2nd Week of April - Kids' Spring Break

Here are some highlights from the 2nd week of April.  The boys were finally, officially on Spring Break!  They were so patient waiting for their "turn" as other schools were on Spring Break the week or 2 before us.  I worked in the office all week, but made it home in the afternoon.

Monday, Steve took the boys to Thanksgiving Point.  First to the Farm area.  Carter loves the goats.

They fed the goats grass, then had a snack.

They then went to the Dinosaur Jungle.

Steve was able to attach the metal siding around the trailer that my dad cut and formed for us last year.  Nyles then helped to paint it.  It looks awesome!  I also finished all the mind puzzles.  Nyles was on the honor roll again.  Good work Nyles!

Pretty "Popcorn Trees" in front of the Delta Center (across from my work).  Tuesday night we went and saw the new Minecraft Movie w/ Rob.  The boys slept in the Lego room during the week.  We got air mattresses out so the boys could sleep better.

Wednesday, Steve took the boys fishing at Deer Creek.  Zach met them there.

They had a good time and caught several fish.

The fish they caught.  I made both a sour dough loaf and a cinnamon loaf.

Hudson was so excited to get the water table out.  He keeps asking, "Is Summer tomorrow?"  

I mowed the lawn for the first time, yeah!  I love all the pretty flowers in bloom!

Thursday evening Steve and I went to the temple and did initiatories.  

They have so many beautiful flowers around the temple grounds!

I also completed a puzzle of Jesus.  

Steve and the boys went over to Dave/Joann's several times to help get their house ready to list.   They plan to list after Easter. Steve has been working on the laundry room, patching, painting, taping, etc.

Friday Steve took the boys to a park in Draper.  

That night we went to the rec center to go swimming.

 

Steve put up a duck picture in Carter's room (used to be from George, Dave's dad).  

Our pretty tulips and Daffodils in bloom!

Cute Hudson w/ his rainbow Popsicle.  Pretty Tulips w/ cool edges now in bloom

Saturday morning I helped w/ our stake baptism.  We only had 1 this time, so it was pretty easy.  We'll be in charge of the baptisms every 1st Sunday of the month (the Stake Primary Presidency).  That afternoon we headed up to Lagoon.

Hudson fell asleep on the way up to Lagoon.  Pretty Tulips in the park.  

In line for Primordial, our first ride of the day.

While waiting in line we enjoyed the beautiful flowers!

We finally made it on the ride!

Phill and Conor met up w/ us after Primordial.  Phill then took Nyles and Carter w/ him to do the "bigger, faster" rides.

Hudson having fun w/ Rob and going on rides w/ him.  Steve and I on the other one.  

Hudson and Steve went on the swings. Then we went on Bombora.

We did Tidal Wave, which got me dizzy, so I sat out for a bit.  I let Hudson go on some Kiddie Rides for a while.  He had a great time!  Steve went w/ Rob on Colossus and Spider.

Steve got 1st place, Nyles 2nd, me 3rd, and Rob 4th in Primordial.  We stopped and ate at Cafe Rio for dinner, then went home.  Hudson fell asleep on the way home as well.

Sunday, we walked to church, like usually (since we live so close).  Steve ended up going back home to help our neighbor Karolyn.  Their van broke down in the circle and they needed to get a trailer back that they rented, so Steve let them borrow our Honda Pilot.

Hudson by a cute Popcorn Tree at our church building.  He loves that song!  We made origami during sacrament meeting.  After church I made some sour dough.  This time 1/2 w/ cinnamon chips (because we ran out), and 1/2 just regular dough.

Sunday evening we went over to LuDean/Diane's place for dinner.  I made cheeseburger soup.  Cute Hudson loves to play in the dirt, even w/ his cute crack showing ;)  Conor dug w/ him as well.  Nyles has officially passed me up now, and is taller than me!  I knew this day would come.  I just thought it would be later ;)

Great quotes:

First week of April

Here are some highlights from the first week of April.

On Monday, March 31st, Steve had surgery to remove another kidney stone. Steve took Nyles to the train (at 7 a.m.), and then Dave came and picked up Steve to take to Alta View Hospital for the surgery. I then took Carter and Hudson to school, and then I came back and worked.  I then picked Hudson up from preschool.  Dave brought Steve home around noon. After Steve was home and situated, Hudson and I then picked up his prescriptions at Wal-Mart.  Steve then rested the rest of the day on our bed, while I worked.  I then picked up Carter from school, then later Nyles from the train.  It was a busy day trying to manage everyone, but we did it.  We appreciate Dave taking Steve and for all his help!

Steve ready for surgery, coming out of anesthesia, and then home sleeping/resting.

Hudson w/ his sleep mask, ready for bed.  We woke up to snow on Tuesday, April 1st (April Fools).

