End-of-School Picnics

Our internet has been sketchy lately, so I am behind in my posts.  Also, we're really busy and in the midst of Children's Music Theater, so I may not get my act together for awhile, but here are some updates.

This is the last Wednesday of school.  Dallin's class had a picnic at the neighboring park and Daphne had a little performance at the school with all the kindergartners at the same time.  So I had to split my time between the two.  I went to Dallin's for a bit and then headed over to the school to watch Daphne's performance.  

Dallin with his funny friend "McKeaver"

Dallin & his teacher Mrs. Altweis.  He just loved her!

Daphne getting ready to sing

Daphne and her teachers Mrs. Shoemaker, and Mrs. Hamlet

They are such a great team, and Daphne had a great first year of school with them.

Here they are singing this funny "Singin' in the Rain" song. 

Mrs. Pinkston the music teacher was great with these guys.  They sang five songs and sang the words very clearly and did cute actions.  Dallin & Daphne would both teach me songs that they'd learned from Mrs. Pinkston, when they got home, so I could tell they really enjoyed Music Time.

Here's a video clip of Daphne's performance--it's really short because Hayden kept running amuck and I had to stop and catch him.

I can't believe the school year is over already!  I'm willing to bet that time accelerates.  If I blink I'll probably miss our whole summer!  I am glad to have the kids home.  It's fun to just play and be together during the days.  Sean & Hayden love having Dallin and Daphne home too!

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

That's what Arthur says to me sometimes when I'm asking too many questions about his work.  

Just kidding.
But you're reading now, aren't you? 

Truthfully, he is so brilliant, that I don't really understand most of what he does and therefore don't even know what kind of questions to ask to elicit that response.  But he does have a security clearance and works behind a security clearance gate, and can't even get onto the base with out his special photo I.D. badge, and a retinal scan.  (Okay, not the retinal scan.)

So we all felt pretty special going to the Labs with him this past weekend for "Family Day at Sandia National Laboratories."  We all got special "badges," except Hayden.  The lady passing out the special badges said he probably didn't need one; she doubted he was a spy.  (Wahaha . . . Fooled her!)  

There was a full-blown wind storm going on that day, so walking to the various buildings was tiresome, and I have a new understanding of the good wish, "May the wind be ever at your back."  It really makes a difference!

Since the places we visited were all behind the security gates, this is the only place we were allowed a camera, and thus the only picture from our adventure.  Take note of our special security badges.  :)

We had a great time visiting Arthur's work place, and for the first time in the six years he's worked there, I got to see his office, and look at the stuff he works on.  We even put on special lab jackets to keep the static electricity down.  The kids favorite part was looking at stuff under the microscope.  (We got a close up look of Hayden's pacifer . . . hmm, don't think we really wanted to see that, actually.)  Arthur took us to see the rockets that he helped design the the flight computers for and we watched a video of one of them being launched.

There was tons of other stuff that we didn't get around to;  you really could spend all day there, if you weren't towing four little ones along.   Anyway, fun times, but here's to less wind for next time!  

Planting Flowers at the Temple

One of the cool things about living so close to the temple, is that each year, the Primary kids in our ward have an activity where they get to help plant flowers at the temple.  (The woman in charge of the grounds was, until recently, in the La Cueva ward, so I guess we have an "in".)

The kids really enjoy it, but I sometimes wonder if Sister Foutz doesn't come back the next day and fix all the work the kids did . . .  She's a good sport to let them come and help.

ITz

We got this idea awhile back from my cousins Kimball & Marianne to do a bean jar to reward our kids for good behavior. Since we started it they've filled it four times, and when it gets filled, we get to go do something fun like putt-putt golf, or the dollar theater or ITz. I had never heard of Itz until we moved here, so in case you are wondering, "What in the world is ITz?" I'll tell you. ITz is pretty much like Chuckee Cheese except without creepy animals walking around scaring you. And I like the food better. So this time we went to ITz and the kids had a great time and we all left a little over stimulated, but that's what ITz all about, I guess. Hooray for the bean jar!    

