For Family Home Evening I had the kids take a test to see which love language was most dominate in them (the test is found here; I printed out the PDF version instead of doing it online).
Tyler and I have already taken a similar test. My love language is undeniably ACTS OF SERVICE (scoring 22 out of 27 questions) while Ty's is PHYSICAL TOUCH which just so happens to be my lowest score. In fact the other night we were at a fundraiser dinner and our dinner companions brought up back rubs. They were all a little astounded when I mentioned how I didn't really need them. So for me to really show Ty that I love him, I have to step out of my comfort zone a little. And that's hard to do!
So with some of my kids I could probably guess and get it right as to which love language spoke to them. Nate . . . I was positive Nate would be PHYSICAL TOUCH. He's my child that loves to give hugs. And Erik . . . I was pretty sure he would be GIFTS.
Here's how they scored based on 20 questions:
Kiersten's highest was QUALITY TIME with 6. Her next highest was a tie between ACTS OF SERVICE (4) and GIFTS (4). I wasn't sure what I might get with her.
Erik highest was actually a tie between QUALITY TIME (6) and GIFTS (6) and his second highest was WORDS OF AFFIRMATION (5). I guess I won't be making that kid's bed any time soon. After a little discussion, we all concluded that GIFTS came ahead of quality time. In fact this week Tyler and I pounced on both love languages when we treated Erik, and only Erik, to Arctic Circle for shakes and fries after a botched basketball game due to a miscommunication about the time and place. He was all smiles when I suggested ice cream.
Nathan's highest was WORDS OF AFFIRMATION (7). His lowest was actually PHYSICAL TOUCH. Wow, did I have him pegged wrong. I personally still think he likes hugs. His second highest was QUALITY TIME (5).
Ashlyn was the opposite of Nate with QUALITY TIME as her highest score with 8 and WORDS OF AFFIRMATION coming in second with 6.
Alex was too young to understand what he was supposed to be answering. He was very consistent and chose the last answer. We'll have to do this again with him at a future date.
This was fun and a little eye-opening. It's given me some good ammo when I need to build my kids up and what things I can be doing every day. I found it quite interesting that all of them had QUALITY TIME as either their first or second love language. As I look at that, it's no wonder our kids love Family Home Evening. And I'm serious. We have no trouble pulling our family together for an hour or so each week to discuss family issues, listen to a SHORT lesson, and end with treats. And I guess that would go for our 15 minutes of scripture reading in the mornings also. Rarely, do we not have everyone there and participating.
I think Tyler and I do a pretty good job of spending time with our kids, and not just quality time but in quantity too. We love playing out in the backyard and vacationing together. We enjoy watching a Jazz game together and eating out. In the summer we work together in the yard. We do lunch dates, pulling one of them out of school for an hour. My kids love to play board games and I'm working on trying to like it too (although I'd prefer to just sit and have a read-athon).
Maybe our family motto should be: Work hard and play hard . . . TOGETHER as a family.
23 February 2014
16 February 2014
Scammed . . . almost
Typically January is filled with planning our spring/summer vacations. Earlier this year Nate commented how he'd like to go to Mount Rushmore. And Tyler commented on what a long, boring drive that is. I checked with Google maps and from here to there it's about 10 1/2 hours. And from here to San Diego it's about . . 10 1/2 hours. And from here to San Francisco it's about . . . . . . . 10 1/2 hours.
Wow! We are so centrally located and can really road trip anywhere. Several years ago Tyler and I enjoyed a few days in San Fran and loved it, especially Muir Woods and the redwood trees. I've always wanted to share that with my kids.
Spring break does not coincide with Easter this year, so we are going to head west.
I got to work making sure it was all going to work out financially and deciding how to be the best steward of our money because vacations can be such a black hole.
Well, with seven of us it's a little tricky to find good, cheap places to stay. In the past we've relied on reward points from all of Tyler's travel. Unfortunately those have been maxed out and we are on our own for the first time in quite a few years. Tyler got a tip from a hotel about using craigslist to find vacation home rentals. Since we did that last year when we went to Manti, I thought it was a fabulous suggestion. This was a way we could save on dining and meals.
