End of January

We've had a good week.  Pretty quiet as weeks go.
Monday I grabbed groceries with Jack and Emily.  Jack was tired and grumpy and at one point sat on the floor in the aisle and refused to come with me--I was missing our grocery swap friends!

Brooke was on family night and she wanted to talk about being grateful so we watched the scripture story video from lds.org about the ten lepers.  She also picked a story from the friend about loving others.  She bore a really sweet testimony and did a great job on the lesson.

Tuesday I went running with my friend Kyra.  The weather was great and we cut a minute off our time from last month's first runs--down to 10:20 a mile (not bad for us!).  I got the kids to school early for tutoring and met my visiting teachers at the park since the weather was awesome (78 and sunny with a slight breeze).  We played there for a while.  We met cousins at the park behind the school after piano also.

 Wednesday we had playgroup at a favorite park and had a great turnout.  It was breezy and cooler (like 60) but we stayed for almost 3 hours before heading home for naps.  Megan had activity days after school.

Thursday I ran with Kyra again. Jack had a friend over to play in the morning.   I finished my skirt for Kate's wedding and am pretty happy with it--3 more to go!

Friday Jack had playschool and I cut out 2 more skirts and began sewing one of them.  WE played with friends after school and then dropped the kids off for date night.  We had dinner in and watched some episodes of a PBS show we'd heard good things about.

Saturday I ran errands with the kids and Dan went to the high priest's social--shooting clay pigeons (friendship and firearms as they like to call it!).  We went to a park with cousins in the afternoon and sent the kids to bed pretty early. 

Today was a much better Sunday than last week.  I got up early and therefore we made it on time and had good seats and Dan was at our whole block with us which was great.  The kids were good except (of course) when Dan was helping bless the sacrament when they all decided to be stinkers at once!  They calmed down quickly when he came back and I got to listen some to the speakers who talked about the importance of gospel family traditions like prayer and scriptures and family night.  The couple speaking has 4 kids who have all been married in the temple and are active--everything we hope for our own kids!  It was fun to hear from them.  After church we had nap time and picked up the house before heading to Dad and Sally's for dinner.  Sloppy joes, salad, fruit (Dad made a porcupine out of a watermelon), and brownies and ice cream for dessert.  Yummy and fun to be with everyone (Shad and his crew, Carrie, Dad and Sally and Alex. And Crunch the dog who both Brooke and Jack LOVED).

Home again!

 I'm getting caught up on life after my quick trip to see Baba.  It's been a good few weeks.

Mon Jan 9-I watched Ashley's youngest kids most of the day while the movers began packing them up.  For FHE that night we talked about kindness and serving each other (it was my night to teach the lesson).  I had ordered groceries online and picked those up after the kids went to bed.

Emily had a low fever Sunday but this pic was after her nap on Monday.  Her fever had hit almost 104!  So I had just given her a cool bath and more medicine to get her cooled down.  She woke up fine the next day.

Tue Jan 10--I woke up with a killer sore throat and fever.  So I ran to the Minute Clinic by my house and sure enough--strep throat.  I got meds and rested and did laundry and embroidered a baptism towel for Ashley's daughter that just turned 8.  I had to miss a ladies lunch out with Ashley and some friends.

Wed Jan 11--When Emily woke up that morning the kids found her standing in the crib and were SO excited so we had to take a picture.  I love how proud they were of her!

We had playgroup at the park by my house.  Dad stopped by with our present from you (and the one for Baba).  Megan had A Days after school and then we had one last dinner with our beloved Tracys.  It was a lot of fun.  I helped with the group of ward ladies cleaning at the empty house for a bit and then had to say my goodbyes which was pretty sad.  

I packed most of my stuff for Seattle that  night.

Thur Jan 12--I got the kids off to school and finished packing.  We had planned for Dan to take me to the airport since he was working from home but he ended up with a flat tire so his sister Ali drove us.  We landed just after noon Seattle time and Aunty Peggy met me at baggage to help get Emily and my bags to the rental car.  Then we went to Baba's and enjoyed a nice afternoon.  I spent a while on the phone getting my antibiotics RE-ordered (I left them at home, darn!).  Pat and Sarah and MIke and Chris and Wendy all came to say hi that evening and then I ran to the pharmacy and store to pick up the prescription and a few other things.

Fri Jan 13--Baba and I had the nicest morning chatting and enjoying Emily.  She went to get her hair done and I went to visit the law office.  I got the see Mike and Pat (and they enjoyed showing Emily off) but Brian was in a meeting.  Then I ran to the store to get a few things and saw a Cafe Rio across the parking lot!  Lunch!  I brought it back to Baba's to enjoy together.  Just before dinner time we went to downtown Kent to see cousin Alice's quilt shop (she is Dad's cousin).  It was fun to see her set up--fancy big quilting machine and so many beautiful fabrics.  We watched a movie that evening.

