When my older kids were little, we used to take them to storytime at the old library in South Jordan. The place was relatively small for a library, but we loved hanging out there once a week while Joan told the most amazing stories.
It wasn't long before South Jordan decided to build a new, larger library. When it was finished and all the books were moved, the old building was changed into what is now known as the Gale Center, a small museum about the history of South Jordan. Today they had a party there.
The Gale Center is celebrating 10 years. Has it really been that long?
Crafty was earning service hours there for her Youth City Council assignment, so of course we had to go. They had brought in some old-fashioned games and even a petting zoo! We had popsicles and cookies and toured the buildings, but our favorite part was in the conference room when they announced Curly as the winner of the coloring contest in his age division. He was presented with a $25 gift card to Target.
My kids love to color and it is so fun to see them win once in a while. So proud of you, Curly!
Prima Donna took up a new residence in Ogden so she can go to school, and we have been rearranging kids and moving people around so we have a room for Grandpa again. The Dog Walker is moving into Prima Donna's old room today, but it doesn't look anything like it did last month when she was using it.
Drama Queen spent hours patching, sanding, designing and eventually painting the room. Then this morning we had new carpet installed. I was hoping to show you a picture of everything all done up, but the Dog Walker had to work all day so he is still in the process of moving in.
It's been quite a few years since he has been upstairs with us, so it will be quite a transition for him, but one I think I will enjoy. He won't be able to disappear into his room quite so easily anymore.
We also had the Girl Scout swim party today. There were 22 of us all together with the families who joined us. I thought Crafty had some pictures for me, but she used Snapchat so when I asked for them, they were long gone from her phone.
We got most of the invitations for Princess's wedding delivered today. I just have one more neighborhood, but we ran out of the ones we had all done up. I can't believe that wedding is 2 weeks from tomorrow. I still feel so scattered. I guess it will come and go and either way, they will be married.
I don't know how closely you've been watching the blog lately, but I was just wondering if you have noticed how grown up Scout is getting to be?
My sweetie has this thing he does with the kids. It's a little way of giving a shout out to those who are trying hard and being obedient. He calls it Son of the Season and Daughter of the Day. There is nothing associated with it except for bragging rights and the deal is that when one child receives the "award," the one who previously had it has to earn it back.
That seems a bit confusing, so let me give you an example. My sweetie needs someone to run downstairs and bring him a Powerade. If it is done quickly and without complaining, he might bestow the honor of Daughter of the Day.
Scout has never been given this particular award because it often takes several times before she gets around to being obedient. That all ended today! We had blueberry pancakes for dinner that Drama Queen started before she decided to take a plate over to Teach who just moved to her new apartment and has little accessible food.
She turned off the griddles and left the rest of the batter sitting in the mixing bowl. When we got home, Scout decided to fry up a few more pancakes so there would be enough for everyone, but even after she had plenty on the tray, she continued to fry until all the batter was gone.
When my sweetie noticed this excellent behavior that we had not even asked her to do, he promptly awarded her with the Daughter of the Day (much to Crafty's chagrin). I have been so proud of Scout's good choices lately. She hasn't been late to school and she is dancing for 3 hours most days when she gets home. She even cleaned her room and took such good care of Baby Doll at Big Sis Little Sis camp. I'm guessing we will see many more times when Scout earns the distinction of Daughter of the Day.
Now that Princess is getting married, she has had some time to evaluate life and she has drawn some very logical conclusions she would like to share with you.
Princess's 10 tips to life (I just think they will help you).
1. Always go for sprinkles.
2. Student debt is scary business.
3. Read.
4. Computers are great, but some things are better in real life.
5. Never forsake the opportunity to have a dance party.
6. Things you do that you think are dumb someone is really going to love some day.
7. Wear a helmet.
8. Go on a Sunday walk.
9. Look for the best in people.
10. You're doing better than you think.
It was the first day of school for my kids who are on the year-round track schedule. Scout and Curly were off early this morning to see friends and meet their new teachers. Both seemed pleased with the adventure when they got home.
Baby Doll is starting kindergarten and then don't just toss them in with the big kids on the first day... they ease them in gently. Baby Doll had an appointment with her teacher today at 1:00. She was nervous and excited to see where she will begin spending so much time starting next Wednesday.
She took a tour of the restroom, the cubbies, coatracks, and desks. Then she and the teacher did a little bit of testing while I filled out paperwork. There is always plenty of that when the new school year starts. I was so proud of her for being brave and actually talking with her teacher. Some of my other girls have struggled with that.
