This Week at our House #12

1. John finished his awful job with TDW on Wednesday. He had Thursday and Friday with no work. He is still looking for a job. I am relieved because he will no longer be coming home every night telling me how awful his day went. We have some money to get us through another 2 months, but prayers for a new job are always welcome.
2. To say I had another busy week would be an understatement. Monday had the the usual early morning run, daily chores and family home evening as well as a lot of phone calls with doctors culminating with a visit to a bone specialist and an x-ray and finally being told the honest truth that a 2 year olds bone would grow back normally with no doctor visits. Tuesday night was Celebrate the Family at the capitol. I needed chocolate pie after that. Wednesday was the normal busy-ness. Thursday, I went up to Saratoga Springs for a couple hours at the park with some dear friends, and then picked up the matching love seat to our living room sofa at my mother in laws in Provo. When I got home it was rush, rush, rush to get the kids dinner and then out to the temple with John. Friday morning Adam had the animal expo at his school. In the afternoon, I had the field trip for BYU-Idaho students. Saturday morning I did chores as fast as I could and then it was time to get back to the Temple for my brother's sealing to his wife. Then we ran home quickly, got the seats back in the van and brought the kids up to the luncheon for the sealing. We stayed a short time and then John dropped Ruth, Kate, and I off at the conference center for the Young Women's general conference meeting. That was very lovely. Afterwards, we hung out with cousins who were attending the conference from WY. We hit the store for a couple needed items on the way home and got home after 9:30. Whew, what a week!
3. Ruth had several tests and projects due this week. She certainly had her hands full too. I loved being at the Conference Center for Young Women's conference yesterday. We had great seats. I think Ruth fount it pretty neat to be so close to the prophet. She also had a lot of fun seeing favorite cousins afterwards. Ruth as always, played the part of the sheppard with her siblings Tuesday night at the Capitol. Ruth left having a keen sense of who the "not for traditional family" group honestly is, and what they are like in real life. While I felt bad that I had accidentally brought my family into that type of environment, I think, at least for the older kids, this experience will keep them from being deceived by the media and teachers at school.
4. Have I said Kate is my right hand man? She is also my advocate in training. She came with me Friday for the Capitol tour and field trip. Kate had the honor of being singled out and welcomed by Senator Margaret Dayton-- one of my political heroes! I loved having Kate leaning on me during the Young Women's conference. I love having teenage daughters!
5. Johnny had a busy week of chores making up for me not being at home so much. He did well too. He even got the kids put to bed and the house picked up Saturday night before I got home.  However, with the last two busy weeks we have missed Johnny's scouts and he will again miss the next week for Rachel's birthday.
6. The menacing crowd at the Capitol really frightened Adam on Tuesday. He really wouldn't even talk much afterwards. A good nights sleep and a lesson on Lehi's Dream and the great and spacious building helped. I think Adam was completely shocked at the idea of real life "bad guys". I would have never brought him into that environment if I had known. We were going to celebrate the family and show the Supreme Court that we support traditional marriage. All week long Adam reminded me that his animal expo was at school on Friday at 10am every day all week. Every time he reminded me, he asked if I would bring Anya too-- so cute. He had done his report on Bald Eagles. He did an excellent job. He had made a bald eagle, a nest with eggs and a baby eagle. His report was well written!!!!
7. We saw Rachel at recess with her best friends when we were leaving Adam's class. What a cutey!! She is a tiny one too. Rachel came with me Friday to the field trip. She sat quietly for the entire three hours. I had to buy her ice cream afterwards. I asked her if she listened to any of the talks. She shrugged her shoulders and told me that she loved having all of that time to cuddle with me. I had her sitting on my lap most of the time. I never do any of my political stuff without my kids. They come first, so I use the time as a small one on one or two on one time with me. 
8. Anya played outside all week long. She loves to be outdoors! And she always makes a terrible mess outdoors. She turns on the water, makes mud, paints the fence, and turns everything into a big muddy soup. This week, I decided that since out back yard is small and the kids really don't have anywhere to explore, I'll let the kids make their big outdoor mess and relax about not having a clean back yard.
9. Joseph played outside all week with Anya. He made the same mess. He brought mud into the house. He covered the bathtub and the sink and the toilet, some places of the wall and the muddy footprints throughout (glad I have a wood floor now). 
10. Josh did indeed break his clavicle. The bone was broken straight through. By Monday morning it was swollen enough that he wouldn't use his right hand or arm. We got him a sling and that seemed to help some. He occasionally woke up in pain in the middle of the night until Friday. Friday, I could feel a bump over the bone and Josh would no longer keep the sling on. He began using his right arm again too. This morning Josh stayed in the bathtub longer than the other little kids. John called to him and he would not answer. John called two more times and he still didn't answer. John called out cars, Josh called cars back got out of the tub and went to John. Josh is just the funniest little thing. I wish he wasn't so accident prone. Oh by the way, Josh sat quietly through the celebration of the family program because he was watching YouTube videos of trains on John's phone.
11. Arwen turned 8 months this week. She still isn't crawling, which would make her slower to crawl then most of my kids. She will inch worm to get things, but she doesn't go across the whole room. She still is pretty much straight nursing. I've tried to give her solid food, but she doesn't want it. Arwen is still the sweetest, happiest, funnest baby.

This Weeks Pictures

At the capitol on Tuesday

My Dearest Friends. We all have a plethora of children and love it.

Adam and Rachel heading off to school

Adam's Animal Project

Rachel at Recess

Seth and Marie were sealed in the Temple

Young Women's General Conference-- such an amazing contrast to Tuesday at the Capitol

My Beautiful Girls!!!