Talent Show

Friday night the kids performed in the ward talent show. (Sorry the pictures are so bad.) Carol played the cello and did a great job!




















Major danced with the cub scouts in a dance we organized and a girl in our ward choreographed. It was "Sieze the Day" from Newsies. It was so cute!
Lucy sang "Castle on a Cloud" and was so cute!
Major also played a piano solo and did awesome!



Even Juliette got to tell a joke (very badly) so she was excited to participate! Next year we'll have to figure out a talent for her.

Austin, Texas

Today we let the kids play hooky from school and we went to Austin, Texas for the day. (Love those flights benefits!) Carol is doing a state report on Texas for school. All the kids in her class wrote letters to their states asking for information and she didn’t get anything. We felt sorry for her and decided to just get it ourselves. We have wanted to go to Austin anyway.
We had a great time even though it rained all day. We all got very wet, but I did have the presence of mind to have everyone wear a hooded jacket so it wasn’t too bad. We forget that everyone else doesn’t have sunny days!
We took a taxi to the state capital. That is an impressive and huge building. It was very interesting. Then we walked a long way to a barbeque place that someone recommended. It was okay. Then we walked to the Children’s Museum. That was a big hit with the kids. They loved it! Then we flew home. We were all very tired, but had a great time.

Juliette making food at the "restaurant" at the Children's Museum.

Lucy playing "store" at the Children's Museusm.
Carol as a cowgirl at the capital.
Major and Juliette.

Easter 2007

Thursday night we had Dr. John Gray (author of “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus”) come and speak at our house. About 100 people came. He is so interesting and entertaining! I could have listened all night. He talked about wellness and it was so inspiring. I don’t want to eat sugar again!



Saturday we junked out on Easter candy and I felt so bad about poisoning my children! Carol gave a talk in primary and did a great job. She decided to sing “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” as her testimony. She did great and is such a sweet girl.

Monday I took Lucy to a new ear specialist. She has almost total hearing loss in her left ear because it has a hole in it. The doctor says it is completely reversible if the hole closes or it can be repaired with surgery. He thinks the hole might have been there for a long time and may not close up, but we are going to wait until next spring to give it a chance before surgery.

Last week I read an inspiring article about eating organic. I found a little farm right by the kid’s school that sells organic vegetables. It’s a tiny plot. They harvest once a week and it’s on the honor system. You just take what you want out of the refrigerator in a little shed and leave your money. The kids think it is the funniest store. We have gone twice now and have gotten beets with tops, turnips, braising greens, spinach, delicious carrots, green garlic (so delicious), and asparagus. We are looking forward to their apricots and grapes this summer. It’s also inspiring me to work harder at my own garden.

Spring Break 2007

Last week we went to Newport Beach for spring break. I forgot how beautiful California is! We had a great time! The weather was beautiful and we had cousins to hang out with.

On Saturday, I took the kids on a hike in the Lost Dutchman State Park. (This was for cub scouts.) I enjoyed it, but I sure had a lot of wimpy hikers with me! We just did the easy trail and there was too much complaining! The other group went to the top and saw a cave. Maybe next time!

The Box Oven

Today we cooked in our box oven. Yes! Those are chocolate chip cookies. It was really cool and worked great! I am showing it at Roundtable this month and it passed off some stuff for Major. AND it will be great for my year supply! Scouting is so much fun!

My Scout Life

I was Major's Wolf Den Leader last year. We had a great time making crazy things.

Having silly bead ceremonies.

Now I am Major's Bear Den Leader. We have 10 boys and a Den Chief (a boy scout who helps us, but also another boy!) We have fun and have a great group of boys.

I am trained, have been to Scout-O-Rama and two Pow Wow's and now have been recruited to teach the Wolf/Bear Break out class at Roundtable. If you don't know this lingo, you don't know scouting! I have become a huge believer in the scouting program. It is awesome! A little overwhelming, but totally worth it!

The Sink

We finally got a new kitchen sink and faucet. It's great having one big bowl. No more food in the wrong side of the sink. It's bigger than it looks. Juliette thinks it is a bathtub. I think it is great. And I will never get stainless steel again!