Spring fun

This week was a fun one.  Last Monday Jeff stopped by and told us about a science fair that was going on in the Harmon building, so we hurried and had Family Home Evening then went over.  I was game. :) It was fun to walk around and see all the projects.

Tuesday we had book club at our house.  So I spent lots of time that day picking it up.  We read Ender's Game this month (well March).  Alan really likes it and was glad that I finally read it....I'm pretty sure he asked/ told me I should read it several years ago...ok probably just strongly suggested.  I liked it ok...I'm not sure if I'll read any of the other ones in the series.  This is everyone hiding out during book club...they are watching Hercules...in a pretty cool fort...and with snacks.

Wednesday we didn't have anything going on, so I went swimming.  I swam a mile!  I know not a big deal for those of you who do it several times a week, but it kind of was for me.  A few weeks ago Alan and I signed up to do the lazy man's ironman at BYU.  You get 4 weeks (almost) to do all the stuff for an ironman...so swim 2.4 miles, cycle 112, and run 26.2.  This last week was our third...it ends this coming Friday.  We both still have a little more to do, but should be able to finish it...and yes I do walk instead of run...I did try running 1 time...it was only a couple of miles, but it was killing my hips....I might try running again after it's been a little longer since having Connor.

Thursday (the day Jared has been waiting for since the start of the month) was the start of their soccer season.  Lauren played at 4:30 and Jared at 6:30, so we took a picnic dinner and ate it in between.  Lauren and Jared both did great and had tons of fun.  Jared scored 3 or 4 goals....He is aggressive...competitive might be a better word, but really defensive at the same time.  They play with 4 on the field at one time and no goalie.  So Jared runs to protect the goal if the other team is getting close.  They play 8 games thursdays and saturdays...except for yesterday (you know you live in Provo when they don't have games Conference weekend) and spring break. (I forgot the camera for Lauren's game, but Alan brought it when he came for Jared's.)

Friday was Kindergarten registration.  Lauren is all signed up and ready to go.  She is pretty excited.  I heard her telling someone that she would get to go to kindergarten when preschool is over in a couple of weeks.  She was kind of disappointed when I told her there was a Summer break too.  Friday night there was a science night at the preschool.  It was fun to walk around and learn different little things at each station....ok I'm not sure how much anyone really learned, but they had fun activities to do.  After that we hurried down to the pool so we could swim.  Alan swam some laps and I was going to play with everyone else, but Brad took too long getting ready.  With 10 min left in the swim time Alan played with Jared and Lauren.  Brad made it in the pool for the last minute...maybe 2.  I didn't make it in...Connor wasn't sleeping like last time, so I'm not sure how it would have worked anyway.  Alan saw a guy he knows from CS who also coaches swimming who was able to give him some much needed help with his form.

Here they are making clouds with shaving cream.  Jared really had a good time with it and said that he wanted shaving cream for his birthday...Brad never did touch his.

Saturday I went and cycled before Conference.  We had yummy muffins and fruit for breakfast and enjoyed the first session of Conference.  Between sessions to enjoy our 81 degree day and blooming trees we were headed out for a walk, but before we could leave Brad tipped the stroller over backwards and got a huge cut on his lip and knocked his teeth pretty good.  There was lots of blood.  We thought he probably needed stitches, but after calling several people and the on call pediatrician we decided not to take him anywhere.  (BYU's urgent care had just closed and the after hour/ on call pediatrician wouldn't do stitches on top of his lip and their stitches guy didn't come in until 5.)  Jeff and Elizabeth stopped by just after it happened.  Brad saw them  and went right over...He wanted Jeff to hold him and super nice uncle Jeff held Brad with his bloody mouth until the afternoon session was about to start.  Brad did sleep for 45 min or so of it.  We watched the Afternoon session, but the rest of the day was spent helping Brad eat and drink...he only wanted drinks with a bulb syringe and we had to talk him into a popsicle.  Jared and Alan did go on a short bike ride and took some pictures of the pretty spring trees and flowers.  We all went out to play a little later.  During the Priesthood session Elizabeth came back over and held Connor while I fed Brad which was super helpful.  Connor was really grateful....and so am I.

Saturday morning session

Jared took his clean up job outside quite serious.

