Laughin' with the Asplunds

Retro Relief Society (March 10, 2011)

2011-06-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

2011-02-20T20:38:00.000-08:00

A week or so ago, Ellie tried out for the spring production at the junior high: Once Upon a Mattress. After eagerly awaiting the results, she found out that she was initially part of the chorus. Since rehearsals have started, she has been cast additionally as one of the 12 princesses that didn't pass the queen's test.

She is so excited to be part of the musical and we look forward to seeing her performance. (Let's just hope it doesn't clash too much with softball!)

Sweethearts Dance

2011-02-20T20:18:00.000-08:00

One of the last dances of the school year is Sweethearts. Maggie was asked by a boy in our ward, Korey Williams. To help out, one of the other boys in our ward, Lance Elliott, put together a small group. I agreed to host the dinner and evening "festivities" (just some board games) and chauffeur them to and from so they could all ride in the same car.

Maggie had been quite sick leading up to it, so it was a minor miracle that she was able to go at all. For dinner, I made butter chicken with raita and basmati rice and Cherise provided the naan. For dessert, I made another batch of that delicious chocolate mousse that we had had for Valentine's Day. Lance's brother, Selleck, served a mission in India so was willing to be the server. He even gave me a burka to wear, but I wouldn't wear the full hood, just the dress and scarf. There aren't any pictures because I was too busy in the kitchen--and snapping pictures of my own!

They seemed to have a good time eating and playing Curses and Apples to Apples before going to the dance. It was great to have them here as one of the benefits was getting the house cleaned top to bottom.

Maggie Being Cast-ed

2011-02-20T20:16:00.001-08:00

I was able to find the pictures.

On to the Next Round! (February 18, 2011)

2011-02-20T19:41:00.000-08:00

Woo-hoo! Griffin (and Erik) are going to the next round. I had been told in advance since we had to finish up some paperwork that added Erik, so brought a camera to capture the moment. (I didn't want it to be too obvious, though, so I just brought a little pocket camera.) The kids reading the list of winners were really struggling with the names, so it was kind of hard to understand who was who. Griffin was the last of the fifth graders read and it took a moment to let it sink in. Even funnier, though, was about 30 seconds later, Griffin said, "Erik, we won!" To which Erik responded with a resounding, "All that hard work paid off!" I had to chuckle since, well, he was in on name only, but it was great to see the enthusiasm on his face when he has struggled so much with so many things.

Anyway, because the reactions were so delayed, the pictures don't capture the excitement of the moment. Now on to districts which may be a challenge for them since they need to sit at their table for four hours answering questions.

Road Show Wrap Party (February 16, 2011)

2011-02-20T19:35:00.000-08:00

The evening we put on road shows, I found out that the stake had actually provided a budget of $250 for sets. Since we had nothing more than a wagon that one of the kids pulled across the stage, we had $250 extra in our budget. Our solution? A wrap party where we'd provide lots of food and the kids could watch theirs as well as other performances. Where I would only have bought the pizza, Carol, my 2nd counselor, went all out and set up tables with cloths and decorations.

The kids had a great time, and since the young men wanted to get playing basketball, clean up went super fast!

Another Science Fair (February 16, 2011)

2011-02-20T19:24:00.001-08:00

After lots of time and energy--and help from our "fellow man"--the science fair project was today! One of Griffin's friends wasn't able to finish his project, so we included him with Griffin.

The whole basis of the project was, "Who's on my money?" which was asking both children and adults if they knew who (or what) was on the front and back of their coins and bills. In the end, not many people knew, but the majority of adults (particularly women) would have been able to tell him their credit or debit card numbers. They will find out Friday over the morning announcements who goes on to the district level.

A Side Project

2011-02-20T19:16:00.000-08:00

I forgot to post a few pictures of the wedding cake I helped with. This was for one of the elementary school teachers that eloped and her class wanted to throw her a mini-reception. Cherise and Carma and I put this together--with Cherise, obviously doing the majority of the work. We are mainly the cheerleaders. But I did get to learn how to make gum paste leaves which was pretty cool.

The First Cast in the Family (February 15, 2011)

2011-02-20T19:03:00.001-08:00

It's official. Maggie made it worse. So her reward? This lovely green cast. I actually took pictures of them putting it on and hope to get them transfered from my phone to the computer (have to find the cable), but for now, here's a picture of her with the cast--and a fever. She was later diagnosed with the flu a day or two later, so she wasn't feeling great when this was taken.

She will be keeping this on for two weeks to help stabilize the bone and prevent it from twisting which wasn't allowing the swelling to subside and alleviate the pressure on the nerves. She also finally received some better meds to help with the pain. So we'll check in on her progress in a couple of weeks!

Valentine's Day! (February 14, 2011)

2011-02-20T18:43:00.000-08:00

After making sure I told John I didn't want anything for Valentine's Day, I was awakened by a box of peanut butter truffle filled "turtles" from V Chocolates being placed on my chest. It was then that I realized I had done nothing and hadn't planned anything for my family for Valentine's Day. Thinking of what I could do that would mean the most, I decided to give them my time and cook a great meal for dinner. And it was yummy!

We enjoyed smashed restaurant-style potatoes, fried steak, salad, lemonade and chocolate mousse from scratch. It took three hours to put it all together and was eaten in about 15 minutes. It really was delicious. I even cleaned up the mess afterwards.

Happy Valentine's Day, family!

A Tribute To Andrew Lloyd Weber (February 12, 2011)

2011-02-20T18:05:00.000-08:00

We made it through to performance days! Maggie danced along with the ballroom team to "Buenos Aires" from the musical "Evita." (I tried to attach the video, but it was unsuccessful.)

One of the moves in this dance is where the male partner drops the female and holds her by both arms. I don't know if it came through on the video, but I just sucked in my breath and prayed that the fracture didn't get any worse. She was a little sore after the Friday night performance, but after two performances on Saturday, she came home in quite a bit of pain. At this point, we were pretty sure that she had damaged it worse, so it would be no surprise if it would be placed in a cast on her Tuesday appointment.

Our First Broken Bone--Maybe

2011-02-09T06:25:00.001-08:00

Last Wednesday, Maggie came home from an evening ballroom rehearsal saying that she had popped her elbow out and back in. Understandably, it was sore. By Saturday, she was having tingling in her fingers and pain going up her arm. By Sunday night (after the Super Bowl, of course), we were at our After Hours care and then off to the hospital for x-rays. They came back normal and we were told again to just use some ibuprofen and ice. On Monday, I called her pediatrician again to say that it was getting worse. By Tuesday, we were at an orthopedist (recommended by our pediatrician) and we came out with her arm in a soft cast and sling. She has a probable fracture of the radial head and torn ligaments. Because she has the big Andrew Lloyd Weber concert this weekend (a fundraiser for the choir), she needs to perform. We have a follow-up appointment on Tuesday where they will probably long-arm cast her (from the shoulder to below the wrist) for 10 days.

Today? She got up, ready for school, and all the bags she needed for work (immediately after school) and another late rehearsal with the choir. I just hope we make it to next Tuesday!

Road Show? What's a Road Show?

2011-01-31T05:46:00.001-08:00

Being in the youth program 30 years ago, road shows and scripture chases were significant events in each year. I still remember when we had to move our show from Broomall to Valley Forge and how exciting that night was.

A few months ago, one of our neighboring stakes decided they wanted to bring back road shows and invited us to participate. The problem? It would be over Christmas break and it was difficult to get the support we needed. In fact, the big dress rehearsal with all the wards in our stake was on the night of the big rivalry basketball game between MV and Orem as well as the game between BYU and SDSU (two top 10 teams).

So we assigned a couple who were already serving in the youth to take charge. They wrote it based on the theme, "We Believe" and we started rehearsals the first week of January. Ellie was one of the Mormon rappers as well as part of the basketball team and then the big family. Maggie had to drop out because of the ballroom competition, but she came to rehearsals and gave her suggestions when they would run it.

The gist of the show was based on a song the Bishop's son wrote on his mission. It was about 6 high school kids (3 members, 3 non-members) and the curiosity of the non-members with the members. They included things such as firesides, big families, confusion of Mormons with Amish people, and the gym being used for a wedding reception and basketball game. In the end, the missionaries (who had been confused with FBI agents) were seen teaching them the discussions. The kids sang a Mormon rap, used the Ghostbusters theme (which most of them have never heard of nor seen!) and closed with The Church of Jesus Christ.

It turned out fine, very road-showy. I think it was a good experience for them but hope that if we do it again the timing is a little different.

Maggie's First Ballroom Competition

2011-01-29T22:19:00.000-08:00

Today was Maggie's first competition as part of the MVHS Ballroom Team. The first dance they did was the "cha-ngo." I wasn't able to see that one since our ward was involved in a multi-stake road show at the same time. She let me know that their team placed 8th (out of 8) and they were stunned as the winning number was a hip-hop piece (not typically seen in ballroom, for sure!). She still had a couple of hours before she would perform the quickstep in the team match portion. I was relieved that things would be over and I'd have everyone home so I could go see the second number.

LOUD!!!!!!!! That's the only way to describe this event. I got their about 45 minutes before the team match. The other participating schools (and private classes) obviously had a much bigger budget than Mountain View. (All her teammates had to either rent costumes or make something up from what they had. Maggie's dress was rented from a local theater company, but she looked great in it.) One group in particular (from Idaho) had probably 100+ people there who had no shortage of lung power or enthusiasm (or money!). My ears were definitely ringing and the headache was overwhelming to say the least. (I'm most grateful I didn't take Griffin along. He wouldn't have lasted three seconds in there.)

All the teams gathered in a circle and it was just like watching Juliet Prowse in PBS with all the couples doing their specialty dance and then the next groups coming in. After the first few dances, they gave the standings; MV was in 5th (out of 7) place. Their number was called, so Maggie and Lance (Elliott) took their places on the floor.

As a result of their dance, they brought their team up one place to finish in 4th. She was very pleased with their performance (as was I).

The Fifth Grade Heads to Clear Creek

2011-01-16T18:13:00.000-08:00

This is the most anticipated event for fifth grade. (In sixth grade, it's Space Camp.)

