First Week of Summer

Summer began with a party! Our neighbors, the Ryan Family, decided to move. (In reality the military decided they should move to a different desert in the United States.) We had a BBQ on Memorial Day and invited the friends that they associated with to come and welcome them to a new adventure. Cyndy, the CEO of the Ryan family, decided she didn't want to say goodbye but have a welcome to a new adventure.

Hurricane celebrated his birthday in a grand way. Since his birthday party last year, he has talked every single day about the birthday party this year. Sweetheart and I determined that birthday parties would be held every 4 years. This did not deter Hurricane in the least. He talked about his cake and the friends that would bring presents. There was no birthday party. Hurricane brought otter pops to swim team and shared with about 60 children as his birthday treat. He came home and did his jobs. As a surprise to Hurricane, Underfoot and I decided to take him bowling with our neighbors.

It was his "party." They all had fun.

We went and bought his birthday present old appliances to take apart and maybe put back together we came home to turn around for soccer camp. We came home to make a birthday cake and FaceTime with Kirky and Jilli.

He had a very full birthday.

Underfoot started summer piano lessons, and Hurricane got a clean bill of health from the doctor. The boys have chosen to participate in summer country learning class and learned this week about Nigeria. They participated in their first swim meet.

When each of them finished their first race they asked if they won first? They didn't but did the race.

They now have a point to move forward. We were surprised by our neighbors when showed up to support Underfoot and Hurricane.

Usually when there is something I can't control, I will cut my hair off. Over the past 6 months, 2 of my support system have moved with their families for new adventures. I decided to pull out the carpet in our bedroom instead of cutting my hair.

We have the goal to replace the carpet. My neighbor and I pulled the carpet out after Sweetheart left for the evening.

When they helped, they sang the song, "Team Work."

Our generous neighbors let me put our carpet and pad remnants in their garbage cans. Sweetheart has really struggled with allergies, and he has slept better since the carpet has come out.

Our friends moved on Friday. We had the great opportunity to have their children here while the truck moved their things. Saturday we went to the temple and saw Uncle Matt and Aunt Merris. The boys also did their soccer camp.

The week was very busy and full.

Be well.

Fred is an Organ Donor

We have a lot of news to share, and when there is a lot, we use bullet points for brevity.

Fred

• Fred is our 1992 Geo Prizm with Toyota design. Fred has been Sweetheart's commuting car for 3 years. In February Sweetheart decided to let the local high school auto shop fix a head gasket oil leak and to bleed the brakes. After multiple weeks and phone calls, Fred returned home for about 12 hours at the beginning of April. Fred came back without the oil leak fixed, the brakes questionable,  some of bolts on the engine block missing, a different battery than the original, and he sounded like a 747 airplane when on the road. That weekend we bought Finn, a 2001 Toyota Prius. All our cars have names.
  
• After returning Fred to the school, we heard nothing. I finally called the principal who lit a fire under the teachers to finish the car since school was ending. The teachers "fixed" Fred.
• I picked Fred up on May 16. Cyndy, my neighbor, brought me and followed me home. The teacher met me, and we exchanged our frustrations in a civilized manner. He told me that Fred was not fixed, but the brakes did work and the engine sounded like a speedboat. I drove Fred home - almost. He did sound too well. He ran out of gas 1.5 miles from home. We filled the tank up and then couldn't turn the key over. Finally the key turned over and Fred came home.
  
• We needed to make a decision since the fix was to unhook the alternator and connect the car directly to the battery. And really who drives a Prizm that sounds like a speedboat? We couldn't sell Fred with a good conscious as a fixer-upper car. We needed to decide if we should donate or sell him for scrap. Fred was sold to a scrapyard the next day.

Underfoot

• Underfoot caught a bug on the day of the parent picnic for school. He wanted to go only for the picnic and come home. Sweet boy wanted the party at home and school. He went back to school the next day.
• He read the most books for the accelerated reading program at school. He was awarded a movie in the library.
• He finished piano for the semester and will take summer piano lessons. He has learned a lot and enjoys playing but not practicing.
• He created with Hurricane a zoo for Mother's Day. It was a very sweet village with lot of animals, roads, and buildings. Their babysitter gave them the idea and got them started. They finished it over the next few days.
  