Sat Jan 14--WE had a quiet morning chatting again.  It was Baba's sister Mildred's 88th birthday, so Auntie Mil and her daughters Camille and Alice and Camille's daughter Kylie and Baba and I all went out to lunch at a Mexican place in downtown Kent.  Yummy and fun to get to know them better.  I watched BAba and Auntie Mil and realized that when I'm 88 my big sisters will be 94 and 96 and I can only hope we get to meet for lunch!  Crazy to think about.  We got home and rested before a big potluck with the family at Baba's.  Pat and Sarah and their crew, Scott and Anna and theirs, Mike, Peggy, Chris and Wendy and Kevin all came.  Uncle Kevin and Kelli were sick and Greg and Brian couldn't make it.  It was a lot of fun to be with everyone. 

Emily Aird (10 months) and Eliza Hanis (Scott's youngest, 13 months).  They were so cute together.

Sunday Jan 15--I went to Pat and Scott's ward at 11.  It was nice to be in adult classes.  The sunday school teacher was pretty funny, I'm not sure how she made all her connections of what we talked about and she even squeezed in a story of someone getting their "calling and election made sure", so that was a good time.  Sarah is the RS president and I loved the lesson from the Hinckley manual.   After church we all gathered one more time at Pat and Sarah's house for dinner.  Yummy and fun.  Emily couldn't decide if she liked their dogs or not--she watched them VERY closely when they were in the room.  We had a quiet evening and I got packed up.

Mon Jan 16-- I got up and cleaned the upstairs bathroom and started running sheets and towels through the wash.  Baba and I had a nice morning together and I left around noon to head to the airport.  I got my car dropped off just fine and we waited for the flight.

By the time Dan picked us up and we got home it was just after 9 pm Houston time.  We were pretty wiped out and went to bed.

Tues Jan 17.  I got up early and ran with my friend Kyra.  When I got home just after 6 the kids were waiting at the door to tell me they'd seen a mouse in the kitchen!  AAH!  Dan had a bowl out to try to catch it if we saw it again.  So I did my grocery shopping and bought mouse traps that day!  I spent a lot of time cleaning out cupboards and the pantry and the downstairs bathroom to try and eliminate any hiding places. 

"There are too many kids in this tub.  There are too many elbows to rub.  I just washed a behind that I'm sure wasn't mine, there are too many kids in this tub!"  Shel Silverstein

Wed Jan 18.  Our mouse traps were empty in the morning.  Our pest control company came and laid some more sticky traps and gave some advice for keeping mice out.  I cleaned out our food storage area under the stairs--thankfully only 1 thing looked like it had been disturbed (everything else was in those big number 10 cans and those were fine).  We had playgroup at chick fil a by our house because it was raining like crazy that day. 

Thu Jan 19.  I ran early in the morning again.  And we caught a mouse!  Hurrah!  In a snap trap in our laundry room by the freezer there.  I ran errands that day, including buying all the fabric and supplies I'll need to make bridesmaids skirts for Kate Eccle's wedding.

A good luck pic for the Tracy kids who were starting at their new school that day

Siblings.  They stick cheerios all over your face for fun.

Brooke and her doll with matchy clothes and matchy hair.

Fri Jan 20.  Jack had playschool.  I embroidered a baptism towel for Brooke's friend Breanna (our bishop's oldest, they are in our babysit swap group).  I got pizzas made and we hosted babysit swap.  With the Tracys gone, we had a few families ask to join us, but my friend Kyra asked first.  She has 3 kids and they did pretty well overall. 

Sat Jan 21.  We all went to the baptism for Brooke's friend.  I took some family pics for them before it started and led the music.  Brooke and Megan sang in a little group at it also.  Our kids were pretty grumpy from staying up late the night before so we had naps when we got home.  In the afternoon the sun came out for the first time in days and it was about 75.  So we washed the cars and the kids rode bikes with neighbors and it was fun.  We had a family movie and popcorn night which we all enjoyed.

Sun Jan 22.  I keep forgetting that with 9 am church I need to not sleep in on Sundays.  I stayed in bed til 7:30 and that made for a hurried morning.  Dan had meetings all day, and since we got there during the opening song we ended up in the overflow and my kids were AWFUL for the meeting.  Dan had a break for the last few minutes of sacrament meeting and he kept Jack out in the hallway for me so I could regain a little sanity.  I actually heard a little of the talks though, they were on family history and were great.  I taught my class today about how Jospeh Smith had 4 years of preparation before receiving the plates.  We talked a lot about how the kids could start preparing for future things like missions.  They couldn't believe it when I said missionaries could only write home on P days!  And that there were rules on what music you can listen to as a missionary :).  They were all pretty interested in being missionaries anyway which I loved. 

