Spring Break Part 2

Day 3 (Wednesday):  We climbed around Red Rock Canyon until the weather got to be rainy instead of just really windy and not very warm.  We drove around after that, had lunch in the car, and drove off to Vegas where we saw the Bellagio's fountain show and saw their pretty flowers.  Then Derek humored me and found the house I lived in until I was 8 and the elementary school I went to until halfway through third grade.  I even got a glimpse of our old church!  We went back to the hotel, swam, ate, watched Psych, and drove to the Las Vegas Temple.  That was one busy day.  Perhaps I wasn't as un-grouchy as I should have been the whole day, but I did enjoy a lot of it!

Another day another Hawaiian shirt!



Dan is always ready with a dramatic pose.



Connor and Me on a ledge

Climbing was a great favorite with the boys, who loved the little caves.

Jake did not seem as afraid of heights as usual.  He had a great time.

This was the view at lunchtime.

We stopped by the visitors center.  Dan has a happy smile.

Us at the Bellagio.  Kayli says she is not looking because Derek said everyone's name but hers so she was sure he didn't want her to look.  Silly Kayli.

Kayli, Tia, Me (with Dan), Connor, and Jake

This shows a little of how tragic Jake and Dan were about not being back at the hotel yet.

Tia by the flower picture.

I'll finish up tomorrow -- I hope. 

Spring Break

Day 1:  We eventually pack up and drive to Cedar City to say hello to Trisa and drop off some of Tia's stuff.  Then we head to "the cousins" in St. George.  There we picnic, pay semi-attention to the concert at the park, and then head back for sleep.  Dan insists that he is sleeping on the ottoman (Not too wide and not as long as Dan).  We all try to tell him he'll fall off, and Uncle Quinn strategically places a mattress on one side hoping he will fall that direction.  At 2:30 a.m. I can witness that he is still on the ottoman.  Derek, who sleeps poorly no matter where he is says Dan stayed on much longer than that.  By morning though, he has landed on the mattress.  He says (sounding a bit disappointed) "I fell off".

Day 2:  After the cousins are off to school, we desert Aunt Tonya to her busy day and head off to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam.  The weather is really warm, and really windy, which makes the warm bearable, but occasionally threatens to blow us over.


The windy picnic.  Think sandwiches that are dry before you're done making them.

Lake Mead is beautiful!

The wind whipped up some dirt with the water by the shore.

Dan with "crystal rocks".  He loved Lake Mead!

Hoover Dam spillway (we think) -- it was really amazing.

Jake and Derek.  Derek was meant to be born in Hawaii I think!

Dan, Derek, and Tia

The Hoover Dam is awesome.

Connor kept Dan from blowing away on the windy bridge that crosses above the dam.

This is the bridge we walked across (halfway)

We ended the day with a swim and a soak in the hot tub at our hotel in Henderson.

Writing about more days today would overload you with pictures.  These two days were our warmest weather wise and we did have a really good time.

Tia Arlene

Tia graduated from high school almost a whole year ago.  Since then she has gotten her cosmotology license, gotten contacts, had another birthday (a little over a week ago), gone on a spring break adventure with her family, and moved off to Cedar City to get a job and have fun adventures with Trisa.

When Tia was here I felt like I hardly ever saw her.  Either I was busy and gone or she was hanging out down in her room.  Still, having her gone makes the house seem a lot more empty.  As Dan was smacking while eating a cinnamon roll this evening I suggested that he do his "magic trick", which was Tia's way of teaching him to eat with his mouth closed.

When Dan was telling me super long stories that I couldn't understand, I was missing Tia who was good at talking to Dan when he gets home from school and asking him questions that would have them both laughing.  I can't even think of what she and Dan said to each other, just that it was fun for me to listen to them.

Tia was good at sitting by her Dad in the evening and laughing with him too.  I'm afraid there won't be enough laughing around here without her.  Kayli is sad to be the only girl at home, not counting Mom.  Connor will miss her too.  I'd better come up with a few funny stories to liven up the evenings!