I scoured and scoured and found a few that would work as far as location, price, accommodations. Then one day I came across the mother lode. A three bedroom home with parking, right across from the Presidio (a huge park) and within a few miles of everywhere we wanted to go. For $150 a night, it seemed like a steal for the San Francisco area (RED FLAG #1).
I emailed them with a few questions like was it available for a short term rental, was there a cleaning fee, and how close was public transportation.
I waited several days with no response (RED FLAG #2), so I emailed again and finally got a response back, albeit in fairly poor English (RED FLAG #3), from a Rich Ryan at 2:30 in the morning (RED FLAG #4). The weird thing is that there was no reference to the listing number (RED FLAG #5) so I wasn't entirely sure which house we were discussing since I had emailed one other listing also. I inquired again and his second email was more timely and he sent me the rental agreement although he never really addressed the questions I had brought up (RED FLAG #6).
Together, Tyler and I looked it over. We have never done something like this other than Manti which seemed pretty safe and were wondering how much we could trust this person we were dealing with. At a cursory glance the rental agreement looked good, but later that night as I really poured over it, I had some misgivings:
1. The document looked like a cut and paste job. It didn't flow and it wasn't all that professional (RED FLAG #7).
2. Why was the phone number in Klamath Falls, Oregon (RED FLAG #7). Sure I realize cell phones can originate anywhere but that's what came up on our called ID when they tried calling several times (we didn't answer; thought it was a telemarketer) and I thought it was a little strange.
3. There was no cleaning deposit. At first I thought BONUS! But after looking at quite a few I realized it's pretty standard to have a cleaning deposit (RED FLAG #8).
4. He wanted the money wired to a bank account that looked legitimate but made us nervous. We would prefer to pay by credit card (RED FLAG #9).
5. The owner's name was different than the person we would be depositing our money with (RED FLAG #10).
6. Should we decide to back out, we had until 3 days before our arrival to cancel our reservation and would be out $100. Most other listings had a 30 day cancellation policy which made a lot more sense since they aren't a hotel and it's harder to find last-minute renters and you're out all your money (RED FLAG #11).
We decided to do a little research. Tyler called several California agencies to find out more about vacation rentals and these people in particular. No one offered any real help. Up to this point I'm still feeling okay about it. A Facebook search brought up a profile that left me feeling uneasy. We were looking at a 30-something Filipino lady (RED FLAG #12) and I was wondering where she had the money to own such a nice home not to mention she just looked downright scary.
Tyler looked the address up on Zillow, a market analysis site, to discover that that particular home had been sold in December 2013 for almost $4 million, only two months previous (RED FLAG #13). Now I'm sure 30-something Filipino lady did not have that kind of money and if she did why is she only renting it for $150/night.
I looked it up on Zillow myself and was surprised to see that the pictures were the exact same as on craigslist and even the paragraph describing the home was exactly the same (RED FLAG #14). They had simply lifted all the info from some real estate site. And when I went back to the craigslist listing, I noticed the MLS watermark in the corner of all the photos (RED FLAG #15). Whomever these people were had not taken their own photos.
The square footage of the home on the craigslist listing was actually the size of the lot. According to Zillow the home was much larger (RED FLAG #16).
Lastly, I looked up the address at the top of the rental agreement. According to Google maps, it's in a run down part of Oakland and looks like an apartment building. Now why would they be living here and renting a beautiful home they just bought (RED FLAG #17).
Apparently craigslist vacation rentals are a big scam and we just about fell into one. As much as I really hoped this would work out, I'm so glad we took an evening and did a little homework. That just saved us $750 and a lot of heartache and grief.
Wow! We are so centrally located and can really road trip anywhere. Several years ago Tyler and I enjoyed a few days in San Fran and loved it, especially Muir Woods and the redwood trees. I've always wanted to share that with my kids.
Spring break does not coincide with Easter this year, so we are going to head west.
I got to work making sure it was all going to work out financially and deciding how to be the best steward of our money because vacations can be such a black hole.
I scoured and scoured and found a few that would work as far as location, price, accommodations. Then one day I came across the mother lode. A three bedroom home with parking, right across from the Presidio (a huge park) and within a few miles of everywhere we wanted to go. For $150 a night, it seemed like a steal for the San Francisco area (RED FLAG #1).
