End of April

Well, we survived the first week of full-on swim team!  It was busy and involved lots of running back and forth, but it all worked out.

This is cute Emily last Sunday after church.

Monday I picked up groceries first thing and then Jack had a playdate with his buddies Max and Porter.  Emily and I got dinner made and snacks ready for the after school rush.  I pick up the girls at 3:30, run home to change into swimsuits and drop off Jack and Emily at a babysitter's house at 3:45.  Then I am coaching from 4 pm to 8 pm.  Candy's group is 4:30 to 5 when Dan picks up all the girls from the pool, the little kids from the sitter, feeds them dinner (I have it ready to go before I leave) and gets Megan and Brooke back to the pool for practice at 5:30.  He picks up Meg and Brooke at 7 and does bedtime and I get home at 8.  Whew!  Let's just say these weeks will fly by.

Tuesday the girls had their usual tutoring before school.  I picked Megan up for an audiology appointment where we spent about an hour and a half learning all about her hearing deficits (her left ear has moderate loss and her right ear also has a loss, so they recommend aids for both ears) and hearing aid options.  They are not cheap!  In the end, I think we've decided to move ahead with the ear surgery after all, but we won't schedule it until late August so she can swim all summer.  We want it done before she's back to school though.  So no hearing aids until we see how things go with the surgery.  We had our crazy evening routine again that night.

Wednesday I had a friend watch my kids while I volunteered for health and safety day at school.  I introduced the kindergarten presenter who is the head coach for our swim team.  We got to go from kg room to kg room. Candy was really excited to see us (so were all the swim team kids!).  She talked to the kids about swimming safety and about all the strokes and brought a big bag of all her triathlon medals--pretty cool and the kids loved it!  We had to go inside again for playgroup as it was drizzly.  We went to the playplace at Memorial City mall and it was fun. We were down a coach Wednesday and it was really busy.  In our youngest practice,  I had 2 lanes of kids--9 kids--who all needed help--I was glad there was a lifeguard watching with us!  But they all stayed safe :)

Tired baby holding her baby on the way to playgroup.  She's been dragging that doll around all week.

Thursday I got to watch Brooke in the 2nd grade musical.  She had a speaking part and was dressed up as a butterfly.  She did great.  I watched both of the morning performances.  I ran some errands and had a quiet afternoon.  Dad and Sally met up with Dan and brought some yummy takeout for dinner and they watched her evening performance.  I said a quick hello to them when I got home.  

Friday I started mowing the lawn after I took the girls to school and finished when Jack was at playschool and Emily was napping.  Then I cleaned up and went visiting teaching.  The message for this month was about the oath and covenant of the priesthood which was pretty interesting as far as VT messages go.  There was a quote challenging the women of the church to memorize it and if we do we are promised greater understanding of our role in God's kingdom.  My companion was out of town and the lady I visit is a good friend and we had a great discussion.  Dan took the kids to babysit swap and edged the lawn while I finished coaching that night and when I got home we watched a redbox and relaxed.

Saturday (our last with no swim meet for a while!) we ran errands as a family, dropped Megan at a birthday party, took the other kids out to lunch, and spent a long time enjoying the nice weather in the backyard before and after dinner.

Emily's first ponytail was also on Saturday.

 Cuties at lunch.

Playing on the jungle gym.

Emily's little curls.  

Hammock selfie with Candy.

It was a nice Sunday.  Our brother in law spoke about the blessings of  obedience.  It was my partner's turn to teach our class and I had prepared some things to help with our hardest student and he did so well!  He stayed in class and didn't misbehave which was the best he'd done in months.  Dan was with us our whole block and came home at the same time which was great.  We had quiet time and spent more time enjoying the yard while dinner was cooking.  After dinner we went to Ali's house to celebrate her daughter's 7th birthday with cake.  

Dan and all the kids enjoying the hammocks today.

 I'm looking forward to another week!  I lost my voice last Monday and it's coming back now so that will be good. 

Back in the water!

I spent a lot of time last Sunday after bedtime carefully planning out meals and after school snacks for the week so I could get everything prepped in the daytime.

