First Blood

With a big blister on his heal, and a little bit of a scraped knee Talmage played his first soccer game ever! I was surprised how excited I was when, as goalie, Talmage stopped several shots. (It actually made me teary-eyed.) He played goalie the entire first half, but by the time the fifth goal was scored against him, he was feeling pretty inadequate. (The other team was much more advanced.) I thought he did great. Dax and Jen got here late last night, and they were there to watch. Grandpa Wells came too. Afterwards, we ate the leftover watermelon I had brought to Bryant's practice. It was a picturesque summer evening.

27 cents

After Talmage's soccer practice I again ventured with 4 kids to the grocery store. I told them we had $60 dollars in cash (thanks Dave Ramsey) as our budget for the week. This time, it was Sariah's job to cross the items off the list, Talmage's job to write down the price of each item (including those per lb. items) and Bryant's job was to keep a tally of the grand total on a calculator. I was hoping Hyrum would accept the job of not pulling my hair from the hiking pack. He made it until the check out line. At the check out line we estimated a total of $58.75. Actual cost, $58.48. Not bad.

Had a check-up today and got my tetanus booster for our trip. Left shoulder is a little sore. Doesn't bother me as much as going to three different passport places (with four kids) for a photo for a VISA application and striking out! No one could meet the specific guidelines. Uggh!

Who's Who?

When Hyrum was on the back step with an apple I couldn't help but go dig out a familiar baseball cap and snap a few photos. Bryant is about a year in these photos and Hyrum in going on 16 months. Brothers?

Finally

While the neighbors are away, the kids will play. (With permission of course.) Yesterday, the kids went swimming for the first time this year. That was the first of four times in less than 36 hours. A swimming pool in short walking distance...nice.

Passports came in the mail today. Booked flight to Kiev last night. It's really going to happen!

10 Years Ago Today...

...was the best day of my life. Not because of the days prior, but because of the days since. Happy Anniversary Love!

Nine Years

Tonight I laid beside Talmage in his bed and read him excerpts from my first journal entry after he was born. To quote a favorite author, I penned "I cannot say the smallest part which I feel." And here I am, 9 years later, a mother who could not be more pleased with or honored by her 9-year-old son.

Talmage...

...loves to read (the top AR reader in his grade two years in a row).

...chooses homemade pizza for his birthday dinner and mud pie for his birthday cake.

...would rather have his soccer team's mascot be an evergreen elk than a dragon.

...tells joke after joke.

...has had one violin lesson and one soccer practice.

...has gone swimming on every birthday except today (unusually cold.)

his first birthday

today (sporting new goggles, trunks, and shin pads)

somewhere in between

As a postscript, Bryant tied his shoes for the first time today, and Sariah did the monkey bars for the first time. Both were extremely proud.

Thou Art the Man

Happy Father's Day to the man who has surpassed all I could have hoped for in a husband and father. Honestly, I could have never imagined having a more compatible companion. The challenges of parenthood have taken me by surprise (and I thought I was pretty prepared as the oldest of eight) and I'm so grateful to be on this adventure with you.

Like Father Like Son

Talmage and James asleep on their knees at Talmage's bedside.

Just made first confirmed reservation of our Russia/Ukraine trip! Our hotel in New York on the way back. Our passport checks cleared, so that must mean the process is underway.

Close call

Sariah just got out of bed after being asleep for awhile. When that happens we know it means she forgot to "go potty" before she went to bed. She made it to the bathroom but James followed her in because we've known our kids to be quite delirious in these situations. Sure enough, by the time he made it in there she had her pants down and the cabinet drawer pulled out ready to take a seat on the drawer. James lovingly redirected her---phew.

My favorite memory of today was at the park on a rare pleasant evening (we've been having the craziest weather this year). Sariah and I were swinging. Hyrum was totally relaxed on my lap, his head on my chest. He was blowing kisses to the other boys as they dramatically caught them. Everyone was laughing and having fun.

James was at his last class for this term.