She was sent home with a homework assignment, some jitter glitter, and a treat. She can hardly wait for next week!
We celebrated the coming of the pioneers to Utah on both Sunday and Monday this year. Yesterday we had all the kids over and we did our traditional Dutch oven dinner. My sweetie did all the planning and prep for the party this year since we had the shower to worry about on Saturday.
He really went overboard with the food! We had chicken stew (our family favorite) and peach cobbler prepared in the dutch ovens as well as fruit and rolls, homemade root beer, and homemade strawberry ice cream. It was amazing.
We also had 3-legged races, stick pulls, and the button-button game. My favorite part (as usual) was the square dancing although honestly, we do the Virginia Reel, which is more of a line dance. After that my sweetie gave us an amazing fireworks display.
Today my girls marched in the Days of 47 parade (we saw them on TV) and I took the kids to Seven Peaks water park this afternoon while my sweetie and Drama Queen painted a bedroom. Once again my sweetie outdid himself by making bbq ribs for dinner followed up by one last round of fireworks.
Then it was off to bed for my little ones who actually start school tomorrow. It's going to be another busy week.
Truly, Drama Queen should hire out as a party planner. She did an amazing job with the Disney-theme, even making huge murals attached to the mattress boxes she saved from our new bed a couple of months ago. She also used all of Princess's dolls to stretch the theme all around the room.
My job was to set up the two king-sized quilts we were tying for Princess and The Frog. The shower started at 4:00 and even though I started setting the frames just after 1:00, I was still framing the second one when people began to arrive. I think it is because we decided to use a flannel back for the first one and it took forever in adjusting to get it square.
My sweetie made a huge pot of chicken noodle soup and then another one filled with broccoli cheese soup. The food was yummy and we all took advantage of the crockpots keeping it warm for the 4 hours of the open house shower.
Even though we had people tying the entire time, when 8:00 rolled around, we only had one quilt done. By the time we finished the second one, cleaned everything up, and headed out the door of the church, it was nearly 10:00. Such a long day!
But so worth it. Princess was thrilled with the generosity of our family and friends and I was so excited to have both quilts tied and ready for binding. Not only that, we had left over chicken noodle soup for lunch today, making Sunday much easier to plan for our evening 24th of July party.
You know when you get to the point where you will just be glad when something is over? I'm definitely there with the shower.
It's been a rough week. I've had a tooth break and be repaired, several cars in the shop, my washer went out (I have still been mostly without it since we got back from our Staycation) and we are getting a new one delivered tomorrow courtesy of our extended warranty.
We had to move and repair a freezer which took considerable effort. We ordered a giant dumpster from the city with the idea that we would likely have to throw it away, but my sweetie pulled off a miracle and managed to make it work so we filled the dumpster with branches instead.
My sweetie said they couldn't wait so I put up 18 pints of beets and I'm just praying the apricots will hold off until next week.
Grandpa is moving in with us on August 1st so we have been painting and recarpeting Prima Donna's room. Teach and Twiz are moving to a bigger apartment next week (any guesses why??) And Princess and The Frog (I'm so sorry, Jay, maybe it is official now) are storing things here and they will also start setting up their apartment after August 1.
My little ones are at camp. Bossy and Gamer got a new foster child yesterday. The girls have 3 parades this weekend, we are prepping Sport for Scout Camp next week, and we always do fun pioneer things for the 24th of July. School starts on Tuesday for my little ones, as well as football and dance, and then there is the wedding and the shower.
I try to live my life by staying one step ahead all the time so I can adjust for changes, but this week has been a real challenge. Thank goodness I have such amazing people to help me. Prima Donna's friend, Kamryn is here helping them paint the last of the decorations. The quilts are ready to go and in the car. I just have to make a couple of pots of soup. That should be doable.
My day has been pretty full of wedding and shower prep. I think I told you I am piecing two quilts so that our friends and family can help us tie them at the shower on Saturday. After I finished getting the first top ready, Drama Queen and I went to JoAnn's and bought a whole roll of batting.
Table Games... check!
Now I just have to finish piecing the other top. It's pretty special, because I found part of it in the boxes of quilt fabric from Grandma. I love working with the things she has already pieced. It makes me feel so close to her and the legacy she has given to me that I am now passing down to my daughter.
