AGH!!!!!!!!!

Church today was an interesting experience. It felt like half our ward was out of town! I had my regular two jobs today, organist and gospel doctrine teacher. In addition, I was asked to play the piano in RS and play for the Young Women while they practiced the special musical number they're preparing for camp. I looked around today and realized that I was the only pianist in the ward who showed up today. The bishop and first councilor were both out of town and the primary pianist just didn't show up. So everyone was scrambling. After I finished my lesson, the second councilor asked me to go and play for Sr. primary, and I told them that I would have to show someone how to work the piano so they could sing, stick my head into young women's to tell them that they would have to practice to a CD, and then I would be in there. The young women decided to stay late and we practiced after church.

I looked over and just called someone I knew over the piano, and low and behold, someone said she could play the piano! Then I got into primary and found that the primary chorister was playing the piano in there. Neither of these two sisters had ever before said that they play! I'm not thrilled. But it's out now, so we'll see what happens next.

Other than that, I was very busy, which is the way I like it. We'll have to see what happens next week. All of the young women will be at camp and all the Bishopric will be gone and it's a three day weekend. At least I don't have to teach.

Good Grief!

Billy Mays Dead at 50

Walter Cronkite Not Expected to Recuperate

Summertime, summertime, sum-sum-summertime

And now you are three

Random

I think I just threw my back out. By walking down the stairs. And putting the baby in his crib. Things I do a million times a week.

There is a private bus parked at the park across the street from my front window. A lot of older people are wandering around my park, taking pictures. It's not clear to me why.

I'm irritated at our federal government (the state and city haven't done anything irritating lately, so they get a pass). Cap-and-trade: REALLY BAD IDEA. Nationalized health care: EQUALLY STUPID. Cash-for-clunkers: merely DUMB.

Ezra is feeling a lot better, although I'll bet he develops a higher fever as the day wears on. It usually happens like that.

Wow. My back really hurts. This is ridiculous.

Michael Jackson wasn't a saint. Yes, he was talented, but definitely NOT a role model. Though I still remember some awesome Jackson Five stickers we got out of a cereal box when we lived on Banjo. Why the Jackson Five, though? It must have been the very early eighties.

Picture from a beach in Taiwan

Here is a great shot of a hermit crab on a beach in Taiwan. This is just outside the area of Tiatung on the East coast of the island. Enjoy.

Closet Doors

Oh, yes, I do remember writing our names on the back of the closet. Oh, the memories...that closet was so cool. And so was the closet at the end of the hallway--it was the "elevator". So when Ezra stacks long cushion up against the end of his closet by the shelves and makes it an "elevator", it makes me smile.

PS I always thought I was the coolest "Angel" because I was the only one that was the same actress the entire show. But it was Sabrina, I think, that got shot and almost "died", right?

PPS (Come see my new header at my blog. What do you think?)

Of course we're angels!

Hey, I was Sabrina, not Kate!!! There is a difference.

I always liked her as Amanda King better anyhow.

Do you remember writing out "OUR" names on the back of the closet doors in the pink room?

A bad week for celebs indeed...

Report: Michael Jackson dies

RE: Farrah

My condolences, Jenafer. You had the blondest hair, so it definitely made sense for you to be Farrah Fawcett.

Those were the days, huh? Tell me WHY we watched that show again?

Sad

It's been a bad week to be a celebrity!

Farrah Fawcett just died. I was always her when we played! LaDale was Kate Jackson and Keryn was Jaclyn Smith.

A little of Taiwan

I want to share with you all a little of my trip in Taiwan. The food is great and weird. I realized only a few days ago, whenever we were taken out to eat by a large group of people, they expect the guests to dish up first. Since it is all new to us we wanted to follow and learn as they eat. But they expected us to dish first. So, they forced us to keep eating without us really knowing why. Every time a new dish comes out, they say, 'Try this.' Then the food keeps coming out. The meals they treat us to are long and never ending.

Other then food, the classes we are going to are fun. We have been to a lot of high school classes. In each class we do a variation on a lesson. We have the students measure the length of an oil molecule. The actual size is about 2 nm. Each class is slightly different and will usually get about 10 times larger then the actual size. The students are great. For the most part they understand us but we usually have a translator to help in those parts where we know they do not understand. It has been a fun experience to say the least.

Aside from that, I REALLY miss my beautiful wife and my adorable kids. Today, Wednesday, we visited a native aboriginal community. In one of the shops was a cute little boy eating ice cream. He reminded me so much of Kip I nearly cried. I do miss them a lot. Thank goodness for the internet. I can usually see them in my early morning and their early afternoon.