I was fortunate enough to be asked to go as one of the teachers/chaperones, and to drive Debbie Draper's Suburban loaded to the roof. That saved me the headache of going on the bus and afforded me the opportunity to listen to my scriptures for the 90-minute drive.

When we arrived, the caretaker told us that it had been -27 that morning, but fortunately they didn't expect any more sub-zero temps through our stay. It was 13 when we got off the bus, so we sent everyone to unpack in their cabins and get their snow gear on so they could play for a while. There was 5 feet of snow; the top 2 were pure powder. The boys immediately went to the snowbanks and broke out the sleds.

The other favorite activity of the boys was dodgeball. Griffin didn't want to get in the game, but he wanted to participate so he coached from the sidelines.

We decided we wanted to have our picture taken together on the first day rather than the last one, which we usually do. So from left to right, it's Debbie Draper, Tiffany Hone--and me!

After some play time, we decided to take them to the ropes course. (Unfortunately, the majority of it was under snow.) This is where they get to bury their teachers in snow. Since the school that went the week before us didn't allow their students to go in the snow (go figure), it was all untouched powder. The adults (the 3 teachers and a few dads) were given snowshoes to break the path. That is hard work!

Griffin was plain exhausted after the walk.

After we got back to the parking lot, it was the boys' turn to snowshoe. Griffin and I decided to go and break our own trail. Ellie and I had gone when she was there, but there wasn't nearly as much snow and the majority of it was packed, so it wasn't as difficult. Griffin probably made it 100 feet before having to take a rest, then deciding to turn around and be done.

Now it was time to build snow forts. The boys divided themselves into two groups with a prize of a king sized candy bar (per boy) on the line. This is "phase one" of Griffin's group. We called it "the hot tub."

After that part was finished, Griffin and his friends, Erik and Darrin, made themselves a security force to prevent any spies from the opposing team.

When they were both finished, we took pictures in them. Please excuse the goofy hair. Headbands aren't really conducive to keeping hair in the same place.

Here are the boys in the finished fort: the delicate arch, slide, tunnel, and hot tub.

That evening, after dinner, we broke out the karaoke (which failed miserably due to technical difficulties) and a movie (National Treasure) complete with popcorn, soda and movie snacks. When the movie was over, they returned to their cabins--to not sleep. Unfortunately, we can't go to bed until they are all asleep, so we were up to 1 waiting.

The next day, we spent some time going over the physical and chemical states of matter. (They hadn't done very well on their test.) This is Griffin and a few classmates illustrating the atoms in a solid.

Here they are as a liquid.

And finally, as a gas.

Then, it was time for more activities. This time they focused more on sledding.

The boys before they boarded the bus.

Since the rest of the pictures I have don't include either of us, I'll just include the last one with the three of us after 3 days. I had decided to take a shower (the "Executive Inn" cabin was nicely equipped with them) so I wasn't too freaked out by my appearance.

It was a great few days. I survived without ever being too cold, and Griffin had a great time as well. Bring on Space Camp!

We've Been Adopted!

2011-01-03T17:30:00.000-08:00

Our neighbors have a cat named Gus. I have included him before in our blog. Lately, he seems to have found his way into our family--by way of the dog door. For a while, I thought Griffin was struggling making the kool-aid because I seemed to find these little "splatter" patterns on my counters. Once I realized that Gus had been coming in when we were gone, I noticed that these patterns were actually his paw prints. And to our astonishment, the dogs didn't react when he came in. This made us realize that this must not be a new behavior; we're just the last to know.

In fact, at one point last week, we realized that he's made his home under Ellie's bed. We didn't realize just how often, though, until we were dog sitting and the little pup--who fit quite easily under the bed--regularly was barking in Ellie's room until Gus made his way out.

We've been in quite a cold snap lately, so Gus has been coming in on a more regular basis. He's even skipped going under the bed to just snuggling in with Ellie. This morning, as I was getting out of bed, this was what greeted me.

When I came home, this was the scene in Ellie's bed. Did I mention we've been adopted?

Happy Belated Anniversary!

2011-01-02T16:27:00.001-08:00

Today--after church--I was sent to my room. I wasn't allowed to come out. I was able to use my laptop to watch the Eagles game while I updated Ian's blog (also behind since August). I was able to play around with new templates for my blog; new year, new template. And then, after a few hours, I could smell steak. And it smelled GOOD! I had heard little helpers out in the kitchen working feverishly. And then my door opened and I was invited to sit at the table.

The kids had cleaned off the table (a miraculous feat in unto itself!) and had set a lovely place setting for two. John had made (for all of us) french onion soup, salad, steak, roasted red potatoes and asparagus. But the kids were banished to the basement. And one of the two dogs was sent to the great, cold outdoors. And we ate. Just the two of us.

The Eagles lost. Griffin choked--a little. And Wilbur kept barking. But my dinner was wonderful! And the company was wonderful. And my day was wonderful. And even though we waited four days to celebrate, it was worth waiting for.

All Caught Up!

2011-01-01T17:54:00.001-08:00

It's January 1, 2011 and I just spent a week updating five months of the blog. I know the entries aren't as detailed as they could be, but my new year resolution is to stay on top of things this year!

Christmas Eve was on Friday this year, so both John and I had the day off. Keeping with our new tradition, we took all the change we saved from the year and went to Nickel City (formerly Nickelcade). And I guess because it was Friday, everyone else decided to go as well. It was crowded and noisy, but we had nearly 3,000 tickets at the end of the day and the kids had a good time, which is all that matters. I got to wrapping, deciding I didn't want to wait until night, and was done and had the house clean and was in bed by 9. Of course, I couldn't sleep so I was up until about 4. Just two hours until the kids would open the door!

Christmas was wonderful. Griffin had wanted an assortment of Nerf guns (I know, no Star Wars toys) and I had purposely saved those until last. He was gracious with every gift, but you could see the disappointment building in his eyes. And then, with no presents left, I directed his attention to the bags behind the chairs and his face lit up. It was totally worth it. Although smaller than usual, the best part was talking with Ian. He was supposed to call between 9 and 10 a.m., but jumped online to tell me that he would be a couple hours late. And so we got to "chat" online for about 90 minutes before he was able to call. And then we talked for 90 minutes, so we got nearly three hours of visiting!

He sounds great. His cadence is a little different, but there's no accent. He didn't trip over his english or spanish. He is struggling a bit with some companion issues, but is on the right path to taking care of them appropriately.

That afternoon, we went to the Elliotts to enjoy wings and other good food. Griffin and Liam both got Nerf guns, so they had a battle. I stayed in comfy clothes all day and didn't cook. I saved the Butter Chicken for the next day, holding firm to my not cooking on Christmas Day tradition.

John and I celebrated our 21st anniversary by doing nothing. We'll be saving our dinner for tomorrow night, but have already purchased the steak and other delicious food with the Costco gift card. In fact, that day we "enjoyed" quite the snowstorm/blizard and didn't go ANYWHERE!

The girls and I spent December 28/29 "like-ing" the Wal-Mart Fighting for Hunger campaign. Wal-Mart would donate $1 million to the food bank of the city with the most support. And this is one determined state! I can't even guess how many entries we did and how many we liked, but as of yesterday at 5 pm, it looks like SLC won by nearly 1 million votes! The final winner will be announced January 5.

For New Year's Eve, we went to Kim's, something we haven't been able to do for a couple of years. Since the rest of the kids had other plans, it was just our family and Kim. We went and saw "Tangled" in 3D and then, well, ate and ate and ate. We tooted our horns at 10 when the ball fell in New York, and John went to bed. We also watched "Inception," a movie I can't wait for Ian to see, and ate some more. She sent us home with enough food to last a week and I spent the rest of the evening catching up!

And now, I consider myself caught up! Happy New Year! Farewell 2010. Here's hoping 2011 is the best year yet.

December 23, 2010: Memories

2010-12-23T21:46:00.003-08:00

Merry Christmas Adam! Memories from Christmas past.

December 22, 2010: A GNO to the Mt. Timpanogos Temple

2010-12-23T21:46:00.001-08:00

For those of you who don't know what "GNO" is, it stands for Girl's Night Out. When Ellie turned 12 in March, she got her temple recommend. But when it was our ward's turn to do baptisms, she was unable to go. I had promised her that we would find another time to go, especially since we had the whole summer ahead of us. Summer came and went, school started, schedules got even busier, and I still had never taken her to the temple.

When we were in the waiting room at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, I called the temple to ask them about their schedules for baptisms--and we went ahead and planned on going that Wednesday because we didn't have mutual that night. When Wednesday came, we invited Maggie to go with us so she could support Ellie for her first time.

Arlan Greening, a former member of our ward, was working the baptistry recommend desk. He couldn't believe how old the girls had gotten and was so supportive of Ellie. We visited while the girls got changed. The crowds hadn't come yet, so it was quite empty. I sat with Ellie at the side of the baptistry while Mags did her list of ten. And then it was Ellie's turn. What a special night this was! I found some quiet to read the scriptures and just enjoy the quiet. The girls came out and we left in almost 30 minutes!

Since things had gone so quickly, we decided to stop at The Chocolate for a treat. It was a great night with just the girls, doing good things. I hope we have many of these to come.

December 19, 2010: "I Am Goliath"

2010-12-23T21:45:00.001-08:00

I have a friend by the name of Candace Bergquist. She substitute taught at Westmore quite a bit and became a friend to Griffin. She contacted me to let me know that she was part of an interfaith choir and they would be performing on Sunday the 19th, with Thurl Bailey (former Jazz basketball player and star of the Living Scriptures' David DVD) and that she would love the have the family come--along with the Williams and Elliotts. Griffin, Mags, Carma and Cherise and I set up quite early: 5:00 for a 7:00 performance. And it's a good thing! We got so lost that it took us nearly that whole time to get there. It was just in Alpine, but we kept ending up everywhere BUT where we were supposed to go. Finally, after Griffin mentioned to us once again that we were lost, Cherise called Blaine who was able to get us there five minutes before it was to start.