Drama Queen has also been incredibly busy making decorations and table games. When Princess got home from work, she and Jay made sugar cookie dough. Tomorrow it will be all about the food and finishing up the quilt. Honestly, I will be so glad to have the shower finished so we can concentrate on getting the reception together.
Teach, Drama Queen, Crafty and I went to a reception tonight for one of our basketball friend's daughters. It was at a reception center and the food was all catered and the tables were done by someone else. I'm still in favor of the inexpensive receptions that are held at the church with homemade decorations, but there are some days when it would be so nice to have someone else in charge of the planning and implementation.
Princess's wedding is coming up so fast now! We are only about 3 weeks out and we still have so much to do. This weekend she is getting her bridal pictures done (after her big bridal shower on Saturday). I still have to make her a little white jacket for her shoulders, but at least I don't have to make her a veil.
The director of our dance studio loves to make her long-time students a veil when they get married. The problem was that she didn't know Princess was getting married until just over a week ago and she was heading to girls' camp at the time. She was pretty clear that she would not be able to get it done until the first of August since she was planning to be out of town.
Then she called me today and asked if I could come by and get it before she left at 6:00 for her trip since Princess was at work. It is beautiful! Crafty wanted to model it for you. It will probably look a little different over the dress than over her yoga pants, but she still looks like a cute bride.
Yesterday we had a lot of fun taking the kids to the float preview for the Days of '47 parade. Usually my sweetie can get off early and go with us but because he went with me to take Baby Doll and Scout to camp, he felt like he would have to miss out this year.
So Gamer came over and we took all the boys with us. Honestly, I don't remember the last time I was in a car so full of boys that were all related to me. Gamer had his 5 and I had Curly, Sport, and the Dog Walker. We didn't have any females with us because most of them (that were home) were marching in the parade.
Yeah, that's right, the parade. They have the float preview at the Expo Center, so it is all inside and just the SLCC band marches around the floats for about an hour. They spend a few minutes on the stage being silly and they play all of their songs over and over. I love it because it is air-conditioned although Crafty told me yesterday it gets a little boring because they just march around in circles the entire time.
It was super fun to see Bossy marching again. She signed up with Fajita and Crafty and she did a great job with her sax. She marched so much in high school that it was a real blast from the past. Bingham doesn't do the parades anymore, so SLCC band is the only way to see them although Crafty is mostly planning to dance at the high school, not support the bands.
They have 3 parades to go, Bountiful on Friday, the Days of '47 Children's parade on Saturday morning, and then the Days of '47 parade on Monday. It will be on KSL if you are interested in watching them. That's how I'm going to do it.
At home.
With air-conditioning. I'm thinking Crafty would much rather do the preview than the actual parade even if they do march around in circles, but I guess we will find out.
My sweetie and I took Baby Doll and Scout to girl scout camp this morning. It was a little stressful leaving my 5-year-old for a week, but she was "mostly excited and a little scared."
We left the house about 8:30 this morning for our 10:00 drop-off time. Curly tagged along hoping we might stop for lunch afterward, but he had to be satisfied with a couple of girl scout cookies instead. We arrived right on time and got the girls checked in. Camp is so beautiful and since they are both in the same program, they will spend the entire week together. I've never sent any of my girls to camp so young, but this time it just seemed right.
We bought them matching purple hoodies with their cookie money and said goodbye.
The family seems so much smaller without them here. I hadn't realized how much life and energy they brought to our chaotic life.
The Dog Walker was kind enough to write a post for me last night, and I'm sorry that it was a little negative. I try really hard to give you something fun and uplifting to start your day or perhaps check in on during your lunch break, but honestly, my life has plenty of trials just like all of you do, I'm sure.
Curly loved the Archery station, but wanted more time.
Saturday was our second day of Cub Camp and in many ways harder than the first day, mostly because the camp was all "uphill." Unfortunately I've gotten more out of shape over the past year. The meds the doctor put me on for the arthritis in my back helped me gain 20 lbs and I've not had much success losing it (I haven't tried that hard either). Crafty says we are starting a diet tomorrow...
Curves has been my exercise place, but I can't manage to get there with my crazy schedule and although I love our once a week basketball games, they are just that, once a week. So needless to say, the 1-mile uphill hike (ok, half of it was downhill), was a bit taxing.
Nice comfy back for a pillow
It was our second to last station and when we were finished, we headed over to NOVA. I was so tired I leaned my head against Sport's back and mostly took a 20-minute power nap. Thankfully, we got home and rather than go to the waterpark like the kids were hoping for, my sweetie and I went school shopping and got that task out of the way.