Bryant wrote to Mr. X today for the first time. A few years ago in hopes of helping Talmage to maintain/improve his writing skills through the summer, a mysterious night "writer" came into his life. Talmage would write during the day, and when he woke up the next morning, he would find a letter written to him from Mr. X. Penpals of a sort. I think my favorite letter from Mr. X was the night he ran into the tooth fairy at our house. Talmage loved it, so Bryant thought he'd give it a try.

4+ Hour Tour

We had a long list of errands to do this morning with one extra child than usual:

Grocery Shopping (usually errand enough in and of itself)

Staples for much needed printer ink

Unspecified location for Father's Day shopping

JoAnn's (where we accidently met up with my sister whom my kids followed around for the rest of the remaining time---in Sariah's words, "Mom, Haley's better than you.")

Costco (which we saved for last because berry smoothies were the reward for great helpers which I definitely, and gratefully had today---one smoothie, two extra cups, I must be my mother's daughter)'

Gas Station

Bittersweet

As we were walking away from the school today, Talmage said, "I wish we had another day of school tomorrow." As exciting as the last day of school is, it's hard to say good-bye to friends and teachers.

These mentors have spent more than 1000 hours with my children over the last year. There is no doubt that much more that reading, writing, and arithmetic is passed from them to my children. Their personalities, demeanor, discipline, and perspectives are passed along as well. I am so grateful for good teachers.

Bryant and Ms. Moss
Talmage and Mrs. Allen

As a token of appreciation each received a warm loaf of homemade whole wheat bread and homemade strawberry jam. This morning the bread was in the form of hard white wheat kernels. The transformation is symbolic of the transformation in Talmage and Bryant over the year, a refining process.


Today was also the last day they were able to walk home with Todd. He has carried their backpacks, given them treats, and endured their jokes. He is moving this summer and the boys will be losing a great friend.

The upside is...they enjoyed a relaxing lunch without any bells or friends to hurry them on their way.
This evening we all enjoyed celebration homemade pizza on an exquisite table set by Sariah---complete with chargers, candles and napkin rings. And fancy must mean rose petals because we had those too. Thanks sis.

Not skipping a beat. Up tomorrow with Talmage off to Cub Scout Day Camp followed by his first violin lesson.

Sunday Night at Grandpa and Grandma's

Some Sunday nights when James has meetings or appointments to go to, I just give up and load up. Tonight was one of those nights. Out to Grandpa and Grandma's we went. The open vistas, fresh air, and room to roam relieves tension. And it did.

Safely Home

Today while we were outside, Sariah was sporting her "new" (from the attic) pink sandals. In conversation, she said, "it's my right left foot." Is that opposed to her wrong left foot? Or is that the right of her two left feet? I don't know, it was just funny.

This same girl was camped out on the sidewalk in her car seat with a water bottle for a long time waiting for Dad and the boys to come home from camping. I kept having to explain to the neighbors why she looked like a "freebie" waiting on the sidewalk for the first person who wanted to pick her up.

Our campers came back with smiles and smells of smoke and fish. I was just beginning to see the bottoms of my laundry baskets when they were piled high with stinky camping gear. I'm glad they had fun. You know, Fathers and Sons is only second to Christmas around here.



This evening Sariah and I went to Addi's graduation. Addi has been living with us for nearly two years now during the week while going to CBC's dental hygiene school. She has been Sariah's surrogate sister. If I can't find Sariah she has usually sneaked into Addi's room for a story or a chat. We will miss her.

Girls Night In

Posting from the air mattress--bed of Sariah's choice. Posting on iPod left behind by camper dad who took the boys to Father and sons. Very tired today after rough night with Hyrum, but James took the worst of it. Tonight, thoroughly enjoyed one on one time with my girl. Ate pizza on princess plates while we listened to pandora Disney radio. Ate popcorn on the couch while we watched The Littles. Looked through the entire Walt Disney World photo book (thick) as our bedtime story. Done for today---up early to clean church.

Countdown

...days of school left. Yesterday the boys found out their teachers for next year and spent time in their classrooms. It's called fly-up day and I think it is a FANTASTIC idea. It almost completely relieves new school year anxiety over the summer.

