Alan in Japan

Last Monday was a pretty normal day.  Our little friends didn't end up coming. Their mom called in the morning to say she couldn't talk one of them into leaving and she didn't feel well enough to make him.  We had fun playing more file folder games...mostly the ones we hadn't before.  I was surprised that Brad could do some of the harder ones without help.  We did more tangrams too.   Monday was a nice day and we were able to walk down to pick up Lauren....or maybe we walked to pick up Jared.  I don't remember now.  We walked to pick up Lauren so we could be home quickly after getting Jared so we could skype with Alan.  He was able to skype with us in the mornings before he would leave for the conference.  Monday was the day Alan had his poster presentation at the conference.  After skyping We played outside for awhile before coming in for homework, dinner, and family home evening.

Connor loves to sweep.  He gets the broom out all the time! (Also in this picture you can see Bradley's clothes.  He loves to wear basketball jerseys...and everything without sleeves is a jersey.  Even an argyle sweater vest.  Most days he has on his jersey under his clothes and unless he is wearing his basketball pants...which he is in this picture...he also has basketball shorts on underneath his pants too)

He is very thorough too.

Alan trying out a wheel chair robot

A giant Robot sculpture that is close to his robot conference.

Tuesday Bradley had preschool.  We walked down to pick up Lauren.  We had a picnic lunch outside. We skyped with Alan a little before picking Jared up and a little more after we got him.  Then we played outside until we got hungry and had to come in for.dinner and homework.

Robot during the day.

Wednesday we went to story time at the library.  Then hurried home so we could walk down and get Lauren.  In the after noon it was the usual cleaning up and playing.  We got to skype with Alan one last time.  It was his Thursday morning and he was on his way out to see a little and head to the airport.  The night before Alan was able to meet up with the Ooyamas and have dinner.  He said it was fun to get to see Katsu, Yoshi, and Sakura. (They lived in quad 2 for a year when Katsu was here as a professor doing research....They went back to Japan 2 years ago.  It doesn't seem like it has been that long.)  After skyping we played outside more....and did homework later.  (All last fall we did homework then went out to play.  We are going to have to get back into that pattern.)

Dinner with the Ooyamas

Thursday our neighbors were leaving for school right when we were getting in the car and offered to take Jared.  He said he was ok going with them...so he did.  Lauren had a special practice for the kindergarten program that day and went at the afternoon kindergarten time.  We weren't used to having her home in the mornings.  We just played and worked on cleaning up some.  We walked her down to school.  Connor fell asleep on the way home.  Bradley and I did dishes when we got home.  It reminded me a little of last year when Brad and I would spend our afternoons together...often times doing the dishes.  He really is a good little dishes helper.  He pulls the stool right up to the sink and takes care of the rinse side...sometimes even putting them in the drainer/dryer.  (I think I usually call it a dish dryer, but he calls it a dish dryer.)  After we got everything taken care of in here we went out and played...and waited for Alan to get home.  We took bubbles outside and Connor loved them.  He would laugh his cute little laugh every time we blew some.  Finally Alan got here.  It is so nice to have him home.  He got home around 2:30.  We picked Jared and Lauren up from school and had a fun afternoon together.  He brought back a few things from Japan.  Some fun Disney guys from the Ooyamas and some model cars with motors that he got.  Alan had a good time, but he is glad to be home.

We are glad dad is home!

Friday Lauren had her kindergarten program.  Bradley, Connor and I went to see it in the morning when they performed it for the whole school.  It is pretty much the same year after year.  Before it started they told the other grades that they had all had their turns when they were in kindergarten and now it was the Kindergarteners turn...so don't sing along!  (except for the one song they are invited to)  Lauren decided she wanted a speaking part.  Another boy pulls a rat out of a box and said something like this is weird it has a long tail.  then Lauren said "That's awesome! That's a rat.  I can spell rat R-A-T"  She got really into her part.  She told me she did it with the best expression she could.  After school we went to the last story telling workshop.  Jared decided to change his story Wednesday or Thursday night now he is going to tell More Pies (he was going to tell Duck on a Bike).  He likes his new one better and will do a better job with it.  We also realized that the story telling festival is on pi day...so it will be a perfect story for it.  In the evening we all went to the Kindergarten program again.  I had to keep nudging Alan through it...he is still pretty tired.  He caught all the good parts though.  We had closer floor seats in the evening than I had had earlier.  Lauren was enthralled with the show.  She sat on the top row so she could see the stage...and she kept watching (when she should have been singing).  My favorite part (besides when she says the rat is awesome) was when she just sat watching what was going on on the stage and then when that part was over she started clapping with all the people watching.  Alan and I stayed up to watch the BYU game.  It was too bad they couldn't hang on and win.