  
• He participated in field day at school. The fire department came and sprayed down all the children with the truck.
  
  
  He thought it was awesome and wanted the truck to spray down all the teachers and parents too.
  
  He brought extra clothes to change into as he got soaked to the bone.
• His last day of school he invited Hurricane to spend the day with him.
  
  He was excited to finish the 1st grade but not sure he wanted to leave his teacher. She has been spectacular for him.
  
  He has grown by leaps and bounds and is confident in his learning.
• We hosted a summer kick off night with ice cream. His teacher and some classmates came over for ice cream and watermelon. He played and played and played.
• Once a year, the boys get a clean up haircut by a professional.(Mama normally cuts their hair.)
  

  

  Before

  He got his hair cut short.

  

  After

  Not quite buzzed like Uncle Eric did to his boys in the summer.

Hurricane

• We hosted the last week of Joy School.
  
  Hurricane was thrilled to have his friends at our home as we learned about how important each one of them is in their family. He was a very good teacher helper every day and wanted to make sure there were plenty of treats.
  
  He and his classmates learned songs and played well together.
• Joy School Graduation was also on the last day of Joy School.
  
  The children sang their songs and thanked their Moms.
  
  After graduation, Hurricane finally decided that it was okay to be a kindergartener. He tells anyone that will hold still long enough to listen that he will be in kindergarten.
• Hurricane grew rather attached to Fred. Fred is the first car Hurricane attempted to drive as Hurricane took Fred out of gear, released the e-brake, and drove the car backwards down a hill. When we said Fred was going away, Hurricane melted down completely into uncontrollable crying. He wanted a picture with Fred.
  
  He called his Grandpa Kirky to tell him. Grandma Jilli talked Hurricane through having Fred go away. Hurricane said he wanted to take Fred all apart. Jilli and Hurricane decided that Hurricane needs his OWN tool box and to take apart things in a taped off square at the house. He is not allowed to take apart other things in the house without permission. He is also to put them back together. This consoled Hurricane with the promise that one day he could take apart a real car at Jilli's house.
• Hurricane was telling his friend, Noah, about Fred leaving and going to be a parts car at the scrapyard. Noah said, "So Fred is now an organ donor?" We thought that would be a clever advertizing for a u-pull-it junk yard.
• Hurricane also participated in field day.
  
• Hurricane got his haircut as well.

  

  Before

  He did want a shaved bald haircut.

  

  After

  I opted for crazy hair.
• Hurricane's friend, Mr. K-man, is moving in 6 days.
  
  Hurricane wants to play with Mr. K-man as much as he can and asks over and over again. They get to play quite a bit, and Mr. K-man came on our marathon day of errands. Hurricane talks about how we will visit them later this year.

Sweetheart

• Allergies have attacked Sweetheart something horrible. He itches after feeding the fish in the morning. That job takes 3 minutes. We have discussed pulling out our carpet and tiling/carpeting/staining the concrete. We think we have a plan and will pullout some carpet to test the theory. Any opinions of bedrooms without carpet for resale purposes? WE AREN'T MOVING. But we might one day and don't want to make a really expensive mistake.
• Work has been a highlight. He likes to go. He even gets up at 3:30 am and goes. That is partly because of allergies and he can't sleep.
• We had a game night at our home with the youth that Sweetheart mentors. They played games, laughed, ate, and stayed late. Our sons love game night because they get to watch movies. Sweetheart likes game night because he can play games I won't usually play.