Hello from Seattle!!

This is a quick note from Seattle!

We had a busy week, sent off the Tracy's and Emily and I flew here on Thursday.  It's been fun hanging out with Baba and catching up with the Seattle clan.

First week of January

Our week was full and fun. 

Dan and the kids were home on Monday Jan. 2.  Dan played basketball at the church in the morning and we did lots of odds and ends that day.  We invited our cousin Whitney over and then Megan invited 2 of her friends over and we had their little sister stay too to play with Candy, so it was a full crowd for lunch and playing.  It was fun.  Jack was a little outnumbered so he got to go on a Daddy outing.  We did resolutions for family night that night.  One of Megan's was to read the scriptures for 30 minutes a day.  She has since adjusted that down to 10 minutes (which we tried to get her to do in the first place), but she hasn't  missed a day yet!  I love it.

We got one last day of playing in on Tuesday with Dan and the kids home again.  I went running in the morning (again with the resolutions!) and then we biked up to the school to play while Dan worked out.  Starting at 7 am, we had an extra kid for a few days, Maddie Tracy while Beckett and Ashley house hunted (their kids were split at 3 friends' houses).  I did the grocery pickup thing and then took the 5 big kids to a swim party at my friend's new house.  They had heated their whole pool and it was a lot of fun.  Dan and Emily held down the fort while we swam.  

The kids rode bikes on Tuesday after quiet time too and Emily was happy to be outside.

Our new blow up chair/bed things from Dan's parents.  You fill them up by turning in circles and shaking them out like a garbage sack--it's pretty cool but takes a little practice to get them filled enough.  They are fun.

On Wednesday we (FINALLY) sent everyone back to school and work!  Hurrah! 

I ran some errands with Jack and Emily before heading to the mall for playgroup at the playplace there since it was rainy and cool outside.  We had a great turnout at playgroup (new year's resolutions again!) and it was really fun.  I ran into Joann's fabric after to look for skirt material--Kate Eccles is getting married in February and I'm a bridesmaid (well ok brides-matron) and she asked me to make skirts for the 4 of us (me, kat, jenn,and another of her oldest friends).  No luck but I'll try again.

 

For Maddie's birthday last week we bought Brooke and Maddie matching shirts (they have another set that match too).  They dressed as twins for both days Maddie was with us.  THey are gonna miss each other.

 

 

Thursday was a nice quiet day.  I ran with a friend early (at 5:40 before our husbands left for work) and then I spent the rest of the day getting the house in good shape.  I watched my nephew for a bit in the morning and he and Jack had fun.  The Tracy's got home around 7:30 pm and then we were back to just our kiddos.

Friday was quiet again during the day.  I went to my friend Leann's house to help her get ready to host a goodbye party for the Tracy's the next day. She just moved in and I helped hide boxes and set up extra tables and chairs.  After helping her I met another friend at Costco to get paper goods for the party.  The Tracy's offered to host one last babysit swap so we took our kids over.  We ate dinner at home and watched the BYU basketball game and then went back over to their house to play games and hang out.  We played rummikub and chatted and got to see pics of the house they put an offer on.  Lots of fun.  We left just before 11.

Saturday I was up early to make walnut rolls for the Tracy's breakfast.  Dan played basketball and we headed over to Leann's.  We were the first to get there (at 8:45) and the last to leave (at noon).  It was a yummy breakfast potluck with lots and lots of good friends (close to 100 people) who came to see them off.  It was COLD (legit cold--28 degrees that morning) so everyone stayed inside but the house is big so it worked out fine. 

Beckett and Dan

 

Ashley and I

 

We were wiped out after the party.  We had an easy dinner and had a family movie night with the kids which we all loved. 

Candy snuggling Emily after naptime on Saturday

 

It was a nice fast Sunday today.  Dan, Megan, and I were all excited to join in with Uncle Tyler on fasting for him to find a family to teach.  It was the least complaining from Megan about fasting ever!  She was really sweet to pray for him to find a family to teach in each of her prayers all day.  We remembered too.  There is power in being united in fasting as a family and we have faith that God will bless his efforts.  Our class was about the Apostasy today.  We took a class pic so I can put it in the photo book I hope to make for the Tracys.  They head out this upcoming Thursday.

Christmas! And New Years!

12/21-Emily was fussy and fevering.  I took her to the doctor but she didn't have an ear infection, probably just a virus.  Ali kept the kids while I ran there.  We had a playdate with Ashley and 2 friends and their kids who all used to live in Piney Point with us, a last hurrah with that group before the Tracy's move.  Then home for quiet time.  We wrapped all our presents that night.