What they did with the stump outside our apartment.

Today we enjoyed Conference again.  Brad is doing a lot better.  He kept asking to go on a walk...if he sits down in the stroller, but the highest I ever saw it get today was 43.  I told him we'll go soon.  Alan let me work on a wreath for a little bit and I finally got it finished.  I've been working on it a little at a time for several weeks, so it was nice to get it done.

A mug shot of Brad...It looks a lot better today.

Lauren wanted on too....

and so did Jared...you probably can't tell but one of his teeth has started to come in.

Brad helping dye coffee filters a few weeks ago.  We left while they were drying and came back....I thought it looked like we were playing twister.

The bright colors in this stack just made me happy.

Finished.  I might change it just a little (from an angle you can see the tube I used and I didn't cover it), but I really like the way it turned out.  I would have liked to have some green on there, but I wasn't sure how to include it.  All I can think of is a big green bow....any ideas?

Cake Class and Kindergarten Shots

This was another fun filled week of craziness....but fun!  Last Monday was a pretty normal day...I think.

Yea!!! I'm 6 weeks old.

 
Tuesday was our ward's Relief Society Birthday Party.  I said I would take some cupcakes...so I made these.  Jared got to be the special friend at school that day too and I had my 6 week doctor check.

Wednesday there was ready to learn...we got another Skippyjon Jones book.  Those are fun ones.  I also spent lost of time on Wednesday getting ready for a cake class that I taught to a group of sisters on Thursday.

Thursday Jared had early release...which means that he also goes earlier too.  I baked 4 little 6 inch rounds before we took Jared.  After we dropped him off we ran to the store to get a few last minute things I needed to make frosting for the cake class.  Then we walked Lauren down to school then over to pick up Jared.  Brad wanted to walk most of the way home...so it took awhile.  I was able to make one batch of frosting before we had to go pick up Lauren.  Since Jared had early release we stayed and played on the preschool playground until 5.  Then we hurried home and I made another batch of frosting.  I was getting my last few things together when Alan got called to go give a blessing, so I watched another little boy while his dad went with Alan.  Then I got to go to the cake class.  I had fun and hopefully the people who came all learned something.  There were 7 there including me.  We talked for a while and then everyone got to decorate a 6 inch round.

Friday morning I was in charge of playgroup.  I had to figure out what I was doing and get everything ready that morning.  We ended up reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar (with some little puppet/ flannel board pieces).  Then making coffee filter butterflies and putting then on party blowers.  Everyone loved it.  (It was super nice and we got to be outside.)  We had about 10 min after playgroup and having to hurry in to pack everyone a lunch.  Lauren had a special playgroup at BYU for a research study that she is a part of right now.  She did her playgroup and Jared, Brad, and Connor ate lunch.  It was just supposed to be an hour, but was almost 2 because they were running a little behind.  On the way home we stopped by Wasatch so Jared could pick up his reading books.  Then we hurried home.  I tried to go to a little mini class on make-ahead-meals, but it was over by the time I got there.  I got the handout and talked for a min.  Then we were out the door to get Lauren her shots she needs for Kindergarten. (Kindergarten registration is next week and they like you to have them done before then.)  We tried to go to the county health department like we have been for the last 6 years, but they told us that they couldn't help us because the laws changed at the start of the year and now we have to go somewhere else.  So we climbed back in the car with our filled out paperwork and went to the new place.  We filled out more paperwork and waited.  There were several little things that happened and we did not have a good experience there!  I am not looking forward to taking Connor there in a couple of weeks.  I can't wait until we are done here and we have more than one choice for our medical needs (at least I hope we do).  (Lauren was maybe more upset about taking her bandaids off... than actually getting the shots.)  I wanted to come home and just flop...but it was only 5:00...so we went out to fly kites and play basketball until Alan got home about 6.  We ate dinner (burritos), I went to exercise..then maybe I flopped.

