Trisa's Birthday

Trisa's brother-in-law got married the day before Trisa's birthday, and so after his reception Trisa and Travis came to celebrate Trisa's birthday with us.  Hooray!  They brought Chewy, the dog, who is always popular and who was very well behaved even though he could not figure out why we weren't letting him in the house.  Poor Chewy!

On Trisa's birthday she opened presents, had homemade brownies and homemade peach ice cream and helped with the Christensen family (extended family) Halloween Party.  We have a large enough family that we can staff a haunted woods, and give three trailer's full of kids and parents rides through it!  I have heard that Trisa got the giggles when she was being bewitched and couldn't turn into a haunted horse as fast as she was supposed to.

We love to have Trisa and Travis come.  Here are some pictures from the birthday celebration.  I, predictably, didn't even think about taking my camera to the Halloween Party!

Trisa and Dan with her birthday goods on the side.

Trisa with her representation of 24 candles.

Cousins to help celebrate.

Not the best picture of Travis, but you needed to know that he was really there!
This is what happens when you look away from the camera, you get a picture of your profile posted on my blog!

Cousin Haven

Cousin Weston

Weston also helped a lot with the birthday lasagna, and then they had to go home before we ate it.  It was very yummy lasagna.  He and Kayli did a good job.

It's Spring!

I wrote this song the same week that I wrote "Sunshine".  I must have needed sunny songs that week! 

Click here to hear me sing the song.  Oh how I work to avoid coveting other people's lovely singing voices!  Still, you can hear the tune, and maybe you can sing along!  Words are below.

It's Spring!

Take Spring with you wherever you go

The sun will be shining

There'll be melting of snow

The birds will be singing

The grass will be green

It's Spring!

Take Spring with you wherever you go

The air smells like blossoms

A warm wind will blow

Children are laughing

You'll be wanting to sing

It's Spring!

It's Spring!  Oh, yes it is Spring!

It's Spring!  Oh, yes it is Spring!

The sunshine is beaming right out of your face

Your eyes have a twinkle

Your smile is in place

Kindness is given

Love and joy you will bring

It's Spring!

Wherever you go there is a bounce to your walk

Your feet feel like dancing

Your mouth wants to talk

Your ears want to listen

To the sound of good things

It's Spring!

It's Spring!  Oh, yes it is Spring!

It's Spring!  Oh, yes it is Spring!

So take Spring with you wherever you go

You'll spread lots of joy

To the people you know

Springtime is catching

Take it with you each day

I say.  It's Spring!

It's Spring!  Take it with you each day!

It's Spring!  Give some Springtime away!

It's Spring!

It's Spring!

Sunshine

Sunshine

Sun shines in the morning

And in the afternoon

And sun brings on the happy

I hope it's coming soon.

Oh I love everybody

But especially I love you

And I hope lots of sunshine

Is coming to you soon

Do not be discouraged

Upon a stormy day

For rain is necessary

To help us on our way

And when the clouds are heavy

And seem to have no end

Know that sun's above the clouds

It is there for you, my friend

For sun shines in the morning

And in the afternoon

And sun brings on the happy

I know it's coming soon

Click on Sunshine, to hear me sing the melody.

The usual disclaimers about my voice apply.

Thanks for listening.

Sher 

Birthday Week -- Plus a Little

I like to really enjoy my birthday.  If you are going to have one, you might as well enjoy it if you can! Here are some of the ways I got to celebrate.

First, my good friend Shellie ordered a book I had mentioned I'd like to read -- probably right after I talked to her.  It came a few days before my birthday.  What a nice Shellie.  She took me to lunch too.

Next I got to go to St. George with Derek and celebrate my sister Jenny's birthday with her.  They made it a double party, and we had a really good time getting to visit with them.

Seth played the violin while we sang.

Jeff made us a cake.  We blew out the candles, but we had eaten out and were too full for cake until the next day!

Jenny came with me to do Tai Chi.  We were late.  It's a good thing she's brave or we wouldn't have gone in!