I emailed them with a few questions like was it available for a short term rental, was there a cleaning fee, and how close was public transportation.
I waited several days with no response (RED FLAG #2), so I emailed again and finally got a response back, albeit in fairly poor English (RED FLAG #3), from a Rich Ryan at 2:30 in the morning (RED FLAG #4). The weird thing is that there was no reference to the listing number (RED FLAG #5) so I wasn't entirely sure which house we were discussing since I had emailed one other listing also. I inquired again and his second email was more timely and he sent me the rental agreement although he never really addressed the questions I had brought up (RED FLAG #6).
Together, Tyler and I looked it over. We have never done something like this other than Manti which seemed pretty safe and were wondering how much we could trust this person we were dealing with. At a cursory glance the rental agreement looked good, but later that night as I really poured over it, I had some misgivings:
1. The document looked like a cut and paste job. It didn't flow and it wasn't all that professional (RED FLAG #7).
2. Why was the phone number in Klamath Falls, Oregon (RED FLAG #7). Sure I realize cell phones can originate anywhere but that's what came up on our called ID when they tried calling several times (we didn't answer; thought it was a telemarketer) and I thought it was a little strange.
3. There was no cleaning deposit. At first I thought BONUS! But after looking at quite a few I realized it's pretty standard to have a cleaning deposit (RED FLAG #8).
4. He wanted the money wired to a bank account that looked legitimate but made us nervous. We would prefer to pay by credit card (RED FLAG #9).
5. The owner's name was different than the person we would be depositing our money with (RED FLAG #10).
6. Should we decide to back out, we had until 3 days before our arrival to cancel our reservation and would be out $100. Most other listings had a 30 day cancellation policy which made a lot more sense since they aren't a hotel and it's harder to find last-minute renters and you're out all your money (RED FLAG #11).
We decided to do a little research. Tyler called several California agencies to find out more about vacation rentals and these people in particular. No one offered any real help. Up to this point I'm still feeling okay about it. A Facebook search brought up a profile that left me feeling uneasy. We were looking at a 30-something Filipino lady (RED FLAG #12) and I was wondering where she had the money to own such a nice home not to mention she just looked downright scary.
Tyler looked the address up on Zillow, a market analysis site, to discover that that particular home had been sold in December 2013 for almost $4 million, only two months previous (RED FLAG #13). Now I'm sure 30-something Filipino lady did not have that kind of money and if she did why is she only renting it for $150/night.
I looked it up on Zillow myself and was surprised to see that the pictures were the exact same as on craigslist and even the paragraph describing the home was exactly the same (RED FLAG #14). They had simply lifted all the info from some real estate site. And when I went back to the craigslist listing, I noticed the MLS watermark in the corner of all the photos (RED FLAG #15). Whomever these people were had not taken their own photos.
The square footage of the home on the craigslist listing was actually the size of the lot. According to Zillow the home was much larger (RED FLAG #16).
Lastly, I looked up the address at the top of the rental agreement. According to Google maps, it's in a run down part of Oakland and looks like an apartment building. Now why would they be living here and renting a beautiful home they just bought (RED FLAG #17).
Apparently craigslist vacation rentals are a big scam and we just about fell into one. As much as I really hoped this would work out, I'm so glad we took an evening and did a little homework. That just saved us $750 and a lot of heartache and grief.
If it's too good to be true, it probably is.
10 February 2014
John Stockton autobiography
Growing up, I loved basketball.
I loved the Utah Jazz.
And I loved John Stockon. Even with his classic short shorts.
He was someone I looked up to and even decided one year that I was going to be the first woman to play for the Jazz. Ha, ha. That makes me laugh now, as you can see my basketball career didn't go far. In fact it didn't make it past the 10th grade.
That didn't deter me from really enjoying watching Stock play. He was an outstanding player on and off the court. He had values and morals that a lot of professional athletes didn't seem to exhibit.
His autobiography reaffirmed everything I ever thought about him. He really is one of those rare athletes who had/has his head on straight. His determination and work ethic are something remarkable. I told Erik that if he wants to become better at basketball, John Stockton's book is a must read.
