Sunday night around 12:30 am (really Monday morning) and crashed. The mountain we drove over had white-out conditions so it took us a little longer to get to our resting spot for the night. We saw some great  views and went forward until we returned home.

 We stopped one hour from home to eat supper. That way  we didn’t have to make supper when we got home, we could just collapse into bed. I think we have opted for  the highlights of the week so we can report individually what we have done. In a sense our letter to you is our family journal. We don’t share the sad events of life usually because we want to remember. At times, I wonder if we should share our sad to have it written down.

Family Last night we attended a musical melodrama theater. The show was based around pirates with the tunes from popular culture. Hurricane sat and danced to the music. Underfoot was very tired and at one point fell asleep in his chair. He then slid off and hit the floor. It startled the people around us. We had a good time. Underfoot asked if after church we were going back to watch the show again.
 
L4 He returned to work and was given a pile of new tasks.

On Thursday L4 assembled the shelf reliance food rotation system we got.

After lunch on Friday, L4 called from work to let me know he had received a promotion at work. Nothing will change except that more will be expected of him from his employer. Good job L4!

On Friday evening, he went camping with the 11 year old Boy Scouts from church. After he returned he  worked on the AC in Fred the car. He discovered that a wire had been severed and fixed the problem. With the problem fixed, Fred started to blow cold air. It was a simple fix, and L4  knew how to fix it! Even better it took brain power and time but no money.

Mama I worked on laundry, ironing, cleaning up from our trip, and some organizational things for Bountiful Baskets. Underfoot sat by my side as I worked. He is my faithful companion especially when Hurricane is  asleep. I love that he wants to be with me. I made realization that I need to change some of things I do as a parent. What I need to change isn’t completely clear in my head yet. I am working on it daily. My biggest  focus is to put my children very first with their requests and being with them. I don’t want to miss any moments.

I took a CPR and first aid class this week. I am grateful to have the refresher course. I learned a few new  things like if a someone who is diabetic has high blood sugar they smell fruity. I also learned that it is important  to wear a bracelet if you have a medical condition. It will help the paramedics or others know how to help if someone has a medical problem.

I surprised L4 and bought us a bed frame. While he was gone camping, I bought the bed, the family who I  bought it from delivered it, cleaned out our room, and tried to put it together by myself. That didn’t work so  well. So the next morning a neighbor helped me. I got it all put together with the bed made before he got  home. We feel like we are grown ups now instead of college students. With second-hand items, the price is right, and we will enjoy it.
 
Underfoot

• Underfoot likes to talk and tell me what is happening in the moment. He is starting to tell jokes and wants to learn to do “homework” in coloring books, reading books, and an etch-a-sketch.
• We went swimming this week at a friend’s house. He did great on his own and floated. 
• Underfoot likes to wear his “sword.” The sword is the mixing tool for our Vitamix which is not allowed out of the house. He will take it on and off as he goes in and out through the day. 
• Underfoot is also starting to be very helpful. He does tasks that I ask with perfect follow through! I love it! He even wants to help me in the jobs I am doing.

Hurricane

• Hurricane also wants to help in all the tasks around the house. He does it to the best of his almost 2 year old ability.
• Hurricane continues to be head strong. Our hope is that we can steer that will into doing good.
• Hurricane loves to talk on the phone and wants to say “hi” to anyone that calls on the phone. He will usually tell them he loves choo-choos.We have to start some where. 
• He travels very well when he is fed and we sing together.

Surprise Trip

Happy Easter!

As a family this week, we surprised my parents by driving to Idaho for the weekend.

 My Dad and Mom have been serving in church with the young adults between the ages of 18-30 for the past 12 years approximately (meaning give or take a few months). We wanted to be in attendance when the congregation was asked to thank them. As a family we have been involved at some point or another. S and J helped us arrange the surprise and made it complete. We surprised my Dad at a freeway exit on his way to look at some machinary. He looked at Underfoot and me with a look like “this does not compute why you are here. You should be 1,000 miles away.” It was great! To surprise my Mom, K2 stood at the front door holding a pot of flowers with huge eyes. It took my Mom a second also. She knelt down and asked K2 if he would give her a hug. It was very sweet. There are lots of stories about the boys at the end of the letter. So beyond that there are other wonders that happened this week below (it is a little long but it was a long weekend:

L4 L4 worked a lot of extra time so we could leave on Wednesday evening. He worked 24 hours in a 36 hour time period to make this weekend work. While in Idaho, he got to go shooting marmots with his brothers-in-law. He LOVED being with them.