Nice cards were waiting for me to read on the morning of my birthday, including some from my kids, and one from my parents that came a couple of days early.  I saved it until my birthday to open.  I was going to open it with my presents, but present time was delayed so long I couldn't wait any more, and opened it. What nice parents I have.  They say such nice things.

My birthday was on a Sunday.  The super nice people in our new ward have treated me like the long lost, but well loved relative, who has finally returned.  Lots of people wished me a happy birthday -- including all who attended Relief Society, and the friends on my block who are in the new ward with me.  Church was at 9:00 a.m., and everyone was so kind that it was a good start to my day -- even if I missed my good friends from the 1st ward.

I was spoiled by Derek who made me a puppet tree, and had brought it in and put a big bow on it for my birthday.  I was also spoiled by the fact that 3 nieces and a nephew came to play, and enjoyed watching me put puppets on the tree.  The hamburger puppet that my sister Tina made me a few years ago is a big favorite.  You can see it sitting on the tree.

You can almost see the tree behind Jake and Dan and Me.

I was spoiled by the fact that Derek bought me presents to read, and watch, and enjoy.

I was spoiled to have Kayli home, Travis and Trisa call, and Tia send me some beautiful earrings and a nice note in the mail.

A few family members came to Derek's parent's house to sing happy birthday to me and have dessert.  My sister Tina called, my brother Brian called (by then I was tired and whiney -- but I was still glad he called).  Friends and family took me to lunch (not on Sunday), brought me flowers, bought me clothes, or called me.  Some people texted me, and left me nice messages on facebook.  You can see that I am very blessed with good family and friends.  My birthdays are good to remind me how very blessed I am.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Monticello in July

The family, minus Tia who was working in Cedar City, went to Monticello in July to visit Trisa, Travis, and Chewy (the dog).  Kayli and Connor went early and so they got to spend a little extra time being spoiled by Travis' cooking, and baking, and all of the attention they got from their sister and brother-in-law.  They didn't want to come home, but we wouldn't let them stay forever and so they gave in and came back so they could earn some money this summer.

I have so many good pictures!  Here are a few.

Kayli, Connor, Trisa, Sherie, Dan, Jake, and Chewy

Isn't this a great creature?  It's some kind of dinosaur at a museum we went to.
I didn't learn enough to know the Dino's name, but Jake probably would know, if he was home to ask.

Jake, Derek, Travis, Dan, Connor, Kayli, Trisa

Jake, Derek, Sherie, Dan, Connor, Kayli, Trisa, and Chewy

Connor climbs a tower.

Jake, Dan, and Derek on one of Travis' Dad's trucks.

I asked Travis if I could drive one of his Dad's trucks.  He was very quick with his "NO!"
But he let me pretend to drive the truck, which is good enough for me!

Dan and Jake -- feeling tall

Travis rigged up a microphone for some Karaoke.  I think they could hear us quite far away.

Chewy and Dan.  Dan loved Chewy and wanted to spend his vacation throwing the ball for Chewy to retrieve.
Dan was unhappy when we did activities that did not include the dog!

Trisa and Travis were great hosts and we had a good visit.  We were fed a LOT of good food.  We went up the canyon where the scenery was lovely.  We also got to spend a beautiful day at Lake Powell with Travis' family who were very patient and kind -- especially with Dan who was grumpy that we forgot his life jacket and he had to wear a pink one (wrong side out).  Dan wanted to go "home" and play with Chewy.  Travis' family members are all good company and lots of fun to be with.  This was a happy vacation.

Connor Goes to the Sadie Hawkins Dance

The theme for the dance was "Grease Lightning".  Connor was in a group with friends,

and had a good time.

Baby Charles

Occasionally I get lucky and I get to borrow a baby to snuggle.  The boys liked taking a turn too. Charles is my husband's first cousin once removed.  Yes, I had to look it up to make sure I had it right!

Dan and Charles

Jake and Charles

Sherie and Charles
This is a selfie, I didn't try again because Charles was hungry!