Saturday we got to have a kind of slow morning.  There was a Primary Activity at 11.  They got to see a magic show, color a puzzle, play a pass the broom game, eat pizza, have a pinata, and do some races.  I practiced organ for part, but it was a pretty fun activity.  We got home just in time for Jared and Alan to go to Big Guy Little guy at the library.  I was an activity for Dads and boys to go play (you have to be 3).  It was a space theme.  There were several fun games and they got to see a chemistry show and eat hamburgers.  When they got home Jared wanted to get out some of Alan's legos, but first I told them they had to frost the left over cakes from thursday...if they were going to.  Then they got out the legos for a bit.  We had to put them away so we could go swimming.  When we got to the pool we found out that our passes were expired (we thought they went through the end of the month), so we got another year pass....but we better not be here that long. (they don't sell 9 month passes :) )  We had a lot of fun swimming.  Connor fell asleep right when we were getting there and slept the whole time in his seat on the side of the pool.  We came home had dinner and got ready for bed...I was ready.  Then Alan went to the store.

Yes, Brad can do it on his own.

Lauren said hers is different kinds of  ice cream.

Jared put little guys on his cake...I think they are monsters.

Brad meticulously made flowers...with centers...and a couple of snakes.

Today was a good day.  Lots of home teaching and visiting teaching.  Alan had to go to a special Priesthood meeting at 4.  We had a member of our stake presidency change.  Our 2nd counselor (Scott Jackson) got called to be a mission President in Spain.  Our new counselor is President Mongi (?).  He is from South Africa.  We made the chicken tortilla chowder for the first time today.  We all loved it!  Since they finished Mary Poppins a week or so ago they have been singing all the songs.  Today Lauren was singing.....If you say it loud enough You'll always sound atrocious.  It made me laugh pretty good...and I'm pretty sure it's true too. I'm ready for another week, but maybe not quite as crazy would be good.

These are their newest church clothes (that someone left on our door step)...and yes Brad insisted that his tie be outside his vest...and his tag up in the back (you can't see it) it must have itched.  (This was before church and Connor wasn't dressed yet...I thought we might take another one with Connor after church, but it didn't happen..and Connor had a diaper leak at church, so he wasn't wearing his regular church clothes when we got home anyway.)

Happy Pi Day and St. Patrick's Day

I feel like this last week had been crazy!  I'm not really sure why...there wasn't a whole lot more than normal going on..but it was super nice outside.  We spent lots of time outside.

We walked Jared and Lauren down to school every day this week.  On Wednesday they were doing fun Pi Day activities outside in Brigham's square.  They were letting people throw pies in professor's faces (one of the times we saw it the guy totally missed and hit the student holding the cardboard...the thrower was about 5 feet away and he missed by about 3 feet...another time the professor got hit and it looked like he was wearing a whipped cream mask like a super hero), a pie eating contest, a plinko game to get a cool math department prize, toss a frisbee to hit the pi in the middle of a target, recite pi for as long as you could, and toss sticks for Buffon's needle.  It was pretty fun and Jared was super sad that he had to miss it.  We had quiche for dinner and apple pie.

Wednesday Alan went and read books to Lauren's class and that night I had to go teach people how to knit or crochet for a Relief Society activity in April, but no one came to learn...other people were there who were going to teach other things...but no one came for them either.

Thursday Lauren got to celebrate her un-birthday in her class.  She did it the same day as another little girl because they share a birthday for real...there is another little boy in their class also born on the 17th, but he picked a different day.  Lauren took popsicles.  Lauren said that both of them sat on the special chair at the same time and shared the crown and got sung to.  Lauren thought it was pretty fun and funny.

Friday I planned to do all our normal stuff...and we did go to playgroup and the library, but the rest didn't happen.  We found out that morning that they were going to cut down one the trees right outside out apartment....I guess it was 70% dead.  Of course Everyone wanted to watch...and it was pretty cool....just loud.  At one point I wanted to go inside for a break from the noise...and we did...but it was just as loud inside because really they were just outside our apartment (we're on the bottom floor in the picture)....so we ended up just going right back out.  It took them about 3 1/2 hours to get the tree down.  We are going to get a little more sun this summer....I wonder if we should try tomatoes again.

 

I guess I didn't take a picture when the tree was all the way down, but they didn't cut it any lower than where the guys is cutting in the picture.  It has become the new favorite spot on the playground.  There have been several kids that have climbed on top and said I am king bow to me. (I'll have to go out and get a picture when it's not dark and snowing)

Saturday we had green pancakes for breakfast.  I went to a baby shower.  Jeff and Elizabeth watched our kids while Alan and I went and exercised (we swam laps) We had green sea shells and broccoli for dinner, and finished Mary Poppins.

