Little This... Little That

Dave's new job is going well so far.  Most days he enjoys the challenge and the new things he is learning.  He has had a few workers that he is over thank his boss for hiring him.  I thought that was kinda cool.  I sometimes feel like a single mom, because of his long hours.  He is up by 4:30 a.m. and off to work and home by 6 in the evening.  Tho to be honest if he sleeps past 3:30 I consider it a good night.  He has really taken to heart the talk that Pres. Nelson gave on personal revelation.  He enjoys studying his scriptures before work and praying on the way.  Dave said that many times he has been shown the direction to take at work as he thinks and ponders in the morning.  We have started calving and have quiet a few little ones running around out there.  Dave and Jared are constantly checking for flooding and making sure they are all OK

Cora loves working at Gap.  She has had a few compliments from customers and much praise from her employer.  She is loving all the time that her roommates spend together and is a little sad as they are all leaving next week.  We will go up and move her into another apartment.  This one has more windows and she will have her own room. Although she will really miss Maycie.  She is a little excited and a little nervous for this move, but she will be in the same ward and a lot of her friends are staying for the summer.  We were sad that she was not coming home for the summer, but she felt like Edmonton was were she needed to be.  She has also started working on her mission papers.

Leah had a recheck of the cyst in her thigh yesterday.  Nothing has changed, furthering their believe that she has had it her whole life.  The Dr. did tell her it would be best for her not to play extreme football.  Leah was OK with that.  :)  He did warn her about skiing tho.  She had her first date last weekend.  They went ax throwing and she had a blast.  This weekend she gets to attend her first priest/laurel conference, and is really looking forward to it.  Gas prices are so ridiculously high that we have not been running her around as much.  Leah has had to choice which rugby games to see.  But she has been good and understanding about it.  The other day she came home with a science test.  She had studied hard for it and was very disappointed when her mark came back at 54%.  A month into this semester her teacher told the class that she actually was not supposed to teach science, years ago the parents had gotten together and complained about her teaching and now wasn't supposed to.  How that slipped by I'm not sure.   Anyways the principal started sitting in on the classes that he could to help the students.  She brought her test home and Dave sat down with her for over two hours to figure it all out.  They only got half way through the test, it was bedtime, and Dave had found 3 mistakes the teacher made. Leah had also found one at school.  Long story short, the next day after Leah talked to the principal, the math teacher (it is a physics unit) and the science teacher she had brought her mark up to a 70.  Crazy!! But good for her.

Blake is in the middle of archery and badminton.  Really enjoying both.  He will soon start soccer, if the snow ever melts.  He has been wearing his night braces for his feet and we are seeing a lot of improvement. The braces strap his feet in and keep them flat during sleep, so the back muscle can't stiffen up.  He hardly has pain anymore in his feet.  Just his tendon hurts and they don't know what to do about that. He has really taken what his teachers told him on his last report card and improved his grades.  Blake is now pulling high 80s and 90s.  He is pretty sure he want to be an engineer when he grows up.  Leah had a really special moment with him a few weeks ago.  Dave and I were gone.  Leah texted me this, 'We were watching Prince of Egypt and Moses parts the Red Sea and Blake was like holy he has the power of God.  And he started crying and was like" I have the power of God!"  It was the sweetest thing.  My heart'.  I thought that was pretty cool. They seem to finally be finding a rhythm of thing they can get along about.  We have more good days than bad.  It has been nice. It is fun to see him maturing and growing.  He loves so many things it is fun.  But he is still my little boy, he hugs us all often and always makes sure that everyone knows that he loves them.

I am just same oh same oh.  Doing laundry, cleaning house, making bread,lunches, meals, running kids around.  Enjoying the warm days that we get and being with my family.

Sweet 16

This happy, kind, caring, gorgeous girl of mine turned 16 last week.  She sorta had a week long birthday celebration even tho we did nothing the actual day of her birthday. 

Going to Edmonton was part of her birthday fun.  Also more than anything she wanted a pair of Nike shoes.  A very specific pair of shoes. After saving up for them we got them for her the middle of March.  Leah wanted to wear them to provincials.  She said she was very ok with not opening anything on her birthday. Although I wish I would have waited since there was a sale the week of her birthday.  Of course, that is how my luck goes. 

The week of her birthday she had invited a few friends to come and hang out with her.  But with Easter holiday only 3 were around.  Right before they were to arrive I said to Leah that a good friend would shovel the walk for her friends.  Within seconds I heard a scraping and looked out the window.  Blake was doing it for her.  He also made the spaghetti for the party and helped get it all organized.  What a great kid.