After the morning program

Excitedly waiting for the evening one to start.

Saturday Alan had to get up and go to the Spring Student Research Conference at BYU.  He was in a morning presentation group and got to be the first in group of 8 to go.  He said the allocate time for 8 presenters, but his only had 7 and then 2 didn't show up.  I really didn't know what time he would be home, but I was surprised when he got home about 10:40.  (I had just told Jared it would be 2 more hours)  We got some things done around here.  Alan did laundry and cleaned the bathroom.  We went to Winco in the afternoon.  In the evening we went to the men's volleyball game.  We had a fun time at the game and saw Jeff and Elizabeth there too.  Connor went up and down the stairs for a lot of the game.  His little legs were getting so tired by the end, but he just didn't want to stop.

Throw us a shirt!!!

Today I got to do singing time.  We learned the 2nd verse to If the Savior Stood Beside Me.  It is all about what we say.  I took my 'words' spray bottle (body spray) and sprayed it in the room.  We talked about how we can't see it, but it has a lasting effect (we can smell it even a long time later) and once it is out we can't put it back in the bottle.  Then we talked about nice words or saying true and kind thing and not nice things.  I had two jars one with a smiley face with marshmallows and one with a frown and rocks.  We talked about how nice things make us feel and that's what we all want...the marshmallows.  We also sang and clapped staccato and legato.  We did a lot of new things today.  We sang The Chapel Doors with a little box I made with doors cut into it and a picture of Jesus inside (mostly made it for nursery) and we sang head shoulders knees and toes in English and Cebuano.  We did a lot of new things today, but they loved it all.  After church we walked up to the Temple.  Bradley has been wanting to do that for awhile.  Once we got there we realized that we could run into Greg there, but didn't think it likely since there were so many missionaries.  We didn't see Greg but we did see Keegan.  I don't think we would have noticed him, but he said hi first.  Jared wore some hand me down shoes and something started bothering his foot part way there.  He ended up taking it off and since it is weird to walk with one shoe on and one off he took the other off too.  He walked all the way home from the Temple with no shoes on.  For dinner Alan made okonomiyaki.  He had it for lunch one day in Japan.  We didn't have all the right things to make it, but it was still yummy and he said it was pretty close to what he had while he was there...minus the fishy flavors, squid, and shrimp.  We are looking forward to a fun week.

Bradley playing the 'piano' while waiting for the rest of us to catch up to him.

Dinner with the chopsticks dad brought back from Japan.

okonomiyaki....giant cabbage pancakes with a little more and toppings...way better than it sounds!

Connor got a haircut!

This last week has been mostly normal week.  Monday our little friends came to play.  We made fruit loop necklaces. I was surprised that they worked on them for so long.  Bradley worked on his the whole hour they were here.  The little girl worked on hers for about 30 minutes then she just wanted to eat them.  The little boy didn't want to make one at all until he saw his sister eating the loops.  Then he wanted to make one too.  That night we had family home evening.

Busy at work.

Connor really wanted one too.  He helped just a little but mostly he just wanted one to wear around.  Then let Lauren eat it when she got home.

Tuesday Bradley had preschool, and it was warmer so we got to play a little outside.  We went to juggling club that evening, and I took my batons which I haven't done for a while, so that was fun.  Alan also started getting ready for his trip.

Wednesday was more of the same, we played outside and Alan continued getting ready.   I also decided that I was ready to give Connor a hair cut.  He probably could have used one a couple of months ago, but I just couldn't bring myself to cut off his cute little baby hairs.  But they were getting really long and just had to go.  I also knew that if I didn't cut it before Alan left I wouldn't do it while he was gone...and it couldn't wait that long.