I love you all. SKT

Samuel and Keryn, a conversation

me: can you talk?

Samuel: Not really

me: love you!

Samuel: we are trying to check out by 9am

which is in 5 minutes

me: have fun!

Samuel: I'm looking for your sand

me: thanx!

don't stress.
Samuel: I'm not

or at least about the sand

me: good.

love you!

Samuel: love you too

Poor PCH

Ed McMahon died this morning. What will Publishers Clearing House do?

My Day

My day went well. Last night I told Benjamin to get everything together for scout camp. He came downstairs with half a duffle bag for a week at camp. That's when I made him show me his packing list and everything in his bag. He didn't pack any socks or pants! No toothpaste or his toothbrush, no dishes, no sunscreen, I nearly tore my hair out! At that point I made him gather everything and pack. We filled his duffle and a backpack. He managed to get everything he needed. I didn't get to bed until after 11. He had to be up at 4:15, he was picked up at 4:30, and off at 4:45. Then, since Jeff gets up at 5:15 anyway, I didn't even try to go back to sleep. Now, I'm tired and snappy at my children, bedtime for all!
I cleaned the familyroom today. Benjamin's been in charge of it since school got out and he just cannot seem to understand that cleaning includes the corners and under the couches. It really needed to be done. And now it is. He'll have a fresh start when he gets back from camp. We'll see if he can keep it up.
How was everyone else's day?

Preschoolers

Mercy and Ezra started preschool at BYU today--hooray! (Except for the part that it made us late for swim lessons.) They had a marvelous, wonderful time; and so did I! It's funny how quiet and easy and peaceful and simple life seemed with just two kids--but before Gideon was born two kids seemed like SO MUCH WORK. I guess it's all perspective. Or maybe just what you are used to.

Four kids is really killing me. Honestly. I don't know how to do it some days. But I truly love life with all four of them, even if that life is mostly staying home and playing in our (very lovely green) backyard. And the sun was out today, it was beautiful temperate weather, and we played Simon Says and Red Light Green Light for an hour.

How was your day?

Father's Day

I wrote this for my blog today, and then realized it is my week to write on our blog. But I'm too tired to write another post. So, here you go: I'll do better tomorrow. And Jen, I hope you are feeling better and that you don't have swine flu. Love you!

Today, in the car driving home from stake conference, Em pipes up from her seat in the back: "Happy Father's Day, Daddy!" After Bradley thanked her, she leaned over to Zee and, in a loud four-year-old whisper, says, "Say Happy Father's Day, Zee!" Which he promptly did.

It's funny how much that touched me, that she wanted Daddy to hear it from her brother, too. She can be such a compassionate little girl; sometimes I'm in awe of how she takes care of her brothers. (And, true to her four-year-old roots, she sometimes irritates the living daylights out of them, just to get a reaction.)

Bradley was in the stake choir today during conference, so I enlisted my cousin Allyson Tobler to help me with the kids. Allyson moved into the ward about three years ago, and we figured out that we are descended from the same wife of polygamist pioneer Jacob Tobler. Cool! Anyway, she's a wonderful friend, and she is amazing with children. I actually made it through both hours of conference without too much stress.

The worst part was when Allyson left during the rest hymn for just a minute, and at that moment both Gee and Hebs decided to wig out. So I commanded the older two to STAY PUT and STAY QUIET, and hefted the younger boys out to the foyer. Zee and Em managed to stay put, but the stay quiet command was a little too much for them. The elderly ladies sitting in the pew behind us saved the day, though. When Allyson took Gee back inside the chapel (I went to feed the baby), she found Em sitting quietly with the ladies and Zee sitting in our pew, alone, contentedly drawing. And there Em stayed for the rest of the meeting, totally charming the ladies.

The only other hitch came before the closing prayer, which I gave. I knew Zee wasn't going to let me leave him to go give the prayer, but I sure wasn't going to hold him during it. Either way promised to be loud and embarrassing. So I took him up to the stand with me during the final chorus of the closing song, and then practically tossed him to his Daddy before calmly proceeding to the pulpit. And it worked! He was quiet.

I'm really grateful that the ladies in the row behind us weren't judgmental, and in fact helped us out wonderfully. And I didn't get their names! (But I did thank them profusely.)

Sorry!

Sorry I dropped off the face of the earth the last two days. I've come down with a bug. No temp, but hot flashes and cold flashes and body aches and a headache and a sore throat and everything. I'm just going to go back to sleep now.

Love ya!