Some of my favorite excerpts from his book:
No preparation means no foundation to build on in the future. Additionally, it is hard to build character or inner strength without demanding regimes, hard work, and trying times on the practice floor. Often, in today's models of equal playing time without reference to practice or performance standards, I think kids are robbed of valuable tools to confront life's real circumstances. Competitive athletics should be a metaphor for life's real circumstances. In today's world, we seem to be skewing the relationship to our children's disadvantage by making rules that bypass the investment and go directly to the dividends. If everyone gets a trophy, the only winners are the fragile egos of the parents.
* * * * *
I learned that self-esteem . . . cannot be given. Self-confidence is earned by accomplishing things through your own efforts -- things previously beyond your reach.
* * * * *
There's no better venue for enhancing your mental toughness than long-distance running. Pitted against a competitor who wants to win as much as you, the race often become a game of cat and mouse. To win you must push, stretch, deny, and reconfirm your own limits in order to go beyond those of your opponent. With no teammates and no obstacles, your heart and preparation are all that stand between victory and breaking. Each moment on the verge of surrender, you press a little harder until the other runner fails to respond. It's a battle as much against yourself as your opponent. Winning a long-distance race is a mental, as well as a physical, triumph -- which is tough to achieve in any arena.
* * * * *
[Nada] posses countless talents that remain anonymous outside of our home because she values motherhood above all else. . . . Basketball wasn't the only important thing in the world. That realization, ironically, helped me play more relaxed and, in turn, play better. Many more changes would greet me as I blended my career as a member of the Jazz with my young, growing family's needs. As I have already indicated, the foundations given to me by my parents have proved invaluable. I enjoy being a dad. Being a good parent, however, is a challenge. I haven't always succeeded. But meeting that obligation is far more important to me than being a good basketball player ever was. Along with Nada and our children, I will keep working at making the family better tomorrow than it was today.
* * * * *
The team culture, which for years had nicely folded in older and younger players, changed abruptly after Horny retired. In his absence I reached out to some of the newcomers but with little success. The "'90s guys, " as we jokingly called them, had new-age distractions and interests. It increasingly seemed to me that electronic gadgets had virtually eliminated the need to get to know teammates. The young players brought their friends and family along on road trips, housed inside tiny electronic devices. These players engaged with them in solitude inside the confines of earphoned technology. The trips and bus rides became lonely affairs. Camaraderie gave way to comfortable high-tech isolation.
I loved the Utah Jazz.
And I loved John Stockon. Even with his classic short shorts.
That didn't deter me from really enjoying watching Stock play. He was an outstanding player on and off the court. He had values and morals that a lot of professional athletes didn't seem to exhibit.
His autobiography reaffirmed everything I ever thought about him. He really is one of those rare athletes who had/has his head on straight. His determination and work ethic are something remarkable. I told Erik that if he wants to become better at basketball, John Stockton's book is a must read.
No preparation means no foundation to build on in the future. Additionally, it is hard to build character or inner strength without demanding regimes, hard work, and trying times on the practice floor. Often, in today's models of equal playing time without reference to practice or performance standards, I think kids are robbed of valuable tools to confront life's real circumstances. Competitive athletics should be a metaphor for life's real circumstances. In today's world, we seem to be skewing the relationship to our children's disadvantage by making rules that bypass the investment and go directly to the dividends. If everyone gets a trophy, the only winners are the fragile egos of the parents.
* * * * *
I learned that self-esteem . . . cannot be given. Self-confidence is earned by accomplishing things through your own efforts -- things previously beyond your reach.
* * * * *
There's no better venue for enhancing your mental toughness than long-distance running. Pitted against a competitor who wants to win as much as you, the race often become a game of cat and mouse. To win you must push, stretch, deny, and reconfirm your own limits in order to go beyond those of your opponent. With no teammates and no obstacles, your heart and preparation are all that stand between victory and breaking. Each moment on the verge of surrender, you press a little harder until the other runner fails to respond. It's a battle as much against yourself as your opponent. Winning a long-distance race is a mental, as well as a physical, triumph -- which is tough to achieve in any arena.