12/22-Dan works from home!  We went to see the new Disney movie Moana with our cousins.  I took all 5 kids and they did great and had fun.

12/23-Dan works form home again.  We met the Tracy's at a favorite park to play and then went to lunch with them at Chick Fil A.  We headed out to Dad's for our fancy and delicous Christmas Eve-Eve dinner with the whole Houston Hanis fam and Sally's boys.  It was a blast.  We acted out the Nativity, Santa came, and we had fun chatting while the kids ran around.

12/24-Dan's sister is the ward choir director and we had a quick choir practice at the church.  She brought yummy cinnamon rolls for everyone.  We headed home by way of the park and let the kids run around.  Ali's son was sick so we offered to host the dinner she had planned for us and 2 other families.  We ate soup and bread, acted out the nativity, and sang carols.  It was crazy (4 families:  8 adults and 17 kids) and a lot of fun.  Everyone left by 7 and we got the kids to bed and watched It's a Wonderful Life while we got everything set up.  We were excited for the morning!

12/25-The kids were up at 6 on the dot.  Well, Megan was up at 6 on the dot and got the rest of the crew going.  Pretty magical morning.  We unwrapped til about 7:30 when we got to talk to you!  Then we all got ready and headed to church.  The choir program was great, Dan's small group number was beautiful, and my testimony/talk went well.  We went straight from there to Shad's where we had lunch, talked, laughed, and played games.  Then straight from there to dinner at the Tracy's with them, Ali's family, and our Bishop's family.  It was a great time.  We left around 8 pm.

12/26- We spent the morning playing with toys.  Dad, Sally, and Carrie came to visit and see all that Santa brought.  They left near 1 and we got ready to head to Dallas.  We left around 4 and got to Jamie's around 8.  Her kids played so sweetly with ours and we stayed up late playing games with Jamie and Trent.

12/27- We hit the gym in the morning, swam in the pool and hot tub, went to a fun park, the kids swam some more, and we went to Studio Movie Grill with Jamie and Trent for dinner and the new star wars movie.  Her kids were kind enough to babysit.  Adam especially LOVES Emily.  We came home and played some more games before collapsing near 11 pm.  Those Handy's play hard!


12/28- (my Mom and Dad's 42nd anniversary) We swam one more time early and then packed and hit the road home.  We got home around 1 pm.  I did a grocery run.  We were pretty wiped out and started catching up on laundry and life since we'd been so busy since Christmas eve!

12/29-The kids had dentist appointments and Brooke had a birthday party that morning (for the Tracy kid that's her age).  Dan installed our new bike rack from Dad and Sally. I met up with 2 high school friends (Robin Gossett and Katie Olson) and their kids at a park in the heights for a quick picnic lunch.  It was fun catching up with them.  We had dinner at home and then went to the Tracy's to hang out and play games.  WE put the kids to bed there and played games and chatted til just after midnight.  We are gonna miss them.

12/30-We rode bikes and spent the morning getting ready to camp that night.  Some friends that just moved to Spring reserved the group site at Lake Houston Wilderness park (we've camped there before) and invited a bunch of friends.  It was about 50 degrees and great for the fire but we didn't stay overnight bc it was supposed to rain starting at 5 am.  WE got there at 3 pm and hiked and played.  Dan made yummy dutch oven dinner and we did smores.  WE got home around 8 pm and FINALLY got the house back to a nice clean state before bed.

12/31- We took the kids to play in the gym at the church while Dan and our brother in law shot around.  Then home for lunch and had Ali's kids here.  THen swapped some kids with the Tracy's for quiet time.  Then prepping the house for friends in the evening.  THe kids were reluctant helpers but eventually we got it done.  We had the Herbst's over for dinner and the Tracy's joined us for dessert.  We played some fun games and had snacks and let the 13 kids stay up late.  All the adults and 4 kids made it to midnight (none of my kids!).  They left just before 1 am.  Fun and exhausting.

 1/1-Back to 9 am church.  The kids "slept in" until almost 7 which was fabulous.  They were ok at church (yay 9 am!) and enjoyed their new classes.  Jack was a little nervous to be a sunbeam.  He fell asleep during sharing time but was happy at the end of class!  They combined Megan's age group into one class this year so I get to keep the same kids and added about 6 more.  11 total (but with Tracy's moving it will be 10).  I have a great partner teacher and we talked about the first vision today.  I love teaching MEgan.  After church and naps we went to Ali's for a bit and then another family's home in the ward who had an open house (they blessed their baby today).  Home for dinner and bed. 

Christmas break is super fun and super tiring.  2 more days off school til the kids and Dan go back to the regular school and work routines on WEdnesday.