World's Okayest Mom

I had a great Mother's Day. Bryan made a delicious dinner, my parents sent a few yummy treats, Topher outdid himself with how many cards he gave me, and my kids all crowded onto the couch for a picture with me. Also, after church I changed out of my dress and into comfy pants and my World's Okayest Mom shirt.

I bought it for myself.

I think it's funny.

It was lovely to have Bryan's parents here for Mother's Day. Look at this beautiful paper sculpture that Bryan's mom made for me and gave me for Mother's Day! It's the Philadelphia Temple and I adore it!

Woman's Blind Bluff

One of Bryan's Christmas gifts was a new suit. It's been about ten years since he bought one and one of the buttons recently broke in half on his old suit. It's a good thing the weather is cold because he could get away with wearing a sweater to church instead of his suit jacket. He picked the new suit out, ordered it, tried it on when it arrived, and handed it to me to wrap. The pants needed to be hemmed, but he figured that wouldn't be hard to arrange.

Then he learned it would take six weeks to tailor and would cost roughly a third of the price of the suit. He started talking about hemming it himself and I asked if he needed me to do it. We've since learned that he thought I was offering to help when in reality I was asking if I needed to do it because I have more sewing experience. He said yes. Did I know how to hem anything? No, no I did not. But I knew his mom, a sewing wizard, was coming after Christmas so maybe I could ask her to teach me how.

Getting COVID threw a wrench in most of our plans that week, but on the last day they were here she patiently walked me through how to do a blind hem using my sewing machine. After she left I practiced a few times on some scrap fabric since I was worried about ruining Bryan's new suit. On Saturday night I finally got brave enough to actually hem the pants. And it worked! He wore his new suit to church the next day.

Here's a picture of the settings needed to do a blind hem, because I will definitely forget without this reminder. Shari, thank you for teaching me a new skill!

The Strings

Many years ago Bryan's parents passed a tiny violin on to us. Bryan's youngest sister had used it and outgrown it (I think, my memory is fuzzy on the details) and we had small kids interested in making music. That violin has traveled with us for many years. The kids would pull it out and hold it and examine it. They couldn't do much beyond that because it needed to be restrung. I wasn't sure how to make that happen, so it kept getting put off.

Well, I finally found a local music shop and dropped it off in June. Yesterday I picked it up, all four strings working and tuned beautifully. Both yesterday and today Topher has gently pulled the violin out, held it delicately, and pulled the bow across the strings. When asked what he's doing he says, "I need to play my violin."

Thank you for the violin, Ron and Shari. I'm sorry it took so long for us to properly appreciate it, but we're certainly enjoying it now.

Time's Up

I wish I could report that we're all moved in after so many months in this house, but I cannot. We're mostly moved in, but there are little piles and pockets here and there of stuff that hasn't found a home yet. Topher was looking at one of those spaces yesterday and found one of our many cheap IKEA clocks. He walked into the kitchen, held it out to me, and said, "I found my clock!"

I asked if he wanted to decorate it before we hung it in his room. He said yes. He picked out various marker colors for me to use while he found some stickers to add. All four of the stickers he picked were from the fun Valentine's Day stickers Nana Shari made and sent.

Topher loves his new personalized clock!

Nathan's Baptism

We took a mini road trip this weekend to upstate New York to attend our nephew Nathan's baptism. We drove up on Friday evening and back home Saturday night. We were all pretty beat on Sunday, but we're happy we made the drive. We especially loved seeing our family!

Here we are, getting ready in the hotel on Saturday morning and taking advantage of the TV being on.

The baptism was great. Aunt Melinda spoke about baptism and the Holy Ghost and Uncle Jake performed the ordinance. Everyone in the family was invited to sing As I Have Loved You for a musical number. I loved it.

After the baptism we stayed at the church playing while a few people picked up sandwiches. This game of Uno was apparently so intense that afterward Cooper came over to me and said, "That game of Uno felt like gambling. I liked it." Yes, I am mildly concerned.

photo credit: Melinda

After lunch we all changed our clothes and visited a lovely state park a short drive away. Peter, Aunt Melinda, Uncle Ben, and Papa Ron hiked up the waterfall.

photo credit: Melinda

Meanwhile, the rest of us played on the playground.

The day that we drove up, before we left, I mentioned to a friend where we were going and she rapturized about how beautiful it would be this time of year. I realized she was right and took my fancy camera and vaguely coordinating clothes. Bryan's dad graciously took pictures of our family while some of us looked at the camera and smiled and some of us made funny faces.