This is going to be a rough week. We are taking Baby Doll and Scout to Girl Scout camp in the morning and they won't be back until Saturday which is also Princess's bridal shower. I'm sure we will be ready somehow.
Mom has been asking me to write a post for the last half hour. I thought that it's her blog she should do things her own way instead of me having to be persistent on giving her more ideas of what should be on the blog. Besides, she told me that she never gets much followers, unless I'm guest blogging for her. She was worried a lot of you might think I disappeared and never wanted to talk on this blog ever again. Well, here I am! I've just been busy a lot, like taking Math 2020, and it's kind of harder than 1050. You remember those times when I struggled so much with Math. And I've been working at Wal-Mart since April. Being on the Cap Team 2 Crew, it's really hard, because you unload a truck with a lot of loose products and you have to stack them neatly on pallets and carts whenever you're in the backroom of the store.But some recent times, I feel like I'm being criticized by my boss, for every little mistake I've made on the job. At first, my supervisor was always being strict and it felt like I was being the worst Associate at Wal-Mart, it would sometimes make me feel like I want to quit working there and tell my Job Coach to find another job. Something that would help me succeed to my future of being a Special Education Teacher and possibly an author of Children's Books.
Anyway, I did just mention that it feels like I'm being the worst Wal-Mart Associate ever. Not only I make little mistakes on the job, but I'm also complaining in my mind about working on Sundays. According to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we are made a promise that we keep the Sabbath Day holy by not going shopping or laboring on Sundays. Working on Sundays just feels like it's not my thing at all and it makes me feel unworthy. A lot of times, I just feel like I'm breaking a covenant of keeping the Sabbath Day holy and it makes me feel like I'm being the worst person ever I thought I could try to convince my employer that I could take Sundays off, but then he just told me that I have to work every other Sunday, and I thought that meant he wanted me to work every Sunday permanently, unless I quit working at Wal-Mart. But Mom and Dad kept telling me that I should try something new to do. Save enough money to pay tuition for fall semester at UVU. That also worried me, because right now, I've been working full-time and if I'm going to take a semester at UVU after paying tuition, I'm going to have to ask my employer if I can have part-time.
I guess, you get the idea already. A lot of times, whenever I make mistakes either if their little or big, I sometimes feel like I'm the worst person ever. For example, when some of my family and I went to Tuachan to see Tarzan, we were playing in the hotel swimming pool and I bought a water-proof music speaker that has an adapter for an electronic device. It was working at first, but then some water leaked into the case and it washed up my iPod Touch and it was gone forever. A lot of times, it makes me feel like I'm still being the worst person ever, but people around me have been telling me that nobody's perfect on their lifestyle. Even Mom and Dad (and possibly Sport) have been telling me that life is a test and we're supposed to face consequences and live life to the edge
Even when working at Wal-Mart, I'm sometimes feeling pressured by the fellow associates around me and even my supervisor, whom I found being a PRESSURING SPEED DEMON!! I never meant to be offensive, but so much times at Wal-Mart, my supervisor kept on telling us that we should be quick on the job and sweat so much and be careful at the same time.
I know in the future I'm going to get encouraging comments from all of you that we all face difficulties and harsh responses from people, because that's part of facing opposition. Even if we're being made fun of and or we make our own mistakes, we still have to learn the consequences and live up to them, like working on Sundays, even if I don't like to do that. Anyway, since I've been telling you what it's like to be the worst person ever, I wanted to show you something. You may have remembered last Christmas, I uploaded so many sketches of Studio C on there with their clean humor. Anyway, I thought I would show these videos of what it's really like to be the worst person ever on these types of college-degreeable jobs.They're really funny, you might laugh your heads off and it will also teach you of the types of things that you shouldn't really do on the jobs, whether you are in these careers or not.
I hope you enjoyed this lesson I'm giving you about my life right now.
And I also hope that you will enjoy these videos!
When my older kids were little, we used to take them to storytime at the old library in South Jordan. The place was relatively small for a library, but we loved hanging out there once a week while Joan told the most amazing stories.
It wasn't long before South Jordan decided to build a new, larger library. When it was finished and all the books were moved, the old building was changed into what is now known as the Gale Center, a small museum about the history of South Jordan. Today they had a party there.
The Gale Center is celebrating 10 years. Has it really been that long?
My kids love to color and it is so fun to see them win once in a while. So proud of you, Curly!
