January 30

So A funny story for the week. (It actually happened last week, but who’s keeping track...) One day while  doing laundry, Mama noticed a loud clanking noise coming from the dryer. She stopped the dryer and looked  through the clothes, but found nothing out of the ordinary. Once the dryer finished, she started folding the  clothes and discovered the culprit. K2 frequently likes to stuff toys into his clothes, and had placed a train car in the toe of his pajamas.

We build our own armor for family home evening that is in Ephesians 6:10-17. We made a breast plate out of two plastic platters, shields out of a cardboard box, swords out of pipe insulation, and various hats they had around the house. They proceeded to hit each other. As we bought the platters at the store, people gave Mama an odd look as she would measure the platter to boys' bodies to make sure the platter was the right size.

On Friday night Mama and I had some friends over for games. We had a wonderful time. It was interesting to see a different side of people. We played a game called Loaded Question with 4 other couples. Speaking of  games... Mama reminded me this week that I am still a lousy Hearts player. (That’s for you, Jerry!)

Today at church we got 2 bunches of Onion seedlings for our garden. One of the members of our  congregation is big into gardening and organized a large group order so we could get a volume discount. We  got over 100 onion plants for about 5 bucks! I love onions. They are delicious.

On Friday morning I went out to feed the Ladies (our chickens) before we headed off to the Temple in Mesa. Somehow I didn’t get the gate all the way closed. We came back home that afternoon to a yard full of surprises (chicken poop.) The Ladies got into the garden beds and caused a moderate amount of carnage.  They didn’t touch the kale. Fortunately, about half our garden is fallow right now. (The onions will go in as part of Family Home Evening tomorrow night.)

On Tuesday Mama hosted a lunch bunch. About two dozen women came (those with pre- school aged or  younger children brought them along too.) Mama worked hard to have chili, chicken noodle soup, and a  butternut soup. Mama said it was good for her to open our home and strengthen relationships with others.

Underfoot Says: I like to write a letter to Uncle Aaron. I gave him some gray army guys. I was playing with Jayden last week.

Be Well

January 23

K2 has a new way to want to get attention. He will lift up the back of your shirt, put his mouth on the exposed skins and blow. He gives a zerbert or a raspberry. He then laughs and tries it again. He is very patient in his request for help. He has now taken to doing it on my arm. He laughs each time. Underfoot on the other hand licks. He licks my arm. I don’t mind the playful zerbert, but I’d rather not be left wet.

Joy School this week was canceled because of illness. We baked and cooked up a storm and shared with neighbors. We enjoyed sharing.

We went to a choir practice on Thursday night for a funeral in our ward. K2 announced his displeasure about going to the rehearsal by throwing up on himself on the way home. We cleaned him up and put him to bed. Underfoot slept in our room just in case K2 was contagious. K2 threw up again during the night which prompted a slew of laundry. I thought we were in the all clear when on Friday afternoon after trying to make an exchange plan with another couple for babysitting. K2 woke up from his nap, sat on my lap and vomited down my front. At that point I called L4 at work so that he could cancel our planned co-worker game night (that we had scheduled for Saturday evening.)

Author switch. This is L4.

Mama called me Friday afternoon while I was in the middle of some interesting work. I immediately started  spreading the word that we had a sick child. I was able to tell everyone except Bill. Bill and I share a cube together. Bill left early that day. We didn’t want anyone else to get sick. Another co worker had Bill’s phone 
number at home and offered to send me an email with his number. Instead of sending me the phone number, he just sent an email to Bill. Naturally, the one day the Bill didn’t check his email was Saturday.

Bill, Debbie (his wife), and their daughter arrived Saturday evening at the prescribed hour. I was in the middle of spraying the citrus trees and Mama was washing the floor. We had assumed that Bill got the message. A bit embarrassed, I went out side to welcome Bill and his family. I explained the situation and asked if they wanted to stay, in spite K2’s most recent event. They agreed. We had a wonderful evening. The children played. The adults played a game called Chess 4 which is a 4 player chess game from my sister Laura. It was a lot of fun.

Journaling

We learned this week that Henry passed away. He was one of the reasons why we started writing a weekly email. He was L4’s next door neighbor growing up. L4 decided to write Henry a letter in late May of 2006. We talked about sharing a letter with my Aunt Lois also. We then decided that we might as well share with our family and friends about our happenings since we lived so far from home. I looked back today to one of  our first letters. It was when we announced that I was pregnant with Underfoot and how hopeful we were. Looking back we were still  gardening, keeping busy with fixing this or that, and being involved in church, community, and work. Our lives haven’t changed very much. We continue with the same goals. Hopefully we are better now because of experiences that life has brought to us. We enjoy the letter as it has provided a
pseudo-journal for us.