Before

Before

Getting started

No turning back now

finished and after the bath

Enjoying his cookie!

Thursday Alan hosted a visiting professor from MIT in the lab.  We didn't help in Lauren's class because they were practicing for the Kindergarten program.  It was fun to play with Bradley and Connor here at home during that time... we did file folder games and tangram shapes.

Friday I went and helped in Jared's class.  Then we all went to the storytelling workshop after school.  That night was the Wasatch school family dance.  We danced for a little and then waited in line for cotton candy for close to an hour.  We were afraid we wouldn't get any, since it had officially ended before we got to the front of the line.  Alan finished getting ready for his trip.

Saturday Alan left early on the shuttle to the airport.  His advisor was going to go but ended up canceling the day before.  Alan went to Japan for a conference.  Since everyone got up to say goodbye we had plenty of time to make green eggs and ham and star-bellied sneech toast for breakfast. Jeff came over to babysit so I could go to our Stake's relief society conference.  Sister Burton the general relief society president was the keynote speaker at the conference.  It was good.  When I got home, everyone was having fun racing their cars they had made out of cardboard with Jeff.  The cars were made out of milk lids, toothpicks, straws, and cracker boxes or milk jugs.  I'm grateful that Jeff was able to babysit so I could go to the conference.  Everyone loves it when he and Elizabeth come to play.  He even made it to the top of some of their favorite uncle lists.  But their lists change daily.  After we did a few things around the house we went and played mini golf at Trafalga... it was such a nice day we were hoping the outside courses would be open, but they weren't so we played black light mini golf inside.  Connor has a pretty good little put...even in the dark.  Then we went to Winco.  A nice boy offered to bag my groceries, because Connor was done being at winco, and I let him, but it was hard to watch, since I'm so particular about how the groceries are bagged.  But in the end it was probably really helpful.  Then we hurried home, ate dinner, and watched Aladdin.  It was the first time for the kids to see it.  They said there were only a few scary parts and the genie was hilarious.

Do you like green eggs and ham?  (They all only like them with ketchup on them)

Connor thinks this car is great!

Golf

Sunday Brad got to say prayer in primary.  After church we hurried home to skype with Alan.  We were only able to skype for about 10 minutes because he had to leave for his meeting, and his sound wasn't working but it was fun to get to see him and talk and chat.  Later in the evening we skyped with Grandma and Grandpa for a while. 

We have 4 Kelloggs bowls that have breakfast cereal characters in the bottom...like Snap, Crackle, and Pop, the fruit loop toucan, Tony the Tiger, and the corn flake rooster, Corny.  We use these bowls almost every day.  Not for breakfast...mostly for dinner.  It is an exciting thing to eat enough of your dinner to see who is sitting at the bottom of the bowl. (Even though they don't really know any of them.)    Well Brad has named the rooster Chika Baka.  I don't know why, but I think it is hilarious!  He loves it when he get Chika Baka...and so do I.

Greg goes to the MTC

Last Monday was President's Day.  It was nice to have everyone home.  I worked on cleaning up some more. Made an I-spy bag, and patched a hole in my jeans. These other guys just played...and did not clean up.  We got to go to a fun little birthday party for a girl who was turning one.  Then we came home and had family home evening.  I talked to Grandma, Grandpa, and Greg for a little while.

Eating lunch

Just having a snack

Hitting hard

Tuesday I tried to clean up a little in the morning before preschool.  Bradley had a fun time at preschool like always.  Lauren got to go on a field trip to a fire station during school.  She said it was fun to see the station, but she didn't get to see where they sleep or eat.   After getting Lauren we made a quick lunch for them to eat in the car, put some white bean chicken chili in the crock pot and hurried up to the airport to get Greg.  We were a couple minutes late so Greg was at the baggage pickup area already, but we beat his bags...which were some of the first off the plane.  We got back in time to pick up Jared.  We worked on homework and Greg called the Jones.  These guys played games with Greg all afternoon and evening. They took a little break to eat dinner when Jeff and Elizabeth came over, but then jumped right back in.  Some of their favorites were uno and war, but Alan and Jared taught Greg how to play Carcassonne too. Greg went to sleep at Jeff and Elizabeth's.