Mama

• Physical therapy continues to be a constant in my life. I graduated from the spine and neck treatment and will be moving on to hip, knee, and ankle next. I continue to see someone for my tailbone that was readjusted from the bike fall I had last fall. I've done quite a number on the muscles in my body. As active as I was last summer, I'm not going to be this summer. It is frustrating, but I can recover and return.
• My funny with the physical therapist was that he asked if I had seen any swelling because of my injuries. I replied, "If you count the fat I've put on then yes there is additional swelling." He wasn't sure if he should laugh, but he did eventually.
• I continue to make monster pants. Mr. K-man wanted a few pair before he left. Hurricane is a great walking advertisement. He loves his monster pants.
• We have filled our 7 weeks of summer with lots of plans.

So that is our not so brief update. We hope you are each well and happy.

Be well.

Bump in the Night

Mama hasn't been feeling well today, so I will endeavor to write a few words.

This week has been busy with trying to get healthy, trying to keep ahead of household chores, and trying to get ready for summer. We've struggled for a long time (a whole month) being sick but had a break this week and were healthy. Hurricane started swim team with Underfoot. Underfoot has been a very good listener and is very obedient. He is a happy boy.

Hurricane finished his music class. He had a lot of fun at the celebration.

Hurricane and Mama hosted Joy School for 3 days this week. Also Mama finished the quilt for Underfoot's teacher to give to her on Friday for teacher appreciation week.

Underfoot promised it to the teacher on Friday.

The quilt was given to the teacher, but then returned home for the binding completion.

 Friday evening we attended the school community fair.

Sometime after midnight on Saturday morning, Hurricane came into our room, complaining about something. He came to my side of the bed. I could immediately smell that something was horribly wrong. When I got to my senses, I could see that he was covered, from head to toe, in vomit. I immediately got out of bed to investigate. I asked him if he had vomited. He said no. I couldn't believe it. I stumbled into his room, flicked on the light, and saw Underfoot, in a nasty puddle of vomit. The smell was incredibly powerful. In a dazed stupor, I got both boys into the shower. Whey they cleaned up, I got the bedding into the washing machine and went to work on the floor. Somehow Underfoot had vomited on Hurricane, and Hurricane had rolled around in it until he finally woke up. By some miracle he didn't join in the fun.

I had a really hard time going back to bed. Sometime around 4 I finally fell asleep. My Saturday morning chores were especially difficult. I got through most of them and took a nap. I convinced Underfoot to lie down next to me, but Hurricane had too much energy. Instead of falling asleep too, Hurricane decided to build a mountain of his stuffed animals by my head. He then got a blanket and covered Underfoot and me up. Lastly, he began 'reading' the story of the monkeys jumping on the bed. I drifted off to sleep thinking how kind my 4 year old was, to take care of me. It was a sweet experience.

The boys created a zoo for Mama on Mother's Day. The evening before we went on a date and the babysitter started making them animals. They decided to make a whole town. They continue to make animals and would like to turn the whole house into a zoo.

 

In other news, my aquaponics system has finally started growing things. Well, the plants are growing. I don't have any fruit yet. The water temperature is up to a steady 70 degrees. The fish are eating a lot more than earlier in the year, and I was able to get rid of a bunch of algae that was clogging up the system. I am grateful that Mama has been tolerant of my 'experiment'. I enjoy seeing the fish race to the food when I feed them in the morning and in the evening.

We have lots of fruit on our trees... pomegranates,  lemons, oranges, tangerines, apples. I haven't seen any cherries yet, but the trees are still young. Hopefully next year we'll see some buds.

Be well.

Sick

Sick. That is the one word that describes our past two weeks. Three weeks ago Underfoot brought home a virus. Precautions were taken by quarantining Underfoot. Sweetheart helped me out one day and drank from the same cup as Underfoot. He then proceeded to get sick for 9 days. He missed work for 4 1/2 of those days. Hurricane started after Sweetheart.

Moms aren't allowed to get sick. So we plugged along. Sweetheart started to get better. He went back to work. We were all back to normal until Thursday. I guess Moms get sick last is a better saying. I felt like my throat was on fire and have been coughing and blowing snot ever since. Lovely image uh?

Hurricane and Underfoot have resumed their normal lives. Hurricane's trains came back from the attic, and he has built track after track after track. Underfoot has gone to school and been very diligent in getting his homework done so he can go to swim practice.

