What we've been up to.....

For all the days I am a cranky, pregnant momma, I've had quite a few fun experiences with the kids and enjoyed their antics as well. We did the annual Teddy Bear Tea on the first weekend of May. Ben had to throw his bear together quickly. Grandma was coming early to pick him up for his annual Grandma vacation. This is what he came up with for the "bear that most represents a holiday". I thought it was a cute idea. He didn't win, though. And we weren't able to stick around long enough, at the tea, to see who did win.

This is the bear I entered for Sarah - "papa bear". And we won! I don't think there were any other entries for this category, so it wasn't much of a competition. I don't care, though. We won movie tickets! We'll have to use them before the baby is born.

So, Sarah and I had a few days while Ben was with his Grandma and cousins. The last 2 years she has taken the 3 older grandchildren on a vacation - Lagoon and such. This year she took them on a survival campout. They had a good time. And we got to enjoy Kannon's parents for the weekend when they brought Ben back. We always like going to yard sales (although this time I stayed home alone - that was nice) with them and they took us out for lunch, too. Next month she is taking the younger cousins (with Sarah) to the Wilbur D. Mays park and museum in Reno - with a night in the hotel with her. I think Sarah is going to really like that. And Ben is already anticipating our time together. The only really different thing Sarah and I did was to go out for lunch together and spend some time at the park (which I havent' done lately.)

We've been working on our yard/garden. Trying to get a garden planted. Kannon wants to set up a watering line and we're waiting on getting the money to buy some plants, too.

I took the kids to the school on Saturday. We live just a block from one of the elementary schools. I just haven't felt like loading up to go to the park, and I especially don't feel like walking all the way there (even though it's not that far). So, after they begged to go to the park all week, I finally gave in and we went to the school playground. I was hot and I didn't like the sand in my shoes, but we stayed for almost an hour.

This is my old 5th grade classroom. This is where I was when we moved back to Fallon. My teacher was retiring - we were Mr. Cunningham's last class. He was tough. I told the counselor that I liked homework, so she put me in this class. It was the first time I got a C and the first time I forgot to finish some homework. I still remember the shame. (I had a dream last night that I found my locker in the high school, but couldn't remember my combination. When I finally figured it out, I realized that I hadn't been to class in months! And I was going to fail! It was awful.) Anyway, I have good memories, too. That was when I met my first "love". Learned how much I liked soccer. I remember playing double dutch right next to this wall - and 4-square. Lining up after recess. Even the bathrooms and lunchroom are still in my memory. Some of my friends went to school here for 4 years - I just had the one year, but it was important, and I enjoyed the nostalgia of walking around here again.

They have this one fun part on the playground. Ben calls it the "ninja course". It has these bell "phones". One on each side and he and Sarah enjoyed talking to each other through them.

Later that day, Ben was playing in the water -I can't seem to keep him out of it. (As we speak he is soaking his pants in the sprinkler.) They decided the needed swim suits. Sarah didn't really want to get wet (it wasn't THAT hot). But, Ben enjoyed getting her wet. So, I turned the water on him. That was enough. Every day, though, he gets in some kind of trouble with the water. Yesterday he was digging a hole in the lawn, using the water sprayer, and got mud splattered all over Sarah. She even had mud in her hair.

So, some of the things they've said lately have been great - again!

• I asked Sarah to come to me (I was on the couch). She walked over with her head down, hair in her eyes and said, "Yes stepmudder?"
• On Sunday, the primary kids headed to the front to sing songs. Sarah jumped in with them before we could catch her. She went straight to the podium looking for the stool. The Bishop finally pulled it out for her and she stood "singing" with the rest of the kids. When they came back she walked right up to me and said, "I love you Mudder." Gave me a hug, then one for Dad and Ben, too.
• My mother's day card from Ben read: "I don't care if you are meen. I love you so so so so so so so much. I love you." That made me laugh and cry.
• Today I heard him talking to Sarah. He told her she had a baby in her belly. That it was just an egg right now, but when she gets married it will hatch and start to grow. !!!!!!!! I guess I haven't taught that one too well. I don't really care right now, unless she gets scared.