Sunday, September 3, 2023

           

Summer is gone and school has started.  A couple of events from summer.  Canda came over and played.  We had 4 girls from Taiwan stay with us for a week.  They were Xadia’s age and she had a good time getting to know them.  The girls thought McCabe was so cute.

    We visited Myron and Linda Nalder’s grave around July 24, 2023 in remembrance of them for pioneer day and played a game with a thimble of water.

During the summer, we went on a lot of walks.  It has been nice since the road to the temple has been completed.  I don’t worry so much about encountering rattlesnakes on the new road.  Previously we have encounter rattlesnakes twice on the dirt path before the road was constructed.  It always made me worry but we are good now.

                Tim and I had the opportunity to got on trek this year.  It was absolutely amazing.  It was a time of great reflection on the lord and the pioneers as we walked in the wilderness with no phones or everyday distractions.  We got to experience many emotions because of the comparisons made from our day with the pioneer day.  There were humbling moments such as the women’s pull and the sharing of scriptures and pioneer stories.  There were also fun moments such as the hoe down, water fights, and root beer floats.  I was honored to be a ma of nine children.  I enjoyed getting to know each one of them and hope to have a lasting relationship with each one.  I look forward to going again when Teagan is old enough.

Teagan is big into dirt biking.  He wants to go any time someone is willing to go with him.  I had the opportunity to ride in the mountains with him.  He was really fast.  I was slow.  I enjoyed the ride every moment of the way.  We got high enough that the temperature was a little cooler than at the house and the smell of pine filled the air.  It was fabulous.  It reminded me of the days my family would go to October fest at snowbird.  I love the mountains, the fresh air, and the wild plants.

                The boys went on a hike with the young men to King’s peak.  That meant the girls had a girls night out.  We went to Farmington Station and visited Ulta, Harmons (where we got Teagan some Mexican Coca Cola), waffle love, and younuts.  I had never heard of Yonuts until Xadia told me about it.  It is a place where they cut a donut in half and fill it with ice cream and other toppings.  She Thoroughly enjoyed it.  After our shopping, we came home and watched Xanadu.  What a fun movie of the 80’s.  The music and costumes are great.  Jacinda enjoyed watching the scene changes.  Every time she watches a movie, she looks at it from a director’s/stage manager’s perspective.  I watch for pure entertainment.

                Xadia and I have been practicing volleyball.  She wants to try out for the Jr. High School team.  Try outs are shortly after school starts.  Here is Xadia hitting a ball against the school’s wall.  Spoiler alert, Xadia makes the Jr. High Volleyball team.

                We love cooking at our house.  Teagan and Tim are cooking up something good.  Teagan likes to make criss cross fries.  I like to make desserts and McCabe likes to lick the bowl.  It is a great family. 

                The kids have started school. 

McCabe is in 11^th grade.

Xadia is in 8^th grade.

Teagan is 6^th grade.

    Jacinda has graduated and is on vacation with Doug and Denise.  She went four wheeling and motor biking on the beach in Oregon.  She had such a great time with the cousins and her aunt and uncle.  The cousins would try to draw like Jacinda.  They stayed by her side every minute unless she was sleeping.  Every time I called is seemed like she was sleeping so she could get a break from the cousins.  Jacinda found 2 starfish and caught a bird.  She was having such a good time that she did not want to come home.  But she did and I am happy she is back with the family.

Sunday, July 9, 2023

     Teagan did some track through the rec. center during spring.  He did the 4 x 4 relay, long jump, and the 200 meter dash.  It was fun to cheer him along with Sam Sorenson and Kade McPheters.  I was so proud at how hard he tried.  Unfortunately he did not make it to district or state, but he had a good time. 

     Jancinda is a busy girl.  She just graduated High School and is working at Poki Bowl.  She has enrolled at Salt Lake Community College and is working towards going on a mission next year.  This summer she wants to work and spend as much time with friends before starting her "adult life."  Just a little side note, I cheered so loud at her graduation, McCabe told me to quiet down.  I smiled and told him not to worry, I will be just as loud when he graduates.  I even ordered cowbells for the next graduation.