* * * * *
[Nada] posses countless talents that remain anonymous outside of our home because she values motherhood above all else. . . . Basketball wasn't the only important thing in the world. That realization, ironically, helped me play more relaxed and, in turn, play better. Many more changes would greet me as I blended my career as a member of the Jazz with my young, growing family's needs. As I have already indicated, the foundations given to me by my parents have proved invaluable. I enjoy being a dad. Being a good parent, however, is a challenge. I haven't always succeeded. But meeting that obligation is far more important to me than being a good basketball player ever was. Along with Nada and our children, I will keep working at making the family better tomorrow than it was today.
* * * * *
The team culture, which for years had nicely folded in older and younger players, changed abruptly after Horny retired. In his absence I reached out to some of the newcomers but with little success. The "'90s guys, " as we jokingly called them, had new-age distractions and interests. It increasingly seemed to me that electronic gadgets had virtually eliminated the need to get to know teammates. The young players brought their friends and family along on road trips, housed inside tiny electronic devices. These players engaged with them in solitude inside the confines of earphoned technology. The trips and bus rides became lonely affairs. Camaraderie gave way to comfortable high-tech isolation.
06 February 2014
The Biggest Loser
I got hooked on The Biggest Loser a couple of years ago. I'm not a television watcher but this show is one of my favorites. Okay, probably my ONLY favorite. The contestants are all inspiring to me as I watch them battle back to regain control of their lives and do hard things. My number one rule is I cannot watch it sitting on the couch, so it's become my workout routine as I use the elliptical.
This year was no different. I watched and cheered and even cried a couple of times with all the contestants over a four month period. The other night was the final episode, and I was so excited to see the transformations, to be shocked at how different they all looked, to see them healthy again.
Craig looked amazing for having gone home first. Tumi won the at-home prize after losing 175 pounds, down to 144 pounds from 319. Fernanda was so stunning I didn't even recognize her. Marie shocked me because frankly I didn't think she had it in her to go as far as she did. In the end I was rooting for David. His story touched me and he had such a worthy cause he was fighting for after losing his first wife to brain cancer.
In the end, Rachel, David, and Bobby were vying for title of Biggest Loser and Rachel came out on top.
(Click here to see before and after photos.)
The obsessive behavior that led these contestants to overeat and gain weight in the first place can be just as extreme in the opposite direction. Rachel may have lost the most weight but she looked sickly, anorexic, emaciated, like death was at her door. She was way too thin. Even her trainers were in shock at her appearance. I've never been more disappointed in a finale.
My kids love to watch the show with me, and this time around I made a point to talk about extreme weight loss/weight gain. I'm really hoping Rachel crunched some numbers, saw that she might have to really lose a lot more weight to be "safe" and win the overall prize, and is now planning on putting some weight back on. But seriously, is 105 pounds at 5'4" normal? I think it's crazy.
Can't wait for next season to see what, if any, changes are made to the show.
This year was no different. I watched and cheered and even cried a couple of times with all the contestants over a four month period. The other night was the final episode, and I was so excited to see the transformations, to be shocked at how different they all looked, to see them healthy again.
Craig looked amazing for having gone home first. Tumi won the at-home prize after losing 175 pounds, down to 144 pounds from 319. Fernanda was so stunning I didn't even recognize her. Marie shocked me because frankly I didn't think she had it in her to go as far as she did. In the end I was rooting for David. His story touched me and he had such a worthy cause he was fighting for after losing his first wife to brain cancer.
In the end, Rachel, David, and Bobby were vying for title of Biggest Loser and Rachel came out on top.
(Click here to see before and after photos.)
The obsessive behavior that led these contestants to overeat and gain weight in the first place can be just as extreme in the opposite direction. Rachel may have lost the most weight but she looked sickly, anorexic, emaciated, like death was at her door. She was way too thin. Even her trainers were in shock at her appearance. I've never been more disappointed in a finale.
My kids love to watch the show with me, and this time around I made a point to talk about extreme weight loss/weight gain. I'm really hoping Rachel crunched some numbers, saw that she might have to really lose a lot more weight to be "safe" and win the overall prize, and is now planning on putting some weight back on. But seriously, is 105 pounds at 5'4" normal? I think it's crazy.