Everyone arrived about  3ish.  They did a photo shot (Leah was fulfilling some of her assignments for school and Natalie was here to help her understand her camera) and played Just Dance.  She requested spaghetti, bread sticks, Caesars salad and Nathan's Chocolate Cheesecake.

A few more games after dinner, including the Saran Wrap game.

They were going to watch a movie and play Dutch Blitz, but Natalie got a call from Joe saying the roads were getting really bad, so they decided to head out early.  I love all these friends that Leah has.  She has made a real effort to cultivate all these friendships. Over a year ago Leah set a goal to met and get to know at least one new person at every stake event she went to. Because of this she has a large group of friends and knows people from every ward.  She is very outgoing and has a lot of fun with people.  It is a joy to watch her as she matures and I can see the kind of woman she will become.

On her birthday, she slept in and did a few chores, answered a bazillion texts and had a wonderful relaxing day.  That night we had brownies so Dave could celebrate with us and then we watched a movie.  I don't even remember what, it was just a low key wonderful day.  She is practicing more and more with the stick shift.  We drove all around town the other day and she did awesome until at one point she psyched herself out.  After she got calmed back down, again she did great.  We are hoping by maybe end of May she, and us :),  will feel ready for her to take her drivers test.

Happy 16th Leah!!  You are a joy and a unique spirit in our home.  Everyday I feel blessed to be your mom.

Easter 2018

I had wanted to take Leah and Emily up to spend a few days with their sisters for a while.  Emily got someone to take her shift at work and we made plans for over Easter.  Good Friday Joe dropped Emily off here early so we could start up.  It was not the greatest roads but Dave was not daunted and we made it safe and sound.  Cora was working.  We dropped the girls with Maycie and then went over to the mall to see Cora for just a few minutes.  We ended up getting there just before her break time and spent that time with her.  It worked out great.  The girls had so much fun.  They met all their  sisters' friends and went to a few parties.  Leah did a tiny bit of driving around, she loved not worrying about the stick. 

They did lots of shopping and had lots of late nights.  They made meals and fed the missionaries, went to conference, and pulled some pranks on roomies and friends.

Some dance nights and movie nights.

On Monday Cora and Maycie were getting together with what they call The Movie Peeps for an Easter pot luck, movie, and games.  Again it was a fabulous day.  One of their friends told Leah that in a YSA ward attendance means availability.  He had this whole spiel about how you can not show up when you are only 15 because that is just awkward for everyone.  Because if he had seen her he would have said hi because he is such a friendly person and then what to they do when he finds out she is only 15.  They were laughing so hard.  Tuesday, Natalie and I drove back up to get them.  I had a fantastic drive up and back. Roads were dry and clear and I love being with Natalie.  Time just flies.  Emily and Leah were tired from all their late nights and fun, but are so excited now to attend YSA when they graduate.  To me that was a successful trip.  And who knows when the 4 of them will be able to hang out again.  It could be years with upcoming missions.

While Cora and Leah were off partying together, Blake spent the time with just us.  He said a few times how he really enjoyed being the only one at home.  I am sure that a few months after Leah graduates he will not be as excited.  We did a ham on Saturday in between conference sessions, and after the priesthood session Blake and Dave came home just bursting with info about announced changes.  

Then Blake did his Easter hunt.

Sunday we decided to stay home for all session this year instead of going to the church Sunday morning.  Every single talk was fabulous.  After the last session I said that usually I get a little sleepy during the final session, but it was all so amazing and I loved the changes that I was wide awake.  I also want my own copy of the Ensign so I can make notes and highlight.  We always love conference, but this one was better than ever.  It was a great Easter weekend.

Glorious Powder

We got the chance to go skiing again last weekend.  When I found out that Cora didn't work on the Friday I asked if she wanted to come down and join us.  She sure did!  She arrived Friday early afternoon and left right after church on Sunday.  Well after dinner.  We totaled up all that she drove to get to the hill and is was about 13 hours.  Cora said it was so worth it.  There was tons of fresh snow, great powder, and barely below zero.  Perfect skiing.  Everyone had a blast and no one was sore from their variety of previous problems.  Cora went with Dave to the top.  He loves skiing with Cora, she is at a high ski level now and he can take her anywhere.  He said he though the other two could do it as well if they would trust themselves.  I love that all our kids enjoy skiing, and are so good at it. I don't worry about them on the hill.  And Dave absolutely loves being out there with his kids.

When they went to the top, Cora said sometimes the powder was up to her waist.  She wasn't sure if her skies were still on because she couldn't see them. :)

It truly was a great day.  And it is always fun when all my kids are home together.

When Cora left she was a little sad to leave her skis, knowing that this would be her last ski until after her mission.  But it was a glorious day to end on.