reminds me of how I need to be better at this and be more aware of the little things...and the big things...that I can do to lift others.  (Again, refer to the quote in the previous post.  So perfect for this, too.)  

So thank you, thank you, thank you, whoever you are!

It's been a great birthday and I have felt so loved!

Surprise!

Yesterday I had such a fun surprise!  I went to our Primary Presidency meeting with the other 3 wonderful ladies I get to work with each Sunday.  We got down to business and then as we were saying our closing prayer Michalann announced that they had a surprise for me!  They had planned a surprise luncheon at her house and more ladies filtered in for a fun afternoon.  We ate the most delicious assortment of food (including sushi and cheesecake!  My favorites!) and talked and it was so fun...and so much better than the PB&J we most likely would have ended up eating for lunch that day.  It was a fun surprise and the first time I've had a birthday party in a very long time!  I saw this quote on this blog yesterday and I immediately thought of my fun afternoon and had to post it:

Thanks to all you wonderful friends who did something that might have seemed small to you but definitely filled a large part of my heart.  It was a wonderful surprise!

Sad Monkey

Austin has been doing a lot of writing at school to prepare for their big State Tests coming up next week.  Here is one of his most recent stories.  They read an article about branding and then had to create their own unique "brand" and then write about how they came up with it.  His brand was an AM with a check mark at the end all blended together.  I can't include the check while typing so you'll just have to imagine it.  Here's his writing:

A unique brand I have made is AM(check).  How?  Well, the other day my class made brands.  Mine was AW(check).  This is the story behind it.


In 3rd grade I had a best friend.  His name was Mason.  We did everything together.  We were really good friends, best friends.  But when the school year grew shorter, I got more sad.  Why?  Because he told me he was going to move in the summer.  So when the last day came Mason had a party.  I gave him my phone number and address.  He gave me his zip code so we could send letters.  And the day after that he left.  I was really sad.  Sad as a monkey not getting his bananas.


So that's the reason I chose AM(check) for my brand.  It stands for Austin Mason (check).  He really was my best friend.

OK...I was reading along and feeling sorry for the little guy.  He really did have a great friendship with his friend Mason and they did everything together.  Then I got to the "sad as a monkey not getting his bananas" part and about died laughing.  Oh, my gosh!  I just think that's so funny!  Still laughing.

A few weeks ago I got an email from Mason's mom inviting Austin to Mason's birthday party.  Austin hadn't seen him since the end of 3rd grade.  He jumped at the chance to go.  After reading this story, I asked Austin how he felt when he finally got to see Mason again.  Austin said, "I was so excited when I saw him that I felt like I couldn't breathe."  Awe...such good friends.  Some friends just can't be replace and Mason is one of those.

Pinewood Derby

Austin's "VOLT" Car

Dallin's "SPYRO" Car

Last night was the Pinewood Derby.  It was Dallin's first time and Austin's third.  They loved it...even though they didn't win.  Beckham loved it, too, once he realized there were CARS racing on that track.  Then it was just a matter of keeping him away. 

They started the evening with the flag ceremony where Dallin got to be a flag carrier.  

Then it was time for awards.  Austin gets his Geology pin.

Dallin finally gets his long awaited Bobcat and other awards.  He got to pin his pin on me.  I'm getting quite the collection now.

Tory's been working late nights all week trying to get a timer, starting line, and finish line made for a new track but just didn't have enough time to quite finish it.  So close.  But he's learned some amazing things along the way and will for sure be finishing it.  So they raced on the old track (not that it's "old" or anything.  It works just fine.  It's just always been a dream of his.  Another leader built a new track so they were just going to combine their efforts.)

This picture was taken by Tiffany.  Her pictures turned out much better than the ones I took which were mostly heads.  I just couldn't get a good view of the track from where I was standing.  But this is Austin's car taking off.  

Here is Dallin's car racing down the track!  (Picture also by Tiffany.)

Austin got the award for "Sportiest Design".

Dallin got the award for "Most Fierce".

Dallin ended up getting 8th place overall and Austin was 10th.  Dallin was happy that he beat Austin.  Austin was happy that they gave medals instead of trophies this year...because then he would have REALLY been disappointed that he didn't place and this made it a little easier.  (He still has his dream to get a trophy...for ANYTHING...someday.)  So everyone left happy and plans are floating around for "next year".

Beckham is TWO!

We have a two year old in the house!  That's right, Beckham had a birthday on the 5th and now he thinks he's so big!  He can think what he wants but he's still my baby.  We celebrated late Monday night.  We had to wait for Dada to get home and that was almost 8:00pm.  

He waited patiently while eating lots of salad.

He loves salad!

He had ice cream cone cupcakes and knew just what to do when he saw those two candles to blow out. 

Good stuff!

Then it was time to open presents.  He was so cute.  He's a very dramatic present opener.  He'd pull off some paper, get down really low and peek inside, squeal, and then finally rip some more off.  His brothers couldn't take the suspense and helped him out a bit.  

He got some sidewalk chalk, a coloring book and his most favorite thing...a big semi-truck and trailer with four trucks to load on it.  

That car-lovin' boy was in HEAVEN!  