Because we were so late, we were in the very back row. BUT, because we were so late, they had brought in the chairs from the Relief Society room, so we had comfy chairs--and were right next to the refreshments!

The performance was lovely. It as a bit difficult to see Thurl, but he is rather tall, so we were able to see his head. They performed probably ten songs, and I learned that "Far, Far Away in Judea's Plains" is an LDS Christmas song. I had NEVER known that before!

Afterwards, Candace invited us to her house for cookies and hot chocolate. Griffin enjoyed meeting her cats and we enjoyed the company and hospitality.

I am most grateful that I had good company with me. After last night's shenanigans, I couldn't have made it through without my friends. And we'll never forget it!

December 18, 2010: David Archuleta and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

2010-12-23T21:44:00.004-08:00

Every year, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir puts on a concert with a well-known singer and actor. It's a lottery process where you enter your name and hope to get 4 tickets to one of their four performances. This year, we were chosen. The guest singer was David Archuleta, a home-town boy who was the runner up in American Idol several years ago, and Michael York was the actor. The night before we were supposed to go, one of the lead stories on KSL was that people who had been there 45 minutes early didn't make it in because, while they usually oversell the performances based on a certain percentage of no-shows, David was a big enough draw that people weren't skipping the show. We decided to go very early, spend some time at Gateway Mall, look at the decorations downtown, and then head to the conference center.

Well, we got there around 2 and were told that we couldn't get into the parking structure until 3:15, so we went to the Gateway first. It was a lovely afternoon, quite warm, and we enjoyed going to some of the stores--none more than Bath and Body Works which is the girls' favorite. We stopped for some cookies and hot chocolate, and then, noting the time, we went back to park. From there, we walked through the temple grounds and decided it would be good to see "Joseph Smith: The Restoration" again. That would take 90 minutes and then we would have plenty of time to get in line.

I love that movie. As Emma Smith remarks to Joseph, "Do you ever think the Lord asks too much?" I thought about the Empty Nester's dinner again and thought, "I'm such a dork! I haven't had to bury a child or cross the plains." It's such a great production. I looked at the sister missionaries who were bearing their testimonies and thought about Ian, who was doing the same in another part of the world.

When the movie finished, we walked over to the Conference Center only to see the line going all the way up the hill, approaching the Capitol Building. I told the girls that we didn't have a prayer of getting in, so if we didn't, we would head to dinner instead. I think they were secretly hoping we didn't. But after being in line for about a half hour, they opened the doors and we made it in. In fact, when we got inside to our seats, we couldn't believe how much of it was still empty! That's a lot of people in there.

The concert was great. He can certainly sing! He needs a little maturity behind him before he addresses crowds, but the music was superb. The girls really liked Michael York as well and thought he would have been a great Dumbledore.

These were the best parts of the day. From there, it all went downhill. Of course, it took a while just to get out of the parking garage. Then to get to the freeway. And then, traffic wasn't terribly bad, but we knew that they were shutting down I-15 at Pleasant Grove to work on bridges, so we had a time crunch ahead of us. And then, there was an accident that shut down the freeway about five miles ahead of that. I screwed up the detour and ended up in this horrific traffic situation. I can't believe I wasn't arrested because I was FULL of road rage. I had an 18-wheeler ahead of me that was just NOT cooperating; a police officer who was letting everyone ahead of us (and that's when I yelled). And I had to go to the bathroom. I kept posting status updates on Facebook, venting over and over. (Mandy was very helpful in updating me on what was going on.) And I couldn't get anywhere. Man, I was dying. Ellie put on Brian Regan so we could at least laugh a little. So once we got back on, we decided to get back off and find somewhere to eat. We stopped at the Sonic in Pleasant Grove and they were out of food left and right.

Needless to say, I was SOO happy to get home. I found the bathroom first, then took many deep breaths. (It ends up that three pedestrians ran across the freeway and were hit. They had run out of gas and decided to cross the road. The mother died and the others were in stable condition.) I apologized to my girls for losing control and decided to just remember the good parts of the day and evening. In fact, as I write this a couple of weeks later, I had forgotten about the traffic until I was looking at my FB posts.

December 17, 2010: The Annual Christmas Sing at Westmore Elementary

2010-12-23T21:44:00.003-08:00

Only two more years at Westmore, which means two more Christmas "sings." The fifth grade performed two numbers: Mele Kalikimaka and The Elf's Lament (a rap). I accompanied both, so had to have someone else take pictures of Griffin. He loved getting to wear a hat and sunglasses for the day--and really, it was quite the laid-back school day. They watched two movies, practiced the songs, exchanged gifts, and generally, accomplished nothing. But it was the easiest class party I've ever had to throw. All I had to do was provide a monster bag of popcorn for the movies (provided by the Scera), so I was very grateful!

December 15, 2010: Lessons Learned

2010-12-23T21:44:00.001-08:00

Today is the day we were supposed to have our annual Empty Nester's dinner for mutual. But we went caroling instead and delivered gifts. Why, you ask? Well, meet my alter-ego: Laman. I murmured. A lot. December is a tough month as far as how many activities are crammed in a short period of time. At the start of the month, we watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional where we were reminded to focus on the important things of the season and to simplify. And yet, we have something every single day and evening. This dinner has gone from a simple event to dinner for nearly 100 people just three days after the big ward party. And so I complained. To anyone who would sit and listen. To my friend, Laurels advisor, and Bishop's wife. She shared my frustrations with him. And the dinner was canceled. And I felt horrible. I knew that I had let myself down.

That Sunday, the Bishop called in all the youth leaders. He spoke about the parable of the sowers. And I was humbled. And I felt remorse. And I apologized for my part in everything that happened. As the Laurels tree had "failed" in a painless way, so had we. No one was killed. No one was bleeding. But we let down the other members of the ward. We didn't impress upon the youth the importance of following-through. We failed them as their leaders. It was a lesson well learned.

December 11, 2010: The Ward Christmas Party

2010-12-23T21:42:00.002-08:00

This is it! The day the ward waits for! The annual Christmas breakfast. Last night we brought pizzas and joined the Prestons (along with a few others) to set up all the tables and chairs. Decorations were minimal (which I always like) since each organization was providing a tree that represented themselves. (I alluded to that in an earlier post.) The Laurels had said that they wanted to do a tree similar to YW in Excellence and do four ornaments each that represented them. Unfortunately, only one of them did. So I provided a snowflake ornament with a picture of each one of them, added a few balls, the tutu skirts from camp, and lights and decided it was a good object lesson that we would talk about in class the next week.

I tried a new recipe from The Pioneer Woman (thank you, Megan Clawson, for introducing me to her website--although my waistline doesn't appreciate it) for the breakfast casserole. It wasn't too shabby; nothing of hers is. We signed all the letters to the missionaries, enjoyed a short program, and cleaned up! I brought my tree home and Griffin changed it from a Laurels tree into a Bakugan tree and took it downstairs.

December 10, 2010: Ian Turns His Back on the Teen Years

2010-12-23T21:42:00.001-08:00

My first baby turned 20 today. No longer a teenager. Off in Argentina. Serving the Lord.

I think what was most surprising to me was how old I feel. I'm old enough to have a 20-year-old son? It's those moments like when they first go to school, when they graduate, when they get a mission call, that make me realize how fast time is going.

Ian's mission is almost halfway over. Before we know it, he will be back and heading off to college. In a few more years, he may be getting married and then starting a family of his own. We won't even mention the word "grandma" although I'll be a fabulous one!

Happy 20th Ian!

December 9, 2010: 4H Parent Night and Christmas is in the House

2010-12-23T21:41:00.002-08:00

This is probably the busiest week of the season. As earlier mentioned, Maggie and Ellie both had performances, there were tryouts, the 4-H parent night and prepping for the ward party (which required set-up the night before and a tree that represented the Laurels).

We enjoyed the performances of club members, saw Griffin the in the video for cup stacking and chowed down on cookies and punch. Afterwards, it was time to work on the tree for the Laurels. It didn't work out quite as we had planned, but I thought it looked nice just the same. Griffin loved having two trees next to each other in the living room, so I took some pictures so I could remember how great it makes me feel when the room is decorated for Christmas.

December 9, 2010: The Next Westmore Production Auditions!

2010-12-23T21:41:00.001-08:00

With the huge success of last spring's musical, Annie Jr., it was time to decide what would be the next production. There was an even greater interest so it would need to be something that could handle a big cast. The decision was made to put on the play "Peter Pan." Note the word "play" rather than "musical." And since I had been asked to be the musical director, I felt that maybe my job was about to become a lot easier. I am in charge of the background music (which means recording it for a soundtrack) and the foley artist. I'm kind of excited about that part!

The main reason I agreed to do this was because Griffin wanted to be part of the play this year. So here it was, time for auditions, and Griffin decided he couldn't go through with it. Mrs. Draper said that he could be on the "crew" with her, so he's happy as a lark now.

Rehearsals start in January so I will be spending time over the Christmas break working on music and transitions. We'll see how it goes!

December 8 through 12: Maggie Heads to California!

2010-12-23T21:40:00.005-08:00

Ian had the opportunity to go to Salt Lake and SUU a time or two for M.U.N. and student council. I always thought that was really cool. Maggie took it one step further this year. As part of the ballroom team, they were able to go on tour to California. So Maggie became the first in our family to go to Knotts Berry Farm, Disneyland, California Adventure, and Hollywood. This also included an opportunity to be taught at THE "Dancing with the Stars" studios! This five-day trip was truly the highlight of her 17-year life. Even though she didn't take any pictures, she was tagged in several on Facebook, so I've snagged a few of them to share.

I'll need to have her give a better summary of the tour since she was the one who had the great experiences!

December 7, 2010: Ellie's Christmas Concert

2010-12-23T21:40:00.003-08:00

All I had heard about this concert was that they had to dance during one of the songs. That a boy actually had to touch a girl. So we sent Mags a little early to get a spot for us since I needed to visit teach and John wasn't home from work yet. We got there as quickly as we could, just in time to enjoy their warm-ups. I really like the new Lakeridge choir teacher. Her name is Mrs. Covington and she is a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (that's not the only reason I like her--she has been really encouraging and supportive of Ellie). She included several of the choirs for a few of the numbers, then broke out into the different classes.