     I love where we live.  We get incredible lightening storms from time to time.  I barely escaped this one before it got to our house.  The views over the valley were amazing.

     Every 5th grade student gets to do a decade day.  That is when the student gets selected to report on a decade.  This year Teagan got 200 to 2009.  He had to research the events, political, social, and worldwide during that time.  He also dressed like a person from that time and shared some cheeze puffs which were a popular food during that decade.  He did a super job.

      Xavius got to spend a week with us during the end of May.  We love having him.  He was a big help with setting up and fixing flags for Memorial day and building a chicken coop for our new chickens.

     Xadia is loving her volleyball.  She has gotten very good for her age.  She has a great time playing with her cousin Canda Squire.  The both go to Hive Volleyball to practice.

     June started off with Jacinda getting her wisdom teeth removed.  (She was out for a week but recovered nicely.) 

 

    Two days later family joined us for the rest of June.  We had the Stubbs visit from Texas along with Edmund and Kaleel from West Virginia.  They came up so the older boys (14+) could to go to the all stars camp.  We had so much fun.  Amy made strawberry jam.  We went swimming, hiking, rope swinging, and made forts in the hallway for sleeping.  We also all took a quick trip to Washington to visit Doug's family and Steve Fisher.  I have never been in a car where kids farted so much.  They made a game out of it and it was super annoying.  They kept saying "door knob," or "after shock" when they farted to warn everyone they might want to roll down their windows.  Besides the flatulence issue, it was super fun with more cousins.  While in the Northwest we ate at VooDoo donuts, saw fungal apples on oak trees, had a BBQ, and rode quads.

     After returning home from Washington, we went to the Saratoga Spring Temple open house.  It was absolutely gorgeous.  I always love to see the color scheme.  This one was done in a blue, lavender, and cream.  We are so blessed to have temples on the earth.  Not many people know that but in time they will.  After the open house, we went to the BYU creamery and got some yummy ice cream.  That was a big hit.  Then we took Lance to BYU so he could unpack and get acquainted with his new dorm life.  It is sometimes hard for me to realize these cute little babies are growing up.  It has been such a treat watching these kids (the Stubbs and my own) grow up and become adults.

     Jacinda and McCabe are so busy being social with their friends and working, any time they are home, they are usually asleep.

Tuesday, May 3, 2023 (On Goings)

            The weather has started to warm up.  The snow is melted, and we have officially started having campfires in the backyard.  The Pergler boys come over and roast marshmallows.  Actually, Ian doesn’t roast marshmallows, he eats them right out of the bag.  Seth likes to toast the marshmallow and the chocolate covered graham on the stick at the same time.  We usually have more than one fire going at a time because each child wants to build their own.  Since the backyard is mostly dirt, we let them start a fire after they have built their fire ring with a circle of rocks.

              Teagan has been asking for a new suit.  He wants a red one.  I asked him to show me a picture of it.  Once I saw it, I said we could make one.  We went to Walmart and decided on some fantastic purple polyester.  I used one of his suits as a pattern and this is the final product.  He looks really sharp in his new suit.

              Xadia is doing track and she runs the 800 meters.  I attended her most recent meet and was so proud of how well she did.   I think she tied for first in her heat.  I loved watching her pass all the girls especially because she got squeezed out in the beginning.  Go Xades!

              McCabe is playing Lacrosse.  He is having a great time.  He comes home with welts on his arms from high powered balls hitting him.  I did not know much about Lacrosse before he started.  I have learned that it is a contact sport and looks like football, soccer, and hockey all combined into a sport.  I hope he continues to play sports.  It is fun to watch him.  I especially like cheering for him and my other kids.  I am loud enough to make sure they hear me.

