Choose the Right.

Jacob is so funny. He will always be my baby boy. Last Wednesday he had his last band concert for the school year. He had to get dressed up. He looked so handsome. He told me he was going to wear the same thing to school the next day. I did not believe him. The next morning he came up ready for school dressed like the night before. I said you were not kidding. He looked so cute. He told me he walked around school like he owned the place. He is so cute he doesn't let things bother him like I would have when I was his age. This weekend he went on his first scout camp out with out my husband. I was so worried. I do not like for my kids to do things with out one of us being there. I will have to learn to let go a little as they grow. I love all my kids the same. Jacob has a special place in my heart he was my first and he is my only son. He was telling me about things that went on in school today. It makes me mad that kids are so darn mean. The kids that were mean when I was younger probably had kids and don't teach them the right way to live. It makes me so mad. Thankfully it doesn't bother Jacob the way it would bother me. I don't know when being a good kid made you gay. When I was in school being the good kid made you a nerd or the teachers pet. So these kids think my son who is all boy is gay because he is a good kid and stays out of trouble. He stays out of trouble because he is being raised to choose the right. I love my son so much. He has such a tender side that he gets from me and a goofy side he gets from my husband. He is so wonderful I am very blessed to be raising such a choice spirit. He will be turning 12 soon and will be given the priesthood. He does all that he is supposed to and I don't have to worry if he can choose the right.

It is DONE and it is BLUE!

This is what it looked like when the pump had done all it could. Gross! The kids said yuck that is what we were swimming in. It is hard to tell in the picture but there was a bunch of caked on yuck on the bottom of the pool. Me being me walked down to get the pump and fell right away. I slipped on the gross green slime and down I went into the gross water. Eliza said what did you do that for mom. Like I meant to fall.

My ever faithful servant/best friend/sister/Monica came to help with with the hard part of scrubbing the bottom of the pool.

We had a lot of little helpers also. They helped scoop the water to get it all out.

We finally had to get the shop vac to get the last of the water out of the pool. The kids were so anxious to start filling the pool. I would not start until I had every bit of the gross water out.

The kid came home from school and could not wait to start in the pool.

It was nice to have it so shallow with the little kids.

We put sunscreen on to late for Monica. She was hurting.

It was getting deeper. We had three hoses in the pool.

All the hard work paid off the kids really enjoyed it while it was filling up.

The next day. We would not let the kids go in until the big ones came home from school. We let them dip their feet in. They were so excited.

It was getting deeper and deeper.

Now it is all filled up and the kids have gone swimming almost every day (never on Sunday though) I am so thankful for all who helped me with my pool project. Clint is gone from our house so much it is nice to know I have my family to help me in my time of need. I love you guys.

Everyone is welcome to come swimming this summer now that it is done and it is BLUE.

My beautiful Hanna

Two weeks ago my Hanna got her braces off. I had forgotten to write about. I think she looks so grown up.

My beautiful Hanna

I will get it BLUE!

For weeks now I have been asking my husband to please get our pool back into good condition for the summer. Our friend Tanner was our pool man but stop doing pools because he was busy also being a fire man. So I thought we could save money and do the pool ourselves. Right! This is how it has been looking.

So today I had the brilliant idea to drain it. Clint did not want to drain it but he is hunting. He also had plenty of time to get it blue not pickle juice green. I borrowed my friend Tanner's pool pump and got started about 2:00 this afternoon. I told my kids they were not to get wet. Right again!

They started with putting their feet in. I kept telling them don't the water has disease in it. You will get sick. That held them off for a little while.

They said they were helping me clean the steps.

Jacob doing one of his dorky dance moves. He was saying this is High Pool Musical. See his jazz hands.

This is how they ended up.

Notice in this picture the only one that listened to me was the 2 year old standing in the back ground not wet.

They just kept getting deeper

and deeper. Until they were swimming in the pickle juice.

They had fun though I don't want to take that away from them. I hope the don't get pool flu.

So here it is 9:00 and the pool is empty. It was all the way full this afternoon. I am surprised it only took a few hours to empty. There will be more to come on my brilliant idea today. I am glad tomorrow is Sunday (a day to rest). Come Monday I will be scrubbing scum from the bottom of the pool. I am very determined to have a nice pool for the summer. I will get it BLUE!

Where is the warning?

I try to do all I can to help all who ask of me. I really love to serve in many ways. I lately have not been myself. I have not felt well for almost 3 weeks. I have not been able to do the things I like to do. I haven't helped at the girls school like I do. I haven't done things for my family like I should. I have been an awful wife, mom & visiting teacher this month. I am not used to feeling this way. I haven't even wanted to do my blog. Because of not feeling well physically I am also not doing so well emotionally. I feel really depressed and down because I have had to put things on hold. Today was the first day in a few weeks I felt more myself. I felt happy. It is hard sometimes having my husband gone at work, then when I think he will be home on the weekend he has other plans that don't include me or the kids. I get sad and mad. That is how the last 3 weekends have been for me. I guess I am just selfish. I just love being with my husband. Although I don't blame him for not wanting to be with me lately I have been so mean. I know that when I feel this way I just need to do more so I don't feel so useless. I am so thankful for my mom and sisters who have helped me the last few week. They have watched my kids and picked them up from school because I felt so awful. I hope I am out of the slump. I went to the doctors and had some test done. I am starting to feel better physically. It is just the dumb mental part. I really wish when I start to get depressed there was something that could let me know. Like if you are getting a cold you might start to sneeze a bunch. But when you start to have a bout of depression where is the warning?