One of the groups did a really good rendition of "Carol of the Bells." It's one of my favorites. And then, it was time for the song and dance number. You would think they would have been told to spit in their hands and then hold hands. The looks of utter disgust and displeasure were more entertaining than the song itself. You know how I know this? I don't even remember what song they sang, but I remember the dance number!

I will try to upload some video in a bit. I didn't get any photos because we were too busy videotaping.

December 5, 2010: The Season of Tradition Begins

2010-12-23T21:40:00.001-08:00

As is tradition for the Asplund family, we gathered at the Rodens for the reading of the first stave of A Christmas Carol. Not wanting to arrive empty-handed, we quickly made some Ebilskivers to share. Claire and Rachel Asplund were able to join us as well.

John had gotten a new phone that weekend, so Griffin was entertained by some of the new games, but most surprisingly, he seemed to be listening! The trickiest part of this tradition is finishing the book. I always hear the first stave, but don't progress past that point unless I watch the movie. This year I was fortunate enough to go see a junior production of it with the fifth grade, so that helped bring the spirit.

December 3 and 6, 2010: Maggie Dances, Drops, and Recovers

2010-12-23T21:38:00.002-08:00

This is the night I've been waiting for! I love watching ballroom dance and with Maggie on the team, it makes it even better. I knew she was frustrated with some things and thrilled with others. I decided to go both nights so I could take pictures one night and video the other.

She did SUCH a GREAT job! On the first night, during the final dance, when she was being lifted up, her finger was bent backwards and we were sure it was broken. (Fortunately, after several sets of x-rays, it wasn't, but it was pretty badly hurt.)

On Monday night, the whole family (including Patt and Malcolm) came to support her. And during this performance, she was dropped in the last number. But she just continued to dance, not missing a beat.

So she did four dances: the chango (her ballroom technique class),

the disco (team),

the rumba (team)

and the quickstep (team).

You can tell by watching her how much she loves being part of the team. She always dances with a smile on her face, even AFTER she was injured or dropped. I'm looking forward to their next concert when it is just ballroom team and not with Orchesis.

I don't know if you have to friend this teammate of hers to see the videos, but he has some great HD footage of some of the team performances.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/?id=100000105309667

November 29, 2010: Prizes and Tradition

2010-12-23T21:38:00.001-08:00

On a Monday afternoon, I was at the local health food store with Cherise while she picked up a gift for her mother's birthday. My phone rings, and it's my friend, Kristen Preston, telling me I had just one $100 from APX Alarm because of my response to their question, "What is the best present you ever received?" (We put Snowflake.) I stood there, in the bulk room, screaming! I couldn't believe it! When I got home, I jumped on to see another person congratulating me for my win. I was able to choose a $100 gift card to anywhere that had them online (so my favorite spa was out). After much deliberation, we chose Costco so we could buy good steaks for our anniversary, along with toilet paper and other necessities.

And with the busyness of the season, we thought we'd tackle one of our traditions a bit earlier than usual. I think one of the kids' favorite things to do is go to the dollar store. We each buy a present for the others in the family. We usually do this the first Monday of December, but I knew what was coming up and thought it would be great to get a jump on things. It also helps to get me in the holiday spirit. And this year, we were okay with Griffin going "on his own" which made it even better because it would be a total surprise rather than knowing what he got for everyone. Unfortunately, he still told me everything he got because he just knew I would love it. Gotta love him.

November 27, 2010: A Belated Birthday

2010-12-23T21:37:00.002-08:00

For John's birthday, I wasn't able to get him what I had wanted--and what I thought HE wanted. So a few weeks later, my favorite spa had a special, so I was finally able to get John what he had always wanted: a massage! But even better, it was buy one, get one free, so I got one too! I also scheduled pedicures.

It was the day before the big surprise and he said to me, "I'm okay with whatever it might be, as long as it's not a massage." What??? The whole time we've been married, he has always said that he wanted one. And now, when I finally have this great surprise ready, he said he doesn't want one? I assured him that he would love it and that there was also going to be a pedicure, hoping that would lessen the anxiety.

He was relieved to find that we were in the same room, and that since it was only 30 minutes, they would only work back and shoulders. It was no gen-teel massage. In fact, both of us were pretty sore for a few days. Next was the pedicure, which he really enjoyed. In fact, I think if there's another BOGO on them, we'll go back.

After our spa day, I took him to one of my favorite restaurants: Spark. It was a great way to spend the day.

November 25, 2010: Thanksgiving!

2010-12-23T21:37:00.001-08:00

A few days before Thanksgiving, we watched "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" on TV. As I was sitting there making my list of what to make and the timeline, I thought to myself, "Maybe this year we'll just do a Charlie Brown-style Thanksgiving: toast, popcorn, jelly beans, and pretzels. John can set the table just like Snoopy did, by shuffling the plates and throwing them all out."

With Griffin still quite sick, we declined all other offers by family to join them and decided to just do it at our house. I had said that we were going to do something simple, each person's favorite or what they can't do without for Thanksgiving. We still ended up with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, Parker House rolls, corn, salad, cranberry relish, sweet potatoes, and egg nog. Our simple dinner still took nearly 8 hours of cooking--and was devoured in 20 minutes. Well, not devoured. We still had leftovers for a couple of days, which is the BEST part of the holiday!

We took a few pictures to send to Ian, not meaning for him to become homesick, but to compare what his Thanksgiving looked like.

Ian's Thanksgiving consisted of pizza and a kilo of ice cream. He said they don't have turkey there and if they found it, they couldn't afford it. Well, he looks happy enough to me!

November 21, 2010: It's Going to Be a LONG Night

2010-12-23T21:36:00.002-08:00

We try so hard to keep Griffin healthy, because inevitably, it will trigger his asthma. But there was a wicked virus going around the school, which led to it becoming part of our family for a while, the whole Thanksgiving break plus a few days.

We had a lot of rough nights, and a friend who was able to lend us her pulse oximeter so we could stay on top of things. We had a couple visits to the doctor where he digressed from just asthma to bronchitis bordering on pneumonia. Fortunately, we made it through without any trips to the hospital.

When I posted an ongoing update of his status on Facebook, his preschool teacher, Miss Cathy (Petersen) commented back, "May the force be with him!" He is so well known and loved.

November 20, 2010: The Death of Two Giants

2010-12-23T21:36:00.001-08:00

The world lost two great people today. The first one lived a very short life. The second, substantially longer. But both of these individuals had great impact upon the lives of those with whom they came in contact.

The first was a young boy by the name of Rex Stuart. Rex was only two years old when he was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). In essence, it is a rare, terminal cancer of the brain stem. He is the son of a woman who grew up in the Lakeridge 8th Ward. My first encounter with Rex was when I was helping the Kuesters with the donations that poured in after their house burnt. A truck load of household goods was going to be delivered to MarChele Oldham's house (the PTA president at the time). He was one of those who came to help unload. It was shortly after this that he was diagnosed.

The community rallied their support for the family. A 5K was organized. A group designed a tree for him during the Festival of Trees. Stephanie (his mom) was pregnant through most of this. She was fortunate to deliver his little sister just a few weeks before he passed away. And when word spread that he had passed, everything was a little darker that day. People moved a little slower. And we hugged our kids a little longer and tighter.

The second individual was the mother of my brother-in-law, Bruce. Her name was Jolene Roden. When John and I first got married, she was like a second mother to us. They included us in all of their family activities. I remember crystal clear sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner, hugely pregnant with Ian, barely able to scoot my chair in. I could hardly eat because I was so big! At student housing at the U, we lived in the same courtyard as their oldest son, Lynn, and his family. They were always kind and thoughtful and inclusive as well. Ten years later, we moved to Draper (where they lived) and were part of their ward. It was great to have a friendly face in the crowd. About 18 months ago, she was diagnosed with cancer.

At her funeral, we were able to reconnect with Lynn and his family, as well as the others. I listened as her kids told stories about her and the great mother that she was. How loved she was by so many. I was impressed by what I heard, and how far-reaching her effect had been. She was a great woman. Her children attest to her greatness.

November 19, 2010: Sunsets and NERF Guns

2010-12-23T21:34:00.000-08:00

Tonight was an amazing sunset! I had to share the pictures. It looked kind of "end of the world" to me.

Also, John and I hosted two couples so he could teach them about the new Family Search program. Ellie and Griffin had to entertain themselves, so they prepared for battle. Nerf battle.

November 16, 2010: Quotes from Griffin

2010-12-23T21:33:00.004-08:00

November 2, 2010:
This morning, I asked Griffin, "What's the one thing you will do to be a good dad?" His response: "Make sure my wife is happy." Good boy, Griffin. Good boy.

November 9, 2010:
Griffin: Mom, when were the 80s?
Mom: Um, in the 80s.

November 16,2 010:
Today I was told to "hold that thought." I'm sure I stood there with a quizzical look on my face.

November 14, 2010: Our VERY LAST Primary Program

2010-12-23T21:33:00.003-08:00

The last diaper. The last time potty training. The last one in nursery. The last baptism. The last pack meeting. And the last Primary program.

I'm in the process of finding the actual text of his talk and will include it here when I find it, but he did such a good job. For so many years, we were crossing fingers and holding our breath that he would just get through whatever he had to do. And then, this young man came to the podium, and without clearing his voice or tapping the microphone, he gave his talk. He returned to his seat. He didn't wave. He didn't do anything he wasn't supposed to. That was left for another of the young boys in the ward.

The baton has been passed.

November 13, 2010: Sadie Hawkins Meets Phineas and Ferb

2010-12-23T21:33:00.001-08:00

Maggie wasn't going to go to the Sadie Hawkins dance at Mtn. View, but it's her senior year! She hadn't gone to any of the others and I really wanted her to go to one. She went with her friend, Tucker. The next hardest part was deciding what famous couple to go as. Everything I offered didn't seem to be accepted with much enthusiasm. So I went home and made dinner. I was texting her options when, lo and behold, "Phineas and Ferb" came on the TV. And as an angel appearing from heaven, it came to me: Candice and Jeremy. The offer was accepted and here they are!

