School is Out!!!

School is out for the summer!! I have never felt this euphoric about it before, not even when I was in school myself! I have so many projects around the house that need doing that I'm not sure where to start plus I'm actually excited to do them. I do not feel daunted that the garage, every closet, every cupboard and every room needs to be cleaned out and organized, instead I feel psyched that I can finally tackle all these messes that have been cluttering up my mind during the school year. Obviously I need to find a better way to balance work time/church time/home time/free time during the school year so that I won't always feel like I'm letting something go. But for now, I'm euphoric! I'm about to start some laundry going and the laundry room closet...good times!

Saturday Rewind

Adam and Amy's girls slept over Friday night so we had a fun, mess-filled house of giggling girls for about 24 hours.

On Saturday they talked me into taking them to the amphitheater park even though it was windy and cold.

Lori and I sat in our chairs talking and shivering, I eventually had to wrap my legs in the blanket she brought...it was freezing. We finally packed things up and left when it started to rain.

Landon and 3 other friends had ridden their bikes to Sonic and then were back at our house for some video game time.

The girls weren't ready to go when Adam arrived, so we bought them some time by going out to lunch with him (me, Lori, Adam and Randy).

At one point we were laughing so hard the people around us were staring. The little girl at the next table was delighted and wanted to be a part of it.

This was part of the humor.

The girls used every bit of play time but were still bummed out when they had to go. It's a good thing they'll be coming for a 2 night sleepover next week when Amy has to go out of town.

Countdown

I will be done with work on Thursday afternoon around 1:00...I hope I can hang on until then. I nearly lost it for real today. I hope you're all planning to give your school secretaries a thank you note or gift of some sort because man oh man do they deserve it! I got Cafe Rio gift cards for the two at Whitney's school, but I it would have been better to get their orders and bring them lunch instead...sadly I can't get away from the craziness at work to do that. My heartfelt thanks and good intentions will have to do.

Sunday Thoughts

Remember earlier this year when I was called to be the Advancement Chair for Scouts? I couldn't have been more surprised or clueless about a calling and I haven't had to do much thus far, so it has remained a big question mark in my life.

When I was called Brother Johnston said they wanted a woman because we are more organized and detail oriented than men, and they wanted this woman who had a son in the scouting program so there would be an emotional investment. It didn't take long for me to feel that emotional investment or to see how desperately things needed to be organized. Still, my ignorance of scouting has made me feel disconnected and somewhat panicked about what I am supposed to be doing (there really hasn't been any training thus far). But last month at our 8:00am Key Scouters Meeting (what the?!) I was in a room full of men with only one other woman who is the newly called Committee Chair. She just finished serving as the Young Women's President for the last 6 years and was in the Relief Society Presidency before that, she is the mother of 7 kids and is an inspiration to me. She led this Key Scouters meeting in such an efficient and spiritual way that I ended up being moved to tears twice and actually felt excited about scouting!

Fast forward to this morning for my 2nd ever Key Scouters meeting and 1st ever Board of Review. I was feeling like a fish out of water again and wasn't happy about it, but I felt the Spirit in our meeting and once again saw the importance of what Scouting is about (turning boys into good men through God), so I was grateful. Then an hour and a half later we had our 1st Board of Review (it was her first one too). We met with a 17 year old boy who was up for a rank advancement. We had him talk about the importance of scouting, what he has learned, what he hopes to accomplish and why it is important to him...we were in tears! The spirit was so strong in that room and I felt overwhelmed with gratitude that this boy (and all our boys) get to work with good men to make themselves better and to learn their duty to God and to Country.

I still don't really know what I'm doing, but I'm starting to understand why I'm doing it. It is unexpectedly spiritual and I love that.

Five for Friday

Miscellaneous posts seem to be all I can muster these days. I plan to catch up in the summer and post more frequently since I'll have more than work to post about!

1. Whitney had her first dance recital last Saturday! It bums me out that she never got to take dance when she was little but it we either had money, car, or interest issues keeping us from signing her up. We only did now because my tap teacher is in our ward and runs a low-key studio out of her house which makes it convenient, affordable and no pressure. Whitney performed in a tap number and a jazz number and did quite well.

2. My mom has saved our bacon and sewn a darling poodle skirt for the school dance festival today. If Whitney had to rely on me she would have been wearing capris and a t-shirt, instead she has a super cute poodle skirt in fabric she got to pick out herself.