When we were leaving her at her new apartment with Trisa, Jake started crying.  I think he just wanted to go home, but I knew he'd miss her too so I started crying, and then Kayli started crying.  Trisa and Tia laughed.  Tia said something like, "Oh my gosh you guys!  I'm coming home next weekend!"  Which is true.  It was kind of funny really.  Hopefully Trisa didn't feel bad that we didn't cry when we dropped her off.  I have cried when she's gone back to college after a visit before -- mostly because I feel sorry for me that she's not here anymore -- but I know that it is time for them to have adventures without Mom.  Sigh.

Tia is great.  She usually has a good story to share.  She is fun.  She laughs a lot.  She makes us smile.  We are sure she will be creating smiles wherever she goes, which will help us to be happy too.

I love you Tia!

My Biking Boy and a Pretty Girl

This is Kayli, the "pretty girl" from the title.  I may have failed to mention that she got her braces off on March 13.  She was always beautiful, but now she smiles more.  This is her opening her ice cream bucket full of ice, which also contained an invitation to Prom.

Look!  No training wheels!  Of course, he's already flipped over the handle bars once.  Derek said he was going too slow when he hit the edge of the driveway.  Dan maintains that he hit a rock and that did it.  Either way, he was fine.

Dan likes to go outside and practice.  He proudly showed me that he knows how to stop.  That's an important skill.

Tia was practicing braiding on Kayli.  It's too bad Tia will be off living in an apartment with Trisa on prom day, too far away to be helpful!

Pretty hair.

Celebrate Easter Week!

A few years ago I discovered a way to celebrate Easter that I love.  I shared it on my blog and you can read about it here.  The thing that I have liked about this Easter idea of celebrating Easter Week is that it is flexible and it can change to whatever you think will work well for your family.

The first couple of years that we did it we would read a scripture about what was happening on the real Easter week, then we would add something to a table display.  This no longer worked when we didn't have room for that table anymore.  Then we changed it to an Easter picture.  We read the same scriptures, but we did a huge picture on butcher paper.  This year we are changing it again.  I wanted to find things that we could do each day that would hopefully add meaning for the children, or at least help them remember it better.

As I was thinking about it I did a little looking on lds.org and discovered that other people had written about their own Easter week ideas.  So here are some ideas that you can use if you want, or you can come up with your own ideas.  I love celebrating Easter all week.  It helps me think about Jesus more and what He did for me, and when the week is through I feel that I really have celebrated.

The Sunday before Easter is the triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  One family would get a donkey pinata and break it open to celebrate.  We are going to go around the table at dinner time (much like we would at Thanksgiving) and say what we are thankful for.  What would we be praising the Lord for if we were welcoming Him into our town or our home?

Monday some people talk about the cleansing of the temple.  We are blessed to live close enough to a temple that we are going to go there and talk about some of the things that Jesus taught.

Tuesday Jesus also taught at the temple, and Luke said that at night he "abode" in the Mount of Olives.  We are going to cook outside on a fire.  Jesus may have eaten in town, or He may have been fasting, but I imagine He had a fire for warmth.  We can talk about what it would be like to teach all day knowing that many would not listen, and then to go not to a house, but out onto the Mount of Olives to sleep.

Wednesday we have always talked about Judas and how he was willing to give up his association with the Creator and Redeemer of the world for 30 pieces of silver.  This is in contrast to a King in the Book of Mormon who was willing to give up his kingdom, all he possessed, and all of his sins to know the Lord.  We will be talking about what sin or bad habit we want to give up.  Perhaps we will bury them like the people of Ammon buried their swords.

Thursday is the day that Jesus atoned for us in Gethsemane.  We will sing a song about Gethsemane and have a special family prayer giving thanks for that incomprehensible gift.

Friday Jesus suffered on the cross, died, and was laid in the sepulchre.  It would have been a dark day.  We thought about going to the cemetery to visit the graves of those that have already passed on, but it is Tia's birthday on Friday and so we are going to have a candlelight dinner.  We'll have to close the blinds to make it even close to dark, but that works for us.

Saturday some people talk about missionary work.  We have talked about it having been the Sabbath, and how His followers would be resting.  This is the day we take a break and celebrate with the Easter bunny. 