Then we got a few candid shots.

photo credit: Bryan

When we were all sufficiently chilly, we went to Jake and Melinda's house and enjoyed eating dinner, visiting, and playing with cousins. We even got a picture with Nathan before we headed home.

Nathan, we're so happy you chose to be baptized and that we were able to be there!

Family Time

We've loved having family in town during the last week. Here are a few of the highlights:

The Sabbath with Family

Our first full day in Utah was a Sunday. We joined Uncle Dallin, Aunt Melody, and cousin Harmony for church. Harmony was both pleased by the company and not sure of all these kids sitting in her pew. But she warmed up to us, see?

Bryan's mom, Nana Shari, had already been at her parents' house for nearly a week. Aunt Kate joined us from BYU-I, Uncle Spencer drove up from BYU Provo, and Ron flew in that afternoon.

Bryan's sister Melinda and her family also got in on Sunday, but I guess I had put my camera away by then because I have no photographic evidence. Only Bryan's brother Ben was unable to attend, the other six kids in his family came, which was awesome.

Hi Paul. Hi Melody. Hi Dallin.

I think Harmony liked having all these big kids around to read to her. Thanks to Melody for sharing her pictures with me.

In addition to seeing all four (nearly five) first-cousins on Bryan's side, the kids were able to play with many of their second-cousins and first-cousins once removed. There's one of each in the picture below. Every Sunday night Bryan's grandparents host a family dinner. It's all very casual and comfortable and fun. Once the temperature outside returned to double-digits, we enjoyed Grandma-Great's gorgeous garden.

Once the cousins and aunts and uncles went home, the sun went down, and our kids were thoroughly caked in dirt and Creamies, we took them in for baths and bedtime.

Science and Crafts with Nana and Papa

 

Grandparents to the Rescue!

Bryan's parents surprised us by coming to visit and lending some much needed hands the first week we were here. They spent a lot of time with the kids at the park while I did laundry and looked for a place to live. Their visit was a blessing for all of us.

While they were here, we took a day off from house hunting to visit the Crayola Experience. Bryan and I had taken the kids almost a year and a half ago, but Sophie was so little she didn't really get to participate in any of the fun activities, and the other kids were excited to go back.

 

 

Thanks Nana Shari and Papa Ron! We all had lots of fun!

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

On Christmas Eve Bryan's family let us share our traditional bread and soup dinner. I was so thankful since it's one of my favorite traditions. Then we gathered around the piano for one of Aunt Melody's family traditions: singing Christmas carols. I simply can't resist a good old-fashioned sing-along.

Peter, Shari, and Melody all took turns accompanying us.

Some sang, some listened, but all enjoyed the beautiful spirit that the sacred Christmas hymns brought.

Westward Leating

One of the highlights of our Texas adventure was the Grandkid Party. A few days before Christmas Bryan's mom, Shari, planned an afternoon of games and stories for the kids. They made reindeer food and noshed on sweet treats. Some of us bigger kids were on-hand to lend support, which means I got almost no pictures of the fun. However, I did get one movie.

Near the end of the festivities the grandchildren all had an opportunity to share a talent. Peter, Cooper, Nathan, and Sam all played the piano (some with the assistance of Papa Ron). I know that I took videos of the boys playing, but I can't find that memory card. Lucky for you, I recorded Phoebe's performance on my phone, which uploads automatically to Google. She asked if she could sing her favorite Christmas song and Shari happily added it to the party itinerary.

Note: I cannot convince Phoebe that the word is leading and not leating. I'm pretty sure she'd be able to read it if I showed it to her, so maybe I'll try that route because she certainly doesn't believe me just telling her.

For the Grandmas, Mother's Day Edition

Some families make cards for Mother's Day, some send gifts, we enthusiatically sing and make a movie!



This was actually the second take. The first take was much more melodic, but the performance came off the rails pretty early on, so we had to stop and try again. If you're in the mood for a few bloopers...

Only One Volume

I mentioned that Phoebe received Frozen themed items for her birthday. Perhaps the most popular is the new Elsa costume that Nana Shari sent. Phoebe has worn it everyday since it arrived. She won't answer to Phoebe while in costume, only Elsa. Also, it leads to improptu musical numbers, but really, lots of things at our house lead to musical numbers.

I share this, not because of its inherent musicality, but to show the enthusiasm she (and the others) wield for Frozen. What they are missing in pitch they make up for in volume, right?

It Was Mom

To the special moms that have made me who I am so I can be the mom that Peter

and Cooper

and Phoebe

and Sophie need,

thank you.

Happy Mother's Day!