Week Synopsis 3/29 - 4/6

My fonts are appearing normal on my customized post BUT they are super funky when published...I guess you will not be bored!(Sister Alaina Taylor and I at my homecoming March 11, 1999?..I have forgotten, aaah!)

SATURDAY March 29: It was stake temple day and since we missed out last time we had tried to go to a session in the temple-previous post, we decided to make a quick day trip down. We dropped the kids off at Grandma's at around 12pm and did not get home until 7pm! That was largely due to the fact that the highways were under construction and closed, AND because we met up with one of my old companions from the mission--Sis. Taylor. She just moved to Phoenix...so we met up and went to dinner, and through a session together. It has been a LONG time (probably about 6 years)..but we picked up right where we left off. She always makes me laugh--she is so funny! We also called one of the people we worked with in our area we served together in. It was good times remembering! It was a great session, we were able to do work for some names that a couple in our ward had prepared.

(Sister Alaina Taylor and I at the Mesa Temple March 29, 2008)

While we were gone Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle Marcus, Aunt Amy and Cousin Lola took the kids to the science museum. They loved digging for bones, pulling their whole bodies up with pulleys, and so much more...brave grandparents!

(the boys and Uncle Marcus digging for dinosaur bones at the museum)

It made it hard, and LATE to have to pack up and return home that night.

(the boys watching the coin twirl at the science museum)

SUNDAY MARCH 30- It was hard getting up and to church by 9am, after such a busy Saturday (OK it is always really hard)! Music time went smoothly, even though I did not have as much time to prepare. Dacie was crawling around on the stage in church and broke a prop (huge pillar candle holder thing) for a musical fireside the stake was putting on that night, that they had already decorated for. Dan spent all of priesthood glue'ing it back together while Dacie terrorized the primary kids. She actually came in to sing with me in nursery and did WONDERFUL (are you sure I cannot put her in a little early?) Dan called all the necessary people after church to apologize and they were really good about it. We also got in some naps and had some friends over for dinner (the Jolly's). The husband is doing his last clinical rotation for PT school at Dan's office. They have been such a fun addition to our friends-we wish we could keep them. Dan even made them our famous wheat chocolate chip cookies (we got in Houston, thanks Shirley's). I don't know why... I cook them a majority of the time, BUT every time Dan does he puts mine to shame (same recipe).Go figure--that is why he needs to cook them more!

Monday March 31- I had dinner on the table and we had started eating by the time Dan got home from work! You know that is a 'feat' when it is post worthy! He LOVES it when I can do this, and today was no exception. We had a family home evening lesson on tithing as the boys are starting to get allowances for their chores...paying tithing has become an issue. We invited them to listen for a talk on it in general conference this weekend.
(Dacie trying Dad's shoes on for size)

TUESDAY APRIL 1st- APRIL FOOL'S! For a family who is so 'into' holidays we sure did not come with anything creative, BUT we did have friends who were and we got some great ideas for next year! Dan was home and I went on our 2.5 mile walk with the Relief Society sisters. We only had to stop once for Ryland to go to the bathroom on the side of the road! Then I went to Colton's class and worked there for an hour. Later that day Ryland went with me to walmart to get his 3 year portraits taken. I only ended up spending $80.00 there on odds and end household items- ha ha! Dan got the money done. The stake called me and it is OFFICIAL-I GET OT GO TO GIRLS CAMP! I am so stoked(old school word I know)..it has been a long time coming with my pregnancies and babies, I have not been able to go. I am a girls camp fan.I am also going to be a leader over the YCL's with one of my favorite friends (Janae Gordon)! yahoo!

(love playing with different styles of hair w/ Dacie as it starts to grow in, getting ready to leave for Grandma's)

WEDNESDAY APRIL 2- I made it to playgroup!!! I do not think I have been able to make it since Christmas.I think showing my friend Chelsea Jolly where to go may have helped the fact. With Dacie's nap schedule and Sterling's preschool pickup time, playgroup has been more inconvenient for me than convenient. I made arrangements for both and we played Disney BINGO with prizes! It was right up the street at our good friends (Raban's) house--they have a perfect kid backyard and we enjoyed friends and sun! Dacie also had two milestones this week! We used up our last can of formula (she has had a hard time transitioning to straight milk digestively speaking) AND her two canine teeth up top came in (only two more to go)!

(she was actually pretty patient letting me do this hair-tying bit, the boys waiting in the car were NOT!)