I made some more sour bread.  Cute Piper sleeping.

Tuesday afternoon we had activity days (I wasn't released from my ward callings yet).  We worked on physical fitness in the church gym.  Thursday evening I had Primary meeting w/ the rest of the Stake Primary Presidency.  We are prepping for the stake baptisms coming up and more Ward Conferences.

Dave found this letter Steve wrote him when he graduated with his Master's Degree in 1996.  Too cute!

Friday morning Steve was able to take out his stent.  He took narcotics after taking out the stent since his kidney spasmed.  By the evening was feeling a lot better thankfully.  After getting out of school that afternoon, the boys were officially and finally on Spring Break.  We were one of the last school districts to go on Spring Break.  That night, they wanted to sleep up in the Lego Room/attic.  

                                                        Ready to sleep up in the Lego room.

Saturday, after the first session of General Conference, we went over and helped Dave/Joann more on their house.  Nyles and I worked on spreading mulch outside.  We then dug out extra dirt from the window wells, then went and bought more pebble rocks and filled them back in.  While we were doing that, Steve, Melanie, Brandon, Noah and their exchange student Juaquin hauled more stuff out of the house, then reorganized all the stuff in the pod. 

The window wells all done.  Nyles helping w/ the wheelbarrow.  New mulch.

We then came back home, went and picked up mulch for our place, and spread it around the front flower beds. The boys also played w/ their monster trucks in the circle.

Watching General Conference on Sunday.  The boys playing w/ magnetic blocks.  I also did a puzzle of the SLC Temple.  The boys helped Steve smoked ribs for dinner.

We went for a walk to Sprucewood in between General Conference sessions.  I worked on the puzzles (brain busters) during the afternoon session.  I actually figured them out, though not sure how haha.  Silly Carter getting licked by Piper (he loves it).

Sunday evening, we went over to dinner and LuDean/Diane's place.  We brought the smoked ribs.  Steve used a new seasoning, and it was amazing!!!  Dave/Joann came over as well.  It was great to visit w/ everyone.

I'm thankful I was working at home this week, as I took the boys to and from school several times, as Steve was tired.  It was a long week for all of us, and we're glad to have it behind us.  Steve met w/ the bariatric surgeon this week as well.  They are having him take calcium along w/ his Citrate and Potassium Citrate to help lower the likelihood of kidney stones.  Here's to hoping it works!

Great quotes from General Conference

This is funny!

Last week of March

Here are some highlights of the last week of March. 

Monday, March 24th, the boys didn't have school.  It was a pretty nice day, so Steve took the boys fishing at Deer Creek.  They had fun!

They even caught a few fish!  Hudson even reeled one in one-handed while holding his Danimal :)

We talked about the armor of God in our scripture study this week.  Hudson willingly modeled for us how the armor works and is used.  Cute Piper hiding behind the drapes.  Steve and I went and did sealings Friday night at the Draper Temple.  Saturday morning Steve and Nyles did baptisms.

Saturday afternoon, we went to Lagoon for a few hours.  It was the first day it was open, so the boys were excited to go.  We picked up Rob to go w/ us.  Phill and Conor met us there.

Pretty Daffodils.  We went on a few rides like Scrambler and Cannibal.

Rob, Steve and Hudson along with Nyles and Conor on Scrambler.

Bombora, one of Hudson's favorite rides.  

We then rode Dracula then went home as it started to rain.

After Lagoon, we went home for a little bit and did laundry.  Then we went over to Dave/Joann's place.  We picked up Domino's pizza for dinner and ate together at their house.  Then we helped pack up more boxes for them and load them into the storage pod.

Sunday, Carter had the opportunity to tell the conversion story of his great-great grandpa Hegerhorst, who joined the church in Germany.  Hudson will get to tell another family conversion story in July.  Then they'll both be able to retell them during the Primary Program in September.

I made some sourdough.  We have a Tulip in bloom!  And more pretty Daffodils!

We went over to Pauline's house for dinner.  We took over our big blue kayak, as Pauline wanted to buy it from us.  The boys had fun playing w/ swords.

We walked over to a park close by to play for a little bit after dinner.  

That night Hudson fell asleep w/ a mask on.  Silly kid :)

Great quotes:

3rd Week of March

Here are some highlights from the 3rd week of March.

I made more sourdough bread.  One loaf for us and one for Dave/Joann.  A new picture on our wall from Dave/Joann.  We ordered a new net for the trampoline, as the old one was trashed.  Hudson was happy to go try it out :)  St. Patrick's Day was on Monday, so we all wore green ;)

Beautiful Crocus flowers in bloom in the front yard.  Carter playing w/ a track set.

We got more snow on Tuesday, March 18th.  I worked from home this week, which I was thankful for.  The roads were plowed though, so the kids were able to go to school.  Steve covered our Daffodils w/ buckets and put a rock on the bucket so they wouldn't fly away.  We got like 6 inches!