              Jacinda is working hard at the Poki Bowl.  She has decided to serve a mission, so we are helping her get ready for that.  Come June, she will get her wisdom teeth removed.  She is also gearing up for summer college at SLCC.  I can’t believe my oldest is all grown up.

              Tim works hard to provide for the family.  When he is not working (which is rarely), he likes to “hold down the couch.”  Fozzie likes to join him.  Fozzie is a very loving dog.

      The kids are developing their talents.  Teagan and Xadia have learned to make strawberry Boba.

Teagan learned to make a catapult in the backyard.

Tuesday, May 3, 2023 (Recap of April)

               The beginning of April kicked off with Spring break.  We took a trip to San Francisco.  Unfortunately, Jacinda did not join us because she had work.  We saw so many wonderful things.  First, we stopped at the Oakland temple.  This temple had some oriental flare to its design as an homage to the large Asian population in the area.  The Oakland temple also had gardens on the roof of the building.  I enjoyed walking and seeing all the flowers and bushes.  The colors of nature were a welcome sight since it was snowy back in Utah.  Utah was experiencing its wettest winter on record.  This was unfortunate for us because our backyard was torn apart, and the saturated ground was causing the trees to fall from the mountain.

              Next stop was China Town.  It was like walking through a tourist trap.  There was a lot of overpriced junk.  It looked like items at a second store that were all covered with dust.  I was not very impressed.  People on the corner yelling at you to come and buy their stuff.  It reminded me a lot of Tijuana Mexico.  The family was hungry, so they decided to eat at a restaurant in China Town.  I had my reservations because the conditions were suspicious.  Tim selected a place, and I did not see a rating on the window from the health department.  I told him that there was no rating or any indication the health department checks the sanitary conditions of the restaurant.  He said, “we are here for the experience,” and then laughed.  He knew that we were at a high risk of getting food poisoning and was willing to take it.  We were seated at our table near a fish tank where the fish were dead floating upside down.  There was carpet at the bottom of the tank with fish poop.  I held my tongue and was respectful.  As Tim is flipping through the menu, he turns to me and says, “this is really authentic, even the menu is sticky.”  We both lost it and started laughing.  The family enjoyed a meal, I enjoyed my ice water.  After China Town, we went to Mike and Cedy’s house.

              Mike and Cedy are Tim’s aunt and uncle.  They live in Menlo Park.  They have been there for over 40 years.  They were so warm and welcoming.  It was fun to visit with them and hear stories of their lives and children.

              The next day we went to the Golden Gate Bridge.  It was absolutely amazing.  We watched a youtube video explaining the engineering behind it and it was constructed.  I was amazed that a newbie engineer could build the bridge at a fraction of the price with a more sophisticated designed than seasoned engineers.  There was a look out place where we could stop and take pictures.  The kids bought a $10 hot dog from a vendor.  I could not believe the price but they were hungry.  Everything is so expensive thanks to inflation.  It also does not help that we are visiting a high priced city.  After the Golden Gate Bridge it was off to the beach.

              It was cold (about 64 degrees) but that did not stop the kids from getting into the water.  It was so fun to watch the kids play.  There were also dogs on the beach.  It was great to see them play.  It made us miss Fozzie but we knew Jacinda was taking good care of him.

              We visited pier 59.  There was an aquarium with jellyfish, sharks, and stingrays.  As we toured the aquarium, there was a plexi-glass hallway surrounded by swimming fish.  It was like walking on the ocean floor.  My favorite part of the aquarium was the jellyfish and watching the kids touch the sting rays.  Occasionally I would catch McCabe flexing his muscles in reflective glass.  When I asked him to do it on camera, he just ignored me.

              One of the highlights of the trip was touring Alcatraz Prison.  I was fascinated by the inmates’ stories and their living conditions.  It would be rough to spend many hours a day in a tiny cell or to shower in the open among 25 other people.  I would also hate to be in total confinement which is dark 23 hours a day.  One inmate would play a game with his button in the dark just to keep himself sane and occupied.