So Monday I dropped Jack off for a playdate and took Emily grocery shopping.  I got that put away and got dinner ready and snacks packed for the kids.  I picked the kids up from school and we had just enough time to let them drop off their backpacks before I dropped them all off at my sister in law's house and I headed to the pool for day 1 of rookie camp.  It was COLD! The water was probably 76 or so.  We would swim the kids til they started turning purple and shivering--about 30 minutes.  It was a pretty good day 1, not too many criers.  One little boy in my lane seemed extra panicked about showing me his best swim and finally I said, "Juba--have you ever had swim lessons before?" and he tearfully answered "no!".  Poor kid!  His grandma didn't realize that rookie camp was for kids that just need to review swimming skills, not for kids who have never put their face in before!.  I had him do 2 swims with his face in before letting him out for the day :).  I got home early because it thundered in our last session, kissed the kids goodnight, and took a warm shower--I was freezing!  It rained off and on all night and most of Tuesday.

I took Jack and Emily to story time at the library in the morning.  It was extra fun because the power was only half working :).  We came home for lunch and I got dinner and snacks done.  The rain cleared up and we were able to do full sessions for rookie camp that day.  It was even colder that day though and the kids only lasted about 25 minutes per session.  Dan and I folded laundry for about 2 hours that night--that's what happens when I haven't folded in a few days!

Wednesday was sunny and muggy but it rained just as we left for playgroup, so we had to switch to playing inside at my friend Kyra's house.  That was a fun morning.  Dan worked at home so he could go to his last follow-up about his legs and he was cleared to start exercising again, wahoo!  I got dinner ready and our last day of rookie camp was a success.

Thursday was a quiet day.  It was tryout day at swim team which is really fun.  There were lots of kids who made the team and a few heartbreaks--kids who just aren't quite ready!  Most of those kids are 4 year olds though, so they've got time to come back next year :). My niece Whitney made the team and we are all excited for her.

Friday Jack had playschool.  I watched my friend's little girl who is just older than Emily.  They were pretty cute toddling around together.  No swim team that night as that was our back-up tryout day in case of bad weather but we didnt' need it.  The elementary school had a "daddy-daughter dance" that night.  The theme was "a night in Paris".  When we told the girls that Dan was planning to take them, Megan and Candy started telling us how excited they were to go there--they'd never been to Paris before!  We quickly clarified that the dance was in the school cafeteria and would be decorated "like" Paris,, they weren't actually going to France, haha!
They had so much fun.  Jack and I got to make popcorn and snuggle and watch Cars 2, so he had fun too.  

 Saturday was busy.  We had a ward field day that morning at the park.  There were 3 legged races, water balloons, tag, hula hoops, beanbag toss games, and a doubles tennis tournament.  Dan and his sister Ali won the tennis tournament!  It was a really fun activity.  After naps, we went to church for the baptism of a new convert.  I think I told you about him and his family, his wife has been a member 7 years and he has 3 kids, age 11, 3, and 1.  His wife and son were not sure this day would ever come, but it did! and it was a beautiful baptismal service.  His wife spoke and their friend who 11 years ago got to know them and gave them a book of Mormon.  We had a simple dinner and watched a movie after the kids went  to bed. 

It's been a nice Sunday.  Dan was home with us this morning and that's always nice to have help getting everyone ready and in sacrament meeting.  The kids did pretty well and I enjoyed the talks.  One of them was a beehive who has some special needs--she started by saying, have you ever wondered if you are a child of God?  You are!".  It was very sweet.  Then a couple spoke.  The husband talked about callings and how they are of God and how we are blessed when we willingly serve in whatever capacity we are called to.  Then his wife spoke about the Spirit of Elijah and doing family history work and taking names to the temple.  I enjoyed that aspect of her talk, but probably learned the most from hearing her talk about her process in preparing.  The Bishopric asked her to speak and to follow the Spirit in choosing her own topic.  She immediately thought of family history work and tried for a few days to find something "more interesting" to focus on, but she couldn't shake it and went to the temple pondering what to speak about and knew that was her topic.  Then she began to write out her talk.  She did that 3 times, 3 versions of her talk written out but didn't feel good about any of them.  Finally she got up in the night and wrote out a brief outline that felt right.  And that's what she used to give her talk, trusting in the Lord to fill in the blanks.  And he did--she did great.

