Soccer Season Spring 2010

Lance and Kyle got to be on the same soccer team this year. It was Kyle's first season. Look at these cute boys and girl!

This team rocked. Look at all the dads (minus one family, that was out of town and we missed them!). They're all in the same graduating medical school class. And the moms got another opportunity to visit. It was so fun to watch our kids play together and enjoy each other's company as we cheered them on.We kept seeing a little blonde cheerleader that got into it so much, she tried to join her brothers out on the field.Lance cheers Jace on during his game.Jace's team

What a great season!

Cami, the Red-nosed Reindeer

What with all the cold winter-like weather, we began singing Christmas songs here. It wasn't hard picking a song...

Walking home from getting the mail, I was pushing her in the stroller as we passed the playground where some of our friends were playing. She protested and I told her we had to get inside. Cami had other plans. Just when I looked up to wave, she jumped out of the moving stroller. It was a sad day, but she got to see her friends for a few minutes. I guess that's one way to get what you want.

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, we had tacos for dinner with Mexican rice, and made churros for dessert.
Jace was finished with dinner first, so he began making them. The directions said to boil 1 cup of water, and before ebullition, pour in the churro mix. I was still eating with the kids, as I usually do because I'm a slow eater, and Jace asked me, "Mom, what is 'ebullition'?" He had to repeat it a few times, as he is used to doing (I know for a fact that if my children marry a hearing impaired woman, they will be the best of patient husbands in repeating themselves!), before finally asking him to bring the instructions over so I could look at them. Sure enough, it said the word that he was trying to say. I told him to look it up. He keeps a dictionary handy, so it wasn't a big deal, only I wasn't sure if the word would even be in there. After he found it, he told me that it means, "before boiling", so he figured that meant anytime before boiling, even if the water wasn't warm yet. If I were his age, that's exactly what I would have done, too. (I remember mixing the ingredients written on the cake mix box and going to my mom asking her why it doesn't look like very much cake mix. She asked me if I added the mix, and I realized my oops.) So when I came to help him mix it, it seemed a little dry, so we kept adding a little more water (this time at "almost boiling" temperature) here and there, in efforts to make it more ready to squeeze through the cake decorating tube. But alas, if you can tell from this face...

It was really difficult to squeeze! So instead, the boys used their hands to shape the churros into their own unique shapes. Lance made a heart shaped one, Jace made some donut shapes and a fish (is someone missing their dad that's gone on a fishing trip?), and they all made lots of little balls, or donut holes :)

We played the closest we could come to Mexican music, the soundtrack from the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, "Evita", which has a little Spanish in it, even if it's based in Argentina. Hurray for reasons to celebrate!

Kyle's Stuff

In an effort to energize and motivate myself to pack for the move, I popped in one of my favorite Madonna CD's, "Like a Prayer". (For the record, the only other one I have is my other favorite, "Evita".) Kyle caught the beat while Cami tried to steal the spotlight:

Reverse Roles

I was in the kitchen when I dropped the dish rag on the floor.

Jace: (exasperated) "Mom! I just mopped that floor!"
Me: "Oops, sorry."

Bedtime

It's time to get ready for bed! When I take Cami's hair down at night, I just love it! Reminds me of a poodle.
Maybe we should try starting the day out with this great "do".

Smoothies

Jace had a great idea when he got home from school today. He wanted to make blueberry smoothies and pour it into an ice cream cone. We used vanilla icecream, milk, and blueberries, with a little wheat germ sprinkled on top. YUM!!!

Ummm...

...Not sure what to say about this...
(If you can see him, it's Kyle in the background)

"I'm Done, I'm Done, I'm Done!!!!"

...were the words that came out of his mouth tonight, when he got back from taking his last class and test ever, in medical school Way to go, Luv!

Our House!!

We are under contract for this beautiful 4 bedroom, 2 bath house, (and unfinished basement) and I am SO EXCITED!!!!! If all goes well with inspections, etc., we could move in the end of May! Our move date is June 9th, the day after Jace is done with school.

Check out this kitchen! Can you just see me baking bread in it? That's my desk at the end. Other side, can you believe all this counter space?!

The kids will love this yard and jumping on that trampoline. Oh ya, we haven't gotten it yet :) The french doors on the left of this patio walk into our master bedroom. Sweet!The green rug room is the entryway and, probably home teacher/visiting teacher room :)

They mention a breakfast room that this might be. I wonder if you can eat dinner in it, too.

Master bedroom with walk-in closet and bathroom

Bedroom #2

Bedroom number 3

Bedroom number four isn't pictured, and Jared doesn't remember the color of the walls, so I guess this is trusting him! I'd say he did a pretty fantastic job! And it is so great having him back home again today!

Ah! I am filled with gratitude. Gratitude to my Heavenly Father. Gratitude for my husband and children; Gratitude for my family and friends; my ward's Relief Society, especially the tremendous help, and offers of help, I received while Jared was gone finding this house and I was sick. Gratitude that I am at the end of this silly pneumonia. Gratitude for my life.