LaDale, welcome to FaceBook!

anyone want to get high

i told mom i insisted that everything be moved from the pantry including the huge buckets that she said not to move because they were going right back in. I insisted that everything be moved so i could get in with bleach and sanitize it all ceiling, walls, floor, door and shelves. I watched mom going through her spices and various extracts and sniffing them. I said if she was trying to get high just go walk in the pantry. I told her i wasn't joking when my own mother has called me a mercenary.
love caren

Hah!

Not unless Hillary has had extensive work done. My mechanic is a 60ish Hispanic male. I think the only thing that he and Hillary have in common is the same general age group. Besides, I wouldn't trust Hillary with my car, let alone anything else!

Cool!

So Jeff stopped off at Roland's house on his way home. Turns out, he broke his elbow.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton fractured her right elbow Wednesday during a fall, State Department officials said.

Wait, so your mechanic is Hillary Clinton???? Awesome!

Wednesday

Well, car's still not done. And our mechanic hasn't been answering his phone. So Jeff stopped off at Roland's house on his way home. Turns out, he broke his elbow. Our van's on the back burner. It should still be done by Saturday, but probably not before then. Huge sigh, not an ideal situation, but what can you say? At least he knows that it is just a busted seal on a hose. It's not a big deal. It cost us all of $6 for the part.

In other news, we're trying to get everything put together for Benjamin to go to Scout camp next week. He will be gone all week and I'm not sure how I'll handle not having my babysitter. I won't be able to go shopping and leave the kids at home. I won't be able to run to the bank or anything without it being a major production. I'm sad.

Other than that, we're all doing well! Love ya!

A quick conversation

Keryn's shoulder devil: "Jump, Caren, jump!"
Keryn's shoulder angel: "No, no, don't do it. Everything will be okay!"

Keryn's psychologist: "Maybe Keryn should have a few more sessions..."

where's the love? mom told me to go jump off a ledge

for those who don't know, the boys and i are staying with mom while samuel is in taiwan. Naturally those depression commercials come on tv.
So of course after seeing a ridiculous one.
Naturally i fedlt compelled to climb up on the hearth {a whole whopping 2 feet off the ground} and told mom i couldn't live anymore.
She cackled and told me to come on and jump.
Can you believe that? Where is the love?
love caren

Tuesday

Car's still in the shop. We haven't heard anything yet. I'm not really sure I want to hear anything but it's been trying not having a car. We are running out of food! My kids are amazingly whinny when they don't get their daily quota of food! We're down to scrounging in the freezer to see if I have enough ingredients for dinner. Tomorrow I think I'll make bread. That will give them plenty to eat and make my husband happy. I know I have all of those ingredients. Food storage is a wonderful thing in these situations.

I'm just going to write for a few minutes about a few news items that caught my attention today.

First- The kid who was denied his diploma at a high school graduation for blowing his mom a kiss while on stage! Who was the bright person who thought that was a good idea? I imagine they simply wanted to nip any behaviour in the bud since that sort of thing gets picked up by every person in the class, each one trying to out do the rest and come up with bigger and more disturbing things, but really! I still remember the streaker though! Telima was that at your graduation, or Samuels? I can't remember. I hope his diploma was at least withheld for a while for that stunt!

Second- This one is just frustrating. John Ensign admitted today that he had an affair with a staffer. He will be lucky to salvage his career. It's not as bad as it sounds, the news article said that he had been separated from his wife at the time and ended it before they got back together. I'm not even sure most of the world would even consider this cheating, at least not on his part, but she was married too. The reason it became public is because the woman's husband apparently tried to blackmail him and he wasn't going to put up with that.

Third- Does anyone other than me find North Korea scary? They are seriously scary people.

Fourth- An eight year old boy in Poland managed to do a great thing. He saved his 5 year old sister from a fire. Apparently the fire started just outside of their apartment and he couldn't wake his mother or her two friends because they were all passed out drunk, so he called the police and got his sister dressed and out of the apartment. The police are 'considering' charges of endangerment against the mother.

That's it for my rants on the news items of the day. I may rant more tomorrow. Who knows...