L4 got to see 2 of his former roommates in SLC on Sunday evening, Kevin and Jared.

Mama I worked to get us ready so we could leave on Thursday. L4 decided Wednesday morning that we would leave that night. I worked so that the house would be clean while we were gone. I got a lot of books to listen to on CD while we drove

I helped a little with getting a surprise baby shower for my sister who is having a a baby in June. The party happened on Saturday afternoon. She was surprised so she says, and we were lucky to have many wonderful neighbors and family come. My Auntie L and cousin N came from Utah! It was a surprise to my Mom to have her sister there.

Underfoot
– We didn’t tell Underfoot where we were going until we were far down the road. We didn’t want him to tell the surprise. He guessed it right away. When I told him we were going on an adventure, he was very helpful in getting everything ready.
– He loves to swim and was sad when he couldn’t swim with Hurricane at his swimming lessons. He got to swim with Hurricane on his check out day.
– Underfoot loved playing with his cousins. When asked what his favorite part was it was being with his cousins. He said “I’m going to miss those guys.”

– He is constantly singing and making up new songs.
– After we surprised my Dad, he went with them to look at the tractors. Apparently he talked the entire way until his Uncle S got a movie on for him.
– He found a light saber while at J and K's house. He was seen with it constantly. He even hid it before we left so no one else could get it.
– One night Underfoot sword fought (with said light saber) with his great-Grandpa K. Underfoot would tap Grandpa on the bum, the back, or arm and laugh. Grandpa would get Underfoot back. He loved it.
– While at the Locey family shin-dig, Underfoot smashed his own egg in the annual egg war. He took it as a bold triumph.

Hurricane

 – Hurricane finished his refresher swimming course after 5 weeks. During his last few lessons, he smiled.
– As I was getting ready for our adventure, Hurricane decided to drag a bike from the backyard to the front door. I was cleaning out the laundry room where Hurricane had spilled a lot soap. Underfoot came and told me Hurricane had gone outside. I thought nothing of it since I believed the front door was locked. Underfoot came back and told me it was the front door, and Hurricane was gone. I chased at a full sprint Hurricane down the street to catch him. He laughed and screamed at the top of his lungs. He was mad when I caught him and brought him home. It was truly funny.
– He announces when he is poopy by saying “I pooped” over and over again until it is solved.
– My Mom hosted an Easter party. She had 7 different stations. Hurricane loved the station with the live animals - chicks and rabbits. He got to pick 2 of the chicks. He sat watching the animals for about 30 minutes.

– Hurricane announced today he wants “no tickles.” He is mimicking Underfoot who doesn’t want to be tickled any more. He will mimic Underfoot in singing, talking, and being a big boy. He is Underfoot’s echo.
– Hurricane doesn’t like to be cold.
– We got a lot of feedback that Hurricane is not as grouchy. Hurricane smiled and interacted with people this trip. He is growing up and showing his personality.

– He has started to say his own prayers from beginning to end by himself.

Family When we left town Wednesday night, we ate supper with our friends, Dan and Julie and their children.

They had drove in from Alabama to visit family. Because we  were leaving town and couldn’t attend a game night they made arrangements to meet with us. It was wonderful to see them before our great adventure. We could have talked the  evening away but needed to get on the road.

While in Utah we went to see an art exhibit by Carl Bloch at Brigham Young University. Carl Bloch’s paintings are common pictures that we have seen in our LDS chapels. Bloch was commissioned to paint for 23 paintings for the Danish Frederiksborg Castle Chapel. We saw 5 of the 8 altar pieces he painted. L4 liked “Healing at the Pool of Bethesda” because he learned the symbols of the painting and thought about how the man in the picture had waited his whole life to be healed. Hurricane and I liked “The Daughter of Jarius” because Christ is in the background coming and the miracle that will take place. Hurricane kept saying that the girl was dead and that Jesus would make her better. Underfoot liked the rented iPad. He loved listening and pushing the buttons. Hurricane also loved running around.

After the exhibit, L4 showed us where he took classes. We met a two of his professors and the secretary-“Mom” for the department.

We made a surprise visit to L4’s sister.  Unfortunately she wasn’t there but her daughters were! We chatted with them before finishing our night with B and M for the night.

We visited with my Grandpa H before going to Idaho. He talked with us and helped us keep our surprise as my Dad called on the phone while we were at his house. My  Grandpa accompanied us to the cemetery so we could teach about the resurrection to our boys.