Easter Week

Mon 4/10- I finished the Book of Mormon that day--our RS started reading it on Jan. 1 with a schedule to finish in 100 days and I did it!  It was a great experience and definitely the fasted I've ever read it.  Now I'm listening/reading the conference addresses and looking for challenges issued in them and promises given.  I picked up groceries that day and hung out with my sis-in-law in the morning, ran Megan to see Shad for her braces (only 1 more month til they are off!), we had family night and family council that night.

Tue 4/11--Dad's birthday!  I ran with my friend, fished an online CPR class to get ready for coaching, and went to a fun ladies night out at a crepe place to celebrate a friend's birthday after the kids were in bed.

This is Emily on 4/11.  She started taking a step or two here and there last week and is walking more every day!

 Wed 4/12- We had playgroup at a fun park with lots of friends, Megan had activity days at the church and I watched her leader's kids in exchange for her leader giving her a ride.  As soon as she got home, we loaded up all the kids and headed to the church for our stake presidency temple rec. interviews before coming home for bed.

Jack really wanted to be in the stroller on our way out of playgroup, so we made do :).  He didn't even drop Emily!

Thu 4/13

I ran in the morning, probably the last time for a while since swim team is starting and I know I'll be tired.  I caught up around the house and enjoyed the beautiful weather at the park and then later went to the Kindergarten easter egg hunt at the school while my neighbor came and kept an eye on Jack and a sleeping Emily.  The kids had their last basketball camp with Aunt Ali that day and had so much fun playing and getting a certificate with compliments on it.

Cute littles at the park.

Emily's smile.

She made the funniest grumpy face for a few days!  She'd scrunch up her lips and push them up to her nose--I'm so glad I got it on camera because she doesn't do it anymore and it was so funny!

The younger group of b-ballers

That's Brooke in the pink shorts

Candy taking a shot and Brookie watching

Brooke getting her award

Candy's turn

Megan is never thrilled for pictures--that's her avoiding the camera in the middle :) with the older group she played with

Fri 4/14- the kids were off of school for Good Friday.  The head swim team coach came over in the morning and while my kids played upstairs we sat down and hammered out which kids would be in which practice group which took about 3 hours but we got it done!  When she left, my friend Colette came over and we decorated Easter eggs with our kids.  We had babysit swap that night.  Dan brought home some extra boxed lunches from a work event and we went walking on the trail at a nearby park and had a picnic before watching a movie. 

We played with neighbors before babysit night and one of my kids swiped my phone and took some pictures.  That's my next door neighbor.  Her daughter is 2 weeks older than Emily and they came out to say hi (that's her daughter on my lap).

Sat 4/15- Dan had to help run baptisms in the morning and I took the kids to the neighborhood spring party.  There was a bouncy house, hula hoops, balloon animals, etc.  It was fun.  We went to the baptism of a girl in Brooke's class at noon.  After naps, Ali and her kids came over to do an "egg roll" tournament--you roll two hard boiled eggs at each other and only one cracks and then the winners play and so on until you have a winner.  They left and then 3 neighbors and their families came over for an egg hunt in our backyard.  It was really fun and we enjoyed getting to know all of them better.  Our kids play together all the time and we are glad to have good people around us.  

Sun 4/16-  The Easter bunny came but before we hunted for eggs and baskets, we had all the kids come snuggle on our bed and we looked out the windows at the near-dawn light and read the EAster stories from the new testament.  That let us stay in bed until 6:10 :).  Then we were off, finding eggs and new outfits and shoes and swimsuits in their baskets.  We had a quick breakfast, got ready for church, took some family pictures, and headed to church.  Dan and I had choir practice for a few minutes before sacrament meeting.  We sang "consider the lilies" and "this is the Christ" which are some of my favorite songs. The primary sang "gethsemane" which is a beautiful song they learned last year.  It was a really nice Sunday spent talking about the resurrection and Christ.  We had lunch after church and let the kids nap a bit before heading down to Dad and Sally's for dinner.  We did family night on the way down since I'd be gone on Monday night for swim team.  Yummy dinner, fun Easter egg hunt, epic egg toss (Dan and I won and this year there was a $20 cash prize!), singing and cake for Dad's bday, and lots of laughter.  

