27 April 2025

Its the end of April already.  Wow! The weather was lovely this week, although windy.  The grass we planted off the front steps is coming up nicely and my porch garden is green and thriving...even the herbs in my window are looking jungle-esque.  Phil worked overtime doing a live fire event for the most recent fire academy on Monday.  Jude and I enjoyed our time at home while I worked.  We did some coloring at lunch time which was fun.  

In addition to coloring we did some building with the Jenga blocks.  Jude called me in to see his creation, he said "Mom, I built temples, lots of temples."

We had some exciting news this week.  Felicity started her mission papers!  She's been talking about serving a full time proselyting mission the past few years and this week after meeting with her Bishop started on her application paperwork.  She had to call home with some questions and to get help, "what's my social security number?" etc.  We are proud of her and look forward to seeing how it all works out.  She's going to finish her cosmetology program and get her license in July and put her mission availability starting in August.  Here she is at the Gila Valley temple, she tries to go every week.

Helen was excited to go to the Pima County Fair on Wednesday with a couple of her friends.  She told me all about it when she got home that night, it sounds like they had a great time and enjoyed lots of rides on "wristband night".  I'm grateful for the awesome friends Helen has, I don't worry about what the girls might be up to when they're together and I know they look out for each other.  Priceless.

Phil was back to work for his regular shift on Wednesday and then overtime Thursday and regular shift Friday, so we were without him for much of the week.  While on duty on Friday he got called to do a rescue in Madera Canyon where they hiked in a couple of miles and had to carry an injured hiker out.  Here's a picture from the Green Valley News.

Nana offered to hang out with Jude on Friday and he was VERY excited.  I dropped him by at about 10 after taking Helen to school and running some errands. They went to the park and to McDonalds and he was so sad when it was time to come home.  It was so nice to be able to work and get some things done before he came home.

I also worked on Trek preparation for the medical team.  We got all the supplies in that we ordered and I spent time adding vinyl labeling to everything so that hopefully nothing goes astray.  I sat on the kitchen floor and added extras to the first aid kits and packed a bag for each "family", 18 in total, that included the first aid kits in addition to extra sunscreen, powder, chapstick, tissues, and other necessities and items to help keep the dozens of kiddos trekking comfortable.  

After putting together the individual kits for the families (the kids will travel with one hand cart in a "family" with an adult "Ma and Pa" leading the way while trek) I packed up the base camp supplies in some new totes that Phil and I donated and I made sure to label those too, I think the medical team will be ready! 

Helen and Arlo went to visit their dad this weekend, we did a swap so that Arlo can go to a Teacher's Quorum camp out next weekend.  Jude and I did some chores together in the evening, he insisted on bringing one of the trashcans in from the street.  

In the evening I worked on wrapping up a couple of my completed quilts. My favorite long-arm quilter got them back to me earlier in the day.  I started with the Dreaming Dragon baby quilt.  Oh my goodness, it turned out SO CUTE.  I love the swirly twirly floral quilting pattern that matches my white on white background fabric.  I attached the binding and added my quilt label; I was excited that I got to add the baby's name and birthdate to the label since she was born last week...shhh, don't tell Phil's nephew and his wife, but this beauty is headed their way to celebrate their first baby!   I LOVE how it turned out.  I may have to make another. 

I also finished Phil's tee shirt quilt for his bunk room.  It turned out great as well.  I added its label and binding and made him a matching pillow case to take to work with him.  I have one more that needs to be finished, but its going to have to wait until I'm done making costumes for trek.

I met Phil at the Green Valley Pecan orchard early on Saturday morning after he got off of work where I was running the annual Nut Run 5K.  Phil was supposed to run with me, but because I switched the kids' weekend with their dad we didn't have anyone to watch Jude.  I honestly didn't do much training in the last several weeks so I was unsure how it was going to go, but it was pretty good.  My first two miles were 10 min 20 sec, mile three was 10 min 40 sec, and that last half mile was a slog.  My chip time ended up being an 11 min 7 sec per mile average.  Overall, I was happy though, I took two minutes off my average per mile from last year and finished 8th out of 30 in my age group.  

Jude was unhappy that he wasn't there when I ran across the finish line (he was playing in the grass or flirting with teenage girls or something), so I had to run the last fifty yards again with him so we could get a picture and he could run in with me.