Monday

This is hilarious! I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1157595773724&ref=nf

Here are the lyrics-
Hey there Delilah, what’s it like at BYU? I’m just a quarter mile away, but feel so far away from you, But that will do, Cuz two years from now I’ll be with you, I know that’s true. Hey there Delilah, don’t you worry about the distance, Few more months and I can call you both on Mother’s D ay and Christmas. Close your eyes, Then just think of suits and ties, But not other guys. Cuz, you said you’d wait for me, O, you said you’d wait for me, O, I’m at the MTC, O, I’m at the MTC, at the MTC. Now have some patience and don’t think of dating Conner, Cuz two more years you may be done with school, But I’ll return with honor. I can’t wait, Just two more years till our next date, It will be great. O when you told me I was the love of your life, And I just held you close and kissed you just like I’ll kiss my wife. We can goodbye, And I gave you my favorite tie, There’s no need to cry. Cuz, you said you’d wait for me, O, you said you’d wait for me, O, I’m at the MTC, O, I’m at the MTC, at the MTC. There were RMs who made fun of me and said you’ll never wait for me, To them I say ‘oh ye, of little faith.’ Cuz we’ve been dating for two months and I think that that’s long enough, To know someone enough to feel this way. I carry your picture with me and talk about you constantly, I’m driving my companion insane, And you’re to blame. Woke up this morning, checked the mail right at dawn, And just believe me girl how shocked I was to read those words, “Dear John, I think we’re through, I meet a guy better than you, Go ahead and cry if you want to, Sincerely Delilah, missing you, P.S. we’re through.” O, you didn’t wait for me, O, you didn’t wait for me, O, you didn’t wait for me, O, and I’m only at the MTC, at the MTC… ~Jason Cassel

Sunday

Today I gave my first lesson in Gospel Doctrine. It was fun! I enjoyed it quite a bit. Benjamin was my biggest surprise of the day.

First things first...Our van is in the shop. I noticed on Tuesday that I was dripping something. I thought it was just condensation as it has been rather humid that last week so I dismissed it. On Thursday I went to Samuel and Caryn's to pick up the key to their house so we could watch Tinkerbell for them and on the way home I noticed the van was heating up. It got really hot! I barely made it home. My radiator was bone dry. Jeff took a look and said he thought it was the seal on the water pump. The problem was getting it to the shop. We couldn't drive it into town. I overheated in two miles. So it sat until today when a neighbor helped Jeff tow it to the shop. The mechanic, Roland, thinks he will be able to get to it tomorrow and depending on how bad it is, we could get it back by Wednesday. Mostly Jeff and I are worried it's going to turn into something more serious. My nightmare is if it turns out to be a head gasket, but that's just a previous experience talking.

The reason this is important is because we had to hitch a ride to church today. Our neighbors agreed to give us a ride, but they don't leave early enough for me to do prelude, so Jeff dropped me off at church and went back home to finish getting the kids ready.

When I get to church, I pick up a program to check that the hymns were correctly printed. Then I played for a while. About ten minutes before church started I glanced back at the program and noticed that the youth speaker listed was Benjamin! He hadn't told me about it! He hadn't prepared a talk. After the sacrament, I grabbed him and told him that forgetting didn't get him off the hook. He had to go up on the stand and admit he had forgotten and bear his testimony. He did fine. He was told that he will be called again soon. He was not off the hook. The biggest insanity was that Jeff knew about it and he had forgotten as well. It just makes my head hurt a bit.

Lillian has the talk in primary next week. It's a good thing I'm not teaching next week. I wouldn't miss her first performance for anything. She is adorable.

Well, that is my life. Insane, I know!

A Garden Party

Today was our Relief Society's annual summer breakfast. We held it in the backyard of one of the oldest houses in the ward (and in the city, for that matter)--it was absolutely beautiful, surrounded by tall cedars and pines, with abundant roses and peonies. The theme of the event was "Sacred Family Ordinances", and we had the sisters in the ward bring bridal portraits and wedding gowns, engagement pictures and blessing dresses. Almost everyone was wearing a hat, pearls, or gloves--it was a garden party, after all.

It was an amazing morning. We had wedding dresses from the 1930s and 1940s, all the way up to the present. Amazing pictures of bright, beautiful girls and their dashing, uniformed WWII husbands. Gorgeous, hand beaded and crocheted blessing dresses. Veils and hats and don't forget the delicious food...and a loving Heavenly Father holding back the rain for just long enough for us to set up, have the party, and get everything back undercover. Oh, and the flies, alarmingly omnipresent during setup, disappeared during the event. We were truly blessed.

A day

Long day today...we had spina bifida clinic up in Salt Lake today (my, we've been up there a lot lately), and that means an early morning drive, a long wait in the waiting area (now starring No Toys! Brought to you by swine flu prevention!), a seemingly longer wait in the exam rooms, and three minute meetings with various and sundry doctors, and then a long drive home.

