Waverly and shoes

Matt got a new video camera for father's day. Here is a little sample of Wave and the brothers. We just picked a video without checking which one it was. I guess you can see what goes on at my house! Really we were just trying to see how to get videos from the camera to this site! Now that I know how to do this little trick I just might post some videos!

Service Project

Madsen has 3 weeks left to complete his Deacon Duty To God program. He has one lingering service project that has to be done. He has been procrastinating this one for months now. I think he thought he would not really have to do it. I guess he does not have to do it, he just won't get the recognition. Some kids don't care about that, but Madsen would feel bad about it in about a month. Lucky for him, our neighbors have a huge pile of mulch in their yard they have been working on for over a month. I suggested he invite his friends over and move the mulch this week. Today is the day! It is supposed to be 99 degrees plus our lovely humidity today. Hopefully, there will be 6 Deacons doing the work. If they all show up, the work should go quickly and then they plan to jump in the pool. I really just hope they will be good workers and do what the neighbors want. I want the neighbors to be pleased and impressed that a group of 12-13 year old boys can do the job, willingly. Knowing how Madsen puts things off to the last minute, we should maybe get started on that Eagle project now! :)

One Down...

I taught Relief Society for the first time today. The topic was the life of Christ. Nothing like diving in head first with a simple subject! At least there was plenty of material to take up the 30 minutes I had. It went well. No one told me I did a bad job, several women told me I did a fabulous job and one even said she is so glad they get to hear from me 3 times a month. Mostly I think she is glad it is me, not her! I sure hope this gets easier with time. I was so nervous, worrying about doing a terrible job and disappointing the women. I was prepared to have hymn books and cheerios thrown at me. Next week is Teachings for Our Times, and the great topic of Guarding against lust and other worldly temptations, using Elder Holland's talk and President Monson's talk from the priesthood session. Should be an interesting topic. I do prefer to discuss this with adult women rather than the teenagers!

Sweet Release

I was released as a Primary teacher (finally) on Sunday! I have currently been teaching for 2 years. Prior to that I was in the Young Womens presidency and prior to that I was in Primary presidencies, twice. Overall, it has been about 10 years since I have been in Relief Society. This time I do not think I will miss Primary. I have had a couple of rough groups of kids. As individuals, they are all great, one class I even really liked the kids, but as classes they were difficult. Add that to having Matt in the Bishopric which makes Sundays long and hard at my house. Sundays have consisted of me battling kids on my own for hours. I am thrilled to no longer have to deal with other peoples children on Sunday, my 5 are enough!

So, I know you are all dying to know what my new calling is! I get to be THE Relief Society teacher! I am excited and nervous all at the same time. I have been saying for years that I want to have this calling. Teaching the women once or twice a month sounds great! Apparently, our stake is making some changes in the RS teaching and are doing away with multiple teachers, so I get to be the guinea pig teacher to see how it goes with one teacher teaching all 3 weeks. I really don't think it will be so bad, I mean, I have been teaching every week for the past many years! I know it will require more preparation than primary, but I imagine it will be more enjoyable prep and I will learn a lot more. And hopefully, the women will share their knowledge and experiences and thoughts with us so I am not up there giving a boring lecture each week. I am afraid that the sisters will get tired of me before I am tired of the calling. Hopefully, I will be up to the challenge and not embarrass myself.

I don't know if I am supposed to teach this week. That would be good to find out. I really hope not because Sullivan's soccer tournament is Saturday and Sunday and he is a key player on the team and they really have a chance to win. Judge me all you want, but I want, and plan, to go to the soccer games. The kids do not play on Sundays during the season. This is an exception to the rule at my house. I will probably go in a dress so if they lose the first game I can rush to the church and teach my lesson!

A little different

Last week I had to work so hard to get everything ready for my family before I left for my little beach trip. Matt left early this morning for a weekend trip to Utah to be with his family as his brother and wife are sealed. He packed his bag. I drove him to the airport. That is that. He did tell me he would leave me the money. I guess he did his part!

I do wish I could go out for this event too. But it is not possible. I am sure it will be a great day for the family and he will enjoy it. I will enjoy this long holiday weekend with the kids.

Heading to the Beach!

I am spending the weekend, ok, Thursday - Saturday, at the beach with 5 other ladies this weekend. I am really looking forward to it.I think the beach will be much more relaxing when I am not constantly worried about someone drowning! I have a good book ready for me! I am amazed at the huge amount of work it is to get ready for me to leave! It would be easier to get the whole family ready to leave without me! Packing my stuff is easy. Making sure everything at home is ready is huge! I had to arrange for Waverly all day Friday, Declan and Cannon to get home from school on Friday, notes to teachers about the change in transportation, lunch money, dinner plans for Thurs. since Cannon has soccer practice at 6:00... Thankfully, Madsen and Sully are old enough and responsible enough to take care of the sibs at home after school. I wrote lists! Lists of things they need to do Thursday and Friday and Saturday including Saturday job lists. Lists for the boys and lists for the dad.I even broke down and bought cell phones for Madsen and Sully so Matt can communicate with them on Saturday during the doubled up soccer game. That will be fun! My bags are packed and waiting, Waverly's bag is packed, dinner is ready for Madsen to put in the oven...

I am off to the beach!

2020

Yesterday during Sacrament meeting, Cannon asked me if we would all be dead in 2020. I told him I sure hoped not since it is only ten years away and he will only be 16. He said, "well, you will be old in 2020, you will be a grandma." My first reaction was I won't be that old and I won't be a grandma in ten years. Then I did the math: yes, I will be 45 (not that old) and I could be a grandma! Madsen will be 24, there is a chance that I could be a grandma in 2020.