Other couples in their group included Calvin and Susie (Calvin & Hobbes) and Prince Charming and Cinderella (the ones in the black t-shirts).

Maggie's costume was perfect--and the hair coloring will be remembered by us all for as long as we own the house; the bathtub is permanently stained with the coloring.

November 11, 2010: Veteran's Day

2010-12-23T21:31:00.002-08:00

A book compiled by a Doylestown Twp. woman honors one particular veteran - her father - and his father who made sure letters from home were as much style as substance during World War I.

In 1917, thousands of American men left the comfort of home and family, perhaps for the first time, to fight on the battlefields of war-torn Europe.

There, in the muddy, lice-filled trenches, surrounded by enemy fire, crushing tanks, and the fear of mustard gas, these boys faced death on a daily basis.

For many, the only reprieve from the hell of the Great War was a letter from home, offering words of love and encouragement and reminders of what awaited them upon their return.

For 18-year-old Private Walter L. Myers of Ohio, his letters from home carried something extra. Actually, it wasn't so much the letter, but the envelope.

Myer's father, Ross, an artist, hand-painted each envelope to his son, adorning them with patriotic or military scenes, some in cartoon format.

The correspondences gave Walter and his Army buddies something to smile about. And they made Walter quite popular with the officers. Walter, himself an artist, was tapped to paint their lockers and luggage.

"It created a bond between father and son that lasted through the years," says Walter's daughter Nancy Myers Hopkins.

Hopkins, a 78-year-old Doylestown Township resident, recently published a book about the hand-painted envelopes, 48 of which survived the war.

Called "Mail Call," the book features images of the envelopes sent to Walter, as well as excerpts from Walter's letters home and his memoirs decades after the war.

One envelope, mailed to Walter in June 1918, features a soldier walking tall and proud, having just taken a shower, a rare but welcome activity, since the men were covered in mud and lice.

On Oct. 7, 1918, Walter sent this letter home from the front:

Dear Mom and Dad:

+.I just took a "cootie" bath and got rid of a fine bunch of "cooties+" I walked ten miles to a cootie bath house and got my clothes steamed, put on a brand new suit of underwear and took a hot bath. That was the end of Mr. Cootie. Don't suppose I'll get another bath until I get another batch of them. Water is scare over here."

Walter and Ross Myers came from a long line of artists. Ross ran a scene shop in Steubenville, Ohio, first painting for stage coach shows and then for vaudeville. Walter helped out and was himself quite talented.

At 18, Walter enlisted in the Army and was assigned to the Signal Corps because he knew his way around as wireless operator. Walter's own artistic skills and the envelopes caught the Army's attention, and Walter was assigned the task of painting camouflage, a difficult job to get for a young soldier.

On March 11, 1918, Walter wrote his father:

The fellow who examined me here said I knew more about painting than 3/4 of the men he had ever examined. I know darn well I will like camouflage if I ever get a good chance at it+. Those envelopes of yours help a good deal. Most every day a Lieut. or somebody drops in to see them.

Advertisement Walter was also adept at spotting camouflage in the terrain and was soon assigned to the 3rd Balloon Squadron. He was sent up in a hot air balloon to find and map out enemy troop movements.

It was dangerous work since the balloons could be shot down at any time, though the men carried parachutes.

On Oct. 25, 1918, Walter wrote:

Dear Mom and Dad:

+.We lost another balloon the other day. Burned by a boche airman. God knows but maybe our machine guns didn't give him "H" but he got away with it. Our observers landed safe in their parachutes.

The Boche shelled us the other night and one shell landed about ten feet from yours truly's tent. Say, boy, you ought to have seen our gang high-tail it for the dugouts.

Many of Ross' envelopes to his son depicted the balloons on reconnaissance missions. Others carried images of eagles or infantrymen, or just Army life. At one point, Walter asked his father not to send any more decorated envelopes because people were stealing them.

Walter traveled through France, carrying his father's envelopes in a muslin bag his mother made. Walter thought they were lost after his unit's bags were misplaced. But the bags were eventually recovered and the envelopes were safe.

"From the time he got them he knew he wanted to keep them," said Hopkins.

Both Walter and the envelopes survived the war.

After the armistice was signed on Nov. 11, 1918, ending World War I, Walter stayed in France for several months playing the ukulele in a vaudeville-style troupe with fellow soldiers. Walter also sang and drew illustrations of the performances.

He returned to Ohio in 1919 and eventually took over the family business, which had evolved into painting and decorating mostly churches, service organizations and schools.

Walter's mother, Daisy, stored the envelopes in her attic and Hopkins remembers playing postmaster with them as a child. Eventually they were given to Walter's eldest son, Walter Jr., and the brittle, delicate pieces are today stored in a safety deposit box in Ohio.

Walter died in 1978.

Hopkins, who grew up listening to her father sing patriotic songs or use the French he learned during the war, wanted to ensure future generations of Myerses could enjoy and appreciate the envelopes. She began compiling transparencies of the pieces and finally published "Mail Call."

"It's something I wanted to do for many years," she said. "I did this so his posterity would have copies of it."

The book is not yet in general circulation. (Bucks County Courier Times)

November 5-6, 2010: The Bishop's Youth Retreat

2010-12-23T21:31:00.001-08:00

About a month ago in BYC, one of the youth asked about doing another Bishop's Retreat. Mind you, it wasn't in the schedule--or budget--so I didn't expect anything to come of it. But similar to our impromptu boating, he thought it was a good idea and it was time to start planning. With just a month's notice, it fell upon Reed Price (the YM President) and I to plan it. The first thing was making sure we had a location. We enjoyed Heber Valley Camp the last time we did it, and were fortunate enough to secure it once again. We next quickly turned it over to the youth leaders. They were each in charge of an activity and the theme was "Get Committed" since there seems to be a lack of that right now.

I asked Hannah Miller, one of my young woman, to design a logo so we could make t-shirts (seen here modeled by Mags and Ellie) and Sharon Franz at Westmore screened them just two days before.

John, Cherise, and Jennifer Jacob were good enough to be our food committee. I thought it would be great for Cherise to get to know the young women before camp, and John was a good sport to support me in my time of need. So they took on three meals and a late night treat so we could take care of everything else. Dinner that night was Cafe Rio salads and they were SOOO good!

The Beehives had the first activity and did a scripture-based "minute to win it." Next was the Bishop who talked about being committed to the Lord and the gospel. The Priests then showed a silent movie while we enjoyed hot chocolate floats. Once again, the young women stayed in the room behind the pavilion so we enjoyed the heat. John slept in the dressing room portion of the shower area--in a room rigged with motion detectors that turned the light on every time he moved. Needless to say, he didn't get the best night's rest.

For breakfast, we had the the typical "big breakfast" of pancakes, eggs, bacon, etc. Then Reed and I did our part on commitment to self and family. When I was planning what to do, I was really stuck on using a straight jacket somehow; you know, being "committed." I couldn't get anything to flow with it and then, after reading several conference talks, it occurred to me: Red Rover! I needed a young man who was committed to making it through the line, someone who didn't give up when the challenges facing him were harder than he imagine. I chose Lance Elliott because he is the biggest and strongest of the priests. However, he was so worried about hurting someone that he DIDN'T make it through the line! I was sure that my object lesson had been lost, but as I was continuing to talk about being committed, it occurred to me that the point was even better made by having all the young men get back up and having Lance running until he DID make it through. And when he did, boy, it was brutal! No one got hurt but Lance himself. He scraped up his knee pretty bad and ripped his jeans, but fortunately we was able to protect his broken hand from further injury. I think it was an even better visualization then I had planned.

We were followed by the Laurels doing a blindfolded activity where you had to rely on another young man or woman; this led into being committed to friends. It was followed by chili for lunch. After some time to clean up, the Deacons did "Never have I ever..." It was enlightening for sure! I found out which of the young man have worn a dress and which young women have kissed someone. The day ended with the Teachers doing a compass course.

October 29-November 4, 2010: A Visit from Kirsty and Layla

2010-12-23T21:30:00.000-08:00

Layla Jean had surgery last week to begin the reparations for her spina bifida. In order for her to recover before she could return home, she needed a place where it was relatively quiet (for both mother and daughter). So we moved Ellie out of her room and into Maggie's and Layla and Kirsty into her room. It seemed to go smoothly with only one unexpected trip back to PCMC, but I think I gained five pounds or so with our nightly visits to the local fave, The Chocolate. It provided some respite and relief for Kirsty and just that solace of, well, chocolate. She will be back in early December to check on everything, so I'm sure we'll be heading back for some more R&R. I better go on a diet before she comes back :-)

October 30, 2010: Halloween

2010-12-23T21:27:00.005-08:00

Last year, Griffin knew what he wanted to be for Halloween. He had put on his snow hat (that has flaps that cover his ears) and a pair of swim goggles and just KNEW that he wanted to be a WWII pilot. I figured that he still had nearly a year until that would come into fruition and that he would most certainly fall back on a Star Wars costume as he does every year.

It was coming closer to Halloween and he was sticking with his WWII pilot idea. Now we came upon the trickiest part of the costume: the leather jacket. After talking to one of my co-workers, she said that she had a jacket and goggles from her grandfather who was, in fact, a pilot in World War 2, and the she would be happy to lend them to Griffin. I couldn't believe how fortunate we were! Even though the jacket was a bit big, Griffin loved it and felt extra special since it was authentic. (A few people when they saw him thought he was "Flick" from "A Christmas Story," but I didn't tell him that.)

Since Halloween fell on a Sunday this year--and we're fortunate enough to live in Utah--trick-or-treating universally was on Saturday. Unfortunately, there was a major storm coming in for Saturday night. And after living in Utah for over 20 years, you think I would have learned the #1 factor in Utah weather: if you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes. I took out Griffin, Ellie, and Liam Elliott in the van. They were absolutely drenched, but I figured if we could get it done before it got dark, at least it would be warmer and safer. Of course, after about 30 minutes, they were done and we went home. And then, 30 minutes later, it stopped raining for the rest of the night. Remember that #1 factor? If we would have just waited, it would have been fine. Griffin was done. Ellie, of course, went back out with Liam and then another set of friends.