I actually love spina bifida clinic, because during the wait you get to chat with other parents and kids with the same problems and concerns as you have. We swap advice and war stories (everyone actually downplays problems they've had, so not to scare the newbies), and the kids usually have a ball with all the cool toys. But, as previously mentioned, all the toys were removed from the waiting area, and the only thing to do was watch the TV, or draw with markers and crayons (because they don't harbor germs?). Mercy and Gideon liked the drawing table. (Mercy a little too much, because I found her busily coloring her ENTIRE palm with jet black marker. Washable, though.) Ezra got frustrated with the TV, which was turned to the Disney Channel (good), but the volume was very low (bad). Fortunately, Bradley was there to wrangle kids, and so I didn't have to take them into the exam room with Gideon. Thank heavens for small blessings.

(Gideon is doing great! (You probably knew that already.) He is currently having no troubles at all, so it really wasn't necessary that we go, but they like to have checkups.)

After clinic, we grabbed some fast food and went to Memory Grove Park east of the temple. My goodness. It is a beautiful park, with huge trees, monuments and war memorials everywhere, and City Creek running through it. It was mostly overcast, too, which added to the beauty. I definitely want to go back.

And then we drove home and I dropped Bradley off at work. And came home to seven voice mail messages, and the phone rang four times in the first twenty minutes. And I have cranky kids. Yay life!

So, how are you all?

Mary Kay "Going Out of Business" Sale

(Sorry about the impersonal nature of this...I just copied and pasted what I wrote on Facebook!)

Don't mistake this...Mary Kay isn't going out of business. I just am. I've sold MK off and on for about three and a half years now, but it's just gotten too hard recently with two little kids and being pregnant and all. So, I'm trying to sell off all my remaining merchandise. I'm currently offering a 40% discount off of everything that I have. If you buy more than $100 worth of stuff, I'll bump up the discount to 50%. I don't have everything, but I do have quite a bit, so if there's something you want, just ask and I'll see if I have it in stock! I'll work on getting a comprehensive list of what I've got in stock up, but in the meantime, you can look online at marykay.com to see what's offered and then just ask me. You can leave a comment here or you can email me, either through facebook or at telima.smith@gmail.com.

Thanks everyone!

1995

I never felt very attached to my graduating year. 1995...yeah, that's nice and all. I suppose for me the significance of that year was finally becoming free from high school--hooray! (You would have to pay me at least $1,000,000,000,000 to go back to high school.)

I lettered, too, in cross country, but I was never interested in having a letter jacket (like Jen said, letter sweaters were terribly passe). Both my best friends, Kristy and Holly, spent considerable money on getting letter jackets, but I actually thought they were kinda ugly. (The jackets, not my friends.) Instead I bought a class ring, which I actually still wear from time to time. Does anyone else remember playing with Mema's and Daddy's class rings?

I remember when we lived on Banjo one of our neighbors gave me a faux gold necklace with a "77" pendant. I thought it was the coolest thing ever--who knew they made necklaces with your birth year on them? It wasn't until much later that I realized that, well, they actually don't make birth year necklaces. It was obviously someone's graduation paraphernalia. Oh, well.

(Day 21 of the Ross sick house. I'm all done now, thanks.)

1994

I liked my graduating year. I know it didn't have any zeros in it at all, but it was a good year. I lettered in 10th grade. It was the first I was able to letter in. I wasn't in high school until then. I never did get a Letterman's jacket. (No one, absolutely, no one wore a sweater. But the did sell them) I always wanted a cool jacket, but they were expensive! That's ok. Troy let me wear his most of our senior year! I still have my letter and my bar around here in a box...somewhere!

numbers of shoulders

I lettered in music when I was in the 8th grade. I wanted to wear my sweater because I was so proud that I had it in the 8th grade. I mean there weren't many people out there wearing a letter sweater in the 8th grade (even at Clark there weren't many who lettered in 8th grade). However, I had the big number "70" on my shoulder. I was teased some for being so young and not graduating until "70" when most of the sweaters had "67" or "68" on them. Even the kids who had "69" on them weren't teased because most people didn't look hard enough to see whether it was a 7, 8 or 9 but that "70" was very visible. My friends took to walking on that side of me so the number couldn't be seen so easily. It was that way for three, count them 3, years before there was a 71 on anyones shoulder. I still think that 70 is the best. However, that is a year to graduate not an age.

Don't dis the '99

'99 is still far better than your little baby '02. My particular graduation class from high school may have lacked some serious school pride, but the large '99 is so much better than '02. So there. HA.

You're last post, Tyler: Them thar are fighting words. Bring it on, bro. SKT

My Graduation Year

I figured while we were on this kick I would say that 2002 is way better than 2001 or 1999. For on it is a nice round number. It also has a very balanced feel (I mean look at those symmetrical curves).