I had our boys Primary activity Tuesday late afternoon.  We discussed needs vs wants, tithing, and budgeting.  Then we played a few games about needs/wants, then played the Price is Right, to help them get an idea of how much things actually cost.  I then had an appt I had to get to at 5pm.

 Steve was in charge of a combined YM/YW activity that night as well.  

They learned about the history of the Passover.

Wednesday, during my lunch break, Hudson and I made a snowman.  That night Steve took the boys to KTR to use the last of their Christmas gift.  While they were gone, I worked on my final Relief Society Lesson for Sunday.  It was on Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion by Christofferson.  

Hudson has been coughing at night and cough medicine hasn't been working, so Steve took him into the Dr. to ask about asthma.  We are giving him an inhaler, like his older brothers, to see if it helps.  So far it does seem to be helping, so potentially all 3 boys has asthma.

Our snowman we built.  The boys at KTR.  Hudson w/ his inhaler for asthma.

Thursday Steve went to the urologist.  He is scheduled to have another kidney stone removed next Monday, March 31st.  This kidney stone is even bigger than the last, but it's still in the kidney.  We're praying all goes well w/ the surgery and his recovery the week following.

Thursday evening, Steve and I took a walk around the neighborhood (taking Piper w/ us), while the boys played at home.  We have more pretty flowers, mainly Crocuses, in bloom.  More sourdough.

Friday afternoon, Steve and I went and had a couple's massage.  They are opening a new massage place right here, so they were running a discount rate for the massages.  The massages were awesome!  I also made more sourdough, this time also a small loaf for Rob.  It got out of the oven around right after work, so Rob came straight over after he was done w/ work to pick it up.  We ended up ordering Cafe Rio for dinner.  Rob stayed and ate too, then we played a game of "Cover Your Assets."  It was fun.

On Saturday, we cleaned up around the house in the morning, then took Nyles to a birthday party at the Cottonwood Heights Rec Center.  While he was at the party, we went to Sam's Club and Wal-Mart to get groceries for the next week.  We then picked him up and went over to Dave/Joann's place to help them pack and load boxes into a packing cube out in their driveway.

We cleared out one of the extra bedrooms downstairs, and got the downstairs living room staged to list.  We also brought up all the boxes that were in the living room downstairs so they can be sorted through.

Nyles at the ice rink for a birthday party.  Hudson wanted to cut yarn while we packed boxes.  

The boxes we brought upstairs so Joann/Dave could sort through them.

Conor, Nyles and Carter helped haul a lot of boxes upstairs and many to the cube.  Dave ordered pizza for dinner.  Melanie, Joann, Phill, Brandon, Steve and Dave going through boxes.  Olivia helping Hudson cut the yarn, to keep him busy.

Sunday, I gave my final lesson in Relief Society.  I think I'll be released soon since I was called to the Stake Primary (as secretary) at the beginning of March.  I said I would teach one more time though.  I also said I'd help w/ activity days, so I'm not sure when I'll be released.  Guess we'll see.  After church, I walked home w/ Carter and Hudson.  Steve stayed w/ Nyles for a deacon quorum meeting, then came home so I could leave to go attend the 9th Ward's Conference (Spanish Ward).  It was neat to hear the messages in Spanish and being translated.  We went over 2 songs in Primary w/ the kids, then gave them a CTR keychain.  We also gave the leaders a small lotion as a thank you.  Our first Ward Conference is behind us now ;)

That afternoon, the boys helped make tin foil dinners.  We made enough for Dave/Joann, LuDean/Diane.  We stopped at Dave/Joann's to help them w/ move their TV to our camper (while they stage the house), then we went over to LuDean/Diane's place for dinner.  Joann wasn't feeling well so she didn't come (we missed her).

The boys making our tin foil dinners.

Hudson playing in a dirt pile at LuDean's house.  We played a game after dinner.  

Hudson decided to use Carter as a backrest, haha :)  Cute Piper all cozy by the fire.

A quote from my RS Lesson: President Nelson said, “With the help of two Hebrew scholars, I learned that one of the Hebraic meanings of the word Israel is “let God prevail.” Thus the very name of Israel refers to a person who is willing to let God prevail in his or her life. That concept stirs my soul!

The question for each of us, regardless of race, is the same. Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what you do each day? Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? Are you willing to let whatever He needs you to do take precedence over every other ambition? Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in His?”

I'm so very grateful for a living prophet to lead us and guide us in these latter days. I'm grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost to teach us and direct us in our lives. I'm so thankful for those who came before us, and for their courage and faith to do what is right. We are so blessed to have this knowledge and truth in our lives. I know this is Christ's Church. I'm grateful we have both General Conference and Easter coming up (my favorite)! Christ lives!