Field Trip Thursday

We haven't had a field trip in quite some time because of all the illnesses that have been going around the house. So our first field trip in the new year had to be a good one. Plus it was extra special since the boys didn't have school the next day. I was feeling abit tired myself, but after a long hard chit chat (with myself) I decided to take the kids to DISNEYLAND!!

I picked them up an hour early from school. It was a half day and all they were doing that last hour was having Valentine parties. They didn't now where they were going yet. As we were leaving the school and right when the principal was walking by, Lily, who had just been told, screams, "We are going to Disneyland." I shush the excitement as the principal is looking at us and say, "You can't say that around the principal." He said back that he was jealous and to have a good time. That's just what we did.

It was a nice trip, sunny and not to crowded. We had a great time and I again have the title of "The Best Mom ever". Couldn't get better than that.

I also spent the week making sugar cookies for the kids and my piano students. YUM!

Valentine's fun

On Friday night we watched Lauren & Kate while their parents went out on a date. We had pizza, ice cream and made fun Valentine's crafts. The girls lost interest after a few minutes, but my boys, (all three of them) got really creative and started making their own creatures. So funny. We learned a new word this weekend courtesy of Blue's Clues. The word is Lovestastic. Use it in a sentence during the week of Valentine's day. So fun!!

Is it Enough

As a mom, I often ask myself, "I'm I doing enough for my kids?" By enough, I don't mean spoiling them rotten or indulging every whim. I mean, are they getting enough sleep, or they eating healthy enough, are the people they hang out with nice enough. Nothing makes me question my "enoughs" or feel like a complete failure than when I can't help them get better when they are sick. When everything seems to be going wrong and nothing I do can make it better makes me ask, "Am I really good enough for this?"

Things are better now. Even the Dr's can't fix viruses. It was a crazy one that went through the kids as well as Damon. It seems even worse when Adam's asthma is triggered. Nothing stresses me more and makes me feel inadequate than trying to take care of him and making sure he keeps breathing and his lungs don't shut down. That didn't happen either. Sometimes the copay at the Dr's is worth it for the peace of mind it brings. Illness is a very humbling experience.

My kids are worth every enough question I ask myself. I will continue to do enough for them. I may not be crafty, creative or have all the time in the world to give to them, but I will have enough.

Weekend Fun

This was a busy weekend. We had lots of fun in all the busyness. On Friday I took Lily to go see Disney on Ice with two of her friends and their mom. It was quite the experience. I have never been to one before. I don't have a strong desire to go there again either. It was nice. The coolest part was the Cars characters coming out and driving around on the ice. The girls had a lot of fun.

Noah has been sick since Wednesday. It was a bit of a downer for all involved. I get stuck at the house and he gets stuck at home with me instead of at school with his friends. Now all the kids have stuffy noses. It's a bit annoying, but I will love them through this. Hopefully they will all go to school next week.

Saturday my parents and my sister and her family came down to go to the Mormon Battalion thing in Old Town San Diego. The kids got to cook biscuits on a stick, play in a covered wagon, makes dolls from rags, wash clothes by hand, make bricks and make candles. It was quite an entertaining afternoon.

Lily had ballet Saturday morning and Noah had baseball practice, he didn't go, but Damon went to the parent meeting. Adam's baseball starts soon. I am starting to think that maybe having 3 kids in 3 different activities all on the same day is a bad idea. Noah is a Yankee this year. We don't know what Adam is yet. We will find out next week.

Damon's parents came down Saturday afternoon for a visit. We had a great time with them. We didn't tell the kids that they were coming and when they walked in the door the kids were in disbelief of what they saw. It was really cute.

Busy, but fun. Now bring on normal.

Pinewood Derby

The Pinewood Derby was last night. Noah and Damon worked on Noah's car the whole month of January and finally finished it Monday night.

The masterminds behind the car building contemplate how well their cars are doing and how to improve them for next year.

Noah's car looked great, but it didn't perform the fastest. He had two races and both times he went up against the cars that ended up winning. He enjoyed the race and we love the fact that we don't have to worry about it again until next year. Yea! His car won the award for most real. Not 100% sure what that means, it does look nice though.

Cooper, Noah and Hayes. Their cars all looked great. Way to go Bears!!

A Quiet Saturday

It was an unusually quiet Saturday for us. No big projects going on, no sporting events, no cleaning. It was a rare occasion, but nice. We spent the morning at Costco. We surveyed the damage from the storms. All trees were still up, but a lot of small branches were down. The kids cleaned those up in no time. We worked on the cub scout stuff with Noah. His pinewood derby car is finished. He also signed off on his cooking section. We walked the lake at Miramar, which had a lot of tree damage and then we fed the ducks. It was great to be outdoors again after being stuck inside for a week do to all the wind and rain. All and all a very nice Saturday indeed. They are going to come to an end very quickly though because baseball is starting soon. (oh yea)

A Quick Trip

My sister, parents and I headed to Phoenix this past Thursday for a funeral. Our dear friend, Christine Keeler, lost a 2 year battle to cancer. We have been friends with the Keeler family since I was 8 years old. We were all saddened by her passing, but grateful that her suffering in this earth life is done. How grateful we are to know that there is a plan for each of us and life doesn't end after death. She was always quick to help and lend an ear or open up her house for various projects. The longest being building our senior float for homecoming in her backyard.

With funerals comes reunions. Since my parents moved from central Phoenix 12 years ago I have not seen many of the kids that I grew up with our their parents. It was so great to see people who have known me my whole life and can tell me stories of my early years that I don't even remember. I have fond memories of all the families that we were able to visit with while there. I asked Neil Cleck for a lemon drop. Surge Huff told me not to kick him in the shins and when I saw the Turley's I was reminded of how their son showed me in the backyard at their house how he could pee on the cat (we were 4).

On top of seeing my parents old friends, I was able to see my old friends. It was great catching up with each other and I was reminded of all the fun times we had in our youth. We must have driven out about 5 different sunday school teachers. I know we made at least 2 of them cry and then when we started driving, sunday school was a great time to drive home and get a snack. Boy what rebels we were. My YW president was crying before the funeral started because she loved seeing all of us grown up. Funny how we don't see ourselves as being grown up.

My little sister flew down from UT to attend the funeral as well and it was nice being with my sisters and my parents. This is the last time I stay in a hotel my dad picks out.

It was a quick trip. We came back Friday night, but I am so glad I was able to go. The kids were happy to see me and I was really happy to sleep in my own bed. There is no place like home.