We brought flowers and cleaned the headstones of those we love and miss very  much.

Afterward Grandpa took us to lunch. We know we are very special to him and feel important when we are around him.

On Easter, we spent the day with both sides of our families! That was awesome to have time with both of them!

Campout and Sewing

The week for each of us...

L4 On Friday I had the day off. I spent the morning working on Fred (the Geo). I changed the front brake rotors and pads. It stops much better now! In the afternoon I took the boys on the annual Fathers and Sons camp out. We pitched a tent. We went on a little hike. It was fun to be together. We slept in sleeping bags. (Hurricane and Underfoot did, at least- I woke up every time the wind blew.) In the morning we had breakfast and came home.

I saw the whole arch of a rainbow this weekend for the first time. It was double rainbow. It was beautiful.

Today during Church I really enjoyed the discussion about fasting and self discipline. There are few examples in the public of people who exercise self discipline. It is certainly one area where we can all improve.
 
Mama On Friday night Mama enjoyed a few hours of complete silence (while the boys were camping.) She celebrated by sewing herself a dress. She spoke today in church about patience. She did a really good job  and looked great in her new red dress. Mama has changed quite a bit in the nearly three years that we’ve been in Arizona. It is hard to believe that we are nearing the point where we’ve been in Arizona longer than we were in Pennsylvania.

Mama is able to connect with other adult women through blogging. It is something that she really enjoys doing. Her capacity to communicate with written words has greatly improved in the six years that we’ve been  married. When we first started writing our weekly email, she did not like my suggestions and corrections. The process of writing has helped both of us to get better.

Underfoot I went camping with Daddy and Hurricane but not Mama. It was a boy camp not a girl camp, so all the boys came. All the boys stood around and played outside. We were setting our tent up. People were  playing with their motorcycles. We went home and we cleaned up from the camping. Then we went to see the Mesa Temple. We played with a puzzle of the United States of America while Mama was in the Temple.  That’s all. Underfoot says, “I am funny about a lot of stuff. Like all of my cars, everything. I laugh about my toys. I like to play with Hurricane. I like to do stuff with D (neighbor.) I like to play with D. I like to go to his house.” I was sick this week too. I’m better now.

Hurricane Hurricane has developed strong command of the word STOP. He repeats it often when he doesn’t like something or does not want to be disciplined. Hurricane has a very large smile. He also has a very strong will. Underfoot says, “Hurricaney is funny about the cars that have the faces and not the eyes.”

27 March 2011

L4: I spent Saturday morning with the Eleven Year Old Scouts. We played games, did some cooking and had a good time at a local park. On Saturday afternoon my Brother-in-law, Scott, called to tell me that there was a beater car for sale in Tucson. Scott has been looking for a commute car for me for some time. We bought a 1992 Geo Prizm (essentially a Toyota Corolla.) It is a beater. It should get me to and from work for at least a year. It is not unlike the pickup truck that we had in Pennsylvania. We still miss Chuck the Truck. Perhaps Underfoot or Hurricane will find a suitable name for the not so new white car.

Mama: I made 14 dozen banana muffins today. Underfoot and Hurricane helped. On Saturday I ran a Baskets site and went to a baptism. After buying the car, we went to a place in town called Trail Dust Town. It is a touristy place. We watched a Cowboy stunt show. (Hurricane did not like the loud gun shots, but Underfoot LOVED it!) We rode on a choo choo train. We had supper. It was a late night. L4 feels a lot of relief because now there are two semi reliable vehicles instead of just one. Hopefully we’ll always have at least two fully functional vehicles.

Underfoot: I made banana muffins with my Mom. I smashed the bananas to mush. I even got to use the  electric beaters. I went to swimming lessons. I did not cry this year at all. I like to swim

Hurricane: I like chocolate. Yum! I like to play with our marble game. I like to wake up early and wake up  Mom and Dad. I usually yell at them and ask them to “Come on.” I cried at my swimming lessons all week. I  do remember how to swim. I still don’t like to float. I would rather kick than float. I have become more  bossy. Very bossy. It is usually accompanied by a yell. I LOVE to look for the eggs (eggies) from our  chickens. I especially like to crack them. I have learned that I can’t crack the eggs on the carpet. I have  eczema all over my body. It sometimes itches. Mama and Daddy wonder if it has developed recently because of the chlorine from the swimming lessons.