THURSDAY APRIL 3- I was super brave and we had an adventure taking our van in to get 'cleaned' at a super wash place...where they do the inside and outside for you, after we had walked 2.5 miles again. I think we were there an hour and collected every business card in the place, petted two dogs, watched the actual car get washed, visited the bathrooms twice and only had 2-4 meltdowns! Our car needed it...and then it sprinkled (WHAT! it never rains in Arizona). I avoided going anywhere that day to keep the car clean a little bit longer, since it was raining a bit. I do love clean cars. Colton brought a letter home from school today telling us that they had tested him for the gifted program (ALPS) and he had qualified for it next year! 1 down 3 to go...for getting Dan's brains! I had to marry a HOT nerd to give them hope (just kidding). It was also pokeno night at the clubhouse. Not as many showed up, so it was a more low-key night of game playing. I got what I brought BUT I chose it--I won twice! It was a fan to clip on to my elliptical, so I can cool off and not have to freeze out everybody else in the room!

FRIDAY APRIL 4- I decided to go shopping in the morning while I had 2 kids instead of 4. I took Dacie bikini shopping...and ended up getting her the cutest one piece! My friend Julie Hoggard dropped off her son for me to watch while she got a haircut (a trade for picking up Sterling at preschool on playgroup day). I was still shopping at babysitting time--so he came shopping with us! That was an experience! The Hoggards came over later that day to play with the kids and cure "witching hour" (the hour before Dan gets home and the kids are going NUTS). Julie got in the mood to see a late movie, I am always game for movies. So we ate dinner, laid down the kids and Dan busted out his video games, while Julie and I went to a late showing of 21(thanks to a free pass from Dan's work). I was up way past curfew!

(Dacie and Dan coupon clipping Saturday morning)

SATURDAY APRIL 5- We enjoyed watching general conference and staying in our pajamas for as long as we could! Dan did a menu, clipped coupons and finally got dressed to go shopping!

(the mariners t-ball team spring 2008; Sterling top row 2nd in on the right, Colton top row far right)

I got dressed earlier because BASEBALL SEASON HAS BEGUN! Dan and I paid our dues to play on the co-ed softball team. Colton and Sterling are on the same t-ball team this year (GOOD! as this past fall soccer was allot of coordinating w/ 2 places to be and 2 games at the same time). It was picture day and a hit-a-thon. I am the cheapest mom in Cottonwood! First, they gave an order form with no pricing list. So when I arrived and we were being herded and rushed like cattle, I did not know what I was getting. When I did get a price list I realized that they had no individual team shot (of course)...so I was going to break down and buy a package with individual shots of the player, just putting Colton and Sterling in the individual shot together. They WOULD NOT let me do it..and I was not going to pay $40 for two packages. So I asked them if I could just take pictures with my camera (since I carry it with me everywhere, now that I am a blog addict) at the same time they took pictures, and they were cool about it! Everyone kept asking if my boys were going to get shots and looked at them so sad when I said no. We did not go get sponsors for the hit-a-thon either- I figure the $100 to sign them up was plenty! I know, I am a jerk...when they excel maybe I will get softer

(Colton left; Sterling right)

Here is the brothers! I think they are SO CUTE TOGETHER! I LOVE IT! Note: their pants and cleats are garage sale 25 cents a pop!

(Sterling left #13; Colton right #14)

Later that day while Dan was at the priesthood session Coltons' friend, Tej, called and asked if he could come over --I hate being the mean momma. So Tej came over for an hour. He really was super easy and occupied my bored boys! However, our house sounded and looked like a circus when the neighbor kids joined in the back yard. Dan went and helped a lady in our ward, who just broke her arm, put on her sling properly after the session. Baths were half-way done when he got home! After the kids were in bed, our friends the Trezises came over to play games...forget curfew again!

(We wish our kids sat like this for ALL of conference. I think little pinky lasted about 2 minutes TOPS)

SUNDAY APRIL 6- It was a relaxing day where we just sat, listened, and had no where to go and no where to be. It was uplifting and peaceful! The boys had conference packets to fill out and they watched the first session in the a.m pretty well. I did get teary during the second session when they were specifically speaking to young mothers. We still managed to plan Dan's seminary lesson for tomorrow, go through a huge tub of pictures and toss a bunch of 'stuff', feed and dress the kids in sabbath attire AND curfew is IN force tonight!
(picture of the actual conference center in SLC)

I Love conference, it always puts the world into perspective...its going to be a GREAT week!