Over this past week, we have had the Scout fixed so there are no oil leaks or transmission leaks, participated in Joy School, went to a children’s book group where we read “Go, Dog Go!” and then had a dog party with hats, and continued in our cleaning of the house and being a family.

A few fun stories: We were telling bed time stories to the boys about when L4 and I served missions in Spain and Panama respectively. Underfoot waited patiently for his turn. He said that when he serves his mission in Pocatello he will get to be with his K and J. He has talked a lot about wanting to be a missionary lately. He thinks that his mission will be the next time we go to Idaho.

K2 has started to identify the different parts of the body and loves to sing “Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes.” He giggles his way through it. He also is quite resourceful in getting into the refrigerator with Underfoot’s help. He likes to help me make supper and point to everything that is hot. Sometimes he will blow on the hot item for added measure.

On Saturday we went to an estate sale in our neighborhood. We found a few metal files, a sewing machine table with an old sewing machine, a vintage dress (which I wore to church), and an old blue Ball bottle.

It was interesting to go and see what this couple had valued and collected over a lifetime. It was interesting to go through their home and see the private part of their lives. I started to think about the things I have and what value they are to me. I wondered if what I value will valued by others and if it would be treated with the same care.

On Saturday L4 spent the day fixing the irrigation system. Last week when he tried to fix it, it leaked like a colander. This Saturday morning he identified the problem as a defective valve. (It leaked out the top, through the screws!) He returned the faulty valve (a quick 40 minute drive each way...) and put the new part in its place. In doing so he discovered that the valve assembly he purchased last week had a pinhole crack in the casting. He returned a second time to the irrigation supply store! It worked and is fixed! Only 3 trips to town to get it to work- one last weekend and two this weekend. The best part is he didn’t get angry.

Home Sweet Home

We have started a new schedule around here this week. Our church meeting time has changed from 1:30 pm to 8 am. It is WONDERFUL. Now K2 is getting a regular nap around the same time each day. The boys are going to bed at a good time without any fights (with us repeating over and over to get to bed).

We even have started to get up at a good time. We’ve only been doing it for about a week. The consistency of it has made for a happier home and family. Even the house seems to have stayed cleaner. Who knew that morning church could do so much?

L4 decided this week to send the Scout to a transmission shop and to have the work done by someone who specializes in transmissions. L4 picked up the Scout on Wednesday and had the happiest smile on his face. He even was given a suggestion on how to stop an engine oil leak (unrelated to the transmission), and it worked. No more engine oil leak! Things are coming together for him on that project in his life.

The boys helped me make basil-spinach pesto and cilantro-spinach pesto. They helped each night to make supper. I taught Joy School this week about goals and how much fun they are. As I was growing up, I had a goal sheet of many, many goals to accomplish in a few months. I accomplished a few of them but not a lot. I enjoyed teaching. The moms and children are a great group to work with. 

K2 has started to say some very wonderful things. He says things like “I see” when a picture is taken and  “thank you” to almost everything given to him. One night he was helping me make supper as he pulled up the  stool to the gas stove said “hot” and then would try and blow out the flame over and over again. He didn’t  realize it wouldn’t blow out. I even called L4 at work to tell him. We both had a good chuckle. Yesterday he  tried to get out the front door to be with his Dad. He pulled a chair to the front door and tried to undo the  lock. He worked at it for over 15 minutes. It was a good skill development session. 

Underfoot wanted to say a few things in our weekly email. He said, “I had Joy School at my house this week.

I helped Daddy work on the Scout on Monday. I have a special new toy of Army guys that I get to play with when K2 is asleep for a nap. I get to play in the kitchen next to the farm house. The training wheels on my bike are flat (editor comment: training wheels not adjusted properly) and it makes me fall down. I sang  “Happy Birthday” to Jilli on her birthday. I wore a Bob the Builder hat everyday since Thursday.”

On Saturday morning there was a tragic shooting in our community. We are safe. We are sad about the loss of life.

Unpacking

This is from December 20th....