We picked up groceries and worked on some other chores on Saturday when we were done with the race.  Dad and Jude played with all the Amazon boxes we received this week as the trek medical stuff was delivered.  They made a house that sat in my family room for the rest of the weekend.

Saturday afternoon was difficult. We have known for several weeks (months if I'm being honest), that our blue heeler/Australian shepherd Maggie was needing to be put down.  She developed valley fever a few years ago and has been on strong anti-fungal medication since.  In spite of the meds her condition has worsened over the last eighteen months.  The fungus affected her joints making it painful to walk and move around.  The last six months she's been unable to use her back legs at all and has resorted to pulling herself/scooting along with only her front legs which are sore too.  It's meant that she hasn't been able to do her job (which she loves) of watching over the animals on the ranch.  We've had to keep her in a kennel almost all of the time because she can't defend herself or get away if coyotes attacked her.  It's been so hard to watch.  This week one of the goats got out and I turned Chief out to herd the goat back in the pen, which he did in like 45 seconds, and poor Maggie dragged herself out to where she could see and just barked wildly.  It broke my heart.  We were able to spend Saturday with Maggie giving her lots of love and attention and petting and cuddles.  We all said our goodbyes.  

I'm going to miss my sweet Maggie girl.  I had an apple tree that I hadn't planted yet so we buried her under the apple tree.  I sure hope Heaven has goats to herd and chickens to chase and pigs to guard.

Phil worked his last shift of the tour on Sunday and I was happy to have kiddos home from their weekend away in the evening.  There's a lot to do in the coming week as we start to wind down the school year.  All good things. 

20 April 2025

So much going on this week, and so many pictures.  We kicked off Monday with Felicity's 19th birthday.  Can you believe that?  19!  Everyone made sure to call her and her friends at school made sure she felt loved.  Her classmates made her a cheesecake and did her nails and her roommate and friends took her out for Taco Bell and to the movies...all while wearing a happy birthday sash and tiara.  Happy birthday to this amazing girl who has been my parenting guinea pig and the sibling leader, we love her.

Phil stayed home sick on Monday, which never happens.  We weren't sure if he had a cold or allergies, but it was fortuitous because we had to go out and buy a new refrigerator.  Jude was a big help too, of course, in selecting just the right one.

Speaking of Jude, he never ceases to keep things interesting at our house.  We've really been working on keeping our clothes on all day since he'll be attending preschool at the end of the summer (and generally people should probably wear clothes throughout the day), but we had a bit of a wardrobe fail on Tuesday.  He was running around naked after getting out of the tub and I hadn't been able to wrangle him into clothes or even undies yet when he came into the office with an Amazon package.  I asked where he got it and he said that a nice lady with a green vest and pink shoes handed it to him on the porch.  I said "Oh, Jude!" to which he said "I said thank you mom, and told her to have a nice day!".  Too bad the doorbell camera wasn't charged!  

Here he is later in the day with toys put down his undies: "look!  I've got a big bum!".

I finished sewing the skirt for my trek outfit this week.  It turned out so well.  I'm really happy with it.

Phil was back at the fire station on Wednesday and worked on a project while there to make suspending an American flag from the end of the ladder on the ladder truck easier.  He did a good job, it looks great!  Arlo has been spending time with my dad on Wednesdays working with him in the garage on some reloading.  He's enjoyed going over there and making a little extra money too.  

Jude enjoyed having dad home this week and "helped" him with all sorts of things around the house including animal chores, which he loves.

The grass we planted last week is doing well so far, its inconvenient to not use the front entrance to the house, but it will be nice to have some grass...even if its just a patch for now!  Here's my sweetheart checking for sprouts.

Friday was very busy.  Phil had to work, but I was off.  The kids didn't have school on Friday so Arlo went to visit his dad and Helen helped me watch Jude while I did all my running around.  I had cleaning and groceries on top of what felt like a 100 errands to run.  I picked up stuff for Easter too.

Felicity came home on Friday evening and Jude insisted they get the karaoke machine out and sing, so sing they did.

Saturday felt busy and hectic too.  Our new fridge was delivered in the morning and it was all hands on deck to move the food from the old one to the new one.  I couldn't really organize it the way I wanted because I had a bunch of extra food for Easter dinner, but overall I'm very happy with the new fridge. 

Felicity helped Helen in the afternoon get ready for prom.  They did hair, nails, and make up; a whole spa day.  She turned out so pretty!

Helen's date Bodie picked her up about 6:30 and humored us with lots of pictures and then off they went!