The real meaning of Easter

I love Easter. I don't particularly like the whole bunny thing. It is a cute thought and all but only a young kid could believe a bunny leaves an Easter basket. Katie for weeks now has been asking when the Easter bunny is coming back over. It is cute she gets on a play phone and says "Hello Easter Bunny come over". I do Easter the way my awesome mom did it for me. The Easter bunny hides a basket with little gifts and candy and always a stuffed bunny somewhere in our house.

After they all found their baskets I made them wait so I could take a picture.

My mom always bought us a new dress on Easter Sunday. I now do that for my children.

I had Jacob wear a blue shirt this year. He will get the priesthood soon and I will have him where only a white shirt to church. So this was his last Easter with a colored shirt.

I call them my stairs. My cute kids with their Easter Bunnies.

I know Easter is not really about bunnies and candy. It is all about our Lord Jesus Christ and His atonement. I know He sacrificed His life for me. I know that deep inside my heart and am truly thankful for Him.

Each year since my mom and sisters moved here we have a tradition. We go to the Easter pageant together. We pack a picnic dinner get there like 3 hours before it starts and have fun being together. This year I got some pictures with some of the pageant people.

Eliza and some men

Hanna and Ester with a warrior

Eliza and Katie with the warrior. Katie held the whip and Eliza held the sword

Hanna with John the Baptist. I love this picture.

I love to go to the pageant. It is the story of Easter. The real meaning of Easter.

Park fun during Priesthood

The last few times on conference weekend my sisters and I meet at a park while our husbands go their separate ways for priesthood. My husband always goes with his Dad and two of his brothers to priesthood. I think it is nice to do things traditionally with family.

I love spending time with my sisters and our kids. It was nice to just have it be the sisters. We were able to laugh and have fun. I needed that yesterday. I was feeling a little low due to other family members and it was nice to have time to laugh and not worry we were hurting anybodies feelings or having to walk on egg shells with what we said.

We packed a picnic dinner. Monica really liked the tuna I made. The kids made the Doritos into sandritos. Then when Dave Monica's husband came when priesthood was over it was so funny he ate some and didn't know they had sand in them. It was like something I would have done to him but didn't think of it.

Carla, Me & Monica

Jacob's last time hanging out during priesthood. He will be going to the next one.

Hanna and Kristian

My cute Ester

Eliza on Jillian's bike

Katie on the seahorse.

Mine and Monica's bike

Monica thinks her orange bike is so much better because she bought it at a bike shop and I got mine at cheap old Walmart.

I like our park fun during priesthood.

We Love Grandpa Jerry!

On St. Patrick's Day my mom since moving here has always done a traditional Irish dinner corned beef, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. For the last few years we have always dropped a plate off to my mother and father in law. They love it. This year we invited them over. Not only was it St. Patrick's Day but it was also my father in law Jerry's birthday. I was so glad they were able to come for the dinner this year. I do so much with my family. We do every Tuesday night dinner at my house and we get together on the weekends. We are always with my family. It is nice when we could spend time with Clint's family also. My kids love when they are able to spend time with all their grandparents. I know my kids like it when Clint's parents come over and they have all their attention rather then it having to get split up in 15 different directions. So they had them all to their selves. Jerry is a good grandpa he has a way of noticing the kids good qualities and praising them for it. We love Grandpa Jerry.

Our FHE Fun!

I try really hard to do Family Home Evening every week. I truly believe it is important. Because we had spring break this week we were able to stay up later. So I decided to do something fun for FHE. I invited boys from our ward to go with our family. We went to Golf Land. I really like to do mini golf. It is really popular where I grew up. There were quite a few places to go back home in Connecticut. I would love to build a course out here on the east side of the valley. Just a dream. Any way I took my kids and two boys from our ward who I really like. They are good boys I was glad they were able to come with us. Clint met us there after work and we had dinner then did a game of mini golf. It was so much fun. Because we had so many people in our group we divided up into two teams. I was with my older two and our friend Nick and Clint was with Ester Eliza & our other friend Martin.

Some might think that is not a very good FHE but I like to have a good time with my children and their friends. I want them to learn that Mom and Dad can play and have fun too. I also want them to learn to enjoy the time we get to be with each other. I read once a prophet said that FHE does not have to be a class room setting. I am thankful for FHE. I get upset because it doesn't always run smooth but at least my kids are being raised in a home that does it.

Jacob, Nick and Hanna

Clint & Ester and Katie who was everywhere.

Katie climbing on the wall that the kids were asked to stay off of.

Taking it easy after 18 holes of fun

Martin, Jacob & Ester

OUR FAMILY HOME EVENING FUN!

ZOLA turned one already.

My niece Zola turned one last week. They had a really cute first birthday for Zola. Monica had it at Cafe Rio. It was very quaint. I can't believe how fast time goes as you get older.

Princess Zola and her beautiful Mom

I love her cute smile

Her cute cake that my sister Carla made. Monica saw a picture of a lopsided whimsical cake and Carla made it for Zola. It was really pretty you can't see in the picture but it had pretty edible giltter on it.

This was the little cake just for Zola. She didn't get to crazy with it.

I can't believe Zola turned one already.