This little train roller coaster looked pretty fun, and since Sean loves trains, we thought he'd LOVE IT!  Well, he didn't say much during the ride, while the rest of us were squealing around the tight curves.  And when it was over, I was trying to get him to hold still so we could get this picture, and he kept saying, "Mom, this ride is done.  The train is over now," and was really pretty anxious to be getting out of the train.  But despite that, he still said on the way home, "Dad, thank you for taking us to the pitts!"

Movie Stars

I have a friend named Susie Tallman who records children's music.  She is great and I highly recommend her CDs.  I have all of them.  You can buy them on Amazon or even iTunes.  Well, she is in the process of putting together a music video of a few of the songs she's recorded, and invited Dallin and Daphne to be some of the kids in the video.  So we spent two full days shooting; one in a studio and one outside at the Botanical Gardens.  Dallin & Daphne had a great time, and it was really fun for me to watch how the process works.  I'll post a YouTube link when the editing has been finished and they release it.  Susie is also sending it in to the major children's networks, so it's a possibility that it could be played between kid shows on PBS or Noggin or something.  Pretty fun!

fancy camera equipment

chillin' on the set

Skidamarink

Dallin pointing to Daphne on the screen

The Alphabet song (above and below)

B-I-N-G-O

Capri Sun Break.  They look pretty cute in all our borrowed cowboy gear.

"All that I am or ever hope to be . . .

I owe to my angel mother."

~Abraham Lincoln

This is my mother, Loween.

And today is her birthday, so even though I'd intended this to be a Mother's Day post, I guess it's fitting that I finally get around to it today on her birthday.

My mother gave me baths in the kitchen sink until I was too big to fit.  

I do the same thing with my kids.

My mom is a very talented seamstress.  

She made those darling matching dresses for my sisters and I.  

I hope to be a better seamstress someday, 

but I have courage to try because of what she taught me.

(In this picture, I made Daphne's dress, and Dallin's vest and knapsack.  I feel pretty good about making costumes, but I haven't tried any "real" clothes yet.)

My mother taught me to love music. She and Dad invested a lot of time and money in my music lessons, both piano and violin.  Mom drove me to the neighboring town of Turlock for my violin lessons, and encouraged me to practice (even though I bet that sometimes it was rather torturous to listen to.)  

(This is actually a picture of my youngest sister Emma with Mom.  

And the cute little redhead is our cousin Carly.)

I'm so glad music was a priority in our home growing up.
It has blessed my life immeasurably.

Even though it is a tremendous amount of work, my parents packed everything up and took us camping almost every summer. Some of my favorite "growing-up" memories are of when we went camping together.  

(Nat, & Jen--Remember those ring-pops that we made up a whole campfire skit with ?)

Now, Arthur and I take our family camping, and we seem to forget until it's time to pack up how much work it really is to get everything ready!

 But our kids love it, and that makes it all worth it.

My mother taught me by example, the importance of personal scripture study.  She has stored up a great knowledge of the scriptures from her diligence in studying them.  I remember often finding her up in her room with her scriptures open, and that when I'd go to her with a problem, she would frequently answer with a scripture.  

I hope that my children may often find me with my scriptures open as well, and that when the time comes, I will be able to help them solve their problems by referring to the principles we learn in the scriptures.

One of my favorite times to see my mother (and sometimes it seems, the only way to guarantee a visit from her) is when I have my babies.  It is so reassuring to have her there during those first few days of being a new mom, especially as our numbers are growing.  I cry every time she leaves.  This is my mom with her grand-daughter, Daphne Loween.

 

I look forward to visiting my children when they have their babies and helping them with their new little ones . . . and being able to enjoy all of my darling grandchildren without having to worry about potty-training any of them!

Thanks for all the years of selfless service, Mom.  I know I speak for all of your children when I say that each of those small and simple things you did (and are still doing) day in and day out have made all the difference in shaping our lives for good.  I think of your heroic example frequently, and draw from the experiences I had in our home growing up, as I try to navigate through my own motherhood experience.  I will always look up to you and be grateful for the foundation you and Dad gave me.  

Happy Birthday / (belated) Mother's Day!