Jared and Brad are wearing green too...Jared's is just on the back of his shirt and Brad's is on the front...hidden by his overalls (he didn't wear pants most of the day...so it worked...he doesn't really like overalls and we really need to do some laundry so that was his only choice...I guess he did have a choice of about 4 different pairs of overalls)

Today we had ward conference and Jeff and Elizabeth came over and we had corned beef and cabbage and rolls for dinner.

Also this week Alan and I both went to the temple, my visiting teachers came, friends from Jared's preschool stopped by and wanted to play, we all went on a walk to the temple, most of us got a little sun burned and wind blown, and Alan and I both exercised 6 days last week.

One last quick conversation I had with Brad while riding in the car...I think we must have been on the way to pick Lauren and Jared up from school...
Brad: Connor is cute 
Me: yes Connor is cute and you are cute too.
Brad: no I'm not cute Connor is cute
Me: ok then are you handsome
Brad: no
Me: then what are you?
Brad:  I'm Bradley

Brad adores Connor...as we all do.  Connor is smiling a little more, so that is a fun past time...trying to get him to.  I think Alan must hold the record.

I want the green one please!

This is how I found Brad sleeping last Sunday when I checked on him...I don't think he fell off the bed that night...but he had several times the week before.

This week started slow...which was nice and the weather was nice too.  We were able to walk to school on Monday and Tuesday.  Monday we tried to be ready to walk Jared and then Lauren, but Connor was hungry when it was time to leave.  We didn't end up walking Jared...just Lauren.  But Tuesday we were able to walk both.  That was really nice since it's been a while since we've been able to walk.  Of course Wednesday night it snowed a little, but it was almost all melted by the time we left on Thursday.

We all thought Connor looked at little like Winnie the Pooh...It must just be the red yellow combo.

Thursday night we went to a storytelling festival at Wasatch.  They had students telling some stories and adults telling some stories.  We got to hear some really fun ones from one of the second grade teachers who grew up on a farm...and one time climbed a tree with his brother and threw rotten tomatoes into his grandma's car window...Jared can fill you in on the details...he loved it...the teacher had other fun stories too.

Friday was Jared's Kindergarten program.  They did it once in the morning for the whole school and then once in the evening for parents.  The kids and I went to both and Alan went in the evening.  We got lucky in the evening and found 2 seats on the end of the front row...right close to Jared.  They did lots of singing and Jared had a dancing part with 8 other kids up on the stage. 

Jared has triplets in his class and he sat between 2 of them.

 

The watching crews.

In the afternoon we had our first picnic of the year...outside the church before I practiced.  We had macaroni and cheese (with catsup...some of them won't eat it without it), apples, cheese puffs Brad got for Christmas from Jared, and Capri Suns (that are probably 2 or 3 years old).

This is from Saturday morning...I know these are kind of a funny pictures...but Connor is smiling.

Saturday we went to the science palooza.  It was really fun.  There were booths set up from different BYU clubs (it was city sponsored) like the physics, chemistry, biology, environmental...and several others.  There were fun activities to learn from and do at all of the booths.  Every 10 min or so they were also doing mentos in coke explosions.  They were letting kids put the mentos in the bottle and Jared got to be one of the helpers once.  Lauren was up by him too but chickened out before they did it....I don't blame her...Jared got soda in his ear, on his shirt and pants, and in his hair. 

After the science polooza we came home for lunch and Jeff and Elizabeth stopped by...then we went swimming.  (Connor and I just watched).  When we got home we ate dinner, set our clocks ahead, and started watching Mary Poppins...Alan had to make a store run.  We didn't get very far in the movie, but Jared and Lauren were laughing uncontrollably during the nursery clean up part...it will be fun to watch the rest with them.  (The kids haven't seen it before.)

Here is another cute one of Connor from today.

I typed all this 1 handed left hand...I'm faster 1 hand right hand...and even faster 2 hands, but that's all I have tonight.  Sometime this week Alan sent resumes to a couple of companies..which is exciting...It must mean we are getting a little closer to finishing.