Getting the homework done

Starting with the games

Wednesday we took Greg to do some of our usual things. We went to story time at the library and the to get Lauren. We had a quick lunch here and then went to ready to learn. It was a fun one this time and just had activities and crafts...and books :) Then we had just enough time for a bathroom break and loading Greg's luggage into the car. We went down and checked Jared out of school so he could go with us to drop Greg off at the MTC.  The first missionary we talked to asked if we were there to drop off the missionary in the back (Jared). I said luckily we had a few more years before that.  He told us to go left down the hill. We followed the directions of the Elders in reflective yellow coats (they looked like fireman coats) down the hill by the flag roundabout. Greg recognized one of them which helped put him at ease a little. We pulled in at number 22 and a friendly Elder helped Greg get his bags out of the car. I gave him a quick hug, he said bye to the guys still in the car, and he was off down the sidewalk with the friendly Elder showing him the way.  I buckled Bradley back in (he had to get out to get Greg's bag out of the car).  Then we just pulled out going out a gate at the south side that lets you into the parking lot right to the East of the university press building.  We took Jared back to school.  I got him out at 1:30 and he was back by1:50 and all he really missed was recess.  That night I had a Stake Primary training meeting. It was a good meeting, but got kind of long.  I got to talk to mom and dad a little to tell them how the day went.  Like I told them it was awesome to get to drop Greg off.  The excitement and spirit at the MTC are amazing.   I would gladly drop someone off every week if I could.

Look out Mozambique here he comes!

Thursday Bradley, Connor, and I went and helped in Lauren's class.  We helped write more letters and helped in the hospital center. My visiting teachers came in the afternoon.  The rest of the day was just normal.  We did spend a little time getting ready for the talent show and doing homework.

Friday was the school talent show.  Jared and Lauren did it together.  Jared rode his unicycle and Lauren twirled baton.  They did a great job!  One little girl told me that if it had been a contest they would have won.  When I told these guys they were both beaming. Bradley wanted to stay for the older grades' show, so we did.  It got over right about the time to get Lauren. We met Jared after his school again at the library for another storytelling workshop.  They played some fun games this time and really enjoyed themselves.  Friday night they got to watch the first half of Toy Story 3.

They came up with what to wear all on their own.  I love that they had the idea to match.

Waiting for it to start

Saturday we just had a slow morning. Alan went to work for several hours.  We got to go to the baptism of the little boy who lives across from us.  I got to play the piano.  It has been a long time since I have been to a baptism.  There was a really sweet spirit there.  They had some snacks in the basement when it was over.  I was starting to not feel so great.  Everyone was pretty tired so I ran to Winco so some other guys could take naps. When I got home these guys had cleaned up and were finishing Toy Story 3. I had to hurry and get dinner going. We had a couple from our ward coming over for dinner.   That was our ward activity for the month.  You signed up and they paired you with another family and you were supposed to get together Friday or Saturday for dinner.  We had Hawaiian haystacks. They were yummy...or so everyone else says.  It was all I could do to keep from throwing up while they were here. If they hadn't been here I probably would have just thrown up and gotten it over with.


Today I woke up and stuff is moving through me really fast.  I decided I could go to church, but I think I spent about half the morning in the bathroom. In singing time today we played "scratch and sing" Alan helped me make some scratch off cards.  There were two things to scratch off on each card...a song to sing and a location to find the next card.  It was a fun singing time. (to make the cards you just put packing tape over the part you want covered, then use 1part dish soap and 2 parts paint and paint thin layers over it until you can't see through it...about 4 layers.  I just used white paint, but if you use metallic it looks like a real scratch off ticket) Bradley got to do the scripture for the first time in Primary today too.  Our home teacher stopped by and I took some treats to the ones I visit and stayed for a few minutes. We had chicken noodle soup for dinner.  It was yummy, but didn't sit well.  Hopefully I'll be doing better tomorrow.

Even though these came last week we just took these pictures today.

 "I can't wait!"

"Grandma these are the best!"