2001

Since the last post was the 2000th post, that makes this one 2001. How wonderful. 2001 posts. And to think, the next one will be 2002. I never understood the class of 2000. They had a big double ZERO on their shoulder. I mean, at least I had '99. I love you all. -SKT

2000

This is the two thousandth post in the Chateau de la Tobler...WOW. I just want to tell you all how much I love that I can keep in touch with you so easily. Thanks for writing, thanks for reading, and thanks for breathing. (What? I was on a roll.)

Love you all!

Last night's phone call

Mama- I am so sorry. I didn't call you back again last night. Shauna and Emily made me dinner and a birthday cake and by the time they left it was 8:30 and I then talked to Keryn, Telima and David. It was late and all I was thinking about after was camp and I went to bed and didn't think of it again until I was lying awake this morning at 4:30 AM. I am so sorry- I love you and miss you so much and CANNOT wait until next month when I make it HOME!!

Thank you all for your birthday wishes yesterday- it was a great day!! Wish me luck at CAMP!! I'll be back Saturday.

LaDale

New calling

Ok, so today I got to church and before I could start to play the organ, the first and second councilor in the bishopric asked if they could talk to me really quick. I got a new calling. Gospel Doctrine Teacher. I am very excited! They asked but I told them I didn't need to be released from the organ and I would tell them if I got overwhelmed. (HAH) I still don't think they quite get just what I do with the organ, but I am thrilled. I will be teaching every other week and I was sustained and set apart today! Love ya all!

LaDale...in a kipuka

Everybody loves Aunt LaDale

Happy Birthday, LaDale.

Answers to the question: "What do you want to tell Aunt LaDale on her birthday?"

Ezra: "Hmmm...(smacks lips)...I love you. I can't wait for you when you come over."
Mercy: "That I'm thinking about the Easter Bunny. And about thanking Aunt LaDale about all the things she does for us."
Gideon: "Aunt LaDale? Aunt LaDale?"
Heber: "(Cough, cough) Hmmmmm...ahhhbabababab."
Keryn: "I hope you are having a marvelous day and that you know how much you mean to me. Thanks for loving me."
Bradley: "Want to have some tortelinni?"

Finally Here

Here it is. Finally. I have more evidence of me wearing my yellow polka-dotted bikini. I am also the one wearing the flippers on those scenes where our feet are the only thing visible. This was at the Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet in February 2009.

OK. So I wanted to put this video here on the blog. I don't think I can. The message for uploading the video said max video is 100 MB. I looked and saw that my 'swimming' video is 102 MB in size. What do I do? How terrible that I can't allow you all to see me humiliate myself in front of a whole bunch of cub scouts. Any suggestions, I'm all ears. Love you all. SKT

Wonderful older sisters!

I have the bestest older sister in the whole wide world!

Happy, Happy Birthday, LaDale dear,
Happy days will come to you all year,
If I had a wish than it would be,
A Happy, Happy Birthday, to you, from me!

I love you!

Waiting at the Temple, Ross kids style

A study in different personalities

At the Salt Lake Temple today:



Ezra, perched in a niche with a serious face:

Mercy, dramatically gesturing in grandiose style:

Very pretty

I may have mentioned that Lauren, the oldest grandchild on Bradley's side of the family, is getting married in the Salt Lake Temple tomorrow. Elder Glenn Pace is going to be officiating (hee, hee, my children's first cousin twice removed is going to be the sealer their first cousin's wedding! That was a bit confusing...), and Lauren is marrying this man's youngest son.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to post tomorrow--all day is going to be spent up in SLC for the festivities. (By the way, all went very very well tonight. The kids apparently had a blast with Savannah, and they were even all asleep by the time we got home at 10pm. Whew.) So I'll leave you with a link to my very pretty niece's very pretty bridal pictures. And talk to you all later.

SALES- right time, right place

I lucked out. So, the Kmart down the street from me is going out of business. I stopped by to see what they still had- not much by way of clothes (I was looking for some new sweat pants for camp pajamas) but I did get a sleeping bag for 30% off. I know I still have Keryn's, but now I have my own!!! YEAH! Too bad I wasn't prepared to buy more things like a tent and a grill etc. etc. but I wasn't. It wasn't a bad sale but you've got to catch them when they come.