A Glimpse

L4: We worked our guts on Saturday. I went to the LDS dry cannery, processed 40 pounds of chicken that  we got through Zaycon Foods, cleaned the shed out, and finished the evening at a Moon party. The moon  was the closest to the earth that it has ever been recorded. On Friday, Mama and I went on a fancy date curtesy of Raytheon from last December’s holiday party. We went to a highclass fancy restaurant. We  probably won’t eat out like that again any time soon because it was a very expensive place. Thanks  Raytheon! After eating, we retired our Spain-acquired wallets and bought new ones. The old ones were worn  out. They were handmade from a Spanish leather worker. We acquired them when we visited in 2007. On Wednesday I attended Boy Scouts and we talked about the requirements for Tenderfoot, 1st class, and  2nd class Scout. Mama made green pancakes for breakfast on St. Patrick’s day.

Mama: We went on several adventures this week. I like the go very much. Especially when we can go with  good people. We went to Phoenix Zoo, the swimming pool, and Bountiful Baskets while L4 was at the  cannery. The boys loved all three. Underfoot continues to talk about the zoo and the animals we saw. The zoo  Currently has a a koala exhibit. We learned that koalas sleep for at least 18-20 hours a day and eat the other 4 hours. We got to see sleeping koalas. I’m not sure if I was disappointed or not. Underfoot didn’t “see” the koalas and wondered why we were going into such a hot tent. He did like the elephants, monkeys, and the farm animals. Those animals are the ones that have been talked about the most. Also we got a reminder of the heat that is to come. When we left the zoo, the temperature was around 95 degrees. That is just a warm up. No pun intended.

We start swimming lessons tomorrow, and Underfoot is scared to go to swimming lessons. We got invited to go swimming. The water was cool but both boys got in and played to their hearts content. It makes going  tomorrow easier.

Underfoot and I were having a conversation. I told him that I was happy he was growing up in some ways and sad he was growing up in some ways. He looked at me and said, “Mama, I know. But  when I am 5, I will go to high school.” I don’t know that I am ready for kindergarten let alone high school.

Hurricane is also growing and improves on his diction every day. He continually increases his vocabulary and  will repeat words from the scriptures we read as a family. I changed his clothes out to the next bigger size. I  wonder at times if I will pull those clothes out again. I hope so. It is always a sad day for me to have boys  grow up. I know that it is the nature of children but I like the stage they are in now. I have found myself saying a lot lately, “Hurricane you drive me crazy.” He is curious about everything. L4 will show him how something works, and he will do it over and over and over again.

The shed looks marvelous.

Underfoot was playing with the toy chest this week by picking it up and dropping it. He dropped it on his  foot. He tried to walk over to me in his tears and collapsed. I was concerned he broke his foot. The foot  turned purple and was scraped up with blood. We iced it, and he sat on the couch for a while. He then decided he was better and went out to play.

Underfoot: This week I did church. I saw an elephant that was big, another that was small. I went swimming  with Thomas and Abigail. Abigail grabbed Hurricane when he fell in the hot pool. We had to come home  because I was disobedient and got in the hot pool when mama said no. Emma came with us at home. I saw  Dr. Baye and she gave me a book about cars and my favorite guys- Mater, Sally, Sheriff, and all the other guys.

Hurricane: Um. Um I played with choo choos. I like marbles. I like mangos. Choo Choos. Yup. Choo Choos. CHOO CHOOS.

Name Calling

Underfoot Says: I played on my birthday and popped balloons and opened presents. I got cowboy boots. They went really well with my guns. Grandma Locey sent me a towel. Hurricane & Jilli sent me a Cars play mat. I got a helmet, a breast plate, and a shield. I call it my armor of God. I went one day to Joy School because I have a cough and am sick.

Dad Says: I’m tired. I’ll sleep when I’m dead.

Mama Says: Hurricane has learned how to say Underfoot’ name this week. I was very excited when he first said it. It now is a continual Underfoot, Underfoot, Underfoot, Underfoot. He is very concerned for his brother and wanting to find him at all times. That is except when his Daddy walks into the room and then there is no one else. He is talking more and more. He will sometimes use sign language and sometime his voice.  When he is really tired, he just screeches like a vulture with big tears down his face. He will not talk except for a spoonful of frosting.

Underfoot taught our family home evening lesson on Monday. He taught about the plan of salvation with nifty  cut-outs that his awesome Mom found on-line. We colored it. He passed out each part and ask us to tell what that part was about. He did a great job!