 It's so fun to have all our little kids for holidays.  They make it all so fun.  And I'm so thankful for a Savior who died so we might all live again.

April!

We've had a whirlwind week (and they will all be like this til the end of June I suspect). 

Monday we biked to school.  I picked up groceries and hurried to put them away before picking up my nephew and taking him with Jack and Emily to a new cool park near 59 and buffalo speedway.  It was a little boy's birthday and about 5 or 6 of my friends were meeting there.  Unfortunately the splash pad part was closed, but we still had fun.  After lunch I took the kids to Ali's house so she could watch them while I drove Dan to the med center for his vein removal.  You asked what varicose veins are--they are veins (usually on your legs) that have valves that don't work.  Usually valves keep the blood flowing back to the heart but when a vein becomes varicose, the valves are leaky and the blood pools and fills up the vein and the vein bulges out.  Dan has had them since he was a teenager (they are genetic for him).  So two weeks ago they collapsed/burned closed the biggest vein and this time they made little incisions and basically used a glorified knitting hook to fish the tributary vein out, cut it, and then yank like crazy to pull it out of his leg.  Since the vein it comes from was collapsed, there isn't blood running in these.  The doc let me stay and watch again and for the first time I can remember, I got a little nauseous watching!  Dan did fine and we got home for dinner and FHE by Jack.  I had a swim team coaches meeting that night with our new swim team president.  He is changing some things up but I think it will be a fun season. 

Emily and Jack playing foosball at the new park

Our little group of friends...

Tuesday we had a quiet morning.  Dan was off and spent the day recuperating.  I ran with my friend and then I did laundry and played with the kids.  Before lunch I watched a friend's little boy for a bit and then dropped my kids off at a friend's who then took them to Ali's again while we repeated Dan's procedure, just on the other leg.  We got home in time to pick up the big girls after piano.

Wednesday we had playgroup and then picked up the girls plus a friend for Brooke from early release at noon.  Dan was working from home.  I took the kids back to the park and we played for 2 more hours.  It was just the nicest spring weather--upper 60s with a breeze and bright sunshine.  We got sunburned a little.  We got to see Dad and Sally for a few minutes that night.  They were returning from their Utah trip (and Dad to DC) and dropped in to bring some EAster goodies for the kids.

That's Candy up on top of the climbing structure at the park

Thursday I ran some errands in the morning and got caught up around the house. I mowed the lawn (half of it) during nap time.  Dan worked from home again. I picked up my 3 girls plus my niece and nephew from school that day.  Ali and Ben flew to Utah for a wedding for a couple days so they were staying with us.  7 kids is more than 5!  But they did fine.

Friday was fun.  Jack had playschool and they learned about the beach and he got to pretend surf and was so excited.  Candy went on the school field trip to the zoo and was SO excited about it.  I picked up the 7 kids and we invited neighbors over and I turned on the sprinklers for them to run through for a while.  Then we dried them off and the kids arrived for babysit swap.  We had homemade pizza for dinner and put on a movie for the kids.  The first couple came back early and we played Settlers with them which was a blast.

Emily and my niece Whitney

Megan and Alonzo

Saturday we had a lazier morning.  I took the 6 big kids to the park behind the school in the morning to get some energy out.  Then I took my nephew to his soccer game and Dan stayed with the other kids while the littlest ones napped.  I dropped my nephew at another friend's house for him to stay the night.  I got home in time to wave goodbye as Dan headed to a stake priesthood meeting.  He got home after all the kids were in bed and we watched the newest star wars.

the park behind our school

 It's been a busy fast Sunday.  It was much easier to fast this month--I'm getting used to it again! 
​Dan had early meetings and I survived sacrament meeting with the 6 kids.  They actually did pretty well overall.  I taught today about Emma Smith and how she compiled the first hymnbook and it went great.  After church we had our temple recommend interviews and then home for lunch and naps and then choir practice and then dinner.  I had to attend the swim team orientation tonight at the golf club by our house.  It went well--we have 271 kids signed up for swim team!  That's huge!  One more week til that craziness starts--April 17 is the first day of rookie camp.  Dan's sister got home about an hour ago (at 8:45 pm), so we are back to just our kids.