Sunday is Easter.  We listen to He is Risen.  We are also going to sing Families Can Be Together Forever and remember that those loved ones that have died will rise again, as will we.  It is also because of Jesus that we can be with those that we love forever.

I love celebrating Easter Week and I hope that you will too.
Happy early Easter!

An Outside Summer

I've been feeling like I need to write something, but nothing overly interesting is going on around here.  I did get to lead the ward choir on Sunday for a performance and two practices.  The choir that sang in the performance was much bigger than the one that showed up early for practice.  They watched me carefully, which made me laugh a bit because some of them probably didn't know that I'd led the song maybe twice before the performance!  The choir sounded good and I made no embarrassing leading faux pas, for which I am thankful.

So, what sounds fun to write about?  Summer of course.  I love to plan Summer -- usually more than I actually like to do the things I plan.  Sad.  So what are my great plans this year?  So far I just have the vague notion that I am going to make myself stay outside at least two hours a day.  Now this number is hilariously small for people like my Dad and Sisters who will probably try to go inside for at least two hours a day.  I just realized that I have become a bit of a wimp.  Cold out?  Stay in by the fire.  Too hot?  Isn't that air conditioning nice?  Possibility of a mosquito bite?  Stay behind a screen.  Might get sore muscles?  Take a nap.  (Okay so I'm not THAT bad).

Other plans?  Well, the calendar is already filling up and so I don't feel a need to plan a lot.  I think I'll try to plan some simple adventures and send out e-mails inviting people.  I'll see how many impromptu, low stress, activities we can pull off -- outside.

I would like to:
Go to the zoo
Hike in Rock Canyon
Ride my bike on the Provo River Trail
Cook outside over a fire.
Look through a telescope (I never did it last year)
Walk in the dark with Derek (imagine me raising my eyebrows up and down)
Play hide and seek outside with the kids -- but I'll have to wear smelly bug spray -- eww!
Have a cabin adventure
Ride my awesome four wheeler with reckless abandon (okay or safely)
Take Dan to the pool (because he has really wanted to go)
Paint a picture outside (I didn't get this crossed off last year).
Go with Derek farther on his favorite hike in Santaquin

There are other things too, like swinging really high.  I also want to sit in the shade and drink lemonade and read a good book in a good outside nook (couldn't resist).  Jake wants to play tennis, which he says is his favorite sport after soccer.  Dan really wants to go to Lagoon.  He loves Lagoon.

What are your favorite things to do outside in the Summer?

Jake Goes Fishing

Jake said he could cast his line really far out into the lake.
This was Jake's first experience with fishing.
I haven't had my first experience with fishing yet.
I'm okay with that.

Jake with his new scout group.  He seems to be enjoying it so far!

A Quote and Dan Conversations

Derek and I went to see a play at the High School the other week.  It was very well done.  In the program they had all of the cast members give a favorite quote.  My favorite, though I don't know where it originated, is:

"Anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die."

The other morning Dan said to Jake:  "The sun is really Jesus, because He's so bright, huh?"
Jake answered: "No, but Jesus lives there."

Hmmmm.

Later Dan had a friend over and he asked him:  "Alex, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Alex said:  "A policeman"
Dan said:  "Well don't arrest me, because I'm going to be a super hero."

Later that night Dan said:
"There is really no such thing as a super hero (pause) until Jake and I grow up."

So, there you have it.  Before too many years I will be the Mom of two super heroes!

An Heirloom

On Thursday I went to a Relief Society birthday party.  The Relief Society, whose motto is "Charity Never Faileth", has been around for 170 years.  At our party dinner was provided, and we were asked to wear an heirloom if we had one that could be worn.  A few were brought and placed on tables.

When my Grandma F. passed away, one of my aunts gave me a necklace that had belonged to my Grandma.  It was a bee on a chain, and it did not look very beautiful.  It was kind of a copper color.  I knew of no story behind it, and had never worn it.  I did not get rid of it though because it belonged to my Grandma.  That is the only heirloom I have to wear and so I got out my computer and tried to do a little research.  Here in the Beehive State, in a church who has a group of girls called the Beehives, I knew that bees are often significant.  I wondered if perhaps this was some jewelry that my Grandma had received because of some service she had done in the church, or for some milestone she had reached.  I could find no history of church jewelry, and decided to look more closely at the necklace itself.  When I squinted at the very small letters on the back, I found the word sterling. 