Dan's Baptism

Dan was baptized on the same day and the same place as his cousin Caleb.  Thanks Chris and Tina for traveling from Idaho so they could be together!  These cousins were born the same day, and now they have been baptized the same day too.  Here are some pictures.  We forgot to get any with the Moms or the Grandmas and Grandpas and we were too lazy to try to get all of the nice Aunts, Uncles and Cousins together!  These are nice though.

Dan and Caleb

Chris and Caleb, Derek and Dan
The babies of two families are baptized!

Dan and his Dad

The day went well.  There were quite a few children baptized that day and so there was a lot of waiting time in the chapel while different wards took their kids to be baptized, which I find stressful.  It is so hard for people to be reverent while waiting, and waiting!  When we went into the room with the font things improved a lot, and the confirmations were great.  My kids laughed because my sister Tina and I were wiping our tears in a synchronized fashion.  We had lunch at our house afterwards and everyone was super nice and helpful as we got lunch ready.  It was good to get to visit with some of the people we love.

Congratulations to a couple of really good boys.

First Day of School Pictures

Dan, First day of 3rd Grade.

It started to rain kind of hard right as he got off the school bus that morning.  We made a mad dash for the school after this picture!

Jake.  First day of the 7th Grade!

Connor.  First day of 11th Grade.

I was too sleepy to remember their picture in the morning.  This is my Connor and Jake after having survived their first day of school.

Dan's 8th Birthday

Dan turned eight last Friday.  I am really proud of him.  He seemed determined to be happy about everything that happened, and he was a happy boy all day long.  We had him get up early to open presents before his brothers had to head to school.  He loved his presents!  Later in the evening we went to the annual fireworks event at Aunt Megan and Uncle Leon's house.  There were cousins, treats, and a big beautiful fireworks in the sky for our city celebration.  When I told Dan the fireworks were on his birthday he imagined showing up at cousin Noelle's house to find presents on the table.  Luckily he wasn't at all disappointed to just find playmates.  It was a happy way to end a birthday.  Here are some pictures.

Dan got a couple of books and a movie in his honor (It belongs to the family but is in honor of the birthday boy)

Meet "Beary".  He was hiding in the van, after having hidden at his C. Grandparent's house for a few days.  Dan was surprised, expecting a much smaller animal, and he has loved the huge bear who takes up most of his bed every night.

Dan can't wait to use Beary as a blanket in winter.  I think that blanket will be too heavy.

Dan's robot cake.  He has had some variety of robot cake for the last few years.

Dan managed to blow out all but one candle on the first try.  That one was hard.

It was a happy birthday for Dan.  We love this character.  He is excited to be baptized on Saturday along with his cousin Caleb who shares the same birthday.  I'm not sure how many people he's invited!  I think he even was planning on inviting his school teacher!

Summer Projects

This summer we have done some big projects.  Wouldn't it be nice if I ever remembered to take before pictures?  I at least have some pictures during the process of doing one of our projects.  Here's what we've done:

I refinished the porch furniture.  I think Connor sprayed some polyurethane on them for me.  We've had the furniture for years, and you could really tell.

We refinished the kitchen table.  What a lot of work!  It looks good, as long as you aren't a perfectionist and don't look too closely.  It looks a lot better than it did, and that has to count for something!

All of our boys helped, and so even though you don't see Jake pictured, you can know that he did his fair share! I stained the table, and Derek, Jake, and I added the coats of polyurethane. Here's the finished table, with the not refinished chairs:

And finally, a project that has been in the works for years, and is finally about done -- the garden.  I always found our garden space a little too big and overwhelming.  A couple of years ago Derek built me garden boxes, which I love.  Last year Derek built a bike shed, with a bit of help from the boys, especially Connor. This year we reinforced the bike shed and have done a lot of rock work.  Here are the pictures for you to admire:

We still have a few things to finish on the outside of the garden, and a few things to plant on the inside and outside of the garden, but I love how it is turning out!  When I got the camera to take pictures this morning, Dan said that I should give my pictures to someone at a magazine.  He thought they would probably want to put them in their magazine with some other garden pictures.  I love Dan!  All of my boys were very good workers and moved a lot of rock from the truck to the garden.  Hooray for helpful boys and finished projects!