We picked up Arlo from his dad and he watched Jude for us so we could take Felicity out for her birthday dinner, she wanted to go to Red Robin.  

After dinner we opened presents and had birthday cake!  Jude was a big help in blowing out candles and handing Felicity's gifts to her...he even got the wrapping paper started so it would be easier.  She is a patient big sister.

And speaking of "big sister", Felicity may be the older sister, but she's no longer the "big sister".  Arlo (who's starting to finally have a growth spurt) came up beside her and she realized that her little brother is now taller than her!

Helen had a great time at prom and didn't get home until late.  She and Bodie are also planning to go to church prom next month...I'm glad we'll get at least two uses out of Helen's pretty dress.

Our Easter morning did not go as planned.  It was a little chaotic.  Jude was on a roll and there were people going in all different directions.  I did mange to get a nice picture of the kids together before we left for church.

Jude was not very good at church, unfortunately.  I told him that if he wasn't good I was going to text the Easter Bunny and tell him not to leave a basket or hide any eggs.  I waved my phone at him a couple of times during Sacrament meeting to no avail.  Finally Phil took him out of the chapel and he missed his opportunity to sing with the other Primary-aged children.  I was disappointed.  He's really had some challenging, defiant behavior lately and I'm hoping its a phase we'll quickly transition out of.

I guess the Easter Bunny didn't get my text because he still left everyone an Easter basket and with the help of Felicity hid some candy-filled plastic eggs and some cascaróns around the yard.  The girls helped me make dinner and we enjoyed having Nana and Papa, Grandma Sue, Aunt Dorothy, and the missionaries for dinner.

After dinner we visited and let Jude hunt Easter eggs.  He had a blast and really enjoyed breaking the cascaróns on everyone's head.  So cute!  It's something my Nana did for me when I was little and I love that its a tradition I can share with my kiddos, it reminds me of her every year.  

I am grateful for the Easter holiday to celebrate the Savior's resurrection.  I'm grateful that because he conquered death, I will too.  I'm grateful that because he fulfilled His mission on our behalf I can be with my loved ones forever, that death loses its sting, that the grave can't hold those we hold dear.  I'm grateful for Jesus Christ and His infinite atonement so that I can one day return to live with Him and my Heavenly Father.  I echo the testimony shared in this beautiful children's choir arrangement of "Gethsemane".  He is risen, He lives! 

  

13 April 2025

We're getting a little itchy for summer break around here with less than six weeks left of the school year.  Every year at about this time I'm sick of getting up early, driving kids around, activities and school commitments, all of it, and yearn for the freedom of summer break with loser rules, fewer commitments, and laxed schedules.  Then a few weeks into summer I know I'll crave the structure of the school year once again.  It's my mothering cycle I suppose.  

On Monday Phil was at work and got to participate in a "Homes for Heroes" ceremony.  The fire district brought the ladder truck to hang the flag from.  It was a nice event and he got a tee shirt.  The rest of us at home kept things going with animal chores and homework and the normal assortment of other things.

We were glad to have Phil home on Tuesday and he helped me keep Jude busy while I worked.  Helen took her ACT test and didn't feel like it went very well.  I guess she got engrossed in the math section and when she looked up from her work she was out of time and still had several problems she didn't get to and wouldn't be able to at least guess on.  She was disappointed and plans to do a make up if her score is affected as I'm sure it will be (dang it!).  In the evening Phil took Helen out driving.  We're hoping she can take her road test in the near future so they went out to practice that tricky three point turn that the MVD has set up.  Luckily for Helen, as a second child, we know what to look out for because her sister was the guinea pig.

The boys went along too and after driving for awhile they all went to dinner and then over to Uncle Kirby's house where cousin Zack was opening his mission call.  He'll be going to Quito Ecuador, Jude told me all about it.  I got to tune in from home on Facebook.  Yay for missionaries!

Helen stayed home on Wednesday, I guess the juniors were having a skip day since they had finished their ACT the day before.  We went to the orthodontist in the morning and Helen was excited to hear that this was her last major adjustment; she'll have a minor adjustment in four weeks and then they'll come off four weeks after that!  Yay!  Too bad I won't be saving any money because Arlo is next in line.  Jude was enamored by the Nintendo at the orthodontist's office.  After the orthodontist I took Helen and Jude out to lunch and then I dropped Helen off at the pool in Sycamore park where her girlfriends were getting together to swim.  After swimming they went to a stake pre-FSY activity.  She had a good time.