I have sterling silver cleaner and went to work.  Here is the result.

Derek insisted a picture of me wearing the necklace was required!

The more I thought about this necklace, the more thankful I felt to have it in remembrance of my Grandma.  She worked very hard, like bees do, and even when she was in her 80s she could outwork many who were younger.  It was hard to keep her out of the trees at pruning time and off of the roof where she would go to clean the gutters.  She would pull garbage bags full of weeds and wonder why she was sore!  She worked for years and years in the Primary (over 30 years I believe) and was a Relief Society President herself at one time.  She served one mission before her marriage and one after my Grandpa passed away.  I can still remember feeling sheepish one summer morning when  I was about 17.  I woke up and looked out my window and could see that, while I had slept, my elderly Grandma had been working in the garden! 

Saturday after the Relief Society party, as I studied this necklace some more in the sunlight, I could see on the back where Grandma had scratched her initials.  The initials used were those of her maiden name, so it is possible that she got this necklace some time before she got married in 1934.

I have found myself being very thankful for this years Relief Society birthday party.  It caused me to really look at what I had been given.  Discovering the beauty in my heirloom has reminded me of what a treasure I have always been blessed with in a Grandma who loved her family (including me), and her Savior, and who knew how to work hard, even when she might not have felt like it.  I am thankful for my Grandma and for something to remember her by.

Grandma with my Sister Tina (On the same visit that made me feel sheepish I think)

February Pictures

Jake opens a present from Grandma and Grandpa F. with Tia looking on.

Dan in his green monster truck with dragons on the side.  This was for the Kindy 500.

Jake earned his Bear, I got a mother's pin.

Jake is up front with his Cub Master after getting his Bear getting ready to do a silly cheer.

Uncle Jordan

Jordan is having his tenth birthday today, which means that he is actually 40.  I'm not sure if he has feelings of gloom and doom over being forty, but forty sounds pretty young to me so it shouldn't be too tragic.  My children get a kick out of saying that Uncle Jordan is ten, but since he is the father of four, I think forty sounds better!

I used this picture for Angela's blog, but since they are married it works for Jordan too!

Jordan was a teenager when I met him, and he was a member of the quartet that played at Derek's and my reception (along with other brothers).  He went to Alaska the summer after his high school graduation and worked with smelly fish. He came back before Trisa was born, when I was stuck in bed, and he was brought to visit me before he got to go home, and so I was one of the few who got to see him sporting a nice beard.  Derek was working and missed it, and it was shaved off quickly and has never returned.

Jordan served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Samoa and, through practice, became one of the few brothers who can sit cross legged without his knees pointing at the ceiling, though he still doesn't think it is very comfortable.

After coming home, and attending BYU for a while, Jordan started dating Angela.  Eventually they decided to get married in the Jordan River Temple so that they could live happily ever after.  I'm particularly glad about that because Angela is great.  Of course, living happily ever after takes some work and there bumps along the road for everyone, but Jordan and Angela work together to handle challenges, and are generally happy. 

Now Jordan works for the same company as Derek, and we are fortunate to have him and his family living in the same town as us so that we can see them regularly.  Jordan and Angela are good at helping with lots of things.  I happen to know that Jordan spent hours working in his parent's yard last time they were on a mission, even going over early in the morning before work.  I admire this because we are in charge of the yard this time and I never once got up early to go over and work in the yard (sorry Mom and Dad!).   I also know that Jordan has gone over late at night to help his parents.  He's helped at regular hours too.  He is a good person, who works hard and is a lot of fun.

This next week Jordan and Derek "get" to be in a flash mob at their company's National Convention.  I believe they are supposed to dance toward the stage, but I fully expect that both brothers will be walking along hoping nobody is looking at them.  They're supposed to hold someone's hand too but they aren't too keen on that idea.  Their wives are not attending after all!  At a different convention Jordan did a 70's dance on stage, in a cruise ship, in front of lots of people, costume and all.  It is unfortunate (for everyone except maybe Jordan) that I do not own the video.  He was really nervous, but he nailed his part.  It was great.