We cleaned up our backyard on Saturday. It is amazing what a day in the backyard will do. We cleaned up the extension cords, heating lights, extra lumber, and some weeds. There will always be weeds. One day we will sterilize the ground and put down fake grass and have only a few weeds. Here is to saving more money and hoping for it one day. L4 and Underfoot built a rock and dirt sifter. I took care of our grapes and trellised trees. I also nominated myself to clean out the chicken coop. They have a cleaner and more secure home after doing a few repairs.

On Tuesday evening I helped with the annual celebration the Relief Society. We had a get-to-know-you game inspired by Anita Younker. It was adapted but the idea is to give an unknown fact about yourself that is positive and let people guess who it is. I was the MC and didn’t put anything in our fish bowl about myself. I also blew up 72 balloons by myself with a compressor. The compressor was a suggested buy by my Dad on New Year’s day. It has proved invaluable! Thanks Dad!

Super Heroes

Underfoot Says: Thank you for my birthday party. I had Sister Kartchner cutting my hair. She likes to cut my  hair and I like to get my lollipop. I came home. I got a book about the Zoo at the library bus. I watched Star  Wars (Episode IV) too. The robots are my favorite. Those ones are in Star Wars. The big one has teeth but  his mouth can’t move. He went on a rocket ship and fly away from the bad pirates. A woman was with them.

Dad Says: The big event this week was Underfoot’ birthday party. Mama and I have adopted the ‘Birthday  Party every 4 years’ policy. On Saturday we had about 30 children and 15 parents and siblings for a two  hour Super Hero training session. We did a watermelon eating contest, cupcake decorating, an obstacle course, a balloon popping event, and a pinata. It was a lot of fun. Mama worked really hard to make it a wonderful event.

Saturday morning was also our semi-annual community yard sale. Mama went to train someone to be a  baskets coordinator. I took the boys on a treasure hunt. We got an outdoor table (with 6 chairs), a 3 person  swing with a sun shade, a booster seat for K2 that will stay in the Scout, and a bunch of clothes for  Underfoot. Mama also picked up a full sized rocking chair that matches the one we got for Underfoot while living in Pennsylvania.

Midway through the week we treated the boys to a movie- STAR WARS. We watched Episode IV  together. Underfoot and K2 both fell asleep midway through (it was in the evening, right around bed time.)  Underfoot talks about Star Wars and how he wants to watch the other two episodes.

Mama has been dealing with some new challenges in her role as Tucson Coordinator for baskets. She has to  ensure that all the distribution sites in Tucson are running smoothly. She does a good job handling the quirks of  the various site coordinators. Bountiful Baskets has given her an outlet where she can contribute to the  community, contribute to the well being of our family, and interact with adults about a subject other than  children. I see it as a great thing for her, our family, and our community.

Mama Says: K2 has learned quite well how to say thank you. He has not grasped the concept of please. He  will say thank you to ask for anything when prompted. Also K2 likes to store food in his left cheek. He  never stores it in the right cheek. We will ask him to spit out whatever he has been storing in his cheek at  various times of the day. Tonight we learned that if we squeeze his cheeks it forces him to eat what he has  stored. Some time he spits candy with the wrapper still attached or half masticated. Sometimes it is bread. I  don’t know where he finds the bread or the candy at our house. Candy is eaten around here at light speed. So if you ever want us to store your candy, we will enjoy it thoroughly but will probably only return wrappers.

I spoke with my Grandpa Hoggan this week. He told me about Hilda Augusta Amelia Carlson Hoggan. She  was born in Norrkoping, Sweden and moved to the United States. She married James Morn Hoggan, and  they had 6 children. My great-Grandpa Frank was one of her sons. As I talked with my Grandpa we talked  about his Uncles and their various occupations. One story he told was that his Uncle Dutch sold chickens to  the first Kentucky Fried Chicken when Colonel Sanders started. Another interesting story is when Grandpa  Frank bought his first house, he sold all the chickens that were in the backyard for the down payment on the  home. The cost of the home was $6,000. One more thing is that my Grandpa wanted written in our family  history that he gave blood this past week for a cookie and some apple juice. He really is a very positive man,  and I truly enjoyed our conversation.

On Monday there was a car accident on the main road where we live. The motorist hit a telephone pole and  broke the pole into 3 sections. This knocked out our telephone and internet. The whole community was  without for about 18 hours. I forgot how much of a convenience the internet and the telephone are. Even  though I had a cell phone, it frustrated me to not have immediate access and caused me to think of how much  of my time is spent into quick information. Information use has come so quickly and easily. I wonder at times if  I also base a lot of my self importance to how many emails I get a day. The event made me realize I need to make some changes.