Can't wait for next season to see what, if any, changes are made to the show.
02 February 2014
January
I'm going to attempt this year to document more of the little things which will probably translate into a post at the end of the month of things I haven't already addressed. I used to be so much better at writing down things the kids would do or funny things they would say. As each one has joined our family it's become more of a challenge.
* * * * *
Our family has developed some "potty" mouths lately as we try to coax and get Alex excited about really wanting to use the potty consistently. We thought he was fully potty trained at the beginning of the month, but the past 4 weeks we've seen huge relapses. I'm hoping this next month will be better. I just don't remember having to go through so much with my others. One day I was yelling to him upstairs to come downstairs and go potty. I yelled for him several times. He was busy playing by Tyler who was working and Tyler heard Al give a big sigh and then say to himself, "Why do I have time?"
* * * * *
Tyler ended up in the emergency room one night after a coughing episode left him unable to breath. It scared him enough that he wanted to get it checked out. Turns out he has Pertussis or Whooping Cough. I'm pretty sure the reason I haven't had a cough is I think a nurse might have included the booster in a tetanus booster I got after having either Nate or Ash. Ty's trying to sleep it off and remain calm when the coughing hits him.
* * * * *
There is a boy in our Primary who we like to tease Ashlyn about. One Sunday during Sharing Time the kids were asked to tell who they looked up to and admired. Everett raised his hand and said Ashlyn. The look she gave him was priceless. They were the only two on their row and she was a little speechless. He just looked at me and smiled. Ash has really taken to these bracelets that are the latest fad. I'm beginning to wonder how far up her arm they'll reach.
* * * * *
Alex started Primary this year which means he gets to be with me. I wasn't sure how he would handle having Mom in there, but so far he's done fabulous. He loves to wear his cowboy boots and bring his scripture case with him, just like his older siblings. At the beginning of the year he got a CTR ring. He's lost it and found it several times. One time during the lost stage he came to me and asked if I knew where his DVR ring was. Sadly someone has corrected him and he now refers to it correctly,"C-T-R, that means Choose the Right."
* * * * *
Erik has been busy, busy, busy with basketball. I kind of like it since it gives us a lot to do during the dreary month of January. He's on a competition team like last year, except they are terrible. It hasn't been a matter of not losing every game, but rather not being decimated by every team. There have been no close games and it's quite disheartening for the boys and their coach who has thrown in the towel. He also got placed on a Jr. Stallions team as a fluke. I looked at both schedules and decided we could probably make it work for both. His Jr. Stallions team has been a lot of fun and they've actually won most of their games. AND church ball has started. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays involves some kind of basketball. Good thing Tyler and I both love the sport.
* * * * *
I decided to try and get a pot luck lunch group going in our neighborhood. I thought of all the ladies who are home and would probably like to get out and socialize once in awhile. I sent my flyers around and had a few accept and then back out. Even the morning of I wasn't sure who was going to show. Turns out we had a nice little group of about seven of us. I'll try again this next month and see if we can't get a few more.
* * * * *
One of Kiersten's conversations with Alex as she's getting stuff out for a sandwich.
Alex: I want some cheese!
Kiersten: Shocker.
Alex: I want some shocker!
Moral of the story: Sarcasm and three years old don't mix.
* * * * *
Alex likes to say "boo-yah" and I had no idea where it came from. I asked him once and all he told me was Studio C, a favorite BYUTV show the kids like to watch. No one is really sure if that's where it came from. Tyler and he also have a little ongoing conversation about Mt. Dew. They refer to each other as "Dew Man." "Dew Man, can you go get me a Dew, Dew Man." "I'll get you a Mt. Dew, Dew Man."
* * * * *
Kiersten put together her first piano recital featuring a few Christmas songs. We both decided that December is too crazy of a time for families and we didn't want to add to it. But January's pretty much free reign, right? We did have a few bumps in trying to find a date that would work for everyone, but we did it and even got to perform our Sleigh Ride duet we've been learning for a couple of months.
* * * * *
Alex said his first real prayer all by himself and he calls stop signs, "sign stops," and green lights are "green go," which sounds an awful lot like gringo.