My first week of vacation

Well, my first week of summer vacation is almost over. Yesterday, I almost wanted a vacation from my vacation. I have been putting off a lot of things until "summer break" and have spent quite a few of these days finishing some of them. I cleaned (always a good thing) my entire apartment and did all my laundry. I've been allowing chores like that to pile up. I spent Wednesday morning back at school helping Martha finish up the exhibition notebook. I've taught my normal piano lessons and spent quite a few hours yesterday with my youth cabin leaders getting ready for next week. Today I was at the eye doctors. My first visit in about 3 years- I know- BAD!!! Anyway- I found out some interesting things about my eyes. Recently I've been having a difficult time focusing while reading- Kind of scary-actually- it happens with piano music, book reading, etc- I thought is was just that my prescription was bad or that I was going to need bifocals earlier than 'normal'- Well - it turns out my eyes over focus- instead of stopping when I see the words, my eyes over-focus until the fibers on the page are clear. They also aren't aligned. My left eye is lower than my right eye. Actually, I don't know if that has anything to do with the over-focusing or not. Dr. Bennett gave me some strange lectures. I don't think he has had good experiences with teachers- told me all about how it drives him crazy when teachers complain about not getting paid enough but get all summer off (I was not complaining to him- or to most people- do I?), also about how teachers tell students to sit up straight when they read but to allow that they might have the same problem I do and are simply getting tired, and that I should be washing my contacts out in the middle of the day because from 5:00 AM until 9:30-10:00 PM is too long- my eyes are exhausted. Of course, none of these was completely 'lecturey' but with a slight 'huh?' in my head on some of them. I'll agree with the washing out of the contacts- but I never tell my students to sit up straight when they read. I don't care how they read as long as it doesn't interfere with others or have the potential to destroy furniture. Well, I go back in two weeks so he can check my new contacts and let me know if the pictures he took of the back of my eyes are anything 'fun'.
Now- off to finish getting ready for camp- it should be interesting next week to see how this state camp works- I am excited though!!!

Love you all!!

Re: running

That is a very interesting problem that has developed and resolved between our family members who live in Utah. If Tyler does go 'running' tonight, and checks in on the 'BAHBEES,' Keryn, you should warn the babysitter of this. I'm sure she would get quite a scare if a sweaty man come knocking at the house where she is the only one there, 'claiming' to be related to you and wanting to 'check up' on the kids. Imagine if that were you. I think she would be calling her parents if that happened, if not 911. Just as a precaution. Love you all.

You know, I would have volunteered to watch your kids for you, if you could have brought them over to my house first, that is. You could have put them on the plane and I promise I would have picked them up at baggage claim. HONEST. -SKT

Like I know

What? Am I my wife's keeper?

Honestly I have no idea when Telima is coming home. I figure she will let me know when it gets a little closer.

Well, if I can't watch you kids maybe I will just check in on them when I go running tomorrow. What time should I go running?

Darn it!

And if I'd just called and ask Tyler before I asked my little Beehive, I wouldn't even have this problem. Thanks for being willing, though, Tyler. When does your wife come home? Maybe we'll have you come over to dinner on Saturday night or something...

Lame Baby-sitting Anxiety

So...I've never left the kids alone with a true babysitter-babysitter, a sweet young 12-year-old girl who loves kids and loves that she gets paid for it. I've always used adults--Bradley's parents, Mema, Telima, LaDale, Kim, Relia, a babysitting-swap with friends, etc. The closest I've ever come to leaving the kids with a teenager is during Ross Family Reunions, when the older cousins (the oldest of which is getting married Friday, so hardly a child) watch the younger cousins.

And in that case I have to fight a stab of trepidation over leaving them.

But circumstances have forced me to take the leap. Tomorrow night is the family dinner before my niece Lauren's wedding. Kids are not invited, but naturally Lauren's brothers (the older cousins above referenced) are going to be there. My kids are sick-ish (mostly okay, still hacking and sneezing, but not extra sad-sick), so asking a friend with small kids is out of the question. Telima is out of town. Relia is busy. And so...

I've asked a 12-year-old girl from our ward to watch the three oldest kids (I'll be taking the baby, because we'll be gone awhile). She is a sweet girl, and perfectly capable of watching my kids (or so I keep telling myself). And her mother is just up the street if anything goes wrong. I'll probably also give her Tyler's number, just in case. And bravely will I go into the unknown, leaving MAH BAHBEES with a girl who just past being a baby, herself.

Tell me everything will be okay.

This seems weird...

...but then we are dealing with you, Keryn. I would be more than willing to babysit your kids for you on Thursday while you get a yummy dinner. I can understand if you wanted to get someone else, what will my looking for chaos I cannot be that stable, but that is not my problem.

What time would you want me to come over?

P.S. We might want to move this conversation to the phone as I am sure no one else cares about the particulars of arranging for me to babysit your kids.

Well, Tyler

We are looking for a babysitter on Thursday night (my niece is getting married on Friday and the family dinner is adults only)...I'd even feed you...you'd have plenty of chaos to comfort you.