3. This week has been insane at work. My patience is almost gone, routines have been blown apart with end-of-the-year changes (locker clean out, Lagoon day, book returns) so I've been feeling a bit frazzled. But on Wednesday afternoon the grandmother to 4 of our students stopped by and gave me a handful of roses from her yard and 3 of the lip glosses I use!! Months ago she had come into the office for something and had complimented my lipstick color. It turns out we use the same brand of lipstick but she doesn't use the lip gloss that comes with it (which would be impossible for me). Somehow she remembered this conversation and brought me 3 new lip glosses (they're $4 each). I was so surprised by this highly random gift from an almost stranger (I don't even know her name). It was so nice and such a bright spot in my very crazy day. I really must pay this forward and delight a near stranger soon!

4. Whitney drew the right half of this picture, isn't it amazing? She thinks she messed up, but I can't even imagine being able to draw a wolf that actually looks like a wolf even when copying the other half of the face.

5. Landon had his last soccer game of the season this week (I'm always sad when soccer season ends) and did great. He has gotten so good the last couple years and has grown so much. It's fun to watch his team because most of the boys know what they're doing.

The weather was windy and cold and my mom was one of the few dressed appropriately. The rest of us thought we could get by with hoodies and blankets, but we were still cold. Never mind that I'd turned the air conditioning on for the first time just the day before!

Miscellaneous Monday

1. The kids are getting huge. It feels like time is speeding up...I'm not a fan.

2. After one of Landon's soccer games, my mom, Whitney and I went to get some frozen yogurt so we could talk because I'd spent the majority of the game absorbed in a conversation with a woman from my ward instead of talking to my mom. Also, yogurt places are popping up all over the place again, what happened?!

3. Yes, I do love it when Whitney makes a mess of our calendar...not. This photo isn't about the hamster she didn't get after she decided she should earn one by keeping her room clean for 3 months (she didn't even make it 3 hours!), this was to showcase her "dress rehearsal" spelling. We now call it a rehurson. What the?!

 

4. My secret pal gave me this gift last Friday, what can I say, I'm a fan of getting and giving little gifts...just in case you didn't know that about me.

5. Whitney and I went to D.I. Saturday morning (I felt compelled) and this is what I came away with. I spent $19 and got 12 books. It's very hard for me to pay full price for books these days, I was giddy about this stash and have grand visions of a summer of reading! I only 8 days of school left and am hanging on by a very thin thread. It seems the closer I get to the end the more desperately I feel the need for it to end. I keep trying to rally my spirits, but my patience is nearly gone and I feel the need to be home!

Sunday Thoughts

This weekend was our Stake Conference and proved to a battle for me and my tailbone (Randy's too). I always struggle with going to the Saturday Night Session because we're always on the hard chairs in the back (I suppose this could be remedied, but we'd have to sit for an extra hour to be earlier enough to get a soft seat) and often there are a couple speakers that make me want to slump over and whine like a 3 year old. This time we had a few good speakers (who went long) and a few "what the?!" speakers as well, the meeting was 2 hours and 10 minutes! I try to remember that we all hear what we need to hear, so maybe the speakers who torture me are enlightening someone else, but it never feels like that at the time. In my defense, I'd already spent 2.5 hours on a hard, metal chair for Whitney's dance recital that day so I was in a vulnerable state.

Here's what I gathered from this weekend's Stake Conference.

Saturday's Session

• We can have profound, sacred, revelatory experiences in terrible settings.
• It does no good to ask questions which are opposite to the will of God.
• Spiritual growth requires opposition and adversity. God will consecrate thine adversities for our gain.
• Everyone one of us will spend some time in Liberty Jail.
• Make scripture study a habit now, so you're prepared when trials come.
• Miracles often confirm one's faith, but they don't create it.
• Look for the hand of the Lord in your daily life.
• How has your faith been polished?
• Watchcare is the stepping stone to charity.
• See a need and do something about it.
• We are the Lord's hands on Earth.
• Pray before doing Family History work, it opens things up.
• The Holy Ghost is extremely personalized for each of us.
• Our relationship with the Holy Ghost is directly related to how we keep our covenants.
• There is nothing to restrain the Spirit in the temple except ourselves!
• Do we understand who we are and the magnitude of our covenants?
• We receive revelation more than we realize.

Sunday's Session (we were on padded seats, but it still hurt)

• Every mission involves sacrifice.
• The best way to prepare fro a mission is to read the Book of Mormon daily.
• The Lord knows and loves His missionaries.
• There's no sacrifice too great to make in order to serve a mission.
• Christ died for us, we can give Him 2 years of our lives.
• Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven.
• We are all at different stages of testimony development.
• Life was never intended to be easy.
• Reading the scriptures and Ensign help us receive revelation.
• Heavenly Father has our best interest in mind.

Whitney's Dance Recital

Whitney started taking dance last Fall from the same teacher I go to. She was part of a fun jazz/tap combo class with a few girls and one boy.