Jace's Research Project

Tonight was Parent Night at Jace's school. All the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade ELP (Extended Learning Program) kids get to bring their Personal Exploration Research projects to school and share with the other students and parents. (There are about 14 ELP students in the fourth grade, and they meet during school each day for 45 min. to learn new concepts and "do extra work :)"). The students get to choose their topic, and Jace researched "Gasoline-Powered Vehicles". It is an extensive research project that involves a lot of reading, a bibliography, an interview with an expert, a written product, or story, a 100-word paragraph, can't be more or less, handouts including "Language of the Discipline", to explain any technical terms he uses, and a 20-25 min. presentation. I don't remember 4th grade being anything like that!

Jace trying to smile despite the butterflies in his stomach just before giving his presentation in class earlier this week. He did great! Also, he made this car out of paper mache, cardboard, and his personal finishing touches of paint.

Growing Up

Jace and I on his 4th grade field trip to the Museum of Fine Arts a few weeks ago; Seemed fitting to this post :)

I think Jace grew about an inch or so in just one day. It began when I was putting Kyle to bed and asked Jace if he would get me some lotion for Kyle. In the midst of the chaotic bedtime-for-Lance-and-Kyle-routine, Jace randomly asked me if he could take the recycle stuff upstairs. (We usually grow a pile of recycle-able items by the front door every day). Then he came and told me that there was a surprise waiting by the front door. I went to find that all the shoes were placed on the shoe racks and the recycle stuff was no longer there. I could see carpet! (I know, I need to help my family develop better habits upon coming home; I just hope our next house has a mud room for us to enter and un-pile our stuff - oh, I mean, keep our new habits of putting things away as soon as we walk in the door. :)

So Jace was doing unselfish and kind acts, and I asked him what brought this sudden growth spurt. He told me that he felt good when he helped me out while I was putting Kyle to bed, and he wanted to do more things like that that made him feel happy. Then he helped me clean the kitchen, and even folded Lance's pile of laundry for him! I asked him who he was and what he did with my son. He wasn't sure how to respond to that. I assured him I was kidding and so proud of him!

And then we danced. The kind where he twirls me around. We usually have a dance like that when he mops the floor, just to break it in. I think it's important for a child to see how happy a clean floor makes a Mom. And this Mom is quite pleased and proud of a son that will soon be taller than her! What a big little man!

Easter at the Cabin

When I was a child, the Texan Easter Bunny brought Rice Crispy Treats-shaped baskets filled with goodies, waiting for me on the kitchen table when I woke up in the morning. However, at Jared's house, the Utah Easter bunny always hid his plastic Easter basket. So the Easter bunny, in an effort to save traditions, has been hiding these sticky, gooey baskets throughout our house for the kids to find, each year making it a little more difficult for the older kids to find. This year, the Easter bunny found out that we were at the cabin, since it was General Conference weekend. So, after an Easter story, the search began...

Jace helped Cami reach hers

After looking and over-looking, Jace finally found his goods behind the food in the cupboard. Lance found Kyle's basket in the microwave, and his own in the oven. Good thing no one baked anything this morning! Rice Crispy Treat Bonding. Jared's mom had a hip replacement surgery a few weeks ago and is doing great.

Playing with their goods. Lance and Kyle got cars, from the Cars movie. One of them got some for Christmas and it's been hard on the other guy that didn't get them. Problem solved! Cami also got one, solving any possible future problems....

Later, Cami was feeling festive and put on her Easter dress. Okay, maybe her mom had a small part in it...

It was a cold, white, Easter afternoon. A fresh blanket of snow had just fallen...

Cami didn't seem to mind.

Well, not too much, anyway. Brrr!!

Where are the tulips?

If I can't pick flowers, I'll just pick snow.

Need Some Buttering Up?

Highlights and Pigtails

Cami let me put her hair in pigtails, since it was my birthday -

It was a great day. I got flowers, you can halfway see, from Jared. I can't wait to plant them at my house! I also got highlights done in my hair, an awesome idea that was hinted to Jared by our talented and sweet hairdresser :) Lance gave me his favorite stone. I was spoiled with many more nice things from family and friends that are being put to good use. All in all, it helped me forget that I'm a whopping 32 years old! (Many thanks to the highlights covering up my gray areas.)

Happy Birthday, Jenny!

You are awesomest, best, and most amazing woman, wife, and mother!

Love,

Jared

Match Day Aftermath

After telling him where we are going, Lance's first question was:

"Are there fireflies there?"
"There are."
"Yes!" His eyes were sparkling. As long as it's got fireflies, Lance is great with it.

Jace is okay with it, too. He would have liked to stay in Utah with his friends, family, and the mountains like his dad (not to mention a cabin and hunting), but he's looking forward to the fireflies too, and we're going to live by Adam-Ondi-Ahman!

Lance keeps asking, "Where are we moving again?" He's already weeded through his "box" that he's been packing since the beginning of the year. (I gave him two boxes: throw away and keep, and he diligently went through every preschool paper and knick-knack and thoughtfully saved or did away with. It kept him busy for about 2 hours!)

St. Louis is only months away. Jared's orientation is on June 21st. Jace's last day of school is June 8th (Happy Birthday, Mom!), and we hope to get there sometime soon after that.

'Til then, I'll be singing-

We'll find a place,
Which God for us prepared...
Far away, in the Midwest....