Well there goes that idea

I have been contemplating some way of tricking you Keryn. The fact is when I get home from school/work I missing the chaos a little and thought that if I could trick you into inviting me over for dinner (wife being gone and all) that I could be reminded of the joys of no chaos.

I am not saying that your kids or life is in chaos but that you kids are kids and that you life has kids in it. But I think that your little puppy presents a reson to think twice about such an idea. Oh well, looks like pizza again tonight.

Potty-training, puppy-style

Most of you know that we have been having a rather difficult time potty-training Mercy. She was potty-trained for about a week in February, but then I guess she decided that it was too much work or something, because she has reverted back completely.

When she was at the doctor for her 4-year-old checkup, we had him check her out to see if there was anything obviously wrong with her physically. Turns out she's just fine, so the doctor gave us some suggestions and basically said, "Good luck." With potty-training, the child is in complete control, so she's going to have to want to do it before it will happen.

Well, naturally, Mercy can't go to preschool this summer if she is still in diapers. Preschool is T-minus 20 days away, and decision time approaches. This morning Bradley suggested something--why don't we treat Mercy like a puppy? Take off the shorts, take off the diaper, and make her stay on the tile/wood floors until she gets it.

And so day one of puppy-training Mercy begins. We've had one success already (yay). She's a trifle displeased about not being able to go in the family room, but since they lost the privilege of playing with most of their toys on Saturday (long story), there isn't as much to do in there as there was before. And with the kitchen Mac, she can watch WonderPets and Backyardigans and Dora to her hearts content. Additionally, I bought Capri-Suns yesterday, so I'm letting them have several in the hopes that it will encourage Mercy to need the toilet more often.

Wish us luck. It looks to be a long couple of days, but if she can just GET IT, then she will have preschool and I will have some lovely mornings with just the two little boys. Sounds magical to me!

Boxes and Bugs

The box originally had a garden tool in it--it wasn't an especially big tool, but it was long, and I guess that was the size of box they had that would fit it lengthwise. We've acquired a large amount of cardboard boxes of late, what with Amazon Prime and all, and it's a good thing our curbside recycling began today (yay!), because we've been saving it up. Now Ezra can quit hassling me about recycling things.

We're still a sick family...it's been twelve days since Gideon first got sick, and we've all participated. Right now I'm probably the healthiest one, and I'm not getting a lot of sleep because nights are particularly bad with this bug. Coughing, fever, ear infection, headache, sore throat, eye gunk, vomiting...it's been really, really fun. Or, you know, not so much.

Bradley is staying home today, partly because he feels miserable but mostly because he doesn't want to get his co-workers sick. And we didn't have therapy this morning, because Gideon's PT was in a bike crash this weekend, and really messed up her wrist--to the point where she is going to have surgery on it. Poor Kim. So it's been a weird Monday, which followed a weird Sunday. Both Bradley and I needed to be at church during the third hour yesterday--Bradley called two new counselors to serve with him in the EQ, and I was teaching in RS. But with four sick kids, and Telima in Vegas, and...well, what do you do? You ask your non-member next-door neighbors to watch your kids for you, that's what you do.

The kids had a ball with Bob and Tobi, and my lesson went well and Bradley's new counselors are sustained and set apart. So all is well. But it sure was a strange Sunday.

Sorry this is a bit rambling...you'll survive, though. I love you all and I'll write more later!

Cute!

So what was originally in the box? Whatever it was, the second contents are much cuter! One of these days I'm going to have to call to get some instruction on computer scrap booking.

Love ya!

Box-Boat

Sorry, Keryn. We don't have a music person in our ward. She was released over a month ago and they haven't replaced her yet. I tried to do several pieces on the piano over the last year and she never once let me do any of them. In fact the only music numbers we have had other then choir since she was called have had her in them.

Also, I DON'T play the organ! I don't know how to go about learning it! I play the piano on an organ keyboard. I can't learn progressively harder pieces, because I can't play any pieces! And I've been trying on the piano, but quite frankly, no one wants to hear me play anything other then stuff out of the hymn book or children's song book. Despite being in every piano calling known to man, not once in our seven years in the ward has anyone asked me to accompany them on the piano. They ask Liz, one of the other piano players in the ward. I don't think there's anything I can do about that.

As for the other, I will look into that. Our ward has always just encouraged us to go by ourselves. They changed my companion about 8 months ago and we haven't gone together even once yet. She has even stopped returning my calls. So I go alone. (Well, with little girls in tow!) It's probably because we have such a young ward, most of the sisters are stay at home moms with really young children. I don't know. I don't think we have more then 5 sisters in our entire ward over the age of 60.

But thanks for your thoughts! I do appreciate them!