I had never seen her dance so the recital was her big debut!

The tap dance was a cute military theme.

She did great, though she looked rather serious.

Cute attitude at the end.

She also had a big speaking part as one of the 5 narrations between numbers, she had it memorized and did it perfectly.

Her 2nd dance was a jazz dance to "Footloose".

Oh the 80's look!

The big bow at the end of the whole show.

When did she get to be one of the big kids?!

My mom, Randy, Landon and I all went to Orange Leaf to celebrate.

Parking lot hug.

Five for Friday

1. Amie texted me last week to see if I wanted to have a car lunch while I was at work...um yes please! I usually eat at my desk so getting out of the building to spend time with her and to eat gourmet grilled cheese rather than a peanut butter sandwich was a great treat!

2. Every Friday at work the office staff (administrators, secretaries, head custodians and the tech guy) rotate taking turns making lunch for each other. I enjoy getting lunch each Friday but really hate having to take my turn making food for everyone (it's stressful). It was my turn last week and I made 3 pans of chicken enchiladas and a big pan of sugar cookie bars. It was a ton of work and was successful, but left me feeling like it wasn't worth the effort and added stress to my life, ugh.

3. The Primary Presidency and Activity Day Leaders put on a very elaborate Mad Hatter Themed Tea Party for the mothers and daughters last Friday. I was blown away by the effort and cuteness involved. I prefer substance over style though so big activities like these always leave me wondering if it was worth all the time and effort. I'm glad I got to enjoy it though.

4. What is up with the return of the mullet?? Didn't we learn that painful lesson the first time around? The back of this boy looks disturbingly similar to a boy I dated in high school!

5. A 9th grade girl at school brought Wendy and I each a box of turtles to thank us for being so nice to her the other day when she came into the office with a migraine. I have such empathy for people who suffer with those that I immediately put her in the nurse's office with the lights off, got her some Tylenol and a Mountain Dew (her choice) and let her rest. Migraines are the worst, but a migraine at the junior high is unbearable!

May Book Club

Michelle hosted book club again this month because Marc was in Paris (and still is)! We were celebrating Jana's birthday and opted to bring our own take-out rather than try to coordinate a nice dinner...life is so crazy for all of us this was a gift to ourselves.

We had one of our best book discussions ever (too bad Amy wasn't there) thanks to Every Last One by Anna Quindlen. It was beautifully written, though a little tough emotionally (I sobbed and felt shaken for days later) but such an interesting picture of motherhood and family life.

Michelle baked chocolate chip cookies (with browned butter) which we topped with ice cream and Jenn's fabulous homemade caramel.

Jana got to make a wish and blow out a candle, we gave her a $100 Amazon gift certificate.

Jenn got a new phone! She's baby stepping her way in the world of technology and no longer has to text with the number pad. She was flustered with trying to manage the new phone, but we're excited for her.

Cute Jenn. 

Collette checking out GoodReads on her phone.

Max had work to do on the computer but I don't think our loud talking bothered him, he was in the zone.

Poor Michelle got the most uncomfortable seat in the house when we moved into the family room.

12 on the 12th--May Edition

{click to enlarge}

1. Early morning balloon sighting as Cathy and I drove to our walking trail.
2. Cathy and I went an hour earlier at 7:00 to accommodate my busy schedule.
3. The sun was up by the time I got home at 8:00 and made everything beautiful.
4. Whitney had her last soccer game and the whole team played their best, I was ecstatic!
5. Landon's game was an hour later, this is him scoring one of his 3 goals!
6. My mom and I braved an insane day-before-Mother's Day crowd at Costco.
7. I enjoyed an hour in the cozy reading and napping.
8. I washed and trimmed a big container of strawberries.
9. My mom kissing Andrew at our Mother's Day party.
10. Amy took this photo of Landon and I at the gathering.
11. Amie gave me a copy of one of my favorite books! I had originally borrowed Michelle's and was bummed not to own it. 
12. The kids' closet gives me high blood pressure as I put their laundry away!

Creative Friday--Carb Loading Edition

Whitney joined me at Michelle's on Monday (much to Eva's delight) for Creative Friday. Landon didn't come with us because Lucas had to leave for dance at 4:30, so it felt like we were really changing things up. The girls played in Eva's room for a long time before joining us at the table for projects.

 Michelle had baked wheat bread when I arrived so the house smelled glorious! She shared some with me after it was cool enough to cut.

Later she shared some chocolate angel food birthday cake with us as well. 

We hadn't gotten together for almost 3 weeks so we had lots to catch up on and many cards to write. It was a therapeutic visit for sure.