We returned home to clean up from our trips. We feel that the ‘going’ has been non-stop since the pie party.  We went to Idaho, cleaned up, went to California, cleaned up, and the house still is not back to where we’d like it. No ironing (along with a few other things) has happened since before the pie party. I feel overwhelmed at times with everything on my to do list. L4 thinks I’m crazy because my list is always longer than what is humanly possible. Then add on top of that two very active helpers. It sometimes seems they are capable of undoing my best efforts faster than I can accomplish any single task.

Joy School performed the Christmas Story at an assisted living center this week. I also taught Joy School. The lessons were focused on giving. We made fudge and gave it to family members and practiced the performance. The children did a great job. The smiles were abundant among the residents, children, and parents. The children gave the residents a candle ornament that L4 and I made late one night. L4 was a good sport to help me.

We were invited to a friend’s company Christmas party on Thursday evening. We enjoyed a night out together downtown. The food was the best L4 has ever had at a restaurant here in the US and the company was great. On Friday L4 went on an overnighter with the 11 year old Boy Scouts and then did a 5 mile hike Saturday morning. I hired a babysitter and went to a girls ornament exchange. I enjoyed myself and learned a great deal about others around me. After L4 returned from camping, we started our Christmas shopping. We left the boys at the house with a sitter, along with another couple’s children, and went shopping. We laughed and shopped. The Christmas shopping is not completely finished but we’re close.

L4 and I are trying to figure out what our Christmas traditions are going to be for our family. It has taken much negotiation to arrive at our current state. We’ve agreed to celebrate Christmas as is done in Spain, with the arrival of the Three Kings (or wise men) but we will celebrate their arrival on Christmas day instead of the day of Epiphany. We really want to focus on the Savior and service. We struggle with how much or how little to get our children. We will find the balance. I find that I like to have a plan (like my Mom) and I like a lot of surprise (like my Dad).

We hope this coming Christmas finds you safe, happy, and full of the love of God.

New Year....

Happy New Year!

We’ve had another busy week. It has been fun to be home this week. Here are a few of the highlights: 

Monday I spent the day working on the Scout. After attempting to fix the transmission leaks for the 4th time, I successfully made the problem worse. After much discussion, we have moved the scout into the ‘permanently disabled list’ at the DMV and have put the insurance on hold. The Scout is officially a project car and no longer to be thought of as a commute vehicle. We’ve started looking for a simple commute car. Any leads you might have are welcome. 

Tuesday We spent the day in the yard. We trimmed trees, dug up the tomatoes, trellised our apple tree, and pruned our grape vines.  

Wednesday It got cold. We tucked in the citrus trees by wrapping them blankets.  

Thursday We went through the toys and organized them. We also identified which items to donate and which items to keep.   

Friday We ran some errands in the evening. We learned about the insect that is damaging our citrus trees and got some good stuff to help the trees. The fruit is still good and we got 1 tangerine, 2 navel oranges, about 20 lemons, and a bunch of limes. We cleaned up the house, played with boys, and Mama did bountiful baskets. We harvested the basil from our garden and Mama made a delicious pesto pizza.   

Underfoot welcomes the New Year

Saturday We hosted a pancake breakfast for friends and neighbors. We decided to have the party late on Friday night, so it was a last minute event. We played Settlers of Catan with one of the families that came to the breakfast. I’m really excited to have some friends who like Settlers as much as I do. 

We also did our annual trip to the bowling alley. Everyone got over 100 except for Mama. I’m not sure how Underfoot ended up with the high score of 118, but there seemed to be intrigue with the machine and the reset button. 

Underfoot somehow got a double strike when he rolled four balls down the lane all in the same frame.  

Get the ball....

Push it down the ramp...

Clap, clap, clap....

Sunday We went to church at our new start time of 8 a.m. What a great thing for our family! We were home by 11:30. (As opposed to 5:00) It is as though we have the entire day to do all sorts of good stuff! We were released as workers in the primary. Mama was called into the women’s organization.  

Here are some funny stories for the week:

• K2 did the ‘roadrunner’ slip at the bowling alley and landed flat on his back, about 5 feet down the lane. I nearly slipped trying to help him get back up.
• Underfoot said in church today that his birthday was in 18 months.
• Mama is addicted to the Louis L‘Amour book, Treasure Mountain and has been sneaking away at every chance to read about Tell Sackett. (I was addicted last week.)
• While Mama was lost in the book this afternoon, K2 found (and opened) Mama’s new sparkly silver nail polish. K2 decided it looked good on himself, the couch, and the blanket that he was sharing with Mama.
• K2 has decided that the best place to carry anything is inside his undershirt. He will load about 20 cars inside and then waddle around until they are taken out from the secret hatch.