Days later and that's still all he plays with all day long.  

Things he loves:

-His thumb

-His fuzzy quack-quack blanket

-Cars and trucks

-Oatmeal...loaded with ANYTHING

-Peanut butter (or any other kind of nut butter for that matter) sandwiches

-Bananas

-The Great Outdoors

-Baths

-Naps and Night time

-Reading Books

-Unloading the dishwasher (he gets very impatient if you don't grab the dish he's handing to you NOW!)

-Parks

-Lundi, our fuzzy hamster
-Balls
-Walks in the stroller

Words he says:

-App-o (apple)

-Nana (banana)

-Mama

-Daddy

-Shoe-shoe

-Arr (car)

-Da-do (thank you)

-Ni-ni (night, night)

-Ah-do (love you)

-Out

-Down

-Ah done  (all done)

-Bye-bye

-Ba (bath)
...and many others.  He tries to copy everything we say right now so he's constantly learning new words.
So fun!

We sure love this boy.  He's so snuggly and mellow...except for when I'm shopping.  He's the worst to go shopping with.  He loves to be outside.  He would stay outside all day if we'd let him.  He likes to walk wherever we go instead of being carried and is really good about holding my hand.  Is there anything cuter than holding a chubby little hand of a little boy who is taking three times as many steps as you just to keep up?  Not many things.  His favorite toys are cars and trucks.  I don't even know if there is a second choice because that is all he ever plays with.  He loves his big brothers.  He'll go to them if he needs something or even just to snuggle up with them.  I think it's so cute.  He loves Claire, too, and most of the time they play great together.  It's cute to hear them talking to each other at night and in the mornings in their room.  He weighs just a pound less than Claire.  He is such a happy boy and we love him so much!

Happy Birthday Beckham Lane!

XOXO

*On a side note...This is the first time I've ever had a two-year old without a newborn or one on the way.  Crazy!  I just thought I'd throw that out there so maybe people would stop asking if I'm pregnant.  Although, the people who keep asking me probably don't read this blog anyway.  It's getting a little old and I'm feeling a little less like going out in public if that's what everyone is thinking.  Oh, well.

Family ABCDs

While we were eating dinner tonight we got to talking about our first names and how they are all A, B, C, or D except for Tory...all the way at the end with T. Then Austin was putting us in alphabetical order: Austin, Beckham, Brooke, Claire, Coen, Dallin, Tory. Then Dallin pipes in, "No! Dada is a D, you know for Dave!"

That's right. Dave. For the last several months Dallin's been calling Tory "Dave". Not sure why and we never thought it would last this long. Pretty funny really. We hear things like this all the time:

"When's Dave going to be home?"
"Can Dave tuck us in tonight?"
"Dave said I could play the wii when I'm finished."

...and on and on. He rarely calls him anything else. So I guess if you count Dave...we're all in the ABCDs after all!

Part of My Story

Coen was playing a little rough with his cars in the family room.

Coen: {CRASH, CRASH} I have to break this car!

Me: Coen, you're not going to break your car. That's not being very careful with your toys.

Coen: But I have to! It's part of my story. "Junie Breaks the Car" (he says with his hand outlining an imaginary text in the air.)

Where does he come up with these things?

Just for reference...one of his many nicknames is Junie...short for June Bug (since he was born in June). He recently watched "Spy Kids" and thinks its pretty cool that the boy's name is Juni, too, and that he has orange hair like him.

"That's a lot of milk!"

That's what the guy at customer service told me last night. I planned to run to Kroger really fast to get some milk. REALLY fast. That was the plan. I had 11 coupons for milk that expired that day. So I had to use them. Our family drinks almond milk and it can be expensive to buy if you don't get it on sale. I NEVER buy it full price, which at Kroger is $3.43. Even at Walmart its over $3 now. You can always find SOME brand at SOME store on sale. Last night they were on sale for $2.79 which is already a much better deal. But then I had coupons for 55 cents off, too! That got it down to $2.24. Pretty good. I checked out and my total was more than I thought it would be. I looked at my receipt. Only two rang up as $2.79. All the rest were full price. I specifically checked the prices so I knew they were all supposed to be on sale. So off to customer service I went.

The guy there said he was too tired to think. He had been awake since 6:00 am (it was a little after 7pm...not THAT late). So he called someone else in. This lady couldn't decide what to do either. She checked the aisle and she checked the ads and finally decided that, yes, the price was wrong. Kroger's policy is that if it rings up wrong then you get he first one free. That threw them for another loop. They got out their calculators and were subtracting all kinds of random numbers. I suggested maybe they could just refund me the 64 cents/milk difference for each one. That sounded complicated i guess. They finally agreed to "return" all of the milk and then check out again with the correct price. Whew! It took about 30 minutes for them to figure it out. But after getting one free, my price dropped to $1.98 each! Not bad! And the great thing about this kind of milk is that it's good until April or May! We're set for awhile. Totally worth the time and trouble. Unfortunately, Hobby Lobby, where I was headed next, was closed by then. Bummer. And when I got home and told my story to the family I said, "And this is why it's so important to learn how to do math."