* * * * *
One of our traditions for good grades is ice cream. EVERYONE has to get straight A's and then we treat them to ice cream (and sometimes fries). This night was a frosty night at Wendy's after one of Erik's basketball games.
* * * * *
Our family has developed some "potty" mouths lately as we try to coax and get Alex excited about really wanting to use the potty consistently. We thought he was fully potty trained at the beginning of the month, but the past 4 weeks we've seen huge relapses. I'm hoping this next month will be better. I just don't remember having to go through so much with my others. One day I was yelling to him upstairs to come downstairs and go potty. I yelled for him several times. He was busy playing by Tyler who was working and Tyler heard Al give a big sigh and then say to himself, "Why do I have time?"
* * * * *
Tyler ended up in the emergency room one night after a coughing episode left him unable to breath. It scared him enough that he wanted to get it checked out. Turns out he has Pertussis or Whooping Cough. I'm pretty sure the reason I haven't had a cough is I think a nurse might have included the booster in a tetanus booster I got after having either Nate or Ash. Ty's trying to sleep it off and remain calm when the coughing hits him.
There is a boy in our Primary who we like to tease Ashlyn about. One Sunday during Sharing Time the kids were asked to tell who they looked up to and admired. Everett raised his hand and said Ashlyn. The look she gave him was priceless. They were the only two on their row and she was a little speechless. He just looked at me and smiled. Ash has really taken to these bracelets that are the latest fad. I'm beginning to wonder how far up her arm they'll reach.
Alex started Primary this year which means he gets to be with me. I wasn't sure how he would handle having Mom in there, but so far he's done fabulous. He loves to wear his cowboy boots and bring his scripture case with him, just like his older siblings. At the beginning of the year he got a CTR ring. He's lost it and found it several times. One time during the lost stage he came to me and asked if I knew where his DVR ring was. Sadly someone has corrected him and he now refers to it correctly,"C-T-R, that means Choose the Right."
* * * * *
Erik has been busy, busy, busy with basketball. I kind of like it since it gives us a lot to do during the dreary month of January. He's on a competition team like last year, except they are terrible. It hasn't been a matter of not losing every game, but rather not being decimated by every team. There have been no close games and it's quite disheartening for the boys and their coach who has thrown in the towel. He also got placed on a Jr. Stallions team as a fluke. I looked at both schedules and decided we could probably make it work for both. His Jr. Stallions team has been a lot of fun and they've actually won most of their games. AND church ball has started. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays involves some kind of basketball. Good thing Tyler and I both love the sport.
I decided to try and get a pot luck lunch group going in our neighborhood. I thought of all the ladies who are home and would probably like to get out and socialize once in awhile. I sent my flyers around and had a few accept and then back out. Even the morning of I wasn't sure who was going to show. Turns out we had a nice little group of about seven of us. I'll try again this next month and see if we can't get a few more.
* * * * *
One of Kiersten's conversations with Alex as she's getting stuff out for a sandwich.
Alex: I want some cheese!
Kiersten: Shocker.
Alex: I want some shocker!
Moral of the story: Sarcasm and three years old don't mix.
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Alex likes to say "boo-yah" and I had no idea where it came from. I asked him once and all he told me was Studio C, a favorite BYUTV show the kids like to watch. No one is really sure if that's where it came from. Tyler and he also have a little ongoing conversation about Mt. Dew. They refer to each other as "Dew Man." "Dew Man, can you go get me a Dew, Dew Man." "I'll get you a Mt. Dew, Dew Man."
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Kiersten put together her first piano recital featuring a few Christmas songs. We both decided that December is too crazy of a time for families and we didn't want to add to it. But January's pretty much free reign, right? We did have a few bumps in trying to find a date that would work for everyone, but we did it and even got to perform our Sleigh Ride duet we've been learning for a couple of months.
Alex said his first real prayer all by himself and he calls stop signs, "sign stops," and green lights are "green go," which sounds an awful lot like gringo.
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One of our traditions for good grades is ice cream. EVERYONE has to get straight A's and then we treat them to ice cream (and sometimes fries). This night was a frosty night at Wendy's after one of Erik's basketball games.
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