This morning Sariah and I drew up the invite for Girl's Night Out on Friday since we won't be going out to Grandma's during Fathers and Sons. We hoped to roll them up in a scroll, tie them with a ribbon, and deliver them in our "chariot," but our printer ran out of ink, Hyrum in under the weather, and we are running out of time. So, the cyber duke delivered them.


The quote on the bottom of the invite comes from a great message I read this morning by Elder Ballard.

Hyrum's fever resumed today and he started pulling on his ear this afternoon. I called the Dr.'s office at 3:00 hoping to be able to get in tomorrow. They said they had an opening at 4:30. By 5:30 I was walking out of Walgreen's with a prescription for his ear infection. The whole insurance/health care system may be broken, but the doctor's office and pharmacy proved to me today that the service is working.

Hyrum took his medicine like a milk shake! I've heard of kids who take medicine like that, but NONE of my kids have EVER taken medicine like that. They refuse to take tylenol even now that they are grown and understand what it is supposed to do. They prefer to suffer than take medicine. I'm so grateful it wasn't like that this evening. I pray it will last for another 9 1/2 days. Last time it was two-man restraints and near choking three times a day for 10 days. Total torture for us all.

I'm reading an abridged Tom Sawyer to the boys at night. They love it. I told them they can love it as long as they realize Tom is a rascal and not a role model. I can see the gleam in their eyes listening to all the mischief.

30 Seconds of Danger

Not even 15 months. Running a fever.

So, with James away to seminary graduation we took a loooonnnnng walk. We felt the breeze, the sunshine, and the rain on our faces. We saw a double rainbow. Bryant found six golf ball including a highly coveted purple one. We watched Hyrum glee over a bouncing robin. And my philosopher walking companion Talmage told me if I wrap a banana in swiss cheese and bury it, after 30 days and 30 nights the banana will taste like swiss cheese. Go figure. He also told me a thousand miles begins with one step. That a boy.

Sun-up to Sun-down

Hyrum was up bright and early (actually normal time for him) at 6:30 so he got to come with me on my run that turned into a walk. He was screaming so loud when I was trying to change his diaper that Talmage and Bryant also came with me. So it wasn't the solitary thinking time that I so enjoy, but it was still enjoyable, me and my boys. The morning was gorgeous. We walked down to see the baby colts but they weren't there. Bryant didn't come home empty handed though, two golf balls and a rock. His walk was straight out of a Family Circus comic with the little dashed line going everywhere but straight. In fact, Bryant probably walked twice as far as the rest of us.

I was excited to make breakfast this morning, because I had been concocting it my mind for a couple of days. See why?


home ground hard white wheat, hand collected walnuts, blueberries, and truly ripe strawberries

So Talmage helped cut the blueberries for the homemade whole wheat pancakes with walnuts, Sariah stirred the Orange Juice, and Bryant shot the basketball on the front driveway. But we all LOVED breakfast!



It was the first really nice Saturday we've had in awhile. Hyrum couldn't wait to get outside so I just put his tennis shoes right over top his jammies. He didn't mind a bit.



In fact, the neighbors were swimming in their pool. Can you tell?



James was being tortured by staying cooped up in the bedroom writing his mid-term paper. Then he was off to Kamiakin's graduation. This evening the VonHales Family sang at Kyler's baptism. Of course, playing the piano was the best I could do. We made it through.

Bryant is crying himself to sleep to the thought that somehow someone switched me out and I'm a fake mom. I'm glad he likes me.

I have to post about about a little "adventure" yesterday. Sariah has had her gear out several times this week begging me to go on an adventure with her. I kept asking her, "Okay, what do we do?" She'd say, "You know, just go on a 'venture." Yesterday, I had to take matters into my own hands and come up with an adventure myself. I had an idea that would make it fun for both of us. I took pictures of random places in our house that she would recognize and could search out. Like so:
Sariah's drawer in the bathroom

Bookshelf in the piano room

I placed a piece of her play jewelry in each of the locations and then handed her the camera. She would look at each picture, figure out where it was, and hunt for the jewels. It was challenging but not discouraging for her. She loved holding the camera. I loved watching her. An "I Spy" scavenger hunt for those that can't read. Success.