Ah, happy memories for me, and a happy birthday to Jordan. 

Trip to the Sun

Saturday the 18th of February we took a trip to St. George, where it was sunnier than here, and where we were generally spoiled by Quinn and Tonya and the cousins.  We were slightly evil guests in that we arrived with a sick Dan.  He had a horrible cold, but fortunately, he perked up by Sunday and was obviously better by Monday when he was back to talking a mile a minute.  He still managed to go on a good walk with us when we went to see some Indian houses and such on Saturday.  Here he is getting a ride during a part of our adventure.

Picture courtesy of Tonya and her ipad

We all needed a break, and spending time with our St. George relatives is fun for all of us.  We got to see Trisa briefly for lunch on the way there.  She was disappointed that her work schedule prevented her from coming to St. George too.

*Derek enjoyed being far away from work, visiting with Quinn, and getting to read a book.
*Sherie enjoyed visiting with Tonya, playing on our electronics side by side or together even though Tonya creams me at any word game.  It is fun to watch her impressive speed.  I also enjoyed trying out a couple of electric guitars.  I'll be sticking with the acoustic guitar even though bar chords are easier on the electric.
*Tia enjoyed not being at home for a while and getting to visit with her fun Aunt and Uncle and cousins.
*Kayli said she had a really good time and was glad that we went.
*Connor helped Porter take care of the neighbors dog and house and they made us all laugh with their stories on the few occasions we saw them.
*Jake played with Haven and since I didn't see him much I am sure he had a good time.
*Dan got better, and then talked, and talked, and talked, and sometimes played too.

Uncle Alex

Alex is the youngest of my children's uncles.  He would be 29 today, but in my memory he is always 6.  He is the Uncle that none of my children remember because he passed away before they were born, but perhaps they visited with him in heaven before coming down to Earth for their turn.  He is a well loved son and brother who is one of Heavenly Father's valiant sons, whose life's test was over sooner than most.  We are all looking forward to seeing him again, and finding out which brother he looks the most like.  I've heard more than one brother assume that he would have looked like them.

I am Alex' first sister-in-law and had the privilege of knowing him for a little while.  He thought Fox in Sox was a strange book.  It's one of my favorites.  If I remember right, he liked Henny Penny, which I have read to Dan several times and which I think is a bit morbid.  So, maybe our tastes in books weren't exactly the same, but he liked me anyway.

Alex planned a party for his sixth birthday.  I would have been engaged to Derek by then.  He wanted to invite me and Kathy (who was Derek's former girlfriend).  His Mom gently suggested that maybe only Sherie should be invited this time, but I got a good chuckle over it.

Derek and I usually went to his parent's house to visit every weekend.  When Alex would hear we were coming he would run and put his shoes on to prevent Derek from tickling his feet.  It never prevented the tickling however, because Derek was perfectly capable of taking Alex's shoes back off!

One of my favorite memories of Alex is when Mom C. had just gotten home from grocery shopping and was bringing groceries in from the garage.  Mom was wearing a coat (red I think) and Alex had his head up underneath it.  Mom was pretending she couldn't find Alex anywhere and he was giggling up a storm right behind her.  I didn't have siblings that were that much younger than me and I had never seen anything like it.  It was so fun to watch what a good time he was having with such a silly, and simple game.

My other good memory, though a bit harder, is about Alex's good family.  Alex had cancer, and eventually he was very sick.  Maybe because I was not always sure how to act, or what to say when I was with him, I was very impressed with his family.  His brothers and sisters would do whatever they could to keep him entertained and it never seemed awkward to me.  It was just them, being their normal entertaining selves, for their normal, but sick, little brother.

If Alex had gotten to stay with us, what would he be like?  I expect he would be like his other family members.  He would have a good sense of humor, a love of children, and a kind heart.  I expect he is like that as he fulfills his mission in heaven.  And, like his family, he also has a love of our Savior.

Hopefully on his birthday he knows just how much we all love him, miss him, and are trying hard to follow our Savior so that we can be with him again.