Needless to say, we were NOT lacking for candy.

October 28, 2010: Our VERY Last Pack Meeting

2010-12-23T21:27:00.003-08:00

This is the entry I am most sad about misplacing the photos. Griffin earned his Arrow of Light and crossed over to 11-year-old scouts tonight. He is no longer a cub scout. He almost earned all 20 of the activity badges, but just couldn't complete the swimming badge. Heck, I'm impressed that he'll put his face in the water these days and will attempt to do some sort of stroke. It's HUGE progress from where we were not too long ago.

He has had such amazing leaders throughout his scouting career: Kimberly Clark in Wolves, Judy Allen in Bears, and Cherise Elliott as a Webelo. I am so grateful for their patience, kindness and understanding. He has loved his leaders and his experience.

Griffin's friend and packmate, Andrew Johnson, also crossed over. The Webelos had an "epic battle" as part of their send-off at their last weekly meeting. Cherise, fortunately, took pictures of that, so I'm including those.

Our first pack meeting was in 1998, when Ian turned 8 years old. Twelve years later, we say farewell to the cub scouting program.

October 26, 2010: The First Snowfall of the Season

2010-12-23T21:26:00.002-08:00

First things first. I did not take this picture. I can't find a bunch of pictures we took in October, so I used one from the ksl.com site (taken by Ryan Houston). I always love the first snowfall of the season, especially when it melts quickly. But when it dumps a substantial amount, I don't love it quite as much. Especially when my best shoveler is in Argentina. Fortunately, it didn't stick around longer than a couple of days, but it still snarls traffic, aches the back, and reminds us how grateful we are for salt.

October 20, 2010: Mistaken Identity and Baseball

2010-12-23T21:26:00.001-08:00

The craziness of the week continues. One of my young women needed to perform a solo in her high school choir class. She asked if I would accompany her, so I juggled it in amongst all my other activities throughout the day. I got there about 45 minutes early, so I visited with some of the youth in the ward and Maggie and her friends during lunch. Afterwards, I met her in her class to run through the number one more time. Then, I just sat on one of the stairs awaiting her turn. As soon as we finished, her teacher came up to me and said, "I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself. I just thought you were a new student in the school auditing the class." Thanks for the good genes, Mom and Dad!

The other thing that is taking over our lives right now are the baseball playoffs. But unfortunately, that came to an end tonight. It has been one heck of a ride, and a great activity for the family to enjoy together.

October 19, 2010: The Great Juggling Act (Parties and Concerts)

2010-12-23T21:25:00.001-08:00

The time of year has come where we seem to need to divide and conquer to attend all of the events that are a part of our children's and families' lives. This week was just such a week. Maggie passed her written test and received her driving permit (yippee!). So we went driving for the first time. I had forgotten how unbelievably stressful that is. It's kind of like childbirth. For the first one, you have no idea just what an ordeal you are in for. And then, after delivery, you say to yourself, "I will never do that again." A few years pass and you think, "Oh, that wasn't so bad. I can do it again." With the first labor pain for child number two, it all comes rushing back to you and you say, "Wait! I remember! I don't want to do it again!" I think teaching a teenager to drive falls into the same category. But after a few tries, we found the right venue for her and seem to have made some progress. Both of us are a little more comfortable now. Fortunate for us, this event usually does not coincide with other scheduled events in our family. It is just one of those things that still needs to happen, but isn't set in stone.

However, Ellie's junior high choir concert and the ward skating party DID happen at the same time. Griffin loves the skating party as he takes his 3-wheeled scooter (named "Scoot" of course) and rides around the skating rink. He also gets to eat all he wants (if he has the patience to wait in line). Ellie also loves the ward party as it is a major social and food event in her life as well. But this year, the two events coincided. So, in order to help Kristen Preston with set up, we went to the rink early, unloaded her car and started the set up (mostly so they could get some dinner), and then I grabbed Karlee and Ellie and took them back to the junior high. The advantage for me was that I was there early enough to get a great front row seat. The downside? No skating party for me.

John really stepped up to the plate--or should I say, onto the floor--and skated with Griffin. I supported Ellie in her first junior high performance. I'd say it was a successful night for everyone involved, but John took a big spill on the rink and paid for it for the remainder of the week. I guess there's no gain without pain.

October 15, 2010: John's Birthday Celebration

2010-12-23T21:24:00.004-08:00

Today is my sweetheart's 44th birthday. Rather than celebrate with a birthday cake, it's a birthday pie (banana cream) and a pot roast in the crock pot. I'm gaining a little more confidence in my pie-making skills, so I was impressed that it actually tasted good! (The same is true of my bread and roll-making skills.)

Happy birthday, dear! Thank you for all you do for our family every day: sacrificing your time and energy to support us financially; sacrificing the time when you'd rather be relaxing after a hard day's work going to a concert, or presentation, or some other child-related event; and sacrificing peace and quiet for a wife that's a social butterfly. I love you very, very much.

October 13, 2010: The Chilean Miner Rescue

2010-12-23T21:24:00.001-08:00

When I was a little girl, I remember clear as yesterday (which may not be the best saying for me any more as I don't usually remember what I ate yesterday) sitting with my mom in the living room watching the rescue of Baby Jessica (McClure) on CNN. That was October 14-16, 1987. It seems to me that it was the first big national event that CNN covered 24/7.* I remember crying when she was brought up, so relieved to hear that she was alive.

Today, the last of the 33 miners in Chili was brought up after spending 10 weeks underground. What a miracle! As each one was brought up, their family was waiting there to greet them. They had to put sunglasses on them so their eyes would be protected. Then, after being hugged and kissed, they were taken to the hospital. It was one of those moments where you grabbed each of your kids to give them an extra tight, extra long hug.

*"CNN, then a fledgling cable news outlet, was on the scene with around-the-clock coverage of the rescue effort and it was in part due to this coverage that they were able to begin carving a niche out for themselves in the global media market. This massive media saturation of the ordeal prompted then-President Ronald Reagan to state that "everybody in America became godfathers and godmothers of Jessica while this was going on." (Wikipedia)

October 9, 2010: A Bakugan Birthday

2010-12-23T21:22:00.002-08:00

Griffin is WAY into Bakugan. This is something that combines attributes from Transformers and Pokemon (I think) where you have this object that looks like a ball and when it comes the magnet in it comes in contact with metal, it springs open. It also comes with cards that explain the powers, points, etc. in case you use them to "battle." So this year he wanted a Bakugan birthday. There was no mention of Star Wars or Legos. He also wanted a Bakugan cake. I was just going to do a layered cake and put the Bakugan Fire symbol on the top; I went to my "go to" cake decorator, Cherise, simply to ask her advice. And then, the cake was hers to do. And this is what she produced:

Well, needless to say, it's better than what I had planned! The kids who came to the party were blown away (as was every single person who saw it).

Since it was so lovely outside, they spent a lot of time playing outside rather than inside (always a good thing). The kids brought their Bakugan and played, shared, traded, and discussed. Of course, all of this was foreign to me. We had cake and ice cream. We opened presents. And then they went back outside and played some more.

October 7, 2010: Griffin Turns 11

2010-12-23T21:22:00.001-08:00

This is a milestone year! Griffin is graduating from cub scouts to boy scouts. He has one more year of Primary; one more year of elementary school. In one year, he enters the Young Men's program and receives the Aaronic Priesthood.

Griffin makes our lives a little better each day. He sees things differently from everyone else. In some ways, his life is simpler than ours. In others, it's harder. But I know that without him, I wouldn't be who I am today. I thought I'd celebrate with pictures from the past few years.

October 6, 2010: The Annual Webelos Visit to the Fire Station

2010-12-23T21:21:00.002-08:00

Griffin's favorite Webelos activity is the annual visit to the Fire Station. Since Cherise is the leader, she's always good about taking pictures. (She also finds the firemen, well, fascinating, so she makes sure to not miss out on the open house.)

Both she and Griffin talked about how HOT the fire was, even though they were quite a distance from it. They said they had to cover their faces to protect themselves from the heat.

Griffin's going to miss many things when he graduates from cub scouts to boy scouts, but nothing more than this tradition.

October 1, 2010: Owls and Hairspray

2010-12-23T21:21:00.001-08:00

I spent two evenings at the Scera theater with my kids this week. Friday, Griffin and I went and saw the new movie "The Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole." Ian LOVED the book series and was sad when he found out that it would come out while he was on his mission. Griffin hasn't read any of the books, but wanted to see the movie as Ian had told him how great the story was. It was quite an intense little show, prompting Griffin to hide several times under his coat. I was worried that he would come out of it hating it, but he said he really liked it.

On Saturday, I took the kids to see the stage production of "Hairspray." I am always amazed at how fabulous their indoor productions are. (I'm not as much a fan of the outdoor ones--they seem to get lost in, well, the great outdoors.) It was just amazing! The singing and dancing were really well done and it was a good to see some of the kids who have come up in the youth theater program being given such prominent roles--and doing so well. (NOTE: We were saddened to find out that the actor who played the Dad was killed in a car accident the day after the show came to the end of its run.)

I'm such a huge fan of the Scera. They offer excellent entertainment at an unbelievable price. Their matinees are $4.50 and even the regular movie showings are only $6.50. Their stage productions are $12. It makes taking the family to the theater affordable, and we get to support a historic landmark.

September 28, 2010: Griffin and the School Board Flag Ceremony

2010-12-23T21:19:00.002-08:00

The Alpine District school board rotates its meetings throughout the district (which is from the Point of the Mountain to Provo, Highland to Saratoga Springs) so that each neighborhood gets a chance to attend a meeting close to them. This time, it was Westmore's turn to host. Part of the meeting is a flag ceremony and pledge of allegiance. Barry Beckstrand, the principal, approached the PTA president and I to ask if we knew of a local cub scout troop that would be willing to participate. We suggested our ward's troop which also included another ward in the neighborhood. So Cherise, who is the Webelos leader for this combined group, got her boys together to work on doing the flag ceremony. Three of the four boys who participated are special needs kids: two have Asperger's and one is mentally disabled from abuse received as a young child. I was hoping that the board would appreciate just how special this group truly was. I also wondered who would be the one to address the audience.