Dad was home on Thursday and since we didn't have anything going on in the evening we had Family Home Evening.  We had a lesson from Come Follow Me and then watched 17 Miracles as our activity.  With our pioneer trek coming up next month we thought it would be good to talk about some of the things that the Mormon Pioneers experienced on their trek to the Salt Lake valley.

Speaking of trek preparations I finished the blouse to my pioneer costume this week.  It was easier than I anticipated and I leaned a new technique too.  It turned out cute and looks good with the vest I made last week.  The only problem...my mannequin doesn't have arms and so I didn't realize the sleeves were a little short.  They'll be fine, they're not short enough that I'm willing to take them apart and recut and stitch them.

Felicity is doing well at school and continues to learn, but mostly practices her newly acquired beauty skills.  I wish she actually liked doing lash extensions because I love mine and insider pricing would be sweet!  She's going to be doing Helen's hair (and probably nails and makeup for prom next weekend) and was asked to do hair for a friend's upcoming wedding.  

Friday was fun.  Everyone piled in the truck for a trip to the north side of Tucson for a family eye exam.  The amazing office manager at Envision Eyecare Center got appoints for all of us so we could come together.  I'm sure we were quite the circus.  My eyes have held steady, Helen needed a new prescription, and evidently Phil and Arlo have better than good eyesight; although Phil is ready for old-man readers for the small close-up stuff.  I should have figured he had better than normal eyesight, he can spot a deer on the side of a distant hill while we zip past at 80 miles per hour on the freeway, while he's the one driving, and I'm not even kidding.  

Jude even got to have his eyes examined.  I felt like a pretty crappy mom when not only could he not seem to understand the "which way is the fork (E) facing" question, but couldn't distinguish between one finger and five fingers.  When asked to count the candles on the cake he confidently sang out "one, two, six.  There are six".  Ugh!  Don't ever be fooled, I'm not a stay at home mom, I'm a work at home mom with a stay at home kid.  I feel like there's obviously a lot I've neglected.  We have some work to do before preschool starts in July.  We have some manners to work on too, he literally sneezed right in Dr. McDonald's face.  Seriously though, if you don't have an optometrist you're married to, see Dr. McDonald and Millissa at Envision Eyecare, they're top notch!  I passed on having my eye's dilated, but since the kids didn't have to drive home I made sure to give permission to dilate theirs.  Here they are ready to head home in their cool shades (Jude didn't have his eyes dilated, but also didn't want to miss out on wearing sunglasses).

After the eye doctor we took everyone to DQ for a treat and then we dropped Helen off at the church where the young women were car pooling to Mesa for the Easter Pageant.  I told Helen to take pictures for the blog.  You would think what with the beauty of the temple, the extravagance of the pageant, and being together with all her friends there would be ample opportunity for beautiful photos of the fun and inspiring event...no, all I got were "0.5 selfies" of her and her friends eating pizza in the back of a minivan.  So enjoy, I know I didn't!

We were all up early on Saturday so I could drop Helen and Arlo off at the church to carpool to a pre-trek practice hike.  I hear they had fun, but also that Arlo is due for a new pair of shoes as his have zero traction at this point (it is the end of the school year).  Phil worked in the yard planting some grass seed in front of our porch steps.  I figure we can do a little at a time for now.  He also wrapped my new trees' trunks to protect them from critters and fed animals.  I picked up groceries and worked on some preparation for the trek medical team.  In the late afternoon after the kids had gotten home from their hike Arlo came in to ask why Dad had propped up the chicken coop.  To which we gave confused looks.  Turns out a huge wind gust came through the yard and lifted three connected dog kennels/chicken coops off the ground and landed them on an overturned trash can releasing all the birds and the dogs.  We all spent the better part of the next hour catching chickens and getting everyone back in their enclosures.

Our Palm Sunday was lovely.  Phil had to be at church early for ward council.  Sacrament meeting was nice and then after church we enjoyed lunch and a nap!  In the late afternoon Phil and I were invited to visit with our friend Sume in Benson.  She made us dinner and then we went to the Community Easter Celebration.  It was great, we had a wonderful time.  

The only downside to the weekend was our refrigerator has decided that it is not long for this world.  Our appliances are going out one at a time every four months or so.  The dryer, water heater, dishwasher, microwave...now the refrigerator.  The folks at Home Depot love us.