The boys got the best surprise in the mail. Auntie Katie made them monster towels for swim practice.

 Now we have one towel to use instead of making 10 towels dirty for the week. The towels are darling!

My Dad's birthday was this last week. Hurricane found out about it and insisted we make a chocolate cake. We did. Three layered chocolate cake with orange buttercream and chocolate ganche icing.

 Hurricane wondered when my Dad would show up. (My parents are on a mission for another 2 years.)

Easter and Germs

We shared germs. Underfoot brought the germs home from school on Monday. By Tuesday evening he acted out of sorts by crying over small things. Tears are a sure sign of exhaustion from trying to be pleasant but too hard to try anymore and not acting quite himself. Underfoot decided to not go Wednesday. Good because he didn't sleep Tuesday night and neither did his Mom. Thursday he thought he should go, but the lung hacking just prevented him from doing much. As hard as we tried, we all got a touch of the bug. Fever, cough, and a really sore throat were the symptoms. Underfoot is getting better. Hurricane showed signs on Sunday. Sweetheart started Friday night. I held out until Saturday. We are grateful there has been no vomiting or diarrhea. Count your blessings, right?

Sweetheart stayed home from work on Wednesday so I could attend physical therapy. He made up his hours on Thursday evening. Since Underfoot was sick, I was going to take Underfoot with me to physical therapy. Sweetheart volunteered to stay home from work for a time on Wednesday so I could attend. He made up his hours on Thursday evening. I'm grateful for his sacrifice.

I asked Hurricane how he felt. His response- "I'm sick so I feel sick." This made us laugh. Sweetheart's sore throat makes it hard to laugh or swallow. A box of mangoes from Bountiful Baskets has been helpful with Sweetheart's sore throat. He keeps gobbling them down for relief. He had a fever on Friday night and another one today. We have taken it easy since Thursday night.

Taking it easy means we went to the temple on Friday, attended a BSA Court of Honor where Sweetheart presented the Eagle award to A. Romney. The recipient's father spoke that Scouting the law and the oath. For each of the points of the law, he named different men that exemplified that attribute. Much to our surprise, the father said that Sweetheart was thrifty.Of course, I won't get what he said perfectly but in a sense, Sweetheart does his best with what he has by using his resources to do things the best way possible. He said that Sweetheart also uses his resources to open his home and invites all to come. I thought that was a great honor.

On Saturday, we dyed eggs and attended a baptism.

We didn't breath on anyone. Sunday was Easter.

We were grateful for the time we have to reflect on the resurrection of our Savior.

 During the day someone peeped our yard. 

This means they stuck Peeps in the front yard, ding dong ditched, and ran. 

The boys thought they had the best gift ever.

Later we talked about Passover

 

and then did an egg roll.

We kept down for a lot of the weekend.

We hope you are better than we are this week.

By the way.....here is a cute picture of my Sister and her family.....

 We are really excited for their family!

Flying the Coop

Sweetheart decided to fly the coop. He went to work in Los Angeles area and a wedding in Salt Lake City for our friends, Jared and McKenzie. 

He had a lot of fun working and playing. In LA, he worked. How exciting is that? Traveling brings the perk of going out to eat. He and a co-worker, Mincer, each ate a huge dessert for lunch. The rest of the day Mincer commented on how full he was. At supper, Sweetheart told the server it was this Mincer's birthday so he would get more dessert. They had a good laugh when Mincer was shocked at getting more ice cream and had a good laugh after he caught on to the joke. The rest of the trip was uneventful.

Sweetheart flew to SLC after work on Friday. Y and A, his sister and brother-in-law, picked up Sweetheart from the airport and went to supper with B and M, his brother and sister-in-law. They talked about family, the family reunion, and future plans. They thought it was a lot of fun to be together. Sweetheart stayed with Y and A. The next day he attended Jared and Mckenzie's wedding. 

 Jared and Sweetheart were roommates at BYU. 