They did such a great job. Griffin was saluting the wrong flag, but did so with such pride and respect that no one bothered correcting him.

September 25, 2010: Homecoming

2010-12-23T21:19:00.001-08:00

This year, Maggie went with her ballroom teammate, Camilio Vasquez. She was excited to go with someone from the team because she knew that he would like--and know how--to dance!

September 24, 2010: The Lords and Ladies Masquerade Ball

2010-12-23T21:18:00.004-08:00

This is something I WISH I had pictures from, but we were SO busy working that there was NO time for pictures. A friend of mine, Candace Bergquist, hosts two big fundraisers each year. First is the Princess Festival in the summer, where young girls can participate in fairy tale activities. The second is for adults: the Lords and Ladies Masquerade Ball. Both of these events benefit charities, so I told Candace my girls and I (and Cherise) would be willing to volunteer. She, in turn, said that after our "shift" of 2 hours, we could participate in the activities. We were really looking forward to it, but we were so slammed that we weren't able to stop working until there was about 45 minutes left in the night and all the food was gone. Still, it was worth it to be there and help out. We quickly switched into our outfits (we finally got to wear our masks!) and the girls had a good time walking around and dancing for a short time. I think we'll be back next year!

September 22, 2010: Photo Shoot with the Young Women

2010-12-23T21:18:00.003-08:00

The Bishopric keeps photos of the young women on their wall, along with a checklist of how each one is doing on their personal progress. We try to update their pictures as they move into the next class and thought we'd just include all of them in a photo shoot. I've included the pictures of Ellie and Mags.

September 20, 2010: Pictures from Ian

2010-12-23T21:18:00.001-08:00

Ian has been gone nearly eight months now and has been in Argentina for five of those now. He has his own blog so I haven't included anything. But this time he sent pictures and I wanted to share them.

September 18, 2010: Overnight with the Griesemer Kids

2010-12-23T21:17:00.001-08:00

Many, many years ago, my kids were babysat by the Griesemers and their kids. Now it's time for us to return that favor to them. We were given the opportunity to watch Chris' kids overnight since Kim needed to serve in the temple. It has been a long time since we've been solely responsible for little ones (other than our own--who aren't so little anymore), so I was a little nervous. But Ellie is so good with little kids that I knew she would be a true asset.

Everything went well. They loved the dogs. No one got hurt. They ate what they were supposed to. From my Facebook status of the day, you can see really how things went: Have the pleasure of hosting my nephew's little ones for the night. Score: Ellie and Dallin asleep by 7:45; Piper Jo didn't nap and still awake.

(These pictures were taken another time when we were babysitting up at their home.)

September 14, 2010: It's the Final Cat Walk! (that I'm in charge of)

2010-12-23T21:14:00.002-08:00

With the start of school, it was time for the annual Cat Walk fundraiser at the elementary school. I had agreed last year to take it on again, so I was obligated to make good on that promise. Of course, it wasn't without its share of challenges. Our usual location, the park behind the school, was not available, so we were scrambling to measure out a new "track." But then, thanks to the connections of our PTA president, we were given the go-ahead for the park. And then, it was hot. SOOO hot! Worried about the kids, we got permission to hook up a hose and provide a "cooling station" for the kids. Even though they were a bit damp when they went back into class, the water was their favorite part.

I always think I can handle everything. After all, I've lost count of how many Cat Walks I have been in charge of. This year, however, it was just too much on top of everything else I have. There were lots of donations for prizes this year, but the revenue the event has raised has dwindled by 50%. I'm sure this is due to the state of economy, but it just adds another level of stress that I need to put aside. So I let the PTA president know that this was my last one and they would need to find someone new to take it over from now on. Yes, everyone, I said "No."

September 2, 2010: The Annual Timpanogos Storytelling Festival

2010-12-23T21:14:00.001-08:00

This is one of our favorite weekends of the year! But this year was an extra special treat. We had heard from several people that our picture was in the paper. I hadn't seen it and didn't think much of it. Then I received a text from Carma telling me that she was so excited for me to see the program. I thought she was referring to the people performing. Lo and behold, I got off the shuttle to be greeted by her with a stack of the printed program--only to see that we were on the cover of it! It made me miss Ian because he was pictured as well and I know how much he loved the festival.

We weren't going to be able to really participate this year due to financial constraints, but Carma was kind enough to share her extra tickets with us, so we got to go on Saturday and spend the day there, and then meet up again for Laughin' Night. I love the festival so much. I love seeing my kids laugh. I love seeing them fully engaged in the stories. It truly is one of my most favorite weekends.

August 28, 2010: The Stake Extravaganza Welcomes the Princesses!

2010-12-23T21:13:00.001-08:00

Each year, our ward puts on what is called a "Ward Extravaganza." Basically, it's a ward party that signifies the end of the summer. This year, however, our stake wanted to do something to include everyone in the neighborhood as a fellowshipping and missionary opportunity. My camp director, Kristen Preston, is also the ward activities chair and was assigned the task of "entertainment" while she was at camp, so we decided to jump in and help since it was kind of our fault that she couldn't pick what would have worked for her.

She has a friend who has nearly authentic costumes for all the Disney princesses. We took several of the young women and turned a part of the park into a photo op for little girls (or whomever!) who wanted to be with a princess. Ellie was Alice in Wonderland and Maggie was Snow White. I also lent my wedding gown so one of the girls could be Giselle from "Enchanted." It was a hit! After the crowd finished coming our way, the girls walked through the park. It was such a hit!

August 25, 2010: First Day Back for Griffin (5th Grade) and Maggie (a senior!)

2010-12-23T21:12:00.002-08:00

This year we have a child in each school: elementary, junior high, and high. Griffin has 2 years left at Westmore, Ellie is in 7th (as I mentioned in the earlier post), and Maggie is a senior! I just can't believe it. It was also weird not to have Ian here, as well. In nine short months, I will have two kids out of school. That just makes me feel old.

August 24, 2010: Ellie's First Day at Lakeridge Jr. High

2010-12-23T21:12:00.001-08:00

It's hard to believe that Ellie is in junior high. Since she is a 7th grader, she gets to go a day early to get a tour of the school, help with her locker and just a less stressful day rather than being thrown to the wolves with everyone in the school. She was a little disappointed that she didn't get some of the classes she wanted, but we just keep telling her, "Welcome to the real world." She's excited about being in choir, though, and I hope it's a positive experience for her.

August 23, 2010: A New Job

2010-12-23T21:11:00.000-08:00

After volunteering at the kids' elementary school for, well, 10 years now, I accepted a position as the ZAP teacher. This program was started at a different school and stands for "Zeros Aren't Permitted." Students who don't complete their homework come to the classroom during lunch recess and try to get it done so they can get the credit. I'm not quite sure what direction I'll be taking: if it's supposed to be a positive place or negative. It seems to me that the kids who will be in there are those who probably don't have a lot of support at home, so I think we'll make it a good place--but not particularly "fun."

I was also going to be an aide for the art teacher, but then was switched to work with the fifth grade in their "double dosing" program. This is where kids are re-taught the math and reading concepts they are struggling with.

So now my schedule will be 8 to 9:15 at Westmore, 9:30 to 10:45 at Rocky Mountain (yes, I still have that job), 11 to 12 at Westmore, 12:15 to 2 at Rocky Mountain, then 2:15 to 3:45 at Westmore. It look like I will also be helping with clubs on Wednesdays, so I won't get home until 5:30 and will head to Mutual at 6:45. I'm hoping that I can "endure to the end!"

August 17, 2010: Boating at Deer Creek with the Youth

2010-12-23T21:10:00.001-08:00

As we were gathered together in BYC, talking about activities for the next Mutual, one of them jokingly said, "We should go boating!" The Bishop said, "You know, that would be fun." By the end of the meeting, we were planning on heading to Deer Creek that week! I've never been boating, so wasn't too sure what to do or plan. I left it to the "experts" in the ward and just planned on driving.

Well, it was a blast! The kids want to do it every year--and I'm thinking that's a great idea! (Of course, I don't have a boat so it wasn't too much work for me.) I must have taken a couple of hundred pictures, but I'll just include those relevant to the family.

August 14, 2010: Carl and Jess Knox

2010-08-21T22:01:00.001-07:00

Gigi's son, Carl, met Jess online. She was living in Idaho and they started up a relationship. A few months later, they were sealed in the Bountiful Temple. We went up for the sealing and, I was shocked that Jess was the daughter of an old's bosses husband (from his first marriage). Small world for sure!

August 11, 2010: Hangin' with the Clawsons

2010-08-21T21:59:00.004-07:00

One of my favorite places to visit when I get to go back to PA is the home of my nephew and his wife. They are wonderful people and have a perfect little house with two fabulous kids. When we visited this time, we were introduced to some of their wildlife: a chicken coop that Joshua tends to. Where my girls were running the opposite direction of the birds when the door was open, Joshua headed in to start feeding them. Even I got close enough to hang out with them, although I was very conscious that I might have been attacked at any time. :-)

Once they were fed, we went inside to enjoy some time in their quaint home. The girls played with the little ones while I visited with Megan and Seth. It's just such a paradise in a world of chaos. Their home and lifestyle to me are a return to a simpler time. I can't wait to visit again.

August 10, 2010: Phillies vs. Dodgers

2010-08-21T21:59:00.003-07:00

One of the highlights (OK, THE highlight) of our trip was going to a Phillies game. You see, I've developed this crush on a player named Jayson Werth. On our last trip, we were able to catch a couple of playoff games on the big wall at Chris' house. When the player is the size of a 20-foot ceiling, you can't help but see him up close. It was at that time that we christened him "Werth-ilicious." Truth be told, he's all good looking until he takes off his hat or opens his mouth.

So here we are, at the park (with Chris and Connor), and he's a little speck on the field. But at least we were RIGHT next to the jumbo-tron so I could see home 50-feet tall! It was also great to see the Phanatic. The night was stifling hot and the game was horrible, but all I wanted to see was the bell ring and swing when a Phillie home run was hit. We got that wish x 5 in the last few innings, but still lost the game. To me, it was totally worth the experience. I've never been there before and it was just great to be part of it all.

August 10, 2010: Chuck E Cheese

2010-08-21T21:59:00.001-07:00

Just some pictures to share. It wouldn't be a proper trip back to Grandma's without a lunch at Chuck E Cheese!

When Griffin redeemed his tickets, he got a dinosaur that you had to excavate from a block of clay. It was cool, but a couple of the pieces were broken so they didn't form the "complete" dinosaur. We had left it outside on the porch and a while after we left, Mom was sitting in her chair and looked out the window and saw this skeleton sitting there. She was a little freaked out until she remembered what it was.

August 9, 2010: Kids Castle and Yum Yum Donuts

2010-08-21T21:58:00.001-07:00

Now that Kirsty was in town with her kids, it was time to take another trip to Kids Castle--but this time in the morning before it got too unbearably hot!

We started the day off early with a stop at Yum Yum donuts. These donuts are just what the name says: Yum Yum! There are only supermarket and Krispy Kreme donuts in Utah (at least that I've been able to find) and I miss the variety of Dunkin' Donuts. But then Chris introduced me to Yum Yum and I've been spoiled ever since. So we ate a few ourselves and then brought some to the park for Kirsty and her kids.

Ellie is so good with Everett and Gage was pretty good on his own, so we'd just track him down here and there. Kirsty stayed with baby Layla while I trailed the kids taking pictures.

August 7, 2010: Peddler's Village in the Summer

2010-08-21T21:57:00.002-07:00

You may recall (or not) that the last time we went to Pennsylvania, it was in the fall. When we visited last time, Peddler's Village had been transformed into a Scarecrow Festival. This time, it was the height of summer and it was quite beautiful. I wanted to make sure to include some of the beautiful gardens they have, as well as include some pictures of the beautiful flowers in MY garden (aka, my children).

Getting Griffin to pose for an artsy shot is a bit tricky.

After some time outside, we went to Giggleberry Fair so the kids could take some time in the play area while Maggie and I did some more "looking around." Grandma Hopkins was kind enough to provide tickets for the carousel as well.

Part of the day's activities included dinner from Nat's Pizza. Our favorite? The Stromboli! This one is half cheese and half pepperoni. Each slice is a meal itself, so a whole pizza is like 3 days of food!

And you can't go to Nat's and NOT get a cheese steak, so we had a few of those as well.

Italian Ice and Cannoli

One of my splurge purchases was my own Philly Phanatic. I'd been looking online for one and they were kind of spendy, but was able to find one on sale in one of the shops at Peddler's Village. He sits proudly on my dresser.

August 6, 2010: Wow! Who Knew Fireworks Were SO Loud?

2010-08-21T21:57:00.001-07:00

My brother, Chris, has been a pyro fan for a long time. His family regularly drives up to Montreal (an 8-hour drive) several weekends each summer to watch 20-minute firework shows. (Granted, it is the International Championships, so they're pretty cool.)

While we were visiting, he and a crew he works with were in charge of a display for a local town. Since we were family, we were able to get "backstage" which meant, sit in the cornfield a couple hundred feet away from where the shells were set up. While this was VERY cool, I had no idea how LOUD they were when you were so close. I mean, the crew had earplugs in, but for the rest of us folk, we would just watch for the shell to go up and then cover our ears!

It was awesome to feel the power of the shells in your chest as they'd go off--particularly the larger ones. But it was a reminder of just how powerful these things are.

August 4, 2010: Heading Home to Kids Castle (PA)

2010-08-21T21:56:00.002-07:00

One of my favorite things to do (duh!) is go home to Pennsylvania. We have been so fortunate to have free tickets because of our "bump" a couple of years ago that enabled us to take another trip back.

Of course, one of the first things my kids want to do is go to Kids Castle, an enormous structure in a park built by people in the community. But one of the things you'll notice right away is the red, sweaty faces of the kids. Yes, it is Pennsylvania in the summer--August no less--and they were smack dab in the midst of heat and humidity. When you come from Utah, you can handle the heat; it's the humidity that does you in.

We grabbed the two youngest kids of my brother, Rhiannon and Connor, to play with Ellie and Griffin. But after only 30 minutes, they were so hot and sweaty (and tired from the trip) that we decided it was more than time to head to Friendly's, my favorite ice cream/restaurant in the world. Chris came to help transport kids and we enjoyed our favorite treats while planning our weeks' worth of movie-viewing.

July 21-24, 2010: Girls Camp

2010-08-21T21:55:00.000-07:00

Having girls camp in July is almost "just right." It's not too cold, it's not too hot, you have plenty of water but no snow. But there's something about being next to the lake where all the bugs are that make it a big of a challenge. (Not to mention the horribly steep hill you have to haul all the gear up and then back down.)

But this camp was "just right" because I had both my girls with me. This would only happen for two years, and I count myself blessed that I get to be part of that. Our stake theme this year was "Choose Your Adventure." Since we were assigned the color green, our ward camp director (Kristen Preston, who is one of the most amazing women I've ever met) chose "Adventures in the Emerald City." She worked tirelessly to pull off a spiritual, enjoyable and fabulous camp experience.

Ellie even got to help out by preparing breakfast to pass off some of the cert requirements.

There were the usual stake activities that included devotionals by members of the stake presidency, as well as activities where you could serve others or just have fun.

Bailee Sigman always takes the time to braid the girls' hair around day 3. Here she is braiding Ellie's while Maggie looks on. Her work is amazing!

On the second to last day, we set up an afternoon spa where each girl could have a manicure and pedicure, facial and massage. It allowed each leader to connect with each girl on a one-on-one basis. And they all decided it should become a new tradition. Even though it took four or five hours, it was worth every minute.

The last day was spent in the canoes. I have always hated them, so I volunteered to stay out and take pictures. (Maggie didn't get in them either.) But Ellie is plenty competitive and found herself in a couple of the races. I love the fact that she's in these races, wearing the life jacket--and her tutu.

Camp is so much less stressful when you're not in charge. We had our share of ups and downs, girls skipping out, getting sick, and sent home, but the spirit always overrides all the negative events through the week.

May through July: Devastation, Otherwise Known as Ellie Embraces the World of Softball

2010-08-21T21:54:00.002-07:00

This spring, Ellie decided she wanted to learn how to play softball. She had thrown the ball a couple of times with her cousin, Sydney Roden, and she said that she was pretty good. Also going for her? She's a lefty. So, we went to sign up and found that her elementary team was already full; but Orem Elementary still had a spot left, so Orem Elementary it was! When practices started in May, we were surprised to find out that the majority of girls on this team had been playing together for years; Ellie was one of the newbies. I can't imagine how intimidated she must have felt. The upside? The coach's daughter was the pitcher and could through a 50 mph ball!

After a few practices, the games started. The weather went from freezing to burning to windy-ing!

They named their team "Devastation" and that's pretty much what they were. I was able to make it to every game but 1--and that was one they lost. I came at the very end, and you can tell my the look on Ellie's face that she wasn't any too happy about it.

She usually played in the outfield, but near the end of the season they tried her at catcher and pitcher. I think being pitcher was humbling for her, but she did really well at catcher because she could throw hard and accurately.

In the end, they won their division and the tournament! Ellie was able to learn some great skills, gain some confidence, and make good friends that she would later meet up with in junior high.

July 2, 2010: Scera Park Colonial Village

2010-08-21T21:54:00.001-07:00

As part of the Independence Day celebration in Orem, the Scera Park put together a colonial village and historical dramatic production. We decided to go after spending some time in our local library. I wasn't able to get the kids to sit through the "musical," but they were game for heading over to the other side where there were all sorts of items from colonial times.

On our way to the encampment, we passed a backdrop welcoming immigrants to Ellis Island. I asked the kids to pose in front of it. Griffin took advantage of the fact that there was one of those "binocular" things that you put money in to look through and positioned himself right in front of it, as if he was using it. Ellie pointed to Lady Liberty.

On our way, we passed this cannon. Griffin was disappointed that it wasn't working.

In the encampment, we saw everything from soldiers to blacksmiths to gunsmiths to doctors with costumes and instruments and tools representing the Revolutionary War. Griffin was fascinated with the doctor who was more than happy to demonstrate how they operated back then.

We ended our tour at the gunsmith. Griffin was dying to touch everything, so I told him the only way we would visit that tent was if he would control his hands. He solved the problem by pulling his arms inside his shirt.

Even though it was a hot afternoon, I was glad the kids were willing to go. I remember being little and touring Philadelphia. This was no Philly, but they got lots of good information and could appreciate a little more how easy they have it these days!

June 26, 2010: Lunar Eclipse

2010-08-21T21:53:00.004-07:00

There's something great about summer. Since there's no school the next day (even though I still have work), you can take the kids out at 4:30 in the morning to watch a partial lunar eclipse.

Even Snowflake came out for the party.

We started on the ground, but after about 45 minutes and the setting of the moon, we moved up to the roof. And then, after we couldn't see anymore, we got down and took off to the junior high track where we could see it until it went below the horizon.

I don't know if the kids will remember this. In fact, I'm sure they won't. But I always will.

June 24, 2010: Our Last Cub Scout Pinewood Derby!

2010-08-21T21:53:00.003-07:00

Life is full of those "last" moments. The last birth. The last diaper. The last time in nursery. This was one of those moments: the last Pinewood Derby. As much as I love the derby, I hate it too. The pressure and stress. The competition. The worry. But then there is the fun. The design. The "making." The racing. Before the racing could begin, the business needed to be taken care of--something the boys didn't really want to worry about.

Once the awards were, well, awarded, it was race time!

Griffin didn't place anywhere "high," but I think he had fun. He can't believe that the Boy Scouts don't do derby cars and is a bit devastated that this part of his life is over. There are bigger and better things to come, but sometimes, it's the little things that make such an impact.