We are super excited for the couple! After the wedding, Sweetheart was chauffeured around by Kevin and Ashley. Kevin was also a roommate with Sweetheart and Jared.

Thank you to all who taxied Sweetheart around. He loved seeing family and friends!

While Sweetheart was gone, a few things happened around here too:

• Underfoot began swim team with our neighbor. We will have a carpool for swim season.
• Hurricane found the walkie-talkies and thinks they are wonderful. He takes them with him. He even found the screwdriver, took it apart, and put the batteries in for it to work.
• Underfoot rode his bike to school. He likes to not be picked up every day and to ride his bike home. One day the bike got a flat tire that Daddy fixed when he was home for a few minutes.
• I have been swimming for exercise and am trying to be patient with myself and the healing process. I like to exercise hard and don't get to go as hard as I like. Quoting a wise woman, "Honor your body." It means more than just listening to it when you go beyond the point of no return but to let it rest, stretch, and grow when needed.
• I completed a project that I've been thinking about for 2 years. We made a picture family tree on our wall. The end result is cool.
  
• Hurricane and Underfoot went on the Father and Sons camp out with a neighbor because Sweetheart was out of town. They had a great time and came home tired, dirty, and full of stories as well as two new songs - The Fisherman and John Jacob JingleHeimer Scmidt.

Be Well.

Swimming and Experimetns

Our report is brief this week. Each below will have their moment to shine.

Hurricane: He continues to love life. Hurricane has decided to not participate in swim team this year because "it is just too hard." He is a great swimmer and would come home exhausted after practice last year. He loves to thank God for the chickens and their egg laying skills. He is quite the singer and has a series of songs he sings. He plays a game of humming a song and asking us to guess it. He is preparing for his friend, Mr. K-man, to move to Las Vegas in early June. One of his many goals this year was to play as much as possible with Mr. K-man. Hurricane is fantastic at making paper air planes. He always makes 2 - one for him and one for Mr. K-man.

Underfoot: The 1st grade class won the city-wide science fair project. They tested if wearing a helmet was a good idea with eggs. Underfoot was super excited to win. The class was awarded a trophy and money for the class and ribbons for each student. Underfoot is excited about swim team. He willingly practiced in cold water at the local community pool to perfect his strokes. Swim team begins today (Monday) and will continue until the end of May. We participate in pre-season because of summer family commitments. The swim championship and Locey Family reunion are the same week. The regular season is 6 weeks long (the same amount of time as our summer break.) We usually leave to go and see our families during that time. We'd miss 1/2 the season.

Sweetheart: He is deep into his aquaponics experiment. He has been working really hard to bring down the pH level of the water from too alkaline to a more basic water level. He had to add 1/8 cup acid to the water until it got to the right place. He is concerned about the plants getting enough sun. If in one year the experiment hasn't gone well in the location it is currently, the whole system will be moved. Sweetheart wants the experiment to work. We have struggled to grow a garden here and want one to succeed. After mowing the lawn of a friend, he noticed how well their garden was growing and came home a little sad. We want to be successful in the projects we spend our time and seem to flounder.

Mama: The past week was filled with different responsibilities. Tuesday was Cub Scout pack meeting. The Cub Master called and was ill. She asked me to conduct the meeting. It was also April Fool's day. It wasn't a joke. The meeting went okay. I'm not a fun person so I'm sure the meeting wasn't super fun. Wednesday I saw a new Physical Therapist, Josh, and feel that I'm going to get the help I need to get better. I will see Josh for the next 6 weeks. I want to get better. I continue to get help with massage and helping my muscles heal. I think that being hurt has been really difficult for me. I hope I can take this and be better one day. I also got pulled over by the police this week for doing a California stop at a stop sign. He and I talked for about 10 minutes about life. He didn't give me a ticket. What a blessing!

Family: We watched LDS General Conference this weekend as a family. Our boys get super excited for this semi-annual event. We make better foods than normal and have treats. Saturday evening we hosted a potluck to see friends from church. Underfoot listened more this time than he has in the past and noticed different topics.

We hope you are well.